That's All Folks (Updated)
"Peace on That" is an affirmation of sort that we used in the spoken word circles of Chicago. After a poet spoke profound words, we'd all say, 'Peace on That' as a way of saying, 'there's nothing else to be said.'
I've come to a moment in my life where there is nothing left for me to say. So, I'm not going to say anything more. I started this blog because I wanted the world to know that I hated Larry Elders and George W. Bush. But instead, I found an outlet to speak my mind and make some very good friends. I do consider you guys my friends. I feel like Norm from Cheers. I've been welcomed around the blogasphere and it is nice to know that I'm respected by so many.
But most of what you read here is only part of me. It's the side of me that is easy to deal with. It's the side of me that is easy for me to deal with. But there is a darker side. A side created by years of family chaos, death, abandonment and all the ills that come along with having had to experience such a painful childhood. I survived by going deep within myself and navigating the troubled waters by pretending everything was calm. As an adult, I remember those calm waters but those storms damaged me. In a way, I was so caught up in loving the calm that I never took time to repair the damages.
Now, I'm left to navigate adult waters with a vessel damaged in childhood. For some time it worked. But it works no longer. So, I have to pull this puppy into dry-dock and hopefully get it into sailing condition. This blog represents those calm waters - so I have to let it go.
I will miss you guys. I left my family back in Chicago and in a way, you folks became my surrogate family. Thank you for the kind words the fun and I hope that you enjoyed it. This may not be forever... but it could be. A lot of damage can happen over 37 years.
I'll leave the blog up. Besides the memory of others, this blog may be the only evidence I have that I ever existed.
I wish you all well. So Long. Good night… and good luck.
Sincerely,
James Manning
PS: Bush is a spawn of the devil. :)
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UPDATE 6/8/06
Thanks for the kind words. I don't think I will end the blog completely. However, I am going to step away for 30 days to get some things in order. So get at me on July 8, 2006 when I will continue my rage against the machine. Besides, there is much more to write about. Bush, Top Ten NBA stars, Top Ten Cartoon Cuties and we do have to find out how The Midnight Booty Clap story ends.
Just wish me well and I'll see you guys in a month.
6:35 AM Sorry to see you go.
8:56 AM I am genuinely sad to hear you are leaving, but understand and wish you the best.
Thanks for being an inspiration and for sharing.
God bless you bro!
Jeremiah
9:27 AM Your humor and your friendship will be greatly missed. I pray for great healing for the damage that has been done and I'm so sorry for your pain. May God bless you and heal you.
9:36 AM You'll be back. You don't just go cold turkey on something this significant. That in itself could do damage. We'll just call it a hiatus, a sabbatical, going on walk-about, taking a hajj, intermission, a respite, time out, taking 10, chillin'....
9:49 AM Wow.
You are, indeed, the number one stunner.
When I saw your post titled "That's all Folks", in my mind I was hoping that this was a segway into the tongue in cheek 'editiorials', that I call them. But in my heart, I knew that you were ushering yourself out of blogland.
I am a late bloomer to your site, but you have a vast rich volume of work.
Thanks again.
10:15 AM Awww...I'm sorry ot see you go...just as I was getting to know you. Well, in any case I hope you'll be joining Jaimie when she comes out on the 24th for the next WCBH event...
7:46 PM Wow. I am seriously disappointed.
7:56 PM 06 07 06
James ditto what LMC said. You are a real badass. I won't be surprised if you get famous for your writing one day. Keep in contact and take care of yourself, Jaime and the baby. You are talented, so please feel encouraged and thanks for sharing a piece of yourself with all of us!
8:41 PM Well man I'm a little sad -- I've never met you but I kind of feel like I know you.
At any rate do what's best for you, holla at me (if you ever read this) about the Sports Blog.
1:00 AM Aaawwwww maaaaan, are you gonna leave me hangin' on the 10 Best NBA Players?!?!
I guess I'll live. I'll let you know when I post mine and you can swing by to list yours. (#10 - #2 is all that's necessary. I know who's at #1.)
Take care, James.
7:04 AM Hey man, I read this yesterday but blogger was down and couldn't comment.
Dude, I understand the need to regroup and I wish you all the best, Keep in touch, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help, so you can get your ass back here sooner.
6:37 PM It has been great reading your blog. I hope you post from time to time...
I know how it goes, though. I rarely have the urge to post anything on mine anymore, mostly just because life is really busy right now.
Anyhow, may God be with you.
7:38 PM James, we'll miss you and hope things get worked out.
Blessings brother, and thanks for what you have brought to all of us.
8:46 PM Hey James,
I posted only once or twice here, so you may not remember me. However, if you are reading this, I would like to suggest you take a quick pop-over to my blog and read the post about Jim Dawson. You will find within it my own childhood trials and tribulations which brought me to my last seven years of therapy which brought me to today and hope for tomorrow. Perhaps there will be something there to speak to you at this juncture.
1:01 AM James,
I would like to thank you for making me laugh so fuckin' hard at times it was ridiculus, hell I have paid good money at comedy shows and didn't laugh as much as I have after reading some of your posts.
James, We have never seen eye to eye on the political front, but make no mistake, I have always respected your opinion and consider myself fortunate to have stumbled upon your world.
Dayum,
Take Care Brother
11:26 AM Yo James!
Hold it down where ever you go!
peace!!!
4:21 PM Ah.
Aveeno.
We feel betta, now.
8:24 PM Damn I was gonna say good luck and Godspeed and let you that despite our differences I enjoyed your writings, but now I come to find out that you're just taking a little vacation, soooo.......no seriously, whatever's going on in your personal life is much more important than blogging will ever be, so handle yours and make sure you let me know when you're back so I can continue my mission of turning you into a diehard Buah fan.
9:12 PM James:
I know you won't go because I couldn't go. I wanted to, perhaps a few times, but I came back again and again.
I started a new blog to reflect my TRUE feelings. And then I realized that new blog was a sham, a bastard child of what I really felt.
I realized that, if I didn't express what I truly felt, HERE AND NOW, I was lying to myself.
Perhaps YOU are lying to YOURSELF?
I would recommend this (yeah, like you're gonna listen to some Chump Change Old White Boy): yeah. Give yourself those 30 Days.
Then come back with a grit and determination to TRULY EXPRESS what you REALLY FEEL.
People will either embrace you or leave you.
But it's the Blogosphere.
Do you REALLY give a fuck what people think??
Go take a vacation.
Then come back and tell us, and EVERYONE, what you REALLY think.
Pull the plug on your reticence.
You're not leaving;
You're merely Transforming.
Go do it.
BZ
1:23 PM Thank you for not going away completely...are you coming with Jaimie next weekend to hang out with us?
9:02 PM BZ.
you are correct. i needed some time to myself. but i have to say that i'm feeling an itch already - but i have to stay true to myself so i'll fight the urge and return in july ready to do what i do.
phoenix, i don't think my schedule is going to allow me to show up. i will see if i can make some changes. but i do want to go.
8:09 PM James:
Let me give you another perspective entirely.
That you even responded to my comment indicates that you are NOT ready to leave the Blogosphere.
Here is what is happening:
You are starting to get Burned Out.
Blogging is special. Blogging is tough. Blogging takes a TON of fucking time. It kills you and eviscerates you and slashes you with a thousand knives. It kills time with your family and your friends.
And yet, that one day, that one time, you bring up your own blog and think to yourself: this is way cool. This is MY own spot on the web and NO ONE has this except ME.
Which is why you WON'T leave -- because I couldn't.
I FINALLY realized that it was tough, that it took tons and tons of time and that, truly, I WANTED to keep my blog up because it was tough, it was true, and it was really what I wanted.
You need not go away;
You merely need to take the occasional "break" and then, after a time, come back refreshed and ready to "take on the world."
We need you James.
We need differing opinions expressed all around. It REALLY IS about being an American and doing what comes naturally.
You have opinions and points to be made, and few can express them in quite the same way that YOU can.
You're not going away; you're simply taking a break and getting a breather.
You'll come back refreshed and ready to express, continuously, your TRUE FEELINGS.
You and I both know this is true.
BZ
1:06 PM Oh James! I hadn't been hear for a while, and I don't mind telling you that when I read you were giving up blogging, tears came into my eyes. I love your writing so much. I love the exchange that goes on here so much. I've learned from you. I've laughed with you. I've gotten righteous pissed off with you.
I can only tell you that if you are silent there will always be an empty space where your voice is supposed to be.
Take your thirty days, do what you need to do, but come back to us. Writing talent like yours is a gift. Please don't squander it.
May God bless and keep you and make his face to shine upon you.
Diane
8:15 PM best regards, nice info » » »