A Day in the Life- Random thoughts of an insomniac

"I heard the news today, oh boy." That is the way I have felt for the past few days as I have been scrambling to figure out what I am going to do with my life. And one solution to a myriad of different problems was to move back home. Most likely temporarily, but who knows what the future holds. That solved the where am I going to live problem I was having after a few dudes i found to move in to my apartment bailed four days before the the end of my lease. Now there are other solutions to come up with. Like what classes I should take, should I really try to learn Chinese? And there is the whole job thing, somedays I really love it and others it is another story. Hmmm, dating. This I get asked a lot about lately so here you go. I went on this date with this girl who should be perfect for me, she was everything that I thought I wanted in a girl. Those of you who know me know my type and she fit it. She is cool, way hot, and funny. But for some reason the date was just alright. No fireworks, no birds singing, nada. Now I am a dating realist, I honestly don't think those things happen....ever, but the connection on a personal level was lacking, and I am just not shallow, I can't date someone if it is just alright. Luckily it never got far enough for us to lose the friendship vibe and we will still be friends. Then there was another girl who I kinda went on a date or two/hang out kinda thing and really kinda hoped that there might be something there. Unfortunately I don't think she either got that I was layin my flirt down or she just wasn't that into it and has found herself a boo that I now get to hear every once and a while about. Anyways both incidents have been sad reminders of why I hate the dating process. On a different note I have discovered upon moving back home that I have too much stuff. A lot of stuff that I really don't need and will really never need. So next week will be spent getting rid of it. Also my parents have been selected to host the neighborhood block party in their back yard, which means that I need to perfectify my landscaping before the party. For those of you who don't know, I landscaped most of my parents yard, and I want it to look perfect. So that will keep me busy for a bit. Also I am going to have Summerpalooza of a freaking good time with my friends now that I live close again. Check this out Monday smoothie night, wednesday will be volleyball, kickball, frisbee soccer night, and friday is breakfast/parade/ party all day and wall-e at night. And saturday is still up in the air. Heck to the yeah for summerpalooza.

Tuesdays Top Ten........a day late

Here are ten of my favorite lyrics to different songs. It is in no particular order.

• "And so it goes that I never meant to hurt you, couldn't stay but I never meant to desert you. Whole lot of things that I just had to work through, time to heal and restore myself too. Confrontation of my fears and anxiety, cried a whole lot of years, I suffered quietly. I know it may have taken years, I can finally tell you that you were always on my mind. I had to lose myself, so I can make it better. I had to lose myself, I had to lose myself, so I can make it better. Had to lose myself in love, and thats just the way it is." -Lauryn Hill Lose Myself, cmon with lyrics as tight as that how can it not be amazing. Then you mix it with L Boogie's voice. Perfect. A song I listen to when I need validation.
  
  
• "Help me get downI can make it. Help me get down Help me get down I can make it. help me get down. If I only knew the answerI wouldn't be bothering you....Father, help me get down,I can make it. Help me get down, Help me get down I can make it.Help me get down. If I only knew the answer. And if all our days are numbered, Then why do I keep counting..."- The Killers, Why do I keep counting. One of my many favorite Killers songs. I listen to it when I need answers to different questions that I am having in life. Good song, good message.



• "Is there someone you know, you're loving them so, but taking them all for granted. You may lose them one day, someone takes them away, and they don't hear the words you long to say. I would give anything I own, Give up my life, my heart, my home. I would give everything I own Just to have you back again. Just to touch you once again." -Bread, Everything I Own. This song reminds me of countless family roadtrips growing up. The lead singer of the band, David Gates, wrote the song about his dad after he died. It makes me think of my parents, and how grateful I am to have them in my life.



• "I was born by the river in a little tent. Oh and just like the river I been a runnin' ever since. It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know A change gon' come. oh yes it will. It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die. Cuz I don't know what's up there beyond the sky. It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know A change gon' come oh yes it will." -Sam Cooke has one of the best voices of all time and you couple that with an anthem of the promotion of equality and you have a great classic song. I will also reccomend a rendition of this done by Lauryn Hill when she was with the Fugees that is fantastic as well.
  
  
• "How many years can a mountain exist, Before it's washed to the sea? Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist, Before they're allowed to be free? Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head, Pretending he just doesn't see? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,The answer is blowin' in the wind." -Bob Dylan Blowin in the Wind. Great song from one of the greatest American songwriters of all time. I am a hippie at heart and love this song.
  
  
• "Yeah, my girlfriend takes me home when I'm too drunk to drive And she doesn't get all jealous when I hang out with the guys. She laughs at my dumb jokes when no one does. She brings me mexican food from Sombrero's just because(Yeah, just because).... And when I feel like giving up Like my world is falling down, I show up at 3am, She's still up watching Vacation, and I, See her pretty face. It takes me away to a better place and (I know that everything [3x]) Everything's gonna be fine" -Blink 182's Josie. I want to find and date Josie.
  
  
• "So long astoria, i found a map to buried treasure, and even if we come home empty handed. we'll still have our stories of battle scars, pirate ships and wounded hearts,broken bones, and all the best of friendships. and when this hourglass has filtered out its final grain of sand, i raise my glass to the memories we had. this is my wish, this is my wish. i'm takin back. i'm takin them all back." -The Ataris- So Long Astoria. This was one of my favorite bands in high school and this song is inspired by one of my all time favorite movies, The Goonies. It just makes me think back on high school with all the crazy adventures I had back in the day, and I definately raise my glass to those memories. good song.
  
  
• "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom Let it be, oh let it be. And in my hour of darness she is standing, right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom let it be." The Beatles with Let it Be. A great song of solace for me. I listen to it whenever I need to just let it be.
  
  
• "It was the wicked and wild windBlew down the doors to let me in. Shattered windows and the sound of drumsPeople could not believe what I'd become. Revolutionaries Wait For my head on a silver plate. Just a puppet on a lonely string, Oh who would ever want to be king? I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing, Roman Cavalry choirs are singing. Be my mirror my sword and shield. My missionaries in a foreign field. For some reason I can not explainI know Saint Peter won't call my name. Never an honest word, And that was when I ruled the world"- Coldplay Viva la Vida. Great song, and current theme song of mine.

• "The sun just slipped its note below my door And I can't hide beneath my sheets. I've read the words before so now I know. The time has come again for me.
  And I'm feelin' the same way all over again. Feelin' the same way all over again. Singin' the same lines all over again. No matter how much I pretend.
  Another day that I can't find my head. My feet don't look like they're my own. I'll try and find the floor below to stand And I hope I reach it once again.
  And I'm feelin' the same way..." -Norah Jones, Feeling the Same Way. Awesome song kinda on the soundtrack of my life right now. Just feelin' the same way.

Tuesdays Top Ten

Okay this is really not a top ten list but a list of ten random facts that some of you may not know about me.

• I like to have a soundtrack for different events in my life. If I am going on a roadtrip I will make a mix or a new playlist for it, if I am going on a first date that I am excited to go on I will make a mix, if I am throwing a bash I will make a playlist for it, everytime I move to a new place- boom I have a new list. I know crazy but I like it, I live my life to music. At any random time I can tell you what song my life is like at that moment.


• I hate dating. The whole process just sucks, the games you have to play, the fakeness, the trying to read signs. I hate it. I don't ask out girls just for the heck of it, if I ask someone out it is because I actually like them, and I won't continue asking someone out just because they are hot. I have to have a genuine interest in them. I hate chasing girls, I generally refuse to do it. I have made exceptions in the past but no more.


• I am an expert on dating rules. I am also an expert advise giver on the subject I hate so much.


• I am the worlds biggest loud mouth trash talker. I feel bad for anyone who has to play against me in anything. But I love talking trash on the tennis court or whatever I am playing. It makes it more enjoyable for me.

• I have had a few hundred stitches. I wish I was lying or exagerating on this one. And two broken feet, luckily at different times. Exactly one year to the day away from eachother. Needless to say April 8th is not a good day for me.

• I am one of the most loyal people you will ever meet. If someone trash talks someone I consider a good friend......just watch it buddy. I won't criticize them either. I try my hardest not to say something to someone unless I have told it to their face.

• I am a total insomniac. If you ever need someone to talk to at 2am I am your guy.

• My first celebrity crush was Stephanie on Full House. This was followed by Kelly on Saved by the Bell.

• I can bust out most of the theme song to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air or a good portion of Shake yo money maker or Ignition remix. I'm tight like that.

• I am OCD about locking my car door. I don't know why, but I recheck it to make sure it is locked like at least twice before i leave it. I also do this with my house when I am the last one in.

There you go people, you now know me ten times more than you did at the before you read this.

Movie Reviews.....this is long overdue.

Okay so in the near recent past I have seen the following movies and here are their reviews as well.

What Happens in Vegas:
I went into this movie with little expectations and that could be one reason why I enjoyed it so much, the other reason could be because it was really funny. I am not a fan of chick flicks and for the first hour it was void of being a chick flick. The last thirty minutes were chick flickish but the ending right before and during the credits totally redeemed itself into being a really funny flick. Those who have seen it will concurr. I reccomend this film that I give a hearty 3.5 stars.

Baby Mama:
I went into this film with really high expectations, like 30 Rock or Mean Girls high expectations. Then I learned it wasn't writtten by Tina Fey and realized that it wasn't going to be as good as previously expected. Tina Fey was really good in it and Amy Pohler had moments of being great, Greg Kinnear was disappointing. If Tina Fey would have written it it would have been top notch, since she didn't you can only do so much with a bad script. I give Tina Fey a 3.5 star rating but sadly the movie itself only a 2.

Semi-Pro:
Let me preface this by saying I enjoy basically anything Will Ferrill is in, and it kills me to say anything negative about someone who has brought the joy of Anchorman, Taledega, Blades, and countless SNL skits, but I hate to say it, its like he didn't even try in this flick. I was bored, something I never thought I would say about a Will film. Sad to say but this barely gets the .5 star rating it is getting. I think it is more painful for me than for Will. Sad but don't waste your time.

Kung Fu Panda:
Again let me preface this by saying I generally don't like cartoon movies, I like to consider myself an adult, and stopped watching cartoons when I was nine. But this movie was hilarious. The beginning five minutes was Jack Black gone wild. It was great. Wow, I laughed a lot all the way through it. It is a flick good for everyone of all ages. I give it 3.5 stars. With the opening five minutes getting 4 solid stars.

Camping Trip

Okay here is a much requested and anticipated movie of pictures from my last camping trip with Kriddy, Chaney, Tyler, Brock, Lawrence, and Mike. We went up to Northfork. A quick expaination for some of the pics. The first few are of me and Kristy bored with a camera and with large muscles. Then there are a few of my new tent, I am very proud of it. Then one of Tyler by himself is him being surivor man getting a ton of firewood because it became apparent that me and Kriddy did not get enough. Then there was the marshmellow stuffing contest between me and Tyler. I won, I fit nine in my mouth compared to the seven Tyler did. It is confirmed that I have the biggest mouth of the group-on a lot of different levels. Anyways the first one is my moment of victory and the second the look of defeat on Tyler. We both almost choked and died. When we woke up we hiked up to the waterfall so there are few pics there and then we came back and played on the tree that fell over the river. Then the last are our ghettotastic pics. Good trip overall hope you enjoy.

My Mission Rap

One night on my mission I couldn't sleep for quite a while so I decided to make my sleepless nights useful and got into the urban vibe and created a rap with some sweet rhymes to express the way I was feeling at that time. I was serving in the inner city of Chi-town at the time and really fell in love with the place and this rap explains what was going on in the life of B-radLey at that time.....So roll out my red carpet and drop me a BEAT!

I just walked out of another project
waitin for the bus got time to reflect

So dazed and confused 'bout where I have been
I ask my companion who are these men

They don't know Jesus ev'n if they try
they live by the gun til the day they die

Why do we go out ev'ry single day?
Answer this question, huh, what d'ya say?

Their hearts are so hardened, what can I do
to help a brotha know that God loves him too?

Open my mouth, tell me what I should say,
help them Father, in Jesus name I pray.

So I go out and do all that I can,
and hope that they all will be a big fan

Of the word that I am 'bout to preach
to have some help is all I beseech.

What, huh, yup time to break it down.

God is my Father, Christ is His Son.
The prophets they send have helped me a ton.

Agency is giv'n to all of us
This life is a test so don't miss da bus.

Jesus Christ was here, he prepared da way,
but eventually his church, it all fell away

Apostacy happened both long and old
Period of darkness had been fortold

By Amos, Paul, ev'n Christ himself
Homeboys Bibles would just sit on a shelf

Til one night a boy read what James did say
If ya have a question ask God and pray.

Da boy was Joseph Smith he did just that,
knelt down in a grove, took off his hat.

Told God the thoughts that were on his mind,
so many churches and beliefs, had em feelin blind

Both God and Jesus came down in a light
pillar from heaven, brilliant and bright

They told em to join none, da church was not here
But the time of its coming was soon to be near.

He would be da prophet to bring it back
This disp'nsation gonna have nothing to lack

He translated a book for us to read,
Da Book of Mormon is what we all need.

It will teach us all what we should do
to go to heaven wit our families too.

So search, ponder, and pray and you will see
your eternal potential of what you can be.

So try it, test it, don't take it from me,
Gotta find out fo yourself, dat is da key.

I went camping with a bunch of buddies of mine and a few of us got talking about the mish which got me thinking about my rap and I thought I would share it with all of you. What do you think? Should I quit my day job and take this on the road?