Moving to My Other Blog

I have decided that maintaining two blogs requires more attention than I have to give at this time, so all new posts will appear on my other blog, SKCreations, LLC, until further notice.  I hope you'll visit me there, and thanks for stopping by.

Vignette: The Handyman

He had to be 6'5" tall and his lanky frame made him appear taller.  As he climbed the ladder leaning against the house, I couldn't help but wonder what he was about to do.  What was in the bag hanging from his shoulder?  He stepped very tentatively off the ladder and onto the roof.  Was that look on his face a sign of fear or caution?  With his next two steps I could clearly see fear.  As the shingles crumbled under his work boots he quickly leaned forward, placing his hands on the roof for support.  His bag pitched forward and hit the roof with a thud.  It was almost comical watching him crawl across the roof to the chimney, dragging the bag along.  Holding onto the chimney, he raised himself up to his full height and I thought his head would disappear in the clouds.  Reaching into his bag he pulled out a screen and some tools and, for the next 20 minutes, worked intently installing the screen over the chimney top.  When he was done, he gathered up his tools and his bag and moved slowly toward the ladder.  His climb down was so swift I almost missed it.  When he reached the gound I heard him say, "Praise God.  I'll never do that again."

Movies: Precious and The Blind Side

Recently I went to see the movies, Precious and The Blind Side, in that order.  In both movies, the protaganist is a Black teenager living under challenging conditions.  In Precious, the main character lives in an abusive home from which she needs to escape, while in The Blind Side the main character is in desperate need of a home.

Precious was based on the novel, Push, by Sapphire.  It is supposed to be fiction, but I suspect this unfortunate story is true for far too many children.  I had heard a lot about this movie over the last couple of months and was anxious to see it.  I even considered reading the book beforehand in an effort to enhance the experience, but changed my mind after someone told me it was so heartbreaking that they had difficulty finishing it.  I'd seen several interviews of the primary characters on talk shows, and read many reviews.  The Washington Post gave the movie four stars.  I knew it would be powerful so, as suggested by a friend, I packed some tissues and off to the theater I went.

Gabourey Sidibe, as Precious, owned her character, and it was hard to believe that this was her first role in a film.  I was also very impressed with Paula Patton, whose character carries so much of the heart in the story.  Mo'Nique was truly transformed, and was as dark and abusive in her role as she is funny outside it.  I enjoyed the film overall, but what surprised me was that it did not blow me away.  I didn't need the tissues.  I felt sad and even angry at times, but the tears never came.  Maybe, as a result of all the hype, I was too prepared.  I don't know, but on a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a nine.  It's definitely worth seeing, but for me the real treat was...

The Blind Side.  Hands down, I give this movie a ten.  I hadn't expected to be so touched by a movie whose trailer gives you reason to believe that it's message is wrapped up in the Great White Hope swooping in to rescue an underprivileged Black boy.  It is so much more than that.  This movie is about family, no matter what the dynamic, or the biology.  Based on the true story of Michael Oher, whose unlikely path led him to playing professional football for the Baltimore Ravens, it is indeed a movie that makes you cheer.  For this one, I needed the tissues.  My recommendation is that this movie is not to be missed.  The Washington Post gave it three stars, but I give it four.

I Know Fear

You think you know Fear?

I say I'm the Queen

How can I deny it

With all that I've seen?

I've been through some battles

Both big ones and small

Although I've survived

I was wounded in all.

I've got scars to prove it

Right here on my heart

Each bound with a stitch

So it won't fall apart.

At times I was blind

And led down a track

Sometimes I could see

But didn't pull back.

I ended up hurt

Upset and confused

Perhaps worst of all

My psyche was bruised.

It made me retreat

Because I was scared

I locked up my heart

And no longer cared.

But now I have learned

That Fear is a thief

It robbed me of dreams

Destroyed my beliefs.

So now I've released it

Emerged from my shell

But yes I know Fear

And only too well.

Vignette: The Workout

He enters the room with a boom box the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, and a duffle bag that could carry a small child.  He sets down the box and starts rummaging through the bag, at which time I see that it's filled with CDs.  While searching for the right one he yells out "the class is box aerobics!  I hope you're ready because we're going to work tonight!"  He loads his CD of choice and the room fills with what sounds like house music at a night club.  He turns up the volume and moves to the front of the room.  He immediately jumps into a routine that has the class moving double-time, and after five minutes yells out, "that was your warm-up!"  I thought, he's got to be kidding.  He then leads us through a series of steps involving marching, lunging, kicking and punching, adding a new move after we've mastered each previous one.  Although his workout clothes are drenched with sweat and sticking to his lean but muscular frame, he doesn't even appear to be breathing hard.  The music increases in tempo and all of a sudden he breaks into a dance routine that looks like he's auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance.  It was as if the class had disappeared.  He's clearly in a world of his own.  When the song finally ends he comes out of his trance and calls out, "take a break everybody!".  I guess he didn't realize we just had.

The World Has Changed

I wrote this poem in 2003.  Over the previous two years, the country had been attacked by terrorists, our mail was laced with anthrax, Enron corporate bigwigs were brought down, and John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo had held the Washington metropolitan area hostage for three weeks.  It was a very difficult time and our lives were changed forever.  Yesterday evening John Allen Muhammad, the DC sniper, was executed for his crimes in the Commonwealth of Virginia, while Lee Boyd Malvo serves a life prison term.

The World Has Changed

As kids we'd play outside till night

We'd laugh and scream and sometimes fight

On bikes we'd travel far and wide

Till street lights on meant "come inside"

With dodge ball, hop scotch, double dutch

Hula hoops, marbles, jacks and such

Bubble gum cards five cents a pack

And penny candy cost just that.

Funny how the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.

The kids today stay in the house

With hands connected to a mouse

Desktops, laptops, hand-helds too

Instant messaging with the crew

Video games that each must own

At prices that make parents moan

Cable TV is a must

With violence, drugs, sex and lust.

Troubling how the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.

Bottles had only screw-off tops

Doors and windows were left unlocked

9-11 was a call to police

Terrorists hadn't affected our Peace

Only law men carried guns

Priests were trusted with our sons

Metal detectors weren't in schools

Traveling on a plane was cool.

Scary how the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.

Bottles now have protective seals

Yards display security shields

Alarms are standard on most cars

Windows in our homes are barred

Girls can't walk to school alone

Nanny cameras in our homes

Teachers fear the kids in schools

Sued when trying to enforce rules.

HIV is claiming lives

Fighter planes police our skies

Cars are jacked with frequency

Kids are taking Ecstasy

Anthrax threatens through the mail

Corporate honchos seeking bail

Kids kill kids in gangland wars

Snipers lurk outside our stores.

Sad the way the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.