Thanksgiving

I'm very excited for this Thanksgiving. Family, food, & chillage; you can't get much better than that. I don't usually do this but I'm gonna go ahead and list some of the things I'm thankful for. 5th grade status.

1. God: The man that makes it happen. My best friend, my everything. I literally would not have survived this year (and, of course, all the rest) without his guidancem love, & strength. It's been a very trying year and I'm glad I have the Lord in my life.

2. Family & Friends that are all Family to me: When all else fails, they're there for me. Maybe not always the way I need and usually not the way I want but in the end, they're the ones I can rely on.

3. Life: I literally wake up every morning, pick up my Bible, & give thanks for another day here on this Earth. Nothing in this life is promised and the only constant thing is change & death. Lord willing, I'll be dodging the latter for a VERY long time ;)

4. Music: That state of music has downgraded dramatically within the last decade, in the popular sense. I recently lost my iPod to old age and have realized how much my most static source for music (radio) is failing. It's time for change and I feel it coming. I feel like the people are ready to stand up for the good and get rid of what's not working. More and more, people are demanding quality in quantity & I'm beyond thankful for that.

5. Food: As some of you may know, I'm a Chef. And I'm damn proud of the work that it took to get me there. The only good that came out of this year was my professional certification. So much hard work & passion. It's what I love to do and it makes me soooo happy that I can make others happy with my food. I get customers, hungry friends, family, etc. telling me daily how much it meant to them that the food I prepared was good/made them happy/the best they've ever had & I feel blessed everytime I'm remembered of the opportunity to do that for others.

6. Love: I'm really effing lucky to be so incredibly loved by family, friends, strangers, etc. Everyday, someone reminds me how much they love me. Sounds selfish but it keeps me going, keeps my compassion & care in check; keeps me ME. When it comes to love, I go hard; I'm all in for any and everyone that's open to it. I believe the world should revolve around music, faith, food, & love and I plan on being that change the world needs to see.

I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving and I pray that the most comes of it. When you think you have nothing to be thankful for, remember that I appreciate every single one of you that reads this blog/my life. Maybe I can be the one to give you some insight on how much YOU make a difference in my/the world and hopefully you're thankful for that. Love & Prayer!

*Thanksgiving Day update*:

Bad Blackberry flick but my food was GOOOOOOD!

Album of the Week

Aaliyah - Aaliyah

Released: July 17, 2001

1. We Need A Resolution ft. Timbaland

2. Loose Rap ft. Static

3. Rock The Boat

4. More Than a Woman

5. Never No More

6. I Care 4 U

7. Extra Smooth

8. Read Between The Lines

9. U Got Nerve

10. I Refuse

11. It's Whatever

12. I Can Be

13. Those Were The Days

14. What If

Everyone knows that I'm a HUGE Aaliyah fan. I don't want to review this album cause I'm biased; everything she did amazed me and this was the bittersweet icing on the cake. I will say that if you don't think this was her best work to date (Musically speaking because Queen of the Damned is my shiiiizzzz) then you clearly have not debated with me in person, BRING IT!

So since I'm robbing you of a review, I'll leave you with a "quote" by Aaliyah, it's absolutely one of my favorites. Yeee! and Enjoy

"It's dark in my favorite dream. Someone is following me. I don't know why. I'm scared. Then suddenly I lift off. Far away. How do I feel? As if I'm swimming in the air. Free. Weightless. Nobody can reach me. Nobody can touch me. It's a wonderful feeling."

Word on the Street

Word on the Street is Sade (Yes, I said Sade!) is coming out with a new album. The released date is supposed to be early February (sources say Feb 8th but I don't wanna give wrong info to you lovies)

You have no idea how much I've been waiting on this. My mom is already planning on attending the concert, I told her about it like 2 minutes ago. Jahaha LOVES my mommy!

Anyways, be on the lookout for the new Sade "Soldier of Love" early next year. I'm sooo flippin excited for this one :)

Album of the Week

Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak

Released November 24th, 2008

1. Say you Will

2. Welcome to Heartbreak

3. Heartless

4. Amazing

5. Love Lockdown

6. Paranoid

7. Robocop

8. Street Lights

9. Bad News

10. See You in My Nightmares

11. Coldest Winter

12. Pinocchio Story (Freestlye Live from Singapore)

Don't have much time to review this for you, my work schedule is off the charts. 3 jobs & no sleep plus I'm up constantly working on www.BasedMagazine.com (holla at yo "web designer". Jaha!) makes for a very busy Janet.

Either way, if you've slept on this album, it's been out almost a year so, go have at it. One of the better "Hip-Hop" albums of '08. *KWest shrug*

Jessie Payo

It's weird when music & people find you and/or you find it but it's such a lovely thing. I was first introduced to this Jessie Payo lady when I "borrowed" a movie from my job (I work for a HUGE company who's image is widely publicised by a mouse). She did a song on the soundtrack and for such a lackluster movie, I was impressed.

Fast forward a few years later when I realized Miss Payo was on my iPod one day. Don't know how she got there and it's only one song but she's there. PS: I love finding things on my iPod that I had no idea was there to begin with. Moving on.

I've been meaning to attend her shows for quite a while now but never actually had the means to go til this past Monday. Let's just say; Ah-MAZING!!

This girl can sing her ass off live. She's absolutely gorgeous, and if she doesn't have the most talented "local" band behind her, I don't know how to respond to that. Anyone who knows me knows that i will drop my Freddy's within seconds for a woodwind. So add a sax and a trumpet to raw & sultry melodies and slick grooves and I'm all over it.

I spent the better part of the evening blowing smoke up her ass and being obsessed with Jessie Payo & her band but I will say this; if you haven't heard her sing, go to Myspace.com/JessiePayoMusic and check her out. Then buy her songs. Then go see her live. Such a talented artist. Not to mention that her other group Jupiter Rising makes me feel like they are the type of music I've been waiting for.

I've got a couple crappy crackberry flicks to add on (my digi cam is broke, so unprofessional of me). Enjoy and besos!!

This Is It

Michael Jackson - This Is It

Released October 28, 2009

Directed by: Kenny Ortega

I'm going to try and keep it short & sweet. If you are a Michael Jackson fan, watch this film. If you're not as much of a fan but still have some form of appreciation for him as an entertainer, watch this film. If you're not into Michael Jackson at all but have the time & consideration to see deeper into the heart of Mike & this musical production, watch this film.

With footage of the rehearsals and production behind what would have been his amazing "comeback" tour, This Is It brings us just that much closer into the life of a man that so many adored but never got the chance to really SEE. Anyone who knows me knows that I am, yes 'am', a HUGE Michael Jackson fan. He is my Idol in many forms, from being an entertainer to a brother/father/son to a Humanitarian all the way to just an all around genuinely caring individual.

Never would I have had the opportunity to see how much Michael and I truly "share the same soul". I don't want to make this too personal but I will say this, as I sit here with tears welling up in my eyes, I hope that one day very soon, I can be just an ounce of the fascinating person that was Michael Joesph Jackson.

Extraordinary documentary. You get the opportunity to see how hands on MJJ was in his music, his humor and love. You also get to see the incredibly talented people that would have undoubtedly shined on this tour. Thanks to this film, I am now a follower of Orianthi Panagaris. One of the best guitarists I've seen in a VERY long time. On top of the fact that this girl is gorgeous.

Not only is this a documentary of the tour that was meant to be but you also get to see a side of Michael Jackson that most were not aware of. So loving and caring and precise and hilarious. I'd have to say, my favorite part of the entire film was seeing how inspired his dancers & singers were to be around him as well as their reactions to Michael's insanities "Don't start without my que. I was sizzling, you gotta let me sizzle". Heartwarming to say the least.

OH! And the wardrobe. Don't give me the opportunity to go raid Mike's closet. Some of his jackets are BANANAS (R.Zoe status). Silver jacket, red pants & electric blue shirt. Hate on a hot man. And if you are not running out to pick up some Ed Hardy PJ pants right now, you're wrong... I digress.

Please go check it out for yourself, if not for the personal enjoyment, but to support Michael and this tour and the time & effort it took to birth this production that unfortunately never got to be.

God Bless and "I Love you All"

PS: "Just let it simmer" :)

Album of the Week

Thelonious Monk - Solo Monk

Released: March, 1965

1. Dinah
2. I Surrender, Dear
3. Sweet And Lovely
4. North Of The Sunset
5. Ruby, My Dear"
6. I'm) Confessin' (That I Love You)
7. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
8. Everything Happens to Me
9. Monk's Point
10.I Should Care
11. Ask Me Now
12. These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)

My Sunday Morning

After picking up my brother this morning then realizing we had absolutely nothing to do, we ended up going on a mini hike up in the Bronson Park/Caves/My former job & home. There was a movie being filmed so it wasn't as "scenic" as I'd have liked it to be but this turned out to be the best day I've had in a REALLY long time. Cheers.























Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Release: June 25, 2002
1. Harder To Breathe
2. This Love
3. Shiver
4. She Will Be Loved
5. Tangled
6. The Sun
7. Must Get Out
8. Sunday Morning
9. Secret
10. Through With You
11. Not Coming Home
12. Sweetest Goodbye

I don't usally do this...

But this story that was passed over to me from an old friend of mine, Amber Atevalu, really touched me and since this is MY blog, I'm going to share it...

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a
ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as
Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm,
petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he
understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without
any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while
after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact
that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to
live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and
being nice, right?' The Six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Cheers & Blessings

Taking It Back

Something I did a lot this summer was sitting/swimming at midnight. I'm not the type to know how to relax so I've been teaching myself to do the things that calm me more often. However, the beach is far, gas prices are high thus, I resorted to my second favorite peaceful activity; the pool area at night.

I'm sitting out here now, Bacardi at hand, Shakespeare on my phone's browser, admiring how fearless my cat is while climbing palm trees. Tranquility, its a nice feeling.

I can't help but think of all the memories I have of this place. This pool, this apartment. I've literally spent my entire life here. So much of my childhood occurred right here in this pool area. So many conversations with my Noble St crew. Our mischievous ways. This is the place where I first got drunk, learned about sex, drugs, & fighting. This is also where I met my "soul mate" (in a friendship sense: we are the same person til this day).

This is the place I was at the night Aaliyah passed away. I remember coming home and all of us sat in silence here in this pool area. I cried. It was sad... But this is also where Cassie, Cuz-in, & I would just sit for hours doing nothing but reading each others minds. Where Julia, & Keri would talk about love & marriage while Martin, Travis & Isa argued sports and Madden. Where the boys & Jennifer did all their drugs and the rest of us cared for them.

Its bittersweet you know... Here I am, alone in the dark & enjoying it. Every single one of my childhood friends is generally in the happiest times of our lives and that's good. But I keep thinking about Butter and Nomoto, 2 of the people that helped define this place to be such a significant chapter in my life. I keep wondering had they not both died from drug overdose, where would they be now? Would they remember all the times we fought at this place, would they still care for all of us the way they did then? Would we still be laughing and joking together now as well as in the future?

I hate to think things like this because I keep wishing I could have saved them. I wish I had the chance to tell them how much impact they had on me. But I can't. And thus, I sit here...

I thank them for reasons beyond people's normal imaginations. I respected them for always being true to themselves, even when the bad turned them away from themselves. And I love, not just because of them, but because they as well as the rest of my old friends taught me so much that has made me into the amazing being that I am today.

And that, is why I'm happy. Cheers.