Klazzy Magazine basketball

klazzy

business, health, life, & leisure

.com magazine

. . .lifestyle of the distinguished urban professional

Why Do You Not Know

Seimone Augustus

2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year Listen - To A Silent

Autobiography The Real Reason That

You’re Single

Atlanta ~ Charlotte ~ Chicago ~ D.C. ~ L.A. ~ Houston ~ Miani ~ New York www.klazzy.com - The Third Issue -

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Publisher’s Word

A s I sat in the lobby of the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta, waiting for my second of six

interviews I had scheduled for the day, I started to notice a theme from all of the people that I had been interviewing. There are a lot of people who talk about “doing it” but not as many who actually "do it". The people that I’d interviewed could have easily fallen into that group of those who “talk about it”. All of these people have compelling stories, just as I do, and they have decided to live out their life's dreams regardless of limitations.

I contact lots of people for stories, and I may get a 50% response rate. I ask a lot of people to follow up with me, and I may get a 25% response rate. I’m not a hypocrite because I am not perfect at following up on time but I do work extremely hard because I don’t have a “staff”.

It saddens me when I set an interview with someone and they do not show up or call, or I receive a call later that night or the next day. It saddens me when I call a company and leave countless voicemails and never receive a call back.

However, I’m overjoyed for the people who call back, who show up, who go out of their way and make time in their busy schedules to give me an interview, who follow up with e-mails, and who tell me about someone else that has a compelling story.

You guys continue to inspire me.

WE HELP OURSELVES

BY HELPING OTHERS! I admire those people out there who say “I don't care if it's supposed to be done that way, I'm gonna do it this way.” “I don't care if they say I need ABC, I'm gonna do it with only XYZ.” Here’s to the people who continue to take chances.

I have run into so many obstacles with this magazine, yet, Klazzy.com Magazine, and I, continue to grow, and morph into my initial vision. Sometimes I do not realize how much I’m actually doing because I do not have time to think about it. Only when I’m talking to someone else about it do I step back and say, “Damn, I’m actually doing this!”. Therefore, I’m going to continue to do it . . .

Eating poorly and not exercising will not kill you today, but eventually it will. Eating right and exercising will not make you loose a bunch of FAT (not weight) today, but eventually it will. Following a plan and doing what needs to be done will not make you successful TODAY, but eventually, IT WILL. Welcome to another Klazzy Experience!

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Bobby R. Bowden

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Feedback ***********************

Hi Bobby, I took a look at your website, and I think that you have a marvelous product. I wish you the best, you are off to a great start.

Jameka Whitten Executive Creative Director SOTAC Magazine *********************** I am glad that you followed your dream of writing this magazine. When you put God first positive things will happen to you.

Be Blessed, Tonya S Sumpter *********************** I find your magazine to be very informative and an easy read.

Eihn *********************** Everything looks good! Very catchy to the eye.

Tim Peterson *********************** A friend of mine told me about your magazine. I think this is great!

Silah Williams *********************** I read your magazine..well not the whole thing but most. It's interesting however; I would like to see more quotes from "experts" about all the topics.

Also, to me the stories can seem a little male oriented. You might benefit from adding a little feminine flavor (unless men are your target I'm not sure).

Keep doing what you do.

Shelby Lloyd *********************** I just wanted to stop in and say hi. I like your magazine it has good information.

Erica Owens

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*********************** Congratulations!!! I'm proud of you for getting this up and running. I wish the best to you on this.

I'll be sure to put your magazine out to the people up in the D.C. area.

Alecia Nelson *********************** I checked out your site and it really looks great!

It’s very professional. Best of luck to you!

Kresha Waldrop Take notice what’s in front of you; did I mention, you’re ‘bout to miss a good thing! ~Alicia Keys~You Don't Know My Name *********************** A lot of people want to be around when everything is going great, but no one wants to stay in someone’s corner when things are going bad. So many want to bail on you at the first sign of trouble. Or, if they don’t bail on you they want to add more stress and grief.

How can one deal with the stresses that they face in life and deal with more stress from family and loved ones. I can not deal with people that have a one track mind. I can not deal with people who have not suffered in life as I have suffered. I can not deal with people who have not been through anything. These people do not understand true struggle.

These people do not understand that there is more than one world around us. You can not learn about life from a book, a magazine, online, or on television. Life is only learned through experience and if you have none…….

One lesson that everyone should learn in life is to be open minded. There is more than one way to do everything. Do not knock something that you do not understand. More than likely you do not understand it because you have not gone through it. And if you have gone through it, there are still other ways to deal with it. Think people, THINK. *********************** Why do we struggle?

The spirit of slavery and the spirit of the ghetto still lingers.

The ghetto is a system created to destroy. In America it causes enslavment of the mind and as

a result there is self-destruction through implosion and explosion. We perish for the lack of knowledge. We also perish for the refusal to applying knowledge. Our society is still plagued by people (not just black americans) that are unmotivated to gain knowledge. We struggle far too much, because we simply don't use common sense. If you know better then do better. Don't focus on what other haven't been through, because we have all been through struggles that we didn't have to go through. It's time for us all to wake up, toughen up, get wiser, and change the world around for the better. Anything you do that does not have an positive effect to the world around is a direct attack against the works of God in this world, and time is running out.

We study history in order to learn from the mistakes of the past and improve our future.

Unfortunately, we sleep through history.

Therefore, we are doomed to repeat the past, and it's always worse the next time around. Through slavery, black americans were taught to hate each other, and for the most insignifcant things, (light-skinned vs. dark-skinned, etc.) And today we still hate each other. Look at all of the money spent supporting rivalries between fueding rappers. When it boils down to it. Black americans hate black americas more than white americans hate black americans. We feed our children hatred on top of hatred, and day by day, month by month, year by year, we fall further into the self-destructive nature of human being.

Some the things we struggle with come things that we cannot control. Yet, it doesn't mean that you have fall into despair, or pollute the minds and hold back those around you. All things work together for you good, predicated on your faith.

People need to stop being punks and get over the bad and make some real good happen. Yeah, the road gets rough and it can get tough, but don't run into the forest.

Spencer Cobb

klazzy people CEO, Publisher, Executive Editor Bobby R. Bowden Associate Editor Sabrina “Phennix� Davis Guest Editor Sherri Thomas Issue Design, Layout, Web Site Design, Advertising Sales, Marketing Editorial, & Photography (?any volunteers out there?)

Bobby R. Bowden ******************************** Special Thanks Ramona Gatling, Charlotte, Tabitha Stallings, Atlanta, Nedra Simone, Atlanta, Nicole Green, Atlanta, Alicia Jolla, Charlotte, Tameka Moseley, Charlotte, Darell Gooden, Charlotte, Carlow Smith, Atlanta, Jamille Brown, Atlanta, and Gary Long Atlanta.

A very special thanks goes to Jean Allen for always being there, and Cassandra Adams for putting up with me.

Klazzy Magazine is published monthly by Klazzy Magazine, Inc.All issues of the publication are available free of charge. Copyright 2004 - 2006 Klazzy Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, printing, reprinting, or altering, in whole or in part, for monetary gain or compensation, without the expressed written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited and illegal. All violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All manuscripts, drawings, and photographs sent to Klazzy Magazine will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes, and are subject to the magazine's right to edit and comment editorially. Photographs, nor the editorial, nor the quotations accompanying such photographs are not to be construed as an indication of the person's sexual orientation, conduct, personality, views, or actual quotation. Klazzy Magazine assumes no responsibility to determine whether the people whose photographs, statements, writings, or advertisements are deemed as true, or have in fact endorsed such products or consented to the use of their names, photographs, statements, or writings attributed to them. The views expressed by writers, photographers, stories, articles, photographs, or advertisements are not necessarily those of Klazzy Magazine, Inc. or it's staff.

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Just 4 Kicks

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Guest Editor WHY YOU NEED WORKSHOPS COVERING BUSINESS & FINANCE Bankruptcy Doesn't Necessarily Mean Sacrificing Homeownership Even with a strong economy and the new bankruptcy law, people are filing for bankruptcy in record numbers, and many are told they will not be able to qualify for a mortgage for many years. But, that isn't necessarily true. There are new programs that offer people who have been through a bankruptcy excellent rates, without penalties. There are also steps people should take if they've gone through a bankruptcy in the past few years, in order to become "mortgageable."

Mortgage Myths (What You Don't Know Does Hurt You) Foreclosure cases are high in our area. Divorce rates are astronomical. You need to learn about the mistakes that most homeowners and homebuyers make and how to avoid them.

Mortgage Challenges for the Self-Employed Borrower Often it can be a challenge for self-employed people to get a mortgage due to the effects that owning their own business can have on their cash flow, credit, and ratios. Learn more about what self-employed people need to do to get a mortgage.

Living a More Abundant Life With the Help of Real Estate More than 90% of the Millionaires in America made their money in real estate. There are benefits of owning personal and commercial real estate. Get help developing structured plans that create true wealth, while eliminating debt.

State of the Real Estate Market Understand the mortgage rate debate and learn how to plan a strategy for buying or selling a home or other property. Rates have been fluctuating over the past few months, but still remain at 30-year lows. ~ Sherri Thomas

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klazzy

business, health, life, & leisure

.com

magazine

. . .lifestyle of the distinguished urban professional

for advertising bulk printing or web design just call:

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Makin’ Moves

I do not sit around waiting for something to

happen. I envision it and make it happen. My extensive knowledge and resources has enabled me to to build my reputation on the sound principles that guide me. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Tenafly, NJ, my vast experience began as a Mass Media and Journalism major at Hampton and Norfolk State, then later changed to sociology and criminal justice. To top it all off I added a Masters in Public Administration a few years later. After college I worked in the Mercedes Benz marketing training program. Those three years enabled me to make lateral moves while garnering valuable experience, and also allowed me to discover my true passion, Public Relations. It was a great program, but I was continously looked over for positions that were being given to less qualified candidates. Determined to showcase my full potential I left Mercedes Benz and accepted a position with the Chisholm-Mingo Group, an African-American owned advertising and public relations firm in New York. As an Account Manager, I handled clients such as: Pfizer, Raynal & Cie French Brandy, TAO, Royal Caribbean and US Postal. After five years of public relations and marketing roles, I decided to channel my eagerness and diligence and venture into the world of entrepreneurship. It was in 2001 that Digital Divas was born, a boutique public relations and advertising agency that offers a variety of services to professional athletes, entertainers, and businesses from all walks of life. We have worked with various clients from Gloria Velez, to FUBU, to Roca Wear, and even Uncle Luke. Still hungry for even more experience I took a position with the national media conglomerate Radio One, which brought me here to the Queen City. As an account manager I was the Presidents Club Winner in 2004 and 2005 once again excelling and showing that there was no limit to my full potential. Despite success, I saw a bigger picture and decided to run Digital Divas, Inc. full time. In addition, we also host networking events directly after work for distinguished urban professionals.

Teachers, doctors, lawyers, and realtors all drop in to take a load off. To contact us log on to digitaldivasinc.com or e-mail me at digitaldivasinc@aol.com.

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Makin’ Movez Tiffany L. Jones President Digital Divas, Inc.

Atlanta

I larned about hard work and dedication early. I began

working construction with my father and grandfather's company in California at the age of eight. My dad taught me how to read a blueprint and that would prove to be valuable later on in life. After high-school I made a short pit-stop at a culinary school in San Francisco before starting my very own landscaping company. I ran this company for two years out of a volkswagen beetle. I was inspired because of what my father and grandfather did. There was no front seat or back seat. I had all of my equipment stacked up in the car with my sprinkler system strapped to the top. I didn't care about loans, or how the company looked, it was all about having drive, and just getting out there to do it. We started out with eight landscapers in that subdivision and after two years, there were only three left and I was one of the three.

Eventually my cousin gave me his 64 chevy truck and that gave me the room to handle more work. Now I had contracts with apartment complexes and home subdivisions. I did that for 15 years until I came here. It only took one visit for me to fall in love with this area and make Atlanta my home. I was introduced to Flip Johnson, ex NFL player for the Buffalo Bills, and owner of a construction company. He didn't just finance the construction company, he worked it. I've seen this guy build doors, that were solid, without using any nails.

That's just how good he was, and it was an arched door, not a square. After working with Flip and a few other contractors for about 5 years I was approached by a couple who wanted a home built and that got me on my way. Now my company, Long Unique Homes, has been building custom homes for years. I will take a blueprint, alter it, show the client, and they say, "Wow, I like that".

That's why we're called "Unique" homes, because I make sure the homeowner gets more than they normally would. A custom home from Long Unique Homes is not only a work of Architectural Art, but an investment. My customers are moving into their homes with $100k $150k in equity. I am still one of few contractors, not subcontractors, who get their hands dirty with the workers. Some of my customers include Dr. Terry Cummings, pediatrician, Judge Tony Cummings, corporate judge, and Dr. Adams, dentist. In my spare time I teach classes at New Life Baptist Church off of Candler Road. I educate homeowners on drywall, tile, and hardwood flooring. You can contact me at 404-391-1253, or log on to www.longuniquehomes.com.

Makin’ Movez Gary Long President Long Unique Homes

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Handle Your Business

Mistakes of New Businesses

What are some common mistakes new

business owners make, and how can you avoid them? If the past five years have taught us anything, it's that flashy business and marketing plans mean nothing if they are not accompanied by a sensible longterm strategy. Numbers can lie in the short-term, but the truth almost always comes out in the end. So as we prepare for the real New Economy, how can entrepreneurs learn from the mistakes of their predecessors? Avoiding these common mistakes will help keep your million-dollar dream from becoming a million-dollar nightmare: 1. Overstating projections.

Enron was not the first company to overpromise and under-deliver, and, unfortunately, it will not be the last.

Investors are occasionally fooled by numbers in the short term, but in the end the funded company almost always gets hurt.

Realistic budgets and projections may lengthen your search for funding, but when the money does arrive, it will be honest money, and you should then have a profitable plan to follow for several years to come.

2. Ignoring immediate budgetary needs.

On the other hand, if your plan shows that you need $50,000 to take a product to market, don't ask for only $30,000.

Potential investors and bankers will only wonder why they should give you money for a project that will fail without additional funding. This was the sad lesson of the

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dotcom bubble. Companies burned through their initial seed money without coming close to profitability and then gave up. Investors have become more savvy and would rather spend $50,000 in a smart fashion than throw $30,000 out the window.

3. Assuming that the existence of revenue is indicative of being cash-flow positive.

In virtually every transaction, there is a lag time between the finalization of the deal and the completed cash collection. This is a fact of business and should not be a problem, assuming you are prepared. Unfortunately, many businesses aren't and run into serious cash-flow problems because they spend money they don't yet have. Perhaps what's most troubling is many of these purchases could easily have been delayed for 30 days, when the available money is finally in the bank.

A little wisdom, discretion and foresight can go a long way toward corporate survival.

4. Forgetting about Uncle Sam. End-of-the-day balances can often appear larger than they really are. Sales tax on revenues and employee withholdings may sit in your account temporarily but will ultimately be owed to the government. Your balance sheets should not count these finances as holdings, otherwise you run the risk of budgeting for future projects and costs that you will not be able to afford.

5. Mismanaging the advertising timeline.

It seems so elementary: Advertising leads to sales. However, many budgets show advertising costs as a percentage of sales in the same period. To be truly effective, an advertising/ marketing campaign will have to be initiated at least one period before sales can be expected.

When the additional out-of-pocket costs are taken into account, a healthy advertising budget is needed before any revenue can be assumed. Failure to budget the appropriate items in a strategic time frame will under-utilize finances needed to achieve these sales goals and can lead to overspending in later months.

6. Lack of a plan.

Some companies start out with no clear plan on how they will grow and maintain their business. Without a marketing plan and a growth plan, it will be hard for you to take your business to another level. Before starting your business, make sure that you have a well thought out plan that will ensure the success of your company. Also make sure you do your homework. Be knowledgeable about the industry you are in, know your competition and know what others have done before you so that you can understand their successes as well as failures.

7. Exceeding budgets.

Often companies will start off with high hopes. They want everything right away. Word of wisdom is to start small and then grow. Try not to focus on location, lavish furniture, flat screens, fancy lunches or big launch events, keep it simple in the beginning and wait until you see a profit before you begin spending large sums of money. The uptown office space will come later, that is, as long as your company continues to prosper. Remember, every business does not succeed, so think twice before breaking the bank in the first year.

8. Staffing.

We all know that it's hard to find good help. If you are not good at hiring then it’s best to hire an HR Manager, or outsource, and let them be in charge of hiring and firing. High turnover is never a good sign, so you want to start out with a good, strong, loyal staff that can grow as the company grows.

9. Image.

It's all about relationships so if you have a tarnished image, it will be hard to succeed. Be consistantly professional with all clients and contacts and they will continue to support your endeavors. When people have bad things to say about your company, it could negatively impact your organization’s success. Remember, image is everything and you only get one chance to make a first impression.

10. Branding.

Some companies fail to brand themselves properly. It can be as simple as your logo or your company name, but you do need something that will keep your company in the minds of the masses. You always want to stand out, be distinct, whether it be offering top notch service, or having a catchy name, just make sure that you properly brand your company name from the beginning.

Formulating a vision is the hard part. Following the plan is even more difficult. Slowly nurturing your company with fine meticulous care has the potential to establish growth, longevity, and success. ~klazzy www.klazzy.com - The Third Issue -

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Live Your Life

the Autobiography of

M-U-T-E

Everything makes a noise………..At least in your world. My world has a peaceful hummm to it. As a child I disliked that steady monotone that would only be interrupted by a deep bass or the sound of my mother yelling at me. She would always get right up on me and tell me what she wanted me to do. My name is Sabrina (nomiddlenamecausemymotherthoughtIwasaboy) Davis. It must have been all the kicking I did inside of her that convinced her that there was no way possible I could have been a girl. She actually didn't have a name for me, so my sister named me after one of Charlie's Angels. No matter how much energy I had, I was still born into this world hearing impaired, but my zest for living never faded.

I don't remember what I might have heard at two years old, but it probably sounded like I was still in my mother's womb. MUTED. So quiet that my first set of hearing aids were thrown into the garbage as soon as I got to my babysitters house. The city of New York was too loud for my tender four year old ears that had heard nothing since birth. My mother took me right back to the audiologist to get fitted for another set of hearing aids, and he had a talk with me about why it was important for me to wear them. I don't recall if I got the picture, but I will never forget the day I threw them away, because everyone searched for hours, but they were already in the incinerator.

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I've grown now, and life has definitely been full of adventure. From the moment I began hearing, until now, I did't want to hear for the sake of saving my sanity. I was constantly being told I couldn't go to public schools, couldn't play an instrument, and a whole lot of other "couldn't ". I was proving everybody wrong about who I was and what I was capable of doing.

I must give credit where credit is due, because my mother fought for me to go to the public schools of Charlotte Mecklenburg County. She never ever let me forget it either. Seeing her fight created a will in me, and that may have been the first time I realized anything is possible if you try. The merging of my capabilities within this society has proven to be virtually limitless.

In addition, my educational training, complete with speech training, has allowed me to develop as a complete person.

The "disability" becomes more about my "abilities". There are many children around the world that are dealing with some sort of disability and it doesn't have to be a physical handicap.

I was a volunteer for the Special Olympics and I met kids who have mental disabilities. Those kids were playing basketball and communicating effectively with each other. It was my first time volunteering and believe me I was very impressed. At times I wanted to cry just knowing how much work goes into getting over a so called "disability".

I am a spoken word artist, going by the name Phennix now. Phennix symbolizes me being reborn by pushing thru my trials as a “disabled” citizen. Whenever I start speaking on the microphone, people are curious because of the way I speak, but that doesn't stop them from receiving the message I am delivering. I am so proud of my own accomplishments and so thankful for all the guidance I have received.

The experiences from my school years have made me into who I am and how I come across to people in my everyday life. I've written my autobiography entitled "Mute", which covers these experiences, in hopes of inspiring other young hearing impaired children and people who come in contact with them. I can truly say I was well prepared at an early age by some very wonderful people that I was blessed to have in my life. The title Mute speaks for itself. Understanding and not being ignorant is a powerful thing to carry around with you at all times. The more you understand about a subject matter, the more comfortable you are on that subject. That is the one piece of advice that I have stored in my files of “good living advice”. I have always believed that the things you allow to hinder you, are your biggest battles in life. So learning and applying what you learned is always going to play a major role in your everyday decision making. I have set out to do just that. Help people understand, and learn through some of my experiences about raising a child that has a handicap of any kind. Through me sharing my life trials, tribulations and my happiness, I hope that there is something for everyone to take away from my experiences.

Often people would get curious as to who I am and ask a whole lot of questions but now I can just say "Awwww, read the book! Learn something!" I am just kidding. I really did enjoy writing and composing my thoughts as I visited a time capsule of memories that still bring tears to my eyes or make me burst out laughing. If I really get relaxed I can even remember what it smelled like at a particular moment in time. My life is being spent giving back what has been given to me. "To whom much is given, much is expected". That’s a great quote! ~Sabrina "Phennix" Davis

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Live Your Life

Why You’re Really Single

An Opinionated View I usually try to avoid the topic of relationships because I suck at them, but now I realize that

it’s not just me. I haven't been a saint in my life but I’ve been putting forth the effort to be more forthright at a quicker pace when I meet women. I have even gone back to women whom I’ve dated in the past just to make sure I have reconciled all of those situations. I want to get closure and apologize for anything that I may have done, or try to explain the things that I had going on at that time. I want to make sure my past is completely clean before I begin to move forward. I want to do my part as 1(one) man, so if anyone in my past needs to call me to clear the air, my number is still the same.

Problem is women and men continue to bump heads in relationships because they don’t know what to do “for” each other. They don’t know what to do for each other because no one know what they “really” want. “Good job but not a workaholic, thick but not fat, tall but not too tall, confident but not conceited, forward but not pushy, authoritative but not controlling . . .”, dating is not a job application. Meet someone, and either like them or don’t like them. That’s it.

You can’t change anyone. However, it is much harder than it sounds, so I will give you my personal recipe on a meaningful relationship.

A relationship is practice for marriage.

The way you practice is the way you will play the game.

Honesty - When you first meet you're only getting to know each other so there’s no reason to lie. That's the time to be completely up front with people, because at my age, later 20's early 30's everybody is dealing with somebody sexually. Yes, there's an exception to every rule, but for the most part the majority of people are dealing with someone else when you meet them.

Now that doesn't necessarily mean that you are sexually active with someone else, not all of the time anyway, but there normally is another person that some of your "phone" time goes to.

True, when meeting someone they don't need to know all your business, but still be up front with people. Most of the time you're the one grilling people anyway, "Where do you work, do you have kids, what kind of car do you have, do you live alone?" As soon as you finish those questions you should say, “I have a person that I have sex with until I find someone else to be with.” Tell them, “Yes, I'm in a relationship”, or “I only want a sexual partner”, or “I'm looking for my next ex-husband”, or whatever it may be. Just be up front with people, that will solve the majority of the dating situations. You guys can start off as friends and possibly explore other possibilities later. Or, you both may just be looking for casual sex, so be up front and you will only deal with what you’re looking for.

When I meet someone and we start a "situation", whatever that situation may be, I've tried to be pretty honest with people. I'm getting a company off the ground, I have been married, I do have children, I'm in grad school, and I may not be able to give you ALL of the time that you want, "right now". However, if you can see my vision, and if you feel that it's worth it to continue to get to know me, then I will put forth the effort to get to know you as well, because the things that take up my time now will not last forever. If you are not willing to allow me to prepare my life, then you are not worth being in my life. I'm trying to do my part in life as a man that has daughters.

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Conversation - I 'm a conversationalists. I know a little bit about everything. I like to talk, so I have to have someone that I can have some decent and intelligent conversations with on a consistent basis. I dated someone in 2003 that was probably the best conversationalists I had met up until that point. This particular lady and I could, and would, talk about anything. We sat in bed one morning and talked about her job for like 2 hours. That was huge to me because she went into descriptive detail and explained everything that she did. I felt special that she even wanted to take the time to let me know exactly what it is that she does. How many people can say that they have dated someone for a few months, or even longer, and know, in detail, exactly what your partner does for a living? It was big to her because no one had ever wanted to talk to her about her job before or go into detail about what she did. You have to be able to consistantly communicate. That’s the only way to learn if they’ve killed anyone or not.

Time - Time is imperative. Even if you're not actually in a committed relationship you have to have those chances to talk and be around the other person. To me you really can't know anyone until you spend regular quality time with them. I mean personal time, not just booty call time or let's go out and spend money time, but free time where you're chilling in your jogging pants, t-shirts, and socks watching Flavor of Love. I want to know how you are when you get home from work. I want you to know how I am when I have a deadline to meet for my job, a paper to write for grad school, and I have to drive 4 hours to spend time with my daughters in the same week. If we can't survive that, then we will not survive anything. Are you gonna nag me when you know I have things going on, or are you going to understand and support me?

Will you try to shut me out when you have things going on, or will you allow me to try to help you and sooth you. These are the things that we need to learn about each other so we can decide if we want to deal with it or not. If you are not able to spend that down time with me, then I will not be interested. If you can’t call me, then I’m not interested. Now understand, just because I want to be around you or have you in the same "vicinity", I still may have work to do, or you may have work to do, so that does not mean that I want to be in your face all the time. We will learn to be together in the same place, but still be in different parts of the house.

Sometimes “quiet time” means, . . . be quiet.

Loyalty - You need to find someone who is going to be loyal. Now by that I don't mean they will worship you or you will be the "boss", but I mean someone who you know will be on your team. You can be considered as teammates. Somebody you can count on in the hard times.

Somebody who is not going to run and talk to "outsiders" about everything that goes on between you two. When it comes down to "us", "our" relationship will always come before other outside negative situations. It’s true that your friends may be there when you and your “mage” have an argument, but your friends may not forgive them as quickly as you do.

An Open Mind - You are never always right, and neither am I. Now, are you a person that's jumping from relationship to relationship, are you putting forth effort to really make something work with someone, or are you just meeting people and saying, "Ah hah! He has XYZ!" and just throwing in the towel on the situation. What it boils down to is what are you trying to do, and what are you really looking for. Once you reach this point where you feel like this is somebody that you’re truly interested in it comes down to you having an open mind. Because there is more than one way for everyone to reach success. Success for you may be different than success for me. So for you to get to your success level you may take path B. For me to get to my success level I may take path P. Someone else may take E or Z. There are so many ways to become successful, and the success that I want may take longer than the success that you want.

If we both get our bachelors, you can work and make money while you go to school to get your masters. If I'm trying to become an attorney or a medical doctor, I have quite a bit more www.klazzy.com - The Third Issue -

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time in school while you are making money. So while I'm in medical school or law school, and you're working and in grad school, who's successful? Is it you because you're making money and I'm not? We took different paths because we have different goals. We both will be successful, my path just takes longer.

There are so many people who are judgemental about other people's lives but we have to remember, everyone was not raised the same, had the same experiences, the same opportunities, or the same support system. We all learn our lessons differently in life. We are going to go through crap and make mistakes, some of us more than others, but no one will live a perfect life.

So if I have things going on with me and you have things going on with you, then I can't judge you or what you went through based off of my beliefs & opinions, or off of society's beliefs & opinions, until I get to know you as a person. Once I get to know your mindset then I can decipher, "Ok, why is it that this happened to you this way? Is there something in life that you don't know about that maybe I do?”

Respect My Path!

An Understanding of People - So once you pass the point of interest, you want to take the time to get to know this person, you feel like you can be loyal, and you have an open mind, then you have to realize that life will not be peaches and cream. If you grow up with your family for 18 years, and you're constantly at their throat, then why do you think you're gonna meet someone whose already grown up and set in their ways, and everything is just gonna fall into place? That makes no sense whatsoever, and anyone who has that mindset, including me, you're just plain crazy. For 20 years you argue and bicker and fight with your brother or sister and you still love them. It's natural for people in general to just not get along. So when you’re with someone you must realize, “Hey, we are gonna have problems and I can’t just quit and run. (as long as it’s not abuse)” It’s not because we're male and female but because we're people. Now the loyalty and the open mindedness comes back. Am I going to try to work through these problems, or am I gonna just throw my hand up, say forget it, move on to the next person, and start the process all over again? It takes time for two people to come together and mesh. Even though it's taboo, the people who live together before marriage, even though society looks down upon this, we should commend these people. They are smart enough to realize, "Hey, I want to live with you for a while to see how you are on a day to day basis before I decide if I want to create a sacred lifetime institution with you.” (marriage, not a corporation) This means they take marriage very seriously, and it's not something to jump in and out of when you feel like it.

If you go through the time to determine, I like this person, I can be loyal to them, I can be open minded, but as soon as a hard time comes up you want to flee, that's crazy, and there's something wrong with you. I'm not a hypocrite because I have done it in the past, but I have learned from my past mistakes. Anything worth having in life takes work. If it comes too easy, then there's something wrong with it. That includes money, jobs, promotions, status, sex, or whatever. The woman that you really like and you have to chase down, that's the one worth having. When God blesses you, your work, blood, sweat, and even tears have already been put in.

So that's the basis of a relationship, it starts out with an attraction and then it gradually progresses. If you get to a step and it does not seem to be working out, don’t be afraid to talk about it and end it if you have to. Once you get passed all of the steps something is going right.

That’s when you need to be man/woman enough to realize, “Yeah, we're still people, and we have disagreements, but I still love you anyway.”

So, for those who are too “independant” to commit to these steps, that’s why you’re single!

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Live Your Life

Lonely at the

Top

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In the sports world this young lady needs no introduction. To the true hoop fan, this young

lady needs no introduction. If you don't know who she is then you should be ashamed.

Seriously. For all of the women who read this article, and complain that the WNBA does not get the press and the recognition as the NBA does, it's your fault. This is the Lebron James of the WNBA. No she didn't come straight out of high-school, but if the WNBA allowed it, she would have, easily. Instead she decided to tear up the college court for a minute. She could have easily went to any of the women's NCAA powerhouses,Duke, Carolina, UCONN, or Tennessee, and took someone else's starting spot. However, she decided to say home and attend LSU. This school has not seen a player this dominant since some 7-foot man-child that they now call "The Diesel". She not only put LSU on her back, she put the women's NCAA on her back. Now, she's been labeled as the savior of the WNBA in their 10th season, how fitting. To no one's surprise, she’s tearing up this league also. To watch her in person is poetry in motion. She's so silky smooth, and laid back, her flow is effortless. She's not Jay-Z, she's not T-Mac, and she's not King James. She's not Coop, Lisa, Swoopes, or Shamique. She's Seimone Augustus, and if you don't know who she is, you should really be ashamed of yourself. Seriously!

Is this your first time in charlotte?

Yes. You just got a new coach today, so how do you feel about that?

It's a business, our last coach stepped down. We could look at it as a positive or a negative, but we're just gonna use it as motivation for the rest of the season.

Do you feel that your last coach stepping down had anything to do with your record?

I have no idea, but I guess she made the best decision for her and her family at this time.

Now you know there are talks of you being the rookie of the year. You were NCAA Women’s college player of the year as LSU for the past two years, and you led the women's NCAA in scoring last year. There were only 5 or 6 players in ALL of the NCAA who averaged more points per game last year, and they were men. Now, you're the second leading scorer in the WNBA right now.

(Smiling) Yeah, it feels good to be in the top 5 . . .

You're actually number 2 but who's counting right. I know you guys don't keep up with that.

(Laughing) Yeah, there are still a lot of tough rookies in the league like Cappie and Monique Currie who are both doing good, so just to be considered as one of the top rookies is still an honor.

[Seimone Augustus was named WNBA Rookie of the Year Sunday August 20th, 2006] Ok, and who does Monique play for? (look of astonishment) She plays here [in Charlotte]! (laughing) www.klazzy.com - The Third Issue -

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(laughing) I was just making sure you remember that. See, I've been one of you biggest fans for years. I've been following your career since high-school, so it's a huge honor for me to be here right now. Now, I was pulling for you in the tournament, but I had a crush on Monique Currie, so I was pulling for Duke also. So anyway, is there a big difference for you from playing in college versus playing in the pros?

The only thing is the talent. In college you may be able to take a night off and your team can back you up if you play a team that's not up to a Duke of LSU standard, but here [in the WNBA] you have to be prepared to play every night. Coming from LSU or a big organization like that they help to prepare you for this time so it's kind of an easy transition for people who come from LSU, Duke, Tennessee, or UCONN because they prep you for the next level. It has also helped me because I knew most of the girls before I came into the league. I played against them in the SEC and I played with a lot of them on the women’s USA basketball team.

So we already had a relationship. Once you get to the next stage it's like rekindling the chemistry with your teammates.

Ok now, who's been the toughest person for you to guard since you've been in the league. (smiling) I can't really pick one particular person. You got Swoopes, you got Betty Lennox, I haven't played Tameka Catchings, but I've seen her on film and she looks like she's gonna be tough to defend. It's just around the horn and I don't have one particular person.

Have you played Sacramento yet?

[Reigning WNBA champs.

Home of Yolanda Griffith (1999 MVP, #2 all time in rebounds) and Ticha Penicheiro (#1 all-time in assists)] Yeah, we played them and they're very athletic.

Now, I know how it is as an athlete you never want to say "this person" gave me problems, but who has had the best defense against you so far?

Here, everybody has good defense. Umm, Deanna Nolan has good defense because she's so quick, and she's a tough person to get around.

Now I mentioned your record before. Do you feel you can rebound, or do you feel there's a reason that you got off to a slow start?

At this point we just want to make sure we're coming out trying to win. Of course our goal is to make the playoffs, but if we're not able to do that we at least want to finish the season strong and have some momentum and confidences going into next season. I don't think our record shows the talent that we have on our team.

I'm telling you I've been boosting you up to everybody every since you were in the tenth grade (damn, that makes me feel old)! Now I thought you were gonna go to Tennessee but you chose LSU, your home school, but I'm thinking, if this girl goes to LSU and flops out‌. But you kept me up, so how did it feel to be the number one draft pick?

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It felt good. I mean, a lot of people talk about the women's league not being on the men's level, but anytime you get to go to the draft and sit with your parents and your coaches and be around the girls that you've known through four years of college and AAU, and you're sitting there waiting to get your moment to hear your name called to play in the women's professional league, it's always a thrill. Just for me to be sitting there and hear them call my name, I wanted to cry, but I just couldn't.

You didn't think you would be the first pick?

There was a lot of talk, but Cappie coulda went first. It coulda been anybody, but I was just happy to be in a position to be considered as a number one pick.

Now I know you have a close bond with your parents, and I know your dad kind of molded you into the player that you are now. How's your relationship with them now?

It's still good. We talk every day. It's actually better because when I was back home I never had time to grow up, get out of the house and be an independent woman like I am now. They were kind of afraid then because they didn't want to let go. But now that they have no choice I have grown into a young woman and they see the product of all the hard work they put into raising me and helping me get to this point. So now they can just sit back and watch me do my thing and I'm sure it's a proud moment for them but it's a proud moment for me also.

The WNBA is 10 years old now. We mentioned earlier that the women's game is still not getting the respect that it deserves. Now the league has had it's share of superstars with Lisa, Cheryl, Coop, and T-Spoon, but a lot of people are looking at you as the new Savior to put the league on your shoulders and be able to carry it to that next level. How do you feel about that? (laughing) I'm not a big woman, but I feel that with the people that we have, and not just me, I really feel that the future of the league is in good hands. We're gonna start to draw more fans and do the things that we need to get the respect and exposure for this league.

What are some things that you like to do in your personal time?

I'm telling you, (laughing) I have no life! Nah, I'm really into video games, so me and my teammates will sit around and play video games. I like to hang out, or go watch the street ballers at the park. It's not like Rutger in New York, but it's good to see the men and women working hard to pursue their dreams.

Ok, now the last thing I want to show you (pulling out the cover and article of Seimone when she was in the tenth grade [she was on the first cover for Sports Illustrated for Women] and showing her that I've been a fan since then) is this right here. Do you remember when you did this cover? (laughing in amazement and probably hoping that I’m not a stalker for keeping a 7 year old article) Oh no! (laughing) This is the cover story and article that you did when you were still in highschool, and they were labeling you as "The Next Michael Jordan" then. How do you feel your game has changed from high-school to college and now to the pros?

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It's changed a lot. Back then I played mostly off of abilities. Now I have to be a little smarter in my approach to the game. It's a little more mental now because you have players who are taller than you, faster than you, and can jump higher than you. So you have to have a different kind of advantage. Coming through LSU with the coaches that I had who were students of the game helped me to advance my skills so I can try to have another type of advantage over my opponent.

Now what was up with your dad tying your right arm up with a belt when you practiced to make you better. How did you feel about that (referring to the article that I pulled out, and no, I’m not a stalker)?

I didn't think about the gadgets that he used back then, but now I think about it. We did some crazy stuff but we didn't have the money to go out and buy the professional things that we needed to make it work so we just used what we had at home (laughing). He had his own home remedies, but for the most part it worked.

What made you want to go with the dreads? (grin) I don't like to do hair, so, it's not touched up right now and it's lookin' a mess but I just don't like to do hair.

Well I appreciate your time and good luck to you guys tonight.

Thanks You.

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Suicide sometimes there is pain, sometimes there is joy tears of joy, tears of sorrow the love will not go away the love will not decrease everytime she's in my presence my heart overflows my soul leaves my mind my inhibitions seperate I want to love her I don't want to love her I want to trust her I want her to be ME , WE , ONE Or do I? my heart is choked up in my throat my thoughts are jammed in my heart my fingetips numb as I pour out my soul over this keyboard my eyes stain my desk, and my feet, and the earth so many before me, how many after me I have commited emotional , soulful , spiritual , heartfelt SUICIDE I have fallen INSIDE of Love there is no escape no freedom, no peace, no comfort within I want to leave but I can't and if I could, PAIN I want to stay but I can't and if I could, PAIN I will be trapped eternally I have commited SUICIDE I have fallen DEEPLY IN-side of love ~Ballantino

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Klazzikal Exprezzionz

style & poetry

Quiet Quick Popular girl, not.

Beautiful and self secluded.

By choice of course.

By reason of sultry spirits within my frame of mind, laughing.

But I saw the hungry eyes and faintly heard the sexual approval.

Accusations and supposes.

Self torments haunt my being.

Unable to relate to the natural way.

Life's lessons have given a different take.

Self motivation only appears when Mary is able to converse.

Self renovation abandoned.

Quietness over takes.

Blank thoughts are continually in place as new faces try to correlate.

Uncomfortable stability.

Wishing to protest this restless way.

Unable to get the secrets of them far enough to relax.

Long solitude comforts.

Quite silent, contentment.

Questions of "Why me?" expand as the day rejected draws to an end.

Never long pondered.

Slow transformations process.

A new way of particular definitions reside making it a little to easy for the real me to resume hiding.

Never fighting the slavery phantoms of lifelessness and emptiness.

Coming alive only in the act of pleasures in manly plethoras.

Unsatisfactory savor of the hunt of mastery govern.

The clueless envisioning they were the "lucky ones".

Untameable ignorant clear beings.

Consuming my temple, locking my passion for freedom and longing for the quiet quick. ~Unique Expression www.klazzy.com - The Third Issue -

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Wind I am wind-to be felt but not touched A moment I am presentTo do whatever To let you know you're still alive Push the heat from your face Force a chill to the bone I am windMy scent mixed with…ummm Teasing your senses…causing your curiosity to rise My longing to be somewhere longer than a few seconds…

Wanting somebody to want me when I'm gone…

I am windClose your eyes... inhale-imagine what I'd look like If…you could undress the wind…

How would the wind feel if you emerged into it Would it be cool Like a spring night or HOT like an august day Could you satisfy the windMake her blow hard…for only you Could you make the wind…cry She's never did that before She's never did that before I am windBLINK… Now…I am gone… ~PoeticBlackButterfly

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Insomnia I can't sleep - Eyes open My insomnia is killing me slowly I am dreaming Balancing reality and REM sleep Wake Up! There is a marching band on the inside of my eyelids Waiting for the moment my eyelashes lock So that they can play the funeral march with the instruments of my mind My Soul is wasting away in time - I am dying slowly Wake Up! Rise and Shine My hallucinations are hallucinating The lambs are no longer jumping over the fence They are leaning against that mother-fucker Smoking a cigarette Asking me how I plan to live out my dreams if I never sleep to have them I am ½ awake ½ sleep - Never whole I am not even here I am a figment of your imagination Imagine me beautifully broken Sleeping in Silk Stanzas Seducing dreams to have a one night stand with me Simply to remember the felling My eyes are burning bushes being held open by the puppet master hands This is where I am This is where you will be After 2 no dozes, a sleeping pill, a shot of Bacardi Limón, and the realization that you aren't as young as you used to be.

Time is flying by you better buy a ticket Wake up!

I can't sleep Eyes open My insomnia is killing me slowly I am dreaming Balancing reality and REM sleep.

This is my insomnia ~Phrozen Poet www.klazzy.com - The Third Issue -

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