Vices & Virtues

Recently I bought the new Panic! At the Disco album called, "Vices and Virtues." This is going to be a random post about this CD so if you want to click away and go to Facebook, go right ahead; nobody would blame you. This album is amazing. I always sing every single song that is on the album, I am personally training my voice to sing ridiculously high like the singer from Panic! At the Disco. I've been addicted to learning different music and also learning it on my guitar. I was not in the greatest of moods a couple weeks ago and I needed some sort of escape. My music ended up being that escape and this new album seems to lift my mood. Now I'm not in that depressed mood anymore and I would give some of the credit to that album. I really enjoyed their first album, it had a unique sound that I really wanted more of. They seem to make songs that deal with dancing and a techno mix, but they still sing and have a rocker kinda sound. They are simply amazing. They are able to manipulate some of the best sounds and make great music out of it. My voice is getting dangerously close to being exactly like the lead singer of Panic! At the Disco. I love their music and I really hope I will be able to sing like him. There has to be a crap load of God given talent in that guy. When he sings, it gives you goosebumps. He sings so ridiculously high! I'm hoping by next years Follies I will be able to sing one of their songs.
I have always been a fan of Indie Music and any music that doesn't make you want to kill someone while you listen to it. Panic! At the Disco's newest album usually just talks about relationships which is something that doesn't make me want to kill someone or myself. The skill it takes to make music that really speaks to people is huge. You have to have a lot of skill to make music that common people, like me, that can relate to it. I hope when I am older, I will be able to serenade people with my great music. I get plenty of enjoyment out of music, so why shouldn't I write my own music? I feel I could sing music in front of people. I tend to sing better when I am in front of people. I guess it's my bodies way of telling me to sing in front of people!

A Point of the Finger

Recently I was blamed for running a section of risers into a table; that is totally false. The person guiding the risers was not slowing down when I told him to. He just kept pushing the risers. Not to mention, he always blames me for the tenors being flat. I'm not trying to point the blame on anyone else, but the person that points the blame at me doesn't make the choir awesome. I just really needed to vent about this, because our choir sounds amazing. I told this person that we should sing a little more quiet so we don't stand out as much. He asked if I was serious and I quickly told him yes. I don't think he believed me, but when Madrigal performed I sang really quiet and I think he followed. Choir is supposed to be a team effort, and pointing the blame at everyone else instead of accepting the criticism and trying to make yourself better is not what teams do. I love choir or singing in general. The judge that was critiquing us asked the choir who they thought was the happiest up there and who was enjoying them self. Most of the people simultaneously said it was me. The judge agreed, something that simple made my day. I really am happy to be there and if someone is going to point the blame at me, then I am going to get upset. I take choir seriously because I feel music is my passion. Everything that deals with music is automatically understood when I attempt it. I've recently been working on my guitar and I feel that I am progressing really quick, I am able to play full songs and I have only been playing for four months. I really enjoy music and if I ever get married my wife must love music, be able to play an instrument, or be able to sing. My mind is already made up and nothing will change it.

Music is a way to express myself and if anyone ever blames me for their musical problems; well they can go suck at singing somewhere else. Now, this guy is my friend so I'm not saying I hate him, but I wish he would just take my advice into consideration. You don't have to be loud to be good. A group is only as good as their weakest link. We just have to take the advice of the judge and make the tenor section a little more non-existent and more on pitch.

U of I, not for I

So for the longest time, I have said that I wanted to go to the University of Iowa. Well, with some of the problems that have happened in the last few weeks, it seems my chances of going to Iowa are diminishing everyday. I recently found that I will have to pay for College and other big expenses before then, by myself. That is two choir trips and possibly a spanish trip. So odds are I am going to have to go to NIACC. Which is really depressing. I'm going to have work really hard to even try and get into a good college. Now I haven't ruled out the service yet. My entire family is against me going into the service, but if I don't get help for college I really have no other option. My aunt is in the Air Force, that would be my choice if I chose a military branch. Who knows? Maybe my music career will take off! (That is me being optimistic) This topic really does depress me. When I talk to me padres about it, they sit and look at their computer screens, filtering every word I say. Only hearing what they want to hear. Now some people don't believe you need a college degree. I personally would like to do something in the scientific career. I don't believe the service can help me when it comes to science. It really just upsets me on how poor my parent's planning was. You would think that they would help their children succeed in life, because of this, I will not be given a good chance. My sister is barely able to pay off her loans at the moment and I will probably be struggling as well. So Mallory wanted me to put that she rocks because she helped me with the idea, although I thought of it myself. She wants credit. So, go Mallory, I guess.

Riddle Me This!

Recently, I have been addicted to tons of riddles. Speaking of a riddle with tons, here is one.
What weighs more? A ton of Feathers or a ton of Bricks?
Well obviously they weigh the same.
Riddles just seem to be a good brain teaser, and the feeling of getting a brain teaser right is pretty awesome. I've been looking up random riddles just to challenge myself and I believe that I can get most of them right. You just have to think like a riddle. Here is one of my favorites,
"A man is captured by Goblins, he is allowed to say one statement that will decide his death. If it is a false statement, he will be boiled in water. If it is a true statement, he will be fried in oil. The man said a statement that made the goblins release him. What did he say?"
This made me think, really hard. I'll tell you the answer at the end of the blog. Force you to read it.
Now a good riddle will make you think for a creative solution; bad riddles make you think for like a second and then you found out it is a stupid answer. They really annoy me, an example would be:
"How many bricks does it take to make a building of bricks?"
The answer is one.
Now, if you can explain to me how a person can live in a brick building containing only one brick, you are worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. Riddles are amazing! I can tell riddles for years and years and not get bored. They are simply amazing. Once you find a good riddle, you tell everyone that will listen until everyone knows the answer.

By the way, the man captured by Goblins said, "You will boil me in water." If it is a true statement and he will be boiled in water, he should have been fried in oil because it was a true statement. If they said it was false and they ended up boiling him in water, he should have been fried in oil because it was true. Confusing, yes.

Watson the Wizard

So, recently I was watching Jeopardy. I seen that they had a robot going against two of the best Jeopardy contestants of ALL TIME. Now, Jeopardy is sweet and I love watching it. I feel smart whenever I get an answer right, that feeling of accomplishment. Currently there is a Teen tournament, now I feel that I could compete with some of these teens and I feel I could beat them down with my knowledge.

See, during the first round, I sit and listen to the questions, answering them with lightening speed. If I had a button, I would press it faster than any of them. My money total would be gigantic. They would have to multiply their own total by fourty in order to equal my massive amount of money. Watson and I. One on one,  a fight to the finish.

I would win, obviously. My brain power surpasses Watson's processors by at least 3.24. That is the exact number I found when calculating this problem. Which I happened to in less than 2 seconds. Now Watson is a great computer and he would make a fantastic desktop computer. Watson is a great computer, but it's flaws are so obvious. The scientists that made Watson, (Work at IBM) need to fine tune him. One of Jeopardy's questions had to deal with an airport in the United States. Watson answered with, "What is Toronto?" Well, Toronto is not a State in the United States. Just a small flaw in Watson.

So in reality Watson is no where close to becoming our robotic overlord. He is just a machine capable of doing some activity that our brain can do everyday. IBM will have to do a lot more to take over humanity,  than a computer that can answer question in the form of a question. Honestly, I was impressed by this random robot, and I am hoping that the technology used for this robot will be used in an appropriate way.

Watson could possibly change the whole outlook on Artificial Intelligence. Doctors can look up what disease a patient may be suffering from, they use Watson and they are finding out what's wrong in a matter of seconds. The technology is really outstanding. It surprises me that this technology even exists, it simply is interesting how advanced this is.

Well, my main point is that Watson is amazing, and I believe he will change the face of the world.

Weather.... Nature is cruel.

I'm looking out my window, watching as ice literally falls from the sky. It depresses me that four days ago we were pushing sixty degrees, and now we're barely hitting 30 degrees. Now I live to play basketball, and playing it inside is just bland and boring to me, I prefer shooting baskets outside with a steady breeze keeping me for dying of heat stroke. I only like to be outside if it is less than 80 degrees. Heat never really reacts well with me, I always seem to be really tired or dizzy whenever I'm in heat for a long period of time. That's why when I lived in Nevada I couldn't be outside for very long. Made me feel really sick. Okay, back to the subject of Iowa weather. It seems we cannot have a normal month of weather. Now I know the groundhog saw it's shadow, so that means spring six weeks early, but to get our hopes up only to crush them with freezing rain is pretty cold. I have been waiting for great weather ever since the first snow. I knew it was going to be very cold, but everyone was more excited for the first snow. I knew everyone would be excited, and I knew that everyone was over looking the doom that was coming to Mason City. If you ask anyone if they're still excited about the snow, all of them would say no. Plus, we had over 4  or 5 feet of snow before it hit 55 degrees last Thursday. I'm surprised that some of the rivers didn't start flooding from all the snow being melted. A couple years ago after we had a downpour, East Park ended up flooding. Now I don't know when exactly that was, but I am pretty sure it was towards the beginning of spring after all the snow had melted. Plus I was in Iowa City a few years back when the whole place ended up flooding, our hotel we stayed at was underwater. Earlier that day I was fighting a stomach bug and was trying to decide if I should go to The University for a "Freshman Preview." I ended up going with. While waiting to leave Iowa City we saw the news, our hotel was underwater. I smart decision for me to go with. 

Iowa weather just bothers me anymore. It could be 70 degrees out, with 100% humidity and it basically ruins any plans you had for going outside during the day. If you have one great day with weather, then by all means, take advantage of it. Iowa weather is so unpredictable that if you don't take advantage of it, it could change in a matter of minutes. If this ice keeps up tonight and it keeps going into tomorrow, we could possibly not have school. I wouldn't doubt it, but I am not expecting it. The school district is freaking out after those two days we had off a couple weeks ago. If we can't even get delayed for -40 weather, we have no chance of getting delayed for a half inch of ice.

Follies!

There comes a time where the emotion of Follies is flowing through the air, the magical feeling of music flowing. This years theme is Broadway! I am sucker when it comes to Broadway and I love Broadway music. Although this should be a happy time, it seems almost every relationship is crumbling to the pressure of Follies and it makes me sad. Another thing that upsets me is that I didn't do a solo! I knew I should have sang a song, and it kills me everytime I hear someone else do a solo. It is really fun though, the feeling of being on stage is just, indescribable. Some people are nervous, other people freak out, and very little people are excited and love the stage. I love the feeling of being on stage, it just excites me.

Now that Follies is over, I have no idea what to do. Show Choir alone was so fun, next year when I do a song/duet it will be even more fun. I'll be able to sing my own song, show off my own range. Not to mention, the choir is losing so many great singers next year. Varsity Choir members have to step up so we don't sound terrible. I just love singing, the feeling of expressing yourself through your singing is amazing, and if I am able to show off my "talent" during Follies then that will just help me get used to the feeling of being on stage singing by myself. I've heard I have the "Golden Voice," not like that homeless man that got a job announcing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but as soon as he gets really good he's going to take his talents to South Beach. Follies is just a big tradition for Mason City High School. I swear I have been to the last six or seven Follies, my sister was in it for all four years she was there, and the on year she wasn't there I went for the eighth grade preview. I do love Follies though, being a part of it just makes it so much better. Don't get me wrong, sitting in the crowd watching it is also great, but I love being part of the show! Being backstage and being behind the scenes is really fun!

My weekends are now empty, and I no longer have an excuse to dance. I never danced anyway, but I ended up getting good. Felt good being right in the middle of it all. Well, thanks for reading my blog, I feel I have reached over 300 words. I can't be sure, but I am going to talk for a couple more sentences to make sure I get my limit. I never usually have anything to blog about, it's just whatever I am thinking about at the moment. Knowing I just got back from Follies it explains the reason why.