lessons learned from this week of life lived.

wear your helmet. when you're riding whatever you're riding. playing the guessing game of "where's my roommate" and calling emergency departments never makes for a pleasant thursday evening.

emotionally disturbed or not, eight year olds have a strange concept of time. the younger they are, the harder it is to close the case.

the worst kind of sick is when you're not sick enough to stay home from work.

youth speaks still reigns as one of the most inspiring city events which i attend annually.

leaving is harder when you want to leave; especially when you didn't anticipate the sadness.

zicam cough syrup, advertised as "almost tasteless," should have bolded, italicized and underlined the word ALMOST.

religion and politics, oh so sensitive.

when people say "i don't like to talk about religion or politics" is it because they don't think about it enough to have an opinion or is it because they can be such dividing topics? or is there another reason? just curious.

on my way to berkeley for the youth speaks teen poetry slam. i went last year and can't wait for tonight.

in the spirit of the king.

martin luther, that is.

the lyrics from sam cooke's a change is gonna come, which was accompanied by my night celebrating with youth speaks.

"I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown somebody keep telling me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will"

teen poetry!

last night pryor and i went to the youth speaks teen poetry slam semi-finals and it was uh-may-zing. seriously. i cried, i laughed, i cheered, i got the chills. i was completely moved and blown away that words so beautiful could come out of people so young (15-17). i certainly wasn't thinking these things at their age and i'm not sure that any of my friends were either.

below is a video that you should only watch if you are prepared for a real story that is hard to hear. it probably would be rated R due to some of the language. this guy made it to the finals, which are next weekend...



they all weren't like this... there was everything from global warming to gavin newsom (mayor of sf). i love love loved it.

about his older sister, the raven.

here is one of the poets from last saturday night's youth speaks semi-finals. this boy made it to the finals and will compete on saturday night. i cannot believe he is only a teenager.