Tag: Life

Three years later… July 20th 2010-present

Posted on by anele25

Three years ago, I sat down at a now defunct Red Brick Pizza discussing the idea of a blog with a good friend of mine. In those three years, so much has happened and I have learned so much about myself and those around me. The idea behind the blog initially was to get my feelings out there about life, the world, and all the good and bad that was happening. I remember staring at my friend with a dumbfounded look with no clue as to how to start the blog. The blog seemed like a preposterous idea that really had no legs to it. Little by little, I realized that maybe if I started writing that maybe I could get pen to paper. In my case, hands to keyboard. My friend told me that the first post should be about my day (July 20th 2013). I heard some disturbing news that day about a certain friend and ever since then I have moved on. The blog has been split up into eras ranging from the venting era, the learning era, the acceptance era, the living high and mighty era, and the pinnacle era. I didn’t know if the blog would last for more than a year because once I’ve said one thing, I’ve pretty much said it all. However, so much has happened in my life, the world, and everything else. I remember after the first few blogs, I got praise from a few people calling my writing amazing and some even saying it was me just letting my feelings out there. I saw the blog as an alternative to FaceBook and Twitter, which are fine avenues in social media in amongst themselves. I slowly started seeing after about a year that writing about mostly a friend that had deceived me, that I had to go on a much more positive spin on the blog. There were so many possibilities from writing about one of my favorite TV shows, blogging about my dog, my bike rides, some walks that I had taken, experiences that had happened in my life, and also a few fun events. One of the coolest blogs that I remember writing was where I documented the post season of 2011 in baseball. That fall, I decided to take one semester away from school and take a break. This allowed a bit of time for me to relax and catch on some things I had been missing out on. One of them was the feeling of watching baseball one more time but without too many distractions. I had been busy with school and work which give or take can take up about 70 percent of your life. The post season in the fall of 2011 was simply amazing due to the idea of wild card Wednesday and all the crazy scenarios that happened on that fateful day. The fact that some teams were better than others simply had me glued to my TV and I also saw how much it can raise your awareness as to how the game is played the right way. One of the biggest contributors to this blog has been Project 365. If I haven’t really explained project 365 it really is just taking a picture for that day. Some of the places that have been apart of this are Mexico, Reno, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, San Jose, and a host of restaurants and locations. One of the many places I can remember taking pictures is when I decided to take a trip down to Los Gatos Creek Trail which has always been one of the few places where I can think and reflect on how great life is. The idea that it will not be the last time that I will go there always sticks out in my mind because most times when I do go I try to take a picture from a different vantage point. For most of the pictures in 365 this has been my goal. The project 365 was almost done as a way to store those memories that will forever be buried. We can’t go back to the past but we can look back on it and repeat it. Hell, you might even look at your past and make it even better the second time around. This is what my intention has been with the blog as I haven’t even scratched the surface with what has been presented on the blog. Sure, I have written about my journey in Community College but the time is nearing where I am very close to signing up for classes at San Jose State. That will surely be the experience of a life time as I plan to finish up in two years and then from there who knows where I’ll be. I also have a few places where I’d like to go within the next few years whether it’s domestic or foreign. I would like to go back to Mexico and maybe even take a trip down to Texas to visit family. I’ll be sure to write about these experiences and trips in the future. Recently, I started a top ten series which will be expanded upon in future posts. One of the many ideas I have for this is to post some my top ten movies. Another possibility is blogging about the top ten lessons learned from forming friendships in a retail environment. There are also a few other possibilities with this including top ten books ever read up to this point, top ten funniest things that ever happened to me, top ten lessons learned from the death of a loved one, and so many other possibilities. This blog has surely come a long way and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my buddies, my family, my co-workers, and lastly myself for all the inspiration that has driven this blog. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude because when I first started this it meant very little but I kept it going. There have been stories and journeys and they will keep going on Just Another Day! (“From parts unknown” author’s note: 100th written blog post so celebrate!)

Top ten series: Top 10 things learned from wrestling (Pt.2)…

Posted on by anele25

Here is part of the top 10 series and this one has some very interesting things that I have noticed over the years as wrestling has evolved…

5. The person makes the title

Whenever a team wins a championship or a title it means something. The 2004 Red Sox after they had won their world series made that title seem important because they fought so hard to get to it. They had been in such a struggle to get to the world series in the first place that you couldn’t help but be proud of the team. They had the right cast of characters as well as the right amount of chemistry amongst all of them. In wrestling, one of the greatest champions of all time, Hulk Hogan, gave that title meaning because who didn’t like the guy growing up? He would beat every bad guy that stepped in his way and he made it seem so har to defend. It seemed as if every guy that came across his path knew they had a chance but he knocked them down before they had a chance to even win. He also gave the company where he had the title a little bit of credibility. He would appear on TV shows, ads, and what not. If you’re going to be that company’s champion you have to represent your company with pride and dignity as no one is going to give you chance if you don’t promote yourself just a bit. He basically built up the title and he carried it everywhere making it seem important. The length of the run also was very important because not only did he seem like a fighting champion but it was during a time when there was so much talent around the world. It could have been possible that any other guy would be champion but he carried that title with such a attitude and the way he got the crowd behind him was nothing short of amazing. He actually made you believe that he could beat anybody up without hesitation. Titles, I believe, were made to enhance wrestlers but the wrestler could actually enhance the title if done correctly. There are certain wrestlers that make the title due to the strong reactions they may get from the crowd that they are entertaining. Nevertheless, in our society today where we crave for change constantly it is much more difficult to have that title mean much of anything. We may get sick of seeing someone on TV constantly that has the title but that is our job as fans. The choice comes down between how we want to see our heroes and villains portrayed. This is what I mean by how the person makes the title which is constant enhancement and how they defend. They may see that title as a treasure, a special object, and once that is completed we can better identify how that character goes about his business. There are also certain figures in wrestling that keeps this going and one of my favorites.

4. Authority figures never get their way.

For some strange reason, authority figures never seem to get their way. This person can be the general manager, the commissioner, the person in charge, or just a president type figure. I don’t what it is but we as audience find a way to find this funny and tragic. I’m sure most of wish that our bosses or persons above us would stop bothering us and let us do our jobs. However, we really can’t say much back because we like making money and most real jobs have a steady income. One of the more memorable runs of an authority figure, Vince Mcmahon, came out on TV and declared himself as the CEO of his company after years of sitting behind an announcing desk. This resulted in one of the best of all time, Steve Austin, to make a run at him for being corrupt and taking advantage of his wrestlers. This included putting the classic shield that would block Austin to getting to Mcmahon and every week from 1998-1999 they would be up ending one another. It was entertaining television due to the characters involved as well as the realism that came along with it. It wasn’t so much that we wanted each person to lose but we kind of wanted the anti hero to get his reward for all the wrong that had been done to him. One of the examples that comes right to mind is when Mcmahon would send two of his top wrestlers, Kane and Undertaker, to essentially attack Austin and have him lose the coveted WWE championship. We badly wanted the authority figure to get what was coming to him but he always found a way to make sure that our hero was not to get his way. I can clearly remember him saying that you can either do things the easy way or the hard way. I find this amazing that even in the face of adversity that most of the time when our backs are against the wall we find a way to come up with other options or sometimes we make the wrong choice. The authority figure, seeing that he chose the wrong choice (the hard way), essentially didn’t get his way because the good guy always found a way to screw the boss over. As I heard a few months ago, everyone wants the be the guy shooting the gun from a helicopter, smoking a cigar, and getting the girl at the end. What’s interesting is that we follow our heroes and sometimes we may even want to be them. That is what is so cool about wrestling. We, as fans, get to see the impossible become possible through fake storylines. They may not always be truthful but in this case the authority figure acted like a dastardly bad guy and he got what was coming to him. Typically, this is what happens in movies as we hope that the story will slowly develop to include the struggle between good and evil. The good wins most of the time but the fact that we finally got to see and end always some sort of special ring to it. Lesson learned here: it is very hard being an authority figure.

3. You pay to see the bad get his butt kicked by your hero

Basically, I summed this up in the above post but I did want to add something. I believe that for this to happen right there has to be a reason as to why the hero wants to beat up the bad guy. The feud can’t just happen because there jealous of each other because then your audience would be very confused. There has to be a clear definition as to who the bad guy and who the good guy is. The classic example for me is when Eddie Guerrero was chasing the championship against Brock Lesnar. We wanted Eddie to succeed because he had turned his life around professionally and personally. The champion, Lesnar, was so good at being an asshole that he would be making fun of the Latino culture and he would give Guerrero crap for all that he had gone through. The line had been drawn as to who was who and we were given a reason to care as to why Eddie was going to win. The chase was on and we wanted him to see him win. The feud lasted a month but what came across as simple actually worked. As the saying goes, keep it simple stupid. The more logic and flow the storyline between the good guy and bad guy makes sense the more we understand each character’s motive. I can see why the bad guy what he does because he may have different motivations than the good guy. The good guy may want to redeem himself while the bad guy may want to teach the other guy a lesson. It all makes sense and it is nothing more than a pattern. It is almost like a cycle that never ends that keeps going.

2. Good crowd psychology means making the fans react to anything you do

I am fascinated as to how crowds and wrestlers can change the structure of a match by hitting the right moves and the right timing for everything. Bret Hart was a master of this as he would get the crowd chanting his name whenever he was down and he would do a good job at getting the crowd at caring about him. The facial expressions, the holds he would put on, the spots where he would work a different part of the body, and this all made sense. The greatest match I believe I’ve ever seen was done in the United Kingdom between British Bulldog and Bret as there was move after move that the crowd reacted to. Bret was working the back, the legs, the neck, and even the face. This is something that is important in any wrestling match because we start to understand the vulnerabilities of the opposing wrestler. Sometimes, fans complain about a certain wrestler’s moveset and the small number of moves they may do. The way Bret would pace himself made me actually care how he constructed his matches. He would do restholds and the restholds are very important because they make the crowd slow down. The slowing down is almost like in a movie where there is dialogue and little action. The action and highspots consists of us reacting and going geez that was such an awesome move. It is like Jake Roberts once said, we go expecting some fake wrestling but then we remark to our friends and those around us as to how awesome that particular move was. In most cases, the less you do the more it means. Another wrestler who was excellent at this was Rick Rude. Unfortunately, Rude had a somewhat shortened career but he was always one of my favorites. He would have very simple moves like strikes to the neck, back breakers, body slams, and and occasional move from the top rope.  I believe doing this is important because if the wrestlers care how they construct their stories the easier it’ll be for the audience to understand. One more thing I forgot to mention is the art of losing and how that may get the audience behind you even more. This is apart of crowd psychology because the loser of the match may come out looking stronger because he put up a losing effort but he gave it his best. We cheer for the guy that did his best which he calculated he would do based on how the match was going for him. All in all, psychology is the basis and ground as to how you build a match up and what the end result is as well.

1. The characters we see on TV are just exaggerated versions of themselves

The awesome characters we see on TV are built from the people themselves and that is something that is always welcome. One of the few times that I have observed that the term “be yourself” has worked was when they gave Mick Foley in WWE a chance to be a toned down version of Cactus Jack that was seen in Japan and WCW. This character was brutal and could fight a good match with just about anybody. What I believed this showed of Foley that he was very giving to the profession of wrestling and he cared about giving back to the fans in attendance. He put his body on the line almost every night as he was good at drawing a reaction from the crowd. You could see the development as to how he would have his hardcore matches as the match would go back and forth almost like a slugfest that had big consequences for both guys. Another fellow that was great at this was Jim Cornette. Even though he was just a manager, he would put over the next tag team over and you could see that he actually cared about the next match or event that was coming up. Little did we know, Cornette had an opinion for just about everything and this is what makes wrestling so great. You have these guys that are everyday people just like you and I. The difference is that they are actually on TV speaking about or talking about what is upcoming. The goal for most managers back in the day was to sell tickets and make us to go see shows. I can truly say the funniest and most random character that came across television was Brian Pillman. Pillman, who was small and had a heart condition, was very competitive for his size and he did it with precision. The way he came across was very one dimensional but there was something about him that made him different. He would wrestle big guys, small guys, and even medium sized guys. It was only a few years later that his character and wrestling ability came full circle. He had this crazy character that was on TV that was simple yet he would always shoot from the hip. He would say what was beaming in his head and he never let his guard down. I believe what Brian did was that he let himself loose, hence the name loose cannon. This character was the beginning of the many characters that would come across as being angry and pissed off all the time. The point here is that there are all sorts of characters that make us laugh, cry, cringe, get angry, be joyous, or just make us feel good inside. Sometimes, being you is what is important in life and so it is in wrestling. These guys didn’t get into it to please others as there goal was to be a fast rising star and the only to do that was to be their own character. If it is something we had never seen before, then bless you because you are so unique. The uniqueness of something or anything is welcome because we may just be surprised even more so than before. If it is something we have seen before, then bless you because at least you are putting your own spin on it. The very few that have attempted this have come across as resilient, upcoming, and trying to prove a point. Taking elements from different kinds of characters may also be something that is certainly welcome because who knows if you throw crap against the wall it may just work. Wrestling is something that is very special to me and I’m sure there is something that we all have a passion for whether it’s on TV or it’s something we do as a hobby. I can say that in almost 20 years as wrestling fan and all the technology we have now that I have not stopped learning about the sport and entertainment that I see. Wrestling rules!

Till next time on the Top Ten series…

 

Album Review: Anthem…

Posted on by anele25

Hanson_Anthem

When I first started hearing that Hanson was coming back with yet another album, I was pretty stoked because there last album had pretty much amazed me with how versatile there style had become. The first samples I heard from the album had me thinking that they made this album for the fans that had followed them throughout the years. The first evidence is seen in the fact that instead of using a more pop based musical style, they went back and added more guitar riffs and more piano melodies as well. The fact that they also said in many interviews that they made the album with the fans in mind got me thinking they topped themselves and that they did. Every Hanson album has had a different message and with this one they set out to bring out songs that you can sing the lyrics and relate to them a bit. With this one in mind, they send the listener the message that life brings about challenges, dreams, messes in love and life, and also our willingness to be strong in life. So, without further ado here is my take on each song and some interpretation of each song.

1. Fired Up

Starting off the album is Fired Up, which for some odd reason, had me thinking of the motivational speaker Sam Crowley and his podcast “Every Day is Saturday”. This song does the same but in a different way. It starts off with a rock and roll tone and it keeps going off until it really pumps you up. The whole message of the song is that it acts as a tool to get people and maybe the individual to get themselves in gear and literally get fired up. It could be that we have to do something important and we are doubting ourselves a bit but this song fires up us up a bit. On the other hand, maybe we are already fired up and this gets us thinking in an even more positive tone. It gets you thinking that nothing will stop you and only you can really stop you from turning around in life. This song has also become my tool for waking up in the morning as I set out to accomplish something new everyday, no matter how small or big the task may be. Overall a perfect song to set the tone of the day.

2. I’ve Got Soul

A great song that kind of reminds me of some Michael Jackson songs from back in his early days. The basic idea and theme behind the song is that you see a girl and you’re not afraid to go out and ask her for a dance. It shows us that showing a little charisma and not being afraid can propel the person to show a little soul. I know when they are talking about putting petty feelings aside makes me think that going up to girls and not being shy is something I should take head on. The keyboard and the drums on the song make this a great song to drive on the road as it keeps you awake and alert as it keeps you pumped up. Great song in my opinion.

3. You Can’t Stop Us

Fuck, I love this song only because it reminds me of the times that I’ve been told I couldn’t do something I wanted to do. I remember when I first heard the sample of the song and thinking this is what has happened in some instances in my life. The song is split into three parts, with each brother taking a verse, and my favorite line of the song is “Your fancy words try to cut me down to size/ Hey Mr Mr /You’re in in for a big surprise/”. Words and actions from other people can only take you so far that it is up to the individual to take action in their life. When I think of the song, I hear the words “You don’t know crap and you don’t know anything” and I tell myself You can’t stop us. I believe that is what their message was in this song as people may try to tell you that this is a bad idea but only you can tell yourself that you can’t do it. For example, one person told me two years ago that I couldn’t advance beyond a certain class just because I had read a few books. However, that served as motivation for me to get to that class and eventually I finished it with that thought in the back of my head. Favorite song off the album because of the message it sends.

4. Get the Girl Back

The lead single off the album and even though it may not be my favorite song off the album, it is so damn catchy. Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve pissed off a girl and you just wanted to get her back? Well this song kind of describes that situation as the story behind the song is that the girl is walking away and you have to tell her how wonderful and beautiful she is. If that doesn’t happen then some guy may sneak in and grab her before you even have the chance. I like the song more so for the lyrics because they describe some situations I have seen some of my friends in life go through as they have to show rather than tell how they are going to get the girl back. Saying things right from the heart can also mean a whole lot more when it comes about in a situation where a crisis is abound. Overall, not my favorite. but it struck me as a decent song to kick off there campaign for the album.

5. Juliet

I always wondered why tragic plays such as Othello and Romeo and Juliet were made. In this case, this may be why as it is a story about a guy pouring his heart out for a girl he loves. In the play Romeo and Juliet it is almost like it is about chasing the girl for her love and here it is no different. He doesn’t know how to express his feelings so he decides to do it with a song as he describes how fine and pretty she is. In life, we all have a Juliet that we wish to sing about and here it is done with emotion. Relationships have ups and downs as described in the song as when girls and guys have been around each other for so long it is hard to tell when love is blooming or failing. But, in the end every guy knows that when they are in love they need that love because without that other person they feel just a little incomplete. Probably one of my favorite Hanson love songs.

6. Already Home

We all know what Home is but here the story is about someone who is lost and can’t seem to find where home is. The thing that made me listen to this song a few times over is that I really didn’t get the message of the song at first. At first, maybe it was about a guy that was telling a girl that she belongs with him but after looking at the lyrics it makes a little bit more sense. After reaing it, it seems to me like a song about a person that keeps trying to find the right fit for where they want to be but they can always go back home. Their identity is that of one that is always looking to keep moving but they don’t know how they keep ending up in the same place. The person keeps asking for help from a friend or a loved one but it may be a sticky situation where that person keeps standing there ground. It is almost a song that reminds me of when someone leaves their home where they were raised there whole life and they keep bouncing from town to town. However, they never seem to settle down and they somehow end up asking where home may be. Overall, an amazing song that just keeps going till the climax where the lyrics grab you and enthrall you till the end.

7. For your love

When I get married, I think I may use this song because it is so damn romantic. Your basic love song about a guy that is looking to defend his love’s honor and he just may even fight for it as well. I think the message of the song is that in a way love has to be unselfish on both sides because we are looking to satisfy both sides. What I enjoyed about the song is that it almost acts as a power ballad that stops and keeps going in the chorus. I believe I’ll keep this in mind as I journey forward in life.

8. Lost Without You

I said earlier that Track Number 3 “You Can’t Stop Us” was my favorite off the album but this is a close second because of how awesome the melodies sound off the song. I believe the song may be about a guy that has found that love and he doesn’t want to let her go after he has found her. I like the song for the slow keyboards that are brought in the middle of the song which make it seem like a slow build for the listener. Sometimes, it seems to me that love is difficult to find and this instance that may be what is happening here. The guy is willing to do anything for that girl and that is the message he conveys here. He essentially is lost without her because he wouldn’t know where else to go after he has found her in his journey. This song is perfect for going to sleep to as well because it is slow and almost dream like in the setting that they build it up as. Hanson outdoes themselves here due to the premise and the way the instruments connect well with the harmonies. A great song for all longing for love!

9. Cut Right through me

I like this song because it describes a situation where the guy gives into the girl’s temptation and beauty. Guys sometimes think they have all the answers but in essence the girl that is in our life can just make us go crazy. It is like the other day when I was hearing a podcast where they pointed out that a guy was talking smack about his girl but later he was talking about missing her already. Girls have this mystery to them that makes us guys give into them and I admit it is almost impossible not to journey into the unknown. But, we are always looking to go with what is familiar in life and routine is sometimes essential in life. I truly believe this song is just about how girls (and guys) can manipulate a situation into their favor and we really just do not know how they do it. It may be with their words, facial expressions, and/or just little subtle comments directed towards the individual. Such a great song and one that is great to sing along to as well.

10. Scream and Be Free

Wow, what a song and it is about what the title says scream and be free. The song is about living out our dreams and making them happen. It is also about the journey and story that we go through. The little steps that we take towards bettering ourselves in the long run scream out in the song. I enjoyed the song due due to the simple guitar riff and the fact that it is once again about not letting anything stand in your way of living out your dreams. Living life from day to day is much more important than thinking about doing something tomorrow. Raising your voice and making yourself be heard is something that is brought about in this song. I love the fact that this song encourages growth and development without being overly preachy. Overall, a great song that serves as motivation as I march forward in life. For what it says a wonderful melody and a great way to bring the final three tracks.

11. Tragic Symphony

As opposed to track 9 Cut Right Through Me, this song imposes that the guy is not that dumb and he sets out to expose the girl as being a manipulative person. It may be that the relationship is not healthy for the guy and he is starting to see the consequences whether it is through lies, deception, tragedy, or manipulation. The guy is pouring himself out there because he is giving it one last whirl in order for the girl to hear him out. The curtain has been raised and in this instance he sees right through what she is doing to him. Sometimes relationships act like that because we want to seem that everything is going well but in fact there may be some petty things which we aren’t aware of. I must say that the song surprised me at first because the title was misleading as I thought it would be slow and not as fast as I thought it would be. But, overall a decent song and one that brings together everything about some relationships.

12. Tonight

Technically, the last song on the album (not counting the encore) and I think of my life when I hear this song. This song is just fun and it gets you geared up for any situation where the day is ending and you got something going on. You may feel down and/or doubting yourself for that day is almost over. I personally feel the song is about taking a chance for that one night at an event or what have you. You may be too shy to ask for that dance from that pretty girl across the hall and you are scared shitless to ask her for that dance. In situations like that you may not be waiting for tomorrow but rather Tonight.  Or you may be with a group of friends and you are just shooting the shit but there is that one person in the group that wants to start something that night. In essence, the song sends the message that we just have to be ourselves when we are out and if we wait till tomorrow to say something or do something then we may just be regretting it for a long time. I believe Hanson made this song with the intention of sending out the positive message of being in the moment and giving it all we got when we are in a win or lose situation. The song really speaks truths and it gives the group a perfect fit because the lyrics and the buildup of the end of the song really do it justice. Great song to end the album.

Encore: Save me from myself

Kind of a downer of a song since I believe the singer is trying to commit suicide because of the love that has left him. The singer speaks about being trapped in the deepest of his trenches because he has nowhere else to go and he needs help. He just doesn’t know where to find it in this instance. The weirdest part of the song is that there is no chorus and it speaks as a letter or a poem to the listener. I feel this song is kind of the sad ending that are fit for albums and overall that is what it does here. Overall, Anthem was worth the wait and I recommend giving it a listen even for those that think Hanson is not relevant anymore.

Overall

9/10

Some samples from the album: