Approaching another year

In just over a week from now, I will be another year older.

The past year has been a very big one in my life. Having come close to death a few times, I am embracing life more and more. I have been in the hospital more it seems than I have been out and about. And then it hit me.

You were really stressed out.

So, after my doctor almost sent me to the hospital in an ambulance, and they changed by diet, I missed everything leading up to Christmas. I emerged from the hospital a bit wiser and more determined, I thought. Until an issue I had only discussed with a few people was suddenly resolved in a trip to Walgreens, I thought I was sentenced to another few years of continuing some heavy lifting duties.

Then my gallbladder remembered that it stopped working back in 2002, and that it didn't want to stay with me anymore. That meant another surgery.

But, in the midst of all of that, I was able to hear God. When my pastor came to me and told me to eliminate certain things from my diet, I obeyed immediately and know that if I hadn't, perhaps I wouldn't be writing this now, but I know I would not be where I am physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

All of this and more is on my mind as I approach the weekend before my birthday. And I am so grateful that I am able to think on these things.

Let's try it again...

So, how embarrasing is it that I haven't posted here in almost two years.

Does that mean nothing interesting has happened? No, it's just that my stations in life changed rapidly after that last post so I plan to be very careful what I say.

If you don't know me, I take personal responsibility very seriously. So, if you know me, you will see an unusual amount of restraint in my posts.

Adulthood, you gotta love it.

Michigan Victory Sweeter in South Bend

Wow. I'm back.
Something interesting happened today. I was on my way to South Bend (home of Notre Dame) and Hoosiers and Michiganders were headed to The Big House to watch Michigan play Notre Dame.

So, I drove through Ann Arbor thinking, I really hope we win.

Then, I arrived in South Bend, and there are all of these crazy marqees outside restaurants: Go Irish, Beat Michigan.

Ugh.

It's enough to turn your stomach.

Now, ANYONE who knows me, I mean REALLY knows me, knows that if my blood could be blue, it would be.

I am a die-hard Wolverine.

So, even now, laying on my hotel bed in South Bend, I have two Michigan shirts for the drive home.

When I heard the half-time score 20-17 Irish, I got nervous. Then I heard 31-20, but that wasn't correct. It was actually 20-31--someone forgot to put the numbers in the proper order, home team last.

I was releaved and vindicated when my guys stuck out a 34-38 victory.

How sweet victory is. Even better when you can drive through the losers' city sporting your victorious colors.

After all, we ARE the victors!

Why 'post-racialism' is a myth

Spike Lee has been very adamant that just because we are living in a era where there is the first Black president does not mean that we are in a post-racial society.

Meaning that just because a Black man sits in the highest seat in the land doesn't mean that people of color have arrived.

He is right. I am anticipating Soledad O'Brien's documentary follow-up tonight, but in the wake of that, Henry Louis Gates gets arrested in his own home.

That shows how far we are from post-racial. There is nothing post-racial about debating whether Obama is a black president or a president who happens to be black. Nothing post-racial about the subtle increase of white supremacy. Nothing post-racial about increased unemployment among blacks and a pay ceiling that just won't move.

There is nothing post-racial about having to search out a public school academy or a private school in order to assure that your child has every opportunity they need to succeed.

Have race relations come a long way? Yes, definitely. Have we achieved post-racialism. Definitely not.

Michael Jackson

I didn't realize until Michael Jackson died that I had chosen to name my second son such a popular name....

When I was growing up, there was nothing better than "A-B-C", or "Got to be there" or "Rockin' Robin". I know I wasn't alone, but I was determined to marry Michael. No one else deserved him. (later, I determined Randy was acceptable also, just in case I couldn't get to Michael)

A dancer at heart, and one driven by music, harmony, and lyrics, I was completely taken by Michael from his Motown beginnings all the way to Epic and "Off the Wall". I tried his moves, I knew his lyrics. When I didn't comprehend the "Billie Jean" video (and still don't understand it, although completely understand its popularity), I recreated a more lyric-based one in my bedroom while hearing my grandmother's pleas to turn the music down.

I was in college when the Jacksons resurfaced, and, as I recall, there were only two or three good songs on that album--yes, ALBUM. But I bought it anyway. I think there was some controversy about the cover (but in those days, there was always a cover controversy) and I don't know if I got the original or the revised one.

I knew about his groundbreaking advent into MTV and I saw the primetime debut of his videos. But I didn't know until yesterday that he had patents for certain moves and technologies used in his videos. There was a lot I didn't know about the man whose birthday was just 2 days after mine.

It is sad that he is now gone, but, as someone interviewed on a station during the past two days reasoned--it was hard to imagine an 'old' Michael Jackson.

Now we won't have to.