Goodbye 2024: A Year of Closure
Marley 2008 - 2024
Whether it was finally releasing my beat tape or losing my dog Marley after 16 years, 2024 brought great closure in my life. It was more than a decade ago that I was lying on a couch on the third floor of my roommate’s apartment building in San Francisco, wondering where life would take me after breaking my leg. So much has changed since then, and yet if you have known me long enough to ask me what I’m up to these days… it would be the same. I’m still going to shows. I’m still making music. I’ve remained resilient in my pursuit of creating art.
That wasn’t always easy. When I moved back home to Guam from SF I was truly fucked. Releasing music was the last thing I needed between being broke and broken, but I still went on quite the run with my indie band To The Hill. And even though the fallout of that project going nuclear did cast a great shadow, what remained was a career in broadcasting and a partner in Regina who was the drummer of my band. This much is true. This much I’m proud of.
Last year was witness to many full circles ALONG WITH THE START OF MY NEW RADIO SHOW aFTERTASTE. Long-standing facts CAME BACK AROUND LIKE Loose ends with serendipitous timing. I decided to bet on myself again and see this loop through. I SHELVED MORE THAN MY trip ep WHEN I MOVED BACK HOME 10 YEARS AGO. tHERE WAS MUSIC WITH MY WIFE I NEVER PUT OUT WITH OUR NEW BAND neVER dREAMT. tHE YEARS WENT BY AND SO DID WE. Now I WAS LOOKING BACK AT ALL THAT WORK FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE. a NEW PERSPECTIVE NOT AS PUNISHING. WHAT I ONCE THOUGHT OF AS GHOSTS HAUNTING ME WERE GIFTS I LEFT FOR MYSELF TO APPRECIATE WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT. It’s funny how things line up THAT WAY.
iT’S A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES SEEING ALL THIS COME TO FRUITION. The sense of growth ALONG WITH THE SENSE OF CLOSURE HAS HELPED HEAL ME IN MANY WAYS. IF YOU’VE CONSUMED ANY OF THE FRUITS FROM THE YEARS OF LABOR THAT I PRODUCED LAST YEAR, KNOW THAT A LOT OF CARE WENT INTO EVERY ASPECT OF THAT JOURNEY. eVERY MUSIC VIDEO, SONG, PERFORMANCE, broadcast, OR EVEN BLOG POST WAS AN INTENTIONAL REACH TO CONNECT WITH THOSE I’M EXPRESSING MYSELF WITH. iT’S THANKS TO YOUR ATTENTION AND LOYALTY THAT I HAVE MANAGED TO GET THIS FAR. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND COULDN’T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THOSE WHO HELPED ME MAKE MY VISION A REALITY. THANK YOU.
IF THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN TAKE INTO THIS NEW YEAR, IT’S A NEWFOUND SENSE OF CONFIDENCE THAT FEELS EARNED. That can ONLY REMAIN POSSIBLE BY DOING RIGHT BY THE PEOPLE I OWE IT TO. I DON’T always HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT EVERYBODY BUT I'm ALWAYS KEEN ON TRYING MY BEST NO MATTER WHAT. Especially if the feelings are mutual. I’M LOOKING forward to continuing this campaign OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS to GIVE A PROPER RELEASE TO our WORK with TO THE HILL as we CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF iN wAVES. That’s JUST THE TIP OF THE SPEAR. So Let’s KEEP IN TOUCH THIS YEAR. You know where to find me. Either way HERE IS TO GOOD FORTUNE AND GOOD HEALTH. Happy New Year!
