me and t.o.!

today was a little different ...

i spent time being alone and silent ... semi-meditation like ...
it's something i hadn't done in a long time.

it was a challenge for me to still my mind ... in fact i was just silent.
my mind was in a milion and one places .. but hey ... it;s the first time in a long time. i'll get my focus up and really be still in time. it reminded me that it not really ready to get out and engage in the business of my trip. i want take care of me before i start doing business for everyone else, ya dig!?! so on that note ... flashback 6-8 weeks ago ...

i go to see my lil homie ally wey perform at a spot called bossa in dc and i run into my dude "z free". he's kicking it real casual like ... as he usually does. after the show, i'm on my way out the door he ask me what i've got coming up next. i tell him i'm about to dip to paris. there are a few people at the table he's sitting at and one of them, maria, gets kinda excited and tells me about this person she knows in paris. and that when i walked in she noticed that he and i had similar energy and that we should connect. i'm like ... i only know 1 person in paris so cool. i give her a card and ask her to make a e-mail introduction. a few days later i get at e-mail introducing me to this dude and i respond very casually about looking forward to meet him in paris. a few more days go by and i get a email ... something along the lines of ...

is this weusi weusi from u street?
this is tunde tunde from dc ... & ny!
this will be our 3rd city. lets make it happen!

so today ... i went to meet my dude tunde (t.o.). we're like mined brothers from different mothers. we first met in DC on the u street poetry & music scene. then he disappeared. a few years later i ran into him on the streets of ny where he was in law school.

today we started the process of catching up and moving forward. we sat and kicked it in a cafe for a while. some real talk. he's been in and out of paris for years and is here studying law. he also has been a part of the arts and music scene too. he shared some great insight about the subtle nuances of developing community in this culture. we talked about life in paris. and life in general. i'm no dummy. partialy becasue i don't talk about things i don't know. t.o. is no dummy because he can talk about so much with a sense of expertise and research! he's a bright brother. i'm glad to be reacquainted. my man brian "hustle" hamlin says that you are only as good as the 5 people that are closet to you. i take those words to heart and try to surround myself with people brighter than me! that's why all of you are my friends! the other interesting thing about meeting with t.o. was the music in the cafe ... boys to men, chante moore, the supremes, the police, steel pulse and of course ... stevie wonder! anyway ... i'm sure you'll hear more stories about t.o. in the future.

and yes ... i did walk to meet him .. and yes .. i did get lost ... but only because it was this little ass st


i'm starting to get settled here ... maybe another week of nothing and then i'll go into grind mode! i've got some great ideas bubblin' right now! i'll let you know what's up ...

stay focused, create a plan, work that plan, change that plan, stay focused and make it happen ...

and for those of you who wonder what i mean when i say SHiNE [brillez] my homies elen & bassey (twitter @ladiosapoderosa & @basseyworld ) hipped me to this: the god light




do what you do ...

SHiNE [brillez]