Sankofa212's Xanga

The Write Stuff

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:04:09 GMT

I'm a bit behind in my blog reading & podcast listening, but I'm slowly catching up - phew!

Read a fabulous article: http://theswivet.blogspot.com/2008/11/guest-blogger-matthew-cheney-if-only-id.html and found m'self nodding along to several points.

This piece was advice to a younger self and I felt nostalgic reading it. I liken my childhood and youth to a Rubik's cube; several pieces of varying hues that look great put together, but just as great jumbled.

I began to think about adults in my life who encourged my curiosity, but especially my writing/storytelling skills. I talk a lot as an adult and constantly try not to overwhelm other adults with my babble. Perhaps I should write a letter to my younger self or, better still, write, write, write more and talk, talk, talk less.

Thanks to Matthew Cheney for the post and thanks to Colleen Lindsay for allowing Cheney to guest post on her blog, The Swivet. I recently discovered her blog, which was full of useful information to writers, regardless of genre. Huge thanks of course to Mur Lafferty, who linked to the post via her blog/podcast "I Should Be Writing". I listened to her podcast as she appeared on the podcast scene in 2005 and have been a fan ever since. Sure, a behind in listening fan, but a fan nevertheless.

My "currently watching" selection is a timeless fave of mine and one I viewed again, whilst hanging about in a park.

Peace,

Moi

July Is Hot

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:55:11 GMT

I'm stating the obvious, but I needed to distract myself from the building heat. I try to remind myself that three years ago, I endured temperatures that easily reached three digits and can therefore survive the high 90s.

But I can't. I don't like heat. I wilt and melt and grow crankier and crabbier. In the evening, as the nighttime brings cool air, I lick my wounds and smile brightly. Jekyll and Hyde caused by ol' man Summer.

Some things that act like aloe to my mental sunburn are the good aspects of my life to this point. I've had interesting convos that enriched my life. I've also found a new place to live, which eases my mind, even though I've got about a week in limbo. I'm progressing in alternative creative ways and plan to get back on track with my writing.

I've a few projects to clear, before I can fully commit time to my writing. Hopefully I'll post that those are done this time next month.

I'm currently house/pet-sitting and I'm always learning about the personalities of animals. I'm taking care of a Jack Russell Terror who's as stubborn as he is cute. We're starting to see eye-to-eye on a few things and I'm with him for another week.

Going to see my acupuncturist, because I feel a bit out of sorts. Afterwards, will rejuvenate even further in the company of a sweet & dear friend. Then, I'll be kickin' back with some puppy love - in the backyard, which is a bit cooler than some parts of town.

My "currently reading" selection is in memory of a wonderful writer. His memoir was one of the few books translated well into a film.

Peace,

Moi

All in Fair Is Love

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:29:16 GMT

I didn’t follow-through on my Sunday writing block as planned. Instead, I played some games on-line, caught up with friends on-line, then scooted out to work on the Community Calendar audio & listings. My assessment of Sunday? It was fabulous!

I didn’t have much sleep last week, of my own choosing, so on Saturday it was quite the effort to pour myself out of bed to get ready for the Oregon Country Fair experience.

Strike that. Experience was an understatement.

I’m still mulling over the day to try and capture the feelings that swirled within me at the OCF, but I’m truly at a loss. All I can say to folk is “I had a lot of fun and ate good food.”

Still an understatement.

I discovered that the pictures on-line of the Fair cannot sum up the festive adventure, even in 1,000 words. There were gnomes, faeries, nymphs, humans and … unknowns commingling among a LOT of trees. Everyone kicked up dust (the kind that lingers even after walking in the rain), stomped their feet, clapped their hands, wiggled their fingers (thanks to Jason Webley), snapped their fingers and shook their hips to music within and without. Songs spanned the music genres from rockabilly to hip hop to country/folk/soul (thanks to The Sugar Beets) to an accordion-tribute of “Billie Jean” (Jason Webley et al.).

It was easy to describe, after all I just listed a few things, but not easy to recount the feelings of being among so many, feeling included in so much and not caring about anything, except having fun.

And enjoying the food. I did and wished I had more time.

Speakin’ of, I decided that it would be worth visiting the 3-day Fair over a couple of days. I couldn’t take it all in on Saturday and *almost* thought of visiting again on Sunday, but the 2-hour commute one-way and lack of sleep convinced me otherwise.

Still, I’ll be able to plan better for OCF 2010 and I’ll be there, or be square.

Or rectangle. Or triangle. Really, there didn’t seem to be any limits to how to BE.

And that made the 4-hour trip (not including the shuttle bus ride wait afterwards) worth the journey.

Oh! I met some lovely people to/from the Fair on the shuttle bus. I highly recommend the shuttle bus option, because it saves the parking fee and the 20-min. one-way journey through winding roads. Plus, you’ll cross paths for a few moments with absolutely fun creatures.

My “currently reading” selection is a fave & a timeless piece as well. As I arrived at the Fair and stepped off the shuttle bus, this novel (and a couple of others) popped into my mind.

Peace,

Moi

Try & See the Upside

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:43:58 GMT

The Portland Upside, that is!

After quite a bit of blood, sweat and tears, well mostly blood from paper cuts, I finished my article and submitted it to The Portland Upside for consideration.

Drum roll please.

Hard copies of the newspaper will be available on Sunday, July 12th for anyone in the local area, or by mail subscription. However, the July issue is also available on-line here.

There are, as always, amazing articles written to capture slices of living compassionately and cooperatively. These aren't your typical feel-good stories, but you will most assuredly feel good after reading of the commitment made by seemingly ordinary folk to inspire extraordinary things.

Feel free to leave comments at the site for the editors/writers. Share your ideas, thoughts or feedback with them.

As my dear friend Omari would say, "Each one,teach one. Each one, reach one."

My "currently listening" selection works well as a musical backdrop while you read The Portland Upside. Show your support for a community publication with a subscription.

Peace,

Moi

The Measure of Success

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:51:31 GMT

A friend recommended Steve Harvey's book on relationships to me. I'm a Steve Harvey fan and always thought he had a lot of wisdom and observations to share, so I thought, I'll borrow it from the library. I'm trying to not buy books, since I don't have my own place and will be on the move again soon.

A quick visit to my library's on-line catalogue and I had to tell my friend "I can't believe it!"

I'm used to seeing holds on books I want to borrow, especially if there are only a handful of copies available between all the branches. But here was the thing, there were 141 (one hundred forty-one) holds on 40 (forty) copies. I didn't know which shocked me more - the amount of holds or the amount of copies. I don't live in a place that's very ethnically/culturally diverse, so I was surprised that there were 180+ people who knew of Steve Harvey.

True, folk would know him as a comedian, but to borrow his book from the library really? Then my friend told me that he'd been on Oprah ... it all made sense.

I'm still looking forward to reading it, but I've no idea when that'll be, since I refuse to place m'self on a waiting list that long. There's also a generous borrowing time granted by our library, so it'll be until sometime in the Fall 'til I could get my grubby mitts on it.

I found it on Amazon & will check to see what other stores carry it. I may borrow it from my friend, since I'd really rather not carry another book in my pack, but for Steve - maybe I'll make an exception.

On another note, the 4th of July weekend was nice. I didn't have to work on the 3rd and any time away from the office is a good time. Speakin' of, I've 2 dental appointments this week, the first one tomorrow, but I'll miss a couple of hours from work. I should be really nervous, but I'm just glad that I've less hours to be at work. See what I mean?

Did get to enjoy a bit of the Waterfront Blues Festival in person. Otherwise, I listened to some of it on the radio or on-line.

My "currently reading" selection is what I wish I could read.

Peace,

Moi

Reach Out & Touch

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:19:46 GMT

Yesterday and Saturday were all about touch - physical, mental and emotional. According to various studies, touch is important to human development. I concur.

Saturday

I had a splash of culture and connection. Drove to a Juneteenth "celebration" that was lackluster at best; I was disappointed. So much in fact, I had to call my younger sister to recount my disbelief that there really wasn't a celebration happening at all. It could've been a birthday party in the park, except it didn't look as festive.

On one hand, there was rain on & off and people tend to hibernate when that happens. On the other, the weekend of Juneteenth wasn't a surprise. I heard some of the vendors didn't show & it's the lack of community involvement that speaks volumes about the ills of this city. I'm going to research the contact info. and maybe I can help jumpstart planning for next year's celebration this year. Something has to change - egads, man!

Disappointed and dismayed, I took it as a sign that I was meant to head to one of my fave restaurants, Po'Shines Café de la Soul. On the way there, I stopped in at an Afrikan market. The shelved items were sparse, but there were a couple of items that caught my eye, including a family sized tin of Milo. The owner of the market was friendly. I plan to return to the market and hope to see a bit more inventory; the market's a good and necessary idea.

Afterwards, I headed to Po'Shines where, of course, I received wonderful service and quality food. Po'Shines managed to serve healthy portions and meals that still stuck to the ribs. I also had some of their sorrel drink made on-site. It was a pleasant surprise to find a smoothie bar there as well. The smoothies looked yummy and I was tempted, but it was cold & rainy outside, so I stuck to the sorrel drink.

The staff, as always, were warm in their greeting of every patron who walked into/out of the restaurant. There were smiles a-plenty from staff and diners alike. I ordered the chicken and waffles, but had a hard time deciding which delectable dish I wanted. I sat down to read and enjoyed most of my meal. I had to take half of it with me, because I was full, but the prospect of having that delicious meal later that night made me almost dance out the door.

I headed to GigiBar, one of my fave coffeehouses/hangouts. The owner, Gigi, was there and so was Naomi, a cheerful young woman who makes a mean (read: good) Mexican mocha. Picked up a new, local mag and am still reading it, but so far, so good. It's a well-produced debut issue and I think it will do well. I'll review it in a future post.

As if all of that drinking & grubbing weren't enough, I headed to Ladd's Inn, my fave tavern, for Texas Hold 'Em poker fun and of course, more drink & grub. It was nice to see a bunch of familiar faces and get hugs. I didn't win, but I did have fun and that was almost just as good. Almost.

One of my fellow poker pals is also a creative type, so we were chatting about inspiration, lost muses and creativity after the game, then it was time for karaoke to start. I hadn't had a chance to karaoke there (or anywhere) in quite some time, so I was happy. I karaoked three songs and had a blast. Got hugs from the fun and funny KJ, Crystal, as well as a couple of fellow karaoke geeks. Fun times indeed!

I got home in the wee hours of Sunday am and had to be at Harmony Farms for A Touch of Portland at 10:30 am. I was tired, but excited. I had no idea what to expect, but I didn't expect to have as much fun with touching as I did. That re-cap will follow later.

My "currently listening" selection I discovered from listening to Firefly's program on KBOO.

Peace,

Moi

Food

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:54:52 GMT

Whew, what a nite! The last 3 hours have been the busiest I've had in a while. Interesting conversations though; I learned something from each one.

Food was on my mind as I prepared to post, because I went grocery shopping today. It was my plan to grab some groceries, since I had to pick up my car that I dropped off at the auto shop.

Love the guys at the repair shop. Not only are they a fun & friendly bunch, but they always treat me respectfully and as if I had some knowledge of cars. This time, I took my car in for some minor, routine maintenance and ... that's all it needed - YEEHAW!

The repair cost was under the budgeted amount, which helped since I went over my grocery budget by ~$30. Basically, there were sales on items I actually enjoy (such as turkey meatballs), so I stocked up on things. I'm goin' back to my routine of bringing my lunch to work and eating dinner at home, even if the meals were originally frozen/refrigerated.

I'm honest with myself about my after-work schedule. There's not much time for me to spend in the kitchen. Cooking isn't something I enjoy, so instead, I buy the bits 'n' pieces I want in a meal. I bought an Entenmann's Cheese Crumble Coffee Cake. The last time I had Entenmann's was in April, when I was in NY. That'll be my breakfast. I'm takin' a bag of turkey meatballs & a box o' butternut squash soup for lunch.

I'm all set for the next 2 weeks. Plus, with the extras I purchased, I won't need to use as much of the grocery budget next month. Yea!

I worked out a budget for the next 2 - 3 months, or about 6 - 8 paychecks. I've some short-term debt I want to repay & barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be able to get those squared away by end of October, while saving a wee bit o' dosh.

Of course, if my lodging expenses change, then I'll be able to save even more. I've two trips planned for the rest of the year because, as I've mentioned in previous posts, I love to travel. I'm chipping away at debt, one paycheck at a time and for now, this pace is just fine.

But, the reason I mentioned food & then budget is that I picked up healthy & tasty options at the market. When I'm able to enjoy some yummy nosh, my temperament is much more even.

Tomorrow and Friday evenings will be spent honing my newly acquired skills. I'm still working on the article and hope to grab the ears of 3 or 4 folk. Fingers crossed.

My "currently listening" selection ran through my mind today. There was an issue (or maybe a couple) when I was supposed to see him in concert, so I've yet to see him perform live. I hope that chance presents itself again, soon. To hear even more great music from the Afrikan continent, give a listen on-line to Africa O-Ye! hosted by Firefly.

Peace,

Moi

Goooaal!

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:51:49 GMT

I've met a couple of short-term goals on my to-do list, but that's about it. Still, not too bad considering I've quickly had to add things to the list, without removing things from it. Ahh, such is life.

I should have some time, hopefully, to sort out details of a coupla projects. I need to e-mail about three people regarding an article in progress. Once I have their responses, I'll feel much better about wrappin' that up.

Additionally, I used one of my sisters as a sounding board, as well as a close friend and I was able to get some clarity concerning some issues in my recent posts. The "short & skinny" is that I've made some decisions about pre-tax items that will enable me to be in better control and hopefully build a cushion. That'll ease a bit of stress. In the meantime, I will work on honing/developing new skills as I mention in a previous post.

My car's goin' into the shop (again!) for some fairly routine maintenance. The last visit was another heavy-hitter, but at that point, the car was in a "workable" state, so everythin' else from that point forward should be routine. I hope I don't hear differently tomorrow.

The drawback is that I hafta drop it off in the am, before goin' to work. The bus line that I need to take doesn't run very well after 9 pm, which was when I could've dropped it off tonite. Instead, I'm gonna get up way too early, to drop it off & catch a bus to work.

I said/thought it last month, but once again I really hope it'll be a while, before I hafta take it back to the shop. I wish the shop was open on weekends or Saturday, but it ain't. C'est la vie, eh?

This week is crazy & I'm lookin' forward to this weekend's 2 fun events for me:

Juneteenth (had no idea about this bein' here until today & missed it last year).

A Touch of Portland, benefitting KBOO - a community radio station (and the only local one I listen to).

My "currently watching" selection (see what happens when I don't have cable TV?) is what I'm viewing on my lunch break, or listening to durin' the work day. Listening to the episodes makes me realize how solid the writing/acting was, because I don't have to watch the action unfold to feel all of the emotion/excitement.

Peace,

Moi

This Ol' Dog

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:55:15 GMT

I've always said that I'm a life-long learner, but what did that mean? I believed that the way to keep my mind "sharp", or at least "in use", would be to continue learning.

Learning for me encompasses a variety of aspects. Whether I learn formally (in a classroom setting), informally (through dialogue) or generally (through using my senses consciously/subconsciously), I notice that I learn every day. My fave way to learn is from others; often I find that I learn about myself in the process.

Why this entry? Well, I felt my previous post was dreary & downtrodded and while it probably echoed the sentiment of others, I wanted to post something a bit more ... hopeful this go 'round.

In addition to personal finance blogs, I also enjoy reading travel writers' blogs. The Web is full of 'em, but I'm particular in my selection. I prefer writers who are ordinary folk and may not be household names, but are living my dream - getting paid (even if only on occasion) to write and travel.

I love to travel. It was this love that inspired me to spend a year abroad, living, working, but also travelling (a bit). It was my life abroad that created my debt situation and I knew that would be a likely consequence.

Why did I do it?

For one thing, time was not on my side. I was at a "now or never" point, so if I didn't go when I did, I wouldn't ever get the chance again. For another thing, of all the reasons for me to go into debt, a chance at living abroad was a better one than most.

Any regrets?

Regrets. I had a few. La-dee-da. There was a hiccup in my plan that only occurred after I arrived in London. I couldn't plan well for it, because less than a week before my trip - all systems were a go. That hiccup sped things up a lot and caused the first of many shifts in the best laid plans. Do I regret going & fostering my debtor's situation? No. I wouldn't trade one experience (not even the bad) to save my credit score or decrease my debt.

Travel is a priority for me. The way some people buy shoes, electronics, clothes, etc., I buy travel. It used to be my philosophy that I worked to travel. That mentality can get me through a difficult day. Before my year abroad, I spent my money on one major trip a year, usually in Autumn. There were also smaller trips as I could afford.

Ideally, I'd love a job where I could travel at least 50% of the time and only have to be tied to a desk approx. 50%. During my self-employment days, I was the happiest, even before I received a payment. I set my own schedule each day, usually after conferring with my clients via e-mail or telephone. It was common for me to do my billing at a coffeehouse, or from a hotel in Vegas.

It would be difficult to set up self-employment here, as I had in Los Angeles. I sketched an outline of a business plan, but I couldn't quite feel the same enthusiasm. One solution I decided returned me to my life-long learning goal.

I decided to use my time, while not working a second job or earning my potential, to add to/improve my skills. I had a couple of projects on my to-do list on Thymer that required more knowledge than I had, but not that I couldn't acquire. This week, in addition to some other bits, I plan to start acquiring that knowledge, so I can move forward with my projects.

But also, so I can continue my life-long learning.

My "currently watching" selection is because I am feeling a touch nostalgic for solid, comedic writing/acting. It has little to do with this post, but worthy of a nod all the same.

Peace,

Moi

Life & Debt

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:46:06 GMT

Among the (way too many) blogs I follow are the personal finance types. It's not only because I enjoy reading/learning about finance, but also because I join many around the world with my mountain of debt. When I read articles or blog entries, I'm sometimes in shock at the amount of debt people shoulder. My debt is approx. 25% of my gross income, which means it's way too high and needs to be chopped down, I know. However, I read articles and blogs of folk with debt at over that percentage and I cringe.

For every blog about being in debt, however, there's a blog about getting out of debt. Some take 2 - 3 years, or the average at a manageable debt to income level. Some eliminate debt in a year's time, with drastic yet do-able tweaks to lifestyle. What I find commonly in the debt elimination blogs are income sources from more than one person, or one-income source from a professional making at least $50k a year.

In my opinion, a dual-income home means that there's a safety net, even if it's not used. There's also a division of basic needs (i.e. shelter), so the burden of expenses is not quite the same as for those of us who dwell in singlehood.

At the mo', I'm trying to decide the best plan to tackle my debt, as a single person with one job. I searched on/off for a part-time gig, but honestly, I need to make a certain amount per hour/month from that job, in order to make the sacrifice worth it. Earning a net $200 additional per month isn't worth it to me, if I have to work at least 40 additional hours per month.

I live in a state with high unemployment and high personal income tax. I moved here because the cost-of-living was "lower" than my alternatives. I didn't check into the personal income tax before I did. I took a pay cut to move here, because I could never make as much as I did in Los Angeles. However, the state income tax I paid last year was more than I paid in LA. As for my rent, I share a space, but still pay $600 for rent compared to $1k in LA. But, because my pay is less, the % of my rent-to-income is just as high.

True, I could live in a place and split rent 3 or 4 or 5 ways. Many do. At my age, I don't think it's the best solution for my personality, so it's not worth sacrificing my sanity for my debt. I'd re-locate if things became that drastic.

Speaking of, I have been thinking of re-locating. In this economic climate, it's probably not the most sound choice to consider for many, but I am single - without a child or partner - so burdens are mine alone to carry. The way I see it, if I moved to any other city, I should be able to command more, because the cost-of-living is higher. But, since I've taken the shared housing road, doing that in any other city should save me considerable money over having my own apt, as I had in LA.

My job offers very limited benefits and almost no mobility, so to save my professional sanity and progress with my debt elimination, a new city and new job may be the answer.

Of course, I volunteer a bit and the volunteering has been what's kept me here for this long, I think. Should I have left this time last year? Probably. I shouldn't have accepted my job on a "promise" of challenging work. I should have considered that I couldn't find my "groove" even after 6 months of living here. I should've definitely moved when I decided to buy a car, to get me to my volunteering gigs and other events. I used my tax refund to buy the car, but now I'm thinking I should've used that money to buy a one-way ticket to anywhere.

What to do? What to do?

Since I am where I am, I'm thinking of moving into shared bathroom territory (ick!) to cut my current rent/utilities by approx. $200 per month. I'd have to give a month's notice here and then find a place to move in August, but I think it can be done. Also, I need to pay off some money I owe the company where I work. I needed wheels before I bought my car and incurred some rental expenses as a result. I guess a perk of living in LA was I already had my car, so an automobile wasn't a surprise expense. I need to also sell my car that's still in California. The proceeds of that sale will afford me a ticket to somewhere else and a bit of a cushion.

I had some costly car repair in the few months I owned the vehicle (~$1k), so rather than use that for debt, it went out the door immediately. That would've been a nice chunk off my total debt. Those should be over (fingers crossed), so the $ I once spent on that, I'll be able to divide between my emergency fund and my debt repayment plan.

That's about it. I'll continue searching for a part-time gig, but as I mentioned, it's hard to find something worthwhile part-time in a state that's ranked high for unemployment & low for a lot else.

I miss living in a proper city, but living here has proven/shown me what I want/need wherever I go next. That's at least a lesson learned. Oh! I also forgot that I can sell the car I have here when I move, but it may be better to donate freely instead.

On a more positive note, I did spend 1-1/2 hours writing today. This was a play/script rather than a short story or poem and I've no idea where it's gonna go, if anywhere, but at least I wrote. Another reason I need to re-locate, I need to be somewhere I can feel inspired by, instead of zapped of creative energy.

Another more positive note, I contributed a bit at one of my volunteer gigs last week. I felt more productive there than at work, sad, but true.

Let's hope for another productive week, if not everywhere, then somewhere.

My "currently watching" selection is one I've chosen for an earlier entry and the title of this post.With my debt-to-income ratio, I feel a bit like a 3rd or 4th world country beholden to a 1st world.

Peace,

Moi