My office fantasy football squad, Chocolate Reign, is on a 4 game win streak!!!
Remix on ya.
What!?!?!?
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Lowered Expectations
I was reminded today of the day I interviewed for this gig.
I was cutting it close on time, and hadn’t factored in the time it would take to find a parking spot downtown. So I figured, I’m pulling into the first lot I see, forget trying to find the closest lot.
So, I’m driving. Press pants, shirt and tie, light jacket. And I see a lot.
I pull in and it looks like it might be full, but no sign is up.
I pull up to the parking attendant building and roll down my window.
I ask the brotha, somewhat hurried, “Excuse me, is the lot full?”
“Oh, you late for court, huh?”
I was cutting it close on time, and hadn’t factored in the time it would take to find a parking spot downtown. So I figured, I’m pulling into the first lot I see, forget trying to find the closest lot.
So, I’m driving. Press pants, shirt and tie, light jacket. And I see a lot.
I pull in and it looks like it might be full, but no sign is up.
I pull up to the parking attendant building and roll down my window.
I ask the brotha, somewhat hurried, “Excuse me, is the lot full?”
“Oh, you late for court, huh?”
Fufu
Today, I had the pleasure of explaining what a 'line-up' is to a coworker.
I also found out today that a mention of FUBU, yes the played out urban clothing line FUBU, can bring an unnecessary amount of tension to an otherwise peaceful lunch.
Reminds me of the ever present 'why isn't there a white student union?' arguments from college.
I suppose I could've brought up my brother's settlement check from Abercrombie & Fitch.
I also found out today that a mention of FUBU, yes the played out urban clothing line FUBU, can bring an unnecessary amount of tension to an otherwise peaceful lunch.
Reminds me of the ever present 'why isn't there a white student union?' arguments from college.
I suppose I could've brought up my brother's settlement check from Abercrombie & Fitch.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Worky Work, busy bee
Yea, it’s been a busy ‘round these parts. I’ve already disappointed myself by not keeping up with the blog, but sometimes, it beez like that.
I’m going to try to get as many updates done tonight, before I have to cash in.
So here we go…
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Big Idea
I had a pretty slow day at work today so I pulled out a notepad to scribble down some blog ideas. I came up with a full page. But as I type this, I'm looking at that list and wondering which one of these I want to write about, knowing that any one of these could easily bust me out.
It just dawned on me that it might be a touch difficult to write an anonymous blog about being the only black guy at an ad agency, when I'm 90% sure there's only three or four of us in the whole city. (and that might be an optimistic estimate.)
[Note to self: Delete local newspaper link.]
More to come tomorrow, I'm sleepy.
It just dawned on me that it might be a touch difficult to write an anonymous blog about being the only black guy at an ad agency, when I'm 90% sure there's only three or four of us in the whole city. (and that might be an optimistic estimate.)
[Note to self: Delete local newspaper link.]
More to come tomorrow, I'm sleepy.
Not in my damn crayon box.
A client, in a meeting I took part in, wanted to name a product color, "Flesh Tone." To which my coworker replied, "Yes, that IS a 'flesh tone."
Respect.
First off, big shout to HighJive for shouting me out on multicultclassics. I now have a comment! w00t!
I’ve been reading multicultclassics for a while, seldom commented, but linked a lot of posts to friends.
So if you’re reading this, be a pal and check it out – here – here – here – here – here or here.
You've had enough chances, now git busy!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
As I Pose, In A Mackadocious Stance...
Generally, offices in the advertising industry are very casual. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to work in this field. I’m just not a shirt and tie kind of dude. I like the fact I can step off the elevator with a half-wrinkled 3 for $20 polo, blue jeans and squeeky clean white Nikes and it’s cool.
One of the other pleasures of the office is that I can play music without having to wear headphones. There are a few folks in the office like their music loud. So I get heavy doses of Sabbath, Enya, and obscure Indy rock. And that’s cool.
I play a little bit of everything, myself.
Being a hip-hop head poses a problem though.
No Nas, no Jeezy. (Yes, Jeezy.) Shit, I can’t even play Common or Mos. (That shit ain’t as wholesome as you may think.)
Allow me to digress a moment. You ever notice whenever they have the, “Hip-Hop is destroying America,” segments on tv, people always cite the same three artists as examples of positive hip-hop? Common, Mos & Kweli. Every damn time!
Anyway, I’ve found that listening to hip-hop at work is like listening to hip-hop with your mom in the car. Every now and then I get a little bold and think to myself, “Self, you know you wanna listen to the Clipse. Play Trill!!!”
And that lasts for about 20 seconds.
"Yea dude. 'Bitch, I'm trill, bitch, I'm so trill,' is not exactly the move you wanna make," Self says.
Thank god my golden age collection is so deep.
I can live with myself for blastin’ ‘Ain’t No Half Steppin’ from my cube.
Because, “…and when my pen hits the paper… AWW SHIT!” goes over a lot better than (fill in the lyrics from any song on any album made after Straight Outta Compton.)
Don't You Know No Good?
Brothas, please.
Baseball, wimmin and dogs.
Leave 'em alone!
If not for yourself, for all the lone black guys and gals who have to discuss the shit with their coworkers.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Poker? I don't even know her.
In my quest to fully assimilate into the corporate world, I’ve reacquainted myself with an old hobby and taken up another.
For the past three months, I’ve been driving around with my golf clubs in the trunk. Several years ago, I was really heavy into golf. I shelled out a decent amount of doe for clubs, got some silly ass shoes and played two to three times a week. About the time I returned to school to finish my degree, I started loosing interest. For one, golf can get pretty expensive, especially if you don’t want to play crap courses. Secondly, all of my old golfing buddies and family weren’t around anymore. So my clubs had been sitting in the spare bedroom, chillin’ in a b-boy stance. But ever since I started this gig, I’ve found that golf is as important to business as smokin’ weed and Madden is to layabouts.
I’ve also taken up Texas Hold ‘Em Poker. And I must say, I’ve been missing the boat on this one. It’s a fun game. Prior to Poker, I had two games. Spades and Tonk. During my first stint in college, Spades took the place of going to class and studying and Tonk paid for my meals when my food card ran out.
Last week I had a couple of games after work with coworkers. The first one was for fun. The second was for loot. My lesson for the week: trying to be one of the guys cost 10 bucks.
For the past three months, I’ve been driving around with my golf clubs in the trunk. Several years ago, I was really heavy into golf. I shelled out a decent amount of doe for clubs, got some silly ass shoes and played two to three times a week. About the time I returned to school to finish my degree, I started loosing interest. For one, golf can get pretty expensive, especially if you don’t want to play crap courses. Secondly, all of my old golfing buddies and family weren’t around anymore. So my clubs had been sitting in the spare bedroom, chillin’ in a b-boy stance. But ever since I started this gig, I’ve found that golf is as important to business as smokin’ weed and Madden is to layabouts.
I’ve also taken up Texas Hold ‘Em Poker. And I must say, I’ve been missing the boat on this one. It’s a fun game. Prior to Poker, I had two games. Spades and Tonk. During my first stint in college, Spades took the place of going to class and studying and Tonk paid for my meals when my food card ran out.
Last week I had a couple of games after work with coworkers. The first one was for fun. The second was for loot. My lesson for the week: trying to be one of the guys cost 10 bucks.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Fresh for '07, you suckazzzzzzzz
So this is my new blog. I still feel the same. I thought that once I started a blog I would have a slight tingle in my nether-regions. No such tingling. Woe. Anyway, for anyone who has taken the time to visit my latest stop on the information superhighway, (I’m old) I’d like to take a moment to explain the genesis, concept and purpose of this blog.
The idea for doing this blog came to me one day when I did some repugnant ass shit. I, no doubt, lost a few points on my personal black-o-meter. Not thinking, in the middle of a conversation with a coworker about a lengthy phone call I had with an acquaintance, I said THAT word. Yea. Actually, I’m not 100% sure I said it, but I’m pretty sure I did. Sure enough to want to kick my own ass… twice. So after I realized what I did, I felt the need to vent my shame to somebody. (I also probably felt the need to be reprimanded) But alas, not another Negro in sight. Then I got kind of pissed.
The second reason I started this blog is because working in downtown Cleveland frustrates me. I told a friend of mine’s father, that some days, driving into downtown, you could swear you are in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The final reason is that I just wanted to start a damn blog because I don’t write recreationally nearly as much as I should.
So The Franklin Blog was born. Franklin. The lone black kid in Peanuts. In a very real way, I’m not that far off professionally. I work in an industry where black men are few and far between. In a city, where the distance is probably much farther.
This blog is just a way for me to vent on the times I get that “Franklin” feeling, comment on whatever and share random stuff I find on the internets to anybody who happens to visit or do a Google search on “Amazing Ass Naked Pictures of Kerry Washington, Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union Swimming in Buttery Grits." Yummy.
Welcome.
Game on.
The idea for doing this blog came to me one day when I did some repugnant ass shit. I, no doubt, lost a few points on my personal black-o-meter. Not thinking, in the middle of a conversation with a coworker about a lengthy phone call I had with an acquaintance, I said THAT word. Yea. Actually, I’m not 100% sure I said it, but I’m pretty sure I did. Sure enough to want to kick my own ass… twice. So after I realized what I did, I felt the need to vent my shame to somebody. (I also probably felt the need to be reprimanded) But alas, not another Negro in sight. Then I got kind of pissed.
The second reason I started this blog is because working in downtown Cleveland frustrates me. I told a friend of mine’s father, that some days, driving into downtown, you could swear you are in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The final reason is that I just wanted to start a damn blog because I don’t write recreationally nearly as much as I should.
So The Franklin Blog was born. Franklin. The lone black kid in Peanuts. In a very real way, I’m not that far off professionally. I work in an industry where black men are few and far between. In a city, where the distance is probably much farther.
This blog is just a way for me to vent on the times I get that “Franklin” feeling, comment on whatever and share random stuff I find on the internets to anybody who happens to visit or do a Google search on “Amazing Ass Naked Pictures of Kerry Washington, Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union Swimming in Buttery Grits." Yummy.
Welcome.
Game on.
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