Long Strides to the Finish Line

Life should be taken in strides, a little motto I’ve been living by recently. Although we deal with life and the many hidden obstacles encountered everyday, some people approach those obstacles with baby steps. Baby steps are great for people who live in the box and like analyzing things before they do them, but for a guy like me I don’t think it gets you anywhere or at least somewhere you need to be fast. It’s funny to see people who tread murky waters and are scared of the plunge to failure. Honestly, life is too short to be scared of outcomes and failure. Sending your resume to fine women around the way, adding your two cents to a project at work, paying for an expensive meal, the experience of trying something new is in front of you, like NIKE ” Just do it.” So what, if that girl isn’t down with O.P.P, there’s Otha’ Fish, at least you know now, because you took the leap with confidence in self to approach her (she was probably a biatch anyway) and trust me all opinions matter, if you feel you can make a difference in your workplace do it, earn the promotion you deserve. Live life because you’ve never eaten Salmon head and Sea-urchin before, something new is something you will never forget especially when it cost 50 bucks to eat. Most of what you do wont fall under regret,regret finds it's course when we fail to take chances and sulk over what could have been.

I’m only offering a suggestion a good one to, why not live life to the fullest, we all only have one life to live. Anything could happen to me tomorrow (hopefully nothing bad), it’s always dope meeting someone new, teaching someone a new skill or learning a skill for myself, it’s beautiful to see and be involved with unity between groups of diverse individuals learning from each other. Keep it Beautiful is a song by Shock G from the infamous Digital Underground, we can keep it real but instead lets keep it beautiful. I love this song and the overall message he portrays, “His special special gift was his love side/So many try'na be Pac but only cop the thug side/How come yall don't wanna be Shock? I survived, And I ride for everyone/It's what you make it, so I made mine fun” listen to his solo album Fear of a Mixed Planet guarantee you’ll think he’s looney, but with this song there’s a confidence in his own style. He’s taking the strides to be successful and because of his nuttiness we all know who Shock G a.k.a Humpty Hump is and what he’s done for Bay area Hip Hop. Responsible for the production of the Luniz and co- producing Tupac’s album 2Pacalypse,this dude has a melting pot for imagination and the balls lyrically to be who he wants to be. Maybe you can get down to Shock G like I can, catch a Cinnamon Wave to feeling powerful and confident in everything you do. Always take the stride necessary to finding happiness within you.

Beauty is Everywhere

The Time is now to recognize beauty when we see it. For me, I tend to curse myself after the many missed opportunities to be a part of or intertwined with Beauty. Recognizing the beauty of our surroundings is a partial illustration our own portrayal of beauty, where we’re from and where we’ve been can help us paint the picture of beauty. When I vision beauty in my head it isn’t always Stacey Dash welcoming me into my home after a long day, it’s a moment in life when I can smell, taste, see or hear something and the result from my simple positive reaction makes me overjoyed to be alive. The smell of a cured youngin’, the taste of the best Ahi Poke’ on The Big Island, viewing an Island sunset from the confines of my home with a brew chillen, these are some beauty tips for finding positivity in our lives. Despite the ability to heighten my senses, the movement within me will forever be for the love of music, the sound and words of harmony and poem or story make me the most high on life. Music is universal, there is a Binary Star in the sky we all can see, coming together as it feeds sounds of rhythm and harmony to our souls.

I can say and be proud of becoming a diverse music listener. Last month I went with my homeboy SpencJah to a Thievery Corporation concert in Chicago, one of the craziest experiences I’ve had in a concert. Acid Jazz, Dub-Step Reggae, Electronic, Rock and Trip Hop and a whole bunch of other stuff mixed together makes for a crazy sound. If you want a psychedelic sound that makes flowing with the rhythm easy for a newbie to the Thievery scene, listen to these guys. I was blown away by their cunning chemistry and the originality of sounds from around the world, making music of energy that the world can unite to. The Thievery Corporation set a tolerable mood for living in Chicago, I knew I wouldn’t like the Mid-West because of the non- existence of scenery, all my life I’ve gazed upon scenery, beauty like none other. South I get Mt. Rainier, north I get a beautiful downtown Seattle mixed with some water to the west and the Olympics, Safeco and Qwest Fields shining from the Sista’ Sun, east I see Lake Washington and the beauty of the Cascades. Point being, I’m going to need scenery throughout my life along with different indigenous musical genres and groups the world provides. Thievery definitely opened my eyes to music of the world, seeing some of the beauty world possesses and listening to the music the world makes the mind wander toward places in the Atlas book in my life that I wanted to embark a.s.a.p.

Hawaii!!!!!! I made it, it was good to see the people I care about most for a second, but being here is the escape I needed. MGMT taught me how to enjoy myself and take only what I need from it, with that I credit MGMT for making me feel alive, I’ll listen to Kids or Time to Pretend and after get that Electric Feel for a long day on the courts, teaching dope people who enjoying life. Over the years it seems like every day I’ve been blessed by good music, music that despite the weather of the day, soaking in the easy sounds of Acid Raindrops, or in the car on a Fonky Expedition with Somethin’ to Ride to seems to make life and music a marriage never to be separated within me. I Used to Love Her, but now I love my music and everything about her.