Maybe there wasn't as many as I expected, but just in case, I decided to make the title the way it is now. I'm sure everyone had a lovely thanksgiving, and I can say the same about mine. There's just SOMETHING special about getting together with the family (and friends if you did) and gathering around the table to partake in a wonderful meal and laugh, drink, and talk to your loved ones. This Thanksgiving was esPECIALLY good because of the separation from the family that college causes us all to go through; that being said, it was so nice to get back to them and hug them and tell them all about my college experience.
I'm sure many of you, as college freshman, can understand where I'm coming from. :)
We spent it in Tahoe together, where it snowed a SOLID 5 feet, what a treat that was to see. I hadn't seen snow in over a year and I was filled with anticipation to go out and jump around in it. And don't tell me I'm too old for that, because I will NEVER be too old for that. Neither will you for that matter. Snow is one of life's beautiful, simple pleasures that humans of all ages can enjoy. It was especially light due to the cold, dry weather they've been having up there, so playing in it with my younger brother and his girlfriend was truly a fun time.
On Thursday night, we feasted, just as I bet 90% of the American population did. Now the degree to WHICH we feasted may differ from other families, due to our amazing cook, Nanna Chris. BUT, nevertheless, we feasted.
There was stuffed onions, classic stuffing, a sweeter stuffing, smoked turkey, baked turkey, cranberry sauce, hot rolls, garlic brussell sprouts, mashed potatoes (and gravy), and last but never least......Martinellis Sparkling Cider. YES. If only that bottle was bigger, haha. I hope you all know what I'm talking about; that bottle is just too darn small to ever get the FULL sparkling cider satisfaction I'm looking for. Oh well, we always just buy a ton of it so thank goodness for that.
Being with the family for that little of time just gives me so much more of an appreciation for them. I've missed them like crazy while I've been here in LB, and when I went back, it just didn't seem like enough time to really be with them.
Well, I'm looking forward to Winter break when I can be with them for 5, almost 6 weeks. That'll be a cherished time.
Until then. Farewell blogger.com and bloggers.com of blogger!
Hope your thanksgiving was full and happy like mine. :)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Vocal Jazz Here @ The Beach
"This is just a little blog post, based upon one little night! Here at Long Beach State yeah, a jazz show done perfectly right".....oh....hello. Didn't see you there. I was just singing my thoughts out loud to the tune of "One Note Samba." :D I went to the show at 7:55 PM, and eagerly awaited the beginning of the Vocal Jazz Show. The band came out, and there was a feeling of anticipation in the air that captured the audience. Then, Jazz & Tonic, the beginning jazz group came onto stage. However, they do NOT sing like beginners. Man, it was something else. Singing a total of 5 Jazz Charts, there were a variety of styles such as Samba, with One Note Samba; atmospherically amazing jams such as "But Beautiful" which was my favorite of the tunes...I was constantly being overcome with chills. Then, the african beat influenced Baby, which Brett Kramer played a mean cajon drum (box drum), and then a beautifully arranged 5/4 metered song, Crooked Creek, by our very own Sherrine Mostin. Speaking of her, she did a fantastic job leading Jazz and Tonic and rocked the first half of the show.
PST took the stage for the second half and they were the be all and end all of Jazz singing.
I loved it, and I encourage ALL of you to check out vocal jazz here at CSULB.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I'm Tired
I'm tired. The sounds around me, people yelling outside, the fan going, music playing on my roommates computer, the steps that sound from the room above mine, all these sounds don't register. They don't make their way into my head, but stay out floating around my head, being blocked by some obstructing force inside my head that comes from exhaustion. All I can think about? Dormir. En español, to sleep.
Sleep calls out to me, and taunts me, but not until I finish the blog post will I give in to her calls.
No I won't.
Gotta take care of responsibility.
Whoa. I just realized that after I typed 'gotta', the computer didn't underline it with a red squiggly, meaning it must be a word. Strange. I love that word, so I don't really have a problem, but some grammar nazis might have a fit.
Ummm, wait, where was I.
Oh yeah....sleep.
I want to partake in it.
Like a little boy who wants to leave the dinner table, but must finish his broccoli and brussell sprouts--I must finish this post before I can hit the pillow that looks OHH so comfortable right now.
Resist.
Refusal skills, like the ones we learned in our elementary years to say no to drugs.
I think I might be good actually. 200 words? Have I met the status quo?
Yep, there's 227 there. I've reached the goal......barely. But that's all I need, well, moreso, all I want to do.
Night.
http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/tired.jpg
Sleep calls out to me, and taunts me, but not until I finish the blog post will I give in to her calls.
No I won't.
Gotta take care of responsibility.
Whoa. I just realized that after I typed 'gotta', the computer didn't underline it with a red squiggly, meaning it must be a word. Strange. I love that word, so I don't really have a problem, but some grammar nazis might have a fit.
Ummm, wait, where was I.
Oh yeah....sleep.
I want to partake in it.
Like a little boy who wants to leave the dinner table, but must finish his broccoli and brussell sprouts--I must finish this post before I can hit the pillow that looks OHH so comfortable right now.
Resist.
Refusal skills, like the ones we learned in our elementary years to say no to drugs.
I think I might be good actually. 200 words? Have I met the status quo?
Yep, there's 227 there. I've reached the goal......barely. But that's all I need, well, moreso, all I want to do.
Night.
http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/tired.jpg
Classical music FTW!
Today has been a day FILLED with performances of classical music for me. Waking up at 12, I had an hour to get ready before I headed over to the CSULB music center to sit down and enjoy a free presentation of fine singing. The singer: Senior here at CSULB, Christian Burke. The event: His senior recital.
It was wonderfully executed. He sang through a wide variety of languages, including English, German, and Spanish, with the greatest of ease, making himself look almost as if he'd spoken the languages all his life. His vowels were pure, his consonants clean, and his expressions were seen; it was clear that he was WELL prepared for this event (which he should be!) Altogether he sang a total of 13 pieces, over a period of 45 min-1 hour. Probably the most fatiguing thing a singer can do, is sing pieces of the classical repertoire because it is just THAT demanding of the singer. Yet, Christian made it look simple and did it beautifully. I really enjoyed hearing him sing. Even better, at the end, he came out for an "encore" that we (the audience) chanted for. So he played an original he wrote for that occasion and I kid you not, that song was stuck in my head for the duration of the rest of the day...it was INCREDIBLY catchy. So congratulations Christian on a wonderful recital and an enjoyable set.
Later on in the evening, it was time for more classical singing: the Bob Cole Conservatory Opera students opened their 'Opera Masterpieces' performance with select scenes from select operas. This was the performance that really put opera on the map for me, in terms of something that I could see myself getting into. The performances were.....flawlessly breathtaking. Knowing these were my peers, students of the conservatory, my colleagues, really made it that much more special to see. Seeing step into these foreign roles, both in ethnicity and familiarity was awesome. The versatility and TALENT.....just raw talent that was there in that theater on Saturday night was awe-inspiring.
I realized another thing about opera that night, and that was: it really helps to have the translations overhead so you can follow the dialogue that they're speaking. ;P
I've known one thing for a while though: sometimes, music of the classical style can be the greatest. It can take you to new places, so just sit back, and let it.
Here's something I found a while back, and thought it fit quite well with the subject talking about in this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeoT66v4EHg
I strongly advise you to listen to the whole thing, and don't TELL me you're not moved by it, no matter how silly it may seem.
It was wonderfully executed. He sang through a wide variety of languages, including English, German, and Spanish, with the greatest of ease, making himself look almost as if he'd spoken the languages all his life. His vowels were pure, his consonants clean, and his expressions were seen; it was clear that he was WELL prepared for this event (which he should be!) Altogether he sang a total of 13 pieces, over a period of 45 min-1 hour. Probably the most fatiguing thing a singer can do, is sing pieces of the classical repertoire because it is just THAT demanding of the singer. Yet, Christian made it look simple and did it beautifully. I really enjoyed hearing him sing. Even better, at the end, he came out for an "encore" that we (the audience) chanted for. So he played an original he wrote for that occasion and I kid you not, that song was stuck in my head for the duration of the rest of the day...it was INCREDIBLY catchy. So congratulations Christian on a wonderful recital and an enjoyable set.
Later on in the evening, it was time for more classical singing: the Bob Cole Conservatory Opera students opened their 'Opera Masterpieces' performance with select scenes from select operas. This was the performance that really put opera on the map for me, in terms of something that I could see myself getting into. The performances were.....flawlessly breathtaking. Knowing these were my peers, students of the conservatory, my colleagues, really made it that much more special to see. Seeing step into these foreign roles, both in ethnicity and familiarity was awesome. The versatility and TALENT.....just raw talent that was there in that theater on Saturday night was awe-inspiring.
I realized another thing about opera that night, and that was: it really helps to have the translations overhead so you can follow the dialogue that they're speaking. ;P
I've known one thing for a while though: sometimes, music of the classical style can be the greatest. It can take you to new places, so just sit back, and let it.
Here's something I found a while back, and thought it fit quite well with the subject talking about in this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeoT66v4EHg
I strongly advise you to listen to the whole thing, and don't TELL me you're not moved by it, no matter how silly it may seem.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Tonight has been such an intense night.
Let me escort you through the madness...First, we proposed the idea to go and skate in the parking garage, because that is one of THEE most fun things I've ever participated in here at Long Beach/Wherever I've been.
Everyone agreed and we all prepared to commence in the activity: we dressed up in jeans and t-shirt, because for the most part, our suite likes to just walk around in our underwear and nothing else; yeah, we're that comfortable with each other. :O After we did that, we circled around each other, and put our fists in and put our power rings on, and conjoined in a force that was stronger than the forests of the world. Wait. No, that didn't happen. but I wish it did. :D
On a more serious note, we grabbed our boards and headed out to the parking lot to skate over to the parking structure to meet our fate.....er.....have some fun!
The convenience of the elevator is a wonderful thing now, ladies and gentleman, especially in this case where it enable ultimate satisfaction levels. All we have to do is take the elevator up to the sixth floor, take a deep breath, and then.....take off. :)
It's such a thrill, the wheels spinning faster and faster, the board becoming easier to manipulate and smoother with it's turning. However, with speed there comes a IMMENSE risk with turning around the corners.BUT THAT"S WHERE THE FUN COMES IN.
So that was my evening. Yeah. You jealous.....be jealous. Okay. I'm out. Night time.
Let me escort you through the madness...First, we proposed the idea to go and skate in the parking garage, because that is one of THEE most fun things I've ever participated in here at Long Beach/Wherever I've been.
Everyone agreed and we all prepared to commence in the activity: we dressed up in jeans and t-shirt, because for the most part, our suite likes to just walk around in our underwear and nothing else; yeah, we're that comfortable with each other. :O After we did that, we circled around each other, and put our fists in and put our power rings on, and conjoined in a force that was stronger than the forests of the world. Wait. No, that didn't happen. but I wish it did. :D
On a more serious note, we grabbed our boards and headed out to the parking lot to skate over to the parking structure to meet our fate.....er.....have some fun!
The convenience of the elevator is a wonderful thing now, ladies and gentleman, especially in this case where it enable ultimate satisfaction levels. All we have to do is take the elevator up to the sixth floor, take a deep breath, and then.....take off. :)
It's such a thrill, the wheels spinning faster and faster, the board becoming easier to manipulate and smoother with it's turning. However, with speed there comes a IMMENSE risk with turning around the corners.BUT THAT"S WHERE THE FUN COMES IN.
So that was my evening. Yeah. You jealous.....be jealous. Okay. I'm out. Night time.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Fall Choir Concert on November 6, 2010
Long. Time ago. Far. Far Away. Long. Time ago. Far. Far away......oh. Excuse me. I was uh.....I was just.....singing something..... I heard a little while ago. *looks around awkwardly* What! It's catchy. :P
It was 8 PM, earlier tonight, on this perfect Saturday evening and well, I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. I wasn't able to see the whole "Gloria" by Vivaldi that the 49er Chorus performed, so I snuck in quietly- like a spy in a covert ops mission- in the middle of it and slipped into a seat in the audience. It was quite powerful and beautiful, conveying the gloriousness of God and his majesty with the latin mass, which I always enjoy hearing how different composers interpret the holy text. Beautifully done; then it was intermission.
People socialized, laughed, shared their praise with the singers, ate cookies and drank coffee, and were celebratory in the great bond that music forms between us all. The lights flashed, and that signaled back to the seats to start the second half.
The Women's Chorus kicked off the second half with an energetic, traditional Bulgarian piece entitled Ergen Dedo. This had close harmonies, and a fast tempo, which grabbed the audiences collars and pulled them to attention. :D Steven Berlanga, a talented undergraduate here at CSULB, directed them wonderfully and I enjoyed watching his sharp, yet subtle conducting style. It was really nice.
I must say though, that the performance that stole the show was the Men's Chorus. What a treat, they brought the house down and did it with a great arrangement of John William's film scores, complete with 'choralography' and 'Wookie Screams'. ;D It was amazing (I am sorely regretting not joining the Men's Choir at the beginning of the year, ughhhhh.
Now you know where the beginning of this blog post comes from though; it was that arrangement that has been stuck in my head for the last few hours. :) I will probably go to sleep singing it in my mind, and might even wake up with it.
But that's the greatness of music: it has the power to infiltrate our minds and penetrate to the deepest parts of our soul, even when it's silly. :)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The library: A place of escape
I've made a wonderful discovery recently, here on the CSULB campus. The University Library is a phenomenal thing. It really has EVERYTHING you need for studying, I sometimes wonder why it's not packed everyday, especially with the number of students that attend Long Beach (somewhere around 30,000). I started coming here this past week, to squeeze in some quick studying, just reviewing my notes from my classes, assessing the lessons we went over in class. You know, just spending a half hour to an hour there, especially since a few of my classes are right down the way from it. Why wouldn't I go, yeah?Although now, I'm starting to realize it's an addiction that I will probably have to seek medical advising for, haha. ;) These past few days I've been spending 4-6 hours just reading my class novel, listening to music, taking power naps, researching things for my major (which is Music Comp.) and simply losing myself in spells of endless studying.
What I enjoy most about doing my work in the library is the fact that they have the quiet study areas, which are ESSENTIAL for me to really take in the material that I'm studying. If there are sounds or conversations going on anywhere within 10 feet of me, I can't TRULY take in and process the material that I'm studying....frustrating? Yes. Very, haha. But luckily, the library has two whole floors of noiseless, uninterrupted production. Ah, gotta love it.
There's a Starbucks, for all of you coffee slaves out there, if you just need that quick fix of caffeine or sweet Frappacino taste; you shall be consoled. ;) Strangely enough, I've started going to Starbucks more often ever since I began coming to the library. Hmmmm....connection? .....Probably.
Well, I will conclude this blog entry with saying: I hope you all will check out the library here on campus if you haven't yet. Furthermore, if you've only been here a few times, then visit some more. :)
Alright, peace out! Time to celebrate Halloween...
What I enjoy most about doing my work in the library is the fact that they have the quiet study areas, which are ESSENTIAL for me to really take in the material that I'm studying. If there are sounds or conversations going on anywhere within 10 feet of me, I can't TRULY take in and process the material that I'm studying....frustrating? Yes. Very, haha. But luckily, the library has two whole floors of noiseless, uninterrupted production. Ah, gotta love it.
There's a Starbucks, for all of you coffee slaves out there, if you just need that quick fix of caffeine or sweet Frappacino taste; you shall be consoled. ;) Strangely enough, I've started going to Starbucks more often ever since I began coming to the library. Hmmmm....connection? .....Probably.
Well, I will conclude this blog entry with saying: I hope you all will check out the library here on campus if you haven't yet. Furthermore, if you've only been here a few times, then visit some more. :)
Alright, peace out! Time to celebrate Halloween...
Sunday, October 24, 2010
A little Movie Review!
*slowly looks around him. Makes sure all the lights are on, makes sure cartoons are playing on the television, makes sure he is surrounded by happy, distracting things*
This is going to be my routine that I partake in each time I enter my dorm room now that I've seen Paranormal Activity 2.
Okay, so maybe not THAT intense, but pretty close to that! :O It was quite the thriller, let me tell you. But it had it's letdowns too! However,I'll start with the good.
First off, I went to see it with my awesome suitemates that over the course of almost 2 months, I've grown close to and have come to love; their names are Evan Dixon and Clint Springer. Evan brought his girlfriend, so that was fun, having the token date to a scary movie. Perfect, haha. :)
The theater wasn't packed to brim too, which is always nice, then you don't have to do that unsaid awkward compromising of elbow room on the seats because it's too crowded. There was a lot of people, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't sold out which I HATE going to, sold out shows. So that was nice.
In number 2, there were more characters in the story, so that gave everyone someone to become attached to or associate with. It allowed for more dynamics to the story to, like a dog and a baby we a part of the plot now, and it doesn't get much cuter than a baby boy and a curious german shepard. Don't tell me you won't become heartbroken when a dog get's overtaken by a demon force. You wouldn't be human, sorry to break it to you. Haha, but seriously. The character expansion was really nice to draw the audience in more.
If you enjoy suspension and then sudden surprise attacks from a film, than you'll love this film. I enjoy those thoroughly, so I enjoyed the movie thoroughly in that aspect! They did really well with those, and rightfully so. It shouldn't be hard to execute a good scare with something that pops out.
The place they lacked though, was the creepiness they captured perfectly in the 1st one. With the support they received from Hollywood, from the success of the 1st one, came much more special effects. So they used those way more than they did with creative story-writing, which was a bit of a let down. Although I said I enjoyed 'jumping-out' parts, I enjoy the thrilling side of movies moreso. The parts that just make you freak the F*** out. Not jump out of your seat, but just creep you out to no end. They slacked off in that aspect, so I was disappointed. But, nevertheless, it was an entertaining movie and that's why I go to the movies, to be entertained and taken somewhere. Paranormal Activity definitely took me somewhere, somewhere where I don't want to ever go in real life, haha. ;)
Hope you've enjoyed this. :) Sleep well; I should probably be doing that right now.
This is going to be my routine that I partake in each time I enter my dorm room now that I've seen Paranormal Activity 2.
Okay, so maybe not THAT intense, but pretty close to that! :O It was quite the thriller, let me tell you. But it had it's letdowns too! However,I'll start with the good.
First off, I went to see it with my awesome suitemates that over the course of almost 2 months, I've grown close to and have come to love; their names are Evan Dixon and Clint Springer. Evan brought his girlfriend, so that was fun, having the token date to a scary movie. Perfect, haha. :)
The theater wasn't packed to brim too, which is always nice, then you don't have to do that unsaid awkward compromising of elbow room on the seats because it's too crowded. There was a lot of people, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't sold out which I HATE going to, sold out shows. So that was nice.
In number 2, there were more characters in the story, so that gave everyone someone to become attached to or associate with. It allowed for more dynamics to the story to, like a dog and a baby we a part of the plot now, and it doesn't get much cuter than a baby boy and a curious german shepard. Don't tell me you won't become heartbroken when a dog get's overtaken by a demon force. You wouldn't be human, sorry to break it to you. Haha, but seriously. The character expansion was really nice to draw the audience in more.
If you enjoy suspension and then sudden surprise attacks from a film, than you'll love this film. I enjoy those thoroughly, so I enjoyed the movie thoroughly in that aspect! They did really well with those, and rightfully so. It shouldn't be hard to execute a good scare with something that pops out.
The place they lacked though, was the creepiness they captured perfectly in the 1st one. With the support they received from Hollywood, from the success of the 1st one, came much more special effects. So they used those way more than they did with creative story-writing, which was a bit of a let down. Although I said I enjoyed 'jumping-out' parts, I enjoy the thrilling side of movies moreso. The parts that just make you freak the F*** out. Not jump out of your seat, but just creep you out to no end. They slacked off in that aspect, so I was disappointed. But, nevertheless, it was an entertaining movie and that's why I go to the movies, to be entertained and taken somewhere. Paranormal Activity definitely took me somewhere, somewhere where I don't want to ever go in real life, haha. ;)
Hope you've enjoyed this. :) Sleep well; I should probably be doing that right now.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Super Smash Brothers
Geeeeeeeze. Just 10 minutes ago, I had to TEAR myself away from playing the game that IS the title of this blog post. It. Is. Possibly. The. Best. Game. Ever
So innovative, I love it. I can't believe it took game makers--Nintendo for that matter, one of the best in the business-- that long to come up with a game of this caliber! It all began on the largely successful Nintendo 64 platform, in April of 1999, and what a glorious time that was. Kids from around the nation would gather at friends houses to play this awesome, cross-nintendo-character fighting game. I was one of those kids!
At the mere age of 8, I was already heavily involved in my addiction: video games. And this was just the fix that I needed. Haha. I'll take you through a tour of the game.
There are two different modes of play: single player or multiplayer. I prefer multiplayer, that way everyone can join in on the fun, and it's just WAYYYY better than boring ol' single player. There are 12 players consisting of Luigi, Mario, DK, Link, Samus, Captain Falcon, Ness, Yoshi (my favorite ;) ), Kirby, Fox, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff. There's a good amount of characters so it's easy to find which one you play best as, which moves you prefer, and which hits you prefer. I like Yoshi the best because his power hits are quite strong, and his jump is one of the best in the game. Also, because he's just a cute dinosaur, I just can't help but love that little guy. So I play as him. Now, After you and your friends have argued for who's going to be who and such, it's time to select the map you'll be playing on.
Remember all those levels you once played throughout your video game career on Nintendo 64? Sector Z from Star Fox? Congo Jungle from Donkey Kong? The Castle from Legend of Zelda? Or maybe Yoshi's Story! Whichever one you please, everyone's sure to have a good time, filled with excitement and nostalgia. There are 9 maps to choose from, so take your pick!
Lastly, but most importantly: the gameplay. When the round begins, everyone starts at 0 %. As you take damage, your percent goes up. What determines the rate at which your percent goes up is the type of attack that the opponent used on you. If it's a power hit, like what I referred to with Yoshi, then the damage can range anywhere from 15% to 25%, just depends on the character. Likewise, if it's a normal hit, it might just add 6-9% on the opponent. Still good, still good! To kill people you must hit them out to the side of the map, the bottom of the map, or out the top of the map. The higher there percentage, the more prone they are to just being SENT, no matter what the strength of the hit. They become more and more sensitive to attacks, where a guy with 145% will be sent CLEAR out of the map by even the smallest hit. Got an idea of how the gameplay is? The only idea you should be getting is that it is so legit.
Now, I'm 18. But do you think that age and adulthood has kept me from playing this game? No way. Furthermore, Hal Laboratories and Nintendo have partnered up over the years to bring us more fantastic games from the Super Smash Series, including Super Smash Brothers Melee and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. So, I thank you Nintendo for being the first to come up with such a great game with AMAZING replay value. And I hope you've enjoyed this post and are a little more enlightened now than before you read it.
So innovative, I love it. I can't believe it took game makers--Nintendo for that matter, one of the best in the business-- that long to come up with a game of this caliber! It all began on the largely successful Nintendo 64 platform, in April of 1999, and what a glorious time that was. Kids from around the nation would gather at friends houses to play this awesome, cross-nintendo-character fighting game. I was one of those kids!
At the mere age of 8, I was already heavily involved in my addiction: video games. And this was just the fix that I needed. Haha. I'll take you through a tour of the game.
There are two different modes of play: single player or multiplayer. I prefer multiplayer, that way everyone can join in on the fun, and it's just WAYYYY better than boring ol' single player. There are 12 players consisting of Luigi, Mario, DK, Link, Samus, Captain Falcon, Ness, Yoshi (my favorite ;) ), Kirby, Fox, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff. There's a good amount of characters so it's easy to find which one you play best as, which moves you prefer, and which hits you prefer. I like Yoshi the best because his power hits are quite strong, and his jump is one of the best in the game. Also, because he's just a cute dinosaur, I just can't help but love that little guy. So I play as him. Now, After you and your friends have argued for who's going to be who and such, it's time to select the map you'll be playing on.
Remember all those levels you once played throughout your video game career on Nintendo 64? Sector Z from Star Fox? Congo Jungle from Donkey Kong? The Castle from Legend of Zelda? Or maybe Yoshi's Story! Whichever one you please, everyone's sure to have a good time, filled with excitement and nostalgia. There are 9 maps to choose from, so take your pick!
Lastly, but most importantly: the gameplay. When the round begins, everyone starts at 0 %. As you take damage, your percent goes up. What determines the rate at which your percent goes up is the type of attack that the opponent used on you. If it's a power hit, like what I referred to with Yoshi, then the damage can range anywhere from 15% to 25%, just depends on the character. Likewise, if it's a normal hit, it might just add 6-9% on the opponent. Still good, still good! To kill people you must hit them out to the side of the map, the bottom of the map, or out the top of the map. The higher there percentage, the more prone they are to just being SENT, no matter what the strength of the hit. They become more and more sensitive to attacks, where a guy with 145% will be sent CLEAR out of the map by even the smallest hit. Got an idea of how the gameplay is? The only idea you should be getting is that it is so legit.
Now, I'm 18. But do you think that age and adulthood has kept me from playing this game? No way. Furthermore, Hal Laboratories and Nintendo have partnered up over the years to bring us more fantastic games from the Super Smash Series, including Super Smash Brothers Melee and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. So, I thank you Nintendo for being the first to come up with such a great game with AMAZING replay value. And I hope you've enjoyed this post and are a little more enlightened now than before you read it.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
What a great weekend.
Oh my gosh. What a weekend this has been. I'll walk you through it, so you don't get lost among the GREATNESS of it all.
It started on Friday evening, where I began packing to leave for the Far Western District Convention of the Barbershop Harmony Society. My ride was supposed to pick me up at 5:15...he wasn't there 'till 6:30. :O Just shows how traffic can REALLY throw a plan off kilter. But it wasn't a big deal, for he DID come, better late than never, and then we were off to good ol' Bako. We stopped at an In and Out before the "grapevine" to nourish ourselves with some high class cuisine, also known as double doubles and shakes. Perfect. Now, chorus contest, which we were going up to compete in, wasn't until Saturday, but we wanted to see our hometown chorus rehearse on Friday night so that was our reason for leaving that evening. We got there around 10:50, just in time to see Voices in Harmony rehearse at 11 at The Hotel Marriot, which was headquarters for the convention.
They really sounded much better since that last time I sang with them in San Jose, but it wasn't much of a surprise for they were under the direction of Dr. Greg Lyne. He works wonders. At the end of their rehearsal, I bummed a stay in a room with one of my friends, because I was basically homeless in Bakersfield. He was happy to have me though, so I was happy to be there. In the morning, I woke up, got registered, and jumped risers for Masters of Harmony's 10:00 warm-up and rehearsal.
The rehearsal was mainly focused on developing the perfect sound we had at Wednesday's rehearsal, at running the set through and making sure the choreo and facial expression was enhancing the performance. It went well. The excitement was building up inside me.
As we neared our performance, all the guys who'd performed with Masters in the past kept asking me, "You excited?" or, "You ready to begin your first performance as a Master?" or, "How you doing, ready to sing your heart out?" Every single one I answered yes to. The chorus began getting dressed in their tuxes, and soon enough, we were walking to the stage. What a feeling that was, surrounded by all these great guys who'd done this all over the USA with the Masters of Harmony...and I was brand new, walking among them. Talk about a rush, I felt as much nervousness as I did excitement.
Then just like that, it was over. When the guys said it goes by in an instant, I believed them! However, I didn't know it was going to be that fast. We got up there, sang our two songs the best we could, received the uproarious applause (goosebumps from the amazing emotion I was feeling overcame my body), then we walked off stage. I knew we had it in the bag, the stage was ours and I think the audience knew it too.
It's times like those that I live to sing for, those times that you can feel the chord ringing throughout your body and the contribution of everyone's voice in the chorus going forth to create this powerful wall of sound. It was so great.
The Masters of Harmony won the convention and at the end of the awards show, the whole audience joined MoH and the Westminster chorus, an international champion chorus from Westminster, in singing "Keep the Whole World Singing." And that's what we aim to do. What a great weekend it's been.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The beach is such an amazing place. In fact, I might just go there right now. Oh alright, I'll finish this blog post first, if I HAVVVE to. Really though, I can't think of even a FEW places that are better than the beach, especially the beaches down here in Southern California. I mean, the beaches in Northern California are nice, but sometimes, the overcast weather and ice cold temperatures in the water aren't always ideal for the perfect day for fun in the sun! So excluding beaches in Northern California, the beach is probably one of THEE best places to ever be.
First, you have the weather. It's beyond wonderful; where else can you find that perfect balance between sunshine and cooling breeze. Hmmmm, I've thought hard and long about this and can't think of many other places. The way the sun kisses your skin and gives you the perfect amount without being too much (that is if you take proper precautionary steps with sunscreen *flashes a cheesy, info-mercial like thumbs up*) is awesome. Then to round out the weather to create the perfect atmosphere, the cool ocean breeze whooshes by and gives you that break from the heat and extra breath of fresh air.
If that wasn't enough to get you yearning for the beach, let's move on to the sand itself. I recently realized, while playing beach volleyball with some great new friends from CSULB, that the sand at the beach is an unbeLIEVABLE treasure in itself. To sit there and have this malleable floor beneath you and to let it seep through your toes is such an amazing and captivating feeling. Try it. Go out, and just sit in the sand and really feel how nice it is on your feet and hands and you'll soon know that what I speak of is true!! :)
Go to the beach, we live in Long Beach for God's sake!!! It has the word BEACH in the name. I hope you've enjoyed this post.
Night!
First, you have the weather. It's beyond wonderful; where else can you find that perfect balance between sunshine and cooling breeze. Hmmmm, I've thought hard and long about this and can't think of many other places. The way the sun kisses your skin and gives you the perfect amount without being too much (that is if you take proper precautionary steps with sunscreen *flashes a cheesy, info-mercial like thumbs up*) is awesome. Then to round out the weather to create the perfect atmosphere, the cool ocean breeze whooshes by and gives you that break from the heat and extra breath of fresh air.
If that wasn't enough to get you yearning for the beach, let's move on to the sand itself. I recently realized, while playing beach volleyball with some great new friends from CSULB, that the sand at the beach is an unbeLIEVABLE treasure in itself. To sit there and have this malleable floor beneath you and to let it seep through your toes is such an amazing and captivating feeling. Try it. Go out, and just sit in the sand and really feel how nice it is on your feet and hands and you'll soon know that what I speak of is true!! :)
Go to the beach, we live in Long Beach for God's sake!!! It has the word BEACH in the name. I hope you've enjoyed this post.
Night!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Sameness
Sometimes these college days can be extremely routinely. They can become monotonous and boring. Sure, there's different foods to eat in the dining halls and whatnot, the class lectures might be interesting and I might sit with different people here and there to mix up the socializing and to meet new people. But for the most part, each day is scheduled down to the minute and it gets a little lame at times. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I get up half-unwillingly, half-willingly to go to my Harmony 1 class at 8 AM. But it's a music class, so it's not too bad, that's what makes it half-willingly because I enjoy music.....if I didn't, why would I be majoring in it. There's then a 15 minute break in between that class and Musicianship 1, during which I usually will lay out in the morning sun or sit in the shade at a grated lunch table and put my head down. Ahhhh and the day is just beginning. With the commencement of musicianship comes singing pitches back and counting out rhythms correctly. It's pretty much an ear training class, and I enjoy it a good amount. After that, I make my way back to my dorm room to exchange books and folders in a forty minute break in between Musicianship and Philosophy, as well as to grab my portable lifeline........AKA macbook pro. ;) I take off with my roommate Ross to Philosophy to hear a wild lesson on philosophy given to us by the one and only Dr.Klein. Like I said, the classes are usually pretty cool, but it's the spaces in between which is what sometimes is tiring and filled with sameness. The rest of the day usually follows that same class-awkward time in between where you can't really get much done-class-more awkward timing.
Or maybe I'm just being really whiny. :/
Monday, September 27, 2010
Oh my goodness!
Have you ever just laid back, and looked at the beauty of things? Like the other day, in a drunken stupor, I arrived home from a party at 4 in the morning and then I looked up at the night/early morning sky and said, "wow these stars really are something else. I can't believe it." And I walked inside my dorm room with a smile full of awe and wonder across my face. That was a good night. I know there are going to be many more nights like that, and many more wonderful days as well. I think that if you just step back, and take a look at the bigger picture, you'll find something worth wondering about. Or if you even look at the smaller stuff, you'll find something you really love. You could be down and out, but listen to the birds. :) It's beautiful, there natural song, they don't have to try, it just comes out, like breathing for us humans. Involuntary. Something to wonder about. :D Or if you have nothing to do, you can just listen to music. The world's universal language, which I believe to the fullest extent, to be true. One thing a professor on campus said very recently, that I whole-heartedly embrace is, "I think the greatest thing about my life, is that I wake up with wonder every morning. Isn't that something beautiful?" Said by Dr. Jon Talberg, and I will never forget it for as long as I live.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
The Beginning of Barbershop
I think that this is probably how it began: The year was 1710. Johann Sebastian Bach was 25 years old......young. The night was foggy and dismal in Weimar, Germany, and our young composer was alone at his clavichord, stuck in a musical rut, not sure how to go about composing the fugue he was working on. He tried one scale...unsatisfying. He tried a sequence... too predictable. Everything he wrote seemed to be failing him, and at one point, he even thought about taking his life in the name of 'musician's block'.
He let out a scream of passion and anger. "Vas gangst betrubst meine schvelle!!!!" This simply meant, "Why the hell do I suck so bad right now!!!!" He'd started writing at 7 PM, and the time was about 2 in the morning, so you can see he'd been at this awhile and although he was a master of contrupuntal music and form, there was something disabling him from writing music that was up to his standards. Something needed to be discovered, something needed to be brought out of him and put onto paper. The problem was though, that he couldn't do that. In a fit of rage, he threw his hands up in the air, and whilst yelling in anger, he slammed them on the clavichord over and over.
And that was it.
What he played, on accident in his frustrated stupor, was one of the most exciting and innovative things since....well since powdered wigs (remember the time period people).He played seventh chord after seventh chord after seventh chord...on accident. An act of genius, how could anyone have ever even TRIED to play that. They couldn't! If they did, they would have been shunned from the music world, for it was looked down upon to write unresolved seventh chords consecutively. But Bach had done it on accident, and the tears streamed down his face. "Seine schone! Seine schone!" (It's gorgeous, it's gorgeous!) He went at this for hours on end, there was no end in sight. Soon, the sun rose bringing a new day upon the world, and with this new day, there was a new form of music as well. The latter being: the Barbershop style.
He soon formed a quartet with four of his friends, who at first were scared of this provocative music form until Bach explained what it was all about, after which they became more relaxed and open to trying it. His friends were Finn Oxley, Luis De Rosa, and Christoph Waurick. Thus was the world's first barbershop quartet, the Four Germans.
There you have it everyone. The untold story of the creation of barbershop style music. Now go out and sing!
:D
He let out a scream of passion and anger. "Vas gangst betrubst meine schvelle!!!!" This simply meant, "Why the hell do I suck so bad right now!!!!" He'd started writing at 7 PM, and the time was about 2 in the morning, so you can see he'd been at this awhile and although he was a master of contrupuntal music and form, there was something disabling him from writing music that was up to his standards. Something needed to be discovered, something needed to be brought out of him and put onto paper. The problem was though, that he couldn't do that. In a fit of rage, he threw his hands up in the air, and whilst yelling in anger, he slammed them on the clavichord over and over.
And that was it.
What he played, on accident in his frustrated stupor, was one of the most exciting and innovative things since....well since powdered wigs (remember the time period people).He played seventh chord after seventh chord after seventh chord...on accident. An act of genius, how could anyone have ever even TRIED to play that. They couldn't! If they did, they would have been shunned from the music world, for it was looked down upon to write unresolved seventh chords consecutively. But Bach had done it on accident, and the tears streamed down his face. "Seine schone! Seine schone!" (It's gorgeous, it's gorgeous!) He went at this for hours on end, there was no end in sight. Soon, the sun rose bringing a new day upon the world, and with this new day, there was a new form of music as well. The latter being: the Barbershop style.
He soon formed a quartet with four of his friends, who at first were scared of this provocative music form until Bach explained what it was all about, after which they became more relaxed and open to trying it. His friends were Finn Oxley, Luis De Rosa, and Christoph Waurick. Thus was the world's first barbershop quartet, the Four Germans.
There you have it everyone. The untold story of the creation of barbershop style music. Now go out and sing!
:D
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