I Guess I Should Be Glad I'm Still Here: I'm Still Standing By Elton John

I sure am glad that its the new decade already. As I've said before, the years from 2000 to 2009 was really terrible for me. A lot of bad decisions, mistakes and lost opportunities sure took its toll on me. After what I've been through, I am really glad that me and my family are still together. Thinking of all those terrible times and trials and that I am still here with them reminds me of the song "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John.

I walked away scarred, but at least, I was able to walk away. I know it's now water under the bridge, but when it still hurts thinking about what could have been. The hardest part was when things didn't pull through when I needed it most. The worst part was when inner rifts and bad blood threatened the "bond" which saddened all of us because deep inside if that is lost, then all will be lost as well. Thank goodness that things pulled through in the end.

Well, the holidays are over and I'm back in the grind. I just hope that this around, this work out because time is luxury that is now becoming extinct. I just hope thing happens to anyone here and that all are happy and safe. I've knocked down a lot of times but still I got up. It may not be much but at least after all that I've been through, I'm still standing.

Elton John - I'm Still Standing
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When Memories Get The Best Of You: Cry By The Sundays

Whenever the weekend rolls and 24K is in the air, the past always comes alive for me. Like I blogged a lot of times, images of yesterday appear before me and start playing like a wide screen movie. The good, the bad and the ugly flash through my mind as each song from the past makes me remember the days of my youth. Even when I'm in the middle of doing something, my trusty mp3 player's fully charged so I don't miss a thing. The thing is when it all collides, it can really get the best of me and it could sure get emotional. That's the feeling I get when I hear the song "Cry" by The Sundays. Remembering the good times you shared with friends as well as the bad times when people you cared for passed away sure can your eyes water. Finally achieving a goal to falling short of expectation can sure spring a leak as well. Whether good times or bad times, they happen during your time and that's what makes it so valuable to you. It varies from person to person, but one thing's for sure and those times were a part of your life. That's it means a lot to you just as it means a lot to me. Sometimes when I see a face from the past, time stops and the music starts playing inside my mind. When we have our say and wave goodbye, deep inside you wish that there was more time to catch and talk some more. When that happens, I often gaze at the sky and wonder how they all are. I guess that's the real reason why I don't attend reunions. The emotion just gets to me and I might just cry.

Something Inside You: In Your Soul By Corey Hart

I remember during my last year in St. Cyr, a friend told me that you can't run away from something that's inside you. I was struck that someone in Grade VI would say something so deep. I guess he was right because there are a lot of things that I missed out in my life. As a result, I've spent a large part of my life searching for the things that would complete me. When I hear the song "It's In Your Soul" by Corey Hart, I always get into that soul-searching mood. This, along with "It Aint Enough For You" always stops me in my tracks. It always stirs unanswered questions inside me. The "would'ves", "could'ves" and "should'ves" questions start to rise from the grave and haunt me once this song plays. After that, I find myself restless and start looking out the window, searching for those things that I lost. In the end, there is only one place where I have to look and that's inside me.Right now, I'm still searching at time I should be well settled. I try hard to suppress feelings of desperation since I am no longer young and my time is past. Still I don't want to lose hope so I keep on going till some closure comes about from all this. Better late than never is what they and that is what I am going to do. I hope one day I find the key so that I can unlock the things inside of me and find some peace in doing so.

Be Careful About What You Say: Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

There are times when people want to express something inside them that they can't hold back. Maybe it's because they want to fix a problem, give their opinion, stress their priorities or just let their emotions get the better of them. The problem is that the words maybe right but not the timing. When people open their mouths, it turns out to be one big mess in the end. The intention or privilege gets lost in the process. That's what I think when I hear the song "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" by Hall And Oates. This song reminds me of the saying "Loose Lips, Sink Ships". A lot of times, people tend to say or do things that they will regret later on. Whether it's Republican Joe Wilson or Kanye West, when you say or do something stupid, you really show how much of a jerk you are. In the old days, political correctness didn't exist to protect self-righteous idiots such as these, giving the offending party the right to punch him in the mouth. These days, they hide behind the right to free speech, thereby tarnishing that right with their pathetic pronouncements. Unfortunately today, there are a lot of people who go about mouthing off as if they know everything. Heck, they'e even proud of the garbage that stinks in their own territory. Despite all the publicity that they get, atleast there intelligent people who see these guys for what they are: Dogs whose bark is worst than their bite. The best to do these days is to close your ears to these morons because all that comes out of their mouths are nothing but a load of garbage. Be careful of what you are going to say because it might do more harm than good.

Favorite Television Soundtrack/Where I AM Right Now WKRP In Cincinnati Theme By Steve Carlisle

One of my favorite comedy shows when I was young was WKRP In Cincinnati. It was all about a struggling radio station and the Djs and staff personnel working there. A lot of times, they find themselves in many funny situations. No matter how much school work I had, I never failed to miss an episode which was always worth it cause I wind up laughing at all the jokes there. The theme song from the series by Steve Carlisle was also one of the reasons why I watched the show. The opening theme of the song alone was a good reason to watch the show. When I first heard it's whole version on the radio, I liked it even more. There were a lot of great characters there but the one that stood was Dr. Johnny Fever who was rock Dj who lost his job because he uttered some vulgar words on air which caused him to move to Cincinnati where he was stuck playing "Elevator Music" . Thankfully, the new program director named Andy Travis changed the station's format and he was back playing rock songs again. Apart from being the funniest character there, another thing that I remember about him was his mug which had all his DJ names on it and he was the reason why I always watched that show. Apart from show, I guess the reason why I liked this song is because restless people can relate to that. People who move around from place to place and job to job and having difficulty settling down. Always trying to make a fresh start as well couping with all the pressures around me. Well moving from job to job and hoping that this will be it is something that I hope I never have to go through again.I have to admit I think a lot about them and as I try to get things together I wish them well.

When Things Were Still Cool: In My Dreams By Dokken

Sigh! The problem at this point in life is that you should already get it together and everything is settled. Unfortunately for me, that is definitely NOT the case. A lot of problems and a lot of failed plans that keeps me going back to the drawing board. In between breaks, I sometimes reminisce about the past where things were simple and everything was cool. When those memories creep into my head, the song "In My Dreams" by Dokken suddenly starts playing.

I know this is a song about a break-up and the guy wanting turn back time to the past when they were together. For me, I want to go back to the time when bonds were strong and all the good were all here. There wasn't a care in the world and you know that things were solid. I guess that's what being young was all about. No problems and the gang was always there and the parties never stop.

These days, it's a different story. It's every man for himself and if you're weak, you're gone. I guess why I'd rather figure things out for yourself cause no one will do it for you. Even if you get a ton of help and material, you have to figure things out on your own. While I'm trying to get things in order,I wonder if it's still out there. If it isn't, at least it still the same in my dreams.

So Far I Don't See It: Change Of Heart By Cindy Lauper

For this entry, it's going to a difficult one for me because I don't want to come off as a high and mighty self-righteous lout. The reason for this is because as I have said before, I'm still cleaning my own mess and I feel I don't have the right to criticize others. Still when offenders are unrepentant, it's something that you just can't ignore. The problem with forgiving people is they don't forgive themselves and when that happens they're going to do it again. Thinking about this issue made me remember Cindy Lauper's song "Change Of Heart".

From what I gather, someone got pardoned for their stupid outburst and yesterday the gang was all here. Someone here pleaded with me to talk to the oaf to patch things up. Right now, I am keeping my distance and the least that I am doing keeping out of the jerk's way out of respect for the people here and to keep the peace. The reason why I'm not giving in to this request is because last night I observed the jerk and once again he's back to his old habits of hogging and sloppy routine. Now I hear they'll be here every weekend and I guess we have to bear with this which is something I am not happy with.

Forgiveness is a virtue, but lately it is an abused virtue to the point that people give too much sympathy for the devil. I guess that's why I veer more towards the right lately. If you want forgiveness, you better first correct bad habits that piss people off to earn it. The fact that so many people get off easy is starting to get to me. If you want redemption, you have to show that you're worth it and quite frankly, I still don't see any changes.

Real Risky Business: Smuggler's Blues By Glenn Frey

One thing that made the 80's hit show Miami Vice so popular was the fact that many of the show's guest were really big celebrities who were not only actors but also music artists and even athletes who were stars in their own right. Apart from that, they also played a lot of hit songs that were popular back then which added to the shows appeal. One of my favorite episodes from the show was when Glenn Frey of the Eagles was a guest on the show and one of his songs was played there. It was one of my favorite songs back then. That song was the "Smuggler's Blues".

The song summarizes the drug trade during that time in a nutshell. Big money but full of dangerous risks and one mistake can cause you your life. There was a lot of money in drugs but a lot of lives get lost because of it. Because there was a lot of money in it, people often delve into and some get rich whiles others wind up dead. In the middle are the addicts who throw away their lives for more causing more problems for people to deal with. No matter how many druglords get caught and jailed, another rises to the top and the battle never ends.

I'm no angel but I'm no longer attracted to the gangster image because in reality these people criminals who do damage to others with their wicked trade. They start off as some street robin hoods but in the end all they're true colors unfold. What's worse is when they rip others off , thinking they can get away with it, only to wind up behind bars or in jail in the end. That's a lie I don't believe anymore. Crime don't pay and if you commit crime, you're the one who winds up paying so stop romanticize it.

If Anything It Help Get Me In The Mood For A Workout: Gambler By Madonna

I must repeat I have never been a fan of Madonna, though I admit her song "Cherish" was kinda cheerful. In contrast, a lot of my batchmates went crazy over her and some tried to imitate her tacky wardrobe. Still, she is one of the few artists in the 80's to still make records to date. That being said, she will always be apart of RT and 24K. One song that does "catches" my attention is the song "Gambler".

The song was part of the soundtrack from the movie "Vision Quest" which was released in 1985. I was a junior in high school and during that time it was the last year of the Marcos Dictatorship. Going back to this song, the only reason why it "caught" my attention was the music video. Back then, I was obsessed with getting in shape. I put a lot of hours weights and martialarts. When I saw the video and the song, if anything, it always helped get me in the mood for a workout as I would do anything to get solid back then.

Well, times have changed and my metabolism isn't what it used to be. Apart from that, my injuries are catching up with me and I couldn't handle the workout routine that I used to do back then. Still, I do find the time to exercise twice a week or better yet three times a week because I need to get fit now more than ever. So far I have never missed a workout and I hope I don't. I just wish I was as strong and fit as I was back then.

When He Looked Like He Was Having A Good Time: Don't Stop Till You Get Enough By Micheal Jackson

Last Friday, I was surfing the channels to look for something good to watch. Just as I was about to go to bed, CNN broadcast a breaking news about Micheal Jackson being rushed to the hospital due to a heart attack. Doctors were trying to do all that they can for him. As I picked up the stack of newspapers to scan for any press or photo release, it was all over the news that the "King Of Pop" has died and the whole world was shocked by his sudden departure. Right now, details of what happened to him are still making the headlines. Although he had a lot of great hits when I was a high school freshman, I'd rather go back to the earlier days when he didn't any plastic surgery and one song of his that I have to admit that I was fond of was the song "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough".

This song came out during later days of disco and if you saw the video, it was very primitive compared to today's standards. Still for anyone to have heard the song and seen the music video has to admit that there was something catchy about it. When he moved there, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't choreographed and he just made it up right then and there. His songs and moves have influenced many pop artist both here and abroad. The reason why I chose this song and video is because, I feel that he was himself here and he really looked like he was having fun.

A lot of celebrities and fans are saddened by his death and no doubt, if he had pulled through, he'd still have a lot to give. When I see this video and listen to the song, I would remember him this way. I know that there some people out there would agree. If only his eccentricities didn't get the better of him, things might have been different. Well rest in peace Jacko as your fans will miss you dearly.

@ Yahoo! Video