Latest Posts by literally-nemo - Page 6
Something I find interesting about being an introvert is that I still need socialization. I spend most of my days in classes or at work and I don't socialize in those places because I'm not an outgoing person. Sometimes I don't socialize all week. When that happens, I'll get this weird feeling of restlessness that's only relieved when I'm social, particularly when I socialize with people with whom I'm comfortable.
Introverts (especially those on this site) talk big about not needing people and hating doing anything social, but when it comes down to it, we are designed to be social creatures. It's how we've survived and thrived for so long; community gives us an edge over other creatures. I wish I had more background knowledge about humans and community throughout history to better express what I'm trying to say. But yeah, even though it uses our energy to socialize, we still need it to survive and that's that on that.
Hey I’ve been making some music on YouTube again here’s my latest release
My first christmas album is up on Soundcloud! Feedback is very welcome. Merry Christmas!
"There’s a crack in everything // That’s how the light gets in”
“I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch // And love is not a victory march // It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah”
“O see the darkness yielding // That tore the light apart // Come healing of the reason // Come healing of the heart”
“Like a bird on a wire // Like a drunk in a midnight choir // I have tried in my way to be free”
Rest in peace, Leonard Cohen. Your music and poetry will never be forgotten.
Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen has died at the age of 82, according to a Facebook post on his official fan page. His music label Sony Music Canada has also confirmed the news.
More to come
studio version of bohemian rhapsody cover by panic! at the disco.
nobody knows (original song) - Shelby Jean
nobody knows what will happen to me/we asked for a storm and we swallowed a sea/father will wonder and mother will weep/and nobody knows what has happened
~here’s a recording of my final project for my seminar on WWI
~played on my mya-moe baritone ukulele
Maybe the cheese curds we're sharing Are sweating a bit because, like my hands They're filled with nervous excitement At the thought of you holding them
It's early Early enough that sleep didn't refresh my late night thoughts Early enough that my mind wanders free Free of process Free of order Free of rationale And on mornings like this I always seem to find myself Wandering back to you
If I could paint, I’d paint you a symphony If I could sing, I’d sing you the Starry Night If I could act, I’d recite you a ballet If I could dance, I’d dance you a soliloquy
But I am a poet And all I can do Is write you my heart
The view from my practice room today (at Don Wright Faculty Of Music)
U weren't gonna leave the room till you practiced that thing
I posted the video of the result of practicing right after the first video.
I’m not crying over amazing a cappella performances...
Music Genres
I find it dumb when people believe that genres are defined entirely by their instrumentation. Genres, in my oh so humble opinion, are defined by the mannerisms and minute details. Here’s why:
The first mannerism separating genres is melody. Let’s take three largely opposing genres as examples: rock/metal, country, and pop. In rock/metal (clean vocals), there are particular melodic patterns in parallel with chordal patterns (which I’ll also get to) that belong to the genre. A perfect example of this is the chord progression of V^3 - i (dominant with a raised third to tonic minor) paired with the melody of 5 - #7 - 1. This whole idea simply belongs to rock/metal and is rarely ever used in other genres because of its quality and affiliations.
The next factor is chord progressions and other functionalities of music. For example, rock/metal is more often than not in a minor key, while country is more often than not in a major one (pop can go either way). Rock/metal is usually faster-paced with a driving drum-line (with exceptions of course), pop has a pace designed for dancing with a pulsing baseline, and country is often (again, with exceptions) less about speed and drive, and even faster songs don’t have such a drive as other genres. Rock/metal (depending on the sub-genre) can range from standard four chord progression to a single chord for most of a song to baroque style harmonic passages, pop usually leans more towards two to four chords (depending on the sub-genre) and country often has a standard four chord progression. There are of course exceptions, but these are defining generalizations.
Another factor is timbre of voice. There is of course a slight difference between the country twang and screaming, but it’s more important than that. In country, artists often focus on vocal prowess (whether alone or in many part harmony), and it shows in the slides, trills, even in the choice of melodic structure. This leads to a focus on the vocal track and clean tone with some stylistic roughness. The “twang” (arguably) comes from the southern accents of the people who created the genre. In pop, there is sometimes a focus on vocal prowess, but there is more of a focus on memorability. This lends to extremely clean vocals (even those with electronic alterations/enhancements are clean). In rock/metal, there is almost no focus on vocal prowess. Throughout this genre, there are many different focuses like clear simple expression of an emotion, poetic significance within the rest of the music, etc.
The final factor that I’ll discuss here is percussion. In my experience, percussion is the single most important part of a piece of music. (The reasoning behind this can be explained with a very simple example: when bands want to make a repetition of a chorus sound more powerful, the drummer simply uses the crash cymbal for quarter notes as opposed to the ride or the high-hat. Everything else, even the rest of what the drummer does, doesn’t change.) In rock/metal, drumming is what drives music forward. A focus of rock/metal can often be percussive prowess (see August Burns Red, Phinehas). Pop’s percussion can be brought down to “boots ‘n cats” or even “boots ‘n boots” (see Cheerleader, Uptown Funk). As for country, I haven’t done enough research or listening to be able to say anything for percussion right now.
So what? Why do I care about this? Because a lot of people don’t get it. Take popular Christian music for example. Often, there is a song that’s public domain that various different groups will make a version of and change only one thing: the instrumentation. Another example is when a band doesn’t know their own genre. If the composer for a group doesn’t write music for that group’s genre, what are they writing for? I am a firm believer in pushing the envelope and challenging the status quo, but some things simply don’t work. There are very few things that irritate me more than ineffective, thoughtlessly written music.
Spare Change
The dimly lit chapel is silent. If my grandmother were still alive, she would be the only one crying for her son. People like my father, who was sometimes irrationally poetic, never take into account their cause of death when asking for an open casket funeral. I guess having the shit beaten out of you over a gambling debt doesn’t cross one’s mind as the way they’re going to die. I can’t say I never wished it on him though.
I’m standing at the back of the sanctuary, partially watching the people come to pay respects, partially lost in thought. There are few enough attenders that I can still see his coffin; simple and bright, like he was once. I truly thought I loved my father, but he was not a good man, in the end. The last two years were rough; learning that my father would sell out his family was rough. We weren’t slaves, but we would’ve been on the streets if I hadn’t dropped out of college to get a job. Hell, we all had to drop things; we had to sell my little brother Jamie’s piano. I’ll probably hate myself the rest of my life for taking that away from him, but I’d be damned if I let him starve. All our bills and costs now aren’t a quarter of what he took to throw at cards. I was relieved when I found out he bit it; I’ll probably hate myself a long time for that too.
I’ve made my way to the middle of the aisle, where Jamie’s standing. He hugs me tight, resting his head on my chest. Fourteen’s an awkward age where he understands what’s happening, but he doesn’t know how to deal with it. I imagine we could have been good friends if we’d have more time these last couple years, but I’ve been working and he’s been hiding up in his room; he really looked up to dad.
Dad. It’s a foreign word to me. I suppose I haven’t said it in well over a year, I haven’t really thought of him like that in so long. Hopefully Jamie still does, or did. It’s still weird he’s gone.
When I was nine, we made a bet, my dad and I. My baby brother had just been born, and I was upset because I thought I was going to be replaced by him. He bet me three bucks that Jamie would never replace me. Being nine, I didn’t understand what it meant to make that kind of bet, but I’m not ignorant to it now.
I find myself standing by my father’s body, some people looking at me, maybe waiting for me to say something. I reach into my pocket and grab a fiver; drop it in with him.
“Keep the change.”
I cut myself and now I'm really fucking sad
Well, much as cutting can feel satisfying, it can be emotionally strenuous and harmful. There's not much that works for everyone, but what works for me is to count the days (or the hours if it's that bad) that you refrain from self-harm and just think of beating your previous record whenever it crosses your mind. Just beating it by one day, and then one more, etc. I'm proud of you for seeking help. If you're under 16 and living in Canada/US (I'm not sure about elsewhere), Kids Help Phone is a fantastic resource, where you can remain anonymous. God bless you on your journey of recovery.
Hey nerds so I'm 18 now here have a super attractive picture of my sexy face ily all
ayy thanks for the follow!
No problemo love the blog!! <3
Sorry for the atrocious quality! I'll hopefully record a better one later this week. Thanks so much for watching!
It's been a productive break so far! Hopefully recording this tomorrow
How well it is that on this night, the eve of our departure Hell itself has opened up, any stray to capture And so it is that one last time we fight with death itself Courage be our only sword; will no one come to help?
Pick up hope, oh brother mine, and use it as your shield Cut the darkness clear in two, don't now, nor ever yield Don't put down your weapons now, though weaknesses they're finding For in the darkest night, my friend, the faintest light is blinding
Hi! Not sure if you've done it or not but could you do a cover of the sherlock theme?
I could certainly try! :)
Can you cover the a team by ed sheeran?
As soon as I'm better, it will happen, anon! That's a great song.
I noticed that you were asked previously about your faith. So i have decided to expand on Anon's question with another. I believe in Him. But i have noticed that many (not all) but many Christians and Catholics have taken this too far. Nowhere in the bible does it say to hate the gays. Nowhere. You views? Also what is the difference between the Christian and Catholic religions? I wasn't raised religious and i do not attend a church but i do believe. So i have never known the difference.
Okay, so my views are that God doesn't hate anyone, and nobody's deserving of hell more than anyone else. We all are. The bible does say that two men doing the frickle frackle is wrong, but I don't understand why people single out that sin over the others. The bible also says that we are to correct each other with love. This doesn't mean going to funerals and telling random people that gay people are going to hell. It means in private, in a Christian community *specifically to other Christians!!!* in a loving way, discussing issues that you believe need to be discussed with them, won't push them away from their faith farther than they can handle, and are worth discussing. You're right, in fact Jesus and various other people inspired by the Holy Spirit clearly say to love everyone.
As far as Catholicism vs Protestantism, (sorry to any of my catholic followers) Catholicism was built by medieval priests trying to keep monopoly and control over their world through secrets and manipulation of scripture and using the forced ignorance of their subjects to further their personal and political goals. Protestantism was people who read the bible for themselves and found God through that. Since then, of course, it's gone in all sorts of directions, but I'm very obviously protestant. I could rant about Catholics all day, but I'll leave it there.
You seem to have such a deep faith. An unwavering faith in god. And i wanted to know, how that is possible with all that has happened. I mean no disrespect. I am truly curious and in need of something to believe in.
So I was raised a Christian, but when I was fifteen-ish I gave up on believing at all, and basically I slowly discovered God for myself (through some pretty crazy experieces). That's what is important, in my opinion: choosing to follow God yourself. And I mean, I still have rough patches in my faith, and I often get pissed off with God, but I've just accepted that He exists and that I want to follow Him regardless of what happens.