1st Barrel

Packing my first barrel for my new business importing toiletries, clothing, medicines, batteries, flashlights and assorted dollar store items to West Africa. Could not help thinking that's how we got here stuffed on ships, complete with a cargo statement. Cargo owners had to worry about tariffs, damage goods, product arrival, lost or damage cargo. Gotta stuff as much product in this barrel. That's how we got here. We didn't come here on the Mayflower

In the Garden

One of the things I am most proud of is my ability to grow food. I can even grow from seed particularly corn. I am also extremely happy to be part of this community garden Holy Name Forest park community Gardens. A community of Muslims, Christians, Africans from Sudan, White Americans, Immigrants from Asia. More African Americans and Latino brothers and sisters need to get into farming. I give the President of Gambia Jammeh credit when he stated if u can't find a job go farm. My skills have gotten. So good I can feed a family of four 100.by 100 piece of land. 
What are the duties of a revolutionary? The duties of a revolutionary is to make revolution - Fidel Castro

Hartford 2016

Nearly 40 years ago Michael Manley came to Queens College and gave a speech..  One thing he mentioned and  I will never forget.  "Develop your capacity for analysis.". Hartford is becoming a two tier city. The well off will use downtown Hartford as a personal playground with restaurants, hotels, baseball stadium, museums and apartment buildings just for them.  Supporting this lifestyle will be construction projects, transportation networks, health care and hospital facilities, educational structures and the ever present police forces.  Surrounding the inner core where be low  wage workers, the unemployed, petty criminals who will prey on the inhabitants of the outer core and assorted small businesses and a merchant class dedicated to serving its inhabitants.  The surrounding towns and cities won't escape untouched.  The Inner Core will push itself out.  Example baseball stadium near North Main and Albany Ave.  Remnants of the outer core of the central city will find themselves in Bloomfield, Windsor, East Hartford and Manchester. For too many of us life is a constant emotional response.  Nobody really gives a fuck bout your emotional response.  But when you take your own life in your hands and give a fist pound to that mofo  gorilla staring at your ass in the mirror that's when life gonna roll.

Develop your capacity for analysis - Michael Manley

 

 

 

WATER

    This incarnation has been memorable.  I see the journey in increments such as laughing children, smiling faces and joy.   As I age gentleness becomes easier.  Along with the aching bones and fatigue.  I have been blessed to be a Black man.  A conscious thinking proud Black Male.  In a world of want I have lacked nothing.  Even here in America where poverty is just a missed paycheck away.  

    She brings joy to my world.  Her gritty smile conquer the world attitude has broken my peace.  She finds the voids in my world and fills them up.  Unacknowledged by me I have missed things.  The type of insignificance that mid fifties black males who live alone learn to do without.  You know like proper diet, sweeping  floors and her favorite getting the damn mode off the shower curtain.  Finally there is water.  I never get my 8 cups a day.  My daughters one in nursing school, the other a dietician have been after me about the water thing for years.  Most of the time I am spot on.   Unfortunately like most men who can see 60 standing over the toilet has become a favorite past time.   Water adds to this dilemma.  

    Despite the clamoring about our dying infrastructure, America's interstate highway system is the best on the planet.  As a nurse who does the travel thing I spend a ton of time on them.  Besides work there are the latest forays into Far Rockaway to see the love of my life.  A couple of weeks ago the burn to piss thing caught up to me at 1 am.  I got off the Belt Parkway and saw the welcome to Howard Beach sign.  Yep that infamous Howard Beach where a Black man caught in the wrong place got chased by a mob into the Belt parkway.  A car smashed him into pieces.

IMG_20160616_150557.jpg

 

    Memory serves a Black man well in America.  I recall the names.  Yusef Hawkins, Emmitt Till, Trayvon Martin.  A few days ago a young brother was knocking on doors in my building.  He works for an electric company that promises senior citizens savings on their bills.  The super threatened him with police if she found him here again.  Amadou Diallo a vender assassinated by New York’s finest came to mind.  

    2016 looks like 1956 all over again.  When one trotted down the deep south roadways.  A family had to the know the locations of the color rest rooms and restaurants.  Most of the time when I am on my 8 cup water game on I 90 going towards Albany I got it figured out.  Exit 4 Blanford service plaza.  Next exit 25 miles up the turnpike exit 2 Lee, Mass. last stop on turnpike before New York State.  The route South to NYC along the Merrick and Hutchinson I got that down.  It gets a little tricky once I hit NYC particularly if traffic gets crazy and I am getting my 8 cups in a day as I drive.  Perhaps I should get a urinal.  

 

Albany, New York

Albany, N.Y.  It's the new refugee camp for Black folks from N.Y.C.  I guest that's why I fit in so well.  Nice day visiting the senior center at St. Vincent.  Lots of laughs and good stories

A Train recent trip to NYC

This morning on the A train the engineer and conducter were both Black Woman. It maybe ponder just a bit. Just 40 years ago these civil service jobs really started opening up for African Americans. Yeah its been a long hard grind but like I tell my children America is a young country just a baby. If a person works hard, have a plan stay away from the illusions and pitfalls a person can make something of themselves. We are always in the process of becoming including our country. Rosa Parks had to sit in the back of the bus now NYC transit gonna move when these sisters say so.

Malcolm X day in Harlem. May 21

Finally made it too the pilgrimage and grave site of Malcolm X