Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Speak It Into Existence



I was sitting here at my keyboard thinking... this is my 500th post. What should I say? And, it immediately came to me. It's amazing how I can do this and I never really thought that I could or would keep this blog going this long. I thought that by now, I would have gotten bored or burned out or both. But, it hasn't happened. Just about everyday, I find something new to write about and something new about myself to reveal.

I remember the walks I used to take around West Philadelphia with my grandfather and how almost everywhere we went, he knew somebody and somebody knew him. They called him "Slim" and every few blocks... "What'cha know, good Slim?"... "How you doin', Slim?"... "Slim, what's goin' on?" I was fascinated by how many people he appeared to know. I couldn't have been more than about 7 or 8 years old when I said to him... "One day, Pop-Pop, I'm going to be well known just like you." He laughed and said, "Anybody can be known... just make sure you're known for something good." That was just loose talk and I had no idea that one day I might even surpass my grandfather.

If I was ever on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, I would have to leave Philadelphia. There is simply very few places in this city that I am not known by somebody... Black, White, Asian,
Hispanic, or what have you. That's not a shallow boast... I had the disease of "wanderlust" as a young boy and I was never satisfied with the surroundings of my own neighborhood. I had to always venture off into another neighborhood, another place. The grass was always greener somewhere else.

Most mothers love their sons and mine loved me. But, I'm certain that if she could've, my mother would have tried to hold me in the womb a little longer if that meant that I would've been safe. "Safe" to my mother meant in the house where she could see me but, that was never me. I had to venture out. I would often offer to take out the trash and vanish for a couple of hours. I loved to explore.

I lived a few blocks from the elevated train and by the time I was 12 years old, I could recite every station from one end of the line to the other backwards in my head and I still can. I rode the trains, I wandered around, and I met people. I was always a friendly child. But, that was a different time. People are so crazy now that a child could have all kinds of bad things happen to him or her in this big, scary city. The city wasn't scary to me then... it was my playground.

Between my wandering and going to different schools and such, I collected an enormus amount of associates. Some, I still know today... some of whom show up in my fiction and short stories on my blog, "Escapades" but, that's another blog post for another day.

I've heard in church that the tongue has the power of life and death and that we can speak things into existence. I've said things and had no idea they were going to happen and been astounded when I realized that they would happen. I told my mother that, before I die, I was going to see the world. There was a great big beautiful world out there and my name was all over it.
Again, just loose talk. I used to say stuff like this all the time and never give it a second thought.

Well, after college (as you all know), I joined the U.S. Air Force. During those years I traveled throughout most of the United States and across two oceans. I've been in the U.K., Amsterdam,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan amongst other places. I've made friends there with both Americans (usually other servicemen and civilians alike).

Then there is Blogger and Facebook. I couldn't have conceived the modern world of the internet just ten years ago. In the short time that I have been blogging, I have made friends with a close knit group of fellow bloggers from Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, California, New York, Washington D.C., Arkansas, Colorado, and even London, U.K. Most of these are people I have never met in person but, people who visit my blogs daily and whose blogs I visit. They also talk to me on Facebook.

My Facebook family has included relatives, friends from the Air Force, college, high school, the streets, and the blogging world. So, when I told my grandfather that one day I was going to be well known like him, I suppose I did speak that into existence. It wasn't easy. I had to write 500 of these posts and about 300 or so posts on my other blog to get to this point. I guess that
included a lot of riding and flying too.

It's been a pleasure and tonight, here's a toast to all of you who have been with me along the way... too numerous to name... but, more special to me than you could ever know. A drink and a two-step to 500 more posts.

26 comments:

p_nami said...

500! Congratulations! I admire that you continue on. I only write these days when inspiration hits :) I guess this means I have several hundred in the archives to read.

The Dreamy One said...

Hey Mister congratulations!

Hope there are many more to come! U have one of the most wonderful personalities, that's why u are so popular!

500 posts is a big accomplishment! Congrats again!

Grover Tha Playboy said...

Big Ups to you Bruh!!!

Jazzy said...

Congrats Fam!

Tate2 said...

Congrats man!

Toni said...

Congratulations Keith!

Angie B. said...

Congrats Keith, Here's to 500 more posts!

Sunflower said...

God Bless You Keith, Keep up the good work!

Lisa said...

Wow ,500 posts!!! You're a writin somebody!lol.

Halo said...

So When does the book and the movie come out Keith?lolol Congrats!

Vanessa said...

Congratulations Keith!

Brenda said...

I've got to go back and look over the ones I missed before I started reading you..I'm sure they are gems! Congrats Keith.

Cheryl said...

Congrats Baby! keep up the good work!

James Perkins said...

You've Come a long way man..I'm glad I got to read most of your stuff...I'm asking also..When is the book coming out??lololol

Simon Bastion said...

Hope there are many more great posts to come! Congrats!

Sean said...

Congratulations Keith ! You know what I always tell you, keep bangin man!

Captain Jack said...

I just love it! 500 posts...How many have you done for your other blog? Keep it up.

Swaggie said...

Congratulations on 500 Bruh, A drink and a two step back at'cha!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on 500! Keep it up!

Angel said...

I'm delighted you have reached 500!!! well done and thank you for bringing us information, learning, joy and laughter! Cant wait until you get to the 1000th!

12kyle said...

congrats on the five hunnid mah brutha! i respect your hustle

SLC said...

I know some other bloggers that post a lot. They just never have nothing worth reading. Your blogs remind me of the old Dunkin Donuts slogan.

Worth The Trip.

Congratulations and I'll see the Escapades crew 'round midnight.

E.M.H. said...

Congrats on your 500th post... I look forward to reading more :-)

Rich Fitzgerald said...

Quite the feat, writing 500 posts that have substance.

Congratulations!

XIRUS said...

500 Posts! WOW that's a lot of talking! LOL Congrats sir! i want to grow up and be just like you. HOPEFULLY!

Anonymous said...

Great article you got here. I'd like to read something more about this matter. Thanx for posting this info.
Sexy Lady
Busty Escort London




KEEPING THE FAITH: RANDOM PRAYERS "ON THE DOWNLOAD"










































































"Mommy, can I go to Timmy's blog and play?"



































Click on image to enlarge for reading






Click on image to enlarge for reading



Click on image to enlarge for reading