May your love not go unnoticed...

may you receive the love you deserve...

Happy Valentine's Day.

Yesterday evening I took the family to see the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It was opening night/family night at the Fox Theatre and the place was packed. A record 4,200 were in attendance not only to see the first performance of a 4 day run here in the ATL, but also to witness history in the making --- 50 years of Revelations (the show's finale) and the last run of Judith Jamison, the heralded artistic director of the troupe after Alvin Ailey himself. She is retiring this year.

As my daughter bounced about on my lap, my wife sat beside me smiling and moving in her seat, and my son sat there begrudgingly appreciating the dancer's energy, I was reminded of my own past.

I've been going to see the Alvin Ailey Dancers since before I high school. I can't remember the exact why and how of it, but I know it was a school based activity that became an annual past-time for me up through high school. I've never had any qualms about men in tights. I think I was always to rapt with thoughts of "How are they holding themselves (or their partners) like that?" and "Damn, that dude is ripped." Because just in case you didn't know dancers are some of the most sculpted people walking the planet, right up there with gymnasts and swimmers. Watching them makes the average grunting gym rat feel silly for putting in so much time pumping iron while these people simply move their bodies with absolute precision and wind up looking like superheroes. This includes the women also.

As I watched I couldn't help but think back fondly on my own childhood being reared to know most if not all who preceded me. Inventors, artists, scientists, all lined the walls of my home. One of my uncle's was nationally renowned in the arts --- a sculptor, painter, and photographer. He actually designed the logo for the United Negro College Fund, something I never knew until his passing.

365 Days of Black History
Back then many were raised with the idea that there was more to life than being a professional athlete or a rapper. The influence of pop media culture didn't drown out the rule and final say of parents. It didn't even exist not too long ago. And for the kids who were being reared this way, we believed what we were being told. One of the best basketball players I knew growing up is a successful doctor in Chicago. One of the fastest track athletes who I had the agony of running alongside in high school is an architect. I took a liking to inventors and to this day I know who invented what, regardless of whether they got credit for it or not in a school text book. My father saw to it that I was informed. Black History Month was a formality, a highlighted 28 days of the 365 that were a part of my daily existence.

Black History month is more than some smattering of Martin Luther King, Jr. audio and video clips. It's Charles Drew, Benjamin Banneker, Elijah McCoy (the "Real McCoy"), Madame C.J. Walker - the original "Mary K.", William Purvis who invented the fountain pen, all the way up to most recently, Lonnie Johson - A ROCKET SCIENTIST - who created the "Super Soaker" a favorite at most summer time barbecues.

Black History Month for me is all about letting the little ones know who proceeded them so they know that they can do it too and do it in their own unique way, especially when someone else (no matter their color) tells them they can't or tries to laugh at their ideas. Beginning next week I am going to highlighting some of these people of my past, as they are an integral part of all our pasts and existences here in these United States of America and abroad.

Enjoy your weekend! If you haven't yet considered doing anything anything with the family for these short 28 days of Black History Month, check your local paper for some local happenings, turn on PBS and make the family sit down in front of the television for an hour or two, or check out the resources available online such as Biography Channel's Black History Month website. And as always please feel free to share your thoughts, comments or questions in the comments.

For the past four years the economy has been struggling, the unemployment rate has been on a steady increase, and families all over the U.S. are feeling it in some respect. It seems that even though the economy has finally started to improve there is no guarantee for the future. Having an education may be the only way to stay ahead in this cut-throat society.

What the future holds for language

The existence of a diverse, global society seems to be a trend that is going to stick, this is especially prevalent in the U.S. The U.S. has been known as the land of immigration for a large portion of its history, and while the "melting pot" has been an interesting theory, it has not happened in practice. On the contrary, most major U.S. population centers have become more of an ethnic and linguistic checkerboard; Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese speakers represent some of the fastest-growing segments of the immigrant U.S. population.

Being Prepared

Wisdom, traditionally, has been to start teaching a second language in middle school, or even high school. However, numerous studies clearly demonstrate that the optimal period in a child's life for multilingual education is during the preschool years – at exactly the same time they are learning their first language. Yes, it is possible to learn a second and third language later in life, but it is more difficult, because that neurological "window of opportunity" – when the brain is most malleable – has passed.

Dr. Fred Genessee, Professor of Psychology at McGill University in Montreal believes it's as easy for young children to learn two or three languages as it is for them to learn one. He's not alone; educators throughout the world (in countries that often have two or even three official languages) have understood this for decades.

The way a child learns a second language is by actually speaking it in a total immersion environment. You may recall an episode of the animated series The Simpsons in which young Bart gets trapped on a farm in France – and by the end of the episode, finds he's actually speaking the language. While this was a fictional scenario, the phenomenon is real; anyone who has taken young children abroad to stay with relatives in a foreign country for any length of time has observed this happening.

Enrollment in a preschool program that offers immersion in other languages is the best way to get your child started. This investment will make him/her much more competitive in the job market later on.

Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas

Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the Atlanta day care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of day care preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.

This is a guest post.
Photo Credit: The Nickster

Just in case you haven't noticed there is a new video in the sidebar of this blog. It is the trailer for a documentary in which I had the honor of briefly appearing. Aside from me, the message is powerful, but more importantly, timely. There are men out there, good, honest, hardworking, loving, protective, responsible men!

Presenting the latest Tyler New Media production, Men Ain't Boys. Check it out and hopefully when it comes to your town you'll be in line at the theater to watch it.




E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown and I Didn't Invented Sex. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.

Love - From The Male Perspective

Love Notes is a collection of poems and short stories concentrating on the elusive and insanity causing thing called love --- of course, from the male perspective.

It features a combined 18 poems and short stories that move you through misery and heartbreak to self-reflection, revelation and optimism to the ultimate destination: finding, securing and hopefully succeeding in love.

It is an exploration of the male heart and mind. As well a testimony to the fragility that exists beneath our "hardened" exteriors. It is candid and humorous at times, sad at others, but always hopeful. Men and women will enjoy and be able to relate to this read.

This 43-page eBook is just in time for Valentine's Day. Something to make you think, laugh and hopefully love! Now through Valentine's Day you can get your copy of Love Notes for 25% off.*

Read more after the jump...you have to jump to read more...

E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown and I Didn't Invented Sex. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.

The following featurette should be motivation for any blogger and business person seeking to be viable in the digital space:




E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown and I Didn't Invented Sex. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.

After a long, sleepless weekend, I'm happy to present:



Love Notes, is an eBook collection of poems and short stories revolving around the elusive and insanity causing thing called love... written, of course from the male perspective. If you like it, please feel free to share this post. Thank you!

Tune back in tomorrow for the goodies!


E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown and I Didn't Invented Sex. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.