Sunday, October 30, 2005

"HOLLA IF YOU HEAR ME"

It's amazing how surprisingly hush the passing of C. Delores Tucker. Peace Be Upon Her. Though her departure on October 12 was mentioned through the various popular media outlets (NPR, CNN), the exposure was brief. It was not brought to my knowing until Dr. Julianne Malveaux called for a moment of silence at the Millions More Movement (Oct. 16). Not that eye know everything that's going on in the world, but this occurence should have received wider coverage. She was one of the few Martin Luther King, Jr. comrades still here.

And then another...

Rosa Parks transitioned on October 24. Peace Be Upon Her. It strikes me as significant that two of our greatest Black leaders from the Civil Rights era returned to the essence within weeks. Eye find it ironic that both of these leaders had their last hurrah from criticizing & actually filing lawsuits against Rap lyrics. It is my belief that while these women have everything to do with the elevation of Black folk, post- 1960, their good intentioned attempts to censor Rap music were misguided.

Encourage me to go into this more if you are interested...

When we went to the nation's capital a few weeks ago, we decided to take the children to see the landmarks. Though we had drove vehicle to the district, we were encouraged to take the train (subway) to Pennsylvania Avenue to avoid searching for parking. This was the day following the Millions More Movement, so the area was still set up in a way that made it difficult for civilians to get around in the immediate vicinity of the capital and the Washington monument.

The first sight once we came out of the tunnel was the Library of Congress. This was one of the most significant days of my living because just the day before we left home, my Library of Congress Control Number arrived for Something To Cope. Only my husband would be able to describe the adulation attached to that moment, because he pointed the building out first & received the greatest warmth of my reaction. Allow me designate that as the specific instance where eye knew that eye had arrived. That image fresh in my mind & knowing factually that my book will be housed in that building, reminds me that childhood dreams do come true.

"He got a book; he got a book; she got a book"-Suge Knight, BET Tonight, 2002

According to SOHH.com, Lydia Harris, wife of Death Row Records founder, Michael "Harry O" Harris has a new "tell-all' book entitled, Married To the Game. Considering that her recent documentary, Welcome To Death Row lays it all out in the open, it's hard to imagine what else she might have to say. As a reader, it is always my preference to read the book before seeing the related film. People seem to disclose more nitty-gritty details in their writings than they feel comfortable speaking on camera. Has anyone picked it up yet? Does anyone know if she has a ghost writer? If you have read it, plese let me know if it's worth purchasing. At very least, eye will make an attempt to pick it up from my local library.

This is Sunday morning.
"Praise the Lord & pass the ammunition."

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Saturday, October 29, 2005

TAP DANCE

On some days, at some times, there is a moment in the day when the old scrolling mental-picture clears. Some call it the lightbulb moment. Or an epiphany. This occurence known as revelation in religious circles.

No matter the attribution, there is a certain emotion that goes along with that experience. Does anyone know what that emotion is called? Not sure if it has a name. Not even sure if anyone else has discovered this sensation. Well, whatever the technical name, eye want to acknowledge that particular feeling as my more prevalent emotion - right now.

My journey detour has ended. Back on the road eye go. Time to tune into my surroundings; time to tap into the pulse, again.

Something about the environmental changes in the fall brings me out of me. Maybe it's that life in general becomes a tadbit more relaxed since the rush of the current year evaporates into a hibernating climate. This period of the year initiates a season of thanksgiving. A season of love. A season of peace. Most yearly business has been finalized. Most of the annual funds are near deplete. The record industry specifically slows to a near hault. You wouldn't believe how many people suddenly forget that they have an office, an office phone, and major business to handle. They vanish into the white of the snowy sky.

Through CountBassD.com, we closed on a couple of major dealings this week. Anticipate a formal announcement soon. Read the journal & join the boards in the meantime to stay up.

Thank you for climbing on board. Thank you for riding.

SOMETHING TO COPE/January 31, 2006

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Friday, October 28, 2005

CRAZY BY CHANCE OR BY CHOICE???

Is there such a diagnosis as selective crazy? You know...like selective memory??? As a student of psychology, never has this presented itself in my studies, but in everyday life, this has become the norm. Have you ever met a person who uses crazy to their advantage? Eye have. MANY! At this point in my living, eye am not sure if this person really exists, even though eye occupy such space - often.

They [do not exist] say it takes crazy to know crazy. This perspective comes from an artistic, married, mothering, professional, working black woman who once was crazy. So know, that eye do, know crazy. From my experience: either you are crazy or you are not crazy. Never has crazy been a choice in my world.

Those of you who are not afflicted or infected with crazy are excused from this conversation. Right about now, you are probably thinking, "What is she talking about?" Or, "Where is she going with this rambling?"

Quite frankly, nowhere is the destination. This is just one of the few places where it is understood that all dialogue is worthy. That's what blogging is all about. Right?

Is it crazy that it is almost 3 o'clock in the morning & here we sit - at this terminal? Is it crazy that yours truly just fried up two huge catfish fillet, yet hunger escapes in spite of the lulling aroma - at almost 3 o'clock in the morning? Do you find it odd that no matter that 4 children will request my service at 7 a.m. that typing would even be on my agenda - at almost 3 o'clock in the morning?

Odd. Hmm...

Perhaps that would be a good alias for the magic that Dwight creates when we do studio together. Overdose was our crew name back in 94'. Now it seems that ODD makes much more sense.

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Thursday, October 27, 2005

MORE PEACE PEOPLE

Have you ever allowed your self to be present?

To soak in space that won't permit your consciousness to drift off to thoughts of what you are going to do when? Or dwelling on bits and pieces of what happened that night of the one magnificent epiphany. This is a moment of future present. Although time & space do not exist. We will define it as a moment, for lack of a better.

"This moment.
Past tense."
-Netsanett Ahun/ Freedom Now (Peace People)

...which leads to the mention of the Writehanded Dot Com forthcoming promotional CD:

Unchaste Belts presents “Oriana lee EP
Total Running Time: 18m:10s

Produced by CountBassD for CountBassD.com
Co-Produced by Oriana lee for Writehanded Dot Com
Executive Produced by Oriana lee & CountBassD

Material* from the forthcoming Something To Cope
Audio Book produced by CountBassD for CountBassD.com
Release Date: January 31, 2006

*Except “Padded Room With A View” by CountBassD

TRACKLISTING
One: This Is For My Wife
Two: A Padded Room With A View
Three: Who Are You Anymore?
Four: The Expose’
Five: Netsanett Ahun / Peace People
Six: The Write Way Baby
Seven: Writehanded Dot Com PSA

For more information:

http://www.unchaste.co.uk
http://www.orianalee.com
http://www.countbassd.com

The above information posted as taken from MySpace blog:
Visit www.myspace.com/orianalee

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Let me just start by identifying my current mood/state as "hanging in there".

NOT hanging out.
NOT hanging up.
NOT hung over.
But hanging...in there.

There is where each moment appears to be in limbo, left of direction. Happiness becomes suspended by forces that have but one pursuit - M-O-N-E-Y. That dollar, ALMIGHTY!


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Thursday, October 13, 2005

THE GREAT WHODHINI
October 13, 2005

If there is anything that you know about me for certain, is that there exists a never-ending tendency to disappear. Total ghost. Eye am saying. This has been going on for as far back as my mind will reflect. Friends of mine have always taken me to task about this "way" of mine. Quite honestly, most of my close friends and companions share this "way". My mama. Both of my sisters. My spouse. ALL of my closest sistergirls. Men friends. Hell! It's not just me. There are alot of people in my life who operate in this same manner. Maybe that's what keeps me feeling so comfortable in this space. These "ways". Eye want to charge it to the artistry, but many of the people who share this flaw are not artists. At least they don't know that they [do not exist] are truly.

No excuses. This is the person you are riding with at this moment. Someone who tends to withdraw from public reach - every now & then. Surely you understand. Are you one of us?

Love to you & yours! Take care.

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