Goodbye 2011, It Has Been Great!

Happy New Year! What are your resolutions?

     Ah, another year has gone by far too quick, and as we approach 2012, I have been thinking a lot to myself about why New Year's Eve and Day are so important to people. After all, it's just another day isn't it? Well, yes, but symbolically, no. A new year represents a fresh start for most people. Everyone makes resolutions and plans on bettering their selves. So, what are your resolutions for 2012?
Mine are as follows:

• To not over-think. This has been a problem for me over the past year. I always think way too much about every situation I get myself into. Over-thinking does nothing good for me. It just makes me jump to negative conclusions and worry far too much about what ever is going on.
• To focus on the right people. I need to stop trying to be friends with people that only want to use me or who don't really care about me. I need to concentrate on the people in my life who I know for a fact care about me and my life.
• To stop wasting my money. I need learn how to conserve my money and not blow it all off on Starbucks and food!
• To pay attention and carry out ideas I get from my inspirations. I want to not only allow things and people to inspire me, but I want to actually create from what inspires me. If you want to know what that means, you will have to wait and see! ;-)
• My final resolution is to not be so hard on myself. When I say I am my biggest critic, I mean it. I concentrate way to much on my flaws and how wrongly I approach situations, but in 2012, I am going to try and realize that I am a good person, and not everything is my fault all the time.

     2011 was a great year for me. I have grown so much as a person and have been incredibly blessed to experience so much. I went into the year saying I was going to do everything over the top, and I think I have lived up to that for the most part. All I can say about 2012 is that I can feel I am going to experience even more and grow even more than I ever thought I would as a person. I have so many exciting things planned or 2012 and I can't even wait to share it with you all!
     So, tomorrow is January 1st, 2012- it's just another day isn't it? Well, yes, but symbolically, no.

-B

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have an amazing Christmas, having fun with family and friends!

It isn't Christmas with out Mariah Carey... LOL!

Happy Holidays!

-B



Relationships: Person A

Can Someone Actually Be Incapable of Love?

     Love is something just about everyone in this world wants to find, and very few actually do find it. But what does Love mean to you? Does it mean forever? Or does it mean happiness for right now? Either way, we all want it.

     Now I am definitely not a 100% expert when it comes to relationships, especially when it comes to myself, but I love to talk about it and it’s a topic that everyone can relate to. Over the past year or so, I have been obsessed with making relationships the main topic of conversation with my friends, and I feel that I have learned so much that I can finally write about it, which is something I haven't done on here before.
     One thing I have learned is that there are several different categories of people in the dating world. One type has been catching my attention a lot lately, and that is the person who is completely indecisive when it comes to finding someone and they are even often said to be incapable of love.
     Let’s call this type of person “Person A”. This type of person thinks they know just exactly what they want. This is, most of the time, based off of a person they have a major crush on (Person B). Person A just thinks they want these certain qualities in a person and that Person B matches the description perfectly, when really it is the exact opposite.
     When Person B finally wants Person A, Person A is so excited and happy… at first. Then, just as Person B is finally going to make their move, Person A backs off and shuts down emotionally. They want someone else suddenly, or the “timing in their life is just off.” No. Let’s back up for a second… Person A has been so obsessed with Person B. They have been waiting and waiting and waiting on Person B to make their move and they just know it is going to happen because Person B has got to be “the one”- hey, they match the list perfectly! Yeah, what happened to all of that?
Person A:

• Doesn’t know what they really want, but thinks they do.
• Scared of a failing relationship.
• Insecure in their own abilities to stay in a long term relationship.
• Scarred from a past relationship or possibly a parents’ divorce.

     The cure? While I’m not quite sure if there is a cure for Person A, you don’t need to worry. I don’t believe there is such thing as being incapable of love. All you need to do, which is typically a huge problem for Person A, is realize what your problems are. Why don’t you keep wanting what you swear is right for you? And why do you back off as soon as what you so desperately want comes to you? Check the bullets above.
     Probably the more challenging thing about Person A is that not only are they hurting their selves, but they are also hurting Person B. Most of the time when people are in this type of situation, the same scene plays out over and over again with the same two people. It’s because Person A, time after time, keeps thinking they are finally ready to claim what they want, when in reality, they are not ready at all. The cycle just keeps going.
     The point of this is, if you are Person A, realize why you keep backing off. You really need to get to understand the reason behind your actions and reactions. Then you need to explain all of that to Person B. The #1 rule in relationships is that you should never leave your significant other (or potential significant other) wondering what is going on in your brain. Put everything out in the open and be 100% honest. When you tell Person B all of your reasons for your backing off and changing your mind, they will become more understanding. That doesn’t mean everything will be perfect and live happily ever after. That person could end up not wanting you at all because they know you will never end up committing. So then, this is what you need to do, Person A: as my friends and I would say, “You needs ta RE-CAL-CUH-LATE”. Train yourself to start thinking differently and going into relationships with a different mindset. Don’t over-think everything. Know that you are capable of being in a relationship and really get to the root of what you want and why you want that. Person A, it can take a while for you to break your habits. But if you keep working towards it, you will eventually get what you really want.

There you go, my first blog about relationships!

I hope you enjoyed and I would love to hear what you think!

-B



Winter Wear at Express!

My Current Favorite Looks

As many of you know, Express is one of my favorite stores...

I love it especially during the winter time, so here are a few of my current favorite winter looks from Express! (Pictures courtesy of the Express store website.)

Stay Stylish and Express Yourself,

-B

Fascinate Pics

"Lost Control"

-B

"Whats goin on"

A Heartfelt Video from A Victim of Bullying    

    

     Today, my best friend Melissa said she had to show me a super sad video. She said the video had made her cry but I should just watch it anyway. So we watched it together. This is a video of a kid named Jonah who is going through school being bullied by other children. He doesn't actually speak out loud, but he has written his story on a number of note cards. At the end, he becomes strong. I hope that this can inspire you to take action against bullying, because no other child should feel this way and this issue just has to stop. Please watch.

I am so glad Melissa showed me this, she even suggested me to blog about it so I have to give a huge shout out to her!

I hope you learned from this video, and please do your best to share it with everyone!

Thanks for watching,

Stay Strong Jonah!

-B

Marry The Night

The Latest Video from Lady Gaga, With a Story, Of Course

     I'm sure it isn't a secret to you that I have a passion for artistically creative people that do everything with a meaning, and I'm sure it isn't a secret that I find Lady Gaga to be one of those people.
     A couple days ago, she released a 13 minute and 51 second long music video (her longest one yet) for her latest single titled "Marry The Night". The song itself is a tribute to New York City, where Gaga grew up, and pretty much encountered every significant event that occurred in her life, so it is only fitting to make the video a metaphor for just that.
     The music video is about her journey to becoming successful. It shows the highs and lows of the road to fame, metaphorically of course. Some may not understand this video, but you just have to pay attention and take into account Lady Gaga's story (which includes being dropped by a record label and feeling like her career was going to end up going nowhere). The lesson of this video is to not give up on your dreams, because if you do, then your dream will never see the light of day. Marry the obstacles and challenges you face to get where you want to be. Marry the tough times. Marry the night.

     At the beginning of the video, Lady Gaga narrates:

"When I look back on my life, it’s not that I don’t want to see things exactly as they happened, it’s just that I prefer to remember them in an artistic way.

And truthfully, the lie of it all is much more honest because I invented it.

Clinical psychology tells us, arguably, that trauma is the ultimate killer.

Memories are not recycled like atoms and particles in quantum physics; they can be lost forever. It’s sort of like my past is an unfinished painting and as the artist of that painting, I must fill in all the ugly holes and make it beautiful again.

It’s not that I’ve been dishonest, it’s just that I loathe reality."

 

I hope you enjoyed the video and took something interesting from it!

-B

 

Fascinate Pics

-B

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my amazing best friends: Alyssa, Savannah, Melissa, Edwin, and Paco, as well as my other good friends. I am thankful that I am blessed to come home every day and eat what ever food I want and watch what ever channel I want to on TV. I am thankful for my truck. I am thankful for my crazy stepsister Courtney, who I can always act crazy with. I am thankful to still have my grandparents. I am thankful for my ability to express myself with words. The list goes on and on.

What are you thankful for?

-B

Take Care

The Brand New Album from Drake

     All right, I have been talking about it for months, and the time has finally come! Drake's latest album titled "Take Care" was released today, and I went immediately after school to purchase my copy!
     I did not download the leak, because I wanted to listen to the album in its entirety on the day it was intended to be released. I have already listened to the whole album about 3 times, and I have to say that I am seriously impressed! I know that's not shocking, but Take Care is everything I expected and more! It is no surprise that this album is incredibly real and emotional, in the lyrics, vocals, and the music itself. Every song has an amazing beat to it. I know it's so typical for me to say this about an album from someone I majorly admire- but I absolutely love every single song. Drake was definitely not wrong when he said he would escape the "Sophomore Album Curse". Take Care is very much like a sequel to "Thank Me Later" in the sense that the songs are more mature. Drake has grown as an artist over the past couple of years and this album completely proves that. Go buy your copy now! I promise you won't regret it!

Here is the track list:

1. Over My Dead Body
2. Shot For Me
3. Headlines
4. Crew Love (featuring The Weeknd)
5. Take Care (featuring Rihanna)
6. Marvins Room
7. Under Ground Kings
8. We'll Be Fine (featuring Birdman)
9. Make Me Proud (featuring Nicki Minaj)
10. Lord Knows (featuring Rick Ross)
11. Cameras/Good Ones Go Interlude
12. Doing It Wrong
13. The Real Her (featuring Lil Wayne and Andre 3000)
14. Look What You've Done
15. HYFR (featuring Lil Wayne)
16. Practice
17. The Ride
18. The Motto (featuring Lil Wayne) [Bonus Track]
19. Hate Sleeping Alone [Bonus Track]

As most of you know, I admire Drake so much. He is one of the most real artists out there right now.

He is creative. He is authentic. He is Drizzy Drake.

Take Care,

-B

 

Fascinate Pics

Random Pictures from My Phone

 

Veterans Day Program

-B

11/11/11

What will your wish be?

-B

Just A Thought About Life

From The One and Only: Drizzy Drake

     This quote from Drake is the perfect example of the fact that not all rappers are airheads and only care about half-dressed girls in music videos. This is the reason I look up to Drake so much. He is real, he is authentic, he puts a meaning to his life. I hope you read this quote that he just posted on his website, and I hope you take time to sit down and really think about it.

“I’m really scared for my generation, you know. The thing that scares me most is Tumblr. I hate what Tumblr has become. Because it like, it reminds me of those clique-y girls in high school that used to make fun of everyone else and define what was cool, but in five years, when you all graduate, that shit doesn’t matter. No one gives a fuck about that shit. Instead of kids going out and making their own moments, they’re just taking these images and living vicariously through other people’s moments. It just kills me. Then you’ll meet them and they’re just the biggest turkey in the world. They don’t actually embody any of those things. They just emulate. It’s scary man, simulation life that we’re living. It scares me.”
-Drake

Please try to learn from this. Think about how you want to represent yourself, and live up to your vision. Allow others to be themselves, too. There is not one definition of 'cool'. We are all human- life is all about empowering each other to be the best that we can be, and encouraging each other to be ourselves, 100%.

-B

P.S. Don't forget to pick up "Take Care" in stores November 15th, 2011.

Friendship Quote

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."
-George Washington

Love it,

-B

In With The Cold, In With The New

Express Your Style

     The fall/winter season is coming up and my favorite part about that, besides the holidays, is the clothing that comes with it. One of my favorite stores to shop at is Express, so here are a few of their new, must-have looks that I love for both men and women!

Go out and SHOP!

-Brandon

Dirty Denim

Jeans: Wash, Wear, Wear, Wear, Wear, Repeat

     When it comes to clothing, we often feel the need to wash, dry, wear, and repeat the cycle, but are jeans the exception to that routine? Or is that dirty?
     I have had many discussions with friends about this fashion "issue" and most of them actually admitted to not washing their jeans before every time they wear them! I do this too, but I have never admitted it because I always thought people would think it is a bit disgusting and unsanitary- but who cares?
     The main benefit of not washing your jeans before every time you wear them is that they don't get faded as quickly, and these days a good pair of jeans can be expensive- so why waste them by erasing the color you paid for within a couple weeks? You want your jeans to stay looking brand new, so it is pretty safe to say that it is acceptable to wash them maybe every 4 or 5 times you wear them, unless they are clearly dirty or smell bad!

    
     Although this is just about denim jeans, this could also be a sort of life lesson... When you speak up about something you may feel self conscious about, or something you feel that only you do, you just might come to realize that other people are experiencing the same things. Don't be afraid to share anything about your life because the odds are that someone out there is going to relate to you and say, "Hey! I do that too!"...

Much love to all my dirty-jean-wearers,

-B



Huge Announcement Beyonce Fans!

New DVD Set To Be Released Soon!

     So now that Beyonce is pregnant, we may not get a world tour, (and I'm only fine with that because I am so happy for her!) but we are getting a brand new concert DVD titled "Live At Roseland".
An announcement was made on Beyonce's website today that on November 21st, the intimate DVD will be exclusively released by Walmart and will later be made available everywhere on November 29th!
     I seriously can't even wait!
     In other Beyonce news, (surprise, surprise) she has released her 3rd music video this month, this time for the hit single and feel good song "Party"... Here it is!

We like to party!

-Brandon



Happy Birthday Drizzy!

Drake Turns 25 Today!

     As many of you know, I look up to certain people in life, especially people from the entertainment industry, and rapper Drake is one of them. His last album titled "Thank Me Later" is one of the best rap/hip-hop albums I have heard in a while. It is so real and raw and you can tell that every single word he says comes from his heart and has deep meaning. This dude is the real thing.
     Today(October 24th) is his birthday, so what better way to celebrate it than to post some of my favorite songs by him...
     His new album titled "Take Care" comes out on November 15th and it is going to be a great one, including his already amazing singles "Make Me Proud" featuring Nicki Minaj, and MY song "Headlines"!

"Yeah, the real is on the rise" -Drake

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRIZZY DRAKE!

I hope it was a good one!

-B

We Found Love In A Hopeless Place

The New Video from Rihanna

     So last week, my friend Melissa and I were bored in Yearbook class so we were watching new music videos on the internet. I had heard that Rihanna let out a new video and I was just a little curious so I decided we should watch it. We instantly fell in love with it, so much that we actually watched it more than once! This is one of the best music videos out right now because it actually has a story and meaning to it. The video for "We Found Love" shows a couple who starts out all happy and cute together, but the relationship quickly takes a turn for the worst when the couple falls into a negative life of drugs and fighting all the time. Take out the whole drugs part and this video is totally relatable to most people... There is something about the fast paced scene switches and the colors and the things they do in the video that just strike a certain emotion. I hope you enjoy, here it is the brand new music video for "We Found Love" by Rihanna!

By the way, this is Rihanna's first single off of her upcoming album called "Talk That Talk", set to be released on November 21st. This girl is an extremely hard working woman and I can definitely respect that- she just got done promoting her last single on her previous album titled "Loud" and already has the new one coming out. Her albums have never disappointed me, and I am sure the new one won't either- I can't even wait!

Shout out to my best friend Moe too, who discovered this video with me! Love you Melissa!

-Brandon

Carmen Marc Valvo

At Audi Houston Fashion Week October 2011

     Last week was Houston Fashion Week sponsored by Audi, and there were many designers including my favorite (who I also got to actually meet back in February).

     Carmen Marc Valvo is one of the best American fashion designers of all time and it was a huge deal to have him present his line at Houston Fashion Week! Although I didn't get to go, I still love the fact that the New York based designer felt Houston was important enough in the fashion world to participate this year. As always, his line did not dissapoint!

Me and Carmen Marc Valvo back in February

Thanks for reading, and stay fashionable and inspired!

-B

Finally, You Put My Love On Top!

The New Beyonce Music Video for "Love On Top"

     Less than ten days after Beyonce premiered her adorable video for "Countdown", she is at it again with her new music video for the hit song "Love On Top" which she famously performed at this year's MTV VMA awards! In this video, Beyonce and her back up dancers go back in time to recreate dance moves and styles that popular motown male groups such as The Jackson 5 and The Temptations used to perform with. Watch the whole thing- I promise you won't be dissapointed! Here it is... Enjoy!

I hope you liked it just as much as I did!

-B

"Me and My Boo, and My Boo, Boo Ridin'..."

Beyonce's New Music Video: "Countdown"

   This is my favorite song off of the new album 4, and now this is my favorite video by Beyonce ever! I'm so in love with it. I don't usually see videos like this around anymore, Beyonce is so talented! Enjoy!

This is my girl!

-Brandon

Drake Music Video Premiere

Headlines

This is my favorite song!! I can't even wait to hear the rest of this album titled Take Care, in stores October 24th!!

Drizzy's back!!

Hope you enjoyed!

-B

Quick Relationship Quote

"99% of the time, the plan is to not get too attached, but 99% of the time we end up getting attached. It's human nature!"

--Brandon

New Music Video

Jennifer Lopez- "Papi"

This video is hilarious! And the choreography at the end is perfect!

She's so gorgeous too!

Enjoy :-)

-Brandon

Advice for School, Work, and Life

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." --Rev Run

I will never forget these words, they are so true!
If you don't plan for something, then you are planning to fail because you haven't worked towards the goal you need to reach.
Remember this piece of advice as you continue to go through school, work, and life.

-Brandon

Remembering The Day

September 11th, 2001
     On September 11th, 2001, I was in first grade. It was Grandparent's Day and my Grandma came to my school to eat lunch with me. After lunch, she took me home and I remember her being really interested in whatever they were talking about on the radio. I had no clue what they were saying because it was in Spanish. When I got back to my house, my mom, my dad, my brothers, and myself all sat in the living room watching the news. I knew what had happened, however I didn't know exactly what it meant. At the time, I didn't know how the events that had occurred would end up impacting millions of people not only in our country, but all over the world.
     It was the first time I had ever heard the words "Terrorist Attack". I still didn't know exactly what it meant, I just knew it was important because it was on every television channel; everyone was talking about it; everyone was concerned.
     That is really all I remember of that day, but I knew that life would never be the same. I just felt it.
A few years later, I visited Ground Zero in New York City. I was in sixth grade so I had some time to mature a little. By then I knew more about that awful day in 2001. I felt that sick feeling in my stomach when I read letters and saw pictures children and family members had made for their loved ones who had passed away from the tragedy. I didn't like the feeling, and I wanted to get out of there, but I am glad I got to experience perhaps the most important place in all of the United States.

September 11th, 2011
     Today, as I watch the television specials and read the articles on the internet, I remember that tragic day in 2001 and I get a sick feeling in my stomach. The same sick feeling I had when I saw the footage on the news that day in first grade. The same sick feeling I had when I visited Ground Zero in 2007. The same sick feeling I get every time I see video of the event. The same sick feeling I get as I type these words that truly come from my heart.
     Today, I think about the millions of people whose lives have been affected by the events of September 11th, 2001. I feel for every single one of them and words can not express the amount of sadness I feel.

I'm not sure what else to say, but I just want everyone to remember the people and the event that changed our lives as Americans. We all have our differences, but when it comes to the events of 9/11, we all become united as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

-Brandon

Keeping It Clear

My Top 8 Tips for Creating and Maintaining Clear Skin

Something almost every teenager out there deals with is acne! Especially with all the stress from school and many other things that come into play, our skin can often not look its best. Here are 8 of my best tips I can give to maintain a clear complexion and look and feel your absolute best all the time!

     Avoid the Shampoo! ...Kind of... When you take a shower and you wash your hair, do not let the shampoo touch your face. The chemicals in it can irritate your skin and cause you to break out.
     Not Too Hot! Another tip for in the shower: don't take showers that are too hot! I know it feels good and it feels cleaner, but it also irritates your skin and can cause you to break out.
     Drink Lots of Water. I know everyone says it, but it's so true! It keeps your skin hydrated and prevents your skin from becoming extra-oily.
     Wash Your Pillow frequently. Think about it, your face has different germs on it every night when you go to sleep, no matter what. You don't have to wash your pillow every single night, but once a week should do fine.
     Keep Your Hands to Yourself, and away from your face. Whether you realize it or not, you touch tons of things every day, which means germs. You don't want to transfer those germs to your face because it causes you to break out, so do not ever touch your face unless you are washing it!
     Don't Tan. Don't go to a tanning bed, and do not go lay out for hours in the sun. Not only can excessive exposure cause acne, but it can also cause you to age quicker! Use a sunscreen on your face every day (as a moisturizer) and you should be fine!
     A Little Goes A Long Way... All you need is to apply an astringent at night, go to sleep, when you wake up wash it off with a cleanser, and then apply moisturizer... Don't go overboard with all the products because it can definitely provoke a break out! Also, you should exfoliate your skin once a week to get rid of dead skin cells!
     The last tip I can give is something quite obvious, but especially as teens we don't really care about it...
Sleep! Sleep gives your skin cells a chance to rest and reset as well as gets rid of extra stress that can also cause break outs. You should get at least 8 hours of sleep every night!

I really hope my tips help! Thank you so much for reading...

-Brandon



Happy Birthday Beyonce!

Today, September 4th, is the one and only Beyonce's 30th birthday.

She is LIVING THE LIFE right now...

I am so extremely happy for her, no joke- She's in love, pregnant, and has released her best album ever. She is an incredibly beautiful woman on the inside and outside. She's so humble, generous, down to earth, and gorgeous. I have been a fan since day 1. This girl is a legend and one of my heros. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEYONCE!

 

Yeaaaaaah girl! I know you will continue to make me proud, you are so amazing.

Happy Birthday <3

-Love,

the other B

Official Music Video Premiere

Nicki Minaj featuring Rihanna- Fly

What an inspiring and freeing video.

"I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive...

I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise,

to fly"

Love the message, Love Nicki, Love Rihanna, Love them, Love the video, Love you...

Thanks for reading,

-B



For New York and The Rest of The East Coast...

My thoughts and prayers are going out to the East Coast right now...

Everything will be okay in the end, just hang in there!

-B

Advanced Placement Classes, Positive or Negative?

An Essay Taking An In Depth Look At The Advanced Placement Program

This is an essay that I wrote last year and by posting it on here, I thought it would be beneficial to my readers for several reasons. I want people to see what I think about Advanced Placement classes and programs in schools and I also want them to see an example of an essay I had to write for my English II class last year... Enjoy!

     "When students are deciding whether or not to take an AP class, there are many things they often consider. They question 'Is this class going to be difficult?' 'Am I going to have to work extra hard?' 'Is this class going to get me ready for college?' 'Is it going to help me get into college?' The answer to these questions is yes. Advanced Placements classes should be used to increase the quality of a student's education because they will be at a high learning level and because of almost mandatory study habits, they will know what to expect once they get into college. Using AP classes as a tool to increase the quality of education is something that should be done also because it should potentially help them get into colleges, even if the student's family isn't the wealthiest.
     Once of the main differences between an AP and "regular" class is the amount of information to be learned. Instead of just giving out the basic information over the topic the class is going over, AP classes require the students to take a more in depth look at everything in order to learn the details. Causing the students to have "a more rigorous educational experience than they would otherwise have" (unknown source), they would be forced to take time on their own to study and put in any extra effort they can to learn about what ever it is they need to learn about at that time. These study habits will be something the students are going to be able to carry on with them once they go to college. In other words, they will be prepared.
     [Another unknown source], attempting to make an argument against AP classes, states that they are "just another advantage for wealthy students over everyone else when it comes to getting into college". This is not true. There is no rule or requirement that says you must be wealthy in order to take an AP course. Students who take and do very well in AP classes are most likely going to be the ones in their school getting scholarships to major colleges, meaning they wouldn't have to pay the amount that someone would have to pay if they only go accepted. In recent years, colleges have been more interested in students that show major academic achievement on their transcripts, like doing well in AP classes. If the college really believes in and wants a student, the wealth of that student will not play a significant role in their acceptance although money to attend the college can possibly be a problem. However that is not AP's fault.
     To one who may be questioning their abilities in AP classes, the answer is 'yes'. You will have to work extra hard. These classes will get you ready for college. These classes will help you get into a great college. The AP program is something that can be used to increase the quality of a student's education, just as it should."

I know that was a lot,

Thank you so much for reading!

-B