Too Shy to Dance

When I was an adolescent I envied the great “ballerinos” among the kids on the block, and pretended I had other things to do at parties – like having a conversation.
But in fact I was terrified of looking ridiculous, and because of that I would not risk a single step.

Until one day a girl called Marcia called out to me in front of everybody:
“Come on!”

I said I did not like to dance, but she insisted.
Everyone in the group was looking, and because I was in love (love is capable of so many things!), I could refuse no further.

I did not know how to follow the steps, but Marcia did not stop; she went on dancing as if I were a Rudolf Nureyev.

“Forget the others and pay attention to the bass,” she whispered in my ear. “Try to follow its rhythm.”

At that moment I understood that we do not always have to learn the most important things; they are already part of our nature.

When we become adults, and when we grow old, we need to go on dancing. The rhythm changes, but music is part of life, and dancing is the consequence of letting this rhythm come inside us.

I still dance whenever I can.
With dancing, the spiritual world and the real world manage to co-exist without any conflicts.

As somebody once said, the classic ballerinas are always on tiptoe because they are at the same time touching the earth and reaching the sky.
-Paulo Coelho

Words I Never Said

Lupe Fiasco goes durrrro on this video.
BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK.

Furious Five Featurette

Doms vs Hobbs

Furious Five features one of my idols, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, which was recently interviewed for CNN.

Click Here to Watch

Trailer: Life in a Day

On July 24, 2010, thousands of people around the world uploaded videos of their lives to YouTube to take part in Life in a Day, a historic cinematic experiment to create a documentary film about a single day on earth.

Directed by Kevin Macdonald
Produced by Ridley Scott
Filmed by You

In Theatres July 2011

What is Your Life's Blueprint

Six months before he was assassinated, King spoke to a group of students at Barratt Junior High School in Philadelphia on October 26, 1967.

I want to ask you a question, and that is: What is your life's blueprint?

Whenever a building is constructed, you usually have an architect who draws a blueprint, and that blueprint serves as the pattern, as the guide, and a building is not well erected without a good, solid blueprint.

Now each of you is in the process of building the structure of your lives, and the question is whether you have a proper, a solid and a sound blueprint.

I want to suggest some of the things that should begin your life's blueprint. Number one in your life's blueprint, should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your worth and your own somebodiness. Don't allow anybody to make you fell that you're nobody. Always feel that you count. Always feel that you have worth, and always feel that your life has ultimate significance.

Secondly, in your life's blueprint you must have as the basic principle the determination to achieve excellence in your various fields of endeavor. You're going to be deciding as the days, as the years unfold what you will do in life — what your life's work will be. Set out to do it well.

And I say to you, my young friends, doors are opening to you--doors of opportunities that were not open to your mothers and your fathers — and the great challenge facing you is to be ready to face these doors as they open.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great essayist, said in a lecture in 1871, "If a man can write a better book or preach a better sermon or make a better mousetrap than his neighbor, even if he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door."

This hasn't always been true — but it will become increasingly true, and so I would urge you to study hard, to burn the midnight oil; I would say to you, don't drop out of school. I understand all the sociological reasons, but I urge you that in spite of your economic plight, in spite of the situation that you're forced to live in — stay in school.

And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. don't just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead or the unborn couldn't do it any better.

If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.

Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.

— From the estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Awesome: Confetti Death

Artist: Typoe, Miami
Other Work: Click Here

Around the World in One Minute

The World of Affirmations & Affecting Others

April 22, 2011
DailyOM
Words of Wisdom
Affirmations

The words we speak and think hold great sway over the kind of life that we create for ourselves. Many people live their lives plagued by negative thoughts and never even realize this. They tell themselves and others that they are doomed to fail, not good enough, or not worthy of love, yet they are amazed when their reality starts reflecting these words. Just as the subconscious mind accepts as truth the critical statements we tell ourselves, however, it is also equipped to instantly accept the veracity of our affirmations.

Affirmations are statements chosen and spoken consciously. Once they enter our realm of consciousness, they also enter our subconscious mind where they have the power to change our lives. The affirmations you create should be specific, not too long, worded positively, formed in complete sentences, and spoken in the present tense as if what you are affirming is already true. It is a good idea to repeat your affirmations daily. You may want to tell yourself that you deserve to be happy or that you are in control of your destiny. Or, you may want to focus on a particular goal, such as attracting new friends. Rather than telling yourself you want to be well-liked, say, “I am well-liked.” Your subconscious mind will pick up on these positive messages, and you will begin to live your life as if what you are affirming already has happened. Soon, your reality will begin to reflect your affirmations. If you find that you are thwarting yourself with negative thinking, try repeating your affirmations several times a day. Write your affirmations down and say them aloud or in your mind. Allow your conviction to grow stronger each time you say your affirmations, and your negativity will be overridden by your motivation and positive thoughts.

Affirmations are a powerful tool for creating our desired reality. We consciously and subconsciously invite opportunity into our lives when we say affirmations. Trust in the power of your affirmations, and you will very quickly create what you have already stated to be true.

April 21, 2011
Spreading Your Light
How You Affect Others Daily

As the pace and fullness of modern life serve to isolate us from one another, the contact we do share becomes vastly more significant. We unconsciously absorb each other’s energy, adopting the temperament of those with whom we share close quarters, and find ourselves changed after the briefest encounters. Everything we do or say has the potential to affect not only the individuals we live, work, and play with but also those we’ve just met. Though we may never know the impact we have had or the scope of our influence, accepting and understanding that our attitudes and choices will affect others can help us remember to conduct ourselves with grace at all times. When we seek always to be friendly, helpful, and responsive, we effortlessly create an atmosphere around ourselves that is both uplifting and inspiring.

Most people rarely give thought to the effect they have had or will have on others. When we take a few moments to contemplate how our individual modes of being affect the people we spend time with each day, we come one step closer to seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. By asking ourselves whether those we encounter walk away feeling appreciated, respected, and liked, we can heighten our awareness of the effect we ultimately have. Something as simple as a smile given freely can temporarily brighten a person’s entire world. Our value-driven conduct may inspire others to consider whether their own lives are reflective of their values. A word of advice can help others see life in an entirely new fashion. And small gestures of kindness can even prove to those embittered by the world that goodness still exists. By simply being ourselves, we influence other’s lives in both subtle and life-altering ways.

To ensure that the effect we have is positive, we must strive to stay true to ourselves while realizing that it is the demeanor we project and not the quality of our wondrous inner landscapes that people see. Thus, as we interact with others, how we behave can be as important as who we are. If we project our passion for life, our warmth, and our tolerance in our facial features, voice, and choice of words, every person who enters our circle of influence will leave our presence feeling at peace with themselves and with us. You never know whose life you are affecting, big or small. Try to remember this as you go out into the world each day.

Updated: Lamborghini 2012 Aventador LP700-4

Loving the color.

Powered by a 6.5-liter V12 engine, the automobile is connected to a Graziano ISR 7-speed automatic transmission and a Haldex all-wheel drive system that enables the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).

Safe House

In the open state, a draw bridge lowers, connecting the home to the indoor swimming pool, movable walls open, mobile shutters come up, and a rolling aluminum opens the home to the gardens. The entire home transforms with the touch of a button.

Can You Spot the Two Legends?

Photoshop Touch TDK

Adobe unveils Photoshop Touch SDK – a new way for interacting with tablets, bridging Photoshop CS5 with Android, Blackberry Tablet OS, and iOS. More details here.

Words from TuPac Behind Prison Walls

In this video, 2Pac touches on points that are still relevant today. There are many points I would agree and disagree with regarding politics, our communities, our country and 'thug life.'

It is definitely worth the watch.

Somos Diferentes

A Samurai who was known for his nobility and honesty, went to visit a Zen monk to ask advice.

Why do I feel so inferior? – he asked, as soon as the monk finished his prayers. – I have faced death many times, have defended those who are weak, Nevertheless, upon seeing you meditating, I felt that my life had absolutely no importance whatsoever.

Wait. Once I have attended to all those who come to see me today, I shall answer you.

The samurai spent the whole day sitting in the temple gardens, watching the people go in and out in search of advice. He saw how the monk received them all with the same patience and the same illuminated smile on his face.

At nightfall, when everyone had gone, he demanded:
Now can you teach me?

The master invited him in and lead him to his room. The full moon shone in the sky, and the atmosphere was one of profound tranquility.

Do you see the moon, how beautiful it is? It will cross the entire firmament, and tomorrow the sun will shine once again.

“But sunlight is much brighter, and can show the details of the landscape around us: trees, mountains, clouds. “I have contemplated the two for years, and have never heard the moon say: why do I not shine like the sun? Is it because I am inferior?

Of course not – answered the samurai. – The moon and the sun are different things, each has its own beauty. You cannot compare the two.

So you know the answer. We are two different people, each fighting in his own way for that which he believes, and making it possible to make the world a better place; the rest are mere appearances.
-Paulo Coelho

Mortal Kombat: Legacy

After last year's fan frenzied reactions over Tancharoen, Aaron Helbing and Todd Helbing's Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, the franchise has been rebooted with the upcoming webseries, Mortal Kombat: Legacy.


Trailer for Mortal Kombat: Legacy


Trailer for Mortal Kombat: Rebirth

The New American Reality

The U.S. Census numbers have confirmed that the Hispanic population has reached an important milestone, the 50 million mark. We are waking up to a new reality, a new face of America.

Univision is proud to Inform, Entertain and Empower the Hispanic community. To learn more about how we reach the Hispanic consumer, please visit www.univision.com

It's Never Too Late to Dream

The First Grader


Directed by Justin Chadwick
Written by Ann Peacock

The Truth of the Matter

As minorities growing up in impoverished territories, it is necessary we wake up and realize we have the power and potential to become rulers of empires, rather than of our enemies. We have the power to share the light.

28 Tips of Dignity

via marcandangel.com

1. Be authentic. Be true to yourself. – Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living in someone else’s shoes. The only shoes you can occupy are your own. If you aren’t being yourself, you aren’t truly living – you’re merely existing. And ask yourself this: If you don’t like who you really are, why should I like you?

2. Care about people. – If you don’t genuinely care about people, they won’t care about you. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.

3. Make others feel good. – People will rarely remember what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

4. Be honest and take ownership of your actions. – Nobody likes a liar. In the long-run, the truth always reveals itself anyway. Either you own up to your actions or your actions will ultimately own you.

5. Smile often. – Everyone likes the sight of a genuine smile. Think about how you feel when a complete stranger looks into your eyes and smiles. Suddenly they don’t seem like a stranger anymore, do they?

6. Respect elders. Respect minors. Respect everyone. – There are no boundaries or classes that define a group of people that deserve to be respected. Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother. People will notice your kindness.

7. Address people by their name. – People love the sight and sound of their own name. So make sure you learn to remember names. Use them courteously in both oral and written communication.

8. Say “Please” and “Thank you.” – These two simple phrases make demands sound like requests, and they inject a friendly tone into serious conversations. Using them can mean the difference between sounding rude and sounding genuinely grateful.

9. Excel at what you do. – I am impressed by great guitarists, writers, bloggers, painters, motivational speakers, internet entrepreneurs, computer engineers, mothers, fathers, athletes, etc. There is only one thing they all have in common: They excel at what they do. There’s no point in doing something if you aren’t going to do it right. Excel at your work and excel at your hobbies. Develop a reputation for yourself, a reputation for consistent excellence.

10. Help others when you’re able. – In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s greater than you – something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less. Everyone values the gift of unexpected assistance and those who supply it.

Onward & Upward with APhiA

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Forever
Brothers from Virgina State University

First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All.

Cuando Pensabas Que No Sstaba Mirando

by Mary Rita Schilke Korzan

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Colgaste mi primer dibujo en el refrigerador
Y eso me hizo querer pintar otro

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Alimentaste a un gato callejero
Y aprendí a ser amable con los animales

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Horneaste una torta de cumpleaños para mí
Y supe que las pequeñas cosas son las cosas importantes

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Hiciste una oración
Y descubrí que siempre habrá un Dios con quien puedo conversar

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Me diste un beso de buenas noches
Y me sentí amada.

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Vi algunas lágrimas salir de tus ojos
Y supe que algunas cosas son dolorosas -
Pero no hay nada de malo en llorar

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando
Me sonreíste
Y me sentí hermosa

Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando -
Miré …

Y te quiero dar las gracias
Por todo lo que has hecho
Cuando pensabas que no estaba mirando

Dope K-A-Psi Video

Finding Your Tribe

April 11, 2011
DailyOM
Your Allies on Life’s Journey

Part of being human is the search for an individual identity. Bound to this strong need to establish a unique persona, however, is an equally intense desire for acceptance. It is when we find our individual tribes that both are satisfied. Our tribe members are those people who accept us as we are without reservation and gladly accompany us on our journeys of evolution. Among them, we feel free to be our imperfect selves, to engage unabashedly in the activities we enjoy, and to express our vulnerabilities by relying on our tribe for support. We feel comfortable investing our time and energy in the members of our tribe, and are equally comfortable allowing them to invest their resources in our development.

The individuals who eventually become members of your unique tribe are out there in the wide world waiting for you. You are destined to find them, one by one, as you move through life. Sometimes your own efforts will put you in contact with your future tribe members. At other times, circumstances beyond your control will play a role in helping you connect with your tribe. If you look about you and discover that you are already allied with a wonderful and supportive tribe, remember that there are likely many members of your tribe you have not yet met. On the other hand, if you feel you are still living outside of your tribe, broadening your horizons can help you find your tribe members.

However your life develops after you come together with your tribe, you can be assured that its members will stand at your side. On the surface, your tribe may seem to be nothing more than a loose-knit group of friends and acquaintances to whom you ally yourself. Yet when you look deeper, you will discover that your tribe grounds you and provides you with a sense of community that ultimately fulfills many of your most basic human needs.
via DailyOM

A Word on Life

Last night, I let my guard down, laid all my cards on the table and cried for the first time in a very long time.

What brought such strong emotions to a young man during the late Saturday night hours?

Life.

The blessing and the gift in which I was given 23 years ago by two beautiful parents. Life, a period of more than existing, full of aches and pains juxtaposed by sweet jubilation and love. In the past year, on one side I have lost the two homies I grew up playing football with, I lost the grandfather in my life and my grandmother stirred up my emotions after countless hospital visits, but on the other side, I am here. At the young age of 23, I have been blessed to travel the world, move to Los Angeles and begin a fantastic, passionate career. I heard something last year from a friend about ‘sharing your blessings instead of simply counting them.’

Last night, the One Life Brand was put into the greatest perspective I have seen it in. With One Life, I do not just want to sell t-shirts and greeting cards; I really want to help people on a greater level. I want to inspire people on a greater level. I want to show people that daring to be different and following your dreams is indeed possible and quite rewarding.

I see my life as only going up from here. Faith, hope and hard work will go miles in this life. Today, while taking a stroll at the Grove, which is quite beautiful if my opinion matters, I came across a Marc Jacobs shirt that read: “Why Me? Why Now? Why Not?”

So I pose that question to my readers: WHY YOU? WHY NOW? WHY NOT?

UPDATED - TED: Virtual Choir

Absolutely amazing and sends chills.


Added April 11, 2011

Gazing Upon the Most Gorgeous House

Located above Kamala Beach in Phuket, Thailand is this beauty: Villa Amanzi

Stepping Stones

April 6, 2011
DailyOM
One Day at a Time

The years of our life do not arrive all at once; they greet us day by day. With the descent of each setting sun, we are able to rest our heads and let the world take care of itself for a while. We may rest assured throughout the night, knowing that the dawn will bring with it a chance to meet our lives anew, donning fresh perspectives and dream-inspired hopes. The hours that follow, before we return to sleep once more, are for us to decide how we want to live and learn, laugh and grow. Our lives are sweeter and more manageable because we must experience them this way: one day at a time.

Imagine the future stretching out before you and try to notice if you feel any tension or overwhelm at the prospect of the journey still to come. Perhaps you have recently made a lifestyle change, like beginning a new diet or quitting smoking, and the idea of continuing this healthy new behavior for years seems daunting. Maybe you have started a new job or are newly married and can feel an undercurrent of anxiety about your ability to succeed. If you can shift your focus from what may happen years down the line and return it to the day that is before you right now, you may find a measure of calm and renewed confidence in your capabilities. You may also discover an inner faith that the future will take care of itself.

The way we show up for our lives today and tomorrow has an enormous affect on who we will be and what we will be experiencing years from now. If we can remain fully engaged in the day at hand, enjoying all it has to offer and putting our energy into making the most of it, we will find that we are perfectly ready and capable to handle any future when it arrives.
via DailyOM

Making it in Hollywood

Words of Wisdom from the Game's Barry Floyd

No Distance Too Far for a Dream
While it’s possible to act anywhere, the heart of the movie business is in California and, according to Floyd, that’s where anyone that’s serious about acting, writing or producing needs to be. “A lot of people try to do it from Atlanta or New York because this is a long way to move for people,” he says. “I came from the East Coast—that’s 3,000 miles—with no friends or family out here so it’s an intimidating thing to do but you have to do it because even though there’s work in New York and Atlanta, most of the work is here [in LA]. You got to be out here and you got to be making connections. That’s the main thing just having the courage to move out here and just go all in.”

An Uneasy Journey
With more actors than there are roles in Hollywood, most neophyte thespians have to pay dues in other ways before getting any substantial camera time. “A lot of people get discouraged because they're not doing what they wanted to do right away,” says Floyd, who toiled behind the scenes for three years before getting his big break. “You have to be okay with taking a PA job or something that’s not the job you initially saw yourself doing because you’re going to have to work your way up.”

Network Your Ass Off
According to Floyd, connections are just as important as talent. Throughout his years of paying dues, he made sure to forge solid relationships and a reputation as a hard worker. “Had I not been the best PA [on Cuts] they wouldn’t have been so hype to recommend me for the job [on Girlfriends] so hard work pays off,” he says. “Also, it’s definitely about who you know and how they feel about you that will determine how far you get in this business, because people always hire their friends and they look out for people that’ve done good work for them in the past.”

Work Your Ass Off
“Once you get here you got to have the work ethic, because it’s not going to be easy,” says Floyd. “Even when you get a little bit of success it’s still not easy because that’s when the real work begins. You still got to keep grinding to capitalize on that success you got.”

Save, Save, Save!
From the outside looking in, the life of an actor looks like all glamour and glitz. The reality, however, is much more like the everyday man. Before moving to BET this year, The Game was cancelled for two years, leaving Floyd on the unemployment line. “This isn’t a stable industry,” he says. “You might be working today and you don’t know when you’re next job is going to come or how long it’s going to take to find that next job. So you got to save your money; don’t blow it all on the cars or whatever when you get your first check. I saved a lot of my money from The Game and I had unemployment and you get residuals when they show the reruns, so I was able to manage my money to last me until The Game came back on air.”

Don't Quit
The reason most people fail at achieving their goals is not a lack of talent but a lack of dedication to seeing their dreams to fruition. “If you come out here [to LA] you got to be here, you can’t be like, ‘Oh, I’m going to give myself a year and if it doesn’t happen I’m going to go do something else,’ because it might take a lot longer than that,” says Floyd. “A lot of people come out here and give up before they catch their break and miss out on their opportunity—don’t give up.”
via BlackEnterprise

One Day Without Shoes

Will You Join?
Tuesday, April 5th

A Friday Morning's Breath

As I sat out this morning, I could do nothing but smile and be incredibly grateful.

With the beautiful sounds of falling water, warm Spring breezes and the soft yellow sun soothing my face, I returned to a morning in my past as I relaxed on an Italian villa in Florence as a student of the world.

This morning, I was in my element and although I will not bore you with another long speech about living life to the fullest, I will tell you this: if life is ever beating you down so bad that you feel you can not go on - go find a quiet space, close your eyes and begin telling/asking yourself the following things:

• Those times when I was my happiest, what was I doing? Where was I?
  
• How have I controlled the course of my own life?
• Am I holding on to something that needs to be let go?
• What makes me special?
• What am I most grateful for?
• In 5 years from now, will I remember what I was worried about today?
• Today, do I remember what I was fearful about 5 years ago? 1 year ago?
  
• When was the last time I noticed the sound of my own breathing?

We are all in this together. Make someone else smile today.

One Life, You Decide™