Thursday, November 19, 2009

Jahdai Loves the Kids...

The day was a great and challenging one. I filled in for a co-worker in the Freedom School. It was a great and BUSY time. Twenty kids in a small space...what a day! It is so interesting that even young childrn will try to try you when you are the new guy. They certainly tried me, but on the other hand, really liked my voice and continually asked me to sing for them. Tomorrow I really have to be on the grind because I need to be caught up on things. Tomorrow is my first PAYCHECK! What should I do to celebrate?



Maybe this will be a good way to kick it off...this totally awesome song just popped into my head. Queshia, I think you will dig this one.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Keep it moving....



In keeping with the MartyMar and Blog Smlog tradition, I want to a concise (i.e. short) blog tonight. Number one, because I need to get to bed. Number two, again the bed...except it is actually a couch I have been sleeping on for the past several months. Not to lament though, a bed is in the works several paychecks down the road. Goals for the night include washing my dark clothes because it is PAST that time for a few pieces and also potentially buying some more dress socks. I have been without socks the past two days here in the office because the ones I have STINK, nevertheless baking soda can only do so much for odor, especially the feet!

And BTW, I tweeted and fb'd about this, but I want to let you know too, I just finished my first guest blog spot on my brother from another/gente from another placente, MartyMar. His blog was already supercool, so I hope I added to it and didn't put people to sleep. He seemed to like it, although it was just a tweet so I couldn't see his face. Maybe Twitter should have emoticons to help us see behind the words...my next gold mine, a Twittercon!

Did anyone see Dancing with the Stars last night? Mya is incredible...of course I have known that since the 'Rugrat' soundtrack days, but wow...she really looks like a pro. I know she is a dancer, but ballroom dancing is NOT the same as other types.

On to the cool stuff for today...this is one of my FAVORITE songs, and a really good song to sleep to. In the next few months, I hope to make my own video of this song, but until then, this will have to do...

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Step it up self!

"The challenges of today prepare us well for the opportunities and victories of tomorrow, if we allow them."

-Me

I literally just thought of this 29, no 30 seconds ago. Not because I am being super deep, but because I am determined for my mind to be a remix factory. A place where the lies and setbacks are transformed into tools to use on the quest for truth and fuel towards greater and consistent personal responsibility. I say that because I just found out that potentially I will have a traffic ticket on my record because I failed to pay the second portion of the fee. I was stopped right before i moved to Miami by the police and I had elected to take the defensive driving course. Long story short, money has been tight all this time and I got the date wrong so now I will have to face the consequences. I wrote a letter to the judge and mailed it today, (doing it in the same day is HUGE for me!) but for it come under these circumstance is not quite cause for celebration. Nevertheless, I can let this get the rest of my day down and allow it to be a worthless tool for me to resent authority, (something I already struggle with) or I can use it as a stern reminder of how important our oaths are in our everyday lives, especially financial ones. Should this not be removed, I will be left without excuse as to why I will now have to pay more in insurance each month and whatever else comes along with it. Yet the choice still remains both through grace and choice of the mind as to how you will use it. I for one will choose to use it as a reminder to never let the cares of day to day existence keep me from my word. Could I have taken a loan from a family member to take care of the defensive driving? No doubt. Should I have sacrificed a news segment on CNN or a conversation with a friend to take thirty seconds to enter in a reminder of the due date of my ticket? Absolutely! So now I stand here like a black Tim Taylor, it's tool time. Allow yourself to use setbacks as tools for building the foundation for the future instead of agents of destruction in the present.

Sometimes you just have to put the world on pause to address your responsibilities. Lisa McClendon has done so...here it is.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Not so common sense

Hola! I pray everyone had a blessed Veteran's day! Regardless of my disagreement with policies of the past and present, I remain grateful for the contribution of the dedicated men and women who have given so much.

Anyways, today's post will be quick as I need to get to bed for work tomorrow. Today was a challenging one because of several disagreements with my Grandma regarding what she felt was 'common sense.' Well, for anyone who knows me at least semi-intimately knows that how I think is anything but 'common.' Yet, it ended up working out and we got a lot done today.

Before all that though, I went to follow through on my modest but neat plans for my ride. I named it Shine due it needing a thorough paint job, several months ago. However, it looks like I might need to change the name perhaps by the end of the month. I went to meet up with this cat who is a friend of a friend. After taking at least 15 minutes to find the place although I was literally less than a mile away.
(Ya'll know how I am with directions) I found the place and was talking to him for a bit. He showed me some of his current projects and WOW! There is a vintage Benz he is working on as well a 60-something Nova with everything seemingly except wings to fly. I began to then just outline what I wanted to do and gave the terms of what I could do in regards to payment. He not only listened, but agreed! So by next week, I should be starting on those projects, but not before I start supporting Compassion.

Well to sum it up, I am just encouraged by life and Christ. I love you all so much and will definitely talk to you all tomorrow some more.

Shalom...

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Drum roll please....

Hello everyone,

I have exciting news for everyone...I have a job! Not that I didn't have one before, shout out to Rapture marketing. But this position fully reflects my passion and talents. Connecting with youth and making life-altering change. I am pretty much done with my first week, or so I think. (I can't quite remember the first day I started) So yeah, I am really excited because this will really present a new opportunity for me to gain brand new experiences and knowledge of business and tools that will certainly assist me in the present and propel me into the future. Additionally, I will finally be able to start to seriously save toward buying a house here in Miami and setting forth a new chapter in the family legacy.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say where I am working at. It is the Belafonte-Tacolcy center. You might say, "wait, Belafonte, I know that name." Yes, THAT Belafonte.
Please visit www.tacolcy.org for the full history of our journey. I am the coordinator of the F.A.S.T. program, which stands for Families Against Suspension and Termination. I am thoroughly enjoying my work and all of the challenges it has brought. I will soon start writing grants in the next few months as well which add another layer of challenge and reward. It is a tremendous growth opportunity of which I am EXTREMELY grateful.

Ok, on to more sobering yet joyful news. Today marks the one year memorial of the passing of my favorite people in life, Ms. Vernetta Marie King Clenance. Aunt Vernetta, or 'Aunt V.' as I came to know her was beyond awesome. She was a wellspring of creativity, inspiration, fun, and yes, correction and discipline. I had so much fun with her when she was around, yet she would let you know in a minute if you were sticking your nose where it didn't belong, not with a harsh word, but she spoke with authority. In her last several years, I did not get to see her that much, nevertheless there was never a moment that I doubted her love and support of my siblings and I. Her light truly shines on through her daughter and love, Ms. Imani Clenance, who is not only making it known how important she has come to be in her numerous contributions to various organizations and events, but she is, as our Grandma says, making it known how important it is to be nice.


So what's next in my world? Well tomorrow I will work from home for awhile and then head out to the beach. At lest that's the plan. Then I will probably start to put together a high-fun cost effective date for when Raquiyba comes into town! Yes, Rara and I are headed on adventure and date at the end of the month. I am looking forward to it, especially here in Miami. It is such a cool city and will be a good time for us to enjoy each other in a splendid setting.

Also, perhaps last but not least, is an added blessing of this job and position. I will be able to fully make good on my promise made several years ago at Howard of sponsoring a child through Compassion International. www.compassion.com My heart was moved to action several years ago on Howard's campus when I came to hear Dr. Tony Campolo speak at our chapel, and one of the many things he spoke about was making the gospel 'carnate' through supporting "the least of these." Sadly, due to mainly a lack of focus and the cancer of materialism, I did not follow through on that promise I made in my heart. I do not know what happened to the child I was supposed to sponsor, but I do know that I will never let the latest gadget, Christian rap album, flight to visit (insert fun event here), or anything of that nature interfere with me following through on me being a man of the Word by being a man of my word. It is not only a cool thing to do, but a part of my 'reasonable service' that is described in Romans 12:1 in response to the glorious gifts that he has bestowed upon me and my loved ones. So matter the call that is placed upon your life, always remember the truth that "little becomes much when you place it in the Master's hand."