Disappear Here

It’s been a while before I put up anything of note in this blog. A while back, I started this blog just to see how well I could write about my interests, and the things that I love doing. It’s been fun, but with so much to do on top of a couple of projects along the way, I have to put writing things here on hold. I’ve been working a job, finishing school and gearing up for the upcoming races.

I’ve been putting work into developing Brand of Rascals, a clothing line.

Check out the blog here at http://brandofrascals.tumblr.com

My longboarding site (my final thesis) will be in development over the next few weeks. I’m really excited to get it together to help spread the stoke a little more and finally inch closer towards finishing school at the same time.

I’ve also been mulling a different personal project over in my head for a while now.

Music and/or the Musician

A couple of posts down, I put up the new Blink 182 single “Up All Night”. Now it isn’t exactly surprising to hear mixed reactions from people whenever a musician or band puts up a new single, but getting to hear one of my favorite bands again after much time away got me thinking.

I’m no expert on music, nor am I in a lot of other things, but I would like to share my opinion on it and how I understand musicians.

Listening to the new Blink 182 song, it’s easy to tell how different it is from “Cheshire Cat” era Blink. I love the whole spectrum of change that the band has gone through over the years, and the different bands/side projects they had in between, like Box Car Racer, Transplants, +44, and Angels and Airwaves. The new Blink to me, is an amalgamation of all those things.

I guess it’s easy for any Blink “diehard” to feel a little put off by their more recent musical direction, as with many other musicians or bands. It’s a tale heard often enough. A “core community” supports an artist/band, said artist/band blows up, experiments, and changes, leaving the “core community” alienated or bummed out by the transformation.

Some people never want the music to change, but what about the musician? Sure, it’s easy to get bummed out whenever a musician or a band puts out something new that’s pretty different from their past body of work. But what most people forget is that musicians are people too. They can take in from experience, explore, and grow as much as those of us with less documented and publicized lives.

The Beatles' sound was pretty far out years after how they started, and when they did their own stuff too.

So I guess, when people say they never want the music to change, maybe what they really mean is that they don’t want the musician to change. I don’t think it’s fair for someone who calls himself a “true fan/diehard” to not account for the fact that the musician or band they support can mature, change, and grow too.

Same goes with The Eraserheads?

I might not be making a lot of sense, but what I guess I’m trying to say is musicians, like all other artists, are people. When you appreciate music, you appreciate something made by a musician, out of a certain context in a period of time. They’ll grow, just like we will over time, and that growth will show in their work in one way or another. Any fan can appreciate the music, but I guess a true fan appreciates the musician, that possibility of growth, and is game to keep following the journey.

The Queen of Reinvention

Where do I even begin?

Again, just my opinion. Feel free to disagree.

Muji

I hate going to Muji. Every time I come back, there’s a couple of new things I wish I had the money for. Sometimes it’s the shirts, packs of plains, and button-downs that almost automatically gives me some semblance of refinement. Other times it’s the bedsheets, and bookshelves I could imagine taking up space in the little dream living space I imagine myself having x amount of years from now. Everything’s so low-key yet nicely designed, simple, and pretty functional.

My favorite store as of the moment.

Looking forward, Living Curious

There’s quite a handful of great ideas floating around for what’s to come for the blog, and myself. But right now, I can’t really divulge too much information, especially when those ideas remain precisely that: ideas.

With time, those ideas will get fleshed out. But for now, I can say that I’m really happy and I certainly appreciate being given a new avenue of opportunity for me to share my love for longboarding, and to try spreading the stoke on a new level.

I can’t ever forget that one class in college that really drew out the need “to wonder”. I by far, may not be the best skater around, but I stay curious, and I keep at it. That sense of curiosity and wonder carries over to the other things in my life as well. I’m very excited for what becomes of these ideas and this opportunity. And if ever there’s anyone curious enough to wonder as to what I’ve been hinting at, you’ll know soon.

Make like National Geographic. Live Curious. You never know where it’ll take you.

Soft Opening

“You don’t even know what the thing is yet.”

-Sean Parker, from  “The Social Network”

I started Choice Cuts out of a desire to write about the things that interest me and at the same time, confront the idea in my head that I didn’t write as well as I thought I did. A few entries in, I’ve realized two things. Writing comes easier when you like what you’re writing about. And two, there’s so much more one can do with this tiny blip on the internet.

Today marks a step forward in developing this little space on the net that I call mine. One step closer to realizing what it can be.

I’ve decided to put up a “shop” and sell things ranging from longboarding gear, sneakers, and lots of other things. The condition of the items could range from brand new/deadstock to slightly used, but obviously nothing beat down to the point of being unusable. I’ll make the details of the condition of all items clear, provide (hopefully good) pictures, and ways in which you can contact me regarding an inquiry or purchase.

So with that, The Choice Cuts “Store” is “Open”. And the first thing to go on sale will be up in a few.

First Slice

If I were someone who happened to stumble upon this blog, 2 questions would pop into my mind, “Who is this guy?” and “What’s with the name?”

The answer to the first question really isn’t all that spectacular. In fact, it isn’t even close to being remotely thought of as spectacular. My name is Mykee Alvero. I’m a 20 year old college student, living in the southern part of Manila, Philippines. My life’s pretty good, I go to a good school, a great family, set of friends and loved ones. I don’t have a grind, I don’t have an amazing career, and I actually know most of my friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter.

So why should you care about the things I write about?

Deciding to start Choice Cuts is first and foremost, a personal project. It was about me just being able to write about and the things I find interesting, in the way I choose to write them.  I love all the things I’ll choose to share my thoughts on. In a way, they make me well…me. I know I’m no expert or esteemed authority on these things. Hell, I don’t think I can even write well. I guess another reason that got me into starting this up was for me to confront the notion that I’m not the good writer I was reared into thinking that I was. Now I’m no (insert cool authors name), and I know I’m not gifted when it comes to skills. I’m not doing this to prove the idea wrong, I just want to write cause I can, and I make do with what I’ve got.

Maybe you’ll find something from all the forthcoming thoughts, opinions and acts of sheer geekery on things such as longboarding, mixed martial arts, sneakers, and all the other things that happen to catch my eye or cross my mind. Now I don’t cook, but I do hope to provide nothing but fresh slices of thoughts on these and all of the other things I love. Maybe you’ll find something to chew on yourself, or be able to take and pass  on to others as well.

So from here onwards, Choice Cuts is moving full steam ahead, hoping to make your acquaintance.