Life Update

I have a few things on my mind that could make for their own posts, but I like bullet points. Think I'm gonna go with it and develop over time. Let's do this.

Quick hits:

*I saw Iron Man 2 this weekend. This is what I thought of it.

*I start my internship next Monday at the Montgomery Advertiser. It's not paid, but it's time consuming and I talked to my dad about it and I'm not going to get a second job this semester. What does this mean? It means no friggin income. Which sucks. But it also means I can see my friends and have a little fun before I get kicked in the face by the real world.

*Speaking of this summer, here are some things I plan on doing and some things I would like to happen. Possible beach trip with friends, at least one trip to Troy to see my bfff, Silversun Pickups concert, seeing my friends before they ship off to Texas in June, seeing my sister and brother-in-law when they visit from South Dakota, making the most of my last two months with my roommate since 2005, and if I can work it out I would like to attend this year's Warped Tour in Atlanta. Basically, I plan to make this one hell of a summer.

*Summer is going to be cool because of something else. I don't want to go in to too many details, but I'm kind of working on a "project." I'm trying to get other parties involved because I know if left to myself, it won't get done. But stay tuned about that because if it goes through, I am really excited about it.

*I just want to put out there that if I had time and resources, I would love to visit blogger friends. Just sayin.

*Less than three months till I graduate. I can't wait.

*I think I'm starting to realize that if my life takes a certain turn after I graduate, the thought of being a relationship may be a future thought. I might have to be one of those "career-first" kind of people. More on this later.

*Another story to talk more about in the future? How my iPod broke. And how I got a new one. It's a great story. Warmed my heart.

*I'm pretty sure the percentage of my friends that have a kid has been raised to at least 60% now. It's kind of ridiculous.

*I rented a video game. Specifically, some Spider-Man game. So if you will excuse me, I'm going to go web sling around New York City for a little while.

Random lyric of the day:

Now that I'm grown I've seen marriages fall to pieces.
Now that I'm grown I've seen friendships fall to pieces.
Weekend warriors and our best friends.
The writers weren't kidding about how all good things must end.
Then again somethings, then again somethings are far too good,
Somethings are far too good, to go when you let go.

(50) Sundays of Music: #33

#33: Underoath - They're Only Chasing Safety


Sometimes you need a good chill cd after a long day. Sometimes you need a good jammin cd for a party or get together. Sometimes you need a good hard cd that makes you want to rock and out and break things. This is that cd.

Admittedly, I had to force myself to get into Underoath. If you recall from my the last entrant in this countdown, my brothers were listening to this kind of stuff a lot. The screaming-in-your-face fast, loud music. But at it's core, it was still music. The reason I was able to get past the screaming is because there was actually singing somewhere in there. And what I could make out, I loved.

So I had the cd and kept trying to get into it, but just couldn't do it. Then, in the late 2006 I saw that Taking Back Sunday was coming to Birmingham. Opening up for them was Armor for Sleep and Underoath. I was excited for AFS, but decided to try my hand at learning Underoath. I was glad I did because I kept that cd in my car and honestly, it took a while to get out.

Underoath has always intrigued me. I've seen them twice (the opening slot for TBS and at last year's Warped Tour) and both times after there were done melting the faces off of the crowd, they took the time to thank their lord and savior. They didn't push anything on anybody, they just said their thanks. Regardless of your beliefs, that was pretty cool.

The cds that came after "They're Only Chasing Safety" have been good (their latest got 5 star reviews in some circles) but this is the only one that has captured my attention fully.

I admit this music isn't for everybody. For a long time, it wasn't for me. But if you can give it a chance, here are my favorites off of this cd:

(EDIT: I actually found videos where people put the lyrics. Try to listen, I think you will be surprised)







Ok, if you click on any one of these make sure it's this one. It's not their normal stuff at all, but it made me take notice that these guys are legit.

Wordless Wednesday: My Senior Prom

In a recent post by Allison, she put a prom-themed playlist and showed a picture during her prom, or grad, back when she attended. At the end, she challenged us to share our pictures. Challenge accepted. Let's get ready to travel back 5 years in time.

Most of the guys posing outside

My date and me making our entrance

Stole somebody's glasses for a pic. Thought it elevated me to baller status.

Gettin the party started

w/ Shedrick

Hey, you know her

with my sister

The chick in high school that I always wanted to date, but never got the chance

Frisco. The Man.

Chillin at the "after party"

Looking at these pics brings up a lot of stories. Maybe they will make for some good posts one day...

Hello Again

Aside from my Sunday posts, this is my first real post in, what, 3 weeks? That's what happens when the world comes crashing down on you. Ok, that was stretching just a little bit. Really, it was everything you have to do at the end of school (presentations, finals). But now that is over. Hello Summer!

So I just wanted to write this and check in with everybody. First off, thanks for the feedback on the Sunday posts. I have been slackin on replying myself but hope to change that starting with this Sunday. Second, in neglecting my own blog I've neglected reading most of yours. That also stops now.

I have some plans for this blog in the near future (aka, over the summer). I'm thinking about a layout change, blogging about more than just music (my internship should be fun to talk about), getting new readers (not to replace the wonderful ones that have stuck around, just to try and add), weeding out those bloggers that I haven't really connected with and lastly trying to get some of my themed posts going again.

So hopefully you guys will stick around for all that. I'm gonna enjoy spending my summer with you :)

Random lyric of the day:

You won't believe what I tell you,
White coats and clever minds will choose
You get a lot from this
Loose tongue and arrogance
It's not appropriate
Don't think that this is it

Edit: So I realize this post is kinda... dull. So let me entertain just a little bit. I'm doing a cover theme for my radio show tonight and I'm not playing the following, but I really like it:

(50) Sundays of Music: #34

#34: Lost Ocean - Lost Ocean


To tell this story, we need to go back. Way back. To 2007.

Ok, three years ago may not seem like that long of a time but definitely feels like it. As some of you know, I was born in California but raised in Alabama after I moved here at the age of 8. Well, only my dad and I moved out here leaving behind nearly all of my family on my mom's side. As a result, I go back to California frequently. Two members of my family I always look forward to visiting are my younger brothers. They are about four years younger than me meaning each step I take, they are only a few behind (I was leaving high school right as they were entering).

The summer of 2007 will always be memorable for me because in that short amount of time I grew very close to one of my brothers and grew apart from the other. In that regard, I guess it's a bittersweet memory. On one hand, I will always have that summer that took a good relationship and made it great. On the other hand, I will always have that summer that took a good relationship and turned it fragile. Three years later I am still close with one and while things have gotten better with the other, we both just know that it is never going to be as great as it could have been.

How is all this relevant to my Sunday Music Countdown? Because during that great/tumultuous summer, this cd basically provided the soundtrack. It was cool because this was during the time after my brothers started heavily getting into the "screamo" scene, a genre of music that took me a while to embrace (and even still I pick and choose who I listen to). But amidst all the yelling coming through the speakers, they put in this self-titled cd by Lost Ocean. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a sound referred to as "piano rock." It was a different kind of chill, the kind that you could drive to. And that's what I did, having to spend a lot of time in the car between the city where my grandparents lived and the city where my brothers lived.

This is the kind of cd that as soon as the I start the opening track, I am instantly transported back to I-5, McHenry Avenue in Modesto and the streets of my brothers' hometown of Stockton.

So I hate to sound like this, but I'm pretty sure the majority of you don't know this cd, at least compared to the feedback I've gotten from the selections from artists like Yellowcard, Coldplay, No Doubt. However, I would have NEVER heard of this band if not for my brothers. So take a chance like I did. I think you will like it.

(50) Sundays of Music: #35

#35: No Doubt - The Singles

Based on longevity, Gwen Stefani may be my biggest celebrity crush of all time. Ever since I first learned of No Doubt, I was attracted to this spunky not-your-ordinary-type girl. It helped that I learned of them around the time posters of half-naked girls where going on my wall. Ah, adolescence.

I first saw No Doubt headline a summer festival in California called Wango Tango. I'm not sure what year it was, but it was pretty soon after "Rock Steady" had come out. I was amazed at the way Stefani captured the stage and when I say them years later in 2009 for their summer reunion tour (after Gwen had gone off and done her solo thing) I had the same reaction. That girl (woman) owns that stage.

Now I have just devoted two paragraphs gushing over my love for the lead singer of No Doubt. Here is where I need to state the obvious: the band itself is amazing. Pretty much why I had to put the greatest hits cd on here.

This cd had it all. "Don't Speak" "Sunday Morning" "New" "Hella Good" "Underneath It All"... at this rate I would name the whole track list. I just love this band though. From the super fast pumped-up songs to the slower melodies, they can do it all. It helps that Stefani's voice can rise and fall to compliment the band really well.

And I have to talk about this. I truly feel Paramore has to owe some of their success to the path that No Doubt paved for them. Am I sexist and saying it's because they both have female singers? No, there are plenty of female-fronted bands that don't get compared to No Doubt. But Paramore is the closest when at times I felt like Hayley Williams could have been Gwen's little sister. Plus, I think this comparison speaks for itself (just my opinion though):

But the real reason this cd made the countdown? Because the entire thing is available for download on Rock Band. And since I got it, I have enjoyed drumming many a times. And yes, I've even grabbed the mic here and there.

So while I could post every single song because, well, it's a greatest hits cd, I will try to keep it to a few.









And if you haven't seen this already, this is me from when we saw them in Atlanta:

(50) Sundays of Music: #36

#36: The Academy Is... - Almost Here


Like any good story about how you discover a band, my first taste of The Academy Is... came after a friend of mine put them on a mixtape cd for me. The song in question was "Checkmarks" and I found myself going to back to that song more than the others on that mix cd.

I'm actually not sure how I came across Almost Here, but a part of me thinks I actually went to Target and bought it. What captured me was how young, yet mature it sounded. Lyrics like "you kiss me like an overdramatic actor, starving for work, with one last shot to make it happen" made me take notice. During my time with it, I would come across certain songs that are still favorites to this day.

"Black Mamba" is a cool song with an attitude, "Slow Down" was the first music video I saw for them where I was shocked at just how skinny William Beckett was (I wanted to get him some food), and "The Phrase That Pays" is a song that is kind of told in story mode. One time I was on the radio and said I was going to play some TAI and someone called in and said he loved them and I told them I was going to play Phrase and he said thanks. That was pretty cool.

So here are some tracks from Almost Here, but don't leave just yet...





BONUS

Almost Here is the cd that gets on the countdown, but since this is the only time that TAI appears, I have to give love to there are other releases that if I was doing a top 100 would definitely be on there.

From the album Santi:



From the album Fast Times at Barrington High



From the EP Lost in Pacific Time