Here are the rules: Everyone knows how this goes yet again. And it’s really simple. No need to link, or google, or even #Hashtag. Today, many around the country and in the household or other areas, we Americans will be celebrating that holiday of food called Thanksgiving. From the now socially distant Parades to the NFL Games, Dog Shows, or other new traditional ideas that will boost the food day. And yes, there will NOT be any going out to the clubs and shaking off the pounds to get loose for Christmas. But staying home for the house parties while maintaining 6 feet virtually. Or just now, folks going shopping. Really?!
And yes, there will be ongoing constant reminders of the horrors that our Native American brothers and sisters will not participate in this Thanksgiving Day due to the killing of their ancestors outside of a church on a Sunday morning many moons ago. Henceforth, The National Day of Mourning.
But this holiday, yes does have the two words of Be Thankful for the things and ideas we already have. So here in its 13th Anniversary tradition, here is another traditional Stephen’s Spot Thanksgiving Blog of “Be Thankful”. Even though we are battling the Coronavirus, the ongoing of systemic racism, avoiding the Proud Boys, 45 WILL BE GONE from the White House soon, and among others: Break out the tablets, Smartphones, PC’s or laptops. Start reading while maintaining quarantine style of staying put!
Before we begin the blog, let us take the time to reflect our thankfulness of this day and our thankfulness despite of the divisions, the struggles, the arguments, the valid points given, the political angles, the issues of holidays, generational values of lessons, religious or non-religous concerns and problems, and most of of all, our personal values and goals that we want to be better and brighter for all to inspire!
If you have a GOOD PAYING job that is good for you and it pays well for you or family, be thankful.
If you don’t have a job and still looking and STILL not quitting by going to the job fairs or making connections, even in the pandemic, be thankful!
If you have good insurance, either health, auto, home, vision, or dental that you haven’t lost, STILL be thankful.
If you have a good car or truck that gets you to work every day, and still runs well with or without repairs, be thankful for that!
If you have a new home, or still fixing up your old home, or investing in a home you grew up in and not selling it to those who want to rent out, but want it for life even more: BE TRULY THANKFUL!
If you STILL have a good physician or you still don’t have one, but still want to get that monkey (and constant NAGGING) off your back, STILL be thankful about improving your health. And STILL trying. Take your time! Especially in the pandemic.
Still wearing the masks, being socially distant? BE THANKFUL!
If you have a cool dentist and he or she is good and professional, be thankful.
Like any year, if you have lost any loved one this year or years past, and still feel down that the space is empty or the chair is empty, and you want to fill it up with a new generation of family members that want to pull ahead, even close friends, we must try to be thankful to carry on. It’s hard, but we must. I still miss my father, and like last year, my Thanksgiving will be different without him.
If you had folks praying for you all year for all the things you’ve been experienced no matter good or bad, be thankful that there are folks that know, and are in your corner.
If you are expecting a raise in 2021 and will be getting it, be thankful!
Do you still love your gifts and talents that are unappreciated? And still, do them all the time? Be thankful!
If you still got your parents and/or relatives as your back up, be thankful that they still care.
If you rediscovered your old talents in this Pandemic, Be Thankful!
If you had a sibling in the freaking hospital more than once, who is being taken care of and heard good news about coming home, and I know this AGAIN: STILL BE THANKFUL!
Got any good neighbors that know you no matter how long? Be thankful.
Met any new neighbors lately? Be thankful.
Moved to a different city or county, or state, or region or another country recently that you feel is best? Be thankful.
Moved back to a city, state, county, country that is best? Be Thankful.
Got a good plan to get that next step in your career, or a different career, and a mindset? Be thankful.
If you had connected with your colleagues or family members via Zoom, WebEx, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Room or any other Video Chat platform while doing virtual classes, meetings, church services and others, and still folks had a hard time with the adjustments, BUT : they are starting to turning around, BE THANKFUL!
For all of my church folks: if you want your Church to succeed despite those want it to fail due to jealousy or no confidence with the pastors, BE THANKFUL that you are willing to fight!
If your birthday or anniversary is coming up or it already happened, be thankful!
If you have been given a side gig, and love it to be paid with that cash money or checks, no matter what it is, and the pandemic be thankful.
Men, did you celebrate International Men’s Day in #Movember, I mean November? Be Thankful!
Got a good pet or know a pet that knows you well? Be thankful.
If you STILL give back to your community, your Alumni, your Church, your Scholarship Committees, your Fraternity, your Sorority, your Unions or other groups that have been treating you good all this time, even in the pandemic, Be Thankful!
If you STILL appreciate the value of your former teachers or coaches, or former principals, of anyone that knew your value of education, be thankful.
If you put in the work to show up at your meetings even if you see the same people time after time, be thankful!
If you can’t wait to eat the meal that gives you life, be thankful you can still eat the grub.
Still avoiding fake news? Be thankful. They suck.
If you read the old blogs that I can’t control the reading, but still want to read what I want to say regardless from my black point of view, be thankful! Not just for me, but for you.
If you STILL got stuff in your house that you want to give away, be thankful. Somebody will take it.
Still fighting Racism, White Supremacy, Sexism, and others? – Be Thankful.
Got a good business handy? And it’s good for you to make that money like Uber or Lyft or It Works? Hey, be thankful!
If you switch your career to a new company in the past year or will go to a new company to come, be thankful!
Own a business? Got your own time schedule? Invested in a product or material that worked? Be thankful.
If you got many reachable sources to give, or to provide, or to share, or to support, and it’s really catching on, you better be thankful!
If you are planning to vote in 2022, please be thankful! VOTE IN ALL ELECTIONS!
If you are looking forward to another holiday weekend of fun, be thankful.
If you are NOT shopping on Black Friday, but willing to spend Black Friday outdoors in the woods or parks, Be Thankful! It’s a release to avoid a violent backlash.
If you are not shopping on Black Friday, but willing to spend your cash at a local business, or on Cyber Monday, be thankful.
If you are donating to your favorite charity on Giving Tuesday, Be thankful!
If you can’t wait to finally deck your halls for Christmas or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, AFTER Thanksgiving (some of you did it ahead of time) Be Thankful.
If you criticized 45 for his “horrible so-far job” as President and his tweets, REALLY BE THANKFUL!
If you are breathing right now normally and woke up: be thankful.
If you were removed from a company that had you started in the game, then a rift in Management occurred, but went to another company that is good so far, BE THANKFUL!
If many in the black community have black pride PLUS Melanin Responsibility to uplift our black people without sarcasm and forced stuff, BE THANKFUL!
Now I have to say this: if many have given back to our Veterans or supported our military while on duty, be thankful!
If you are a Veteran or service member of the Armed Forces, that had served or still. serving, BE THANKFUL!
If you are walking tall real good, be thankful.
If you are expecting a really good breakthrough like this year or next month, BE THANKFUL!
If you still condemn any racist act on the internet, social media, at your job, or in the house, your church demoninaton, or in the neighborhood, or any act of disrespect, forced patriotism, and you had to write letters of complaints to a certain company, STILL be always thankful to get your voice heard! Put the pressure on them on not coming back!
If you are upgrading your house to be better, be thankful!
If you got a plan to take a vacation, be thankful.
If you still got your old game systems on a Throwback Thursday and if they still work, be thankful!
If you still listen to your old school joints on your radio, or maybe some new school material, be thankful.
NOTE: For my readers that had to go through hell with school shootings, and still feeling hopeless. I want you all to understand that it’s a hard Thanksgiving Day for you as we know. But in a sense, you should be thankful that you can rebuild. And BE EXTRA THANKFUL that yet, you are still living! And be EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA THANKFUL that a breakthrough is coming for the better!
If you are a conscious-minded person, a defensive-minded person that you know is best, for your own opinions and viewpoints without any harm or hurtful feelings towards humanity, be thankful!
For my Sagittarius readers: guess what? Our season is back! Are we thankful, now? (SAGS RULE!)
And finally: If I missed anything that many have thought about, and it’s good: we all should be and forever so thankful that we must march on. Like they say at the black funerals: It’s already been said. It’s already done.
Happy Thanksgiving!
#BeThankful
Oh wait a minute: I almost forgot. This blog post is not done yet! Here is a Be Thankful Extra!
For all the Medical Workers that are working on this Thanksgiving Day 2020 and had to constantly check the patients 24/7 with their coronavirus statistics, be thankful.
If you have a GOOD PAYING job that is good for you and it pays well for you or family, be thankful.
If you don’t have a job and still looking and STILL not quitting by going to the job fairs or making connections, be thatusankful!
If you have good insurance, either health, auto, home, vision, or dental STILL be thankful.
If you have a good car or truck that gets you to work every day, and still runs well with or without repairs, be thankful.
If you have a new home, or fixing up your old home, or investing in a home you grew up in and not selling it to those who want to rent out, but want it for life even more: BE THANKFUL!
If you FINALLY have a good doctor or you still don’t have one, but still want to get that monkey (and constant NAGGING) off your back, STILL be thankful about improving your health. And STILL trying. Take your time!
Now I need to say this: If you found out that you have a chronic illness like Diabetes, and you had a devastating moment of asking why it happened and didn’t have the words. But also you had conversations and online postings about those who have it already and knows the feelings of the battles, and you learn from them and they can inspire you to be better and get with the program of what they know, and still believe that it’s possible that you control diabetes and not let it get the best of you. In this month of National Diabetes Awareness Month: BE THANKFUL that you have a support system that can back you up. STICK WITH THE PLANS!
If you have a cool dentist and he or she is good and professional, be thankful.
Like any year, if you have lost any loved one this year or years past, and still feel down that the space is empty or the chair is empty, and you want to fill it up with a new generation of family members that want to pull ahead, even close friends, we must try to be thankful to carry on. It’s hard, but we must. I still miss my father, and like last year, my Thanksgiving will be different without him.
If you had folks praying for you all year for all the things you’ve been experienced no matter good or bad, be thankful that there are folks that know, and are in your corner.
If you are expecting a raise in 2020 and will be getting it, be thankful!
Do you still love your gifts and talents that are unappreciated? And still, do them all the time? Be thankful!
If you still got your parents and/or relatives as your back up, be thankful that they still care.
If you had a sibling in the freaking hospital more than once, who is being taken care of and heard good news about coming home, and I know this AGAIN: STILL BE THANKFUL!
Got any good neighbors that know you no matter how long? Be thankful.
Met any new neighbors lately? Be thankful.
Moved to a different city recently that you feel is best? Be thankful.
Moved back to a city that is best? Be Thankful.
Got a good plan to get that next step in your career, or a different career, and a mindset? Be thankful.
For all of my church folks: if you want your Church to succeed despite those want it to fail due to jealousy, BE THANKFUL that you are willing to fight!
If your birthday or anniversary is coming up or it already happened, be thankful!
If you are STILL very introverted and darn proud of it, and not ashamed to tell about it or embrace it, be thankful!
Stephen's Spot 
Ode to Sagittarius X: Plant the Flag!
Posted: December 21, 2023 in #blacktwitter, #blacktwitter, #TwitterShare, African American Stories and Viewpoints, Birthdays, Celebrations, Myths and Truths, Revolutionary and Conscious, Sagittarius, Wisconsin African American Commentary, ZodiacsTags: 9th House, Brazen Centaurs, December Sagittarius, Human Intelligence, November Sagittarius, Ode to Sagittarius X, Plant the Flag, Purple Power, Sagittarius, Sagittarius Season, Thoroughbred Strength
Here is another one for the Centaur. And our season has determined Archers summarized for the 10th time!
Well fellow Sagittarius folks, it seems that our Season of the Centaur is about to end for another year. Yes, I know. But I have a feeling that it’s going to be alright! Yes, I know you Capricorns, and other Zodiacs are about to take over that Zodiac Baton in all to run. YET AGAIN. But before you take over as well as any other zodiac takes over being the best: know this, we still control our destiny! One piece of advice, never EVER overlook a Sagittarius! NEVER EVER OVERLOOK a Centaur! NEVER OVERLOOK A HORSEMAN or A HORSEWOMAN! We stay loyal to the game 365 (sometimes 366 counting Leap Years) ALL DAY every day. We always have the bows and arrows, quivers, and the Archery on lockdown! All the time. Even when the other zodiacs are being highlighted.
So with that: here is my “closing” that I like to call, Ode to Sagittarius X: Plant The Flag! And yet, it’s year number 10 for me doing this for the 9th house.
Let the Centaurs ride, with pride, grace, and dignity!
From every State, Country, and City,
No matter where we are or what we do,
we are still centaurs through and through!
Spoiler Alert to assume: There are haters and doubters of those of us who are centaurs roaming, let them all hate, but we all know that joy comes in the morning.
Many of you already know that on December 5th, I turned #47 with a swift fix; This I still see, but for you still latecomers, it might be so wild and free like a centaur stunning to a tee.
Those of us in the game acting, and those of us whom we aspire, sort of like Bryshere Grey used to make moves like Hakeem on Empire.
We Archer folks love to bounce back. Even those who think we are dead and able. Kindly ask Aaron Jones, Allen Lazard, Jarran Reed, Anthony Johnson, Jr. and Rashan Gary, who like the rest of the Packers had a not-so-good season and will again change that next level for another run the table!
Us Sag folk can be direct and cool, which can soar to new heavens and be exciting. But like Hal Williams back in his Lester Jenkins days, we can be more direct and serious like on 227. Or Ghostbusting like Ernie Hudson, or even like Nafeesa Williams who did black girl magic wonders of Thunder and Blackbird on Black Lightning!
We bust those beats in the game on the fly with our music say, like Shelia E, Lala Hathaway, Tori Kelly, Dionne Warrick, Nikki Stixx, Sia, Billie Eilish, Rah Digga, Taylor Swift, Frankie Beverly, Ozzy Osbourne, Jermaine Jackson, Angie Stone, DJ Yella, Mos Def, Flo-rida, my December 5th birthday twins of Michel’le and Keri Hilson. Plus Jamie Foxx, Janelle Monae, Jay Z, and even Morris Day.
Sagittarius folks, we love the freedom that we know. And embrace the look abounds that is united in force worldwide, just ask former beauty pageant title holder and current U.S. Army Soldier Deshauna Barber who received the full source! And even Portia Simpson Miller and French leader Emmanuel Macron know their political angles they confide!
When that time to fight for our freedoms, or that personal stuff, we really settle the score through and through, we get gritty like Wrestlers such as Ex wrestling stars Elias, Jon Moxley, Dana Brooke, Naomi, and even Hall of Famers like Jerry Lawler, Sunny, Trinity, Rob Van Dam, Rey Mysterio, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Trish Stratus and Kurt Angle. Oh, it’s true! it’s d**n True!
When we in the centaur nation roam like the stampede in the game, just take notes for all: study my December 5th birthday twins Milwaukee Brewers Christian Yelich, Former Wisconsin Badgers Montee Ball, and former GB Packer/Super Bowl Champion, Roderick Mullen. Including another December 6th Sagittarius like Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is the 2021 NBA Finals MVP and NBA Champion is still “Built to Stay” with Milwaukee Bucks Basketball.
Even when we are ourselves, we Sagittarius folk are so revolutionary, so conscious, so empowered with objectives to create and maintain the cause: Please continue to review the work of Ella Baker, Mark Lamont Hill, Adam Clayton Powell, Fred Gray, Jemelle Hill, Symone Sanders, Joy Reid, and even Dr. Carter Woodson, the father of Black History Month that NEVER stays on pause.
We might be fun, but can be sassy with a brain: Just a reminder, Nene Leakes, Nicki Minaj, and Jon Stewart appear to be good, but can drive you insane!
We remember the centaurs of yesterday, that are no longer here: Let’s always remember famous folks from Jim Morrison, Walt Disney, Tina Turner, Bob Barker, Ossie Davis, Bruce Lee, Reggie White, Patty Duke, Redd Foxx, Kirk Douglas, James Avery, Sammy Davis Jr, DMX, Cicely Tyson, John F. Kennedy Jr, Martin van Buren, Winston Churchill, Ludvig von Beethoven, Charles Wesley (brother of John Wesley), Dynamite Kid, Frank Sinatra, Chadwick Boseman, Richard Pryor, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Clarke Duncan, Little Richard, Betty Wright, Franklin Pierce, Sam Kinison, and others of our Sag Nation, that their work lives without fear!
When the source of fun is still going, and we are at the peak of success, we summarize also the work of those who are doing it big, thanks to us being the best. Additionally, those like Jaimee Foxworth, Wendie Malick, Dick Van Dyke, DJ Khaled, Colin Salmon, Teyona Taylor, Jane Fonda, Zoë Kravitz, Robin Givens, Jin of BTS, Don Cheadle, JB Smoove, Samuel L. Jackson, Billie Eilish, Stacey Abrams, Regina Hall, Alyssa Milano, Jennifer Carpenter, Larry Bird, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connolly, Rita Moreno, Regina Hall, Monique, Jermaine Jackson, Bill Cunningham, Teri Hatcher, Nia Peeples, Judi Dench, Jeffery Wright, Kim Basinger (aka Vicky Vale) reflect the work and passing that test!
So yes, Sagittarius folks: we should be thankful and still be needed by the work of others with insight, we know it’s love and hate, and still, even with COVID-19 yet again lurking we must continue to fight!
We are indeed representing the ninth house of brazen Philosophical Purple elements, a dash of November orange, and a December blue purpose to thrive. We are indeed the Sagittarius! A 9th house zodiac sign that will not give up without a fight!
As this poem closes out another Sag year, on to the Holidays, on to 2024, and let’s hit that reset button to our fiery zodiac cause to cheer! We are still the jovial, brazen archers with Human Intelligence and Thoroughbred Strength of fire. Bows and Arrows with the quivers on lock with determined insight.
Fight onward and ride with fiery breakthroughs, goals, and talents plus heart Archers and Centaurs. The struggle continues and the game goes on!
Go and tell the news we know and dare to print, record, and stream!
Let us Centaurs continue to ride. All day, and every day!
PLANT THE FLAG!