Writers Block..."Gift"

A-O. I got pretty much 2 days left in this country and I'm a bit excited seeming that y'know I've been homesick and stuff. I promised a "flygirl", don't worry, you'll get it. haha. There's alot of things to say about the Philippines, but I guess I'll just leave that for later. Stores to check out in the Philippines..."Artwork"(picture above), "Team Manila", "People are People", "Folded and Hung"...dope stuff. Let's get into it...

Being here, I thought I'd have alot to write about, alot of thinking to myself, and some new perspective gained. I learned about the life here in the Philippines just on my first day, and in turn I gained perspective on how I could improve the way I live in Vancouver. I don't think I really write any profound, mind-BLASTING, "no not mind blowing, it's BLASTING"(russell peters) things or whatever but I thought I'd be blogging everyday about random stuff all the time. At times, I sort of force myself to write to get myself out of an actual writers block, and I did some things like read my bible and sit outside, eat, play tetris, things that usually get me thinking. haha. Yeah, eating. Today, I went back to look at my original, first ever weblogs. On xanga! chyea. I looked at the amount and consistency of the entries, and holy smokes, did I ever write alot. At that time, I was on my church hype, young, 15 years old, youth leading and such. Man, those were the days right rangers? The content of what I wrote about was open, and Christ-based. I always try and keep that Christian sense in all my entries, but my xanga stuff was straight bible verses, like I could teach a whole lesson with my blog. haha. I'm not saying that I want to go preach my stuff now, but I found that inspiration to write consistently through the verses of a chapter. My target was different then. I was blogging for myself. 

I want to blog for you. For ya'll, viewing my stuff, taking the time to read my long entries, I write for you. I talk to all of you, and I figure out something to write for you guys, maybe I can encourage you, open minds a little bit. My target is different, but where my aim comes from has to be from the place I orginally found it, and I hope, with this new target and old aim, that I could hit you, that much deeper. 

Thanks to ya'll who read my blog, it doesn't have a cool layout, or fancy bolded italic emphasized writing or anything, or, music that plays right away when you view my page. But figure this a "gift blog". The blog is my card. The gift, is whatever you take out of this.

To reader, 

I hope you like my gift. I didn't know what to get, but I hope it fits you. Happy Reading. 

From, 

Donnel

-God is Love

Writers Block..."YOUnique"

A-O. Merry Christmas to you all. It's the morning of the 26th over here so Christmas was yesterday. I hope ya'll had a dope Christmas and for those who are wondering, no, there is no boxing day in the Philippines. HA. The only boxing day they have is when there's a Pacqiao fight. Uh, I don't really have much left to do here in the Philippines. So I guess I'll be loungin' around in my city. Waiting for New Years to come 'round. Oh and have a Happy New year. haha. 

After highschool, there's sort of this search on individuality that most people try to acheive. Whether it be, a sneaker, a hobbie, a religion. I don't believe much in 'finding yourself' or 'soul searching' but it's aiite if you do. Noone expects people to know what they want to be and know what they want to do and how they want to get there in life rather than our parents. I expect everyone to know somewhat of who they are. If you have the smallest idea of who you are, there is no need for finding yourself. It's like Tetris, sort of. It's simple. It's timeless. There's no way you need to improve that game, cause really, there's no way to improve that game, rather than improve yourself in that game. That ounce of something that we know of ourselves is like when we start up the game. From then on, its a battle with yourself to top the high scores. You can only get better. The game doesn;t record any of your bad scores, just your high ones. 

You don't need to really go looking for who you are, you sort of just, stumble upon it as you play your lifes tetris. We make mistakes, get low scores, but it's all good, it doesn't matter, and it doesn't get recorded. Take a look at your lifes highscores, and see what makes of you. I got highscores in blogging, haha, and writing, so maybe that tells me a little bit of who I am, and where I should go. You can only build yourself as you play, and you'll know more ofwho you are when the peices keep fitting...game over. Play again? - God Is Love

I miss you guys. Even though Alexis is turned around. 

Yeah I miss SickStylz too. 

Have a good boxing day for all you shoppers, and try to have a good time at work for all you sales associates working tomorrow. 

OH, NEXT BLOG I GOT A NEW FLY GIRL! Latuh - God Is Love

Writers Block..."Everday Season"

I beleive it's my 5th day here, and honestly, I really want to go home. I don't care if it's a blizzard over there, the only reason why I want to come back is because of YOU GUYS! Shoot, I was going to write a friend blog, but I realized there's too many of you guys and I know most of you don't like to read long blogs that's why I try to keep it short these days, but expect a inbox message from me by christmas. 

It's hot like the blog in this mutha. Yeah, I got something to say today...

I'm mutha?uckin homesick. 7am here, is 3pm in Vancity, but the day before. I close all the lights in my room and open up my laptop and I feel like in Vancouver again. I know some of ya'll would say, "Don't be homesick, you're in the Philippines, enjoy your stay cause its fricken cold over here". I think I'm losing my dancing abilities over here cause noone dances apparently and noone likes hiphop. I review Symphony #1 in my room sometimes. haha. 

That's not what I had to say...

It's getting close to CHRISTmas and stuff, and I didn't feel the holiday cheer over there, and I'm sure as hell not feeling it over here. I've never spent it here before but people who have can testify that it's a pretty joyous occasion. Moreso over here than there. I don't even really like Santa, presents, buying presents, candy canes and christmas carols. It's all fun and stuff, cause usually I'd get like an extra paycheque calculating the amount of aunts and 20 dollar bills I get. 

Holidays are there not only because it was set in stone a million years ago, but it creates an ambience and feeling and purpose to go buy presents for all your friends, give out heart-shaped candies with corny phrases on them, be thankful for things that you have. Just like Christmas and Valentines Day, and Thanksgiving, I wish people felt as they did on these holidays all year 'round. If everyday was Christmas, everyone would have the heart of a giver, if everyday was valentines day, love would really be, in the air, if everyday was thanksgiving, then nothing would be taken for granted. I ask myself sometimes, why don't I ever give a gift to my friends on March 7th? Or, July 15th? Why don't I go miles for my significant other on February 22nd? 

God is Love...every single day of the fricken year. I'm not asking for ya'll to go buy rockband and diamond earings every day for your friends, or take your girfriend or boyfriend to a far off destination and honeymoon it all the time, but it's little, thoughtful things, year-round, is what's going to keep Christmas cheer, all year. Some people say that they'd want Christmas to be everyday, so, then why isn't it? - God is Love

Writers Block..."Born and Raised"

My first blog in another country. woooh. haha. If ya'll don't know I'm in the Philippines. I finally got my aunts internet connected to my laptop, now I feel more, internet free. It sucks though, cause when I lok at the time on my laptop it shows vancouver time, and I know none of you guys are awake when I'll be blogging, or even on the computer. cause right now, it's 11:36pm. When I go back there, I'll actually, be travelling back in time. HAHA. Just a couple things to get out the way, ?itch, get out the way, get out the way, for those people who I promised Jordans. Most of you won't get them, just because I've been spending all my money buying my cousins here stuff. And because my aunt thinks that I'm gonna get robbed when I got to Greenhills, where all the fake ?hit is. I mean, I'd jump me too if I saw myself walking around with REAL clothes and SHOES and a dslr around my neck. I'm still promising a crap load of those plastic balloons. hahaha. In about 20 minutes it'll be my fourth day here and I'm glad times passing by pretty quick, cause I'm homesick like crazy. I shouldn't be though, I'm in the fricken HOT ASS SUN, and not in the blistering storm over there in vancity, and this is my REAL home, I guess you could say. But let's get into some thought shall we?

I got here around 10am on a humid December 19th. I didn't really know what to expect, mainly cause I haven't been back in 8 years and I don't really remember anything else besides my Lola's house. The culture and the city has changed the last time I was here. My family had mad renovations at my grandparents house, it's still the same outside but on the inside, they have nice tiles and painted walls, refurnished kitchen, and they've long retired the water pump and the manual flushing toilet. Sure, they don't have hot water but I mean, air-conditioning is more than enough. I don't live in the richest neighbourhood, or even the dopest villa in my town, as you can probably tell by some pictures, but it sure is home. 

The two minutes I walked with my cousin from my grandparents place to the new basketball court tells me alot about how the life is here now and has always been. A couple things have changed, alot more people own cars, and nice ones actually. Makes me a little jelous of my own. Everyones got a motorcyle. Those things get you pretty accesible. One thing that hasn't changed, is how free people love thier lives here. Not once, have I thought, don't these people have work? Or, don't these poeple have school? They just live. I don't question where they get thier money, or how they make it, to me thier just living. With whatever stuff they have, and what they have, is enough to get by, because they don't need too much, and the never have too little. Some of these kids, just sit on the side of street. watching cars go by for hours. They go to thier ballin' ass malls everyday just to feel the air conditioning. They drink, everyday. There's places, there's nightlife that Vancouver hasn't even seen, that Vancouver will never see. I wish I could live this life back in Vancity. But no, it's school errrday, then straight to work. 

I look at my family, and I see them look at me, their faces curious of me and the english that blurts out my mouth. My grandparents just sit near me, all the time, as I type this entry into my itouch notepad outside thier little bodega, they sit in front, watching me, not talking to me at all, and when I look up at them, they're already smiling, laughing even. I went to church today, and the pastor was talking about giving. I asked for a glass of coke, and my Lola told my cousin to go buy two litres of coke at the store for me. Of course, my grandparents want to cater to me all the time, and feed me 8 meals a day, but I should be giving back to them just as much as they've given to me. Walking through that alley, and seeing my grandma's face and feeling my grandpa's fist on forehead, sitting here, typing out this entry, while they watch me, is all that they want me to give. I'll sit beside them in silence, typing out entries all day if that fixes a smile on my Lolo's face. - God is Love

Writers Block..."SoBeautiful"

With no spaces in between my days, I haven't had enough time to blog. I mean, really sit down, read my bible/devotion book, and look out a window. I know it's bad, but sometimes, I actually really got to skip school or work to get this time. The past week was dope, weather-wise, not so much, I hate snow, it made my car look like it went off-roading . Anyway, I'm trying to troubleshoot the new iTouch that Tito Marc Generoso gave me for christmas. Not working, so I'm gonna hit up the apple store later on, get it checked out. I'm not good with following online trouble-shooting tutorials. I got a bit sidetracked cause I decided to upload the 300 hundred pictures  I took from the past two days. Yeah, I previewed all of them. Two words...SickStylz Symphony. 

It's 3 days before I leave for the Philippines and I'm just starting to build up some excitement. I'm a huge procrastinator, so I've yet to pack or withdrew any of my money to exchange for the trip. What I did do was, get all ya'll shoe sizes, merry christmas to the best of my friends, ya'll are getting fake-ass jordans and plastic balloons from your resident a-symetrical mullet friend. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And greetings from the Philippines. Ma-boo-high. 

I know this sounds like a Jenny Craig infommercial, but I beleive, that everything is beautiful. AnyTHING, posesses some quality of beauty. Of course, don't take into context that I think a pile of dog?hit is beautiful, but ya'll know what I mean. haha. I'm not a fan of travelling, and to be honest, I wouldn't be that astounded by the Eifle Tower or even a solar eclipse. You can explain to me the history of the the Taj Mahal or the scientifics of astrology, I think I'd only be amazed about how much I learned rather than the actual place or event. I can learn to appreciate that type of beauty, if it doesn't hit me now, looking at the digital still on my camera probably would. 

What contributes to beauty is experience. You can go through dramatic ?hit with your girlfriend or boyfriend, and look how much more good-looking they become after you guys break up? right? haha. I'm kidding. There's a sense of appreciation. Looking at Machu Peechu(is that how you spell it?) in pictures is cool, but what's the first couple things that come out of you're mouth after "that's dope" when looking at the picture? I'd say "Yo, I wanna go there", "Wouldn't it be cool if I lived there?". The streets of "Sex in the city" and "Gossip Girl" are dope to see on-screen. What I think makes the image stimulating, is the imagination that maybe you could be there. Being there. Expriencing it. 

I'm sitting in a coffee shop right now on 6th and 6th in New Westminster. It's no VIP lounge or nothing, there's used cups on every table because people are lazy these days and can't throw away thier own trash. haha. They play really crappy music, I think I heard SoulDecision play a minute ago. haha. The two girls that are working are the loudest people in the shop. But it's dope. Cause they hardly have any walls. Just huge windows as replacements. 6th and 6th is like the Robson and Thurlow of New West but a million times less quieter and busier, but it's "Downtown New West". On any weather occassion, this is the ?hit when I need to write. Everything is beautiful, because we choose to make it beautiful, you just have to find whatever small thing that contributes to it, and we if we find beauty in everything, then everyone would be content with the things that surround thier lives. Cool? That's be SoBeautiful. - God is Love 

Writers Block..."It's like I have brains on the back of my head"

Today was pretty productive. I got alot of writing and thinking done. Some really good discussion aswell. Someone reminded me that I haven't done "Fly girl" in a while. Sorry, camera is in a bit of a delay. Some dope songs to listen to...

Colin Munroe's mixtape: Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero

Kanye West's 808's and Heartbreak

JayZ ft. Santogold's Brooklyn Go Hard

Jamie Foxx ft. Kanye West and The Dream's DIgital Girl

Chester French and Ursulla Rucker are people to look out for..okay, let's go in..

Reading other people's blogs and writing, talking to other people about thier life isthe most refreshing thing to me as of present. Reading and hearing the ranges of life make me thing 'alice and wonderland' type ?hit. Talking to alot of people I understand that everyone goes through the same things, just at different times. Everyone experiences the "Chain of Affection"(next blog), puberty(haha), everyone finds their "niche", everyone get's on thier wild-side at some point in life. Some people just stay that way though, haha. 

I feel bad for introverts. JUST KIDDING. Well, I very much prefer hanging out with one person, or a small group, sitting in a oddly furnished room on my laptop. I get to know more people, when hanging out with one person. 

I was at a friends house the other night, and she was telling me little things about herself and she gave me, better perspective on people, that think like her. I never understood her type of emotional pathway, but seeing her, being herself, helped me understand why, someone else like her, is that way. 

The more different people I talk to, the more perspective I gain, the less judgemental and inconsiderate I become, and the more relationships I build. It's like I have brains at the back of my head. - God is Love. 

Writers Block..Preview To Streetwear Culture Project...Sneakers..

Hey guys, for those who don't know, I'm going to Langara for Journalism next september, after I graduate from my filipino dream of becoming a nurse. haha. Anyway, every year since grade 8 I've been doing big writing projects on my spare time, for example, my 'Chicken Sabao for the Soul' Chronicles(which are still compiling, actually), 'Penny for my Thoughts' chronicles(can be found on my old xanga www.xanga.com/atari_er which includes my recent blog "Stand") and to my latest accumulation of writing "Writers Block". 

The past 2 or 3 years, streetwear culture has been beneath the shadows of the young peoples fashion, mainly because, none of us could have ever afforded those clothes, especially with half you guys not even eligible to work 3 or 4 years ago. This past year and a bit before, streetwear is on it's way to reach the top of it's height in popular fashion. The top 10 freshmen of XXL magazine are all decked in your most popular brands and styles, from the 80s baby style, snapback caps and vintage crew necks to your slick shit boys with cheap monday jeans and japanase-can't even tell the time-watches. Everyone is jumping on this streewear thing, and it's not even a branch out of hip hop anymore, it's becoming it's own culture, with it's own branches. That's what I intend to explore, or, exploit? 

To preview it for ya'll since I've been talking so much about it lately is a small peice I wrote back in '04 when I was in grade 9, when Stussy was the only brand out there, and El Kartel was the only ones doin' it, and dunks only came in plain white with the grey bottoms. When sportswear was the biz. Here goes..

"I heard some guy in El Kartel saying to his friend that he maxed out $1500 dollars on kicks in one month. Ridiculous? Yeah. I thought that having the 20-25 pairs or so shoes I had at the time was big, this guy had it "going on". I thought to myself, neither I or he could stop. Stop what? Stop buying shoes. Like many sneakerheads, we need that fix. Similar to a drug addict, a junkie, I am a sneaker-junkie. It satisfies us so much to feed our endless appetite of new kicks. It's this internet thing. The only reason I know about all these things, is because of the World Wide Web. With online ordering, ebay, credit cards for the older cats being pushed in our faces, it's hard not to see why our pockets will forever look flat. Flat pockets, sneaker junkie symptom numero uno. Walking into a shoe store, going over the internet, signing in to my crookedtongues account only feul the fire, and SLAM magazines annual KICKS edition throws in some wood for those flames. I've had my relative or friend look at the stack of shoes in my room and I hear the same diagnosis, "You've got a big problem". Of course, I don't see it as a problem. Do people say the same thing about people who keep old records, stamps, or action figures? Being a sneaker junkie at the age of 14 makes it even harder for people to comprehend. People always ask, "where do you get that money?", "What do your parents do?", "Are you spoiled?". But this isn't a problem. Sneaker Junkies have been here long before me, and my generation, these older cats grew up with these sneakers that are getting "re-releases" and the shoes that are referred to as "classics" and "retros". They witnessed first hand, the birth of sneaker culture, the first Jordan shoe, the converse weapons and the dasler brothers rise in thier own sneaker lines. Those are the OG's. Sometimes people tell me that I have alot of sneaker knowledge, I say I don't. I don't even know half of it. All I got on are a pair of dirty brown vandals and saved up allowance stuffed inside my invisble jordan 1's sitting beside my beat up clydes. What do I know about sneakers? I know that I need them. I know that, they're meant to be worn."

That's just a preview of a what was s small project now turned into a huge one. Alright, that's all I gotta get back to studying. - God is Love