Dracula

via thefoxisblack.com

I have very little time to read anything other than textbooks and journal articles during the school year, but I am trying very hard to get this read by Halloween. It had me enthralled from the opening pages and I am told it only gets better. Sometimes I find myself reading it out loud because of how masterfully Stoker writes.

"But my very feelings changed to repulsion and terror when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss, face down, with his cloak spreading out around him like great wings."

Work Simply

Motivational words to help get through the work week... My favorite coming from Mad Men's Don Draper.

 

via flickr.com

via dropdeadgorgeousdaily.co

via designeriphone.tumblr.com

via piccsy.com

The Grand Budapest Hotel

M. Gustave H. : "Why do you want to be a lobby boy?"

Zero: "Well who wouldn't... at the Grand Budapest, sir? It's an institution." 

And so begins the friendship of concierge M. Gustave H. and his loyal lobby boy Zero. Their adventures to follow are a joy to watch; filled with comedy, violence, and a beautiful European backdrop that often resembles a painting.  Watching The Grand Budapest Hotel is movie bliss. Of the Wes Anderson films I have seen this is easily my favorite. The fictional worlds he creates are easy to get lost in and are well known for their unique visual quality. From the opening scenes his movies are instantly recognizable. This holds true here as well. What seems to be different with The Grand Budapest Hotel from other Anderson films is that this fictional world feels very close at times to our own reality, especially with the themes of war, rather than it's own fairy tale. This combined with the writing, and Ralph Fiennes' wonderful performance as M. Gustave H., make The Grand Budapest Hotel not only my favorite Wes Anderson film but the best film I have seen so far this year. 

I can't overstate how much I love this movie. The writing is superb, the cast is top notch, it's humor silly but smart, and world so beautiful that I would still enjoy myself if it were a silent film. The script moves at such a ferocious pace that I didn't dare blink the first time I watched it alone at the Fargo Theater. The second viewing at home was even better, and just as good the subsequent night as I finished writing my thoughts. 

As I already said, Ralph Fiennes outdoes himself in this role. His character M. Gustave H. is easily the most likable character I have seen Fiennes play. Monsieur Gustave is an eccentric man that is both honest and sensitive. He genuinely loves his friends, perfume, poems, and of course the Grand Budapest. His bond with Zero becomes unbreakable and will make you care about these characters even more. Even though it's early I still predict Ralph Fiennes to get an Oscar nod for this performance. 

If you don't like Wes Anderson films, watching this movie probably won't change your mind. For everyone else, I highly recommend checking out this impeccably well done film. 

"To be frank, I think his world had vanished long before he ever entered it; but I will say he certainly sustained the illusion with a marvelous grace."

Official Trailer

E3 2014

Electronic Entertainment Expo, aka E3, is an annual video game conference that I have been religiously watching for years. The two shows in particular that I always make sure to watch are the Microsoft and Sony press conferences. Here are some of my thoughts on this year's shows:

Microsoft Press Conference
Games, games, games. Microsoft shifted their focus from last year on the Xbox One being an all-in-one entertainment system for the living room to a gamer focused approach. There was not a single mention during the conference on the Kinect or Xbox glass, contrary to last year which seemed to be dominated by topics such as these. No, instead the show was all about games, and for the most part they did a good job. I did not care for them opening with yet another Call of Duty game, which just looks like a new paint job with jet-packs, and I also thought some of the other games looked pretty boring (Fable Legends being the biggest offender). There were however some extremely impressive looking titles announced, some of which I highlight below.

I think it's great that Microsoft is trying to listen to what the fans want. When it was first announced that the Xbox One would have to be an always connected console, and fans cried foul, Microsoft switched it's all in approach and made it so games could always be played offline. When fans said they didn't want to be forced to buy the Kinect, Microsoft released an Xbox One package without a Kinect at a $100 cheaper price tag. This type of feedback and response is cool but resulted in a murky image for the Xbox One and Microsoft's goal. Is it an entertainment system first that can also play games or a gaming console first that can also be a center for the living room? After this years show Microsoft has made it pretty clear the focus is back on the gamer, and for me this is a good thing.

Evolve- from the creators of Left 4 Dead comes the next co-op experience that either pits you and 3 other friends against a Kraken monster, or you as the monster versus 4 different adversaries. Judging solely on the quality of the Left 4 Dead games I have a feeling that Evolve will likewise be something special.

Tech Post

New apps, digital music service, and social network I'm using... Hopefully you find one of these to be new and helpful, just as I did. Maybe even something you love.

For me, I love Pocket! This application is basically just another way to “bookmark” things online, but in my humble opinion this is by far the best way to do that. Whether its articles, videos, images, or basically whatever you come across while browsing the web, Pocket is the perfect way to save it for later. That is the main way I use this app--saving cool articles or videos I find to view later when I have more time. As an example, when I’m catching up on my twitter feed during lunch I might find three or four really cool links for videos or articles I want to check out, but I don’t have the time to do so. With Pocket, all I have to do is hold the link down on my phone and select the pocket option to store it for another time. It has a wonderfully simplistic interface that can make articles even more enjoyable to read than on the actual websites, and it works seamlessly with both my iPhone and laptop. If you don’t already have a favorite way of saving your interesting finds on the internet I would highly suggest looking into this app.

PasswordBox is another cool app that I have found to help manage the myriad of passwords I have in my repertoire. And it’s free! Posted below is a video that does a good job of explaining what exactly PasswordBox provides.

I am seriously confused and mad at myself for taking so long to try Spotify out. My stubborn ways lead me for years to using YouTube to listen to full albums while studying, or Pandora for a streaming radio service. All this while knowing full well that Spotify existed... Now that I finally have given it a try I haven’t used anything else to listen to music. It is bar none the best digital music service available. If you like music, which most humans with souls do, download Spotify. No question. 

I’m currently using a free 30 day trial for Spotify Premium which allows me to listen to ad free music, improved sound quality, and permits me to download music to listen to offline (saves on phone data if out of range of Wi-Fi). Depending on how much you use it, premium can be a little spendy at $10 a month. However, if you are currently a student at an accredited institution it is only $5 a month! For me this is a no brainer, but some may want to stick with the free version.

Spotify makes my life a little better. It is easy to use, has a beautiful interface, and a huge library of music begging to be listened to. I'll be interested to see what others such as Amazon can come up with in terms of digital music services to compete with it.

I recently created a LinkedIn account for myself during one of the snow days this last semester. I did it for the potential to network with my colleagues and those with similar career aspirations. I also think it’s important to create the best online identity for yourself as possible. I felt that this was one adequate way to do that. For those who don’t know what LinkedIn is, or are just interested in reading more about it, there is a cool article on slate.com with a perspective on the flaws of this social network. 

My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/benjamin-olson/94/150/558

I'm always trying to find ways to make my life simpler, and I've found that these help me do just that. If you agree, or have better suggestions for any of these, please let me know in the comments below! 

Punch Brothers

This is something like what I think country music should sound like today.

Summer Reading

Another year of college is in the books, and it didn't take me too long after it was done to start my summer reading. Being able to read whatever I want is almost better than not having any homework to worry about. This summer especially I've already found some great reads...

                     

A friend recommended the Detective Harry Hole crime novels to me when we were talking about our mutual love for Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, etc.). She said that this Jo Nesbo is almost as good and is being called the next Larsson. At first I didn't know if I believed that, but after reading the first two of this currently ten book series it's becoming harder to deny. Although not quite as likable as Lisbeth Salander, Detective Harry Hole has really started to grow on me. I swiftly finished The Bat and Cockroaches as I could hardly put the books down, and am already well into The Redbreast. Harry Hole is not the perfect detective, which is why I like him. The flaws of this anti-hero are what make him so appealing. Anyone remotely interested in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, or any detective series for that matter, should definitely give Jo Nesbo a try.  

"Nesbo writes like an angel. As in Lucifer." - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The other book that I have been bouncing back and forth with the Harry Hole series is Adam Grant's Give and Take. I actually started reading this one late in second semester but had to put it on hold for awhile when finals approached. The way I came across this book was pretty unique and is now a favorite story of mine to tell. I was reading an interesting article from LinkedIn on introverts that used a lot of references from, an all-time favorite book of mine, Quiet by Susan Cain. I proceeded to post the article to my Twitter account, and it wasn't too long after I received a notification on my phone that someone "favorited" my tweet. It was Adam Grant. I didn't know who that was initially but after skimming through his profile I noticed he was a very successful Wharton professor. I thought it was pretty cool that a successful college professor with thousands of followers favorited my tweet, and I also liked what I saw of his most recent tweets so I started following him. Only a couple days later Adam Grant tweeted about his most recent book Give and Take. I looked it up and was extremely impressed with what I saw. This book focuses on the successes found through altruistic behavior by providing research on the triumphs of givers. Not only that, but the book had many high critical remarks including high praise from Susan Cain! As soon as I read her thoughts on Give and Take I was sold.

I'm only about a quarter of the way through the book but it already is having similar influences on me as Quiet did a year ago. This is a very hopeful and inspiring book that I would highly recommend reading.

Arcade Fire Concert

It's impossible for me to put into words how awesome this concert was without diminishing the experience. Thankfully I think these pictures speak for themselves. There were a lot to choose from but I've finally been able to narrow down some of my favorites to share. It's obvious that I was pushed around a little bit throughout the concert as my position is never really consistent, but I did some of my own pushing and got some pretty close-up pictures. Being tall and skinny serves me quite well at concerts as I can almost always clearly see the band, and can quickly slip by people to get closer when they are distracted. Really my only regret is not taking a picture of my friend Chris and I decked out in our secondhand suit and ties. 

(Power Out)

I see you, Win.

I love the black and white photos.

No cars go

My favorite moment of the concert - Afterlife.

"Hit me with your flashbulb eyes"

Cover of Prince's Controversy. The screen on Win Butler's head was flashing between images of Prince and Michelle Bachmann.

The setlist was almost perfect, beautifully blending a variety of songs from all four of their albums. The songs from their newest album, Reflektor, sounded particularly good and ended up being my favorite ones. Other standouts for me included Neighborhood #1, Neighborhood #3, Ready to Start, and No Cars Go. They were all good!

Setlist:

My Body is a Cage
Reflektor
Flashbulb Eyes
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Rebellion (Lies)
Joan of Arc
Rococo
The Suburbs
The Suburbs (Continued)
Ready to Start
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
We Exist
Normal Person
No Cars Go
Haiti
Afterlife
It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus)
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

Encore:

Controversy [Prince cover]
Here Comes the Night Time
Wake Up

Before the concert began, as the stadium began to fill, these guys were scattered around the general admission floor dancing by themselves. If I wasn't so obsessed with getting as close a spot as possible I would have stopped to dance with them for awhile.

In a 2011 Rolling Stones interview, Marcus Mumford called Arcade Fire the best live band in the world. That's a pretty huge statement, and for me especially when you consider the source. After seeing them live for myself now I would have a tough time arguing against him. Not only is Arcade Fire one of the best live bands in the world but simply one of the best bands in the world, period. Can't wait to see them again some day!

The Lord of the Rings

via http://instagr.am/p/JGj225MgoR/

The Ventriloquist

The Ventriloquist - a short film about a man and his puppet that he may depend on too much for social interaction. If you have a spare ten minutes it's worth watching. It is a first place winner of the United States division of the Jameson First Shot international film competition, created for the purpose of discovering talented screenwriters. Kevin Spacey's production company helped create the competition, and he had this to say about it:

"I want to give talented people out there a shot at reaching their goals for the first time. Jack Lemmon once said to me – ‘If you’re doing well, send the elevator back down’. I’ve done incredibly well and it’s because the material I found early in my career was from first-time writers, first-time directors, first-time playwrights. If it weren’t for that talent I wouldn’t have a career. So if one person gets a break then the competition has been successful."

Kindness

via forward-the-smile

The Oh Hellos

I know that my few and far between blog posts are about music a lot of the times, but I can't help it. Music is one of my favorite things to write about. It's simple and inspiring. I love it when a friend, family member, or blog introduces me to a new band that they are enjoying. For me it's an exciting feeling, like when you open a really cool present that wasn't on your list. If blogging about an artist can give that same feeling to someone then these posts will be worth it. So as I sit in my room on this cold Saturday, recharging my introverted-run battery, I've decided to write about The Oh Hellos.

While looking at pins of The Head and the Heart song lyrics, I came across lyrics for The Oh Hellos. The words caught my attention, as did their name. So I began a search on YouTube and clicked on the first video I saw. It was called "Hello My Old Heart". Okay I guess these guys like the word "Hello".  It happened after the first 40 or so seconds--that stirring, little kid feeling of opening a present crept its way in.



First impression of The Oh Hellos; a Mumford and Sons sound, mixed with Of Monsters and Men, and much more Christian lyrics. When listening through their album "Through the Deep, Dark Valley" the first time, I immediately had to listen through again while simultaneously reading the lyrics. Starting with the upbeat tune Second Child, Restless Child:

see, I was born a restless child/
and I could hear the world outside calling me/
and heaven knows how hard I tried/
but the devil whispered lies I believed

These were the lyrics that made me think that The Oh Hellos may be Christian. My favorite band is of course Mumford and Sons, and to me their best songs are the ones that acknowledge faith. So needless to say, the fact that these guys have lyrics about Christianity is a good thing to me. It is the uplifting, folk sound that grabbed my attention, but it's the lyrics that keep bringing me back to The Oh Hellos. The next song on the album, Wishing Well, reminded me of elements from the popular Prodigal Son bible story. It talks about taking from the father and wasting it away. And then on to the song I Was Wrong:

I knew you'd never forgive me/
but I was wrong
and I'm so, so sorry

The song sings about taking from the rotting tree, a reference I believe to be of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. It then ends with the above lyrics about forgiveness. As the title "Through the Deep, Dark Valley" alludes to, this album is about overcoming the negative influences in our world and striving for good. I Have Made Mistakes, one of the album's standouts, talks about learning from our bad experiences.

and the sun, it does not cause us to grow/
it is the rain that will strength your soul/
and it will make you whole

There is so much truth and honesty in the lyrics of The Oh Hellos that it makes them hard to ignore. They sing about out how flawed we are, but how we can find strength through faith, as that will always be there for us. This is more elegantly put in the albums concluding song The Valley (Reprise):

we were born in the valley of the dead and the wicked/
where our father's father fell to the crimes he'd committed/
we were young when we heard you call our names in the silence/

still you lead me, never leave me/
never leave me

The album starts out by asking the question "will you lead me? ". By the end, we know their answer.

That's what I got from an afternoon of listening to "Through the Deep, Dark Valley". Listen to the album in its entirety below and see what you think.

Thanks for the refreshing music, The Oh Hellos! 

Best 2014 Super Bowl Commercial

In my opinion Coke had the best commercial this year with it's America is Beautiful. I have to admit, part of the reason I'm picking it as the best is due to the controversy it has sparked over the song "America the Beautiful" being sang in multiple languages. It didn't take long when watching this commercial to figure out that it was going to upset people. It's been two days since the Super Bowl and this ad is still being talked about. That in itself proves that Coke has succeeded in my book. Isn't there a saying that no publicity is bad publicity? Sure some people are claiming that they will never drink Coke again, but I bet that number pales in comparison to the number of those that were so touched to hear their native language on this Super Bowl ad that they go out and buy Coke.

Just the idea that people are upset over this ad is quite ridiculous to me. For one "America the Beautiful" is not even our national anthem. Secondly, the United States doesn't have an official national language. According to my sociology professor, when the constitution was being written there was a discussion on whether we should have an official language or not. It turns out that it was debated and turned down by a total of seven votes. Even more interesting, the language that was being voted on was German... If anything this commercial reminded me of how proud I am to live in America, a country full of culture and diversity. This country was founded on immigration, so what is the problem with honoring that history?

On a more lighthearted note, my runner-up commercials would have to be the Radio Shack (link) or Doritos (link) ad.

p.s. I picked Seattle to win over Denver.