Further Progress

Another April 30th came and went marking my 3rd year of sobriety. I've been really busy which has given me less time to blog but I'll make this one count. On the cusp of so many things, this past year has been filled with new opportunities and new friends and networks. I found my niche and my family amongst 2 main organizations. My drive has gotten stronger and my abilities have flourished as well as I've found new ones I didn't know I had.
I've started school again. I was encouraged by many friends because of my constant reading and search for knowledge to get a degree. I was spending hours a day reading anyways, the next logical step was to get credit for it. From all the politics, world policies and history I've been reading, getting my civil rights law degree seems to be the only answer. It makes the most sense but it will be a work in progress because of the busy schedule I have now. Civil rights law makes the most sense and will allow me to help the most people to the best of my ability.
As a member of the Universal Zulu Nation and Anti Injustice Movement (AIM), I've been exposed to and had the honor of meeting many new friends and comrades in this struggle against the fake, greedy, merciless and ignorant.
There are many events and campaigns involved with these movements and I'm honored to be part of both. I've finally found like minded people to collab with. Amazingly, I've finally realized who I am to form these collabs with. After taking a Myers Briggs personality test and writing many papers in my Psychology class about my upbringing, I've finally had a chance to step back and notice who I am, really. After 15 years of consistent alcohol and drug abuse, I finally have been able to stand back and really see who I actually am. Its odd to me to see my characteristics now and think that this is who I was all along but constant substance abuse masked and diluted who I actually was. Its kind of sad but at the same time I'm elated that I'm finally free and see things clearly. After returning from my 3rd Vipassana meditation retreat with my significant other and a close friend over New Years, I've been able to keep my meditation practices up consistently. This helps everything and allows me to stay equanimous to an extent. I'm still working on it. I've developed a more specific set of beliefs in regards to a god which has also helped me to define what my goals are. There is no conscious being making choices for us. I was not put in Southern Callifornia because I am "special" while a Palestinian boy has to pick up the pieces of his mother after an Israeli missile has flattened their house. That could have just as easily been me. This country was not picked by a divine creator and the innocent civilians that are murdered by our soldiers are not killed because we are blessed by god. That is a disgusting repulsive way to view things. It also allows us to sit back and chalk atrocities up as "gods plan" as a lazy excuse to do nothing. I'm done with this mentality. I'm done with fake bullshit vomited on the public to consume like commercial radio. I'm done with it all. This is not an attack on a god and I'm not blaming god because you can't blame something that doesn't exist. That goes for the "devil" too, another political creation. Anyone even remotely trying to attempt to quote the bible or give value and interpretation should learn the book in its original language, greek and hebrew. Everything else is misinformation. Period.
In my searches and travels, I've befriended some amazing individuals including Zulu King Lastman, and Street Poet Monte Smith & Capital X and all the AIM crew started by 2 brilliant women going by AK47 and Santa Maria. I've kept in close contact with all these individuals and they have aided me in knowledge, inspiration, friendship and not to mention the kind promotion they've given me. Along with LatinaBeatz, my promoter who I first started working with, I'm honored to be affiliated with and have a such an amazing team of legends. Checkout the links tab on my website to get connected with these amazing people. I've also picked up Jeet Kune Do training with an amazing mixed martial artist which has gotten my mind faster and more in tune.
In addition to the new tracks I'm working on with multi-platiinum producer Rich Balmer, I'm also working on Street Poet Monte Smith's acapellas and a heavy project with him and hardcore guitarist Todd. I took on a new band with an amazing songwriter Chase Allen backed up by amazing musicians. I'm doing a few other cover gigs with George Loreto and the funk band with longtime friend Jimi-E and Moral Groove. I'm working on an instructional clinic video with close friend Brent Arcement and most recently I've landed a gig taking Sting's place as bassist with Andy Sommers, the guitarist from The Police. The drummer is indian percussionist extraordinaire Ravi Drums. We are setting up to do a tour throughout India in the next coming months. Juggling school and a relationship on top of this is lots of work but it to be honest, I'm enjoying playing my instruments more than I ever have in my life. Its getting easier and more fluid and the concepts are flowing. The drive to help has solidified and given me a good foundation to build with my connections and organizations on. We'll see what comes next.