Bikram Yoga (or Hot Yoga)

Heard of it? Know anyone who uses this method of cleansing/weight loss/meditation? Read more here and pass me your thoughts. If you're menopausal, please leave insight on it if you weren't "hot" already. SMILES!!

I Love Being Black - William 'Smokey' Robinson

"I love being Black. I love being called Black. I love being an American. I love being a Black American, but as a Black man in this country I think it’s a shame that every few years we get a change of name.

Since those first ships arrived here from Africa that came across the sea there were already Black men in this country who were free. And as for those that came over here on those terrible boats, they were called niggah and slave and told what to do and how to behave.

And then master started trippin' and doing his midnight tippin', down to the slave shacks where he forced he and Great-Great Grandma to be together, and if Great-Great Grandpa protested, he got tarred and feathered.

And at the same time, the Black men in the country who were free, were mating with the tribes like the Apache and the Cherokee. And as a result of all that, we're a parade of every shade. And as in this late day and age, you can be sure, they ain't too many of us in this country whose bloodline is pure.

But, according to a geological, geographical, genealogy study published in Time Magazine, the Black African people were the first on the scene, so for what it's worth, the Black African people were the first on earth and through migration, our characteristics started to change, and rearrange, to adapt to whatever climate we migrated to. And that's how I became me, and you became you.

So, if we gonna go back, let's go all the way back, and if Adam was Black and Eve was Black, then that kind of makes it a natural fact that everybody in America is an African American.

Everybody in Europe is an African European; everybody in the Orient is an African Asian and so on and so on, that is, if the origin of man is what we’re gonna go on. And if one drop of Black blood makes you Black like they say, then everybody's Black anyway.

So quit trying to change my identity. I'm already who I was meant to be I'm a Black American, born and raised. And brother James Brown wrote a wonderful phrase, "Say it loud, I'm Black and I'm proud! Say it loud, I'm Black and I'm proud!"

Cause I'm proud to be Black and I ain't never lived in Africa, and ‘cause my Great-Great Granddaddy on my Daddy’s side did, don't mean I want to go back. Now I have nothing against Africa, it's where some of the most beautiful places and people in the world are found. But I've been blessed to go a lot of places in this world, and if you ask me where I choose to live, I pick America, hands down.

Now, by and by, we were called Negroes, and after while, that name has vanished. Anyway, Negro is just how you say “black” in Spanish. Then, we were called colored, but shit, everybody’s one color or another, and I think it’s a shame that we hold that against each other.

And it seems like we reverted back to a time when being called Black was an insult, even if it was another Black man who said it, a fight would result, cause we’ve been so brainwashed that Black was wrong, so that even the yellow niggahs and black niggahs couldn’t get along.

But then, came the 1960s when we struggled and died to be called equal and Black, and we walked with pride with our heads held high and our shoulders pushed back, and Black was beautiful.

But, I guess that wasn’t good enough, cause now here they come with some other stuff. Who comes up with this shit anyway? Was it one, or a group of niggahs sitting around one day?

Feelin’ a little insecure again about being called Black and decided that African American sounded a little more exotic. Well, I think you were being a little more neurotic.

It’s that same mentality that got “Amos and Andy” put off the air, cause’ they were embarrassed about the way the character’s spoke. And as a result of that action, a lot of wonderful Black actors ended up broke. When we were just laughin’ and have fun about ourselves. So I say, “fuck you if you can’t take a joke.” You didn’t see the “Beverly Hillbilly’s” being protested by white folks.

And if you think, that cause you think that being called African American set all Black people’s mind at ease… since we affectionately call each other “niggah”, I affectionately say to you, “niggah please”.

How come I didn’t get the chance to vote on who I’d like to be? Who gave you the right to make that decision for me? I ain’t under your rule or in your dominion and I am entitled to my own opinion.

Now there are some African Americans here, but they recently moved here from places like Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Zaire. But, now the brother who’s family has lived in the country for generations, occupying space in all the locations New York, Miami, L.A., Detroit, Chicago - even if he’s wearing a dashiki and sporting an afro.

And, if you go to Africa in search of your race, you’ll find out quick you’re not an African American, you’re just a Black American in Africa takin’ up space.

Why you keep trying to attach yourself to a continent, where if you got the chance and you went, most people there would even claim you as one of them; as a pure bread daughter or son of them. Your heritage is right here now, no matter what you call yourself or what you say and a lot of people died to make it that way. And if you think America is a leader on inequality and suffering and grievin’ how come there so many people comin’ and so few leavin’?

Rather than all this ‘find fault with America’ fuck you promotin’, if you want to change something, use your privilege, get to the polls! Commence to votin’!

God knows we’ve earned the right to be called American Americans and be free at last. And rather than you movin’ forward progress, you dwelling in the past. We’ve struggled too long; we’ve come too far. Instead of focusing on who we were, let’s be proud of who we are.

We are the only people whose name is always a trend. When is this shit gonna end? Look at all the different colors of our skin - Black is not our color. It’s our core. It’s what we been livin’ and fightin’ and dyin’ for.

But if you choose to be called African American and that’s your preference then I'll give you that reference

But I know on this issue I don’t stand alone on my own and if I do, then let me be me and I’d appreciate it if when you see me, you’d say, “there goes a man who says it loud I’m Black. I’m Black. I’m a Black American, and I’m proud

Cause I love being an American. And I love being Black. I love being called Black. Yeah, I said it, and I don’t take it back."

Smokey Robinson
Def Poets, 3rd Season - May 16, 2003

Katt in DC - 5th Row Was The SHHHHHHHHHYT!!

(No photos as I was at the first of two shows that night and there was no Bentley either CUL)

Let me tell you right now, never see an event in the DAR (Constitution Hall, DC) any closer the 5th row. You're either gonna only see the top of the person's head or look straight at the stage edge - possibly a crotch. Not cute. Every time someone called the floor a rest spot for a joke, they almost disappeared. Thanks to to huge screens each side of the stage, I never missed a beat. I hear the Katt Williams concerts last night, yes both shows, were being filmed. I have no clue why but I hope that huge camera I saw to the right of me loads of times got my good side, if there was ever one. (Laughs) Anyhow, prior to going in the building I stood out side for a few...

1) because I had already heard/read about the opening acts being rap artist and I'm not into rap.

2) I wanted to get a feel how the crowd's vibe was.

While minding my own, a couple of older than me ladies were coming up the stairs. The one asked what the area was and I replied. She asked me had the show started and I told her not yet and that I only see 1 bus as opposed to the 3 I heard about the day before. She told me "they said he went to Ben's today". (Ben's is a popular chili place in DC having people like Bill Cosby and more to tout as guests. Nope, never ate nor been there). I tell you this... if Katt ever needs new material, stand outside of an event prior to the show. Man, it was OFF the meter out there. I saw a female wearing a coat zipped to the neck with thick scarf and then.. flip flops. WTF?? And someone else got into a baby daddy cell phone argument so loud, the people on the ground level were looking up. Trust me, the humor was out there in full effect. I'm a Marylander, so I'm not claiming them. (laughs)

I finally decided to go in and from the level I entered on, I was right at my seat - sweeeeeeet!! 5th friggin' ROW!! Not thats some Prince shyt hear me. I purchased my ticket right before he was being announced on The View yesterday. I swear I would have muffed up my transaction had that part of the show came on ANY earlier. No lie. I halled (like he did when he was acting out his child running) to get to the tv, laptop in both hands. (CUL) Anyhow, Klutch was on and he was ok and then XL (Xplicit Lyric) was next. She's smaller than she looks in her photos. (I damned sure gotta lose a few pounds now that I've seen how that worked out for her) She was pretty good and seemed to have got the crowd in a good mood.

D'Militant (sp??) was the MC of those show and he had his own comedic words in between everything. Simply Cookie and Leslie were side splitting funny as heck. I near cried on both of those ladies sets. Leslie torn into the first row - badly. You should have seen how nervous I was when she said something like 'I'm going down here to where the people paid good money...'. I was like ohhhh noooooo but luckily I was saved. I think that huge bodyguard is truly necessary because she gets IN people's faces and ears. That poor girl she last slammed, I wanted to see what pants she had on. I saw some gold lamé capris entering and wondered if she was the one sporting them after the "disco"/Donna Summer comments Leslie made. Between the three comic openers, they were the show for me. Unfortunately I had YouTubed KW's stuff and already knew about half of his set.

Here we go ya'll. Out of the left side comes the Katt. He tossed his nice hat in the air and some HUGE (tall and weight - ok, larger than me alright?) guy caught it who was one row in front and one seat to the left - DARN IT. So into his routine he goes starting on the huge DC painting right behind him letting us know that it was the only thing in DC that looked like that. Everything else looked like - he points to the crowd yelling "ya'll". Hmmm.... is that a good or bad reference. (laughs) He does his skit fine with no interruptions to really deviate his attention until... he's doing the part I wanted to hear the MOST. He was talking about the Flavor Flav Roast and how pissed he was the entire show. (if you saw it you'd understand. I saw it late last year wondering WHILE watching why Katt looked so pissed and now I know) So as he is talking some chick wearing a pinkish something decided to yell some crazed mess from the upper right balcony level. He stopped and told everyone that his baby mom's was there going into how you ignore her in the club while giving her that "I got TRO papers on you" look. Funnnnnnnnnnnnnny. So ole girl keeps going and he turns his back to keep his "peripheral from being distracted". "Before I say something I shouldn't like sit down b*tch and shut the f*** up" follwed and you knew he'd been there and done that before. I'm wondering if they pay people to act up because almost every show I've read about, there is ALWAYS a heckler. His set was quiet as crap to me so much that... I thought I was at an opera for a second for serious. People barely laughed and I chalked it up as they'd rather listen than laugh. Hopefully not that... OTHER... reason since there were 2 - 3 means of laughter prior to him?!?!

Soooooooo... the other joke I wanted to hear, the motorcycle stint, was the last joke of the night. Katt had sweat on him so thick, his hair was that of someone getting out of the shower - right then. I hope he lets his hair grow long again (for a pony tail) because him pushing it back so much when it won't stay seems bothersome. He spends way too much obvious time fixing the hair that just won't fix. He never used his towel nor did he get to sip his drink. I still say he should have a cordLESS mic but he seems to have been working with it so long, it never gets in the way. I also think he should refrain from actually naming his child during his set. It will call for people who do not know him to come up and ask him about the child when it's part of the joke evenif it's REAL life. And we know how people can try to get all up in your business.

Shows over and I'm walking out listening to the crowd. Some thought his females were funnier and this has been said since this tour started by a few attendees. That's cool and all because if it weren't for the tour, we might not have seen these acts at all. Ok, I might not have. Overall, $$ well spent because the seats were soooooooooooo great. I did go over to check the fan fare merch and was not moved to buy anything. One thing that did catch my eye was his new comedy/rap CD. I couldn't believe It's Pimpin' Pimpin' was going for $20 - there too. Huffpuffpassssssssssssssssssssss.........