Super Bowl XL

For those of you who have visited my blog before, you know that I live in Detroit. For those who haven’t, you are learning that fact now. Detroit has been gearing up for the Super Bowl XL. What you don’t know is that I am not a football fan. Not now, never have been nor ever will be. But that’s ok. I realize the multitudes of football fanatics have to be allowed to have their time in the spotlights.

Two things bother me. One, when the Super bowl is over, what will the city officials do to keep the spirits high in the city? The second one is, what about those of us who hate football? What are we to do for the next week when everything is Super Bowl this and Super Bowl that? Where is my entertainment?

I know the city has what they call the “Winter Blast.” I don’t like winter. I feel about winter what I think of football, not! They go hand in hand with me, too physical, too cold, and too boring. So now what? Am I to spend the next week listening to and watching one media hullabaloo after another about the Super Bowl? I mean it’s everywhere, on buildings, in newspapers and magazines, on TV news, and every billboard across town.

I used to go and stay weekends in hotels to “get away from it all.” They are all booked now for football tourists, no room for regular patrons. I hope the owners remember the Super Bowl celebration is over in a week. When the tourists are all gone, don’t come calling on me to “come on back and see us now.” It’s not that I don’t want Detroit to not have an opportunity to show we have and can do more than make and drive cars. I just want more to do this upcoming week than go to the Super Bowl and everything connected to it. I like to be entertained too, you know.

I would give just about anything to have an extravaganza going on for people like me. Something like, an award show or maybe a TV show being filmed here. How about The View taping for one week in Detroit? I can visualize the media swarming down on Detroit for an event like that.

Anyway, with no choice in the matter, my only recourse is to shut everything down, lock it up, and go to bed. I’ll have to become sleeping beauty for a week. I only hope some prince will come and wake me when it’s over, with a kiss.

Big Brother

Saturday, January 21, 2006 I called it a night at 7:30 P.M. to prepare to sit down and watch the old Will Smith movie Enemy of the State. As I watched the usual Hollywood drama, something suddenly slapped me in the face. It wasn’t fiction anymore. This movie showing all the ways that “big brother” could monitor someone was no longer make-believe.

Then it hit me. I’m scared. I’m scared to death. Eight years ago, when this movie was completed with all its fabrication of high-level technology being possible, the question is, what can be done in real life now?

Not long ago the public was advised of the president’s arbitrary decision validating certain government officials use of devices that literally intrude into the life of anyone, anywhere, at anytime for any reasons they deem are justified. My personal concern is, how far will they and can they go now? If the president says the government agency does not need permission to invade someone’s privacy, when will that which is considered private by us all, become public to everyone?

After watching the movie, I wanted to walk around my house and check my house and cell phones, my smoke alarms, my shoes, ink pens, watches, and yes, my clothes. I don’t feel like a threat to national security but, how would I know what the government thinks I am? My God, I was once a Black Panther, I protested the war in Vietnam, and I marched with the NAACP. I once help form a union in a security company. I have always fought for what I believe. None of the issues being something, the federal, state, and local governments exactly approved of then. Am I a threat to the U.S.?

I’m sure there are many out there who expressed this kind of concern a while ago. But for some strange reason, it took me watching Enemy of the State again to realize it could happen. It could happen to me. No, I have not gained access to any sensitive information that would put the U.S. in jeopardy. Yet, If you and I are not told the why, what, when, and where; how would we know its not us? For that reason alone - I must say - if “big brother” starts watching me, he’d better be careful because I will be watching him.

MLK

Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. I took the day off. Really. I did absolutely nothing on purpose. While doing so, I read newspaper articles on MLK and reflected on what I remembered about the man.

Sunday, while at church service, the choir sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The chorus to the song stayed with me the rest of that day. It was still on my mind on the holiday. One line took me back to MLK during his heyday. It goes like this. “His truth is marching on.” Over and over it rang in my head. I asked myself what is it about that line resonating so in my head? It took a while, but I figured it out. It was the word truth.

Lately, this country has been in daunted with scandals, hypocrisy, cover ups, embezzlements, and old fashion falsehoods, all leading to the simple word, lie. A lie is the opposite of truth. MLK was always pleading with this country and its citizens to face the truth, the truth about our attitudes, practices, and deeds. All he ever wanted was for America to accept the inequities and fix them. All he ever requested was what we call truths. In his famous speech he said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

That’s when it hit me. There have been some changes but, not enough. There are still attitude adjustments to make. Practices are still out of line and deeds need work. That’s why the line “His truth is marching on” says it all. We must keep walking, talking, and marching until the truth prevails.

Later yesterday another song replaced the hymn. It was an old song by Neil Diamond. On Oprah’s show he sang one more time a favorite of mine. He sang “America.” Do you remember the last chorus lines? “They’re coming to America, Today!” Just think. That’s why many still come and yet, we still have a way to go to get to the truth.

Another Day, Another Dollar

That is how I feel today. It’s how I have felt for the last week. Find those dollars, make that money. As part of my promises to myself this year, I am to work harder at promoting me and my writing. Believe me when I tell you. It ain’t easy.

I have for this past week been turning my ideas into articles, searching the web, books, and newsletters for writing markets. I have been putting together workshop proposals and talking with everyone and anyone for contacts. Whew! I have been busy. It might be why I forgot to write my blog for the week. Didn’t you notice I’m three days behind?

I don’t know if being behind in blogging is a good thing or a bad thing. I do know one thing. I haven’t a clue how others blog morning, noon, and night on theirs. Don’t they do any work? If my plans pan out and I get more work than I ever had before, will I remember to blog weekly? Who knows?

Anyway, I recall that on Saturday, I had taken a stance on something. Whatever it was, I had intended to blog the subject matter. Guess what? I forgot what it was. That may have something to do with me and menopause. But that’s another topic. Better yet, go to www.strutmag.com and read my essay "Old is New Again" to explain why it might be the menopause I’m going through. If that doesn’t explain it, I don’t know what will.

Back to blogging. This is what I will promise you. After today, I will mark my calendar to include my weekly blog as part of my writing promotion. Besides, I know there is an advantage to doing it at least weekly. I stay brushed up on my ideas going to print and it still allows me to vent on whatever I feel like venting on. Why? Because it belongs to me and me only. It’s mine, mine, mine! Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot I was being read.

Well, I have to go now. My muse awaits me. It’s back to turning my ideas into articles, and searching the web, books, and newsletters for writing markets. I have got to find those dollars.

Some Just Don’t Get It

Immediately after posting my blog to start the new year, I got a response. I was advised to change my promises to myself to resolutions because I sounded selfish. Not! If the individual read the post completely and thought about what I was saying, the individual would know it was not being selfish.

A resolution is normally made for selfish reasons right? I seem to remember each person’s resolution being one they make to themselves. Most people will add something at the end of their list as a way of making a contribution to a better world. What everyone most likely understands is, you can’t change things in the world without first changing things within yourself. What good would the blind leading the blind be? You can’t contribute to mankind without knowing what mankind is all about, including yourself.

The word resolution is stated in dictionaries as meaning “a firm decision.” I didn’t know that it was unjust when we make firm decisions for ourselves. Resolution (firm decision), promise (firmly intend), or declaration (an explicit statement), isn’t that just a play on words? So, in response to the one that felt I was being selfish when I made promises to myself, you do things your way and I’ll do things my way. I wish you much success and I will remember you when I get mine.