They don't make slow jams like they use to

So this weekend was pretty eventful. Some of my friends were in town from various cities, so we all went out to a bunch of places, and a couple restaurants, plus a bbq. But I'll cover that on another day.

Tonight, while going home with a friend from a BBQ, we were listening to Boys II Men- On bended knee on the radio. And we were thinking, they don't make slow jams like they use to. And I'm not trying to be an old geezer and say music nowadays is no good, but I think its true. Their aren't groups out there like Atlantic Star, Surface, Jodeci bringing out slow jams that can be future karaoke hits. The closest thing to slow jams nowadays is J. holiday. Everything is just R&B, and that includes stuff like Bartender from T-Pain or Imma Flirt from R.Kelly.

It just seems like songs aren't really out there to create emotions. It's more out there just to make a hit. I mean the slow jams back in the day talked about really loving a person. Take for example the song by Mint Condition- Pretty Brown eyes, now that was the jam, the song talked about how much I'm so into you. Or if they do talk about making love, how beautiful it is just like they did in the Az Yet song Last Night. I mean remember the song by Subway- This lil game we play, they talked about wanting to get with each other, but in a playful way. Now the songs are just straight forward I want to get you in the sack. If anybody knows any good slow jam singers now, please let me know.

Another subject we had in the car was overcoming fear. my friend was saying "I have all the skills in the business world, but when it comes to girls it just isn't the same." There are a lot of guys I know who have that fear, the fear of rejection. Now I started reading this book called The Secret by Rhonda Bryne. Now I don't want to ruin the whole secret. But after reading that book, I'm just keeping a positive attitude in life.

Keep thinking I'm going to get the job, get the girl and get the money. To all those guys out there who have some certain fear. Just keep thinking positive and everntually it will come true. If you keep thinking negative thoughts, all you will get is negative results. Rejection is natural, you just have to learn from it.

Today was a day, Tomorrow is another day. Just keep aiming for your goals and everything to come in place.

Anime Review: Beck:Mongolian Chop Squad

I believe my Saturday is going to be a little bland. So here's a review.

This anime just started coming out on DVD. So please support the anime by purchasing the DVD. It's really a anime worth watching.

So the anime today is called Beck. Like I said in lovely complex, if your looking for flying robots, high speed action, and ninjas. This is not the anime for you. But if your looking for a coming of age anime with music with lyrics that pierce your soul. Then Beck is the anime for you.

Beck is the story about a young boy named Koyuki. Now Koyuki is trying to figure out where is his place in life, what was he meant to do. Koyuki normally listens to pop music which in Japanese culture is very uncool. One day while going out with Koyuki's friends, Koyuki meets Ryusuke Minami. Ryusuke intrudoces Koyuki to rock music and Koyuki becomes engulfed with the culture. After discovering that Koyuki has a good singing voice, Ryusuke invites Koyuki to be part of his band called Beck. Since Beck is taken in the US, they are known as Mongolian Chop Squad in the states. This anime covers the life of Koyuki from dealing with bullies, girls and the band.

There are many interesting characters in this anime. And this is definitely one of those animes where you want to see if Beck is going to make it. The music compliments the anime really well and the lyrics are really powerful. Being a big fan of their album, I would recommend checking out "Slip out" and "Moon on the Water"

I highly recommend this anime if your into a coming of age story and if you have big dreams. Because Koyuki prooves anybody can achieve their dreams.

A good quote

Currently Listening to: Bobby Valentino f/Ludacris- Rearview (Ridin')

So I've been watching this show called Densha Otoko. It's a comedy about an Otaku trying to get a girl. If you guys don't know what an Otaku is, its a person who has no life but anime. Those are the types that have no social skills and have like a grip of posters and anime models in their room. So this Otaku wants to jock this one girl, but he has no clue what to do. So he posts his questions on a forum and a grip of people help him out. Towards the end of the series one of the members of the forum posts a good quote:

"In sports and studies you might need more talent than effort... But in love, effort is more important than talent"

I really believe that is true. Now I'll leave it up to you what you can think of this quote. You could have all the natural skills in the world to attract the opposite sex, but it won't mean shit if you don't put in effort. Don't you ever wonder sometimes in clubs or social scenes you see the decent looking people with nobody while the ugly people get the good ones. Why do you think you see ugly ass mofos with hot ass girls, because those guys put in the effort to get them. All it takes is one step, and it doesn't help being a wallflower.

In the words of Suzuka "Love is not a spectator sport." So stop just standing there!

The "I'm going to make it" playlist

So with all these feelings of uncertainty, I had to make a playlist to believe that there's hope in this world. Listening to these songs made me believe that there is a hope, a chance, a possibility that I'm going to make it. Enjoy.

Outkast- In due Time
Trey Songz- Just gotta make it
Kanye West- Through the wire
Christina Believer- Believer
Incubus- Drive
Notorious B.I.G.- Juicy
Allen Anthony- Alright
Nas- I can
Nas- One Mic
A tribe called quest- Stressed out
Bone Thugs N Harmony- I tried
Bubba Sparxxxx- Deliverance
Dilated Peoples- This way
Linkin Park- Hands held high
Linkin Park- Somewhere I belong

Torn in between the two, and I really want to be with who?

So this weekend, I've been into deep thought. Analyzing my situation, and I've come to realize that I have to sacrifice one of two things: My career or my trip to Japan in May. I've been looking at the situation and by the way its going, it really looks like that I'm about to sacrifice my Japan trip.

See here's how the situation goes, as you guys already know, I've been trying to job hunt but its a bitch to find a job right now. So I narrowed it down to a couple options.

1. Keep working at my job til I find a better job and still go to Japan
2. Say Fuck it and quit my job, pack my stuff and go to LA and try to find a job there, using the money that i saved for Japan and give up my trip
3. Keep working at my job til next May go to Japan and then find my career job after that.

Being a person who has lived in San Diego his whole life, I really want to live in another city just to see where I really came from. I believe if I stay here, it's like I'm staying in a bubble. Sometimes you gotta get out of the bubble, to see how good you really had it.

Now I'm the type of person where if I have a goal, I'm going to achieve it. And I'm a man of my word. And this goal for japan spawned this year. And I've been determined to save just to go to that trip. One of my dreams right now is take a take a picture in japan with the sakura flowers falling down. I also want to travel at a young age, I dunno if I'd be down to go to the clubs when I'm around 28 or so, I'd just feel old. So I really want to take this trip while I'm still young. But I really got to think about the future and a career is very important.

I've been talking to my homies and I've got a lot of input and they have good points for each. Like a good homie said "you gotta secure yourself before you can go on vacation, if you go to Japan w/o a new job your just taking a gamble. Granted, you don't know what Japan will be like in a couple years." And I've had countless homie tell me that I'm a smart kid, and from experience, they really recommend that I move out of San Diego.

And I ain't gonna lie, in my point of view the job market in San Diego SUCKS!

The way things are going now. It's getting to the end of the year, so companies are thinking about their budget and its going to get extra hard to find a position. My roommates want to extend the lease here at the place I'm staying at til December. My roommate was telling me that I should start fresh in 2008. But my impatient ass wants a change now. Also, if I move back to my parents place, then I would have to pay rent. So either way, there's no escape to paying rent. So the most logical thing to do right now is to keep on working till I find a job and chill at this pad till December.

Bottom line, I want a new job and I don't want to sacrifice Japan.

Its looks like I do have to sacrifice Japan, but I don't want to accept that fact.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Anime review: Lovely complex

I told myself that I would post up some anime recommendations. And here's the first one I had time to do. If you guys think anime is nothing but magical characters, ninjas and robots. You are way off. There are plenty of anime out there that deal with everydaylife from sports to relationships. And I have to say some of these relationship animes are very interesting. Either they bring a twist or bring out some scenes that you can relate to.

The one I would like to talk about today is called Lovely Complex. Its the story about a 5' 7" girl named Koizumi Risa and a 5'1" named Atsushi Otani. Koizumi and Otani are often referred to as a comdedic duo because they look so funny together. Now in the beginning, they decided to help each other out finding love because its hard to find a girl taller than Koizumi and its hard to find a girl shorter than Otani. But as the show progresses, Koizumi begins to fall for Otani. But Otani being dense as he is, he has no clue that Koizumi is jocking him.

The love roller coaster that these two go through take a lot of twist and turns from secret admirers to rejections. Like most anime, they do have the funny faces and large expressions. But this anime is really comedic and I highly recommend checking this show out. Kiss-sub is the group that subs this anime so mass props to them. So check this out before it gets licensed.









*This is for promotional use only. Please purchase the dvd when it gets licensed.

What Pop Music Does

I took this quote from the anime called "Beck". I'll write a review on the anime soon enough. But there's a good quote in the anime where they talk about pop music.

"My sister believes that music could change the hearts of people all around the world. Pop music, that just makes you feel good. Such escape-from-reality music that tells you 'Everything's okay' paralyzes people's senses, and steals their desire to think about the various issues surrounding life."

The minute I read that quote, it felt like they took a piece of me and put it in this anime.

I believe that music has the power to change the world. It can tell stories, it can convey emotions, it can change history. I mean why do atheltes listen to high energy music before playing a game. Or how come we play "we are the champions" when someone wins a game. Ballet is not really Ballet w/o the music. Symphonies were made to escape from reality. A simple jingle for a product can be stuck in your head.

It's because music is that powerful.

Nike Run Hit Remix 2007

If you guys aren't familiar with the Nike Run Hit Remix, then let me explain. The Nike run is a 5 mile run, but at each mile there is a stage where a group is performing. So while running you have a show. The run is not really a race because they want you to enjoy the music while running. So even though the run is timed, its not uncommon to stop at stages to hear people perform. Last year while running I saw Vanilla Ice, Coolio, Young MC, Digital Underground and the final stage was De La Soul.

This year was a little different. For starters, a 18 wheeler was blocking the freeway when we were trying to head up. So we ended up being late for the run. Now its one thing having a bad time, its another thing starting the race late. So instead of running from the starting line, we actually started running from the place we parked our car. And since we started running the minute we got out of the car, we didn't have ample time to warm up. So by mile 2, I ended up getting a cramp. But I still ran the sucker.

Now during the whole duration of the run I heard the following:

Naughty by Nature- Hip Hop hooray
Suger Hill Gang- Rapper's delight
Dawn Robinson of En Vogue- What's it gonna be
Sir Mix a Lot- Baby got back
Mc Hammer- Turn this mother out
Mc Hammer- Prey
Mc Hammer- Pumps in the bump
Mc Hammer- 2 Legit 2 quit
Mc Hammer- You can't touch this

Now while running I heard all these songs, but during the run I actually stopped and watched the Suger Hill Gang perform. I mean these guys were the pioneers of rap. These guys should've been the headliner. And while listening to these guys perform, I swear it was like I was the only one singing along to rapers delight.

Now I feel bad for MC Hammer because it looked like Hammer had a 10 song set, but after hammer performed "you can't touch this" which was like song 5, almost everybody left. But to be honest with you guys, Hammer is not really a good entertainer, he doesn't know how to hype the crowd. Well... Today's crowd at least. Last year's headliner was De La Soul and those guys tore it up. Now even though not everybody knew them, at least everybody stayed till the end with De La.

Here are some pics from the runs.

Nike Run Hit Remix 2006



Nike Run 2007



The run was suppose to have 10,000 people there, imagine about 1,000 when Hammer finished singing you can't touch this.

Uncertainity

"It ain't where he's at its where he, where he wanna be" Keyshia Cole- Let it go

That lyric speaks the truth. You can't judge a person where he's at right now. You gotta see where he wants to be, what are his goals, what does he want to acheive in life. Cause if you see me right now and only see me as a admin for a gas company. I think thats bs, cause I got a lot of things I want to do. Here's a list of stuff I want to learn or achieve:

Run a marathon
Play the guitar
Play the piano
Travel around Japan
Make print ads
Have a job with a major advertising companies
Make commericials
Make AMV's
Do some Bboy moves
Have a crowd of at least 5,000 chearing my name (now that one I don't have a plan yet, but it will come up)

Above all these, I have one thing that I want to do before I can do any of those. GET A DESCENT JOB! But trying to find a job is a bitch right now. I've been applying to a lot of places for the past 2 months and I've received no call. And been trying to apply for 2 months and receiving no reply makes me wonder wtf am I doing wrong.

This trying to find a job thing has been lingering over my head for awhile. It's like the monkey I can't get off my back. And thanks to this whole job hunt, I feel like I can't totally relax. Even when I'm just chillen, watching tv or something, I still think about it here and there.

The same time last year I had a totally different point of view on life. I was in the same position, working at the gas company, living at an apt. But the only difference between then and now is the illusion of hope I had 2006. Because last year I was under the impression that I was going to get full employee status and I would receive opportunities within the companies. But when my contract was reviewed, they just renewed my contract and basically shown me there was no hope where I was at.

But thankfully, and I'm really counting my blessings on this one. I have friends and family there to support me. For example, one of homies was showing me the brighter side of my situation. At least I'm alive and have the things I have instead of being shot or being in a coma. A couple friends I talked to yesterday layed it out and said, dude your still young. its not like your 35 and wanting to start your life, at least your trying to make a change now. My parents having my back too trying to make me think positive, "it's now I hope I get the job, its I WILL get the job."

It's a good thing to know that I'm not alone in this world. So to all my family and friends out there, I'm still stressin but I know you guys have my back and I thank you for that.

I know I'm lagging on playlists posts, but they'll be up when I find my inspiration. And the Nike run post will be up soon too.

But for now, just sit back and think who's there to support you. Because there has to be someone out there who cares for you.

My homie's vision (anime music video)

Music is a powerful tool. I believe that music can change the world. Whether its a song or a instrument. Music can convey emotions. Anime is an art form, stories are being told from japan with the use of animation. Now combine music and anime together and you have anime music video or amv for short. You know how sometimes music videos don't go along with the song. It's just a bunch a scenes put together to go along with the song. I mean there are countless rap videos where they talk about fighting and all there is, is club scenes. Anime music video can be a powerful tool to tell a story, not only do you use the lyrics from the music, but you can also provide a visual aid that goes along with the story.

My Big Bro was reading my blog and he said he pictures this video when he reads my blog. Which I can understand where he's coming from. I can relate to this video, there are some pretty powerful quotes. Take a gander.



Here's some other examples of pretty good amv's.

Sum 41 came out with a song called Pieces, I heard that song and totally felt the words. It talks about being on my own. Now add that with some scenes about being by yourself. Thats a good video.



I've always been a fan of Linkin Park, and with their new album, it just gets better. Their first single is called "What I've done" which I really felt was a good song for this anime called code geass. The song talks about your actions. And this anime is about revenge and the effects of your actions. I give a thumbs up on this one too.



When I learn about the programs, I'm going to create some AMV's because I have some visions too. But that won't be until later, but stay tuned because there's more to come.

Playlist to a relationship-Chapter 4: The cheating list

Ok to clarify, There hasn't been any posts for chapters 1-3 yet. But basically I'm making a playlist about the steps of a relationship. The reason I'm posting chapter 4 now is because its the first playlist I thought of, next should be Chapter 1.

Now, Chapter 4

So after you'll got together, the relationship gets boring. So what do most unfaithful people do... They cheat. Temptation is out there, just watch the movie "I think I love my wife" It just all depends on you on how faithful you are to your significant other. So this playlists consists of songs saying that your cheating on somebody or your being cheated on. Listen to the words to each song and you let me know what you think.

R.Kelly- Down Low
Aaliyah- If your girl only knew
Donell Jones- Where I wanna be
Hinder- Lips of an Angel
Usher- Let it Burn
Keyshia Cole- I should've cheated
Blackstreet f/ Janet Jackson- Boyfriend, Girlfriend
Tamia- Stranger in my house
Mario Winans- I don't wanna know
Ginuwine- What's so different
Dru Hill- In my bed
SWV- Your the one
Shirley Murdock- As we lay
112- Your letter
Xscape- My little secret

Inspirational quote and highs and lows

I fumbled upon this quote on my friends myspace page and I thought it was pretty good

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Now I can divulge and explain what the quote means. But it pretty much explains itself. Everybody is fighting some kind of battle, and I'm no exception. In a previous post I had on my myspace blog. For those who keep fighting your battle, I keep my hands held high for you.

You know whats a good feeling:

Paying off your credit card down to zero and you don't use it anymore. Credit cards are the devil.

You know whats a bad feeling:

Waking up with nothing to look forward to. And when I mean nothing, I really mean nothing, no competitions, no girlfriends, no friends calling you, a good job to go to, no human interaction. Nothing. Like you just woke up and you felt like your just existing. Now that just sucks, so all those people just chilling watching tv. Stop being lazy, pick up a sport, read a book. Something.

I believe I'm destined for something great, I'm just waiting for the moment I can actually say I made it.

More playlists coming this week so be on a lookout for that.

Preventing History from repeating itself

So after a talk with my mother. I've come to discover the truth about my father's love life and his attitude. I found out that he's pretty anti-social and that he's only good at one on one conversations. To this day my dad hasn't give an actual number of how many girls he's dated. And we both believe its because he never really dated. That my mom was the first one and he held on to that. Thanks to my father's DNA, I've come to see that some of his attitude is shaving off on me. And I'm saying fuck that. Even though this year I've haven't really gone out as much to save money. One of my biggest fears is to end up like my Dad, all anti-social and never really dated. Because I heard this response many times before for people who have never been in relationships,

Q. "So how many girlfriends/boyfriends you had"

A. "I never really been in a relationship but I dated a lot"

I find that answer to be utter bullshit. So to prevent history from repeating itself, I've been acting social, I've been trying to get out in the scene. I'm the type of person that thrives off interaction. I can't just chill and watch tv all the time. That sucks. And when I do stay home, there are times where I'm kicking myself saying "I should've went out." And at least I'm making the effort to going out and doing stuff, I don't get how people can just stay home. Social interaction is great. Here's how I see it

You don't socialize, you don't meet new people, you don't meet new friends, and you don't meet connections.

Whether its a love connection or a connection to a job. Its important to be out there.

Now I know there is one fear out there that really gets in the way of social interactions.

The fear of rejection

As any socialable person will say, GET OVER IT.

I have to admit there's a piece of me that still has that fear.

But I won't let it defeat me.

As Pharoah Monch said in the Styles P song: "My life is all I have, my rhymes my pen my pad, and I've done made it through the struggle don't judge me, what you say now won't budge me, because where I come from, so often, people you grew up with are laying in a coffin, but I've done made it through the strife, its my time now, MY WORLD, MY LIFE, MY LIFE!"

Sentimental Scene

I'm always a sucker for sentimental scenes. Not like I'm going to cry, but after watching one of these scenes I'm just like "dayam, that meant a lot." So this scene I found in an anime is where a Dad explains to his daughter why did his mother married him. This is happening while the spirit of the mother is watching on. The scene gets to me because I hope to have a sentimental scene like that one day. Hope you enjoy.

A verse I wrote back in the day

So I was going through some of my old pieces. And once in awhile I'm going to post them up on here. It'll give me a inspiration to write again. So this verse I wrote one day using the Method Man- Break ups 2 Make ups beat. If your unfamiliar with the beat, here is the music video.



Here's my untitled verse

So you come up to me like the fine asian divinity
But there's no such thing as the rebirth of virginity

G.S.C. I believe you heard of me
But your high pitch voice pinch the nerve of me

I leave your voice so horse,
Cause you go down south, makes me believe that you came from morse

Follow the course and open your eyes
you act like an angel but your a bitch in disquise
so you lie, and call up your extra back up
tell your ex that you just got smacked up

when they come, its about to go down
they realize who we are then they turn around

cause you forgot who the fuck I be,
God sent child from what, Battle T.

The high and mighty group of three M.C's
Mike V, Glenn P and Me the G.S.C.

It's wedding season

So a couple of close friends of mine got married this past saturday. Congratulations to both couples and may your love for each other grow even more. Now chilling at my homie shadow's wedding, just seeing the raw energy that was given off at the wedding. It makes me want to have the same energy when I'm married. I mean these guys just the minute the newly married couple entered the reception area, there were 30 minute songs and continuous dancing, the dinner, tossing of the bouquet, cutting of the cake were all formalities. Chilling at their wedding definitely gave me ideas for my wedding. For sure I want to have the following songs played sometime during the reception:

Elton John- The way you look tonight
Keith Sweat- Make it last forever
Lifehouse- You and Me
New edition- can you stand the rain
Soul for real- Candy Rain
Groove Theory- Tell me
Usher f/ Alicia keysl- My boo
Tyrese- Have I told you I love you
Mongolian Chop Squad- Moon over the water (This song I'm going to have a good singer perform live acoustic style)
George Michael- Careless Whisper
Boyz II Men- I'll make love to you
112- Crazy over you
Luther Vandross- Dance With my father
311- Love song
Tony Toni Tone- Anniversary
Mint Condition- Pretty Brown eyes

And thats just a portion of what I want played. Of course there's going to be a DJ but I also want to incorporate a mariachi band during dinner. My reception will not be cluttered by boring speeches, I want to keep it lively and the energy flowing. So there will be cultural performances such as tinkiling and sinkil. And I'm going to have a big court, I can't place one best man, so I'm going to have two best man and like 13 groomsman. And when we enter in the church I just want all my groomsman mob behind me as I enter through the double doors of the church. Just some ideas I had while at my homie's wedding.

Also, my homie asked me to give him a playlist just in-case the crowd wanted to hear some other music besides persian and spanish music. The criteria was it had to be upbeat and there can't be many cuss words, also I had to include stuff that was good for the whole family. So here's what I came up with. The playlist never got played, but still its the thought that counts

Michael Jackson- Billy Jean
Earth, Wind and Fire- September
Michael Jackson- Rock With you
Bel Biv Devoe- Poison
Jackson 5- Dancing Machine
Lloyd- Get it Shawty
Ne-Yo- Because of you
Rihanna f/ Chris Brown- Umbrella Remix
Chris Brown- Run it
Cassie- Me and U
50 Cent- In da club (radio edit)
Timbland- The way I are
Diddy- Come to me
Justin Timberlake- Summer Love
Joe- Ride Wit U
Pussycat Dolls- Don't Cha
Nelly Fertado- Promiscuous
Usher- Yeah!

Pictures of the wedding can be found on My big bro's page www.xswisdom.com and on my myspace page www.myspace.com/ejizzle


Here's a pic of our DSP crew at Sharokin and Jeannette Badal's wedding, again congratulations to Sharokin and Jeannette Badal, Ryan and Kat Tolentino