Because I'm Happy

         

           Material things can get old fast, especially in a generation and a culture that is centered around opulence through excessive ad campaigns and the music we listen to.  What people fail to realize, is that true happiness can't be found in objects, but how you live your life.

            My favorite place to find happiness is through other people, and making them smile whether it be my family or friends.  I've always been subjective about my friends, never feeling like I needed to be friends with the most popular company, but rather people that enjoyed my company.  I always enjoyed the friends, I could throw a joke at, and have them throw one back at me, spread the happiness.  I find happiness in people knowing they can come talk to me about their problems, while receiving my full attention, though that pretty much assured my place in "the friend zone" I've got no problem there because I didn't want to date most of them anyway.  I always attempted to make as many friends I could in high school, and I learned after high school, that those people weren't necessarily my friends per say.  I keep my friend's group small, only have about 6 or 7 but that's all I really need to be happy.  I'd rather have 6 real friends, than 100 "friends"

             People believe that popularity in school is the portal for more friends in school, when in reality it's just another way to get attention, and for others to exploit you for that popular spot you hold.

            I've been blessed to have as many experiences that I've had so far, considering how many kids don't get to.  But with that being said, there's so many things that I still want to do in life, especially when I finish school.  I've got the travel bug currently, and I know everybody says to travel when I'm young, and that's exactly what I plan to do.  When I'm done at BHCC I plan on going to Europe for 6 months - 1 year, and explore everything it has to offer.  I've made a list of everywhere I want to go and what I want to do, I'd backpack throughout and live/work in hostels as I make my way around.  I would like to visit Ireland, UK, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Italy just to name a few places I want to see.  I want to marvel at the things created when my ancestors were around, learn about different cultures, and maybe pick up a language or two while in the country.  I then want to come back to Boston, or NYC and create a family, as it's one thing I'm very much looking forward to in life. I'd love to build my house, if I can make that possible. Creating life, is one of the most powerful gifts we have as humans.

            Many times people's emotions are thrown to the side when the idea of making money is in their face, but what happens if you pull money out from under you like a rug, do your emotions portray who you are and how you want to be? For me in order to remain happy through emotion I would want to feel a sense of completion or fulfillment with what I've done for myself.  I want to be able to say "I was able to travel the world and get my Masters, and have kids that will grow into loving adults.  I want to feel like I've been ambitious throughout my life, and I wasn't just laying down waiting for something to come to me that never will.

"If you don't have motivation to wake up in the morning, you never will." - Me

Here Lies Tyler Holmes

with that large smile
that touched everyone within the mile
that gleamed like the sun
spreading happiness that couldn't be undone

he traveled everywhere with
only a backpack and some underwear
he went from sea to sea
trying all the ethnic teas

he created clones
he built loving homes
his kids were just as loving
and even more caring

always managing to explore
exuberating ambition from his core
living a complete life
thanks to his wife

The Gratitude of Working With Children

       

              When my mom told me about a job opportunity as a substitute teacher at a Child Care Center I was at first hesitant to accept working with children.  However, it was the summer before heading off to Wentworth and I needed the money for school, so I accepted.  Little did I know that I would meet some of the greatest people and learn some very valuable lessons there.  I actually went off to school and when I left Wentworth ended up coming back, to where I work today.  And if I'm working there now it can't be all that bad right?

          My mom always joked that she wanted me to accept the job as a form of birth control for me, which I mean in my case didn't make sense, but I knew she was joking.  Little did I know though is that this job really does make me not want a kid anytime soon, seeing all the responsibility involved, it's a lot!  However, through seeing all the work needed to put in, I think that in time I can benefit to become a better dad from it. For example, parents nowadays baby their kids way too much, to the point that the kids can't do everyday things on their own without help.  Also, the kids don't ever get reprimanded for bad behavior because the family feels bad for not spending time with them, and it doesn't help the children at all.

         I've also realized that taking care of kids is very tiring, no matter how much sleep I get, I'm always tired coming home from work.  I admire my co-workers, they've been working with children for nearly 20 years and I don't know how they did it.  Though I enjoy seeing the kids everyday, I couldn't see myself doing this job my whole life, balancing with school has become a chore.  I am grateful however, for what I have been able to do with the kids, and being able to contribute to their education whether it was in a small or a large way.  I'm also grateful for all the things it taught me for when I finally become a father, knowing how to do things the right way so that my children can benefit.

Hip Hop Resume

Gettin' my Wale on, that's ambition
Hire me, I'll bring in money, like tuition
My ideas are unmatched, no opposition
You won't get the same, what's repetition?
My status is like your baseball cards, super mint condition
I pull the profit from my hat, but I'm not a magician
We'll be more valuable than some weapon ammunition
These other companies will fall apart under us, decomposition
I bring electricity in the room, like a motivational electrician
I'll bring in all the best clients, that's limited edition
I can take us across the world, money expedition
We'll be separated as greats, that's an elite partition
You're always looking for success, well I'm the definition
We'll be number one, I need your permission
I've got more equations to prosper than a Harvard mathematician
I've got the key to success, RIP to the competition

All I Need In This Life of Sin

Story 1: In my perfect world, I'm sitting pretty in a mansion with acres of land surrounding me in a New England setting.  I'm an entrepreneur, I'm a music producer, stage designer, and a shoe designer, and I've got plenty of extra money to spend, money is no longer a concern.  I've got a wife that I met before the money who loves me for who I am and not what I have, and we have 4 kids, two boys two girls.  I'm able to put my parents in a nice house that they don't need to worry about paying for.  My family can depend on me for help should they need it.  I've designed stages for the biggest musical acts and have also contributed music to their sets.  People compare my beat skills to those of Pharrell and Timbaland, I'm a role model to young kids, and teach/give speeches at schools around the country.  I'm satisfied not because I have money, but because my worries are minimal.

Story 2: I've had a life changing experience, I'm on an expedition through the Amazon and get attacked by a poisonous snake.  I rush to the hospital thinking I'm going to die when the doctors tell me that I'm completely fine, and that somehow the venom in my system has been fought off by my blood.  I decide to return home to Boston after that traumatic experience.  I contemplate my life and where it's headed and realize the snake attack has shown me that life is a virtue.  I decide I need to stop being so reckless and take an easier life of relaxation.

Story 3: I'm now a bartender working at the most popular bars in New York, and am known as one of the best in the city.  My ability of flipping shot cups without spilling a drop of alcohol becomes something people continuously talk and ask about.  My techniques are studied by others trying to become bartenders and I meet a lot of great people including my wife at the bar.  I make a living on my bartending and support my children with it.  I still get the chance to be popular, just on a much smaller level.

Opportunities

Opportunities are a large presence in my life
Networking is my greatest quality
The world seems to be on my side
I'm meeting people I never would've imagined

Just this week I got RZA's email
Just this week I found out I might meet Kanye
Just this week I sent Travi$ Scott more music
Just this week I met a professor from Harvard

My bank account continues to increase
My t-shirt company is in early production
The world seems to be on my side
I'm doing things I never thought I would

Just this week I experimented with a new music style
Just this week I designed a new type of stage
Just this week I planned out a trip to travel during the summer
Just this week I wrote a letter to the DOJ

My family is the closest we've ever been
My friends are supporting me more than ever
The world seems to be on my side
Just this week.....

Everything I'm Not Makes Me Everything I Am

                  As you can see my pictures show off a little bit of everything, and that's because that's what I want to do with my life, a little bit of everything.  I always wanted the people back in the day, when they were like mathematician, artist, scientist, inventor, author, farmer, astronauts in space (well maybe the last one is an exaggeration).  I always idolized them, because they were never stuck doing one job, but rather doing everything whenever they wanted.  So let's go through these pictures as I take you through different jobs and such. So for my different jobs I would like to be a music producer, a shoe designer, and an innovative tour set designer such as that seen on the Watch The Throne and Yeezus tour above.  I'd also work hard enough into wealth that I can afford a sizeable art collection from Banksy, to Basquiat, to Picasso, and also an avid car collector including old and newer cars.  I also hope to travel (soon) to Florence, Italy and to Australia at some point.  I'd also like to continue to always learn, because knowledge is power, and also one day be able to inspire others to do great through writing books and doing public speaking.  I also have some aspirations to become mayor of Somerville one day, all while balancing all the other things.

I Know Now

When you ask what I want my life to be about

I know now
I know now

I want the house on the hill
so I can look out

I know now
I know now

I want to throw awesome parties
without any doubt

I know now
I know now

I want to find the best cars the best paintings
like a talent scout

I know now
I know now

I want to talk to young adults, and write about my experiences
they need somebody to reach out

I know now
I know now

I want to create the wildest stages for the biggest artists
so I can hear the fans shout

I know now
I know now

I want to go to the depths of every book
to find knowledge, to seek it out

I know now
I know now

I want to see the ancient buildings, and the shining sun in Australia
that everybody always seems to talk about

I know now
I know now

I want to be everything but one thing all at once

Adventurous.

Passion is No Ordinary Word

       

          Ironically the reason this post is a day late this week is because I got caught up in my passion this weekend and lost track of time.  I know this probably sounds cliche but my passion is music, as in producing beats, and songs, in hopes of getting chosen by a major artist.  However, I also enjoy other aspects of music too, such as interpretation, by that I mean, when I listen to a song, I try to think of how I would want the music video for the song to look, 9 times out of 10 I'm disappointed with how they come out, cause they're no where near as meaningful or cool as I saw them.   I also enjoy drawing set designs for tours based on the theme of an artists themes.  I'm currently working on an idea for a more interactive concert experience, that I hope to get patented should I ever believe it's a valid idea.  If I could choose one thing to be dedicated to for the rest of my life, it would be producing music, I would go as far to say that I would do it for free, if money wasn't a problem.
            I've considered several different ideas if I were to become successful as a producer or tour set designer, and that would be a part time teacher.  This class would be special though, because I would allow students to take in the creative aspects of what it takes to put a song, or a show together, and how I come up with ideas.  I also considered being able to know certain artists or other producers I could bring in as guest speakers to talk to the class and give them motivation.  In a way it would also help my own creativity getting to see the reaction of kids and how they react to the content, because of everything they see everyday, and most times than not they can tell you honestly what they think.  Since I do enjoy talking, and producing, I think teaching would help fulfill both of my favorite things.
            With music the range is so large, I want to be able to affect a wide audience of people, and be able to connect to a wide audience.  I want to make music that's so uplifting and upbeat that every commercial is requesting to use the instrumental to advertise their new product.  I want my passion to lead to others getting passionate about music the same way I did, at a concert, where the presentation was amazing, and got me all kinds of excited.  Seeing the Watch The Throne concert, as the cubes rose up out of the ground and displayed various images, it looked amazing and only improved the already amazing performance.  I want my passion to lead to others following my foot steps, I want my concert design or my beat to contribute to the reason that a kid decided to become so engulfed in music.  Because that's exactly how I felt at the Watch the Throne concert, and I want others to feel that too.

The set design for the Yeezus tour was centered around a giant LED mountain.

The Irreplaceable Sound

You're the sound feelings make
   You stay close by, always a button press away
  You fill an empty room with your presence
You stand the test of time, but never age
  You help through the struggles and through the sadness
 You hold the secret to bravery and courage
You allow all in, and never discriminate.
    You're a million different races, and ethnicitys in one.
   You know how to have fun
  You make me feel cool
You portray different moods
    You always change for the better
  You're always a conversation starter
You provide me with an outlet to expression
  Without you the world would be boring
You've always been my one true love
  You never leave my side
On the darkest of days
  You stand by, and fill the room with joy
You, music, are irreplaceable

The Alchemist (The Book, Not the Producer).

            For my Voicing Your Future class, I had the pleasure of reading the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.  It tells the story of Santiago, who ends up having a dream about a treasure that he saw at the Pyramids, and takes you on the journey of his Personal Legend.  Santiago learns several valuable lessons on his journey, and also creates a greater connection to the world and nature.  Santiago also learns how hard it is to stick with something for as long as you can when you're faced with so many different articles.  The Alchemist was created to show that when you set your mind to a goal, that anything is possible. 

             One part of the story I really connected with, was when he finally meets the alchemist and the alchemist gives him all kinds of advice.  One part was when he talks about the need for Santiago to connect and talk with his heart and to always listen to it.  This in a way resonated with me because I've been struggling to follow what my heart is telling me and going more with what my head is saying.  But the book has been able to make me realize that listening to your heart can turn out for the better, especially in the sense of Santiago who ends up listening to his heart and connecting with nature.  There is a power in the intuition of your heart, and being able to listen to it, holds great power. 

              For the most part I loved everything about the book, from the underdog plot to all the life lessons it upheld.  The character exposition was also great, feeling like you really know a character and what he was thinking is always a plus in my book.  I also enjoyed the fact that each person that Santiago encountered had some kind of wise advice to give him, and always encouraged him to continue on his journey.  The one thing I didn't necessarily like all that much was the personification of inanimate objects, such as when he talked to the sun and his heart.  Though I know this was all meant for the greater purpose of character exposition I didn't enjoy those points for the most part.  All in all though it was a fantastic book, with not to many wrongs done.  

               I would recommend this book to a friend, because I believe they'd learn a lot of lessons like I have from the book.  Especially somebody who is in a rut or can't quite get their mind right, I'd recommend this book to get them back on track.  The best audience it would be good for is people who enjoy reading, because of all the hidden lessons, if you think reading is boring you may not see them.  I actually read this book in high school, and it led to me reading more and more to the point of where I am today.  I recommend this book to everyone!

Lessons

The Alchemist

It teaches you a lot of lessons

Ones that you can see

Ones that you can't 

It tells the story of anything you want to be

Follow your dreams

Chase after your goals

Travel the seas

Go to the North Pole

It doesn't matter what it is

As long as you go and do it

Be adventurous but observant

Connect with nature

And follow your own

Pathways can lead you in all different directions 

So follow your heart it knows what to do

It saved you more times than you know

The silent helper

It'll always be there

Waiting to save you

When You've Got So Much To Say It's Called Gratitude

         

            In this technological era, where everything is expanding so quickly, there is so much that we as humans take for granted every day.  One thing I definitely take for granted is time, though it may not be a physical object, I spend so much time with technology that I become a home body.  Granted I'm creating music, doing homework, etc. but I feel like it's also making me lazy, and way to connected to my computer, that I lose my mind if I go a day without it.  I used to run every day, and go to fitness classes 3 times a week, now I'm lucky to run 3 days a week, and I feel like I'm wasting time not being active.  Another thing that not only myself but everybody takes advantage of is a cellphone, our cellphone has to be the best one out, however, there was a time where having a phone was a luxury.  There's a house on my street, where Alexander Graham Bell made his first "long distance call", the call - from Somerville, MA to Boston, MA not even 3 miles.  That was seen as an amazing discovery, now it seems so minute, and meaningless.
             There's so much I am grateful for, as I was lucky to grow up the way I did and know the people that I did.  I've grown up to be very smart because my mother worked as PTA President, so I was always at school, and always learning, I had a distinct advantage that I didn't realize how advantageous it was.  I also have many connections both through family, and from networking, with my uncle as VP of Human Resources at Reebok I got to see how shoes were designed and created.  I've had several different jobs that I never had to "apply" to, they were just given to me.  Finally I had the opportunity to travel to Spain/Portugal in 8th grade, among a group of 30 students, paying over $1,800 to go on the trip I was lucky enough to have two parents with jobs that could satisfy that price.  There's so much in my life that I'm grateful for.
            One thing I've been able to take in a lot more is the power of books and what it's done in terms of my vocabulary and also my creativity.  Books like Game of Thrones, and Joyland and other books, are ones that I overlooked before, but now that I'm reading them I can't put them down.  I've bought more books in the past 3 months than I had read, in high school (15 give or take).  I also believe I'm able to absorb the enjoyment of conversation, an art I feel has diminished with the introduction of technology and social media.  I could talk for hours, and I always enjoy some who knows how to keep a conversation and doesn't involve me having to carry a conversation.  You know what they say, "the more connected we are, the more alone we become." Talk more.

Sunrise

The world opens up
The color restores to us
You are alive now

Music

Feelings of our heart
The outside world is blinded
Emotion fills us

Parents

Never growing far
Like a bear with her babies
They always defend

Spirit

I see them watching
Teaching me all the secrets
That you cannot see

Teachers

The unknown heroes
The most important people
Without, life cannot

\\

You have to fail, to learn how to succeed

        No matter who you are, or where you're from, everybody has fears in life.  Whether it's the rich white kid who's afraid of growing up without any real friends, or if it's the African-American teen growing up in Compton fearing he may not live to see 25.  My fears are in between both of those, I'm afraid of loneliness, but I'm also afraid of success.  For the loneliness part, to this day I've never been in a relationship, I'm also a very stubborn person sometimes, and that tends to drive people away from me.  I'm also fearing for success because you lose your personal life, when you become successful in the way that I would like to become successful (through music).  Also when you're successful you never know who is there for you and who is there for your money, it becomes risky business when you can't determine who your friends are.
        Just like how anybody can have fears, everybody has obstacles they have to overcome at some point in their life.  Whether it's that stereotypical neglected white rich kid trying to knock his drug habit, or that kid from Compton trying to find his way out of his dangerous neighborhood without trouble or crime.  For me as a music producer, an obstacle has been my location in Boston, there isn't a large hip hop community music for my music to thrive on.  Which creates another obstacle in the sense of having to move to NYC or LA for the possibility of my music to thrive, of course it could also be a big risk, which I would have to determine whether it's worth it or not.  Another obstacle which is common in music is staying relevant in a business that's always changing, though these may not seem like struggles to some, for somebody like me pursuing a career in music.
         Some assets I do hold however, is that I persevere, and continue on no matter how hard something may be.  I'm also very ambiguous, and I believe that everybody has greatness when they look into themselves.  I'm also known to have my ear to the ground in terms of music, and a lot of my friends come to me to find out the latest on new music.  I'm also very honest which people seem to enjoy, when they're looking for a genuine opinion, because they know I won't hold back from what I want to say.  Finally I would say that I have a lot of connections from how I've been raised and how sociable I am, and with that I can strive to get anything I need in life.

Perseverance

I'm running the track of life
Jumping over invisible hurdles tryna catch my breath
That fears cutting deeper than the tip of a knife
The more I run the more I find
These obstacles got me going out of my mind

I can't back down though
I need to keep on running through it
I can't let them see me frown, no
I can see the finish line now
I feel my body giving in this is all it can allow

But I fight off my demons
I box through the darkness
You know what to do when life hands you lemons
So I feel my adrenaline, it gives me a boost
I get to that last 100 meters now

I reached the finish line, take a bow.

Stop and Stare

I've decided to free write at three different times of the day for this weeks writing assignment.

Morning:

       I woke up this morning on a mission.  I was going to just get up, go for a run, and sit in my secret area to watch the sun rise.  So I did.  I woke up at 5:30 and went through my daily ritual, get dressed, prepped my backpack, and got my running gear on.  I decided I wasn't going to bring music on my run, so that I wouldn't be distracted, and so that I didn't have any distractions from the sunrise.  I did my five mile run, not thinking about anything but what was in front of me, and it was one of my most enjoyable runs I've ever been on.  Then I got to enjoy the beauty of the sunrise, no texts to look at, no Instagram photos to like, no pictures, to take and it made me enjoy it that much more.  I didn't realize what I was missing.

Afternoon.

      Sitting at my desk, I decided that I wasn't going to use any technology for the rest of my night, so I had to find something else to do.  Something that would distract me from the glowing rectangles that I was so addicted to staring at for the entirety of my day.  I started out by reading the fourth book in the Game of Thrones series (a book series I strongly recommend).  Then after I got through 200 pages of that I decided that since my mind was wondering I needed something new to keep me focused.  I got my drawing pad out and began to draw some tattoo ideas I had been considering.  I'm usually not an abstract thinker but it turns out that when I don't have a million things shooting around in my head at once that I can actually think abstractly. I actually was able to crank out 10 different ideas, safe to say it was a productive afternoon.

Night.

      It's the night of the Pusha T concert at the Middle East downstairs and I'm amped to go.  I decided to bring some stuff to keep me entertained, while I wait in line, I wanted to be up in front of the stage.  I brought a pencil, a tin can, and a couple other misc. things I could throw away.  With the producer that I am, I decided that I would just make beats to keep myself entertained, little did I know I was going to turn the line into a rap battle.  I decided not to take my phone tonight, because I knew if I did, I'd find myself recording the whole concert and not actually enjoying the music.  If I had brought my phone, I wouldn't have been able to have as much fun in line either.  It turned out I got front row at the concert, and I jammed my hard out to the G.O.O.D. Music Golden Child.  I looked around me and what I saw was a bunch of cameras, recording the whole show, no dancing, no rapping with the lyrics, just statues holding phones.  It was at that moment I reflected to myself, and said, I'll never bring my phone to a concert again.

The Sights.

When I stop I notice the sun
Rising out of it's bed of branches,
Turning the sky a bright pink
Like my cheeks on this cold morning
Clouds of fluff slowly dissipate
The wind blowing at my face
Wake up it's time for school
The music in my ears
Providing a soundtrack to the morning
The morning dew sparkles as the sun rises higher
The sky now turns the familiar blue
Like I'm staring up at an ocean on a clear day
One car drives by
Then two more, then a trunk blowing its horn
Two men in suits running down the street
A woman with auburn curls speeds down the street
On her bike like she's racing
Like her life depends on how fast she pedals
But there is no one else there
Just me, absorbing all the beauty that no one else seems to see.

                                                    This is a picture from my road trip to TX

Mixing It All Together

                 I will admit that in high school, I wasn't the most serious about my grades, I fell into the social aspect of high school more than the educational aspect.  Before you make assumptions, I wasn't failing by any means, but I was getting low B's and high C's which was different than what I had got in middle school. It wasn't til my junior year, when the dreaded but exciting college talks began, and I realized that the GPA I hadn't been paying attention to wasn't going to help me get into the colleges I wanted to.  Even bigger than the idea of college, that concerned me was getting into the National Honor Society, of which I was later rejected because my GPA was lower than the expectation.  I would later find out that not getting in was a blessing in disguise.
                When I first got the rejection letter, it was like somebody stuck their hand into my chest and ripped my heart out, I was devastated.  I held the National Honor Society so high, and hated the fact I was going to be the only one of my siblings to not get into National Honors.  Then after getting rejected I had to watch everybody who got accepted walk across the stage and have their accolades read, I will admit I was bitter.  I then decided that this group was only a select group and didn't actually represent everybody but only a select few.  Some of the kids on stage were the ones that didn't know how to balance social and educational activities in school, and would instead just focus on their education.  To me a model student was one that could equally balance both, nobody is indeed perfect, and I didn't need a gold sash around my neck to tell me or anybody else that I was smart.  This flub in my high school legacy, in actuality was a blessing in disguise.
               Not getting put in the National Honors Society was really a blessing in disguise, because it made me get my act together and work harder.  For my senior year of high school I ended up with High Honors, getting straight A's in both semesters, and felt a new found confidence in my intelligence.  I finally was able to realize my true potential, and what I'm able to do when I set my mind to it.  I used to procrastinate on everything I did, work, school, sports, everything, after that National Honors flub, my procrastination is no more, and my productivity has increased substantially.  I can't just expect to be accepted into something because of who I am and I learned that the hard way.  

Potency

Alchemy in common terms is a medieval chemistry
   A concoction of sorts, but is relateable to us

  For in our own right we are a mix of properties
    How we are described by others
 How we describe ourselves
       Who we are religiously, who we are ethnically
    It all gets thrown in the melting pot
       Each one of us our own unique concoction
  Not one mixture is exactly the same
      We form our own beliefs based on our "chemical" foundation
 We create the the reality of our lives
      We are the potency to the universe
    We are the alchemists to our own lives
   We are each our own perfect mixture.

These Are The Moments I Live For

   

      Throughout our lives we experience things both negative and positive to shape who we become as we grow older and all the more wiser.  I've grown up with a very opportunistic life, in which I've got to experience more than a lot of kids my age got to.  These experiences are what make me the overly ambitious teen I am today.
      My first experience I'm grateful for is the job I'm currently at, it's had a big impact on my life and has helped me learn a few things.  During the summer of my senior year of high school I found a job working as a student teacher for a child care center in my town, teaching kids 2-5.  My mom told me it would be could because it's like a guys version of birth control, her words (*laughs*).  It's really taught me how to be mature, and I feel is actually helping me prepare to be a dad when I'm older, which I hear can be difficult at times, and I'll need all the help I can get.
      The second and one of the most important I feel is my discovery of my love for music in Grade 5 after my mom asked her friend who was my music teacher at the time to give me piano lessons.  Haven't shied away from the keys since, every time I touch the ebony and ivory's I feel a power like none other.  The power of capturing emotion and feeling is really what reeled me in; I've always loved the ability to turn on a song with a crazy beat, and feel like I have the biggest ego as I walk down the street.  Music will always be my life and I look forward to putting it to ink soon, so it will be with me permanently.
       The final experience is actually a job working for a place called Teen Empowerment, where I got paid a stipend to write a speech and read it in front of nearly 1,000 people.  Teen Empowerment taught me that I should always stand behind my words, and also showed me their is power in my words.  I was able to do an interaction piece with the crowd during my speech asking about where people grew up and if they've ever been judged based on where they're from.  When I finished and got the the standing ovation from the vast amount of people crammed inside this high school auditorium I found a courage I didn't know i had.  The Teen Empowerment experience also made me strive to one day talk in front of 10,000 people all at once, and inspire them with my words.

                                          DJing the Walk for Hunger at my brothers house.

For the second part I was supposed to write about a job I didn't like but since I've loved every job I've worked at, I'm going to change it up a little.

Consuming the Consumer

We're the New Slaves, that's what Ye said.

They got us selling our souls, to buy the new threads

Kids dying over sneakers they can't afford

Only for them to be brought home and stored

Put in a casket like their favorite shoes never to see the light of day

Is this the price we're really willing to pay?

Corporations telling kids what's cool

Kids have become their manipulative tools

Hot girls and guys with no shirts on 

That's what we base buying a product on

An arm an a leg that's the price tag for quality

Consumption has become a game, all about quantity

Corporations can't control

I'm uncontrollable

I write my own rules

I refuse to be just another tool

No One Man Should Have All This Power

             


                If you read my blog posts, you know that I have a profound love for music in all genres, and I have found power in music.  The ability to create my own sound for others to enjoy is so empowering to me, the fact that I can create the joy I feel when listening to music for others is amazing.  I discovered this power in 5th grade when I started playing piano, and eventually getting involved performing at talent shows to seeing everybody loving my performances (one of which I played the piano blindfolded).  Moving ahead 5 years I was introduced to a producer program known as Fruity Loops, and got absorbed into the program and started learning the ins and outs.  It's been love ever since, and I'm hoping it turns into a career.
                 Though music can get me through tough times it doesn't always help in every situation, I feel a loss of power when somebody is feeling down and I can't do anything to help them.  People tell me a lot I'm a very emotional person, and I can understand why considering I'm always worried about making people happy and laugh, but get disgruntled when I'm unable to.  I also tend to lose power when related to music, sometimes I get a producer's version of writers block, where I sit at my piano all day and can't come up with a new melody.  This can be frustrating when I'm trying to become the next best super producer, but I can't come up with anything.  It's a process but luckily it doesn't last very long.
                  Music is always changing, which is why you always have to have your ear to the ground to predict what the next big thing will be.  To increase my power in music, I spend hours of my day trying to come up with melodies on my piano.  I also search the Internet, buying any new sound packs that I can that will give me the upper hand on other producers on the same level as me.  Listening to current and old music is also important, for both ideas and inspiration, a lot of the songs you hear today used some part of an old song to be created.  Finally I take my music around to different people and get their opinions on it and use what they give me to perfect the craft, thus building my power.  Keeping power in music is all about the adaptation process to a forever changing landscape.

When I Was A Limitless Child

 When I was a limitless child I dreamed of controlling the world.

             Owning mansions with a garage full of cars.

       Building skyscrapers that the world would gape and awe at

    Fly around the world and surf the oceans

            Support my family without any worries.

                I dreamed of flying like the planes I admired from my window

      Becoming famous, not for the notoriety but to make change

             I dreamed of owning a zoo where I could own whatever animals I wanted and pet the tigers

          Flying across the universe and discovering new planets with the astronauts I watched on TV

   Climbing the tallest mountain just to see the view.

            Owning the most popular construction company in the world

         Having riches beyond anybody's wildest dreams like the movies

      Knowing limitless amounts of people, and making new friends everyday

        Wearing the coolest new clothes to get more recognition

               Being the model child, but also one that everybody enjoyed

           When I was a limitless child I learned the sky isn't the limit, it's just the view

  

How I've Become Me

This week's assignment had be write a thank you letter to a mentor, teacher, or somebody that helped mold who we are today, I cheated and used 3 people, my three siblings, Melissa, Michael and Ashley.

Hello Mike, Melissa, & Ashley,

                I’m writing to thank you guys for being my inspiration and molding me into the person that I am today in more ways than one.  You guys are my siblings each with your own personalities and each with your little quirks I grew up enjoying.  I appreciate you guys more than you know for all you've done both mentally and physically for me.  I know you guys hate when I get too mushy, so I’ll try my best to write this letter without too much of that, no promises.

                Mike, as my big brother you showed me everything I want to be, you’re one of the most witty people I know, and I try to emanate that every day.  You've been my role model my whole life whether you knew it or not, I’ll always look up to you.  Melissa as the oldest sister and most determined I've learned from you that I can do whatever I set my mind to.  You've also made me realize that I need to be more organized and careful with my money, all your travels you've done, also encouraged me to want to travel the world.  Finally there’s Ashley, who with her tough love, has taught me that I need to be tougher, and showed that it’s always important to voice your opinion no matter how unpopular it may be.  She also taught me that you should be dedicated to your job, as she works longer hours than she needs to, and is really into her job.

                Each one of you I feel have contributed to a part of the character of who I have become now as a person.  Mike, you gave me the witty banter I’m known for now and the want to have a good time and make everybody happy.  Melissa, you gave me my determination and ambition, the want to be something greater, and my want to explore places I've never been.  Ashley, you've given me toughness and reminding me to always stay dedicated to something I believe in.  I appreciate all three of you for everything you've done and all your influences you've passed down to me (including the musical ones).

Love you guys,
Ty

                                                (Left to Right)Ashley, Me, Melissa, Michael  

Ode to the Siblings

At the age of twenty
My siblings molded me
I appreciate what you've done plenty
You are the reason I'm the ambitious teen I appear to be
Melissa you've convinced me to think before spending a penny
Mike you were always there to keep me on track, make sure I get my degree
Ashley you taught me to always be a cognoscenti
I love you guys, that much we must all agree.

                          (From left to Right) Michael, Ashley, My Dad, Melissa, Me, My Mom