"FREE/If"

Truly in all reality, it can be a hard thing when you feel trapped, with nowhere to go or nowhere to turn to. You've lost all sense of truth, pride, and yourself...you're almost feeling like you're living someone else's life instead of yours. It's one of those terrifying moments in LIFE where you think and say to yourself,

"I feel trapped, suffocated.... I need to be FREE of this!"

This medley of these two Destiny's Child songs saved me when I was in need to break free. I was able to attend this concert that you see but in Anaheim, CA in 2005 and I paid a pretty penny to gain backstage passes and 2nd Row dead center seating to what would be one of the last times Destiny's Child was going to tour together. These two songs when I saw them live from my seat in front of my face, made me get the chills and it was amazing to see for myself how "FREE" one could be and really feel.

"FREE" talks about a broken relationship not wanting to mend back together due to the lack of respect, love, and attention that it needed and deserved. It was a one sided view instead of it being 50/50. They sing it with such conviction and everything you would ever feel when you're about to blow up. I loved that they were so candid with the frustration, and yet, they were able to set themselves "FREE" of all that was hurting them. I remember seeing Kelly Rowland sing her part in this song right in front of me and I gawked along as she sang:

No it aint easy being left out
or being forgotten about (bein forgotten about)
You didn't deserve my love
I had enough set me free (free ee) eee ee eee 

Man she gave me such chills!! To see such reinforcement is so amazing as well, cause at one point, you're done hearing and experiencing for others, when finally all you want to do is be "FREE"!

"If" goes right along with "FREE", and seeing them sing this song acapella with no music to back them up was simply magical! This song states that "if you don't see me do the same things I used to do before, don't worry, I'm doing good without you"...sweet and simple! What once was a distorted and foggy view, is now a clear and understanding path. 

For this song during the concert, the girls  were singing in harmony and even though it was a snippet of the song, when I heard:

There was once a time I blame myself for what was wrong,

That’s how I spent all my time when you weren’t home,
There’ll be no more stressing
No more crying
No more trying
I would rather be alone,
Cuz this valuable heart of mine was yours until I realized....

Then they stayed quiet for about a minute until the next song started....the crowd went crazy! I had women and men crying around me due to the amount of emotions that were present at that time, it was unbelievable! Even till now, whenever I hear those two songs, I still remember the clarity I got once that rush of suffocation was hanging on me. 

It only feels good in LIFE when you do what's good for YOU, and YOU live for YOU and no one else. Be FREE and LIVE my friends~!

"Who says this is a bad thing?"

As a teen 11 years ago I remember watching one of my favorite girl groups go through one of their toughest yet triumphant time periods of their career. It was either a sink or swim situation and they made it through the storm to now have become of the most successful girl groups in HISTORY! In the interviews they gave to the media they were constantly asked what type of drama went on behind the scenes and whether or not they even thought they themselves would make it through due to constant allegations and negativity that was being thrown in their direction....and I distinctly remember them say,

"Who says this is a bad thing? The negativity is just giving us the strength to move on, cause the three of us are SURVIVOR'S!"- Destiny's Child

I will never forget what magnitude, what power they possessed to have been able to move on and make sure the world remembered them for their music and not the drama they went through. 

Same thing in our daily lives, when we think all is calm, no stones are being thrown at us, we tend to find ourselves in a scuffle with a "He Said, She Said" situation that only NEGATIVITY itself knows how we ever got involved in the first place. 

The first thing we try not to do is get frustrated, but we do anyway, then we try to clear up our name and then make sure the situation doesn't get out of hand. If you pay close attention though, what happened to Destiny's Child back in 2000, the same thing here, NEGATIVITY starts when there is a change in our lives, when were trying to break free and claim our independence as individuals once more. 

It's always been said to me that ANY talk about you is good, cause you're name still keeps resonating and it's making those people wonder what you're up to now and they're eager to see what you're feeling.  I agree. What makes others insecure is their inability to keep true to themselves and their incapability to make a choice for themselves that will benefit no one but... themselves.

So in return I give this advice:

You create the world you WANT to create around you. No one is shoving words in your head and making you keep them in your head unless you WANT to keep them. There is an amazing difference between a NEED and a WANT....you don't NEED anyone to tell you who you are and how far you can go in life, and you certainly don't WANT those type of people around you, especially if all they're wanting to do is bring you down with them. Allow those type of people to get it out, let them say your name hundreds and thousands of times over and over and over again, it's only going to make you WANT to make a change for the better, one that has been a NEED in your life for quite some time. Prove to yourself and to the world that POSITIVITY conquers ALL, and leave behind ALL the excess baggage, let them say and repeat their words over and over again to only themselves!

POSITIVITY conquers ALL!!!

To ~be ~Human

If you really think about it, every little aspect of LIFE we see is based solidly based on human action, meaning, humans run the world, humans like you and me. The same humans that run the world, will also always at one point or another try to reach world domination..all in part by simply upstaging one another.

I see it everyday in the salon world and in the corporate settings I work in. Sure enough there's always someone who is trying to make themselves look better than the others. What's the word we use often...oh yes....COMPETITION!

I've had the best luck in my career by working as a UNIT with my co-workers rather than trying to compete for a title that will have the world hating me because I tried to demolish everyone I could that would get in my path. I still see this type of behavior and every single time I see it, it's one of the worst feelings in the world because I think o myself, "Was that really necessary? Did you not think that they're human and have feelings inside?"

I guess some people lose their sense of humanity when GREED get's in the way of their glorified vision. Little do some know that what goes up, must come down at some point. Yes it's true when it's said that there needs to be some friendly competition in order to succeed, but never to the point of destroying one's morale for the sake of success.

Success is better viewed and enjoyed when you work together, when you reach goals and give the struggle an opportunity for you to sweat it out, to make sure that a mistake was made because you genuinely made a mistake, for as we know, nothing and no one is perfect.

If you're trying to reach higher ground, expect to be:

• Judged
• Criticized
• Broken down
• Questioned
• Second guessed
• Scrutinized
• TESTED

This is what being human is all about! Were supposed to feel defeated to get back up, were supposed to cry to make room for growth, were supposed to let the world get to us, if we don't, then were not allowing ourselves to fully know how far we can go and how much we can take on at one time.

There is a RIGHT way and there is a WRONG way to being human, we all know which way to go if we want to succeed and still have our inner selves intact.

To be HUMAN is to LIVE , LOVE and PROSPER

Much Love & Respect to you ALL my friends!

=Hair-apy=

I remember when I used to go get my hair done by my Uncle Luis in his L.A. salon I asked him,

"Tio, do you like what you do?"

He responded with a smirk, looked at me and said,

"Yes of course, although today, I have the world in my head!"

I always wondered what he meant by that, and now, years later, I know exactly what he meant!

When it comes to doing hair and make-up, it's not only having your client there sitting in front of you and doing what they want, it's getting to know who they are and where they come from and what they're all about.

I have clients who have been with me my whole career, and I've had some that have come and gone. The one denominator they all have in common is that they've ALL laid down their stories for me to hear and talk them through EVERY difficult situation I can think of. The funny thing about this is that I have never minded, I like listening to others.

I am human though, so there are times where I myself am preoccupied with my own situations and feel like my world is upside down. Although now with 2011 being my 10 year hair anniversary, I've learned to set my feelings and personal life aside for the sake of being there for my clients when they need an ear to listen to them, a shoulder to cry on. When my Uncle Luis found out I was going to be a hairstylist, he asked if I knew what I wanted out of life, especially because the life of a hairstylist, as he already knew, was a difficult one both personally and professionally. I told him that I felt like this was more my calling if anything, I wasn't doing it for money, I wanted to help others and make a difference and also prove to myself that I could do it, that I could be a Hairstylist.

As I get to listen to others everyday, I make sure to have a clear mind when I go in and make sure I clear my mind when I get home. It's the only way I'm able to keep doing what I do day after day. These days for some reason, in my chair, tears stroll down my clients faces about 50% of the time, especially now with this economy. It is so hard to see and hear clients pour their hearts out and have their tears hit the cape and hearing them having to deal with bankruptcies, infidelities, divorces, losing their houses, custody battles, strained relationships etc. I think to myself, "My goodness! You need to let it out!" Yet, I've been able to hold it together, and if anything just get the opportunity to give them a strong hug and let them know everything's going to be O.K.

Don't get me wrong, there are lots of laughs, smiles, frustrations and other emotions as well, but the main importance of my job is for my clients to have a pleasurable time and leave with a smile and uplifted from the inside out. I make sure that at least "HOPE" is given a second chance, it's important to me as a person and as a stylist.

I feel very lucky and fortunate to be in this position. I get the opportunity to make a difference and make people believe in themselves and allow them to recognize how special they are! Yes it can be rough at times because I too have to deal with my own life and issues and feel as my Uncle once said,  "Have the world in my head", at the same time, I make sure I deal with them at the appropriate times, meaning, I too get help.

I always WELCOME everyone who needs to take a second glance at themselves, whether you're young, middle aged, and/or a senior citizen, come on in not just for your hair, let's have as they call it a  "Hair-apy" session!! 

Much LOVE to all of you!! <3 <3 <3

Music Inspires LIFE

The past few weeks, I've been hooked on American Idol and The Voice on T.V. just like the rest of America.  It's amazing for me to see such great talent, and so young too!!!

Some of the best voices and artists come out of these shows and I'm pretty sure that with both these shows put together, we'll be hearing from a lot of these up and coming musicians/singers within the next couple years!

I especially love how now these shows have actual singers/musicians that have made it in the industry and are able to coach the new generation of Talent. 

On American Idol, I was apprehensive when they announced that Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler were going to be on Idol, yet, it intrigued me how they were going to do on the show...so I started it watching it from the beginning..and behold, it was soooo GOOD!!! I'm loving how Jennifer is so detailed in her wording when it comes to her critiques, and I'm loving Steven Tyler and how he jumps at the chance to give the singers the initial critique or a thumbs up! At this point, it's the Top 4...and it's gearing down!

On The Voice, it's such a fresh concept with established artists! Loving the different opinions and the different genre's..also, how it's simply "Yay" or "Nay". Each artist is eloquent in what they're looking for and they're so catty with each other...whoa! Right now they're in the battling part of the show where 2 of the artists they picked go head to head on the same song and the coach has to choose who stays and who goes...talk about anxiety!!!

Thanks to shows like these and others like Star Search, Making the Band, Popstars, etc., they've allowed for America and the rest of the world to showcase what talents they have to show and share with the rest of us...just take a look at how many have come up due to these shows:

Star Search:
 

Destiny's Child
Aaliyah
Leann Rimes
Justin Timberlake
Christina Aguilera
Beth Hart
 (Many more...)




Making the Band:

O-Town
Danity Kane
Day 26








Popstars:
 

Eden's Crush
Scene 23








American Idol:

Kelly Clarkson
Carrie Underwood
Jennifer Hudson
David Cook
Jordin Sparks
 (Many more...)

I say we move on forward with these shows, they inspire the fire from within..therefore,

Music Inspires LIFE

Mother's Day 2011 (One 2 Remember)

 Happy Mother's Day to all the PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE Mother's of the world! Thank you for being you and allowing LOVE to fill your hearts everyday of your LIVES!!!

It's funny how this year Easter came late and all of the sudden Mother's Day is here! 

I have to admit, because of my packed schedule, I completely forgot that Mother's Day was this weekend...and due to my surprise as well, it falls on the day after my little brother's 17th Birthday. It just hit me the other day when I was booking a client at the Burbank salon and I saw the date...I freaked out because usually I'm on top of these special dates...well, this year, I wasn't on top of it..eeeek! I work all day on Mother's Day but was able to celebrate it today.

Luckily my Mom knows and understands the demands of my career, although, when I went to go visit her this afternoon she did express concern about how I handle my time and how I'm running around all over the place. It's no easy task when trying to explain to my Mom what exactly is going on at the moment and why it is that I'm all over the place. The best thing I was able to say to her was that she needed to trust me and that I know how to take care and run my affairs. It turned out to be a drawn out conversation about how she doesn't want me to kill myself doing what I do, yet I had to make sure I told her that the reason why I'm making sacrifices is because I take my craft very seriously and I want to make sure I build a better future for myself. As much as I was trying to state my point, it did take her a while to get what I was talking about. We were at least able to come to an understanding, state each others point and I gladly said, "Thank you for your concern Mom, thankfully, ALL is good : )" 

The good thing is that she liked her present, I gave her Lady Antebellum and the new Sara Evans albums. She loves country music, so I thought I would introduce her to the "Pop/Country" genre of today.

I consider myself very lucky to still have a Mom that cares for me and wants to know what's going on in my life. As much as we tend to agree to disagree, she's still my Mom and ALL my respect goes to her. I can always see her side and how she worries about us kids, I too would be a nervous wreck if I was her child! The one thing she did say today was that she's very proud of who and what I've become..that meant a lot to me : )

Thank You Mom for everything you've taught me and all that I have learned from you to this day, for it has made me and molded me into who I am inside and out!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I Love....

Certain places, certain items, certain quotes, and certain people bring me warm thoughts and that "One" fuzzy warm feeling one always feels whenever I tend to feel "I'm off my rocker" so to speak..and so..here they are:

I Love...(Places)

• My bed
• My walk-in closet
• McDonald's
• My salon stations
• My Car (it's my "Alone" time)

I Love...(Items)

• My Haircutting Shears
• My Rosary collection
• My Key necklace
• My 2002 American Idol Reject number
• Portraits of my family and close friends

I Love...(Quotes)

• "A bird may love a fish Signore, but where would they live?"- Ever After
• "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." -John 2:19
• "Were here because we love each other and want to be a part of each others lives"- Destiny's Child
• "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"- Forrest Gump
• "I want to see you next week  on that podium and make sure you're up there and singing for the Lord, that's where HE wants you and that's where you deserve to be!"-Deacon Rigoberto Ruano

I Love...(People)

• Holy Trinity (God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
• My sister Marisela (my 11 year apart twin)
• My Best Friends Jason and Rachel/Rebecca
• Destiny's Child
• All my friends who are singers in the Music Industry : )

Now this list is what REALLY brings me that warm fuzzy feeling, of course there are so many other people that I love and have built me into who I am, and more quotes and items and so on and so forth, although, this is what really brings my heart and soul full circle.

I truly LOVE everything this life has had to offer me thus far, including the struggles cause without them, I wouldn't know my own strength and weaknesses...there's more to come and more to FULFILL!!!