Urban Surf Riders

I have to say I get a kick out of watching skateboarders ride the concrete waves, if you will. And when you find some that truly have a command for what they're doing, it can be a jaw dropping experience just to stand on the sidelines watching the display of creativity meets physical ability and guts, basically. I caught some of that with these fellas and since I had my camera with me, I tried my best to capture a great shot...

What's Inside Keeps Them Around

The beauty in the discovery of past lives is something I’m always fascinated by. I was never one that was interested in futuristic stories or movies. The last time I went to a Star Wars-ish, Fantastic Four-ish type of movie, I was asleep within the first ten minutes. I’m just not moved by the stuff. But give me a story showing the growth, the struggle, the survival, the triumph of the human spirit and you will keep me fascinated from beginning to end.. I especially love it when the stories are true; told by someone who received the gift generations later like with me with respect to my family and other’s who carry stories from so long ago and pass it down.. I always tried to get my mother to speak about the past and anything she may have learned from those that came before her but many times she would say she didn't remember or she would kind of brush me off. In the end as she battled cancer and found the end of her journey to be right around the corner, she began to open up and tell me more about the past. She didn't share all that she could and when I pressed for more details, she stopped. That's the one thing we didn't have in common. She held onto or suppressed so much that she couldn't remember stories. Me personally, I love to share any and all stories that I know about family, friends, experiences and anything else that reflects lives that have been lived hopefully to the fullest and even those that dont live it to the fullest we can learn from. Some miss out on their potential and others stifle any potential by embracing negativity, jealousy, and selfishness. They're everywhere among us... But imagine this, looking into the eyes of someone who is coming to grips with their own mortality as they watch a loved one whose days on earth could be over very soon. They smile and open up by sharing stories of the past. You watch as they find comfort in rediscovering the experiences and I felt really blessed to listen in. The human spirit on display, finding pictures in forgotten places and discovering hidden thoughts that resurface out of the need to feel closer to what once was... better times and places....

As 1-Concert

Saturday night in Pasadena was a beautiful concert experience. It was both celebration and tribute. It was also a moving and very thought-provoking experience. I attended the AS-1 concert at the Pasadena Civic Center. As-1 features the incredible talents of Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera. This was a new experience for me eventhough I am very much familiar with both entertainers via watching them on the TFC channel or just hearing their music via youtube. However, in person these two put on an amazing show and what's really great about them is the way they work together. The songs, the talent, the humor especially from Martin Nievera, and of course the pure energy and excitement of Gary Valenciano. This was different for me because my concert experience is usually Prince and more Prince.. *smile* and at the same time this show was attended by a mostly filipino audience and it was one of the most positive and celebratory experiences I've ever been a part of. I was impressed by the band and how they went from playing songs made famous by both performers and then going into sections of the show where they played a bunch of Michael Jackson songs and closed the show with about 4 or 5 Earth Wind and Fire tunes that truly rocked the house! I was most impressed by how personable these two performers were/are and as they spoke to the audience, you could hear a pin drop between the laughter because everyone paid close attention to what was being said. Case in point was when Gary Valenciano spoke about the "eye of the storm" being inside the concert hall. Meaning that for that 3 hour show, it was pure escape from the world outside but of course once the show was over, we know we have to return to what goes on outside in the world... the cellphone, the text messages, emails, traffic, and all that comes with our daily lives... I believe in trying to find that escape every weekend and every night when I rest from the days work. Escape from the world, refresh yourself so that you can meet tomorrow's basket of whatever life brings you... And inside that concert hall on Saturday night, it was a truly incredible experience that I was blessed to share with the most incredible special someone in my life... She too is my beautiful escape from all that this crazy world brings...

Blast From My Recent Past

I’ve been seeing really cool reminders of my recent past.. The literary blessing, so to speak.. Books/stories that I’ve written a long while ago have been getting great responses from those that have discovered them by accident. And then even with myself, as I open up old programs and stuff that I created for the purpose of promoting the stories, I feel a sense of pride about where I’ve been in my life. With all the ups, downs, mistakes, good feelings, triumphs, etc etc, I feel like I’ve had a pretty interesting journey and with that, I’ve also held onto the many stories passed down to me from those that came before in my family. Sometimes it makes me hunger for the chance to pass down what I’ve learned or heard about… Even with all it’s sadness attached, life is truly amazing but of course it aint over but at the same time, one must cherish each single second because you just never know… And even as we all recognize and agree with the old cliché about not taking life for granted, we always do and we forget until something happens… The challenge of self should always be to consistently remind oneself to not forget and to truly live. Never forget real true loved ones and never forget to truly live your life…

In Memory..

Usually around this time of year, my mother reminds me of the passing of my father. Sometimes we kind of just look at each other, share a memory and silence then keep moving forward. This year is so different now and something I will from now on have to get used to. My mother not being here though funny thing, this morning I could swear I heard her voice. I felt myself drifting into a deep sleep yet before that I knew that soon I'd be hearing the alarm go off so I could get up early for work. Instead of the alarm, when I sank into that very restful/peaceful type of sleep to where it felt as if all air had been released from my body, that's when I heard my mother's voice. "Anthony?" And then it was like I jumped up; wide awake I turned off the alarm ten minutes before it was due to sound off. So, all day today in between being focused on work, I thought about my parents and promised myself I'd do a little tribute to my father before the night was over. One of many things we shared in common besides our love for the highway, blues music, guitar, and Pittsburg Texas Hotlinks, is the love for photography. I developed the love and passion for it not too long ago but I was always aware of my father's love for capturing images the old fashion way with film and actually developing it inside his personal dark room he created in the closet. Amazing how things have changed when I can simply sit here at the computer and make magic with the images. I recently found myself re-discovering photographs that were taken by my father. Some have faded over the years but I tried my best to fix the images and keep them for myself on my computer. A few of these images I showcased in the video as a tribute and to say "miss you dad.." The years seem to fly by when someone is no longer around...