Sitting On My Porch Party Thirty Five

What do you want people to know you for? When people see you on the street and recognize you what do you want them to associate you with? It doesn’t have to be anything that spectacular. You could be the guy in the neighborhood that goes to the park and works with the little boys playing football. You could be the lady that walks around and checks up on the elderly. Someone could see you and just say that they had an experience with you at work or something and you did really well. Regardless of what your answer is I know one thing you don’t want to be. You don’t want to be the guy that’s known just for hanging around other people while they are trying to do something.

Mayor Nagin and some other local leaders went to Cuba to learn about their hurricane preparedness and other things they do when a storm approaches. I am sure they have lots of experience because they deal with storms almost every season but I don’t think this is a trip we needed to take. Our image is bad enough already without being associated with Fidel Castro. I would have felt better about it if I could trust that the mayor wouldn’t say anything that would make the news. I really think it’s time to just maintain day to day business and not do anything major until the next leadership is elected soon.

Austin Badon dropped out of the mayor’s race proving that even without a lot of big name competition it has been hard for anyone to build excitement. James Perry needs to do something to build some excitement. My last suggestion about to him was crazy so I have a better one. He should go to Miami this week for the Saints game against the Dolphins and when Miami has the ball run out on the field and tackle Ricky Williams so they can’t run that wildcat offense. After he gets out of jail and the Saints are 6-0 he will be leading in the polls. The brother needs to shake it up a little.

Lil Wayne is about to spend a year in jail after pleading guilty to gun possession charges. I know he performs in a genre that makes it possible he might benefit from going to jail. It will give him that authentic street credibility. He has to pay for the consequences of his choices but I want to go on the record with something right now. If this blog blows up beyond the five people that read it now and somehow I gain fame and riches that I couldn’t imagine, I will not be going to jail for anything. There won’t be any DWI’s. There will be no weed smoking and I won’t need a pistol because I won’t be going anywhere people that people who like to shoot go. The most you could expect from me is drinking a lot of Crown Royal, the best cigars I can buy, and possibly a photo shoot with Buffie the Body just so I can live the dream. Other than that I will be walking the straight and narrow. If I get that money I plan on living as long and free as possible to equal all the years I was broke.

If the Balloon Boy’s family gets a reality show or makes any money from pretending their baby was floating away in a homemade balloon the terrorists win.

When I was growing up I was a huge fan of Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas. The story that came out this week about them having animosity about things that were said back when Magic was diagnosed with HIV is an example of why we have so much violence between black men. Not talking things out leads to unnecessary conflict. I know Magic had a book to sell but it’s been almost 20 years since all of this happened. As close as he and Isaiah were he could have called him up or invited him over and just laid everything out and got it resolved. We have to stop holding on to grudges and being afraid to talk to one another.