Natasha Ramsey's Blog

A Creative Thank You and a Poem

Natasha Ramsey — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:40:30 +0000

Someone once said, “Of all the things I miss, I miss my mind the most”. Sometimes I feel this way. Between work and regular life, some days I feel as if I just exist. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been working my behind off and I really do love my grown-up gig but some days, it feels like I’ve lost all of my creativity. Now that’s a real problem because when I’m not creative, I feel like I’m suffocating. If I feel like I’m suffocating, I get bored. When I’m bored, I lose motivation. When I lose motivation, I write less. And well, when I write less, it’s difficult to say I’m a poet and writer. So as you can see, I need to get creative again.

That, my friends, is where you come in! I want to say thank you for your blog posts, books, poetry and the articles you’ve emailed or texted me over the past few months. These messages, as simple as they may seem, helped remind me that although I wasn’t writing at that particular moment, the people I met through this blog, twitter, freelance gigs, poetry shows I’ve hosted as well as those I’ve participated in, continue to encourage, inspire and amaze me with their talent. Therefore, I should get off my ass, appreciate and enjoy life so that my creativity will be sparked again. After all, I can’t write without life experiences and observations to draw from. So, to my friends, both online and in-person, thank you! You keep me going when I least expect it.

Emotions rock.
They may not be trusted by some,
Or considered reliable if not tangible,
But they are real.
They fuel human imagery, integrity, life.
A visionary’s gut instinct can guide heart and mind.
Those who disagree will use statistics and rationale to dissuade,
While others not swayed one way or another, form no opinion,
Only to find they are inevitably left behind
With a one-word description;
Minion.

If Dr. Martin Luther King were alive today…

Natasha Ramsey — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:58:51 +0000

I had a holiday from work this week because the third Monday in January is a federal holiday marking the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As I sat around thinking of the meaning of the day, I started wondering what the world would be like if Dr. King were alive.
While I assume everyone has heard of, or knows something about this leader, I will highlight what I believe was one of his greatest accomplishments, which was to lead a civil rights movement steeped in nonviolent activism.

Although Dr. King began fighting primarily against civil rights, he protested against other injustices as he encountered them. This included the Vietnam war and poverty which at that time, affected many races of american citizens. I highlight this because some people forget that this civil rights leader and Nobel prize winner fought against discrimination and oppression wherever he found it, not just because it affected people who looked like him, or shared his opinions. Today, it seems that so many are focused on one fight or focused only on one cause, they forget that the occurrence of injustice and oppression anywhere, threatens oppression and creates unjust rules and practices everywhere.

Based on what I’ve read by historians as well as friends and family of Dr. King, I dare say that if Dr. King were alive today, he would oppose the war against Iraq, not because the citizens of Iraq do not require assistance, but because he was against using violence to accomplish peace and change. This means he would also be against furthering nuclear bomb and long range missile development and would not feel comfortable with North Korea’s ability to continue building and testing their nuclear weapons. I also thinkg he would understand the frustrations of the Wall Street protesters and who knows, maybe even help them to become more organized to make the nation pay attention. I believe he would support gay rights (yes, I can hear the collective gasps as some read this statement with regard to religious beliefs and Dr. King). The reason I believe he would support gay rights is because I think he would understand that no person should be denied the right to love another person because of his/her gender. Lastly, I say with confidence, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have had a real chance of becoming the first black president of the United States of America.

RIP Dr. King.

Online Bullying?

Natasha Ramsey — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:08:46 +0000

Is social networking getting too social or is online bullying easier as a result of Twitter and Facebook? If you’re anything like me and millions of other people in 2011, you have a twitter account, a facebook page, and multiple email addresses. Maybe, like me, you also take it a step further and blog, have a website or two, and are a text messaging whor, ahem, addict.

So why, of all people, would I question whether social networking is too social or whether online bullies exist? I do tend to stir things up by pushing hot buttons on my blog and in my poems so who’s to say I’m not a bully. Well since this is my party and I’ll cry if I want to, I am here to say I’m not an online bully, and social networking isn’t too social. It’s all in how you receive what’s in cyberspace, what you put out into this space, what you need, and in what is representative of you. Oh and I’m not an online bully. Why am I so sure? Because I’ve been asked some very personal, upfront, and even rude questions in response to my messages via Twitter (aka tweet for the twitter newbies reading this) and a few via Facebook, which I have deemed “bully-like”….none of which I’d ever dream of doing to another person. For example, I’ve been asked if I’ve “gone lesbo” because of an avatar (picture) change on Twitter in which I’m sporting a Fedora-styled hat that I love, a white shirt, a tie, and a semi smile. I was also asked if I think fags will be allowed into heaven after I tweeted about HRC’s fight for equality on several occasions.

Not only is my sexual orientation of interest and under attack, so are my opinions on race. I have been asked via a DM (direct messages that are only visible between me and the sender) and through private inbox messages on Facebook, if I hated white people, if I would stop riding Obama’s dic* (in response to saying that Sarah Palin is a nincompoop), and was even reprimanded for criticizing African-Americans’ judgment and morality. While I would love to address the comment, I can’t pinpoint where it stemmed so I’ll leave it alone. Oh, and no, I don’t hate white people. Well, I really, very much, strongly dislike Ann Coulter and Sarah Palin, but other than tha…oh yeah, and Glenn Beck, but no, I don’t hate white people at all. Hell, while this mixed mutt of a race thinks that all shades of brown are beautiful, loving one type, person, or thing doesn’t mean you hate the opposite and I wish some people would get that. Some of my closest friends are white, for gosh sake! (Yes, I’m being facetious here – please don’t call me a white basher)

So with that being said, one may speculate that this is my punishment for saying Palin’s a nincompoop (yeah, I slid it in again) and for putting myself out there, so to speak, on my thoughts about equality, etc. After all, if I didn’t want feedback, I should keep my mouth, errr, messages, silent.

Well yes, and no. While some people on my Twitter timeline (the display of messages from people I follow), are real-life friends, most are not. Tweeting 140 character snippets about life for years, even, does not a best friend, sister, brother, priest or enemy make. Look, I enjoy being able to communicate with multitudes of people from my own backyard to countries around the world about random stuff, important stuff as well as get into a discussion in which my opinion isn’t favored. That’s the beauty of this Internet thing – it shrinks the World and helps humans connect so we know we’re not alone in this life.

So why would anyone want to spend time making others miserable, or try to tear down the fight for equality in any form, or attack strangers? I guess online bullies do exist and they are out there just waiting for your next status update or tweet to set their creepy, little knubby coal lump of a heart all aglow and flame you with a rude and un-called for response.

Judgment

Natasha Ramsey — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:29:08 +0000

Do you look at someone and judge their worth, talent, intellect, ability to care, or humor based on his/her appearance? Chances are, most of you responding with a “No” – some may have responded with an indignant sounding, “Hell no!” because it is considered wrong, after all, to judge a person’s value based on appearance, right?

Well, I had a most interesting conversation with some pretty high-up-there-in-an-organization people (hereafter referred to as the high-uppers) and while most of them would not want to be judged by the color of their brown skin, or by the wrinkles on their faces, they certainly felt comfortable judging others clothing choices, tattoos and piercings. Look, I’ll be the first to admit that there’s a time and a place for certain clothing – I sure as heck won’t wear stilettos to work and I won’t expose thongs out the top of my jeans on casual Fridays although some do (but that’s a different story for a different day).

I’ll also stand behind my belief that tattoos on the face, neck and hands aren’t appropriate in most corporate or government sectors and are better suited for fulltime artists and entertainers who aren’t judged by some stiff sitting behind a desk. In case you’re about to flame me in my comments section because you think I’ve waffled in my beliefs, let me explain. In the workplace we’re (almost) all still judged by an older generation who believe in “dressing for success” and that casual Fridays equal khakis and a shirt (blech!). While I don’t believe this, this has been the unfortunate norm for most of my workplaces, and I’ve had more than 10 employers.

Honestly, I don’t think a person’s worth decreases with each piercing and/or tattoo. However, the high-uppers disagreed – maybe not in so many words, though. They claimed that tattoos were being added too quickly and easily and they wondered how the person would feel when they’re 80 years old. My response was, “I sure would hate for someone to judge me based on my appearance and what’s on my skin”, and “hell, if someone’s still looking at my ole ass when I’m 80 I’ll be ecstatic!” hoping they’d catch the dropped hint of, you shouldn’t judge anyone based on appearance, especially black folks. Sadly, the hint was not caught. So I’m left feeling that while I spoke my mind about not judging a book by its cover, I failed in my attempt to make the high-uppers understand the way to really evaluate a worker’s performance is by giving the person a chance to prove that he/she is a talented individual.

So what do you think? Maybe I’m biased because while I am at a somewhat respectable level in my career, I do have tattoos. Oh, but none are on my face, neck or hands. After all, I don’t want to be judged and mistaken for a hooligan, lazy dimwit, stupid fool or well, Mike Tyson.

Podcast (pre-release)

Natasha Ramsey — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 21:55:17 +0000

It is Oct 2nd. I can’t believe summer’s gone but I have lots to do starting with our new podcast!

So, when you have 17:02 minutes (yes, and 2 seconds, I added that…), please grab a glass of wine, beer or cocktail, slip your shoes off, find a comfy seat and take a listen to Toni and I chat about randomness, creativity and city life (or rather, sounds).

Oh, and before I forget, there’s a surprise happy ending – please stay tuned for it. However, if you’re one of those people who prefer dessert first, and won’t eat the entree anyway, although I’d love for you to give us a shot the whole way through, if you must, fast forward to the 14 minute mark for the surprise. Stay well, friends!

Hope you enjoy and share with others who will enjoy too!! Remember this is a test so we’ll be refining in upcoming weeks.

Hungover Poet Podcast Oct 2 by hungoverpoet

Peace,
Natasha

Practice what you Preach

Natasha Ramsey — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:11:27 +0000

Stand there, Mr. Preacher Man,
Tell me my life and my love
are just flicks of ashes that no one gives a damn about,
and I’ll tell you all that’s bottled up inside, just waiting to break free;
the poor unsuspecting fool who decides his concern about who enters my bedroom
makes a difference in his homophobic life.
Yes, Mr. Preacher man,
I saw you walking arm in arm with your brethren
chanting and singing hallelujahs
condemning those who sin against the Lord in your opinion.
But unlike those who have the gumption to live a life in the open
You say you want to try this case in court,
Yet you strode forth on Sunday
saying you are David and your accusers and media are Goliath.
Attempting to persuade those worshiping that you are really not “like that”.
However, you seem to have forgotten those victims are not the ones who are wealthy,
or on a first name basis with all types of celebrity.
Here I was, trying to give you the benefit of the doubt
*hmmph*
You had to go and just run your mouth
Lessening innocence as the hope.
Mr. Preacher Man, you are making me wonder
Are you really a man of the cloth as you claim,
or simply a Goat?

I am a Superhero

Natasha Ramsey — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:38:35 +0000

Being me make many people nervous,
They become concerned about the direction of society and today’s youth.
While I appreciate your thoughts
I can’t put much stock
into who or what scares you.
Monsters that live in your closet
Live under my bed too.
If you don’t accept it
Let’s dissect it…
Monsters are not as bad as you think
They just reflect innermost fears
So when you feel as if all hell is breaking loose
Look me up,
I’ll be there, coming to your rescue.
Every superhero at one time or another
hated the powers
Only to later realize
Being a superhero means just living
as yourself,
Living a full, true life.

Realizations

Natasha Ramsey — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:49:31 +0000

On Wednesday, I was invited to my bff’s daughter’s orientation for her T.W.I.G.S* program and of course I said yes, because I am extremely proud of my young artist and her accomplishments thus far.

As I sat there listening to teachers and people involved in the program, I was reminded of several things – how it felt to have that sense of promise and excitement in knowing you’re off on a wonderful new adventure and that I have moved away from some of my basic habits that indeed make us better prepared people.

A gentle sounding music teacher explained the importance of practicing daily and practicing perfectly to avoid practicing badly and getting consistently worse at your craft, while a Janis Joplin look alike explained the importance of good attendance and securing your instruments when you’re in the building or on the sidewalk. To quote “Janis”, “Attendance is important but not if Johnny’s been on the toilet all night” and “Trust in Allah but tie up your camel”.
Note: The camel comment has nothing to do with my realizations; it was just funny as hell so I included it here because I thought you’d get a chuckle out of it. Dear pro-camel readers, this quote is a truism so please don’t send me hate mail, mmmmkay? Thanks.

Okay, so back to my point and yes, I do have one. Of course I know how to be courteous, read, write, and all that good stuff but what about practicing daily and taking the time to pay attention to what you’re doing (being present)? What about sticking to your goals, working hard at it (them) and believing that they will come true? My goals are lofty, I’ll admit that. But who says that’s a bad thing? Sadly, at times, I have gotten down on myself and spun in circles. I guess that’s partly why I’ve jumped on opportunities that weren’t perfect for me and tried to make them fit my life plan.

[Lightbulb on] Do what I love to do!

I love writing poetry and fiction as well as connecting with people. So I plan to practice daily (write, practice reading pieces out loud and refine my recordings) as well as find better and more efficient ways to connect with others by getting my podcasts up and running asap. I need to remember that not every opportunity that presents itself is an aid and I should determine whether it fits my plan. If it doesn’t, I’ll pass it onto someone else and work my plan. Granted, I’ve learned something from each ill-suited opportunity but that’s another blog post for another day…

So in a paginated nutshell, this is what I’ve realized this week thanks to my future co-host of Hungover Poet’s Podcasting venture who happens to be my bff and her daughter.

I can’t wait to see what next week brings! Did you have any realizations this week?

*TWIGS offers Baltimore’s youngest artists an opportunity to develop and build upon their natural talents in the arts by training with professional artists.

Free Choice

Natasha Ramsey — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:14:42 +0000

Downward facing dog
Puppies on a leash
Oh, if only they knew…

Trojans buried deep in the back of hearts and closets
Waiting to interrupt an otherwise ordinary life.

Shoe horns keep toes from twisting and turning
When the rush of blood turns the head before the conscious mind sees

Unable to resist
Donning leather
Chained with the safe word, “feather”
Ecstasy rides
Pleasures unspoken.

Measures taken
So followers and married lovers are none the wiser.

Whisperers hushed by owning similar discretions
Sadly though,
None would need protection
If those who enjoy and partake
Decide on a stand for freedom of choice.

Forsaking prophets who mandate
That, all worship the same God,
All love the same as they do
Most of all,
By not allowing man to be so heavily revered
When in fact, they hide their own fear
By casting dispersions on those with familiar addictions
Conveniently forgetting
Choices made freely in the dark.

Talk may be cheap, but is it Free?

Natasha Ramsey — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:48:10 +0000

The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Recently, I have been disturbed by the media’s scrutiny and coverage by placing some circus hollering and whooping in carefully planned areas of our newscasts to draw attention to, and intentionally stir up controversy among Americans. I am referring to the Dr. Laura lady using the “n” word all loosey goosey on her radio show to the comments by Americans who are against the building of the Mosque close to Ground Zero in NY. To touch briefly on Dr. Laura’s poor, poor sense of judgment, I feel she’s an arrogant idiot. However, I wholly believe in her right to say what she did. Now that’s not to say I’m happy or pleased by her response to a caller’s question about black and white race relations, but she has as much right to say the “n” word as I do to write it, and write this blog post about her using the word. I may not like what someone says but I will die for their right to say it.

Now onto the next topic that’s been grating my cheese – the headlines I’ve been seeing and hearing, “Mosque to be built at Ground Zero”. Disclaimer: Some of you already know I’m a foreigner and that I don’t believe in organized religion. Go ahead, gasp or insert any other sarcastic or intentional phrases or sounds of awe here … I’ll wait ☺ until you’ve had your moment and then I’ll tell you how this ties in with my post. Oh, and no we won’t discuss my beliefs in this post – maybe in another one, okay?

K, thanks….now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about why I believe that building a Mosque close to (5 blocks away from) Ground Zero in NY is fine. To tie into the Dr. Laura piece of this post, I will stand by the fact that the people who say (particular a middle aged male in hat on a newscast being interviewed by CNN and a woman in a striped jacket with a bouncy set of black shoulder length hair) that the Mosque shouldn’t be built because “Muslims killed Americans on 9/11” and that “Mosques are funded by terrorists” have the right to voice their opinions.

However, when I hear the same comments from people who should be held to a higher standard such as our elected leaders and those in a position of power who supposedly have years of education on how to be a leader and an esteemed thinker, I am saddened. Not only are they saying that we Americans should follow the U.S. Constitution only when it damn well suits us, they are also saying that they have wasted many years in Colleges that were supposed to train them on how to think logically and analytically.

Finally, I am happy that President Obama said, “Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country.”…”That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances,” he said. “This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.” However, I was a little disappointed when he tapered that blow with the comment, “…not commenting on the wisdom to put a mosque there…” I understand the POTUS can’t and shouldn’t be tasked with fixing every problem in the country but I certainly appreciate his attempts and comments.

So who should be tasked with this decision? Yes!! You got it – the afore mentioned leaders and wonderfully Ivy league thinkers and decision makers!Since they won’t, I’ll add my thoughts here for you to comment on, or state why you feel differently, about a a mosque being okay …with regard to Ground Zero. How’s that for democracy? ☺

1. The structure is not being built at the heart of Ground Zero, nor is it next door or even two doors down. In fact, it’s 5 blocks away!

2. I refer to it as a structure because I want to point out that it is not only a Mosque, as the headlines would have you believe. This is also going to be a Community Center. Yes, there will be a library, place to congregate happily with friends and family, a place to go swimming, etc. There will be some restrictions based on the religion as to how these areas are built and organized but it’s not just a Mosque.

3. Islam is a peaceful religion as is most religions. But let’s touch on some religious teachings for a quick minute. For those who read the Bible – yes, I’ll pick on the Bible for now…how many sections contain violent acts and suggestive language regarding violence is in that book? Also, aren’t there religious nuts who belong to a number of religions? A religion on its own isn’t bad – the people who choose to murder, cheat, steal, etc. are bad for a society.

4. Someone I know asked a good question of whether a Christian Church would fare the same in OK. I doubt it but if there are any churches willing to find out, please contact me!

5. There are strip clubs within walking distance of Ground Zero. Oh, wait, strike this…so what? A business stimulates the economy and well, a strip club where men pay women to be either in a perceived position of power or submission (depending on which type of strip tease you prefer) is a healthier and waaay more wholesome establishment than a place where those dang fangled moslems are, right?Hmmm, Note to self: I should look into how many crimes have been committed within the 5 blocks around Ground Zero.

6. Muslims as well as Christians, etc. and maybe a few Agnostics, died on September 11th. America is supposed to be a melting pot; a place where all races, religions and cultures are welcome. Remember “give us your tired, your poor…”? But hey, that’s saying a lot for a country who sometimes forgets to treat it’s own minority citizens with respect.

Overall, I enjoy living here. This is my home. America has flaws but it’s a wonderful place. I believe that under it all, good still exists, people will see that all people of color and religions have the right to free speech and openly observe their religious beliefs, and that common sense and decency will reign. Yes, I sound like I just took a happy pill, but I have to believe that there is still good in humanity…and that this Mosque – that’s so much more than a Mosque will be built 5 blocks away from Ground Zero and even non-Muslims will visit it. Wanna bet on it?