Sunday Jazz Night!!

“We’re finished!” This is what Ben J and I say after we’ve just finished the LA bootcamp. Hand slaps and a brotherly embrace to commemorate the moment is what we feel is appropriate. Dead tired and hungry, we lazily walk to a nearby Mexican restaurant. The students come along with us to reveal in the good times. Everyone plops down inside the booth and immediately start fucking around and enjoy themselves; finally… It took us all weekend to get these gents to lighten up and relax.

Stuffing our faces with great food, and drinking to our hearts delight, is the traditional plan of action after we finish bootcamp (I don’t quite know how this came to be tradition, but I think is wise not to ask questions. ). I think to myself as I swallow the last bite of my taco, “We’ve got to go home and get dressed; it’s Sunday Jazz Night”. I guess Ben had the same thought as I, because we make eye contact and it looks like he’s thinking the same. Everyone’s finished, so it’s time say goodbyes (No matter how many bootcamps I go on, I always hate the last day of BC because saying goodbye has always been hard for me. You spend three days with these guys, and it’s hard not to grow fond of them).

I arrive to my apartment and expect the weekend’s hectic schedule to have taken a toll on the place. Well it seems I’ve understated the state of my place; in my mind, I didn’t see it as bad as it was. You know you have to clean when you are stumbling to walk through your place. It is moments like these that as I child I would have loved. This would have been my HQ as Cobra Commander (As you plainly tell, I obviously went through a GI Joe phase. God help you if you tell me that an action figure is still playing with dolls -_-). 1hr is all I have to get ready; decisions, decisions. Sleep or take a second shower to freshen up….uhhh sleep. I plop down on my couch ready for sleeps wonderful embrace and wait to be taken over by darkness. 10 mins later I’m still wide awake, so I know it’s time to abort mission and shower.

Tonight is about being social and not having any outcome whatsoever. This is what I think as walk up to the W. I shake hands, joke with Brian and Derek before heading inside (Humor makes people feel like they’re a part of something, and since everyone likes to feel good, humor is the easiest way to accomplish both. Make it a habit to remember people’s names wherever you go, as this is the easy way of getting people to like you). The place is packed tonight, so I don’t waste time. I hit the first group of girls I see, hook them quickly and leave to go talk to other people. My throat is killing me, so I make a bee line for the bar. Water in hand, I chat with people here and there while I look for my friends. My plan is to introduce everyone I meet, as I want to improve my hosting skills (My focus for the next couple months is building a social circle, and have it run itself. Hosting is a key skill in order to run a social circle).

I wasn’t able to spend much time with anyone in particular, because I would get pulled away to hang out with people every 4 mins or so. What’s cool about hosting is you don’t have too many moments where you’re not in set. The problem I have been encountering is, letting go of any agenda. I can talk with someone, and once I smell the value in them, I start to focus and strategize. Now because I know this will become a problem. When I am talking with someone who I would like to add to my group of friends, I will focus my mind on being present, and dropping all desire. It brings me back to a Zen like state, and turns my motives into, what can I do for this person. How, can I be of value to them, JFK once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.

Shift your focus, stop trying to get something or even have an agenda. Be in the moment and enjoy the ride. It is not the destination or the ending we enjoy, it’s the journey there. The past is history, the future a mystery, today is a gift; so start each day as if it were on purpose, and live each day, as if it were your last. I hope you learn from my mistakes and make the most of everything you read. However this is my journey, go travel yours. Who knows maybe I’ll learn something from you. Life is beautiful, enjoy the ride.


Seduce and be seduced,

-Jay Protégé