My Weekend In Montreal Canada Part 1

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to see the beautiful city of Montreal Canada. Taking  a direct Train from Croton Harmon New York to Montreal Canada.  It was a great ride as I  had the chance to see and explore the beautiful countryside on the way up  there. The landscape was something to marvel at, lakes, wide open plains, rivers, bridges and mountain the eleven hour train was an enjoyable experience. Along the route, I met some really cool people. There were two young guys by the name of Chris and Shawn who sat directly behind me. The were making there  way to upstate NY to visit some old friends. The beers they were drinking the entire trip told me they were diffidently ready for a great weekend. They made the trip somewhat very memorable, we talked about very interesting issues and topics  about the world and the places we've traveled and been and what we've learned during our journey as men. I also met a young kid my the name of Luke who was no more than maybe 16 years old, but from our conversation he seem as if he lived doubled that from all the places he's traveled and knowledge he has on the world. He was not your average sixteen year old. I arrived a little bit after seven o'clock Friday evening, and when I step out of the train terminal It seemed as if I was gazing into a cleaner and calmer version of NY. They were high rise buildings, parks, restaurants, stores, and statues on  four block radius on my walk to the apartment. I decided to get a glimpse of the city so I walked around for a bit and took some pictures on my way there. From the vibe that I got, the people of Montreal seemed to be very open and carefree. They   have a very progressive out when it comes to certain issues that we haven't full accepted here in the US. On the first night. I walked around they city bright lights getting a tour of the party scene. Montreal was known to be a party scene for tourist and locals, so my cousin wanted to show me around. He moved there three months ago, within that time he understood where the action was. We decided to go to some local bars not too far from the apartment. The bars that we went the people were very sociable and very friendly, the only awkward moment I had was not having any knowledge of speaking the french language, even though a large majority spoke English. Besides that, people were very friendly and they made us feel comfortable. The first night was a good night, as I met some fellow travels from the states and that I partied with us for a bit. We went bar hoping into the we hour of the morning, It was a great night and a great atmosphere to be around. The next day after sobering up for a bit, my cousin and I decided to check out some of the local restaurant. Prior to arriving a few of my friends told me about the routine which was a delicacy in Montreal. We went to a Italian restaurant  that served  different kinds of routine. I decided to try the chicken cuisine. It was basically french fries with gravy with melted cheese and chicken. It was delicious!After we ate , my cousin Sheldon and I  went back to the apartment and caught up with his good friend loco. He arrived in Montreal the same time my cousin did 3 months ago and within that time they became best friend. He was very outgoing downtown to earth and carefree kind of guy, who didn't have any limits when it comes to having fun. He was the kind of person you could help but laugh because he was also doing something outrageous. We he came to the apartment he wanted to take us to the local spot called  sharks, were people go to drink, play pool, bowl or relax on their free time. It was also a spot known to have had a lot of really beautiful ladies so the guys wanted me to see it for myself. It was a great time, we spent the remainder of the day their until night slowly creepy in. We had a plan,  but little did we know the night had something in store for us. We wanted to start out at bar and work our way around the city. We went to a local spot where people went to socialize, relax, smoke and drink. Music was playing in the background, but it wasn't they kind of environment, but it was a great place to met all kinds of people. I had a great time getting to know others especially  a guy name Paul who was 70 years old, and lived a successful life with Asperger disease. He told me about his life his obsession of having 50 pencils on him everywhere he went  and also about his ex wife. The story that he shared with me which I found very intriguing was not about what he did for a  living or how many millions of dollars he  made or where he lived, but the fact that  he still has lunch with his ex wife every Tuesday after many years of not being together. It made me see things differently from that point on when it came to relationships.As the night went on, I was getting restless and I wanted a little more action. My cousin wanted to stay, but Loco and I had different ideas, so we decided to leave and try a next place, He told me about a club which was very popular in downtown Montreal. I wanted to dance and have some fun so we went. Upon arrival the place was packed and jamming with party goers. Men and woman in their twenties and thirties where dancing all over the place.After taking twenty minutes to assess the place, I started getting into the action myself and even danced in a circle of  others who were showing off  their moves. It was a great night!

My Weekend In Montreal Canada Part 2

On the last day we went sightseeing . My cousin Sheldon , Loco and I went downtown, where we walked by Shopping Outlets, Theaters, Malls,  Restaurants, Bars,  Parks,  Museums, and Chapels. Like I said before , Montreal reminded me of NYC, but the differences are its a lot  quieter, the pace is not as  frantic. People seem to enjoy life more, instead of working to enjoy life. All and all the city of Montreal left a great impression on me, when it came to things that I saw and the conversations that I had. The trip couldn't have ended any better,  than on the  last night with  Sheldon, Loco and I and few  friends. Faris Hamad, Kieth Charles Smith Jr, and Naema Boisson. After taking a few minutes to introduce ourselves and fill each other on our life story I felt like I knew everyone for months. Faris was an extremely nice fella who like to make a joke out of anything. Kieth just loves to laugh and play jokes on people, and Naema was just wild and outrageous when it comes to dancing and having a good time. They made me feel at ease within 10  minutes of me being around them. There was a funny moment in the night when I asked someone for a cigarette and after getting it I decided to lite one up thinking it was OK to smoke in the bar. My cousin shouted, "Wade, what are you doing? Are you smoking in the bar"? Take it outside! It smells in here, feeling awkward and stupid about what I did, everyone at the table laughed. I rushed outside with the cigarettes. By then, I thought I made a very stupid impression on myself, then after taking a few minutes of having a  smoke I re entered the bar. Everyone at the table chuckled  once again. As Naema stated, we were just  taking about you and what you  did before and we think your so cool. From that moment on I knew I made friend. They were not quick to judge or think about me in any negative way We spent the rest of the night drinking, dancing and sharing stories about our lives. They were the first people besides loco whom I made a connection with. I will never forget that night or any of  them . They were very fun, outgoing and they made me feel at home.  All and all, Montreal is  a great city and I can't wait to visit there again.

Lyrical Shot Out To All Boroughs By Jay Shells

I saw an interesting article  in the newspaper of the metro this morning, about a graphic designer named of Jay Shells who is using his vision to pay tribute to hip hop greats by hanging up rap quotes. Jay is placing lyric street signs at location referenced in hip-hop songs as part of his Rap Quotes Project. Since New York is the Mecca and birth of hip hop, that produced some of the most gifted lyricist that our generation has ever seen from the late BIG,  Jay-Z, Nas, Run DMC, the beastie Boys and those who hail from the Big Apple. Jay Shells is doing something original, but at the same time its a little outside of the box. Its clever and genius to pay homage to the greats that show so much love and appreciation to the hoods they rep, It makes the art come to life. Hip Hop has come a long way and from its baby stage back in the 70s to where it is today, it speaks volume to the influence it has had on our culture.

Octogenarian Japanese Climber Aims For Everest

The word that seems to be echoing from this dear devil mind from Japan is, if you  aim high you will reap the  rewards and that's what actually what he is doing. An 80-year old Japanese mountain climber who has had heart surgery four times is heading to Mount Everest to try for a third ascent of the world's highest peak and will become the oldest persons to reach the top if he succeeds. Yuichiro Miura climbed to the summit of the 29,035-foot  mountain in 2003 and 2008. He skied down Everest from an altitude of 26,246 feet in 1970. For me, what he is doing is a true testimony of the human mind and spirit. He is doing something that will surpass him long after he is gone. Best of Luck!

Education Goes Viral

I had a chance to catch up on some daily reading in the metro this morning and It stated that since campus space is a hurdle more and are students are resorting to the Internet to deal  with classroom  at universities.  There is a growing number of MOOCs- massive open online courses, which makes life a little less hectic and easier for students who don't want to attend lecture halls or attend classes on campus. For me personally, I think new method of education can have its advantage and its disadvantages. Students have the privilege to be more independent and have more control over their own lives. The other part of the argument is that students don't have the one on one with the professor to do research and learn how to work in a community which is missing more and more from our society. More importantly the complacency and laziness that comes with not having someone  there to push you, or make you think differently when solving  a problem. At the end of the day, things you learn at the university are simply, different than things you learn from an online course. In my argument I understand both sides are relevant but lets not eradicate our old traditions, because it the end its our teachers are the real heroes..

Meditate Regularly

There are many benefits to when it comes to meditation. Whether through natural herbs or sitting down thinking of a place where you would rather be for a few moments, it has been proven to be the stress reliever. Especially for older adults who are always on the go and always worried about bills and appointments. These ancient practices can help improve overall mental health, improve focus, and reduce essential hypertension, a type of high blood pressure that tends to develop over time and is very common in African Americans. Forty percent of African Americans have hypertension which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. For me, over the years the added stress has given me  the perfect opportunity to step outside myself and  take me to a  place of relaxation where I  can't be bothered, because my mind and body are at ease. Over the course of our lifetime life tends to become hectic so I take great pride in taking care of myself  physically and mentally to keep my mind and body sharp. I still struggle with hypertension because genetically it's in the genes, but I can do my very best to control it, instead of it controlling me.

ALL I Have 2013 ( dedicated those with dreams)

I don't have much actually all I have is a dream,

It all apart of my  development and futuristic scheme,

All I want is a better future  to wipe the slate clean,

Hopefully my vision will help me get there,

Can you help me fight the anger and despair?

My constant progression as a man will give me the oxygen of air,

For the future of our kids are in shambles, so lets show them we care,

I will gladly sacrifice my services for others,

For the future of the planet is what matters,

So If I fail, Its been a heaven of a tale ,

For my dream is all I have left to share.