I Think I'm Doing This Wrong: Reason #6,505,482 Why My Wife Is Awesome

I've made about 28 resolutions to improve on my blogging regularity.  So far, all of said resolutions have been impressively successful simply because I never clearly stated what "improvement" meant, and for how long this "improvement" was going to last.


Nonetheless, I'm still falling short of my personal goal to write more frequently on topics of personal significance.  This time though, I have an excuse.


With the economic roller coaster hitting home pretty hard these days, the MinuteCynic family has had to readjust a few things.  Sure, the lifestyle is forced to change some, so our usual family whirlwind vacations trips to the park have had to be replaced with fantastic getaway weekends trips to the park.  Luckily, the MC fam is a pretty mature bunch, and has adapted pretty well.


I realized during my last bout of unemployment, that the concept of having a "career path" with a stable company may not be as clear of an option as I once thought, or even in my best interest.  Learning to recognize unique opportunities, take odd jobs, and leverage myself as a reasonably educated guy with a well-stocked bag of skills has been my daily objective.  It's really helped me learn to leverage my knowledge, experience, and creative ideas for phatt dollaz a paycheck.


The latest twist in our ever-developing saga is that Mrs. Cynic has gone back to work temporarily (because an opportunity came along which fit her skill set) leaving the Man of The House to be the person in charge who has to make all the decisions and do all the work  Mom.

So, I was pretty unprepared for the role reversal...


How unprepared were you?


So unprepared that after a mere 2 days of trying to clean up after the MinuteCynic horde, feed the baby, wash a load or 2 of clothes, and make a couple dinners, I was exhausted yet fairly arrogant about my performance - until I realized I hadn't showered, eaten, read an email, returned a phone call, or really done anything at all.  I'd only had to call my wife 4 times a day to ask her how I'm supposed to complete a simple task like calling my kid in absent to school.  It really hit home when my daughter actually said "Um... Dad, that's not really how Mom does it" as she informed me that my 1-year-old threw an empty cup at me because he wants more milk...


Ha haaaa... you suck.


The final straw (hopefully) was tonight when I stood, holding a damp dish towel, scolding my wife about not helping me while she zoned out behind her laptop screen.  It wasn't until she started smirking at me that I realized what an ass I am. (In my defense, when I zone out and don't help around the house, I have the common decency and tact to slink off to some remote corner of the house).


Sweet Beans, I'm sorry.  You're amazing.  Let's trade jobs again though....

Mini Mixtape: Why Hip-Hop MUSIC Is Cool

There's really no hiding it:  I'm a Hip-Hop music fan.  It's kinda my thing. From the first time I heard the Sugar Hill Gang's epic Rapper's Delight as a little kid, I was hooked.  Surprisingly, my parents embraced rap music and encouraged some of my personal exploration.  When my peers discovered Hendrix, Metallica, and Pearl Jam, I was immersed in A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and Dr. Dre.  


Like so much of music these days, rap music is horribly represented in the "mainstream" by awful beats, terrible MC's, and generally crappy product.  As a result, I get pretty tired of the "Rap is crap" statements that are fairly prevalent, at least in the circles of people I run in.  While I understand the sentiment, to me, it's akin to me telling my music buddies (MB's) that I dismiss rock music because, I mean, have you heard Nickelback? They are really bad the worst band ever.


As a growing musician, Hip Hop continues to inspire me not only because of quality MC's who clearly display their mastery of rhythm and poetry, but also the pure genius of the DJ's and producers behind the scenes creating musical masterpieces.  Nobody denies that these beatmasters are sampling clips of others' music to "write" their songs, but sometimes the question of "stealing" is raised on this topic.  I tend to feel the opposite.  In my mind, the top echelon of producers are really paying homage to what they feel are great songs and artists, and often times, bring virtually unknown music to light.


I've said a lot to get to my point.  Check out a cut from one of my favorite groups The Pharcyde:





I know... real dope right? Yeah, everybody knows that.

But...

What everybody does not know, is that track, Runinn' was produced by the late and VERY great J Dilla, a producer and rapper with beats supporting some of the most popular tracks by Q-Tip, Common, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, etc.

What everybody does not know, is that the sample for that beat came from the song Saudade Vem Correndo by Stan Getz and Luis Bonfa of the 1963 album Jazz Samba Encore.

Sure, Stan Getz isn't all that obscure to a musician perhaps. But J Dilla knew the song, and knew it well enough to pick out 4 bars at approx. 2:05 into the song that he could work with to compose a chart topper for The Pharcyde, more than 30 YEARS after the original song was recorded.





I'd be willing to wager that more people are aware of Stan Getz' music as a result of J Dilla's homage to it. More people went to the record store to pick up Jazz Samba Encore after they heard Runnin'.

As with my earlier post on covers, beatmaking and sampling speaks volumes to the credibility of the original song, and it's a wise musician who can grasp and really enjoy the creative process of turning a 3-second idea into a dope track.

Team U.S.A (Get To Know 'Em)

This is utterly breathtaking:

Thank you, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr., Esteemed Democratic Congressman from Georgia's 4th district.

Since this is maybe 10 days old or so, I know I'm not going to win any "breaking news" or "inside scoop" blogger points, but there is no way I could pass this one up.  Originally I had intended to go with the standard "Check out yet another black man in the public eye totally ruining it for the rest of us rant", but I wanted to give this guy a chance.  So in keeping with the Fairness In Blogging Act (FIBA - It's fictional) I decided to do some in-depth investigative research a Google search.

My hard work brought me here to Rep. Johnson's official Congressional Website, were I found this gem from a press release attempting to explain the above video: 

"The subtle humor of this obviously metaphorical reference to a ship capsizing illustrated my concern about the impact of the planned military buildup on this small tropical island."


If by "subtle humor" he meant "utter idiocy" then I concur. Strike One.


I decided to check further into his congressional record, thinking the Rep. Johnson may not be the most skilled orator, but perhaps his liberal ideology has spurred him to author some prestigious legislation.  His website calls him "A hard-working legislator who delivers results.", so let's see whatchu workin' wit' Hank.  It seems that in the span of his near 2 full terms, he's proposed 18 bills and/or resolutions.  The only bill recorded as passed into public law was:


"H.R.1626 : To make technical amendments to laws containing time periods affecting judicial proceedings."


What the what?  Public-policy-for-the-people FAIL.  Strike Two.


So remember when South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson shouted out "You lie!" during Obama's speech to a joint session of congress?  Yeah, it was stupid, and Wilson received a formal rebuke from the House for his impudence.  But, more to the point, check out our buddy Hank's response to this issue:





This is our government? I don't care that he's a Democrat, as I typically reject the assumptions that come along with any such labels. I care that he is obviously unashamed of his ignorance, and not even wise enough to just shut his mouth. There is no cure for willful stupidity


Grab some pine Hank. This team don't need ya.

Class #18

I returned home a few minutes ago from a gig at a Minnesota correctional facility, and it was incredibly moving, to say the least.  A few musician buddies and I were asked to come and play a worship music set for the graduation ceremony of the Innerchange Freedom Initiative's  (IFI) Class #18.  IFI is a faith-based reentry program run by Prison Fellowship.  There have been many debates about the appropriateness of having a faith-based program in a state correctional facility, but the facts are plain: the program works.  The evidence?  A drastic reduction in the likelihood a program  graduate reoffends.  If you want to see true gratitude and real understanding of transgression and reconciliation, take some time and volunteer with some inmates and you will be changed.  Unfortunately, mainstream media doesn't tell us about this positive work taking place in prisons.


Anyway, we led some music, there were some prayers, a speech by the class elected "president" of sorts, and then each class member graduated and received their certificate - but not before standing before the room of maybe 200 odd inmates and volunteers and disclosing their crime, sentence, what they've learned, and their concrete plan to lead a changed life from today forward.  Totally humbling and moving.


A young brother serving his last 90 days of a 120 month sentence for 2nd degree murder came forward to share spoken word he prepared just yesterday.  Though, the experience is hardly the same without his voice and expression, the words are just as poignant.

"Class #18 Graduation"

Wed. March 31, 2010

18 months in class 18,

a commitment to making a faith-based change

wounded men agreeing to face they pain

refusing to just do there (sic) time

rather attempt the daunting task to renew their mind

which is skewed they find out

this isn't a place to hide out

this isn't a place to kick back

this is a place to get smacked in the face with the truth of your past

which was restin content in Lucifer's grasp

started out with 50 hopefuls - began losin 'em fast

to bootcamp and TV withdrawls (sic)

I almost quit repeatedly

they showed me a mirror and didn't wanna see me with flaws

embodied the code of the streets

wanted to keep those laws...

Took pride in being a live wire, intimidator and a beast

till Tom called me a liar, manipulator and a thief

Wait, enough of me

direct your attention to the others,

my classmates, my friends, my mentors, my brothers!

Whom, when I felt destitute, threw on a rescue suit

when my wealth of wisdom had less and less

the loot of God they had the patience to invest 

some truth... 

Thank you!

Thank you for being a big a mess as me

from testifying, to the greatness of God's grace and blessin's eyein

tearin' blocks, transformation from bully to gentle giant

the messages tryin but Omar overcame the highest levels

using his gift of boxin to fight off the devil

To Wallace Ellis' confession that taught the class a lesson to open up

4get the counselors, the focus is us

moment after moments have touched my heart

like watchin' how far Russ has came

from lowly introvert to taking the stage to sing God's praise with Lane 

to help us understand our past

has a place and we now have a future in our path

Jose's courage and honesty taught me to no longer fear men

Castonguay went from stickin his foot in his mouth to the devil's rear end

My class, true, are mere men still slaying Goliaths daily

young Davids in training.

Aiming for more than an IFI certificate

rather a ticket with

admission to the Kingdom of God 

defeatin the odds

Cuz Lord knows it wasn't easy going

to the Q when its knee-deep snowin

Missin a warm bed and all the good stuff the TV showin

I could count on my man Scoop to say the words to keep me going

I never would've made it without John, Bruce, Walter, Randall, Steve and Richie

To ride me

I swear I couldn't wait for it to end

in retrospect I wish it wouldn't of went so quickly.

Well we are new men

with a new purpose for service and attitude

practicing honesty, humility, compassion, reconciliation and gratitude.

 - Sterling Knox -