Culture

Peace.

Today's Supreme Mathematics is Culture. Culture is defined as the way of life. When 85ers think of the term “Culture” They are thinking not of what they manifest but of what others manifest. The connotation of “Culture” is often external. Unless you way of life is different from the population in which you reside, you don't just go to thinking that you have a Culture. It's just what you do. It's like how white folks in the US think that what they do is the default and everybody else is exotic.

When folks think of groups in the US with a dedicated Cultures you think of Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Rastafarians.... and us! Though most folks don't know us like that since we don't have their numbers. Jews don't eat pork or shrimp. They don't work on Saturdays. They only marry each other, etc. Muslims cover their heads, some of them. They don't eat pork either and pray 5x/day face down on rugs gender separated. Mormons have a million children and do the poly-marriage thing. They also dress like little house on the prarie. Rastas have dreadlocks and smoke the ganga while eating seeds and guts. Dang Serenity that was offensive! Well 5%er all have done prison bids, have no real jobs and seeds enough to plant a garden! It's what him/devil says about they various US Cultures that aren't them.

But this Build piggy backs off a previous Build. The Do You Hide in plain sight post. I have noticed with this 5% Culture that I more and more each year have changed my lifestyle to a point where folks don't recognize me anymore. Folks who have been with me all along are cool. But when I run into someone I haven't seen in 10 years, they seem shocked at my appearance and new customs.

I was never one to show my hills and mountains.... they don't need my help. They show themselves.... So it's not like I some reformed hoe. But I was a standard BAP pretty girl. I had the luscious perm/weave. I had the right clothes and stiletto heels. My nails always 10 perfect pair. I had the perfectly made up face. I drove the lavish cars and had the lavish hobbies. Many of those same traits are still within me, but the manifestation has changed. I look different... really different. I got my work ID when I started this job 13 years ago. It doesn't even resemble me now. Different hair. Different clothes. Different me. Security periodically asks if I'm wearing another's ID. Don't get it twisted. I'm still fly as hell and you can wear good heels under a long skirt. And my headwraps... I have one to match every outfit... be giving chicks fits!

I eat differently.... No one... NO ONE loves swine more than I did. My last meated meal was a pulled pork sandwich. I loved fat bacon... and ham... and ribs.. yes ribs!... and chops... and loin... and (ashamedly) chitterlings! I actually asked for my graduation meal to be chitterlings.... My mother made them, but was pissed, but she made them. I loved lamb and my favorite snack.... Slim Jims! My plate looks entirely different that it once did. That's Culture.

I no longer do the Standard holiday thing. But more importantly, I'm no longer super loud about not doing it. But I have gotten the message out significantly so folks don't even ask anymore. Thanksgiving and the the American holidays is pretty much it. No xmas. No Easter (though I still get an outfit for Easter). None of that! And it's just how I live...

No grace. I just eat my food. No Sunday obligations. I can hold malice in my heart toward another without feeling bad. I fear no divine retribution. I don't live with the illusion that someone on a cloud is looking out for me. When you don't do the mystery god, YOLO takes on a different intensity. I manifest my Culture not just “in the mind” but out in the open. When you internalize Understanding, eventually it comes out of you. You become a Walking Understand. And isn't that what 3/4ths is? An Understanding that comes out of you so profound that it becomes your Culture.


Peace

Hello 2016!

Peace!

On the interwebs, it seems like 2015 was a pisser of a year for a lot of people. 2015 was the year my only brother died. That was the worse thing that happened to me in the calendar year. I thought about making some 2016 New Year's resolutions... But then I realized there wasn't much I wanted to change about myself. All the changes I want are external. And external changes aren't 100% completely in my realm to change. So this year I'm not making any resolutions!

4 days into this year.... I feel pretty good.


Peace

Faith/Knowledge

Peace.

What is the Science?
Today's Kwanzaa Principle is Faith – Today's Supreme Mathematics is Knowledge

The traditional Kwanzaa greeting is habari gani. Which means what's the news in Swahili. I don't do non-English. So my greeting will be.... What's the Science?

Faith is a touchy concept for many 5%ers. We say we live by the principle of “Show and Prove.” We have no place for faith. I agree and disagree. We have no place for religious faith. Just take the spookiness out of the word and this is in fact something we do. Like the way we use Islam.

The reason why we do faith is because we do hope. No one controls every aspect of their lives 100%. there are some things that we do, where we are unsure of the outcome. One of my mother's favorite phrases is, “step out on faith.” I Understand what she means by it. There are situations where you must throw caution to the wind and YOLO. There have been so may times in my life where I didn't Know what to do. But I Knew I had to do something. Every time but once, I've gone to the car dealership, I've been worried about what my credit will do. But I went anyway and I have always come home with the car of my choice. There was no white jesus involved in any of it. But there was faith in my own abilities to get what I wanted. Every time I've applied for a job, I did so not because I was certain I was going to get said job, but because I knew I wanted or needed one. I always have a job when I need one. Every time I get behind the wheel of my car, I assume (another form of faith) that I will arrive to my destination safely. Doesn't always happen. But I can't let the uncertainty hold me back. If I waited until I was 100% sure of everything in my life before proceeding.... I'd of been dead before I Knowledged 120.

You can't be certain of meds because they have side effects... some they don't know of yet but they let people take them. You don't Know which foods are genetically modified or moderately poisoned. When you go to a restaurant, you didn't see the people preparing your food. But you still eat it. When you date an individual, you don't Know if they aren't a crazy ax yielding serial killer. While waiting for the bus in the dark at 5:30am I don't know if I'm going to mauled by a rabid possum. It could happen. It has happened to others, but I still go to the same spot. That's faith.

Faith, the way I'm speaking on it, is expectancy. If you prepare a recipe according to it's directions, you have a level of assurance that it will look like the picture when you're done. When you complete an experiment you have assurance of the result. That is faith... non-spooky faith. I'm not saying go in every situation with know knowledge of whats going on. And I'm not saying don't use SM and the “show and prove” ideology. I am saying that sometimes faith is warranted.



Peace

Creativity/Understanding Knowledge

Peace

What's the Science?
Kwanzaa principle: Creativity
Today's Mathematics : Understanding Knowledge abbt Culture

This Build was hard for me. I not a creative person. That may seem inaccurate if you know me because I'm a crafter, and a cook. But I'm not creative. I see something that I like and nigarig it. Rarely do I come up with original ideas of my own. If I can see it, I can recreate it. If I taste a recipe, I can figure out what's in it. But again... copying not creativity. Creativity is not my gift. But because I can craft, folks think of me as creative. I remember when I pledged AKA, I got real crafty with the projects we had to do. But it was craftiness and not creativity that drove me. One of the big sisters actually asked me to be on her committee because she thought I was creative. One of my line sisters piped up and said, “Angel is the go to person to get isht done. But she is dead with ideas.” If it wasn't true, I would have pinched her in the stomach.

The definition of creativity is the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work. I might be artistic, but my ideas are NOT Original... But neither are a lot of folks. One of the things I ALWAYS say to G's and E's in person is that we cannot draw up folks the same way we used to. This is not the 1980's. In the 80's I was a teenager and there were Gods Building all over the place in various and sundry Ciphers. Looked like Parliaments popped up indiscriminately on any potential corner. Times have changed. And with those changes, we as righteous people need to change and be creative about how we reach folks. Ain't nobody just gonna see us in the streets and start adding on. I'm not saying it couldn't happen. I am saying it's unlikely. If you hand someone a flyer who doesn't know us what we stand for all they are gonna do is google us and find out that we are a prison gang who killed Michael Jordan's daddy. Is that how you want to be portrayed? I don't. My own cousin who has my cell in her phone decided to buy a book and make judgments regarding the Culture without EVER asking me 1 questions. Imagine us laughing and joking and she is harboring several misconceptions. IJS....

So what do we do to develop more creativity? We go back to the drawing board (31:40). We have to do the 1 and figure a venue for where we could reach people. And we need to release that mindset of only reaching the dregs of society. Not saying we shouldn't reach them, but we would do ourselves well reaching the moneyed and the educated. We need that balance. We shouldn't forget the past, but we shouldn't dwell in the past either. We need to do more to get more. It's Nation Building.


Peace

Purpose/Understanding Cipher

Peace

What's the Science?
Kwanzaa Principle: Purpose
Today's Mathematics: Understanding Cipher abbt Understanding

Purpose is one of the most difficult thing for folks to come up on. I have lived all of these years and still am unsure about what my 'Purpose' is. There have been times where I was sure what it was and it changed.

Purpose is defined as the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. So what exactly is my purpose? Well to Understand that, you have to Understand who you are and where you are. And I suppose since a person changes, and their surroundings and situations change… their purpose will change.

When I was a child, my purpose was to learn life and get an education. When I was/am married, my purpose is to be a good wife. When I was single my purpose was to enjoy my singlehood to the fullest. My purpose also changes when I change environments. Some things I'm solid on regardless of whom or what. I'm Earth. In all environments. But I don't insist on using my righteous name in all situations. To be perfectly honest.... I've never changed my name so Serenity can't cash a check. So there's that... My mom is old. She calls me what she calls me. It is what it is. My purpose when I'm with her is to be a good daughter and a good care taker. As the God's Earth, my purpose is to care for him and look after his needs. As an employee it is my purpose to meet the expectations of my job descriptions.... You your purpose is really dependent on your Cipher.

But still.... I'd like to find my life's personal pupose.


Peace

Cooperative Economics/Wisdom Born

Peace

What's the Science?
Kwanzaa Principle: Cooperative Economics
Today's Supreme Mathematics: Wisdom Born abbt Wisdom

Another Adult principle here..... Again, a family's finances are in the hands of the adults.

A co-op is defined as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. Sounds like Social Equality again does it not? People coming together for one common goal. In this case finances. Financial maintenance is always something that adults need to do, no matter how remarkable the child.

When I was 16, I got my 1st legit job at a clothing store. I really liked that job. But I didn't appreciate that I had to pay to cash my check. Woolworth's charged $5 flat rate to cash a check.... yes Woolworth's... google it.... I wanted ALL my money. Who wouldn't? Well I took my little $80 paycheck to the local bank to start an account. But guess what? My underaged self could not open a checking account on my own. Luckily my father's office was around the corner And he was there. I ran in there and asked him, “Daddy I need you to come with me and bring your wallet!” You had to know my dad to know how he would have responded. But he came and we ran around the corner and he backed my 1st bank account. Here is the thing. He, being an adult, knew how banks worked. He put me on my own account but linked me to his business that also held an account with that bank. He caught all the fees on my bank account. I can only guess at how the bank would have shafted me without my daddy.

And that is the essence of today's principle. We as a people have all we need to create our own Universe separate from the him/devil. If we would only trust each other. I know that is a hefty order. We don't trust each other and for good reason. WE are always looking for “hook ups.” You don't know how many of my personal friends want to come patronize the office where I work. I don't advise it. Not because I'm ashamed of the product we produce, but because I don't trust jokers to pay. They figure they can get a hook up from me... and they can't. I don't ask for hook ups... don't give them either.

When I used to go to church, I used to be a Steward. Which means in addition to looking after the pastor, his family, and the church we collected and counted the money on Sunday. A Destroy Power I was dating at the time used to want me to cash his personal checks on the money and “borrow” gold from the church's coffers. Wasn't his church. I would never do it and we stopped dating. Another dude looking for a hook up.

We also drank the Koolaid and have come to think of the products that WE make as inferior to him/devil. I do a lot of things.... When I'm in seamstress mode. Folks don't want to pay me for the same work they will pay the cleaners for. And I have to wonder why. I have been sewing 30 years. I make nearly everything I wear. Folks can't tell either. So clearly I know what I'm doing. But if I didn't have a day gig... Sewing wouldn't feed me.

I have just been using me as my examples. I am the best Knower of my life and situations. But we as a people need to put that slave mentality to bed once and for all. Because it's kind of crazy to patronize a business where all the employees are Original but the owner is devil and be cool with the product and service you receive but you wouldn't trust those same Original people without the overseer.

I was really encouraged by the push this year to support Black-owned businesses through the holidays. I wonder if folks really did only spend green with Black? Probably not. But it sounded good.

We could do it if we wanted to. There have been several instances of us in the past doing our own thing. There were Black Wall Streets and prospering all Black communities in states all over this country. Back in the Jim Crow era... and be mindful, JC Era wasn't that long ago. My 60+ year old coworker was old enough to participate in that whole separate-but-equal bullshit.... We HAD no other choice but to practice cooperative work with each other. But integration ended that. Black folks were free to take their money to the devil and did. Now the only Original businesses we still patronize are the hair salons/barber shops, funeral homes and churches. The other stuff has not real permanence. Non-Black people have taken over businesses that used to be ours.... When was the last time you saw a Black corner store? Or gas station? Or Liquor store? Even soul food is a front. Asians got that now. Hell, Asians are cheaper than the shade tree mechanics.

The reason why Black owned businesses have to charge more than the other folks is because we don't have access to the networks they do because we haven't developed them yet. Asian people have cornered the market on Beauty Supply Stores. Those stores cater to Black women. It would seem to reason that Black people would have a better Understanding of what our needs are. B.U.T. Asians have cornered the market on the stock. Black people cannot stock stores at the same prices as Asians can. And we will not pay $15 for a product that costs $5 in another store. It's crazy to even ask. I do my own nails... long story. But I go to Sally's to by my supplies. There is an Asian super store that sells nothing but nail products, but when I tried go there to get my supplies, no one wanted to help me and when I tried to interact with the staff, they refused to speak English to me. So I pay 5x as much for my stuff as I would in the Asian place... it's still cheaper than going to the nail salon.

With regard to Today's Supreme Mathematics, the power to make our desires into a reality lies in our own actions. If we want to see Black business prosper, them we have to support them. No matter how you feel about it, we are the only ones who will. And it's not that we don't have money, we make all the other folks rich, but for some reason we refuse to support Each other.


Peace

Collective Work & Responsibility: Wisdom Build/Destroy

Peace

What's the Science?
Kwanzaa Principle: Collective Work and Responsibility
Today's Supreme Mathematics: Wisdom Build abbt Knowledge

This is one of those adult principles. By and large.... Children don't work. If they are supporting a family... you have bigger problems than 7 days of Kwanzaa can fix. IJS.... This is also a reason why I say that all holidays shouldn't be focused around children. Yes babies are the greatest, but they aren't the only greatest. Adults are pretty awesome too.

Collective work and responsibility screams to me “I am my brother's keeper.” And it's true... to an extent. Also true is Proverbs 18:24, "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." which is ironic since I don't have many friends! But trust me, there is nothing more I hate than people in my business, but I get that in order for folks to have a community.... You must commune with others. If you have issues with something that's going on in your neighborhood, you probably can't fix it by yourself. You must have all the neighbors add on. Same as with a Nation. I know this is a foreign idea to a lot of Gods and Earths... But Nation includes more than just you and the way you Cee things. I get by the force of your will you can make folks do what you want, and/or effect change.... but how often can you do that? And that's not really a community as it is a dictatorship.

When I was a 14, my church was running a bus to Action Park. They wanted to leave at 10 am. It was 3 hours just 1 way! I knew they had to have the bus back by 6 so we would have to leave the park by 3. If we left at 10 that would only give us 3 hours in the water park. That was unacceptable to me. I worried the trip leader so much. I said we should leave at 7 am. Finally, he said if I could get all the people to the church by 7 we would leave then. Everybody was there by 6:45 including the bus driver and the pastor. Everybody but the trip leader. My mother called him because she thought something happened to him. he was always super prompt. He came right away. When we got to the park the leader held my face, looked me in the eye and shook his head. He didn't think I could persuade folks to be at the church that early. My mother actually woke him up when she called. He reminded me of that incident until he died. I still remember him saying, “Don't sleep on Angel. She will have exactly what she wants in this life.” So I get that 1 person can bend a community to their will. (Y'all thought I was gonna give a different example, didn't you....)

Even in the above example, I could not have pulled that off without the help of that community. My mother was scary and folks knew if I was calling she was on board. Once I convinced all the parties that it would be a waste of time, money and energy to only spend 3 ours in the park. No one lives on a island all by himself. No one could be successful like that despite what the movies say. Everybody ain't good at everything. Some folks are good at cooking, then they are the cooks. Others are good at hunting then they are the hunters. Some folks make the clothes and that's their job. In order for us to succeed as a community we must work as a community.

I look at all these preppers who are self sustainable but not interested in folks outside their families being part of their communities. Oh they will survive the apocalypse... for about 50 years. Unless they go all Xfiles.... But then their family will die off and eventually strangers will roll up on their homestead and live off all that which they put in play. It's a Universal law that things will work out a certain way. We can vary the route to the destination.. but the destination is always the same. No matter how much one strays from the plan, it's gonna work out how it works out. And one of the Universal laws is that humans are community beings and we have a responsibility to each other. It's how it works.

The bottom line is we aren't going to prosper as a group/species/Nation/etc if we can't learn to work together.

Take that how you want to....


Peace