Felt Good To Be Home
I just got back from Huntsville, Alabama.
And I’ve noticed that lately, every time I go there, I’m acutally glad to be there.
Well aside from the fact that I went out to the club on Saturday night and if that was the normal club scene I’d have to kill myself if I lived there.
Either that or become a Buddhist.
I also realized that it’s entirely possible to walk out the house with some turqoise boxer briefs and a tie wrapped around your head with some Birkenstocks on and be completely over dressed for the club. I’m not saying that was me, but I really could have got into this club with a “dress code” dressed like Jesus.
With the halo.
Of course, at least I’m down South so the women look good, but nothing quite annoys me more than niggas trying to hit on two of my sisters with me sitting there telling me they don’t want no trouble cuz they’re on “papers.”
When they’re like 6′5″ and 280 pounds.
Which I am not. Just feels patronizing, ya know? I mean I have feelings. Almost felt like a challenge.
Hmm, to take it even further. I never have to drink to have a good time. For the first time, I had to drink to have a good time. A lot. Fortunately for me, my sisters are a riot.
Slight caveat, when I say sisters up there, I’m speaking of one actual sister of mine and one adopted sister, sort of. But the weird thing is, if it wasn’t for the law, neither would be related to me at all. Seriously, they could do a study on my family and it would take years to break down how I happen to have a brother and 6 sisters and only one of them is blood.
But we’re family like the Jacksons.
Either way, I have come to appreciate being in Huntsville. I’ve realized that I love open space a whole lot. And greenspace. I like peace and quiet at night and the ability to drive out of the city into just open roads and quiet and crickets and dark roads and stuff. Backroads and the like. I’ve always wanted to buy a house in the city and a house out in the sticks where not too many people could find me.
I like the country a lot as well. I like walking around barefoot without worrying about catching HIV from the sidewalk.
Though I’ll never live in Huntsville for long periods of time, I might buy me a house or something there. Kind of my getaway for when I move back to Atlanta.
Oh, and by the way, there is like zero depth whatever to anything I’m writing today. I’m just sharing because sharing is caring.
But the real reason I wanted to write this post is because I need to do a formal congratulations to one of my boys, The Great. I think I will now have to change his name from The Great, to The Doc. My boy, at age 27, has received his Ph.D. in Biology and Biomedical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
That’s Georgia Tech for those that just don’t know.
I’m so proud of that dude I don’t even know what to do with myself. Luckily we’ll be in Miami this weekend at a friends wedding so we can kick of the festivities something proper. Then again in August in the A.
To my boy, who occasionally reads here, congratulations. You know, I need to say this here, and forgive me if it sounds a little gloatish, but I’m really proud of my group of friends. I don’t know if it’s just luck or what have you, but I got a group of friends from Morehouse that all managed to graduate in 4 years, together, which at Morehouse is an accomplishment worthy of an award.
All of us have managed to get some type of advanced degree in some random field. We’ve got lawyers, educators, economists, policy analysts, scientists.
And we all can get as ignant as the next man.
And I appreciate that.
I think I shall change our motto to, “we do big shit.”
Anyway, to my boy, The Artists Now Known as The Doc and formerly known as The Great, the first Ph.D. in the group, good damn job homeboy.
Good damn job.
June 27th, 2006 12:08
What the deal homeboi! glad you had a good time back in the ‘ville (note: b/c i’m a local, i can use the such phrases affectionately). What club did you go to? Sheeit, I dont even remember any clubs back home. LOL oh yeah, congrats are definitely in order for “secord born” with the wits second to none. yessuh, i know some big time folks…
June 27th, 2006 12:10
i know that typos happen to good people, but how in the hell does a nigga manage to misspell “second”?!!? “r” ain’t nowhere near “n”!!!!
June 27th, 2006 12:27
JK…dude, we went to some spot called Clem’s. And I actually have no clue where we were. I’m thinking off of Mastin Lake somehwere near A&M. The only good thing about it?
All drinks were like 5 or 6 bucks.
The only other club I know of is The Green Room and niggas where Dickies and Reeboks in there.
June 27th, 2006 21:56
I don’t know your boy, but tell him that I am proud of him, too! You go, boy!
June 28th, 2006 02:09
Been reading your blog for a while. I am am friend of Calvin’s…It is funny that you mention Huntsville…I was born and raised there and can not stand to go there…I have a 48 hour max on my time there…When I go to visit it seems like it is all the same yet a lot has changed.
June 28th, 2006 02:11
Oh yeah did you go to high school in Huntsville? If so which one?
June 28th, 2006 07:41
“I don’t know if it’s just luck or what have you, but I got a group of friends from Morehouse that all managed to graduate in 4 years…All of us have managed to get some type of advanced degree in some random field…”
Awesome…but it wasn’t luck, don’t shortchange yourself. Yall are just doing do the damn thing!
T
June 28th, 2006 09:34
“I’m just sharing because sharing is caring.”
What a sweet Care Bear’s moment.
It’s wonderful what your group has accomplished.
June 28th, 2006 09:59
@1.Kool.Kat: Will do. Much congrats are definitely in order.
@Konscience: I used to have a max on my time there. And my ability to enjoy myself could stem from the fact that I’m really never there for more than 2 days at most. My fun probably had less to do with the actual city and more to do with my family. My family is big enough where we can just have a BBQ and be done for the day.
A lot has changed too. My sister told me they shut down the Gap at Madison Square Mall (which is like my sole requirement for a mall to be a mall) and are opening up a town center style area behind the Target are in Research Park.
Shit, I remember when Madison Square used to be the spot and now…folks go down South Parkway???? Oh how things have changed.
I went to HS in Madison at Bob Jones.
And no cracks about the name of my high school for any of you out of towners!
@T: You’re right, it wasn’t luck that we do big shit. But I will say that I do feel lucky to have the friends that I do. You’re friends can be your biggest motivators or your biggest reason for fucking up. I’m glad I’m on the upside of that equation.
@Jali: Thanks.
@Johnny Kwest: I just read your comment:
“i know some big time folks…”
Like your ass ain’t one of the most big time of us nigga!
Speaking of which, a lot of niggas with K’s all on these comments. Either you all just saw Sesame Street and the Count was focused on “K” or there are a whole slew of Kappas ’round here.
June 28th, 2006 10:08
Word Bob Jones…No Comment…not that I can talk. I went to Johnson
Madison Square Mall was the place to be though. Especially on Friday & Saturday nights.LOL
Oh and I am mad that you even attempted to go to a club in Huntsville for some entertainment…I think you were setting yourself up for failure on that one.
June 28th, 2006 10:27
Johnson was where all the cool kids went! LOL. Lee was where the fine chicks were. Hell, we probably know a lot of common people.
And, you know…good point about trying to find entertainment in Huntsville, but sometimes you got to make it happen on your own. Usually its esay for me since I roll with my sisters everywhere and they’re kind of live wire ass folks who know damn near everybody. So it works out alright…
…and if not, there’s always liquor.
June 28th, 2006 10:54
Yeah we were pretty cool over at Johnson but that is about all it had going on…LOL Lee did have some fine females….Don’t sleep on Butler though they had some sleepers. What year did you graduate? I graduated in 98′
Liquor can usually make up for the boredom I guess that is why I started drinking at 16…Huntsville drove me to it..LOL
June 28th, 2006 12:19
@Kon: I came out in 97. And I think a lot of folks I know did some of their best drinking in high school…could be all Huntsville’s fault.
Huntsville and Jim Jones.
June 29th, 2006 09:23
“Either you all just saw Sesame Street and the Count was focused on “K”…” BWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHh………………..
Whew, that killed me. I dunno why. Many congrats to your friend, the Tech grad. I love it when my friends do well, too!
June 30th, 2006 19:46
Awwww… have you told The Doc that I love him yet!!??? He IS the greatest!!! =) I am sooooo mad that you will be in the A on my birthday!!! You keep coming here when I go out of TOWN DAMMIT!!!!