Its KEY

Posts Tagged ‘book’

Recap and Dap

In Communication, education, encouragement, Griot, Music, Networking, News, Self Improvement, Video on May 2, 2022 at 5:05 am
Photo by Edgar Moran on Unsplash

I spent the weekend in a high-rise over looking Times Square,
Goodness and Inspiration met me there.

It was in the air and the air was thick.
When life feels mundane, an hiatus is my schtick.

And I’ve been schtick’ing it out for a while now.
I travel by car, train, and plane to glimpse at the cat’s meow.

The cat’s meow can be seen in the mountains that naturally grow high
the meow is also mirrored in elevated dwellings in architectural rise.

As can be seen looking up at the 5th Avenue skies…
A meow reached out and invited me to come nigh.

The passion and animation in his eyes could not be bridled.
So, I answered his call and sat for a spell; excitedly idle.

This particular “meow” is a cat himself.
When it comes to composing art, he is one fo the best.

And I don’t just mean when he puts colored substances onto canvas,
He’s an artist of life in search of the erroneous and great answers.

In this installment of KEY Recap and Dap things got pretty live,
as I entered the scene of Harlem and networked with FAB5.

If you have read any of my content over the last 15-years then you’d recall just how steady —
I have been learning the most from the legendary yolk of Sire Fab Five Freddy.

Sitting across from Fab and listening to his productive schedule and awe inspiring masterful life I was bursting at the seams to ask, “So, you’re writing a book?” The question came out of nowhere, and to my surprise he said, “Yes, I am working on a book.” My eyes grew wide as I am an avid reader and informative-seeder, then he said, “Would you like to read a draft excerpt?”

Fab hands me less than 10 pages and they spanned the ages of his formative years, between the ages of say 3 to 10-years old, maybe. There was no fat in this composition. Each recollection left me wiser and more intrigued about the legend whose looking 30 and sporting a platinum dye. He is adamant about not being labeled an Historian as a lot of respect goes into earning that title, but Fab is a living culmination of American History. He recalled the social tenement of the day when both Malcolm X and MLK were assassinated. The first decade of his life is American History insightful and page turning. Fab was born in 1960.

There’s so much more to NYC than Fab5Freddy, though running into him shaped the highlights of my hiatus. After all, it takes a tall legend to surpass the sky scrapers that surrounded my hotel suite imposing inspiration upon me. Hiatus’ exists for R&R and while I did no work and enjoyed people watching for hours on end (views that feed into script character compositions), it was the FAB HOUR that conveyed me the most power. Learning that his first art gallery exhibition was in Rome when he was 19 is still mind blowing. Who does that and how?

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Staring Fab in the face in his domicile space, my wig was blown.
I was married at 19. At 19, Fab was showcasing his art in Rome.

It’s just what we were doing at age of 19
that may be the key to mapping out dreams.

What do you want to do and when do you want to do it?
Fight to work on self and situations – resort not to “screw it.“

Self-sabotage has not ever been known to help
in any way or form when trying to produce wealth.

Wealth doesn’t just mean money, honey, I’m talking about self-gold.
Fab has the goods on self-worth and his hood; for every man that should be goal.

And that is what I did with my weekend.
The cost of my hiatus was a meager spend

compared to the amount of legacy that I got out of it,
I’m Qui
Glad to Recap and Dap with thee. The weekend was great – I loved it!

and

Fun Fact that many may not know:
Fab5Freddy is the beloved godson of Jazz’s great MAX ROACH.

Goal figure…It just had to be so.

The Happiness Advantage

In Book, Communication, Griot, Networking, Self Improvement on January 15, 2018 at 4:32 am

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Catch it!

There is empirical evidence that happiness can lead to a more productive and successful life, according to Shawn Achor, author of “The Happiness Advantage: Seven Principles.”

Let me say it again, ‘Happiness leads to success.’

Therefore, happiness is not only found at the end of success. Right?

Correct!

Then, be happy – now! Why wait? This information should further encourage you to enjoy your life’s journey. Happiness is that thing that makes the journey not seem so long or arduous. Please forfeit leaning towards the notion that happiness will be found “at the end of” success. For us to assume this – is to rob ourselves of all of the happiness going on around us, right now.

Do you see it? Catch it and ride it all the way to success!

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It’s obvious that I’m into this semesters Psychology course; brain insight has got me shook.
I’m eating it up, (it’s almost tangibly in my gut) – so much so, I had to share Shawn’s book.

I hope that you don’t find it cheesy that I’m sharing with you my curriculum course reading.
I’m Qui
and The Happiness Advantage is a read that leads to better mental and physical well-being.

The following list of ideas is not a part of Shawn’s book
but the info is so spot-on, I thought you’d better take a look:

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Twosday

In Book, Communication, Griot, Networking, Self Improvement on October 17, 2017 at 4:22 am

twos-dayToday is about you – so DO YOU and a new thing or two beyond your job scene and domestic routine.

Not sure what you could add to your usual mill? Below are a few idea-starters from POP SUGAR that may help toggle your noggin a little to encourage you to think outside of the box. Pick two today and DO YOU:

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1. Go to a bookstore and get lost. Spend hours exploring every genre of book known to the world. Better still, snag one off the shelf and plop down in a comfy chair. Close down the store trying to finish that book (hey, you’ll save some cash), and leave only when the employees start giving you the side-eye.

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Just me and my dog…

2. Indulge in some selfies. OK, as a general rule selfies should probably be taken sparingly, but every once in a while, it’s healthy to get dressed in an outfit you love and shamelessly take photos of yourself that you actually like. Let yourself keep clicking until you get it right. No one is there to judge you, except maybe your dog.

3. Complete a project you’ve been putting off. Make yourself go to a coffee shop, buckle down, and work. Update your résumé, put together a portfolio, finish your great American novel, apply to a new job or grad school, whatever. Just do it!

4. Take a hike. Spend some time with mother nature and see how the two of you get along when no one else is around. Stop and smell the roses, watch the sun set, embrace the quiet.

5. Try anew workout. Sometimes certain workouts (like Zumba, Booty Barre, anything dance-related) can be a little bit embarrassing to learn in front of other people. Master one of these fitness skills alone, or at least work on them enough so that when you’re in a class or doing it in front of your significant other, you look like you know what you’re doing . . . sort of.

6. Meditate. Find a quite space, turn the television off, put the radio on a zen or soundscape station (a station of soothing instrumentals), sit on a pillow on the floor, close your eyes and take deep breaths. Focus on a full inhale into your nose and focus on the slow exhale through your nose. Do this for about 10-minutes. Think of nothing. Focus on your breath. Be grateful for ever breath. Someone somewhere in the world is depending on a breathing machine to stay alive today. Say a prayer for them before you’re done meditating.

7. Take the longest, hottest bath of your life. Turn on some soothing music and enjoy a long soak with no fear of unwelcome interruptions.

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Adding a couple of things to your daily grind that you normally don’t do,
like putting in time to self entertain, to care for and thank you –

is absolutely the right thing to do.
In all that you do in a day – don’t forget about you.

Not today, anyway.
You’ve got 24-hours to insert  some play.

Today is Tuesday and a good day to get crunk.
Pick two for you to conquer before the hump.

Me? Since I’ve conquered meditation early I’m free to workout or crook.
But since I’ve no time to steal, I’ll sit down and work on my book.

I like an exciting week, so I’m starting it off with adequate creative play!
I’m Qui
Good morning to thee, DO something for YOU, perhaps 2 on this Twosday.