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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Dear Hannah: Sing A Song (Rhyme-In-Time Demo)


 
Dear Hannah,

You can make a whole new song - that speaks to our present-day plight - out of song & movie titles from albums & CDs that you have "sitting in the crates".

Let's give it a try ...

Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!

Selection


Selection

"Sing A Song" (Rhyme-In-Time Demo)
By Derrick Brown
12-19-2016

12 years a slave
but now I'm free

gotta believe in
the mystery

'cause history
will teach us nothin'

'cause y'all always
wanna be startin' somethin'

c - i'm not fooled
so easily

but uhh ... err uhhh ...

don't believe the hype
they still foolin' us

here i go again
retoolin' us

this masquerade
is rulin' us

that same old song
is schoolin' us

better shop around
for a new deal

higher ground
can-i-get-a refill?

be still
my beating heart

because

i can't go for that
no can do

can't stand the rain
joy and pain

back
jack
do it again

don't know much
but i know that ...

ain't nobody
come together

fight the power
for the longest time

don't stop believin'
give me the reason

fly like an eagle
against the wind

change the world
and never stop

respect yourself
keep risin' to the top

when the world
is running down,

you make the best
of what's still around

'cause we are spirits
in the material world

and spirit boy
don't need material girl

message in a
bottle yea

you are not alone
at being alone

get up, stand up
do the right thing

no waiting
comtemplating

hangin' on a string

wrapped around your finger

if i ruled the world
i can only imagine

one nation under a groove

with a mothership connection
knee deep

in chocolate city revolution
resolution

on and on
from my window seat

flying high in the
friendly skies

it's gonna take a miracle
but faithfully

I heard it
through the grapevine

that we don't need
another hero

in the midnight hour

for the love of money
got us goin' in circles

got to give it up, y'all

when a stubborn
kind of fella

realizes that he's
a trouble man

a change is gonna come

have you ever
seen the rain?

well here comes
the rain again

purple rain

i'll be doggone
ain't that peculiar

history will teach (us nothing)

... but mistakes will

oops - i did it again

oops upside ya head

what a fool believes

is that pigs fly
when doves cry

and that smooth operators
don't know much

... and don't need to

you don't know my name

or the other side of the game

but lessons learned

break every chain

chain of fools ...


Love,

Daddy


Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Dear Hannah: The Formula


 
Dear Hannah,

Our world has ...

  • more urgency
  • less strategy
  • more shortcuts
  • less patience
  • more information
  • less wisdom

... because cats are quick to cut you off and say "spare me all these details, man ... just tell me what I need to know."

Alright ... here's what they need to know ...


Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!


Selection


Selection

"The Formula (U Can't C Me - The Remix)"
By Derrick Brown
12-13-2016

songs in the
key of life
impart

wisdom
earned
lessons
learned

mistakes
taken
to
heart

dog chase tail
look real busy

forecast says
kind of dizzy

get there early
stay there late

fall down seven
get up eight

one time - accident
two times - trend

three times - problem
fix that, friend

run your race
keep the pace

keep your lane
keep your space

stay aligned
on your grind

eyes wide shut
no rewind

slow & steady
nice & smoove

homework done
make your move

moments matter
realize

take your shot
recognize

behind the scenes
pay your dues

sharpen all
the gifts you use

write it down
then go do it

pray - then add
some thinking to it

all that glitters
is not gold

eyes wide shut
no blindfold

all that wealth
ain't good wealth

live through giving
guard your health

BREAK (4 Bars)

fear is courage
disobey

rock that boat
anyway

keep your quiet
till time to say

speak your peace
the right way

freedom of speech
come correct

quick to listen
quick respect

slow to speak
don't get loud

meek ain't weak
move the crowd

know that you
don't know much

always keep your
human touch

pick your spot
papa don't preach

when student ready
teacher will teach

when faced with fools
let that go

but sometimes
let them know

teach your child
teach them well

lessons learned
time will tell

help them grow
quell rambunction

equal spirits
different functions

good deeds meet
great reward

patience though
on toward (Phil 3:14)


Love,

Daddy


U Can't C Me (November 2012)

People just can't see me
But God they can't see you
You see all, you know all
Your every Word is true

So if they never see me
I’ll help them to see You
Through thoughts, words and actions
Patience, honor, faith and virtue

My life is but an instrument
Singing songs in many keys
Wisdom earned through lessons learned
From mistakes of several degrees

Do not mistake activity for achievement
Arriving on time means you're late
To be on time arrive early
Fall seven times - get up eight

One time is an accident
Two times is a trend
Three times might be a problem
But forgiveness is your friend

The race is not to the swift
But to the ones who maintain
So stay aligned on your grind
And stay in your own lane

Keep it slow and steady
That's it - nice and smoove
Always do your homework
Believe that God will approve

Every moment matters
You had better realize
Then you can quickly respond
To opportunities that you recognize

Don't despise the small tasks
Pursue them diligently
For passion and purpose are discovered
Through acts of ministry

Keep a pad and paper
And a nearby pen of ink
Write your visions plainly
Make time to pray and think

Don't believe the hype
Avoid the glittery and bejeweled
When we think with our eyes
We are often easily fooled

All money ain't good money
Sometimes less is more
Make a living through your giving
Learn to turn two into four

Your fear is your only courage
Be scared to disobey
Be scared to rock that boat
But sometimes rock it anyway

Know how to keep your quiet
Until it's time to say
If your heart ain't feelin' right
Then say it another day

Freedom of speech
Means come correct
Be quick to listen
Be quicker to respect

Be slow to speak
Even slower to get twisted
Meek ain't weak
Self-control beats double-fisted

The only thing to know
Is that you don't know squat
Nobody cares what you know
If they think you care not

So pick your spot
Practice - don't preach
When the student is ready
The teacher will teach

If faced with a fool
Proverbs 26 - verses 5 and 4
Sometimes you can let it go
Sometimes you gotta let em know

Train your child with loving instruction
Encourage growth, but discourage rambunction
Know you are equal in essence
But very different in function

No good deed goes unrewarded
But the payoff is seldom immediate
Dreams manifest at God's appointed time
Though it tarries, wait for it




Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Dear Hannah: Issues


 
Dear Hannah,

Sometimes the cause masks the agenda.

Sometimes the cause masks our issues.

   
Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!


Selection


Selection

"Issues"
By Derrick Brown
November 28, 2016

a fool
decrees

crowd
agrees

phantom victories
phony guarantees

odd activities
inefficiencies

new hostilities
liabilities

inabilities
few contingencies

rogue agencies
insurgencies

inconsistencies
false urgencies

inequalities
insecurities

see litanies
weak ministries

business industries
stackin the monies

new epitomes
old epiphanies

bitter memories
spirit not at ease

keep away from these
kinda wannabees

new analyses
from my knees

oh God please
show me keys

help me sneeze
fight disease

man forsees
and fancies

fantasies
potpurris

of ladies
adorees

employees
and trainees

nominees
honorees

fake degrees
mercedes

invitees
fly parties

shopping sprees
lots of cheese

BREAK (4 Bars)

let me clear my throat

You made trees
and the breeze

and the bees
and the seas

Sadducees
Pharisees

Rwandese
Sudanese

Taiwanese
and Chinese

Japanese
Portugese

Lebanese
and Belize

Tennesee's
Angeles (LA)

Hawaii's
Cherokees

a.b.c.'s
n.b.c's

King Ramses
Socrates

Dave Ortiz
'Licia Keys

Jim Kelly's
and Bruce Lees

g.o.p.'s
real o.g.'s

board trustees
legalese

middle class
bourgeoisies

triangle
isoceles

symmetries
symphonies

commas and
parentheses

Real McCoy
unlikelies

Goliaths
and pee-wees

libraries
and t.v.'s

old L.P.'s
and CD's

prisoners
parolees

ballers and
referees

sympathies
empathies

dignities
chivalries

eulogies
trilogies

infancies
infantries

I's and me's
us and thee's

he's and she's
them's and we's

faculties
pedigrees

abilities
expertise

energies
synergies


Love,

Daddy





Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Dear Hannah: The Matrix


 
Dear Hannah,

Segments of our society are marginalized because of their knowledge.

They see and say an uncomfortable truth about how we sometimes get in our own way.


Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!

Selection


Selection

"The Matrix"
By Derrick Brown
November 17, 2016

those who tell don't know
those who know don't tell

miss me, bro
with that, yo

everything is well

lights, camera, action
addition by subtraction

if they know
let em go

label them a faction

treat em like a fraction
give 'em no traction

okey doke
whinny folk

major distraction

from visions we hail
skip all that detail

point of view
work unto

yep - without fail

'cause an enemy
is a remedy

heroes come
save the day

and our destiny

yep - and still we rise
eyes are on the prize

we will win
triumph then

y'all gon realize

we the first kind
legend in our mind

yes indeed
we decreed

we have been assigned

we on that no doze
5-hour energy

too legit
never quit

we're building synergy

like-minded crew
no one but me and you

if you're in
come on then

and begin anew

dropped all that dead weight
we pushing major freight

same story
different day

that's alright - we straight

it goes on and on
y'all won't ever learn

pied piper
barney fife

y'all have no concern

and you have no power
but doin' all the work

while them truth
tellin' fools

bout to go beserk

they can't see me though
been through it all before

isolate
then just wait

they'll be out the door


Love,

Daddy





Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Dear Hannah: Old School


 
Dear Hannah,

"Culture" and "tradition" are often misnomers for "this is how we do it, and it ain't changing."

Everything must change, though - and STAY changed.


Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!

Selection
Selection


"Old School"
By Derrick Brown
November 16, 2016

said we need a change
time for somethin 'new

night of prayer
fresh air

now we ready
boo

print the billboards
know what they should say?

"much ado,
bid adieu

to the old
school way"

comin in strong
and leavin no doubt

now it's on
word is bond

what you talm bout?

man we need a crew
couple or a few

seldom heard
never seen

pepper in the stew

get that flavor right
get that game tight

then ignore
every chore

act like it's alright

never own the sleight
be a mighty mite

till they dip
then we'll trip

bury them in spite

kinda wrote a check
that we couldn't cash

upside down
smiley frown

yo - we bout to crash

what about that stash?
need 'em in a flash

recruit anew
say we grew

always keep a cache

burning energy
but the lights still on

hangin in
wafer-thin

till the break of dawn

it goes on and on
got to keep busy

same trail
off rail

that poor dog is dizzy

tryin to catch his tail
he'll succeed and fail

right church
wrong pew

might be time to bail

find a better hustle
find some better muscle

punch drunk
no punk

prepared to tussle

but the battle yo
is with my pride tho

overtold
oversold

tickets to this show

time to fall back
time to rethink

next round
will we sing?

or just lip sync?



Love,

Daddy





Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Dear Hannah: Power


 
Dear Hannah,

Power is the ability to work efficiently - that is, via wise and skillful use of resources, interests, communication, and expertise.

In our world, power is confused with authority.

Those in authority have the *right* to exercise power, and the *responsibility* to exercise it on behalf of people.

When power is instead exercised *against* people, it will be taken away.

When power is exercised *on behalf of* people, it will be multiplied.


Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!

Selection

Selection

"Power"
By Derrick Brown
November 15, 2016

tradition
and change

the exchange
sounds kinda strange

but status quo
wasn't always so

something had to come
something had to grow

someone had to know
how to make it so

how to aim high
how to lay em low

how to handle foe
how to take a blow

how to stow & go
how to stitch & sew

how to cut & mow
how to swim & row

how to handle woe
how to handle "doh"!

how to handle dough
how to never owe

how to do it slow
... be thorough

how to ebb & flow
how to give a show

how to tell 'em "whoa"
how to tell 'em "no"

how to tell 'em "yo"
tell 'em like a pro

how to shovel snow
how to eat crow

real long time ago
... got the memo

that I don't know
... and was solo

couldn't say "hello"
... and would tiptoe

... and would no-show
... and would borrow

gifts all in escrow
... effort hollow

... average below
quick to veto

changed up my tempo
my m.o.

my workflow
learned to bestow

ordered up a combo
... of my cargo

gifts - presto!
greasy elbow

knowledge primo
verbal ammo

... verbal judo
memory photo

think macro
... think micro

reading rainbow
silver shadow

got up on tableau
was like "uh-oh"

map the metro
city borough

got a new gizmo
and it's good, bo!

robbie crusoe
mission juno

got me a trio
no joe schmoe

no clouseau
no mo uno

no mo friendly foe
bye, bozo

jokers had to go
like soul glo

got a new stylo
and some gusto

and some cashflow
not the lotto

soothe like aloe
nice jazz flow

smooth audio
on the radio

spit like a griot
right ratio

Garry Trudeau
good promo

write like Cicero
no politico

humble ego
no plateau

move like a maestro
or a backhoe

not finished, though
with the bio


Love,

Daddy





Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Dear Hannah: Self-Control


 
Dear Hannah,

Our world has 7 institutions that influence thoughts, decisions, and actions ...

  1. Religion
  2. Medicine
  3. Government
  4. Education
  5. Family
  6. Arts / Entertainment
  7. Media

Each has the capacity to uplift and empower through ministry - or to undermine and control through arrogance, its root - ignorance, distractions, and economic dependence.

Don't get it twisted.

We have to keep each institution honest, accountable, and true to the game by following the rules of self-control ...


Support Our Work - Buy This Song (SEE BELOW)!


Selection


Selection
"Self-Control"
By Derrick Brown
November 13, 2016

RULE #1

education
begins

finish school
retool

learn
unlearn

relearn
discern ...

causes
agendas

contenders
pretenders

investors
free spenders

borrowers
lenders

purpose
ambition

failure
fruition

friends
fans

ideas
plans

dreams
schemes

what is
what seems

true lies
wise guys

dogma
compromise

passion
obsession

assertion
aggression

preference
law

another chance?
last straw

band-aid
cure

confident
insecure

pass the buck
resolve

stay the same
evolve

RULE #2

stay focused
aware

on point
in prayer

avoid
annoyed

frustrated
paranoid

iphone
android

facebook
thought void

opinions
know-it-alls

enthralls
eyeballs

invites
pitfalls

behind
eight-balls

distracts
mole "whacks"

detracts
human contacts

contracts
human interacts

subtracts
human impacts

with "facts"
and syntax

compacts
earwax

quarterbacks
racetracks

cadillacs
greenbacks

listen quick
speak slow

look high
look low

think macro
think micro

smart cats
never "know"

RULE #3

advance
finance

to change
circumstance

plan high
live low

save quick
spend slow

work wages
are cages

engages
enrages

take ages
of stages

plan well
on pages

ideas
intellect

innovation
self-respect

ego
self-checked

complete
each project

connect
each aspect

inspect
expect

dissect
detect

correct
defect

perfect
erect

protect
insect

deflect
reject

effect
direct

profess
success

assess
progress

address
digress

prevent
regress

introspect
confess

process
don't guess

avoid
excess

provide
access



Love,

Daddy





Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Dear Hannah: Fight The Good Fight (Anger Is A Leadership Trait)


 
Dear Hannah,

Anger is a leadership trait that can motivate strategic action & resolution if I do not become "too" angry (so angry that I cannot pray, think, learn, grow, and "go").

Why am I angry?

  1. I have rigid, exacting standards.
  2. My standard is not "the" standard.
  3. Equality requires both opportunity and circumstance.
  4. People are combinations of essence *and* function.
  5. People are equal in essence, but different in function.
  6. Mismanagement (and inequality) results when people are treated like functions.
  7. I dislike "people" and "project" mismanagement. I also dislike inequality.
  8. "People" and "Project" mismanagement /  inequality are synonymous.
  9. "People" and "Project" mismanagement /  inequality in a racial reconciliation ministry is painful.

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Selection

Selection



Hyperlink2 (12-7-2016)
Duration
9 minutes 5 seconds
6 minutes 31 seconds
2 minutes 42 seconds
3 minutes 29 seconds
4 minutes 6 seconds
5 minutes 14 seconds
2 minutes 44 seconds
2 minutes 52 seconds
15 minutes 41 seconds
4 minutes 51 seconds
4 minutes 13 seconds
2 minutes 54 seconds
5 minutes 6 seconds
4 minutes 44 seconds
11 minutes 50 seconds
5 minutes 36 seconds
3 minutes 17 seconds
1 minutes 33 seconds
8 minutes 21 seconds
4 minutes 37 seconds
7 minutes 0 seconds
7 minutes 11 seconds


Epilogue (December 22, 2016)

  1. I have helped "build" 6 organizations in my lifetime. The ones that have survived the longest are the ones whose culture I helped to create, control, and maintain.
  2. Oversimplification / Exaggeration (underestimating and demonizing "details" - and the people who respect them) exacerbates and exonerates "people" and "project" mismanagement / inequality. 
  3. I dislike "people" and "project" mismanagement. I also dislike inequality.
  4. "People" and "Project" mismanagement /  inequality are synonymous.
  5. I experience "People" and "Project" mismanagement /  inequality from almost everyone in the orgs I have helped to build.
  6. Perhaps people are not cognizant of mismanagement / inequality (and are subsequently less likely to fight against it) because they also emulate the same culture that oppresses them.


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Selection

Selection
 

Epilogue 2 (January 14, 2017)
  1. Civil discourse between dissenters promotes growth.
  2. Discern collaborators from customers (from "hustlers" and "musclers").

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Selection



Love,

Daddy





Copyright © 2016 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


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