juanandonly0427-blog

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Now i want a drone

You can’t keep the drones.

[juanandonly0427-blog]

And yet he still doesn’t get the recognition he deserves

Logic’s speech at the 2017 VMA’s 

[juanandonly0427-blog]

My Dad is the Best Dad in the History of Dads, Dad.

But first... a skit. Nurse: Congratulations, Mr. Guarin, you have a wonderful baby boy!!! Mr. Guarin: Oh my god... you are the most precious thing in the world... my only son!!!! Oh my goodness, the things I have planned for you! You are going to be amazing! You are going to be magnificent! You are going to be- Nurse: One of two! Mr. Guarin: What? Nurse: You are having twins, Mr. Guarin! Mr. Guarin: Oooh Shiiiiiiiii-

Okay, so two things to clear up here. One, I am one of two. Well, one half of a person. I think that’s how it works. I don’t know, I got a B+ plus in Biology sophomore year, but that doesn’t mean I’m an expert! That’s right, I have a twin brother. His name is Pedro, and he is awesome sauce. Hi Pedro! And two, I’m pretty sure that is not how my birth actually went, but I’d like to think that my dad thought or said all of that stuff when we were both in his arms after being brought into the world. Minus the s-word part. My dad has way more class than that, you guys.

So today is Father’s Day, guys, and I am a pretty lucky guy in that respect. My dad is one of the most amazing human beings on this planet. And I know what you guys are thinking; “Ugh Juan! Everybody thinks that about their father! Yours isn’t that special!” Well, come and say that to my face! I friggin dare ya! And besides, I don’t just say that out of the love and respect I have for him, no no no, not at all. I say that as a matter of fact!

Don’t believe me? I figured you wouldn’t. 

*Pulls out a memory book* 

Luckily, I got a pretty darn good memory! Filled with stories that are sure to make your spine tingle, tales that will pull you to the edge off your seat, fables so fantastic you’ll fall feverishly out of your place!

But I’m not diving into any of that today, those I’m saving for future blogs (and possibly videos).

No, I’m going to focus on stories that show why my dad is the best dad in the history of all dads, dad. 

That is also the title of this blog. I’m keeping it.

All right, on with the stories!!!

Adventures in Arizona, 2005

Many years ago, my family and I went out to explore the American West. Well, the West Coast. Well, just California. And Arizona. And Nevada. That’s about it. 

Still counts!

We started our journey out in old Cali-Forn-I-A in Los Angles, followed by Las Vegas, and then Phoenix. To put into a small recap, I walked around Hollywood, I visited a fake Paris and Venice, and I saw the world’s largest sinkhole (no offense to the Grand Canyon, but c’mon. Let’s call it what it is).

After our visit into the choice for the world’s largest cereal bowl, my family and I got caught in an extreme traffic gridlock along the one highway that connects Phoenix to Las Vegas, apparently.

Now tell me not; being stuck in a hot car for the longest time with your impatient, tired, and frustrated family, in the middle of the hot Arizona desert, with cars honking louder than a symphony: you’d want to run like hell out of there, right?

At least, that was what I was thinking during the gridlock. I imagined running out into the sunny desert landscape, maybe encounter a horse with no name, help me pull out of the rain. Wait, there’s no rain. Oh god, that desert heat made me lose my mind, didn’t it?

So, my dad has a bit of a bad back, and being stuck in a small car in the middle of nowhere started making him feel a bit sore. So he stepped out of the car and told us he was just going to take a small walk down the road. We figured that was ok, a bunch of other guys were probably doing the same thing all around the road. Maybe dad could make a friend.

So as my dad walked about 10 yards down the road behind us, traffic…started…MOVING!!! We started panicking. We tried calling our dad, but he was pretty far down the road by then. My mom then jumped into the driver’s seat and started to slowly pull away. And as we drove off, Pedro and I kept screaming out the window to get our dad’s attention.

He finally got the message. After we were like three care lengths down the road!!

So my dad started sprinting on the side road to catch up with us. Pedro and I started to cry because we thought our dad was going to be left behind in the desert! What would he eat?! Where would he sleep?! How would he survive?!?! WOULD HE REMARRY AND HAVE A NEW FAMILY?!?!?! OH MY GOD NOOOOOO!!!!!

Finally, traffic stopped, my dad caught up to us, got back in the car completely soaked in sweat and out of breath, and we rode the rest of the way back to Los Angeles.

“But Juan, how does that make your dad great?!”

I’M GETTIN’ THERE!!! Calm your horses, or unicorns, or whatever four-legged animal you rode in on (that’s not what she said).

After my dad got into the car, we expected him to be frustrated or mad. Instead, he was…calm and soothing. He knew that Pedro and I were freaking out that we were going to leave him behind, and despite having run through a bunch of cars in 100+ degree heat, he kept his cool. He looked Pedro and I in the eyes, said that he loved us and that he would never think of leaving us or mom, and then turned around to continue driving.

Through this, my dad taught me a pretty important lesson; you can’t let the many frustrations of life weigh you down. You gotta take a second to think about what’s important, and keep your focus on it, no matter what. For my dad, his focus was making sure that my brother, my mom, and I were ok. 

Parisian Point of View

So every kid goes through a rebellious phase, that’s a fact of life. Taking place in high school, some kids dye their hair, some get tattoos, and others do drugs or get drunk. Basically, if it feels like the parents would disapprove of that, the kid does it.

I didn’t have a rebellious phase. At least, not in high school.

For the first 18 years of my life, I was practically a good boy for my parents. I studied hard, played sports, didn’t go out partying, hung out with responsible people; I was basically the perfect child!

Well, sorta. I did get in trouble with my parents occasionally, but if we’re looking at this from an overall standpoint, I was a pretty damn good son.

That is, until the year 2014. Let me explain

After I graduated high school in 2013, my brother and I decided to take a gap year before starting college. I went to Germany, he went to Switzerland. I chose Germany because I felt like it could mold me into a responsible adult. Germans are known for their no-nonsense, blunt, and brutally honest attitude, so I figured that kind of structure and discipline could help prepare me for college life when I came back.

While I won’t talk about what I did while in Germany (that can fill up to ten blogs there), I can tell you that I got what I was looking for. Kinda. When I left the U.S., I left as a shy, quiet, patient, introverted boy who didn’t like to question anything and just do as he was told. When I came back, I was a totally different person.

Basically, I was going through my rebellious phase (late bloomer). I was loud, opinionated, brutally honest, short-tempered, and rather adventurous. I rarely ever turn down an invitation for anything, and I try my best to put myself out there so I can meet new people and build connections.

“What’s this got to do with your dad, dummy?”

I’m getting there!!!

So during my rebellious phase, I began to question everything that I believed in. Including my religious beliefs. I came to Germany as a devout Catholic. My relationship with Catholicism was a little rocky throughout my childhood, but I kept the faith alive.

However, in Germany, I was presented with so many different ideologies and theories by so many people. Jews, Muslims, Jedis (I’m not kidding, I met a kid whose religion was “The force”), Agnostics, etc. Ironically, the group that caught my attention the most were the atheists.

And as I got to know more about atheism and compare it to what I knew as a catholic, I began to buy into it. By the time I left Germany, I had become a full-blown atheist. I renounced my Catholicism, and began to see everything from the point of view of someone with no religion.

Now for some people, this would be relieving. This would be considered a great new start for a new chapter in their lives. For me, I was scared. You see, my parents are one of the most religious, yet liberal, people I know. They give thanks to God for everything: the roof over our heads, our jobs, our health, our food; everything.

They raised me to believe in God and Jesus Christ, and were proud to see that I was devout. I couldn’t imagine how they would react/feel when I tell them what had happened.

That day came earlier than I expected.

After my year abroad, I met up with my brother in Berlin to begin a European tour together. My parents had been planning it ever since my brother and I left, and we were destined for 7 major European cities; Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Paris, London, Liverpool, and Paris. In two weeks, my brother and I explored the best of what Europe had to offer. Culture, food, people, the FIFA World Cup; it was perfect!

“Oh my god, you’re worse than Ted Mosb-“

*hits guy with frying pan. *

As I was saying, as we arrived to Paris via train, we were shocked to see who was waiting for us at the station; my parents!!!

My brother and I had no idea they were coming, so we just stood there all shocked looking at them. It was pretty funny.

We explored Paris together for three to four days as a family, and it felt so good to be reunited again after almost 12 months apart! Yes, I am a mama’s boy and proud of it!

Now, here’s where I was getting at.

We took a walk over to Notre Dame to see the Cathedral there. And like an idiot, I thought it would be a good time to bring up my… *ahem * “change” to my parents. So I told them, and their reactions weren’t what I expected. My mom was pretty surprised, and felt like she needed a minute to absorb what she just heard. My dad was the same, but then did something I didn’t expect.

He pulled me aside and asked me why I felt this way. I explained everything I learned while abroad, and how everything has changed for me. My dad said that I brought up a few valid points for my decision, and as we walked around together, he asked me if I am happy with my decision, if I’m not just going through a phase; you know, typical dad stuff. I told him I was certain of my decision, and he gave me a big hug. He smiled, told me he loved me, and we explored the rest of Paris with my mom and brother.

Now, a lot of parents would take this and feel betrayed by their kids. They would feel like all they had taught them was thrown out the window, and it would create a rift between them.

My dad’s not like that. It was pretty hard for him to hear it at first, but he knew that I was following my own path, and that I had to make these types of decisions for myself. And even though he didn’t agree with me, he still supported me through it all. Today, I am still an atheist, but my dad still respects me, and he doesn’t love me any less for it.

Lost in Philadelphia 

So I live about ten minutes away from New York City. It’s the best city in the whole world. Period. No other city gets to have that moniker.

So many great films are based here like “Taxi Cab”, “Men in Black” …others. Even Jay-Z and Alecia Keys wrote an amazing song dedicated to the grandeur of this city!

CONCRETE JUNGLE WHERE THINGS ARE MADE OF! THERE’S NOTHING YOU CA-

“You can’t sing, yah dummy!”

Don’t make me hit you again!

Anyways, New York City is my backyard, my home away from home, if you will.

But on occasion, I do go visit other cities. They’re not as great as New York City, but it’s whatever, nothing compares to the NY.

I’ve been to Boston, Providence, Washington, D.C., Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix; I’ve been everywhere, man. Well, not everywhere-everywhere, but you get the point!

However, there’s one city in particular that always seems to get the best of my dad whenever we go visit; Philadelphia.

So going to Philly is about a three hour car ride from where I live, and the city itself isn’t really that extravagant. Sure, it’s got the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Rocky Statue, and tons of other historical American stuff, but it can’t compare to the Empire State Building, or Time Square, or even the World Trade Center, right?

Right?

Back to the story!

Whenever my family and I go to Philly, we play tourist in all the usual sites. We’ve seen the liberty bell more times than a person should in a life time, which is once, in case you were wondering. We also get this amazing frozen yogurt from a shop that’s nerd/geeked themed. All over the wall, there’s references and memorabilia to Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who; basically, if a nerd likes it, it’s there. I don’t remember the name of the place, but I know where to find it. And I’m not telling you. That’s my place, you can’t have any!!!

So, yeah, going to and being in Philadelphia isn’t the problem my dad faces every time we go. It’s getting out that’s the problem.

My dad’s an amazing driver, don’t get me wrong on that. He could drive a jeep through an extremely narrow alley without scratching a single centimeter of the car. He can drive backwards better than forwards. He can drag through tricky turns!! HE CAN-

Ok, he can’t do some of that stuff, but he’s still pretty amazing, you guys!!

But when it comes to leaving the city of Philadelphia, my dad has the habit of somehow making the wrong turn and making back into the city! In my entire life, this has happened a total of three times with my dad; once when we went with his old friend, another time during a family trip, and one more when I went down with him and my ex-girlfriend.

And every time we go down, either my brother, my mother, or myself always make sure to remind him not to miss the exit. Multiple times. Throughout the whole day.

Even at home, the memory comes back to haunt him. We buy Philadelphia cream cheese just to remind him of it every time we take it out of the fridge.

So how does this make my dad amazing?

Well, it’s the fact that he takes this in stride. He doesn’t get annoyed by the teases and the jokes, he laughs it off with us. Usually, this type of thing would annoy someone to the point of anger. I know it would make me feel pretty bad. But not my dad. He’s got an amazing sense of humor, and that’s all I could ask for.

So there you go! Three good stories on why my dad is the best dad in the history of all dads, dad. Don’t believe me? Don’t care, because he’s the best for me and my brother.

Would your dad run across the desert and still keep his cool after getting left behind?

Would your dad be as patient and accepting as mine?

Would your dad laugh at all the Philadelphia jokes you make every time you go there?

Probably.

All dads are pretty amazing.

But to me, my dad is, and always will be, the best.

Got any cool/funny/inspiring stories about your dad? Leave them in the comment section below!

I’d love to hear them!

Thanks for reading!!!!

[juanandonly0427-blog]

URL—>http://www.channelate.com/2017/06/14/aw-man-3/ Bonus—>http://www.channelate.com/extra-panel/20170614/

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Keeping up College friendships during the Summer

So we all know that in high school, we had the benefit of hanging out with our friends at school every day. Sometimes, it could stretch to hanging out after school as well, or even during the weekend. Since we all live in the same town and are within a close proximity to each other, it wasn’t really that hard to keep in contact with your friends. 

Summer during those years warranted the same thing, only now we had the weekdays dedicated to going to the beach, riding bikes, road trips, or hosting bombastic cookouts, instead of being stuck within the concrete classroom of our school. 

When we’re in high school, we don’t tale these things into consideration. We take advantage of these facts. We take advantage of the fact that we still have these close nit group of friends, and that we could see them wherever we wanted, when we wanted.

And when high school ends, we all try to keep the same damn promise; “we’re gonna stay best friends forever. Even after we go to college.”

But that never really holds water. Eventually, you grow apart from those you were closest with. Yes, you might have a stickler or two, but that’s all you’re really going to have. No longer will you be able to have those massive hangouts everyday, or have an amazing summer adventure. Eventually, everybody grows apart.

It doesn’t get any easier when you go to college, though.

Let me explain that through a story.

So I go to a small college, you’ve probably never heard of it before, it’s called RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW FRIGGIN JERSEY, MOTHERF****A.

Like I said, small college.

So I go here, and I have made a lot of friends during my first three years. I’ve also lost just as much. I used to be only be able to count how many friends I had if i included counting with my toes.

Now, I can count it with just one hand.

College is a lot like life; you win some, you lose some. For me, I’ve lost more than I’ve won, but that’s a blog entry for another day. 

Anyways, so one of my closes friends in college is a commuter super senior. I won’t mention her in order to protect her identity, so let’s call her Mother Russia. 

So I’ve known Mother Russia for a good 9-10 months, but she has become one of my closest friends and trustees in college. She and I have shared a lot of personal stuff, and have helped each other through some of our darkest times. 

Now, she and I are pretty good friends, and during the school year we would hang out at least once a week (due to conflicting schedules). I told her that I hope that we would be able to hang out just as often during the summer. She seemed adamant on the matter, but at the same time, a bit optimistic.

So you’re probably thinking “it can’t be that hard to see each other. It’s not like you live miles and miles away from each other.”

Man, you look stupid with all that egg on your face.

Mother Russia lives 54.4 miles south of where I live. That’s an hour and a quarter of driving time, plus half a tank of gas in total. 

Now, a lot of people would consider just giving up on keeping this friendship and save their gas money.

I am not one of those people.

I care a lot about the few friends that I have. I have lost so many friendships during my college career, some of which I took advantage of.

I don’t intend to repeat those same mistakes. 

Today, I actually went down to see her after a medical appointment. The drive down is always the most excruciating part for me, mainly because the New Jersey land scape is so BORING LIKE OMG! Plus, I have a front row seat to seeing my gas meter go from a full tank to 3/4ths full in one single trip. I arrived an hour early because of a miss communication with Mother Russia, so I sat around catching up with “Arrow” (which is an amazing show, btw, and another blog topic for another day).

She finally arrived and it’s like we were still in school; we talked, shared funny stories about our week, talked about homework (we’re both taking summer classes), love lives, home life, bad jokes, lots o’ food, and a whole bunch of other stuff. All within an hour. After that, I walked her to her summer class and took my dreadful, long, and boring, 54.4 mile ride home. 

What was the point of this blog entry, you may ask? Today made me remember that friends are fickle thing; they are easy to get, and easy to lose, but extremely hard to maintain. Value your friends, treasure them for as long as you have them. 

[juanandonly0427-blog]

My favorite lyrics from New School Rap Artists.

So I run a radio show at my college with one a co-host named C-Bo called “Chillin with C-Bo”. I started out as a guest on the show, but I soon became something more. Now C-Bo is leaving the country for a while, so it’s up to me to run the show.

If you ever wanna listen, I’m on from 11:30 AM- 2:30 Pm EST, on Tuesdays. I’ll provide a link to the online site below.

But enough self promotion! 

One thing I promised C-Bo was that I would stick to his style of music for the show to maintain consistency, as well as sprinkle a little bit of my own flavor. 

The problem, however, was I wasn’t into the type of music C-Bo was into; New School Rap. I have been hesitant to dive into this genre because I was afraid that it would ruin the flavor of rap and hip hop I had acquired from before 2010 (you know, your basic nostalgia).

But As I began to really listen to artists like Chance the Rapper, Logic, Childish Gambino, and Kendrick Lamar, I fell in love. But not with the beat, or the tempo, or even the voices/flow of the artists. I fell in love with the lyrics. What I love most about rap and hip-hop is that it gives artists a chance to formulate great lyrical content. Other genres of music have become so cheesy and typical with the words, that it gets to the point where they all sound the same.

But in rap, each song is so different.

Nas wrote a song from the point of view of a gun.

Eminem wrote a song about a crazed fan that lost his mind trying to get his attention.

NWA created songs that helped bring a spark into the souls of Compton residents, making them feel like they aren’t all the criminals and gang-bangers everyone sees them as.

Hell, Mackelmore wrote a song about how to shop at a thrift shop!

Today’s modern day rap has taken a bit of a blow in terms of lyrical content, however.

With so many songs about money, drinking, smoking, making money, cursing out the police, and gang banging,  along with the rise of Mumble rap and songs that are just repeating the same 3 lines over and over to a loud beat, it’s hard to find good, thought provoking lyrics in today’s rap.

Luckily, I found a few.

If you wanna know what songs these lyrics came from, they’ll be in Parenthesis at the end of each one. 

So here are some of my favorite lyrics from some of today’s New School Rap Artists;

Kendrick Lamar

“I can dig rapping... but a rapper with a ghost writer; what the fuck happened? (Oh no!) I swore I wouldn't tell! But most of you share bars like you got the bottom bunk in a two man cell! (A two man cell?) Something's in the water.(Something's in the water) And if I got a brown nose for some gold, then I'd rather be a bum than a motherfuckin' baller!” (King Kunta)

“I'm so fucking sick and tired of the Photoshop. Show me something natural like afro on Richard Pryor. Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks.” (HUMBLE)

“I know murder, conviction, burners, boosters, burglars, ballers, dead, redemption, scholars, fathers dead with kids,  and I wish I was fed forgiveness Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, soldier's DNA.” (DNA)

“I done been through a whole lot; trials and tribulations, but I know God! Satan wanna put me in a bow-tie, praying that the holy water don't go dry, yeah yeah! As I look around me, so many motherfuckers wanna down me! But enemigo never drown! In front of a dirty double-mirror, they found me. And, I love myself!” (i)

“If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room, would you trust it?” (Poetic Justice ft. Drake)

“Everybody gon' respect the shooter, but the one in front of the gun lives forever” (Money Trees)

“Seen a light-skinned n***a with his brains blown out. At the same burger stand, where *censored* hang out. Now this is not a tape recorder saying that he did it. But ever since that day, I was looking at him different. That was back when I was nine. Joey packed the nine. Pack to stand on every porch is fine. We adapt to crime...” (m.A.A.d. city)

“’Okay... Now open your mind up and listen to me, Kendrick! I'm in your conscience, if you do not hear me, then you will be history, Kendrick! I know that you're nauseous right now, and I'm hopin' to lead you to victory, Kendrick!’ If I take another one down, I'm a drown in some poison abusin' my limit” (Swimming Pools [Drank])

Logic

“Not perceived by the things I believe or the color of my skin, or the fact I'm attracted to her, maybe him, or the fact I'm a single mother living all alone, looking for a man and a home to call my own. But I already have one; the only man I'ma ever need is my son, my son, my son, my son, son, say!” (Black SpiderMan)

“All this other shit I'm talkin' 'bout they think they know it. I've been praying for somebody to save me, no one's heroic. And my life don't even matter. I know it I know it, I know I'm hurting deep down but can't show it. I never had a place to call my own, I never had a home. Ain't nobody callin' my phone. Where you been? Where you at? What's on your mind? They say every life precious, but nobody care about mine.” (1-800-273-8255)

“Everybody gonna die, gonna go one day, maybe it'll happen on a Monday. Drop into work and get hit by a Hyundai, fuck it, let it all go one day” (Fade Away)

“Man, I never knew livin' out a dream meant livin' out a suitcase! I've been working at a new pace! So much money on the road, I ain't even had a minute, not a single second chilling in my new place! Motherfuckers getting two-faced! ‘Cause a brother finally eating, not to mention everybody gettin' two plates!” (Run it)

“Masta deep down inside of me, the plantation deep down inside of me. Everybody fuck like sodomy, because one or the other what it gotta be. Tell me, why my momma gotta lie to me, unity for everyone that lied to me. Peace on earth, what I try to be; I just wanna spread the message of equality” (Take It Back)

“I been knockin doors down like a Jehovah witness, God as my witness, I'm with this, but on the real I think I need another witness!” (Everybody)

Drake

“You know the truth, this not pretend, I'm not your friend, not your guy, I'm not your buddy, show no lovin', and I might go DeMarcus Cousins; out in public!” (6 Man)

“Please, check 'em for a wire or earpiece. Please, please do not let these n***as near me. Please, think before you come for the great one. Please, who's a real n***a and who ain't one? Please.” (Back to Back)

“Oh, Lord! Who else sounded like this? They ain't make me what I am, they just found me like this, I was ready. Fuck that, I've been ready, since my dad used to tell me he was comin' to the house to get me. He ain't show. Valuable lesson, man, I had to grow up! That's why I never ask for help; I'll do it for you n***as and do it for myself!” (0-100/The Catch Up)

“I done kept it real from the jump. Living at my mama's house we'd argue every mornin' n***a, I was trying to get it on my own; working all night, traffic on the way home, and my uncle calling me like, ‘Where ya at?’ I gave you the keys told ya bring it right back, N***a.” (Started from the Bottom)

Chance the Rapper

“Man my daughter couldn't have a better mother. If she ever find another, he better love her! Man I swear my life is perfect, I could merch it! If I die I'll prolly cry at my own service...” (All We Got)

“JJ, Mikey, Lil Derek and them, 79th street was America then. Ice cream truck and the beauty supply, blockbuster movies and Harold's again. We still catching lightening bugs when the plague hit the backyard. Had to come in at dark cause the big shawty's act hard.” (Summer Friends)

“Jesus black life ain't matter, I know I talked to his daddy, said you the man of the house now, look out for your family.” (Blessings)

“Damn man, I don't even need a radio, and my new shit sound like a rodeo Got the old folks dancing the Do-si-do, so they fuck around, sign me to OVO. Oh, I just might share my next one with Keef, got the industry in disbelief, they be asking for beef!” (Angels)

“Way back then when everything we read was real, and everything we said rhymed. Wide eyed kids being kids. When did you stop? What did you do to your hair? Where did you go to end up right back here? When did you start to forget how to fly?” (Same Drugs)

“Hope there never come a day where we be better as friends. We in a marathon we could build a marriage on. Arguments as parents digging deeper than a baritone. I've been getting blocked just trying to make songs with friends, labels told me to my face that they own my friends.” (Finish Line/Drown)

Childish Gambino

“I got more tail than that PetCo, you faker than some Sweet'N Low. Yeah, you got some silverware, but really are you eating though? Are you eating though? N***a, are you eating though? Breakfast, lunch and dinner's for beginners, you ain't even know.” (IV. Sweatpants)

“All I do is make the stuff I would've liked, reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite, now I'm firefly like a burning kite. And you's a fake fuck like a fleshlight” (Fire Fly)

“Can we hear the N-word one day and not get upset? Can we try something new and not be suspect?” (You See Me)

“My shit be Jackson, Jordan, Bolton, Keaton, Tyson: 5 Mikes. Donald Glover, no relation, always workin', no vacation. They couldn't feel me, no vacation. Murder versus the only motive was motivation...” (Bonfire)

“Got no patience, cause I'm not a doctor. Girl why is you lying, girl why you Mufasa? Yeah, mi casa su casa, gotta strip it like Gaza. Got so high off volcanoes, now the flow is so lava.” (3005)

So, that’s my list. I might have left out some better verses by theses artists, as well as some better artists. That’s mainly cuz these are the only new school rappers i’ve been hearing as of late. If you got any suggestions of artists/songs, please lmk!!! Thanks for reading!!!

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Wonder Woman Movie Review

SPOILER ALERT IS IN AFFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Before I get down to the review, an anecdote; 

Yesterday, right after I rode about 120 streets worth of the spectacular concrete jungle that is Manhattan, my dad and I caught the rush hour traffic out of the city. While stuck in the gridlock on the Upper West Side, I pleaded with him to get tickets for tonight’s late showing of the new D.C. Summer Blockbuster, Wonder Woman. Being more of a D.C. fan than a Marvel Fan (Forever Batman, y’all( I had to, just had to, see the DCEU’s attempt to reroute the dreadful course it had set for itself with last year’s anticipated, yet somewhat questionable, Batman vs Superman, Dawn of Justice. 

After the 841st time I pleaded with him (and yes, I counted), he finally caved. Huzzah! On to movietickets.com I went to try and score great seating at the AMC owned Starflex Theather that’s near my house. Unfortunately, every showtime I checked for tonight, between the hours of 9 and 10:30 were booked solid.

Same friggin thing happen for Saturday night (I had underestimated the popularity Wonder Woman would garner). 

Now, I am a creature of habit, especially when it comes to movies. I always aim to got this exact cinema, get the perfect seating (3/4ths of the way from the screen, straight down the middle of the aisle), get there half an hour early, and buy all my movie snacks 10 minutes before i enter the movie starts (to ensure that when I start eating it like a starved pig, it would last me until I’m 15 minutes into the film). 

Instead, my dad had me buy tickets for a movie theater that was;

A. Farther away from my house.

B. More expensive in terms of tickets and snacks.

and C. NO RESERVED SEATING (EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Do I sound spoiled? 

Yes. 

But after what I just told you, can you blame me?

Also Yes. 

Enough about my spoiled ass, on to the review!

(Above: Gal Gadot as Diana/Wonder Woman)

I entered the movie without any high expectations. After seeing the last couple of films DCEU introduced in order to combat the MCU, I was pretty nervous to see how DC can screw up a solo film for a female lead.

Keep in mind, Female leads/stand alone superhero films have not been successful, to say the least (Halle Berry’s Cat Woman or Jennifer Gardner’s Elektra, anyone?). So, to be fair, I came in with a few doubts.

Those doubts now lay dead in a shallow grave outside of a Chuck E. Cheeses.

A breath of fresh air from the crap-fest that the DCEU has been serving us the past four years, Wonder Woman brings is a truly magnificent origin story for one of comic’s most revered and inspiring role models, for men and women alike. 

Gal Gadot’s portrayal of the Themyscirian Royal/Amazon Warrior was very similar in quality to that of Ben Affleck’s Batman; humanistic, sincere, and flowed well with the direction director Zac Snyder was taking. Gadot portrays Diana as passionate, empathetic, and optimistic. She gives Diana this desire to be heroic in the face of danger, to be a shining light and savior for those that can’t defend themselves; a true hero, so to say.

(Above: Gal Gadot at the ‘blue carpet” Premiere of Wonder Woman)

As is the trend of these modern superhero adaptations, Gadot also gives Diana a sense of Humanity. After she leaves Themyscira, Diana enters the “world of man”, where she is horrified by the direction that mankind has taken in life. Overcrowded and smog-filled cities, women being treated/viewed as second class citizens, not to mention the “war to end all wars” going on in the midst of all this, Mankind has become ugly and corrupted in Diana’s eyes yet she still believes that they are only this way because they are under the so-called “spell” of the God of War, Aries (portrayed by Daniel Thewlis). 

(Above: Daniel Thewlis portrayed Aries)

While this humanistic quality makes Gadot’s Wonder Woman more relatable to audience, it also makes her pretty naive. As she arrives in London, she is exposed to all of this new-age technology that she has never seen before. Like a child, she questions and touches everything she sees, wanting to learn more about it. In the outfit montage that she undergoes, she settles with a look that is more fitting for a man of the era than for a woman (it was also a nice easter egg/reference to earlier live action portrayals of Wonder Woman/Diana Prince). As Diana travels with Steve Trevor (portrayed by Chris Pine) and his band of misfits to the front of the War, she learns that not everything is as simple as she thought. While she wants and tries everything she can to save everyone, it is not enough. She witnesses innocent people suffering from the amount of destruction and chaos that this war has brought on, and all she can do is move forward towards her main goal; killing Aries.

(Above: Chris Pine at the “blue carpet” premier of Wonder Woman)

In her final battle with Aries, we see a sort of “coming of age” moment for Diana; she realizes that while there is darkness and hatred within all of mankind, there is also light, love, and selflessness within them all. Through this realization, Diana learns that the world is not black and white in terms of morality. It is multi-colored and layered, with so many different point of views and opinions that every person on Earth possess. Sure, some might agree with certain ideas, but they are not all the same. Everyone is in control of their own morality. Some are good, some are evil. And you can’t change that, not even if you’re a god/spawn of Zeus.

Overall, I thought the movie was a great step in the right direction for the DCEU. I see Wonder Woman as a prime example that standalone female superhero movies can work (Where’s that Black Widow solo film? Your move, Marvel). the only criticism I have about the film is the ending of it. It felt a bit rushed and cheesy, which is a consistent issue that the DCEU has been facing since Man of Steel. I hope that when they release Justice League this coming December, they’ll have that solved. 

Rating: 8.3/10

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Timing is key to becoming a successful vampire

[juanandonly0427-blog]

The struggle with weight loss

I’m not gonna lie to you guys; I am overweight. To many people, overweight means not being able to see your feet (or private parts) over your bulging stomach. It means needing a scooter to get around. It means your limbs are so bulgy, they look like sausages. 

But that’s not me. I can walk your ass to the ground. My hands are relatively normal. And I can see my feet just fine. 

But my face is getting longer. My cheeks are as puffy as a chipmunk trying to stock up for winter. My underarms swing like a 75 year old librarian’s. And my stomach slumps down like an over flowing cup of goo. My chest, while pretty wide, tends to slump like if I had breasts, and when I bend down, I can feel the creases of my body beginning to sweat heavily.

Currently, I weigh 255 pounds. I’m five foot eleven inches tall, so my height helps me push the weight around. But weight has always been my moral enemy. Ever since I was 9 years old, I have been extremely self conscious about my body.

I would look around and see these kids with no round bellies, no chubby cheeks, and could play sports better than I could and i thought to myself “why can’t that be me?”

To feel better about myself, I would consume so much unhealthy and sweet foods like cakes, burgers, pizza, fries; anything that was greasy and fattening went right into my mouthhole. 

In high school, I was incredibly shy about my weight. I would wear big puffy sweaters and hoodies just to hide my stomach. I would pull my sweater down so that I would make it look  like it’s my hands pulling down the sweater that’s making me look big, not my round belly.

College hasn’t been any different. I’m a senior, and after three years, I still haven’t been able to get my weight problems under control.

There are days where I wish I would be locked in my room, deprived of all food in hopes that it’ll make my stomach shrink.

There are days where I wish I could afford to get liposuction.

There are days where I wish I could puke out all my food of the day so that i don’t gain anything.

There are a lot of dark days...

But I’m trying to do something about it. For the past three weeks I’ve been trying to do better in terms of dieting and exercising. I’ve been trying to limit my carb consumption, using weights for my upper body, doing sit ups and planks, and walking on a tread mill for 40 minutes on a ten inch incline going three miles per hour (that might not seem hard, but try it and then talk to me). 

I want to be able to look myself in the mirror and be happy with what I see. I know that I have to keep postitive in terms of body image, and I’ve heard the “you’re not fat”, “you’re perfect the way you are” and the best of them all; “love yourself, no matter your size.” But I can’t. Everytime I see my naked body in the bathroom mirror, I want to cry. I want to puke. I want to starve. 

But I won’t. Because I can change all that. I can make myself feel better, look better, be better. All it takes is hard work, sacrifice, patience, and discipline. LOTS OF DISCIPLINE. So starting today, I’m gonna keep track of my weight loss progress through here. It won’t be an everyday sort of thing. I’ll be posting about it sporadically, since I don’t want my blog to just be about weight loss. So here’s day one. 

Btw, I’m the one on the left...

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Gotta love that New York Bar Scene de

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Not depressed, just annoyed that I can't sleep lol

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Late night thoughts 1

It's 4:30 AM, and I've been tossing and turning with the thoughts of my ex girlfriend keeping me up. I made peace with her, and I wish her nothing but the best in life, but there are just some nights where she just randomly pops into my mind, and I can't seem to drive her out. She was there for me in one of the darkest times of my life. She stood by me through everything, and made me feel like I was the only person on earth, along with her. She is a truly amazing person, and I lost her because life got in the way. Distance came between us and we we're reaching different points in our lives (she was 23 and more mature in thinking, while I was 20 and still naive). To make matters worse, she started dating the guy she told me not to worry about. Ironic, huh? I found love after her, and I've been able to live my life well and stuff. But when someone has such a profound effect on you like *insert name here* does, it's hard to shake them out of your heart, let alone your mind. Yes, I miss her. Yes, I still love her. But we would never get back together. We're different people now. We want different things, and there's nothing I can do to change that. This rant isn't because I want her back, despite why my heart is telling me. I can't sleep, I have to wake up at 6 AM to drive my mom for an operation, and I'm frustrated as hell.

[juanandonly0427-blog]

One of my favorite lines in Rap music!!!

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Because death is the most beautiful thing

Symphony of Destruction

[juanandonly0427-blog]

Then why do they make such honey? DAMN YOU BARRY B BENSON!!!

I’m pretty sure bees just find joy from causing people pain

[juanandonly0427-blog]

“I try to be very specific with who I tell to go fuck themselves.”

Philip DeFranco, 2017 (via youtubewordsofwisdom)

[juanandonly0427-blog]

My god... this broke the english language right open

6434-17082-599