Happy Birthday, Skyler

I remember it like it was yesterday

It was May 10, 2011. I was at the doctor's office with Mommy. The doctor looked at us and said..."You're having a GIRL!!!" 

I was SO happy! A girl? Finally!!! 

But a few seconds later...reality set in. My joy turned to fear because I knew nothing about girls. We had already dealt with raising your 3 brothers. In my mind...sons were work but easy for me. I understand them. But a girl? Can I raise a girl? Am I ready to bring a girl into this world? I remember praying that night and asking God that you come to us healthy. And that's all that I prayed for. I knew if I trusted HIM, that my fears would be eased. And they were

September 28, 2011 was one of the happiest...if not the happiest day of my life. God blessed us with you. Words cannot explain how I felt to see your little round face. Before you were delivered, the doctor asked me how much I thought you'd weigh. I said "seven pounds and four ounces"...and I was correct. Mommy and Auntie Lisa named you Skyler. They insisted that your name be spelled the way that it is because in your name is my name. 

This past year has been a blessing. My life has changed so much since your arrival. All of my friends who have daughters told me that I was gonna change. And I have!! I've gone from being Rambo with your brothers to Barney with you. You've already learned at a young age that you have Daddy wrapped around your finger. You are truly a Daddy's Girl. I'm proud to say that! Your intelligence and strength is beyond your age and I hope that it continues. 

I know that it's easy for me to want you to be a sweet, cuddly little baby forever but that's not likely. You'll grow into a little girl...then young woman...then grown woman. But you'll always be Daddy's princess. I understand that the relationship that you and I share will help mold your thoughts and opinions on men. I know the bar is set high but I hope that you will learn the lessons that I try to teach you. I'm sure it won't be easy to date when you have THREE older, protective brothers. Not to mention a father who won't let you see any bum off the streets. But I'll be fair. I'll give you the same things that I've given your brothers...love, discipline, and an example to follow. 

Today we celebrate your first birthday. I hope that you have at least 100 more. And one day I want you to read this and get the feelings and the emotions that I feel. I love how we laugh and play together. I love how you lay on my chest when you fall asleep. I love it all. Most importantly, Daddy loves you!

Happy Birthday Skyler! 

12 RADIO SHOW

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Topic - OFF THA DOME (random topics)

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TOPIC - The BEST of the 80s / 90s R&B...co-hosted by Eclectikchic, Smarty Jones, and Rashan. If you love R&B music, you don't want to miss this show!!

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12 RADIO SHOW

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This week's topic...MARRIAGE 437

9pm EST - 11pm EST

co-hosted by special guest C Joseph Simpson, author of The Marriage Manual and Handbook

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12 RADIO SHOW

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This week's topic...NFL Returns!!!

Cohosted by Juan and

DivaDee & OJ from In the Clutch

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call me

Technology has truly enhanced our ability to communicate with each other.

We are far removed from the days of riding around with quarters in our car so that we can stop at a pay phone to answer a page.

The invention of cell phones has been great.

But on the other hand...

Technology sucks!

What technology has done is it has made us very lazy when it comes to communicating with one another. Instead of doing the things that we know we are supposed to, we tend to take the easy way out.

For example, I know a guy who wanted to ask a chick out on a date. He asked me how he should approach her because we all worked together. I'll be the first to admit, it has been a long time since I've been single. But I haven't forgotten how to approach a woman. So I gave him a few ideas of what he should do and how he should do it.

You would think that he would heed the advice of an old veteran like me.

Wrong!

This fool asked her out on a date via text message!

Here's the kicker... He never even asked her for her phone number! He got her cell phone number from the company directory. That's about as lame as you can get. I'm sure the text message freaked her out because she was probably wondering how he got her number. She politely declined his invitation.

Here's the bottom line... we have to stop being lazy and using technology and do what we know we are SUPPOSED to do!  Pick up the phone and talk. And if you don't like talking on the phone, then you should do it face-to-face. This goes for women and men. I've heard women talk about texting the guy all day and never picking up the phone hear his voice.

Be smart...not lazy

never forget

Two months ago, me and the fam were in New York City. We were taking a cruise around lower Manhattan when I spotted the World Trade Center. I pulled out my iPhone and began to take pictures of it. The Freedom Tower looked almost complete.

My oldest son, Deion, look at me taking the pictures and he saw the look in my eyes.

He said..."Dad, why are they building it again? Someone may just come back and knock it down again?"

I love it when kids ask me these type of questions because these are what I call "teaching moments."

He has no memories of the day because he was only two years old at the time. He only knows what we've told him and what he seen on TV. 

He didn't know that I watched a plane fly through that building live on TV. 

He didn't know that just a year before the attacks I was in that building. 

He also didn't know that when i was a kid, I used to stare out of my grandmothers apartment window in Newark New Jersey at the New York City skyline and the World Trade Center. 

And he'll never know the pain and hurt that we felt as a country to have that happen on US soil.

I said..."This building HAS be rebuilt. People all over the world have to understand that that will never happen again. It will never stop us as a country. Never let someone come into your backyard and hit you and you just let it go. We learned and grew from that experience. But you never forget."

He nodded and smiled.

I did too. Another lesson taught.

12 RADIO SHOW

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Tune in as we kick it with the brothers from Dead End Hip Hop! Listen as we cover different topics with one 5 of the most respected brothers in the hip hop movement. 

daddy no show

How can a man not have a relationship with his child and be completely okay with it???


This question was posed to me a few weeks ago by good friend of mine. My first thought... in answering the question... was to state the obvious...I don't know.

I honestly don't know. But it is deeper than that answer. For those of you who know me and those who read this blog, you know how I feel about fatherhood. To me, fatherhood is the most important job that I will ever have. I love it. I cherish it. I embrace it. I think I embody everything that I father should be for their child. That's not bragging... that's the truth. But this is what I've gotten from my father and what I've seen from my uncles. I'm simply trying to carry on tradition.

To a man that has kids, fatherhood should be their EVERYTHING. These are the people who are totally dependent upon you. And I don't mean monetarily. As a man, you have to set the example for your child. No excuses. So when you choose not to take an active role in your child's life, what kind of messages are you sending? Do you want to be one of those fathers who wakes up one day and doesn't even know who their child is? Conversely, are you okay with your child not knowing who YOU are?

Relationships and marriages sometimes fail... and we all know that. Kids never asked to come here but they are created by two consenting adults. And as adults, we all should take an active participation in their growth and development for their entire life.

So what if she was just your baby's mama...

Who cares if the marriage didn't work?

Don't be mad because you fell out of love?

If you have a child from her... step up and be a man. Your child needs more than a few dollars and a couple of sneakers. They need you!!! There's nothing worse in life than seeing an old father who has missed many years of their child's life that they could never reclaim. And they want to reestablish a relationship.

Lastly, I am always amazed at the women who find these men and create MORE children with them. If you didn't take care of his kids before he met you, what makes you think that he will take care of the kids that you create? That makes no sense.

Never uphold a man who shuns his responsibilities because when you do you are a part of the problem

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Tonight's Topic...What are YOU reading???

Tonight's guests will be two of the hottest authors in the country...Chris Renee and Chantay Nunn. They will be discussing their books as well as their journeys to become authors. Don't miss it!!!

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Chris Renee

Chantay Nunn

1st day of school memories

Today marks the first day of school for my boys.

Deion will enter the 8th grade...Kameron heads to 5th grade...and Brandon takes his talents to kindergarten. While there are some schools in metro Atlanta who have already started school (they will get out of school before Mother's Day), it kicks off today for the kids. It seems like the summer FLEW by. 

Sending them to school made me think of some old memories that I had when I was a youngster...

rocking new clothes on the 1st day - i'd have my outfit prepared the night before

sleep lite - the night before the first day of school, I could barely sleep. Too much anticipation

Trapper Keeper - always kept a fresh one of these

a good seat - classroom seating is ALWAYS important...especially if the teacher didn't have assigned seats. you HAVE to get a seat next to your friend. most kids want to sit next to the smart kid. that was never a concern for me because i was the smart kid

window seat - having a window seat on the bus was a sign of respect when I was in school. only the cool kids could get a window seat

good teacher / bad teacher - one part of the anticipation of attending school was hoping that you got good teachers and not the mean / bad one. for me, i had to figure out which teacher would let me get away with the most stuff! I was not a bad kid but I was mischievous. most teachers let me get away with stuff because I was a great student. 

the new girl - no matter what grade you were in...each year there was always a new girl in your class. maybe she transferred from another school? maybe she had just moved into your town? for the fellas, it was a MUST to start an early competition for her attention and affection. 

12 RADIO SHOW

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Tonight's topic...SEX 299...cohosted by ShellyShell & Diggame

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what's yours is MINE...what's MINE is MINE

I have a colleague from work.

She's a wife (18 yrs) and a mother (16 yrs). She's a good woman.

She makes a little more than $120,000 a year.

HERE'S THE ISSUE...

Her husband makes her deposit ALL of her pay check into their joint account. She has her own personal account but NONE of her paycheck goes into that account. Her husband has put her on an allowance and mandates how much she can & can't spend each month.

And her husbands makes a THIRD of what she makes...but he controls the money.

Ladies...how would you handle this?

What advice would you give her?

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Tonight's topic...FRIENDSHIPS - RELATIONSHIPS 212

co-hosted by Mrs. Inspiredmind

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off tha dome

random thoughts...

i'm thinking about bringing the beard back. not like James Harden but i might let it grow

not sure why Mitt-i-ful Romney decided to speak before the NAACP. what was he looking to accomplish? did he think everybody would hit the floor and do the 'lectric slide and the cha cha slide with him?

Family Guy is maaaad funny

i was jumping around like i won the nba championship when i heard that DirecTV had removed EBT from my tv.

i know it's not cool to talk bad about the dead...but if I was near Joe Paterno...i'd slap those glasses off his face

it's almost time for my girlfriend to come back. i've missed her

have you ever thought a piece of your hair was very light...based on the way the light was shining on it. then you realize it's a gray hair

why do you have to tell people on airplanes SEVERAL times to turn their phones off before take off

speaking of planes...I took this pic in the Jacksonville airport last week

why are most items on infomercials advertised at a price that ends in .99 cents?

favorite ice cream...strawberry...then butter pecan. yours?

sometimes i wonder how we made it without cell phones

speaking of phones...look at what i saw yesterday. didn't know these things were still around

life is good...life is good...life is good

school starts for the kids in 2 weeks. damn, where did the summer go?

i told my oldest son that i would give him a hooptie when he's in high school. he said..."Dad, what's a hooptie?"

i'm going to try to write more. i promise. thank you for reading. i appreciate it

i wish i had time to read a book.

remember the first day of school when you rocked the new gear? i always had to rock something fresh

i year ago today i was sitting on a beach in Jamaica. today, i'm sitting in this Georgia heat.

you ever have a friend who will say the shit that you WON'T say but THINK. well, i have 2 friends like that. i love em for that. i'm  not that outspoken.

some days i like facebook...some days i don't

12 RADIO SHOW on Wednesday night...you betta tune in.

follow me on twitter @12kyle

hey Prez O...I FEEEEEEEEEL you bruh!!!!

12 RADIO SHOW

Tune in to the 12 RADIO SHOW tonight at 9pm EST!!! The 12 RADIO SHOW is the most innovative and interactive show on BlogTalkRadio. Tune in as the host, 12kyle, entertains and informs you. 

Tonight's topic - SPORTS WRAP UP. We will discuss the Penn State scandal, NBA Free Agency, NFL, MLB, and the Olympics. Don't miss it!!! 

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This week's co-host...JUAN

justsomethoughts

The following post can be found on http://positive-thoughts.typepad.com/positive-thoughts/page/2/

We always seem to want those things we don't have. Moreover, we are often convinced that if we had those things we want so badly, we would finally be happy.

Singles who want to be in a relationship often believe once they are in one they will finally be happy. Those in shaky relationships hope their relationship will work out, because having worked it out will finally make them happy.

"I will be happy when I am in love." "I will be happy when he/she does really loves me."  "I will be happy when I know he or she is committed to me."  "I will be happy when my husband/wife is more considerate."  Sound familiar?

The truth is that happiness is an attitude. It's not something created by outside circumstances, but instead is completely within your control.  This means that you can be happy regardless of whether you are in a relationship or not.  You can be happy regardless of whether your relationship is working out or not.  If fact, if you cultivate happiness, your relationship will improve.

You will not get that deep sense of satisfaction and happiness you crave just by getting or improving a relationship.  Nothing will give you that sense of happiness, unless you cultivate it consciously.

Is the glass half empty or half full?  Life and relationships work better when the glass is half full.  Below are some simple yet specific steps you can take to cultivate happiness and see the glass half full, regardless of your relationship status.

1. Be grateful
Create a sense of gratitude for what you have, for what is working, for what is wonderful and sweet in your life.  A morning or evening gratitude list, written each day, can do wonders for helping you feel grateful.

2. Take care of yourself 
Identify the small things in life that make you feel good, and do one daily.  A short walk, a few minutes of writing in your journal, a short meditation, watching the sunset.  Whatever reminds you that you are a human being and not a human doing will improve your outlook on life.

3. Be creative
Creativity and self-expression generate happiness.  Schedule some creative time each day, even if it's just a few minutes of writing, painting, sculpting, etc.

4. Move
Moving our bodies generates feel-good hormones called endorphins.  Move a little every day to stay happy.

5. Get someone to take care of you
It feels good to be taken care of, even in small ways.  Get a massage, a manicure, someone to carry your groceries, launder your clothes, or fix something for you.

6. Read inspirational material
It helps to be reminded of positive thoughts and positive attitudes.  Get a small book of positive, inspirational thoughts and keep it by your desk.  Read one or two thoughts each day.

7. Contribute
Stand up for something that matters to you.  Contributing, making a difference feels good.  It boosts your self-esteem, your gratitude and feeling of well being.

8. Get some time
I know this one is hard, especially if you are a single parent.  But if you are determined, you can find some time every day to just be.  Make sure you do this - it will make a big difference in your ability to be happy.

9. Be in nature
Nature rejuvenates and restores the human spirit.  Whether your brand of nature is mountains or the ocean, give yourself the gift of visiting it frequently.

10. Be happy
No matter how many wonderful things you do to create a positive, happy, satisfied life, you could still end up unhappy.  Ultimately, happiness, gratitude, a feeling of satisfaction is a choice.  People often do not choose happiness.  Many feel refusing to be happy will somehow get them what whey want, like a child holding his breath.  Holding your breath will not get your what you want.  It is happiness that attracts.

12 RADIO SHOW

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TOPIC - OFF THA DOME (Random Topics) co-hosted by ShellyShell.

Tune as we discuss various topics like pop culture, dating/relationships, sports, sex, & music. Don't miss it!!!

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