10 Great Things About The Hood

i thought that today i would add a different flavor to the blog. often times we think that "the ghetto" is merely a place where bad things happen and no one is getting ahead. but those of us that are from the hood and eventually leave never to return (unless absolutely necessary) know better. still, we often need to be reminded of the good that's left in the hood. i remember when steve harvey used to host a hoodie awards in los angeles where he would highlight some of the best places in the hood in all categories from car washes to restaurants, and while i won't name any names in this particular blog, i will generalize the idea.

1. THE FOOD! - everyone who's anyone should know that no matter where you live, if you want a finger licking, iced tea and dessert type of down south meal you better find your nearest hood 'cause popeyes chicken and biscuits will not suffice.

2. BOOTLEGS - sure it's wrong but beyonce' and denzel already made their millions! let a brotha get his hustle on fam! why not get a movie or the latest cd before it even comes out and you don't even have to know a big-wig studio person to get it. okay so the picture is a "little off". you seen it didn't you?

3. ART GALLERIES - yep, i said: art galleries. you would be surprised at how many art galleries that are in the hood! and the artist usually own the galleries so you can have a one on one with them and get the inspiration behind the masterpiece straight from the horses mouth. how about them apples?

4. COFFEEHOUSES/LOUNGES/AFTER HOUR SPOTS - usually you can't have a great meal somewhere and stay for some drinks and live entertainment then get your party on till the break of dawn, but in the hood you can. you just gotta do your research! and not to mention the comfy couches and your homegirl/homeboy hooking up the mochas and green teas behind the counter while the wednesday night open mic is crackin'!

5. HAIR SALONS/BARBERSHOPS - wanna hear about the latest scoop from around the way, fashion show, concert or just shoot the breeze with your girls or boys while getting your sew-in, relaxer or line up? Hello, look no other than the hair salon/barbershop because you will get nothing less than you deserve (sometimes!). and if you don't have anything to say in the heated conversation...hey just read ebony, jet, vibe, essence, sophisticated black hair, etc. and get inspired!

6. AUTO REPAIR SHOPS/ROSCOE'S DRIVE WAY - you can go to jiffy lube and get that oil changed but when your carborator and catalytic converter breaks down you need to go to Roscoe so he can hook you up for half the price of the uppity car shops that just want to eat up your wallet with parts and labor charges.

7. SCHOOLS/LIBRARIES - i really don't understand how dropout rates ever went bad in the hood 'cause schools and libraries are everywhere. there's pretty much one on each block! one thing the hood does not lack is its schools and libraries so get your learn on youngins!

8. 99 CENT/DOLLAR STORES - okay, go to wal-mart if you want to but will they have that convenient cost of soap, baby clothes and pine-sol that you can get from your corner store? and if you're in the right neighborhood you can also get some fresh fruit to go with that! sounds good to me.

9. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - living high on the hill is the good life, but if your car breaks down that one bus that drives thru your town will not run pass 8 o'clock, but in the hood the buses stop practically right at your front door. great for SheShe and her 3 kids when the car is actin' up!

10. CHURCH (duh!) - so i saved the best for last. church is the heart of the hood. it knows everybody and everybody knows it. so if you want to really know who's who most likely their family and old friends are in the church. and while you're there listen to some soul, gut wrenching gospel and get saved, sanctified and filled with the holy ghost. then buy you a plate after church and fellowship!

gotta love the hood...

stay tuned, 'cause we got more hood love

-Janus

Better Late Then Never...

who thought it was possible in this lifetime? not me

this one's definitely for the books

Yes We Can!

Barack Obama, 2008

Next Fool (you believe it)

an institution would rob me of my natural ordinance

saturate my mind with likeness and be still to mainstream mind view

everything is energy

and this world is mine

(it's not yours 'cause you have yet to claim your goal)

and my goal is life

to live and breathe free

not concerned with the dollarbill

and to that you say:"fantasy!, it's absurd!"

not this way! pass it down...

 

Janus

Makes Me Wonder...

with so many things happening to people in the world today it just makes you wonder. wonder what the world would be like if we didn't have to deal with all the ciaos that surrounds our lives. some of us escape the trappings of our society. most are not so lucky and we all have that moment where we just have to ask: why wasn't it me? although we don't want it to really be us dealing with such sadness but we just have to ask. and no matter how much we try and keep our minds off of the bad we know it's always there, somewhere lurking around. i remember writing a poem in high school entitled what is life? and i listed all of the things a young girl can experience growing up and dealing with relationships, differences and the world. i'm still on that quest, that hunt to find not the fountain of youth but what sustains us in a world so cold. i remember growing up and all the adults would tell me that it's a "doggy-dog world" and now as i'm in it it's also a dog-eat-dog world. point blank period life is hard. some of us can take the hits better than others and i do in my heart believe that only the strong survive. life unfolds to us as we live in it. we all are walking these subliminal paths trying to make good with our time. the best we can do for ourselves and the world is find that special thing inside that produces magic. the magic that changes minds and lives to see their special thing inside. there is life inside of us that deserves to be lived at it's best. and our best is what makes us the happiest person we've ever been. we need unconditional love (love that isn't measured, graded or put on any pedestal), we need encouragement, we need truth, we need support (even when we are misunderstood) but most importantly we as individuals need to know that at a certain point all of this is left up to us if the ones that surround us do not budge. we have to live for ourselves. we have to make ourselves happy and not get caught up in living for everyone else. everyday we wake up we should be making ourselves happy-whatever that means to you. live life, celebrate life, be happy in the skin you're in.
Love Yourself, It's The Buried Treasure!

peace, Janus

Larry Davis

i really want to take out some time to shout out this particular african-american man named Larry Davis. i saw a documentary about this man about 2 years ago by way of another fabulous guy by the name of troy reed and his street stars docs. b.e.t aired the story on him last night and seeing his story told from that particular point of view really got me boiled about the african-american condition. although there are many advancements for all races here in this country america will always have a love-hate affair between blacks and whites. i am convinced that this will never die and with that said my eyes will always be wide-open to this fact. i have been brought up around many different backgrounds and ethnicity's and i am convinced that we as a country are only concerned with others for selfish and/or personal reasons for the advancement and growth of a personal nature. we say a lot of things as a country but we, in fact, do the exact opposite of what we say we are. and what this has to do with Larry Davis is that our country has done lots of dirty things but when the time comes to atone innocence is displayed while the "criminal" is left to pay for the sins of all. this continues to go on in a time where freedom and justice are spoken of in the same breath.

peace, Janus

1 Whole Year!

so it's been a year for me here at msisenther universe and i must say it's been a year of greatness. there is nothing like setting goals and then reaching them-i advise it to all. so with that said it's time to move on into the next year with some style, more class and of course more poetic reality! look forward to a new layout as well as a book collection in this new year. that is what i want for this entity in my life. to build the msisenther brand into the atmosphere where only good things dwell. this site is for those of us that need inspiration to deal with the hectic world. although i write this blog i myself am highly inspired to do more after an entry or even when i come to view the site throughout my day and i hope it's doing the same for you as well. i think it's time for selfless creativity to reign strong so that we never forget that before we had all of these amenities in life it was just the resources we had around us to keep us ahead of the curve. sometimes civilization can make us neglect the greatness that we have around us thinking that the only thing real and true is something that comes with a hard struggle. those of us that know better need to stand together and make the world what we want it to be. we are the consumers, the ones that keep the economy where it should be. if we don't spend our country will not grow and don't ever forget that. so please leave comments, questions and suggestions as we go into this new year together.

peace, Janus

Sensory

don't touch but feel
don't see but look
don't hear but listen
don't taste but savor
don't smell but comprehend

if you are blessed with your senses do them justice and heighten them
-Janus