Category Archives: Blog

Time Passes

This month, I’ll be finishing my tenure at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a decade since I started coming here, first competing at Rocky LaMontagne’s IPA Beat Battle, then eventually working the door for his shows. Years later, I’m leaving behind helping co-produce the Words and All That! events, DJing the world famous Nuyorican Friday Night Slam, and doing sound and DJing for Urbintel’s Verses, Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz, and Yerba Buena’s monthly show.

I’ve had mixed feelings about departing. I will miss the people that I’ve had the privilege to work with, the artists I’ve seen come through and inspire, and the opportunity that was given to a young man looking for his purpose. But at the same time, being a part of all the above is what moved me to pursue my own dreams, my own passions, and I move forward with a sense of excitement and healthy fear to make my long time desire to make films come true.

So I thank all the people that gave me a chance to make something of myself, that inspired me to continue my art, and that helped get me to this point. I thank the family and friends who’ve believed in me, and the tests I’ve endured in not only taking this step, but in truly becoming a man. I’ll end this with a few things I’ve learned, in the hopes that it helps someone in the same position I was a decade ago…

1) The three most important things you need are patience, assertiveness, and the ability to know when to use either.

2) Ask for help. No matter how good you are, you can get a lot more done when you have people you can rely on at your side.

3) Rest…rest…rest. It’s hard to pursue your dreams if you’re burnt out. Make time for youself.

4) Respect the past. Dream for the future. Live in the now.

5) Opportunity helps drive dreams. Pass the opportunity you’ve been given to the next generation.

Peace, love and respect to everyone trying to make something of themselves. It’s never too late to start, and always too early to give up.

“Few tragedies can be more extensive than the stunting of life, few injustices deeper than the denial of an opportunity to strive or even to hope, by a limit imposed from without, but falsely identified as lying within.” -Stephen Jay Gould

A Lesson Learned About The Spirit of The Holiday: My Review of 2006

Greetings PhoenixRizin.com visitors! For a few days now I’ve toiled away trying to figure out what absolutely hilarious prose I was going to put together for my Christmas blog. But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get into the Christmas spirit. 2006 has been challenging emotionally and financially for me and my family, and I’ve just wanted out of this bleek year. At the end of last year, things looked as if I would have a very prosperous year ahead, and that by this time I would have been able to provide the best Christmas we’ve had in some time. Instead, I looked at the prospect of almost not being able to get my family anything for this year. To me, Christmas has always been about giving (though I’d be a liar to say I didn’t look forward to getting presents too!), and not being able to give back to my family is a terrible thought.

Christmas has come and gone, and while my usual enthusiasm was gone, it would be quickly be replaced by a sense of humility. Though we had all been through our ups and downs, my family managed to come together for each other when we needed each other most. Our gifts were very modest, but the best gift was just being together. I know that should be something remembered all year round, but we are human after all, and sometimes we need a reminder of whats important.

So I brave the passing of 2006 and prepare for 2007, with family and friends to guide me through the tough times. I appreciate all that life has given me so far, and if you are reading this, remember what’s truly important in your life. If you don’t know what that is, I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t gift-wrapped.

“One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.”
-The Little Prince

Peace and blessings this holiday season.

Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hope you’re all eating excessive amounts of turkey, cranberry sauce, yams, and whatever else is on the table this year. Unfortunately, the game I planned to release this year or the holiday is unfinished, but I’ll probably still put it up this year, as well as a special christmas game, so stay tuned!