The hardcore/emo genre had been getting a bad rep in recent times and for good reason. The record labels are pushing them out like a waterfall moves water. It's a bit ridiculous, and there isn't much deviation within this genre, all the bands are starting to blend together. But there is hope, there are a few bands that break this worn formula. Armor for Sleep was much more than your average emo band. They had meaningful lyrics; cascading, and at the same time, elegantly simple guitar riffs. And a sound that has a darker tint to it but not overdone as is with most hardcore bands. I wrote that in the past tense because, unfortunately, they broke up.
Escape the Fate is another great example, they came into the picture right when this movement was getting started, but they still rein over the genre. At least they did before the lead singer and lead guitarist were kicked out, they're still different from the pack but definitely not as good. The rest of this paragraph I will refer to them before the line-up change. They have advance riffs in both guitar and drums. Most of their songs sound different, a trait which most post-hardcore/screamo bands don't seem to posses. They don't overdue the screaming and the lead singer has an amazing voice. They're superbeastly-awesome.
Their is a way to have a good hardcore band its just that really none of them feel like being original, I guess. So what's the deal with napkins? Just kidding, the record labels need to dam their river and only put the best of the best on their labels, so please do us all a favor and give this genre back its good name.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
May Day Rendition Rough Draft
On a foggy Sunday morning, on the outskirts of the city, A man named Doug was driving what looked to be a Mercedes. It actually was but it was in desperate need of repair. Doug was frantically pulling out all the loose ends on his suit, but it was just making it look more ratty. He pulled to a squieking halt outside of a house that looked almost as bad as his car did.
Hey Grant, long time no see, he said to himself while practicing what used to be a well rehearsed and bright smile, his smile was just another thing that had faded. No, that would never get me through the front door. He sat in his car rehearsing his lines for another five minutes before he gathered the courage to talk to him. When he got to the door he knocked, composed himself, and tried to seem calm. The door opened a crack.
"Hey Grant lo-" the door was abruptly shut in his face. "Hey, Come one Grant!" he exclaimed, pounding on the door. "I drove all the way across the country to talk to you." The level of distress in his voice was enough for him to merit another crack of the door.
"What," said Grant bluntly.
"I came to say I was sorry, what I did is imprinted on my conscience."
"I'm flattered, you're forgiven," he said with a more than noticeable undertow of sarcasm. "Now go away!"
He tried to slam the door shut again but Doug stepped in front of it. Not a good move on his part, but he did get in on account of his cracked ribs. Grant dragged the whimpering Doug onto his couch and went into his fridge.
"Here," Grant threw the icepack at Doug's face, he caught it but reeled in pain when he lifted his arms.
"Ow," said Doug "reminds me of senior year homecoming."
Grant couldn't help but reminisce. Doug was on the varsity football team, Grant didn't play any sports but him and Doug played a game with a couple other people after the game. Somehow Grant tackled Doug, and broke two of his ribs. Doug spent the rest of the night in a wheelchair trying to pick up chicks with it for Grant. It didn't work well for Grant but for Doug it worked miraculously.
"That was hilarious, but once again, you took the girl." Grants smile quickly faded at the thought.
"I'm sorry! I've lost it, gone off the deep end. I'm suffering from insomnia, I'm schizophrenic, neurotic, all because of what I did and I feel terrible for it."
"Why the hell should I forgive you, give me one good reason."
"Well, I'll give you a few. One, I drove all the way here from California. Two, you probably broke my ribs again with your door."
"You stepped in front of it!"
"Three..." His mind had already wandered to the scar still prominent on his right cheek. " Well we both know what three is."
"You deserved it."
"I guess so..."
"No, no guessing. You know how hard it is for me to get a girl, and this one really liked me, she was perfect. But you couldn't be satisfied with every other girl in the f-ing entire state, no, you needed mine and no one can resist your stupid f-ing charm."
Doug was immediately regretful of the scar he had given him 5 years ago on the night he had learned of his friends betrayal. His effort to drink himself to death was interrupted by Doug, so Grant broke the bottle and slashed his face.
"I hoped you were just drunk. But I guess you would've done similarly without the drinking. I guess I'm done here."
"Can you get the door?"
"I don't think so."
As Grant opened the door he felt sorry for his washed-up friend, he wanted to say something but he was tongue-tied. All that was left of Doug in Grant's quiet, lonely, house was another missed opportunity.
On a foggy Sunday morning, on the outskirts of the city, A man named Doug was driving what looked to be a Mercedes. It actually was but it was in desperate need of repair. Doug was frantically pulling out all the loose ends on his suit, but it was just making it look more ratty. He pulled to a squieking halt outside of a house that looked almost as bad as his car did.
Hey Grant, long time no see, he said to himself while practicing what used to be a well rehearsed and bright smile, his smile was just another thing that had faded. No, that would never get me through the front door. He sat in his car rehearsing his lines for another five minutes before he gathered the courage to talk to him. When he got to the door he knocked, composed himself, and tried to seem calm. The door opened a crack.
"Hey Grant lo-" the door was abruptly shut in his face. "Hey, Come one Grant!" he exclaimed, pounding on the door. "I drove all the way across the country to talk to you." The level of distress in his voice was enough for him to merit another crack of the door.
"What," said Grant bluntly.
"I came to say I was sorry, what I did is imprinted on my conscience."
"I'm flattered, you're forgiven," he said with a more than noticeable undertow of sarcasm. "Now go away!"
He tried to slam the door shut again but Doug stepped in front of it. Not a good move on his part, but he did get in on account of his cracked ribs. Grant dragged the whimpering Doug onto his couch and went into his fridge.
"Here," Grant threw the icepack at Doug's face, he caught it but reeled in pain when he lifted his arms.
"Ow," said Doug "reminds me of senior year homecoming."
Grant couldn't help but reminisce. Doug was on the varsity football team, Grant didn't play any sports but him and Doug played a game with a couple other people after the game. Somehow Grant tackled Doug, and broke two of his ribs. Doug spent the rest of the night in a wheelchair trying to pick up chicks with it for Grant. It didn't work well for Grant but for Doug it worked miraculously.
"That was hilarious, but once again, you took the girl." Grants smile quickly faded at the thought.
"I'm sorry! I've lost it, gone off the deep end. I'm suffering from insomnia, I'm schizophrenic, neurotic, all because of what I did and I feel terrible for it."
"Why the hell should I forgive you, give me one good reason."
"Well, I'll give you a few. One, I drove all the way here from California. Two, you probably broke my ribs again with your door."
"You stepped in front of it!"
"Three..." His mind had already wandered to the scar still prominent on his right cheek. " Well we both know what three is."
"You deserved it."
"I guess so..."
"No, no guessing. You know how hard it is for me to get a girl, and this one really liked me, she was perfect. But you couldn't be satisfied with every other girl in the f-ing entire state, no, you needed mine and no one can resist your stupid f-ing charm."
Doug was immediately regretful of the scar he had given him 5 years ago on the night he had learned of his friends betrayal. His effort to drink himself to death was interrupted by Doug, so Grant broke the bottle and slashed his face.
"I hoped you were just drunk. But I guess you would've done similarly without the drinking. I guess I'm done here."
"Can you get the door?"
"I don't think so."
As Grant opened the door he felt sorry for his washed-up friend, he wanted to say something but he was tongue-tied. All that was left of Doug in Grant's quiet, lonely, house was another missed opportunity.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Fitzgerald Mini-Dialogue
The character I'm going to examine is Pat Hobby from The Homes of the Stars. Judging by the first line he says, he sounds like he isn't very formal, and by the way he says he's in the pictures you can tell that that would be what he boasts about when he hits the clubs. And that seems like just the kind of person he would be with his apparent alcoholism. His alcoholic need also explains why we would trolley this couple around Hollywood and use the money he was paid in advance on booze. He seems very proud of the fact that he's a writer, even a washed up one, he mentions it on more than one occasion.
He also seems like he has some experience in lying, judging by the "cover-up" of why he isn't writing a picture when he's giving them the tour. Although, he isn't very good at it. He seems to be a very proud person, which is interesting considering the situation he's in, " The "Hello, Pat," rang confidently in their ears." I think he has a very strong sense of false accomplishment. All of his flaws and lying inevitably lead to him getting into even more trouble.
He also seems like he has some experience in lying, judging by the "cover-up" of why he isn't writing a picture when he's giving them the tour. Although, he isn't very good at it. He seems to be a very proud person, which is interesting considering the situation he's in, " The "Hello, Pat," rang confidently in their ears." I think he has a very strong sense of false accomplishment. All of his flaws and lying inevitably lead to him getting into even more trouble.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
12:06
Right now it's February 14th,2919, 12:06 am, if time is even relevant. I have some questions that desperately need answers. We have so many problems but we just need to forget them for a minute and figure this out so that we can live a life of purpose.
To me. it's always seemed like there was more to life than just having a good time. I know it's a worn out question but exactly what is our purpose? Why are we imperfect? Is it because a life of perfection would act as a prison? Nothing wrong or imperfect would mean everything stays constant, life would have no point. Was this done on purpose?
What is sleep? Why do we dream? Why do we need sleep to function, what is it about sleep that recharges our brain? Why is it relevant? What is relevance? Why is that relevant? Why does pain have to be such an unpleasant feeling? Maybe because if we somehow changed it, it would drastically change who we are, and what we are (whatever we are) works, so why would it change? If it did what would happen? Could we lose our conscience, what makes us human? How did our conscience even develop? What is or was its purpose? Do other animals have it? What if they do? What if EVERYTHING IS A LIE? Just a mask pulled over our faces. Exactly what the hell are we?
To me. it's always seemed like there was more to life than just having a good time. I know it's a worn out question but exactly what is our purpose? Why are we imperfect? Is it because a life of perfection would act as a prison? Nothing wrong or imperfect would mean everything stays constant, life would have no point. Was this done on purpose?
What is sleep? Why do we dream? Why do we need sleep to function, what is it about sleep that recharges our brain? Why is it relevant? What is relevance? Why is that relevant? Why does pain have to be such an unpleasant feeling? Maybe because if we somehow changed it, it would drastically change who we are, and what we are (whatever we are) works, so why would it change? If it did what would happen? Could we lose our conscience, what makes us human? How did our conscience even develop? What is or was its purpose? Do other animals have it? What if they do? What if EVERYTHING IS A LIE? Just a mask pulled over our faces. Exactly what the hell are we?
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Pandora Radio
Pandora radio is probably one of the most useful musical discovery tools i have found in a long time. Even as I write this, I am using it to find new artists and build up my library. What I'm guessing Pandora does is analyzes the artists, songs, or albums that you like and looks for similar traits in other bands. As soon as I get all my music back on iTunes I can really just downpour music into it, because every time i listen to Pandora, I find at least 10 new, great, bands.
Pandora is the path to musical discovery, they may not have many indie bands, but they don't just spew out mainstream like every other radio that isn't on Sirius. There is a very large collection of music in their library and every band has a bio, written by an All Music Guide editor, and they usually have all of their albums, and almost all of those albums have a description, also written by an All Music Guide editor. It must have taken them a looooooong time for them to be able to launch this site because there is such a plethora of artists and their music.
One of the only problems I have with it is that it won't recognize the time period of the music you like nor the specific genre, only the traits characterized in the bands music. My other main complaint is the adds that pop up after every few songs and that there is a song skip limit, otherwise it's golden. Until something better than this surfaces, I would recommend this to anyone looking to find new music.
Pandora is the path to musical discovery, they may not have many indie bands, but they don't just spew out mainstream like every other radio that isn't on Sirius. There is a very large collection of music in their library and every band has a bio, written by an All Music Guide editor, and they usually have all of their albums, and almost all of those albums have a description, also written by an All Music Guide editor. It must have taken them a looooooong time for them to be able to launch this site because there is such a plethora of artists and their music.
One of the only problems I have with it is that it won't recognize the time period of the music you like nor the specific genre, only the traits characterized in the bands music. My other main complaint is the adds that pop up after every few songs and that there is a song skip limit, otherwise it's golden. Until something better than this surfaces, I would recommend this to anyone looking to find new music.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Skateboarding and Cops
Many people know about the age long rivalry between skaters and cops, but why does it exist? I'm not completely sure but I'll do my best to figure it out in this blog. I think it started in the 70's because of the skaters such as those in "Lord's of Dogtown", who were generally unlawful and harbored resentment for authority figures. And it's totally understandable that the police would take a disliking to this breed of skater. But as time progresses, their resentment still exists, and although some skateboarders are unlawful, most are not. And it's unfair that cops pick on us all the time when a lot of us really don't deserve it.
Their are so many police brutality videos when their are police officers that unnecessarily single out skateboarders. There's one titled "Go Skateboarding Day". Even before the video starts there's a picture of a cop on top of a 12 year old kid who was just skating on the street, choking him. At this point I guess the cameras catch up and the aforementioned kid is in handcuffs. The officer then tries to grab everyone watching that has a board. He ends up tackling a girl, arresting her, and two other guys when they weren't resisting.
The most frequent opening line for the cops/ person kicking you out is always "does this look like a skate park to you?" Well obviously it isn't a skate park if we are getting kicked out. Unfortunately most people live like 6 miles from a local skate park so were else are we supposed to skate? In every video I've seen it's always been the cops that start it, or at least throw the first punch. The typical setting for these ugly conflicts is there's a few people skating, obviously a person filming, in a place they aren't really supposed to. Then a rent-a-cop shows up, since he thinks he is the law, he starts hassling the skaters they get in a fist fight and then one of them backs down (usually the cop). This unnecessary resentment is probably what keeps it going on both sides. Skaters don't like cops because cops don't like skaters and vice-versa. It's a vicious circle that doesn't make anyone happy. I don't know what can be done to end it. There are some nice police officers, but there definitely aren't enough.
Their are so many police brutality videos when their are police officers that unnecessarily single out skateboarders. There's one titled "Go Skateboarding Day". Even before the video starts there's a picture of a cop on top of a 12 year old kid who was just skating on the street, choking him. At this point I guess the cameras catch up and the aforementioned kid is in handcuffs. The officer then tries to grab everyone watching that has a board. He ends up tackling a girl, arresting her, and two other guys when they weren't resisting.
The most frequent opening line for the cops/ person kicking you out is always "does this look like a skate park to you?" Well obviously it isn't a skate park if we are getting kicked out. Unfortunately most people live like 6 miles from a local skate park so were else are we supposed to skate? In every video I've seen it's always been the cops that start it, or at least throw the first punch. The typical setting for these ugly conflicts is there's a few people skating, obviously a person filming, in a place they aren't really supposed to. Then a rent-a-cop shows up, since he thinks he is the law, he starts hassling the skaters they get in a fist fight and then one of them backs down (usually the cop). This unnecessary resentment is probably what keeps it going on both sides. Skaters don't like cops because cops don't like skaters and vice-versa. It's a vicious circle that doesn't make anyone happy. I don't know what can be done to end it. There are some nice police officers, but there definitely aren't enough.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
English Final
2. Choose one of your posts. (Your favorite? Your least favorite? The one that surprises you the most when you reread it? Any one you want to pick.) Analyze it in detail, with quotes etc.
For this question I'm picking my first and, unfortunately, only skateboarding post. It's definitely the one that surprises me the most when I read it. Not that it's particularly good or bad. I guess it's just because of the last paragraph that I was really surprised. Anyways, now I will commence my analysis.
The first paragraph was controlled but there was definitely an undertow of frustration and desperation. "They keep coming up with new ways to stop skaters from doing what they love. Thousands of skate stoppers are installed every day and with ever increasing numbers, there's just not very much to go around." When I was writing this, I had just heard about the article in it. And it's understandably frustrating for a skater.
The next paragraph is very calm and full of hope for the skating community "But skating can't, and won't, be silenced... "There are way too many of us to be silenced, we might not all get along but we all have a similar cause.", until the article is introduced, then skating hearts should break. "A Calgary high school has banned skateboards from the property, upsetting hundreds of students...". I know Catholic schools are much more uptight than public schools but this is seriously a case of discrimination. And if I were a skateboarder at that school, I would try to take it to court, because that is seriously messed up, but I digress.
The last paragraph is really why I chose this post for this question. In the last sentence specifically, I dropped the f-bomb and dropped it on "the establishment", which isn't really my mentality. I actually fit it in twice in the same paragraph, I've done that before but not in school writing, or really writing in general. In this last paragraph frustration and anger resurface, in one flowing malcontented paragraph. I'm actually very please at how well this paragraph flowed. No matter how frightening this post was, I liked it. I dug up some dirt on the dark side of skateboarding and wrote with passion, at some parts a little too much passion, but still, it was pretty good.
8. How do you like having a blog? How has blogging changed the way you write, the way you think, or the way you think about writing?
I actually really like having a blog. Having a school blog encouraged me to have a just-for-funzies blog, which I started a couple weeks ago. I already have a follower on that one and it isn't myself! Having a blog is great because you can really put yourself out there. You can advertise whatever you want. Your emotions, your products, feelings, everything, and anyone can see them. If you want to be noticed, this is the way to do it. My one follower is a through-and-through musician, who's music is on my Ipod, small world right? Just an example of the connections and success that come from having a blog. And it has changed my writing.
I think blogging has definitely added more personality to it. Although, that isn't great for formal righting, because now I throw more slang and phrases that express me. In retrospect that's not all that bad. I guess I right a lot lighter and more from the heart now. Not really lighter, more freely would be a better way to describe it. I will just write and write, then when I'm done I'll go back and thin it and get rid of stupid mistakes, most of the time. I've realized recently that I make a lot fewer mistakes when I write nowadays and I think that's because we write in such multitude in your class. Which is pretty cool.
I wouldn't say having a blog changes the way I think, but it has changed the way I put my thoughts into words. It's a good stress reliever in that way, I can put whatever I want out there and not have to keep it all pent up inside. I just put it all out there, and it feels good, even if no one reads it.
10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write?
My ideas for blog topics come from the things I love. Music, skating, and whining about what's wrong with society. I love music, with a passion. I believe that the rest of my life will revolve around it. It's always easy to fall back on a subject that I know through-and-through. Skating is not always that easy to write about because there's not much to write about that people who don't skate would care about. But it is my blog so I guess that doesn't really matter. Before I say anything else, I should mention how I choose stuff to write about for my blog. First, I open up Google docs. Then I come up with a title (This is the most important step). I go over the topics I chose for my Statement of Purpose and pick the first one that pops out immediately, and that choice is almost always under the music category. I'd like to change that in the near future, but for now I have to do this final.And finally I write it and correct it.
As for inspiration, that's easy. I am inspired to write by all the people up top. For instance, in music, all the professional musicians and even some of the indie ones. In skating, the pros' and ams' that run it. As for education, mainly the people that run it: teachers, staff, board of directors, etc. But I wouldn't say the educational system inspires me in the way it should. It mainly inspires me to talk about what I don't like about it. And, unfortunately I haven''t talked much about that because I love music and skating so much. It's very paradoxical but, I survive, and I write.
For this question I'm picking my first and, unfortunately, only skateboarding post. It's definitely the one that surprises me the most when I read it. Not that it's particularly good or bad. I guess it's just because of the last paragraph that I was really surprised. Anyways, now I will commence my analysis.
The first paragraph was controlled but there was definitely an undertow of frustration and desperation. "They keep coming up with new ways to stop skaters from doing what they love. Thousands of skate stoppers are installed every day and with ever increasing numbers, there's just not very much to go around." When I was writing this, I had just heard about the article in it. And it's understandably frustrating for a skater.
The next paragraph is very calm and full of hope for the skating community "But skating can't, and won't, be silenced... "There are way too many of us to be silenced, we might not all get along but we all have a similar cause.", until the article is introduced, then skating hearts should break. "A Calgary high school has banned skateboards from the property, upsetting hundreds of students...". I know Catholic schools are much more uptight than public schools but this is seriously a case of discrimination. And if I were a skateboarder at that school, I would try to take it to court, because that is seriously messed up, but I digress.
The last paragraph is really why I chose this post for this question. In the last sentence specifically, I dropped the f-bomb and dropped it on "the establishment", which isn't really my mentality. I actually fit it in twice in the same paragraph, I've done that before but not in school writing, or really writing in general. In this last paragraph frustration and anger resurface, in one flowing malcontented paragraph. I'm actually very please at how well this paragraph flowed. No matter how frightening this post was, I liked it. I dug up some dirt on the dark side of skateboarding and wrote with passion, at some parts a little too much passion, but still, it was pretty good.
8. How do you like having a blog? How has blogging changed the way you write, the way you think, or the way you think about writing?
I actually really like having a blog. Having a school blog encouraged me to have a just-for-funzies blog, which I started a couple weeks ago. I already have a follower on that one and it isn't myself! Having a blog is great because you can really put yourself out there. You can advertise whatever you want. Your emotions, your products, feelings, everything, and anyone can see them. If you want to be noticed, this is the way to do it. My one follower is a through-and-through musician, who's music is on my Ipod, small world right? Just an example of the connections and success that come from having a blog. And it has changed my writing.
I think blogging has definitely added more personality to it. Although, that isn't great for formal righting, because now I throw more slang and phrases that express me. In retrospect that's not all that bad. I guess I right a lot lighter and more from the heart now. Not really lighter, more freely would be a better way to describe it. I will just write and write, then when I'm done I'll go back and thin it and get rid of stupid mistakes, most of the time. I've realized recently that I make a lot fewer mistakes when I write nowadays and I think that's because we write in such multitude in your class. Which is pretty cool.
I wouldn't say having a blog changes the way I think, but it has changed the way I put my thoughts into words. It's a good stress reliever in that way, I can put whatever I want out there and not have to keep it all pent up inside. I just put it all out there, and it feels good, even if no one reads it.
10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write?
My ideas for blog topics come from the things I love. Music, skating, and whining about what's wrong with society. I love music, with a passion. I believe that the rest of my life will revolve around it. It's always easy to fall back on a subject that I know through-and-through. Skating is not always that easy to write about because there's not much to write about that people who don't skate would care about. But it is my blog so I guess that doesn't really matter. Before I say anything else, I should mention how I choose stuff to write about for my blog. First, I open up Google docs. Then I come up with a title (This is the most important step). I go over the topics I chose for my Statement of Purpose and pick the first one that pops out immediately, and that choice is almost always under the music category. I'd like to change that in the near future, but for now I have to do this final.And finally I write it and correct it.
As for inspiration, that's easy. I am inspired to write by all the people up top. For instance, in music, all the professional musicians and even some of the indie ones. In skating, the pros' and ams' that run it. As for education, mainly the people that run it: teachers, staff, board of directors, etc. But I wouldn't say the educational system inspires me in the way it should. It mainly inspires me to talk about what I don't like about it. And, unfortunately I haven''t talked much about that because I love music and skating so much. It's very paradoxical but, I survive, and I write.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)