It's funny because it's true

Well, a fair bit of it anyway. Stuff White People Like is a blog "devoted to stuff that white people like". It's quite amusing, with some of it being embarrassingly true (not necessarily for you, but most posts relate to someone you know, or at least know of). It covers everything from pea coats, Bob Marley and hating people who wear Ed Hardy. 

One particular post raises the fact that at some point in a white person's life, they will express the desire to learn a new language - which is all well and good as it would make one more worldly and cultured. The main problem is, as raised in the blog post, that the vast majority of people never follow through. I've decided that the same very much applies to instruments. How many people do you know that have once said "I'd love to be able to play the guitar/harmonica/tuba/etc."? I imagine quite a few. In fact, I have done both of these things in the past. In what will probably prove to be another failed attempt, I've decided to restart mucking about on the guitar, with the vague hope of one day being able to string a few chords together and, being cheap, I've turned to the internet to guide me on my musical journey. I found this website (click on the semi cut off banner below) which is free and gives short video lessons, with included lesson notes, from the very beginning onwards for both guitar and bass. So go forth, my children, I challenge thee to start something that you may never finish/make any progress on!

My Guitar Heroes

I was just cruising through various vids on my computer and Youtube favourites and I was pleased to re-discover a few videos of some friends performing at school concerts and such. One night in particular (from which the following clips came), Night of Stars, reminded me of how little talent I have (especially in contrast to my friends). Here is why:


Lucas & Rommy perform Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie (ignore the 'groovy' camera work of one of our teachers).





Mish & Nick (& Mitchel) perform This Modern Love by Bloc Party (skip to about 1.30 where the song starts and, again, ignore any odd camera shots).





Cat & Taylor perform Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (song 
starts around 0.45).




Now, please, someone sign them so I can freeload off their talent...

LAY-Z Days

So, as you know, I need a job. I am dirt poor (because I refuse to spend my savings as that would allow my dreams of travelling to slip further out of reach). Generally, being poor sucks. You can't go out and spend, spend, spend on good times. But on the upside, on days like today (mid-high twenties), the good times are free and unemployment seems less of a burden...

Morning by the beach, afternoon by the pool, and a smoothie in between...listening to some tunes.

Yeah, freedom is sa-weet. Bring on summer.

Noah & the Whale - 5 Years Time

Re:Mix

Ok, so I'm quite behind here, but recently (during the HSC, for procrastination), I was introduced to the website Hype Machine which, basically, trawls all the blogs on the internet that have music on them and puts it all in one convenient location for your listening pleasure. Due to the broadness of cyber space, there is pretty much every artist from every genre on there, including a lot of small time acts and producers, giving you endless hours of entertainment discovering new musical frontiers. 


The main thing I've discovered from Hype Machine is the vast number of remixes of songs out there. The amazing thing about remixes are that they can really make or break a song for you. It's possible to come across a remix that raises a song up to new heights for you, or converts one of your favourite not-so-dancy tracks to a dance floor masterpiece, or mash a few of your favourite songs together causing you to really GET YOUR DANCE ON. Don't get me wrong though, generally to come across these beauties, you suffer through a lot of rubbish, which can kill a song (ignore these)...


Basically, what I'm trying to point out to those who, like me, have been previously oblivious to the epic world or remixes, beyond just that of the widely publicised DJ's and CD's (such as Ministry of Sound), but are into music, is that the musical world, like the real world, is full of endless wonders. GET TRAVELLING!

Noah & the Whale - Blue Skies (YACHT Remix)
Ra Ra Riot - Ghost Under Rocks (Passion Pit Remix)
Phoenix - Armistice (YACHT Remix)
Florence + the Machine - You've Got The Love (The XX Cover)

Freedom??

So...School's over, we've finished and we're freeeee. But now what? There are a few options I s'pose, but after schoolies we'll all get jobs and work towards one of three things:

• Uni - for those who have drive and direction, or are scared they'll never return from a gap year.
• Gap Year - for those who haven't sorted out their future, or just know that they can't face jumping straight back into another educational institution. Some will stay and work, both for money and to hopefully find direction, others will travel, seeking independence, a new experience and, let's be honest, a damn good time, before returning with new found direction.
• NFI - the people who are yet to make up their minds and are jumping between the above two but can't fully commit.

I'll take one gap year please. Mine even comes with a tag line: GAP YEAR 2010. Get on it.

But first, I need to hustle up the funds. This requires getting a job and, as you can see, I've reverted to procrastinating, a skill I picked up  during my many years at school, and, thus, I've now started this blog...Knowing me, I'll keep this up so I'll catch you on the flipside.