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

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