That Very Same Corner

Money over Bullshit was the name of the song. I couldn’t remember it for the life of me. I searched the whole Nas catalog looking for this quote:

“Seen niggas live-laugh-party- and die in that very same corner.”

It had been stuck in my head all of last semester.

The liquor store was right there. The weedman’s house was right there. The Chinese takeout spot was right there! And all three could be delivered for a nominal fee….

…This was life. Nothing more than a numb cycle full of mediocre grades, mindless social networking, and taking the “L” in every sense of the word.

I sat in a house one block away from the gymnasim. The same gymnasium where the class of 2010 was walking the stage. I followed on twitter as they updated constantly. And when my kinfolk asked me if I was going to the graduation… I don’t remember my exact answer, but I can tell you this:

I ended up playing NBA 2K10 on Playstation 3…again….and again…and again.

The highlight of my day was the three games I played. All of them went into overtime. I lost all three. I took the “L”.

“Overtime” must have been the word of the day. It made sense: everyone in the house would be serving at least one semester extra at this fine institution. We all had different feelings as to what this meant. Some saw it as an extension on time to manifest their “master plan”. A couple people believed that 4 1/2 to 5 years is becoming the norm due to financial situations, and still, others such as myself saw it as another societal obstacle to keep me away from the things that truly matter: health, family, and pursuit of personal fulfillment.

...that same corner...

Whatever the outlook, we were all coming from the same position: not the position of 2nd year seniors, but the position of that very same corner… You know what corner I’m talking about… the corner where the liquor store is right there. The weedman’s house is right there. The Chinese takeout spot is right there! And all three can be delivered for a nominal fee….

We were living- laughing- and partying in that very same corner. Dying? naw, we were still young, healthy, and very much alive physically. But in a sense, a part of us was dead: that dream of getting off of this “corner” called college on schedule was dead.

We spent time, energy, and good money on bullshit. We used the five cent black plastic bags from the corner store to dump our blunt guts, we recorded tracks for a mixtape that was set to drop on the 4th of Nebuary, and we ate takeout… often. This was us living, laughing, and partying. It was a seemingly fast lifestyle, although we never went anywhere. And because of this, the “death” came slow.

Each of us slowly realized, it sucks that we won’t graduate with the people we came into college with. We battled the mixed emotions of being happy for our “classmates”, but all the while, mad at ourselves.

This summer will cause us to leave that same corner, just to return in the fall.

A part of me wants to ask Nas: is it possible for an individual to live, laugh, and party in the same corner without dying? Then again, I don’t want to know: I just want to get away from that same corner. After all, its money over bullshit. And college (that same corner) costs too much.

this Nas video inspired this train of thought

Twittpic: Caught Slee-Penn…

…The last thing I remember thinking:

“After a long night of darkness, the sun rises fast”.

And the next thing I know… this was on twitter….

Caught Slee-Penn

Will Worley, a good friend, talented event host, and aspiring  paparazzi photographer caught me dozing at the wheel. While I was knocked out,  Will knocked out a vicious perspective about not being able to reverse, I suggest you take a glance, when you get the chance: 2 Weeks Notice

I digress…

This photo of me,  in what the advertising department of Apple inc. should call the “i-sleep” position is a product of  “finals time”. A time period where college students work odd hours, eyes-red in the glow of computers,  as they pound out final projects. Look, I’m no the only one…

Cap-Sized.

This is a photo of a good friend of mines by the name of Charles. In this photo Charles has succumb to the lifestyle of a college student living through the gauntlet of finals: knocked out in the computer lab. This picture was taken just days prior to my sleeping beauty pose. This picture was captured by President L. Davis; who, like Will Worley, is also a talented event host and an aspiring paparazzi photographer… And however talented Will and President might be, they have nothing on Charles’ good friend- a man by the name of “Darnell the anonymous” took this photo of an inebriated i-lab dweller…known as “#DrunkILabGuy”.

drunk-ilab guy

The story behind the photo, is a common tale of an inebriated soul that was ushered into the computer lab by an unidentified assailant, and then abandoned in the bathroom stall to sleep his night away.

No, I was not forced to re-post this picture of this unassuming individual, however,  my theory is that- people don’t see how deep shit is, until they come face to face with the toilet.

This could have been you or I caught in eye of a camera phone; just to be carbon-copied all around the wonderful websites the world wide web has to offer. The concept of paparzzi-esque exposure has gone from publishing compromising pictures of public figures, to publishing compromising pictures of private citizens in public places. There are studies on top of studies of how many cameras are present in society, or how often Americans unknowingly appear on camera; many of which I could very well supplement the point I am attempting to drive home through this train of thought, but to keep it simple: watch what you do, more than likely someone is watching you.

Marijuana, Beyond getting High…

Why is marijuana illegal? why is marijuana frowned upon? why is marijuana taboo to speak about?

In effort to answer these, and other questions… We sparked a blunt

conversation about the topic of marijuana.

Hemp, one of the most durable fabrics in the world, seems to be intertwined with the fabric of American society. Marijuana is found in science labs, street corners, in the coat pockets of those who work in the corner offices, and in the jean pockets of college kids striving to earn a degree-that will land that job with a corner office.

At the Charles R. Drew Hall dormitory on the Howard University campus, there is no difference. In response, we at Drew Hall decided to have a panel discussion where students could hear voices of reason and also voice their reasons as to why they smoke…. The discussion was titled “Marijuana, Beyond getting High”…we even have a video

and here are some pics…

In the end, the panel discussion served its purpose in getting people to speak about marijuana openly…but we might have opened a pandora’s box…I just hope people think critically about their actions- as opposed to just going with the flow…

peace,

Pendarvis H.

Drew Hall’s Sunday Night Cipher

Sunday Night Cipher has been a staple of the Charles R. Drew freshman dormitory since I arrived on this illustrious campus of Howard University, but this year has had momentum like no other.

The original host was a man by the name of Basheer Jones; Basheer has since left to pursue a career in politics as well as being an acclaimed radio host on a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio.

I happened to be at the right place at the right time, and the legacy Basheer left behind fell directly into my hands.

Once called “Drew Halls Poetry Night”, now called the “Sunday Night Cipher”, this stage ( a set of ikea tables in the dormitory lounge) is the platform many talented freshman use to catapult them into Howard University stardom, Washington D.C. notoriety, and as far as their artistic ability will take them.

The event is held every Sunday Night, from 9pm-11pm. It is an open mic format, and brings about the singing talents, comedic genius, poetic prose, the acclaimed acting, and the all out passionate performance of the Howard University Student body.

I constantly compare the Sunday Cipher to Superman’s phone-booth. A place where normal students come in, and metaphorically change into super-heros and share their superhero ability with the greater society…And then they get off stage and return to the form of college student…only difference is: now we know the truth.

I wouldn’t dare expose all of what goes on inside of a Sunday Cipher… its kind of sacred…But here is a snap shot:

and this one is a personal favorite….

and for more photos check the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ogpenn

I wanted to write this in effort to thank the people’s energy they bring when they come through the doors of the dorm lounge during Sunday Night cipher . thank yall.

…just my train of thought…

peace

Pendarvis

Tenn Stack’s keeps it 100 for his Birthday Party.

 

Hackensack, New Jersey representative and Howard University student, Tenn Stack’s celebrated his birthday January 16th, 2010 in true player fashion. 

He rented out a posh French Bistro, managed to avoid “the politics” of the situation, and proceeded to have one of the most “wavy” parties he and his Swagg House Comrades have ever thrown.

For those unfamiliar with Tenn Stacks and the Swagg House (SWAGG= Survival with All God’s Grace) movement, here is is his first single “My Life at Howard”

A French Bistro played host to Swagg House event for the ages…and man, I don’t think the owners knew what they were in for…

the location

Upon arrival…. I bumped into these scholarly goons….  

Chase B Brandon D Chubb E Swagg J from LA

 But they were just as confused as i was….

This is where the “Swagg House” Party was supposed to be???

The Bistro before the party...

And then things slowly started clearing out…. But not before two bus loads of Howard Students arrived. As the impatient intoxicated students waited in the cold…. I figured, what the hell: make the most of it!

“girl, its a photo shoot”- Gucci Mayne 

But of course…people can only be pacified by photos for so long and as the line grew… peoples temper grew too….

And then…. out of no where the man of the hour showed up!

Tenn Stacks shows up.

And  fittingly enough, the party was titled “Red Light District”…and all hell broke loose.

After a while… the glow sticks arrived…and the night got live…

but, when they made the move to let the glow sticks rain on the folks downstairs….some asshole photographer decided to leave his dead batteries in the pile… I know someone got hit with a double A battery last night….

Nonetheless, when they did make it rain…it was a light show….

And when the red lights came out…. the temperature rose!!!! It was so hot, my camera lens fogged up!

so, I decided to write a special shout out to my bruh Tenn Stacks on the front door….and then I got the hell of out the sweat box before I passed out!

And in the end…. Swagg House got it in. I wish best of Luck to Tenn and the Swagg House conglomerate…look for them to be making moves in the new year,including the upcoming re-shoot of “My Life at Howard”…. oh, and as for Tenn Himself…. this is photographic evidence that the young man enjoyed himself….