Monday, July 27, 2009

Its Been CRAZYYY

I have to apologize for not posting a blog last week, as the title shows, the past 2 weeks have been Crazy. Now sit back, relax, and keep reading.

In the past week, we've had 2 full day production photo shoots + filming the behind the scenes reality show. We've had amazing interviews, with amazing people; had plenty plenty meetings, and more. I'll start with Jason Matlo.

Yes, i got the chance to interview Mr Matlo himself... I'm sure he was shocked when we walked into his studio... shocked.. yes, that's because Reach Magazine rolls deep (haha). There was 4 of us, and only 1 of him. You must understand the gravity of the situation. It was Jason Matlo. To show you how cool he thought we were, he showed up at our Jason Matlo photo shoot, and even took part in the shoot. Trust me, when you see the pictures, it will blow your mind, he came to the shoot as the Ringmaster of a circus. I was dressed as a clown.

Yes yes yes, it was more of a cameo thing, but I'm sure you guessed it, it was a Circus themed shoot. The individuals from Inner Ring Circus was amazing. There was a juggler/manipulator, a contortionist (who could bend herself into awkward positions), a unicyclist, a strong man, and some guy who could run up walls and do back flips.

Also had some of my friends in the shoot. Mahdise, Ruby, and Melissa (who as our intern, had to dress like a bear) were all in the shoot. The motto for the day was, if you come to the shoot, be prepared to be in the shoot. Ohh i cannot wait to see the behind the scenes video, ohh how embarrassing its going to be.

The last shoot for the magazine took place on Friday at Venue (the old plaza). Another amazing day it turned out to be. It started with Mike calling me at 8am telling me how he couldn't fit into his t-shirt because he is now fat. Haha, Yea, not cool. The Lexington girls, again, were all on deck, and it was amazing to see how professional they were. We also wrapped the shoot early. We always wrap early.

At long last, all the shoots have been done - 5 in total - and the magazine is 75% complete. With the release date scheduled for the 13th of August 2009 - a day before my birthday - at this point, we pray everything goes smoothly. I cannot count the amount of talented people who have worked on this magazine. The writers, editors, designers, assistants, stylists, make up artists, hair stylists, videographers, photographer, models, DAMMY (haha), even locations - we promise that the magazine will BLOW YOUR MIND.

So on Thursday, 13th August 2009, join Reach Magazine at Venue (old plaza), lets launch this mag. Booyaaa..

Monday, July 13, 2009

What it Takes to Run a Magazine!!!!

So i've not posted in a while, and my boy Mike C. (also my chief photographer of RM) convinced me to start a blog about what it takes to run a magazine.

So what does it take to run a magazine? To tell you the truth... i don't know. But what i do know, is that it has been a real crazy ride, and i'm loving every min of it.

The one thing i have come to learn is that, you'll be crazy to think that you can actually apply what is thought in school. What thing that was helpful when we first started was knowing how to create a business plan. However, i'm sure that 99% of business plans out there get updated.. the economy, unforseen costs, crazy decisions... bla bla bla.. so does school really apply??

Anyways, it pays to be smart... so be smart and stay in school... haha. I'm not going to be techincal on this blog. I'm going to be straight up, let you know about our highs, and our lows. Hopefully it'll help someone out there... cos I feel like i'm in the jungle.

Lesson 1.. you need an amazing team. People you can trust...People who believe in your vision.. without these individuals, you'll sink. you'll meet alot of a****** on the way, but those are just lessons trust me.

With that said,

This upcomming week is a big one for us. We are currently working on our Fashion Edition thats going to be released ont eh 13th of august, and we are working with some very big names on this one.

The sept issue is also going to be a big one, and i feel that these issues are either going to make us, or RE-make us..

Thank you to everyone who has helped us get this far... you know who you are.

So i've got my team, and we are doing it our own way... stay tuned...

Dammy. O.
Editor In Chief
Reach Magazine.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

alright... the weekend that was, the week that is...

One thing about this blog i love is that i spill out my thoughts, i never hold them back. The funny thing is that i don't even try to be gramatically correct... i love it.. but anyways, its Tuesday morning.. 7:20 am... had an Unstoppable Monday... worked a good 9hrs in the office where i dared myself to be very good... the outcome was HOW DARE I BE THIS GOOD?... Sat was a good day... i spent it with some of the people i love most... Warren and my cousin Kemstar. it was a good day.... upgraded my mo-fo-hawk where we coined the phrase.. I set Trends...you Match em ... haha. there is actually a funny story to that phrase... as soon as i (or we) upgraded our mo-fo-hawks, we sent the pics to the FACEBOOK and Twitter Organizations. There, the masses looked at it.. got their own mo-fo-hawks on, and sent us pictures about how good they look. Done. I Set Trends, you Match em... I decided to head home where i had my boys waiting for me, after that, went over to B and Beths house - whom i shall now call B and B [bed and breakfast] cos i just go there to mash up food - to catch the ufc fight. it was Jardin vs. Rampage "the killer" Jackson... you know jackson won... hehe.. anyways i decided to go out after that were i had this dude giving me things i didn't need.

Thats what the world has now become... people try to prove that they are something cos they are moving something. aint my type of thing... i mean, i set trends, and at least even if the trends are funny at times, they don't lay waste to the minds of our youngins. come on now, upgrade yourself... the good news was that i was able to reconnect with an X, who left me for her X, who now is looking to leave her X for another X. Hope you still following... we are still reconnecting so i'll save the news on that for later...

Sunday came with a bang since i didn't sleep... watched my beloved Arsenal recover their grove with my rents who were in town... church... then went to chill with my beloved North Shore Saints.. news flash, they came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. Elated. The consequences... i've lost my voice.. and i almost had a heart attack. Went to chill with the team after the game at some shack on the hill with plenty of drinks to buy, but i don't do that anymore [you should follow my trend, keep your mind free of elements that will make it trip... catch my drift?] Came home and i slept like a baby... So what will this week bring... sat,sun,mon was good, and i'm awake on tue about to have an unstoppable day... gonna be cheering on liverpool and i hope Arsenal can do well tomorrow. till then, Look up to the big G... stay true.... work hard on ReachMag... and i'm hungry... out

Saturday, March 7, 2009

My Life, My Pain, My Joy….


Look at the scars on my back, they tell a story,
Morning after morning, eyes open wide hoping to be inspired,
Thoughts I constantly imagine remind me of limitations,
Inspiration, negated by limitations,
Scars burnt into place by pain,
Wise men echo, to feel pleasure, one must experience pain,
I beg to differ; I try to concur but my pain reignite these thoughts of limitations
What is this pain? Where does it come from? What is it??
Its simple, the pain, are my words, the pain, are my actions, my steps, every breath I take, every trial, every tribulation, every smile, every PAIN….
So what is truly is this pain…. Its like 2 sides of a coin, it brings joy, it brings pain,
It makes me laugh, it make me cry…. I now understand.
Unexplainable.
This is why I say, I hope you never feel my pain, never experience the inevitable, unexplainable, pain…… why??
If you could feel my pain, then you’ll understand why I can’t keep a smile off my face…
Hence begs the question, am I limited as my thoughts want me to believe…
Its Simple..
My Pain which is also my gift, Inspires ……




DammyO. (C) Paragon Ideas Group (c)

An Update on Me... and i ain't complaining

I'm not going to complain about how long its been, but the last time i posted something up was October 2008. Its funny, in January, i was thinking that i posted something already, however i was thinking of January 1, 2008. sooo bad. But i promise to post more and more on here so that my thoughts shall continue to be documented....

Update on the love life... haha it is still very non existent, but i aint complaining.

Update on Work ... now this is the exciting part. I left the bank to focus on me me me. its been hard but i think its finally working out.

Here i go... i started working with Access Nigeria. Doing this, i was able to travel Canada and when i got back from Toronto in December 2008, i was motivated to start up my own magazine...

MAGAZINE you might be thinking, but yes.. i got together with a Creative Designer, brought on her best friend (who has now become one of my best friends), also brought on an old friend i had worked with in the past and we were able to create REACH MAGAZINE. (www.reachmag.ca). it has been sooo exciting. been meeting new people, and have been having a blast. Our first issue is scheduled to be printed and uploaded this month. We hope we can reach a lot of people, which will set us up nicely for our second issue. This has what 2009 has been about. Soo you might you be thinking what else...

Update on my health ... well my health has taken a turn for the worse, but i can not be stopped. Oh you don't know.. i think you do... i think you do ... well do a search on Sickle Cell for me there chap. okay i know you are doing it... yup keep going... aghhhh well done... its brought me closer to the big G... which i should be ashamed off - as in why has it taken me this long to respect the big G.. well i have always believed in Him, but the power of worship and prayer can not be taken for granted. anyways


Update on my writings, i stopped writing my novel, but i have not stop my writings or should i say plagiarizing (hahaha if you now what i mean) on love. I'll post it up today and not tomorrow.

Update on other things.. well i do think i remember blogging about buying a new car last year, but that's still cool... i love twitter.. www.twitter.com/DammyO or /ReachMagazine. Twitter is an amazing concept.

Update on my family ... i love my mother and my step dad... they spend most of their time now on Victoria Island, and this has made me grown a little... haha, the fact that i keep going to Brendan and Beth's place to eat can never be lost on me.

With that said, i stopped promotions, i quit the bank, i hope this Reach Mag concept works, i hope my health gets better and i promise to blogggggggg more.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Has it really been this long.......

The last time i posted a message, it was cold, i was looking forward to a new year... wow, it was January... its now October,... i can't believe it....

2008... wow.. what a year, and its almost over ... I was right about one thing though, it was not time to slow down, and yes we did not slow down. 2 comedy shows, tons of concerts later... and Halloween coming up again round the bend... whoa... the amount of friends... wow... from Standard, to Wild Coyote... leaving Atlantis.. leaving Standard... leaving Coyote... doing Jon B... Registering the business... from 10 to like 4.... WOW... cousins moving here from England... being part of something very big... CANADA AFRICA INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY ... WOW... WOWO... WOWO.. its been crazy...

It has not been all good though... its been a very crazy ... my health got worse... got down... trying to get up, but keep doing the work... that crazy ... taken a bigger role in the business..

still no relationship ... a few takers, but none that is convincing... in the next few days, or weeks... i'll update this blood with some fresh new pieces that i wrote.... how i missed spilling my guts to this blog.... anyways its good to see that DAMMY O is BACK...

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Thank God it's 2008

It sux that my first post of the new year will consist most about bitching about what happened in the later stages of 2007, however, i do believe that it is needed, so as to have a better 2008.

So i start with the story of "the crazy one" .... so i was in a dumb mood during the xmas period, as you all well know - and with this mood, the opportunity to vent was always around the corner. i made the mistake of venting to "the crazy one" and even though i have had feelings for this crazy one earlier in the 2007 calender year, i did'nt expect what happened next. Yes, shocking ... yes... The crazy one asked me out... o.. how many unspoken rules did that break... did it seem like desperation .. i don't know... Just weird stuff i tell you... anyways i knew that there was something wrong with the picture ... Guys are meant to ask girls out... not the other way round... anyways... i was asked out... and i played along... ooooo yes i am Smart.. i played along... fast foward 2 days later... The crazy one comes up with the.. o its not you, its me line... haha.. and then proceeds to ask.. what do you think about that.... classic answer... "to tell you the truth, i couldn't give a flying F***".... haha... sometimes i love myself to much ... yes i did not care... who would, i thought it was all a sick joke from the start... HOWEVER... i started to think about it... and the more my brain reviewed the files of the situation, the more pissed off i became... why would someone play such a sick joke. I mean if there were real feelings, someone would have been hurt..... but yea.. not funni...anyways...

Looking Back @ 2007...

What did i accomplish? I guess the biggest thing was getting my Degree... then starting my own business, and growing up alot..

2007 was not a bad year, i had alot of fun, met alot of people, had some drama... but it all was good...

Looking into 2008 ... Looking to get into the Law School of my choice, is grad school really worth it? the more i think about it, i do not think it is... i'd feel like i was doing my undergrad all over again, with law school i can specialize into a favorable profession.

Also looking to build my business, and hopefully venture out to do more things. Its time for the Sickle Cell Society amongst some things ..

NYE 2008 Gig @ ATL...

The biggest party i've ever been part off.. all our hard work payed off... very good friend had a slight problem.. but thank God she is all good. I did have a lot of fun though. Don't think its time for me to slow down...

Anyways.. till i post again...

D Out...

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Wow... Has It Really Been That Long

wow.... Its almost the end of the year i just realized that i have not updated my blog in a few months.... November flashed by so fast... I was really busy ... But let me give you a first hand update ....

So the biggest thing that happened in November was that i became a full member of Virtuoso Promotions.... I had been approached in October, however i took a while to decide because i did not want to let down my Hang Loose team and followers. In the end i believe i made the right choice, i have been allowed to keep Hang Loose (which has been converted into a one off party hammer smasher... hurraayy to the one off gigs... Hang Loose Friday... Halloween @ Yote) .... cha cha cha... Anyways the Virtuoso crew has been awesome ... They have given me all the respect a CEO of Hang Loose would expect, and even more.... Respect is given when one show leadership qualities ... and you all know me ... I am a LEADER.. haha...So we have residency at a few clubs downtown... and it has been awesome...

Virtuoso ...Allure Fridays @ Atlantis Night Club
LoveStone Thursdays @ Stone Temple
and coming soon.... Standard Night Club...

Hang Loose ... Status Weds @ Fever Night Club

Da Relationship Front...

Its been very annoying ... being led on... being used as a rebound... girls saying i'm tooo nice... girls just wanting to have sex... girls saying i'm a player because i am a promoter... girls thinking that they are players themselves... blah blah blah ... anyways... i don't care anymore...why? because i just don't care anymore... but as soon as i say that i don't care anymore... something popped up ... Yes it actually did...

Christmas...

Xmas was whatever ... thats all i have for this so called holiday period.

Health...

My health has been very bad... i believe that this is why i have had a dumb festive period... In and out of the hospital - which cost me and hurt me badly for the last Hang Loose one off i had at Fever Night Club. I just have to keep on going and not give up. Thanks to all that have supported me during my time of crisis.


2007....2008...

This year has been a very good one. School is done, on to bigger things...hope 2008 brings out the best in me.... Again, they did say i was not going to live to see 18 .... 24 and counting... All thanks to the big man up there ... GOD ...much appreciated....

What can i say... friends come and go ... but GOD is always here with me.


Till the new year.... 2008 .... here i come...

Ta

Monday, October 8, 2007

Tipsy... and some other Tip...

okay .. so Tipsy was a success ... hahaha.. i mean we did have a wet t-shirt contest.. haha.. it was awesome... I can't believe what i got myself into... I guess my friends saw the other side of me... a side that i didn't even know existed. But this is what i am built for and i am having fun doing what i do.... I think about to when all this started.. They came to me about how they wanted to put the work in... How they wanted to all Hang Loose till they die.... I did not want to do it.. but they convinced me to Hang Loose with them... So i accepted the challenge.. and i know that i am built for success... so i took this up like it was the last thing on earth...


I am thankful for my White Jew... he has been great... taking on tasks that the so called crew should have been doing. But i guess their lives are better than mine. Anyways.. this is a tip... Good things happen when you put effort into a task. I am not in it to be cool. I am in it to provide people what they want.

In my last post i said that i was going to cash in. I did... the meeting was successful and it's time for me to build on it.


And this is to the one i love... I feel bad for what you are going through ... but you know that i love you.. and will do anything for you ... I hope that in time you will see this...


And to the one that deserves my love... i'm sorry for what happened yesterday.... and me and my girl will surprise you very soon... you are going through a hard time.... share my hopes and my dreams.. i hope this will bring you peace...

And to those who have lost a brother... Your pain will ease in time.. but your pain will get you through .. our future collaborations will bear fruit.. and i thank you for giving me the chance to prove myself....

And to my newborn niece Maliya... I pray that the Lord keeps you safe.. your father is my father... so you are my sister... I will see you soon... and you will grow up to be a fine young woman...

And to my brother... i love you and will always do .. I am here for you .. and we'll Hang Loose 4eva...

D... Out...

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Convocation - Less....

Okay .. so i had my graduation ceremony today ... my family was great as usual... it was a very good event ... Graduated with some great friends... Alvin ... Milton.. Andy .. Chris ... Debbie (what a brat) haha.. and my very own Jabooty .. she is family anyways.. so we rolled deep together and we left together... haha.. I can go on about how great the event is .. but i wont... i love everyone who came ...

Its funny how important events like this show you how much you mean to others.. this triggers a certain reaction and thus shows you how much others mean to you. Ever since i started this blog.. i have been open about how i feel... and what i have noticed is that i have stopped being a dick head.. stopped trying to be cool ... it just shows me that i have made stupid decisions over the years.. but i think i am better now ..

So yesterday was kinda crazy .. but Jabooty was there again keeping me company .. she's had a few crazy days.. but i am happy that she was able to get over it fast ... I obviously did not give a good account of my mentality 2 days ago .. i basically f'd up... i gave ditto what ditto wanted.. a flipping reaction ... i cant believe it .. hahaha... i think my behavior messed up the future.. but i had predicted that there would be no future anyways.. it stings a little bit.. but i know that its better... its annoying that ditto has the upper hand in the poker game.. but whats the use of the upper hand if i cash in .. so i will cash in .. i will.. i will .. i will . and i will - 2moro...

2moro.. excited about 2moro ... i have a meeting with the lamb... lamb is soooo peaceful and has been bypassed by the kid from cartoon network .. that i just have to ask lamb.. so why were u looked over... i think that lamb can bring something different to the table... the society needs to be run by dedicated folks.. and i have noticed that lamb is very interested in African issues .. so i will propose an offer to lamb ... one man's poison is another man's food.. i'm gonna cash in on lamb ... i have not been impressed by ditto.. and i believe that lamb will be a force to be reckoned with .... so i'm cashing in on lamb..

So thats it ... i am in a comfortable position ... emm i think i am addicted to dem narcotics ......my crew is sooo tight... just gonna take it one day at a time... in my next post.. i'll try to touch on an issue that has been bugging me ... how much i let people in.... funny how some close folks dont even know anything about me ... but for now ..

D.. Out..