MENTAL PAIN
You know what hurts? NOT school assignments that have redeeming value in the way it exercises the brain. But when it's done to the point where it's beyond repetition, loses all educational value, and is self-implicated as "busy work", that's when it becomes MENTAL PAIN. I am experiencing mental pain right now. And when that is doubled-up with the prospects of graduation this Saturday, procrastination is at the most extreme. Two weeks ago I experienced my first taste of mental pain for the semester, when I barely wrote a paper that was two days late. Fortunately, the professor gave me a nice B, despite all its shortcomings.
So, how am I putting off this assignment? Many things:
1. Tokyo Drifter was recently viewed a couple hours ago. I am a big Seijun Suzuki fan. This is a strong one that contends well with his updated "sequel", Pistol Opera. Beautiful scenes with a eye for color and great fight scenes, this one is probably a DVD I'd like to own if I had room.
2. Yamaha's RM1X came to me last week in a nice packed box. Three LEDs on it are not working, but they serve barely any use for me. The beats provided are 100% better than Roland's MC-303, and is more intuitive in programming. I just laid down some basic foundation of my robotic italo song in an hour this morning. The only gripe I have is that the arpeggiator feature is really weak. No worries though, I'll just use the 303's through MIDI. Do you know that MIDI rules? It is really confusing, but works like magic when it is properly programmed.
3. Hex came into town Thursday and left this morning. He's a friend of Raccoo-oo-oon's from South Carolina. He took a train from Oakland and stopped on his way back home to Charleston. Cool guy. Check out Ex-Pets or Pukeattack or Time Blazers.
4. My design BFA show is finally set up as of Monday. Last week it was just a pile of trash behind a display case. Now it's just a pile of trash with some order.
5. Haruki Murakami's book Pinball, 1973 was a nice quick read, and from what I've gathered, was one of his weaker books. I look forward to reading his novels. I am also in the middle of a Carlos Castaneda's A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan. Not bad so far.
6. I am moving into a new house, a half block away from my basement abode. It provides me the need to play loud volumes in the privacy of a space in order for me to practice and write music. I'm also given two rooms for cheaper rent, provided I don't go through the living room that my new roommate is currently using as her bedroom. Hopefully I'll have more stories about my roommate. She is the stuff of legends.
I have a handful of other things going on, but that'll do for now.
PEACE!
So, how am I putting off this assignment? Many things:
1. Tokyo Drifter was recently viewed a couple hours ago. I am a big Seijun Suzuki fan. This is a strong one that contends well with his updated "sequel", Pistol Opera. Beautiful scenes with a eye for color and great fight scenes, this one is probably a DVD I'd like to own if I had room.
2. Yamaha's RM1X came to me last week in a nice packed box. Three LEDs on it are not working, but they serve barely any use for me. The beats provided are 100% better than Roland's MC-303, and is more intuitive in programming. I just laid down some basic foundation of my robotic italo song in an hour this morning. The only gripe I have is that the arpeggiator feature is really weak. No worries though, I'll just use the 303's through MIDI. Do you know that MIDI rules? It is really confusing, but works like magic when it is properly programmed.
3. Hex came into town Thursday and left this morning. He's a friend of Raccoo-oo-oon's from South Carolina. He took a train from Oakland and stopped on his way back home to Charleston. Cool guy. Check out Ex-Pets or Pukeattack or Time Blazers.
4. My design BFA show is finally set up as of Monday. Last week it was just a pile of trash behind a display case. Now it's just a pile of trash with some order.
5. Haruki Murakami's book Pinball, 1973 was a nice quick read, and from what I've gathered, was one of his weaker books. I look forward to reading his novels. I am also in the middle of a Carlos Castaneda's A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan. Not bad so far.
6. I am moving into a new house, a half block away from my basement abode. It provides me the need to play loud volumes in the privacy of a space in order for me to practice and write music. I'm also given two rooms for cheaper rent, provided I don't go through the living room that my new roommate is currently using as her bedroom. Hopefully I'll have more stories about my roommate. She is the stuff of legends.
I have a handful of other things going on, but that'll do for now.
PEACE!