I’m nearing the home stretch of my BBA program; just quick 6 classes after this semester & it’s not coming soon enough.

Right now, I’m enrolled in a human resource development course (bore) & a finance course (double bore). As it stands, I’m doing OK in both classes but I’m not having the best semester. For some reason, I’m kinda stuck in some kind of funk that I cannot shake

One major factor of my funk is my finance class! It’s not hard but at the same time I feel like I’m not learning anything. My instructor SUCKS like none that I’ve encountered.

He mumbles lectures (I won’t mention the very heavy West African accent), gives us worksheets that are barely legible, does not answer emails, & shows major schizophrenic tendencies.

While writing this, I decided to check Ratemyproffesor.com & was not surprised to see these comments:

“I am not the best student in the world, but I am a B student and put a lot of effort into this class. He’s intelligent, but not helpful and not meant to teach. I had a very hard time understanding him through his accent and felt lost in his class.”

“Do not take him! His handwritten notes are almost impossible to read. and when he uses powerpoints, he won’t post them online and he flies through them. He ask for our feedback of the class half way through, then doesn’t even bother to really listen to what we have to say. If you don’t want to hear it, don’t ask!”

How in the hell did he get tenured?!?!

I leave class every Wednesday night saying that I learned nothing! Well, wait, I now know how to calculate the interest on a long term T-Bond but I’m not sure if I will ever need that knowledge.

Most times when I’m in this finance class, I pray that someone pulls the fire alarm!

After discussion of my feelings with other classmates, I know that I am not alone by any means with my feelings.

Tonight, we had a 30-question midterm exam on shit we hardly covered in class. One student even blurted out “how are you going to test us on something you haven’t taught us?” The instructor looked at him, like are you talking to me bitch, then there was dead silence.

To make matters worse, I wrote my instructor evaluation 2 weeks ago & I’m really going to go there on him! And I’m seriously considering gong to the head of the finance dept to launch a complaint.

Just 2 more months & this torture will be over.

Whoa is me!

The end of the semester is here & I survived. For a while there, things were not looking too hot because the statistics class was kicking my ass like never before.

Just a little over a month ago, I went to my instructor nervous because I thought my grade was going down in a ball of flames.

I decided to hang in there & at the last minute the concepts, formulas & lectures all started to make sense.

Now that all is said & done, I’m happy that I hung in there to the bitter end & conquered the class that I held off taking for so long. Walking away with a B feels great!

Just 10 classes left & my hand will be on my prize.

I’m so happy that the weather here is starting to break & we have rain instead of snow & freezing temperatures.

The grass is getting green, actually ultra green, the trees are starting to finally bud & tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and the like are everywhere. I feel & see life all around me & it’s inspiring.

With the winter school semester now behind me, I have had the mental energy to pull my camera out to take photos that make me happy. Not that other things did not bring me joy but botanicals get all my energy flowing.

With the spring semester starting next Tuesday, I hope that I can carve time out for assignments, working in the gardens & my own personal photography, as well as preparing for the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair.

And speaking of school, just 10 more classes before I join the ranks of the educated Negro bourgeoisie (Suite Suzy begs to differ & thinks I can join once I have a masters, to that I say fuck that for now! The light is at the end of the tunnel & it’s shining on me.

Lastly, today marks the beginning of me 2nd social/professional calendar, I hope that it can top last quarter because some kick as things came my way.

BTW: I pass this cornfield everyday on my way back & forth from home. As I drive past, its kinda fun looking at the rows seemingly move as if they are following you. The corn is not planted yet & this is just grass but I find it so captivating especially when contrasted with a perfect sky.

My math class started this past Monday & so far it is all good. But this is now!!! I know in a few weeks, my locks will start falling out because math is my weakest area & I will be struggling to hang on big time.

Over the next few days, I will be working on getting my mind right so that I can switch up to have a positive attitude about the work so that I do not sabotage myself, which has happened in the past.

In other news:

• I decided today that I am trading in my 2006 Saturn VUE for a Toyota Prius this spring. My V6 engine frequent trips have got a brotha looking like a fool @ the gas pump. Not sure if you are up on the HBO show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” or not, but my boy & Jewish role model Larry David drives one.

  While discussing this with Suite Suzy last night, she was like hell no, you are really starting to take on the Larry David role. I asked her what she meant & she said that I acted just like him with all his tacky ways, uncouth behavior & ability to say the wrong things at the wrong time. I then told her to go to hell because she acts just like Susie Green & treats me like I’m Jeff some times. We both laughed!

• Anyway, since I will be photographing at the North American International Autoshow Charity Preview (big time black tie event for Detroit), I will try to sneak away to get close & personal with the 2008 Prius.

  This Friday 1/18/08, I am officially giving up eating beef to further push my new health kick. This coming Friday is actually an important day because this same Friday last year, I made the decision to change my name to Tafari in the spirit of Kujichagulia ((Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.). This year I am still moving in the spirit of Kujichagulia & it’s all good. I was already considering this before but after watching “Fast Food Nation” one night last week, I was like, I gotta do this.

  Maybe one day I will be strong enough to give up pork, but I cannot imagine life without pork chops, occasional bacon and or sausages & ham…

• I know you all know that Ofra will be starting her own network, which will be called OWN. Although Ofra gets on my nerves, I am so super happy for the legacy she is blazing. So just to let you know 1st, I’m starting a letter writing campaign on MLK day to petition Ofra to bring back Video Soul for her new network. Just kidding my girl Sugar got me thinking about the old & “golden” days of BET.

Well the semester is finally over & it ended on a high note when I got my research paper back tonight. Last week after I presented my information & turned in he final draft, I was like I better get an A. I worked really hard & I would not feel good with a B. I gotta keep my GPA up so I can get that damn scholarship when I transfer.

So after I got my paper & basked in the glow of my grade, I bounced & headed for the gym. I had to be there by 8pm so that I could catch the finale of “America’s Next Top Model”, while working the elliptical.

It was an intense hour. I think I found out, that I work more effectively while listening to my music vs. watching TV & working out. By the time the show was over, I still felt good about burning 516 calories. I also felt good because Saleisha won cycle 9. I would have also been happy to see Chantal win, as she was another one of my favorites.

Anyway, I weighed myself & I am now down a total 7 lbs! I am pretty excited!!!

For the last few days, I laid off of the Rangpur Tangueray and tonic so that I could concentrate on my research paper. Well, I just wrapped up the paper, had it proof read, made corrections, and I am feeling really happy with it. My last steps are to complete my works cited page and prepare my note cards so that I can present my stance and findings in class tomorrow night.

For the past several weeks, I dreaded this paper but once I started reading up, and typing I really got into and it became fun.

Now that I’m basically done, I can start thinking about that damn math class that I have to take next semester (I hate math).

Anyway, I would like to give a special shout out to my girl Gansta Boo for helping me get through this paper. Without looking in your cute little face, and big ass head, I am not sure I would have remained positive.

Learning about how mandatory drug sentencing really impacted the Black man, woman & child could bring you down like a ton of bricks.

As I sit here & type this post, I’m on my 2nd glass of Rangpur Tangueray & tonic dreaming about the last day of class, which is 2 weeks away. I am so sick of typing paper after paper I could say hot dick & nuts to my momma! Finally I am down to one last research paper that I have to present 12/12/07. My lazy ass is always one step behind (this class is really tapping into my social life!) & I just started last paper yesterday & actually got all of my research out of the way so I am happy about that. Now I just need to put the shit to work!

Anyway, my last project is on mandatory drug sentencing & now that I have my information together I am excited about writing it. While reading I found out some shit that tripped me out; I guess that what research is all about…

Anyway Bygbaby is all typed out & after these last few sips of my “new favorite drink” I am out of this bitch.

Yesterday in class I had a midterm exam & got 3 fucking questions wrong out of 15 & I missed some pretty easy shit too but oh well, the damage is done.

I hate tests probably like most people, I mean no matter what the test is. At first I seem to forget all that I know, then struggle to pluck all knowledge from my disjointed memory bank.

Luckily, the test doesn’t really count for shit, so I guess I can chill on tripping.

So after I bombed the test, I started thinking about getting home to my camera & new lighting equipment to play around. I came up with this idea to capture myself at my laptop with some fun lights, seems simple enough right!

Now I am home setting up running back & forth hoping my setup is perfect & after about 20 minutes of tweaking, I am set to go.

This is the end result of my post exam fuck up. I took about 15 shots & this is my favorite of them all.

I guess by coincidence I look melancholy but I love the way my lips look… I know I am a narcissist!