My Music Blog at 5am

Don't bother asking me why I am awake now.  Trust me, I wish I were sleeping.

I figure it was about time to do something about music.  It's a good topic cause everybody likes it.  And for those of you who don't, you're weird.

Naturally, I'm only going to talk about what I like.  In my approach to this, I decided not to try to use my brand of objective  yet biased vague yet specific but non-informative music genre categorization.  Instead, I thought it would be best to use iTunes and let it tell me what I like (honestly, isn't that where the future is heading anyway, I'm sure Apple is working on iOpinion as we speak).  I'm gonna use that even if the results will have the potential to be embarrassing for me, which is why I would hesitate otherwise.

This isn't your usual "Pick your random ten songs" type thing.  This is a serious consideration of my top played songs as iTunes, luckily, keeps track of that pretty useless but obsessively interesting information.

Top Play Count Songs with Commentary (of course!)

1.  Angel-Aerosmith----114 plays

     Neither embarrassing or a surprise.  This song, without doubt, is my favorite song.  Ever. Period.  From a person whose favorite list of anything always includes at least 3 options (plus more alternatives) that's saying a lot. 

2. Hello-Evanescence---114 plays

    I'm not sure why this has as many plays as "Angel" since it is nowhere near being my favorite song.  This song is in my "Mood" music category.  By "Mood" I mean music I listen to when I'm melancholy (or is it melancholic?) or trying to write.  Usually those two events occur simultaneously and last for hours/days, thus the high play count of this song.

3. Hallelujah-Rufus Wainwright---112 plays

    I first heard this song on the Shrek soundtrack.  When I first got Shrek on VHS (an oldie but a goodie media, except not really 'goodie'), I use to rewind the movie to the scene where the song is played and listen to it over and over and over and over again.  I've pretty much done the same thing with this song.

4. It's Been Awhile-Staind---102 plays

    Not even my favorite Staind sing but it is the one I've had the longest.  Quite possibly it is my favorite song title though.  I often use it in emails and short stories because I like to pretend I'm clever when I slip in stuff like that.

5. My Immortal-Evanescence---98 plays

   The only reason I ever gave Evanescence the time of day was because of "Bring Me to Life."  I love that song and I still remember the first time I heard, one of the few songs that earn that honor.  However, "My Immortal" soon eclipsed that because of my ability to directly connect the emotions of the song to my massive/epic novel(s) Consumption Divine.  I mean is about vampire gods and goddesses after all.

6. If You're Not the One-Daniel Bedingfield---97 plays

   I like Daniel of the two Bedingfields.  Unfortunately I can't much explain this song at all.  Except this song examines the feelings of unreturned heartbreaking love and who can't identify with that?

7. Total Eclipse of the Heart-Bonnie Taylor---96 plays

   I have loved this song since before iTunes was even invented or possible conceptual conceived.  All I can say is it's epic.  And also kind of evokes my novel (see above).

8. Numb-Linkin' Park---93 plays

   Again, not my favorite Linkin' Park song but the one I've had the longest.  But considering most of the content of my fave Park songs, I don't think it makes much of a difference.

9. Inside Out-Eve 6---91 plays

    I had no idea I had listened to song so many times.  What I really love about this song is the amazing and admirable image and word play.  I think it shows true thought and artistry with language which is rare to find anywhere but especially in modern music.  Also, it has the truest explanation of my hate for clocks (sans those of the digital variety): "The tick-tock of the clock is painful, all sane and logical. . ." (note: the play count just went up one as I just listened to it).

10.  Behind Blue Eyes-Limp Bizkit---91 plays

   I only got really interested in this song because of the music video special they did on MTV (or something resembling MTV) when the movie Gothika came out.  (BTW if anyone can figure out why that movie is called Gothika, please let me know).  I knew the original by The Who (you know that great 'classic' band that now whores itself to CBS's CSI franchise's numerous theme songs) and it didn't appeal to me too much.   But when I was watching this special, I happened to catch a line that I heard as "My dreams aren't as empty as my conscience seems to be."  Because I've always considered my self to have no conscience, I thought this was great.  At some point, I discovered that it was "conscious" rather than "conscience" and I became disillusioned by the song.  Unfortunately, I had already listened to it an ass load of times. (note: that was a long commentary for a mediocre cover song).

Honorable Mentions (Because this blog just isn't quite long enough)

I Melt With You-Modern English--91 plays

Breaking the Habit-Linkin' Park--91 plays

Runaway Train-Soul Asylum--89 plays

Ain't No Sunshine-Bill Withers--85 plays

She's Always A Woman-Billy Joel--84 plays (ah, there's the embarrassment)

So, I don't know how I feel about all of that.  If we went with my description of my music taste, I would say "Angel" is my favorite song (which we already covered); Aerosmith, Queen, Staind, and Linkin' Park are my favorite bands; and hard rock is my favorite genre.  But apparently I listen to my "Slit my Wrist" music more than anything else.  Perhaps it's not fair to call it that since it is also my "I Want to Sleep With Music" playlist too.  So, I guess that makes it my "Suicide or Sleep" music.  That amuses me somehow.  And makes me sleepy.  So I will attempt sleep again. 

But if you're still awake, does iTunes take into account play counts on your iPod?  What happens when I transfer my music to my laptop, will the play counts transfer too?

The End.

Searching for Meaning

I have started about four or five blogs and deleted them all when I realized that I have nothing to say.  If you're ever near me ever, you would find this difficult to believe--that I have nothing to say.  Maybe I should be more explicit--I have nothing meaningful to say.  Even now I can't think of anything to add to this.

In an attempt to find something meaningful, I've begun obsessively reading news sites.  Just about the only thing I have to say in response is "What?!"  Probably some of the most meaningless letters ever assembled to create a word.  Never useful or meaningful in any situation. 

I feel like this problem deserves some philosophizing.  Some clever or smart observation about me or the state of the world.  But I am becoming increasingly fond of Nabokov's line "Philosophy is the invention of the rich."  Or even better, from Shakespeare himself , "Hang philosophy!"  And of course I'm not entirely sure either of these phrases are appropriate (when in Rome.)  

I came here in sunglasses and I'm leaving without.  It sounds poetic enough.  And since it seems to have no immediately discernible meaning, it must be poetry.  And by the same logic it must also be philosophy, as it is just as mysterious in meaning.

And those are my thoughts for today.

Busy, busy, busy bee

Somewhere between calling advertisers, oversleeping, and awkward convergence meetings, I think I had a life.  But don't hold me to it.

Hit the Auld Shebeen last Friday.  I found it to be pretty awesome.  But I wish I had been more drunk.  Don't get me wrong, I drank a lot but . . . I somehow got angry drunk.  So that was a downer.  But again, on Friday, I will be chilling (with my drink and my two-step) at the Auld Shebeen.  Seriously the basement is everything a bar should be.

Last night there was a full lunar eclipse.  I was happy to see that for about five minutes.  Then my roommates and I spent the next half hour trying to take pictures.  In case anyone has ever tried this or would like to try in the future, here's a warning: regular cameras cannot capture the moon.  It is too far away.  Period.  The End.  You might get smeary moon like pictures.  Or even a little dot that's kind of white.  But on the whole, you will not get the moon.  So do not waste half an hour in the freezing cold with chairs and books acting as makeshift tripods trying and testing a thousand different camera settings in attempt to record a lunar eclipse.

And Squid the frog died. Right in the middle of the eclipse.  I dished him out with a spoon (cause no one else would do it) and we buried him outside our door, right near Inochiquoise (the ancient Beta fish that died last semester).  No longer is there Squid and Tango, just Tango.  At least until we get Squid+1.  Then we can relive the little Squid moments with a new frog.  But there aren't many cause we only had him for two weeks.  But still they were good.  Rest In Peace Squid!

And in other news. . . there is no other news.  Thank god it's Thursday!!

Fragments in Time and Something about Voting

Monday, Monday . . . (oh no not songs again! It's not even Monday!)  

Right.

Happy Super Tuesday! No--Happy Chesapeake Tuesday!  Did you vote today?

I did.  I woke up before the crack of dawn (though it pretty much looks the same), voted and went to an early morning class just so I can spend most of the day in meetings and drink an enormous amount of coffee to make it through a  7-10 class.  And vote.  (That was the real point wasn't it).  It's crazy for college students to get out and vote.  Despite that it's our civic duty, they (the government of all conspiracy theories) don't make it easy for all of us.  I mean, college students have to have some of the most complex residencies in the country, unless they are going to a university in state.  Out of the three kids within my own family, I'm the only who's permanent resident and college is in the same state; so, I'm just gonna assume that a large number of students travel out of state for their higher education. I am thankful for the leap in technology (from lever and paper voting, if any of you ever did that, to the beautiful touch screens of today), but really voting technology needs to find a worm hole and travel light years into the future so that any American citizen (or whatever it takes to vote in this country) can do it from wherever they are in the U.S. I know this complicates state level voting, but I'm sure the intelligent people in control of voting (is anyone in control, btw?) can figure out a way around the kinks. It's not that I would promote laziness (did I just say that?), but voting should be made as easy as possible.  Besides I'm sure it wouldn't just help college students but others who may reside in one state but do a large part of their living in another (or several others), like truckers, and athletes, and traveling singing groups, and socialites, and diplomats, and etc. This would never be a problem on my island of revolution, of course.  Because no one votes and I'm always in charge.

All in all, that's not what I wanted to talk about. . .

I'm in a special topics class mysteriously entitled "Bookish Beasts".  In actuality the full title is "Engl 497: Special Topics in Creative Writing: Collage, Collaboration, and Other Bookish Beasts".  The class covers all forms of and matters concerning what is commonly called altered books.  Taken at the page level this includes collage poetry, erasure poetry, collaborative poetry, etc.  Considering I haven't taken a poetry class since Intro to Creative Writing (was that sophomore year?) and this is a combined undergrad and graduate course, most of the discourse concerning the experimental (can it really be called experimental since it's been going on since Pound and Eliot?) art-form/poetry is pretty much above my head.  But I do understand the most basic question: How is it considered art or created or original craft, when you are taking from material previously published (and created) by another artist?  I could erase some words in a book and call it a poem.  Would that make me an artist or, even more prestigiously, a writer? 

I, in fact, had the very same question the first night of class.  I, in all my infinite wisdom, thought we would adress these questions on the first night.  We didn't.  Or maybe we did and I didn't understand (or don't remember).  But for this week's assignment, we were given a piece that responded to these concerns.  And, at least to my satisfaction, quelled fears of unoriginality or theft or becoming prentiously mysterious about meanings and calling everything art or meaningful poetry.  Though I guess you can call it whatever you want, but that doesn't make it good.  So, to add my response to the the articles response I collaged a thing.  It's actually really interesting because the poem part, sandwiched in the middle between to two quotes, I wrote while I was taking that Intro to Creative Writing class (on my way back to my room after feeling particularly depressed about my creativity and overall bad poetry).  When I read the article, my mind immediately came back to this piece.  Anyway here's the new thing:

"We all speak words already spoken and write words already written."

Already

What I want to say

is already written.

So, I steal

their words

to make my own,

create a home

for my thoughts

they stole

already.

"I will speak with his mouth as before I lived he spoke with mine."

click for full article

It may evolve into a greater (or lesser, though that's not really evolving is it?) being in the future.  But that is essentially collage, both theoretically and in practice.

That's all for today.  I think I need more coffee.

"Yes We Can" Video

Some of you may have had the chance to see Barack Obama when he came to GMU last Spring.  If not, allow yourself to be inspired by this video, making it's way across YouTube and other internet sites.

P. S. Don't forget to vote on Tuesday, 12 February, 2008, no matter who you choose.

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back (Kotter)

Ok, so you're name isn't Kotter. Ok, so it's the third week of school.  Maybe you didn't go anywhere.  Maybe this is your first semester. Whatever, I don't care, I want to do a welcome/update blog, so deal.

So, what's new pussycat? (whoo-oo-o)

Other than my new fascination with obscure theme songs, not much.  (Big lead up and little delivery right?)  Let's see, the new convenient store opened. But it's not convenient for me, living on the other side of campus, so I will probably never make it out there.  Another buzz topic on campus, the closing of Lot F.  Again, not a big concern for me because I don't have a car.  And that topic is thoroughly discussed in late night classes (when all the commuters need to park) and in Broadside. 

So, what can I talk about? New hours at The Bistro.  And pretty much every eatery in the JC.  Last semester on-campus dining experienced an hours explosion.  Suddenly there was a plethora of food on the weekends at hours when the average college student was awake.  Now, the JC after 3 on Friday is once again a torturous place for the empty stomach.  Unless you want Taco Bell or sushi, you are pretty much left with Ciao Hall again.  Or the Ramen Noodles in your dorm room.  

But back to The Bistro.  This semester they close at 2pm.  I think the logic behind this is the extra hours at George's and the pasta exhibition place that has replaced Charleston Market.  Unfortunately, since I hate pasta and eating in George's, this just doesn't cut it for me.  (Sorry rabid George's fans)  Admittedly, Charleston Market didn't have the best food, but they did carve up big pieces of meat.  And on a campus where most the meat you can get is deli, chopped, wrapped in a tortilla, stuck on cheese, soaked in salt, deep fried, or covered in MSG,  a slice of roast turkey was a nice pure protein alternative.  Probably the most unbelievable part of the new JC hours is the seemingly constant closure of the pizza place.  That was an easy place to grab a slice for breakfast and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays.  It's beyond me why they've closed it since it is the only place that serves pizza (other than The Bistro, but we've covered that).  And unless you count that doughy cheesy concoction served in Ciao.  Which I don't.

Be sure, in the future, I won't talk so much about food.  Or complain so much at all.  In fact, this weekend, if this cold doesn't get the better of me, I will be hitting up The Auld Shebeen again.  Last time I went it was pretty awesome.  The band played covers of 80s songs with a rock 'n' roll twist.  But my friend wasn't entirely feelin' it, so we didn't stay as long as I'd like.  This weekend I have no idea who the band is but I will be there with someone who doesn't get the drunken urge to wander.  Anyway, I will be back here Monday to share all my exciting escapades.  Unless I am taken out by this gradually building cold/flu thing, in which case you will get a sniffly update of how warm my bed was and how worn out my DVD collection is.

Find out next time . . . Same Bat Time-Same Bat Channel!

(Ok so it's not a theme song but it's just as lame.)