normal...

feelin not so normal today. not happy, not sad. just in the middle somewhere. it's not weird either. but my normal is usually super happy and friendly, but today's a little different. but i'm content with it. i know i need this transition type of feeling. i was walking thru the park today and just was being optimistic about things i guess. i know it sounds really corny, but i was thinking to myself "damn, i'm in Boston, i can do whatever i want, and i need to make the most of this." i looked up and was just like, wow, this whole city is just waiting to be figured out. and i can do that. no distractions here, just me and music. chillin. i think i'm at peace.

had lunch at Chicken Lou's today or something like that next to Northeastern University. it was good and a good breath of fresh air to be at another college. especially after my Ear Training test, which was freakin me out all night last night, but i did well. i got an 80 on melody and 93 on rhythym. its alright i guess.

walked around with my roomie pablo, his friend chris, and andrew. also met a guy named Teague who went to berklee but transferred to northeastern. went to this hiphopunderground.com store which is a store but has its catalogue online and you order stuff and then the guy working gets it out for you in the back. bought this new hat.


went home, took a nap, and then walked back to class. this class is pop/rock player/vocalist. we play songs and each person has to sing and play. we only have 4 people in the band. i play piano. the teacher is awesome, shes really nice. she told me today that she knew i wasn't feelin so hot (even tho she has only known me for a week), so she said to just let it out with the music. i asked everyone if they could play the 4 chord tribute cuz i know it makes me happy when i sing and jam like that. so we did it. and i felt much better.

went home again, bought bread at 7eleven. ate 2 sandwhiches, and co-hosted randolph's show, and now i'm learning a few songs for my private lessons. Visions by Stevie Wonder, and Love Dance produced by Quincy Jones.

oh and i have a new video. also, my show is tomorrow on blogtv.com so please check it out!! thanks guys!!! ya'll are hittin up the mulan video like crazy! new disney medley tomorrow at the show! hahaha.




Honors for this video (9)

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-aj

weekend...

yesterday was that wedding, and it went real well. i went to the mall after and chilled by myself, talked to a good friend on the phone for like 50 minutes and had a good vent, and called one of my good friends andrew rhim. he met up with me at the prudential center (the mall) and we ate, and i talked about all my problems, and im glad he was there to listen, cuz hes missin home too and girl problems or whateva, he relates esp cuz hes a songwriter like me hahah. were so emo sometimes. wowww!! but yeah then chilled at his house and jammed for like 5 hours.

the walk back home wasn't so bad, i called randolph, and talked to kristina and she kept me company for my walk home. it was like 12:30AM and i was walking alone on the phone, with an umbrella in one hand. i swear i could be on the new jonas brothers album cover HAHAHA

thats exactly how it looked. hahahah. except not so wanna be panic at the disco. went home, wrote a song that pablo inspired the title for, and finished another song i was writing on thursday... im excited for you guys to hear them. ill be introducing the newest one entitled "Little Piece of Home" on blogTV.com on TUESDAY! so check out my link http://blogtv.com/people/ajraf for the schedule. 

can't wait to show you guys! the other one is a collabo with a very talented musician. more details to come! i also co-hosted RuSoul last night on blogtv, it was fun, thanks russ! today's a good day, the rain's not too bad, but it's not helping my current situation of the feelings i am having right now. hahah. tonight i play mass at the six o clock mass.

today at church, i really felt welcomed by the community. i sang "Here I Am To Worship" for meditation and people came up to me afterwards telling me they were crying and they were moved. see that's what music's about. and especially when its for the Glory of God, people can relate. to be honest, i think about leaving this city everyday, but being at church really makes me feel at home. playing music is my passion, ya'll know that right? but playing music straight up for the Lord is more rewarding than anything. forgive me for the sudden spiritual blog topic but im just being real here, feel me?

my mom texted me back this morning from a text i sent her yesterday telling her sorry for getting the lip piercing behind her back. she said it was ok and she supports my decisions. people, don't disobey your parents. hahah. im a bad example of that, but it truly did hurt when she was disappointed in me. im glad everythings ok now. love you momma. i know you read this. hahah.

anyway, hope you guys liked my new video. another video coming soon. shoutouts to everyone who comments my blogs regularly, i really do appreciate everything. 

oh also! i went to COLLEGEFEST today. by myself. hahah. a bunch of booths like energy drinks banks websites, got a bunch of free ish, but it was 10 bucks to get in. the longest line was for the PLAYBOY lounge, didn't go, too many weirdos in line and not worth it probably. not that i WANTED to go in there. ok i'll shut up now.

-aj

"i think i'll go to Boston..."

whasup guys. so as you know, lyddz and i have been collaborating on music and what not, so very soon you'll see more vids from us! we're so glad you enjoy them. anyway she left yesterday at around 1PM and walking her out to the taxi was hard, that "little piece of home" was going "back home" haha.

and a real quick PS, i know only some of you guys read this but: me and lyddz are JUST FRIENDS, please no gossipping! hahah.. no foreals. k thats all i have to say about that.

anyway, i'm coming back next week to visit my sister especially for her birthday but also family and friends thank God. i needed this break from Boston. and lydia being here was kinda my break from Boston, i'm real glad she came. who's next?! save me from my loner being. hahah

also: GOOD NEWS! i finally got a wedding gig out here, i'm playing piano for a wedding today cuz the pianist is sick (thats the bad news but its ok pray for him) and i'm getting paid! just like how it was back home.. finally some help with the bills. the wedding is in 2 hours and i'm excited. can't wait to start playing more weddings, they are seriously touching, and the fact that i was there for that couple's most important day is INSPIRING to me.

here's a video that pretty much explains my life right now. hahah. special dedication to lyddz who came ALL THE WAY out here, though we've had our problems, i know we'll get through it. miss you girrl! (sorry bout the emo-ness in the video)
click here to watch!

first visitor..

just wanted to thank LYDIA PAEK haha for being here in Boston and being a familiar face. i really needed it. 

we have just been doin videos, and last night we just hung out at harvard square and went shopping. we've just been catching up and what not, but most of all we have been makin music. thats whasup! 

sorry this is such a short post, but just thought i should keep you guys updated with what's going on. she leaves tomorrow =( sucky! i cant wait to be back in California tho... next weekend (the 3rd) for my sisters birthday! but im goin back on sunday... ahhh sucky. school has been alright, i've missed a couple of classes but nothing drastic, miss you all and i will post soon. new videos, tonight!

check out our new video!

with love,

aj

musiq soulchild

ok so i have a special guest blogger for u. she went with me to the musiq soulchild concert tonight, which was totally INSPIRING, and she arrived last night around 11PM. ladies and gentlemen, here is lydia paek! =) yayyy

hellerrr :]

hey bloggers!! so tonight was freakin awsome! MUSIQ SOULCHILD is unbelievable.Too unbelievable that i cannot describe how unbelievable it was.You guys just have to expirience yourselves. The opening acts did pretty bad, out of tune and the audience booed :[ which was not nice at all,they looked nervous. So far Boston has been a stress reliever and a time for me to take a fresh breath of air. I have met really nice people and shopped around newbury st. and me and AJ both bought Supras! so much money! MINES is better though HAHA. More videos to come from AJ and LYDDZ. im so lucky to have talented musicians and singers to play instruments and sing with me. AJ is a great friend and you guys that have not met him yet will love it when u meet this dood. SHOUTOUT to  RANDOLPH i love you nigguhh. YOU are an inspiration to me and keep doing what youre doing. me and aj were talking aboutt how you would bee jumping up and down at the concert and we really wish you were here. love and miss you..more videos from me and randolph too soon to come!! RB and DUSTY-i wuv you guys so much and thanks for being great friends to me.till we see eachother again wich will probably be like next week, miss you guys!checkout my dance crew-www.myspace.com/questdance.

-lyddz<33>

love yall mucho, lydias so sweeeet<3>

here's a video we did. more to come.

ohhh and i had another audition today... i sang here all alone pt 3 and got so into it and i literally choked up and like pretty much cried like for a millisecond.... booooo! pray for me tho =)

-aj

no more air bed stress...

sleeping on this airbed for the last 3 weeks was hell. hahah. i mean it was okay for the first week. but after that its just a chore to sleep rather than it being a good thing i guess. hahaha. i'm getting my order in from iKEA!!! woo! that i placed 2 weeks ago! they lag so bad. wow. i am excited. i finally get to furnish the room and actually be comfortable being here. if im not in school im on this cheap kitchen stool with my computer on the kitchen counter or laying on the awkward mattress. 

i ordered a bed, matress, bed base, matress cover, desk, and a side table with some drawers in it. i am too excited. my roommate dwight just got his stuff in right now, so pablo and i are just waiting. oh real quick, thank you to those who watched the last minute blogtv show. special thanks to the ops and all the other artists who were there.

and thank you to all my friends who still text me to see how i'm doing, or even on rare occasion-- call. haha. miss ya'll! i'm getting a visitor today! surprise! =]] this means videos to come. many videos i believe.

besides assembling all the stuff, i'm gonna be going to the airport at around 11pm and then come back to build some more. i do have class from 4-6 tho. sucks. =\ haven't got the results from the callback, but you KNOW i will let yall know!

**EDIT

here's an email i got about Singer's Night just right now.

Hello, and thank you for your exceptional audition and callback for  2008FA Singers' Night. I'm sorry to have to inform you that you were not  selected for the show this semester. But your performance was excellent,  and we hope you will audition again next semester.  Thanks so much for your efforts, Sean

damn it. =\

-aj

dj - "What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger right?" totally true.

genesis - of course aj rafael loves genesis

szue may - thank u for tuning in all the way from the UK =] and yes its tough, but we'll get thru it right?

janice - thank u for the pointless story, it wasnt pointless, i enjoyed it

living without family..

sucks! hahaha. i mean its cool i guess.. but freakin today i had to do laundry so my roommates and i went to go do laundry at the laundr-o-mat.. freakin SCAM i tell you! 2.50 per load... so we were like WOW... ripoff. but then we saw the dryer and it had a little price thing that said .25 so we were like alright! only 25 cents for the dryer! 

i got some mexican food around the corner and came back and my roommate pablo told me that it was not .25 per dryer load, it was .25 per 5 minutes!!! WTF!!! hahaha... 

not sure if laundry is supposed to cost 9 dollars every time... but damn...

also grocery shopping is a hassle without a car. can't really buy too much...

sorry i complain a lot, but thats what blogging's for right? remember, if you have any questions or anything like that, leave a comment and i'll try to answer it for you in the next post!

oh and if ur wondering about the callbacks for Singer's Night... i did well i must say! i did "me" the best that i could... so if thats not what they want, then thats on them... i got called back for the accappella group as well... we'll see what happens! ill let you know updates ASAP. oh and i might be on blogtv today.. maybe?

blogtv.com/people/ajraf

love,

-aj

another audition...

and another callback! yay =) but i'm thinkin that callbacks are all the same, well at least for me.. when i got called back for the Aladdin auditions for the broadway show at Disney California... when i got called back for Singer's Showcase.. when i got called back for Playhouse Disney Show at Disney California... Beauty and the Beast at RCC... etc etc... its like they always see something at the audition like "hey this kids got somethin, lets give him another chance" and then i go to the callback and theyre like "oh nevermind we thought he had something i guess not" hahaha..

but today im gonna walk in confident (as i have been) and just be me. cuz thats all that i can be. 630 tonight. i'll let yall know how it goes. 

with love,

-aj

callbacks...

callbacks went awesome i thought, well i did the best that i could, but i didnt make it... =\ i'm kinda bummed but then again i kept telling myself before 'it is what it is' haha... ahh.. but yeah it's all good... freshmen barely get in so i hear. i'll blog more later, tonight right after i found out i didn't make it i tried out for singer's night which is different from singer showcase. i sang "something happens" they seemed to like it, and my judge is my private lesson teacher. anyway, have a good night.

the walk back home wasn't so bad, i talked to a good friend, and it was cool from there.

-aj

nerves..

are kicking in... well i auditioned for something else today. an acappella group called "Pitchslapped" (myspace.com/pitchslapped) and its here at berklee and i sang "I'm Yours" acappella. it was pretty cool... but the audition that i'm really nervous about is the callbacks for singer/showcase. i feel like theres so much pressure, and like the odds are against me. gahh.. 

anyway, this morning in ear training 4, i had an issue. i've always noticed it before, but it just started to annoy me. theres this girl in the class who has perfect pitch and she ALWAYS laughs at everyone when we dont get the pitches right on solfege. solfege technique is Do Re Mi all that but with like Ra and Me inbetween and all that jazz. the teacher points to random pitches on the board, and the whole class sings it. we mostly get it, but sometimes we go flat, and when we do, this girl in the front freakin looks around smiling and laughing and i know everyone is super annoyed cuz its like NINE O CLOCK in the freakin MORNING omg. we're all tired still and yall singers know in the morning its a little tough to get the right pitches. but damn what a cocky move. "i have the most amazing pitch in the world so whoever doesnt get it is stupid and im gonna laugh at them"

omg

anyway

sorry. haha. the blogTV.com live webchat was so fun! thank you guys. sorry bout the sound. but i figured it out. its like a gate effect on the volume for blogtv. i have to be at a certain db level for the mic to pick up and send it out on the web back to u guys. so sorry about the technical difficulties, and thanks to all the ops who helped keep the show going, and also to Gabe Bondoc for co-hosting with me. 

hope u guys liked the new piano medley! =] honors!

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thank you so much. im so glad you enjoyed it. for there being some old school songs on there, i'm surprised a lot of you youtuber teens know these songs!! not that im not one, but yeah ya'll impressed me with ur songlists and what not. 

anyway, tomorrows the big day, thank you for your prayers! i'll let you know how it goes seriously! i miss you guys. oh and dont forget to leave me comments on this blog letting me know that you read and what not, and if you have any questions at all, feel free to ask =] love yall.

-aj

oh happy day

im chillin at my friends dorm room... and guess what? i got a call back for the singer's showcase. i asked my friend TS to go check for me cuz the results were posted at 1030 and thats kinda late to walk... haha.. i haven't been so super happy in this whole time ive been here. i was cheesin' for like an hour. haha. =D the audition went well, i sang Michael Buble's "Everything". i played piano and sang =] and didnt look at the piano and looked at the camera i was kinda nervous hahaha but i think it went good for the most part. they see something in me, im so happy that they do, becuz when i didnt get the scholarship i was soo confused because i just wanted another chance to shine. i hope this is my time. my dad was with me at that audition. i prayed for it.

anyway, callbacks are on thursday, and its all good if i dont get any further... out of at least 140 people that were there, there were 20 people who got called back.. and everyone kept saying to not accompany myself and that the odds were against me and bahh whatevaaa but i made it =) im glad i made it this far. thank you guys for all ur prayers. and for believin in me. seriously.

oh and my phone broke. stupid tilt. look at this crap. it never goes away. i turned off my phone once. and this crap happened. gahh

anyway, blogTV show tonight! 7PM PST, 10PM EST. please check it out! i love you all.

new video!

-aj

when the music fades...

whasup everyone! =) sorry i didnt post last night... i was doin some homework, and also made a video with lydia over SKYPE video chat, "Lesson Learned" by Alicia Keys. also, i went grocery shopping and freakin i had to walk home like a good 10-15 minutes with so so so many groceries in my hands. omg that hurt like a biotch. my hands were so red when i got home, and i finally got a work out. so i guess thats a good thing.

Lesson Learned (Alicia Keys ft. John Mayer) - Lydia Paek

hope u liked the above video! anyway, church last night was what i really needed. i got to play piano for the whole mass as i always did back in moval, and i asked the lector to put my dad's name in the prayers of the faithful. today is his 9th death anniversary. i can't even believe how fast time has gone.

ya'll should know that my dad was the best musician i have ever known. i would hate going to sleep early when i was little cuz i knew he always practiced piano at around 9, and that time i would always have to go to sleep at 8. i think thats probably why i let my little sister justine stay up as long as she wants, so she can fall asleep to the music, cuz at my house we jam until the sunrise, seriously.

anyway, i have an audition tonight. i think i told you guys about it before. its for "Singer's Showcase"... its when berklee has a concert to show off the talent at the school. i'm not really expecting to get through cuz its only so often a freshman is chosen. i think i said that already too. but yeah im just doin it for the experience (i know ur thinkin in ur head --thats what they all say for fear of rejection) hahah. anyway, i posted a new video. i recorded it this morning super early like at 10 well thats not that early but yeah after my ear training 4 class which kicks my ass. its so hard. anyway, here it is. i also dedicated this video to my good friends aileen & val. i pretty much have spent all my teenage years growin up with them kinda.. i love em'. 

Heart of Worship - Dedication Video

-aj

weekend...

yesterday was fun for the most part i guess, i tested out of "intro to music tech" thank God, saved 2 credits, and now i get to choose classes to fill it up =) im thinking about 'spoken word/hip hop culture performance class' or 'music study on babyface' or 'jazz improv'. we'll see... i had a class called 'pop/rock/country lab' and pretty much we just perform songs within those genres. haha. its like being at a coffee shop watching people play. pretty cool that this is 'college'. haha.

today was pretty boring. woke up really late. attempted to go to the laundr-o-mat haha. saving that till tomorrow morning i guess. i NEED to go grocery shopping. eating out everyday is NOT a good idea. i went to this place called mr bartleys gourmet burgers today. it was AMAZING. wow. they were hella rude. but its whatevs. people over here on the east coast are more uptight (no offense), opposed to people in cali on the west coast SUPER chill. of course there are pros and cons to both, so im not even gonna go into this subject cuz i know many of you will be like WTFF shut up aj lets fight.

anyway! i checked out this tattoo parlor and piercing place called "Chameleon". i MIGHT get my lip pierced. my mom will KILL me i think. but i wanna feel independent. AHAHA. becuz rebelling is the best way to do it. haha jk. dont follow my bad example, please. i shouldn't even be talking about this cuz i know some of u little peoples read this blog. ahh =X anyway

i still miss home, but i think im homesick in a HOPEFUL way rather than a sad way. i was looking thru photos on my phone on purpose today to see if i was gonna be sad, but i was just smiling. miss you guys. a lot. but i think boston has some kind of purpose for me. i think i need to be here. 

church tomorrow at 6PM at st cecilias. im playing a prelude song before mass to offer up to my dad. its his 9th death anniversary on monday.. crazy... 

hope you guys are doing awesome. the weathers not so bad here, but its really ugly sometimes. humidity and rain. bleh. random thought: im super into hats now. haha weird. i used to hate hats. oh and did you guys check out my new video? i think im gonna start doing videos in the practice rooms. it'll be fun. =) more original stuff coming your way. oh another random thought. taking the train was crazy on friday. SOO many people going to parties. the train was PACKED hahah. we missed our stop cuz we couldnt get out becuz of the ridiculous amount of p

eople in the train. we had to literally push old ladies out of the way. ill let you guys know once i hit up a party. probably wont be for a while cuz im not really a party person. im not gonna force it on myself just because its "the college experience". eff the college experience. do what you want in college dont have to follow the crowd. anyway, enough blabbing. i love kathleen for calling me during the jason mraz concert. 'i'm yours'

-aj

PS im doing a live WEBCAST show that you can view ANYWHERE in the world... tuesday the 16th, on http://blogtv.com/people/ajraf dont forget to check it out! 7PM PST, and 10PM EST. please please check it out<3

PSS pick one that you think is better

boring old thursday...

earlier today was much more interesting. woke up at 8 (as usual), started walking to school at 850. i got to class at 910 right on time and met this guy andrew from london on the way cuz he was in the same class. i wish i had a british accent. anyway. english was cool, has anybody read "a dog's tale" by mark twain? its an amazing short story.

after that, i had my first ensemble class. im so grateful to have been placed in an ensemble. basically its a band with other musicians who got around the same ratings as you. the musicians in my ensemble are great. there are 2 guitarists, 2 other vocalists, a bassist, and a drummer. the teacher is pretty cool. the band is more based off classic rock stuff though, im not that familiar with it, but it will be fun i know it. we perform in a recital at the end of the semester and we just learn new songs everyday. amazingly fun. having a class that you can perform in is just amazing. 

after that i went to the meeting for the singer showcase... its like one of the biggest concerts here at berklee. there were about like 150 people at the meeting and more people are signing up. its gonan be crazy. auditions are on monday... callbacks are the top 20(ish) people, and the end result is only 8 people. 8 people are to showcase the best of berklee at the end of the semester (or year something like that i forgot) actually i think its in april. but it will be great. i'll let you know what happens... im not expecting much right now, cuz barely are freshmen picked to sing at such an event. but who knows. i went straight to the practice room after my arranging class from 210-4.

omg you know how there is always one douchebag in a class? well i have the same guy in 2 of my classes, and he thinks he is the SH*T! omg. he's one of those guys who freakin argues with the teacher at everything he thinks the teacher doesnt know.. and at the end of both of the classes ive been with him in he tells the teacher... 'the curriculum that is being covered here is something i know already can i test out of this class' in an annoying kind of way like he thinks hes so tight. he talks down on the teachers. please tell me you can relate to this. hahaha. and during class while everyones paying attention and listening to the teacher and listening to music and what not to analyze it he's over here blowing air onto his pencil, like super loud! WTF!!! 

ok ok sorry im not usually like that but seriously... nothing gives you the right to be a douchebag in class like that and being rude to the teacher. 

anyway.. my phone screen broke. i was playing soul caliber IV and i lost and i pounded my fist down next to me while saying a curse word and there goes my phone screen. thats what i get. i admit, thats one of my many flaws.. and im just being honest. i curse too much.

gahh. anyway, tomorrow i get to wake up at 9 instead of 8! yay!!! anthony green is playing right now here in boston.. but im here laying on my air matress... gahh =\ miss you guys. hope yall are doing greattt..

dont forget to say a prayer for those who died during the 9/11 attacks... f*ck the terrorists.

-aj

yes!

a class where i get to sing and have fun... i finally got my ratings from my audition and got placed in some performance classes... my class today was 'vocal performance/background singing' it was so fun! first thing we did. no attendance. just stand up and the teacher taught us some background vocals, and we swayed and snapped and sang. it was AMAZING. thats pretty much the highlight of the day. plus there was like 5 people i knew in that class. yay!

finally excited to go to school. its been english, ear training. harmony, all boring stuff, well i love it, but its rather boring. i know i shouldnt be bragging about this but my ratings were 3, 3, 4, 3, on a 4 point scale! =]] it went like improvisation, musicality/instrumental kills, rhythym, and sight reading. im happy with those scores =) 

i should be reading, but right now im watching chris cendana on blog TV, and writing this blog.. i just got back from JP licks which is an ice cream parlor that i wanna work at.. even though i have acid reflux and am allergic to milk. so i wouldn't get to have anything there. hahah. 

im gonna start chillin instead of being ridiculously sad. i chilled at the cafe 939 which is in one of the berklee buildings, with my friends jordan and andrew. talked about a lot of stuff. i needed to just be with people and talk and hang out. thats what i need. haha. to cheska: thank you for that amazing quote. it inspires me.

new video by the way!

i miss you all. i have to read. sorry this post is short. 

-ajrafael

2nd day..

so i had english today. and thats it. i still have to find out what happened to my audition, i think berklee lost it =\ so i have to audition again most likely... thats why i have only 11 credits right now when i should have 16... college writing is what my english class is called.. we mostly just do free-writing which is pretty cool. i had wendy's today. its 1.20 for 5 piece nuggs and 1.20 for chicken sandwhich. in cali its only 99cents. what is the deal?!

walking back and forth to school which takes 15-20 mins (depending on how slow i wanna walk) gets me thinking so hard... about everything. so i think i get sad a little bit walking home and walking back to school and what not. today i was just feelin it. i felt lonely. i was singing to myself and humming some random songs to maybe try to cheer myself up, but i just feel alone. i have a lot of friends out here, but not many i can really turn to and talk about problems with. even tho i don't really have any problems. ehh, idk, its all in my head. i really miss california. and i know ur probably tired of hearing this, but im getting more and more homesick. i wish my mom was just like a block away so i could just come over and talk to her and take a nap or something. ahhh!

lol this is embarassing. anyway, i posted a new song on myspace! so please go check it out. click here!!! the song is called 'when the sun sets on hawaii'. i wrote it on the way back to honolulu from north shore back when i played a wedding in hawaii. wrote half of it on the beach, in hawaii. pretty sweet. =] thank you guys btw for the plays, it's amazing, it shows your support and i'm thankful you enjoy my music. it seriously makes my day. i'm on the computer like half the day. hahah.

also, i posted a new youtube video. 

i'm trying to do homework right now. it's so difficult. being placed in a higher ear training class is cool, but i literally skipped 1 and 2 so i have no idea what is going on!!! hahaha... anyway, if any of you are gonna visit boston anytime soon, let me know =] i'll show you around. i've been walking around to random places, and its pretty cool. theres this crazy store bodega, i dont know if i've talked about it already, but its pretty cool. the prudential mall is pretty nice, and theres this mall in cambridge which is where harvard is, the mall reminds me of california. so taking the train is worth it. its like 2 dollars every time you get on the train. it's a nice system they got going here. i miss you guys.

to my close friends: don't hesitate to give me a call. i know you guys think i'm super busy, but really i'm less busy than i was back in cali. what i would do to be in cali right now. can't wait for the new england winter (sarcasm). 

i bought soul caliber IV today for ps3, anyone played that game before? haven't played it yet but i will get on it. love you all. more to come soon.

-aj

first day of school..

youtube is broken =[ hahah anyway.. started class today. i woke up at 8 and started walking at 9, got there on time for my 915 class =] my first class is ear training 4, from 915-10. i have a big break from that and then its intro to music tech. i'm trying to test out of that class tomorrow.. but yeah the ear training was just a bunch of stuff i never formally learned... i tested into the class, but that doesn't mean i know everything about ear training 1, 2, and 3.. ahh im screwed. haha we'll see what happens.. im just gonna study hard.

other than that, its at a stage where everyone is still super quiet in class so i didn't really meet anyone new today sadly... its ok i'll get in the hang of it. everyone texted me today saying good luck and meet lots of new people! haha.. i will tomorrow even tho i only have one class... berklee is super slow at everything formal. its cuz its a musician run school. admissions, loans, grades whatevaa, all musicians. hahaha. and you know us sometimes...

i then realized that having gigs back in california is gonna be super dangerous to my grade. =\ so i'm trying to change my flights to all direct so i can fly from sunday at 1030pm and arrive in boston at 6am and go to class.. haha ahhhh. love it tho.

i posted a new video of me singing here:

i was feelin kinda emo but in like a good, hopeful way. 2 days. i miss you guys a lot. oh and i saw the weirdest thing today... a man in a business suit doing tae chi in the park underneath some trees (again), followed by a man in a similar business suit riding a bicycle with a helmet on. what the eff..?

-aj

i will write more later, i promise<3

thanks derek for hitting me up today it was a nice surprise, i love you bro.

first Berklee concert... inspiration, finally.

the convocation was amazing... first hour was the dean of students speaking, the president of the school, this filipino guy whose speech was off-the-hook inspiring, and the founder of CD Baby Derek Siver i think spoke as well... those speeches helped me realize that i need to not think about the past and my accomplishments or whatever, and that i shouldn't think about the future too much because the future only exists in our minds... i need to focus on NOW. because time is only a series of "Nows", am i right? does that make sense? haha.. 

before last nite, all i could think about was leaving this place, leaving to go back to Cali and try becoming famous and what not... but now i have realized that there's a reason why i'm here.. it's for me, to become a better artist.. to learn more about being creative... every single one of these people here eat, live, and breathe music... and that's why we're all here. because music has done something to us that nothing in this whole world can do. 

the speeches took about an hour, and after that was the most amazing concert i have seen up-to-date. it was because it was all students from Berklee.. the finest contemporary music school in the world (that's what they said in the speech, kinda got me hyped)... there was a pianist who was a japanese girl.. her hands moved at like 50 miles per hour it was INSANE. as soon as she was done with her little solo in the middle of the first song everyone applauded SO LOUD as if it were the end of the concert. 

a bunch of singers came out.. and they were beyond amazing. the musicians backing them up were even more amazing. the Berklee performance center is an amazing place for a concert.. Musiq Soulchild will be there in the end of september.. im going btw.. haha.. 

a singer came out and sang Defying Gravity as almost like a jazz chart but with the same drive as the broadway version.. it was inspiring to the max. by the end of the concert, i could have been in tears.. honestly i had chills the whole time. 

i just walked home in the rain. bought an umbrella at walgreens. took the T from the aquarium. it was one of the most amazing aquariums ever. love Boston. still love Cali more though. 

i'm finally excited to be here. this is my time, however selfish it may be, to be a better musician. to eat, live, and breath MORE music than ever. what a perfect day to have that convocation. i think it was my birthday present to my dad. to show him that his music can live on through me, and that i can make him proud.

-aj

orientation is ending...

thank God. today's my dad's birthday... happy birthday dad! you're the reason i'm here.. i know ur watching over me and putting song ideas in my head. chillin with Jesus and what not. that's pretty cool to think about... =) i remember 10 days before he died, which was today 9 years ago, we sang songs around his hospital bed... can't wait to see him.

well, i FINALLY got internet at my apartment... but i'm at my friends dorm at Berklee right now. sorry i was MIA last nite. i took the T for the first time (the train) it's not that complicated, but you could easily end up somewhere where you don't wanna be. haha. went with my roommates to get a PS3 for our apartment. even tho its gonna be in his room. sall good. but yeah it was definitely an adventure. i bought a bunch of stuff at the apple store and johnny cupcakes and a hat and i had a laptop in my backpack so i was like pretty much dying walking more than a mile to get home hahah. 

walking around at nite is pretty scary next to my apartment. i kinda wish i lived BEFORE the dark-ass park.

miss you guys so much. like foreals. my mom left yesterday morning, i was really sad. but i think i'll be okay. didn't have time to have a super sad goodbye, i guess thats a good thing, cuz the taxi was rushing her, but i did cry after. no homo. 

i freakin MISS cali. its so hot and humid here its disgusting. but then the winter will come and i will be doomed... went to the berklee welcome bbq today. it was fun, there was a drum circle, and an awesome band. i signed up for an acappella group, asian student union, musical theatre club, and acting club. oh and songwriting club. of course not all of them have obliged me to join, but we'll see how it goes.

LOVE YOU ALL! your continuous support really makes me feel better. keep leaving love and everything on the myspace, youtube and on here. thanks ya'll =D

-aj

to Dad: love me. happy birthday.

placement audition day...

finally i'm feeling excited about berklee. i'm stoked about my audition into the vocal department. i played "My Soldier" and "How Sweet It Is" by James Taylor... they loved it and made me improv on some jazz chords. it was pretty cool i just sang some random words and scatted (tried to scat) so that was fun. then i sight read and it was not as bad as i thought it was gonna be. i met a lot of people cuz i bring my ukulele around and everyones like oo can i play or can you play and stuff like that. 

then i took the theory placement test and picked up my new macbook pro (which is mandatory thru the college).. the theory placement was long. there are 4 parts, and if you can do part 1 you move on and so on and so forth. i got to the last page and everyone in my classroom was gone, not even the teacher was there. i was there for 3 hours. the longest i've ever taken on any test in the world. i didnt take the SAT's or anything so yeah.

i'm still homesick. and even told my peer advisor about it cuz i can't really talk about it to anybody cuz everyones SUPER EXCITED LIKE GO BERKLEE OMG.. i'm almost there. and i'll be ok soon.

jammed with troy and jade a little today. you guys need to watch out for this jade girl. i'm gonna introduce her to you guys on a youtube video, she's amazing. she got a scholarship for piano/voice (piano and voice combined together as a principle instrument). can't wait to make vids with people over here! the talent is endless... every dorm you hear people jammin and making music or listening to music or other things. it's gonna be amazing.

miss you all. mom leaves tomorrow =( i'm shopping with her before she goes tho, yay. don't have a lotta time right now to write too much so i'll end it here. goodnight.

-aj

i'll tell you how the placement went as soon as i find out! shoutouts to renabette! thanks for your love every blog post.

3rd day... move-in...

my apartment is... not what i expected it to be. it's small, old, creaky, squeaky, and the view is a crappy little alley thing. ahh.. it'll have to do. it was less than half the price of dorms, and it's a sacrifice im gonna have to make i guess! its only a mile away from the school... i just brought my stuff in as in clothes... we're going to iKea tomorrow tho..

didn't have to do much for the school this morning except for this student orientation... honestly, i'm not as excited as all the other freshmen.. everyone was like YEAH WOOO YEEE GO BERKLEE and i was just sitting there... i think i'm still sad about leaving. everyones so excited coming straight out of high school to the largest music school in the country... ooooOooOooo... ahh i dont know. i get super mad when people have that kind of attitude about things too.. and i'm acting like those people. i guess my attitude could be better.. cuz for those of you who know me, you know i'm super people person trying to meet everyone.. but right now... i figure i have more than a year to see these people, i just wanna think about cali and the people i miss right now.

check out my new video HERE please leave a comment and don't forget to subscribe =) it's a song called "You Belong To Me". it's like a song about being away from someone....

tomorrow is my placement audition... i'm changing my principle instrument from piano to piano/voice. doesn't seem like a difference, but it's a big one. please pray for me cuz i really need to get a scholarship and/or place high so i don't have to be here for 4 freakin years! i love you guys!!!! and miss you dearly...

-aj