The Maker: Short Film Love

Drinking in Your 30s vs Drinking in Your 20s

Yelawolf My Box Chevy Collection: A Review on Greatness

The first time I discovered Yelawolf was about two years ago. I had an instant adoration of his work. I never had to sit and convince myself that what I was hearing was good (like I do so regularly with a lot of music). It was just genuinely good music on every level. He is incredibly talented. His music is wonderful vocal, and equally musical. A good experience all together. You just have to listen to all five, as they get better and better. The beats though!

The perfect marriage of his voice to the style of music composition and production is superior. His natural vocal timbre (The quality of the sound made by a particular voice or musical instrument) seems to fit comfortably within a sweet spot of an audible range that the human ear finds pleasing. You'll have to excuse me, being a musician has made me a wavelength and frequency enthusiast.

There are plenty of timbres and frequencies that we humans are either naturally in sync with, or it's an uncomfortable clash. I say all of this to try and explain that I feel as if Yelowolf's vocal timbre is one that is naturally pleasing in addition to his Alabama accent and incredible flow. Some people's timbres are raspier in nature (TBoz from TLC [a lower pitched range]/Erykah Badu[a mid pitch range]).

Some vocal tones can be really soft and sweet (Aaliyah/Janet Jackson/Ciara) or even strong and powerful (Beyonce/Jennifer Hudson/Christina Aquiliera). Some timbres can be good, but can also get a little whiny sometimes depending on the range that vocalist is in (Justin Beiber/ Rihanna). Just to name a few examples. Not sure why I went on a timbre tangent but I felt it had to be said!

Getting back to Yelawolf, I enjoyed his five part Box Chevy collection. This needs to be noted and recognized for what it is....brilliant. Of course it is still rap, which comes along with its own territory of potentially explicit lyrics and subject matter. That's just how it is and how it's always going to be. So for those who don't watch any programs on TV higher than a 14 year old rating, hip hop may not be the best genre of music for you.
 

I didn't hear the Box Chevy tracks in their original order, I heard them out of order discovering different versions as time went on. I wanted to make an effort to collect them all here on one place surrounding them with favorable reviews and recognition. Yelawolf, you've done a great job my dear. Well done indeed.

Art is truly about expressing yourself through a skill that you have acquired (on which ever level you happen to be at) and using actual inspiration from one's life that helps pave the path to a finished project. Obviously there is a percentage of actual physical and actionable execution necessary to result with an existing product. Too often dreams are not realized, and remain in the form of an idea or dream.

I love his accent as well. That makes up a huge part of his whole package. The distinct southern twang that flows as briskly as the momentum of his word execution. On top of his southern vocals, he also has the ability to freely speed up his flow as fluid and precise as one applying steady pressure to a gas petal on a powerful but contained engine. It is so very seldom an industry gets hit with something that cannot be recreated or manufactured like so many companies try to do



It's so very hard to say which track is my favorite, or to even rate them in order. It's just so hard. They all have such different qualities. I tend to play 3, 4 and 5 the most often, but 1 and 2 are newer experiences for me and they both come with great qualities that make me want to hit replay over and over again.



Part Four. The beat is just unbelievable. I turn it on, and even though the sound travels seamlessly through my headphones to my eardrums, my brain refuses to believe that something could sound so good. It just can't happen this way. What have you done Yelawolf? What have you done to us..This is too good for the ears to understand. That musical composition hits areas in you that you didn't know received sound signal.
    

Then there is the last one. My Box Chevy Five. The beat is just so funky crazy cool. That bass line...Everything is just on....point. Yelawolf, I give you your credits a thousand times over and one extra for good measure. I suggest the people who have had the pleasure to experience Yelawolf's talent, to recognize its brilliance. Why is it so easy for me to give people credit where credit is due instead of finding non exisitent things to complain about? Because I am an artist of my own sorts as well.

I get great joy from the act of uplifting another person. It's actually a quite distinct feeling that has its own type of joy and positive sensation attached to it. The one truest thing an artist wants from his or her creation is for it to be recognized as his or her own work as well as see it for what it was meant to show. Man I have such a passion brewing over for creation and its creators. We [creators] construct the details of existence, more so rearrange them. Oh it's lovely. I could go on and on....
    

Again I will say that this is just great music. To me it is indisputable, but of course everyone has their tastes. If he didn't make any other music ever again, these five tracks are amazing enough to represent his brand, talent and greatness.

Aziza

Wunderlist: My Favorite To Do List App

I have to confess, that I am an avid To Do Lister. Why? Because without writing every task down that I need to get done, I won't get anything done. Strangely, it's those who have the most trouble doing things in life who are the ones who need to do extra steps in getting things accomplished.

I have downloaded many different applications on my iPhone for the purposes of task organization, and Wunderlist by far is the best app that I have come across so far. Now I will never give up my classic pen to paper methods, it's just that I go through so much paper that it gets a bit insane. I write so much that I will use up every piece of computer paper in the house, every notebook will be filled, every index card, post it note, etc...



Anyways, this app was a miracle for me. I love that my information transfers instantly from computer to phone. It is beautifully designed. You can invite other people to be a part of the list. You can add notes to the lists and reminders that go off on your phone. I love the sound it makes when you complete a task. I always feel so accomplished as it keeps me always moving forward.

I just recently discovered more information regarding the creation of public lists. It's a feature I think I would like to try out possibly in conjunction with my blog. When I am not creating to do lists for the purposes of productivity, I love making lists organizing thoughts, likes, dislikes, favorites and so on. Even in my every day life, I tend to group similar things together all around the house.

It puts my mind at ease and makes me happy. This is the same for pretty much anything. So I think I will publish a public list to share on my blog/social media. It will either be a list of movies, products, maybe even a comedic list of pet peeves. I really shouldn't be this excited...but I am. They talk about public lists here in this video...



Sometimes I find myself drifting off into random thoughts forgetting what I was doing and whenever that happens I just go to my Wunderlist app and figure out what I need to do. I have an ever evolving list for groceries, a general daily to do list, a future goals list, a blog to do, and I even have an aspects of my dream life list.

Anything I can think of is in list form and neatly organized amazingly on this app. I love it love it love it. You can email a list, print a list, change up your backgrounds. They offer a lot of little things you can do within the app and even more with the version that you can upgrade to. I love the user-friendliness of Wunderlist.  It just makes me genuinely happy thinking about it. It's like I know there is order to my chaos, and order gives me peace.

Go to your app store on your mobile device or check out the website here to sign up and start listing!

Z

10 Reasons to Love the Movie: Family Weekend

One of my favorite movies to watch is Family Weekend, A story about Emily (Olesya Rulin), a competitive jump roping champion, who feels neglected by her eclectic family. As a result, she decides to take her parents hostage in their own home to force them to change their ways and become a real family. In addition to the story line, all of the details in the film are what really make it a one of kind piece that I will always find fun, entertaining and beautifully shot.

I wanted to write a list of ten reasons why I love this film. I decided to do some film photography while I was watching so that I could better capture the moments that help portray these points. The movie is currently on Netflix, and I urge anyone to take the time and check this film out if you haven't already. So let's get to the list.

1. Emily's unique talent/passion: Competitive Jump Roping 

Emily has a very interesting talent, which would be jump roping in place at high speeds. She takes it very seriously, which often times alienates her from her peers. But to her credit, she is the best at what she does by far.  

She wins every competition, but never has any family there to support her. So in the end, victory doesn't really mean much when there is no one to share it with.  

2. Beautiful art

I adored the collection of artwork featured in the film. Art was everywhere and very inspiring. The family seems to live a pretty comfortable lifestyle as the mother is a corporate hound fighting for the vice president seat at whatever corporation she works for. 

I enjoyed the smaller individual pieces behind Emily in this shot because it inspires me to create a gallery wall similar to this in my living room. It's fun, abstract and each piece is different. 

I have a certain fondness for large sized canvases that are bold with color and presence. These are the details that really make a film special to me. I love beautifully designed settings and backgrounds. It gives a true feel of the world of the characters and pulls you in on a more personal level. 

3. She actually holds her parents hostage for the greater good of the family

Emily calls for a family dinner where she drugs her parents, using something she found in her mother's medicine cabinet.

During that time, she was able to get them tied up in preparation for the execution of her master plan. 

4. Emily is amazingly organized and methodical 

A huge reason why I adore Emily and this film is because of her personality. She is very bright, organized and systematic. 

Before going through with her plan, she had to create it first, which she did by typing out a document on her computer, printing it out and assembling it all neatly in a folder. 

Her plan was inspired from a trip she took to her little brother's room in which she learned about how the animal kingdom works from a show that was playing in his room.

All of these events took place within a limited time frame, as she had a state competition to attend the very next day. The point of this whole situation was to get them to turn a new leaf and support her on her most important day. 

I can also be a post it note maniac, or an index card crazy person. I see this as a work of art. Things need to be organized as much as possible sometimes, to maintain clarity and direction. This is just greatness.  

5. Beautiful home  

Films that take place in beautiful homes are always a treat for me. It's such a good time living in someone else's world for the duration of the movie, and when that world takes place in a magnificently designed home, it makes the experience that much better. 

This was a beautiful shot of the back of the house, Lots of windows and wonderful architecture. 

6. Emily's Adorable Style

Emily's style was super cute and prep with her own touch. I was very fond of a lot of the pieces she wore throughout the film. I would wear some of her apparel in a heartbeat. 

7. Awesome little sister who's a natural born actress

Her little sister Lucy is a before-her-time 9 year old who acts out as characters from movies she really has no business seeing at her age. But it works for some strange reason. Super super super talented young lady. The character she is now is Iris from Taxi Driver. 

Reservoir Dogs.

A Clockwork Orange.

8. Dad is an free spirited artist, mother is a super corporate beast, grandmother is a hippie, older brother is an aspiring filmmaker.

His problem is that he needs to make more time for his kids, even though he is the stay at home parent. His art is his whole life, well in addition to sleeping. 

A super busy corporate mom who brings home all the money and is not involved in her children's lives at all. Too busy on her Blackberry discussing business. 

This is the older brother who desperately tries to get his father's attention through his lifestyle choices and his film creations. 

9. Cool little brother who is a zoologist genius and has a tape recorder of a memory

This kid knows an endless amount of facts concerning the animal world. His passion is very apparent when you walk into his bedroom to see it filled with cages of all kinds.

Another awesome thing about her little brother, Mickey, is that he can recite entire conversations from memory as if he were a tape recorder. It's amazing. Please watch this clip. You must.

10. The moral of the story

The film shows that no matter who you are or what your interests be, the important thing is that you have something that sparks life within yourself, something that you are passionate about. And even more importantly, you mustn't let that passion become greater than the people you love. It will always come down to one thing and one thing only....balance.

"Some people are lucky enough to find their true passion, and sometimes it can consume them. That's okay because their passion makes them feel like something. Like somebody. Sometimes its the only thing that keeps them moving..." -Emily

As for me, my passions keep me moving, keep me striving towards something so that I am not consumed by the past and the pain that comes along with some of the things that have happened to me in my life. Stay busy, stay passionate, stay focused, stay happy, but also make time for those you love, and enjoy the moments that surround you.

Aziza-Morgan

Some of My Favorite Choreography: Aaliyah More Than A Woman

Can't speak too much on this one. Too hard for me knowing there was a time watching this video and learning the choreography and she was alive doing it too. She was such a role model for me even outside of her music because I felt as if I could identify with her when I was a younger gal. Seeing someone who wasn't built like most of the other women on tv (in the hip hop culture), let me know that black people consider lean and thin beautiful too.

Hey it's hard growing up in black culture at times (as it is true for every culture). The crazy part is it's the girls who hold the standards for how girls should appear if they want to be accepted into society. I've come to realize that most guys don't care to grave detail. There are some (and I know I'm kind of going off tangently) guys who are more particular than others, but overall, the girls hold the standards. But back to what I was saying...

To see such an elegant tomboy blew my mind as that is how I feel myself to be. I truly loved her so much and still do. I feel like she has to be the one singer that everyone truly feels like that took a loss on, like in their own personal lives. True mourning for real. Not the celebrity mourning where it's kinda faded after a day or so. You think back on it later like "dang, I can't believe he died..." But with Aaliyah it's different. It's much different. I can't explain it, but it's not the same with her. It's real. She was before her time. Usually those are the ones who go out that way as well. Let's hope that's not the case all the time.

I really loved the camera angles in this video. Camera angles can really elevate your shot to another league if done correctly in relation to the nature of what is being filmed. That is why I adore Spike Lee. Such a great master of those angles. Spike Lee is one of my favorite filmmakers. Truly gifted. The world is filled with such brilliant creators.

Looks like I ended up speaking a lot on this, despite my prior disclaimer.

Z

Some of My Favorite Choreography: Janet Jackson Rock With U

Everytime I watch this video, I stare intensely at the dancers trying to somehow absorb the moves from just watching it. I'm not great with learning choreography in traditional ways. I remember certain advanced dance courses I took involved almost instant memorization and performance after like one practice of the routine. Not trying to do all of that....

Random: I want cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, but with mini m&m's instead. Or just nothing except the cookie. Still no name for chocolate chip cookies sans chocolate chips? We gotta do better than this as a human race guys.

Chocolate Chipless, 

Z

R&B Playlist 1.

This playlist consists of some R&B songs old and new that I enjoy listening to. I always make playlists made up of any song I like, it doesn't have to be currently over playing on the radio, just a genuinely good song. I tend to gravitate toward classic hits that seem to be timeless. Those are always fun to dig back up and listen to after a while. I've decided I'm going to just keep creating playlists just to have available for when I can no longer stomach the radio and I want a dose of some old favs.

1. Body Party- Ciara

2. Buy You A Drank- T Pain

3. It Won't Stop- Sevyn Streeter ft. Chris Brown

4. Already Taken- Trey Songz

5. I'm Sprung- T Pain

6. 21 Questions- 50 Cent ft. Nate Dogg

7. Superhuman- Chris Brown

8. B*tches Be Like- Rico Love

Gh0stparties' DIY Manicure

I came across a video yesterday that made me really want to do my own manicure immediately, as I am in desperate need of one. I've finally let my nails grow out just a bit, I'm always always always picking with them and nagging them. There are two reasons why my nails never get a chance.
One: My violin has taken over a majority of my life. Two: I've had a nervous habit that has now grown into a semi-nervous habit of just picking at my nails.



Usually if I see any snags or anything I will pick at them, eventually ruining everything. It gets to be subconscious at times. There must be a cure out there for those of us who continuously nag our nails. Perhaps keeping a video like this around will inspire me to strive for pretty nails at all times.

Well anyways, this DIY Manicure Routine video comes from gh0stparties.com, a wonderfully charming blog by Kate Johnson. Kate's videos are also on her YouTube channel, Ghostparties. You should definitely subscribe. She has created some very nice videos, inspiring me to do that same perhaps one day...Enjoy. Z

Schoolboy Q Ink and Videos

I have been obsessed with Schoolboy Q recently. Favorite track so far is Break the Bank. I also am endorsing Sony as the PS3 truly is an amazing piece of technology. Love Duty, still on MW3 as I am boycotting Ghosts until we get our PS4. Somehow I kept getting crap pixel riddled versions. Anyhoo, Lemon Lime Rickey is a delightful non alcoholic treat made by Arizona. Thank you Arizona for such a bold move.