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Pencil Parable

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via Sandra 'Sam' Bowles Johnson on #fb :-)

Recalling October...

...Breast Cancer Awareness, Domestic Violence, Spirit Day, Supporting Lupus Awareness, TweetDeck woes...doing the cha-cha and merengue on Facebook in an attempt to redefine algorithms, form new relationships, examine existing ones, strengthen the ones that are more meaningful to me...things like that. Why am I not there now? Different space, same theory...posting should be pure, and when it isn't...just doesn't feel good to me. So, I browse, read and blog till I purge that thing away...then I'll go back, hopefully stronger and having learned a thing or two. First two weeks on facebook were ok, it's changed since the last time I was off into it heavily...they've added a few features: opt-out groups, see friendships/view friendships, drop-tagging via likes...they've brought back interest pages. Several words stood out in my mind...following/being followed/paying attention to tweets, friendship, privacy, algorithms, marketing, interactions and virility.

There are many definitions for an algorithm, but my favorite as it pertains to facebook is "Step by step procedure designed to perform an operation" ~ dictionary, it involves lateral thinking and heuristics...which I happen to "like" lol...yes ya'll I can be a bit of a geek every once in a while. I like socializing, but I also like understanding systems...anywhoo, your news feed in facebook is supposed to contain the stories/posts of the people you interact with the most whether its via message/posts/likes/wall-writing/pictures etc...one of the goals of the interaction for facebook is to populate your "suggested friends" list...so you connect with other individuals who tend to like the same things as you. The news feed can be manipulated manually, the suggested friends list on the other hand CAN NOT. the suggested friends is all based on algorithms.

So, I tried my hand at manipulating the algorithms myself, by interacting with people who posted things (content) I genuinely liked. My first lesson, everyone on facebook is not there to interact for the purpose of forming new relationships. My second, privacy needs/desires seriously messes up this process as does personal feelings/agendas. My third, being followed/having your tweets payed attention too on networks is not necessarily a good thing nor is it for everyone. See... I thought being followed and paying attention to tweets/posts on the networks was a good thing...in fact I thought it was the whole idea, to attract people to you while by being interesting then when you want privacy...you log off or go blog or something. In my mind following and paying attention to tweets/posts contributed to virility. My forth, I don't mind being followed...but I do not care for insincerity and/or indirectness. My fifth, I really really enjoy randomness and diversity...this one I kinna think I knew already. My sixth, a privacy setting can come in handy every once in a while...depending on what you're trying to do. Oh well, you live and you learn. *took out the word stalked, cause I just really don't like that word*

Sidenote: my algorithims for suggested friends on facebook did change...took a while...but they did change ON YESTERDAY...*shrug*...was very cool to see that change. My purpose for wanting the change, lol... I bore easily...sometimes...not always but sometimes, I like seeing things that capture and hold my attention...and I wanted a change ( for other reasons)...P.S. I tried that google buzz thing...it was scary...lol...but you never know...maybe one day i'll gravitate that way...

Forgot to add this to this post: great note on facebook algorithms via Jean-Sebastien Miousse

Waka Waka written by Shakira & John Hill (borrowing the chorus from Zangaléwa) - "If you fall...get up [soldier] " 2010 World Cup Performance

You're a good soldier...Choosing your battles... Pick yourself up...dust yourself off
Get back in the saddle...You're on the front line...Everyone's watching...You know it's serious...We're getting closer...This isn't over

The pressure's on...You feel it...But you've got it all...Believe it

When you're down get up...Oh oh...If you fall get up...eh eh...Tsamina mina Zangalewa... Cuz this is Africa... Tsamina mina eh eh Waka Waka eh eh Tsamina mina zangalewa Cuz this is Africa

Listen to your God...This is our motto...Your time to shine...Don't wait in line...Y vamos por Todo...People are raising...Their expectations...Go on and feed them...This is your moment...No hesitations

Today's your day...I feel it...You paved the way...Believe it

If you get down...Get up, Oh oh...When you get down...Get up eh eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa....Cuz this is Africa...Tsamina mina eh eh...Waka Waka eh eh
...Tsamina mina zangalewa...Anawa a a...Tsamina mina eh eh...Waka Waka eh eh...Tsamina mina zangalewa...This time for Africa

Poetry by Floetry

It is my wonder...how can ye state love when ye are yet unwise and unable to discern that which is foolish from that which is truth. Effort is not requisite of Love, but Trust. Thus then is not Trust the greater of the two. When breached is it not the agent which sets apart.

What say you? Is this not clear?

God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. It is God's testimony that our faith should not rest in the wisdom of a man’s words but his Power. And if we place not unwavering faith in God's Power, is our trust not thereby lacking also and thus our efforts to please him? And if our efforts in pleasing God are lacking, then why is it not understandable we are yet unwise and unable to discern that which is foolish from that which is truth.

Both his and our own.

Dare we not be willing to do what is pleasing to God, yet expect him to deliver that which we believe would be pleasing to us.

How foolish and unwise is that?

"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." ~ Mahatma Gandh

Some of The People I Love To See Tweet and Why Part I

Bipolarboo She inspires me, she has so many sides to her...she's raw, funny, classy, intelligent, spicy, talented, up-front, an original in every sense of the word. She's graceful, poetic and direct. She makes no apologies for who she is and she can/will rock a trending topic, even if she's rocking it all by herself...She doesn't go with the crowd...she does her own thing, in her own way and on her own terms...My admiration of this woman is endless. She's an amazing author/blogger...I enjoy reading her blog and tweets...they have always given me ideas and insight... Chestaydroppingjewels, this is so true... The Bipolar Experience She is a diva in every sense of the word.

Kris Yeager His mind is intense and multifaceted. He understands the art of systems thinking. I love that art...lol...To me all things have the potential to become art, but you have to be a heavy critical thinker to get this. He's creative and unselfish, and if you have not heard his music...you are truly missing out. Here's his other site...guess what's there? MORE MUSIC lol... I love his work, I love his music and I love his tweets.

Reward_Mall His tweets are hilarious and his photographs are some of the clearest I've ever seen. He likes Chris Botti and is an amazing cook. He too is multi-faceted. He is always growing and preparing something lol...and he tweets fast, yet he is concious about what he tweets. With him I have so much fun...His tweets have always made me smile and laugh. ALWAYS

Mllyssa This is my girl!!! LOL I can't begin to tell you how many late night hours she has kept me company...times when I couldn't sleep, we have often spent hours together tweeting back and forth......Me, Mllyssa , Reward_Mall, Dahara, Artweestic, Nobody trying to gain anything...just tweeting...tweeting just to be tweeting lol Mllyssa is into photography and art...

Dahara and Artweestic are beautiful tweeters who tweet quotes and small groups of people at a time...they decorate their tweets and make them real crute...Artweestic is an artist and it shows in her tweets...Dahara and Artweestic have both inspired me on many occasion with a special quote or comment that reached the very core of my spirit... deep, deep within the midnight hour. mlomb and msjourney have done this too...

Some Of The People I Love to See Tweet and Why Part II

Lcuddles228 is someone I care about very deeply, Cuddles knows what it means to be there for somebody...she stands by her values like a tree. She is so compassion filled and dependable, she sees tasks through from conception to finish. She is hardworking, unafraid to be herself, and knows how to make people smile. I admire that about her. I've seen her artistic expressions, they are some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen...she is the very first person to ever tweet back and forth with me about a topic on twitter. This was before I even knew what a hashtag was...we tweeted about the traits we liked in a man...no hashtag, no fluff, no agenda...just two tweeps passing time...One time she tweeted a pic of a guy on the bus who had slightly wet himself...smh, I almost spit up my drink lol

Mikaboo1 is funny and real and realistic...Mika tweets who and what she likes, DJ_Nisa and I_Popped_Ur_Bra are like that too, I love that about them. Lcuddles228, Mikaboo1, I_Popped_Ur_Bra and DJ_Nisa are four of the most natural, pure-hearted tweeters that I know...they say whats on their minds and hearts daily. I have seen Nisa, Mika and Cuddles tweet great info, excellent quotes, and cool ideas for something to listen too, food and they always remind me to put on my pot of coffee lol. I_Popped_Ur_Bra is and has always been up on the trends....plus he's quite the romantic and truth-be told every once in a while he will drop an absolute mind-blowing tweet that will make you stop and think about a few things.

Joey Giggles is one of the hardest working men on twitter that I know...I think what he and Lele647 are doing is a good thing. Joey is an innovator and an entreprenuer...he is also an awesome writer, blogger and social network designer...I like that Joey gathers people together for causes and is on multiple networks. I think his fight to raise RSD awareness is to be commended.Joey sometimes likes tweeting jokes and random thoughts that I sometimes have a hard time catching lol...but his screams are hilarious...oh yeah...He really is influential and he's a good tweep.

Food Create is a cool tweep who has great recipes to share...I like that her recipes are easy to read and understand, plus alot of them contain fruit lol...I like fruit. She has also given me some great info and quotes. I remember when we first started tweeting each other...her tweets always made me laugh and smile...and they came fast, like lightening...I love that. I like that she always says thank you and adds a smile to her tweets.

TeamSkype, TeamBlip Brijh , Stan2000 , pb83 , JustJeree
DinkyShop , Jaye_h, dederents, electricgamer , enrich my timeline with everything from A-Z...I have learned some of eveything from these tweeps...they have made me laugh, given me info, taught me how to blip, they help me keep up with what's on tv, and shared some phenomenal advice.

NurseMom90 is just a joy and an inspiration to be around...and she gives out the best (((HUGS)))...how she seems to know when I need one, I'm not exactly sure...but they are always...right on time.


Every now and then...I think it will help me to do a post such as this...not because these tweeps need exposure, but because I need to retain my own sense of realities...

Twitter Introspect Part I

For two years I have been involved in online social networking. I believe I am signed up at about 50 different social networks if not more...I have seen many things online. I have had bad experiences and good ones. I have had scary experiences and joyful ones. I gravitate towards people who have a style all their own...I looove that. I'm not really the type of person to do something just because someone else does it to see if it will work for me also. But every now and then I admit, I will. Who isn't like this from time to time. Most of the time, I watch...I pay very close attention to what is and isn't happening or what is and isn't being said. I also keep the thought in my mind that if I can tell when a person is/is not being sincere...surely others can detect when I am/am not being sincere also. And its ok...sometimes I have had moments when I was not being sincere...who hasn't. Sometimes I do and say things to feel a situation out...who doesn't.

I do this because I realize that there may be times in life when I have come to a conclusion that was not accurate and/or for whatever reason changed with the passing of time. This happens. This is life. We live and we learn. But,one thing I don't do or try not to do is plot. Not saying I have never done it before in my life...but it's just not something I care for. Definition of plot: a secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, esp. a hostile, unlawful, or [unsavory] purpose ~ dictionary.com. It's been my experience in life that 1. most plots backfire... 2. plotting is mostly carried out at moments of insecurity... 3. plotting is something unhappy people do...it's very unhealthy...I don't too much believe in taking shortcuts, yes it saves time but sometimes you dont really learn as much as you would have if you took the longer route. 4. plotting eventually wears thin or people get caught up in it... 5. My mind is just not wired like that...Several blogs ago, I spoke about foresight, hindsight, concious and backbone...ironically this stemmed from something I tweeted and posted on facebook and other networks...

Few weeks ago I noticed something on twitter that did not seem/feel right...so for the past two weeks I have done some things on twitter to feel that situation out - not bad things or anything to hurt anyone but I had a feeling about something and I wanted to see if a truth would come out and it has...well some of it anyways...Throughout this time I have sat back and watched. I am still sitting back watching from time to time...just not too much because I am letting the situation play itself out and throughout this process I am journeying on a query of introspection...some of the people who tweet back and forth with me on a regular we dont even follow each other but will tweet back and forth all day and night long, just because it is fun for us...at least its fun for me...its very relaxing and on many days a source of comfort...there are no agendas, no hidden purposes, just tweeps having a good time hitting that tweet button...some tweets/tweeps have touched my heart in a very big way...I love passing smiles, art, hugs, jokes, laughter, shoutouts, comments, good info...it's what tweeps call a tweet party...we have a genuine ball...I be crakkin up lol and I learn alot...these are the times that remind me of why I love twitter so much.

Twitter Introspect Part II

I wonder if other tweeps take time off from twitter to search themselves about their twitter experiences...I think it would be cool to interview other tweeps on this issue...for some you can find out how they feel about their tweeting by reading their sites or blogs...some are buzzing about it in their BBM or other chat/online spaces...this past week I listened to a blog radio show which mentioned some of this...but the cool thing is...for many of us, our feelings/dispositions are reflected in our tweets/DMs/blogs/chats/talkshows/etc...as I'm sure mine are also. I have tweeted day and night for months...many of my past blogs speak of my twitter experience, my growth in twitter, the reasons why I tweet the way I do etc...as does this one. When I first signed up for twitter, I read through the twitter philosophies and rules...philosophies and rules always strike me and stand out in my mind...I remember it said...follow people who are engaging and active...follow tweeps with whom you have similar interests with or enhance your twitter experience...

The people I follow/tweet enhance my twitter experience to a very large degree. There are many kinds people on twitter. There are some I follow/tweet because I would like to get to know better, there are some that I follow/tweet because they make me smile and laugh when they tweet ALWAYS, some because they teach me things- important things about life,some give me awesome stuff to tweet and/or great ideas for tweeting/blogging, there are a few because they have great/interesting causes, some just to see what it would be like if I followed/tweeted them, some so we could DM each other, a couple I followed/tweeted because they are adding to my experience of discovery, and there are some I follow/tweet because they are bold, shameless, intelligent and non-superficial...I have had many skype conversations with tweeps where we talked about why we do and dont follow or tweet/RT certain tweeps and not others... or we discussed our tweeting and following/follower styles...these conversations have been off the chain. The pool of responses is so diverse. It's encouraging to know how many tweeps are similarly like-minded and others offer a range of perspectives that stimulate my mind and give me something to think about.

One thing I've learned in life...when you are given something to think about...you have to take time out to sit and think about it, watch what people say and what they don't say...In life you have to keep your eyes/mind open at all times...be patient, wait for the truth...the truth isnt always about learning something about someone else...sometimes its learning a truth about yourself...in this thing called life, trust me you truly need to know both..."Don't [judge or] compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about." ~ unknown..." Sometimes people are placed in your life for you to teach them something, sometimes they are placed in your life so they can teach you a thing or two...and sometimes the teaching and learning is mutual..." The philosophy of the wisest man that ever existed, is mainly derived from the act of introspection." ~ William Godwin

A Reflection of "Dealing With The Adversary" ~ An adaption of Charles C. Finn's "Dont Be Fooled By Me"

Don't be fooled by me. Don't be fooled by the mask I wear. For I wear a thousand masks, masks that I am afraid to take off, and none of them are me. Pretending is an art that's second nature with me, but don't be fooled. I give the impression that I'm secure, that all is sunny and unruffled with me, within me as well as without. But don't believe me...

My surface may seem smooth, but my surface is my mask. Beneath this lies no complacence. Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in fear and in loneliness. But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know it.

I panic at the thought of my weakness and fear of being exposed.
Thats why I frantically create a mask to hide behind, a nonchalant sophisticated facade, to help me pretend, to shield me from the glance that knows. But such a glance is precisely my salvation, and I know it. That is, if its followed by love. It's the only thing that will assure me of what I can't assure myself. That I am worth something. But I won't tell you this. I don't dare. I'm afraid to.

I'm afraid your glance will not be followed by acceptance and love.
I'm afraid you'll think less of me, that you'll laugh at me and your laugh would kill me. I'm afraid that deep down I'm nothing, that I'm no good, so I play my game, my desperate game with a facade of assurance without, and a trembling child within.

And so begins the parade of masks. And my life becomes a front.
I idly chatter to you in suave tones of surface talk. I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing that is really everything, of whats crying within me.
So when I'm going through my routine do not be fooled by what I am saying.
Please listen very carefully and try to hear what I'm not saying, what I'd like to be able to say, what, for survival I NEED to say but what I CAN'T say.

I dislike hiding, honestly...I dislike the superficial game [ I sometimes have to play], the phony game. I'd really like to be genuine and spontaneous and me...and [every once in a while I can, but it is not very often and sometimes this grieves me]... [ Sometimes I wish you would] hold out your hand, even when its the last thing I seem to want.

[Sometimes I think ] you can wipe away from my eyes the blank stare and [spirit of indifference].[Sometimes I think] you can call me into aliveness. Each time you're kind and gentle, and encouraging... each time you try to understand because you really care, my heart begins to grow wings. Very small wings, very feeble wings, but wings. [Imagine my pain each time those wings are clipped...]

[Sometimes I think] with your sensitivity, sympathy, and your power of understanding, you can breathe life into me. [ Imagine my dissapointment when I am met with malice, contempt, and a "jocking of my style" or "theft of my idea" or I see you doing to me what others have done to you...yet I understand you don't even see it and I hold that disappointment inside]

I want you to know how important you are to me, how sometimes you [have taken part in the creation] of a person that is me... [Sometimes] you alone [have broken] down the wall behind which I tremble. [Sometimes you have released] me from my shadow world of panic and uncertainty, from my lonely person. [ and sometimes you have sent me back.]

[I realize it has not been easy] A long conviction of worthlessness builds strongs walls...[ as does stolen ideas, being belittled, and being emtionally strongarmed...] The nearer you approach me, the blinder I strike back. I fight against the very thing I cry out for, but I am told that love is stronger than walls and in this lies my hope. [ Walls that need to be] beat down with firm but gentle hands - for a child is very sensitive.

Who am I you may wonder. I am someone you know very well, for I am every man and every woman you meet. [ Take care not to fool or kid yourself] With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Being Myself on Twitter

*sigh*, yup that’s the first thing that comes to my mind…a sigh. I enjoy the diversity of twitter. But there is something I learned over the past two weeks that has stood out in my mind. Everyone on twitter has a personal tweeting style for a reason. Sometimes that reason is to purge, sometimes it’s to have fun, and sometimes it’s because they have an agenda. I see people tweeting and I think, I wonder how come they tweet like that? I see people stop tweeting and I wonder how come they stopped? I pay close attention to the tweets of people I know and the tweets of people I don’t know…Yes I watch people on twitter and yes, I am sure other people watch me lol. Everyone has twitter moods, some days I feel like tweeting quotes…sometimes info…sometimes shoutouts…some days I want to tweet for others… I have good twitter friends, but something I learned about twitter this past week…you have to be careful that your tweeting experience does not become impure. What do I mean by that? Some people tweet aggressively so they can obtain a certain outcome, e.g. more followers, website traffic, personal/professional exposure, etc… and there is nothing wrong with that. I tweet aggressively sometimes, but typically when I do this I am either conversing…having fun by RTing my favorite tweeps….bored… working through a personal issue…or I’ve found some great info that I think other people might find useful. Impure tweeting to me would be if I was tweeting just so I could draw attention to myself.

Don’t get me wrong, if you tweet a whole lot…you will probably end up drawing some attention from somewhere…and this is ok, but there is a difference between getting the attention because it has come naturally and getting the attention because the attention was your goal. For me the attention was never my goal…my goal was to be able to become comfortable with tweeting and in order to do that I happened to need stuff to tweet. Now that I am at that place, I spend more time being more selective in my tweets not to mention cautious…not exactly sure how or when that transition occurred but throughout my process of learning twitter, I’ve come to realize there are many written and unwritten rules and I try and be mindful and respectful of those rules. I always try and keep in my mind being respectful of the feelings, attitudes and behavior of others, because I too want to be respected. I’ve developed a few meaningful relationships which really mean something to me and I value the content of those tweeters. I’ve somewhat picked up on the art of feeling people out…mind you I haven’t perfected this yet, sometimes I’ve been right, sometimes I’ve been wrong and there are some things where the jury is still out lol. I took a break for a few days because I wanted to sit and think about all that I’ve learned as well as what areas I hope to grow in as both a tweep and as a person, because in the end…I still just want to be able to be myself…People who spend time being other entities besides themselves often lose or become confused about themselves…this is not always a good thing.

“The surest way to fail is to aspire to an idea of perfection that doesn't even exist.” ~ Elizabeth Alraune

Words...Music...Journeys

Over the past few weeks I have posted and tweeted this video several times, I've read the words to the song...I've played it over and over in my itunes. Been wanting to blog about it for a while, but for some reason its like the words I wanna say...its like they just will not come to me. You should see me, I login to my blog, I turn on the song and I end up just sitting here listening to the song and playing the video over and over and over lol. Every time I watch this video and hear this song I think about how every journey has the potential to be attached to words and music.

When you look at the video, which btw is very funny yet intimate and real. The song is pretty yet message-filled... it demos the journey of casually walking up to your soulmate while preparing to cross a busy street and representing yourself as his/her other half... no frills, no big boom, no date...just folks wearing some words and moving along about their day lol...it demos how we use words to express idiosyncrasies as we journey through life...yes it is somewhat of a love song but to me it is much more than that...maybe I'll tell you why later...maybe not...as of yet, I just havent found the right words. lol

Kudos to my girl @NisaConstantine for playing this at her anniversary set and to @DeeJayClyde for heading up "Project Journey" which allows me to explore and examine my feelings about this a lil deeper lol, Hi5! ya'll...Check them out on the new Twitterchat and #Skype. <- Great places to communicate and converse! This RT says it all :) -> Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. Victor Hugo | RT @Iconic88 #quote #truth

Poetry is to philosophy what the Sabbath is to the rest of the week. ~A. W. William & J. C. Hare... I love poetry, I love words period. Today in addition to inviting you out to hear the spoken word in the game of secondlife on Sunday May 23rd from 7:00 to 8:30 PST, I would also like to pay tribute to my 10,000th tweet, which was a RT by the way→ Whatever your circumstances, never underestimate your ability to impact others.~ Aly & Andrea|RT @michelleflores .

My 9999 tweet YAY!, was the second and third sentence of this quote...→ One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. ~ Maya Angelou

Today is May 12, 2010

My Favorite Song on Repeat?

...that beautiful, magical, exquisite voice...the voice that reminds me of a light summer rain in the middle of the night when all is quiet...the voice that makes me feel as though I am surrounded by flowers in a field full of sunshine, to hear the laughter that spills is like a song to me. Not just any song, but my favorite song. The lullably that cradles me and makes me feel that everything is going to be allright. Makes me feel safe, protected and cared for. The song that quiets my spirit and seemingly sets me free from my worries.

The voice that is attached to that presence that excites me yet frightens me at the same time because it always seems to find a way to caress me in just the right place at just the right time. The one that sometimes pisses me off to no end, confuses me and makes me cry... yet still I can't imagine my life without because even when I am pissed off, confused and in tears... I am still fully captivated and held hostage by its overwhelming beauty...its passion...its sweetness...its purity...its rawness....its depth and magnitude. The pitches, the tones, the octaves, the laughter. Even as I sit and write I shiver with pleasure...lol, wow...That voice.

The voice that is attached to that brain and that body, that beautiful brain and exquisite body...The one that belongs to that beautiful spirit. The one that makes me see soft blends of colors mixed in with musical notes. The one that fills the room with the most beautiful aura of light with just a few short words and a quick hearty laugh, the one that makes me smile through my tears and envelops my spirit in warm tight invisible yet magically sufficient hugs from time to time. The one that has me sitting here, not wanting to go to sleep because it feels good to sit here and replay its relaxed, carefree sound in my head...lol *smile*...sigh... My favorite song on repeat...That voice.

#thingsthatmakeyougohmm

I am sitting here with my facebook and my twitter accounts open....walking across pages visiting memories of my social networking experiences (Facebook, Twitter, Secondlife) and listening to the song "Thank You" by Alanis Morissette which was posted by @sungoddess. Yesterday was Friday and on twitter there's this thing called #FollowFriday, I wish you could have seen me sitting here trying to organize all my tweets so I could send a reply tweet to each person who tweeted me...As of this current moment I am STILL at my reply threshold a.k.a. "Twitter Jail" lol.

So since I was in Twitter Jail, I walked on over to Facebook...at one point in my life...last year September through January...Facebook & Secondlife were my main focus. Secondlife and Facebook are cool places to meet people, but for some reason my ability to connect inside those spaces are a bit more awkward and difficult for me than they used to be. Wish I could say I didnt know why that is, but I do...I stuck my hand in some fire and I got a little bit burnt, but since it was me who stuck my hand in it I take full responsibility for being burned lol

None-the-less, I realize the burn has impacted my connection to those places in that I'm a bit more guarded when I go there, but I still have some really great memories. I write this because I wonder if with time my desire for participating in those places will return to its former glory...On facebook I used to love playing farmville and spades, sending out hearts/hugs/drinks/kisses etc., posting quotes/music, commenting on posts. I loved it! I remember how much I looked forward to it each and every day...now I'm like "gee, what am I gonna tweet about today and tomorrow? & whose tweeted me so I can tweet them also". Funny how things can change over time...#thingsthatmakeyougohmm

The story of DJ Dibou and @BlackSoulRhythm

"The Rhythm of a Queen - The story of DJ Dibou and @BlackSoulRhythm" on Black Soul Rhythms: http://ning.it/d85AqF

Tweet Walking…Twitter Diary

Wow, this week has been an amazing week on Twitter…So many great tweets out there…so many amazing people with awesome information, creative dedicated imaginative focused individuals all with something to share. Every day I have learned something new and found something I could use to make me a better tweeter and a better person…a quote here, a blog there, an article…all of it is just so amazing to me. Here is a few clips about some of the people I find to be absolutely amazing…please note I blog about my 50 favorite tweets of the week on http://tweetglobal10.wordpress.com/ please note links to your twitter pages and the actual tweet that gave me that warm fuzzy feeling is on there)

I blog about music , artists and DJs on http://blacksoulrhythms.ning.com (this week’s blog is a review on artists Monica, Jaheim & Raheem DeVaughn and some twitter peeps as well ), I read about new people doing different things on http://www.clydevilleswing.com/ (@1JennaMarie is featured on the current blog there…which I think is cool) I blog about the Kewl experience in reference to the magic of Dr Kewl on http://thekewllounge.ning.com/ (a very chilled laid back kind of social network). AND I participate in discussions on this site http://thereddoorproject.ning.com/ But enough about this…

Last week the top favorite informational tweets were:

1. The 9Types of Social Media Experts http://bit.ly/9H2uoS |RT @arkarthick @Nonglin @suthisak @pramitjnathan @paul_steele RT @tashamiel @Sung_H_Lee

2. More Twitter Analysis: Influencers Don't Retweet - http://bit.ly/ccBbJ6 RT @mizz_ara @2morrowknight: /via @RWW @Tech_Blend @artfanatic411

3. The 30 Secret Rules Of Social Media http://j.mp/6uDMdU | RT @ruhanirabin (via @dragosroua)

4. Twitter announces effort to identify most popular tweets - http://j.mp/bh7ZS2 | RT @livetorque @cheth

5. Social Media's Top 10 "How To..." Blogs - http://bit.ly/aOz6fv | RT @MariSmith @AdamVincenzini @MADconsulting @JamieCrager

As you can see, I love information about Social Media, Twitter, Music, Blogs AND Discussions…but the thing that was most appealing to me about these four is that they gave me some tools to assist me with understanding my own qualities and improve upon those qualities. As you all know I am a heavy retweeter but what I learned from the first favorite on this list is that I am mixture of numbers 4-8 lol…who isn’t a mixture of a combination of things and experiences. Number 2 gave me an aspiration and their data impressed me…thank you guys for RTing this…Number 3 made me laugh…I love a tweet that makes me laugh, smile and is an honest perception. Number 4 illustrates twitter’s ongoing efforts to improve their system YAY! AND Number 5 gave me a one stop place to get numerous blogging ideas, I loved it! Well…these are my thoughts for today…until next time ttys!

Oh yeah…I gotta include this one 140 Reasons We Love #Twitter http://bit.ly/9o3xBz #sm rt @terrinakamura RT @VEEBO @Sung_H_Lee @phaoloo @livetorque Cuz I dooo love it! :) Coming soon…”Can you please stop tweeting that lol”

Note To Self...Twitter Diary

Twitter Record and note to self: I got My 400th follower while I was at the city bar on sugarhill listening to @BlackSoulRhythm Radio during Marjs set in secondlife, Rude boy from Rhiana was the track playing and Mishy Wardell and I thought the song was cool! That follower was either Marc Anthony or Shallie Bey…it happened kindof fast..oh yeah I also enjoy details ~> !#love #gratitude #smile

Always remember...a follower lost is a follower in need of being fount (yes I purposely spelt this incorrekly lol)...see isnt doing silly stuff like that #cool :)

This blog was originally longer, but I decided to chop it down...Again, just doing something silly...#smile

Why I Retweet

...because most of what I wanna say is already being or has already been said. More to come on this topic later..to busy being a social tweeter and content seeker lol #smile The box on the left changes all the time, because there are so many good things to see and people to meet...stay tuned, I will be writing a more fuller entry soon. YAY!

Twitter Diary

Few blogs ago I spoke on how I felt in my twitter space. Now four weeks have gone by and I feel good when I go to that place. The stuff I’d like to share with you has to do with what it is like for me to be in there on today, I am no longer new in twitterville and am well on my way. Tweeting is fun and there are cool people tweeting great stuff all day long, I enjoy saying #gratitude and getting my #shoutout on. I have learned how to shorten my status’ really fast, can update my facebook, and use tweetdeck, FINALLY … I am chillin’ and truly having me a blast.

Tweeting is not for everybody, I still say, BUT I’ve stayed the course and it has gotten easier for me day by day. Now I am doing my best to carve me my own tweeting niche. May not be quite the tweetballer yet, I won’t lie… but at least I am somewhere amongst the active tweeters and not just sitting on the bench watching as a few million tweets go by…or so I feel lol Check out My Favorite Tweets in the box on the left I say, its reserved for those tweets and tweeters whom I find to be the absolute best on any given day …and it is constantly updating ttys! :)

I am also a blogger for Black Soul Rhythms Radio where they have the best music 7 days a week! http://www.blacksoulrhythms.com/AND for follow back list site...

http://tweetglobal10.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/follow-back-list/

Getting to know Black Soul Rhythms Radio DJ Kewl!

Dr Kewl is a Black Soul Rhythms Radio DJ that plays it all (Jazz, Hip Hop, R & B and House) but his talents do not stop there…On a recent trip to his website http://www.kewllounge.net/ I found: An Internet Radio Station with Kewl Music and Podcast downloads http://drkewl.podomatic.com/ (YES!). PLUS: a learning center, a game room ( invaders, bowling, hoops, Mario, and my personal fav Pac Man!), educational facts, words of inspiration, cool pics, links to facebook and twitter, and a store…just a buhzillion things to do. There is even social networking http://thekewllounge.ning.com (Yes! Of course I signed up…new places, new people, new connections AND familiar faces….Floetry is there!). But let me share some things with you about the man Dr. Kewl.

In his very own words Dr Kewl explains the Kewl concept by stating:

I became an online DJ in Secondlife on September 16, 2007 I began my career with Black Soul Rhythms radio on November 10, 2007. DJing for me means I get to share my love of music. The thing I love most about being a DJ, is being able to slide between your ears and tickle your mind so that you move your body. My greatest online and/or DJ struggle is getting people to understand that being kewl is the best way to live life.” The KEWL concept actually started back in 2000 while listening to "Criminal Minded" by KRS-ONE. [The artist KRS-ONE] said "… KRS-ONE means Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone." I [remember thinking] wow, I want a cool philosophy like that.

That night while surfing the internet I came across the word kewl, which in internet slang stands for the word cool. I decided that I would take the internet slang word kewl and turn it into a cool philosophy. After two months of working on the philosophy I came up with [KEWL] “Knowledge Expands the Way we Live " The only way to be successful in today's society is through Knowledge Expanding the Way we Live .” This is something I truly believe in. In January of 2007 Knowledge Expands the Way we Live was established as an educational consultant organization geared toward showing people the skills necessary to gain knowledge, so in the long run they live a better life. (Floetry smiles real big and wonders if Dr Kewl is over 35 and would like to date me)

As I read these thoughts from Dr Kewl I can’t help but be further mesmerized by the man. Not only is he a he a soulful, talented mastermind of music but he cares about sharing his talent AND his knowledge with the world. I personally think that’s very Kewl! Dr Kewl can be heard inworld at Sugarhill on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. EST. Web listeners can tune in to his Black Soul Rhythms radio show at http://www.blacksoulrhythms.com …Check him out and share with me your thoughts… Oh yeah, you can follow him on twitter (@DrKewl) and facebook (The Kewl Lounge) too…the man tweets the most amazing quotes! geesh almost forgot that lol... silly me, Catch u later :)

Music In My Head ~ The Gospel via Floetry Catnap

Gospel music is very cool to me, because without it many would not even bother to hear or read the word. What I fail to understand is folks who think that playing gospel music is the answer…it is NOT, least not always anyway. Imagine being delighted by soulful sounds when you have no desire to break down & walk the walk that the lyrics suggest, or at least try too. Without the words, all you are doing is listening to the beat…you can do that with Jill Scott, Eryka Badu, Floetry and/or Mary J. To me they are gospel preaching, spiritual, truth speakers also. Living right has nothing to do with music last I heard BUT some songs contain lyrics that motivate you to do right. Lil Wayne, Drake, T.I. and/or JayZ are also some of my favorite truth speakers—oftentimes amixed between the profanities & derogatory statement tracks are jewels of inspiration and positivity. May not get much airplay, but they are there…lol

Gospel music can shape you but so does your upbringing and your karma, beliefs, and opinions. You can change the name of a product as many times as you want too, but if you don’t change the contents it still is the same product. You might classify fun as work or work as fun, but when it all boils down to it…everything is open to interpretation. But this is just how I feel and you may not feel the same way. See what I feel is, if you say the same things to yourself then the only one you really convince that the words are true is yourself really…. To say the same things to everybody might sometimes convince or convert some people but rarely will you convince and convert all the people. Music can always be classified as gospel or truth, but the gospel is not always classified as truth and/or music. Still, I love gospel just like I love all other kinds of music. All music moves me in some way or another *shrugs* BUT this is just me.

I know this may sound circular to some, but for some I think this type of commentary is needed…namely me lol. Just my take…:)

Coming together on facebook and twitter

When I stop to think about the ways comments on facebook and twitter impact my days and night, I sometimes think of great articles like the one I am about to share with you…it is a jewel. It talks about using facebook and twitter to share creativity, alleviate stress, and how these sites can make us more productive in other areas of our lives. Much like Secondlife, the relationships I have formed, the stress relievers of the games, the info shared, the laughter and greetings…are very important to me. I think its very cool to have these relationships and for creative ideas spill over from one place into another (think I may have said this before, but am saying it again because the very idea just truly makes me smile). Don’t get me wrong, some days these sites add to my stress but more often than not they alleviate it because there is always something going on that allows my mind to be distracted from other stressors of my day and on many days…I truly need and appreciate this. Which means I need and appreciate all of you.

In this article is says, “ Humans weren’t designed to maintain a constant focus on assigned tasks. We need periodic breaks to relieve our conscious minds of the pressure to perform — pressure that can lock us into a single mode of thinking. Musing about something else for a while can clear away the mental detritus, letting us see an issue through fresh eyes, a process that creativity researchers call incubation.” AND IT SAYS, “ A random scrap of information can trigger just the right conceptual collision. It’s hard to know which scrap might do the trick, but that’s the beauty of social networks — they constantly produce potential sparks, for free.” AND, MY FAVORITE PART “The participatory nature of Twitter and Facebook makes them excellent tools for supercharging creativity. Users finely craft their bons mots (A clever saying, phrase or witticism) to grab people’s attention and perhaps earn a retweet or two... Twitter and Facebook give knowledge workers the chance to turn downtime into a game where creativity and insight are rewarded” This to me is good stuff my peeps!

On the 22nd of February, I watched the View talk show interview Evan Bayh on his not seeking re-election and something he said stood out in my mind. “there are only two times the republican and democratic party’s have come together since he’s been in office, the impeachment proceedings of 1999 because no one knew what to do, and 911”. Hearing him say this makes me want to scream and shout to everyone online, “lets not be like them.” It should not take a major travesty for us to come together with dignity, grace and decency. We all have so much to share and our coming together is a masterpiece at its best because we are all so different yet are able to come together in some of the same places. This is what I love about social network systems the most. Here are my favorite spots to visit: facebook, twitter, http://blacksoulrhythms.ning.com, http://thereddoorproject.ning.com/, http://www.clydevilleswing.com/, http://moolto.ning.com/, www.avatarsunited.com,and http://thekewllounge.ning.com. I am on others like myspace, profilelives but not too much….anywhoo...Check out this article.

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/02/st_essay_distraction/ It is very cool!

Lord Why Did You Make Me Black~Author Unknown

Lord, Lord,

Why did You make me Black? Why did You make someone the world wants to hold back?
Black is the color of dirty clothes; The color of grimy hands and feet.
Black is the color of darkness; The color of tire-beaten streets.
Why did You give me thick lips, A broad nose and kinky hair?
Why did You make me someone who receives the hatred stare?
Black is the color of the bruised eye when someone gets hurt.
Black is the color of darkness, Black is the color of dirt.
How come my bone structure's so thick; My hips and cheeks are high?
How come my eyes are brown And not the color of the daylight sky?
Why do people think I'm useless? How come I feel so used?
Why do some people see my skin And think I should be abused?

Lord, I just don't understand. What is it about my skin?
Why do some people want to hate me And not know the person within?
Black is what people are "listed",when others want to keep them away.
Black is the color of shadows cast. Black is the end of the day.
Lord, You know, my own people mistreat me and I know this just isn't right.
They don't like my hair or the way I look. They say I'm too dark or too light.
Lord, don't You think it's time for You to make a change?
Why don't You re-do creation And make everyone the same?

GOD ANSWERED

Why did I make you Black? Why did I make you Black?

Get off your knees and look around. Tell Me, what do you see?
I didn't make you in the image of darkness, I made you in the Likeness of ME!
I made you the color of coal from which beautiful diamonds are formed.
I made you the color of oil, The Black Gold that keeps people warm.
I made you from the rich, dark earth that can grow the food you need.
Your color's the same as the panther's Known for (HER) beauty and speed.
Your color's the same as the Black stallion, A majestic animal is he.
I didn't make you in the Image of darkness. I made you in likeness of ME!

All the colors of a Heavenly Rainbow can be found throughout every nation;
And when all of those colors were blended well,YOU BECAME MY GREATEST CREATION.
Your hair is the texture of lamb's wool. Such a humble, little creature is he.
I am the Shepherd who watches them. I am the One who will watch over thee.
You are the color of midnight sky. I put the stars' glitter in your eyes.
There is a smile hidden behind your pain.That's why your cheeks are so high.
You are the color of dark clouds formed when I send my strongest weather.
I made your lips full so when you kiss...The one that you love, they will remember.

Your stature is strong; your bone structure, thick to withstand the burdens of time.
The reflection you see in the mirror...The image looking back at you is MINE

Behind the Scenes with BSR DJs

Imagine what every BSR DJ goes through…Yes, they are on point when they broadcast. Yes, they seem to have everything together. They are performers, this is what they do. BUT, have you ever thought about or imagined what they are like behind the scenes, the visions they have, the amount of time they put into making the perfect broadcast. The troubleshooting they have to go through prior to the day of the cast or cast recording. I imagine it must be rough some days, yet they persevere. Between day jobs, husbands, wifes, kids, and significant others that require assuaging, placating, and caring for. Personally and professionally the organization and execution of time, timeslots, and ideas. Talk about juggling (said while breathing a heavy sigh). Plus they have to have some time and fun for themselves. We all know how burnout can be a bit of a female dog n stuff. How do they do it, wouldn’t you like to know? I know I would like to know. I also want to know why they got into the business to begin with and what keeps them there. Over the next few weeks I will be speaking with them to see if I can discover some of the answers to these questions and I hope you’ll stay tuned, but for now I’d like to share with you how they make ME feel…

When I listen to the female empowerment sounds of Marjorie Dibou & Nisa Constantine I think wow how rich and historical…I feel proud to be a black woman. These two women symbolize to me what it means to be lively, rich in diversity, and knowledgeable about one’s craft to the point of expertise. YeSuh! These women know how to move a crowd! Not just with music, although they can do this exceedingly well. But chile lemme tell yah, they fill my days and nights with what’s goin on in the world today and advice on just about any and every topic. With them I get my fill of news, gossip, fashion, food, new artist reviews, classic bests (Nina Simone is a classic best!...Marj ended her set with Nina Simone on yesterday) and let’s not forget the time they allow for us to submit our requests…absolutely amazing. They make me feel like the cast is not just about them, but is about me too…listening to them is like sitting in a kitchen recalling old memories while planning new ones. Warm, yet always Inspirational. DJ Honey of Honey 103 makes me feel this too (honey.neostreams.org:12634)

When I listen to the men of BSR, with Miles I get smooth mellow jazz that mixes perfectly with end of the day cup of cocoa…DeeJay Clyde is my clever, witty entertainment/big event,future gospel-sets on Sunday guru. DeeJay Clyde is what you call a mixologist extraordinaire. Through DeeJay Clydes broadcasts and mixes; hearts are reached, souls are touched, minds are opened, laughter spills forth like red wine on white carpet (you know once red wine is on white carpet, it is there forever)and lets not forget, the man’s mixing is like a box of chocolates, very sweet yet surprise’s are just all over the place...Dr. Kewl is my throwback, custard thick, yet sweet and mellow. Music from Dr. Kewl is like juice spilt from a piece of ripe fruit after a fresh bite . You know the kind of fruits that require a bite and are filled with nectar, the ones that make you salivate—least this is how he is to me. Even in his house music, I can just feel the intellect and sensuality that pours out from Dr. Kewl’s brain into his mixes. (said while recalling last nights podcast http://www.kewllounge.net/ OR rock.neostreams.info:12618).

hmm…this is my story, but soon…we will get to hear theirs…in the meantime check em out, see what kinna things they make you feel. I promise you’ll be pleasantly surprised n stuff… http:blacksoulrhythms.neostreams.info:8000 OR http://www.clydevilleswing.com 24/7

Keep in mind, all of life’s feelings are predominately based upon two things: experience & reflection….tune is so you can experience the DJ and then spend time reflecting on the experience… ttys :)

1 Corinthians 13 The Way of Love via Macedonia Baptist Church, Washington DC

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Valentine's Day Soldier of Love

As I walk into this Valentine’s day 2010, thinking of love that hasn’t happened yet and Love that’s been reclassified, burnt up, long gone away and/or lawst. Sittin here listenin to the song “Soldier of Love” Sade…can’t help but scratch my head and think, dawg she sure been all up in my thawts. I remember all the times I love you’s were told, received or sent written down or wrapped up in a gif … Yet no one ever mentioned, well if you love me, can you tell me what kind of love it is you think or iz sayin you love me wif? Knowing the kind of love a person is sayin they love you wif can make a world of difference on many many days. lol.

In Sade’s tune she refers to herself as a soldier moving through different battles, enduring scars, upsets, disappointments yet still filled with expectation and willing to keep on fighting on through every day….smh…can’t help but wish I could look her in the eye and say, “girl, this beat is tight but do you really realize what ur saying and the message your sendin” She never mention the part bout how tiring the whole thing can become or them days you wake up an say pfft…to heck wit ALL this love mess, specially when the love stuff and feelins is newly endin.

You know when you peel off, pack up and turn in that soldier uniform for a while in favor of some self empowerment trip lol…cuz we do have them days you know and they’re ok. *shrugs* But the song is still nice and good for the “Im dating but still single or we been together for a long while” kind of days. Sidenote: This NOT a “I really just need a break from this love stuff right now for a minute”…least I think so anyways. But the entire CD is kinna cool and sweet, Specially for a Valentine Treat to the one you love or like heavily or w/e…

To my special someone, I would like cash and giftcards or a weekend stay in a hotel suite not this CD, but will put it in my purse in case we need it on the night of the 13th…wink, wink *big smile* Happy Valentine's Day Yall!! Agape Love To All!

Valentine’s Day Kinds of Love: Eros = aesthetic love a romantic love and it stands with all of its beauty. Philla = reciprocal love between personal friends. A vital, valuable love. Agape = understanding, creative, redemptive good will for all men. Yes, I got these Greek word definitions from another onna Dr. King’s speeches… (said while batting eyelashes n smiling).

Internet Feelins…Feelin out our feelin outs

I walk through my mind reflecting how I moved space to space; social networks, virtual world, chatting posting, reviewing applications thinking WOW! This is really a cool thing. Making mention to myself some of my most favorite spots. Thinking how some folks say I go there everyday and some say that’s not such a good idea. I think of the differences in profiles, statuses, jokes, catchy phrases, music, events….the places where people come from…their likes and dislikes. I think of particular cliques and genres. My cliques are: just about everybody, although I lean more towards those who post information I can use and grow from. Mind you, this includes just about everybody. lol…Why? Because the posts make me think and I like that. Bad or good, sour AND sweet. Thinking about the diversity in it all, the assortment is just sooo big, so much to choose from. As I go through my day I make mental notes how some genres just don’t understand others and also how some are unable to completely crossover into the views of a genre that is outside their own particular preference.

There is a difference in the mental languages of the writings even though the very same words, letters, vowels, acronyms, etc… are used. I think about the word affect. Affect as in how an emotion can be interpreted on a screen or piece of paper versus the way it could be interpreted if the person was sitting in front of you. It’s a way of conveying emotion through typed expressions…lol is a good example and also one that everyone uses and/or pretty much understands. The difference in mental languages comes when you begin to situate persons of one genre into that of another. Like persons of virtual worlds mingling with those who have never experienced virtual worlds. Another example is those who visit virtual worlds in search of fantasy versus those who visit due to the accomplishment of a real-life goal. Both have the capacity to enrich the mind and expand the mental horizon. Neither is subservient to the other, it just depends on the person.

Some go to online locations to accomplish dreams that they may not have the means to accomplish either due to lack of desire, lack of means, or lack of energy. Some go to escape reality. Mind you…not everyone goes for these reasons. There are hundreds of other reasons. Some individuals have an incapacity for imagination or prefer not to indulge their imaginations via online applications, preferring to actually hop on a plane and go to Athens as opposed to looking through a computer screen…but what about those who can’t afford this type of treat either due to financial or physical impairments. For them online places are a solution, and a very good one. It is the same for being on Social Network Systems…You may want to go to Paris and actually sit down and have tea with Louella. On the networks you can do this and chat (dialogue with the person) about how the tea tastes, smells and makes you feel…The only difference is…you are not sitting in the same physical room, land, or country. What you are doing is sharing a virtual space in real time…that’s all…nothing more.

And who says the feeling of pleasure derived is not as pleasurable as if it were the actual thing…no one can, just depends on the person. Personally, I’d rather hop the plane…except for when it comes to listening to music. You can’t beat the amount of diversity in music at any one place at any one time. BUT, this is just me. Oh yeah, NO Louella is not a person I know from Paris lol…I just like how the name sounds n stuff. Very Cool! *huge cheesy grin* ^5…more thoughts later n stuff…stay tuned!

<--(selecting blacksoulrhythms.neostreams.info:8000 on her celly, b4 she go outside)...get it? lol...smh *big smile*

Living the Life of an Alt

I don't think there's anything wrong with being an alt, I just say its not for me. I've had people suggest it, ask me what I think about it but no one has asked have I ever been one. And if they did I would say, yes I have been one but its not anything I’d like to talk about. To the suggestion of creating one I have always said the same thing. Personally living the life of an alt is not for me. I'm not very good at deceiving people for the wrong reasons. I’m not very good at pretending to be something other than what and who I am. This takes energy, its fatiguing--least for me it is lol

I'm not saying I haven’t ever deceived anyone--who hasn’t. But when I've had to do so, even when it has been for the right reasons--it has really, really troubled me. I also think if you do it as a favor and if it meant more to the person you did it for to keep it to yourself than it did for you....then that's not a bad thing either. Imagine how much pressure it is for somebody not to be able to be themselves. I also think about the pressure felt when one av is treated more differently than another av. This to me is akin to segregation and also about making decisions based on conscious, foresight, hindsight and backbone. RL values that I believe should transfer from the RL person to their av.

Keeping secrets is some heavy stuff, yes they can be cool...like throwing a surprise party or not revealing the plan of but when it comes to the point keeping a secret where you know others would be harmed or hurt by the outcome then there is a genuine sense of struggle with oneself... it can be very burdensome. Which is why I dont have the time, energy, or inclination to be an alt living more than one life. Always been honest about this. Hard for me to say I like something when I don’t like it…lol…hard for me to pretend to be something that I’m not. Easy for me to learn from mistakes, this is something I really like about myself. This and being unselfish.Oh...and using the word "cool" *big smile*

Twitter Tweets

Tweet peeper, Tweet tweeter, retweeter, lemme say what I see…that cute tiny tweet box just too small for me…got so much to say…come from that space over there where we get at least 5 more lines for us to insert stuff dat be sittin on our minds. I werkin on expresin myself in shorter clips but mayun that stuff hard for me between valleys and dips. My days be so long so much on pages that I be wantin to see, folks Id like to connect with…say “come over here, sit by me”. The stuff be so cool but man that update list be movin real real fast. I be trynta read, think and still get my tweet on… but fore I can finish my thawt 53 more tweets done went by and are gone.

Shoo its like the playoffs in there, thank God for retweets…makes tweetin time so much less AND the tweet I retweet be a similar thought I be trynna express. But its all done in fun it’s a cool place to chill and a fun place to share… so much for reading newspapers cuz the news all up in there. I see sports, news, music, jive talk, quotes so sincere, original comments and love talk, whats on tv and whos drinkin what kinna beer. The poetry is cool, the jokes and people make me laugh and smile… love tweets bout what they eating cuz it make me think gee I aint ate summa that in a long long while…

I read first before I follow cuz if u aint tweeted since 1993 you just a space bein wasted in my list cuz I here to identify with, share, laugh and learn...on today, right now, this here minute...agree & feel me? Don’t too much follow lots of folks, cuz it clutters your list & slows up your time considerably. I still say as I did one day very long ago, wonder why they use the title friend for folks you aint even had the chance to know. Lotta dem folks may never ever meet, but they write out good stuff and on this I can guarantee. Insert your thought and keep movin peep, retweet and move on like a boss…cuz if you don’t good stuff can very quickly go unnoticed, pass by or get lost.

Post, post…read, read, read clicking page to page all around… all of a sudden a retweet n its like wow lemme go see who wrote that down...I be searchin to find new thought stimulating pieces, least this how I be…lemme check my lists 2 see if I follow them and if they is followin me. I peep comments bout stalkers which made me pause and think hard…wow, wonder where they minds at and if they get what they sayin or can hear how they sound...reality is folks inside they house scrollin and clickin, they aint out nowhere drivin round. Some cant tweet on they phone. Readin bout all they can do, …be wantin to say fool wutchu thinkin you out here on the internet *smh*thawt you knew. Or don't you know? Is they sittin outside your house?...take a peep and if so, pick up the phone and call 911, take that route it works…of this I am real certain & can say "fasho"

… Maybe one day I’ll reach baller status on this tweet thing we shall see, cuz that tweetin take lotsa skill & big bouts of energy. Some of us is thinkin and saying the exact same durn things, same ideas...which to me I think is sweet. Saves me time from doin all that tweetin so I can sit back peep, smile, laugh & then retweet. Guess this makes me a tweet peeper, retweeter a role I find that’s cool and plain… I follow the rule, pick your role and stay the hell on in your lane. Switchin lanes always has the potential to cause an accident specially when you movin fast even online out here you see…peepin and retweetin on twitter is what I find works best for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah…some days I do tweet my own stuff, this here is true…but tweeting promotions is easy… tweetin my own tweets is what’s still hard and yet brand new.

My goal identification not imitation nor clonization. Besides, it’s cool being just me. Very cool!

My favorite people to follow: BlackSoulRhythms, Sungoddess, NisaConstantine, DeejayClyde, Mikaboo1, Swervenish, DJ Honey, DrKewl

My favorite list: BlackSoulRhythms

Martin Luther King and the Internet

I sat here today and I said to myself, Martin Luther King marched so that I could have wealth. So that I could be educated and have a degree, not be discriminated against but feel love and walk free. That I could pour out my thoughts and yet stand unashamed, that I could follow my dreams and author books with my name.

King said. “Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws [people] in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.” Sometimes I sit and think, gee wish I could have talked to him.Discrimination now includes anything and everything, even and especially online users like me. The difference is that the internet highways we travel are faster than a bus, and we get to travel for free. King opened the door and gave me the means, so I could stand unashamed and declare “I too have a dream”.

Where we once fought for access to and equality as sister and brother, now the fight is for privacy and the privilege to block one another. There used to be a time when we would pick up the phone so we could dialogue with a voice… now we shoot emails, chat online, use internet phone services, text and leave messages cause for some it's the thing to do and for some there is no other offered choice. Caller ID is the rule and voicemail is its twin. This is what we’ve become. It’s the world we live in. Folks still like to say hey…be well… keep in touch, we still like to connect….just not too close or too much.

It tickles me to know King said “This is a road over which millions…are travelling to find a new sense of dignity. This same road has opened for all Americans a new era of progress and hope. It has led to a new Civil Rights Bill, and it will, I am convinced, be widened and lengthened into a super highway of justice as Negro and white men in increasing numbers create alliances to overcome their common problems.”

This is us on the super highway called the internet, we just don’t have a Civil Rights Bill written for us…as of yet. The statement was so clear so real and so true…it amazes me to think, wow! I wonder how he knew. I imagine Martin must say, lol, ^5, woohoo!..this sound 2 legit. America has come along way since I passed, yet they still *smh* just do not seem to get it.

Something that was initially built for exposure has become something to hide behind. What was once stated “stand up and be accountable” has become … create an alt or another account to make sure no one follow you. What was once “come find me and my info here”, has become “don’t get caught or be fount out”. smh, we still running about in fear...all day every day. Outside in public places and while we online inside our own private spaces.We’ve progressed through ways to kill on land skies and sea.

But there’s this new thing we warring, how many ways can I think of to wound your spirit or cause you death virtually. Let us not forget the biggest talk over the past year, why should they go to Vegas or other casino, they can come gamble up in here.BUT just keep on walking people (this means both you AND me), stay the course… trials of any sort can bring sight to the blind. Troubles don't always last and do pass in due time. So I say to him now, your efforts were not in vain. For here I sit, educated and able to navigate through facebook, twitter and other sites on my phone, in a first class seat on my very own plane.

”Dare I not march the internet paths with my mind and my fingers for grandbabies to see...once upon a time this was King marching and the grandbaby was me. ~FC