the silvery tongued, gold hearted and chrome polished, Luscious, here with another musical eargasm for your academy award sunday. the following link takes you to a free mixtape by two of NC's finest underground talents, Khrysis of HOJ and King Mez of the freestyle series. it's a cold steely blend from the Justus League's other producer and the Raleigh, NC MC. you go ahead and pour yourself a nice beverage and get your listen on while finish this lotus oil rub down
ps, the download is free, y'all
King Mez x Khrysis - The King’s Khrysis - Listen and Download
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
failure: a tale of HIM
" ...the pressures gone. now i can go on with the rest of the semester, chill up here for the summer, walk and still be on schedule (the one i made for myself [someones law school by 2010 fall]). mama wont like it, but in the end it may be best. it means i get to see some things through that i may not have bee able to before. it also means that i wont be sitting in Charlotte or Durham with no gig and nothing to do for those summer months. and who knows, maybe penny and busko can work a little magic and make something outta nothing. we'll see. i've got this strange since of optimism that wasn't there a week ago when no one was mad at me..."
on 2/4/09 i wrote that in a blog post about my anxiety and optimism over the changing phases of my life. i was this close to graduation, had a plan of action, and was determined to make them all work for me in the next year. what could go wrong, right?
as it turns out, that adage about best laid plans is even more spot on than you think. allow me to update you on the two years that followed.
despite the minor set back of having to come back for classes over the summer, i was determined to finish strong, which given my track record at the time meant that all i really had to do was stay true to the course I'd been on. 3 straight 4.0 semesters to that point had to mean i was doing something right. well, if you know me then you know i was embroiled in a common relationship conundrum at that point (i like that word 'conundrum'), needless to say, i was distracted. but i could still wing it in my classes. as the semester wore on, the knowledge that graduation was an impossibility set in. certain classes (i.e. the ones that had no effect on my graduation or my interest in law school) became chores to me. my mother can attest to how well i take to chores, but since she's not here let me tell you how i take to chores like a shark takes to the desert. work just didn't get done to my standards in these classes. and for no real appreciable reason. i finished the semester with a 3.0, just enough to knock me from magna cum laude to simply 'with honors'.
lets back track for a sec and talk about something i usually like to keep secret: this was also the time when i had my big STD scare. we all have one scare or another, but this was MY scare. this was the one that was NOT supposed to happen me. so i get tested. negative. few weeks pass and I'm still feeling a little genitally compromised, so i go and get another test, a more comprehensive one. the difference is this time i have to wait two week for the results. so I'm going through these two weeks as if I'm waiting to hear from the governor. an air of "dead man walking" followed me from class to class, studied with me, cooked my meals, and rocked me to sleep each 3 o'clock-in-the-morning. the big day comes and i get the phone call. "you're results are here. come into the office to get them." this was devastating. ME, the guy who always, ALWAYS uses protection. the guy who is so selective with who he cavorts with. how could i possibly have contracted something so terrible that i have to walk all the way to the office to get? what seemed like a year later i was in the office. the doctor walked in with that "mmmm hmmmm" look that black ladies get when they feel superior to you (the doctor was a black lady). "OK, Mr. HIM, we have your results. you tested negative for.." and she proceeded to list all the horrible heebie jeebies you could imagine. i felt the power being sapped from my legs as she said, "you're all clear". supported by the steadfast examiners table i declared, "so i don't have anything?" in what turned out to be more of a question than a declaration. "not that we found" i hate the way doctors answer questions.because that mustard seed of doubt would grow, never allowing me to be satisfied with her "all clear" proclamation. i recomposed myself and walked out of that office, a clean man.
that would be the last time i set foot in a doctors office or hospital.
so i breeze through the summer -- at different institutions-- with what would have been a 3.5 at my school (B+ at UNC, A at UNCC) then get set to take the LSAT. fast forward to September: the date of my exam. i sit at my desk, pencil in hand, back up pencil sharp and ready, back up back up pencil go, emergency back up pencil on standby, then the examiner says go... i freeze up. physically I'm poring over the pages with the same ice cold confident precision of every other test taker. but inside is a civil war. my senses are firing, my emotions are raging, but my mind, my mind just... won't... churn. not a single coherent thought is able to form long enough for me to answer the questions that I'd seen hundreds of times in practice. section 1 becomes section 2 and 3 and i mind won't cooperate with me. after the break however, I'm able to get it together. the questions become familiar again. and forget about the essay portion, because i knocked it out cold! the next part sees me in a similar situation as the waiting period i mentioned before, and after another lifetime i finally receive the email! i open it calmly and read through the brief introduction, your basic professional courtesies. finally, my heart beat becoming more pronounced by the instant, i read the score: "1.." so far so good, "5..." uh-oh... i don't read the rest. it doesn't matter at this point, because it's too low to be the score i wanted. well, i, undeterred by that minor set back, embark on what has turned into a year long saga of applications, essays, trips to lobby for letters of recommendation, cross country flights, open houses, inexplicably email's from top 10 schools, and two count 'em, two acceptance letters (after what felt like 50 "incomplete: missing letter of recommendation" letters, but that's another story).
well, gang, my tale has become quite an epic yarn, so hasta que otra vez adieu and adios.
TO BE CONTINUED...
on 2/4/09 i wrote that in a blog post about my anxiety and optimism over the changing phases of my life. i was this close to graduation, had a plan of action, and was determined to make them all work for me in the next year. what could go wrong, right?
as it turns out, that adage about best laid plans is even more spot on than you think. allow me to update you on the two years that followed.
despite the minor set back of having to come back for classes over the summer, i was determined to finish strong, which given my track record at the time meant that all i really had to do was stay true to the course I'd been on. 3 straight 4.0 semesters to that point had to mean i was doing something right. well, if you know me then you know i was embroiled in a common relationship conundrum at that point (i like that word 'conundrum'), needless to say, i was distracted. but i could still wing it in my classes. as the semester wore on, the knowledge that graduation was an impossibility set in. certain classes (i.e. the ones that had no effect on my graduation or my interest in law school) became chores to me. my mother can attest to how well i take to chores, but since she's not here let me tell you how i take to chores like a shark takes to the desert. work just didn't get done to my standards in these classes. and for no real appreciable reason. i finished the semester with a 3.0, just enough to knock me from magna cum laude to simply 'with honors'.
lets back track for a sec and talk about something i usually like to keep secret: this was also the time when i had my big STD scare. we all have one scare or another, but this was MY scare. this was the one that was NOT supposed to happen me. so i get tested. negative. few weeks pass and I'm still feeling a little genitally compromised, so i go and get another test, a more comprehensive one. the difference is this time i have to wait two week for the results. so I'm going through these two weeks as if I'm waiting to hear from the governor. an air of "dead man walking" followed me from class to class, studied with me, cooked my meals, and rocked me to sleep each 3 o'clock-in-the-morning. the big day comes and i get the phone call. "you're results are here. come into the office to get them." this was devastating. ME, the guy who always, ALWAYS uses protection. the guy who is so selective with who he cavorts with. how could i possibly have contracted something so terrible that i have to walk all the way to the office to get? what seemed like a year later i was in the office. the doctor walked in with that "mmmm hmmmm" look that black ladies get when they feel superior to you (the doctor was a black lady). "OK, Mr. HIM, we have your results. you tested negative for.." and she proceeded to list all the horrible heebie jeebies you could imagine. i felt the power being sapped from my legs as she said, "you're all clear". supported by the steadfast examiners table i declared, "so i don't have anything?" in what turned out to be more of a question than a declaration. "not that we found" i hate the way doctors answer questions.because that mustard seed of doubt would grow, never allowing me to be satisfied with her "all clear" proclamation. i recomposed myself and walked out of that office, a clean man.
that would be the last time i set foot in a doctors office or hospital.
so i breeze through the summer -- at different institutions-- with what would have been a 3.5 at my school (B+ at UNC, A at UNCC) then get set to take the LSAT. fast forward to September: the date of my exam. i sit at my desk, pencil in hand, back up pencil sharp and ready, back up back up pencil go, emergency back up pencil on standby, then the examiner says go... i freeze up. physically I'm poring over the pages with the same ice cold confident precision of every other test taker. but inside is a civil war. my senses are firing, my emotions are raging, but my mind, my mind just... won't... churn. not a single coherent thought is able to form long enough for me to answer the questions that I'd seen hundreds of times in practice. section 1 becomes section 2 and 3 and i mind won't cooperate with me. after the break however, I'm able to get it together. the questions become familiar again. and forget about the essay portion, because i knocked it out cold! the next part sees me in a similar situation as the waiting period i mentioned before, and after another lifetime i finally receive the email! i open it calmly and read through the brief introduction, your basic professional courtesies. finally, my heart beat becoming more pronounced by the instant, i read the score: "1.." so far so good, "5..." uh-oh... i don't read the rest. it doesn't matter at this point, because it's too low to be the score i wanted. well, i, undeterred by that minor set back, embark on what has turned into a year long saga of applications, essays, trips to lobby for letters of recommendation, cross country flights, open houses, inexplicably email's from top 10 schools, and two count 'em, two acceptance letters (after what felt like 50 "incomplete: missing letter of recommendation" letters, but that's another story).
well, gang, my tale has become quite an epic yarn, so hasta que otra vez adieu and adios.
TO BE CONTINUED...
i cannot remain silent
a bit of an oldie, but good
"...And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
those words are from our favorite slave-owning, slave-screwing founding father thomas jefferson. they are in reference to the necessity of waging war against the british if the colonies wanted their independence ("colonies" is a minor misnomer, but that's for another blog
"... a lawsuit filed last week in Washington, D.C. seeks to establish a broad Second Amendment right to carry firearms in public -- which, if successful, could mean that William Kostric's exercise in public handgun ownership will become much more commonplace. "
let's dissect mr. mccullagh's statement. for one thousands of lawsuits are filed daily. using a filed lawsuit to expand a law as evidence to support the actions of this man is tantamount to defending charles manson because he never actually committed those murders. legal or not, these actions SHOULD raise red flags in the eyes of any reasonable person. you don't bring a firearm to a political rally, ESPECIALLY if that politician is the first black president, period, notwithstanding if you're holding a sign that calls for blood. given our nations history with race relations, in which the two biggest black civil rights leaders and the president that heard their call to action were assasinated, you gotta wonder how this guy thought his display would be taken.
next, its a little presumptuous to assume that a successful case WILL prompt people to carry firearms to all manner of public forums again (i can't wait to see guns in school and .22 totin' preachers). lets face it: court decisions, even highly publicized ones, take time to catch on. hell, after the Brown v. board of education decision was publicized, 9 of the millions of black students in the country integrated a school. it took years (and the national guard, and a few additional court rulings)for integration to complete itself. and this is one of the biggest court decisions ever. so fie on your logic mccullagh!
"...And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
those words are from our favorite slave-owning, slave-screwing founding father thomas jefferson. they are in reference to the necessity of waging war against the british if the colonies wanted their independence ("colonies" is a minor misnomer, but that's for another blog
"... a lawsuit filed last week in Washington, D.C. seeks to establish a broad Second Amendment right to carry firearms in public -- which, if successful, could mean that William Kostric's exercise in public handgun ownership will become much more commonplace. "
let's dissect mr. mccullagh's statement. for one thousands of lawsuits are filed daily. using a filed lawsuit to expand a law as evidence to support the actions of this man is tantamount to defending charles manson because he never actually committed those murders. legal or not, these actions SHOULD raise red flags in the eyes of any reasonable person. you don't bring a firearm to a political rally, ESPECIALLY if that politician is the first black president, period, notwithstanding if you're holding a sign that calls for blood. given our nations history with race relations, in which the two biggest black civil rights leaders and the president that heard their call to action were assasinated, you gotta wonder how this guy thought his display would be taken.
next, its a little presumptuous to assume that a successful case WILL prompt people to carry firearms to all manner of public forums again (i can't wait to see guns in school and .22 totin' preachers). lets face it: court decisions, even highly publicized ones, take time to catch on. hell, after the Brown v. board of education decision was publicized, 9 of the millions of black students in the country integrated a school. it took years (and the national guard, and a few additional court rulings)for integration to complete itself. and this is one of the biggest court decisions ever. so fie on your logic mccullagh!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
just for kicks
thanks mediatakeout! lol, respect your women fellas:
I. Thou shalt not put any other partners before me.
Yes, I understand that it’s hypocritical for someone in a relationship to ask their side person to remain faithful, but you knew what you were walking into when you signed up for this. They just need you to stand by them while I “work things out” with their main squeeze. Just a few more years and they’ll be all yours… yeah, right.
II.Thou shalt not keep any images or video footage of us together—ever.
The key to keeping this thing going is no evidence, so there will be no pictures taken or sex tapes recorded. Denying everything only works when there’s no proof. Plus, in the event that things go south your jump-off should not have anything that he or she can black mail you with later.
III. Thou shalt not use the L-word in vain.
This rule is so underrated, but if you follow it things will be less complicated. Do not under any circumstances tell your jump-off you love them unless you really mean it. If said under false pretenses you’re just leaving yourself open for a world of hurt when the truth comes out.
IV. Remember the special days and stay in your place.
When someone’s in a real relationship—you know, one with a real title like BF/GF or husband/wife—there are certain commitments that need to be maintained, like anniversaries, holidays and Valentine’s Day. Listen closely, those days are not for you so don’t call, don’t text, don’t email and definitely don’t start no drama, just stay in your lane and wait until the coast is clear.
V. Thou shalt not meet my father and mother.
Besides, meeting mom and dad is way too personal, especially if they know about your main squeeze. You don’t need your parents asking too many questions or accidentally slipping up and leaking information. When it comes to friends, you’re bestie can be your confidante but as a rule the less people that know about your side chick/dude the better.
VI. Thou shalt not kill.
No, seriously, that’s not cool. Don’t ever go all psycho and try to pull out knives and guns because you can’t have the person all to yourself. Physical violence (against yourself or others) only makes things worse, so control your anger issues and understand that we all can’t have what we want when we want it.
VI. Thou shalt not stalk.
Not only is it annoying, it’s not at all attractive. Nothing turns off someone’s sexiness factor quicker than being desperate or a bug-a-boo. With that said don’t ever pop up unannounced and definitely don’t try to be social media friends or follow each other on Twitter. The only communication side chicks/dudes get is direct contact, everything else leaves a paper trail and/or invades the other person’s personal space.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
In the event that someone is sloppy enough to bring their jump-off into their home, it’s with the understanding that he/she will not take any souvenirs with them. The same goes for a hotel/motel excursion also, in that going through someone’s purse/wallet while they’re in the shower is a major violation. This works in the reverse as well in that a jump-off should not leave behind any clues of their presence (i.e. panties/boxers, hair, condoms/pads in trash, etc.).
IX. Thou shalt not lie on me or to me.
Living a double life is hard enough but to have the one person you’ve been real with from the beginning turn their back on you hurts. While the main squeeze was in the dark about the other relationship, the side chick/dude knew what was up from jump. Sure, it’s a difficult situation to be in once emotions get involved (and they always do eventually) but making stuff up is uncalled for, especially if it involves the police or child protective services.
X. Thou shalt not covet the main squeeze or what he/she has.
Don’t worry about what the main squeeze is doing or getting, because that has nothing to do with you. Just enjoy what little time you can get with your boo while he/she isn’t with the person they’re actually committed to. Of course their gift was bigger and better and they get all the holidays, because they the priority while you’re just a side chick/dude—deal with it.
An MTOer Sent In The 10 SIDE CHICK COMMANDMENTS . . .. If You're A SIDE CHICK . . . Are You ABIDING BY THE RULES???? - MediaTakeOut.com™ 2011
I. Thou shalt not put any other partners before me.
Yes, I understand that it’s hypocritical for someone in a relationship to ask their side person to remain faithful, but you knew what you were walking into when you signed up for this. They just need you to stand by them while I “work things out” with their main squeeze. Just a few more years and they’ll be all yours… yeah, right.
II.Thou shalt not keep any images or video footage of us together—ever.
The key to keeping this thing going is no evidence, so there will be no pictures taken or sex tapes recorded. Denying everything only works when there’s no proof. Plus, in the event that things go south your jump-off should not have anything that he or she can black mail you with later.
III. Thou shalt not use the L-word in vain.
This rule is so underrated, but if you follow it things will be less complicated. Do not under any circumstances tell your jump-off you love them unless you really mean it. If said under false pretenses you’re just leaving yourself open for a world of hurt when the truth comes out.
IV. Remember the special days and stay in your place.
When someone’s in a real relationship—you know, one with a real title like BF/GF or husband/wife—there are certain commitments that need to be maintained, like anniversaries, holidays and Valentine’s Day. Listen closely, those days are not for you so don’t call, don’t text, don’t email and definitely don’t start no drama, just stay in your lane and wait until the coast is clear.
V. Thou shalt not meet my father and mother.
Besides, meeting mom and dad is way too personal, especially if they know about your main squeeze. You don’t need your parents asking too many questions or accidentally slipping up and leaking information. When it comes to friends, you’re bestie can be your confidante but as a rule the less people that know about your side chick/dude the better.
VI. Thou shalt not kill.
No, seriously, that’s not cool. Don’t ever go all psycho and try to pull out knives and guns because you can’t have the person all to yourself. Physical violence (against yourself or others) only makes things worse, so control your anger issues and understand that we all can’t have what we want when we want it.
VI. Thou shalt not stalk.
Not only is it annoying, it’s not at all attractive. Nothing turns off someone’s sexiness factor quicker than being desperate or a bug-a-boo. With that said don’t ever pop up unannounced and definitely don’t try to be social media friends or follow each other on Twitter. The only communication side chicks/dudes get is direct contact, everything else leaves a paper trail and/or invades the other person’s personal space.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
In the event that someone is sloppy enough to bring their jump-off into their home, it’s with the understanding that he/she will not take any souvenirs with them. The same goes for a hotel/motel excursion also, in that going through someone’s purse/wallet while they’re in the shower is a major violation. This works in the reverse as well in that a jump-off should not leave behind any clues of their presence (i.e. panties/boxers, hair, condoms/pads in trash, etc.).
IX. Thou shalt not lie on me or to me.
Living a double life is hard enough but to have the one person you’ve been real with from the beginning turn their back on you hurts. While the main squeeze was in the dark about the other relationship, the side chick/dude knew what was up from jump. Sure, it’s a difficult situation to be in once emotions get involved (and they always do eventually) but making stuff up is uncalled for, especially if it involves the police or child protective services.
X. Thou shalt not covet the main squeeze or what he/she has.
Don’t worry about what the main squeeze is doing or getting, because that has nothing to do with you. Just enjoy what little time you can get with your boo while he/she isn’t with the person they’re actually committed to. Of course their gift was bigger and better and they get all the holidays, because they the priority while you’re just a side chick/dude—deal with it.
An MTOer Sent In The 10 SIDE CHICK COMMANDMENTS . . .. If You're A SIDE CHICK . . . Are You ABIDING BY THE RULES???? - MediaTakeOut.com™ 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
a DARKdays message for Egypt
(for news coverage check out the gatekeepers page here)
when the people rise up, no one man can stand against them. the people of egypt proved that over the last few weeks as they pushed the long standing "president" Hosni Mubarak out of office. viva la revolucion, yes? well, we here at DIUU have a saying: it ain't always wise to trade yhe devil you know for the devil you don't.i know what you're thinking, "oh DARK avenger, do not tell us that you are against the new found freedom of the egyptian people. how can that be?" now before you snap the mask of my head, i'm only acting as the word of warning for my egyptian brethren. i only act to remind them of the potential pitfalls of this new dawn. as many examples as there are of uprisings leading to representative government (the czech republic, france, south africa, and the USA to name a few) there are more examples of the overthrow of a despot leading to the control of the government by yet another despot. when the tsars were overthrown during russia's revolution they were replaced by the bolsheviks and eventually lenin, two autocrats. the national socialsts (nazis) rose to power in germany promising the greatest freedom and power... to a segment of society with a very particular recessive trait, bringing only repression and death to all who didn't fit they're idea of perfecton. but what should trouble you, my egyptian brothers and sisters, is the history of revolution in the middle east, where you have been such a leveling force historically. when the shah was overthrown in iran, for instance, he was replaced by a committee of clerics who would use figure heads to give the appearance of freedom, while controling the government from the shadow. when iraq revolted in the 60s and 70s, saddam hussein seized power.
i am not the omen of things to come. i am but a messenger, a light in this DARK world. as such, i must now say that i personally commend you, my brothers. i commend you for your decorum and your grace. i commend you for your unity and your singularity of focus. i commend you for refraining from most of the bloodshed that tends to mar so many of these reformative moments in history. your jubilation and drive has touched the world and i wish you the best. i would also like to commend the military for refusing to fire on their own people. here's hoping you keep your word and end emergency rule, giving, finally, the power to the people of the motherland!
when the people rise up, no one man can stand against them. the people of egypt proved that over the last few weeks as they pushed the long standing "president" Hosni Mubarak out of office. viva la revolucion, yes? well, we here at DIUU have a saying: it ain't always wise to trade yhe devil you know for the devil you don't.i know what you're thinking, "oh DARK avenger, do not tell us that you are against the new found freedom of the egyptian people. how can that be?" now before you snap the mask of my head, i'm only acting as the word of warning for my egyptian brethren. i only act to remind them of the potential pitfalls of this new dawn. as many examples as there are of uprisings leading to representative government (the czech republic, france, south africa, and the USA to name a few) there are more examples of the overthrow of a despot leading to the control of the government by yet another despot. when the tsars were overthrown during russia's revolution they were replaced by the bolsheviks and eventually lenin, two autocrats. the national socialsts (nazis) rose to power in germany promising the greatest freedom and power... to a segment of society with a very particular recessive trait, bringing only repression and death to all who didn't fit they're idea of perfecton. but what should trouble you, my egyptian brothers and sisters, is the history of revolution in the middle east, where you have been such a leveling force historically. when the shah was overthrown in iran, for instance, he was replaced by a committee of clerics who would use figure heads to give the appearance of freedom, while controling the government from the shadow. when iraq revolted in the 60s and 70s, saddam hussein seized power.
i am not the omen of things to come. i am but a messenger, a light in this DARK world. as such, i must now say that i personally commend you, my brothers. i commend you for your decorum and your grace. i commend you for your unity and your singularity of focus. i commend you for refraining from most of the bloodshed that tends to mar so many of these reformative moments in history. your jubilation and drive has touched the world and i wish you the best. i would also like to commend the military for refusing to fire on their own people. here's hoping you keep your word and end emergency rule, giving, finally, the power to the people of the motherland!
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