Diatribes by Joah

15 Things I'm Thinking Right Now

I'm going to San Francisco today. I'm incredibly excited to see the city made famous by Full House...I mean Alcatraz. My itinerary includes running around cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge, seeing an Andre Nikitina concert, catching a Giants-As game, and driving up to Muir Woods. With Althea, of course.

While in San Fran, I'll make sure to find a sports bar with plenty of Stanford fans to watch my (that's right, they're all mine) Texas Longhorns dismantle the Cardinal. Sure, the Lopez twins can score, but how am I supposed to feel threatened by a couple of guys named Brooke and Robin. Besides, AJ Abrams and DJ Augustin (and Conner Atchley, our X factor) will be rainin' threes all day. And how could you root against DJ?

Speaking of the NCAA tourney...I'm almost positive I'm the only person I know who picked Davidson over both Gonzaga and Georgetown last week. Stephen Curry has some serious 'nads...especially for a 13-year old.

In other sports news, Tiger Woods finally lost last week at the CA Championship (by just two strokes, mind you). Sad thing is, that's bad news for the rest of the PGA field. Now that Tiger has tasted defeat, and just two weeks before his most important event of the year, the Masters, you can be sure he'll roar back and pick up another green jacket.

Kobe Bryant, like Tiger, is the best in his sport. Four years runnin' now. The main difference between the previous three years and this year is that he'll pick up the real prize. No, not the MVP award. The NBA trophy. I see them knocking off the Suns in round one, the Hornets in round two and the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. All before dusting off the Celtics. Sorry KG.

As for Boston, yet another one of my friends has decided to move to (and join) Red Sox Nation. She actually got a job with the Sox, too. I'm happy for her, but I couldn't help but wonder if her background - namely, being white and from a small town - will help her like Boston more than I ever could. Just yesterday a friend of mine, who has been in Boston for six or so years, was telling me how much she hates it. I left that out in the congratulatory email to my other friend.

While one of my friends has something like a dream job out of college, at least four of my post-grad friends are searching for jobs. They're searching for a lot more than jobs, but you get the point...20-somethings looking for a way to a) do something they're passionate about, b) change the world and c) make friends (and maybe make a little money) along the way. I'm seriously considering starting my own job satisfaction (search and succeed) consulting practice.

I'm either going to consult people looking for jobs or help people looking for mentors and role models. Both are much-needed in today's short-fix relationship society. As for role models, I've nearly finished my edits of the manuscript of Real Role Models. I can't wait to get this book into production and get in front of some kids (I can call 18-year-olds kids now) to talk to them about it.

When I'm not reading my own writing, I'm reading The New Yorker (thanks to my brother's xmas gift). If you don't have time to read books, which too many of my friends say too often, at least pick up a subscription to this.

Also in literature/media, I'm getting so excited about Malcolm Gladwell's new book on the workplace of the future. It sounds like a perfect follow-up for me after reading Richard Florida's Rise of the Creative Class and a perfect seg-way into a field I'm thinking about studying at NYU if I ever go back to school.

In music news, Gnarls Barkley's new album, The Odd Couple, is blasting in my iPod these days. It lacks the boom-bop pop of St. Elsewhere's 'Crazy', but makes up for it with some Brian Wilson-infused tunes like  'Charity Case' and 'Surprise'. My favorite track is 'Open Book'.

Next week, The Black Keys' new album, Attack & Release, comes out. Funny thing is, it's produced by Danger Mouse...yeah, the non-Cee-Lo half of Gnarls Barkley. This guy is doing his best Rick Rubin impersonation.

On my birthday, the new Tokyo Police Club album 'Elephant Shell' drops, just one week before I check them out in DC! I may not live in Austin, but I haven't lost my love of live music. I'm seeing RJD2 on May 1st.

Also in May, I'm traveling to Seattle to run a half-marathon in the North Face Endurance Challenge. All in the tune-up to my marathon debut here in DC in September when Colby and I run the North Face Endurance Challenge 50k. I'm pumped.

I don't know about you, but I'm sure as hell happy I have so much going on both with work (been putting in a lot of 12 and 14 hour days lately) and with fun, travel stuff. It's helped me tune out of all the presidential election bullshit that's been going on these last few weeks.

One of my favorite bloggers...

"I feel so victimized by Black entertainment venues. I actually get jealous of white people in that regard. They can go to, generally, any bar/lounge and walk in and listen to music or drink or do karaoke or play darts or pool or whatever the fuck they do, and have a blast for free. Their spots are creative, interesting, warm, no dress codes, and most importantly no sour-faced chic at the door with a little silver cash box. We’re more worried about VIP rooms and making people take off their hats than we are with providing cool entertainment venues for our communities."

Read more Jam Donaldson at Conversate is Not a Word.

The Wire Ends, Dream Continues Toward City Hall

“If you have only one hour a week for television, give it to "The Wire." - Chicago Tribune

It’s taken me longer than originally anticipated to write this because it’s not easy to say good-bye to your favorite television show of all time. Especially when it just so happens to double as the greatest television show of all time. Period.

That’s right, I say it confidently, The Wire is the G.O.A.T. The Ali of TV. In basketball there’s Jordan. In rap there’s Jay-Z. In college football there’s Vince Young. And in television there’s The Wire. Well, technically, it’s not TV. It’s HBO. But you get the point.

For those of you who never caught on to the greatness of State Senator Clay Davis (D-Baltimore) or Snoop Pearson don’t worry…I’ve decided to spare you all the ground-breaking and gritty details from the show’s fifth and final season in hopes that you decide to pick up the DVDs yourself. Besides, there's been so much written about The Wire over the years that you can start here.

Anyway, you may be wondering, "why is Joah gushing about a show like it was the best sex ever?" Well, The Wire was sort of like that for me. For one hour every Sunday evening over the past five years HBO gave me exactly what I needed and couldn’t get anywhere else. You know, metaphorically speaking.

In all seriousness, The Wire came at just the right time in my life not only because it was the first show in which I was fully of-age to understand all of the allegorical elements and undertones that the show’s creator David Simon favored, but also because it helped reinforce my life-long interest in city life, and the role of education, leadership and politics (notice the separation of the latter two) in shaping it.

Let me be clear: The Wire does not paint a family-friendly, fun or favorable light of Baltimore, not to mention it’s education system or the inner-workings of its city government. Sure, Baltimore is better known as Charm City, but you wouldn’t know it at first glance when watching The Wire.

What you would notice is the simplicity of it. You’d think “wait, is this it?...a cops and dealers show?” But that’s only about an episode or two in. Then it starts opening up like cherry blossoms in the spring and you start to see the show for all its worth and glory. You start to see why TV Guide called it  “a shattering and heartbreaking urban epic about a city (Baltimore) rotting from within.”

It’s realism as education, opinion as perspective, insight as concept. All with easy-to-follow characters like Bodie, a low-level street dealer, Bubbles, a former addict, and Jimmy McNulty, a detective with a drinking habit. Watch The Wire long enough and you’ll know a thing or two about the drug game and how it affects the people, the police, the politics and the poor residents of any American city. You won’t be able to say you lived it, but you’ll be able to say you know how hard it is to imagine living it.

In saying that, I return to my own local political aspirations. I’ve fancied myself a mayoral type for years, but watching The Wire and enthralling myself into City Councilman-turned-Mayor Tommy Carcetti’s world made me take a good look at my personal ambitions with my life experiences as the backdrop. Watching Carcetti's decision making put me into the position to analyze my ideas versus my ideals. I found myself asking, "I wonder what I would do in that situation?"

And that's what made The Wire so special to me. It was personal to me in so many regards. I've known teens like Namond Brice and I've seen a decent share of people caught up in the drug game on both the giving and receiving end, seemingly forced between being a have or a have-not. Seasons three and four, depicting the inner-workings of the city politics and education system of Baltimore, were particularly motivating because they reinforced Simon's belief that while people change, institutions do not. Again, I wondered, "what would I do in that situation?"

I wondered about those teenaged kids, former and current addicts, and former inmates like Dennis, a.k.a. Cutty. Ultimately, I got back to my belief that local politics is where I belong because someone has to roll into these American cities and stay around a lot longer than five seasons to make the street life one worth living.

Not by making the government the end-all, be-all as Carcetti appeared to promise in his mayoral election bid during season four, but by offering a view to what a better life can be by putting one block on top of another. These people don't need universal anything. They just need a starting block. Either to step on and reach for the sky or to blast out of and race toward the finish line.

True, as a mayor, I could only do so much in a term or two. But someone’s gotta do it because it’s not TV. It’s America.

Contradictions Make Us American

I get too choked up thinking about The Wire so I’m going to wait another day or two to post my thoughts on the series finale.

Instead, I’m going to write about something that’s been on my mind for the last few months. It starts with contradictions. Then goes on to paradoxes, oxymorons, conundrums, and dichotomies. American society is full of every one of ‘em. I mean of course they're all different, but in America they tend to overlap so much we might as well chalk them all up as having to do with contradictions.

Think about it: in baseball (or in court) they say “three strikes and you’re out,” but in just about everything else they say “the third time’s the charm.” Why is it that us Americans create such complex and twisted value systems? In one instance you’re being punished for persistence while being praised in another.

Millions of people play the lottery to get rich quick. The winners buy mansions and cars and take vacations. And where does the money from the lottery system go? To the schools, where underpaid teachers are focused on helping students realize you’re not going to get rich unless you go to schools for more than a dozen years and work everyday of your adult life.

Still not convinced? Here’s another: my home state is best known for the line “don’t mess with Texas” yet this happens to be the state where companies like ExxonMobil, best-known for record profits and polluting Alaskan shores, call home. How is it that the Texas government is so harsh on littering on highways and roads while being so forgiving (i.e. tax benefits) to companies that are responsible for some of the world’s greatest environmental atrocities?

Catch my drift?...

So when my girlfriend tells me that (in the middle of my soliloquy about campaign tactics or Congress’ inability to get anything done) I’ve contradicted myself, I want to tell her anything else would be un-American.

American society thrives in contradiction.

Concerned about music, we get mad when concert tickets to see our favorite musical acts are expensive (indicating high demand), but we also get mad when our favorite bands don’t play shows in our area (indicating low demand).

Tip: Don’t blame Ticketmaster for everything.

Concerned about the weather, we look forward to hot and sunny days in the summer so we can spend more time outdoors, yet summer also happens to be the busiest time for movie theatres because we love getting out of the sun and catching a summer blockbuster.

Tip: Go to the movies once the sun goes down or after a workday.

Concerned about world politics, we talk about how bad China’s or Iran’s government is and pride ourselves in having three branches of government and being able to vote for our representatives yet most Americans only concern themselves with the actions of one person every fourth November.

Tip: Read up on your Congressional representative and Senators.

Concerned about health, we chide the fat teenager for eating too much chocolate while overlooking the skinny teenager who smokes too much pot.

Tip: Get on a treadmill.

Concerned about relationships, we talk about how hard we’ve tried to “find someone” yet once we’re in a relationship, we spend a lot of time not trying at all.

Tip: Work hard for your love.

Concerned about time, we love telling everyone about how busy we are and that we only to have enough time to do the things we need to do yet expect those same people to make time at the drop of a hat do all the things we want to do.

Tip: Get out of your bubble.

Concerned about sex, we feel bad about our partners if they have slept with every man or woman in town, yet we feel good about ourselves if every man or woman wants to sleep with our partners.

Tip: Be good in bed.

Concerned about growing old, women get upset as they approach 30 and remain single while men get upset that they didn’t wait until 30 to get married.

Tip: 30 is the new 20.

Concerned about sports, we root for winning teams like the Yankees and Patriots yet root for the underdogs like the Red Sox (formerly) and Giants.

Tip: Pick a side. You can’t root for everyone.

Concerned about the November election, we discriminate John McCain because of his age and appearance yet get upset when people discriminate against Obama because of his race and Hillary because of her gender.

Tip: Be understanding.

But then again understanding isn’t a strong suit for us Americans, is it? I mean this is the country that pretends to understand the need for a separation between church and state while continuing to print “In God We Trust” on our money and say “One Nation Under God” in our national pledge. And, still, we wonder how evangelicals corrupted our political system. Incredible.

Lost...and Barely Breathing

I never got around to watching last week's episode of Lost until yesterday and the part with Desmond going back to 1996 made me think of something else from '96 that I just so happened to hear on the Cable Music Channel yesterday...that's right! Duncan Sheik!

Beyond Reasonable Doubt? Jay-Z Endorses Obama

Listen to Jay-Z's endorsement, via robo call, on behalf of Obama...let's just say Jay-Z sure has come a long way from slangin' rock hasn't he?