Rhadi Ferguson, Howard Homecoming, the 1/2 Marathon,

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Introduction

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It has certainly been a while since my last post and I sincerely apologize, but when I let you know what's been going on, you'll be very pleased.

My life has been full of highs and no lows. It's been super exciting, super busy and super cool. I'm not sure where to start so I'll just start where I left off last time.

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Howard Homecoming

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Most of you know that I graduated from Howard University in 1997 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and then again with a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Well, there's no secret of why I went to school and then returned to go again. I absolutely love my school, what it did for me, what I did for it and what it continues to do for others. For those that also don't know, Howard University is a HBCU. That means it is on of the Hitorically Black Colleges and Universities. It is a great place to go to college especially for people of color who really need an opportunity to develop their self. Often times we are bombarded with negative images of people of color and it is just refreshing to walk among african and african-american Ph. Ds, Professors, Entrepeneurs, Politicians, etc.,.

While at Howard I learned a great deal about myself, my culture, my country and the sacrifice that others have made for me and why I should honor their sacrifice by choosing the correct path for my life, for my behavior and for the legacy which I will leave on this earth and to my children. Not reading, jamming rap music in my head - without understanding the richness
of music and the platform from which the artist speak, wearing my pants hanging off my @ss, or not voting and the like are not options for me.

I have too much respect for Malcolm, Kwame Toure (Stokely Carmichael), Nelson Mandela, Martin, Booker T. Washington, The Tuskegee Airmen, Charles Drew, Ms. Parks, Fredrick Douglas, my parents, and modern day heroes who I went to school with and graduated with - governing myself accordingly is imperative.

Therefore, when Homecoming rolls around every year and you hear people like Ludacris and Biggie Smalls mention in their rap songs you can just imagine why it is such an extravaganza. To hang out with hundreds of thousands of individuals who look like you, who can fully understand you and who welcome you is comforting and welcoming. And, it's where I went to school and
I just really enjoy seeing some of my classmates again and the faculty and staff who where there and assisted in my growth process.

I think that everyone should attend Howard Homecoming. It is something that everyone needs to exeperience and everyone needs to see. Howard is smack-dab in the middle of Washington, DC and there is so much to do, but I doubt that you will do anything save for what's on the Homecoming Agenda which is the yardfest on Friday, a party friday night, the game on Saturday, the yardfest on saturday, a party saturday night, church (or however you recover) on sunday and then back home.

Howard University is a place that welcomes everyone. I don't want anyone to read my post and think that its just for blacks, just like Stanford and UCLA are not just for whites, Howard is not just for blacks. It just so happens that there are some schools that have a huge Caucasian population and some that do not. Howard University is one that does not, but there are
student of other nationalities there.

I remember one student who went to Howard when I was there who was white who told me, "The first day that I walked on campus, I finally knew exactly how you all 'feel' when you walk into a room." I told him, "and you'll also know that it gets easier the more you do it, but the 'feeling' never goes away." He replied, "True dat." Then we both laughed.

Enought about Howard University. You can look up information about Howard University and her rich heritage at http://www.howard.edu/

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The Homecoming

Experience

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Since attending Howard I really didn't think that anything would top the Howard Homecoming of 1995 when Biggie Smalls was on the yard during yardfest. It was such a surreal experience. I remember having the opportunity to dap him up because one of his bodyguards was my fraternity brother. He was larger than life, an icon, a celebrity of huge proportion. After that
homecoming in 1995, I had to agree that no Homecoming would ever top that one.

Then there were others that were good, but not quite like that one.

***2004***

There was the Homecoming of 2004 after I made the Olympic Team where I got to hang out with New Edition and LL Cool J and LL's trainer David Honig, with whom I still converse with to this day.

***2005***
Then there was 2005 which was off the chain where the oh so smooth Mya, Method Man, Larenz Tate and various actors were present.

***2006***

Then we had Ice Cube, Lil Mo, and a host of friends which made the 2006 Homecoming sweet like popsicle juice and then......
(drum roll please)

***2007***
In my opinion 2007 was the BEST Howard University Homecoming ever (at least for me, if you're lame, then no Homecoming is going to be good for you).

I'm always in the mix, with the right people, the right crowd and there at the right time. I'm not sure how this works, maybe it good karma, I call it a blessing.

Here's How my Homecoming began....

I arrived on Thursday and hung out with my parents who stay in Maryland. This homecoming was special because it was actually Rufus' first time to attend Homecoming. He went last year, but it was too cold for him to be outside so he couldn't be on the yard. On Friday we arrived for the Yardfest. It was cool to see all the former players, pimps, and husltas again and to see
how they are now SUPER professionals. It seems like everyone has an MBA, an MD, or an Ph. D., except me. I'm slippin' but will catch 'em next year :-)

Friday was cool. Traci, Rufus and I hung out on the yard. Rufus met "the fam" (slang for all our close friends) and he played on a little basketball game on the yard incessantly. Everytime we tried to take him away from it, he'd cry.

It was certainly a good time. After the yardfest, I went with Ken "Big Sexy" Stewart and some visiting bruhs to a Sushi spot out in Pentagon City, then later on I hung out with the Ques in front of the Howard Towers as we hung out and ate barbeque.

My mom picked up Rufus from the yard at around 2:30. Friday night, we DID IT BIG at Club Love in DC. It was on and poppin'. The music was hype, the atmosphere was "grown and
sexy" and towards the end of the night P. Diddy came onto the floor in the DJ Booth and got the party crunk. It was so "delishus"! The night was good and it ended around 4:30am. Traci and I didn't get back to home base until around 5:40. Let me rephrase that, the party didn't end at 4:30... We left at 4:30, the party ended with the rising of the sun at around 6:30.

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Saturday Morning

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I returned back to campus at 8am in the morning after about 1 hour of sleep because I was, again, one of the Marshals in the Homecoming Parade. My friend and frat brother, Tyrone Lewis came with me. We were more than tired from the activities the night before. But we had to get up early to reap the benefits of the early risers during homecoming.

The benefits are hanging out with high powered celebs and making good quality contacts during homecoming. This is what you're supposed to do during homecoming - network and thats what we did this morning.

We had an opportunity to meet several folks like Carl Lewis, Tyson Beckford, Chaka Khan, Melyssa Ford, Omarion, Bow Wow, P. Diddy, AJ, Maurice Greene and several other folks. It was phenomenal. After the game, we hung out on the yard some more, then caught a nice dinner and then partied the night away. After that, around 5:30 am, we ended up at the International House of Pancakes to eat. It was a blistering day off of only 1hour of sleep.

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Sunday

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Because I'm still in-training for my marathon, I got up on Sunday morning around 11am (very little rest) and ran 5 miles at a 4-1 pace (4 minute run: 1 minute walk). It went cool. After my run, I had to head back to DC to sit down and have a cool dinner with Shawn Springs and some friends. I've known Shawn since high school and his dad was my running back coach at Howard University. Shawn went to Ohio State and now he plays ball for the Washington Redskins. After that I came back home, rested, played with Rufus, talked with Traci and pre-packed so that we could catch our flight back home. That was homecoming in a nutshell.

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Half Marathon
Complete

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Now on to the 1/2 marathon I ran...........

On the 4th of November I ran a 1/2 Marathon in Boca Raton. It was cool and it was sponsored by the Police Athletic League. I ended up running sub 10 minute pace and ran a time of 2:09. 2 hours and 9 minutes. That's not too bad for a first-timer and for a dude that weighs 225 pounds :-) I severely hurt my adductor muscle group in my left leg and I've been rehabbing. So I hope I'll be ready for the full marathon that I'm running on the 25th of November :-)

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Now On To Miami Ink

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If you've never heard of the show Miami Ink, well it's a reality based show that is surrounded around the lives of the artists in the tatoo shop of Miami Ink on South Beach. It is pretty funny and comes on Television. I just did a taping for that show this week and it will air some time next year. I can't say too much about it or show you the tattoo because of the paperwork that I signed, but its sweet.

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Closing

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I just want you to know that my IRB from my school (the final one) has been approved and I will continue with my data collection at the end of this year and the beginning of next year. I'm really looking forward to it so that I can be done with this Ph. D. next year.

Rufus is getting older, Traci is getting finer and I'm just trying to get it.

EZ