Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Lauryn Hill [@ 25 yrs old... presentation to High School kids]



I've been replaying this video over and over again. This woman is phenomenal. OMG OMG OMG. This video blessed me. Her whole entire speech needs to be quoted and memorized and understood.

Namaste

Sunday, January 23, 2011

L-Boogie concert

On January 22nd I ignored the signs. The morning of, my phone KO'ed. It decided that it wasn't going to pick up any sort of service/wi-fi/internet. Then I missed my bus and was running later than scheduled to meet up with my friend and head down.I spent 4 dollars calling my friend on a payphone, who had her share of trouble before the two of us finally met (forgot her wallet.. was running late..ect.). We both didn't know where we were going.In my determination to get there as early as possible, we cabbed it from the station to the venue. (It was in the middle of nowhere, close to industrial companies, and by the water, so it was 10x colder than normal)

10$ later...we find the place. Lineup was LONG. While we were both waiting in line trying to rock back and forth to the music this truck beside us was blasting,I kept thinking: "please God, let her show up!"... We were in line for a little more than an hour.I had lost all feelings in my fingers and my toes... it was 8:00 pm (the time it was supposed to start) ..... We were worried.


At 9:30 we finally got to feel heat, we were then inside the building. After security threw out my only meal for the day (a chocolate chip muffin from Tim Hortons). 10:30 when I regained full feeling on my fingers and toes. 11:30 when L-Boogie finally got on stage.


She got on stage, looking awesome! I'm not sure if it's because of the videos I saw of her, responding to some of angry fans while still on stage, but I was happy to see her and still tense, because I didn't know what to expect lol. Throughout the concert she would direct everyone from the pianist, background vocalist, to the lights and sound people. From then on, you knew, and it was obvious that this was HER show, and NO ONE ELSE's. Not the fan's show, HER show. I wasn't sure whether to take it in as a good thing or a bad thing... so I embraced it as is.


She performed a mix of Miseducation & the Score, most, if not all were performed completely different then their original, which for some I liked, some I didn't. After she performed her first 2 songs, I remembered feeling like she sounded a little tired, there were even parts where she would sing her runs, and I felt like she was screaming more than singing (but these moments were very brief, thankfully)... but as the show continued, I appreciated the fact that she would give a little explanation about some of the songs, and would refer to these songs as a time in her life where she was young and she was looking for answers. Based on how she sang some the songs, whether I liked her new rendition of it or not, I felt that there was an evident feeling of pain and struggle that she went/(maybe still is going) through. ...She "kept it real".


It was cool. It's too bad I was tired from standing for 7 hrs and HUNGRY and THIRSTY the whole time, otherwise I would've given her more energy than I did. Nevertheless, I still found myself jumping up and down and screaming what I had left in my lungs out to her when she performed a few of my favourites.


Even if there were a few instances towards the end of the show where I wanted to leave, because my feet were hurting, I was sooo hungry and dehydrated (a girl beside me fainted) I stayed and I stuck it out and I'm glad. I felt like she gave it her all, and everything she was singing or rocking out to was delivered in a very real way. I felt it, and I believed in what she was singing. So I left happy.

How many mics does L-Boogie rip on the daily.... Say me say Many Moni, Say me say manymanymany... ♥



[Sidebar: I saw my music prof and my TA at the concert. Even if I feel like I'm struggling in the class, He automatically gained like 20+ points in the cool department lol. I also saw classified getting a hot dog outside with a friend, just chillin'. I was kind of thrown off, cuz he's a pretty well known Canadian rapper. Not sure if it was my "small-town" upbriging, but I tapped him on the shoulder, and asked him if he was classified, the rapper... he said yes... and I was like "wooorrd?? that's awesome!!" ... (smiled, shook his hands) .. he laughed... I asked him if he enjoyed the show, he said he did, and I cosigned... told him I just wanted to say hi, then he laughed, I told him it was nice to meet him, as I walked away ............ random ..... lol.... cool dude. As I was walking away, I wanted to get a picture of me and him doing a b-boy stance, but it was too late :( ...lol. smh.]


Here's one of the videos I managed to record on my camera during the show...

Lauryn Hill - turn your lights down low from yaz mat on Vimeo.


Strange Fruit.

Friday, January 21, 2011


Just ran into this video of the Noisettes a few months ago, and I forgot to post it. But I suddenly had an urge to listen to them when my itunes library played one of their songs while it was accidently set on shuffle. :) ... Beautiful mistake. This makes me really really want to physically go to Africa!!

Noisettes 'Kilimanjaro Studio Sessions' from Agile Films on Vimeo.


.......



This song just makes me excited to see Lauryn!!!!!... omg omg omg.. 2 more days * squeal*



MELANIE FIONA'S 'THE MF LIFE' (FULL EPK) from Concrete Loop on Vimeo.




Once upon a time, there was not that much snow, and I could wear shorts and sandals, and visit streetcorners, and neighbourhoods I've never been to in Toronto, with very little in my pocket, except a pen and a pad, 1 token to get back home and an empty wallet. ... *sigh* ... I want winter to end. ...(I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike lol)


But the reality of it, there's snow. And I have no bike... and I just gotta learn to cope!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

All that jazz...


.... (interesting... lol ... fashion, sometimes makes me laugh out loud and shake my head profusely)

[2 asians w/ high tops ...LOL. This pic is awesome!]

Still working on this vision board. ...lol.. hopefully I'll have it done before the 1st of feb.I should be doing work right now, but I've been finding a lot of gems for the past few hours. Mostly all Jazz... which is fine, because I've been on that tip for the last little while. I'm rediscovering old favourites, notably "My Baby Just Cares for Me" - by Nina Simone. The other day I went to HMV, in hopes of finding some juice to fuel my ipod, and I was sooo close to purchase a Coltrane discography, then I remembered the amount that was sitting on my bank account, and I walked away with a sad pout, sincerely wishing my financial situation was different than it was. .... *kicks can, with hands in pocket*

Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares for Me by samprofeta



When I pay attention to how much time I spend just looking for songs, and sharing it with people, I keep thinking I should find a job where that's all I do, I think I would be VERY happy doing that. ... uughh...

Jose James
VICADIN by josejamesworldwide

I found another video from the Influencers series. A few posts ago, I posted their first short film "Influencer" series, which till this day, I keep replaying over and over again, almost memorizing what is being said. Here is an interview with a dude named Steve Stoute, the CEO of Translation [a brand management firm that arranges strategic partnerships between pop culture icons (JayZ, Gwen Stefani, Lebron, Justin Timberlake...) & Fortunne 500 companies]. Interesting enough in my management class, we were talking about branding and everything he's saying, we discussed. Anyway, watch it and be inspired!

INFLUENCERS in-depth Series / STEVE STOUTE from R+I creative on Vimeo.


[Sidebar: morning stretches, thinking, writing and quick workouts are awesome!! I highly recommend it!]

Monday, January 17, 2011


There's something beautiful about the way a poet sketches words to tell their stories, especially when you see part of your own story unfolding in the way they spell and speak each word. I recently had the opportunity to check out a spoken word concert: "When Sisters Speak". Though I knew my share of friends/acquaintances that were either there or on their way, I sat solo, and I was glad.

Boombox Series // Jessie J from Arcade44.tv on Vimeo.


During the intercession I managed to scribble a few things on my blackberry:


" I'm all smiles right now. These women are aweworthy, they deserve an applause. Everything about their. Words, everything about them was sincere, real. How can I .... (To the guy who's cigarette stench left me and all my clothes stain with garbage: why??!?) ...

I dunno, I have a lot of things going through my head right now... I'm feeling like I owe it to myself to write more and to bring my life and my story into more of my writing. I want to limit my use of abstract poetic concepts, and bring me as simple and as unaltered as possible fearlessly into white lines, and tattoo it between the lines of my notepad. I may or may not ever gather the strength to breath life into it, but maybe writing it will help me understand it more. Maybe I've been stopping myself from addressing my story because up until now, I never admitted or seen the value and or validity in sharing it for some reason."
15/jan/2011



There were pieces about everything, a few of which I have heard before, but somehow it felt like I never did. I hung to every last word that was spoken, in hopes of lying in the truth they sought to speak. I heard it... and I took it all in. After many hugs, laughter, and discussions, and listening, I went home late and took it all in... Feeling thankful, to have been in the presence of so many beautiful people. I needed that night, I honestly can't remember the last time I wrote anything... I needed this. It's strange how I could find myself in their words though they were not mine but theirs to hold. Maybe they sent it as a gift to themselves to heal, or to the audience to entertain, and give us our money's worth (lol ... afterall it was 35$, and for a student like myself, it's QUITE a price, especially after going grocery shopping!!). Whatever the reason may be, I was glad to be there and truly take it in.

Adele - Set fire to the rain by TheProphetBlog

A friend of mine said that the crowd wasn't very rowdy or have too too much energy. I'm not sure how these things work, but whenever I'm taking a spoken word piece in, I usually stay quiet, and my reaction comes a bit delayed. In the moment I tend to take it in, and absorb as much of it as possible lol... *shrug* not sure why. On rare occasions you hear me snap my fingers... But I'm always all smiles.


Strange Fruit

Friday, January 14, 2011

Keep Calm and Make it work

[Haitian Girl posing with her prosthetic leg, 1 yr after the earthquake]

... Attention, all Haitians, non-Haitians, people who are in solidarity with Haiti. If you have felt overwhelmed, sad, depressed because of this struggle you call life, or the struggle you witness people around you or on your TV screen experience, If you have felt lost in the world, helpless, guilty for being so blessed, undeserving ... I say keep calm and make it work. Today, I'm feeling better than yesterday. I was depressed, all I could see was negativity, nothing positive. But today I wouldn't have it. I even made my way to winners and got a yoga mat, and as soon as I got home I started to stretch breath and just think. I was even going to bake something, then I got too comfortable in my room and decided not to. ....... I'm ok now.



Sometimes I think it can be overwhelming to care about the 'less fortunate'... I put it in quotation, because oftentimes people who 'we' think is 'less fortunate' don't consider themselves 'less fortunate' AT ALL, so why call them that? ... but I digress. After running into a tumblr ad of Tim Gun with the quote "keep calm and make it work" I decided to name this post the same. Sometimes my head tries to pick at all these things that's going on around me all the will by assessing myself and how I fit in this mess... and I go crazy a little bit. So ... New motto guys: Keep Calm and make it work.

Jose James

Jose James by user2405655

Ran into this video after downloading the song the other day. ... I've playing it on repeat



Here's a short film that I just enjoyed... about a designer and his process/story ...

Wednesday, January 12, 2011


Sometimes I wonder if there is a point to being in some classes. I was in class today, and I didn't realize that the class was going to be SUPER concentrated on theory about freedom, and equality. Everything that seemed to be talked about was so abstract, that it almost didn't make sense at all. ...almost. If it wasn't for the discussion that followed afterwards, I would've probably walked out of the class and dropped it. ......smh



Today was a bit depressing, and odd, because it marked the 1 yr mark of Haiti's earthquake. Articles, videos, newspaper reports of how bad everything is. How little progress is being made, and how the Cholera epidemic is worsening. I just felt straight up helpless. I wanted to wear my mini-Haitian flag as a sign of solidarity but I couldn't find it. I wanted to go to an event/fundraiser for it, but I had a night class so I couldn't. Not to mention that winter has officially kicked in full gear now! :(



Somewhere in the middle of me trying not to think about it to much and lighten my mood, I managed to watch the Bachelor. smh ...lol (no judging, at least it's not jersey shore)


Then it reminded me of the "dating world".... smh... and how a show like the bachelor is so dumb but it's good TV. It reminded me of other things, but I'll keep it as that.


....

This is exactly how I felt after completing my music project.


Guess who just got some groceries in her fridge. YES. Yours truly, and so I'm a little less cranky than I was on my last post lol. Life is a little better, I'm getting better, and I'm glad.

I want to write more... but lately I've been feeling pretty uninspired.


Is it possible to not be good at meeting people, and 'socializing like everyone else. I just found a quote somewhere by John Lennon who said that "time wasted doing something you enjoy was not wasted". What does that even mean? something about it seems a little abstract if you ask me lol. ...the I'm just busy on my grizzly, grinding..


Mine - Story of a Sacred Mountain
Uploaded by shootingpeople. - Full seasons and entire episodes online.

Friday, January 7, 2011

weird start of the year


So the first few days since new years have been a bit strange. I pulled an all-nighter on the first day back to school. smh. Everything's been a little weird. I started off on this optimistic high about everything, then I got a little down, and down until I started to fall into this self-perpetuating "I'm lost, what am I doing with my life after this, what's next? I'm broke, I'm in debt, I'm so foolish, my work isn't enough, I could've done better," mentally rant/ quiet inner-struggle thing. I'm trying to figure everything out, and desperately looking for ways to do whatever I want to do in the safest (financial) way possible but at the same time I recognize the value of disregarding that and doing "what your heart is telling you, you should" ... *rolls eyes*.

Sometimes I stop and think about it, and I think being a "dreamer" and "following your heart" thing is BS lol. ...straight up.

The Strange Fruit Project/ Maintain (Liquid Soul Remix) by Lunansia

Strangely enough I've managed to be on top of a lot of other things like fixing my resume and starting to send it places ect.. so maybe all of this chaos is just in my head.


I've also noticed that a few of the files I have on here keep disappearing (songs/videos), so I'm working on ways to fix that issue, if it can be fixed at all. But bref... *shrug*






04. You Got Me - Joonie by darehab

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Oprah Presents: Jay-z's story [Master Class]

On this blog, and in my life, I always try to emphasize the importance of stories, and story-telling. Which is why I love hip hop, and poetry and conversations with people in general. I just ran into this video on one of my favourite blogs. I love this story, I find it inspiring. I think it's a great way to start of 2011. (thank you Oprah! lol)


1/3
Uploaded by 3030fm. - Explore more family videos.


2/3
Uploaded by 3030fm. - Family events, birthdays and parenting videos.


3/3
Uploaded by 3030fm. - Discover videos of people, family and friends.

Fearless is my word for 2011. It is the word that I will embody, and I will walk in Faith and make this happen. I want to find my 'truth' whatever 'it' is. I don't know what my 'thing' is yet, and I hope that I will find it soon, I can feel it.

Followers