ExtraordinaryC

The King is Back.....

2007-03-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

Over many lands and seas... I have traveled and I have returned. I had to take a break from everything that was going on. Since the beginning of my Masters program, I have been on my grind. Man, I never knew that it would take up so much time. I mean, I always have time for me, but it seems I can't even get that anymore. Well, I have decided to take a mini break to refuel my fire. A nice relaxing break will do me just fine... cause all I plan to do is sleep.

Since I knew this break was coming, I decided to break down and get an iPod. I don't know how I functioned without one. They have just made life more manageable... Since the incident! Long story short... A few months ago, my car was broken into and the radio was stolen. At first I was upset, but then again... The CD player was broke and the radio was on the blink... I wanted to rip it out myself. Either way.. It is now gone and I have my iPod to replace it. So, big ups to Apple... You have a supporter in me!

Since the beginning of the year, I have been moving from one thing to another. Staying busy and busy is what I stay. I worked on a fundraiser for a community college that I graduated from... More of that later, once I have all the pictures from that event. Less then a week after the closing of the fundraiser, I had a relapse and back in the hospital is where I ended up. My story is beginning to overlap itself... So I will try to catch you up to speed....

I last left off that there was a tumor and it needed to be removed. Because I was still in school with 3 weeks left of my sophomore year in high school, the doctors thought it was best if I waited until I was finished with school to have the surely. What was 3 weeks? I was soon to find out. The next day, after school, I decided to take a nap, exhausted by the routine of being a dedicated student only to wake up 3 hours later gasping for air. Unable to talk or hold my head upright, I somehow managed to express to my mom that there was something very wrong with this picture. She immediately rushed me to the hospital. A 10 minute trip to the hospital felt like we were in back to back traffic on the 405 frwy during rush hour. Once arriving at the hospital, I was rushed into the ER and placed on oxygen while the doctor was being paged of my arrival. I began to concentrate on my breathing and was able to catch my breath although at this time, I was not able to swallow. All the muscles in my throat began to relax and I had to resort to spitting in a cup to avoid choking. The doctor arrived and proceded to give me a an IV push of Tensilion. This drug was to give me enough strength so that I would be able to swallow and possibly take medication by mouth to reverse the trama that was about to occur. The Tensilion lasted 3 minutes and then everything came crashing down.... My left eye began to close, and I could not hold it open. Swollowing became a challenge and I was back to spitting in a cup. Then to my demise... I began gasping for air. My heart pounded through my chest as if it was trying to escape my body. My head rolled back, my eyes rolled to the back of my head. Everything went black and there was nothing but silence.... The story continues... so I will save it for another post. It may take me a while, but all in due time.

Until next time.... Long Live the King!

Just on my Grind.....

2006-12-26T13:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa to all my blogging fam. I have been away for a while... many trial and tribulations overcame since the last time that I have blogged. My computer has been out of commission so I have not been able to blog either. I have not forgotten about My Story... it is still in the making... I hope that it may benefit someone that may be going through a similar situation. Stay tuned for more.... you think you know, but you have no idea... it just gets better and better. I would like to say that after many years of dealing with the education system... Suffering grades, changing schools, setbacks, directional changes, and occupational changes... I have finally recieved my Bachelors Degree.... and just like My Story... it doesn't stop there.... I have decided to go back to school and get my Masters. I guess you can say that I am a glutton for pain and sacrifice. I know that it is all good cause the rewards of all my hard work can never take the place of the journey that I have had to walk to get there.... but it is a start. It is said that the man that wears the crown carries the the load of many hats.... That is me all the way but I do all that with mine cocked to the side. Just got to do my thang, like a real king should! Stay tuned......

Protecting my heart...

2006-10-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Saddle began talking, trying to explain what was found in the test results. To my dismay there were a lot of words used that I could not quite understand. I wasn’t a doctor, I was a 15 year old boy in high school, but there were a couple of words that he used that I would have liked for them to be the last thing that I understand. It's Growing…. Growing? Getting Bigger… Bigger?

If we get rid of it now, your symptoms may go away. What is it? It’s a tumor. Is it cancerous? No! If we don’t get it now it could cause dangerous problems down the line. It seems that you have a tumor forming on your Thymus gland. Thymus gland? I don't understand. Right now it is not that big, but it can grow bigger within a couple of months, even weeks. The tumor is growing right below your vocal cords and right above your heart. What it is doing right now is spreading to the point that if we do not take it out as soon as possible, it could infect portions of your vocal cord and they will have to be removed or worse grow big enough to attack your heart. If that was not enough, more problem lay ahead, it could wrap itself around you major artery and vein and that would create another problem in itself.

With all this information that Dr. Saddle was trying to tell me, I couldn’t help but think about what was in store for me. He said they would treat it like an open heart surgery. This is something I could not believe, why was this happening to me? He said “We will do everything that we can, to make this process easy for you to handle. Make it easy to handle? I don’t even want it? Do what you have to! I just want to be normal!

Far and few between.... How it all started!

2006-09-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

Let's just say that things have not been working out in my favor in blogging... from computer malfunctions, weak connections, lack of motivation, or/and an occassional physical episode, there has always been something to keep at bay. I had the intention on posting a little bit of the royalty experience on my blog, but I really don't have enough space and the presentation of it all is not to my standards... Just personal preference. So I have decided with the help of a friend to just give and excerpt from my life....

For the sake of my opera, names have been changed to protect the innocent….LOL!

One day, back in the May of 1994, a day where the sun was shining, like it does most of the time in California… yeah right! This was a beginning to the end and I knew I would never be the same from that point on or at least that is what I thought. I was crossing the softball field to get to the student parking lot where I had parked my car. I noticed that it seemed just a little farther today then it had the day before, and I had to stop in the middle of the field to catch my breath. Considering that I was on the basketball and track team, and knowing that our workouts were more intense then just walking across a field, with me having to pause to regroup; I had to question, what was wrong with me? I told my mother… not knowing what to do she called the doctor and arranged for me to have a check up. At this time, I was 15 years old and was still being seen by a pediatrician… Hey, you only really need a doctor when something is wrong with you and at that point I was healthy and never really saw him for other then the common flu or cold. After being seen by my physician, there were still many questions to what was actually going on with me. None of the things that were happening to me were average things that happen to a health boy. I had weakness throughout my entire body and I found it very difficult to breath at times. My left eye slowly began to close without my personal control and it became difficult to swallow my own saliva let alone water. With the symptoms getting worse day by day and still no answers, it was decided that I would see a specialist. Dr. Saddle was a very obscure man, but he knew his stuff. He was one of the best. Under his care I had gone through many different tests to find out the cause of the problems that I was facing on a rapid continual basis. From test after test, Dr. Saddle dug into the knowledge that he knew to find out what the problem was but I was not prepared for what my test results revealed after I went through the MRI and he was sitting in front of me with the x-rays of the test in his hand.

Stay tuned for the next movement.....

Just save it....

2006-08-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

I already know... so you can save what you are going to say about me.... I know that I have not blogged in a while, but I have been so busy that it is sick. And when I am not working... I don't feel like blogging or know exactly what I want to say. Call it the laziness in the King. In the meantime, I joined myspace and have been working on my page. It is not exactly how I want it to look, but it will do for now.

You can check it out by going to http://www.myspace.com/caroyalty. You will find me under the name California King. For those of you with a myspace page, leave me a message or add me as a friend. I would like to know you as you get to know me as well. Have patience.... A true work of greatness can not be rushed.

A Moment of Reflection...

2006-07-19T02:22:00.000-07:00

THE GUY IN THE GLASS
by Dale Wimbrow (1934)

When you get what you want in your struggle for self

And the world makes you king for a day.

Just go to a mirror and look at yourself

And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your father, or mother, or wife

Whose judgment upon you must pass;

The feller whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest

For he’s with you clear to the end.

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,

And think you're a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum,

If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on your back as you pass.

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

Take a moment to look into yourself and all that you have done. Are you trying to please other people or are you trying to please yourself? It shouldn't be that hard to answer, because it is never hard to do what you want to do. The harder part of that is understanding that others will not be so understand of your decisions. But then again, when it comes down to it, people will never know why you do the things that you do because they will never be you. You can try to walk a mile in my shoes, but can you reside in my soul. Never question the actions and feelings that you have because without them you would not be the individual, one-of-a kind, precious and powerful you.

Unexpected Love....

2006-06-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

Greetings once again... First I must say thanks to all my readers. I know that I a slacking off on blogging, but a kingdom can not run itself. Anyways, this blog is dedicated to my love. I never knew that it could make you feel so good. With the way that the world is going, I wondered if everyone has forgotten what it is to love or worse, be loved. I too felt like one of these people, but I see that it is all apart of living. It is interesting to see how the one thing that we have an abundance of, the thing that does not cost its weight in gold, the very thing that can save someone from giving up, is the same thing that too many people are afraid to share. Whatever happened to love.

Like a letter to Santa, did it get lost in the mail. Did the Easter Bunny hide it in an egg that could not be found? Did the tooth fairy take it from under your pillow when you were sleep? Is it at the end of a rainbow where you will find the pot of gold? It would be nice if these were the answer. At least you would know where to find it. But I have recently came to understand that love is there with you all the time because where your heart is, love is there too. Now I don't mean in gifts and expensive trips,(Who am I kidding, love is there too. LOL.. cause I love to get gifts and love to go on expensive trips) But seriously, love is in the touch of a hand, in a sincere word for the soul, daydreaming thoughts of happy moments spent and love is in the committed dedication that you can have for someone else. Love is showing just how special someone means to you. Never taking them for granted, but pushing them to the excellence that they are destined. Love is more than just a 4 letter word. Love is your life, love is your heart, and Love is your best friend.

Time for meditation and rejuvenation... A hot tub and a glass of Moscato. There is nothing better then Love...

Learn to love... you don't know what you are missing.

I Press On....

2006-06-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

In the 13 hour I was struck with an epiphany. I did not have the greatest birthday this year and was questioning if I was going to blog about it, but it is all over so I can. Not to mention this is my blog, so it is all about me. LOL! The trip to San Francisco was cool. I got to spend time with my sister up there although she is a doctor and it is all about saving lives, I did not get to spend much time with her, so the time I spent with her was very short lived. Although it was short, I still enjoyed the time that I spent with her. Waiting in the airport to fly home, many things came to mind, but the one thing that stands in the front of it all was the need for a release from the past. I think that too many times, we as people get caught up in our past, that we can not move forward. They say that sometimes in order for us to move forward, we have to take a step back, assess the situation and then press on. Many times we take a step back and then forget to move forward. We try to find ways around the problem rather then walking right through it. I do have to say that I was quite pleased to have my friends at home wish me well on my birthday with food and cake. You got to love the people that love you in return!

It is funny how you never know what you are truly all worth until someone or something jeopardizes and challenges that portion of you. Although this may seem like a bad thing, in actuality, it is a blessing in disguise. You learn never to take yourself for granted nor to take yourself too seriously. The only way to really enjoy life is not to reflect on the bad but to enjoy the things that make you smile, the things that make your heart sing. There is always something that will send you heart soaring through the clouds into the bliss that we call life.

So I say to the past, you are what you are.... The Past and I press on.

.

Searching....

2006-06-02T02:13:00.000-07:00

Well I am back. I had to take some time off from my blog. That is what you have to do when you have special projects to work on and get accomplished. In the mist of finishing up on these projects, I have been on a picture search. Looking high and low for pictures that I can add to the symphony of my life. It is truly not as easy as it seems. A picture is not just a picture when it expresses exactly what you would like for it to say.

Since it is June... and yes my birthday is just around the corner... I decided to take a personally trip and leave LA for a minute. Don't get me wrong. I love LA, but I need another jolt of inspiration. A trip to the bay area was the ticket, so I am here in San Francisco for the weekend. From take off to touch down, inspiration has been all around me. Check back for more of my inspiration and the opening oveture of the symphony of my life. Trapped in the Darkness: The Fairytale.

Black Beauty

2006-05-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I was invited to see a play by one of my dearest friends Arnita Champion. And I could not see my dearest friend without the Sangindiva. Now I know the woman is bad… but I was not prepared for an event like this. Being one of the amazing and talented performers of the play each performer left you and abundance of emotions.

TP Productions Present….
12 Black Women…
..in the Same Black Dress

“As we all know the grass always looks greener on the other side, but truly it isn’t. Every lawn has its own set of weeds.”

Written and Produced
By
Tiffany J. Prewitt

(Picture of The Cast)

The production took place in Atlanta, GA on New Years Eve… and by the title you guessed it…. 12 black women in the same black dress. You would think that you have figured out the play, but on the contrary. Each woman that was wearing the dress had their own personal reason for wearing the dress to the party. Each story given is a real reflection of life’s struggle with self. It showed the difference and the sameness that we all pose regardless of what the exterior shells we wear on a day to day basis. Although the play highlights on the beauty, intelligence, love, passion and fire (even the insecurities) that a women might have, I thought that the play also speaks to people in general, to open their eyes… and to look deeper, appreciate deeper, love deeper.

Here are some pictures of the actors/actresses and I taken that night of the performance.

Shannon, Val Morrell, Me

Shannon, Me, Oonarissa Brown -Bernard

Miss Chacha (Aaron Chalez) & Shannon

Shannon, Maliaka Mitchell, Me

Shannon, Me, Nichole Antionette

Shannon, Tiffany J. Prewitt, Me

I do have to say that I was not happy to here that the show was coming to an end. It was definitely a production that I would have gone to see over and over again.

Guess whose back….

2006-05-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time. I shouldn’t have left you without a dope beat to step to…
Yes I am back and better then ever. I was running a little low on the Prince Juice, so I need to take some time to fill up. Now, I am fully gassed up and ready to roll. First I would like to thank all those who were praying for me and had me on their VIP prayer list. Yes! The Prince has the ability to get on a VIP prayer list.

Well anyways… for those that don’t know what has been going on… Stay tuned into the new orchestrated overture of Trapped in the Darkness: The Fairytale.

Be Ruler of your own pond…

2006-04-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

It is interesting to see how many people love to focus in on what you have going on. Not because they want to be you… because we both know that is not possible. Not to toot my own horn but… BEEP! BEEP! There is no one like me. I am the original and was not created for the masses. I am an exclusive and so is the style that I generate, create and give life to.
Numerous times, it has been brought to my eye how people tend to be envious of what THEY BELIEVE you have. From the people that you hang out with to the car that you drive, from the clothes on your back to the blessings that God has given each and everyone of us, Envy is a dangerous curse. What is all that about?

When did we become a people that can not be happy with what we

have and take pride that you know someone else is doing just a little better then they did the day before? It is also interesting how envy and likeness is only there when that person gives the appearance that they are doing better then you would think. When was the last time that you envied someone that was worse off then you. It seems to me that people are becoming more concerned with what is going on in everybody else’s lives but their own. I know there comes a point in life when it is not all about you….. Let me know when you get there because I ain’t gotten there yet. (Don’t think that I want to either…) Yes, it is all about me. So I say this to you, if you got a hater on your back trying to be the big fish in your pond, let them know…

…. Don’t put anything past a hater. They are not rulers of their own pond, but try to be rulers of the ponds of other. Appreciate the things that you have and strive to be better with in yourself and not just because you want to out do someone else. In the end, you only make yourself look like a fool.

The Perfect 10

2006-04-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was tagged on the subject of “10 Attributes of My Perfect Lover/Mate” by Sangindiva. (I know that it was just another reason to make me post on this blog of mine…..LOL!) Either way, I am glad that she did. So here it is… Top 10 Attributes of My Perfect Lover/Mate!

10. Must Love the Lord
I am a child of God and I can not be with someone that does not have a personal relationship with the Lord. There is a certain light that shines from a person that knows the Lord and how far they have come through the power of faith in a higher power.

9. Be willing to compromise
Stubbornness is not an attractive quality in anyone. If I am willing to give an inch, you better be damn sure that I am not going to settle for anything less then an inch. Walk with me, talk with me… not talk at me and walk behind me or in front of me.

8. Not be A know it all
There is nothing worse then being around someone that thinks that they know everything. Your name should not be Dictionary and your middle name should definitely not be Thesaurus. There is something that we can learn from the littlest child. You are not expected to know all the wonders of the world. Have the knowledge that you need to master your craft, while I do the same in my endeavors, and be willing to learn from me as I am willing to learn from you.

7. Possess a sense of understanding
Every person is their own person. There are things that you have to do that will just not involve me. That is just life. Understand that I am a prince and I have a nation to run. Meaning (my world does not revolve around you). I would more then love to share it with you, but you can not be the ruler of my world. That seat is already taken… If you are not sure who fills this seat, revert back to attribute 10.

6. Can you hear me now….
Communication is number 5 on the list. Nothing will ever last if you are not willing to verbally or non-verbally express the things that are going on inside of you. Having good communication creates a level of openness to where topics and discussions can be shared.

5. Show your sense of Loyalty/Commitment
You have got to be down for me like I would be down for you. Talk is cheap if you can not back it up. Get the point…. Moving on!

4. Honest is the best policy
I don’t think that I can stress this enough. Telling me what I want to hear may make me feel good, but telling me the truth will make me have more respect for the person that you are. Be real with me and I will be real with you.

3. Got to be a friend.
Friends have an undeniable connection. Friends enjoy each others company, no matter where they are. They may have conflict between each other, but they always seem to work it out in the end. I very well can not be in a relationship with someone that I can not enjoy being around now can I?

2. Know what it means to love
I guess you could say, “Treat others the way that you would like to be treated”. There are things that every person does to let a person know that they love them. I am no exception to the rule. Love me… through it all. Good and bad!

1. Not to think that you need to be perfect…..Be You!
Be realistic now. No one wants to be with anyone that is perfect. They just make you see how messed up you really are. Besides, how can someone love you when they don’t know who you really are? I would want to be loved for who I am and not who someone would want me to be. No one is perfect (Thank God for that.) If you try to look for that someone who is perfect… you may never find them… There is no such thing as perfect. Who is?

Of course 10 attributes may be more than enough for someone to understand what it takes to be my Queen. I am sure that I am not asking anything that is not capable of being achieved. Time is the essence of everything and everything will work in its perfect timing.

Stopped to smell the flowers....

2006-04-01T23:59:00.000-08:00

It is official… I have just been tagged!

But it has all been for a good reason. In the past couple of days, I have been working on the perfect timing concept. There is a reason for everything that happens. Just because things do not work when you want it too or how you want it to work, does not mean that it is not working for you as it was intended too. It seems that the world is so concerned with speeding up just to slow down. All in hopes of trying to get there fast just to have to slow down and wait on someone else to catch up to your speed. When you want things to be done right, be it fast or slow… you have got to be there to get it done. I am not referring to being there physically (although that is good) but you have to be there mentally and emotionally. (There are too many people running around crazy, just because they are not all there…. Literally!) Many times we rush through our day to get where we need to be, but never take the time to experience the ride that it took to get there. You can do this in everything that you do. Although not every experience that you have will be an enjoyable one, there is always a time within that experience that you find enjoyable. Be it a moment, a day, an hour, or a second, there is something that was so good about the situation that caused you to continue on in the process. Find your joy and embrace it. Give birth to it and help it grow it is one of the things that make a good day GREAT! Having a little good time never hurt anyone, but it has always made a great moment for the books. Take time out of your busy day to appreciate that flower that are in bloom... better to do it now rather when they have withered away.

Each One… Teach One!

2006-03-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

It is said that the true lessons in life are not the ones that people talk about, but the ones that we can relate too. Not only are they the ones that we can relate too, but they are the ones that we teach to others. I suppose that is the only way to know that a lesson has truly been learned. Teaching someone else about the experiences that you have been through to better educate and train them in the manner that they would like to direct their lives is the true test. In this life we can all be categorized as students, teachers, mentors, and scholars. No matter what age, we all take on these positions through our daily functions in life. Just think about all the things that you know. Now think of where they first came from. The lessons that you know, when did they become lessons learned? After the experience was over or when time presented itself for you to relive it through the eyes of someone else.
The lessons that we learn are to make us stronger in our daily walk. Be it good or bad, the experience is a learning session that we all need to understand. Some take longer then other and some just don’t get it at all.
Not all lessons that you learn from are for the benefit of you. Have you ever experienced something that can not be explained? You wonder why you are going through it, but don’t have an answer for anything that is going on. You come to later understand the situation that you were in when you have to share your experience with someone that does not understand what is going on in their lives. Lessons in life should be shared with others… there are no secrets to life. The real secret is in sharing.
Don’t ever think that you have to hide behind the experiences of your life. The are apart of what makes you who you are and without them, you would be someone entirely different then who you are. Your story may have been created to help someone that might have been lost if your story was never told.
It is also said that,”The truth will set you free”. How can you be free, when you hide from the truth?

Life is a learning process…. And recess is over!

Taking my time...

2006-03-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

It is interesting how no one in the world feels that they have have enough time to do all the things that need to be done in one day. I too have these moments, but think about it.... What is it that you have to do? You have to breath, eat, drink water, sleep, go to the bathroom, think.... time has no bearings on this. When you need to take a breath, you take a breath. Inhale, exhale, cough, sneeze.... any way to take in or expel air. When you need to eat... you will stop everything to put something in your stomach, be it a hamburger or a piece of candy, just something to curve that mad appetite. When you are thirsty, you will go to the extent of using public drinking fountains to quinch that fire. (I am talking about the desert thirsty.) When was the last time that you heard someone say that they don't have time to think? Come on now.... You are doing it right now! Now all that I have mentioned are things that you have to do... everything else falls in line of what you want to do and it is interesting how we make time to do what we want to do over what we have to do. I would say that it all depends on how you prioritize the things that are going on in your life. I think there comes a time in everyone life where they take priority over everything.... friends, job, love and life. Not to put it in a sense of being concieted, but knowing that your life means more to you than what anyone can value it as. My life has become something that I have to do...LIVE. Sometimes I have time for others, but all in all, my life take priority over all... It has taken me a while to accept this due to the continual monitoring of my existance and it's true meaning. So the next time someone tells you that they do not or did not have the time.... think of where you rank on their priority list.... if you don't see yourself anywhere near the top.... count it all joy.... just one less person who does not value you for all that you are worth will not be wasting anymore of your greatly appreciated attention in the long run... So I am taking my time for full value.

One-mo-ghin...

2006-03-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

I am going to try this once again seeing that the first time I tried to post a message, it was lost.

Yesterday, I made a concious decision to step up and accept the role that has been dealt to me. Being so extraordinary is a bit of a challange at times. Aways being on point is not an easy thing to do (Lord knows!). So I am going to give it another try. I suppose when you don't think about it as much as I do then it just rolls off like water.

With that said... let me get into what this blog is about.

Many people walk aound with their heads in the clouds, oblivious to what life really is all about. I have to admit that I am the same way. The answer can not be found in a book, magazine or in ideas of others, but it lies within you. I gues you can say that I live in my own world. (As fabulous as it is, and there is never a dull moment.) I think that it is due to being a Gemini!!!

Just got to take a moment to holla at my fellow Geminians. We are a very special group. (...in more ways then one.) I also what to give a shout out to my most fabulous Geminian and friend.. Sangin Diva Shannon. You know I got nothing but love for you.

In this blog you will get a glimpse of the kind of world that I live in. If you think that this is going to be a blog with lots and lots of post.... (Don't count on it!) I am a busy guy, but I do have to say that I love every minute of it.

Well, I need to get back to work because being as busy as I am, your work is never done and you even work in your sleep. So until the next time... Don't just be ordinay... Be Extraordinary!

Let me introduce myself.....

2006-03-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

Let me clear my throat. Hugh! Hugh! For those of you that do not know who I am... I am the all-in-one, the one and only, multi-faceted, multi-talented, always replicated but never duplicated.... Prince Curry Armand. After viewing many different blogs, I too should give it a try. So here it is. I am very glad to make you aqaintance.... Gotta love it!