Today, I would like to present two musical artists. First. I have only heard one song by Dave Barnes, and that is “On a Night Like This.” That said, it made me want to hear all of his album, Brother, Bring the Sun to soak in what he was selling. Sure, Barnes might be “just another” in the batch of acoustic crooners we are inundated with these days (lead, it would seem, by John Mayer). However, his ‘sound’ is really quite pleasant (from the 1:59 of it that I have heard), and would be lovely to have around for these coming crisp Autumn days that beg for wandering acoustic backdrops. Unfortunately, my money that was going to buy this has recently found another outlet. Read on.
Death Cab for Cutie is way more than I realized when I played it the 5th time … or the 88th. You see, the melodies the band crafts can get stuck in your head. Indeed, this stuck-in effect is amplified on the side project “The Postal Service” everyone has been yabbering about. But the great melodies are, literally, only the beginning. The lyrics are utterly poetic and saturated with meaning; all neatly tied together by the lead vocalist Ben Gibbard. His voice blends with the unique (and seriously, let me stress unique) sound of the band better than any pop-music producer could blend high production values in with the Kelly Clarksons of today’s music. This is a sound that has been played, refined, and polished through real soul-searching musicianship. That’s not to say Death Cab’s newest album, Plans is without some ‘poppiness’. From what I have heard, it has some serious mainstream airplay potential. Unfortunately, I have only experienced iTune’s 30 second soundbites. Therefore, it is now time to spend my $10 to Best Buy, and go out and make my first music album purchase in over two years.
eBay … cheaper - Genius: since people misspell things on eBay and those items attract fewer bidders, this system guesses those misspellings, therefore getting you a better deal on overlooked auctions.
UNEASYsilence: best section - If you are running windows XP and are interested in making it run faster, more efficiently, and less like Windows (that is, more intuitively), then check out this fantastic resource for changing everything you dislike about windows (plus, other great program recommendations as well).
This coming junior year, my AIM away messages are going to be the epitome of efficient communication. Through an organized code, they will convey my whereabouts effectively, accurately, and without excess nonsense.
c = class
l = lab
wo = workout
f = dining
s = studying
z = sleeping
hi = socializing (human interaction)
X# = where # is the number of times the thing will occur
(#h), where # is a rough time estimate in hours [optional]
exclamation point is something i’m looking forward to
pluses indicate concurrent activities
arrows are discrete activities
Therefore, a day may go as follows:
f->cX3(3h)->l(3h)->f+hi->s(2h)->hi->z(7h)
Breakfast, followed by three classes, a three hour lab, a dinner with friends, two hours of studying, relaxing with people, and then seven hours of sleep.
I will have enough energy to use this for roughly the first three days of school.
