Tag Archives: thought

Interests, Focuses & Accomplishments

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Computers, Words, Music, Movies

There are only so many things a person can accomplish during their life. Trying to do too many things can result in one of two outcomes: nothing gets done or nothing gets done well. Both of these options more or less terrify me which is why I take the weaker option of not getting anything done.

Sometimes I feel like I try to accomplish too many things at once, and that feeling overwhelms me. I get extremely flustered and apprehensive as I approach my mental mound of self-directed duties that I give off a slight jump and yelp as I then scurry off to cower in the unproductive shadows.

Yet it’d be far wiser to approach my inner tasks as I do my outer ones: breaking down the mountain that is the project I want accomplished into small goals and milestones. With the milestones I can then see my successes and be that much more proud and aware of my accomplishment. After only a few milestones the task is complete and all the previous feelings of anxiety simply fall to the wayside.

So I guess this means my first task is to put down my first milestone I need to meet. Fortunately for me I know just where that sucker belongs.

A Busy December Is A Lovely December

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For a variety of reasons I have been exceptionally busy the past couple of days, resulting in no new posts or explanation. This is the beginning of an explanation, but before I jump into detail let me derail my train of thought:

Until this year, every December I’ve experienced during my formative years was spent in school, studying and working on mid-terms and projects. This left every December stressful and busy, flying past without concern for my need to sleep, leaving me winded, dizzy, and stumbling into January on shaky legs.

I haven’t known any other way to operate. December was the month of long essays and complex projects. December was the month of stress-riddled sleep that was overwhelmingly delivered in short supply. Along with the unbearable cold and schizophrenic New England weather, December has always been a darkly depressing month.

For the first time in my life I am not spending my December studying for finals and mid-terms. And you know what? It’s glorious.

Sure, work is reaching a fever pitch of activity and workload, but it’s work that I love. As the year expires project deadlines loom, pushing all of to start the New Year on the right foot. It’s to be expected, it’s fun to finally experience, and it’s leaving me without any extra free time to write these posts.

But then how is this one being written? As the clock struck midnight I began to type, and so here you see the result. Forgive any sloppiness, the day has been long and my mind is going mad while I stall going to bed.

And I shall stall no more.

Music

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Music, the conscious arrangement of sound. It’s as old as us. Music is in our bones. It’s in our hearts. Be it rain hitting a gutter or a harp being strummed: music is universal.

Yet there are so many different types of music. No piece exactly like another, each as individual as the snowflake we usually use to describe a person. The myriad possible combinations of arranged sound afford us the luxury that originality will never be exhausted. What joy I take from such truth – from such assurance.

And what of those musical permutations? To each mood a melody can accent and make flush with color. The strike of a piano key when played on a sunny day can create an unnatural brightness that is unabashedly welcome. The repeated striking of piano keys can put a grin on your face so wide that it would hurt if not rested. And what a welcome pain that would be.

Yet these moods and tunes are perfect compliments. Just as peanut butter and jelly is an eternal marriage so too is music and emotion. And to those who object to the union I implore you to inspect the silence you hear and see how its silent harmony warms your blood.

For every human has a song that is played in their heart. Be it a symphony or rustling wind, music will always be with you. It will hold your hand as you longingly gaze into the infinite horizon. It will squeeze tight as you wonder thoughts without answers. And it will keep you warm as the wind chills your arms – the goosebumps remaining a reminder of your peace.

And how can one song fit one mood for one person? Can two share such an experience – despite distance? As one lies on a beach in California one dives into the Mediterranean Sea, each hears the relaxing crash of waves. Their breathing slows and their heartbeat eases, relaxing under the dry sky and listening to its chaotic rhythm.

Must the language of a song be the same as your native tongue? Can an opera created in Italy evoke a similar reaction to its performance in Peru? Without translation the audience gasps and jumps as if they were natural speakers. The eerie transcendence of an opera’s performance is conducted with ease and grace.

Yet from day to day you decide the soundtrack that accompanies you. Not only is it hand-selected and voluntarily observed, it is normal and acceptable for music to be with you on your mundane and extraordinary experiences. And later when you rest at home, you’ll hear the same song that was playing when you got gas for your car and you’ll smell the gasoline in your chair. How amazing are these visceral melodies to evoke such resolute memories.

And so I continue on my way, listening all the while. No day can pass devoid of music, no matter its type. The days the sun beats down I fill with tunes of yellow hue. The days the moon shines persistently I bathe in varieties of blue. And the days that my eyes remain closed I hum to myself, keeping myself warm and content in my head.

How Do You Listen to Music?

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wpid-music.kHe5cnxAMiXD.jpgThis past weekend I had the opportunity to visit with old friends. As we are prone to do we had many different sessions of playing and enjoying music. We practiced and performed a make shift harmonization of The Postal Service’s song Such Great Heights and got down and bluesy to The Beatles’ Rocky Raccoon.

In the midst of the night a friend and I began discussing what each of us look for when we listen to music.

The first thing I pay attention to when I listen to a song is its timbre, i.e. the feel of the song. I attune my ear to the manner in which the song is delivered and can usually tell if I like a song within the first ten-seconds of hearing it.

When I’ve decided that the timbre is of favorable quality I then turn my attention to more technical aspects of the song-making process. I isolate the melody and chorus, breaking down how they’re arranged and attempting to discern why I like them. After rolling them around my head a couple of times I then try to isolate other layers of the song, mentally isolating background pads from guitar leads to see how and why they work. The last part of a song that I pay attention to is the lyrics. I’ll notice the way the lyrics are sung quickly but I don’t focus on their actual content until the end.

My friend began telling me how he listens to music. He focuses on the technical aspects of a song first and works his way from there – ending on its timbre. Usually he and I agree on what songs we enjoy listening to but every so often there’s a diversion. Maybe it’s due to the way we listen to music, or maybe its just taste.

All I know is that music plays a very large part in my life. No matter how I listen, I know that I love to listen.

Fall’s Going to Change Things

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Last Thursday I received some awesome news. Let me back up first: Currently my full-time job is a college student. I am finishing my college career and was expecting to graduate in December of this year. Last Thursday I met with my guidance counselor and found out that I can graduate this summer. I’ve been on Cloud 9 since.

That was until I began thinking about what I was going to do this Fall. I’ll be a college-grad, living at home, and without a job. I’ve never encountered this before. Any other times I’ve had off were in-between college semesters. This is the first time I’ll be without school – and it’s a weird feeling.

Best thing I can do is to live today as today. If I get to thinking too far in the future I end up tripping over myself in my haste to force the future to become the now.

I’ve been working on an original song. When I get it better polished expect for it to be published here. I’m eager to get feedback but frightened of harsh criticism.

Disregarding everything above: here’s an up-and-coming band whose going on tour soon with the Antlers. They call themselves Phantogram and they got good grooves. My music doesn’t sound anything like this (yet) but I still love these sounds. Hit play and give them a listen.

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A Rule to Live By

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“Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.”

This idea comes from the TV show How I Met Your Mother, and is an idea which I think is pretty self-explanatory. Although I found the idea funny when I first heard it, I didn’t really consider it to be ‘true.’

However, as time progresses, and I analyze and evaluate my adventures past 2am, I have come to whole-heartedly agree that nothing good happens after 2am.

This can be true for many reasons. To name a few: people are more tired after 2am.

Ok, that wasn’t a few reasons. It was only one.

I’m sorry, I’m a little tired myself.

It’s after 2am. I’m up, restless, and hoping this entry serves as proof:

Nothing good happens after 2am.