Hurray friends! We’ve made it through another year. Although there were a select few of you that may have wondered if we would survive a mere 11 days ago (depending when you read this, that’s supposed to be December 21, 2012). I meant to check the groceries stores that day to see if bottled water and canned soup cleared the shelves, but there was no need seeing that nothing spectacular happened. Well, a fuse in my car blew, but that’s about it. (more…)
January 1, 2013
September 29, 2012
a new lifestyle – an end is nigh
I’ve been vigorously praying, hoping and working these past few days towards a serious change. I haven’t made a “new lifestyle” post in quite sometime, mostly because a few detours and events had taken place that weren’t exactly worth writing about… or I whenever I thought about blogging, somehow out of nowhere food would appear. I’m apologizing in advance if I get a little ambiguous at times… there are certain things you need to know to understand, but even a detail oriented person such as myself knows that you don’t necessarily need to know everything to understand the story. Also, beware of my love of analogies and imagery. (more…)
September 17, 2012
parental cycle of wisdom
Here’s a salute to the parents out there that have always taught their children the ways of life and have done the best they can, and still do, to steer them in the right direction. These are the parents whom have lived life and have already been through certain hardships that they don’t want us to follow, and advise us time and time again not to follow, yet we find ourselves as the great Dr. Cosby has described as “brain damaged.” (more…)
July 14, 2012
a new lifestyle – well balanced meat
It’s been a while since I’ve done a “lifestyle” post and I almost didn’t write the one you’re reading now. Everything I wrote sounded dismal and depressing to me, going against my philosophy for what “indoob” represents which is being positive. Except when it comes to a bad movie, all bets are off.
But in short, I’ve added to my career plate. More meat rather than veggies. If it’s one thing this foodie can tell you, it’s that too much meat with put you in a food coma faster than the itis (see picture above, food prepared by my sister). To me, they aren’t the same, but very similar. I once had a prime rib that was 3 inches thick and I could wear it as a mask if I wanted to disrespect glorious food like that, but do you think I could have finished it in one sitting? (more…)
February 15, 2012
a new lifestyle – 2%
I didn’t expect to be where I am today a year ago. In fact, it’s been almost a year and two weeks since I’ve been laid off and I’ve felt more creatively fulfilled than when I was working in an office. The major difference between now and then is the lack of income. I made good money in my office job. Truth be told, I was bored, stifled and everyone knew it.
As unexpected as being let go was, it was emancipating. I went back to school, started a radio show/podcast with a growing fan base, worked on a movie set, and started my own business. Creatively I’m in a better place. (more…)
February 4, 2012
a new lifestyle – snooze & lose
I think I’ve always had a problem when it comes to staying on schedules I set up for myself. Everything is fine when I’m working for/with others and there is a deadline set, I can meet it or accomplish early. I haven’t quite figured out how to establish that kind of commitment when it comes to my own personal projects. What’s bizarre is that these are projects I want to do.
Blogging, for example, I need to force myself to sit down and write. Sometimes, yes, I am too busy actually doing something else when I have the urge to write. But there are other days that I’m literally staring at the wall, or in other words I could be a lot more productive and make better use of my day. (more…)
March 2, 2011
where’s the pause button?
Shrimp was involved at this party
I don’t know what happened but I felt like I missed a couple of days. Once again, I dropped the ball on my Oscar recap which now seems pointless to talk about other than correctly predicting 14 out of 24 winners. My prediction post left out the short films but I made educated guesses before the telecast and scored a bunch of “points.” I also had my first ever Oscar party with only a couple friends. I also tried to stay on Twitter as much as possible and remain a good host. At least now I know it can be done and where I can make improvements.
The following morning I was reminded about Lady Gaga’s new video premiere “Born This Way” but after viewing it, I didn’t have time to write up my snap judgement due to a meeting about school financing and official enrollment. But even after I got back, I ended up speaking with close friends who are also Little Monsters and both had contrasting views on the song itself but hadn’t seen the video. I find myself in the middle, yet we all agree that it sounds just like Madonna.
As for my thoughts on the video? Typical Gaga I suppose. It was weird and got weirder. There was a story but I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on. I did declare her as taking Michael Jackson’s place when it comes to music videos… but I don’t wanna jump the gun on that since Kanye is still rewriting visual music too. The message is clear and I can definitely hear this being played while drag queens do their thing and it fills the space on gay night at the club. Yeah, I was there once. Not necessarily a highlight of my life but it was an experience. I’m not a fan of clubs at all to be honest. But back to the song, it’s an anthem to be who you are or what you are. I’m all for self empowerment or encouraging songs. I think the only thing, like many others I talked to, it just sounds too much like a song I’ve already heard. But I’ll take it as it is, and I have a feeling the other songs on the album I may like more than this one. I did like the “once upon a time” mythology storyline it started out with. I just wasn’t sure where it was going afterwards.
Besides those events I meant to write about, I had to get all my paperwork together: applying for a scholarship, applying for loans, taxes and unemployment. A lot of the paperwork all needed similar things I couldn’t find like past school loan info and car loan info… then my bank’s website wouldn’t work. Oh yeah, I also had to get some articles done for Patch… but that’s another story for another day even though it’s been related for the past few days. To cap off that story for now: I got my first decline for an interview. In the guy’s defense, he must be really humble.
Added on to the dog pile of work I’ve cut out for myself and a deadline for all of it by Friday, I get attacked with some sort of a cold. My dad had been sick for the past few days so maybe I caught the bug. But if I can’t sleep, what’s the point of staying in bed? So I got up and did what I needed to do which included stopping by my grandmother’s house to deliver a shovel she no longer required. But at least that gave me the chance to stop by Dunkin Donuts to finally try that Big n Tasty sandwich. It was indoob quite tasty. I could make it at home though.
My mom is all about me getting rest, and I would have been doing that but thanks to me being so proactive this morning, I’ve been getting non-stop calls all afternoon. I’m not complaining. The calls were quite welcoming. It was just the dramatic shock of being snapped back into reality and then composing yourself to answer the phone and not sound like I just came back from the dentist. Or perhaps that’s just the effects of the drugs? Or maybe my body just badly needing, no, craving the rest it needs in order to recover from whatever ailment is tormenting my body? Either way, I should take it as a sign and throw up the white flag for the day because I’m not enjoying sneezing so hard that I fart. I don’t foresee getting much more accomplishments done today other than sleeping more than 10 minutes. At least my throat no longer feels like I has swallowed a few Brillo pads.
Plus I’m out of DayQuil. And orange juice. Both are vital to my speedy recovery. Oh, and sleep, of course. (NyQuil is always on stock.)
February 22, 2011
quarter life crisis
I’ve been noticing an interesting trend going on among my peers, including myself. We’re all in our mid-twenties when some form of reality or real world hits us in the face. Sometimes its a punch in the face or maybe even a Bernie Mac slap to the face. Either way, it’s something that shakes us down to the core: my life needs to change.
Or something to that effect… But essentially, we’ve come to that point in our lives where we reevaluate our standard of living and realize if we’re truly happy with our current situation or not. Sometimes this evaluation is voluntary. Sometimes it’s forced. Sometimes we just wake up from the Matrix realizing we’ve been asleep at a job or a role or a dream that we never really intended on being in. OR we realize, “ya know, maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
An events coordinator wants to be a nurse.
A retail worker wants to be a teacher.
An electrician wants to be an accountant.
A sociology major wants to manage a restaurant.
And a dozen or more and they know who they are.
(All of these examples are real people who are following a new passion on what they want to do with their lives, and I wish them the best and all happiness in their pursuits.)
What I haven’t told you about myself is that a few weeks ago I was laid off from my office job. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I think I swallowed it rather quickly. The funny thing is the night before, and a few weeks prior, I had been thinking of how bored I was getting with my job. I mean, I was good at it and it was easy work (when there was work to do) but I didn’t get any real satisfaction. Sure, I made my quota and production (when there was work to do) but what did I really have to show for it? I could tell my friends, but what did they care about 50 files a week? Unlike my creative side, if I took 50 photos or wrote 50 poems or completed 50 scripts (I wish), that’s something I could show to the world and they’d possibly enjoy.
Now I’m not having a crisis, but hours after getting the news, or as I call it “the call”, reality hit me: I was free and I really wasn’t happy where I was. I also had tremendous love and support from my family, friends, and even my fellow former co-workers whom I plan on staying in contact with. Am I sad I lost my job? Honestly? Not really. There’s a reason for me having that job. For one thing, it helped to pay off my first car. It helped to pay for a lot of things. I met some really interesting people. I’m also able to recognize certain locations based on area codes! But the work I was doing wasn’t fulfilling and getting let go only allowed me to, essentially, let myself go. By that, I mean I was free to do whatever I wanted to, go wherever I wanted to go. I’ve been telling people for years my dreams and what I wanted to be. Now I have the chance to do what I was taught: don’t tell me, show me.
I knew changes were going to happen. I even went on a 10 day fast and no sooner was that over did my life begin to change. I’m a very spiritual person. I have no shame in that and I know God had a hand in everything that’s happened thus far.
And I want you to know I’m not the only one. Like I said, several of my peers are having similar epiphanies and have quit jobs to start new ones or even gone back to school to get that new job. Some are in the process of finding out what their true passion really is. For me, it’s doing what I’m doing right now… entertaining you. I’m sure I can get a desk job anywhere, but I don’t think I’ll be as happy and satisfied. And I’ve been done with that previous chapter and I’m shelving that book… I’m on to the next new book. And you Indoobians are welcome to go along with me. Well, in blog terms, of course.
[Insert some meaning encouraging/motivation/inspirational quote here.]
Life happens and is continuing to do so.
November 5, 2010
a dreamer of dreams
My fellow Indoobians have probably noticed my lack of involvement here on my blog or even on the Internets as of late. A few tweets here and there, but my presence has since been minimal for the better part of the last couple weeks.
And my absence hasn’t been intentional, but probably necessary. A now famous mantra for me is to say “life happens.” And for some reason I can’t fathom, life happens to me in great massive chunks like beef stew ought to be prepared. And kids, I’ve had a rather large serving recently and only the past few days I’ve been able to process all that life has to offer. (more…)
July 23, 2010
fripodding and saying goodbye
As time got closer to the ending of LOST, I had the conflicting bittersweet feeling that I’m sure many other had experienced as well. The sweet anticipation of the ending to a really great show and an awesome story that took 6 years to tell, as well as the sadness of not having new adventures to tune into every week. But alas, the time came and went. Most of us have coped with it (and are probably just waiting for the DVD to complete the set), while others are looking for replacements to fill that void. Or at least try.
On a more personal matter, that bittersweet feeling has returned. Instead of a TV show, it’s a few of the most awesome people who have had a profound influence on my life that are having their series finale. At one time or another, they have been what I would consider my rock. They are members of my exclusive, small inner circle that I tell my deepest, darkest secrets to. They kept me stable and sane as well as supported me in various ways as well as with many of my creative projects in the past. I am eternally grateful to call them my companions in this journey called life. Although this sounds like I’m on a suicide mission to reignite the sun, that’s simply not the case. You’re supposed to give flowers while they can still smell them, right?
They are just moving to a new location. Some in day-trip driving distance, others, not so close. But it’s an inevitable change we all come to at some point in our lives. Whether it’s us that leave, or those people we deem to be our best friends traveling to the ends of the earth to fulfill their hopes and desires, to which I would never hold them back but only wish them the best. And while it may seem like we are saying goodbye, it doesn’t have to be “Goodbye forever.”
So this post is dedicated to those special people in my life that are making that change in their life and moving to new locations. I pray they have success and continue to pursue their dreams. Surely I will do my best to stay in contact, and hope they don’t complain about my novel-esque emails I’m accustomed to sending. Get over if, I’m a writer… and I consider them my #1 fans so I’m expecting fan mail in return. Phone calls are also welcome, and I know they work both ways. If I need to, I’ll break out the old pen and paper until I’m able to board a plane or fill my gas tank to reach them. But since this is 2010, there’s Facebook and text messages… but don’t get me started on the limited abilities of text messaging. Needless to say, it’s not the same as riding in cars together.
So while it may seem silly to them, or anyone else, I wanted to choose “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” for today’s song, but I couldn’t find the correct version I wanted, yet it still says how I feel about them. When seriously listening and considering the lyrics, it’s what true friendship is all about. And I know that they know I don’t take the word “friend” lightly. I only hope they feel the same way about me. Actually I know they do, because I know I’m more than a friend to them just as they mean more than a friend to me. And time has shown me that these people will still be around for many years to come.
So instead, I chose what may be considered a “funeral song” but didn’t start out that way. The tear-jerking “Its So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” by Boyz II Men is a song about change and moving on.
It was first heard on a movie called Cooley High and the characters had to deal with moving on after graduating. This song also forces listeners to look back on the past, the good times, the bad times, and what’s really important with those relationships to the people we would call a friend. While it’s definitely a great change in their lives, to me it feels like a part of my life has just been hit with a huge sledgehammer. Let me tell you, it doesn’t tickle. But it’s inevitable. So we must roll with the punches because it’s all for the best.
Again, this isn’t really “goodbye” but more of a “God bless” on your journey. Michelle, Felicia, Carlton, Chris and Miss Jo, there aren’t words I can find to describe what you mean to me. This blog post is an attempt, though. And if I needed to pick one: irreplaceable.
We’ll meet again soon, my friends.
(I decided to post this song anyway because it makes me cry less.)
P.S. To those who knew him, RIP Edwin.
