In the last three months I gained enough strength and endurance  to a point where I could expand my training to the speed bag, heavy bag, and alternating between running on the indoor track and the treadmill. I also performed a lot of benching on the Hammer Strength machine, traditional squats, and from time-to-time I performed the “Bear” routine, which is a combination of dead lifting, squats and military press. In the last few weeks I’ve also incorporated a new routine called YTWL as seen below.

Unfortunately, even though I’ve gained over 50 pounds of mass through advanced training in combination with miraculous health recovery I’ve also gained a gutt because my cardio program has become all but nonexistent in comparison to what I used to do when I lived in Palm Beach. Going from 22 mile mountain bike riding treks up and down A1A once a week to 15 to 20 minutes about every other day on the treadmill has become an enormous problem. With the time constraints of working on my doctorate, taking care of my partially paralysed mom, and working at two job sites it’s going to be hard to put enough cardio time in to return my physique to more leaner proportions. But I’m going to get it done — period. 

While on a late night web crawling excursion I came across an awe inspiring article about the former British girl band pop star, Melannie Brown a.k.a. Scarey Spice.

  Spice Girl singer Mel B is offering up advice on how to get a rock-hard body like hers, and it doesn’t include a strenuous gym regime, Pilates or plastic surgery. Instead, the 34-year-old former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestant, whose real name is Melanie Brown, confessed to Britain’s Grazia magazine that the intimate time she spends with her husband, Stephen Belafonte, is the reason behind her toned physique.

“I’m honestly not body-obsessed,” she told the glossy. “I can’t be with three kids and a husband. My husband likes my muscles, but then he’s seen me every which way over the past eight years, including when I put on 42 pounds after my last pregnancy, and he always loves my body.”

“In fact, on top of all my exercise, I have sex with him five times a day — maybe that has something to do with it,” she continued.                         —BlackVoices

Of course I don’t believe one ounce of Brown’s so-called confession to sexual escapades with her man 5 times a day being one of the reasons for her rock hard body. If there’s one dude that has a healthy lifestyle its me. But I don’t have the time or the desire to have sex that much. Even back in the day I didn’t see the kind of results Mel proclaims to have gotten from knockin’ boots on the regular, particularly, after a pregnancy, and I was working out twice a day in the gym in addition to playing on the rugby team at my university. I don’t give a damn what kind of bullshit Mel feeds the media. I’m going to devise a new regimen to help return my physique to more leaner proportions. And do it within the time constraints of my daunting daily responsibilities.

After a little more research I found out her reason for lying about her miraculous physical metamorphosis. She’s only trying to push her new workout video. I’m not even going to waste my time posting a picture or the youtube video of Melanie Brown wasting time trying to pimp her new workout video on Ellen’s talkshow But I’ll tell you what’s up. No disrespect to Mel or her video but speaking as an experienced athlete, tossing around a couple of water bottles and cans of beans is not going to get you the kind of banging body she’s got and it sure as hell ain’t going to do the job of eliminating 55 pounds of fat gained after a pregnancy. You can get off that bullshit right now. But good luck to the sister in making a few bucks. Just seeing the picture of her glistening  body has encouraged me to work harder at eliminating my gutt.

Les Nubians debut album, Princesses Nubiennes, mixes uplifting messages with contemporary hip-hop stylings. Other French rappers such as MC Solaar and Mel’ Groove have forged a blueprint upon which Les Nubians build their sound, equally influenced by classic soul, contemporary R&B and the inspiration of such African world music icons as Miriam Makeba, Ray Lema and Youssou N’Dour.

Founded by two sisters from Bordeaux, France, inspired by the conscious rap of Public Enemy, De LaSoul, and Arrested Development as well as the smoother but no less exhilarating sounds of Soul II Soul and Des’ree, Les Nubians are a new breed of Afropean-styled hip-hop.

The girls cite a long and varied list of musical inspirations for this distinctive sound, including MiriamMakeba, Ella Fitzgerald, the Fugees, Fela Kuti, and Jazzie B of Soul II Soul. “This album is a kind of travelogue, a kind of journey through all the different kinds of music of the African Diaspora,” says Helene. “We begin with the roots-African chants, griot chants-and then after that traditional soul, and after that gospel, blues, jazz reggae, funk and on to more modern styles. (And there’s even a hint of jungle in track 5). This was our idea of travel, to offer a tribute to different black music, but still to have a modern touch.

Because soon it will be the 21 stylings. Other French rappers such as MC Solaar and Mel’ Groove have forged a blueprint upon which Les Nubians build their sound, equally influenced by classic soul, contemporary R&B and the inspiration of such African world music icons as Miriam Makeba, Ray Lema and Youssou N’Dour. Born to a French father and Cameroonian mother, Helene and Celia Faussart learned how to sing at a young age.

Even from their first performance as a cappella group, journalists in attendance later raved in print about these two charismatic young girls and their wonderful voices. Inspired by a backstage meeting with jazz singer Abbey Lincoln (who encouraged them to “do it-the greatest thing in the world is to be a singer!”), the group pursued their music relentlessly. The results come to fruition on Founded by two sisters from Bordeaux, France, inspired by the conscious rap of Public Enemy, De LaSoul, and Arrested Development as well as the smoother but no less exhilarating sounds of Soul II Soul and Des’ree, Les Nubians are a new breed of Afropean-styled hip-hop.

According to Helene, when it comes to Africans in France, “There is no music that speaks to them, so we wanted to make music that spoke to these people, who have this history to them. But not only that, we wanted to use our music to communicate with the whole world. We felt there was a lack of young people doing a new kind of music. Not to just copy R&B, but to do something original, something personal with it. To let people know what we think, what we stand for.

David Sanborn began playing in rhythm and blues bands as a teenager, including time with Albert King and Little Milton; joined Paul Butterfield Blues Band, 1976; worked with numerous other artists, among them Stevie Wonder, 1970-72; established solo career, 1975; scored music for films such as Soul Man; hosted radio program The Jazz Show and the television series Night Music; has appeared regularly on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Two-time Grammy Award winner David Sanborn, a highly visible and often emulated entertainer in America since the mid-1970s, has influenced saxophone players from an array of styles, especially popular music. Arguably possessing the most distinctive alto saxophone sound in the pop spectrum, Sanborn has contributed to the world of music his own passionate technique—complete with crying and squealing high notes. His emotional interpretations of melodies have always uplifted any recording or live performance, regardless of the specific genre. Although most of Sanborn’s own recordings take on rhythm and blues, dance music, pop, and rock and roll, he is also an accomplished jazz player. However, Sanborn has remained quick to contend that “I’m not a jazz musician,” as quoted by Down Beatcontributor Howard Mandel in 1993, and “I sometimes get looped with jazz musicians because I play sax and improvise,” he told Los Angeles Times writer Bill Kohlhaase in 1996.

“Not that I’m offended by the description,” he further explained to Mandel, “but I think the rhythmic orientation of what I do is not really jazz. Where I came from, the kind of musical context I grew up in, the kind of playing I did when I was a young player, and the way my playing formed was in more of a rhythm and blues context. The music that really made me want to become a musician was by Ray Charles. David Newman and Hank Crawford were the guys. They combined the sophistication, some of the harmonic sensibility, certainly the hipness, and the rhythmic undercurrent of jazz with the emotional directness of gospel and the structural elements of R&B.”

Returning to traditional rhythm and blues textures and urban music influences in 1996, Sanborn released Songs from the Night Before, his fourteenth solo outing. “I’m lucky enough to really love what I do,” said Sanborn, as quoted on his website at Elektra Records. “I get to do an album every 12 to 18 months, and it always seems to be a reflection of where I’m at musically at that particular point. I’ve been listening to more R&B pop recently, like D’Angelo for example. It’s interesting how some of it goes back to some of the `70s stuff I grew up around. The production is different, but the vibe is there.”

A street in Miami was even renamed in her honor, and Cruz’s trademark orange, red, and white polka dot dress and shoes have been placed in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute of Technology. The Hollywood Wax Museum includes a statue of the Cuba-born songstress. According to the European Jazz Network, Cruz “commands her realm with a down-to-earth dignity unmistakably vibrant in her wide smile and striking pose.”

One of 14 children, born in the small village of Barrio Santos Suarez, Havana, Cruz was drawn to music from an early age. Her first pair of shoes was a gift from a tourist for whom she sang. In addition to spending many evenings singing her younger siblings to sleep, Cruz sang in school productions and community gatherings. Taken to cabarets and nightclubs by an aunt, she was introduced to the world of professional music. At the encouragement of a cousin, Cruz began to enter and win local talent shows.

Leaving Sonora Matancera’s band in 1965, Cruz launched her solo career with a band formed for her by Tito Puente Despite releasing eight albums together, the collaboration failed to achieve commercial success. Cruz and Puente resumed their partnership with a special appearance at the Grammy Award ceremonies in 1987. Signed by Vaya, the sister label of Fania, Cruz recorded with Oscar D’Leon, Cheo Feliciano, and Hector Rodriquez in the mid- to late ’60s. Cruz’s first success since leaving Sonora Matancera came in 1974 when she recorded a duo album, Celia and Johnny, with Johnny Pacheco, trombone player and the co-owner of Fania. She subsequently began appearing with the Fania All Stars. Cruz’s popularity reached its highest level when she appeared in the 1992 film The Mambo Kings.

Also known as Les Chakachas or Los Chakachas, they were formed by band leader Gaston Bogaert, ex-Los Juano Boengs and ex-The Continentals, percussion (conga & tumba); Tito Puente’s singer wife Kari Kenton, vocals & maracas; Vic Ingeveldt (Dutchman from Liege), saxophone; Charlie Lots, trumpet; Christian Marc, piano; Henri Breyre, guitar & backing vocals; and Bill Raymond, bass guitar. All were native in Schaarbeek (a district of Brussels), or nearby Charleroi; Willebroek and Liege.

 During the 1950s, Tito Puente was at the height of his popularity, and helped to bring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds, like mambo, son, and cha-cha-cha, to mainstream audiences (he was so successful playing popular Afro-Cuban rhythms that many people mistakenly identify him as Cuban). Dance Mania, possibly Puente’s most well known album was released in 1958.^[1] Later, he moved into more diverse sounds, including pop music, bossa nova and others, eventually settling down with a fusion of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres that became known as “salsa” (a term that he disliked). In 1979 Puente won the first of five Grammy Awards for the albums A Tribute to Benny Moré, On Broadway, Mambo Diablo, and Goza Mi Timbal. In 1990, Puente was awarded the “James Smithson Bicentennial Medal.” He was also awarded a Grammy at the first Latin Grammy Awards, winning Best Traditional Tropical Album for Mambo Birdland. He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. After a heart attack following a show in Puerto Rico, Puente had heart surgery in New York City, from which he never recovered. He died on May 31, 2000, just a few months after shooting for the music video Calle 54, in which Puente was wearing an all-white outfit with his band.

The Chakachas were a Belgium-based group of Latin Soul studio musicians.

Also known as Les Chakachas or Los Chakachas, they were formed by band leader Gaston Bogaert, ex-Los Juano Boengs and ex-The Continentals, percussion (conga & tumba); Tito Puente’s singer wife Kari Kenton, vocals & maracas; Vic Ingeveldt (Dutchman from Liege), sax; Charlie Lots, trumpet; Christian Marc, piano; Henri Breyre, guitar & backing vocals; and Bill Raymond, bass. All were native in Schaarbeek (a district of Brussels), or nearby Charleroi; Willebroek and Liege.

They started out in the late 1950s had a Belgian #1 in 1958 with Eso Es El Amor, which was sung in Spanish.

In 1962 they crept into the UK charts for the first time with Twist Twist, which reached #48.

Although they issued numerous recordings, they are best remembered as a one-hit wonder for their hit disco single Jungle Fever from 1972, which sold over a million copies in the U.S. and reached #3. In the UK it fared less well: despite some airplay soon after release it was later banned by the BBC, who took exception to the moaning and heavy breathing heard on the record, first by a woman and later by a man as well. It peaked at #29.

The song was covered in the movie Boogie Nights and featured on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack, being played on fictional radio station Master Sounds 98.3.

“As a DJ, you have ears,” says Sabbah. “This is your instrument; you know what you want to hear on the dance floor. A lot of genuine world music artists are fantastic musicians, composers, vocalists, but they don’t know how to master and mix for the dance floor. They are not acquainted with the technicalities of how to construct songs that are DJ-friendly with breaks or stops, so you can go from here to there.

With this insight and understanding, it only made sense to forge forward with producing world music for the dance floors, founding a new approach to the process, bringing our two worlds together. It’s only in the last ten years that DJs have become producers, and you could say that we compose music.” The possibilities in this new realm are endless, and Sabbah makes no secret of the thrill that freedom gives him. “Musicians don’t like to hear this,” he says, “but DJs have no limitations.

Tantra Lounge features ambient and downtempo lounge music appointed with samples of Indian instrumentation (sitar, tabla) and snippets of Hindi vocals, and includes tracks from notables such as Banco de Gaia and Transglobal Underground. While nothing on this collection is a standout, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the album definitely succeeds as a cohesive mood-maker. After all, Tantra the lounge isn’t about dancing so much as it’s a location to be seen, a spot to sip aphrodisiacs and revel in the expensively produced surroundings. The collection effectively replicates that feel with its upscale sound. It isn’t adventurous, but it’ll definitely help you get your groove back. Nitin Sawhney’s “Sunset” is a standout, weaving a scratchy traditional vocal sample and tabla backbeat into smooth, London-style urban soul. Govinda’s “Static Aparition” is notable as well, with its sharp percussion, analog-style synth washes, and hip-hop-inspired programming.

Buddha Bar is a Parisian bar and restaurant, located in Boissy-d’Anglas street, in the 8th district of Paris, famous for its unique oriental, chill-out atmosphere. Following its success the franchise has expanded with similar Buddha Bar venues created around the world, as in Greenwich Village, New York, Beirut, Kiev, Prague, or Dubai. A new venue is slated to open in the District of Columbia in 2009.

Similarly to Cafe Del Mar and Hôtel Costes, the “Buddha Bar” music series is a compilation of lounge and chill out music with touch of world music released by George V records.

The Buddha Bar series was Created by the DJ Claude Challe who compiled and produced the first two albums. The series continues with different DJs including DJ Ravin, Sam Popat, David Visan. Later, The first original Buddha Bar came out “Buddha Bar Nature” composed and produced by Arno Elias (also composer of Amor Amor, Buddha Bar 2) included also a DVD of Nature footage directed by Allain Bourgoin Dubourg.

“So, what happened to Chris, Michelle and Jamie?” She asks as she peers over to watch the speedometer needle bending towards triple digits. “I called everyone yesterday to make sure they were coming but I haven’t heard from any of them,” I said as I engaged the cruise control. “So, it looks like we’re going solo.” She reaches into her purse for her sunglasses as the sun eases out from behind the clouds, beaming through the sunroof.

“Are you cool with that?” I asked her while reaching for my CD case behind the passenger seat. “You mean am I cool with them not coming or am I cool with going to Atlanta with you alone?” She asked without making eye contact. “Well, the second part.” I said nonchalantly. “I think I can handle being alone with you.” Alecia says as she searches for the control button to recline the seat. Within the split second it took for her to formulate her answer I mentally prepared for the possibility ofher declining my impromptu decision to stick to the weekend getaway idea. Not that I planned it this way but it’s perfect that the rest of my co-workers didn’t return my call to confirm whether or not they were coming along with us to Atlanta. Nevertheless, my master plan of spending time with her without showing any romantic interest up to the point where she would be more comfortable taking a big step like this is coming together perfectly.

“Need some help with that?” She says as she watches me flip through my CD case. “Sure,” I said. “It’s been a habit of mine to multi-task while I drive.” I tell her as she reaches for the CD case and places it in her lap. “You probably won’t be familiar with some of those CD’s.” I told her as I pointed at the one I want to play. Are you into Poncho Sanchez?” I ask her as the CD slips into the disc changer. “Sure, I dance to it all the time at the Latino club over on the South side.” She instantly begins tapping her thigh and bobbing her head as the Afro-Cuban beat pumps through the cabin of the car. “So, where are we staying?” She asked as she flipped through more of the CDs. “We’ll be staying a glorious three days and two nights at The Intercontinental in Buckhead.” I said. “You know they say that the best way to tell if two people can truly get along is if they can ride in a car together for a long period of time without getting at each others throat.” I said as I noticed her uncrossing her legs and slightly positioning her body more in my direction. “Yeah, I’ve heard that.”Alecia says with brief eye contact and a smile.

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“I’ll have the Vegetable Fondue.” Alecia says as the waiter takes her menu. “Good choice. And you sir?” The waiter says as he writes down her order and turns to me. “I’ll have the Mandarin Fondue and we’ll both have Strawberry Daiquiris.” I said as I handed the menu to the waiter. “I can see why you like Dante’s so much,” Alecia says bright eyed as she scans the swashbuckling pirate ship decor of the restaurant bustling with roudy patrons and the smokey tones of the live jazz band.

The waiter returns with two tall hourglass-shaped glasses balanced carefully on a tray. “Here are your Daiquiris,” He carefully places the drinks on the quaint little dinning table. “If you have any requests, Rosemary will be glad to sing them.” He says with a confident smile before leaving the table. “What do you think about this weekend getaway?” I asked as she sipped her daiquiri. “Perfect timing.” She responded as she leaned back from her drink. “What would you think if I said I was interested in you?” I asked. She looked into my eyes stunned with a slight smile as if a hidden camera man from Mtv’s Punk’d emerged from the adjoining booth. “Oh my God.” She said. She looked down for a moment, collecting her thoughts, taking in everything that had occured during our time here in Atlanta. “I didn’t know.” She said, still stunned, putting her hand to her chest.

What woman wouldn’t be shocked? We’ve spent the entire weekend together in platonic bliss without a hint of romantic interest—until now. It’s moments like these that make life worth living—to carefully follow your instincts and act on them not knowing whether the outcome will end in triumph or shame.

“Well, now you know.” I said. Usually I’m very good at body language but Alecia gave no sign of acceptance or rejection as she contemplated the situation. “I had no idea,” She said as she slowly of calmed down from the shocking news of my romantic interest in her. “I mean I thought you were cute when I first saw you but I didn’t really think anything of it more than that.” I had actually put a lot of thought into showing my interest in her. The thought of dating a co-worker was unsettling at first but to have the time to actually observe someone and interact with them on a daily basis is an excellent opportunity to really get to know someone. “Well, there’s definately a mutual interest going on here.” I said. “True.” She said as she circled her straw around the rim of her daiquiri glass.

I go through these moments where where I’m perpetually sluggish, then all of a sudden, I’m a damn machine for several days—can’t close my eyes if my life depended on it. It could be 3AM—my eyes are closed and I’m flat on my back in bed but my heart is thumping like a Kodo drum, my ears are ringing, and clusters of thoughts flash through my skull—sheets soaking wet even though the house is freezing from the chill of the AC.

“You wanna go to the Blue Martini over in Cityplace or The Rum Bar behind Panama Hattie’s off of PGA Boulevard or Forte off of Clematis Street?” She asks as she sets a bowl of cherries and grapes on the counter top. “Forte, Forte!” I yell—reminiscing over my old rugby days back in college when bar hopping and road trips came before studying and mid-terms. “Okay, okay, mr. sexy man,” Arlene says in her usual lazy pur. “What a great time for you to meet Tyler.” She says with a little flair to her tone. “He’s the black guy I’ve been telling you about that I’ve been flirting with at work for the last few months.” Now she wants to throw this dude she met in my face because I didn’t jump her bones after she had her epiphany a couple years ago that, all of a sudden, after several years of being a divorced mother of three white kids, that jungle fever was the way to go. Don’t get me wrong—Arlene is a beautiful woman with her wirey little Olympic swimmer frame, messy, sandy blonde hair and her signature tattered low rider jeans with the haggard little white tank top she always wears—barefoot and tip toeing around the house with her snow white Apple laptop under one arm and an ‘all natural’ cigarette dangling from the fingertips of her other hand. We had gotten along wonderfully as co-workers and as friends but It was her chain smoking that killed it for me. It also didn’t set too well with me that she had lead this lilly white existence devoid of any ethnic inclusion up until now.

                                  *******************

“I’m glad you showed up, man,” I said to Tyler as my sixth round  of B-52 shots appeared before me, compliments of whomever was buying. “If not for you I would have been the only black dude in the whole bar.”  I said. Traci and Linda, former co-workers from the office with their boyfriends, Mark and Derek, laughed wildly as they continued with ordering more drinks. Tyler and I laughed but it was not because of my tongue in cheek. Something that Arlene doesn’t understand, being an upper middle-class white girl from Kentucky, is ‘we’ have a different way of communicating than ‘they’ do. Tyler knew Arlene was trying to play him against me but he played it down like he wasn’t hip to the situation.

“Oh shut up, Burnett,” says Arlene, continuing to chuckle as she answers her cellphone. “What are you doing?” She says into her cell as she abruptly stops her chuckling and walks away from the table. “So, Burnett,” Derek says. “You thinking about coming back to Florida and work?” His question  slightly sobered my mood as images of my mom, helpless and bed ridden, flashed through my mind. “No man,” I said. “I won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. I’ll be in Birmingham for a while but I may return in the near future.” Derek and I were always cool. An easy going, sportsaholic, beach bum kind of guy that owns a club off of Colins Avenue in Miami. Arlene returns to the table with a slightly worrried look on her face that quickly disappeared as she sipped her cosmopolitan that glowed in the electric purple lighting of the bar. “Well, guys, where to next?” Says Mark. “Anyone feel like Dr. Feelgood’s or E.R. Bradley’s?” He says as he gently rubs Linda across the back, her smile signaling her approval to continue bar hopping.

 A familiar figure staggers to the table. “Hey guys, y’all aren’t partying down without me are ya?” Says Blake, Arlene’s on again off again boyfriend. “No honey, come have a seat.”  Arlene says as she takes her attention completely away from everyone at the table. Tyler peels a grin and sips the last of his Long Island Iced Tea. “Well, guys,” He says as he backs from the table. “I have to get back home so my daughter’s babysitter can go out on her date.” Completely unaware of Tyler’s reaction to Blake’s sudden appearance—or so it seems—Arlene leans into Blake as he pulls a seat up and wraps his arm around her back. “Alright, Tyler,” Arlene says. “Call me.” Tyler smiles as he gives me a quick brother handshake and nods at Arlene as he walks toward the door. “I tell you what guys, we’re going to Dr. Feelgood’s.” Says Derek as he reaches for Traci’s hand to usher her out of the lounge space onto Clematis.  After paying the tabs Everyone scatters into the street like a small band of high schoolers on a scavenger hunt. “I’m up for heading to the Rum Bar.” Blake says in his usual arrogant, obnoxious tone. Instead of leaving with Blake, Arlene stammers to my loaner car—jumping in as if she owned it.

“How the hell did Blake know we were here at Forte?” I asked as she rummaged through her purse for a cigarette. “I told him where we were going when he called me earlier.” She replied, face still buried in her purse. “What?” She says, slightly annoyed, looking up from her purse at me as if she were completely oblivious  to the unsaid melodrama that had just occurred.

“I miss you already,” She whispers. Her hand gliding gently down my stomach to my thigh. “Do you have to go so early tomorrow?” She said as she slowly moved her thigh across my thighs. “It’s nearly a 12-hour drive from Birmingham to Palm Beach,” I told her as I put on my glasses to prepare for the movie on DVD she borrowed from her sister.

Into the Wild. Never heard of the movie or the actors playing in it. The lead character, Alexander Supertramp, graduates from Emory University, gives away his $24,000 life savings to charity, abandons his car and hikes across country from Virginia to Alaska to get closer to nature. Some have said Alexander, who’s real name was Christopher McCandless, was an ill-prepared misfit that died in an abandoned bus in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness due to arrogance and lack of common sense. He should have known long before he left Virginia that there’s nowhere to run.

I haven’t seen my sister, Jemise, in over 5 years. She was last seen in Maryland by my oldest sister and my mom. 3 years ago we tried to offer her new clothes, toiletries, money, and medical attention. She refused the medical attention and took everything else. From time to time we receive mail from law enforcement agencies in Arizona, New Mexico, Kentucky, Indiana and Los Angeles but they are limited as to how they can actually go about detaining her. She sporadically calls mom either from a pay as you go cellphone or from someone’s home phone with a calling card. Perhaps my mom neglected her own health worrying over her disappearance. Chris only lasted 2 years on the road. Jemise has been tramping for five years, same circumstances, and still going.

There was a time when I was just a silly little hyper-active boy that wouldn’t amount to much. Now I’m the pilar—pursuing a doctorate degree, maintaining my fragmented family and helping my mom live to see another day. Even though this trip to Palm Beach is to claim some remaining items I have in storage at a friend’s house, I need to run. I need to get away just for a couple of days. Mom is peacefully recovering from a subdural hematoma, which the doctors are treating as another stroke. This is the third time I’ve saved her from the brink of death— and each episode robs her of more personality and intellect. This time the neurologist’s prognosis was that she would never speak again. After two weeks in an intensive care unit and a week at an extended stay hospital, mom opened her eyes wide when I came in to see her and said: “Come here, let me kiss my baby boy.”