The tickets are bought. I'll be seeing Arcade Fire on March 8th! The band has asked that the fans attending any of these concerts come dressed up in "formal attire". I have already started looking at the second hand stores in Fargo for the most obnoxious suit I can find...
via stereogum.com
My favorite song off of Reflektor. Extremely powerful.
I wish I would of had more time to enjoy Halloween this year. There has always been some mystique about this night for me. It's hard to put into words. I just simply love Halloween and all the folklore that comes with it. So for anyone else that loves this time of year you may enjoy this video about the history of the vampire. Happy Halloween!
I wasn't sure if I'd be able to see my Mom next weekend for her birthday so I gave her present to her this weekend while she was in Fargo Christmas shopping. It was really nice to spend time with her, along with my Grandma and Aunts. I look forward to this annual trip of theirs every year, but especially this one due to my excited about my Mom's gift.
Laura Marling has become one of my favorite artists, and I really wanted to share her music with someone. I couldn't think of a better candidate than my Mom. We have pretty similar taste in, well, almost everything so I figured it was a safe gift. I picked Laura Marling's 2010 album, I Speak Because I Can. It might be my favorite one partly because it has backup music and vocals from Mumford and Sons. This is made most obvious in the album's title track, which I have posted below.
I’m the kind of person who likes to be by himself.
To put a finer point on it, I’m the type of person who doesn’t find it
painful to be alone. I find spending an hour or two every day running
alone, not speaking to anyone, as well as four or five hours alone at my
desk, to be neither difficult nor boring. I’ve had this tendency ever
since I was young, when, given a choice, I much preferred reading books
on my own or concentrating on listening to music over being with someone
else. I could always think of things to do by myself.
Haruki MurakamiI'm also the kind of person who likes to be by himself. My family and friends are the most important thing to me in the world, but a significant portion of my time is spent alone. I find energy in solitude. Like Haruki Murakami, spending hours alone exercising, not speaking to anyone, and hours alone at my desk doing homework is neither difficult nor boring. I've been this way all my life. As a kid I would spend untold hours alone in my room simply playing with toys. Honestly, the feeling of boredom is very foreign to me. When I first arrived at college I always had a sense of guilt over the amount time that wasn't being spent socializing. Some have even called me out, accusing that I just didn't care for their company. This judgement was hard on me. I have a difficult time not obliging to what others want. It can be both a strength and weakness. I have an easier time accepting it now, and not feel as guilty about spending so much time away from people.Sometimes I am too shy for my own good, but that is completely different than being an introvert. Shyness is the fear of being judged. I'm really trying to be less self-conscious and shy. Simply typing this post in fact is good practice for me. The idea of people being able to read this and comment is actually a very harrowing thought. Sometimes I wonder if I fall somewhere along the social phobia spectrum. Despite my introversion and bouts of shyness, I consider myself to be a people person who can excel in certain social environments. Being able to effectively help and work with people is a forte of mine. I just need time by myself too, and knowing I'm not alone in feeling this way is very comforting.
For my English class, one of our assignments was to
take a personality test and reflect on our findings. I personally find
these tests very interesting and wanted to share the results I used for
my paper. Most of the research I found on my personality type is from http://www.personalitypage.com/html/INFJ.html. The personality test I took is based on Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ typological approach to personality.
After answering about 70 questions the results gave me the four letter
acronym INFJ. "I" stands for introvert, "N" for intuitive, "F" for
feeling, and "J" for judging. I scored a 100% preference of introvert
over extrovert, 38% preference of intuition over sensing, a 25%
preference of feeling over thinking, and finally a 78% preference of
judging over perceiving.
"The Counselor"
It
turns out only one percent of the population
has this type, making it the rarest. This doesn’t surprise me a bit as I
always
knew I was a little different. It says my primary mode of living is
focused
internally and that I put great importance on having things orderly and
systematic in the outside world. INFJs also are described to have an
uncanny insight into people and situations. They rely heavily on their
feelings and do not compromise their ideals. In the workplace, the INFJ usually shows up in areas where they can be
creative and somewhat independent.
“INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals.
Artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and
possibilities.” via(http://www.personalitypage.com/INFJ.html)
The INFJ individual is gifted in ways that other types are not. Life is not
necessarily easy for the INFJ, but they are capable of great depth of
feeling and personal achievement. They are just as genuinely warm as they are complex. It is also stated that they seek authenticity in their life and that maintaining long, intimate relationships is very important to them.
“It is difficult to broadly classify INFJs as either right-brained or
left-brained since they utilize both sides of the brain with equal
adeptness. INFJs are both creative and responsible, artistic and
logical, spiritual and scientific, intuitive and analytic.”
via (http://personalityjunkie.com/the-infj)
Strengths
Warm and affirming by nature
Dedicated to achieving the ultimate relationship
Sensitive and concerned for others’ feelings
Usually have good communication skills, especially written
Take their commitments very seriously, and seek lifelong relationships
Have very high expectations for themselves and others (both a strength and weakness)
Good listeners
Are able to move on after a relationship has ended (once they’re sure it’s over)
Weaknesses
Tendency to hold back part of themselves
Not good with money or practical day-to-day life necessities
Extreme dislike of conflict and criticism
Have very high expectations for themselves and others (both a strength and weakness)
Have difficulty leaving a bad relationship
(http://personalitypage.com/html/INFJ_rel.html)
This is
just a snapshot of all the information I have read on this personality
type, and from it I can conclude that defining me as an INFJ is
extremely accurate.
The new Xbox was revealed today, making it a pretty important day for fans like myself. I would even call it historic. The Xbox One's focus seems to be on bringing all of your entertainment into one place. This makes it appealing to all sorts of people besides just "gamers". I can see even my parents wanting to buy it because of how it simplifies the entertainment center by controlling the television, music, movies, internet, and games with just your voice. After watching this video I am optimistic and eager to see more news on the new Xbox One.
My good friend Connor texted me last week to listen to this band called Frightened Rabbit. He said he thought I would like them because they reminded him of Mumford and Sons. Connor, you did good! Although they are far from the greatness of Mumford and Sons, I am really loving this band. I bought their newest album today and have listened to it four times now. I highly recommend checking them out (The video posted is their most popular song off the new album). Personally they remind me more of bands like Of Monsters and Men or Wintersleep than Mumford. They're not a perfect band, but I'm still enjoying them nonetheless.
This comes straight from the online counseling college blog. I've followed it ever since my mom showed it to me and check it almost everyday now. I especially loved this recent post and felt compelled to reblog it quick before class. Personally I need to be better at being thankful, and this illustrates perfectly why.
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire, If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something For it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations Because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge Because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you’re tired and weary Because it means you’ve made a difference. It is easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.
I finished The Great Gatsby today. I've been wanting to read it ever since I saw this incredible trailer I have posted below for it's upcoming film. After sitting down and reading it today I can now see why it is used so much in English classes. Not only is it one of the most well written books I've ever read but there are so many interesting themes and symbols that I don't want to go into too much detail with in case I spoil something. Fitzgerald has showed that the American dream isn't always all what it is made up to be.
If for some reason like me you haven't read this book yet I highly recommend doing so, and to do it before the movie comes out. It's a shame F. Scott Fitzgerald's life was cut so short and he wasn't able to write more books.
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
The music is my favorite part of the trailer. I also love the cast.
Among the Sleep puts you in the first person perspective of a two year old child trying to find your parents. There is no traditional fighting combat in the game; instead you can only hide from your enemies to survive. It's a very original idea for a horror adventure game that has me very intrigued! So much in fact that I have backed this project on kickstarter in hopes that this game becomes a reality. I admire that this small studio from Norway called Killbrite Studios wants to remain free from the control of a producer, and has been working on this project while holding other part-time jobs. I sincerely hope that they not only finish the game but also that it's a commercial success.
If you didn't watch 60 minutes last weekend I highly recommend watching this video! It's about the creator of Twitter and the company Square, Jack Dorsey. Some call him the next Steve Jobs and I can certainly see why. In terms of innovating there are a lot of similarities between them despite the fact they are totally different people. With Jack Dorsey, besides the simplicity and brilliance of his innovations, what I personally find most intriguing about him is his personality. Dorsey describes himself as extraordinarily reserved and shy! Ironic then that he's the one that has created what is currently my favorite social network, Twitter. The best part of it all for me is how his naturally quiet state of being goes along perfectly with the theme of the book I'm reading called Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain. I couldn't help getting all excited last Sunday when I heard Jack Dorsey explaining his introverted self! I still have about 30 pages left with the book and I'm trying to savor every one of them. When I'm done I will blog about it. Then maybe you will better understand my enthusiasm.
It has always made me upset to hear critics unjustly bash video games. Some of what I am talking about is the recent controversy of games causing violence in our society, or how they are just bad for kids to be playing in general. These arguments could maybe be used to support cases of individuals who abuse these resources, but to condemn video games as a whole is simply ridiculous. Some of my most intelligent friends have been playing games their entire lives. My brothers and I, who have turned out okay for the most part, have been playing them for years, and I can say with confidence we have not been negatively impacted by them. If anything video games can be an invaluable resource for learning. Positive learning! If you have any interest in this idea I highly recommend this blog post-
"In the game world he is confident, he dares to try things and, above all, he feels good and competent." "My son has learned how to use YouTube, Google and Wikipedia as a natural
way to look for information that can be applied in the game. He has
also started to produce and publish his own videos on YouTube, teaching
others about the game."
Not all videogames are linear experiences where you are mindlessly running around and shooting things. Most games out there I would call works of art. There are also some that really make you think. These are the kinds of games I like to play. One of my favorite games is called Braid. It's a puzzle game that lets you manipulate time to overcome obstacles. The visuals and music are sublime, and it's super rewarding to solve the challenging puzzles.
Another game very similar to Braid is Limbo. This game creates a dark, creepy atmosphere that goes along perfectly with the challenging puzzles. Throw in complex, open-ended conclusions to the stories of both these games, and they still have me thinking years later.
I think video games provide a level of interaction and engagement that is hard to match. What the Mother and her son from the blog post accomplished using games like Minecraft, Braid, and Limbo prove that games can be a great source for learning.
This weekend I read "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". My expectations were pretty high going in, especially after seeing all the critical praise it received and hearing positive feedback from friends who read it. Now after reading it for myself I can say it was even better than I had hoped. What a wonderful book this was. I wish I could have read it in high school. It's a coming of age story of the high school freshman Charlie who is struggling with a lot of issues that don't simply appear on the surface. It is unique in how it is written and also how it doesn't shy away from uncomfortable but relevant topics. No matter what your high school experience was like I bet there is some situation or character that you could relate to. Probably not to the full extremity, but at least part of it. For me there was a lot about Charlie that I had an easy time relating with. That's not to say I had a similar high school experience to Charlie. My problems were not even remotely close to as bad as what he deals with, and thankfully so. But for as different as our experiences were, he was still the easiest character for me to relate to. This book made me love Charlie and want nothing but the best for him. Maybe that is partly why I can't stop thinking about it and already want to read it again.What Stephen Chbosky has written feels very genuine to say the least. If you have not read this book I would highly recommend doing so. In my opinion, it is no exaggeration to call this a modern classic.
Here are just some of my favorite quotes from the book.
"we accept the love we think we deserve." -Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." -Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
"I am very interested and fascinated how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other." -Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
"So, I guess we are who we are for alot of reasons. And maybe we'll never
know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where
we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still
do things. And we can try to feel okay about them."-Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Album of the year for the 2013 Grammy awards goes to Mumford and Sons' Babel. They got it right. I couldn't be happier for this band right now. In my opinion this album is perfect, regardless if it had won or not. I will sleep peacefully tonight.
With a prediction of 10 to 15 inches of snow, gusting winds, and four exams next week this is what the rest of my afternoon will consist of. This semester has already been brutally hard and there isn't any signs of it getting easier. Makes it hard to have a life! My study break will come when the Grammys are on. I normally don't care for this ceremony because a lot of the times it rewards bad music. This year it has a chance to get it right with my bands The Black Keys and Mumford and Sons being nominated for numerous awards. When looking at the competition they should have the best shot at winning (they better win anyways)! I'm predicting that Frank Ocean will clean house tonight with the most awards, including best new artist. I also firmly believe that The Black Keys should and will win record of the year for "Lonely Boy". The biggest award however will come when my all-time favorite band Mumford and Sons take home the album of the year award for "Babel". Get it right Grammys!
The Bison are once again FCS champions and tonight the Vikings will be bringing the Packer's season to an end. It was bittersweet last weekend when Adrian Peterson came up a little short of the all-time single season rushing record, but nevertheless it has been a pretty good end to my Christmas break. It's a great day to be a sports fan.
The Bison are once again FCS champions and tonight the Vikings will be bringing the Packer's season to an end. It was bittersweet last weekend when Adrian Peterson came up a little short of the all-time single season rushing record, but nevertheless it has been a pretty good end to my Christmas break. It's a great day to be a sports fan.
