Tuesday, October 25, 2011

I, Guitar

I am a guitar, wood well finished, stings strung tight to a tightness predefined by the tuning standard. Resting somberly in my stand, I await the next joyous endeavor. I am similar to a blank canvas able to pursue many styles of expression, from the aggressive rhythms of Metallic, to the melancholy melodies of a Moonlight Sonata. My means of communications are dualistic, acoustic and electric as I am a hybrid of two music sound spheres. I would be blemish if not for a kid, eager to impress his friends with a new tune he'd been working on, smashed on the corner of coffee table. I was carefully hand-crafted in Spain, where guitars first came into being. I only complete existence when I am played by someone who truly loves the instrument, and works to refine the craft. My great fear in life is being carelessly dropped shattering into useless pieces, my second greatest fear is becoming dehydrated and slowly warping my noble shape become unplayable. The greatest feeling I have ever felt is performing gigs. My strings ringing out through the monitors of the house sound system, lights aimed on me so bright I can not for the life of me see the faces of people five feet away. Other than that my hobbies include practicing and learning pieces as well as writing original pieces, which I also find exhilarating and enjoyable. Although I can appreciate many styles two of my favorite to play are Latin and classical, the very music that was intended for me in my creation.    
I am a guitar, wood well finished, stings strung tight to a tightness predefined by the tuning standard. Resting somberly in my stand, I await the next joyous endeavor. I am similar to a blank canvas able to pursue many styles of expression, from the aggressive rhythms of Metallic, to the melancholy melodies of a Moonlight Sonata. My means of communications are dualistic, acoustic and electric as I am a hybrid of two music sound spheres. I would be blemish if not for a kid, eager to impress his friends with a new tune he'd been working on, smashed on the corner of coffee table. I was carefully hand-crafted in Spain, where guitars first came into being. I only complete existence when I am played by someone who truly loves the instrument, and works to refine the craft. My great fear in life is being carelessly dropped shattering into useless pieces, my second greatest fear is becoming dehydrated and slowly warping my noble shape become unplayable. The greatest feeling I have ever felt is performing gigs. My strings ringing out through the monitors of the house sound system, lights aimed on me so bright I can not for the life of me see the faces of people five feet away. Other than that my hobbies include practicing and learning pieces as well as writing original pieces, which I also find exhilarating and enjoyable. Although I can appreciate many styles two of my favorite to play are Latin and classical, the very music that was intended for me in my creation.    

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Creating Community

A blog that is similar to mine:
A blog that is very dissimilar to mine: http://whatsyourstyle-moralis.blogspot.com
 *A blog that I think is neat:http://bshannon13.blogspot.com/
A blog that has all the tasks completed: http://spyty55124.blogspot.com/
A blog that includes an embedded video:http://streetracing11.blogspot.com/
*A post that I agree with:
*A post that I disagree with:
An image I like:
*A post with info that I'd use:

Maverick Philosopher

§                     The design of the blog "Maverick Philosopher"  is simple and easy to use, which is much better in my opinion to trying to be really cool and in the process making the site difficult to use.The focus of the site is easy to find and very precisely described at the very top of the blog. The content indeed does match the sites stated purpose. The writing style is at a level were it is understandable but still clearly demonstrates his knowledge of the subject matter. I do relate with what I read on this site, the writer is very precise and focused. The site does use proper grammar elements. I found no instances of spelling or punctuation errors. I do find the site is overall effective in portraying its predefined purpose. In an about tab there is some interesting information on the author, that gives his qualifications and previous occupations.      

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

How to Make a Graffiti Stencil



Supplies:
  • Paper
  • Art board
  • Yard stick
  • Permanent pen
  • Craft knife with snap-off blades
  • Adhesive spray
  • Hard squeegee
  • Pizza box or cardboard box
  • Tape
  • Matte black spray paint

  1. Draw or photocopy your subject matter on to paper whether it be text or image or both.(Hint: if your going to photocopy an image first, open it in an image editor turn it black and white and turn the contrast way up.)
  2. Get a piece of art board that it would be a few inches larger than the subject matter on each side.
  3. Spray the back of the subject paper with adhesive and place it glue side down. Wait for it to dry.
  4. Cut out the black outlines and portions with a craft be sure cut through both the paper and the art board. When cutting be careful to leave ligaments of paper to connect separated shapes, this is VERY important otherwise the stencil will not stay together and will be useless. A trick graffiti artists use when the stencil is complex or fragile is to use undone paper clips or wire to reinforce these paper ligaments.   
  5. Find a folder to carry your stencil in because after it has been used it will be covered in wet paint, a pizza box works great for smaller stencil or for stencils with pieces that would fit inside.
  6. Finally find a place to apply your stencil and tape it to the surface. Then shake the spray paint can for 10 seconds.
  7. Hold the spray can eight inches away from the stencil and spray back-and-forth across the cut-out areas in sweeping motions. Try not to spray any paint outside the edges of the stencil. Use as little paint as possible to avoid causing drips. Remove the stencil from the wall and place it into its cardboard folder.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Personal Hero


Micheal Larsen, known by his stage name Eyedea, was a well-known freestyle battle champion and underground rapper. He originally planned to go the University of Minnesota to double major in psychology, and physics. At the age of 17 he was discovered by the local band Atmosphere and began touring. He had appeared as a solo artist, and as the MC half of the duo Eyedea & Abilities (along with longtime friend and collaborator DJ Abilities). He also released an album under the pen name Oliver Hart, the live band Carbon Carrousel, and Face Candy. Never before had I heard music even close to his before, including both musical style and lyrical content. From the first time I listen to him I was hooked it is classified under hip hop but his poetic verses, complicated subject matter was a new experience entirely. He talked about the things I thought about or things I had been through intelligent and original way. Unlike the “Mainstream” Hip Hop that I never listen to, Eyedea actually had things to say that went beyond the unoriginal, egoistical braggadocio that has become so common in Hip Hop today. Many his songs have underling themes of philosophy, and psychology.

Monday, September 19, 2011

What do you like/dislike about blogging? What problems have you experienced? What problems do you foresee happening in the future? How is this class better or worse than a traditional writing class?


I am indifferent to blogging; I don’t fully understand what I would use it for. The fact I could get paid pulls a certain amount of interest, for that reason I find it preferable compared to a traditional writing class. As far as the interface is concerned I find intuitive and easy to use.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

What did I do last weekend and how does it relate?

Last weekend started reading Gravity's Rainbow, Which the TIME included in its "All-Time 100 Greatest Novels," and described as "a funny, disturbing, exhausting and massive novel, mind-fogging in its range and permutations, its display of knowledge and virtuosity—a metaphysical, phenomenological, technological Mad Comic. The author seems to have read and understood everything from quantum mechanics, probability theory and engineering manuals to the labels on bottles of 1920 Schloss Vollrads, Tarot cards and rock lyrics. This, and much more, Pynchon catalogues and tickles into fantasies so elaborately detailed that most of his readers will come away feeling illiterate in the terms of the 20th century" Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,903913,00.html#ixzz1XrBC1UHq