My Indian Venezuelan Sonu

Devendra Banhart... a beautiful person who only means good. He thinks he's Indian even though he's Venezuelan. Gotta love him anyways. His music is fantasimo. I could say i'm in love with him but that's a little weird seeing as how we have never met in this life (and he's dating Portman). But I can still imagine and create. So... this is Devendra- learn to love him.

Indie Films; "Afterschool" and Our jacked Up Youth

After school is an independent film- the works of a fantastic artist, Antonio Campos. It captures the true darkness behind your normal prep school students' life. Where's the fun in living if you're not living the life, right? 'Afterschool' is definitely Campos' biggest piece yet, to say the least.

    

Above is the movie poster. Pretty interesting. It's the main character of the film... the guy who has to go through horrors he obviously never thought he would have to face or be caught in the middle of. He accidently captures- on tape- the death of two students during school. Cause of death: OD. I guess when kids are bored, drugs are the solution... and a bad one at that. Why drugs? Why can't people get high on life these days? People resort to lethal means of amusement because of how uneventful their life is. Really guys, I think society has become lazy. Yes. Look at everyone spending their days sitting around doing nothing. "Hey, what are you doing?" "Oh nothing... i'm just on facebook..." "oh ok. tell us when you're ready to leave- its been 5 DAYS." So yeah... people really are becoming boring ol' lazy donkey butts. Let me know when you all have changed. Maybe then I wouldn't mind talking to one of your kind.

"Celebrate the art and style of film"

Khaike Paan Banaras Wala

Khaike Paan Banaras Wala!

That is the title to one of the best songs I've heard in a while. I strongly encourage you to listen to it- fo serious. If you like fast paced, danceable music, this SRK song is definitely for you- no doubt. It's from the movie 'Don' with Shah Rukh Khan (SRK). To be frank, I really don't care if you watch Bollywood movies or not- you just have to watch this one. You'll love the song. The dance is pretty amazing too. Take a listen, please!

Hate Hate

The one thing I could never make sense of all my life, was the meaning of hate. I understand it when people say they hate chocolate flavored ice cream or they hate the color green but when people say they hate a person or group of people, that's when my mind most likely begins to disfunction. I think of the 'craziness' and how unreasonable it is to hate a person. Hate is one of those emotions that are indescribable. Like love. Love is strong, just like hate. Isn't love just infatuation? There must be something deeper, something closer to you and your heart, as corny as that does sound. So in that case, i wouldn't call it love. i would not call anything hate either. You see, this is exactly my philosophy, to really like or to dislike. It's not as broad as you think either. Love is whatever you want it to be these days. You can say you love someone but then hate them the next day. I don't call that love. I call that a mood swing. Love can be romantic or 'casual' as people like to say these days (which I don't understand). Falling in love with someone is flattering but unrealistic depending on the circumstances. A high school couple cannot be seriously in love- that's kinda crazy. They can really really really really really like each other- but I doubt it seriously that it's love. Wait a while, kids, you'll see what I mean. Love is mainly just a term. "I love that scarf!" you're saying you really like that scarf. "I am in love with this song." you're saying you really like a song even though it's not 'yours'. You're kind of creepy for being in love with a song actually.
example # 2: Hate. Hate is a strong dislike. People who are stupid and unscholarly will say they hate a race, a religion, a person, etc. Here is an example of hate:



       Super bad, right? I know. I hate stereotypes and they have EVERYTHING to do with hate. People like to generalize and that leads to hatred. Some people need to get off their high horse, laama, camel or whatever and realize that the world is unique and no one abides by similar rules. Let others be! Leave the Muslims alone! Leave the dark skinned peoples of the world alone! Let the people who live on borders be- and leave them alone! Is that so hard? Why do other nations feel like they have to put their nose into other peoples business? Leave and stay out is all I have to say. I don't care if they're helping or not- other leaders have their own policies and they won't learn anything, especially when they are taken over by some other power- hungry nation. Friends, this is not hate. This is called being annoying.Hate is, like love, merely- and only- a term. People say hate for anything really. "I hate that girl's outfit." No you don't. You're just either jealous or a jerk. "I hate this crayon!" You actually just dislike the color due to societies take on color differences. If people like the color blue, you all of a sudden think it looks nice- even if you 'hated' that color the other day.
So do you see what I mean? Hate is something to be hated- even though I don't 'believe' in hate. Does that make much sense to anyone else? Look at it his way: HATE= STUPIDITY+CRUELTY+ 'AN 'UNAWARE OF THE WORLD' JIM'. I know what you narrow minded people are thinking when you see a woman in a burqa walk by. I know what's going through your mind when you see a man with a turban on his head. I know what you think about when that worker with the shiny dark hair starts speaking in Spanish. I also know what you think about that colored person standing next to you. Are you narrow- minded? Or do you appreciate the world and all it's peoples? Tell me you do or else I just might throw a koala playing a flute at you. Yeah... that's what I would do. Want to do something fun (but super cheesy? So cheesy your mac n cheese would be envious)?
1. Look up the Palestine Israel conflict and brainstorm to yourself about what can be done if you yourself could change any outcome.
2. Pretend to be an Indian person around the time Pakistan became a country. What would've been going through your mind?
3. If you could travel anywhere in the world and study the politics of the country, which country and why?
4. Imagine being in Venezuela. Nice, right? Now imagine being a civilian 'under the rule' of Hugo Chavez. Would you love him? Hate him?
5. In addition, imagine being in Cuba around the time of Fidel's highest power. Would you have admired him or Che Guevara more? Love or hate?
I don't know about you, but each of these questions seem to be or are centered around the common element and concept of  'love' and 'hate'. Please continue to love if you understand it's true meaning. Please stop the hate if you know it exists within you and/or your society. 

Culinary She-Wolf

I have no idea why I named this piece 'Culinary She-Wolf'... maybe it's because I was thinking about the culinary arts and then I heard the song 'She-Wolf' being blasted. I'll have to admit, it is a VERY catchy song. Shakira is bringin catchy back. That was not funny. 

   Anyways, that song is over since I had ran off to see what was going on when I heard this song being blasted. By the time I came back, the song was over. Now it's some other random song- not as catchy. NOT THAT IT MATTERS. What am I rambling about? Let me get back to what I was going to write about. 

# 1. Culinary; To taste test the best of the culinary art for yourself instead of depending on articles from the food section, go to your nearest 'Clyde's' if you're in America for an off the chain cheeseburger.

# 2. She- Wolf; It's a good song but it's not my favorite in terms of its artistry. Don't get me wrong, It makes me wanna dance all the time, as long as I am not in a public place. Maybe. The point is, if you're a rap/hip-hop kind of person, you'll obviously like Kid Cudi, one of the best rappers out there, right next to Jay-Z, for me. His song 'Enter Galactic' is probably the number one candidate for optimum song to be stuck in my head the whole day. That's an honor. I usually have Hindi songs stuck in my head though. Check out these popular ones:

-Marjani Marjani

-Love Mera Hit Hit

-Dhoom Machale

-Hai Junoon

-Mauja hi Mauja

-Negada Negada

-Zara Zara

-Desi Girl

-Jai Ho

-Bebo

... and if you're into Punjabi style music... Punjabi MC and Lehmber Hussainpuri are ace.

           Another genre I am really into and always have been would have to be the one and only LATIN MUSIC AND MAMBO/CONGA. Oh yes. I dance with it, breathe it in, live in it, and have it for breakfast to get me through the day. A couple good recommendations for you:

-The Best of Desi Arnaz

-Santana

'nough said... discover the rest on your own, that way, you will truly love and appreciate it.

Peruvian Rainforest

Imagine living here. (That's really all I wanted to say...)

An Education

Yes, I am aware of the fact that there is a movie coming out called 'An Education' but that's not what I am referring to. I am referring to a more realistic view of an education. What is it exactly? Getting an education isn't really something that can happen only in school or in a certain type of class. The best education you can get, in my opinion, can be attained on the street. I've learned loads of different things off the street. I don't live on 'the street'. Bien sur pas! You know what I mean though, as I've let myself assume. When you walk around, you hear other people's conversations involuntarily. It can be extremely annoying, especially when they are speaking of ludicrous and conceited things. Sometimes though, on special occasions, you may pick up a fact or two you find beneficiary, something you could never learn out of a text book or hear about during a lecture. You can honestly live by the quote, 'Learn something new everyday'... oh yes... it just depends on what you have heard and from where. Time for you to grow out of 'in-class stupidity'.

1. If the person you have just heard/learned something from seems well educated, that can be a plus- but be careful, these people are most deceitful to the eye- don't believe everything you hear. 

2. If the person or group talking/conversing around you (that you are not a part of), seems to be down to earth, speaking articulately with great verbiage, you've most likely come across the jack pot. Go for this conversation- LISTEN.

3. Before you jump to conclusions, I am not telling you to be an inevitable stalker/ creeper/ brown- noser/ freaky outsider. Oh no. I am simply (and merely) explaining to you the many ways to educate yourself outside of the cliche classroom.

4. OK. Go. Gooooo! Go to the nearest college campus and find some random people. These people can only be useful if you are at a top ranking school though. Don't go to your nearest community college because you never who you run into there... they might not even be a student. 

5. Walk into a random classroom. Kidding. Apparently that can work in some large universities though- so I have heard. Actually... don't even consider this. You have reached complete insanity if you even think it over. You don't need to be THAT smart...

6. Read. Yes, that requires a book. You know... that 'thing' you don't touch...

7. Watch some informative, artistic Indie movies (you'd be surprised by what you can learn in certain films).

8. Produce art. I don't care what type. Be it painting, writing, dancing, you have just broadened your perspectives on everything just by doing one of the above.

9. Be yourself and do not conform to society. Society should always conform to you, on the most peaceful of terms possible, obviously. (Stop carrying around guns, by the way. It's creepy).

10. Get a life and walk around. Get out of the suburbs, move to NYC or even London, perhaps.

Those are pretty much my guidelines to my utopian state of mind that you can experience too, for a very small, limited time offer of a price: Time.

Have fun?

Music is Art

        Music is one of the best art styles there are. Musicians are like artists. Artists are creative. Creativity is a mind set more than it is a way of thinking. Is this making sense? If you are a musician/artist it does. Classical music is great. So is Hindi. Rock is fine. So is Flamenco.  



Above is a picture of the almighty Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A legend, a musical hero, an artist, he is truly a piece of work, is he not? Listen to the song, 'Amadeus' by Falco, the one hit wonder.   



Speaking of art, this is a picture of an amazing piece of art. It depicts something no one else would've thought of. Violence= Love. It doesn't sound right. It isn't right at all. But that is what art is. Art must convey a message and most times, the artist doesn't even know it in his/her own work. In this case, he obviously did. This image (of a gun, grenade, knife, and another type of gun spelling 'love') depicts life now. How violence is used to restore peace and order, perhaps even love. That sounds crazy but people don't understand that that is the way of life. Our life now. How dare we make fun of barbarians if we can't act any better?

Heritage and Culture

        Depending on your ethnicity, you may have something to scream out right now, in regards to the title, 'Heritage and Culture'. Do you call yourself a foreigner? Do you call yourself an immigrant? Maybe a F.O.B(fresh off the boat, as kids like to say)? Perhaps a 'strange one'. I can understand that, whatever it is. This world is filled with stereotypes. Crazy ones too, I might add. If you are hispanic, or have a latin sounding name, you are immediately stereotyped... gardener. If you are Arab or have a middle eastern sounding name you are also stereotyped... taxi driver/extremist. If you are colored, wether you are african or just really tanned, you are definitely stereotyped... this one would go on and on. What most people fail to see is what they lack, themselves. Most people represent a culture full of magnificent traditions that some others may not be aware of, sadly enough. I think that now, our curry smelling, bonfire dancing and quaking cultures need to come out and be explained.

            First things first, before you start thinking about how you do NOT have heritage or culture/tradition, think about what you do have and start from there. I know some people are confused- they don't know what kind of last name they have, they don't know where their great great's are from, etc. Me on the other hand, I love to explore. Why? Because I, in myself, consist of the blood of many countries. I'll say I am Ethiopian to make it easier when I explain to people where I am from. They can't believe it though, because of stereotypes... I am supposed to have dark skin, a flat nose, thick lips, and corse hair, because Ethiopia is an African country. The truth is, because the region of Ethiopia I am from is mixed, I have light skin, a small 'perfect' straight nose, fine lips, and smooth curly/wavy hair, and a 'not-black' facial structure. Is that surprising? I don't think it should be, unless you are narrow-minded and bull headed, which I hope you are not. I descend from Israel, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkey, India, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Armenia, Northern Africa, and who knows where else. Cuba is being deliberated. When I tell people THAT, they become frustrated, you see, because 'it's too many!' for them. Then they think I've lived in all those places or I can speak all of those languages... please! Three languages are enough for me, in the time being. I am considering learning how to speak Arabic and Portuguese though. The point is, I've learned that it is now hard for people to judge me. The only conclusion one could come up with is, 'foreigner'. I've never lived in another country (I've 'lived' in Ethiopia for 2 or 3 months over the summer but that's as close as it gets). Do you know what the biggest problem is in this world though? Besides nationality? It's race and religion.

            On college applications, I believe it has been banned to ask for the applicants race or ethnicity. Black/White/Asian/Native American/Hispanic/Other, are the choices. What does someone like me choose? Other? Why should it even matter? I do not know but I will say this, your skin color these days, cannot judge your nationality. If you are black, you could be Brazilian, Dominican, African, Cuban, or just very tanned, like some Egyptians. If you are Asian, you could be anything from an Arab, to a Japanese person. You see where I am going at? I think from now on, I will call my self an 'Other'. The other problem in this world is religious prejudice. I will use Islam as an example since so many people like to stereotype every Muslim they see, which is something that should not be done. People need to understand that a religion is faith, not a means of war. Not every Muslim is an extremist or a 'I hate the U.S.A' fanatic. Most are actually peaceful, and many people fail to see that. Why should a woman's decision to wear a Hijab or celebrate Eid, determine her career possibilities? Why would anyone (and this is my favorite) be afraid to  get into a cab an Arab is driving? Explain to me why, and I bet you could not come up with anything. Religion should not come in the form of stereotypes and images, it should come in the form of faith and hope. Like the color green. Do not be startled by a Burqa or a turban. Do not be startled by dark skin. Do not be startled by henna. Do not be startled by people. You must be crazy if you are. Learn to coexist and you'll be surprised by how easy and fascinating it is to understand a unique culture or a heritage.

You and Someone Else

           You may not realize that it is very likely there is or was someone in the world a lot like you. You're thinking, 'I have an evil twin then?' No. People don't look hard enough to see that they are not all too different compared to everyone else. For instance, I can compare myself to Kurt Cobain in terms of sense and action. The true person I can honestly compare myself to in all aspects of myself is Henri Bentoit Matisse, my favorite artist. Although the Galila most people see is the Kurt Cobain decoy, my closest friends and acquaintances know that the realest Galila there is, is the Henri Matisse decoy, the one whose life relies on art and independent thoughts. Another thing that me and Henri have in common is the stuff. Art. Visual minds. In more normal words: Artwork. Matisse's work is one that can never be remade or copied. It's impossible. Now, I am not trying to sound conceited or anything, but I feel that my art work has that same amount of uniqueness that cannot be recreated. I guess you could say the same about any piece of art, but look at the 'Mona Lisa' by Di Vinci , or 'Starry Night' by Van Gogh- they have been printed millions of times over and over again by other artists AND machines. There's always that little something in art though, something that makes it the artists own- that is what cannot be repeated. In Henri Matisse's work, I see me. How? You guess and conclude on your own. So I guess there is more than one thing I feel me and Matisse have in common according to me. Of course there is still Kurt Cobain and to be honest, the only thing me and him DON'T have in common is his drug use. If you look around, you may just see that the people who you think you'll never see again or the people you have seen and you will definitely never see once more, may be the ones you are obligated to learn of, you know? Step out of your comfort zone, be it another city or another group of friends, and you will find that there is, with no doubt, someone else. Someone else like you.

The Name Game

        Naming my non-profit organization is as hard as picking a name for a newborn baby. Harder than that actually. If you give an organization a bad name, it's permanent. You name your kid the worst name EVER, well, the kid could live with it, maybe make his/her own cool nick name... whatever... point is; I need some suggestions. What should my organization be named? I was thinking 'Ye Ficker Tezita' which means 'The Remembrance of Love' in Amharic, one of the Ethiopian languages which is also the one I know fluently (because it is my vernacular language, I guess). I want something creative, not straight forward... a bit clever as well perhaps...?

Anyway, hit me up if you've got some ideas- I could really use it- maybe you could inspire me. It definitely doesn't have to be in an Ethiopian language... any language would be nice. So tchao till then.

Marc Jacobs

    Just the name itself can be an adjective, meaning: (adj) amazing, creative, artistic, unique. Don't go searching through your 'Merriam-Webster'... i was kidding. So, whoever is familiar with Marc Jacobs and his work, knows how amazing he is. He is by far, the most inspirational fashion designer I know. Nothing can compare. The thing is though, when I think of him as a fashion designer, it seems wrong. I like to look and think... about him as an artist- which he really is.



    No matter how many awards he has won, or how many fashion shows he has presented, he is still that cool guy I look up to because of everything he has done and his story of success. He climbed his way up... and i feel like his story began the same way mine is starting. I know this may sound pretty corny but how else can I put it? Marc is walking inspiration. 'Nuff said. You know what's also awesome about his clothes/works? They are affordable... kind of. If you don't mind spending around $200+ for a nice romper. It's worth the price though, trust me.

All those people working for Marc Jacobs are putting huge amounts of effort into the tiniest details of his designs that you may someday wear. Here is one question I have yet to ask of   Mr. Jacobs; How do you come up with it all? Really though, his designs seem surreal, things you feel like you should see on display in the MOMA with security guards on either side, not on clothing racks in his shops and places like Neiman's or Sak's. (I actually believe I should have one of each design in my closet in every color and style just for myself). Here are some more pieces from his 2009 spring/summer collection. Let me know what you think, do you believe that the bright colors are here again and the romper is making its way into the fashion scene? Comment and write what you think about these unique style comebacks, and never forget Marc Jacobs, fashion's own Super Man (or Hero, as I would like to call him).

Red Yellow and Green

   Ahh, the famous colors used for a cornucopia of different reasons. Let me guess, you think the colors red, yellow and, green stand for Jamaica... you have the image of a dark man with dread locks smoking a joint, right? Well you should know, that is very wrong. Let me explain to you what the colors mean, jah man, I mean RASTA.

                    

      Yes, this is a picture of Bob Marley, a reggae icon. I've been listening to his music since I was around 7 years old, even before that. Of course I never cared- or knew, what he stood for, or why there was a picture of Haile Selassie on the back of his guitar, but now, I am fully aware of him and his beliefs. Bob Marley, like a small amount of other Jamaicans, was a Rastafarian. For those of you who don't know what being a Rastafarian means, I'll finally break it down for you. 'Rastas' are rare nowadays because they live in secluded areas. They believe that Haile Selassie, one of the most popular Ethiopian emperors is there Ina Carte, or a messiah. Why? Because it rained on the day Emperor Selassie arrived after a long period of drought. In other words, they believed he 'made it' rain. After that, some Jamaicans began to praise him and honor him- some even moved to Ethiopia... and now is when the colors kick in. Ethiopia's flag colors are RED, YELLOW, AND GREEN. The Jamaicans who honored Emperor Selassie became known as Rastafarians, and they were so committed to believing in Emperor Selassie as the messiah, that they... well, hoarded to Ethiopia. They believed that this was 'Exodus' (also a title of one Marley's songs) as they made their descend to Ethiopia. They live(d) in a little town where they farmed in the country side of Ethiopia, away from common civilizations. This is Shashemene:

    As is depicted in the photo above, Rastafarians take to the streets, and note that there is only one head of dreads. So not only have the Jamaican Rastafarians overused Ethiopia's flag colors, but also the symbol of Ethiopian pride, the Black Lion of Judah. Over time, some Ethiopians have become suspicious of the the Rastas as there has been an 'increase in drugs and crime'. Some believe it's prejudice, others just want the tension to melt by listening to music and 'uniting' as Marley liked to say. Maybe that's the reason for the common stereotype Rastas have been categorized with; Dreads for carelessness and drugs for relaxation- all that life should consist of, they would like to think. (Before I forget, there are some ITALIAN Rastafarians in Shashemene, showing the diversity in ethnicities not only in Ethiopia, but in Rasta communities). I found it interesting and a bit unique because, again, of the stereotypical image of Rastafarians. But, as some don't know, Ethiopia still has a tiny community of Israeli's that also live in Shashemene, believe it or not. I'm not going to get into the Israel/Ethiopia story because it's much too long and very detailed, I'll save it for another blog posting. So there you are friends, the meaning of the colors, the lifestyle, and belief. Jah man, you better remember this next time you prance around wearing red, yellow, and green! Don't smoke cannabis because it's the 'cool' thing to do, or because you feel 'Jamaican'- you have no excuses now that you know the true meaning of Rasta. 

    *Does anyone else that understands Rastafarianism or doesn't treat Reggae and Marley like a fad or trend, feel frustrated when they see someone chewing bubble gum while texting or someone who has never listened to more than one song by Bob Marley wearing a red, yellow, and green Bob Marley shirt? I find it EXTREMELY annoying. Comment [with a yes] if you agree, please!

Compare and Contrast

These images' depictions seem all to familiar... the youth back then is very similar to the youth now... except you don't see girls standing in front of bayonets with flowers in their hands very often. 

       America still eats her young. Or the young are eaten by something else. Whichever, it's still bad and war will always be inhumane. Is no one capable of sitting down to talk about their issues instead of fighting each other about it? Can't the different leaders of the world just shake hands on some sort of an agreement... ANY kind of agreement? As long as the youth grows, all is good.

To Be Continued

The Life Story

I always rant (blog) about things i like talking about... but how about writing something that will actually benefit me? The real reason for having created this blog. get ready, friends.

So, my english teacher writes for the 'Washington Post', which is like second best next to 'The New York Times' according to me and my preferences. I asked her today how one could prosper in the writing world and she said writing BLOGS and COMMENTING on other blogs would be a good start so i told her that i had already gotten that down. Then she said to get involved in the school paper (which I wasn't interested in doing because i am way too dedicated to art... and i heard it's a boring class, to be truthful). I have half. A lot of people ask me, 'Why don't you become a doctor like the others in your family?' or 'Will you or are you going to an Ivy League college like your family?' Those are the unanswerable questions, seeing as how i tend to live in the moment. Yes, it would be rather nice to be a doctor, and yes, it would be nice to go Ivy, but what happens if I don't get anything? My cousins went to Brown, Harvard, George Washington, and Oxford University, to name a few. What I would like to know is, what do you do with an ivy league education when you have no idea how to use it? You know, like if you haven't decided on a job or future after studying at a 'top college'? I feel that I will be put into such a situation unless I am 'discovered' for some kind of capability, maybe writing, or composing music... perhaps art. Who knows? I think blogging will be my answer. All my thoughts are on display and my writing is being shown to the public. Here's some writing that I hope can change the way you view a blog- it's not a happening, it's a mind's result.

         "The kids all dream of making it, whatever that means"- The Arctic Monkeys 'Teddy Picker'. The quote that describes my generation. "The youth is starting to change"- MGMT 'The Youth'. A quote that describes my generations needs. Music, books, movies and revolutions, fill the minds of the youth with subjects of matter that can easily frustrate. "The Iranian situation: Conflict in Tehran... people have been injured, many wounded... demonstrators take to the streets..."- all that my generation hears as the news channel is turned on. "Buddhist army"- WHAT THE H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS IS THAT?! Has our world really come to this? Imagine Ghandi telling us to fight in a war or take a machine gun to Gaza... is that right? Never shall we think so unless the nations have denied us peace. When I say 'us' i mean the youth, or, my generation, also called the 'youtube generation'. We find ourselves maturing at an alarming rate of speed. It's quite scary though, to be frank. I'm afraid that by the time we all 'age', the world will either blow up or deteriorate along with civilizations. What's sad is that many youngsters are anticipating their death in a reasonable fashion. Kids, teenagers, young adults- all of the youth pretty much, believe that 2012 is our last year. Some are excited. Some are sad. Some just don't understand period. "I'm happy. It just means I won't have anymore bills to pay... no more of those stupid taxes... pssh, the government don't tell us anything," Martha told me one day,"Who knows what the government is keeping from us anyway?" she continued. "There could be aliens," I added. "There could be- and we would never know," Martha finished off with. She is one of the coolest people I know. She thinks in a certain way that none else could comprehend unless you understand the subject on hand very well. Isn't it disturbing that money will drive people to thinking that life isn't worth living long? Whatever happened to living as long as you can while drinking green tea and doing yoga?

          It started in 1969, 'The Summer of Love'. Woodstock was like the center of the world to hippies, youth advocates, and [young] people who had nothing else to do. 4 Days of Peace and Music. Of course this summer of love was unfortunately followed by the summer of hate. Woodstock was then recreated in the 90's... 1996, right? Anyways, I wish I could have experienced the one and only experience- the Hendrix experience. oh yes. Sadly, much of our youth did not get the chance to experience many of the once in a lifetime happenings because... well... we are the youth! Plus, many of histories artistic icons didn't get to live to today because of unnatural causes- drugs. Drugs such as LSD and cannabis led to inspiration according to many bands and musicians of the time (even some bands now). It ultimately led to the death of many of the 'big guys' such as Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, even Janis Joplin. Now you don't have to be an icon to use 'magical' drugs. You can be the person next door, the bored kid in suburbia, or the curious teen. When our world winds down to a soon doom, so does the youth. On top of that we've got economical problems and nations making other countries targets for nuclear bomb tests. So using the magical drugs to make you feel good, relaxed, and in a different, better world, makes sense. It's not good... but makes sense. The Youtube generation should be called the 'Recurrence of the Hippie Generation'. 

To be continued...

A Greek Paradise and Ethiopian Aid

For some reason, some of the pictures i've posted are gone. Oh well- the texts are still there, that's what's most important. So anyways... what is new, what is new.... oh- j'ai un idee pour Ethiopie... oui oui. (I said that I have an idea for Ethiopia in regards to my last post). We all know Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries on Earth. It's 3rd world and is suffering from famine, poverty and, disease(s). I KNOW i want to do something to help. This summer, I'll be getting to work on that organization that's been brewing in the back of my head to aid Ethiopia and hopefully later, other developing countries as well. I'll start out little and work my way up. It's going to be a non-profit organization- every penny goes to Africa. It will be hard but SO worth it. any ideas? feel free to comment...

but besides that, I'd like to talk about something a bit more cheerful. A place. In Europe. In the Mediterranean area. An island. Towards the east. I've dropped every hint there is (besides how beautiful it is). Here is Santorini, Greece:

        

Santorini is the most beautiful place- nothing can compare. It's a paradise. Sure there are other

islands of Greece such as Mykonos, but every island has its originality that makes it different. In my preference though, Santorini is the place I want to be. The Mediterranean is what it cracks up to be and more, Santorini just makes it that much more amazing. I really hope to go there this summer- might even visit a friend there. If I don't go, well, there goes the hi-lite of my summer. (Here's a picture of Mykonos because I now feel bad that I didn't 'put its beauty on display'):

                                    

Ethiopia

                      

       This is Ethiopia. The heart of Africa. In the photo above are Ethiopian children. Not your usual sight, I would say, unless you were, well, oh I dunno, Ethiopian? *note the sarcasm* So maybe not all of Ethiopia is like this... I know for a fact that Addis Ababa, the capital is definitely not suffering like this- no way- instead, people of Ethiopia use the money that might be lying around to build malls and movie theaters. Is that so important when you know half your people have claimed the title of 'poorest of the poorest'? Don't you want the other half to catch up before you move too far on ahead? While the capital is trying to rid itself of the mark as '3rd world' by crawling out of the developing country standard, children and families are dying one by one of things like disease and famine. When your people are dying out, what's the point of establishing shopping centers? That, I truly want to know. I myself have been to Ethiopia many times and if I got a penny for each instance a beggar came up to my car window, I'd be the world's biggest philantrophist. If only you knew how it felt when the rural children surrounded you while you walked among them, the nicest smiles spread across their faces as they offered you hand made gifts and tokens. 'These children could sell snow to the eskimos', I keep reminding myself. I will always remember Jordan, the 12 year old boy who befriended me on my way back to the car in Lalibela. His broken english didn't stop our conversation, as we spoke of Ethiopia, his school, his sister. I didn't know wether he knew I could speak speak Amharic or not, but I let him speak in English- as practice. Minutes later, I could not leave. The children had such engrossing things to talk about, they were so happy and exuberant, how could you tear yourself away from that? I did. When I got home i knew that Operation Ethiopia was going to be life changing, as I thought of ways to raise money for the youngsters in Ethiopia who I knew could not attain an education, let alone a home and decent health. Jordan gave me a 3 generation old coin which I still have today. To Jordan, it probably seemed like he gave away a fortune... to me, he gave me a piece of history to hold on to, so I'll always remember what I'm fighting for.

The Hippie Came Out and Is In Control

ok so the last blog i posted was more... how shall I put it... visual. I felt no need to explain the artwork what with everyone's different imagination(s) and points of view. I was trying to display my thoughts and desires... the things I seek or crave... all that I love... in one-quick-to-the-point 'illustration'. [I hope whoever saw them liked it all?] and I have to stop with the elapses... there I go again! anyways, my views on everything always go back to the marvelous world in the special part of my mind- the arts section. whatever i do, see, think, hear, etc, leads my head and senses into this sort of heaven. and no, i am not on a 'trip'. I enjoy speaking my mind, bringing me to the fact that art has it's way in my life. It works silently most of the time, finding its way into my daily thoughts and actions. I hear music in the outdoors and i see a painting in the sky. I feel a quilt underneath my feet that to other people, seems like grass. nature's air is a perfume that smells better than any fragrance at Neiman's. The birds play music like a band and the sun is the light and source. love is the epiphany of life and thought. bodies may conform but the mind always perseveres. the way of the world is much like art, you see. I'm not sure if this makes sense to anyone- (you must be senseless if it doesn't) but it's the way we go and how we do. huh... I guess you could say it's 'how we roll'.

Life Image: Un Peu d'Aire sur Terre

This is an image I have have found that display's a good life in my eyes. What I want to see when I get the beautiful chance...

         

(Andy Warhol is one of the most amazing artists. I just thought  that maybe you all would like to see some of his works but they have been deleted for some peculiar reason).

Matthew Williamson; The Design Controversy

There has been a lot of debate over some of Matthew Williamson's designs over the internet and in some Ethiopian communities. People everywhere seem to be outraged over the fact that he claims he designed dresses (such as the one above) by using bits and pieces of African designs to come up with it. Honestly, the dresses look 100% Ethiopian made- I would say the only difference is the pair of shoes paired with the dress (which no Ethiopian woman would wear for the sake of dignity and by seeing how conservative most Ethiopian women are). In all seriousness, I don't see what's wrong with him using Ethiopian clothing- as long as he doesn't take all the credit for it (which he hasn't). If anything, every Ethiopian should be proud that their beautiful clothing is being showcased to millions; consider it a means of African tourism stimulation. Mr. Williamson may have just well created an East African phenomenon.

Yoga, the Middle East and, Queen Rania

I haven't been blogging in a LONG time... but I'm back now!

so a lot has been going on... time to list;

1) school

2) stress

3) yoga

4) intense musical indulgences

5) [7] awesome paintings i've made are drying as we speak

6) opinion: 'Kite Runner' is a beautiful movie as is 'Marie Antoinette' (with Kristen Dunst)

So these aren't really happenings... more like what's on my mind.

Before I forget- I want to know, what are your takes on the Israel/Palestine conflict? I happen to find it as a very interesting topic of discussion... don't take sides, just state what you think (if you have anything to say). I myself am from many countries including both Israel AND Palestine (how ironic) and I love what everyone has to say about the conflict. 

Speaking of... has anyone seen Queen Rania's youtube videos? They are so insightful! She is such an inspiration and earlier today i actually said, "I want to be just like her when i grow up". Can you believe that? I'm practically finished growing up and I say things like that. wow. Anyways, who wouldn't say that? Queen Rania highlights some major stereotypes in the Middle East and points out issues that impact our world. 

Comment if you have anything to say... 

*nothing negative- keep it positive*

Aurevoir mon cherie

Just Started!

Salut! (Hi!) I'm Galila... and I've just created my own blog so I'm new to this- no criticism! :)

Anyway, World Love Peace & Art pretty much says it all- very self-explanatory. I'm an art enthusiast; I LOVE ART. I could live in the MOMA. Well, I actually wouldn't be allowed, but you know what I mean. I love all forms of art- especially fashion design (which is part of the reason I even created this). I also live for music... and music lives for me. [haha] So on top of all that I'm very much into world affairs. You know, the whole peace on earth kind of thing. Some call me a hippie, some call me crazy- but that's just me. To be more specific, I have literally hugged a tree. Yes... I'm into the whole 'save the world/ rainforest/ whatnot' thing. 

*i should add; sometimes I write in Franglish (French/English) just because I think it's fun. I'm not even French... I think. So that's as much as you need to know about me till next time, right?

Tchao! Bonne nuit! Ou Bon whatever it is where you are!

~Peace Out~