As I have state before or has been deduced from some of my stellar work, I love me some music. More so I love concerts. I usually don't like sitting in some crap ass bar paying a cover charge/drink minimum/smelling like smoke. Instead I like larger concerts. I think that it is because a bigger place allows for some production that enhances the music. The following is a list of my favorite five concerts; in no particular order.
Slayer: The Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Minneapolis (2003)
SO MUCH FUN! My best friends and I were front row the entire time (we had to sit through some crap ass bands to maintain that front row). My friend Ray and I were on Jeff Hanneman's side of the stage and he walks over and stares at us and throws his pick in our direction. Just then some ass face put his gross hand up and knocked it down. The security guard who saw that it was meant for us picked it up and in what was actually 0.5 seconds but seemed to take about 15 minutes; he picked it up and it sat in his hand just staring at me. I then snatched it up so fast and hard that I nearly tore his plastic glove off. He then asked me if I was the one who got it, I said yes and he high fived me. Awesomeness.
Ohm: The Baked Potato in Los Angeles (2009)
Chris Poland is one of my favorite guitar players. Awesome in every aspect. Just wow. Anyways I was in LA for the NAMM show and got the chance to see his band Ohm play. The best part(s) of this were that we got there early enough to see them sound check and afterwards he walked past me and said "Sound good?" My brilliant response "Oh yeah", I said this while managing to not shit my pants. Then they played and it was incredible.
AC/DC: The Fargodome in Fargo (2000)
I was in the way back nose bleeds for this one but it was still the LOUDEST concert I've ever seen and I was front row for two Slayer concerts. They played everything you would expect them to and it didn't sound tired at all.
Faith No More: The Warfield in San Francisco (2010)
One of my all time favorite groups. I touched upon the adventures that went into this concert in an earlier post so I won't dwell too much on it. But it was awesome. They played everything you would expect and we were able to see them play with Chuck Mosely, something that they hadn't done since about 1988 I believe.
Metallica: The Fargodome in Fargo (2004)
Front row again. Very fun. My friends and I were singing the whole time and it was awesome. Then during "Master of Puppets" James Hetfield looks right into my eyes and then two things happened. 1) I forgot the damn words. 2) I turned into a girl. Then later on during "One' Kirk Hammet plays the final solo right in front of us. The lamest thing that happened was at the end of the show. The whole band were throwing pics into the crowd and this asshole security guard in front of us decided that rather than being cool and giving them to us, he would pocket them. All 15 of them. Lame.
I don't get out to see as many shows as I did in my younger days when I was an undergrad and in high school. Mostly because of time and money, but when I do it is still fun. And that's how I'm gonna end this one. Peace out gang.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
End Of An Era
Since the semester just ended and I transferred out of Graphic Design into Printmaking, I felt that I would talk about some of my feelings/insights/rambling incoherent thoughts on the subject.
When I was an undergraduate at UND I did a lot of things and found that I enjoyed Printmaking and Graphic Design, in that order the most. Not sure why I chose to go with Graphic Design when I feel that I was and still am better in Printmaking, maybe it was the fact that it should be easier to get a job with Graphic Design. Anyways the classes I took there in retrospect didn't really prepare me for the overwhelmingness (is that a word?) that I would soon feel. I mean sure it started out fine and they eased us into it, making me feel like I could do it. But how quick the tide can turn.
We were told how rough and tumble things would be in the real world, how you had to know just about everything about everything WHILE also realizing that you're just a designer. If that doesn't compute let me break it down real fast: if you are doing something related to say brain surgery for some reason, you need to know everything there is about brain surgery so that you can be the smartest (in a perfect world) person in a room of both designers and brain surgeons. While also not trying to be a brain surgeon. That's what it's like in a nutshell. VERY,VERY overwhelming.
I guess that I realized that I just like design and not love it. I don't want to spend hours upon hours working on something that I might not care about. Also design is so vague. Half the time it seems like a guessing game on what a teacher is looking for. One of my biggest peeves was that it became a god damn money pit. Every project got more expensive, this past semester I probably spent a good $500 at least on ink cartridges. Then there is paper and other miscellaneous crap to go with it. I guess another thing that I could never get into (some of my designer friends felt the same way also) is that I don't want to save the world. It seems that everything has to be about saving this, conservation, informing people about evil corporations, blah blah blah. That's not me and it never has been, and it also loses me very quickly. Plus I don't know if it's just me but if Graphic Design is all about being unique and coming up with stuff that normal people don't think of, why is it that just about every designer out there wants to do one of these boring things? Kinda seems to defeat the overall goal, might be me though.
Anyways so I'm done with it as a major/future occupation. I mean there are things about it that I still like and will probably hold my attention. I won't forget (fingers crossed) it and can integrate it into my future work as a Printmaker. Also I made some pretty cool design friends and if any of them stumble upon this I very much enjoyed working with them. But upwards and onwards!
When I was an undergraduate at UND I did a lot of things and found that I enjoyed Printmaking and Graphic Design, in that order the most. Not sure why I chose to go with Graphic Design when I feel that I was and still am better in Printmaking, maybe it was the fact that it should be easier to get a job with Graphic Design. Anyways the classes I took there in retrospect didn't really prepare me for the overwhelmingness (is that a word?) that I would soon feel. I mean sure it started out fine and they eased us into it, making me feel like I could do it. But how quick the tide can turn.
We were told how rough and tumble things would be in the real world, how you had to know just about everything about everything WHILE also realizing that you're just a designer. If that doesn't compute let me break it down real fast: if you are doing something related to say brain surgery for some reason, you need to know everything there is about brain surgery so that you can be the smartest (in a perfect world) person in a room of both designers and brain surgeons. While also not trying to be a brain surgeon. That's what it's like in a nutshell. VERY,VERY overwhelming.
I guess that I realized that I just like design and not love it. I don't want to spend hours upon hours working on something that I might not care about. Also design is so vague. Half the time it seems like a guessing game on what a teacher is looking for. One of my biggest peeves was that it became a god damn money pit. Every project got more expensive, this past semester I probably spent a good $500 at least on ink cartridges. Then there is paper and other miscellaneous crap to go with it. I guess another thing that I could never get into (some of my designer friends felt the same way also) is that I don't want to save the world. It seems that everything has to be about saving this, conservation, informing people about evil corporations, blah blah blah. That's not me and it never has been, and it also loses me very quickly. Plus I don't know if it's just me but if Graphic Design is all about being unique and coming up with stuff that normal people don't think of, why is it that just about every designer out there wants to do one of these boring things? Kinda seems to defeat the overall goal, might be me though.
Anyways so I'm done with it as a major/future occupation. I mean there are things about it that I still like and will probably hold my attention. I won't forget (fingers crossed) it and can integrate it into my future work as a Printmaker. Also I made some pretty cool design friends and if any of them stumble upon this I very much enjoyed working with them. But upwards and onwards!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Damn I Love A Good Book In The Evening
The funny thing about this is that for the longest time I was all about nonfiction books, my thought process was that you couldn't write something better than someones life that they actually lived. My personal favorites were/are "The Dirt", "To Hell & Back", and "Juiced". But ever since that class I have been hooked on reading this stuff. It's an interesting hypothetical survival tale. Hiding, scrounging for supplies, trying not to get bitten, what happens if you do; stuff like that. I know that it's not for everyone but if you start reading it, it really makes you think. It might have gotten to me a little bit because since I like to walk more than ride the bus, I am constantly thinking "If zombies came at me right now, what would I do?". Messed up, I know.
I just think that I have read and seen to many zombie things. Of course this will never happen, but you never know right? If it does I will be maybe adequately prepared to run and hide. Maybe I should start reading nonfiction again, but then again that stuff really did happen.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Recollection
It boggles my mind how fast time can fly by sometimes. Often times I find myself attaching time to some object and then I reflect on how long it's been since I got said object or how long it's been since it came out. Often times I find myself doing this with albums. I guess that's because they have a year behind them; or maybe I'm full of shit and don't know why I do that. Anyways here is a short list of albums from various times that really stuck out to me for some reason. They're probably reasons no one else cares about, so if you don't; too bad?
Overkill - The Years of Decay; came out in 1989, I got it in 2009 (a tad late eh?)
I got this album and whenever I listen to it, it always makes me think of my first semester in grad school at AAU. I always think back to walking around Market St. at like 8:00 am waiting for class to start. Also I was filled with optimism because I didn't realize my dreams would be crushed.
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking; came out in 1988, I got it in 2008
This album always makes me think back to the summer I moved out to San Francisco. I remember taking my awesome dogs The Dude & Steve to the dog park, and also listening to this as we drove through almost all of North Dakota.
Kiss - MTV Unplugged; came out in 1996, I got it in 1996
This decent album is what got me started. I remember wanting to hear what "Rock & Roll All Night" sounded like, and next thing you know....
Metallica - ...And Justice For All; came out in 1988, I got it in 1998
I remember that I got this because some guy at UND killed himself and his parents sold all of his cd's for $5 a pop and I grabbed this one. Messed up I know.
Alice In Chains - Greatest Hits; came out in 2001, I got it in 2001
I remember this being my first AIC disc and it was around the time I broke my knuckle. I had to travel to the air base for physical therapy 3-4 times a week for a few months. Super fun times. Also I remember listening to "I Stay Away" as my mom and I drove home a bunch of times in the Fall.
So yeah that be it people. Go read something else.
Overkill - The Years of Decay; came out in 1989, I got it in 2009 (a tad late eh?)
I got this album and whenever I listen to it, it always makes me think of my first semester in grad school at AAU. I always think back to walking around Market St. at like 8:00 am waiting for class to start. Also I was filled with optimism because I didn't realize my dreams would be crushed.
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking; came out in 1988, I got it in 2008
This album always makes me think back to the summer I moved out to San Francisco. I remember taking my awesome dogs The Dude & Steve to the dog park, and also listening to this as we drove through almost all of North Dakota.
Kiss - MTV Unplugged; came out in 1996, I got it in 1996
This decent album is what got me started. I remember wanting to hear what "Rock & Roll All Night" sounded like, and next thing you know....
Metallica - ...And Justice For All; came out in 1988, I got it in 1998
I remember that I got this because some guy at UND killed himself and his parents sold all of his cd's for $5 a pop and I grabbed this one. Messed up I know.
Alice In Chains - Greatest Hits; came out in 2001, I got it in 2001
I remember this being my first AIC disc and it was around the time I broke my knuckle. I had to travel to the air base for physical therapy 3-4 times a week for a few months. Super fun times. Also I remember listening to "I Stay Away" as my mom and I drove home a bunch of times in the Fall.
So yeah that be it people. Go read something else.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Purple Pain (See What I Did There?)
What the hell is wrong with the Minnesota Vikings?
Seriously, awhile ago on NFL Network they had a Top Ten Countdown episode of the most snake bitten franchise and the Vikings were at or near the top. I swear, you couldn't make up half the shit that I hear about. Then the whole Randy Moss thing; lets bring the prodigal son home BUT we won't utilize him and the cut him after a month. Bravo. Spare me all the stuff about his baggage, I've known about that since '98. You know what you're getting with him so don't be a tard and pull the plug so fast.
Then there's the head coach Brad Childress. I don't think I can really put into coherent thoughts how much he sucks as a leader of a team. I'm sure in his personal life he's a nice guy but as a football coach, he is a little better than a grad student intern at a small time Division 3 school.
I wish that I was still in Grand Forks so that I could read all the local papers talk about the soap opera that is the Vikings. Here in San Francisco it's just not the same, dealing with dumpster fire that is the 49ers and the Raiders.
As a long time (14 years, is that really long time?) fan of my beloved Purple & Gold, I have developed a theory which I now believe is accurate: once every 10 years the Vikings have a legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl only to screw it up in horrendous fashion. Think about it. In the '60s; they started off like any expansion team but by the end of the decade they made it to the Super Bowl and lost. In the '70s, it deviates a bit because they made it to 3 Super Bowls, but again lost them all. In the '80s they had one maybe two real legitimate shots and blew it. In the '90s, they had the magical 1998 season and some how blew it. 2000, they were lucky to get into the NFC title game as evidenced by the outcome. 10 years later, they get Brett Favre and again make it to the NFC and somehow blow it. Again. See a pattern emerging here? About once a decade they have a chance to win it and more than likely won't. I know that this seems very pessimistic, but I love this damn team and even when they suck I pull for them and wear my Jim Kleinsasser jersey every week. It's just that they have a bad habit of killing every last one of us with this crap.
Seriously, awhile ago on NFL Network they had a Top Ten Countdown episode of the most snake bitten franchise and the Vikings were at or near the top. I swear, you couldn't make up half the shit that I hear about. Then the whole Randy Moss thing; lets bring the prodigal son home BUT we won't utilize him and the cut him after a month. Bravo. Spare me all the stuff about his baggage, I've known about that since '98. You know what you're getting with him so don't be a tard and pull the plug so fast.
Then there's the head coach Brad Childress. I don't think I can really put into coherent thoughts how much he sucks as a leader of a team. I'm sure in his personal life he's a nice guy but as a football coach, he is a little better than a grad student intern at a small time Division 3 school.
I wish that I was still in Grand Forks so that I could read all the local papers talk about the soap opera that is the Vikings. Here in San Francisco it's just not the same, dealing with dumpster fire that is the 49ers and the Raiders.
As a long time (14 years, is that really long time?) fan of my beloved Purple & Gold, I have developed a theory which I now believe is accurate: once every 10 years the Vikings have a legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl only to screw it up in horrendous fashion. Think about it. In the '60s; they started off like any expansion team but by the end of the decade they made it to the Super Bowl and lost. In the '70s, it deviates a bit because they made it to 3 Super Bowls, but again lost them all. In the '80s they had one maybe two real legitimate shots and blew it. In the '90s, they had the magical 1998 season and some how blew it. 2000, they were lucky to get into the NFC title game as evidenced by the outcome. 10 years later, they get Brett Favre and again make it to the NFC and somehow blow it. Again. See a pattern emerging here? About once a decade they have a chance to win it and more than likely won't. I know that this seems very pessimistic, but I love this damn team and even when they suck I pull for them and wear my Jim Kleinsasser jersey every week. It's just that they have a bad habit of killing every last one of us with this crap.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
It's Still Raining Shit...
So it's only early(ish) November and I can't wait for this semester to be over with, and not for the usual reasons that college students wish for. Mine is a little different; this semester has revealed two things to me: 1. I am not that good at Graphic Design and can only hack my way through it, and 2. I need to get the fuck out of Graphic Design. I've decided that I'm not cut out for it, I don't enjoy doing it as much as I used to or want to, and I don't want to do something that I don't truly love. So I decided that after this semester I am going to become a Printmaker, which in hindsight, I probably should have done in the first place. This is a huge step and it's not something I just decided to do. For me it was easy and also not easy. It was easy for the reasons I mentioned and also for others, but not easy because of the people who I have met in the Graphic Design department and consider friends. But I can't stay for that reason, it's stupid and won't help me. In the meantime I have to stick through turning in shitty work after shitty work and being the obvious "worst, what the fuck is he doing here, he should really drop out, man his shit is SO bad, haha look at this" person. It's not fun in any way shape or form but I'm starting to develop round shoulders, so yey?
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
It's Raining Shit Today...
Good times do not appear to be on the horizon line these days. I'm not sure how to fix things or even what to do. By things I mean school. It's really strange, I've never been the bees knees in anything at school. Never been great (necessarily) or been awful, but this semester anything and everything that can go wrong has happened to me. Hours upon hours of work seem to be wasted and as a result my resolve and motivation is at an all time low. The worst thing is that there is almost no one who wants to hear from some 24 year old about their problems. It's really frustrating. I have 3 classes with technically 5 teachers. 1 of them is super cool. He knows that the life of a graduate student sucks ass on its best day. 2 of them are great in that they give you bad news because you need to hear it and they know that it's best for you. The other 2, well they're a fucking joke in my opinion. They love to belittle you and watch you squirm. I've said this to others I know, who also agree with me, these two ass clowns know what they are talking about, they honest to science do; BUT that does not qualify them to be instructors. As far as that goes, they are so fucking terrible it's not even funny. So as a result of recent events, I am left to question myself and wonder if being in my department is what I want to do, because it has throughly sapped my creative energy and taken the fight out of me.
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