Turn Your Lights ON

I had this lil’ bad thing, somethin’ like them 10’s
She gave a aggin mad brain, somethin’ like the Wiz
But you see the sad thing fuckin’ with her is
Is the chick ain’t even have brains, dummy like a bitch
So I tried to show her
About the world and about just who we really are
And where we’ve come and how we still have to go really far
Like baby look at how we live broke on the boulevard
But all she ever want me to do is unhook her bra - - J. Cole

Sitting here, listening to J. Cole, I figured out the perfect thing to write about. Dumb females. This, in no way, is a shot at all females. And if it's not you, please talk to your dumb friends, b/c we all, male and female, have dumb friends of both sexes. Yes, dumb is a mean and politically incorrect term, but the shit is real life. The type of dumb I am talking about is being one dimensional, unable to do anything but physically please me, expendable female.


Not to toot my own horn (TOOT TOOT) but I am something like the man. Not the man, not the HNIC, but I have my hands in every aspect of college life in Greensboro. I am in touch with the chancellors and provosts at the two biggest universities in my city (on a first name basis with 2 of those 4 people), I have the cell phone numbers of the Deans of business schools across the state, and I always have internship opportunities even though I don't seek them. I don't pay to get into parties, I have girls who can easily be called dimes calling my phone to come over even though I don't pick up (anymore), I am the president of the Black Business Students Association and I am a proud brother of the Playboi Pi Zeta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. I am dark (check), not short (nor am I tall), and in good shape. Alright, maybe I'm tooting my own horn, but continue to read and it will make sense.


What I don't understand is how a female can try to approach me (or any forward moving man) and not have her stuff together. If you can't carry yourself well in public, how can you expect me to take you anywhere? I've been at dinners with everyone from mayors to congressional representatives to presidential candidate John Edwards. I see UNC System President Erskine Bowles at family gatherings. I might not be rich but I will be and I am in what Brother DuBois named the Talented Tenth. If your only talent is being able to do the things rappers talk about in the songs I will hear tonight at the club, please don't even approach me for two reasons: I have a girl who makes me happy (so even if you can do more than that, fall back) and even if I was single, I wouldn't talk to anyone who can't make me want to be better.


What really made me want to write about this was the line "I tried to show her about the world." I tried so hard to change so many fine girls. I really wanted them to get some sense to match their bodies. It's really hard to see a gorgeous girl who only wants to get it in. You want better for them b/c you see that they have so much potential in them but some people really just want to rely on a man for their entire lives. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be able to rely on us but, in this day and age, a progressive man needs a woman (not a girl) who has the mental capacity to do for herself. I am not a politician but I have a hand in politics and I need a woman who will be able to step back and see things the way they should be seen so that she can give me good advice on the right decisions to make, not (just) which condom would feel best.

I didn't mean to seem vulgar or tactless in this post, but I felt like some of you potential ladies need to hear this. Mine definitely doesn't. Check back in on Monday. And Merry belated Christmas.



Litera scripta manet. - Unknown

That's Just The Way It Is...

"It's time for (me) as a (person) to make some changes..." -- Tupac Skakur

Done with yet another semester at G. 2 semesters left until I graduate. And now I'm changing my major. Crazy right? Wrong. I am doing what is best for me. So many people are afraid of change that they won't take a risk. I was the same way. But, as a result, I kept making the same mistake and, had I taken action when I first thought about it, I would be graduating on time with a higher GPA. But that is neither here nor their b/c I'm still getting out with above a 3 and I will still be successful. I am simply taking a different highway to get to the same place. Don't get me wrong, I wish I had known this coming into college, but I would not have had some of the opportunities that I have had if I hadn't started in the Bryan School of Business and Economics without having taken that original route. I wouldn't be president of BBSA, I wouldn't have been on the Dean's advisory committee, I wouldn't have met innumerable resources within the Bryan School, both from a professor and peer stand point. I am truly fortunate that so many great products came from a decision that, ultimately, turned out not to be the "right" one for me.

Some people say, don't quit. But I don't think of this as quitting. I came to college to get a degree. I want to go into the field of marketing. I will get a degree, and, unless I change my career path, I will go into marketing. I am just taking another avenue. The majority of people do not end up pursuing a career in the field in which they get their degree. I wish I had known that coming into school. Now I will get out with a GPA in my new major of a 3.7 (and that's if it doesn't go up, which it will). It's not so much that I'm taking the easy way out as much as I'm not taking the hard route and I am instead taking the second most logical avenue to make my way out of college. I switched my major and my minor around and now I'm on track to get out at the same time I was going to at the beginning of this academic year. My parents may be upset. Professors in the B-school may be disappointed. But this is my life, my time, and my money so I am doing what I need to do to move ahead.

Litera scripta manet. - Unknown

Dream BIG

"I want the money. The money and the cars. The cars and the clothes." "Kick Push" - - Drake, Lupe Remix

Why are so many people content with just being average? I really do not understand the logic behind having little to no ambition to be truly great. I'm not speaking of being wealthy or famous (by media standards). I just don't understand not wanting to be great at whatever you do. I know I don't put my full effort into everything and that in itself is sinful b/c I have the ability to make straight As and to be very close to perfect at everything I do. That is not arrogance; that is fact. God has given me the mind, spirit, and resources to make major moves. Even though I am not making the moves that I could be making, I am probably better equipped for success than 99% of the college students in the US and I'm still not happy with that. That means that there are 159,000 more prepared than I am to do better than I can in their given fields. I take pride in the name Deryle Daniels, Jr. That name is a representative of the person that people meet and when people hear that name, I want it to be equated with the highest level of success attainable to a man (aside from Jesus Christ).

But I have digressed...

People these days are so happy with just living the "American Dream." A house, a wife, a couple kids, a car, paying back college loans for 20 years and working for someone else 9-5 every day until you can retire. I'm not saying that working for someone else is bad, but at least go for some kind of horizontal motion. I refuse to be sitting in a cubical at the age of 30. I refuse to do it at 25 actually. I will NOT start at the bottom anywhere. I have too much to offer whatever company I go into to waste it at the bottom. Some might call that arrogant, but I call it real. I am too hungry to not want to push my company to the top. I want to be Forbes and Fortune's CMO of the year for 15 years running. That means that I have to be CMO by the time I'm 30 and never drop the ball after that. Retire at 45 and do community service. Why don't people dream like that anymore? Everyone wants to be "realistic." The American Dream is a very attainable reality. Why not reach for something bigger? I want to be that guy who gets paid to speak at college commencements. I want to be the high school's hometown hero and my hometown is where Michael Jordan went to college, so let that marinate. I am a son of God and therefore I am a force of nature. I have dreams and they are too big to just fit in the confines of an American one. I want to own an island in the Bahamas. I want so many living spaces by the time I'm 50 that I don't have to take luggage anywhere. Clarification - I do NOT want to be famous but I definitely want to be notable. I want buildings named after me but I don't want to be a well known name in pop culture. Everyone knows Bill Gates but how many people know Lawrence Ellison? He's number 3 on Forbes "richest" list. I can deal with being #3. That is nothing to spit on and imagine how much less stress he deals with than Bill. Bill probably gets a million letters a day from strangers personally asking him for money. Lawrence probably gets 1,000. Might still seem like a lot, but I wonder how much an extra 99,000 letters a day affects your lifespan.

So, like the great Brother King, I too have a dream - to make it major. No backwards steps.


Litera scripta manet. - Unknown

Who Am I? Version 22

" ... I need to find another road to follow. One that's new and strong, not old and hollow..." - - LaRon James

As I step into yet another year of life (praise to my Savior) and another semester comes to a rather abrupt halt, I must look back and reflect on the role that these last few months have played in my life.
This semester has presented me with many challenges. I was in a pageant last night which I spent 6-10 hours each week this semester preparing for. I took on the role of treasurer for my fraternity. I helped mold and bring 3 new Alphamen into the chapter (2 weekends - shout to TRIumph ovE.R. Treason). My chapter competed for, and did the work required to win, fraternal chapter of the year. I serve as president of an organization of 80+ members. I met and developed relationships with the new chancellor, provost, deans, and various professionals. I worked 1 job, accepted offers for 2 more next semester, and paid off my extracurricular debt in full. I went to the gym on a nearly daily basis, stayed well dressed and well groomed for 80% of the semester. I kicked and pushed my way into new friendships while working to let go of ones that proved to be detrimental. I got even closer to my line brothers than I did during Spring '09 and found myself being drawn to get to know brothers from around Area IV, ANCA, and Alpha national (Shout to DI). I have done better this semester than I did in the entire 08-09 school year.
After assessing all of this, I have come to the conclusion that I am spreading myself far too thin. I don't believe in dropping any responsibilities, but I will definitely be stepping back on my journey to 23. I am also working on getting closer to God. Even though I definitely see that I am getting closer to my Lord, I am just rebuilding to get back to where I was in high school. I have matured tremendously. Pairing that maturity with my spiritual growth and the positive impact that I have on the campus could have a major impact. You have 3 options in life - you can use your power for good, evil, or God. God is always good but good isn't always God. So this year, I'm am going to work on specializing my leadership, tailoring it to being a great representative for Him. That doesn't mean I will be perfect, but I will be stronger and I will be working harder and harder to pull away from the sinful nature that we are all born with.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes, cards, balloons, gifts, hugs, etc. If you know me, you know I don't make a big deal on my birthday, so I don't have a problem if it slipped your mind, but I do appreciate the thoughts. Much love.

Litera scripta manet. - Unknown

Never Killed Nobody

Work breeds success. That is my firm belief. People wonder why I put so much of myself into whatever I commit myself to and that is the reason. If you don't know how to get the job done, regardless of where others fail, you won't get the end result that you want. Just pulling your weight isn't enough. You have to do your job and, if the person to the right isn't doing his, you pull his weight too. Tiring as it may be, corporate America doesn't care whether or not the whole team did their share; if your name is on that marketing team's report and that report is trashy (for lack of a better word), you run the risk of losing your job. So I could care less whether or not Bob pulls his weight because, at the end of the project, I will still have my job and my family will still be housed and clothed.

Then some wonder, "Well why not wait until you are in that situation to act in that manner? Picking up the slack of your organization members isn't your responsibility." But I subscribe to the school of thought that says that virtues are hard to build up while vices are hard to break down. In other words, you have to get in the habit now of working hard later. I know I don't sleep like I need to. But I've grown accustomed to sleepless nights and have tailored my lifestyle to fit that. I know I don't have enough me time. But if I had enough, I would feel like I wasn't doing anything of any substance. Being busy is what I do. It's who I have been, who I am, and who I will be. I don't neglect those I care about. More than anything I neglect myself, and as "unhealthy" as some might say it is, I feel like the work ethic I have now will allow me to relax when it really matters most - when I have a family. So say what you may. I will be successful and I will be kicking back at my daughter's dance recital on a Wednesday evening at 6pm instead of working late because I will have earned the right to make the schedule as opposed to letting the schedule make me.

Litera scripta manet. - Unknown

No Need for God? Cooooooooool, Cooooooooool

I’m currently sitting in a lecture being given by a theologian on the topic of evolution. This “man of God” is arguing that evolution is a valid theory. I really am wondering what this world is coming to when a man whose life is supposed to be based on the teachings of a book of faith is trying to explain away divine creation? He is trying to say that there is some place for God outside of being the Creator. The first four words of the Bible are “In the beginning God...” The 27th verse of the book of Genesis reads that “God created man in his own image.” I have not, cannot, and will not entertain the idea that God made a monkey in his own image and we came from that. It’s not that I don’t agree that animals can evolve. Evolution is a result of proper (if not planned) growth, breeding, and ideal environmental surroundings. I will even entertain the idea that man, in the beginning, was primitive. We may be the descendents of Neanderthals. I really do not know because I am not well versed enough in knowing the difference between us and a more primitive man but it is not hard to believe that mankind has grown physically and mentally. What I do not believe is that I came from a monkey. And I don’t because I have faith that every single word in the Bible is true. People say I am closed minded because I won’t consider this, but why fix something that’s not broken? If He said it, I believe it. End of story. Darwin has NEVER done anything for me. God has done EVERYTHING for me. So my question to you is "Who do you trust: A stranger or a father?

Litera scripta manet. - Unknown

Equal Representation Under the Media

"'Cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight" ~ Tupac Shakur

Long time, no write. I’ve been so busy lately and have really neglected my blog. But here I am!

The other night, I was hanging out with my fraternity brothers and we were discussing the fact that we, as young black (for the most part) men, try to hold up a light in this nation through our scholarship, service, and chivalry. We are far from perfect, but we are on a daily quest toward perfection. I feel like, both in and outside of my fraternity, most young black men are positive people who want to lead successful lives and provide for our families. We are not all the deadbeat dads, wannabe rappers/hoopers (no offense to those who aspire to be artists or athletes), or criminals that this mainstream (white) culture paints us to be.

But anyway, I have digressed. As my brothers and I were discussing being a light on campus, we received a text from UNCG campus alerts saying “2 armed robberies occurred off campus. 2 B/M driving a red Nissan pkup. 1 wearing plaid shirt, short dreadlocks, armed with a silver handgun.” I was kind of frustrated when I saw this. Me and a few of the bruhs talked about it for a while. I expressed the sentiment that I am sick of the fact that we are constantly singled out by the system for criminal acts. So often, the picture is painted that we are savages who have to be tamed by whites. Those of us who are in college have been “well-trained” and are the exception to the rule, whereas those of us who continue to commit crimes are just expressing natural criminal-mindedness. I beg to differ. If we want to take that route, I would have to say that white people are naturally exploitive and lazy because they enslaved and raped the resources of numerous nations. But I try to stay away from thinking that the word “all” is expressive of any group because there are always exceptions to every “rule.” So why is my nation, the one that drafted my uncles into one war and my grandfather into another, continuing to paint a picture of me that says “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” If there are angry black men, it is because YOU made us this way. You is anyone in this nation, from me to Barack to George Bush to a member of the Klan. It is anyone who subscribes to any degree to the theory that blacks are inferior to whites. It is not possible to not subscribe to it at all because it has been beaten into our subconscious. All you can try to do is fight it now.

Now, the other side of this argument was given by my Dean; true, we’re not all like this, but we still have people who do the same thing time and time again. And I can’t deny that, even though we are disproportionately represented via the media and disproportionately targeted by the police, these crimes very often do happen. So now I must ask, are those of us who are black and privileged doing enough? I must say “No!” We are in the community, but we aren’t there enough. We are giving money, but we’re not giving enough. We are serving as mentors but we’re not serving enough. We have to give up more of a percentage of what we have because, aside from time, we as a whole have fewer resources than whites and we need more help. So, in the case where whites give 5% of their free time to serve at a soup kitchen or as a mentor, we have to give 20% because our need is that great. When they give 10% of their money to the Jack & Jill, we have to give 18% to UNCF because our need is that great. For every 2 times they invite their son’s underprivileged friend over for a play date, we have to invite our son’s underprivileged friend over 6 times so they know what it’s like to have that strong male influence. We have to get these crime rates and single parent rates and infant mortality rates and high school dropout rates down. I am appreciative of any person, regardless of race, who helps a needy person, but we have to hold our own people accountable too. Yesterday, my brother Isaac Brennan Horton said “The Bible says ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,’ so what are a few dollars.” Let’s keep that mentality when we’re giving back to others. Give more than you planned to, even if it’s only by 50 cents or 15 minutes. You never know how much help that could be.

Litera scripta manet. - Unknown