RISE! YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WILL.

That headline was borrowed by a famous black man named Marcus Garvey. He was killed, like many other great black men, for standing up for what he believed was his life's calling. He wanted black people to be liberated - mind, body and soul. He called for a mass exodus to Africa by all black Americans (something I'm sure the GOP would love), because he wanted us to know our true historic lineage and heritage. He was about strength and unity. And he is now immortal, because a large number of people continue to carry his legacy into the future, even though he is long gone to those of us who will see the sunlight today.

What about you? What the eff have you done today, besides hit the snooze button multiple times because you were overthrowed (like me) last night? Sure, yesterday was a holiday for working people, so we all deserved a quick break before the fall kicked in. Well, we are now in Autumn, and in the midst of foggy, rainy weather, political craziness and the last four months of the Bush presidency. Rejoice!! And get your lazy ass out of bed and back on that clock. Time is money...

Me? I'm in Birmingham, chilling with my folk-folks and working on the fulfillment of a major goal. As of today, I have officially broken my addiction to cigarrettes with one full month of no nicotine. After today, I will no longer count the days; I've always believed that if you really wanted to stop doing something, you don't count the days since you've last done it. You just say, "I've stopped," once you knew that to be true.

Life is great. I'm happy as hell for no apparent reason, and I've been resorting to my old bad habits, like exercising, reading and refraining from things that keep me from being productive. I welcome you to join me in this thing called "life" in Autumn 2008. History is in our hands, if only we'd awake from the dream of yesterday and commit to the reality of this new realm of possibility called Tuesday, September 2nd.

I'll check back in with you later this afternoon, say around 2pm. Until then, grasp life by the horns and rise with the tide. The hurricane-which-shall-not-be-named did not destroy our beloved New Orleans, and there is a magnificient momentum of which all citizens of this planet are invited to become involved.

So wake up and live. Do something with yourself, and continue to fight the powers that be. Get like me.




By the way, this is not just for black people. White people, you need to wake your asses up as well and join the movement. None of us can do it alone.