Ain't Love Grand? Not...

So this effectively will be my last post for the month of March, and I think I've set a record for postings in one month, so to all the blogger friends and folks who've inspired me to step my posting game up, I thank you. I'm actually even more excited to have my own little journalism/real talk blog now more than when I started it on January 3, 2005. I've made some friends through this here thing and even got to do some networking, so hopefully you guys will continue to be faithful readers as long as I keep posting.

With that said, it's time to get serious for a change. I notice a lot of recent blogs and things have to deal with relationships, gender wars, and things of that nature, and my only post of substance was my critque of the middle aged white woman who has a thing for brothers (http://thepostgameshow.blogspot.com/2005/12/white-women-and-black-men-they-love.html).

These are observations I've made, right or wrong, but I've got to be true to myself on how I feel about this. I've gone through some foolishness in my time, so I'm just going to give my thoughts on it all, and any comments, good, bad, or indifferent, will be appreciated. So here goes.

I'm a misogynist.

At least that's what I've been called the past few months, and truthfully, it's aggravating. Why is it that women can bash men ad nauseum, and be looked at as "oh, that's just women being women," yet when I speak my heart about how I've been treated by females and how screwed up it is, the dreaded M word is thrown around like nobody's business? I'll tell you why...

Men aren't supposed to have feelings.

If a woman lies to/plays/dogs a man, he's supposed to hop back up and say "Oh well, plenty of women out there." That's not the case with someone like me. Mainly because females are content to chase men they can't have, men that aren't doing shit (legitimately, anyway), and men that just bone women for sport. It doesn't help that this is a looks-dominated and looks-obsessed society, and that if a dude isn't at least 6 feet tall, frail looking or muscle bound (there is no in between), and makes X amount of dollars, he's S.O.L. That of course is where Chris Stevens the bitter, female-bashing, sex-minded misogynist was born in some minds, but that just goes to show that some people aren't exactly playing with a full deck.

Most of the good women are taken.

And that's no shade being thrown at the men that are lucky enough to have a good woman; I give you guys props, and hopefully you know what you have. But it's really unfortunate that all of the women who aren't immature, selfish, superficial and shallow are already someone's girlfriend or wife. That makes it harder for someone like me, who already has problems dating, to find a woman who can be a friend, a lover, a confidant, someone who won't judge based on outward appearances.

And I know some people will say, "looks like you need to step your game up." NEWSFLASH: I have none. I'm just an average (or below-average depending on how you talk to) looking guy who's about to enter a job field that I absolutely love. I'm not big-ballin' nor shot-callin'. I'm just Chris. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be good enough.

Men and women can't just be friends.

Platonical Friendships are code for "bullshit," and that's what I call everytime I think about the female "friends" that I have who come to me with their man problems, yet could give less than a damn about my issues with women. Well, not all are like that, but the majority are. I really don't believe men and women can't be friends because of the nonsense I've experienced.

Women will tell me that they're not looking for anything except friendship, yet they end up messing around with some other dude who "just happened to come along at the right time." Yeah. Right. Apparently somewhere between age 16 and now I lost a gang of brain cells and my female buddies think that excuse will fly with me. I'm a person who was raised in a family of brutally honest people; they had no problem telling you the real deal, the bottom line. So how long does it take to say to me "Not if you were the last man on Earth, Chris"? Four seconds, Seven tops.

So that's what I've learned so far. My perception of this whole gender/relationship deal may be simply warped to some, outlandish, disrespectful and ignorant to a few, but I had to get this off my chest before I went competely insane. Although it's hard to believe I'm not there yet.

I Know All About That...

Well with about five weeks left in the semester, I'm glad this rat race is almost over, but I do need to take a summer course or two, so I'll still be in Dover hopefully freelancing around town and picking up these extra credits to make my final fall semester at DSU easier. Hard to believe that my college experience is winding down, and it'll be time for me to join the real world and the ranks of the gainfully employed in journalism.

Even though Delaware State University hasn't been the nicest experience, I'm thankful to God for the opportunities that I have had at this school. Who's to say I would be sports editor at any other school? Well, I am that damn good as a sports writer, but EVERYBODY at other schools can write. So even though this place (and the chicks that are inhabitants of said place) make me sick, I'm still grateful for the opportunity I was given.

On to other notes of randomness, I'm starting to embrace my musical wanderlust. I've been one of many folks bitching that 50 Cent isn't hip-hop, but I find myself singing along(???) with the "Best Friend" joint. Well as long as 50 keeps making pop records, folks can cross that line of hating 50 trying to rap, but digging on his R&B cuts.

I also am deep into Shakira's new song with Wyclef Jean, "Hips Don't Lie." That little ditty is my jam this morning, I have it on repeat, probably because I just saw the video, and well...damn. They say if you can dance you can (fill in the blank). I'm willing to bet my next paycheck her man is happy with her. Good God Almighty. I haven't seen hips move like that since...never. I think I like her name also. Shakira is a sista's name, through and through. Black women with names that are creative and pretty (not ghastly) always find a way to win my heart. Even though this Shakira is Colombian, she might eventually earn honorary sista status like Tom Joyner bestowed upon Lady T, Teena Marie.

Funny stuff coming out of the newspaper office. Two issues ago, Ghostwriter put something in 20 Questions about my roommate, and his girlfriend, j.o., whatever, wrote an angry e-mail to our account, and when my EIC read it over the phone Thursday afternoon, it was all I could do not to laugh my natural-black ass off. She accused Ghostwriter of putting people down, hiding in the dark, etc. It was hilarious. Ahh well, she'll get over it.

Hard to believe it's been close to 18 months since I first got my car, and Champ is still running strong *please allow a brief intermission so that I may knock on wood*

This car has been a great thing for me to have, because it's definitely made me more responsible, more attentive on the road and in general, and again, there is nothing, AND THE ROCK MEANS NOTHING, better than being able to come and go as you please without relying on someone else to get there.

As far the NCAAs go, my brackets are shot to hell, and there's no use in me even stunting like my Final Four is still standing. Well three teams are, but Duke lost last night, and even though that murdered any chance I had of climbing out of the basement in my pool, it still did my heart good to see J.J. Redneck...I mean Redick shed tears as he played his last game at Duke, and he sucked.

Lastly, this T.I. joint is my new cruise anthem. Whenever this song is on in the car, I get an extra notch of swagger, a nice lil ice grill, and poppin my collar on whatever shirt I happen to be wearing. It's strange how music can make you feel at your best and help you remember whatever good times you had that are in the past. Now what you know about that?!

"You Big Dummy" and Sight Given To the Blind: A typical Chris weekend

I was scared as hell driving up Highway 13 Saturday morning. Cars that normally were in plain view all of a sudden became blurred dots whizzing by me, one of the rare times I can remember folks passing me in disgust with my speed. I was reduced to a senior citizen driver because my jacked up eyewear had finally given me the boot. Legally not allowed to drive without glasses, I was trying to get home to Wilmington to see about a temporary pair of glasses at this place on Market Street Mall called "Specs For less," where you could get eyeglasses at a third of the price and in less time than if you were to go to the optometrist.

Not that there's anything wrong with my optometrist. Black women age gracefully, as is the case with my eye doctor. She's gotta be in her mid 40s, but too fine for words. As the old saying goes, "Good Black don't crack." But a trip to her office would have to wait. I was greeted at the door by a petite, brunette white chick, who asked how could I be helped. I pulled out a destroyed frame, a cracked left lens, and said simply "I need help." To recap, my glasses between October and Friday went from working order to dead on arrival. In November one corner of the frame broke. In January, while leaving Howard University's Burr Gymnasium, the wind outside blew the left lens off and it cracked on the pavement. Finally, after trying to hold everything in place, the frame cracked althogether on Friday, and that's how I ended up at Specs for Less.

They were able to detect the prespcription through the lenses, I picked out a sensible frame and the girl told me they'd be ready in two hours. When I came back and put those glasses on, I felt free as a bird. No more embarrassing moments of holding my glasses together while taking notes in class, nor the lens falling out while I'm driving. I was at 20/20 vision again and it felt so good.

The other part of my weekend has been spent checking out the Sanford & Son Marathon on TVLand, and it was indeed time well-spent.

If anybody knows their TV, they know that Sanford & Son was about the irrascible old junkman, Fred G. Sanford (Redd Foxx) and his indifferent son, Lamont (Demond Wilson). Aside from Fred's disses toward his sister-in-law Esther (LaWanda Page), calling Lamont a "dummy," and threatening to "give you five of these," The greatest thing about that show was the theme song, which was written, produced, and performed by the great Quincy Jones. When I hear that music, it definitely makes me feel better about whatever may be going on in my life, and laughing at Fred, Lamont, Esther, Grady, et al, makes me forget my troubles altogether. One of the greatest shows ever to be put on television (hint: I'll be 25 in September, anyone who can get the six seasons on DVD for my birthday will forever be a friend.)

It's the Ten Chris Commandments, Wha?!

LOL, well not commandments, but an interesting list Sherlon Christie composed today, so I borrowed it to do my own little countdown.

10 Favorites
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Food: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Favorite Singer: Stevie Wonder
Favorite Song: Higher Ground, Stevie Wonder
Favorite Movie: Friday
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Favorite Season: Winter
Favorite Day Of the Week: Friday
Favorite Position: Well damn, isn't this just peachy? Ummmm... I'll go with Missionary

9 Currents
Current Taste: No more food for me today...can't wait until cheesesteak Friday, yum.
Current Clothes: Charcoal Gray Reebok Sweatpants, Light Gray Reebook football shirt
Current Desktop Picture: A 1979 Ford LTD II (Don't Ask)
Current Location: bedroom
Current Time: 7:51 p.m.
Current Crush: First Name: None Last Name: None
Current Thought: I'll be glad when this week is over
Current Enemy: Roommate, but that's common knowledge
Current procrastination: Homework assignment for Global Societies

8 Firsts
First Best Friend: Carl
First Kiss: Same day something else special happened for the first time
First Screen Name: Chris80102
First Time: Definitely will keep that under wraps until a later date
First Yearbook caption: never had one
First Crush: Cherrita Robbins
First Music You Remember Hearing: Would have to be Superstar by Luther Vandross, my mother wore that song out.
First Car: Used: '94 Mitsubishi Diamante (Champ, what up!) New: None as of yet

7 Lasts
Last Cigarette: Don't smoke
Last Drink Alcoholic drink: Don't Drink
Last Car Ride: This afternoon
Last Kiss: October
Last Movie Seen: Friday (on VHS of course)
Last Phone Call: From Moms
Last CD Played: Kanye, College Dropout

6 Have You Evers
Have You Ever Made Love to One Of Your Female Friends: I wish
Have You Ever Been Arrested: Nope
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: No
Have You Ever Been on TV: No
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: nah...well wait, considering my random history, yes.

5 Things
5 Things You've Done Today: Went to class, Went to tutor at the writing center, confirmed an interview for a class, and wrote my DSU NIT story (HORNETS!)
5 Things You Can Hear Right Now: whatever my annonying roommate is watching in the next room, me typing, the wind blowing, somebody outside talking, and Sex Machine by James Brown (GIT UP! GIT ON UP!)
5 Things You Do When You're Bored: Listen to music, watch Friday, go for a drive, dance in my room, or take a walk.

4 Places
4 Places you want to visit: Jamaica, Virgin Islands, Africa, and Houston, TX (not sure why)

3 People
3 People You Can Tell Anything To: Mom, Darius, and my journal.

2 Choices...
A) Black or White: Black
B) Hot or Cold: Cold

1 Thing
1 Thing You Want to Do Before you die: Be happy. That's all I ask for daily.

The Morning After, or "0-for-2 is bad"

After all my trash talk to the Hampton bloggers, after all my fired up energy for what promised to be the biggest day in the history of Delaware State University athletics, it ended disappointingly as both the men's and women's basketball team dropped the MEAC title games yesterday to Hampton and Coppin State respectively.

Yeah, we lost. It's disappointing on several accounts because the rise of DSU athletics, which has been sort of a like a mid-pack program in the MEAC for at least the last 15-18 years, has been well documented, and two championships in one of the two major revenue sports (football being the other) would have looked good for State on so many levels. Alas, it was not to be.

The men's game I watched at my sister's house because she had DirecTV (thanks alot ESPN for taking our game off basic cable; you're real geniuses for that), and the Hornets lead 21-17, then the starters sat, as did the intensity. Hampton took the lead into the locker room after Roderick Coleman picked off an errant Alain Walker pass (why Walker was in the game for DSU is beyond me), and layed it up off the glass for a 23-21 advantage that would swell to as many as 16 in the second half. The Hornets fought back to get within as little as two points behind Tracey Worley, Darrin Shine, and Troy Roundtree, not to mention timely baskets by Joe Dickens and Elyon Bush, but they ran out of time, and the Pirates earned their trip to The Big Dance.

I won't take away from what HiU did by blaming our players. Hampton had to win four games in four nights to win the championship, and the last three came against some pretty good teams (Bethune-Cookman, their Seven Cities Rival Norfolk State, and of course DSU). Watching that game last night, there was a different level of intensity the Pirates had from last year's game. They hustled, they rebounded, they actually used the post game this year. The bottom line; they didn't take us for granted this year. We snuck up on the MEAC last year, and this year folks knew what we were going to do, and Hampton was the only team to stop it when it mattered. Congrats to the Pirates, and rep the MEAC well in the NCAA tournament.

As for the Hornets, we will have to settle for an NIT bid, hopefully a home game, but they'll have a full seven months before '06-'07 practice starts to think about the one that got away. But with MEAC player of the year Jahsha Bluntt, Darrin Shine, Troy Roundtree, Aaron Fleetwood, and Joe Dickens being seniors next year, the Hornets have another shot at the MEAC crown. So not all is lost. Well, it is for this year.

Ignorant times at School Daze U...

Well, I figure since I'm going to be away from this computer for a good part of the day, I may as well rant about the situation I alluded to in my previous post while I have time. Now follow me closely because letters will be used to protect the innocent and the ignorant.

There's a kid at DSU, we'll call him Z. Z is a geniunely nice guy, always speaks to people, very very nice kid. He's also a little slow mentally, and clingy with members of the opposite sex. That would explainable because he lost his mom and feels the loss. I believe we all would. However, some folks like to advantage of Z's generosity and kind heart, like Smut Bucket L. The girl came to school a virgin, but within her brief time at Del State, the girl has seen more penis than the urinals here.

At homecoming time, Smut Bucket L gave Z a sob story about how she wouldn't be able to attend the homecoming concert because she didn't have any money (She could've got money for it by standing on the corner, hell she spreads em for free anyway). Poor Z did the kindhearted, and some would argue stupid, thing and paid for tickets for her and her friends (females), and Smut Bucket L said she would pay him back. This was in October, and well, you know what month we're in now.

This leads to Z getting a rep of "saving hoes" especially from one of his so-called friends, K. K is a dude on campus who has a talent for music, real cool guy or so I thought. That was until he pulled Z on the campus radio station and asked him a bunch of questions that Z didn't know how to defend himself on. Really personal stuff. A lot of people called the radio station outraged that K would take advantange of Z's naivete just for people to listen to his show. It got real heated real fast, my boss even went down to the station to have a word with K.

So now Z has people sympathizing with his plight, but he doesn't feel sorry for himself, which I think is cool. He's just naive about how people are. I've tried to tell him that females at DSU ain't squat, but of course I'm bitter. And he'll always say "I'm gonna teach you how to respect women," not to mention his sincere argument about Smut Bucket L not being, well, a smut bucket. The level of exasperation in his voice is funny, but sad. I just wish he would see that not everybody is your friend, and not every woman is a queen.

So my ranting about this was just to get it off my chest, because I really feel it's messed up that people prey upon weaker folks with such a fervor. Z contributes articles (GOOD ONES, even) to my sports page, and he's nuts about sports like me, so we have a lot in common, and I kinda relate to him. The difference is I got smarter about people, but less caring. I just want him to be hip to the game, but still be the same old Z. I think he can. And it'll be great to see.

What was that saying about the Lion and the Lamb?

Well lo and behold, it's already the month of March, mid-term grades are in, and I can see the magic number in my sights. That number would be 124 credits, making me a graduate of Delaware State University. Don't get it twisted, the graduation part is the only thing I care about. I'll be done in December if this semester goes like it's been going, so I guess that job hunt and the NABJ convention in Indianapolis are of more importance than anything else in my life right now. This here entry will serve to update you guys on everything that's happened since I last had an entry of some substance (thanks to the anonymous commenter for pointing that out).

My roommate situation is even worse than ever. Probably because he's a (insert slang term for a woman's vagina here). Ah well, when you get kicked off the team for your grades, I guess being a dummy would make you a little on edge. Am I wrong for getting some sick satisfaction out of the fact that the men's basketball team may be going back to the NCAA tournament again this year and he will not a part of it? I don't think so, ah-ha!

There's a situation that's bothering me currently at my school among my peers that I want to rant about, but I don't want to make it worse for the poor person who's been taken advantage of. What do you guys think? If you want more info on the situation comment, and I'll decide whether to blog about it or not.

And now, a brief poem:

Women and lies go hand in hand
Won't talk a dude unless he makes more than 100 grand
Some lie about being loose as hell
Then get mad when men talk to them for just...well...
Women are superficial and shallow as the day is long
But yet upon reading this, people will call me wrong...

Barry Bonds in drag is the funniest thing I've seen in 2006 so far. This muscle-bound (steroids or not) man with a strawberry blonde wig, prosthetic boobs and and softer voice than normal has made San Francisco Giants camp a hoot, which might be the thing they need to win the NL West this year. I'm sure Paula Abdul doesn't think it's funny though.



Could Simon and Randy prefer 708 home runs over a late 80s pop hottie? You be the judge.

(Photos Courtesy of the Associated Press and Wikipedia)