Chronicles of the Brown Black Fist: August 2016

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Adventures In Job Hunting

For those of you that have been following my blog, you KNOW that I am desperate to get the hell out of NYC, and move on to greener pastures. I recently had the opportunity to change my situation, and took the leap of faith...or, stupidity...to make that change.

Wrote a story about it. Wanna hear it? Well, a here it, here it goes....

I got a callback about two weeks ago for a job that I'd applied to that was out of state (Delaware). After a week of playing phone tag, we finally got into contact with each other, and held an initial phone interview. The phone interview went very well, and they asked me to come to the job in person for a followup interview. I was pretty excited about that, and made my plans to escape this wretched ass city, and make my way to Delaware for the interview.

Problem #1....
My bank account ended up closing up. I hadn't deposited any money in god knows how long, and since mothafuckas don't know how to buy a mothafuckin' book online, no money EVER got deposited in there. Buncha broke ass people always talking shit about supporting you, but yet you never SEE a goddamn dime out of they ass-....

I'm sorry...am I venting...?

Anyway....

Come hell or high water, I was going to make that damn interview! I was able to borrow money from one of my uncles, and a neighbor who is basically like a second mother to me. I wasn't even concerned with where the hell I was going to stay, or anything like that...I was GOING to make that blasted interview! I got the money together...packed a bag...and made my way to Greyhound that Friday morning of the interview.

Problem #2....
Greyhound sucks dick. They can suck mine at my most hardest, when I haven't showered for a week....after a heatwave. Nuccas wanna be on some new shit, charging tax. TAX! The fucking fare is $28 on your fucking website...HONOR THE DAMN PRICE!!!! With the tax, it was ONE DOLLAR more than what I had. Buncha bitch asses! I had to beg people for one fucking dollar just to get on the bus.

Fucking HATE Greyhound! I'll be fucking with the Chinese bus from now on.....when I get some cash flow again, that is...

So, I was able to get that extra dollar...pay for my fare...and just make my bus. We pulled out of the Port Authority at 9:45am. I was finally away from ratchet ass NYC, and on my way to Delaware for my job interview.

We made it to Delaware on time (noon). I exited the buss, and started to walk around. Since I had been doing online research about the city for a good year+, I had a fairly familiar sense of the city. I'd found the street that I needed to go to, and walked from the bus station to the job interview. Gotta say...it was a HOT one that day! Carrying around that heavy ass, big black bag was not fun! Suffice it to say, I made it to my interview, early and on time, and knocked it out the box. It felt good to know that my prior experience working in that field, and having done that particular job before (working food service in a hospital setting) actually puts me at the top of the candidates list. So, the interview goes well, I get a mini tour of the work area/department, and make my way out of the door.

Problem #3....
My interview was done, it was only about 3:30 in the afternoon...wtf am I gonna do now?! I have NO money...NO place to sleep...and NO return ticket to go back to NYC.

Shit...I'll just walk around, and explore. Their downtown scene is tiny as all fucking hell. Then again, I wasn't in that big of a city. After all, Delaware IS a small ass state. I found a lot of places that I was interested in looking for (colleges, landmarks, stores, organizations, businesses) with some of them being unfortunately closed at the time, or for the weekend.

So...what did I do afterward? I crashed at one of the local parks.....LITERALLY!!! Brother slept outdoors like a homeless person. Of course, I was a bit nervous and skeptical; I ain't trying to hear getting jacked by some young bucks while I'm in another city...FUCK THAT! Nighttime came...I found me a bench...propped up my bag...and brother got his snooze on.

Problem #4....
The next day (Saturday), I finished off the crackers that I'd brought with me to snack on for the bus trip. I was still wondering how the hell I was gonna get something to eat, and get my ass home (at least to be there for the job acceptance phone call), when I saw some parks department workers setting up a stage. They ended up having some sort of stop-the-violence rally IN THAT PARK, THAT DAY! I was able to get access to some free food and drink, so I didn't starve that day. I tried to get my hustle on, and sell a few copies of one of my book titles that I'd brought with me.

Got a bunch of interesting looks...but nobody bit. Ain't that some shit?!?! All I needed was TWO people to buy a copy so that I can hop on the Chinese bus to go home (saw where their office is down there); THREE people would've gotten me on Greyhound (buncha bitches), or on the Chinese bus with some added spending money. Ain't none of them broke ass bought a copy! FUCK that "good luck with your writing career" crap! BUY a mothafuckin' copy so that I can go home! Ya broke ass, nonreading ass, cheap ass, stingy ass bunch of-....

I'm sorry....am I venting again?

Anyway....

I ended up crashing at that park again Saturday night. I got up on Sunday morning, determined to get my ass home that day. I walked around to the YMCA, Salvation Army, and one or two other spots, and NONE of them could give me the money to get home, at least not until Monday. Not to mention that, none of their mu'fuckin' corner stores were fucking open! From around 7am to about 9am, I was looking around for a mf corner store, to try to get something to at least drink. I'd made my way back to that park where I'd slept at, not in the best of moods, when a minibus pulls up to the corner. The driver opens the door, and invites me to come with them to their church to hear the good word....and a free meal!

?!?!?!?!? Free meal?
Eff it...I'll put up with them Jesus freaks for a few hours for some free food. Brother was hungry!

I gave them a fake name (told them my name was John), went to their service, pretended that I actually cared, and got my grub on afterward. They weren't bad people at all; they actually offer other services as well, such as transitional housing, and job searching services. I was fortune to have met these people, especially because it ended up raining later that day. I would've been stuck outside, and WET! They helped me to get into a homeless shelter (at least for the night), where I was able to get some FOOD, take a SHOWER, and sleep in a BED for that night.

Honestly...I wouldn't wish that shelter on ANYBODY! That was a shelter for people who where primarily dope fiends. I was glad to shower, and have a bed for the night, but GOOOOOOD DAAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNNN!!!!

To wrap this up....I slept at the shelter that night....they pointed me in the right direction the next morning to get some help...FINALLY got some money in my pocket to buy a bus ticket (the Chinese Bus), and got my black ass back home to NYC on Monday. Honestly, I KNOW that it was the Creator and the ancestors watching over me. Too many good and fortunate things happened to me this weekend for it NOT to be the ancestors and Creator. I've been trying to grow more in the spiritual sense, and apparently I've been able to do that, and see the results this past weekend.

SO....

These were my Adventures In Job Hunting. I hope that you enjoyed this...and don't do the same stupid shit that I did. I hope that I get this job, though. I think I'll enjoy the city a bit more, and a lot better when I do. Send a prayer out for me! Or, sacrifice a chicken, or goat or something.....

This has been brought to you by the letter K...
The number 19, 20, 21, and 22,
....And my blog page.

PEACE!!!!!!

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Poets & Passion, A Carribean Literary Lime: Emancipated Voices

On August 3rd, the Caribbean Cultural Theatre presented their latest installment of their series "Poets & Passion, a Caribbean Literary Lime". The theme for this event was "Emancipated Voices", considering that this year marks 50 years that a number of the island have been free and independent. You were graced by the poetry and literary minds of Samantha Thornhill, Vladimir Lucien, and Tiphane Yanique, speaking on the campus of Medgar Evers College.

Since I don't live too far from the campus, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the event. It was well attended, and the speakers DID NOT disappoint. All of them read from their respective books of poetry, and we were graced with a short panel discussion and Q&A afterward. Their individual works were all available for sale at the event, both before and after they spoke. Having been a featured panelist/participant in a past Lime, I needed to come out and support my fellow writers/artists. Plus, I have not been able to enjoy myself as of late, and felt the need to come out, and have my face seen. It was also good, because I got to see a few people that I haven't seen in a while, due to my financial struggles.

I hope to be able to make it out to more events like this. I'm still plugging away with the promotion of my own works, as well as focusing on relocating. If I'm not going to be appreciated here in NYC, might as well find someplace else where my work will be. ANYTHING is better than struggling like this.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic-- 1-Year Publishing Anniversary

**For Immediate Release**

Brooklyn, Ny--In August 2016, author/activist Kevin Alberto Sabio celebrates the 1-year publishing anniversary of his SIXTH book "Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic" (Draft2Digital, 2015). A poetry eBook collection, with this publication you get to witness the depths of an artistic mind, and an activist's soul. Whether speaking in verse about revolution, spittin' street level rhymes and verses, or waxing poetic to the object of his affections, Spittin' Lyrics has a little something for everyone.

Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic is available exclusively in eBook format only. You can download the book through carriers such as Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, Page Foundry, Scribd, and 24Symbols. Digital ARCs (Advanced Review Copies) are available in PDF format for review purposes. Please help to support Mr. Sabio's work, and help to spread the word.

KEVIN ALBERTO SABIO is an author and activist, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is the youngest child of Honduran Garifuna parents. He is the founder of the Universal Africana Literary Arts Movement. He is the author of SEVEN published books of fiction and nonfiction.

Keep the fist raised,

Kevin Alberto Sabio

Author/activist

www.brownblackfistchronicles.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinSabio

Brownblackfist.book@gmail.com