Not so Common!

So it's been a while since I felt inspired to throw down some words here, but listening to Common on the way in changed that. This Chicago rapper just came out with a new CD a month or two ago called Universal Mind Control that is a little bit more clubby than his first to CD's 'BE' and 'Finding Forever.'


In the first two CD's that he released Common seemed to really put an emphasis on making the listener want to be the best that they can be. The combination of his soulful lyrics and smooth beats just send a tingling through your body that just can't be described. You wanna just pull someone close and groove... it's the best. Maybe it is just me, that would be pretty sad, but I find that I can relate to his lyrics and the issues and struggles he brings to light because its not about guns and drugs for him, but love and the struggle within oneself to do all that you can.

His album 'Be' has a song entitled 'Be' and for lack of a better word it is powerful. Right off the bat the slow bass grooves get your head bobbing and you just wait for the slow rythmic lyrics to come. It's almost Common's proclamation that we are what we are and we should be soooo very thankful for that and everything else that we have been given because no matter how hard our lives can get there is something to be thankful for. This may come from his attitude of wanting to 'Be' a better person or maybe from wanting to live more in the present than in the past or future. Makes sense right?

How many people really do this though. So many people seem to plan for the future and set up plans for five years from now or dwell on how bad they got screwed over last week. We cannot let these thoughts consume us beacuase if we lose sight of the present we lose who we are now.

Musical Journey

This weekend began possibly the most intense run of music in my life, and I cannot be more excited as the days get closer and closer. I went out with some friends on my soccer team Saturday night to go check out a band I have heard much about, but never seen, the Spazmatics. They are an 80's cover band and dress like they are fresh out of the movie 'Revenge of the Nerds.' Took a few drinks, but soon I was jumpin around and bustin a sweet move or five on the dancefloor, while the Spazmatics rocked out to all sorts of tunes. From here we go to Austin on May 23rd for Memorila Day weekend. I have a friend driving in from Cali and two flying in from NYC. All four of us went to American together and are gonna take Austin by storm. There isnt anything planned, but no doubt there will be some live music in my face at some point, as we all love it!!!

The weekend after that I am going to Red Rocks, which is apparently one of the most magnificent venues in the world, or atleast the states to see live music. On top of that I am getting to see one of my favorites in the Disco Biscuits along with Lotus, The New Deal, Paul Oakenfold, and more. It has been a while since I have been to an outdoor concert and much longer since I have been to a show with so much hype built up before it. The band itself is hyping up the Red Rocks show as one of the THROW DOWNS of the summer. It is called Bisco Inferno, so enough said!

The following weekend comes Wakarusa where its all about the camping and roughing it. Shoudl be a blast. Get to meet all sorts of new friends, see awesome music that until that moment you had no idea existed and best of all, do what ever the hell you want!!! I have never been to Waka, just to Bonarroo, they are similar so I feel prepared. This year though Waka is in Ozark, Ak, where it is apparently beautiful and so much nature. This I am not ready for, but really pumped to experience.

What I am hoping to accomplish is to actually become a vision of my past. I have been having a lot time to think to myself finally I think it is time for me to move on. Not exactly sure how, but that what the time out on the road is for, talking to and making new friends and best of all just becoming one with yourself and acknowledging that for what it is. There is so much I want to do with my self, but often feel tied down... its a terrible feeling... lets hope together that I can break the bands that restrict me over these next weeks, and I will keep you posted on how all that goes

one!

So Fresh and Clean, Clean

So I needed to get myself a new pair of indoor soccer shoes, because after almost 2years the pair I began using with 'The Pink Pony Exeperience,' then 'Blue Magic,' and 'Hobgoblins' are just about to fall apart. Just makes sense to get a new pair right? I mean I have been holding off for quite some time, TWO YEARS!!! I have friends on my teams that cant make it 6months without going through a pair. So I gave in and went to Academy Sports or Sports Authority (movement to make competitors have DISTINCTLY different names pls!!). Whatever, they had three pairs there. The old school Adidas Sambas, which I didnt know were still in production, and then two pairs of Nikes which looked pretty hideous. I'll wear a pink jersey, pink socks, lady bug headbands so I think its pretty telling when even I cant even bare to look at something.

After quickly nixing the idea of buying the old skool sambas I decided to venture around and see if anything caught my eye. I have been desperately needing new pairs of running shorts, with my new found love to go sweat a lot after work. Meandering around the shoes I came across a pair of Nike's that looked pretty sweet. They were the first pair of Nikes that I had honestly looked at and thought I would buy in maybe five years or so, probably longer. I have been an adidas kind of guy ever since soccer, and my nike bball shoes always seemed to come apart in middle school. (DAMN! that was a long time ago) Then I look RIGHT next to that pair and see the exact same. I thought weird, they must have made a mistake. So I further investigated, weird the shoes were basically the same except one pair had larger 'breathing' holes or whatever the hell you want to call them, and so of course NIKE had to make one pair $20 more expenisve.

PASS! I'm not buying a pair of shoes that can get mistaken for two different kinds, lame! Go a little further down and BAM! There they are the Nike Air Twilights. Immediately I thought they looked pretty sharp and it took me a bit to get comfortable to them, not used to the black... but I can adjust, I'm pretty good at that kind of stuff. So there they were my new FRESH pair of kicks for the summer.

When I got home I was showing them off to everyone, haha. They are still in the GREEN box, yes GREEN, for some reason that is really cool to me. So ya, I'm pumped I laced them up with red shoelaces, that came with them. Matches the red Nike symbol and red soles. Now I just need to make sure I can keep them clean when I go out. But that will have to wait, not gonna risk the new kicks with the terrible weather we have been having, just not worth it.

So if you are feeling like you need a little flare in your life, maybe some spice, has life gotten boring? Go find yourself a new pair of kicks!!! Puma, Adidas, Nike whatever they all make some really cool ones. Enough with the basic stuff though, i mean come on people lets get some different styles going on... switch up the colors. They may look way too out of control at first, but I have learned two things 1) they are much less noticeable when you wear pants, which is most of the time when you go out, and 2) after a few times of wearing them the shine wears off and they arent as attention grabbing.

Go forth and stimulate the economy and your wardrobe!!!

and yes i realize this is a little vain :)

Band/Group of the week

So I recently got into a new group/band called 'Pretty Lights.' They are sweetness. Now that I think of it I can't really remember... o wait ya i do. I was jammin out at my buddy's apt, where he has a sweet DJ set up. Including a synth, a beat pad, and a sweet program he bought on his laptop (that is the same that STS9 uses). We were doing our own thing, well really he was doing all the work, I just threw down on the beat pad and synth a little. Which, was honestly some of the best chill fun i've had in a while. I really hope it works out and we can bust out his set pool side... would it not be awsome to have a live DJ poolside? i think so. :)
So we're going through some sweet music with tons of WhooOOoomMMps, i.e. Ratatat, STS9, Bassnectar, etc. and eventually he's like damn this group Pretty Lights is coming to Dallas you should peep them. O and yes he said it EXACTLY like that. So what the hell, listen.grooveshark.com has showed me the greatness of a lot of new music so there I go again. Searching for Pretty Lights, artist, play... bam! The whomps start. Dont know what it is, but i can just play it over and over again... maybe its because in a way i am tired of my 'old' music. Who knows, the human is a complicated person right? or is that just the female?
Who doesnt love some whomps in their music right? so I took him up and went to the show with him and a bunch of his buddies. I havnt been to a soley electronic/rave type show in AGES!!! but I manned up went with them and i believe starting around 10 the first DJ starting busting out the WHHHOooooooMMMMPSSS and the dance started. O not to mention I was wearing shutter shades, ya i'm that guy. 1am or 2 rolls around, who's keepin track, and the next DJ comes on with some techno that I just could not handle after dancing for 3hours straight. So what is there to do on Sat night in dallas after 1 or 2, go back to your friends apt and rage till 9AM! So thats what I did. A group of 10 of us or so went back and did everything from kitchen bowling, to watching the BAD ASS thunderstoms going on in the city and watching the sun come up. Ya i was dead sun, but whatever, not like i get anything done on sundays anyways. Well enough of my journey.

Pretty Lights
My favorite song right now is 'Hot Like Sauce' tons of whomps! get in there guys!!

EF FB!!

What the hell is it these days with the people on Facebook?!? It has become a virtual world for people to escape into in the past couple months. When I originally signed up, I thought that FB was the coolest thing because I was going to be able to keep up with all my friends from Dallas while I was in DC, and then vice versa once I graduated. I mean I have friedns in LA, NYC, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Rochester, Austin, etc. there is no way I am going to find the right time to call them when I want to let them know something, and who checks voicemail these days? not my friends, haha. So basically I thought FB would be awsome to keep in touch with ppl.

Recently though everytime I log on, some 'friend' of mine has filled out the most recent: This is what kind of Xmen, Golden Girl, Shot, Character, etc you are. Are you kidding me? You need some electronic device to stimulate you? I mean I could tell you right now with out even looking at a test or question or whatever they have you fill out I would be Wolverine because I damn well want to be, I would be a Tequila shot because they are my favortie and etc I KNOW these things, I dont need some superficial BS computer app to spit out some garbage on how it 'knows' me.

This however, is actually besides the point. You have time for this? HA, i laugh at that. I love the internet, I just started blogging, I have a twitter account, I go on Facebook all the time, but for the love of god... my time is way to precious to fill out some stupid survey that doesnt even give you a free tshirt. Lets see the things I would rather do than fill out FB surveys: drink, sleep, talk with friends, 'stalk' my friends (haha, see what they are up to, sometimes its tough to keep up with them all when you're so popular), blog - like I am doing now, and well pretty much anything besides fallin into a bear pit... unless baxter is around, then I would feel safe.

I just dont get how 1) people need some stupid computer app to tell them who they are. Does this make you feel better on the inside? knowing that a computer is agreeing with what you originally thought? 2) people have the time to deal with such ridiculous concepts... for christs sake there is SWINE FLU people, lets solve that first. I dont know, maybe its just that I hate seeing all the stupid 'news flashes' or whatever you call them of ppl filling these things out on my FB page, or maybe people should start to be a little more confindent in themselves and live in the REALITY. Not some ridiculous Mob Wars, Motorcycle racing, Zombie killing virtual world where you get TOLD what you are.

Does no one else find these things completly useless and annoying?