(Real) Music

So just a quick update, I officially have no roommate anymore! It’s like having an apartment (kind of but not really)! Even though I’m deathly ill, I’m still going to enjoy all this space. I kind of want to get a sofa but that might be pushing it. But the second bed is kind of like a sofa! But enough about all my new lovely space, on to what the next 900 words of my blog are going to be about....music & the weather?
I just listened to the blueprint 3 & it was really good. It wasn’t jay-z’s best album but it was really good compared to the other crap that some artists put out today (example-Soulja boy). The music on the market now really bothers me. When artists like Soulja Boy market themselves as hip hop artists, it gives hip hop a bad name. Soulja Boy is a rapper but he is NOT a hip hop artist. And yes there IS a difference. People who aren’t familiar with hip hop or rap music think that artists like him are what hip hop is. That’s why people have the impression that all the guys wear baggy jeans & the girls wear tight booty shorts. Which is not how it is-that’s so what the media has transformed it to be, which is completely not true. It’s about community & coming from nothing to something & speaking about something more than guns and hoes. It really is a culture and it is so hard for me to define it. But it’s more than where you came from or what you’ve now become. It’s a culture but that does not mean everybody in it has similar beliefs. I guess the common thing between everybody in the hip hop community is a love of good music. And not necessarily hip hop music but anything that sounds good & takes real talent to make. None of this auto tuned stuff that has been hitting the airwaves recently. It’s such a stupid fad and it has gotten on my nerves from day one! Why should people who are talentless make millions in the music business? I could be a big superstar without having any talent. It’s ridiculous! This is another thing that’s responsible for the decline in real music. Jay-Z has a whole song dedicated to how stupid auto tune is (even though later on in the album he has a song with kanye west that has an auto tuned chorus…let down!). Death of auto tune, the song by Jay-Z has a beat that uses real instruments and it has a message that is relevant to society. When I first heard this song I was at my breaking point with auto tuned stuff. I felt like if I heard one more song that was auto tuned, I was just going to turn my radio off & never turn it back on. He even says in the song “this aint for iTunes.” This means that he isn’t trying to please anybody, he’s just trying to be real about it. And that’s what the hip hop/rap is missing these days. I don’t think people should support artists who don’t know what they’re talking about and are only out there to make a profit. I feel that music that makes the biggest impact is music that comes from the heart and expresses a message. In 20 years when our children talk about what kind of music we listened to in the “olden days,” I don’t want them to think that auto tuned or senseless rap music is representative of the music from our generation because it most definitely is not. And that’s another problem. I think artists are just making records to make money and not thinking about their impact on listeners. They may say that they’re trying to rap about where they came from and that’s all fine & dandy, but spin that into a positive message about how you made it out of the ghetto. Every single song does not have to be about how you carry a gun, just got out of jail, or have so many hoes. They glamorize that lifestyle but it is not a good lifestyle to live in at all. Thankfully, I have never experienced it but I have family members and friends who did. And it’s nothing to take lightly. Some people are struggling to eat and can’t find work. And here these rappers in their million dollar homes and hundred thousand dollar cars are bragging about how hood they are & how great it is. No-that’s just b.s. These people have left the hood many years ago & never looked back. It’s just so disrespectful to me. People are choosing to live this lifestyle because they somehow think it is cool. I don’t understand. IT IS NOT COOL TO STRUGGLE!!!! It is good to be settled down & life & to be able to provide for your family. That is what these rappers have done so I don’t understand why they promote this type of lifestyle, it is just so hypocritical. I feel like real hip hop artists talk about real things and are actually inspirational. It’s ok to have good music to dance to & to have fun music. But the problem here is when people actually start to take this moment seriously. For example right now I’m listening to Nas (one of the best rappers of all time, he is seriously a lyrical genius). His music makes me bob my head and think about something. This particular song is about paying tribute to those who are going through a hard time. It is like a thank you song, it has a soft beat & it just sounds like real music. I wish more of this type of music would actually make it on the radio. Some radio stations don’t play music like this because it is not popular right now. Does that not make it good music? I think some of the best music never makes it to the radio. How sad is that?


P.S.-I have illmatic as my pic this weke because i think it is one of the greatest albums of all time!!!

My Life in college

I’ve now been in college for a little over a month so I thought id reflect on this path month. To sum it up in one word…I would have to say interesting. It’s been different experiencing all these new things that I’ve never had to experience or deal with before. So it’s definitely been a change. And while I don’t think that I’m fully adjusted, I do think I’m getting there and I’m trying to make changes.
The biggest adjustment for me has been living with someone else. The honeymoon period for me & my roomie is definitely over! It’s become so bad that we’ve had to get our RA involved (theres going to be a meeting so she can mediate at 9 tonight). It’s just hard to live with somebody who is the complete opposite of you. I’m a free thinker, I don’t like to follow schedules, I need noise or light to fall asleep, & I’m not very organized. I like to just go with the flow & if something doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t happen. I believe that you can’t map out your life perfectly; it will not follow the plan. But my roommate would strongly disagree with me. I’m in the end, I just feel like we’re super opposites so it’s really hard for us to live together. Tech should have done some personality test to see if we were compatible. But even our study conditions are opposite (when I actually study); I like noise &TV, while she prefers perfect quiet. And I just can’t operate in silence and darkness. But both of us have to learn to make sacrifices. Well maybe not right now, because she may be moving into another room. But eventually, both of us are going to have to live with other people so we need to start getting used to. But before I came here, I never thought I was that hard to live with. I had a lot of friends at home & I was always known as the “nice one.” So I’ve never had to deal with conflict or somebody who didn’t like me (or the way I lived). So having somebody come in & feel that the way I live is stupid is really crazy to me. I’ve always been so liked! But now I’m truly starting to believe that everybody can’t like everybody. So hopefully by next blog post, I will have the whole room to myself, which is pretty small.
Another big adjustment for me has been classes. I am still adjusting to having to actually put work into classes. In high school I did absolutely no work & could comfortably pass all my classes. But now, after an epically failed test, I’m starting to realize that I need to study. My RA is giving out study bucks & at the hall meetings my RA said that everybody had gotten one. But then I said that I hadn’t received any and she said that’s because I’ve never actually seen you studying. And then my roomie (yes that roomie) said that’s because she really doesn’t study, which is true. I would much rather be watching TV (the biggest loser is on now) or listening to the blueprint 3 (not jay-z’s best, but still pretty good). But since I got a 54.5 on my biology test, I’m realizing that I have to put more effort into my classes. I can’t just slack off and expect good grades to fall in my lap. But it just takes so much effort to get out of bed and actually do work. But I’m going to try and make an effort now. I really do want to succeed in college. But I’m one of the few people who is not motivated by failure. And I think that is one of my biggest problems. I am not scared by flunking out of college or failing at driving, or something like that. I don’t care if I fail a couple tests or quizzes. I know that it’s not the end of the world and I’m not going to die. And some people like to complain if they get an 80 or something. I will gladly take an 80!
My third biggest adjustment to college is the diet. I eat so much now! And I think I have only eaten one green thing since I’ve been here and that’s only because one of my hall mates forced me to. I eat the unhealthiest things. My typical diet consists of burgers, a lot of pasta, and burgers with pineapple. While all of these things are delicious, they’re also a heart attack waiting to happen.
I just feel like I need to make a lot of changes if I'm going to succeed here in college. So i'm going to start changing right now!

Black Athletes

Is it just me or do black athletes have a tendency to look crazy in front of the mainstream media? I just witnessed Serena Williams cuss out a referee in tennis and this thought occurred to me. Why do black athletes, as opposed to athletes of other races tend to act out? Is it because the media is racist? Is it because we really are crazier? Or is it because there are simply more black athletes than any other race?

Michael Vick got caught for dog fighting, Plaxico Burrus shot himself, Terrell Owens is well Terrell Owens, LaGarette Blount punched an opponent, Stephon Marbury ate Chapstick and now Serena Williams cussed out a ref at the U.S. Open. These are just a few examples of black athletes messing up and getting caught by the mainstream media. There are too many others to list here.

I do believe that there is a slight bias in the media. It is going to be a bigger story if there is a black athlete is messing up then if a white athlete is messing up. It has become somewhat typical for people to think that this person is going to be black. As of now, people have come to expect it. And I admit that I am one of those people. Oh another professional sports player messed up, and I think to myself I bet he’s black. For example, Michael Vick got caught for dog fighting two whole years ago. And it is still a big story in the media. There were even constant updates while he was in prison. It’s like they just wanted to hammer the point in (he hurt a dog, big deal??? If somebody could explain that to me in the comments, I would appreciate it). Now that he has gotten his career back, people are still criticizing him. On the other hand, Big Ben (quarterback for the Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers) has recently been accused of rape (a much more serious crime). And people must have already forgotten about this, because I haven’t heard any updates in a few weeks. The media has decided to let him move on with his life and football career.

And I think that the response to this media bias by the African American community has been to stand behind our athletes. I fully support all of the athletes listed above. I think that they made mistakes but the media has not let them move on from their mistakes. And I also think that they were punished more severely because they are black. In fact, the DA in the Plaxico Burrus case said that he wanted Plaxico punished to the full extent of the law. This to me is another example of racism. Think about this, if a black person carries a weapon, he’s a drug dealer and some kind of criminal. But if a white person carries a gun, the NRA is all over it and defending it as a second amendment right? That does not seem fair at all. I believe Plaxico is being punished for being both an athlete and being black. He did not go out and kill anybody, he accidently shot himself. But yet, the DA wants him prosecuted to the full extent? Something does not seem right.

I know this is a controversial topic. But seeing how the media is treating all of these people really made me angry. It made me see that something isn’t right in the way that these people are being covered by the media.

What's your threshold?...boy did i get off topic...

College football kicked off this weekend! Well actually, it sort of punched off. The governing body of college football, the NCAA decided it would be a great idea to kick off the season with every member of the team shaking hands before the game. This is supposed to promote sportsmanship throughout the rest of the season (yeah right!). This sportsmanship didn’t even last past the first day. The kickoff game of the 2009 season was played between Boise State & Oregon on Boise States bright blue field. The game began just how the NCAA wanted it to. The two teams shook hands and then played a good game of football. As any competitive person would know, the game got a little heated and tempers flared. By the end of the game the tension was at an all time high.
One of the Boise State players, Byron Hout, decided it was a great idea to taunt one of the Oregon players (who had just lost the game). Hout put his hand on the Oregon player, LeGarrette Blount’s, shoulder & said something bad enough to make the Oregon player punch him square in the jaw. He hit him so hard that the Boise State player fell to the ground (I thought football players were supposed to be able to take hits, but whatever). After hitting him, the player had to be physically restrained by teammates, coaches, & refs. Out of anger, he even hit one of his own teammates. And as he was being escorted to the locker room, he got into a verbal altercation with fans in the stadium. He yelled and made threats toward him. The whole situation was embarrassing for Oregon & frankly all of college football. Needless to say he was punished severely. He will be suspended for the rest of the season, his senior season. He will still keep his scholarship & be able to go to class & still participate in team activities. Now, I do think this punishment is a little bit harsh. I think the NCAA & the team came down a little bit hard because it is the beginning of the season & they wanted to set an example. His actions were wrong and they did set a bad example but the punishment did not fit the crime. Yes, his actions were inexcusable and childish but suspension for the rest of the season is crazy. It’s freaking football! It’s going to get heated, especially in a tough game.
Another problem I have is what happened to the other player who first instigated contact with him. He did not get suspended or face much disciplinary action. He is going to face individual discipline from the team. He instigated this fight and he receives no punishment? Doesn’t seem very fair to me. If the NCAA is going to pretend to be tough then they should at least level punishment fairly. The whole entire fight wouldn’t have happened if this guy just could’ve kept his mouth shut! This guy ruined somebody else’s college football career and he gets no punishment.
I really have a problem with the way the NCAA handled this situation. Yes, Blout’s actions were wrong and inexcusable and he deserves to be punished. But the other person in the situation deserves to be punished as well. I would recommend a 1-2 game suspension, but for some reason this guy is not going to receive any punishment. That’s like self defense in a murder trial. If somebody is coming toward you with force and you are scared for your well being, it is human nature to react first. You react first so that they will not hit or kill you first. That is what Blount was doing when he hit Hout. Every single person on this earth has a threshold. And after something reaches this threshold, they can’t take anymore. They are not in control of their actions anymore; all they can think about is retaliation.
My personal threshold is that I have a low tolerance for stupid things. For example, when people are making excessively loud noise or just people who say stupid things. There is no need for people to say these things. I just feel like they waste everybody’s time and energy by making them listen to these ridiculous things. If you have stupid thoughts, please keep them in your head! This is like a public service announcement to everything. If you think something is stupid, it probably is, so please don’t say it.
But this is really the only thing that makes me angry. I generally have a high threshold. I can sometimes be referred to as a push over. I just like to make sure everybody is happy (my extravagantly handsome friend Nathan Mack with a heart of gold calls me Nanny Mildred because I’m so nice). I care about people and it’s much easier for me to go along with what they say. This is sort of a double edged sword. I end up putting myself last but I end up pleasing all the people around me. They end up happy but I don’t always. But in general I feel good about helping other people! I always had what I wanted growing up so I think I should give back to people who are less fortunate then I am. Some of my friends have had it tough and I don’t mind sacrificing a whole afternoon to help with a yard sale, for example.
Because I am always willing to give back to others, I have excellent friends! We’re always willing to help each other out and I know I can trust them. One of them, Nathan, is sitting next to me right now, keeping me company while I write this blog. My friends are willing to help whenever I need them and I am willing to do the same thing for them. But these have been my same friends from high school. The challenge now that I’m in college is how to make new friends that are as good as the old.

Addison Siegel: Scorpio Man

“Determined and Forceful, Emotional and Intuitive, Powerful and Passionate, Exciting and Magnetic,” These are the qualities typical of a man born between October 24 and November 22, making him a Scorpio. Addison Brian Siegel, born November 9, embodies all of these qualities. Addison is from Chatham, New Jersey. He lives with his mother, his father, his younger sister Chelsea, & the family dog Everett. Sports have played a big part in his life since he was little. He has been playing baseball as a catcher since he was able to hold a bat. As a senior, he was the high school varsity baseball captain. He even led his team in batting average. He also loves to play tennis. He has also played since he was little, but had to stop in high school because tennis season coincides with baseball season. The Yankees are a big part of his life. He loves all things Yankees! He is ready to quote any Yankees fact or statistic at any moment. One of his favorite channels is the YES network, an entire network dedicated to the Yankees. Skiing is also important to him. His family owns a house in Stratton, Vermont where they go to get away from it all and ski.

Determined and Forceful:

Addison has had to work hard all of his life. All throughout high school he worked as a lifeguard. He has even saved two people’s lives. They were in the act of drowning and Addison did his job wonderfully and saved their lives. After seeing them struggling to swim, he jumped into the water to save them without a second thought.
Ever since Addison was a little boy, he wanted to be architects like his parents. He looked up to them and respected them; therefore he wanted to be like them. But when he got to middle school, he realized that his strengths were in the math & science areas as opposed to the design. He won multiple awards in the areas of math and science and began taking advanced classes in the areas. He placed first place in the Physics Olympics at his high school and second place in the Conquer the Hill competition, a competition where competitors had to build robots to do various tasks. He is determined to succeed and is motivated my failure. He refuses to fail.

Emotional and Intuitive:

Addison’s family is the most important thing in his life. Every year for Christmas he receives a special Christmas Edition Hess truck from his grandfather (batteries included). His younger sister also describes a brother who always let her hang out with him & his friends, he never excluded her. She describes Addison as “quiet and a good friend.” He even looks up to his parents. At one point he wanted to be an architect, just like both of his parents. They really inspire him to do well and succeed. Family is a big part of Addison’s life and his whole family is very close-knit. They spend much of their time skiing or snowboarding together in Vermont. His sister, Chelsea, describes a time where he refused to teach her how to ski because he did not want to stay on the bunny hill the whole time. Despite this incident, Chelsea and Addison are very close. She describes her older brother as “Quiet, a good friend, athlete, loves sports (especially the Yankees), and he makes a ridiculous amount of movie quotes.”

Powerful and Passionate:

The most rewarding part of Addison’s life has come from his work with his church youth group. While in his youth group, he participated in fundraisers and even a mission trip to Belize. He describes the trip as “Rewarding, tough, sad, depressing, awesome, exciting, and so cool.” In Belize, he got the real experience of what it feels like for somebody to live in poverty. For an entire week he lived in a bamboo hut with the other members of his group while they worked to build a playground for the children in the village that he was staying in. The children in the village were very grateful for the playground that was built. None of them had ever seen a playground before and they had to ask their parents what it was. This trip was very significant in Addison’s life because it gave him a greater appreciation for the life he had. It was the reason for his “I can do almost anything attitude.” He realized that he has a lot to be thankful for so he lives his life to enjoy what he has. It has also taught him never to complain because there is always somebody out there who is worse off than him. These are the philosophies that Addison chooses to live his life by.
Addison also enjoys reading books and watching movies. He enjoys spending a night in just reading a good book, although he does not have much time for that now because his college schedule is so demanding. His favorite author is Michael Crayton, the author behind Jurassic Park and E.R. His favorite books by Crayton are “The Last world” and “Andromeda-State of fear.” He loves “all of the unrated movies” and the classics. His favorites include Star Wars, Harry Potter (yes, he has read all of the books), Wedding Crashers, Pineapple Express, and Stepbrothers. He is very passionate about the movies and the books that he reads. His sister claims that he makes an insane amount of movie quotes.

Exciting and Magnetic:

When Addison walks into a room, he seems like Mr. Joe Cool. He is very extroverted & excitedly talks about the party he went to last night. When asked what he would change about himself he said he would not change anything because “I can do almost anything.” He has a magnetic personality and is willing to open up about anything. He is also extremely fun to listen to. He talks with excitement in his voice and uses great details (even though sometimes they are a little exaggerated). Addison has no trouble making friends and has already made many friends here during his short time on campus.