I'd like to wish everyone a very prosperous and happy 2008! I know have a roll of toilet paper as a greeting but I know that this is going to be a better year than 2007 - and I have to say that the past year wasn't really that bad. I've learned to take the good with the bad and, generally, the good always outweighs the bad. Especially if you put that you are still alive at the top of your "Good List"!
This website, which was hell for me to design and get up has been a blessing. Due to it, people that I haven't talked to in literally decades have been able to contact me.: my girl B.J. Reed from Howard University; Joey B. Ellis, a.k.a. "MC Breeze, one of the best artists on MC Hammer's defunct label; and most recently, my mentor Josephine Bridges and her daughters Kyle, Kim and Veda Zoe.
I'm still have my ever-present health issues but every day that I am in pain is a day that I know I'm still alive so I can't really complain. I did get a major set back last month when I found out that I have to have yet another surgery on my spine to repair the fourth bulging disc since 1991. This time I will have my spine fused to hopefully stabilize the vertebrae. I can't keep having my back opened up every few years! And I am sick of spending time in the hospital - they don't serve Jell-O like they used to so it's not that much fun.
But I've had some good things happen last year. We finally got an indictment in Louis' case last year, after a long hard decade of fighting to get adjudication. We hope that it will go to trial sometime this year. One of my songs that was written for and recorded by Con Funk Shun was sampled by rapper Lil Wayne.
Best of all, I am blessed with my two great kids, Lindsay and "Chicco", and my stepson Niq. I have good and loyal friends: Nancy, Jennifer, Cheri, Ron, Jay, Cedric, Paul, Karl, Danny, Sheila, JeNaine, A.D., Virlynn, Angeline, DeWayne, and Michael Allen. I still have my parents, even though my fabulous mother is now suffering from Alzhiemer's, a horrible and degenerating disease. It brings tears to my eyes to even talk about it. I pray that the medical community puts more effort, research, and money into this condition because we are all living a lot longer and, but for the grace of God, goes anyone of us. Many of my friends are caring for parents or close relatives who have been touched by this disease. Alzheimer's doesn't just affect one person - it devastates the whole family. When I see my sainted mother, I can't complain about lupus or any of the problems that I have which are related to SLE.
OK, I'm going back to bed now. Again, I want everyone in the world to have the very best year that they can. Take care,
