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Three Secrets to Love
“Turn off the lights. Light a candle, doom doom doom doom doom, tonight; I’m going to make love to you.” If you didn’t sing along to those words as you were reading them you’re probably too young for this article.
Kobe Bryant: Bigger Than Basketball
On a foggy Sunday morning in the hills of one of the most beautiful suburbs in LA three families were taking their daughters to play in a basketball game. Along for the ride were an assistant basketball coach and the pilot. For reasons we don’t yet know the plane crashed and everyone on board died. An entire community devastated for what was supposed to be just another afternoon ride like they have done time and time before.
Not Every Soul Mate Is A Lover
What do you, we, as human beings need more than anything? We need to feel loved. We need to feel the warmth of knowing someone cares whether or not we make it home from work if it’s raining too hard. We want to be able to share our day with someone just to breathe better before we go to sleep. Whether you’re a Christian or a non-believer it’s hard to imagine a life in which love isn’t a pivotal part of what you believe in.
You Can’t Be A Great Father Without First Being A Great Man to Her
I didn’t grow up with a father. I had a grandfather and knew some amazing men but never a father so most of my life I’ve had this idea in my head of what I would be like as a dad. I’m a writer so I knew I would read him books and tell him bedtime stories. Sit in the backyard while it’s raining and tell him about what life was like growing up. All the things I never had.
Where Does Society Draw the Line Between Morality and Entertainment?
The best books I’ve ever read have been autobiographies. I believe it’s because there is nothing that I or any other writer can make up that’s more entertaining or interesting than real life. A lot of them may read like stories created by writers and a producer but these men and women lived these lives; and as much as we love their music, movies or stories we have to accept that a lot of these men and women were flawed.
Same Energy
When it’s someone you love; you’re a hypocrite: don’t worry, we all are. Have you ever been talking to someone and the conversation escalates to mutual friends? “Hey, you heard that Bob and Jill are getting a divorce, Bob cheated.” Immediately it’s, “Bob is an asshole and you should never cheat! What kind of man is he?”
Two Schools, Two Coaches, Texas Strong in March Madness
Texas Southern University and the University of Houston literally sit right across the street from each other. Both have put millions of dollars into their universities trying to make them more than commuter schools, which is a difficult task when you’re in the heart of the fourth largest city in the country. Not to mention the giants in College Station and Austin thrive off the Houston market.
Relationships Shouldn’t Hurt
Have you ever put your hand on a fire and let it burn through your skin until you couldn’t take the pain anymore? When you look at it, it’s blistering and bleeding and it’ll probably never be the same. If you have done that, go get counseling. My point is, love is the only aspect of life where we take pride in being able to absorb hurt. In essence, the more someone puts us through, the more we feel as though we’ve made it.
Let’s Have An Honest Conversation About the #MeToo Movement
As a man, I’ve been hesitant to write about the #MeToo movement because what I’ve seen a lot of is instant generalizing. If you don’t automatically condemn any man that’s accused then you’re for sexual harassment and rape.
Real Political Change Starts Locally: Meet Brennen Dunn
At this very moment on Twitter or Facebook, there is a thread of people debating on who should run for President in 2020. They’re going to list the names of celebrities, billionaire donors, and countless other people that have never worked in the political or judicial world.
Would You Want Your Daughter to Date A Man Like You?
Today, I read one of the best written articles I’ve read all year in the Washington Post. It was about ex NFL player Larry Johnson and his struggles since retiring from football. The main thing I got from the article was something he said when he was talking about his daughter. I’m paraphrasing but it went, “When I found out I was having a daughter I knew God had a sense of humor. With all the bad things I’ve done to women he gave me a daughter in hopes that I raise her to never want to date a man like me.”
Fall In Love With the Person; Not the Potential
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve written anything and I apologize for that. I won’t go this long without writing again. This is the holiday season and what often happens during this time of year is that we start to compare and contrast. You look on Facebook and see the woman you had a fling with three years ago in the matching pajamas sitting in front of the Christmas tree and you wonder why your relationship isn’t like that?
Hurricane Harvey: The Storm That Changed Me
I’ve been at my current job for twelve years and I’ve experienced several weather events. Hurricanes, freezes, wildfires, you name it; I’ve been in it. When these type of events happen most people are preparing their home for the disaster and making sure that their family will be safe if or when trouble strikes. I, on the other hand, am always hard at work prepping to make sure an entire city is safe and stays functioning. I don’t run from storms. I face them head on. My job requires me to be on call during times inclement weather strikes so I’ve never actually been at home for a hurricane.
Ignoring Hate Is the Same As Walking Alongside It
Hatred never went away, it was simply lurking. Waiting on someone to open the door. On Saturday night, we got a glimpse into what was hiding behind the door in Charlottesville, Virginia. On Tuesday, Donald Trump kicked the door wide open. There’s one aspect of this entire conversation that’s bothering me, it’s the premise that most Americans are against racism and these Nazi’s and KKK members are a small portion of society.
Fossils and Gems Combine for Exquisite New Jewelry Collection
I’m a guy that loves male accessories and it’s not often you find good quality ones. After viewing the William Henry Collection, I thought, “These bracelets are nice and will accessorize well with most things.” Beyond that I had no real opinion of the brand to be completely transparent. All of that changed when what I thought would be a fifteen minute, five question interview turned into something much more. And after learning more about William Henry the brand you’ll have a new appreciation for jewelry as well.
Las Terrazas Resort in Belize; The Resort That Has Everything
Located 3.5 miles north of San Pedro, tucked away in the small country of Belize is a secret treasure called the Las Terrazas Resort. With its white sand beaches that go on for miles and tall palm trees swaying in the wind, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited on earth and one of the most tranquil. Hard to believe it is just two and a half hours away from the states. In order to get to Las Terrazas, I had to land at the main airport in Belize City, take another plane to a small island and board a boat to get to my final destination of paradise.
Bud Light, Texas and Summer; A Winning Combination
No matter how long you live in a city you can never really know what all that city has to offer, even when things are in close proximately to you. I made a new discovery in my city this week that has been 35 years in the making.
We Were Rooting For You James; We Were All Rooting For You
What do you get when you combine an MVP candidate that seems as though he doesn’t want to be at the game, twenty thousand fans and a Spurs team that is starting guys 98% of the country can’t name? You get your hometown team getting embarrassed on national television and that MVP candidate becoming a meme instead of a superstar.
5 Ways to Show Your Mother You Love Her
Mother’s Day will always be the signature Hallmark card holiday for one simple reason. Who doesn’t love their mother? Often times she’s the first one to calm us when we’re crying, to pick us up when we fall down. Whether we get our heart broken at 12 or 32 it’s our mother whose lap we can lay on and cry like there’s no tomorrow.
Houston, We Have A Quarterback
Last night, I was sitting at my desk writing and watching a split screen on my television. Half of it was on the NFL Draft and the other half was on the NBA Playoffs. The Lakers aren’t in the playoffs and the Rockets already won so the television really wasn't holding my interest. That’s until I got an alert on my phone that says, “The Houston Texans just traded up to the 12th pick.” Being a football fan you understand there’s only one reason a team gives up a 1st round draft pick, that reason is to get a quarterback.
Five Things The Texans Need To Do In The Draft To Keep Me As A Fan
So often when it comes to sports and journalism you have every day writers writing as though they know more than men and women that have been running teams and evaluating players their entire lives. So today I won’t pretend to be a professional sports journalist. Today, I’m just a man that wants to see my team make the necessary steps to become a Super Bowl Contender and Champion.
‘Dating in the Age of Narcissism: A Single Woman’s Survival Guide’ Review
Have you ever heard a parent say, “Do as I say and not as I do?” I’m sort of like that as a writer. I am constantly telling people to leave reviews on my books or articles but I can’t remember the last time I read a book and went on Amazon to leave a review. Blame it on my impatience for remembering passwords and not on my heart.
Gentrification, Charter Schools and the Death of the African American Inner City School
Every day on my way to work I pass by my old elementary school, Shadydale Elementary on Tidwell Rd. It was one of the crown jewels of the North Forest Independent School District that comprised four elementary schools, four middle schools, and two high schools. I remember Shadydale fondly; it was the first place I picked up a pencil to write a story.
Black Women Are Disappearing All Over the Country; They’re Taking Our Greatest Natural Resource
What would the world be without social media? If we left it up to primary news outlets would we know that black women were vanishing out of thin air at alarming rates? They aren’t finding bodies and there are no gang associations. These are girls as young as twelve simply not coming home from school. Over 10 black women in Washington DC and Baltimore have gone missing in the past several months.
Blaming Feminism For Killing Relationships Is Basically Blaming Strong Women For Being Strong
Lately, I’ve been reading so many articles and think pieces about feminism and how it’s impacting women and relationships, especially in the black community. A lot of men and even women have concluded that if a woman is a feminist then she can’t be a wife or even girlfriend in some cases.
Harry Belafonte: A Voice of Social Injustice
It’s become popular to be an activist in 2017. In a matter of seconds an injustice can become a hashtag and with one tweet you can become the voice of a generation. Now imagine being the voice of social injustice when it wasn’t popular?
The Car Accident That Almost Ended My Life But Saved My Writing Career
For as long as I can remember I’ve told people that writing was the most important aspect of my life. No matter how much I loved my family, my woman, my life, they all revolved around writing.
Four Steps to the Perfect Valentine’s Day
I’m dedicating this article to my Valentines, you know who you are but it calms me to write to you and to be perfectly honest I’m excited. My Valentine’s Day last year wasn’t the best and I want to start this year on the right path. Maybe there won’t be any call into works and hotel rooms all day but I would settle for good conversation, tipsy vibrations and building memories. So today I’m going to write four steps to the Perfect Valentine’s Day…
Lowering Your Standards Won’t Get You Your Dream Relationship; Setting New Standards Might
I don’t care if it’s a special, a documentary, or a book, relationship conversations will always sell because no matter how great our life is, it’s ten times greater with the love of someone else. I’ve taken a step back from writing these types of articles in the past year because I realized that most of the conversations we have about relationships come from a perfect place, an ideal place or a place of hurt. Men give advice to women on how to be better women.