Strawberry Swing

Not only is Strawberry Swing a great song and peaceful to listen to, the music video alone in a piece of art. The video blends stop animation with chalk drawings and a constant camera angle that doesn't seem so constant in the video. It is absolutely breathe taking. The ending is the best when The animation stops and Chris Martin stands up and walks away from an explosive butterfly mural drawn in chalk on the pavement. Its pure genius.

Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb9X5jMofEo

Zelda

For my 8th birthday my parents got me a Gamecube and a couple of games to go with it. One of them was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Ten years later I still love that game and the six other Zelda games I have acquired.

Now I've been thinking about this recently since my dad just got himself Black Ops 2 and I put Assassin's Creed 3 on my Christmas list. Why do we play video games? Yes its a form of entertainment, but why not just watch TV or even do something a little more productive like picking up a book or going on a walk with a friend?

Maybe its the escape from reality we feel. For as long as we play that game, THAT is our reality. We are alive in the game. We control our character and live vicariously through it. We move it and make it make choices. The more I think about this, the ore I find The Sims franchise really creepy. You're essentially playing god to this character or BEING this character in whatever game you're playing.

For me when I was in middle school I so badly wanted to go to sleep one night in Wenatchee and wake up the next in Hyrule. Its a fantasy I had like so many other people. I wanted to save the world like Link. Heck, I would have settled working at Lon Lon Ranch as Malon.

Whatever the game and whatever the reason, its interesting how obsessive this current generation is becoming with being someone or something else.

Side note: It pisses me off that the franchise is called "Legend of Zelda". It should be called "Legend of Link". Link is the hero, Zelda is the stupid princess that needs help all the time. Its like calling the "Mario" series "Peach".

Earth Vs. Humans

 

There is pleasure in the pathless woods;

There is a rapture on the lonely shore;

There is society, where none intrudes.

By the deep sea, and the music in its roar;

I love not man the less, but Nature more...

- Lord Byron

 

This poem so easily wraps up my general opinion of the world. I believe we don't need all our stuff and mundane socialization to be happy in our lives. We are so lucky to be on this beautiful earth and it is our home. But we continue to build our skyscrapers on the land and dump our waste into the rivers. I know that we have reasons for these things, and I'm not saying everything humans do is bad. I just think we could be wiser with our decisions and open our eyes to realize we are not the center of the universe. But why do we start that way? What makes us so superior to think we can just run everything and do whatever we want? There's a million billion universes out there, we are minuscule. We are not special. We are just a bunch of atoms thrown together. But we don't think about this. I prefer observing the natural wonders around us than worrying too much about my own puny life.

 

 

Its not that I don't love humans, I just love nature more...

Gorillaz

Gorillaz is probably the most artistic and unique musical and visual project I have ever witnessed.

Gorillaz was created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett.The project consists of Gorillaz itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters. This band has four animated members: 2D (lead vocalist, keyboard, and melodica), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar and drum machine), Noodle (guitar, keyboard, and occasional vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). Their fictional universe is explored through the band's website and music videos, as well as a number of other media, such as short cartoons. The music is a collaboration between various musicians, Albarn being the only permanent musical contributor. Their style is a composition of multiple musical genres, with a large number of influences including alternative, rock, hip hop, electronica, dub and pop.

A virtual band. How freaking awesome is that? And real life Damon Albarn is the only permanent member. All of the music created by Gorillaz is a huge collarboration of hundreds of artists. Its magic. And the fictional universe of the virtual band just adds another amazing element.

Every album is different and has its own special vibe (I should know, I own every single one). Kind of like an artist's different periods or styles. I cannot fathom why they are not more mainstream here in the states. Also, Noodle is my favorite virtual band member :)

Why do we kiss?

I found this article interesting: http://scienceline.org/2006/10/ask-fiore-kiss/

Why DO humans kiss? I've actually thought about that before. I mean sure, its fun and feels good, but what's the real purpose of it? Its kind of odd when you think about it. You press your lips against another person's. You shove your toungues in each other's mouths. But WHY?

This article brings up a good point about it probably being learned or instinctual. Sure, some animal mommies mouth feed their young and continue pressing their lips on the young one, but that's the mom. How often do you enjoy kissing your mom? Its more duty than anything. And human mommies don't mouth feed babies, at least I would hope not haha.

I guess for now I'll take the theory that we kiss to find a mate. It kind of makes sense. No one really wants to date a person really horrible at making out. But why did we choose kissing? Why not judge our mates on their hand shake? I judge people (not necessarily mates) on their hand shakes haha. C'mon science! I want anwsers!

Pole Vault

This crazy crazy sport. I'm still not sure why I do it. There are SO many things that could go wrong. Your pole snaps. You swing up too early. You swing up too late. You don't swing up at all. You crash into the standard. You crash into the bar. You fly off the pit. Let's just say don't ever YouTube pole vaulting accidents.

But what about me, or anyone else who vaults or does a dangerous sport, wants to do this?

That adrenaline rush. That accomplishment of clearing the bar and PRing. If I get hurt, then I get hurt. It happens every day to people, I'm not special. I'm not invincible. But shouldn't my survival instincts stop me from putting myself in danger? Who knows. Maybe the human race has evolved beyond that now, and that's why we are able to do all these extreme sports now. The only thing I know for sure is that nothing beats that rush.

 

Hehe watch at your own risk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VjjdkRrNgZ0

 

Anthem and The Island

I watched The Island for the first time with my parents when it came out in 2005. Then in 2010 I read Ayn Rand's Anthem for the first time for my Honors English class.

SO many similarities! Its funny though because I haven't read anywhere that The Island makes references to Anthem. There are other films its said to infringe like Parts: The Clonus Horror and The Penultimate Truth, but nothing about Anthem.

• Both have a male lead who takes fancy in a blonde.
• The society is closed off and carefully governed.
• The inhabitants are assigned jobs.
• The male starts wondering about what's outside the community
• He explores places he shouldn't.
• All people are given weird names that take away from personal uniqueness.
• Both male leads escape the society with their hot blondes!

I love the book and I love the film. Comparing Anthem to The Island defintiely made reading it more fun. I also went out and bought the movie to watch it again.