25.2.07

Bedside Baptist

Mrs. Patton is at church this morning. I went a couple of weeks ago, and tried to find the message among the endless rhetoric that I didn't necessarily agree with. Religion has always been a huge question for me. Not that I don't believe that there is a God, but the terms in which she blessed the earth with all of its beautiful things and people. The logic in me says...why is the God that I believe in, in competition with all other Gods. Why if God told us to be accepting and understanding and tolerant, do we despise people who don't believe what we do. Why do we not honor thy mother and father. Why has man determined that all men are not created equal, and the people who believe that the Bible's words should be lived out here on earth allow that to happen? Why are Christian's un-accepting of gay/lesbians? Why does the Black community use a religion that was used to enslave us as their salvation? Why do the folks who attend church every Sunday think they are entitled to something I am not? Why do they act as if they are better than me?

My relationship with God is good. I pray to her and talk to her and allow her to guide me. She gives me hope, allows me to feel good about my life and the lives of my family. She allows me to be happy...to work, and play. To be healthy. I pray to her that she continues to look over me and grant me the experiences of life. I pray to her that she keep my wife healthy...make her more healthy. I ask her to keep us safe. I pray to her my hopes and dreams. My wishes for the world. For the people who have nothing. The people being killed for no reason. For the people who are poor and discarded. For the people who have no hope.

I believe, just not the way others want me to. I believe the way that works best for me. I believe in the way I think she wants me to. I believe with ideas from different places and even religions.

Wifey doesn't force her religion on me. Which I'm grateful for, and she worships and believes differently than I do. That's fine with me...in fact I like it that way! I only hope that all those people in church are praying for something other than themselves. Because if they know there is something greater, then they should know that the world is a crazy place and so many people need a prayer said for them...at least a prayer!

10.2.07

Who wanna..............bowl?!

Today I went bowling. I like bowling, but I don't go on a regular basis. I used to bowl in a league when I was a kid, Saturdays with my boy Craige and Thurston. We may have been the only team with all of it's members being young black males. Great memories...so today I went bowling.

The first game started off rocky. At least I stuck to my M.O....unable to pick up a damn spare! So that first game was a whole lot of that with a strike mixed in to irritate me. Ended up with 168, I think.

Game 2 was worse. Oh my, was I bad. It's the ball, I said. It's these jeans that are too long, and messing up my glide to the line. It's the ball, those jeans, and the lanes...ended up with like 122.

Now I'm frustrated enought to realize I need to make some adjustments. Who would keep doing that same thing and stinking at it. So, I move over a few boards(I know those of you who bowl love that terminology) and even take a step back.

Third times a charm! I don't know what I ended up with, but it was better than the first two games. And I beat my father-in-law, who bowls on a regular basis. But was using a brand new ball. 1 for 3 isn't that bad, right?

1 more you say? Absolutely...shit, I'm trying to win another game! 198...yep, I said it. 198 a mere 4 games into my, at least 6 month lay-off. I've got the feeling now. I'm like, I should join a league. I can still do this. Eh, but who'd I bowl with. Maybe if some friends agree, or Joy.

Rubber match...I'm still feeling good. Got my board, and I'm getting consistancy in my ball placement and release. Bang. Bang. Bang. Spare. Bang. The game went a lot like that. Ended up with 203 and the most wins for the day 3 out of 5! So, back to the idea about getting in a league. Where would I bowl? Gotta get a new ball, cause I had to do too much work for that 203. If I had a ball that I liked to throw...it would be over!

6.2.07

Did I mention, I live in Cincinnati

So, today it snowed. 3-4 inches maybe. Nothing major really, but the damn city is completetly incapable of handling any type of snow. Work let us leave early, as most employer's did. That didn't help. Traffic was still a crawl....a slow crawl. Not a salt truck in sight! Took me about 2 hrs to go 6 miles.

I get stuck on the way home, coming up the hill. A cop comes up and pushes my car up the hill. I get stuck again. This time no cop. Wifey came to the rescue with her co-workers and picked me up(man, I've got to get a truck)!

No problem, right? Just call AAA and they'll tow you home. Just got to wait a few hrs on a night like tonight. Um...come to find out, AAA can't do shit for me. After waiting patiently they call and say they can't even make it up the hill! Ask if I can walk to the car, and if I could all they could do was get me off the street. So, you're serving me how? Your purpose is what?

Hopefully my car is in one piece in the morning, and I can get it to the house...I'm praying!

5.2.07

It's COLD

Today was the coldest I remember it being in a looong time. I can usually handle the normal conditions, but today...it was COLD. Now maybe I know why my wife questions me about my ideas on moving to Chicago.

She's found out(so she says) that someone at work has a crush on her. I think it's great that other people find some type of beauty in her. I think I like it even more because it makes her feel good. She came home today with that 'I know I'm the shit' swagger.

I'm on the way home listening to the new Mos Def(true magic) for the first time where I could really turn the volume up and listen. Dude is unbelievably good! One of the better albums I've heard in awhile. It will definitely be in the rotation with some regularity. Oh, and dude's CD packaging is CRAZY. A clear plastic case and his CD. Nothing else. No art work, no linear notes, nothing...case and cd. After all, that's really all you need isn't it?