So why all the complaints from the under 16 crowd AND their parents? I mean, I’m wondering who allows their 16 year olds and younger, just to stroll up in the house whenever they want to? What happened to the old school sayings of having your ass in the house by the time the street lights come on or “ain’t nothing open but legs” at that time of night…

Maybe your child isn’t the bad seed that robbing, shooting, and killing out there, but there’s one too many who are, so for you new parents out there, let’s stop making excuses that today is a new day and kids have rights. The reason for this tighten up is for public safety and that includes the safety of YOUR kids. Parents are complaining that THEY should have control of their children’s comings and goings, but when you look at juvenile courts, a lot of you aren’t doing much of anything so far as child rearing. Frankly, I wonder if some of you are just having babies just to fill up the new plantations, now known as prisons. When Screen on the Green announced they were thinking they were not going to have screenings in Piedmont this year, I was sure the antics and mayhem of lawless youngsters were going to be cited as reasons for the cancellation. We’ll see what this year brings, but it’s a shame that a group of young people cannot gather without unnecessary violence breaking out. Ultimately parents, YOU brought the child in this world, and ultimately it is YOUR job to set them straight, because if someone else has to, you may not like the result. YOU have to protect your good child from the bad element that’s out there that’s not getting the benefit of proper home training. So while not all of you are the bad parents with the bad teens and tweens, the antics a few has brought us to this point where what YOU should be doing as a parent is now legislated by government. We need to DO BETTER as parents and as a community, but until then, ultimately, it’s a good thing that Mayor Reed has introduced this “Tighten Up” for the good, the bad and the ugly among us.

Peace!

All in all, a nice movie, not a tear jerker, but after watching you do feel somewhat purged, like you just had a good cry. The movie viewing audience shouldn’t have to wait decades between an Eve’s Bayou, Hav Plenty, etc. to see a good movie featuring African American people, not caricatures. You should make an effort to attend film festivals and support those film makers who are making quality films. Ava DuVernay has heavily advocated for her film as well as other African American Film makers to have their work distributed to the masses, check out AFFRM to support. Take your support even further by investing in what you want when an African American film maker pulls themselves up by their bootstraps and embark on a fund-raising campaign on Ifundie.com, Kickstarter.com or Indiegogo.com to make their film, documentary or webisode and tell our stories our way, not from a stereotypical perspective. The investment can be as little a $1 and up to whatever you can afford. The next step, is distribution via theaters, television networks, and digital resources on the net that respect African American culture as more than a source of dysfunctional entertainment for other cultures. Oy vey, I could write forever on that alone. In the meantime, you can invest in your dignity by buying a movie ticket and “spring forward” watching “I Will Follow” with your friends and family. “I Will Follow” will help deprogram you from the bad programming that’s currently out there and make you yearn for more quality movies about the rich diversity of African American life that shows our humanity in a positive and beautiful light.

Check out the website, “I Will Follow” has been extended in the cities it’s now playing in and it is coming soon to a theater near you.

There are other independent movies in limited release that are either coming to your are or are there already:

• “Mooz-lum” (drama) with Nia Long and Evan Ross: This movies discusses the experience of Muslim Americans before, during and after 9/11 in America. I haven’t seen it yet, but I heard it’s really good.
• Need a good documentary: Upcoming is “Behind Those Books” Movie. If you are a fan of Urban Literature or perhaps not a fan, this will give you a new perspective on the genre of Urban Lit.

Webisodes to Watch in your quest for Friday:

• “Celeste Bright” (drama) Celeste Bright is an Investment Banker caught in a web of deception.
• “PuNanny Diaries” A comedy about being grown, sexy and celibate.
• Then, let’s not forget animation, you have The Gibbs sisters, Shawnee & Shawnelle Gibbs, gifted animators: “Adopted By Aliens” Described as “Jimmy Neutron meets The Boondocks meets Fairly Oddparents.”

And that’s just a little somethin’-somethin’ help us get our mind back right. If you know of other movies, webisodes, shorts, and the like that represents quality, POSITIVE, images of African Americans, just comment and let everyone know below. And definitely don’t forget to tweet and facebook on social media when someone has produced something worth watching- let the world know!

Peace!

I figured I can blog something more than just a mere tweet today. Change your mind and change your life! Let nothing stop you from pursuing and catching the happiness that you deserve. Yesterday is a memory and tomorrow is not promised so maximize the moment and live in happiness. Live life ON PURPOSE and with meaning. That’s what my game plan is, so make it yours and make the world a better place!

Peace!

T

The morality tale of this tragedy is most telling of people’s character these days, and I have to report- it ain’t looking good.

I’m listening to Derrick Boazman on WAOK,  people are calling in making excuses for Aimee Michael & her mother, and it sounds crazy?  ‘Too much time’, ‘It’s not like she killed these people on purpose’, etc., it’s amazing that no one can see the wrong that was done.  I tried to imagine myself in this young woman’s shoes and I couldn’t walk her walk.   These sympathizers are entitled to their opinion, but they must be cut from the same flawed cloth of people their children robbing, selling drug, killing and carrying on- then wonder the neighborhood is so bad and why a generation has been lost.  No accountability. So for these folks, instead of worrying about the wrongdoer, focus your prayers and attention on the victims of this tragic accident.  If you judge ACTIONS, the families of these victims conducted themselves at such a high level of class and dignity, it is amazing that no one has pointed that out.  Especially the father, of the the six year old, he was composed, dignified and represented a real man throughout the whole courtroom ordeal.

But for those who are making excuses for these people, look at their actions and consider the following:
If you follow the progression of this tragedy as a TEST to do the right thing, just look at the ACTIONS of the Michaels.  The Michaels had the OPPORTUNITY, time and time again, to do the right thing.  EACH AND EVERY TIME, they did the wrong thing with detailed precision.  She could have stopped at the scene, told her story that she was hit and didn’t cause the accident and this would have been a tragic accident, a distant memory.  Even when she left the scene, went home, ate ice cream, during the days and the weeks that followed, she could have called, turn herself in.  Instead, they paid by money order to have someone come out to the house and fix the car.  After being caught, she could have said to the family, ‘I’m sorry for your tragic loss [& leave it like that on the advice of counsel] .  But never once from this house, did a single family member reach out to the mother who lost her daughter, son in law, and grandchildren; or the father, who saw half of his  6 year old daughter in the front seat and the other half in the back seat, with even a post it note to say, “I’m sorry.”  Never did they say they were sorry until the families pointed out on the news their disbelief that not once did anyone from this family express any condolences- and by then it was time for them to go to jail.   So for all those who are saying the punishment does not fit the crime, at what time did these people turn around and do the right thing?  Too many folks use Christianity as an adjective or a noun, rather than a verb.

9/9/9

Welcome to TLaTela.com. (pronounced: TEE-la-TEE-la)

September 9, 2009, seemed to be the right time to finally roll out this blog of mine and bring it to life. I have to get my creative juice flowing again and change from being a staid, jaded, grown up and go back to being a dreamer. This thought reawakened with the birth of my nephew, who quickly grew tired of being read to, and wanted something original, taxing my brain as he sat in the bed wide awake apparently drinking coffee and eating No-Doz, as Robin Harris used to say. Now, it seems that he’s turning into quite the writer according to his teachers. All I can think of is, that used to be me back in the day. I totally lost myself over the years trying to maintain, make money, working, starting businesses, losing businesses, going back to work, getting laid off and it goes on and on; and I’m not having any fun. You get the idea. Life happens, I’m ready to have fun.

Now, I’m not taking a vow of poverty, mind you, I’m just trying to pursue a more enjoyable way to riches. So writing will be something I’m going to rediscover, there will be challenges, like my cat tap dancing across my laptop, but we’ll see what happens. It’s time to birth the stories creeping through my gray matter that is my brain, frankly, it’s getting a little crowded.

This website will be BS, that’s Blogs & Stories. (Smile!)

So here I am adding my opinions and ideas to the INTERNET. Hopefully, you’ll join me and we can have fun discussing the real and unreal world together.

Peace,

T’LaTela