Songs on Replay

In earlier posts, I've talked about how much I like music and how it helps me express myself. Lately, I've been able to find a lot of great music. Below are a few songs that are on repeat; I can't stop listening to them.

Badfish-Sublime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmadSGJCzo8
This song is almost 20 years old but I know people that are still bumping to it like it came out this morning. Sublime is a legendary band where I'm from, and the fact that this song relaxes me and makes me feel positive is enough to be #1 on this list. I highly recommend Badfish or any other song by Sublime if you just want to be happy and have a positive outlook on life. I have been through a lot lately, and this song has really touched home with me.

The Race- Wiz Khalifa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0JhNEKzp_Q
Another very happy, relaxing song. Wiz Khalifa is known for his laid back lifestyle, and this song captures exactly that. Wiz combines a pretty relaxing beat with some clever lyrics for a really great song. This song has been really popular; it ended up being leaked on the internet a month before it was supposed to, and it still made album, "Rolling Papers". This track is great for anyone who wants an upbeat and catchy song that doesn't do anything but make you grin.

U Don't Know- Jay-Z
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7SUvfYG1wo
I respect Jay-Z at a very high level. He was once a crack dealer in the projects of New York, but later became rapper. He used his rapping to propel himself to being a businessman, and this song off of the first "Blueprint" album really shows how serious this guy is about being the best. Jigga (Jay-Z) is known for his sly and crafty lyrics that depict the hustler's lifestyle he lives. Jay lives for his money, and the words he says in this song show it. The bellow verse is quite possibly my favorite from this song:
"I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell
I am a hustler baby, I'll sell water to a well"

Amber-311

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUFSB2plwzM

This song is really relaxing and just like Badfish, it gives you a really positive feeling(as you can see, I might be listening to hoodlum music one moment, and then relaxing rock another). This song was part of the soundtrack to the movie "50 First Dates". While living in California, I used to listen to this song 24/7. A lot of memories come with this song for me, and now that whenever I listen to it I get a sort of nostalgic feeling that is very bittersweet. After rediscovering this song, I not only get a relaxing, "beachy" feeling, but also I am reminded of countless memories while living in California.

As you can see, I have a wide variety of music. If you guys have any songs similar to these, please let me know. 

Tosh.0

I personally, love comedy. In an earlier post, I explained how I only really like funny movies and TV shows. One TV show in particular that I really like is Comedy Central's Tosh.0.

I don't really like to watch TV. In fact, when I first heard about this show, I thought it was going to be garbage: just some comedian making fun of internet videos. Boy was I wrong. Daniel Tosh, the host, makes fun of everything possible. It is very dark comedy, and it can be compared to Jon Stewart of the Daily Show. Every week, Daniel Tosh goes on a rant on any certain stereotype, keeping you in stitches for the whole 30 minutes the show goes on. Daniel Tosh also invites famous people from the internet onto his show, including Antoine Dodson, Miss South Carolina, and many more. They come on to redo what they did wrong, for a “Web Redemption”.

This TV show tends to be cruel towards all stereotypes, including his own flaws. If you have a weak heart or just feel that stereotypes are inappropriate, this show is most definitely NOT for you. On the other hand, if you like a bit of dark humor in your life or just want a good laugh, this show is most definitely for you.  

Life as of Late

Like anyone else, I can get caught up with everything in life and become overwhelmed with everything. At times like this, I like to sit back and think about everything in my life.  I think now would be a good time to do that, mainly because I’m running out of ideas for blog posts.

Life has been interesting as of late. Basketball has been taking up a lot of my time; not that I’m complaining, but in a situation where you don’t get  home until 8 at night can be a bit difficult trying to keep up with schoolwork. My team just had a tournament held for the international schools in Venezuela, and we got 4^th out of 5 teams. I’m a little frustrated because I know we could have done better than that. The teams we used to destroy are now beating us by 15. We have another tournament tomorrow in Trinidad which has competing teams throughout Latin America. Hopefully that’ll go well… I need to get back in my groove.

School has been ok. I don’t really get along with a lot of the other guys in my grade, so I tend to drift towards the seniors to hang out with. I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault, we just don’t have much in common. There’s a girl I kind of like, we’ll see how that goes.

I am always looking for new music. I’ve been listening to the old mixtapes of Wiz Khalifa, like Star Power and Flight School.  My favorite song by Wiz Khalifa is Goodbye; that track never gets old.  I’ve also been listening to a lot of Game, especially his album LAX. I know it’s old, but the song “Ya Heard” is on repeat for me. Hopefully his R.E.D. album comes out soon.  Lil Wayne has been coming out with a new song every day or 2, and I have been listening to those. I thought "Green and "Yellow" was pretty funny. Like everyone else, I have been waiting for Detox, Dr. Dre’s album that is a decade overdue. I didn’t like the singles, but those can be misleading. I hope that’s the case…

I haven’t been seeing a lot of the new movies, but rather watching the old ones. As I’ve said in other blog posts I love comedies. I just Superbad for the first time in a while, and I’m glad I did. I can never get enough of that movie! I watched Zombieland for the first time, and that was probably the worst movie I had ever seen- when you call it a comedy, the audience expects to laugh.  Not watch a bunch of people get killed.

How has your life been?

P90X

“I hate it, but I Love it!”

Source:http://www.theroades.com

Since I play a lot of sports, it becomes pretty important to stay in shape. This comes in handy for various reasons: durability, stamina, and overall performance in a game. If you aren’t in shape, you’re more likely to get hurt in a game (actually, if you aren’t in shape, you probably won’t play you). One thing I like to do is find new workouts that will help me perform at the next level, and a few weeks ago I found one called P90X. This is quite possibly the most grueling, extreme and over-the-top workout I have ever done.  Here is a link to some workouts:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIpSoMgTsaw&feature=related

Source: http://www.dietresearch.com

P90X, which stands for Performance 90 Extreme, is a DVD set that covers anything from plyometrics and cardio to back muscles and abs. It is instructed by fitness guru Tony Horton, and he makes sure you work. I remember the first time I did this workout I couldn’t feel anything in my body after; these workouts are a vigorous hour long, and it seems as though it couldn’t go by any slower. The tactic Tony uses is muscles confusion- this is “a method of cross-training and periodization achieved through switching the order of exercises and incorporating new and varied movements”. Basically, the user is unable to plateau due to them not being able to become used to a workout. One of the things that the instructor say is, “I hate it, but I love it!”. This basically sums up the entire workout for you.

If you are looking to get ripped or get in shape and are willing to dedicate yourself, P90X is for you.

Super Bowl XLV- Flop or Not?

Source: bedandbreakfastdallas.com

On February 6^th, 2011, the biggest football game of the season is played. Super Bowl XLV,  or 41, played in Dallas, is thought of as one of the best Super Bowl games yet. The Pittsburgh Steelers, loaded with Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and coach Mike Tomlin, take on the Green Bay Packers led by Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings and coach Mike McCarthy. At halftime, the Black Eyed Peas are performing and Christina Aguilera will be singing the National Anthem. I personally believe that this won’t be too good of a Super Bowl.

First of all, neither of these two teams did well in the regular season. The Steelers had a 12-4 record which isn’t too bad, but I don’t think they should be in the Super Bowl. Even worse, the Packers were 10-6 with some very embarrassing losses. Another thing; why is Christina Aguilera singing the national anthem? I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard one of her songs… she’s been out of the spotlight for years! I can understand the Black Eyed peas; they have been very successful in the past couple of years.

Where it is being held. Source: betting-superbowl.com

As you may see, I am a traditionalist; I prefer the two best teams going at each other. I would love to see a Patriots/ Eagles Super Bowl or something along the lines of that. I would prefer to see someone such as Beyoncé singing the national anthem, and personally I would want a rock band performing at half time. In addition, I don’t agree with the fact that it’s being held at the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium; the Dallas Cowboys had one of their worst seasons to date.

Just my 2 cents.                        

8 Mile

If you’re like me, the only movies you like to see are comedies. I personally have a hard time sitting through dramas, actions, or anything other than funny movies. In fact, at one point I didn’t understand why anyone would watch anything else. This all changed when I watched the movie, 8 Mile. 8 Mile is a drama/ semi-autobiography about Eminem and his story of rags to riches.  This movie is compelling, suspenseful, and proves that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Source: eminem.net

Jimmy “Rabbit” Smith Jr. (Eminem) is a blue collar worker in the economically slumping city of Detroit, Michigan. His passion is rap, and his desire is to get out of Detroit and make something out of himself. He lives in a trailer with his alcoholic mother and his little sister, living in poverty and violence. He himself has his own problems, such as breaking the color barrier in hip-hop, “friends” and their betrayal, and relationships.

Source: Gaming Generations

As mentioned, Rabbit gets away from all of this by rap battling. To him, it is irrelevant as to where he spits his rhymes: at work, at home, in a parking lot. Another area is “The Shelter”. This is a club where upcoming rappers battle each other, and Rabbit goes once a week to battle. One week, he goes and “chokes” on stage- he doesn’t say anything, and eventually walks off the stage from all the booing. The next week, Jimmy comes back and proves everyone wrong, having 3 amazing battles against his enemies.
Along with this, Rabbit overcomes a lot more. This movie has taught me that no one is in the way of your destiny other than yourself- it is perseverance, determination, and excellence.

An Eventful Winter Break

Winter Break is without a doubt my favorite holiday. I can’t give you a real reason  why, but I think it’s got something to do with my birthday, Christmas, and 3 weeks of relaxation. For as long as I can remember, my family has gone skiing in Lake Tahoe, California. Now that I am living in Venezuela, I look forward to it even more. It used to be a 3 hour drive from my house in the San Francisco Bay Area, but now it is a daylong affair traveling through planes. I am always checking the weather, seeing if it had snowed over night or anything like that. For most people, waking up at 3AM for a flight is a drag; but for me, I couldn’t be happier, knowing that I will be in California that day. This break, I landed in California at 10PM Pacific Time. I ended up being so excited, knowing that the chairlifts were waiting for me, that I woke up at 5:30 that morning to go skiing. Although there were 80 MPH winds and not all lifts were running, I felt like a little kid waking up on Christmas morning.

Throughout the break, I got new skis and new ski goggles for Christmas. Volkl Bridges, the skis I got, are known for absorbing impact when going off big rocks and jumps. I also got Von Zipper Feenom goggles, which have been on my wish list for quite a while. After getting these, I knew that this was going to be an awesome ski trip.

I had a few goals I set for myself over the break. In the past, I have never had the guts to go off of big cliffs, mainly because of the potential consequences if I do not have good form. One cliff in particular that I have always wanted to do at my mountain, Squaw Valley, is the right knuckle off of “The Fingers.” I have heard about people going off and ending up paralyzed. In fact, there was one person a few weeks ago who ended up fracturing five vertebrae after going off the intimidating Fingers. I ended up getting through it fine, and also on video.

The Fingers. You better do these cliffs well... you're being watched by the entire chairlift.

Over the break, I got in about 16 or 17 days of skiing. To my liking, Lake Tahoe had been receiving record amounts of snow in as early as November! In fact, resorts such as Northstar or Boreal explained how they already had enough snow for the entire season by early December. With the downsides of this, conditions were horrible and people were getting injured left and right. Lucky for me, I only got a few minor injuries. On the other hand, I ended up taking my mom skiing and she ruptured her Achilles tendon 4 inches apart.  She in fact is still in California, getting her treatment. Hopefully she will be 100% by next winter.

As you can see, I have had myself quite the vacation. My family loved it. Only 345 days till the next winter break. My new goal is below...

The Palisades. Do not try this at home.