Never Know Enough...

2011-08-06T03:18:00.000-04:00

http://sisubifu.co.tv/

Just listened to some music from 2004/2005...

2011-06-22T09:49:00.001-04:00

and it made me nostalgic for college.

Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere

Iron & Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days

Keane – Hopes and Fears

Jack Johnson – In Between Dreams

Gorillaz – Feel Good Inc.

The Killers – Mr. Brightside

Dang. Each album has memories attached to it… and each of those memories are specific to events from college.

Great Performance by Bon Iver

2011-06-10T11:02:00.001-04:00

Some Haiku

2011-05-05T13:01:00.000-04:00

War:

Scars that will not heal

Imprints on his memory:

"Freedom is not Free"

Tired:

Broken Embraces

Shattered Kitchen Dishware cuts

Deeply, He leaves her

Empty:

Unusual calm

The house's silence, unbearable

Youth lost forever.

Silence:

Moving lips, no sound

despair strikes him down:

Wracked with chilling doubt

Drugged:

Abrupt Solitude

Faceless voices disappeared:

Dosed Schizophrenic

Great quote from Suzanne Vega:

2011-05-05T12:56:00.001-04:00

"Love is the only thing that matters/Love is the only thing that's real/I know we hear this every day/It's still the hardest thing to feel."

Strange Tastes

2011-03-31T12:55:00.001-04:00

It’s always interesting handling another person’s iPod or mp3 player. It’s like I’m being treated to a bit of the person’s personality. I like that, it’s very fascinating seeing what is being played and what artists/albums/songs the person is most excited to mention. I wish we would all be more willing to share our interests openly with others—as I said, it helps to give perspective about that person. Right now, my iPod has a playlist that I’ve been running through of 400 favorite songs of mine (varying from “miss u” – notorious b.i.g. to “limp” – Fiona apple to Beethoven’s 7^th Symphony, and everything in between. I am really enjoying the playlist and am glad that I’ve gotten exposed to so many different styles and that I don’t have one specifically favorite genre.

What are your favorite artists? Albums? Songs (of the moment)?

Favorite Albums (from childhood/young adulthood):

1. Chris Thile – Not All Who Wander Are Lost

2. Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die

3. Fiona Apple – Tidal

4. Counting Crows – August & Everything After

5. Rufus Wainwright – Poses

Favorite artists/bands: (of the moment, and in no particular order)

1. Rufus Wainwright

2. The Decemberists (love Colin’s voice, really that’s the only reason why they’re on this list, hehehe)

3. The Blow (sadly, they’re not making music together anymore)

4. Alison Krauss & Union Station

5. Das Racist (hope they make more mixtapes or EPs)

6. Andrew Bird

7. Esperanza Spalding (though, specifically her Chamber Music Society record)

8. Blonde Redhead (Misery and 23 are my favorite of their albums)

9. Anthony Hamilton (for his Ain’t Nobody Worrying album only)

10. Aloe Blacc (his new album “Good Things” is actually pretty great, check it out! Especially “Miss Fortune”, “So Hard”, and I “Need A Dollar”)

Favorite Songs (Can’t put anything on this list, but would love to see what you all like?)

Excited about the NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL Tournament

2011-03-14T10:17:00.001-04:00

Can’t wait to see how the NCAA Tournament shakes out. It’s about to start. The play-in games happen today and then the tournament officially starts on Thursday. The WV Mountaineers Men’s Basketball team will play at 12:00pm against the winner of the play-in game between UAB and Clemson. I’m pretty amped because this is the first big sporting event since the Superbowl and I just know that it’s the best playoff system of all sports. I wish the NCAA Football post-season would be a playoff similar to the NCAA Men’s “March Madness” format, but it would cost an insane amount of dollars to figure it out and to manufacture a playoff system that everyone would be happy with.

Oh well!

A Place for Physical Education in Schools?

2011-02-19T13:50:00.001-05:00

Physical education being mandatory in schools would be a great way of reducing the prevalence of obesity in the children of our society. I never understood why the physical education courses were drastically cut in the state education programs during the mid-nineties.

It's a difficult question, too, though... since many of the kids who were doing physical education would just be bystanders minimally engaging in the physical part of the class. I liked physical education and enjoyed the various activities we were assigned; but I also recognize that it was hard to get all the children to want to actively participate in gym.

I recall my parents' stories from their youth and how they had physical education every day while they were in school: health class for part of the week, and gym class for the other part. That would have served a couple of nice functions: (1) the physical activity would be good for the body; (2) it would be a nice change of pace from being an inactive participant in the learning process (i.e., just sitting and listening/writing notes); (3) physical education or health classes would be a great way of informing our youth of the benefits of maintaining good health habits.

For public school boards to claim that the physical and intellectual well-being of our children is of utmost importance, while not making health education and physical education a more important part of the daily curriculum reeks of ineptitude and short-sightedness. It's just like the National Football League Suits wanting to take a 'hard line stance' on Concussions and the health of their players, while still not mandating proven Concussion Limiting technologies for the helmets the athletes use, and also not having a very proactive health care system for the athletes they claim to want to help.

In the same vain, our children are being fed garbage, and the school claims that they are feeding the children 'age-appropriate, finely tuned diets' in their meal offerings, while having flawed ideas about what is 'healthy' and 'healhtful'.

At a young age, an impressionable youth needs positive health habits to be enforced and reinforced, needs to be told what is good and coaxed to act with that positive behavior in mind. Knowing what it means for something to be a 'good food' or the benefits of being active throughout the day should enable children to harness their knowledge toward life-long positive health decisions.

Really, this shouldn't be a debate, but just like the question of 'should we support the creative arts in our schools' question, schools aren't looking at the benefits of a well-rounded education on their students, but instead how our students rank in the testable subjects of math, science, language, and history. Well-rounded curricula allows for more balanced young adults, and introduces more stimuli to those students. This is a huge positive, as it gives us a more creative, engaged, actively thoughtful community of people who are prepared for the many different types of jobs available in the 'real world'. This is ultimately the big goal, and schools should do well to note that their decisions will alter the path these children will take towards adulthood.

We should recognize that promoting physical education (gym/health classes) in public schools is just as important as preparing the minds of our youth. Tests have shown that we are more likely to think clearly if we are more healthy than if we are less healthy. We are also more likely to think creatively and intelligently if we have a well-rounded education, a more balanced education. Therefore, I wholeheartedly agree that physical education should be mandatory in schools, and also, that the creative arts have just as important a place in the education of our youth.

thanks for reading my ramblings...

Interests and addictions

2011-02-15T11:41:00.001-05:00

1. Things always seem to come to me while I’m listening to music, which is one of the reasons I’m enveloped by a constant stream of music throughout my waking life. Searching for new music is always a treat because it enables me to delve into the many creative styles otherwise inaccessible by staying with one specific genre or artist. Accessing different genres and styles also rekindles memories of my youth, when my parents would play their favorite musicians and groups on the family entertainment system while we were cleaning the house or just enjoying family time. Seeing other people (whose opinions deeply mattered) so happily engaged in styles of music that I hadn’t previously considered left me intrigued by the idea that perhaps there was more out there than what I was listening to. This motivates my pursuit for new music, and also explains why I constantly listen to music throughout the day.

2. Similarly, reading books of various styles gives me a better sense of the outside world, as I am able to consider new information and ideas. The genres I most enjoyed during my youth were sports-oriented teen fiction, fantasy, science fiction, legal thrillers, and typical child fare, (“Goosebumps”, “The Hardy Boys”, Roald Dahl fiction all come to mind). As I’ve gotten older I’ve found myself more intrigued by memoirs, historical fiction, psychological thrillers and science-based fiction. Being a ‘small-town guy’ from Charleston, WV, I’ve often had to use books (like music) as a way to reach beyond the restrictive borders of my small community.

3. Food has always been an interest of mine due to the lack of food available to me while I lived in an orphanage in Colombia. I was malnourished when I arrived in the care of my adoptive (read, True) parents and made my way to the United States. My pediatrician was worried that I wouldn’t overcome some of the physical ailments that occurred as a result of my malnourishment and was astounded when I eclipsed his wildest dreams and grew into a robust, energetic, and healthy young man. Even so, I would never forgot that it was a gift to have food available to me and would always eat everything on my plate. Pickiness was never a concern my mother had for me. Like my above interests in music and literature, my interest lies in a fascination I’ve had since a very young age to ‘not miss anything’. I felt that by being picky I would forfeit the chance to try all the different tastes and flavors that could be had in the world. As an inquisitive person in general, missing out on new information was ‘unacceptable.’ Also, as a psychological profile done on me while in the orphanage in South America outlined, I equated food with love, and especially loved soups and drinks. (Even at 2 and 3 years old, Little Rafael knew exactly how to pull at the heart strings of Big Rafael).

4. This leads me to drinking, something I’ve always liked. Even when I was playing soccer, prescribed by my pediatrician as a way to strengthen my body and un-bow my bowed legs, my favorite part of soccer wasn’t playing or even practicing with friends, it was after we were finished and we’d get a little kool-aid squeeze bottle. That I remember this only heightens that point. I hated playing soccer, perhaps because I was never fond of running, but also partly because my Pediatrician prescribed it. I had no problem playing baseball at the same age, and indeed, grew to love it, but mostly, there was less running involved and I chose to pay. Back to drinking, though… I have always enjoyed drinking. Juices at breakfast, sodas at lunch, juices at dinner… leading to water, soda, juice, cocoa, coffee, tea, alcohol…alcohol…copious amounts of alcohol. As I grew, my interest in drinking alcohol grew stronger and stronger; until, by the time college started, I was drinking every weekend with friends and binge drinking when we drank. I guess all of the quirks I’d developed during my maturation came to a head by the time I started drinking alcohol: I enjoyed the flavor, I wanted to try all the flavors, it wasn’t something I did in my youth, so I felt I was limiting myself if I didn’t drink, I didn’t want to miss anything that might happen while drinking with friends… however, a little curve ball was also thrown, drinking had a way of changing my behavior (for the worse, as well as for the presumed better):

I became more open and less uptight. I was more jovial and friendly, and I was more ‘blacked out’ afterward. Now, in my head, I felt that I could cope with these negative effects on my body if the positive aspects were happening. I rarely saw that my actions were drastically impacting my friends. They would be concerned for my safety, I was less polite to them, and I (felt) that I wasn’t the most unpleasant ‘mean drunk,’ if it got too bad. Having to overcome hangovers, lost Saturdays and Sundays (from sleeping in to recover, and not wanting to do anything else), I felt this was all part of the christening process of becoming an adult and going through college. After several mistakes in college (little things building up) and a couple of DRASTIC mistakes after college, I’ve sworn off drinking alcohol completely. I’m on a ‘one-day-at-a-time’ basis, and I’ve gone almost 8-months, so far, without a sip. Do I sometimes have a pang for the flavor, yes… but I still consider all the improvements in m life since I’ve sworn off drinking and that strengthens my resolve. I’m happier, I’m more upbeat about things. I’ve seen the benefits of making changes to my life and have made several other changes as a result. Long story short, we can make changes to ourselves individually for the better, if we have a system in place to address these changes. I like that I’m holding myself accountable with not drinking, and I like the feeling of being able to control myself. So often, we fall victim to our urges and our desires, and we fall under the hypnotic spell of “I can’t overcome this because I love it too much.” Well, that’s not true and having just a little bit of perspective is all that a person really needs to get away from urges and desires. Being able to separate yourself from a given moment and analyze that moment objectively is a great skill, and one that takes quite a long time to develop. I’m just glad that I’ve been able to gain this perspective as it pertains to drinking alcohol and controlling my urge to drink. I know that I’ll always have an urge to drink, but as I move forward, that urge will become less intense, and my direct response of controlling it will be less and less intense, as well… until I don’t have to think about preventing myself from drinking alcohol and it just won’t be a conscious interest or conscious response.

Thanks for listening,

- Raf

Friendships

2011-02-12T11:23:00.001-05:00

In the last few weeks I've come to the realization that I've been away from Shepherd University for almost as long as I was a student and it's pretty surreal. The person who entered that institution back in 2003 is vastly different than my waking self in 2011. In acknowledging this, I've uncovered something that has come to my attention: Friendships and my thoughts on them.

During my youth I was much more 'sheltered' than I would have admitted, but it was a sheltering of my own creation. The people who were most important in my life were my mother, father, maternal grandmother and my brother. I spent most of my time with them or with my brother and our mutual friends Mike and Matt. I didn't really venture too far from this small group, and it was more out of fear of rejection than from anything else.

A skill of mine from a very early age was the ability to communicate effectively and openly with almost anyone. Even so, I wouldn't say that I was the most 'outgoing' person, just that I had the skill to address social engagements when need be. I was often wrongly identified as a very confident, outgoing person and that just wasn't the case. Internally, I thought deeply and conflictingly on most everything--even if I didn't necessarily acknowledge this. I was outgoing more for a need to be recognized and wanted, appreciated and understood, than just being someone who was aware of himself and inherently confident. This reactionary extroversion led to my participation in various social groups in my youth (youth sports, middle school and high school band). Engaging in these socially accepted groups, and excelling where possible, would enable my classmates to see who I truly was and why I was of merit... "Surround yourself with goal-oriented people, Rafa," I would tell myself, "and you'll be able to show how truly gifted and skilled you are. People will want to be your friend for real, and truly make an effort to know the real you." That I wasn't exceptional in any of those groups wasn't the point, in my mind. It was solely that I would do something that my peers might find worth noting.

This was kind of a catch-22, because I started getting 'friends' and cultivated 'friendships' from my endeavors. I was good as a teammate, I had a humorous running commentary during sports practices and I kept my friends in stitches while waiting to perform our next piece of music in band. I acquitted myself quite well to the tasks of sports performance and also in my concert band endeavors. I had people I could talk with, not talk to, and for a time, I was happy. I felt accomplished, even if I hadn't mastered computer code, written a concerto, or been a teen sensation.

While my brother maintained a very close-knit group of friends and very rarely ventured out of that small group, I had this large base of friends, but the group was suddenly turning against me. It didn't dawn on me until I got close to high school graduation why this had happened. I hadn't really allowed my friends in to get to know the real me. I was almost a 'hanger-on' of those groups of which I felt "a part." I was a responsive friend, not one who was participatory. I mean that I was always apologizing if I said something wrong, I was always trying to be friendly with everyone, even those people I wouldn't have wanted to be friends with if I'd truly given it a moment's thought. My friends weren't truly close to me because they didn't see the need. They saw someone who was overly nice, who was in their group because they shared an extracurricular and they felt they had to be nice. Once they saw that I was no longer investing the effort to participate in said extracurricular, they saw no need to continue their communications.

Ironically enough, I stopped investing the effort to participate because I'd realized that I'd made false friendships and that I was getting the short end of the stick. In my last year of High school, I recognized that I didn't feel comfortable in many of my associations with friends, that I was constantly being reactive, rather than having organic conversations. I was tired of having to apologize for being me, and for having the thoughts that I had... and I didn't feel the need to be wanted or needed by my peers. I recognized that I wouldn't be in their presence for much longer, so why try so hard.

And then college happened, and I was able to approach things in a much freer fashion. I was more the 'me' that I wanted to express, than being someone who would appeal to everyone. I had many 'friends' again and it was wonderful. My full undergraduate experience was filled with good moments, moments of growth, moments to learn from, and friends who truly had me in their minds and hearts. We shared the experiences, we shared classes, we shared struggles... and most of all, we shared of each other--thoughts, feelings. We grew together. And it was this new approach that gave me the most out of my college experience. That I could communicate effectively only strengthened my associations with those friends, as I was finally able to express my feelings openly and confidently.

So, I guess this post is more about just expressing why I may not have kept many of my friends from my youth, but why I was able to have some very true, precious, and positive friendships that have survived past my college years. Maybe not everyone I thought I'd still be in touch with, but those people who have shared in the friendship process.

I've become acutely aware that I don't need to do things to impress others or please others, that my actions should be borne from an honest desire. That I can grow even in those situations when I may not have the approval of others. My balanced, grounded upbringing has greatly helped me in this growth... while those friends who've stuck through it all have also contributed directly to my growth.

I suppose I should say thanks for everything...

"Thanks so much."

- Raf

Livejournal, blogosphere, old vs. new

2011-02-11T13:37:00.001-05:00

So, I spent yesterday evening watching episodes of That 70’s Show on Netflix (THEY ARE STREAMING ALL 8 SEASONS!!!) when I decided to check my AOL mail. Since it was my first e-mail client when I started using computers frequently (back when I was about 13), I’ve amassed quite a collection of now interesting ‘saved emails.’ One of them was a comment from a friend on one of my livejournal blog posts from about 7 years ago. Baffled at the still present existence of my livejournal page, I excitedly went over to the LJ site and attempted to access my account. It took about ten tries to realize that I’d forgotten my password and after sending myself a reminder e-mail to AOL, I was back in! The rest of the evening was spent retracing my steps from the beginning of my LJ experience all the way to the last post I made in 2008.

I can definitely say that it was a fascinating experience: going through the old (and quite prolific) journal entries from 2003 to 2008. I was shocked at how diligent I was at keeping the blog updated with the happenings of my life. I remember the function for me was as a catharsis, particularly from those early heartbreaks from the first year or two of college. I appreciated reading through it again and gaining an outsider’s view of a person who was reaching out for guidance. I remember wondering some days why I was writing in the journal, but now I can say that I’m truly glad I did. It’s like a little catalog of my life, an encapsulation of my college experience… and even though I didn’t put as much in there for the last two years, I still had enough in there to get a sense of what was going on.

I moved on to this account for a short time and thought I would keep up on it, but I left the blogosphere back in 02-2009. I hope that this is going to be a solid return, because I remember that using the journal to document my life, interests, and feelings was always refreshing and a great way to contemplate something, document it, and move past it. Guidance from friends and strangers is always appreciated, as are kind words.

One thing about last night, though… after finishing my reverse-chronological review of the journal, ending at my first posts from college… I was unable to sleep. My mind was racing and it felt as though I was sitting in a circular room surrounded by doors and those doors each opened to a different memory in fast motion… like I was fast-forwarding through my life. Even though I was unable to fall asleep until 3am, I am surprisingly awake right now.

I’m also glad to see that some of my more responsive LJ friends have kept writing in their journals as well, which gives me something to look into when I get home. A way of catching up on the lives of friends from a distance.

Sincerely,

Raf of 2011.

Starting anew...

2011-02-07T17:50:00.001-05:00

It’s been over two years since I’ve accessed my site and I think it’s high time that I begin using this forum for expressing ideas, feelings and imaginings. I hope everyone has been doing well, I have much to share and look forward to getting into more depth and detail moving forward. Salud!

test

2011-02-07T17:48:00.001-05:00

test

Internet usage!

2009-02-26T08:42:00.001-05:00

I am going to take the next month--30 consecutive days--to remove myself from the internet! I will only be using the web to check e-mails, so if you want to send me messages, my most common addresses would be rafael.barker.miro(at)statefarm.com or rbarker358(at)gmail.com

I'm testing myself with this. I hope it goes well!

Adios!

'Ain't Nobody Worryin'"

2009-02-23T21:55:00.004-05:00

I recommend this album to anyone...

My Favorite tracks:

Never Love Again:

Sista Big Bones :

Preacher's Daughter:

The Linguists

2009-02-10T21:52:00.002-05:00

The Linguists

Google Talk interview with the linguists K. David Harrison, of Swarthmore College, and Gregory Anderson, of the Living Tongues Institute. I'll be interested in seeing The Linguists DVD because I really like the ways they responded to the questions in the film group discussion and it only intrigues me to see what the movie captured.

Another interesting interview:

Joel Fights Back:

2009-02-09T22:12:00.003-05:00

From the "Joel Fights Back" Website:

About the Case

In 2003, Joel received a notice accusing him of downloading music through the P2P service, and told him that he could settle the case for $3,500. He called the payment hotline, offered $500, and sent a money order in that amount. That offer was denied.

In 2007, a complaint showed up on his doorstep after years of silence requiring that Joel appear in court. Rather than backing down, like the other 30,000 people, Joel chose to stand his ground and elected to proceed pro se with the help of his mother.

Joel filed an answer with a counterclaim asserting abuse of federal power and that the excessive damages were unconstitutional. Joel appeared in court where the Judge ordered the parties into settlement. In the settlement, Joel offered to settle for $5,000. The opposing counsel denied and counter-offered a settlement of $10,500 to be paid over 1 year. Joel declined.

From that point, Harvard Law Professor Charles Nesson took the reins of Joel's litigation and Professor Nesson's Harvard Law students began a collaborative effort to represent Joel in the case.

I'm very interested in this case because it will be very interesting to see how the RIAA fights the claims that they have handled their case against Joel et. al improperly, (unconstitutional damages, abusive use of the court system).

Keep following the case at http://joelfightsback.com or through Charles Nesson's youtube page, http://youtube.com/charlesnesson, and for daily updates via twitter (http://twitter.com/joelfightsback)

Coldplay Ft. Jay-Z

2009-02-09T21:45:00.002-05:00

Grammy Awards 2009 Performance of "Lost" and "Viva La Vida"

What a well done performance. I never cared much for Coldplay, but this new record of theirs (Viva La Vida) is exceptional.

Daniel Merriweather

2009-02-09T19:42:00.002-05:00

Hmm... something about the musical arrangement of this one. I REALLY like it! Very well done. Wale makes an interesting guest appearance midway through the video. Cool! Hope Merriweather's record is great.

'Change'

Alex Rodriguez comes clean:

2009-02-09T19:21:00.004-05:00

A-Rod Admits Use

Peter Gammons Reacts to A-Rod's Admission of Guilt

What an expressive interview. Thanks for taking the time to respond openly and honestly to the allegations, Alex. I hope the past is the past, and I see validity in many of the points you make.

As a fan of yours, and a fan of baseball, I also hope that we can clear things up and move things forward to get baseball where it needs to go. You are an integral part of the baseball that I follow.

Nottage Design: Transparent Pool Table

2009-02-08T12:06:00.002-05:00

I'd love to see what it would play like in real life; as for now, I'm skeptical. BUT WOW, LOOK HOW COOL!

Anthony Hamilton

2009-02-08T03:53:00.002-05:00

Apparently, there's a new Anthony Hamilton record! I'm very excited because his album "Ain't Nobody Worryin'" is one of my favorite albums. I love his soulful voice and also his gospel infusions in his lyrics. It's interesting to see how he uses the musical instrument of his voice on the many guest appearances he's done for other musicians. I'm hopeful that the new record comes close to the first two albums he's done. I will let you know what my thoughts are when I buy the record in the next couple of weeks.

DJ Revolution Feat Kbimean:

2009-02-08T03:42:00.003-05:00

"Man or Machine" music video

Talk about an excellent idea for a music video. Man Vs. Machine at the Turntables! I don't believe I would have been able to think about doing a video like this, so my hat's off to the producer/director for the idea. And the music isn't bad, either! Check it out.

Friday Night Lights:

2009-02-08T02:16:00.001-05:00

Season 3 - Episode 4

Tyra has to be one of the most interesting teenage characters on television right now. I mean, talk about someone with issues: She was assaulted in Season two, she and Landry accidentally murdered the guy who assaulted her--which later was ruled self defense, she spent all of season one viewed as a floozy (sic) and became Coach Taylor's wife's project throughout the end of season two and the beginning of season three. A girl who is far smarter than the stereotypes her fellow classmates and even the vice principal places her under, Tyra has grown up in such a messed up home environment that she never honestly believes in herself.

I guess I'm focusing on her because I hate how badly she treats Landry when he's done nothing but support her and try to be there for her. You can see the internal conflict in Adrianne Palicki's face as she breathes life into the character of Tyra. You can see how she expresses that she (Tyra) knows the difference between right and wrong, the difference between what she should do and what she knows others expect of her; and yet, she still finds herself leaning towards making the bad decisions. It's so frustrating! I also like that "Smash" Williams is getting the tryout for Texas A&M, as it may mean that Gaius Charles's story arc is now complete. It will be interesting to see how this show transitions if all of the core characters go to college and it's still about the "Friday Night Lights".

A-Rod Tests Positive for Steroids in 2003

2009-02-07T16:56:00.002-05:00

Kent Rogowski: Bears

2009-02-07T15:17:00.003-05:00

Bears by Kent Rogowski is a collection of Rogowski's photographs of teddy bears that he has unstitched/unstuffed and then restitched/restuffed and inverted. What's so interesting about this project is the ways the contours and stitchings alter the bear's 'historical topography'. Just as our 'scars' shape and define our appearance, those changes in the bear's appearance alter how we view the bear. Pretty cool, I think....

My favorite bear in the collection is the one shown above: Bear #45. I would love to have that one! Click on the picture to see the rest of the images

25 things about me:

2009-02-07T14:52:00.002-05:00

1. I secretly like Kanye West's excessive confidence and internally challenge statements other people make about how his ego is off putting. I think it drives creativity and motivates an external expression of internal conflicts. Even so, I hate Naomi Campbell's excessive confidence. So I guess it's two-fold.

2. I have a strong interest in architecture and furniture and the reason why is really hard to explain. Simply, the aesthetics and scale move me in this really weird way.

3. I sometimes feel like I don't have enough empathy for others, even though so much in life moves me and captivates my mind.

4. I am excessively paranoid about the ways others view me. I struggled with this so much in high school that I tried very hard to irrationally adjust my social experiences so others would like me. Things are better now.

5. I grew up very much fighting the idea of adoption. It took me until I was a mid-teen to really love my family as "my family". I know now that the confusion and pain that I experienced has made me a far more expressive person emotionally than I ever could have been. Also, I know truly, deeply, that my love for my family is real.

6. I love cellos, violins, pianos, and any instrument with that kind of vibrant resonance. I hear those sorts of vibrations best, and am in awe of the feelings those vibrations elicit within me.

7. My favorite movie is 3-Iron (bin jip) and my favorite book is Flower's for Algernon. A theme present in each of these is the solitude we all experience. For some personal reason, it makes sense that each of these favorites contains the theme of solitude.

8. Something random: Whenever I try to sing a song in the car and there is a pause between verses, I always begin singing the next verse a couple beats before I should. This actually frustrates me.

9. I've always had trouble expressing how I feel to prospective partners. For some irrational fear that my parents may not 'like' or 'approve' of her. I've yet to have a girlfriend come home to my parents' house because of this. Sometimes, I feel that I wouldn't be a good enough boyfriend and question what their parents would think of me if I were to go to their parents' home. I've gotten better about detaching this irrational behavior from my decisions. My next girlfriend will see my parents' home and will meet my folks.

10. I've hated having pictures taken of myself but am secretly proud of many of the pictures that my friends have of me. I'm like, "look at me!"

11. I've been blogging lately as an excuse to collect my favorite sites or points of interest into one site. This is honestly so that others can see a bit more of myself, and so my mother and father can understand some of the interests that I may not fully explain to them. And to occupy time.

12. I like collecting music so I can listen to something that will get me out of any given mood. I'm very proud of my music collection and also love to share songs with friends.

13. One of my favorite sensations is the feeling of the cool side of the pillow against my face. Or the cool wind blowing against my skin. Or the feeling of being fully immersed in water.

14. I'm still using the same AIM name I had when I was 13. Rbarker358

15. My parents are my favorite people in life. The same is true for my closest friends. You've each shaped my life in so many unexplainable and significant ways.

16. You won't hear me sugar coat things. You'll get my honest opinions. I also like to discuss things with people so that I can hear an honest confirmation of the other person's point. It's cool to see what people do to back up their points. I don't like when people change their opinions if they conflict with the views of others. Mean what you say, Say what you mean!

17.I use ellipses in all of my AIM conversations (...blah blah blah.... blah blah blah....) Even when I'm not continuing a point!

18. If I could have a dream career, it would be beat composition in the music world, or as a chef in a High-class restaurant in New York City.

19. I wear headphones when I listen to music because I like the way the rhythms feel against my ears.

20. I like to help people to better understand things; but I couldn't see myself having a career as an educator. It would be a struggle as an every day venture.

21. I'm fascinated by the creativity of web developers, architects, musicians, engineers, and artists.

22. My memory is really random and sometimes so 'good' that people don't remember something that is so vivid in my mind. This leads to awkward dialogue sometimes, when I'll bring up an obvious memory and the other person will be like, "what"... I'll be like.. umm... did this really happen. and then like two minutes later, the person will be like... "Oh... that.... yeah!" Stupid memory. I tell you.

23. I love harmonies in rap music. Some musicians are seen as less than artistic or musical simply for existing within the rap genre.

24. I'm a dog person and will never be swayed into becoming a cat person. Dogs think everything is the 'best thing ever.' I'm very much the exact same way about many things. (When I was younger, whatever I was eating was the best--insert food--I'd ever had; the movies we'd watch were the best movies, the books I'd read would be the best book ever. It was actually quite cute.)

25. I am very hopeful that others view me as a good person despite any of my many negative qualities. Oh, and randomly, my favorite animals are the Narwhal Whale and the Platypus.

President Obama's weekly Address:

2009-02-07T13:16:00.001-05:00

Amy Winehouse

2009-02-07T13:05:00.001-05:00

Back to Black

I don't find Amy Winehouse terribly attractive, but she has intensely expressive eyes. Everything she feels seems to come out of them, geez. And her voice is pretty awesome, too. Check out her first album "Frank", a collection of her own stuff infused with jazz rhythms.

Coraline

2009-02-07T12:34:00.003-05:00

Very much looking forward to seeing this movie. Almost as much as I looked forward to seeing The Dark Knight in 2008. I absolutely love stop-motion animation. So excited to see the cinematic adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "Coraline", a dark, spellbinding story about a little girl's dangerous journey to rescue her parents from an alternate world.

Weezer

2009-02-07T12:04:00.002-05:00

'The Good Life'

Quote: Napoleon Hill

2009-02-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

Don't wait. The time will never be just right.
- Napoleon Hill

Jefferson's Rules of Conduct:

2009-02-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Thomas Jefferson was a scientist, philosopher, inventor, gardener, reader, and wine lover. Jefferson's 11 Rules of Conduct were not always followed even by Jefferson.

Jefferson's Rules of Conduct are:

1. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today
2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself
3. Never spend money before you have it
4. Never buy anything that you do not want because it is cheap
5. Pride costs us more than thirst, hunger and cold
6. We seldom repent from having eaten too little
7. Nothing is troublesome that one does of his own volition
8. How much pain, never occurred events cost us
9. Take things always by their smooth handle
10. Think as you please, and let others as well, to prevent any disputes
11. When annoyed, count to ten before you speak; if very annoyed, count to 100

Resolutions: A rare blog about me.

2009-02-07T10:54:00.004-05:00

1. Read more: I've already completed step on of the 'read more' resolution by getting my library card. It's pretty exciting to have one again because I don't have to purchase books that I've wanted to read... and I have upwards of 14 days to a month to read them. Also, I'm still reading magazines and online media content daily--including ABC News and CNN.com and my various blogs of interest.

2. Exercise more: I'm well on my way with this one as well, as I'm examining my diet and I hear that is the first step. Also, I'm falling asleep at a more regular time and will attempt to make that a habit. I will be getting a membership to the local YMCA.

3. Volunteer more: I am going to throw myself into a cause this year and hopefully will benefit from the experience. I haven't taken the time yet to research a specific cause yet, but volunteering my time and energy is very important to me this year.
4. "Go Out" more: Just asking more, putting myself out there more, and getting more involved in the community. Each of those three things should give me more opportunities to "go out" with women. I shall see!

Sorry for the blog about myself! I don't usually post these!

Library Card:

2009-02-07T10:51:00.002-05:00

I now have a library card! I went after work on Thursday night and signed up for one. They didn't remember me, but one of the ladies remembered my name. I can't believe it because it's been at least six years since I've been in the library. I borrowed a book and a movie on the spot. I will be watching Vera Farmiga in "Never Forever" today. I'm pretty excited because she is one of my favorite actresses and because I'd never heard of the movie.

Currently reading: Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky

Movies:

2009-02-07T10:48:00.002-05:00

Should have a disclaimer at the start of each 2-hour+ long movie:

"This movie is longer than two hours and may be a disappointment. It is highly likely that you will walk away from this movie complaining that the film, though thematically enjoyable, was so long that it ruined whatever good qualities it possessed."

Oh well.

'Che' actor Benicio Del Toro on his performance of Che Guevara

2009-02-03T23:58:00.000-05:00

2009 Recruit Committed to attend WVU:

2009-02-03T23:31:00.001-05:00

Logan Heastie:

Eidetic Memory ("Photographic Memory")

2009-02-03T22:53:00.002-05:00

Posting that Arturo Toscanini video reminded me of his Eidetic Memory. It's something that actually has a clinical term ("Eidetic Memory": Marked by extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall, especially of images.) My brother has an Eidetic memory, and sometimes I think my father has an eidetic memory--especially when recanting stories he's read. I always wanted to have a photographic memory, and though my memory is sharp, I'm quite sure I couldn't get down to the most minute scale when trying to remember something, specifically an image or scene or something tangible. By the way, did you know that there have been studies to identify the likelihood that hypnosis increases the ability to respond to visual stimuli--i.e., intensely remembering an image? I wonder if there have been studies done to show how an eidetic memory can be used in the 'learning processes' of youth. Whether many perceived 'geniuses' simply had a genetic disposition for possessing an eidetic memory.

Photographic Memory

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Academic Work Health & Medicine loss memory

Wow!! Can't believe they have Arturo Toscanini on youtube!

2009-02-03T22:44:00.003-05:00

Freaking amazing! Arturo Toscanini! Very, Very cool!

Holy Neil Gaiman, Batman!

2009-02-03T22:32:00.004-05:00

Whoa! Cool! Neil Gaiman, Batman... awesome! I haven't read comic books in quite a long time; but this one looks interesting!

Senator Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota)

2009-02-03T22:03:00.002-05:00

'On Accountability'

I know that I definitely want to know where our tax dollars are spent! If you want to know, too, follow the dollars from the Stimulus package: Track the Stimulus Package Dollars Spent

Wale

2009-02-03T21:36:00.002-05:00

'The Crazy' from "The Mixtape About Nothing"

What I'm Watching:

2009-02-03T21:30:00.002-05:00

Friday Night Lights, season 3 episode 3

Super Bowl Ads: 2009

2009-02-03T21:14:00.008-05:00

Favorites of mine:
1. Doritos Crystal Ball
2. Career Builder.com
3. Hulu.com
4. 1-Second Miller High Life

Haircut

2009-02-03T19:51:00.003-05:00

I showed my brother's haircut from a couple of days ago... Well, I got one as well. Nothing dramatic. Shorter. That's all I have to say about that!

"the night is young, the drinks are cold, the stars are out, I'm ready to go..."

Efficiency and Continued Pursuit of Knowledge

2009-02-03T18:50:00.005-05:00

Had a discussion at the office today regarding my techniques for success. After pondering how I've achieved the successes in my life, I determined that the best answer was by striving for improved efficiency in everything that I did and by never stopping my pursuit for knowledge.

It is my belief that an office runs better when each employee strives for greater efficiency in their actions because it limits the extra work that comes with correcting mistakes.

Just as fixing a leaky faucet will reduce the amount of money you spend on your water bill, improving your efficiency will reduce the amount of extra work you have to complete. It's common sense, and yet people are so unwilling to accept that their failures are partially due to their own inefficiency and are instead very quick to dump the blame on others.

Especially in businesses where many people could be charged with handling a specific client's account, success depends on the efficiency of everyone involved. Just as a client must efficiently communicate what they want, each person receiving this information must effectively relay that information forward. Paradigms must be followed to ensure that the client's desires and expectations are satisfied and met. Rather than shying away from the blame if a mistake occurs, admit it so you can address the mistake and move forward.

Trust me when I say that clients will appreciate hearing "You know what, I'm not quite sure of the answer, but I know someone who definitely knows the answer. May I contact them so we can handle your request as quickly and efficiently as possible?" far more so than hearing "You know that document I've had you sign three times in the last month and a half? Well, I'm going to need you to sign it a fourth time, some idiot from *insert a fake department to avoid blame* didn't get it processed properly and we need to send it through again." It's even better when you've finished finding the answer and assisting the client if you thank them for giving you an opportunity to learn something you hadn't known before. This leads me to the next technique towards achieving success: continued pursuit of knowledge.

Continued education doesn't mean signing up for every corporate seminar you can fit in your docket, only to arrive to every single one half-asleep and incapable of implementing what you've learned. No, this simply means finding answers on a daily basis to things that you may not have known--whether work-related or not.

The interesting thing about my college's broad liberal arts curriculum was that I gained an understanding of many topics. This didn't necessarily prepare me for my career, but the process of learning and seeking information did give me a leg up on many other people in terms of adapting my skills to a given task or goal.

The best thing about learning is gaining just a little bit more to our knowledge base while expanding our problem solving skills. As we learn how to crawl, we begin to determine that walking is more efficient, and running even more efficient. If we didn't continue to learn, we would never advance in our lives and we would lead very miserable lives. In terms of how this yields successes in one's work life, constant learning creates pathways in our minds that enable us to understand more and more scenarios with which we might be presented. Continued pursuit of knowledge will also give us greater creativity--whether tangible or simply intuitive. Expanded knowledge can also strengthen our personalities, as we become more and more varied individuals. Of course, this also makes us more capable of relating to a larger number of the people whom we might encounter on a daily basis.

N.E.R.D.

2009-02-01T17:15:00.003-05:00

"Seeing Sounds" by N.E.R.D.

Click image to download album.

STTEOTW: Soundtrack to the End of the World

2009-02-01T17:03:00.004-05:00

Soundtrack to the End of the World. A music blog for those who like to make playlists. Each "STTEOTW" is available as a downloadable ZIP folder.

Enjoy!

Yeah yeah... I know I'm a week or two behind on this one:

2009-02-01T16:38:00.002-05:00

Stephen Sprouse Tribute Party by Louis Vuitton

Huffington Post on Blip.tv?! Awesome

2009-02-01T15:32:00.002-05:00

I'm assuming this 'Channel' has just begun to post videos. More to come later, then, I'm certain.

Michael Steele on Immigration

Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees!

2009-02-01T14:48:00.002-05:00

I'm surprised that Shannon Sharpe (The second best Tight End of all time) was not inducted on his first try.

I will definitely be taking a trip to Canton, Ohio, sometime this year to tour the Football Hall of Fame.

Bon Iver

2009-02-01T14:13:00.006-05:00

"Bon Iver" musician Justin Vernon:

"Skinny Love"

Um, so apparently this just happened:

2009-02-01T14:04:00.002-05:00

That's my bro with a shaved head for the first time in my memory. I'm surprised! hahaha!

5 Second Films

2009-02-01T13:47:00.003-05:00

Check out 5-Second Films, a web site created by USC Film School graduates Eric Forrest and Brian Firenzi. The site is a collection of 5 Second Films and is a fairly nice idea. Hopefully, you find some of the videos worthy of a chuckle or two.

The content of each 5-Second Film is exactly 5 seconds long; but each video also contains two seconds of title in the beginning and one second of tag at the end. The site went live in October, 2008, and the directors are pretty prolific in the number of videos they've already posted.

Weekly Address: January 31st, 2009

2009-02-01T13:17:00.001-05:00

1/31/09: Your Weekly Address from White House on Vimeo.
President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama's Weekly Radio Address, January 31, 2009 (Transcript and Video Link)

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Politics & Governmen Presentations & Slid video radio address

Patty Griffin

2009-02-01T12:49:00.008-05:00

Someone Once Told Me

2009-02-01T12:29:00.005-05:00

Created in 2006, "Someone Once Told Me" is a collection of ideas, expressions, and memories shared by normal people through photography. People submit their 'SOTM' memories and often include an explanation behind the statement. I definitely have a few in mind for myself, and I think this is quite a cool concept because of all the different people submitting their memories. I'm always very excited to gain insight into the motivations of others.

Here's a quote from the site's creator, Mario Cacciottolo:

"What SOTM actually means is that people are asked, sometimes by appointment and sometimes randomly, to hold up a large piece of paper, upon which they write something that someone once told them. Or emailed. Or texted. Basically something that’s been communicated to them. But told, preferably.
A black and white photograph is then taken of them, and one new picture goes on the site every day, with the previous day’s entering the gallery."

Two Day Absence!

2009-02-01T12:19:00.002-05:00

My roommate had her birthday celebration Friday; I hung out with close friends Saturday... I'll be heading out around 5pm for the Super Bowl celebrations tonight. I'm posting from now until then, though!!

Power Shift 09

2009-01-29T23:45:00.005-05:00

Click the image above for more information on Power Shift 09, a convergence of our initiated younger generation interested in getting the Green Jobs so strongly supported by our newly elected President's campaign.

From February 27th to March 2nd, 2009 young people will gather in the thousands to Washington D.C. to support the wave that has been building for a new initiative toward American energy independence. What is meant by this, is a paradigm shift toward utilizing our own resources, a reshaping of our legislation to prevent global climate crises, and the creation of millions of Green jobs to radically alter our current economic hardships.

Please read the .pdf that I've provided below, check out their website and communicate with your locally-elected public officials asking them to support the expansion of Green jobs and a changing legislative ideal towards American Energy Independence!

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Amazon.com provides free mp3's for US customers

2009-01-29T22:31:00.004-05:00

Click the image to check out Amazon.com for a list of free mp3s!

Academic Earth

2009-01-29T22:14:00.003-05:00

A class on Psychology by Dr. Paul Bloom

Check out Academic Earth: a website that provides video lectures to the web. Created and run by Richard Ludlow, Academic Earth is designed as a hub for video lectures from classes at Yale, MIT, Berkely, Princeton, and Harvard Universities.

I am sharing this link because the website just went live two days ago. I hope that some of you find useful information at this video hub!

"You Know I'm No Good"

2009-01-29T21:51:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite songs of the last few years:
"You Know I'm No Good" - Amy Winehouse

And an American Idol 8 Audition by Frankie Jordan of the same song!

Danah Boyd!!

2009-01-29T00:13:00.005-05:00

Awesome! I finally found a good presentation video of hers! This was from 2007.

Danah Boyd researches social networks and gives an interesting academic take on what our generation has embraced as what I'd like to call our vocal media. I've been following her works since my sophomore year in college, and think she has a great many interesting things to say about the blog-o-verse, and the phenomena of myspace/facebook and other social networks.

Nessa Kessinger Photography/blog

2009-01-28T23:24:00.005-05:00

The interesting works of a Shepherd University alumna:

Austin-based photographer Nessa Kessinger has recently moved from the hills of West Virginia to the heat of Texas to pursue her career capturing moments of beauty and love. Currently, she skillfully handles wedding photography, and has also worked for an East Coast newspaper.

As she says, "...I want to show the beauty in everything, I want to capture moments, and I want to show what love can look like."

To inquire about availability: provide name and date of wedding, e-mail address, phone, subject, and your message to info@nessakphotography.com

Protest to Get There (Snowboard gear brand)

2009-01-28T23:17:00.001-05:00

Awesome Commercial:

Haha, how cool.

Alexander McQueen: Spring 2009 Show

2009-01-28T23:05:00.004-05:00

Alexander McQueen - Spring 2009

I was hoping that I could also show A. McQueen's Men's Fashion Show, but the 2009 Spring Collection videos aren't up on his website yet. Here is a portion of A. McQueen's site, which features the styles he unveiled for Winter 2008.

ABC News: Exclusive: CIA Station Chief Andrew Warren in Algeria Accused of Rapes

2009-01-28T22:39:00.005-05:00

ABC News: Exclusive: CIA Station Chief in Algeria Accused of Rapes

"State Department Acting Spokesman Robert Wood issued a statement saying, "The U.S. takes very seriously any accusations of misconduct involving any U.S. personnel abroad. The individual is question has returned to Washington and the U.S. Government is looking into the matter."

How despicable! I can't even put words to what Mr. Warren has allegedly done. This is unfathomable. I sure hope Robert Wood and the State Department throw the book at this guy, if/when he is found guilty. What an egregious abuse of power and trust. My mind is blown!

This makes me so mad. Abuse anywhere is tragic and heartbreaking; and in the United States, each state handles abuse differently.

What are the statutes in your state? It's important that you keep this link, for Women's Laws State Statutes, on your radar. If for nothing more than to have information available should the unthinkable happen to you or a loved one.

Wampeters, Foma and Granfallons

2009-01-28T22:16:00.005-05:00

Oh, for the uninitiated, The individual above is Kurt Vonnegut, a prolific American Author who penned one of my favorite books, "Slaughter-House Five". Mr. Vonnegut was a war veteran, car salesman, and essayist who liked to challenge the establishment through his writing. My favorite aspect of Mr. Vonnegut's writing was the way he integrated his thoughts about a given topic in the actual story. He often would reveal his (and by this, i mean the author's) thoughts on a given subject, thus revealing much about himself.

Click on the photo to be redirected to his website. Mr. Vonnegut passed away April 11th, 2007.

Not many posts for me today:

2009-01-28T22:10:00.001-05:00

Apparently, bad weather left me too tired to post anything today! I will be back tomorrow, stronger than ever. For now, though, I simply am going to Lexulous.com and playing a bit of scrabble before bed!

Hope you're all doing well! Keep checking out my blog. I really appreciate the traffic!

Quote: Jean-Luc Godard:

2009-01-27T21:32:00.001-05:00

"It's not where you take things from-it's where you take them to."

Stimulus Plan Meeting

2009-01-27T19:52:00.002-05:00

Response: (R) Jeff Flake, R-Arizona

Raphael Saadiq:

2009-01-27T19:27:00.000-05:00

"Love That Girl"

Common feat. Slum Village

2009-01-27T19:20:00.002-05:00

Thelonius - Common/Slum Village
"Thelonius"

And yes, there are graphic lyrics in the song. Don't listen if you don't like curses.

Scrabble Club 620 (Charleston, WV) January Newsletter

2009-01-27T19:08:00.003-05:00

January Club Newsletter

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

I'm 9-0 in the last several club gatherings! WOO! I hope I can keep it up!

Liz Diller of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

2009-01-27T18:39:00.002-05:00

Excellent video on Architecture as a art.

Friday Night Lights

2009-01-27T00:32:00.005-05:00

Friday Night Lights (On Hulu.com)
I'm excited to see that Friday Night Lights is back on! I know the season has already run on DirectTV, but I'm now watching the episodes as they show up on hulu.com. The first two episodes of the new season have continued to show why this is one of the best shows on tv: great acting, tight story-writing, and a true culture of high school drama without sounding preachy or too cliche. The Dillon Panthers! Woo hoo!

Also: Yes, the reason I chose the image with Adrianne Palicki (who plays Tyra on the show) is because she is a huge Detroit Lions fan in real-life! Woo!

Idol 2009: My Favorites so far

2009-01-26T22:09:00.003-05:00

Lenesha

Adam Lambert

Kai Kalama

Asa Barnes

And My Four Favorite:

Anoop Desai

Stevie Wright

Deanna Brown

Michael Sarver

A Plea to my friends

2009-01-26T21:48:00.002-05:00

Please be honest in your dealings, humble in recognizing your achievements, and happy to give a lending hand.

Timothy Geithner Sworn In as Treasury Secretary

2009-01-26T21:35:00.001-05:00

Background of Geithner's credentials. Sorry for the Wikipedia reference, Geithner doesn't have his own website.

Scrabble

2009-01-26T21:08:00.003-05:00

I've been playing Scrabble a bit more frequently of late. I feel this is worth noting. Salutations

interesting stuff: Dan Ariely from Duke University

2009-01-26T18:28:00.003-05:00

Tendencies of Irrational Behavior, Presented on December 13th, 2008

You can examine Dan Ariely's website for further discourse on Irrational Behavior and also follow an interesting paper he authored on "Zero as a special price: The true value of free products".

I very much like his point that the person designing the forms greatly influence our decision-making process. This is true in more than just the DMV example he gives at the beginning of the video. If, for example, you eat food during your childhood based on what is in your fridge... the degree to which you are healthy and consuming food that is good for you completely depends on the person stocking the fridge. In this way, you may unconsciously gain the habit of eating well simply because your parents have dictated in some way what your pattern of food consumption would be. This has nothing to do with our desire to eat well, as we don't even consider our diet when deciding what to eat. All in all, this was a very interesting video and I appreciated Dan Ariely's discourse on Irrational Behavior simply because of his ability to make his research enjoyable to receive.

President Obama's weekly address:

2009-01-26T01:26:00.004-05:00

Stimulus Package/Recovery Plan
A link to the actual Recovery Plan
A response to the Recovery Plan: House Republican Leader John Boehner

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Title Sequence for the film "The Fall" - Directed by Tarsem

2009-01-25T14:27:00.001-05:00

'The Fall' (Tarsem Singh) - Title Sequence - More amazing videos are a click away

Joe Torre tells his side in new book, "The Yankee Years"

2009-01-25T11:35:00.008-05:00

Yankee Icon set to release new book detailing his thoughts on his Yankee Career
I'm very upset to hear that Joe Torre, the best coach to wear pinstripes in the last forty years, has written a tell-all book detailing his time with the New York Yankees. As a fan, though, I'm also interested to see what he will say and what the true story was behind his bitter departure from a Yankees organization that forever shaped his legacy.

During The Joe Torre Era (1996–2007), Joe was known to fans and the media to be a player's coach who championed a 'keep it in the family' mindset when discussing clubhouse events to the public. Players loved him, the media loved him. He was always steadfast in his coaching style; fans never saw him lose his cool (unlike other Yankee coaches Billy Martin or Lou Piniella). Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera began and cultivated their careers under the watchful eyes of Torre and his staff. When New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner would blast his team's performance, either by attacking players individually or the team on the whole, Joe always stood by his men and implored Joe to keep calm. He was a bright spot in the minds of sports fans who hated the Yankees simply for buying talent away from other teams.

During his 12 years coaching the New York Yankees, arguably the most successful 12-year run by a Yankees team since the late 1960s, they never missed the post season and even won four World Series titles (the mecca of the baseball world).

Perhaps truly unaware of the hard work that went into coaching a successful team of extreme personalities in the most popular city in the world, George Steinbrenner tarnished the business relationship he had with Joe Torre in 2008 by offering him a new contract with performance-based incentives. We may never know what was said behind the closed doors of those meetings; but one thing is clear, George Steinbrenner didn't want to pay Jo Torre for a multi-year deal and Torre felt his not receiving a multi-year deal would garner much media scrutiny from the press. This, along with Steinbrenner's insistence on offering a 30% pay cut to Torre led to Torre leaving and signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Maybe the success Joe brought to the city had spoiled George Steinbrenner. Four world series titles in 12 seasons is an unreal achievement and to make the post season every year during a coach's tenure is also an amazing accomplishment. It's understandable for fans to be disappointed, then, when their favorite team doesn't get as far into the playoffs as they are accustomed. But to throw your coach under the bus for not winning the world series title every season? To express distaste for a system that had worked so well in the past 12 years? As a Yankees fan, I was totally disgusted by the behavior of some fans and by the way management tarnished Joe Torre's legacy.

Even the most casual sports fan could see that the team was trying to run Torre out of town because of a perceived failure to do his job, which as anyone who looks at Torre's record understands is so far from the truth. What makes me even more upset about his leaving is not the fact that the Yankees didn't make the playoffs and the Dodgers did, but the omission of Joe Torre's name or likeness during the Yankee Stadium closing ceremonies. Joe was not mentioned once, nor were any images displayed of him from the Joe Torre Era, New York's most successful stretch run since they were coached by Casey Stengel.

So am I going to read the book? Most definitely. Will I enjoy reading about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of his team? Yes, Yes! Will I be comfortable hearing my favorite baseball coach of all time blast some of his former players? Definitely Not! Even so, I'm glad Joe has gotten a chance to speak. I just hope reading this book, "The Yankee Years", written by Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci with Joe Torre and published by Doubleday, doesn't tarnish my personal views on Joe Torre.

Jonah Nolan on The Dark Knight

2009-01-25T01:16:00.006-05:00

My best friend was discussing with a few of us his take on the recent Academy Award Nominations, and his fervent opposition of the Academy's snubbing Director Christopher Nolan and the film The Dark Knight. Nolan redefined the comic book genre with his direction on The Dark Knight, which should have been considered for Best Picture for its gritty portrayal of the comic book world of Gotham City.

I'm very disappointed that neither earned the nominations that many felt they deserved. Christopher Nolan did an exceptional job on The Dark Knight and it has been considered by many as the best 'comic book movie' or 'super hero movie'. I believe that the collaborators on The Dark Knight are so excited to have been given so many awards from various Awards Ceremonies; however, my best friend felt that The Academy was wrong by not considering the success and overall phenomenon of The Dark Knight "Best Director" or Best Picture worthy.

Two days ago Jonah Nolan, Christopher Nolan's brother and a fellow scribe on The Dark Knight, wrote an open letter in direct response to The Oscar Nominations. He specifically wanted to clarify the importance of any nomination for a comic book genre film, and the gratitude he and his fellow Dark Knight collaborators felt for their 8 nominations:

hey — not sure who to address this to as it looks like a collective effort, but I just wanted to pass along my thanks.

It's truly humbling that you guys would take the time and effort to try to get the film recognized. I, like you, was disappointed that Chris didn't get some recognition this morning, but for Heath and so many of the people who worked so hard on this thing to get nominated is thrilling.
Any nominations for a comic book movie is a thing of beauty no matter how you slice it, and that takes the sting out a bit. Besides, I've been to the big show before, and, like any of these things, it's a little disappointing. Did you know it's not even an open bar once the show starts? At least this time I would have remembered to bring a little cash so I could buy myself a drink after losing.
The best part of this experience is seeing other people getting passionate about the film the way that we did. It has been a truly incredible experience. So thank you again.
best,

jonah nolan

You know what? I think it was cool of Jonah to respond on an open forum, to kind of support the Oscar process and still show his support for his brother. Jonah, I salute you, and look forward to your next production.

Associated Press: Gaza Children Return To School

2009-01-25T00:55:00.001-05:00

Raphael Saadiq! Interview:

2009-01-25T00:53:00.001-05:00

From the Associated Press:

One cool cat...

Subway angry at Domino's Campaign:

2009-01-24T23:59:00.003-05:00

Domino's CEO Dave Brandon burns Subway's "Cease-and-Desist" request

The contents of the cease-and-desist' order are in response to a recent campaign for the new Domino's Sandwiches, where viewers are shown examples of 'two-to-one', the alleged ratio by which taste testers preferred Domino's Sandwiches to Subway subs. Subway claims that the sandwich taste test and its advertisements were flawed from the start.

The campaign, designed by Crispin Porter & Bogusky, raises awareness for the newly released sandwiches from Domino's Pizza. These sandwiches are prepared without requests from the customer, unlike Subway's made-to-order assembly-line preparation. The chosen sandwiches for the taste test were Domino's(R) Oven Baked Sandwich varieties -- Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken Bacon Ranch and Italian versus comparable Subway(R) Fresh Toasted Sandwich varieties -- Steak & Cheese, Chicken & Bacon Ranch and Italian BMT.

My thoughts: I have always liked Subway sandwiches! I don't know that I vibe with the new "$5 dollar, Foot Long" television commercial campaign (though catchy, it doesn't really do anything but annoy me). That said, I do feel even less excited by the Domino's comercials for their new oven baked sandwiches where a sandwich maker of a generic Subway Knockoff receives a delivery order for an oven baked sandwich from Domino's while at work. It's annoying, and just not catchy. I find myself rolling my eyes at the new sandwiches. Despite this, I believe the entire controversy and the litigation that will follow has motivated me to at least attempt a taste test of my own. In the next couple of weeks, I'm going to try one of the sandwiches from Domino's (the Chicken Bacon Ranch) and the Subway Chicken Bacon Ranch). I'm sure I'll have more to say on this later!

Poetry: Kulliyat-e Shams, "2114"

2009-01-24T23:55:00.001-05:00

A moment of happiness,
you and I sitting on the verandah,
apparently two, but one in soul, you and I.
We feel the flowing water of life here,
you and I, with the garden's beauty
and the birds singing.
The stars will be watching us,
and we will show them
what it is to be a thin crescent moon.
You and I unselfed, will be together,
indifferent to idle speculation, you and I.
The parrots of heaven will be cracking sugar
as we laugh together, you and I.
In one form upon this earth,
and in another form in a timeless sweet land.

Kulliyat-e Shams, 2114

"May the force be in you"

2009-01-24T23:40:00.002-05:00

The Great Buck Howard

Starring John Malkovich, Colin Hanks and Emily Blunt, with Steve Zahn and Tom Hanks

This looks very funny! Check it out!

Welcome to youtube, congress/senate

2009-01-24T21:57:00.005-05:00

How did I miss this?! Welcome to new media, Congress/Senate.

Bookmark the youtube sites and check them out once or twice a week! Or you can Track New Video Posts by subscribing to the rss feed located at http://govtrack.us. Happy "Transparency"!

Blip.fm

2009-01-24T21:02:00.004-05:00

For those of you Tweeters (Twitter subscribers), I advise you to also check out blip.fm.

Blip.fm is a site that enables its subscribers to update their daily musings, activities, or moods to the world.

The only difference from Twitter: Subscribers can find (or 'blip') a song and use that in their 'update'. For example, I can blip "The Trill is Gone" by BB King, and then post my note, "I've got the blues today", and both my note and the song file will appear. In most instances, you'll be able to listen to the entire song, or "blip". As with twitter, you can follow different "DJ's" (Substitute for Twitter's 'Tweeters') and post an unending amount of 'blips'.

Please, go and rejoice! Oh, and follow my blip account, Raf

Youtube.com, Hulu.com and TV.com: It's clear, the only loser is your television set

2009-01-24T19:36:00.006-05:00

By now, we all pretty much know about youtube.com, a site where people can create videos and host them for others to see. As someone interested in media production, I found the advent of youtube.com promising and troubling.

Here is a site where people can not only host homemade videos, but also comment on the video content other people host. What's exciting about this concept is the creativity it beckons. Now, anyone with a 'camera and a dream' can get exposure for their creativity. Directors with interesting content can develop a fan base and even get picked up by national production companies.

Obviously, though, this can also lead to countless bad or poorly conceived content, and also piracy. The greatest downside to youtube is how the popularity of bad content spawns more bad content. And more. And more.

Despite the negatives of self-produced internet video, or perhaps as a direct response to it, there is a new trend popping up on the internet: Consumers sidestepping television schedules to watch their favorite nationally-syndicated TV shows on the web.

Hulu.com has become one of the most popular video-hosting sites on the web, thanks largely to studio cooperation from NBC, Fox and their TV production subsidiaries Universal Media Studios and 20th Century Fox Television, respectively.

Other sites, such as TV.com, NBC.com, Fox.com, ABC.com are expanding their video content to give viewers a more complete online viewing experience. Shows such as "Heroes," "House, M.D." and "The Office", to name a few, have official websites where fans can follow 'character blogs', mini-webisodes, and even extended episode outtakes.

The pastime of spending your evening glued to your tv has come and gone. In its place: the sight of children, teens, and adults watching episodes of their favorite show on their computers, while posting complaints and praise for specific episodes to the show's blog. Quality content is now in more demand than ever before, and it's my hope that 2009 will be a year for the consumer, where more quality content is available than ever before!

Obama Signs Executive Order To Close Guantanamo Bay

2009-01-23T00:05:00.002-05:00

Obama Signs Executive Order To Close Guantanamo Bay

My thoughts on President Barack Obama signing an Executive Order to shut down Guatanamo Bay: This is a step in the right direction, but one which must be followed with intelligent, cautious planning, as well as appropriate alternative methods. It's very important, however, that we do take this as a sign that Obama wants to bring integrity back to our political and military process. As he said to George Stephanopoulos January 9th, 2009, "...we are going to make sure that the procedures we set up are ones that abide by our Constitution. "

ABC News: Lawsuit: Alaska Villages 'Dumping Ground' for Abusive Priests

2009-01-22T23:44:00.004-05:00

ABC News: Lawsuit: Alaska Villages 'Dumping Ground' for Abusive Priests
This is unfathomable. I can't even comprehend what kind of a monster someone has to be in order to harm innocent people and to victimize so many children. Utterly disgusting. My thoughts go to the victims and their families and loved ones. My heart breaks when I hear stories like this, of rape or sexual abuse. It's so unreal that someone, an adult, would do something like that. How does a victim ever regain trust for anyone again? Oh to be a fly on the wall in a counseling session. I couldn't even begin to know what pain they must carry with them.

Saul Williams

2009-01-22T23:13:00.001-05:00

'Coded Language'

"I am tough to go through cause I'm tangible"

2009-01-22T22:57:00.002-05:00

Still can't get enough. Laughter every time I watch:

Seth Green Says Leave Chris Crocker Alone! - Watch the top videos of the week here

Academy Awards Nominations

2009-01-22T22:11:00.003-05:00

Released early this morning, the season's Academy Awards Nominations had many expected nominees (Heath Ledger, Best Supporting Actor; Meryl Streep, Best Actress; Frost/Nixon, Best Picture; Danny Boyle, Best Director)

Full List of Nominees:

Personally, I want to see Heath Ledger win the award for Best Supporting Actor, Mickey Rourke win for Best Actor, and Slumdog Millionaire win for Best Picture. Aside from that, I don't care who wins the other awards (though, Kate Winslet finally winning an Oscar would be nice).

It was a shame that Heath Ledger passed away so soon. His performances were always intriguing. Whether you were a hardcore fan or just a casual movie-goer, you easily remembered his characters.

He teamed up with Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale for The Dark Knight and gave the most electrifying performance of his life as The Joker. The calculated anarchy of his character was everything a Batman fan could have wanted: gritty, explosive, intelligent, without purpose, and most of all, a true parallel to Bruce Wayne/Batman himself. As someone who couldn't wait for The Dark Knight to come to theaters, and who watched it three times in theaters, I am so glad that Heath was cast for the role.

Mickey Rourke's performance has critics buzzing for more reasons than just the character in the movie. Specifically, Mickey Rourke has taken on a character whose life mirrors his own. Who's trials and tribulations, rise and fall from grace/success can be seen so clearly on Mickey Rourke's face, battered raw from years in a faraway boxing ring. As Randy "The Ram" Robinson, we see the comical highs of fame and the terrible bottomed-out lows of failure. Mr. Rourke brought quite an honest portrayal and doesn't shy away from expressing the similarities between The Ram and the life Rourke has lived.

As for Slumdog Millionaire, you'll just have to read an excellent review to understand why I hope it wins.

Roger Ebert, movie critic of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, "When I saw "Slumdog Millionaire" at Toronto, I was witnessing a phenomenon: dramatic proof that a movie is...

Below, the full list of awards to be given for 2009's Academy Awards:

2009 Academy Awards Official Ballot

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

"The Swan" Clara Rockmore

2009-01-22T21:51:00.001-05:00