The Inauguration: I'm there!
Jan 02, 2009
The inauguration is January 20, 2008 and I will be there. Back in April, one of my fraternity brother’s father in-law looked into renting a bus for friends and family so they too could be a part of this monumental event. The bus company he sought asked for a non-refundable deposit of about $200.00. He figured, “What the hell. It’s worth the gamble.” Through the brutal Clinton battles and through the McCain-Palin strains he waited, and it paid off.
Today, you would be hard pressed to find a spot on a bus from Philadelphia that’s going down there. If you do, you’re gonna pay a pretty penny for it. Fortunately, this gentleman is only charging us the cost of the bus, as he said that it was never about making a profit. No, we don’t have tickets to mingle with the 250,00 who will be sorta-kinda-almost close to Obama, but we will be mixed in with the 1 million plus watching on the jumbo-trons.
So why am I going? To see the first black President of the United States of America get sworn in. The historical meaning of it all, the warmth of that many people coming together in peace, and knowing that our ancestors will be there in spirit gives me solace just thinking about it. I was at the Million Man March in 1995 and expect to get a similar feeling.
The other reason that I’m going is because I’ll be shooting footage for my documentary film, Black Eloquence: A Look at The Oratorical Skill of African-Americans. Its aim is to bring to light the reasons as to why African-Americans speak with such passion and flair when speaking publicly. While examining such, the film will discuss the affect it has on today’s society and the future of African-Americans as public speakers. It will also take a look at great African-American speakers from the past and present. With video and still cameras in tow, I’ll be doing interviews and take pictures of people on Obama’s speech and on the event.
This will be a great moment in American history, right up there with Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech and Reagan’s “tear down this wall,” speech. When I return, I’ll share my experience on this blog.
| Next | Last |
Temporary Hiatus: Dealing with an ill spouse
Dec 24, 2008
It’s been a month since my last entry and I haven’t had time to blog. My wife has been a Lupus survivor for the last 29 years. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system attacks the body, resulting in inflammation of various organs or tissues. At times, it can be very painful. In order for her to live, she must take steroids daily. The downside is that they wreak havoc on her body. To date, she has had knee replacement surgery, shoulder replacement surgery, and five hip replacement surgeries with the last one being last week. Obviously my focus is on my wife and getting her back into the swing. Right now, she’s at a rehabilitation facility and is scheduled to be there for about 10 days.
I temporarily suspended shooting my documentary film, Black Eloquence: A Look At The Oratorical Skill Of African-Americans, as my focus is elsewhere. Organizing my film and sound crew, setting up interviews, getting release forms signed, and setting up locations are a bit much to handle right now. However, I do go onto the Internet and search for the rights to still photos, write the film’s dialogue, respond to e-mails, and seek funding.
Please don’t think I’ve stopped pursuing my passions. This roadblock is merely a pathway to attainment. I have way too much to offer the world, for God has entrusted me with responsibilities and blessed me with talent that I’m supposed to share.
I’ll keep you all posted on my wife’s condition. Please keep me in your prayers and feel free to drop me a line. claude@claudeparker.com.
| Next | Last |
What I'm Thankful For
Nov 23, 2008
Thanksgiving is just about here and I want to share with you five things that I’m thankful for. These aren’t the traditional “peace, health, and family,” thankful for(s) but rather things that I have and do but sometimes take for granted:
I’m thankful that I have a fixed rate mortgage. With the stock market going into the tank, I’d probably be paying twice the amount that I’m paying now. And can someone explain to me why mortgage companies won’t re-write all variable loans, to fixed loans? That way, people can stay in their homes and pay their mortgages, which gives mortgage companies money and prevents the foreclosure process. Thus, they can lend more money, which stimulates the economy.
I’m thankful that I’m computer literate. The contacts that I’ve made and the work that I’ve accomplished are all possible because of my ability to navigate the web and master MS Word. My books, plays, films and cartoons would not be possible without this skill.
I’m thankful that I can cook more than just hot dogs. Growing up, my mother had my brother and I cooking, ironing, hemming pants, and doing laundry by middle school. Today, those tasks are simple to me. Especially cooking. I make a mean pasta salad and a stew whose aroma will make you drool like Homer Simpson!
I’m thankful that I can cut my own hair and line it up. I’ve been doing it since the late 90s. Initially, I made mistakes. Nicks, cuts, and uneven hairlines were common. Now, I do it quickly and professionally every two weeks. A barbershop would conservatively cost $15.00 including a tip. Multiply that by 26 cuts per year, and multiply that by the last 10 years: I’ve saved $3,900.00. Thank you Jesus!
I’m thankful that I can drive. Suppose you didn’t have a license or suppose you had a physical ailment that prevented you from driving. How would you get to work if public transportation wasn’t an option? What would you do?
I challenge you to come up with five nontraditional things that you’re thankful for. Write them down, look at them in six months, then imagine how your life would be without them. Never take take the non-obvious things for granted and always be thankful.
| Next | Last |
You Are NOT Mediocre!
Nov 16, 2008
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We’re afraid”
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We will fall.”
“Come to the edge.”
And they came. And he pushed them. And they flew.
What would you attempt if failure was guaranteed not to happen? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Probably not. Why? Because of fear. Fear. Why does it come into play when we go after our dreams? Unfortunately, society has programed us to believe that bad things are enevitable. However, there are those few bold ones who consistently operate out of certainty. Fear never comes into play. Thus, they buck the status quo and failure becomes an impossibility.
For most of us, having those kinds of balls is a dream. So to avoid failure we aim low. There are better speakers than Zig Zigler and Les brown, and there are those who are more creative than Woddy Allen and Martin Scorsese. So, where are they? On the island of low aim. Where’s that? In our offices, in the cafeteria, at the PTA meeting, in restaurants, etc. These people are so afraid of failure that they would rather attempt mediocrity with guaranteed succeess than attempt great things and risk failure! That’s why over 80% of America’s wealth is owned by less than 10% of the population. To put it bluntly, the battle for happiness isn’t between good vs. bad, it’s between those with balls and those without them.
So stop going after medeocrity and playing it safe all the time. Get a spine, come to the edge, and fly. You will fly. I guarantee it.
| Next | Last |
Happy Birthday To Me
Nov 09, 2008
“Happy birthday, dear Claude. Happy birthday to me.” I was born forty-six years ago today. Wow! I used to think that forty-six was antique. But today, I woke up feeling great: No aches, no pains, and I made it to the 7:30 morning church service. My blood pressure is 126/79, my cholesterol levels are good, and my resting pulse rate is 59 beats per minute.
While driving home from church, I saw a teenager entering a fast food restaurant with her uniform on. It made me think of all the jobs that I’ve had and how far I’ve come. I finished three years of college in five years but didn’t graduate. I was too busy playing and trying to figure out how to make life work instead of focusing on my studies. Short-term gratification was more important to me than sacrificing for long-term security. So for the next five years, I had the following jobs:
1.Forklift driver
2. Building maintenance worker
3. Short order cook
4. Shoe salesman
5. Construction laborer
6. Assistant manager of a retail store
7. Bill collector
8. Electronics & furniture rental/salesman
9. Mailroom clerk
10. Timeshare salesman
11. Hot iron factory worker
12. UPS truck loader
13. Library aid
14. Data entry clerk
15. Receptionist
Sometimes, not often, I smoked weed, snorted cocaine, and freebased a little. Most of my friends were established in their professions, and I was jealous and couldn’t get it together. I used to look back on those days and wonder, “What the…!” Was I stupid? Was I lazy? Was I ignorant? No. I was lost without direction and I didn’t know it at the time. And this was in my 20s.
When we think of those who need guidance, we tend to think of children and teenagers. But the reality is that many adults need it, too. If you don’t believe me, look at the ages of inmates. Many of them first enter in their early 20s, and I believe that at least 90% are salvageable. They’re bold, intense, and always looking to survive the best ways can. Oftentimes those methods are criminal, which is what got them in prison in the first place; but imagine what they could do if they used that boldness, intensity, and planning for good. Splitting an atom or inventing an oil alternative is not impossible.
“Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone.” We all make mistakes and have at one time in our lives been like the blind person on the corner waiting for someone to help us cross the street. Sometimes he gets help, but sometimes he doesn’t. I eventually got myself together through perseverance and hanging around positive people. Several friends saw my mindset and consistently reached out to me. Today, outside of writing my books, plays, cartoons, and production of a documentary film, I have a regular 9 to 5 in medical malpractice insurance. I’ve been in the insurance industry for the last 11 years, and in finance 9 years prior to that.
So when you see that 20 something or even 30 something year old who appears not to be going anywhere, don’t be so quick to toss him aside. With a little help, more than likely, he’s salvageable. After all, you got help in your adult years. Didn’t you?
| Next | Last |
Hell Just Froze Over: The President Is Black!
Nov 04, 2008
Hell just froze over. A black man is president of the United States of America. My wife and I were watching the returns together and when they announced that Obama won Ohio, we knew it was over. At 11:00, it was confirmed. At 11:10, I could hear people outside shouting. However, what stood out the most to me was the world’s reaction. You would have thought that universe crowned its first “Golden Child”. I understand Kenya celebrating, but when I saw clips of Japan, Australia, and Great Britain… Whoa! That’s when I realized how special this was. The following day, congratulatory messages came to him and to America from around the globe, even Islamic countries.
Back in the United States, black peoples’ reaction was what I expected. Now, people may talk trash on Reverend Jesse Jackson, but I felt his tears of, “Finally!” This man has had dogs forced at him, been called boy and nigger to his face and couldn’t do anything about it, been pushed, kicked, spit on, ran for president twice knowing he had no shot at winning but knowing a path had to be made, and lived to see a black man rise to that office. Colon Powell even got choked up during an interview. I can only imagine what he went through in his many years of military service and being in the Bush administration. Then there were the pictures of the crowds. We expected to see blacks crying, but we saw Hispanics, Asians, and whites. Yes, whites. Obama left an indelible mark on them, for without them, he would have lost. Personally, my wife and I looked at each other in awe as friends and relatives kept calling us, “Did you see…?”
Obama gets the keys to the car in its worse shape since the depression. The economy is shot, two wars are going on, oil rich countries are acting up, Iran is a sly fox, Korea has it’s finger on the button, and China wants to be the leader of the world. But today, lets enjoy the moment and bask in the glow. Let’s pat ourselves on the back, raise our glasses, and give a toast: America has seen clearly.
| Next | Last |
What's your Thing?
Oct 26, 2008
Do you have a “thing?” When people think of you, do they think of a talent or hobby that you’re indelibly etched into? Is there something that you do with such passion that you can’t imagine not doing it? I once heard a man say, “Your passion is the thing you like doing the most with the least amount of effort.” It’s easy for you to initiate because nothing stops you from doing it, and you love it. I firmly believe that everyone should have at least one “thing.” There should be something that you do that when people discuss you, your “thing” comes up. For me, my “thing” is writing. If you were to ask somebody who knows me to tell you something about me, writing will undoubtedly come up. As you can see in this website, I’ve written plays, songs, short stories, poetry, and even created a cartoon. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t let my creative juices flow. One hour typing is nice, two hours is bliss, three hours is celestial, and anything after that makes my eyes roll in the back of my head like a slot machine. That’s passion! So what’s your “thing”? You don’t have one? Yes you do. Go find out what it is. Deep down inside, you know there’s something that you’re dying to do. Could it be line dancing? Could it be creating software games for computers? Could it be designing clothes or writing poetry? If you want peace, find your “thing” and do it. But remember, it doesn’t have to be something that makes you money. Happiness is what you’re after.
| Next | Last |
Sacrifice
Oct 19, 2008
Sacrifice. When many of us hear the word, we immediately think of “giving something up.” Unfortunately, we fail to see the entire mean which is: Giving something up for a greater good.” In baseball, there is a term called a “sacrifice fly.” When a runner is on base, there are times when the batter will intentionally hit a ball deep into the outfield, knowing that it will be caught. However, this allows the base runner to move up. Thus, that batter sacrificed himself by making an out, but in doing so, he improved his teams chances to score.
In life, all of us will be called upon to give something up for the betterment of a project at work, to please our spouse, or to help a friend. So the next time you’re in a situation where you have to sacrifice, don’t be so quick to view it as a negative. That loss could cause a great gain in your life or the person you helped.
| Next | Last |
What does Senator Obama's presidency mean for black people?
Oct 13, 2008
What does Senator Obama’s presidency mean for black people? There’s a strong possibility that America will elect a black man president for the first time in its 232-year history. From the ax murdering, slave trading, genocide committing Christopher Columbus whose claim to fame is that he got lost and discovered a land filled with people, to the Ku Klux Klan who killed, robbed, and rapped untold numbers of blacks, and to the civil rights era of the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s where the American government infiltrated black organizations in order to deny them their constitutional right to equality: The last shall be first. Even if he doesn’t win the election, the message is clear: Most white Americans are ready to try a leader of color.
First let me say that Senator Obama has my full support and I want him to win the election. Him being a black man definitely has something to do with it, but that’s not my primary reason. Seldom did I see black people in positions of power when I was growing up. Take a look at pictures of the DNC and RNC conventions of the 1960s and ‘70s. You’ll be hard pressed to find someone who looks like me. Every school I went to from kindergarten to the 12th grade was 100% black or other minority and only one had a black principal. I can even remember watching television with my mother and brother, and the moment my mother saw a black person, she’d get on the phone, “Quick, turn to this channel. Black people on TV!” Thus, Senator Obama get points because I see myself and I can “feel” him. And yes, I did give Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas points because he is a black man. And, no! I didn’t support him. He and I are ideologically miles apart. “Man, I wish he didn’t get that seat!”
Secondly, the eloquence, passion and zest for life that the Senator has are refreshing and something we should all strive for, including non-Americans. Thirdly, we finally have a candidate that doesn’t have an American Supremacy attitude. That arrogant, we-dictate-to-the-world / I’m-better-than-you-because-I’m-an-American mindset has caused the world to loathe our country. If you don’t believe me, try going outside our boarders and yelling, “I’m American”, and see what happens.
I could go on and on about the Senator’s positions on healthcare, education, the middle class, and the downside of electing his opponent, but that would take several pages. My focal point is, “What is he going to do specifically for black people if elected? He’s already made promises to other nations, but what about making promises to his own people? What will he do about our disproportionate crime and incarceration rates? What will he do about our disproportionate high school dropout and teenage pregnancy rates? Senator Obama has addressed these issues as they affect Americans as a whole, but I want to hear him tell black people what he specifically is going to do for us.
White people please do not write me and call me a separatist or someone looking for something for nothing. That is far from the truth. I want the best for America, for I am an American as much as you are. I pay taxes as you do and have the right to be critical of our country like you do, but please understand: If black American’s problems are not corrected, they will continue to manifest and be imitated by other groups, thus bringing America down quicker and quicker. Also understand that: How can a nation have a segment of its population fail so disproportionately in finance, education, health, etc, and either not try to help fix their problems or try to help fix them using the same methods that it uses to solve other segment’s problems? It’s like trying to hit a baseball with a hockey stick. Just because they’re both sports doesn’t mean that the equipment is interchangeable, and just because you can effectively hit a baseball with a baseball bat, doesn’t mean that you can use that technique to hit a hockey puck. You need the right equipment and right technique to do a specific job.
The symbolism of him being President is evident. But symbolism alone is not going to put black people where we need to be. If elected, Senator Obama must be held accountable to black people by addressing the many ills, causes, and remedies. Not to take away from the millions of whites who support him, but he is a black man and is also where he is because he stands on the sacrificial shoulders of the likes of Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, Thurgood Marshall, A. Phillip Randolph, Cecil B. Moore, Toussaint L'Ouverture, Charles Drew, and a whole host of others too numerous to list.
Please note that I am fully aware that the overwhelming majority of black people are decent, honest, and hardworking individuals. Unfortunately, there are too many bad ones just like in any other group. But what must we as blacks do if Senator Obama is elected? The same thing we must do if he’s not elected: Have self-respect, love ourselves, know ourselves, uplift one another, each one – teach one, build businesses, schools, and hospitals, network with each, turn off the television, put the video games away, and continue to vote. Jewish people love being Jews. They use their heritage as a basis for economic, political, social, and moral attainment. They know who they are. They know that they are the line of David and Abraham and know that they are supposed to do great things; and they do. That is admirable. Black people, what are we waiting for? We must do the same. If we don’t, we will continue to be looked down upon, not only by non-black Americans, but by the whole world. Let us not depend on Senator Obama’s presidency to deliver us from iniquity. Let us help him help us. Just like he did not get where he is by himself, he cannot help us if we do not help ourselves. And lastly, even if he wins, to a certain degree, he’ll still have some strings pulling him.
| Next | Last |
Can I get some help, up in here!
Oct 04, 2008
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed someone to do something for you and they backed out? Have you ever had someone promise to be there for you, only to later say, “I’m sorry but something came up. Can you get somebody else?” How did that make you feel? Probably like choking them because their timing couldn’t have been worse.
Disappointment is a guarantee in life: Murphy’s Law lives. There was a point in my life where I got so tired of people disappointing me that I stopped asking for help. This made me resentful and sad. Now, you may say that there’s nothing wrong with exuding independence, but that independence can be detrimental.
When I recorded my spoken-word CD, I had a release party where I invited the public, had a few spoken word artists perform, and at the end, I performed and sold my CDs and books. In the weeks leading up to the event, I hired and paid the band, got commitments from the spoken-word artists and an MC, designed and printed the tickets and flyers on my home computer, made the shopping list and purchased all of the food, beverages, and decorations, and secured the facility where the event was held. That’s a lot but definitely do-able.
Here’s the kicker, I got up at 5:00 the morning of the event, cooked and prepared hors’ devours and beverages for 80 people, took it over to the facility, and set everything up including decorations. Plus, I worried so much about the artists and the band arriving on time that I called and made sure everyone was in route. The only help I used was ticket-takers and cleanup (the food was set up buffet style.) And, the affair started on time at 1:00. When the time came for me to perform, I had little left. My mind was fricasseed and my body was running on fumes. In my opinion, the performance was lack-luster but fortunately I sold a lot of CDs and books.
So what’s the lesson here? Don’t let past experiences dissuade you from seeking help. Though many of us are strong-willed/independent people, we can’t do everything alone. And just because we can do something alone, doesn’t mean that we should. The ramifications could be costly, as evidenced by my performance; I was lucky.
Below is a poem by 17th century poet John Donne entitled For Whom the Bell Tolls. He reminds us that we are not alone in this world and whatever affects one, affects others:
"No man is an island, entire of itself; every
man is a piece of the continent, a part of the
main. If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory
were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or
of thine own were: any man's death diminishes
me, because I am involved in mankind, and
therefore never send to know for whom the bell
tolls; it tolls for thee."
| Next | Last |