The Self-Destructive "Hood" Mentality

Okay. Maybe it's just me, but I honestly do not see anything attractive about growing up in a community where you have to sleep with one eye open at night. Granted, you should take pride in your home at all times. I did not grow up in the suburbs, nor did I grow up in public housing projects; I guess you could say my neighborhood is somewhere in between. Nevertheless, I am growing increasingly weary of all the talk about who is "harder" and what "hood" is the "hoodest" or "realest". What is even sadder is the criteria on which those stating their opinions base them. I am tired of all these small-minded people walking around here talking about "Yeah, my hood goes hard. There's a murder every day!" and "My hood is realer than your hood. We move major weight!" Come on--how STUPID can you really be? What is HONESTLY attractive about living someplace like that? An INTELLIGENT person would do what they can to clean up their neighborhood and aspire to something greater. Housing projects are what you make them; participating in the local antics doesn't make you "hard" or "gangsta". Truth be told, many of our parents grew up in public housing and they are MORTIFIED at what has become of the communities they once loved. I listen to my parents talk about how they used to sleep with the front door open at night and I cannot even FATHOM doing that in those same neighborhoods today. However, for whatever reason, many of the current residents believe that that is some warped claim to fame. You all are fighting one another because you live in different communities; what kind of MORONIC stuff is that?! No, the "realest hood" is the one with residents that look out for one another and make the most of their situation because they understand that the world is against them and they are all they have. So please, grow up and become productive citizens. Do something worthwhile with your lives. You have all of the potential in the world; there are forces in society trying to limit your success because they know that. It would be a shame for you to be one of those very forces.

Yes We Did...Again.

Racism Isn't Dead...Remember That.

As I was reading the news stories of the day like I typically do, I came across a story I had grown too naive to expect. The Associated Press reported the story of a racist incident that occurred at a New Jersey Wal-Mart. An announcement was made over the PA system instructing Black patrons to "leave the store now". As the statement marinated into the minds of the customers, naturally, outrage broke out. Of course, there was a swift apology following the announcement.WHATEVER. But the act didn't frustrate me nearly as much as my reaction to it did. I was surprised...and I had to slap myself for being surprised. It was at this moment that I realized how complacent a lot of us (Blacks) have become with our status in American society. Racism isn't dead. And this article is just proof that it doesn't even necessarily have a new face. We like to think that long gone are the days where we were not welcome in most white-owned establishments. We've gotten 20 acres and half of a mule and we have settled. So concerned are we with not wanting to stir up any "trouble" and disrupt our bootleg paradise, that we lack the fight that our foremothers and forefathers had. This isn't a time for complacency...that is exactly what the members of racist America. President Obama's election didn't signal the end of racism, just a small victory in the journey to overcome it. Let's get our heads out of the clouds and not fall for the distractions. There is much work to be done, and it falls on our generation. We need leaders for TODAY; stop waiting for tomorrow or for someone else to grab the torch. We need to take action NOW. And the fight isn't ours alone. Back in January, ABC News ran a story where the set up a scenario in a New York deli. Hispanic actors attempted to order in very broken English, only to be met with harsh racial and ethnic comments from the clerk (who was also an actor). Sadly, the majority of the patrons in the deli did not offer much or any assistance. Truth be told, EVERYONE in America has lineage OUTSIDE of the United States (except the Native Americans). No one is more American than anyone else, and it isn't anyone's place to believe themselves to be better than ANYONE else, especially for a reason as STUPID, IDIOTIC, and IGNORANT as the color of their skin. How EDUCATED is that?! Not very.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Black-people-must-leave-NJ-apf-1749619349.html?x=0

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/story?id=6551048&page=1

And His Name is TAYLOR MAYS...

The 2010 NFL Scouting Combine is over. We've witnessed top prospects NOT live up to the hype (*cough* Joe Haden *cough*), and some standout performances for some solid athletes. Yes, yes. But perhaps the highlight of the entire combine was USC's star safety Taylor Mays' stunning 4.4 forty. Safeties are swift. That's just the nature of the position. But let's look at Mays' size. The guy is 6'3", 230 lbs. His 40 time smashed those of some of the smaller and theoretically more agile running backs (i.e., Mississippi's Dexter McCluster at 5'9", 172 lbs). So what does Mays possess that some of these other guys don't? EXPLOSIVENESS. Anyone who watched Mays' 40-yard dash witnessed this explosiveness at the sound of the gun. Sheer power out of the gate. This power is going to be a great asset in the backfield for whichever team picks this guy up. Now, yes...he's a bit sloppy. But if he hones his skills, works on his coverage a bit, he could be GREAT. I may be a little biased; my favorite player of all time was an AMAZING safety (Ronnie Lott, San Francisco 49ers!). But I see the same strength and power in Mays...just unrefined. All in all, I'm expecting great things from him; I just hope he's mature enough for the league...and has that Ronnie Lott class.

Lent Isn't Fun. Period.

Look at it. Mouth-watering goodness. Behold...the infamous McDonald's double cheeseburger. This little sucker right here has been a staple in my diet for, well, FOREVER. I'm pretty sure my Mom realized Happy Meals wouldn't suffice for me when I was about four. If it weren't for this amazing metabolism of mine (which I'm thankful for DAILY), I'd probably be on True Life: I'm Obese. Anyway, as I approach the tender age of 22, I'm at about three double cheeseburgers a week...on average. And you know what? I'm not the least bit ashamed of it. But what better to sacrifice for the Lent season than this? Well, it's been about two weeks now...and I'm DYING! The first three to four days were GRAVY. But slowly but surely, my body started to realize that something was missing. I literally feel SICK haha. From headaches to just not craving anything else. Cheesesteaks haven't even quenched the craving. Everyone says eating a regular cheeseburger would be considered cheating...so that's out of the question. I guess I understand how drug addicts feel. No bueno. But I shall not regress. My friends have already taken bets on how long I will last. Terrible. But I will prove you pieces of trash wrong! YES! But real talk, check up on me periodically to make sure I haven't lost my mind...

Girl Scouts Sell Crack

Okay. So yesterday, my dear friend came through on the Girl Scout cookies we ordered from her ADORABLE little sisters (like a month ago). We had been threatening her over the course of the month...looking for our cookies. Looking at this 3/4 empty box of Thin Mints next to my laptop, and thinking about the other two boxes I have in my fridge, I wondering what is in these cookies that made us all so crazy. I literally tweeted about them all day...anticipating the great "cookie drop". We tried to leave Bioseminar EARLY to cop these. As a former Girl Scout, I can say that our reaction was not unique. GS cookies are like Krispy Kremes...100% crack cocaine. Only thing that makes GS cookies worse is that they aren't readily available. I feel like if there was a GS cookie bakery with a sign that lit up every time a fresh batch was ready, we'd be front and center like they were refund checks. Girl Scouts are selling crack...for the low. $3.50 per box. Ingenious hustle. Who would suspect the little Brownie? No one. And who can say "no" to a precious little girl? No one. Frank Lucas WHO? Better get your daughter/sister/niece/cousin in on the business...

First Time

Yeah, so...this is my first blog. Figured I'd start a blog so I wouldn't feel the need to tweet so often (follow me @tifferbellnine). I doubt it will help...but whatever. Here goes.