Hospital Visits
February 28, 2010
I visited a relative at SGAH yesterday and was reminded of how much I HATE hospital visits. With hospitals being the epicenter of so much hurt, pain and suffering, I never understood why anyone would choose to be in the medical profession (my parents included).
A special THANK YOU to all Medical Personnel for your hard work and dedication…It is a labor of love….
Breaking News
February 28, 2010
News Junkie that I am, I subscribe to CNN’s Breaking News alerts (not that I watch CNN). Of late though, sometimes I would find myself pausing before reading those alerts.
With so much turmoil going on in the world today, I think that it’s about time that we start embracing our Faith; we never know what our Fate would be today, or tomorrow.
Akhenaton
Snow, and more snow, and MORE snow!
February 11, 2010
That’s pretty much the theme here in Washington for the last couple days; and I’m sick of it! Well unless there’s a huge snowball fight going on! 
Check out my video montage from the record-breaking Washington Blizzard.
Have you seen her?
October 21, 2009
Somer Rene Thompson
It always breaks my heart whenever I hear of a child missing. Somer Renee Thompson, 7 of Orange Park, FL was last seen on Monday, October 19 wearing a cranberry colored jumpsuit with pink-striped sleeves. She has brown hair which was in a pony tail at the time she went missing. Somer is 3’5″ and weighs 65 pounds.
The power of prayer, even by strangers has been proven for centuries. Please say a prayer for Somer, her family and those involved in the search for her.
Finally, and most importantly, if you have seen Somer or know about her whereabouts, please contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512 or call 911.
UPDATE: Two days almost to the hour after Somer Renee Thompson disappeared walking home from school, a body likely to be the first-grader’s was found Wednesday in a Georgia landfill. Read more
Flu Shot
October 9, 2009
Every year I skip getting the Seasonal Flu Vaccine because I hate needles. Okay, I do not just hate needles, I’m terrified of the PAIN that they inflict.
Today, I got my seasonal flu shot. The nurse promised no pain, just “slight pressure”. In my mind, I shouted “yea right!”.
So I sat in the chair, took a look at the needle, squinched and waited, stopped her in mid air and asked if she had the nasal mist version of the vaccine. She chuckled and said no.
So I waited for the excruciating, body-numbing pain and for the blood to start streaming down my right arm. Nothing happened. It was over before I knew it started. I’m so embarrassed.
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”- Eleanor Roosevelt
I’m Sorry
September 15, 2009
It’s hard to say I’m sorry, especially when you’re wrong isn’t it? A couple days ago I got upset with a Customer Service Rep with whom I was on the phone for about an hour.
After about 45 minutes, I figured out on my own what the problem was. The idiot, I mean, the helpful guy on the other end, even after I explained to him that the problem was hardware related and the (Vonage) device needed to be replaced (and I was right) wanted to do some more troubleshooting while I was placed on hold for 20 minutes. You’ve got to be kidding….right?! I let him have it.
After the dust settled, I felt badly about the way I spoke to him, but the words ‘I’m sorry’ just could not come out of my mouth.
With that in mind, I have to give credit to Joe Wilson, the ‘you lie’ Senator, Serena Williams, the angry Tennis player and Kanye West, the mic-grabbing idiot. They all apologized for their blunders. I have a lot of respect for them for that.
Vonage Customer Service Rep from India. Hopefully you still have your job; I’m sorry.
Akhenaton
Prisoner of…
September 5, 2009
Prisoner of FEAR HOPE
My personal belief is that life is best lived as a prisoner of hope than as a prisoner of fear. We tend to sometimes allow our fear of hurt or the hurt we have seen inflicted on others to rule or ruin our friendships and relationships.
There is nothing wrong with embracing life with fierce optimism. I strongly believe that to be happy, we must free ourselves of the need to be in control and from the tyranny of fear and procrastination and embrace hope. By giving in to fear, we often deny ourselves many opportunities, and by extension, many blessings. (Psalm 146:5)
We should be hopeful and not fearful of the future. Out of fear (of what we perceive would happen in the future), we should not make choices. We must, however, understand that the choices that we make now determine the quality of our future.
When we let go of fear and procrastination and embrace hope, our friendships, relationships and lives will be more meaningful, fruitful, longer lasting and peaceful. Today, embrace hope.
“God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Shubh Divali!
July 17, 2009
Today is Diwali, otherwise known as the (Hindu) Festival of Lights. I have fond memories of celebrating this festival when I lived in Trinidad & Tobago where it is a national holiday celebrated in different ways by people of most denominations.
Saving and except the Hindu Prayers (pujas) and other rituals done on this day, I would typically celebrate with friends and family. We would eat traditional Indian dishes including my favorite: curried chicken with aloo, pumpkin and paratha.
The most anticipated event on Diwali is the lighting of thousands of clay pots known as diyas after sundown.
Entire neighborhoods are transformed into art galleries where bamboo trees are cut and fashioned into intricate master pieces serving as ‘shelves’ for the diyas that decorate almost every open space including, but not limited to front yards and entire streets which are blocked off for the festivities.
Divali can best be described as the festival of celebrating light over darkness and truth where untruth prevails.
This is actually synonymous to what true Christianity represents! Christians are diyas in a world of darkness. Matthew 5:14 says that we are the light of the world; we are bearers of truth where untruth prevails as shown in Matthew 28:19 .
Today I celebrate the Festival of Lights in the context of what Christ commands us as Christians to be: lights in a world of darkness.
From the negro spiritual ‘this little light of mine’
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine… Won’t let Satan blow it out…Let it shine till Jesus comes…Hide it under a bushel- NO!…Let it shine all over the world…Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Writing…
June 5, 2009
The original intent of this blog was for open and honest discourse; a place where, without reserve, I would express my feelings on different issues. Inadvertently, or perhaps by intention, that objective changed when more and more people close to me discovered this blog.
There is so much to write about, conversely, there is so much that I do not write about. Many times I’ve felt like I’ve had to write with a bottle of white out nearby, blotting out anything that might offend.
If openness and honesty has to be censored, of what purpose then is this blog? Of what purpose is it to write if I censor myself based on my own preconceived notions of how others might react?
One person was wise to say that censorship in any form is the enemy of creativity; it cuts off the life blood of creativity: opinions. I am anxious about henceforth expressing my opinions with a greater degree of actuality. I preemptively beg for your patience, open-mindedness and forgiveness as I do so.
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Appreciating life’s journey through Cards
May 7, 2009
A few years of my life's journey are summed up in these Greeting Cards
While doing some Spring Cleaning today, I stumbled upon a stack of Greeting Cards I had been collecting from years past. There were cards for almost every season and occasion.
Later, I sat on my bedroom floor and pored over those cards, reading the notes written therein; some hilarious, others flattering, many sentimental. This took me about an hour. Each card was special in their own way; unique by color, shape and size, each person who sent them to me were also unique in their own way.
As I reflected on how these people impacted my life, I remember the saying that we so often get caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey, especially the goodness of the people we meet on the way.
I was so glad to have stumbled upon those cards. Tonight I felt a better appreciation for the journey that God has blessed me with.
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
The past couple weeks by numbers (and pictures)
May 5, 2009
Baby Rene's hand in mine
3
Time flies quickly when you’re having fun; doesn’t it? Well, that’s if all you do is eat, sleep, cry and poop. That’s my three month old baby cousin. I’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately. She is incredibly adorable. Incredibly so! Well, except when she poops. I have not, neither do I ever intend to clean her poop. I do not clean poop. Period. Period.
My feet in the water
2
How many feet are needed to go on a relaxing stroll on the beach? Two. A couple weeks ago, after church, I went to Sandy Point Beach Resort near Annapolis, Maryand. I was reminded then and there how being around water is so therapeutic. I had dinner the next day with a good friend on the waterfront in Washington, DC.
Miles...
487
487. That’s the number of miles I drove last weekend, that is running to and from church, meetings, errands and hanging out with friends and family. I love driving; driving when there’s little vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic and when the slow pokes are not in my left lane (yes, MY left lane).
Now in Lizard Heaven
2
Two. That’s how many days it took for that stinky reptile I found in my office 7 days ago to die. What did I use? Bug Spray! Who knew?! Now I feel a little bad. Note to PETA: I made several attempts to get him to voluntarily leave the office. And Animal Control did not show up. What’s a guy to do?
Reaction Cycling
550
550. That’s an average of how many Calories I burn during a 45 minute Reaction Cycling Class. I take Reaction Cycling four times a week. Love it! My legs hate it.
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Not a book review
March 16, 2009
I have to be honest; Christian Fiction or Christian Literature for that matter hardly finds it’s way to the top of my ‘have-to-read’ book list. I caved in, however, at the insistence of a fellow sports enthusiast (Go Wizards!) that ‘The Shack’ by William P. Young was an awesome book.
I concur; it was! BUT.
Little did I know, it was fate that lead me to reading ‘the Shack’. A few weeks after picking the book up at my local bookstore a cold January afternoon, I received a call that my best friend died in a vehicular accident. I was devastated.
At the risk of giving away the story of ‘the Shack’, the author told the story of the tragic loss of a daughter who’s father, because of this tragedy struggled to reconcile his relationship with God, or rather, who he thought God was. Understandingly, there was a profound sadness in his heart and like me, he was angry with God.
I would not delve further into the book because I’d rather that you read it yourself, but I would go as far as to say that it is a great read if circumstances in your life have created a rift in your relationship with God.
For me, it has helped, or rather, it is helping me put into perspective the tragic loss of my best friend, something that is difficult to do, but something that I am successfully doing. It is also helping me see God’s love and grace in this tragedy.
Sometimes I think about how the act of reluctantly picking up that book that cold winter afternoon was part of or the start of a journey that included my own tragedy, a shocking loss. Shocking was the loss, but more shocking perhaps was that I would have been able to so profoundly relate to the main character of ‘The Shack’. God set things in place, knowing that I needed that book, weeks before my own tragedy.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Visting the Vegetable Section
March 9, 2009
Today I took my uncle grocery-shopping. We spent a lot of time (25 minutes!) in the ‘vegetable section’ of the Supermarket. I cannot recount the last time I’ve been to the ‘Vegetable Section’; I personally think most vegetables (97%) are disgusting.
Grocery shopping for me typically involves going to the Health food section where I’d pick up (among other things) ‘healthy’ frozen dinners, granola bars, Green Tea and water.
Life as a bachelor rocks!
Christmas Message
December 25, 2008
By now you would have the chestnuts roasting on an open fire and Jack Frost might be nipping on your nose while you listen to Yuletide Carols.
It is almost impossible to miss out on the excitement that this season brings. I’ve always enjoyed Christmas time; it could never come soon enough each year.
I have fond memories of wildly tearing away the gift wrap of presents under the tree on Christmas night as a child, while in the corner of my eyes
looking on to see what my sister and brother got.
While I have always enjoyed the season, for others it can be a very stressful time. Christmas time means more traffic on the roads and longer lines at the checkout counter. For many, because of circumstances beyond their control, it would be just an ordinary day.
For many children around the world, that is what Christmas Day is; just an ordinary day. I have a soft spot in my heart for the families of the 450,000 killed in the Darfur Genocide and the 2.5 million more who have been displaced as a result of this.
Just in case you are not aware of them, I will like to introduce to you two organizations that I support that work on behalf of these
people. The first is Children International. Through them, I sponsor three beautiful children (pictured) from India , Ecuador and The Philippines.
I cannot express enough the joy that comes to my heart from receiving letters and progress reports from these kids, knowing that I am making a difference in their lives.
The Save Darfur Coalition has been working around the country and across the globe, inspiring action, raising awareness and speaking truth to power on behalf of the people of Darfur. They have also been working with world leaders, demanding an end to the Darfur Genocide.
The aforementioned is not for self-praise mind you. It is for the purpose of extending an invitation to you to join hands with me in making a difference in the lives of others this Christmas.
Christ himself said in Matthew 25:40 that “whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” I feel strongly that God expects us to use the blessings that He has given us to help the weak, the poor and the marginalized.
Let us forget not the gift given to us in that little town of Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago. The best way I believe, to remember that precious gift is to give the gift of the chance for a better life to another.
Below are the links to the organizations I mentioned that would afford you the opportunity to find out more about what they are doing and how you can join in.
Finally, I’m offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two; although its been said many times, many ways, God bless you and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
From my heart, to yours,
Akhenaton
