Lonnie Rashid Lynn II

PEOPLE.. I love COMMON.. I have ALL his albums..


I know most of them by heart.. even Electric Circus and that was his most "eclectic" effort to say the least.. My favorite album is "Like Water For Chocolate" closely followed by "Be".. I even celebrate his birthday (March 13, 1972).. I know TMI.. but I do! LOVE is an understatment.. I appreciate his voice.. his movement.. his force.. it doesn't hurt that he gorgeous.. but it's deeper than that.. I am into his mind and his lyrical prowess.. now that I got that out the way.. (yeah JBIGG I stole your pic, WHAT??!) I went to see my FEH (Future Ex-Husband) at the House of Blues Saturday and I was geeked! I was gonna go alone but got with my "baby mama" Reese (inside info) and her "baby mama" LIZ (sup ladies?).. we had a good time kicking it! I was alone at the actual concert but we rode together and left to go to IHOP together..I had never seen him spit live and I was beside myself.. I was not even 1ft from the stage.. and I had a GREAT picture of him holding my hand.. but the flash wasn't on so it's GOBBICH! The sista he pulled on the stage with him was standing right next to me.. she's so cute, but it shoulda been me! The sister in me wouldn't let the LONNIE-phile pull her cute ass down by her faux hawk and use her as a step stool to get to my man! LOL.. nah for real though! (straight "kill yo'self" face) .. he did a piece of "I Used To Love H.E.R." but then moved to "Love Of My Life"... the place was thick with NEW Common fans, but there were only few that KNEW what we were seeing! I have seen HIM perform.. now if I could just get backstage.. a sista can say she's satisfied! Enough typing.. LET's MOVE!!!

My Son's 4th Birthday Party...

HEY HEY HEY...This is Shannon reporting live from the toddler social event of the season! Clarence's 4th Surf's Up Birthday Bash! ok.. maybe that is a "tad" over blown but it was a good time! Clarence III's dad, Clarence II hereafter referred to a "2", was in charge of the party and convinced his sister to throw it in conjunction with her 2 daughter's shindig...it was a beach themed party with message in a bottle invitations.. (cool huh?) it was for 3 kids so the cake was too cute... it was a beach (graham cracker crumbs for sand) with 3 sets of flip flops on it, each shoe had the child's name on it and the age candle for that child was right next to their set of flops! it was very creative if I do say so myself...the festivities were on the other side of town from where my son and I live so only 2 kids came for Clarence's VIP section.. lol.. but somehow he still managed to get the most presents and money! and since his older cousin read her bday cards, he insisted on reading his...out loud.. (keep in mind he will be 4 on the 18th and is still learning to read..lol) he said stood up and opened his biggest card... and in a big voice he said "dear Clarence.. happy birthday big boy... AMEN!" and closed the card in triumph! that's my boy! Once the gifts were ravaged, he didn't waste any time putting his little face in that awesomely cute cake! of course that was his piece.. LMAO.. we all had a good time and there was NO "co-parent" drama! I am glad my ex husband and I get along well enough for the party to have been a success but next year he will be 5.. and mommy's back on party patrol.. I will plan it and his dad can pay for it! Co-Parenting at it's finest.. HA!

I have been neglecting my blog... and it's cathartic for me to "blog" as it were... someONE happened to me... I wrote this piece in March 2007 and I stumbled across it the same day he re-appeared to me... there is something kismet about that... love is unconditional, trust and respect are not... but like all things of immeasurable, intrinsic & infinite value, ANYTHING can be re-mixed if the formula is right...might even taste better after it marinates...it's more tender...I can still feel how much I meant this shit...internally...

I Don’t Know…
I don’t know how to say this…
There is disillusion in our midst…
My mind is questioning what my heart thought it knew…
And I am in the dark about my future with you…
We don’t connect the way that we used to do…
The beat of our drum is now slow and subdued….
This ain’t no honeymoon…
I don’t know…
Don’t know if our season together is ending…
Don’t know if the love we share is past tense or pending...
Don’t know if you even notice how what we’ve had has changed…
Don’t know if you care of if it’ll ever be the same…
Don’t know if what you told me you want, still is…
Don’t know if your heart is still where you say your “home” is…
Now there is silence where “I Love You” used to be…
The song our souls sang together is slightly off key…
I don’t know what to say other than I am afraid…
That even after all of my investment is paid…
A line has been drawn in the sand for us to cross…
One side is Gaines, one side is loss…
I mean we can wait it out, or do a coin toss…
But something has to be done before the tide comes to wash…
It all away…
Not the same woman today…
She is gone; she has nothing to say…
The talk says… you want to leave the place you are...
The walk says… you won’t leave until you’re a star…
And our convos say you want me to hold on to the bar…
I’m giving all I got, but your love feels so far…
It’s hard…
Trying to play the cards…
Can’t shake the feeling that I have a straight FLUSH…
Giving so much
Of myself, my life, my future, my son...
Believing in my spirit that you are the ONE…
So I wait…
Under duress…
Resentment growing and so is the stress
You can’t be concerned with me, because you’re too focused on you...
Is this déjà vu?
This is the same bullshit my ex husband put me through!
Damn!
Being unhappy in a bond is something I am not willing to do…
I am going to have to let you go...so you can do you...
I will miss you… so will my son… But what am I to do?
I can't do this, to me, or with you,
A&E4U, but... we're through...

© Goodeness 2007

ROCK THE BELLS (after)

I know it’s been a minute since I actually ROCKED THE BELLS, but better late than never right? (SMH…I know… knee grows) Basically, I went alone, flew in to John Wayne, got a rental car, and crashed with a sister/friend’s house (who didn't go to the venue with me).. it was an experience to say the least.. I couldn't believe all the people that were there...50K easy!!! TALIB and MOS.. WU.. EPMD.. NAS.. CYPRESS HILL.. MF DOOM.. MURS.. SUPERNAT.. PUBLIC ENEMY… THE ROOTS.. and when Captain Kirk was on the guitar during the Roots show.. I was in awe of that man's talent!! It was spiritual! I just recently decided to start "getting out there" more because I was nourishing the MOMMY side of me but depriving the WOMAN side... but I digress.. it WAS AWESOME.. I actually did meet a couple of MySpace-ians when I got there and we were together for a while (shout out to Needle To The Groove), but I was mostly by myself, walking around, taking it all in.... I LOVED the panel discussions and got to meet Chuck D (see pic above) but I had to leave when Flav came out.. he is too much for me.. when MOS was on stage.. I was in it! and Talib..BLACKSTAR did it big for me and when they did Brown Skin Lady! IT WAS OVER!!! That is one of my theme songs! I was in the pit most of the time.. it was so unreal to be that close to people I admire so much! got a hug from Pharoahe and Kirk.. I am weraing my Tshirt right now!! ha!! the break dance exhibitions and freestyle battles were off the hook! I wish I could have battled but I got there too late to register.. so (shrugging) I snoozed and loosed.. I have never experienced anything like it.. I went to the after party for the Dallas RTB at the Black Forest Theater, but it was very intimate (like a hunnit folks) and that is was I expected in CA.. but that isn't what I got.. I felt a little like cattle on occasion, and there was CONCERT VIP (pink wrist band) and VENUE VIP (blue wrist band) and they were letting pinks into the blue VIP until the paying dues stages closed, because the folks that were over there came to the main area and they were overcrowded.. so I felt less VIP-ish after that.. the festival was from 11am to 1155pm and it was OUTSIDE so folks weren’t necessarily happy go lucky by about 8 or 9pm...I was NOT a venue VIP (blue wrist band) and they weren’t letting pink bands in the blue VIP area anymore, BUT I am Southern sister in the midst of rude west coast hype.. so I just smiled and charmed up one of the doormen and got a blue wrist band..he was impressed that I had come all the way from Dallas by myself to experience the hip hop culture forum that is Rock The Bells! that VIP had pool tables, better food, cheaper drinks (non alcoholic for me cause Im not much of a drinker and it was too dang gone hot for all that), couches, and better stage access...I met Chuck D at a VIP panel discussion and I touched Mos Def when he was on stage (during "brown skin lady"..I was a mess afrer that I LOVE HIM!).. got a hug from the best guitar player I've ever heard named Kirk Douglas (The Roots)..and heard a song that was new to me, a more R&B-ish song called "I Can't Understand" from The Roots... it was just an AWESOME experience that I am SO glad I had... but I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!