Surf’s Up, Hawaii! …or not. How much I despise “break homework”

So yeah, I have to say I’ve had one of the most enjoyable Spring Break vacations I’ve ever had. While I know many a soul had a terrible break, I try not to dampen their already grief-sodden spirits. It’s just very unfortunate that teachers decide to put a bulk of work on students’ shoulders while students try desperately to get the ADD monster out of their systems so that by the time school comes, there’s nothing to worry about. “Break” isn’t break anymore. It’s “a few days off from school where you’ll have some time on your hands so here’s a bunch of work for you to do!” I understand it’s supposed to keep our minds stimulated, but really, if it’s more beneficial for us to stay active and go out during break, then surely, it would be wiser to assign us something like, I don’t know, going to Rex Plex or something. Seriously!

But maybe what bothers me most is how, this entire week, I was out being active, doing things outside, having a good time. Hell, I learned how to surf in Hawaii, dude! Then, I went to start doing homework, and look what happened: I wrote a post on TPOT, did a bunch of forms for The Awakening Project, spent time on Facebook, AIM, and what’s worse: I cleaned my room instead of doing homework. Now, maybe if the homework was something less chair-binding, I’d be out doing it. Especially if it’s research, I mean, you’re just ASKING me to procrastinate on all of my work.

Alright I better stop now. I’m making matters worse for myself, homework-wise. Haha. Peace homes.

- Therese

Kobe and an Aston Martin

Ok maybe he can’t do it.

-julian

Don’t Regret.

Usually I have a thousand thoughts on regrets… but this one thing sums it all up.

So don’t be afraid to take those chances or else you might regret missing out with the ones you love, or could have loved.

- Jed

Fanfiction

Definition from Urban Dictionary:

Fanfiction [also spelled fan fiction and fanfic(s)] – n. Stories written by fans of a certain TV show, cartoon, anime, book, or movie using existing plots, characters, or ideas from the series then continuing the story, adding new characters, changing the ending, or changing the plot.

Really, that is just a broad definition of what a really fanfiction is. Fanfiction are a group of stories that allows readers to shape the characters and the plots they love to fit their imaginations. To change the roles and the situations that was previously written and adjust them to their own likings.

Of course, there are some writers who don’t do the story justice and write a crappy form of the anime/manga that results in “flaming” or really “constructive criticism.” At the same time there are actually a few fanfics that grab me and pulls me in. (Note from this point of the post and on, I’ll be referring only to those “good” fanfics, unless otherwise noted.) They grab my attention and keep me hanging on by threads that won’t let me go no matter how hard i try to pull away. The way the story captures the true natures of the characters and puts them in situations that has me building the picture deep within my mind.

Some fanfics can grab your emotions and push them to extremes as you feel what the character feels, get drawn in by all the situations that are occurring, and be dragged by a thought through a thousand words of charged and passionate sentences that take your breath away without a second thought. In times like these, you become inspired to read more and even write fanfictions of your own.

And sometimes the type of fanfictions you read may be categorized into their own specific categories such as AAMRN’s (Ash and Misty Romance Novels) or SasuSaku’s (Sasuke and Sakura Romance Novels).

Of course, you have many categories of fanfiction. And searching for them may be quite confusing at first, so here is the common method of searching through fanfictions. (This is through the use of fanfiction.net and similar sights.)
1. You can first search for the type of Anime or Manga you want to read. So we’ll use Pokemon in this example.
2. Then you can follow up with the rating of the book from General Audience to a Mature Rating.
3. After that you can follow up with the type of Genre you want, which ranges from romance to an action/adventure type story.
4. Which is finished up with how long of a story you want to read, the type of writing style, or how many words the story contains.
5. After experience, you can probably tell which stories are good by just reading the first few paragraphs or your gut feeling.

So happy fanfiction hunting and enjoy reading those fan-written stories.
As a treat, here is a link to one of my favorite fanfics, it’s an AAMRN and is decently lengthy and very well written…
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1548383/1/The_Game_of_Love

- Jed

A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is one of Hip Hops most legendary, beloved and revered groups of all time and for good reason. Easily recognized for their unique approach to rap music by employing jazz infused soundscapes to Afro centric rhymes, sans the jaded and often nihilistic aggressive posturing associated with hip-hop, A Tribe Called Quest was largely responsible for the popularity of a new genre that dominated the East Coast sound of the early 1990s.

Queens, New York natives Q-Tip , Phife Dawg , and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of Brooklyn, formed ATCQ in 1985. Jarobi, the honorary member of ATCQ, though not always heard, was a fixture of the group in heart and in friendship. QUEST, the original name of the group, was later given the prefix A Tribe Called by their high school buddies, The Jungle Brothers, while recording Black Is Black for their album Straight Out The Jungle. ATCQ, along with the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul, formed a unit called The Native Tongues. With a building buzz around The Native Tongues and Tribes energetic live performances, ATCQ landed a major recording contract with Jive Records in 1989.

Sonically, ATCQ was a decisive and welcomed tangent of jazz, bass-heavy rhythmic vibes and eclectic sampling when compared to the mundane recycling of soul loops, breaks and vocals of their contemporaries. Lyrically, emcees Q-Tip and Phife Dawg addressed social issues relevant to young blacks such as use of the n word and its relevance, date rape and other interpersonal relationships, industry politics and consumerism with infectious energy and fun and having a good time while still promoting positivity.

ATCQ composed a number of successful singles and albums with their creative approach to rap music. In 1990, the group released Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, scoring several memorable songs including Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It and I Left my Wallet in El Segundo. It was their sophomore effort, The Low End Theory, considered one of the greatest follow-ups in hip-hop history, that would solidify them as legends. Released in late 1991, the freedom expressed in the creation and feel of this record – along with its successor Midnight Marauders – influenced many future artists and producers such as Common, The Roots, Jill Scott, Kanye West and The Neptunes. These artists are a part of ATCQs legacy and are evidence of ATCQs impact for years to come. Classics like Award Tour, Electric Relaxation, Check The Rhyme and Scenario defined ATCQs sound during this period.

In 1996, ATCQs fourth album, Beats, Rhymes & Life, was released. The Ummah – a production team consisting of Q-Tip , Ali Shaheed and newcomer and stellar talent Jay Dee (now Jay Dilla of Slum Village) – was established the same year. The team worked together to share their aural aesthetic with other artists like Janet Jackson, DAngelo, and Faith Evans.

ATCQ continued to perfect and advance their sound, displaying their unique take on hip-hop. It was with the completion of their fifth studio album, The Love Movement, that ATCQ chose to exit the proverbial stage.

In recent years, the anticipation for another ATCQ album has been building. The Abstract Poetic, Five Foot Assasin , and Mr. Muhammadhave yet to grace the studio for another record, but have hit the road again. Today, the power of their music is still evident in their dynamic stage shows and in the reception of their adoring fans.

A Tribe Called Quests anomalous posture has changed the face and sound of hip-hop and paved the way for future groups, artists, producers and even fans to be unapologetic about their creative expression. With or without future recordings, ATCQs legacy lives on in the groups creative innovation that is recognized as a profound contribution to musical history.

(Information from ATCQ’s Myspace.) 

crazy mix by DJ Mike Rizzy. (a must listen)
Vibe with the Tribe

For more Tribe heres are some links  

Official Website

Myspace

For more DJ Mike Rizzy

Official Mix Site

-julian

Kobe jumps over a moving Aston Martin?!?

Kobe is no MJ, but he can do this.

 

-julian

A Taste of Mighty Mos

I am a major advocate of hip hop. When it’s done right, it’s incredible. One of my favorite artists is Mos Def, the lyrical monster who is set to make his return to the rap scene this summer with his next studio album, tentatively titled The Ecstatic.

I thought I’d share one of my favorite Mighty Mos tracks, a collaboration between him and Japanese producer DJ Krush. It can properly be characterized, in my humble opinion, as awesome:

“Shinjiro” by Mos Def & DJ Krush. Enjoy.

Caught in the Web: A Documentary

By Scott, Therese, Neil, and Richmond (CaliBaiLoCast)

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Sarah Levine, Ron Cervantes, Yoojin Lee, Neel Jingar, Edith Claudio, Abram Manalastas, Walter Medina, Ian Hinnenkamp, Ingrid Paredes, Julian Encarnacion, Rorie (what’s his last name?!), Patrick Simon, Alcides Cruz, Henal Patel, Mohammed Mouhktar, Raveen Boykin, Crystal McKenzie, Michelle Guengue, Jose Cota, Ms. Holly Smith, Norlan Cruz, Cassandra Dass, and James Stuckey

So Much Is Said Unheard

“Your glass is half empty / like your tissue box / and your calls are blocked and you just / stare at the ceiling / play connect the dots / oh this has to stop.”

- Jay Legaspi, Said Unheard

I had the pleasure of meeting Jay at Babo’s Open Mic last Saturday. He’s a really nice guy. =) Not to mention an awesome musician/songwriter. It was great having the chance to meet him after I’ve been listening to his music nonstop for the last week. Him and Alfa Garcia. Who I met at another Open Mic and began listening to her music, too.

I have that itch now. That itch to create. I’ve had it for a while, but after hearing artists who are so real, people who were right in front of my face, creating every sound, it’s been amplified tenfold. There’s something in me, and I can’t get it out. It’s so frustrating.

I’ve always done creative things; I’ve written songs, I’ve drawn, painted, sang, created films. And I’ve always had very short, but very productive periods of each. But now that I’ve moved on, I can’t seem to get it back. I have that feeling inside, this urge to run and scream and let something out of me that I didn’t know was in me. It’s not pleasant feeling stuck in your own skin, comfortable, but knowing you could be something more.

I guess I just have to keep trying, to always keep the blank page in front of me and always search for things to fill it with.

– Riza

the calling and jay-z graph.

 must watch 

 
graphs put things in perspective. 

-julian