Celebrating America!

Where in the World is D Today?

Celebrating being an American!

On January 20, 2009 the United States of America inaugurated its 44th President, Barack H. Obama! I wept no less than 5 times tears of joy, exultation and a simple case of being overwhelmed by a flood of emotion in general.

The question all the press kept asking Black folk was, “Did you ever think this day would happen?” I’ve also been asked that question personally by some. Here’s my answer. Simply stated, “No, not in my lifetime, at least not a year or so ago.” When Barack Obama announced his campaign I loved his ideas, his passion, oratory skills, but mostly his intelligence. But, I just didn’t believe America would elect a Black man in my lifetime. I didn’t think America with its history of racism at worse and general uncomfortableness with race issues at best, would see what I saw. In asking that question over and over, it was clear that they, the roving press, just didn’t see the world I’ve interacted with over the past 47 years.

By all accounts, I’ve had a blessed life. But I can remember as a little boy hearing white people say Black people were dirty. In college have a white guy sitting right next to me make a comment about “nigger lips”. (talk about being invisible!) As an adult have well meaning white folk say, “But you’re not like the rest.” But I also wondered at times if large chunks of the black community would vote for Senator Obama because he “wasn’t Black enough.” I’ve gotten that one a bunch of times too. The not so nice term is Oreo. So that’s the lens in which I viewed this whole experience through.

And wouldn’t you know, America rose to the challenge! Even though I believed and worked hard to convince others, I’m still a little bit in shock.

I’ve heard and seen lots of young people talking about how this is going to be the end of racism in America. My first response was “Yeah right! And pigs might fly out my butt!” But now I just smile a slightly cynical, slightly jaded smile and say, “Not overnight, but it’s a Big step forward.” Hate and ignorance just doesn’t disappear with an election. It’s part of the fiber of America, and every other country under the sun. It’s apart of the human animal.

So as I set off on this trek to another country, I’ll hold my head a little higher and speak eagerly of this new phase of American history. A phase that holds up Hope in troubled times. A phase that says “Yes We Can”. Mr Obama is a President, not a savior, and I’m pretty stoked to answer whatever questions may be posed about America and how We The People stood up and did the right thing.

The Best Christmas Gift EVER!

Where in the World is D Today?

Thinking about the ghosts of Christmas' past.

As I prepare for my trip to Taiwan I am trying to get things in order for Greta to come and bring her goodness into my house. In doing so, I know the garage is one of the area that needs tending. The garage looks pretty good for a garage. But my car, not so much.

Since it was 50 degrees today, I went about doing one of those things that always centers me. Washing and Waxing my car. It's not just about this car, it's every car I've owned since my first car, Bob the Wonder Car. (I really miss Bob sometimes.) I learned from my dad as a kid, (I really must tell you about him sometime.) that you should always have a couple of layers of wax on the car for winter. And waxing your car in general is good auto maintenance, not necessarily vanity. (My paraphrase of what he said.)

So, to say the least, I am very festidious when it comes to the finish on my car. And I'm not too small to say that sometimes it IS about vanity.

On this very nice day I was starting to put on the wax when I remembered that Greta gave me a buffer for Christmas. After reading the instructions, yes I read instructions - deal with it, I decided to put the wax on manually because I didn't want to keep changing the different applicator thingy. So, after getting some wax on, I grabbed my new tool and went to work. What can I say.... It was an Explosion of AWESOME!!!!! Oh my gosh! I was in car waxing nirvana!!

Short of anything given to me by my kids, this is the BEST Christmas present EVER!!!!! Anyone who knows me, knows I don't give that kind of praise lightly.

So here's to you Greta! My life is richer because of you and will be lessened when I move to Taiwan. PEACE!!

I'm still here

Where in the World is D Today?

Diggin' the vibe in Kaldi's coffeeshop.

For the few people that I know follow this blog my apologies for my absence. My computer at home got screwed up and I couldn't get onto my account unless I went to the Library. Well I hardly ever go to the library, awesome as the Columbia Public Library is.

Lots has happened in my absence. First of I have this new cool Mac Book. So I can go almost anywhere and work. As long as there's free WiFi. And by anywhere, I mean anywhere! I'm off to Taiwan to teach English as a Second Language!

Let me answer now all the few questions I get regularly... No I don't speak Chinese, I speak English. Yes, I will Learn Chinese in time. Yes, Tim and Sean are fine with it. No, I am not shipping my car to Taiwan. No, you can't "borrow" it. No, I'm renting the house to Greta. Yes, I'm a scared, But in a good way. The rest of my answers are No, Yes, maybe, I wouldn't count on it if I were you, Dead Monkey's, This is the only moment any of us really have, 1 maybe 2, Hopefully in a years time, and My blog title finally is less metaphoric.

New Year, New Beginning

Where in the World is D Today?

At the Public Library?

(Let me Wish you a very happy New Year! I'm at the library because my DSL is screwed up and won't let me on Google. This could be a problem.)

I've been thinking for the last week or so about the notion of new year's resolutions. I vowed several years ago not to do them and still don't. I have yet to meet one person who kept a new year's resolution. I'm too analytical and sometimes too jaded believe in them. I figure if you need to make some change in your life just do it. Don't announce it to the world. Don't wait until January 1. The is nothing magical or special about that date. Things do not change at the stroke of midnight on new year's eve.

BUT! And this is a HUGE BUT for me. As much as I know in my head that there is no magic in a clock striking twelve, I DO like the notion of getting a fresh start. The HOPE in simply flipping the page on a calendar. 2008 was one of the craziest, painful and my new favorite word "Trippy" year. I'm glad it's over.

It was a year of Love and broken hearts, great jobs had, promised and lost, unemployment and discovery of new marketable talents, new friendships gained and tested, a new life under construction and one laid to rest. Trippy for sure!! And very normal in the course of any human life.

Now it's 2009. I'm still unemployed but hopeful in finding that job of my dreams. I'm still and worrying parent but letting go more and more for their good, and mine. I'm putting on my metaphorical hard hat and getting to the task of seriously constructing a life of calmness and happiness. One with a purpose I have been unable to nail down as of late. Peace is in my future, even when turmoil arises.

Yeah, that's "magic" of a new year.

See ya down the rode. It's going to be a real "trip".