Just Start

Searching for that reason to care
You know you should; you don't
But today, you are searching for one reason
just one...to re-engage
Must break this dangerous pattern of nothingness
Who can help?
You need help...or do you?
Is this avoidance? laziness? lack of compelling purpose? cause for real concern?
Who can you call?
No, no, no, hmmmm...no, spoke to him last time
Don't want to share this with her
No, no, no, hmmm...they will listen...but...
The irony is, you also want anonymity
So we won't call anyone
But this state blows
And caring is very important, so how do you make it happen?
You feel a bit of a chill because this whole thing
reeks of ingratitude, irresponsibility, ignorance...
and you know that you are possibly insulting Him
But you can't fake it with Him
Oh, yeh! Him!

You open His Word
Isaiah
"For your Maker is your bridegroom"
"For even if the mountains walk away
and the hills fall to pieces
My love won't walk away from you"
"But anyone who runs to Me for help
will inherit the land,
will end up owning My holy mountain!"

And you are thankful that you serve a God who understands you
Who knows your imperfections and loves you so much anyway
A God who wants your vulnerability, wants you to confide in Him
A God who can make you whole
A God for whom you do not have to pretend
And a God who, while loving and compassionate, does require action

You look around at the blessings
the success
the messes
the imperfections
And you decide to start from right where you are
It's OK
Just start

"Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I Am.'"


Keri S. Smith

Show Me The Way

Absolutely love it!



Sample lyrics...

Chorus:
Show me the way
Show me the way
Down here Lord,
need your power
Show me the way

Verse:
I said Lord I'm right here standing by myself
Lord I need, I need, I need, I need, I need, Lord I need, Lord I always need your help
Lord you pick me up and you turn me around
Oh, you place my feet on, on to the ground
Show, show me, show me the way


AMEN

MOVE

I started to cry
The tears wouldn't stop
It was so beautiful to see her
Young and proud, dancing her heart out for someone she loved
Doing whatever she could to support finding a cure for him
If a cure was even possible
As I watched her
I thought about my own hopes, my big dreams...my purpose yet unfulfilled
And I cried
I was so proud of her, so inspired
And honestly, I was cut to the core by her example
She shone a bright light on my inaction
So much talk, and yet no consistent momentum
As she danced, spoke boldly for her cause
I was impressed
I looked at her through my tears, and felt grateful
Thank you so much for your example, for the lesson
You reminded me that there is just no excuse
Get up
Move, act, do something...anything
Praise Him with your talents
MOVE
GET OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE
Dance your heart out, make a difference
The world needs you, me, us
MOVE

Keri S. Smith

That is Why

With time you sometimes forget
The rationale, the sound reasons why
You sugarcoat the past
The good
There is always some good
As reminiscing becomes reality
You get comfortable, and ride the wave
And then something happens
It triggers the pain
the dirt and ugly underbelly
You slap yourself
That is why
You remember the decision had a purpose
That is why
And you pray that you never again forget


Keri S. Smith

Making Peace with Dah Process

OMG, it really can drive you bonkers
Bureaucracy
Slaves to the process
Rigidity that gives you nightmares
Paper, paper, paper and more paper
Goodbye thought
Goodbye spontaneity
Goodbye dynamism
Goodbye productivity
You should appreciate the persistence
That stalker-like follow up
It's really, really good
And because you know it is needed
That there is value in it
You keep biting your swollen tongue
And tell your inner big green guy, that today's not that day
You remind yourself that process is necessary
You have to respect it
And you smile secretly
Cause you know no one is gonna tame the rebel
Ain't no one gonna quench that spirit
Sap your power
You can play the game, play it well
Do the parts you don't like
And still enjoy the fire that is you
You whisper to greenie that it is all good
There's a season for everything


Keri S. Smith

Control the Tentacles

And you're up
The tentacles begin their search for what to latch on to
Are we happy today?
What was it that we had to worry about again?
Are we mad? Upset? Indifferent?
You're in a quandary
The tentacles extend, pushing through to help discern
what kind of mood we will be in today
Is today a power day?
Or an 'I don't feel like it' day?
Can we hide out?
Or must we show up?
What are we really about?
Mental renewal is a heck of a thing
It is mandatory
Critical to function
The tentacles need strict guidance
each moment
We need constant reminders of purpose
Bind them around your neck
Write them on your heart
Danger abounds in foolish thinking
Channel the tentacles, give them only one pathway
Guard the heart with much diligence
It is the wellspring of life


Keri S. Smith

Amen to a God of Specifics

You've been through tough times before
You committed that this time would be different
You would follow what He said from beginning to end
It got really tough
You prayed
You read
He promised that He would deliver
He said be anxious for nothing
You saw how others trusted Him through much worse
and were blessed
Daniel, Job, Jesus
It got tougher, uglier
You prayed in aggregate and in detail
You got really specific
Like Nehemiah, you shared a plan
You asked Him to bless it
You read some more
You got comfort from the Word
You remembered Him asleep on the ship in that horrendous storm
His followers in such a panic
He calmly awakes and says to the worriers "O ye of little faith"
He rebukes the wind and the seas, and all is well
Then the situation got even louder
You thought about tactics of old - the debilitating worry, the panicked planning, fault finding, the insecurity
And with His help, you had no use for such behavior
You stood up and took action
You surprised yourself - you were not worried
You 100% banked on His Word, and showed up each and every day...through it all
And with it came confidence, a new level of leadership
Your Friend had your back
He said you could do all things through Him
He expected much, and provided much
Amen. Amen. Amen. You found peace in the midst of chaos
You held on tight to His Word
He made you stronger, ready for the next battle
How awe-inspiring
You are left so grateful, so inspired, so in love
Muchas gracias for the gift


Keri S. Smith

Habits

Sweeping clean
It's in the past
New resolve
Fresh perspective
You've grown up
and all the time everything you say is in comparison to It
How to avoid It
Get rid of It
Move beyond It
Forget It
And somehow you can't quite run away from It
BECAUSE of the sheer mental energy you spend on
analyzing, dissecting, and solving for...It
Man, oh, man
So now you are trying a novel approach
Don't worry about trying to stop It
Just find a new IT to focus on
A more worthy IT, a healthier IT
Hallelujah for the new and improved...IT


Keri S. Smith

Quote of the Day - Laugh

Laughter is gold

- Keri S. Smith

No speaka Spanish - No wanta speaka to you @ all anyway

Telemarketers, I have a few questions for you

? ? ? ?

1) How on earth did I get on your Spanish speakers' distribution list? Yeh, I did Spanish in High school and 2 semesters in college, but I am not fluent. Why I am now getting automated pitches en espanol from y'all?

2) How many times can you give a "last" or "final" offer on opportunities? In a week, you leave me automated messages saying that this is the last chance I have to opt-in to your offer. Dude, there can only be one last. See Dictionary.com for details

3) Why the cell? Fine, you leave messages on my landline. Annoying, but I can live with it. But, my Blackberry? And once you dared to contact me on my iPhone. That's violation. Stop it.

Gotta pay wifey back!

A few days ago, I was riding in a cab late at night. We are approaching my apt complex and I notice that there is an "OUT OF ORDER" sign on the cabbie's credit card machine - well, it's really a piece of paper with the words written in blue, rubber banded on to the machine.

Keri: "We need to go to an ATM because I have no cash"

Cabbie: "It's OK, we'll figure something out"

Keri: "You don't have to drop me off in front of my building, just circle and go to the ATM so that I can pay you. I have no cash"

Cabbie: *Waves his hands in the air* "Don't worry about it, we'll figure it out"

I give him a confused look as he pulls up in front of my building. Cabbie then turns around and reaches his arm back into my section of the vehicle. Huh?!

He grabs on to the credit card machine and removes the "OUT OF ORDER" sign. I look at him. I start to laugh. He looks at me with a sheepish grin and we both start laughing.

Cabbie: "My wife loaned me the money to buy taxi and EVERY NIGHT I go home, she ask for CASH. Money, money, money. She wants me to pay off the loan. People only want to use card, but I need cash. We have expenses too. I need to buy food, gas. I need cash. And I need to pay wife."

We start laughing again. I swipe my card, and make sure to give him a good tip - wifey needs to be paid!

Necessity is the mother of invention!

A-Rod's Press Conference - Alex Rodriguez on Steroid Abuse

Thank God A-Rod did not get acting tips from Madonna. That would have made yesterday's press conference even more amusing. Alex Rodriguez decided it was time to respond to the Sports Illustrated article which stated that he tested positive for steroids in 2003. This was only after his attempts to discredit SI writer Selena Roberts, by claiming that she was a stalker and a liar, backfired.

I enjoyed watching A-Rod at work. He was coached well by his PR team. If I took a shot for every time he said "young", "stupid", "24 or 25", or "sorry", I'd need to go to that special place where Amy Winehouse desperately needs to be - Rehab not St. Lucia.

A-Rod provided us with some great quotables, and instances where you really had to wonder if he thought you were that gullible. Here are a few examples:

"I knew we weren't taking Tic Tacs"

"I'm here to take my medicine" (Bad time for that analogy!)

"I didn’t think they were steroids. That’s again the part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter, it was pretty basic. And you know, it was really amateur hour." (Over the what? Really Alex?!! LOL. )

"You know, I’m not sure what the benefit was. I will say this: when you take any substance, or anything, especially in baseball, it’s half mental, and half physical. If you take this glass of water and you say I’m gonna be a better baseball if you believe it, you probably will be. So I certainly felt more energy, but it’s hard to say. It’s hard to say." (C'mon Alex. You knew what the benefits were )

"We went outside team doctors, team trainers. It was two guys doing a very amateur and very immature thing. We probably didn’t even take it right; like I said in my statement, we used to do it about two times a month. I don’t even know if that’s proper. (You let your cousin inject you with a foreign substance you knew nothing about? Give us some credit, Alex! You're handsome, but not that handsome! We are actually listening to what you are saying, not just being mesmerized by your looks!)

The best part of the conference for me was that 1 minute pause, where Alex got so choked up thanking his team for their support. We had several seconds of silence as Alex bit his lip, looked away, and tried not to cry. As you admired his tan, you also wanted to comfort him. It was that believable! A-Rod could teach Madonna a thing or two about an Oscar winning performance.

Overall, A-Rod played a good game. Even as he stretched the truth, he did it in such a way that we did not feel like complete morons, although we would have to be to accept some of what he was spinning. His team took a week to rehearse, and A-Rod recited his lines well, and was able to appear credible most of the time. Nice work.

Rihanna and Chris - The Latest

Chris Brown allegedly hit and bit his girlfriend Rihanna. She suffered visible injuries and had to go to the hospital for treatment.

Chris recently released the following statement:

"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," the 19-year-old said in a statement released by his spokesman. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds."

Rihanna has yet to come out with a statement, however, her family and friends have surfaced various comments to the media. Her father has been the most outspoken. He acknowledged that Rihanna had some bruising, but said that she would be all right. He went on to share that he hoped that Rihanna would move on from dating Chris Brown, and that "at some point, she will speak out. I hope she will stand up for women all over the world." Rihanna insiders have said that the singer was appalled by Brown's statement, especially since he did not admit any guilt.

The singer continues to reside in Barbados, recovering from her injuries with those closest to her.

--------------------------------

Additional Highlights:

*History of Violence: Brown grew up in an abusive household, where he witnessed his stepfather beating his mother. "He used to hit my mom ... He made me terrified all the time, terrified like I had to pee on myself," Brown said during a 2007 interview with Giant magazine.

*Adverse Impact on Career: Wrigley suspended Brown's Doublemint gum ad; the Milk Moustache campaign said they were taking the allegations "very seriously"; and Sesame Street pulled a 2007 episode where Brown guest-starred from all future airings. Meanwhile, Rihanna has postponed her concert schedule

*Damage Control: Brown has hired top crisis management expert, Alan Nierob, to help save his career. Nierob, a veteran Hollywood publicist, is most known for reviving Mel Gibson's career after Mel's infamous anti-semitic tirade

Rihanna and Chris Brown - Assault

Rihanna and Chris Brown were scheduled to perform at the Grammy's tonight. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the couple were involved in a car accident and that Al Green will perform in their place. Rihanna's rep did not provide any details, just saying that "Rihanna is well. Thank you for the care and support. "

Let's hope that there are no major injuries.

Update:

Apparently there was no car accident. Rihanna pulled out of performing at the Grammy's after police reported that they were investigating an assault claim against Chris Brown by an unidentified woman. LA police state that Chris Brown argued with said woman on Saturday night and the fight heated up when both left the car that Chris was driving. The woman had visible injuries and identified Chris Brown as her attacker. Chris left the scene before the police had arrived.

Michael Phelps Bonged it Up

He lost the Kellogg's endorsement deal.

Subway was next, allegedly, but the sandwich giant decided to keep him.

Poor Michael Phelps. The bong is indeed powerful.

Ever since his awe-inspiring Olympic victory in Beijing, all the 23-year old Phelps has done -if you rely on press stories - is party it up and hang out with a series of beautiful, pneumatic women. Who could blame him? After training non-stop for years, having no life but swimming, it was time to relax, grow a beer belly and enjoy the female attention.

But Phelps got careless. He forgot how special he was, how much of a celebrity, and unfortunately how to hide before that incriminating photo gets taken. Phelps probably trusted the people he was with, or more likely they were all too high to care - and now Phelps suffers the consequences.

After pics of Phelps and the bong emerged, I wondered to a friend what the repercussions would be. I suggested that if Phelps worked with his PR team to give a good public apology and if he were then pictured swimming vs.partying, sponsors would stay with him. I felt people would forgive bong-gate, if the offender acted sorry enough.

Then Kellogg's dropped Phelps, and I ate some humble pie. He was suspended from competition and financial support for 3 months by USA Swimming, the sports national governing body. Subway was rumoured to be the next sponsor to leave, and although I was sorry for Phelps, I was pleasantly surprised by a world that still taught that good judgement is best and even a simple lapse can have significant consequences. It can be a scary lesson, but shows us the importance of pondering our pathway and that sometimes "sorry" just isn't enough.

You'll be alright, Phelps. Party is over. Back to swimming and the discipline that provides.

Unleashing the Cat

Let's do it
You and me
A private room
I am ready for you
I have my cat o'nine tails
and my shiny purple boots
with spiked heels


::lash #1::
For all the times you spoke to me in your deep, condescending voice
As if I were a little biddy thing, who had absolutely no clue about life
As if I were just too helpless to manage myself in such a big man's world

::lash #2::
For all the times you didn't allow me to finish a sentence
You not only raised your voice
You interrupted me, feeling that what you had to say was more important
You oozed machismo, and added no value

::lash #3::
For all the times you got away with bloody murder
You stayed protected by working the buddy & drinks network
And someone else had to do what you were supposed to
Or clean up after you

::lash #4::
For all the times you could not admit that you were wrong
You became so creative trying to justify your way
You ignored the looks of pity, disgust and shock
And dug even deeper

::lash #5::
For all the times you were so nice
And made us like you, love you
Then you changed again and embraced the ugly
Trampling our trust

::lash #6::
For all the times you denied the true you
That beauty we know is there
Just to massage your ego
And pander to current philosophies

You discipline those you care about, right?
Well, let me be honest
My primary focus right now is me
I need to maintain peace and love when I interact with you
Forgiveness
Of course I too am flawed
And I do not ever want to get to that place where anger is dominant
Where I feel the need to actually pull out the whip
That good ole cat 'o nine
For a person who can't control their spirit
is the most damned of all


Keri S. Smith

You're What I See

I am not even sure why I kinda like you
When I analyzed the data points
Compared it to past trends
I narrowed it down to a couple of things
You respect and love Him
You make me laugh
You are witty, smart
You are multi-faceted
You are sexy
You're there
So what's the hold up?
I did some more analytics and found that
You remind me sometimes of Hugh Hef and Casanova
You talk but don't always act
You often don't get what a woman wants
I am not comfortable being vulnerable with you
I am not sure if you can handle me
But you are there
You make me smile
You are cute
You entertain me
Fill a gap
I can dig you
We have a connection
There's a lot still to explore
But I know that there is a good reason why I never left the "kinda like" phase, and probably never will
Experience has taught me not to invest much here
I ain't mad - the world's my oyster
Patience pays back in spades
Dinner's almost ready
Yum


Keri S Smith

The Raw & The Beautiful

You see her and are transfixed
She is so happy, loudly confident, and alive
Pulsating beauty
She loves life, and is fiercely protective of her special ones
She flouts convention and is often bawdy
People love being around her
She makes you smile, and sometimes wish to be her

But you know that she often goes too far
She likes to shock, cross the line
She spits on the rules
And while you love her freedom of expression - find her so refreshing
You admit that not all of her movements are wise
She seems to buy into empty philosophies about what it is to be a powerful woman
Much of moral law is antiquated, restrictive, sexist
She is definitely courageous; but sometimes she pushes too much, and debases herself
No one dares to guide her, to correct her - to consider that there could be 'an extreme' that is wrong
She is too darn entertaining, too much of a bright spark in this world
They love her way too much to risk killing such amazing energy
And although you know better
That much of what she does is anti-Him
You can honestly find in her a kindred spirit
That candor, the truthfulness of her being her
You also want to embrace the rawness of your humanity
To live you
The truth, no sugar
To say it, how you really want to say it
Guttural, raw, full of fire
Refusing a lukewarm existence
Living without doubt, with light in your life
And that's what you really see in her
so Raw...so Beautiful


Keri S. Smith

Blogworthy moments missed; but the KSS is back!

Happy New Year, everyone!

*Snicker* Well, it's still technically January, Jan 31 to be exact, so it's not totally laughable to be giving the New Year greeting at this stage! Right? *Snicker*

Man, what a time for me to go off the blogging wagon! I mean...

• Obama won the election. My O! face is permanently in place (?!)

• The entire planet descended on Washington, D.C. for O's inauguration; rumor has it that one person actually saw O up close and personal, the rest viewed via Jumbo Trons
  
  


• Aretha's hat makes history



• Hillary Clinton was named Secretary of State



• Dick Cheney claims he did not overstep the boundaries of the Vice Presidency. Not even he can keep a straight face when he reads those words from the cue cards
  
  
  
• Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, in a bid to make money off of the Obama phenomenon -tries to sell O's senate seat. This act allows the beleaguered Eliot Spitzer to seem almost saint like by comparison
  
  
• Bernie Madoff stole billions, prompted suicides, bankrupted charities, and yet still had the gall to whine about being held under house arrest in his Manhattan penthouse
  
  
  
  
• Heather Mills boasts about being more of a guy-magnet than her gorgeous model friends, conveniently forgetting that the guys started chasing only after her networth skyrocketed thanks to Paul McCartney's refusal to sign a prenup



• Brad and Angie continue to replenish planet earth; gorgeous twins added to the human race
  



• Geese force a plane to land in the NY Hudson River
  
• Layoffs, layoffs and more layoffs
  
• John Travolta's son dies at 16
• Paris Hilton tries to remain relevant - launches British version of her BFF show, and bores the heck out of anyone who still cares to watch her
  
• The Hills multiplies, and brings forth The City. Success for Whitney! She's not as stilted as she appears, and her show is renewed for a second season
  
• Britney is back! Daddy Spears finally embraces fatherhood and turns around his daughter's life


• Heath Ledger wows in The Dark Knight
  
• Hugh's bunny loft undergoes repairs. Girls leave, trash Sugargrandaddy, apologize, and continue to show off their younger stud loves. Hef consoles himself with more of the same - young, busty, blonde, and trampy (too harsh?)
  
• Mariah Carey and Nick are still together (yes!)
  
• Wall Street begs taxpayers for handout, while awarding themselves $20Billion in bonuses - executives get blistering tongue lashing from President O

• People watch in awe, get goosebumps, as they see a relevant U.S. president - laughter is heard whenever anyone ponders "what would Bushie do?" if he were still in office
  
  
• Republicans amuse all with their antics. Hillary lost, they pick Palin. Obama wins, they pick Michael Steele



• The blackberry now comes in a flip phone!
  

And so, so many more blogworthy moments.

Well the K.S.S. is back! Happy 2009 y'all. Keep reading!

XOXOX

Quote of the Day: Replacement

You never STOP doing something. You START doing something else

Congrats Tessa Smith - Recent Graduate, with Distinction, from the Executive MBA Program @ the University of the West Indies Mona School of Business

We are so proud of Tessa! She graduated with Distinction from her Exec MBA program at the UWI Mona School of Business (Jamaica).

Tessa received the highest honors for her program, and was one of the few (only) people to graduate with Distinction.

Well done, Tessa. We are happy, impressed and proud.

Greatest Time Waster Known to Man

Darn pretty colors!
Alluring, entertaining
Hotter than reality
Feel...brain...turning...to...mush
Don't care, must keep soaking it up
Yeah, sometimes you hear the conscience
And to assuage the guilt, you make it all legit
For heaven's sake - I am watching educational programs
So what if it was four hours? This is CNN, man
When that argument falls flat, you try the 'pity me' route
It was a long day! I worked hard! Don't you dare blame me for wanting to relax with shows where you don't have to think
Now, you're secretly getting sick of the routine
You see yourself mirrored in some of the losers in the glass
T.V. is the love of your life
You worship this piece of junk
And while that should sadden you...terrify you
You look up and it's still on
You're transfixed
The stupid monster, your best friend, just won't go away
And the hours pass and days go by
Dreams turn to dust
You consider killing the beast
Cancel cable? Sell the contraption?
But what about your buddies - Larry King? David Letterman? Lauren Conrad (*gag*)
Do we really need such extremes?
Couldn't we just be disciplined and turn the stupid thing off
Ha-ha-ha
Addiction doesn't go away that quickly
I need rehab
Rehab
Rehab
Less I am convicted of murdering my best friend in the world
Doesn't sound so bad really
Once past withdrawal, productivity will rule the day
And I will finally be free

Keri S. Smith

Everyone on Planet Earth - except for Sapulpa, Oklahoma - realizes Obama is President of the U.S.A.

Such a historic moment. Barack Obama is President-elect of the U.S.A. The Global media pounces on this newsworthy moment. People scramble to buy newspapers. Collectors editions are rushed to the newsstands. Such excitement. Such activity. None of which is reflected in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, where a local newspaper completely ignored Obama's win.



And now I agree - the world has gone mad.

Sarah Palin - Get a New PR Team - ASAP

Sarah Palin's run for Vice President of the United States was one of her greatest career moves to date. She energized the Republican base. She made it to Saturday Night Live. She drew more crowds than John McCain. She's now officially on the political map and has better name recognition than many other leaders in her party.



There is no doubt that Sarah has made some awful blunders in the past few months. Katie Couric interview, anyone? She also started to very publicly push her own career agenda and dump poor McCain to the curb. Good or bad, my beef is this: her PR team goofed - horribly.

There are so many idiots running around out there that we are blisfully unaware of - all thanks to sharp PR teams. It is only when scandal strikes that we appreciate the value of a strong team. Now, I am not saying that Tom Cruise is an idiot, but we saw how badly his career tanked when he fired his highly experienced PR rep. The public soon began to see the true Cruise - a Couch Jumping-Stepford Wife Loving-Smile Reminds You of The Joker-Crazy Person. What a feat it must have been to hide such madness! Kudos to his former team for their many layers of brilliant PR spin that allowed us to crush on Cruise for so long.


I posit that if Governor Palin had a more experienced and savvy PR team, we would not think that she was a buffoon. This woman had the highest popularity ranking of any politician in the U.S. She was elected Governor of Alaska. She can speak credibily about energy. These are not accomplishments to be taken lightly. Point is, her PR team could have saved her. She cannot be as stupid as she comes across.

As a newbie to this whole process, Sarah Palin was bound to make mistakes. She made too many...and in such a public fashion. The latest example is Sarah's recent CNN interview. Who in their right mind would allow Palin to respond to rumors about her ignorance? Even if it were true that you didn't know that Canada was a part of NAFTA or that Africa was a continent - would you publicly defend yourself in such a manner? What a PR fiasco.




Sarah needs to check in with some of the A-list Hollywood stars. Borrow their PR teams for her run in 2012 - if she still has any credibility left - and allow the spinmeisters to do what they do best: make anyone look good.

Madelyn Dunham - Obama's Grandmother - has died

My heartfelt condolences to Barack Obama and his family on the death of Madelyn Dunham (86), Obama's grandmother. Madelyn died after a battle with cancer. Recently, Obama took some time off of the campaign trail to visit Madelyn in Hawaii. This trip followed another visit he and his family paid to Dunham in August. Obama has now lost both mother and grandmother to cancer. Obama's mother died of cancer at age 53, and he has always regretted thinking that he had more time with her. Thankfully, Obama was able to spend some precious moments with his grandmother before she passed away.

The family released the following statement today about Madelyn:

"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."

How sad that Madelyn passed away on the eve of a historic election.

May God bless the family during this time.

Quote of the Day x 2: Rashid Khalidi and Obama

The McCain campaign seems desperate. Another day, another attack on the alleged terrorist tendencies of Obama. Now, apparently Obama has ties to a 'radical' professor who according to Palin, was a "former spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization." The McCain campaign forgot to mention that McCain gave $500k to Khalidi in the '90s.

First Quote of the day goes to Khalidi in his response to the media on the latest controversy: " I am not speaking to the media at this time, and certainly not until this idiot wind passes."

Second Quote of the day goes to Obama, who when speaking at an event in North Carolina referred to McCain's latest tactic: "I don't know what's next. By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten. I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

Different World

I am ready
Engines are revved
Experience has bred wisdom
Got a new attitude
Mold me, make me
We got our conquer on
Courage, Discipline, Anticipation, and Faith are all in the mix

There is much to do
And blessings galore
No more waiting
Trash the excuses
Here I am
Leverage me

Answer The Call

He said you were special
You were His
He told you how to succeed
How to stay blessed
He blessed you
He loved you
You listened
You didn't fully understand
You rebelled
He warned you what would happen if you did
You were glib, immature, blind
A reckless fool
You rebelled some more

And He loved you
He reached out
He encouraged
Shared role models
You ignored Him
He disciplined
You were stubborn
He disciplined some more - made sure you heard this time
You were humbled
You listened
His Word helped you understand
In tears, you finally saw the mess you had made
How did this happen? This was not you
Even as you regretted it, the pull was still there

Just stop please
Aren't you tired of being here?
This is not you

Believe Him
What would happen if you truly believed what He said?
He wants to give you more than you could ever imagine
Do you get that?!
Allow Him to bless you
He's been reaching out
Aching for you
Allow Him to love you
You don't need to settle for the short-term rush
Don't insult Him
Don't insult yourself
He is always right
Don't pretend otherwise
You'll get hurt

Just Be patient
You know hard-work is required
But you've worked hard before
Remember Him, you and where you want to go
Resist the folly
You can do this
He will always help you
Such strength and power are yours for the taking
If you follow the plan

The stakes are high
Stay strong, beautiful
He's rooting for you


Keri S. Smith

NightmAIRs - Another Airline Fiasco

How much frustration can you bear before you totally lose it? Thankfully, I am yet to find out.

After an exhausting few days, I was looking forward to getting back home. I arrive at the airport and am told that I have been re-booked on a later flight, with a connection on a different airline. I think "no problem", I have a lot of things I can do as I wait for the plane. I check my bags, go through security and use my laptop until it is time to board. When I land I walk over to the service agent and ask where I need to go for the connecting flight. It wasn't within walking distance. I have to take a bus. Fine. I still had 1 hr and 20 mins. before my flight was scheduled to depart. To be on the safe side, I ask the agent to re-confirm my reservation, especially since it was on a different airline. After I get the OK, I head for the shuttle.

Twenty minutes later, I find the stop and board the shuttle. At the connecting airline location, I walk to the kiosk and swipe my credit card. The only reservation that shows up is for "Ken Smith". Didn't I ask the agent to ensure I was on the flight?

Sigh. I join the line to speak to the counter clerk. An airline rep approaches me and asks me why I am in the line. I tell her I can't find my reservation. She smiles at me and tells me that sometimes the machines don't work so I should try again. I leave the line and she accompanies me back to the kiosk. I swipe the card. No reservation. Duh. She smiles and laughs sheepishly. I try to smile, but can't. I walk back and re-join the line.

At the counter I explain my story to the clerk. She checks the system. She sees my name. Eureka! Wait, I hear her telling me that she sees a reservation but no ticket. She can't let me board the plane without a ticket. Fair enough. However, since I paid, I would like to board the plane. Pretty please. She tells me that the other airline made an error in the ticketing process and I don't have a ticket. She calls the other airline. No answer. She calls again. No answer. After the third try she gives up. She tells me she can't help me. "Go to the ticketing line please."

Sigh. I walk to the ticketing line. There is no one at the counter. I turn around. Yes, the sign says "Ticketing." I ask a nearby rep if I am in the right place, she says yes. She tells me to wait for the appropriate rep who is now on break and will be back in 10 mins. OMG.

I wait. After 8 mins., Mr. Break returns and keeps his head down as he focuses on his computer screen. Hello?! I am the only person in his line, and did I mention that I have less than half-an-hour to catch a flight that I-don't-have-a-ticket-for? He still doesn't look up. I decide to make him. I walk closer to the counter and say hello. He tells me to wait because he needs to first log in to his computer.

I wait. He asks how he can help me. I tell him the story. I am becoming sick of this story. He tells me the same thing as the counter clerk, ticketing mistake, no ticket, blah, blah, blah. He calls the other airline. They put him on hold. They return and acknowledge the mistake. He tells me I need to go back to their counter for them to resolve it. Yes - the counter in that distant land - a bus ride way. I ask about my bags, he doesn't know where they are, but the other airline should be able to help. He says sorry. At this point I wonder if it is the right time to dissolve into a noisy, messy, completely gratifying and totally useless hissy fit. I consider trying out for the first time my Incredible Hulk routine. I am ultra frustrated. Then, I remember that God said that He doesn't give me more than I can bear. I hold on to to that passage...squeeze tight...pulverize it...and then embrace it. I tell the agent thanks and leave.

When I get back to the original airline I am greeted by a line. I wait. Is there any other option? Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a woman trying to cut the line. I give her a hard stare. She misses it as she never looks in my direction. Doesn't matter - I know that there is no way Ms. Line Cutter is getting ahead of me. And she doesn't.

Finally I get to speak to the agent. I repeat the story. I might gag on this story. She starts to tell me that it was because I was late that I missed the flight. I think about what it would be like to leap over the counter. I calmly tell Ms. Jump to the Wrong Conclusions that it was her airline error that caused the issue. She gets it and tries to help. Somehow during the process I get passed over to a young and personable guy. I tell him the story. Sigh. It's OK though because he seems more on top of things. Mr. Young and Personable tells me there are no more flights for the day. I had already assumed that, and knew that later I would have to manage the impact on scheduled activities, but for now I just wanted a new flight booking and a place to stay for the night.

Mr. Young and Personable re-books me and gives me a hotel voucher. I ask for a meal voucher. No, they don't have those anymore. I look at him incredulously and say nothing. He prints out the relevant documentation for the flight. I ask him to guarantee that there will be no more errors. He walks me through the documentation. I ask him again to ensure I won't have any problems tomorrow. I think he feels my pain as he goes to the back room and returns with his supervisor. She tells him to give me a 2-night stay at the hotel vs. 1 so that I would not be homeless during the day while I waited for the next flight. True customer service rears its head and I was surprised and touched. I thank them. They apologize for the mess - it took them 1 hour to say sorry - but it is exactly what I need to hear. After the supervisor leaves, I look at Mr. Young and Personable and decide to tell him something. Although I didn't go all Big Green Hulk on him, I know and have seen other customers do that. I tell him that he has the right attitude and calm personality that will work very well with frustrated customers. He beams, smiles and then laughs with me.

I leave in search of the hotel shuttle. I wait. I hear screaming. I look down - it's my feet. Trudging to and fro in high heels is brutal. I wait. A driver pulls up and asks me what I am waiting for. This is his third time around the circle and has seen me standing there for a while. I tell him what hotel shuttle I want. He proceeds to describe how the shuttle would look- the color and exactly where on the shuttle the sign with the name of the hotel would be located. How nice of him. Wait. Do I seem mentally challenged? After giving his description, he smiles and leaves. As soon as he drives off, the hotel shuttle I need arrives. How ironic or funny. Maybe later I will figure out which one and give the appropriate response.

The shuttle doors open, and I limp inside. I collapse on the seat and lean my head on the railing. I can't wait to get to the hotel room and finally eat dinner. Oops - no meal voucher. I guess I will snack on my crushed banana.

I am tired, hungry and feeling beige, but I know I am blessed. I have a place to stay, a flight confirmation, my Bible, my laptop, one outfit (I am wearing it), and a dented banana. There are others worse off. I think.

I pray that I never repeat this day.

Is Anderson Cooper's laugh that bad?!

Open It Up

Self-sufficient
Independent
Reticent about asking for help
Not wanting to bother people
Preferring to give than to receive
Sometimes in the extreme
Priding yourself on that
Relishing the joy associated with helping others
But stubborn about reaching out and asking for help
Denying them that same pleasure
Until you are forced to
You become so weak, you can hardly speak or move
You are in so much pain
When there is no possible way that you can do it alone
Where without them, without them...you are not sure what would have become of you
And the kindness
The loving caress, word, gesture
Brings tears to your eyes
And you are overwhelmed by the generosity
It feels awkward, but you embrace the rawness of the emotions
You marvel at how easily strangers have become your best friends
How much friends really love you
And how your acceptance of their kindness blesses them as much as you are blessed by them


Keri S. Smith

I am Not a Guinea Pig

I think I am pretty patient
I try to show mercy, so that the same can be shown to me
But every now and then
Every now and then
Someone or Something just makes me want to lose it
Fine, everyone needs to learn
How can we get better if we don't practice?
I get it, and am OK with it
But, when it is late at night, and I am quite unwell
Please, I beg you, please
Do not wake me up to practice
I empathize that you didn't get what the more experienced people saw
I get that you want to see it
To improve, to be the best you can be
But right now, right now
I don't have the patience to be your guinea pig
And after you tried for a long time and weren't successful
I wasn't mad, I was just tired
My head was killing me, I just wanted a break
But did you have to ask the one who was successful for pointers while you were still in hearing distance?
Yes, you want to learn, you want to improve
But it's not just about you
And while I work to be patient, and kind
Can you please at least pretend that I am more than a test case for you to learn?
That you are not just using me to fine-tune your skills?
That you care about my well-being
And I in turn will be more than happy for you to leverage me to enhance your knowledge


Keri S. Smith

I Am Nothing, He is Everything

You really don't know anything
You speak as if tomorrow is a given
As if you have any clue about what the future days will hold
As if you are in control of life, health, strength
And then you are humbled
You recognize the arrogance
And you still think you know something
That you can predict some of the basics about tomorrow
And again you are humbled
And you realize that you know nothing
That everything is a gift
That you have been richly blessed
That you have taken much for granted
That the only thing that is sure is Him and following His Word
That when all is stripped away, it's only His love that sustains you
And you cry as you learn the lesson...as you try to get all that He is teaching you
As you recognize how gracious He has been
And experience that all other foundation is sinking sand
You begin to see that you really can do nothing without Him
And through the tears, you understand that bread alone will not sustain you
But every word that proceeds out of His mouth provides life
And you embrace peace, because worrying will do nothing, planning can be futile and prayers work wonders
He's in control of all
And all things work together for good to those who love Him


Keri S. Smith

Hats Off to Senator Hillary Clinton - Great Speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC)

Hillary aced it.

Excellent speech. Classy. Poignant.

Senator Clinton had the right words for her die-hard supporters via a loving, heartfelt thank you, while expertly directing them to move beyond personalities to the real issues. "Were you in this only for me?", she asked the crowd. She also complimented her husband and herself by highlighting the fact that Obama can do this - why? - well, because it has already been done before, during the Bill and Hill years. Clinton was very bullish about Michelle Obama - and Michelle's great opening night speech - and about Senator Biden and his wife Jill.

Clinton also incorporated the right amount of content on key issues - she had good messages on universal health care, the war in Iraq and women's rights.

The Senator was chockful of wonderful quotables: "No way, No how, No McCain." "Keep going, if you want a taste of freedom, keep going. I have seen it. Keep going." "We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare. Think about your children and grandchildren on election day."

My LOL moment of the speech was when Hillary defined herself as a proud mother, proud American, proud NY Senator, proud supporter of Barack Obama....a proud everything except for a proud wife!

Much respect to Senator Hillary Clinton. Great unifying message. Well done. Well done.

Obama Picks Harshest Critic as Running Mate - Welcome Sen. Joe Biden!

And he has chosen...

It's not Hillary. Not Evan. Not Tim. Joe got the #2 spot.



The Obama campaign announced that Senator Joe Biden from Delaware has been selected as his running mate. Joe beat the other contenders, NY Sen. Hillary Clinton, Indiana Sen. Evan Byah and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

Joe brings major credentials to Obama's run for Presidency. The Senator - 65 - was elected to the senate in 1972, is currently serving his sixth term and wears the proud title of Delaware's longest-serving senator. Not only that, but he has a reputation as one of the best on foreign policy and currently heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden recently returned from a two-day trip to the Republic of Georgia after the invasion by Russian troops.

Not a bad resume, Biden. Actually pretty good...and definitely throws a punch at the McCain campaign's argument that Obama is weak on foreign policy. It also helps that Biden has strongly criticized Obama in the past. I think it adds credibility to the Obama ticket, because if a critic as strong as Biden has now deemed it worthy to join Obama and - in himself - addresses Obama's perceived gaps, that certainly erases some of the concerns persons have voiced about Obama's inexperience.

Here's what Joe has said about Obama:

In a debate during the democratic primary contest:

*Who among us is going to be able on day one to step in an end the war? Who among us understands what to do about Pakistan? Who among us is going to pick up the phone and immediately interface with Putin and tell him to lay off Georgia because Saakashvili is in real trouble. Who among us knows what they're doing? I have 35 years of experience"

During another debate, when moderator George Stephanopoulos referred to some of Biden's comments on Obama, Biden reconfirmed them:

* "You were asked, 'Is he ready?' You said, 'I think he can be ready, but right now, I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training,'" Stephanopoulos said. "I think I stand by that statement," Biden replied.

However, Senator Biden was quick to note in July that Obama's wisdom was better than McCain's war record. Biden said, "But 20 years of experience that has not been very solid in terms of projecting what was going to happen just doesn't make you a better commander-in-chief. We don't need as a commander-in-chief a war hero. John's a war hero. We need someone with some wisdom."

Of course the GOP will be digging up the dirt on Biden (as Obama's camp will do when McCain announces his running mate). But for now this is what Ben Porritt, McCain's campaign spokesman, had to say: "There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing -- that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."

Again, I think it strengthens Obama's campaign that a former critic, and a very experienced and respected foreign policy veteran, has accepted Obama's offer to join as running mate.

What do you think about the Obama-Biden ticket?

*********

Quick Stats on Biden (courtesy of CNN)

*Candidate status: Dropped out January 3, 2008

*Filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC on January 31, 2007

*States won: None

*Current job: U.S. senator from Delaware

*Birth date: November 20, 1942; Scranton, Pennsylvania

*Family: Married Jill Tracy Jacobs (1977-present); Neila Hunter (1966-1972, died). Children: Joseph "Beau"; Robert; Amy (1971-1972); Ashley (1981). Five grandchildren

*Religion: Roman Catholic

*Education: University of Delaware, B.A., 1965; Syracuse University, J.D., 1968

*Campaign Web site: http://www.joebiden.com/

Jamaica's Men Relay Team Wins Gold in 4x100m Final

Another day, and there are some more medals for Jamaica in the Olympics!

Congratulations to our 4x100m men's relay team: Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. The men won gold and broke the world record with a time of 37.10 seconds. Bolt ran the third leg of the relay and passed the baton to Asafa who took it home for the team gold. I am so happy Asafa got his first gold!

Apparently Bolt kept running after he passed the baton to Asafa and ended up beating one of the team's competing in the race. LOL!

Congrats also to Trinidad and Tobago who won the silver in 38.06 seconds and Japan who took the bronze in 38.15 seconds.

LOL Read of the Day: Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps

I really enjoyed reading the following article by Tim Dahlberg for the Associated Press entitled "First Phelps, then Bolt in Olympic greatness". Please see below:

----------------------------

BEIJING -- First the fastest man in the water. Now the fastest man on Earth.

The Chinese are having themselves quite the Olympics.

Michael Phelps gave us something we'll probably never see again. Usain Bolt followed with something we had to see to believe.

He ran like Secretariat on two legs, blew away the field like Tiger Woods playing in a club championship.

It looked easy because it was. His fellow sprinters looked befuddled because they were.

No one was ever supposed to be this fast. No one was ever supposed to be this good. A few days earlier Bolt clowned around on his way to a world record in the 100, toying with the other runners as if asking them why they had even bothered.

For his encore, he kept running all the way to the finish line to smash a world record in the 200 that had stood the test of time.

He did it while Phelps was jetting off to London, his eight gold medals safely stored and his place in this Olympics assured. These were always Phelps' games, at least as far as NBC and its American audience were concerned, but Bolt reminded us that television doesn't always dictate who is the star of the games.

The numbers can be debated, and they certainly will in the rural Jamaican parish that grows yams and sprinters. Two gold medals (with a possible third still to come in the 400 relay) against eight hardly seems a fair fight, but this was dominance as utter on land as it was in the pool.

Bolt did what no one thought possible, not only winning the races that define human speed but setting world records in both. He was so far ahead in both races that he could have turned around and run backward the last 30 meters and still won.

Then he did something Phelps always looked uncomfortable doing.

He celebrated.

Not just a little wave to the crowd, quick hug to a teammate kind of celebration.

A real celebration.

Bolt kissed the track and draped himself in the Jamaican flag. He danced and preened, showed everyone his golden spikes, and watched himself on the giant video screen at the end of the stadium.

He might still be dancing had they not needed to clear the track for Melaine Walker to add to Jamaica's track treasures with a gold medal of her own in the 400 hurdles.

We watched last week as Phelps gave his mother flowers after all of his wins, a nice touch that NBC wasn't shy about showing. Bolt gave his country -- and a sport that was badly in need of a boost -- an even bigger present with his startling run into history.

"He's a bad mamma-jamma," said silver medalist Shawn Crawford. "The guy came out and made this the best Olympics of my lifetime."

Actually, what Bolt did was wrap a bow around these games as almost certainly the best Olympics of anyone's lifetime. What else could they be when a man in the water did such astonishing things the first week and a man on the track did equally astonishing things the second.

Phelps started it all by thrilling everyone in his relentless -- and ultimately successful -- bid to break a 36-year-old record held by Mark Spitz.

And Bolt? All he did was bring down Superman.

"He's Superman 2," said Michael Johnson, who got his nickname after shocking the world with the 19.32 he ran in the 1996 Olympics.

No he's not. He's so good he deserves a nickname of his own.

"My name is Lightning Bolt, not Flash Gordon," Bolt said.

On this sultry night in the Bird's Nest, the Lightning Bolt struck quickly, with Bolt coming out of the turn with a big lead on his way to a 19.30 that will stand until the next time he wants to beat it. While other runners pump their fists and grind down the track, the 6-foot-5 Bolt seems to glide above it as if he's wearing a cape of his own.

He runs for fun and he runs for glory. Then he runs for a microphone to tell the world all about it.

"I blew my mind," Bolt said. "I blew the world's mind."

Yes he did, because the world didn't see this coming. While Phelps was a known commodity after winning six golds in Athens, Bolt was untested on the biggest stage and had to talk his coach into letting him enter the 100 as well as run his favorite 200.

He ran both so fast that the whispers were beginning before Bolt even draped himself in the flag. That's the way things are in track, where three of the last five Olympic 100 winners eventually tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and where startling times are greeted with suspicion.

But Bolt has been tested four times in the past few weeks, three of them blood tests, and come up clean. His coaches insist it's raw talent and hard work that makes him so fast, and we might just have to accept that he's a freak of nature.

It's not fair to question Bolt, and it wouldn't be fair to question what makes Phelps go so fast.

Just sit back and appreciate the magical moments two great athletes gave us when it mattered the most.

Jamaica Got Gold, Jamaica Tied for Silver...But U(SA) were Technically Fourth. What to do??

P.S. Thanks Chrissy Jackson for the photo shopped version. Black, green and gold all the way!

Jamaica does it again...Gold and Bronze in the Women's 200m Final!! I feel good...nahnahnahnaha...so good...so good (sung like James Brown)

Another day, some more Olympic medals for Jamaica.

Is it possible to burst with pride? I hope I don't find out...but I am getting really close.

Our very own Veronica Campbell-Brown won gold in the women's 200m final in Beijing. Veronica - 26 -ran her personal best at 21.74 seconds. Thank you, Veronica. We are very proud of you.

Veronica was thrilled about her victory. She had this to say: "I am very happy. It's great to come out and defend my gold medal. It's been great to see Jamaica get a clean sweep of the sprints. Now I have to concentrate on the relays." That's right Veronica, stay focused!

Wait! We aren't done yet.

Not to be left out, Kerron Stewart, fresh off of her silver victory in the 100m final, got bronze in the 200m with her time of 22.00 seconds. Congrats, Kerron!

Now many have been wondering, how can such a small island nation dominate the world stage in such a phenomenal manner. Well, our Jamaican Track and Field Authorities have said it is because Jamaica is now "looking after its own" and refusing to let Jamaica's best young athletes be poached by U.S. colleges and naturalised in the U.S. Asafa is a great example of this strategy. He did not accept the many offers to move to the U.S. and instead remained in Jamaica and was coached by Jamaicans. According to the Australian Herald Sun, this has "helped stimulate passion about the sport in Jamaica with young prospective runners seeing their heroes stay at home and then dominate the world - this year like never before." Thank God for wisdom!

OK, back to our latest medal winners - Veronica and Kerron. Ladies, let me know when I can join you in the victory dance! Nuh Linga? Gully Creepa? Or as my friend Donald says, maybe an old school Bogle? I hope to partake in our soon-to-be (please Senor Bruce G!!) National Holiday to honour our team's mind-blowing performance in the 2008 Olympics.

Proud to be....every time.

Happy Birthday, Usain Bolt!

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday, dear USAIN

Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!!

Congrats on making Jamaica so proud...and oh, also congrats on your 2 Gold medals.

How does it feel to be the fastest man in the world, Usain??

God is fabulous.

Proud to be a Jamaican...every time

Looks Like Bruce Golding Heard Us - National Holiday for Jamaica May Soon Be A Reality to Celebrate Olympic Victories!

We have all been clamoring for a National Holiday to celebrate our historic Olympic wins...and now it seems that our Prime Minister may heed the call.

According to Reuters, Bruce Golding said he hoped to declare a national holiday after the Olympics to celebrate Jamaica's magnificent wins. Bruce also said that, “Usain Bolt is a super human being. The world has never seen anything like him."

Source: Yahoo! Sports

This is Wonderful Madness...Another Gold for Jamaica....Melaine Walker Breaks Record in 400m Hurdles!!

Wow!!

I don't know what to do with myself. Back-to-back gold medals for Jamaica.

Melaine Walker won the gold in the 400m Hurdles finals. Her time of 52.64 seconds is an Olympic record.

OK - Isn't it time for a National Holiday now???? Come on, Bruce!!!

I AM SO PROUD OF MY COUNTRY!!!! GOD IS GOOD!!!

YAYAYAYA!!!

Usain Bolt Wins Gold...AGAIN....in the 200m Finals

Congrats again, Usain!!

Bolt won gold in the 200m finals and broke the "unbreakable" world record with a run of 19.30 seconds.

Tomorrow is also Bolt's birthday. He will be 22. Happy Birthday, Usain. The crowd sang Bolt Happy Birthday in celebration today. How magnificent. Usain, you are making us so, so proud!!

Go Jamaica!! Proud to be...every time :)

Instant Gratification Sweetly Sucketh

I want it NOW!
Gimme MORE!
Entertain me, Feed me, Pamper me, Relax me, Reward me
X-me
You won't? It can't? Wait?
No!

She always tries to remind us of the promises, the better we have planned
And we block her out
Why won't she just shut up? Doesn't she know that we are on a mission to satisfy the want now and nothing will ruin our fun?
Me-now, Me-now, Me-now

Yes...in the moment...it feels...good
Admit it
And in the next, as the happy quickly transpires, that me is again left to clean up the mess
Admit it
Oh, how she wishes she were heard before the moment, so that she could strangle some sense into us
And makes us see that a little patience, a little faith, will lead us to a more permanent joy


Keri S. Smith

Does Opportunity Really Need To Smack You in the Face Before You Step Up and Take It?

LOL Sighting of the Day: Save the Planet T-Shirt

I saw a pretty cool t-shirt today - on the body of a teen male - it read:

Keep the World Clean. It's not Uranus.

Jamaica Did It Again - Our Women Won Gold, and TWO Silvers in the 100m Finals. I am tingling!!

Wow. Jamaica did it again.

Our women made history in the 100m final in Beijing. For the first time in Olympic history a country - Jamaica - has taken the first three positions in this event. Shelly-Ann Fraser (21) won gold in 10.78 seconds - her best time to date. Then, Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart both tied for second place in 10.98 seconds. Both Sherone and Kerron collected silver medals.

Man, I always knew Jamaica was special. We have had so many greats over the years across sports, music, politics...everything. This is just more of the same. Thank you God.

Jamaica is now officially the world's fastest nation!! YES WE CAN!!



Proud to be a Jamaican...every time!!!

For more on Jamaica's wins in the Beijing Olympics see:
http://kerijam.blogspot.com/2008/08/usain-bolt-wins-gold-in-olympic-100m.html

Note: Jamaica has also achieved the first sweep of men's and women's 100m golds in any Olympics since 1988

Usain Bolt Wins Gold in the Olympic 100m Final in Beijing AND Sets a New World Record!!

Congrats, Usain Bolt!!

Usain won the 100m men's final in 9.69 seconds, beating his own world record. He more than left the other men in the dust.



Jamaica has much to be proud of here. We had 3 athletes competing in the finals: Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Michael Frater. All 3 train in Jamaica with Jamaican coaches. Also, kudos to the Caribbean in general - as a region we had six men competing in the 100m finals. Congrats to Richard Thompson from Trinidad and Tobago who came in 2nd!

Very impressive Jamaica and the Caribbean...but, back to Usain...because who could really take their eyes off of his awe-inspiring performance? As the BBC commentators said, "how can you even talk about the people who were second and third when you've just seen something like that...the greatest performance of the 100m...new superlatives are required."

http://www.sportstrick.com/play.php?vid=1213 (Replay of the race on BBC)

Go Usain!! Go Jamaica!!

I am so proud to be a Jamaican...every time!!

P.S. Happy Birthday, Usain. His birthday is on August 20th :)

P.S. #2 Here's a write-up on Usain's performance in the Jamaica Gleaner: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080817/cleisure/cleisure1.html

Update: Usain's Birthday is actually August 21st. Thanks!

Hold Up - Quick Fixes Don't Work?

Let's Not Get Cocky...Remember it's All Him...Humble Ourselves and He will Lift Us Up :)

Psalm 75

1 We give thanks to you, O God,
we give thanks, for your Name is near;
men tell of your wonderful deeds.

2 You say, "I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge uprightly.

3 When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.
Selah

4 To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,'
and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns.

5 Do not lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak with outstretched neck.' "

6 No one from the east or the west
or from the desert can exalt a man.

7 But it is God who judges:
He brings one down, he exalts another.

8 In the hand of the LORD is a cup
full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
drink it down to its very dregs.

9 As for me, I will declare this forever;
I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.

10 I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.

Also see:

http://kerijam.blogspot.com/2008/02/relax-hes-got-it.html

Practice Makes Perfect

Fly Much?

You know you are a very frequent flier when on Sunday you get to church extra early and have your pick of seats, and the usher asks you where you want to go, and you say "I'd like an aisle seat, please".

Quote of the Day: Wickedness

"Wickedness, when you examine it, turns out to be the pursuit of some good in the wrong way. You can be good for the mere sake of goodness: you cannot be bad for the mere sake of badness. You can do a kind action when you are not feeling kind and when it gives you no pleasure, simply because kindness is right; but no one ever did a cruel action simply because cruelty is wrong - only because cruelty was pleasant or useful to him. In other words badness cannot succeed even in being bad in the same way in which goodness is good. Goodness is, so it speak, itself: badness is only spoiled goodness. And there must be something good first before it can be spoiled."

~C.S.Lewis, excerpt from What Christians Believe

Quote of the Day: The Best

It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.

~W. Somerset Maugham

When Your Anger Doesn't Have that Ummph

Prices at Parkington Pharmacy, Kingston, Jamaica

Persons have come to me in outrage over some of the prices at Parkington Pharmacy in Kingston, Jamaica. For example, customers were shocked to find that a package of wheat biscuits, which cost J$12 at the local supermarket, were being sold for J$30 at the pharmacy. Held hostage by hunger, some patrons still bought the biscuits, but were steaming mad as they chewed their expensive cuisine.

Jamaica Observer Website Down

The Jamaica Observer website is down. It appears parties may have hacked the website earlier. Stay tuned.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/


Update:

The website earlier showed a link stating "hacked by Adanali" in the Related Articles section of the page. Here's the page view that was up:
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20080723T020000-0500_138189_OBS__DAVID_SMITH_ALIVE_AND_KICKING_.asp

The website is now back up and running.

Quote of the Day: Willpower

"Willpower by itself is not enough. If we want to achieve lasting change, we must have an effective strategy."

~Anthony Robbins

When the Brat Attack is Justified...

*Almost every week for several months, you travel with the same carry-on luggage. You stow it with no problems in the overhead compartment of the plane. This week...this week!...they decide to tell you that the bag is too big to go on the plane and that they have started charging people for bags. You politely explain that you have been travelling with their airline for what seems like forever with no issues. They still ask you to put your bag into the silver grilled case to test if it can actually fit on the plane.

DOES ANYONE'S roller bag EVER PERFECTLY fit into those things?



You are obedient and proceed to put your bag - yes, the same one you carry every week - into that silver thing. It fits half-way. They start to tell you that you need to check your bag. That if you force your bag into the overhead compartment on the plane the same way you are forcing it into that silver thing, you will scratch the plane. You look at them - long and hard. You mumble something about never scratching their plane.

You check your bag and the inner brat THREATENS to come out. But you are silent and play it cool. You are just so annoyed with these jokers and their policy and wonder to yourself what on earth is the value of the elite status you hold on their airline, if you can't even carry a simple roller bag onto their plane.


------


*You browse the store and select 2 magazines. You hear a noise from the cashier that sounds something like $11.95. You look up at the register. You heard right. $11.95 for 2 magazines. You return one of them. That day has come. You can no longer casually buy magazines. Rationing is in effect.

Paging A Barf Bag: Juici's Vegetarian Patties Contain Kidney Fat!!

Someone I know was happily chowing down on their Juici Vegetarian Patty when they were asked, "Why are you eating beef suet?". I am not sure what happened immediately after the question was asked, but I assume shocked expressions and some gagging ensued. A little while later a call was made to Juici to find out if beef suet was indeed included in patties that catered to the vegetarian/vegan crowd. The surprising answer was that all Juici Patties contain beef suet.

Oh no they didn't!

Hordes of us have been innocently licking our lips after many a Juici veggie patty and now we are racing to the loo as we imagine how much kidney fat we have unwillingly ingested over the years.

I am queasy as I type this, but I must go on.

So, as the story continues, a complaint was then made to Jamaica's Consumer Affairs office, asking them to contact Juici and have the company make it clear for all customers that even their veggie patties contained non-veggie items. As of the time of this report, the CAC has stated that

1) the Juici patty crust does have kidney fat, and that this ingredient is noted if you purchase a box of patties, but not a bag
2) Juici tried using non-animal materials in the crust, but the taste was not up to par
3) Vegetables and soy are the only fillings
4) Customers should buy the veggie loaf if they don't want any animal fat

First, thanks to the CAC for following up and for their timely response. Secondly - LOL! Who buys a box of patties for lunch? Most consumers use the bag. Most vegans/vegetarians do not want to consume meat, and would like to be told if a vegetarian meal includes meat, because that would never be the expectation. Finally, buy the veggie loaf instead? LOL! Seriously? I bought a patty, because I wanted a patty.

Discussions are still underway. Resolution is quite simple though - Juici, just let your consumers know about the kidney fat. And please, please, find a non-animal alternative - it can be done and still taste yummy.

What a sad day it is. No more Juici veggie patties for now - until the meat is removed. *Sob* Come on, Juici. Do better for your loyal customers. We know you can!

Update - July 23, 2008

The Management of Juici Patties, based on conversations with the CAC, has decided to put up signs in their branches advising customers about the ingredients contained in their veggie and soy patties.

Yay-progress. Let's see how soon these signs will be posted. I also hope the company tries to find a non-meat alternative for the crust, because those patties - and the customers - are worth it!

LOL Comment of the Day: Matthew McConaughey's kid

"McConaughey baby born wearing more clothes than Daddy"

~Pop Chart, Time Magazine

Gov. David Paterson is not Feeling Spitzer

NY Gov. Paterson was at Russell Simmons' Art for Life Benefit at Simmons' home in the Hamptons last Saturday when he took a couple of jabs at dah Spitz.

Here's what went down according to the NY Post:

GOV. David Paterson has little love for his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer - and isn't above taking a few pot shots at him. At Russell Simmons' Art for Life Benefit at Simmons' Hamptons home Saturday night, Paterson received a standing ovation when he was introduced. He cracked, "You can slow it down; I get paid by the hour" - an obvious dig at Spitzer's call-girl fiasco. He later highlighted the importance of art education and said, "I'm not sure if you all got the memo, but there's a new sheriff in town," again bringing the crowd to its feet.

10 Questions with Tim Gunn via Time Magazine

Tim Gunn is the host of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. He currently mentors designers on Project Runway. Here are his answers to 10 Questions courtesy of Time Magazine.

---------

With which designer, dead or alive, would you like to spend a lunch dishing fashion ideas?
Oh, the first really seminal designer of the 20th century: Coco Chanel. That would be some lunch. If it were a living designer, there's no one more fabulous to have lunch with than Diane von Furstenberg.



Michelle Obama or Cindy McCain?
Michelle Obama. Absolutely. She looks so comfortable and relaxed in her style, in her fashion, and she exudes that. She has a presence that gives you confidence in her.




What's the worst fashion trend you've ever seen?
Well, sandals with socks are certainly up there. Generally speaking, it's footwear trends. I mean, the Croc - it looks like a plastic hoof. How can you take that seriously? I know it's comfortable; I understand that. But if you want to dress to feel as though you never got out of bed, don't get out of bed.





How can I look as stylish as you on what is probably a lower budget?
The key to getting your fashion right is the same for men and women. First of all, know who you are and how you want the world to perceive you. Understand what colors, what patterns look good on you and the whole interaction of silhouette, proportion and fit. If you can get that right, you'll look great in anything.

What would be the most important pieces to invest in now that won't go out of style?
A classic blazer or jacket would be a wonderful purchase. I have my 10-essentials list for getting your wardrobe right. It's the blazer, the classic white shirt, a skirt, a day dress, a basic black dress, black pants, jeans, a sweater of some kind and a trench coat - you can wear it to the grocery store or the opera. The last one is a sweat-suit alternative - something that you feel good in and look good in and that you can go out and walk the dog in.

Is there anyone whose fashion choices you always love?
Angelina Jolie. She knows what's occasion-appropriate. She knows what she looks good in. She's sexy without ever being remotely vulgar. I think she has a fabulous sense of style and a fabulous sense of who she is.





What is your favorite decade of fashion?
The '60s. I don't think we've ever seen in any decade as much of a transition in how people dress. From the Kennedy years - very polished, very sophisticated - we go to Woodstock and hippie-dom and Carnaby Street and Twiggy and the mini. Quite a lot of drama happened.

What factors help determine tomorrow's fashions?
I'm frequently asked where fashion is going, and my response is, if I knew or if the industry knew, we'd already be there. There are so many things that can trigger a trend. It may be something from the street - witness hip-hop. It may be something from a fashion show.

What movie or TV cast has had the biggest impact on fashion?
Sex and the City. Absolutely, hands down. Thank you, Sarah Jessica Parker.

What is your favorite thing to wear?
There is no better feeling for me than to go to a black-tie event in a classic tuxedo. Every man looks great in a tux.

Quote of the Night: The Key To Mandela

"Ultimately, the key to understanding Mandela is those 27 years in prison. The man who walked onto Robben Island in 1964 was emotional, headstrong, easily stung. The man who emerged was balanced and disciplined. "

~Richard Stengel

Source: Mandela - His 8 Lessons of Leadership, Robert Stengel, Time Magazine

Quote of the Day: Mandela on Fear

"I can't pretend that I'm brave and that I can beat the whole world." But as a leader, you cannot let people know. "You must put up a front."

~Nelson Mandela


Source: Mandela - His 8 Lessons of Leadership, Richard Stengel, Time Magazine

Quote of the Hour: Nelson Mandela's Light

"In the 1990s I worked with Mandela for almost two years on his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. After all that time spent in his company, I felt a terrible sense of withdrawal when the book was done; it was like the sun going out of one's life."

~Richard Stengel on Nelson Mandela

Source: Mandela - His 8 Lessons of Leadership, Time Magazine

OMG - Can I get a tissue? How inspiring. I still have the chills...WOW

I was touched after I viewed the following:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513


Here's the transcript that accompanied the video:


A Father's Love

A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?' The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'. They went on to complete the marathon together. Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.'To which, his father said 'Yes' .For those who didn't know, Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever. The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86 kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile (42.195 kilometer) marathon along the coast of the Big Island

Father and son went on to complete the race together. View this

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

The View: Discussion on the "N" Word

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwFUY3s-w-s&feature=email


What say you?

I thought Elisabeth Hasselbeck was brave to speak her mind without being intimidated. While she did come across as defensive, young and could definitely work on her listening skills, overall I give her major brownie points for sticking it out.

Using Hello as an Attack

Yo!
I know you know me
I know you saw me
I know you are trying to avoid me

FORGET THAT - "Hello! YOU HEARD ME?! HELLLLO!"
Your mama or someone taught you manners
Whatever is bugging you
If you have ought against me
If you just don't feel in the mood
Doesn't matter
Open your mouth and say something - doesn't even have to be "Hello"...I'll take a "Hi"
You know what? You can even shut your mouth and just nod in my general direction
BUT don't act like you didn't see me
Especially since you almost knocked me over in your hurry to look the other way

Consider yourself notified
Malice and bad manners are just so last season
I promise you this
I will see you
AND I will tell you "Hello"...as loudly as is required

Keri S. Smith

That Place

It doesn't really qualify as a happy place
But it is where you sometimes go when you want to suspend reality, to be comforted, to pretend
You created the oasis
The different scenes, multiple plots
Characters change with the seasons of your emotions and experiences
And overtly or not, you always have one of the starring roles

This place is not for kids
It is never illegal
It is a bit of wishful thinking
And in some cases, it is something you hope never, ever comes true
Can't call it ugly
But when you are honest, you admit that sometimes it is not truly good

The place serves some purpose...it continues to exist
And every now and then
You re-enter, play your part, and play it well

Keri S. Smith

Stay True to the Purple, Darling

It's part of the process
The yucky part?
Wading through the seas until you again find that special magic
Self-coaching is involved
Because you remember that whenever you shut that door, or ignored it
Life was good
You had fun
You conquered
You were satisfied
But you are an all-rounder, and want to experience all He put out there
So, you self-coach to make it a big party
To smile through the mistakes, the unknowns, the disappointments, the smacks
And you stay open, remembering your core
and living it all like there was no tomorrow
Sans resentment
Sans fear
NEXT-ing quickly through the toxic thems
And just being you - bright, lively and loving, purple brilliance

Keri S. Smith

Fake It Till You Make It...Just Do Your Research First!

Jesse to Obama: I want to cut your %%$ off!!

Ouch! *Cringe*

This one won't die down for a while.

Reverend Jesse Jackson made the mistake of voicing some very crude comments about Obama into a hot mic, before he was set to be interviewed on health care on Fox News. Jesse, very upset with Obama for "talking down" to black people, whispered "see, Barack [has] been talking down to black people . . . I wanna cut his nuts off", accompanying his statement with a cutting motion using his hand.

Goodness gracious! Jesse - really?

When the Reverend heard that Fox News planned to air his comments on Bill O'Reilly's "The Factor" show, he came out quickly apologizing and reiterating his support for the Obama campaign during a news conference yesterday.

Jesse's son is more than embarrassed - he's a key Obama supporter and had this to say about the controversy surrounding his dad: "I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson's reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama."

The Obama camp was gracious as usual. Bill Burton, Obama's spokesman, said that Obama, "of course accepts Reverend Jackson's apology."

I think Al Sharpton's reaction summarized it all very well. Al said that Obama "is running for president of all Americans, not just African-Americans. We must be careful not to segregate Senator Obama and impose some litmus test that is unfair and unproductive."

Reverend Jesse is now apologizing all over the place. I am sure he's also a bit nervous. Fox News said that they decided not to air all of Jesse's comments, because that would have been even more damaging to Jackson. Even more damaging that what we heard? Oh, Jesse!

Did Mr. Taxi Read My Mind and Punish Me For It?

Man, I really didn't want to sit in a sauna, especially not in a business suit. I guess the taxi driver doesn't get that it is summer, and that a little AC could help the situation tremendously. Well, I for sure won't be asking him for anything. He has been scowling all night and is built like the Incredible Hulk.



A few minutes post-this thought, magic happens and the AC is turned on. Yay! Or so I thought. I then felt like a penguin lounging near the Arctic circle. Who me? No way, I am not asking him to make it warmer - Incredible Hulk with a scowl, remember? I really hope that he doesn't hear my teeth chattering or see that my window is still sort of open, even though he has the AC blasting. Oops.

You know what? I am pretty sure that Mr. Taxi read my mind and decided to freeze me out. Sorry, sir. I will try not to be so mentally sarcastic next time. Just please, give us passengers a little coolness in the summer heat. Thanks so much!

Focus On Things With High Upside Potential

Brunching it at the Sacred Chow

Long, long ago (i.e. Memorial Day weekend), in a town not so far away (i.e. Manhattan), Sejal and I had a lovely brunch at the Sacred Chow. We were the only guests in the tiny restaurant and enjoyed a sumptuous vegan meal. Great taste, variety and oh yeh, it's healthy to boot!

The Sacred Chow opened in 1995, and focuses on kosher-vegan food. The restaurant is located in Greenwich Village and is pretty popular with veggies and non-veggies alike.

Here are some examples of the delicious fare:

**Toasted Sunflower Lentil Pate'
**Root Vegetable Latkes (Pancakes)
**Korean Tofu Cutlets
**Roasted Indonesian Tempeh
**Mama's Soy Meatballs
**Hummus Salad
**Banana Bread French Toast
**Soy Buttermilk Biscuit
**Gym Body Frozen Smoothie (Bananas, toasted almonds, cinnamon, flax oil, soymilk or apple juice)

OK, let me stop...drooling is just not attractive or appropriate for me right now.

Check out da Chow when you have a chance.

http://www.sacredchow.com/

Clingster

You start to think that only surgery will work
That the sharp edges of the knife will finally free you
Oh the things that so easily beset us!
This one is strong
It comes back when you least expect it
When you thought you had finally conquered it
And what a struggle it is to suppress it!
There is no knocking with this thing, just brutish entry
And then your thoughts are held captive
The Yous struggle for supremacy
and you desperately try anything to get the invader off of you , out of you, away from you
The mental warfare is exhausting...disappointing...frustrating
Oh, to be able to live, think and be without the dreaded Clingster
All you want is to stay focused on what you had
To sustain the momentum
To finally step into that future which beckons so loudly
To partake of that magnificent world that you know is promised to you
And in the end, that is always what helps you, what propels you forward
The future that wants to be realized, pulls you away from the deathly embrace
and for a while, the true You, the better, dominates


Keri S. Smith

Hellooo Mr. President! Obama graces the cover of Ebony...caliente!

Quote of the Day: Help Others

You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.

~Zig Ziglar

Congrats David Wilson on 12 and 40!

David Wilson, Minister of the Kings Church of Christ, recently celebrated two milestone anniversaries:

*12 Years as a preacher of God's word

AND

*40 Years on Planet Earth

Congrats, David!

May God continue to bless you as you go forward on your journey to significantly enhance the lives of so many.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

(Seems like David realllly enjoyed his big days: see http://expalot.blogspot.com/2008/07/thank-god-for-forty.html for details)

Congrats Angel on 10 Years!!

Angel Brown recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary at Air Jamaica. Angel has an excellent work ethic and has been diligently serving the national airline for a decade.






Congrats, Brother-in-Law!!!



Enjoy your anniversary!

Be Comforted, Be Happy...He Wants To Bless You and Protect You...He's Forever Your Rock

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Psalm 34:10
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Isaiah 55: 6-7
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Romans 8: 31-39
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

LOL News Item of the Day: Nelson Mandela removed from the U.S. Terrorism Watchlists!

Celebrate! The great day has finally arrived!

Nelson Mandela will officially be removed from the U.S. terrorism watch lists. On Tuesday, President George Bush signed a bill - H.R. 5690 - enabling this to happen.

How on earth did Mandela get on these lists in the first place?



Well, during the time that the South African government enforced racial segregation (between 1948 and 1994), the government chose to classify the African National Congress (ANC) as a terrorist group because of the ANC's continual protest against the country's system of white-only rule. The U.S. followed suit and deemed Mr. Mandela and other members of the ANC as potential terrorists, denying them access to U.S. visas without special permission.

Years, and years later, a bill has been signed to reverse this decision. Now, the U.S. State and Homeland Security Departments are able to waive restrictions against ANC members. Specifically, the bill, "authorizes the Departments of State and Homeland Security to determine that provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act that render aliens inadmissible due to terrorist or criminal activities would not apply with respect to activities undertaken in association with the African National Congress in opposition to apartheid rule in South Africa."

I guess the legal process really does take time. I wonder what the great freedom fighter/27-year prison veteran/Nobel Peace Prize Winner/former President, Mr. Nelson Mandela, now 90-years old, thinks about all of this.


Source: CNN

Quote of the Day: Action, Baby!

All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: act as if it were impossible to fail. That is the talisman, the formula, the command of right-about-face that turns us from failure toward success.

~Dorothea Brande

And I am Back...and Going for the Duo

I committed.

It's been a year overdue.

But, Keri Smith has signed up for her first duathlon event - scheduled for Oct. 2008. 3.1 Mile run followed by a 14 Mile Bike ride and ending with a 3.1 Mile run.

I have a date. I have a location. I am registered. I am meeting with a coach next week.

It's on.

I am SO OUT OF MY MIND WITH EXCITEMENT!!

Let's do this thing!

Falling in Love with God...Again

I became a Christian when I was 12 years old. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I glowed. I was confident. I was in a state of pure bliss - feeling totally in sync with my life's purpose. My best friend, biggest supporter, and savior was the Creator of all things.

I was in love with Him. Could it get any better?

As the years passed, my relationship with Him took many turns. There was the radio silence on my end during a portion of the college years, quickly followed by the realization that life without Him was meaningless, scary and dark. There was my "going-through-the-motions-style-of-worship-because-I-theoretically-knew-what-I-was-supposed-to-do-but-didn't-emotionally connect-with-it" phase. There was the exploration of alternative paradigms focused on self and which overtly and/or subtly touted the absence of any absolute truths. There was also always the recognition during my painful valley experiences, that He was my only anchor, my only source of hope.

And now it has clicked. Forget theory. Yes, I intellectually embrace who He is and what He has done. His omniscience awes and humbles me. But, I am finally understanding the extent of His love for me...how from the beginning of time, He has craved an intimate relationship...has wanted to bless me with the extraordinary. He has been so patient, longsuffering and compassionate. He knew me from the womb, knows everything about me and still thinks I am fantastic, fearfully and wonderfully made. I am not sure if I will ever be able to fully comprehend such goodness.

But, oh how wonderful it is to be 12 years old again! I am passionate. I am emotionally connected. I am head over heels in love with Him. He has no better.

Lowering the Bar

The Night I Was a Drug Addict

We met at Cafe' Pick Me Up at 145 Avenue A in Manhattan. He spotted me by the color of my scarf. We walked to a table in a quieter section of the restaurant. We had been best friends for 20 years. Tonight I was Maddie and Johnny and I were both drug users. That was the script and we played along.

Me, a heroin addict? Only in NYC...and only for one night.

A few weeks ago, my friends and I went to see the play "Street Limbo Blues*". See is a definite misnomer. We participated, we acted, we laughed our heads off. I was Madison (Maddie) Jones and was given a 2 paragraph script informing me that the actor I would be paired with for the night, was my best friend, and that he - Johnny - and I occasionally used heroin together. Johnny came by a few minutes later to pick me up and then just like that, Keri left and Maddie took over.

I felt so sorry for Johnny. He was sitting in front of me, looking really troubled. He was wringing his hands, fidgeting, rubbing his head. Poor Johnny. He was stressed. He had not scored a hit in a while and was so tense. He said he just needed a little something to settle him down, to even him out. He asked me if I needed anything. I decided to go against the script and told Johnny that I had quit and that while it was tough, and withdrawal was a killer, I was making it through. Johnny gave me the obligatory "good for you" nod and smile and then asked me to accompany him to get some drugs from his dealer. Maddie said yes, and we exited the restaurant.

Johnny asked if we could stop for a bit, so he could smoke a cigarette. While we were standing outside chatting, Keri wondered what would happen if anyone she knew spotted her chilling in the streets of NYC with this random, stressed out guy. Maddie didn't care, she kept acting. Johnny was thanking me for introducing him to a photographer friend of mine, who had enabled Johnny to conduct his first photo exhibit. The exhibit was set to occur the next day. Johnny had given his pictures for the exhibit to a friend and needed to pick them up before the exhibit in the morning.


A few moments later, my friend (in real life - Sejal -who went to the play with me) was walking down the street with the actor she was paired with. They decided to stop and chat with us, all of us in character, and I went on to have one of the funniest 20 mins. of my life. Sejal's actor was a total loser. He was twitching, very high on something, and had somehow lost Johnny's photographs - the ones he needed for the exhibit - on the N-train. We gave the loser friend major grief about his mistake. I loved playing the role of Johnny's pissed off friend. I started to demand money to make up for the lost pictures. The loser friend dug deep into his pockets and came up with $5. The more we made fun of him, the more he twitched and said nonsense. Sejal and I were part seriously acting, part cracking up on the sidewalk. Johnny and total loser friend eventually had to laugh with us.

Our overlapping scenes quickly ended when Johnny remembered how badly he needed to get high and so we said our goodbyes and walked a few feet away to a dive bar, where Johnny was scheduled to meet up with his dealer.

We walked into the bar (can't remember the name) and the stench was overwhelming. Stale air - stinking of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Johnny and I sat down at a booth near the door where the drug dealer had set up office. Mr. Dealer was a tall, fully tattooed, muscular guy in a white wife-beater. He was accompanied by his pretty girlfriend, who was chewing on a slice of pizza. I wasn't sure if the girlfriend was a real one, or an actress, but she didn't do much except nod, chew and swallow her pizza. Johnny immediately started to beg for drugs. He had no cash and tried to convince Mr. Dealer to loan him a hit until pay day. The dealer was having none of that and Johnny got desperate. So desperate that he looked over and asked me to vouch for him and to tell the dealer that he was indeed good for it and would pay for the drugs once he got his paycheck. Keri did a double take - what was going on here? Me, supporting someone trying to get a hit?! Maddie just nodded at Johnny and told the dealer that Johnny would get paid in 2 weeks. Mr. Dealer didn't care, and Johnny started to panic. He had to get his hit. Johnny ended up offering his favourite camera, which Mr. Dealer took as collateral. Once Mr. Dealer was assured of payment, he slid a clear packet of tablets across the grimy table into Johnny's hands.

Now armed with his drugs, Johnny couldn't wait to get out of the bar. We quickly left and crossed the street, so that we were again near the Cafe' Pick Me Up. While outside, we met up with another one of Johnny's psycho friends (an actress in the play) and they both went on and on cursing at each other about who was the more terrible friend. It was tedious listening to both of them bicker. Apparently psycho friend had begged Johnny for some drugs one night, and he gave her access to his stash. Then, while he was asleep, psycho friend completely depleted Johnny's entire supply of drugs and he had never forgiven her for that. Johnny himself grew tired of the yapping, especially since he really needed a fix, and so he and I walked further up the street, away from psycho friend, and Johnny started to ingest his pills.

What happened next? Of course Johnny boy overdoses and I am left staring blankly at him as he convulses on the street. Psycho friend sees us, runs up and starts screaming. She yells at me to call loser friend (actor from earlier scene who lost the photos on the N-train) and shoves her cell phone in my face. I am a bit shocked and begin to wonder whether now would be a good time to LOL at the ridiculousness of it all, whether this could actually be a true overdose, and I also think about what I would say to explain this noisy, messy, absurd scene to any unsuspecting passer-by.

Maddie takes control and I grab the phone from psycho. She's already dialled loser friend and so I talk to him, as I stare him straight in the eyes - he just so happens to be across the street, walking towards us. Maddie puts on a grand performance: I hear myself yelling to loser friend, that Johnny is overdosing and we need help - hurry!! Meanwhile, poor Johnny is sprawled out on the streets, shaking, vomiting (well, making the necessary noises) and doing all the things you would expect of someone who has just overdosed. Loser friend is now beside us looking scared, and psycho friend is kneeling on the pavement, frantically searching through her bag. She finally finds what she wants, looks up and then hands me a piece of paper - it is the program for the play - and just like that, our performance is over.

Strange, captivating, unique, and truly enjoyable. Only in NY. In character, thankfully, only for one night.




*Street Limbo Blues is interactive and environmental theater where each audience member is paired with one actor. There is no stage. The show is one-hour in the life of a drug addict as he/she attempts to score. You and your actor take a journey through Tompkins Square Park and neighbouring bars where you experience the world of the addicted. The show is produced by Honolulu-based production company, Cruel theatre, and is directed by Taurie Kinoshita.

Embracing my inner goddess

Saturday was beautiful and I felt like a goddess.

I started the morning by renewing my mind with passages from the Bible. Mostly from the Book of Romans. Once my head was in check, I decided it was time to renew the body...and so I went for a 48 min. bike ride in the cool of the morning on the West side. It was then time for kayaking on the Hudson River...but first I had to run for ~20 minutes to get to the boathouse. I did a few laps around the approved area on the Hudson and then just leaned way back in my kayak, and enjoyed the scenery, and sunny weather, as I peacefully floated about in my little boat. Amazing!

After kayaking, I walked back to my apartment - feeling oh-so-fit and on top of the world. (I am slowly but surely finding my way back to my extreme sports passion and my inner tomgirl. Loving it!!)

I closed out the day by spending several hours visiting with a sister from church. It was great to hang out in her neck of the woods and learn more about:

*what it was like to live in the South during the '50's and '60s

*how far NY has come over the decades and

*what it takes to sustain 55 years of wedded comfort

What a beautiful day! I am so blessed.

Happy Six Month Anniversary Tamii and Angel!!

Cheers to the Happily Married Couple!!!

Six months and going strong :).

Celebrate!

Under the Covers

Throwing Bones

This is dedicated to You(s). You(s) may or may not know who you are. Hehe. Nuff love.

Questions for Ms. Manners: Clinton as Vice President

Dear Ms. Manners,

Is it ever appropriate to drop strong public hints that you are interested in the Vice President post (for the U.S.) when you have not been asked by the Presidential running mate? Also, what if you dropped the hints at the time when your competitor was celebrating a historic win? If there are arguably very clear benefits for you to be part of the ticket - does that then make it OK?

Help!

Regards,
Confused in the Blogosphere

Congratulations, Obama!!

It's happened.

Senator Barack Obama is the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. History has been made. What a fascinating world.

Congrats, Obama!! I am proudly wearing my O-face!

Great showing...enjoy date night with your wife :)

True Love

You smell the stink of their spit as it rolls down your face
Some of the spit hits the corners of your mouth
They insult you and your beloved Dad
It is obscene, loud and constant
The whipping was recent and you cringe, as in the heat of the day, your sweat gushes through the bloody wounds all over your body
You can't see through the blindfold, you are pushed - thrown - amongst them and ridiculed as you stumble
Starved and fatigued, you know you are on your way to an even greater brutality
Someone removes the blindfold
You look at them all
and then the truly amazing...
You open not your mouth


Keri S. Smith

Resist and Flee It Shall

Red is a speed demon on a mission to survive and expand
Red is hungry and can devour only red
Everything is examined and Red is often satisfied
So much potential in the landscape; the raw materials exist for Red to create new reds
Always some insecurity
Some humiliation
Some self-interest
Some greed
Some depression
Some indifference
Some hate
Yet, at times, Red happens upon White
Red abhors White, and is powerless in the face of White
How can Red feed when there is no likeness to cling to? to suck from?
Red flees from the impossible White
and is content with pursuing the much easier targets


Keri S. Smith

Beautiful!!

She's Here

And it happened...just like that
You searched those eyes deeply
Brown on brown, so intense
And it flowed
You gave yourself to Him, and were thrilled
You were victorious, life was forever changed
Happiness and excitement came through a multiplicity of experiences
Fabulous new schools
Prizes galore, smarter than they said, blowing past their limits
Full of hope, great plans to conquer the world
Smiling, laughing, cartwheeling
Blessed
Revelling in life and His goodness
You keep looking into the brown, holding out for truth
And it flowed
And it hurt
Slave to so many masters
Feelings, him, their words, their standards, lust of the eyes, quick fixes
The brown gets wet, you hold a steady gaze
The light never left
She's been fighting to remind you
Brown connects with brown
Brown smiles and dazzles
She's here

Keri S. Smith

Keri Thinks She's Seen Her Mojo

Woaah! It's been a while since I posted.

Well, I have a lot of over due stuff to write about and I am thrilled that I see my mojo in the distance so that I can get it all out and posted. The long weekend is coming up and I look forward to finally sharing about:

*My wonderful, superfantastic experiences in Dubai

*The highlights from the Lords of the West Indies concert, starring Monty Alexander

*Why I am happy that the same old rhetoric and scare tactics seem to be losing their power in the U.S. elections

*A great N.Y. play experience and drugs

*A yummy vegan restaurant that I have to go back to

*What He's done for me lately

Mojo, I see you!! We'll be together again soon :). Finally!

The Time is Now and It is Great

Anyone who is among the living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.
Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.
Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 9: 4-10

The Clinton Machine: Victory at Any Cost

The recent rumblings don't sound good.

Clinton had a resurge coming out of Pennsylvania. She pushed hard and kept hope alive for North Carolina and Indiana. Then came her crushing defeat in North Carolina (14-point loss) and a 2-point narrow win in Indiana; making her nomination a mathematical impossibility, and even less likely if you factor in that she continues to lose on the popular vote. Clear signals for a withdrawal one would think. Never says Hilary as she pulls a Huckabee, ignores the obvious, and continues to push on.

Fine. Let's be charitable and acknowledge that perseverance is a great trait and that much has been accomplished by persons who ignored the naysayers and went on to achieve great success. That is not so much the issue, the increasingly scary part, is the tactics used by the Cs to achieve the coveted prize of the White House.

Senator Clinton has again come out swinging. She is no longer talking about war against Iran, this time it's about race and the fact that Obama can't win because he doesn't attract the white vote (!). According to Clinton, Obama's support within this group of "hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again", and she Clinton "has a much broader base to build a winning coalition on". Racially divisive? Not according to Clinton, who says that as everyone already knows "these are the people you have to win if you're a Democrat in sufficient numbers to actually win the election."Obama's camp felt that Clinton's comments were, "not true and frankly disappointing".

Not the smartest move for Clinton to pull the race card at this point. No surprise though given her (and Bill's) reputation of winning at any cost. However, it gets worse. Much worse. A recent news report strongly hints that the C-Machine has now embraced blackmailing.

According to CNN, Harvey Weinstein, a big Clinton backer, has threatened Nancy Pelosi. He allegedly told Pelosi that if she did not accept his proposal to fund revotes in Florida and Michigan, he would no longer contribute to any congressional Democrat. (Clinton believes that with revotes she would become the clear nominee.) In addition, Weinstein apparently has pressured Pelosi to rescind her earlier comments where she stated that superdelegates should support the candidate who was ahead in pledged delegates, i.e. Obama.

How can this not backfire on the Clintons? This is not perseverance. This is desperation and it is ugly.

Remembering

Grief clings to you

He was special - one of the first to shape your view of the world

He was there, a constant presence

Now we cry

And we celebrate his life...his contributions to ours

It is painful

Yet in each moment, we find comfort in memories...

...in the simple touch, smile and warmth of the extended family

and God's love engulfs us

cleanses us

soothes us

and we remember, that in everything, we are truly blessed

Keri S. Smith

*In memory of Mr. Walker

Gentlemen, It’s Quite Simple Really (The Secret’s Out)

Dude, it’s actually so easy
There’s no mystery
Fine you’re from Mars, I am from Venus, or I’m from Mars and you’re from Venus
Whatever
Doesn’t matter, it’s simple really
Just pay attention
We need it all the time
You want to experience unfathomable bliss?
Then pay attention
On Mars or Venus – wherever we are from, we were used to nurturing
We were used to feeling special
The more we were showered with it, the more we blossomed
The more we gave
The more we loved
We already want to love you, jerk
We already want to make you happy
We already want to be your best-friend
That’s how we are hard-wired
But, we will fade, we will shrink, if we are not exposed to the sun and water, if we are not nourished
NO! This doesn’t mean shelling out the dough, cheapie
This doesn’t mean we are high maintenance
This is about your time
Your listening
Your caring
Your understanding
Your not taking us for granted
Simple really
So the key to this unfathomable bliss, hard head, is that
A woman needs attention all of the time
Don’t fight it
Marinate in it, and then act on it
And prepare for a reward that will transform your world…forever
Caliente!


Keri S Smith

Running Away

It’s so bad you have to create another reality
So bad that you flirt with darkness and former enemies
You cannot coexist and remain sane
And so you fool yourself, and it disappears

It takes a stupor to drown it out
Another persona emerges
Slothful, wallowing in grime
The Anti-Action
Anti-Responsibility
Anti-You-Telling-Me-What-The-$@#%-To-Do

The Anger eventually gives way to loathing…depression…sadness…pity
The bright, fluffiness of the Box helps cover much of the ugliness
You allow the pretty colors and noises to dazzle you and delay the inevitable
This idiocy is somehow better than the reality you are running away from
You know that’s a lie, but you have to play it out
The funk is confusing; it’s hard to remember reason
Something shouts out antidotes – you know the cure – but you block that out too
You are just so entrenched

It goes on like this for a mind-numbing eternity
And then something clicks
You are sick of yourself or you are forced to return or both
You cleanse yourself with the cold, refreshing water
Fresh air flows
You are mobile

The True persona is pissed at the time that was wasted
So pissed
Much else could have been done – remember those transformational plans?!
Back in reality, you now feel robbed
The childishness of it all kills you
Hindsight shows you how you gave all of that stuff – the stuff that caused you to run – way too much importance
You’re pissed again because that funk was so darn pre-school and you have been at the graduate level for a while
You’ve already learnt this lesson!
OK! Leave it alone
You’re back
You’re ready
You’re free of it
AND
You still have to clean up the mess you created while you vacationed in that other realm

Keri S Smith

Ticking

It is hard to know just what will make you detonate
You seem so high strung, so on edge, so full of doubt
And you think we must pay the price
We all tip-toe around you, no one knows what the trigger is or will be
How can we?
Sometimes you misinterpret a “Please” or a “Thank you”!
Until you, no one yelled at us for being kind
People weren’t threatened when we achieved, when we went after success
You thwart progress
We empathize somewhat
Because we know that in your world, there lives only you
The others are inconsequential, except for their role in your survival
You thrive on their downfall; you support it or make it happen
You feed on glory, we must know our place with you; a subservient tremble makes you shine
No one else can have any authority; they will never be worthy
Sadly, in our world, it’s not only us
You are there too
We are frantically working on how to deactivate this you
You cannot truly enjoy being this way and more importantly
We have to spare those other lives

Keri S. Smith

This Smarts

Yes, we got the memo
It said you’re the smartest person on planet earth
Sure, we believed it
Nah, our knees hurt, so we can’t bow down today
Yes, yes, you’re the greatest
Uh huh – everyone knows it
You have to be, right?
Who else could come out blasting, accidentally (intentionally?) kill the ally and still maintain power?
Who else could spin such a beautiful tale out of nothing and convince many that facts should take a back seat to bluster?
Who else could demand one thing, and repeatedly do another, and still curry favor?
We’ve seen it only with you
Shucks, there’s no question about it – you’re by far the smartest person we know


Keri S. Smith

Game Over

I dunno what I will do if I have to play one more darn game
We’re hot
We’re cold
We’re the best of friends, talking all of the time
There’s radio silence for a week
Great – you’re now in a bad mood – and the entire planet must acknowledge, empathize and chant “woe is me”
Yippee! Today, is Mr. Happy Day, let’s laugh and play, and sure, today I am the one who should “lighten up”…Ha – Ha – Ha (!)
Does someone have the stupid instruction manual?
Forget it! I don’t want to know how this ends
Reset
Game Over
Next!


Keri S. Smith

Gimme Pills

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Married (Allegedly)!

According to some media outlets, Mariah Carey, 38, and her boyfriend of a few months, Nick Cannon, 27, have eloped! The wedding ceremony is said to have taken place on Wednesday, April 30 on an island, with rapper DaBrat in attendance. Nick apparently loves "everything" about Mariah.

Embarrassing news about the couple came out earlier this week regarding Mariah's engagement ring. The dazzler, that Mariah was seen flashing at paparazzi, is the exact same ring that Nick used to propose to his former fiancee, Victoria Secret model Selita Ebanks. Nasty case of re-gifting - although the ring is beautiful.

Tell me this isn't all a publicity stunt to drive album sales, partially understandable given the top notch competition coming from Madonna.

Update

The wedding happened at Mariah's home in Eleuthera, Bahamas and there was no prenuptial agreement.

The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever

On the surface, an appropriate term would be “bleak”
Tension eats you and your lunch
You listen to the whispers of doubt
You don’t exhale – the confidence bulldozers are revving their engines
Of course you return to pre-school antics: woe is me, not good enough, not my fault, victim
You search for release
An anchor to pull you way, way above this mess
It’s the same source as always
Duh
He reminds you that if you crumble in hard times, then who were you really?
He’s training you; He disciplines those He loves
Faith is about the unseen
Be encouraged and wait
He’s never failed you yet

Keri S. Smith

Just Have Faith

Psalm 27
Of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Adventures in Dubai...Coming Soon

Check this space on Friday for details!

Remember Him...No One Does it Better

Jeremiah 2

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: " 'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,' " declares the LORD.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.
5 This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. 6 They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?'
7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
8 The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD ?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
9 "Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the LORD. "And I will bring charges against your children's children.

10 Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols.
12 Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD.
13 "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

--------------------
19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
20 "Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, 'I will not serve you!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.
21 I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?
22 Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me," declares the Sovereign LORD.
23 "How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving— in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her.

-------

27 They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say,'Come and save us!'
28 Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.
29 "Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,"declares the LORD.
30 "In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.
31 "You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD : "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'?
32 Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.

Forgive everyone for everything

Congrats to Hillary Clinton on Winning PA!

Senator Hillary Clinton was the victor in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, April 22. Hillary previously won other big states such as Ohio, New York and California. Last night's win adds great momentum to the Clinton machine that her campaign will surely leverage to raise doubts about Obama's ability to beat McCain. Hillary gains most of the 158 delegates in P.A., however, Obama still retains the overall lead (and popular vote) with 1,694 in delegates to Clinton's 1,556.

Congrats to Clinton. Sigh. I was really hoping for a different birthday present yesterday.

Get Emotionally Invested, Y'all

Be Ye Grateful

I wonder if you will ever be happy
We have been in near perfect states together
The glorious high five moments
and you always seem to find something wrong

I cringe when I see you sometimes
I am sorry
My mind associates you with downer moments

Why so miserable?
It's not attractive
We feel pity and frustration
and a need to get the heck out of your presence

I want to grab you by the arms and shake a smile
through you system

Grow up and be happy


Keri S. Smith

Circular Logic

It's a circle, it's round, it's perfect
We like the circle, we decided it's all about the circle

We wake up and you're screaming at us because the circle
isn't rectangular enough

What were we thinking?

We thought circle
Remember?
We breathed circles for days as you requested

OK! We get it...the circles need edges
We'll make them rectangular
We like rectangles
We're eating and breathing them...for now


Keri S. Smith

Live a Little

Euphoria expressed as a frown
As if acknowledging success, and
momentarily basking in shared joy was weakness
You always seem to miss the point
It is these moments of joy that sustain us and propel us forward

Your stance is so draning
Give us some reprieve
We long for a tinge of silver in your permanent cloud
We CAN smile and achieve much
We CAN laugh and be great
We beg you to let the biterness go
Lighten up
We guarantee you much better results


Keri S. Smith

Some Kind of Wonderful

It's still a classic.

I have lost count of how many times I have seen this movie over the years. I am yet to tire of it. Currently, I am basking in high heaven after having stumbled upon it again on cable TV.

Absolute cheese fest. Memories. Siiigh. Join me.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094006/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_Kind_of_Wonderful_(film)

The Real Deal

24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31: 24-31

Just Shuffling

Shuffling papers
Lip service
Portfolio of well-practiced, intent gazes
Overheard comments borrowed to look smart
First in, last out
Much ado about absolutely nothing
Posturing
Name dropping
Each day angering the hard-working masses
who are powerless to do anything
As you live happily ensconced in powerful relationships

Keri S. Smith

Empty Shell

This cannot be true
Such darkness, such depravity
and no remorse
I can hardly watch, but I do
Shutting it out would dishonor the victims

You smile as you recount your misdeeds
You dare to justify such cruelty
Your justifications are fantastical
But you cling to them, you repeat them, you make others believe
You have to, in order to continue to live with what you have done

I know you face hardships
Your journey has been painful
But, should the innocent pay the price?
You acknowledge you have wronged many
You can hardly remember the number you have harmed
You say you would kill, if anyone ever repeated your acts on those you love

Yet, it continues
You are now a slave to a horrifying habit
and the victims pile up
The stench is great
You have harmed too many
with no remorse

Something must change
The world cannot handle such evil
The innocent continue to scream out for justice
Their stories are being told
Hearts are pricked
Change is on the horizon
Please Repent

Keri S. Smith

Thought for the Day - Time

Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

Congratulations to Beyonce' and Jay-Z on their Marriage!

Beyonce' and Jay-Z filed for a marriage license in NY on April 1st. With a potential wedding on the horizon, media outlets chased the story and rumours of an April 4th wedding gained significant momentum. Some felt that April 4 was a credible date because it held special significance for the couple: Beyonce's birthday is on September 4 and Jay-Z's on December 4.

Now word comes that the happy couple of 6 years were married yesterday at Jay-Z's Tribeca penthouse. It was a small affair, with about 30 in attendance, including Beyonce's immediate family, Destiny Child members Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, and celebrity couple Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow, who all wore white.

Celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton, was the first to report the wedding date and associated details. He also went so far as to share the location of the event with his millions of readers (and the world) before the actual ceremony, and encouraged people to go to the location and say hi on his behalf. Playing fair?

Congratulations Beyonce' and Jay-Z! Cheers to a lifetime of wedded bliss.

Pointy Haired Boss Tries to Delegate

Watch it, John!

He Aced the Interview

Nipple Rings Raise Alarm @ Lubbock Airport in Texas

Imagine for a second that you have nipple rings. (Ouch!) After you pierce your nipples, the skin can heal around the piercing making subsequent removal of the rings very painful. Also, after you remove the rings, the holes in the skin can close up immediately, making reinsertion difficult.

Now imagine that you have a nipple piercing and that you are going to visit your great-uncle, and instead of driving you decided to fly. On your return trip from Lubbock, you walk successfully through the metal detector at the airport, but are pulled aside for additional screening. The hand wand beeps when the TSA Officer waves it over your breasts.

No problem. You calmly tell the officer that you have nipple piercings. That officer must be confused because the officer calls over another TSA agent, who tells you that you need to remove the nipple piercings. You probably cringe, because you know how painful removal is going to be.

You look around and see that you have now drawn a crowd. More officers come over, until the group includes four male and 2 female officers. In addition, there is a small group of interested parties peering over at you. You start to cry. Through your tears, you ask if you can show the piercings instead of removing them. You are told that you have to remove them or else you will not get on a plane. Although you are legally entitled to get a pat down instead of being forced to remove the nipple rings, no one tells you that, and so you begin the painful process.

In a private area, behind a curtain, you start to remove the piercings. One is easy, the other won't budge. You ask an officer for help and you are handed a large pair of pliers. As you cry, and struggle to remove the second piercing, you hear the male TSA officers snickering outside of the curtain. You probably want to brain them with the pliers, but you are focused on getting on that flight.

You finally are piercing free and re-enter the scan. You realize you forgot to remove your navel ring. You offer to remove it, but are told it is OK, since the officer can see it. You wonder why a similar inspection of the nipple rings couldn't have worked.

You get through the ordeal. You think about the pain, and humiliation that you would not wish on anyone else and then you call Gloria Allred, renown celebrity attorney.

Mandi Hamlin, 37, went through this experience on February 24, 2008. She is now demanding an apology from the TSA, and if one is not forthcoming she will plan to pursue legal options. Gloria Allred, Mandi's attorney, told reporters at a news conference that, "the conduct of TSA was cruel and unnecessary. Last time that I checked, a nipple was not a dangerous weapon. People who are pierced should not be snickered at, should not become the object of ridicule, should not be singled out for special and uneven and unequal treatment. They should be respected just like everybody else." Mandi told the reporters that "I wouldn't wish this experience upon anyone. I felt surprised, embarrassed, humiliated and scared. No one deserves to go through this."

The TSA released a statement admitting that "our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets (the) situation in which she found herself. We appreciate her raising awareness on this issue and we are changing the procedures to ensure that this does not happen again." The TSA also added that it was "well aware of terrorists' interest in hiding dangerous items in sensitive areas of the body. Therefore, we have a duty to the American public to resolve any alarm that we discover."

Apparently the TSA's Public Affairs office reached out to Mandi on Friday and she is open to giving them an opportunity to "do the right thing now."

As for flying again, Mandi says she will fly, but never from the Lubbock airport in Texas.

Source: CNN

LeBron James - Gisele Bundchen's Vogue Cover: Racist?

I looked at the cover and thought it was striking. Attention grabbing. Apparently some people looked at it and thought it was racist. Whaaat?! Someone please educate me.

Some say that the picture of LeBron is stereotypical, in that it shows James as the dangerous black man. LeBron, according to complaints, looks like King Kong and Gisele is the helpless Fay Wray. Also, the picture allegedly hits on another stereotype: the black man wanting the white woman.

Overly sensitive, are we?

I see a famous athlete - looking all powerful and like the champ he is. As a sign of his power and charisma, he just happens to be hanging out with one of the hottest models around. End of story.
Vogue, through spokesman Patrick O'Connell said that the magazine "sought to celebrate two superstars at the top of their game" in their once a year issue devoted to size and shape. He continued to say that "We think LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen look beautiful together and we are honored to have them on the cover."

Even if I stretch my imagination, I see no racism. The only complaint I could have is that Vogue is way, way behind the times, because it took them until 2008 to have their first black man on the magazine cover, when there have been so many viable candidates over the decades. If I think about that, maybe I will get upset.

Spontaneity - Where art thou?

Don't Even Waste Your Time Trying To Explain

Walk away, Dilly!

Hillary Clinton Caught in a Lie - Sniper Fabrication

Embellishment can be dangerous. Who hasn't been there? You spice up the story to make it more intriguing, you exaggerate to add more colour. Well, Hillary took it a bit too far and now her credibility is suffering.

Hillary Clinton has been lambasted in the press for lying about being at risk under sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia she made as first lady. Last Monday, during a speech on Iraq, Hillary waxed poetic about her Bosnia trip. Clinton said, "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead, we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base." In December 2007, she had a similar dramatic version of events, "We landed in one of those corkscrew landings and ran out because they said there might be sniper fire. I don't remember anybody offering me tea on the tarmac when that was happening." Sounds exciting and also bolsters your run for president...except if you made it all up.

Videos of Clinton's trip to Bosnia reveal that she was greeted by a local school girl who read her a poem, along with a group of other children. No violence is seen on any of the footage.

The military is strongly condemning Hillary's fabrication, because of course it makes them look bad. Imagine that you are in charge of protecting the first lady and you allow her to be at risk of losing her life? You shouldn't bother showing up for work the next day. Retired General Walter Stewart said that Clinton's claims were insulting and noted that "heads would have rolled all over" if the military ever put the first lady at such levels of risk.

Clinton is also being criticized for making light of a very serious issue. A former Army analyst, quoted in the NY Post said, "You know, we have soldiers overseas now who are getting shot at by real bullets from real enemies who really want to kill them. Getting shot at by snipers is not something you forget - or make light of. If getting shot at by sniper fire qualifies you to be president, then there are thousands of guys in the military right now who are way more qualified than Hillary Clinton to be our next president."

Hillary has responded to the backlash by saying that she misspoke and admitting that the military did take good care of her. Clinton speaking on a Pittsburgh radio station yesterday said, "I have written about it in my book and talked about it on many other occasions and last week, you know, for the first time in 12 or so years, I misspoke."

First time you "misspoke" in 12 years? You know the Obama camp was not going to let Hillary get away that easily. Obama's campaign quickly identified at least 3 other times over the past several months where Clinton had shared her "under sniper fire" story.

Currently labelled a serial liar, it will be interesting to see how Hillary bounces back. I predict a few attacks on Obama's character coming from the Clinton campaign very soon and/or pictures of Clinton attending a church service or volunteering.

Thanksgiving

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

I just want to thank you Lord

For giving me one more day

For giving me one more day

For giving me one more day

I just want to thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

I just want to thank you Lord

Laundry Day - I just want clean clothes!

Got enough quarters for 2 loads, have all the clothes to be washed in the laundry basket, it's early enough that I should find available washing machines. Feeling good.

Whoah, the machines don't accept quarters anymore. You now need to use money cards. The machine to purchase money cards only accepts $5, $10 an $20 bills. Sigh. Head back up to see if I have any cash. Really don't want to have to go to ATM just to get laundry done. Eureka! I found a $5 bill. Head back down to laundry room.

Sigh. The machine accepts the $5 and then spits it back out. I read the instructions closely and see minimum purchase is $10. I need a break from laundry, it's lunch time.

Post-lunch, I head outside to the ATM. I walk back and re-enter the laundry room with $20s in my pocket. I place a $20 bill into the money card machine. The machine accepts it and then spits it back out. Siiiiigh!! The stupid machine will only accept $10 bills! False advertising!

I head back outside, go to the corner store and swap a $20 for 2 $10s. I then head back to the laundry room...and...I am finally able to purchase the stupid money card!

Wow. Who knew it would be this hard to get clean clothes?

(N.B. Despite the rigmarole, I think the idea of money cards, vs. quarters, is actually more convenient.)

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