Like it's Golden, Not Brand New-- That Good *ish

Do you ever reflect back on a time when you were really really ultra super happy? I'm talking you remember the temperature, the place, the people, the smell, what you were wearing (including the shoes), you know-- all of the little spices that make up special moments?  I ask because I just came across Jill Scott's "Golden" and it touched a one of those spicy moments for me.

Jill Scott - Golden

[via FoxyTunes / Jill Scott]

One of the things I miss most about not being back home is seeing and interacting with other black people on a daily basis.  Now, Japan is cool.  I enjoy life here-- it's really chill (with a bunch of people spilling out of every visible crevice) and cozy for me.  But, if you like being around black people, Japan doesn't quite do the trick (hehehhehe!).

Of course, this isn't a big factor for a lot of black people here in Japan-- and nor is it for me, except when I'm having a golden moments of reflection and I think of all of my little and big cousins back home.  I think of my aunts, uncles, grand parents, family reunions, "black arts festivals", blues shows, the 'classic', Historically black college and universities, people trying to make it, little girls dreaming of living in another country, 'booty music', little boys who don't think it's possible to live in another country, my friends who answer their cellphones while we're talking and say "I'm talking to my friend in JAPAN, lemme call you back", conversations that begin with "You see, the problem with Black folk in America is....", Howard University's Yard during the spring and summer, UAB Hill Center, beef pattie on cocoa bread on Georgia Avenue, bee-bops (I think this is an Alabama thing-- frozen kool-aid in a cup for $.25).... and on and on and on...  That *ish make me spring to life!  This *ish makes me want to pack it all up and implant it right here with me!  Yeah boiiiiii! :) </end hypeness>

Anyway, I said all of this to simply say that while I am busy creating brand new moments here in Tokyo, I still have my bag full of moments that I pull out from time to time-- like today.  And-- just in case you need to be reminded-- I'm not brand new.

By now, you know I'm a little mushy-type (sentimental)....  (Blame my mother) 

But those ARE the great moments.  When the time comes for me to move on and leave Tokyo for a new place-- I'm certain I will be pulling out my brand new golden moments Tokyo bag and sharing with you also.  For now, I just wanted to send a shout out to my folks back home who were a part of those golden moments...

HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND :)-- Go and Make good *ish....

Comments

[Romulus Burnett]

The happiest time of my life was when I was around 5 years old. I lived in the kind of neighborhood like in the movie 'Inkwell' with Laurenz Tate. I'm old enough that back in my day they still had milk men. A brother would drop off two glass bottles of orange juice, eggs, and some milk in a wire basket once a week.

Everybody was black. The guy at the corner store was black, everybody at the grocery store was black, everybody at the post office was black - hell, the only place I did see any white people was at the bank.

I was the youngest in the family, so everybody took care of me. Everybody in the neighborhood always loved to pinch my cheeks because I was so cute. We got along with everyone in the neighborhood and everyone got along with us. I always got every toy I ever wanted for Christmas without even asking. Well, actually, I used to rip out pictures of toys from the Sears catalog and place them all over the Christmas tree. See, I was smart even when I was a little bitty kid. Those were picture perfect years.

[rick]

You know what I think is interesting is that since I've moved to Japan, most of black people that I've met here aren't American. I'm not exactly sure if it's Swahili they're speaking but I sure haven't heard that language before in Hawaii. And supposedly Hawaii's a pretty ethnically diverse place.

[SiT]

:) cute lil cheeks huh?

@ rick-- yeah, you're right. A majority of the black population in Japan consists of Africans from Nigeria & Ghana primarily.

[Andi G]

Thanks for sharing!

The scene with the little girl on the sidewalk with the ponytails does it for me (although I think they should've put her on a ten-speed though!)

;)

[ami]

I'm black, married to Japanese from Tokyo.. and we're probably bringing our little half n half boy to Japan. I'm really looking forward to moving to Japan, for us.. and for our little boy.