Friendships, Rockabilly and a ‘Wonderful Ice Cream Suit’
February 27, 2008 by marvin
Filed under Featured Article, Inspirational
Rockabilly
I pondered and wrote it many ways, and I wasn’t too happy with it. The story is about 4 down on their luck men, who have various goals and dreams and band together to buy a ice cream colored suit. They each don the suit for an hour that night and get into their own adventures and step up in life.
In my pondering, I tried to relate how your circle of friends can make or break you. One group may back you up on decision and motivate you to reach your goals or to support your decisions to push your life forward. Where as others will hold you back and take the ‘your wasting your time approach.’
But how do I relate all this stuff in this movie to life? Going through a social climate change and adjustment in the dynamics of my circle of friends, I found that there were many more friends and relationships I had been neglecting and new bonds I am building.
Each group is different and dynamic. Sometimes I am restraint and with others I am care free, and with another group I am very motivated and focused, but still fun.
That last group is a new part of my life. The local rockabilly band, the ‘L.A. Kingpins’ have taken me as one of their own and doing things with them has lifted my spirits and helping the band has only motivated me to help myself. Now this is a group that is interesting, this is a group that doesn’t have to ask me to do anything, I just do it. As if inspired by the growing friendships and the groups unifying goals.
Each person is unique and interesting and unlike some other people I have spent time with, I don’t want to punch any of them in the face, or throw them out on a frakkin Airlock. There is something indefinable about this group of friends that lead us all to do what we have to do for the betterment of the Band and for ourselves. This is not a ‘Whatever, your wasting your time’ group. This is a ‘Lets kick some ass’ group. They have lots of heart; all of them have become close in a short time.
These are the types of friends that can make a big difference in your life. There is no pressure to do anything you don’t want to do. Somehow its inspired by the vibe between each member. Sure there is a fair amount of drama and differences of opinions as there are in every group, but as a whole, it’s worked out and smoothed over. There’s fears and apprehension, goals and dreams, opinions and differences, but the main goal is common and the bonds that bring them together is friendships. Much like the characters in ‘The wonderful Ice Cream Suit’
It’s more than, he is a great Base player or she is really awesome on drums, he’s a great guitarist or that guy has good ideas. Of course these talents are important, but before that it’s the bonds of friendship then what we can do for each other.
It all goes back to my writing teacher Garrick Dowhen told us, it when something like this. That if the person at the top has heart, it will transcend and filter down into everyone involved and lift things to another level.
It’s not just that Steve the lead guitarist has heart, it’s everyone, from Mel the Drummer to Rich the base player and even to me, your friendly neighborhood Reckless Rick. Every member has lots of heart. It’s just that this group of friends just happens to be a band. While another group might be a film production crew. Or maybe your just a bunch of assholes who hangout. What matters is the friendships that bind you together.
I can go on and on, and I am not even sure how coherent all this is. I think the main point of all of this is to choose the people to ‘roll’ with carefully. Friendships can be the thing that lies between a bad path in life or a fulfilling one.
Hope that made sense Monks.
Sponsored by: LA Kingpins
Clip of the Week: Where the Hell is Matt?
February 21, 2008 by marvin
Filed under Clip of the Week
Imagine quitting your job to travel the world. Matt Harding had this dance he’d do when he would pick up his friend for lunch. One day his friend said he should videotape himself dancing in front of popular places. This idea stuck with Matt who later quit his job to travel the world, he videotaped himself in front of many places.
He uploaded the clip to his website, long before there was a YouTube. It was viewed by millions of people. STRIDEgum saw his clip and contacted Matt with an interesting proposition. They asked him how would he like to travel the world for six months and dance his heart away for Stridegum? Of course he jumped at the chance. And that brings us to the clip of the Week.
Top Ten Things I Learned From ‘The Last Starfighter’
Hello Monks! CHEER at the RETURN OF RECKLESS RICK!!!! Yes I know its been a little bit, but I’ve been a Busy Monk, trying to get things together and working on this thing called Life. Thanks to the lessons and insights of Thefogottenmonk.com! Subscribe now!
For this week’s top 10 I wanted to talk about “The Last Starfighter” It’s always been one of my favorite movies. It had a lot of heart and is a classic that has a special place in my heart. Being a timeless tale of intergalactic heroism, I pondered what lessons there are to learn from the movie, with no further ado, our weekly top 10.
1. Don’t worry about everyone asking you to take care of everything they are too lazy to do themselves. You’ll eventually leave all those jerks behind to save the universe.
2. Dealing with your girlfriend, hard. Being the last star fighter against the Kodan armada, not as hard.
3. There are no speed limits on flying cars.
4. Video games can save the galaxy and is a great training tool.
5. The little things matter, even a high score.
6. Never sell yourself short, if you think that your just a kid from a trailer park, then that is all your ever be.
7. Finding the hero can be a profitable business.
8. Find something to fight for, for example, your family and your girlfriend, who is back home getting it on with your Beta Unit.
9. If you are the one ship against the armada, you can hide out in asteroid that isn’t considered a strategic blind spot.
10. The Enemy’s over confidence always leads them to keep their vulnerable weak spot exposed to attack.
Its good to be back. Happy New Year, Happy Birthday, and Happy everything else I’ve missed. Tell your friends about us.
Clip of the Week: The Numa Numa Dance
February 15, 2008 by marvin
Filed under Clip of the Week, Humor
I love stories when something unexpected suddenly becomes a huge hit. My next two clips of the week are that way.
2003 – Eastern European band O-Zone releases a song titled “Dragostea din Tei”
2004 – 19 year old Gary Brolsma of New Jersey hears the song and recrods himself lip-synching to the lyrics with his webcam
December 6, 2004 Gary uploads the video to internet video site newgrounds.com He calls it the ‘Numa Numa Dance’
within weeks the video is seen by millions of people.
2005 Video sharing website YouTube launches.
The ‘Numa Numa Dance’ inspires thousands of copycat videos and is eventually downloaded over 700 million times itself.
The Numa Numa song as it is now called, hits #1 in 32 countries and sells more than 12 million copies worldwide
March 23, 2007 VH1 names Gary Brolsma the #1 Internet Superstar