Much like milk, everything in life eventually expires; even life itself. Since I can remember, I've had friends come in and out of my life. I have had a few that I would like to consider "life-long" friends, but even that becomes difficult to do. Sometimes "life-long" friends slip away. But whatever right? Hopefully this isn't too much different from what you have experienced in your life.
In high school there are so many faces in the hallway and then there are your best friends; your inseparable entourage.
And then over time you spend more and more time not talking to the point where it seems normal. Then you go to college and you don't speak to each other at all. It doesn't even faze you. And the world keeps turning.
Sometimes friendships burn like a white flame for a few years, and then some of them sort of dissipate, not disappear, just put on the back burner for a while; while others completely die off. But like in the movies, sometimes they come back.
I had a few very close friends of whom I sort of lost touch with more than a couple years ago (one or two was my fault; I have a problem with distancing myself sometimes.) But anyway, I was thick as thieves with these guys (like the kids in Stand By Me or Sandlot.) And all of a sudden, I wasn't. Everyone went their separate way. Sometimes life gets in the way, and I guess we accept it.
Recently I have reconnected with some of them and we talk frequently. And now that I am older and I understand this stuff a little better, it is all easier.
All along the way, I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and some that won't last until Christmas. I'm being honest: I have friends at work and at school, but when I'm done there, I probably will never see them again. It's weird the way life works, but I'm ready for it and everything that comes with it.
It's one of those bittersweet things we go through as we get older: to wonder about old friends. What are they doing now? Why did we lose touch? Better yet, when did we lose touch? Is it even worth trying to reconnect?
Take it for what it is. Eventually, they all become some more faces in the hall.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Funny People; self explanatory
So I went to see Funny People on its opening weekend and was not disappointed. I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first. The trailer did it no justice. It was a hysterical and unbelievably long two and a half hours.
Adam Sandler puts on an incredible performance (perhaps his best since Punch Drunk Love) in a film in which we see him go to darker places compared to his previous films. It was well shot throughout its entirety. Apatow and his cinematographer Janusz Kaminski use some of Sandler's video footage from their college days, and the stand-up performances in the film are shot in front of an actual live audience.
A bit long? eh.. Funny? Hell yea!
As it implies, Funny People is a film about how the the people who make a career out of making us laugh are miserable and alone. Apatow was able to go to a more mature level while remaining the same hilarious and obscene guy we know from The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up.
The dramatic themes combined with his usual trademark obscenities make this Judd Apatow's best film yet.
Adam Sandler puts on an incredible performance (perhaps his best since Punch Drunk Love) in a film in which we see him go to darker places compared to his previous films. It was well shot throughout its entirety. Apatow and his cinematographer Janusz Kaminski use some of Sandler's video footage from their college days, and the stand-up performances in the film are shot in front of an actual live audience.
Sandler plays George Simmons, a well known comedian suffering from a rare blood disease who hires Ira Wright to be his companion and write his jokes. Ira Wright (played by Seth Rogen) is an up and coming comedian trying to find his own (with women and his profession).
And I'm not going to lie: it was a shock to see Eric Bana feature in something and not be bored to the point where I just want to get up and walk out of the theatre. Maybe he should go "Aussie" more often.
The first half of the film is fast paced and concentrates on the "bromance" relationship between George and Ira. It would have made for a great hour and a half film. However, as the second half begins the story turns and we see George in pursuit of the one that got away (Leslie Mann), which makes a bit too long for comfort. Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman make it easier to get through with their scene stealing performances.
A bit long? eh.. Funny? Hell yea!
Overall, I really enjoyed Apatow's latest film. Funny People; it's self explanatory.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory
Season 2 premiers August 27th on MTV... and Bobby Light is making a comeback.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Excuse my "Chester French"
Let me tell you about this band I like.
First off, they are Harvard graduates.
Don't get it twisted. These Harvard alumni know a little more than just musical theory. Vocalist and songwriter, D.A. Wallach along with multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Maxwell Drummey make up the American pop band known as Chester French.
This group's sound is simply amazing; fresh and inspiring. What I like most is their declaration to not devote themselves to one particular music genre. Instead, everyone is relevant.
The two met in their freshman year in a dining hall, naming their band after Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the statue at the Lincoln Memorial as well as Minuteman statue at Lexington/Concord battlegrounds in Massachusetts. Maxwell Drummey graduated with honors in social anthropology, while D.A. Wallach graduated at the top of his class in African American studies. The duo's sound is influenced by different genres of music including 60's-accented pop, jazz, soul and hip-hop.
"As we thought about how to present ourselves and make the music, it's always been with the intention of making something that a lot of different kinds of folks can get into and understand [and] be welcome," says the Milwaukee native D.A. Wallach.
Upon the completion of their senior year at Harvard, the group's demo tape slipped into the hands of various music execs including the likes of Jermaine Dupi, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams. A bidding war lasted briefly between 'Ye and Skateboard P before the group eventually signed with Williams' Star Trak label. Since gaining fame, Chester French has collaborated with a plethora of artists: Solange, N.O.R.E., Bun B, Pusha T of the Clipse, Diddy, Jadakiss, Wale, Common, Twalib Kweli, Cassie, Mickey Factz, Lady GaGa, Kardinal Offishall, and Jermaine Dupri. The songs can be found on Jacques Jams Vol. 1: Endurance, the mixtape in which the group teamed up to make with DJ Clinton Sparks.
Chester Frech's first studio album entitled, Love the Future was released by Star Trak/Interscope Records on April 21, 2009, featuring the singles "She Loves Everybody" and "C'mon (On My Own)". The entire album was produced by Drummey and Wallach in their dorm room at Harvard.
I've got a feeling Chester French will be making good music for quite a long time... and if not, at least they have that Harvard education to fall back on. Pretty fly for some white guys!
First off, they are Harvard graduates.
Don't get it twisted. These Harvard alumni know a little more than just musical theory. Vocalist and songwriter, D.A. Wallach along with multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Maxwell Drummey make up the American pop band known as Chester French.
This group's sound is simply amazing; fresh and inspiring. What I like most is their declaration to not devote themselves to one particular music genre. Instead, everyone is relevant.
The two met in their freshman year in a dining hall, naming their band after Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the statue at the Lincoln Memorial as well as Minuteman statue at Lexington/Concord battlegrounds in Massachusetts. Maxwell Drummey graduated with honors in social anthropology, while D.A. Wallach graduated at the top of his class in African American studies. The duo's sound is influenced by different genres of music including 60's-accented pop, jazz, soul and hip-hop.
"As we thought about how to present ourselves and make the music, it's always been with the intention of making something that a lot of different kinds of folks can get into and understand [and] be welcome," says the Milwaukee native D.A. Wallach.
Upon the completion of their senior year at Harvard, the group's demo tape slipped into the hands of various music execs including the likes of Jermaine Dupi, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams. A bidding war lasted briefly between 'Ye and Skateboard P before the group eventually signed with Williams' Star Trak label. Since gaining fame, Chester French has collaborated with a plethora of artists: Solange, N.O.R.E., Bun B, Pusha T of the Clipse, Diddy, Jadakiss, Wale, Common, Twalib Kweli, Cassie, Mickey Factz, Lady GaGa, Kardinal Offishall, and Jermaine Dupri. The songs can be found on Jacques Jams Vol. 1: Endurance, the mixtape in which the group teamed up to make with DJ Clinton Sparks.
Chester Frech's first studio album entitled, Love the Future was released by Star Trak/Interscope Records on April 21, 2009, featuring the singles "She Loves Everybody" and "C'mon (On My Own)". The entire album was produced by Drummey and Wallach in their dorm room at Harvard.
I've got a feeling Chester French will be making good music for quite a long time... and if not, at least they have that Harvard education to fall back on. Pretty fly for some white guys!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sucker for a Shawl
With Autumn/Winter 2009 upon us. It's time to go shopping... again. You can't go wrong with a cardigan. Check out these Shawl Collar Cardigans by Oliver Spencer.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Celeb Look-a-like???
Apparently I look like Rosario Dawson. Check this out... it's pretty crazy.
MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Family search - Family tree research
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Lines of Innovation
I've always been interested in architecture. These designs are inspiring.
This is the from the YTL Design Group.
This is the from the YTL Design Group.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
California Dreamin'
Not too long ago, I landed at ORF in Virginia after leaving the LAX in Los Angeles and asked myself: "Why the hell did I leave?"
Why did I just leave 74 degree sunny weather for this shit? Sure the weather is nice. You know what else is nice? The Santa Monica Pier on Sunday night.
Bumping "The Documentary" at 3 in the morning at the spot where Biggie was shot.
Meeting a beautiful Portuguese tourist on the beach, sharing a brief, drunken kiss, and thinking about her from time to time for the next six years.
Cruising down Sunset Blvd. (not knowing what time it is) for the sake of boredom.
Or standing at the top of the hill at night and looking down at the glittering city when there are no stars in the sky above you and feeling as though the earth and sky have inverted.
You and two friends beginning the night bored and waking up in some girls' house in Malibu and not knowing how or why; and not caring.
Harassing celebrities at the grocery store.
Waking up with a goal, but then procrastinating the whole day, doing absolutely nothing... and waking up the next morning with the same dream.
You and a group of 5 going to see the Lakers play with shitty seats, but by the second quarter you're in the 3rd row.
What about noticing that the woman sitting next to you on the Red Line looks an awful lot like someone you saw in a porno the other night; and seeing her nod in affirmation when she notices that you're looking.
Looking at the horizon at dusk and realizing the rest of the country is already sleep and you're still up; the last ones to see the sun.
Knowing that earthquakes, wild fires, mudslides, riots, gangs, pollution, insane housing costs, celebrity circuses, and traffic are not that big of a deal after all. Or at least they're not as big a set of problems as people who don't live there imagine. Shockingly, real life happens here in all its messy glory every single day.
In a city full of celebrities and weirdos, no one really cares what you do there. You could be a homeless bum or a $20 million-a-movie actor and you wouldn't stand out; not too much. You're completely free. The only thing that matters is what you want to do. So make it interesting. Make it memorable.
Everybody won't, but anybody can be an "overnight success story" here.
I haven't been to every single city, but I've been to quite a few places (most major cities in U.S. and a couple foreign countries). I'm still confident in saying L.A. is the best city in the world.
Maybe I'm favor leaning... or just California Dreamin'
Why did I just leave 74 degree sunny weather for this shit? Sure the weather is nice. You know what else is nice? The Santa Monica Pier on Sunday night.
Bumping "The Documentary" at 3 in the morning at the spot where Biggie was shot.
Meeting a beautiful Portuguese tourist on the beach, sharing a brief, drunken kiss, and thinking about her from time to time for the next six years.
Cruising down Sunset Blvd. (not knowing what time it is) for the sake of boredom.
Or standing at the top of the hill at night and looking down at the glittering city when there are no stars in the sky above you and feeling as though the earth and sky have inverted.
You and two friends beginning the night bored and waking up in some girls' house in Malibu and not knowing how or why; and not caring.
Harassing celebrities at the grocery store.
Waking up with a goal, but then procrastinating the whole day, doing absolutely nothing... and waking up the next morning with the same dream.
You and a group of 5 going to see the Lakers play with shitty seats, but by the second quarter you're in the 3rd row.
What about noticing that the woman sitting next to you on the Red Line looks an awful lot like someone you saw in a porno the other night; and seeing her nod in affirmation when she notices that you're looking.
Looking at the horizon at dusk and realizing the rest of the country is already sleep and you're still up; the last ones to see the sun.
Knowing that earthquakes, wild fires, mudslides, riots, gangs, pollution, insane housing costs, celebrity circuses, and traffic are not that big of a deal after all. Or at least they're not as big a set of problems as people who don't live there imagine. Shockingly, real life happens here in all its messy glory every single day.
In a city full of celebrities and weirdos, no one really cares what you do there. You could be a homeless bum or a $20 million-a-movie actor and you wouldn't stand out; not too much. You're completely free. The only thing that matters is what you want to do. So make it interesting. Make it memorable.
Everybody won't, but anybody can be an "overnight success story" here.
I haven't been to every single city, but I've been to quite a few places (most major cities in U.S. and a couple foreign countries). I'm still confident in saying L.A. is the best city in the world.
Maybe I'm favor leaning... or just California Dreamin'
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Giving Off Bad Vibes
"Best rapper alive." -- Jay-Z
"Best rapper I alive...since the best rapper retired." -- Lil Wayne
Well now the retiree has since returned, so is he still the best rapper alive? What about the best rapper ever? Vibe magazine has recently thrown together a tournament in hopes of putting this everlasting question to rest. (And yes, I do mean it was thrown together.)
Whoever was in charge of choosing the competitors and the seeds should be shot...or at least fired.
The purpose of having ranking seeds is so the best competitors don't go up against each other early on. But its obvious Vibe just paired up some rappers who are linked together by style, location, characteristics, or beef.
Take a look,
Bracket 1, Round 1 Matchup: #3 Snoop Dogg vs. #30 The D.O.C.
#7 50 Cent vs. #26 Rick Ross
Bracket 2, Round 1 Matchup: #4 Scarface vs. #29 Pimp C
Bracket 3 Round 1 Matchup: #5 Big Punisher vs. #28 Fat Joe
#2 Ice Cube vs. #31 MC Ren
#8 Eazy E vs. #25 Spice-1
Bracket 4, Round 1 Matchup: #13 Twista vs. #20 Bizzy Bone
This is supposed to be a competition to crown the best rapper ever. Clearly some of these people should not even be in the running. I mean don't get me wrong, newcomer #32 Kid Cudi, is a hot new artist with some hella good new tracks, but let's be real; his first album hasn't even been released!
Not to mention, Lupe Fiasco, Cassidy, and Royce Da 5'9" are not even in the damn competition! No Obie Trice, no Papoose, no Eric Sermon, no Styles P. But instead we have Bow Wow, Will Smith, and Lil Kim. And where the hell is Joel Ortiz? Come on Vibe!
For crying out loud, Joe Budden has a 32 seed and MC Hammer has a 17. I feel your pain son.
Consider all of the criteria when choosing who the best rapper: lyrics, delivery, style, album sales, resiliency, versatility, etc. I wonder what Vibe editors used.
Let the great debate begin.
And the best rapper is...
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