video blog 1: ...road trip blues...

From My Twitter Yesterday:

funny little story, my car overheated. Oye, need some yes n lovin...spe-cial.(T-MINUS 10 HOURS BEFORE TAKE OFF)

Beginning 2wonder if my car troubles are a sign from Above that im not supposed to leave the beach. (AFTER 2ND TIME CAR STEAMED, FILLED WITH ANTI-FREEZE)

Car lame again, a lil Bosen music to laugh the desert heat away while we wait....

Just witnessed a fishy exchange bt the tow truck guy, a wad of cash, & a mystery vehicle. ....haha.

Will soon b headed to vegas for free...

 leaving socal by tow...after 11 hours. Mmm

In Vegas, ate a lil sub, waiting to hear back on the car, new mechanics seem reasonable. Exhausted!

eyes tired, glasses all day, looking forward to shower sometime in the future. still aghast it took us so long to get to vegas a typically 4.5 hour drive....still waiting on car update.

Funny story: the ol' green klunker didn't survive. The adventure continues.... ;)

for those of you wondering: i'm safe & sound with a cousin in the Vegas - we ate food, i showered, watched home videos - and laughed at our silly 80s hair -- now i'm researching....peace & love my hippies. i miss you all.

Acoustic...Ninjas?

I have it, Brian told me, Acoustic Ninja Fest!

Really?

Yes...really: three bands, acoustic peace and love that bring out the ninja in everyone - and more importantly, three bands that are coming together for one epic show August 27th at Winston's in Ocean Beach.

But who are these sly groovin' melody makers?

It all started in February: truly the first day I met them all. The sun was warm, there was a perfect chill in the air and I needed a break - so I went down to Ocean Beach to shove my toes in the sand and there they were-- singing, harmonizing and drawing me in. I couldn't tear myself away and ended up staying the entire afternoon...

Jonathan eventually turned toward me and I found out they were from New York - and had come to make music, friends and live off the good graces of anyone who could show a little love. Little did I know, he would soon become a friend, an inspiration, even a superhero.

Brian seemed friendly and shared his crackers while we listened to this scraggly group, "The Yes Team." Eventually Brain joined the music and played, singing in Spanish. Naturally, I was impressed. Vinnie took his turn playing guitar and his lovely girl, Molly stood by singing along and enjoying positive vibes. The group drew crowds - people taking video and pictures. They were sweeping us all off our feet.

Since then- Each one of those people have become some of my closest friends. This weekend, they're playing a show together - and while I admit I can't be there to show my pride and dance my flops off, I can tell YOU to go - and I promise, if you haven't heard them before, you're in for the treat of your life, I swear.

The following is just a little more information to twist your arm.

First up: Vinnie & Skinny at 5PM-

Vince Costanza and Ben Cummings were two friends who started jamming together, a guitar, a violin and a little blues to fit the bill. They added Nelson Pamplona and the band was officially set. Vinnie is known for his astounding singer-songwriter ability which has even earned him the attention of -MC Hammer just a few years ago (Seriously, no kiddin). Ben, known to his friends as "Skinny," for his slick height and build has been handling the sweet strings of a violin since he was a toddler, to top it off, he's classically trained. As for Nelson, the local surfer needed a musical outlet and keeps up with the sweet music lovin' - of his band mates. Together - they impress every friend and foe they encounter and typically have the crowds groovin' on their feet, taking up the dance floor, keeping the mood swinging through the night.

What's more is the genuine nature these three men have to participate in spreading the good vibes. Ben's singing violin adds a rich texture to Vinnie's soul strings and vocals. They're talent goes beyond the stage and their warm personalities are transparent. And when they've reached the end of the set? They'll likely join you on the dance floor in support of other musicians.

Next: The Yes Team at 6PM-

Just eight months ago, three New Yorkers cruised into San Diego in a Purple Van. They hoped to make a few friends, fans and enjoy the beach, because, well, this is California. TJ Moss and Kinnie Dye had been singing for years together with the TJ Moss Band. But they needed a new niche for their song writing, so they joined forces with renown singer-songwriter Jonathan Walsh. As the three made their way out to the West Coast, in search for a little breeze, they realized - they were meant to be - and so, they said, "Yes," to a new vibe. Their harmonies are what draw the crowds in - and you won't be able to stop putting on your shades, even in a dark room.

The Yes Team has heart and soul and they appreciated the San Diego Music scene so much so - they asked a local star to join their 2011 tour: Jackson Price. After traveling the country over the summer, the four back to the beach with new music, a studio released EP entitled, Back To The Sea, and solid performances never heard on the stage before.

Last, and headlining: Bosen Arrows at 7PM-

Brian Bosen has spent much of his life mastering the guitar and writing music. After gathering some of the city's most talented musicians like guitarist, Wil Forbis, drummer, Kevin Johnson, rocker Craig Farvinall and bassist Lara Stucki - Brian set out to create not just outstanding catchy tunes, but a fun-loving experience that no one would ever forget. Brian's music captures life in its truest and often comical form. He is a high energy performer and wants his audience to relate to his music in any way they can - ultimately, he wants to connect and often does just that.

Bosen Arrows is comprised of talent and originality that creates instrumental freedom and harmony with each melody played. The band members effortlessly add to the positive mood that keeps their audience laughing, singing and connecting. Watch out, there may truly be some surprises in store....

I highly recommend you visit all three bands on Saturday at Winston's. It's only a $5 dollar cover for anyone 21 years old and up. It's worth your time and the best kick off possible to your Saturday Night.

documentaries unknown- update

nearly half way through the month of august and i haven't updated you. i'm terrible i know. but here we are and i have a few moments to keep you in the loop. 

putting together a film, much less a journalistic documentary, is not as easy as it sounds. first, there's the planning. the content must be worth its weight & gold. the story has to be relevant, appealing and most of all directed toward an audience that either wants to hear it or needs to hear it. 

more-over, it's important to note that, particularly in the media focused generation we live in: the documentary, the story must be visually intriguing and capture attention. if it doesn't - then who cares and one might as well give up from the start. then again, evaluation of time, research and effort must also be taken into account concerning the worthiness of the story. 

so it was: some time ago, i opened up a new idea, for a documentary film that had personal passion as well as unique spin to an old tale. most prominently, the topic deals with women. 

but i digress, just a little. 

after the idea formed, it took time to write down on paper, succinctly, but effectively appeal to a friend and director who -- with skills --- that could help me bring the documentary to life. it wasn't difficult, but now we both face the process of gaining our audience and ultimately supporters. 

we have subjects for the piece, ideas for the set up, the plot is easily in place and even the time and type of effort necessary are in tact. but we're missing a couple things: 1) financials. yep, every film, no matter how big or small needs a budget and expenses rack up quick. 2) nailing down professional sources so as not to look like we made it up. 

ironically, #2 is easier than it looks. in fact just days ago, i met one such source who's thoughts on how present statistics in a way that will drive the message home and solidify the information we're presenting. it will also legitimize the generational turn of women and their quest for empowerment, confidence in the 21st century. 

all this to say the meeting went well. and since raising aid for the project in such a short amount of time didn't lift off (and Heaven knows it does take time and is harder than it sounds): i'll regroup with my director and change the course just a tad, so the coming days of planning, filming, editing, traveling and submitting become that much easier. 

as for the coming days: i will be traveling cross country, and truthfully, may just have a few surprises along the way.

for now friends: peace & love.

back to the earth: high tide

there comes a moment, when one realizes where one began. and at the point of changing seasons, reflection comes about in a most unusual form. such moment stood before me in my observation of the waves...

it's been almost a year since i first stepped onto california soil. and at the time, it was only a visit. then again, more than just that - an inspection, perhaps, one searching for promise.  and indeed, i found what would soon be a necessary escape. 

nearly a year later, the seasons change again - this time - in a post-operative state of mind. this time, ready for challenges beyond the horizon. time to launch a new hope, goal and dream. the blue skies aren't just for dancing pig-tails, they're for anyone who's ready to explore and lift off. and so it is: this new phase of life and other graces, i'll gladly embrace the new day. 

a week into the last month of "summer" - and two weeks until adventure unknown comes my way- and i'm feelin' groovy. 

peace & love to the old. 

peace & love to the new -

back to the earth: part 4 -

may it was the war cry of the misty edwards song going through my head. maybe it was the crashing waves chasing me to shore. maybe it was the sound of nature speaking to my soul - or just maybe it was all of the above. 

but there was a moment, a moment of confidence and settlement in my heart. it was one i needed and if it only lasted for that moment, i was grateful for it.

it was a steady beat that set my steady gaze upward, right where it needed to be. the rocks cried out behind me - the sun shone warmth on my face and the chill of the water soothed the singe of my mind. 

something greater. 

more spectacular. 

another chapter. 

comes to Life. 

this is what it is about: the greatest of these? is love...in every aspect, of every definition. "this is who i am//this is who i'll be//and that settles it"

sometimes? that's all that need be said. 

back to the earth: part 3

that one moment...

sitting by the ocean in la jolla the other night, i shared a moment with the waves and with a friend.

i was in awe at how many times the clash of the water against the rocks created a "boom" underneath where i was sitting. it was fascinating, nature's way of communicating beauty through obstruction ~ so we agreed. it was if the water showed clemency to the land, halting its gentle flow, creating splash - keeping our awe, wonder and fear abreast.

why would anyone want to know how the waves work? he asked me. i had no answer, because truly the mystery was beyond us both. nevertheless, the speech we received commanded our attention and again, i was drawn to something truly magnificent. 

broken things moved on, his grand finale left a quiet in his soul...at least for the moment.

on this night, there was no need  for commentary. it just existed

back to the earth: part 2

as it was...

"the stones will cry out."

it was the first thought that crossed my mind as i stared at the fallen rocks all around me. imperfect formation and seemingly in the way, but nevertheless: my perspective felt flawless. i had hiked through tall grasses, brush, and dirt - only to come to a landscape of rocks that i had to climb over just to see a picturesque waterfall, a rushing creek...the destination of my journey.

the sun had grown quite warm and my skin welcomed the cool breeze in the air. slipping off my tennis shoes and stretching out my legs, i breathed in and out deeply, peacefully taking in the scene. and all i could find in my soul was that even the rocks reflected a Majestic Origin.

while the phrase refers to a rebuke made at self-righteous leaders, it is a reminder of the very Spirit behind all that is.

i was enthralled by stepping stones to the very rock i was perched on. the spring waters sprayed delicately over stones that dared stand in the way. it reminded me - even these were Created with purpose and pose. the green grasses and seaweed coming out of their crevices was a sign of beauty and life...exceeding limitations.

and then i realized...

"knowledge of season lit his face//but he seemed restless//what he said almost made sense//but from a distance."

there was something spiritual about this place, the quiet affirmation of worship. it was an awe of expression, a union of strength and beauty. the power of this position is more than words could express. it is the sound of the rushing stream, a fresh perspective -- complicated, gorgeous, surrounded by stone. i was taken by a foundation of the transition, evident changes, rocks that had fallen. 

((back to the earth: part 1))

from Africa to America - learning is peace

learning is peace, he said. in fact it was one of the greatest things Atef said he hoped would help him change the world. 

i went for a late night work out at the gym this weekend. and while i was taking a moment between weight-lifting sets, a gentleman on the bench near by commented on the tattoo on my left shoulder in Arabic. 

interestingly enough, he told me he was from Tunisia and that he had come to the U.S. to study. he'd always been interested in literature and languages but, he noted, he was experimenting - so he tried his hand at computer science for awhile and now wanted to go back to political science. he had been in the United States for 3 years and worked as a bartender while he studied. 

the impact his country has-had among the African and Middle East revolutions has been on his mind because to Atef, it would be only a matter of time before the people would put another dictator in place and the cycle would start all over again. even with a good ruler - unless a new set of standards was adopted by many of his countrymen, it wouldn't really change. but then again, with the right education, maybe it could. 

he noted that he loved being in the US for now, and really Tunisia was just as diverse as the US. Atef said that people don't realize here that Tunisia is Africa and that there are just as many blends of ethnicity as anywhere else in the world - that being a majority Muslim country in the religious sense was really meaningless. 

his eyes were intense and he told me that if countries and cultures would take a moment to learn about one another, and understand that humans were really all the same, there would be more peace in the world. 

Atef hopes that by studying political science, he can better understand how to take new ideas back to his country - to influence laws and government and social change. 

but, he said, i don't know, people don't read in Tunisia. they play cards in coffee shops. i don't know how i'll get them to read. i laughed thinking of how many Americans play cards in coffee shops and how many of them don't read. 

of course - what it really proves - is that we all are the just same. 

back to the earth: part 1

as it began-

"back to the earth," he said.

 

it's a phrase that is resonating with me every time i repeat it and ever since my friend said that's what he was looking for. of course, at the time, he was initially referring to the pictures he wanted to me take for his photo shoot. and i can imagine that the connection of something greater than himself was a stake....something, yes, outside my own pretenses.

 

the earth...is the sum of it's parts.

 

and then it came-

 

at 1am, on the way to work, i diverted my route and decided to grab a chai from a local coffee shop, the only one open 24 hours...and i met frank. while he made my tea, i noticed an exquisite tattoo of the virgin madonna on his left arm and below, a celtic cross. in the course of conversation i learned that he was raised catholic. while he rarely, if ever attends mass anymore: he still goes to confession. it's not quite the obligation, he told me, there was just...something about it.

how fascinating...

and so i find -

the two are coinciding. it is in the state of confession, prostate in the presence of the earth: each hold the spirit of their Creator. 

breathed into life.

spoken into existence. 

it is a communion. for what is confession but nothing more than the soul surrendering to the spirit? and if that Spirit is in all that is, could it not be possible to surrender back to the earth? the origin of form, where it is we come from. in doing so: the Creator then rightly reclaims what belongs to Him. 

my soul. 

my gaze. 

my fascination.

going back to the earth renders my confession, my admittance of weakness, that i may be strong again. 

to be continued....

Justin Froese

Recently I had the privilege of shooting my friend Justin Froese who is a talented musician on Tour up the California West Coast this summer. Here are some of the pictures from the shoot and if you want to hear his tunes, which by the way, are awesome-- his website is: http://justinfroese.com/ one of my pictures has already been posted on his About page. Check it out!