Get by

Tough, dependable, good… these are words most commonly found on a Ford Motor catalog and in theory things I should be looking for in people I relate with.  In theory because, well who am  I to judge, I’m no Gandhi.  I have a wide variety of people I hang out with.  however , I’m sure everyone, myself included has that royal guard of elite buds we like to keep around .  The people we hold near and dear, took years to shape and many obstacles conquered and I’m happy to have quite a few of those around.

Being in the digital age however, maybe it’s been done, maybe it hasn’t but I have been waiting to write a book on Relationships and Social Media.  That would be a fascinating book.  For now, I’ve been pretty strict about who I let in to my digital circle being that we live in an age where you can’t be too careful on the internet.  I don’t go around with 5 thousand people for the sake of 5 thousand people.  I’d prefer to have a tight nit group online where I know everyone on and offline.

Cult and paste

Einstein defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. That being said, people have been living a crazy life. With nothing but minor hardware revisions and incremental upgrades to software we've been moving forward, yes but at a rate that wouldn't even tickle a Delorian close to 88 and I guess we are fine with that.  Some dude apparently made all this in 6 days and up until a few years ago Apple updates their OS annually.  Sure every now and then comes out and starts a revolution but it doesn't happen as often as some of us would want.  Judging from the usual routine, we are not going to have a “move to touch” or “Banksy” moment anytime soon.

I was talking to a buddy of mine recently and well, We agreed to disagree with the concept that escape velocity isn't something a lot of people are allowed to comprehend, thus most of us have moments when watching some video on the internet where we stop and think to ourselves, “hey, are these people so good at life and I’m stuck here contributing to the millions of views this bastard has”.  Mostly luck, part talent and our own inhibitions, a lot of us wake up and say that the revolution starts here then wake up a second time to get up, brush, shower, drive work, eat, sleep, repeat.

Listen up

It was a humid Tuesday afternoon, around 2:15. The walls we’re filled to the brim with posters detailing the event with chandeliers providing clarity to the images in said posters. I remember almost everything about the seminar I attended a few months back. Well, almost everything that is, everything but the actual seminar. I think it was about desktop publishing… or was IP protection; it was something of that sort. It doesn’t matter, point is I don’t remember much from the actual talk on a count of the speakers being aggravatingly dull.


 Maybe I just found it boring because of my disinterest to the subject or maybe it was the zombified tone that left me (a possibly the others) feeling droopy. I feel that a speaker’s primary role is to fill that interest to the audience. That being said, I have been to numerous other talks where the subject meant nothing to me at 1st but overtime grew on because of the enthusiasm of the host. He/she’s the one who has something to say, so if you can’t convey the message clear and entertaining enough why would someone in their right mind even pay attention .

Lessons of the decade(2000-2009)

Lessons of the decade(2000-2009)

This was suppose to come out last year(haha..get it? man, that joke is old). Anyway, without further a due. I present you with:


Top 10 Lessons Learned by Derick over the past 10 years.(sorry if this seems rushed)

In no particular order

10) Adventure can bring out the best (and worst) of you.

“I’m going to Arizona, this is what I want” ~Derick C.

These words came out of my mouth with such hope and desire. I ventured off to an uncharted land to see new things in a different perspective hoping to find my El Dorado. That I did but to getting there was rough riding all the way. I regret nothing mostly because I can’t really redo actions I made. People told me over and over that it was a bad idea and indeed it was but experience makes a person and I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I never ventured forth.

9) No more waiting

“Where is that 2:13 to Brook Ave, it’s already 2:20”~Derick C.

I’ve been waiting for 21 years when what I should’ve been doing was take initiative. So it’s time to do do do. Waiting has brought forth many disappointments for me because of actions not made. Instead of waiting for the 2:13 to Brook, I could’ve gotten the 2:16 to Main and walk 2 blocks to Brook. So, why did I wait for the 2:13? Mostly because I ignored the consequences and thought that if I wait it out it would eventually come. Honestly though, how can you wait for food to cook without fire?

8) Don’t fall in love too fast

“Derick, don’t do this, I’ll break your heart”~ Anonymous

Broken it was and lesson learned. Need I say more?(it’s a long story, ask me about it some other time)

7) Smoking kills

“You’re just too good to be true, wait a second, you are!” Derick C.

A metaphor for decay be it physical or emotional. What’s eating you from the inside be it a cigarette or a rickety relationship will be the death of you unless something is done. Be careful though because smoking heavily now will lead to bad lungs regardless of whether or not you did stop.

6) Let go

“You’re living in the past dude” ~Anonymous

Stop dwelling in the past and live a life with no regrets because what’s done is done and there’s nothing more you can do about it. Yes, you can think about it but don’t let it bother you (easier said than done) all too much.

5) Say it!

“So, I think I’m in love with you” ~Derick C.

I said that and it didn’t work out too well (see #8) but you know what? At least I said what I said rather than just stand around (we’re over waiting, remember?)not knowing what could’ve been. I’ve never really been the type to speak out ( I get shy ok?) so just imagine the audacity it took for me to say that, quite a lot. I haven’t done so since then but maybe it’s time to give it another shot. =/

4) Don’t always do as the Romans do.

“Don’t you want to be cool?” ~ Some dude from Harold and Kumar

Be it, weed, salvia, wari, public intoxication or the latest fashion trend, they’re all the same. Some things you wish you never did. Of course there are those that are just flat out awesome because you did.

3) There’s goodness in people

“Know that whatever your problems, I’ll always be here to listen”~Anonymous

Just listen? I’m kidding, but yea, there is good amidst evil. All the while when I thought that people were out for themselves, people I met over the years who I consider the best of the best made me think otherwise and I could learn a thing or two from this people if I’m blessed enough to have them stick around.

2) Take a deep breath and think positive

“Could be worst, you could be dead”~ Eric “The Man” Malley( my ex boss)

Yes, I use to be the most hated person in the U.S. (a telemarketer), I was flat broke, I stopped going to school, I was on my own, I was loveless but at least I wasn’t dead. Having been blessed with such peace of mind has saved me from the experience ever blowing my lid in a blind rage (anger is one of the things I hope to never achieve in my life). This is a lesson i learned a long long time ago and deserves to be on the list of lessons learned period.

1) Don’t leave home without “it”

“So you stopped going to school and you lost your job, what are you not going to do next?”~Anonymous

Let me tell you what i didn't do next and that was not stick to such a shitty situation.What’s “it”? “it” is the desire. As in don’t do something if you’re not going to be loving it. Thankfully something I learned before it was too late (Visual Communications, what was I thinking?). I know now what “it” is not just in my College Career but in life as well.

~Happy New Year~

Excerpt from "The Slow Decay" (by Derick)

Prologue


A few nights ago, under the light of the moon, I stepped out to have a cigarette. Having been eagerly awaiting it all day, I slowly took out a stick from the pack, fired it up and started smoking. That’s when everything: the quiet night, the clear sky that greeted the luminescent moon and the cool breeze started to feel just right. I know that at the end of a long and grueling day, having a smoke is what keeps me from going over.

The night went on, at the same time all my issues, worries and concern leave both body and soul. Smoke from the cigarette danced and twirled in a way that just couldn’t be explained, as that happened one couldn’t really help but stand back and just relax. The twisting & twirling dance of smoke just got me; I’m not really sure what it was but there was definitely something. Puff after puff, as the light drew closer towards me, I just wanted time to stand still as to not have to throw away the stick.
Me and the landlessness feeling of menthol share a love and hate relationship. Both the stroke of dizziness together with the calmness of the mind along with its subtle minty aftertaste sets the tone for a moment of sanity that some people just wouldn’t understand. Such a balance of black and white brings one to such a euphoric state

People always ask me why I smoke and I would offer the same reply every time; “because I want”. I don’t usually go deeper into as they just don’t get the state of lucidity I feel every time I smoke. I wouldn’t be doing so if I didn’t want to and I am more than aware of the consequences that come with such a vice and yet, here I am welcoming the slow decay…