Down by the Schoolyard

+Isn't Survivor Cirie's HB the best husband ever! I don't usually care for cornrows on men 21+ but he's too sweet.

+Will TNT's Kenny Smith ever wear a suit that fits?

+What is performance studies? Flavalife's Frank Leon Roberts offers some answers.

+Foucault and Spillers elucidate this, which is probably why I have leaned so heavily on their work. Spillers identifies and unpacks an "American grammar" that precludes our subjectivity. They revel in our subjection. (Quelle Horreur!) We tacitly accept it. Expect it. Flesh. Not. Body. Rape. Repeat.

+MAN's got a thoughtful Mother Day's post on conscientious parenting, black girls, subjectivity, and love. Body. Not. Flesh.

+I have NEVER fought, or cut, or spit at or even hung up on someone on the phone and I can't conceive putting my hands on a hallowed person but I believe in corporal punishment for children of adolescent age and younger (obviously not infants) if administered in love and responsibility (and not hate or tyranny) and I do believe that them loveless boys (referred to in MAN's post) need to be beat like they stole something, ideally with an extension cord, spatula or, depending on the proximity to the woods, a switch (What you know about that? I know all about that).* And then these boys need to be actively and lovingly parented into children of character and integrity.

+Since we on playgrounds me et ma soeur were reminiscing and I can't for the life of me remember the name of that playground activity that involved girls, like us, first wrapping our legs around then spinning around something approximating a brushed concrete single ballet barre. Anyone remember what this was called? I would set a date for y'all to meet me at a schoolyard to demonstrate but playgrounds been generally replaced with playstations and there are no children here (Oprah was good as hell in that movie) anyway not to mention I'm too tall and I'd scrape my scalp on the hard concrete. Now that I think about it, Kyra probably knows.

+But really, let's seriously talk about making us a world. It's like we're standing upon their shoulders just to break the indomitable spirit of their legacy down.

+ I just discovered Gary Bartz. He's great.

* in defense of Ms. Julie. i rarely got beat and never with an extension cord or spatula, just belts, often this thick straw belt-she let me pick the belts; I quickly learned to avoid thin belts of leather constitution-and one time, she took it back, and sent me among the coniferous to pick a switch. Jesus, i'll never forget.