Living with Crohn's Disease

It's 6:22AM on a Sunday morning, my stomach wrapped with a heating pad and my body feeling like I'm in Round 9 of a heavyweight fight.

And I'm up against the ropes.

I tend to keep my health woes on the hush, mostly because I don't want people to take pity upon me as the sick guy.

But I'm now entering my fifth year with Crohn's Disease and I'm trying to open up more about my health.

Crohn's is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that has recked havoc on my body since the end of 2003.

Besides from the 50 pounds of weight loss, the fatigue, the loss of appetite, and the daily abdominal cramps (How do you deal, women?), the disease has turned me into a once very active person to an antisocial hermit who is usually restricted to bed rest on the bad days.

I went out on Tuesday after work with my roommate and I couldn't remember the last time I had been out not just during the week but the weekends as well.

He happened to ask me at the right time, when I wasn't gritting my teeth during a wave of cramps, because five minutes earlier or later, I would have probably said no.

Despite the pain, the extra couple of years in college, the night sweats and chills, I wouldn't trade this experience with anyone.

I wouldn't want any of my friends or loved ones to experience what I go through on a daily basis.

God has struck me with this disease for a reason ... a reason that I'm still trying to figure out.

When I figure it out, I'll let you know.

Bring on Round 10....

No Fried Chicken for Lunch at BET

OK, I tend to have these mental brain farts where I have nothing to blog about.

*Farts*

I just had one.

I'm all good now.

A question I have been asked a lot this week is "What is it like working for BET?"

I started my first week as a web producer for BET.com and besides from the usual headaches that come with any new job, it wasn't as bad as I thought.

No, my co-workers are running around the office, jiggling their ass, singing the lyrics to Lil' Boosie's new song.

(B-O-O-S-I....sorry, got carried away)

All the stereotypes that people have in their heads about black folks and the network and general aren't true.

It's like any other office environment that I have been in.

(At least where my office is at...)

And instead of watching BET, the TVs were on CNN.

So, take that.

The Oprah Winfrey Network? Wha ...the hell?

Is there no stopping Oprah Winfrey?

Ms. Winfrey and Discovery Communications said on Tuesday that they would jointly create OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, a cable television channel to make its debut in 2009 on what is now the Discovery Health Channel. Discovery Health is available in more than 70 million homes.

A television network?

A freakin television network?!?

Forget Obama for President.

Winfrey/King in '08.

Underwear Gate '08: Case Closed

Underware Gate 2008 is officially over.

The manager of Classic Laundry called me this morning (and woke me up) to let me know that they were going to offer $225 for my missing unmentionables.

Only $25 less than what I asked for.

When I went down to pickup my money, the less than friendly woman behind the counter acted like she didn't know what I was talking about.

"Should I call your manager Aaron then?"

Chain of command. Works every time.

I was going to take a picture in my new underwear while I made it rain with these $20 bills, but I gotta leave something for the imagination.

No Stopping Brady and The Hoodie

So much for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As much as I wanted fellow Crohn's Disease quarterback David Garrard to win, not once did I honestly think the Jags had a chance to stop the Patriots.

Not at Gillette Stadium.

Not in the playoffs.

Not against The Hoodie.

San Diego/Indianapolis, I wish you luck.

Al Sharpton Likes Black Navigators

There has been an Al Sharpton sighting.

A Pimp Named Slickback was spotted on 145th and Lenox Ave. as I was coming back from a KFC run.

(I highly recommend the KFC Hot Wings.)

His headquarters is literally right behind my apartment building, but it was the first time I actually spotted him out and about.

Who has time to work from the office when you're busy flying to Mexico City.

And yes, the hair was on point.

Even on a Saturday.

UC and Cal State Students Facing Hike

The state of California is in the middle of a budget crisis ... again.

And that means the higher education system will once again be impacted.

According to the LA Times, tuition will increase at all Cal State and UC schools:

The plan calls for most student fees to rise by 10% at the 23-campus Cal State system and by 7.4% at the 10-campus UC system. That would bring basic undergraduate fees for California residents to about $3,797 at Cal State campuses and $8,007 at UC schools, not including housing and food. Graduate students would pay more.

If you attended private school, I know what you're thinking.

$3,797 a semester - what a steal.

But take this fact into consideration: When I transfered from Cal State Northridge to Hofstra University in 2003, tuition was under $2,000 a semester.

Although fees still would be lower than the national average, critics note that costs have risen more than 90% for Cal State and UC undergraduates since 2002.

A 90 percent increase in five years? That's some shameful shit right there.

It should be noted this is all happening under the watchful eye of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Way to go, Terminator.

Reggaeton Meets Optimum

Best. Commercial. Ever.

I have it only seen it in the NYC markets, but Optimum is really marketing to the Latin residents.

I'm not Latin (I just play one on the streets) but I love it.

4-4-4-8!

An Update on Underwear Gate '08

An update on Underwear Gate 2008:

After cursing to myself and reflecting on the good times that I had with my boxers, I hit the web in search of new boxers.

I'm as bougie as they come, so I had to settle for a collection of Banana Republic and Abercrombie and Fitch.

Not that I'm too good for Hanes either - Target had four packs for $4.99.

As for the manager of the store, he finally returned my phone call this evening.

Since he caught me in the middle of a nap, I probably wasn't as mean as I should have been.

The guy sounded apologetic, but when I told him I wanted $250 for my pain and nakedness, he said he would have to check with his boss and get back to me by Monday.

My next phone call is to Al Sharpton.

I won't stand for this injustice.

Tyra Fits Forehead on Essence Cover

If you read Everybody Hates Marcus, then you know my thoughts about Tyra Banks.

We share the same hometown of Inglewood, Calif. and that's about it.

Tyra and the forehead graces the February issue of Essence Magazine.

I'll save the decline of Essence Magazine (Sorry, Charreah) for another post but they couldn't find another black woman to put on the cover than Tyra?

Are there no Tameka Foster updates for this month?

Was Juanita Bynum booked?

No wonder Susan Taylor left the magazine.

(Hit play for my real thoughts about Tyra Banks.)

Missing: 20 Pairs of Underwear

I tried to give Harlem the benefit of the doubt.

I tried to overlook the Chinese food restaurants on every corner.

The three questionable men who consistently sit on the hood of my car.

And the fact that I'm forced to shop at Pathmark.

But I'm turning my back on this historic community after Underwear Gate 2008.

I walk down to the local laundromat to pick up my unmentionables and the older black woman behind the counter gives me this troubled look when I hand her my pink slip.

"Uhh .... Marcus, there was a problem with your clothes."

Never the sentence you want to hear when you have handed over three weeks of laundry.

"Someone went into the washing machine and took your load of colored clothes. I'm sorry about that."

It didn't click at first, because when I did do my laundry, I washed my colored boxers with my whites.

Only if Classic Laundry did the same.

I return home to find out that every pair of underwear that I own, except the ones I'm currently wearing, are gone.

Probably laid out on a towel on 125th as we speak.

I feel so naked.