The Lawrence Dagstine Hour

Today I turn 50 years old. The big five-o. And it feels surreal. Mainly because I don't feel fifty. Take a walk with me in today's vlog, as I look back on some of my life experiences, the places I've been, the things I've done, the things I've witnessed. Some of my accomplishments, some of my high points, some of my low points, and things I still want to cross off my bucket list. Come with me as I reflect on a half-century of life on this planet.

I forgot to show off Destiny 2. I have Destiny 2 on PS4 too. But, otherwise, welcome to the video game portion of The Lawrence Dagstine Hour. I’m not just a writer. Not just a graffiti artist. Not just a speedwalker and a vlogger. But a gamer too. For 40 years! Today I’d like to share my love for PlayStation some more by showing off my massive PS4 collection. Many titles of which are Double AA and Triple AAA (in terms of franchises and developers), and pricey steelbooks and RPGs as well. It’s a pretty lengthy video, so I hope you have an hour to spare. Who knows when I will have the time to do a game collection upload again. However, if you’d like to see the rest of my collection, gaming-related content, and channels for streaming RPGs, why not click on some of the links below. Come take a peek at The Dark Souls Show on Rumble, a place for the occasional LIVE Souls-Borne/Action Fantasy RPG: https://rumble.com/c/c-5525133 Come take a peek at The Dark Souls Show on Twitch, a place for the occasional LIVE Souls-Borne/Action Fantasy RPG: https://www.twitch.com/TheDarkSoulsShow Come take a peek at The Dark Souls Show on Kick, a place for the occasional LIVE Souls-Borne/Action Fantasy RPG: https://www.kick.com/TheDarkSoulsShow Come take a look at my PlayStation Portable Collection (PSP, filmed years back): https://rumble.com/v3cllcw-psp-collection-and-discussion.html Come take a look at my PlayStation Vita Collection (PS Vita, filmed years back): https://rumble.com/v34r7s4-ps-vita-collection.html Come take a look at my PlayStation Portal UNBOXING video (filmed Fall 2023): https://rumble.com/v3w843j-playstation-portal-unboxing-review-honest-thoughts-must-have-niche-product.html Come take a look at my Nintendo Gameboy Collection (filmed years back): https://rumble.com/v359bp0-nintendo-gameboy-collection-gameboy-greatest-hits.html Come take a look at my Nintendo 3DS Collection (filmed years back): https://rumble.com/v35860u-nintendo-3ds-collection.html Come take a look at my Nintendo DS Collection (filmed years back): https://rumble.com/v37afit-nintendo-ds-collection.html Oh, just check everything, would you! :)

It's that time again. I did it New Years Eve, now it's time for Leap Year 2024. Leap Year is a peculiar day of the year, which should be looked upon the fact that it only comes once every four years. The perfect time for some EDM. Some techno, some trance, some casual beats, but not as progressive like the first one. This one is more melodic, uplifting, trippy at times, and somewhat frenzied and dark in tone. You have bonafide hits from Estiva, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, Andrew Rayel, Ben Gold, Guiseppe Ottaviani, and even classics from Push and Dj Tiesto selected for this second master mix of mine. It's a diverse round of choices, that much is certain. So sit back and relax. Put your best headphones on. Maybe draw. Meditate. Game a little. Enjoy it on your daily commute. Be transported to another reality. Whatever floats your boat. Prepare to be immersed in Lawrence Dagstine's EDM Mix No. #2.

In today's outdoor vlog we take a trip back in time to 2001, and a formerly (once upon a time predominantly) Italian-American neighborhood known as Bensonhurst. And...MY FIRST APARTMENT. Where I only paid $650.00 per month rent. Nowadays, in New York City, rents are $3000.00 and up. You can't get $650 dollar per month pads furnished anymore. I had moved away from home back in 2000-2001. My first apartment was humongous. I had a computer-writing area, a giant eat-in kitchen, a gym, tables and couches, cable TV, PS2 console with collection of games and VHS tapes, all in a sizable basement pad. It's also where I penned my first full-length novel, aptly named ESPIONAGE FIRST. In the same area, was a twenty-four hour per day diner -- an INSTITUTION to old school Brooklyn, and neighborhood Italians, with some of the best food! -- called the DEL RIO Diner. They were forced into closure because New York State raised the minimum wage for food servers too high. The owner couldn't pay everybody a $15.00 hourly salary AND pay for food deliveries and the property tax. Sadly, this same scenario happened to most historical diners in NYC when the minimum wage for food servers went up. I think it's $20.00 per hour now. Here is the article on Del Rio Diner shutting its doors after more than 40 years: https://bklyner.com/everyone-has-a-del-rio-story-the-iconic-neighborhood-diner-says-farewell-bensonhurst/ This right here is history of just one old school neighborhood in Brooklyn NY, where I once lived, and how so much has changed in the course of twenty-four years.

If you ever find yourself bored on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night in Manhattan, New York. Why not take the F train down to LES (the Lower East Side)? Stop on over at SOUR MOUSE. Sour Mouse is a social club/game bar with a "pop art aesthetic" and mini museum contained within, along with a wide array of tabletop games. From Ping Pong to Pool to Foosball to Beer Pong (they even had Jenga!). There's speed dating and contests on occasion; you are guaranteed to have a blast. When the clock turns ten, there's a live DJ and music. There's even dancing. But most of all, there is Abstract Art and Pop Art. Canvases all over this hip social club, by aspiring or upcoming pop artists and indie creators from around many diverse neighborhoods closeby. And you can PURCHASE these canvases that decorate the basement establishment. SOUR MOUSE is located on the lower level of 110 Delancey Street. They serve pizza and wings, among other things, and have a decent list of wines, beers, ciders, and ales. Bring a friend, or even better, bring your date: https://www.sourmousenyc.com/

It's been a while since I talked ACTION FIGURES! Something I'm passionate about, and something I've been collecting for well over 45 years. Come join me for some modern day nostalgia and serious hobbying in this second installment of my toy & collectible "pickup series." Come see what Star Wars Black Series, Star Wars The Vintage Collection, Heman, Marvel, DC Multiverse, Amiibo, and miscellaneous Hasbro or Kenner-themed goodies I snagged over the past 14 months. And don't forget to catch Toy Pickup Video No. 1 if you haven't seen it yet.

This is the true story of my 1994 arrest, age 20, right around the time OJ Simpson got arrested. I got in trouble with the law once, and it made the local Manhattan papers. And I never got in trouble again. I did a complete 360. I didn't go out for three years. I just worked full time and went to school at night. This is ALSO how I became an avid reader and writer. If it wasn't for me getting arrested 30 years ago, I would not have educated myself and become a published author. I might have taken a much different path, perhaps a darker one. Also, PlayStation (PS1) was a big part of that era (games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VII), and a big part of my salvation as well. Once upon a time I was a punk kid hanging out with the wrong crowd. This is who I am today, thirty years later: www.lawrencedagstine.com

Sit back. Relax. Turn up the volume. Maybe Draw. Game. Dance. Meditate. Make love. Whatever you consider your personal moment of Zen. This hour-plus long track was made especially for you. Let's ring in 2024 together with my Master Mix of Progressive Trance & Techno Hits, artists new and old. From some of today and yesterday's greatest EDM artists. This is the Lawrence Dagstine Hour. Oh, and Happy New Year.

I hope to do more of these time-lapse tutorials in the future (I have another art video on this channel from a few months back, worth checking out). I'll also go more in-depth in some outdoor vlogs when the weather gets warmer about my life and career in the arts. This is an example of "My Style" of drawing. Primarily blending graffiti art (street art, murals) with comic book art. The kind you see pencillers or inkers do for the likes of Marvel Comics, DC, and Image. I MIX the two. This is a Two-Face piece featuring Mickey Mouse I did back in 2021, called: CRIME SYNDICATE SOBER. But it's not just a mural, it's also a STORY BOARD. It tells a story! The illustration measures a whopping 24 inches in length, on Fabriano Mixed Media paper. It's supposed to take place in old school "Hell's Kitchen" NYC. The markers used are COPIC and LE PEN. Very heavy blacks. My fineliners, brush tips, and markers of choice are: COPIC, TOMBOW, and LE PEN third. Fabriano and Bee Paper is my usual choice of paper. Art supplies from Dick Blick. You can view more of my artwork, past and present at: www.lawrencedagstine.com

This is the true story of the West AND East Village Skinheads of New York City during the Late 1980s (but in my case, and my friends' cases, as young lads, 1989 and Washington Square Park). These were skinheads who hung out in the center of the park on the weekends rocking Doc Martens and black flight jackets, suspenders, Sid Vicious or other band-type shirts, or in the case of girls, black nail polish and torn fishnet stockings. Many were squatters, and yes, some addicted to drugs like heroin. But many were kind-hearted and loving, very ACCEPTING and were very diverse. My friends and I were ages 13 thru 15 at the time. For one thing, we skateboarded in the Village. The skinheads were older. They were between the ages of 18 and 21, and it didn't matter WHO you were, or how young you were. There were none of these racist or woke terms of today. They ACCEPTED you. There were no Nazi flags. It was about the time period, chilling out, the location, and the music. OI. OI. OI! Welcome to Washington Square Park of 1989... and now, reminiscing and looking back, 2023.

Today I'm doing an unboxing and in-depth review of my latest retro handheld, Blaze Entertainment's HYPER MEGA TECH - TAITO SUPER POCKET! Comes pre-installed with 18 Taito arcade classics, portable, perfect size, perfect screen, perfect sound, plus it's compatible with the entire library of Evercade brand cartridges. In all honesty, this handheld is NICE! A 10 out of 10. I'll be taking this everywhere I go. Don't sleep on this. They make a Capcom version too.

Welcome to another historical vlog. This one is pretty lengthy. In today's video I'll talk about my Dad and Las Vegas. OLD SCHOOL Las Vegas, from 1990 to 1993 mainly. How my father was a loan shark and played poker with a card shark named Larry Love. How I got into the casinos and hit on the cocktail waitresses, gambled AND drank at such a young age. What Las Vegas looked like over 30+ years ago. What the atmosphere was like. What being a wiseguy, a wiseguy's son, and gambling back then was like. Casinos that don't even exist anymore, or were blown up to make room for today's hotels and casinos. Most of all, WRESTLEMANIA 9.

In this lengthy video I will unbox and conduct an in-depth review of Sony's new PS5 remote play companion device, the PlayStation Portal. You can pretty much game all around your house, or even hotspots within your neighborhood, or wherever there is a very strong WiFi signal, so long as the PS5 or PS4 games you are looking to play are already installed on your home console, and the rest mode in power savings are all ENABLED. Bonus, you can stream from it to places like Twitch and YouTube. And who knows, maybe Rumble in the future. From the comfort of bed. I highly recommend getting a case for it, because it is not just sleek but delicate.

Welcome to another historical look back. This is the Manhattan neighborhood I grew up in during the 1980s. Upper East Side Manhattan. The stores, the locations, what it used to be like between 1986 and 1990. Such as Bloomingdales and Alexander's Department Store. Two places in particular, which I'm going to talk about, are The 57th Street Corner Store (an old smoke shop-magazine store on First Avenue), and Ultimate Pizza. I used to hang out at The Corner Store with my childhood friends and play arcade games every single day after school, when "Arcade Machines" were the trend. We were there DAY ONE for the premier of such arcade machine hits as Alien Syndrome, Street Fighter 2, TMNT the Arcade Game (four player), and Raiden. We LIVED this era. Plus many more. And the BEST pizza shop in all of East Side Manhattan, known as Ultimate Pizza. Why? Because their slices were Ultimately the best in town!

This is just a quick video of my red-eared slider, Bowser. Pet turtle.

This second story park in midtown Manhattan, along Second Avenue by the former Queensboro Bridge (now Ed Koch Bridge), and formerly called Cardinal Kitchens, was where my friends and I hung out practically every other night. I'm talking 1980s thru at least mid 90s. We blew up fireworks here. We played manhunt here (a form of hide and seek). We laughed and cried here. We wrote graffiti and drank here. We hung out with girls and smoked cigarettes here. And, some times, we even got into trouble here. It was a chill spot where Manhattan-bred teenagers could socialize and congregate. This is also where I met my first girlfriend over 30+ years ago.

This is footage from a typical Friday night at SLATE NY, located in the heart of the Chelsea District. Actually right around the corner from the old Limelight Church, on 21st Street and 6th Avenue. Dress to impress (cover charge at a certain time is $20.00 unless you are a VIP/ticket holder). SLATE is not just a danceclub and hotspot for hip hop, techno, house, miscellaneous EDM, but a two-story bar and lounge with games such as "mini-bowling" and "mini-hoops" on the lower level. They serve every drink you could possibly think of. They serve your typical finger food fare to snack on (chicken fingers, buffalo wings, nachos, etc), but Friday nights are something special for the young crowd (and old, such as myself). By midnight you couldn't even move. People were bumping and grinding, all tables were filled, and the place truly is the definition of the word "Chic." In some cases, such as private parties or DJ events, you have to reserve well in advance.

Gamer, Writer, Speedwalker, and fitness enthusiast Lawrence Dagstine reaches 1000 MILES speedwalked before the Age of 50 at exactly 11:30AM on 9/9/2023. Believe in yourself. You can do anything. First thousand miles are the hardest.

GRAFFITI ILLUSTRATION ART CHALLENGE (time lapse): "Eve's Lair" by graffiti artist SOBER Est. 1989 NYC. Time of illustration: December 2021 to January 2022. Music Album/Mix: "Dj Tiesto" For more graffiti illustrations and other creative stuff, some from the 1990s era, visit: https://www.lawrencedagstine.com

This is my PSP Collection for 2023 thru 2024, because I don't really see myself buying any new PlayStation Portable games in the near future. Especially at my age. I'm happy with what titles I have. Forgive me, I was a little tired when I filmed this. I hadn't had any coffee yet. So I may sound a bit groggy and off. Then when I put it through Video Editor 11, the file got corrupted. Then, later on, I lost the file and had to retrieve the original version from the micro SD on my handicam. What can I say about the PSP? Some great fighting games, racing games, RPGs, and dungeon crawlers. Not to mention a TON of Monster Hunter style clones and arcade classics or compilations with great graphics and blazing visuals for its time period. Plus, you could take movies and TV shows with you on the go (portably) in the form of UMDs: Universal Media Discs. Today I will show you 40 UMDs for the PSP you might NOT have seen. And while it may not have dethroned the Nintendo DS between 2005-2012, the PSP still sold millions of handhelds worldwide. It had quality games from such developers as Square Enix, Capcom, Konami, XSeed, EA, and more. Every video game collector should have a PlayStation Portable in their collection.

A long time ago, in an urban landscape far, far away...there were a couple of young college-aged Manhattan kids (I was the oldest of the group, being twenty-three going on twenty-four), and we used to hang out on the Upper East Side. Write graffiti. Drink forty ounces of beer. Go to our chum's houses and play PS1 or N64 games all night. Go to rich girls' houses and have makeout parties. Rent limos, do the barfly/socialite thing. Or, when we were really bored, get into all sorts of shenanigans, or some other kind of weird craziness. Obviously these were the early days of the Internet. I'm talking Windows 95, Windows 98. Some of us didn't own computers. AOL chat rooms and MSN Messenger were still fairly new modes of communication. We hooligans still watched MTV (though reality television had pretty much robbed us of a channel we Generation X-ers once adored). There was no Youtube. No Rumble. No Twitch. There was no live-streaming video games. No Wifi. We went outdoors and made home movies, on camcorders. Big things you had to carry over your shoulder. With VHS tapes. Like the one you are about to watch starring me, called WARZONERS. This could best be described as a Gotham City like crime drama series. In it I played a "has-been agent" who has personal demons and is desperately trying to learn the truth behind various kidnappings and crazed criminals roaming an upscale East Side neighborhood. But the protagonist (myself), is giving his job one last go and trying to learn the truth about himself most of all. What his identity is. And it gets pretty surreal by the end. Yes, back in the 1990s you COULD walk around New York City at night or go into Central Park after dark and fire off toy guns. Now everything is technology and surveillance and Big Brother. We live in a Post 9/11 world. September 11th 2001 changed everything. Welcome to NYC life. Manhattan home movie life. A visual study into one agent's mind. Welcome to WARZONERS... 1997 to 1998.

Join me for this MASSIVE undertaking of a collection video. One-plus hour. Yes, over an hour of handheld goodness. The Nintendo DS! Let's take a trip back to the 2000s era, and rejoice in portable gaming greatness, as I show you my EXTENSIVE collection of DS titles: action-adventure games, rare and unusual platformers, pricey RPGs, puzzlers and other hidden gems. Join me as I go into full explanation, history, and description about this wonderful device and each game in my library. Let it be said that the Nintendo DS changed the landscape and the way we think about handheld gaming and collecting. While I have trimmed the fat on a lot of these over the years (yes, I've owned and passed your Phantom Hourglasses and Spirit Tracks; I've mastered your Super Mario 64 and Kirby Canvas Curses; as well as your Final Fantasy spinoffs and Princess Peaches. Mario Kart too!). At one time I owned well over 160+ DS titles, and a collection valued at more than $6000.00. Some of these games you won't find in the wild anymore. Some you probably never heard of or even knew existed. Some of the developers of these games no longer exist or have long since merged with other bigger companies. Welcome to my expansive and explanatory video on... The Nintendo DS. And while you're at it, be sure to check out my 3DS collection video on this Rumble channel as well. Find me on social media: www.twitter.com/lawrencedagstine www.twitch.tv/lawrencedagstine

Come with me. Let's take a trip back in time to your childhood. Let's take a nostalgic but historical look at this awesome handheld from almost 35 years ago. Let's try out some games and review some old school hardware. Let's take a look at... The Turbo Express. ON SOCIAL MEDIA: www.twitter.com/ldagstine www.twitch.tv/lawrencedagstine

Come with me. Let's take a trip back in time to your childhood. Let's take a nostalgic but historical look at this awesome handheld from almost 35 years ago. Let's try out some games and review some old school hardware. Let's take a look at... The Atari Lynx. ON SOCIAL MEDIA: www.twitter.com/ldagstine www.twitch.tv/lawrencedagstine

This video shows off a good bulk of my Star Wars action figure collection by the end. It was filmed in 2021, but I do plan to do more of these toy and collectible videos on this channel. I'll also be talking about action figures and toys from a nostalgic point of view in future podcasts (the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s, what did you own as a kid, etc), and maybe alongside future guest stars. NOTE: I did get that Iceman figure to go with Firestar; it only took me until August 2023 to find it. Least a reputable one. Find me on social media: TWITTER: www.twitter.com/ldagstine TWITCH: www.twitch.tv/lawrencedagstine