What's New in 2011

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode

  Hola Brothers and Sisters!!! It is an absolute pleasure to be with for the first time in this brand new year!!!! I haven't updated this darn blog since October but in my absence, surprisingly, my audience has grown! My daily hits have been astronomical and I thank you all for viewing! Next time I would like you to leave a quick comment because I love to hear your feedback, whether positive or negative, and I love a good ole debate.

2011 has started off well for me and I hope it has been great for you. I'm not one to do the New Year's resolution thing. I feel you should out a realistic plan in action and be disciplined all the time in whatever your goals are. Last year around this time I actually put some real goals on paper and they came to pass for me, so this year I'm setting my sights even higher.

Let me tell you a quick story. My biggest dream EVER has been to have my own radio show. I've known that since I was probably 8. The aspirations to be Mike Jordan have come and gone. The aspirations to be the first Black President have faded away, but that everlasting hunger to voice my thoughts to the world abroad still remains. Hence why I started this blog. Anyhoo, so when I graduated high school I went directly to the Air Force. While there, I had an grand opportunity to audition for an anchor spot for the Air Force news. I was giddy and excited and I ran at the opportunity! The day came and I went into the room with this very nice lady. She handed me a script and asked me to read. I did so. No rehearsal, no practice. I felt I did decent but she didn't agree. Her evaluation of me has stuck with me everyday of my life for the past 7 years: "You have a southern drawl that can't be corrected". Say what? I beg your pardon? I was crushed. Not only was my little ego crushed, but my dream was crushed. Here is an expert in the field (as far as I knew) telling me that my geographical dialect would stop the future Damien Thaddeus Jones show. I believed her. I came back down to Earth and stopped dreaming. I was too country. But I will add to that, everybody that knows me, even before then, know that I specifically worked on my grammar so people wouldn't know I was from the South by talking to me. Guess I didn't fool her.

While on leave the next year, I went home to visit a friend. Her grandfather, a media mogul in the southern US, and his wonderful wife have run a dynamic radio station for many years. He didn't know me well. We had met maybe once or twice and I was just some bumbling fool chasing his granddaughter. I didn't stand out to him, but I always admired him and still do because he is a brutally honest and successful black businessman. He doesn't take any shit from anybody.

So I'm talking to the old man. He asks me a few questions about my future. I tell him about my dream crushing encounter. The old man looks me square in the eyes and tells me something that has stuck with me since that day 5 years ago: "Young man, don't you ever let anybody, especially these white folks, tell you what you can't do. If that's what you want to do, do it!" Wow. Thanks old wise man. I really needed that. I needed to hear that. His words pointed me to the final lines in the masterful poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley:

"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

In 2010, I released a lot of demons and embraced the fact that I'm a Jesus loving free black man. Now its time to go to the next level. In 2011, I'm making my dreams come true. I'm going to start my radio show entitled "The Damien Thaddeus Show". It doesn't seem like a lot to you and it won't hit the airwaves with a huge bang, but it means the world to me and my evolution. Many folk die and never live their dreams. Well, I won't be one of those people.

The aim of my show is to get young progressive voices heard that are frustrated with good ole boy politics in this country and are on the verge of giving up hope. I'm young so I'm reaching out to the young demographic. I want to reach out to the hopeless minorities that feel the government doesn't care about them. I want to energize the young people to take ownership of the direction of our country. And we can change America and this world, one issue at at time. I'm very excited and I hope you guys will support us in this venture. The first show will air between March and June of 2011. A great deal of planning and meetings are required to present a good product for the masses. If any of you need a platform to express your views, ideas, events, projects, philosophy, or if you just want to have rich dialogue with brilliant minds on the issues of the day, we would be glad to have you. Email me at damienthaddeus@yahoo.com and share what you want to tell the people and we may choose you to be a guest on the show. Please stay tuned for updates on the show. We are striving for greatness!