Mood: Meditative / Reflective .: Power Inside :.
Listening to: .: Real McCoy – Run Away :.
Reading: .: Everything but the Burden :.
Watching: .: Dave Chapelle Show :.
Aloha!
It’s 3:37 AM, and I can’t sleep.
I’m not restless, just not tired. I think maybe I’ve been eating too much.
I did the same thing last night, and the night before.
I did sleep until 3 in the afternoon today, though, and then ran to make my class. It’s nice taking a reduced load. I don’t have class tomorrow, so I don’t mind. I think I’m going to try and fix my motorcycle tomorrow, I think either the fuel filter or the carb needs cleaned out. I don’t know.
I’ve been hanging out with Tamika a lot, and talking a lot online. I really enjoy her company. She’s very bouncy, and it’s refreshing. So much fun, and such deep conversation 🙂 She’s going to be training me in karate. She used to be a champion when she was younger ( [link]) but gave it up for a while. She’s really good, and said she’d be willing to teach me for free. This is really really good, because I’ve wanted to take lessons forever, but I can’t afford it.
She sparred me the other day after Gospel Choir. I was afraid to hurt her. Although I’ve had no formal training, I trained myself in Street Fighting back home. In school, me and a couple other underdogs would practice sparring, mimic moves we saw on Jet Li and Jackie Chan movies.
Most of what we learned was defensive, but we also learned different techniques on how to fight with the things around us. One of the most popular techniques was Locker Fighting. If we got cornered in school by a bully, we duck a punch, kick the shin, throw a punch at the shoulder, and then launch up onto the top of the lockers with the help of an open locker door. We’d then use the door to slam the bully, and then get away by swinging to the other side using pipe hanging from the ceiling. We practiced all kinds of things.
But when Tamika and I sparred, I was afraid to jab. First of all, she’s a girl. I don’t like fighting girls, simply for fear of hitting in the wrong area. Another thing is, she’s petite, and though my head knew her training wouldn’t her hit in… um – certain places -, my training told me otherwise. There are no rules in street fighting; you take the opponent down by any means possible, and as quickly as possible. I’m going to need to work some things out if I’m going to properly trained. I’m going to ask her if she can teach me all the blocking moves first.
Inya called me.
I was in DC yesterday, but she left me a message on machine. she had called last night… just to talk. I sent her a message back when I got it. nonchalant. Simple. Friendly. As if we hadn’t been not talking for several weeks.
And then.
Victoria’s birthday party was today. I got her a box of chocolates and made her a card. Inya came. We partied for a while, then Marteisha Gant called me and invited me to play Mafia. I said sure, and slipped out and went over.
Inya showed up later (she didn’t follow me, Christine probably invited her).
When I got home, I found a note on a napkin at my computer: “Bye, ~Inya”
Does she want to come back to being friends again?
I don’t know. I’m going to be how I’ve always been, and see. It confuses me, but I’m not letting it bother me.
I went to Washington DC on Tuesday, part of the Art Majors trip. I went only to the Mayan exhibit, though. That was fantastic. I want to get a book on Mayan art sometime. Their caricatures are incredible.
The rest of the time, I just walked around the city and took pictures. I think I got some really good architecture work, so I’m hoping it turns out.
I found a 4 lane tunnel that went under the city for about 9 blocks. It had a narrow ledge just wide enough for one person to walk, so I walked down it. It was very noisy, and cars sped by at 60+ miles an hour (fast drivers). I got some really good shots, though.
At the end of the tunnel, I met a homeless couple living under a bridge. Tom and Katie. Tom was an ex-criminal, and had been released from jail 20 years ago. He didn’t like work much (felt it almost like prison) and so lived under the bridge. They had a pretty nice set up, and had tapped the electricity from the lights in the bridge to power Tom’s small radio. Katie was putting Tom’s hair in cornrows. I talked with them for 2 hours or so, then gave them the apple from my lunch bag and continued on my way. Tom had some interesting things to say. He didn’t think the race problem would ever end, unless we started moving so fast with technology that a lot more interracial marriages happened. I think he only partly right. I still have faith in revolution.
As soon as I left them, I rounded a corner, and found a street vendor putting out wares. Table loads full of book. I wandered by, then saw a Cornell West book on there. Then I realized ALL the books were Conscious books. The man put them out was African American, dressed all in black with a ski cap with “Reparation” written across it. I bought the Cornell West book from him, as well as a book by Micheal Eric Tyson. If you don’t know who these men are, 1. Shame on you, 2. Look them up, 3. find a quote from them for me.
That is your assignment.
I’m hungry.