Switchin'

I'm switchin' over to tumblr.

Sorry Blogger, you're just not the right one for me.

Mah Brotha (Poem)

Current Mood: Meh.

Wrote a poem today. Just put the pen to the paper and this flowed out. Tell me how it is. Comments WELL APPRECIATED.


So here I am trying to write a coherent sentence,
I've been creepin' around these streets like a menace,
Friend's everywhere: 'dova, The Mound, Bartlett, Midtown
Finding places to stay, keeping life at bay,
Trying to move on with confidence.

These past few years, well they've been a blast.
But all these good years were snatched up too fast.
We had good times, and those that were shitty
And for those, I need no real pity.

For the days were good!
We're all in one piece.
Well except for a few,
I watch them so slowly as their own lives release,

They're growing up in front of my eyes,
I wondered if I, too, or is it just lies?
Will they go away and really grow up?
I'm betting against such fortunate luck.

Many will go and come back more fruitful,
But I'll tell you this, they'll still be the same people.
I hope for good things, and give them glad tidings.
They shut me away and go into hiding.

“What is it you guys? What could I have done?”
“I don't know man, we've just kinda shun,
Everyone, Everything, and Everybody,
that's not like us; we're really quite snobby.

“With what room?” I say.
You guys just play games and say things like “gay.”
Lets be chill and civilized.
Build vocabulary, don't talk like all guys.
“Haha, like you? I'll pass; lets go crew.”

And they shuffle off into obscurity.
None of them will hear this that's security.
No fostering of talents in that group, for sure.
Just competition, competition, competition. Grade Whore.

It's not about the A's, but your talent,
You'd be better off working instead of lament.

“My SAT is crap, My ACT is shit.”
Please, my brotha'. The sky's the limit.
You've reached 23 x 100, that is.
Shouldn't that be enough to fight with these kids?

“I would think so, yeah, but let's not forget,
I'm Chinese/Indian/Jew, not a minority resident.
“So what does that mean? Should I be where I am?”
“Yeah sure, you're smart, have fun represent!”

'What the fuck? Are you for real?'
Did you bluntly just spout that ignorant shpeil?
Thanks a lot MAH BROTHA, for the inspiration,
Now I'll quote you in a book about my hometown nation.

How you treated me, taught me, and more,
I even found out that my heart can be sore,
For a place I call home, right here in the south, nonetheless.
A place I was dragged, thought it was the best.

A place for business, education, the likes,
“The people down here are really quite nice...”
So I played along, I followed these rules,
But this time, for sure, I won't be the fool.

I'm off in a month to a new place, indeed.
Some 1,000 kilometers, or more, I should know.
But it's late tonight, as soon as it goes,
I'll check on that distance for reference, I suppose.

An impromptu poem, I like this feeling,
I surely hope that this keeps repeating,
And I should share this sort of prowess,
I think it's a type of gentle caress,
Of my mind to one's own,
A hug if you will.
In this world anyway, they're really my thrill.

A good time with a lady and cooking,
Is better, any day, than a video-looking.
Or games for that matter, they're really quite dull.
Let's go for a walk, the the night won't be null.

Work hard in the day, relax at night.
That'll get us through this horrendous fight.
For years are ahead, of strenuous battle.
Hopefully this time we'll shake the rattle.
Make beats, form a song of glorious praise,
Let my actions be always ablaze,

With the passionate fire that I can call mine,
I'll be someone to lead these divine,
Talent, skill, cunning, things we all possess,
It's all happening, now let's make some progress.

We're all sociable, with NY to play,
It's a ball, we'll pass it around,
Bounce it over here, just along the ground.
Broadway'll be fun, Amsterdam a blast,
The apple will be bitten, and it won't be the last.

-Peace(maker)

Listening to: My Fishtank.

Thoughts on Franklin: A Colloquial View

Here's something a bit different. I found this on my Blackberry after having written it the morning after a party. No proofreading nor re-reading for that matter. Here it is, in all its unadulterated whatever. Enjoy!

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. -Benj Frank. These were the words spoken by a very intelligent man about the qualities of a decent man, and how he may be able to better himself. Let's take a deeper look into his catch phrase.
This couldn't possibly apply to the process of attending a high school party, for if one followed these directions, I must say, he'd be straight fucked, and not in a good way. Early to bed? Could that equate to being the first to pass out, either by imbibing a bit too much, or literally falling asleep early? Either way, that would make one a complete fagel in the eyes of the general populous. Early to rise? The first one up at a party has the first chance to review the carnage, probably see things he/she didn't want to see, and will probably puke-- all things that you don't want to happen. Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Healthy? Eh. Purging your system might make you healthier than you were before, but in all honesty, your liver will still bitch at you. Wealthy? I have no idea how to approach this... Let's take an idea from a friend of mine. Because he had to go to work at 7 and work nearly all day sans breaks, he left early, went to bed early, and definitely rose early. He's making some definite cash though. Wise? People become more wise with more experience, something you probably won't get by keeping the hours prescribed by Franklin. It has been the case that I've never been able to have a lucid dream, so screw any counter arguments in that vein. Staying up, chatting, sleeping late, waking up late, and having coffee or tea with friends in the morning will make you more than these three states Franklin deems so important. It will make you happy.

-Peace(maker).

Northern Lights, Literally.

Feelin': Normal :)

So I haven't updated in a little while, and with good reason. I have been having quite the time here in New England, and it has given me a lot of perspective on my situation. I've found friends, new and old, and rooted myself in the city. New Yawk, New Yawk!

I love this city so much. It's really something that I would never have expected, going to school there an all. I honestly expected to be somewhere in Boston, whether that be at Harvard or BU, MIT or BC. But on this trip, I've seen an entirely different side of the city with Jeremy, and now I'm even more excited to be here for school. Also, I got to spend a lot of time with someone I have dearly missed for over two years. This is the story of the last week of June 2009.


DC: After a few days of staying in D.C. I realized that I honestly felt at home in Maryland. I was born there; I have heritage there. Even my experiences in Memphis were in a way shaped by my upbringing in MD. Only in the first and last years of my time in Memphis did I realize how different I had become in Memphis. I understand that it's quite normal to have grown and changed in this way, but it's interesting to take a step back and look at my own story.

It's was uncanny how the type of child I always strove to be was exactly the same children that I left in Maryland. I wanted to maintain the attitude that I grew up with, and I rediscovered it in so many of the people my age in DC today. Keeping that in mind though, I am forever grateful for what Memphis has given me. It has given me comfort in almost all conditions, it has given me patience, it has given me an etiquette and candor with which I have definitely impressed the right people, and most importantly it has given me piece of mind and perspective. The former is only just now being solidified-- only now am I content with my situation and happy for the future. The latter came with age and exposure. While I feel that it took much longer to gain this in Memphis, I am happy with this delay. Had it not happened the way it did, I fear that I may have been doomed from the start. Now I can look back and count my blessings.


As a side note: Thanks P and Em. You guys deserve everything for the way you've raised me and my brothers. Hopefully I will stay on track and show you the fruit of the tree you've sown.


NYC: So New York. Silly place really. Business Ops, Art Ops, College. That's exciting, right? And I experienced it all with two of my best friends in the world. The first night was fun. Charlene and I took the bus up from DC, and the whole trip lasted about six hours, so you can probably imagine how tiring it was. It was the night that we were supposed to go to Brooklyn for a 700 to 800 person “The Hangover”-themed party, but Charlene was too tired, so we just stayed home, sat, and chatted until we fell asleep. The next morning JerBear, me, Charlene and her friend Steph all went to SoHo and the Village to hang out and see the sights. We bought silly things including hats, glasses, trinkets and more in the small open markets that lined the streets. Oh, and I bought some pretty slick kicks. Pictures later.

That night, Jeremy and I went to my roommate Dylan's house and spent the night in Ardsley. Fun stuff. Reminds me of small town fun in Memphis.

The next day I went to Dylan's graduation party and oh, was that an experience. It was interesting watching the dynamic of a Northern high school, not that it's all that different from the South, but nonetheless, it was interesting. The kids were nice, albeit a bit rough around the edges, but how else would I expect them to act with a complete stranger. I'd be a tad worried if it were any other way. They were relatively welcoming at first, then warmed to be quite hospitable. They reminded me a lot of some of the extremely close-knit societies in the smaller schools in Shelby County. I guess people tend to act similarly when we're put in situations like High School. Where else are you expected to interact intimately with people your same age for 7+ hours a day (Oh yeah... College.). They had a plethora of inside jokes, too many nicknames to count (mine is SC: stands for Sexual Chocolate), and the distinct air that everyone knows not only everyone else, but everyone else's business. In full high school fashion, everyone wanted to know “What's going on tonight?” and “Who's going to be there?” The nightlife was equally as exciting, with veils of shyness being lifted and walls of animosity being torn down over a good games of 'ruit and flip cup. This is it folks! Do WORK!

Updates on Boston soon, but for now, peace(maker) out!

Listening to: Passion Pit: Sleepyhead

This is why I left the Hamptons. Homecoming.

Current Mood: Entertained

I'm juggling a few things right now, but here's a look into my life.

I'm coming home for the first time in a long time. The thing is, this time I'm by myself. I'm getting to do the whole routine that Omair did. Going to other countries, hangin' out, doin' it big. I wonder if I'll do it right. It looks good right now. I've got my heart set on something good. Lets see what comes from it.

Thoughts of: Washington D.C.

It's SUPER clean
The hobo scene is much more relaxed than other cities
Attire is for comfort and work, but style is still important. The majority of people still look as if their clothing is from a dept. store, but that's to be expected.
The area is quaint. Not nearly as busy as NYC today, but it's Sunday.

Washington is nice. It's very classy, while at the same time maintaining a very function-based living and working environment for its constituents. At this point, all I'm trying to do is put things into perspective. Today is Sunday, it's a day to unwind for most-- Those 9-5's can be killer. The people seem nice. Not standoffish as most some New Yorkers are. Hopefully I don't become to jaded there. The population is a decent mix of black, white, and other, but all of the homeless that I've seen are black. Figures. They're generally more outspoken. If there were white hobos, I'm sure they would be asking for money too, but they're too proud sometimes. More news on the homeless scene as I explore tomorrow.
If my Apple job falls through, I think that I may just come here and enjoy D.C. until I go to school. Going back to Memphis seems like it'll be extremely hard. These three days away have given me a lot to think about, and ironically, time to think about it. Memphis life is such a routine. I'm sick of it. Really. It's not my type of life.
Well, I'm on the train into M.D. right now. Gotta try and get a hold of family to pick me up, but the subways are preventing that >.<. I'll update soon. Peace(maker).

EN WHY CEE

Current Mood: Excited :D

So here I sit, in front of Trump Tower, ogling my future home. The city of lights, the big apple, New York City. It's something I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams, but here I am.

The trip here was particularly entertaining. Not the whole airplane deal, but getting here from the airport. I decided that taking a taxi would be a waste of my limited spending money, so I decided to simply take the bus. I knew I had a few dollars left on my bus/train card, and thank G-d I brought it. I hopped on the train and quickly met a nice African man that helped me find my destination. He simply said, “Follow me,” and I did.

We were on the M60 bus, traveling from La Guardia all the way to Harlem, which is quite possibly one of the most entertaining places in the city. To me, it was a bustling thoroughfare of relaxed (and sometimes rigid) respect where every interaction is a match of wits and a game of the mind. The look in the man's face told me a lot about the area that we were in. It said, “If you know what's good for you, you'll remain chill. Don't fuck with anyone, and you won't get fucked with. If conversation does begin, act chill, be yourself.”

The people on the bus were hardened by their work, and seemed to love every minute of the commute home, to poverty or riches-- whatever the case, they were jolly. People laughed, people sang. But then, there was a disturbance.

A grim looking man came in and surveyed the crowded bus. We were already placed like Tetris blocks, with spaces few and far between in the crowd. He must have been that perfect piece, in an ironic sort of way, because when he came on, he exploded. He accosted the woman next to him, accusing her of a most dastardly act-- touching him.

He stood there, shouting obscenities and speaking quite poorly about her, taking every advantage to show his dominance in the situation. He continued to berate the woman for quite some time, and she began to fan her hand at him, a lame attempt to make him stop. This did nothing but add fuel to his fire. This is when the true extent of his tirade surfaced. He was quite witty indeed, naming all of her flaws and establishing that if she wanted to act “tough and gangster” around him, she should only expect the same. Luckily, the man's stop came soon, and he mumbled and muttered to himself as he dismounted the bus.

At this point, we were getting deep into Harlem, and the streets began to fill with wonder. Shop signs advertising solutions for the world's problems lined the sidewalks, inviting any and all onlookers, to come and do business with them. Men and women in their traditional garb discussed who know what as they mingled atop the asphalt. Car horns, voice, music, and even the steps of the people filled the air to create the symphony that flooded my ears. At that point, I thought to myself, this is my home.

My friends have just arrived to pick me up, and we're in the mood to have some fun tonight. I will report on this fun and more on my next checkup. Until then, peace(maker).

Listening to: Harlem.

Finding Memphis.

Current mood: Exploratory?

I finally found a decent diner in Memphis. Actually, it's in Germantown, so we're still in the 'burbs, but I like it. Feels nice. Not crowded, good service-- Natural. I'm going to work today at 5, but I've been pretty productive. I took my brother's car to the shop, picked up my own; I went on a long bike ride (where I found really awesome places to hang out); I thought about the direction of my life and how I'll use Columbia to reach that goal (I'm leaning towards following an Applied Math major and becoming an activist of some sort. Applied Math: Gov't maybe); Went home; Did some crunches and took an awesome shower; Ate cheerios; Watched Obama's speech on healthcare/edu, Played games with my little brother; and Now I'm about to meet up with John and hang out before work. My burger just came, so I'll update later. Peace (Rhythms).

Listening to: Diner Music