Under Construction.

working on a new layout...or maybe I like this one...

LASERS.

Better Late Than Never.

The inability to acknowledge consequences, establish priorities, have initiative, and overcome adversity just baffles me. On April 16, 2010 at 2 pm, I will start the MATH 1505 calculus exam - an exam that I know I cannot do well in. If I don't achieve a certain grade, I will have failed the course. Never before had this once annual honour roll student and former winner of his elementary school's academic excellence award had to admit his failure of a course. When you leave high school, you are supposed to have a better understanding of who you are, or at the very least know the direction you intend on going. Recent years have culminated into a disturbing downward trend ultimately leading to this point. When one's self is established as being in an esteemed position, the fall from said place is a long way down. Amidst the turmoil, of being a product of one's environment or through self-inflicted wounds, the leader cultivated in grade 11 leadership must shine through. Potential is the dreaded "P" word that is either attained or despised by those unfortunate enough to ponder "What could have been". I am not a nobody. Through re-examining those close to me, undergoing inopportune circumstances, and gaining sociocultural lessons through my first year courses (KINE 1000 & HUMA 2740), I know I want to make a difference. Fear permeates me because of all the uncertainty regarding my present and my future. However, I have gained perspective. Material aspects of life have become irrelevant to my goal; I need the intangible: the ability to proudly state that I will be successful, the willingness to do whatever it takes, and the determination to overcome any socioeconomic or sociocultural barriers in doing so.

Lupe Fiasco: Spoken Word Freestyle in NYC.

Night Terrors.

Insomnia. It is a physical and mental grind to have endured such a prolonged bout with abnormal sleeping patterns. When confronted with a haze of emotions and cataclysmic circumstances, one may see this sleep disorder as liberating rather than hazardous. Alas, alone with your thoughts, uninterrupted by the demanding and persistent pressures of the real world. A time for self, a time for reflection, and a time to do you as all the world soundly sleeps.

The Cool.

"The Cool": Broken Down By TGRI
True Greatness Requires Insanity (TGRI) provides an excellent writeup for lyrical mastermind Lupe Fiasco's classic "The Cool" album. Check it out!

Japanese Chip Commercial LMAO.

Friends.

Wikipedia: "Friendship is a type of companionship, that a human towards another human being can have. It's a bond in which one has a feeling towards another one. Friendship is the cooperative and supportive relationship between people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect - along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as the exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for some, the practical execution of friendship is little more than the trust that someone will not harm them."

Another sleepless night, though this time productive with work for my essay being done, and another lesson from a television show. Watching 'House', I cannot help but notice the relationship between House and Wilson. How can such opposite people be friends? House is a cynical narcissist with a Rubik's complex (the need to solve the puzzle) while Wilson is the ultimate altruistic person. Their odd, yet flourishing, relationship has driven me to think about my own relationships in life. Friends and family always poke fun at me because it is impossible for me to have any enemies. I hope it would be a good quality to have: the ability to see the good in everybody. I always believed it to be a problem that my friends do not always see eye-to-eye. Indeed, it is an obstacle. However, each of them come from an abundance of places and have various background stories. It is their variability that keeps them so interesting. It is a reason I avoid shutting anybody different out. Everybody has their little quirks. I think it is from these qualities, these unorthodox methods/habits, where you are able to learn the most about a person, or better yet, reveal something for your own evolution.

Happy Anniversary Trip of a Lifetime.

"The delay at the Airport - stayed from 1-7, Cheering as the plane landed, Stepping out of the airplane and getting the first view of beautiful palm trees, First night drinking after unpacking, Waking up in the morning to knock on any friend's door to figure out plans, Summer all day & everyday, Swimming pool, Beach, Beach volleyball, Snorkeling, ATV/Buggying, Getting left in the middle of nowhere with Chris because our Buggy's engine broke down and they forgot about us, Chris driving full on into a tree, Cigars, Disco, Bat Cave, The Saturday night I do not remember, Almost getting kicked out due to inability to function on the Saturday night I do not remember, "YOU FUCKED UP!", "Whatevs", The morning after the Saturday night I do not remember, Endless food, Ordering a bottle of wine for dinner, Riding the bus to the events, Singing songs on the bus rides, Drunken S-Trip Canadians singing 'O Canada' on the bus, Hotboxing Saul's washroom, "One Punta Cana Dominican Republican Second", "What happens in Punta Cana, STAYS IN PUNTA CANA", Strawberry Daiquiri, Tequila Sunrise, Vodka Lemonade, Vodka Cranberry, 151 shots, Tequila shots, Amaretto Sour, Rainbow, Banana Mama, Pina Colada, Rum & Coke, and the memories can go on forever...
S-Trip: Punta Cana, Domincan Republic Trip 2009; The best trip ever."

What is written above is what I wrote on March 23 of last year. Listening to music, I stumbled upon "Kids" by MGMT. Rather than attempt to sleep at this hour, I decided to make this blog post. Reading and continuously rereading my run-on paragraph causes all the memories to come rushing back to me. Tell me how great a trip back to Punta Cana would be right now.

Yearbook.

Ah, the final high school yearbook. Despite it probably being the worst yearbook in my four years in high school, it is the most important. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. As I flip through the numerous photos highlighting the unforgettable memories and momentous events, I sure get nostalgic. Through the rough patches, and through the best of times, cheers to the most unforgettable years of my life. Here are some pictures from Senior Year:

Emmuel's 19th Birthday Party

Semi Formal `09My 18th Birthday PartyAndrew's 18th Birthday PartyStephanie's 18th Birthday PartyKaren's Valentine's Day PartyPunta Cana Spring Break Grad Trip `09Prom `09Prom Date: Patricia JacobEnd Of High School Warehouse PartyPamela's 18th Birthday PartyHigh School Graduation

Exam Time Again?

Courtesy of: http://www.djmick.co.uk/laughs/funny-school-exam-answers/

That time is creeping up again, that sometimes month-long journey towards success in academic finals. Let us take a look at the, shall we say, entertaining exam answers of last year by students from England.

Q. Name the four seasons
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar

Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists

Q. How is dew formed
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire

Q. What causes the tides in the oceans
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight

Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed

Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election

Q. What are steroids
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs

Q. What happens to your body as you age
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental

Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery

Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
A. Premature death

Q. What is artificial insemination
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow

Q. How can you delay milk turning sour
A. Keep it in the cow

Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. The abdomen)
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts – the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I, O and U

Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie

Q. What is the most common form of birth control
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium

Q. Give the meaning of the term ‘Caesarean section’
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome

Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor.

Q. What is a terminal illness
A. When you are sick at the airport.

Q. What does the word ‘benign’ mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight

Q. What is a turbine?
A. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head

Mr. Otto Mandell of Doritoes Seasoning

Classic Work!

Hitting a Baseball is Rather Difficult.

I have a penchant towards taking the most unorthodox route in the creation of a piece of writing. It is hardly anything new. When writing a comparative essay, I would choose the two topics which seemingly had no connection and then seek a burst of creativity. In my mind, I wanted to earn my high grade. Taking the conventional route was boring and produced redundant essays (though presented and supported differently) for one educator to labour through. Time has come for an extended metaphor pertaining to life and baseball.

Life is like a game of baseball. Whether you are on the mound, responsible for throwing the pitches, or standing in the batter's box, ready to swing, it is you who is held accountable for making the right decisions and controlling the outcome. Indeed, there are coaches and teammates present to assist you every step of the way, but everything ultimately rests on your shoulders.

Are you capable of carrying that weight? The unique aspect about baseball is that players can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, yet have similar effectiveness. Although it seems you may be incapable of handling the immense pressure of a certain situation on your slender shoulders or surgically reconstructed knees, the mental struggle remains the same and is often the most crucial element in overcoming a difficult circumstance.

Even those who are deemed successful have their shares of failures and disappointments. In baseball, hitting .300 affirms that player as a top hitter. It is often forgotten that this percentage means that a player hit the ball 3 out of a possible 10 times. Therefore, even the best players fail 70% of the time. Those who are successful in the game of life may have fallen an innumerable amount of times before attaining sustained happiness.

What I am trying to say is: life has a heavy inclination towards throwing you curveballs. It could be one filthy pitch that buckles your knees, causing you to strike out, or it could be a constant barrage of pitches in the dirt daring you to make contact. Regardless of what is thrown at you, remember this: everybody has a head on their shoulders to help process the decision/action that is needed and everybody standing in the batter's box is given a wooden bat to hit the same-sized baseball.

Oh Canada!

Courtesy of Steve Dangle

So, what do you think? I just watched a feature on CTV news about the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Evident by the video footage across Canada, whether in bars or parading the streets, Canadian citizens are truly proud of their nation. It is a beautiful thing. In my experience, I have never seen Canadians more patriotic than during these past two weeks as hosts of the winter Olympic Games. I recently did a case study about the effect of the Olympic Games on a host nation. In 1992, Barcelona established itself as an up-and-coming city. In 2000, Sydney enjoyed 'the most comprehensive business development program ever held in association with the Olympic Games.' How about 2010?

What will be the legacy of the Olympic Games hosted by Vancouver?
I believe that the intangible impact of Canadians truly embracing their identity as a cultural mosaic while allowing the Olympic Games to invigorate a newly found patriotism is already a wonderful victory in itself.

LTTP

Hey blog,

I haven't seen you in a while. I have actually been busy with school and other hobbies. Sorry about that. Speaking of hobbies, I am playing my bass a lot more often now and have decided to buy a new Sterling SB14 by Music Man.


That is it: the object of my desires, the subject of my dreams -for $600-700 that is. As much as as it is though, any dedicated bass-head will question my choice. After all, aren't the Sterlings made in India? The blasphemy! Well, the parts are made in Indonesia and Korea, but the finishing touches are applied in Orange, California. And, if Ed Friedland is to be believed (and he is), this is the greatest of basses at that price range. So, move out Rocker Music Tool's RB-100, and make room for this beauty.

Survival Of The Fittest.

Mobb Deep got it right: "Survival of the fittest, only the strong survive." It's true - to varying extents. Whether or not the strongest chooses to impose their will immediately raises questions to this theory. Fact: I still have no idea how to go about this post-secondary life. The genius is there, the mind is elsewhere - I don't think it took three geniuses to figure that part out. Study the day of for a biology exam and get a 74, study the night before for a calculus exam and get a 33. Evidently you cannot always catch lightning in a bottle. A year off may actually have been what I needed to right the ship. This ship won't continue to sink, but the holes are evident and the captain stubbornly chooses to trudge along anyway. Freshman year, I called for a renewed commitment and a fresh start. Instead, I am faced with an endless barrage of information to be processed by a mind that rests 3-5 hours/day. My new mission statement for freshman year? Survive round one and shock the world in the subsequent ones. How to accomplish that? Back to basics. For starters, get some legitimate rest. Survival of the fittest? I'll settle for mere survival and four months to ensure the continued upward trajectory of this hurting soul.

Filson 240

We promised each other not to get Valentine's Day presents..we lied. Thanks Babe!

Peter Bjorn And John - Nothing To Worry About

190 Rocket To Don Mills Station.

A two hour conversation remarkably has me at peace.

Something so simple had such a profound impact.
The power of human connection is something not to be underestimated.

Nasty NaS.

Everyone is asking where NaS went - he never left.
Here's his last verse from the unreleased "Film".

"I speak to the street life,
The executive chief types,
The felons, young mothers with kids they trying to feed right,
The botega wearers - modern day Che Guevaras,
`Cause I barely survived crazy eras,
Honest, always make good on my promise,
I don't talk it - I do it, you can hold me to it,
I was born to this life - I didn't invent it,
But I’d be wrong not to take a few meal tickets,
You and I are real different, we don't share the same beliefs,
Fight in the ring or buy ringside seats,
Either you like beef or you like to spectate,
Give me gloves, and I'm a do it how the refs say,
We touch `em and we come out tussling,
The ghetto is my garden of Eden,
So I keep bobbing and weaving,
It’s intense so I’m hardly breathing,
KO, and the winner is NaS, that’s how the scene ends"