albertausprey

[albertausprey]

I went to a show long ago. The band: Listener. I have been following their music for 5 years up to that point, when I found out on the “bandsintown” app that they were going to hit the city. A building I always saw in passing, but never entered, until that day. “Cash Only” was the sign as I paid and made my way in. The gentleman at the door marked a “L” on my right hand as i entered the building. I didn’t wait in a long line or go through security checkpoints, long hallways nor stairs. The room had no platform for a stage nor lights to build an atmosphere. Just a rug and a few banged up instruments set up on it. I chatted with the guys who were going to perform that night, as they set up their merch tables behind the room and while still doing sound check. About 45 minutes later, the show starts. There’s probably no more than 15 of us standing in the audience. Two other artists opened up the show before Listener came on stage. It was one of the most intimate experiences I’ve had. In all being so, they gave 100% of what they had in them. Talked with the crowd and pour their hearts into the music they’ve created over the last few years. I bought a few things after the show and thanked them for their time as I bid farewell on their travels. As a fan, that was a “V.I.P. experience.” People pay big bucks for fireworks, lights and great venues with expensive hotdogs and drinks. But there are performers, stand-up comedians and music artists on your local scene you probably never heard of or checked out. They have the passion as the famous ones do. Who knows, you might’ve found a hidden gem before the world finds out who they are.

[albertausprey]

Jin Sekai, becomes a ronin as he entails on a journey to save his homeland from the onslaught of the Mongols. Disobeying his Uncle to defy the laws of Bushido in order to seek what is right in his own eyes. Such a beautiful score, graphics, story and scenery. I climbed every peak, swam every body of water and trekked through every forest I could find. The kitsune and canaries are guidance of peace and wonder, while the smoke alarms the dangers ahead. Even the side stories were fun to learn more of Jin’s past as well as others. There is no game I can think of like this as it is a one of a kind that is of honor, stoicism, coming-of-age and redemption.

[albertausprey]

Just finished the first season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Loved it. Nothing of what I expected. Wholesome. Touching on topics as mortality, being immortalized by the deeds you do and the character you are. A story based on Frieren’s reflections on her past adventures and how it has affected her in the modern era. It’s about moving on and appreciating the little things along the way. Can’t wait for season 2.

“Frieren, you should treasure the encounters you have. Death isn’t the only goodbye in this life.” -Wirbel

[albertausprey]

WOLF CHILDREN

A film from 2012. I don’t know why I haven’t seen it until now. Spoilers ahead, so read with caution. The story is narrated from the daughter’s point of view. This is about a woman, named Hana who meets a mysterious person one day while she was at college. Though his name is never known, they end up getting to know each other and fall in love. He finally reveals that he is an extinct wolf species and that he can transform into one at will. They later have two kids. The eldest is their daughter, Yuki and conceiving another child a year later, their son, Ame. One day her lover doesn’t return home, so she goes out looking for him, finding him being dragged into a garbage dump in the form of a wolf. His death was also unknown, only that he had died, probably trying to find dinner, with the clues of bird feathers still on his fur. She then moves out to the country side to make a life away from neighbors, in fear that they may find out about her children and their ability to turn into wolves. So once Hana starts making a living on the country side, she fails at growing crops. She soon attracts attention of local farmers, as she is a single mother trying to grow crops and living off of her father’s savings. They build a bond and she shares her harvest with the others all while getting the help from an elderly, grumpy man named Nirasaki. Yuki finds out about school and wants to go, but afraid of what might happen, Hana declines, until eventually getting the trust that Yuki will not turn into a wolf while away at school. Ame soon joins after and a few years go by. Yuki is now in middle school and meets a transfer student named Sohei. He says she smelled like a dog, which brings fear that he might find out, because she’s been trying to live as a human-being so not to make her mother fearful. Yuki is followed one day by Sohei as he’s trying to find out why she has been avoiding him and they get into a tussle, in which Yuki unleashes a part of her wolf form scratching a part of Sohei’s ear. Yuki doesn’t go to school after this. At this point, though Ame had been fearful to be a wolf, while reading books about wolves being hunted by humans, he starts to get mentored by an old fox that lives up in the mountains. He starts to take on more of his animal form and learn about the lifestyle in the wilderness. Ame and Yuki one night argue, because Yuki wants to continue to live on her life as a human, mean while Ame wants to become a part of the wild as he had been training with his sensei, the old fox. Ame and Yuki soon fight one another and end the scrimmage when the home is in shambles. They do forgive each other after. Soon, as Yuki has started going back to school again, while building a relationship with Sohei within that timeframe, a huge storm is on the horizon while Yuki is still at the school. Ame feels the call of the wild to save the mountain from the brewing storm. Parents are called to pick up their children, but Hana is distracted when she has to go find Ame in the mountains and ends up slipping down a hill and getting knocked unconscious. So, Hana never gets to pick up Yuki, as Sohei and her daughter are the only last two students in the building. That night, Yuki reviews her true self and he says he knew all along already and accepted her for who she is. Ame finds his mother and brings her out of the woods and as Hana wakes, he had already jumped back into the forest, leaving Hana to accept his fate as he has grown up to want to be a wolf. Years go by and Yuki is dorming at the junior high school now and Hana still lives by the countryside. I loved the story, telling about Hana’s single parent life, raising kids she has no clue how to raise because they’re half beasts. As well as the identity crisis of the children. One choosing to be human, the other, wolf. So a class of culture and single-parenting made it a heart-felt film. (10/10 ✨)

[albertausprey]

To think that our communal interests that was shared amongst others while out on a Friday or Saturday night, is now governed and controlled by the algorithm of A.I. I remember conversing with other movie lovers at a place like Hollywood Video, Family Video and Blockbuster, to which we shared favorite genres, quotes and movie plots while out looking for a VHS or DVD to rent that evening. Whether it was a store employee or another customer there for the same reason as you, they were as thrilled as you to see the latest stories being told on screen. We all came to the same place knowing where we were at was like a safe haven in getting to know your community. I hope the future doesn’t drive us people further away from each other. And that movie theaters are not a part of the past also. Streaming movies is convenient, but letting the algorithm tell you what you might be interested in is not the same as having a conversation and connection with other human-beings. Upon reflection, 2020 and the two years afterward must of been hard on many people. I can’t imagine a world where people no longer care, no longer date, attend shows, protest, vote, create, marry, etc. because A.I. decided it wasn’t for your “best interest” to do so. I say all this ironically while using social media to communicate. But all in all, I hope we all can live without being told what we should or shouldn’t love. This is what makes us human.

[albertausprey]

Sometimes, when I’m in no rush to leave in the mornings, I take some time to reflect. Especially on the weekends. As I was reading a proverb from the Native American tribe: Anishanabe, it said, “It is less of a problem to be poor than to be dishonest.” I thought about what my parents taught me as a child. We were never rich growing up and my parents always taught us about manners and honesty. I thought it was because we didn’t have much, so we should not say much. But as I grew older, I realized, people will have sympathy for the poor, but no one likes a cheater and a liar.

[albertausprey]

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero had amazing production value. Definitely a must watch for fans of the show. It had the humor you can expect from any Dragon Ball series. Great fight sequences. Favorite characters were Piccolo, Gama No. 2 & Pan. Do I think it was better than DBS: Broly? No, but I still give it a (8/10 ✨ ). It had me craving for cookies n’ crème and I immediately bought some at the nearest location right when the film ended. Also, Piccolo is still a better father figure than Goku & Gohan combined. 😂

[albertausprey]

In conversation with my dad, he brought up an old friend of his who lived in a small room of a triplex. We’d always catch him smoking a cigarette when we came over, but he’d put it out right away as soon as he saw us kids there too with our dad. He would then proceed to find something for us to snack on and turned on the TV to keep us entertained as he and my dad conversated for hours. These days, he lives in government housing as he also has dementia, not remembering where he lives, his friends, family and what tasks he had that day. But I remember back then he was fluent in Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, Hmong, English, French and Laotian. He also graduated college and was a teacher at East High in Green Bay. All to say, if someone was to meet him nowadays, they’d probably judge him on his condition and living situation. But if you got to know his history, you’d realized this guy was an intelligent man and done good things with his community. As it’s been said from time to time, “never judge a book by its cover.” Read a little bit through the chapters and you’ll discover something you didn’t expect.

[albertausprey]

Growing up, I was asked this question once: Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Thinking that a glass is usually empty unless filled, I replied with “Half-full.” I was then put in a category of being “optimistic” and me believing it so. Years later, I would rethink the process and realize, it’s not that black and white when it comes to it. I tend to look at life from many perspectives these days. Was the cup full at first and then emptied halfway? Was it empty and then half filled? Did it come into existence as halfway? The bottom line is that not everything in life is black and white. Sometimes it falls between the lines into the grey. Assuming things before evidence or context usually loops you back in the same place.

[albertausprey]

I Don’t Pretend that I’m Okay.

You might think that I am. You may see a slither of my emotions from time to time, but I keep it real. I don’t only post about highlights. Deep down at the very core of my existence, I constantly feel empty. Or emptied. I’m not to sure if I’m not getting fulfilled or if I’m just tired, drained or worn out. I don’t talk about it. People don’t care to listen most times. And the thought of pouring out to someone who just doesn’t understand what my thinking process is like, is a waste of my time. Most people don’t get me anyways to begin with. Heck, even I don’t understand me at times. All I want is to be put back together. I feel as though a piece of the puzzle is either missing, distorted or destroyed. Why this constant battle? I don’t know. I don’t have the answer.

[albertausprey]

“Why Aren’t You Married Yet?”

When I was still working at UMS, I met a man, who was probably in his early fifties. I’d seen him every now and then when I went and did pick up. Within the 5 minutes of loading up, we’d have a chat about life. One thing I remember him asking me was, “You’re 29 (at the time). Why aren’t you married yet?” Besides, still being single, I told him a part of it is, I’m afraid that when I do, I’ll probably not hang out with my single friends anymore. We’d lose connection and distance ourselves from one another. They’re just as important to me in my life and ditching them doesn’t seem right. Most guys I knew who got married, didn’t have time anymore, their wife didn’t want them coming out or something else came up. And he responded with this. It’s probably one of the best advice that I’ll always remember from him was, “If you set a time and date, go through with it. Me and my buddies still hang out every now and then on the weekends. Some are still single too, but we make time for it.” Stick to your word. That’s all you have to do. Single or not.

[albertausprey]

I first seen George “Rush” St.-Pierre the weekend before departing for Iraq. One of my sergeants got the UFC 83 PPV and invited us over to hang. I didn’t know who GSP was at the time though. It was to me, the American: Matt Sera versus the Canadian: St.-Pierre. Unknowingly, GSP would win that match becoming a two-time UFC Welterweight Champion and also win a new fan in me. He has officially retired from MMA and will definitely go into the Hall of Fame.

[albertausprey]

[albertausprey]

My Bad

I found this girl on FB I rejected back in the 8th grade. It wasn’t the in-your-face type of approach either. She told her friend, which was my friend as well at the time and I kindly said, “No, I’m not interested.” She went back and told her. And that was that, but then the rest of the school year got awkward, because I had orchestra, study hall and gym class with her. I tried avoiding conversations or eye contact soon after the acknowledgement. My bad.

[albertausprey]

I’m a child of immigrants. Refugees who were fleeing a war torn country. Promised to have a safe haven if our people helped in the fight against the Viet Cong. And in the history books, we were mentioned in a brief paragraph only. My parents came to the U.S. to start a new life, only to be discriminated by surrounding neighbors as well. I remember seeing these things called Paj Ntaub, which depicted men, women and children running together and crossing this river with soldiers shooting on one side of it. I never really new the significance of it until I grew up. It was preserving our history, that our parents and grandparents were unwilling to forget. When I see Hmong OG’s, I’m reminded of the people they lost, the hardships they faced and the freedom they strived to have. That’s why I understand when they look down on us for not trying harder, because they literally fought with their lives. My dad, taking a part in the war at the age of 12, was shot more times than 50 Cent did and died twice in that process. The things they have seen and heard. I couldn’t imagine. So I’m grateful for what i have and who I am. I’m Hmong and I’m proud. #Legacy #Hmong #Hmoob

[albertausprey]

[albertausprey]

I’m not here for you when you’re bored. You either care about what someone’s been up to or you’re just scrolling through.