October 2019 Mixtape

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Another mixtape of some of my favorite current songs.    Several genres in this mix.    There are also some inspirational quotes from movies and motivational speakers sprinkled in.    Here's the track listing:

 Dancehall vibes

1. Vybz Kartel ‘Drone Dem’
2. Govanna ‘Cups Up’
3. Vybz Kartel ‘One Way’
4. Mavado ‘Keep Going Up’
5. Point Zero ‘AC’
6. Vybz Kartel ‘Pandora 19’
7. Gage ‘Something Bout Yuh’
8. Gage ‘Good Pussy Gyal’
9. GBM Nutron ‘Practice’
10. Yoda quote from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

R&B & Trap tunes

1. Ruel ‘Face to Face’
2. Lucky Daye ‘Real Games’
3. Big Boi ‘Intentions’
4. Raphael Saadiq ‘So Ready’
5. Black Coffee ‘Lalala’
6. MadeinTYO ’Stop Calling’
7. BlocBoy JB ‘Mercedes’
8. Baby Keem ‘France Freestyle’
9. Jay Park ‘K-TOWN’
10. Father ‘Handful’
11. Rocky quote from Rocky Balboa

Rock & Pop

1. Hobo Johnson ‘Typical Story’
2. Grandson ‘Oh No!!’
3. Bulow ‘Own Me’
4. Hey Violet ‘Close My Eyes’
5. William Bolton ‘Serendipity’
6. Cold War Kids ‘Complainer’
7. Olivia Holt ‘Bad GirlFriend’
8. Good Day ‘Surfaces’
9. Jim Rohn quote

Hip Hop

1. Kamiyah ‘Windows’
2. Swizz Beatz ‘Cross the Path’
3. Asap Ferg ‘WAM’
4. Robin Sharma quote

Enjoyed the mix?   Thoughts? Comments? Do so below.

Joker Movie REView-SPOILERS

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On this episode Jason G. and I review Todd Phillips Joker.   Based on the famous DC comics villain from Batman lore.   We both very much enjoyed this film but both felt it wasn't perfect.   Joaquin Phoenix's performance in the film is incredible and undeniable for sure.    Have you seen Joker?   Please post your thoughts, comments, feedback down below.

I was anticipating this movie.   In my excitement, I drew my version of Phoenix's character here.

We shot this right after the review.    Geez, we look tired.    Looking forward to the next movie night with Jason G.

Dancing Outside. Summer 2019.

I've watched dancehall dancers for years. They still inspire me while I attempt to copy their dance moves.  

Original Version.

But watching myself dance, the truth is I don't move like the dancers that I want to emulate.    And I'm slowly coming to accept that.

All due respect to the creators of the dances, this is my expression, my version, my body language.   That might rub people the wrong way; I may be doing the dances incorrectly, I'm sorry.    But I don't apologize for being me or my dance voice.

I enjoy dancing to dancehall.    It's one of my joys in life.

Youtube Version(different music)

Ad Astra, Dark Crystal AOR REVIEWS, Invisalign and More.

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On this episode I review Ad Astra, Brad Pitt's latest film.    I also review Netflix's fantasy series Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.    There are spoilers for both, please be forewarned.   

Correcting my teeth.   It's a journey I've recently begun by signing up for Invisalign.    I breakdown what the beginning of this journey has felt like and why I'm doing this.

Finally, writer Mark Waid and artist Peter Krause put together one awesome comic series called Irredeemable.   There were two quotes in the run that really resonated with me and I share that here.

Ad Astra Movie Review (SPOILERS)

Ad Astra is a space drama which I enjoyed but wouldn’t sit through again.  

What I liked; the moon pirates.   Can we get a full feature on that?   Also, the 70’s-80’s sci-fi vibe when Roy Mcbride(Pitt)was on Mars.  Especially when he was in the ‘comfort room.’   The psych evaluation tests which determine if one is fit to serve.   The soundtrack was great as well.  It gave weight to awe-inspiring visuals while in space or during a ship's launch.   Finally, the father-son themes and Pitt not choosing to go down his father's path, which seemed to be the case for a while in the story.

However, I prefer Interstellar and Gravity to Ad Astra if we are comparing similar films.   Space madness is introduced in Interstellar, and it is an element in the narrative here.  It seems the longer you are in space you might become crazy.  Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones characters had shades of that, but it didn’t stop them from trying to achieve their respective missions.

Overall, the film feels long and boring at times.    It can be trimmed.   Good movie, but not great.

Haven't seen Interstellar or Gravity?    See them here.

Interstellar https://amzn.to/2LImzbB
Gravity https://amzn.to/31OA9A0
(These are affiliate links)

Find out more about Ad Astra here. https://bit.ly/2mq0R1O

YouTube Version.

Beginning the Journey of Correcting my Teeth-Invisalign.

September 2019

On September 11, 2019, I began my Invisalign journey.

When I was younger, I wasn’t crazy about getting braces.  The dentist had suggested them multiple times.   

Most of my life, I’ve been shy when it came to girls/women, and I thought having braces would kill my confidence more so.   My best friend in high school had the metal braces, and I remember him sitting behind me in class breathing funny. 

I never found myself attractive to the public, but privately I like the way I look.  Artists and painters brushstrokes are unique.  I consider all of us being the works of a unique illustrator(G-O-D, our sky buddy).  In saying this, having a big nose, going bald in my 20’s, my crooked teeth, I've come to accept.  

July 2019

I learned that one’s teeth shift throughout their life, and as I’ve gotten older, it’s affected my dental health.  My biting myself(inside my mouth) happened often and severely.  Grinding my teeth when I slept, didn’t help either.

This process of correction will take up to 2 1/2 years.  Some teeth will have to be shaved, I was told.  Let’s see how this goes.

Jillionaire's Chicken and Beer Party 2019. Brooklyn, NYC

I've been to this party for the last two years, and it's never disappointed. With these recent party videos, I've been trying to be more intentional in capturing friends and familiar faces.  Why? Because of Micro Don's passing.  Here today, gone tomorrow.  We never know how much time we have left on this planet.

Events like this make me so happy to be alive. To dance amongst friends have the best of times.  Moments like these are what I feel make life worth living.

When it comes to dancing at parties, I admittedly can have an ego.  I want people to follow me, all eyes on me.  When I don't get that I, sometimes, might feel less than.   It's something I'm trying to work through.

I wanted to thank and give credit to DJ Fade, Dutty the French, and the gentleman behind the 15th Parish documentary for shooting this event from their point of view.  Max Glazer for a beautiful speech honoring Micro Don's memory and making us dance.  Jillionaire for continuing to put on this annual summer event.  

Finally, I want to show love to all my friends, acquaintances and familiar faces I see at these functions.   These events are made better because of you.