031: '21 shoutouts 🗣 (part 2)
a shoutout can also be a bad thing
ELEVENShoutout to hotels and foreign land development
I've been told this is the only way to save Puerto Rico. To build more hotels, to give people a bunch of minimum wage jobs. Because that's the only way to create jobs. Also, no big deal if they buy public land that was available to everyone and will now only be available for use by the people who can afford the hotel. It's not like there's a finite amount of land on an already developed island. And it's not like the people making the hotels are usually Americans who came in to avoid paying taxes and will take most of that money back to the states. And those buildings being bought out and renovated, it’s not like there were people living there for a long time who now can’t afford to live there. But apparently there’s nothing we can do to stop this.
TWELVEShoutout to my friends
All my lifelong friends, friends who were friends before this year, and all the new friends I made this year. I've been fortunate enough to meet lots of people and have many new experiences with these people this year. And I hope I keep doing that. While maintaining relationships and building new ones (and sometimes letting go of others, because that's life). If you're reading this and I met you this year by whatever circumstances, wassup, thanks for being here. And if you’ve been with me from the jump…
THIRTEENShoutout to HIP HOP HIP HOP REAL HIP HOP
One of my favorite old(er) people moments is when a conversation about hip-hop begins, and someone says, "I only listen to REAL hip-hop, none of that new shit." Remember when we were young, and all the older people told us that only what they listened to as kids was good and that new shit wasn't any good? And now you're doing the same thing to younger generations? Do you see a pattern here? One of the most extraordinary things I've ever learned is to be open to new and different things. Even if that means things they take something I've always loved and cherished and push it in a direction I never knew was possible. Something so different from what I've loved that it doesn’t even resemble the thing I loved in any way. But who am I to classify what an entire thing is or isn't? Typical of us humans to believe our beliefs are always the right ones. Let me let you in on a little secret: the more open you are to new things, the more you will discover, enjoy, adapt and evolve.
And the more you shut yourself off to something because it is different from what you're accustomed to, the more you'll become an old person yelling at clouds who has no fun and gets upset and the yutes having fun.
If Kanye West had stayed making the same beats and songs he did on College Dropout and Late Registration, we never would've had Graduation. And if he thought Graduation was as far as he could take his sound, we never would've had Yeezus. And if he thought Yeezus was as far as he could take his sound, we never would've had…. Do you see where I'm going with this? Just enjoy shit, and even if you don't understand it at first, give yourself the opportunity to maybe one day understand it. So never forget that Playboi Carti dropped an excellent Christmas album last year with WLR and a huge shoutout to Doja Cat for having one of the best albums of the year. That shit is magical. I never thought someone could bounce back so hard after being caught in racial chat rooms showing feet, but you did it. Also, I have something for you in case you missed it earlier this year:
FOURTEENShoutout to HIP HOP AGAIN 😈🐰
I want to take a moment to be thankful for Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. A lot of Puerto Ricans do a lot of amazing shit all the time, and we've kinda gotten used to it despite how crazy it is that an island of a couple of million people, smaller than the size of South Florida, pumps out so many exceptional individuals so consistently. People who are known across the ENTIRE FUCKING PLANET. Esos son Los Nuestrxs, but y'all already know how I feel about them. What this man is doing in music and cultural influence across the globe is nothing short of iconic. And I believe he's just getting started. I really hope you enjoy his music and what he does. Because I've seen some people online who are not fans, and it's genuinely heartbreaking they don't get to feel the joy I feel when one of his songs comes on. I believe they enjoy them in private but bash him publicly.
FIFTEENShoutout to guns baby!!!
Are you more of a POW POW person or a PEW PEW person? PEW PEW is with a silencer.
Anyway, guns baby! We need 'em!
There have been a number of tragic incidents this year involving guns, schools, stray bullets, mass gatherings, and police shooting innocent people (including kids). I say this year, but sadly, that could be any year over the last two decades in the good ol' US of A. And even though guns, people with a history of abuse and/or mental illness and/or criminal records and/or police are usually the ones involved, we haven't been able to find a way to stop this from happening.
No one has any ideas. Or, any ideas that “work.”
Maybe we make backpacks seethrough? Maybe we make kids go through metal detectors? That's fine, definitely not instilling any trauma in an 8-year-old who has to go through metal detectors for school and is already considered a threat by the school police officer who themselves carry a gun and also has to go through active shooter drills. There is zero we can do, I guess, to stop any of this from happening. There's just no way. I can't think of anything. The problem continues, but I'm completely stumped. Guess we have to carry on with our lives like this forever praying it changes because we have no other options 🤷🏽♂️
SIXTEENShoutout to anyone who works retail with some face-to-face interaction with customers and anyone who works customer service, even if it's not face-to-face
Dealing with customers is the most thankless job. And we all think customers are assholes, but we are all the customers at one point or another. So every time you get upset with someone from Customer Service who can't help you the way you think you should be helped, remember it's more than likely not their fault. Companies are looking out for themselves and their bottom line. Try to be understanding, try to be human, and remember every interaction is a new opportunity for you to do that. So, to the lady from the Progressive chat who got upset because I said my car insurances rates going up despite four years without a claim is "fucking bullshit." I wasn’t angry at you! I was angry at Flo and all her smiling fucking friends in the commercials 😀
SEVENTEENShoutout to doing your own research
I love to research shit. Things like, what possible villain could we expect in the next Doctor Strange movie? What's the best place to go on a first date in Miami? Which Wide Receiver should I start this week in my fantasy football semifinal matchup based on their opposing defense? Does this restaurant have anything on the menu that I will eat, or do I have to have a full meal before going to dinner just in case? Science shit? Medical shit? Things people have spent decades studying and learning to help others in times of crisis? I don't research that shit because I don't know shit. I leave it to the professionals. That ain’t me. So if you're asking me, what will I do if they keep coming up with boosters you'll need for COVID? Well, I'm gonna do the same thing I do with the flu shot, get that shit every time. And if it gives me a little permanent bump on my body, then catch me walking around like this
EIGHTEENShoutout to characters that are so well written and complicated it'll have you questioning whether the bad guy is actually the good guy and whether the good guys are actually bad guys
SPOILER ALERT: Most of the time, in this world, the guys who are telling you they're the good guys and constantly repeating it so you remember and paying sports and media to promote what they do so no one ever goes five minutes without being reminded they're the good guys, those are more than likely the bad guys. And if it comes to classifying yourself as either a Fuccboi or a Nice Guy, don't trust anyone who calls themselves a Nice Guy. Although it may be true sometimes, it's not true most of the time. Trust me. I'm a Nice Guy.
NINTEENShoutout to all the rumors and assumers
One thing I always find interesting about social media is the number of people who post talking about other people talking about them. Everyone has some secret group of haters who are secretly (but openly) hating on them and doing all these things to try and keep them down. Even though these people are just regular shmegular people with regular-ass jobs and 647 Instagram followers, the haters are out there!
I always felt like this was a bit of an overreaction. Who the fuck wants to talk about me? I'm just some fucking guy. What would be the point? What have I done that is so interesting? But recently, I discovered some people do talk about me. Let me tell you. It was not exhilarating in the least. And even though the conversation was about ancient rumors, it still caught me by surprise. The things people will assume and pass on that are flat-out completely untrue are eye-opening. It's one thing when I know I'm a piece of shit and the piece of shit things I've done. It's another thing when someone makes up those things that aren't true. And I was hurting a bit. Then I remembered I have no control over what other people say or do. I can only control what I say and do. And if I make a bad decision that hurts someone, I have to live with those consequences. I have, I do, and I will. But I'm not going to worry about what someone else might think isn't true because that's their problem. So from here on out, let's just say I won't address the rumors.
TWENTYShoutout to finding your inspiration
Inspiration is a crazy thing, it can be the hardest thing to come by, and it’s also something that happens spontaneously when you least expect it. In today’s world, we’re constantly bombarded with things fighting for our attention. So much so, that we almost never have a single moment to let our mind rest. When we finally get away from the outside stimulus we can’t even stand to be alone with our thoughts. This is what I always blamed for not writing enough outside of work. “Look at all these ideas I have! 🤠 Which I never actually write out our create because I feel too tired all the time from work and life 😫” But work and life are never going to stop just so you can sit around and find some inspiration.
And after a loooong time of nagging and pushing by some of the people closest to me who believe in me, I decided to start writing more regularly. But I knew I wanted to do something different. I didn’t want to write about marketing and productivity 🤮 I wanted to do something that might inspire people and also give me the chance to talk about whatever the fuck I might be feeling at the moment. I needed a foundation for that, something that would let people know to expect anything before they even stepped inside. To give people the feeling that anything was possible at any moment. And on my three and half hour drive from Miami to Orlando, I realized the perfect time and place for me to do that.
On a Tuesday.
The day of the week everyone forgets about (except for tacos, shoutout tacos #CornTortillaGang). A day of the week where no one expects anything to happen. A day of the week you’re just trying to get through so you can get to the next day that makes you feel like you’re almost at the finish line. So let me take that day where nothing is happening, and give you everything you never knew you needed.
This playlist is still in the works, but I wanted to let you know it exists. And I want you to help me build it because, after all, 2uesday doesn’t belong to me, it’s for all of us. So when you’re out in the wild doing your thing and you hear a song mention the word “Tuesday,” let me know which it is so we can add it to the playlist 😎
TWENTYONEShoutout to you for reading this
I consider anyone who reads this someone who believes in me. And I've had so many people believe in me this year and support me. It means so much. If you're reading this and you think you're one of those people, you are. And we're just getting started. Thank you for taking from your precious time to read my thousands and thousands of words (some of which are maybe not necessary) every single week.
If I could ask you for one more thing before this year is over it would be for you to forward your favorite email to anyone you think might enjoy my writing. I'm currently at 195 subscribers and hoping to reach 200 before the year is over. I have some more fun things planned for next year with new formats and new creative writing and other cool real-life shit. I can't wait for you to see it. We're going to start the year with a banger.
Once again, thank you. And, remember, if you ever get anything from me, just know it was always made with mucho mucho ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍🤎❤️🔥❤️🩹❣️💕💞💓💗💖💘💝
