bravery in the face of ignorance

i really can't imagine being barack obama. i can't imagine campaigning across the country. i can't imagine kissing babies and shaking hands. i can't imagine orating speech after speech in front of huge crowds. and i can't even begin to imagine having to defend my patriotism because of my name. or the color of my skin. or who my friends are. i can't imagine having the cover of a national magazine parody the appearance and beliefs of my wife and myself. i can't imagine the united states election system "mistakenly" confusing my name with that of the mastermind of the largest terrorist attack in the history of my country. and i can't imagine doing all of that with a singular though in my head - today might be the day i die.

you all do realize this, right? barack obama is the first black presidential nominee of a major party. jesse jackson he is not. in less than one month this man may just be the president of these united states. and as much hope and optimism as this may bring for so many us, it also stimulates an equal amount of hate and fear in a great number of our fellow americans. and this is why i am almost positive that, despite the overpowering dedication and passion that it takes for any person to run for the most powerful seat in the land, barack obama is contantly haunted by that thought - today might be the day i die. and it could be. hate and fear are strong emotions, especially when mixed with ignorance and stupidity. there are people in this country who do not want to see barack obama in the white house for one reason and one reason only. why? let's just say they want to keep it a 'white' house. and many of those people feel they have an obligation to keep this from happening. and for some, that obligation goes beyond the voting booth. i am relatively certain that there are people in this country who will do whatever it takes to prevent obama from taking office in washington. they believe he will taint, dishonor, and even destroy our nation. and i am utterly fearful of the lengths they will go to to prevent this.

so the next time you see barack obama smiling for the cameras, giving a speech, spending quality time with his wife and daughters, or just being - try to comprehend how much courage that takes. just to be him. i can't imagine...

does she realize?

beautiful manhattan day. beautiful girl. decent outfit. and then this on her feet. yes, those are indeed champion socks. but, she did have a guy on her arm, so who am i to hate?

john marshall, thats who dammit!

the express

caught the express in previews last night. very good movie about a very good man and a great football player. whether you are a sports fan or not, this is a must-see. setting off basically every human emotion, the express draws you into the life of ernest davis, the first african-american recipient of the heisman trophy. people in the theater were literally crying, cheering, and clapping (the 3 C's of audience response) along with every second of the movie. so go see it.

BuzyGirls / BuzyGuys ... Listen Up!

It's party time...Oh! Oh it's parrrtty time. We're havin' a parrttyy......

So one of my chums at the Fashion Institute of Technology starts his job as a promoter for this new (or not so new?) place called BRANCH. It's hip, it's fun...and you're probably sick of hitting up the same old place weekend after weekend with your girls/guys. So why not try something new?

Take a break from your "Buzy" lives and sit down...have a drink....and party it up!

My amigo's name is Joe, and he does Saturday nights (I believe).

Here's a photo of what the place looks like:




And here's Joe's info:






:)

racism or stupidity?

..." I won't forget my camera. Me forgetting my camera is like a nigga forgetting her weave. Nevaa happenin!!"

yea.

go back and read that again.

yea.

this was part of facebook status update that an acquaintance of mine posted. the person thought that this particular statement made by a friend was hilarious. both people in question are of the caucasian persuasion. but that doesn't even matter. this statement, made by aaaanyone, is completely inane and inappropriate. i seriously did a triple take and had to convince myself i wasn't bugging. i even went so far as to try to convince myself that there was nothing wrong with that statement. but there is.

let's examine this a bit and break down exactly what is was wrong with this "joke". i'm going to start off with the stereotype that was used. the person compared never forgetting a camera to a black female never forgetting her weave. *news flash* not all black women wear weaves. and not all who do wear a weave feel they "can't leave home without it". furthermore, many women of other races wear weaves with much greater frequency than black women. 2008 and some people still pigeonhole black women into the shanaynay stereotype.

secondly, the word "nigga" can be an extremely incendiary word regardless of what context it is used in. it has generally come to be accepted as a term of endearment amongst many members of the black community, and to a lesser degree other male minorities, white men, and even members of the lesbian community. but it is not used (well at least not since, like, the civil war) by anyone other than slave owners, racists, and other equally ignorant individuals, as an acceptable term with which to casually describe or categorize a black person. that is absolutely not ok. ever.

thirdly, you are part of the problem. you are why black people cringe when other people use the "n-word". because they now that eventually, you're going to fuck up. you're going to use a word with such a destructive and painful history as a joke. and then all hell is going to break loose. and i know you don't mean to sound racist and i know you think it's ok. but it's not. trust me.

it is a very widely debated question as to whether or not the word nigger in any of its' form is acceptable in any setting or context. i'm not going to attempt to weigh in on that now. i use the word. sometimes in serious conversation, other times in jest. i also try not to use it. overuse of any given word can make an individual seem static and ignorant, and that my friends, is not me. so use the word or don't use it, i'm not one to judge. but at the very least use your brain when you do. or you might end up sounding like a nigger.

mccain vs. obama part 2

now i'm not an overly political individual, but i do feel it is incredibly important to perform our civil duties responsibly. i also feel it is imperative to keep myself informed on issues that i deem relevant to my life. so even though i know for a fact i am voting for barack obama, i thought that i should pay our political system the respect it deserves (not that it deserves much respect) and watch at least one of the presidential debates.

i'm going to be honest, i didn't really care to listen to what either candidate said about the issues. they have both proven to be long-winded and not entirely honest or forthcoming on the issues. and i don't blame them. in today's society where every word can become a sound bite and every move is over-scrutinized, it is better for a candidate to fill his/her public appearances with plenty of glad handing, empty rhetoric, and loosely constructed half-truths. i've tried my best to investigate the facts to become as informed as i can be on the issues i care about and feel i am sufficiently taken care of in that department.

the one thing i took away from the debate was that i hate john mccain. not exactly an original thought these days, i know. and it's not as if i've ever had a strong affinity to him. but last night i saw something completely different in john mccain. maybe it's because i never paid much attention to him to begin with, but i never realized dude was such an agitating smartass.

from referring to a senator of the united states as "that one" to telling a young african-american man of about college age that he'd probably never heard of fannie mae or freddie mac prior to the current economic upheaval, mccain showed himself to be an arrogant prick. his continued cheap shots at obama and the democratic party combined with his veritable sucking up to moderator tom brokaw left me at a loss for words. my only comparison for him is a child in the school yard that calls his classmates names and picks fights, but only when he is just out of earshot of the teacher but in close enough proximity to guarantee that he cant get his ass whooped. i give barack all the credit in the world for not smacking that man in the face.

john mccain, you are an asshole.

manhattan love affair

while working today and walking the streets of manhattan (yes i'm a streetwalker. so what? wanna fight about it?), 58th and 5th to be specific, when i passed a small movie theater and thought that i might want to go there sometime because it didn't look like too many people went there. suddenly, i was hit with a pretty profound thought. why would i go to a movie theater in manhattan instead of catching a flick in my homeborough, the bronx?

surrounded by tourists and well-to-do manhattanites bustling in and out of central park, the plaza hotel, the apple store, bergdorf goodman, louis vuitton, and fao schwarz i became strikingly aware of one single fact - manhattan is full of money. major money. ridiculous amounts of money. another thought immediately followed, racing into my brain - if i never spent another BuzyGuy dollar in manhattan, it would not be missed.

i never really thought of my choices as a consumer as having much of an impact on anything other than my life, but with the financial crisis hitting new york as hard as anywhere in the world i guess my mind is just a little more tuned in economically. manhattan doesn't need my money. but the bronx does. dos caminos will do without my overpriced $48.63 per person dinner date. but the mexican place that just opened up down the block from my apartment might not be there for much longer if i don't finally check it out like i've been meaning to. if we don't spend our money in the local spots in our neighborhoods, who is going to? why do we have this love affair with manhattan? why do we pour our hard earned dollars back into the money pit that is the city instead of support local business in our beighborhoods?

now don't get me wrong. manhattan is a beautiful place. it is non-stop, vivacious, and totally eclectic. it brings in huge sums of money for the city and the country. it is home to countless memories of mine and manhattan-located companies have paid my bills for several years now. but i don't live there. the majority of my friends do not live there. so why is it that when we look for a place to hang, we inevitably end up in manhattan? maybe we've watched one too many episodes of friends or sex and the city, but it seems we instinctly congregate under the bright lights of manhattan like moths to a flame.

so i'm making a stand. i'm calling for us all to end this messy love affair with manhattan! sure it'll be strange at first, but in due time you'll adjust. and manhattan's not going anywhere. i swear. you can still visit. really. and i know the "other" boroughs aren't always as polished or refined, but a sure way to get improved and diverse options is to pump some money into these local neighboods. plus, since you aren't getting a "high-class product" (who needs that shit?) you also won't be subject to a high-class price tag. we might not ever see any of that $700 billion bailout, but you'll sure see some cash in your bank account soon if you stop frequenting manhattan. stay local, explore small (or even not so small) businesses and eateries in your area. open your eyes to the options that are so very close to you. and if you're a tourist, please come visit manhattan. but take the time during your visit to check out at least one place in the outer boroughs. you will be pleasantly surprised.

btw...did you know that central park is only the fifth largest park in the five boroughs? the four largest are located in the bronx, queens, and staten island. so why does everyone act like central park is the place to be? yea it has history, but history is waiting to be created elsewhere...

murder burgers

never under any circumstances think it is okay to walk into a white castle and order a crave crate. yes those sliders are small, but there is more to them than meets the eye.

on a visit to white castle yesterday, my boys and i, in a moment of hunger and gluttony, decided that the four of us could finish the 100 slider crave crate of destruction. i should've known better, especially when they handed me said crate and i needed two hands to carry it comfortably.

we took this monstrous crate back to the crib and settled in to watch the new iron man blue ray disc. now i love gorging myself on low quality sustenance as much as the next guy, but i had absolutely no idea what was in for. i happily shoveled burger after fucking burger into my greedy little face orifice with reckless abandoned. oh the joy! cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburgers, a1 burgers! it was all the wonder i hoped it would be.

my elation was short-lived. less than half the way to my share of 25 greasy meat biscuits the white flag was raised. happiness and satisfaction were replaced with despair and pain. No one faired much better, as a little over 40 burgers remain in the cursed crate.

now i am left feeling dirty, shameful, and used. i share this story with you because i care about your well-being. don't make the mistake i did. beware the crave crate...

hip-hop theater

checked out danny hoch's one-man performance last night at hostos community college. for anyone not familiar with mr. hoch's work, you are truly missing out on something special. a veritable genius, he consistently offers a unique and insightful perspective on new york, the hip-hop community, and the people that comprise the big apple.

'taking over: the all-city tour' is no different. delivering comedic blow after comedic blow, danny hoch picks apart the economic expansion that has become a huge part of the lives of all who reside in new york. whether you are a native new yorker or have migrated here from outside parts, 'taking over' is totally relatable and thought-provoking.

oh and did i mention it was free? see official details below -

October 1 - October 11

In association with
Hostos Center for Arts & Culture, LaGuardia Performance Arts Center and El Puente of Williamsburg
Present

Taking Over: the All-City Tour
Written & performed by Danny Hoch
Directed by Tony Taccone


Hip-Hop Theater Festival founder, award winning actor, and New York native, DANNY HOCH takes on gentrification and affordable housing in his latest play, Taking Over. Blazing through a fierce spectrum of New Yorkers, Hoch spurs the debate about the future of our city and its obsession with economic expansion. HHTF and the Public Theater have teamed up with cultural institutions across the city to bring you this ALL-CITY TOUR to neighborhoods FREE OF CHARGE, prior to the show's run at the Public this November. See it first, in YOUR neighborhood!

TICKETS ARE FREE. RESERVATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED.
Click Here

October 1-4 - 8:00PM
Hostos Performing Arts Center
450 Grand Concourse @ 149th Street, Bronx, NY
Box Office: (718) 518-4455

October 6,7,9 & 10 - 8:30PM
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY
LPAC Box Office: 718-482-5151

October 11 - 8:00PM
Grand Street Campus Auditorium
850 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY
El Puente: 718-387-0404

random story

*not much to blog about now, so i shall recant a true story*

asian man, mid-thirties, walks down a manhattan street with his two children. his daughter holds his right hand and his son bobs along attached to his left. An attentive father, the man converses with his children. This particular conversation is an education on crossing signals. Halfway up the block the father points out that the current signal (a red hand) means that you should not cross because cars have the right of way. His children are amazed, hanging on to every word of wisdom that spills forth from his mouth. As they approach the intersection, roughly 10 yards away, the light changes in their favor. The father turns to his children and provides these instructions related to the new signal as he motions for them to hurry to the intersection and cross...

"oh look! it's the white man! let's run!"

listen well children...

plenty of fish

*update*

seems like a millenium since i've blogged, but i promised a report on my online date (mis)adventure so i felt a certain sense of responsibility to my readership (hi Mom!) to provide one.

that being said... there isnt much else to say. i dutifully filled out my profile information and uploaded some charmingly handsome pics - and was subsequently ignored by every living thing on the site. the one gal i managed to communicate with has apparently closed her account. says alot about me, huh?

so i guess my experience in the online dating world is alot like that in the real world - uneventful...

SALE !

heartbreak

gnarles barkley and director chris milk do a simply awesome job of visually and audibly manifesting something we've all felt.. amazing

Have you ever been curious about online dating?

match.com, jdate, e-harmony - we've all heard of internet dating websites and experienced some level of curiosity, so your friendly neighborhood BuzyBlogger has taken it upon himself to venture onto plentyoffish.com so that i may report my findings back to you.

plenty of fish, btw, is a free online dating service (i wouldve sprung for a higher-end model, but BuzyGirl doesn't give us much of an expense account - hint, hint)

updates soon to follow....

Greetings Visitors to the InterWeb

brand new to the BuzyPeeps family and fresh to the intricate dimension of blogging that so many in my generation have come to call home. this is my invitation going out to all to hop alongside me in my abstract car and see exactly how abstract far we can make this abstract thing to go.

feeling extra hipster right now; 'underground' rap blaring from my pc, Yankees playing in the background, blogging away on a gloomy NY afternoon. how cool am i?

bernard mccullough.isaac hayes.estelle getty.george carlin. all gone in a matter of weeks. just a reminder ladies and gents, tomorrow isn't guaranteed. be happy and leave an impression.

i'll leave you with those cliched words of 'wisdom'. go yanks.