Blog 6: Kobe Byrant

By Jeremiah Gomez

My favorite athlete of all time Kobe Byrant was a NBA basketball player who suited up for my favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe is known as one of the best basketball players of all time. So many records and achievements to his name. Five-time NBA Champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, fourth all-time leading scorer in NBA history, and a league MVP in 2008. That’s just the most notable but he has so many accolades to count. He was an inspiration to many of today's NBA players who use the moves he did on the court.  

After he retired after 20 seasons with the Lakers. He pursued film production, winning an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film called “Dear Basketball” in 2018. Kobe tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, but his legacy and his “mamba mentality” will live forever. 

Kobe Byrant was my favorite athlete of all time. Unfortunately for me, I only got to watch his final years playing but I did watch his final game live when he dropped 60 points, the only player to drop more than 30 points in their last game. He doubled that record, and I watched it live on TV so that was cool. He’s one of the few people to inspire me. I love his work ethic giving it everything he has all the way to the finish line.  

Blog 5: My Junior Year/Prep for Senior Year

This school year has been about growth for me, as a student, and as a person. Compared to my sophomore year, this year has been a lot more stressful. That stress, however, has prepared me for what’s next to come. I feel more in control of my emotions and able to bounce back from setbacks. I’ve also been focusing way more than ever, as I realized just how close I am to adulthood. This was a well-needed growth year for me. I’ve been through many new experiences this year. I learned so many things, and so many new people were introduced into my life. There were so many amazing teachers this year as well. 

I am really looking forward to my senior year; my last year in high school. Next year will definitely be a roller-coaster ride. My advice is to soak in all the moments. I don’t want to peak in high school, but the senior year activities and high school as a whole is only something I’ll experience once in my life. I am aware I cannot take any of these moments for granted. Cheers to a great junior year and hopefully an amazing senior year. 

Blog 4: Creed III Movie Review

Creed III is the third and most likely final part of this storyline of Adonis Creed. This storyline shows a Professional Boxer Adonis Creed as he builds his legacy as one of the all-time great boxers. Creed I and Creed II were about that as Creed III was his final days in the sport. I barely ever go to the movie theaters, mostly because most of my friends can’t ever go for unfortunate reasons. For once though a lot my friends were down to go to the movies, and we saw Creed III. I like the Creed movie series so I was excited to see what would happen next. Got food for free with the good technique I use when I get a popcorn bucket out the trash then ask for a refill. Everyone thinks it’s nasty, but I don’t think so. I had a great view of the movie and I really liked how they produced the movie. They perfected the west coast setting, and it was the first time that the setting of the creed series took place in the west coast. I also liked that they show memories of his early days leading to the antagonist of the movie Dame. Creed’s childhood friend who got locked up due to an incident at a liquor store resulting in gun’s being drawn.  They would fight for the heavyweight title with Creed getting the knockout in round 12. 

I rate the movie a 10 out of 10 and I think this should be the last movie of the creed series because I thought it was a perfect ending for creed to end his career. Maybe, they can extend this storyline to another fighter like how Rocky passed it down to Creed. Creed could possibly do the same. 

New Orleans Saints Season Review

Now if you’re my friend, you know that I’m a diehard New Orleans Saints fan. I’ve been like that my whole life. Through the highs and through the lows I will never switch my favorite team. Right now, my team is at a low point. 

At the beginning of the season in August. I had high hopes and expectations for my team this year. All our players would come back from injuries and signed a lot of good players in the offseason. However, we went 7-10 this year and of course, missed the playoffs for the second straight year. 7-10 is bad speaking that last year we went 9-8 and almost made the playoffs while having fewer notable players on our team. Injuries, bad coaching, and players not living up to their potential was the reason for our downfall this year. Also, a lot of close games were lost this season and if we just won a few of those close games, we would’ve made the playoffs.  I think the move this offseason is to get better coaching and to get a new quarterback under center. Those should be our main priorities. 

This season was a bummer and I have nothing good to say about the team this year. We showed no improvement from last season despite us missing the playoffs last year and having a more stacked team this year. I will have to deal with the disappointment from my team until upcoming August and like they say. There’s always next year. 

Blog 2 : Painting Curbs

Painting curbs is something I’ve relied on for a while now.  I first started Painting curbs in the summer of 2020. That probably sounds like I weird time to start with Covid at its prime, but Covid was never an issue, and I wasn’t afraid of it. But anyways I was only 14 years old at that time, and to be honest. I was really poor. I barely had any money and at that time I was too young to get a job. This isn't a problem for most kids because a lot are more fortunate and have their expenses paid for them to that age.  I’m a very humble person but I understood that I was less fortunate and from a low-income family, and I had to work to get somethings that’s needed and wanted. Since I was too young to get a job and didn’t feel like waiting 2 years. I started painting people’s curbs to hustle money.  

It looks simple to do and it really is once you learn how to paint the address numbers on people’s curbs. Clear the area of where the paint where go like dirt, leaves etc. Apply masking tape to the shape of the white background (rectangle shape) and cover enough so there’s no overspray. Next use white spray paint for the white background and make sure you don’t spray to close or else it will drip. Then get number stencils and line up the numbers of your address straight. I used tape to apply it straight on the curb.  Once again, I woud would cover around the stencils to avoid overspray then u se black for the numbers. Ta da!!! And that’s the process of my work.  

I feel proud of the work I’ve done and the money I’ve accumulated over the past 3 years. I’d say probably over 2 grand. When I get a job, I'll hang up the stuff for good which I’ve been trying for months but I guess it’s hard because I’m a minor but hopefully we get it soon. Painting curbs will always have a spot in my heart though. 

Blog 1: Jeremiah's sneaker collection

Ever since I started making money, I started to take an interest in shoes. More specifically sneakers. My whole life I didn’t have a lot of money. So, shoes, or nice ones I couldn't afford. But now I make money. I’m very careful of what I spend and still save money, but I like to give myself a present sometimes because I worked for it. I like the idea of looking cool or I guess fashion. My favorite is shoes. My favorite type of sneakers, because sneakers are comfortable and look the coolest. Here are my go-to shoes I wear. 

Air Jordan 1 Mid Rainbow 

These Jordan’s have been in my shoe rotation the longest and are the first pair of nice-looking shoes I’ve ever bought. I bought them at the Fashion Fair mall at the beginning of last school year. I paid $125 for them brand new. This shoe now is worth around 150-200. I think this shoe has the most meaning to me because I always wanted Jordan 1’s before but obviously I didn’t have money. I didn't do any studying before I walked in the store, but I already knew what shoes I wanted. So happenly, these were the last Jordan 1’s they had in stock so good thing I went that certain time. 

Air Jordan 1 Mid Black-Grey-Navy 

So, as I said, Jordan 1’s was a shoe I always wanted and are favorite. So, two is better than one, so I got another pair. Obviously different color way and this one was cheaper. In fact, these ones were used so I only paid $50 for them. Pretty good deal considering they are worth around $135 dollars. I got them during this summer, and I love them. See not all Jordan 1 shoes have the same texture. This shoe is made with more of a cotton and fabric texture which makes it more comfortable. I believe it’s my most comfortable shoe. 

Air Jordan 3 Mid Black-Grey-Blue 

This shoe I didn’t pay for. I guess you can say it was a gift. My friend had them given to him, but they didn't fit him, they were too big. However, these shoes were my size, so he gave them to me. They were kind of in bad condition when given to me but I'm a shoe doctor and I fixed them to the best of my ability, and I think they are alright now. The shoe in the best condition is worth $170 but I got them for free so good for me. 

Air Jordan Flight 45 

This is the last shoe from my rotation and probably the most used. How I got them was sad. I was at my friend's house during the summer, and he had these $450 shoes abandoned in his room all ruined and untouched. These shoes are worth $450, and they were in horrible condition, he gave them to me because he never used them and me as a shoe doctor fixed them, and they look brand new now. $450 shoes for free. All I had to do was fix them but that was horrible, they were really dusty and completely misused. I saved them and I think I wear them the most because they all mostly black and black is my favorite color. This is my most popular shoe for me.