Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sick...
So...on Thursday I got sick. A bad case of the flu + an ear infection. But I think it's getting better now. Hopefully I can completely recover by tomorrow, because I have a shitload of academics this week. Bring it on.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Glee
Hey guys. First of all, I'm sorry for not posting for a few days, but these past couple of days have been hectic as hell, to say the least. I've had quite a bit of homework, and there really was no time for me to do any posts. I'm glad I'm able to do one today though, since I get off early on Wednesdays.
Now on to the subject at hand. Maybe some of you are familiar with a television program known as Glee. Everyone loves this show, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why. So I decided to watch an episode. After a few minutes of skimming through the episode guide, I decided to watch the finale of the first season, "Journey to Regionals". I still have no idea what the episode was about, plot-wise. I mean, I sort of do. I think it was something about being worried that their club was being disbanded. But they stuck so much bullshit into the episode, that all I could get out of it was a lot of typical high school drama.
Eventually, they played a mash up consisting of a few Journey covers. I actually listened carefully this time, and paid special attention to how they had everything mixed. I was actually surprised the guitar work was not sloppy (they changed some of the guitar solos, but it wasn't really that bad), but the signature driving attitude of rock music was lost. Essentially, on a scale of 1-10, the guitar and the drums were mixed down to a 4, and the vocals were jacked up to a 10 along with the bass. It was the most uneven mix I'd ever heard. Maybe because I listen to a lot of rock and metal and I'm not used to pop mixing, but usually when covering a rock song, you still want to capture the essence of what made the song so great in the first place. Steve Perry was known for his melodic, raw voice that brought forth emotions of hope and resilience. The Glee cast ended up shoving 10 singers on stage to attempt the song (maybe to them, the more the better). First of all, an impeccable voice does not naturally make your music good. It can help, but if you're making music solely to please millions and millions of television viewers, your vocal production will tend to be oversaturated. I wasn't really feeling the guitar tone either. It sounded way too polished for Journey. But, guitar tone is really subjective, so that's just a minor point.
Also, I hope to God that Glee won't ruin My Chemical Romance next week. Okay, that's just wishful thinking, but I hope that it won't be as horrid as what they did to Journey. And I'm aware that many of you will hate on me after this post.
Go ahead. "Come at me bro." (in the words of Jersey Shore)
I do love Jersey Shore. It's a hell of a show.
Now on to the subject at hand. Maybe some of you are familiar with a television program known as Glee. Everyone loves this show, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why. So I decided to watch an episode. After a few minutes of skimming through the episode guide, I decided to watch the finale of the first season, "Journey to Regionals". I still have no idea what the episode was about, plot-wise. I mean, I sort of do. I think it was something about being worried that their club was being disbanded. But they stuck so much bullshit into the episode, that all I could get out of it was a lot of typical high school drama.
Eventually, they played a mash up consisting of a few Journey covers. I actually listened carefully this time, and paid special attention to how they had everything mixed. I was actually surprised the guitar work was not sloppy (they changed some of the guitar solos, but it wasn't really that bad), but the signature driving attitude of rock music was lost. Essentially, on a scale of 1-10, the guitar and the drums were mixed down to a 4, and the vocals were jacked up to a 10 along with the bass. It was the most uneven mix I'd ever heard. Maybe because I listen to a lot of rock and metal and I'm not used to pop mixing, but usually when covering a rock song, you still want to capture the essence of what made the song so great in the first place. Steve Perry was known for his melodic, raw voice that brought forth emotions of hope and resilience. The Glee cast ended up shoving 10 singers on stage to attempt the song (maybe to them, the more the better). First of all, an impeccable voice does not naturally make your music good. It can help, but if you're making music solely to please millions and millions of television viewers, your vocal production will tend to be oversaturated. I wasn't really feeling the guitar tone either. It sounded way too polished for Journey. But, guitar tone is really subjective, so that's just a minor point.
Also, I hope to God that Glee won't ruin My Chemical Romance next week. Okay, that's just wishful thinking, but I hope that it won't be as horrid as what they did to Journey. And I'm aware that many of you will hate on me after this post.
Go ahead. "Come at me bro." (in the words of Jersey Shore)
I do love Jersey Shore. It's a hell of a show.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
On Being Superficial...
I've always been a sucker for older movies.
You might be thinking, "What kind of an idiot watches movies before 2010?! WHAT A LOSER."
This one does. Nice to meet you.
Anyway, you know the ones with the signature "rough-around-the-edges", vintage video quality. Some good examples would be Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, The Breakfast Club, The Basketball Diaries, etc (The list goes on and on, but I'll stop right here so I don't lose your attention). I've always found these movies much more brusque (in a good way) than the impeccable high definition we have nowadays. I'm not really complaining though. Technology has come a long way since the 70's and 80's, and new discoveries and methods of doing things are being made daily.
Most of my friends despise older movies. When prompted for a reason, they usually talk about how bad the video quality is. I think this is a very shallow mindset to adopt. Because one thing that these modern flicks are lacking that most of the ones from the 80's and 90's had were down-to-earth, relatable plot lines, and above all, the gritty attitude. Okay, actually I only mean to attach "relatable plot-lines" to "The Breakfast Club", since the odds of landing yourself in a state-wide crime syndicate and almost getting sodomized by a corrupt cop and his gimp, then saving the man that tried to empty his pistol into your temple by hacking said cop to death with a katana, or getting kicked out of your house because of a heroin addiction is hardly relatable. However, the stories are presented in such a manner that you feel as if you are a character in the movie. The scripts are all very simple and raw. If you look at movies nowadays, you can see how much more polished they are. The quality of movies post 2000 are truly amazing, but I am not able to immerse myself inside the movie to feel as if I am part of it because it is just too perfect. Grit is given up in exchange for quality. That's just the way things go I guess...
But ever since I've learned to appreciate and watch older movies (which was about the age of 15, so only a few years actually), I've been able to apply the concept of looking past the surface of things to not only movies, but my relationships with people, music, and every day situations. I have met people that have told me things like, "I don't like so-and-so, his hair makes him look like a douchebag."
My response to that is, "Are you serious? You don't like him because of his hair? Have you even talked to him?" It's ridiculous, because this person could be the nicest person in the world, and you're going to judge someone based on what kind of hair they have? What kind of a shallow waste of skin does that? It is unfair to judge somebody before talking to them and getting to know them personally, which is why I will never say anything negative about somebody until I know for sure (from firsthand experience) that they are class A dickheads.
I will never understand people who have some sort of a set opinion on others before actually making any contact with them...
You might be thinking, "What kind of an idiot watches movies before 2010?! WHAT A LOSER."
This one does. Nice to meet you.
Anyway, you know the ones with the signature "rough-around-the-edges", vintage video quality. Some good examples would be Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, The Breakfast Club, The Basketball Diaries, etc (The list goes on and on, but I'll stop right here so I don't lose your attention). I've always found these movies much more brusque (in a good way) than the impeccable high definition we have nowadays. I'm not really complaining though. Technology has come a long way since the 70's and 80's, and new discoveries and methods of doing things are being made daily.
Most of my friends despise older movies. When prompted for a reason, they usually talk about how bad the video quality is. I think this is a very shallow mindset to adopt. Because one thing that these modern flicks are lacking that most of the ones from the 80's and 90's had were down-to-earth, relatable plot lines, and above all, the gritty attitude. Okay, actually I only mean to attach "relatable plot-lines" to "The Breakfast Club", since the odds of landing yourself in a state-wide crime syndicate and almost getting sodomized by a corrupt cop and his gimp, then saving the man that tried to empty his pistol into your temple by hacking said cop to death with a katana, or getting kicked out of your house because of a heroin addiction is hardly relatable. However, the stories are presented in such a manner that you feel as if you are a character in the movie. The scripts are all very simple and raw. If you look at movies nowadays, you can see how much more polished they are. The quality of movies post 2000 are truly amazing, but I am not able to immerse myself inside the movie to feel as if I am part of it because it is just too perfect. Grit is given up in exchange for quality. That's just the way things go I guess...
But ever since I've learned to appreciate and watch older movies (which was about the age of 15, so only a few years actually), I've been able to apply the concept of looking past the surface of things to not only movies, but my relationships with people, music, and every day situations. I have met people that have told me things like, "I don't like so-and-so, his hair makes him look like a douchebag."
My response to that is, "Are you serious? You don't like him because of his hair? Have you even talked to him?" It's ridiculous, because this person could be the nicest person in the world, and you're going to judge someone based on what kind of hair they have? What kind of a shallow waste of skin does that? It is unfair to judge somebody before talking to them and getting to know them personally, which is why I will never say anything negative about somebody until I know for sure (from firsthand experience) that they are class A dickheads.
I will never understand people who have some sort of a set opinion on others before actually making any contact with them...
Friday, February 4, 2011
Fridays
I love Fridays. Maybe it's because it's the only day I'm ever able to get some rest, along with Sunday. I always have Tae Kwon Do sparring class on Saturday, and sparring class really gets exhausting. Those of you who do sparring will understand what I mean. The nonstop flurry of kicks and punches you have to give (and take, for that matter) will make you feel like you've run 5 kilometres. Thinking of running or jogging to lose some weight? Go join Tae Kwon Do sparring instead! I swear, it's at least 10 times the workout.
Today, Children Of Bodom, my favourite band, released a new song off their upcoming album "Relentless Reckless Forever" entitled "Ugly". It's pretty neat. It's their most atmospheric stuff since Hate Crew Deathroll. Alexi ripped out a monster solo on that track. I have high hopes for the album. Anyways, that's all I have today. Nothing really interesting happened today. There's something on my mind that I would like to blog about...but I don't really feel that today is the right time. Maybe another day.
Today, Children Of Bodom, my favourite band, released a new song off their upcoming album "Relentless Reckless Forever" entitled "Ugly". It's pretty neat. It's their most atmospheric stuff since Hate Crew Deathroll. Alexi ripped out a monster solo on that track. I have high hopes for the album. Anyways, that's all I have today. Nothing really interesting happened today. There's something on my mind that I would like to blog about...but I don't really feel that today is the right time. Maybe another day.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Happy Chinese New Year!
新年快樂!
Until next time,
ZOMGACOW
For those of you who don't read Chinese, the four words above translate to "Happy New Year!" It is Chinese New Year today, and I had a pretty good time. I was pretty tired for most of the day though, because I had to wake up at 7:00 to pour the tea for my parents and do a whole bunch of traditional Chinese things. Then I went to work out at 9:00. I experimented with a larger variety of exercising today, working a little on my triceps, biceps, and core. I think I'm starting to get the hang of some of the things there now.
Anyways, this is just a quick update, because I don't really have anything to say today.
Until next time,
ZOMGACOW
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
75% Of People Are Cowards
Hey guys. I just came back from a hearty Chinese New Year's Eve dinner with some family friends (now you know that I'm Chinese). Looking forward to another massive dinner tomorrow night too.
If you're wondering about the authenticity of the title, it's totally bullshit. I just needed a title that would draw people in to read this. Anyways, people these days are so damn confusing. Have people really gotten to the point where they think it's completely justified to do things that don't make sense? I hear it from my friends all the time, "So and so is avoiding me because I tapped him on the shoulder before saying hi to him.", or "So and so started acting like a douchebag to me after I made a remark about how disgusting that donut looked."
I mean, ok. Both sides are usually at some sort of fault here. In the first example, maybe "so and so" got abused by his father as a child, and right before the beatings, his father would tap him on the shoulder as some sort of sick ritual. And in the second example, maybe negative connotations are attached to the word "donut" for this guy because he used to be really fat (like morbidly obese), and his nickname all throughout his middle school years was "donut", and he had the shittiest years of his life there. People have different reactions to different things, and that's understandable. But people need to understand that NO ONE except for themselves know exactly what's going through their own mind, and it's not fair to treat other people as if they should know you inside out. It's a ridiculous double-standard. And none of this really justifies actions of avoiding the problem or being an asshole.
Are you a person that has a problem with someone right now? Go right up to that goddamn person, whoever he/she may be, look them in the eye, and directly tell them how they're bugging you. You don't have to be a dick about it, but make it known that you are being affected. Because chances are, whoever this is, has no fucking idea that friendly tap on the shoulder or that casual comment about the donut could possibly conjure up such a boiling rage in you that you want to punch a baby. As long as this person is a decent person (which I believe most people are), compromises will be able to be made, and situations can be mended. Just remember, don't act like a child and pull the "cold shoulder" shit, or act like a bitch. That will only make you seem as if you have a serious case of bipolar disorder.
People could have the potential to minimize unnecessary fights by tenfold if they did just this. Or maybe I'm just being too logical, and I'm not quantifying enough the weight that human emotion carries in these situations.
But seriously, confront your problems head-on, or forever live your life as a coward.
If you're wondering about the authenticity of the title, it's totally bullshit. I just needed a title that would draw people in to read this. Anyways, people these days are so damn confusing. Have people really gotten to the point where they think it's completely justified to do things that don't make sense? I hear it from my friends all the time, "So and so is avoiding me because I tapped him on the shoulder before saying hi to him.", or "So and so started acting like a douchebag to me after I made a remark about how disgusting that donut looked."
I mean, ok. Both sides are usually at some sort of fault here. In the first example, maybe "so and so" got abused by his father as a child, and right before the beatings, his father would tap him on the shoulder as some sort of sick ritual. And in the second example, maybe negative connotations are attached to the word "donut" for this guy because he used to be really fat (like morbidly obese), and his nickname all throughout his middle school years was "donut", and he had the shittiest years of his life there. People have different reactions to different things, and that's understandable. But people need to understand that NO ONE except for themselves know exactly what's going through their own mind, and it's not fair to treat other people as if they should know you inside out. It's a ridiculous double-standard. And none of this really justifies actions of avoiding the problem or being an asshole.
Are you a person that has a problem with someone right now? Go right up to that goddamn person, whoever he/she may be, look them in the eye, and directly tell them how they're bugging you. You don't have to be a dick about it, but make it known that you are being affected. Because chances are, whoever this is, has no fucking idea that friendly tap on the shoulder or that casual comment about the donut could possibly conjure up such a boiling rage in you that you want to punch a baby. As long as this person is a decent person (which I believe most people are), compromises will be able to be made, and situations can be mended. Just remember, don't act like a child and pull the "cold shoulder" shit, or act like a bitch. That will only make you seem as if you have a serious case of bipolar disorder.
People could have the potential to minimize unnecessary fights by tenfold if they did just this. Or maybe I'm just being too logical, and I'm not quantifying enough the weight that human emotion carries in these situations.
But seriously, confront your problems head-on, or forever live your life as a coward.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Exercise
There's not much to talk about today. I didn't do much, just went to school at 9:00 and came back home around 4:00. Pretty boring day right? Oh, I also forgot to say this in the blog post before this, but I have started working out as of January 30, 2011.
A few years ago, I had convinced myself that exercise (i.e working out, running) was of no use to me and I didn't need it, so I made a promise to myself that I would never work out or run (I still did it for PE class in Grade 9, but once Grade 10 came around and PE was not a required course anymore, I completely stopped). I kept that promise for 3 or 4 years. I asked myself for the first time in years, why I made this promise, and my mind just replied with, "I don't remember, but you've got to keep it. You promised yourself!" I angrily fought back. "Yes, but I'm sure that when I made that promise, it was under different circumstances! I don't think it applies anymore!" My mind gave in, and I went to work on my core with Kevin H.
The psychological feeling that I felt as I was doing those sit-ups with weights on my chest was akin to a young child stumbling upon a toy in his room that he had always owned, but never played with. And it was a fun toy. There's so much more I could say about this; the rush of adrenaline filling your veins, the shot of testosterone flying through your body like a speeding bullet...
I've still got a ways to go if I'm ever going to get arms as big as cannons, but you know what? I don't even want arms as big as cannons. I'm perfectly fine with being wiry. However, I'd still like to define all the muscles in my body and make them as solid as marble. Kind of like Bruce Lee. My 4 years in Tae Kwon Do has definitely helped nudge me forward a little in that regard. I just got my first degree black belt in November of 2010! Yes, be jealous.
Anyways, bottom line? Start working out, it's pretty exciting!
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