A lot of people think of the New Year as a time to change. Some take the time to reflect on the past; others to contemplate the future. But, we should just live in each day that is given to us. A lot of us are lucky to see another day. That time shouldn’t be wasted worrying about what has been, or will be, done.

I feel people should just live life. Take each day like it’s your last. Do the things that you love to do. Do what makes you happy. Just live life. Don’t let what happened affect what will. Don’t let future worries dominate the now. Too many of us do that. And honestly, it isn’t healthy. You should live in the present day.

We shouldn’t let the little things in life control how we are, how we act. We shouldn’t let what others think become the truth. It’s only true when you start to believe it. We should be a little less selfish. All of us need to be a little less judgmental. The world should have more compassion.

To put things into perspective:

We live on a tiny planet, in a tiny tiny galaxy, in a tiny universe. There are billions of other planets out there. Millions of other galaxies. Millions of other universes.

The small things that we worry about are nothing compared to that.

We live in a time where technology rules the human race. It dominates our everyday lives. We fight each other and try to better one another over the latest technology. We go to war over materialistic nonsense. And for what? To put up this facade that if you don’t own the latest gadget, you are less than those who do?

I think this year should be about a change in society. A global revolution. We should start caring about each other more. We should stop trying to fit into the false idea of an ever-evolving futuristic world. We should start caring about what is important to us.

Those important things are caring for those you love first. Caring for a neighbor in need.

So, you got an iPad 2 instead of an iPad mini? Tell that to the millions of starving children around the world. You’re pissed your computer is running slow? Whine about it to the millions who are being kept as slaves today. Your favorite social media site is down? Go outside and do something good for your community. Having a tough time at work? Bitch about it to the millions with no homes, let alone jobs.

This is the world we live in. And this has to change.

So, here’s my pitch:

If you can put down your phone, your video game, your TV remote, etc. and go outside, it’s a big start. Try to find what you can do for your community. Interact with people. Talk to your neighbors. Become an actual community. I promise you, after doing a good deed, you will feel better. And you may want to just do another. Encourage others to do the same. Whether it be a friend or a family member, try to spreed the cause. I’m not saying go spend the day spending money or putting your life in danger. Just something as little as a smile or a greeting. Or maybe asking someone if they need help with anything.

All these things are ways to start building your community and bringing compassion to the world. You could inspire someone to travel to another country and help the poor and sick. You could help better the lives of others.

Or you could just continue living the life of a tech-zombie. You can continue to stress over the small things, but never do anything to change it. You can continue to let the propaganda of CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc. keep you in a vegetative state. You can sit on the couch and get sucked into the latest celeb gossip. All while the world is suffering behind you.

It’s up to you to make a difference in your life. It’s up to you to help make a difference in the world. Whether you do it through architecture, music, art, teaching, science, athletics, or whatever your passion may be; you can change the world. Don’t you ever let anyone tell you different.

I find it funny how the biggest news of the New Year is that 2013 is the first year since 1987 to have four different numbers… Well, I think the change we need is more than 26 years past due.

I wish you all a great and peaceful New Year. May greatness come to us all.

I’ve been injured from work for a little over a year now. And I must say: It fucking sucks!

There are a very few amount of activities you can do when you have 3 herniated discs in your back. The lowest sitting on my sciatic nerve. At times, things seem hopeless. Sometimes making you feel helpless. The constant run-around from doctors and lawyers can take its toll as well. You start to question your worth. You start to get anxiety and depression. Constant pain can really contribute to that. You start getting paranoid as to whether or not your life will improve. Whether you will truly get better.

With the economy in the shit pile that it is in, the job search doesn’t exactly go easy. I feel the recent “rise” in employment that has been reported is bogus. Companies are still not hiring due to the shitty economy. You can have a masters in whatever you want, there’s no guarantee you will get a job. And that saddens me.

There are so many people out there who go to school, to gain what should be a great career, only to come out with a huge pile of endless debt. And they sometimes have no way of paying it. So, basically, they went to school for all those years only to be cast out into career limbo. Where is the justice in that? Where is the justice in having one of the poorest education systems in the world? I know of a few people I’ve gone to school with who have gone to a good college to become teachers, lawyers, businessmen/women, etc. and have come out with nothing. Nothing but a piece of paper that says they are qualified.

It feels like we are all being cast into an endless void. Like we are all working ourselves, practically to death, to achieve that ever so revered “slice of the pie.” I know I am not the only one suffering. I know there are millions out there who are probably going through worse in this country. And it really bothers me that we are in the rut that we are in. It feels like there is no way out. Like all hope is gone. I don’t like that feeling.

I don’t come from a wealthy background. I come from a family that would be labelled as “middle class.” But, let me tell you something. The middle class doesn’t exist. You are either rich or poor. There is no in between. If you make more than $80,000 a year, you are part of the upper class. (If you don’t, obviously, you are the opposite.) My family was pretty poor growing up. We were in shit houses with no money for food or heat at times. I remember having to wear our coats to bed for 2 months, on more than one occasion. I remember all we had to eat was Ramen noodles for a whole summer. I remember not having all the new fashions, but we had 4 pairs of pants for the school year. So, I know what poor is. And I’m a much stronger person because I went through it.

Today, I live in my own apartment. 25 years of struggle have gotten me here. I’ve literally broken my back to get here. I’ve scratched and clawed my way up. Even when there were people who were trying to kick me back down. I’m better off than I was when I was younger, but I’m still not part of that upper class. I’m not one of those corporate fat cats who sits back and counts his money while the country goes to shit. I’m not the U.S. Government. I’m what they would label an “activist” because I have the balls to stand up to them. I’m not scared to call them out on their bullshit. Both Obama and Romney are full of shit. Voting for either of them is like choosing the lesser of two evils.

These two men should not be wearing suits. They should be wearing what resembles a NASCAR uniform. It’s like watching Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi. THEY are what is wrong with this country. While millions are suffering, trying to make ends meet, they spend millions of tax-payer dollars on their campaigns. They want to make laws that hurt us. They are making things worse than they already are. I’m not voting for either of them. I’m a strong supporter of Ron Paul and Gary Johnson.

Gary Johnson is this nation’s best hope. His policies are unrivaled by the likes of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. He represents the third party. The Libertarian Party. Obamney is trying to eliminate the three-party system. The PDC tried to do that by keeping Johnson out of the first debate. Too bad he is much bigger than that. You cannot keep this guy down. I feel people should go to his site and see what he is about. http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/

I feel like the country is being led in the wrong direction. The president and his “rival” are doing things that are detrimental to this country. And their parties are making it hard for people like me to get a job, healthcare, food, a better life. This government has been making me run all over the place to be taken care of for my injuries. I knew, as soon as I got hurt, that I had herniated discs and nerve damage. It took them 6 months to find that shit out. It’s because worker’s comp does whatever they can to stall having to pay. Whether it be for medicine or surgery. I know part of it is because the economy is so fucked up. We have no money. But, they usually do it to avoid payment. Even if you are owed, by law, to be taken care of if you get injured on the job. 

The government, and all the systems intertwined, are part of one big, corrupt, corporate mess. Yet, people are being led, like sheep to slaughter, into the darkness. The people are letting Big Brother blind them. When will the people finally wake up? They are putting shit in our food and water to serve as population control. (Look up what GMO’s and fluoride do to you.) I really hope the people see the truth behind the lies soon. Make your voice heard. Before we all fall into the abyss. 

But, what do I know. I’m just a freelance writer trying to make it in the world. I’m just a musician trying to be heard. I’m just an artist trying to be seen. I’m just an American trying to get a slice of the pie. I’m just a man who cares about my fellow men and women. And children. Our future. I just want peace. I just want my life back.

There’s so many “DJs” today that it’s hard to find true DJs. Nowadays anyone can become a DJ. All you need to do is have a laptop and an Ipod. And with the push of a button, you are now a “DJ”. What happened to actually having scratching techniques in your arsenal? What happened to actually having to have actual talent to get noticed? What happened to the Transformer, Flare or Crab? Can anybody even Chirp now? With so many people trying to be a Hip-Hop, Electro, Dance, House, Trance or Dubstep artist, it’s so hard for the real DJs to gain credibility. I remember watching my brother and his friends mess around on the turntables when I was little. That’s when you actually had to have talent to come up!

Now, Paris Hilton is a “DJ”… And Solange Knowles wants to be one… I think you girls should stick to making shitty songs and leave the DJing to the pros! I mean, a 5 year old can use an iPod and push a few buttons to get a sweet 16 going… It’s pretty sickening. Hip-Hop is where the DJ was birthed. And the DJ and the MC birthed Hip-Hop. From there we got a lot of great talents. But now even they are falling off because they want to follow today’s culture. The same culture that has EVERYONE trying to be a club artist. Even Hip-Hop and Rock artists. They abandoned the message that the culture was about for money and mainstream popularity… 

I feel like there are very few who still know what Hip-Hop and Rock are really about. It’s about sticking it to the man and expressing yourself and your right to freedom. About telling stories. Not about having 4 Benz’s in every single song (Drake). Or taking so many drugs and pretending to be a gangster, when you’re trying to pass yourself off as a “skater” while wearing green Uggs (Lil Wayne).

And DJing isn’t about making some bullshit pop-infused playlist and pressing play. It’s not about just moving the fader from one side to the other to play the next song. It’s about expressing emotion through musical skill and making people feel good. It’s about leaving a mark. It’s about individuality. If you don’t have a decent scratching technique, YOU’RE NOT A DJ!

2012. It’s a year where life should be going well. Things should be easier thanks to technology. It’s kinda ironic I’m about to rant on that in a second while on a laptop while listening to internet radio. But, I feel these things need to be said. I never really let out how I feel about certain things in this world. Technology is a mostly a weapon. A weapon for people to assault others on many levels. A weapon for people to bully others. I don’t like bullies. I never did. I was always the guy to defend the weaker kids in my school. If somebody was picked on, I would let the bully know they were wrong. Sometimes I would just have to use words. Sometimes it would get physical. But, I always stood up to them.

Now, it’s so much easier to be a bully without actually physically pushing and shoving someone. A lot of kids these days turn to social websites like tumblr, twitter, g+ and facebook to wreak havoc on other kids. I’ve personally seen so many pages dedicated to the degradation of others. Pages like “_____ is such a slut” and “_____ is a little fag” or “_____ is a fat bitch”. And those pages last a while before finally being taken down by site admins. But, even if it’s taken down the same day, the damage has already been done. Those kinds of pages shouldn’t even be able to go up. It can cause so many problems. Problems like suicide. 

Being a suicide survivor, I know what it’s like to lose someone who was in pain. Someone who kept it all bottled in. Someone who was loved by many. It honestly feels like someone ripped out a piece of your soul. The pain and torment has is a lot of the time caused by some sort of bullying. Whether it be a classmate, a boss or a friend or family member bullying is everywhere and it needs to stop. There are so many lives being ruined. So many young people going way too soon. I miss my big brother every single minute of every single day. 

You have to think before you act. You never know anyone’s story. And if it’s because of someone’s sexual orientation, then it’s just fucked up. I know, and love, many openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people. My uncle is a proud and openly gay man who has fought for gay rights since I was very young. He was right on the front lines at every march I can remember. Especially for New York, which has finally legalized gay marriage. My uncle has dealt with bullies for years. Especially the biggest bully in the world, the United States Government.

The government has been bullying people into going by their way since the beginning. Violating human rights forever. I mean, homosexuality has been around since the start of man. And this government let Christianity control its laws. What happened to Separation of Church and State? And there are still laws against medicines being denied to those who desperately need it. Yes, Marijuana is a medicine. Look it up. It isn’t fair. It’s unjust.

To those who may be reading this and may be in a situation where you are being bullied, tell someone. Don’t keep it a secret. And I know so many people say “It gets better” and it feels like it won’t. But, it does. Remember, people will call you names. Let them. They can say whatever they want. The only time those become true is when you start answering to them. And let someone know you are being harassed. Harassment is illegal. Those people who harass you can be legally penalized. And don’t worry about it making you a “snitch”. That whole snitch thing is bullshit. Don’t worry, it’s okay to be scared sometimes. Just never let them see you as a weak person. You have to show them you are strong. Show them that they have no power over you.

I was bullied in school. I hated it. I wanted to curl up into a ball in a dark corner in my room. I would claim to be sick in order to avoid school. In order to avoid the bullying. I had thoughts of suicide, a lot. It wasn’t until I came home with bruises that my mom finally found out. I got luck with that. A lot of people keep it in. Keep it hidden. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for her seeing those bruises. I finally let it out and told her. But, I still felt scared. And, at times, depressed. A lot of that was from sitting around and thinking. So, what did I do? What was there to do? I found my way by doing what I loved. I started doing many forms of art. Music, dancing, writing songs and poems, drawing and painting, etc. And I found that the more I distracted myself from thinking bad thoughts, I felt better. There was no good reason for me to stay in such a dark area. Which brings me to my most important message:

Tell someone, anyone, before it’s too late. Nothing in this world is worth taking your life for. NOTHING.

If you need to find a way, do something you love doing. If you need help, ask a friend or family member to assist you in finding an activity to do.

I know the internet is supposed to be something to have fun with and connect with friends, but it’s also somewhere to educate yourself and to find help. There is no place on the internet for bullying. It shouldn’t exist. And I believe these social networks should do a better job of making sure that doesn’t happen on their websites.

If you need help please don’t hesitate to call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Or visit: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

For awareness and prevention: http://www.afsp.org/

I hope that I’ve helped in some way. Thank you for your time. Thanks for letting me ramble.

Is there anybody out there who will hear my story? If so come as you are. As a friend. Or learn to fly. Fly, blackbird, fly. Into the eyes that no one looks in. My eyes. I can’t look at them myself. Because when you look into them, they look back. What are my eyes? Why is it that they are endless? Why should you be careful not to fall into them? Do you know yet? Or are you in the dark?