Updates???

You guys may be wondering, Where has J9 been this whole time.

Well some of you knew when I disappeared from the boards 2 years ago it was because I went to Madagascar with the Peace Corps. I spent the last 2 years working in a rural village living without electricity or running water. I worked with local community groups teaching health and environment messages and training local people on natural resources management.

Since I been gone so long you guys owe me some updates!
What the fuck is up?

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Permalink Reply by Kemet on March 2, 2009 at 4:04pm

Well, can you believe that this Blak dude is Pres - O - Dent!? I know in Madagascar they may be used to that but here!? Oh boy!

The Chi AP crew is pretty dormant. JC used to throw some banging parties, but I havent heard from her in a min.. It seems all of our perspective bands have somewhat folded ( Bushoong/Illiaziam/Small Change/The Haterz)... Im not sure about With Lights & Sirens. Have heard from dude in @ least 2 years.

Permalink Reply by PolarVibez on March 2, 2009 at 7:14pm

Peace J9, It's cool to see you on the AP 2.0. I still remember going to a couple DC AP meetups. Those were good times. Not much like it since. It must be an amazing experience to be in Madagascar reaching out to the people. My hat goes off to you. Nice pictures too!

Permalink Reply by J9 on March 2, 2009 at 10:07pm

are you still in DC?
I'm looking to move back soon but still dont have a job

Permalink Reply by PolarVibez on March 2, 2009 at 10:53pm

Yeah, I'm still in this crazy town. It's yuppified quite a bit since you left but I'm holding on.

Permalink Reply by J9 on March 2, 2009 at 10:58pm

PolariVibez said:

Yeah, I'm still in this crazy town. It's yuppified quite a bit since you left but I'm holding on.

well if you could keep your ears open for any rooms or cheap apartments for rent I would really be grateful

Permalink Reply by PolarVibez on March 2, 2009 at 11:10pm

I'll definitely keep my eyes open and let you know if I find out about anything.

Permalink Reply by Rosenda on March 4, 2009 at 7:53pm

You know what's good to see is this LA Punk Noir that was started up end of last month. I saw a thread on here that it's gonna be the third Saturday of every month for awhile. I used to think all cool AP events were only out there in NY or DC.

I did go forward to something new J9, I am starting my third beginning Millinery class.

Permalink Reply by J9 on March 5, 2009 at 6:20pm

Ok I looked up Millinery and now I know what it is haha
So you make old world style clothes or contemporary clothes?
sounds cool Ro Ro, I'm trying to start making clothes out of old Tshirs and stuff its a real talent.

Rosenda said:

You know what's good to see is this LA Punk Noir that was started up end of last month. I saw a thread on here that it's gonna be the third Saturday of every month for awhile. I used to think all cool AP events were only out there in NY or DC.

I did go forward to something new J9, I am starting my third beginning Millinery class.

Permalink Reply by J9 on March 5, 2009 at 6:32pm

Sounds Cool
Never heard of "Equity Studies" before, what exactly does that focus on? I could just wiki it I guess.
I remember you talking about that Non profit aimed at providing services to men, I'm know right now in America there's very little funding for things aimed at men only. I think its hard to get men to care, in Madagascar there are alot of womens associations that do tons of work for womens health and education, training. I worked with one on multiple projects but there are absolutely NO men's groups. But honestly, men ran the farmers association, community association, the only groups where women really contributed, and were welcomed, were women specific associations. It was f'ed up. Some male volunteers started man's health education associations and groups but they never lasted. The men never really cared.

El Machetero said:

Me, i'm just deep into the work/studies/side hustle life that many have done before me under much worse conditions (as i keep on reminding myself.)

i'm currently working 7 day weeks, 5 of them at a little non-profit helping to run a kid's program (and i literally mean kids, ages 6-13) and 2 of them at an overnight shelter/drop-in program for homeless adults. i'm doing an academic bridging program at the University of Toronto (doing the Contemporary Canadian Society course) once a week, and i am looking to begin fulltime studies there in the fall, doing my major in Equity Studies and my minor in Sociology.

i'm also looking into starting my own multi-service community agency, an organization which would work with men (both younger and older) who are looking to better themselves, their lives and their relationships with those around them. i wish to focus the work primarily on males who have had encounters with the criminal justice system and are working to shake self-destructive mindsets and lifestyles.

i've cooled out on the music thing.....hate to say it, but my total disgust and disillusionment with the industry finally got to me. i still DJ pretty regularly though, and i still have plenty of creative ideas i'm looking to do something with (i say this as if i have the time!)

i've pretty much accepted that i'm gonna be primarily based in Toronto for at least the next couple of years....which i'm OK with. Definitely looking to do a shitload of travelling and spend more time back home in South America when i'm done with my studies tho. In general, i would say that i am much more secure, confident, patient and grounded as a human being than anytime before. i'm diggin being in my mid-30s just fine. Much as the world is in a state of turmoil, i am grateful to say that i feel like i'm holding down my ground pretty good in the midst of it all so far.

Permalink Reply by Matrix on March 11, 2009 at 2:48am

Hey y'all,

Wow. Congrats to you Rosenda on your millinery classes! I know you had been looking forward to that for a while. El, kudos to you for following your dharma in being a healing force for men on the planet. Kemet, while I'm saddened to hear that the Chi-town crews have folded, I trust that y'all creativity will continue to manifest and be shared in different forms! J9, I feel you on your what you've shared of your Madagascar experience thus far. If Madagascar sexism is anything like Nigeria sexism, I feel for ya lol. I'm convinced that Africa as a whole will rise up dramatically as women become more institutionally empowered. And if Obama can happen in my lifetime, Africa rising can happen in my lifetime too!

As for me, I finally started a band and the momentum is flowing! We're having our 3rd gig this Friday the 13th (insert spooky music here) and I feel so blessed to be doing what I love and claiming my dharma as an aspiring paradigmshifter / uplifter / movershaker / differencemaker through music and language.

And like so many other folks, November 4th and January 20th will forever be among two of the most memorable dates of my life. I feel kinda sorry for whoever turns out to be the 2nd Black president though lol. He probably won't have his face plastered on every newspaper, mug, t-shirt, commemorative plate, hat, condom (I'm serious...I saw those "stimulus packages" when I was in DC for the inauguration), etc. I could imagine folks being like, whatever n***a, been there done that. You ain't special. (But then again, if the 2nd Black president is female, that's a different story.)

Permalink Reply by Rosenda on March 11, 2009 at 5:59pm

Matrix, I hope the Black President of the United States of America definitely is a Woman. That would be awesome for another whole group of the World Population, you know it! J9, I am learning Millinery which is basic hatmaking. It is taking me forever to learn because my teacher is THOROUGH and boy am I glad about it and grateful to her for her patience with me. She is a sista who has taught the subject for 45 years in the LA school district. She is also the first Black Millinery instructor for the LA school district and according to the guy who told me about the course in the first place (he is also in my class along with other people), she is one of the last in the country PERIOD teaching the original old-school method, by hand, in the tradition of the couturier milliners back at the turn of the last century.

He also told me I have to have patience to learn it all the right way, because what she starts the beginner learning is the basis for EVERYTHING you have to learn later on in Millinery. I have this awesome feeling every time I get into class that I am where I am mean to be in learning and experience, it is a beautiful and scary as hell feeling at the same time. It's brought up a lot of doubts and fears for myself, the future comes to you as the present a day at a time, and I have to deal with that. It is scary and exciting! :)

Aint' turned on a sewing machine in ten years, so I was frittered to death the other night when I had to do the first stitches on the beginning french beret project I'm on!!!! I did okay so far. Wish me well. :)

Permalink Reply by J9 on March 12, 2009 at 11:38pm

matrix is the old onome right? i think so, I totally LOVE your profile pic you look gorgeous. Still living in NYC thats cool, i remember when you went to nigeria. were you in the capital? how was that? how long were you there?

Ro, I'm glad to see your spending your time doing things that you love thats whats important. I need to get back in school, looking to do that next year but need to prepare. GRE stuff.
I cant wait to get back in school