I would like to share a video talk that I recently prepared for MRDS anniversary. Men Run Deez Streets (MRDS) just recently celebrated it’s five year anniversary. I was asked to give a talk, and I would like to share my video talk this week. I had to take my own advice as I am recovering from an ankle injury . Some information on MRDS- MRDS is an organization that was started in Chicago, but not five years later has national roots. The organization inspires men of color to make running a consistent lifestyle.
After I got over the shock of the movie, I had to reevaluate the newest film. The fact that half of the Avengers are dead including the Black Panther. The fact that Wakanda is destroyed, and it seems like the villain won. After I made peace with that, I had to deep deep. I am a glass half fulled type of person. So this is my list. Please tell me what you that of the newest movie.
I love everything Marvel so of course I love this one
Shuri shows up with her most intelligent self proving she maybe the smartest person in the universe. She just needed more time to retrieve the infinity mine stone from Vision without killing him.
I love Tony Spark one-liners I laughed so much at the beginning of the movie, that my abs were hurting
I get excited when I see Dr. Strange make circles with his hand and sparkle show up and he can enter another dimension. (Yes, I am a child at heart)
We return to Wakanda and the “marvel” that it is. I see the characters I loved M’Baku, Okoye, and of course King T’Challa
Thor gets his eye back, I was not feeling the patch, although it made him look like his Dad
I really love Captain Rogers and the new look. The beard, the black suit, and the black shield.
Bucky is cured so it seems, and he has a new Vibranium arm
Scarlet Witch and Vision found love so it seems until the Black Order comes to retrieve the mind stone
Although things seem grime at the end, Thanos can’t win like this. I was waiting for the post-credit scene to give me some hope. For one we all know there is another Spider Man movie, and Black Panther movie coming out. They can’t stay dead. Like when SuperMan died in Batman versus Superman. I knew he was not dead/dead. So something has to happen to bring people back. At least some of the Avengers back. Well, we have to wait another year, before we know. I think Captain Marvel will have something to do with the beat down of Thanos. She will be introduced next year. Thanks to my brother for the actual comic intel.
While cycling is a relatively new hobby for me, I love it. It is quite challenging. I had the pleasure of traveling with some friends from my local cycling group, Major Taylor to Tucson Arizona. It was quite the adventure. Honestly if I had known what I was signing up for, I might have not gone. I live in Chicago which is relatively flat. This was a climbing cycling trip. The first day as we were climbing, climbing, and climbing I had to reevaluate my life’s goals. I had to literally talk to myself to calm myself down. I was screaming this is crazy, this is not what I would call fun.
The second day the plan was to climb a mountain. I asked what are we doing. I was told we would be climbing Mount Lemon. There was reports of snow on top of the mountain so all I envisioned is us ride straight up a step hill on my bike into snow. I thought “What kind of madness is this”
So we ride fifteen to twenty minutes to actually get to the mountain. I think this is not what I imagined. It was winding roads not a straight incline. We also would not be going to the top of the mountain with the snow/ice. I took one of my friends advice and sang and pedaled. I put my bike in the easier gear possible. Sometime I learned the previous day, struggling with the climb. Thank God for Norma who was an angel sent from heave to help this new cyclist and a few others. I song “Pray For Me” from Black Panther sound track. I had been listening to that album since before movie was release and it was the first thing that came to mind. I kept pedaling, and singing while it was difficult it was not impossible. The sites were beautiful. I made a few stops along the way. I was climbing a mountain. I climbed up for thirty-five minutes then started the descent. We had to meet back at a certain time, and I was happy with my climb. The descent was so much fun, although the speed did make me nervous. The cars on my left more so. It was a great rush. You see I have a need for speed. I strive to run faster, ski faster, bike faster. Cycling down a mountain was quite a rush. I had made it up, and back down in one piece I was beyond happy.
Life Lessons Learned on that trip
Fear is false evidence appearing real. What I had feared in my mind, had nothing to do with what I actually experienced. That fear almost kept me from trying to climb the mountain, and I would have missed a breath taking experience
Hard times in life are like the climbs. Life can be uncertain, a challenge, hard work. Those hard times can have you reconsidering goals/aspirations in life. God often sends us help along the way during those times. My angel Norma, and Dian who told me about singing help me make it through.
The fun time are like the descent. The climb(hard times) make you appreciate the fun/joy or the good timse. If you stop/quit during the climb you never will experience the rush of the descent.
My hobbies are my life line, they help me with the rest of this thing called life
I could actually give more reasons, as I absolutely LOVED the movie.
1- Ok first I am a women and let me start with the black men in the movie. Let me start with Chadwick Boseman-King T’Challa the Black Panther is not my usual type, but he has so much swag. His walk, and the accent just do something for me. While Erik or Killmonger is the villain. When he took off his shirt when he was about to battle T-Challa I almost fainted. The scars made it more appealing for some reason. Also Winston Duke who plays M’ Buku with his 6.4 barking self, was a pleasant surprise. I would climb him any day
2- The women are bad asses. My favorite is Oyoke. She is beautiful, bold, confident, strong, and does not taking anything from anyone. She rocks her natural short cut. The scene when she could not bear wearing her wig any longer made me smile. She wanted to be true to who she was, not that I have any issues with wigs or weave. Although I think back to a personal experience of mine. I was about to take my Orthopedic Oral Boards, and I had a natural hair style. My profession is predominantly a white male professional. I was concerned that my hair, might weigh against me. I purchased a wig. As I practicing my case presentation the hair was distracting I was not use to it. So I decided to just with my usually hair style. I prayed that my knowledge and my presentation would be good enough. It was and I passed.
I also love Nakia. She left her man T’Challa live out her passion. I desire to help those less fortunate. She followed her dreams and not a man. She also was instrumental in saving T’Challa, T’Challa’s mother, Shuri, when Erik overthrew the throne. Shuri the genius who make Wakanda the innovative place that is was. When I saw the pictures of the CIA agents spine- they actually showed the vertebrae-I was in STEM heaven. Share was beautiful with brains too. Women were not seen as just objects. They were vital in the movie
3. I am a Marvel fan, and love all things Marvel so I knew I would love Black Panther. I have seen all the movies, and all the Netflix series. I have seen most of the movies multiple times. I watched Captain America Civil War before and after the movie so I could remember and link the storylines as that is when Black Panther was introduced. Marvel did not disappoint. It actually exceeded my expectations.
4. I have seen some criticism regarding church- titles and people going to a movie but can’t go to church. Ridiculous argument to me. I saw several themes which are relevant in the bible. One being good versus evil. I thought of the story of Cain and Abel. Cain who killed his brother Abel due to hate, and jealous. I thought of Isaac and Ishmael. The chosen one verus the one Sarah arranged because they did not wait on God. I saw Jacob and Esau and how Esau was robbed of his birthright. I know T’Challa and Erick are cousins but there was a similar theme.
5. I love the fact the movie is unapologetically black. It represented a Utopia of the Motherland had it not been overtaken by colonization. It represented African American and Africans. One of my friends almost cried because they had several African dialects/languages represented in the movie. This was the first big screen movie where we are portrayed a Superhero – The Black Panther. We were intelligent t, innovative, wealthy, with more resources than anyone else the world. It truly was a black Utopia
6. If also addressed some of Black society woes. The story starts in Compton. It address the ones who have overcome so to speak versus the less fortunate and the conflict between the two. Erik while motivated by hate, wanted to take back what have been taken by colonization, slavery. He also wanted to kill everyone who had hurt him in the process. It affirms that there is no easy solution to the problems that face Black people as a whole. I love the way it take a fictional place, but relates it to present day
7. I love the way the Bruhs- The Ques were represented in the movie. When M’Baki and the men of the Jabari tribe came to fight Erick and I heard the barking. I thought I would see some hops. They truly represented the Bruhs to me.
8. The attire from the premies to people all over the world who attended Black Panther. The outfits were breath taking. I especially loved seeing all the children dressed as well.
9. From the ultimate success of the movie, there will be a Black Panther II, where we can learn more about Wakanda. I can’t wait although I am sure if will be at least two years away.
10.The Post Credit scene only got me more excited for the next Marvel adventure. Also the fact that I don’t have to wait another year is a bonus. Avengers Infinity War will be out in May.
I took two trips to Wakanda and will plan my 3D get away this week.
