Bye, iPod!

There are times in your life when you need to try random things.  The time for such experience is now.  Beginning on February 1st and lasting the entire month, I will be listening to nothing but new music as a direct alternative to my iPod.  My 10,817 songs will take a backseat while I explore another part of the global music community.  Please come by each day for a new artist profile and review!

The Real World

No, this is not in reference to the Matchbox Twenty song or the broader term, ‘the real world.’ No, this is in reference to the show on MTV.  I have not watched this show in many years.  But, when I heard this present-season would be centered in Washington, D.C., I decided to set the ole DVR.  Having spent a year only eight miles from D.C. had me excited to check-out this show and see if our mutual adventures crossed paths.  So far this season I’ve been disappointed.  The people are interesting enough, although the cross-section of Americana does not adhere to what statisticians would call true sample data.

Given that they are in the nation’s capitol, I figured there would be more of an emphasis on serving others.  While I imagine getting seven strangers focused on one political party or politician would prove to be super-challenging, this group seems to be listless.  One guy worked a few hours a week at the Human Rights Campaign and another interned at the now defunct Washington Blade, D.C.’s premiere paper focused on the LGBT community.  Other than that, the rest of the crew seems compelled to create in-house drama via lack of social awareness, hooking-up, and being messy.

Given my student affairs experiences, I have come up with a solution.  Cast mates on The Real World need a hall director/resident assistant.  The in-house drama could be relieved with some mediation, stronger conversations, and a purpose for being there.  They could give me or someone with higher ed. experience free room and board to go in and regulate.  Those are just my thoughts.  Thanks for reading.

Two songs of the day:
-‘Fly’ by Sanctus Real
-They Say’ by Common, John Legend, and Kanye West.

Blog Part Version 2.0

It has been 11 months and this blog is back!  I will not lie, in this time I had hoped to create a website for myself.  The idea was to have a dot com housing my thoughts/musings, self-promotion, etc.  While this is still the plan, my current life situation makes a dot com less urgent.  I have not completely abandoned this idea, but there are thoughts I need to get out, so the blog is back.  I appreciate your readership and more importantly, feedback and comments.

I am not promising how often I’ll write.  I will say that it will mostly come as things flood my ole noodle.  I will say that I am stoked to get my thoughts back out into the world.

New Site In The FUTURE!!!

Hello valued readers.

I wanted to write and say that I will no longer be using this site for my blog.  As I type I am formulating plans for my own dot com that will be the go to place for all things me.  I plan to use the new site as a marketing, blogging, branding, academic, and motivational site.

I appreciate your time reading my thoughts and I look forward to sharing the new site.

Until then, please feel free to reach me at the following places:
Facebook
Twitter: lucas_calhoun

Spring Break Adventures Day 1

Today is the first day of our two-week spring break.  This is the first time, either in a work or school capacity, where I’ve been at a university with a tw0-week spring break.  Like the Dude in The Big Lewbowski, I will abide.  I will be researching, spending hours in the gym, and sleeping.  Oh, and doing plenty of blog posts (the crowd goes wild!).

Had a bit of a scare today driving on I-95.  While driving back from the airport (dropped a friend off) my front-left tire came off my Blazer.  Yes, I am not lying, it came off, lug nuts, wheel, etc. I was quite thankful for the snowy weather because the conditions forced me to drive no faster than 40 mph.  I was able to pull-off the road in no more than 35 feet, which, as I did my tire was rolling next to me.  I was unharmed, the truck was ok, all I had to pay for was a tow and a new set of lug nuts.  Cannot say enough how thankful I am for the snowy conditions.  I do not know how this would have played out at normal I-95 speeds of 65-75 mph.  I am quite blessed that I got out of this situation unharmed, especially with a front wheel coming off.

As previously stated, I have plenty of research to do, so I am ready to rock-n-roll.  I am working on a project that will subsume 70% of my final grade in my history of popular culture course.  I actually decided to further expand my earlier paper on the film, Boyz N the Hood.  The approach I am taking on this paper centers on the type of America John Singleton found himself when he wrote and directed the film.  Other aspects will evolve, and I have tons of resources to delve into during break.

I am headed to the gym now.   Today is legs and cardio, oh, and abs.  I must keep on, keeping on. Stay tuned, I plan to blog a lot over break. Thank you for reading.

Music:
-I would recommend Ingrid Michaelson.  She is one of my new favorites.  Her songwriting is perfect for relaxing and getting a fun story.  Check out the link, she is great.

Feeling Under the Weather

Hello friends.  I have not posted in a few days and I am sorry for that.  A stupid headcold has gotten me under the weather.  I am not a fan of my body performing under its standard levels of awesomeness.  Either way I am pinning my recovery hopes upon Zicam and so far it seems to be working. I want to be in the gym and this cold is holding me back.

I watched the Oscars on Sunday night and I must say, I enjoyed the heck out of the show.  Hugh Jackman did a great job as the host.  Not known as a comic, I think the pressure was off of him just a bit.  With Ellen, Chris Rock, David Letterman, John Stewart, and Billy Crystal there is always an element of “what are they going to do or say?” Jackman’s opening number had me laughing a bunch.  I also got a lot out of the major acting/directing categories being presented by former winners.  I have not seen Slumdog Millionaire, so on some level I was out of the loop, but nonetheless, it was a great show.  If you have not seen Milk, do it up.  Oh, the James Franco/Seth Rogen sketch was hilarious. 

Some music before I do some reading:
-I have been listening to a band recently called The Epochs.  They are worth checking out.  Think Death Cab for Cutie with some rock sprinkled in and a lyrical side of The White Stripes. 

-Hum has been in the rotation a lot lately, especially the record Downward is Heavenward. 

Alright, I am out for now.  Thank you for reading and have a great day.  Also, thank you to those who have left comments or sent me messages.  I appreciate the feedback and support.

Mr. T

Recently I have found numerous opportunities to either talk about or watch things with Mr. T.  Born, Laurence Tureaud, he has been one of my favorite celebrities of all-time.  With quotes like “I pity the fool!” and “Treat your mother right!” his pearls of wisdom have always made me smile.  This week in my history of American popular culture class I let slip a very non-theoretical statement about Mr. T and I had to laugh.  While covering  a book discussing television and its role in defining visions of American culture, the presenting group showed numerous clips to back up their statements.  When it came to the 80s, my classmate came to The A-Team and he asked, “does anyone know why I would show this clip?”  The answer was the pervasive violence and how the show was a product of President Reagan’s deregulation of the entertainment industry, especially television.  However, with no inner-monologue, I quickly blurted, “because it’s awesome.”  The class as well as the prof got a laugh out of it…

Anyway, Mr. T is awesome and he should be preserved forever.  Please watch the attached video from Late Night with Conan O’Brien you will smile/laugh.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/57462/late-night-with-conan-obrien-picking-apples-with-mr-t

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

Phrase That Annoys Me

I should be going to bed right now.  However, there are thoughts filling my brain, actually just one in particular and I need to get it out. There is a phrase that has been in my head this evening, which is the following, “Those who can’t do, teach.”  Noone has said that to me recently and it had not come up anywhere but in my head.  This phrase really annoys me on numerous levels.  To start, who says something like that?  I have heard teachers and non-teachers alike use that phrase.  The second important factor is related to teachers in general.  Anyone who thinks that phrase is true or has used it themselves is forgetting the crucial fact that they too, had a teacher(s).

I plan to be a professor at the university level someday.  I am, and will be many things, and a historian is one of them.  I will be doing archival research, publishing, etc.  Will I be out making history?  I guess in a broader sense, yes.  But, will I be making history?  No, I will most likely be researching, interpreting, and defining historical events.  Using this phrase as a guide, will I be any less of a historian because I am not the President of the United States or another agent of history?  I highly doubt it.

Maybe I do not have a accurate sense of this phrase and maybe I do.  Either way, for the sake of the thousands of great teachers out there, please do not use this phrase.  I know we have all had a few teachers that we did not jive with, true, but we each have one or two special instructors that changed our lives.  I know that my academic and life journey has been aided greatly by the teaching styles and guidance of Mrs. Dodlinger (4th grade),  Mr. Roach (10th/12th grade), Professors Cullather (IU), Boyle (IU), and Lang (UMaine).

Ok, whew, got that out there, thank you for reading.

Some tunes before I hit the sack:
Canned Heat Best of Canned Heat

Alanis Morrissette Jagged Little Pill

Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique (Thanks to Eli for reminding me of this record)

Oasis

Sometimes, one song can really boost your spirits.  Not that my spirits necessarily needed a boost, but Oasis sure did the trick.  I am sitting here in the library and I decided to rock out to my Pandora player.  Low and behold, Oasis’ Wonderwall came on.  What a tune.  I have not listened to this song in ages.  Sure brings back a lot of memories: Bloomfield, freshman year, trying to expand my musical horizons.

Pandora is making my night right now.  Also, tonight I sent off my first three entries for the ABC-CLIO’s Encyclopedia of Film and Culture (I think that is the title).  I hope the editor likes them…

Some more reading and then I am getting out of the library.  Nine hours is just about enough.

Kanye West: What Happened Dude?

This post will be short because I am busy and do not have the time necessary to go knee-deep, but will attempt some coherence now.  One of my friends suggested I do a review of Kanye West’s track, Last Call on The College Dropout. I like this idea and plan to review that soon.  However, once re-listening to his previous three records, The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation I have come to one conclusion.  In comparing those three records to his most recent 808s and Heartbreak, I think Kanye has missed his previous marks of greatness and is trying way too hard.

Some of the rhymes on his first three albums are a strange mix of audaciousness, cockiness, and social awareness.  His beats and samples were also well-placed and firmly established in those first three efforts.  After giving 808s time I feel like he trying too hard to be some version of himself that he either thinks he should be, or thinks the rap game wants him to be. Usually a visionary, this record is forced and also uses that T-Pain esque voice machine and I have to tell you, the novelty wore off of that years ago. Before I roll-out, I am going to throw down some classic rhymes from his first three records to remind everyone how mighty Kanye West once was.  Quick disclaimer, I still think Kanye is a lyrical and musical genius, it’s just that as of late, he trying to be this mad scientist of rap and he needs to take a deep breath and relax.

Jesus Walks-The College Dropout
So here go my single dog radio needs this
They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tapes
But if I talk about God my record won’t get played Huh?
Well let this take away from my spins
Which will probably take away from my ends

Heard Em’ Say

The devil is alive I feel him breathin’,
Claimin’ money is the key so keep on dreamin’,
And put them lottery tickets just to tease us,
My aunt Pam can’t put those cigarettes down,
Now my lil cousin smokin those cigarettes now,
His job trying to claim that he too niggerish now,
Is it cuz his skin blacker than licorice now?
I can’t figure it out…
Im Stickin around….

Stronger
Awesome, the Christian and Christian Dior
Damn, they don’t make ‘em like this anymore
I ask ’cause I’m not sure
Do anybody make real s#&% anymore?
Bow in the presence of greatness
’cause right now thou has forsaken us
You should be honored by my lateness
That I would even show up to this fake s#&%