Esta Es Mi Vida

Been on the grind here at work….so much that i’ve had little to no time to get on here and blog, or even keep up with other blogs. Honestly, i’ve had time for little else outside of work period…..that’s going to have to change because I came to my current company due in part to my last company working me so hard that it burnt me out.

Anyway, that period (working night and day) has hence passed and now or until they throw another ton or two of work on my back i’ll be getting back into things and resume my normal 1/1.5posts per week.

Thanks to the 6-8views i’ve been getting from those non-tag searches which I assume are “regulars” who post comments and subscribe to my blog.

-B.Price

p.s. The Chinese symbols each have their own meaning, the one below means love, the one above means to endure.

This post is about my disdain for a disturbing and growing trend that will see a resurgence now that the weather is warm….Mandals. If you wear them and get easily offended by the raw and pungent truth then you probably should wait for my next post and skip this one.

First off, WTF. When did we start calling Men’s Sandals Mandals? Who came up with this? And why is it then when I went into DSW last weekend and told the cute sales rep that I was looking for some sandals she tells me “Oh the mandals are over in this section”……excuse me, WHAT? Did I not get the man memo about this new term or something?

Oh and don’t think I haven’t taken notice of my Caucasian (and every other race for that fact) brothern wearing these during the cold months…..Where in what book of man laws ™ or rule of thumb was it ok for us to start wearing these on the regular like it’s apart of everyday life (365 days a year with anything we want)? It’s gotten so bad THAT NOW THERE’S A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION ASSOCIATED WITH WEARING THEM!

Are you Egyptian, do you live in a climate that has more (appropriate) warm days then cold? Perhaps you’re a Spartan or of Roman decent…..No? Okay then it’s not kosher for you to wear these year round guys….it’s not kosher.

I use to rock the “mandals” hard back in the day when they were just called “mens sandals”, by “hard” I mean in the appropriate place and at the fashionably appropriate time.

For example

• WHEN MY FEET DON’T LOOK AS THOUGH I’VE BEEN WALKING ON RAZOR SHARP ROCKS OUT IN THE BUSH SOMEWHERE!
• At the beach
• While washing the car
• When rocking the fresh linen pants & or linen shirt
• Spring time @ a wine festival
• A quick trip down to the mailbox/grocery store/carry out/car (when to lazy to lace up some kicks)
• Summer BBQ’s & or cookouts
• A scorching summer day when shoes/socks just aren’t going to do

But now you can see guys rocking this look year ’round, proudly wearing them with jeans, at the club, nice restaurants, in the winter time, or with mens capris. I’m not saying that wearing man sandals during this time of year is bad, this is the time of year when you should wear them, and when it’s appropriate. Where my problem is are with the people that rock them hard all year, and those people that don’t follow the rules when wearing them around this time of year.

Here are three key rules that the dominate gender should ad hear to.

1. Socks with Sandals - No man should be caught wearing socks with sandals. But again, especially in the black community this has become acceptable. If you wearing sandals leave the socks at home please.

2. Flip-Flops - Honestly there really isn’t a necessity for a man to wear these type of sandals when there’s such a vast collection to choose from now days….But for those that do follow this rule: If not at the beach, then there is no reason for any man to be wearing flip-flops. Ever.

3. Pedicure - If you don’t know what that is or perhaps think this is for women please stop reading, go get your mandals and throw them in the trash. It’s a requirement, not an option. Look at it like this; would you go outside with your hands ashy and crusty? with your fingernails long and yellow??? NO! So don’t let your feet be in that condition. GET A PEDICURE!

/rant

It’s smack dab in the middle of April, and officially Spring Time! How do I know this you might ask? Well last week it got to over 70 degrees here for the first time in…oh about 180 days. When I walk outside to my car every morning (parked in the garage or not) theres a fresh coat, sometimes two, of pollen on the paint. The birds are chirping and singing me awake every morning should I leave my window open at night….these same birds are also doing bombing runs on my car whenever they feel like it.

Children are running around outside, playing, yelling, chasing, screaming at one another. Which is of course training that they will need much later on in life when working in corporate America, interacting with the opposite sex, operating a motor vehicle on major roads, and resolving their disputes with one-another.

Tourist are flocking to my city in drodes from all the corners of the earth to see some tree’s that originated from Japan….unbenounce to most, these tree’s can be found all over the DC metro area, and are common enough to find planted and growing in many residential neighborhoods (we had one in our front yard). These are the same tourist that can’t obey/read the traffic signs flashing at them in bright orange and white pigmentations, indicating when and when not to cross the road….a road in which automobiles in excess of two tons are using.

Ah….yes, good ole Spring time in DC

Long day at work today…..it’s one of those rainy dreary days outside that you should be spending inside your own dwelling not in an office on the first day following the weekend……on my way home with mild to light traffic, unseasonably cold and just all around dreary and gloomy day. Leave the parking garage (break out) after giving the man my 9+hrs, blow thru a few traffic lights to get onto the main road to take me home….while at the same time browse the local stations stored in the presents on my radio and what to I find? Garbage, straight up garbage.

Am I soothed, moved, motivated and liberated by the hypnotic sounds of instruments, melodies and smooth vocals?….Nope, my ears are assaulted by Mariah Carey belting about someone touching her body, Flo Rider talking about jeans and some girl’s boots, a drug addict going on and on about a lollipop, and User whining about getting some in a club? Seriously…..is this what we are calling music now? Disgruntled, and disappointed I cut the radio off, (didn’t even bother to look for a cd) and resumed the ride home.

I arrive at my destination tired, disappointed, and sapped of energy due in part because of the climate but mostly because one of the very art forms that i’ve come to love and appreciate above all others was utterly butchered and has at that moment failed me. I take it to heart just because of what it invokes in me, what I gleam from it….. the melody, dynamics, texture, structure of this art form just does something to me, especially on days like this.

Drop my bag, kick off the shoes, prep/begin dinner. Stop and take a second just as i’m about to turn on the tv, go for the Zune instead and put on some Marvin Gaye (1976; I Want You). This was 100% without question an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental and vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner. As I suspended the rest of my evening to absorb the mellotic tones of one of the greatest artists of our time one song inparticular comes on.

Track 1 (the device is set to shuffle, Track 4 ended up starting first) I Want You. The title track for the album, this is where my night stays….for the past four maybe five hours i’ve been absorbing art in it’s raw form from the soulful sound and equally romantic and erotic lyrics of this great song. I’m aware that not everyone loves this genre of music that I do, neither can the same song that impacts me in this very moment do the same to someone who might share my same love for this art form…but If you love, and know of what real music is then there’s no denying the greatness in this…Real Music, from this truly great artist.

I Want You (Vocal)

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-266196747943131850&hl=en]

I Want You (accapella)

As I dive deeper into the blogging thing I want to begin intelligent discussion about various “Questions of the Week” that I have for my small but growing base of readers.

This week it’s in a form of one of my favorite songs by the Neo Soul/R&B artist Musiq. Give a listen and leave a comment about what you’d do if it were you in the situation. I personally haven’t been in that situation but if I was i’m not sure how i’d respond if I was put in this exact situation that he was given the fact that it was just the one time…..

The core part of the song is as follows for those that might be too lazy to actually listen to the entire song

So what would you do?

Guys: if a girl came to you saying what she says in the opening conversation

Ladies: if this was you, and the part of the lyrics were said to you by the guy you were involved with. Plus how would you tell him?

-B.Price

Alright so i’m going to have to make a slight confession here…..I on occasion watch American Idol. Normally I only stick around long enough to see the carnage that takes place during the auditions, and like most of Americans get a big kick/laugh out of it. But it’s perhaps something about the contestants this year or maybe the utter lack of quality programming on TV due to the writers strike motivated me to watch….and watch like it’s season 2 I have.

So last night the contestant (already a star) David Cook did a cover of one of my favorite song by Michael Jackson called ‘Billie Jean‘, but decided to do Chris Cornell’s version of this legendary track. It was pure gospel, music in it’s raw form, this kid can blow. Not only did he own a song that isn’t really “his own” and was made legend by the King of Pop, but performed it for an audience of a lost generation of listeners that don’t have a clue what good music is and they loved it.

Hands down it was the performance of the season so far, and the best rendition out of many others. Even though he wasn’t the first to perform it, I think he took absolute creative control (unlike some of the other contestants) over his performance a made it his own.

Okay, so over the past 9-12days i’ve heard this phrase coined over four times…

“A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”

Never had I heard this phrase before, but it touched me deeply and holds a lot of meaning to me because of drama related to gossip and backbiting that I had to endure over the past year, and even in the course of my short life itself. I personally don’t believe that this isn’t your everyday phrase/word of wisdom that you’d hear, as a matter of a fact it’s probably the most distinct phrase i’ve heard all year. What was most personal/signifigant to me was that not at anytime was this stated to me in a sententious manner, which would’ve without a doubt been a complete turn-off and subsequently made me defensive and or suspect of the connotation of it’s meaning.

Sources:

1st) Random person in the local greasy spoon engaged in a conversation with another person

2nd) Conversation with a former co-worker

3rd) Highly respected family member during one of our “sessions”

4th) Evangelist on TV using it in one of his sermons

How do other people feel about this? Is it true? Does it hold meaning for you? Why does this happen? Examples? Thoughts? Gripes?

…and your nudity at the gym….

So i’ve been hitting the gym for the past four months or so, not like I should but whatever, i have a membership and i’m there so that’s what’s important. In starting at this new gym, the first week (day really) I get there I notice that most of if not all of the patrons there are caucasion. Not that there’s a problem with this, i work with them, call them friends, even break bread with them.

But I’m coming from an all black gym for the most part in my native PG county where the music, the tv stations, and the people are different. It’s this last thing: the people being different, that i’m going to touch on. I don’t know if it’s a pre-programmed rule of thumb from birth, the particular gym I was going to, a respect thing or what but BLACK MEN (at the local gym) DON’T WALK AROUND IN THE LOCKER ROOM (with the exception to ball players) BUTT NAKED! I’m sorry, we don’t.

Now grant it, i’m not saying that during the course of your time between the shower, and your locker that you wont “be naked” but we don’t walk out of the shower, bare feat (i’m going to get to this too) air drying, strolling back to our lockers with the towel not where it should be, i’m sorry we don’t. This isn’t a movie with Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, we aren’t teammates playing professional sports getting showered and ready to get back on the bus to head home, and it sure ’nuff isn’t an exhibition of some sort to show off to fellow members (no phun intended) of your gender.

It never fails that when i’m in there it’s usally me and one (literally, one) other brother who see the white guys proudly walking out of the showers naked, and bare in route to their lockers. We turn to eachother and shake our heads in non-verbal unison, noone wants to see that! Seriously, and if you are proud of what you’ve got, great for you but i’m a hetrorosexual man and I don’t enjoy seeing your junk, or pale ass as i’m getting ready for my workout, or ready to leave. Mom didn’t teach you to cover up? You aren’t at home buddy, you are in a public place, act like it.

What gets me more is that I can almost guarantee that if a female were to walk thru that locker room ALL of them would be covering up, making a big stink. Where as if I did shower at the gym (my house is <25min from the gym, i’ll be alright until then) that’s when i’d be the most comfortable with my nudity. So my point is, I’m not interested in seeing your parts swinging around the room, there’s nothing special going on down there, in fact why would you assume anyone will want to look at it? Please cover that ish up! I don’t want you standing/bending/walking next to me while i’m lacing up my shoe and then I look up and see *you*, and for the love of God don’t stop getting dressed in order to sit there and carry a conversation with me while you are naked.

PUT YOUR TOWEL ON!!!!

Signed 

-blprice a.k.a frustrated black man

We (in the DC Metro area) were robbed of what arguably feels like one of the best seasons that we have here.

Fall, Summer, not even Spring can hold a match to Winter. Let me explain why.

Spring - Pros: all the birds are out, march madness, the mornings are short and sweet with the crisp of the mornings dew in the air, flowers are in full bloom, the nights are crisp and cool, no humidity, everything being new and fresh.

Cons: Allergies, nats, bugs emerging, animals mating in random places, cutting grass, ragweed, complete and utter lack of holidays, thunder storms, pollen, yard work, overlap of cold/warm weather & day light savings time (lose an hour).

Summer - Pros: warm days, less clothing, sunshine, beaches, tops down, cookouts, hot summer nights, parties, caramel tans, tank tops, ballin’ on the black top, no school & of course summertime

Cons: HEAT; stoke & wave, humidity, drought, less clothing, it’s hot, sunburn, tourists, demand for A/C, drain on power/power consumption, lack of rain, enormous amounts of traffic, open toed shoes (busted feet), & less clothing.

Fall - Pros: foliage, the emergence of leather weather, basketball, the colors of fall, re-emergence of work holidays, octoberfest, cool break from summer’s fury, the re-start of man sports

Cons: Dead (brown) leaves everywhere, wet leaves on the road, allergies, unpredictable weather, & day light savings time

Winter - Pros: man sports playoffs, holiday parties, turkey, s n o w, fires in the fireplace, holidays, bundling up, soft blankets, hot chocolate, getting close/cuddling with that special someone, CHRISTMAS, holiday movies, thanksgiving, sledding, the “spirit of the season”, getting snowed in, religious celebrations, snowball fights/battles, open fires, highest concentration of federal holidays & family gatherings

Cons: Snow, shoveling, ice, blizzards, increased number of car accidents, wind chills, & bitter cold

Clearly the season of Fall is right on the heels of Winter, but there’s really no comparison for Winter v Summer/Spring because the weight of the pro’s clearly trump the weight of the con’s when doing the comparison. I do welcome comments and others input. I’m also well aware that I will probably stand alone in this assessment that i’ve made, as well as I do realizes the many advantages and benefits of the warmer months. Even with that said, i hands down enjoy winter the most.

Winter @ the White House

Winter @ WWII Memorial

Spring @ the Tidal Basin

Summer at the Smithsonian

Fall on the National Mall

Monument/Mall during Fall

Ok, so unbeknownst to to me I’ve apparently conducted an experiment of sorts with “a few people” at my workplace over the past 4.5 weeks or so. Allow me to elaborate on the experiment.

Being a black man I, like many in my race have relatively short, dark (black) hair that i keep shaped up, and brushed (combed when it’s long n’ nappy). Well for about 4 1/2 weeks in February I didn’t get a hair cut, not for any reason other then me not making to time to get up early to get into the barber shop on Saturday so that i didn’t have to sit there the entire day…..early meaning like 0630 early.

No one at work really “said anything” or gave me any looks that I noticed or were aware of, but it was getting to the point where I was developing a slight bush and that’s not really my style. So I took off a little early on a Friday and got it cut. I come back in on Monday and literally it was as if I wasn’t the same person. I’ve been witness to the differences in people’s response from changing my appearance and people complimenting me on my haircuts but this was something new altogether.

It was as if wasn’t me who had walked into the office that day, and even up until now people have been commenting on how “it” looks as well as subtle flirtatious activity as well has increased. Don’t get me wrong, i’m a heterosexual unmarried man so I have no issue with then attention. It’s just odd that after 2yrs of working here and coming into with a haircut twice a month that hasn’t changed since the first day I started that this time it would be a big deal that gets me this much attention.

So the haircut plays, and will be kept in check from now on.