brown.

Black love used to be about black power.  

Now it seems it's more about gossip, 

who can out-shuck the other, 

while another one's agent knows all the jive.  

You can change all the pronouns you want in the songs you "sang", but you're still just fodder...

or a lyric in a Kanye West song.  

Do you really have a Dream?

Or a political agenda?

Or just a New York Times account and the safe, soft,

Brown ability

to click "share" on what your daddy (remember him) told you to spread.

Know who you were.

I think you do.

Be more concerned with the actions of yourself 

instead of the assumed stagnancy of others.

Brown boy, advance!

  

Brown boy, don't succumb 

to what seems the safest route.

They even sold afro-wigs in the 60s 

for those too afraid to march.

Either wear today's daishiki,

or raise the same fist.

Get a job and 

don't be a part of the equation your lighter shade

has helped you to avoid.

Get a job.

Pay your rent.

Don't turn into a YouTube comment.

Don't grow it out just for a role.

Do something.  

Don't try to be something.

Set an example.  Don't just share someone else's. 

Brown boy, 

you better run.

Today's Top 10

1. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich instantly makes me feel like I’m in kindergarten again.  I still love that feeling.

2. Recently, I purchased the perfect shirt for a first date.  (Don’t worry, I’ve kept the receipt)

3. I’ve added “Listening” to the special skills section of my resume.  People should know.

4. “Until the lion has his own historian, the hunter will always be the hero.”

5. I want to build a recording studio in my own house. And no, you can’t use it.

6. Everyone should shave their head at least once in their lives.  It is the most liberating feeling.

7. In my world, bacon should never be on a burger.  For some reason, I do not enjoy when my edible animals touch.

8. A lot of people over the age of 30 have been very concerned about a recent performance by something named “Miley”.

9. There are more than 4 people I know very well who are admittedly in absolutely loveless marriages or relationships.

10. In life, I have had multiple close-to-religious experiences listening to Aretha Franklin’s “Spirit In The Dark”.  If you don’t know it, listen.  It was often a duet with Ray Charles back in the day.  It is my church.

***

A special Holiday Bonus...

- I used to hold board meetings in my bedroom as a child with each of my stuffed animals lined up to discuss the day's events.  Miss Piggy was the secretary.  I recently dedicated a song to my old stuffed friends.

I met a woman. She had a mouth like yours.

When we first met, we bonded over both missing and lacking loves.  We also sat in Central Park with a guitar and talked about the music that moved us.  That was just a month ago.  And I'm still moved by her.  Last week's "Last Tuesday" was amazing and I have fallen head over heels (9") for a feisty, soul singing red head named Bridget Barkan.  If you ever have to chance to sit anywhere in the vicinity of her, do.  If you ever get the chance to sing with her, do.

If you missed us the other night, here's a snippet of me telling you what it takes for us to do what we do, and why I think we do it well.  And this is one of our favorite songs!!!  Elliot Roth and this band killed me.

Today's Top 10

1. There is a great deal of Massachusetts in my life for the next 30 days.

2. Cats are utterly useless animals, for which there is zero excuse.

3. I only want to create things with people who are passionate, know who they are, and have something to say.

1. These people make me want to be a better artist.

4. I want to cook dinner every night.

5. The idea of spending my birthday week in Los Angeles makes me smile so hard that it hurts.

6. I wish I didn’t have to move my car.

7. Some people, I’ve heard, can sleep until 10AM.  I wish I were one of those people.

8. My bathroom is downstairs.

9. If someone wants to talk to/be with/love on you, they will.

10. I make excellent coffee.