The World... According to Americans.

A couple months back, one of my fist posts I believe, I wrote about how Americans do not understand the concept of being told no. We grow up with our parents telling us that we can become president do whatever we want; however, its said with such ease that it takes away from the concept of how hard some people work to achieve their dreams. I am brought back to this topic because of recent tragedy in Pittsburgh, man kills three in gym.

After reading this article it is so sad to see that a man seriously took out all his inadequacies on everyone else. How can someone be so sick in the head that they dont realize that something is wrong with them, not with the thousand of people who they have had social interaction with. Hell my life would so much easier if I could blame my neighbors for my lawn not getting mowed, or if I was pissed at the kid next to me for not getting me better grades in school, or pissed at my college because I'm not making $100,000 like some stupid bitch is. Seriously, there is a girl suing her college because she doesnt have a job. Like the job was supposed to just be waiting there for her, just the way your dog waits for you to get home.

Humans are not perfect, nobody is perfect, yet some people fail to recognize they have any flaws. Is this the parents fault? I dont know, but its taking its toll on the public. Columbine, Virginia Tech, this Gym, I am sure there are thousands maybe millions of other examples, but these are the easiest to come up with. If as a race we want to last and go to places we would have never thought, we will have to learn how to deal with rejection. That's how it goes. The world is not there to deliver all that you would like, i.e. a girlfriend, without hardwork. Maybe you need to find a girl with similar intrests, that can be tough, but she has to be out there, so work at it. Maybe girls get turned off by you because of what you look like, how you act, or something else. Well, instead of killing someone over it go work out, go make friends and learn to interact, and most importantly use these things a guide/lesson to help you become a better person, not to ruin hundreds of peoples lives in just an instant. Yes only 3 people died, but those three people had family, friends, and co-workers who counted on them and now they have been taken away from them with no explanaiton, which can be the hardest part of coping with a death.

For the sake of the general public, AMERICA I implore you please learn to see your own faults instead of blaming everything on everyone else.

T.O. was my friend

Recently I had a terrible experience with having to deal with a T.O type character. What made this real tough is that it was within my circle of friends. For at least myself, I do not want to talk for the others, I know I was definitely blinded by his charisma for quite some time just like T.O has done to three, now four teams. His smile is huge, he talks the talk, and he just seems so sincere. Hell ya I was a T.O. fan when he came to the cowboys. I thought he was a game changer, kinda like this old acquaintance. However, just as in football as soon as the times get tough the small things start to come out and little by little they build and build and ends up becoming a whole soap opera mess with the media spreading half truths all around.

But the time had come. The Executives for three different teams had had enough, just as my circle just couldnt take the drama anymore. Never have I known a single male individual to cause so much drama within a group of friends. I didnt realize it but this guy who I always thought of as being the most confident guy and what not was actually quite the opposite. He needed the attention to make himself feel good. He was the opposite of confident, atleast thats what I think. You should have confidence in yourself because you know you can, not because some group of friends you just convinced otherwise are now agreeing with you.

It only became more apparent that he had self-confidence issues when he would just start bashing our friends for just about everything they would do. I myself took up yoga and of course it instantly became the butt of his jokes for however long, I guess to make himself feel better. Not sure why, might have had to do with his consistant talk of how he was going to have a 6 pack by then of June.. no July.. no Aug, it was always getting pushed back for him, so maybe he was upset I was actually doing something active or maybe he was upset because it was not with him. Ya he is that lame. He is the guy that needs to be invited to everything or he'll invite himself over, just like everyday after work. I love all my friends and I think they would all say the same about me... that they know in any situation needed i'd be there, but arent their certain situations when one likes to be alone at home to contemplate and relax after working all day? Not for him.

Anyways, after looking back on the facts, which I wont bore you with because that would just be petty. I came across an article on relationships that I actually think translates well into friendships as well. I cant find it on the net, but it has 8 main points about Dating/Being with a 'Loser'

1) Rough Treatment - basically anything that includes getting hit

2) Jumps Right into "I Love You" - includes showering you with gifts, spending the rest of their life with you; more than likely this means they have shallow emotions and are looking for someone to attach themselves to in order to validate their own self-esteem issues.

3) Confidence Killers - always putting you down basically, never good enough

4) Breakup Panic-ers - they make wild promises, will do ANYTHING

5) Prison takers - you're not alowed to have outside intrests, everyone is a bad influence on you, but not them, they criticize what you enjoy doing on your own (ahem, yoga), basically they want to cut you off from any other influences

6) You never do enough - self explanatory

7) The Paranoid Controllers - have to know where and what you're doing ALL the time, if you dont answer the phone they want to know why, etc

8) Wild Story specialist - say just about anything to get your attention including saying their mom is in the hospital even though its not true.

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 :)

Are you vain? yes you are!

The issue of being vain, or really what vain meant came up in my house between one of my room mates and good friend and it was kind of funny because one of them didn't know exactly what it meant. Does it even matter though? Aren't we all?

Apparently a girl asked him, 'hey are you vain?' Not really knowing/realizing the negative connotation that is associated with the word he responded 'yes.'

So I began to think, am I vain? are my friends vain? are they vain? etc... until I came upon the question 'Who isn't vain?' I don't think ANYONE, well at least anyone reading this blog post is not vain. Pretty much from the time we are born to when we die we have all sorts of pressure to conform or look a certain way. Even if you don't conform though you are going for a specific look. You want to make sure you stand out in a way... even if its the don't look at me I hate life, but really I want you to look at me and see how cool/different I am look.

I am def guilty... doing yoga, the couple push ups a day, the not so frequent jogs... its all part of my master plan, to look good :). Isn't that what everyone wants? to look good?

Now looking good is a different topic all together. To some looking good is looking like a super model, to some its wearing the hippest clothes, and still to more it is hopefully just being comfortable with your body. Being comfortable with it though I hope does not mean to do nothing about it, but more to understand your body. For example I cannot dunk but it doesn't mean i still don't try, or I know i am not Fernando Torres or some other super star soccer player, but it doesn't keep me from playing at a different level.

Any who, I believe we are all vain to some degree, but what really matters is how you let it effect your life. The worst example of this EVER happened to me in college. One of my friends started to seriously freak out when I asked to touch his Don King looking hair. A) he was white B) Are you fucking serious its your hair!? C) he looked like one of those idiots out of the 'My New Haircut' you tube video sensation. Wasn't like I wanted to run a lawn mower through his hair, in Texas, at least back in the day, I wasn't used to these types douche bag... but i have learned to adapt and deal.

How bout you?

So what were your early musical influences taking you through middle school, high school, and college? Did you feel yourself evolve as a person with the music you listened to, and as the music changed in different parts of your life?

If you would like please share, but also it is a nice reflection exercise... as I believe it can really help one align their life path, ideals, and morals