Well I made it to college. I figure I should write a post before my classes start to give me homework and stuff. I have my doubts about how many blogs I will be writing in the next few weeks.
So update, I am now in Newberg, OR, at George Fox University. If you didn't know. Roommate is working out well, and my dorm floor is cool and stuff. Nothing too terribly exciting. My classes seem good but they will be pretty challenging. Again, not very exciting.
Okay I'll talk about bball. I think it is going to be pretty darn hard to make it on the team. This year that is. A lot of the guys are just a lot older than me, it makes a difference. Oh well, that doesn't mean I won't try as hard as I can, and heck, maybe I can squeeze onto the team if I continue to improve a lot. Basically, I am going into every day right now with an attitude to work as hard as I can and learn as much as I can. I need to work on some aspects of my game to get them college ready. Whether I make the team or not, I am confident that I will improve drastically over the next 6 weeks. If I make it, cool. If not, I have another year to train and i am quite confident that I would easily make it then. I am excited for some high quality competition.
Classes. Dang it I have to talk about immigration in English and of course I have to in English. And since it is Oregon, I have just a slightly different opinion than a lot of people around here... For those of you who don't understand, let me put it another way. In general, I support Arizona's new laws about immigration. I am willing to have my mind changed if you think there is something inhumane about it that you can convince me of, but I am a fan of protecting borders.
I went to a church called Grace Baptist on Sunday, and I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I like to wear t shirts and stuff to church, while this church seemed slightly more formal. Also, the music was kind of old fashioned, even lacking an electric guitar. There were two acoustics, and they were very strong on piano. On the other hand, the preacher was pretty awesome. I didn't really have any questions about whether I agreed with the Baptist denomination, but if I did, he basically cleared it all up in this sermon. It featured the gospel clearly laid out(something I like in sermons), said liberal philosophies like universalism, homosexuality, and sex before marriage were wrong, among other things. So basically he gives the word straight. And he is pretty funny and charismatic to go along with it. So yeah, I might go to another church next sunday, but I will definitely keep Grace Baptist in consideration for a home church.
Okay, that is good for today
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
People and Art
My thoughts are kind of all over the place right now, and I'm trying to decide what of it I want to write down and what is better off left alone. We will see as I start writing.
First off, I spent a good portion of time with friends this weekend, at a couple houses and what not. People start heading out for college now, so it was the last time I would see some of those people for a while.
One of the places I went for a few minutes(literally) was Ambers house for a bonfire. I was there for only a few minutes for several reasons.1. I had something else to do that was more my style, and 2. I really didn't know that many people. Let me explain the second point, obviously I knew like Bryan and Amber and Natalie, and obviously all of those people are cool, but I wasn't talking to any of them very much. But you're like, Aaron, or more likely, Ron, why not just meet some people that you don't know. If this was last year, I may try to meet a few people, but when I am about to leave for college, why bother meeting someone that a.will be heading to a different college and that b.I will probably never see again. I don't see the point in wasting both my time and their time. Unless a stranger is going to the same college or maybe somewhere near me, I really don't care what college they are going to or what their major is. However, that seems to be the number 1 conversation starter nowadays. That may sound pessimistic, or you may just not like my point of view, but I would rather chill with good friends in my last week than people I've never met.
I went to New Vintage this week instead of Bethel, since I wanted to see those peoples before I left. I did enjoy seeing them and will definitely miss that youth group this year, they're good folks...
I was talking to Victor today about how people make comments about art being dead. He brought it up I believe, but the main point of the conversation was this: Yeah their are a lot of uncreative artists right now that aren't doing original stuff, but those type of people have always been around, people just don't remember them after a while. Art isn't dead, or even close to it, I just think awareness of different aspects of art come up in every generation. For example, take rock music in the late 70s and 80s, where a lot of bands would just bust a guitar solo every song til the point where a lot of them just started sounding manufactured. Today, Rock music has too few solos, in my opinion, and the common themes are the gravely voice and verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-chorus. Again those are just my opinions, you can disagree if you want.
That's all for tonight, and it came out alright if I do say so myself.
First off, I spent a good portion of time with friends this weekend, at a couple houses and what not. People start heading out for college now, so it was the last time I would see some of those people for a while.
One of the places I went for a few minutes(literally) was Ambers house for a bonfire. I was there for only a few minutes for several reasons.1. I had something else to do that was more my style, and 2. I really didn't know that many people. Let me explain the second point, obviously I knew like Bryan and Amber and Natalie, and obviously all of those people are cool, but I wasn't talking to any of them very much. But you're like, Aaron, or more likely, Ron, why not just meet some people that you don't know. If this was last year, I may try to meet a few people, but when I am about to leave for college, why bother meeting someone that a.will be heading to a different college and that b.I will probably never see again. I don't see the point in wasting both my time and their time. Unless a stranger is going to the same college or maybe somewhere near me, I really don't care what college they are going to or what their major is. However, that seems to be the number 1 conversation starter nowadays. That may sound pessimistic, or you may just not like my point of view, but I would rather chill with good friends in my last week than people I've never met.
I went to New Vintage this week instead of Bethel, since I wanted to see those peoples before I left. I did enjoy seeing them and will definitely miss that youth group this year, they're good folks...
I was talking to Victor today about how people make comments about art being dead. He brought it up I believe, but the main point of the conversation was this: Yeah their are a lot of uncreative artists right now that aren't doing original stuff, but those type of people have always been around, people just don't remember them after a while. Art isn't dead, or even close to it, I just think awareness of different aspects of art come up in every generation. For example, take rock music in the late 70s and 80s, where a lot of bands would just bust a guitar solo every song til the point where a lot of them just started sounding manufactured. Today, Rock music has too few solos, in my opinion, and the common themes are the gravely voice and verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-chorus. Again those are just my opinions, you can disagree if you want.
That's all for tonight, and it came out alright if I do say so myself.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Routine
First off, people start leaving for college in the next few days. I leave in about 2 weeks, and it's sort of freaking me out. Not like I'm scared, or worried, it is just weird. I am not a worried person at all, so I'm pretty chill about it all, but I got a pretty good thing going here and now I'm leaving it behind. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone, like numerous preachers have told me in the past year or so, and I always thought about college, now here it comes.
This might clear my thoughts up for people. I like going on vacations and stuff, I am fine with traveling and what not, but I really like the daily grind. I like having a routine. Heck, I have a routine for the shots I take practicing bball.(25 swished form shots, 5 swish baseline jumpers, 5 elbow turnaround jumpers, etc). I'm not worried about breaking the routine, but I like the routine. So that is what I want at college. I would almost rather just skip orientation stuff so I can get into having a new daily schedule. Note:groove is probably a better word for what I want, routine makes it sound like I label my underwear by the days of the week or something crazy like that.
So if you haven't seen, the Cars came out with a new CD after 24 years. I only know this because of the Colbert Report, I am not a Cars fan by any means. But I got to thinking, why don't more bands keep making music? I understand keeping a bands legacy, so people could go solo or go under a different name, but really, music isn't like other careers where you are supposed to stop once you get the money to retire or whatever. It's art. Don't you make art basically till you can't anymore? I have my doubts about old musicians completely running out of material... it doesn't work like that. I mean, if you made it big, you don't even have to tour anymore, you can just release the album. This seems strange to me.
I am trying to work on a bit of piano, just so that I can play a little bit. You know the bit, I'd like to be acceptable at it. It's just not enough to be the guy who plays the guitar and sings, I'd like to be a more well rounded musician. I think it is funny how that has changed for me overtime. I played piano for two years when I was little then I was like I want to play guitar, piano sucks. In different language of course, I was like 10. Now I do love guitar, and still think it is cooler than piano, but piano is pretty sweet in its own right. (I would throw drums in there, but what little boy doesn't want to play drums. You can hit them hard and they make loud noises.)
Eh, I'll keep the blog shorter for today, so that's all.
This might clear my thoughts up for people. I like going on vacations and stuff, I am fine with traveling and what not, but I really like the daily grind. I like having a routine. Heck, I have a routine for the shots I take practicing bball.(25 swished form shots, 5 swish baseline jumpers, 5 elbow turnaround jumpers, etc). I'm not worried about breaking the routine, but I like the routine. So that is what I want at college. I would almost rather just skip orientation stuff so I can get into having a new daily schedule. Note:groove is probably a better word for what I want, routine makes it sound like I label my underwear by the days of the week or something crazy like that.
So if you haven't seen, the Cars came out with a new CD after 24 years. I only know this because of the Colbert Report, I am not a Cars fan by any means. But I got to thinking, why don't more bands keep making music? I understand keeping a bands legacy, so people could go solo or go under a different name, but really, music isn't like other careers where you are supposed to stop once you get the money to retire or whatever. It's art. Don't you make art basically till you can't anymore? I have my doubts about old musicians completely running out of material... it doesn't work like that. I mean, if you made it big, you don't even have to tour anymore, you can just release the album. This seems strange to me.
I am trying to work on a bit of piano, just so that I can play a little bit. You know the bit, I'd like to be acceptable at it. It's just not enough to be the guy who plays the guitar and sings, I'd like to be a more well rounded musician. I think it is funny how that has changed for me overtime. I played piano for two years when I was little then I was like I want to play guitar, piano sucks. In different language of course, I was like 10. Now I do love guitar, and still think it is cooler than piano, but piano is pretty sweet in its own right. (I would throw drums in there, but what little boy doesn't want to play drums. You can hit them hard and they make loud noises.)
Eh, I'll keep the blog shorter for today, so that's all.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Current music
A couple quick things. You know, it's okay to watch my Youtube videos or listen to my purevolume music, Accolades, more than once. I wouldn't be angry.
Also, again, I would not be angry if people commented on my blogs a bit more. I figure someone thinks something about some subject that I write about...
Onto some more interesting things, maybe. If you didn't know, my family has never had cable tv. I have always just had the basic fox, cbs, nbc, pbs, abc setup. The month that I am set to leave for college my family decides to get Dish. I am trying to decide if they are trying to fill the whole that will open when I depart for Fox, or if they just wanted to watch the new season of Jersey Shore. Don't get me started on what I think about the people on that show making millions.
On other notes, I have been playing guitar some more recently. I don't especially like the style of a lot of the songs I write, they just seem kind of plain, so I am trying to get a little different sound going. I haven't tried writing many lyrics to this stuff yet, so we will see what comes of it.
As much as I feel like I should put some more original music out there, I got an idea for another cover today. I haven't run it by many people yet, and it would definitely employ victors talents, but I think the end result would be appreciated. Mostly by 2010 Liberty basketball players... So you might have to wait and see what that will be as well.
Oh and I want to play some more drums. I have had like 3 drum lessons, so I suck, but I just want to work on it some. I'd like to get acceptable at it. Not even good, just acceptable, so I could have some fun and maybe lay down a track or two in the future if needed. Very few of you have any idea how dumb it is to just look through drum tracks on Garage Band to find something that is "sort of close" to what you want.
I should probably start reading some more. I have been listening to some good stuff, but I have a good list of books I would like to get to reading, and at this pace I will never read them. Maybe I should wake up earlier or something, because I cannot read very late at night or I just end up going to sleep.
Eh, I'll just get back to the music theme for a bit. I am sick of the music at the club. Like more so than usual. Dang you Victor for bringing up rock music dying, I already knew that the pop-ish music they play at the club was dead musically, but I suddenly became more cognizant of it. Why would you write a song that doesn't mean anything?? No one cares that you are always "up in the club," or that you grabbed someone sexy and told them hey. That's what "someone sexy" was at the club for anyway. So it really wasn't an accomplishment, so why write about it?? If the whole point of your song is to write about a daily event, or to tell people how cool you are, don't write the song. Lyrics are supposed to be an art, like poetry or something, so use pictures, something of deep meaning to you, emotions, I don't care if it's about a girl or politics, but let the song be creative, lyrically and instrumentally, and let it mean something to you. I don't understand why that is so hard.
Also, again, I would not be angry if people commented on my blogs a bit more. I figure someone thinks something about some subject that I write about...
Onto some more interesting things, maybe. If you didn't know, my family has never had cable tv. I have always just had the basic fox, cbs, nbc, pbs, abc setup. The month that I am set to leave for college my family decides to get Dish. I am trying to decide if they are trying to fill the whole that will open when I depart for Fox, or if they just wanted to watch the new season of Jersey Shore. Don't get me started on what I think about the people on that show making millions.
On other notes, I have been playing guitar some more recently. I don't especially like the style of a lot of the songs I write, they just seem kind of plain, so I am trying to get a little different sound going. I haven't tried writing many lyrics to this stuff yet, so we will see what comes of it.
As much as I feel like I should put some more original music out there, I got an idea for another cover today. I haven't run it by many people yet, and it would definitely employ victors talents, but I think the end result would be appreciated. Mostly by 2010 Liberty basketball players... So you might have to wait and see what that will be as well.
Oh and I want to play some more drums. I have had like 3 drum lessons, so I suck, but I just want to work on it some. I'd like to get acceptable at it. Not even good, just acceptable, so I could have some fun and maybe lay down a track or two in the future if needed. Very few of you have any idea how dumb it is to just look through drum tracks on Garage Band to find something that is "sort of close" to what you want.
I should probably start reading some more. I have been listening to some good stuff, but I have a good list of books I would like to get to reading, and at this pace I will never read them. Maybe I should wake up earlier or something, because I cannot read very late at night or I just end up going to sleep.
Eh, I'll just get back to the music theme for a bit. I am sick of the music at the club. Like more so than usual. Dang you Victor for bringing up rock music dying, I already knew that the pop-ish music they play at the club was dead musically, but I suddenly became more cognizant of it. Why would you write a song that doesn't mean anything?? No one cares that you are always "up in the club," or that you grabbed someone sexy and told them hey. That's what "someone sexy" was at the club for anyway. So it really wasn't an accomplishment, so why write about it?? If the whole point of your song is to write about a daily event, or to tell people how cool you are, don't write the song. Lyrics are supposed to be an art, like poetry or something, so use pictures, something of deep meaning to you, emotions, I don't care if it's about a girl or politics, but let the song be creative, lyrically and instrumentally, and let it mean something to you. I don't understand why that is so hard.
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