The instrumental of my life is rooted in my identity.
...After all, I'm not that good when I flow Acappella anyway.
My identity does not define me. I define my identity.
On the surface, my identity is no different than the ocean's edges. Blue. Shallow. Mysterious.
It isn't until one dives deep into the core of purpose that the true virtue appears.
The crafting of one's identity is an art form. And there is no such thing as "finishing touches."
Identity is infinite. Endless.
Nevertheless, the development of one's identity is always being influenced by previous life experiences.
I would say my identity, metaphorically speaking, is more of a giant race track than a straight line.
My past influences my present, which influences my future. It is a cycle of life lessons.
And I mold my identity accordingly.
Do not let the smooth blue waves and nice breeze fool you.
My intellectual density has the capacity to captivate the psyche of anyone.
No matter how deep you dive into me, I and only I, will be able to uncover the mysterious nature of my identity.
I am a man. I am an ocean of wisdom. I am looking for the perfect beat.
June 29, 2008
June 28, 2008
One In A Million...
I take pride in being the best role model that I possibly can be.
Whether it be for my peers in college. Or my little brother at home. Or the countless other little brothers that I have at my job at the Boys Club Of New York.
I'm being constantly observed, imitated, and praised. And I like it.
I'm me. And there is no one else who can ever be me. Sorry to break the news so hard.
Deal with it.
But as I become more influential in the lives of others, I can only stop and look back at the people who've made a difference in my life.
I've been on this earth for over two decades now, and the autobiography that is my life, is hardly finished.
Lucky for you readers, this blog provides portions of that wonderful story.
Greatness is a magical and unexplainable entity, and it is very rare.
Greatness is what everyone wants to discover.
There are no treasure maps, or X's that mark the spot. None of that.
But when someone makes a difference in my life, I know that it is Greatness.
I know Greatness when I see it.
I learn from Greatness what I can not learn from any one else. That's just the way it is.
Greatness does not make guest appearances.
Nor does it walk around with a sign that says "Greatness Here!"
Sometimes Greatness is discovered by accident or when one is not even looking for it.
With the power to change the hearts, bodies, and minds of humanity, the world needs Greatness.
I can't get enough of it. I thrive off of achieving it. I live for it. I die for it. I crave it.
I want you to see the Greatness in my eyes. When I walk. When I talk. When I enter the room.
I'm everywhere. Can you feel me now?
Whether it be for my peers in college. Or my little brother at home. Or the countless other little brothers that I have at my job at the Boys Club Of New York.
I'm being constantly observed, imitated, and praised. And I like it.
I'm me. And there is no one else who can ever be me. Sorry to break the news so hard.
Deal with it.
But as I become more influential in the lives of others, I can only stop and look back at the people who've made a difference in my life.
I've been on this earth for over two decades now, and the autobiography that is my life, is hardly finished.
Lucky for you readers, this blog provides portions of that wonderful story.
Greatness is a magical and unexplainable entity, and it is very rare.
Greatness is what everyone wants to discover.
There are no treasure maps, or X's that mark the spot. None of that.
But when someone makes a difference in my life, I know that it is Greatness.
I know Greatness when I see it.
I learn from Greatness what I can not learn from any one else. That's just the way it is.
Greatness does not make guest appearances.
Nor does it walk around with a sign that says "Greatness Here!"
Sometimes Greatness is discovered by accident or when one is not even looking for it.
With the power to change the hearts, bodies, and minds of humanity, the world needs Greatness.
I can't get enough of it. I thrive off of achieving it. I live for it. I die for it. I crave it.
I want you to see the Greatness in my eyes. When I walk. When I talk. When I enter the room.
I'm everywhere. Can you feel me now?
Gotta Catch 'Em All...
Every once in a while I like to break into my childhood time chamber and bring back something that I really shouldn't have.
Today I went back to 1999 and resurrected my obsession with PoKeMoN.
Yeah I said it. PoKeMoN.
Big mistake? Oh well it's too late now.
Now I already know what you're going to say.
---> "Angel you're a giant geek." I know.
But for some reason I had a nagging desire to see PoKeMoN: The First Movie.
So what do you think I do when I have a nagging desire?
[LET ME GIVE YOU TIME TO THINK BY PUTTING THIS BAR HERE]
[AND THIS BAR]
[THIS ONE TOO]
TIMES UP...
Did you say suppress it?!?!
WRONG!
I act on it!
And I downloaded the wonderful movie. And I watched it in its entirety. No joke.
Now lets break this down.
Whats more embarrassing and laughable?
A.) Angel took the time to download PoKeMoN: The First Movie.
B.) Angel watched PoKeMoN: The First Movie in its entirety.
C.) Angel enjoyed PoKeMoN: The First Movie very much.
D.) All of the above.
Text your answer to 1-800-URA-JERK (Standard text message rates apply.)
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
If you voted A, you were wrong. As a matter of fact, if you voted at all you're wrong.
No you can't have your money back. I hope you have unlimited text messaging.
My blast from the past was not embarrassing, it was fun.
Maybe tomorrow I'll go all the way back to 1993 and watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Anyone wanna watch I Love The 90's with me?
You know you do stop lying...
Today I went back to 1999 and resurrected my obsession with PoKeMoN.
Yeah I said it. PoKeMoN.
Big mistake? Oh well it's too late now.
Now I already know what you're going to say.
---> "Angel you're a giant geek." I know.
But for some reason I had a nagging desire to see PoKeMoN: The First Movie.
So what do you think I do when I have a nagging desire?
[LET ME GIVE YOU TIME TO THINK BY PUTTING THIS BAR HERE]
[AND THIS BAR]
[THIS ONE TOO]
TIMES UP...
Did you say suppress it?!?!
WRONG!
I act on it!
And I downloaded the wonderful movie. And I watched it in its entirety. No joke.
Now lets break this down.
Whats more embarrassing and laughable?
A.) Angel took the time to download PoKeMoN: The First Movie.
B.) Angel watched PoKeMoN: The First Movie in its entirety.
C.) Angel enjoyed PoKeMoN: The First Movie very much.
D.) All of the above.
Text your answer to 1-800-URA-JERK (Standard text message rates apply.)
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
[SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWER]
If you voted A, you were wrong. As a matter of fact, if you voted at all you're wrong.
No you can't have your money back. I hope you have unlimited text messaging.
My blast from the past was not embarrassing, it was fun.
Maybe tomorrow I'll go all the way back to 1993 and watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Anyone wanna watch I Love The 90's with me?
You know you do stop lying...
June 26, 2008
What is love...
Good evening boys and girls.
I want to talk today about a little thing called Expectations.
This 12 letter word is filled with dreams, desires, and hopes to last a lifetime.
[0942] <- That counter goes up by one every time someone goes back and counts the letters to
see if "Expectations" has 12.
Don't ask me how it works. It's magic.
And don't ask me how 942 people already read my blog when I just posted this ten minutes ago. That's magic too..I think.
Stop distracting me, I'm trying to talk about Expectations.
So yeah, Expectations.
Dreams, desires, hopes, all that good stuff blah blah blah. Whatever that means.
I don't really like Expectations. They are an unnecessary psychological detriment. Sometimes.
And yet it is human
nature to Expect... certain things to take place.
[ English Lesson ]
Expect is the root word of Expectation
-ation is a dependent morpheme in the English Language
[ / English Lesson]
"I expect to get this job."
"I expect to get an A on this paper."
"I expect to get home safely."
Alright maybe that last one was a little too much. I sure as hell don't expect to be run over by a truck on my way home. But this cocky Manhattan nerd definitely expects an A on everything and anything.
Expectations create disappointment when they are not reached, and they create temporary happiness when achieved.
But is it really worth it?
In the end everyone is going to set Expectations for themselves because it makes them feel good about their situations. And who doesn't like that right?
Ultimately...I have no idea what I'm talking about. And you probably don't either. It's been a long day. I need some sleep.
Boom Outta Here. [ / Jim Rome ]
I want to talk today about a little thing called Expectations.
This 12 letter word is filled with dreams, desires, and hopes to last a lifetime.
[0942] <- That counter goes up by one every time someone goes back and counts the letters to
see if "Expectations" has 12.
Don't ask me how it works. It's magic.
And don't ask me how 942 people already read my blog when I just posted this ten minutes ago. That's magic too..I think.
Stop distracting me, I'm trying to talk about Expectations.
So yeah, Expectations.
Dreams, desires, hopes, all that good stuff blah blah blah. Whatever that means.
I don't really like Expectations. They are an unnecessary psychological detriment. Sometimes.
And yet it is human
nature to Expect... certain things to take place.
[ English Lesson ]
Expect is the root word of Expectation
-ation is a dependent morpheme in the English Language
[ / English Lesson]
"I expect to get this job."
"I expect to get an A on this paper."
"I expect to get home safely."
Alright maybe that last one was a little too much. I sure as hell don't expect to be run over by a truck on my way home. But this cocky Manhattan nerd definitely expects an A on everything and anything.
Expectations create disappointment when they are not reached, and they create temporary happiness when achieved.
But is it really worth it?
In the end everyone is going to set Expectations for themselves because it makes them feel good about their situations. And who doesn't like that right?
Ultimately...I have no idea what I'm talking about. And you probably don't either. It's been a long day. I need some sleep.
Boom Outta Here. [ / Jim Rome ]
June 23, 2008
I come back like Jordan wearing the 4 5...
I know what you're going to say...
"Damn Angel where the hell have you been the last month."
I know. I get it.
Sorry, I was busy enjoying my life. Give me a break.
But back to important stuff. (Note: In reality, everything I say is important stuff, I'm just trying to keep your mind off of me not posting for a month. Just go along with it for today. Thanks.)
Its the first week of summer. Yay. Who cares?
Me.
Why should you care?
Because.
Now...
Where was I...
Oh yeah! Summer!
This is going to be my third summer since graduating high school, and third summer since I moved back to Manhattan from Puerto Rico.
The more I think about summer vacation, the more I begin to embrace its value. No not because I'm free from textbooks and alarm clocks or mechanical pencils and double spaced essays. But because summer to my brain is what spring cleaning is to my apartment. A fresh start and a new outlook. Summer vacation is my New Year's Eve party. And it lasts three months. I come back fresh and better than ever.
[ cocky moment ]
Want proof?
See: My rising GPA.
Its not a fluke. Its fact.
[ / cocky moment ]
As this summer slowly creeps into fruition, my brain wanders constantly back in time and I find myself reminiscing on what was Summer 2007. What started off sluggishly; the Summer of 2007 was ultimately a period in my life filled with drama, emotion, love, hate, discovery, and many more juicy attributes. And I met one of the most amazing people in my entire life. (Yes I'm talking about you Miss Jerez) But this is far from a cry to bring back the past. No not at all.
My brother, a 13 year old art and media addict, asked me the other day, "Angel, if you had a time machine where would you go?" I immediately responded with, "I don't want to go back in time."
What is time anyway? A man made system of organizing the orbital movements of the moon and earth in conjunction with night & day and darkness & sunlight ? I don't know. Since I don't know what time is, I'm going to make a bold move and talk about time anyway. I'm brave.
BACK TO SUMMER 2007 NOW ------------->
My motivation for writing this blog was listening to the Lupe Fiasco song Cool. I discovered the magical sounds of Lupe Fiasco during this time (see there I go again talking about time) in the Summer of 2007. I have been a fan ever since.
I have a tendency to associate geographic locations and with the songs that I was listening to during my visits there. (Right Miss Gonzalez?)
And in this case it is no different.
Well maybe a little different.
Summer of 2007 will always be the Summer of Lupe Fiasco in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, but I think discovering this music provided a pathway of discovering my true identity and true reason for being on this earth.
I grew as a man and as a student of life's harsh realities. And don't worry, I took great notes.
(I still had mechanical pencils left over from the last semester.)
I don't want to say that I hope to acquire some new meaning of life during this summer, but I am definitely looking forward to what the next two months have in store for me. If I expect something to happen, then I am limiting the potential to have the best summer of my life. Which it might be. I really cant say yet.
What I can say is, this past year was simply amazing and it would not have been this amazing had it not been for the summer that preceded it. I met a number of new and influential people over the last 12 months. (You know I cant forget about you Miss Ramirez) And the 2008-2009 school year looks to be one of the most enjoyable ones that I've ever had.
What I'm trying to say is, take advantage of this time away from school, (if you have the privilege of doing so) and think about what you want to accomplish in the coming year. Lupe Fiasco says, "Life aint meant to come around twice. That's why I gotta get it right." Maybe I'm too young to know whats ultimately going to be right in my life, but if I don't take the chance I'm never going to find out. The pain of regret lasts longer than the hard lessons of taking big risks in big situations. Do what is right for you. Not what is right for everyone else.
"Damn Angel where the hell have you been the last month."
I know. I get it.
Sorry, I was busy enjoying my life. Give me a break.
But back to important stuff. (Note: In reality, everything I say is important stuff, I'm just trying to keep your mind off of me not posting for a month. Just go along with it for today. Thanks.)
Its the first week of summer. Yay. Who cares?
Me.
Why should you care?
Because.
Now...
Where was I...
Oh yeah! Summer!
This is going to be my third summer since graduating high school, and third summer since I moved back to Manhattan from Puerto Rico.
The more I think about summer vacation, the more I begin to embrace its value. No not because I'm free from textbooks and alarm clocks or mechanical pencils and double spaced essays. But because summer to my brain is what spring cleaning is to my apartment. A fresh start and a new outlook. Summer vacation is my New Year's Eve party. And it lasts three months. I come back fresh and better than ever.
[ cocky moment ]
Want proof?
See: My rising GPA.
Its not a fluke. Its fact.
[ / cocky moment ]
As this summer slowly creeps into fruition, my brain wanders constantly back in time and I find myself reminiscing on what was Summer 2007. What started off sluggishly; the Summer of 2007 was ultimately a period in my life filled with drama, emotion, love, hate, discovery, and many more juicy attributes. And I met one of the most amazing people in my entire life. (Yes I'm talking about you Miss Jerez) But this is far from a cry to bring back the past. No not at all.
My brother, a 13 year old art and media addict, asked me the other day, "Angel, if you had a time machine where would you go?" I immediately responded with, "I don't want to go back in time."
What is time anyway? A man made system of organizing the orbital movements of the moon and earth in conjunction with night & day and darkness & sunlight ? I don't know. Since I don't know what time is, I'm going to make a bold move and talk about time anyway. I'm brave.
BACK TO SUMMER 2007 NOW ------------->
My motivation for writing this blog was listening to the Lupe Fiasco song Cool. I discovered the magical sounds of Lupe Fiasco during this time (see there I go again talking about time) in the Summer of 2007. I have been a fan ever since.
I have a tendency to associate geographic locations and with the songs that I was listening to during my visits there. (Right Miss Gonzalez?)
And in this case it is no different.
Well maybe a little different.
Summer of 2007 will always be the Summer of Lupe Fiasco in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, but I think discovering this music provided a pathway of discovering my true identity and true reason for being on this earth.
I grew as a man and as a student of life's harsh realities. And don't worry, I took great notes.
(I still had mechanical pencils left over from the last semester.)
I don't want to say that I hope to acquire some new meaning of life during this summer, but I am definitely looking forward to what the next two months have in store for me. If I expect something to happen, then I am limiting the potential to have the best summer of my life. Which it might be. I really cant say yet.
What I can say is, this past year was simply amazing and it would not have been this amazing had it not been for the summer that preceded it. I met a number of new and influential people over the last 12 months. (You know I cant forget about you Miss Ramirez) And the 2008-2009 school year looks to be one of the most enjoyable ones that I've ever had.
What I'm trying to say is, take advantage of this time away from school, (if you have the privilege of doing so) and think about what you want to accomplish in the coming year. Lupe Fiasco says, "Life aint meant to come around twice. That's why I gotta get it right." Maybe I'm too young to know whats ultimately going to be right in my life, but if I don't take the chance I'm never going to find out. The pain of regret lasts longer than the hard lessons of taking big risks in big situations. Do what is right for you. Not what is right for everyone else.
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