Rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6

Rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6. That's the mindstate from East Flatbush Projects.

Independence Day... celebrate being single??

Happy Day of Independence,
I am... watchin the pen dance...
Just getting my write on.
Using my left and my right arm.
Right on.

Just having some pun to start my day.
Goodness, I've been on vacation from this blog! Summer started over a month ago for me, and I've been spending time with the girl, with the family, and back in Cali. Summer Break for teachers is lovely, I don't feel tied down by work; I got no strings!

So Independence Day...usually associated with the Declaration of Independence, 1776, America's separation from the British Crown, and fireworks (cuz they sound like bombs bursting in air?).

Sometimes associated with alien attacks

That's cool, but the day got me thinking about independent people that I know, and how we should celebrate them as well. We should celebrate the free-thinkers, the creatives, the artists, the entrepreneurs, the (r)evolutionaries, those who initiate their own projects and are unafraid to walk alone. And, saving the best for last, the SINGLE people!

Being single is the definition of independence. Untethered, like a slave liberated. Like a dog off its leash. Not having to shoulder other people's burden. I haven't been single in a while, but it was those days when I was single (2008-2009ish) that I made a lot of changes in my life; I got my personal shit together, and I was able to learn more about myself.

This is me when I was single. aka, Tom in his Prime.

Single years are transformative! Whether it transforms a person positively or negatively is up to them.

It wasn't from some class or book (though classes and books certainly guided me in the right direction*), but it was from that self-knowledge, uncovered from being independent and single, that I strengthened my sense of self, my belief in my own gifts. I saw my potential to elevate BEFORE stepping on the elevator. I perceived my ability to climb, from the bottom of the mountain. And I love my life now. Still growing and trying to change up my routine so I don't stagnate. The past year in New Orleans has definitely been a good change and a move up. And even though I was still with my gf, we were 2000+ miles apart and I spent a lot of time alone, which is valuable. I look forward to more of that.

It's not easy being single/independent, but it's not good being stagnant. In fact, stagnant water stinks.

On the topic of independence, is also the topic of dependence. What are you dependent on? Whether it is a person, an object, an organization, or a substance... Can you free yourself from that dependence?

Sometimes, I think spending too much time with OTHER PEOPLE can hinder my productivity and inclination to create and write. I've been out so much, on this summer vacation, that I totally neglected my blog, my website, and other projects that I have to do. I've still be journalizing though, and writing when the inspiration hits.

But still, this is a day to celebrate INDEPENDENCE! Freedom!

Don't feel held back by your shackles, whatever those may be.

I'm reminded of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who wrote in her essay, "The Solitude of Self," about the solitude and uniqueness of each person. You are special and should not allow yourself to be held down by invisible chains or glass ceilings.


Independence Day: A great day to break up with your domineering boyfriend/girlfriend.


*Classes that helped me from 2008-2009:
History of Southeast Asia
History of Vietnam
History of Hip Hop Dances
American Intellectual History
History of Science
History of Religions
America in the 1960s
History of Social Change

Books that helped me from 2008-2009:
Chang, Jeff. Can't Stop Won't Stop.
Asante, MK. It's Bigger Than Hip Hop.
RZA. The Wu-Tang Manual.
Miyakawa, Felicia. Five Percenter Rap.

My previous post was not an implicit nod at smoking herb

I'm aware it was a "420" post, and I said explicitly DO NOT SMOKE SYNTHETIC WEED, and then I proceeded to describe how spice is basically catnip and twigs sprayed in chemicals.... without mentioning anything about weed/herb/ganja/marijuana/cannabis.


So there's an implication that can be made there... UNLESS I explicitly address that implication!


So.... NO, by saying DON'T SMOKE SPICE, I am NOT implying GO SMOKE WEED.


In fact, I usually don't think it's good to smoke weed! NOT THESE DAYS! More important things to handle! My days for that stuff been fading... no pun intended, they just happUN. ha ha ha. I still prefer it over alcohol, for relaxing and reflecting, but I got bigger priorities now than I did before, so very little time to waste.

To weed defenders:
So what if it's natural? What's more natural is our childhood physical state, pristine, unspoiled, and undisturbed by the physical nature of reality. Reality, by the way, is not limited to the physical, but that's another story altogether. I'm trying to get back to my younger, virginal self.

So what if there's no tobacco or nicotine? It still burns and leaves tars and resins in a smokers body!

So what if it's not chemically addictive? It's psychologically addictive, and that can be just as bad! I would know, I've been! I kinda still am! It's a struggle for me still. What keeps me sober is my gf... and my mom... and the thought of my future children.

Truth is, weed damages. Socially, financially, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. And professionally. I could write at least a paragraph on each of those points, but the essay's not worth the effort (essayer means "to try" in French, right?).

I've seen weed damage minds, bboys, careers, health in people I know... some are just lookin not healthy!

Now I say "usually" I don't think it's good, because I found some things that it IS good for.
All of which you can do fine on your own without it, so go do that.


I should note that I'm a very functional partaker. Meaning I prefer to do stuff, or create stuff, while some prefer to watch TV, eat, or do nothing. That's not for me. I like to be active. I don't like to call myself smart, but mathematically, I could say I'm probably on the above average side of intelligence... maybe a standard deviation or two above the median. I've been driven, hungry for knowledge, and well-educated, so my experience with the stuff is REALLY different from people on the other end of the spectrum.

There are a lot of dumb smokers out there. They're not reading this though, cuz I know my audience is smarter than that. But I bet a "high" number of weed-smokers would not be even able to spell "cannabis" properly without a spellchecker.

If you need tutoring, hit me up.


Damn, 2 weed-related blog posts in a row.. Mostly anti- though, so I probably won't get fired from my job. Kids... don't smoke! Drink tea, caffeine, and derive inspiration from the earthen nature, space, family, and the simple beauties of the universe.

Don't Smoke Legal/Synthetic Weed! 4/20

Legal weed is bad!

What's THAT??
It's also known as Synthetic Weed, Spice, spices, herbal incense, has a lot of fancy names, Head Trip, ... you can get it at smoke shops in California if you're over 18. And it's DANGEROUS!

People overdose and go to the hospital from it.



The reason this topic came up is because.... I have a cat, here in New Orleans. Really nice pussycat. And I went to buy some catnip, thinking he'd enjoy it. PetCo ran out of ordinary catnip, so I bought the higher-grade organic stuff. $5 for a nice bag. Cuz Cats love catnip, I learned from National Geographic... But I was looking at my bag of catnip... and it looks JUST LIKE THAT LEGAL WEED I BOUGHT FROM THE STORE on NEWPORT BLVD off the 55!!

They just spray that shit with chemical (JWH-###) and it burns easily, so it makes for easy "Herbal Incense."

Dammit! I knew it. Shit is poison. Catnip combusts easily, but you're not supposed to smoke it.

It's not NORMAL weed. It's not natural. There's no THC. It's some flammable shit that they spray a chemical on. It's some shit called JWH-number-number. Not safe. People have overdosed and had terrible experiences. Only a little bit gets you as high as a lot of weed. And when people with high weed tolerances smoke spice/herbal incense/JWH in large amounts, they pass out! They get owned!

Why do people smoke it?

It doesn't show up on drug tests, though I think the drug test facilities are catching on.

I knew when I tried it, the stuff is terrible for you!

Turned out I was right:

CNN: Synthetic Drug Raid Reveals Scary Reality


Happy 420. Play safe.

Great. Another poor representation of my dancing got popular.

So first it was the "breaking teachers are everywhere" (nutcrackers) video, which had no real dancing.
Then my power trailer, which really didn't have any dancing.
Then this shuffle video, and I don't even shuffle.

That, to me, is mad silly.
I'm flabbergasted.
In fact, I'm quite bewildered. 
Life is funnyweird.

Why doesn't this happen with what I consider my 'GOOD footage'?
-Like this July 10, 2012 session
-Or this November 2011 session
-And this November 2012 session

Why does this happen with what I consider 'EASY footage'?

"But Tom, it doesn't look easy to me," one might say.
I know, but it IS easy, you just need to practice.

I'm from the pre-YouTube era of animated GIFs and text guides

Windmills are pretty easy, you just have to put in a little time and work to learn it.
Shuffling is super easy. I used to hate on that style, but there's no sense in hating now. I'll still battle any shuffler though.

The more difficult part (see above links, under "GOOD footage"), which I think goes under-appreciated, is the freestyling aspect, and the intricate, creative, musical, and expressive stuff. That aspect of dancing is way cooler to me, compared to a flare>windmill>nutcracker. Basic combo.

I prefer to just dance to my heart's content.
That's what I learned to prefer over my 11 years of doing this.

Closing Points
My videos that catch on more popularly are poor representations of my dance... basic power, nothing unexpected... shuffling...simple, easy... Is that the price of mass appeal? I prefer the real shit, but the "real shit" doesn't catch as much attention.

Unless it's live. Then it's really crazy and nasty. Especially powerful styles. Dancing is best when it's live and in action, not on video or GIF or text. Not even on a performance stage.

If you're in "the scene," stay there. The world needs you.
If you're not in the scene, come to a jam! Cop some merchandise. Support local artists!

Positive Thinking Needs Limits!!

 I'm surrounded by positive people, and that's a dangerous trap.


I. The Negative Side of Positivity
I'm a positive person. Most people know me as being very happy and positive-thinking. And I am that, most of the time, but most people don't know that I also love negative thinking, skepticism, criticism, and the Underdog mentality. Embrace both! Positive thinking has to have its limits.  No one wants to border on delusional, but that's what overly positive thoughts/expectations can sometimes do! I think I've made that mistake before.

At the same time, you don't wanna be a Debbie Downer, or a Negative Neddy.  You can use both positive and negative to empower your life. Mis-use both and it can stifle your life.


Just so you know I'm not speaking out of my ass, here's an NYU/Hamburg psychology article on how "Positive Fantasies about idealized futures sap energy."
http://www.psych.nyu.edu/oettingen/Barry%20Kappes,%20H.,%20&%20Oettingen,%20G.%20%282011%29.%20JESP.pdf

Here's a poignant article I found a while back (skimming facebook) on The Powerlessness of Positive Thinking:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/currency/2014/02/the-powerlessness-of-positive-thinking.html

II. Co-Existence of Negative and Positive

Need both

In regards to embracing both, just accept that both positive and negative exist, and also co-exist, meaning one brings the other into existence. You have to know a bad day to appreciate a good day. You can't have success without failure, or at least the risk of failure. You can't have triumph without struggle, since there would be nothing to triumph over. You can't fly without wind resistance. The negative reality not only exists, it is necessary! for us to appreciate the tremendous positivity that is also around.

Need both for a complete picture

I just don't dwell on negativity. I bring it up, it makes for good references, point out potential areas of growth, identify problems, resolve issues and conflicts. Don't dwell, condemn, or complain, basic rules from Dale Carnegie.

III. The Positive Side of Negativity
That feeling of negativity can be good in the long-run, a blessing in disguise, if it pushes you to try harder.  It can also discourage and crush a soul. But you gotta know what it feels like to hit the ground first, before bouncing back.

That's the Earth

As the article from the New Yorker suggests, negative thinking can push people to try harder, over-prepare, and apply themselves more than optimism and over-confidence.

For more on negative space art, do a Google search.

My Experience of Mardi Gras, New Orleans

Happy Ash Wednesday! 

It's my first year in New Orleans! Because of that, I'm less experienced than most people around here. A Mardi Gras virgin. I learned a bit from asking natives and locals about their experiences of Mardi Gras. Talked to teachers, friends, friends' parents, students... mostly because I thought it would be fun to listen to them, and also because they probably enjoyed talking and being listened to.

I. First Things First
So first, I'd clear up the misconception that Mardi Gras is a 24/7 "Girls Gone Wild" party. It's not really like that. But you can find that if you want, on the same street you always find it. Bourbon. HAHAH. A lot of the festivities take place all over the city, and are family-oriented, appropriate for all ages.

Zulu Parade Float

II. What I Saw
There are a lot of parades! The weeks-long schedule of parades was probably the main thing the sets New Orleans apart (from other cities who celebrate the same day). Elaborately decorated floats, occupied by drunk people in costume, throwing beads and other goodies at screaming audiences. Catching stuff is fun. It's hard to go wrong. The floats were accompanied by marching bands, music, confetti, and cops. Sometimes horses.

I only went to one Saturday parade. Endymion. It was pretty awesome. Didn't take any pictures though, only Snapchats. Made off with a heavy neck full of beads. Had to get there early to avoid traffic. Partook in some libations, but not much. It was a lot of fun though!

The audience is pretty diverse, pretty much everyone is outside on the streets. People camped out in the middle and sides of the street. Some barbecued. Some broiled crawfish. It was a familiar and lovely smell.

It's soooo delicious. Crispy, soft, cream-filled.

I got introduced to King Cake, which is delicious from Hi-Do Bakery! Got it stuffed with the cream cheese. Toooo good. Need another.

III. My Mardi Gras
On Mardi Gras day itself, the weather was pretty cold, rainy. I didn't do anything crazy. Went to the supermarket. A parade rolled by in front of my neighborhood. But I stayed away from the parades/parties in the city, just to rest, avoid the mess, and take care of things at home. Cooked. My life is pretty mild these days, don't feel the urge to party or have alcohol my system. In a time when I see a lot of "turning up," I suppose I turn at my own pace.

Post-Mardi Gras clean-up on Bourbon Street

I saw enough to get a sense of what it was, and I loved it, but I guess I didn't see much at all yet. Will wait until 2015 to experience more.

I'm grateful to have had this "Mardi Gras break." It gave me an opportunity to de-stress (started it off with a massage), and to spend quality time with myself, away from the pressures of work. I made time to meditate, reflect, stretch, and clean up the neglect (cleaned my car, room, dishes, etc.). And of course, like on Valentine's Day, I danced to my heart's content. Much-needed. I love Mardi Gras.

IV. In Conclusion,
My curiosity about the tradition led to some internet digging, and I learned some new things...

Mardi Gras is not a strictly New Orleans thing. Cities around the Gulf celebrate it, and it's also a part of something much bigger, and worldwide. Here's a really good article about all the Mardi Gras celebrations around the world, from Brazil to Italy.
http://www.10news.com/news/how-mardi-gras-is-celebrated-around-the-world-03032014

In the end, it's not a party thing, it's a spiritual thing. And the real journey starts on Ash Wednesday and continues for 40 days, 40 nights. I'm giving up some vices. Can't discuss it publicly though.

Have a blessed Lent season, eat lots of lentils!