If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
— Romans 12:18
The Bigger Picture
An African-American in Paris
Me, in a friend apartment in Paris ... steps away from the Eiffel Tower. “An African-American in Paris,” that was the name of my first visit to the City of Lights. And Paris did not disappoint.
For Vanessa (or anyone else) interested in Paris.
Vanessa, congratulations on your upcoming trip to Paris! You’ll have a wonderful time. It’s one of my favorite cities on the planet (the other being New York). I’ve had the pleasure of going a couple of times. Here’s a few of my favorite things to do with links for more information.
In It to Win It: Affecting Change Right Where You Are
Image by Tamarcus Brown, unsplash.com
A lot people say they want change, but a lot more people aren’t willing to do what it takes to bring about that change. I’ve seen this play out in a reality TV show and in my own community over the last week, each with markedly different results.
Show Your Face, Face Your Show: Why Authenticity Will Never Go Out of Style
The best time to pretend to be someone else, is when you’re being paid to do so. Or if it’s just for fun.
In my mid-twenties, I worked as a costumed character (Donald Duck) at Walt Disney World near Orlando. It was nowhere near the job I wanted. I had my eyes set on a career in marketing;
On the Lost Art of Critical Thinking
The actor Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines in Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”
There’s a sucker born every minute.
–P.T. Barnum (maybe)
Americans have lost their skills of critical thinking as applied to reading articles on the internet. Don’t believe me? Read the article on the firing of a White House butler by Allan Ishac … as well as a few of the comments. No, really. Read it now. It’s a quick read. I’ll wait.
[cue: background music]
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2017
“Use me God. Show me how to take who I am, who I want to be, and what I can do, and use it for a purpose greater than myself.”
–Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today we pay tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Some fifty years after his assassination, we laud him and lift him to the level of American
Adventures of a Former Christmas Elf
Here’s a long and rambling yarn of Christmas cheer from a long time ago and cities far, far away . . .
The days after September 11, 2001, I sat riveted to the images on my television like the rest of the nation. The thought of flying across the country was unnerving, but when October 17 came, I boarded a plane at LAX with enough clothes to survive autumn in New York and Atlanta, and a December in Cleveland. En route to New York, I stopped in Orlando to drop off my dog, Jack, at my mother’s for a three-month vacation.
Staying Human: Self-Care in the Face of Those Who Would Deny Your Humanity
Image by Clem Onoieghuo, unsplash.com
Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed numbers of black Americans and law enforcement officers killed in shootings. A lot has been said about the black community, our families, the police, and the system; but there’s one subject that is rarely addressed: the affect these shootings on black Americans and what coping skills we should employ.
A Word of Thanks: As in Gratitude, Not the Holiday
Guess who.
Whether you’ve just discovered my writing today, a couple of months ago, or have been reading my mad ramblings for a few years, thank you. Your comments, likes, shares, mentions, retweets, highlights, and recommends mean a lot to me. Know that I do not take for granted your decision to invest a few moments of your time with me, not to mention making others aware of my writings.
It’s Not Them. It’s You.
Image by Jack Fusco.
Social media is a wonderful tool. In an instant, Facebook, Twitter, Medium, Instagram, and a host of other social media platforms can put you in touch with dozens, hundreds, or in some cases thousands of people you’d otherwise never know existed. The magic of discovering communities of like-minded individuals with whom you can exchange ideas is the validation that gives social media its enthralling glow.