A Christmas Food Memory

Coming from a Mexican American family, Christmas was always a special time. As kids, we had to go to sleep early so that Santa Claus could come in the middle of the night to leave our presents under the tree.

Such a joyous time! 

Always meant for us to be on our best behavior, especially when going shopping. Knowing what we already wanted, we were forewarned by Mommy Dearest to not ask for anything, because Santa already knew what we truly wanted, and it was unfair to the other kids around the world. 

Yet, aside from Santa Claus and Christmas shopping, we had a tradition that went on for years & years that of course required my favorite substance in the world...FOOD!

Every year close to 2 dozen Tamales were made by hand. I, of course, would oh so generously volunteer to be the taste tester on a Saturday for about 6-7 hours and help make them (not continuously). By the time the tamales were all done and ready to be served, I was on the couch ready to go to sleep with no desire to eat anymore. 

It was a blissful time I have to say!

Then came the wonderful time I was in charge of stirring the chocolate based drink called Champurrado. A very tedious process that requires an individual to continuously stir the much loved mexican drink for 3 hours...yes 3 hours! Just standing there and stirring! No iPod back then, couldn't find my walkman, and my discman had no batteries... I was going insane! I tried to convince Mommy Dearest that for all that time I spent stirring she would have to pay me....yeeeaaah that didn't work, though it was worth a try! 

All said and done, the Champurrado came out just as she had wished, all thanks to her ingredients and my  constant stirring.

Since I've started my career much of that food tradition has died down, especially since our relationship has suffered in part to our conflicting personalities. Nevertheless, these and many more memories continue to live in my heart and I can remember them fondly as I look back and laugh. 

If you haven't had Tamales or Champurrado, 

I urge you to give them both a try, your taste buds will love them!

Never

Never Say Never.

Never means Never.

Never leads to Never.

Like the rain, it NEVER means to do us any harm...if anything it comes around to cleanse and nourish what is dry.

Above it all as humans we are meant to make memories in LIFE and are meant to pave the way for others to come in and follow our lead. Yet we make it difficult at times to allow others into our world for FEAR that we will ONE DAY be forgotten. It's NEVER meant to be that way, though the heart makes it into another story.

 

You can keep guessing why things happen the way they do and why they are meant to be for a specific action. We want to make sense out of those moments, we want to begin to come around and learn from our past, though if you dive into the past a bit too much, you might get stuck there once again. You NEVER mean to go in too deep.

See the pattern?!

There will ALWAYS be "too much"...
There will ALWAYS be "why now?"...
There will ALWAYS be "can't you see?"...

We will ALWAYS want to seek into the FUTURE without having to prepare for what we're about to hear and try to comprehend the information provided for us. We just want to take a peek...just a peek into what will become of us. Once you get "too much" information then you'll ask yourself "why now?" are you seeking this out and "can't you see" that everything is overwhelming and you can't just be without having to question yourself even more than ever.

We are REAL, we are in a TRUE LIFE setting and let's not forget to LIVE without wanting to know everything in advance for our struggles dictate our paths and our survival mark our paths. 

NEVER Say Never.

--To opportunity

Never means Never.

--You'll always be you, not someone you're not.

Never leads to Never.
--You'll follow YOU, take your OWN lead.

~`Compare and Contrast: What WAS and What Can Be`~

So much can happen in such little time that the actual PRESENT can
become the PAST in a matter of seconds.
I myself have grown tired of letting others dictate what my present and future should become.

It's a shame that at some point, situations along with personalities have to collide at some point and when they do, it's a shock yet one of those, "It was meant to be" kind of moments.

"Give me a reason to let you go, allow me the opportunity to clear and wipe the slate clean, send me a sign knowing that it's ALL said and done."

I used to cringe at the thought of losing, at the thought of having to let go and needing to move on because that's what LIFE wanted me to do.
Not anymore. 

I've embraced loss and have been able to appreciate WHAT I've lost because now I understand the path that LIFE holds when time is up. 

I used to want to catch my breath when facing the inevitable, for it would always be like taking a punch to the stomach. Though once I stopped fighting against the waves that came crashing I realized that the worst had already come, all that needed to be worked on was to see how much light I could bring to the darkness and depth of loss.


Everyone has a moment where you know it's time to move on. You've done all that you've been able to do to level out any bumps in the road and patch up any holes that needed new pavement. Until you've run out of options, and quite frankly, running out of options is actually a PATH that has been well lit for a long time, we've just denied to look into it.

Traveling is the key, experiencing is the key, LIVING is the key. I can't deny a well lit path when it's rays have been so bright that it naturally looks SAFE to walk through. Even though there are no promises to ANYTHING that might happen while on that path, there is a CHOICE, a DECISION, and HOPE to keep me alive and well while I mend my "present past".

Nothing is promised to us and nothing is a lifetime warranty, though keeping ourselves ALIVE and advancing with a ray of hope is what will get us through the point of what WAS, and we'll live to UNDERSTAND what CAN be.

Just by saying 'I Love You'

Nothing is real until you go through what you need to go through.

Everything has it's limit, it's own LIFE span and above it all, it has it's own desired meaning. 

Many things are said and done, and as much as we wish to deliberate and want to add to our actions, the time has simply lapsed and the only way it can get corrected, is by OWNING up to what was said and done. 

-->They're simple yet the most desired words you can ever say to a person,
Actions can motivate you to express it,
A peck on the cheek can say it for you,
Though it can be simple enough
Just by saying 'I Love You'.

The affection of a hug, The affection of strength,
 The affection of the human touch,
Brings light to the flame,
The ONE thing that keeps the heart going,
Just by saying 'I Love You'.

The smirk that brings everything out of the shadow,
The smile that leaves the sadness behind,
The laughter that shelters from the rain,
The harsh conditions of LIFE will go away,
Just by saying 'I Love You'.

A promise can be written within the word,
 A broken piece of your heart can be forgotten,
The luxury of turning away cannot live alone,
As erasing all the good can be done by leaving,
I once wished you could've changed your mind,
Just by saying 'I Love You'.

I explored the world with your silence,
I kept the broken promise in hopes of finding you,
I wrote endless amount of LIFE in my empty space.

It all came full circle to become what I was in search of,
You live LIFE your way as I LIVE mine,
All along to discover that it was I who could feel again,
It came to me once again,
It was I who did it,
It is I who learned to LOVE,
Just by saying 'I Love You'.<--

--> Erik Velasco 2014 

(Inspired by the song "More Than Words" by Extreme)

The Struggle

"Are you going to be something else I have
     to survive? Cause I'll tell you the
     truth, I'm not up to it."

-->Erin Brockovich (2000 Film)

Nothing beautiful comes to us easy...

you have to go through the ugly to know what beauty is.

 

As kids we see what adults have and crave in some way to have just that for when we grow up and much more. Little did we understand what the 'Struggle' was for those adults to have and maintain what our eyes were craving. 

You can't have it all, though if you work hard enough you can accumulate as you go in hopes of reaching your goal. What makes us UNDERSTAND ultimately what we want is the very first time we had to 'Struggle'. 

 

 

 It comes in different forms and at different times in our lives. The exposure of having a good thing can prove to be a bit much to handle and we also may not be strong enough to hold it together. 

The most important aspect I've ever lost in my world was my own perspective and path. 

 

I juggled one too many things all at once in hopes that at least ONE path would excel more than the others, yet I found myself in a fog with more than 3 dirt roads leading to a tangled web. My thought process at the time was that I was aiming to gain more than what I was willing to sacrifice. 

 

 

 I thought maybe that if I had already lost quite a bit (in my mind it was enough sacrifice) then it wouldn't hurt to invest in something that would ultimately be beneficial for me ANY which way it turned out.

Therefore I gained more than what I was able to handle and began to have the "Sink Or Swim" mentality. It took me at least 6 years to finally come to terms with my actions. Instead of seeing the world in "Me against Everyone" form, I had to ACCEPT that not every sacrifice deserved a recompense, if anything it needed closure and UNDERSTANDING in order to move on and be ready for the next upcoming chapter in LIFE. 

The Struggle 

 requires it's rightful place to be tested. It will ALWAYS have it's limits and yet, when you feel like you can't take anymore, continue to fight through knowing you'll come out on top UNDERSTANDING that much more about the beauty of sacrifice.

'Horns Blow' for a Popstar

As the latest season of "The Voice" kicked into high gear early this 2014 year, many were surprised and questioned themselves if what they were seeing on their television sets was ACTUALLY what they're eyes were conveying. 

Sure enough, 

Popstar Paula Deanda was auditioning for the popular NBC show having to sing to the backs of the four celebrity judges as well as the nation in hopes of garnering her a spot on one of singing teams. She had a golden opportunity with Blake Shelton a.k.a. "Team Blake" and made it to the Battle Rounds. As Paula's opportunity made her appeal to her current as well as the younger social media fan base, HER voice on "The Voice" would certainly not be the last of her! 

Behold, in just 1 day, on June 24th, 2014,
 Paula Deanda & Jump Smokers will be releasing their latest EP collaboration:

The first single to launch this collection of original material 

"Horns Blow (Shimmy Shimmy)"

definitely features 'The Voice and the Beats'! 

With the musical horns making melodic waves backing Paula's smooth husky soprano vocal, this only showcases the tip of the iceberg of what the rest of this EP album contains.

 Paula Deanda is known for her high vocal register that has carried her from the very start with "Doing Too Much" all the way to her current ballad material with "Your Place". What Paula showcases in her music is the ability to be this vocal chameleon that most Popstars of today haven't been able to express due to the endless pressure of the Entertainment Machine. 

"Horns Blow (Shimmy Shimmy)" carries the modern sound of 2014 along with a blend of 40's Jazz with the trumpet bridge in the middle of the song. Now believe it or not, singers CAN over sing a track to death especially with tiresome vocal runs that skip one too many beats. Although in this case, Paula shares the limelight with the proper instrumentation to carry this tune from beginning to end.

There's also something that Paula hasn't really showcased in her music catalog in the past, and that is the use of her vocal texture to hug the melody of the staccato notes...in ENGLISH, Paula's voice flows with what's being presented to her musically.
Jump Smokers, 
job WELL DONE and EXECUTED!

"The Voice And The Beats" EP also contains 3 other original songs:
"Strangers", "Arriverderci", and "Tippy-Toes", as well as an EDM Remix of "Strangers".

All 5 tracks have their own LIFE within the music, and all 5 tracks give new meaning to the term 'Fresh'! Music has to be able to breathe and have a heartbeat of it's own, especially when 2 MAJOR talents collaborate! There's no drowning of sorrows for either Paula or Jump Smokers, if anything, this collection of musical freedom is a CELEBRATION of what music is,
it's OWN state of mind!

My personal Fav Song:
"Horns Blow (Shimmy Shimmy)"
"Strangers"
"Arriverderci"
 "Tippy-Toes"

"Strangers" (Jump Smokers EDM Remix)

Yes...ALL of them!

Pre-Order your copy now on iTunes!

Damaged YET going STRONG

8 years ago the 

"Making The Band" series had formed and launched it's 3rd and most successful musical group to date and even made history landing them in the Guinness Book of World Records being the ONLY girl group to debut 2 Number 1 albums back to back on the Billboard Charts. Each member brings a spark to the group and have the ability to hold their head up high as every number is executed to it's every hair flipping stage worthy performance. 

Danity Kane has 2 Platinum selling albums under it's name, having toured with Christina Aguilera, the Pussycat Dolls, and have headlined 2 tours since their inception, the recent of which has proven them worthy of a comeback though there's one minor detail missing...the backing and push of a major record label. Despite this minor setback, Danity Kane has been able to climb up the charts with their recent single aptly titled, "Lemonade" featuring Tyga. 

Since the successful girl group was taken apart back in 2008 by it's creator Sean "Puffy" Combs due to a lack of communication and infighting within the girls themselves, they've all been able to move on with their lives and professional careers as entrepreneurs within the industry. A year ago there was speculation that there was a reunion brewing and fans have been craving to have Danity Kane once again appear on stage and on the charts. As fate would have it, the famed girl group was to come back, only this time, as a quartet. 

Then there were four. 

By the end of 2013, the now regrouped musical quartet prepared their reunion show and early this year 2014 they announced a 13 city "No Filter" Tour around the U.S. that would showcase their past hits and feature 3 new tracks from their upcoming album.

 Then there were three.

As one of their founding members had decided to join them on the tour, she has opted to remove herself from the Danity Kane equation for the upcoming album due to her wanting to start a family. 

Now with Danity Kane consisting of Aubrey O' Day, Shannon Bex and Dawn Richard, in my honest opinion, they have never looked so fresh! With "Lemonade" going strong in it's downloads and climbing up the charts, seeing three strong women take the stage have never looked so good since Destiny's Child became a trio themselves. 

As they put the finishing touches on their upcoming album and are getting plans ready and finalized for their second leg of their "No Filter" Promotional Tour, Danity Kane was once Damaged YET are going STRONG!

Timing couldn't be ANY better for the trio girl group, as well as for another one of my favorite artists...STAY TUNED for the next blog featuring:

Paula Deanda