Life Is Funny but It Ain't No Joke recounts the spiritual journey of the author, who forgets his divine identity and then mistakenly identifies with his mind as himself and experiences the dire consequences that inevitably follow. The author then takes you along with him as he courageously undertakes the "hero's journey," which allows him to reclaim his true identity, his authentic life, and to discover more than 125 striking, original wisdom sayings during his venture within. These pearls of wisdom are designed to help free you from the prison of your mind, so you can begin living the life you were born to live.

Social media comedian and southern sweetheart Heather Land delivers her hilarious and unfiltered wisdom on the frustrating everyday moments that drive us crazy. Heather Land has something to say about almost everything in life—the unbelievable, inconceivable, and downright frustrating—and why she “ain’t doin’ it.” Now, Heather shines a light on the (occasional) ridiculousness of life through a series of hilarious essays, dishing on everything from Walmart and ex-husbands to Southern beauty pageants and unfortunate trips to the gynecologist. I Ain’t Doin’ It reminds us that when it comes to life’s messy moments, it’s all about perspective—and that we too can say, I ain’t doin’ it! Perfect for fans of Jim Gaffigan, Anjelah Johnson, and Brian Regan, I Ain’t Doin’ It is a fun, breezy read for anyone who appreciates someone who tells it like it is and wants to embrace the lighter side of life.

Drawing from the work of top researchers in various fields, The Handbook of Research on Black Males explores the nuanced and multifaceted phenomena known as the black male. Simultaneously hyper-visible and invisible, black males around the globe are being investigated now more than ever before; however, many of the well-meaning responses regarding media attention paid to black males are not well informed by research. Additionally, not all black males are the same, and each of them have varying strengths and challenges, making one-size-fits-all perspectives unproductive. This text, which acts as a comprehensive tool that can serve as a resource to articulate and argue for policy change, suggest educational improvements, and advocate judicial reform, fills a large void. The contributors, from multidisciplinary backgrounds, focus on history, research trends, health, education, criminal and social justice, hip-hop, and programs and initiatives. This volume has the potential to influence the field of research on black males as well as improve lives for a population that is often the most celebrated in the media and simultaneously the least socially valued.

Paris is a teenage girl growing up in South Central Los Angeles during an era when money, sex, prostitution, drugs, and alcoholism are the only ways to deal with reality. Upset with her parents for abandoning her, she moves in with her grandmother Joyce, going from rags to riches. Bennie is an eighteen-year-old transgender battling his sexuality and anger issues due to a fatherless childhood. With no parental guidance, Bennie’s heart has turned cold, but he still holds a special place in his heart for his best friend, Paris. Even though they come from separate homes and live different lifestyles, one’s pain is not better or worse than the others. Paris and Bennie are both products of their environment, suffering from broken homes and childhood trauma. While trying to be accepted by their high school peers, drama always follows them. Together, they search for a fabulous lifestyle and try to avoid making the same mistakes as their parents

Rhythms, Rhymes and Inspirational Chimes offers a delightful way to stay in tune with how God sees us each day. An individual story is told in every writing and poem, including the powerful Introduction. Enjoy the rhythmic flow of words that can soothe your soul and make you whole. Smile as you read "I Wonder-Did Moses Laugh?" or reminisce with the flow of "An Evening of Remembrance". Be encouraged and determined with "Can You Dare to Go through Life" and ponder the condition of society with "Faxing, Waxing, and Income Taxing". Read these and many, many, more as your spirit comes alive with laughter as you engulf yourself in "My Money is Funny", "When Texting Was a Book", and "What's Sunday without Chicken". Let this powerful spiritual weapon get you up, get you busy, and get you crackin'-all in the name of Jesus! So take the plunge, dive in and become a partaker in one of the most refreshing experiences a book can offer; for such a time as this. Enjoy!

"There's a story, a funny story, about me sitting in a restaurant. I'm eating this big meal and maybe having a couple of beers and smoking a cigarette. A woman comes by the table. She recognizes me and she's shocked because it seems like I should be in training or something. She's getting all over me, saying that a professional athlete should take better care of himself." "I lean back and I say to her, "I ain't an athlete, lady. I'm a baseball player."" "That pretty much sums it up." "In an age when athletes are getting bigger and stronger and more imposing every day, John Kruk of the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies is a hero for the rest of us. He likes his food, he likes his beer, he doesn't see much point in combing his hair and he plays the game of baseball too well for anyone to get away with hassling him about any of it. A three-time all-star, Kruk has maintained a .309 average since coming to the Phillies in 1989 and has had more fun doing it than just about anybody in sports today." "You knew the World Series against Toronto was going to be an offensive series, and [the 15-14 game] sort of epitomized that. It sucked. It was a worthless game. I told Paul Molitor - it seemed like the eighth time he was on base that day - "This ain't a World Series. The World Series is supposed to be the two best teams in the world playing. I mean, you could go to Williamsport and get two little League teams to play better than we are tonight."" ""I Ain't an Athlete, Lady..." is John Kruk's loose, funny view of his life, his world, his game, and his teammates - the wildest and flakiest bunch of players since the Gashouse Gang of the 1930s. ("In our clubhouse, if you called somebody a psychopathic idiot, it was a pretty good compliment.") Kruk shares his stories of growing up in a small town in West Virginia ("People in West Virginia do have cars. We have indoor plumbing. We even use knives and forks"), passes along his diet tips ("The best diet is just to go into a restaurant and say, 'Give me the thing on your menu that tastes the worst.' It'll probably be good for you, because that's what everything else I've eaten that's supposed to be good for me tastes like"), takes us on a tour of the Phillies' locker room ("When Jim Eisenreich first came to the Phillies, I said to some of the guys, 'Look at that guy. He looks like a mass murderer, staring like he wants to kill one of us. He looks like Jeffrey Dahmer.' So I started calling him Dahmer, and he liked it"), and tells why he was looking forward to a post-World Series visit to the White House ("He may be President, but he's not pardoned from being ragged on. If I can get on Dale Murphy, I can rag Bill Clinton")." "Kruk's take-nothing-too-seriously-and-take-no-prisoners outlook shines through. "I Ain't an Athlete, Lady..." makes clear why Kruk is rapidly becoming the most popular player in the game today."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved