What I Learned Sundays – Normalize Mourning

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Atlanta, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Bob Rude, Brooke Suffern, California, Cancer, Chanhassan, Chapel Hill, Coachella, cry, Death, Don Watson, Georgia, iPhone, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone Post, iPhoneagraphy, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, Love, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mourn, mourning, music, musician, North Carolina, Pain, Paisley Park, pop, R&B, Red Phone Booth, rock, Sacramento, Singer-songwriter, songwriter, Soul, Starbucks, UNC Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, What I Learned Sundays

I saw the title of an article that mentioned how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever speaks to normalizing Black mourning. I looked to find it after watching the film, as not to encounter spoilers, but all was for naught. More importantly, I chose to make my own path to mourn, especially after this week. I historically try to be the supportive person, and not address my needs when mourning…but I opened myself up to that rawness today.

I don’t know where to start…in March of this year, my dear friend Bob reached out to me. I had shared Prince experiences and more with he and his bride, Lisa, and last saw him at Red Phone Booth in Atlanta, 2 nights before I moved to California. We chatted about family, Mother’s Day had just passed, and his sons birthdays. We talked of seeing each other upon visits. Then a pandemic happened.

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Celebrating the Life of Prince O(+> 2 Years Later – A Different Take – C Week Ƭ̵̬̊

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1958, 2011, 2016, actor, April, Arista, Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Chanhassan, Coachella, Coachella Festival, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, college, Columbia, Death, EMI, Forum, Funk, Georgia, Girl, Girlfriend, Great Western Forum, Guns 'N Roses, Housequake, How can you just leave me standing?, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Indio, Jamie Starr, Joey Coco, Joy In Repetition, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, LA Forum, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Love, March, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mourn, MSG Entertainment, Myla Watson, NPG, Oakland, Oracle Arena, Paisley Park, pop, Prince, Prince Nelson, Prince Rogers Nelson, Producer, Purple Rain, R&B, record producer, Rest in Peace, Rest in Peace sweet Prince, rock, Sacramento, Sign O The Times, Singer, Singer-songwriter, Sometimes it Snows in April, Take Me With U, The artist formerly known as Prince, The Fabulous Forum, The Fabulous Fox, The Forum, The Forum presented by Chase, The Madison Square Garden Company, Universal, Usher, Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Records

Instead of talking about that day, how I felt, or loss, this year I will be different and a celebration. The first year was shock, and Coachella tributes, last year (2017) was my tattoo and party on the anniversary.

In 2011, I made a last minute decision to travel to California…mind you, Los Angeles. In the process of that trip, a late decision was made to attend the Prince residency at the historic Fabulous Forum in Inglewood California on 4/21/11. The building had been recently returned to its venue status, after being a church since the teams had left years ago for Staples Center.

After an already full day, with a game of the Atlanta Braves beating the Los Angeles Dodgers, however losing the series, my iPhone died as we pulled into the Forum parking lot. Excited to see Prince, though the scalped price of $100 per ticket, for face value $25 tickets was not agreeable, especially through my nemesis StubHub, we arrived, and you could hear The Time performing through the paper-thin walls of the building.

Initially our tickets scanned as “already entered,” and I just shook my head on the money spent, knowing that I could’ve gotten legitimate tickets, though we later found out that the tickets were just printed multiple times. Upon entering, the set list was as follows:

Text Tuesdays – New Prose – “My Skin, My Only Sin”

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It was all met by your hands,
Your lack of decency,
Your lack of regard,
Your lack of training,
Your lack of humanity,

Now tears are wasted by:
My mother,
My father,
My wife,
The despicable person you are,

Text Tuesdays – Why I Mourn Prince Rogers Nelson 1958-2016

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“Sometimes it Snows in April”

Thursday evening I realized that you couldn’t sing at my wedding, and I didn’t think about whether I could afford it, and it was then, that I realized the finality in the terrible news that you were gone. Prince Rogers Nelson 1958 – 2016, gone way too soon, and well before your time.

I am still not accepting this. Prince was never meant to be this world’s “weekend lover, (he was supposed to) be some kind of friend, it’s such a shame our friendship had to end.” “Times are (definitely) changing,” But I can’t reach for something new.Thursday evening I realized that you couldn’t sing at my wedding, and I didn’t think about whether I could afford it, and it was then, that I realized the finality in the terrible news that you were gone. Prince Rogers Nelson 1958 – 2016, gone way too soon, and well before your time.

Text Tuesdays – New Prose – “Close”

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Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Close, Death, Key Yemaya Walker, Mother, Passing, poetry, Prose, Text Tuesdays

Though extremely hard to compose, my heart led me to, to memorialize a loss. My heart is with you my friend.

“Close”
KS 12/17/13

Closing her eyes memories of,
Love,
Loss,
Childhood,
Soft,
Touch,
First kiss,
Marriage,
Childbirth,
Motherhood,

…saturated the darkness of her closed lids,
She peered again, and thought of the good she had done,
Her mark left in the snow,
Though she did not want, she had to go,
Leaving those she loved,
She treasured the fleeting moments of this world,
And slowly conceded to close.

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Blue Lines Blog – RIP NFL Films Head Steve Sabol

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Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Cancer, Death, Key Yemaya Walker, National Football League, NFL, NFL Films, October, October 2, October Births, September, September Deaths, Stephen Douglas “Steve” Sabol, Steve Sabol

NFL Films’ President Steve Sabol died Tuesday after an 18-month battle with brain cancer. He was 69.The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Blue Lines Blog – R.I.P. MCA (Adam Yauch) of the Beastie Boys

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2012, Adam Yauch, Beastie Boys, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Death, Hip-Hop, Influential, Key Yemaya Walker, May, MCA, music, Passes

Founding member of Beastie Boys passes.

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 24 – A Song That You Want To Play At Your Funeral – Coldplay – “‘Til Kingdom Come”

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30 Day Song Challenge, A Song That You Want To Play At Your Funeral, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Coldplay, Day 24, Death, Funeral, Happy, Key Yemaya Walker, Long Life, music, Sky And Sea (Blue in Green), Song, Til Kingdom Come, X&Y

Not really something I’ve thought about, but for the sake of the process, this would fit. Full life, why be sad?
“…just say you’ll wait, you’ll wait for me…”


The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

What I Learned Sundays in the Year 2011 Year In Review – Alchemy

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2011, Atlanta, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, California, Death, family, Georgia, Kat Goduco, LA Dodgers, Los Angeles, Love, Memphis, MW, Myla, New York, Pain, Prince, Sacramento, Tennessee, The Alchemist, What I Learned Sundays, Year In Review

“…he remembered when he had been here…”
Being grounded, and focused on singular goals, one tends to find complacency in familiarity, accepting the same thing as part of their daily routine. Before I continue, I provincially was going to title this post something provincial like California, the California Version, etc. but then realized that in totality, that would devalue the meaning of this entire years’ adventure.

In many ways, this year was a self discovery travelling the circuitous path from something that I had before me as the clock struck 12:01, cigar in tow, texting the world. I had no idea what was in store, the happiness, the heart break, the gains, the loss, the love, the understanding, the maturity, the betrayal, the failure, the success. In 2011, I was able to destroy the template that was placed in front of me, and rebuild something new, take a veritable step out onto a limb, though, not as much as some, but much more than most.

2011 was full of new beginnings, new faces, and a journey to a place I had known. The alchemy of taking the previous version of myself, melting it down, and creating something new and different. Being a planner, I tried to return to my bearings, as I began the first steps of the year.

Once upon a time there was a boy who lived. He saw his story, and then his story was interrupted by a young girl. He knew he loved her when he met her, love at first sight. Funny thing, in a different time, with different sensibilities, different respects, their story did not match the path that he wanted. Young when children knew everything, yet veritably nothing, living and life would have been “missed” at that time.

Blue Lines Blog – En Memoriam, “Without You” from the Manuscript Blue Lines

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Atlanta, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Death, Dr. Seuss, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, KYW, Miami Dophins, Minnesota Vikings, Nicholas Rogers, Nick Rogers, poetry, Prose, Sccott Cunningham, St Pius X, Without You

With My scatterbrain today, I reached back to post this poem from the manuscript Blue Lines for the Rogers family our hurting St. Pius X family, and the Cunningham family.
My deepest and most heartfelt condolences.

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss

Without You

emptiness like I never felt
I see you in my dreams
just me and you
I want the pain to be trough
my wanton pining for who
you
love of my life
once my future wife
now you are gone
and tears comfort me
why
why
why did you go
where did you go
my life was yours
you are no longer here
when the smoke clears
to wipe away my tears
realization of my greatest fears