بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Dearly Beloved Sisters and Brothers of the Asiatic Nation of The Planet Earth!

Well, I went up to the GZA show and I was almost in. I hesitated because I didn’t weigh the outcomes quick enough. I didn’t have anything to lose. But I think I didn’t act because my intentions were not pure.

I was going to see the GZA when my whole reason for being there was to see Zawji. I know he admires the GZA. And I was hoping to see him there.

But I got caught up in the glitz and the glamour of the entertainment industry and once inside, who knows what I would have been caught up in.

Everything happens for a reason and there is a reason I didn’t get in.

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I finished G’s (Gladys’) autobiography and…

It just made me hate the whiteman even more.

He is the reason why we have so much trouble in our relationships.

Even when we find our soulmates, there are so many unrelated issues that very often, we still end up alone.

Whether it’s drugs, money problems, commitment problems, opposites attract problems or jealousy problems. It is a struggle because of the poison put in us by our slavemaster.

She married her soulmate but he had drug problems. She married again twice but if she knew her first husband was her soulmate, she probably would not have given it another go.

That’s how it is when you know.

You don’t even try anymore. Saving yourself the drama, trouble and heartbreak of trying to substitute another for someone who is irreplaceable.

I learned something from her experience that made me a better Captain and I could really relate to her in many ways…

A. Her love of Allah (God) and

B. Her Good Girl status.

The biggest problem of her life was a gambling addiction, which paled in comparison to some of her musical contemporaries.

She shared stories about other music industry personalities. She talked about how Berry Gordy modeled Motown after their group, hiring their voice coach and choreographer, even hiring a “groomer” for his groups to refine their stage presentation as well as their off-stage behaviours, which G and The Pips were well-known for.

She also talked about how Joe Jackson was friends with her brother, Bubba, William and Edward and that she met his sons, who would later find mega stardom as the Jackson 5, but that when she attempted to get someone from Motown to take a look at the boys, no one would return her calls.

She cleared up the confusion concerning, which came first? Her’s and The Pips’ or Marvin’s version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” She made no bones about her and the Pips, second-class status at Motown, but when their version of the song was at the top of the charts, Gordy had Gaye record another version without even telling them. They found out, not through the grapevine, but when they heard it on the radio.

By far the funniest aspect of her life’s story (which had nothing to do with anyone like the song infers) was her icy relationship with the Queen of Soul, whom she called “Ree” or whom her Brother, Bubba, (whom Ms. Franklin, apparently had a major crush on) called, “Ree Ree.” LOL

I believe her exact words were, “She could sing it and she could spell it, but she had no respect for me.” LOL

I kind of knew Ree Ree was like that. Which is why I read G’s book first. I just like her better, for some reason. I think it’s her wholesome personality, which I must have somehow read from what I’ve seen of her.

TBH, I only bought Ree-Ree’s book out of respect for her gift.

G’s book made me laugh and cry and very introspective. As one who loves Allah, as a singer, as a homemaker, and as one who has come up short so many times in love. I can only comfort myself, like I do when I think about Patrice, and tell myself, “this is not that.”

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• Salt Lake City, Utah mayor went undercover as a homeless man, spending one night on the streets and one night in a shelter.
• The Santa Monica History Museum is offering free admission on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-8
• CAMP SPINOFF
• BLKMPWR
• MY VOCABULARY LIST –
• tempeh
• sine qua non
• querulous
• Valhalla
• ersatz
• canard
• palatable
• diffident
• amicable
• fons et origo
• polemic
• Somebody look up the definitions and leave them in the comments section. I have bullets to list! 
• The name of that book with the album covers for all of the Black Groups since the beginning of time is “FUNK & SOUL COVERS” by Taschen Publishing. After the nearly $300 “The Black Music History Of Los Angeles,” this would be my choice for a coffee table book, if I had a coffee table, or a house to put one in for that matter…
• As I was enjoying myself, relaxing at the beach this weekend, an airplane flew by, trailed by a banner that read, “Orcas suffer at Sea World. DON’T GO.” That really hit me. My son was twelve before I took him to the zoo, and I cried when I saw the lions. I think because of our history of slavery, I have an exceptionally hard time with anything in captivity. I don’t go to zoos or circuses. I was thinking maybe, the Wild Animal Park in San Diego, but I think I will have to content myself with National Geographic videos until I am able to travel to Africa.
• I see dolphins all the time in the ocean and I hate to think about them penned up in those microscopic pools (when compared to the ocean) at these aquariums. And I have always loved killer whales (orcas). I’m sure it’s worse for them.
• Beloved Brothers and Sisters, I must warn you, that soon, my web hosting site is going to start placing ads on my blog. I’m having technical difficulties and have been unable to pay my upgrade fee. So until I take care of that, you’re probably going to see some ads soon. My deepest and sincerest apologies.
• Speaking of deep and sincere stuff, Miss Manners really put the concept of Marriage into perspective for me. She referred to the institution as “the most formal and solemn commitment” of your life!
• You know I sleep on the beach, right? But I made sleeping on the beach kind of cool. Something that anyone would want to do, not just homeless people. They sleep close to the street. But to really enjoy it, you have to sleep by the waves, where all the action is! I mean, no one ever wants to leave and go home anyway, so why not make a night of it? 😉 You get to see the sun set and then see your shadow appear on the sand as the sun rises, and that is one of the most memorable experiences EVER!!!
• I can’t remember where I was the last time it happened, but if you want to make me (Oh yeah, now I remember! 😉 ) leave, just play Ms. Fat You-Know-What… LOL
• https://youtu.be/aO_yLfBPRh0
• I know we missed it, but I LOVE this! So G! TECYOSELF!!!
• If you have children who may or may not be interested in TENNIS, the City of L.A. has a tennis clinic. Missed this one too, but next year…
• I can cross VISIT THE L.A. INK WELL MEMORIAL off my list since I did that this morning, but here’s one I added YARTS
• You Know That Feeling You Get When Love Is Fresh & New??? MACK AVENUE
• You remember when I went to Georgia, and I said I was going to call myself “Peaches” in honour of the occasion??? LOL Well, you know I’ve been spending a LOT of time at the beach, so I’ve got a new alias “Sandy” LOL
• WATTS TOWERS JAZZ FEST

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