Some Cubicle Crusader Stanning

When I am off work it makes me happy, so I'll take a couple days off from bitching about that place and share some of the things I love with you all. Below is a poet that Tiha and I 'stan' for definitely, enjoy our favorite spoken word artist, Marc Marcel, (I think Tiha has a crush on him.... )

Mediocre Expectations

*I kid, I kid, lol...*

I was talking to a wet blanket someone the other day doing my normal complain about my jobs rigmarole (Hey, they asked.). I also told the person about the blog and how I want to parlay some of the things I talk about into other ventures. I then added that this is a spot to vent and get the things I go through on a daily basis out of my system. After all of that, the only thing that she heard was me complaining about my jobs, and her response was, "Well, with all that's going on with the economy, you should just be happy you have a job." I proceeded to look at her like she had 2 heads and both of those heads had a jheri curl and my fist connecting. What kind of response is that? If I would have told her I was in a bad relationship and my mate was out doing ho-sh*t every night would she have told me, "Well, with the dating pool at least you have a relationship, you could be single." ?...womp...

After thinking about it for a while, I realized I used to think just like her. I had low/medium expectations. I was playing the game "to not lose" instead of "to win". My language was toxic, saying phrases such as: "at least" or "well I could be [insert bad situation]". "Not anymore," says Alise. (Watch out when I talk about myself in third person) Now, even when complaining, I speak in Portuguese a positive, high expectation dialect. Phrases like, "I can do better than this", "I deserve better", and "I will be the best" are often heard. Those that do not understand my uplifting vernacular can go in the opposite direction with their "At least I ain't been to jail" asses. Hmph.....

*Skip the video to 5:25*


*skip to 5:25*

MIA: Originality

*homemade originality

While watching commercials the other night, I saw an advertisement for an upcoming sci fi/horror movie with Keanu Reeves, The Day the Earth Stood Still. I almost screamed. Actually I think I did scream, then I grabbed a pen and paper and jotted some notes for this blog. Why am I so agitated by this soon to be released movie? what’s the big dang deal? I’ll tell you what my dang problem is, I am so sick and tired of nothing new being produced by movie makers. Of course this movie is a remake, and if you’re a sci-fi buff like me, you’ve probably already seen it, in its black and white form, you may have already read the book. And it aggravates me because not only are these movies remade(The Day the Earth Stood Still, War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I Robot), but they are made worse than their original form, nothing is enhanced, nothing is gained, nothing is made richer by remaking these classics. People new to the genre or are just now getting into sci-fi walk away from these big budget disasters with a warped view of what real sci fi is. This new stuff right here, isn’t true to the game. It isn’t sci-fi, its commercialized crap.

Reminds me of what has been done to hip hop, you knew this was coming. People aren’t even sampling anymore, like Wu-tang and Puffy (the producer), they are just flat out taking whole songs like Puffy (the rapper) and Kanye, yeah I said it Kanye West. Where is the originality? I don’t want to hear anything else made by a beat maker calling themselves a producer, I want to hear musical composition combined with strong lyrics and interesting delivery. I want to see original plots and thought provoking stories with my sci-fi movie. I think the last good sci-fi/horror movie I saw was 28 Days Later (and the sequel). Although this movie sampled Night of the Living Dead, it still can hold its own. Yes it has zombies, but my goodness, these aint your typical stiff legged brain eating zombies, and the zombies weren’t all you had to worry about. I simply love this movie, but I’ll stop gushing.

Where is the originality ya’ll? Did we lose it in a secret war? Is it being held for a ransom we cant afford because all of our money is going to bail out Wall Street and the Big Three? I think our priorities are messed up. I don’t need a Ford, and I don’t trust the stocks, I want to spend my money at the movie theaters and on good music. Can we invest in that?

Gotta tell y'all something!

Hey, come close..... a little closer....

Guess what?

Come on guess!

One more guess...

Ok, I guess I'll tell ya......

I got a book out y'all!

I'll put the link up soon, it's a book of poetry called "Alise in Wonderland", word on the street is it is the hotness, but I ain't one to gossip, so you ain't heard that from me...... and guess what else?

Cubicle Crusaders will have a book/tome of awesomeness early 2009, BOLO*!

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled programming..... :)


*Be on the look out

R.I.P.

RIP MC Breed : http://www.bossip.com/57294/rip-mc-breed/
A blog we did referencing MC Breed earlier this year - Is There Future In Your Frontin'?




"Gotta get mine!"... Word.Is.Bond. RIP....

This game is rigged....

*I am a beast, I can (and have) won a book with this bama a$$ card! *

No old school video today.
I have been trying to find a way to put "The Wire" in every conversation this blog and finally I have succeeded. (don't judge me) A conversation Tiha and I had yesterday about HBCU's led us to talking about our favorite college past time: drinking Spades. Then out of the blue we started talking about how life is a lot like a game of spades. The clip below is D'Angelo Barksdale explaining chess in terms of the drug game. I will attempt to break down the game of Spades in a similar but different fashion. Please enjoy the clip of my favorite show of all time:

Now that we have gotten "The Wire" formalities out the way, here goes:

*Partners Matter : The key to winning the game of Spades is having a compatible partner. Pay attention to the company you keep, it will definitely make or break you. Can't have partners that cut your books, not cute, that can get you cut in my hood. (I don't live in the hood, but suburban folks are gangsta too!)


*Bidding your hand: You have to know what you are holding (talent, knowledge, drive) and its worth. You have to evaluate in your head that some of those Kings are going to get in but you also need to know you can't always depend on those cut books, because your competition may flip the script and pull your trump.

*Just go 10, 8 is for suckas! : You have to take risks. Haven't you heard that scared money don't make money? That is the truth and right now I am going 7 and 8, knowing I am holding a monster of a hand. If my life were a Spades hand I would get ridiculed by the whole table for sandbagging and underbidding!

*Talk Some Shit: Not literally, you can't ridicule other folks all the time and get ahead, but you need to exude confidence. I have done successful "on the fly" presentations at work or have been part of last minute projects, and 90% of the battle was being confident, not letting the folks see me sweat.

*Renegging is Counterproductive: Integrity is key. You can scheme, cheat, steal, and lie, but when you get caught please hand me the paper and allow me to subtract your score. Have you ever seen the look of disgust on the partner of someone who reneges and the roasting that ensues. Life is the same way.


*The Game is Rigged: Sometimes you just have to realize the game is rigged, folks have been known to set decks and talk across the table. My advice to that is just keep playing, you will win eventually. Word.

And I also want to leave you with one more "The Wire" clip.

The value of education from a HBCU=PRICELESS

*There actually were quite a few similarities of the good things from "A Different World" at real HBCU's*

For those of you who have never been to a HBCU I’d like to take you on a campus visit. I’m going to let you in on a few secrets of what makes an education from a HBCU so great and precious. Maybe this will help you to understand why graduates (and almost graduates) from HBCUs go just about crazy when they see another alum. Maybe you’ll stop hating (for all those hates) on something you know absolutely nothing about and have never experienced. This post doesn’t come out of a place of darkness, this isn’t a post for the haters. This post comes from the oh so many times I credit my HBCU experience for getting me through a tough situation, or for giving me the strength wisdom and guidance to preserver. I love my dang school and as I type I’m trying so hard not to throw up our sign or shout from the top of my lungs our various chants. I wont start humming the song for the band. I wont start doing the chants from the cheerleaders. I wont even mention my school colors…nope, not gonna do it, because my love and education from my school goes soooo much deeper than games, colors, and parties.


My HBCU taught me that nothing, absolutely NOTHING is handed to you. If you want something, you have to get up off your lazy, momma will take care of it, spoiled ass and fend for yourself. If you want financial aid, you have to fill out the forms CORRECTLY, then wait in a line, a long line to turn them in. Put on some comfy shoes and bring a book (prepared me for the line to vote, going to the DMV, and getting into a club. I’m so used to it from undergrad that I don’t bother to complain, I already know complaining don’t solve shit).
I’ve learned that I AM MY OWN RESPONSIBILITY. That leaving paperwork and such up to the people in the offices is an easy way to get your stuff lost. The people who process paperwork are there to do one thing, process. They don’t care that you didn’t know which form to fill out, they don’t care that you didn’t know when the deadline was, they don’t care about you. They don’t get paid to care about you and your education. That is your job. This has made me a highly organized person who duplicates all of her important documents and is not too good to walk her paperwork form department to department just to make sure it gets to the right people.


Dealing with paperwork and financial aid has taught me important social skills. I’ve had to learn how to talk to people, from admin to professors. If you want something done quickly, you’ve got to know how to talk to people. Someone is more likely to go the extra mile for you if you genuinely say please and thank you with a smile, than if you have an attitude and think someone owes you something. If you look like you’ve put some effort into what you are doing, its amazing how open people are to helping you. Baked goods and chocolate go far too ;)


Going to a HBCU was such a departure from going to my all white high school. For once I wasn’t the only one in class. For once it wasn’t assumed that I was not as smart just because I was black. There was no place for those kinds of thoughts, imagined or real. We were all black and we were all there for the same thing. I felt so comfortable knowing that I was being looked at for what I said as a person, not as the black girl. We were free to talk about “white folks” and the janky shit they do without offending anyone because it was just us. Everything was culturally sensitive. I began to feel good for being smart, I spoke up more in class, I even sat in front of the class. By junior year I was co teaching with my professors. I loved school, and I never thought that would happen.


We were humble at my HBCU, I mean we didn’t have much, nothing was a luxury so we all really bonded over chicken Wednesdays and fish Fridays. If someone was going to the store, because only maybe 2 people on the hall had a car, people would get something for you. People would share what they had. Folks reached out to you. For those of us with no car, we made up stuff to do together, on campus, we worked with what we had and had a good time! Campus parties were the bomb! We didn’t have to leave just to have a good time. Sneaking up into the boys dorm wasn’t always about having sex. We actually went up in there, as a group, to hang, to really hang and chill as friends with no cars do. My HBCU taught me how to value what I had and make something great out of very little. And I was never afraid of the guys on campus. Most of them were really cool and looked out for us. If they saw us outside of campus at a club, they’d make sure we were ok, that we had a ride home. Because they knew we were fellow Eagles (oops how’d that get in there?).


My HBCU showed me what it looks like when a black community works together. And that’s something no one ever wants people to see. Through the good times and the bad, my HBCU was my black community that I could count on. And it wasn’t just blacks that went there. Every kind of person went there, although we were the majority. And of course were weren’t racist or discriminatory. We didn’t look at other folks like they were “other” they were Crystal and Cliff and Jason. They were students who happened to be white and Chinese and Hispanic. Racial harmony on a HBCU, what a concept.


These are all the reasons why I get so offended when people talk negatively about my kind of school. Even the people who went there who talk mess, I want to punch them too, because there was so much to get out of an experience of going to a HBCU. If you missed it, you missed something the lottery or the highest paying job could NEVER give you.

My hat goes off to my alma mater and all of the HBCUs who keep producing such excellent professionals. cheers!

We love our school! Eagle Pride! -Cubicle Crusaders

Ode to Tiha & Other Nonsense

This is a tribute to Tiha and her new Cube with a view.... this for you kiddo!




She's moving lateral,
It's a reorg
To a deluxe cubicle in the sky
She's moving lateral
It's a reorg
She finally gets a crumb of the pie!

Go team!



Okay, now that's out of the way, let me tell you what had happened at my job and our "reorg". It really isn't a reorg for one thing, I'm just dramatic. One of the people that indirectly work for me quit last week because she found a better job, that is awesome, I like to see people move on up and get a piece of the pie and what not. Her job duties are vital to various functions of my account, and deadlines are very tight. The powers that be at Bullshit Headquarters my job decide not to replace her. What in the ham and cheese sandwich is that about? So now we have to divide her 8 hours a day of work amongst 3 people who already have full 8 hour days during our busiest time of year, and none of us are getting raises. womp. boooooooooo. hisssssssssss. That is not hot in the street, boiling on the block, or scalding in the cul-de-sac. Needless to say I have been actively searching for new jobs in all the places I would like to go..... Wish me happy hunting!

No Adult 'Left' Behind

This blog will be short and sweet just like the author (*wink*). I'll introduce it with a short convo with myself and the devil Tiha:


11/17/08 11:00 am

Alise: In school they forced me to write with my right hand
Alise: and that explains ALOT
Alise: i do EVERYTHING else with my left hand
Alise: so my blog tomorrow will center around that
T 2U: how the MAN has tried to mold us into being right handed hoes?
Alise: there are so many diections i can go with that..... maybe i'll go left, lol
Alise: AND my first grade teacher was a MAN
Alise: coincidence? no sucha thing
T 2U: ha!

I was telling the moody Gremlin Tiha about a conversation I had with my mother yesterday about my younger school years. She informed of something I never knew, that I was left handed. She said that when I was in kindergarten and first grade that "those people" forced me to write with my right hand. So basically I have been getting "cubed" my whole life. A lot of things started making sense: so much of what comes natural to me has been attacked and labeled as "not normal" or even freakish ( as in a sideshow). The labeling starts early on in life and continues on through adulthood. I let people take things that are a part of me and convince me that I was the strange one. My goal is to let the buck stop here and just do me. The moral of the story is: Don't let a right handed world determine your future or you will surely get left. Word.Is.Bond.

Left handed people rock, here are some famous lefties:
Barack Obama
Leonardo da Vinci
Robert DeNiro
Joan of Arc
Naturally Alise

A Cube with a View

After all of my organization’s reorg and people shuffling, I’ve been moved to a new (to me) cube with an executive style cube desk and a window view. I’ve been getting snide comments by people passing by my snazzy cube; they’ve said things like “moving on up” and “big time now”. To me, I’m still in a cube. Yes I have a bigger desk, and yes I now have a window that over looks the MARTA train tracks and pieces of downtown Atlanta, the view from floor 28 is indeed lovely. But I reiterate, to me I’m still in a cube. If you put a dress on a duck, does it become a flamingo? Will it go any farther in its life pretending to be as pretty as a flamingo, or will the dress hinder its flight and turn it into an interesting, yet grounded penguin? I know realistically this cube is just where I happen to land in the reorg, and that this is not any indication of how valuable they think I am. I’ve lived in the land of cubes for too long to be lulled into any sense of security. But a little piece of me wants to believe that things happen for a reason, and this itty bitty piece wants to bask in my double wide cube and gaze lazily out the window. I’ll give this little part of me its window view, its scenic reverie. But that’s all she’s getting, because the crusader has work to do and can’t get too comfortable….

When I Grow Up......

*Alise looooooooooooves the kids*, this is today's Friday throwback....

Okay, I have talked on this blog about:

* How much I hate my job
* Things to make my hated job a little more bearable
* Where I want to go (or Tiha saying where she wants to leave)
* Inspiration and positive vibes
* Nonsense/Rambling

Yet, I have never talked about what I want to do specifically or why I would want to do it? Or better yet, what qualifies me to do so. Well today is you unlucky day. What does Alise want to be "when she grows up"? Funny you should ask...... I want to be an English teacher that writes books, plays, & poems in her leisure. (and a Vegas showgirl, but I am too short, I digress) That is a far cry from what I did become when I grew up. I know there is a lot of bullcrap that comes with being a teacher, but that isn't what this blog is about, so please do not rain on my parade with the obvious, I AM smart and insightful a little bit. I want to talk about why I want to be a teacher and also why I think I would be an awesome teacher.


- I am resourceful and can make a dollar out of $.15 so I know I could be creative with the sad lack of resources educators are given these days.

- I understand the value of the little things that can put a sparkle in a child's eye and affect their lives, for example peep this:

T 2U: why u so moody
T 2U: is it the people?
Alise: naw.
T 2U: the broken computer?
Alise: naw, but the computer aint make it no betta tho
T 2U: gotcha
T 2U: so what else you gonna write about?
Alise: i dunno
Alise: good question
T 2U: something distracting
T 2U: how about what you would do if you were president?
T 2U: new cars for all?
T 2U: vacations in aruba?
Alise: bring back the arts in schools
Alise: bring back the education in schools
Alise: i couldn't do much for education as president though ,bc isn't that a state thang?
T 2U: i think its a school thing
T 2U: and resources thing
Alise: i think that is why i awant to teach
Alise: there are some teachers i had along the way that really cared and were innovative
Alise: things that a teacher said to me in the 3rd grade i remember verbatim
Alise: I had a 3rd grade assistant teacher that said things to me to make me feel comfortable about wearing my glasses, and now I can relate them into feeling good about being different in my adult life
Alise: she made it a point everyday to tell me how cool different can be and she even said "The kids that pick on you now will be the ones when you grow up that are jealous and wish they were you" and she said it in such a way that I REALLY believed it
Alise: side note: Do you know I run into that lady every now and then in the grocery store and she remember my whole gubment name and remembers the whole glasses thing
Alise: Maybe I should post about why I should be a teacher
T 2U: you had big ole glasses?!
T 2U: ha ha
T 2U: ha ha

* I hate Tiha by the way*

- Contrary to popular belief I love kids, ("Martin looooove da kids"....see video at the beginning of the post) I just am not keen on babies and toddlers.

- I want to share my passion for books, culture, and writing with the kiddies, the way my 10th grade English teacher was able to get a bunch of my nonchalant, school hating classmates to do. That man was a genius and really sparked a fire in us.

- Middle school and high school aged kids are drawn to me, like PBG is the baby whisperer, I am the pre-teen whisperer. I remember I used to volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club in the summers (and tutored in the Fall) and those kids loved them some "Miss Alise". Those kids were probably the worst behaved children on the planet and were victims of extreme poverty, but somehow my group NEVER had any incidents like the other groups had, even the "real" counselors were amazed at how I was able to reach out to them and earn their respect. Imagine my fulfillment!


So, my loyal, lovely, lurking readers: If you are not in the occupation you want to be "when you grow up", what do you want to do and why? If you are, what is that occupation? Share, it's good for the soul and all the cool kids do it.

Have a great Friday! Peace, goodwill towards women.....

Why I would make a good politician (and why that scares me).

The other day I made my way to the neighborhood library to check out “The Audacity of Hope” by president elect, then senator Obama. Times are hard for everyone and free is always cheaper than full price, so I had no problems getting this text and returning it to the library. Anyway reading this book just fuels my admiration for this dude, but I don’t need to go and on about how much the bomb he is, you should know by now.

In the beginning of the book he goes over how he started his political career and what the climate was when he first became a senator. The early 2000’s was a crappy time for all of us. Clinton having gone through scandal after scandal having his presidency tarnished and Bush taking over and 911. Bad times, the beginning to this twisted crap we are still dealing with. Obama eloquently outlined what senators do and what the other house members do. I’ve never been a fan of civics and by now politicians make everyone cringe. I mean why would you want to knowingly associate yourself with the devil right? Well Obama opened my eyes to how the government was meant to work, and what the government truly stands for. To take the actions of a few power crazed jackasses and attribute it to hundreds of people, the entire government, just isn’t right. It’s like calling the black youth the “hip hop nation”. Just not fair, nor is it accurate.


On to the point. Why would I make a good politician? Because I have a strong sense of right and wrong or rather just and unjust. And when dealing with politics, passing bills, making amendments yada yada yada there is always grey areas. There is always what ifs and the chance that you may leave a section of people out. It takes someone who is focused, not easily swayed but flexible enough to negotiate to stay on task and do what’s best for the people. I’m also all about what’s best for the people. I believe in equality for all, not just some of them and a few of those, EQUALITY FOR ALL. My ideals about treating people equal does not discriminate. I’m an idealist with a realist's life views. I’ve been on the bottom and still cant see the top. I can empathize with those who really need the help of the government, but at the same time I know that it is not the government’s purpose to be the caretaker. The government is supposed to protect and support the ideals of America: work hard and achieve. It is NOT supposed to hinder that dream, but it is also not supposed to give handouts of the dream as well. It is supposed to insure that no one can take your civil liberties, so that you are free to get your piece of the pie. However, the government isn’t supposed to give out pieces of the pie. I think you catch what I’m getting at. I’ve beat this horse enough.


I’m a leader by nature, and thus far a leader with great reluctance. I can make a decision, most of the time good, on the fly and I have the ability to alter my decisions if the first time around didn’t work. I can read people pretty well and am good at seeing intentions, purposes, and mental abilities. I can spot someone who knows what they are doing over a poser quickly, which means I can appoint (oh wait am I trying to be president?) the right people for the right job (I totally stole that from the mission of my company). I’m not afraid when people get loud and passionate about their beliefs, I get just as loud and passionate. In fact, I have more respect for someone who isn’t afraid to show how much they believe in something so animatedly. I’m a direct talker who gets straight to the point and am good at drawing such points out of those who get long winded (like this posting). And I’m smart!


So yeah I could be a politician, a good one, a sincere one, but I don’t want to be one. This scares me because I hate politics. I have a problem with the government, with the man, with the machine. I have a problem with my own potential to be a great leader. I’m not yet comfortable in that skin. Therefore I can’t be a politician. But it was kinda nice to dream about it for awhile.


Peace out! I am not a crook!

My president elect is a human being…




Since we were waxing political:

Alise: politics at the end of the day is a game and you have to play on some level
Alise: that is the nature of power, not just a US or year 2008 thing
T 2U: very true
T 2U: its what this country was founded on
T 2U: a big dang game
Alise: it is what the world is founded on....
Alise: power is a drug
Alise: and even the noblest of (wo)men will sell their baby's diapers for it.... lol (like a crackhead)
Alise: but some are functioning addicts and can make a difference
T 2U: and all we can do is either play the game or shut the f up
T 2U: and survive
T 2U: or plan a revolution
Alise: word.life.

Everybody feel a way about K....

Better than a "Why lie? I need a drink."sign

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday (more like rambling, but whateva...) about my need for attention. Also a pal of mine wrote a blog about her similar need for attention... Tiha was gone yesterday on her lovely 'gubment' holiday... so in honor of my 'hateration' I am posting a convo with my buddy ol' pal Luvvie instead of her, go check her blog, she likes attention too, AND I am guest blogger at SOME point today *eye roll*....


me: i have a new blog follower and that makes me happy, lol
luvvie20: YAYYYY!!!
me: why do the things i write with the most passion and fervor are the ones no one pays attention to?
that rings true with my perfomances as well
luvvie20: really??
me: girl yes
luvvie20: weird
me: el too, we were talking a while back about our favorite pieces and how they get the most lukewarm response
it even translates to the working world sometimes
like the projects i work the hardest on and actually feel a connection to go unnoticed
it can be discouraging sometimes
we are all human and on some level want recognition, pat on the back, or some shit, or even for someone to say it sucks
bc even if they say it sucks aat least they took notice and feel something
as kanye said "Everybody feel a way about K, but at least y'all feel something" *
luvvie20: yup!
me: dang, thats a blog
and dang, a poem is a-brewin

attention haiku:
Someone look at me
I am easy on the eyes
Please behold my sight**

*

**please?

The Audacity of Pride.....

*A nice friendly debate*

Okay, keep in mind that I'm an artist, so I'm sensitive about my shit.... word to Badu. But anything NOT related to my art/craft/general dopeness I am not very sensitive about. For example, if we are debatumenting (argument that is disguised by the term debate) about something I will get all rowdy with you and argue it to the death, but after the fact I will love you just the same, and we can go grab some coffee*. If my manager criticizes me at work, I grumble for a few, but get over that, correct the problem, and go grab a latte*. I can even back down from the most important argument in the world ... wait for it, wait for it... 2Pac vs. Biggie... you say 2Pac, I crush you in the argument, and then we go grab a Frappuchino*. See how that all works. BUT, let some ninjas talk about politics and all Hades is let loose. No makeups, no coffee, just angst. That is why I generally do not like to talk about politics, for one I don't know a whole heap about it except for the Civics class basics, the basic political/economic current events, and my trusty opinion. Yet,when I was trying to be happy about our fantabulous greatacular non-White president elect (since people want to question his blackness *eye roll*), I got to feeling some kinda way about the reaction of some folks. This was not because he was being criticized, but my whole mood was killed and pride questioned. Couldn't they wait to criticize the man (or my pride) after a full week? At least then we could have debated and then went out for espresso shots afterwards, but instead I have to sit and have you think, "She sure has some audacity to be proud" ... womp.....

* i like coffee

When keeping it philosophical goes wrong....

"Zenemies"

I think being intellectual is great. I think philosophizing about the ways of the world is just as wonderful, we come up with some really great conclusions that way. However, I think that being smart and highly intelligent, like power, comes with great responsibility. If you find yourself to be one of the few intellectuals, a true intellectual, then you already know that you are quite capable of over analyzing everything and sucking the fun out of a Saturday night. Everyone knows how smart you are, you’ve left a trail of dissertation length emails, blogs, and discussion replies to back up your intelligence. And I give kudos to those who can express their thoughts like a Charles Dickens novel. Now I’m going to snatch the kudos away. I have a real problem with the intellectual over analytic types who are real good at pointing out problems and ramifications without offering up solutions. Because lets just keep it real, a 3 year old can point out a problem. That part of philosophy isn’t rocket science, but it takes real intelligence, real analysis to come up with proactive solutions to these problems. This is where intelligence meets cynicism and produces inactive wastes of space. I don’t want to hear about how shitty the world is, in a 3 page discussion or a 20 minute conversation unless you plan on interjecting some solutions somewhere in all that wordy lukewarm air. I can ramble on and on for pages as well, I went to school too, wrote tons of papers and birthed a thesis. I’m real good at stretching out content to take up space. But I also know that the average person’s attention span isn’t long enough to absorb all of my genius at that length. Even this blog is getting a tad bit long. So let me wrap this up.

The definition of philosophy: the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, esp. with a view to improving or reconstituting them: the philosophy of science.

I’m going to need you long winded, wordy, negative, cynical, wanting to call yourselves intellects to adhere to what philosophizing really is, or just admit that you are NOT an intellect and sit at the back of the conversation with the rest of the onlookers, because in my revolution, you will not be invited to join. How do you feel about the intellectual posers, what defines a poser to you?

alise pokes her head in at her own risk:

I felt this poem i wrote a while back fit in with the whole general idea of tiha's post, and also i am waxing poetic today....:

If by revolutionary you mean talking in circles
....and circumventing responsibility, then by all means you are the spokesperson......
I ain't buying the fight the power act.....

love, life, and loss.....
that's what causes a creative commotion in my cranium
when pain permeates my person and pummels and pounds my peace
it is the real revolutions, revelations, and resolutions that relieve my worries, weary, and woes
... but hey that's just me

Cube Affirmations

2Pac said ,"Keep Ya Head Up", Barack says, "Yes We Can", my mama says, "Girl, get out my face and go do something" (not kidding), and my late great granny said "You can do anything you want to , baby" (the country drawl made it so cute), and Simon says , "Take 2 steps forward", so what do we say to keep us going and inspired?

Jadakiss feat. Eve & Style P,"We Gon' Make It"

[ramble] *at Tiha's request 3 of them must be "Yes We Can", she is special, but special people need love too. And you can probably tell which ones are my affirmations because I am silly and don't know how to really be any other way, nor do I want to.... [/ramble]

Cube Affirmations
1. Achievement is not an option.
2.Yes we can!
3. The cube is temporary, soon my office will be a fabuous sphere..... the world.
4. Murder is illegal, so I must get out of Corporate America, because a jail cell is the worst kind of cube.
5.Yes we can !
6. The results of every decision acts as a compass to guide our next decisions, so learn (from your achievements and mistakes), build(a new plan), and do(it).
7. Look back long enough to change lanes as you move forward.
8.Si se puede !
9. There is not shame in humble beginnings, just closed minds (be open to expand, but true to self to stay real).
10. My president is black, there is nothing I can't do!

What are some of your affirmations, work or otherwise?

Take Me Back

*Take me back pleeeeeeeeeeease, I promise I'll stop fooling with these crazy nuts in the cube...*

Just like foolish exes, extra pounds, and old school mixes, my passions always take me back. This meaning: no matter how much I neglect doing the things I really love, I can always jump back in and get it proverbially "on & poppin'". It seems when I get back into the art scene or to writing everything just falls into place. It always feels right, so why do I run away? The answer is that fear we talked about on Monday and I already told you I am putting fear in a headlock ASAP. Sorry if I am beating the topic of fear to death, but the longer I say it the realer it becomes to me, kind of my Cubicle Crusader affirmations, can't hurt..... (Hmmmm, maybe I can write some cube affirmations... note to self...)
Enjoy the conversation and poem below:

Alise: i wanna write a blog, but i don't know what to write about
Alise: aha, by george i think i have something
Alise: ....****scurries off to the lab****
T 2U: what flavor is the bread crumb my little squirrel friend?
Alise: i found a poem i wrote
Alise: i'll send it to you, maybe you can add to it green squirrel

I love you poetry, but I have a confession:
I have neglected you, and you deserve more
I got caught up.
You know me and Corporate America started off as friends,
But we started spending more and more time together
And one thing led to another, ya know how that goes.
And poetry you were so kind to me,
Even your family spoken word and freestyle brought me into the circle.
Treated me like I was fam.
And what did I do to repay you?
I ducked your calls and visits
Ignored your pleas for me to come back
But now I've learned a valuable lesson.... balance......
I am sorry.... will you take me back?

T 2U: so what is the blog idea?
Alise: like i am the prodigal son to my passions..... you kinda slow today...

What's up with that?

*What's up with that?*

What’s up with white folks in the rural South?
What’s up with white folks in my office who haven’t uttered 2 words to me today (of all the ones that actually showed up)?
What’s up with white folks who I’ve hardly ever talked to doing the cupid shuffle and giving high fives? (not a bad thing)
What’s up with the fact that I can't stick to the memo “what not to do on Nov 5th”
What’s up with the long ass line at the AJC to get a historical paper because they’ve sold out everywhere else? (scrap booking bout to make a comeback, so is the printed on paper word)
alise pops her head in:
What's up with the Schleprock individual that wouldn't let me just enjoy the victory without filling my head about all the negative crap, can I live???!!!
Mine is the opposite of Tiha's, the white folk here in Cubeville, NC are eerily quiet, it is creeping me out, what up with that?
What's up with some of my most jaded *cough Tiha cough* friends so super "un-jaded" today? (so not mad at that)

In My Lifetime

My voice is still hoarse from screaming at the top of my lungs, overwhelmed by emotion from something I thought that never would be, but always hoped ever could be. I’m still about speechless over what has happened. I never thought I’d see it in my lifetime. So on that note, I’m taking it back with a little something something from my boy Jigga, when he talks about what he’d hoped to accomplish in his lifetime. The time has passed when we looked to the future and count all the things we’d never see. The time is now to think about all the things we will achieve…in my lifetime…

Jay-Z, "In My Lifetime"

Alise here: On the topic of Jigga and my joy, all I gotta say is "Can I Live???!!!!" YES I CAN!!!... that is all.....

nervous.....

....about the outcome of this election, but that's fear creeping back in and we already talked about that yesterday. so, yes we can.

*alise's president*

Fear II (on a lighter note)

Since we’re talking about fear, let’s keep this ball rolling. With Halloween having been celebrated this past Friday, we all got to dress up and be something out of the ordinary, something different. For some of us we may have gotten the chance to be who we really are. For example, my partner got to wear her horns to work, she revealed her true self as a devil. I got to prance around the A as a sexy hex throwing witch.

Sometimes we fear the darker sides of our characters, we want people to like us and so we try to present the best, nicest, friendliest front that we can muster. It’s easier for some than others. Halloween lets us dig a little deeper and let our inner evil show, at least that what I use it for.

If we could dress up everyday as our true darker selves, what would we be? I gotta admit, I didn’t step too far outside of my norm being a witch this Halloween…I think I liked it a little too much…

if I were you, I'd fear this too...

fear

picture from http://www.gapingvoid.com/

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. ~Henry Ford

fear, [feer], noun: alise's greatest obstacle

i have many fears. lions, tigers, bears, loving you, capital letters & failure to name just a few. i have lots of dreams and desires that have not been fulfilled because of the "man" fear of falling flat on my face. this fear has affected my career life immensely. it causes me to only take baby steps instead of leaping out on faith and trusting my talent. so that leads me to take the expected or conventional path ALWAYS. i know i can do office work, be a manager, and be a robot part of corporate america. it is my safe zone, that's what i do, and for a while that worked and i was content with that. yet now i am not content with being.... ummmmm, welllll , .... content. i want to be happy doing what i want, even if that means i have to sacrifice my lifestyle or "disappoint" my mama and 'nem people who think they have my best interests at heart. my best interest though, is to push past content and live "My Life" and "Be Happy", I "Gotta Believe" in me , because right now i feel like "I'm Going Down" and "No One Else" can do this for me but me. word to mary. so in the next few months i am going to be whooping fear's ass making some big life/work changes, decisions, and steps regardless of my fear. some of the things i want to (and will) do over the next few months may make you think i am crazy, drunk, or high, but really i am just intoxicated by possibility, and who can really be mad at that? people that suck ........

picture from http://www.gapingvoid.com