The Ultimate Mimic

 The Ultimate Mimic

I remember when I was younger I had so many toys. Some were bought, some were gifts and the others… the others were stolen. I was low key a kleptomaniac. I’d go through so many lengths to steal these toys. I’d hop fences into neighbors yards, I’d stick them in my socks, I’d borrow and “lose”, I’d even wait until guest fell asleep and pack what I wanted into my book bag or jacket. I was a sly thief, never blatant with a snatch and run. The most notable way I would steal toys is hiding it, and actively helping the victim search for the toy but never leading them to the actual hiding spot of the toy or game. I gave these victims an illusion that I wanted to help. Although I could help, I never really helped. I had this lumberjack sweater that had a thick lining and a hole in the pocket. This sweater used to always help me complete the task of thieving and helping the victim look for their toy. This hole in the pocket was effectively used to push toys into the lining of the jacket and would help when someone asked for me to turn my pockets inside out. I was always ready to “help” someone, but in reality I was just helping myself to their belongings. Was this right? It absolutely was… NOT… but “boys will be boys” right?

It’s crazy though, these days many people do exactly what I was doing as an adolescent. They trick others into thinking that they are putting their all into helping them, but in reality they’re just prolonging your quest to success. To an unknowing victim trust is put into someone only to be deceived but I think it hurts more when you actually realize you were being played for a fool. That “Friend” that says they’re actively talking to department heads at their job trying to help you get put on; That “Friend” that puts that battery in your back in the form of “great advice” then after following it you find yourself in a more messed up situation then you were before. It kind of reminds you of those commercials for medication that cures one thing but in return the side effects leave you worse off than you were to being with. Things that make you say HMMM. I’m not saying no one is genuine but just be careful and keep your eyes open. Some people want you to succeed but others want to see you fail and that is normally fueled by greed. Nothing worse than having an enemy you don’t even know you have. I think these days they’re called “Frienemies” or “Frenemy’s”, however the term is spelled. Furthermore, another thing that has to be realized is that it’s not everybody you want to take along with you to the top can last the test and trials of the ride. Some are only down when the getting is good, and others will simply hold you back because of their lack of ambition and motivation. I don’t think there’s a human alive that can physically push and move a mountain, this is the equivalent of trying to drag along that dead weight. Then you have those that can only offer but so much assistance on the journey and it’s like you pushing them along with you in a stroller. But strollers can only go but so far. Finally there are those that stand on their own two feet and where you lack they pick up and vice versa. Almost like playing a two player game. Remember Mario and Luigi? When playing 2 player, you couldn't progress in the screen if the other player didn't catch up? Life lessons from Nintendo!  Those are the kind of people you want on your team, those that can keep up. Until next time… keep it real!

Spotlight

Well, I mean honestly this week I didn't know who to do a spotlight on and I figured hey, why not use me. I have an appreciation for all types of arts. Literary, Visual, Music, Dance, basically all of the above. I feel like art gives you a snapshot of what’s going on in someone’s brain whether its brought forth by emotion, or some other stimulus, art is generally a form of expression derived from somewhere within. It is left up to the receivers interpretation but usually only the artist knows what message they were trying to convey whether that message gets across or not. I write, both rhymes and spoken word, which can be used interchangeably if delivered right. I draw, I paint, I love music, and these days digital photography and graphic design take up a lot of my free time- by choice. I’d like to explain this vision I have for sort of a multimedia empire. I have friends with similar skills and different skills too. Together we form the Classic Group. Once full established we will bring to you everything Classic. Classic photography, Classic readings through blogging, Classic Videography, Classic Designs, Classic DJ Mixes, Classic Events, Classic Clothing, Classic Moments, and alot more but EVERYTHING is #CLASSIC. Presently everything is under the works, I guess you can say everyone is getting their contributions together before lift off. For now, you can book me and one of my partners for any of your events and we can take care of everything from your fliers, program cards, invitations, DJ, photography, Headshots, video, music artist album art, logo creation, T-Shirt Design, you name it we got it. #ClassicGroup Coming soon.

Support the team, here are a few of our branches:

Livedancepartyent.com

Kadeesh.com

JasonJaboin.com

DontBelieveThePropaganda.com

TheClassicGroup.com (Coming soon)

DJCharlesInCharge.com

MrFlix.Blogspot.Com

(A lot more coming soon but all #Classic Stay Tuned)

Self Depreciation

Ultimately this quote can be applied to LIFE itself. Do you ever catch yourself in a situation where you compromise your beliefs thinking “eh, I’ll do it just this once because of (such and such) situation” then somewhere down the line someone presents the same thing that you were totally against and ask you to compromise again and refers back to that "one time" you broke the rules. They actually make perfect sense unless something went horribly wrong and you have more of a reason never to do it again. Once you compromise anything once, it becomes a gateway for more compromise. For instance I used to never work on Saturdays so I can go to church, then because of my school schedule I compromised beliefs saying I needed some extra money and agreed to work Saturdays to make up hours. The moment I tried to revert to my old schedule they argued that “you worked Saturdays before, what’s the big deal” and there really wasn't much I could say because at this point I just looked like I did whatever I wanted based on what was beneficial to me. I seemingly was into breaking rules when it was convenient. At this point I just looked like an opportunist and my original argument lost clout. Now onto something maybe others could relate to.

Cool story- I know a woman currently married to her “First”. First love, first sexual partner, first real boyfriend, etc. They are high school sweet hearts and are currently married with children. When they met, she wasn't his first. He’d been around. He was a popular guy, well known around school. Initially while they were in their talking stage she never had sex with him. They’d make out, go on dates, talk on the phone, hang out but unlike other girls he’d been with, her legs were closed and she wasn't trying to give it up to just anyone. At first he’d just go and get it elsewhere, but eventually he realized, this girl is different, she wants a commitment and monogamy, and she has a strict set of rules that if she’s not getting what she wants, he’s not getting what he wants. He retired his players jersey and they've been together ever since. This girl had values which increased her value. With value men will be more likely to invest time and money. The higher the value, the higher the investment will be. At the end of the day, different things work for different situations. But if you’re constantly online showing all your goods, leaving little to the imagination, what guy do you expect to take you seriously. You would think this is common sense but these days thirst trapping is at an ALL TIME HIGH. The quantity of available women is increasing but that’s because a lot of them lack quality. I remember reading a tweet that said “I wonder if those likes keep you warm at night”. You reach a certain age when you SHOULD realize that those half naked pictures and promiscuous ways aren't going to get you far. I mean strippers, and porn stars get paid good money for what some women are out here doing for likes, followers and retweets. A lot of the time these strippers pornstars and nude models are content with being alone or they've secured a relationship that understands that this is where their income will be coming from. Be smart, post responsibly.

At least some people out here get the point.

Also, here’s a word for my fellas. If the aesthetics is the only thing keeping you around PLEASE remember that over time some things will drop, fold, and maybe even mold. #GodBless

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SPOTLIGHT

One thing about me is that I always give credit when it's do. Some find it necessary to slander those who may be doing things better than them, or if they're simply in a similar field. For example one rapper sometimes feels if they put down another rapper it'll help them look better. NEGATIVE. Hate often helps people elevate, but rather than hate i'd prefer to collaborate. This week's spotlight is on someone I went to school with and had the opportunity to hang out with. My homie Michelle Jean-Baptiste is out here doing her thing. She studied film and video production at Adelphi University and i even had the pleasure to star in one of her movie assignments. As bashful as i was she managed to get me to agree to play a role. She wears a few hats, Videographer-Photographer-Make up Artist. She's very talented and although I dabble in the film an picture industry I often refer to her for tips, help, and advice on things. Visit her site dalovelymimi.com , follow her on instagram & twitter @dalovelymimi . Show love! She's very talented and her work speaks for itself.

friEND zone

Fri(end) Zone: The land of no return

As a male, personally, there are a few phrases that can come from a female that I hope never to hear/read. I composed a list of my top 10.

1.  We need to talk. (RARELY a good talk otherwise we’d just talk)
2. That’s it? (Makes me feel like I’m lacking)
3. Wrong hole. (Usually means you almost had anal)
4. Who is she to you? (If she doesn't already know, this means its story time)
5. What do you love about me? (Got to compile a list that doesn't make you sound like a user)
6.  You choose. (Now if you make the wrong decision, you will be carrying all blame.)
7. Do what you want. (Usually means do what she wants or suffer consequences)
8. … (You've exceeded the allotted time to answer a text)
9. We need a break. (Means you messed up so bad she may potentially want to touch a new peen to know if yours is worth the drama)
10.   We should just be friends. (This basically means you’re out of the game, you’re out for the season, your contract has been voided, and your career is over, no severance, no nothin.)

The friend zone is the graveyard for the confidence of many males. You can get friend zoned without notice and it is as rare as finding an Asian female that can drive well for you to get out of the friend zone. One of the worst things about a friend zone is that you can be placed there after investing time and money into something that you thought was going to work. Dates, sex, cuddling, gifts, don’t put you in the clear of the friend zone; it can also happen after a full-fledged relationship. I've heard of males putting females in the friend zone but females are the most commonly found using this “tactic". I don’t understand it, and I never plan to try to understand it because of the rationale that I've received for being put in the friend zone. If I was told “I don’t find you attractive” I would be able to accept that. If I was told “I can’t date someone with your personality” this is also acceptable.  If I was told “your stroke is whack/ your dick is small” this is also valid reasoning for not wanting to pursue a relationship cause guys will 86 girls for whack box. BUT “you’re too nice of a guy”,  “you’re like a brother “, “I’ll just end up hurting you”, “I’ll miss our friendship” – all of these statements are compost, bullshit, fertilizer, sewage, poo, whatever word you want to use for fecal matter and waste. The friend zone breeds jerks and asshole because being the sweet understanding fun loving guy usually is what gets you there. Efforts to be Mr./Mrs. Right often get you there so you end up transforming into Mr./Mrs. Right-Now. In my personal experience, females that I friend zone are actually people I can be straight up with and say “I’m not interested”, “You’re not my type”, and if I contradict myself and say “you’re like a sister” 9 out of 10 times this means they’re related to a close friend of mine and or because of one of the previous reasons we've just platonically hung out so much that you’re really just a friend or “sister”.

A valid argument that has been presented is that the Friend Zoner thought they liked the Friend Zonee but after a date or two realized they’d be better off as friends. If this is the case, once again, keep it real and make that clear in your explanation. Don’t leave the person in the dark. To wrap this up, I say keep it real. If there’s someone else say so, don’t tell someone you’d rather them be a friend because they’re doing everything right. This only sews seeds for the emotionally & socially damaged world we live in.

SPOTLIGHT

I'm gonna start doing a section called the Spotlight. Here, i'll put the spotlight on someone talented doing whatever they do as some light promo. For the first week I want to put the spotlight on a very talented friend of mine. He's not just another dude rapping, I don't cosign people I don't believe in. Goes by the name of "Crimes Da God", check out his latest music video that is shot by another talented individual (KP) both of whom I've had the pleasure of hanging out with in college. Coming out of Brooklyn, he got a mixtape coming out, look out for that "True Crimes". Subscribe, leave feedback, and of course keep it real.

Artist

IG: @crimesdagod

Twitter: @crimesdagod

Videographer

IG: @quick421

Twitter: @quick421

Obey Your Thirst

Obey Your Thirst

We are in the times where it is almost impossible to find a significant other without being self-conscious. The rules of engagement are so extensive that it’s easier to just make someone up than to meet and build with someone new.  We are in the age of DM’s, Screenshots, & Thirst Traps. Chivalry isn’t dead, it is on life support and many are trying to pull the plug. We are in the times of compliments equating to thirst, the wrong instagram like can be punishable by death, improper use of an emoji can land you in the hospital, and one has to choose their words oh so carefully when posting a comment. Some call it game, but these days the overall term for most of the aforementioned actions is “Thirst”.

The rule book has changed. I remember the days when flattery expressed interest. It was an attempt for the general population to try to keep away from the fri(end) zone. [Fri(end) zone post to come] And when the flattery was reciprocated it generally meant advancement to further courting stages.  For those of you unclear of the thirst definition, I pulled it from a credible source. Nah, not wiki, I got it from urbandictionary.com

Thirst:

• A form of lust of or want of members of the opposite sex(or same sex these days). This term can refer to both males and females.
• Very eager to say or do something Being unbelievably motivated by an outside stimulus... so much in fact it consumes your entire life
• Desire, greed, obsession, or lust for an object or person characterized by over eagerness or obsessiveness that is obvious to everyone around you.

I feel it’s safe to say we’ve done this to ourselves. Many of us have been toyed with, used, abused, hurt, and deceived so much that now we are currently in Sparta. Everyone has their defenses up to the point everything is characterized as a sexual advance. So the genuine people can’t get a break and scum is forced to find new methods of infiltration. These “sexual advances” include smiles, HI’s or any other greeting (beware of excess Y’s in your “Hey”), blinking, breathing, glancing, basically anything you do in the presence of the opposite sex is currently thirst #twitterlogic.  What it comes down to is thirst generally doesn’t get characterized as such if interest is reciprocated. Furthermore I believe the real thirst is actually the excess of anything. Moderation is perfection, don’t overdo it, but don’t under do it. The moderation varies from situation to situation though. I say this because some people have relationships where their world revolves around their significant other, so constant contact is a necessity. If that’s your situation then excess calls, texts and such is a go… FOR YOU. Others try to maintain some type of life outside of their relationship. This includes having work, school, and other engagements that may divert their attention from time to time from their relationship. So if their him/her is constantly seeking undivided attention then that’s not going to work. If you’re dating a social person who is attractive, you will notice a level of what I’d agree is thirst in others. People will constantly like and comment on this persons every move. The person will tweet “Hi” and a thirsty person will be overdoing it in their mentions with a “LMAOOOOO yoooo you said hi #weak” -_-. Don’t get insecure or defensive because the reply and attention this person wants is from YOU and the unwanted attention means nothing. All the other compliments are cool but it means nothing if the main squeeze isn’t checking for you. Thirst usually gets exploited through screenshots. These days some of the screenshots are fabricated. Personally I feel that the screenshot exploitation is doing the poster a disservice cause now if you decide you like someone they’re going to be real cautious with interactions with you in fear that they may be next to be put on blast. When it comes to social networks 9 out of 10 people aren’t who they’re depicting, the World Wide Web is a sea of catfish. To wrap this up, I feel like rather than constantly having our defenses up we need a filter to discern a genuine compliment, whether it be because the person is interested or is just complimenting, from those who just trying to see what’s good for the moment(Mr/Mrs Right vs Mr/Mrs Right NOW). Weed out the potential relationships from potential relations below the hips.