Black Tie Lounge

I wrote this back in 2004 when for 6 months I just got a surge of creativity that came out in poetry format. I've performed this once. Enjoy! I do a lot of thinking. I do a lot of contemplating  and I find that I'm constantly waiting For my breakthrough to break through As my patience is wearing and tearing in my mind I say my break is through I wish I could take all of my decisions and place them in a hat And the one I choose is the one I stick to And review as the will of God. It's challenging to be still for God And chill for God, it's ill my God so let's be real my God My rhyme scheme is extreme and when I have no words you know just what I mean What I need you grow me to maturity, obscurity, as I thoroughly search for your knowledge and understanding, commanding me to excellence the devils get greater as my paths become straighter. You are no longer a stranger cuz I'm up close and intimate and intimate detailed and intricate with you it's you...

One of the things that I love about my lounge is that it's like a journal. Instead of carrying around a book, I'm glad that I can just type away.  About a year ago, I wrote a poem out of the blue. Since then I haven't written a poem. I decided to let you all take a look. Here goes: Who am I? I mean  today. Right now. I am a 26 year old man. Educator. Mentor,I guess to some-- maybe ha ha. Brother of two sisters. Brother to more people than I probably realize. Son to two married parents. Like a son to families that I also probably don't realize. A supporter and fan to a ridiculous amount of talented people. Business partner to a team in which I wonder what the hell do I contribute. I'm a model. I'm a model? I'm a Master  I mean I have a Masters and the job market makes me wonder why the hell did I get a Masters. I' ve dipped and dabbled in this and that. I'm a man that has worn so many hats. I'm a singer.  I'm a song where the verses do...

Last Friday, I spent time with a close friend of mine. We share a lot the same musical interests and we keep each other motivated in our endeavors to be better musicians. While we were hanging out he shows me this video. Good music makes me put on a stank face and start cursing. Don't judge me. I'm still working on myself.  All of that to say, this nuka right here is of FIRE.

Nuff said!

If you ask me who is one writer/producer that I'd like to work with I will definitely say Ryan Tedder.  Songs like this are the reason why.

Today is Father's Day! My father happened to be out of town with my mother celebrating my aunt's 50th birthday. I made sure I called. Even though the conversation was very brief I made sure not to let the day go by without wishing him well today.  My father lost his father just 3 years ago.  My mother lost her father back in '92. Me and my dad have an interesting relationship.  I feel like I'm still getting to know him. Regardless of what I know and don't know, I am forever grateful that he decided to stand by his commitments.  Whereas I say things, my father is about demonstration. Whereas I'm more off the page, my dad is black and white and logical.  Me and my pops have had our ups and downs but none of that trumps the fact that he's been consistent. I've never had a time where I was in need of something and he wouldn't come through.  When it came down to it he was going to do whatever was necessary for the family.  My father was never about the ...

Each summer, I get the opportunity to advise students. This includes keeping them on track with finishing their degree, helping them understand the requirements to transfer to a 4 year university, and giving them sound advice so they don't  go into debt for  by making all out make bad choices.  So, I'm in the Advising office and the majority of people I work with are teachers. We got into a discussion about our expectations when it comes to student conduct. This then transformed into a discussion about how this generation has entitlement issues or have been babied only to their detriment. What's sad is that these are the same jokers failing out of class. One of my colleagues said that it's like they can't be embarassed. Calling a student out in the middle of class, or giving them an F does not embarass them. Good conversation. This morning the discussion continued but it was directed toward an event that happened at Herndon High. Allegedly several students pull...

I saw this flyer online and since posting it I realize not everyone can read it. For that reason I will post the full message in my blog. This is not my writing but it allegedly comes from a graduation speech delivered by Bill Gates some odd years ago.  I did a google search for the speech and it is was popularly posted in several other blog sites.  Since it has some great insight I decided to add it to The Black Tie Lounge. Here ya go Bill Gates....this should be posted in every school!! Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world. Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it! Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect y...

Guess what song I woke up to this morning? Well I didn't exactly wake up to any song. Instead I cut on the television after I woke up and the song that played after some random stripper song--the type that has a beat and the type of lyrics that will only have an affect if you are drunk in a club throwing ones--was a song that I am beginning to use as my own. Low and behold after the stripper song was a video to "Titanium" by David Guetta and Sia, which is the latest single off the album Nothing But the Beat. Pop music fans may recognize Sia because she is featured on FloRida's song Wild One. "Titanium" goes like this: I'm bullet proof nothing to loose fire away fire away Ricochet, you take your aim fire away fire away You shoot me down but I won't fall I am titanium You shoot me down but I won't fall I am titanium Not only does this song get me hyped to run when I don't want to but it also encourages me to keep pushing through the ...

I'd love to be the life of the party but I'm becoming OK with not. I miss my friends but then again they are just a phone call away. Am I the only who does that. I get so busy that months go by and I have not reached out. Or I think to reach out and don't put up the effort to do so. Life goes on. I sound so random right now. Yesterday really surprised me. Actually two episodes over the past few weeks have really surprised me. Although this concept is so elementary, it's striking how you never know who people actually are until you speak to them or give them a chance. I've had two choice encounters with students in my class. Both of these guys I have perceived to be lazy or all around just don't care based on the nonverbal messages that I get. I'm such a teacher with a high need for feedback or some type of outward sign that shows me that I am interesting and that what I say matters.  Call me a sap. Call me a . . . whatever I guess I'm just needy like t...