SKATE

SKATE is a video game that has recently brought back old skateboarding memories. Most of my skateboarding memories were good but some were not so pleasing. I started skating freshman year of high school and finished approximately four and a half years later.

While everyone in high school was doing extracurricular activities, I was out and about skateboarding. If one were to look at me now, no one would assume I was once a skater. However, listening closely to my speech pattern, you might be able to figure it out.

Skateboarding put a lot of excitement in my life. There are many situations the guys and I would get into. I recall plenty of times running away from cops, principals, or any authority figures. We constantly would find ourselves trying to get out of trouble. It would give us a thrill seeing how much we could get away with.



As I said before, skating put a lot of excitement in my life but it also brought pain. Falling was a reoccurring theme everyday. I would tweak my ankles countless times. Scrapes and bruises were always to be expected. However, breaking a bone was the worst possible thing that can occur in skateboarding. I broke my right wrist skating and had worn a cast for over 2 months.

Every time I play SKATE more memories come back. Skateboarding was a major part of my life, for it is one thing that has shaped who I am.

Let’s play SKATE.



Image Credit: http://www.gamesradar.com, http://z.about.com/d/skateboard

Left, Right?

At a young age, I became aware that I was a different: I am left-handed. It has not always been an enjoyable experience being left handed.

I recall a classmate in Elementary School telling me that I was associated with the Devil for being left handed. At that moment, I could not think of a single thing to say to counter argue her statement. Till this day, I can still hear that classmate telling me that.

It is has been over 13 years since I was told I was associated with the Devil. Finally, I have come up with a counter argument.

If being left-handed means being associated with the Devil then that is perfectly fine with me. Being left-handed, I have a good chance of making more than my right-handed counterparts.

According to a study done by Kevin Denny of University College Dublin and Vincent O'Sullivan of the University of Warwick, it turns out that left-handed males earn 4% more per hour than right-handed workers. It may not seem like a lot but no one would decline a 4% increase in pay.

Just like the researchers, I was surprised with the findings. They expected left-handers to earn less because “left-handers are living in a right-handed world. They are more accident prone and have more health problems.”

Denny stated that left-handers tend to earn more because they are more creative. This “points to neurological studies, which have shown that left-handers, particularly males, are better at divergent thought or thinking outside the box.”

Denny claims that left-handers seem to have the ability to adapt in certain and bosses must notice that. That would explains why left-handers would get paid more.

Being left handed might not be bad after all.



Image Credit: http://www.reddevils86.com/Assets/RedDevil_Med_JPG.jpg

Those Damn MySpace Angles

My intention for this entry is not to discuss MySpace as a whole. Rather, to focus primarily on MySpace angles. MySpace angles are an Internet disease that was created in the MySpace community and has infested the entire online community.

MySpace angles are pictures taken in specific angles that make unattractive people appear attractive. Thereby fooling us all. This epidemic must be stopped. Unattractive people need to stop spending their time creating these down right misleading images.

If you consider yourself unattractive then do something about it. If you’re a little on the heavy side, go out and run. If you’re a toothpick, then go lift some weights. If you do not have a problem with how you look that is perfectly fine. However, if you feel fine with your appearance please do not use MySpace angles to make yourself look attractive.

If you want the world to see what you look like, show them the real you. Don’t show them close up facial pictures or side views of yourself where we can’t tell a damn thing. If you can’t seem to let go of using MySpace angles at least have a few frontal full body pictures. That way the world can see the real you.

Remember, if you feel unattractive and you take MySpace angles, you are not only lying to the world but also yourself. On the other hand, if you are unattractive and are perfectly fine with that then more power to you. Just don’t lie to us all by using MySpace angles.



If you would like to get educated more on MySpace angles click here. It is worth the extra minute investment, it has pictures that show exactly what MySpace angles are. Enjoy.




Image Credit: http://www.steveklotz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/liar.jpg

Graduation

No, I am not talking about graduating from college. I am referring to Kanye West’s third album, Graduation. In simple terms, I think it is by far his best one.

Kanye’s songs are not like most artists in the industry. He writes about life issues and not about drugs, cars, fighting, or killing.
When comparing Graduation to his previous albums, College Drop Out and Late Registration, you can hear the artistic growth with each verse. Each album is unique in its own way.

College Drop Out stems from his decision to drop out of college and pursue his dream of becoming a well-known and respected lyricist. Late Registration, metaphorically, is West’s way of picking up the pieces and getting back to work. Finally, Graduation is success.

On Graduation, West tried to assess the problems his first two albums had. He cut out all the skits that would plague his previous albums and kept everything short and simple.

“This is an album that you first like, then love. “Good Morning” elevates from a gentle hook to a perfectly chosen Jay-Z sample; “Barry Bonds” is a mix-tape song with a moaning groove that you could listen to for weeks; and on “Flashing Lights” and “Stronger,” West single-handedly takes hip-hop back to its pre-Run-DMC disco days.” -Nathan Brackett, Rolling Stone.

In my opinion his best song in the album is “I Wonder.” He tries to express how people have no idea as to what they really want, and they never act on fulfilling their dreams/goals. As a result life just passes them by without them finding their dreams.

Graduation is exactly that, it is Kanye’s graduation. I, for one, stand up and applaud him for a job well done. Hopefully the next graduation I’ll talk about will be my own.




“On that independent shit,
Trade it all for a husband and some kids,
You ever wonder what it all really means?
You wonder if you'll ever find your dreams?” –Kanye West, “I Wonder”.


Image Credit:http://musicmedia.ign.com/music/image/article/819/819703/graduationinline_1189642853.jpg