Reaching Through the Diaspora

Back in June, I stopped in my friend Zana’s store “Spectacles” downtown Detroit. One this particular day, I noticed some Black Liberation patches in her display cabinet, which got me excited so I purchased 3 just because.

I had no idea what I was going to do with them, I just know I wanted them. In the meantime, I just had them on my desk & looked at them all the time & they always made me smile because I think they are so cool.

On a related note but not really, a few weeks ago, I finally got my 6 Barack Obama buttons that I ordered from his website. Just like the patches, I had no idea what I was going to do with all these buttons but I wanted them because they are cool. And just like with the patches, I poured the buttons onto my desk for the meantime.

One night while catching up on some online reading, I looked at my desk, then decided to pull out my camera & took the photo below (titled “Negroes for Obama”).

I really liked how the photo came out & tossed it up on Flickr & that was that.

Well, 2 weeks ago, Malcolm Quartey aka “Kwadwo Kwarte” one of my Flickr friends (from our brief photo commenting, I get the sense that this young brother is really cool & he has quite an interesting life and background), from Belgium responded to the image and we had the following dialogue:

Kwadwo “Hahaha, "Negroes for Obama", funny. I really love those colors, the alternative rasta/black pride-colors... I can't get these here in Belgium, but I wish I could...”

Bygbaby “Are they off limits or just not available?"

Kwadwo “Not available. I would not even know where to start searching for them. People here have no clue to black history. I mean, I don't even think they realise black people in America are decendants from slaves. The black people here in Blegium are all African immigrants, or their children (like me). Some of them/us really know our history, and black history in general, such as that of the Afro-Americans, but that's a minority. Now that I think about it, the only people I've ever seen wearing these colors were other Rastas, but real Rastas are also extremely rare here. I've only seen other genuine Rastas on sporadic occasions... Sad, isn't it?”

Bygbaby “Well my friend, I have three patches & can gift you one with no problem. Send me a message with your address & I will post it.”

Kwadwo “Wow, thanks! I'd say "no thanks", out of politeness, but I just can't refuse this ; )) I'l send you a message right now.

Blessed Love and Peace my brother!”

After a few more exchanges, the patch was making its way across the pond & I actually was really excited to send it. The excitement came from reaching out to another brother in the Diaspora half a world away, and it was cool to see someone as excited about the meaningful & colorful threads as I was. How could I not act !?!

Well Kwadwo got the patch last week he sent me this photos with him wearing it.

Although this cultural exchange was quite small in scale, it was big in heart I think for the both of us & I will never forget it.

Oh by the way, I stopped back into Specatcles yesterday & got another patch just in case.

Bits & Pieces

As of yesterday, I’m ahead of schedule with the completion of my garden clean up & annual planting. When I got off work yesterday, I planted 6 gerbera daisies, 3 torch lilies, 2 hen & chicks, 1 elephant ear, 12 caladium bulbs, put together 3 planter boxes & spread 24 cubic feet of cypress mulch. Basically, I worked like a Hebrew slave for 3 hours.

All that I have left to do is plant 30 gladiolus bulbs & spread a little more mulch & this means that I will have a relaxing but exciting 3-day weekend.

My weekend actually started yesterday after all of my garden work & attending Olivia’s school play. After the play & dinner, Olivia & I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, which was fucking awesome. When it comes out on DVD, I will purchase all 4 films in the franchise. “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” has been getting some mixed reviews but I loved it. For me it was like an updated version of what I knew growing up. All of the action, dumb one-liners & interesting plots gave me what I needed to be fully satisfied.

Since I am on the topic of movies, I recently saw two other great movies that are worth checking out, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” & “Iron Man”. The newest installment of the Narnia franchise is good but not as awesome as the first and it is much more violent & IMHO even more violent than “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. If you check it out, I would not take kids under 12 & if you do see it, rent the first one so you can be up to speed.

“Iron Man” was fucking awesome & it will be in my DVD collection as soon as it drops. It is totally a man’s movie: action, sex, speed, bravado, back stabbing, shit blowing up, etc… I wish it was in iMax, that would taken it over the top. And last on the movie note, Monday, I think we are doing a family movie date to see “Speed Racer”. I’m not all that thrilled about seeing it but the kids are harassing us.

Back to my weekend! So tomorrow, I am I am getting my hair color touched up for the summer & by 3pm tomorrow I will have my look back together. Mary Henderson @ the Meagan Mitchell Salon in Ferndale, MI is the shit!!! She is quick & really knows her stuff, which makes it so worth the money.

After I get my red hot look back in place, I will be making my way downtown Detroit for the “Detroit Electronic Music Festival” (DEMF) for a photo journey adventure with Cousin Dee (also a photographer). Over the last 2 weeks, I was trying to land a press pass, but shit was tight & I was not able to make it happen, so I gave up & just said fuck it, it will be worth the 25 bucks. Flashback::::::::: Monday, I got an email from my girl & Nicole Brown of the Detroit Fashion Pages who wanted to interview me & get my thoughts on what the DEMF means to me & the city. It was a good interview & I certainly had an opinion (imagine that). OK, flashforward::::::::: today I get a call from Nicole.

Phone Rings: Hmmm, it’s Nicole

Bygbaby: Hey Boo (why is everybody's my boo???)
Nicole: Heyyyyy

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
...Small talk...

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nicole: Guess what?
Bygbaby: What?
Nicole: I scored 2 VIP tix for the DEMF.
Bygbaby: Wow, that’s awesome!!! (Can you say 175 a piece)!
Nicole: Would you like one?
Bygbaby: Hell yeah!!!
Nicole: When will you be in Detroit?
Bygbaby: Tomorrow around 330ish.
Nicole: Cool, then call me when you make it & I can meet you to give you the pass.
Bygbaby: Bet, talk to you tomorrow!

I then hang up & scream YESSSSSS inside my head. I was just on the DEMF Myspace page & looked at the VIP package & was like, I wish I had it going on like that to just drop 175 bucks on something not family, flower or camera related.

The VIP ticket comes with:
- 3 day admittance
- Private check-in area to receive your credentials

- Access to large area above and behind the main stage

- Private bar - 15 complimentary drink tickets - $5 drinks available when you run out of tickets

- Deluxe private executive bathroom trailers

- Complimentary Movement T-shirt ($20 value) from the Movement store

I am super excited. Now I just have to figure out how to share this with Cousin Dee. I will figure something out; I always do.

After the DEMF (around midnight), Cousin Dee & I are heading to the Northland Roller Rink for Kenny Dixon’s (aKa MoodyMann) Soul Skate. And no, I will not be skating! I am not trying to fuck my ankle back up. We will be people watching, photographing & talking shit with party people friends (not real friends, just friends we meet out & about). Anyway, this is a DEMF weekend must attend party because you never know who will be there & what will jump off!

After some sleep, Sunday breakfast & house cleaning, I will be headed back to Detroit to attend my good friend Dahia Shabaka’s retirement party at the Charles H Wright AA History Museum. Dahia is a real inspiration to me & helped me look at my Blackness in a new & educated light. We have only known each other for a little over three years but it has been a good friendship.

Last year, when I started getting very close to making the decision to change my name, she guided me & helped me understand what I would be going through, legally, mentally & with family & friends. For that I am forever indebted.

After the celebration, I will be headed back to the DEMF to see Mark Farina perform & I am really looking forward to that. I hope to be home by 12ish cause I gotta get my ass up on Monday to help clean up, finish the garden work & season the chicken for out chicken & waffles dinner.

Now that I look back on my schedule, seeing “Speed Racer” is going to be tight. Maybe we can catch the early show on Sunday.

Anyway, back to gardening, here are a few shots from the last couple of days.

Have a safe weekend!

All Up In My Business

So much of my life is an open book, so there is not much here about me that most don’t know, but thanks to Renea, I had to scavenge my brain for six Bygbaby factoids.

So here you is:

• I pee in the shower & have since I was like 10. The first time Suite Suzy & I showered together I slipped up & peed on her leg. Needless to say, I shower alone most times.
  
• I love Sinead O’Connor; weird I know but my dad put me up on her around the same time he put me up on John Coltrane.
  
• When I was 12, I got a Jheri Curl & I think it was the worst one in Detroit, shit maybe in the Midwest! My shit was like a wet ass afro & my pillows were fucked up because my cap never stayed on while I was sleep.
  
• My left eye is a little lazy thanks to bad genes from my dad. On his side there are many of us with varying degrees lazy eyedness (is that a word).
  
• I know how to illegally reconnect electricity to a house & had to do it for myself once when I was single (way back when). I got away with it for about 4 months & was cold busted.
  
• My favorite cereal is Raisin Bran & I can eat at least 3 bowls in one sitting. When I was a kids, Cap’n Crunch Crunch Berrys was my poison of choice, now it’s too sweet.
  
• I once considered getting circumcised in my twenties to have a “sexier look” & by the insistence of my father (he got circ’d @ the age of 30). After talking to an urologist about the process, benefits & risks, not to mention not being able to get busy for a month, I said fuck that. At that point I decided to have an elephant trunk until the day I die.
  

Tagged....Here are the rules:

Ok.. So, here are the rules: (1) Link to the person that tagged you. (2) Post the rules on your blog. (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. Now let's have some fun.

Stephen Bess (Morphological Confetti)
Liz (Los Angelista's Guide To The Pursuit Of Happiness)
Shanna (The Luscious Librarian)
Erica C (Paths Not Taken)
James Tubman (The Tubman Solution)
Jose Vilson (The Jose Vilson)

Pimp My Macbook Pro

Yesterday I met with master Detroit graffiti artist Tony “Shades” Agee to pimp out my Macbook Pro. In less than 30 minutes, my laptop took sexy to a new level.

I was not in the market for a custom design on my laptop but after I saw what Shades did to his Macboook, I had to have it.

I met Shades last summer (07) @ the eclectic furniture store “Mezzanine”, while shooting a party for the Detroit Fashion Pages.

Little did I know that this local brotha was a renown international graffiti artist who has done work for the World Cup, The Detroit International Auto Show, Wu Tang Clan & Daimler Chrysler to name a few.

My boy is making it happen!!!

Check out the completed design here>>>>>>>>>

Anutha Beginnin'

So, I am on my 2nd bottle of Moet & feeling pretty damn good in these first moments of 08’. I am not sure what the year holds for me nor will I predict, but I am planning for the best, and will try to be prepared for the worst.

07’ was really good to me, and I have no genuine complaints. I’m alive, my family is doing well, I lost 10 pounds & I'm still able to throw down in the kitchen & in the bedroom, my talent in the realm of photography has grown & elevated my creativity to a new level. So I guess, mentally I’m living the American dream is some sick twisted fantasy.

10 years ago to this very day, I was in Phoenix on a 3 day layover (my flight attendant days) & Suit Suzy was in Brooklyn having drinks at some bar named Michelle’s. She was drunk & we both told each other how much we loved & missed each other (she was my live-in boo back then). Who knew she was pregnant with Olivia. In Feb 98, we go the shock of our lives that we kept secret (at least she did) until late spring. Thinking about being responsible for a child's life was scary though back then.

The Moet & Chambord are talking & I cannot concentrate on one subject.

Anyway, as I reflect back over that last year or even 10, none of it would not be possible without the support of a very stubborn, tolerant, & moody Mulatto woman (also a self proclaimed field slave) who has meant the absolute world to me. Suite Suzy has been my shoulder to cry on, my cheerleader, & my jump off through the good & bad times.

Today is Suite Suzy’s bday so I plan to try not to get on her nerves as much & be an all around good house Negro today (when I wake up).

Wait, back to me & the less dramatic shit (???). I really need to be recording this because I shed a few tears, danced to some great house & sung like a maniac.

No wait, I am done, I cannot concentrate, shit, where am I???

Last call, I want to thank all of you lovely readers for tuning into me over 108K times last year. You put up with my incoherent thoughts, fucked statements, rants & bullshit for months & for that you need a fucking shout out.

To all my regulars (in no particular order):

Cluizel
Tamra
Erica C
Stephen Bess
Michelle W
Darius
Brunsli
Renea
Keisha aka Nicele (you mutha fuckin lurker)
Byrdparker
Anonymous (whoever the fuck you are)
Ro~
Lola
Sugar
Liz
DCSavvy Star (get a blog nigga!!!)
Jose
Other unnamed mutha fucka(s)

I love you all & thanks for challenging me to be a better brotha!

It’s time for a refill so piece bitches!

About, About Last Night

Friday night while driving home from a “cousin date”, with Cousin Dee, I was jamming to my iPod when one of my favorite all time jams came on. This favorite jam hasn’t really been my jam for long, but it became my jam back in 2006 when the Superbowl was in Detroit.

This song forever became mine early in the am of February 5th after partying downtown Detroit all night & for the most part by myself.

The last party I attended that night was given by DJ Moodymann aKa Kenny Dixon, which was and is a big thing. Since I do not mind approaching people especially ones who I admire, I stepped to Kenny & told him how much I love his music especially his "Black Mahogani" CD. We talked about why he chose to use those clever snippets of "Detroit 9000" for dramatic effect, the sexiness of “Runaway” to his use of Amp Fiddler for “I'm Doing Fine”. During the convo, I asked how could I get his more hard to find albums & he was like, your dream has come true, I am selling many things tonight (luckily I had cash).

As a matter of fact, he took me to the girl that he was working with & told her to hook me up with a copy of “Randolph - This Is What It Is” & she obliged. I thanked Kenny, put away my stash & danced my ass off until about 4 that morning, which is when I looked at my watch, and shit, I better get my ass home!!!

So I got in my car ripped open my gift from Kenny, popped it in, then hit the freeway. To be honest, the drive home was a blur but I remember dancing all the way. Once I got home, I fucking crashed like a ton of bricks.

Later in the afternoon, I pulled myself out of bed & went to my office to listen to my new CD again and was like, I fucking love this, especially the cut “About Last Night”, which became my theme song for “that” (previous) night.

“About Last Night”, just reminds me of a perfect night out doing whatever & living the next day to tell & smile about it.

So back to Friday night. Cousin Dee & I meet for drinks at the Centaur for our usual after work jump off. The early evening was the same as others, we sat around talked a lot of shit & had great Pom Martinis. The funny thing is, that we were both at the tail end of a cold but out for drinks & craving sushi (we are 2 of a kind). So after our last Pom, we hit the road headed for urban chic Royal Oak to visit our new Sushi spot “Ronin”.

Twenty minutes later, were hit the door & were greeted by our girl Zana, then the 3 of us perched at the bar for dinner. When I’m out for sushi, I prefer to sit at the bar so that I can watch the sushi chefs work, I find it very interesting seeing them slice & dice. We also sat at the bar because most of the chefs at Ronin are our friends because we follow them restaurant-to-restaurant. As usual, the dinner was superb but the conversation & laughter was better!

I am not sure if it’s good or bad but I usually attract attention when I am out & Friday was no different. Just before we paid our bill, the restaurant manager invited “me & my guests” to visit their exclusive lounge. Of course I accepted the invitation, then he handed us these gray key cards (like hotel keys) to gain entrance into the lounge.

So we wrap up the bill then parlay our party to the lounge. Once there, we were like damn, this is another world! It was dark, hip, & on sexy people were there. Our admission entitled us to complimentary cocktails (hell yeah) & food (who could eat more). Were sat there and laughed more for a bit but had to break because Cousin Dee had to do a photo assignment. So reluctantly, we ended that night but on a “high” note.

On the way home, I reflected about the fun I had & all of that good sushi, which put a huge smile on my face. When I was about five minutes from home, “About Last Night” came on & I cranked it up & thought to myself, on how appropriate the timing was.

It was a great damn night.

Crafty Teachers & Ghetto Children

Last night I worked the 2007 "Baar Bazaar" as a vendor selling Quench Essentials @ the Magic Stick pool hall, midtown Detroit. This was my last vending event for this year & let me tell you, it was a great ending note. I was able to take in close to 4 bills in less than 4 hours, which translates to fewer ashy people on the streets of Detroit. I was busy as hell but had a great time & met many new crafty friends.

One thing that is a constant with most crafters is that they always have a full-time job & their craft is a side gig. It is such a shame that what you really have a passion for just does not pay the bills. I guess I should know, since I have like 4 side gigs & my full-time job.

Anyway, 2 of my new crafty friends are teachers at charter schools in Detroit & during our conversations; I asked them about their experiences. I knew I was opening up a can of worms but I was interested to know what classroom life was like for young teachers these days. They both taught at the elementary level, & both started out by saying that they had some bad ass kids in their classes.

Teacher 1 "Mr Hasselblad" (white male) told me about how wild his kids are & how a male 5th grader just Monday beat the shit of a girl in his class room on Monday & how he had a hard time pulling the boy off the girl. He also discussed how disgusted he was with the students cheering on the fight. He also told me how a 4th grade female student called him a faggot during a parent teacher conference. He said, the mother looked shocked but then moved on with the conference without reprimanding the girl. After the conference was over, he said he cried & now hates the girl & wants to slap the shit out of her every time he sees her in his class room.

I then asked him how he slept at night & managed to drive to work everyday, he told me that sleeping was a problem & that driving to work was even rougher. To this, I said, you need to quit before you totally damage yourself & or damage a child's mind because he's not fully vested. Mr Hasselblad, then said that he know that he should quit but there are some students who he finds special, & they help him to see the silver lining of the clouds but some days it was just not enough.

Teacher 2 "Ms Mamiya" (black female) told me that she was sick of "these" bad ass kids but had to deal with until her 64k in student loans was paid off, hence why she also crafts. She has a master degree from an ivy league but wants to help kids in the city she was born & raised in.

Ms Mamiya did not have as much drama as Mr Hasselblad but was frustrated by the obvious lack of motivation by her students.

I wonder if this is a charter school thing, or if this is also jumping off in public schools as well. It is too bad that teachers want to get out of the schools because of bad ass kids with parents who don't give a fuck.

Do you or have you taught in a school system, if so what has your experience been like? Are the kids filing the seats in your class(es) off the hook???

A Real Friend Will...

The other day I had lunch with my old friend Biggie K to catch up on times. We had not seen each other in a few moths but email every now & then, usually little jokes & other bullshit email. So the week before last we set a date to and it was on.

So this past Wednesday, we meet at a local Italian spot, did the whole man hug & hand shake blah, blah, blah. The restaurant was really busy & we had to wait like 15 minutes before we were seated, so we just hung out & shot the breeze. While talking, I got a hot whiff of Biggie K's breath & was like damn (in my mind)! We were standing kinda close & the breath was on jam like nobody's business. It actually stanked so bad, I tasted it a couple of times.

I try not to talk with my facial expressions but in this scenario, I just could not help it. I think after I turned my face up a few times, he asked me why I was making so many faces. I played it off by saying my nose itched or something like that.

Now we are at the table laughing more & I had a glass of afternoon wine (really to help me get over that stank ass breath), which loosened me up a bit. As the meal went on, I finally blurted out Biggie K, yo breath is off the mutha fuckin hook! He looked at me like WTF. He then asked if that was why I was twisting my face up so early, & I admitted that it was. He then said, “man next time, let a nigga know, I'm happy that it is you & not one of my jump offs”.

I then told him to keep some mints on him at tall times from now on because his shit was dangerous & could potentially be sold to the government as nerve gas. To that we both laughed!!!

I guess the moral of the story is that a real friend will always tell you when you are fucked up whether it is stank breath, a fucked up looking outfit, a bad haircut, or a jacked up looking boy/girlfriend.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Yesterday, I hung out downtown Detroit with a fellow Negro Nikonian & co-worker. Our goal was to shoot & talk all things Nikon etc.

The outing was great & we both captured some amazing images. Theo has been a photographer longer than I have I have been so I mos def learned a few things today.

After the sun went down, downtown looked great & really did not feel like the Detroit that I knew at all but it’s all good. Cities change!

Although the city looked great after dark, it got cold as hell & we had to cut the trip quick, fast & in a hurry. Luckily he had heated seats to fight the onset of ass frostbite.

Anyway, here are 2 of my favorite shots from today.

Stone Cold

Wind Blown Light III

If you are interested in seeing my photos from my outing, click here

Music From the Diaspora: Madlib Shades of Blue

I may be late as hell on this but whatever cuz it’s new to me.

About a month or so ago, I met Asia Zimmerman, another Detroit area media, freelance photographer, & fellow Nikonian. We were both working a shoe designer event midtown Detroit & we talked about how phony & standoffish some photographers are that we run across at other events. We also tripped on how this was really the first time we actually could kick it with a photographer at an event & actually have a little fun talking to someone in the business.

Anyway over the course of the evening we shared a few stories, snapped some photos & swapped cards; you know the usual. So the next day, I pulled out Asia’s card, so that I could check out her website to see what kind of photography she and her husband did & immediately liked the site & their work!

While combing through the site, there was this hot hip-hopish jazzy cut playing but there was no indication of what it was etc. Since I am a music whore, I emailed Asia, to a) let her know that I was happy to run into her, b) compliment her on her work & c) find out whom that music was by.

Later that day, I got a reciprocating email from Asia & she gave me the song info. It turns out the song is “Mystic Bounce”, a remix by Madlib, which is on the “Madlib Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note” album. “Mystic Bounce” is a modern take on Ronnie Foster’s “Mystic Brew” which has more of a jazz lounge feel.

Anyway, so I open iTunes so that I could find this album with the quickness, but was let down fast as it was not on iTunes. I then turned to eMusic, only to find that the album was not there either. The only place I could find the album for sale was on Amazon & it was listed as an import for 22 bucks. Since I am cheap, I said fuck that & decided to just chill until I could find it cheaper.

Weeeeeeell, I never found it cheaper and after searching for 3 weeks back & forth on Amazon etc. I finally got to the point that I did not care & just bit the bullet, paid the damn 22 bucks, & eagerly anticipated the arrival of my cd.

Last week, I watched my mailbox for the CD like a welfare recipient waiting on a check and yesterday it finally arrived!!!

As soon as I got the wrapper off, I popped the CD into my laptop & listened to “Mystic Bounce” first. I actually listened to it like 5 times before I decided to see what the rest of the CD was about. I had no idea that “Mystic Bounce” was the tip of the iceberg.

Shit, I think I got my money’s worth because this CD is bumping start to finish with its hip-hop/jazz/lounge vibe. I think for the next week, I will be on Madlib overload as I plan to heavily rotate this on my iPod.

This CD is a winner start to finish, so if you are as late as me, you should mos def pick this up & discover it for yourself. If you decide to pick it it, you will find a better price than I did. I just checked Amazon & there are tons of CD’s available now from $8.49-12.97. Shit maybe if I waited, I could have saver over to bucks!

Anyway, my standout favorites are:

• Distant Land (Hip-Hop Drum Mix)
  
• Stormy
  
• Step into Tomorrow
  
• Montara
  
• Footprints

Are you a Madlib fan? If so gimme some recommendations of his other work I should check out.

Why Come You Didn't Call Me

Cluizel, if you are reading this, I know yo ass did not come to town today & did not even give a brotha a call. You know I would have picked you up from the airport in a gypsy cab & Suite Suzy & I would have prepared you a ghetto meal with all of the Negro fixin's.

Suite Suzy is like no she didn’t. After we shared all of those appetizers at the Negril Grill!!!

Why you trippin’? Call me boo, OK.

The Party is Over But...

OK, so last night was my party & I am still on cloud 9 with good feelings. Suite Suzy & I worked our asses off to prepare the house & the food so this morning we are chilling taking it easy especially with the kids away.

13 of my closest friends were able to make it for food, drinks & shit talking galore. The food was on point of course but I was I wish I took pictures before things got hectic.

Basically we served fried chicken wings, Belgian waffles, chorizo empanadas, spinach & cheese mini turnovers, Suite Suzy’s famous caramel cashew brownies (my absolute favorite), & my wonderful vodka berry punch.

The party jumped off a little early when BFF (best friend forever) BFB (best friend Brion) showed up early with balloons (a good friend brings balloons). Later the rest of the gang blew up the spot & the party was jumping. We ended around 2 & for the 1st time, the house was not totally trashed & I was not fucked up on a liquor based high (no hangover today!!!).

The best surprise of the night was when I opened my gift from Zana & saw a limited edition Godwin Rabbit doll. I 1st saw the doll in her hip-hop shop last week & asked to buy & she told me no & I begged my ass off but the answer was still no. Later I got home to see if I could get one online & the answer was no cuz it was nowhere to be found. So I will cherish this gift always.

My punch was a big hit & I had to make 2 batches, I mean we were sucking that shit down like it was going out of style. I am happy to report that none of my guest were pulled over & charged with a DUI.

Friends at the party all asked the recipe to my punch & I shared it but of course with no measurement cuz I just pour so I thought I would mention it here.

Vodka Berry Punch:
- 2 cartons of Minute Maid “Cherry Limeade”
- 1.5 cups 100% pomegranate juice
- 7-up for fizz
- Very generous splash of strawberry Stolichnaya
- Splash of Chambord
- 2 bags of fresh frozen mixed berries

Here is the little thank you follow up that I sent out to my friends this morning after waking up to NO HANGOVER.

Anyway, I’m out & thanks for all of the well wishes!

Bygbaby: Beginning Life @ 33

My Birthday is actually tomorrow but since it is the middle of the week & I have class, I really cannot celebrate the way that I want to. The one good thing that is jumping off tomorrow is that Suite Suzy is taking me to Gratzi (a local favorite) for a late dinner.We are both looking for it.I just hope they have a delicious Risotto offering for the week.

If you are local, consider this an open invite! If you are not local or are but can’t make it, send me a gift any damn way!!!!!

Last night, I was thinking, this is actually my 1st Birthday (as Tafari).

You Never Know Who You Will Meet

This past Saturday, my oldest daughter Olivia (click this link) & I hung out at the Peoples Art Fair in Detroit. The goal of the day was for us to both take some awesome pictures, chillax, people watch etc.

The art fair was awesome & there was so much to see, actually some of it was too much to see but you know how art is.

So we are making our way around slowly & I notice someone trying to get my attention, then when I was with it & looked up, I saw it was my blogging/online friend & fellow photographer Dr. Lester K Spence. He was there with the same purpose as us.

This was an awesome surprise cuz I hardly meet or see online friend in the flesh.

We had an awesome time chatting about people, life & photography, I wish I could do this more often with other like minded people. My new love (photography) is such a bridge builder!!!

While at the Art Fair, I notice several local photographers peddling there photo wares which gave me a shot of confidence cuz now I know I can do it. So next summer, watch out Detroit, I am coming to sale my shit!

Lester, how was that reunion??? Olivia wants to know!!! LOL

Anyway, here is my one of my favorite shots of the day which I think had a subliminal message.

What does this piece say to you? My first thought was like, wow, a black child holding the key to the future.

You can see my other shots from the art fair on my Flickr page here & you can see Lester's shots here.

Olivia's shots are coming soon & she cannot wait. For now, I need to do this damn paper!

My Name Is...

I spotted these really cool my name is tags @ the 2007 Detroit Urban Craft Fair on many of the workers & just had to have one for myself. I found out that Amy Cronkite a local artist/crafter designed these especially for DUCF staff. So I kinda begged her to make me a few. A few weeks later, my narcissistic fantasy became reality & I now have my own personal my name is tags.

The tags are made of shrinky dink material & she hand writes the name. If you like these, they are only 5 bucks so check Amy on her blog @ Make Out Goods

Amy thanks, you are my new B.F.F!!!

Shit, Tagged Again

I have been tagged again by my friend Aulelia & I need to give 8 random facts about myself. Of course if you read my blog, then you know I already tell so much of my business without holding back, which means that I need to challenge myself this time. So on this round of being tagged, I am going to tell you 8 things that bring/brought me joy & makes with living.

Here goes:

• In July 1997 I became a Flight Attendant after attending a job fair that Suite Suzy made me go to. At the time I was unemployed after being fired from one of the worst jobs ever. I went to the job fair only because Suite Suzy told me that I needed to get out of my funk because if I did not, she was going to kick my ass. This job was the best job I ever had. We only did international trips so I was able to go pretty much all the world & spend time exploring places I would have never went. The only places we did not go was anywhere Africa or Australia so I will be doing these on my own dime & Africa is 1st on the list! Unfortunately the business went out of business but I was going to have to quit anyway because around this time Olivia was born & I did not want Suzanne to be state side while I was in Europe living it up.
  

• The night my 1st daughter Olivia was born was the single most important life of my night. Suite Suzy & I were lucky enough to have this beautiful child in spite of her dr telling her that she would never have children just 9.5 months earlier. As soon as they presented her to us, I started crying so loud & passionately, the dr.s & nurses sat me down because they thought I was going pass out. Today, this is a big joke & I get teased about it from time to time.

• As a kid, I remember how my dad used to get his drink on, on Saturday night & jam to his music. He always seemed so happy when enjoying his me time. So now that I am an adult, I have adopted this practice & have my me time on Thursday nights. I jam & blast my favorite jams in the late hours. This is the one night that everyone gives me my space & I love it.

• I was trying not to state the obvious on this post but I LOVE my gardens. On a daily basis in the spring & summer I am out everyday surveying my blooms & enjoying the foliage. Gardening saves me from being stressed most days because I can bury my troubles in the dirt.
  

• I really enjoy eating tropical punch now & laters like you would not believe. Although they do not taste quite as good as they did way back when, when ever I see them at the store I load up. They remind me of when I was in the 2nd grade & had 2 best friends Ricky & Steven (this was back in like 1981). The last time I saw Ricky he was just released from prison for selling drugs & I asked him about Steven & he told me that Steven moved out of town to go to college & this was maybe 15 years ago. I hope that they are doing well & as I sit & reminisce now on the ghetto shit we did back then, I have a huge smile on my face.

• Cooking fresh from scratch meals for my family is always something that makes me feel good. Sadly since I started having chronic issues with my ankle last year, I cannot cook as much as I use to because I cannot stand for long periods of time comfortable on our floor, which is ceramic tile. When I do cook everyone is excited especially Suite Suzy because she is off the hook & gets a break. And believe it or not, sometimes when I cook, I put on my chef jacket & hat both embroidered with Bygbaby in red.

• A few months ago I did a post (Only Happy When It Rains) where I talked about how digital art provides me with therapy. On any given night, when I am not blogging (reading/writing) I am creating something for myself or working on something for a client. I really like when it’s for a client because that means a check is in the mail.

• I really enjoy hearing about the life & times of those in the Diaspora. Hearing about the triumphs & struggles of my people helps me better understand why we as a people need to be solid as one to overcome some of the consistent issues that affect us like poverty, education, living conditions & health care. I also enjoy hearing the history of my brothers & sisters who live elsewhere because it always sounds so exciting once in perspective.

• This week (July 12th) I will be celebrating my 8th wedding anniversary with Suite Suzy. We have been together for a little of 8 years & have some ups & downs but love has always prevailed. She has seen me through some of my roughest personal moments & helped me through them all. For the last 5 years we have been celebrating our anniversary in NYC & this year is no different & I am looking forward to it because I love NYC!

So to continue the cycle of meme abuse, I am tagging Sugar (Sugar & Spice), Mark (Progress at All Cost), & Darius T Williams (My Journey - My Compass - My Life)

The Journey Inside

Yesterday I took another bus trip to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which means that over the last year I have been three times.

This trip was organized by one of my heroes, Cole Jordan who happens to be a counselor at the community college that I seem to be stuck at (just 3 more classes, then off to the university). Cole contacted me about 2 weeks ago to tell me about the trip & while doing so, he informed me that he was unable to secure a tour guide for his group of 50. He then informed me that his wife & one of my sheroes Diane Benton was going to coordinate walk through the museum without an educational guide which is when I stepped in to help turn things around.

So days later, I was able to secure Rev. L.D. (Doug) Ervin to guide us through the Freedom Center. This was pretty big because Doug has his own church now which makes his time very limited & it goes without doubt that he is the most knowledgeable volunteer guide that the Freedom Center has.

Fast forward to yesterday about noon: We are now at the Freedom Center & I get to see my good buddy Doug. Wait!!! I need to mention that I met Doug last year when I took a group to the Freedom Center, which consisted primarily of members from my Black History class led by another shero, Dahia Shabaka. Doug was our guide then & since has been a person who helps to keep me grounded.

On this trip, Doug did his thing & made the experience very memorable as he made the image of slavery “come to life”.

While this was my 3rd trip to the Freedom Center, it was the 1st time I had the opportunity to have the information actually sink in. By this I mean, the 1st time I went, I was in so much awe by what I saw & read it was almost too much to process. The 2nd time I went, I led a group & when you’re organizing, who has time to process fine details. I was very focused on keeping things organized & on task.

After we completed our time at the Freedom Center, we headed for Newport on the Levee for dinner. So my group debated & negotiated for about 15 minutes on a restaurant choice & after this mini drama we settled at Johnny Rockets for burgers & fries.

Dinner was more than dinner on this occasion. There were 8 people at my table that was meant for about 4, which made it fun! We said we were eating community style & no one would be left out (imagine if life was like this 365/24-7). At dinner, we talked about everything from African names (almost everyone at the table had one), to segregation/desegregation, DNA testing up to Shaquanda Cotton (it would have been fun if we had the time to discuss reparations (another hot debatable topic)).

I wish I had the opportunity to have more meals like this (preferably with more healthy cuisine).

It was a good enlightening Friday!

Here are some snapshots from the trip, please enjoy.

The Cost of my Freedom ::Revised::

$274.67 is the price of my freedom
-----------------------------------------------------------
$161.00 - Legal filing with Washtenaw County Court
$20.00 - Finger prints from Ann Arbor Police Dept
$55.00 - Finger print check by Michigan State Police & FBI
$38.67 - Publication of Notice of hearing in the Ann Arbor News
-----------------------------------------------------------
Today I completed the last process step in my name change, which was placing a public notice in my local newspaper. The announcement will be in tomorrow’s news & I am kinda nervous to see it in black & white as this makes it very real for the world to see (if they haven’t read my Blog).

Yesterday I called the A2 News (A2 is short for Ann Arbor) & talked to a woman by the name of Ebony who answered all of my questions about placing my ad. She was very helpful then I threw her off a bit when I asked what forms of payments they took, and Ebony informed me that I could pay by cash, check or credit. So just to fuck with her, I asked if I could use a money order or bridge card (used in Michigan instead of food stamps), she then laughed & said that those would not work then conversation ended with a mutual chuckle.

So today I made my way to the A2 News to place my ad & Ebony was at the front desk. She asked to help me so I stated my business & reminded her of the brief conversation from yesterday, she laughed & said that if I really had a bridge card could I hook her up because she needed some groceries & I busted out laughing. While still laughing I handed her my court document & had a seat while she entered my info. Ten minutes later she called me back up to the desk & gave me a proof then I shelled out my $38.67.

While Ebony handed me my receipt she thanked me & congratulated me on my name change. I was kinda taken aback & she noticed so she said that this is major & kudos were in order. I then thought about how my friends are telling me that my name change is so major & even drastic but I guess I did not think that it was such a huge deal. So I guess now that it will be in black & white it really is a big deal.

Before I left the office of the A2 news I told the Afroed & informed Ebony that my paying to change my own name legitimately is like buying my freedom from my slave-master much like Lunsford Lane. At this we both laughed but we knew that this statement was so true.

After I got into my car, which was headed to Burger King for a #1 with cheese, no tomato, ketchup or pickle plus mustard cut in half with a Dr. Pepper, I called my Best Friend Brion (BFB) to let him know my progress. During our conversation I asked him (asked) if my name change was major & he basically said "hell yeah", I then asked him if he considered me to be an extreme person & he quickly said without a doubt & I should already know that; your name change says it all; at this point we both laughed.

My question was stupid because like BFB said, I already knew, I guess it is the inner narcissist in me that made me ask.

My final step in this quicker than expected extreme process is to go to my court date scheduled for March 6th @ 3pm.

Its on & Poppin’,
Tafari

-----------------------------------------------------------
Slave Narrative of Lunsford Lane:

Lunsford Lane, who grew up on a plantation near Raleigh, North Carolina, manufactured pipes and tobacco and succeeded in saving enough money to buy his own freedom and purchase his wife and seven children. Here, he describes his experiences as a slave child.

My father was a slave to a near neighbor. The apartment where I was born and where I spent my childhood and youth was called "the kitchen," situated some fifteen or twenty rods from the "great house." Here the house servants lodged and lived, and here the meals were prepared for the people in the mansion....

My infancy was spent upon the floor, in a rough cradle, or sometimes in my mother's arms. My early boyhood in playing with the other boys and girls, colored and white, in the yard, and occasionally doing such little matters of labor as one of so young years could. I knew no difference between myself and the white children; nor did they seem to know any in turn. Sometimes my master would come out and give a biscuit to me, and another to one of his own white boys; but I did not perceive the difference between us. I had no brothers or sisters, but there were other colored families living in the same kitchen, and the children playing in the same yard with me and my mother.....

When I began to work, I discovered the difference between myself and my master's white children. They began to order me about, and were told to do so by my master and mistress. I found, too, that they had learned to read, while I was not permitted to have a book in my hand. To be in possession of anything written or printed, was regarded as an offence. And then there was the fear that I might be sold away from those who were dear to me, and conveyed to the far South. I had learned that being a slave I was subject to the worst (to us) of all calamities; and I knew of others in similar situations to myself, thus sold away. My friends were not numerous; but in proportion as they were few they were dear; and the thought that I might be separated from them forever, was like that of having the heart wrenched from its socket; while the idea of being conveyed to the far South, seemed infinitely worse than the terrors of death.

Source: The Narrative of Lunsford Lane (Boston, 1842)

I Love BirthDaez!

All for you baby boo.

Always,
Tafari

1st Couple of Weeks: The Recap

So far 2007 has been a mixed bag of the good and not so good but overall I cannot not complain will not complain. There have been so many things going on with my life, I thought I would share a few highlights of note.

Week One: Jan|01|07

• I found a Cooper's Hawk trapped in my screened in gazebo, which totally freaked me out. Things got really interested when I called 911 & they referred me to the raptor center for my area who basically told me good luck. I eventually got the hawk out by leaving the door open. Check out the picture & look at those claws. Now I have to deal with paying for a new screen as the hole is to big to patch without looking ghetto.
  


• The Mindspill blog paid off in the tune of $210 US buckeroos! Someone found my blog in Dec & dup the vibe & asked me to write a piece with a positive spin on the state of the Black male in America. This was pretty easy seeing that I was starting one anyway. The challenge was to do it in 500 – 700 words.
  

  When I go started, I realized that this was deeper that up to 700 words so I took the liberty to go up to 900. Even my little addition was limiting. My story focused on a common sense approach to 3 social issues affecting my Brothers out there: imprisonment, STD’s & education. I am waiting to release it hear until I see what they do. Stay tuned.

  As you can obviously see (read my Ghetto Disclaimer), I am not writer & really do not get into the fine details of typos, grammar etc so I had to have my piece proof read like 2 times before I sent it off. Thx Suite Suzy!!!
  

• My baby Sade started menstruating & I am tripping off of this. She is only 9 but her & Suite Suzy have it on lock down after they had their little talk. When Suite Suzy told her that she will be dealing with this for about 40 more years Sade tripped out & said all shit (basically LOL). As a father I ma having a hard time with this as most fathers do not want to see their little girls grow & mature to something little boys want to but their nasty little hands on.
  


• Every year I get rid of someone in my life who I feel hold me back or has a negative force that gets in the way of my progress/growth. This year I had to get rid of a friend (former) who had been in my life for 14 years. The day when I decided to do this it took me a while to accept it & just when I did, I removed her from my phone, address book…. After I did all this, why did she call me asking for advice & was really desperate for help. So like the true ass hole that I am, I was really shity to her then told her that I could not advise her & to call someone else.
  
  I never tell the person that I am eliminating that I am doing so, so I guess that makes me somewhat of a coward but I try not to hurt too many feeling if possible.


• I made the decision to change my name as you may have read. While I am off on my medical leave, I will be completing & submitting my application for change to my local court etc…


• I have this little phone rule that goes into effect every Saturday when I refuse to talk to anyone on the phone before 12 noon unless there is someone in jail, in the emergency room or dead. If the caller is not calling with anything in my criteria, I hang the fuck up. So unfortunately I got a call last Saturday that did fit & it fucked me up!
  

  - The Time: 9am
  - The caller: One of my other mothers Ms Muhammad
  - The circumstance: Death of her oldest daughter Shemei Muhammad

  Shemei transitioned from this life to a better one Dec|27|06 at the age of 33. She died suddenly from a blood clot that traveled from her leg to her heart. It happened at home & she died lovingly in her fathers arms as they waited on an ambulance. Ms Muhammad said that everything happened really fast & of course unexpectedly.

  Shemei had a Muslim funeral & was buried in a Muslim cemetery Jan|02|07. I was really saddened to know that I was not there for the Muhammad’s but they could not find my number & were so bombarded by all of the planning & grief.

  I will miss Shemei greatly & hope that she is smiling down upon me as I type this message with her forever etched into my heart as a dear true friend.

• My girl Zana of Spectacles hosted House DJ Jeff Mills at 5th Ave Detroit & she invited me to be a vendor (Quench Essentials). Because I love to support my friends I agreed thinking that I would not sale much because of the crowd. Boy was I wrong! I did really well & got a few drinks in the process. It was a great night & Jeff Mills turned that shit out!

Week Two: Jan|08|07

• I enrolled into a Math Analysis class so that I can move on the path of obtaining my degree. As mentioned here before I am a math dummy making my way through barely but not giving up (too much). With my pending surgery & math anxieties, I am not sure how things are going to play out. I think I will have to call the decision to continue with the class late next week. It has been a week since classes started & I still have not got off my ass to get a book so that goes to show you how motivated I am.
  
  
• My manager @ work approached me & told me that she was concerned about me getting my name change & that she wanted to discuss it with me. Well here concerns all spun from her hearing stories on about résumé/applicant discrimination based on names (check out this story). After her information discovery, she thought to herself that being Tafari would stop my from my professional/job growth & she did not want that to happen. My manager is on of my biggest cheerleaders so I was not offended at all by her concern & was actually happy that she opened up the dialogue.
  
  I informed her that I was fully aware that I may be bypassed because I have an ethnic name but that was not going to stop me from being & doing Tafari. I also said; If I were to remain Brian & possibly get the call for a job I am still in danger after they look at my skin, hair & strong African features. Furthermore, If I am being bypassed for these superficial reasons I will not know unless someone tells me & that would probably not happen to as I am sure no company wants to face a discrimination case.
  
  Lastly, I to her that I am self determined & that I make my own ways when & if doors are closed in my face. I am not the type of person to sit by & wait for someone to decide if they can deal with me or not. Then I ended with the fact that Kujichagulia is a principle that is a guiding light to my success. After all that was said, she was like well I guess you put all of the thought into this decision & know what’s really going on. Then she said well Tafari I need the budget report by 5.
  
  Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) - To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
  


• I had my pre-op appointment with my surgeon & learned that I will be out of work for 2-3 weeks & after I am clear to go back to work, I will have to do physical therapy for like 6 fucking weeks. This is going to be a lot of damn $15 co-pays. I am not sure how this is going to factor into my class.
  
  
• My pre-surgery party @ the Centaur Bar was a blast & my really good friends showed up then. I am happy & blessed to have a strong network of friends both online & offline that are supportive and positive. I bought all of the drinks and food until happy hour ended (my little surprise). By the time all was said & done, I was $280 mo’ broke but it was worth it. Everyone joked that if they knew I was paying then they would have really ordered what they wanted. I paid for like 3 Martinis & appetizers. Thank God the martinis were only 5 bucks.
  
  After sampling so many Martinis myself, I have a new favorite one next to the pomegranate & it is the French 75, which has champagne, gin, sugar & chambord.
  
  French 75 History: Named after the French 75-millimeter guns, this champagne cocktail was created during the first World War by American army officers. The original recipe called for gin, absinthe (now illegal in the United States) and calvados. Calvados is an apple brandy made in France. It is produced from an apple cider and aged in oak barrels for several years. The drink is often served in a small glass during the long meal to re-enhance the appetite.
  
  
• I read a comment that I made one of of Blog haunts (Asabagna), that really impressed me. Some of the crap I write is out there and retarded but I was like wow I said that. What did I say?, well here goes:
  

  “"Although I am Christian, I have a love hate relationship with the religion as a proud descendant of Africans, related to the slave trade & how Christianity was used against our people. I will admit that my feeling on this developed over the last 2-3 years as I am coming out of a white oriented matrix.”
  

  I encourage you to read Asabagna's spiritual journey from the past, present & future. It is deep & I am sure many of you can & will relate.
  
  Thx Asabagna!!!
  


• My Friend Lé AfriKan finally got some shea butter in for me after a 3 week wait since his return from Ghana. I love Lé AfriKan but I hate having to depend on others for my success for things I cannot control. This goes for all aspects of my life.
  


• My girl Zana of Spectacles hosted her last party @ 5th Ave Detroit for DJ Dez of Slum Village & she invited me to again be a vendor (Quench Essentials). Here again I was not expecting to sale much because of the crowd & again I was proven wrong. Cousin Dee was able to assist me this night & I am happy she was there because it was out of control at some points but we made that shit happed.
  
  Zana party was very nice & some of my favorite Detroit acts performed, namely Amp Fiddler & Sum Village. I was also happy to have run into Kenny Dixon aKa Moodymann. Oh wait I forgot to mention that I ran into my best friend from middle school Eugene. It was fun doing a mini catch up with him & also seeing him doing well. Then ironically I ran into a friend from high school & we caught us as well. I mean Detroit is a big city but sometimes it seems so fucking small…
  
  
• This week ended on a good note with Suite Suzy & I going on a date alone with no damn kids! We set our appetites for Étouffée & I was really looking forward to a few of the Willie's punch cocktails, I mean I almost tasted them as I imagined having one. So on the way I decided to call to see if there was a wait or if we needed a reservation but I got a message saying that the line was disconnected so & was thinking maybe I had in wrong in my PDA.
  

  So 20 minutes later we arrive at the restaurant to find it closed & boarded up. We were so majorly let down; it seems like any good restaurant in Detroit or surrounding cannot stay open. Étouffée was a really nice spot that had excellent southern fair. The décor was impeccable & the staff were very welcoming & the best thing about the spot was the strict dress code (IMHO, keep out the riff raff).
  

Thx for listening & I hope that I did not burn your ear up.
Warmest regards my friends,
Bygbaby aKa Tafari

Open Invite

Readers, friends, haters, critics, niggas & bitches please consider this an open invitation to kick it with Bygbaby.

Needless to say, you are guaran-muthafukin-teed to have a good time "funky good time" (in the spirit of James Brown).

My Hair Tie & Coffee

Recently one of my online friends (Brunsli) started making hair ties for those with locs or anyone who would be interested in wearing one. She sent me one about 3 weeks ago & I have been addicted ever since I put my 1st one on (The “Toni” in red horn).

After wearing it for a few days, I discovered how much I needed something like this & ordered 2 more “Toni’s” & a “Rita”. This is what I told Brunsli & others on one of my Yahoo groups:

"Dear Brunsli,

I got my "Toni" hair tie today & just tried it. My comment is: This is FUCKING great! Very comfortable, good color (red horn) & very easy to use. I am ready to order a few more! All I suggest you check out Brunsli offerings @ her Blog (www.brunsli.blogspot.com)."

Since Brunsli made these available she has discovered that the demand was great & she started an eBay store & a Hair Tie Blog dedicated to the exciting hair ties. Actually, I need to mention that Brunsli & her mom work on these together.

One cool thing about the Brunli’s hair ties is that they are named after famous women with locs. When I 1st rwad about the hair ties. I did not make the connection with the naming until Brunsli pointed it out. Comically, I told her that if she had one named Whoopi, I would have gotten it.

The hair ties come in a large variety with something to offer everybody (IMHO). They feature pieces made with bone, horn, jade, shell, & amber (to name a few). The hair ties serve to function to me 1) jewelry & 2) a way to tame the beast aKa your/my hair. The price point range is from 15.00 US to 62.00 US + her low shipping cost.

Brunsli has mentioned one several occasions & posts that she will not continue to make these & may turn the business over to her mother who apparently does this for a hobby. So the bottom line is, get them