NobuoUematsu - Tifa's Theme - Final Fantasy VII Piano Collection
Lost In Translation is one of my most favorite movies, ever! The sleepy, dreamy aesthetic of this film (recorded on film and not digital video), paced with the consciously detached sensation that you're all alone would push the impatient audiencee to blink 40 winks, or perhaps dismiss the movie as "pointless" or "plotless," but they'd be completely missing the most profound element of this movie: It's about getting lost in many things--lost in loneliness, lost in a fast-paced world--but it's ultimately about being lost in love. And lost in an ocean of words.
TalibKweli ft. Les Nubians - Love Language - Train Of Thought
^Listen to the chorus of this song:
"L'amourn'a pas de, frontiere (Love has no boundaries) Restes car jet'aimecommetu es (Stay because I love you as you are) J'ai traverse l'oceanduverbe (I crossed an ocean of words) Etjet'aitrouve (And I found you)
Falling in love in a different country.. Imagine falling in love in a different language! As the Def Poetry poet Shihan put it, from his "Love-Like" piece:
"..I even be fantasize about walking out on a green light just dying to get hit by a car just so I could lose my memory, get transported to some third world country just to get treated and somehow meet up again with you so I could fall in love with you in a different language and see if it still feels the same type love."
This is type of love is that miracle-type love, that every single one of us has a chance of happening to. John Green of the novel Paper Towns put it so well, as it goes along the lines of this: If you think about it, everyone gets their miracle: if you consider all the unlikely things put together (i.e., getting struck by lightning, getting terminal ear cancer, spontaneous combustion, getting eaten by a whale, etc.), at least one of them will probably happen to each of us. but my miracle was this: Out of all houses, of all the subdivisions of all the cities in Florida, I lived next-door to Margot Roth Spiegelman."
^You will definitely have to read the book to understand how SO SWEET & DOPE this part of the prologue is!
Anyway, my honest intention of this post was to post the ending of Lost In Translation because I recently discovered (through watching Attack Of The Show, I believe!!) the silenced whisper exchanged between Murray & Johannsen.
If you can't appreciate the art behind this decision by Sofia Coppola to blind the audio, then don't watch this video, and stay puzzled in heartache, imagining what was actually spoken!
Or, if you are full of suck and are a curious cat, proceed + continue to push "play":
Bill Murray & Scarlett Johannsen - Ending- Lost In Translation
*Sigh* I want my miracle, too..
"The things I say & do May not come quite through, My words may not convey just what I'm feeling.."
Binary Star - Reality Check - Masters of the Universe
..And then Macy asked me,"Are you happy?" And I couldn't answer immediately at first--I moved my lips and opened my mouth and blinked a second too long, meaning to decide where my answer would fall in this Yes/No/Maybe realm of almost seemingly-innocent conversation..
I said "Yes, I am," but my eyes lied and a teardrop backstabbed my false intention, to agree to disagree with myself, and when I closed my eyes I saw myself staring out into blank void of what would lie ahead in my post-graduate life (for that time.. things changed for the better now!).
PCC17 "Bayan" had just wrapped its closing night, and the whole run crew, stage crew, cast and close friends were partying like it was New Year's, on a cold, dark but unarguably celebratory night in a Western street house, with a lovely basement (whose residency included Will, handsome boyfriend to the Elle front-page, drop-dead divine Tammie D., lead star of the play) to escape the dreaded party-ordinance enforcers known as the Cops.
I had just made a run to the 7-11 near my house to cop a modest 32 oz. of the High Life for myself, but something was missing. Why was I standing here alone, getting a sole-bottle of something that really wouldn't do anything to me unless I downed two of these bottles whole? Why hadn't I asked anyone if they wanted something on the way, too? why was i frustrating myself with silly questions when I could be doing a Soco-Sake-shotgun, or a keg stand, or playing Beer Pong against Luisa in the party basement? WHY COULDN'T I JUST STOP THINKING!
Macy's eyes snapped mine back onto Earth from the Jupiter space they had momentarily rocketed out too, and knew my answer was an honest lie. I didn't even realize that one could lie honestly, only until it was themselves they were lying with. "Carlo, it's important to be honest to you, even though it may take a while to find where your happiness lies.. No matter what, do what pleases you, do what makes you happy. It's taken me a while, but I'm finally happy."
Macy is one of the realest, flyest girls I've ever known. Always given me direction and wisdom words, I owe her the oceans and stars and all the intergalactic space between.
Keyshia Cole - Let It Go Trackademicks Remix - Trackademicks Presents The ReMixtape Vol. 2
Pacquiao OWNED De La Hoya!!!!!!! No contest whatsoever!!! De La Hoya's quitting now?!!! What a night to be a Filipino! Peace to J.R. of Rogue Status, sure wish I got to see the fight live! & peace to mi familia, Goldilocks cake was on HIT!
He gave us this day!
"I ain't got nothin' but love girl, Eight days a week.."
My wish list for Santa Clause to realize in present-form: 01. Red Visvim Backpack 02. AdidasxFTC Superstar Lows 03. Fuchsia Basic Long Sleeve (to go w/ my fuchsia G-Shock!), peace to Vanaly! 04. Nike Dunk Low Pro Nightshades (I'll never get these.. but if I could have my wish, why not!) 05. Apple Macbook 2008
I need the laptop most of all, my Vaio is finally showing signs of giving in!
BIRTHDAY PARTY UPDATE!
Apparently, this was the last Style/Plus Sign Vibes event @ Agave Ultra Lounge; although the attendance was more timid, all the better to have all that space with all my good folks!!
"..You know you saved me from myself, You knew that I needed help.."
Michael Jackson ft. Bart Simpson - Happy Birthday, Lisa - The Simpsons: Stark Raving Dad
Since my 20th birthday, December 4th hasn't been as crackin as it once was: When I became 21, I had to study for a Calculus final and an Intermediate Macroeconomics final, both to be taken on the same day... WEAK! And on my 22nd? I had to go on campus to a REVIEW SESSION, that time for an Intermediate Accounting final and a Fraud Examination one..
Basically, I've had to study when I should have been going hella dumb, ghost riding my Maxima on Westcliff or some other outrageously dangerous Santa Cruz road with zero-pavement, binging on High Lifes, banging my head on sushi tables before bellowing "Kampei!" to the alcoholic I Love Sushi restaurant owner while being with good folks.. but nooooooooo! Anyway, I always felt that college robbed me of a decent birthday with my classmates, but nonetheless, it's time to celebrate (tomorrow that is)!
"It's not a wrong thing to be addicted to the microphone like a heroine fiend, i'll tell you 1 thing: you will never catch me fronting..."
I wish Multivariable Calculus formulas were just as easy to understand as these ones.. And these formulas aren't the type that describe something boring like why hyperbolic paraboloids have saddle-seat shape, no siree--these formulas describe facts of LIFE!!
"Without you, life has no meaning or rhyme, Like the notes to a song without time.."
Colin Munroe ft. Wale & Dallas Austin - Will I Stay Remix - Is The Unsung Hero
This post is basically a fanboy-esque dedication to Colin Munroe's "Is The Unsung Hero" mixtape.
Thoughts before the first listening: This is the same guy that sung over the entire Flashing Lights/Kanye instrumental, and had that blurry video with people treating him like garbage and the cool light effects right? 1st Impression: "_______" <---- SPEECHLESS! 2nd thoughts: still "_______" 3rd Impression: "I LOVE THIS MIXTAPE.
The way Munroe flipped Fever and Will I Stay are OUTOFTHISWORLDLY. Yes I'm making up words (similar to a Will-Ferrel-impersonating-Liption-and-procuring-new-word-goodness moment!) but strictly because this listening experience left me trying to find new blends of vocal vocabulary I never knew I had or was ever privy to. Bottom line was that I had fun listening to this musical mixture and give it my highest reccomendation!
Christmas Time Is Here, word to Vince Guiraldi! After Thanksgiving dinner @ my cousins' spot, I drove by the Vacaville Premium Outlets just to see if people were silly enough to be in line as early as the 10pm time it was... and I was aghast! People were lined up around the Coach outlet, a 20-deep line was already in place @ Banana.. I decided to skip out on all the stores that I'd probably float around and fine nothing I'd particularly fall in love with, so I decided to go ahead with the classic s^%@ and went to the Polo Ralph Lauren outlet.
Just my luck! They were letting people 2 HOURS EARLY as part of their 'Early Bird Special' sale, and I was able to cop $350+ worth of Polo outerwear for $150 (due to Black Friday-only mark downs and a nifty 20% off total purchases over $150.. not bad at all!
Included in my coppage was this very fly, black and toasty-warm pea coat, originally $225 but copped for that low-low.
this is basically the same RL pea coat; unlike those hella weak Old Navy peas that just fall apart and aren't warm.. this one'll stay in my closet for good!
"Be disciplined in your life So you can be violent & original in your art."
Flying Lotus ft. Dolly - Roberta Flack - Los Angeles
This is dedicated to someone I used to really dig.
First time I met you my heart skipped twice, Struggled to find you despite these dim kitchen lights, First time I saw you, distantly behind a curtain, Finding you disappear in curtain flutters had me hurting, for that first meet, to learn your name, learn your whispers, Eyes closed on those stairs I swear i could see your light flicker, not the light in plain sight that reassures you there's life, but the hidden light, invisible--your love light shone bright.. took you to the cafe, at the movies held your hand, like a bite of 100 grand when i kissed you my mind went DAMNN you were everything, still don't know what happened, just want you to know you were the freshest, ain't no blastin' all the late calls, smiles with no asking? tuned me to the fact that love's better than i imagined, better than letting go of a peeve long despised; all i want is you, back then you were a beautiful surprise.
L + Lg.
"I never knew a love like this, gotta be somethin' for me to write this, queen i ain't seen you in a minute, wrote this letter & finally decided to send it..."
Lo Key Quintet - Adore You - LKQ Summer Sessions 2006
Going back in time... over 2 years ago to be exact.. a little crew known as the Lo Key Quintet (Antho Chetta/Mark Marcelo/Chris Flow Santos/Nia/Me) were rockin' it, rockin' it! This is an original joint we made and eventually recorded together, a feel good joint titled "Commin' Home" (sans Nia).
LKQ - Commin' Home - Sycamore Sessions 2006
Loved this joint to death! New ^%$# in the works, peace to Nia on her upcoming son, Isaiah!
DJ Hi-Tek - Come Get It (Tekstrumentals) - Hi-Teknology 3
My first job was being a Holiday Inn restaurant bus boy, waiter and room service specialist. The tips were great, but waking up at 6am and then working an 8-hour shift was hella weak! anyway, from my first check, i vividly remember walking into Footaction and copping these sexy beasts:
Hands down these are my favorite Nikes ever: the Nike "Paul Brown" Blazer Mids. I don't know why but I bought an 11.5 the first time, thinking that they fit perfectly; shortly thereafter i realized that there is such a think as sliding in your own shoes! however, bigger was better in this case due to the narrow nature of the Nike Blazer model!
Although black Supreme Blazer highs and Pinstripe Blazers hold a special spot in my heart, these kicks transferred me into the shoe-game full-throttle, and i would later find myself many a sleepless night, seemingly sleeping amidst anonymous sneaker-fiend strangers, waiting in line for a new pair of Nike SBs or other great release!
I may not be as manic as I once was about sneakers, but I still love them. A great pair of shoes can absolutely immensely enhance an everynormal day.
"..I would gladly hit the road if I knew, that someday it would lead me back to you.."
Ali Shaheed Muhammad ft. Kay & Sy Smith - Family - Shaheedullah & Stereotypes
Today I spent an early Thanksgiving Eve with my Fairfield H.S. homies, some I hadn't seen in months, others in a year, still others in four years!! (Okay, maybe just Mylene.. but all the same, no excuses for a 4-year hiatus!) The reunion/potluck dinner/drunkfest/jam session/photoshoot was a couple of different adjectives: 01. overdue 02. delicious (mmmm, yummy crab casserole, Aireen!) 03. loud? (Selectors DD, RD, Santos + Boogie-Down Donovan held it down!) 04. nostalgically invigorating 05. love-filled
I've still gotta upload the photos from my Sony N50 (which is currently being borrowed) so Mylene's shots will have to do!
(Darin has a kinky 'fingers up my nose' fetish. eek!)
(two lovebirds. sadly, i knew it all along, chris, 'twas only a few cups of liquid courage to reveal your true colors. jp)
"This thing called 'rhyming' no different from 'coal mining' We both on assignment to unearth the diamond.."
in case you were sleeping on Certified Fresh's updates, i posted this gem by DJ Uncle Q! if not in your collection, make the choice to cop this NOW!
for all the Raphael Saadiq lovers out there, give this a listen because you simply WON’T be disappointed. don’t let the name fool you, DJ Uncle Q DELIVERS.
(nowhere nearly enough do i hear mixtapes these days that stay consistently on beat and don’t give in to those all-too-easy alarm/explosion fade outs, or the abrupt mix-in of a completely different tempo!!.. yuck.)
This mixtape effortlessly juxtaposes Saadiq’s own music as Tony! Toni! Tone!, Lucy Pearl & himself, with his production & guest appearances, and the result is simply sensational. I even took the time to make a lovely mixtape cover & figure out the tracklist although DJ Uncle Q decided to do neither, that’s how much i love you!
tracklist: 01. raphael saadiq - i love her 02. bilal - soul sister 03. raphael saadiq - it never rains (live @ the house of blues) 04. tony! toni! tone! - whatever you want 05. anthony hamilton - ain’t nobody worryin 06. lucy pearl - everyday 07. raphael saadiq - still ray 08. lucy pearl - trippin’ 09. raphael saadiq - ask of you (live @ the house of blues) 10. tony! toni! tone! - anniversary 11. d’angelo - lady 12. erykah badu - love of my life 13. lucy pearl - they can’t 14. joss stone & lauryn hill - music 15. raphael saadiq - rifle love 16. kelis - glow 17. mary j. blige - so lady 18. lucy pearl - la la 19. raphael saadiq - you’re the one that i like 20. raphael saadiq & d’angelo - be here 21. joss stone - bad habit 22. kelis - marathon 23. raphael saadiq - body parts 24. joss stone - proper nice 25. raphael saadiq - excuse me 26. joss stone - soulfood love 27. raphael saadiq - tick tock 28. lucy pearl - dance tonight 29. raphael saadiq - this one 30. raphael saadiq, dj quick & tony! toni! tone! - let’s get down 31. kelis - attention 32. raphael saadiq & teedra moses - chic 33. lucy pearl - don’t mess with my man 34. tony! toni! tone! - feels good
Here's a list of some great Black Friday deals that you should check out!
TRUE SOLE's got kicks on sale on friday, featuring 20-70% off for the first 2 hours of store opening only! It's camping out for shoes all over again...but this time, at a great price nobody can really blow a fuse about!
The Hundreds is also scheming things up with a 5 a.m. sale where all the new Fall/Winter gear is 50% off, but every hour the savings drop 10%!!! Must be pretty fun to wait in line for this sale, knowing that you have to beat the clock to keep the discount! (after 10am, everything's full price again, so don't even bother if you wake up too late!
You can always stay on top of the best of the best bargains by subscribing to the RSS feed at Slick Deals, which is updated daily on numerous, precious cash-saving deals on stuff you'd actually buy online!
Finally, on channel G4's Attack of the Show, Olivia Munn breaks done thee-best deals out there on tech, movies and more!
Now that you're all set to shop & save this coming Black Friday, don't hesitate to eat that extra slice of turkey, down some Hennessey, and sleep in.. on figuring out the best Black Friday deals, that is! (You can choose to sleep in after Thanksgiving dinner, too, but what's so fun about that??)
"Shed a little light, now you're blooming like a flower With the power of the evident Voices + drums, original instruments.."
Oh! - L.o.v.e. (ft. Paris Runway) - Spectacular Ever After
This EP is soooooo fresh. Support + take a listen! (click the cover to download!)
tracklist: 1. The End (Intro) 2. Sand Monster 3. Venus (Ft. Paris Runway) 4. Chattin With Babes 5. So Many Windows (Ft. ESSO & Nero) 6. More To Me 7. Say [Remix] (Ft. John Mayer) 8 L.O.V.E. (Ft. Paris Runway) 9. Amnesia 10. Footprints 11. Mercury Skies [Bonus]
Q-Tip ft. Raphael Saadiq - We Fight/We Love - The Renaissance
Going down TONIGHT @ 111 Minna Street, San Francisco!
When: Nov 21, 2008 10:00 am (Friday) Where: 111 Minna Gallery 111 Minna at 2nd (map) San Francisco, CA 37.775 -122.418 Who: DJ Rootz + kap10 harris What: Suite Jesus November Friday November 21st Featuring music by Winstrong, DJ Rootz & Kap10, Rebs, Henroc, Miss Watkins & 4AM. Showing art by Andrew Gonzalez, Kris D, Luke Brown, Andre.
UPDATE: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANA VI!
"Suitable to be part of the cosmos/ With my eyes closed I see you clearly/ Combined lifetimes with like minds.."
Freewrite05. Beautiful/Wonderful/Colorful/ Like sun-setting skies, even when the colors dull/ We rise to be the brightest highest stars in the ceiling/ Then we crash and burn, stumbling to find new meaning/ Don't blind what u believe in/take time to keep on dreaming/ Hearts speak what minds disguise/realize the goal you're seeking..
writing again!!
"Not no parkay, not no margarine, Strickly butter baby, strictly butter.."
30 Rock is made up of awesome. This is so far my favorite episode of Season 3: The cohesiveness and trademark Tina Fey touch of comedic class made me re-view this one a handful of times.. from start to finish this episode is ON POINT. please enjoy responsibly!
"We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something..."
Sunday, November 16, 2008
I wish I wasn't so broke.. I'd be all over this sale!
The Mighty Underdogs - Want You Back - Droppin Science Fiction
I just finished a book by John Green, An Abundance of Katherines, and YO!!! Honestly one of the FRESHEST books I've ever read!
I know this doesn't play with the anagram theme from the book, and does lend itself more to the Paper Towns motif of numbering things (I read Paper Towns--another John Green book--second, fyi), but I'm just gonna number things I liked anyway.
01. amazing anagrams. at sparksflyup.com, there a great link page on learning how to anagram on point-ly. 02. this book is super funny, super sweet, super nerdy, but ultimately super super. 03. Hassan. lol! that guy is i swear, nearly every piece of his dialogue had me breaking the silence at the bookstore. 04. usage of math formulas: (spoiler alert!) I kinda saw what Lindsey contributed to the dumper/dumpee theorem coming a while ago.. but maybe it's because i took statistics and econometrics before and saw the whole "missing variables" a while ago. 05. dragging on: it did feel like it did sometimes, but the story self-propelled so nicely that I didn't give those old-people talks too much hesitance.
I'll reviewPaper Towns later, and more detailed than this one since I read it more recently.. until then,
Best Wishes!
Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they'll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.
Here's five food pairings that you should consider to enhance the chemical absorption of nutrients in your body.
01. potatoes + spinach: lets you absorb iron faster + better 02. oatmeal + strawberries: prevents likelihood of stroke & heart attacks 03. rosemary + beef: the rosemary actually kills off any cancer-causing beef traces in your body that may linger and lead to organ failure 04. red peppers + feta cheese/dressing: eating peppers and salads with cheese or any dressing accelerates the bloodstream absorption time and makes digestion easier.. ranch dressing please! 05. fish + broccoli + tomato: weird combination right? but this prevents heart cancer
Foreign Exchange - If This Is Love - Leave It All Behind
Wish I made it out to this event, DJ Phatrick has been working his turntable magic with mastery as of late, would have loved to hear what mash-ups and remixes he came up with for his Jill Scott/Badu-filled evening! also, the flyer is really damned fresh! impressive!
This video makes me feel like i'm standing still and the world is accelerating all aronud me at all different speeds.. exhilerating.
One thing I dislike about the BART train? When I get out of a club/bar from SF and board the train, the loud, chalk-board-screech-eliciting turbulence just escalates minor head throbbing to amplified headaches, and it becomes almost too easy to miss your stop!
I sometimes wish I lived in Japan 1nce again, where necessity is the mother of invention, as demonstrated in their subway system:
G4 TV's Attack of the Show did a whole episode exploring Tokyo, pretty dope stuff. you can watch them all HERE. I'd like to see a doc of the hip hop world in Japan sometime.. "...You worry about the wrong things, the wrong things.. ..Anyway, they don't know you Like I do, they'll never know you.."
Blackalicious - Make You Feel That Way (DJ Flow's Foundation Mix)
Remember Take Back TV in 2005? Seeing Mos, Ill-Lit, Goapele, Crown City Rockers, Kweli + countless others support CurrentTV's launch was surreal.. BIG UPS to G-kroosh + Chelsea for letting me experience a SF-only engagement like no other to come nor follow.. truly fresh.
DJ LeftOoO of BBC Worldwide Radio 1 has some excellent selection, and i'm beginning to feel his mixes more than good 'ol Giles' (sorry Mr. Peterson, LeftOoO has great sequencing sensibility). The selection on part 2 of his October 30th mix left me repeatedly referencing the track listing + there was none of that excessive name-drop transitional plugs, the like which make me forget a mixtape more than remember (it seems counter-intuitive for some, but for me, hearing the DJ's name a million times on a tape numbs out their name completely from my brain, whereas a well-conceived tape sans the 'D-d-d-d-DJ Echo-o-o-o' bombs will allow me to more securely cement the DJ's name into my brain). DOWNLOAD THE TAPE and peep the technique, you could learn a thing or two and inherit some great gems to your Serato library!
today's entry is brought to you by the number 5 (five).
1. Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five Bringin' '61 back! That saxophone melody, the quintuple time and the somewhat haunting piano that pushes the rhythm section are a few reasons why this song became a jazz standard. Did you know that this song hit the Billboard Hot 100? If you've never known the title before, chances are you've already heard the song, even though it may be before your time.
2. Staple Design Commercial I love jeffstaple's BLOG, I've got nothing but the highest love for someone that has people making fake commercial for them, for free! + you've got Jeru the Damaja's 'Wrath of the Math' bumpin in the b/g, what more can you possibly ask for? (this was the 5thyoutubevid on my favorite list).
3. FruitionLV - Neon Leopard Jean Pants (5th item on FRTNLV's Shop Blog) Fruition is a crazy store. Vintage streetwear from the 80's and 90's, revived and curated to make your shopper's dreams come true. I've bought a few Fruition pieces (like the nice Fruition x Stussy shirt pictured above) because, as their mantra states, "We Are The Future." These neon-yellow pants emit the same youthful, vibrant flavor that Fruition is acclaimed for, and I wouldn't mind rocking a men's pair (not too tight though!).
4. The Hundreds - 5th Anniversary Artist Design Series The Hundreds is an LA-based clothing brand that entered their 5th anniversary this year and continues to bring out really nice basics and outerwear. I'm really picky about their stuff and usually go for the simpler, quieter designs, but they do flesh out the technicolor colors. Anyway, this is the fifth shirt of the series, done by Ususgrow. NICE.
5. Charles Cohen - Buchla Music Easel (the 5th (and probably freshest) Vimeo feature video i saw today) I REALLY want to own this. via wikipedia: "First built in 1963, this synthesizer was composed of several "modules" that generated or modified a music event. Each box served a specific function: oscillator, filter, sample and hold, etc. This would have an effect on the pitch, timbre, amplitude and spacial location of the sound. The idea was to allow musicians and composers to create sounds suited to their own specifications."
I know this may seem like a nuisance to control + master, but the Charles Cohen video just makes my mouth water..i want to play it!
"Self Knowledge is never ending.. Music is my life."
Here's what I like to do: Create & learn & listen to music, geek out on tumblr+twitter+fb, go jogging, work, get inspired, be around good people, live in the present, wake up each morning realizing that anything's possible, dance, & be happy *
