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December 11, 2005
For our last post, i think we're supposed to write advice for future students who will be in this class. I guess my advice is blog daily, go to class, and get help with your papers. Oh yeah, buy the aeon flux box set if he is going to use it to teach with. It's really entertaining.
Edited on 2005-12-08 16:39:50 by MenosElOso
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December 8, 2005
I'm done with philosophy. Just about the only thing i learned was that in philosophy, you never have to address the question when answering it. You can talk about any random thing you want to.
Edited on 2005-12-07 12:57:15 by MenosElOso
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December 7, 2005
One of the presentations today reminded me of something that happened where i live. Oakland firehall used to be a venue for local shows until about a year and a half ago. It was my favorite place for shows, and i had many great times there. It wasn't allowed to be used as a venue because a few people decided they could do whatever they wanted to do there. People would litter in the parking lot, but it usually got cleaned up. However, people that lived in houses next to the building, didn't like this. The noise was not a problem because the building was soundproofed very well. Thus, Oakland was no longer a venue. After it got shut down as a venue for local music, an environment that promoted (usually...sometimes things would happen, but they were taken care of) legal activities, it became the main area for huge illegal poker tournaments. These poker tournaments were no longer allowed in the hotel they used to take place in because of the illegality; so the organizers had to find a new place. That place became Oakland firehall. I never quite understood how something legal was replaced by something illegal while Oakland's neighbors didn't care.
Edited on 2005-12-06 19:44:04 by MenosElOso
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December 6, 2005
Today was my last day of vis com ever. I'm so glad to be done with the project, but i'm not too happy about the way mine turned out. I spent way too much time in the studio the last few days and haven't't slept too much. It has taken me about 5 minutes to type the last 2 sentences and i've had to fix way too many mistakes in them. I should start some of my final papers but i think i'll go to bed instead.
Edited on 2005-12-04 13:57:42 by MenosElOso
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December 4, 2005
I watched a lot of christmas shows and listened to a lot of christmas music this weekend. It really got me excited for christmas. I love everything about this time of year except the cold. Lately, i've been dreading going to classes because i know i have to walk outside. No matter how much stuff i wear, i still can't seem to stay warm. At least there's only one more week of classes, which means i only have to suffer the outside treks for another week.
November 30, 2005
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November 30, 2005
Edited on 2005-12-02 02:01:35 by MenosElOso
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(technically) December 2, 2005
I just got back from the studio. My friend and i were discussing how if we're so tired of working and unmotivated now, how will we be able to keep doing this for another four and a half years? This lead to our discussion about 4th year. In our 4th year as architecture students, we get to spend a semester in Rome. So, we decided that as long as we make it to Rome, thie previous time will have been worth the work.
Anyways, while in the studio, i showed my book to a few people. They seemed to like it, so hopefully i get a decent grade on it.
Edited on 2005-11-30 18:17:35 by MenosElOso
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November 30, 2005
For CORE, i'm making a comic book. Our project has to tell a story. My story is about repetitiveness, isolation, and the strokes. The strokes fit perfectly because to many, they are the cliché hipster type. My story is titled "DECK!", and revolves around the life of some random hipster kid. At home, everybody's in color. When he's out, he's the only person in color cause he's just cool like that...until the strokes come into the story.
Edited on 2005-11-30 02:15:14 by MenosElOso
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November 29, 2005
Ricardo, Torres. "Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto walks us through eight demonstrations to show off the potential of the Revolution's unique controller." Nintendo Revolution Controller Demo Showcase. 15 Sept. 2005. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://hardware.gamespot.com/Story-ST-15143-2567-x-x-x>∞.
Since i forgot to actually store my blog the first time, i'll post it again. I mentioned having Gear Aquisition Syndrome a couple of blogs back. Well, the itch for new gear finally built up so much that i had to give in. I bought this∞. If you don't feel like clicking the link, it's an Epiphone Elitist Les Paul. I know...it's an Epiphone, not a Gibson, but I couldn't resist. I also ordered it without playing it first (one reason why i don't like ordering guitars off of the internet), but for the price, i had to. Musicians Friend has an amazing price for them right now. They list at $1,614, and street value is usually around $1,000-$1,100; so, I couldn't pass up the $699 price tag. For all of the Epiphone naysayers, (not sure if anybody reading this has any idea what i'm talking about anyway) this guitar is on par with a lot of American Gibsons and (as a lot of people say) is better than some. It is made with all American parts with hands on luthier attention (like it's Gibson cousins), has real mother of pearl inlays and nickel hardware (which is only on the upper end Gibsons), and a lot of people say that the quality control on this particular run of guitars is better than the Gibsons. I know that i'm looking forward to Christmas break so i can play this thing.
Edited on 2005-11-28 13:05:59 by MenosElOso
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November 28, 2005
Since we're back at school, i guess it's time to start blogging again. I had a really enjoyable break...maybe too enjoyable. It was great seeing some people i haven't seen in a while. I definitely didn't do any of the work i was planning on doing, and i really should have. Yesterday consisted of about 12 hours of work on a vis com model that i still haven't completed. I have final reviews for core the next two weeks, and i still have to start my project. The next few nights will be bad.
Edited on 2005-11-21 13:11:51 by MenosElOso
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November 21, 2005
On saturday, we played a battle of the bands (i know, not cool). Our motivation was simple. We need money. It's getting about that time for us to get some new merch and start saving for summer. Well, the show was fun, and we did in fact make some money. We got third (which i'm somewhat bitter about considering who got 1st and 2nd, but the top 3 shouldn't have been what it was...i can say that we shouldn't have been in it). Getting 3rd meant getting $100, which isn't bad for 30 minutes of work. The 2nd place band was a metalcore band and were about as generic as any generic metalcore band could get (i'd know about generic metalcore. i'm a fan of the genre and was in a generic metalcore band.) One could say they were original for their genre because, while playing, they didn't flail around and do flashy stage moves like every other band in there genre, but i would much rather see that than 5 guys not moving at all. Their breakdowns weren't br00tal, and the mosh they brung wasn't siqq!!!!11one. [/end rant]
Edited on 2005-11-18 12:47:10 by MenosElOso
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November 18, 2005
Today, i got an email from my core studio professor. We now have class today because core is so unorganized. Originally, we were supposed to meet him at the time we made an appointment to discuss how to go about finishing our projects. Well, as it turns out, our stuff will be due a lot earlier than it was supposed to be. That means i probably won't be able to finish my project and make it turn out the way i was planning. As far as core theory goes, i'm not looking forward to going today because, once again, it will probably be about something that doesn't apply to me. The whole core idea isn't working out, which is somewhat understandable because it's the first year for it, but you'd think they would have things straightened out by now.
Edited on 2005-11-17 20:37:22 by MenosElOso
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November 17, 2005
I've been really lazy lately. I think i'm tired of my major (architecture). Maybe it's just the whole having two studios right now thing, but i just can't seem to bring myself to do any work for them even though final reviews are coming up soon. I plan on staying in the major though for at least another semester. We'll see how i feel about it at the end of the year because that's when things really start picking up. Last night, i was talking to a few kids who are thinking of switching majors and they feel like they shouldn't because they would feel like they're just giving up and would have just wasted an entire semester (which i can totally relate to). None of the main architecture courses transfer to anything, so it would be just a waste of time. I think i'm just tired though and need a break. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving even though i'll still have to take stuff home with me and work on it.
Edited on 2005-11-16 14:49:03 by MenosElOso
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November 16, 2005
http://megaemu.wz.cz/konzole/nes.jpg∞ http://www.palmq.ru/images/news/2003/oct/Atari_2600.jpg∞
These images relate to my final project because they are the consoles that really began to popularize video games in people's homes. The Nintendo/Atari console wars was also one of the earliest console wars in video games. I could incorporate these in my project to show early consoles that have spawned console wars.
Edited on 2005-11-15 18:29:00 by MenosElOso
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November 15, 2005
Since getting my iPod last week, i've found myself listening to a lot of music that i haven't listened to in a while. Since there is so much hardcore, metal, and (*hangs head in shame*) metalcore on my computer, i transfered it all to my ipod. After getting tired of the randomness of the shuffle feature, i started listening to entire cds. I've noticed that more often than not, i pick a cd that is of one of the three afformentioned genres. More specifically, i seem to pick a toughguy (at least that's what i call the subgenre) hardcore band, which leads me to the point (if this even has one) of this post.
Last night in the studio, i was listening to Terror∞, a typical toughguy band, and 2 friends of mine, who adamantly hate this particular style of hardcore, started making fun of them. Their only offense was basically the same as my defense; toughguy hardcore is chuga-chuga riffing with growled vocals to make them sound tough. These reasons are pretty much why i like this kind of music. It's just fun, fast-paced, energetic music. Even though most people can't understand the lyrics, a lot of times they do actually have meaning (a lot of times they don't though...just about being tough). A lot of bands in this genre write about straightedge (not all bands in this genre are though), unity (whether it's within your scene, society, etc.) family and friends, and actually a lot more. This is just another one of my ramblings, but it all comes down to, people are different. Changing minds is hard.
Edited on 2005-11-14 13:03:22 by MenosElOso
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November 14, 2005
I'm getting that feeling again. The feeling of GAS (gear aquisition syndrome) is overwhelming me. Since i sold my beloved 5150 a few weeks ago, i've been wanting a new guitar. I want either a Gibson SG or a Les Paul style guitar because right now, i can't afford the Gibson Les Paul that i want; my choices for those would be either the Fernandes Monterey∞ or the LTD EC∞. I've owned Fernandes guitars before, and they have been great players. I've never owned an LTD, ESP's Japanese branch company, but i've heard a lot of great stuff about them. I wish there was somewhere around here that is an ESP dealer so i could try some out. Back home, the guitar shop in my area only sells Fennder, Peavey, Jackson, and Marshall. That means i have no way of trying out any ESPs. The closest Guitar Center doesn't sell ESPs either (at least they didn't the last few times i was there.) I hate going to Guitar Center, but that's another story. So i'll end this post here.
Edited on 2005-11-12 00:46:14 by MenosElOso
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November 12, 2005
I just got back from seeing Jarhead. It was a really enjoyable movie. It was a nice end to my day. I didn't have theory or studio today, so i spent the day relaxing. At around 5:00, i went out for Korean food. I forget the exact name of what i got, but it was some kind of bimbimbob or something like that. It was the first time i've eaten Korean food, and i would definitely eat it again. After the Korean food, we went to circuit city and looked at tvs we want to get for an apartment next year. Once we decided on one, we went and bought a cheesecake for desert. The rest i've already said. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow though. I have to write my art history term paper, get at least half of my philosophy test done, and finish my model for vis com. It's going to be a long day. Oh well, at least i got to relax today. It was nice.
Edited on 2005-11-10 17:39:50 by MenosElOso
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November 10, 2005
I have to leave to go to an exhibition at the palmer museum soon. The exhibition is called "Wos up mon?" That's the only thing i know about it. I've been comntemplating what the exhibit is about, but judging from the title, i'm guessing it has something to do with caribbean art and artists. I'm actually kind of excited to see what it is, and hopefully i won't be let down. However, i'm not looking forward to what i have to do afterwards. After i'm finished at the exhibit, i have to meet with my group and write a paper on the exhibit. Hopefully that doesn't take too long, because i get to look forward to another late night.
Edited on 2005-11-09 18:14:25 by MenosElOso
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November 9, 2005
It's wednesday. I have a lot of work due tomorrow for vis com. I have to build a model and finish my drawings. On friday, i have to have my paper remixed for english. I have to work on my comic book and have all of the frames done by next friday. I have to start my art history term paper that is due on monday. I also have to do my philosophy test that is due on tuesday. It seems like since the end of the semester is approaching, i'm getting even more work than usual. It also seems like there aren't enough hours in a day. I miss having free time to sit around and do nothing. I would do just about anything for nothing right now.
Edited on 2005-11-08 13:59:29 by MenosElOso
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November 8, 2005
Well, i finally gave in and bought an iPod. The small black rectangle is sitting next to my keyboard on my desk with its screen flashing "Do not disconnect." I'm going to comply with its demand...until i get back from vis com. I'm not sure why i bought one; my cd player has been doing fine for the past i don't know how many years of my life. Hopefully i like my new gadget, and hopefully it lasts me just as long as my cd player.
Oldest known version of this page was edited on 2005-11-07 19:25:11 by TrinFuff []
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November 7, 2005Last night there was a show at IUP that i wish i attended. It was mewithoutyou, dredg, the blood brothers, and coheed and cambria. The blood brothers' performance and attitude angered a great deal of people in attendance. Some of the things they did to alienate the people there were having a 10-minute wall of nothing but feedback and their singer brought out a chair and sat in it while (poorly) performing. They wanted to make people mad, and they succeeded. I can't commend them because it's their fault they signed on a tour that went through a few college campuses. However, there's a reason for their actions. They're rock stars now. The blood brothers are still the same spazzy, thrashy, artsy band; only now, they're more mainstream. They're young, already on a major label, and have been on some huge tours. Also, every band in that genre of music acts like this. If i was there, i probably would have been upset too, but since i wasn't, i'm rather indifferent. Last night just got them one step closer to becoming At the Drive-In.
I saw Coheed and Cambria at Warped Tour two summers ago. Even though I can't listen to them for a long period of time without getting a headache, their performance was excellent.-TrinFuff
November 3, 2005
The Penn State Portal provides some interesting news stories from CNN. Some of todays news stories involve Merck, our economy, the Libby Case, and Joey Buttafouco. Why is he important? Apparently it's because he's selling protein shakes and ice cream to stars of abc television shows. I don't understand how something like this is even important considering the whole ordeal that got him his first glimpse of fame happened over 10 years ago. Is there really nothing worth reporting that they have to inform the world that some former car mechanic now works at a concession stand on abc's sets? I kind of doubt it, but apparently, i must be wrong.
November 2, 2005
I listened to Spitalfield the entire time i was writing my evaluation argument. Thinking about Spitalfield made me remember something their singer (Mark Rose) said in an interview. The segment from the interview goes like this:
"Just like when college kids go home for break and after a few days you want to do nothing but go back to school.
That’s the thing, a lot of people who are home on extended breaks, by the time they’re going back to school they can’t wait to go back, same idea. This is a job, this is our career, this is our income but it’s the greatest version of that of all time. I mean, there are downsides to it of course but I wouldn’t trade it for anything at this point in my life. We’re young, we can do whatever for a few more years before we have to really decide if this is what we do for the rest of our lives or not. "
The last sentence really appeals and relates to me. Sometimes i feel that i kind of just jumped into college and came here because that's what you're supposed to do after high school (I'm glad i'm here though. It's been a great experience, and i love my major). Sometimes i feel like i never really got to experience things that i wanted to and i'm quickly losing time to do them even though i'm still only 18 years old. When i think of that though, i just try to remember that i am still young and i still have plenty of time to really decide what i'm going to do with my life. Sometimes i think communism would make this a lot easier. I wouldn't have to figure my life out because it would already be planned out for me.
November 1, 2005
I had a really great Halloween. I did go to the Plain White T's show, and they were still just as good as they used to be. They played a lot of new stuff, and i wish they would have played more old stuff. I was really hoping to hear "A Lonely September."
I'm still not sure if i like the old lineup better or the new one though. One could argue that the old lineup is really the Plain White T's while somebody else could argue that they're still the T's...just slightly different. Maybe i'll evaluate the current lineup for my evaluation argument, but i probably won't. I really have no idea what i'm going to write it on, and hopefully i can think of something soon.
October 31, 2005
It's halloween. Today was the CORE masquerade, and i didn't attend it due to our studio professor telling us to not worry about making costumes for it. So, since our class didn't have to attend (even though i think everybody in core is supposed to) i got some time off which i'll be using to finish some drawings for my vis com class that were supposed to be due tomorrow, but are now due on thursday. Things are looking good. There's a show at the Crowbar tonight that i think i'm going to go to. It's Straylight Run, Plain White T's, and Paramore. I'm not a big fan of Straylight Run and Paramore, but i love the Plain White T's and i haven't seen them in such a long time. If i do go, i doubt i'll stay for Straylight Run, because last time i saw them (it was a mistake...) i fell asleep. The T's however have been great every time i've seen them, but i still haven't seen them with their (not so) new lineup. Hopefully they're still just as good live as they used to be (i've been told they aren't, but that's just because the person who told me this was very bitter about the lineup change.) Hopefully i make it out there on time.
October 30, 2005
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/8999/blogpic35di.jpg∞
(matt and i make good zombies, don't we?)
Last night was the Ninjas Vs. Zombies show. I had a great time; however, lately i've had a lot of stuff on my mind. Since i've been here at penn state, i've felt that i'm a changed person (in both good and bad ways.) The good is pretty obvious; i've gained a lot of new information, skills, friends, experiences, etc. The bad though is different. Recently, i've been pretty stressed out with a lot of things (especially the work i have because of my major), i've been in some pretty bad moods when interacting with people back home, and i've been questioning a lot of things i thought i was set on. One of those things is my relationship with the three other guys in my band. They're like brothers to me, but when i've been around them lately, i just feel distant. Even though i love it, i've been thinking about giving it up. We'll see how i feel after our next show (which is next weekend...) Hopefully it's just a short-lived phase i'm going through and i'll feel differently soon.
October 28, 2005
"Stupid bug. You go squish now!"
Today was definitely the best English class i've ever been to. We watched Treehouse of Horror 5 from the Simpsons. The Simpsons is my favorite television show ever (I own every season released on DVD so far) and the Treehouse of Horrors have been a staple in my halloween season ever since i was a young kid. The Simpsons movie is to be released in 2008, and that may or may not mark the end of the Simpsons (There's just too many rumors to actually know what's going on...i'll probably post about that later.) For our blog post, we were supposed to evaluate the episode we watched in class. Treehouse of Horror 5's "The Shinning" is a parody of "The Shining." The plot is very similar, except since it's the Simpsons, it's more humorous. The blood/elevator thing, the murderous/crazy father, etc. all come from "The Shining." That story is just one part of the parodies/satire that is evident in the episode. In actuallity, the entire episode is a satire of horror movies. The Treehouse of Horrors have used just about every cliché and plot line from various horror movies and make them funny. At the beginning of each episode, they say how the episodes are so scary and shouldn't be watched by children, and in reality, they are kind of satirizing themselves.
October 27, 2005
More important than bear vs. shark is ninja vs. zombie. I'm really looking forward to this weekend. Most people probably are too because it's homecoming. However, i'm looking forward to it for a different reason. This weekend is the Ninjas Vs. Zombies 3: The Revenge show at the Chevy Chase Center in Indiana. I'm even more excited for it this year because my band is playing in it. Ninjas Vs. Zombies is the annual halloween show, and is always a lot of fun. It consists of the bands performances, the annual brawl, free candy, and other ghoulish crap the event organizers (also known as The Vicars) come up with. The other bands are, The Vicars, The Last Hope, A Hundred Thousand Million, The Bloody Holidays (who have risen from the dead to play this show), and Meanstreak. The annual brawl is between the ninjas (The Vicars) and the zombies (every other band...except last year there was a robot too.) The brawl is always a lot of fun, and hopefully the zombies prevail (we get to be zombies). The whole atmosphere of the show is just really fun. All of the bands are in their ninja and zombie costumes, and most of the people attending the show dress up as well. I'm disappointed that i won't be here for homecoming weekend, but i've been looking forward to this for a really long time.
October 26, 2005
I know it's there for a reason, but i don't like the limit on bandwith that we have. I also don't like the bandwith usage monitering system thing. Every once in a while i check it out to see if i'm using too much bandwith, and for this week, i can say that it's wrong. I checked it on sunday because that is when it's supposed to reset, and i checked it today since it's the middle of the week. Somehow, it jumped from very little usage to about half. Last week, i used a good deal of bandwith, but it didn't show up when i checked it out last week. I guess somehow it showed up as this week, and since it did this, i'm unable to transfer some files that i need to get to another computer. I'll just have to wait until next time it (hopefully) resets.
PS I was hoping for "Around the World." I'm more of a "Homework" fan (but "Discovery" is just as good.)
PPS "PSS" means "Product Support Services"
October 25, 2005
Last night was amazing. Last night, I was at the Every Time I Die show at the Crowbar. It was the last show of the tour. It started at around 8:30, and A Life Once Lost opened. I missed part of their set, but i wasn't too concerned because i saw them a little over a week ago when i was home. The next two bands, Haste the Day and It Dies Today, played after ALOL. I was never a big fan of Haste the Day, but their set was enjoyable (even though they didn't play all that tight). They played with a lot of energy, and the vocals were really good. I was surprised by their guitar tone. It was pretty decent; they were using Kranks, and those amps have a pretty bad reputation so far. It Dies Today was good as usual, but their bassist had a family emergeny he had to take care of back home, so he couldn't play. Even though they were lacking a bassist, they still sounded amazing and played really tight. The singer's clean vocals were kind of rough, but that can be expected after many playing shows without stopping night after night. Every time I've seen It Dies Today, they always put on an amazing show and never disappoint. Finally, Every Time I Die played. There's nothing to say but wow. It's been more than a year since I've seen these guys, and they've just got better (but in my opinion, their guitar tone really lacks live). They played a lot of songs off of their new cd, "Gutter Phenomenon," and did a few off of "Hot Damn!" and played one song off of their first full length, "Last Night in Town." The song they played off of "Last Night in Town" was "Logic of Crocodiles." Last night was the last time they will ever play it (at least that's what they said). I have good reason to believe that though, because every other time they lay a song to rest, they haven't resurrected any of them. My only gripe about the show was the Crowbar. It's a decent venue, but it could be a lot better. There really isn't a lot of room inside, and they have a set number of all ages tickets (which i'm sure a lot of other clubs do too, but still...)
An interesting part of the night was when i was talking to It Dies Today's merch guy. He asked where i got my Anterrabae hoodie, and i tole him that i got it at a show they played with It Dies Today. He said, "Johnstown?" and i replied, "yeah, Johnstown." He then said, "I'm the guy that sold you that hoodie."
October 24, 2005
After reading the poem, "The Red Wheelbarrow," I've come to the conclusion that it is a poem. According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, a poem is simply a composition in verse. The collection of words that make up this work create exactly what Merriam-Webster says a poem is, a composition in verse. This composition also conveys an experience and emotion, which is usually characteristic of a poem. It shows just how significant the red wheelbarrow is. I get a sense that the farmers would not be able to complete their work if it wasn't for the wheelbarrow. The four linebreaks in the poem create stanzas, which is another characteristic of a poem. Poems don't have to be a set of lines with a specific rhythm that rhyme or anything like that (which this poem clearly isn't). Poems are just writings in verses, which this poem is.
October 20, 2005
I experienced Wegman's for the first time in what seems like forever last night. At around 3:30 last night (or this morning), we got thirsty. Since nothing is open on campus that late, a few of us decided to go off campus and get something, and since it was 3:30 in the morning, we decided to go to Wegmans since it's open for 24 hours. Once we were there, i was amazed. We walked around and eventually saw a huge sign that said 2 for $3.00. That sign was for 12 packs of soda. It's amazing how they also have so much other cheap food there.We ended up leaving with a variety of soda and losing scratch off lottery tickets. I must say that Wegmans is one of the better establishments in State College, PA because of this.
October 19, 2005
Today, i found out that Armor for Sleep is playing at the HUB on saturday night at 9:30. I also found out that it is a free show. This made me really excited, and i figured i'd mention it in here so everyone else could see it. This is a really good idea, and i'm not sure who or what club is making this happen, but i'm really grateful to whoever it is. It provides an alternative to going out and partying after the football game (even though you can still do that after the show if you decide to attend it.) Armor for Sleep is a great (indie (but not the kind of indie most people think of when they think of indie) rock) band on equal vision records. Everybody should check out this show even if you haven't ever heard of them because if you end up hating it, at least it's free.
October 18, 2005
In the syllabus for class yesterday, there was something about forums. As most people already know, forums are not only very informative, but also provide some sort of entertainment. I frequent two forums, vocalyouth and harmony-central. Vocalyouth is johnstown's (and now a lot of other areas, such as pittsburgh, punxsy, altoona, etc.) local music scene site. Harmony-central forums are forums that discuss musical gear such as guitars and amps. Vocalyouth is a great way for local people to promote shows, discover new bands, and just have conversations. Harmony central offers help with gear as well as provides a place for relaxed conversations. Both forums are very helpful and i enjoy visiting them both.
October 17, 2005
Since before I came to college, everybody has been telling me how important time management is, and I think I've finally realized just how true that is. I'm starting to feel kind of sick, but can probably just be attributed by the lack of sleep i've been getting. Once i was told i would have to spend roughly 20 hours outside of class on work. I wish the previous statement was true because I spend that amount of time outside of class on work for one of my studio classes in 2 or 3 days out of the week. At least i only have one studio class next semester, so hopefully it won't be as intensive. I need to get back to the studio though and hopefully finish my project that's due tomorrow (i have great time management, as you all can tell.)
October 12, 2005
Today was a lot better than i planned it to be. I was a little nervouse this morning because over my lunch break, i had to present some ideas to some of the CORE faculty that are in charge of the CORE masquerade. It was in the Zola gallery (i think that's what it's called), and it was a pretty laid back thing. I sat there for a while and listened to them talk about ideas they already had, then I presented and went on my way. Time will tell if they actually use any of them, but i guess it was kind of neat that i at least got to present some of my ideas to them (even though i originally had no intention of doing so). Up until now, the rest of my day consisted of 2 classes and me typing this. Tonight probably won't be too fun though, because i'm going to (hopefully) pull an all-nighter and get as much drawing done before this weekend so i can have my project done on time.
October 11, 2005
Time is an interesting concept. As humans, we can only experience one part of the world at a time; so, we created time, which we measure events that are happening throughout eternity. There are three categories of time: past time, present time, and future time (which i'm sure most already know). Present time is impossible to measure though, because the present time is infinitesimally small; therefore, time can only exist in one's mind in past (remembered) time and future (expected) time. Remembered time is measured becasue our mind creates markers by which we measure time, and expected time seems far away, but that is only because our mind produces an experience by which we can measure time.
October 10, 2005
"The higher you build your walls, the harder they will fall."
-One Dead Three Wounded
One Dead Three Wounded is playing in johnstown on saturday night, and that means i'll be heading home sometime saturday morning (i know it's only monday, but i'm excited to see these guys again). They're playing with A Life Once Lost (who are also playing at the crowbar october 24th. i'll definitely be there.) Implore the Black Sky, and Kamikabe. It's going to be such an intense show, and it will be nice to finally be at a show in johnstown after not being able to attend many lately.
A Life Once Lost's booking is handled by a company called The Agency Group. Apparently, The Agency has a really strict set of guidelines that they make promoters follow (I learned of this from a local promoter). I won't get into details, mainly because i don't really know too many of them that thoroughly, but I will say i don't agree with what they're doing with this show. They're only allowing a set number of bands to play, and even though two bands already dropped, they won't allow any other bands on the show. They are also making the promoter charge the original price even though there are two less bands. The only good thing about this is One Dead don't have to split a set anymore (they're considered a local opener for some reason. they're from philly on lovelost records...not exactly local). I guess the point of this post is me not agreeing with The Agency's ways of handling things.
(another) October 9, 2005
I had a really enjoyable weekend. I finally caught up on my much needed sleep, and it was really unintentional. After my last class on friday, i came back to my room and just fell into my bed and passed out. I ended up not waking up until 3:00 the next afternoon. Since i wasn't going to the game (i'm one of those dumb kids that didn't buy season tickets and didn't want to spend over $100 to watch a football game) i grabbed something to eat and watched a little television. i lounged around for a bit more and did some reading for philosophy, then turned on the game when it came on. While i was watching it, i ended up falling asleep again until 12:00 the next day. I guess i must have been pretty exhausted, because i wouldn't wake up for anything (i missed multiple phone calls and i was told it was pretty loud in my hall). Luckily, i didn't sleep away my sunday (even though i wish i could have picked a better day to not sleep). Today, i hung out with some of the guys and watched some football, then i went to the hub and watched an hour of war of the worlds with some other friends. Oh yeah, i also picked up the Panic! At the Disco CD. I can see why a lot of people have been talking about it, but it's really nothing special. It's just the run of the mill release that fueled by ramen is currently putting out (they really remind me of The Academy Is, only with a synth). They do make nice use of the synth though, and i'm currently enjoying it as i write this.
October 9, 2005
http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.CHAP4.HTM∞
After reading the site above, i found out that the Cambodian Genocide was committed by the Khmer Rouge, a communist group that wanted to create a society structured by the purest form of communism. Even before the Khmer Roughe's mass murdering of 2,400,000 people, a massive loss of lives was happening in Cambodia. The country lost nearly 4,000,000 out of it's 1970 population of 7,100,000. The American government helped in these deaths by bombing the country, but one could argue that by sacrificing a few, the greater good of the country was helped.
October 4, 2005
I missed a class for the first time of the year today. I'm surprised I actually made it this long without missing any. I have a reason for missing it though. Last night, I was in the studio from 7:00 PM until 5:00 AM working on my two studio projects that are due today and tomorrow. When I got back, I set my alarm like i always do and passed out in my bed. I guess my alarm didn't do too much to help me wake up because when i rolled over and looked at the clock, i realized i missed class. After i made that realization, i rolled back over and fell asleep again. It was such a nice feeling. Hopefully i don't make a habbit of it, and hopefully i make it to class tomorrow because tonigh will probably be a much later night than last night.
I have a problem with waking up to alarms. I set both my alarm clock and my cell phone and my roommate usually has to smack me a couple of times to wake me up after both alarms have been going off for half an hour!-TrinFuff
October 5, 2005
Last night, a friend of mine and i were listening to some Miles Davis cds (which were heavily influenced by cocain) he picked up from the library. He was telling me about how the library has a lot of cds you can just borrow. I'm not sure what the point of this post is other than if you want some music, you can head over to the library an pick some up for free. If you don't mind infringing copyrights, you can even burn the cds and own them forever (something that puts Napster to shame). On a side note, i liked the old Napster; the Napster that was free and got shut down by the RIAA. Sure, i didn't have cable internet at the time, and it would take me 15-20 minutes to download something, but it exposed me to a lot of new music. Even now when i download, i always buy the cd or whatever it's released on if it's worth buying. If it's not worth buying, then i usually delete the mp3 from my computer in a day or two anyways.
October 4, 2005
The things on the board for analogy topics made me think. The war in Iraq has been going horribly. People are dying, we're losing money, etc. Now would be the prime opportunity for us to get out of it (if only Bush wouldn't be so stubborn). The hurricanes that hit our country this past month are the perfect scapegoats. All Bush would have to do is blame pulling out of Iraq on the fact that we're already extremely (some budget plan...) in debt because of the war, and we have to rebuild the places hit by hurricanes, which will financially cripple us.
October 3, 2005
Today, we discussed analogies to the internet. One of the reasons for an analogy was because there is a lot of junk out there (or something like that...i forget.) That is very true. Somebody also mentioned a clean slate, which is "tabula rasa" in latin, which was pointed out by our professor. That reminded me of a band i haven't listened to in a while, Tabula Rasa. While looking for their official site, I stumbled across another band that goes by the same name, and I must say, they're definitely nowhere near as good as the "real" Tabula Rasa. I can't say that what I found was junk, but I can say it was a roadblock.
September 27, 2005
I remember a few weeks ago (at least i think it was a few weeks ago. i'm not sure though.) when our teacher got jocked for wearing earplugs in a picture that was on the wiki. He defended himself by saying that they were one of the loudest live bands that performed. That is one good reason for wearing them, but I believe earplugs should be worn at most shows or concerts a live band is performing at. I say "most" because a lot of live bands simply aren't loud at all, and earplugs would just cut out all of the sound.
Earplugs are important to prevent certain hearing conditions such as hearing loss and tinnitus; both are things I am plagued with. (Since I've become concerned with my hearing, I invested in a pair of "musician's plugs," which are earplugs that have a filter in them to allow all of the sound frequencies to go through at a much more tolerable level when listening to a live band. They're very useful and pretty unnoticeable.) Everyone knows what hearing loss is, so i won't go into too much detail about it. On the other hand, tinnitus is probably a word most people aren't too familiar with. "Tinnitus∞ is the medical term for the perception of sound in one or both ears or in the head when no external sound is present. It is often referred to as "ringing in the ears," although some people hear hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, or clicking. Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant-with single or multiple tones-and its perceived volume can range from subtle to shattering." (http://www.ata.org∞) (Luckily, I only suffer from a minor ringing, and it is actually tolerable) So, if you really do care about your hearing, don't worry about what others might say about your earplugs, because if you're wearing them, you won't be able to hear what they say anyways.
September 26, 2005
How to be a rock star:
1. Buy essential materials.
- Essential materials include: sweet guitar, marshall jcm900 amp with 1960 cab, sweet leather pants, sweet sunglasses to wear inside places, sweet accessories such as belt and shoes to go with leather pants, tin foil, and a zucchini.
- The band doesn't have to be "sweet." You can just pretend it is, because you're going to be a rock star anyways.
- Any type of show will do. With your help (since you will be a rock star) the gig will be sweet.
- The materials in this step should be the leather pants and accessories.
6. Place tin foil-wrapped zucchini in pants.
7. Go to the show that was set up in step 3.
- Before going inside, put on the sunglasses mentioned in step 1.
- To properly set up the marshall amp, set low and high to 10 and mids to 0. This will give you a scooped mids sound; the greatest guitar tone achievable by man.
September 25, 2005
The image i picked for my icon is a picture of a peavey jsx head. It's the head i use most of the time when playing guitar. That's just one of the reasons i picked it. Other reasons are because it allows me to do the thing i love more than anything, which is play music. Music is my livelyhood, and i don't know what i would do without it. Like i've already said many times before in my blogs, i love going to and playing shows. There's just a great sense of unity and friendship there; even at out of town shows. I just feel like i'm welcomed there and like everybody is my friend. And, also like i've stated before, the trait it shows about me is my love for playing guitar and music.
September 22, 2005
I must commend whoever it was that put up the moshzilla picture on the homepage. It's been a while since i saw that picture and i completely forgot about it until now. Make sure you look at the kid's face behind her. The look of horror is hilarious. The aftermath of the moshzilla website and everything is also kind of amusing. The girl ended up filing a lawsuit against the people that put the picture up. I remember the first time i saw that picture on vocalyouth. It really brings back memories.
I remember the first time hardcore dancing∞ appeared in johnstown. It all started with a few kids doing spin kicks and punching the air. The johnstown scene was slow when catching on to hardcore...before that it was mostly pop punk and indie rock. Everybody made fun of those kids, but eventually it caught on. Now, there's and abundance of hardcore bands and shows in western pennsylvania and fewer pop punk and indie rock bands and shows.
September 21, 2005
It's halfway through the week. all this talk about music is really getting me excited for the weekend because i'll be going home and playing a show on saturday night. It's a katrina benefit show with my bitter end∞, thumbscrew∞, calm murder∞, xabsolute powerx∞ (who we played the show in my narrative with), and us∞. once again, it's a show with aggressive bands (i'm not sure how we fit on these shows, but for some reason people dig us there), and i can't wait to see my bitter end (they're really amazing) and hang out with xabsolute powerx again (they're really good dudes.) Hopefully we can manage to play tight since we haven't really been able to practice too much lately. It's going to be a good weekend.
September 20, 2005
Today was amazing. I turned in my (poorly written) philosophy paper, finished my presentation for vis com, and made a sweet mix cd. I don't really know what to say right now, but i actually feel like i have some free time now; even though i still have to do some work on my CORE studio project for tomorrow. It's definitely a great feeling. Hopefully that feeling remains through my final crits on thursday and friday though.
As far as bringing in a song for tomorrow, i think i have it narrowed down to a few. Some of them are "wake up the dead" by comeback kid, "i loved the way she said LA" by spitalfield, "el torrente" by minus the bear, and a couple others. So, my choices aren't anything super indie, super obscure, or super grindy/noisy.
All i know is i can't wait for this week to be over.
September 19, 2005
In class on wednesday, we will be talking about my one true love, music. I'll spare the details of our relationship. We're supposed to bring in a copy of our favorite song, and i don't think i can pick just one song that is my favorite. I've never really thought about what my favorite song is, and i could really care less if i had just one favorite song or not. I will still bring a song to class though, which causes a kind of dilema. I have to pick a song, and going through the multitude of songs i have will be interesting. The questions arise: should i bring in something catchy and fun? should i bring in something that many people probably wouldn't consider music? should i bring in the indie-est of indie rock? should i bring in some super obscure band so i can be uber scene? (i miss johnstown.) Eh, i'll probably just bring in something catchy and fun (even though everybody's songs won't be played.)
We are also supposed to think about what makes music musical, and to tell you the truth, i couldn't say what makes music musical. There's so many genres of the art and so many different opinions on it. I personally listen to a lot of music that people would just consider noise. (i once played a song by the number twelve looks like you, called "bambi the hooker and a case of beer" over a powerpoint presentation in class. to hear the song, click here∞ and either stream or download it.) One would probably say that music is something that is sonically pleasing. I would agree with that to a point, but also disagree in some ways, too. Something that is pleasing to one person may not be pleasing to another. That's enough about that for now.
I have to agree with you completely on that last remark. I mean I know for sure that what I like is not what other people like even though it sounds nice to me. I think this will be another one of those truth type defintions where there is just no one broad defining term to describe what it is. SheElff
(techincally) September 18, 2005
Today, I decided college is going to be impossible. I ended up coming home again for a day to go to band practice, hang out with some of my friends from home, and try to get some papers written. Practice went well, and hanging out was fun. As far as getting anything written...that definitely didn't happen. I did read chaper 1 in A Rulebook for Arguments, though and it made me think about my philosophy class. The "No" parts in 4 and 5 about being "concrete and concise" and "avoiding loaded language" should be read by a majority of the people in there. Maybe I'll get some things done tomorrow (actually today, since it's 2:00 in the morning.)
September 16, 2005
Another friday finally here, and another week gone. This past week i've had a good deal of work that i had to get done, and somehow i managed to actually do it. But, since that work got done, of course there was more work assigned to me. I have so much i need to do in what seems like such a small amount of time, and i really feel like there's no way i'm going to get it done. i have the english paper, as does everybody else in this class, a philosophy paper due tuesday, and projects for each my two studio classes, visual communications, and my core studio. It's really quite overwhelming, and at the moment, i have no motivation to do any of it. I'm only three weeks into college, and i already feel burned out. I just feel exhausted, and i haven't even really been doing much. Hopefully this weekend will do me good.
September 15, 2005
As you all know, yesterday's class had us discuss definitions and truth. We basically had to come up with a definition of what truth is. This kind of relates to what we've been discussing in my philosophy class. In my philosophy class, i have no idea what we're currently talking about. We read and discussed Plato's Phaedrus, which completely blows my mind. I've never considered myself to be a very philosophical thinker, but i decided to take the class anyways in hopes of broadening my horizons. When i scheduled the class, i thought that it would do just that, and i also thought i would be enlightened on some different ways of thinking. So far, my horizons stay unbroadened and my thinking is still the same. Class discussions always seem to be people trying to explain very insignificant details and meaningless points by using huge words that they have acquired over their years in college (i'm one of the few freshman in the class.) And in doing so, everyone constantly argues with others in the class by making a similarly mediocre counter arguement. I'm not saying i could do any better, and i'm pretty sure the points i make are worse, but overall, the class has been a disapointment. The only thing i'm looking forward to is Nietzshce's Beyond Good and Evil.
- That's really unfortunate. Sadly, college does seem to be more about posturing and less about actual understanding, but I suppose that's a consequence of the oral nature of our educational system. Also, I was thinking about making you guys read "On Truth and Lying in a Non-moral Sense" by Nietzshce for some of the class discussions on truth (esp. since his definition of lying is so amazing), but I wasn't sure if people would be able to understand it. We talked about the essay in one of my grad seminars last week and a lot of people were confused (and these are people who read philosophy for fun). - EschaTon
aim convo:
rdysetexplode: i saw you liked zebrahead and didn't post an im conversation to your blog yet, so i figured i'd say hello
Dragonfire2863: oh hey
Dragonfire2863: yeah, zebrahead's the shit
rdysetexplode: yes. they are.
rdysetexplode: so, what's going on?
Dragonfire2863: not too much, just hanging out
Dragonfire2863: u?
rdysetexplode: nothing...trying to waste time before class
rdysetexplode: i'm mike by the way
Dragonfire2863: lol, i know what you mean
Dragonfire2863: i'm nicole
Dragonfire2863: nice to meet you
rdysetexplode: you too
rdysetexplode: even though i'm fairly sure i've never talked to you in person or have any idea who you are
Dragonfire2863: lol, likewise
Dragonfire2863: we've probably seen each other but never put a name to a face
rdysetexplode: true
rdysetexplode: well, i'm the goofy looking kid that was wearing a fall out boy shirt yesterday
Dragonfire2863: omg...i know who you are
Dragonfire2863: i saw that and was like "that kid's awesome"
rdysetexplode: haha
rdysetexplode: nice
Dragonfire2863: love the fallout boys
rdysetexplode: sweet
Dragonfire2863: yeah, i was in the last group to present
Dragonfire2863: green tye dye shirt with flippy brown hair
rdysetexplode: ok...i think i know who you are
Dragonfire2863: yeah, i'll make sure to approach you tomorrow
rdysetexplode: alright...sounds good
Dragonfire2863: yup yup
rdysetexplode: so, exactly what are we supposed to talk about in this conversation?
rdysetexplode: final paper topics or something?
Dragonfire2863: i have no idea
Dragonfire2863: i think we're just supposed to talk and find similar interests and how we get along
rdysetexplode: ok
Dragonfire2863: music obviously fits under that with us
rdysetexplode: yes it does
rdysetexplode: what other kind of music do you like?
Dragonfire2863: generally rock
Dragonfire2863: punk, classic, alternative
rdysetexplode: cool
Dragonfire2863: how bout u?
rdysetexplode: straight up rock and roll, indie rock, pop punk, metal(core) (i like a lot of really bad/cheesy bands), hardcore, acoustic stuff...i can get into mostly anything though
rdysetexplode: so, i guess if we're supposed to find similar interests, music being one of them, what are some other things you enjoy participating in?
Dragonfire2863: i kind of have a broad variety of interests
Dragonfire2863: i play guitar, and am practically addicted to DDR
rdysetexplode: nice...i'm too much of a pussy/too uncoordinated to have ever tried ddr
rdysetexplode: i love guitar though
Dragonfire2863: aw, ddr's not too bad
Dragonfire2863: do you play guitar too?
rdysetexplode: yeah...poorly though
rdysetexplode: i love it more than anything though...i'd love to play guitar for the rest of my life and have it support me
Dragonfire2863: oh yeah, that's a fantasy
Dragonfire2863: if only...
rdysetexplode: haha
rdysetexplode: yeah
rdysetexplode: it's so much fun though
rdysetexplode: have you ever played in a band?
Dragonfire2863: i tried to start up a band, but never got enough people willing to do it
Dragonfire2863: so i spend a lot of time with my friend's band
rdysetexplode: cool
Dragonfire2863: you play in a band?
rdysetexplode: yeah...and i'm in love with it
Dragonfire2863: haha, i hear ya
rdysetexplode: i actually wasn't going to come here so i could stay home and work on that constantly
rdysetexplode: but i figured i'd try this out
Dragonfire2863: oh cool, good for you
Dragonfire2863: i couldn't wait to come up here
Dragonfire2863: both my friends did that though....they're striving to get a deal while working
Dragonfire2863: they have the potential for it, i just hope they find it
rdysetexplode: yeah
rdysetexplode: next summer, that's what we'll be doing
rdysetexplode: we have a band that we're going to work with who has been doing this for a while so hopefully things work out
Dragonfire2863: oh nice...hope things work out for you too
rdysetexplode: thanks, but right now, i have to go draw for 3 hours. so i'll talk to you later.
September 14, 2005
We had to go to the library open house for this class, which took place September 13 and 14, so i figured i'd get it over with and went yesterday. When i planned on going and when i actually did go didn't quite match up. On tuesdays and thursdays, i have a 2 hour break in between my 2 classes of the day. i had every intention on going to the orientation during this 2 hour break, but for some reason, i managed to forget about it until i got to my next class, which lasted for 3 hours. when that class was over, i made my way back to my dorm to check what time the orientation was over. i found out it ended at 6:00, and it was now 5:40, so i figured i'd try to make it out to it (even though i knew i would be too late.) luckily, when i got there, a librarian (or at least somebody i assumed was a librarian) told me i had about 45 minutes to complete the tour and that i would have plenty of time. so, i completed the tour and made my way home.
September 13, 2005
In class yesterday, we talked about literal truth and the Bible. that discussion kind of reminded me of a discussion we once had in my high school physics class...we often strayed from the topic of physics in that class. we basically discussed whether it was, in a sense, "literally true" or whether it was all parables from which we are to learn important lessons. i personally believe parts of the Bible are "literally true" whereas others are to be interpreted and have a moral lesson learned from it.
September 12, 2005
Well, the inevitable finally happened...i got sick. it's not bad, just annoying; the whole head cold thing with the stuffy/runny nose, sore throat, headache. A couple nights ago, some of us were hanging out and someone mentioned that quite a few people had it in her dorm. i'm actually not sure where i got it from because nobody i've been hanging out with is sick, but i tend to pick these things up rather easily. i was also under the impression that i would be free from sore throats for the rest of my life since i got my tonsils out over the summer, but i guess there's more things that can irritate a throat than swollen tonsils.
The whole tonsil removal thing was quite an experience. I was told i would basically be stuck in my bed for 2 weeks and wouldn't be able to do anything. The day i got them out, i actually felt pretty good, but that was probably just the anasthetic working. A couple days after i got them out, i began to bleed, which was also quite an experience as i watched a 16 ounce cup almost completely fill with blood. luckily, i didn't have to get admitted to the hospital or have the area cauterized again, and after sitting in the ER for a mere 3 hours, i was sent home. My ordeal was quite odd because they said bleeding usually occurs between 1 and a half and 2 and a half weeks after the surgery; whereas mine occured 4 days afterwards.
Oh well, that's enough of that. It's time to run out to cvs and get some nyquil before class.
September 11, 2005
CarpeDiemSelfNarrative
Remix
When I entered the room, I quickly lied down in my new bed, attempting to relax. I noticed my deep breaths and tiny beads of sweat forming along my forehead. The question, “What is wrong with me?” kept running through my mind. Never before had a new setting brought upon such anxiety. New people and places had always been something to look forward to. Now I fought to remain calm.
I took a deep breath and passed through the door’s threshold, certain that I now knew what is was like to pass beneath the archways of an old European castle. As I attempted to orient myself, I could not understand why everything appeared gigantic. Classes were to begin the next day, and I still hadn’t exactly figured out how to get to any of them yet.
Now outside, I followed the path I designed in my head focused particularly upon memorizing the location of the building. Luckily, I had an entire day to get myself situated.
I spotted Sparks, the first building on my list. The building loomed over me, its white bricks doubling in size with every step. I looked forward to my first day of college for several months, yet I felt like a nervous disaster. My summer months spent practicing and playing shows in front of total strangers did not remove the fear of not knowing anyone. The butterflies flew in my stomach as a result of a much larger fear, however. I worried that I would not locate my classes tomorrow, and become hopelessly lost within the labyrinth of twisting paths. I never encountered this fear before, making the situation several times worse.
The first day of classes finally upon me, I checked my phone’s clock as I trudged along. I was late; which made feel like my destination was the gallows. Fear of what the professor was going to do and say, as well the looks on my peers’ faces flashed through my mind.
The number on the door in front me finally matched the one I had memorized. I took a deep breath, and stepped into a complete surprise. The teacher barely gave me a second glance, and judging by the looks on everyone’s face, they did not care. “So,” I decided, “neither do I.”
September 9, 2005
Friday, the day i've been looking forward to all week, is finally here.
Today in class, we discussed brands and brand loyalty. As far as brand loyalty goes, i guess i'd have to say that i'm very loyal to puma because i've worn pretty much no other brand of shoes other than puma since the 5th grade. I'm actually not sure what made me begin wearing pumas because when i was in 5th grade, everybody seemed to be wearing vans, nike, addidas, and airwalks. I do know why i've continued wearing them since them though. /begin commercial/ they're definitely the most comfortable brand of shoes i've ever worn. /end comercial/ i guess their marketing must have made an impression on me, though, because i definitely love all of my pumas.
September 8, 2005
Well, since everybody else is discussing the effects of katrina and such, i guess i'll jump on the bandwagon. this is from the website www.thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline. it's long, but it's worth a look.
Timeline:
Friday, Aug. 26: Gov. Kathleen Blanco declares a state of emergency in Louisiana and requests troop assistance.
Saturday, Aug. 27: Gov. Blanco asks for federal state of emergency. A federal emergency is declared giving federal officials the authority to get involved.
Sunday, Aug. 28: Mayor Ray Nagin orders mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. President Bush warned of Levee failure by National Hurricane Center. National Weather Service predicts area will be "uninhabitable" after Hurricane arrives. First reports of water toppling over the levee appear in local paper.
Monday, Aug. 29: Levee breaches and New Orleans begins to fill with water, Bush travels to Arizona and California to discuss Medicare. FEMA chief finally responds to federal emergency, dispatching employees but giving them two days to arrive on site.
Tuesday, Aug. 30: Mass looting reported, security shortage cited in New Orleans. Pentagon says that local authorities have adequate National Guard units to handle hurricane needs despite governor's earlier request. Bush returns to Crawford for final day of vacation. TV coverage is around-the-clock Hurricane news.
Wednesday, Aug. 31: Tens of thousands trapped in New Orleans including at Convention Center and Superdome in "medieval" conditions. President Bush finally returns to Washington to establish a task force to coordinate federal response. Local authorities run out of food and water supplies.
Thursday, Sept. 1: New Orleans descends into anarchy. New Orleans Mayor issues a "Desperate SOS" to federal government. Bush claims nobody predicted the breach of the levees despite multiple warnings and his earlier briefing.
Friday, Sept. 2: Karl Rove begins Bush administration campaign to blame state and local officials—despite their repeated requests for help. Bush stages a photo-op—diverting Coast Guard helicopters and crew to act as backdrop for cameras. Levee repair work orchestrated for president's visit and White House press corps.
Saturday, Sept. 3: Bush blames state and local officials. Senior administration official (possibly Rove) caught in a lie claiming Gov. Blanco had not declared a state of emergency or asked for help.
Monday, Sept. 5: New Orleans officials begin to collect their dead.
Not to beat a dead horse, but it's kind of chilling to read that all at once and see just how messed up everything got. The situation should have been handled much better. You'd have to be blind to not see the lack of concern by our national govnernment for the people down there, and all they're doing is pointing fingers and placing the blame on others in order clear their names.
September 7, 2005
Work...i hate it, but it has to get done. Today was kind of a relief because i finally got caught up with everything. I finished my model for visual communications and my charette for studio. I encountered a bit of excitement today when preparing to go to my studio class because i thought i lost most of my work that had to be turned in. Twenty minutes before class i was frantically searching everywhere. I ran over to the studio and began searching through the multitude of papers in my locker, and when it wasn't there, i even searched through the garbage. I finally decided just to give up on my search, and i headed back to my dorm. To my surprise, my papers ended up being in my sketchbook, which i never even thought to look in.
September 6, 2005
Today, i got some very good news. One of my closest friends, who is in the air force, called me today. I was surprised to recieve the phone call from his cell phone number. The good news i previously mentioned is he might be able to come home for 12 days in the near future. It just brought a lot of relief to hear that because he had been having some trouble and wasn't doing too good. Right now, he's in Texas for a while. He was supposed to be sent to Mississippi, but since the hurricane flooded the base, he had to stay in Texas. He's working on some "operation" whose name i can't think of that consists of helping out hurricane victims, and will be recieving a medal for it. It was just good to hear his voice and know that he's doing better now.
September 5, 2005
NARRATIVE:
Our anticipation intensified as we walked toward the “spaceship,” or rather our 1987 Toyota van. After a brief run through the set list, we started loading the van with all of our equipment, merchandise, and enough Ramen to feed an army.
The time had finally come for our last show of the summer, which also meant one thing; since there would be no more shows this summer, summer had at last come to an end, and I would be leaving shortly for Penn State. It was a bittersweet moment as we waited for some of our friends to meet us at Ross’s house; bittersweet due to the fact that although we were going to be doing the thing we all love to do more than anything, it would be our last time performing together for an amount of time that none of us could possibly be sure of since I would be leaving for school.
We finished loading the van as our friends—as well as “sweet merch dudes”, Dusty, Garrison, Ron Jon, and Travis, arrived. About an hour and a half ride in the van awaited us when we left Ross’s as we headed toward our destination of Homer City, a rural town in Western Pennsylvania. The ride out went smoothly, which is always good when playing an out of town show, since it’s never a good thing to be stranded away from home.
We arrived at the venue at 7:00, which happened to be Homer City’s local fire hall. Being in a band from Western Pennsylvania, I’ve grown accustomed to playing fire halls, since they seem to be a rather common type of venue in the region. After arriving, we promptly parked the van near the entrance and unloaded all of our equipment, merchandise, and an abundance of Ramen. Moving everything inside is always a hassle, but we managed to take everything in rather quickly with the help of our “sweet merch dudes.” We hauled the last bit of equipment inside and set up our merch table.
The show, which was a benefit for the Red Cross, started shortly after our arrival. We were set to play fourth in the lineup, which consisted of mostly “aggressive” bands. The first three bands played, and all of us “supported” them by dancing and having a good time while they played. In between sets, we hung out at our table and outside, and we whored, for lack of a better word, our CD out to as many people as possible—being a musician can be expensive; so even if it seems wrong, we did what we had to do.
After the first three bands, it was finally time for us to set up. Setting up took a mere couple of minutes because we’re used to having to set up fast and start playing. So, we set up and sound checked. After we got all of our levels right, we went right into our first song without haste. Everyone seemed to enjoy our set, which was comprised of songs off of our new EP. We had an amazing time playing that night and just tried to pour out as much energy as possible into our set. After we played, we stuck around for the final band, xAbsoluste Powerx, from Morgantown, West Virginia. We talked to them afterwards and quickly became friends with them, with each of us promising to help each other out with future shows in our areas.
The show had finally come to an end, and it was now time to pack up all of our belongings into the van. We packed up, said goodbye to our newly acquired friends, and headed home.
In a way, that night changed us all forever. We seemed even closer to each other than before and somehow appeared renewed and refreshed to ourselves. And, although it was bittersweet, it made our future look even more promising and opened my eyes to what kinds of things I’ll experience in life.
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September 5, 2005
I spent the first "real" weekend of the college year at home, in Johnstown. Everybody in my dorm picked on me for it, but it was all in fun. When i got in the car to go home, i felt excited to get home and see everybody, but at the same time, i felt kind of weird going home. I got home around 8:00 and said my "hellos" to my family. Then, i headed over to a friend's house where a few of my friends were hanging out at. It was nice seeing them all even though i had only gone a little over a week without seeing them. The weekend was a blast; especially because it was St. Michael Fest 2K5 (you'd have to be from my town to understand the significance of St. Michael Fest.) Seeing my friends and other people from high school felt pretty good too. It really reminded me of summer, even though it was cold, because everyone was home, and we all got to hang out with each other. The fires especially added to the summer-like feeling. It was still weird being home though, because part of me couldn't wait for the weekend to be over so i could get back here, but I'll still head home occasionally on weekends to visit. I guess, i just settled in here and feel at home, and i guess that's a good thing because all of my fears i had before coming here had vanished.
September 1, 2005
Well, this is my first blog on here; so, I guess I'll just start by saying a little about myself. I actually worried about what i was going to make my user name on here, and, as you can see, i decided on MenosElOso, which, when translated, means MinusTheBear. I'm from Johnstown, PA...the onlly significant thing that ever happened there was a flood. I'm an architecture major, and I'm living in Runkle Hall. I'm pretty mellow and laid back, and I love anything that has to do with music; especially playing guitar for my band. It seems like college just snuck up on me, and as far as me being ready for it goes, I guess I could be more prepared. I spent my last summer with my friends and my band working my butt off writing songs for a cd we recorded a few weeks before I left to come here. Online, I frequent vocalyouth∞, which is our music scene's message board, and I'm also a proud myspace∞ whore. I hope my blogs will be somewhat entertaining for you all to read, and if anyone would like to get a hold of me, you can IM me at rdysetexplode.
Well, my computer illiteracy is being exposed, but I'll just leave it like this for now until I can figure out how to work this thing. I chose this license because I don't have a problem with people using my work. If somebody would like to use this, I'd be quite flattered actually. I wouldn't mind my work being used commercially, and I also wouldn't mind anybody else editing my work; which is why I didn't select the "share alike" option.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.