2015 Miles for Melanoma 5k - DeAnza Cove San Diego

I’m a runner and have many half marathons, 10ks and 5ks on the soles of my running shoes. However this was the first time I got to set the vibe for a running event, serving as DJ for the Miles for Melanoma 5k pre and post race festivities.

This race took place on the shore of DeAnza Cove in San Diego California. It was facilitated by High Performance Movement, and raises funds for melanoma research. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer affecting more than 70,000 new people each year. For more information visit the Melanoma Research Foundation website.

I had a great time providing the upbeat beats and also working alongside the great HP Movement crew.

Here’s the setlist:

• Paolo Nutini - New Shoes
• Eric Hutchinson - All Over Now
• Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
• American Authors - Best Day Of My Life (Single Edit)
• Will.I.Am f./Justin Bieber - #THATPOWER (Single Edit)
• Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You
• Pitbull f./Chris Brown - Fun (Clean)
• Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand (Chris Lake Radio Edit)
• Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You
• Zedd f./Jon Bellion - Beautiful Now
• Jason Mraz - On Love, In Sadness
• Barenaked Ladies - Odds Are
• Jack Johnson - Sitting Waiting Wishing
• Icona Pop - Emergency (Super Clean Radio Edit)
• Clean Bandit f./Jess Glynne - Real Love
• LunchMoney Lewis - Bills (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Maroon 5 f./Nicki Minaj - Sugar (Remix - Clean)
• Years & Years - King
• Flo Rida f./Robin Thicke & Verdine White - I Don't Like It, I Love It
• Ella Henderson - Ghost (Dave Aude Remix)
• Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
• Daft Punk f./Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Avicii ft Zac Brown Band - Broken Arrows (Intro Clean)
• Mark Ronson f./Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract (Short Edit)
• The Whispers - Rock Steady (Radio Edit)
• Ingrid Michaelson - Afterlife
• Flo Rida f./Sage The Gemini - GDFR (Goin' Down For Real) (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Afrojack f./Wrabel - Ten Feet Tall
• Mariah Carey - Emotions (Select Mix Remix)

My friend Kylee Molloy finished first the race as the first overall female. Congratulations Kylee!

Kristen Albair shares her melanoma survival story with race attendees.

Adrian's 60th Birthday Party

The birthday party DJ, Justin Kanoya, with the birthday boy, Adrian and his wife, Celestine.

Birthday parties are big. A 60th birthday is even bigger. But a surprise 60th birthday, well that’s just off the charts.

Adrian and his amazing family kept him in the dark for a few months and somehow managed to assemble 60-plus people at his home for a pretty awesome surprise. It’s pretty amazing to take part in a celebration for someone who truly has been an inspiration to so many.

I served as the birthday party DJ and played upbeat tunes from many of the past decades. The party was attended by people of all ages, so as usual in these situations, it's important to keep guests happy and honor as may requests as possible.

The Arambulo’s are a great family and I had a pleasure working with them.

Here’s the setlist:

• The Spinners - I'll Be Around (70s Classics) (Clean) (Radio Edit)
• Smash Mouth - I'm A Believer
• Katy Perry - Birthday
• Junior Senior - Move Your Feet
• Rolling Stones - Start Me Up
• Kool & the Gang - Get Down On It
• Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride (Select Mix Remix)
• The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Luther Vandross - Never Too Much (Extended)
• Iggy Azalea f./Jennifer Hudson - Trouble (No Siren - Clean)
• Taylor Swift - Blank Space
• Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover
• Toto - Africa (Extended)
• Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
• Major Lazer, DJ Snake, MO - Lean On (Select Mix Remix)
• Kygo ft Parson James - Stole The Show (Extended)
• Black Eyed Peas - Hey Mama
• Maroon 5 - Sugar (Clean)
• Silento - Watch Me
• Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
• Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
• Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean?
• Michael Jackson - P.Y.T.
• Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
• Phil Collins - Sussudio (Select Mix Remix)
• Whitney Houston - So Emotional (Edge Remix)Hailee Steinfeld - Love Myself
• Ariana Grande - One Last Time
• Toploader - Dancing In The Moonlight
• Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved
• Crystal Bowersox - Midnight Train to Georgia
• Martin Page - In The House of Stone and Light
• Casper - Cha Cha Slide
• Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together
• Sister Sledge - We Are Family
• Madonna - Into The Groove
• The Whispers - Rock Steady (Short Edit)
• Mariah Carey - Emotions (Select Mix Remix)
• Johnny Gill - Rub You the Right Way (Select Mix Remix)
• Kid N Play - Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody (Select Mix Remix)
• Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours (70s Classics) (Clean) (Extended)
• Psy - Gangnam Style
• Usher f./Nicki Minaj - She Came To Give It To You (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Blue Swede - Hooked on a Feeling
• One Direction - Drag Me Down
• Rupert Holmes - Escape (Pina Colada Song)
• Taylor Swift - Wildest Dreams (Dj Mike D Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
• Fifth Harmony, Kid Ink - Worth It (Select Mix Remix)
• Flo Rida f./Sage The Gemini - GDFR (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Clean Edit)
• Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer
• Pitbull f./Chris Brown - Fun (Clean)
• Willow Smith - Whip My Hair
• Ambassadors - Renegades
• Nick Jonas - Levels

Fitbit Local San Diego Launch Event - San Diego Waterfront Park

DJ Justin Kanoya on stage with Sheri Matthews and Mike Sherbakov as they kick off the Fitbit Local program in San Diego.

Fitbit San Diego ambassadors, Mike Sherbakov and Sheri Matthews.

Fitbit, essentially the biggest name in wearable fitness technology, recently kicked off a new program in San Diego titled Fitbit Local. The company, with users worldwide, is now working with select ambassadors in U.S. cities to put together a monthly program of meet-ups to get Fitbit users together to mingle, exercise and sweat.

San Diego was the first stop on the Fitbit Local tour, and I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with my running coach/life coach/spin instructor and most importantly, friend, Sheri Matthews. She along with Mike Sherbakov have been designated San Diego’s Fitbit ambassadors. Mike is also a great San Diego fitness community leader and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to work with him on this project.

Sheri and Mike will be leading workouts over the next few months. For you San Diego locals, there is more information on the program website. 

On this day, however, they led a quick two-hour event that contained a high intensity bootcamp style workout, followed by about 45 minutes of yoga. I kept the energy levels up with fast paced arrival music and played that throughout the initial workout before slowing things down for yoga.

The event took place at the San Diego Waterfront Park, located on the lawn of the San Diego County building, a beautiful setting for a morning fitness/yoga DJ session. 

Here’s the setlist:
Arrivals

• Galantis - Runaway (U & I) (Lash Remix) (Extended)
• Robin Schulz ft Jasmine Thompson - Sun Goes Down (Short Edit)
• Pharrell ft Jay-Z - Frontin (DJ Miles Isla Bootleg) (Short Edit)
• Tinashe ft Iggy Azalea - All Hands On Deck (Buck Rodgers Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Chromeo - Jealous I Ain't With It (Lenno Remix) (Extended)
• Zedd f./Selena Gomez - I Want You To Know
• Prince f./Zooey Deschanel - FALLINLOVE2NITE
• Lika Morgan - Hit Me (Clean) (Extended)
• Mariah Carey - Emotions (Select Mix Remix)
• Janet Jackson - Alright (Clean) (Extended)
• Alesso - Heroes (Basic Tape Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Avicii ft Zac Brown Band - Broken Arrows (Intro Clean)
• DJ Cassidy f./Chromeo - Future Is Mine (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Iggy Azalea f./Jennifer Hudson - Trouble (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Flo Rida f./Robin Thicke & Verdine White - I Don't Like It, I Love It
• Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand (Promo Only Intro Edit)
• Giacca & Flores - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (Clean) (Short Edit)
• No Way Back ft Mike Beatz - Doin It Well (Clean) (Extended)
• Icona Pop - Emergency (Super Clean Radio Edit)
• Years & Years - King
   

Boot Camp Workout with Sheri Matthews and Mike Sherbakov

• Justin Timberlake ft Jay-Z vs Biggie & Next - Suit & Tie (Too Juicy Blend) (Clean)
• Tori Kelly - Nobody Love (Select Mix Remix)
• Pitbull f./Chris Brown - Fun (Clean)
• DJ Cassidy - Calling All Hearts (Radio Edit)
• Charli XCX - Break The Rules
• Hanson - MMMBop
• Calvin Harris & Disciples - How Deep Is Your Love
• Ella Henderson - Ghost (Oliver Nelson Remix) (Radio Edit)
• Pharrell Williams - Happy (Pop Edit)

Yoga Session with Mike Sherbakov

• Sunlounger - Losing Again (Chill Mix)
• Sunlounger - Punta Galera (Chill Version)
• Sunlounger - Shine On Me (Chill Mix)
• Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth (Kygo Radio Edit)
• Adele - Hello (Dustin Que Remix) (Clean) (Extended)
• Sunlounger - In & Out (Chill Mix)
• Taylor Swift - Wildest Dreams (Dj Mike D Remix) (Clean) (Radio Edit)
• Sunlounger - Heart Of The Sun (Chill Version)
• A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum (Pharrell Williams Remix) (Intro Clean)
• Sunlounger - Another Day On The Terrace (Chill Mix)

Post Workout

• Jimmy Cliff - I Can See Clearly Now (Clean)
• Clean Bandit f./Jess Glynne - Rather Be
• Usher - More
• A-Ha - Take On Me (Kygo Remix)
• Avicii - The Days
• Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
• Eric Hutchinson - Rock & Roll
• Disclosure ft Sam Smith - Latch (G Duppy Reggae Remix) (Clean)
• Sara Bareilles - Many the Miles
   

Here are a few more photos from this amazing event! All photos in this post are courtesy of Fitbit Inc. 

Lululemon Outlet Opening Day - Desert Hills Premium Outlet

The Lululemon Outlet store at the Desert Hills Premium Outlet Mall opened on November 6.

We’ve finally got a Lululemon Outlet Store within a reasonable driving distance of San Diego and I had the privilege to be a part of opening day. The store, nestled in the massive Desert Hills Premium Outlet Mall, opened on November 6, 2015. As expected, a line of Lulu addicts started to line up outside the door about an hour before opening time. Once the ribbon was cut, it was on!

I supplied music and of course, my custom Lululemon vinyl from 12-inch Skinz.

Here’s the setlist:

• Cosmo Klein ft YNOT - When Doves Cry (Clean) (Extended)

• DJ Snake & AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It (Promo Only Clean Edit - Remix)

• Tori Kelly - Nobody Love (Select Mix Remix)

• Taylor Swift vs Lauryn Hill - Blank Space (DJ Skillz Throwback Blend) (Short Edit)

• Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)

• Maxi Priest - Close To You (Clean)

• Matoma ft Notorious B.I.G. & Ja Rule & Ralph Tresvant - Old Thing Back (Intro Clean)

• Soul For Real - Every Little Thing I Do (Intro Clean)

• TLC - No Scrubs

• Thalia ft Fat Joe - I Want You (Intro Clean)

• R. City, Adam Levine - Locked Away (Select Mix Remix)

• Mann - Buzzin'

• Celeste Buckingham - Run Run Run

• Ella Henderson - Ghost (Oliver Nelson Remix) (Radio Edit)

• Calvin Harris & Disciples - How Deep Is Your Love

• Ciara ft Missy Elliott - 1,2 Step (Genisis Remix) (Clean) (Extended)

• Kenze vs MAKJ - On & On (Clean) (Extended)

• Avicii - The Nights (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Ariana Grande - One Last Time

• Jason Derulo - Want To Want Me

• Mr. Probz - Waves (Robin Schulz Radio Edit)

• Duke Dumont f./Jax Jones - I Got U (Radio Edit)

• Alesso - Heroes (Basic Tape Remix) (Clean) (Short Edit)

• Usher, Nicki Minaj - She Came To Give It To You (Select Mix Remix)

• Ed Sheeran - Sing

• Ce Ce Peniston - We Got A Love Thang (Select Mix Remix)

• Mariah Carey - Emotions (Select Mix Remix)

• Boyz II Men - Motownphilly

• Father MC - I'll Do For You

• Usher f./Juicy J - I Don't Mind (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Kygo ft Ella Henderson - Here For You (Clean) (Extended)

• De La Soul - Ring Ring Ring (Intro Clean)

• Iggy Azalea f./Jennifer Hudson - Trouble (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Ingrid Michaelson - Afterlife

• Chris Brown f./Tyga - Ayo (Clean)

• Maxwell - Sumthin' Sumthin' (Intro Clean)

• New Edition - If It Isn't Love (Extended)

• Fifth Harmony, Kid Ink - Worth It (Select Mix Remix)

• Nelly, Jeremih - The Fix (Select Mix Remix)

• Ashanti ft Irv Gotti - Rock Wit U (Awww Baby) (Remix) (Intro Clean)

• Fergie - L.A. Love (La La) [Select Mix Remix]

• Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MO - Lean On (Yaldah Remix) (Audio1 Edit) (Clean)

• Kygo ft Parson James - Stole The Show (Extended)

• Adele - Rolling Deep [DJ Steven S Turntable Kartel Mashup]

• Ariana Grande & The Weeknd - Love Me Harder (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Drake - Hold On We're Going Home (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Lillywood & Robin Schulz - Prayer In C (Robin Schulz Radio Edit)

• Me & My Toothbrush - Show Me (Clean) (Extended)

• Coldplay - Clocks

• Flo Rida f./Robin Thicke & Verdine White - I Don't Like It, I Love It

• Tove Lo - Talking Body (Clean)

• OneRepublic - Counting Stars

• Jessica Sanchez f./Ne-Yo - Tonight

• Music P & Marque Aurel - The Feel Good Funk (Clean) (Extended)

• Kolombo - Ur The Finest (Clean) (Extended)

• Lika Morgan - Hit Me (Clean) (Extended)

• OMI - Hula Hoop (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Avicii ft Zac Brown Band - Broken Arrows (Intro Clean)

• Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good

• Daft Punk f./Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Pitbull, Chris Brown - Fun (Select Mix Remix)

• Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor - Marvin Gaye (Select Mix Remix)

• Tori Kelly - Should've Been Us (Lost Kings Remix) (Clean) (Extended)

• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Intro Edit)

• Another Bad Creation - Playground (Intro Clean)

• Michael Jackson - Remember The Time (Select Mix Remix)

• Rappin' 4-Tay - I'll Be Around (Select Mix Remix)

• Kid N Play - Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody (Select Mix Remix)

• Monie Love - It's A Shame

The Time I Almost Cried While Playing a Sam Smith Song

That sweet voice was singing through my headphones and into my ears.

“You say I’m crazy, cause you don’t think I know what you’ve done …. But when you call me baby, I know I’m not the only one.”

And I got emotional, right in my DJ booth. “Why the eff was I about to lose it over a Sam Smith song?”

Did I really almost cry while listening to a Sam Smith song?

There are many reasons why we cry. But ultimately, it’s when that emotional switch is flipped inside our head. Crying happens when we hurt, physically or emotionally; or when we are moved or inspired; or when we empathize with someone’s somber or euphoric emotions. We also cry when we cut a white onion, but that’s not what this is about.

I was recently watching this video about they key factors in finding your perfect job. It’s worth the 5 minutes, so watch it before you proceed with this article ... and yeah the guy does get a bit annoying so if you want to skip ahead, go to the four minute mark.  

Okay, hopefully you actually watched it and would agree that the key takeaway was this powerful statement:

Everyone should have a dream so deep, that when accomplished, the only response are tears of joy.

Have you dreamt that deep?

I can truly only reflect on one time in my life this has happened to me. It was back in early 1995, I was halfway through college and I had written a letter to Beckett Publications asking for an internship that summer

Beckett published magazines that covered the sports collectibles industry and I was a longtime subscriber. With a hopeful future in journalism it was a dream of mine to work at the company and write about sports, especially about sports collectibles (baseball cards, autographs, etc.)

When I sent the letter, I was not answering an open call for interns, or responding to any type of job bulletin board. It was just a shot in the dark, just a total dream of mine and one of those, “I’ve got nothing to lose, so might as well try moments.”

The initial letter was sent to Dr. Beckett himself, and naturally was met with no response. And after a few weeks, gave up on that dream. But all was resurrected when a chance phone call to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch led me to chat with Tom Wheatley, whose name  I remembered from bylines in Beckett articles. As a freelance writer for the magazines, I figured he might have a better idea of whose name should be on that second letter. My dream was rekindled.

Approximately one month after that second request was sent, I received a phone call from the guy I sent that letter to. He was inviting me to Dallas to spend the summer as an intern in the editorial department.

I hung up the phone, walked toward my mom and started to cry.

I hadn’t experienced happiness like that before. And more so, I certainly hadn’t dreamed like that. I had did not have an “in” at Beckett.

The realization of a dream, one that I had worked relatively hard to achieve made my emotions completely overflow.

---

For many of you following along, you know that I recently left my day-to-day job to devote myself to building my business and become a top San Diego wedding DJ.The decision was less a “dream realized” and more about honing in on what was important in my life and eliminating things that were no longer sparking joy.

I’ve quickly experience what so many others who have made similar moves before me have said, the more joy you allow into your life, the more joy will naturally find you.

Back in August when I wrote that blog post that got shared more than 12,000 times I didn’t have a dream attached to it. I wasn’t asking for anything. But it resulted in a similar situation as described above ...  phone call, like the I got 20 years ago, asking me to fly to another city to contribute and share my talent with a group of people.

This time I hung up the phone -- well, tapped “end call”, since we don’t hang up phones anymore -- walked toward my wife, and this time I didn’t cry.

You see, I didn’t have a dream of DJing a worldwide conference for Lululemon. In fact, with the trip just three weeks out, I didn’t really emotionally process what was happening. I was just excited and so grateful for the people around me that were happy for me and knew how “big” the opportunity was.

Fast forward to the first day of the conference and 15 songs into my first set.

It hit me.

As alluded to earlier, it was Sam Smith’s “Not the Only One.” This song is emotional enough if you really focus in on the lyrics. And at approximately 7 a.m., with just about 100 people in the lounge focused on their conversations and breakfast, I had this moment of solitude as the music was playing in my headphones.

That moment, realizing I was DJing in Vancouver, for a clothing brand I adore and have worn for many years, coupled with the music got to me.

DJing for Lululemon was not the dream, but DJing and doing things on my own terms was. I was living that moment. And I almost cried … okay my eyes welled up for approximately four seconds.

It was one of those situations where I had to purse my lips and stop focusing on the music, think of something happy and move on. Otherwise I would have looked like some awkward dude standing in the corner crying.

At the beginning, I mentioned that hurt, joy and inspiration is what makes us cry … or at least makes me cry. And if achieving a dream so deep also makes us cry, are we crying because we are happy at a dream realized, or sad because a dream realized means it’s no longer a dream and we’ve reached the end of a journey.

I’m not sure. But what I do know it’s amazing to want something so bad and finally get it.

Go ahead, dream big. Dream deep. And then have a good cry at the end.