The FUTURE: QUIET THE CHATTER: PT. 1, the physical Quiet the...

The FUTURE:

QUIET THE CHATTER: PT. 1, the physical
Quiet the...: QUIET THE CHATTER: PT. 1, the physical Quiet the chatter today.  Take a moment, find a still place and just breath.  If sitting do...

The FUTURE's Cornelius Jones Jr.: Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Peace & Surrender"

The FUTURE: Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Peace & Surrender": PEACE & SURRENDER Bonjour friends, I've made it to Paris safe and sound. Taking in the sights and sounds (literally as I type I'm...

Cornelius Jones Plays Narcotics Officer In “Law & Order: SVU”

Cornelius Jones Plays Narcotics Officer In “Law & Order: SVU”: Actor/performing artist Cornelius Jones, Jr. has been keeping himself busy with high-profile gigs as of lately including his recent stint ...

Obama is my President! Welcome to a New America!

" YES WE DID!!! "

I am just overcome with emotion. I did not fully understand the power of this change, this movement, this struggle, this victory until Tuesday evening when I saw Obama's face and the caption above his name....Our New President Elect Barack Obama! I began to weep uncontrollably. I had hope and a feeling he would win. The confirmation revealed what it really means, to not just win, but to change and start over. To release the past and start a new day. I could intrinsically feel my ancestors rolling with joy. I could feel their pulse and the deepest and longest exhale. These were my emotions. This is what hit me on the evening of November 4, 2008. The things that I've seen thus far in my 31 years. Stories, memories, inspirations that I will pass to my future children and their future children. Like my grandmother told me when I was 11 years old, "Baby, I've seen so many things in my lifetime. So many changes that I'm here to share with you. And you too will see so many changes and will have many stories to share."

I am so overjoyed to know that new black babies will be born into a new world. A world where they see themselves as a Black leader...a Black face of America. A face that will give them hope and a natural ability to be powerful and succeed. They will know they are powerful, a respected human being, and not a cancer of the world. And new white babies will see the new face of America, a beautiful black representation, and they will be enlightened on a whole new level. These new babies will grow up free of judgement and discrimination....loving all races! No more fear and no more hate. This new face of America is our country. It's who we all are.

Barack Obama - Strengthening the Black Race and uniting Race, Religion, and Politics in America...in the World. In this lifetime!

Lazy Me...Lazy Me...but I love me...HA!

I know, I know, I know. I have been so lazy with blogging. But I've been up to great things. It's a challenge to manage a blog, a website, myspace, and an online business. So with that said, I want to invite you guys on over to my website, www.corneliusjonesjr.com. I have videos posted, pictures, music, and soon to debut is more POETRY! Come on and check me out.

Also for you dog lovers, get the latest fashion in dog clothes at www.boogieetees.com.

Lazy me, but I love ME. And there ain't nothing wrong with Loving Yourself. No it is not narcissistic(did I spell that correct? Ha!). Listen you only have 1 self in this world, so love YOU and Treat YOU how no one else can treat you. Be good to YOU. From the voice of my girl Jill Scott, "Live Your Life, Like It's Golden," and the brains of Russell Simmons, "Do You!"

I love you all and I look forward to seeing you on my website, www.corneliusjonesjr.com

Enjoy your week.

www.corneliusjonesjr.com
www.boogieetees.com

New Headshot

More Haiku (s)

The Flame is burning
our desire to live
As one complete force

80 percent lust
in the beginning, but truth
lies in the 20


-Cornelius "Life" Jones

2007 is Off and Poppin'

Happy 2007! Yes I am finally back to blogging. I guess it's a good thing if you don't hear from me in a while...'cause I've been busy! And busy, sometimes, can be extremely good.


Law & Order: SVU - Thank you to everyone who tuned in on January 9th to watch my primetime debut on Law & Order: SVU. The show was HOT! For those of you who missed....it's all good! You can go to iTunes(for those of us who are caught up into the world of iMac & iPod's) and download it. Click on iStore, select TV Shows, then select NBC, followed by Law & Order: SVU, and finally select the episode entitled BURNED.


TOURIST APPRECIATION: I just wanted to give a shout out to the many many tourists that drop into NYC, and especially the tourists who come to see Broadway shows during the Holidays. I call this part of my Blog....Tourist Appreciation. Sometimes Times Square drives me bolistic with the many many people, but I have to say Thank YOU, 'cause without your patronage we would not have consistent jobs on the Broadway. So THANK YOU TOURISTS for Supporting the BROADWAY Scene!!!!

A new addition to my blog in 2007:

The Poetry

Haiku (s)

"I would die for you"
We were, I was, oh so Young
thought I knew it all

"I would die for YOU"
The Power in that Statement
Oh, I was SO Young

- Cornelius "Life" Jones

A Great Week!

Hello family! I just want to share my amazing last week with everyone. 2 great things happened last week.

The first was Law&Order:SVU. Yes! For those of you who don't know...last week I filmed an episode of Law&Order:SVU. It was such an amazing experience being on the set. The episode was directed by Eriq La Salle....that's the brotha from ER. He was a great director. I learned a lot from him. Thanks Eriq. The episode will air on Tuesday, December 5, @10PM on NBC. Make sure you tune in...I'll be portraying a Resident Doctor in the Burn Unit at Cornell University Medical Center. Also appearing in the episode is Blaire Underwood and Michael Michelle. It's going to be a HOT Episode, so please tune in.

And now the 2nd...this was the icing on the cake. I met 1 of my favorite Brasilian singers on Sunday night ya'll!!!! DANIELA MERCURY!!! I was on cloud 9! CLOUD 9. My coworker and friend, Joel, knows her and introduced us. Well, I had the pleasure of having dinner and drinks with her, and we talked like we had known each other for years. She is so cool! So philosophical, spiritual, and just flat out crazy! She's such a balanced women, and I respect her so much. So I can honestly say that I not only like her music, but I honestly like her as a person. So you know who I'll be hanging with when I return to Salvador...OK!

Well I need some rest. Have a great week everyone.

Do me a favor and take yourself out on a date or buy yourself something good this week. You deserve it.

Where you AT??? Where you AT???

What's up everyone!!! I'm here. I'm here. I've been caught up in the world of myspace again. But I've been working like crazy. I have a small business that I'm launching next month(details to follow), I have begun taking a memoir writing class, I'm still writing my book, still writing songs and poetry, and guess what!!!??????!!!! I'm going to be on Law & Order: SVU. I'll be portraying a Resident Doctor in the hospital scene, and the great Eric Lasalle will be directing this episode! I'm on my way Ya'll!!! I'll update you on the episode soon.

Well I just wanted to send some love to everyone. Hey! Let me know who is reading the blogs. Just send me a quick shot out. I would greatly appreciate that.

What do you guys think about my new business card image above??? Let me know.

If you haven't gotton out to The Public Theater to see Daniel Beaty in his show, "Emergence-See!" YA NEED TO GO NOW!!! What are you WAITIN' ON? It's a very very very powerful show. Please support this brother in his 1 man show as he portrays over 30 characters, telling his story about a father overcoming adversities, to rebuild his family/his community. Daniel tells this story through song, movement, and spoken word.

Before I leave, I just have to send prayers out to the family, and departed soul, of Michael Sandy. Michael, a 29 year old black male, recently became the falling victim of a Gay Bashing incident in NYC. This has got to stop. Hate Crimes are not a way to live. Let's rebuild our community, and take care of our Brothers and Sisters....Gay, Straight, Bisexual, Black, white, Latino, Asian...and I can go on. We only have each other guys. There are a lot of other people in this world who are out to get us, just because we are Americans. So we have to stick together and survive for each other. Let's not be our own enemy.

A personal note to "SELF"...let's be smart when we are online, doing the dating thing. I know it can be exciting, and scary all in one. Just be cautious and really screen these potential dates carefully. That's something we have to do on our own. And if you're feeling unsafe, lost, lonely, or whatever....call a friend....call someone.

I love all of you and thanks for reading my blog.

Post "The Steven Evan Experience"

Goodmorning ya'll. So it is like 8AM and I am up so early. I'm up because I had to confirm a mattress delivery with Sleepys. Whew!!! It's early though. For me it feels like it's 5AM. Well I can't get back to sleep so I decided to write, blog, and check email. That's very productive, especially when you have nothing but time. Why not make each minute of your day worthwhile.

You know, as I was thinking, we have 24 hours a day. Technically that's a lot of time to get a lot done...If you plan on NOT sleeping!!! minus...lets say 8 hours...that leaves us at 16 hours. Hmmm...seems like our time is getting kind of limited. Well my question is...do you think that 16 hours is enough time for you, to do what you need to do, in 1 day? And how would you utilize your time to make it worthwhile? What's important to you during your day...priorities..etc??? Is it writing, volunteering, working, going to the gym, getting more naps in, watching television? it would be interesting to know.

Well, I guess you're wondering about the title of the blog, Post "The Steven Evan Experience." Well my dear friend and fellow Lion Kinger, Steven Evan Washington, debut his photographical(is that a word?)artwork(am I using that correctly? LOL) at No Name Cyber Cafe in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I must say the event was truly amazing. Steven had a very successful night. Each photo had a clear and cohesive story. It was like reading a picture book. KUDOS!!! I must also give a shout out to my other fellow friends and Lion Kinger's for making the event a success...Torya of thatgirl006 productions, Kylin(Torya's assistant), Sophia(who graced us with some very smooth,"buttery like", jazz vocals), and the folk who were in attendance. I am thankful that Steven and Torya, allowed me to grace the stage as well, with my original poem and song. It was an amazing night for me because it marked my song debut of "Fly Again." And yes, we were all Flying that night! It is so liberating and so freeing to be able to tell your own story. To be able to sing your own song, and that's what I did, and we all did, on Monday evening.

Next week Monday, 8/28 @ 8PM, I will be performing again. This time at a different venue. The Crowne Theater @ The Producers Club, 358 W. 44th ST(@ 9th AVe.). I'll be doing 2 original poems, and my song "Fly Again". Come on out and show some love. Andy, our drummer @ The Lion King, will accompany me on percussion. It's going to be a great night. There are tons of other singers, musicians, comedians, actors, and poets performing as well...so show all of us some love.

Well I'm about to retire. Get a morning nap in. Hey!!!! It's only like 8:15AM. I was up way early, and I've been productive by blogging. So I deserve a reward. That reward is going to be a nap. I want to leave you with this though...."Sing your song, don't go to your grave with your song inside you...Let it out...Release it and FLY." I heard part of this message at an amazing 1 man show I saw last week. I had to share it. It's a testament to all for our lives...so let's do it.

Have a good week everyone!!!

Something to THINK about Today

So the thought....or "question" of the day is FOOD and it's consistency.

Don't you just love it when you can go to your favorite restaurant, and get your favorite dish? You know, the one you always end up ordering, whenever you try to find something new, but just can't decide...."Good Ole Faithful."
But doesn't it piss you off when it just doesn't taste as good as it taste 3 days ago. Damn!!!! The consistency in food sometimes burns me up. I took a friend to one of my favorite restaurants a couple weeks ago. I was just raving about the food. Well, my friend loved it, but I was disappointed. My dish was not up to standards. So I got to thinking...what is the most consistent and most reliable "comfort" food? Something that will never go wrong. No matter what time of day or hour you eat it...and no matter how long it takes to prepare it????

Hmmmmmmm...........

My answer.........A GOOD ole' Bowl of CEREAL........Cinnamon Toast Crunch to be exact. See, I have never been failed by Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I mean when food fails me...family fails me....friends fail me...boy/girlfriends fail me...when my own pet fails me...and lawdy you know times must be rough because my pets are considered 100% guaranteed unconditional love. Anyhow....I can always rely on my good ole' Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It's love is so consistent...24/7...365 days a year.

Have a good day Ya'll...and Go out and I have a bowl of Cereal. You want be disappointed.

Why I have not Blogged???

Forgive me everyone. Life just takes you on a roller coaster at times. I am still alive. I have been caught up into the world of myspace. Check me out on myspace if you'd like. www.myspace.com/lifejonesproductions. All is well with me. The cabaret was a success, Broadway Bares was phenomonal, and I'm moving on to the next thing. Stay tuned......

I am looking for ideas for a one-man show. I'm in the process of working on that. So, if you have any ideas, please email me.

I leave you with this for the week:

We only have this moment. So why wait to see what's

behind door 2 or 3, when what is meant for you,

in this moment,

is waiting for you behind door 1.

Some say, "the best things come to those who wait..."

I say, practice patience, but take action, and don't get

caught up into waiting too long because

you might just miss it.

We only have this moment...

if the moment is good...

Don't Fight it.

-Cornelius "Life" Jones

Yes ya'll! I found someone very special. And had I waited too long...or assumed that something better was coming...I would be that dog that's chasing his tail. The cycle would continue to repeat. Love was right in front of me, and I'm happy I saw it clearly. So, why I have not blogged???? Oh...I've been cultivating new artistic ideas, and cultivating a new partnership.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Ok. So I am still alive. I've been busy. Putting the final touches on the upcoming cabaret/showcase. I just recorded a new song, "Fly Again," it's really hot ya'll. I'm also in the process of building my website. It's coming...just keep your ears and eyes open. I'm on myspace now. You can visit my page on my space: www.myspace.com/lifejonesproductions. I'm still setting it up, so give me a minute. Seems like a I have a whole lot going on. If you guys are on myspace, please add me to your list or send me a friend invite. I know Monica is on myspace and my roommate, but I don't know who else??? Oh Kenyon....send me your myspace info.

So I tried uploading more pics from Brasil, but the Picasa/Hello Picture site is not functioning properly. Sorry. If anyone is interested in seeing the entire album...shoot me an email, and I'll send it from my yahoo account.

It's almost near everyone, "What's Stopping You?" Live at The Triad on W. 72nd ST. The showcase will feature new talents, Laura Catlaw, Kaitlin Rose Mercurio, and Scott Page. Please come out and support this project. Lucas Steele of Broadway's, The Three Penny Opera, will make a special guest appearances, and I will accompany Laura, Kaitlin, and Scott in a few numbers. It's going to be a fun evening. Good songs and dialogue...funny....emotional...feel good...good times ya'll! The cover is only $15. There will be two shows, the first starting at 7PM, and the second starting at 9PM. The triad is located at 158 W. 72nd St.(between Broadway & Columbus). Click on this link to The Triad for more info, and to view the Flier: www.triadnyc.com. This is the first of series that I will be producing, under my up and coming production company, LifeJonesProductions....Stay tuned.

Have a great week everyone. And Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there. I have a little something I wrote and would like to share with all the Mothers....with a special dedication going out to my mom, Barbara D. Jones.

Mother,
I just wanted to let you know...
You're my #1 Fan,
and you've been that from the start.
You're the breath of my Heart.
Helping me, encouraging me, guiding me,
and pushing me further to the top.
So that I can attain a sound mind and heart.
We'll never grow apart.
You're my #1 Fan
and
I Love You Mother

Happy Mother's Day with lots of Love.

-Cornelius "Life" Jones

"LIFE" in Salvador...Pt. 10

Wow, what a busy week this has been. A good busy. The showcase is really coming along. It's going to be so good. Please, come out and support if you can. I will post the flyer to the site shortly. Again it is Monday, May 22 @The Triad on 72nd ST(btwn. B'way&Columbus)....showtimes are 7PM&9PM. Please come support me and my fellow University of the Arts/NYC bound newcomers...Kaitlin, Laura, and Scott. They are all extremely talented and are excited about this project. Also, look forward to many upcoming series that I will be presenting and performing in. I'm developing some cool projects with a great team of musicians, promoters, and other artists who all believe in my ideas, and are very excited for the future. It feels so good to have a team of people who believes so much in you. It really helps. It's a support team, and I know we all can use it in our lives. So be prepared, my vocal showcase and theatrical showcase are all in the works. Just continue to send out that positive energy. I can feel it YA'LL!!!

I have to send out big big big "HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY" to my Aunt Edwina!!! She goes by Mary Woodley, but the fam' knows her as "Aunt Edwina." "HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!"

Well this is the final Journal edition for "LIFE" in Salvador. Thanks to all who have been following along. I have received numerous emails, and phone calls. It means a lot to me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Just know that, this is my last journal entry about my time in Salvador, but not the last of me blogging. I will now go on to blog about current events in my life. and I will begin to start a food for thought( which I have sort of done with the quotes), I will post poetry online, and whatever inspires me. I would love to hear your feedback on my poems and lyrics, and also I would love for you all to begin to express yourself. It can be through poetry, song lyrics, haiku, prose, quotes, questions, or just train of thoughts. I will post in my weekly updates to share with everyone. So get your LIFE!!! Also check back for photos as well. I will be downloading more photos to the site throughout the week.

Journal Entry 2/27/06

I am very sad. I really don't want to leave. I have that feeling I got when I was kid. You know that feeling, of wanting to stay, not wanting to go home. Man, I wish I was given that extra week. I really like it here. Next year I will definitely stay longer. Bahia....Salvador, is so beautiful. So many gorgeous black men and women...my people! This is amazing. I mean, the people here, remind me of, my people I see in the US. I can see it in the features and the mannerisms. I know for a fact that we are all apart of the same lineage. I swear some of my black people, here in Salvador, can pass for my members in my Jones and Anderson family tree. I didn't expect to see this. I didn't know what to expect. I was told about the culture and the African descendants in Salvador, but never did I imagine this. It was like looking at my brother, my sister, or my best friend. Wow! I am really going on and on about this. I am just so amazed by this experience. I am flipping out. What a lesson!!! I'm making a vow with myself to continue to learn the language. I will be fluent. Just give me a couple of years. I'm learning so far. I've gotten pretty far as well. I can carry basic conversations. I must say, I'm proud of myself.

Well I didn't meet the love of my life, but I met some really really nice people. Whom I'm sure I'll keep in touch with years down the line.

I just recently found out that the kids at CAASAH will probably only live until they are 16. 16???!!!?? That's not a long life. Aw, that hurts my heart. They won't even have a chance. "C" basically has about 2 years to live. "M" has about 4. That was so heartbreaking when I heard that news. "C" has lived at CAASAH all her life. If I'm correct, she came when she was a year old. She was the first child there. I mean, all she knows is CAASAH. She has lived in that smelly, unsanitary, and cumbersome hospital all her life. What kind of life is that for a kid? For anyone? And, all she's known all her life, are drugs and antibiotics. Just being around a lot of HIV and AIDS patients, I can tell how the drugs have affected her physical shape. She's still beautiful though. All of the little ones look up to her. She's like Mother. And she loves them to death. Hmm...I don't know what else to say.

I'm going to miss it here. Those kids need so much. I want to be the one to do something special for them. Yeah, when I come back I will have new clothes, shoes, and bed linen for them. I wonder who will still be here, when I return...? I mean, I am so blessed. I mean I have so much, and Yes I thank God for everything. The culture here is calling my name. I will return. I will do more research back home about my family lineage. I will share what I learned here with everyone I know, and come in contact with, in the States. I am so FULL.

A few hours later at the airport:

So here I am in the airport, already going through a little withdrawal. So I stop in this store to make one last souvenir purchase. Faintly, in the background, I hear a CD playing. The sound gradually gets louder, and I hear the group Afrodisiaco....ahh...I started to tear up a little...I began to relive my trip...all the memories, the CCS staff, the volunteers, some local friends I made, and the kids at CAASAH....ahhhhh. Ok, pull it together man. It's going to be alright. Everything is good. Peace Ya'll....

"VAI COM DEUS."

"What's Stopping You?"

-Cornelius "Life" Jones

(theme from the upcoming cabaret featuring new talents Laura Catlaw, Kaitlin Rose Mercurio, and Scott Page...with Cornelius Jones Jr.)

JC and Me...the dawn of "Carniva...Salvador" 

"CARNIVAL '06" - Blocos os Mascarados com Margareth Menezes 

Lois and Monica...up close and personal. 

Monica and Me..."Milk in my Coffee!" 

"LIFE" in Salvador...Pt. 9

Goodafternoon everyone. Today is going well for me. I did some background work on "One Life To Live" this morning. I must say this was the quickest on camera gig I have ever done. We were done in like 20 minutes. I was a photographer in one of the scenes. Tune in to "One Life To Live," and you may be able to see my debut performance. Now don't get me confused with the other brownskin photographer....I'm the shortest brownskin one...you may be able to get a quick glimpse of the back of my cleanly cut and lined head...or you may be able to catch my caramel brown hand cupping this huge 35mm camera. HEY YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE...RIGHT!

I got some shocking news yesterday about a family member. Don't worry, all is good. Just send some good energy out there for me and my family. Life can really take you for a world wind. It can also speed by like the NY Subway system. I won't go further into detail about what is going on, only to respect the privacy of my family, but lets not forget to nurture our Young Ones...they need all the love, support, and help that we can give them. They need Guidance, and a Clear Direction. None of us are perfect and we make mistakes. But we need to educate the Youth, share with them our downfalls in life, communicate with them, let them know that they are ok, and hopefully they will listen and learn to make wiser decisions in life.

Have any of you heard of the Tahitian Noni Juice? Well I've been drinking it since January, and I've have been in such a great mood, and a clear frame of mind, and my energy has been lifted. It's becoming really popular, and it has so many health benefits. I can go on and on, but you have to just try it for yourself. Let me know if you are interested, I have some contacts...I'll hook you up.

Well this is the second to last Journal entry. I was amazed at how much I wrote. I'm actually going to(when I get some downtime) print a hardcopy, in book format, of my Journal entries. I know some of my friends and family are not really into the online thing, so the book would be perfect for them. Hmmmm...let me know who would be interested in that. Is that something you would be interested in reading? And then I could also do like a mini picture book on top of that??? Hmmmm....how does that sound. That thought just came to me. I would love to hear your feedback. Enjoy and continue to have a good week.

Journal Entry 2/24/06

Wow, my time is really coming to an end. My last night is tomorrow. I had so so so much fun in my bloco last night. I didn't get home until 6:30AM today. I was dancing all night long...from 1AM to 6AM. Woa!!! That was crazy! And I still reported to work, which was my last day. I told "M" that today was my last day, and that I would be going back to the United States, but I don't think he really understood. I will definitely come back next year to visit him. I would love to adopt the young fella. He's an adorable kid, and so is "L". They are my favorites. The kids taught me so much. I learned new words in Portuguese and the correct grammar, all from the kids.

A thought in between recapping my day:

So I realized that within the black community, in Salvador, there is a lot of bisexuality...men who sleep with men. I was cruised and had conversations with a few men, whom wanted to engage in sex. Of course it was tempting, and I was partially not opposed to it...I'm human...the men here are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L...I don't know who spat them out...My Goodness!! However, these same exact men were the ones, I observed picking up females on the beach, in bars, in clubs and even some of my fellow colleagues. So it had me thinking about the HIV/AIDS rate in Brasil. I mean, part of my mission is serving in this small community of HIV/AIDS affected individuals. But there are other communities, not only in Salvador, but all over Brasil that have been affected by the AIDS crisis. So, I became really observant to life outside of the hospital. I was constantly wondering why so many of the kids ended up in CAASAH. I mean, Brasilians are so free here...I Love that...no inhibitions, but on the flipside it's a little dangerous. I guess the DL phenomenon is not only an American thing, which we know, in the States, is one of the leading causes to the increase in HIV infection rates. Especially in the black community. I had conversations with some of these guys, mainly Afro-Brasilians, and it was interesting to hear what they shared. Hmmm....more HIV/AIDS awareness is needed here, and the DL/bisexual lifestyle needs to be discussed here in Salvador.

Well my bloco was so much fun last night. I truly got my "LIFE." Man I danced in the parade from 1AM to 6AM nonstop. I was on fire!!! I had this crazy adrenaline rush. It was like...the world was mine. It felt so good to be alive. It was like the hugest payoff, for such an amazing 2 weeks, of bringing joy to my kids life. I wish I could stay longer. I don't want to go home to the grind...this is Paradise...this is Living. Putting in good deeds and rewarding yourself the way you like. I am not ashamed of anything...not ashamed of my likes and and dislikes...as long as I am comfortable with it...who gives a...!!! I love LIFE, I love Brasil, the language, the beach, the men, my Black people here...My Family...My Ancestors...they are here I can feel it. Man, I am such on a high right now, and I don't even do drugs...The way I feel I never need to do drugs. Just went off into a tangent, which is all good. But back to the bloco...it was the Mascarados Bloco with singer Margareth Menezes. She was the bomb! She sang "Festa." I lost it! I love that song. Well for one, it was a song that I was familiar with, and it is a fierce party song. I'm going to enroll in some Samba classes. I have to get that lil hip action the Brasilians have going on...it's real cute. I will return next year, and do the Mascarados bloco again...do it up!!! I mean all that energy is amazing. Just people...out in the streets, singing and dancing...hanging out windows....Just proud of their culture. I got winks and kisses from everyone...Men and Women....Just free spirited.

Another thought in between recapping my day:

About 4 days ago, A newborn arrived. He or She had to be no more than 2 weeks old. A new adult female, had arrived to the hospital as well. This young lady was the baby's mom. She had to be no more than 24. She was so sad. She was in tears as she walked back and forth, embracing her newborn child, as she was embraced and comforted by a volunteer nurse. I noticed the nurse began to pray with her. Sad to watch, but beautiful to know that she will live, and her baby will have LIFE as well. I know it...I have hope.

"Surrender to Self-Love"

-Cornelius "Life" Jones