Greetings, dear readers! Yes, you. You who have been loyal since the October in 2002 when I said "yes" to starting a weblog even when I didn't know what the heck one was. Times have changed. And more than you think. As I plan not to update my beloved blog and keep this as an archive of my ever-evolving life and writing ability, I want to be a reachable human being, that I do. Here's how to be reaching this human:

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/brent.rolland

Twitter: @brentrolland or @animetriviatrap (the latter is the official Twitter home of my anime game show, "Anime Trivia Trap!")

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Brent/Rolland

 

And, of course, feel free to message me here at Xanga or at brent.rolland@gmail.com. I will definitely be looking out for your correspondence and colon-closed parenthesis smiles.

I sincerely, sincerely thank you for your support and readership. Friend me, follow me, link me, poke me...whatever. I've got lots of great things in store for your eyes only. I'll see you on the flipside. God bless.

 

~phoenixes never die, they just fly~

Happy new year, fellow Xangans!

It's about time that I show this blog some love and keep it alive. Flowers, champagne and serenading Barry White just ain't gonna work in this scenario. So! Since I've unofficially claimed Facebook as my new pseudo-blog, I will be sharing whatever blog-like stuff I concoct there on my Xanga site. And vice-versa. Dont'cha just love win-win situations?

Here's a note entitled "Brent's Top Nin9 of 2009." Read and enjoy. Be sure to come back for seconds.

~new year, new blues~


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Brent's Top Nin9 of 2009

Happy new year, everyone!

As the first day of 2010 comes to a close, I wanted to look back at some of the more significant things that I have been blessed to experience this year. Welcome to my "Top Nin9 of 2009: A Retrospective of Gratitude."

Here's my top nine favorite things of 2009:

9: iMazing
All righty...I will start my top nine on a rather geeky note. One of the best items I bought for myself this year was an iPhone 3G (1st generation). I bought it for my 25th birthday. Not bad to get plastic, glass and lights on my silver anniversary of my birth! It was a much-coveted item for myself, as I knew that it would help me be more mobile and productive in and out of work, and on gigs. The feature I've used most on my iPhone is the iTunes Store. I have had several do-or-die situations in which clients and guests asked for songs I didn't have. Who knew that a quick download would save the life of a party? I had waited a long time to get an iPhone, and I'm so glad the opportunity came. It was getting a bit cyclical borrowing my mom's phone. Ha!

8: Yogurt! I mean...Yoga
So...I gained some weight this year. Twenty freakin' pounds. I'd so like to blame this on many a fast-food restaurant, a tasty apple danish or the existence of corn syrup itself, but hey, we all gain weight, right? My awesome boss and friend James recommended that I look into yoga to get into shape and gain peace. He said I would definitely like it. You know what? He was right! But I don't like it. I LOVE IT. Yoga is an exercise that flows on a relax-work-relax-work pattern that involves breathing exercises, meditation, and a lot of a stretching and bending. I had no idea how flexible I was. I have gained more peace, better strength in my muscles and core, and most of all, it has kept me healthy and energized. (Ladies...take notice!) I've taken yoga classes weekly on Saturdays for almost three months at PurePeace (prior place was the Sivananda Yoga Vendanta Center) on Bryn Mawr and Broadway, not too far from my workplace. I've been on a bit of a hiatus because of the weather, but I get back on my weekly track when Chicago warms up a bit. Which had better be soon.

7: Idol Talk (not referring to my fave Akino Arai song!)
This year, I have been blessed to befriend and make acquaintances with several talented AX idols, including Stephanie Yanez, Pamela Moss, Traci Hines, Mandy Mefford, Joshua Bracks, and Jose Sanchez. Being a drummer and aspiring musician, I purposely wanted to surround myself with other gifted individuals who also have a penchant for anime and Japanese culture. I'm hoping to meet and work with these awesome young artists in the future. It's people like this that made me wish I was in California (as they all live there!). Guys: It's California or bust for me, y'hear? Get ready! :D

6: A-Movies
I saw an unprecedented count of *four* anime movies this year! Who would have thunk that so many Japanese films would have rocked American screens this year? All of them may have not been blockbusters of "Avatar" proportions, but they graced the hearts and minds of anime fans with stellar animation and attractive plots. I am proud to say I am one of those graced fans! Here are the films, listed in the order that I saw them:
1. Miyazaki's "Ponyo"
2. "Eureka SeveN: good night, sleep tight, young lovers"
3. "Astro Boy"
4. "Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone"

5: Just Like Music...
In addition to seeing a lot of anime films, I was also blessed to see a slew of fantastic live concerts this year. Live music has a big spot in my heart as I feel there is nothing like seeing artists create magic with skins, strings, keys and reeds. Here's a selection of the concerts that I viewed in 2009 (in no particular order):
1. Fred Hammond
2. Ledisi
3. Tsukasa Taiko @ The Chicago Cultural Center
4. Japan Nite (featuring detroit7, Omodaka, SA, and others)
5. Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago (amazing!)
6. The Brand New Heavies @ The House of Blues
7. Chrisette Michele
8. Ashford & Simpson
9. Julia Huff and the Charles "Rick" Heath Quartet

This year, I also met some of the most amazing drummers in person, including Calvin Rodgers (Fred Hammond), Charles "Rick" Heath (independent/Julia Huff), and William "Plu" Harmon (Walt Whitman). I've also friended Timothy Hibbert, Erik Hargrove, and some other cool cats. I'm hoping to learn and grow from the performances of these amazing musicians.

Additionally, I'm meeting more and more people who love karaoke! One of them is Lauren Mar, who lights up the stage and Marilyn's in her home state of California. On December 30th, I reunited with my best bud from grade school, Jason O'Brien, and we met up for some live band karaoke at Martini Park in Chicago. The experience of being on stage and singing in front of a crowd on a whim was simply amazing...despite the jitters and butterflies I had before going up. Check my performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUJbPnaZIkk

4: Getting TRAPped!
From an almost two-year "con hiatus," I attended Anime Central 2009 with my friend Säbrinä. Yeah! Not only that, I also lived my dream of hosting my semi-brainchild, "Anime Trivia Trap," at ACen. I call it my "semi-brainchild" as this is an anime rendition of the 1984 Mark Goodson game show. I just made a pretty board with Flash graphics and threw in a healthy dose of anime goodness into the mix. Result: Success! I had a great team of people with me—Eric Berry, Säbrinä Marie Wädhams, and Minsu Kim (who encouraged me the most and connected me with the right people to get ATT launched—thank you, Minsu!)—that devoted their time and talent to help me make the game show run as smooth as possible. I also received much support from my friend, "con-mentor," and host extraordinaire, Greggo (Greg Wicker). I have no idea where the video that Kristin (one of the audience members) recorded, but I do know that I had a great time seeing my dream come to pass. I'm planning on bringing my game show to other conventions, including a return trip ACen and possibly Anime Expo in Los An-gel-es! I am on the road to seeing the major dream of hosting this show as the first televised anime-based game show. Let's hope ol' Brent doesn't get caught in a TRAP!

3: Taking Spins
This year as a DJ with Fig Media has been nothing short of sensational. From the liveliest wedding receptions to crazy karaoke parties to corporate holiday get-togethers that musically tuckered me out, I have received the best clients and have worked at some of the best venues here in Chicago and out of state. I have traveled and been to places I have never dreamed of, including Indiana and several suburbs in Illinois. My skills as a DJ have increased this year, as I took all the lessons learned from past experiences and gave my best customer service to make sure each and every single client left their event with a smile on their face and thankfulness in their hearts.

2: Dollars and Sense
I started off the year as a lot of people did: wishing they had a lot more in their bank account. We've all been there, right? Little did I know what God had in store for me in 2009: He wanted me to move up in my career, He wanted me to have more clients, and He wanted me to be surrounded by the right people, no matter what. And that, by the grace of the Lord, is exactly what happened. This year, I moved from being an assistant office manager of my company to *the* office manager of my company. More responsibilities and a salary increase ensued. I received more DJ gigs that I could ever imagine as well, which has helped me a lot. I also sold close to $12,000 in business and have made great relationships with clients new and old. All I had to do was be patient, work hard, and be of good cheer and grand faith.

And, the #1 favorite thing of 2009—drumroll please:

1: Being alive to enjoy #2-9.
'Nuff said. :)

2009 has been an unprecedented year for me, and I cannot be any more thankful for all the people and events that have added such great memories and happiness to my life. For everyone: In 2010, I wish you ten times the abundance, ten times the joy, ten times the peace, ten times the prosperity, ten times the success, ten times the love, and ten times the victory in this brand new year. This is going be a new "decade of destiny" (as my friend Walt Whitman puts it) filled with blessings, adventures, and divine connections. I know I will receive it—the same goes for all of you!

Here's to a fantastic 2010! Be there! :)

Sincerely,
Brent Rolland

Ok. I just had a rather interesting dream last night, and I just had to blog about it. It's probably not worthy for the Oscar for "Best Dream Sequence by a 24 Year-old Dude"—hell, Slumdog might scoop that up before my eyes. I do not recollect the entire sequence of dreams I encountered, but this one chunk was vivid enough for me to re-tell. Like to hear it? Here it goes!

I was in a movie theater lobby, waiting to get in the theater to see "A Goofy Movie 3." I recall that the interior of the theater was purple. When I finally got my seat, I saw one of my old classmates from high school—don't remember her name, but I could make out her freckly, bespectacled face clearly. She asked me if I would get her an orange at the refreshment stand. As odd of a request it was, I reluctantly said "yes." Surprisingly enough, I made my way to the stand, and they had small, fresh oranges for sale! I purchased one for my fellow classmate per her request. As I made my way back, I noticed that someone dropped a ticket on the floor. It was a newly-purchased ticket for "Chobits: The Movie." I did not know what to do, but seeing an unused ticket for the movie version of a familiar anime got me excited. From there, I returned back to the theater to see "A Goofy Movie 3," and…

…that's all I remember, folks. Wasn't that something? (If you don't think it is, please shake your head up and down to at least humor me. Thanks.) There are so many references in this one piece, as well as a lot of facts. Let's focus firstly on just the facts, ma'am:

1) I did not recognize what theater I was in—it was just

2) "A Goofy Movie" is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. Sadly, there was never a second sequel after "An Extremely Goofy Movie."

3) Typical movie theaters don't sell fresh fruit. They just don't. I wish, though! An alternative to goopy cheese nachos would be highly appreciated.

4) "Chobits," one of the most delightful anime titles in the CLAMP universe, never had—or at this time, will have—a movie.

After having this dream, I just had to do some research on the meaning behind some of my dream "keywords:" Movie theater, old classmate, oranges (the fruit), purple (the color…obviously), and movie ticket. I visited this cool website, the Dream Moods Dictionary, and discovered some facts behind the objects and places in my dream:

Movie theater links to:

• To dream that you are in a movie theater indicates that you are attempting to protect yourself from your emotions and/or actions. Viewing them on a movie screen projects them onto another person and thus makes those feelings/actions distant . You may be protecting yourself from experiencing them.

Old classmate links to:

• To see old classmates in your dream indicates that you need to draw on your old associations with your former classmates to gain insight in some current relationship. It represents a past lesson that you have learned and is applicable in some aspect of your waking life now.

Orange links to:

• To see orange trees in your dream, signifies health and prosperity.
• To dream that you are eating oranges, indicate satisfaction with yourself and where you are at in your life. You are in a good place.

Purple links to:

• Purple is indicative of devotion, healing abilities, loving, kindness, and compassion. It is also the color of royalty, high rank, and dignity.

Ticket links to (under ticket):

• To see a ticket in your dream, signifies the start of a new endeavor. You have decided on your path and goals in life. Consider also the type of ticket. A bus or train ticket symbolizes the price you pay to get ahead in life, while a movie ticket represents your need to be more objective.
• To dream that you lose a ticket, denotes confusion and ambiguity in the direction of your life.

Holy profoundness, Batman! Who knew all that was contained in a dream that lasted probably no longer than five minutes? This is a lot of data to digest, and I definitely agree with some of the interpretations here. I will take some time to look through this and follow up in another weblog entry. For now, I think the best thing to do is, well…sleep on it. Nighty-night, Xangans.

~it's all in my head~

It's 2:41 am. Do you know where your otaku are?

Hopefully they stopped by Chicago's Smart Bar (located on 3730 N. Clark St. in Chicago) to listen to yours truly spin one full hour of tunes from anime soundtracks and J-pop albums. This was a part of "Sunday Funday," a post-Super Bowl industry get-together hosted by the DJs of Fig Media. Just in case you missed it, here is what I played:

1) "Duvet" (Cyberia Remix) – BoA (Serial Experiments Lain)
2) "Idol Talk" – Akino Arai (Macross Plus)
3) "Theme from Lupin '79" (Club Escape Mix) – Yuji Ohno (Lupin the 3rd)
4) "Tank!" (Remix) – Luke Vibert (Cowboy Bebop)
5) "Change" – Monkey Majik + The Yoshida Brothers
6) "Shounen Heart" – Home Made Kazoku (Eureka seveN)
7) "Crescent Moon" – Mika Nakashima
8) "Tsuki no Ie" – Akino Arai (Outlaw Star)
9) "Strangers" – Raj Ramayya (Wolf's Rain)
10) "Come" – Namie Amuro (Inu-Yasha)
11) "Simple & Clean/Hikari" (Long Techno Version) – Utada Hikaru (from the video game "Kingdom Hearts")
12) "The Angel's Cruel Thesis" (Mellow Version) - Megumi Hayashibara (Evangelion)
13) "Real Emotion" (DJ MSK Remix) - Koda Kumi (from the video game "Final Fantasy X-2")
14) "Fly Away" – Asami Izawa (Eureka seven)

Fun list, no? You should have seen what I DID NOT play! Alas, I'll save that for another FB note.

Some of the songs—namely 1, 8, 9 and 12—are a part of my compilation mix, "anime:groove." If anyone would like a copy of it, please do drop me a line at Facebook or at brent.rolland@gmail.com.

With that, it's time for this DJ to spin a lullaby for himself. G'night, all!

~ongaku~

Hi there. Welcome to 2009. Have you had your freak-out today?

I have not, and I certainly do not plan on it. Last year had enough freak-outs to suffice a reasonably decent horror film, if I do say so myself. What can I say about 2008? Too much, really. I'll put it in terse pairs: Happiness; sorrow. Joy; anger. Success; defeat. Love; hate. Great events; disappointing moments. Good times with friends; uncomfortable times with strangers.  Seeing my family alive; seeing people on television dying. Paid bills; warning notices. New relationships; broken hope for future ones. Good conversations; painful one-sided arguments. Hope for a trusted president; fear of what could have been our next one.

A roller-coaster, if you will, would explain what my life was last year. Overall, I will say that I was blessed throughout, and that I learned and grew exponentially. With the new year already here ("OMG" alert!), To kick off 2009 with a shiny, size 17 boot of positivity and action, I am doing two remarkable things:

1) I am taking my "Anti-Melancholy Dreams of Brent Rolland" list with me and reading them aloud to God in my prayers tonight. (The title was inspired by the anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, for all of you who are possibly wondering where the hell ol' Brent got the title!)

2) In the coming days, I will be preparing a "vision board." To make a vision board, first you get a board! (This can be a piece of cardboard, a bulletin board, et cetera.) Then, you can attach items—pictures, trinkets, souvenirs, drawings, anything—that represent what you want in your life. This can be anything from a clip-out of that brand new car you've been wanting or even a picture of the man/woman of your dreams. You can even write affirmations like, "I will lose 40 pounds this year." Wait—that's my vision! Um…

As a human, I safely generalize that having high vision for ourselves and others is going to be crucial in this new year. To take this to myself, the things that I want that I cannot see or touch in reality are all dependent on my intention and faith to make them happen. In other words, we have to believe in the things we cannot see, for they are coming.

I encourage everyone out there in the Xanga-verse to start visioning  Two thousand and eight? That's so yesterday. Bring on the new year.

Oh, and do expect me writing more here on my beloved blog. It's a part of my vision.

~I can see clearly now~

::plop::

Yep, that's me. That's the sound of me just dropping in.

Either that, or I'm so in love with onomatopoeia. I don't think she knows, though.

I think we all need a good plop now and then, wouldn't you agree? I certainly think I do, as I have been working like cah-ray-zay since my last entry in pre-Valentine's Day February. Coming for me this week are two huge events, a weekend of life/personal training, and hopefully…sleep. Out of all the activity, I hope to create some stunning blog pieces to share with the Xanga-verse.

I need to take two doses of normality and call myself in the morning. Or something like that. Glad to see you, my fellow Xangas. Enjoy your weekend, and don't forget to plop!

~plop on~