Wednesday, January 20, 2010

G'z Top 5 Famous Iconic Figures

Growing up I looked up to a lot of people. Those few people that I did look up to made me the person and character I am today. Have you ever looked at someone and said to yourself that he or she looks like a famous person? Or talks and walks like a famous person? If so it’s probably because he or she admires that superstar. Most of the time it’s quite true, people who look up and turn to famous icons for inspirations usually incorporate them in their own life somehow. 


So in this blog I will give you my top 5 icons that I’ve always admired and looked up to. These 5 famous icons got me through a lot of good times and bad times throughout my life. For those who know me, maybe you can see bits and pieces of these icons in me. I will rate them starting from number 5. So please read on while I give a brief explanation on why these famous icons have inspired me.








#5 OPTIMIUS PRIME          
When I was a young boy, I’ve always been infatuated with Japanese animation, comics, and the underground cult that follows it. I’ve been into X-Men, Batman, G-Force, Robotech,Dangard Ace, Voltron. But one certain cartoon that I instantly fell in love with was Transformers. For all you 80’s babies, you all knew how much of an impact Transformers left in culture. Just a couple of years ago, my dreams came true, when Optimus Prime came to life in the big screen, trust me I was star struck even if it was CGI. I guess the reason why Optimus Prime means so much to me, is because he is a leader, and me being a Leo, I was attracted to that. He was always in control, Top Dog! And more importantly he’s just fucking bad ass.




#4 TUPAC SHAKUR
What more can I say about 2pac. He was probably one of the best rappers that ever lived. His poetry and ego gave rap music a new edge. I respected him so much because he never held back on emotions and feelings. Whatever he was feeling he made sure you felt it also. His rough swagger and gangster image was one of the many reasons why I have so much confidence in myself. Also a lot of the things that he rapped about I related to some how. When 2pac passed on it was like I lost a part of me also. 















#3 PRINCE

Don’t look so surprised. For those who really know me, you’ve should have seen this coming. Since the 80’s Prince has been making awesome music. His style that he created what I like to call “Secret Style” is what gave him that edge. He is never scared to cross or push that boundary. His music is like poetry, if you just read the lyrics without the music you would see what I mean. As you can tell music played a big part in my life, His music has inspired me to create art whether it be on paper, canvas, style, and love. Out of all the artists out there, I admire his sense of style. It’s dark but clean, not too rugged but yet not too formal. His music is timeless, everybody knows at least one if his songs whether you like it or not.










#2 KISS
I was 16yrs old. One of my best friends and older cousin showed me an old 70’s vinyl record. And on it was 4 crazy figures. One was a Demon, the other Star man, some weird Space man, and a Cat man. I was totally blown away by it. At the time I thought it was a comic book. But as he explained to me that it’s actually a rock group I was mystified. I wanted to know everything about them and what they stood for. There is so much information on what the group is about and what they stand for, that I would have to write a separate blog on just that. So I’ll give you a brief idea. It’s basically a super hero rock group. All 4 of them have their own mystical powers. They incorporated their alter ego’s in the songs that they write serperatly. They believe in black and white nothing else. They have this kind of music that makes you feel like a bad ass. Not only that, you really didn’t know who they were at the time. One of the best rock groups ever in my opinion.






#1 DARTH VADER              
Darth Vader has almost everything that inspires me in my life. It’s kinda weird if you think about it, but it makes perfect sense. He’s a leader, Powerful, You really didn’t know who he was at the time or what made him tick. He did’nt take shit from anyone, everybody feared him. He’s dark, all black, but there was a sincere side to him. I’ve always been fascinated with him since I saw Star Wars for the first time back in the 70’s. He looks like a fancy car, clean, sleek, and fast. And when he walked George Lucas incorporated The Imperial March song which made him extremely larger than life. 



So there you are my top 5 Iconic figures that  gave me many inspirations in life. Please leave comments, I love criticism. Just drop me a little message here and there. I know there are some of you out there that are enjoying my blogs. Please stay tuned there will be a lot more to come. Thanks again for reading. Until the next blog. 
                                                                   -G-


                                                          

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

"Family Matters" Directed & Written By:G




Since the beginning of life the term family has always held a certain priority. Every living creature in this world abides by that by nature. Flocks of birds that travel together. Schools of fish that swim together. Coyotes that walk in packs. Horses that roam the land. And there is always that one thing that ties the family together, it’s called blood.


Blood in and blood out. No matter what you will always be linked. Me personally, I’ve always been a family man. I’ve been brought up to respect family. In my heart it’s always family first. Sometimes we all tend to forget where we come from and who we really are. We get caught up in everyday life and everyday interactions with other people, places, problems, and situations. We keep on living on and adapting to life. We meet friends, close friends, lovers. Sometimes the priority list changes. What was on top is now last, what was 3rd is now on top so on and so on. With family comes loyalty and with loyalty comes respect. I was brought up to always honor thy family. I will always honor my family. I’m honored to carry my last name along with my middle name. I will never turn my back on family. 


Family is not always about blood even though blood is the straight descendent. Family is
also connected through marriage, it’s connected through very close friends that are considered family. Even though this is a really bad example, but family is shown in gangs,
Mafia's, cults. The way it’s portrayed in those examples also show respect, love, and loyalty.


I’ve done a little research on the definition of family and values and these are the results that I came up with.


Definition of Family: A family is a primary social group, a small community, in any society, typically consisting of a man and a woman, or any two individuals who wish to share their lives together in a long-term committed relationship with one another, raising offspring and usually reside in the same dwelling. Family is the main building block of a community; family structure and upbringing determines the social character and personality of any given society. - Family is where we all learn: love, caring, compassion, ethics, honesty, fairness, common sense, reason, peaceful conflict resolution and respect for ourselves and others, which are the vital fundamental skills, and family values, necessary to live an honorable and prospers life in harmony, in the world community.


Definition of Family Values: To have a sense of Family Values is to have good thoughts, good intentions and good deeds, to love and to care for those whom we are close to and are part of our primary social group, our community, such as children, parents, other family members and friends. And to treat others with the same set of values, the same way we wish to be treated.




To close this blog I want to leave you with this thought. Don’t ever forget who you are and where you come from. Some people tend to forget who really is important in their lives. Because through it all when everything has faded away and the dust settles, the only 
people who will be left is family.
                                                                                   -G-

Monday, January 4, 2010

"Thirty-3" Written: Sept.15,2009






I am owned by the year 1976, I am the property of August.
The sign that you read off me are those of a four legged feline.
I am born and raised in the misty fogs of San Francisco. 
Like the bible, my life has many chapters in it. Page after page of life stories and rediscoveries.
Let me tell you all who I am. Who “G” is, And what you already think you know. 
For those of you who think that they know who “G” is , you got another thing coming. Let me begin to explain my complex life. This poem, letter, or note was inspired by the “Hater In You”. There are allot of you out there who step to me about being cool and being on top of the world. I’ve been there, done that. The 4 Elements you ask? I’ve spun on my back and head, I’ve tickled the vinyl, and owned a couple of Krylon bottles. Nice cars? I’ve had 3. One muscle car, one import circa 95 when the import scene was big, and one SUV with the larger than life wheels at one point. Clothes? Let’s not really get into that. Let’s just say that I’ve inspired quite of few of you out there. My personality is based on “Swagger”. Friends or so called friends, I’ve known too many. I’ve simplified my life......”True Friends” and “True Enemies” that’s it.
To all of the kittens that I have scratched, I don’t regret any of you. To M,B,B,A,N,M,M,J,C,G,D you all know who you are, it was fun. Everything changes
though when you find the right cat. And that’s why I’ve walked down the long aisle of God’s house and professed my love in marriage. Money? I’ve got my own place, pay for all my own bills, and own my own car. What does that tell you? My inspirations in my life are the reflections in my eyes. Those that I see and feel that make the difference to me. I know some times I may disappear behind the shadows, but that's just because I’ve moved on to bigger and better things in my life. The more you get older you begin realize that there is
more to life than what’s on your feet or on your hip. It has always been a struggle for me to grasp life. I’ve always had to battle through it all, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I live with no excuses and love with no regrets. There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page or closing the book. Getting old is mandatory, growing up is optional.




-G$-2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

The Essence Of Black




With age comes wisdom. I’ve come to learn so many things about meanings of life, fashion, love, and understanding of many other things. Just this past year, I’ve reinvented myself. I’ve taken what G was before and did a full 180. I’ve done a lot of research of the color black and I’ve found out what it represents. Now I’ve dedicated to myself that I would wear only black, white, and grey. It felt only natural to me when I looked in the mirror wearing all black and say to myself that this is what G is about. To get a better meaning of why I’ve chose to do this statement, I’ve gathered some of the intel that I found when doing the research.  In my own opinion, I think black represents nothing, but deals with everything. The color black is all the colors united but not separated.


Nature of Black:


Black is the absence of color. In clothing, black is visually slimming. Black, like other dark colors, can make a room appear to shrink in size and even a well-lit room looks dark with a lot of black. Black can make other colors appear brighter.


Ultimate Dark:


Considered the negation of color, black is conservative, goes well with almost any color except the very dark. It also has conflicting connotations. It can be serious and conventional. The color black can also be mysterious, sexy, and sophisticated.
Black is not a color. It is the absence of all color. Black absorbs all aspects of light. While white reveals, black conceals. It is also mysterious, providing a sense of potential and possibility. We do not believe in the obvious or being predictable, as we learn and grow we want our collections to grow with us.


Black:


The Color of Sin: White and Black Are Perceptual Symbols of Moral Purity and Pollution
That’s what black gives you. Solid, grounded, powerful, in control, protected, shielded, confident, and fearless.




One Of G’z Favorite Quotes:
Color can do anything that black-and-white can. 
Vincente Minnelli 

Monday, December 21, 2009

Let's Talk Cigars



I’m a huge cigar smoker. I’ve been smoking cigars now for about 2 years. It started from a trip to Las Vegas a couple of years back. I used to smoke cigarettes back in my teens. After a eye opening E.R visit I stopped cold turkey. So Tobacco was no stranger to me. I was in one of the fancy clubs out there, you know what clubs i’m talking about? The clubs that have people in the restrooms that basically wash your hands and comb your hair for you. You really are suppose to tip them for the service. With keeping that in mind, I wanted to make the best of my tip and grab some mouthwash, a stick of gum and choose between a cigarette or a cigar. I happen to choose the cigar because of my history with cigarettes. I’ve always known that cigars are related to rich people, gangsters, older men and upper class men, one good cigar can cost up to $100.00. Crazy huh? Of course the one that was handed to me was a cheap one. They were just basically giving it away for free with a friendly tip.


After that moment, it would never be the same. I was hooked. The taste was candy to my mouth. Automatically I was an addict, The way it smelled, tasted, and felt in my hand. I began to understand why you would feel like you are the shit. Why you feel like you have respect. It’s definitely a part of a lifestyle. It’s totally different from cigarettes, You don’t smoke because of the nicotine and how it feels in your lungs. You smoke cigars because of the taste and status. 


Rule of thumb
If you are a beginner, start off with milder cigars. As your taste evolves, so will your choice in strength.


Enjoy your cigar when you have the time to relax. There is nothing like enjoying the taste with no worries, and nothing so disappointing as having to cut a good cigar smoke short.


I prefer a cigar puncher than to cut off the whole tip.


Always light cigars with wood stick matches. Lighters may ruin the taste of the cigar.


G’z Top 5 Cigars
Kahlua
Tobac Especial
Cohiba
Coronado
Padron

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

LOVE In The Eyes Of "G"




Throughout the different stages in my life, I’ve had so many different perspectives on love. It was so hard to cope with all the heart breaks, tears, back stabbing, one night stands, and broken dreams that I went through back in my childhood till this very day. There were so many times where I thought that certain girl was the one. But to my findings, those many girls were just merely stepping stones. I’ve always looked at my ex-girlfriends as stepping stones. Just like how I look at obstacles. Without those obstacles or stepping stones, You would’nt be the person you are today. The things you pick up from those old relationships you use to better yourself and your knowledge in life. The older I got the more I forgave. I don’t hate any of my ex-girlfriends. Hate is such a strong word, I use that word very carefully. Your ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend are human beings too just like yourself. It’s just trial and error until you find your sole mate. I personally believe in the soul mate theory. I believe that there’s that certain person in the world that was put here for you. And you have your life to find that person. Your sole mate is that person that believes in you and everything you stand for, wrong or right that person has your back. I’ve been married for 3 years now, and I have never doubted my love for my wife. 


In my experiences, you will know who that person is the minute you see each other. It will be instantaneous. Of course there will always be that one person that you think about no matter how many years have passed. It’s only natural, that person is called your first love. I don’t care who you are, everybody has a first love. I have a first love, I won’t lie and from time to time I do think about her. But it does not compare to anything I have now.  I remember when I spoke to my father about love when I was a young boy. He brought up this word to me that is usually used when there is infatuation involved. The word is puppy love. Infatuation is totally different from love. Infatuation usually involves physical attraction. Believe me, there is a total difference. Emotion’s and feelings are things you should take seriously. I’ve been through it all, name it, I’ve probably have been in that relationship, of course though i’m talking about male and female relationships. Not to say that gay love is bad. I’m not saying that at all. I think love is love no matter who that person is. Love is something you die for. Love is something that you would go to the ends of the earth for. Love conquers all feelings in my opinion. No matter what kind of mood you are in, love will take over. To finish this blog I will leave you with a quote for you to think about........" In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything and two minus one equals nothing. "

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Urban Legends-Two Legends That I've Looked Up To





Hip Hop played a big roll in my life. My fascination with Hip Hop has been with me from my freshman year in High School till this very day. In real Hip Hop there are 4 elements that make the culture possible. There is (MC) Microphone Control, that is based on rhyming on the Microphone. The Next is (B-Boying) the Break Boy, Break dancing to the break of the beat, a type of dance form that consist of your whole body and mind. Then there is (DJ) Disc Jockey, an art form that consist of two turntables and a stereo mixer. Finally there is (Graffiti) Graph... meaning medium. Paint, pen, spray paint, markers....etc., leaving your expressive art so everyone can see what you are feeling or what point you want to make.
Hip Hop started in poverty. Kids back in the 70's didn't know what to do in the streets. Some joined gangs, some got into drugs, some ended up dying, a lot ended up going to jail. The kids began to realize that there are other ways to release frustration, other ways that didn't have to be illegal. And that's when these 4 elements originated. Some say it's a religion. There is a bible, laws, rules, and history to the art. It's crazy to think that something so mainstream now came from the streets of New York and spread across the world. Now Hip Hop is a common household name that almost everyone knows.
I've practically done all 4 elements, studied them, lived by them, and swore by them. Without Hip Hop in my life, I could surely say that I wouldn't be the same person I am today. That's why I had to express to the world how important it is to me in my life. There are 2 Heroes in my life that I've always looked up to in the Hip Hop world. I've always envied them, tried to be like them both but never succeeded. They are what you call the "Untouchables". These two are what makes Hip Hop what it is. "Stapled Legends."
One of my two heroes is DJ Qbert. He's been doing DJ Battles and mix tapes since the late 80's, won over a dozen battles and championships, been around the world, in cinema, cartoons, and video games. One of the main reasons why I look up to him is because he's my ethnicity, he's filipino. I'm so proud to be filipino because of this fact. If you ever get a chance to look him up on You tube or the net, or get really lucky to see him perform in person it's an experience you'll never forget. I've gotten that chance to meet him in person and shook his hand. He actually judged one of my DJ battles in the late 90's.
My second hero is Prince Ken Swift of the Rock Steady Crew. He's been B-Boying since it started back in the 70's. He is the pure essence of what B-Boys are. The Originator. when you see him dance you can feel the edge, the street, the emotion, in his dance and strut. A lot of the B-Boys of today lost the essence. It's not all about spinning on your head, hand, or back for 20 minutes. It's about expressing your feeling in dance. Anger, frustration, happiness, sadness. When you do get a few minutes in your busy lives, make sure you look up these 2 living legends of Hip Hop on You tube, the net, or in any Hip Hop book you can find.

Two great forms of information media that I will recommend is "The Freshest Kids" DVD and "Scratch" DVD. Both excellent DVD's that have the info that you will want to learn if you are interested.