Morphological Confetti

© Stephen Bess 2006 The temperature is up to 75 F here in DC. Spring is finally here! I love to go for my little stroll after lunch. This is a scene up on Dupont Circle around lunch time. There were so many people at the park just chillin' all over the grass. I've never been comfortable with "city" grass. There are too many dogs and pigeons in this area. In other words, too much dog and pigeon pee all over the place (although I've never seen a pigeon pee?). You don't want to get that stuff on ya! I'm going to need a blanket down there. These people, on the other hand, are very comfy with the land. They're lying down and eating on it??? I don't know? I guess that I'm just funny like that. Have a great weekend and take a blanket if you go to the park! :)

Source: The Examiner, Washington, D.C. Wednesday, Februrary 2, 2005 By: Nate Beeler For more on the situation in Sudan check out this site: http://theprisonerswife.blogspot.com/2006/03/saving-ourselves.html

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago after leaving a happy hour. It was around 7:30pm and rush hour was over in DC. I entered in on a front train and the car was mostly empty. There is nothing special about this picture. I wasn't going for a great shot or special angle. It's just a shot. The only thing that is special about this picture is that I didn't have to listen to someone's boring conversation , I didn't have to play the "what's that smell" game with the people sitting near me, I didn't have to hear teenagers practice profanity at the top of their lungs, and most of all I was able to enjoy my book in peace. Well, it's just about time to exit this J O B. I'm out! Watch the closing doors. (((Boing))) (((Boing)))

Today is my mother's birthday so I am dedicating this post today to a wonderful woman. We had a party for her this weekend and I took this picture of her cutting the first slice. It looked good, but I didn't get a chance to taste it. We had a great time honoring a strong and beautiful mother who continues to be a loving mother and grandmother. God bless you ma. You're my rock. You've been a great mother for my 38 years right or wrong and I just want to thank you. Thank you for correcting me, popping me upside my head, loving me and praying for me. May you guide me through my next 30 plus years. We love you. MmmmmmmmmBbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! P.S. Oh, and thank you for not killing me that time I damn near burned down the kitchen playing with matches. Thanks ma! :)

 (1908-1960) " Our too-young and too-new America, lusty because it is lonely, aggressive because it is afraid, insists upon seeing the world in terms of good and bad, the holy and the evil, the high and the low, the white and the black: or America is frightened of fact, of history, of processes, of necessity. It hugs the easy way of damning those whom it cannot understand, of excluding those who look different, and it salves its conscience with a self-draped cloak of righteousness. Am I damning my native land? No; for I, too, share these faults of character! And I really do not think that America, adolescent and cocksure, a stranger to suffering and travail, an enemy of passion and sacrifice, is ready to probe into it's most fundamental beliefs."    ~ Richard Wright, Black Boy -1945 I love this picture of Mr. Wright -- he looks very cool. By the way, the above quote really expresses how I feel. Richard Wright is one of my favorite writers of all time. His often polemi...

This is one of my many attempts at photography. This is a tree that sits on Pennsylvania Avenue close to Georgetown. I saw it while sitting on a bench and I had to shoot it. I have a great deal of respect for trees. This respect is mostly due to fact that it gives us oxygen, but there is something very spiritual and majestic about them. It is the African belief that some trees are a direct link to ancestors. The Marula tree, which originated in Southern Africa, is often used as an alter for the people in that region. They would approach the tree and give a gift of snuff, a powdery tobacco substance, at the base of the tree. They would then present a question/favor to their ancestors. You see, they believe that their ancestors can see God. This is why they take snuff and other gifts to the tree because they want their ancestors to speak favorably on their behalf to God . I feel that this is a beautiful way to honor ancestors (although it may conflict with some Christian beliefs and pra...

Hmmm...I can't decide what I want for dinner tonight? Is it the goat head or the cow feet? Damn! I can't decide. Side note: This pic was taken last night. We decided on the fresh turkey, but I've tasted everything on that list except the tripe and cow skin. I've heard that tripe is good, but I can't figure out how one would prepare cow skin? Yum Yum, right! :) Have a great weekend all!

This is my friend's house. His name is Jay. This is a picture of Jay's downtown condo. He has a nice spot! Plus, it's surrounded by trees so it's cool in the Summer. Anyway, he asked me to check in on the place from time to time. I went by there yesterday and all is quiet. Good news!!!! He'll be back on Monday, March 20th on the first day of Spring. I hope that he brings me some of those little ginger biscuits from his flight.

This is one of my favorite bookstores in DC. This is the sidewalk sale at Second Story Books in Dupont Circle. The sidewalk sale only occurs if the weather is at or above about 50 degrees. The books usually sale for around $4 but they sometime go for as low as $2. This picture was taken yesterday afternoon. I didn't buy any yesterday, but I've found some really great used books (sometimes out of print) here over the years. Where are my used book lovers out there?

"Their constant outward-looking, their mania for radios, cars and a thousand other trinkets made them dream and fix their eyes upon the trash of life, made it impossible for them to learn a language which could have taught them to speak of what was in their or others' hearts. The words of their souls were the syllables of popular songs."  ~ Richard Wright, Black Boy ( American Hunger )   I thought of this passage from Richard Wright as I observed our young people as I was riding the bus this morning. They all had their headphones blasting into their ears the sounds of the Top Ten from 106 & Park. They were oblivious to all that was around them and I imagined that their only goal was to get through this day without a teacher "sweating" them or asking them a question. (Thank God) I am not talking about all of them because there are some bright young people in the classroom that are going to do well in life. However, an overwhelming number are slipping into...

I'm going to check out a little live jazz tonight with my cousin G Bess. It should be cool. There's a free jam session every Friday night at this church in the city. I hear that they also sell fried fish. Mmmmmm Hmm! **grin** That sounds good! Anyway, Have a great weekend all! Peace! I'm out!

I am so much of a "wannabee" when it comes to photography, but I thought that I would share with you what I see. This is at Dupont Circle in DC near my job.

Written and Directed byGAVIN HOOD Produced byPETER FUDAKOWSKI Based on the novel "Tsotsi" by ATHOL FUGARD Stephen Bess said , "This is Boyz -n- The Hood and Dead Presidents South African style. A great film!" I had the pleasure last night of attending a private screening of the South African film, Tsotsi . The film has gained instantly popularity after winning (to name a few) the Thessaloniki Film Festival 2005, Toronto Film Festival 2005, Edinburgh film festival 2005 and recently stole the heart of the American Academy for best foreign film of 2005 . The film stars actor, Presley Chweneyagae who portrayed (Tsotsi, meaning Thug) the painfully familiar displaced, disenfranchised, angry, lost thug trying to survive in the shantytowns of a new, but still overwhelmingly poor South Africa. The film didn’t dwell on the important past/present issues of South Africa such as Apartheid and discrimination, but the affects of that system were plain to see in the images prese...

Good morning, I just want to share my morning commute. Every morning I race out of the house trying to catch the 7:05 am metro bus headed to subway station. This morning I had to jog in order to catch it. Anyway, I usually get on the bus and search for a seat as I carefully screen the faces of the passengers. It's a habit. This morning was no different. There were the same people on the bus of diverse backgrounds. It's always mostly women. Roughly, its made up of 50% African/Black, 30% Latino, 10% Asian, 5% Caucasian, the rest are men. Well, this morning I noticed a rather peculiar man on the bus. I say peculiar because he sort of sat there with a blank stare. I'm thinking that I don't need to sit near him. As I looked at him he reminded me of the boxer "Butter Bean" so that's what I'll call him. He was your average big, fat, bald white guy. He was surrounded by hefty bags on his left and right. Actually, he had two on his side and one carrying bag sit...

Good morning! I don't have much to say today. I'm chillin. My picture looks like I'm in a sort of pensive state, but I'm really just chillin'. I took that picture about 30 minutes ago at my desk. Otherwise, I am just waiting for 5pm to roll around. Have a great day! Fri 3/3/06 442 pm Have a great weekend! I plan to have a relaxing weekend because I have been full speed ahead for the last few weeks. Here's to rest and relaxation. Peace~