If You Only Knew

I am always slightly amused at charitable donations by celebrities that are "advertised" in the media. I understand the thinking behind it; they're celebrities, and they need to be marketed. So if they do perform some form of kindness, whether it be honest or contrived, it should be mentioned so that the public says 'hey, maybe Kanye does care about the community and not just himself'.

I get it, I really do.

But more often than not, the more cynical (and perhaps the more astute) observer will note that such donations of charity should not be made public, especially if they are done out of good will alone. If not, then there aren't many things lower than using the under-privileged as a media tool, which sort of defeats the purpose of your marketing plan in the first place doesn't it?

I guess the same goes for individuals, because aren't we just like that? More often than not, we hear people talking about the beggar they generously helped, or the good deed they did for someone else, while at the same time proclaiming how 'humble' they were. I always crack a wry smile and nod in amused understanding and fake approval; that is, in the end, all that they are looking for.

But let's flip the coin. How often have you wanted to tell someone that hey, this is what I feel, this is what I really think, this is what I did for you even though you didn't know it was me, this is what I gave up for you even though you never realised? What if for one clear moment, all our intentions and motivations were out in the open, and we were able to look around at the people around us and really 'see' them for the first time? While many (myself included) would hesitate to have their darker secrets revealed, I would be more interested in seeing what made other people 'tick', and how they really thought about me and life in general.

There's a verse in the Bible about how God looks at man:

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." - 1Samuel 16:7

I wonder how that must feel, to look at a man and truly understand what kind of person he is. I wonder how it would feel for someone to look at me and straight away understand who I am and what I stand for. No explanations required, no disclaimers necessary.

How refreshing.

Then again - I wonder what they would see....?

Wrestle The Angel

"I wanna see miracles
See the world change
Wrestle the angel
For more than a name
For more than a feeling,
For more than a cause
I'm singing
Spirit
Take me up in arms with you
And you're raising the dead in me...

Oh, I am the second man
Oh, I am the second man now..."

So Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the Man saw that He could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the Man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The Man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob [meaning trickster, liar, cheater]," he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel [contender with God], because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

~ Genesis 32:24 - 28

Fast Car - Tracy Chapman and.. Kings of Leon?

I haven't put up a proper cover since before the great viral infection of 12/09 (yes, that's what it's called!). The main reason for this has been the death of my trusty Sony Cybershot, which I shot my original videos with. My new camera, despite being better at taking pictures, is sadly a little lacking in the video department, at least where sound is concerned.

Which prompted me to dig into our music room, and actually put together a microphone and mixer to record.

It was a fun project, even if the song is not my best. The Bro and I had a lot of fun setting it up and messing with all sorts of different arrangements and settings.

The result is a better sounding video, and an interesting mix between Tracy Chapman and a not-so-popular Kings of Leon song.


So without much further ado, here is "Fast Car". The original is here, and the Kings of Leon song is here. As always, you can download the audio from here and see the Youtube video here.

Phew.

Enjoy (here)!

G

Time Zones

The lights stream down from the roof, as the music drums against her ears. With one hand holding a glass and the other in the air, she sways to the music before deciding to get to the dance floor. She kicks off her shoes; it's best to be comfortable now.

Here in the center of the floor, the music is much louder, mingled with the shouts and laughter of the crowd she is among. Her feet ache, but it is not often that these moments arise, these opportunities to let go. Opportunities to silence the voices in her head, to forget about all the wrongs and the hurt. Yes, she can endure the pain a little while longer; after all, it's more than worth it.

And so she dances, she drinks, and she dances some more. Yet, in the midst of it all, she finds time to glance at her phone. The music, the beats and the high are still not enough to escape that one final habit. She looks at the time - almost midnight. But somewhere, this night is over and tomorrow has already begun. Somewhere, it is already morning, and the music, the beats, the joy have all faded away like the morning mist.

Somewhere.

---

The sunlight streams through the windows, accompanied by the melodic chirping of the birds outside. With one hand on his temple, and one on his hip, he shakes his head slowly before deciding to sit down on the sofa. He stretches his feet; it's best to be comfortable now.

For there, in the center of the room, the shouting is loud, overpowering the pleasant feathery falsetto's from the window. His heart aches, but it is not often that he is here to witness these moments now, these incidents when something finally gives way. Incidents that drown out everything else in his life, and replace them with hurt and wrong. Yes, he can endure the heart ache a little longer; after all, if he doesn't do it, who will? In the end, he tells himself, it will all be worth it.

And so he listens, he shouts, he reasons, and he listens some more. Yet, in the midst of it all, he finds the time to glance at his phone. The anger, the hurt and yelling are not enough to quell that one habit. He looks at the time - almost noon. But somewhere, it is still yesterday and this day, with all it's issues, hasn't even begun yet. Somewhere, it is still night time, and the peace of the night is, to the raised voices, like the calm before the storm.

Somewhere.

Kobe Bryant Takes Everything Seriously

Kobe Bryant is an assassin.

Not the type flying over ancient Jerusalem in white robes, nor the bald guys with bar codes on their head and very red flimsy ties.

Just a cold-blooded assassin on the floor.





My respect for Kobe has lasted a long time, even if I only started 'liking' him recently. Despite his many run-ins with the media regarding his on-court spats and off-court lawsuits, the man comes back season after season, hits game-winner after game-winner after game-winner, all with that look of death plastered on his face.

Here's an excerpt from his article with GQ that I felt like sharing.

On being surrounded by the best of the best athletes at the Olympics: "I felt like Harry Potter going to Hogwarts."

On his relationship with Shaq: "The biggest mistake I made was responding to what he was saying about me. Once I responded, now that made it seem like I was part of that whole thing. It's like, Okay, these two are against each other. As opposed to just staying quiet, which is what I've been doing the last few years. Let him say what he needs to say."

And finally, this hilarious exchange on how Kobe's win-at-all-costs mind-set does carry over to the rest of his life:
"What people see on court is another side of me; it's not me. That dark side that's coming to get you — ha ha! I'm not losing this [expletive] game — that's not who I am. That's part of me. Off the court, I'm completely different."

In almost the same breath he admits that a simple game of Cranium with his wife can turn into guerrilla warfare.Cranium? The kids' board game? With Sensosketches and Cloodles?

He purses his lips, nods his head slowly: No joke.

Have a great weekend!


G