The Real World: Walnut Creek

I remember back in High School when teachers used to always talk to us about the 'real world'. They'd say things like "keep up that attitude and you'll never survive in the real world" or "In the real world you're not gonna be able to...blah...blah...blah". All I wanted to hear about the Real World was where the MTV show's house was going to be next season or how many Black people they were going to cast this time around (there was usually at least one, and back then that mattered to me). So, being the stubborn, 'know-it-all', college-bound, big-headed (pun intended) jerk that I was, I ignored all the warnings and precautions and went on my merry little way.

Fast-forward 6 years of life, 5 years of accumulated student loans, 4 overpriced residences, 3 counties worth of unpaid tickets, 2 maxed out credit cards, and 1 poorly financed vehicle.... What up Real World!

Suddenly I found myself wishing I would have translated those "blah"s into the knowledge that the many, many teachers and other adults once attempted to feed me. I found myself wishing that I would have sought out advice from those who had been here before; wishing that just once, a magical reset button would appear that would allow me to start over and do it the right way.

NewsFlash: That button aint comin', because that button has never existed, and it never will. I dug myself into this hole and it's on me to dig myself out.

So what do I do? Here I am in an extremely overpriced studio apartment, completely independent, working a job that pays peanuts (for now at least) with the chances of finding a second job teetering on the fence of slim-to-none (the unemployment rate just barely made it back into the single digits). Well, the simple and immediate solution is to cut back any/all unnecessary expenses (aka. cut the cable, bring lunch to work, minimize your phone plan, walk 15 minutes to the free shuttle instead of spending $2 on bus fair...etc.). The long term answer is a little more complicated; I gotta find a way to make more money, and quick!

Luckily, I have a somewhat rare and useful skill in web design (not to say that I'm an expert at it, but I get it done). So I get on the hunt for potential clients, build up my portfolio, and polish my skills (thanks in a large part to an old-coworker and friend who has shown me more in two sit downs than I learned in two years of Computer Science major study). After a couple of giveaway projects (a website for my father and one for my sister), I managed to pick up a few paid projects, but still I undercharged (yes, it's my fault... whether I underestimated the workload or was just too generous) and I'm still playing broke.

And so I met her... The Real World. The REAL, Real world. She was gorgeous when I first laid eyes on her. She spoke to me of freedom and independence; she told me that I could do whatever, and go wherever I wanted and there was nothing that anyone could say about it...

Excuse my language, but that b***ch lied to me...

Well, "lied" is a strong accusation. Maybe I should say she deceived me. Here I am, gazing an untrained eye out at a world of unlimited opportunity feeling like Clark Kent. "I'm unstoppable," I seemed to think. "Nothing can hold me back now... i'm FREE!"

Heh... 'free'... . Looking back, I realize that I was more 'free' when I lived at my parents' houses. At least then, if i got into a sticky situation I had someone to run to, but now? Now it's all Damon, and the only place I'll be running to if I dont handle business is the soup line and/or the homeless shelter.

I thought leaving my parents' houses (first Mom's house after high school, then Dad's house after returning to Northern California post-college) would provide me all of the things I hoped for; freedom, independence, privacy, and whatever...mais au contrare mon frere!(translation: But on the contrary my brutha...!) Once again I was proven wrong.

Sure, I no longer live according to the rules and regulations of living under the parental ceiling. Yes, I can do whatever I want to now. But what the aforementioned figurative young woman failed to tell me was that now I had a new set of parents, and these parents don't love me the way the ones that I was so anxious to break away from do.

No Buddy, these parents call you 5 times a day if you don't pay them in time. These parents will cut your life off if you aren't pulling enough weight to support it, and they wont think twice about it nor shed a single tear.

Well, I guess it's time to sharpen up these claws and teeth and go hunting, because chicken cacciatore is no longer waiting on the table when I get home from football practice, and there is no Cold Cut sandwich and YooHoo bagged up and ready for me to take for lunch in the morning.

There's just me... and this woman they call the Real World. I know if I treat her right she can be amazing; showing me things and taking me places beyond my greatest imaginations. But if I continue to beat, abuse, and neglect her, one day she might creep up in my sleep and slit my throat.

So Miss RW, please allow me to reintroduce myself...

RAW (Random Album Wednesday) : Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell

Meat Loaf- Bat Out of Hell

Last wednesday, I thought it would be funny, interesting, or whatever you wanna call it, to make a broad, random request on facebook for an album to listen to. I promised that no matter what, I would listen to the first album suggested from front to back...

2 minutes later, a friend from high school jokingly suggested Meatloaf's Bat out of Hell(1977) album. So, true to my word I pulled it up on Imeem and pushed play... oh boy... let's see how this goes.

Let me just start by saying that I have an extremely eclectic taste in music. If you were to scroll through my iPod you'd come across such artists as Jay-Z, Al Green, Chrisette Michele, Jadakiss, The Dells, Norah Jones, Sia, Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Johnson, Ace Hood, Kanye West, Gym Class Heroes... you get the point. I'm all over the place, so its not completely surprising that I was so open to listening to this album, but it was very interesting.

Right off the bat I was happy to return to the days of the 7 song album with 6-9 minute tracks. I also found it funny (and slightly nostalgic) to see that a 7 song playlist was split into A&B sides. (sidenote: i've always felt like I should have lived my late-teen/early adult years in the '70s so any trip back to that era is a welcome one). Ok, let me get to the music.

I must admit, Classic Rock Opera (thanks Cole) isn't really my expertise so this review may come off as slightly uneducated but ummm.... who cares, its my blog.

The opening track starts off with the about a 2 minute instrumental segment (i struggled with describing this for a while) that reminded me of the opening sequence to either a WWF Nintendo game or a Monday Night Football game (don't ask...), but that's not a bad thing, it was dope. A few things that stood out to me were the upbeat blend of the keyboard, drums and of course the electric guitar. There's just something about the mood of the late 70's/early 80's music that I've always been drawn too; whether it was Prince and Morris Day, Sister Sledge, or now Meatloaf. They always had full instrumentals and the groove always said "party time" to me. The band mellows out somewhere around the 2 minute mark and in comes Meatloaf... "The sirens are screaming and the fires are howling Way down in the valley tonight"... and for the next 7 minutes Mr. 'Loaf describes exactly why he's like a "Bat out of hell"... Favorite Lines: "Then like a sinner before the gates of heaven, Ill come crawling on back to you" and "And I know that Im damned if I never get out, And maybe Im damned if I do, But with any other beat I got left in my heart, You know Id rather be damned with you"

Overall, this is a great song both lyrically and instrumentally. And I would soon learn that the rest of the album followed in that mold.

My favorite song on the album would have to be "All revved up with no place to go" (originally titled 'The Formation of the Pack'); although, "Bat out of Hell" is a close second. '...Revved Up...' is a trip down memory lane reminiscent of the high school days of a jock/big man on campus with his eyes on a certain young lady; so despite his popularity ('I was a varsity tackle and a hell of a block, When I played my guitar I made the canyons rock') his weekends found him bored and lonely, thinking of the girl of his dreams.

Creep Alert: "Oh, baby, Im a hunter in the dark of the forest
Ive been stalking you and tracking you down".


So... I know i said this is my favorite song (and i dont plan on retract thing that statement); how---ever, I think stalking is unacceptable in all of the 50 nifty United States and the territories, so 'Loaf... that's not ok.

What I do like about this song is the theme of the song and the lyrical quality; moreso, the music is amazing.

Overall, I enjoyed Bat Out of Hell. I think it is a well-structured, complete album worth listening to (and apparently the rest of the music world agrees, as it is the third best-selling album worldwide behind Michael Jackson's Thriller and AC/DC's Back in Black; it also landed at #343 on Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums of all time list in 2003).

There happen to be 2 follow-up albums in the Bat out of Hell so who knows, I might follow-up with a discussion on those as well... i dunno... . So, borrowing a line from the album in discussion, "Let me sleep on it..."

Weaving Dreams

In the past couple of weeks (months actually), I added a few projects and hobbies into my routine. I'm in a now/never mind state leaning heavily on the now, so it was time to make some changes. To start, I began a new workout plan, called P90X, and got on an eating program. 3500cal/day, no fast food, 6 small meals a day, heavy protein, etc... etc... It's tough, i admit, but all it takes is a little discipline... a lot of discipline. Its only been 2 weeks so far, but i've been doing my thing and already feel improvement.

Then, A few Creative projects.
A logo design for a clothing line.
2 websites: one for another clothing line and one for my sister's wedding planning business.
My own Blog (the one you're reading) and My portfolio/creative media website.
Keys and Pads production blog (contribution).

Plans for going to school have been put on hold due to financial considerations and a suggested alternative. My friend showed me a website called Lynda.com, which provides a ridiculous selection of video courses for web design and development. And what makes it even more dope is the fact that for $360/yr I take as many of these courses as I can handle. True, it's not like going through an actual Graduate program but hey, its a good start in the right direction. So technically, I'm back in school.

The 25th b-day is a little more than a month and a half away, and there's a few things that i need to have accomplished. THINK25 must be complete by then (more on that later), I need to draw a dope, meaningful picture (more on that later), I need to plan for a BASH!(more on that later, too).

I'm eating off of a full plate right now and I love it. I couldn't ask for anything more.

"Learn to love the possibilities, and you'll make your way to whatever you seek."

- Ralph Marston

Dame

WhoisDJamar?

Welcome to my new, improved journal
'whoisD,Jamar?'
I intend to answer that very question
and
allow you into my world,
if you so choose to enter.
D,Jamar is... well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see.
Thankyou... and Welcome...