Shuffling

Tonight, I'd like to take a break from the pattern I set up months ago when I made those first posts. I want to get down to business a little bit and be kind of serious with you all. I hope this is okay with everyone.
The past two years have not been good. I can't say that their passing has gone wholly awry, but the data has a definite, and fairly sharp downward trend. So much good has happened, and I've gained a lot personally. However, the damage I have done, and the person I have become, and there has been quite a bit of change, are so far from what was expected, and so far down from what I even was! I'm glad to say that it upsets me to look back and see the fight, the personal strife, and the self-frustration I used to experience, and to look at more recent times and see that I've grown, in some ways, dejected, and that I have stopped trying to fight forward and achieve better than what I now am.... have.... know...
But this ends.
The ending has already begun, and with some awakenings, and the return of my incredibly loved brother, I want more, and I demand more. I have hope to achieve, but more importantly, I'm acting to achieve these things. I have my fight back, and I have taken up my old arms to defend myself.
And God has noticed. In about two days of having regained a resolve for better, I have felt the Spirit more and I have felt His mercy so powerfully in my heart. I do not pretend to be perfect, or even to have changed myself greatly, but my perspective has changed, and my fortitude made resolute. With God, and the strength and consolation of Christ, I know that I can do this. And I know that I can do it now.
However, this is not the next step, at least not truly. This is the short starts that push me into the next sprint; the setup for a run of faith. Directly ahead of me lays serving full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and beyond that, trying to manage an increasingly complicated and difficult life. These days are the time of preparation before I must follow Christ out onto the water, and I will not waste them.
I do not pretend either that this situation is different from that of many others my age; many who face a more uncertain future than they had originally thought, and who have made for themselves a less impressive present than they had originally imagined. To all who stand where I am now, I would ask that you fight. I would ask that you struggle with all that is in you, and that, in every beat of your heart that sends blood rushing to failing limbs and in every blow you receive at the hands of the adversary, you will give no quarter. This is not a time for the victory bells to be rung, not now. Now is the time for endurance, and all must engage honorably or forfeit to the cold.
It is here that we await the leap, and we circle our feet about, shifting our weight at odd moments and in odd places, trying to position our run to the edge of the cliff. We plan our steps and practice breathing. We sing the strength of those who have gone before and note those who have fallen. We very confidently make our little motions and place our feet over and over again in anticipation of what will only be known as flight.
This is my life now, and I'll try to keep you posted.

Music 'N' Stuff

      So, I adore music. I don't know if you guys realized this, but it's pretty much awesome. I like it nerdy, smooth, in computers and cars, digitally and in records, and all fashions in which it exists. So, this is my list of current favorites across a few genres. Enjoy!

I Fight Dragons

      Of all the geek bands out there, I love these guys the most. Aside from making amazing music that combines chiptunes from NES video games with modern stuff, they also just have a really cool ethic and nice following. Here's what I mean: If you go to www.ifightdragons.com, you can not only download their full album "Kaboom!," but if you click on the Community link, it'll take you to the Advanced Guard in which fans of IFD can make their own pages, do band-promoting quests to earn points, earn rank advancements, and earn merch/songs that you can't buy anywhere. They also have an awesome E-mail list to which they send free songs and specials, which you also can't generally find for purchase. Also, the music video for their song, "Save World, Get Girl," was shown by Nintendo on the 3DS. Any band that's endorsed by Nintendo in any way wins. Epically.



Jonathan Coulton

 

 

      Notice anything about this guy? He's a nerd! Very astute. Anyways, he was a brilliant software engineer who graduated from Yale and is still involved in all of that business. His music writing career started with his podcast series titled "Thing A Week," in which he'd throw down a new song each week. His music has grown to be known and hailed amongst all of those who ascribe to the geek life. His song, "Still Alive," was the song played for the end credits of the popular and critically acclaimed video game "Portal." He writes about zombies, scientists, world domination, and awesomeness. Look him up. Go to www.jonathancoulton.com Do it.

 

 

 

 

Hanggai

 

 

      At this point you may be asking yourself, ".......?" To which I would respond, "Why yes, yes that is a group of Mongolians and Chinese men wearing traditional Mongolian garb and wielding traditional Mongolian instruments." Don't let their traditional appearance or their traditional first album fool you though, they fuse the old ways of Mongolia with modern Chinese punk music to make awesomeness happen. Don't believe me? Well, there aren't any good websites for them. They have a myspace page and other stuff, but none of it really delivers Hanggai to an audience the way listening to their albums does. I found them at my local library, so you can check there, or run to youtube and try to find a not crappy recording of their music. But, I would highly recommend this band to everyone, and not in a lame "Let's All Expand Ourselves And Acquire A Taste," kind of way, but in a genuine, good music kind of way. So, check them out.

 

 

 

      That's it again! Please check these guys out, and if not, feel free to post some of your own favorite music here on the blog! If you do like what you hear here, tell your friends! Beauty and music and all of that jazz (or classical, whichever you prefer) are meant to be shared!

Autumn & Cartoons

I'm not sure that there's a better pairing in the existence of the universe. Here's why:


Autumn:


      1. Fall is beautiful. And wet. And just makes me happy. This picture was taken at Butterfield Canyon, where Taylor and I went because we thought it would be cool. We were right.

 

      2. Someone randomly decided that a swing would go really well up on that hill, and we just so happened to stop on the spot that had it. Taylor could be sad, nostalgic, pensive, or simply beaming with joy and the clear air, slight chill, and breathtaking scenery would fit her mood well. Also, fall means we get to wear jackets, coats, scarves, hats, and everyone wears pants, which are the best.

 

      With all of that, it must also be understood that what I'm describing are merely side facts of Autumn, while what I really love is Autumn-ness. It's the art of the season and the way it reflects on my emotions that really captures my attention. It causes me to look back across my life, to look inward and attempt to solve the eternal riddles of self-definition and self-exploration. It also causes me to step out and be with my family, to revel in their happiness or to experience a conjoined sadness with those who could use my comfort. There's just so much emotion in Autumn, and so many things that bring it about. I love it. It's beautiful.

 

 

 

Cartoons:

 

      Let me explain what I mean to say when I use the word "Cartoon." There are very few things made within the last four years that I would ever call a cartoon, even if they are a 2d animation commonly known by that name. The issue is this: almost every modern cartoon has lost each principle of what made old cartoons good. With the exception of such diamonds in the rough as Phineas and Ferb, modern cartoons don't have any true humor, they don't mimic popular culture in quirky ways, they have very little of the slapstick humor of older cartoons, and they stand for very little. They target older and older audiences and sometimes even try to apply the same things to younger audiences. Where has the innocence of cartoons gone? Nowadays, they just try to be as strange as possible, or they try to catch the audience off guard in some way. Old cartoons could have the same plot in every episode and build up such a strong devotion and love!

I drew a picture to help illustrate what I've been trying to say:

 

 

 

      You see, Gendy Tartakovsky is the greatest, and he hasn't truly left the business. He still directs cartoons and animations, for example, Hotel Transylvania, which I think is out, is his work. Here's a link to its web page if you want more info. Anyways, the reason why I say he "left the business," is because he no longer makes old style cartoons. He's still great and I love his work, like The Clone Wars,  which was simply an amazing series, but it didn't carry any of the nostalgia of childhood. Also, Cartoon Network, which contained most of my absolute favorites, has completely changed its approach. It makes some live action shows for crying out loud! How can it be Cartoon Network if it has non-cartoon programs? Also, I miss Cartoon Cartoon Fridays. They were happy.

 

 

Unity

 

      The reason why I have these two paired together is because they have some similar effects on me. They evoke a strong sense of nostalgia and introspect; they make me incredibly happy and outwardly so, but they bring me a small sense of sadness and pull me into myself at the same time. I love them both for that. Happy Autumn everybody. Find something you love this season.

Puppy Unicorns and Super Heroes!

      So, I'm well aware that many of you have never heard of Puppy Unicorns and are indeed wondering what on earth they might have to do with Super Heroes in what is normally a very serious blog. But let me be frank, I don't care.
      However, I do feel a pressing need to introduce Puppy Unicorns, because, you know, what the heck are Puppy Unicorns. So! I drew some pictures to help illustrate what the heck Puppy Unicorns are! Um.... I don't know how to access Draw for this version of Office (I'm not sure it has one). So the pictures might be a little more magnificent than the computer can truly express through pixels. Sorry. I can only operate within the limited means of my technology. *Sigh*






Notice the extravagant Mane and Magical Splendor?

      We'll start with figure A. It depicts a typical Unicorn with magical splendor and a casual smile. The type of thing that a child might enjoy, right? It looks much more glorious in real life..... Well, just below, as you'll see in Figure ~, a Puppy Unicorn is quite different.






Notice the SEVERE Lack of Magical Splendor? And the Mane?

      As you can see, Figure ~ shows that the Puppy Unicorn is a sad, ridiculous counterpart of the commonly beloved mystical horsey. Notice that it doesn't even have a mane? And that popsicle it has glued to it's head? Yes, the Puppy Unicorn is indeed a shameful beast. If you're ever wondering whether the creature in front of you is a Unicorn or the lesser vermin, just look into it's eyes, and if indeed you see absolutely no semblance of basic intelligence and if the cold chill of a bottomless stupidity possesses you, then you my friend have a genuine Puppy Unicorn on your hands! Be sure to wash your hands as soon as possible. As many times as you can. For the rest of the day. Make sure to use lots of Hydrochloric Acid.
      Perhaps you think I am being too harsh on the little guys? Well, let me present you with this hypothetical situation: Say a dashing young Unicorn walks up to one of our slobbery little friends and says,

"Why, hello there good fellow! How goes your day?"






Notice the extravagant Mane and Magical Splendor?

The Puppy Unicorn would likely respond as such:

Unicorn: "...."



Puppy Unicorn:




Unicorn: "......" *Coughs uncomfortably*





Puppy Unicorn:

Unicorn: "Are you going to say anything??"



Puppy Unicorn:

Unicorn:

      You see, at this point, the Unicorn has officially left the conversation by vanishing (probably with a good "ting"). After being so greatly affronted by the idiocy of the Puppy Unicorn, the real Unicorn gave up completely. Until......




Unicorn: "NEIGH!!!!!! I HAVE RETURNED WITH THE FULL POWER OF THE UNICORNS!!!"

Puppy Unicorn:

Unicorn: "....."

 

      Do you see where I'm going with this? There's just no way of dealing with a Puppy Unicorn! They don't grant wishes, they don't play fetch, and, most importantly, BATMAN WOULD NEVER RIDE ONE LIKE THIS!:

 

      That's pretty much how Puppy Unicorns relate to Super Heroes. Speaking of Super Heroes, I have a few whom I love deeply and profoundly and I would like to introduce you to a small number of them right now. Have you ever heard of my good friend Dr. McNinja? Well, he rides a raptor.

      That's right, he's a Super Hero who is both a doctor and a ninja, as his name denotes. If any of you enjoy comic books, ninjas, doctors, 12 year-olds with mustaches, humor, or joy in any form, then you will like this. It's a web comic, so go on over to his site by clicking on his image. Do it now!

      Well, that's not all, there's also a fantastic Marvel Comic Series that started pretty recently that I adore. I've only read two comics with him in it, because I'm poor and only read comic books that I can download for free.... Introducing, Nova!

      The last of the force of the Nova Corps after Annihilus released his annihilation wave, Richard Rider must police the universe with the World Mind, who is the collected knowledge of the extinct Xandarian people who created the Nova Corps. He himself is human, from earth. And awesome. Check him out if you have any time, which you do because you had enough time to spend reading this...


      Not to choose sides (although I totally do and it's Marvel all the way), I thought I'd include the great DC Super Hero, The Martian Manhunter. We call him J'onn J'onzz (John Jones), and here's something written about him on the DC Wikia.

      "His natural abilities include super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, flight, shape-shifting, intangibility and telepathy." Basically, he's awesome, and he's been in pretty much every single incarnation of the JLA that has ever been or will ever be. Look him up, or read comics about him. I love him to death.

Well, that's a wrap for this week! Who knows the adventures we'll have next time?

Humility

      I just want to, first off, apologize to my friend for not making this post about puppy unicorns and superheroes like I promised her I would. Sorry Taylor, that'll have to wait for next week, okay? (probably this weekend, actually, because I have a sever lack of life currently, and am filling it with random internet time, which is also why I've been getting WAY better at Galaga).
      So, humility. I was just turned down for a $1,000 scholarship that I was really hoping for, and it made me really unhappy, and kind of indignant towards those who were giving it out because, who the heck is better than yours truly? I am the greatest geek! I totally check Jonathan Coulton's website and plan out the paychecks of the job that I procrastinate getting in order to buy his merch and comic books (by the way, if you're into Marvel, check out Nova. It's fairly new, and fairly awesome)! However, this was a leadership scholarship, and the kid who won it spoke Russian and created his own comedy club, so I guess it goes to him (I speak Spanish by the way! It's a USEFUL language!). Bravo kid, bravo.
      However, I'm still pretty upset. I guess every time you get turned down for something in favor of someone else, it kind of sends home this message of, "You personally weren't good enough." I built up a past that I thought would have future value beyond the idea that I had a good time and learned a lot of cool things. I value my past a lot, so why don't wealthy benefactors? They could at least value my future! I mean, Pip in Great Expectations (a book that I was somewhere around 50 pages away from finishing..... Yeah)., was a puny lamewad who had never really done anything meaningful and had even helped a convict escape! However, his benefactress was crazy and wanted to see him suffer eternally and waste his life away, so I guess I don't want a whole lot of people who are interested in my future all that much. Also, I regret not having finished that. Also, sorry again Taylor, I know that you checked that book out for me from the library like three weeks ago, but you also got me Brisingr and I have to read another book a friend gave me over a month ago, so I may never get back to the Dickens! Sorrow!
      All of that is a sidetrack though, back to the main point. Well, I was sad and stuff, especially since (sorry again Taylor) I didn't get to even hang out with you before telling me that I never did anything as cool as make a comedy club. So, I came home all sad and stuffs and decided that I was all emotional and crap and that that was probably the best mindset to write a blog post in......... I'm not sure that it's the best logic, but oh well. Anyways, when I was looking at my reading list, I saw all of the blogs that I haven't looked at in months and one of the most recent ones was from a blog called Haley's Story. Haley is a girl who lived nearby, and was diagnosed with leukemia. I was on seminary council at my local high school and did things to be supportive while otherwise feeling really terrible for not really doing much to be supportive. In fact, I felt bad for how easy my life was comparatively. I've never had something that out of my control, nor anything that threatened my life so completely. Anyways, a lot had happened since I last checked in the Late Winter/Early Spring. Primary among them, Haley became cancer free! It amazed me! And made me super happy, if not guilty for whining about not receiving $1,000. Please visit the blog dedicated to her. It's amazing to see the progress of her trial over the course of more than a year. Seriously, click on the link and read a post or two. You're checking this out, so that means you've got to have like five minutes, so check out her story!!!
      Well, that's all for tonight! Stay tuned for our next episode: Puppy Unicorns and Superheroes! This episode I tried out one blogger technique (the one where you make plenty of jokes and get really sidetracked) that I enjoy and, as I'm joyfully willing to admit, stole violently and aggressively from this one girl's blog whose name escapes me. Next week, I'll try the one where I make a lot of crappy drawings and put them all into the post! Be ready!