CEDTalks

"Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah, Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold back, yeah, Well, I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine, yeah, No offense to you, don’t waste your time" - Pharrell Williams, "Happy" Find happiness and allow others to have theirs, even if it includes Westwood hats and astronauts. I'm "happy" that Pharrell's song is being received so well. Everyone and their mother (including mine) is walking around doing the Carlton, singing "Cuz’ I'm happyyyyyyyyyyyy!" It's cool. In addition to being a huge fan of Williams' music (if you love “Happy”, check out “Just a Cloud Away” ) and persona, the song is a testimony to my constant sermon that there remains an audience of people who enjoy, appreciate, and request positive images. Every so often we get songs like “Happy”, Outkast’s “Hey Ya”, “Blessed” by Jill Scott, and classics like “Happy Feelings” by the legendary Maze ...

I've found myself visiting and sharing several posts from social news and entertainment site Buzzfeed; many of the posts not only amused me, but created moments of reflection. From 30 Signs You Went To A HBCU  to " 40 Things That Will Make You Feel Old ", I've considered how certain aspects of my upbringing and education shaped me. That said I bring to you my own list, eleven essential life lessons learned in my journey to manhood. While some of these are specific to my role as Black man in America, most are still applicable to grown men of all ages. 1. Reality shows are the modern day crack rock. What is something people fiend for, sets black people back, and is monitored by the government (in this case, the FCC)? While my father and those around for Reaganomics would probably answer "base", there is a new drug decimating the black perception and it's found on VH1 and Bravo. Many look at the shows as pure entertainment, but so were sitcom...