Monday, August 21, 2006

Cruisin' In DC


Good morning! I hope all that reads this post had a great weekend. This weekend was so busy for me! I think that we were a little over booked for functions, but we worked it out and went to the ones that were more important to family and friends. The highlight of the weekend was our church’s 5th Anniversary cruise on the Odyssey (Click post title). The Odyssey is a floating restaurant that cruises the Potomac River. Our group included church members, a band, and a gospel group out of Philadelphia. They were fantastic! The singing group consisted of older gentlemen between the ages of 50 and 70. They were harmonizing and singing the songs that my grandmother would listen to while getting ready for church. They took me back to Sunday mornings in North Carolina. I enjoyed it a great deal.

Also, my younger brother is visiting with us. He pulled in from Atlanta yesterday. It’s always great when he comes to visit because he brings so much positive and creative energy to our home. He started talking about putting something together as soon as he hit the door. My wife is the one who pushes my creativity on a daily. Thomas takes what my wife does and flips it. Together they are my dynamic duo! Isn’t family great! We really try to push and encourage each other to pursue our dreams. It’s not enough to follow your dreams because you can follow something with your eyes as you watch it pass you by. We must take action and use action verbs like “pursue” or “execute.” We have to execute and eradicate fear while we execute a plan of action in order to move forward! I’ll stop here. Check Bess Photos on Flickr for more photos. Peace~

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Stephen!!!! =)

First of all, you really touched me when you said this: "We have to execute and eradicate fear while we execute a plan of action in order to move forward!" This is something that I'm in the process of doing now, and it feels great, but it is a process!!

Second, I've been cruising on the Potomac River before!! Not on the Odyssey. I cruised on the Spirit of Washington. It was a beautiful experience and I look forward to doing that again.

Glad you and your family had fun!! I'm going to check out the photos right now.

Xave said...

AMEN! Preach brotha preach! :-D

credo said...

I have enjoying reading the posts from your vacation. Every day, during my stay here, I am amazed by the beauty of the area. But, every tall building and every statute I can hear quietly Randall Robinson whispering in my ears, where are reminders of history?

Dance_Soul said...

BUT - WAS THERE FOOD???!!!??? Thats all I need to know. :)
Sounds like a great time Stephen.

Another Conflict Theorist said...

Peace Stephen:

You're making me miss home, man! You know I'm stuck down in here in Texas! Glad you enjoyed your weekend. Sounds like a fun time.

I like what you write about the power of words - particularly action words. Writers, poets and educators, like yourself, would be lost without them.

BTW, I, like others, was moved by your experience at the plantation. I'm sure your wife is glad to have been there with you as you felt the weight of the past.

Keep writing.

Stephen A. Bess said...

ubfly-
I'm glad to hear that you are moving forward. We become stagnated at times with life's "stuff" and lose sight. Keep on pushin'. Peace~

xavier-
He helped Joshua in the battle of Jericho! He helped Daniel in the lions den! He helped (singing) Giligan!!!!...get off that Island! Yeah!!
Thanks X~

nick-
:)You're welcome to join the family as long as you can put up with the dysfunctions. lol

credo-
I hear that! I need to read that book by Robinson. Is it really good.

dance-
There was sooooo much food!!! They had breakfast and lunch up there. They had tons of dessert with chocolate cake, chesse cake, apple pie...it was too much. Our pastor told us to bring containers next time. LOL He's from Ghana. He's a country boy too. :)

act-
Good ol' Texas! I've visited Houston once. I've never seen so many stray dogs in my life! :)Seriously, it was crazy.
I had lots of fun though. Thanks!

Cergie said...

It's goodsend to have such dynamic persons around you, Stephen.
Thomas is a very pretty name too and written with the same speeling in France.
I like to read you. You do write a beautiful and simple English, easy to understand for me.

Stephen A. Bess said...

cergie-
I'll pass that compliment on to my brother. :)Also, thank you for that wonderful compliment. I try to write exactly the way that you described it, "beautiful and simple English." So, thank you. Feedback is always appreciated.

black feline said...

i must say u are pretty creative with the camera (viewed your photos at flickr)..like our dear cergie from France..:)Never taken a cruise before...only know THE LOVE BOAT! lol Must be fun?

Stephen A. Bess said...

blkfeline-
Thank you! Taking pictures is a new hobby of mine. I love Cergie's pictures too. I was in the US Navy so the little cruise brought back memories for this former sailor. :) Thanks!

NML/Natalie said...

I love your photos too. Good to hear from you and glad you're having good times. It's a family time for me too. Your family sounds positive and inspirational - like you :-)

Stephen A. Bess said...

nml-
What's up! My immediate fam is positive and inspirational. It gets a little crazy with the aunts, uncles and cousins. lol :) Enjoy your family time. I'm enjoying your stories. Always a pleasure.

Sumeeta said...

Hey Stephen,

I'm finally trying to get back into the swing of things. I hope that you had a great summer. I loved your post on connecting to your ancestors. I do believe that they speak to us even when we are not listening.

credo said...

The book is called The Debt..and it is better than good. I kept thinking did my people build that building, too. Children here do not have to go to library to learn about America history. All they have to do is watch out their doors, and walk on Maryland, Pennsylvania, Constitution, and Independence and marvel at the monument of the greatest of its founders.

However, absence are the huge statutes of our African-American heroes. I passed a mother and son, and the mother commented to the son, John Brown was one insane man. The son, replied why do you say that, he tried to free the slaves? My back turned to the both of them as I chuckled to myself, it depends on who is telling the story, and I know that mother was not to happy with her son challenging her telling of history.

Peace to you.

Stephen A. Bess said...

sumeeta-
Wow! Hello stranger! I'm glad to see that you are back. My Summer was nice. It was well spent.

credo-
from the mouths of babes. :) Thanks for that.

Professor Zero said...

I keep looking at this picture, I like the composition, the lines. Something to do with the bluish color, and the spacing of the people, the angles they are sitting at. Everything relaxed and cool, but the perspective takes the eyes ahead: into the 'background', which is ahead ...

Stephen A. Bess said...

profzero-
The sky and the weather was so beautiful last Saturday when I took this picture. Thanks for the breakdown. I've never taken a photography class, but I'm a little familiar with lines and other terms. Enjoy your weekend!

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