I was born underwater with three dollars and a cocktail

I dwell where rebellion's taught, and emotions seldom walk
I try to Walk Like an Egyptian, but Hieroglyphics fail to talk
-Common & Erykah Badu, "All Night Long"

The past week proved to be an interesting experiment in cutting the fat and focusing on the skinny. Namely, I've had a chance to prioritize some things so that I can maximize my effort and productivity, while not being restricted or feeling limited because my fangs were in every pool of blood.

On top of that, I am in the process of doing some self-discovery. I am at a point in my life - not necessarily a crossroads - where I am trying to be very selective in my dealings, yet open in my interactions. Normally, I'll just to keep to myself to a certain extent. But I don't mind getting loose when necessary. Get ya wet wipes! I guess I am just not a fan of talking just to talk. Ain't nothing wrong it; just ain't my cup of kool-aid. Kinda like playing balls with bum-a## dudes who bring the ball all the way up the court and then shoot it. I did not come here to watch you play ball, homie.

I came up knowing that when you spoke, the words that came out of your mouth had better be 1) for good, 2) with purpose, and 3) from the heart. Some people feel as though just being nice is like going through life with blinders on. I'm from the school of thought that believes in a higher being and purpose. Not overly religious; but spiritual. Not overly optimistic, just realistic. Not overly naive, just honest.

look into my eyes. tell me what you see. can you feel my pain. am i your enemy.

I have a tendency to only answer the question asked. Once upon a time, i used to struggle with essay questions because I always had a short and concise response that should have taken several paragraphs. I think I used to annoy the hell out of ma dukes and Big G when I'd give a polite yes or no to one of their inquiries. In hindsight, I see how that drove them up the wall. The way I saw it; you want a longer or better answer then ask a longer or better question. If it is a yes or no question, then guess what kind of answer you are going to get. So I won't say that I've realized the errors of my ways. After all, this is my show. But i will say that I am actively trying to hone and polish my active listening skills. I have a habit of feeding small bits of information wihtout going into much detail until pressed for more. This is a way to develop into a more well-rounded POPS. We'll see how it goes.

So I say all that to say that my personal experiment is in its beginning stages, but all is going well so far. Plus, I enjoy looking people in the eye. Granted, sometimes it can definitely get awkward and you may have to quickly glance away, but that brief peek allows you to see a full range of emotion. Facial expressions and mannerisms aside; the eyes say it all. [wink].