TURN MY SWAGG OFF!!! UGH!!

I have been putting this post off to the side for quite some time. I wasn't ready to delve into this subject matter, so I patiently waited until the time was right. That time is today! LOL! SWAGG/SWAGGA/SWAGGER is reminiscent of what BLING-BLING was way back when. I can't even recall when that word first started getting used so often. My only quarrels with this word are that it's getting "played out"! I've heard it enough and let's be real people, there are other viable words that have been used for centuries instead of SWAGGER. This is a word that has been used mainly for an individual's lack of brain activity. He simply couldn't find the word to say, and made one up. When it comes to a lot of things I may be a little old school, but when it comes to using the English language I choose to use it properly and not make up words. Let's work with a concrete example: Lebron James. I am a huge basketball fan, so many analogies and references will most likely be made to the NBA or involving a basketball. If someone were to say Lebron has a lot of SWAGGER I would interject with the following statement:

"Lebron James is by far one of the most intelligent, knowledgeable, and driven individuals I have ever seen come through the NBA. He has used the NBA as his cornerstone and sprouted millions and millions of dollars of his own money, and tons of money for other people. He makes other people look good. He may not be the most handsome men, but what matters most is on the inside of LBJ. He has heart, makes those around him better, and his work ethic has no comparison. He is funny, care-free, and wiser beyond his years. He doesn't carry himself like a 24 year old young man. I guess that's what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Forget using SWAGGER! That for me relinquishes everything that will have followed that single word. Find the words and ways to express yourself without using some simple jargon. But I'm just FiGZ. I still read the King James version of the Bible, and I happen to love Shakespeare.

Why Food Chains LOVE Black People

No comments. Just watch. (Note: This is why I moved out of Rochester...no, not really, but I felt the need to joke a little bit). I'm glad I didn't see anyone I knew in this clip, but I'm sure college students drove out as well and took advantage of that deal...LOL

Mythbuster: "Swine Flu"

You cannot get the swine flu from eating swine. End of discussion.

My iPodless Life

As I stand on the morning train onward to work in the laboratory, before I put on my mad scientist visage (scientists are so serious sometimes...LOL...people are amazed, or think I'm up to something, when I walk around with my usual smile). I rest my weight against the car door, which is unauthorized, and yet is supplemental to maintaining your balance on the bumpy ride. My bag is placed in between my legs on the floor of the train, where designated personnel has previously cleaned off last nights vomit of a drunk New Yorker who was recently initiated into the unemployment club. I unzip the back hatch and pull out my new Walter Mosley novel. The train begins to fill with more and more people on a mission to make it to work on time and not have their supervisor or boss scold them for yet another late entry; little do they know that MTA has a $1.2 billion deficit, and they're continuously backed up due to passengers that are either arrested by the police, fall ill and pass out, or the executive decision of MTA to throw a train out of service making your fashionable entrance that less trendy...but wait don't they take the same train? Nope.

Observatory is my middle name! So from time-to-time I let my chin, forehead and eyes drift upwards from my book and on to New York's everyday train passenger. I could estimate that around 65-75% of the people on each train has head phones in their ears, which is most likely connected to an iPod, iPhone, or an iTouch. Some are courteous and keep the volume at a comfortable level where their ear drums aren't being mugged by the violent bass coming from their media player. Then there are others that you don't even have to be a mind reader to know what they are listening to, because it's as if there is a streaming sign on their forehead that continuously updates you of the song being played, when it's really exploding from the left and right ear pieces screaming at you to just ignore it, but how can you? And just your luck to have some overly obese Caucasian man hugging your back like a chimpanzee with his consistent, uncontrolled breathe. It's not his fault, or maybe it is (*shrugs shoulders in indifference*). I can't forget about the less than 1% that might be listening to audio books, but let's be real...if you're truly reading a book (well to truly be able to tell visually) you either have a physical book in hand--as i do--or you have those things...what are they called? Ahhh, that's right: Kindle(s). I've seen a number of people with those or some other high end electronic book reader.

In either case, besides the less than 1%, people are going deaf and zoning out on their train ride from A to B. I choose to live an iPodless life in order to preserve my brain and sanity; in order to hear myself think and not have Souljah Boy or T-Pain leading the charge as my thoughts combat problems with a proposed solution; in order to live my life like Rhianna and T.I. said; in order to REALLY enjoy the fact that God has granted me the ability to hear at all; in order to FOCUS (since I do zone out myself sometimes, since people these days are becoming more accustomed to a short attention span or recently acquired A.D.D.); in order to be ready for the unexpected!

Then everyone's attention is averted to the disheveled man who enters the train with a newspaper in one hand and a plate of sun-dried brownies that smell oh-so-good; but dried as bottom soles of a desert wanderer's feet. He commands his own space in a nerd-esque voice tone and sits next to a woman with child, who after she gets a whiff of his body odor slides to her right to find some fresher breathing room. If you're paying attention to the facial expressions as I am you will crack a smile, because some are disgusted, others are confused wondering if he has mental issues, and a few don't pay him any mind in the normal New York fashion.

As I continue to walk along my iPodless life I wonder what it will feel like being one of the only people without a cochlear implant? Because if this continues people are really going to go deaf. I don't want to be one among that large number. I want to hear for as long as God allows me to. How about you? LOL

"Thrilla in Manila " and Why Ali is the G.O.A.T.

Earlier this month HBO aired a new documentary on one the greatest, if not the greatest, boxing match of all time:

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier
"The Thrilla in Manila"

They cover Ali vs. Frazier I & II, take a glimpse of Frazier vs. Foreman, Ali vs. Foreman, and finally Ali vs. Frazier in Manila. The documentary was great, but my overall opinion of it was to somehow take away a little bit of the flare that comes to Muhammad Ali and why is known as the "greatest of all time" when it comes to boxing.

Ali was bigger than boxing itself. It spoke for a people during a time when they needed him most. He was an idol and an icon when people needed someone to look up to. He was important during a time when African-Americans weren't seen as being important or worthy of the common freedoms America gave to everyone else. He was very intelligent and he might have been manipulated by the Nation of Islam, but most of what he did was for his people, who cried out for him.

I wasn't born until 1984, so this documentary gave me a glimpse into what really went on during the time. Ali portrayed Joe Frazier to be this "Uncle Tom", ignorant, and unworthy opponent. He always played head games and many times it was taken personal when deep down Ali really didn't mean any of it all. His life was like Reality Television Show 24/7. He was putting on his show for the people; that's who he was. He was good looking, charming, outspoken, and seemed to have no fear. He was a superhero to the African-American community, except to Joe Frazier. From all of the years of Ali calling him a gorilla, out-matched, ignorant, and an Uncle Tom, Joe Frazier has never had any respect for Ali. You can't disagree with him though, because Ali never physically apologized to Joe face-to-face. Even to this day Joe Frazier says that he's responsible for the condition that Ali is in, because Joe is doing quite fine.

Their first fight was won by Joe; hands down. Ali and his corner crew disputed it saying that the white judges gave it Joe, since he was an Uncle Tom. Ali refused to give Joe his respect. Soon Joe lost the title, that he had taken from Ali, to George Foreman. Then Ali and Joe had their second fight in which Ali won, but Joe and his corner crew disputed the victory because Ali was holding Joe more during their second match, which negated a lot of the body damage Joe was able to inflict in their first encounter. What shocked the world was when Ali defeated George Foreman. Foreman demolished Joe, who was the first man to give Ali his first loss. The Thrilla in Manila was scheduled soon after. This film might have been an attempt to label "Smoking" Joe Frazier as the true Greatest of All Time. Don't get me wrong, Joe was a fierce fighter and will always be mentioned in the same breathe as Ali, for that was his most formidable opponent. As much "Ali-bashing" that was being done during the documentary, what I took from this film was what made Ali great was for him to take so much punishment from Joe. Any other guy that fought Joe and was hit with the same punches that Ali was taking would have fallen and not gotten back up before the referee got to the 10-count. In their first bout Joe hit Ali with one of his strongest hooks in the 14th Round and sent Ali to the canvas. Ali got right back up in 2 or 3 seconds. Joe was definitely surprised. No one else would have gotten back up.

Even in The Thrilla in Manila. Ali and Joe were going blow for blow and they both were spent. Ali almost had the fight called at the end of the 14th round. He asked his gloves to be cut off, but no one noticed and his corner crew refused. It was Joe's corner that chose to stop the fight even with Joe's refusal. Ali won. That last fight should have been a draw in my mind, that is if they both would have lasted the final 15th round, but Joe's corner called it off.

In an era where boxing has lot all of its glamor and stake as one of the premiere sports in the world, Mixed Martial Arts is taking its place, and Soccer remains to be on the top, Ali will always be known as the greatest of all time and we all know it will be in the sport "formerly known as" boxing. Now all fans can do is wait for Fight Night Round 4 to be released in June and see what it would be like to have Ali in his prime fight Tyson in his prime. Hmmmmmmmm?

Act Like A Man, Think Like A Woman

Many say the company you keep says a lot about you. I would agree, so I've chose to go beyond just my fraternity brothers, family, friends and place more positive male figures in my company by going to church a lot more and working with the men within.

An interesting question was posed and I listened. My post title is the underlying theme of what I heard.

Men...most of the time when faced with problem always think try to formulate a solution, because of it is just within our make up. If a man's significant other tells him she needs to get away and the reasons why, he will have formulated a solution two seconds into the conversation; instead of letting her finish and take a step back and look at this problem from a distance even further than where he is currently observing from to see all angles.

The question posed was, what is it that drives us to make the decisions we make and how often do you step back and think before making a decision?

My opinion is that we all make decisions based on the experiences in our lives and how we were raised. Those young, sponge-like years of observing and absorbing things done by our older siblings, parents, and family members have long since passed us by and molded us all into the individuals we are today. They tell you what is wrong, what is right; what is good, and what is bad. We develop our own personal sense of fashion. Most importantly, though, we learn how to handle certain situations (e.g. if someone smacks your cheek you would either turn the other cheek or choose to reciprocate).

Perfect example in regards to me: I was raised in a single parent household where my mother made sure that I was held responsible for every decision I made. If I was ever confused I would ask her opinion, but she always said, "What works best for you or what do you think?" She made me take a step back and take a look from the outside in.

Not everyone's parents allowed them to do that. There are parents that make every decision for their children even when they're adults. Some parents don't care what decisions their children make at all, and see it as they have left the womb, so they are on their own. And there are those select few that take the responsibility of teaching their children how to think on their own and to be accountable for every decision they make on their own. Sometimes we hit that fork in the road with an opportunity or a setback. If it's an opportunity some people just think, "It's more money, may require more of my time, and overall it's what I want." When they should be thinking, "Maybe this isn't the right time for me. I have a new born and the mother of OUR child needs me to be around more." If it's a setback some may sulk, and wallow in the result of the unknown. What did I do wrong? What am I going to do now? It might just be set back where your true passion is found and finally pursued. The common theme is that you have to take that step back, think, and review the situation from all angles and ask a higher power. Asking God to me is like asking my mother. He'll give me the same response, "What do you think and why?"

I like to think that I'm a pretty good listener, but I know I'm not and I could be a heck of lot better. Going into a situation thinking I need to take a step back and see it from all angles and not jump the gun or jump to conclusions/solutions will make me a better listener and a better man. Hopefully it can help you too.