It Was All Good Until The School Bus Crashed

That sounds like a movie title or something right? However it is another day in the life of a news producer. People in the business know the feeling. It's about an hour before your show, you've finished early and checking out what's going on on MySpace and Facebook while listening to "Goin Back To Cali" by The Notorious BIG. Ok maybe that's just me at my job. Nevertheless, I'm chilling when our breaking news pager goes off.

"THERE'S A SCHOOL BUS CRASH!! KIDS ARE HURT!!!"

I'm chilling cause I'm doing the 5:30 and mostly very little local news goes in the 5:30. Those stories are reserved for the 5 and 6. Not today though. The crew that is leading my show is the closest to the scene. Guess who just lost his local lead with an hour before show time? If you guessed me, you win!

"Sorry, we've gotta bust your crew to this. You just lost your lead."

Most people would have a hissy fit. But us newsfolk have an understanding...the most important story is the one that's going on now. So for the greater good, my show is now about a minute and thirty seconds short. Sounds like nothing to you, but imagine that being 1/3rd of your show. Yeah, hold that.

Honesty

***Raising hand feverishly***
Can I ask the class a question?
***Teacher acknowledges me***
How honest is too honest? Like is there a way to be honest and not be an ass? I'm really being sincere with this question. Because I pissed off a friend by being too honest. Part of me wishes I re-worded my answer, but another part doesn't. We were and are honest with each other. I may answer a question honestly kicking and screaming, but I do. And sometimes I'm so damn blunt. Like I don't have that filter that senses when something I say or do could potentially be damaging. I'd kinda like to have that.
***sits back down and waits for the class to answer.

Christmas Presents & Palm Trees

After consulting with myself, I decided to go a little more in depth about my Christmas in Florida. Enjoy the recap as I enjoyed living it.

Dec. 22
I worked the morning show that day so I was a little sleepy already, but it's all good cause I'm gonna see the grandparents, some select family members and mom, dad and brother. Have I packed yet? Come on now. So I speed to the crib, throw something respectable in my bags. Yes bags as in plural. One for my suit and shirts. The other for jeans and shoes. I make sure I wear something decent because we all know Black kids have to travel in style. Flashback to when you were young and went on a plane to (enter exotic location here). Your mom or dad or both always made sure you were fresh to death. That definitely carried over as I got older. So after ironing, I settle on a pink button up (not flamingo or high lighter, just pink), some slim boys (the jeans that you can wear in the club) and some brown chill shoes. Yes brown and pink match and yes my belt matched my shoes. Before going to the airport, I stop at the barbershop for a last minute shape-up cause I need to be fresh in Florida. I walk in and it's like Kid Central. I forgot how packed the spot is on a Saturday. So I walk up to my barber ask him how many heads are in front of me.

"What you need dog?"
"Shape-up"
"Then I only got two in front and they both kids so it shouldn't take long."

30 minutes later, I'm in the chair.
10 minutes later, I'm out.
Clean.
I mean what's cleaner than a Black man in a pink shirt, brown shoes and a fresh line?
I make it to the airport with time to spare.
I promptly make my way to the gate and wait for my flight.
I pull out "The Souls of Black Folk" and get some quick reading in...pretty good book.
The plane arrives, I hop on and make my way.
This is where shit hits the fan.
Apparently there's some kind of fluid the plane needs so we sit...and sit...and sit.
It wasn't Jet Blue status, but it was close.
Damn near 45 minutes pass before we take off.
Finally I reach Atlanta (I had a connection from there to Orlando), and proceed to find out what gate my plane leaves from in this cavernous airport.
I luck out because the gate is like three down from where my plane came in.
We fly out of ATL and make it to O-Town.
My mom and brother flew into the same airport so I meet up with them.
They already have their luggage so I figure mine should be up next.
Wrong...wrong.
Apparently since my flight was delayed through some act of Satan, my luggage made its way onto a much, much later flight.
I waited in the airport for damn near three hours.
I...WAS...TIGHT.
Through grace and mercy I don't kill someone and get my bags.
An hour later I'm at my grandparents house and it's all good.
My grandfather made dinner and my man threw down.
Baked chicken...peas and beans...and I swear the best potato salad I've ever tasted. And did I mention he made a pie? Son...a cherry cheesecake pie. Get with it.

Dec. 23
We wake up to eggs, grits and bacon. Ah...nothing like it. But we don't linger too long because you know what's on the agenda...church. My brother and I get fresh and throw on the suits. I can't front, the little homey can dress. Glad I rubbed off on him. I had on a dark blue suit, burgundy and blue checker shirt and a straight color burgundy tie. Brown lace up hard bottoms. I think I'm on a brown kick. We make our way into church and the minute we walk in, all eyes are on us. I'm not being conceited, it's just a small church. So we shuffle into our seats and FROM THE PULPIT...my grandfather asks me and brother and mom to stand up. He introduces us. Tells the congregation about us and we keep it moving.
After church we go back to my grandparents house and continue to grub. But we don't linger cause we gotta go pick up my pops from the airport. So we heat up last night's leftovers, change clothes and hit the highway. At the airport me and my brother give my dad "The Handshake".
Back to the grandparents house and chill.

Dec. 24
For the first time in like 13 years I saw my godmother and her daughter. It was pretty damn cool too. My godsister is hella smart and talking about going to MIT for college. My brother and I stopped endorsing Hampton shortly after she said that...lol.

Dec. 25
The usual Christmas happenings...presents getting opened. Gifts getting constructed. Yo, my grandparents got a 32 inch flat screen...DEAD ASS! But guess who had to set it up and figure out how the mo-fo worked? You guessed it. Me and my dad messed with that thing for a good 15-30 minutes, but it worked. At least it did when we left...
Dinner was ROCKING! Beef roast...collard greens...macaroni and cheese...yams...red velvet cake...sweet potato pie...pound cake...yeah. It was a good look.