Blog Posts:

The following articles are blogs that I had written within the past few years about my personal experiences, opinions, and realizations. These blog posts were a way for me to express myself using the way of writing as my creative outlet.
Being able to organize my thoughts and discover my values in my writing and artistic voice would not have been possible if I hadn’t started posting these blogs, which has allowed me to develop not only as a writer but as a creative as well.

Hydromocs: The (Real) Worldwide Steppers

March 11, 2019

I’ve worn the Merrell Hydromocs in multiple states, in multiple terrains, and in multiple colorways. The Hydromoc is the most versatile, comfortable, and stylish clog on the market. The footwear choice of the summer can be worn year round and in many different ways. From cliff jumping to your daily hot girl walk, you will not feel any discomfort while the graceful Hydromocs are on your feet. The way that the foot rotates so smoothly with the shoe is something that is extremely difficult to create while also delivering exceptional comfort.

As a proud owner of a plethora of clog-like footwear options, including the infamous Birkenstock Bostons, Crocs, and even the highly upcharged Yeezy Foam Runner, I can proudly say that the Merrell Hydromoc is my favorite option. Now, you may be asking yourself “Why is this ugly-crocodile-alligator-alien-lookin ass shoe so highly regarded in eyes?” My response for you is that this shoe is just the easiest thing to put on, while still adding that pop of flare to any outfit. These catch the attention of everyone in the room, and people do not stop asking if they are another silhouette of the historic hood classic Crocs. Along with being an effortless eye-catcher, they are also a great way of opening new doors in the world of fashion. Hydromocs give you a peek of what it is like to dress within the realms of the heavily trended “gorpcore” and might even help you explore

more footwear options within the same regimen.

The many colorway options also add the to versatility, and let me also mention that they retail for the small price of $55. The price speaks for itself, as a very affordable option when compared to the pricepoints of the other clogs.

In its rise to becoming mainstream, the Hydromoc is receiving a new look thanks to the collab between Merrell and up and coming streetwear brand Reese Cooper Inc. The collab is giving us the Hydromoc as the exoskeleton for the new Hydro Runner. I am excited to see more from the Merrell team in the future, but I am also admiring what they have since created. I like to call them a masterpiece.

In my experience, along with many of my peers’, we have not once been let down by the Hydromoc. Get a pair. Or two.

Know Yourself Know Your Worth
October 9, 2022

A wise man once told me to “not give a fuck about what anyone has to say about you.” Good or bad, this piece of advice has held its value to me for quite some time. The context in which the conversation was started was through simple talks about getting fly and putting fits together.

Now, a little back story about myself is that I grew up loving clothes, sneakers, and really all things fashion related. Since I was born, my mom was always getting me fly and I carried on the tradition all throughout high school and of course, still put that shit on to this day. One of the problems that I always struggled with was self-reflection and improvement. I used to always think about what others had to say about me or what they thought of the new pieces that I got from time to time, so I would always be posting my new pickups on social media trying to get some attention.

This right here led me down a rabbit hole of thinking that I need to dress a certain way to be able to be considered swaggy or fly when looked at by my friends and peers. However, just recently, I had my eyes opened and been enlightened by the fact that no one else’s opinion really matters when you are the one who truly needs to give a fuck about how you look.

Whether it be the clothes you put on, the way you wear your hair, or even (and especially) the way you carry yourself; no one else should have an impact on your self-image but yourself.

Let’s word it like this... if someone who you know isn’t fly, doesn’t know how to dress, and honestly is just a stinky and smelly muhfucka tells you that you “don’t look good”, but you yourself know that you think you look fly, why in the world would their opinion matter? You know that you put that shit on, so why would someone that doesn’t come close to you in that domain have any impact on what you think of yourself?

The short answer is that it shouldn’t.

In all my years of being someone who enjoys putting on a somewhat decent outfit every day, this was something that hadn’t grazed my mind a single time. I struggled heavily with this until finally realized that if you have that mindset that you are the flyest in the room, who is someone else to tell you that you aren’t?

In all honesty, who am I to tell you how to take “constructive criticism” on what you wear? I mean... people call my fits “mid” all the time (mainly because I stick to the basics now). So when someone tries to give you advice on what you’re wearing or even how you hold yourself, I’d say fuck them. But then again, who am I to tell you what to do, if anything I’m breaking my own rule.

Bigger Than ROY G. BIV
November 30, 2022

One of the things that I’ve taken for granted over the past 20 years of my life is the appreciation for color. Besides the fact that my eyes work fine, it has taken me this long to truly understand how beautiful such a small thing like color truly is.

It may sound dumb or like I am just finding out how to use a pencil, but I know that it takes a lot of people tons of time to realize that they are grateful for the things that they don’t really notice on a day-to-day basis. Now, my sudden realization could be partially from me reading so much manga with such colorful cover art, but it could also be because I have finally been walking around with my chin up and eyes looking forward. When you go through things that put you in a bit of a rut or a struggle, it makes sense for everything to seem mundane, lame, and colorless.

I remember coming out of a time when it felt like there was always a dark cloud following me everywhere. The first thing I noticed was how colorful everything was. I saw how beautiful the trees looked, how the ground was cracking in different shades of grey, and especially the different variations of cotton candy skies.

I really started to appreciate color through all of the media I had been consuming. I was reading a lot of manga, watching a ton of anime (especially One Piece), and just scrolling through social media. Most of the media I was looking at portrays color in such different ways so it gave me the opportunity to look at different colors with alternative optics. Whether it be through the lighting used in order to create shade and shadows, or through the expression of feeling that occurs when large amounts of color appeared on my screen. Art creates so much vulnerability with color and it is often overlooked.

Even when I walk through museums, no matter which one, I’m always in awe of how these artists could create such emotion through artwork. Whether it’s Picasso, Murakami, or Virgil, every one of these artists creates/created with such beautiful use of color and emotion in everything they’ve given to the space.

Color has also been something I neglected in my fashion choices. I had avoided wearing things that made me stand out ever since high school, and now my wardrobe is full of clothes that look like they could be the same colors as a forest in the wintertime. I have a few pieces that have a lot of color on them, and I hardly ever wear them. Though I know that colorful pieces don’t necessarily fit my wardrobe, I still think they are super sick. A ton of brands do everything right when it comes to colors, but sometimes it's just not for me. I’ll stick to my grandpa-core wardrobe, but I will never lose this appreciation for color.

So when I think about it, I don’t just think about the different kinds of crayons Crayola has in a 64-pack, but I think about how they relate to everything around me and how they are being portrayed in that time and setting. These little things have so much meaning and they are visible for a reason, so take a good look around you to appreciate what you haven’t been.

The Real MVPs
December 9, 2022

Something that I think is extremely underrated, or maybe I’ve just taken this for granted, is the fact that I have two parents that have been divorced and since meeting their partners have become the best version of themselves.

Growing up in two separate homes is definitely not an uncommon experience for many of the kids growing up in this world. However, it was a foreign concept to me. Going through things like being a child of divorce gave me a different outlook on life and relationships than what I used to believe. Not to say that it affected me in a positive or negative light, events like this occur throughout life and we just have to keep it moving.

One good thing that came out of this was that my relationship with both of my parents is at the best point it’s ever been at. I am able to have conversations with them that I had never been able to even think about when it comes to my birth givers. They still see me as a little boy that entered the world not knowing how they were gonna take care of me, but they also respect and acknowledge the fact that part of growing up is letting me embrace my recent entrance to adulthood.

I am so grateful to have the kind of parents that I do. My head is constantly drifting around in space with the thoughts of a somewhat-un/foreseeable future where I have to take care of not only myself but also a potential family and home. I think about it often. I know I can do it, but it’s just about getting there that hurts my brain a little bit. Thankfully, my family (not even just my parents) has made this something that I do not really have to worry about too much. I’m not speaking about this financially, but mentally. They continue to support me in every choice that I make, whether it’s a poor decision or not they all know that something will become of the situation. Learning to appreciate the need for failure is something that I am eternally grateful for.

My dad really preaches that. “Go out and fail, man. Try shit out and fucking fail.” It sounds crazy to hear coming from my dad who typically only wants the best for me and for me to succeed right? However, this is some of the best advice I’ve ever received. Being able to accept the fact that not everything is going to come my way is something that I had a hard time doing, but had always known that it was inevitable.

Thanks, dad. I hope you know that you teach me more than you think you do. And mom, I know you’re reading that thinking; “Damn, where’s my shoutout?” but you don’t need one to know that you are the most important person in my life and without you, there would (literally) be no me. You teach me to love unconditionally, to think with no boundaries, and to accept whatever consequences my actions and decisions bring me. You both make me proud to call you my parents.

I am grateful to be able to experience such a childhood and live through everything I have lived through. Good and bad, hard times and easy, I am grateful for making me who I am today.

I don’t mean to go on a tangent about how great my family is, but I really do just feel like I am unable to tell them enough. I know this is something that may not be the easiest thing to read for some, but I just want to put this out there because I truly am lucky to be born into such a loving and supportive family no matter what happens. They taught me the basic steps of being a decent human being and I hope to pass those on to whoever I can one day.

All of this is thanks to divorce. Thank you for allowing me to grow up under you all.