Past, future, and everything in between.

Where have I been?


   Reflecting on the last (almost) 19 years, I can't truly define my past one way. As a child, I suppose I spent my time doing what everyone else my age did: hanging out with friends, getting educated,  playing sports, and using a sprawling imagination to attempt to create ways to have fun and enjoy myself. I was successful at that. Anything and everything became an opportunity for friends and I to waste our youth.
   Eventually, the real world became more and more apparent; friends grew apart, school became a more prevalent part of life, and the time we could waste grew smaller and smaller.
   As a teenager, I began to gain an identity, and things became a little more defined. This probably occurred when I decided that the guitar hobby I had picked up at 13 years old or so could be more than a hobby. Gradually I learned more and more about myself, my ambitions, and the world around me, paving the way for who I am now and the way perceive things.


Where am I now?


   At close to 19 years old, I feel as if I've done a pretty decent enough job of being a person. I'm lucky enough to have two parents that have stayed together and provided for me, and I show them the respect they deserve. Too many people that I grew up with and once considered 'friends' have somehow transformed into the exact opposite of the type of people that I want to associate myself with. I've had to sever numerous ties with these people. However, I'm probably a better person because of it.
   That guitar hobby I picked up as a kid manifests itself into my daily life as more of a passion than something I do when I'm bored. The feedback I've received on my abilities at this point is ridiculously positive, so motivation isn't needed. This 'half' of my music taste is reflected in my songwriting, ranging from standard rock, to indie, to alternative, etc.
   What constitutes the other half? I'm an extremely avid hip hop lover. Most people assume that one tends to only listen to 'rock', or only listen to 'rap'. You can imagine the mix of confusion and surprise that arises when people see J Dilla next to Jack Johnson, MF Doom next to Manchester Orchestra, and Talib Kweli next to Taking Back Sunday all on my iPhone. In fact, a more recent hobby-likely-to-turn-passion for me is hip hop beat making. I spend equal amounts of time doing those and writing songs on/playing guitar.
   When I'm not in the studio (my bedroom), I'm a pretty avid sports fan, and a Laker fan since 2000. I make an effort to watch as much basketball (NBA, NCAA) as possible, and because I played the game in high school myself, enjoy discussing the technical aspects of it with people.
    I'm also a sucker for good literature. The Great Gatsby, anything by David Foster Wallace (RIP), 1984, and House Of Leaves have all consumed me. If you're a reader, I'll like you instantly.
   Aside from all of these traits, I do make a concerted effort to be a good person; I fully believe in karma and good fortune. In the same vein, I'll show respect if I get respect back. I've grown as a person from all of my past experiences, and though there's always room for improvement, I'm satisfied with who I am now.


Where am I going?


   I don't have a clear cut plan as to what my future will consist of. Hopefully somewhere down the line I'm healthy, and making money doing something I care about. Ideally, I'd be working with music somehow, be it audio engineering, or production, or anything really. Whatever happens, happens, and as long as I can make a difference in the world somehow outside of my own life, it'll all be worth it.
  




A little taste of my work:


An instrumental piece on acoustic guitar:
http://soundcloud.com/draftdaytrade/ark-bare-version

More guitar stuff:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Draft-Day-Trade/167743773266989?v=wall


A funky little beat I threw together:
http://soundcloud.com/alexbarrera/now-did-one