2015 is the year that I . . .
Moved in with one of my best friends
Midway through 2015, the opportunity arose to move in with the friend that I have known the longest. We have known each other since pre-kindergarten, so for about 27 years. That's a long time!
Pretty much the only downside was the increase in rent. I had been very fortunate for the last several years, renting a room that really did not cost me very much. Sharing an apartment with my friend who require me to pay more than $300 more a month, which would definitely decrease the amount of money I could put away or use for other things. However, having lived with her for about half a year now, I can confidently say that it was worth it.
I had forgotten how much of a difference it can make to live with a friend. I was able to do so the entire way through college, but since graduation I have bounced around between several places where I lived with random people. My most recent place was with a friend, which made it better, but it was a friend that I did not know very well and wasn't all that close to. Living with one of your best friends makes all the difference. I'm not one to come home and shut myself in my room (well, maybe sometimes). I like to socialize. I like to chat with someone about their day. I like to be able to give and get advice from someone I trust. My current roommate has long been one of my closest confidants and is a very encouraging person. Her advice is often second to none among my friends. We are similar enough that we are able to relate to each others' struggles. We are different enough that we compliment each other fairly well.
While I do miss my former roommate and the cats we lived with, it's wonderful not having to deal with a third roommate that I don't know and who is always changing.
I have even proposed that my roommate and I start having meetings where we encourage each other to make, pursue, and achieve our goals. This is really the number one thing I have to work on now that I have spent the last several years finding myself and learning how to cope with loss and pain (from my first breakup).
So, as I stand on the precipice of 2016, I feel like I am positioned well for the changes that will need to be enacted to bring my life to the next level. Here's hoping I'm in an even better place come 2017!
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
2015 in review Part 2: Learning new things
2015 is the year that I . . .
Re-devoted myself to learning about things that interest me
I have never been a stranger to learning. Since college I have taken up improv comedy, read books on philosophy, and traveled to some wonderful places. But in 2015, I became more serious about actively pursuing new knowledge about things that interest me.
It actually began in December of 2014, when I happened upon a book in the bookstore titled, "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." Having recently discovered Spotify as a way to listen to music at work, I was struck by a realization: I could easily work through that list over time. Instead of just listening to the same music I already knew 100 more times over the next year, I could go through that list and learn more about popular music and its evolution over time, and maybe even find some new favorite artists. And so, my journey begin. Starting where the list begins in 1955, I gradually worked through a couple albums a day. Now, I couldn't exactly listen closely to most of them, since the only way I could get through the list in good time would be playing the albums as background music at work. But I figured I would at least get a feel for the sound of each album, and I could take note of any albums that particularly captured my interest. Twelve months later, I still have a lot of the list to work through, but I've made it to 1991 (quite an important year for my musical taste, since Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden all had breakthrough albums that year). I have found a new appreciation for musical genres that I didn't really care for before, such as jazz, punk, and even hip hop.
I also spent some time in 2015 learning languages. The first language was Italian. I had never studied it before, but after finding out I would be going to Italy for work (with only a month's advance notice), I decided to learn as much of the language as I could. I downloaded the free iPhone app, Duolingo, and practiced with it nearly every day for a month. Italian was surprisingly easy to pick up, having many similarities to Spanish, which I studied for four years in high school. By the time I arrived in Rome, I had a basic familiarity with the language that actually came in handy while trying to navigate the city. Once I got back from my trip, I decided to switch my focus to refreshing my Spanish skills. Living in Southern California, Spanish is a more practical choice and could even theoretically come in handy at my job. Studying it for the first time in 14 years definitely brought back memories of Spanish class. Some things even made a little more sense this time around. After I finished all of the Duolingo lessons my practice frequency went down a bit, but I definitely plan to continue practicing. It helps that I work alongside several fluent Spanish speakers, and also live with someone who studied it in college!
Music and Spanish were fun to learn about, but there was one subject I learned about in 2015 that was completely new to me: coding. After reading online about websites that could teach you coding, I decided to sign up for one: Codecademy. The idea of coding was fascinating to me for several reasons: it was a skill that could theoretically give me a new creative outlet if I went far enough with it and it could theoretically open doors for me if I became proficient at it, I spent several months going through lessons on the website, learning the basics of HTML, CSS, Javascript and JQuery. I found it all rather fun, and regretted not taking any computer science classes in college (the subject seemed too dry and impersonal to me back then). I plan to continue learning about it, for there is no down side to learning new skills!
Being a life long learner is an important value to me, and I am pleased with how I expressed this aspect of myself in 2015. I hope to continue this trend into the new year and beyond!
Re-devoted myself to learning about things that interest me
I have never been a stranger to learning. Since college I have taken up improv comedy, read books on philosophy, and traveled to some wonderful places. But in 2015, I became more serious about actively pursuing new knowledge about things that interest me.
It actually began in December of 2014, when I happened upon a book in the bookstore titled, "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." Having recently discovered Spotify as a way to listen to music at work, I was struck by a realization: I could easily work through that list over time. Instead of just listening to the same music I already knew 100 more times over the next year, I could go through that list and learn more about popular music and its evolution over time, and maybe even find some new favorite artists. And so, my journey begin. Starting where the list begins in 1955, I gradually worked through a couple albums a day. Now, I couldn't exactly listen closely to most of them, since the only way I could get through the list in good time would be playing the albums as background music at work. But I figured I would at least get a feel for the sound of each album, and I could take note of any albums that particularly captured my interest. Twelve months later, I still have a lot of the list to work through, but I've made it to 1991 (quite an important year for my musical taste, since Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden all had breakthrough albums that year). I have found a new appreciation for musical genres that I didn't really care for before, such as jazz, punk, and even hip hop.
I also spent some time in 2015 learning languages. The first language was Italian. I had never studied it before, but after finding out I would be going to Italy for work (with only a month's advance notice), I decided to learn as much of the language as I could. I downloaded the free iPhone app, Duolingo, and practiced with it nearly every day for a month. Italian was surprisingly easy to pick up, having many similarities to Spanish, which I studied for four years in high school. By the time I arrived in Rome, I had a basic familiarity with the language that actually came in handy while trying to navigate the city. Once I got back from my trip, I decided to switch my focus to refreshing my Spanish skills. Living in Southern California, Spanish is a more practical choice and could even theoretically come in handy at my job. Studying it for the first time in 14 years definitely brought back memories of Spanish class. Some things even made a little more sense this time around. After I finished all of the Duolingo lessons my practice frequency went down a bit, but I definitely plan to continue practicing. It helps that I work alongside several fluent Spanish speakers, and also live with someone who studied it in college!
Music and Spanish were fun to learn about, but there was one subject I learned about in 2015 that was completely new to me: coding. After reading online about websites that could teach you coding, I decided to sign up for one: Codecademy. The idea of coding was fascinating to me for several reasons: it was a skill that could theoretically give me a new creative outlet if I went far enough with it and it could theoretically open doors for me if I became proficient at it, I spent several months going through lessons on the website, learning the basics of HTML, CSS, Javascript and JQuery. I found it all rather fun, and regretted not taking any computer science classes in college (the subject seemed too dry and impersonal to me back then). I plan to continue learning about it, for there is no down side to learning new skills!
Being a life long learner is an important value to me, and I am pleased with how I expressed this aspect of myself in 2015. I hope to continue this trend into the new year and beyond!
Monday, December 21, 2015
2015 in review Part 1: Sketch comedy
I am kicking off a new plan to write more and this blog will definitely be part of it. A sort of pre-New Years resolution, if you will.
Since there is only a week and a half left of 2015, I thought I would take this opportunity to write a series of posts as a reflection of the year.
In some ways, I end 2015 where I began it. I'm still a clinical research coordinator in the same university medical clinic. I'm still a member of the same improvisational comedy troupe. I still live in the same city.
This series of blog posts will not focus on that stuff. Instead, they will focus on all that was unique about 2015.
Now, for today's topic.
2015 is the year that I entered the world of sketch comedy
I have long had an interest in creativity, and improv comedy has given me a great outlet for that over the last several years. This year gave me the opportunity to greatly expand my improv experience, and I'm happy to say that I've now performed in more than 100 improv shows.
As exciting as that is though, 2015 also gave me the opportunity to branch out into another realm of comedy: sketch.
It started in the first couple months of the year, when my troupe's leader invited me to a be a part of the sketch show he had written. Being a history buff, he had written a show full of sketches involving various historical periods and people. Over the course of several months we took the sketches from script to stage, and suddenly I found myself memorizing lines for the first time since middle school. I played in a number of memorable sketches, with settings ranging from ancient Sparta to a wild west saloon. Then, after weekly rehearsals in a local high school drama classroom, we finally debuted the show in Irvine. As much as I love improv, there was something special about being a part of a sketch show that had been rehearsed and tweaked over a prolonged period of time. And then, after five performances in Irvine, we were able to take it up to the Second City Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and perform two more shows. That was such a memorable experience, and something I never would have thought I would get the chance to do a few years ago!
Little did I know at the time, I would get to experience the whole process again just a few short months later. A good friend of mine, who is a fellow member of my improv troupe and was also a performer in the historical sketch show, approached me about being in a sketch show that he had written. This one would be horror themed, as he is quite the horror movie buff. And so began my second experience with sketch comedy, featuring many of the same friends who had performed in the first show. Unlike our troupe leader, this friend had never written a sketch show before. I am so proud of him for having the guts to see his vision through. The show turned out great, and once again we got to bring it up to Second City for two shows. Part of the fun was getting to portray horror movie icons such as Damien from "The Omen" (all grown up and running for president), Ghostface from "Scream" (accidentally calling into Comcast customer service), and Freddy Krueger (who finds himself inadvertently invading a wet dream).
Performing in the two sketch shows was definitely a major highlight of 2015. Not only was it a fun experience that I got to share with some of my best friends, it was also a chance to try something new and learn a lot about the creative process. The creators of both shows have already talked about their plans for future shows, so something tells me was just the beginning of my sketch comedy adventure.
Since there is only a week and a half left of 2015, I thought I would take this opportunity to write a series of posts as a reflection of the year.
In some ways, I end 2015 where I began it. I'm still a clinical research coordinator in the same university medical clinic. I'm still a member of the same improvisational comedy troupe. I still live in the same city.
This series of blog posts will not focus on that stuff. Instead, they will focus on all that was unique about 2015.
Now, for today's topic.
2015 is the year that I entered the world of sketch comedy
I have long had an interest in creativity, and improv comedy has given me a great outlet for that over the last several years. This year gave me the opportunity to greatly expand my improv experience, and I'm happy to say that I've now performed in more than 100 improv shows.
As exciting as that is though, 2015 also gave me the opportunity to branch out into another realm of comedy: sketch.
It started in the first couple months of the year, when my troupe's leader invited me to a be a part of the sketch show he had written. Being a history buff, he had written a show full of sketches involving various historical periods and people. Over the course of several months we took the sketches from script to stage, and suddenly I found myself memorizing lines for the first time since middle school. I played in a number of memorable sketches, with settings ranging from ancient Sparta to a wild west saloon. Then, after weekly rehearsals in a local high school drama classroom, we finally debuted the show in Irvine. As much as I love improv, there was something special about being a part of a sketch show that had been rehearsed and tweaked over a prolonged period of time. And then, after five performances in Irvine, we were able to take it up to the Second City Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and perform two more shows. That was such a memorable experience, and something I never would have thought I would get the chance to do a few years ago!
Little did I know at the time, I would get to experience the whole process again just a few short months later. A good friend of mine, who is a fellow member of my improv troupe and was also a performer in the historical sketch show, approached me about being in a sketch show that he had written. This one would be horror themed, as he is quite the horror movie buff. And so began my second experience with sketch comedy, featuring many of the same friends who had performed in the first show. Unlike our troupe leader, this friend had never written a sketch show before. I am so proud of him for having the guts to see his vision through. The show turned out great, and once again we got to bring it up to Second City for two shows. Part of the fun was getting to portray horror movie icons such as Damien from "The Omen" (all grown up and running for president), Ghostface from "Scream" (accidentally calling into Comcast customer service), and Freddy Krueger (who finds himself inadvertently invading a wet dream).
Performing in the two sketch shows was definitely a major highlight of 2015. Not only was it a fun experience that I got to share with some of my best friends, it was also a chance to try something new and learn a lot about the creative process. The creators of both shows have already talked about their plans for future shows, so something tells me was just the beginning of my sketch comedy adventure.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Adventures in Italy
It's been a while since I updated!
For good reason. I moved into a new apartment in late July. Then, the day after I moved the last item out of my old place, I had to hop on a plane to Italy. Let me tell you, I don't recommend moving in the week before a big trip. Slightly stressful!
But I made it into my new place (and still have all sorts of unpacking to do). The trip was amazing. First was Rome. I was there for a work meeting, and got to spend time exploring the city with my coworkers. Though I ended up seeing a lot of the things I saw the first time I was in Rome (the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Pantheon, etc.) I also saw some new areas. Probably the highlight was visiting the Castel Sant'Angelo at night. I would highly recommend that! It's not one of Rome's most well-known attractions (we didn't even walk by it last time), but it was a very neat experience. We even got to walk along the wall that served as the Pope's escape route from the Vatican.
After Rome I separated from my coworkers and went down to the Amalfi Coast. I spent the better part of the week in that area of Italy, called Campania. It was incredible. I stayed in locals' apartments using the website Airbnb. I would definitely recommend it for the cost-conscious traveler! My accommodations varied from my own room in an apartment to a blow up mattress in a shared room. All were decent enough, and one in particular allowed for some very special memories.
I stayed with a very nice couple in the small village of Erchie, located on the Amalfi Coast between Cetara and Maiori. It was quite a walk from the bus stop to get to the place, but the view was gorgeous. The highlight was the day that the couple took me and my fellow travelers, a young Canadian couple, out in their rowboat. We went into caves and had lunch on a secluded beach. It was an absolutely amazing experience. During my visit to the coast I also took a ferry to Sorrento and toured around the towns of Amalfi and Ravello. I didn't quite make it to Positano and Capri, which are two of the most famous destinations there, but all the more reason to go back!
I also spent time in Salerno, which was my base to visit the ancient sites at Paestum and Pompeii. Both were awe-inspiring.
Now, the down-side of my trip. Over this last year, I've been experiencing some foot problems. It started in late 2014 when I noticed some discomfort on the inner side of my right foot. The podiatrist identified the issue as one of my sesamoid bones, which are located on the tendon at the big toe joint. It was unclear whether the bone was fractured or not. Whatever the reason for the pain is, it is a problem that is very stubbornly hanging on. It was feeling better at the beginning of my trip, but was still causing me grief. The pain became exacerbated after all the walking I did, especially on the day I visited Pompeii. It got to the point where every step was painful, and I had to bypass certain areas of the ruins just because they would have required me to deviate from the most direct route to the exit.
So now that I'm home, I'm back in the therapeutic waking boot that I wore for several months earlier this year. It allows me to walk without bending my foot, which is what causes the discomfort. It seems the way I was walking in Italy, compensating for my original injury, has inflamed the metatarsal area of the foot. Meaning, pretty much the whole ball of my foot hurts now.
Still, I got to see amazing sights in Italy and have some wonderful experiences. So I would say it was worth it.
For good reason. I moved into a new apartment in late July. Then, the day after I moved the last item out of my old place, I had to hop on a plane to Italy. Let me tell you, I don't recommend moving in the week before a big trip. Slightly stressful!
But I made it into my new place (and still have all sorts of unpacking to do). The trip was amazing. First was Rome. I was there for a work meeting, and got to spend time exploring the city with my coworkers. Though I ended up seeing a lot of the things I saw the first time I was in Rome (the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Pantheon, etc.) I also saw some new areas. Probably the highlight was visiting the Castel Sant'Angelo at night. I would highly recommend that! It's not one of Rome's most well-known attractions (we didn't even walk by it last time), but it was a very neat experience. We even got to walk along the wall that served as the Pope's escape route from the Vatican.
After Rome I separated from my coworkers and went down to the Amalfi Coast. I spent the better part of the week in that area of Italy, called Campania. It was incredible. I stayed in locals' apartments using the website Airbnb. I would definitely recommend it for the cost-conscious traveler! My accommodations varied from my own room in an apartment to a blow up mattress in a shared room. All were decent enough, and one in particular allowed for some very special memories.
I stayed with a very nice couple in the small village of Erchie, located on the Amalfi Coast between Cetara and Maiori. It was quite a walk from the bus stop to get to the place, but the view was gorgeous. The highlight was the day that the couple took me and my fellow travelers, a young Canadian couple, out in their rowboat. We went into caves and had lunch on a secluded beach. It was an absolutely amazing experience. During my visit to the coast I also took a ferry to Sorrento and toured around the towns of Amalfi and Ravello. I didn't quite make it to Positano and Capri, which are two of the most famous destinations there, but all the more reason to go back!
I also spent time in Salerno, which was my base to visit the ancient sites at Paestum and Pompeii. Both were awe-inspiring.
Now, the down-side of my trip. Over this last year, I've been experiencing some foot problems. It started in late 2014 when I noticed some discomfort on the inner side of my right foot. The podiatrist identified the issue as one of my sesamoid bones, which are located on the tendon at the big toe joint. It was unclear whether the bone was fractured or not. Whatever the reason for the pain is, it is a problem that is very stubbornly hanging on. It was feeling better at the beginning of my trip, but was still causing me grief. The pain became exacerbated after all the walking I did, especially on the day I visited Pompeii. It got to the point where every step was painful, and I had to bypass certain areas of the ruins just because they would have required me to deviate from the most direct route to the exit.
So now that I'm home, I'm back in the therapeutic waking boot that I wore for several months earlier this year. It allows me to walk without bending my foot, which is what causes the discomfort. It seems the way I was walking in Italy, compensating for my original injury, has inflamed the metatarsal area of the foot. Meaning, pretty much the whole ball of my foot hurts now.
Still, I got to see amazing sights in Italy and have some wonderful experiences. So I would say it was worth it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Interests and choices
I have too many interests.
I love to write. I love the idea of taking one's ideas and bringing them to life in the written word. The impact that books, magazines, newspapers, and now the internet have had on human society is truly mind-boggling.
I love music. I love to listen to it, learn about it, sing it, and play it on guitar.
I love improv. I love how a group of people can take a bunch of basic, agreed-upon principles and come up with scenes and story lines out of nothing.
I love psychology. I love learning about what makes people who they are.
I love personal development. I love being able to look back and see progress over time. I love when people are able to find ways to improve themselves.
I love creativity. I could watch YouTube videos for hours. The things that people can come up with never cease to amaze me. And many of my favorite childhood memories involve creating something, whether it was a short story, an art project, or a movie using a computer program.
I love science. I love how much knowledge mankind has attained about the universe through its use.
I love people and relationships. I love building friendships and sharing experiences with those I care about. Nothing makes me happier than being in the company of friends and family. It also tends to quiet the ruminations I am prone to.
I love traveling. I love to see places I haven't been before and form memories in them.
There have been times in the past when I felt like I did not have strong passions. But as you can see I can effortlessly come up with a list of them. Finding room for all of them in my life is the real challenge. Then there's the question of whether I even should. What is the meaning of success for a person with so many interests? Should I pick one and focus on it, possibly at the expense of others? Or should I strive to be a jack of all trades, and risk being a master of none?. Ultimately I know it's not a matter of "right" or "wrong." Both are perfectly viable alternatives. My biggest goal, which isn't always easy in this world of constant pressures, is to always remain true to myself.
Life is all about trade-offs. My hope moving forward is I will continue learning how to balance the drive for "success" with the yearnings of my heart.
I love to write. I love the idea of taking one's ideas and bringing them to life in the written word. The impact that books, magazines, newspapers, and now the internet have had on human society is truly mind-boggling.
I love music. I love to listen to it, learn about it, sing it, and play it on guitar.
I love improv. I love how a group of people can take a bunch of basic, agreed-upon principles and come up with scenes and story lines out of nothing.
I love psychology. I love learning about what makes people who they are.
I love personal development. I love being able to look back and see progress over time. I love when people are able to find ways to improve themselves.
I love creativity. I could watch YouTube videos for hours. The things that people can come up with never cease to amaze me. And many of my favorite childhood memories involve creating something, whether it was a short story, an art project, or a movie using a computer program.
I love science. I love how much knowledge mankind has attained about the universe through its use.
I love people and relationships. I love building friendships and sharing experiences with those I care about. Nothing makes me happier than being in the company of friends and family. It also tends to quiet the ruminations I am prone to.
I love traveling. I love to see places I haven't been before and form memories in them.
There have been times in the past when I felt like I did not have strong passions. But as you can see I can effortlessly come up with a list of them. Finding room for all of them in my life is the real challenge. Then there's the question of whether I even should. What is the meaning of success for a person with so many interests? Should I pick one and focus on it, possibly at the expense of others? Or should I strive to be a jack of all trades, and risk being a master of none?. Ultimately I know it's not a matter of "right" or "wrong." Both are perfectly viable alternatives. My biggest goal, which isn't always easy in this world of constant pressures, is to always remain true to myself.
Life is all about trade-offs. My hope moving forward is I will continue learning how to balance the drive for "success" with the yearnings of my heart.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Historic day
Today was a historic day in the United States, as anyone with a TV, web browser, Facebook feed, or ears is aware. I refer, of course to the decision of the Supreme Court to make same sex marriage legal in all 50 states. This really is a momentous occasion, and I know that many of my friends, both gay and straight, are in a very celebratory mood today.
I'm happy, but at the same time I know that the battle is far from over. This is by no means the end of the so-called "culture wars." While liberals and LGBT-friendly conservatives applaud the decision, the opponents have made their feelings very clear.
Justice Scalia wrote a scathing dissenting opinion which accuses the 5 justices that voted in favor of marriage equality of threatening democracy. Naturally, Republican presidential candidates like Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum (not two of my favorite human beings) also expressed alarm and disappointment.
Besides those Eeyores, my Facebook feed was full of joy and plenty of rainbow colors. I do hope that the animosity toward gays and gay marriage on the conservative side goes away sooner rather than later. I hope that conservative politicians are not successful in stoking the fires of resentment (though I am sure Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are shoveling coal as we speak).
As for myself, I suppose this means that marriage is now on the table again (well, living in California it's been back on the table for a while now). When I came out 3 years ago in my late twenties, I was coming off of a lengthy period of time (years) during which I was on the fence about whether to embrace my attraction to men and come out as gay. One fear that kept me closeted for so long was the possibility of closing the door on ever being able to get married, to be able to wed my partner. So the fact that marriage is actually a legitimate possibility is comforting.
Maybe if I meet the right guy and get married some day, by that time opinions will have softened even more and same sex marriage will truly be viewed by the majority of people as just as valid as any other marriage. Humanity has so many countless challenges to face, it's such a tragedy that so much time, effort, and energy has been wasted on bickering over people's right to build a life with the person they love.
I'm happy, but at the same time I know that the battle is far from over. This is by no means the end of the so-called "culture wars." While liberals and LGBT-friendly conservatives applaud the decision, the opponents have made their feelings very clear.
Justice Scalia wrote a scathing dissenting opinion which accuses the 5 justices that voted in favor of marriage equality of threatening democracy. Naturally, Republican presidential candidates like Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum (not two of my favorite human beings) also expressed alarm and disappointment.
Besides those Eeyores, my Facebook feed was full of joy and plenty of rainbow colors. I do hope that the animosity toward gays and gay marriage on the conservative side goes away sooner rather than later. I hope that conservative politicians are not successful in stoking the fires of resentment (though I am sure Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are shoveling coal as we speak).
As for myself, I suppose this means that marriage is now on the table again (well, living in California it's been back on the table for a while now). When I came out 3 years ago in my late twenties, I was coming off of a lengthy period of time (years) during which I was on the fence about whether to embrace my attraction to men and come out as gay. One fear that kept me closeted for so long was the possibility of closing the door on ever being able to get married, to be able to wed my partner. So the fact that marriage is actually a legitimate possibility is comforting.
Maybe if I meet the right guy and get married some day, by that time opinions will have softened even more and same sex marriage will truly be viewed by the majority of people as just as valid as any other marriage. Humanity has so many countless challenges to face, it's such a tragedy that so much time, effort, and energy has been wasted on bickering over people's right to build a life with the person they love.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
My love of music
As is probably apparent from my song lyrics-inspired blog title, I am a big fan of music. It has been a love of mine ever since I was a little kid.
One of my mom's favorite embarrassing stories about me illustrates this. One Easter, when I was very little, my three cousins were visiting from Northern California. We were doing one of my favorite Easter activities: an egg hunt (seriously, I used to beg my parents to re-hide the eggs after I had found them). My older cousin and I were scouring the front yard for the colorful little treasures. Our eyes simultaneously fell upon an egg stuck within the bushy branches of a rather tall shrub. Before I could race my cousin for the prize, however, the little stuffed bunny I was carrying began to play its tune. For a moment, I was immobilized by indecision. The egg beckoned, and if I delayed my cousin would claim it! And yet . . . the music played on. My decision was made. I dropped the basket and immediately started dancing.
A childhood musical obsession was the soundtrack to the movie Dirty Dancing. To this day, I still haven't seen the film. But I can still along to most of the songs. I remember putting on a show for my parents, me standing on the bricks in front of the fireplace, belting out "Hungry Eyes." I wouldn't discover rock music for another 10 years or so, but the song "Overload" definitely foreshadowed my future love of rock, as that one was one of my favorites.
My childhood was dominated by Disney soundtracks. I loved Disney songs, and I would memorize all of the words. My first exposure to popular music, as I remember it, was through Radio Disney. I later ventured onto KIIS FM, the local pop music station, once I realized I knew little about popular artists. It's strange to think about now, but the early development of my musical tastes was greatly motivated by the desire to fit in, rather than an inherent curiosity about music. I'd always loved music, yet for some reason I didn't do much to expand my musical horizons until I started feeling left out. Still, I avoided rock music, having some bizarre feeling that it was "bad." I swear I didn't grow up in a Puritan household!
One of the bands I credit with changing my opinion about rock music is Weezer. The music video for their song "Buddy Holly" was included with Windows 95 on my family's new computer. I grew a liking for the song, and was later surprised to hear it played on KROQ while my friend's mom was driving me home from school. Why, KROQ didn't play devil music after all!
Once the rock music floodgates were open in high school, I was sold. I devoured everything they played. Not long before, I had purchased my very first album, 14:59 by Sugar Ray. But after I discovered KROQ I began exclusively collecting albums by bands I heard on there. My two best friends, who were brothers, influenced my taste a bit as well. Through them I discovered The Offspring, who would be the first band I saw in concert (at Universal Amphitheater, which later became Gibson Amphitheater, which is now closed to make way for Harry Potter World . . . there is no justice in the world). I developed a taste for 90s grunge bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Bush, and especially Soundgarden. As for more contemporary bands, my absolute favorite was Incubus. More than a decade later, I still follow them closely.
In college I began to try to expand my tastes beyond what was heard on the radio. I was beginning to grow tired of KROQ playing the same music over and over. While I still liked those bands, I wanted to recreate the excitement of discovery that I had felt when all of rock music was new. During this phase I discovered bands that would go on to become some of my favorites, including Injected, Cave In, and Failure. My snobbish preference for "heavy" music caused me to make some purchases that were less than stellar, but in retrospect my adventurousness of this time led me to some real unsung gems.
Eventually, through the influence of friends, I became a fan of classic rock as well. Since I didn't really want to spend the money on decades worth of albums from each major classic rock band, I would usually stick to greatest hits collections. This opened my eyes and ears to lots of new (to me) music, including bands I had at least some familiarity with, such as The Beatles.
Years later, rock is still my favorite genre. However, I have dropped the snobbish preference for "heavy" music and have been venturing out into other subgenres of rock and other musical genres entirely. Over the last year I've been working through the list of albums from the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It's a chronologically ordered list, and although it seems to have a bit of a UK-centered bias it is still a fascinating journey. I can't listen to each album too in depth since I have them on in the background when I'm doing work, but it's at least giving me an idea of the different sounds that have dominated popular music since the 1950s. I'm currently in the year 1976, which marked the beginning of punk rock with the debut album of The Ramones.
There we have it, an overview of my musical development! I'll definitely be talking a lot about music on this blog, whether it be album reviews or just general musical musings.
One of my mom's favorite embarrassing stories about me illustrates this. One Easter, when I was very little, my three cousins were visiting from Northern California. We were doing one of my favorite Easter activities: an egg hunt (seriously, I used to beg my parents to re-hide the eggs after I had found them). My older cousin and I were scouring the front yard for the colorful little treasures. Our eyes simultaneously fell upon an egg stuck within the bushy branches of a rather tall shrub. Before I could race my cousin for the prize, however, the little stuffed bunny I was carrying began to play its tune. For a moment, I was immobilized by indecision. The egg beckoned, and if I delayed my cousin would claim it! And yet . . . the music played on. My decision was made. I dropped the basket and immediately started dancing.
A childhood musical obsession was the soundtrack to the movie Dirty Dancing. To this day, I still haven't seen the film. But I can still along to most of the songs. I remember putting on a show for my parents, me standing on the bricks in front of the fireplace, belting out "Hungry Eyes." I wouldn't discover rock music for another 10 years or so, but the song "Overload" definitely foreshadowed my future love of rock, as that one was one of my favorites.
My childhood was dominated by Disney soundtracks. I loved Disney songs, and I would memorize all of the words. My first exposure to popular music, as I remember it, was through Radio Disney. I later ventured onto KIIS FM, the local pop music station, once I realized I knew little about popular artists. It's strange to think about now, but the early development of my musical tastes was greatly motivated by the desire to fit in, rather than an inherent curiosity about music. I'd always loved music, yet for some reason I didn't do much to expand my musical horizons until I started feeling left out. Still, I avoided rock music, having some bizarre feeling that it was "bad." I swear I didn't grow up in a Puritan household!
One of the bands I credit with changing my opinion about rock music is Weezer. The music video for their song "Buddy Holly" was included with Windows 95 on my family's new computer. I grew a liking for the song, and was later surprised to hear it played on KROQ while my friend's mom was driving me home from school. Why, KROQ didn't play devil music after all!
Once the rock music floodgates were open in high school, I was sold. I devoured everything they played. Not long before, I had purchased my very first album, 14:59 by Sugar Ray. But after I discovered KROQ I began exclusively collecting albums by bands I heard on there. My two best friends, who were brothers, influenced my taste a bit as well. Through them I discovered The Offspring, who would be the first band I saw in concert (at Universal Amphitheater, which later became Gibson Amphitheater, which is now closed to make way for Harry Potter World . . . there is no justice in the world). I developed a taste for 90s grunge bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Bush, and especially Soundgarden. As for more contemporary bands, my absolute favorite was Incubus. More than a decade later, I still follow them closely.
In college I began to try to expand my tastes beyond what was heard on the radio. I was beginning to grow tired of KROQ playing the same music over and over. While I still liked those bands, I wanted to recreate the excitement of discovery that I had felt when all of rock music was new. During this phase I discovered bands that would go on to become some of my favorites, including Injected, Cave In, and Failure. My snobbish preference for "heavy" music caused me to make some purchases that were less than stellar, but in retrospect my adventurousness of this time led me to some real unsung gems.
Eventually, through the influence of friends, I became a fan of classic rock as well. Since I didn't really want to spend the money on decades worth of albums from each major classic rock band, I would usually stick to greatest hits collections. This opened my eyes and ears to lots of new (to me) music, including bands I had at least some familiarity with, such as The Beatles.
Years later, rock is still my favorite genre. However, I have dropped the snobbish preference for "heavy" music and have been venturing out into other subgenres of rock and other musical genres entirely. Over the last year I've been working through the list of albums from the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It's a chronologically ordered list, and although it seems to have a bit of a UK-centered bias it is still a fascinating journey. I can't listen to each album too in depth since I have them on in the background when I'm doing work, but it's at least giving me an idea of the different sounds that have dominated popular music since the 1950s. I'm currently in the year 1976, which marked the beginning of punk rock with the debut album of The Ramones.
There we have it, an overview of my musical development! I'll definitely be talking a lot about music on this blog, whether it be album reviews or just general musical musings.
Monday, June 22, 2015
An introduction
I like to write.
I don't write enough.
I am making an effort to write more.
Hence this blog!
I'm not new to blogging. For years I've kept an anonymous blog for mostly therapeutic reasons. But I wanted to create a new blog that is a bit more open ended. A place where I can write about whatever I want, whatever interests me. Through this blog I hope to write about various topics, from current events to music to movies to work to travel to events in my life. Maybe I'll even get creative, who knows? Of course, since it's less anonymous (I may actually share the link with people I know), I might not be quite as candid about some of the more personal aspects of my life. But you never know what I'll warm up to.
For this first entry, a bit of background. At this point I don't know who I'll share my blog with or whether it will ever even have an audience, but even if this is just a story for my own eyes I still have to introduce the main character! My name is Brian. I live in Southern California. I am in my early thirties, which at this point still feels like an extension of my twenties. I am a total over-thinker, and writing has long helped me sort through the thoughts that are always bombarding me. My other forms of release are listening to music, traveling, watching movies, playing video games, playing guitar, reading, and performing improvisational comedy. I have long had a passion/interest for creativity, it has just been under-utilized at times in the past. I would like to change that.
The name of this blog comes from a song by Soundgarden. Considered one of the big four bands of the Seattle grunge scene of the early 1990's (the other three being Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and of course Nirvana), they are also one of my favorite bands of all time. Chris Cornell's voice is one of my favorite things, and he should sing every song. Okay, maybe not every song, but he's hands down my favorite rock vocalist. The lesser known song "Mind Riot" off of Soundgarden's album Badmotorfinger is one of my favorites. It's a beautiful song, and while I'm not sure exactly what the rather poetic sounding lyrics are about, the term "mind riot" always spoke to me for some reason. Perhaps it's because, as an over-thinker, I often feel like there's a riot going on in my mind.
So hopefully this blog will serve to be a little riot control.
I don't write enough.
I am making an effort to write more.
Hence this blog!
I'm not new to blogging. For years I've kept an anonymous blog for mostly therapeutic reasons. But I wanted to create a new blog that is a bit more open ended. A place where I can write about whatever I want, whatever interests me. Through this blog I hope to write about various topics, from current events to music to movies to work to travel to events in my life. Maybe I'll even get creative, who knows? Of course, since it's less anonymous (I may actually share the link with people I know), I might not be quite as candid about some of the more personal aspects of my life. But you never know what I'll warm up to.
For this first entry, a bit of background. At this point I don't know who I'll share my blog with or whether it will ever even have an audience, but even if this is just a story for my own eyes I still have to introduce the main character! My name is Brian. I live in Southern California. I am in my early thirties, which at this point still feels like an extension of my twenties. I am a total over-thinker, and writing has long helped me sort through the thoughts that are always bombarding me. My other forms of release are listening to music, traveling, watching movies, playing video games, playing guitar, reading, and performing improvisational comedy. I have long had a passion/interest for creativity, it has just been under-utilized at times in the past. I would like to change that.
The name of this blog comes from a song by Soundgarden. Considered one of the big four bands of the Seattle grunge scene of the early 1990's (the other three being Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and of course Nirvana), they are also one of my favorite bands of all time. Chris Cornell's voice is one of my favorite things, and he should sing every song. Okay, maybe not every song, but he's hands down my favorite rock vocalist. The lesser known song "Mind Riot" off of Soundgarden's album Badmotorfinger is one of my favorites. It's a beautiful song, and while I'm not sure exactly what the rather poetic sounding lyrics are about, the term "mind riot" always spoke to me for some reason. Perhaps it's because, as an over-thinker, I often feel like there's a riot going on in my mind.
So hopefully this blog will serve to be a little riot control.
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