Atlanta offers great options for family fun on New Years - Atlanta Single Moms | Examiner.com

Atlanta offers great options for family fun on New Years - Atlanta Single Moms | Examiner.com

Hypocrisy and Inconsistancy

Good afternoon class, today the letter is 'H', which in these past two years has stood for "hypocrisy". It kind of stinks when there are so many examples of hypocrisy in sports. I used to think that hypocrisy was reserved for politicians and parents who use the "do as I say and not as I do" method of parenting. However, to find true hypocrisy and inconsistancy in sports no one needs to go much further than the NFL, or even our great university, THE Ohio State University.

Laziness

It feels good to be home, right? Especially if you're not working this break is so relaxing. I've spent the last few days, as Ms. Patty Cunningham aptly named the phenomenon, in a "sleep-coma". Basically, I've slept until there are a few hours of daylight left and repeated the cycle each day. It's great to chill and recharge the mental batteries, but try to stay sharp. Do a crossword puzzle or two, or sudoku, or analyze the advantages of a 4-3 defensive sceme over a zone-blitz look- whatever you have to do to keep the brain working. Also, remember to get ready for classes. A lot of people are getting back from home on January the 2nd, a Sunday. Don't forget classes start that Monday.

Break

It's about time, right? Finals are over and it's time for winter break. Finally! Hopefully you studied hard and will be pleased by finals grades. Everyone is headed home for Christmas, Kwanzaa or just finished Hanukkah (some students even celebrate all three) and ready for quality time with the family. Of course, there may be a few people who aren't in the family that you might prioritize over "family time". No offense to mom, pops, Uncle Junior and Auntie T. T., but it's understandable to want to hang friend rather than to be around all of the "old folks". Just make sure that some time is set aside for the fam', it will make their holiday season just to see you, trust me.

Winter

It's that time of year again: the snow is beginning to fall, everyone is starting to dress warmly (except for a few of these nuts around campus who insist on shorts), it's almost finals week and (sadly) the college football season is coming to a close. This time of the year can either make or break someone. Yeah, it's cold and traveling around campus is a pain, but it's worth it. It may seem nerdy, but there's nothing like that accomplished feeling you get when that grading report comes and you see that all the hard work has paid off (and the good grades can always help to coax an extra gift or maybe an upgrade out of the parents). It's the holiday season and everyone is ready to grab a hot cocoa and find someone to chase down with a handful of mistletoe, but it's not over. The academic process ceases to end long after graduation. It's nice to kick back, chill, reminisce for a second, but to be successful in life you need to have the burning desire to be on top of your game. Just think, at any given moment there are millions of people who want exactly what you want and will do almost anything to achieve your goal. If you don't know what your goal is yet, just keep working for those high grades. So although it is cold outside, don't let that cool off the fire inside you for whatever that passion is that you are chasing.

Chivalry Isn't Dead...The People Who Used It Are

I have a best friend who goes to school in Chicago and every time we meet up during breaks in Cleveland she never fails to mention the despair of being single, black, and a woman in America. I try my best to listen and reason (usually at a stalemate and feeling like my black male brethren are the scum of the earth), but I find it poignant that no matter what she always seems to mention that a key fact that she is single is because she feels that black men are not gentlemen anymore, or simply lost any semblance of chivalry. Chivalry is commonly associated with knights, maidens, and the Middle Age, but chivalry, at it's core, is consistent with the principles of bravery, honor, and most importantly, respect towards women. And, based off that definition, it would seem that there is hope for relevant use for chivalry in today's black men, right? Well, let's see...

The Fierce Urgency of Now Continues

For those who are unaware, this Sunday evening the President of the United States & his family and staff will be at The Ohio State University. Mr. & Mrs. Obama will be here for an Ohio Democratic Party Rally to galvanize the faithful in Central Ohio. This is key because this state, as well as this section of the state will be vital to sustain Congressional & local seats held by current Democrats. The White House has been criss-crossing the country at a frantic pace, showing a fierce urgency to sustain their majority and to more effectively push their agenda, and the time is now to do it with less than a month until Election Day. However, the President's visit may also be a sign of a more distressing problem; something Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about when he coined the phrase the "The Fierce Urgency of Now"---that is the President is trying to re-energize the vote of the next generation, our generation, and especially rallying the support of the Black youth vote.

Helping “Our” People?

I have always been engaged in community service. I think it was somehow built in my genes. My mother said she wanted to be a nurse because she wanted to help people. In addition, she always pushed me to be active. Whether it was in elementary through high school being a Girl Scout and Girl Scout leader, volunteering at a nearby hospital, and assisting in creating entertainment activities in a nursing home. Or in undergrad being on the executive board for the NAACP chapter, my sorority (the one and only SKEE-WEE! I had to…) or volunteer for the Special Olympics etc etc. I’ve always had a mind to give back. That feeling of advocacy only grew when I came to graduate school. But it wasn’t just the desire to help people in general; it was to focus my energy on my people. Black people. But recently I have hit I brick wall. A wall seemingly built by…my people. I have had plenty of conversations with my people who have been working with and for African Americans and have more than enough battle wounds and stories of frustration. In listening to these stories I have said to myself, “Well my friend, you just gotta work harder! Keep up the good fight!” I’m not even 30, yet my stories of frustration are starting to compile.

Do you see what I see?

It’s late morning on a Tuesday and I’ve nearly arrived at my hotel in Pittsburg, PA. As I attempt to focus my attention on both the road and Google Maps on my iPhone, I notice that I’m traveling through a residential area. Pausing at a stop sign I take one last look at my directions and turn more of my focus on the neighborhood I’m driving through. If I’m going to be staying in this area for two nights I’d like to see if I can determine whether or not safety might be an issue. Two minutes into my foray it seems clear to me that I’m driving through a working class, mostly white, neighborhood. 

Recognizing the Unsung, Pt. 2

I waited, waited, and waited for this day! While many sports fans gave their attention to the NBA Finals, or the sanctions that await the USC athletic program, there was a recent feat that deserves attention: the Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years beating the Philadelphia Flyers. Yet, their victory is not the focus of this blog, nor the politically incorrectness of their mascot. The subject is Dustin Byfuglien (pronunced Buff-lin). Growing up as a child, the presence of African Americans in hockey seemed silly to me, until I moved to Columbus where I met a brother who ran a hockey shop in Columbus.  That interaction and Byfuglien's role in this series (and the 2010 playoffs) led me to search for the role of people of African descent in the NHL. I learned that the contributions have gone unrecognized.