Bras and things

bras and things

So the long weekend has come and gone. Ah, the joy of an extra day off! How did I spend my weekend?

Thursday night I went to Bar 333 for a work function for some free drinks (love it!). Then headed to Skygarden for Mayank's farewell drinks, then back to Bar 333. I actually ended up going to Bar 333 a total of 3 times during the long weekend, and that place ain't even that great.

Next day was Australia day, and I chilled out at Maroubra Beach with Nuggets and Ian. The weather was really nice but the water was freezing. Headed to a family BBQ at Garrison point which is in my hood!

The Mayank has left the building

For those that don't know, there is one less desperate and horny male from our country. Mayank "Don't call me Tom Cruise" has left our shores. No more Denzel Washington sightings it seems. He's off to the land of bad cricket teams, rowdy soccer fans and the home of corgies. Yes, he gone to the UK. We had a farewell on Saturday night at Chintia Ria, a Malaysian restaurant @ Cockle Bay Wharf. The food was amazing. I kept eating til the dishes stopped coming. Awesome curries, chicken roti, duck, noodles and even the tofu ria wasn't too bad. Highly recommend it. The food is meant to be hawker style - the stuff you buy in the streets of Malaysia/in the markets. Bit pricey but definently worth it.

Later that night we went to Bungalow 8. We were a bit worried given that we were rolling with like 15 guys and 2 girls, and Ben Zhang brought his Chinese novel with him. Usually bouncers at King Street wharf are fooked (given my issues with them last time), but we all got in. Great atmosphere at Bungalow 8, nice crowd and we managed to get a table eventually. Saw some girls from work, started talking to them and met their friends who might be able to help me with something. I actually managed to get a stack of business cards on Thursday and Saturday night, and followed up with emails on Monday morning.

Sorry i couldn't make it to hugo's lounge on saturday night! I know you don't read my blog, but I couldn't make both parties!

So Clean So Fresh

Then Sunday, we headed to Freshie (freshwater beach). it's actually quite a long drive from my house - hour or so. You know what, I could live in Manly cause there's just so many nice beaches so close by. Curl Curl and Manly beach just down the road. Too bad their football team sucks. Weather was hot as and again, the water was colder than Mayank's rejections. After the beach, we chilled at cafe nearby. it was good to be out and about.

I must say it was one of the best weekends I've had in a while. And, I learnt the meaning of "cutting sick". Thank you Ian for providing a demonstration for us on teaching someone how to ride the boogie board (ahaha).

Trouble Trouble

My girlfriend has discovered my blog! I mentioned that i had a blog and she googled it and found it. Ahhhhhhh, 3 years worth of posts are on here. Personal stuff, reflective, stupid and a bunch of "what was I thinking when I wrote this" type posts. I can't really hide in cyberspace can I. She actually didn't tell me for a while and was dropping hints here and there, referencing certain things that I had written.

Basketball Fundamentals

Last night I suited up for Nate's mixed basketball team. Again I was consistent with my 4-6 point average! As requested by Nate, here are the Jordan fundamental videos.

How to play D like MJ



There are some interesting tips here especially with using one hand to flip the ball up as opposed to reaching in from the top to steal the ball.

How to fadeway like DJ Ho




This one's for Nate or you can just watch me fadeaway :P

How to pass to the post



For everyone on the Flavo's team (except Tim) that never gives the ball to Tim in the post. He's always complaining that no one passes the ball to him down low :)


I'm out Mayank from Australia,

DJ Ho.

Hibachi San

Sad day at work this week. Two of my best friends at work handed in their resignations during the week. It was disappointing to see them go but I'm happy for them cause they are moving on to new opportunities. I can only wish them the best of luck. I kinda knew they were going but it wasn't until they told me that it really hit me that they were leaving. One of the most disappointing days in the history of my company.

On the lighter side..........

Hibachi



From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The hibachi (Japanese: 火鉢, literally "fire bowl") is a traditional Japanese heating device. It consists of a round, cylindrical or a box-shaped open-topped container, made from or lined with a heatproof material and designed to hold burning charcoal.

In North America, the term "hibachi" is used to refer to a small cooking stove heated by charcoal (actually called shichirin in Japanese), or to an iron hot plate (teppan) used in Teppanyaki restaurants.

During the 2006 National Basketball Association season, Washington Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas began to shout the word as he took field goal attempts in games, explaining, "You know, a hibachi grill gets real hot. That's what my shot's like, so I've been calling it that: 'Welcome to the hibachi'."[1]



He has also stated that while he is scoring on opponents, he is "cooking chicken and shrimp" in reference to his "Hibachi grill," and that if his opponent wanted to double team him, he would "cook filet mignon" as well. "The Hibachi" has quickly become Arenas' nickname.

There was even a banner made for him "Arenas 'hibachied' Kobe". As Kobe is the place where the world famous Kobe steak orginated. This was referring to the game when Arenas outscored Kobe Bryant 60 to 45.The term "Hibachi" is now catching on to describe players who are "hot".

If you don't believe the above, check this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibachi.

I'm out like Hibachi,

DJ Ho.

Nas v Jay Z

It's sunday morning, and i've been up since 8am. What have I been doing on this productive morning?

Well I've been checking out hip hop music videos and come across some more gems which I thought i'd share with y'all. I don't want to put all of them on here (i.e. youtube you out). Lately I've been incorporating a lot of youtube videos in my posts because I've recently discovered how to post them, i like sharing them plus I've been a bit lazy.

It actually takes a bit of effort to write a coherent post and I've been busy lately. Hoi's comment in my last post was kinda on point. The last post is the best I've done in a while and I did put a bit of thought into it. I don't feel like I've had a major hit (a brilliant post) for like a couple of months. All I do these days is post random ish.

Over the past month or so I have been slightly preoccupied. I had my 25th birthday party, work was getting busy, I was going out a fair bit, and I've been sick.

Oh and did I mention that I have a new girlfriend? :P

New York's Finest

I wanted to share these old videos I've come across lately. First up on the mic is a young fresh 17 year old rapper sharing the mic with Jaz. This song is called "The Orginators" and was released in 1990 (back in the day when rap was at its peak).



Watch Jay-Z use the fast rhyming triplet style to full effect. It was popularized in the 1990's and groups like Das Fx started using that "riggidity diggity" style. Big ups to Humanity Critic for the video. If you notice now, Jay-Z has actually slowed down his rapping style. Listen to songs like Twenty 22's from Reasonable Doubt and you can see that he can pull off that faster style.

I've also been watching the Jay-Z Video Vault series from MTV.com. It breaks down each era when a Jay-Z album was released such as the Reasonable doubt era - 1996 , In My Lifetime Era - 1997, Blueprint era - 2001, etc..... For some stupid reason it won't let you watch the actual music videos but you can see all the interviews, which is still pretty cool.

Switching it up, check out this Nas Remix video of "Made You Look". its a live concert video featuring Ludacris and Jadakiss. Luda & Jada rip their verses, while Nas sounds like he's screaming.



For more Nas classic video's check out Street Dreams, If I Ruled the World, Nas is Like (best track ever!).

If your feeling Mr Lupe Fiasco who's playing at the Metro on Tuesday, watch the MTV "My Block: Chicago Video". Pretty sick.

Made you look,

DJ Ho.

We reminisce.......Chris Webber

Freestyler: Rap City

From watching the Aries Spears videos on You tube I have come across another hidden hip hop gem. In America, on BET known as Black Entertainment Television, there is a show called Rap City. It's quite popular in the States but I actually had never heard of this show before.

There is a mad segment in the show called "Freestyle Booth". Its a segment where a rapper will come into the basement studio and freestyle over a popular beat. I've seen videos of Snoop, Nas, Ludacris, Mr Cheeks, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Kanye West, DMX, Lil Wayne, and more. It's just awesome. You actually get to see how some guys just suck at freestyling while others just do pre-written material and the real rappers just spit fire. It's actually not that difficult to pick when someone is rhyming off the top of their head versus stuff they have already prepared.

Some guys stuff up and sound absolutely horrible e.g. LLoyd Banks and Nas. While others like Snoop and Common just rip it up. Check it.

Snoop



This is the best one I've seen. Snoop's got the swagger, the continuous flow, matching the rhymes and beat, lyrics are good and its funny as well. It's the longest freestyle I've come across on rap city. Crippin!


Common



Common's voice is just magnetizing. I just really dig Common's voice plus his lyrics are always deep (i.e. no gangstas, hoes, or drug references). The way that Big Tig and Common interact, feeding off each other energy is awesome.

LL Cool J



LL just goes nuts on this beat. I recognised this is as pre-written material from the G.O.A.T album. I've never seen LL perform like this, so much fire. Never knew he had it in him these days.


Bone Thugs



Nate will be happy with this one! The first guy sucks, but Bizzy Bone is possessed. He goes crazy and shows his got mad lyrical skills. I think he must be high.

Lloyd Banks



This is wack. Pathetic. Worst freestyle I've ever heard. G-unit crew suck. It shows the difference between wannabe rappers to living legends like Snoop and Common.

Mr Escobar aka Nas



I thought this was good until I realised it was pre-written material plus he stuffs up at the end. I was expecting, the king of lyrics to tear it up. I mean he's the King of New York. C'mon Nas, you can do better than that. You shook!

There's heaps of other ones available. Just jump onto youtube and search for "rap city" and you'll find stacks of videos. Wait, I've even done for you. Click here.


I'm out like Rap City,

DJ Ho.

Truly Inspirational - World's Strongest Dad

Can World's Strongest Dad

[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.

``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

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Credits: Daniel Chelliah's myspace.

I'm out like the world's strongest dad,

DJ Ho.

Stat is back

It's good to see that Amare is back. He's one of my favourite players and I was really worried when he went down with the first knee injury and then the second one. The problem was that his game is based on athleticism and explosion. He just jumps over people (straight out the building). I was concerned that he'd turned into a Penny Hardaway/Chris Webber or a McDyess because of his knees. Not many players regain their status as an elite player when they are cut down like that in their prime. Most of them come back as a former shadow of themselves.

Stat is just awesome to watch. I had this conversation with Chuck and we were like back in the day like 2 seasons ago he was just an unstoppable force. He was ripping Tim Duncan in half in the playoffs (Tim you know it!). Putting up numbers like 30 points and 20 rebounds on the regular.

Taking it to the Kandi Shop


The criticism that many people have of Stat is he doesn't have the footwork of the great postmen like Hakeem, Malone or Tim Duncan. That's because Amare never went to college and came straight from high school. Never got that technical training. He came in really raw. I'm sure he'll develop it and he has to now because he wont have the same explosivness he used to get by other people. Guys like Hakeem and Malone beat you with the superior footwork and smarts. Could hit that jumper, take you inside and outside, gave you different looks. Amare's gotta learn that especially when his body starts declining. You can't always dunk on everybody. Even Shaq Daddy is finding that out.

And Amare you gotta pass more dude! Your averaging half an assist per game! What's up with that. Don't be the next Yinka Dare cause that ain't pretty.

Sidenote

I was invited to join NBA Bloggers and "the dj ho diaries" is now listed on their blogroll. NBA-Bloggers is an source for blogs about basketball, sorta like an index. I don't write all the time about basketball just occassionally when I'm in the mood but you can find every post I have written on there.

Maybe soon you'll find me on nba.com or slamonline.com!

I'm out like the Stat attack,

DJ Ho.