Black Tie Lounge

I shouldn't go too long without blogging because when I finally get back around to it, I'm so cluttered with all the things that I haven't said that my words come out as jumbled as my thoughts. I appreciate those friends that even though I have not seen them in ages or spoken to them frequently, it's still like we are able to pick up where we left off without the awkwardness of wondering what I should and should not say. I'm going to try that with you all. Some pretty big things happened this summer but it wasn't as fun as I hoped. I made more money than I have before. Got to connect with students in a powerful way. JudahLYFE appeared as a guest on Bobby Jones Gospel, which is a show that is televised nationally. I started my first full-time job with benefits. Sound amazing huh? I say it wasn't the best because I didn't enjoy it like I hoped. Have you ever had some of the best times in your life take place in some of the most rockiest of circumstances...

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...

Fresh off the car break in, I came up with the bright idea of polling my students to see what things I can adjust. Sure I may come to class with some chucks and an H&M sweater or V-neck T-shirt, say some very sarcastic things, forget the very material I am presenting but I do care what my students/clients think about my services. I always wanted to get some instructor feedback but I never cared to actually think about what to ask. This time, well, I still didn't think of what to ask. I kind of came up with the questions on the spot but I did follow through with what I was thinking as I carried out this poll. I asked if the students were satisfied with the course at this point. I asked if there was anything that I could do more or less of. Lastly, I asked for general feedback. Now if I judge my students based of the looks on their faces as I present material to them, then I'd say that I was in to possibly get ripped a new one. To which I would have just kindly said eff you,...

Tomorrow class will be in session and I don't exactly have it all together. Trust, I'll have it on point by class time. This semester I've made a few changes. Instead of doing 8 week sessions to bring in the bank, I'm teaching the full 16-week semester. This will give me more time to focus on the students and actually give me time to plan assignments. Assignments: that's another area I have bulked up on. Buddy boy those that had me last Spring had it good. I rarely had assignments but I was hard on them when it came to the work they actually did turn in. This time I'm more informed and am ready to facilitate the progress of my students. The only thing right now I'll be somewhat winging is this public speaking class I picked up last week. Enrollment for that class was through the roof so I took on that course to make sure I had enough classes to keep me at a certain income level. Speaking of enrollment all my classes are full. I want to roll my ...

I'm headed to Philly in the morning and I'm up applying to a position at UMD! I got the urge to see my rating on ratemyprofessor.com and here is the feedback that I got. This is further proof that I would have loved to have myself as an instructor. Since they said I was so easy, I'll definitely have to make sure I make things harder. HA HA HA Snitches! In all honesty, I appreciate the kind remarks. This just made my night. They like me. They really like me.

I'm going to get a lot of flack for this but I really just want you all to feel me on this. As a black person in any environment where other black people are the minority, I'm going to notice and be drawn towards other black people that I may cross paths with. Whether it involves me only saying hello or progresses further than that, those moments are significant to me. As an educator, I look for opportunities to mentor young black males and help them along the path. With that said, I'm going to naturally flock or pay special attention to any black students, particularly black males, that I may have in my class. So naturally that has happened but not in the way that I would hope. I have a young black male in on of my 8 week courses. Let me preface this by saying that I have yet to sit down and speak with this student. He portrays a demeanor as though he does not want to be in my class. I get a very deliberate lack of participation when it comes to him-- mind you this is a...

I've had this blog for about 2 years and have yet to scratch the surface of who I am and what I'm about. So today, in a very random order, I'd like to share information that I don't generally think to share on this blog. When it comes to NFL I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. It's a little odd because I have never been to Pittsburgh, it was just a choice I made and a team that I stuck with. So Sunday night, we played the Jets and other than the times we played Baltimore I was really looking forward to this one. Just my luck my family decides to go to a restaurant during 5 minutes into the second quarter. Luckily we go to one with a TV in range. Most of you know the outcome of that game but 10 minutes left in the final quarter and New York gets the field goal and the score is 20-17 New York. My parents decide it's time to leave since we all rode together. We live about 5 minutes away. My mom decides to go to Target to pick up some Christmas cards. In the words...

The first session is over! I get a day and a half off then I'm back at it for a final time. My week has consisted of field trips to courthouses, museums, and federal buildings, afternoon plenary sessions, mock trial and Supreme Court simulations, and a bunch of busy work. My gawd, I'm beat! Highlights from the week include: having a group of 23 students that were focused and got along great; not having to break up a fight; not having a scholar get lost; and an overall good time with the staff. I really enjoyed myself man. I had so many of the youth ask me if I was a lawyer. I find it interesting that now I'm considering it. No, I'm not!! The only reason I'm interested is because I have an inquiring mind about many things, which is one thing that I've learned about myself. Since I'm on the subject, here is what I learned about myself: I really like teaching so I should consider it as a career option and stop trying to run from it because I can't be discip...

Seriously, I'm teaching law for the next two weeks. I took on a gig as a Faculty Advisor for the National Youth Leadership Forum on Law & CSI . My job is to lead about 20-25 students through various discussions on law careers and topics, a mock trial and Supreme Court hearing simulation, and other duties related to these matters. I'm on day 2 and this mug is crazy. I'm up at 7 for morning meetings with 18 other faculty advisors from all over the country, and I'm running all over the place until about 11 p.m., at which time I'm performing security checks. All I can say is that the schedule is crazy, but I am learning a lot about a career in law. I'm actually glad I got this opportunity because I've been contemplating how I would fit as a lawyer. I'm burnt out on school for now so I'm not looking to jump into the opportunity to pay thousands of dollars of debt just to go through it again. My plan is to pursue music but the legal knowledge will com...

In the words of my manz Tha Victor, "I got gas but it aint petroleum." Call it a sign of getting old. I don't know what it is. I eat the same things I've always eaten and my body reacts in ridiculous ways. I've had so many embarassing moments at this youth center with my flatulence--well they should be thought of as embarrasing--that I don't even bother to think about it anymore. I just let her rip. I have moments where the kids sitting next to me during a game scream out "Eww who cut the cheese," happen at least twice a week. Cunningly, I ask the same question and nonchalantly shrug it off until that one bold child says"I think it was Mr. Gordon." I slyly turn the tables on that individual and get the kids to rally around me as I accuse the bold child of cutting the cheese. Despite attempts to prove me guilty, my persusive, silver-tounged characteristics always win people onto my side. The staff and I joke about it all the time. Come to fi...

So today I made a kid cry. Not intentionally though. I'm not even sure if the other staff was aware of what happened but here goes. One of the kids fell out of a tree the evening before and suffered a fractured left rib and a severe gash on his arm on the same side. I knew this but I completely forgot around the time I made the mistake I'm currently explaining. This is one of the kids that I joke around with a lot. So after a serious clown session during an activity, I started beat boxing a Barney Song. Three other kids, including the one I made cry, joined in with very little beat boxing skill. They were spitting more than beat boxing. So the kid I made cry is beat boxing away and he spits on me. We are all joking, so it is all in good fun. I tell him that he's spitting not beat boxing. He laughs it off and keeps doing it his way. The he lunges this massive rain shower of spit on my arm. Of course I feel it and I take him by the arm and wipe my arm off on his side. The ot...