Posts

Artificial Intelligence Describing Morphological Confetti

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AI  Photo and Overview As an educator, I have my reservations about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) but like most technological advances, it has its positive aspects. I recently used AI to produce this image of me on one of my social media platforms. I thought is was accurate. I suppose that is what causes skepticism and subsequent fear with some folks. Also, I looked up a description of "Morphological Confetti" using AI and this is what it produced:   "Morphological confetti" isn't a standard or widely recognized term. However, if we break it down, it suggests a connection between the study of word structure (morphology) and a sense of celebration or scattering, like confetti. Here's a possible interpretation: Morphology: The study of word formation which includes the structure of words, their parts (morphemes), and how they combine to form new words. Confetti: Small pieces of brightly colored paper thrown to celebrate or mark a special...

Black Men in Life Space: A Change for the Better

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Photo Source: Showtime The late great Chicago soul singer, Sam Cooke sang and announced that "A Change is Gonna Come." On season five of Showtime's, "The Chi," the award-winning writer, creator, producer, actor, and CEO Lena Waithe is helping to change the way everyone views Black men in life space. The  APA Dictionary of Psychology defines  Life space as  a representation of the environmental, biological, social, and psychological influences that define one person’s unique reality at a given moment in time. The physical and psychological environment of Black men in life and in film has been in jeopardy for decades but Waithe is helping to change that perception while maintaining characters who are flawed but redeemable. On the eighth episode of The Chi, Season 5 “Sweet Thing” (S5E8) the overriding theme is all about change. For some, change can be painful. Change means that things will not remain as they were; in fact, change can mean a shift that is sometimes...

Showing My Face: Self Reflection and Thoughts on Writing

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Hello friends. I'm just showing my face while I am still in my birthday month of August. Go Leos! Like many, I do an assessment of my life on my birthday; I take stock and think about the necessary changes for myself. For me, it's about getting better and doing better. This year was no different, while I have been sitting at home during this pandemic. I am still finishing up my doctoral studies. I have been doing my coursework since 2018 with a focus on critical pedagogy, and I will soon start my thesis work. So, I am moving forward, but I have been thinking more about creative writing. Currently, most of my writing is academic, but I long to sit and write creatively. I crave it so much that I throw some of that creativity into my academic writing. So, my goal this year is to make more of an effort to publish poetry and maybe some short stories. We'll see. I have made progress in other areas of my life this year, so maybe it is a sign of things to come. Again, we will see. ...

Moanin' - Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Live

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Peace Be Still

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I was just sitting here thinking about the "Stay-At-Home" order and how to be content through the madness. Trust me, it is not always easy. I have moments where I feel a little anxious, and I have moments where fear will try to set in to disturb my peace. Nevertheless, they are merely moments; they are not part of my daily existence. Most of the time, I feel content and at peace; most of the time, I feel happiness and joy; and most of the time, I feel loved and respected by my friends and family. I can only hope and wish the same for anyone who reads this post. Well, take care and be safe. I just wanted to share my thoughts with you today. Peace~

Happy 15th Birthday Morphological Confetti!

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Today, on April 4, 2005, I joined blogger as a way to start a web journal. I thought that it would be a great platform to not only express myself but to sort of record my ideas, and it has proven true. I started with just my thoughts for a particular day. Soon, it morphed into a way to write and share my photography. Then, it morphed into a way to share my poetry and prose. That led to me meeting other writers, not only here in the United States, but writers and bloggers from across the globe. This blog has taken me from New York City poetry events to celebrations of  African descendant culture in Uruguay, South America. It has been a blessing. So, today I celebrate this platform, and I hope to celebrate it for many more years to come. So much has changed since my first post 15 years ago. It will be interesting to see what God has in store for me in the next 15 years. I'm excited! Well, before I end this anniversary post, I'd like to thank all of you for supporting this blo...

National Poetry Month: Gwendolyn Brooks

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April is National Poetry Month. With all that I have on my plate, I will be happy if I can write at least one poem this month. We will see. Meanwhile, let us celebrate the art itself and celebrate those who have so poetically paved a way. Photo by S. Bess: Bronze bust (1994) of poet, Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Artist, Sara S. Miller, 1924 - 2016     We Real Cool By Gwendolyn Brooks           The Pool Players.         Seven at the Golden Shovel.             We real cool. We          ...