New Poetry From Mista Jaycee

I wish I had noticed your Third Eye! I wish I had paid attention to your BA degree! Your LEXUS! The way you raised your child! But I didn't!

I didn't see the MBA, The Chi, The Third EYE! I didn't notice you were a Church Woman!

I wish I had seen the third Eye, heard your intelligent conversation when first we met

I, in metamorphosis between the Yo Baby and Excuse me Miss have we met? Not Yet?

I wish I had seen your character, the MBA, The stylishness of your dress, before I let you pass

But I didn't notice any of those thangs! Not your MBA, Your Masters, Your BA, THE LEXUS, YOUR WELL BEHAVED CHILD! I DIDN'T NOTICE? As I let you ....pass

It was your azz!

(Smile)

Jaycee

"America And The Death of Customer Service!"

I was in this major grocery store, right around Thanksgiving, and never had I gotten so angry as I was in there. I walked in for one item. My Wife wanted some macaroni salad so I walked over to the deli and waited. I was there with an Elder who having grabbed a Rotisserie Chicken was waiting to ask the deli clerk for a deli bag so his hands would not burn as he waited in the line to pay.

We waited and waited. Finally, the deli clerk, clearly a high school er, walked up to serve the elder. The Elder asked for the deli bag and he said No! We don't give deli bags for items that have not been paid for yet." He wasn't mean, but he wasn't nice either.

I chimed in " Excuse me but he's an old man and there are at least a hundred people waiting in the lines." I am not making that up! "You gonna let this old man's hands burn? You see that line!"

The young clerk held the company line. Was he wrong? He was quoting policy! Yeah, he was wrong! That Elder probably won't come back and he will have a bad taste in his mouth and tell others. Whatever Money the store may have saved was nullified by the ill feelings.

I got my item and a some mustard potato salad and went to wait in line. The Elder got a plastic shopping bag and insulated his hands. There were about eight grocery lines open. All full!

There were about three self serve lanes open. They were full, one with a lady who was arguing the price of an item with the manager and self scanning WIC items. WIC, Women, Infants and Children. It's a state program, very helpful, but you have to be precise on every aspect of it. The right foods, the right sizes, every card must have the right signature. Now, even the self serve is blocked with ten people with full baskets, waiting!

I left those deli salads and got the heck on. Later that evening I went to the same store in a more affluent neighborhood. Plenty of lines, courteous clerks and checkers with out the aggravation. So what happened?

I have a theory! We settled. The stores began to charge us more and we dealt with it. They began to break the grocery unions by reducing the amount of hours, two tiered pay and closing lanes. It helped them to maximize profit and minimize labor. They made commercials promising low prices! LOW PRICES!

The prices have never been low. They conned us with double coupons or some club memberships.

They open six lines when they should have at least 11 lanes open during rush hours in order to alleviate overcrowding, they eliminated baggers, you gotta bag your own. But most of all they eliminated customer service. The grocery chains don't give a flying monkey flip about you!

The Grocery Chains have consolidated and merged! Prices high, service low!

The Unions are all but broken! Prices high! Service Low! Labor low paid!

They just want to see how long we will put up with it!

Is the store the cleanest? No!

Is the produce the best? No!

Is it easy to get out and affordable? Hell No!

So why do we go there? Cause we've been trained to accept less! To accept poor quality and even worse treatment. The difference is the affluent are not asked to take less or accept bad service. They are affluent right? Well, I'm working class but I refuse to take crap! Good Service is not a commodity reserved for the affluent. It should be the standard. It used to be the standard.

No More! Pick up one of them surveys and write in. Tell them to hire more baggers and more checkers and let em know You will go somewhere else.

It can and will work!

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!
Jaycee

Gran Torino

I watched Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino yesterday. I liked the film and I would not mind seeing it again. That being said I think it's only fair to let you know that I like alot of Clint's movies especially the westerns.

I love the trilogy A fist full of dollars, A few dollars more and the good, the bad and the ugly. I also enjoyed Pale Rider and The Outlaw Josie Wales. I draw the line at the Dirty Harry stuff.
The Original Anti-Hero. I think that Eastwood brings out his best and worst qualities of his other work in Gran Torino.

He plays Walt Kowalski, A Midwestern, Buy American, Korean War Vet, who has basically become a dinosaur. In the minds of everybody, Walt can't die fast enough. Eastwood uses Walt's anger and rage much better than that piece of crap "Falling Down" that Michael Douglas was in.

The World didn't turn out like Walt thought. He worked for Ford, fought in the war, raised his children and bought a house. The American Dream right? Now he's the only White dude in his neighborhood, he's widowed, his children and grandchildren would like to stick him in a home not cause he can't take care of himself but because they want him out of the way. He's out of date and should just go out to pasture. His neighborhood is now mostly Asian/Hmong people. Walt's a racist asshole and most of the time he's treated like a sacred white cow. That's one of the good parts of the movie. Walt is a character! He's old, Grizzled. and he has values that he feels have been betrayed. He worked for Ford but his son sells Toyota's. The Gran Torino, that he built himself on the assembly line, sits under a tarp in mint condition.

The only thing his oldest Grandchile can think to ask is "Can I have it when you uuuuh die"? There's no love lost with his family, but his Hmong neighbors well they get to know him, and he gets to know them. Ya see, Walt was not an abusive father, he did not neglect his kids or his wife! He was there, he worked, they were fed, they were clothed, they were educated. He thought that was what love was. He loved them! But it wasn't enough. The film does a good job of showing the difference. Walt loved them so he did what a father and husband was supposed to do. But like Iyala Vanzandt says Men Do but Men need to BE. That's the internal and External again. Walt doesn't understand why it's so hard. His kids don't either though.

That's one of the best sections of the movies and what Eastwood does best. He takes unlikeable characters and finds the jewel in em. Now what sux is that he still deals in the Dirty Harry one liners, and the cardboard characters to beat up. Ignorant Whiteboys, cartoon Hmong thugs and a couple of Black Dudes that are dumb enough to wait for him to pull a friggin cannon out on.

This Eastwood could have wrote out and kept out! It was dumb twenty years ago and it's pathetic now! It's marketed like a Dirty Harry, Gonna clean up this town flick but it ain't it's a story that does have layers and depth. It could have more but it does have it. I liked it!
Try it!
BE Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!
Jaycee

Stop, Damn It! Think A Minute!

All Photos courtesy of Guerrilla Busfare this really cool Blog!http://guerillabusfare.blogspot.com/

I heard about the rioting in Oakland and it got me riled and thinking on some things and what passes these days as political upheaval. I also happened upon pictures, great ones, I might add of a peaceful vigil and will be sprinkling them throughtout the post. Courtesy of G-Busfare!

So you read about Oscar Grant or saw it on You Tube and now you cruising Oakland with some kind of accelerant, a bic and some righteous indignation dashed with stupidity! Aren't ya? Well think on this, while you running round, with your can of accelerant.

Where was your outrage when rents in Oakland went through the roof? Where was it when so-called Urban Renewal projects crept into minority and working class neighborhoods? When check cashing places, liquor stores and bail bonds outnumbered banks and grocery stores?

Hey! You just a stones throw from Sacramento. How bout when Arnold the Governator announced that California was broke! Our credit rating in the toilet, I mean...it was going towards junk bond status not too long ago?

Still got that bic? What about the fact that Arnold got elected by a huge margin as Gray Davis was recalled for trying to deal with the budget shortfall with the car registration tax. Didn't Arnold just propose the same thing four years later?

What about the price of gasoline? What about the fact that Gray Davis (D) suggested a gas bank, that California could tap in order to keep prices stable during shortages? Why didn't Arnold tap it? Cause, we never built one.

So houses are in foreclosures, banks have gone out of business, unemployment is at an all time high in California and the rest of the nation as people are losing their jobs and you want to take on the Oakland Police Department and possibly the National Guard in a post 9-11, Homeland Security Patriot Act super armed police department.

Didn't anyone ever tell you don't come to a gun fight with a knife? Never take on an Army with a handgun? Don't ring a bell, huh?

Anger is a gift! But the application of it is a responsibility. Have you protested the police department marching peaceably in front of all the stations and substations? Be careful? They might be in fear for their safety? Have you jam packed the council and mayor's hall? Blew up their phones, faxes, emails, text ed them so much that the networks shut down?

No, huh? Have you got all the Pastors and their congregants to march and call? What about the Mosques and Synagogues? No!

How about the New Black Panthers? East Bay Dragons? Original Black 1 percent Motorcycle Club for those not in the know. No?

So while the world was falling apart? You did nothing but Oscar Grant, a working class, Black dude is killed, by the Police, and now you want to vent your outrage?

No! That's irresponsible and you are foolish if that's what you do or have done! That ain't the way! The City, State and Federal have plans in place to deal with so called Urban Rebellions!

They goad and bait you into re-acting instead of being pro-active!

Fight! Yes! But in a way you can win! Don't just scream! BE Heard! Damn IT!

Now, go home, put the bic away and the can of accelerant in the garage and call the city council.

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Oscar Grant

One night in conversation with my wife, she was shocked to learn that when I was a lil boy I wanted to be a cop. Either a cop or a drag racer. Yeah, I used to watch "The Rookies" with George Sanford Brown, and SWAT, the television show, not that turd they threw Sam Jack in a few years ago. They were heroes! They always went for the bad guy and they caught him! Always caught the bad guy! And if a cop was bad then there were sooo many good cops that they would find a way to shut him down.

It didn't take long before my childhood dreams burned into a pile of ashes. I was home alone when a police officer knocked, hand on her service weapon and ordered me to step outside. I was 12. I unlocked my door slowly, went outside and she asked me if I knew who lived in the house across the street? Sure, that's my Aunt's house! Cops were still friends in my mind. Well, is her Husband's name $^#(E( ##**@? (People still alive, I ain't naming names)

"No, she's not married I said."

"Do you know where this person might live?"

" No, I've never heard of him." Now this wasn't no Camron moment...I was about 11 or 12 and it was still a few years before Compton would become Beirut so I didn't have any gangsta pretensions. The officer left after explaining that she was looking for blah blah blah who gave my aunt's address as his when they arrested him a few nights before and that he was wanted.

After she left I remember there was a Blah Blah on my street but his last name was blah blah wok wok wok wahhhhh!

I thought of the danger she could have put me in. Hell, I would have been Randy from The Wire!

From then on my encounters with police have not been all that positive. From their rude, brash language, the fact that if I'm with two other dudes in a car, then we get followed, the fact I've been stopped, told that I fit the description, when there ain't no way I could have fit it. I'm 5'8 1/2 and at the time was 180 and the dude they were looking for was between 6 feet 4 and 6'7. I was light and he was dark skinned. He was wearing All Black I was just Black!

Cops not friends!

I wondered who Oscar Grant was. I know how the newspapers are describing him, But I mean, who was Oscar? That morning, did he kiss the picture of his daughter and head out for work? Did he iron his work shirt and load up his IPOD before he left the house? Did he leave a dish in the sink figuring that he wash it when he got back?

I know this. Oscar Grant, a Man, a Black Man, A Human Being, 3rd Planet, Oakland, Father, Working dude begged not to be tasered, complied, and was shot in the back! That I know!

The Officer has resigned but has he been arrested? If not, why? If I was arrested for shooting someone I would be arrested, booked, plea, and I wouldn't get bail. Even if it was a tragic accident I wouldn't get bail.

Who was the officer and did he leave his home, kiss his baby, and his wife? Did she complain cause he forgot to take out the trash? What was he thinking as he tried to handcuff a suspect with his service weapon out?

Suspect!

When did Oscar cease to be Oscar and become a Suspect? Was he always just a suspect to the Officer? Did the Officer hear Oscar? Or did the Officer just see a Suspect? A nameless, faceless, statistic riding the BART train?

If You Tube and Cellular Phone cameras didn't exist to film the incident and it happened the same way would Oakland be burning? Strangely, I don't believe it would be. But more importantly Oscar is dead! Does anyone really realize that?

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Don't wait til you thirsty to dig a well!

There used to be this great Castrol commercial; In 1979 Cars are Faster!

Then there was this TV Show where Robin Williams plays an alien, (How can you tell? I know) who travels back to visit the Happy Days gang, Richie and The Fonz! When revealed that he's living on Earth in the year 1979, the Fonz, (The Coolest White dude on the Planet at the time, William Shatner would hold it down then Sean Connery would snatch it and keep it! 8-) ) states that all he needs to know about the future is Cars and Girls! Cars and Girls!

Robin Williams replies in 1979 both are.... faster! The Fonz smiling both faster!

Well in 1981 when I was in the 6Th grade everybody thought that in 2009 we'd have supersonic cars that wouldn't pollute the air. We knew that the world would be something out of the Jetson's or Space 1999! Hey! I said I was in the 6Th grade in 1981!

Well, 2009 still no hovercrafts, no solar paneled vehicles with full vegetable gardens for cross country driving but Hey! Poor getting poorer, Air turning browner and corporations figuring out ways to get us to pay for things God (IAM) gave us for free! We're doing that one right!

I was reading a book called "Talks on the Dharma" by the Venerable Master Hua and there was a particular line that caught my eye. "You have acted recklessly waiting until you got sick before you took care of your health!"

"You have acted recklessly waiting until you got sick before you took care of your health!"

Haven't we all done that? How many donut bacon cheeseburgers did you scarf down? How many fully rolled Phillie's did you inhale? How much Hen dawg did you imbibe? Come on? Then you went to the doctor after you were feeling bad or just for a check up and your LDL and the Triglycerides and the whatnot's is suppppper high and well you're lucky you ain't dead!

Come on, how many of y'all had the talk with the doc and he/she asked how are you still alive?

(Laughter)

Point of the post is don't wait till things are in the crapper to prepare and take care of things. Exercise now while you are still able, eat right now, while you still able!

But what if you already eff'ed it up Mista Jaycee?

Then stop and change your thinking and habits! Easier, said than done, I know!

But God (IAM) allows for you to change your mind. That's what Repentance means! Pastor Jeffrey Johnson, of Eastern Star Baptist Church in Indiana, explained in a sermon from a few years ago that REPENTANCE means that you've changed your mind. You can you know. The Bible states that in Christ we are made a new creature. King David in supplication to God (IAM) asks the Lord "Create in me a clean heart and RENEW in me a RIGHT spirit!"

Yeshua (Jesus) when speaking to Nicodemus stated that in order to enter Paradise (The City of God) You must be Born Again. You must be born of water and the spirit. So when we are baptised by immersion that is a symbol of the death of our old life and a birth of the New life in Yeshua. That's the External!

Now the Internal, that's harder and there's no time limit on that. That's one of the reasons you might have problems with folks who supposed to be Church folks. On one hand, God is still shaping, molding, cutting down, and testing them in the fire. And on the other hand, externally they Church folks, they walk the walk, talk the talk, wear the outfit, but there ain't no Christ in them, and sometimes, just sometimes, There ain't NO Christ in that CHURCH! Dig?

Repentance means you can change your mind and turn around. Don't wait til you get sick, broke or almost dead to change. Do it now! Turn around now! You can you know....

BE Prayerful! BE Careful! BE Mindful!

Jaycee

ACOW Recieves The Emblem of the Helping Hand!

I read RevvyRev over at The Certain Sound http://revvyrev.blogspot.com/ and was happy to find that his ministry recieved a large donation from someone who dug his work. Furthermore he has been awarded The Emblem Of The Helping Hand for his Blogging content Please go over and read it by following the above link. Congratulations!

Now my favorite Celtic fan, (why do you have to route for the team the represents all that is EVIL?) (Laugh out loud) Go LAKERS! Has seen fit to honor me with the award as well. Thank You and I am humbled but he has also charged me with playing it forward so with the first five picks I would like to honor those blogs that mentor me by consistently posting great material.

Mista Jaycee's Mentoring Sites:

1. The Black Snob! http://blacksnob.blogspot.com/ Danielle wrote me back and answered any question I asked in order to help me get started. Her site is always overflowing with great pictures and the content is second to none. She has in my opinion, an almost unhealthy obsession with TJ Holmes, but that not withstanding, she has one the best sites and I highly recommend it.

2. Fungke Blak Chik! http://www.fungkeblakchik.com/ Brooklyn O'Callahan is awesome! Her posts are hilarious, the pictures are great! The folks who comment leave the craziest commentary, and that makes for a very enjoyable read. Now I understand another blogger recently got upset and accused FBC of infringement on her name. You know "You're name is too close to mine and people will confuse us! You're taking people away from my site!" Respectfully, I disagree! Brooklyn's content is what makes Fungke Blak Chik hot! It's why folks are constantly coming back!

3. The League of Evil Monkeys http://theleagueofevilmonkeys.blogspot.com/ Serious Black is the one who suggested and encouraged me to start A Choice of Weapons! After he was disposed in a Coup D'tat earlier last year (feel free to reach about the whole affair in earlier posts) by the Hideously Evil Monkey with backing from Lieberman, Bush and Cheney. He regained his kingdom but has fallen off a bit but his content is insightful, funny and spiritually fulfilling. Please encourage him to post more. His site is great and I hope he adds more art but his love for Man Boobs is a lil disturbing. Moobies (Man Boobs) in general are disturbing! Keep on going and thank you!

4. Aunt Jemima's Revenge! http://auntjemimasrevenge.blogspot.com/Professor Tracy writes one of the first blogs I read everyday because she posts multiple posts on the news topic du jour, great photos, loves horror movies and has a razor sharp wit and is not afraid to cut someone. Definitely worth the Read! PS. She had a super cool Pitt named Che Lil Monster (RIP) and now has another one who is like a Big Blue eyed Snowball!

5. The Old Black Church!http://theoldblackchurch.blogspot.com/ One of the first sites I read. One of the first commenter's on my blog and the first to sign up and follow. Ann's posts are always from a Woman in the pew perspective. She talks about the Black Church, The current state of the affairs of Afrikan People in America and best she don't act like she know it all. She is open to learn, be challenged, she is courteous and courageous. Her site is informative and fun, don't let a typo keep you from serious content cause you'd be missing out. She is coming from a Sista Woman from the Pew perspective and I dig it!

Now for the ones that I'd like to pay forward!

1. A Go Bytch! http://gobytch.blogspot.com/ AGB's site is great! I still haven't attempted any of the recipes she's posted but that don't mean that I haven't thought about it. I'm gonna! I'm Gonna! She writes about everything, Dating, the job, friends, enemies and frenemies! ( Laughter) Check it out!

2. The Field Negro! http://field-negro.blogspot.com/ The Undercover Brother journalistically keeping THE MAN from keeping us down! I love the Lawn Jockey of the week! I love the Field Negro Award. His commentary is on point daily and I would suggest you get at em and add him to your blog list after you add A Choice of Weapons! LOL

3. The Certain Sound! Revvy Rev! Finally, a blogging Pastor that talks real! He likes real soul music, has not forgotten that he had a Playa card once and speaks on Real change and redemption! He's a Celtics fan but hey No one's Perfect!

4. Voice of a Predicate Muslim: http://voiceofapredicatemuslim.blogspot.com/ Obi Adisa Asad and I have known each other since we both still used our Goverment names! I have personally been in the trenches with him performing spoken word poetry all over Los Angeles and discussing and debating Politricks, Why ICON is not a Black Rip off of Superman, the Bible and Dar Al Islam. On this site he mostly speaks on The Religion of Dar Al Islam and politics affecting Afrikans in America and the World but check out Freedom Infinite.com and download That's Gangsta and Pastor Jones is a Pimp! Two great incendiary pieces of spoken word poetry with his partner Deshone! You'll dig it!

5. The Intersection of Madness and Reality! http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/ RIPPa kills me! Sometimes I cringe at how irreverent and raw this Brotha can get but then he balances it out with the funniest comedy club worthy material or some of the most NPR ist type commentary on the web, next to mine of course. Madness I get! Reality, well not without Liquor! But hey RIPPa walks that tightrope daily! Definitely worth it! Check for this High wire act!

Now I know I was only supposed to do five but I'm gonna mention A Taste of Banana Puddin http://msfbpuddin.blogspot.com/ for being hilarious everyday...well every week since she got a job and to Curvy Stef,http://curvaceouscuban.blogspot.com/ a former Chunky Gyal who dares to bare it all, in writing! in Writing! Ya Pervs! You know what you were thinking! You Know! (Laughing) and Melyssa Genanche from Get Yo Shyt!http://getyoshyt.blogspot.com/ She writes from the perspective of single Mama divorcee who raises a healthy Young man and while balancing her life as a Super Hot Blogger/Commentator ( if I wasn't Happily Married! Happily Married Damn It!) 8-) and a Working Mom in this Cold Cold World! She hasn't updated her blog but read the old

The Rules:

1. Select 10 bloggers: 5 you consider your blogging Helping Hand then "Pay it Forward" by extending your "Helping Hand" to 5 additional bloggers in support and encouragement for their efforts.

2. In passing on the Emblem, each recipient must provide the name of blog or blog author with a link for others to visit.Each recipient must show the Emblem and put the name and link to the blog that has given it to her or him.

3. Link the Emblem to this post: Helping Hand: Much Obliged and Paying it Forward so that others will know it origin and impetus.

4. If you have not already done so, show your recipients some love by adding them to your blog roll, Technorati Favorite list, or in any other way to further let them know that their blog voice is important to you and being heard.

5. Add your name to The Helping Hand meme and don't forget to leave a comment as a permanent record of all Helping Hand recipients.

6. Display the rules.

Whatever one touches, his aim should always be to leave that which he touches better than he found it. Benjamin E. Mays

Lord, open his eyes that he may see. And behold, the mountains were full of horses and chariots round about. 2 Kings vi. 17

Footnote! Without meaning to I neglected to post the link to Sojourner's Place! This Sista started the Emblem of The Helping Hand! GO Check out her Blog and the Site that accompanys the Emblem of The Helping Hand! Many Apologies for the oversight and Much Love! Mista Jaycee

http://sojournersplace.blogspot.com/

Don't Believe Your Own Press!

A couple of days ago I read this sista's blog post on her New Year resolutions and how she was giving up this dude. Nothing special about that but she went on to describe some of the things she found distasteful about the relationship and why she was ending it. I commented, "Happy New Year and it sounds like dude needs to grow up." The End.

Much to my surprise I received a personal email from dude! No, I ain't giving the dude no press! So dig, I don't remember her being specific like mentioning his name or anything, but dude wrote me saying how he and her play with each other, how this was all kinda like satire and Eff me! Eff me for commenting that you need to grow up, when the blogger is saying you an azz-ho--!

Now, I'm a grown azz Man so I don't respond to every idiot who borrows a pair from his sister and decides to talk ish but for this one I made an exception.

First, Don't believe your own press. First rule of marketing. It is your job to hype your product! It is the audience's choice if they believe your press.

Online She looks like this!

The lack of personal contact provided by the Internet has made it easy for cowards to talk ish! If we were face to face you would not 9 out of 10 times say whatever came to your mind. So some fat, pimply face virgin who can't drive or some racist alpha hotel (insert A--H--) spews venom all over the net. No accountability cause there's virtually no one to hold them responsible. Word to dude I was polite when I wrote you back.

In Reality she looks like This! Don't believe your own press! No Diss to Beetlejuice Get Yours Dude!

Rule 2. Keep the safety on your mouth. It might go off and you end up hurting yourself. Reality! You are responsible for what you say. You might end up with no toofis. That's teeth to all y'all not familiar with the term. Or worse. People can and are fired for what's been said in email. Employers check blogs and My Space pages now to check you out.

Rule 3. These are Pen names! Aliases, secret identities. Online...every chick can be a porn star!

(laughing) No, really without his cape and mask Bruce Wayne is just a mentally off balanced rich dude with a hang up about bats and delusions of grandeur. He's wearing Tights! Superdude is wearing Pajamas!

Don't let your ego write a check your azz can't cash! I've read some great, very insightful things on alot of the blogs I frequent. The Field Negro, the unfortunately now defunct UMustLoveBooks, Go Zack! That Certain Sound, The Luscious Librarian, Aunt Jemima's Revenge. Hell, check my links.

I don't agree with 99 1/2 percent of Roadhouse's views but I respect Roadhouse cause at least Terry uses his picture and will stand on his words even if they wrong!

So the point of all this is....Be Responsible! God (IAM) gave you a microphone to speak potentially to the whole wide world don't waste it with Eff you!

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Careful!

Jaycee

Dr Who!

I just finished a Dr. Who Novel I got for my Christmas gift. I also got a Torchwood Novel that I'm about to get into. Dig, I know some of y'all ain't hip to the Time Lord and his companion Martha Jones, my favorite companion played by Freema Agyeman cause she's a great actress, and well she's insanely HOT!

The novel is Forever Autumn, for those of y'all, not familiar with the whole series or like I was a few years ago, my opinion was that it was just weird British Science Fiction. Don't feel bad. Heck, It came on PBS in the 1980's, the music was electronic and strange, and it just turned me off. Now, after I watched the series by chance with Christopher Eccellston as the 9th Doctor (The Doctor Regenerates retaining all the memories of the previous incarnation but with a new body, face and personality.) with his companion Rose Tyler, played by the easy of the eyes Billie Piper, (Yeah, I know... a hot actress will get a show looked at 8-) ) I got hipped to how cool the show was. The Doctor travels in the TARDIS ( A Time and Space Dimension something or another) well anyway he goes from world to world and age to age. Part of his duty as a Time Lord, He comes from a planet of Time Lords of which he is the last, supposedly, He fights villains, monsters, and natural disasters ultimately setting things right.

So all that aside, Forever Autumn, has the Doc and Martha landing in Vermont one day before Holloween after recieving a disturbing signal on the TARDIS. Three teenagers have unearthed a strange book under a strange blackwood tree and custom to every horror film ever made, they open it and unleash some ultimate evil. It's not a Yanni and Kenny G duet but well, the evil they unleash is pretty friggin evil!

Ok, I'm not gonna tell you what it is but I will give you a peek. It starts with a putrid green mist which seems to envelope the town, the mist affecting everyone's mood and goes on to well being chased in a graveyard by monsters created from the trees, a local doctor found with a missing mouth, about thirty house cats trained to attack in unison and one highly motivated Evil clown.

Of course Dr. Who Novels like the television series always keep a fair amount of camp humor to balance out the horror and suspense. So don't worry it ain't gonna be Clive Barker or LA Banks but fun nevertheless.

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

What are your New Years Goals?

I don't really do the whole new years resolution thing anymore because I am always struggling to improve on something. But I don't mind sharing a few of my goals with you. I would like to study Tai Chi (Yang) even deeper than before. Years ago, I would watch the Tai Chi Master, Tong at the Gotama Temple from my building. He would be going through the 24 poses or the 108 or Cane or Fan or Sword alone. It was just him, the temple as a backdrop, and about 5200 square feet of concrete and he moved soooooo gracefully. It looked soooo cool! If you have never seen Tai Chi performed then you have got to check it out. There are some good demostrations on You Tube but if you haven't tried it then I think that would be good if you did. You feel good after a few weeks of regular practice.

I, on the other hand, move with all the grace of a pregnant yak! (Laughter) Now the dude meditating in the picture above looks like he's closer to inner peace than I am. I would like to get to a point where I am able to let things go and accept them as they are, not as I would like them to be.

I would like to grow and be a better Friend, a better Husband and a better Father. For that I have to become a better listener but also develop better understanding. I would like to make more money but who wouldn't. That's why I don't dig the whole resolution thing because all we really can do is do the things that successful people have done and hope it works out. It's no guarantee that you will be successful. We just have to have faith that it will all work out.

Last though, I would like to find and join a church congregation where I feel at home. I have a spiritual restlessness that I would like to see satisfied. Well those are my goals well at least some of them.

What are yours? Leave a comment or three.

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!
Jaycee