Rondel

You did everything I asked of you and more
I don't know how things changed so soon
Everyday I thanked God for my blissful boon
And for the snug, safe feeling in my core

Now I regret treating you so poor
My wish that I was wiser extends to the moon
You did everything I asked of you and more
I don't know how things changed so soon

You think the solution is to even out the score
But to you my heart is forever attune
And your actions now leave my heart strewn
The question lies whether to inquire or ignore
You did everything I asked of you and more

Found Poem

It was the first time I'd seen her under the luminous moon,
She stood out like a flash of fuscia in a room of black,
I know she saw me

I could hear her heartbeat race from here,
If only that Royal Copenhagen noticed these things

There would be no contradiction,

Then she would never have let me experience her essence,

But she did, so I spilled my dreams of taking her to Coolwater, Aspen and Fujyama

Only to learn that her intentions were otherwise,

We were just friends, and one day she would visit the Chapel of Love with that Hugo Boss

Then would she realize his heart is of diesel fuel and

She Would Have Been Better Off With Me.

12/5/08 Poem

The children and their families perambulated like shoppers on Black Friday into the neighborhood Christmas party. Mothers magisterially shoved blameless children, not belonging to themselves, out of their perfect angel's way to espy upon the
Exultant One himself: Santa Claus. The arid air outside felt crisp and clean as the brisk wind breathed against my skin. Seemingly ideal weather for the occasion, however, not glacial enough that the imitation snow ahead would not sodden the grass where it had been placed. Fidgetting boys and girls waited in line for a train ride while one covetous mother sneered at another whose Gucci tote was significantly larger than her Louie hobo bag mentally noting to add an upgrade to her Christmas list. These parents seem to have forgotten the original purpose of attending this Christmas celebration. They seem to have misplaced inside their hearts and minds the passion they felt for the season as a child. The savory smells that filled the house when the Christmas Day feast was being prepared, the feeling as if Mexican jumping beans had found their way into your stomach as the anticipation to see what Santa brought this year grew, the enraptured expressions on everyone elses faces in the room while they opened their gifts as if it was the last one they would ever receive, the sight of Uncle Tom wiping the thick egg-nog mustache off his upper lip. If they could find these memories within themselves, maybe the holiday season could regain its meaning.

arid- (adj.) marked by little or no precipitation or humidity
enraptured-(adj.) experiencing or marked by overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion
espy- (verb) to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
exultant- having or expressing feelings of joy
fidget- (verb) to make jerky or restless movements
glacial- (adj.) having a low or subnormal temperature
magisterial- (adj.) overbearing, agrressive
perambulate- (verb) form of walking
sneer- (adj.) to express scornful amusement by means of facial contortions
sodden- (adj.) containing, covered with, or thoroughly penetrated by water

Shwayze

"Malibu. It’s where Mathew McConaughey flexes his pecs for paparazzi while shirtless on the beach. It’s where Courtney Cox and husband David Arquette recently sold their home for the modest asking price of more than $30 million to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. It’s where Julia Roberts built her multi-million dollar, eco-friendly estate as a tribute to Green living. And it’s where Cher, Jennifer Aniston and Mel Gibson share the same 310 area code as the Malibu trailer park community that brought us Shwayze."

Twenty-two year old Shwayze, born Aaron Smith, made his debut at Malibu Inn, a local hang-out/ chill-spot in 2005, as the opening performer for the failed band, Whitestarr. Just like most newcomers, Shwayze too experienced a tough crowd who even tried to kick him off stage. Embracing the moment however, Shwayze introduced himself as "the only black kid in Malibu," which set the crowd off. It was at this point that he first made contact with Whitestarr frontman Cisco Adler.

Cisco, the son of A-list impresario Lou Adler, and Shwayze hit it off becoming not only collaborators but best friends as well. Cisco provides the rock/ acoustic sound you hear, while Shwayze mixes things up with hip-hop. This melting pot of beats and melodies provides for a relaxed, breezy tone true to the West Coast. Shwayze describes their music saying, " It’s California chill, West Coast stoner music.”

Being new to the entertainment industry, Shwayze has not yet made his own mark on history. He has been influenced by some of his all-time favorite artists, including: Prince, Tom Petty, Beck, Bob Marley and Outkast. Yet, he sounds more like a Sublime, Slightly Stoopid and Sugar Ray combination mostly. Basically, if your in a bad mood pop in some Shwayze and feel yourself wind down.

The first major song by Shwayze "Buzzin' " talks about "backyard blockparty by the bar" where he met a girl and fell in love. "Buzzin' " is also the title of his new tv series on MTV. The Song "Corona and Lime" (posted above) is another favorite of Shwayze listeners and portrays his combination of styles well in addition to using metaphors the listeners can easily pick up on and relate to.

When it comes to pushing a particular message Shwayze does not have one imparticular. “I was single, Cisco was single, and we partied in the pool, partied at the beach, chillin’, hangin’ out with chicks. That’s what we were writing about,” he says. It seems they create music for its original intention, sheer fun. Its refreshing not to be bombarded with lyrics which try to tell you what to say or how to act, Shwayze just tells it like it is, how he deals day to day. He is not trying to change the world, but instead he truly puts energy into making the best out of whats given to him.


This sums up what we know of Shwayze to date, but I believe we will be hearing more from him soon, so keep your ears peeled and minds open!

Let It Rock

This video illustrates the ways someone can become a "rockstar". After all the movies, songs, etc. glorifying the lives of popular stars, others feel they should have the right to be "happy" and to have "fun" just like they do. Once the advertising industry realized this desire of the masses, they embraced it. Products such as Rockstar Energy Drinks and Let It Rock Perfume are just a couple ways marketers decided they would quench the average Joe’s thirst to feel like a rockstar. While we typically associate sex and drugs with rock and roll, we should not be so quick to judge; if clothing, scents, music and drink choice boost the confidence of people we should respect this and not reprimand others for their choice of lifestyle if it is not self-destructive. Ultimately, living like a rockstar may not be such a bad idea...

Dramatic Monologue

He said I had the "wrong end of the stick",

Ha! so young, what did he know?

I'll tell you what I know,

God is Fullness of Being and in Him the End is the Beginning.

That is why I'm going straight to heaven.

I don't believe in this

"if God is Complete Knowledge then He is Complete Non-Motion" Mumbo-Jumbo.

"I am the Resurrection and the Life," that's what He said.

Yet, Jack insisted on his philosophy that

Life is Motion toward Knowledge.

Therefore, if there is such a God of Fullness of Being we would be worshiping Death.

It made sense I must admit.

I just replied that he only thought Finitely.

He continued to argue,

I suppressed my hearing.

A religious man on his way out could not be corrupted with these controversial thoughts!

and God is not mocked!

Then he comes interrogating me,

asking all about the past when I was a sinful man.

But I have put that time away.

He thinks his job is to tell the truth,

He is just a pawn, a pawn in Governor Stark's game.

Foolishness and Foulness I say!

Ah,but what can I do?

Jack, I will pray for your soul.

-Ellis Burden

Embrace Life

Life is what we make of it

it is not that we are born of Luck, good or bad

it is how we embrace the Fullness of our Being

how we Interpret influences, stellar or dull

how we move toward Knowledge,

how we Love one another,

Yet when Duty whispers, we welcome our Obligations

we understand that we are conceived in Sin,

born in Corruption,

that we must Outmatch these odds against us,

take up our cross and become Powerful beyond measure.