A Life of Wonder

The movie impacted me deeply. I saw it with a friend whose reaction was 180 degrees different from mine. She said, “I know how f***e d life can be, I don’t need to be reminded of it in my spare time.” That sentiment struck me and has stayed with me for years.

I also know how f***ed up life can be; and I turn to art to help me make sense of it.

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I respect Rabbi Boteach & love how he shines spiritual light on the every day.

“I don’t believe in greatness, I believe in everyday decency, in humility and gratitude, and writing this book has I think made me into a better person,”

-Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

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One favorite female vocalist; here’s the version she rapped which made me fall for her:

“You see I loved hard once, but the love wasn’t returned
I found out the man I’d die for, he wasn’t even concerned And time it turned,
He tried to burn me like a perm
Though my eyes saw the deception, My heart wouldn’t let me learn
From um, some, dumb woman, was I,
And everytime he’d lie, he would cry and inside I’d die.
My heart must have died a thousand deaths
Compared myself to Toni Braxton thought I’d never catch my breath
Nothing left, he stole the heart beating from my chest
I tried to call the cops, that type of thief you can’t arrest
Pain suppressed, will lead to cardiac arrest
Diamonds deserve diamonds, but he convinced me I was worth less
when my peoples would protest,
I told them mind their business, cause my s*** was complex
More than just the sex
I was blessed, but couldn’t feel it like when I was caressed
I’d spend nights clutching my breasts overwhelmed by God’s test
I was God’s best contemplating death with a Gillette
But no man is ever worth the paradise MANIFEST

Manifest (start 1:20)

Ms. Hill @ 13

Accoustic

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A polymath, butterfly lover, chess expert, whose writing in Russian and English affected international letters:

“I don’t wish touch hearts and I don’t even want to affect minds very much what I want to produce is really that little sob in the spin of the artist reader.”

“I am an American writer, born in Russia  and  educated  in

England  where  I  studied  French  literature, before spending

fifteen years in Germany. I came to America in 1940 and decided

to become an American citizen, and make America my home. It  so

happened  that  I  was  immediately exposed to the very best in

America, to its rich intellectual life and  to  its  easygoing,

good-natured   atmosphere.  I  immersed  myself  in  its  great

libraries and its Grand Canyon. I worked in the laboratories of

its zoological museums. I acquired more friends than I ever had

in Europe, My books– old  books  and  new  ones–  found  some

admirable readers. I became as stout as Cortez– mainly because

I  quit  smoking  and  started to munch molasses candy instead,

with the result that my weight went up from my usual 140  to  a

monumental  and  cheerful  200.  In consequence, I am one-third

American– good American flesh keeping me warm and safe.”

Read on in his 1964 Playboy interview here:

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“When I‘m born I‘m Black, when I grow up I‘m Black, when I‘m in the cold I‘m Black, when I‘m in the sun I‘m Black,

when I‘m sick I‘m Black, when I die I‘m Black.

And you… When you‘re born you‘re ink, when you grow up you‘re White, when you‘re in the cold you‘re Blue, when you‘re in

the sun Red, when you‘re sick you‘re Green, when you die you‘re Purple. And you dare to call ME a coloured….” – Malcolm X

You’ve met Malcolm X. See him here at Oxford:

Read Alex Haley’s interview of Malcolm X in Playboy here

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Musician & activist Michael Franti was playing on the CD player when I learned to drive. I’ve listened to his band, Spearhead, which celebrates peace, soul and non-violent celebration for years. The lyrics are beautiful; each song is a story. I’ve seen him play at least 10 times, and each he’s spent hours with audience after the show. He’s the real deal.

[youtuve=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CszG_bR35Mw]

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In my humble opinion, the best Dave Mathews song…

“His heart was full of love love love…”

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Back in the day when we wore “Cross Colours,” this feel good group added life to any party…

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“You know, it’s not the world that was my oppressor, because what the world does to you, if the world does it to you long enough and effectively enough, you begin to do to yourself. “- James Baldwin

I’m sure you know James Baldwin. I love the way the man speaks. He commands words. His political rhetoric is forceful. He makes no apologizes nor should he. A few years ago I read his attack on Jack Kerouac for stealing the word, “beat” and applying it to a generation that tried to steal his style—ever since then I was hooked.

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“I have heartaches, I have blues. No matter what you got, the blues is there. ‘Cause that’s all I know – the blues. And I can sing the blues so deep until you can have this room full of money and I can give you the blues,” – John Lee Hooker

BB KING

“thank the lord for the sense of touch” – Ray Charles [wait for it…]

Goin Down Slow

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