So here we are at the end of September! I love this time of year, I always have. Baseball Playoffs are about to start. Hockey season is underway. Basketball preseason is about to get going. Football season is already off and running. The nights are getting a bit chilly and walks are romantic. The leaves are turning and changing colors. Wardrobe is layering and starting to flex some sophisticated fabrics. And it also begins... THE COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTHDAY! Those close to me know that my birthday has always been a cause for celebration. A celebration of life, of passions, of all the best that the year has had to offer! In years gone by, my Bday has been anywhere from a week-long celebration to lately just a three-day affair. Either way, the ramp up is exciting, and always FUN TIMES. That being said, I decided to take advantage of an early Birthday present to myself: Presenting the latest in the Exploded Pony Ralph Lauren Fall collection!
R.L County Riders & Jockey Club. Noooooiiiiiiice! The blue has some green detailing on the placket and yellow under the collar.
Very Nice! I'm really stoked to find the occasion to break these puppies out! I also had to pick up a hunter green version that has blue and gold under the collar also! Very Nice! Happy Pre-Bday to me! Happy Pre-Bday to me!
So how do you top of the night of such great Pre-Bday presents? With some NANDO's of course! If you haven't had Nando's, skip the next few lines of reading. Vancouverites know Nando's! Peri-Peri! Roasted chicken! Woot-woot! If you like your spices and you like your chicken, check them out! It's not quite the same as Churrasco St Clair, but it does still have it's own plusses! Get In My Belly!!
Ok, so WHO turned on the Winter already? Another year of no fall, and just Straight to the cold! Le Sigh. As an hommage to the Summer that never really was, here are some remnants of my junk files that still remind me that it's sunny somewhere in the world..... Le sigh..... I need to be on a beach sometime very soon..... Goodbye Summer. You bastard, never really showed up! Bastard guy!
So it looks like TLC is going to go ahead with "Kate Plus Eight". The first episode is November 2. I'll most likely watch it, seeing as I've watched the show from the very very very beginning! But I doubt that I'll keep on watching it though. I really want to ThroatPunch Kate. Besides her control freakishness, her germaphobia, her A.D.D., her bad attitude on life, her control freakishness, and her ignorance, I just really want to ThroatPunch her! I guess it's good that the kids will still get a funded college education out of all this also.
This is what I almost picked up at my local Starbucks today: YES!! I'm so GEEKED that "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Astroboy" BOTH come out on the same day, my Birthday!!
Oh, and guess what Baby Brooklyn learned today? "MINE"
Yes, it seems that this is truly, really, honestly, whole-heartedly the spawn of my genes: Look at how content she is with the BlackBerry Tour in her clutches!! I really DO have years of misery to look forward to, don't I??
It didn't matter that the Monday started with rain. It didn't matter that my shoes got soaked. I ordered an Extra Large Double Double from Timmy's to counter the rain AND I even ordered a breakfast sandwich on a weekday! Imagine! It didn't matter that the strap on my umbrella broke. Heck, it didn't even matter that the Seahawks lost a brutal game last night! I countered that a wink and a smile! It didn't matter that work just piled on and on and on today. Moreso, it was because of lack of planning on management's part, and chaos theory that reared it's ugly results. I overcame that today with a hard work ethic, smart fast-tracking efficiency strategy, and keeping my head above the doom and gloom! It didn't matter that the "new girl" asked me 45 questions a minute, trying to make sure she did the right things the right way, on her first day all on her own. It didn't even matter that she had stinky yogurt breath after lunch and couldn't get a Mentos to save her life! I countered that by offering her my blue Five gum, and told her to start figuring things out on her own! She's a big girl! (no really, she is.) Heck, it didn't even matter today that they kept me there until 7pm, started to be dark and cold outside when I left the office. Because when I get home from work, and change out of the work clothes, this is me: All day, every day!
Song of the Day: Doesn't Really Matter - Janet Jackson
Cherish the weekends! On an original plan of doing absolutely nothing today, I got thrusted into a crazy whirlwind of chaos! First up was All You Can Eat Korean BBQ for lunch! WTF? Ok, at least it was lunch and I could stomach it. Then we had to run some Miss Daisy errands! Driving for 2 hours all around town like Miss Daisy with a screaming 10 week old in the back baby car seat the whole time, great fun times!! Miss Baby Brooklyn is definitely having her fair share of growing pains, and I hope it all gets better from here! She actually like car rides, that's no problem when the car is in motion. She really hates it when we stop at red lights, which sets her off screaming and yelling! This scares me. 1, I hope it's a sign that she grows up to really like roller coasters, 2, I hope that it's not a sign that she's gonna be one of those "Fast Car" type of "Fast and Furious" Asian girls! I'm still signing up for my gun and I have my two aluminum baseball bats for when this lil Brooklyn starts dating!! If she is ever allowed to date!!
Friday is here! Doesn't matter about work, doesn't matter about how they tried to screw me this weekend, doesn't matter how they tried to make me come in on Saturday but I said "OH HELL NO!", and it doesn't matter that I'm just about desensitized to the chaos and unnecessary drama that my days are full of right now! Right now, there's only one thing that matters!! The MAXWELL CONCERT IS TONIGHT!!! And with these seats, who cares about work shmerk?? Row 2 floors!! Shweet!
We just missed the Chrisette Michele performance (Sorry!) but by all accounts, it was awesome! Too bad that she had to perform while the place was pretty much empty! :( But we did manage to catch Common! He always puts on a proper live performance!
He even went back to some Freestyling that completely rocked the crowd out! And we were so close, that we totally got sweated on!
Still one of the living legends of HipHop, I've always been a Common supporter even through his Electric Circus days! And the Prep Styling... timeless! I dunno how you perform in a sweater under those lights though!
Then it was time for the money act. The headliner, Black Summer's Night... Maxwell!
The dude knows how to get the ladies "moist"! It was kind of a weird show though. This was the first show of his whole tour, so Toronto was blessed!
The crazy part was that even though this was his first show, his voice was already starting to go hoarse! And still in Row 2, we still got sweated on!
For the ladies, the gratuitous Close Up Crotch shot! Enjoy ladies! Don't say I never posted anything for you!
Even the stage set, the lighting, and effects were really well done for an R&B show! They definitely put some sort of thought as to how to spice things up for the show!
He even came so close to us, we almost got snot on us! (jigga!) Tons of ladies were already fainting and swooning as he got closer and closer to the crowd.
Then came the extremely funny part of the night! Just like as in the MTV awards, some lady tried to crash the stage like eynaK or Lil Mama! The funniest part is that by the time she actually got right up to Maxwell, she just STOOD there! Hands together, and just STANDING There! AND what's worse is that it wasn't security who took her off the stage, it was a Band Member who had to pull her away!! BAHAHAHA!
Still, Maxwell continued to perform with no interruption and no disruption! And this pic is one of my favorites from the whole night!
And the night went on and on... and on and on... I was amazed that he held down a whole 2 hour set all by his self! The night ran pretty smoothly! No wardrobe changes, no background dancers, just an R&B crooner and his mic!
Then came "Pretty Wings", one of my favorites from the latest CD. The remnant from "Pretty Wings" a paper confetti feather. (Looks like a used condom to me!)
And then came more and more crotch shots just in case you forgot... We were in Row 2!!
I've had my fair share of Live Concerts, and even many R&B shows, But this one was totally memorable!
Being that this was his first show of his whole tour, he knew that there were some kinks that had to be worked out! But he still put together a great show, and a great night!
Awwww, matching Purples!! Capital M broke out her new "1LoveTO" shirt just for the night!
Definitely a concert for the ages!! Thanks to Maxwell, Common, and Chrisette Michele for a great time, and a great kickoff to your upcoming tour!
Work is killing me. No, correction, it's destroying me. Thank god tomorrow is Friday. AND the Maxwell, Common, and Chrisette Michele concert is tomorrow! Oh yah, I forgot to tell yalls, guess who's sitting in Row 2 on the floor?? :)
Interesting conversation today about how things on the outside are never quite what they appear on the inside. As if that isn't the Gospel of Truth!! Not even so much, "never judge a book by it's cover", but moreso "always look deeper for the truth"! True, there are some things in this world that are face value, but I guess I was brought up as a natural born skeptic. I used to think I was being a "realist", but now I know I'm a skeptic. People talk about being skeptical as if it was a bad thing, a negative thing. But truthfully, skeptics like me are just looking for the deeper truths. There are and do exist skeptics who are just "grumpy grouches" but that's not me. I know better than not to cherish every hour of each day that we have on this planet. Instead, I'm the sort of skeptic who just does not accept face value. Maybe I'm jaded because of the way I raised? Maybe I'm jaded because of life's experiences thrown at me. Maybe I'm jaded because I just know better. Point of the whole conversation is that I'm no longer a "realist", but a Skeptic. Discuss more further over some GreyGoose. Meh.
And now I leave you with some Max Abadian photographs: Wowzers!!! *LUSTING*
How can you fairly assess something from the outside looking in? Majority of the time you'll be wrong. Nah Mean? How can a mother fcuka go round and hate a n*gga he never even met that he dont even know and shit? I think this rap shit is all peaches...
Y'all dont even know every day I'm livin with stress Got up out the streets you think a nigga could rest Can't even enjoy myself at a party unless I'm on the dance floor hot ass vest You think I'm freakin' these chicks right? I try not to brush against they chest You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped Swear to everything when I leave this earth It's gon' be on both feet, never knees in the dirt You could try me fcuka but when I squeeze it hurts, fine We'll lose two lives, yours and mines Gimme any amount of time dont let Ms. Carter grieve at the funeral parlor drippin' tears on my sleeve Told the judge didn't budge it was him or me and I ain't trying to be hard but I'm guilty as charged Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars...Lucky Me
You only know what you see, You dont understand what it takes to be me.
I hate all girls with ulterior motives That's why I'm twenty plus years old, no sons no daughters Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters Hear the hate in my voice right? I hate that you noticed Niggas wanna strip to the bone for shit you own Hate a n*gga like that fagg*t, get your own Hate that I can't roam the street without the clip and chrome Knowing one day I'mma have to flip, c'mon You know the shit don't stop 'til the Cris don't pop And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist don't lock I'm trapped the whole worlds against me in fact, It aint no turning back. Bring It On Hate the price of fame cause it cost too much Can I live without y'all n*ggas saying I floss too much? Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us Steady looking for flaws through us.... Lucky Me
You only know what you see, You dont understand what it takes to be me You only know what you see, (Since I was 4 years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold) You dont understand what it takes to be me (And now that I've arrived I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
N*gga see you in the street, pretend to be friendly But I know any type of success breeds envy I know in the back of your mind your conjuring ways to hen me Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny But G's is heaven bound so how I'm gon' receive Anything y'all pour to the ground next time throw it up And ain't nothing changed so even in my afterlife I show it up Dont grieve for me my art remains like a dart from the speaker to your heart Spiritually through the portal now my words as immortal Plan to leave without a fight I plant a seed I give life Though I can't see past the girls greed to call her wife Next time your thinking heist better be precise Cause I'm fully prepared. One of us is gon' leave here I have no regrets even though I wanna see grow My godsons Boogie, Sonny and Rimo
Monday morning Quarterback and the Seahawks again looking like they can't win a game without Hasselbeck at the helm, and also they can't win on the road. The Seahawks fell to the 49ers 23-10! Boo! Cot Daymit! In one fell swoop, the Seahawks lost Hass, Lofa Tatupu, and Sean Locklear. The running game was crap, and what's worse is that their run defense was even MORE crap! Frank Gore came away with 207 yards, 2 of them were 75+ yd TD runs! In contrast, Julius Jones had 11 yards! I could have gotten 11 yards!! The lone bright spot for the 'Hawks was my man TJ Houshmandzadeh coming away with 4 catches and 62 yards to lead the receiving corps. Still no TD's for Housh yet this season though! The Seahawks fell to 1-1 and now trail the 49ers who are 2-0?? Who'd have thunk that??
I had an interesting conversation on Sunday night about "the definition of insanity". The old saying goes, "The Definition of Insanity is: doing the same thing over and over in the same way, expecting different results". See, I know someone who has been working at the same company for 12 years. All she's known is this one company and their one way of doing things, their one strategy, and their one philosophy. This is not a bad thing because she remains loyal, and she continues to deliver on pleasing her boss. The problem that I have with her is that she hasn't experienced any other company, nor any other strategy, thus, not knowing other tactics to get things done. Thus, when faced with a problem, hurdle, or obstacle, she only knows to revert to her own original tactics. These tactics may or may not be enough to overcome her obstacle, this time around in particular they are not good enough at all. Now I'm not trying to tell anyone how to live their life nor do their job. They get paid for a reason and I get paid for a certain reason. I tried to offer her some polite suggestions from my past experience which could help her out, but she refused and actually took offense that I hinted that I know more than she does. So, I gave up, put my nose to the grind, and minded my own business. Now, if I really was passionate enough to help her out, I would continue to plead my case, but some issues are really not worth pursuing that hard. Pick your battles. Thus, the definition of insanity comes in...."doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results". Some people just get caught up in their own thing that they are unable to take two steps back from certain situations and really evaluate the big picture, I guess? Meh, either way, I can talk more and more about this best over a bottle of Grey Goose! Hit me up if you are game!
Song of the Day: Let's Hear It For The Boy - Deniece Williams
Cherish the weekends! It was Football Sunday, but Baby Brooklyn was all ready to cheer for Team Hello Kitty! Uhhh, Baby BK, there is no Hello Kitty in the NFL! We have to get her a new Seahawks jersey I guess!! I really hope she doesn't become a cheerleader, but in case she does...
She already has the moves down pat! YOU try to tell this kid that she's Not the Cutest!! Try it!
First up, brunch at Boom! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! So today was Eggs Benny with Smoked Salmon, otherwise known as the Benny Boom!
Now you see it, now you don't! I didn't want to lick the plate, I have to set a good example for Baby BK to follow! :)
Then it was off to Nathan Phillips Square to check out this year's Manifesto Festivities. The Graf wall was in full effect. They must have had about 6 different graf/painting/tagging stations set up for folks to get their inner painter/artist outside!
Tons of Tee stations and wares for sale. These guys caught my eye because they had full out Flip gear! Spot the Jeepney bag on the left, the Halo x2 tee shirt, and the Corazon Aquino tee! The poor girl who was trying to sell the tees didn't even know that was Aquino's face on the tee! Tsk tsk tsk!
The we hit the 1LoveTo x Legends League booth. I finally copped my 1LoveTO tee shirt, and will most likely find the right occasions to sport it out and about! I had to stop and introduce myself to Bryan of the Legends League. He's on to some GREAT THINGS in the future! We briefly got a chance to chop it up about the biz, the passion, and introduce him to Baby Brooklyn also! Watch for this cat!!
Some of the other fun stuff going on at Manifesto included the consumate BBoy exposition: I dunno man, it's just not the same as it used to be. People have either lost the love, the passion, or just the all-out ambition of keeping Breakdancing on the forefront! Or maybe it was just too early in the day?
These girls were coordinating the choreography to Michael Jackson's "Bad". Safe to say, it was pretty bad.
They even had a barber shop set up at the Square! Meh, I dunno about you, but I'll settle for my regular barber, thanks!
Of course there were some scheduled stage performances! We couldn't stay for the whole thing, but Talib Kweli and Hi Tek reformed Reflection Eternal, and came on at 9pm! Insanity!!
There are some times that I take two steps back to appreciate where I've come from, where I am, and where I'm going towards..... What used to be a place where bums hang out to wash their feet, has actually become quite the cool spot to chill out and take in this big city we live in.
The architecture of Toronto is one thing, but the real energy is a whole other thing! Amongst all the concrete and steel, there is still some great things going on amongst the city!
Whenever you are somewhere, anywhere in the city, take two steps back and two seconds to take in what you really have here! It's sometimes fun to be a tourist in your own city!
Song of the Day: Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain and Tenille
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