I'm not sure if I've ever fully "opened up" about what the guitar means to me, and its role in my world. This isn't going to be anything along the lines of "it saved my life," but since I'd rather talk about something positive...well, this is up there.
After 12 years of playing, it seems my interest in guitar is one of the few things where the passion never declines. I never forget about it for a month and then get back into it. Drawing, politics, comics and more are all regularly very important in my life, but not continuously.
Some things I love about playing guitar (in no particular order):
Riffs! It's so fun to jam on a badass riff by the likes of Led Zeppelin or Pantera.
Writing! As silly as it may have seemed to try to write "songs" before I could play an instrument, I'm glad I did. Composing music and/or lyrics is one of the most fulfilling things in my life. I wouldn't be able to do it properly without my instrument of choice.
Bands! Having a band is clutch. I'm in my 5th now, and it's incredible working towards a common goal with other musicians. I'm grateful that I can play with people who impress and humble me, and push me to grow.
Shows! This is it. Onstage is a place where I can only have fun. It's been proven. For one show, I went in with a terrible headache - not something you want to play a headbang-filled metal show with. Another show saw me ready to break up the band (not Ruins of Now) and end my friendship with another member. Both times, none of these issues existed once the first song was underway.
I like to throw on various songs and play along, constructing a "set." Sometimes with a specific goal (like working on my acoustic repertoire, playing along to an album/band), but a goal isn't always necessary. Most of my playing at home consists of this, with true "practice sessions" focused on what I have difficulty with during these playthroughs. Original songs are included too. This is a really fun way to play, and it seems to keep me ready for playing through a complete set.
Well that's all I'm going to put up for now. I'll continue later, with some commentary on my individual guitars.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Big one soon
No, I haven't posted in a while.
No, I have not forgotten about this blog.
Yes, because I didn't want to start this sentence with "no."
Working on a big post; a topic I've been thinking about a lot. Might be important, but I might be full of it. Your call.
No, I have not forgotten about this blog.
Yes, because I didn't want to start this sentence with "no."
Working on a big post; a topic I've been thinking about a lot. Might be important, but I might be full of it. Your call.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Heading South for the Winter
Well not exactly. Just for the week of Thanksgiving. This might be long.
I'm looking forward to this trip for a lot of reasons, and it's arguably the most important thing I've done in a while. Concerning who I am as an adult, the choices I make and how I act towards the family that raised me and has gone through utter hell recently, I have to do things that frankly can be scary to think about.
This is the second trip I've made to visit my family in which I'm entirely self-reliant. Until the early Spring of this year my parents had been able to contribute money for traveling, typically through plane tickets. I just had to get to and from the Kalamazoo airport and then I was set to go to New Jersey, with an available car and a place to stay. Now such things are not an option, regardless of whether or not people would want to sustain such behavior at this point. Amongst the personal traumas that have frustratingly dominated much of the last 2 years, money has been much tighter than anyone expected. I guess the good part is we can all relate, since this is a pretty common story.
I feel this heightens the importance of doing a trip like this. If I don't make it happen, no one will because no one can. It's impossible to overstate how much my parents want to see me for Thanksgiving. I need to visit them in a trip that's not forced by a crisis. I'm hoping that I can enjoy visiting them without anger, paranoia and/or hurt either influencing or looming over every interaction.
New Jersey has been surprisingly hard to lose, and a lot of it I'm sure is because of the circumstances of my last visit. By the way, I have no intention of spelling out exactly what's happened. If you don't know, it might not be something I feel comfortable telling you. You can still ask.
Anyway, there's a lot I miss about the place, a lot of feelings I'm nostalgic for. However, I'm really excited to check out this area of Georgia. The scenery down in the Deep South is wonderful, both developed and natural. In particular, the swamps in the region are drawing my attention. Lately I've become very interested in wetlands, particular those in the United States. Many weekends in the last few months were dominated by walks at nature areas where I could find marshes and swamps. I even got a pair of waders for my birthday and went hiking with my friend Ryan in a completely undeveloped game area.
The southern swamps are something else entirely.
I'm bringing the family here: The Okefenokee Swamp. The plan is to rent a canoe and really get to know one of the best examples of my new interest. That I'll bring my family should only be a good thing. The road trip I took with my mom in October of last year was really fun, and I think having things like this to occupy our time will help keep the focus on what's positive.
Sunday morning at 8:30 am. That'll be my cue to head south for a bit, and I'm looking forward to good things.
I'm looking forward to this trip for a lot of reasons, and it's arguably the most important thing I've done in a while. Concerning who I am as an adult, the choices I make and how I act towards the family that raised me and has gone through utter hell recently, I have to do things that frankly can be scary to think about.
This is the second trip I've made to visit my family in which I'm entirely self-reliant. Until the early Spring of this year my parents had been able to contribute money for traveling, typically through plane tickets. I just had to get to and from the Kalamazoo airport and then I was set to go to New Jersey, with an available car and a place to stay. Now such things are not an option, regardless of whether or not people would want to sustain such behavior at this point. Amongst the personal traumas that have frustratingly dominated much of the last 2 years, money has been much tighter than anyone expected. I guess the good part is we can all relate, since this is a pretty common story.
I feel this heightens the importance of doing a trip like this. If I don't make it happen, no one will because no one can. It's impossible to overstate how much my parents want to see me for Thanksgiving. I need to visit them in a trip that's not forced by a crisis. I'm hoping that I can enjoy visiting them without anger, paranoia and/or hurt either influencing or looming over every interaction.
New Jersey has been surprisingly hard to lose, and a lot of it I'm sure is because of the circumstances of my last visit. By the way, I have no intention of spelling out exactly what's happened. If you don't know, it might not be something I feel comfortable telling you. You can still ask.
Anyway, there's a lot I miss about the place, a lot of feelings I'm nostalgic for. However, I'm really excited to check out this area of Georgia. The scenery down in the Deep South is wonderful, both developed and natural. In particular, the swamps in the region are drawing my attention. Lately I've become very interested in wetlands, particular those in the United States. Many weekends in the last few months were dominated by walks at nature areas where I could find marshes and swamps. I even got a pair of waders for my birthday and went hiking with my friend Ryan in a completely undeveloped game area.
The southern swamps are something else entirely.
I'm bringing the family here: The Okefenokee Swamp. The plan is to rent a canoe and really get to know one of the best examples of my new interest. That I'll bring my family should only be a good thing. The road trip I took with my mom in October of last year was really fun, and I think having things like this to occupy our time will help keep the focus on what's positive.
Sunday morning at 8:30 am. That'll be my cue to head south for a bit, and I'm looking forward to good things.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
POWER STRUGGLE!!!!
So we just had an election, and its results were pretty much what everyone predicted. Republicans "took control" of the House and people are smugly prattling on about how this is a "referendum on Obamacare*" and what not. Also I still can't just go to California, walk into a store and buy pot. I'd have to go through the trouble of seeing a doctor and telling him how my neck hasn't stopped hurting for a year so I can get my pot. Ridiculous hoops to jump through, but I digress.
When I voted for my district's representative, I made my decision based on one thing and one thing only: "How can WE (your party of choice) win/maintain CONTROL of the House and offset those dastardly Other Guys (and some girls)? LET'S TAKE OUT THE TRASH IN WASHINGTON!!!!" How the candidate intended to work for and represent the district he was to be, well, a representative of, had no sway over my decision. None.
Except it was the exact opposite of that.
See, if you can't take care of yourself and your home turf, how in the hell can you expect to solve the problems in Washington? And why the fuck should I vote for you if you spend 2/3 of your time bitching about things that do not closely affect my district, considering I live in a state that has been having economic problems since well before this latest recession. Grandstand all you want. Throw out all those soundbites that will get your self-important face on TV. I DON'T CARE. If most of your time is spent freaking out over what the other people are doing/have done wrong, then very little of that time is devoted to detailing how you intend to better the place you're running to represent. You do not deserve my vote. You do not make me feel like you would be someone who would listen to the people you're relying on. You simply sound like another idiot who could give a shit about taking steps forward, and instead you're going to spend your time fighting hopeless and/or meaningless battles that will get us nowhere.
This country will not die because of the Republicans. Nor will it die because of Democrats. America's death will come from stagnation. A failure to evolve and grow and learn. If it happens, we'll have only ourselves to blame for continuing to let these people think they have "power." So please, if you're reading this, do me a favor. Do this country a favor. Most of all, do yourself a favor. Get informed and make your own decisions based on what YOU feel. Not what anyone else tells you to feel, be it politicians, reporters, bloggers, your parents, and so on. You're not going to find a candidate you'll agree with 100%, and that's OK. But maybe you'll find someone who actually is interested in working for We the People, and not someone who just says it so that their bullshit movement can win a foolish power struggle amongst elites.
Yup, that's right. Any of these assholes who tell you they're fighting the Elites is most likely full of it. Let's be clear: THEY ARE ALL ELITES. They are rich. They are well connected. If they are not corrupt, that does not mean they won't one day be corrupt. And they LOVE when people don't educate themselves and vote.
*Obamacare: One of the latest buzzwords that's thrown around as a way of demonizing your chosen enemy! See also: fascist, socialist, conservative, liberal, etc. Except those are real words that have become meaningless with the way they're overused.
When I voted for my district's representative, I made my decision based on one thing and one thing only: "How can WE (your party of choice) win/maintain CONTROL of the House and offset those dastardly Other Guys (and some girls)? LET'S TAKE OUT THE TRASH IN WASHINGTON!!!!" How the candidate intended to work for and represent the district he was to be, well, a representative of, had no sway over my decision. None.
Except it was the exact opposite of that.
See, if you can't take care of yourself and your home turf, how in the hell can you expect to solve the problems in Washington? And why the fuck should I vote for you if you spend 2/3 of your time bitching about things that do not closely affect my district, considering I live in a state that has been having economic problems since well before this latest recession. Grandstand all you want. Throw out all those soundbites that will get your self-important face on TV. I DON'T CARE. If most of your time is spent freaking out over what the other people are doing/have done wrong, then very little of that time is devoted to detailing how you intend to better the place you're running to represent. You do not deserve my vote. You do not make me feel like you would be someone who would listen to the people you're relying on. You simply sound like another idiot who could give a shit about taking steps forward, and instead you're going to spend your time fighting hopeless and/or meaningless battles that will get us nowhere.
This country will not die because of the Republicans. Nor will it die because of Democrats. America's death will come from stagnation. A failure to evolve and grow and learn. If it happens, we'll have only ourselves to blame for continuing to let these people think they have "power." So please, if you're reading this, do me a favor. Do this country a favor. Most of all, do yourself a favor. Get informed and make your own decisions based on what YOU feel. Not what anyone else tells you to feel, be it politicians, reporters, bloggers, your parents, and so on. You're not going to find a candidate you'll agree with 100%, and that's OK. But maybe you'll find someone who actually is interested in working for We the People, and not someone who just says it so that their bullshit movement can win a foolish power struggle amongst elites.
Yup, that's right. Any of these assholes who tell you they're fighting the Elites is most likely full of it. Let's be clear: THEY ARE ALL ELITES. They are rich. They are well connected. If they are not corrupt, that does not mean they won't one day be corrupt. And they LOVE when people don't educate themselves and vote.
*Obamacare: One of the latest buzzwords that's thrown around as a way of demonizing your chosen enemy! See also: fascist, socialist, conservative, liberal, etc. Except those are real words that have become meaningless with the way they're overused.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Free thought
I feel like trying something different with this one. Let's go with free thought; I'll just put down whatever pops in my head.
My fan is getting obnoxiously loud. I should probably clean it.
Well, I have my fan on too much as it is. Why? Because I'm a smoker! Yay!
I would like to actually be done with cigarettes sooner rather than later. But I understand if people don't take this seriously since I continue to buy packs and smoke regularly.
Well I guess I'm on the smoking subject now. My mom's been smoking for most of her life. Tried quitting many times, but no success. Dad's mom used to smoke, and so did mom's dad (of course it's flipped..why not?). This fact can rear its head as a baseless justification for my habit - it runs in the family!
I have NO regrets about the can of Pabst I'm nursing here, however.
Speaking of having a brew, I have to step away for a moment.
Hey I'm back. While AFK (away from keyboard for the squares) I considered how I was starting a new paragraph for every thought. Now, finished with said considering, it's decided: the format shall continue. I believe it helps for organization and finality. When I hit "enter," the statement is complete and I shan't edit it. Deal.
You know what? I want a cigarette. Son of a...
My fan is getting obnoxiously loud. I should probably clean it.
Well, I have my fan on too much as it is. Why? Because I'm a smoker! Yay!
I would like to actually be done with cigarettes sooner rather than later. But I understand if people don't take this seriously since I continue to buy packs and smoke regularly.
Well I guess I'm on the smoking subject now. My mom's been smoking for most of her life. Tried quitting many times, but no success. Dad's mom used to smoke, and so did mom's dad (of course it's flipped..why not?). This fact can rear its head as a baseless justification for my habit - it runs in the family!
I have NO regrets about the can of Pabst I'm nursing here, however.
Speaking of having a brew, I have to step away for a moment.
Hey I'm back. While AFK (away from keyboard for the squares) I considered how I was starting a new paragraph for every thought. Now, finished with said considering, it's decided: the format shall continue. I believe it helps for organization and finality. When I hit "enter," the statement is complete and I shan't edit it. Deal.
You know what? I want a cigarette. Son of a...
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Threats to America (with links!)
Am I really supposed to believe that this country is somehow in danger, thanks to a "radical social agenda?" That's the sort of rhetoric people like Tony Perkins are using now that a federal judge has ruled that "Don't Ask, don't Tell" is unconstitutional. I don't know about you, but I find nothing "radical" about ensuring that all citizens of this country are guaranteed the same rights. Unless your definition of radical includes things like the 14th Amendment, instituted by those crazy socialists in 1868 (and some have discussed repealing this amendment, but that's a whole different story).
Let's take a look at that 14th Amendment. It's section 1 that concerns the issue here:
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
So tell me...how are gay people not citizens of the United States? And how does the institutionalized discrimination of policies such as DADT not constitute making or enforcing a law that abridges their "privileges or immunities"? Granted, this doesn't involve individual states making the laws, but I can't believe this amendment is intended to imply that the federal government can discriminate in such a manner while the states cannot.
This seems pretty cut-and-dry to me. We've come a long way as a nation regarding civil rights and equality. Let's take some more steps forward, shall we?
Let's take a look at that 14th Amendment. It's section 1 that concerns the issue here:
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
So tell me...how are gay people not citizens of the United States? And how does the institutionalized discrimination of policies such as DADT not constitute making or enforcing a law that abridges their "privileges or immunities"? Granted, this doesn't involve individual states making the laws, but I can't believe this amendment is intended to imply that the federal government can discriminate in such a manner while the states cannot.
This seems pretty cut-and-dry to me. We've come a long way as a nation regarding civil rights and equality. Let's take some more steps forward, shall we?
Friday, October 8, 2010
Debates
Preface: This blog will not only be about politics. That's simply the way it's gone so far.
I spend way too much time thinking about politics. Makes sense; I majored in the damn thing. People probably don't realize just how much of my day is spent reading and analyzing the news, the people, the philosophies. Thing is, I've tended not to get into many political discussions anymore. One of the things I took away from 4 and 1/2 years of political study was an extreme disenchantment with debate and discussion. More often than not, the debates went (and go) nowhere. No one was swayed. No one considered anything other than their deeply entrenched viewpoint. This wasn't always that case. Sometimes progress was made: getting other people to see your point of view, and opening yourself up to the other side too. It's hard to feel like you can reasonably follow through with a career in this, however, when you're just not interested in pointless bickering and posturing. "Yeah, wonderful. So I'm supposed to think your NOT a complete ass because you use impressive sounding words? Saying 'germane' (which isn't even that special!) 10 times in the space of one statement does not make me to listen to your half-baked, lifted-from-a-fucking-punk-band politics"
So I decided to give it a rest for a while after college. I still am unsure if I'll get back into poli-sci in some professional manner, but I'm working on being more open about it and less afraid of discussion. It's all a matter of being better prepared for dealing with people who ultimately should be of no surprise, and giving yourself the chance to be surprising at the same time.
I spend way too much time thinking about politics. Makes sense; I majored in the damn thing. People probably don't realize just how much of my day is spent reading and analyzing the news, the people, the philosophies. Thing is, I've tended not to get into many political discussions anymore. One of the things I took away from 4 and 1/2 years of political study was an extreme disenchantment with debate and discussion. More often than not, the debates went (and go) nowhere. No one was swayed. No one considered anything other than their deeply entrenched viewpoint. This wasn't always that case. Sometimes progress was made: getting other people to see your point of view, and opening yourself up to the other side too. It's hard to feel like you can reasonably follow through with a career in this, however, when you're just not interested in pointless bickering and posturing. "Yeah, wonderful. So I'm supposed to think your NOT a complete ass because you use impressive sounding words? Saying 'germane' (which isn't even that special!) 10 times in the space of one statement does not make me to listen to your half-baked, lifted-from-a-fucking-punk-band politics"
So I decided to give it a rest for a while after college. I still am unsure if I'll get back into poli-sci in some professional manner, but I'm working on being more open about it and less afraid of discussion. It's all a matter of being better prepared for dealing with people who ultimately should be of no surprise, and giving yourself the chance to be surprising at the same time.
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