Kick start...The Frakenjuice Man of the Week.

Connected friends,

I want to welcome myself back to The Frakenjuice. I say myself because it was I, not you, who seemed to temporarily abandon my duties to preach the word of the Flabbinzeus and speak about his Frakenjuice ways.  So, I thank you for continually coming back to my site (hit count currently around 1,140!). In addition, I want to give you my word that I will post Frakenjuice stories, occurrences, products, and people on a relatively regular schedule.

Since leaving the wonderful state of Maryland and settling in Hollywood, I have had a slew of experiences that have been funny, depressing, weird, awkward, (insert any adjective your Grey matter can perceive).

To jump right back into the mix of The Frakenjuice. I present you with The Frakenjuice Man of the Week.

Paulo Coelho

The other day, someone who shall remain nameless (unless you [inspiring person] want the recognition?), said something to me that was so obvious and apparent that I should cut and paste my brain into Photoshop to try to find the neural block that would cause me to miss such a blatant connection. "Paulo Coelho is worthy of The Frakenjuice."

Fellow mature gametes, not only is this man worthy of such an honor but you have to bring up the question: Is this man the Flabbinzeus, himself? Bruce Lee, you now have some competition.

Let's examine a bit about this extraordinary man.

Paulo Coelho, arguably the most acclaimed and beloved Brazilian writer that has ever lived, is a renaissance man.  Even though, Coelho could have been a fantastic Billy Joel impersonator, he decided to devote his life to other endeavors (many others). 

In 1947, Paulo Coelho emerged from his mother's womb in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro. Coelho grew up under a strict Jesuit education.  The confines and "depressing and brutal" imagery in Christianity actually turned him away from religious faith and in search of something else. When he was 17 years old, he told his mother that he had wanted to become a professional writer. Shocked and horrified that her son had turned to an impractical and "hostile" way of life, Coelho's family had him committed to the state mental hospital. On three different occasions between 1966-68, each for an extended period of time, Coelho was forced into the state institution.  Coelho writes that, "I was locked up for months and fed with tranquilizers. The therapy merely consisted of giving me electroshocks. They were intended to clear the uppermost layer of my memory in order to bring peace to my head" (Coelho's Blog, 11/23/07).  Coelho later writes about his hospital experiences in his metaphorical novel, Veronika Decides to Die.

Also during the 60's, Coelho became deeply involved in the "Hippie" movement and became more and more attracted to Buddhist traditions and socialist ideals.

In the early 70's, Coelho decided to take a more "practical" approach to life and decided to enroll in law school.  Although, after a while, Coelho decided that law was not his thing and decided to travel.  He traveled all over the world and became deeply interested in secret societies, eastern religions, and mysticism. Also, when he came back from his travels, Coelho was thrown in prison by the dictatorship in Brazil for "subversive activities." While in prison, he was extensively tortured and speaks about his experiences in the book, Confessions of a Pilgrim by Juan Arias.

In addition to his imprisonment, Coelho had  began a prosperous career in song writing on his return to Brazil from traveling. He wrote songs for many famous Brazilian artists which included Rita Lee, Elis Regina, and Raul Seixas. Overall, he wrote about 60 different songs with some considerable success. When he was 24, he wrote his first big hit song and earned enough money to buy himself a car. 

In the early 80's, Coelho began writing novels. His first novel, was published in '82 but failed to receive any sort of acclaim or notice. However (this is where the Frakenjuice really gets ingrained in this man) in 1986, Coelho took part in the pilgrimage to Saint James (aka The Road to Santiago in Northern Spain) and had a life changing experience which he documented in his book, The Pilgrimage (highly recommend it!). 

One year after his journey on The Road to Santiago, Coelho wrote a fictional narrative which was strongly inspired by the experiences and wisdom he gained from that 500 mile trek across Northern Spain. 

The Alchemist, is about a Spanish boy who feels a strong inner urge to travel and gain new experiences. So, instead of working in the industry his father wanted him to work in, the boy becomes a shepherd so that he can travel all over his land. One day, the boy has a dream that indicates that he should go to Egyptian Pyramids where he will discover a hidden treasure.  To paraphrase the rest while not giving too much away, the story is about discovering and following one's own unique and "Personal Legend."

Essentially, the book strongly urges everyone to follow, no matter what the circumstances may be, the positive feelings and intuitive urges that everyone owns.  Coelho writes that there WILL be harsh and trying times during the journey.  Yet, he reasons that it is during these times that we find our true selves and discover the unlimited potential that we can unleash upon the earth.

Drawing from his own journey on The Road to Santiago, Coelho explains that there are clues and omens, that are put in place by the universe, that speak to us and let us know which direction to take and what sort of experiences may be in store for the future. This is the exact same knowledge that I was imparted with when the Flabbinzeus decided to revel himself to me!

I was literally blown out of my 95$ Craigslist laz-e-boy couch when I read this novel and felt the strong similarities between his wisdom and the Flabbinzeus'.

Overall, the novel is about unity. Coelho gives us the wisdom that "The Soul of the World" is one collective consciousness.  When we feel like we are being positively pulled toward certain endeavors, it is our duty to fulfill the calling. We can contribute to strengthening the "The Soul of the World" and making the world a more positive place if we only follow that inner voice. In order to accomplish this, we must learn to trust and be in tune with what our intuition tells us. This book harnesses the crap out of the Frakenjuice and you should read it.

Although Coelho himself is technically a Christian, The Alchemist is a book that draws elements from many different religions and spiritual faiths.

To date, The Alchemist, has sold over 40 million copies around the world and is considered one of the best selling books in history. The book has been translated in 66 languages and has inspired millions to pursue their own Frakenjuice/path/good feelings/personal journey, NO MATTER WHAT MAY STAND IN YOUR WAY....sorry for the caps, but this message is very relevant to me, right now.

Sources: www.paulocoelho.com

www.paulocoelhoblog.com

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/paulo-coelho-you-ask-the-questions-578724.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Coelho (checked sources)

Ladies and Gents, Paulo Coelho.

The Beginning is the best.

Now that's not very Frakenjuice...

The world is filled with beautiful frakenjuice companies (In & Out Burger), people (Bernie Mac/Isaac Hayes), and wonders (Lava lamps/Sponge Microphone) on this little planet we call earth.  In addition, there are obviously not-so-beautiful and anti-frakenjuice elements on our cute little ball of blue.  In addition to the addition, I don't like to talk about these negative and despicable creations that act like terrorists to our perception of life. The Frakenjuice is about celebrating all that is beautiful and glorious in life!

Yet, there is a pimple infested, vice-maggot licking, Carlos Mencia adoring face out there that not even Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze could stand to look at.

Yes, my little Baby-Making 7k grand prize winners... Cheap chinsuckingpieceofshitfloppycameldongservicethatcouldntpleasurearedheadednymph Tickets.com (aka Satan's Bunghole)

Little story for ya...

I was a few weeks from leaving the wonderful country of San Francisco and I decided that after I left SF I was going to visit some friends in Houston and then jet out to L.A. to survey the area and look for a place to live before I permanently move out there. Easy as Cameron Diaz, right?

So, me being the crafty money saving puma that I am, I googled the phrase "cheap flights." As I looked through my search results I come across Cheaptickets.com.  I'm thinking, "Oh sheetz yeah, I've heard of this site...I'm going to check it out." Done and Done.

I go to the site and although it looked a little amateurish I proceeded with my search.  Now, I only needed to get from Houston to LA and LA to Baltimore...My SF to Houston trip was paid for by the company I was working for this past summer. Money in the bank. 

I get my flights situated and I only have one layover in Denver to get to LA and I have a nonstop flight from LA to Baltimore. 

All is well said Moses, All is ......ghlkouhblskjdhdjdhss.

Wrong. Something was rotten in the state of Denmark. Festering spoiled Rotten.

I head to Houston (not using cheaptickets.com) have a blast there.  Then a week later I get a friendly reminder reminding me that my flight to LA is in 2 days. Sweet! Cheaptickets is awesome! (Note, this will be the last time I ever utter that word combination).

I check the itinerary. Yup, Ok, Aiiight everything is looking good...except for one tiny blip. They have me going from George Bush Intercontinental Airport instead of Hobby like I indicated in my initial request.  At the time of my purchase, I did not know that Houston had 2 airports (within it's city limits 'cause Houston is f'ing ginormous). Me being an idiot.

Nonetheless, I specifically typed in Hobby to LAX. Literally, as late at 10pm the night before my trip, I thought I was leaving Houston via Hobby airport. Yet, something within me told me that I needed to recheck my flight itinerary (this was one of those weird random thought moments, as if the universe actually liked me...maybe even coming onto me.)

IAH to LAX! I don't know what IAH stands for but it's the abbreviation for George Bush Intercontinental Airport.  Similar to the Bill is short for William or Dick to Richard phenomenon. ps. If anyone knows how this originated...please inform me. 

Cheaptickets.com STRIKE 1

Strike 2 came very soon after when I checked into United Airlines to get my boarding pass and to check my luggage. Now, I was living in SF for 2 months and I had a lot of stuff with me so I had to check 2 of my bags. I put one bag on the weight thingy...cool....I put my other bag on the weight thingy....not cool. United has a policy that you must pay an extra $25 for each additional checked bag. REALLY!? That's funny 'cause Southwest doesn't pull that bullshit nor did cheaptickets.com inform me of this when I was buying my flights. I later noticed that Cheaptickets.com only informed me about this extra fee in my "friendly reminder." Sneaky sneaky.

The next Strike was called when United only gave me my boarding ticket to Denver (my connecting flight) and not my flight from Denver to LA. I knew that I had to change airlines in Denver (United to Delta) but I figured that Cheaptickets.com had some hookup with United or whatever that would allow me to get my boarding pass, like a normal person, at one spot. Nooerppe. I guess that was me being a tard too but ....really? I have to go to 2 spots to get my boarding pass?....c'mon now. I'm using this service to get me cheap flights not a ghetto ass travel experience. If the name of Cheapflights.com changed to Ghettoasstravel.com....this article would not be written and maybe I would even commend Ghettoasstravel.com for its honesty and dedication to informing the public of its services.  

This post is running a little long and I literally could spend pages complaining about my travel experience. However, I will summarize the rest of my experience. 

Strike 4= I found out that Cheaptickets.com searches every airline for the cheapest flights EXCEPT Southwest, which ironically has the cheapest flights on the market. Too perfect.

Strike 5= I get to Denver and have to take a train to another terminal (where Delta was) then get my boarding pass from one of those Kiosk thingies at my gate.

Strike 6= I get on my Delta aircraft (kinda) which was small, crowded, and I sat next to a guy in his late 40's that cleared his throat ever 5 mins and was playing a PSP. Also, every 40 seconds or so I thought the plane was literally going to start shedding parts and crash into a mountain.

  

     

                          +

                                                                

                                                                        =   My travel experience

To close, I wish to impart some info on you. Check Southwest flights first. They have very comfortable and spacious seating on board, laptop plug-in centers at the gate, and they have a heart on their logo...Frakenjuice. To really close...I give you videos of Awkwardness.

Sports Center's Top 10 Most Awkward Interviews

Ping Pong can be Awkward too

25 Awkward Animals

 

The Infamous "Walter"

Frakenjuice Man/Woman of the Week (Vol. 2)

Kettle drum roll please.......

Bruce Lee: The Flabbinzeus Incarnate?

We all recognize his name.  He is known as, arguably, one of the greatest martial artists of our time. We are awestruck by his outstanding performances in Enter the Dragon, Fists of Fury, and The Big Boss.  But, who really was Bruce Lee? An International martial arts icon or something much more?

"Bruce Lee" was born as Lee Jun Fan, on November 27, 1940 in San Francisco, CA but a year later moved to Hong Kong with his family.  His mother decided to name him, "Bruce," because of her love for its Gaelic meaning, "strong one." Since his family, had Chinese film connections, Bruce was in his first movie at the age of 3-months.  As a child star, he was in about 20 films and began taking dance and kung fu lessons in his early teens. Around that same time, Bruce started hanging out with a Hong Kong street gang.  When Bruce was 18, he got into some police trouble for badly beating up someone and his parents sent him to live with family friends in San Francisco for a short time before moving to Seattle. 

Bruce finished high school, attended the University of Washington and majored in Philosophy. While in Seattle, Lee taught the Wing Chun martial arts style, which he learned in Hong Kong. Around 1964, Bruce decided to open his own martial arts schools in Oakland and Los Angeles and taught his own styleless style of martial arts called Jeet Kune Do.

(Above) Jeet Kune Do symbol

It was the combination of various fighting methods, which included western boxing, judo, jujitsu, and Wing Chun that influenced Lee to develop his own philosophy and fighting style, void of limitations and traditional structure. Bruce hated the idea of having to mimic a specific way of fighting in order to be a great "martial artist" or even a great fighter.  His new form of martial arts promoted a practical, self-involved, and efficient philosophy. Bruce Lee once said, "Learn the principle, abide by the principle, and dissolve the principle. In short, enter a mold without being caged in it. Obey the principle without being bound by it. Learn, Master, and Achieve."

Lee had always been respected within the martial arts community, mostly known in Asia for small televison roles.  Yet, it was only until Lee had become focused on his new styleless style of fighting that he was recognized for his superior abilities. Impressing producers and martial artists alike with his unique form of martial arts and amazing physical abilities, Lee was casted for sidekick roles in 60's TV series' such as Batman, The Green Hornet, and Longstreet. Lee experienced moderate fame in the US but was unhappy with just playing supporting roles. So, in 1971, Lee moved back to Hong Kong to star in a Kung Fu movie called The Big Boss.  This movie launched Lee into A-list fame in Asia and with the proceeding releases of Fists of Fury ('72), The Way of the Dragon ('72), and Enter the Dragon ('73), Bruce Lee became an international sensation.

Although Bruce Lee died a few days before the premier of Enter the Dragon, his legacy and Frakenjuice philosophies about unity, the power from within, and about living life by your own standards are forever remembered. His passion for life, the amazing physical feats he demonstrated (a one-inch punch that could send an opponent to the  ground, he could propel a 300lb punching bag to the ceiling with one side kick, 50 reps of one-arm chin-ups, movements that were too quick to capture on 70's film equipment, 2 finger one-handed push-up....seriously try doing that shizz, etc.), and his perspectives on reality parallel those of the great Flabbinzeus, as revealed to me.  To close, I give you the words of a great human being and some YouTube video's that need to be viewed by all...especially Lee's 1971 interview clips.  You see a Bruce Lee that you never knew existed.  Oh, you also must watch the video where Lee literally kills Chuck Norris... this is a real scene... it occurred at the end of The Way of the Dragon.... a little old school Chuckie Nono.

All Information confirmed by: 

1) www.bruceleefoundation.org

2) www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9542095

4) A 30min interview with Bruce Lee on The Pierre Berton Show, Dec 1971, accessed through YouTube.

3) Properly cited (checkable) facts on Wikipedia.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

Clips from Lee's '71 Interview (See YouTube for complete interview)

Chuck Norris Not being able to...(insert dumb quote here)

The Amazing Lee

(Why is this so amusing to me?) Kareem/Lee-Game of Death

The First Frakenjuice Man/Woman of the Week is...

ESTEBAN: The Little Zoro That Could

Indeed... ESTEBAN! I have selected him as my first Frakenjuice Man/Woman of the Week. Why? Because, through his hardships and passion to convert his deepest emotions into song, this frakenjuiced infused idol, that looks like a Zoro on pedophile pills, has touched the world with his soothing sounds, many many HSN infomercials, and unstoppable perseverance.  I now invite you to read on about the incredible, ESTEBAN.

Born in 1948, as Stephan Paul of Pittsburgh, PA (No, this is not Spidermonkey crap), Esteban (stage name) began teaching himself guitar at the early age of 8. By age 12, Esteban began taking formal lessons and was even teaching guitar to other kids by reportedly charging $3 for every half-hour. Esteban wanted to take his guitar skills to the next level by studying with the renowned classical guitarist, Andres Segovia.  Yet, because he was only self-taught, and not classically trained as Segovia required of all his students, Esteban gave up serious guitar playing for a while.  He then enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University where he majored in English and Music (However, his guitar classes were taught by an unaccomplished guitarist who actually played cello with the Pittsburgh Symphony).  

Even though Esteban still had not received the level of guitar lessons that he dreamed of, by the time he graduated from college in 1972, he claims that he had nightly gigs and was teaching guitar to about 150 people every week. 

Esteban's drive to study with Segovia never diminished.  In an interview with the Phoenix New Times, Esteban says that, "I had an insatiable drive to study with Segovia" (pg.3). 

So, when Esteban graduated from college, he moved to L.A. and stalked....I mean pursued Segovia, in hopes of persuading Segovia to take him as a student. Esteban's passion was so intense that he spent the last 2 years of college sending anonymous notes to every hotel Segovia was staying at that said, "My life is meaningless unless I can study under you" (Phoenix New Times pg. 3).

Above: Segovia (Left), Esteban (Right)

When he graduated in 1972, Esteban finally decided he was going to meet Segovia in person. It is crucial to note that there are many different accounts of how the next series of events unraveled.  Yet, the most common story that Esteban has told over and again, is that he impersonated a messenger, went to Segovia's hotel room, and when Segovia finally came to the door Esteban repeated the sentence from his many notes . Segovia recognized the sentence and invited Esteban in his room to play guitar for him. 

After hearing Esteban play, Segovia gave him some music to study and a year later they met up again in L.A. Once again, Esteban played what he had learned and Segovia was so impressed with his talents that Esteban was invited to Spain to take part in Segovia's master classes and receive occasional private lessons personally taught by the master.  For the next five(ish) years, Esteban studied on and off with Segovia, dividing his time between Spain and California. End of success story!....or was it (ooooh)?

From 1978-80, Esteban performed as a classical guitarist in many different venues until a fateful day in 1980 that changed his life forever. Traveling at 60mph, a drunk driver crashed into the driver's side of Esteban's car.  Esteban received extensive nerve damage to his left hand and arm, some broken ribs, many smashed teeth, and left his good eye resistant to bright lights. With a wife and 2 kids, Esteban was now incapable of playing the guitar for the next 10 years.

From 1980-90, Esteban had to take ordinary jobs to support his family.  Due to his long stringy hair and "hippish" persona (aka basically looking like my friend Venshu who wears patchwork shoes to Moe. concerts) Esteban claims it was very difficult, at first, to get a job.  In those 10 years, Esteban worked as a energy management salesman for Reynolds Aluminum and ended up running a franchise dealership for the company (New Times, pg.5). Although he achieved above average success as a dealer he claims he was "so unhappy that he wanted to explode."  

In 1988, Esteban decided that he couldn't live the rest of his life without playing guitar.  He received acupuncture and Chinese herbs, which he claims brought feeling back into his playing arm and hands and started to play shows again.  Esteban also decided to shift away from playing strictly classical music and played whatever he felt like playing; anything from classical to jazz to world music.

By playing many different gigs and venues all over the world, Esteban quickly gained notoriety for his beautiful tunes and exquisite talent.  Since then, he has been on the cover of The Wall Street Journal, topped the Billboard Charts, sold hundreds of thousands of CD's, and is a regular guest on HSN and QVC.

(Side Note) Many musicians have criticized Esteban for selling out Segovia's name (Segovia hated popular acclaim and never decided to enter the mainstream).  They have also accused Esteban for falsely proclaiming that he was one of Segovia's most prized students.  The information on both sides of the argument is rather shady and the true facts seem hard to nail down. So, it is difficult to come up with a solid opinion on this specific matter. Nonetheless, everything I have told of his story is undisputed and his will and passion for the guitar is as vast as the legend of Zelda. He plays from the heart and loves performing in front of big audiences. He is a living frakenjuice idol and his will to live a full life and pursue his passion blows the monkeys off the tree, into the water, where they get eaten by the gators.

All facts and biographical information can be found at: 1) The Phoenix New Times: The Tao of Esteban: http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2000-09-21/news/the-tao-of-esteban/1

2) Esteban's Official Website: http://www.estebanmusic.com/bio.html

To close, I give you........EssteeeBan.

The Realist "Dummy"

Welcome to the world of The Frakenjuice.  This is my third official post and if you have been reading The Frakenjuice from the beginning then you should have a fairly good idea about what the Frakenjuice actually is and some vague thoughts about the great Flabbinzeus. If not, go and check out my last two posts.

Once in a while, you see a movie that makes you wish you owned an African elephant so it could suck out your eyes and stomp on your temples.  Other times, you see a movie that forces you to laugh so hard you wish it were socially acceptable to wear Depends.  And sometimes, you see a movie so frightening that it will never allow you look at pre-teen children in the same light, ever again. Luckily, Greg Pritikin's movie "Dummy," staring Adrain Brody & Milla Jovovich , is filed under none of these categories.

Overall, this frakenjuice infused movie was pleasant. It was like going out to dinner with an old friend you haven't seen in years and coming back from the meal with the feeling of, "Ah, that was pleasant, thank you for a lovely evening," as you retire to a dim-lit bathroom with red lily-pad candles floating around your silkily steaming bath.

"Dummy," builds complex relationships between the many characters which intertwine throughout the movie.  But basically, the movie is about a socially awkward man in his late 20's/early 30's named Steven (Adrian Brody) who still lives with his parents and decides to pursue his passion of being a ventriloquist. This is the basic premise of the movie but becomes more complex as we are introduced to his dysfunctional family, punky best friend Fangora (Milla Jovovich), and an employment agent who Steven falls in love with.  The most enticing aspect of the movie, for me, was the theme of pursuing your passion versus, as Steven's mother tells his sister, Heidi,"being realistic."

In the movie, Steven decides to quit his boring job and pursue ventriloquism, Steven's employment agent, Lorena, seems happy with her job, Fangora is pursuing her passion in music performance, the accountant "stalker" in the movie pursues his passion in acting, and even Steven's retired father spends all his days building model ships. Now, there is never an indication that any of these characters will be successful with their passions but the point of the movie lies more so with merely doing what makes you happy for the sake of passion.

On the other hand, Steven's sister, Heidi, is hyped throughout the movie as being a great singer and when she is asked why she never pursued it, she always gives the same response her mother gives, "It's not realistic."  Heidi's occupation is wedding planning and although she isn't a bad wedding planner you can definitely tell she is not cut out for it.  To make a long story short, Heidi blows up at her mom for never supporting her dream and at the end of the movie,

Heidi performs at the wedding she plans and proves that she is indeed a very talented and passionate singer. However, it is never implied if Heidi will quit her current job to pursue this passion as a full time venture.

In the movie, you can tell that the characters are happiest and most successful when they are doing something they truly love, even if they aren't that great at it.  There is a great scene at the end of the movie when the "stalker" is showing Fangora his acting routine.  The acting is clearly terrible but Fangora loves it because of the heart and passion he puts into his act.  Yet, in the "stalker's" defense, he had just began acting.  If you are a person who doesn't think you should follow your passions, you should at least know that passion sells. Fact.

Think about the moments in your life where you couldn't feign a frown if you tried. When your whole being was aroused by intoxicating thoughts of greater purpose and self-worth. Even if that moment went sour, like a great job that you got laid off of or an ended relationship with a wonderful significant other, the Frakenjuice is about harnessing the memories and feelings from when it was good and learning from your experience.  The Frakenjuice is about finding your true self by reflecting on those types of moments.  If you have no effing clue what your passionate about or love, then honestly, your just not thinking hard enough or you barely care about the quality of your life.  

It is a firm belief of mine that people would rather be really happy than kind-of happy. Reflect on the best times in your life and ask yourself why that time was so, "milkshakes and mountain air." Take the time to pick apart your brain (But not in a demented Hannibal Lector manner). Only you know what makes you feel alive and real. Logically, this is a much more realistic approach to living life, which to me inherently means living up to your potential, rather than getting a job just because it's financially safe...don't be a mindless alpaca.

Vinnie Van Gogh once said that, "Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do.  With such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling."

Even if you believe that everything I am saying is load of "self-help" camel dung....beetle, it would just be ignorant for you to thoughtlessly dismiss a firm belief of one of the greatest artist's that has ever lived (I know lots of other influential people have this same ideology, too).

In order to harness the Frakenjuice and life's full potential, it is critical, no matter what kind of background one comes from, to follow what shoots electric eels through your arteries: What makes you feel alive and natural (aka Real)? No, seriously, post below what gives you true purpose in life or even what makes you feel alive, like a real living and breathing component of planet earth? This site is just as hands on as it is read-on.

Also, don't ever blame someone else for your fear of following your passions, just like Heidi blamed her mother for not being supportive thus causing her not to pursue a singing career.  It sucks some people don't support your ventures but it is never too late to begin.  Van Gogh, like Steven, didn't even begin painting until he was nearly 30 years old and spent his previous days as an art dealer, bookstore clerk, and even as a pastor in which he was reportedly fired for being "overzealous."

In addition, it has always seemed to me that people that are bad at their job are usually not that happyt with their work and they have a very "realistic" perspective on life that is not realistic at all. Could you confidently look yourself in the mirror and say, "I can't pursue ____ because it's too outrageous and unrealistic." If you are in that mindset, I urge you to do what I just offered. I guarantee you will feel an unnatural pit and sense of worthlessness that only binds you to your own cell of fear.

To me, the most realistic bet in life is pursuing something that makes you naturally smile and at peace with yourself.  I totally understand the smile imagery was like a 9.762 out of 10 on the corny scale, but that is the realist way I can describe it. 

Even if you fail, you will naturally feel better about yourself with that sort of failure, which then you just have to try over and over again until it becomes a reality like Honest Abe did, rather than the failure of inaction and conformity.  

To close, I leave you with the words of the late great Oscar Wilde and a video of a German boy singing in a high-pitch voice.

"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their life a mimicry, their passions a quotation."

Are you living your life or the life of your peers?

Homeless Folk B. Goode Too

I want to thank you for getting this far into my blog.  I'm not sure how many people I intimidated with my introduction but I am glad you are at least here, continuing to read my posts. Oh, and don't worry the Flabbinzeus who drinks the Frakenjuice in his flabbinsuit while doing the flabbinzoot will be explained very shortly.  These things cannot be rushed and in order for me to allow you to understand the Flabbinzeus in all his glory, you have to hear some frakenjuice-like tales.

Anyway, this past Sunday, I was hanging around my apartment and got bored of playing Biolabs Outbreak after level 24 and decided to google some events going on in San Francisco, where I am currently living for the summer. Now, for those of you who haven't visited or have heard anything about San Francisco, I wish to introduce you to some quotes that perfectly summarize the essence of this city. 

"It's an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city and possess all the attractions of the next world." (Oscar Wilde)

"The Bay Area is so beautiful, I hesitate to preach about heaven while I'm here." (Billy Graham)

and finally...To quote a famous Armenian-American writer who's frakenjuice writing inspired the people during the Great Depression: "If you're alive, you can't be bored in San Francisco. If you're not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life." (William Saroyan)

There is an unexplainable energy that radiates from this city; from the liberal smells and sights of the Haight district to the prestigious shops of the Financial district to even the Bay docks where Otis Redding once pondered his self-worth and true meaning of success just a few days before his death. Yet, it would merely be a cliche if I were to talk about the rich history or even about my general perceptions of this city. So, to give you a taste of this splendiferous and eclectic place, I give you a snippet of a Sunday afternoon out on the town: "Homeless Folk B. Goode Too."

Every year, The Fillmore Jazz Festival draws about 90,000 people to the historic street of Fillmore for its 2-day summer festival.  It was here that Louis Armstrong saw Charlie Parker perform at one of the local jazz clubs (the only recorded time both artists have simultaneously been in the same venue), a teenage Maya Angelou once worked in a record shop, and pop (or anti-pop) idols such as Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, and Allen Ginsberg frequented the area for creative inspiration from the general culture of Fillmore during the 60's. The list of artists and celebrities that have experienced a jazzy night out on Fillmore St. are extensive. 

So, at about 11:30am on Sunday, I decided to add to the madness. I hopped on the 38 Geary bus and made my way to Fillmore St., merely expecting to hear some interesting music and maybe eat some tasty treats (I read online that they had teriyaki chicken kabobs).

I exited the bus at Fillmore St. and made my way past the Anchor Steam Brewery kiosk which sold inebriating beverages for $4, a photo-art stand portraying pictures of wildlife from all over California which had an incredibly clear picture of a tiger, underwater, angrily swatting at the camera, and  after the California Sheriffs Department informational booth I finally saw an outdoor stage with a jazz band preparing to play their next song.  The figure at the lead microphone was a grey-haired African-American with a saxophone around his neck in a snazzy blue suit.  He was in the process of thanking everyone for coming out as well as promoting his Bay area weekly radio show (every tuesday from 9am-12pm on 89.5 KPOO!)

In front of the stage was a large opening and behind the open space was an area carpeted with astroturf, white chairs, and a wide array of various types of people sitting in the chairs or standing in the open area waiting for the band's next song.  There were canopy heads (people with large floppy hats), furry breasts (men in extremely classy suits with some sort of pretentiously flamboyant creation emerging from their breast pocket), people with swollen hands and glazed eyes, people in 60's rock band t-shirts, collar poppers, women with solid color shirts, visors, and fanny packs.  There were baby boomers, people from the Nixon generation, hair-band generation, jean-short generation, and even little Iraqi Conflict generation children jumping around like they had just seen the great Flabbinzeus himself!

As the lead guitar exploded into the famous introduction of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode," I witnessed a sight that can truly only be described as the Frakenjuice. 

There are a few times in life where one witnesses an event so profound that they are glad sunglasses were created to hide the wetness which involuntarily pushes through the eyes and drips down reddened cheeks. As I witnessed the pariahs of society with the swollen hands, the furry breasts, the canopy heads, collar poppers, the yellow suits, the green suits, the blue-green suits, fanny pack ladies, Iraqi Conflict kids, and the jean-jackets twirl around with each other mixing with the cloud-less 70 degree San Franciscan summer day; an exorbitant amount of elation filled my loins.  In one section of the dance floor a homeless lady with dirt-stained jeans and a surprisingly clean white t-shirt was being twirled around by a fanny pack lady.  In another area, a ordinary couple in their early 40's were dancing as if they had just gotten married.  In another spot a lime-green suit was doing the twist opposite a lady with dreadlocks and military boots while a overly excited short and skinny white man, who seemed like he was about to take off his cargo shorts at various times of his "dancing," jumped around as if he had just won the Powerball Mega-Million lotto and had a smile on his face that I have only seen on exited autistic adults.  Then the band concluded their arrangement and immediately began another upbeat song with blasting trumpets meshed with the smooth sounds of the lead sax.

As I was expecting to see the crowd break up and take a break; more pariahs, yellow suits, heavy metal shirts, visor ladies, popped collars, curly-haired children, and drunken jort wearing folk flooded the dance floor. The next progression of events was a sight I only thought existed in musicals, overly dramatic movie scenes, and Caddyshack.  Out of the depths of absurdity arose a scene that immediately had me apologizing to God for ever doubting that random dance scenes in movies were a moronic and cheesy way of heightening dramatic effect and brings the audience out of a realistic mood. Universe 1- Me o.

As the band's horns kept blasting away and the steady bass and drum beat was rolling, the entire crowd of mixed personalities began doing a synchronized dance that slightly resembled the electric slide.  I was shocked when I saw a "too-cool-for-dancing" teenager with a black and white dragon on his shirt immediately jump into the crowd and start moving with the flow. Even a homeless man that had long stringy hair, very thin arms, a black Alice Cooper metal band t-shirt, and with circular lesions on his legs and forearms, conformed to the crowd and began to move back, forth, and sideways with the other people, only deviating slightly from the perfect flow of the rest.  With about 30 very different types of personalities ranging from red suit man to the tall and punky style of dread-lock girl, this was a surreal scene.

Yet, there was a pure happiness, freedom, and vivaciousness that these people were experiencing.  As they danced with each other void of socio-economic class and personality judgments, even though each person's status was clearly apparent, the sense of unity that was created from the music that conjured similar feelings of euphoria was a spectacular sight. 

Who knows what sorts of daily troubles these various people have to deal with? Maybe blue-red suit has a lawsuit pending against him or maybe the couple in their 40's have been going through some tough times and the festival was a way for them to try and work past their difficulties by infusing some excitement into their lives.  Even in the extreme case of the homeless enjoying the moment for what it was, despite their past troubles and misfortunes, is an incredible gift.  That little slice of enjoyment in their lives was created by taking advantage of and noticing the beautiful moment that were generated on that Sunday afternoon.  That moment coalesced various types of people for a few hours of unity, a sense of togetherness, and innate feelings of true belonging to something more than just themselves.  Even the people with no real sense of direction in their lives were able to recognize something beautiful and take part in a dance of unity with their fellow man.

This is the Frakenjuice in its purest form. 

What do you think about the Frakenjuice, as you now have some sort of understanding? Frakenjuice comments and stories are strongly encouraged.

The Frakenjuice Welcomes...

All you beautiful creations,

This blog is called "The Frakenjuice" and it is inspired by the great Flabbinzeus who revealed to me, and a few select others, the greatness of the flabbinzoot, the powers of the flabbinsuit, and the beauty that is the Frakenjuice. I fully understand that my first sentence may seem crazy.  I also realize that you would now probably put me in the same boat as a kiwi eating homeless man who travels around on a magenta tricycle and spends his day screaming obscenities at male kindergarten teachers.  That is fine with me, for now.

Before I can completely reveal, to all you beautiful creations, the greatness that is the Flabbinzeus who drinks the Frankenjuice in his flabbinsuit while doing the flabbinzoot; I must explain to you the purpose of my blog and the basics of the Frankenjuice, in itself. However, you may get a better understanding of the Flabbinzeus by discovering him for yourself as I had to do. 

The purpose of my blog is no different than any other person's reason for creating a blog.  I want to feel a sense of purpose as I post stories, ideas, and even philosophies of my experience and interpretations of the reality, yet mostly delusions, that make up my every day experience. Further, I wish to impart some thought invoking munchies for all you beautiful creations to snack on from time to time. I wish to impart on to you what I have learned about life and the direction I am going in with hopes that maybe your life may be better lived or even understood.

Frakenjuice; noun; |frack-en-juice|

ORIGIN: early 21st cent.: Introduced by the Flabbinzeus

1. A metaphorical term that signifies all that is beautiful about creation and life.  This may apply but not limited to transforming negative realities into positive and beautiful ones and contemplating the intricacies of a particular object, life-form, event, etc, in your reality: As used in the metaphorical phrase: The Flabbinzeus drinks the Frakenjuice. (Note: The Frakenjuice as a physical object has yet to be revealed.  Yet, the notion of "drink" derives from the same ideology as "acceptance" or "to take in;" equal to the religious metaphor, "Eat my flesh, drink my blood" (John 6:53).

-adjective

2. An appreciative perspective and open-minded view of the many aspects of one's life : Sandy is currently working two jobs to support her family but still maintains a genuine love for life. She works in her garden every morning to keep herself relaxed for work and practices mindfulness as she tends to her flowers. Sandy has developed a frakenjuice outlook.

SYNONYMS

optimistic, open-minded

DERIVATIVE 

frak-en-juiced verb

In essence, the Frakenjuice is a mindset and lifestyle that we should all strive to embody.  Ever since my encounter with the great Flabbinzeus (who I will discuss with more detail in the near future) I have tried to keep a frakenjuice mindset and perspective on life in attempts of trying to discover real answers to some of life's toughest questions like "what is our purpose?" and "how can or should we define our existence?"  Every entry I submit to this blog will be discussing various events and how I view them by attempting to stay true to a frakenjuice outlook.  

May your life be filled with frosting drenched Cinnabon-like deliciousness and please visit this site a few times a week for a better understanding of the Flabbinzeus and the Frakenjuice through the stories and posts I share with you.