After a week of posting some serious, some not serious, and some nonsense, I've realized that I kind of like blogging. If I were to expand my follows/followers and make it an entire network I could see myself doing this more often. However at the same time, I spent my days wondering what I could blog about, instead of just letting it come naturally. Not only that but I didn't truly look forward to blogging, but rather just being able to ramble about whatever I wanted. In other words I don't feel like I brought anything worth reading to the table on here, which in turn makes it a bit of a waste.
Blogging is a good thing because if you DO actually have something worth talking about, it would take some thought and effort to articulate that into a blog since you're essentially writing down what you think and sending it to the world (no one wants to sound dumb).
Overall, I probably won't be logging on to blog anymore, but I can't say I don't promote it for everyone who does and enjoys it. Again, under the right circumstances I would probably do more of it but as for now I am still more into being face-to-face telling someone what I did with my day.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Blog #6: A Brief Excerpt
The following is a brief excerpt from Albert Einstein's essay "The World As I see It":
"How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people -- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving...
"I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.
"My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a 'lone traveler' and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude..."
"How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people -- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving...
"I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.
"My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a 'lone traveler' and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude..."
Friday, June 10, 2011
Blog #5: Beer and Beards
Two things that just seem to go together: beer and beards. Like whiskers on kittens. Like raindrops on roses. Like flies on poop.
A lot can be said about a man who has the honor and dignity to throw caution to the wind and embark on the perilous journey that is growing a beard. As a matter of fact, beer has nothing to do with growing a beard, despite the contrary belief that it makes your hair softer. That's an old wives tale. They do however go hand in hand. A man who grows a beard must almost positively also like beer. Regardless of my opinion, no, it does not matter what kind of beer, as long as the owner of the beard likes beer. Shoot, throw back a couple of Keystones or Natty Ices for all I care. Although it does look pretty classy to be treating yourself to a higher quality beer such as Heineken, Guinness, or Sierra Nevada. Take for example the Dos Equis commercials. That gentleman is one astute scholar. It's because he has a beard and a classy beer! Not to mention his ability to speak french in russian. C'mon!
The beard is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the wannabe trendy hipsters. It is not for the kids in high school. It is not something to joke about. It demands the upmost respect.
Grow and drink responsibly!
A lot can be said about a man who has the honor and dignity to throw caution to the wind and embark on the perilous journey that is growing a beard. As a matter of fact, beer has nothing to do with growing a beard, despite the contrary belief that it makes your hair softer. That's an old wives tale. They do however go hand in hand. A man who grows a beard must almost positively also like beer. Regardless of my opinion, no, it does not matter what kind of beer, as long as the owner of the beard likes beer. Shoot, throw back a couple of Keystones or Natty Ices for all I care. Although it does look pretty classy to be treating yourself to a higher quality beer such as Heineken, Guinness, or Sierra Nevada. Take for example the Dos Equis commercials. That gentleman is one astute scholar. It's because he has a beard and a classy beer! Not to mention his ability to speak french in russian. C'mon!
The beard is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the wannabe trendy hipsters. It is not for the kids in high school. It is not something to joke about. It demands the upmost respect.
Grow and drink responsibly!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Blog #4: Recording An Album
My band is currently in the middle of recording an album.
The recording process is a long and daunting task that seems to drag on forever and ever, even for a 4 person/instrument band. It is also one of the best times to be a musician because you're able to record all the little creative things you've wanted to hear in the songs during rehearsal.
We started by recording scratch tracks of all of the songs. A scratch track is a very stripped down version of a song, just enough to set the tempo and give the drummer something to work with. After recording scratch tracks, our drummer recorded all of his parts for all of the songs. Recording drums seems to be the most boring and slow process of all time. It takes forever to set up the mics, mix and EQ the set, and then make sure the drummer is exactly on time for every single beat. It has to be perfect, or else the entire foundation of the song is flawed.
After drums comes bass guitar. After bass guitar comes rhythm guitar. After rhythm guitar comes lead guitar, and after lead guitar comes vocals/backup vocals. Then you get to add all of the little things: piano, shaker, tambo, random claps and sounds. After all of this comes the mixing and mastering. What's left is the final product!
The recording process is a long and daunting task that seems to drag on forever and ever, even for a 4 person/instrument band. It is also one of the best times to be a musician because you're able to record all the little creative things you've wanted to hear in the songs during rehearsal.
We started by recording scratch tracks of all of the songs. A scratch track is a very stripped down version of a song, just enough to set the tempo and give the drummer something to work with. After recording scratch tracks, our drummer recorded all of his parts for all of the songs. Recording drums seems to be the most boring and slow process of all time. It takes forever to set up the mics, mix and EQ the set, and then make sure the drummer is exactly on time for every single beat. It has to be perfect, or else the entire foundation of the song is flawed.
After drums comes bass guitar. After bass guitar comes rhythm guitar. After rhythm guitar comes lead guitar, and after lead guitar comes vocals/backup vocals. Then you get to add all of the little things: piano, shaker, tambo, random claps and sounds. After all of this comes the mixing and mastering. What's left is the final product!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Blog #3: Cloud 9
Today my friends and I went golfing. Billy, who won the round, has a very big ego according to Stomp. Tricky Rick is a phenomenal guitarist who is on the same cloud as I am, which thankful is 8 clouds lower than Billy (Earth). Stomp, along with Elton John, is on cloud 6, which is a very happy place. Cloud 9 is an honorable place. Billy won the round of golf, and thus made his way to the desirable numbered molecular gas.
Cloud 9 is where all the big dogs go. It has been said that "those who can't hang on the porch with the big dogs need to sit in the lawn." The same can be said for cloud 9. An example of an individual who would be on cloud 9 is not only Billy (according to Stomp) but a person like T.O. Said individuals are known to be full of themselves and think they are way "more hog" than they actually are.
Those who are kept on cloud 9 against their will and in their ignorant bliss, are only allowed 8 clouds lower (a normal cloud) if the clearance is given by Stomp. Stomp is the puppet master because he lost the round of golf in the first place. Allow me to clarify. Billy and Stomp were in heated competition, scored tied. Billy didn't win, but Stomp lost.
The story is to be continued as the night progresses, but for now each of us will enjoy the pillowy comfort of our designated clouds.
Cloud 9 is where all the big dogs go. It has been said that "those who can't hang on the porch with the big dogs need to sit in the lawn." The same can be said for cloud 9. An example of an individual who would be on cloud 9 is not only Billy (according to Stomp) but a person like T.O. Said individuals are known to be full of themselves and think they are way "more hog" than they actually are.
Those who are kept on cloud 9 against their will and in their ignorant bliss, are only allowed 8 clouds lower (a normal cloud) if the clearance is given by Stomp. Stomp is the puppet master because he lost the round of golf in the first place. Allow me to clarify. Billy and Stomp were in heated competition, scored tied. Billy didn't win, but Stomp lost.
The story is to be continued as the night progresses, but for now each of us will enjoy the pillowy comfort of our designated clouds.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Blog #2: Work
Today I will go to work. I work at a physical therapy clinic called Maxim. Not the magazine. I hear that every time I tell someone I work at “MAXIM.” Suddenly all the men I meet are interested and all the women make a face that says, “Grow up.” I always play it off with the same joke though. “Yeah I’m a model there.” I think it may have been funny the first or second time around, but after the millionth time it finally got old.
Either way, I will be spending my afternoon there working with patients of all ages. We treat children as young as 8 or 9 and as old as 90. I didn’t need any qualifications to work there; I am just a Physical Therapy Aide. The therapist evaluates a patient, fills out a sheet with a bunch of different workouts and exercises and I show the patients how to do them.
I am there for moral support as well. It’s a funny thing how there are pretty much 2 kinds of patients: Ones that will make the best of therapy and will work at it and be friendly about it, and ones that I know for sure I am going to just keep my mouth shut around and help them along as needed. Needless to say I tend to enjoy working with the former. It’s also amazing how many nice people there are out there. These people are coming into our place knowing they are going to get stretched and tweaked and pushed to their limits but so many of them walk in with smiles. It makes the job a lot easier having a warm and kind patient because you know you’re going to have the “first time talk” with everyone, which is always the same sort of small talk.
Then I clean the facility and leave. It’s going to be another good day at the office!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Blog #1: First Blog Ever
Well this is my first blog ever. I have always been somewhat computer savvy, but that is in terms of music recording and web browsing etc. And of course I used Myspace when I was in middle school and Facebook now that it’s super trendy and I’m in college. Although I’ve used Myspace and Facebook for about 8 years altogether, I’ve never been much of a “blogger” even though those are social sites. I feel like this is like an extensive twitter, which I don’t use either. That being said, I will probably be a loser at blogging.
I haven’t decided if blogging is a good or a bad thing. In my perfect world, everyone would just get together and talk about what is on their mind, what they’ve done today….basically the same things they would blog about. Naturally that’s not possible and I should know best since I don’t live anywhere near Truckee in the first place. I know a ton of people who use twitter as a “mass text” device which I guess is a pretty cool thing, being able to tell all of your friends something at the same time and only having to text it once. And I guess the reason I enjoy Facebook is because even though I don’t, a lot of people still leave updates and posts which I find entertaining. We’ll see how I feel about blogging this week!
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