I'm not dead...just sleeping

Okay, so it's been a minute since you heard from me, but I ain't dead. I still have a lot to say, but no time to write. A little understaffing at work and a district manager visit next week causes Kris to be a very dull, and tired/cranky boy. But, once I regain my days off, and/or get a long-needed vacation, I'll be refreshed and ready to write. Until then, check out k-fleet-13.blogspot.com or therootdown.blogspot.com. They'll continue to entertain you until my return.

Now that I have my laptop back, thanks Best Buy and HP, I've added photos to my last blog. More soon. Album of the week:

1) DJ Smallz, Ludacris & Field Mob – Intro 2) Ludacris – War With God [Ludacris Dissin' Who???]

3) T.I. feat. Eve & Swizz Beatz – Cash Flow 4) Trick Daddy feat. Plies & B.I.G. – Duck Down

5) 8Ball & MJG feat. Project Pat – Relax & Take Notes 6) Field Mob – We Southern Smokin' Good Down Here

7) D4L feat. Lil' Wayne, Rick Ross & Yung Joc – I'm Da Man (rmx) 8) Yung Joc feat. Rick Ross & Slim Thug – It's Goin' Down (rmx)

9) Rick Ross feat. Project Pat & Young Jeezy – Hustlin' (rmx) 10) Young Jeezy feat. Slick Pulla & Blood Raw – Ya Dig (rmx)

11) Field Mob – Disturbin' The Muthaf******' Peace Once Again 12) Boyz-N-Da-Hood feat. T.I. & Lil' Wayne – Gangsta Boyz

13) Project Pat feat. Young Jeezy & Lyfe – Tell Tell Tell 14) David Banner feat. Lil' Yola – Get Money

15) Trae feat. Yung Joc – In The Hood 16) Famlay feat. Pharrell – Beeper 17) Slick Pulla – Birds Fly South

18) Rick Ross feat. Dre – Blow 19) Mia X feat. Lil' Jon – Push 'Em Off 20) C-Murder – Freestyle (recorded after prison stint)

21) Master P – 20 Inch 22) Lil' Wayne & Baby The Birdman – Stuntin' Like My Daddy

23) V12 Boyz (Pimp C, Lil' Boosie & Webbie) – Swerve Part 2 24) Mike Jones, Paul Wall & Papoose – Live From The Block

25) Field Mob – Fleetwood Mac & Chevy P Talkin' S**** 26) Bohagon feat. Lil' Scrappy & Lil' Jon – Gettin' P****

27) T.I. feat. Pharrell – Reach For The Sky 28) Pimp C feat. Mannie Fresh – Cheat On Your Man

29) Field Mob feat. Ludacris & Bobby Valentino – Sorry Baby 30) DJ Smallz & Field Mob – Disturbin' More Peace Outro

Weekend in review--Noodles can be deadly

Started the weekend with a viewing of World Trade Center. I wasn't expecting a monumental film, but a good performance from Nick Cage, which held true. The storyline concentrates more on the effects the tragedy had on the lives of two people trapped in the aftermath, and their families. Several times the story drug, and I could have easily gotten the nods, but managed to stay awake the whole time (quite unusual after a days work). Don't go in expecting a lot of CGI or "WOW" visuals, because you won't even see the planes hit the towers, merely a story based on the triumph of a few individuals who actually made it out.

Onto Saturday, where we were off to see the Back to School Bash in Wichita. Not a single performer had an exciting or involved stage show. Out of all, Bubba Sparxx was the best as he rocked hits from all 3 albums. Remember the classic "Ugly" before "Ms. New Booty?" Second best was Paul Wall, based on the "twinkle-twinkle" grill alone. He did a lot of crowd hand-slapping and photo ops. Then there were the others, Chingy (the closer), Ray Cash, Paula Deanda, and the openers, a group from The Lou (STL) and the locals ASSO. The STL group (other than Chingy) was actually pretty decent and I tried to find a CD peddler, but no luck. We walked out on Chingy to head back to Hutch for the swim party/drunkfest. All was fun as I tanked down 4 Bud Lights, trust me, that was binge drinking for me, got my swim-on, and harassed my co-workers. We decided to roll around 3:15 am, and I copped a couple of extra bags of snacks that others brought before we headed home.

Sunday seemed to come bright and early (10:30 am) as we headed back to the ICT (Wichita) to meet a friend from Amarillo, Jeff (J3), for afternoon vittles. Nice convo and lunch at Old Chicago, with the added bonus of a box of free CDs before shoving off. Thanks again for the hook-up, Jeff!! So now it's back on the highway to Hutch to meet Heather's parents for a swim and dinner. For those who don't know Jeff, this is him with Jordan Knight and brother Jonathan at the NARM convention in Orlando. For more info on the Jordan Knight performance, view therootdown.blogspot.com.


This is where the story starts to go arye. While in the pool, Heather and I get in a (water) noodle fight. I get busted in the ear, and try to return the favor with added force, but it just wasn't redemption. I still can't hear at full capacity, and my best guess is some hearing loss due to a damaged ear drum, but Heather assures me it will be all better in the morning, like the day after going to a loud concert. I remain skepical. The best vision I can give is this:So, that sets the mood for the rest of the evening. When we get home, I fire up the ol' laptop to catch up on some e-communication and as I'm sitting there, my nose starts dripping. It wasn't blood, thankfully, but my sinuses are draining out of control, so much that it dripped some on the touchpad of my laptop. Then, after wiping dry, my mouse quits working. Coincidence? Hmmm. Frustration builds as I tranform into a member of Geek Squad from Best Buy to trouble-shooting the problem. But, to no avail, my tech training has failed me. So, the laptop gets chucked to the side, and we lay down to watch a UK bootleg of the movie Hard Candy. Inevitably, we fall asleep and it's off to bed before 10 pm.

So, in short, my weekend wasn't too crazy, but moreso brief moments of joy, ending with disappointment and dismay. But hey, if I regain my hearing, I have some nice CDs to listen to.

Tha Weekend

"The weekend, that ain't nothin but another 3 days that niggaz act crazy in." Remember that line from the song Baseball on the Boyz in the Hood soundtrack? Anyway, it should be an event-packed weekend. Heather and I will probably watch a couple of movies (Step-Up, World Trade Center, Pulse?), got to a concert (below), attend a midnight swimming party and drunkfest afterwards, and maybe see a friend from Texas (J3) on his way back from the M-O on Sunday. I'll offer more juicy details in the aftermath, but for now, work's calling me to fund all this excitement.

CD of the week: Young Dro-Day One

These days, it's rare to come across a CD that stands out, esp. if it's from a new mainstream artist. Okay, so he jumped on the scene behind T.I. as a member of the PSC. His first single to hit airways is Shoulder Lead. Yea, I'm talking about Young Dro, the next big thing out of Atlanta, another artist making his imprint from the South. For a fix of Dro before his major drops, check out the Day One mixtape with DJ Drama. Nice little piece you can pick up on E-bay for around $6. It's a bangin bargain!

















1.SWEAR THEY SMOKIN ME
2.GANGSTA S***
3.WHAT IT IS FT. T.I.
4.WATCH DRO SPIT
5.DOODOOOOOOOOO
6.CARTOON
7.GOT YA GIRL SAYIN
8.TRAP OR KILL YA SELF FT. PHARRELL & T.I.
9.LET EM KNO FT. DJ DRAMA
10.WHAT THE H*** ARE THOSE
11.PRESIDENTAL
12.WE GETTIN RICH FT. SUNSHINE
13.DON'T BELIEVE THAT S***
14.STOMP
15.GO GET U SOME FT. BIG KUNTRY
16.RUBBERBAND BANKS
17.THAT'S HOW IT IS
18.SHELL FT. T.I.
19.THE DAY AFTER
20.NAW
21.GRANDMA NANNA OUTRO
BONUS TRACKS
22.SHOULDER LEAN
23.RASHAD FT. DRO & TIP-TELL EM WHAT THEY WANNA HEAR

I would like to thank the Gubment....

So, after 8 years of being locked into a payment plan, I finally got enough benji's in my bank account to pay off my student loan. It was a ballsy move, with the uncertainty of what my future holds, but I've decided to be un-American and live a minimal debt/debt-free life, at least for now.

In return for the 15K I paid to Mohela, I'd like to thank the Gubment and my mother for the opportunity to get a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics, and obtain a light-blue collar job in retail management. The experiences, notice I didn't say education, were well worth it.

So, to all those bettering themselves through higher education, best of luck in getting a good job and paying off your student loans before you have to remortgage your house to do it. Much love to my brother (lucky bastard) who has his Masters and Doctorate paid for while lounging in the country down under.

The Haterade cup hath runnith over

I'm all for the institution if marriage, and hope to be some day. I also partially believe in "love at first sight," although, it's usually lust driving those emotions instead. But, I gotta speak on a few things I've witnessed lately.

Two female friends, one being an ex-girlfriend, got married on a whim within the last two weeks. It's like one day they're single and not even dating, and the next, it's til death do us part? What?? Has America gone mad? What water source are they drinking from, cause I don't want any! So, to find out the truth and reasoning, I play the devil's advocate.

My first logical question is, "Are you pregnant?" Both times, the answer is NO. Okay, then, what makes you think this is "The One?" Blah, blah, blah, it just seems right, when you find that person, you'll know, blah, blah, blah. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh. So, their stories differ, but seemingly the same. What a better way to say, "I'm seeing someone," than to go to Vegas and get married by Elvis (the Vegas part is true), or to run down to the local courthouse, drop a few bills, and sign off the rest of your single life. Not quite the way it plays out in my head, but to each his own, I guess.

I'm disappointed and dumb-founded because I'm supposed to be a really good friend, but was the last one in the loop. Maybe it's because I'm so critical, but that's what friends are for, right, to let us know when we've screwed up? Ehhhh, I give it 6 months. Sad thing is, they didn't even have time to spend in the "Awe" phase of every new relationship. You know, the get to know ya stage with long talks on the phone, New Edition lyric feelings (If it isn't love, why do I feel this way...), love letters, etc. The "you can do no wrong" period. Not that that doesn't happen throughout long-term relationships/marriages, but that phase is simply irreplaceable and a building block for the Big Time.

But, I'm not here to preach about love, because looking back on my own relationships, I'm not sure I can answer what it really is either. I just believe there's a period of dating that should occur in order to determine compatibility and life-plans. So, good luck to my two friends who've taken the next step into adulthood. I really do wish them the best, but will be there to say, "I told you so," if it doesn't work out. No love lost, Tabs and Katy.