Movies the Honest Man Loves - Menace II Society

1994. Senior Year High School. Summertime in da SC. While I'm waiting to embark on one of my greatest rides at Morehouse, I'm at home just killin' time. One way I killed time was renting movies, especially after the family hooked me up with the TV/VCR combo for college. So the first movie I rented was one I had been waiting to watch for a year...Menace II Society.

If you've never seen Menace, shame on you. I personally think it's better than the more celebrated Boyz in the Hood. I mean after watching this, I truly thought I was hard :-). Out there walking the suburbs, quoting O dawg "What'chu say about my mama?" over and over. And it only got worse when I did start college, met D-Lo, and learned he was just as big as a fan. Me and him damn near watched this shit over and over every day. It was so bad, we knew EVERY line word for word. That's how much I loved this movie.

If you've never seen it, no fear, I've posted one of my favorite scenes below. It's the infamous "faggot ass Chauncey decides to educate white folks" scene. CLASSIC. Trust me, the rest of the movie is just as good. So go rent this movie...FOR HAROLD!!!

Tomorrow is never promised

Hey folks! Yep, it's been 2 weeks since a post. And that has happened for bunch of reasons. The primary one is the Honest Wife has suffered 2 deaths over that time and I've been supportive of her. If you've been reading the blog this year, you know between the missus and myself we've had a lot of setbacks this year on the family front (8 deaths in 2010, 9 total since November 2009).

Honestly, that takes a toll on you. It didn't help that the recent ones happened in November and even worse during Thanksgiving week. So I zoned out. Just stepped away from everything to one help my wife out as she's the one who's dealing with emotional pain from the recent deaths. And then also just to reflect on everything that's happened and remember what I should be blessed to have.

Tomorrow is not promised readers. Live your life to the fullest. And if you have loved ones, make sure you are telling them that whenever possible. Because you just never know.....

Your weekly inspiration - You're the Best!

Is there any child of the 80s that is NOT a fan of the "Karate Kid"? And I mean the original one with Ralph Macchio, not the remake with Big Willie Style's kiddo. For that matter do any of the Generation Yers know who Ralph Macchio is? For shame I say if you never saw this movie. It has all the elements of those "classic" 80s bully movies. New kid in school that has "problems" making friends. New kid makes quick enemies by trying to get with the school bully's girl (in this case ex-girl). New kid gets his ass kicked on a daily basis. New kid gets a "mentor". New kid fights back. And new kid ultimately fights for respect from the bullies and for the love of the girl. You indeed New Kid are the best! Don't believe me, peep one of the greatest cheesiest songs that is Ultimate 80s

Dollars and Sense

The Honest Man just saw "Avatar" for the first time over the weekend. Yep that Avatar. Nope not the cartoon show on Disney XD, but that marvel James Cameron dropped on people in December 2009. Yep almost a whole year went by before I saw it for the first time. I posted that on my facebook page and the peanut gallery went literally nuts (pun intended). Some even hit me up on personal emails or IMs, going how in the "life of anything" did you not see this in a movie theater?!?! Glad you asked because your friendly neighborhood Honest Man is about to do a lecture on Dollars and Sense.

I have young children. I have young children that are now aware of what they see on televisions, movie screens, in public, etc. I have young children that will imitate what they see at the drop of a dime. The Honest Man does not want to expose my young children to things they should not see because unlike some parents, I want my kids to you know behave and grow up like kids and not be acting like adults at age 5. What does this have to do with Avatar Honest Man?!?! In Dragonfly Jones voice, "SI-LENCE, SI-LENCE Young Padawan." The Honest Man is give you background information

So knowing that my kids are young and I don't want to expose them to things they shouldn't see, it makes it a lil harder to just simply take them with me to movies. In fact, having young kids definitely cuts down on frequenting movie theaters. I probably average 3-4 visits tops a year to the movies because of this and what I'm about to mention next. Wait, I hear someone in the back of class. "How come you just don't get a babysitter?" Wonderful question, glad you asked :-)

Do you know how much a babysitter cost? Try $10 a hr. And that's on the cheap end around these parts. Let's look at a movie like Avatar which is roughly three and a half hours. Well you need time for the babysitter to arrive so let's be generous and say 4 hrs. You can multiply right? 4 times 10 is what class? There's more to that linear equation. So that's 40 bones gone from jump, plus movies these days, even with me trying to take advantage of my student ID (yep I still use mine, sue me!), that's roughly 9-10 dollars per person so another 20 gone for me and my wife. Then add in getting some popcorn and soda b/c you know Mommy and Daddy normally don't eat these things around the kiddies, that's another 20 dollars. Still got that mental calculator class. 40 + 20 + 20 equals hell naw in my book. I see another hand up. "Why are you paying someone, don't you have family in town?"

Another fantastic question :-). And that answer is nope, sure don't. The closest blood relative lives 4 hrs away. And our close friends here all have kids of their own and typically are looking to get away from it all themselves. So the default primary option is hire a babysitter. Of course when family comes in town, if they offer to watch the kids, then we take them up on the offer and that number reduces in half, which is a Honest Man winner. But how often does family come to visit? Making sense of it all yet (pun intended!).

For me to see two movies in a year with the above outline, that's 160 dollars. That's more than my cable bill. And I get to see the movie once versus watching it repeatedly On Demand or on whatever day the episode is showing. Don't get me wrong, there are other options too. I can go with my bootleg connect in my Uncle and get the joint. Or I can try to see the movie during a long lunch break when no one is watching. But again, the frequency of either is not high either. So when people ask How have you not SEEN this movie, there's the Honest Man answers. Because the dollars don't make sense :-)

Today's Lesson

Yep, I really wish I could see every hot movie that comes out and be able to have water cooler talk the following day. But unfortunately, it's not a part of the cards. And frankly, I'm not as pressed anymore. I'll see it when I see it and that's the bottom line because the Honest Man SAID SO! Class dismissed.

Dear Cousin

The Honest Man is going to keep it real with you today. I'm hurting people. This has truly been the most trying year for me in terms of dealing with the losses of loved ones. Starting in November of last year and to date, my wife and I have lost 7 people in our families, with the most recent being my first cousin this past Saturday. I've dealt with death for awhile now but never in this frequent manner. The closest pain I felt to this was losing my uncles ('95 and '96), cousin ('97), and aunt ('98) in consecutive years. But never in the same year. So today's post is an open letter to my cousin, whom I had grown apart from since we were kids. Rest in peace Shalanda, I really do miss you.

Dear Cousin,

I don't know where to start. Where did the time go by? I remember when all 7 seven of us were little and used to meet up in the summertime at Grandma and Granddaddy's house to hang out. Definitely a lot closer at that point than we were as adults but that's what happens I guess when we decided to take different paths as we got older in life. I'm not here to pass judgment on you, or anyone else because truth be told, none of us are perfect, we all constantly have our struggles with the Devil, just albeit some have it harder than others to overcome.

We had our disagreements and unfortunately, all of us let time and bitterness consume us to the point where we frankly were not acting as family members should act. But I wont dwell on that. I dwell on what's important and what I want you to know. I want you to know that no matter what has happened in the past or what's happening today, I always love you. From doing little things (but big in the grand scheme of things) such as reading a poem at Granddaddy's funeral on behalf of us grandchildren to the big things such as you were dealing with a lot in your own house, I'll always love you.

Maybe this is a sign to the remaining 6 of us to get it together, stop the foolishness, and start rebuilding our relationships. I do know that we as a group have lost too many people in the past 3 yrs for us not to get a sign from God that nothing is promised. God decided it was time for you to come home and join Uncle Danny, Aunt Cookie, and Granddaddy with Him. I know I had been trying to reconnect with you guys for a minute and I kick myself even more now for not trying harder.

No tears from me since I'm still shocked you're gone and plus that's not the type of person you are. I'll do my best to honor my part in reaching out more to our family and I hope that you are now at Peace. The next time we talk, it will be in Heaven. Take care Shalanda....

Love,

Your cousin,

Your weekly inspiration - Maybe she can clean out the CABOOSE

The Color Purple is one of America's greatest tragedies. And I mean great in the sense that it was nominated for 10 plus Academy Awards in 1985. And lost every single category. To...drum roll...Out of Africa. If you've seen both, then you understand why even 20 years later, I'm still bitter over that shit. Like seriously?? That boring ass movie was better than one of the greatest films of all time, not just 1985??

Anyway, if you've read the book, then you'll appreciate how true to form Spielberg adapated Walker's classic story. There are so many great scenes in this movie ("You told Harpo to beat me", "You aint nuttin' but a heifer, h-e-i-f-e-r", "You so UGGLY") but my favorite is the infamous Thanksgiving dinner scene. Most people will go for the part when Whoopi puts up the fingers and utters "Everything you did on to me, will be done on to you" BUT The Honest Man's favorite is when Mister is running down why Celie won't succeed and Adolph Caesar throws in his 10 cents with "Maybe she can clean out the Caboose!" I laugh EVERY time I hear that line. LOL, see I'm doing it right now....

Songs in the Key of the Honest Man's Life - Jump Jump

1992. High School. Who knew that two little boys who wore their clothes backwards would set not just hip hop but pop culture on fire? I know it's not "cool" to throw disses on Kris Kross but true heads know these cats have every damn body going "I'm the mickety mickety mickety mickety mack mack..." during lunch breaks. JD was smart to take a Jackson 5 sample, add in some drums tunes, and you have music history. And in case ya'll suckas don't know...CHECK IT OUUUUTTT!!

Kris Kross - Jump

Election Tiiiime!

Alright America, it's November 1 and what does that mean to you? Maybe it's a countdown until Thanksgiving for you. Maybe it's your day after to recover from all the Halloween parties and trick or treating you did over the weekend. Or maybe it's just another day to kick off in your mind, another fucked up week of work. But to the Honest Man, it's the day before Election Day across the US.

Originally I was going to post another "Songs in the Key" but I felt this message was more important than reminiscing on what you were doing when you heard whatever song I posted. So much is at stake. The Republicans looking to take control of the Senate. The Democrats fighting to keep it. President Obama investing a lot of time because he understands the ramifications of what happens if the Republicans overtake Senate. The nasty (and unintentionally hilarious) Gubernatorial, Senator, and even District Attorney races happening in multiple states (I see you Nevada). Whatever your political party preference, I implore you to get out and vote.

I'm not gonna pull a Diddy on you, knock on your door doing the Harlem Shuffle, or even create some T-shirt with a catchy slogan like "Vote or Die" on them (nor charge you 29.95 for it either). But I am gonna run up on you and annoy the shit out of you until you cast that ballot (Think Shiny suits and repeated lines of "Can't stop, Won't stop").

As a minority, I truly do not understand how any of you cannot vote. Back in the day, the only people allowed to have a say in electing officials were white men. SLOW-LY over decades, minorities went from having no voting rights to having the right of 2/3 of a white man, to finally being able to vote but not without having to burn bras, stage sit ins, hold rallies, etc until the message was heard and rules were changed.

And don't give me that "my vote doesn't matter" foolishness. If all you do is sit around, bitch & moan about the government but never do anything about it, then the only person you can blame is yourself. Change always has, and always will start with YOU. Stop trippin' get out and vote...And in case you wondering, the Honest Man took advantage of early voting and voted last week. Take that, Take that!

Today's Lesson

Really? Does this merit a full paragraph. Go vote jabroni!