Sunday, October 14, 2012
I'm Hungry!
As you may have been able to tell by a few previous posts, I've been getting a ton into fitness and working out. Why would I enjoy constantly destroying my muscles to rebuild them? Because firstly, it actually feels good to get that adrenaline rush after working out, and secondly, I don't want to be one of these people that's complaining about being out of shape and doing nothing about it. I always hear people talking about the obesity rate in our country and how high it is. But I'm sick of hearing this tired "more fruits and vegetables than main course" crap that people are trying to force on us. First of all, the problem isn't necessarily the food intake that's the problem. It's the fact that they sit around watching TV and playing video games all day and just being too damn lazy to do anything about it. Granted this isn't always the case but it is a vast majority of the time. The flip side of this coin is that this is America and I'll eat whatever the hell I want. If I want to eat a double bacon cheeseburger every day for the rest of my life, that's my issue and my business, not yours (even though I would never do that). So leave me and my diet alone.
WC: 223
WC: 223
Thump the Gold Army
A while back, I responded to one of my friend's posts about music and what classifies it as good. Perhaps you read it, but if you haven't refer to "Response to MM" if you'd like to know more background. For one of his first posts, he made a list of good bands that people should check out and listen to rather than the mainstream pop crap that they play on the radio. Now, I had already listened to most of the bands and artists on his list, but there were a few that I had heard maybe one or two songs by, but didn't really listen to them much. I had a sudden urge to change that about two of the bands on that list.
The first one is a band by the name of the White Stripes. Many of my band friends may know one of their most famous songs just from people playing the bassline on their instruments. It's called "Seven Nation Army" and has one of the best and simplest basslines ever. In fact, it's not actually a bassline because it's played on a guitar, reason being they only have two band members: a drummer and a singer/guitarist/keyboardist. But despite the lack of complexity in both the drum and guitar part, the song has adds in certain aspects that actually make the song sound interesting. Their other famous song, "Icky Thump," incorporates a drum beat and guitar part with slightly higher difficulty, but adds in a completely different factor. In this song, you have to take into account the incredibly strange, bagpipe-like sound of the keyboard with intricate solos between verses. Later on, Jack White, the frontman of the band, continues with the complexity of the song by ending with a guitar solo using strange effects that I'm not savvy enough in auditory skills to recognize.
The second band's name completely contradicts the name of the first one as they are known as the Black Keys. If you've heard of them, then I like you already, even more so if you like them. Most people who have heard of them have probably only heard their hit song "Gold on the Ceiling." If you're one of these people, I recommend you listen to some of their other stuff because all of it is good and none of it sounds the same. Specifically, watch their video for "Next Girl." Not only is it an awesome song, but you really have to watch it three times to fully enjoy it: once for the music, once for the video, and once just to read the caption scrolling across the bottom of the screen. These guys really know how to both make music and keep followers interested and entertained.
WC: 457
The first one is a band by the name of the White Stripes. Many of my band friends may know one of their most famous songs just from people playing the bassline on their instruments. It's called "Seven Nation Army" and has one of the best and simplest basslines ever. In fact, it's not actually a bassline because it's played on a guitar, reason being they only have two band members: a drummer and a singer/guitarist/keyboardist. But despite the lack of complexity in both the drum and guitar part, the song has adds in certain aspects that actually make the song sound interesting. Their other famous song, "Icky Thump," incorporates a drum beat and guitar part with slightly higher difficulty, but adds in a completely different factor. In this song, you have to take into account the incredibly strange, bagpipe-like sound of the keyboard with intricate solos between verses. Later on, Jack White, the frontman of the band, continues with the complexity of the song by ending with a guitar solo using strange effects that I'm not savvy enough in auditory skills to recognize.
The second band's name completely contradicts the name of the first one as they are known as the Black Keys. If you've heard of them, then I like you already, even more so if you like them. Most people who have heard of them have probably only heard their hit song "Gold on the Ceiling." If you're one of these people, I recommend you listen to some of their other stuff because all of it is good and none of it sounds the same. Specifically, watch their video for "Next Girl." Not only is it an awesome song, but you really have to watch it three times to fully enjoy it: once for the music, once for the video, and once just to read the caption scrolling across the bottom of the screen. These guys really know how to both make music and keep followers interested and entertained.
WC: 457
Marching Madness
This past week was been pretty hectic with various aspects. Homework, church and preparing for auditions for concert band this coming week as well as juggling free time with friends have kept me pretty stretched for time on certain days. Not to mention having to give up going to certain events because you're too busy doing something else. Despite everything though, the week has been pretty eventful (even if those events were part of the reason I couldn't do anything during that time).
Even though it's technically not part of this week, last Saturday I marched my last Valley competition in Des Moines. Being one of the few marching seniors that can actually say they've marched all four years, this was a bit of a shock to me, but I didn't grasp the reality of what that actually meant at first. I mean, I remember my first time marching there I didn't know half of what the hell I was even doing. I pretty much just tried to remember my music, get to about roughly where my spot in the drill was, stay in step, and hope to God I got the visuals right. But this year, I knew my music and could play it solid with good tone. I not only knew where my spot was, but also who I was standing by and where I needed to be in the form (which is much more important than the actual spot). Staying in step by now is almost second nature to me (even when we have to step off on the wrong foot). And the visuals? I kicked their butts and nailed them every single time. And in complete honesty, that was probably the best I had marched that show the entire year.
Friday night was our last football game performance and senior night for the football team, dance team cheerleaders and last but most definitely not least the marching band. It wasn't until that moment when I was walking down the track that it really hit me. I thought to myself for a second, "Holy crap! I'm a senior now! This is my last performance!" That was scary as hell to think about. But it's also kind of exciting. No more late night rehearsals, no more getting home at two in the morning (which I didn't mind that much anyway), no more sitting in the stands at Valley in thirty degree weather (which again I didn't mind much anyway). Most people when thinking about this would probably be incredibly happy and in a way, I am. But by the same token, I know that I'm going to miss all of it. You see, marching band isn't just a sport. Hell, most people don't even classify it as a sport. It takes hard work and dedication just like any other sport would. However, it really is a family more than anything (pardon the cliche). Things get hard and you feel like you just want to give up, but you're "family" is always there to help you get through it and keep going. When your band director makes you so mad you just want to flip a table, you remember that you wouldn't be anywhere without them. And when you're having a bad day and need someone to cheer you up, you can always count on your "family" to do so.
WC: 561
Even though it's technically not part of this week, last Saturday I marched my last Valley competition in Des Moines. Being one of the few marching seniors that can actually say they've marched all four years, this was a bit of a shock to me, but I didn't grasp the reality of what that actually meant at first. I mean, I remember my first time marching there I didn't know half of what the hell I was even doing. I pretty much just tried to remember my music, get to about roughly where my spot in the drill was, stay in step, and hope to God I got the visuals right. But this year, I knew my music and could play it solid with good tone. I not only knew where my spot was, but also who I was standing by and where I needed to be in the form (which is much more important than the actual spot). Staying in step by now is almost second nature to me (even when we have to step off on the wrong foot). And the visuals? I kicked their butts and nailed them every single time. And in complete honesty, that was probably the best I had marched that show the entire year.
Friday night was our last football game performance and senior night for the football team, dance team cheerleaders and last but most definitely not least the marching band. It wasn't until that moment when I was walking down the track that it really hit me. I thought to myself for a second, "Holy crap! I'm a senior now! This is my last performance!" That was scary as hell to think about. But it's also kind of exciting. No more late night rehearsals, no more getting home at two in the morning (which I didn't mind that much anyway), no more sitting in the stands at Valley in thirty degree weather (which again I didn't mind much anyway). Most people when thinking about this would probably be incredibly happy and in a way, I am. But by the same token, I know that I'm going to miss all of it. You see, marching band isn't just a sport. Hell, most people don't even classify it as a sport. It takes hard work and dedication just like any other sport would. However, it really is a family more than anything (pardon the cliche). Things get hard and you feel like you just want to give up, but you're "family" is always there to help you get through it and keep going. When your band director makes you so mad you just want to flip a table, you remember that you wouldn't be anywhere without them. And when you're having a bad day and need someone to cheer you up, you can always count on your "family" to do so.
WC: 561
Sunday, October 7, 2012
ASSASSINO!!!!
Lately I've had an obsession with a game called Assassin's Creed. I hope you people have heard of it, but perhaps don't know what it's about. The entire series is based upon an ongoing battle between two factions: the Templar Order and the Brotherhood of Assassins. Now the Templar are the main antagonists who want nothing but power and greed, or are doing things for the right reasons but going about everything completely wrong. The Brotherhood are an entire order dedicated to stopping the Templar from achieving their goals through assassination of their leaders and any other necessary casualties to carry out their mission. But the way they set it up is a little different than most storylines. Most games would have you start just playing as a character throughout. However, in the series, you play as one character named Desmond Miles, but you relive the memories of his ancestors through a machine called the Animus. In the first one, you relive the life of Altair in tenth and eleventh century Spain. In the following three games, you relive the memories of Renaissance era Ezio Auditore da Firenze (or Florence). I really like how this was set up because it essentially adds another dimension to the game and storyline. If you like stealth games and good plot-twisting storylines, definitely check this game out.
WC: 223
WC: 223
Acception of Rejection
Last week, as many of my classmates already know and may have posted about, was our homecoming weekend. Now, school dances have never really been my thing. I went my freshman year because come on who doesn't their freshman year? Again, sophomore year I went, but about halfway through I switched groups, "stole" my friend's date, left about an hour early with the second group, and drove around with them with us all piled in the back seat. By the way, from when we left until about midnight was the best part of the night. And to demonstrate even further how much I don't like school dances, last year instead of going I went to a friend's house, played Left 4 Dead until one in the morning and spray painted random things gold solely because we had a can of unused gold spray paint and proceeded to wake up at five thirty the next morning for a band competition in Minnesota. It was most likely the best decision I had made that night.
Some at this point are probably asking themselves, "Why does he hate school dances so much?" Well, little boys and girls, I will tell you. Half the reason I go to a dance is for the music. If I don't like the majority of the music there, which I don't, why should I go? The other part that goes in tandem with this is the reason they can be fun is because of the friends you go with. Hanging out with your friends and dancing around like idiots is the only other reason I go to these things. But if you do the math, half is failing, meaning if I were to grade a dance based on these two criteria, it would definitely receive an "F." So Why did I go this year?
There are two primary answers to this question. The first is the obvious, "because it's my senior year and my last one." The second gets a little more in depth into a bit of personal viewpoint. The first two times, I had no date to homecoming. Why? Because I was spineless and cowardly and too much of a (forgive the expression) pussy to man up and ask someone. My junior year I told myself that if the girl I asked said no, I wouldn't go, so you can guess how well that went. But this year was a little different. Over the summer, something happened to me, much for the better. I figured something out; rejection is never as scary as you think it is. I know everyone will tell you this but believe me I know how hard it is. When I asked my date to homecoming this year, I wasn't thinking of whether or not she would reject me. All my mind was focused on was just asking her. And you know what? She actually said yes. And as soon as you experience both that and rejection, you can never accept that rejection is nothing. I mean, there I was unable to believe that, in my eyes, one of the most attractive girls in the school just said yes to me. Do you know how much of a confidence boost that was? What I'm trying to say is that whenever it comes down to asking someone out or anything of the sort, don't think about any of the possible outcomes and just do it. I promise you won't regret it.
WC: 578
Some at this point are probably asking themselves, "Why does he hate school dances so much?" Well, little boys and girls, I will tell you. Half the reason I go to a dance is for the music. If I don't like the majority of the music there, which I don't, why should I go? The other part that goes in tandem with this is the reason they can be fun is because of the friends you go with. Hanging out with your friends and dancing around like idiots is the only other reason I go to these things. But if you do the math, half is failing, meaning if I were to grade a dance based on these two criteria, it would definitely receive an "F." So Why did I go this year?
There are two primary answers to this question. The first is the obvious, "because it's my senior year and my last one." The second gets a little more in depth into a bit of personal viewpoint. The first two times, I had no date to homecoming. Why? Because I was spineless and cowardly and too much of a (forgive the expression) pussy to man up and ask someone. My junior year I told myself that if the girl I asked said no, I wouldn't go, so you can guess how well that went. But this year was a little different. Over the summer, something happened to me, much for the better. I figured something out; rejection is never as scary as you think it is. I know everyone will tell you this but believe me I know how hard it is. When I asked my date to homecoming this year, I wasn't thinking of whether or not she would reject me. All my mind was focused on was just asking her. And you know what? She actually said yes. And as soon as you experience both that and rejection, you can never accept that rejection is nothing. I mean, there I was unable to believe that, in my eyes, one of the most attractive girls in the school just said yes to me. Do you know how much of a confidence boost that was? What I'm trying to say is that whenever it comes down to asking someone out or anything of the sort, don't think about any of the possible outcomes and just do it. I promise you won't regret it.
WC: 578
Hoo-ah!!!
Last week I was invited by one of my friends at school to go to a workout with the United States Marines at the recruiting center. Being the reborn "fitness junkie" that I've become I thought to myself, "Self, you should go to this because the Marines are some of the best." I'm still debating whether going to that workout was one of the best or worst decisions I've made in my physical life.
The workout started out fairly easy: as many pullups as you're physically capable of, maximum amount of situps in two minutes, the basics. Then came the one point six mile jog around the area. Which wouldn't have been too bad except that it was steaming outside, I was stupid and was wearing jeans, and I can't run worth crap. If that wasn't bad enough, combine it with five hundred body squats with well over an equal amount of lunges. Have any of you ever experienced that? After about two hundred or so, you eventually just recognize that the pain is there and that it's going to stay there. The only remedy is to keep going and deal with it. Oh and once you've finished those, you have to push a car from one end of the parking lot and back...TWICE!
Okay so I may be oversensationalizing it just a tinge. But I really did all of that in jeans and a T-shirt (a mistake I will not duplicate in the future) and survived. Do you know how much stronger my legs got just in that one workout? I swear every single bit of fat that wasn't necessary for cellular integrity was just completely obliterated off my thighs (again, a bit exaggerated). But while it was hard, I think that's why I liked it so much. I love that feeling after you get done working out because it feels like you've actually done something other than lay around all day watching TV or playing computer games (which I do way too much of already).Not only do you get that sort of high after you're done, but it feels amazing to have that adrenaline pumping through your entire body just pumping you up for what's to come, not to mention the eventual results that come from working out. I guess what I learned from this whole experience was two things, one of which you can take away from. One, the Marines are freaking crazy. Two, choosing to work out with them has probably been the best thing for my health I ever did.
WC: 425
The workout started out fairly easy: as many pullups as you're physically capable of, maximum amount of situps in two minutes, the basics. Then came the one point six mile jog around the area. Which wouldn't have been too bad except that it was steaming outside, I was stupid and was wearing jeans, and I can't run worth crap. If that wasn't bad enough, combine it with five hundred body squats with well over an equal amount of lunges. Have any of you ever experienced that? After about two hundred or so, you eventually just recognize that the pain is there and that it's going to stay there. The only remedy is to keep going and deal with it. Oh and once you've finished those, you have to push a car from one end of the parking lot and back...TWICE!
Okay so I may be oversensationalizing it just a tinge. But I really did all of that in jeans and a T-shirt (a mistake I will not duplicate in the future) and survived. Do you know how much stronger my legs got just in that one workout? I swear every single bit of fat that wasn't necessary for cellular integrity was just completely obliterated off my thighs (again, a bit exaggerated). But while it was hard, I think that's why I liked it so much. I love that feeling after you get done working out because it feels like you've actually done something other than lay around all day watching TV or playing computer games (which I do way too much of already).Not only do you get that sort of high after you're done, but it feels amazing to have that adrenaline pumping through your entire body just pumping you up for what's to come, not to mention the eventual results that come from working out. I guess what I learned from this whole experience was two things, one of which you can take away from. One, the Marines are freaking crazy. Two, choosing to work out with them has probably been the best thing for my health I ever did.
WC: 425
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