CEDTalks

In the last 15 years, the use of text messaging has grown tremendously. Originally starting as standard quotes to quickly inform people you were busy, "texting" has impacted how we communicate with each other. Gone are the days of written letters, replaced with facebook inbox messages, subtweets, and unique texts. In addition, texting carries its own language, making it even more important to understand the nuances of the urban language. This "new" technology has added a unique element to interpersonal relationship, especially romantic relationships. It is more important than ever to carefully select your words; the wrong phase could severely damage your relationship or chance at one. Through trial and error, my friends and I have stumbled onto positive text methods and shared them with each other. As a responsible man, it is my duty to pass these techniques to other brothers (If you use them to steal girls from me, I'll beat the brakes off you.) Here are ...

It was everything I expected. When Raymond Bracy, head writer of We're Just Talking, and his fiance' Jamie Robinson, announced they would be taking their talents to Miami and the Bahamas for the wedding of the year, I knew only good can come of this. Combining the smooth environment of Miami , home of (Chris Brown voice) beautiful people, and the Bahamas and its warm water and friendly natives would be perfect. It was evident the trip required a sound mind, a dashiki, and a nickname that properly depicted the hilarity that would ensue. The cast of characters was a combinatinon of unique personalities: Y.M.e?, a few Omegas, George Bush (inspiration of my "Al Gore" character), and a eclectic group of females known as "The Ghetto 4". This is not to mention my Dean, Crystal, and Amanda's fine as...umm, self. With the wild personalities, only one word captured how foolish this trip would be: Ignorance. Hence forth, we all prepared ourselves for a voyage ...

President Obama, I understand your stance. No, not your B-Boy stance that cemented you as the coolest president in U.S. History, but your eye-opening, head-turning, twitter-trending stance on same-sex marriages. It allowed many to reflect on their perspective on this topic and homosexuality overall, stopping to do some soul-searching. As a young Black heterosexual male, I grew up in a culture that (to this day) is fearful, judgemental, and demeaning towards gays and lesbians. In this culture, conversations with friends and associates result in the use of phrases such as "No Homo" and "Pause", a charge to excuse the previous statement because of its homosexual connotation. This excludes the "gay " metaphor, comparing something or someone bad to being gay (e.g. "You didn't get the job? That's so GAY.") While NBA players Grant Hill and Jared Dudley do their part to curb this behavior, it is still an ongoing issue. In my opinion Gay Ri...

They are found pretty much everywhere: at the supermarket, on the second floor at your job, and especially at family reunions. Though conspicuous in nature, this species is easy to spot. No I'm not talking about roaches, you heathen; I'm talking about the "Old School Player", aka a "piiimmmmp". Now it is important to differentiate between an Old School Player and a man who is simply "old school". My father, known affectionately as Charles Perry (please say the full name), is old school; he has traditional values, rough hands, and watches westerns like "Gunsmoke". An Old School Player (O.S.P) is different; they are commonly outlandish, shifty, and laugh really weird. These well-tenured romeos carry great influence on the youth of America, specifically young males. Coming into contact with old school playas brings guys to a critical transition in life: the older men become an example for their younger counterparts. Gentlemen decide f...

"Nice guys finish last." What a hogwash statement. Seriously; it's baloney, maybe even pastrami. Through entertainment, business, and romance, the belief is that a man with etiquette and morals is one with diseases, like the measles or swine flu. When you turn on your television or read your news...kindle, you witness arrogant, womanizing egomaniacs praised as charismatic men with undeniable "swagger". Men who are interested in helping others and making people enjoy themselves are undervalued. The result is young men trying too hard. These men, known as "Nice Guys", are seen as sweet people who are great to know and make you laugh, but are OFTEN over looked for men who...use less effort to receive approval. As a teen and in my early college years, I played into this. It's such a weird feeling; you become enamored with doing right by people, as if it determines whether people will like you. Half the time, if you are "too" nice, peo...