Video: Pork and Beans by Weezer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muP9eH2p2PI
Pork and Beans by Weezer is, in my opinion, the epitome of nerd chic and internet culture. Through its exploration of popular image macros and memes, I feel like it gives the last laugh to the internet users out there. I feel that it typifies the sort of fat internet guy who knows his way around the tubes and surfs the web all night and day for new laughs on youtube and sick and horrible things on 4chan. The video depicts the failures that the internet loves to laud and drops several specific, reenacted instances of internet giants that overtake the media and lead people to internet superstardom. I feel it's a solid mix of nerd culture with the images that it represents, and it gets deep into the heart of modern society by making us laugh although the lyrics seem to shut us down.
I'm totally comfortable with this. I feel most at home online, which is where I spend a lot of time. I caught almost all of the references in this video, and although I'm not a stereotypical fat basement-dwelling nerd I feel like this video is trying to expand the idea that internet culture is not specifically just for the archetypal nerds, but how it has permeated modern culture. I can relate a great deal to the video and it makes me feel like I'm a part of something bigger than I could imagine.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
8.1, 8.3, 8.4
8.1
1.I set goals for myself – 3
2.I base many of my goals on my core values and beliefs – 5
3.I set goals that are achievable – 2
4.I am aware of when my feelings interfere with my actions – 0
My feelings are my actions. How can you separate these?
5.I am aware of negative self-talk – 4
6.I use positive self-talk – 1
7.I am able to manage my negative feelings – 2
8.I am able to delay having fun – 3
9.I am able to spread out work on long assignments – 1
10.I have self-discipline – 4
11.I like finishing assignments before the due date – 2
12.I monitor my own progress in my classes regularly – 3
Total: 30
I have a negative perception of myself sometimes but I really do just roll with the punches. I don't need anything more than my feelings to get me through and be okay. Trying to go against them just makes me feel awful – I live in impulse.
8.3
My dreams:
1.To write a fine work.
2.To graduate college with both a computer science and an english degree.
3.To have a greater understanding of the written word, foreign languages, and computer languages, and how they interact and adapt to one another.
4.To be able to live where and how I please.
5.To be labeled an artist.
Values connected? Art, education, technology, language, travel.
Goal statements:
Look, I hate these. This isn't how I function on a regular basis. Setting goals, what it does is it gives you an idea of how to achieve your dreams. I know how, and moreover, I don't want to know. I wish life could simply flow and people would be okay with that.
In 10 years I will be towards the beginning of a career in the computer science or tech writing fields.
It is connected to a dream, multiple values, and education/career/financial.
In 3 years I will be nearing the end of my college career and prepared for the imminence of real life.
Connected to a dream, values, etc.
In 6 months I will have a job.
Fantastic, right?
By next week, I will have my paper done for creative writing.
8.4
10 year goal is realistic, desirable, believable
3 year goal is realistic, desirable, believable
6 month goal is realistic, desirable, believable
1 week goal is realistic, believable, measurable.
1.I set goals for myself – 3
2.I base many of my goals on my core values and beliefs – 5
3.I set goals that are achievable – 2
4.I am aware of when my feelings interfere with my actions – 0
My feelings are my actions. How can you separate these?
5.I am aware of negative self-talk – 4
6.I use positive self-talk – 1
7.I am able to manage my negative feelings – 2
8.I am able to delay having fun – 3
9.I am able to spread out work on long assignments – 1
10.I have self-discipline – 4
11.I like finishing assignments before the due date – 2
12.I monitor my own progress in my classes regularly – 3
Total: 30
I have a negative perception of myself sometimes but I really do just roll with the punches. I don't need anything more than my feelings to get me through and be okay. Trying to go against them just makes me feel awful – I live in impulse.
8.3
My dreams:
1.To write a fine work.
2.To graduate college with both a computer science and an english degree.
3.To have a greater understanding of the written word, foreign languages, and computer languages, and how they interact and adapt to one another.
4.To be able to live where and how I please.
5.To be labeled an artist.
Values connected? Art, education, technology, language, travel.
Goal statements:
Look, I hate these. This isn't how I function on a regular basis. Setting goals, what it does is it gives you an idea of how to achieve your dreams. I know how, and moreover, I don't want to know. I wish life could simply flow and people would be okay with that.
In 10 years I will be towards the beginning of a career in the computer science or tech writing fields.
It is connected to a dream, multiple values, and education/career/financial.
In 3 years I will be nearing the end of my college career and prepared for the imminence of real life.
Connected to a dream, values, etc.
In 6 months I will have a job.
Fantastic, right?
By next week, I will have my paper done for creative writing.
8.4
10 year goal is realistic, desirable, believable
3 year goal is realistic, desirable, believable
6 month goal is realistic, desirable, believable
1 week goal is realistic, believable, measurable.
Rememberance
There are a lot of songs I feel that represent me and that I would like to be remembered by. Narrowing this down to sixteen was tough, but hey, funerals/wakes probably take enough time to warrant their own full motion-picture length score.
“Antennas to Heaven” by Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a twenty minute, seven movement instrumental post-rock piece that builds and builds to incredible, heavy crescendos, then slowly fading away. To me, the song inspires hope of a better future, and I'd like it played because I hope that it would give those present the strength to move on.
“Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine is a lush and sensual song – I would want this dedicated to a friend of mine who I used to be closer with. It incites in me a feeling of a gray, rainy day, my favorite weather. I thrive best when the weather is wet and cold, and rather than a gloomy setting I would hope to evoke the feeling of a cold winter night spent indoors, reading – a personal favorite pastime.
“All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem is about caring for your friends, and to them it would be dedicated. I would want them to know that even if I didn't spend enough time with them, they were always on my mind.
“Your Ex-Lover is Dead” by Stars is about going through hard times and becoming stronger through them, and I feel that that is representative of both my own nature and that of life itself.
“Motorcycle Drive By” by Third Eye Blind would be dedicated to Christina. It's about being alone and alright, and serves as contrast to the earlier LCD Soundsystem song. It's how I feel often – not abandoned, but just alone, and it's calming and it makes everything okay.
“Boots of Spanish Leather” is my favorite Bob Dylan song. It talks about the narrator's love sailing away, and ends in somewhat mixed feelings. The song is hopelessly romantic, which is clearly my nature, but it also evokes that sense of moving away from that which I could have been comfortable with and towards new beginnings.
“Shooting Rockets” and “Painter in your Pocket” by Destroyer are two songs with extremely ambiguous meanings. The harsh sounds of the former would compliment my own mania, where the lilting and sweet Baroque-esque sounds of the latter would serve to represent the calmness within life. They showcase unique feelings from within me that I don't quite have words for.
“Needle in the Hay” by Elliott Smith is a song about fucking up and still ending up okay. Speaks for itself, really. I would dedicate this song to my mother, because I would want her to know that even though everything wasn't perfect I still made it through.
“Darkmatter” by Andrew Bird is about discovering yourself. I hope by the time I die I figure it out, otherwise, it's more of a tribute to my efforts. This song would be dedicated to my friend Mitch, who introduced both it and the concept to me.
“Jump in the Pool” by Friendly Fires is a pivotal song in my life. It tells you to stop worrying, to be free, to act on your own will without regards towards consequences and actually enjoying yourself. It's how I've always wanted to live, and how I always advocate living. It's that feeling that, deep in my heart, I will always be free. I would want to be remembered this way.
“Sad American” by Kaki King is sort of a soft spot in my heart, where even though I live free I know I've been wounded and that everything is imperfect. Wisdom.
“Misread” by Kings of Convenience is about getting lost, in both a literal and metaphorical sense – and it's not always a bad thing. I hope that this song would capture my feeling of being lost without necessarily needing to be found, whether it be in life, my emotions, or even where I am. Tell everyone that it's okay.
“Salty Water” by Lightspeed Champion is about drowning in life. I'm not perfect and I would hope that this song would reflect it.
“Pyramid Song” by Radiohead - “There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt.” That line about sums it up.
“Family Tree” by TV on the Radio – I'm not really clear on what this song is talking about, but the feeling that it evokes is very passionate and warm, and I would hope that everyone could be okay even though something is always lost, even if nothing is gained.
I would wish the ceremony to close on “Champagne Supernova” - the sweet end of life, that death is not something horrible but that everything is not only to be accepted but savored. Living to live. I would want everyone to remember that I wasn't simply living, that I was alive.
I would hope that after it was all over, they'd scatter my ashes over the ocean.
“Antennas to Heaven” by Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a twenty minute, seven movement instrumental post-rock piece that builds and builds to incredible, heavy crescendos, then slowly fading away. To me, the song inspires hope of a better future, and I'd like it played because I hope that it would give those present the strength to move on.
“Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine is a lush and sensual song – I would want this dedicated to a friend of mine who I used to be closer with. It incites in me a feeling of a gray, rainy day, my favorite weather. I thrive best when the weather is wet and cold, and rather than a gloomy setting I would hope to evoke the feeling of a cold winter night spent indoors, reading – a personal favorite pastime.
“All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem is about caring for your friends, and to them it would be dedicated. I would want them to know that even if I didn't spend enough time with them, they were always on my mind.
“Your Ex-Lover is Dead” by Stars is about going through hard times and becoming stronger through them, and I feel that that is representative of both my own nature and that of life itself.
“Motorcycle Drive By” by Third Eye Blind would be dedicated to Christina. It's about being alone and alright, and serves as contrast to the earlier LCD Soundsystem song. It's how I feel often – not abandoned, but just alone, and it's calming and it makes everything okay.
“Boots of Spanish Leather” is my favorite Bob Dylan song. It talks about the narrator's love sailing away, and ends in somewhat mixed feelings. The song is hopelessly romantic, which is clearly my nature, but it also evokes that sense of moving away from that which I could have been comfortable with and towards new beginnings.
“Shooting Rockets” and “Painter in your Pocket” by Destroyer are two songs with extremely ambiguous meanings. The harsh sounds of the former would compliment my own mania, where the lilting and sweet Baroque-esque sounds of the latter would serve to represent the calmness within life. They showcase unique feelings from within me that I don't quite have words for.
“Needle in the Hay” by Elliott Smith is a song about fucking up and still ending up okay. Speaks for itself, really. I would dedicate this song to my mother, because I would want her to know that even though everything wasn't perfect I still made it through.
“Darkmatter” by Andrew Bird is about discovering yourself. I hope by the time I die I figure it out, otherwise, it's more of a tribute to my efforts. This song would be dedicated to my friend Mitch, who introduced both it and the concept to me.
“Jump in the Pool” by Friendly Fires is a pivotal song in my life. It tells you to stop worrying, to be free, to act on your own will without regards towards consequences and actually enjoying yourself. It's how I've always wanted to live, and how I always advocate living. It's that feeling that, deep in my heart, I will always be free. I would want to be remembered this way.
“Sad American” by Kaki King is sort of a soft spot in my heart, where even though I live free I know I've been wounded and that everything is imperfect. Wisdom.
“Misread” by Kings of Convenience is about getting lost, in both a literal and metaphorical sense – and it's not always a bad thing. I hope that this song would capture my feeling of being lost without necessarily needing to be found, whether it be in life, my emotions, or even where I am. Tell everyone that it's okay.
“Salty Water” by Lightspeed Champion is about drowning in life. I'm not perfect and I would hope that this song would reflect it.
“Pyramid Song” by Radiohead - “There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt.” That line about sums it up.
“Family Tree” by TV on the Radio – I'm not really clear on what this song is talking about, but the feeling that it evokes is very passionate and warm, and I would hope that everyone could be okay even though something is always lost, even if nothing is gained.
I would wish the ceremony to close on “Champagne Supernova” - the sweet end of life, that death is not something horrible but that everything is not only to be accepted but savored. Living to live. I would want everyone to remember that I wasn't simply living, that I was alive.
I would hope that after it was all over, they'd scatter my ashes over the ocean.
Song List To Be Remembered By
1.Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Antennas to Heaven
2.My Bloody Valentine – Sometimes
3.LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
4.Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead
5.Third Eye Blind – Motorcycle Drive By
6.Bob Dylan – Boots of Spanish Leather
7.Destroyer – Shooting Rockets/Painter in Your Pocket
8.Elliott Smith – Needle in the Hay
9.Andrew Bird – Darkmatter
10.Friendly Fires – Jump in the Pool
11.Kaki King – Sad American
12.Kings of Convenience – Misread
13.Lightspeed Champion – Salty Water
14.Radiohead – Pyramid Song
15.TV on the Radio – Family Tree
16.Oasis – Champagne Supernova
2.My Bloody Valentine – Sometimes
3.LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
4.Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead
5.Third Eye Blind – Motorcycle Drive By
6.Bob Dylan – Boots of Spanish Leather
7.Destroyer – Shooting Rockets/Painter in Your Pocket
8.Elliott Smith – Needle in the Hay
9.Andrew Bird – Darkmatter
10.Friendly Fires – Jump in the Pool
11.Kaki King – Sad American
12.Kings of Convenience – Misread
13.Lightspeed Champion – Salty Water
14.Radiohead – Pyramid Song
15.TV on the Radio – Family Tree
16.Oasis – Champagne Supernova
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
5.1 and 5.4
5.1
1. 3
2. 4
3. 4
4. 3
5. 2
6. 1
7. 5
8. 2
9. 4
10. 1
11. 1
12. 2
Total: 32
That's pretty middle of the road. To be honest? I don't feel very involved, or happy, or committed. This was not the college I wanted to go to, and although I did get into another school I would have preferred I felt guilty about having to take out loans, because it would put a lot of financial strain on my parents since I've been unemployed for some time now. I don't like college very much. I don't want to get involved because I have no spirit, I've made no friends, and I'm generally ragging on everything. I want to be somewhere else, I've had the urge to just drop out, but I am driven by wanting a degree for a career that's going to feed me money for the rest of forever. I don't really feel like I need more learning, or that most of this matters. I just want it to be over so I can move on with my life. I'm done living in San Jose, and I'm sick and tired of the way American lifestyle forces you to root in one place. Transferring is really difficult. I'm angry and upset and I don't really care.
5.4
1.
Am I proud to be a student here?
Well, my father went here, so I guess it's carrying the family flag, but really? No. Not at all.
Is it important that your degree come from this institution?
I don't care.
Do I feel a sense of belonging?
No.
Have I relinquished former bonds from my old school?
No. I didn't have a whole lot of 'bonds' to relinquish in the first place, anyhow.
Am I comfortable dealing with the faculty, staff, and other students?
Faculty/staff? Yeah. They're just people, too. It's really not very intimidating. The students? Not really. I don't connect on a whole lot of levels there.
2.
My main goal for attending college?
Get a degree that will enable me to get a good job that pays well and serves my interests.
Clear choice of major?
Yes. Double Major Eng/CS.
Is it important to have a degree for your program?
For CS, absolutely.
Will attending college result in a better job/career?
Yes.
Have I investigated graduate/professional programs?
Yes.
Completed any internships/volunteering/working in a field related to your acad. goal?
No.
What are your academic ambitions?
3.0. Or transfer to somewhere more challenging and getting through that with a 2.5.
3. Family
Does my family support my want to go to college?
Yes.
If you live at home, do they make it possible for you to study?
Yes.
Do they help you financially?
They pay for everything college-related, basically.
1. 3
2. 4
3. 4
4. 3
5. 2
6. 1
7. 5
8. 2
9. 4
10. 1
11. 1
12. 2
Total: 32
That's pretty middle of the road. To be honest? I don't feel very involved, or happy, or committed. This was not the college I wanted to go to, and although I did get into another school I would have preferred I felt guilty about having to take out loans, because it would put a lot of financial strain on my parents since I've been unemployed for some time now. I don't like college very much. I don't want to get involved because I have no spirit, I've made no friends, and I'm generally ragging on everything. I want to be somewhere else, I've had the urge to just drop out, but I am driven by wanting a degree for a career that's going to feed me money for the rest of forever. I don't really feel like I need more learning, or that most of this matters. I just want it to be over so I can move on with my life. I'm done living in San Jose, and I'm sick and tired of the way American lifestyle forces you to root in one place. Transferring is really difficult. I'm angry and upset and I don't really care.
5.4
1.
Am I proud to be a student here?
Well, my father went here, so I guess it's carrying the family flag, but really? No. Not at all.
Is it important that your degree come from this institution?
I don't care.
Do I feel a sense of belonging?
No.
Have I relinquished former bonds from my old school?
No. I didn't have a whole lot of 'bonds' to relinquish in the first place, anyhow.
Am I comfortable dealing with the faculty, staff, and other students?
Faculty/staff? Yeah. They're just people, too. It's really not very intimidating. The students? Not really. I don't connect on a whole lot of levels there.
2.
My main goal for attending college?
Get a degree that will enable me to get a good job that pays well and serves my interests.
Clear choice of major?
Yes. Double Major Eng/CS.
Is it important to have a degree for your program?
For CS, absolutely.
Will attending college result in a better job/career?
Yes.
Have I investigated graduate/professional programs?
Yes.
Completed any internships/volunteering/working in a field related to your acad. goal?
No.
What are your academic ambitions?
3.0. Or transfer to somewhere more challenging and getting through that with a 2.5.
3. Family
Does my family support my want to go to college?
Yes.
If you live at home, do they make it possible for you to study?
Yes.
Do they help you financially?
They pay for everything college-related, basically.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
4.2 and 4.5
4.2
1.Practicing a problem using the Pythagorean Theorem – Procedural Knowledge.
2.Explaining the law of supply and demand – Procedural Knowledge.
3.Memorizing Musical Symbols – Declarative Knowledge.
4.Selecting a note-taking format for sociology class – Metacognitive Knowledge.
5.Comparing behavioral psychology with cognitive psychology – Metacognitive
6.Giving a persuasive speech – Procedural Knowledge
7.Creating sample test questions to study for a biology exam – Procedural
8.Memorizing the state capitals of the United States – Procedural
4.5
Course 1: English 1B
How difficult is the material? Probably a dead 5 inbetween easy and hard.
How well is the material presented? Very clearly, like an 8/10.
How intuitive is the material? Extremely intuitive, 9/10.
Based on my ratings I probably should just read and practice and do all my work and I'll do fine.
Course 2: Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll
How difficult is the material? Like a four on the difficult.
How well is the material presented? Pretty well, 7/10
How intuitive or formal is the material? Come on, totally intuitive 10/10.
My study strategy involves listening to the music more. My disdain for the 1950s cost me a lot of points in that test.
1.Practicing a problem using the Pythagorean Theorem – Procedural Knowledge.
2.Explaining the law of supply and demand – Procedural Knowledge.
3.Memorizing Musical Symbols – Declarative Knowledge.
4.Selecting a note-taking format for sociology class – Metacognitive Knowledge.
5.Comparing behavioral psychology with cognitive psychology – Metacognitive
6.Giving a persuasive speech – Procedural Knowledge
7.Creating sample test questions to study for a biology exam – Procedural
8.Memorizing the state capitals of the United States – Procedural
4.5
Course 1: English 1B
How difficult is the material? Probably a dead 5 inbetween easy and hard.
How well is the material presented? Very clearly, like an 8/10.
How intuitive is the material? Extremely intuitive, 9/10.
Based on my ratings I probably should just read and practice and do all my work and I'll do fine.
Course 2: Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll
How difficult is the material? Like a four on the difficult.
How well is the material presented? Pretty well, 7/10
How intuitive or formal is the material? Come on, totally intuitive 10/10.
My study strategy involves listening to the music more. My disdain for the 1950s cost me a lot of points in that test.
Monday, September 29, 2008
My favorite music at 8, 13, and now.
When I was around 8 years old I had a profound liking for classic rock. I'd been a fan since conception, apparently, and during my younger years I listened aptly to AC/DC, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and whatever else you could hear on KFOX. I didn't actively listen to the music, it came to me more passively, mostly through the radio or whenever my parents would listen to it. I shared essentially the same tastes as my parents and I really liked their music – it just sounded good, and I was cool with that.
When I was around 13, however, I had started to develop some of my own tastes separate from my parents. It was around this time that I was starting to get tired of classic music, and it was also when my mother bought me my first stereo with seven or eight CDs. I started listening to pop, grunge, and alternative, especially Nickelback, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains, but still occasionally listened to some of the harder classic rock like Metallica. I started following the trends on MTV and VH1, started seeing what my friends listened to, and moved into more alternative bands like Linkin Park and P.O.D. I went to my first concert (Linkin Park) and started to really get into music. My tastes were really diversifying, I spent vast amounts of money on CDs, and I became very attached to music, carrying my CD player around everywhere until it wore down to nothing. It was a product of my tastes for hard rock mixing with what I'd seen in the mainstream through radio and TV.
And lastly, we have my present tastes. Between 2002 and 2003 the second generation of peer-to-peer filesharing networks had opened up. I had missed Napster, but my aptitude for computers that I had acquired in my youth led me to music on the Internet. From there I stopped listening to radio and TV, and just started getting what sounded good. This led me to indie and electronic music, some hip-hop, and then into my distinct taste for the ever more obscure genres such as post-rock, noisecore, mathcore, post-metal, dream pop, and all other weird sorts of music. Music has become as much a reflection of lifestyle, personality, and aesthetics, and my music has come to reflect who I represent as a person. My favorite artists include Mogwai, Clint Mansell, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Modest Mouse, Metallica, Andrew Bird, Venetian Snares, the pillows, and a wide variety of other bands and musicians. My tastes rarely change but I often find myself expanding to new music to reflect how I feel and who I am, and my collection has become incredibly expansive and eclectic. The Internet really let me develop my own sense of style and taste, and my music helps me feel the way I want to feel - & I think that's how it's going to stay.
When I was around 13, however, I had started to develop some of my own tastes separate from my parents. It was around this time that I was starting to get tired of classic music, and it was also when my mother bought me my first stereo with seven or eight CDs. I started listening to pop, grunge, and alternative, especially Nickelback, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains, but still occasionally listened to some of the harder classic rock like Metallica. I started following the trends on MTV and VH1, started seeing what my friends listened to, and moved into more alternative bands like Linkin Park and P.O.D. I went to my first concert (Linkin Park) and started to really get into music. My tastes were really diversifying, I spent vast amounts of money on CDs, and I became very attached to music, carrying my CD player around everywhere until it wore down to nothing. It was a product of my tastes for hard rock mixing with what I'd seen in the mainstream through radio and TV.
And lastly, we have my present tastes. Between 2002 and 2003 the second generation of peer-to-peer filesharing networks had opened up. I had missed Napster, but my aptitude for computers that I had acquired in my youth led me to music on the Internet. From there I stopped listening to radio and TV, and just started getting what sounded good. This led me to indie and electronic music, some hip-hop, and then into my distinct taste for the ever more obscure genres such as post-rock, noisecore, mathcore, post-metal, dream pop, and all other weird sorts of music. Music has become as much a reflection of lifestyle, personality, and aesthetics, and my music has come to reflect who I represent as a person. My favorite artists include Mogwai, Clint Mansell, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Modest Mouse, Metallica, Andrew Bird, Venetian Snares, the pillows, and a wide variety of other bands and musicians. My tastes rarely change but I often find myself expanding to new music to reflect how I feel and who I am, and my collection has become incredibly expansive and eclectic. The Internet really let me develop my own sense of style and taste, and my music helps me feel the way I want to feel - & I think that's how it's going to stay.
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