What happend to Hideo Nomo?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a LA Dodgers Fan at all (GO ANGELS). A few days ago a random baseball thought came to my mind…..What ever happened to Japanese Pitcher Hideo Nomo?

In 1995 he debuted with the LA Dodgers. His wind-up was so unorthodox they nicknamed it “The Tornado.” 1995 was his year because he started that year’s All-Star game and also won Rookie of the year. 1996 was also a good year of Nomo. Nike gave him his own signature sneaker called the “Air Max Nomo.” After 1997 he pretty much fell off the planet. From 1998-2000 Hideo Nomo played for the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Detroit Tigers. From 2001-2003 Nomo became rejuvenated, throwing the Baseball as if he just entered the league for the first time. In 2001 the Boston Red Sox signed him and he threw his second no-hitter in his Sox debut. In 2002 he returned to the Dodgers, and ended having his best season since 1996. In 2003 Hideo Nomo started showing signs of fatigue and injury, and his career went down hill from that point on. In 2008 The Kansas City Royals released Hideo Nomo on April 29, 2008. On July 17, 2008 Hideo Nomo officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball.

HERE IS A LITTLE FACT FOR YOU WHACK DODGER FANS: Hideo Nomo is the Last Dodger Pitcher to Throw a No Hitter.

I Denied My Own Membership at the "Gentlemen's Club"

In the United States the term “Gentlemen’s Club” is frequently used as a euphemism for strip clubs. Wikianswers.com states if you want to become a stripper, you have these four attributes:

1.) Toned Body

2.) An ability to be able to talk and flirt (pretend not to be shy)
3.) Must have thick skin, meaning don’t take anything personally that people might say.

4.) Be a self starter, meaning no one is going to tell you what to do.

In addition to those four attributes, other websites suggested that you have no hair sticking out sides of your G-String, and exercise is a must.

One may ask themselves, “Why is Mr. Bess talking about stripper?” That is a very good question that I am willing to answer. Personally I’m not one who will go to strip clubs often. In my lifetime I have been to a few strip clubs. This one particular day my brother picks me up from work and tells me that we are going somewhere funny. We pull up at the gentlemen’s club in Victorville, Ca. I honestly don’t know what to tell you all right now. It was like I walked into the twilight zone, which featured depressed unattractive strippers, who could not dance. I think a strip club should have decent looking girls that can dance, flirt, entertain, and the club should be appealing at least.

Stripper #1: Was a 40 year mother with three children. She wore a blond wig, and stomach that resembled a beer belly or another child was on the way. She would always mention that she was too old to be dancing, and would smoke after her set. She would always hint about being thirsty as well, but never received a drink.

Stripper #2: So stripper #2 had an ok body. She walked up to me with her head down and touched my leg, and then shook my hand and said her name. When she looked up and smiled, I devoured my gin & tonic in one gulp, and yelled “GOT DAMN,” ridiculously loud in my head. Girl looked like she had been brushing her teeth with Pine Tree bark, and rinsing her mouth out with firecrackers. Girls teeth were F*^$%D Up!

Stripper #3: I don’t have that much to say about stripper #3. She had cottage cheese booty, and needed to step up her dance game. She was doing the Bankhead bounce, and two-stepping her whole set.
I’m going to have to say that was my worst experience ever in a strip club. My brother told me there is a strip club connected to a gas station in Wyoming, which features a one armed stripper. I’m trying to go see that before she gets to old….lol! That was wrong of me! Well that concludes my blog tonight. Be sure to check out the next artist feature interview which will feature upcoming California artists named THA BOOGIE who are currently touring with Raphael Saadiq.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter
http://twitter.com/WakeUpMrBess

Artist Feature: VERSIS

Welcome to the second artist feature on wakeupmrbess.blogspot.com. Sorry that I haven’t been keeping everyone updated on my random thoughts, and staying true to my blog a day diet. Despite I go to school full time and work full time, there is no excuse for flaking out on my blog a day diet!

As I said before, welcome to the second artist feature on wakeupmrbess.blogspot.com. How many people get excited when you have a new friend request on MySpace? I know I get excited when I see that message pop up. “I hope it’s a fine girl!” Come to find out, it’s a music artist. Most artists don’t even get a chance with me. I automatically click deny! Well one day I decided to give someone a chance. I got a friend request from an artist by the name of VERSIS. The song that came on is titled “Time’s a Wastin’” which caught my attention right away. He has his own unique style, and all his tracks are definitely worth listening to. VERSIS definitely has a bright future ahead of him. He has the skills and talent to take him a long way, and is someone you need look out for in the future. So next time you get a random friend request on MySpace and it is from an artist by the name of VERSIS, I would just go head and add him because he is making moves!!!!

Mr. Bess: Being that this is your first Blogspot interview, can you let the readers and future fans know a little about yourself?

VERSIS: I'm in this to make people remember the times when the MC was insatiable when it came to nourishment; staying hungry is the key to me. I’m not a songwriting robot, I write when I feel moved. Writing for the sake of it doesn't cut-it for me. I started off as just a fan; slowly, I started noticing I had a way with words. Those words turned to lines, lines to rhymes, rhymes to songs.

Mr. Bess: What inspired you to come up with the name VERSIS?

VERSIS: I initially wanted to be seen as 'the alternative,’ in other words “versus," thus the spawning of my stage name.

Mr. Bess: What made you want to get involved with Hip Hop?

VERSIS: Back in elementary school my cousin and older brother bumped nothin' but the classics.They would play everything from A Tribe Called Quest to the early Black Eyed Peas. I remember listening and asking myself: "HOW do they do that?!" Haha! I got a clue my freshman year of high school. I moved in with my older brother after moms & I had a falling-out. Turns out he had some programs installed on his computer (Reason, Garage Band etc.) I fooled around with that for some time, and then I started writing to my production. My boy from Inglewood, CA, Lucid was a few steps ahead of me on the production. He started sending me instrumentals & I'd get to writing. Sometimes, I’d bring 'em to school via CD and let Foci (featured on "Detonation") hear his and my productions. It wasn't until late '08 that I was urged by a mentor-figure to get a bit more serious about music. Here I am.

Mr. Bess: Who are some of your musical influences?

VERSIS: Man...Not fair….Haha! Let me give you a brief list: Slum Village, Black Milk, SelfSays, Erule, DJ Quik, Black Moon, & needless to say A Tribe Called Quest.

Mr. Bess: March 26, 2009 was your first time on stage at the House of Blues. How was your first experience?

VERSIS: Yes, yes...It was fun. I learned some things that night. If the engineers don't turn your mic up, you gotta turn it up yourself. Haha! I wasn't as nervous as I'd thought I'd be. The moment before I got on stage, my legs started to tremble a little, but I sucked it up, went on, despite I felt the trembles trying to return a few times during the set.

Mr. Bess: In your HOB (House of Blues) backstage video, it is said that a girl went up to you and talked to you. Was that really the first time a girl came up to talk to you…lol?!?!?!?!

VERSIS: Haha! That was Foci trying to burn me in front of the masses. I WILL say that was the 1st time a girl randomly approached me, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I never did get her name.

Mr. Bess: Random GIRL who kissed VERSIS…….If you are out there, Give him the digits…Hahaha!

Mr. Bess: What is the VERSIS writing process for making a song?

VERSIS: I'd hate to say it as cliché as it sounds, but my everyday life adds to it. I remember certain things from times past, and if they stuck with me, they just may show-up in a rhyme. There has been many times where I'd be in class and something would pop up in my head; I’d scramble for paper, and scribble it down. I'd either start-up something there, or finish it when I'd find a beat to suit it.

Mr. Bess: What message do you have for the world through your music?

VERSIS: Make adversity work in YOUR favor.

Mr. Bess: When can we expect an album from VERSIS?

VERSIS: Haha I felt that was coming...I'm actually working on an EP with my boy, Lucid that should be done sometime this year. Dude's a dope producer, and he is a bit younger than me. I've known him since elementary. That’s all I'm going to say. Oh, and we're BRINGIN' it!!! If you stay ready, you don't got to get ready!

Mr. Bess: Name three albums that everyone should own.

VERSIS: 1.) Slum Village: Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, 2.) DJ Quik: Balance & Options, 3.) De La Soul: The Grind Date

Mr. Bess: If you had the opportunity to work with any artist right now, who would it be?

VERSIS: I'd have to say Elzhi of Slum Village.

MR. BESS: Personally, I prefer Underground Hip Hop over mainstream Hip Hop, because I feel they have more to say, and a better message. What do you believe are the biggest struggles for Underground Hip Hop Artist?

VERSIS: Some of the only adversities I'm facing is being listened to, but not being heard. People tend to just feel vibes and judge music on just that vibe. I also have to deal with the fact that most of the good lyricists make sounds that fall upon deaf ears for some time. Oh yea……and the MISCONCEPTION of the term "underground." I feel that when some people hear that term, they’re automatically turned-off.

Mr. Bess: Lastly, what kind of tips can you offer for someone else who is trying to get into the Hip Hop game?

VERSIS: Do YOU;"assimilation's not an option"

CHECK OUT THESE SITES

www.myspace.com/therealversis

versismusic.com

http://twitter.com/THISISVERSIS

http://www.imeem.com/therealversis/music/

BE SURE TO SUPPORT VERSIS APRIL 17th, 2009 at the 2nd Street JAZZ Lounge IN Los Angeles, CA