I haven’t been around in awhile and to be honest, there is so much on the rise I’m finding it extremely difficult to be on top of things. I’m juggling multiple projects, producing and managing, full time school, AND in the development and research stages of a new web series I’m creating. Life is poppin! I have so many goals for this coming semester and I need to be real with myself… I can’t handle it all.

LOOKING FOR: A part-time production assistant for LOVEHARD (my video/photo production company and blog).

Do you love hip hop music, arts and culture? Do you want exposure to these kind of events and artists? Are you organized and can word doc/excel it up? Are you a jack of all trades? What are your skrills? Can you shoot/edit/graphic design/web develop/blog (wordpress)?

Sometimes there’s money involved, sometimes there is free inebriation and access to dope shows/parties. Regardless, the experience is GUARANTEED goodness if you’re eager and excited to soak it all in. You must be 19+.

If interested, please email char@Lovehard.ca with your resume, your goals (life & career), and why you love hip hop and who you listen to!!

Deadline to Apply: Thurs, Feb 2nd, 2012.

I remember the first time I had ever met Ryan. I was working on the floor and noticed a tall, blond, pretty good looking guy checking out my boss’ ass. I laughed to myself and went up to Bates and told her that that guy ‘over there’ was scopin’ out her booottayyyy. She looked over at who I was pointing at and laughed sheepishly, as he walked up to her to give her a hug.

… Obviously.

[Lovehard Blog Launch party, July 17th, 2010. The Main Ingredient]

Of all the things I unnecessarily celebrate… I totally forgot that yesterday was Lovehard’s 1 Year Anniversary! WOW! Shouts and a big thank you to everyone who’s read this blog, been a supporter/fan, and have truly embodied what it means to Lovehard and live it out in their daily lives. It’s more than just a blog, the name I go by for my photo/video productions… it’s a Movement, set in the ideal that life is an all or nothing type deal. Ain’t no half steppin.

With that being said… Lovehard is evolving, I am learning tons, and there is much to come on this blog content wise. Stay tuned for my Lovehard Goes to Vancity series!

[The coolest thing to ever be on my resume. Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest spinning this party. HOT DAMN.]

[taken at the reFRESH Ent. Boat Cruise Party]

And so closes the first chapter of my Summer. My last day of my internship at MuchMusic working for RapCity and The Wedge comes to an end tomorrow night. It’s been a crazy 3 months being introduced to that world, and needless to say, I am leaving with a brain full of knowledge, ideas, and a new perspective. Being there has taught me more about who I want to be, and what I want to be a stand for… and this, is the best thing MuchMusic has done for me.

With that being said, I also didn’t receive the second internship I applied for this summer, which was for a social media position for a company called Delvinia. They seemed like a really wicked company and the interview went really well, just wasn’t in the cards for me, I guess. But if I’m being completely honest, I felt that in my gut. Discovering that I would be spending the rest of my summer freelancing and grinding out on my Lovehard ish… actually made me the most excited.

I’ve been on a crazy inspiration spree as of late, writing constantly in my notebook the five million ideas exploding in my mind, and hitting up people who I’ve been eager to blog about/work with. I turn 23 next week, my Jordan year. I also leave for home, VanCity, for about a week-12days, and will be doing a whole series called Lovehard Goes to VanCity, where I’ll be hitting up all these super dope artists that I wanna show love to.

And when I get back… I’m goin harder.

So if you, yes you, reading this… would like to propose a special project (hopefully that could help me pay my rent and feed mi belly), hire me for my various photography/videography/social media management skrills… email me at char@lovehard.ca and let’s make big tings gwan!

[Moi, Iolanda, Beetle Brit, Ash]

Twas a wonderful Easter Sunday, quite different from the many years I’ve spent celebrating it going to church with my family as a yout. My sister/soulmate/roomate/best friend/wingwoman/partner in crime fo lyfe, aka Beetle Brit, invited me to spend Easter Sunday with her beautiful italiano side of her familia. Brit, myself, and her older sister Ash, drove out to Woodbridge and was instantly greeted by Brit’s Nonna and Nonno, aka the cutest grandparents of life. Zia Theresa, Iolanda, Frank, and of course, Hershey/Cookie (the dog has two names and understands Italian, ehhh!) were also there to have probably the most juiciest tenderloin I’ve ever had. We had tomatas, patatas, green olive and green tomatoes, homemade bread, cheeses, homemade wine, lemon cheesecake for dessert… Lord, I wouldn’t be surprised if Nonna and Nonno raised the cows themselves. Everything was exquisitely simple and delicious. Italians know whattup, forreal though! We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing on the couch, watching the wedding preparations of Prince William and Kate, then took a lovely walk round the suburban hood with little pup. It was such a wonderful day, and super awesome to get to know Brit’s italiano side of her family. I received ample kisses, warm embraces, and a lotta tinfoiled leftovers upon returning back to downtown Toronto. I also received the official invite to upcoming BBQ’s, BOO YA! Love, Love, Love to the Sirianni familia.

Hope ya’ll had a relaxing and wonderful Easter weekend. Enjoy the flix.

I’ve spoken my piece.
Peace.

Man, my Fridays and Saturdays sure don’t feel like weekends anymore. Goin into the editing labs till like 1am on a Friday night, being exposed to all the (actually) super cool cats who like to spend their weekend evenings on their grind, has changed my perspective on a lot of things. I love being out and about in the city, and everyone knows I love music and I love dancing, but… as exhausting as doing all this school work is, I kind of don’t mind it. (Except for the fact that my back KILLS.) Sometimes I get waves of anxiety, trying to organize all the things I need to do and feeling like I’ll never get it all accomplished, but in truth, embracing it and feeling like I know I’m accomplishing things I can be proud of, well, that makes it all that much more worth it.

Lately I’ve been on my greazy working on this mini-doc for my Design In Media class. It’s about the Toronto Street Art/Graffiti scene and I have to say, the entire process has been so rewarding. Being my toughest critic, looking back on it, I wish I had taken this shot, or that shot, or got more B-Roll of this… but the content of what was being said, and the inside look I got into the personal world of some of these pretty extraordinary artists, is more valuable than what any other interviewer could obtain. I’ve learned a lot through this process about who I am/who I can be as a media artist, and my responsibility as someone as the future of media. The best stories I heard or the things I saw while interviewing these artists, I didn’t even get on camera. And even though I partially wish I did so I could let everyone in on what I experienced, there are just some things that can only be captured with the mind and the heart. I feel honored to be let into a world that’s not my own, and to appreciate it for what it is.

That’s my little update for now. Back to the editing lair I go…

[Ernie says LOVEHARD!]

About a month ago I received a message on facebook from pioneer Hip Hop photographer Ernie Paniccioli saying, “I want a LOVEHARD shirt, 2XL, and you better come to my event!” After finding out that Ernie would be returning to Toronto to speak at a Hip Hop festival that Ryerson was putting together, I made sure that these shirts, along with the Lovehard Monsty ones, got made just in time.

[Barcelona, Spain]

At some point in time, from some place that I have no idea, someone down my line of heritage came from this country. Part of me wonders if he was from Barcelona… wouldn’t that be cool? Maybe one day I’ll put together the pieces… but man, how I have been obsessing over this city lately. Sigh. Someone throw some fad wads of bills in my face. Fund a trip that will allow me to explore my creativity, and a culture that has so greatly influenced the one I was born into.