ATL Diaries: Playing catch-up

Yeah, I know. I've been neglecting my blog but it's been quite a busy life for me since the last update.

Working hard for the money: I've been working so much overtime over the past 3 or 4 weeks. I've been tired and exhausted. At the same time, I'm writing so many articles for the next issue of this local magazine. But in the end, the checks...well, direct deposit...shows it's all worth it. I gots goals to accomplish and dreams to make reality.

Up in da club: I finally decided to go to a club since my horribly unimpressive first gay club experience at Bulldogs four months ago. A friend and I went to Rain in the West End area of Atlanta. To be honest, I really enjoyed myself. The crowd was much younger, mostly around my age though some younger and a few older. It was my kind of crowd outside of the grown and sexy type crowd I'm used to with the straight clubs (that have a dress code).

Now that she's gone: I miss my best friend. Not talking about the one from Houston, although I miss her too. I'm talking about the new one I made here. You see, our hotel was being renovated and upon completion some jobs were being eliminated. Hers being one of them. But the bossman offered her another position, doing much more work for just a few cents more, which he was going to give her the position anyway. But she ended up getting a better job offer in Philadelphia. So, last week she moved. It's not the same without her anymore. At least we still talk, text and Skype. Hopefully, I'll be able to visit Philly at the beginning of the year. Now I don't have anyone I can cut up and act a fool with here. :(

Thanksgiving alone: Yep. It was my first Thanksgiving without my family. My cousin and his friends were going on a road trip to New Orleans but I decided not to go. I was saving my money for my trip to Houston for Christmas instead. I didn't really plan to do anything. My best friend was already gone by this time. Well, I had to cook this turkey my cousin decided to buy, knowing he was going to be gone. It was the first time I ever cooked a turkey and I'm proud of myself for how good it turned out. Of course, naturally, I cooked cornbread dressing, collard greens, broccoli and rice casserole, oven-baked mac-n-cheese and candied yams. Also made pumpkin pie, to top it off. My fridge is STILL full. I don't know how to cook for one.

So that's been me since the last post. Yup.

Gays v. Blacks and the Civil Rights Movement

I don't think people really understand the meaning of "Civil Rights".

Let me break it down for you.

IT DOES NOT MEAN BASIC RIGHTS FOR BLACK FOLKS.

Did you get that? No? Read it again. And again. And a-fucking-gain.

Sorry I had to use a little bit of profanity but I’m going to need for my people to get that “civil rights is a black people only thing” out of their heads. Yes, African Americans started the Civil Rights movement but the fight never ended. Not just for blacks but also for other minority groups such as Asians, Hispanics and the GLBT community. Yes, the gays are fighting for their rights too.

Let me break out the Wikipedia because my brain is mush from being up since 3AM and it’s after 11pm, and I gotta be back up at 3AM again.

Civil rights are a class of rights that protect individuals’ freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one’s ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression. They include the ensuring of peoples’ physical integrity and safety; protection from discrimination on grounds such as physical or mental disability, gender, religion, race, national origin, age, or sexual orientation; and individual rights such as the freedoms of thought and conscience, speech and expression, religion, the press, and movement.

There you have it. So when you hear someone likening the gay rights fight to the black civil rights movement, they’re only expressing that from a minority viewpoint. Of course their fight isn’t the same as the black civil rights movement, where our mothers and fathers and grandparents were hosed, beaten or lynched for us to sit anywhere on the bus, to vote, to speak freely, to walk in the front of restaurants and sit at the counters, to share water fountains (ew, germ alert) to run for office and become the President of our country. We’ve achieved all of that and more but we still have a long way to go. The gay community, while not to the same extent of being hosed and lynched, are fighting for some things that we have. Benefits, marriage, adoption, tougher laws against hate crimes, the end of DADT. They want their voices heard just as we wanted ours heard. We are ALL American citizens and deserve to have our God-given rights as such without being discriminated and singled out for being different.

So again, my fellow African-Americans or Black people, however you want to refer to yourself: stop claiming “civil rights” as just a black thing. It’s not.

The gear has shifted from Drive to Reverse...

And that's where this country seems to be heading as a result of the midterm election...backwards.

Republicans has regained the control of the House. Democrats keeps control of the Senate.

The economy has stabilized but it's not recovering as fast as we want. However, an eight-year mess cannot be cleaned in less than 2. Unfortunately, people REFUSE to see that and expected an overnight miracle. It takes time and work. And the GOP and the Tea-baggers (lmao) were already fighting in opposition to everything President Obama and the Dems where trying to do. Two years ago, they had their eyes set on this election. So they did what they had to do. Took the small negatives and blew it up. Scare tactics. Sadly but not surprising in true political fashion, lies. (The Dems aren't that innocent either.) People are so gullible to believe everything they're told instead of researching on their own. This wasn't a presidential election but it was still a crucial and important one, and it shapes up the next presidential election, in which the GOP now have their eyes set on.

President Obama is willing to work with the Republicans but I highly doubt he'll get the cooperation he needs from them. The GOP wants to do away with entitlement benefits - kiss your Medicare and Social Security check goodbye, senior citizens because majority of your age group voted for them. The GOP wants to do away with education spending and the department. They're not going to help college students.  They want to repeal health care reform but it will not happen as long as the Prez has the power to veto. (I don't see why they can't make amendments instead). One of the newly acquired Republican seats, the winner (name forgotten) stated that there was no rich, poor or middle class. Paul Rand stated "we came to take our government back".

The same government that got us into this mess. The same government that Americans voted for. The same government that Americans were mad and fed up with for getting us into this mess. The Dems had 2 years. Let's see what the elephants can do in less than 2.

So, no, I don't want to hear ANY complaints because YOU made the decision of who should run the country. Even if you DIDN'T vote. Hell, if you didn't, do NOT speak to me.

26 years...

This past Saturday (Oct. 30th) was my 26th birthday. (This post is late as hell) It was the first birthday I ever spent away from my family, away from home and from my triplets (an aunt and a friend who share the same birthday). But it wasn't all bad. I still got all my calls, texts, tweets and Facebook messages from my friends and family. My best friend even shipped me a gift. That made it all better.

I treated myself to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke museum. Then made myself a nice birthday dinner. Corn, candied yams, "colleged" greens, scalloped potatoes, mac-n-cheese and baked porkchops. Needless to say, I only know how to cook for like a family of 5. So yeah...a LOT of food. My new bff said I have a Masters in soul food because it was "putting some hair on her back and under her arms". Yeah. Oh, and yes, there were drinks. ALCOHOLIC drinks. Not FourLoko though. I wasn't trying to black out.

Georgie Bush says Kanye's comment was the WORST moment of his 8 year presidency.

Not 9/11.

Not Hurricane Katrina.

Not the beginning of the recession.

Not Iraq.

But Kanye West’s “George Bush doesn’t like black people” comment.

Something is definitely wrong with that picture.