||The History of Afro Latinos - a Documentary||

Being a young woman of Jamaican descent - we all know and understand that most of us are of mixed heritages. People who are on the outside looking in often assume that race is a black-white issue. This is hardly the case. You can never tell a person's origin just by looking at them, and this is a mistake that I hope fellow Americans and others alike will realize in the future. Back in NY, it was a common thing to have my Latino counterparts look to me and start speaking in Spanish. Down here, though - it's an assumption that one is Haitian or African American if you look a certain way.

That is not necessarily a problem, but the issue that underlies is the stigma that comes with being black. No matter the culture, there has always been an issue with it in society. Socioeconomically, socially, politically - across the board there is an air of discrimination that cannot be ignored. Stumbling upon this documentary truly reminded me that racism and discrimination is still alive and kicking.




I will continue to follow this documentary, I would love to see what information is unearthed about our black cultures. There are many people out there who denounce their black "side" simply because they are mixed with another race. You cannot deny who you are - whether it's evident by your pigmentation, hair texture, facial qualities or otherwise. The best way to excel in life is to embrace your roots - because they will eventually shape you into the person you are destined to become. It took me a long time to realize that, and I hope everyone will share the same epiphany at one point or another in their lives...

||Wildwood - a BlogoDrama||...

"Colleen"

Sleeping behind the store is a comfort for me. The water heater out Back keeps me warm, and the loading dock protects me from the Elements. This pallet of paper bags beats the cold concrete under the highway overpass. A hot meal of discards keep me full most nights, the sweet young lady risks her job nightly to bring me deli food. She truly is a blessing. Tonight is macaroni and cheese with pan- fried grouper. I savor every morsel, because who knows when I'll eat next. Someone's opening the back door - gotta hide...

"Yvette"

Ronald told me he wanted artichoke hearts with dinner tonight, so I guess I can stop at Wildwood to grab some fresh ones. I'm glad he didn't want asparagus again - because his piss smelled like death last night. Or maybe I'm just fed up with him again. Who knows? Any excuse to get out of the house is an appreciated one nowadays. I have grown tired of the personal assistant shopping at Neiman's - I am in need of real social interaction. Country Club wives have begun to bore me - where's the mental stimulation? Six years of college, and two Harvard degrees later - and I spend my afternoons discussing new Louis Vuitton patterns and Maserati interior design. How many times can one change the wood grain on a dash board before they decide to get a new car? I give up on them. I need more. The checkout lines are rather short this evening. I scan for the slowest moving one, and find my favorite clerk standing two lanes down. I wouldn't mind watching him work, so I calmly switch to his line, and watch him help an elderly woman put heavy bags in her shopping cart. His bicep muscles flex and contract with every move. I look away. I have to.

I step forward. His dimpled smile greets mine as he looks down at me. He asks about my day, and I struggle to find a coy rebuttle. I know they're instructed to make generic conversation, but something about his tone sounds sincere. I lose myself in his baritone - as he talks about school, work, and college life. His 6-foot-4 frame distracts me, and I drop my AMEX black card as it comes time to pay. I reach quickly to pick it up - afraid that he'll think I'm showing off. "I got it," he says slowly. His voice startles me, and my hand brushes past his gently. I blush. He blinks, and I die in his eyes - the brown of his irises remind me of my morning cup of mocha java - warm, inviting - and delicious. I pay and thank him, and try my best to saunter out the door in my Louboutin pumps. I check my reflection quickly in the glass, sure enough - he's watching...


"Maya"

Class was exhausting today, and of course, Professor Smith pops a quiz on us. Good thing, too - cuz I spent my lunch breaks all week studying crazy. I rush to clock in for work, slipping into my Wildwood shirt as I swipe my ID card. I brush past Nate on my way to the front. He grips my elbow, squeezes, and keeps moving. I wish I was brave enough to speak - to say hi even, but all I can do is giggle. He probably thinks I'm a dork, anyway. Whatever. In between work and school - I've got zero time for romance. I grab my register, pick up my money bag - put on a smile - and walk out into the store. Oh well, forget about the drama - It's time to make this money...


Next piece comign soon. Lemme know what you think so far...

||"Wildwood" - a Blogodrama||

So, I've begun to write my story. I haven't gotten a full chapter out of it yet, but I figure I can start posting it as I go along. The story is called Wildwood, and it takes place in New York City, centered around a well-known natural supermarket. It will chronicle the lives of various people attached to the store, and includes degrees of separation and elements of real life. The first excerpt revolves around Colleen, a transient woman who lives behind the store; Yvette - a lonely, wealthy housewife, and Maya - a cashier at the store. There's no need for an introduction, as the story basically jumps into their lives. Let's begin - shall we?

{{2009 - a Sn3akrFr3akr Original}}

{{Prince Charming}}

He broke my heart,
But Prince Charming found it
And put it in his pocket
to protect it
From the rain.

And on his little walk,
He and my heart, they had a talk
And he promised not to ever let it
Get rained on again.

I don't know where he is, but I'm sure he's out there...

{{Going Without - Day 20}}

{{Zune Says - Erykah Badu - I Want You}}
Yeah, it's one of those days...

So I have reached my 20th day without meat, and I must say - it has been proving to be a challenging and rewarding experience. The challenge has been finding food that's worth eating, food that won't depress me cuz it's not meat (or bacon related), and food that isn't super nutrition-less. The reward has been - I can fit into my old jeans again!!

Paired with exercise in the morning before class - I feel myself firming up better than I have ever experienced - even better than the entire year I had with a personal trainer. I'm not sure what to attribute it to, I suppose the lack of fat in my diet is to blame. I like the results - especially since I managed to keep my booty in the process.

((Tangent: I lost my Armani sunglasses today. Superpissed.))

Anyway, along with no meat - I've decided to throw celibacy. Not that I was getting any as of late, but I figured I should make it official that I'm not doing it. I feel like I'm on this enlightenment path - and anything that will enhance this should always be put in the mix. Right now, I've been feeling like I don't need it in my life - it's been bringing me stress and heartache, so why not take a break from it? An indefinite break. Let's see how long I can go for. Lol. Hey - I did two years before - this should be a cake walk.

Right??

||Never Trust Big Brother||

Just goes to show you, what looks like fun on TV may not be so great in real life...

Via SkyNews:

Nine young women have been duped into appearing in internet pornography after starring in a fake Big Brother-style show.

Watch the Video

"The 16 to 24-year-olds were locked in a house and filmed round-the-clock for two months.
But instead of fame and fortune from becoming reality show stars, naked pictures of the women were sold on the internet.
The scam in Turkey was uncovered when one anxious set of parents contacted police.
Officers raided the luxury villa in Istanbul, where the women were being held, last weekend.
The victims had all responded to an advertisement on the internet asking for contestants for a new Turkish show called Somebody's Watching You.
They signed contracts agreeing to stay at the house for the two-month period and to pay a forfeit of £20,000 if they walked out.
Initially, the women were delighted after moving into the luxury villa, complete with swimming pool.
But, within a matter of weeks, they realised that something was wrong when the show failed to follow the usual format, like test and evictions.
When they demanded to be released, the victims were told they would have to pay the £20,000 fine before they could leave the property.
None of the housemates could afford to pay and they all continued to stay in the house for the two-month experiment.
When police arrived at the villa, they could hear the women calling for help from inside.
The victims were released on Sunday and one Turkish man was arrested, as the investigation continued."

It's crazy, because the whole Reality TV craze has sent people into a frenzy. Everybody and their mother wants to be a "star" now - and go through such great lengths to do absolutely nothing. Many leave with criminal records and mental damage, and some just end up looking like trash. Look at the case of the reality star who killed his wife and then himself the other day. Tragic! Who knows if that would have happened had he chosen to lead a regular life. Jeeze.

And the person who did this obviously had to be someone of wealth, or at least had access to funding - can you imagine? Being watched for two months in the most intimate manner, with your permission - yet against your will? How tormenting must that have been. Gotta pray for these ladies, cuz they bit off more than they knew they were gonna chew...

||"Soup"||

{{When there was only one font...}}

So, I've been considering writing a story for a while now, and one particular subject keeps scribbling notes in the side of my brain. I won't say what it is just yet, but you'll soon realize it's definitely a representation of a part of my life I am experiencing right now. I think it'll have some funny elements in it, but a lot of the sad truths of life will be incorporated as well.





I think it will be an e-story, a blory, or a stog - whatever you want to call it. I'll draft it on paper, then include it in the blog - and only the blog, which means it's open for editing and improvisation as I go along.





Back when I was in elementary school - when we had a Toshiba computer, who remembers those {{nostalgia sets in}}? The computer where you had to sign in to DOS mode before you could execute anything, the computer where documents were saved on "floppy disks" - not diskettes, floppies - the ones that actually wobbled when you shook them. I used to write stories that were hundreds of pages long. I had this "Secret Garden" type story that I wrote for a year, and when it came time to print it - the computer crashed and it was lost. I never wrote another story again. I mean, that computer was archaic - I used to play Jeopardy on it, and all the characters' faces were made up of hundreds of tiny numbers. There was no jpeg file or any of that. ::sigh:: Those were the days.





Anyway, I'm going to call on a few of you for help with this story - because I want to do it in a way that I have yet to see online. I'm hoping things will go as planned, because I think it will be a pretty interesting story once it all comes together. I should have the first couple of chapters done by this weekend. Hope you're in for a treat!

||Going Without|| - The Quest To Find... (Con't)

{{Zune Says - Chromeo feat. Kid Sister - Tenderoni (Sinden Remix)}}

So I have been absent from the blogosphere for a few weeks - with school starting, family visiting, and life stressing - I managed to forget all about the computer and the separate life that that entails. Lucky for us, I have an hour and a half block in between classes, and instead of studying, I choose to take it and blog.

Lemme start off by saying, I got my new car! I won't post any pics of it - due to the unknown whereabouts of my stalker. He'll find this blog eventually, I'm sure - and realize the Chococat no longer exists. I hope he has fun following it for a while, though - cuz the lady who bought it lives blocks away from me, and has big curly hair like me. ((Buahahah)) I went through a lot of pains to get this vehicle out on the road, part of which is completely my fault. I am well known for being a kind-hearted person, and I ever since I started this meat-fast - I have discovered that this virtue has been working to my disadvantage. The dealer I have purchased the car from was gracious enough to allow me to pay 75% of the car at one time, and the other 25% when I sold my old car. I put "Chococat" on Craigslist, and within a day, I begun getting callers to look at it. After the first two days, I got a call from a young gentleman who was really interested in buying the car. He had a Celica that died on him the previous day, and needed a vehicle. I waited around for him for a few hours, and when he didn't show up - I called his cell phone. Come to find out - the cell phone was his mother's - and he didn't have one. Alrighty then. I waited for another hour, because I had to go to work, and got a call from him. The celica had dropped dead on him on his way to my house (mind you he lives about an hour away), but he was trying to come anyway. I called my job and told them I'd be late. Long story short - another hour passed, and I called out of work. I did this simply because my lateness was considered an absence - so might as well enjoy the day, right? Needless to say, homeboy didn't show up.

The next day, I was showing the car to a few other people, mostly parents and their teenaged children. I discovered that a lot of the parents didn't seem to trust their children with this car, because they already understood what the car was capable of. Most kids of driving age lust after that make and model because of the modification possibilities.

{{Tangent: This Trey Songz album and mixtape are sick!! Currently listening to "Does She Know" as I sit in the library...}}

Anyway, dude called me that day. Told me what happened to the celica. I offered to bring the car to his house, had Lou follow me to his house an hour away. I brought the title, and a drafted bill of sale, just in case they wanted to do the deal. Dude happened to be from NY, just moved down here - so I felt a bit of sympathy. He took the car for a spin, had his father give it the once, twice, thrice over - and decided he wanted it. They managed to find flaws in the car and cut the price down. I, being thirsty for the vehicle I had waiting for me - accepted the offer (even though it was a few hundred less than my asking price), and we shook on it. I go to reach in my bag for the B.O.S. - and dude says, "I want the car - BUT - we don't have the cash right now."

{{Red Flag #1}}

He told me he would have the money in a week. His uncle was sending him money. I was going on my mini-vacation over the course of that week, so I told him okay, since I wouldn't be home anyway. The week passed, and no money. He called and said he was still waiting. I told him okay. I actually felt bad for the kid. Unfortunately for me, though - summer vacation started taking its toll on my wallet. Between taking care of all those kids, and bills, and my personal vacation - I was dwindling dangerously low. I started getting antsy and skeptical about the deal. My father warned me - my heart dismissed his alert and decided to wait. Another week passed, no money. Finally, as I started getting ready to put the car back up for sale - he calls me. "My mom has the money." Lou went to his house for the money, the mom expected the car to be there. You can't get a car unless you pay for it - from what I know. So in essence, Lou wasted his time driving there for nothing. Next day, I skip class and we drive there together, with the car. Mom comes outside - with her Checkbook in tow.

{{Red Flag #2}}

When I saw the checkbook, I started feelin some kind of way. Got that pang in my stomach that makes me nervous. She comes downstairs and looks at the car again. Starts talking in creole.

{{Red Flag #3}}

She tells him that there are things wrong with the car (visually) that she did not see before. The seat is torn, sunburn, blah. I took $50 off and told him go get some seat covers. Mom straight disrespects me and cuts the price down by $300 more dollars!

EXCUSE ME??

Of course at this point, I am starting to feel the NY coming up in my chest. Mom is here saying her husband made a mistake when he agreed to buy the car. I calmly put the B.O.S. back into my purse - looked at Louis and told him in Spanish - "I'm gonna curse her out soon. We should go." She still tries her luck. I told her thank you for wasting my time, and got in the car and left. I could see the look of dispair in the kid's eyes - but at this point, I was feelin type heartless. We drive about a mile away, and get a phone call from the Mom. She's asking for $200 below our agreed price. I tell her no. Calls back again. $100 less. I tell her no. Final call - the kid says they're gonna take the car. Come get the cash the next day. I have my best friends drive in front with the new car, I drive the old one. We're 5min away, I call the mom. "Oh. I was trying to call you. Don't come anymore. My husband came back from Haiti and said never mind."

{{Click}}

I had to hang up on the lady. Every bone in my body wanted to drive over to their house and throw my lug wrench through their window. I called my friends and told em let's go home...

Two days later, after crying and praying - cuz at this stage I'm broke - I get four people who come and look at the car. Three never called back. The last couple brought their mechanic - who took a spin around the block. Came back - said the car was perfect. Got my asking price - in cash - on the table.

{{Lesson Learned}}

This fast has brought me to a few conclusions, and I'm only in my second week. I am entirely too trusting of the human species. I will never stop caring for people, never stop trying to help the next man - no matter if I know them or not. One thing I will no longer do, though - is let my kindness lose me money. Never again. I let this kid draw me into his life. He'd call Lou or call me and tell us all his little sob stories. He lost his job. He crashed his mother's car. His father went to Haiti to get them some money. How did this all become my issue? How did I become his friend? It wasn't. I wasn't. I care hard. I care too much. I imagine scenarios in other people's lives, and I feel bad for them before they even happen. That's a detriment to my life. There's nothing wrong with being a good Samaritan - but there's something gravely wrong wit bein a sucka. And I can't lie, he got me good. I can laugh about it now - but that shit had me stressin hard.

One thing I can say, though - is that God blesses those who do good deeds. I got the money I was asking for in the first place, not the deal that was ripping me off. I attribute that to the fact that I wasted so much time on that kid and his family. God saw that, and decided that I should get what I deserved. And I did. Who knows what that kid and his family are dealing with right now? I said a quick prayer for them - and expelled them from my life. I don't even have his number saved anymore - and in another week or two's time - I'll have forgotten his name.

After I reach the 30 day mark in this fast, I expect to have reached some crazy spiritual and emotional highs. When you sacrifice things that you think you need in you life - you realize that God offers alternatives for you. It may not be the easiest thing, but it's possible. I had to go without money for almost a month. I made it work. I didn't even overdraft - who knows how that was possible. Blessings. Simply put.

I'll tell you this, though - people are gonna have to find another way to get blessings from me - cuz money ain't gonna be it.