You are Knot, alone?

DISCLAIMER: This was originally written in December, but posted in January.

Hola everybody!

   I just removed my jeans, without unbuttoning them! Well, that’s a different way to start off a blog… huh? haha  I’ve been sick lately with a cold, then I had food poisoning and I’ve lost some weight. Back on track now.

   I will start off by saying, I know that the title is not exactly accurate. I am not alone. I actually have some amazing friends and family, that support me. This blog is actually geared towards human nature and how we can feel “alone”, at times. It’s about time for me to do another rant. I love to entertain people, but there comes a time where you just have to get things off of your “shest” (chest, as my tio/uncle would say it.)

   I am very loyal, to my friends and family. I can easily back that sentence up, with countless examples. I always try to be supportive and help, when I can. I’d even say, if I could clone myself to just go help other people, I would. Some people may believe in “karma”. I do think that how well you live your life, does have an impact on things. I don’t even like sounding remotely selfish, or ungrateful… but you can reach a boiling point, where you feel like your relationships with some people, are one sided. I have reached my boiling point.

   I am fully aware of how life works and I shouldn’t be disappointed, that the world works this way. I also know that, “life’s not fair”. To that I say… OK, then what are you doing to try to make it fair? (That’s a completely different blog though) I have my true friends, that I know care and will be supportive, whenever and however possible. (Except for when I ask for $1 million dollars. They never seen to help with that one.) I don’t like to ask anybody for anything to begin with. At the most, I will only ask somebody for their time. I really don’t think that I’m asking for much, since I will give that in return and usually even more. I know too many people, that do not work that way. You know what, come to think about it… forget how the rest of the world works. This is my blog and I will talk about how I work. haha

   I am the type of person, that takes time for other people, will keep in touch with people and I really want to know how they are doing. I don’t need everybody to be that way with me. I know that we’re all busy and have our own lives and concerns. I simply am saying, it would be nice to just have a fair relationship with people.

   I will touch on one other thing. (No, that’s not a perverted reference to anything.) I know that people try to build relationships, for their own benefit. It may be a form of “networking”. That’s fine and all, but you will get a lot more out of those relationships if you are genuine and once again, fair.

   People will think that I’m approaching things the wrong way. They may even think that this is naive. Well, the last thing that I am, is naive. I am fully aware of things. It may be more accurate to say, that I don’t care. I do not allow the way that other people conduct themself, influence how I am. That doesn’t mean that I will put up with things that I shouldn’t. It just means that I have a different way of handling the situation. For me, the easiest way to deal with somebody that I know is taking advantage of my kindness, is to simply leave them alone. I won’t show any ill will, I will just let them contact me.

   Maybe this is why I’ve always felt more comfortable staying “enigmatic” and only having very few close friends. Sometimes I feel like life would be much easier that way. All I need is family, a few close friends and one special lady in my life. (I’m working on that last part… still. haha) So, it’s time to get back to my old ways. I enjoy knowing so many great people and having a lot of friends. But, it’s once again all about keeping that proper distance and only letting a few get past “security”. hehe Those that are allowed beyond that point, will know that it’s well worth the price of cognition… wait, I meant admission. Yeah… admission. Thank you for allowing your time to assist you, in squandering your time. Now go do something productive. Oh no, where are my manners? I meant… go do something productive, please?

P.S. This may be my shortest blog… ever!

Connection Knot found.

After my long and more “serious” tone, for my last blog…  it’s time to return to my true form!  This blog, was originally intended to have fun and entertain people… uh… but mainly myself. haha What will I talk about now? I had no idea, when I first started typing this. I really was sitting on my bum, bored and just thinking. I started to think about my relationships with people and in general.

   In this day and age of texting, chatting and social media, I find it interesting how anti-social we actually can be. I try to keep in touch with friends, as much as I can and the Internet helps. BUT… it’s odd, when I look at what we have become. What is that? We are now mostly a culture of abbreviated expression typing. Also, it’s rare to have a real conversation. Sure, writing a text is fast. But, you can say so much more, when you actually talk to somebody… much less, talk face to face.

  So, it has become a double-edged sword. More frequent and easier communication… but the quality has suffered. The scariest form of this, is when people that are generally knot2social, use this as their only window to the world. Nobody should live their life, behind a computer screen. Anybody that feels like they need to, I hope that they can find people to spend time with and change their mind.

  OK, what am I saying? What’s the point of this all? Don’t forget to actually spend time with friends and family! It’s OK to know, what they just ate for lunch… it’s better to be enjoying lunch, with them. What really brought this on, is the fact that my tio (uncle), passed away recently. He was VERY big on family and keeping in touch. Of course, he was very “old school” & didn’t use the Internet to do this.

    Overall, his method, is better. He may not have known what his grandkids had for lunch… but he knew what made them laugh and how they sounded, while enjoying his company. I want my life to be built up of life experiences and times with those, whom I care about. I don’t want to look back at some night, I was chillin’ at home and “LOLing”, at something that I read. Uh… that’s OK, but I want more out of life… I want to spend time with people and live life! Like I mentioned, social media/texting can be great… just not a replacement for being with people.  Wow, this may be my shortest post! Look ma’… I actually can stop typing! (Knot2much… I will probably be writing somethine else, after this.)

I will shut up for now… OMG, I hope that some of you will LOL, at this post and want to be my BFF! haha BTW… I’ll TTYL

P.S. Typing those last two sentences, hurt my soul.

Knot much going on?

OK, it’s time to refocus and get back to just stupid and random topics. I will talk about a few things, that have been on my mind. (This is my blog… I have no rules.)

 Lately, I have thought a lot about “drama”. It’s something that I try to avoid. I am not afraid of it… it’s just that I generally just think that it’s stupid and pointless. hehe We all get upset, about various things. It’s just how life works.  I feel like, if we take time to take a look at a situation, we can either find the lighter side, or see that it’s not a huge deal. Now, I am NOT talking about major life events. Also, am NOT talking about things, that you can’t control. I am referring to little things, that bother us.

Daily, I see people in situations, that bother them and I would either laugh at it… or just think that it’s really kno2serious. Calm down, have some fun in life! I am human, I do get upset… but it generally is knot2long, before I remember that you need to try to enjoy life. =^)

Clothes… yes, I am going to talk about clothes. haha

I told you, I want to return to a light-hearted conversation. I am actually a very private person, I just felt like sharing a little bit of an insight to my personal life, with my earlier blog. As most people know, I am a performer. I actually helped make some of the shirts that I wear, when I perform live. I did it, because I know that nobody else will have it.

Which takes me to the next point, I wear all types of gear. I am just as comfortable in a suit, as I am in jeans a t-shirt. I dress differently, depending on my mood and where I am going. Some of you, need some help though. I am here to offer a little bit of friendly advice. Here’s the rule… don’t buy a brand of clothing, that will easily be made fun of in 2-3 years. (Yeah, I’m talking to you… still rocking those British Knights and Cross Colours!) Flat out, Ed Hardy is trendy and sucks! If you are wasting your money on something like that, you are asking to be made fun of.

 One more thing, don’t be a brand snob. As long as somebody has on decent clothes and they are clean… leave them alone! haha I am never going to knock somebody for wearing something that isn’t name brand, as long as it isn’t tacky. I do own some nice branded clothes, but I’ve also found equal or maybe even better quality stuff for less. Paying an extra $60 for that  logo on your clothing, is OK if it makes you happy and you can afford it. Realistically, almost all of these things are usually made in the same factories.

Random facts, about my dorky self and some insight into how I conduct myself…

• I try to be realistic about myself. I know what I do well and what I suck at. I think that helps keep the ego and confidence, in proper prospective.
•  I try knot2eat after 7:30pm. This has changed a little bit, since the holidays. I am going to get back to doing this, because it does seem to help me eat less/better. I try to eat my last meal, at least 4 hours before sleeping.
• Most people who know me, know that I don’t drink. If  you didn’t, know you do! I am alway asked why. It’s really because I’ve seen what it has done to family members and I don’t want that. Also, I don’t like the idea of not thinking clearly. A final reason… I am already too crazy and like to have fun, it would only get me in trouble.(Oh, I don’t smoke or curse either. It has NOTHING to do with any spiritual beliefs… people often ask me, if that’s why.) hehe
• I wear a size 12 shoe, for most styles. My foot actually grew, about a year ago.
• I do not like egg yolk, or peas. Other than that, I’m knot2picky when it comes to food.
• I play guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and I sing.
• Chocolate, may be my biggest weakness

Alright, I will spare you from enduring anymore of my babble. It feels good to just sit here and type about whatever comes to mind. I did think about 3 or 4 other more “serious” topics, that I started to blog about, but deleted. =^P I want this blog to be balanced. Thank you for taking time to read this crap!

Knot just black or white.

   It has been awhile, since I posted a blog.  It’s a combination of being busy and focusing more, on writing music. Well, the above subject line, is not a Michael Jackson reference.  I am going to tackle a huge issue, that has always bothered me. I really have put this blog off, for a long time. I didn’t want to rush this and I wanted to be clear, due to the very sensitive nature of this issue.

   Prejudice (Partly, in the form of racism.) So, why is this such a big deal to me and why talk about it now? Basically, I’ve dealt with this issue, my whole life and recently, it has slapped me in my face… AGAIN.  For the record, I’m mostly Latino, Hispanic, Chicano, Mexican American… whatever you prefer. No matter how you seem to describe yourself, somebody will have a problem with it. =^P BUT, I am also mixed with other things… such as, two different  Native American tribes (American Indian, if you prefer.) and also French. I won’t get into all of the technicalities, of what this all really means. I don’t want to bore you and I have more important things to talk about!

   Due to my mixture, I’ve been called everything from “white”, “Mexican”, “Middle Eastern”, “Italian”, “Filipino”… or even “half” of countless other things. What’s my point? I guess that I have two… #1. WHO CARES? The other is, you really shouldn’t judge somebody, based on their looks.  If it were up to me, I would describe myself as American.  However, I do understand that people like putting themselves inside of boxes, for some odd reason. Also, that doesn’t really tell you about culture. I do believe that culture is important, as long as you don’t use it in a negative manner. What do I mean by that? Of course, there are a wide variety of stereotypes, for all “types” of people. I don’t understand, why anybody would choose to live their life, fitting into one of the negative stereotypes, but it happens. Side note- I love to learn about as many cultures, as possible.

   I was reared, in South Phoenix. It’s a part of town, that most people view as “ghetto”. That can be good or bad, it all depends on the individual. I feel like, I’ve learned positive lessons for my experience. My version of being “ghetto” is… I’m not wasteful, I work hard and have respect for what I earn, I spend money wisely and finally… I’m down to Earth and VERY realistic. I don’t live in my own fantasy land… where I will break down and cry, if I don’t get an extra shot of mocha, in my coffee. Another example? I don’t judge somebody, because their clothes are nice and clean… BUT, it’s not a name brand, or the latest style. I know that there are way more important things, in life!

   Yeah… yeah, I’m getting off track. Sorry, it’s my blog and I usually can carry conversations, about three simultaneous things. hehe  OK… back to “color”. There are many shades, that people come in. It seems like, most talk that I hear on a national scale, is about “black” or “white”. Um… those are colors, to me… that’s like calling grape soda “purple”. It simply describes a color, not the “flavor”.  Hm… that is NOT a cue to go around licking people, trying to figure out what flavor they are. Whoa! Errr… awkward. Moving right along. (Hey, I need to type something, to make sure, you’re still playing attention. ;^) Secondly, what about people that are “mixed”? Most people, in the USA are. It’s extremely rare, that you fine anybody “pure”, in the USA.  Thirdly, ”color” really doesn’t tell you anything about the person. As I mentioned earlier… people are often confused by my looks and call me all types of things.

   It’s time for another example! I love basketball, it’s my favorite sport! I often go to the gym and play basketball. The gym that I go to, is mostly Latino (hispanic… if you want.) and African American (“black”, if you prefer.) Typically, I wouldn’t bring that up… because I could care less. In this case though, it is important to the story. TWICE, I have been called “white”, at this gym. I’ve also been called “Messkin”, that’s another story. haha

   Anyway, both of these times… I was addressed this way, because of the “non-white” moves that I did, on the basketball court. (DISCLAIMER: Those aren’t my words, it’s based on what they described.) I thought that was funny and I just made fun of the dumb comment. What bothers me, was one time… this person, did NOT want to play basketball with me, because he thought that I am “white”. I didn’t even waste my time, explaining my ethnicity or anything. I figured, if they are that ignorant, why waste my time? It’s really sad to me, that people still think like this. Growing up, basically half of my friends were Latino… uh… hispanic and the other half was African American..er… “black”. I didn’t let myself, get stuck in that box though, I got older and branched out. I have been to Asia seven times and I worked in Mesa, Arizona for a fair amount of time. The part of Mesa, that I worked in, exposed me to an even wider variety of people, of different cultures. Overall, these things were a great learning experience and taught me so much about “different” people. I think that the best thing that it taught me was, I can get along with almost anybody… it depends on, who they are as a person. It’s not about where they come from, or their skin color. (Not that I ever thought that way, my Dad always taught me to not be prejudice.)

   I’m sorry for the “serious” post. I promise that the next one, will put the focus back on the dorky side of life =^P The whole point of this, is just to get people to look at the individual. Don’t just assume that somebody is a certain way,… don’t even judge, based on appearance. Get to know them first. For better or worse, at least you will have an idea what they’re about. OK, my realistic side is coming out… I don’t expect this to really change anybody’s thought process, I just hope that it makes them at least pause next time they are going to judge. There will ALWAYS be good and bad, in ALL “groups”. Take care and thank you for taking the time to read this long and winding road, of a post. =^)

Shutting up now,

D

Don’t worry, it’s just a “prick”.

The “Nice” guy, versus the “bad boy”

AKA… “Wussy” versus “Douche” (You can use another word that rhymes with “wussy”, it’s funnier, in a dual meaning sense. I’m trying to keep this blog fairly clean. Maybe one day, I will have a completely uncensored blog… if the world could handle that.)

I have to talk about something, that always has and probably will, amaze me.  Women, being attracted to jerks. I really am not looking for an explanation, as to why they’re attracted. I understand it, really too well. What I’m really talking about is, why do women put up with it and act like it’s OK? “Oh, women like bad boys (spastic wink wink) they’re such a turn on” Alright, well then…why would you hold yourself, at such a low value, to where you don’t demand respect or better for yourself? If you really look at it, something is really fractured, about a “bad boy” (Random FYI, anybody that says, they’re a “bad boy”, isn’t… they’re a wannabe wussies. A real “bad boy”, just knows that they are and proves it through ignorant acts, not words! )

I’m trying to not think of this, on a personal level. I’ve been called a “nice” guy many times. Uh, I wasn’t always that way, especially in my younger years. I certainly had my moments. Here’s the thing, I stopped doing those things, when I was 14 or 15! So, I do know, how to be a “bad boy”. I choose not to, because I have sense, respect for myself, standards and it’s just plain stupid. Why put yourself in those situations? That being said, what does that really say, about women that are attracted to guys like that? There are other ways to have an interesting and exciting life, that don’t include possible jail time, trauma… or having objects inserted into your…errr… I’ll draw the line there.

This brings me to the “nice guy”… the possibly boring, shy, awkward, socially neutered “nice guy”. I can see why women wouldn’t want a guy like that. Here’s the thing… most women don’t give guys like this a chance and the most interesting part is, these guys most likely wouldn’t even try, to get with these women. It could be for various reasons, on both sides of the fence. Maybe, they don’t hang out at the same types of places… maybe he can tell, that she already likes “bad boys”… he doesn’t have a clue, how to talk to or act around them.

Give me a moment, to talk to my people…

C’mon, you sadly pathetic nerd/dork/geek/shy guy, put the action figures, anime, comic books or video games down for a second and think about the fact that you do have good qualities to offer and build upon that. Don’t get carried away, don’t say/do anything awkward.. or especially creepy, pay attention to how people react…really… DO IT… pay attention! (Why can’t people tell when they are making others feel uncomfortable?… just observe, facial expressions, body language or even comments!) OK… now get out there and… OK… I really can’t type, what I was about to type. (I will just say that the joke, involved a reference to wasting their time and also… um, their “swim team”.)

Who is really at fault? BOTH! Women should know that they don’t have to “settle” for somebody and the “nice” guy, should also try to “grow a pair”. OK, let me get to the point, in plain English… SELF ESTEEM! Yeah, it may be easier said than done, for most people… that’s what is lacking here. How this is resolved, varies by person. Number one, find out what your “issues” are. We all have things, that are screwed up, about ourselves. Figure out, REALISTICALLY why and then how you can try to fix it or at least make it better.

(Random side comment- I’m not really fond of the term “nice” guy, it’s often confused with a “good” guy.  A nice guy, will smile & be nice to you… while he’s trying to get it on with your best friend… a good guy, actually is good & has morals. Doh!)

Ultimately, if a woman wants to be with a jerk, fine… it’s her hot and steamy pile of doodoo, to scoop up, with life’s pooper scooper, each time her man makes a “mess”. Where I have a problem, is when it comes to abuse. It’s a HUGE thing and is plain wrong, no matter how you slice it. If you are being abused, it will always be that way, if not get worse. Get out of that relationship ASAP! There are many ways to get help. I can’t understand, why women, like to be with a guy that will do that to them. You can’t give a rational, reason as to why you would stay with somebody like that.

Once again, plenty of guys out there… at least TRY to find a good one. In the defense of the good guys… if you’re a woman and want to find one, you can’t be afraid to be a little aggressive. Approach a guy, if he seems OK… ask him out, if you’re interested. It’s not a bad thing to do, I can promise you this… you will have a better chance, of finding a better quality guy, if you do these things. Oh, most good guys are a little stupid, when it comes to interacting with women… don’t play mind games, they’ll fail.  Just be blunt sometimes, if you have to. Now, if you have to do it on a regular basis and the guy just doesn’t get it, make sure that he has better qualities, to make up for the lack of sense. ;^)

Let me talk to the jerks for a second and excuse my language… hey douche, grow up and find a productive hobby!

Time to tie this all together with a knot. =^D

Everybody, if you like somebody and they are single… go for it! If it doesn’t work out, keep your eye out. You shouldn’t be with somebody, just to be with them. Especially if they don’t treat you the way that you deserve to be treated. Beauty, really is only skin deep… which is why you should always use a deep cleansing solution! Uh… so anyway, don’t be “that” woman… or “that” guy… THINK!

Nice guy, bad boy or good guy?… I am Knot!

Get help for abuse…

http://www.helpabusedwomen.org/

This is a little surprise, c’mon, click it… don’t be afraid, you wuss… just click it…

Mmmm… yummy

What to be, when I grow up? (If I grow enough, I can play pro basketball.)

I guess that I’ll just right into this one… OK, if you don’t know, I have been laid off.  Basically, each day, consists of me waking up, looking for work online, having lunch and then either going out to apply in person. The last two weeks have been fairly rough. When I apply, I have been told, “We have (insert dozens, hundreds…etc) of people applying for this position.” It seems like, more and more people keep being put, into my situation also.

I’ve been asked a lot lately… “What do you want to do?” Well, that’s a tough question, mainly because, what you realistically can do, versus what you really want to do. Basically, you really don’t know what your options are. It’s funny to me, realizing that I’ve worked, for about half my life already… almost 15 years. Let me take a step back first.

My work history…

I worked for my father, starting at age 10, he owns a mobile DJ service. My first “real” job was when I was 15, ironically, I worked with kids. Prior to getting that job, I was a volunteer at the same place, for a year. I was there, a total of four years, moving all the way up to a site supervisor and youth sports league director. After awhile, I moved on to a similiar job, working for the city. Then, I felt like it was time for a change.

I got a job, working in a warehouse, as an order picker. Basically, businesses would call in orders, I’d drive around the warehouse, with an electic pallet jack and get what they ordered. That was not easy. Especially, in the summer time, it would get hotter inside the warehouse, than whatever the temperature was, outside. I did this job during the time, that I was going to school for recording engineering. I would work midnight-8am or 3am-9am… then I had school from 10am-2pm, Monday – Friday. On weekends, I would DJ.

Then, I graduated school and decided to do an internship in California. That was interesting. I interned at two record labels, mainly in the marketing departments. I was also working at the family restaurant, during that time. Hm, let me kick this into high gear. I moved back to Arizona, took a job, as a grocery product vendor.

After doing that for a year, I decided that I wanted to do something more related ot my schooling. I took a sales job, selling various electronics… cell phones, cameras, camcorders, computers and mainly audio/video. After doing sales for 3 years, I moved to a home theater installer position. I did that for a year, then I was offered a new position, managing small – medium sized business accounts, which I did for a year. Basically, I was with that company five and a half years.

Next up, since I had sales, merchandising and technical experience, I was offered an audio/video technician and merchandiser position. It was for a well known audio company and I had a region. I had to maintain over 120 locations, in the Phoenix and Las Vegas area. I was there for over two years, before I got laid off.
By the way, the whole time, I have been working at my recording studio, DJing, running live audio and performing with various bands.

What do I want to do now? There are two parts to this. Right now, I would do any job that I can at least enjoy, I’m fairly open. I am very realistic about my situation and the economy. Now, in a perfect world, I would be doing something music/writing related or start my own business. Now, I don’t want people to get this wrong at all. I’m not saying that, if I had another job, that I wouldn’t give 100%, I just know that deep down what I’d like to do.

Music is by far, what I’d love to do most, for a living… or at least music related. Currently, I am working on my a solo album and I’d like to start performing again, around town. The thing is, that’s not steady work. I also have really enjoyed, writing many different things, other than just music… jokes, poems, skits, short stories and movie ideas. Maybe, I can write a book? Which leads me to another business that I’ve considered, making t-shirts. I know, it’s nothing earth shattering, I just think that I could make an interesting line of “novelty” style t-shirts. I think about new ideas and create daily, there are many other businesses that I’ve considered, these are just a few examples. I don’t want to feel like my creativity is being wasted.

To sum is all up… what do I want to do? I am OK with a “job” for now, to pay my bills, while working on what I have to, to get my business or career going. This blog could be way longer, I decided to keep it pure and simple.

All I know is, I really feel like I’m ready for a change in my life, for the better. The problem is, I don’t know what that change will be.

Hey, have you seen my sunny “D”? (The Phoenix Suns 09 season.)

DISCLAIMER:

I will TRY to keep this post entertaining, for basketball fans and people who would rather gnaw their arm off, in a kiddie  pool of rubbing alcohol, while listening to Celine Dion songs, being played backwards at full volume. Oh… and the “D”, in the subject title… stands for defense… something that the Suns seemed to have completely lost this season.

If you don’t know, I love basketball and I’m a huge Phoenix Suns fan, I always have been. So, this season has been very difficult for me to tolerate. I am used to watching a good or even great team and this “product”, has been reduced to a clearance sale status. The thing that bothers me the most about season though, is, this team really seems to get along well and the players, seem to be really nice guys. Unfortunately, being cool off of the court, doesn’t have anything to do with winning. I genuinely do like this team a lot… which is what really makes it sad that they didn’t win, like you thought they would, when you look at the roster on paper.

As much as I loved this team, I have to admit, it was frustrating to watch. The pain… oh, the pain, can somebody stop this pain!?!? OK, calming down (takes a deep breath.) and… phewwwwww. Yeah, I’ll state the obvious, a horrible defensive effort and bad fundamentals, when it comes to rebounding. (Why is it so hard for them to follow their shot? I won’t even start on boxing out.) Oh, it would be nice, if they would drive to the basket more too. Beating a dead horse, I know… I’ll stop. Changing those tendencies would be GREAT though and I think would make this team so much better.

Let me take this to the next, absolutely personal level. I attended a “Planet Orange Night” event, this season. (Planet Orange, is the Phoenix Suns official fan club.) It was a great experience! My dad and I were each given a t-shirt (They actually had his size, a small victory for guys that love the  food and lack on the cardio!), then we entered the US Airways Center, before the general public. We were allowed to sit in the lower section seats, to watch the Suns players shoot around. We took some pictures, including a group photo. (I’m not the one, with a finger up the nose, looking to the left, that really looks like me…it’s not,  I swear!) Uh, I am joking, before you think that I’m all disgusting and have no sense for public decency. ;^) After that, we were asked to move from the lower section seats, so that the people, that actually paid the good money, could sit in their seats. We refused to be herded off, to our peasant seats, started a riot, 36 people were arrested and one went to the hospital for a severe “wedgie affliction”. It worked out fine though, we were already wearing orange, which happens to be the official color of the Arizona prison system.

Alright… I admit it, that last part didn’t happen. We all wussed out and respectfully left the seats. Not as fun or as eventful… until we decided to go outside! We went out to the “Bud Light Paseo” area. (Since I typed that in my blog, is “Bud”, going to give me some money? Hmmm… I need to think up a better business model.) The Bud Light Paseo, is the nag out spot, where the Suns host their pregame show, on TV. In other words… my dad and I went out there, to get on TV and IT WORKED! =^D The cameras were rolling and my dad, in his full, Forrest Gump facial expression glory, looked around, to find a monitor and be certain that we were on TV. In order to provide proof to our parole officers, that we did attend this event, we actually recorded the pregame show. (JOKING! Pssh… we don’t have parole officers… we wear ankle braclets, duh!… OK, another bad joke.)

We watched the game, from a section, dedicated to members of Planet Orange. It was nice, to sit with people, that understood your pleasure and pain, as a fan of the Suns. =^) The Suns beat the Sacramento Kings that night and the mood was pretty good. After the game, we had the chance to meet the coach of the Suns, Alvin Gentry, on the Suns practice court. (Which made it even that much cooler!) Mr Gentry is great! He was very up front, about how he viewed things and used his humor well. I can certainly understand why, he has the support and respect of the players, Suns staff and fans. It was nice that he took time to talk, answer questions and take some pictures with fans. I wanted to say hello to him, but I felt bad about keeping him and his family waiting, so I didn’t. Uh, I try to be very considerate, when I meet somebody that is well known. I know that they have a life and probably get people wanting to talk to them, all the time. Actually, I usually leave them alone completely. I’m sure they get bothered enough and I never like to be “typical”, or a nuisance. So, my dad and I were cool about it.

After that, something “fantabulously” wonderful occurred, they did trivia, for prizes and I won! The question was, “Who is the only Phoenix Suns player, to be a member of Planet Orange?” Answer = Leandro barbosa. I won an official, Reebok, Phoenix Suns warm up jacket! I plan on getting a frame for it, I don’t think that wearing it, would be the way to go. (It’s big and I’d probably look like I’m a twelve year old, trying to wear it anyway.) Hmmm, getting it signed first, might be a better idea.

I don’t want to focus on the negative, I think that it’s a waste. The main reason is, we really have no clue, what will happen next season. I don’t want to waste my time/emotion, with thinking about it. I know that, no matter what, I hope for the best (FINALLY winning a championship would be nifty.) and I will be supporting them next year, regardless.

One of the coolest and saddest things of the season, happened during the last game of the season. A fellow Suns fan Andrew & I, hosted a ‘live blog”. (A live blog, is sort of like a chat. It’s just a tad slower and moderated.) It was good to be with other Suns fans, watching the game, interacting and sharing our thoughts/concerns. Even talking about past Suns moments, to remind us that it can get better. Wow, we take this wayyyy too seriously, it’s just basketball. OK, maybe not to us. I am knot2serious though and I know where to draw the line. ;^) In the most general sense, it’s just good to know that there are others that share the same passion for something and you can respectfully talk about the good and the bad. The live blog format was interesting and I really look forward to doing it again, we all had fun with it!

I know that I’d want the team to return to being a championship contender, all fans do.(How’s that for being extremely obvious?) I honestly can’t say how that can happen, due to the fact that I don’t know what the teams options really are. So, it’s left up to the Suns, to figure it out. However, I will say… a winning team, is a team that will make you more money. (Despite the Clippers shining example of business… L.A., is a VERY different market.) So, please keep in mind, when you make your moves… Suns fans DESERVE a title, or at least a chance at it. That is what will keep Planet Orange, from becoming a black hole.

I understand the business side, that is what it boils down to, for the staff. For us though, as fans, we’ll show up and drop our hard earned money on various Suns items, when we see that you will give us our high quality product back, that we’ve gotten used to. How can you stop servings us steaks and replace them with hot dogs? Of course, we won’t want to pay the same price for it. The ball is now in your court, I made my points… “game…. blouses!” Errr… wait, nevermind. GO SUNS!

Official Suns website
www.suns.com

Official Planet Orange page
www.planetorange.net

Butter and me (Nice people, big Suns fans and they make GREAT cupcakes!)

http://www.butterandme.com

Help for gambling (I just felt the need to post a random link)
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Knot again! (More about who I am.)

Hello again,

   I wanted to return this blog, to what it really is intended to be, lighter and dorky.  This blog will be a return to form… or lack of. It’s time to get to know me a “lil mo’ betta”. WARNING- This will be very random! I will just be making points, about who I basically am. It might even prove how differently, different I am. (In a good way.)

If people want to just put me into a box(Not that I’d allow myself to be put into a box, literally or otherwise.) and not really get to know me, I’m mixed race (mostly Hispanic.) and from South Phoenix.  Those two facts about me, can lead to some interesting stereotypes. Based on those simple facts, I have… been told how to pronounce MY name(based on my ethnicity.) and I’ve been considered “Uneducated” or “ghetto”, before I even opened my mouth, based solely on, the neighborhood that I grew up in.

For me, ethnicity is interesting, in the cultural aspect and I love trying different types of food, from different ethnicities/regions. (As long as I feel like it’s sanitary, I’ll eat it….uh, random ADD comment… I do not like peas or egg yolk….bleh!) Our views on whatever, are pretty much dictated by experience. Well, based on my experience, ethnicity isn’t important to me. I observe and try to figure out people, that is how I determine who somebody is. For me, I do not really look like I belong to any specific ethnicity. People often assume that they know what I am, based on how I look. I’ve been called anything from “White”, “Middle Eastern”, “Filipino” “Italian”, to “Mexican”….etc. I am pretty numb about it now. I usually just laugh at it. If they really want to know, I tell them, I’m mostly hispanic, but mixed with various things. (Meximutt American? hehe) I just hope that they’re asking me, out of curiousity and not, as a reference point, to stereotype or to be negative. 

I also really enjoy playing video games! I have an Xbox 360 and I also play PC games. I play it on a semi-regular basis. I play a variety of games… sports, shooters, strategy…etc (If you haven’t noticed by now, I like a variety and always like keeping things interesting… for me and people around me.)

I have to say, my grandmother, (I call her Nana, pronounced naw-naw) lives with me. I will make it clear, I own the house! haha I don’t want anybody to get the wrong idea. We’ve had the house, in the family since the early sixties, I wanted to keep it in the family. So, I decided to buy it from her and I asked her live with me. Once again… the one that owns the house and pays for it is ME! ;^)

I’m a musician, not a flake though and I don’t do any drugs. (Ah, another stereotype… I love them so much.) I take care of all my responsibilities, financial and then some. Actually, growing up, my nana was always the one, that was “in charge” of the family. Well, she is 86 now and I feel like I’ve taken over that role, in the family. Whenever we have problems and need a solution, need to plan things…etc. I am the one that takes on that role now.  Long story, I am good at those, but I’ll shut up.

I was born in May of 1980, you can do a little math now. (I know math sucks for most people, including myself… but, I feel like, if I don’t make people think, I’m not doing my job. ;^) I don’t feel “old” and I know that I’m not. I’m not even middle aged yet. (Well, not taking into consideration, that we don’t know when our time is “up”.)

I took a year off, from working out, I was in a car accident. That was VERY hard for me, I’m used to taking care of myself and I try to stay healthy. I am by no means a health nut. I eat all types of food, I just try to do it in moderation.

I am a huge dork. I like to joke around and have fun with people. I have learned how to be careful with my jokes though. Nothing really bothers me. It doesn’t mean that I don’t care, I just know what to care about and I’m not easily offended. I am also very laidback and calm in situations. I try to be very realistic about myself… I don’t want to be over confident and I certainly have a healthy self-esteem. Basically, I know what I am crappy at and what I do well. hehe One word for all of this I guess… balance!

Favorite teams, in order… College- Arizona State, North Carolina and Florida State. Basketball- Suns, Bulls and Magic. Football- 49ers, Raiders and Cardinals. (Growing up, in Arizona, we didn’t have pro football teams, so I went for bay area teams, since I have an uncle there.) Baseball- Diamondbacks, Giants and A’s. Hockey- Coyotes and Sharks.

Favorite foods- Pizza, hot wings, shrimp. Style- Mexican, Italian and Asian(Chinese, Japanese, Filipino…etc)  Drinks- Tea, (basically any type.), lemonade, (especially with real strawberry pieces in it.), juice, (apple, grape, pineapple, cranberry…etc) Candy- Almond Roca!!!!, Peanut M&M’s,  Reese’s Pieces, Kit Kat, Ferrero Rocher and most anything else chocolate. Snacks- Popcorn!(Always have some at my house and it’s healthy.), deluxe mixed nuts, Goldfish, chicharones (pork rinds) and pretzels.

I have lived in California (Corona) for about a year. (I have tons of family there, in Arizona and North Carolina.) I worked at my family’s restaurant and interned at two record labels. It was a great learning experience and I discovered, how much I do NOT like driving in California. It’s also where I had to enter drug rehab 13 times… yeah… THIRTEEN times! I have to admit though, living in California, really did teach me how to drive. I also lived in Las Vegas part time, due to my previous job, working as an audio/video tech, for a major audio company. Overall, traveling to California or Las Vegas to visit, is OK… I prefer living in Arizona, over any place! (Um, I was joking about the drug rehab 13 times comment. I just wanted to see who was really paying attention and got my earlier point about how I do NOT do drugs. If you read that and didn’t think twice about it, you weren’t paying attention earlier or assumed something that isn’t correct. ;^) Oh, I have been to Asia 6 times too, mainly to the Philippines. Mabuhay… kamusta po?

Um, I keep my personal life, very personal. Yes, I am writing a blog, this is more about what I think. I wouldn’t talk about anybody specific and I certainly won’t drop names. The only time that I would, is if I had permission first. Also, it wouldn’t be to say anything negative about that person. =^)

Favorite colors- Blue, purple and black. I know… I know, it sounds like a bruise. Those just so happen to be my favorite colors though.

Various things about how I am-
I don’t like being wasteful… food… clothes, whatever. I didn’t grow up with a ton of money, I respect what I have and take care of it. Oh, I also paid for most of my own schooling (Probably 90%, my dad did help.) I also have bought most of my own music/audio/recording studio equipment myself! (Probably 80%, my dad and nana did help… I have a TON of equipment and I use ALL of it.) I am not the type of person, that asks for help from ANYBODY and I certain don’t expect anything from anybody. If I want something, I am willing do to what I have to, to EARN it!

OK, that’s enough junk about me for now. I might have to do a part three… but am I really THAT interesting? One thing I’m sure of… I’m knot.

I am me,

D

Mint Condition live, in top condition!

Welcome to my Knot 2 Serious live, concert review of Mint Condition.

Band line-up:

Stokley- Lead vocals, some backing guitar and drums, Ricky Kinchen- Bass/backing vocals, Homer O’Dell- Guitar/backing vocals, Lawrence Waddell- Keyboards, Jeffrey Allen- Keyboards/saxophone (Drummer’s name is unknown, at the time of this review… if anybody can confirm the name of the drummer, I’d appreciate it.)

DISCLAIMER:

 I will split this into two sections. The general, section and then a second section, more the technical and musician oriented side of the concert.

It has been a long two days (Technically, since I got home, around 12:30am, it has been two days… OK, so I sorta cheated.) I certainly am not tired, especially after seeing a great, high energy show! My ears were invaded by an assault of soul and they gladly surrendered. Mint Condition is one of the few R&B bands left. In this day and age of backing tracks and a lack of live instruments it’s great and refreshing, to see an act like this, not only still out there doing it… but doing it and doing it and doing it well. (oops… that’s another artist.)

You probably have heard their biggest hit “Breakin My Heart”… uh, you’d probably know it as “Pretty Brown Eyes”, which really isn’t the title. (One of those funny songs, where people usually get the title wrong, like… “Can’t Help Myself” “Baba O’Reily” or “The Shoop Shoop Song”. If you don’t know what those songs are, there’s always Google. ;^) Sorry for getting off track, I just like to help people dig up some music history, along this journey. So, basically, what I mean is, you should know this band, they’ve had other hits, such as “”What Kind Of Man Would I Be?” or my personal favorite “You Don’t Have To Hurt No More”. If you are a true fan of R&B, you should have at LEAST one of their albums in your collection. (Really, you sould have at least three Mint Conditions albums, if not all.) Mint Condition has also decided to go the independent route, with their music, starting their own record label  Cagedbird Entertainment. Their latest album release, is titled “E-LIFE”, information about purchasing it can be found on their official website. http://www.mintconditionmusic.com/

Enough of that, to the show…

I dragged one of my best friends, from high school along, to watch the show. Mainly, because he is a huge Mint Condition fan and a former musician. I knew that he’d be helpful, with this review and would appreciate this experience.  Uh, between the two of us, we’d be able to recognize/remember all of the songs too. So, thanks for the help Ben!

Of course, like any show, it started “fashionably late”.  They hit the stage and the crowd, was instantly hooked. My friend was quick to point out Stokley’s “Rhythm Nation” jacket. (My friend is also a huge Janet Jackson fan.) This band is very tight! (In both senses of the word.) All of the music flowed effortlessly and was right on. The second song they went into, was “So Fine”, the crowd, (Especially my friend) went completely nuts. At this point, basically everybody stood up. The house lights were flashing around and you could see people jammin’ and singin’ to the music. The energy was high, which pretty much remained, the whole night. The bass player(Ricky) was all over the stage, Stokley vocally interacted with the crowd and the drummer sounded like, he had more appendages than Doctor Octopus. 

Highlights…

 One of the highlights for me, was when, my favorite Mint Condition song “You Don’t Have To Hurt No More” smacked my ears. The song intro, assaulted you, with a violent erruption of sound, then swept you up off of your feet, wrapping you into a majestic melody, in this demonstrative ballad. (It’s the musical equivalent of a fast and furious ”eargasm”, followed by cuddling after. )

Bassist, Ricky Kinchen, was the comic relief for the band. When he wasn’t bouncing around, all over the stage, inbetween songs, he would be on the mic, talking to the crowd and making jokes. He even apologized, for this show having to be rescheduled. He explained, that in all their twenty plus years, Mint Condition hadn’t canceled a show before. It just goes to show you, they really do appreciate their fans.

There was one point of the concert, where Stokley, showed us why he’s the lead vocalist… he went off into a vocal tantrum, basically daring the crowd to try to keep up and imitate, the lines that he sung. Kinda like, the “Minnie The Moocher” thing, that Cab Calloway was known for. Don’t know what I’m talking about? You need to watch the “The Blues Brothers” movie. Not only is Cab Calloway in there, so are many other great artists. Well, the movie is funny too. Anyway, the crowd had fun with the crazy vocals and he got to make us look/sound stupid, with his great vocal talent.

Back on track again (Should people with ADD, really be writing reviews?)… They played all their hits and some new material, all of it, good quality R&B. Mostly, the set was a mix of mid tempo grooves and ballads. I love/appreciate versatility in music and I was very pleased when the band took off, into a latin jazz song. It really showcased some excellent saxophone work by Jeffrey Allen. (He really knows how to “sax it up”, OK, I’ll stop, that was lame, I know.) The band did have some touches of rock too, mainly, in the form of instrumental breakdowns.

It’s the dueling drummers! OK, drummer duels, are real hit and miss, they usually are really cool, or they really suck. It might have been a little boring for some. I will explain that, in the other section. For me, it started a little rough but ended up pretty cool. So, it wasn’t really cool… it didn’t really suck either. This was the first one that I’ve ever seen that was inbetween.
——————————————————————————————————–

The eyes of a musician/tech… (section two)

I really enjoyed the show and found it inspirational. Mint Condition, performed like a tight, professional, veteran band should. Trust me, that’s NOT easy to come by, especially when it comes to a live R&B band anymore. I have so much respect for a band, staying together this long and obviously keeping their passion for what they do. The don’t just sing and play the songs… they PERFORM.( There is a big difference.) Playing a song is nice, when it’s done well… performing a song, when it’s done well, is VERY entertaining.

 One thing that really surprised me, was the fact that the bass player, held his bass so low(reminds me of how my cousin plays) and the fact that he didn’t slap/pop. He basically played finger style, the whole time. The bass had good tone, especially after he made a couple of minor adjustments, a few minutes into the begining of the show. Honestly, I think that he was just turning it up, because it seemed to be lacking a little, in the mix at first. I also have to give him major props, for rockin’ a five string bass guitar. (That’s just a personal preference of mine and what I play.) I like the really fat, low sound that the extra, fifth string gives you.

The guitar playing by Homer O’Dell was nice and smooth. He’s great with chord changes, throwing in a nice and jazzy influence,sometimes a little funk and uses hammer on/pull off notes very well. The solos were good and he had a nice mixture of guitar tones.

The engineering side of me says, the lighting was very good and overall, the music mix wasn’t bad. There were minor touches of feedback on the vocals, but it really only happened one time, that was noticeable.

Speaking of vocals. Stokley has a nice overall tone. He has great control of his voice. It’s refreshing, to hear somebody that knows what they’re doing with their voice, unlike so many singers now, that just sing various “runs” and ‘curves”, leading off to nowhere but the wrong key or worse. (I’ll hop off the soapbox now.) Oh, he also has crazy good scatting skills. You really can’t forget though, his drumming skills and he showed that too. I could tell instantly, when Stokley first sat down, at the drum kit, he was trying to get warmed up. He was doing various drumming excercises to “wake up” his arms. I know them well, I’ve done them myself and know the “C’mon man, I can do better than this, wake up” feeling you get, when your arms aren’t loose yet. I think, watching him knock off the rust, is the only thing, that might have lost some people’s interest.  I see it from both sides, you need to warm up and get your muscles going, at the same time, especially these days, people want some sort of ”beat”, or something that they can hold on to/clap to.  Not only that but… people want it NOW! After five minutes or so, he started getting into the groove of things. No doubt, those skills would come back quickly. Being a multi-instrumentalist myself, trust me, it’s hard keeping playing all instruments, at a high level.  (Not enough equal practice time usually.) Now, the drum duel was ready to get started. It’s not fair, having a duel, between a full time drummer and a part time drummer. The full time drummer should “win”, if not, that part time drummer is, one of the best drummers ever… or that full time drummer, should be part time. =^P

Keyboardist Lawrence Waddell, has a wonderful taste in keyboards, he used a Yamaha Motif. (They are fairly common, amongst professional keyboard players, I own one. Certainly worth the price tag, if you’re serious.) He did a great job, selecting tones and beautifying the overall feel of the songs.

 I’m knot done…

Basically, what I just need to say is, if Mint Condition is on your town and you’re a fan of R&B… check this band out!!! They are talented and really do put on a show. I know that the next time they come to Phoenix, I will be there! I am going to get their new album too, based on their performance and hearing the new material at the show. This makes me wish that, the genre of a real R&B band, were not becoming extinct. The future of R&B, is really sad for me and uninspiring, as a musician/writer, I wish that there were more bands, like this one.  For those of you, that need a scale, I’ll give this concert 4 out of 5 “knots”= 8888

Knot missing a Mint Condition show,

D

More information regarding Mint Condition…
http://www.myspace.com/mintconditionmusic

This concert was sponsored by Urban AZ, check out their site…

www.urbanaz.com

Judge me knot. (part 2)

This is where the blog gets personal…

Here’s a funny thing, I don’t drink, I don’t curse and I don’t smoke. People that do those things, usually think that they’ll offend me, because they choose to do so. I really don’t care, if you’re an adult and do/say things, in a responsible manner, it’s your choice. (Don’t curse in front of kids, don’t drink well over your limit on a regular basis, ask before you smoke inside…etc.) The funniest part is, when people automatically think that, I feel like I’m better than them, because I don’t do those things. I don’t feel that way. It’s just my choice, I have my reasons for not doing those things. I’m not going to talk about it, unless you bring it up. It’s not going to upset me either, I won’t take it personal.

It’s almost like, you can’t make an observation about anything, without people being defensive. I am a musician, I have strong opinions about music. Most people do not agree with me. So, I don’t really talk about my opinions on music publicly anymore. People take it personal. I have my view and they act like I’m personally attacking them. I make a comment about something they like and I don’t like, they start attacking my own personal music, that I write. Very interesting. I view music like this… would you tell tell a carpenter about how they should think about their craft… how to work with wood?… what kind of wood to use?… what tool(s), they should use? Music, happens to be something that pretty much everybody listens to, so they have an opinion, that’s fine. I have a different point of view, because it’s what I do for a living, people don’t respect that fact. Am I going to tell you about, what you should think about your job and co-workers? That’s basically how it is, with music. Other “artists”, are my peers (co-workers). This is what I do, it’s what I love and I certainly have the experience, to know what I’m doing and talking about. Just because, I may not agree, doesn’t make it personal.  Once again, think about your job, do I know more about it, than you do?

Everybody wants to judge and nobody wants to be judged! I will be straight up honest… and say that the way society is going and the trends in people’s mindset, really worry me. The whole “I do what I want” and “it’s all about number one!”, are scary concepts. Here’s the tricky part, that people seem to get twisted, just because I have certain standards for myself, doesn’t mean that I think I’m better than anybody. People are too sensitive and take things, way too personal. I’ve learned, a single word, even, technically a synonym, can give people a completely different reaction, towards you.

I will give you, yet another personal example. I do not like tattoos. I say that… and people flip out on me, get offended and take it personally. Does that mean that I won’t like who you are? NO! People act like, just because you have an opinion and don’t like something, that you won’t like them, as a person. If you’re no more than, some ink on your body… that might say more about you, than me.  I simply mean, visually, I’m not fond of them, for various reasons. It really can be that simple. I have many friends with tattoos, I don’t treat them any differently, from my friends that don’t. Again, it all comes down to your personal choice. What you do with your body is up to you, doesn’t mean I have to like it, I just have to respect the fact that it’s your choice. =^)

OK, I’m a statistic, I have been laidoff. I seem to get a few strange reactions from people that have not lost their job. (yet?) It’s almost like, they assume, it’s my fault or that I am somehow a bad employee. I am not going to justify my employment in a blog. That, to me would sound too much like I’m bitter and complaining…uh, it would be lame too. This is not the place for that. Plus, pretty much anybody reading this, wouldn’t know me personally and how I am. What’s the point? However, I will say, I know why i’m out of work and I have proof, in my resume of my performance. It’s great how people look down upon you though, based on a temporary situation… that does not define, who you are. It’s not like, I am a person, that is lazy and I typically don’t have a job.

Final example…

My dad called me today and as I answered the phone, he replied “Guess what just happened?”, in a very annoyed tone. I had no idea and I could tell that it wasn’t time, for a guessing game. So, I just replied with “What?”(typically, we make each other try to guess things, just for fun. This time though, it obviously was bad.) “Well, I just had a conversation with this guy. He asked me move my shopping cart and I didn’t hear him, so the second time, he says… ‘do you speak english?’” (I’ve been asked that same question before.) Well, my father is “100%” Mexican American(What that exactly means is debatable.), he was born and reared in the USA. Actually, he’s second generation American. So, my dad, of course, took offence to this blatantly ignorant comment. He responded “Yes, I do speak English, I just didn’t hear you. Did you think that, maybe that’s the reason why I didn’t move?” I don’t know the exact words, but basically, from that point on, my dad, stressed the fact that, the comment he made is extremely ignorant. The man, realized his mistake and became obviously embarassed, then didn’t really know what to say. He apologizes, then walks away. Being mixed, with about five million things, like I am… I really try not to assume, what ethnicity somebody is, based on appearance. My dad told the story to the cashier, afterwards. She happens to be Hawaiian. She said that she gets ignorant comments on a regular basis too.

DISCLAIMER:

I really don’t care, what ethnicity people are. What matters to me is, who they are, as a person. I also, am not a person, that brings it up, as an issue. If anything, I enjoy making fun of stereotypes and how ridiculous they generally are.

 Race, is a completely different blog. I may have to write one about that topic, at a future date. For now,”Do you speak English?”, is just another example of how “brilliant”, judging others can be. Especially, before you really know what/who you’re judging.  Thank you for taking the time, to read my 2 part babble. I wrote, as things came to mind. (Limited editing, I’m sure it shows.) I just didn’t want to over think and I prefered to capture, the pure thought/feeling. I really do appreciate you taking the time, on a subject like this. I feel, it’s very important to understand first, then come to your conclusion. Like I said, as least you will fully understand, what you dislike and the reason(s) why you feel/think, that way. Take care!

I type too much,

D