Merry Christmas and happy New Year!!

I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Spend these special holidays with your family, friends and love ones. New posts coming soon. Be safe and happy holidays!

FS#9: Mad World

You see the rich getting more well off
The poor will never rise above
In a city such as New York poverty is still a problem
Growing up in hoods that can either make or break them
Once they make the wrong turn that's their whole life
Surviving the times, never cared about wrong or right
Outsiders only know the nice views of NYC
They can't see pass the lines of pity
Homeless people on trains is the place for them to be
No one willing to lend a hand what a shame to see
Police brutality, that ain't nothing new
Our protectors against us, exceptions of a few
If only I had one wish I would wish for true equality
No such thing as rich or poor just me equals you, you equals me
That will be the perfect equation
When we help each other without any hesitation

"Imagination is one's greatest treasure"
-JCL

FS#8: What If...

What if minority became the majority?
Would they be treated the same in this society?
What if there is no discrimination?
Will people look at each other with eyes of separation?
What if everything is false about our economy?
Would people live in fear of having no money?
What if there was no such thing as money?
Instead we pay with our trust
Believe is a must
Forget about lust
Exists only true love
What if dream and reality can coexist?
How will we live our lives then? A hit or a miss
What if there was no such thing as war?
Will peace be what everyone is striving for?
What if I am you, and you are me?
Would we be in the same path as we supposed to be?
What if there was no telling from right to wrong?
How can we judge people from what they have done?
What if everything that went wrong really didn't happen?
Only if that could be true then people wouldn't be second guessing
What if there isn't any what if...
Can my imagination be as wild as it is...

"Imagination is one's greatest treasure"
-JCL

Chapter 14: Closure

So when you are really upset/sad/depressed what is your therapy? Some people smoke; some people sleep; some people eat; some people shop. I usually blast my music and drift away... to another zone; write rhymes; and workout. So the first time she said goodbye to me, I did all of the above. That did put me to depression for a bit though. Now on the second time around, what should I do?

After half a year of avoiding/ignoring me, she finally hit me up. I was very excited but yet nervous at the same time. You know, like the first day of your new job. It has been so long since we last spoke, I didn't know what to say. So I gave her the usual greeting phrases like "how have you been? How is everything?" She answered, "good." Cold and casual. But I was cool with that. Little did I know what followed.

After the short greetings the real show started. So here we are, back to square one once again. Apparently this time it really is goodbye, strangers again. She needed a closure so she could move on with her life. Her final words to me were "please delete everything." I guess this is what's best for her... and I respect that. I have no other choice but to let her go... What ever makes her more comfortable.

So she says in time my memories of her will be fading away if not already gone. I don't believe that. All the physical evidences might be gone, but the impact it had on my life will forever remain. I may not have the best memory, but what we have been through were already tatted into my brain and heart. I will let her go, but I will also be holding on. Letting her go by leaving her alone. She keeps on doing her own thing and I will still be me. Holding on to the memories that we had and the experiences that we been through. I will not forget you, that is a promise that I will keep.

I am sorry, truly and sincerely, for all the pain and trouble that I have caused you. Now go on and live your life to the fullest, exactly what you deserve. I wish nothing but the best for you and what is ahead of you. I will always be here for you when you need a friend. With that said, my status that had been up for half a year can now rest in peace.

I came across this young talent from a friend. He did a cover for B.O.B's Nothin' On You and called it Nothin' On Me featuring JVoQualZ (pronounced as J vocals). When I looked deeper into this artist, I found another song that is really interesting. Here it is:

Pmac - Let It Go

FS#7: Can I Be a Star?

Every time I look up in the sky
I ask the question can I make it out alive?
People having high expectations of me
Is there something that I still don't see?
I look into the mirror and try to figure out what I missed
I look through my mind and try to figure out can I be a hit
The more they expect from me
The more I feel every move I make is deadly
They say once you are at the top there's no where else to go
Down is the only way, can I keep up with the flow?
I always tell myself aim for the moon but shoot for the stars
But never do anything that questions your heart
Success is just a breath away, so close and yet so far
When you reach your goals, does it really change who you are?
At the end the same question remains, can I really be a star?

"Real Talk, True Story"
-JCL

New Blog: JCL Bites the Big Apple

Greetings, I have decided to do a blog where I will be reviewing restaurants in New York City.The blog is call JCL Bites the Big Apple. Check it out. Thanks!

Chapter 13: Distance

Hmmm... I had to pick one, the ties of a friendship or the love for the significant other? Whatever choice I make will cross the thin line between love and hate. So I picked the ties of a friendship over the love for a significant other. The moment I picked that, I knew it would have caused some problems between us. But never did I thought she would go this far...

Have any of you lost someone precious to you? Not in terms of death, but just slowly distancing themselves away from you. Little by little. Bit by bit. Doesn't that gradually eats you up? Unfortunately all these things happened to me in the start of 2011. Yay, what a great way to start a new year. It's hard to keep your composure when things/people around you are slowly fading into the shadow.

It really sucks to have a precious friend to tell you they will stop talking to you. The immediate reaction was my speechlessness. Then I just started working out until I can't move anymore... bad hobby of mine (whenever there is a stressful situation, I tend to workout to release the stress). Keeps you thinking about questions such as: when will we be back to normal again? or is this the end? or what can I do to make you come back? That last question brings me back to the freestyle I did a while back, Come Back. That was dedicated to this very precious friend wishing she could come back. Lost, confused, discombobulated were the only feelings I had at that moment. Should I move on and get over it or should I hold on to something that might have already been gone?

I am a Leo, so obviously I am a stubborn dude. So I picked holding on, not letting any chance go away. When I happened to see her again, avoidance was her first reaction. Ignoring me was the second reaction. But I continued to say "hi" regardless. In this kind of situation, I have to put my pride aside and become shameless. Oh, only if she knew how much I can do for her to save the friendship. The more I think about it, the more complicated the situation gets. There was nothing I could do anyways. I said all I could say, did what I could but nothing's changed. What I will still do is continue being me! Maybe one day... some day... we can be friends again. I am sure we will meet again in the long journey call life.

On the side note: Writing this blog entry was EXTREMELY challenging. I had to think about how to explain the situation without giving out too much details. But at the same time, give enough details so the readers can understand what is going on.

Anyways, today I bring to you an old but meaningful song by Far East Movement. Today, you might know them by their hits "Like a G6" or "Rocketeer." But to be honest, they gave into the mainstream demands like the rest of the sell-outs... no disrespect to them. I actually respect them a lot for being a successful Asian Hip-Hop group in U.S. which is RARE. Only second to Jin the MC. But their old works are far better... just saying.
Far East Movement ft. Lil Rob & Baby Bash - You've Got a Friend

Chapter 12: Above and Beyond

As I left off from last time (Chapter 11: Passion for the Kitchen), I was offered many volunteering opportunities. In the past, I would just let it go by me. But not this time. My chef volunteered me to many and I volunteered myself to a few. One of the most memorable experiences was the CHIPS Soup Kitchen (it is a non-profit organization that serves limited meals daily, offers shelter, and have clothing drives). It was the day before Christmas Eve, December 23, 2010. This was the holiday of giving and celebrating, knowing that I did my part to help the less fortunate feels great! If you have a chance to help the less fortunate, please do so!

That day, I had to be up at 4 A.M. because I was told I have to be there by 5. When I reached the destination I was by myself in this freezing weather, locked outside. After I waited for about half an hour, my friend called and asked if I wanted to stay inside her building for the time being. I accepted the offer. When they were ready, we set out to the soup kitchen once again. This time there were a few more volunteers there. We got in and started working right away. Long story short, after six hours of cooking we were finally ready for service at noon. Since the space inside is limited, there was a line outside. We decided to bring everyone outside soup first to keep them warm. That was when I realized how ungrateful some people are.

Some of the people that did not receive their soups yet were screaming out profanities and calling us names, others that already got their share of the soup wanted seconds and did not hesitate to grab it from the tray. The only thing that was preventing them from bum-rushing in was the long time war veterans that were with us. Although there were a few rude people, but a lot of them were very thankful. All that hard work that we have done was well rewarded by their warm smiles. It was also a splendid experience for me to work in another kitchen besides my own or the school's and I had a chance to work with great people, my chefs and my colleagues. It was a very fun and precious moment.

So that was my little story volunteering story, why did I title this post "Above and Beyond?"

Well I realized that in order to have a clearer path for your future, you have to put yourself out there. Volunteering is one of the more stronger activities you can do to achieve so. You can't just be like 'oh I did my part' and that's that. You have to go above and beyond the current requirements to make something out of anything these days.

"Being enlightened is no longer enough, you must apply. Being willingness is no longer needed, you must do." -Royce da 5'9

This quote from Royce (from the intro of his song 'Shake This') puts it very nicely and clearly. Royce is a very talented hip hop artist. Just saying...

So might as well end this post with that said song:
Royce Da 5'9 - Shake This

FS#6: Holding On

Ever had times when luck was never by your side?
At times you feel like you needed to cry?
Well I have and that feels like shit
I tried so hard to recollect myself but it's harder then it is
Why will you not re-evaluate me for a brand new start?
How can you just erase me completely from your heart?
You can, But I can't and I won't
Even if I have to do this all alone
I will remain on my ground and never think otherwise
You can change all you want but it's still the same on the other side
You can have your time and space but nothings really changed
Especially not me cause I will remain the same
I will be waiting for the day that you realize
That I am a friend that you can trust, just look me in the eyes
I will be there for you, till the end
All you have to do is call me a friend...

"Real Talk, True Story"
-JCL

FS#5: Life Goes On

Pick up where you left off, get up where you fall
No matter the circumstance, even when your back is against the wall
When push comes to shove, just stand tall
Take it for what it is, life is just like a ball
Goes round and round, what goes up must come down
That was cliche, but so is life
You made your mistakes, then wish you can make it right
Too late for regrets, but never forget
When you reach a dead end, you gotta turn
Life is a lesson, you gotta learn
Nothing is free dude, you gotta earn
Can you believe from concrete a flower grew
Nothing is impossible thats a life long rule
Look up in the skys stare right at the stars
Your life experience makes exactly who you are
There are too many wrongs for you to be caught up
Life goes on no matter how much you been fed up
Thick to thin, life is how you make it up

"Real Talk, True Story."
-JCL

FS#4: Words I Never Said

Once upon a time I was living in regrets
Tearing over the words that I never said
Wounded by the courage that I never had
Every time I look you in the eyes I cant help but think
What if I done this or said that would we have changed
The pursuit of happiness is what everyone deserves
I had the nerves to take what you tried to preserve
I m sorry for all the harms I have done you
I m sorry for all the pain I have caused you
But fear no more now that I m out of your life
You can finally be set free and live right
I feel happy but yet I feel sad
It pains me too much to just forget
But it pains me more to see you hurt
Better leave it alone then let it get worse
Maybe it is better to have the words kept
Deep in my heart, where it can never be said...

"Real Talk, True Story"
-JCL

Life is...

Fucking ridiculous...
Too unfair...
Overwhelming...
Discriminating...
Harsh...
A broken road...
Something I must conquer... try, at the very least...

Chapter 11: Passion for the Kitchen

I remember the first day of Culinary I (Chapter 10: 2010), I had to say my name and my intentions of this major as an icebreaker. With no hesitation, I said to become a General Manager of a hotel was my long term goal. But on the first day of Culinary II I had to do the same thing (it was the same Chef, therefore same procedures for the first day) and I replied with either to become a Chef or a General Manager. At that point, my thoughts on my career were uncertain. Then this quote came into my mind, "If it is something you like and can make a career our of it, then go for it."

I finally found that "something" when I enrolled in Culinary II. I had a chance to work in the hotel. But that was not where I belong. The work is easy and I am actually good with people, but I just cannot imagine my entire life doing that. Since Culinary I, my curiousity in gastronomy only grew stronger. Then Culinary II came, and that was a complete different ball game. There was a Dining Room class going on at the same time, and we do production for that class. There are actual guests attending the dining room. So our food are being critiqued. It is the times where our techniques truely shines, any flaws will be noticed immediately. Major concentration is crucial! Never in my life would I have thought my passion will be in the kitchen. Back in Dewey I had a chance to take the culinary classes but I dropped it after first cycle, and now it came right back at me.

Another interesting class was Dining Room (I had to take that class as well). At first, the professor was like a monster. But as time went by I started to like her, a lot. I guess we met up to her expectations and standards so everything went easy. This class was still a hassle though. Memorizing the descriptions and trigger ingredients for each dish on the menu was insane, especially when I was not assigned as the server but my luck brought me to that position when someone is absent (have to expect the unexpected). Have to know and sell the wine and desserts were the worse. But I grew to fall in love with this class. I enjoyed every minute of it and the last day was hard to say goodbye.

And last but not least, the baking class. Such a discouraging class. When I first stepped into the bake shop I enjoyed it a lot. Or so I thought, but I guess it was only because of the super nice and chill professor. Not so lucky this semester. The professor for Baking II was not the worse and I like him and all, but working with him was rather difficult. His style is very unique. The excitement that got my adrenaline rushing at first was no longer there. Trying to get a good grade was the only thing on my mind. I did leave that class with a few new techniques and recipes though. I guess that was all that mattered. I did enjoy the times when he was not yelling at me though. Overall it was a new experience and I COULD say it was kind of a blessing to have worked with him.

It was a peaceful but yet intriguing semester. I definitely learned a lot. Oh right, the most amazing thing about this semester was that I put myself out there. There were many volunteering opportunities and I did not just look past them. But until next time! Enjoy!

Fabolous ft. Jeremih - Its My Time

FS#3: Come Back

This is dedicated to a very special friend.

Please come back as a favor
I need you in my life, come be my saver
My love for you as a friend can never be stronger
They say you lose love ones easily but friends are forever
I put my trust under your safekeeping
You should already know our friendship is worth keeping
But I can't believe you said the things you did
No more friends? That's an impossible split
Tears came out of my eyes when you told me that
Wishing the things you said could be taken back
Now I can only reminisce the good times that we had
I kept going through our old conversations cause i miss you really bad
Hoping for the best but expecting for the worse
I am giving you your time and space so we could make it work
Please come back I really don't want to lose you
I will always be here waiting for the day you come through

"Real Talk, True Story"
-JCL