The Jazz Spot

Fire from Frustration...Being part of the SOLUTION!!!

2009-10-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you don't know what to do? What do you say when you really just don't know what to say, to whom to say it, how to say it, if anyone will listen, if anyone even cares, or if there's any sense in opening your big mouth at all. What do you do when you don't know what to do?....well I guess just do SOMETHING!!!

So that's what I'm doing. Last week I had an outburst b/c the pub and my NYC dorm was playing some seriously offensive (at least to me and hopefully to someone else if they'd heard it) music. Was it offensive b/c of the swearing? because of the sexual content? b/c it was just bad music?...Nope. It was offensive b/c for the about 10-15 seconds that it was playing in our pub I must have seriously heard the N-word that would be the word "NIGGER" at least 7 times. Is the word hard for your to read?...that is the word NIGGER? Well I hope so! Black people (let me clarify African-Americans) have been bafooned and tolerant for far too long! Don't give me that "it means something different if we say NIGG-A as opposed to NIGG-ER" crap one more time. THIS DISTINCTION IS RIDICULOUS! IT'S BOGUS...IT'S IGNORANT AND IT'S COMPLETELY MIS-INFORMED. If I called your mother a "Bi-otch" instead if a Bitch, does that really make the intent and malicious nature of the word any different? I certainly think not!

The Bible says, that "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" precisely: "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So as sin surely abounds, and in the form of complete self-deprecation (read: lessoning your own value) I have to trust the Word that grace abounds much more. So first I pray for grace...for myself...because I need it!!! I can not and will not sit by and whatch nor take part in a generation of people (namely my own; ie. Black) who not only do not value themselves but also a) are actively lessening our value in our own eyes and in the eyes of others. I mean how can we hurl insults at ourselves through our music and slang and not think that this is going to negatively effect our self-perception in both the near and long term? How can we allow our children to walk around with their pants literally at their knees and think they're going to grow up taking themselves seriously or have anyone else take them seriously?....it won't happen. That is...I won't stand by and be an innocent bystander NOR will the being taken seriously happen if any of us allow the humiliation to continue to occur.

As Eldrigde Cleaver, a Black American author and activist said in his 1968 speech, "What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem".....let me repeat that, "YOU'RE EITHER PART OF THE SOLUTION OR PART OF THE PROBLEM". There is no middle ground! There is no I don't have anything to say....saying or doing nothing is just as big of a statement and step in the direction of being partaker. As we've all heard and probably witnessed, if we don't say something to stop the bad joke from being propagated, then we may as well be the next in line to tell it!

So two issues come to mind 1) what's the actual problem, because maybe "it's" never been defined and 2) how do I/you (if you choose) become part of the solution?

...#1) The problem is that Black culture, and I speak from the perspective of an African-American woman, so I will say, "African-American culture as I see it is being very overtly infiltrated with demonic and negative influences that leading our youth (and adults) and even non-African Americans down a path of self-destruction, self abuse, little self value and very low morals.

I newly discovered Dr. Boyce Watkins' Blog. This is his answer to the question

"Your work can be controversial, why do you do it?":

"I ask myself that question every single day! Personally, I believe that the role of the black scholar in America is to work hard to uplift our communities. Our intellect is needed, and in addition to engaging in scholarly research that lies in dusty academic journals, we should become active in our communities and throughout the world. I believe strongly in the concept of Scholarship in Action. The thing about Scholarship in Action is that it requires the combination of intellect, creativity, curiosity, commitment, passion and courage that stands at the root of all true genius. I do not consider myself a genius, but I wake up every day thinking "I am one day closer to my last day on this earth. How can I get the best return on my investment?" That is what keeps me going. "

I will add to his "I am one day closer to my last day on this earth"... How I can I be part of the solution and not the problem, specifically is it relates to the Black/African-American Identity and success.

2) how do I/you (if you choose) become part of the solution?
...I'm not sure. But I do know choosing to not be an innocent bystander will be my first step! I pray that the Lord orders my steps. I'm not going to be afraid of offending, afraid of being too good, afraid of anything. I know that "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind!" I'm going to act like it. (2 Timothy 1:7). I also know that because my heart desires it, I will effect change. I'm determined to do so.

I challenge myself and you to 1) be a part of solution. I'm not sure what it looks like but I do know taking the first step will lead to great strides in this area.

2) speak when you see injustice or denigrating behavior. One I was walking down the street with my Mom and this kid's pants we just above his knees. My mom just looked at him and before she even started to speak he pulled his pants up...because he knew that it was completely unacceptable. And of course my mom said something, because she should have (and should not have been afraid to do so either) and I'm sure he appreciated it - because no one likes being a "hot mess". I mean it means something if someone values enough to correct and you make you be, or at least appear, to be a better person.

So I guess that's my challenge and that's what "being a part of the solution" looks like. We, as people, more than just African-Americans, can not afford to watch ourselves, or anyone for that matter self-destruct. IT'S JUST SELFISH AND FEAR LADEN. If you were going to slowly jump off a bridge wouldn't you want someone to at least care enough to stop you and tell you "Hey! You're going to contribute to society. You have a great purpose...DON'T DO THAT! AND CLEAN YOUR ACT UP!" Or maybe even, "How can I help you?" We can't be afraid to do that. It's time folks! It's time to be of service to our society and that's starts with the community that we live in and the people with whom we identify...whomever it is. For me, I'm a global citizen who has certainly had the privilege of being taught by many amazing people and learning first hand about many amazing cultures. But the population that I see hurting the most are Black Youth...so I'm starting there. And my only prayer right now it, Lord, please help me to do, be and say, what exactly what you desire. In Jesus' name I (publically) pray. AMEN!!

WON'T YOU JOIN....Be A Solution!

That they would see Jesus through me...

2008-09-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

Ok. So today made 1 week in gorgeous New York City and I'm going to start blogging again to capture all the amazing events that are happening. So I guess this starts it. Just a brief story to show you how good God is. And they everyone, including me, just wants to feel the joy of Jesus. This was a blessing for me too! Perhaps I'll expand more later...but I've just go to get this out....

The same thing is on my facebook:
on the train this guy was massaging his arm like he was really in pain'to make a long story short, after some time this old lady I was sitting next to and I chatted for a sec about what may be wrong with himso then i asked if he was ok. then said I was bursting at the seems to ask him and to help himi wanted to ask if I could pray for himhe was like "oh so sweet. i could just hug you!"and I said, you can. he gave a me a quick hug before getting off the train. and was like "wow, nice new yorker"Lol...IT WAS ALL JESUSso yeah...that was cool. so i'm just going to keep praying that people see and feel Jesus in me and His people!New York is too ripe!So God is soooo good!and i've been studying 1 John, which is all on loving others and stuff.so now's the time

Please Donate

2008-07-09T18:37:00.000-07:00

Also featured on Jenn's site:
Hopeline - http://www.hopeline.com/donate/
A Nonprofit organization consumed with being a resource to people who are contemplating suicide. I encourage you to donate.

Postsecret.com - http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
- I got to Hopeline from this site. I'm slightly leary about posting this as I only came across this today and I should hope that there would be no ludeness BUT that fact is, this site is helping people. You can send an anonymous postcard with a secret on it. People are getting secrets, thoughts, whatever is there off of their chests. And that's always a good thing.

Please do donate to Hopeline if you're so led. Read the story. It's in memory of Kristing Brooks, who committed suicide in 1998...at the age of 29.
~Jazz

I Couldn't Keep These To Myself

2008-07-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

So a few amazing sites I couldn't keep to myself!
Thanks to Jenn, whose site I came across becuase she had a picture of Cordoba that I googled. Apparently God's grace led me here b/c I spent the next "a lot of time" reading and watching a few amazing thing.
Thanks Jenn: http://moonlightmasquerade.blogspot.com/

Something from here site that captured me:
What the video. Then check out his blog. Yes...it's real. And yes, such blessings are possible.
http://wherethehellismatt.com/?fbid=Hr7rX

I'm back!

2007-12-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

So I haven't written on the blog in decades....well in about a year and a half and I'm definitely going to have to start to. So I was talking to a colleague tonight about job Performance Evaluations and started preaching to her. As I was talking to her, I was definitely preaching to myself and decided that today is the day that Jasmine is back and what I shared with her (completely inspired by the Lord) I had to share with others and save for myself to view over and over again. So here it is...or least that parts that I cherish I want to save and share:

"Np Sis. Let me know if you have any questions or anything. My only request is just pass the information along and take it for yourself. We're our own best advocate. And if we don’t speak up for ourselves, who will?
The thing is we've been trained to live below the radar and made to feel guilty when we speak on our accomplishments. Forget that! The devil is a liar.
Not to preach, but people have sacrificed so we could have this opportunity so heck yeah, be proud of your contribution and presence. And when it starts to feel awkward remember that our good works glorify God! So when we shine, we shine Him and when we're being modest, it's a reflection of Him. It's not about being arrogant or proud but why not show our talents and abilities (and I'm definitely preaching to myself!)

I love this quotation b/c it's true:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles," 1992 (also used in Nelson Mandela's inauguration speech, 1994.)

You'll do awesome. Don't be afraid of overwhelming [X]. It will help him step his game up too. One of the values says: "Have courage to raise the bar..." ... Your presentation is showing that you live the

values. And if it gets too personal….look at it like a presentation. If you were presenting someone else would you hold back? I think not!

So yeah...that's preached to me. And I definitely am going to check out Marianne Williamson's book, Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles.

Love,

~Jazz!

Chocolate What...

2006-04-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

The coolest thinkg I've ever seen....Take look:
http://www.chocolateatlas.com/Sushi/Sushi.htm
http://www.kookisushi.com/gift/gift.htm

This is definitely an all time favorite and next time (I mean first time) I have a party...this is what you'll get. How I love being a food connosieur(e).

Just to write...

2006-04-11T02:29:00.000-07:00

So I searched my blog b/c I didn't feel like typing in the URL and I got to my blogshares, which somehow calculates the value of your blog. Surprisingly, my blog had value at all so someone must be reading (even if it's just me reading it all day;)!
Given this info, I decided to write just so I wouldn't be abandoning my blog. So here's my first effort to jump start my always fledging blogging career! I hope this works...
~Jazz

Don't ever take life and the love of family for granted!

2005-12-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

Hundreds pay respect to Colts coach and son
LUTZ, Fla. (AP) -

Tony Dungy blinked back tears, straining to compose himself. Dungy remembers his son Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy thanks his supporters and speaks of his son James who was found dead in his apartment last week. "Parents hug your kids every chance you get," he said. "Tell them you love them every chance you get because you don't know when it's going to be the last time." The Indianapolis Colts coach buried his eldest son, James, on Tuesday, lovingly recalling the 18-year-old who died in an apparent suicide last week as a "mama's boy" with a "compassionate heart." Someone who loved to smile and have fun. ...

Click here for the full article

College Advice

2005-12-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

MESA (Math Engineering Science Achievement) put on an alumni luncheon last week for current college studetns. My colleague, Justin, and I presented some material and advice that someone may find helpful so I'm posting it here. Soon I'll have a site dedicated to educational tools that will hopefully be useful enough to teach and expedite learning.
BTW- I'm working on a documentary, also with the vision that it will change the way we pursue our passions...more as a lifestyle and less as a hobby.
Anyway, here's the college advice handout. ENJOY!

I couldn't help it...

2005-12-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but post this! Being the modern day geek that I am I had to inform the masses of one of the coolest/funniest/weirdest things you can buy this holiday season. In fact you can buy it for me if you so please!
Presentd by ThinkGeek...Desktop Carnivorous Plant Set.

And as quoted from the website:
Each Complete Kit Includes:
Growing Dome
Planting Mixture
Carnivorous Seed Pack:
Venus Fly Trap
Yellow Trumpet
Hooded Pitcher Plant
Purple Pitcher Plant
Pale Trumpet
Temperate Sundew Plants
Cobra Lillies
3 Photo Decals
3 Bog Buddies
Swamp Rocks
Instructions and Information Manual
NOTE: Unlike Insta-Pets(TM)like Sea Monkeys or Triops, your carnivorous plant set will take several weeks to get started. But have patience friends, the blood-curdling plant-on-insect action will be worth the wait! We guarantee it or pay us double!

Let them eat to their stems' content...teehee!

Happy News...

2005-12-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

So some time ago, I wrote about putting actually good, uplifting news on this this. But we all know that's potentially a full time job....so, I refer you to HappyNews.com! I think you'll definitely enjoy. One of today's stories:
"Japanese get fat penguins to exercise"

Enjoy!

My first site

2005-12-06T14:52:00.000-08:00

Well,
Thanks so to my very amazing computer scienctist friend, Justin, I've built my first site. Now it's crude (so don't clown) but I don't care becuase it's the first thing I've built CS wise since I was a freshman in college! DIG IT!?!

Tax savingss

2005-12-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

This is a message froma friend regarding Tax Savings. Worth looking into.

For tax information, I recommend you get Sandy Botkin's book Lower Your Taxes Big Time.
Also, check out his web site http://www.taxreductioninstitute.com/. His CD series Tax Advantages for your Home based Business is excellent. If you can attend one of his workshops, it is well worth it. I saved over $4000 the first year I used his system.

I recommend the SOHO TaxSaver 3.1 to track your business. You can find it at http://www.alliancemarketing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=browse&id=15497&pageid=76.

This Brilliant Man...

2005-12-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

This guy, Paul English has a cheat sheet of how to reach a human voice on phone calls. You know how you call any bank and get sent through a slew of teleprompters?! Well, have at it. Check out The Cheat Sheet!

Sites to see...

2005-12-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

These are some sights worth looking at.

eLance Marketplacehttp://www.elance.com
eLance.com is as much a site for companies looking to outsource projects to independent contractors as it is for free agents looking for new projects. Think of this site as the matchmaker that even allows you to see how much different vendors are earning.

Young and Successfulhttp://www.youngandsuccessful.com/
Y&S is a media and education company dedicated to giving young people the
critical tools, insights and strategies they need to succeed at an early age.
I receive a weekly newsletter from this site from which I learned about eLance.

December 1, 2005 - 50th Anniversary of Rosa Parks Sit-in

2005-12-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Today is the 50th anniversary of the dar Rosa Parks kept her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, AL. I need a PowerPoint presentation to commemorate. Check it out...
The Life and Legacy of Rosa Parks

Ugly Dog just died

2005-11-23T09:16:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know...the worlds ugliest dog, Sam, just died; just a few days short of his 15th birthday.

The Associated Press described Sam thusly:
The tiny dog has no hair, if you don't count the yellowish-white tuft erupting from his head. His wrinkled brown skin is covered with splotches, a line of warts marches down his snout, his blind eyes are an alien, milky white, and a fleshy flap of skin hangs from his withered neck. And then there are the Austin Powers teeth that jut at odd angles. He's so ugly that even the judges recoiled when he was placed on the judging table . . .
(http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/uglydog.asp)

I like the picture below just because he (Sam) doesn't look quite so bad in it. I mean he's a sweet pup right. Plus, the poor guy was suffering from cateracts and old age, hence the cloudy eyes.

But I must say, I'm quite impressed to have found Sam & Suzie's (the owner's) actual site...check it out http://samugliestdog.typepad.com/
View to your heart's content pictures of the amazing Sam. May he rest in peace (Scary grill and all!)

A note on taxes...

2005-11-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

We all need to know more about tax structures. So here's a quick read for us lay people.

Progressive & Regressive taxes/taxation explained.
Progressive & Regressive taxes describe the tax table, not a political opinion. It's like a mathematical function. Most often these are called progressive or regressive tax tables or taxes. In a progressive tax, the more you earn, the higher your tax rate.In a regressive tax, the less you earn, the higher your tax rate.
Sound confusing? Read more here...

A site for you...

2005-10-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

So I've heard of people who make hundreds of thousands of dollars selling random/weird things on the internet. Well I found one. Is anyone interested in "bacon bandades"?!? check it out... http://www.mcphee.com/index.html

Please check him out...

2005-10-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Someone...Anyone!
Please check out this comedian Dane Cook. I mean for real, out of control white men don't usually tickle my fancy but this is one of the funniest dudes I've ever heard it my life. His new cd/dvd Retaliation just made #4 on the Billboard 200! Please Please Please...take a minute and laugh your butt off 'cause this dude is crazy funny! If I was little more posting savvy, I'd have a little clip here but since I'm not, here ya go...http://www.danecook.com/ .

from another Libra

2005-10-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

From a fellow Libran (if that's a word. Maybe I should just say another "Libra") regarding our thinking patterns; I couldn't have said it better myself:

From a 'textbook' Libra, I feel your pain. All that extra thinking will pay off. We Libras are a motivated type not to be stepped to lightly. I've found goals aren't worth having if it's just about time, they've got to be about something a little bit more (ideology, progress, enlightenment, etc) in order to be worth OUR precious time.

From the brilliant,started college at 15 and is now working on her PhD (damn she's more brilliant that I thought now that I actually think about it)....Lauren.

uhhhhhhh......

2005-10-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

So unlike most who selflessly comment on the affairs of the world...I am commenting on me. Yes, it's my site and I can do what I want....uh, I'm a big girl now (just to take it back). So after posting that last log, I went back and read what I'd written on my 24th Birthday and just to bring it all in my face, I'd made a 1-year goal to purchase a home, upgrade my car and start a small business...and well I'm not too pleased to report that it ain't going so great. I've got the business, but it's not like I'm rolling in the dough! I guess you have to start somewhere eh?
As for the house and the car...I finally managed to move from my parents house just a few months ago effectively breaking the umbilical chord on the way out. The car-well, let's just say I'm saving up for something big LOL! ie., I'm still rocking my old one. But hey at least I'll appreciate the good life when I decide to get it right? Riiiiight...that's what they all say.
That joy of infancy really is wonderful...induldge yourself TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!

25...

2005-10-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

Well,
I'm 25 now and I hate to write such an anticlimatic and uninteresting piece after such a long hiatus; however, tragically that's how I feel and that's definitely how my debut to the 1/4 century club went. As a Libra (and yes I have found fierce (def #3: Extremely intense or ardent) validity in the whole zodiac thing)... I've found like most (Libras) I definitely think too much. In fact the whole thing is quite exhausting...the thinking that is. I have friends who really just take life as it comes or moreso enjoy life as they live it, while I on the other hand not just plan, but over-analyze each phase that I'm going through. I'm not sure if most libras plan so intensely (not that it's really working for me as I'm not even good at that part of my character) but I've found that we are definitely some of the most intense people I've ever met. Recently, I've found that a few folks I know share the scales (Libra sign for those that don't know) and it always seems to explain why they/we are the way they/we are.
In an attempt to not incriminate myself, December will make three years since I've been back in Tacoma (after graduating) and I'm definitely ready for what's out there!
On a lighter note...I was googling dictionary.com and misspelled dictionary as dictioanry. Now that tragedy comes in the fact that not only were there websites related to a misspelled word but that there was one that actually had a ton of content on grammar, etc....Now is it really completely sane to trust a site on grammar and essay writing that already starts out wrong? I'm not sure...you be the judge. www.dictioanry.com. At least I got a chuckle for the day LOL.

...Back to me; you can see how all is going. It took me more than a week to even write about my birthday. Remember this time last year (minus 9 days), on my 24th birthday, I inaugurated this site. Oh the bliss of infancy....BRING IT BACK!

Now, Disover your strengths, A MUST READ...Must DO! This book will change your life.

2005-08-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why we do things we hate to do, aren't even good at and zap our energy? I mean we do them just in general. But I especially speaking about those who do them for work! 8, 9, 10, maybe even 11 or more hours per day, we sit, stand, direct, calculate, whatever it is, just to get a paycheck or just to feel halfway accomplished. Well, I know everyone has been asked this question before, but what if you really could and DID do what brought you at least a tolerable amount of joy?! See, the problem is not that we (as people) don't want to experience joy, it's that we don't even know how. If someone told you, " I want to give you the perfect job, the perfect life, something that you love to do every second you're doing it...now tell me exactly how to do it. What's the perfect job for you?" Would you be at a loss for words? Do YOU even know what you like to do?!?!?! - Therein lies the root of the problem. How are we going to seek what we love, when we ourselves don't even know our loves? Huh...how ya gonna do it?!?!

Yes- a long intro to my original intent for posting, but sometimes I just have to get the thoughts out.

So, I was praying (as we all should do) asking God to reveal what I like to do. I mean, I know what I like to do, but how could I ever make a living of it? What are my real talents? What are my strengths? Help me put everything together. I've heard that we should do what we love everyday to be most happy, but what the heck does it mean if I just want to sit and read magazines, learn random stuff, [insert what you love to do but doesn't pay the bills]. So what are my talents?!

While in Borders, I came across a book in the management section, NOW, DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS, by Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton, PhD. The premise of this book is: capitalizing on your talents brings success...personal, emotional, spiritual and financial. Our talents are what we should focus our lives around.
Again, we know this. The problem is often WHAT are our talents and HOW do we use them daily?

NOW, DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS gives you the insight to find your talents, so you can first discover what you brings you inherent joy, build our talents into strengths and focus our lives around them. (The book explains the difference between stenghts and talents.)

Here's an excerpt from Marcus Buckingham's bio:

In a world where efficiency and competency rule the workplace, where do personal strengths fit in?
It’s a complex question, one that intrigued Cambridge-educated Marcus Buckingham so greatly, he set out to answer it by challenging years of social theory and utilizing his nearly two decades of research experience as a Sr. Researcher at The Gallup Organization to break through the preconceptions about achievement and get to the core of what drives success.

The result of his persistence, and arguably the definitive answer to the strengths question, can be found in Buckingham’s trio of best-selling books, First, Break All the Rules (coauthored with Curt Coffman, Simon & Schuster, 1999); Now, Discover Your Strengths (coauthored with Donald O. Clifton, The Free Press, 2001); and The One Thing You Need to Know (The Free Press, 2005), in which the author gives important insights to maximizing strengths, understanding the crucial differences between leadership and management, and fulfilling the quest for long-lasting personal success.

What would happen if men and women spent more than 75% of each day on the job using their strongest skills and engaged in their favorite tasks, basically doing exactly what they wanted to do?

AND...
A piece of the book's intro:

"The simplest explanation is that most organizations' basic assumptions about people are wrong...Most organizations are built on two flawed assumptions about people:
1. Each person can learn to be competent in almost anything.
2. Each person's greatest room for growth is in his or her areas of weakness.
Presented so baldly, these two assumptions seem too simplistic to be commonly held, so let's play them out and see where they lead....

- Your organization spends more money on training people once they are hired than on selecting them properly in the first place.

- Your organizations spends most of its training and money on trying to plug the gaps in employees' skill or competencies. It calls these gaps "areas of opportunity." Your individual development plan, if you have one, is built around your "areas of opportunity" or weaknesses.

...As long as an organization operates under these assumptions, it will never capitalize on the strengths of each employee....These are the two assumptions that guide the world's best managers:
1. Each person's talents are enduring and unique.
2. Each person's greatest room for growth is inthe areas of his or her greatest strength.

...However, we don't start there. We start with you. What are your strengths? How can you capitalize on them? What are your most powerful combinations? Where do they take you? What one, two or three thinkgs can you do better than ten thousand other people?

GET THIS BOOK! NOW, DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS

Self Enhancement, Inc. - Youth Potential Realized

2005-07-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Self Enhancement, Inc. - Youth Potential Realized

I just found out that this exists! This is more than a mentorship program or a "get kids off the street" type organization. This institute exposes youth (ages 8-25) to various avenues of life so God's given talents and gifts can be tapped into and developed. This is what life is about...discovering and being exposed to what God put you on earth for so you can do it. It takes exposure. It takes teaching. It takes encouragement. It takes vision. And it takes allowing people to be who they really are! Please take a look. Hopefull this model will spread across the world. It like a human development institute. Since, somehow, we humans are the best and developing ourselves and our specific constituents, we have a model to be used along with the Bible and God's teaching. Take a look!

Also,
PARTNERS IN DIVERSITY invites you to attend the next quarterly reception to welcome new Professionals of Color to Oregon/SW Washington. This fun summer event is one not to be missed! It is supported by a growing coalition of major employers and community partners working together to support diversity in the workplace and community.

The place to meet, greet and connect! All supporters of diversity in the workplace and community are welcome!

Thursday, August 11th, 2005
5:30 to 8:30 PM
Location: Self Enhancement, Inc.
3920 N. Kerby Avenue
Portland, OR 97227 Phone: 503-249-1721
www.selfenhancement.org (directions)

For TriMet directions: www.trimet.org or 503-238-RIDE

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
-Plan to attend and share the invitation with your networks! This is a multicultural gathering and we want the word to get out far & wide.

-Refer new professionals of color, who have relocated to this area in the last 18 months or less, to be introduced and welcomed at the next event on August 11th.

-Support the event by including information from your organization in the packets handed out to each person attending the event.

-Request information about how your organization can become a sponsor of Partners In Diversity.

-For information: Vicki Nakashima, vicki@partnersindiversity.org or 503-203-5624 Your suggestions, referrals and inquiries are welcome!

2005-06-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

I NEEDED THIS!!! - Stanford's commencement address by Pixar CEO, Steve Jobs

2005-06-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is the commencement address from Stanford University. It's good for us all to live like this.
~Jazz Bridges

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505

'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says

This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

\/\/\/\/\/
Here's the crux: Read the rest HERE:
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

\/\/\/\/
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

Simply Reminiscing...

2005-06-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

So,I was just reminiscing about Miami! And seeing as I still haven't developed my pictures (it's literally been TWO MONTHS), I'll direct you to Jojo's. She's so on point....photos always developed and posted asap. So look here and enjoy!
(You have to sign in to view them though)

We've Done it again!!!

2005-05-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

Once again, African-American genius display the talent, perseverance and originality that has brought us from "rags to riches" (some more rich than others of course!). Anyway, God's newest rebels of the system as high-lighted by Ambra Nykol are doing what they do best....CHANGING STEREOTYPES AND MAKING A WAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE! Here they are:
(via Ambra's site of course!...)
Rebels: Damien & Tourie Escobar

Age(s): 17 and 19, respectively

Representing: New York City

Why You Should Fear Them: They're classical violinists and they rock cornrow braids. Need I same more? In a quest to merge classical music and hip hop, the Escobar brothers have formed the breakout group, "Nuttin' But Stringz," also known as NBS.

When most elementary school kids were staring at the television, Damien and Tourie began taking violin lessons. Raised in the inner city, they endured the taunting of friends and stuck with the violin in spite of its lack of popularity. Together, on weekends they studied at the Julliard School of Music as well as the Bloomingdale School of Music.

As the brothers grew up, they found their love of hip hop didn't mesh well with their love of classical music. They sought to change that. The brothers began performing their music in the subway and in front of anyone who would listen. At first glance, the Escobar brothers appear like the average hip hoppers--hair braided, the bling, baggy jeans, and clean sneakers. But they wield a secret weapon that promises to upset the average traditionalist. While in the past, hip hop has often incorporated strings, there hasn't yet been a true crossover into the classical music genre. With their fusion of R&B, hip hop and jazz, the brothers wear head mikes and incorporate their own vocals into their performances.

As it stands, the Escobar brothers have deferred any college plans so they can tour schools, do concerts and gear up for their album release. Their first album, "STRUGGLE FROM THE SUBWAY TO THE CHARTS," is set to be released this summer. Thus far, the brothers have been featured on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show," "The Tonight Show," "The Today Show," "The CBS Morning Show," VH1, BET and Nickelodeon.

As the brothers often say at the end of their set, "Welcome to a new era."

Man I love my generation. I am sooooooo coppin' this album.

Website: Nuttin But Stringz

Press: New York Daily News and Times-Ledger, New York Cool.

Past Rebels: Roger Powell, Jr., Taylor Moore, Ben Shapiro, Erika Harold, Farrah Gray, Hans Zeiger, Adam Hunter, Dwight Howard, Sheri Valera, Princella Smith

Dang'it...i really do love Black folks! Soon you'll see my sister, the one and only J'nai Bridges: Classical pianist and vocalist. Performed in her first professional opera, TOSCA, at 18 years old. Going to college at Spelman in the fall is a blowing stuff up. If I do say so myself....SIS' IS TIGHT!!!!!!!! I guess I need to get a site up for her so you can check her out. If you want her CD....holla!

Oh my Gawwwwshhhhh...

2005-04-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

I was so obsessed with her the first pic; well.... look what followed. I'm signing her up today. She's gonna be famous! Good lookin' out Ambra ;)!

Say, "MonCHHICHEEESE!!!

My beautiful niece....what a monchhichi!

2005-04-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

So Ambra has a pic of my niece on her site as a "Cute Kid". Now don't mind the fact that it shows that I obviously had to profusely peruse her site before finding it. Oh yeah...and look at this horrid evidence of my Nykola.com fanship (not the fanship but the evidence...i look like i've been sippin' on some Syzuuuurp!)

My Makala!

Now in case you're Pre or Post-Monchhichi...

Dang I loved Monchhichis. Can't you tell home much I even like saying it?!

2005-04-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

errr....uhhhh...that red syzruuuurp never was good for yeah. The worst part is that I thought I was a hot girl that day. Had just turned 24! hmphhh

NYKOLA Reference

2005-04-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

One more "rebel" that you need to know about. This is from Ambra Nykol's site (which I am as addicted to as Friendster if I actually have to say it).

Know Your Rebels: Roger Powell, Jr.
Rebel: Roger Powell, Jr.

Age: 22

Representing: Joilet, IL

Status: Recently graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, star forward on one of the winningest college basketball teams in the nation.

Why You Should Fear Him: This man could've made even the diehard UNC Tarheel fan root for Illinois. Standing at 6'-6" Powell is more than just a star forward for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Nicknamed by his teammates as "The Rev," he's a star off the court too.

Go to her site for the more...

The Brilliance of Nyokola.com

2005-03-10T11:25:00.000-08:00

Friends and Family,I tried not to send this right now but I can't help it given the chance to to enlighten our community. Everyone check out Ambra Nykol's Web Log. She is a brilliant writer and a young Christian woman with a keen perspective. Further, she is truly tapped into a varitey of social goings-on that I am sure that I, at least, would know nothing about if it weren't for her Blog. Oh yes-Blogs are not just news providers, they often provide eye-opening commentary to go along with it.
For those who are not familiar with it, "Blogging" is the new wave of web media; keeping a "web log" of well...whatever the author feels is pertinent for publising. Now that's my own definition so in the spirit of indisputability, here's the Dictionary.com def. of a "Blog" : an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log. Now I do feel it my moral obligation (and one of my God-given charges) to let's say provide/assist others (namely "My people") with whatever tools or insight I can to urge independent thinking, pursuit of purpose and...well... to empower others "By any means necessary!" First, a defintion. The word "blog" and all derivations thereof is new to English vocabulary. It's a neologism; A new word, expression, or usage. Or it's a nonce word; A word occurring, invented, or used just for a particular occasion. And moving on...For all of those unfamiliar with the world of "blogging" please tap into it. Through blogging we, the reader and consumer, are given nearly real time insight into social and political haps or any oter subject that may interest you. Everyone knows I like to eat so http://tastingmenu.com/ is one that I love! I previously said blogs were a wave. Well, they are the new media staple, akin to the notion that hip-hop was just a fad. I am proud to say that I have been deemed Ambra's "First Fan": though a title that evokes a thought of fanaticism, a title I am proud to bear given she's going to be rich and famous on the literary/social/political front! (Who'd be ashamed to be M. Jordan's first fan?!)
I beg of you go to NYKOLA.COM . You will not be disappointed!A bet you had know clue who these young world changers are:

Rebel: Farrah Gray
Age: 20
Representing: Chicago, IL/Las Vegas, NV
Why you should fear him: For starters, he probably makes more money than you. At age 14, this young entrepreneur was a millionaire.FarrahGray.com
For more+pic: http://www.nykola.com/archives/000534.html

Rebel: Dwight Howard
Why you should fear him: As a high school senior at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, he was the number one overall NBA draft pick of 2004 to the Orlando, Magic and has already staked his position on the court as being an unashamed follower of Jesus Christ out to change the negative image of basketball players. From the time that he was a little boy, he's had the vision to "raise the name of God within the league and throughout the world." For Howard, the NBA is his pulpit, but he plans on preaching through his lifestyle. Howard has an uphill battle ahead of him in a profession that seems to be breeding bad behavior (and infidelity). Howard however, has been open in interviews about remaining a virgin until married and desiring to set a standard of purity amongst a culture of womanizing and casual sex. Not too enveloped by the millionaire lifestyle, Howard is intent on staying humble and grounded by the reality of God's blessings. Plus he's 6-foot-10. He will crush you.

Age: 18 until (12/8)
Representing: East Point, GeorgiaStatus: A forward for the Orlando Magic, nicknamed "Choirboy"
Achievements: Winner of the 2004 Naismith Award, signifying the nationals top high school player. Winner of the Morgan Wooten High School Player of the Year award. Named McDonald's National High School Player of the Year. Named Co-MVP of the 2004 McDonald's High School All-America game. Played in the EA Sports Roundball Classic. Named to the PARADE Magazine All-American Team.
or More+pic: http://www.nykola.com/archives/000463.html

Rebel: Taylor Moore
Age: 15
Representing: Chicago, ILStatus: Sophomore at Kenwood Academy High School
Why you should fear her: A sought-after inspirational speaker on the topic of abstinence, excellence, and non-violence to young people. Taylor Moore has been commanding crowds around the country since she was 10-years-old. She is the youngest speaker on the Project Reality team, an organization focused on abstinence education. In addition to public speaking, Moore is a certified cable television producer and host. She hosts three shows locally on the Chicago Cable Access Network: "Making It," "Words to Live By," and "Behind the Scenes."
For More+pic: http://www.nykola.com/archives/000573.html

To make it easy for you, here's today's blog, an exerpt of her site.

March 09, 2005
Linkology
(because there aren't enough hours in the day)
Morality TV: Just when you thought they'd done every scenario possible via "reality tv," Fox surprises us again. Their new reality show, "Who Wants to Live Forever," as described by the network, is a show on which " everyday people are confronted with their morality, motivating them to make surprising and dramatic changes in their lifestyles." I must say, I am very curious to know what standard of morality we're talking here....people who smoke? people don't make their beds? This one should be uh, interesting. Let me know how it goes.
Colorado University Keeps Churchill but Dumps Christian: Professor Phil Mitchell, a twenty-year CU veteran has not been invited back and he feels it's for both political and religious reasons. Kevin McCullough takes issue with this. Smart, young freelancer, Nicole Russell discusses Churchill's dishonesty and and poor example for younger generations.
Race and Retirement: Old news, but I thought "The Snob" made some interesting points in his piece on "Economic Apartheid and Social Security." I have a luxury of prentending to ignore the whole SS debate. Too bad I can't.
Abortion as Hate Discrimination: Joe at the Evangelical Outpost discusses a piece of Maine legislation that would prohibit abortions on unborn children who posses the "homosexual gene." The bill's sponsor, a conservative state representative is clearly strategic about this. I think it's ridiculous.
I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live. Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963

I couldn't help it...American Idol

2005-02-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

MSNBC - Hollywood drama, �American Idol� style
I didn't see American Idol this week, but I couldn't help posting this commentary from MSNBC. It literally made my gut hurt as I tried not to laugh out loud....

The second paragraph is where it's at!
Pass the Kleenex
Runny mascara and red puffy eyes were also in abundance this second evening in Hollywood. Some dismissed contestants held their tears until they left the stage, saving the waterworks for the post-audition interview. Natalie Weiss managed a weak smile when she learned she was the only one in her group who wouldn’t be staying on. Once outside, she pressed a cellphone to her cheek and sobbed out the words, “Brian I didn’t make it…”

Other contestants exploded on stage the moment Simon made his decree. Most notably among the emotional was JP of the aforementioned Early-to-Bed gang. Post-performance, he and his unrehearsed partners seemed resolute, fully expecting their imminent exit. As the mighty Simon granted them a “second chance,” JP threw his arms in the air and broke like the Hoover dam. While John and Kurtis whooped like Patriots fans, JP shrieked his gratitude, his eyes and nose gushing with equal ferocity.

But it was Elizabeth Pha, the girl who was dismissed by both her teammates and the judges, who personified Hollywood’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Before slumping off in the harsh Los Angels sun, she turned to the camera and told all of America, “I’m a very beautiful person and … I just think it’s been very unfair.”

Oh, if only being a very beautiful person by one’s own estimation was all it took to make it in Hollywood.

Some Must Knows.....

2005-02-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

Friends and Family,
Ambra Nykol's site never ceases to amaze me with all of the seemingly underground (or maybe just underground to me) knowledge that she brings to we folk who don't read enough. So, in service, I first, direct you to her site NYKOLA.COM and second will highlight some profound knowledge ascertained just today.
1) Young Money
This site is for young people to get our money in order! Puts things in understandable terms and gives awesome strategies for becoming an individual a POSITIVE net worth.

2) Good talk on Black History Month: It's not Black History, it's history and should be included as such!

3)Erika Harold, a 23 year old Miss America from Urbana, Illinois preaching and teaching abstinence from sexual activity, drugs and alcohol.
An excerpt from Ambra:

In response to pressure to back down from one of her platforms, Harold said the following

"One of my jobs as Miss America is to be a role model to young people and to provide them with my story as an example of how they can achieve positive things in their lives. My personal commitment to abstinence from drugs, sex and alcohol in my opinion helped me to accomplish many of my goals. If I were prevented from speaking about that I think it would be very disingenuous in terms of serving as a role model."

CHECK IT OUT!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebtrations

2005-01-14T11:04:00.000-08:00

Puget Sound Area MLK Celebrations
by Seattle MediumThe Seattle Medium
Originally posted 1/12/2005

Annual MLK March And Rally
The Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. community Rally and March will be held on Monday, Jan. 17, 2005 at Garfield High School. The event will feature educational workshops at 9:30 a.m., followed by a rally in the gymnasium at 11:00 a.m. and will conclude with a march to downtown Seattle at 12 noon.

The theme of this year’s event is “Speak Truth To Power: End Racial Disparity Now!”

The event is sponsored by the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s Words and Legacy Are Focus Of Annual Community Celebration
(Sponsored By The Seattle Community Colleges)
The 31st annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration sponsored by the Seattle Community Colleges will be held Fri., Jan. 14, 2005 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church at 1634 – 19th Ave. in Seattle.

This annual program is one of the area’s oldest and most significant celebrating the life of Dr. King, and is attended by people from throughout the community, including civic and social leaders.

Speakers and performers at this year’s program will focus on the words and legacy of civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The program will include:
• A stirring recitation of excerpts from the famed “I Have a Dream Speech,” by 5th grade students from Bryant Elementary School.
• Inspiring gospel music from a combined mass choir of the FAME and Trinity Choirs from First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Seattle.
• Keynote speaker William Bell, a nationally known leader in child and family issues, and executive vice president of the Casey Family Foundation.
• Emcee Vivian Phillips, noted Seattle communications and arts figure, who most recently appeared as “narrator” in the Black Nativity production at Intiman Theatre.

Doors open at 11:00 am and prelude music begins at 11:30 am. For more information, contact the Seattle Community Colleges events line at (206) 903-3233 or www.seattlecolleges.com/calendar

Seattle Young People's Project's 6th Annual MLK Hip Hop Show
The Seattle Young People's Project (SYPP) is partnering with the MLK Celebration Committee and the Vera Project to bring you the 2005 all ages MLK Hip-Hop Show on Friday, Jan. 14, at the Vera Project - 1916 4th Ave. in Seattle from 7 - 10;30 p.m.. Doors will open at 6pm and the show will be from 7-10:30pm. The show strives to bring youth together to honor the life of Martin Luther King and to teach them how they can be involved in the community. It also provides a place for youth to have a voice and have fun in a safe environment. The show will include spoken word, emceeing, DJ's, and a freestyle battle.

MLK CELEBRATION AT EVERETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Everett Community College will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Thurs., Jan. 13.

At 11 a.m., the Black Student Union will hold a pre-rally in the Multipurpose Room, Parks Student Union; cake and refreshments will be served. At 11:30 a.m. a bus will take students and Everett Community College employees downtown for an MLK march around Everett. From 1 to 2 p.m. there will be an MLK community celebration with speaker Morris Dees at the Everett Events Center. Morris, the founder and chief trial counsel for the non-profit Southern Poverty Law Center, has successfully tracked and fought domestic terrorists for 20 years. His efforts brought about the Civil Rights Memorial, lawsuits that bankrupted the KKK and imprisoned perpetrators of hate crimes, and increased awareness of radical militias. Seating for the celebration is first come first served, with seating preference given to participants in the march.

Everett Community College is in north Everett, two blocks west of North Broadway between 10th and Tower Streets. Parking on campus is by permit only. Permits are available in the Security Office, Parks Student Union.

The City Of Seattle Celebrates The Dream Of Martin Luther King, Jr. At Seattle Center House A stirring, theatrical presentation of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s ''I Have A Dream'' speech highlights the City of Seattle's Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, along with music, song and the opportunity for the public to create their own part of a special MLK quilt. The celebration takes place Mon., Jan. 17 from 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Seattle Center House.

The official celebration on Monday will feature a dramatic theatrical reading of the ''I Have A Dream'' speech by the Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas, who use multiple actors and music to create a thoughtful mood and enhancement of the speech.

Music, song and dance will be provided by noteworthy gospel and urban music performers such as William Demps, Sharon Bryson, the Darrius Willrich Band, and the Seattle Center All-City Youth Choir.

In addition, the public will get a unique opportunity to help create the ''I Have A Dream'' quilt. Between noon and 4 p.m., visitors will be given art materials to create their own patch for the quilt as a community art project.

The MLK Youth Awards will be handed out by John Franklin, the Mayor of Seattle's Chief of Departmental Operations, to youth who have done outstanding work in the community working for Dr. King's ideals of peace and unity.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church Presents An Evening Fit for a King!
On Sun., Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. Marling Luther King, Jr. Memorial Baptist church will host its annual MLK celebration The theme for this year's event is ''When All of God's Children Get Together: Freedom Rings''!.

The keynote speaker for this year's event will be Seattle/King County NAACP president Carl Mack, and Dr. Charles Mitchell, Chancellor of the Seattle Community College District will also be featured as a guest speaker.

MLK Memorial Baptist Church is located at 13611 SE 116th St. in Renton. For more information contact Deborah Robinson - (253) 850-3488 MLK Day Chairperson or Vanessa Lucas and/or Susie at (425) 255-1446.

Article found at http://seattlemedium.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=52442&sID=4

URGENT REQUEST for ASSISTANCE!

2005-01-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

This is an URGENT REQUEST FOR YOUR SUPPORT for THE JASMINE BRIDGES SCHOLARSHIP FUND!

In the wake of my Christmas Note, all is well BUT I need help funding my Grad Degree.

I need to raise $3600 ASAP!
As you may know, I am pursuing my Master of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary and and I do not have the funds to continue for next quarter. My job does 75% tuition reimbursement for work related study so I am trying to convey that this degree effects all aspects of my personal life and therefore my work life. However, until then, I need your urgent support to continue. If you could donate even $20, it would help. I have been saving my own funds and looking for scholarships, but it is very difficult. So if you could assist me, I would be infinitely grateful. Also, if you know of any scholarships for which I could apply please forward me the information!
You can donate online at The Jasmine Bridges Scholarship Fund (preferable) or mail donations to me.

Thank you!
Prayerfully,
Jasmine Bridges

Look at this...

2004-12-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

You really just can't win! People make fun of you if your teeth are inexplicably "bad", crowded, crooked, etc. Note the picture of Steve Buscemi from Armageddon (whom I love by the way!)

But look at this!These aren't even chicklet teeth. This is a full block of cartoon mouth! Now I do feel bad about talking about this guy because he did just pass (as in ...away.) This is the guy from Law & Order, Jerry Orbach. Read more about him by clicking on his picture.

Does this make any sense?!

Anyway, I just had to point this out...

2004-12-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Friends and Family!

This year has proven to be quite packed so I'm going to update you and wish you Happy Holidays electronically.

I turned 24 on September 28th. I just preached my second sermon last Sunday, December 19th, 2004. I am currently in Grad School at Fuller Theological Seminary, where I have just completed my first quarter in a Masters in Divinty Program. I am a minister at Allen AME Church in Tacoma and an Engineer at Tacoma Power, where I celebrated my 1.5 year anniversary on December 16th, 2004! My how time flies. As you can (or will) see that I am a growing "blogger" AKA a web logger, so you can read my daily (or when I have time-ly) posts at my new site, The Jazz Spot. This blog was birthed from my need to get my thoughts out, as I have so many continually running through my head, and my desire to have my own webpage (no matter how elementary it is!)

Let's see...oh yes, so The Jazz Spot is for my personal thoughts and personal commentary. However, seeing as the world is seems not to willing to fund graduate study in Divinity, I also created The Jasmine Bridges Scholarship Fund, which will help fund my studies at Fuller. Indeed, scholarship and aid are difficult to find and obtain for relgious study so FEEL FREE TO DROP BY The Jasmine Bridges Scholarship Fund AND DONATE! All donations are more than appreciated and needed!

Ok, the thing that I may be the most proud of (aside from following God's lead of course) is that I created and am selling shirts memorializing Election 2004. This was indeed the largest election in history as 1.8 million new voters came out for the 2004 Election. This voting numbers in this election are noteworthy and we must be proud of having voted (Regardless of party or winner) ....WE MUST EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO VOTE!!!

So I Created and am SELLING VOTED T-Shirts...as in...I VOTED!

VOTED T-Shirt
Here is a small graphic for those of you who are interested!
Front: VOTED, Election 2004
Back: Mine Counts...

Just click on the shirt to go to a the website to purchase it, VOTED2004.blogspot.com . And do please purchase one for support if nothing else (although I might add that I think they are pretty cool!)

So all is well chez moi! It's about time for another vacation; however! I've finally posted picture of my August 2003 trip to Ghana here! I shall soon posted other pics represting The Life of Jasmine!

Do stay in touch and know that I am praying for you! God is still blessing and molding me so continue to keep me in prayer. (And if you haven't been praying for me... PLEASE START ;)!

LOTS OF LOVE,
Jasmine Bridges....Jazz!

Now this is scary...the reason why I pray!

2004-12-23T18:15:00.000-08:00

First of all, it's 6:15pm on Thursday, the eve of Christmas Eve and I'm still at work. I mean I am writing this blog, so I'm not working but nonetheless I should not be here! Can we say, "NO LIFE?!"....uh...yeah!....NO LIFE! Anyway, something pressing has managed to grasp my attention in a not so positive way! So I've been working on a new blog to see my VOTED 2004 shirts and I came across the most disgusting, vile, wordly sick story. I wouldn't normally post this type of thing on my site but I feel it duty to call all of us who pray to action because this stuff is real! I don't necessarily urge you to read but I'll just comment on the state of our country. So this girl Staff Assistant in the White House (This all occured a year ago), was sleeping with multiple men-young, old, married, interns, etc. and writing about it on her site. I mean she was simply writing about her daily activities as most of us bloggers do, but all of her activities-nights and days, involved having sex or performing some self-disrespecting act with someone. White House agents searched to find the perpetrating author and once they did, fired her. (Read this for more commentary.) So this young ho (24 years at the time) found it doable to continue her sex-capades with old, married and or rich men just to subsidize her $25k salary. I mean don't get me wrong, it is indeed difficult to live on that, but in college we all lived in far less....SO THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE! The most abominable part is that I'm sure this happens all of the time. I mean that is how you move up on the Hill right? (Disclaimer: This is a rhetorical question. Not a comment on my beliefs about the US Government). I mean haven't we gone through this before with....a blue dress...and some white film? The girl refers to the the rampancy of such behavior in her blog:

"If you investigated every Staff Ass on the Hill, I am sure you would find out

some freaky shit. No way can anybody live on such a low salary. I am convinced

that the Congressional offices are full of dealers and hos."

And if this happened a year ago, there's not telling what's going on now. Well nevermind, we can see it! So anyway, Children of God, IT REALLY IS TIME TO PRAY! We need to pray for the state of our country, the state of our world, the state of American morality....the morality of the world for that matter! We can't go on blowing such sickness off as "comical" or "just the way it is"! Something's gotta give...and it won't be be GOD!

13“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

~Luke 16:13 (NIV)

So Let's pray people. This story is a warning for all those who are going to be working on this Hill or in general. Everything has a price! So remember...
36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
~Mark 8:36-37

This is a call to action!
~Jazz

2004-12-20T10:16:00.000-08:00

http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/

2004-12-20T10:09:00.000-08:00

I think that every socially conscious person should read the BOONDOCKS Strip, so I'm putting a link to it on my site...lol...sounds like every socially conscious peruses my site huh? Well, anyway, here's today's and the other is probably the funniest one I've ever read: it's the funniest THING I've every read. Enjoy!

Two new things for you.....about ME!

2004-12-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

The "You" of course means...."ME!"

You Are a Prophet Soul

You are a gentle soul, with good intentions toward everyone.
Selfless and kind, you have great faith in people.
Sometimes this faith can lead to disappoinment in the long run.
No matter what, you deal with everything in a calm and balanced way.

You are a good interpreter, very sensitive, intuitive, caring, and gentle.
Concerned about the world, you are good at predicting people's feelings.
A seeker of wisdom, you are a life long learner looking for purpose and meaning.
You are a great thinker and communicator, but not necessarily a doer.

Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

AND...

You are 60% Libra

How much do you match your zodiac sign?

It's time to make a change...

2004-12-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

So I've decided, I'm tired of hearing all of the ludicrous and negative things that are going on in the world. Don't get me wrong, I know it's real and is more than ever evidence that we are truly in the End Times. But dang! There is a lot of amazing stuff going on in society too. People are making a difference, no matter how small it seems and I'm going to start highlighting it. I've done a very preliminary search and there are a few "Good News" broadcasters out there. But at this point, I can literally count them on one hand. So before I get into the "Good New Report" let me show what prompted me. Take a look at today's headlines from the Seattle PI:

December 9, 2004
Mom's eavesdropping violated privacyThe state Supreme Court has ruled that the Privacy Act prohibits a parent from eavesdropping on a child's phone conversations. New · 10:20 a.m.
Canadian court OK's same-sex marriageCanada's highest court said today the government can redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.Update · 10:54 a.m.
Target's bell-ringer ban stirs revoltTarget customers have latched onto Internet-fueled boycott campaigns, angry that the retailer might cost the Salvation Army nearly $200,000 in local donations.
Tedious hand recount beginsNineteen new ballots turned up yesterday, ultimately boosting Dino Rossi's lead in the governor's race by three votes.
In-home service: It's a hitThis holiday season, as thousands of consumers get electronic gifts, in-home help to set them up and keep them running is just a phone call away.
Convicted murderer freed by courtA Bothell nurse sentenced to 40 years in prison for beating her toddler daughter to death walked free yesterday, released after 14 years because of a state Supreme Court decision.

But what really spurred me is the ban of tragic headlines (from today's paper) below:
- Monorail to restart before Christmas
- Skiers set to hit Crystal after snow hits Cascades
- Agents arrest 4 suspects in visa-fraud case
- Kirkland family mourns soldier who perished in Iraq
- 2 women struck, killed by cars
- 6 missing in crash of Coast Guard helicopter
- Divers may help Hanford cleanup
- Boy, 17, held in beating over traffic incident
- Several people taken to hospital after crashes
- Avalanche closes North Cascades route
- 3 children found home alone after fire erupts
- Boy abducted by stranger in Rochester, then released
More local news

Not all of it is bad, but do you really want more local news? I mean come on...it's ok, to tell the bad, grim and ugly, but is it too much to ask to infuse some of the good?

Like,
-Starr Finishing Her Last Year of Law School!

-J'nai applying to college for Classican AND Contemporary Music Performance after Surviving as the ONLY Black Girl in an ALL white private school!

-Jordan and J'nai perfoming in Small Vocal Ensemble Concert tonight at Charles Wirght Academy in Tacoma, WA!

-After 150 years Chief Leschi gets another trial. He's a Hero NOT a murderer! (This was actually in the paper but I want everyone to see it!)

- Bloggers informing folks: Ambra Nykol, the Black Informant, and many more...

- Courtney Payne starts Professional On-line Community, Code624

-Paris and Pamela, two African-American parents who are still married and raising their family with God's guidance!

-Jayson , car salesman, paving his own way in the industry!

I mean for real, the list could go on and on. It could fill up a full newspaper...and it soon will!
Keep posted. Until then, here are some other sources of "Good News":

The Good News Network, Good News Broadcast , Good News, Etc.

She does it again....

2004-12-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Ambra Nykol does it again! Somehow my low times are always lifted with a quick peruse through her site. Her latest bit actually evoked a chuckel (look at how tired I am) ....chuckle and slight motivation to ask/tell my boss I need a few hours off...TODAY. On her latest blog "Thoughts On the Mall" she gives " a few...deep insights and observations about the mall."
This is the one that gets me:

Salespeople should be required by law to wait at least 3 nanoseconds before abruptly asking, "Are you looking for something special today?" Why yes I am Suzie. I'm looking for you to ease back just a smidge, thanks.

Too funny! I can see it in my head...it always seems to be the "Suzies" who are all up in it...."ease back". LOL! Forget "Lean Back." My new slogan is: "Now ease back (uhh huh) ease back...ease back....EASE BACK!"

Thanks God! I asked for strength and He's hooking me up a little at a time. Ambra really is doing God's work ;)!

~ME!

Tired!

2004-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been just tired?!!.....of working of doing of thinking....of just stuff? Well, I am. I'm working everyday. Don't get me wrong the job is great (for a job). It's a job nonetheless. I'm also in the midst of finals: just completed my Hebrew final yesterday. I hope it gets delivered to my professor. We had to send it in and I didn't put a return address on the envelope b/c I didn't have a pen in my car. And after I dropped it in the box, I realized that it may have needed another stamp just to be safe (I'm praying on that one). I now have to do my Biblical Interpretation final plus a 15 page paper. I haven't written 15 pages since the 11th grade. That was the first and last time I did that and I think it took me like a week straight plus some serious guidance. The 10-page paper I wrote in college was turned in late....if that shows you how excited I am about papers more than 2 pages! Church is cool minus that fact that a certain someone is always trippin'; doesn't seem to realize that I'm in SEMINARY, which in my opinion is just as much ministry as being at a bunch of church meetings....but whatever. So anyway, I'm not in all that great of a mood as you can see. I'm tired, I'm broke even though a make enough money and I live at home....uhhhhhhhhh. So the Bible says (and I believe it): "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I'll just put it frankly, God, I'm asking for strength b/c i surely can't do all of this on my own, well...not with a smile at least. So somebody, PRAY FOR ME! I need all that help I can get. And yes, I need a vacation (or something)!
~Later

2004-12-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

Herman McKinney, VP of Urban Affairs for the Urban Enterprise Center, Me and Edward James Olmos

VOTED Tshirts...they're going fast!

2004-11-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

Show that you VOTED with your VOTED T-Shirt!!
...Encourage Voter Awareness!
...Show that YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE because you VOTED!
...Excellent Christmas Gift for FIRST TIME VOTERS!!!
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2004 HAD THE BIGGEST ELECTION IN HISTORY.....
YOURS COUNTS!

Front: VOTED Election 2004
Back: Mine Counts...

Only $16.95 (+S&H)

2004-11-29T12:14:00.000-08:00

I have this awesome pic with Cornel West, the renown Princeton Prof. This is one of this "more pressing things" that I have to get off my chest and want to show!
~Jazz

VOTED Tshirts

2004-11-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

It's been while...lots to add...

2004-10-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

Uhhhhh...it's November 30th and it's been a while so I'm just going to post this Draft more than a month ago so I can get it out and move on to more pressing issues!
~Jazz

It's been a while since I've written but as I have been inspired by my girls Satra and Starr, I'll get back on it because I have a lot to add!
Let's see.....I'll just go backward. Dang, I'm thinking that sometimes I really just need to sit back and appreciated life a little more often. It all goes by so quickly that I forget all of the amazing things that I have done and all of the blessings that God continually pours out. I love this blog, 'cause it jogs my memory....helps me keep tab of the good things in life (and of course the rampant thoughts I'm always having!)
Here's the run down:

So last night October 18, 2004: I saw the one and only, extraordinarily gifted (not just talented but GIFTED!) JILL SCOTT . Whoa! The Girl, sings from her gut...from her soul. She's reppin' for our generation. Yes, we have talent within this generation too and she is the epitome of it. A friend's significant other (I'll keep it at that until I get approval to post more) plays bass for Jill so we (Mom and I) had the pleasure of seeing him perform.

Saturday, Ocotober 16: Mom and I (we're kicking buddies once again) went to see ANGELA DAVIS. She is still the awesome sis that she was in 1969 when she got arrested at age 24!

I'VE FIGURED IT OUT!!!!!! HE TOLD ME

2004-10-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

So that it...I'm a writer of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ himself! I was sitting here at work when I started to write. I new I loved poetry but I found out today that it's my method it's my means. I should say it His method and His means. I'm a poetic writer of the Gospel of Jesus. Oh man this is awesome. Before writing I prayed that God would simply reveal to me what the heck I'm passionate about; what truly makes me tick; what's something I could with or without pay what's been buried on the inside. I prayed that prayer in the bathroom (I know it's graphic but it's true) and when I came out I had to write cause you see writing is what I do. For real I feel like The Cat in the Hat. Poetry just comes out. See I'm not writing this right now. But I'm the vessel trough which it comes. I'm a writer of the Gospel. Don't mistake I'm not saying I'm adding to it. But I'm sent to put it in today's terms...make it real to the extent that someone will understand the message sent 2000 years ago. I'm a writer of the Gospel of Jesus and for real what a relief to know what I'm doing how I'm supposed to do it and why: to let the masses see that Jesus is a real guy who walked on this earth free us all from sin to let us know that we are redeemed though we sin time and time again. Now I don't have to rack my brain with schemes to make money. All I have to do is walk in His purpose and his guidance will provide. Dang this is hard to do with a job, because His word is always flowing inside. I have hard time containing it. It wants to come out all the time. But from 8-5 I need some discipline to do the job that's - WHOA I just prayed for some discipline and the flow stopped. Gotta go. Gotta get back to work.
PEACE!

Birthday To-Do's!!

2004-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

So here are some options for this evening's Bday festivities:
Still haven't decided what to do. Everyone who knows me knows that Salsa music is the key. It's a lil' difficult as everyone doesn't latin dance but oddly this song keep popping up in my heard: "It's my party and I'll....." I'm going to try to consider others in the after-dinner decisions but it seems like that will be a fight between Heaven and he--.
Call me if you need to know what we decided
253-226-4367

1. LAS MARGARITAS
(206) 623-7203
1122 Post Ave, Seattle, WA (Down the stairs from 1st & Seneca)
Salsa Cubana - Experience the Best Mexican food in Seattle. Come for the food, stay for the Salsa show. FREE Lessons, dancing, performances and more. There will be playing the very best Cuban dance music straight from the island for your dancing pleasure - 10:00 p.m.
21 & Over with ID. Admission Cover $5 No smoking

2+.The Mirabeau Room
529 QUEEN ANNE AVE. NnSEATTLE, WA
http://www.themirabeauroom.com/

2. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Party
China Harbor
206-286-1688
2040 Westlake Ave. Seattle, WA 98109
$3 Greeks, $5 college ID, $10 before 11:06pm
http://students.washington.edu/aphia/

3. Des Amis - Floetic Fridays
Spoken Word/Slam/Music/Neo-Soul/Hip-Hop/Classic
1013 E. Pike St., Seattle, WA
206- 322-0703
http://www.clubvibes.com/events/view.asp?id=20057

4. Jumbalaya @ the Baltic Room
1207 Pine St., Seattle
$10 cover

5. Beso del Sol - Salsa Nights
4468 Stone Way, Seattle (In Wallingford)
(206)5478087
$5
http://www.clubvibes.com/events/view.asp?id=11934

6.Club Shangri La
1521 5th Ave, Seattle
206-374-8441
http://www.clubvibes.com/events/view.asp?id=22466
$5, 21& over

7. Larry's
R&B, Reggae, Pop/Top 40
206-624-7665
209 First Avenue South, Seattle
http://www.clubvibes.com/events/view.asp?id=17133

8. Alibi Room
85 Pike St.Seattle, WA
(206) 623-3180
A low-key, artsy bar with a cognoscenti clientele, the Alibi Room is the perfect place for a chilled-out evening. Its location (under the Pike Market) keeps most foot traffic away, insuring that folks who come are in the know. The warm, wood-furnished room is lined with windows that look onto the bay (ok, the viaduct too, but who cares?) and boasts rotating art by locals. The downstairs room hosts various local dj's for an intimate dance experience.

Amazed, Thankful....and not frontin' (even if I risk embarrassment)

2004-09-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed a completely inspired by the new realm of reading/entertainment/news that I've to which I've recently become privy. This thing called "blogging" is utterly amazing. 6 years ago, I learned enough html to make a very basic webpage that held my homework assignments for a design class that I took. I could never quite progress past my very crue attempt at what had become "the only way": having a webpage to boast of accomplishments. hobbies, photos etc. I just said to myself (and probably others) last week, that I really need to get a webpage. God must have been listening. Not that this is yet a true webpage, given that I'm at the mercy of the Blogger template, but at least it's a start, I have somewhere to get my thoughts out and I can (with a lot of work) post my pictures...which is all I really wanted to do anyway.
So to the point: I search Seaspot.com like a fiend, in attempts to activate my life when one day I ran across a post from Ambra Nykol, a truly talented sis who speaks her mind and is quite a prolific writer. I can't find her original post about being a Black conservative but when I do I'll let you know. Anyway, so I had to find out who she was and if people who thought and spoke like this really live in Seattle/Tacoma....they do. This sis is too much. So check out her site www.nykola.com. I tapped into some other links on her site and saw that everyone was using this Blogger. So I figured, "Hey, lemme try!!!" So, here I am with a site that I really don't know how to work or format, but I'm forever indebted (well at least for a minute) to Ambra for being "Young, Black and Gifted" and having a site that I could easily copy ;)!
Thanks!....I'm sure she thinks I'm crazy as still don't know her but write her often as if she's my best friend. (That's the risk I was talking about ;)!

~Peace...gotta go to class!

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!

2004-09-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

TODAY IS MY ACTUAL BIRTHDAY!!!!!
24 years old...man how time flies. Like usual I'll be in school. I am so pleased to say that today is my first day of Graduate School at Fuller Theological Seminary www.fuller.edu where I'll be working on a Master's in Divinity (M.Div). My first classes are Biblical Interpretation and get this; HEBREW!!!!!!!!! It's amazing, I'll be taking Hebrew. My academic advisor from school is from Israel so at least I'll have a practice partner ;)! I don't know how it will be paid for but I'll leave that up to God! Let's see.. I've made a one year goal to purchase my first home, upgrade my car and start a small business on the side. I have lots of ideas of what I could do, but none that have yet stuck.

Details
From: Jasmine Bridges
Location: Buca di Beppo
701 9th Avenue North
Seattle, WA
When: Friday, October 1, 7:00pm
Phone: 253-226-4367
RSVP: http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=ESEAGDADBPWYXKCJCRBU&inviteId

My Birthday!!!!!!

2004-09-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

2004-09-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Me in Cape Coast, Ghana with "family" at Cape Coast slave castle.

WoW!....it's created

2004-09-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Amazing!...So I'm sitting here (won't say where but you know given the time of day) and I've just created or should I say uploaded this Blog Spot. It's amazing how you don't have to know anything to create something now days. I can't write much but as my new page has just been made I couldn't let this opp slide. I mean I've got a page up and running. I've got the highest of hopes and no skill to go with it. Pray that this'll work! :)!
2:37 pm