The Closer

Finally, Daniel Lee Soon has woke up in 2009! Great blessings have come from the past year & I look forward to pushing myself to a better future. One that I have to leave behind the great memories from 2008 & the confusion that is entering the real world. Like the end of the D-Money era @ Chaminade, & the beginning of a long rest of my life. Before that, my year looked promising. I did all that I could have wanted to do, & then some. I went to New York City as an added bonus. There were also many good decisions & bad (no comment on the bad) ones. But overall, I was stoked to meet & chill with different people throughout the past year. Also reunite with people I haven't seen in years or months. I also said my last goodbyes to friends I may never see again. But I will grow stronger as I gained a lot through others as they gained a lot through me over my years in college & @ social events to get my name out there. I am due to have a breakthrough year & there should be fewer distractions. I thank the lord for the many blessings in my life thus far. I am now 22 & a half & look forward to the challenge of getting a new job (since being an assistant manager @ Sears sucks) & start graduate school. I will try to leave a light on for those who want back in my life as I move forward. But I can only hope for the best in the next year. Gotta work tomorrow, but have 2 days off afterward. Hope 2 have a great tomorrow & live for today everyday. Peace.
-Daniel Lee Soon aka D-Moro

The End has come

Its time to move on from a great friendship. I am about to go 3/3 in chilling with three of the first girls I met my first semester (after a long time away from chilling with them). One has been here all summer & just graduated. One went home & came back to work & graduated with me. The third came back just for graduation. The third girl I chilled @ The Varsity with & partied like the good old days. The second I was thrilled to take to a concert & we had a great time. The first was the one I really got to know over the past 4 years, including several concerts we had a blast @. All three are great friends & we had great memories, but its time to say goodbye to all three. I did what I had to do with the first 2. But tonight, I will say goodbye to one of my best friends after meeting up with her. This is going to be good. The eve of New Years Eve will go down as one of the most interesting moments of 2008. Can't wait to see what final memory I can make before 09. I will miss them all, as will the great year of 2008. New Blog before the New Year coming. I leave you with a life lesson through this music video. New Stuff.
-D-Money

Ready for 2009?

2008s coming to an end. 2009 is fast approaching. Before I look forward to 2009, here is what I can be thankful for in 2008 (top 10 & honorable mention, & of course no bad memories incl.):

10: Incubus Concert & pre-show, Mar 19-21. Went to preshow with Silversun Pickups as well as concert w/ them & Incubus. Great show & afterparty.
9. Awakening Weekend, Apr 4-6. Able to overcome tough struggle to staff my final retreat.
8. Bayfest Hawaii, July 5-6. Able to return home & see 3 Doors Down, Everclear, & Live @ Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. Live was on my plane & got to re-meet 3DD on my birthday!
7. Hoobastank & Secondhand Serenade Concert, November 26 & December 19. Two great shows, four great acts, & got to chill with each of the artists before & after show!
6. Industry Parties, Dunno. Went all over, met cool people, good times.
5. North Shore trips, December 4 & 12. Sunset Pro, Eddie Aikau kickoff, & Pipe Masters!
4. Commencement Ball & Kokua Fest, April 2008: Saw good concert, chill with good friends, & was announced as Senior of the Year @ the ball (like HS king).
3. Reunited, December 10-11, 15, 19-20 2008. Hung out with the best of friends, chill with new ones. Got to see my good friends finally walk the line & homies return. Also Disco!
2. New York City, June 26-July 5. Went to NYC & went all over! I ran NY!
1. Graduation Weekend, May 9-13, 16. Partied hard like there's no tomorrow. But I completed my goal of graduating on time & making my time last!

Honorable Mention: 311 Concert, Chris Brown Concert/ Pro Bowl Week, Heavywater Parties, NP Concert, & other stuff I could mention but don't remember.

2009 will be the year I take control of my destiny. This is where I don't lie down for no one. My friends have moved on, & now I am more motivated than ever to get to where I want to be. The industry the people i have met in the past year will play a larger part in determining my future, as I will be driving again after a 6-month hiatus. I also plan to leave Sears & start grad school (likely April now). Looking back @ 08, it could have been better, but I have no excuses for why I could be in a better situation except to work harder & smarter. 08 was great, 09 will be devine!
-Daniel

Mele Kalikimaka...

from the 808! Hope everyone has a great christmas. Great to have a great christmas & hope all is good. Hate that I work early tomorrow but since I am manager @ Sears, it goes with the responsibility until I can find better work. Like I said, I am planning to leave Sears sometime within the next three months since the economy is expected to improve & Sears has nowhere to go but in the "right" direction (you know what i mean, downhill!). Well I did enjoy the Disco last week & after work tomorrow, I'm gonna get what Santa forgot (but thrilled to have a new phone) & go chill with my homegirl for her b-day & take advantage of a few open bars around town. I am featured in a photo with Hoobastank, taken right after the concert @ Dennys. Check it out:
http://www.dennysallnighter.com/index.php/site/blog-entries/aloha_from_hoobahawaii
Photos of the best of 2008 coming, as well as a new years resolution. Til Next time!
-D-RoMo

Affirmations

Things I have to say about top friends that graduated this semester (& last):

Kristin- You were an awesome friend. You are so funny too. Coming from a small town to the 808 you are all i appreciate. Will miss chillin. Best memory: Almost got taken out by softball as well as few drunken nights.

Angela- Since Day 1, you were an interesting person. Despite being busy all the time, you found a way to make it through & hang out whenever you can. Funny I run into you all over @ times but good times when we did. Best Memory: Gwen Stefani & 30 Seconds To Mars concerts.

Anina- Another friend that has been there since day one (& we made it through 4 years on time). Great person to talk to & not too hard to convince. Love those random moments whether @ beach or house parties. Best Memory: 2ndhand concert after a being MIA since grad day & those great parties (close second). Props to your best friend Katie too.

Bhasie- Got the street kred. But like a bro to me through Awakening & Campus Ministry. Good chilling in class as well as around the clubs. Best Memory: Awakenings.

Andrew- Cool dude. Got to hangout a lot & chill with different people from different walks of life. Still gets around & knows anyone & everyone. Best Memory: Long night drifting on campus.

Gabe- Known since day 1 @ Chaminade. Though you went to UH we were cool through retreat as well as off-campus. Will still see u around & prob @ games too. Best Memory: Awakening 14.

Hale- Lucky kid. One of few people who actually get close to action better than me. Works it out too but he is cool to chill & hangout with whenever. Best Memory: kickball.

Tim G- This guy does a lot & gets away with a lot too. Best of friends since year 2 for me. Good chillin @ random places & all over. Best Memory: U2 Concert & random photo nights.

Chris Rags- Great to work with, fun to chill with. Best memory: All-nighter on Halloween.

Derrick & Grant: 2 almost never separated (cept w/ their girls) but great to hangout since that boring photography class. Best moment: Clubbin!

Props to all those that I missed for graduating, & good luck to y'all. X-mas in less than 2 days!

-D-Romo

P.S. Rock & Money, my two favorite nicknames (sorry no D-dog)

Walkin The Line

Congrats to my good friends for finally finishing their Education! Bhasie, Angela, Kristin, & everyone I forgot to mention or gave lei to welcome to the working world! Had a blast being friends with all y'all since day one. I will be coming up with quotes & affirmation of my friends next blog as I prep for work & get ready to possibly jump ship. Stay tuned!

-D-Romo (Rock & Money mixed!)

For A Pessimist I'm pretty Optomistic...

I thought so much of the last week.

1. I thought that I was missing out on Maui for not going for the tournament. Turns out i made the right decision. Chaminade got pasted by #1 UNC who went on to win the tournament.

2. Work was going to suck for many reasons. But it was better than I thought, since I got to meet my sales goal while dealing with interviews, ass-hole customers twice my age & older co-workers who don't show up for work. I always have a back-up plan in mind when the heat is on. I deliver in the clutch to help make my workplace better even though I may not be @ Sears much longer. I also am happy I don't work over 40 hours since my pay is nearly as high as theirs.

3. Thanksgiving was great. All that hard work preparing a family meal & keeping a clean house was worthwhile even though I was tired from the Hoobastank concert the night before.

4. I am a rising star on the scene. My name & game has evolved after leaving Chaminade & I tend to be on the scene fast. I go everywhere to see whats good in the 808 (surf contests, concerts, parties w/ good deals, etc.). I help to promote events through spreading the word any way possible. I do what I like during my down time so I am never bored. I do get exhausted, but it beats any dull night alone. Yes work does get in the way, but this is my ticket toward starting my own business after I get my masters degree by 2011.

5. I still can make great deals. I buy tickets to events only to get my ticket paid for. I sell my bought tickets for just below the door price & even bring in a random person who wants one as well. I get covered & make a nice profit too. I managed to sell my Mickey Avalon ticket since I wasn't willing to stand through a sweaty crowd but @ least I heard a good deal outside.

6. I have grown up & moved on. I don't like to deal with assholes & people who are too immature & boring. Those types of people can really make your life a living hell. I know this because I deal with them @ work daily. I have had to end friendships also since people I know aren't straight or like to bs & play games & don't have my back when I need them.

7. There's always room & time to start anew. As in meeting new people & making new friends while moving on from the old & adding the new. I won't be dealing with the young ones as much who are not established but with the people that I can really get aquainted to well & can fill my needs instead of just their own.

8. I can do a lot with a little. Like I said, I go places & have many resources to help me get what I want & make it through in life. I have done so without my car & I am able to secure a ride home.

9. I have a lot to look forward to over the next 3 weeks. Friend's graduating, me learning my fate that I qualify for financial aid for grad school, longer hours @ work, industry parties, & of course, christmas & new years! I also will be revealing a new years resolution that would pretty much sum up change & maturity.

10. 2008 was a great year for me. Despite many setbacks I made sure that I could pull through & I will continue to be thankful & learn from the bad & do more good.

Can't wait to see what the final month of 2008 will be like.

-D-Money