Smooth Criminal

Water cooler talk:  The Weather, The Weekend, Father’s Day, Beautiful Women, Children, The Lottery …

Them: “Money can’t make you happy”

Me: “I just want the chance to prove that theory wrong.” I’m just playing, unless I win.

The conversation progresses past my need to be witty, I was trying to hide the fact that I haven’t acquired a taste for this person.

Them: “What would you do with all of that money?”

Me: “Educate myself, travel, take care of my family & do God’s work.”

Deep bows, I’m sorry but I wanted to pull them in. The reason I may have not acquired a taste for this person is because of a recent conversation about “safety” “hood terms” “myths” & “stereotypes.”

*1…2…3…Break* I’m fitna’ {ATL shawty!} get in trouble because I’ve been labeled as “aggressive” {not their word but the best way to describe it} by someone I “Four Letter Word Beginning In L and Ending In E” this is someone who’s approval I desperately seek but seem to vex with some of my observations.

*Blue 21, Blue 21, Hut, Hut, Hut* I’m not an activist, but I am aware of my environment and the effect that it has on me, you, us. Today I coin the phrase “Observationalist” – To make aware and influence by the thoughts and ideas based on social, economic and cultural background. Now … Hip somebody else.

Of Safety, Hood Terms, Myths & Stereotypes

In an effort to not be “that guy” the person with whom I haven’t acquired a taste for tried to assimilate and associate with the masses by speaking negatively of & on what folk perceive as poor neighborhoods. Having lived in most of the neighborhoods in question I felt it was only right to be “that guy” and educate. “They either don’t show, don’t know or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood.”

“Those neighborhoods” … yeah they care about property values too. Yeah they care about their community too, yeah they care about empowerment too, yeah they care about opportunities for youth too. *Fast Forward one of their comments was about criminals, criminal activity, to which I sarcastically responded crime effects everyone and no community is immune from it, but I digress … the point in one of my teaching moments was that folk return from jail and are treated unfairly, we take away their right to vote, deny them housing and discriminate against them with regards to employment.

The wrap up: (1) What I would do with the money? Work with the city, county, Sherriff’s department to break the cycle for offenders. Develop youth programs, mentoring programs and scholarships. They gotta eat or they might hit someone over the head. God’s work? (2) Interestingly enough I told the person with whom I haven’t acquired a tatse for that they were criminals, we are all criminals, we have never gotten caught. What if you got caught smoking that ooooo weeee! you serve your time, get released but you couldn’t rent an apartment, you weren't able to vote, and you lost your dream job working the frosty machine at Wendy’s?

Man this is long! I’m freestyling ‘cause I’m at work.

Translation: 8 Weeks of training.

Translation: Google Reader ‘cause they block me from tweet’n and you know how much I love Twitter! Shout out Ms.Nikks! Shout out Buzz Can Tweet!

Oddly enough look what I found a day after the mis-education of someone I haven’t acquired a taste for "I'm a criminal and so are you"

Live Well,

Mr. "That Guy" TramueL

Money Is A Good Servant But A Bad Master

It’s Me … Mr.TramueL! Seems like forever since I left you without a strong post to step to. Bear with me on this one ‘cause I don’t know the point I’m trying to make. Random thoughts around my ex, un-employment and my future.

Of The Job Interview: Interviewed with Bank of America this week (Third interview in as many days) … a little history, I was a victim of “workforce reduction” two years ago this month. The new position to many would be considered a step backwards but hey I gotta eat, baby mama’s want child-support and kids want gifts.

Of The Ex: My ex-wife through all of our years together {total of 14 maybe, married 7 or 8 of them} who really remembers? Don’t answer & don’t judge me … anywho let’s call her “Chica” ‘cause her dad was Dominican and after I took my last name back she decided to use his (used her mama’s maiden name prior) but I digress. Anywho, Chica tends to remember our wedding day and sends text messages saying “Happy Anniversary” I guess you would have to understand her personality to understand why, sure there is some sarcasm there but secretly she still desires me, I mean who wouldn’t? I’m an incredibly sexy man. J/K ☚*Disclaimer just in case she ever reads this, but we all know the truth. Wink. WInk. Blank Stare.*

You have questions: “Mr.TramueL? What does this have to do with the title of your post.” Well I have answers … The recruiter, the interviewers all made a subtle hint at the variance in salary from my previous position with the bank to the max pay for the position applied, my “read”, they wanted some explanation why I wanted to work in their department. So I gave the corporate “build a foundation” speech. I looked over at one of the women during the interview and she was salivating .. I guess it was what she wanted to hear or it could have been my crisp white shirt with my blue tie & my Austin Reed suit. *Shout out to three buttons, back vents & Euro cut*

It resonated with me, the question of money, it seems for the sake of making a living we forget to live. I thought being a good husband meant working like a rant mule so that we could have “things” … the best things in life aren’t things. Chica seemed to want the best of both worlds, She said: “Go pick up that bail of hay negro & afterwards let’s go on a trip to Africa.” I said: (Nothing) But I thought … never allow your sense of self to become associated with your sense of a job. If your job vanishes, your self doesn’t. The happiest time of my life has been during this period of unemployment, I’ve been able to spend more time with my family immediate and extended, been able to reveal some hidden passions and get serious about my health, my relationship with Capital G’dizzle, His Son & their Homie the Holy Ghost. There are plenty of folk whom have found the acquisition of wealth only a change, not an end of miseries. “Mo Money, Mo Problems”

Don’t cry for me Argentina this isn’t a nostalgia piece about my ex or the past but a segway into my future, this is about lessons learned and carrying them forward.

Of My Future: Relaxed in Love.

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. Ecclesiastes 5:10 NASB

Mr. “She remembers our anniversary, I remember our divorcesary” TramueL

I Must Be Butta, Cause I'm On A Roll

Not no parkay, not no margarine, strictly butta …

I’ve been on a journey and my mantra for Two Thousand Ten is “ Striving to create balance & harmony; Spiritually, Mentally, Emotionally and Physically”

The moral and intellectual crisis of out time has not yet spared the true science of …  I’m just playing. I’ve been reading, studying, analyzing, meditating & re-directing a lot of my energies and I’m in a place I haven’t been in a long time.

This post is simply affirmation to the Universe of (1)ne of life’s lessons learned. “Unattachment” - The release of need or expectation associated with a specific outcome.

We see & believe how a specific event or situation will work out and we become “attached” imagining it happening just as we envision. We try to duck & dive trying to force the circumstances to our advantage, but a four letter word beginning with L and ending in E (No, not that one) … Life has it’s own schedule.  Unattachment  doesn't mean that you’re not keeping it one hunid’, it means that you are managing your  expectations. I know, I hear you saying “Give us an example Mr.TramueL!” Okay, okay … I want to be a rapper O_0 and it is normal for me to pursue those goals, the key to piece of mind is to hold on lightly to the image of me on a sold out stage ( ‘cause it’s tricky to rock a rhyme that’s right on time ) Unattachment happens when I’m not tied to the idea of being on a sold out stage, the reality is probably more like me on a karaoke stage. Things didn’t work out as planned but I’m more than able to let it go. {Lesson}

Drops Mic. Walks off stage snapping fingers spit'n mad fire son! … ♬  Well yo, ♫I funk like dat ,I'm fat like dat, I'm in like dat, ♪ I jazz like dat, I freak like dat, I zoom like dat,♫ I’m out ... I’m out.

Mr. “It’s Like Butta Babeey” TramueL

On Who’s Terms?

I played the love doctor again today, well rather this time I played a male nurse and just listened while I took the patient's blood pressure and checked their heart beat allowing two of my female friends {Definition: (Fe)male: Male with iron added, for greater strength, ductility, and magnetism} to wheel and parry about what somebody didn't do for them Blah, Blah, Blah ~

On the Married Couple

Whether consciously or unconsciously they've crafted a set of rules for themselves. If I were a fly on the wall, I would probably comment on why they ain't invite me to the reception notice a common theme in their relationship: Who will impose ideas and who will follow them? Though they generally get along well, and have a lot of respect for each other, no kids in the house so they probably have lots of sex they have different ideas as to what a relationship / marriage should be all about. Thus the focus here is the issue of what shared ideology will work for them.

Do as I say, not as I do:

✍ Learn to compromise without resentment, swallow your pride occasionally and work for the common cause.

On the Friend Guy Friend Girl Couple

Their focus is power, whether the challenge is to seize it, exercise it, or give it up. I've noticed a spiritual evolution process; first striving for and grasping power, then learning more about themselves and their relationship and finally letting go of power in favor of higher ends. They may have to acknowledge their social or personal power and live with it for a while before they can give it up. Ayo! social & personal power I'mma let you finish but the power of love is one of the greatest powers of all time! Along the way they may come to realize it and understand that it should not be given up but given away and shared with others freely.

Do as I say, not as I do:

✍ Don't get carried away by power, seek your own path, simple acts of kindness can be very strong.

Mr.TramueL is a four letter word beginning with L and ending in E enabler. ☛ Stay on your toes kids, L O V E

Two Fingers, One Word ~

A Thought / Feeling Split

Have you really tried to understand?

No. Okay well why don't you try to mute dissent and turn arguments into conversations. ☚ Not a question ... this is advice.

Look outside your own world

We all get caught up secretly believing that our way is better than others, however,The Merciless God of Perfection doesn't want you to believe there are other ways of viewing things. ☚ Shout out to The One real GOD, his SON & their homeboy the HOLY GHOST cause' they are the only ones you should put your faith in.

Pay attention to the needs of others

Try to keep track of what's going on, be sensitive to telltale signs & don't take things for granted. Think constructively & work to improve relations.

Calm your nerves and center yourself

Don't stick stubbornly to your point of view, go ☠smoke or exercise or do that thing the we all like to do ☚ You scream, I scream, we all scream for ...

☠

• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy.
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking By Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, And Low Birth Weight.
• SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.

A Fall from Grace

It always amazes me how folk  hide behind a facade of religion and faith, write one social comment praising God and the very next one raising hell. Before you judge anyone for what you perceive to be "A fall from Grace" ... turn the mirror around and ask yourself; Have I cultivated acceptance and understanding? Have I suspended judgments? Have I learned to compromise?

Posted via email from extroversionbelied's posterous