Yes; yes I definitely lost this contest.

After I drank my unfree frappuccino, I became hungry and blacked out for an indeterminate amount of time (as evidenced by these anonymously submitted photos). I was weak and needed to eat lunch.

I accompanied Nicholle to several events, as mentioned in her blog, which included a luncheon and several random hotel events. Unfortunately we arrived too late to the luncheon, and the hotel events only had tea and coffee. This left me, once again, tired and hungry. Eventually, we gave up and went to McDonald's (this is proof that I was desperate because I am morally opposed to McDonald's, article coming soon).  

Later that day, I attended the barbeque where I ate my first real free-food of the day. My cheeseburger was delicious. But by that point, I knew that I was so far in last place I would be unable to catch up.

When I got back to the dorm, I cleaned myself up and headed to Mocha Hut to perform. After the open mic, me and my friends went to Adams Morgan, where we bought drinks that were not free. Then I went home and cooked myself food that I paid for at the grocery store two weeks ago.

So I guess free food is not my forte. If we had competed in a Best-16-Bars-Day or a Biggest-David-Ruffin-Fan-Day, I definitely would've won. Oh well; you can't say I didn't try.

I told the cashier about our contest but she said she wasn't authorized to give out any free food. I asked her if I could just have a sample of iced coffee, a piece of pastry, anything. She wouldn't budge.

"You'll have to talk to the manager," she said.

"Ok, can I talk to him/her?," I asked.

"No, she's not here today."

Being that I was overheated and thirsty, I bought a green tea frappucinno. It was either that or start drinking cream and eating sugar in the raw packets. At least I saved $2.50 on busfare today. That makes the frappuccino almost free, right? Right.

I'm sure I'll do better later today because CAP is having a barbeque. Still though, it doesn't look like I'm winning this contest. If I lose, I'll just say I was fasting...in solidarity with...hungry girls on diets. Yeah.

I'm a lady who enjoys the cooked food, for both taste and safety reasons. My mom used to always warn me about salmonella poisoning. Plus, who wants to eat uncooked food...unless of course, it's sushi! Going to a sushi bar is the only time that it's safe and acceptable to eat raw meat without being stranded on a desert island. And it's delicious.

If I had a time machine and could travel back to the 1960's, I would do so without hesitation. Not to join a movement or buy a lot of macrame accessories (although I would do those things too), but to save David Ruffin from himself.

Ruffin, the lead singer of The Temptations, has been the object of my desire since early high school. Then I bought a remastered DVD of The Temptations best performances last summer and nearly lost my mind. David Ruffin's voice was so gritty and gentle at the same time. And those tight pants with all that leg; those thick-framed glasses...my goodness! They just don't make men like that anymore.

Unfortunately David Ruffin had some drug problems, and was in a reportedly abusive relationship with Tammi Terrel. After he left The Temptations, he went a little crazy and started wearing really obvious  wigs.

I do like some of David Ruffin's solo work though, despite the hair. "On and Off" is a very catchy but under appreciated song. Jay-Z sampled "Common Man" in "Never Change" from The Blueprint, ressurecting Ruffin for a whole new generation to enjoy.

I wish I could go back in time and heal David with my kind heart and good lovin. I don't like to watch his late performances; my vintage crush is broken when I think of him as an old man. Maybe I was born in the wrong time. Maybe David was born ahead of his time. Like many artists, he was so talented but yet so tortured. He died early and unhappy, unable to beat the addictions that ultimately ended his career.

But I don't care what anyone says. David Ruffin was a genious, misunderstood but beautiful. And until I find a time machine, I'm going to keep looking for a long-legged man with a deep gritty voice and thick-framed glasses. Ruffin 08'...keep the dream alive.

Last night, Campus Progress taught DC how to resist with words. "Protest Through Poetry", a progressive spoken word showcase, allowed poets and emcees the opportunity to be lyrical with a purpose. The event featured Drew "Droopy the Brokeballer" Anderson, Alvin Lau, Mario Rocha, Triflava, and Laura Perez. To avoid writing in the third person, I'll let you know that Laura Perez is me.

The show opened with open mic contest winners Jonathan Pourzal and Campus Progress' own Nicholle Manners, who got the energy right with their award-winning pieces. Droopy hosted and called on each featured artist to perform their set. Afterwards, performers participated in a question and answer session moderated by Erica Williams.

The show exceeded my expectations in both audience reaction and turnout. The room was packed to capacity with every seat filled. Attendees crowded inside, sitting on the floor and standing in the front lobby.

All the artists gave amazing performances that energized the audience and drew out audible reactions. Although the pieces addressed varied topics, they were all relevant to the overarching theme. As Alvin Lau pointed out, "love poems are protest poems too".

I realize that somebody has already written a blog about places to bike in DC; but I have a more basic question...what is the best kind of bike for city riding?

Growing up, I always rode a mountain bike. Of course I never actually biked up a mountain (which I realistically could have done living in Washington state). Still though, I enjoyed my bike; we had some good times together.

Now I'm living in D.C. and I want to buy a bike suitable for the city. Initially I was going to get a mountain bike because that's what I'm used to. Then I was told that the tires are too bumpy and all the gears are unneccessary.

Every morning I see people riding road bikes with thin tires and drop handlebars, bent over like racers competing over who will make it to the office first. I really don't need all that. Why do road bikes look like they're all designed for the Tour de France?

I've been strongly considering getting a cruiser bike with gear shifting for hills. I even fell in love with a shiny blue vintage cruiser, and have been staring at its picture for 2 days. It has whitewall tires...whitewalls! Then I read that cruiser bikes were for middle-aged women and out-of-shape teens. That kind of ruined it for me.

Don't even get me started on hybrids; the only hybrid I want is a car that doesn't rely on fossil fuels. I still don't completely understand what a hybrid bike is, but it looks suspiciously like a mountain bike to me.

So now I'm conflicted. I want a bike that I can ride for fun AND commute in. Howard's main campus is on a hill, so I need to be able to comfortably ride up to class. But I still want something that looks good; just not good enough to steal.

Any ideas?

I'm about to attend an event at The Heritage Foundation entitled "Ending Racial Preferences: The Michigan Story".

If you haven't heard of it before, The Heritage Foundation is a conservative thinktank. Hmm...

Expect a blog or story coming soon!

Two weeks ago I reached a landmark destination in my young adult life; I turned 21. After years of unsuccessfully sneaking into bars and leaving clubs with X's across my hands, I had finally made it to womanhood. No longer would I be forced to frequent 18 and up clubs, suffering the drunken belligerence of 18 year old girls and the wack pick-up lines of boys still in high school. "Summer 08 in DC," I said to myself, "Time to be grown." Little did I know how ironic those words would become.

Being grown, to me, meant experiencing the bar and lounge scene rather than simply going to clubs with 21 and up nights. So I decided to try some places I had heard about on U St. and in Adams Morgan. The two places I visited this past weekend were Marvin and Bukom West African Cafe.

Let's start with Marvin on Friday:

This bar, named after Marvin Gaye, has a pretty nice set-up. The top floor is divided into two rooms (one outdoors and one indoors). The downstairs wasn't open when I went, but it looked nice as well. The DJ was also very talented. Although he played a little too much 80's music for me, he also included some old school hip-hop and a few of my personal and more current favorites, (When I hear Ms. Fat Booty in any setting, I go crazy). Plus, he knew what he was doing. His blending and scratching skills were much better than a typical club DJ.

Unfortunately, the crowd was a little more "grown" than I expected. Almost everyone there knew all the 80's music that was being played, because they partied to it when it FIRST came out. I felt a little out of place being about fifteen years younger than over half the crowd. But then I noticed something strange; there were only older MEN there. Most of the women looked twenty something, and there were a few in their early thirties. But most of the men I saw were in their late thirties to mid forties. I saw a few men who had to be at least fifty years old! And they all tried to dance with me. Let me take this time to point out that although I'm 21, I could pass for 17. That sir, and I say sir to respect you as my elder, is gross!

On to Saturday at Bukom:

I really enjoyed Bukom solely for the live music. There was a reggae band that kept the energy right, and a good number of people were actually dancing (impressive for a restaurant/bar).

But sadly, I encountered the same problems of the previous night. The ratio was identically uneven; lots of old men and young women. In fact, it seemed to be even more dramatic at Bukom than at Marvin's. Over half of the men there looked to be past middle-aged, and visibly so. There was a lot of grey hair in the building. Once again, they all seemed to feel entitled to dance with women less than half their age. A polite moving away was not enough; many of the men would refuse to take the hint and move out of my "rear" view blind spot.

The Problem:

Don't get me wrong, I believe everyone should live their life to the fullest, regardless of age. We all need to unwind sometimes, and social settings are often the means for that. But why is the age/gender ratio so uneven, and where the older women? Why is this sugar daddy dynamic acceptable? And where can I go to meet some men who are over 21 but UNDER 35?

Any suggestions???

Looking for something to do tonight? Sometimes the best part of a city’s nightlife IS the night’s life – watching the city come alive after dark. To quote from one of my favorite Black Star songs: "Esuchela…la ciudad respirando (Listen to it…the city breathing)" Instead of looking for a party this weekend, why not lay back and look at the sky? There are plenty of ways to enjoy the DC skyline for free. Bring a journal, your ipod, and something to hold onto (pillow or lover).

One of my favorite scenic locations to visit is the side of Cardozo High School. Located on a hill in Northwest DC, this site is perfect for taking in the skyline. It’s also a great spot to watch fireworks on the 4th of July.

Speaking of the hilltop, Howard University is only a few blocks away from Banneker. Because of its high elevation, the main campus of Howard also provides many opportunities for sky watching. An easy to access location is the rooftop of the Undergraduate library. Located to the left of Founders, the top of the UGL serves as a shortcut to the valley. It’s perfectly legal to stand there at night.

But if you’re really looking for adventure, I recommend searching for an unlocked entrance and making it to a real rooftop. A few weeks ago, the gate to an outdoor stairway of a building was left open. Me and a few friends climbed to the top and took in a beautiful rooftop view of the city. Of course, this involves an element of risk. Nobody is supposed to be in the buildings at night, or on the rooftops period. If you get caught by campus police, there may be consequences. And remember, even if there are no open doors, don’t break any locks. The sky will still be there tomorrow.

For non-students, it may be more appropriate to find places outside of Howard to explore; (a grown man sneaking around campus at night can appear suspicious). Luckily, the rooftop rule can be applied to most tall buildings in DC. I don't have any specific advice about this since I haven't done it yet. But I will say this; there are plent of condo and apartment buildings with great rooftop views. Maybe you have "a friend" that you need to "visit"?

If all else fails, I would recommend bars and restaurants with rooftops open to the public. Some places that I’ve read about include The Reef in Adams Morgan and Tabaq Bistro on U St. Of course, this is almost never free. But you can always avoid paying by finding a night with no cover and  continuously ordering water with lemon.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to leave a comment. And remember, rooftop sky-watching is like life...we're all just trying to make it to the top.

Maybe I take life too seriously, but I find it difficult to laugh at things that hurt my soul; (the reason I can never watch Mind of Mencia). Sorry Carlos, changing your name to sound more ethnic so you can make Mexican jokes = sellout. 

But even I have to admit that there is nothing funnier than state sponsored terrorism. Well maybe there's one thing that's funnier...state sponsored terrorism and Adam Sandler! This Friday marks the debut of You Don't Mess With The Zohan, a charming comedy starring Sandler as an Israeli Mossad agent who fakes his own death, moves to America, and becomes a hairstylist. Unfortunately, his real identity is revealed and based on the plot information I read online, he is forced to battle some dangerous "terrorists".

As a Jewish man, I wonder how much thought Adam Sandler put into the implications of this movie (which he cowrote). Most Palestinians are not terrorists, but the victims of an occupation. They live as prisoners on their own soil, and are subjected to everything from random violence and harassment to a loss of employment and unannounced demolitions of their homes. Even the minority of Palestinians responsible for terrorist activities such as car bombings are using what they view as an effective measure of resistance to their occupation. I am in no way advocating car bombings or any other random acts of violence, but I do believe it is important to recognize and understand the motivation behind those acts.

Most importantly, the Israeli government is forcibly occupying Palestine and enforcing state-sponsored terrorism themselves. Mossad, the organization which Sandler's character belongs to, is basically Israel's version of the CIA. Mossad is a zionist organization whose original mission was to bring Jews to Israel. Currently, they effectively suppress Palestinian leaders through methods of terror. Just like the Muslim terrorists who we are told to fear, they rely heavily on car bombs with zero regard for civilian life.

I understand the complicated history behind this conflict, and I also realize that by posting this I face accusations of being anti-Semitic. However, anyone concerned with global justice, whether Jew, Muslim, or Christian, should not be in support of an occupied state. This is not an issue of religion, but rather one of human rights. Would it be funny if Hollywood made a movie about a leader of the Janjaweed militia fleeing Sudan to start a career in bikini waxing? Or maybe a 1980's period piece about a National Party member leaving apartheid era South Africa to open a nail salon?

I still want to see You Don't Mess With The Zohan, just to confirm my suspicions and see how far Sandler will go. However, I don't want to support a film that enforces stereotypes and furthers the Zionist agenda. So I encourage everyone to be like me and wait for a bootleg version or just illegally download it. And then yell angrily at the screen and try not to laugh the whole time. That's how I practice resistance.

If I had to make a top ten list of the silly things white people say in an attempt to ease relations with their black counterparts, I would put "I don't see color" in at least the number three slot. Right in between "but some of my best friends are black" and "can I touch your hair?"

The idea that an individual cannot see another's race is ridiculous and biologically impossible, unless of course you really are blind. Why then, has it become such a popular statement of self-defense? Apparently, claiming to not perceive the differences amongst our peers is meant to be an expression of personal unbias. In other words, "Oh, you're black??? Hmmm, I didn't notice. Because I'm not a racist!"  

But this stance, although well intentioned, is inherently wrong. Refusing to acknowledge race is in itself a display of white privilege. To be able to live a life in which you are rarely confronted with reminders that race exists, now that's something not everyone can see.   

More importantly, pretending to not recognize the social construct of race will not change the fact that it exists, nor will it heal the broken legacy of a nation built on manifest destiny and slave labor. For race relations in this country to improve, we must be unafraid to engage in an open and honest dialogue amongst ourselves. And that cannot happen until we collectively take off the blindfold and look at each other in earnest.

I'm glad that we may have finally reached a time of change. If I got some universal healthcare and affordable gas, maybe my blogs would be more jokes and less protest. But during this time of economic crisis, it is imperative we don’t forget that we have problems much deeper than our pre-recession pockets. And whether the newly elected president is man or woman, black or white, there is still much more work to be done.

President Bush officially apologized to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki today. No, not for the whole "I started a war in your country and made you the leader of an unstable regime" thing; that's water under the bridge.  Bush telephoned to address a May 9th incident in which an American sniper was found using a copy of the Quran for target practice. The copy of the Quran was recovered two days later, with graffiti covered pages and 14 bullet holes.

It's no surprise that Bush apologized; saying your sorry is in the how-to manual for diplomacy. But more importantly, it is even less of a surprise that the holy book was defaced in the first place. Since 9/11, the Bush administration in conjunction with almost all major media outlets, has told us that our enemies are Arab and Muslim. Through the manipulation of our fears, the American public has been conditioned to believe that Islam and terrorism are one and the same. Though the message was never put so bluntly, the intent was clear.

To quote from one of my favorite poets, Suheir Hammad:

"We did not vilify all white men when McVeigh bombed Oklahoma.
America did not give out his family’s addresses or where he went to
church; or blame the bible or Pat Robertson."

I do not solely blame the American sniper for his ignorance. Of course we are each responsible for our own actions, but the soldier was literally a product of his environment. He was conditioned, and like many of his peers, decided to act on that conditioning. Disrespect of the Islamic faith happens everyday, both at home and overseas, in American newsrooms and Abu Ghraib prison cells. This man just happened to get caught in the spotlight.

We need to evaluate ourselves and decolonize our own minds. I am opposed to any act of violence or terrorism, and both of those things are in no way exclusive to the middle east. Historically both Americans and Christians have been the transgressors just as often. But I can only imagine what would happen if somebody got caught shooting up a bible. Unlike this story, it would make the front page of the news. And let's not forget that we are in a war. I too am deeply offended that the Quran was shot at, but unfortunately, that's the least of our problems. Maybe Bush should consider apologizing to all the innocent Iraqis that have been used for target practice. Excuse me, I meant to say collateral damage.

So what now? Prime Minister Maliki is deeply offended, and rightfully so. Bush has apologized and claims that the sniper will face a trial. But that is not enough. Making an example out of one person will not solve the larger problem. Islam is a religion of peace, and that idea must be communicated to the American public.