Hanging Out

For just a little bit... Naw you need to see the rest

This past weekend I got a chance to hang out with my boys. This is my version of CRIBS, I was over my boy MN's new crib in the city. Of course, he is doing it BIG, did you check out the baby LCD screen in his room...all I can say is WOW.


Its all about the flat screen. And to top it all off he owns the whole damn rooftop, so he's got a skyline view of the city. So with a place like this you have to throw a gathering to watch the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Check us out:



After partying at MN's during the SOX game, I had to catch up with my boys and hit Rush & Division (see Where in the World...Chicago). Check out a some pics of me and the crew:

Where in the world...Chicago

The nightlife in Chicago is definitely is always a lot of fun. As you all know I don't make it out every weekend but when I do... partying is like special glass of Hennessey you expect nothing but the best. And most people know that I like good music so I tend to be partial to the places that don't let me down. So when in the city here are some good spots to hang out in:

"The Apartment" - Great place, young crowd and the first bar/club that was sporting a big screen tv with a playstation on it for the folks chillin in the lounge area. On Thursdays, drinks are next to nothing and the music keeps the dance floor jumping.
Star Count: ***

"Funky Buddha": Yeah the spot that I like a lot. It has a great atmosphere good music from hiphop, R&B, neo-soul and even a few oldies. This club is not large and gets crowded very quick. If you love your space this may not be your place. But it has all the essentials of a great club:
1. Slightly Upscale Crowd - No offense, all I mean is that people care about what they where...and a door price that ensures that you are a true partier
2. Neck Turners - Honestly there are a few people that may cause you whiplash at the end of the night
3. MUSIC! - Yes, no time off for the DJ...he keeps the hits coming
4. Elements of Suprise - The X factor, bigs acts and surprise visits often frequent Buddha. Kanye, J. Legend, Questlove, Doug E Fresh, Bulls players, David Banner, and on and on.
Star Count: ****



"Redno5": This is a really good club. Its got a nice dance floor upstairs and plush lounge couches downstairs. Its got a Buddha feel but much larger.
1. Upscale Crowd - No offense, all I mean is that people care about what they where...and a door price that ensures that you are a true partier. The bouncers may be the toughest to get past in the business. Shout out to Jovi who got me in free last weekend...see it pays to speak to people on the way to the bars.

2. Neck Turners - I have walked out of here with a neck brace.

3. MUSIC! - Yes, no time off for the DJ...he keeps the hits coming. Don't forget the live percussion band and a MC that freestyles while walking through the club.

Star Count: ***1/2

Don't hate on my bling...

Here is part of the story. Changed you're mind, read the entire story.

The NBA has announced that a dress code will go into effect at the start of the season. Players will be required to wear business-casual attire when involved in team or league business. They can't wear visible chains, pendants or medallions over their clothes. (Courtesy of the AP)

A number of celebrated players have voiced their displeasure with this new rule addition. Everyone from Stephan Jackson (Pacers), Allen Iverson (76ers), and Paul Pierce (Celtics) have called this an outright attack on the hip-hop culture. It definitely begs the question of is this move racially movitated and how far can the league go to exercise its power over a league with players that are predominantly African-American and has a large hip-hop following. Who has the final say of what is professional or not? If I wore my bling to the office it would definitely turn heads...but should it. In the 70s, when Afro's where a symbol of a cultural movement many African-Americans wore this as an everyday hairstyle. Today, are we scared of rocking the conservative norm by not wearing Afro's, braids, or bling?

Or is it more of a regional or state issue? I often hear someone comment that they like another person's hairstyle...but they would never wear it because they wouldn't be able to wear it to work. But if you in an area where a large number of people where locks like down South or where people may be more liberal like on the West Coast is it more acceptable?

I am guilty of wearing a low-key hairstyle and dress code to ensure that I don’t rock the boat. And even today at lunch I saw a guy with an earring and thought whether that was a positive move on his part.

So does wearing bling mean that you are a thug? I think not and evidently neither does Sarbanes Oxley. When crimes were being committed at Enron, Worldcom, Adelphia, HealthSouth, and by Martha Stewart there were definitely suits and ties involved. But maybe we would have given them a break if they had worn their bling bling.

Til Death do us part...

Yeah, it must be in the water. The
wedding bells are ringing this time around. I am glad to see that my friends are tying the knot and putting up the white picket fences. What does this mean...is it time for me to hang it up! I think not... its time for me to continue to hold out like a sports athlete looking for more money. My goal is to live vicariously through my married friends. When times are good I will be there to enjoy in there happiness...and when times are rough I will be there trying to contain my laughter. But seriously, I think that this is a major step in every couples life and I wish them nothing but happiness because finding the love of your life is truly a blessing.

Its takes a village to raise a child

As all of us continue to embark down that road of building a family, remember what is takes to raise a child. It is great to know that my extended family continues to grow right before my eyes. I remember when I was younger all of the "aunts" and "uncles" that weren't related to me by blood but were still family. I am a firm believer that all these people help shape the lives of young children. I was glad that I was able to spend some time in my old stomping grounds...South Bend and I got a chance to see my extended family and their beautiful children.

The Bonehead of the Year Award goes to:

Me, yes yours truly. Let me share a crazy story with you. Two weekends ago I went out to downtown Chicago, right. And you all know that I drive a SUV…so I am basically gonna throw away about a ¼ of a tank making the haul back and forth. After a great night at Funky Buddha Lounge, one of the tighter clubs in Chicago, I eventually made my way home. And of course the weekend includes trying to sleep in until my phone wakes me up from either my friends wanting to hear about the upcoming college football games or YES I admit it I set my alarm to get up before the first big game on Saturday. So I am basically running on fumes and go to get something to eat at the 5 star Burger King establishment. Well I am in the rest of the evening watching football and making some extra change as each game finishes up. I crash for the night and get up the next day to do shopping. As you know for a guy the best place in the world to shop is Walmart, the true ONE STOP SHOP. The first thing on my to do list was to get some gas prior to shopping. But with prices being what they are nowadays, you can’t just stop anywhere you got to find the bargain, right! WRONG, I had just passed an expensive gas station when my car automatically starting slowing down and luckily I was able to turn into the local school close by. I wasn’t sure what was going on and then realized my fate…I had ran out of GAS!! So luckily a good Samaritan stopped by and drove me about a block to the gas station I had just passed. I was able to buy a 1 gallon mini tank to fill my truck. From there I pulled into the same expensive station and filled up.
J.G’s lesson of the week: Don’t Be Cheap, fill up on some gas. And this is really important because my good Samaritan had just had that incident happen to his son but unfortunately it was on the highway and if you run out of fuel and your car is going very fast you can burn your fuel pump or something like that…and it will cost you over $500 dollars.

Where in the world...Las Vegas!!

Yes people the saga continues. The annual trip to Vegas went down over Labor Day. This time around some special folks came out. Some folks really close to me since my Naptown (Indianapolis) days were out and about. I want to give a special shot out to the following people for living it up with me that week:
TP
Da Thrill
Smitty
AT

So leave a post telling me what you think of our latest trip and also let me know when you are joining the next road trip. Because on a serious tip...we all go through life at warp speed and its always important to slow down and enjoy it with your family and friends. Look out for a trip to England for New Year's '06...TP's sponsoring this trip, so hit him up for details. Also I've got plans in the works to take a trip back to Africa (Sierra Leone & Senegal are on my radar) and also Brazil (Rio) within the upcoming year or two. It won't be cheap but as with every adventure it could be life changing. So select the links below and view the slideshow:

Viva Las Vegas

Also check out my boy TP's site for his version of the trip: Las Vegas

If you haven't seen the links by now...SORRY

One Hit and That's It!...

Here are the groups that left you wanting more:
Ahmad - "Back In The Day"
Ini Kimoze - "Here Comes the Hotstepper"
Das Efx - "They Want Efx"
Onyx - "Slam"
Young MC - "Bust A Move"
Skee Lo- "I Wish"
Lady of Rage - "Afro Puffs"
Digable Planets - "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)"
Paperboy - "Ditty"
Candyman "Knockin Boots"
Biz Markie "Just a Friend" or does "Vapors" take him off the list
KP & Envyi - "Swing My Way" (Remember shorty swing my way)
Khia - "My Neck" (All I remember is females running to the dance floor when this song came on)
Oran Juice Jones - The Rain (One of the hardest songs in the 80s...Remember "I saw you, and him walking in the rain, you were holding hands tonight never be the same")
See the lyrics here: http://www.angelfire.com/me2/zelsparkbench/song275.html
Kilo - "Tic Toc"
Bloods & Crips - "Piru Love" (Great sample, this was in the heyday of gangsta rap"


Close Calls - Either they had a couple of hits or that One Song was just to big.
Kriss Kross - "Jump"
Color Me Badd - " I wanna Sex u Up"
Digital Underground - "Humpty Dance"
Tag Team - "Whoomp There It is"
69 Boys - "Tootsie Roll" Note: One of these groups did the song, "The Train"...so maybe they should be a close call
Soul For Real - "Candy Rain", "Every Little Thing You Do"
MC Eiht - "Streiht Up Menace" (classic song off of the Menace II Society soundtrack)
Spice 1 - "Trigga Gots No Heart"
Hi Five - "The Kissing Game"
Sir Mix Alot - "Baby Got Back"
Tone Loc - I think I still hear his songs
House of Pain - "Jump Around"
Rob Bass - "It Takes Two"