Monday, November 29, 2010
Ballin'
I've been sitting on one of these balls for the last few hours.
I don't know why exactly. Fitness?
Not very comfortable, but it will all be worth it if it means I'll be more comfortable the next time I sit in a movie theatre.
Not very comfortable, but it will all be worth it if it means I'll be more comfortable the next time I sit in a movie theatre.
Planning.
Lacking inspiration lately.
I have plans to make plans and this blog will evolve or perish.
For now ponder this:
Have you looked in the mirror today?
Do you like what you see?
I have plans to make plans and this blog will evolve or perish.
For now ponder this:
Have you looked in the mirror today?
Do you like what you see?
Monday, November 22, 2010
oh, just read this later.
I'm finally sitting down to type this blog.
I would have had it done sooner, but I did other things instead. Some of these other things include: sleeping, eating, watching YouTube videos, working, "chillin," writing other blogs, more eating, and cleaning. I knew I needed to eventually put my thoughts down about an issue very important to me. The other things that got in the way of my work are just another example of me as a procrastinator. I am a procrastinator and despite my best laid plans, the procrastinator will be back.
Recently, my attention was directed toward an article in The New Yorker entitled, "Later: what does procrastination tell us about ourselves." It was an interesting piece in that it approached the issue of procrastination as a study in human psychology and philosophy. I related to much of what was said in the article and the following blog will explore some of my own experiences with procrastination.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/10/11/101011crbo_books_surowiecki?currentPage=1
Not everybody who procrastinates is constantly aware the he or she is a procrastinator. Perhaps more accurately, not all procrastinators are always in a state of belief that they are procrastinating. I for one, have almost certainly always procrastinated throughout my adult life. However, there was a time when I was in denial about this fact. Most often my unwillingness to perform certain actions was explained by false claims of superior efficiency under strict deadlines or arguments based on proper relaxation required before attempting work. I've most certainly had a way about me and how I approach certain problems.
When I think of procrastination I immediately associate it with my journey through school. Nowhere was I aware of my procrastination more so than when I was in college. Something about the freedom, the loose and seemingly distant deadlines, and the abundant amount of beer, created a situation where procrastination was inevitable. Let me run through a typical circumstance in which I would be guilty of procrastination:
I studied philosophy in college and as is such, my courses were generally structured by a large amount of reading and several essays due throughout the quarter. The reading assigned to us would cover most of the course curriculum and our essay assignments were meant to assess our assimilation and grasp of the concepts found in the reading. This is how school usually works. Read this, write that, answer this, repeat, and rinse.
I was only in class for a few hours each week, so much of my free time was taken up with the assigned reading for my courses. I read most of it all. I skimmed most of it all. The problem with reading philosophy papers is that most of the good ones are so damn persuasive. One day the paper you are reading will have you believing that your left arm doesn't really exist, but the next day another paper will have you believing that the left arm is the only thing you can be sure exists, and by the end of the semester you will be convinced that the idea of a "left arm" isn't really that coherent anyway. All this back and forth can be confusing and ultimately leave you stuck in the mud. I read enough to understand what the writer was trying to say.
The real procrastination would come in when it came time to write those darn essays. Most essay assignments were given a deadline/ due date well after the date they were assigned so to allow for ample time to complete. My professors were generous in the amount of time allotted to complete a given assignment. I always waited until the last day.
Rough drafts? who needs rough drafts? If I wasn't going to do it right the first time, why would I do it at all. It's as if they were promoting mediocrity as a stepping stone to success. I don't believe that the artist makes a rough draft of his masterpiece and then revises it the next time around. The artist edits, tweaks, and polishes his work as he/she goes. The end result is unique in that the it represents the creative process as whole besides standing alone as a finished product. That is what my college essays were, pieces of art.
If the assignment was due at 10am on Thursday, I would generally start looking at the essay prompt around 2-4pm on Wednesday. Most times I would plan to work on my assignments during the weekend when I didn't have class, but that never really worked out because I didn't wake up early enough to work on anything on the weekends. Monday and Tuesday was never a good time to do work because I usually front loaded my schedule. The last thing you want to do when you get home from a day in class is write an essay. So, Wednesday it would be. If I got lucky I could put in a few good hours of work before I had to eat. Eating would sometimes lead me in to the living room where television and video game gatherings were common. It would be rude of me to not keep my roommates company.
I'm just babbling on here.... the truth is I don't really feel like writing this as I'm typing it. Not only that, but I'm unprepared. The New Yorker article had a lot of interesting things to say and I will respond to them in brief now.
- philosophers are interested in procrastination because it appears to be an example of individuals doing what is not in their best interest. Often times an individual knows that he/she "should" be doing one thing, but chooses to do another instead because that which he/she "should" be doing is perhaps more difficult or time consuming. No doubt that we are guilty of procrastination when our best interest is ignored for the easier of two options. The article correctly points out that procrastination is not a matter of disregarding our own interests, but rather choosing to follow short term interests as opposed to our long term interests. We know that one action will be more beneficial to us in the long run, but it will bring no pleasure in the short term. Therefore, those actions that will please us right away will often times be chosen ahead of those that will produce pleasure at a later point.
This makes a lot of sense. My experiences with procrastination were generally guided by the comfort and pleasure I would take from any given action in that moment. As a result, those actions that would seemingly bring me comfort and pleasure at an unknown time were often set aside for later.
.....just babbling on some more... really brings me back to my days in school...
The part of the article that I found most interesting is the theories as to why we encounter the phenomenon of procrastination at all. First of all, procrastination, at it's roots seems like a natural process to me. Given the option of satisfying some knowable short term interest versus acting in hopes of reaching a potential long term benefit, it would seem likely that we naturally choose to act toward immediate pleasure first.
Secondly, the end of the article argued that engaging in procrastination may have benefits in that it places the individual in a situation where he/she must come to terms with why they are "supposed" to be doing anything in the first place. Often times, the guilt associated with procrastinating would be washed aways upon further consideration of why I felt the need to do anything at all. For example, sometimes I plan on going to the gym after work for some exercise, but end up playing golf or watching television instead. When I opt for golfing or other leisurely activities instead of the workout I had planned, there is a sense of guilt and reassurance that I will "do it later." If I think about it long enough, I often realize that part of the reason I go to the gym at all is so that I can be a better golfer and eat what I like. What is the point of going to the gym so I can do these things if I don't do them when I have the opportunity. Does this even make sense. Like I said....a work of art.
The truth is I could probably discuss this issue with someone for hours, but writing about it is not nearly as fun. If you ever want to discuss the merits of procrastination with me, I'll be the guy at the gym, or on the golf course, or at the donut shop watching television.
I would have had it done sooner, but I did other things instead. Some of these other things include: sleeping, eating, watching YouTube videos, working, "chillin," writing other blogs, more eating, and cleaning. I knew I needed to eventually put my thoughts down about an issue very important to me. The other things that got in the way of my work are just another example of me as a procrastinator. I am a procrastinator and despite my best laid plans, the procrastinator will be back.
Recently, my attention was directed toward an article in The New Yorker entitled, "Later: what does procrastination tell us about ourselves." It was an interesting piece in that it approached the issue of procrastination as a study in human psychology and philosophy. I related to much of what was said in the article and the following blog will explore some of my own experiences with procrastination.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/10/11/101011crbo_books_surowiecki?currentPage=1
Not everybody who procrastinates is constantly aware the he or she is a procrastinator. Perhaps more accurately, not all procrastinators are always in a state of belief that they are procrastinating. I for one, have almost certainly always procrastinated throughout my adult life. However, there was a time when I was in denial about this fact. Most often my unwillingness to perform certain actions was explained by false claims of superior efficiency under strict deadlines or arguments based on proper relaxation required before attempting work. I've most certainly had a way about me and how I approach certain problems.
When I think of procrastination I immediately associate it with my journey through school. Nowhere was I aware of my procrastination more so than when I was in college. Something about the freedom, the loose and seemingly distant deadlines, and the abundant amount of beer, created a situation where procrastination was inevitable. Let me run through a typical circumstance in which I would be guilty of procrastination:
I studied philosophy in college and as is such, my courses were generally structured by a large amount of reading and several essays due throughout the quarter. The reading assigned to us would cover most of the course curriculum and our essay assignments were meant to assess our assimilation and grasp of the concepts found in the reading. This is how school usually works. Read this, write that, answer this, repeat, and rinse.
I was only in class for a few hours each week, so much of my free time was taken up with the assigned reading for my courses. I read most of it all. I skimmed most of it all. The problem with reading philosophy papers is that most of the good ones are so damn persuasive. One day the paper you are reading will have you believing that your left arm doesn't really exist, but the next day another paper will have you believing that the left arm is the only thing you can be sure exists, and by the end of the semester you will be convinced that the idea of a "left arm" isn't really that coherent anyway. All this back and forth can be confusing and ultimately leave you stuck in the mud. I read enough to understand what the writer was trying to say.
The real procrastination would come in when it came time to write those darn essays. Most essay assignments were given a deadline/ due date well after the date they were assigned so to allow for ample time to complete. My professors were generous in the amount of time allotted to complete a given assignment. I always waited until the last day.
Rough drafts? who needs rough drafts? If I wasn't going to do it right the first time, why would I do it at all. It's as if they were promoting mediocrity as a stepping stone to success. I don't believe that the artist makes a rough draft of his masterpiece and then revises it the next time around. The artist edits, tweaks, and polishes his work as he/she goes. The end result is unique in that the it represents the creative process as whole besides standing alone as a finished product. That is what my college essays were, pieces of art.
If the assignment was due at 10am on Thursday, I would generally start looking at the essay prompt around 2-4pm on Wednesday. Most times I would plan to work on my assignments during the weekend when I didn't have class, but that never really worked out because I didn't wake up early enough to work on anything on the weekends. Monday and Tuesday was never a good time to do work because I usually front loaded my schedule. The last thing you want to do when you get home from a day in class is write an essay. So, Wednesday it would be. If I got lucky I could put in a few good hours of work before I had to eat. Eating would sometimes lead me in to the living room where television and video game gatherings were common. It would be rude of me to not keep my roommates company.
I'm just babbling on here.... the truth is I don't really feel like writing this as I'm typing it. Not only that, but I'm unprepared. The New Yorker article had a lot of interesting things to say and I will respond to them in brief now.
- philosophers are interested in procrastination because it appears to be an example of individuals doing what is not in their best interest. Often times an individual knows that he/she "should" be doing one thing, but chooses to do another instead because that which he/she "should" be doing is perhaps more difficult or time consuming. No doubt that we are guilty of procrastination when our best interest is ignored for the easier of two options. The article correctly points out that procrastination is not a matter of disregarding our own interests, but rather choosing to follow short term interests as opposed to our long term interests. We know that one action will be more beneficial to us in the long run, but it will bring no pleasure in the short term. Therefore, those actions that will please us right away will often times be chosen ahead of those that will produce pleasure at a later point.
This makes a lot of sense. My experiences with procrastination were generally guided by the comfort and pleasure I would take from any given action in that moment. As a result, those actions that would seemingly bring me comfort and pleasure at an unknown time were often set aside for later.
.....just babbling on some more... really brings me back to my days in school...
The part of the article that I found most interesting is the theories as to why we encounter the phenomenon of procrastination at all. First of all, procrastination, at it's roots seems like a natural process to me. Given the option of satisfying some knowable short term interest versus acting in hopes of reaching a potential long term benefit, it would seem likely that we naturally choose to act toward immediate pleasure first.
Secondly, the end of the article argued that engaging in procrastination may have benefits in that it places the individual in a situation where he/she must come to terms with why they are "supposed" to be doing anything in the first place. Often times, the guilt associated with procrastinating would be washed aways upon further consideration of why I felt the need to do anything at all. For example, sometimes I plan on going to the gym after work for some exercise, but end up playing golf or watching television instead. When I opt for golfing or other leisurely activities instead of the workout I had planned, there is a sense of guilt and reassurance that I will "do it later." If I think about it long enough, I often realize that part of the reason I go to the gym at all is so that I can be a better golfer and eat what I like. What is the point of going to the gym so I can do these things if I don't do them when I have the opportunity. Does this even make sense. Like I said....a work of art.
The truth is I could probably discuss this issue with someone for hours, but writing about it is not nearly as fun. If you ever want to discuss the merits of procrastination with me, I'll be the guy at the gym, or on the golf course, or at the donut shop watching television.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Holy bill of rights, Batman!
Breakfast options.
Once I'm dressed it's time to eat. I've done some research and found that some of my co-workers do not eat any breakfast before work. There are two notable exceptions to this trend: "Salvador," who enjoys a cup of coffee and a piece of pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) and "Joey," who claims to consume only a large glass of red wine before work to, "warm up my blood," according to him. I too choose to eat a meal in the morning. In fact, I'm starving the minute I wake from sleep.
My first meal of the day generally consists of a bowl of cereal, a banana, a protein shake, and sometimes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I sit down to watch Sportscenter, or whatever new infomercials are on, as I eat.
In order to be on time I must be out the door by 5:15am. However, lately I have been leaving earlier to allow time for a stop on my way to work. Over the last month or two I have fallen in to a bad habit of visiting the 24hr Donut shop that stands between my house and my workplace.
It started with just coffee. The large size is by far the best value, but it's really just too much coffee to drink before it would begin to get cold. The small size is too small and a bad deal. I'm a medium size man. The problem with getting coffee at a Donut shop is the intoxicating smell of fried dough will wear down even the strongest of wills. I succumbed to the temptation one day and purchased a chocolate twist raised donut. Since that day, almost every time I enter that shop I'm leaving with a medium coffee and a chocolate twist donut.
My options are clear to me. I can choose to never return to the donut shop and search for morning coffee somewhere else. I could also choose to visit the shop once in awhile and enjoy what I am given. Or, maybe I should order something completely different everyday for five days and hope that it establishes my reputation as a random order customer.
Monday, November 15, 2010
More updates....
Some time passed since I was able to update the blog. Not much has happened in that time, but here is a list of some of the events of the last few weeks. Future blogs may explore these events further, but a quick summary will have to do for now.
1. Dirpy Died
If you read this blog, you know that sometimes I recommend different websites that I find interesting. One of such sites was Dirpy.com. Dirpy was a useful site for downloading Youtube videos as mp3 files as a way to get free music. The site has recently been shut down and it does not appear to be coming back. Hopefully there are similar sites available on the web. I'll keep you posted.
2. I saw The Social Network.
It was good. The writers did a good job to make such a young success story seem so dramatic. I thought the film was well acted and well directed. If you enjoy using Facebook, then you probably would enjoy watching this movie. And for my douchey remark of the day....just thought I should let you know that I was a member of Facebook when it was still called thefacebook.
3. I voted.
I voted in the midterm election. In the past, I had not bothered with midterm elections, but this time I felt it was important to have my voice heard. My choice for Gov. of California? Neither of the major party candidates. As much as I would love chiminichangas for lunch any day of the week, I went with a write in: Pedro.
4. Halloween happened.
I have a long history with Halloween and it will be told in a blog to come later. We gave away apples when our candy ran out.
Nothing really significant about that, but she brought me back this handsome Italian tie and I thought that was just swell.
6. I started to clean my room.
More of a remodel than a cleaning, it was time for a change. The goal is to create a space where I am surrounded by the things I am passionate about. More info to come later....
7. I have not cut my hair.
It's growing out a bit for Fall. It's cheaper than buying a hat.
No plans on letting the beast out again any time soon, but for now we'll keep the clippers away.
1. Dirpy Died
If you read this blog, you know that sometimes I recommend different websites that I find interesting. One of such sites was Dirpy.com. Dirpy was a useful site for downloading Youtube videos as mp3 files as a way to get free music. The site has recently been shut down and it does not appear to be coming back. Hopefully there are similar sites available on the web. I'll keep you posted.
2. I saw The Social Network.
3. I voted.
I voted in the midterm election. In the past, I had not bothered with midterm elections, but this time I felt it was important to have my voice heard. My choice for Gov. of California? Neither of the major party candidates. As much as I would love chiminichangas for lunch any day of the week, I went with a write in: Pedro.
4. Halloween happened.
I have a long history with Halloween and it will be told in a blog to come later. We gave away apples when our candy ran out.
Coolest part about this photo- our front porch used to be carpeted.
5. My sister went to ItalyNothing really significant about that, but she brought me back this handsome Italian tie and I thought that was just swell.
6. I started to clean my room.
More of a remodel than a cleaning, it was time for a change. The goal is to create a space where I am surrounded by the things I am passionate about. More info to come later....
7. I have not cut my hair.
It's growing out a bit for Fall. It's cheaper than buying a hat.
Back in Business- A general update
I'm back.
Several weeks ago my computer fell ill. I feared that my impressive machine would be reduced to paper weight, but fortunately it has seemed to recover well enough to return me to the blogosphere. The sickness felt by my HP Pavilion 9515y was not the result of a virus or other malicious infection, but rather the consequence of neglect and abuse on my part. I knew things were bad when my monitor would continually shut itself off during normal use. Without being able to interact with the computer, I was forced to manually shut down the machine time after time. My operating system has almost certainly sustained permanent damage and my tower may require surgery to replace a faulty video card still. It appears I was able to remedy some of the issues by simply cleaning and cooling the inner components of the computer (good advice from a friend). The last monitor shut down was more than three days ago and I'm hesitant to claim victory just yet, but the people have spoken....they need more Cocktails.
In my short life I have experienced four catastrophic computer crashes.
The first came way back when I was in high school when our home computer became unable to process any kind of task faster than I could by myself, thereby rendering it useless. My parents still possess the computer-not for any good reason.
The second computer crash I ever knew occurred during my freshman year of college.
I lived in the San Rafael dormitory at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The fifth floor was made up of a collection of suites and an enclosed hallway of single dorm rooms. I lived in a single. The hall of singles served as a singles hall, we mingled. Everybody in the hall spent time with each other and in a way our hallway became one large living space which we all shared.
In the middle of the hallway there was double room shared by two girls named Christie and Amanda(I guess it was not strictly a singles hall, but it really feels like it was) I would get to know both of these girls fairly well in time, but at first I was left limited knowledge of who they were. What I knew about Christie: She never seemed to be home. Christie rowed crew so she had to be out on the lake really early and in to bed before too late. What I knew about Amanda: She preferred to be called Mandy.
At some point during the year we all learned that Christie's computer had taken a turn for the worse. Despite her best efforts, Christie was unable to resolve her computer problems and decided to buy a new machine to replace the broken desktop. By this time the group of us had become easy friends and there was much discussion amongst the bunch as to what Christie should do with her useless computer. It was determined that no valuable data could be saved from the machine and it seemed only obvious what needed to be done with the device. We would throw the powerless tool off the fifth floor balcony, into the middle of the dormitory courtyard, at 2am of course.
My friend Sean holding Christie's computer moments before stepping outside to toss it overboard.
In my short life I have experienced four catastrophic computer crashes.
The first came way back when I was in high school when our home computer became unable to process any kind of task faster than I could by myself, thereby rendering it useless. My parents still possess the computer-not for any good reason.
The second computer crash I ever knew occurred during my freshman year of college.
I lived in the San Rafael dormitory at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The fifth floor was made up of a collection of suites and an enclosed hallway of single dorm rooms. I lived in a single. The hall of singles served as a singles hall, we mingled. Everybody in the hall spent time with each other and in a way our hallway became one large living space which we all shared.
In the middle of the hallway there was double room shared by two girls named Christie and Amanda(I guess it was not strictly a singles hall, but it really feels like it was) I would get to know both of these girls fairly well in time, but at first I was left limited knowledge of who they were. What I knew about Christie: She never seemed to be home. Christie rowed crew so she had to be out on the lake really early and in to bed before too late. What I knew about Amanda: She preferred to be called Mandy.
At some point during the year we all learned that Christie's computer had taken a turn for the worse. Despite her best efforts, Christie was unable to resolve her computer problems and decided to buy a new machine to replace the broken desktop. By this time the group of us had become easy friends and there was much discussion amongst the bunch as to what Christie should do with her useless computer. It was determined that no valuable data could be saved from the machine and it seemed only obvious what needed to be done with the device. We would throw the powerless tool off the fifth floor balcony, into the middle of the dormitory courtyard, at 2am of course.
The third major computer crash I have experienced was a game changer. It is referred to now as the crash of 2007/2008. At the end of 2007, I was still attending UCSB and living at the Sesame Tree Apartments in Goleta, CA. One day in December, my computer was unable to connect to the Internet. After troubleshooting the issue with technical support, we were able to diagnose the problem as a bad Ethernet port. The problem could be resolved with some time and money, but I saw it as a sign. At that time I felt as though it would be best for me not to use the Internet for a prolonged period of time. I had become dependent on the constant flow of information and sensory input provided by the web. This was evident by the feeling of hopelessness I felt in the first few days after the problem started. I told my roommates that I would pledge not to use the Internet for one year starting on Jan. 1, 2008. And so it began...
My computer was rendered incapable of internet use, but it was not useless. The multimedia capabilities of the machine still made it useful for archiving digital photos and playing DVD's. I had created quite the catalog of images from my years at UCSB and most of those were lost in an instant. One day, the computer just decided it was not going to work anymore and all my data was lost after a few bad shut downs. I tried to restore the hard drive, but it was gone. When 2009 finally rolled around, I had spent a year off the net and several months without the digital screen as part of my daily routine. It was nice. The time spent away from the computer had two outcomes I had anticipated, but needed to experience anyway. The first thing I took away from 2008 was how much our world has become dependent upon the computer and the Internet. Going to school was more difficult without the aid provided by our super technology. Simple conveniences I had grown accustomed to were lost when I wasn't able to find information with the touch of a button. The second thing I learned from that time was how our time online should be rationed. It had become far too easy for me to spend my days in front of the computer screen and it was not until I was forced away from it that I realized what I was missing.
The most recent computer crash in my life is the episode I began this article with. I suppose it wasn't a full blown crash since the machine seems to be working now, but it still left me without a line of communication to the digital world I had found a home in. I took a vacation of sorts.
Hopefully the computer problems are over for now because there is much to be said...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
New Music Tuesday - October 19, 2010
Been a busy day- a quick suggestion this week for new music seekers.
Bayside- Already Gone
Click here for an available stream of Bayside's new song.
Off their new album Killing Time, set to release in Feb. of next year, Already Gone is hopefully a sample of what we can expect from the punk band. I got wind of this song yesterday, as pre-orders of the album started today.
Bayside- Already Gone
Click here for an available stream of Bayside's new song.
Off their new album Killing Time, set to release in Feb. of next year, Already Gone is hopefully a sample of what we can expect from the punk band. I got wind of this song yesterday, as pre-orders of the album started today.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Sunday Sites- Dirpy
The internet changed the way I get music.
In the past I would hear new music on television or the radio and then purchase CDs at a store. New CDs would run anywhere from $10-$20. I collected quite a few CDs all the way through high school even though downloading music from the Internet had already become widespread.
Things changed dramatically for my music collection when I moved into the dorms at UCSB. With an ultra high speed internet connection and a closed university network, the student body residing on campus were able to share massive amounts of music amongst one another. I was able to download dozens of albums in a hours time and before I knew it my computer was full of free new music.
Once I had moved off campus, acquiring music for free became more difficult. There were still plenty of peer sharing programs, such as limewire, kazaa, and bearshare, to download music with. However, more often I would be reminded that using such programs were illegal and dangerous.
After the computer crash of 2006, which left my music collection with the remains of my CDs, I needed a new way to rebuild. There was some success with torrent sites and I even resorted to buying music with itunes, but I wished there was a way to obtain new music with the ease I once enjoyed.
Alas, there was Dirpy.com
Dirpy.com is an internet video downloader. The website describes itself as " an advanced DVR to your favorite online media." I described it as the best way to get your new favorite song onto your ipod.
Dirpy is really fast and easy to use. Designed to work with YouTube videos, the homepage at Dirpy.com holds an address bar where you can enter the URL of any of your favorite YouTube videos. Hit the "dirpy" button and a second page comes up displaying the video information in a quick save/edit screen.
Dirpy can also be used to save YouTube videos as videos. The save/edit screen allows users the option of saving the video as a .flv file (flash video), which can be viewed with a number of free video players available for download online.
The reasons I like Dirpy.com are numerous.
Using Dirpy is a free service. There are no pop-up adds, no registration, and no explicit copyright issues involved in using Dirpy. YouTube users are often uploading videos they have created illegally by using copyrighted material and simply adding slideshows or lyric video to play in conjunction with music. While the music itself is copyrighted, the YouTube video in which the music is used, is not. Therefore, Dirpy.com eludes the illegality of downloading copyrighted material by offering a service to download public domain videos.
Dirpy is fast. In my experience, files generally take no longer than a minute to download. With up to three downloads (depending on your bandwidth) at a time, one could expect to download an albums worth of music in 10 minutes. The quality is pretty good. Some videos have been produced with better audio quality than others so it is important to search for a good file before choosing one to download.
The music is out there. YouTube is full of music videos from the newest artists and songs as well as those hard to find songs from the past. Some people have been nice enough to upload audio files as video of some of the most obscure and wonderful recordings imaginable. These treasures are now available to you thanks to Dirpy.com
http://www.dirpy.com/
*Note: The explanation to the legality of using Dirpy.com is completely my own. My theory seems to be based around the idea that users are downloading non-copyrighted videos which happen to use copyrighted music. I am not aware of any legal issues with downloading YouTube videos.
In the past I would hear new music on television or the radio and then purchase CDs at a store. New CDs would run anywhere from $10-$20. I collected quite a few CDs all the way through high school even though downloading music from the Internet had already become widespread.
Things changed dramatically for my music collection when I moved into the dorms at UCSB. With an ultra high speed internet connection and a closed university network, the student body residing on campus were able to share massive amounts of music amongst one another. I was able to download dozens of albums in a hours time and before I knew it my computer was full of free new music.
Once I had moved off campus, acquiring music for free became more difficult. There were still plenty of peer sharing programs, such as limewire, kazaa, and bearshare, to download music with. However, more often I would be reminded that using such programs were illegal and dangerous.
After the computer crash of 2006, which left my music collection with the remains of my CDs, I needed a new way to rebuild. There was some success with torrent sites and I even resorted to buying music with itunes, but I wished there was a way to obtain new music with the ease I once enjoyed.
Alas, there was Dirpy.com
Dirpy is really fast and easy to use. Designed to work with YouTube videos, the homepage at Dirpy.com holds an address bar where you can enter the URL of any of your favorite YouTube videos. Hit the "dirpy" button and a second page comes up displaying the video information in a quick save/edit screen.
The save screen allows users to rename the file, edit the length of the recording, and select the quality of recording. Hit record and a save dialog box appears, prompting the user to select a save location for the mp3 file.
Most files take less than a minute to download. Saved as an mp3, any file downloaded with Dirpy can easily be added to itunes and later synchronized with an ipod.
The reasons I like Dirpy.com are numerous.
Using Dirpy is a free service. There are no pop-up adds, no registration, and no explicit copyright issues involved in using Dirpy. YouTube users are often uploading videos they have created illegally by using copyrighted material and simply adding slideshows or lyric video to play in conjunction with music. While the music itself is copyrighted, the YouTube video in which the music is used, is not. Therefore, Dirpy.com eludes the illegality of downloading copyrighted material by offering a service to download public domain videos.
Dirpy is fast. In my experience, files generally take no longer than a minute to download. With up to three downloads (depending on your bandwidth) at a time, one could expect to download an albums worth of music in 10 minutes. The quality is pretty good. Some videos have been produced with better audio quality than others so it is important to search for a good file before choosing one to download.
The music is out there. YouTube is full of music videos from the newest artists and songs as well as those hard to find songs from the past. Some people have been nice enough to upload audio files as video of some of the most obscure and wonderful recordings imaginable. These treasures are now available to you thanks to Dirpy.com
http://www.dirpy.com/
*Note: The explanation to the legality of using Dirpy.com is completely my own. My theory seems to be based around the idea that users are downloading non-copyrighted videos which happen to use copyrighted music. I am not aware of any legal issues with downloading YouTube videos.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Photo of the day - October 13th, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
New Music Tuesday
Cocktails with Clint presents: New Music Tuesday
Every Tuesday I will feature a few artists or songs that I wish to share with you. This music is new in the sense that it is generally new to me. It's likely that some of my featured artists will be old favorites of some other individuals, but since I'm just discovering most of them for the first time I want to provide the same opportunity for others.
In addition to the new music, I may recommend an older artist or song that is one of my favorites.
This week we have four videos for you to check out.
1. Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me ft. David Guetta
This song has been playing on the local radio stations lately. It's appropriate for the Step Up 3D soundtrack as it is excellent dance music. I found the first Step Up movie a bit too cheesy. The sequel of Step Up, Step Up: 2 the Streets was so over the top and cheesetastic that I couldn't help but enjoy myself. Flo Rida contributed to the second movie and it seems he's trying to cash in once again with a catchy club song. Give it a listen when your headed out to the club or starting your very own dance party in your bedroom.
Flo rida - wikipedia
2. Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
I first heard this song as a live performance during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. It sounds just as good live, but this video is just too good as well. Perhaps Florence and company are headed toward one-hit wonder fame, but I enjoy the sound and creativity involved in this particular song. Check out Florence+the Machine on itunes or youtube.com
Florence+the Machine- Wikipedia
3. Heartless Bastards- Sway
My first encounter with Heartless Bastards came while watching an episode of Friday Night Lights(good show by the way). I was instantly drawn to the emotive singing and interesting chord exchanges. This particular song is one of my favorites. When the chorus kicks in I really do feel a certain sinking feeling and the title "Sway" just seems so right.
Heartless Bastards- Wikipedia
4. The California Honeydrops - Spreading Honey
My recommendation of The California Honeydrops comes to us via my older sister. She recently attended one of their shows. I found this video online and decided that I like it. This is just good groove blues music.
The California Honeydrops-wikipedia
In addition to the new music, I may recommend an older artist or song that is one of my favorites.
This week we have four videos for you to check out.
1. Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me ft. David Guetta
This song has been playing on the local radio stations lately. It's appropriate for the Step Up 3D soundtrack as it is excellent dance music. I found the first Step Up movie a bit too cheesy. The sequel of Step Up, Step Up: 2 the Streets was so over the top and cheesetastic that I couldn't help but enjoy myself. Flo Rida contributed to the second movie and it seems he's trying to cash in once again with a catchy club song. Give it a listen when your headed out to the club or starting your very own dance party in your bedroom.
Flo rida - wikipedia
2. Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
I first heard this song as a live performance during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. It sounds just as good live, but this video is just too good as well. Perhaps Florence and company are headed toward one-hit wonder fame, but I enjoy the sound and creativity involved in this particular song. Check out Florence+the Machine on itunes or youtube.com
Florence+the Machine- Wikipedia
3. Heartless Bastards- Sway
My first encounter with Heartless Bastards came while watching an episode of Friday Night Lights(good show by the way). I was instantly drawn to the emotive singing and interesting chord exchanges. This particular song is one of my favorites. When the chorus kicks in I really do feel a certain sinking feeling and the title "Sway" just seems so right.
Heartless Bastards- Wikipedia
4. The California Honeydrops - Spreading Honey
My recommendation of The California Honeydrops comes to us via my older sister. She recently attended one of their shows. I found this video online and decided that I like it. This is just good groove blues music.
The California Honeydrops-wikipedia
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Sunday Sites- Shirt Woot
New to Cocktails with Clint is the weekly sharing of interweb surfing spots known as Sunday Sites. Every Sunday we will feature a new website of my choosing. The sites I choose may hold useful tools, interesting information, or simply random junk that would have otherwise been lost in the vastness of the internetz. Hopefully, Sunday Sites will provide new web experiences for the majority of our visitors.
This weeks featured website is Shirt Woot. http://shirt.woot.com/
My friend, and college roommate, Sean introduced me to Shirt Woot during a trip to Comic-con this past summer. Comic-con is many things, not the least of which is a place to make a fashion statement. Graphic t-shirts are one of the easiest ways to make a personal fashion statement and Comic-con is the mecca of graphic tees. With thousands of recognizable characters and numerous pop-culture references, the patrons of Comic-con are exposed to an overwhelming amount of t-shirt art and humor. I noticed Sean's brother, David, wearing a particularly amusing shirt and I questioned him about where he obtained such a piece. He began telling me about Woot and specifically Shirt Woot.
The idea behind the Woot website is interesting and proves to be effective. Each day, one item is available for sale in limited quantity and more importantly, for a very affordable price. While Woot.com offers a cornucopia of merchandise, Shirt Woot is obviously more specific. Every day, Shirt Woot offers to sell a limited quantity of one t-shirt. These shirts are usually available in every size, but once they sell out, that's it-no more. Shirts are typically $10-15 each-very affordable. If a shirt sells out, potential customers are forced to seek out purchased shirts on E-bay or other resale outlets. The site does not sell the same shirt again after the day it debuts. Only on special occasions does Shirt Woot offer a Random Shirt sale where overstocked shirts that did not sell on the original day are shipped out at random for a discounted price.
For someone who finds t-shirts comfortable and appealing, the idea behind Shirt Woot might have been enough for me to visit it once in a while when I'm looking for a new look. The reason I really like Shirt Woot is for the kinds of shirts made available. Shirt Woot often hold t-shirt design contests where aspiring graphic design artists are asked to create a piece of fashion based off of unique and fun criteria. For example, a recent contest(or Derby) asked designers to create a shirt with a Halloween theme. Once the design is submitted, users of the site are asked to vote on which shirt should be produced and the winner eventually becomes available for sale. The template used by Shirt Woot is wonderful for creating original pieces of fashion art and providing deserved attention to new independent artists. Besides offering cool shirts for a low price, Shirt Woot serves as a constantly updated gallery for unique pieces of graphic art. A new shirt goes on sale every morning so be sure to check out Shirt Woot with your morning meal.
Just a few examples of shirt design recently offered on Shirt Woot....
This weeks featured website is Shirt Woot. http://shirt.woot.com/
My friend, and college roommate, Sean introduced me to Shirt Woot during a trip to Comic-con this past summer. Comic-con is many things, not the least of which is a place to make a fashion statement. Graphic t-shirts are one of the easiest ways to make a personal fashion statement and Comic-con is the mecca of graphic tees. With thousands of recognizable characters and numerous pop-culture references, the patrons of Comic-con are exposed to an overwhelming amount of t-shirt art and humor. I noticed Sean's brother, David, wearing a particularly amusing shirt and I questioned him about where he obtained such a piece. He began telling me about Woot and specifically Shirt Woot.
For someone who finds t-shirts comfortable and appealing, the idea behind Shirt Woot might have been enough for me to visit it once in a while when I'm looking for a new look. The reason I really like Shirt Woot is for the kinds of shirts made available. Shirt Woot often hold t-shirt design contests where aspiring graphic design artists are asked to create a piece of fashion based off of unique and fun criteria. For example, a recent contest(or Derby) asked designers to create a shirt with a Halloween theme. Once the design is submitted, users of the site are asked to vote on which shirt should be produced and the winner eventually becomes available for sale. The template used by Shirt Woot is wonderful for creating original pieces of fashion art and providing deserved attention to new independent artists. Besides offering cool shirts for a low price, Shirt Woot serves as a constantly updated gallery for unique pieces of graphic art. A new shirt goes on sale every morning so be sure to check out Shirt Woot with your morning meal.
Just a few examples of shirt design recently offered on Shirt Woot....
The Binge
Change comes full Circle
The Five Second Rule
Even more job opportunities.
My rap career has yet to take off, but already there are other job opportunities awaiting me. This little nugget came to my attention this morning and the prospects of travel are enticing.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/china.bigfoot.search/index.html?iref=allsearch
I believe I'm well qualified and even more than that, I carry a personal interest that should motivate me to succeed. This is one area where we can say the Chinese are far behind us. I suspect the problem has to do with poor funding, unlike those guys over at Jack Links. The Chinese need to start forking over beef jerky kind of money if they want to get the ol' yeti to crossover.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/china.bigfoot.search/index.html?iref=allsearch
I believe I'm well qualified and even more than that, I carry a personal interest that should motivate me to succeed. This is one area where we can say the Chinese are far behind us. I suspect the problem has to do with poor funding, unlike those guys over at Jack Links. The Chinese need to start forking over beef jerky kind of money if they want to get the ol' yeti to crossover.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
New directions.
Well friends....good news. I may have finally found a way to make something of myself. While browsing Craigslist earlier for some vacuum cleaners for sale I came across this post searching for new hip-hop talent.
I've already responded with an introductory e-mail and an mp3 file containing a compilation of mostly my newer freestyles. If I'm going to collaborate with this producer I am prepared to sign for less money as long as I can maintain my artistic integrity. I know this decision my hinder my radio play and overall earnings, but I can always sell out later and make my second album more mainstream.
My posts might become more infrequent as I have little time to prepare for studio time. My look could use some polishing, but my stage name needs the most work right now. I'll see you at the top.
My posts might become more infrequent as I have little time to prepare for studio time. My look could use some polishing, but my stage name needs the most work right now. I'll see you at the top.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Remembering a friend.
Today marks a sad anniversary for me as it has been one year since my friend Jerry passed away. Gerardo Javier Loyola died last October after a battle with cancer.
We had known each other since before I can remember anything. I do remember when I was younger there would be times when we hung out during family gatherings, but it was not until we started going to the same school that our friendship really grew. I played on a bunch of the sports teams at school, but I was not an athlete. Jerry was an athlete. He wrestled, he ran cross-country, he participated in track and field, and he probably could have played on any of the other teams he wanted to if his time was not already taken by other sports and activities. We attended Lakeview Middle School together and our presence is still marked in the gym there today. I had been put in charge of designing the achievement banners that would soon fly from the rafters of the newly minted school. For example, the banner for the Cross-country championship our school had already won included a logo of California and a star to designate our location. I helped design the banner, Jerry helped win the Championship. There were also the Athletes of the Year banners to recognize those individuals who had succeeded in multiple school sports. Once again, I made the banners, Jerry made it onto the banners.
When we entered high school the paths that Jerry and I took started very differently. I attempted to play football and reap the requisite ass that I understood football players were entitled to. Jerry began training to join an impressive wrestling program. An injury forced Jerry out of wrestling and the threat of permanent shoulder damage prevented him from pursing what may have been an excellent run in the sport. I flat out couldn't play the position I was assigned to during football season. Who puts a guy like me at right guard? I mean c'mon man. I was born to play quarterback. Anyway, the two of us ended up finding new prospects when we joined the golf team.
I had started playing golf a few years earlier and it was something I spent a lot of time developing into a skill. Jerry had also been playing golf for some time as his father was the golf coach at the high school. Even though Jerry was a year below me in school, our progress through high school golf followed similar paths.
It was there, during the hundreds of hours practicing at the golf course, playing on the weekends and going on golfing trips that me and Jerry became good friends. We shared a passion for the game and a competitiveness that helped the both of us along. Some of my fondest memories are from times spent in and around the golf team. A golf team with Jerry and I as a foundation. One time I was awarded the athlete of the week by the local paper and my description of the team was all but too obvious. Our team was comprised of two golfers(me and Jerry) and four guys who played golf. There's a difference that we understood. Jerry was a player.
"Players make plays." That is a saying that a mutual friend of ours likes to recite. It speaks true of some individuals who simply find a way to get it done. We were lucky enough to experience this phenomenon for years on the high school golf team. Jerry had the magic. He had the heart and the will to make good things happen for himself on the golf course. Nobody got more out of himself than Jerry did. The guy could not have been more that 5'7". He was probably even a little shorter than that. Like it mattered. Dude could hit that golf ball as far as people twice his size and more importantly he could putt it too.
He could just play and he did it in style. You know our team was never very good. The lack of success was probably foreign to him, but he used to tell the others on the team that if we were going to lose, we might as well look good as we do it. His look was clean and fresh.
I remember the day I heard Jerry had been diagnosed with cancer. It was shocking because I considered young people like us to be exempt for such ordeals. I didn't know what to tell him. At 22, the whole world still seems like it's ahead of you and faced with a life threatening disease it would have been easy for Jerry to feel sorry for himself. I'll never know exactly what went through his mind, but self pity and failure was never to be found. He approached the fight of his life with an attitude similar to any other conflict we could face. Nothing was present but the belief that he could overcome whatever obstacles were brought before him. He had no reason to think otherwise. Life had already tried to tell him it would be hard from the get go. Did he let his small stature serve as a sign that perhaps he shouldn't try to hang with the big boys? Nope. Why would this disease be any different? I never believed that he gave up. I think his body just couldn't keep up with will to live.
The experience of watching one of my friends go was difficult. I had not experienced death so close to me before and it affects you. More than the sadness of that time last year however, I took away a new attitude toward several aspects of my life. First of all, the time we might all have is unknown and potentially short. Thus, there is no sense in wasting time. I understood now that if I want something I'd better get started with getting it. Second, I learned that working toward a goal has value regardless of the end result. Jerry fought for his life until the very end and he would have been willing to suffer through whatever it would take to preserve hope. Ultimately, his body was unable to recover, but his effort was not all for nothing. Jerry showed me that we must put in work. Somethings in life are beyond our control, but if we are to have any power over the outcome of this world it has to come from the decisions we make and the effort we expend to make a definite reality. I try to apply this lesson to my work ethic in whatever it is I choose to pursue. If I'm willing to do what is necessary to achieve my goals, I have to believe that the rest will take care of itself.
Oddly, this anniversary has come to pass quicker than I had expected and it is interesting to note how much things have changed since my friend has been gone. It's a sad day for sure, but important because it gives us a chance to recollect good times and ensure that our friend is not to be forgotten.
We had known each other since before I can remember anything. I do remember when I was younger there would be times when we hung out during family gatherings, but it was not until we started going to the same school that our friendship really grew. I played on a bunch of the sports teams at school, but I was not an athlete. Jerry was an athlete. He wrestled, he ran cross-country, he participated in track and field, and he probably could have played on any of the other teams he wanted to if his time was not already taken by other sports and activities. We attended Lakeview Middle School together and our presence is still marked in the gym there today. I had been put in charge of designing the achievement banners that would soon fly from the rafters of the newly minted school. For example, the banner for the Cross-country championship our school had already won included a logo of California and a star to designate our location. I helped design the banner, Jerry helped win the Championship. There were also the Athletes of the Year banners to recognize those individuals who had succeeded in multiple school sports. Once again, I made the banners, Jerry made it onto the banners.
When we entered high school the paths that Jerry and I took started very differently. I attempted to play football and reap the requisite ass that I understood football players were entitled to. Jerry began training to join an impressive wrestling program. An injury forced Jerry out of wrestling and the threat of permanent shoulder damage prevented him from pursing what may have been an excellent run in the sport. I flat out couldn't play the position I was assigned to during football season. Who puts a guy like me at right guard? I mean c'mon man. I was born to play quarterback. Anyway, the two of us ended up finding new prospects when we joined the golf team.
I had started playing golf a few years earlier and it was something I spent a lot of time developing into a skill. Jerry had also been playing golf for some time as his father was the golf coach at the high school. Even though Jerry was a year below me in school, our progress through high school golf followed similar paths.
It was there, during the hundreds of hours practicing at the golf course, playing on the weekends and going on golfing trips that me and Jerry became good friends. We shared a passion for the game and a competitiveness that helped the both of us along. Some of my fondest memories are from times spent in and around the golf team. A golf team with Jerry and I as a foundation. One time I was awarded the athlete of the week by the local paper and my description of the team was all but too obvious. Our team was comprised of two golfers(me and Jerry) and four guys who played golf. There's a difference that we understood. Jerry was a player.
"Players make plays." That is a saying that a mutual friend of ours likes to recite. It speaks true of some individuals who simply find a way to get it done. We were lucky enough to experience this phenomenon for years on the high school golf team. Jerry had the magic. He had the heart and the will to make good things happen for himself on the golf course. Nobody got more out of himself than Jerry did. The guy could not have been more that 5'7". He was probably even a little shorter than that. Like it mattered. Dude could hit that golf ball as far as people twice his size and more importantly he could putt it too.
He could just play and he did it in style. You know our team was never very good. The lack of success was probably foreign to him, but he used to tell the others on the team that if we were going to lose, we might as well look good as we do it. His look was clean and fresh.
I remember the day I heard Jerry had been diagnosed with cancer. It was shocking because I considered young people like us to be exempt for such ordeals. I didn't know what to tell him. At 22, the whole world still seems like it's ahead of you and faced with a life threatening disease it would have been easy for Jerry to feel sorry for himself. I'll never know exactly what went through his mind, but self pity and failure was never to be found. He approached the fight of his life with an attitude similar to any other conflict we could face. Nothing was present but the belief that he could overcome whatever obstacles were brought before him. He had no reason to think otherwise. Life had already tried to tell him it would be hard from the get go. Did he let his small stature serve as a sign that perhaps he shouldn't try to hang with the big boys? Nope. Why would this disease be any different? I never believed that he gave up. I think his body just couldn't keep up with will to live.
The experience of watching one of my friends go was difficult. I had not experienced death so close to me before and it affects you. More than the sadness of that time last year however, I took away a new attitude toward several aspects of my life. First of all, the time we might all have is unknown and potentially short. Thus, there is no sense in wasting time. I understood now that if I want something I'd better get started with getting it. Second, I learned that working toward a goal has value regardless of the end result. Jerry fought for his life until the very end and he would have been willing to suffer through whatever it would take to preserve hope. Ultimately, his body was unable to recover, but his effort was not all for nothing. Jerry showed me that we must put in work. Somethings in life are beyond our control, but if we are to have any power over the outcome of this world it has to come from the decisions we make and the effort we expend to make a definite reality. I try to apply this lesson to my work ethic in whatever it is I choose to pursue. If I'm willing to do what is necessary to achieve my goals, I have to believe that the rest will take care of itself.
Oddly, this anniversary has come to pass quicker than I had expected and it is interesting to note how much things have changed since my friend has been gone. It's a sad day for sure, but important because it gives us a chance to recollect good times and ensure that our friend is not to be forgotten.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
We are Paramore.
I like the band Paramore.
Yes. I just wrote that.
While my opinion will not be shared by all, this post will hopefully enlighten some of you who have never cared for the group called Paramore. I realize I'm not the typical fan of the young quintet, but that can be said of a lot of other popular music I enjoy. Yesterday I heard someone say that the more different music you can appreciate, the happier you are. Perhaps there is something true about that.
Paramore caught my ear back in 2007. The presets on my car radio included an alternative station from the Santa Barbara area and it was good for finding new music. The hit song "Misery Business" was one of the songs I often heard while driving home from campus and it ended up stuck in my head for awhile. I did a little research and soon I found the music video online. To my surprise, the band was made up of these emo looking punks. The only thing that really sparked my interest was the petite redhead of a lead singer. Even for a performance video, the headbanging of Hayley Williams was enough to make me really enjoy the video. I went out and bought the album "Riot" that night.
Paramore rocks. I mean...it's pop rock. It's fun. It's young. It's safe sex. I enjoy the melodies, the drum cadences, the occasional guitar solo, but the thing I took away from "Riot" was a popular rock band. These were songs to please an audience. I'm fine with that because I was pleased with them. I couldn't help but feel that the tone of the songs would take a much different route were the lead a singer a male. Many have compared Paramore to The Used, only with a girl on vocals. I don't exactly agree, but the differences are clear. Of course, that ended up being the exact reason I was drawn to the group. Hayley Williams. Girl's a beast on the vocals and it wasn't until I saw videos of some live shows that I realized she was a great performer. No doubt that Hayley makes Paramore interesting. I've spent the last three years enjoying their music and Paramore is certainly a band I wouldn't mind my kids listening to. If I had kids. And if those kids were like 12.
Earlier this year I found out that Paramore was going to go out on tour with New Found Glory, Tegan and Sara, and Kadawatha. While I hardly knew who Tegan and Sara or Kadawatha were, I had listened to New Found Glory since high school and Paramore was on the playlist rotation so I decided I wanted to attend one of the shows.
A big issue I have with going to concerts is the ability of the artists to perform their songs somewhat close to the studio versions I have grown to enjoy. What good is live music if it doesn't sound anything like the music you like? This issue can be put aside however if the performance is good enough to make you not even care. For example, Michael Jackson probably couldn't sing for shit while performing his hit songs at concerts, but with the familiar track going and Michael doing his thing on the stage, I doubt many people left those venues unsatisfied.
Anyway, I got a couple of tickets and decided I would take a chance on this Paramore concert. I had planned to go with a friend, but that fell through and so I ended up going by myself. I had purchased general admission tickets because I wanted to experience this concert from down on the floor right in front of the stage.
The day of the concert was quite the adventure. I had read online that general admission ticket holders would be admitted in numerical order determined by the wristbands distributed early the morning of the show. My goal was to be in the front row, so that would probably require me to have one of the first few wristbands given out. The information online stated that ticket holders would be allowed to start lining up at 7am and wristbands would be distributed around 10am. I figured I would head down to the arena earlier than 7am, in case some die hard fans were camping out in the wristband line. I got up at 3:30, quickly prepared and hit the road. I arrived in San Jose around 5:15am and made a quick lap around HP Pavillion. Sure enough four young people sat in portable chairs, covered in blankets at the entrance to the arena. I parked illegally and quickly made my way down to the front of the line. I asked the campers where they parked and they informed me that I could park at the bus station for three dollars all day and I ran back to move my car. Upon returning to the line, three brothers from Bakersfield had already made a line of four into a line of seven. So there I was....eighth. 5:40am
I thought I had prepared. With me was a backpack(JanSport of course) of supplies. Ipod-check. Jacket-check. Snacks-checks. I was in it for the long haul. I'm pretty good at killing time, but 10am seemed like a lifetime away when 6:15 rolled around. Slowly over the next two hours a couple more people made their way to the back of the line. Most of them could tell I was a rookie I'm sure. These people ahead of me had chairs. I had the cold pavement. The front of the line was bundled like a colony of penguins. They had coffee and donuts to enjoy while they watched episodes of True Blood on their laptop.
The three brothers ahead of me were more primitive in killing time. They had two chairs and took turns sitting in them while one layed on the blanket they had brought. A set of Dominoes occupied their minds for awhile, I even got into a couple of games. The rest of their time was spent dancing in place as I soon learned that they were part of a dance crew from the valley.
I found a good place and tried to meditate, half the time convincing myself that this time spent would be worth the sweat falling from Hayley's brow as she headbanged her way into my collection of memorable experiences.
The last hour and a half went by quickly. The band tour bus drove by as it pulled into the arena parking lot and the growing crowd all picked themselves up a bit. A lady in a blue blazer came out and distributed the wristbands at 10am and told us we had to be back in line by 4:30pm. The next six and a half hours were spent wasting time and preparing for the night. I was hungry so I set out to find food which proved difficult because most restaurants were not open yet. I made my way to some super market and walked all around the store only to buy one single roll for a quarter. Since the bread was not enough to satisfy me I made my way downtown where I made a big discovery. "La Vic" the burrito joint my friends had been telling me about for months was across the street from the SJSU campus. I opted for McDonalds instead of trying "La Vic" because they had just reduced the prices of chicken mcnuggets. And they were open.
After McD's I went across the street to Pizza My Heart for a slice.
I headed back toward the arena around 12pm for a couple reasons. First of all I wanted to ensure that I would have good parking for the night. Second, and probably most important, I needed to take the all important pre-game dump. The doors of the concert would open at 5:30 with the show beginning at 6:30, three opening acts and the ETA to Paramore was about 9 hours away. I didn't want to take the chance that nature would come calling at an inopportune time so I planned ahead. I figured I could get away with minimal food intake between 12pm and the end of the show so I just bought a few fruit bars. I hit the head and did my business around 2 at one of the gas stations nearby. A necessary sacrifice.
When I got back to HP Pavillion there was some talk about a meet and greet session with Paramore in the parking lot so I went to check it out. There I ran into the three brothers from earlier and we hung out in the shade until 4:30. The band never made it outside.
We went to take our numerical place in line and the crowd waiting for us had grown to the thousands. It felt kind of good to be able to simply walk right past all those people and go stand at the front of the line. I recommend trying it sometime.
Two girls right behind me in line tried their best to convince me that I should let them enter ahead of me because I was taller and thus, I would have less trouble seeing the stage than they would. I didn't buy it. They could have taken turns sitting on each others shoulders and easily been able to see over me.
Once the doors opened to let us in it was like a stampede. The numerical system pretty much went out the window because everyone just clumped into the entrance. Luckily I was toward the front of the crowd and still made it in as one of the first waves. I walked into the arena and down to the floor where I took my place dead center in front of the stage. At this point I could have nearly reached out on touched the mic and definitely could have exchanged awkward glances with the performers.
The crowd grew behind me and slowly we all began to squish in tighter to one another. As one of the tallest people in the crowd around me, I admit I had a better vantage point than most. Some poor guy next to me had somehow become wedged in between mine and a young girl's shoulders in such a way that he couldn't face the stage. Instead he had to rotate his head to the side in order to see the show. I overheard this guy lamenting over his position to a friend standing behind me and I tried to ignore him. I was not about to give up valuable floor space. This guy resorted to nibbling on my shoulder so as to make me fidget enough to let him adjust position.
"How's it going?" I asked.
"Oh, you know, here for the concert" was his reply. It was funny. I felt bad and moved.
The opening act was Kadawatha. They're from Sweden. That's the most interesting thing about them.
New Found Glory was up next and they did a great set. Sadly, not everyone enjoyed the New Found Glory portion of the show. Three of the four people I had found waiting in the front of the line earlier that morning were teenage girls. They had obviously come to see Paramore. Wearing Paramore shirts and singing Paramore songs, these girls had been waiting longer that I had to see this show and their dedication was rewarded with the coveted front row position. Unfortunately for these young girls, New Found Glory didn't give a shit about that. As soon as the first chorus hit, our position at the front of the stage became dangerous. I wouldn't call it a mosh pit as much as an ocean of people. The sea was angry that night. We swayed back and forth, up and down, everyone pushing and shoving to maintain position. I noticed the first of the girls having to be rescued by security just as the front man from NFG asked to crowd to start jumping. Soon, the other two girls also had to be pulled from the overwhelming crowd. I felt bad when I saw that one of them was crying and I knew that all that time spent waiting was for nothing as they would have to retreat to the back of the arena floor.
Seriously though, New Found Glory had an awesome set.
I was pleasantly surprised, but mildly annoyed by Tegan and Sara. The twin sister performers actually turned out some good music and charming personality. Not having been exposed to their music before, Tegan and Sara came harder than I would have imagined. Two problem arose during the course of Tegan and Sara. One, the set just dragged on for what seemed like forever. They played much longer than either of the other two acts prior and the crowd(myself included) could sense that the wait was almost over. The group of us in front had spent all day waiting for Paramore and these sisters were testing our patience. The second problem was one I had tried to anticipate. The New Found Glory set had worked up quite a sweat amongst the crowd. It was hot, it was sweaty, it was gross, but no one really cared at that point because we were in it. As Tegan and Sara broke into some slower songs, the sweat turned cold and I began to realize that I may need to urinate before too long. Leaving to use the restroom was out of the question. There would be no way for me to make my way out of the crowd by the time Paramore came out, let alone make my way back to the front of the stage. I was worried. This could be a catastrophic ending to my day of waiting and I envisioned the worst. I weighed my options and the consequences of each. I admit I seriously considered just pissing my pants right there in the middle of that crowd if it came to that. After waiting all fucking day I was not about to leave right before Paramore came on to take a leak. I committed myself to holding it. It would have to hold.
The energy in the crowd grew as Tegan and Sara left and the crew began sound checking the equipment. Before long, the lights were cut and a deafening wall of screams and cheers filled the arena. A drape fell over the stage and a backlight began to cast shadows of the band as they began the intro song. The instrumental intro had not lasted more than two minutes when the lights cut again and I could see the drape fall to the ground.
First thing I'll remember about the Paramore show. The opening riff of "Ignorance" and Hayley yelling in the mic as she bent over backwards toward the crowd. The next sixty minutes were a little crazy with a lot to take in. My memory of that time is made up of moments like snapshots.
-The lights beginning to swing from the ceiling
-Hayley smiling at me after the bridge of "Feeling Sorry"
-Seeing the girl who was 40 people behind me in line somehow now in front of me by two rows.
-The lighting effects were under utilized during the other band's performances because it was visual explosion once Paramore started playing.
-The music sounding just as good as a recording.
-Hayley Williams is a rock and roll animal posing as a human being.
-a whole bunch of stuff I can't put into words but remain with my senses still.
If you're interested in knowing more, check out paramore.net or Hayley's blog at http://yelyahwilliams.tumblr.com/
Yes. I just wrote that.
While my opinion will not be shared by all, this post will hopefully enlighten some of you who have never cared for the group called Paramore. I realize I'm not the typical fan of the young quintet, but that can be said of a lot of other popular music I enjoy. Yesterday I heard someone say that the more different music you can appreciate, the happier you are. Perhaps there is something true about that.
Paramore caught my ear back in 2007. The presets on my car radio included an alternative station from the Santa Barbara area and it was good for finding new music. The hit song "Misery Business" was one of the songs I often heard while driving home from campus and it ended up stuck in my head for awhile. I did a little research and soon I found the music video online. To my surprise, the band was made up of these emo looking punks. The only thing that really sparked my interest was the petite redhead of a lead singer. Even for a performance video, the headbanging of Hayley Williams was enough to make me really enjoy the video. I went out and bought the album "Riot" that night.
Paramore rocks. I mean...it's pop rock. It's fun. It's young. It's safe sex. I enjoy the melodies, the drum cadences, the occasional guitar solo, but the thing I took away from "Riot" was a popular rock band. These were songs to please an audience. I'm fine with that because I was pleased with them. I couldn't help but feel that the tone of the songs would take a much different route were the lead a singer a male. Many have compared Paramore to The Used, only with a girl on vocals. I don't exactly agree, but the differences are clear. Of course, that ended up being the exact reason I was drawn to the group. Hayley Williams. Girl's a beast on the vocals and it wasn't until I saw videos of some live shows that I realized she was a great performer. No doubt that Hayley makes Paramore interesting. I've spent the last three years enjoying their music and Paramore is certainly a band I wouldn't mind my kids listening to. If I had kids. And if those kids were like 12.
Earlier this year I found out that Paramore was going to go out on tour with New Found Glory, Tegan and Sara, and Kadawatha. While I hardly knew who Tegan and Sara or Kadawatha were, I had listened to New Found Glory since high school and Paramore was on the playlist rotation so I decided I wanted to attend one of the shows.
A big issue I have with going to concerts is the ability of the artists to perform their songs somewhat close to the studio versions I have grown to enjoy. What good is live music if it doesn't sound anything like the music you like? This issue can be put aside however if the performance is good enough to make you not even care. For example, Michael Jackson probably couldn't sing for shit while performing his hit songs at concerts, but with the familiar track going and Michael doing his thing on the stage, I doubt many people left those venues unsatisfied.
Anyway, I got a couple of tickets and decided I would take a chance on this Paramore concert. I had planned to go with a friend, but that fell through and so I ended up going by myself. I had purchased general admission tickets because I wanted to experience this concert from down on the floor right in front of the stage.
The day of the concert was quite the adventure. I had read online that general admission ticket holders would be admitted in numerical order determined by the wristbands distributed early the morning of the show. My goal was to be in the front row, so that would probably require me to have one of the first few wristbands given out. The information online stated that ticket holders would be allowed to start lining up at 7am and wristbands would be distributed around 10am. I figured I would head down to the arena earlier than 7am, in case some die hard fans were camping out in the wristband line. I got up at 3:30, quickly prepared and hit the road. I arrived in San Jose around 5:15am and made a quick lap around HP Pavillion. Sure enough four young people sat in portable chairs, covered in blankets at the entrance to the arena. I parked illegally and quickly made my way down to the front of the line. I asked the campers where they parked and they informed me that I could park at the bus station for three dollars all day and I ran back to move my car. Upon returning to the line, three brothers from Bakersfield had already made a line of four into a line of seven. So there I was....eighth. 5:40am
I thought I had prepared. With me was a backpack(JanSport of course) of supplies. Ipod-check. Jacket-check. Snacks-checks. I was in it for the long haul. I'm pretty good at killing time, but 10am seemed like a lifetime away when 6:15 rolled around. Slowly over the next two hours a couple more people made their way to the back of the line. Most of them could tell I was a rookie I'm sure. These people ahead of me had chairs. I had the cold pavement. The front of the line was bundled like a colony of penguins. They had coffee and donuts to enjoy while they watched episodes of True Blood on their laptop.
The three brothers ahead of me were more primitive in killing time. They had two chairs and took turns sitting in them while one layed on the blanket they had brought. A set of Dominoes occupied their minds for awhile, I even got into a couple of games. The rest of their time was spent dancing in place as I soon learned that they were part of a dance crew from the valley.
I found a good place and tried to meditate, half the time convincing myself that this time spent would be worth the sweat falling from Hayley's brow as she headbanged her way into my collection of memorable experiences.
After McD's I went across the street to Pizza My Heart for a slice.
I headed back toward the arena around 12pm for a couple reasons. First of all I wanted to ensure that I would have good parking for the night. Second, and probably most important, I needed to take the all important pre-game dump. The doors of the concert would open at 5:30 with the show beginning at 6:30, three opening acts and the ETA to Paramore was about 9 hours away. I didn't want to take the chance that nature would come calling at an inopportune time so I planned ahead. I figured I could get away with minimal food intake between 12pm and the end of the show so I just bought a few fruit bars. I hit the head and did my business around 2 at one of the gas stations nearby. A necessary sacrifice.
When I got back to HP Pavillion there was some talk about a meet and greet session with Paramore in the parking lot so I went to check it out. There I ran into the three brothers from earlier and we hung out in the shade until 4:30. The band never made it outside.
We went to take our numerical place in line and the crowd waiting for us had grown to the thousands. It felt kind of good to be able to simply walk right past all those people and go stand at the front of the line. I recommend trying it sometime.
Two girls right behind me in line tried their best to convince me that I should let them enter ahead of me because I was taller and thus, I would have less trouble seeing the stage than they would. I didn't buy it. They could have taken turns sitting on each others shoulders and easily been able to see over me.
Once the doors opened to let us in it was like a stampede. The numerical system pretty much went out the window because everyone just clumped into the entrance. Luckily I was toward the front of the crowd and still made it in as one of the first waves. I walked into the arena and down to the floor where I took my place dead center in front of the stage. At this point I could have nearly reached out on touched the mic and definitely could have exchanged awkward glances with the performers.
The crowd grew behind me and slowly we all began to squish in tighter to one another. As one of the tallest people in the crowd around me, I admit I had a better vantage point than most. Some poor guy next to me had somehow become wedged in between mine and a young girl's shoulders in such a way that he couldn't face the stage. Instead he had to rotate his head to the side in order to see the show. I overheard this guy lamenting over his position to a friend standing behind me and I tried to ignore him. I was not about to give up valuable floor space. This guy resorted to nibbling on my shoulder so as to make me fidget enough to let him adjust position.
"How's it going?" I asked.
"Oh, you know, here for the concert" was his reply. It was funny. I felt bad and moved.
The opening act was Kadawatha. They're from Sweden. That's the most interesting thing about them.
New Found Glory was up next and they did a great set. Sadly, not everyone enjoyed the New Found Glory portion of the show. Three of the four people I had found waiting in the front of the line earlier that morning were teenage girls. They had obviously come to see Paramore. Wearing Paramore shirts and singing Paramore songs, these girls had been waiting longer that I had to see this show and their dedication was rewarded with the coveted front row position. Unfortunately for these young girls, New Found Glory didn't give a shit about that. As soon as the first chorus hit, our position at the front of the stage became dangerous. I wouldn't call it a mosh pit as much as an ocean of people. The sea was angry that night. We swayed back and forth, up and down, everyone pushing and shoving to maintain position. I noticed the first of the girls having to be rescued by security just as the front man from NFG asked to crowd to start jumping. Soon, the other two girls also had to be pulled from the overwhelming crowd. I felt bad when I saw that one of them was crying and I knew that all that time spent waiting was for nothing as they would have to retreat to the back of the arena floor.
Seriously though, New Found Glory had an awesome set.
I was pleasantly surprised, but mildly annoyed by Tegan and Sara. The twin sister performers actually turned out some good music and charming personality. Not having been exposed to their music before, Tegan and Sara came harder than I would have imagined. Two problem arose during the course of Tegan and Sara. One, the set just dragged on for what seemed like forever. They played much longer than either of the other two acts prior and the crowd(myself included) could sense that the wait was almost over. The group of us in front had spent all day waiting for Paramore and these sisters were testing our patience. The second problem was one I had tried to anticipate. The New Found Glory set had worked up quite a sweat amongst the crowd. It was hot, it was sweaty, it was gross, but no one really cared at that point because we were in it. As Tegan and Sara broke into some slower songs, the sweat turned cold and I began to realize that I may need to urinate before too long. Leaving to use the restroom was out of the question. There would be no way for me to make my way out of the crowd by the time Paramore came out, let alone make my way back to the front of the stage. I was worried. This could be a catastrophic ending to my day of waiting and I envisioned the worst. I weighed my options and the consequences of each. I admit I seriously considered just pissing my pants right there in the middle of that crowd if it came to that. After waiting all fucking day I was not about to leave right before Paramore came on to take a leak. I committed myself to holding it. It would have to hold.
The energy in the crowd grew as Tegan and Sara left and the crew began sound checking the equipment. Before long, the lights were cut and a deafening wall of screams and cheers filled the arena. A drape fell over the stage and a backlight began to cast shadows of the band as they began the intro song. The instrumental intro had not lasted more than two minutes when the lights cut again and I could see the drape fall to the ground.
First thing I'll remember about the Paramore show. The opening riff of "Ignorance" and Hayley yelling in the mic as she bent over backwards toward the crowd. The next sixty minutes were a little crazy with a lot to take in. My memory of that time is made up of moments like snapshots.
-The lights beginning to swing from the ceiling
-Hayley smiling at me after the bridge of "Feeling Sorry"
-Seeing the girl who was 40 people behind me in line somehow now in front of me by two rows.
-The lighting effects were under utilized during the other band's performances because it was visual explosion once Paramore started playing.
-The music sounding just as good as a recording.
-Hayley Williams is a rock and roll animal posing as a human being.
-a whole bunch of stuff I can't put into words but remain with my senses still.
The music was good. The performance was better. The waiting was worth it. Overall I would recommend making it out to a Paramore performance someday. Perhaps the music isn't your taste, but the show is entertaining for sure. I got the sense that they were all about pleasing the people.
I did bring a camera and besides snapping a few photos I was able to take a few videos as well. The camera was not the one I'm used to and as a result I feel the things I took hardly do the show justice. If you need any evidence to why I might enjoy a Paramore show just take a look at the video below.
If you're interested in knowing more, check out paramore.net or Hayley's blog at http://yelyahwilliams.tumblr.com/
Go ahead and make my day already.
Today I shared expensive spirits and gourmet pulled pork sandwiches with Clint Eastwood.
That's actually a lie. Today is the day I'm writing about my experience of food and drink with Mr. Eastwood. It was last Wednesday when I found myself at the same table with the talented actor you may remember from such films as Dirty Harry, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Escape from Alcatraz, The Bridges of Madison County and Space Cowboys. If that isn't a reason to start writing a blog, then I don't know what is.
This summer I participated in a Northern California Golf Association team-play league. Members from our home club would travel and play against other teams from all over the area in a series of handicapped match play events. The whole thing was a lot of fun and good competitive experience. Our team did quite well this year, and last Wednesday we found ourselves in Carmel for the quarterfinal round of the NCGA team-play tournament. We were to play a group of members from the private club of Tehama.
http://www.tehamagolfclub.com/
Tehama is a fairly new golf course owned by Clint Eastwood. The club has 288 members and less then half of those members reside locally. During our practice round on Monday we hardly saw more than four other golfers on the entire property. The $200,000 membership certainly seemed to pay for privacy and luxury indeed.
"How was that thing you went to?"
"It was fine."
"You came back quick."
"I took the chopper." Clint went on to explain the advantage of traveling via helicopter as opposed to gambling with midday traffic. "We hit about 20 Knots," he says, while I nod as if I had a good idea of how fast that actually was.
Most of the conversation from that point on was lost on me as Brad continued to talk with Clint about things in short and unclear sentences. There was some discussion about our golf match and the food. Clint asked me if I had heard about Pres. Obama's new meal plan.
"No."
"When you go somewhere to eat, the guy sitting next to you pays for your meal."
We exchanged an half-hearted laugh as I realized he was probably making light of the fact that I was getting full on his dime. Fuck it, I didn't download Gran Torino illegally. I was his guest today. Upon noticing that we were drinking tequila, Brad mentioned that Jose was producing a new tequila soon to be available in the U.S.
"Tequila is the only hard liquor I drink," Clint explained.
Jose then offered to bring a few bottles to Clint once they arrived in the states. Clint offered something better when he suggested that Jose bring bottles to be sold in the bar at the club. The two exchanged some information and a quick story about a film Clint made a few decades ago in downtown Santa Cruz. Clint excused himself after twenty minutes or so and casually walked off toward the exit facing the sun which just happened to be setting at this point in the day.
We finished our food, had some more to drink and waited for the rest of the team to come in. Soon we learned that our run in the playoffs had come to an end as Tehama's team had defeated ours by the score of 19-17. Our closest match of the year and what would have otherwise been a bitter moment for me had it not been for the fact that I was just happy to be been there that day. The end of our team's season seemed to coincide with the end of one of the better summers in recent memory.
Btw, check out El Palomar or Clilantros next time you are in the Santa Cruz area.
http://www.elpalomarcilantros.com/
*note: the picture included is of the signature 13th hole at Tehama and it was captured with my cellphone camera. Cellphones are strictly prohibited on the premises at Tehama so you'll excuse me if the quality is poor. I had to be quick with it.
That's actually a lie. Today is the day I'm writing about my experience of food and drink with Mr. Eastwood. It was last Wednesday when I found myself at the same table with the talented actor you may remember from such films as Dirty Harry, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Escape from Alcatraz, The Bridges of Madison County and Space Cowboys. If that isn't a reason to start writing a blog, then I don't know what is.
http://www.tehamagolfclub.com/
Tehama is a fairly new golf course owned by Clint Eastwood. The club has 288 members and less then half of those members reside locally. During our practice round on Monday we hardly saw more than four other golfers on the entire property. The $200,000 membership certainly seemed to pay for privacy and luxury indeed.
My encounter with Clint was all very unexpected. I knew that he owned the property and probably frequented the facility from time to time, but I did not anticipate a casual entrance into the restaurant around six in the afternoon. We had just finished our match so Jose(my partner that day), Brad(the #1 dentist in Carmel for the 2nd year in a row), and I sat down at a table by open patio doors. Usually, our group would have included a fourth player, but Brad's partner didn't show that morning and in the process allowed me to have the easiest victory of my season.
The three of us chatted for awhile while Jose ordered a round of tequila. Snacks were provided courtesy of the club for all the participants of the match. The menu included an impressive cheese platter, some fried won tons topped with tuna salad, and little gourmet pulled pork sliders. I collected a sampling of everything available and headed back to the table to relax after what had proved to be a fairly warm afternoon. So I'm just sitting there, enjoying my little finger foods, when I glance up to see none other than the man with no name himself standing before me. This guy casually shifts over to pull out the empty chair at our table and sits down like he frickin' owns the place. Brad throws him the little "what's up" head nod and proceeds to ask him a question. "How was that thing you went to?"
"It was fine."
"You came back quick."
"I took the chopper." Clint went on to explain the advantage of traveling via helicopter as opposed to gambling with midday traffic. "We hit about 20 Knots," he says, while I nod as if I had a good idea of how fast that actually was.
Most of the conversation from that point on was lost on me as Brad continued to talk with Clint about things in short and unclear sentences. There was some discussion about our golf match and the food. Clint asked me if I had heard about Pres. Obama's new meal plan.
"No."
"When you go somewhere to eat, the guy sitting next to you pays for your meal."
We exchanged an half-hearted laugh as I realized he was probably making light of the fact that I was getting full on his dime. Fuck it, I didn't download Gran Torino illegally. I was his guest today. Upon noticing that we were drinking tequila, Brad mentioned that Jose was producing a new tequila soon to be available in the U.S.
"Tequila is the only hard liquor I drink," Clint explained.
Jose then offered to bring a few bottles to Clint once they arrived in the states. Clint offered something better when he suggested that Jose bring bottles to be sold in the bar at the club. The two exchanged some information and a quick story about a film Clint made a few decades ago in downtown Santa Cruz. Clint excused himself after twenty minutes or so and casually walked off toward the exit facing the sun which just happened to be setting at this point in the day.
We finished our food, had some more to drink and waited for the rest of the team to come in. Soon we learned that our run in the playoffs had come to an end as Tehama's team had defeated ours by the score of 19-17. Our closest match of the year and what would have otherwise been a bitter moment for me had it not been for the fact that I was just happy to be been there that day. The end of our team's season seemed to coincide with the end of one of the better summers in recent memory.
Btw, check out El Palomar or Clilantros next time you are in the Santa Cruz area.
http://www.elpalomarcilantros.com/
*note: the picture included is of the signature 13th hole at Tehama and it was captured with my cellphone camera. Cellphones are strictly prohibited on the premises at Tehama so you'll excuse me if the quality is poor. I had to be quick with it.
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