So last night my my lady and I were chilling at a bar, minding our business, when I noticed a large party next to us. At first I paid them no mind, because they just looked like regular people drinking and having a good time. But upon a closer examination of the faces, I realized that these weren't just any group of people. I saw Thomas Boswell, then I saw Mike Wise, and sitting right near me was Dan Steinberg who writes the Sports Bog.

So I quickly realized I was in the presence of Washington Post employees, and I got excited. Its no secret that I aspire to be sports writer for a major publication, and the Post would be a damn good place to write. So I instantly wanted to switch from drinking to networking mode, although I must admit the buzz I was feeling would have made it a challenge. But it was clear that these Post employees were not in work mode at all, so I really couldn't figure out how to step to them without looking annoying. So I didn't. I just sat there like a jackass, hoping that one of them would walk close enough to me, so I could introduce myself and all that. But it never happened. My lady said it was just as well, and I would have made a fool out of myself. I have mixed feelings about it all this morning. Perhaps I should tried to plug myself a bit...

Ante Up - M.O.P.

If you haven't already, go out and buy the new Al Green cd. He sounds as good as he did 30 years ago, and with the production of my main man Questlove from the Roots he sounds even better. I haven't had sex to music since 1992, when Love Deluxe and Christopher Williams were out. This cd makes me want to have sex repeatedly. That's my ringing endorsement.

Take Your Time - Al Green featuring Corinne Bailey Rae

Here are my last two articles: One is an interview. The other is about the Pistons/Celtics series. Please read it and compliment, slam or constructive-criticize me.

Someone commented in my blog the other day, that is was possible that my intern had finally gotten his stuff together, thus sparing him from my inevitable wrath this summer. I would have loved nothing more than to see some maturity, but unfortunately, I have had no such luck. Yesterday was his first full day, and he annoyed me just as much as he did before. He must be boycotting his barber AND the brush, because he had no shape up, no facial hair trim, no nothing (although he later mentioned he was trying grow a beard). About 5 or 6 times during the day, I would catch him just sitting there looking into space, and I caught him in the hallway doing the same thing. I gave him about a 15 minute explanation of what I expected him to accomplish this summer, and I doubt he retained it. And then there were his glorious, creepy stories of him resting his head in his grandfather's ample beard(I'm not making this up). I asked him if he did this when he was younger, and he said that this was something he still did. I asked him if his grandfather was in any way a member of Catholic church, but he said no. And to top it off, he went the entire day without eating anything, but about 7 or 8 Now or Laters. I don't know if he was channeling his inner Gandhi or what, but the Now or Later diet just isn't the way to go. I don't know whether to leave him alone this summer, make his life hell, or attempt to mentor him once a again. I'll probably throw in elements of all three.

I feel like Woody Allen here obsessing over a bottle of wine that I bought for my neighbor, but for the fifth consective day, I have to talk about it. The wine was still sitting out there yesterday when I got home, so when my lady got home, I asked her to pick it up and give it a proper home in our kitchen. She wouldn't let me drink it though, but she suggested we wait until we know our neighbor is home, and then bring it over. But I get home a full hour before my lady, so that bottle is as good as gone today or tomorrow.

My neighbor clearly has not come home since Saturday afternoon. That bottle of wine is still sitting outside of her door, yet up until now I simply did not have the heart to take the bottle back and drink it defiantly. What kind of person moves in on a Saturday, and then stays away for a few days? I had an in-depth discussion about this with my lady, and we both decided that it would be wrong to take the wine back. But at least 8 times last night and again this morning, we looked outside the peephole to see if the wine was still outside her door, and indeed it was. I can honestly say that I won't continue to be generous like this, and if I come home today and the wine is there, I'm taking it back, bringing it back into my apartment, and I will give that wine the treatment it deserves. When my neighbor proves to me that she can be a consistent and present neighbor, then I will shower her with wine and welcome gifts. Until then, she gets nothing.

Speaking of my apartment, there is some part missing in my building's A/C unit, and the air won't be working for 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS! Nevermind that it was 85 degrees yesterday, and it will be 91 degrees this weekend, we are just supposed to suffer until they get their stuff together. I talked to people who are smarter than me in these matters and they basically said I'm stuck. I could go to court and open an escrow account, but by the time I do all that, the air will be back on. Ideally, I would like a discount on my rent but that ain't happening. I think a fair compromise is me buying a window A/C unit temporarily, showing the receipt to my rental office, and then subtracting that amount from my rent. I can't wait to own.

And to top off this cranky entry, I had to hear about a date my mother went on last night. I respect that my mother has needs and she deserves to be happy, but the thought of her dating simply disgusts me. She should have had a daughter if she wanted discussions like that with her children.

I'm tired, my AC in my apartment wasn't working once again, and this Tuesday morning after a long weekend feels every bit like a Monday after a regular weekend. I come into my job, turn on my radio program, and begin the arduous process of getting through my day. 10 minutes after I sit down, who shows up? My intern from last summer. This is going to be a long day and a longer summer.

Here is yet another story from the I couldn't-make-it-up-if-i-tried files:

I was in the crowded CVS trying to buy some items. While walking around the store I saw this black woman with locs and she was with this Hispanic brother. The woman went down another aisle, but the guy kept walking towards me, and he said what's up and so did I. No harm in that right? About five minutes later, as I am walking out the door, the woman tries to get my attention by asking if she can ask me a personal question. I hesitate at first, and then I tell her to go ahead. She asks if I give out my number, and I said no. Then she asked me was I sure, because the Hispanic brother who she was "with" thought I was attractive and wanted my number. I calmly looked at her and said, "first of all, I am straight, and second of all, I have a girlfriend". Her response was to say, "Well my name is Lisa, can I have your number?" and then she extended her hand. I just turned around and walked out.

Now, I suppose in this day and age I should be used to men directly or indirectly hitting on me, but I am not. And this may not be a PC thing to say, but whenever this happens(and yes its happened more than once) I want to wring the neck of the person coming at me like that. Then I calm down, and handle it like a responsible adult. I wonder how straight, non curious women react when they get hit on by other women? Perhaps I'm over-reacting a bit, but I don't care one bit. I'm not flattered at all by another man taking interest in me. I know my Hispanic brother was just following is heart and all, but still. This has happened enough to make me wonder what the hell I give off, to have been hit on by men so many times.

Caught Out There - Kelis

The bottle of wine my lady and I bought for my neighbor is STILL sitting outside of my neighbors door. We placed the bottle of wine outside of her door at 8:30 pm yesterday. It is currently, 11am, and the bottle was still there. Maybe she went out and had a long night, or maybe she's having marathon sex, and has yet to open her front door. If by 8:30pm today, she has not picked up that wine, I swear I will take it back, and drink all of that wine like a champ. Besides, the longer it stays out there, the longer one of our other neighbors could steal our idea, and leave their own bottles, thus making nullifying my gesture. The only thing that could make me feel better is some BBQ, and I've yet to receive an invite.

In other news, it is looking like my brother, his wife may possibly be moving to the DC area, and I could not be happier. I won't jinx by talking about it too much. But the possibility of being able to babysit my little nephew one night, go drinking on the town with my brother another night, then do ghey couple things with he and his wife on yet another night, is pretty damn cool.

About three months ago when I moved into my apartment, I mentioned that my new neighbor left my lady and I a bottle of wine. Initially I was annoyed that I was basically being forced to speak with this person, but eventually I appreciated the kind gesture. Yesterday, I noticed that someone moved in across the hall from me, so I think I will return the favor. We will purchase some wine, put it in a nifty bag with a note, and leave it outside her door. I hoping and praying that this doesn't lead to any annoying neighbor shit. As I'm typing this, my lady just came in and told me her name is Alex. A woman with a male name...STRIKE ONE.

I saw the movie Ironman last night, and I loved it. Tomorrow, I'll tackle Indiana Jones. Even though Harrison Ford is 89 years old, you can't pass up a movie directed by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

I was invited to a bbq on Friday night, and I completely forgot about it until today, and now I'm pissed. As it stands right now I have zero bbq prospects. So if any of you people in the DC/MD/VA area are having a cookout, please let me know so my lady and I can crash. We are excellent guests, we will bring fine wine, maybe a deck of card and Scrabble, and I can DJ. This is sad.

You know when you go the doctor's office, and you get to that inevitable part of the visit where a needle has to go inside you arm? They find a vein, wrap some sort of band around your bicep, rub alcohol in the area, and then they prepare to go in for the kill. At that point, you turn away, and you just wait for the needle to be inserted..but then for some reason the doctor isn't quite ready yet, because he's still looking for a vein, so you keep looking away, then looking at him, and the whole process seems to last an eternity. This is my bad and convoluted analogy to what it is like waiting for my goddamn stimulus check to come.

It would be different if I didn't know how much I was expecting or when it was going to arrive. Then I would just be minding my own business and BAM!, the check would catch me off guard, and life would be grand. But the IRS ruined all that, by giving you charts, bells and whistles that let you know via your social security number: 1)what week it should be mailed out/deposited and 2)how much you will be receiving. On top of everything else, I have closed the bank account my income tax refund was deposited in , and I didn't fill out a change of bank account form until earlier this month. So I will receive a paper check, instead of a direct deposit. I calmly called the IRS, and they told me on May 5th, that I should receive the check some time in the next 3 weeks. So now every damn day, on my way home, I get all excited thinking this could be the day, and I open the mailbox, and I see nothing but bills and Chinese restaurant menus. Its totally frustrating and I wish I weren't so damn neurotic about this all, but I am.

The age of 33 continues to be the gift that keeps right on giving. In the past 48 hours I have discovered a new nose hair, been diagnosed with a bulging disk in my back, and noticed yet another gray hair in my beard. The nose hair had me sniffing and blowing my nose like Marion Barry until I finally figure out what it was. My back issues, which are flaring up for the second time this year, have caused me to stop running in the morning. The funny thing about that is that I have actually LOST weight during that same period of time. The gray hair in my beard really hasn't changed my life as of yet, but I'll keep you posted.

I realized the other day that my family is going through some serious issues right now. My brother lost his job, my mother is dealing with the fact that her mother and stepfather, can no longer support themselves, and my father is dealing with health issues as well. I have faith that everyone will come through it, but it is a weird thing to deal with and watch. In the past, my family would have problems one at a time, but it never seemed to last long or be that serious. These current issues are very serious, and in the case of my mother, not only will they not go away, but I need to be paying close attention to them, since I will be in that very position. I'm not trying to depress anyone, I just think I needed to get this in writing and out of my head. There are enough thoughts in there as it is, every now and then I need to deposit some in this blog. That's what its here for right?

And since I dont want to end on a depressing note, I think I shall mention a juicy tidbit from my trip to the barbershop. During the week, my barbershop usually has sports on tv, which makes sense since 90% of the clients are males. On the weekends, since lots of parents bring their kids in, they usually have kiddie movies on, and I can tolerate that. Yesterday, during the same time of day that PTI is usually on ESPN, these fools had on the movie, 27 Dresses...I repeat, 27 Dresses. Not only was the movie on, but each and every person in that shop (including me) was totally captivated by the plot, and at several points during my haircut, my barber actually stopped to watch. 11 years I've been going in that shop, and I have never seen anything like it. I am used to seeing Tyler Perry movies, or action flicks, or sports, but a girly movie like 27 Dresses? Never. It was acutally pretty good though, so run out and rent it.

My Flame - Bobby Caldwell

He Had Game

There is a going away lunch for my boss today, and in preparation, a menu was passed around yesterday. Everyone was supposed to look at the menu, write down what they wanted, pay money, and then when the food arrives the next day (today) we would all sit around look at each other eat. That's my job's idea of a how to send someone off. Anyway, I missed the initial pass around of the menu, so one of my co-workers had to manually bring it to me, and explain what was happening. I asked her to leave the menu with me for a few minutes while I decided what I wanted to eat. When she returned five minutes later, I was undecided, so I quickly decided to get something called a Summer salad. As I was writing it down, I mentioned to her how manly of a meal a salad was, and she laughed. Then she said, "What happened to manly meals like fried chicken or something?"(yes she was white). Then came the following exchange:

Me: Fried chicken, really?
Her: *starts turning red*
Me: I didn't even see fried chicken on this menu, was it on there?
Her: On my God, I'm sorry Rashad, I wasn't trying to offend you at all, i'm so sorry
Me: Oh no its cool, just help me find chicken on the menu, because I didn't see it

*awkward pause*

Me: Ok, well let me get back to work
Her: I'm sorry again
Me: Whatever b**ch (in my head of course)

Now in defense of this woman, she has been nothing but nice to me since she's been here, and she's on the short list of people here I can actually tolerate for five minutes or less. Who knows whether she meant to be offensive or not. So in times like this, rather than going all Al Sharpton on people, I find it is best to use sarcasm and act like nothing happened, and then watch the offending party squirm and hang themselves with their own noos..I mean rope. Perhaps I handled this wrong, but it clearly would not be the first time I have botched a situation. About 2 hours later, I saw her in the hall, and I asked if she found that chicken on the menu yet, and she just awkwardly laughed. I think for today's luncheon I will toss the salad (pause) and stroll in with some KFC.

I wondered out loud to my ladyfriend the other day, whether or not I should begin talking to my son about sex. He'll be 11 this year, and the majority of his interests revolve around sports(what a shocker). But he's getting bigger and his body is developing and there's no telling what kind of hormones and unexpected erections he has flying around. I don't want tempt him too soon, but I damn sure don't want him going out there ill-equipped to deal with sex and sex-related issues. I know with women, the arrival of the first menstrual cycle tends to be the time when sex-related talks happen. I guess for my son, the wet dream could be the indcicator, but that's a dicey situation for a boy. We don't always know what a nocturnal emission is, and our first thought is that the Urine Fairy has paid us a visit, and as if we were on an episode of CSI, we immediately clean and clear all of the evidence.

I remember my dad giving me a b.s. talk about sex when I was 15, and on my way to journalism camp at Syracuse University. He went a bought me some condoms, and he said, if any of these women step to you, be sure to wear these. Mind you, I had lost my virginity about 5 years early(even though I hadn't had sex since then), and I had never worn a condom in my life. Still, I just said, "thanks dad", and then he dropped me off for a week. The first thing I did when I got back to the room is "manipulate" my genitalia so that I could try the condom on, and get my application speed down. Thank god there were no cameras on and youtube didn't exist. I struggled with the first one, then I grabbed another, and it was all good. And while I didn't expect my dad to give a condom tutorial, I did expect to hear more of a talk. So all that being said, some time in the next few weeks, i'm going to talk to the boy about sex, condoms, etc. This should be absolutely hilarious.

A year ago today I lost 99% of everything I owned in an apartment fire. I lost clothes, records, files, dishes, furniture and everything. My laptop was spared, as were some selected clothes but other than that everything was gone. I remember feeling totally lost and vulnerable for quite some time afterwards. i also remember how generous some of my friends were in terms of helping me get back on my feet, and making sure I had everything I needed, and even now, I don't talk to all of them, but I have never forgotten the help of each and every one who helped me. For about two weeks now, I thought about how I would write about and acknowledge this day, and I never really came up with anything substantive. And even though I lost a hell of a lot that day, I have gained much more. I have had my writing published, I have a much better relationship with my son, I have replaced some of the items I lost, but most of all, I have gained a beautiful woman who will be my wife very soon. So in that respect, I feel like some good came out of that tragedy. But I still have down days..I still miss some of the things I lost in that fire. I miss how cozy things were in my old apartment. And I still feel very blessed that I wasn't in the apartment the night in happened, because in the words of the firemen who boarded up my place, I "would have been a goner".

So, just in case God reads my blog, I want to thank him for sparing me on that day. And I would like to thank any of my readers who helped me get through that day. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.

I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know - Donnie Hathaway

Just a few short hours ago, I got back from the grocery store and I saw first hand how the high prices are affecting people. In each and every aisle, I saw couples having long drawn out discussions about what they were buying. I overheard people discuss the amount they were paying, how long the product they were purchasing would last, and whether they were getting the best bargain. I know people normally do comparative shopping, but with the prices of food so much higher, people are have taken it to a much higher level. My lady and I spent most of our grocery trip trying avoid this woman and her husband. The husband was basically doing whatever his wife asked him to do. The wife was talking loudly about every damn product in the store, and at one point she tried to bother my lady and I. We were about to purchase chicken, and she took this time to get on her high horse, so she she could talk about how high the prices were. Bullshit conversations like this have no place in the grocery store, so we gave her some fake response, then we briskly walked away. Every knows prices are high, but everyone has to eat, so shut the hell up, shop and go home. No talking. That being said, we spent $50 more than we had anticipated. We won't need groceries until August, but it put a dent in my wallet.

And yes I'm discussing groceries in my blog. I know I'm not the only one who has felt the rise in prices.

I am starting to feel guilty when I don't write a little something in the blog, and I blame you, the customers. I read other blogs and they go 4 and 5 days without adding anything, and it never bother me. But when I attempt to do that on my own blog, I feel like an absolute slacker. There must be a way I can ignore that accountability and just not blog for a week or something.

I went to see the Roots and Erykah Badu last night, and neither one of them disappointed. I was a little disappointed that the Roots had to perform in front a half-empty arena, but it didn't stop them from putting on a great show. They performed old and new songs without missing a beat, and the both the band and Black Thought were on point as usual. By the end of their set, Constitution Hall was fully packed, but I could still tell that a large portion of the crowd was there to see Badu, not the Roots.

Badu was damn good. She sounds way better live than she does on her cds, her band was incredible(although i wish the Roots would have backed her), and her background singers complimented her perfectly. Badu started with songs off her new cd, and then she closed with older songs, and I loved them all. And, with apologies to my lovely girlfriend, I got several looks at Badu's ass...it was just aight The only down side of the night, was the hour intermission in between the Roots and Badu. Intermissions are for plays not concerts. They could have had a comedian come out there or something.

My lady and I then went to the afterparty, and proceeded to drink and dance the night away, which is why I am blogging at 7:40 pm and not am. It was good clean fun though.

How To Stop LeBron James

The Root - D'Angelo
Love Ballad - L.T.D.
Love Will Find A Way - Lionel Richie

Three songs from three different decades. Lionel and Jeffrey can sing their asses off, D'Angelo does something that resembles singing. So what do these songs have in common? During the last 2 minutes of the song, they repeat their choruses over and over again. This may not sound like a big deal to you, but this is a phenomenon not often heard in songs on the radio these days. All three of these songs have that component, and its absolutely beautiful, and it damn near puts you in a trance. So take some time out of your day, and listen to each of these songs, but pay special attention to the end. For the L.T.D. song, the good part starts at the 2:55 mark; for the Lionel Richie song, the magic starts at the 3:38 mark, and for the D'Angelo song the trance starts at the 4:37 mark. Its quite possible you could listen, and not hear a damn thing, but I doubt it.

Back before my father went into business for himself, he worked for Marriott Corporation in Bethesda, MD. He used to tell me that while he was there, he would do his best to mentor younger folks black and white, but especially black. There was this one brother who worked in the mail room, who came into my father's office to talk. The young brother explained that although he was in the mail room, he had much bigger dreams within the company, and he asked my father for suggestions on expediting that long process. My father gave him a laundry's list worth of advice, but the last thing my father said to him is, "You've gotta cut that mess out of your hair". The guy had his hair cornrowed, and my father told him that it simply was not professional. The young guy resented my father saying that, and told him that his hair was irrelevant, and what really mattered was whether he could do the work. My father said he was being naive, and the young brother insisted on being defiant and it was left at that. The brother applied for a job in another division, didn't get it, and shortly thereafter he was gone. Later on, my father learned that the people doing the hiring, said that all the candidates who applied for the job seemed pretty even, so they went with the dude who "looked the part", and that excluded the mail room brother. I told my father that sounded unfair, and he told me as unfair as it sounded, that is how business is conducted sometiems. He also told me then that part of keeping it real, is knowing how and when to pick your battles.

So fast forward to my workplace in 2008. There is this young guy in the office..we'll call him T, since he may or may not read my blog. He comes to work everyday looking like he's an extra for a rap video. The jeans are really baggy, he has a sweat jacket on, he's rocking the cornrows, and amazingly, he was a do rag on top of the cornrows. T is real energetic, real nice, but his appearance sticks out like a sore thumb. Either no one has cared enough to tell him how to dress in a professional environment, or he's choosing to ignore it because he is able to keep his job. I don't know what the hell he does, because he works on another floor anyway. But I really do want to say something to him, because the shit bothers me. I don't want to come off like a cranky old man to him(he's like 23 or 24), but I would hate to think that no one has told him how to carry himself either. I suspect many an older person goes through this same scenario with a young person somewhere. It should be an easy choice but it isn't always.

And now, a lesson on tact and public speaking by Mr. Shaquille O'Neal: