Kanye West --- "Heartless" Video

808s and Heartbreak.
Cannot wait. I am loving what I am hearing from this album and I feel like I relate to this album very well.

BARACK OBAMMAAA!!!!!

Congratulations to Barack Obama!!! I know it's late, but it cannot be said enough. Historic and like Kanye said, "You can't tell me nothing."

Since Barack began campaign he has turned into a global brand. His brand has turned up a lot a merchandise and other things that help spread his message of change and hope and to permeate popular culture. Barack's has touched everything iconic and put his name on it. "Barack is the Future" playing off "Back to the Future" , the classic movie of the 80s to Barack as Air Jordan on many streetwear t-shirts. But now Barack has touched territory that I would have never thought he could touch and that is the classic Super Mario Bros. game. The classic game has been spun as Super Obama World, where Obama is Mario and goes on a journey through Alaska, stomping on the heads of pigs with lipstick and lobbyist. Though I have not played this game much, it is fun and kind of funny. A great way to waste time at work or in class. Barack is really reaching all levels of the world and is easily the most culturally relevant president there ever was.

"...I don't express"

Even though this is old now and has been out for about two weeks, I still love it and have to share it. I think it maybe one of my favorite commercials every. It is hilarious and if you know me, you know I love Nicole. Great work Nike.

Quote of the Day: "Individual Creativity"

"There's room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you are trying to be like somebody else, then there isn't."

--Tori Amos--

BE YOURSELF. Simple.

Long Time, No See

It's been awhile. Though my mind has not stopped wondering, I have just been incredibly busy with school and life. Despite the busy times, life is great. Idle hands are the devils workshop. So I am very glad to be busy and learning new things about life, myself and others each and everyday. I have a lot of exciting things going on in my life I plan on sharing really soon. But that is it for now. I am going to try my hardest to be more frequent.

Timothy Berg --"Tasty Treats" Exhibit

This exhibit is extremely cool to me. When I first saw this art, it definitely stuck out to me as something that was different and something that I would put in my house. However, what makes me love this art is what the artist, Timothy Berg, says inspired him and what these disappearing ice cream treats really allude to about our culture. This meaning is what makes this art stand out to me and it is something I would have never thought about until reading the inspiration for these pieces.

Tasty Treats

Things disappear.
Sometimes things disappear as the result of an accident.
Sometimes neglect causes things to disappear.
Sometimes things are intentionally made to disappear.

One's understanding of disappearance is the result of a specific perspective. In reality, most things do not disappear they simply transform. When they are transformed beyond recognition they are said to have disappeared.

My recent work revolves around notions of cultural consumption. I intend to create a tension between what is fun and what is grave in order to pose fundamental questions about the consequences of overconsuming. I employ humor and metaphor to simultaneously disarm the viewer and challenge them to evaluate the larger implications of our culture's habit of making things disappear.

Timothy Berg Website

Guitar Hero World Tour Commercial

Funny commercial for what might be a great game. Kobe is funny and looks mad awkward to me in this one.

Quote of the Day--- "The Future"

"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future."
--Yogi Berra--

I hate times in my life when everything is getting uncertain and I am not sure what the next hour, next day, next month or next year is going to bring me. The more I try to figure it out, more out of control I feel. I am starting to enter a time of great excitement, great confusion and hopefully not to many troubles. I am trying to do my best to enjoy it all and hope the future holds something great for me.

Beyonce---Put a Ring On It

Love this video. Especially when they run up the stairs. Still can't put a ring on it though.

All-Nighters

I have never been the one to pull an all-nighter and I have never really believed in them. Recently, I have become more and more frequent. Then I asked myself, "Am I the reason for this?" I came to the conclusion that sometimes it is just necessary only when you have began something already. Starting something the night before and pulling an all-nighter is stupid. But I have found that they can be pretty productive when having started a project and you want to end with a strong finish. So, discovering this I have figured out there is an 'art' to pulling an all-nighter. They need to be planned for. I googled all nighters and found that there is an array of how to steps to puling an all-nighter and studies on the success of all nighters. The rate of success if very low. Anyways, I found interest in it because I simply want to get better at it. Ithink it is an added tool or competitive edge for the work world. Besides, the only all-nighters I have pulled in my life is trying to beat Super Mario Bros. 3 when I was little or at the club.

How to pull an all-nighter

My Favorite Scene from E.T. (One of my favorite movies.)

I was watching E.T. last night and realized how hype I get when I see this scene.

Richmond Folk Festival

Last weekend, I went to the Richmond Folk Festival and had quite an experience. It was my first time going to the Festival and I definitely enjoyed it. I did not know what to expect or what it would be like, but when I got there I was more than impressed. A wide array of people were there, which is something I did not expect. I saw a good amount of performances, but my favorite was the Irish music by this group Laiden. They must have been pretty popular cause the stage area was packed when they were on stage. People were dancing and they had the Irish dancing, which was cool. It reminded me of an dancing lesson, I took when I went to Ireland awhile back, I definitely was not good at it. The Folk Festival is something I would definitely go to again, though I did not stay as long as I would have liked, it opened my eyes to some new experiences and views of the world.

Richmond Folk Festival

Quote of the Day --- "Creativity"

"If you define your personality as creative, it only means you understand what is percieved to be creative by the world at large, so you are really just following a rote creative template. That's the opposite of creativity."
--Chuck Klosterman--

If you are something you should not have to say, it will show and others will tell you. Most of the people I look up to as being extremely creative, do not even consider themselves that creative.

Aston Martin Takes it to the Next Level

Aston Martin One-77

"the ultimate creative interpretation of the renowned British marque"

"One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning Aston Martin design to create possibly the world’s most desirable automotive art form. Based on a sophisticated carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminium body, this 7.0 litre V12 super car will deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning customers."

"77 examples of the £1 million coupe will be produced and customers will be able to customize the bespoke supercar to meet their individual tastes."




The Aston Martin DB9 have always been my favorite car, even though this is even further out of my rich, I think the DB9 has been replaced as my favorite.

What's in a Name?

This short commentary was thought provoking to me.

"Just as Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner titled a chapter in their 21st century classic, Freakonomics, ‘A Roshanda by Any Other Name. How do babies with super-black names fare?’ The authors tell the story of a father named Robert Lane who decided to call his son Winner, thinking it would give the kid a boost in life. Three years later, he had another son and out of freakish amusement decided to call him Loser. Punch line of the story is: Winner Lane ended up as a loser in life and became a petty criminal living homeless on the streets. Loser Lane, on the other hand, graduated from college and became a sergeant with the New York police force. Long story short, you either overcome your name or you fail to live up to it."

I am currently studying advertising and this just made me think about brands, who spend a lot of time creating their name, logo and tagline to appeal to people, but are they living up to these promises these names give us. Some do and some don't. As it is soon to become my job to make sure that they do, I was just forced to think about myself and am I living up to what my name represents and what I was raised to stand for? Just something to think about.

To me there is nothing really in a name, it is what behind that really matters.

Kanyes West -- Love Lockdown

New Love Lockdown video by Kanye. I like this song and this video. It is definitely something different, but that is why Kanye is my favorite artist. He is always trying to challenge himself and create new things and he does not care what anyone says about it. He does what he feels and is unapologetic about it.

Quote of the Day --- "Light"

"As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."
--Carl Gustav Jung--

Watching the news and observing the things that are going on in our world on an everyday basis, I feel as if I am watching our world deteriorate right in front of my eyes. The world is full of darkness, selfish and greedy people and lacks any type of moral responsibility or character. It is up to us to try to restore in anyway we can the substance and character that is need for our society to succeed and to reestablish itself. We must all be a light, even though we have our own conflicts and flaws, we must truly work hard to become better ourselves and not be part of the problem everyday.

Pharrell - "I' A PC" Video

I like this video even though I am not fuly convinced that Pharrell is a devoted PC user. haha.

Quote of the Day --- "Competition"

"Winning doesn't satify us---we need to do it again, and again. The taste of success seems merely to whet the appetite for more. When we lose, the compulsion to seek future success is overpowering; the need to get out on the course the following weekend is irresistible. We cannot quit when we are ahead, after we've won, and we certainly cannot quit when we're behind, after we've lost. We are addicted."
--Stuart Walker--

The spirit of competition. There is nothing like it. To be successful, we need to embrace it. If we shy away from confrontation and competition, I find it hard to be successful.

Universal Mind Conrol --- Common Feat. Pharrell

New Video from Common featuring Pharrell.

This is definitely a new direction from Common. I kind of like it though. Creative concepts and not to far reaching from Common's image. I like the new edge and risk he is taking on.

VA. State Fair...Rodeo Time

This was the most expensive hot dog and fries I have ever bought and was also the worst tasting.

The Bull pen at the Rodeo.

Trying on the protective Bullriding vest.

Professional Bullrider Dan Welsh

The Bullriding event at the Rodeo. No one lasted the whole 8 seconds unfortunately.

Last week, I attended the Virginia State Fair. I must say that I was not extremely excited about the Fair even though it was my first time there in about ten years. I went during the day, so there was not a great amount of people there. I did not get on any rides, simply because I do not trust portable rides, but it was cool watching people enjoy these rides. The highlight of the day for me, were the pig races and the rodeo. I loved attending these events because I have never experienced anything of this nature ever before. The pig races were hilarious. These over sized pigs, running around a track, with hundreds of little kids screaming for them was a scene I have never witnessed before. It was truly exhilarating.

The rodeo was great too. I am sure there were better rodeos out there, I was still impressed and amazed by rodeos and the culture of cowboys. For a class project, we are exploring the culture of bullriding and seeing what it is all about. Seeing the bullriding event was great. I have a great respect for these athletes, the bull and the rider alike. The sport which is growing in popularity is crazy and a true adrenaline rush. After the rodeo, my group members and I got to meet Dan Welsh, a professional bullrider, and he talked with us for about an hour about bullriding, the culture, where he got started and why he enjoys bullriding so much. Intially, I thought bullriders were not really athlete and there was not a great amount of talent that wnet along with this sport, that is was just simply people who were half way out of their mind. All in all it was a great day, and I am definitely looking forward to learning more about bullriding and attending another rodeo in the future.

Here is a quick look at what Bullriding is all about:

Quote of the Day --- "Feelings"

"You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings."
--Pearl Buck--

No, you cannot. I find it hard to make myself have feelings. I have been taught and have lived to have the minimal amount of feelings. Most people in the world do not care about your feelings or care how you react to certain situations. With that said, I find having feelings about certain things to be pointless and hindering. Well, being attached to feelings and having them control your actions is down right stupid in my opinion. As far as doing right in spite of your feelings, I do not really understand that phrase. When I read that it tells me to overlook your feelings in order to make people feel better about something or to cater to others feelings. That may be true in some cases, but I definitely disagree with doing that all of time. At the end of the day, you cannot make everyone happy.

Monticello.

Thomas Jefferson

Kris and I admiring TJ's Gravesite

TJ's front door

The Beautiful Monticello

Closer look at TJ's Grave

For my Cultural Exploration class last week we were to visit Monticello. It was quite the experience. Monticello is the dream home, mansion and plantation of our nation's 3rd president and the author of the Declaration of Independence. I was amazed by the home and how much of the original structure and furniture was still there. The smell of the house that was built back in the 1700s was still strong and the floors squeaked with every move. The mirrors were aged and the1500 books in Jefferson's library looked as if they would fall to pieces if they were slightly moved. The house a great and really showed off Jefferson's smarts and imagination with many of the creations in the house as well as things seemed to be run in the home. What I found so amazing about the home was what was underneath the house, where the operations of the home was really run. The kitchen, the slave quarters, the ice house and the wine cellar where wine was pulled through a pulley system to the dining room for guests. I was truly amazed that back in the 1700s that there was that much thought and inventiveness put into a home. Jefferson's house by far could be considered a modern home on many levels, in my opinion.

There were a lot of thoughts going through my head as we took the tour through Monticello. I felt like a little kid. I felt like I was in the presence of greatness. The experience was humbling and just opened my eyes that there are so many things out here in the world that are fascinating that I have yet to experience. Monticello, even though the weather was not the best, was a great trip and I learned a lot. Seeing these old home of one of the men who shaped our country and is responsible for what we are today is truly great and inspiring. It's inspiring in the sense that it makes me want to do something great in the future that will be remembered by people. I enjoyed this visit so much, I plan to visit Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, in the near future.

T.I.--- What Up, What's Happenin'

I have not been a big fan of rap music lately. This is simply because no one has been saying anything worth listening to and sometimes that just hurts my brain. Then I heard this song and saw the video, and my interest was sparked. I am not a big fan of T.I. I like him as an individual and what he stands for as a man and as an artist, but I am not a fan of his rap style. Anyways, this song, even though it is not the greatest artistic work of art, it is saying something and serves as kind of an anthem. I listen to it and it serves as an anthem for me. When I hear it, it speaks to me to just say true to yourself and to keep going no matter who tries to hold you down or put you down. That is a message that I think is important to learn one of the hardest lessons in life to grasp. I said all of that to say that T.I. is doing his thing and that rappers can create music that has a message and a meaning. For the majority of the rappers out there, they should take notes and strive for that type of work.

Quote of the Day---"Trust"

"Never trust a man who speaks well of everybody."
--John Churton Collins--

"Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very light acquaintance and without any visible reason."
--Alexander Pope--

"Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement."
--Alfred Adler--

Trust is a topic that has been on my mind recently. I have found that I do not trust very many people. Maybe it's because of the experiences I have had in my life that causes me to not trust most people around me. I do not think that I am someone walking around in a box, shielding myself from the world. Its just that I don't expect everyone to be trustworthy because the truth of that matter is that most people aren't. The way I see it is if you don't expect someone to be held in the highest regard you will won't be disappointed. However, with that said, it may seem that I would never give someone the opportunity to be trusted. Trust is earned and with my current outlook on the issue of trust, it puts more pressure on the person who wants to earn that trust to earn it, making that trust more valued once obtained. I may have a pessimistic view or a backwards take on this situation, but it is what I feel right now when it comes to trust and maybe one day that will change.

What is Microsoft Doing?

First Commercial Featuring Jerry Seinfeld

Second Commercial Featuring Jerry Seinfeld

New Commercial "I'm A PC"

Pharrell Williams is an Apple User

Microsoft is a brand that has been losing a lot of ground to Apple recently and have decided that it is time to do something about it. While I commend their effort to put a halt to the Apple's dominance, I find it terrible the way they are going about it. First off I do not find Jerry Seinfeld or Bill Gates to be great spokespeople for the brand. Why? Well, Seinfeld is known to be an Apple user and what about Seinfeld has to do with Microsoft and its products. Seinfeld does not make Microsoft cooler. Bill Gates is no longer with the company. Even though he is seen as the face of the brand, he is in the past and it is time to move forward. For that reason alone, Bill Gates should not have been used. Microsoft, who is spending $300 million for this campaign, received a lot of criticism for these ads. Also, another problem with these commercials, is that it's not clear what the message the consumer is supposed to take away. It is not really that clear it is a Microsoft commercial really.

The "I'm a PC" ad is a better move in the right direction. I like the "Life without Walls" tagline. It gives the brand some crediblity and a message to send to its consumers that they can connect to. However, the problem I have with this commercial is that some of the celebrities that are used that claim they are a PC are in fact, avid users of Apple products. For example, Pharrell Williams has videos where he has confessed his love and loyalty to Apple products, such as his famous gold iPhone. This is not good for Microsoft because a lot of people know what these celebrities use. When I saw this commercial that was the first thing I noticed. A lot of these people use Apple products on a regular basis. This can only mean one thing. Microsoft is sendind mixed messages or they are that deseparate to create an image. In my opinion, there can be no half stepping, people will call bullshit on this immediately and Microsoft will find it self in even more trouble. While I love the message, the exectuion was half done. Go out there and find some people that really do use PCs. If there are none, get some footage or something of Pharrell and other Apple users, using a PC. You have to be authentic and that is what I feel Microsoft has fallen short of with these new ads.

Terry Richardson: My Favorite Photographer

T-Rich and Obama

Megan Fox from the Oct '08 GQ
(These photos made me fall in love with this girl, who I really did not care much for in Transformers.)

Skateboard P

The 3-Way Kiss

"Terry Richardson is an international celebrity as well as one of the most prolific and compelling photographers of his generation. Known for his uncanny ability to cut to the raw essence of whomever appears before his lens, Mr. Richardson's vision is at once humorous, tragic, often beautiful, and always provocative."

I really like Terry Richardson because he goes away from the norm of what you would normally see in most photography. He has a great way of catching the edgier side of his subjects, but still maintain the image they have set for themselves. His photos are racy, yet classy. They push to the edge without falling over. I admire anyone who does their own thing and brings their own style and is unapologetic about it. That is what I see in Terry Richardson's work, just a man doing what he loves and doing what he loves how he wants to do it. Much Respect to T-Rich.

Terry Richardson Website

Speechless....

I saw this picture on the internet and I was not sure how to interpret it. Having lost a friend in the Virginia Tech massacre, I definitely get mixed feelings when I see this. Not sure of the statement he was trying to make.

Quote of the Day --- "Style"

"Do not conceive that fine clothes make fine men, any more than fine feathers make fine birds. A plain, genteel dress is more admired , obtains more credit in the eyes of the judious and the sensible."
--George Washington--

Simple thought in this quote, the clothes don't make the man. This day in age it can never be more true. But what struck me more is who said this quote. George Washington, the first president of this country. It is weird to me that he was making a comment of this nature back in the 1700s. When you think about it though, the world and its circumstances do not really change, just the people. What we are dealing with today is what people were dealing with back in the day, just in a little bit different capacity. Interesting.

Quote of the Day --- "Talent"

"Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to nurture it in solitude and to follow the talent to the dark places that it leads."
--Erica Jong--

I believe we all have special talents, but these talents we have can really distinguish us from others and that can be a scary thought to many of us. It takes courage to be set apart on your own and to fulfill your destiny becauseyou do not know who is really going to be accepting of you. I encourage to follow your destiny and to be the best you can, those who are true friends and really want the best for you will support you in developing your talent and becoming the best person you can be.

Main Source--"Fakin' The Funk"

Lots of people out here are fakin' the funk. This song is in my head while I am in class right now.

CLASSIC Jam from a CLASSIC Movie .... Featured on the "White Men Can't Jump" Soundtrack

Read To Them

For my Cultural Exploration class, we are going to be creating a branding campaign for, Read To Them, an organization that reads to kids and encourages kids to read. In order to prepare for this assignment, I had to do my own research and actually go out and read to kids. So, Friday afternoon, I went to the VCU Child Development Center and read to a class of toddlers for thirty minutes. It was quite the experience. I am not a big fan of kids, though I like them, I just never mesh well with them. They always seem to be intimidated by my height and my monotone voice, haha. However, this experience was quite different. The kids took a liking to me quickly and were not shy at all. Though many of them could not talk very much, they were very engaged in my story that I was reading to them and me. They were climbing all over me and trying to take the book away from me and throwing new books for me to read at them. It was pretty funny. When I left the class, I was attacked bythe class giving away hugs to these little toddlers. Kids never fail to amaze me and one thing I learned from the experience is that children really need to be nurtured. There purity and innocence is something that should be cherished and preserved. Kids are a thing of beauty and their interest in everything around them is to be admired. My experience Friday really inspired me and will make me work my hardest to develop some good work for the Read To Them program.

Quote of the Day---"Procrastination"

"The world is full of human lobsters; men stranded on the rocks of indecision and procrastination, who, instead of putting forth their own energies, are waiting for some grand billow of good fortune to set them afloat."
--Orison Swett Marden--

This quote is basically a note to self, to be proactive and a go-getter. Not to sit around waiting for things to happen because if I do that, nothing will happen. Make goals actionable and wake up everyday with a set of things to accomplish and don't rest until those things are acoomplished. Hold yourself accountable and develop a strong discipline.

What I'm Listening To...Smashing Pumpkins---"Cherub Rock"

It may be because I have been playing Guitar Hero for awhile and this is my favorite to play on the game, but I can't stop listening to this song right now. It puts me in a weird sort of mood, on edge yet mellow, kind of like I am calm and confidently ready to handle anything that comes my way. This is a classic song in my opinion. I could see this beat being sampled for for a hip-hop song sometime, I wish I had that skill cause I would definitely do it. Strong message in the song to if you listen to it, definitely something I can relate to. LET ME OUT!!!!

Federal BMX

Federal BMX Team in Paris

I started riding earlier this summer in my free time and just to have something else to do. BMXing is definitely a challenge and something that takes a lot of work, but it is fun as hell. Anywho, any time you start something new you have to find someone to look up to and to look to for inspire. The riders of Federal BMX from the UK are definitely that for me. Their style and the fun they seem to have while riding is crazy. They do a lot of daring tricks and have a care free, go for it attitude about them. What I like about the team is their trips to scenic cities like Paris, London and Cologne where they just take over the streets and landmarks and go crazy. That fearlessness and energy excites me and is definitely something I try to resemble when I am riding or when I am doing anything else in life. The video aboce is from their trip to London. Check Federal out on Youtube as well as on their website.

Federal BMX

Wifey Shirt: Offensive?

Do you find this shirt offensive? I have a friend who wore this shirt recently and caught extreme heat from some people who observed the image. I was kind of shocked at the backlash, he recieved from it and it kind of bothered me. What I see in this image is pure humor, it is simply funny, nothing more. This sends no negative message in my opinion. Of course, you would not wear this around kids and families, but there is nothing else to this shirt to me but humor. I find the shirt funy because seriously, is she really wifey material? If you really want to analyze this shirt, it probably comes from the saying , "you can't turn a hoe/partygirl into a housewife" no matter what you make her do, her roots are forever instilled in her. That is a message a lot of guys feel and live by, and that message is simply expressed through this humorous image on this shirt. A part of a lot of urban streetweat and urban street culture is taking these common phrases and philosophies we hear in music and in everyday life and flipping them on their heads in a humorous way. It is not meant to be understood by everyone.

It's unfortunate, but most people are only going to see that this is a naked girl on your T-shirt, and it is a corporate brand trying to make a joke and show the stupidity of today's youth. I disagree. Some people are just so closed minded and controlled by the thoughts of others that they are afraid to step out and make a statement. Yes, making a statement comes with a price sometimes, but should we live and do things everyday trying to avoid a price. I don't know. I guess I am in search for another perspective. It is quite possible that I may be mixed up in the head. Who knows. If you find this shirt and image offensive, let me know why? I want to learn.

Quote of the Day--- "Argument and Debate"

"It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it."
--Joseph Joubert--

"Men are apt to mistake the strength of their feeling for the strength of their argument. The heated mind resents the chill touch and relentless scrutiny of logic."
--William Ewart Gladstone--

"There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees."
--Michel de Montaigne--

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me."
--Dudley Field Malone--


I know I have a lot of quotes today, but they all mean something to me and is something that I deal with on a regular basis. I am a person that loves to disagree or to bring up controversy. Sometimes I just pretend to play the other side because it makes things more interesting, but at the same time I get a bad rep for having my own mind and expressing the willingness to debate my opinion. I have learned that argument and controversy can be where you learn the most about yourself and test your beliefs as well as learn new things about other people and other thoughts. I feel too many people look negatively on argument and debate and take things to heart to soon. Seriously, if everyone agreed with each other, if everyone saw things the same way, if we all attempted to be happy by simply pacifying each others egos and opinions by not challenging each other and ourselves, life would be so boring. Argument and disagreement are extremely important to our lives and society, and those who think otherwise, I feel leave in a world that they are the citizen. If there was no disagreement, the country as we know it, based on democracy, would not exist and there would be no interest in politics or elections. I encourage people to disagree and to debate, it is one of the most exciting and educational things we can involve ourselves in and should not be shyed away from.

Mellow Mood for a Saturday Day Night

It is a Saturday night and I don't feel like doing anything. When I get in these moods I usually just lay on the floor in the dark and put on some of my favorite music. What I put in tonight was Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution , one of the greatest albums of all-time. Purple Rain is also one of my favorite movies. What I love about this album is the vast amount of musical instruments and the live band elements that brings the album to life. My favorite track on the album is "Darling Nikki" followed by the title track, "Purple Rain". Great music from one of the greatest men in music history.

The Generational Gap

The generational gap is something I never thought was that big of a deal. With a little discussion, teaching and exploration about certain misunderstood topics the two differing generations could gain better understanding or at least agree to disagree. Recently, this train of thought has been derailed. I have come to realize that this gap is sometimes impossible to bridge. Maybe it is the fact that both parties think that they are right, the fact that both parties think they had it a little bit harder or the fact that both parties are just closed minded to the learning they could obtain from another generation. I do no know what it is, but recently I have found it hard to communicate the cultural aspects of my generation to those generations before me. Even after an in-depth explanation of certain topics of discussion, these explanations are usually only met with blank stares or eye rolls that suggest that these thoughts being shared with them are absurd and pointless.

But as I think about it, a lot of the topics and discussions I have with older generations, the view points are not that different. Even fact as I look and listen closely, many ideas are born out of the same mindset and attitudes. Truth of the matter is we all face the same obstacles and circumstances, but through different stages of life we have different feelings about certain things. Everyone wants to be right and have their point of view reigh superior. In my opinion, we are both right and each generation has that thing that defines them and different aspects that influence their thought patterns. However, as I said before the feelings and points of views usually come from the same place you just have to look and listen closely for them. I admit it is hard to listen and to digest somethings that you feel go against how you feel and what you seen in your everyday life. But if you think about the generation you are talking to probably said the same thing about the generation before them and vice versa. To bridge the generational gap, we have to listen to each other and really try to see where they are coming from because at the end of the day, you could really learn something about yourself or someone else that can impact your life and the world around you.

Quote of the Day---"Individuality"

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting."
--Edward Estlin Cummings--

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."
--Friedrich Nietzsche--

We are encouraged everyday to be ourselves, but how much of the world really allows you to be yourself. There is a mold or a shape everyone has to play to and if they don't they will pay a price. So, if something is truly a part of a person we are must hide it or cover it up sometimes just to be accepted or to maintain function in society. It just makes me wonder, how much are we really supposed to discover for ourselves and if we discover something unique or that isn't the norm are we supposed to hide that? Being yourself and an individual is one of the greatest most rewarding things in the world, and being successful while maintaining your individuality in this close-minded, stereotypical, form fitting world is something to be commended and something I strive for everyday.

DIDDY: Swagger Like Puff

Sometimes I cannot decide if I am a fan of Diddy. He is definitely a success person, but I ask myself why is this man so famous. I then see this video and realize that I am watching the reason why this man is who he is. It is simply because he tells us who he is so often, so frequently and in some of the most convincing type ways that we have no choice but to believe him and make him rich. This video shows precisely the great self promotion and self branding that Diddy has mastered and what has made him who he is today. Like him or not, you have to respect his hustle. This video is funny and he rhyme kind of nice on this song, I wonder if he actually wrote these verses or if he just wrote a check to pay for these verses. Hmmm...

Quote of the Day --- "Inspiration"

"None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson--

To be great and to do great things, we have to be inspired. I believe inspiration is all around us, but it is a matter of being in tune with yourself to recognize these things that can spark intersts in our minds and desire in our hearts and lead us to places and to do things we have never done before.

Being Batman.

When The Dark Knight was first came out in theaters, I saw it three times. Each time I was amazed noticing something different about the movie or being fascinated by some spectacular thought or stunt that I witnessed. But like a little kid, in the back of mind I asked myself, "What if I was Batman?", "Wouldn't it be cool to be Batman?"

Don't laugh it, everyone has had that thought, I am just not afraid to admit it. haha. Who wouldn't want to drive the hottest car on the planet? Who wouldn't wanted to be feared by every person you encountered? Who wouldn't want to jump off buildings and glide through a city to kidnap a criminal? Anyways, I came across this article in Forbes that tells a little about what it takes to be Batman and how much it would cost. Its pretty expensive. Take a look at the article it is interesting and if becoming a real life Batman is your goal, you are one step closer to knowin how to do it.

Full Article

Shoes For Thought

Nike HyperDunk Gold Medal Edition

Nike Dunk Hi Back To School
"I WILL BE GETTING THESE VERY SOON"

Nike Dunk Lo Wingtips

Nike Blazer SB

Air Jordan 6 Rings White/Black

Nike Air Penny 2
CLASSICS

Nike Blazer--Elephant Capricorn


These are just some of the kicks that I will be obtaining and adding to my collection very soon.

Recycled Toy Furniture

In one of my classes, we just finished trying to rebrand Toy 'R Us and for like 3 weeks all I have been talking about is toys. Then I see this exhibit. Why didn't I think of this? This exhibit by Greg Lynn, features recycled children's toys used as bases to create pieces of furniture. The pieces won awards at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Cool uses of plastic things people just step on to create peices of furniture people just sit on and rest their glasses.

Quantum of Solace Trailer # 2

The second trailer of the long awaited Quantum of Solace. I cannot wait to see this movie and this trailer spikes my interests in this movie even more. Daniel Craig, in my opinion, seems he will seal the deal as the best Bond of them all. Check out the trailer.

Quote of the Day----"Work"

"Work is the true elixir of life. The busiest man is the happiest man. Excellence in any art or profession is attained only by hard and persistent work. Never believe that you are perfect. When a man imagines, even after years of striving, that he has attained perfection, his decline begins."
--Sir Theodore Martin--

As I read this quote I came to realize that I am just beginning to learn what hard work is. With that, I am also learn that it is nothing to be afraid of. When you begin to embrace hard work, it becomes a part of you and is displayed in everything you do. It becomes habit. To work hard, really brings out the best in me and really makes me feel good about myself. To accomplish things, I thought I could not. To keep getting better knowing that I will never be perfect, but still trying to obtain that. It's funny how people still try to when a battle that they know cannot be won and that striving creates some of our greatest figures and people of all time.

Quote of the Day---"Forgiveness"

"To err is human; to forgive, divine."
--Alexander Pope--

Forgiveness seems to be a hard thing for some people. Some people just don't have the thickest skin and are really bitter about certain things. Maybe the fact that they choose not to forgive makes them feel stronger by condemning one who has made mistakes or done them wrong. No one is perfect and I really see now that the ability to forgive is something everyone is not born with. Whether people see the full picture of one's actions and not just how it makes them feel, I believe that people have to learn to forgive. At the end of the day, holding things against someone else is only hurting yourself.

Graffiti Artist: Banksy

The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.

-Banksy

People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish... but that's only if it's done properly.

-Banksy

"Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a fucking sharp knife to it."

-Banksy

"Banksy is a well-known pseudo-anonymous British graffiti artist. He is believed to be a native of Yate, South Gloucestershire, near Bristol and to have been born in 1974, but there is substantial public uncertainty about his identity and personal and biographical details. According to Tristan Manco, Banksy "was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England. The son of a photocopier engineer, he trained as a butcher but became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s." His artworks are often-satirical pieces of art on topics such as politics, culture, and ethics. His street art, which combines graffiti writing with a distinctive stencilling technique, is similar to Blek le Rat, who began to work with stencils in 1981 in Paris and members of the anarcho-rock band, Crass, who maintained a graffiti stencil campaign on the London Tube System in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His art has appeared in cities around the world. Banksy's work was born out of the Bristol underground scene which involved collaborations between artists and musicians."

I just heard about this graffiti artisit and I am amazed by his work. More so, when I was looking for more information about him and found so much uncertainty about where he is from and how he came to be who he is today, I am even more intrigued by his mystery. I am for anyone who does what he loves without being apologetic and one who is true to himself. That is what Banksy is. He really tries to inflict change and thought upon the world around him with his work, not for glorification or fame, but simply for the love and the need.

Banksy Website