3rd Time’s a Charm

On May 5th 2004, Manny Pacquiao (38-2-2) fought Juan Manuel Marquez (42-2-1). Little did the world know that this would turn into a very skilled and entertaining series of fights. This 1st encounter went thru all 12 rounds and saw a controversial draw. Controversial because in the 1st round Pacquiao knocked Marquez down 3 times (no 3 knockdown rule in effect). Controversial because throughout the rest of the fight, Marquez battled Pacquiao and proved himself a warrior in the squared circle. A truly epic battle.

On March 15th 2008, Manny Pacquiao (46-3-2) fought Juan Manuel Marquez (48-4-1) for a 2nd time. This fight was a fight that HAD to happen but in between the 2 fights, Pacquiao had an intense trilogy of fights with Erik Morales. Pacquiao lost the 1st encounter with Morales, won the 2nd and took the W in the 3rd rubber match that solidified the trilogy in favor of Pacquiao. This was a perfect time for Pacquiao to re-visit the controversial draw with Marquez. Both fighters wanted the fight to happen, and it did. “Unfinished Business” was a very explosive fight which resulted in a split decision victory in favor of Pacquiao. The deciding factor in Pacquiao winning the fight was due to a 3rd round knockdown of Marquez with an awkward, straight left with surprising force that caught Marquez off guard.

This brings us to November 12th 2011. Pacquiao is going into this fight with a record of 53-3-2 at the age of 32. Marquez is going into this fight with a record of 53-5-1 at the age of 38. Marquez is the WBO Lightweight Champion of the world but he is going into a fight where Pacquiao’s WBO Welterweight title is on the line. The 1st fight was for Marquez’s WBA/IBF Featherweight title (which Marquez retained after the draw). The 2nd fight, Pacquiao took Marquez’s WBC Super Featherweight Title. Now, for the 3rd fight in this epic trilogy, Pacquiao is putting up his WBO Welterweight title.

I know this is gibberish title this and title that. Let’s put things into perspective. 1st fight was in the 125lb mark, 2nd fight was 130lb mark and now the 3rd fight will be in the 140lb mark (with a 144lb catch weight). The only time Marquez has fought at a welterweight class was with Floyd Mayweather Jr….., and he lost. Marquez does not have the experience fighting in the higher weight class but has all the experience in the world of being a skilled boxer that does not quit. Pacquiao on the other hand has experience fighting in a multitude of weight classes and he is currently king of the welterweight division.

Pacquiao will win this fight, hands down. I do not feel that Marquez will match Pacquiao’s speed and power. Pacquiao on the other hand will most probably receive a lot of solid punches to his face. Marquez has proven that he can side step Pacquiao’s south paw style and counter with solid punches to Pacquiao’s face. It was never enough to put him down and it most certainly will not be enough to put him down in this final fight.

The one thing I am looking forward to is that this will be truly a great fight. Pacquiao is relentless in saying that all he wants to do is entertain the fans and give them what they want. Marquez is a fighter who does not get intimidated and keeps fighting and persevering thru very tough rounds. Both fighters are class acts and I really hope this fight helps elevate boxing in the eyes of the world. The sport has dwindled down in popularity since the rise of MMA/UFC. Regrettably, boxing will not out shine MMA/UFC unless the fantasy Pacquiao/Mayweather match happens, which is what all people care about. Even if that fantasy fight happens, it’ll end and with it goes the popularity that boxing gained.

A new era has taken over but I will still stay true to boxing. Enjoy this 14+minute video of HBO Faceoff. Where the host, Max Kellerman talks to both the Pacquiao camp and the Marquez camp and makes them confront both of their epic fights. I am absolutely pumped for this final fight.

YA WANT A BOX!!!!!!

Flex

Busy Mind

I don’t blog often enough and I do not offer any apologies for that :) Last time I apologized was to myself and I got smacked for that.

Today, I wanted to yap about a touchy subject that is near and dear to us all…, the art of vomiting. Yesterday my buddy picked me up and we hit up Boston Pizza for some quick grub. I ordered a pizza, 1/2 Tuscan and 1/2 shrimp something I can’t remember. To make a long story short, I was poisoned.

Now, I don’t love throwing up but I defiantly don’t mind it. Usually I laugh as I throw up just to make it that much more awkward for anyone listening. The vomiting session I had last night was multiple and left me no room to laugh as it was like a broken fire hydrant, pure flowing. Not very pleasant but I felt much better afterwards.

I will now talk about the best part of vomiting. I know what you’re thinking “I am going to stop reading this and tell Bo it was an interesting read”. No, no, what you’re really thinking is “there is no best part to vomiting”. I may be odd or whatever but I love all the hallucinations and sweating and freaking out that comes before the 1st attack.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always had a fascination with hallucinations, dreams, daydreams, blacking out etc. Whenever you are in a waking state and experiencing visions that are not in your control or maybe you feel you are in some control of these visions, I live for those moments. I know the easy way to experience all of this splendor is to take hallucinogenic drugs, not my thing. Instead, I enjoy the hallucinations before I throw up. Does this happen to you people? Is it normal to hallucinate or experience daydreams before throwing up? You know when you are on the verge of throwing up and you are not quite sure what’s going on with your body and why you feel like crap? You know the moment of getting cold sweats and getting a tad bit dizzy? It’s only then that it hits you like a ton of bricks “I HAVE TO THROW UP”. Well that feeling happens to me whenever I need to throw up. The only difference is that when it’s a bad case of vomiting (usually due to food poisoning or some other sickness that is NOT alcohol related), I experience hallucinations and daydreams.

I really hope you guys have seen The Fisher King, otherwise this might fly over your head. I’ll paint a mini picture. Jeff Bridges plays the role of a shock jock (a la Howard Stern) who finds redemption by helping a homeless man whose life he inadvertently shattered. The hobo is played by Robin Williams and is such a great damn movie, GO WATCH IT!! ANYways, Williams in the movie is homeless and has gone off the deep end and lost his mind and has gone crazy due to the events that transpired in his life. He’s very delusional and experiences hallucinations of a black knight on a black horse chasing him down alleyways and in the street and parks. Sometimes the horse is breathing fire. Fucked up shit!!! Well I experienced exactly that Robin Williams experienced in the movie. I was in and out of consciousness, trying to sleep off the horrible feeling. I was much too agitated and restless, due to a headache and spinning feeling and muscle aches. So I was staring at my wall at around 2am and I started seeing a huge black horse start to form in front of my dresser. On top of the black horse was a black knight with a huge sword. I couldn’t make out much of the knight because I was looking up at him and it was totally blurry but I could make out the details of this frightening black horse. I remember that the knight did not move at all but the horse was swaying his tail and making loud noises and drooling some saliva (those noises that horses make, I don’t know what it’s called, let me google this). AH HA!!! the horse was NEIGHING really loud. Anyways, this image was freaking me out as I was sweating and being so restless. At this moment it dawned on me “I GOTTA PUKE!!”. So I got up and instantly I felt a rush to my head. Instead of rushing to the washroom I went outside to get fresh air, it was raining. So I chugged a lil bit of water to help my vomit be more watery.

HAHA Well I don’t need to go into the details of how I threw up and the sounds I made and what came out and what it looked like and what colour blah blah blah. I just wanted to share the hallucinations.

I love those moments. I’m that guy, that when I smoke a recreational reefer joint, I secretly hope I space out and see things that don’t exist. It has only happened once or twice and I’ll never forget because it was an awesome experience.

I’m done. Pass the shrooms.

Flex

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Bringin’ It Back

First off, don’t worry about that May vacation I was yapping about. Secondly, I haven’t posted in awhile but that’s just how it goes. No worries on that front.

I just wanted to yap about this documentary that I watched yesterday entitled “Beats, Rhymes & Life: the Travels of A Tribe Called Quest”

Just that title alone made me shed a tear in my eye. So I parked my Ho at Kipling station (weekends parking is free) and I decided to take the subway to Younge and Dundas AMC. This is the only theatre that is playing the doc. Now, I chose to take the subway not for the convenience but for the nostalgia. From the age of 10 I was trained to take the bus and subway to go downtown to visit my grandma. She lived across the Phoenix Concert Theatre. I used to borrow my brothers Sony Walkman and play whatever songs I used to record off of the radio. Back when you had to hit pause + play + record to cue the cassette up to record. Damn I fucking miss that, so much that I had to curse just now to prove my point.

The songs ranged from hip hop and r&b and some dance. Tribe was on repeat constantly. “Bonita Applebum” “Can I Kick It?” “Luck of Lucien” “Buggin’ Out” “Check the Rhyme” “Jazz (We’ve Got)” “Scenario” “Award Tour” “Sucka Nigga” “Electric Relaxation” “Oh My God” “Stressed Out” “Hot Sex” Among many many other tracks.

Those were the songs that were on constant repeat over the 8 year span from Tribes first album “Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm” in 1990 and culminating in their final album “The Love Movement” in 1998. When I was younger I just listened to music that I liked but I didn’t do all the crazy research and wasn’t as knowledged about the genre as I should have been. Considering I was young, I can use that as my excuse. I loved music. Now I love music and I love to know about the music I listen to. I crave knowledge of the oldschool hip hop days that I grew up listening to, to understand what everyone went thru during that time frame. I was too naive back then to understand the culture of hip hop but now I embrace and live it.

It was this passion that led me to watch this documentary. Every single minute of the doc was captivating for me. To learn and to know what each member of the group went thru over all the years and how they split was the knowledge that I craved. I wish I went to school to learn this stuff. I loved how each album has a different story and all the trials and tribulations of the group and each individual person was different during the creation of each album. Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the 4th is Jarobi White. Those are the artists and A Tribe Called Quest is the group, helped to define and mold me into who I am today.

From Tribe, I learned of Leaders of the New School (where my ultimate favourite artist Busta Rhymes hails from), De La Soul, Common, Black Sheep, Jungle Brothers. All these groups/artists formed a super collective called Native Tongues. Other members included Queen Latifah, Mos Def, DJ Red Alert, Brand Nubian, Fu-Shnickens and others that I am not as familiar with as I should be. They carried the torch during the decade of the 90′s for positive and conscious lyrics and musical content. Paying homage to classic artists before them and cutting their beats and sampling them in their songs.  DAMN…., they just don’t make them like they used to anymore.

This was my generation of hip hop, this is where I grew up, this is what defined me. What defined the Native Tongues was Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. So as I dove deeper into the roots of the genre, I dove back farther into the past and learned of the old oldschool, the originators if you will.

This documentary is by no means perfect and is flawed in some areas. This never stopped me from shedding a tear multiple times, this never stopped me from smiling everytime Ali Shaheed Muhammad was on the decks spinning some classic tunes. When Q-Tip was going thru his private collection of vinyl and showing us the samples he uses in the songs and where they came from. This never stopped me from absorbing the knowledge that was being thrown at me. I am totally in love with this doc (as I knew I would be). My opinion is seriously biased but I do not mind (and neither should you).

I hope that other people can experience this doc and maybe along your journey, learn something from it or take something away from it. BLACK IS BLACK!!!! That is a reference you will understand once you see the doc.

That’s all I got. Sleep now. Peace.

Flex

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May Vacation

No updates in awhile, mainly because I don’t have much to say ;)

Update on my May vacation and where I might end up. I’ll officially be on my 1st vacation of the 2K11 year and I’ve narrowed my choices down to 3 destinations, 2 of which are plausible and 1 which is not so much.

1) Lake Louise in Alberta. Very scenic and mountainous area. Short drive to Banff and take in some of the Canadian culture that I’ve been lacking oh so much. Ottawa and Montreal are the only destinations I’ve been to in Canada, other than cottage country in the Muskoka region.

2) Yellowknife. A step up from Alberta in the sense that the scenery is incredible. Not mountainous but just breathtaking scenery and fresh air. I can only imagine that the drive around would be spectacular.

3) Barcelona, Spain. I chose this destination because DJ Shadow will be performing at a music festival in his Shadowsphere. I’ll call this one “ROUND 2″. DJ Shadow kicked my ass the first time I saw him but I’ll be ready for him the next time. He won’t know what’s coming.

4) Ottawa. Recently added to the list due to the fact that I had a great time the past 2 times I been there. The Byward Market is such a great and happening area. Plenty of great food and entertainment and pubs, clubs, bars.

Sadly enough, Barcelona is the place that will be next to impossible to get to. I say this because I’ll be flying stand by with my boy Walter and there is no guarantee of getting back on time for him to get to work on the Monday.

Very inexpensive and potentially fun times lay ahead. I hope something becomes reality because this could be my last real mini getaway in a little while. My work schedule is preventing me from going camping with friends bit at least I have the normal Cottage Crunk Fest week off. Fuck ya, that’ll be awesome.

Flex
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The Clown Show

*this is a raw post, no editing made so I apologize in advance for any mistakes. It’s impossible to edit with this phone and its auto correct bullshit…., enjoy*

I’ve been sitting at the walk in clinic for the past hour and a bit. That is what I call the “only the strong” time frame. This is what separates the true die hards with the undisciplined. I am a true die hard because I know I can wait for hours and hours on end.

Check this out, I show up and there are 8 people ahead of me who are all waiting to see their physician (and mine as well). He doesn’t show up until 11ish. There are other people in the waiting room waiting to see a walk in doctor. The other doc is shoveling thru the shit that is sick people, one after another while I still wait for my physician to show up. This process is fucking retarded. It’s even moreso retarded because I’m here for a doctors note for work for a stomach flu that I was able to manage and power thru on my own. Why the hell do I need my physician for a note? Messed up process.

AND WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU STARING AT LADY?!?!?! This chick next to me who smells like last weeks leftover spicy meal of the week is bugging the shit out of me. She keeps looking over at me, then down at my phone. I can only assume she’s being nosey and wants to know what I’m doing. It’s human nature to be inquisitive but it’s also animal nature and she falls on the latter of the two. Honestly, she then grabs her ancient cell phone and pretends to be doing something with it. Nobody is calling you, nobody is texting you, your phone is shit but at least you have snake on your phone, that’s how old it is. AND SHE STILL GETS IN BEFORE ME!!! She just sat down it seemed. FUUUUUCK!!!

“uh huh, that’s my shit. All my girls blah blah blah” I can’t remember the lyrics but some guy across from me is helping me remember the lyrics to FUCKING HOLLABACK GIRL!! He is pumping it thru his cheap ass headphones. All I can hear is treble. This dude must be listening at a decent level. It’s those cheap headphones that are orange and have a metal band that can wrap and tangle if you stretch it too much. They also have the foamy black covers so it feels nice on the ears. Cheap bastard.

GET BACK IN YOUR EXAMINATION ROOM SPICY SMELLY LADY!!! She keeps coming out, impatiently wondering “why is nobody tending to my needs?” at least looks that way from her wack facial expression.

Oh I didn’t explain, sorry. There is a waiting room where you wait for an hour or 2 or 3. If you’re lucky enough, they call your name as if you were chosen for the price is right. COME ON DOWN. How exciting. They bring you to an examination room where you wait for another hour or 2 or 3. A nurse comes in and checks your bp even though it’s pointless because you’re fuming at this point. Then you wait until the physician is ready to see you. Usually they bring you to his office but sometimes he waddles his fat ass to your exam room, which really makes you feel special. God I must go to the worst walk in clinic ever.

I haven’t made it into the exam room yet. Only been 2 hours so all good. I’m keeping calm :) Gonna go outside for fresh air now. Just had to vent a bit haha

FUCKING CLOWNS

Flex
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When oh when??

In dire need of a vacation. I need to wait until May 20th…, FUUUUUCCKK!!!

Flex
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In the Face

The truth hurts. What truth can I possibly be talking about? Well I just watched The Fighter with Marky Mark and Batman and I must say that this is one fine piece of movie making. No academy award winning, loaded with nominations, type of movie but instead it’s one of those movies that we all can relate to in our lil lives.

Marky Mark is as tough as he ever is the toughest he’s ever been. Only issue I’ve ever had with this guy is that he sounds like a wimp (don’t tell him I said that). Actually, he was totally badass in Four Brothers but I digress. Batman played one hell of a cracked out older brother. Bale deserves some sort of recognition for his role. This man is dedicated to his craft, that’s for sure. He has put his body thru a real life metamorphosis. I swear Bale should be the Incredible Hulk. At least they will save millions on CGI because Bale will literally bulk up to the size of the Hulk and dye his skin green for the role then just as easy he will lose the weight and bleach his skin to be geeky Banner.

So what’s this truth I said earlier you ask? The truth that we all have something we regret we didn’t do at a younger age and now we’re too old to start it up but we substitute and start something to feel a sense of accomplishment. Example, I love boxing and always have since I was a lil bastard. I would have loved to start boxing at a younger age and workout to have a seriously toned body and be well into my boxing career representing Canada in the Olympics then retire in my early 30′s just to make a comeback in my late 30′s so I can cash in on my previous success and win back the naysayers who thought I couldn’t do it and do my supporters proud (nice long sentence). But I’m just too fucking old now to try anything remotely close to that. That’s the truth that hurts me.

So what I’ll do is take up boxing and pay some fitness instructor to help with my form and put me on a workout program just to get a sense of accomplishment in my life. To get that feeling that I didn’t fail myself. To get that approval from those close to me that I’m really doing something great for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I really do feel it’s important in ones life to gain that self respect back. That same self respect that you didn’t even know you lost until you watch a movie like The Fighter. It’s an age old tale that takes on many forms but this time it took on a form that meant something to me.

Thank you Funky Mark and the should-be, real life Incredible Hulk for opening my eyes to my pitiful existence. I will plan on taking up boxing classes and strict workout regiment. Not before I learn how to swim, learn to DJ with vinyl and digital formats, travel the world, take up billiard lessons, learn to ski and snowboard, jump out of a plane, go spelunking, get a girlfriend, dump the girlfriend, buy my own place, learn to skate etc.

I have a funny feeling I’ll blog about this again before 2011 is over with. Thanks for your time. Now go do something meaningful before you watch a movie that makes you feel meaningless.

Flex

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Merry Christmas

Dear nobody who reads this,

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy equivalent to the rest out there. If you’re like me then I’d also like to wish you a super time and a half for working on the 25th.

I was super excited today sporting my new favourite tie at work. FREAKING penguins I say, penguins. Best part of my day is a tie with a rocky road candied apple I got as a present and coming home to roast pork, roast lamb, cabbage rolls and a bottle of some tasty cabernet sauvignon. Oh fuck it, the lamb was the best part. I’m not a wine guy so I’m floored as we speak.

Again, wishing you and yours a great holiday season.

Flex
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She squawks

Well I don’t know if a swan squawks but damn did Natalie Portman nail that role. Wow. She turned me on in ways I can’t explain and completely out of the blue. Mila Kunis is one sexy piece of ass as well and her character I fell in love with. Kunis just felt like such a real chick. Oh oh and honorable mention goes to Winona I’ve-had-a-crush-on-you-since-93 freaking Ryder. This was my ultimate male movie with my top, cream of the crop, lead actress choices AND it’s about ball-freakin-et.

Aronovsky put on one hell of a movie. That’s my review…, AWESOME!! Just go watch it.

Honorable mention goes to the fact I can’t remember the last time I got a chubby while watching a movie in a theatre…, until tonight. Well played.

3 Thumbs up.., nah I mean :P

Flex

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How exciting

Hiya there,

So this is my 1st bloggy from my LG. Actually, this is my 1st bloggy post…, ever. This blog thing will just be to entertain my extreme boredom and explore my new phone. If at any point you smile or enjoy anything I have posted then I will pay pal you over a dollar.

I have $7.45 in my account. I know I know that seems a tad bit ambitious but dammit I’m determined haha.

Enjoy my kitty for now. She’s evil.

Flex
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