Special Ed Frends

Tonight on Facebook I searched for all the kids I remember that were in special ed classes at my middle and elementary schools. Didn't find any.

I was compelled to this facebook quest after telling a friend that I was "special ed at my global change biology class." The buzz word reminded me of a time when I was at "Back to School Night" with my parents.

(If you were home-schooled/the spawn of Dennis Rodman, "Back to School Night" is when parents come to class with their kids and learn about what their kids are learning, followed by a quick, individual exchange between the teacher and the parents about how the child is progressing. It is usually a secret way for a teacher to see how much parents care about their child's education.)

My parents and I were walking to my class when I saw my friend Ricky and his mom. My mom asked Ricky what class he was in and he gloomily told her the name of a teacher. My mom if we were in the same grade and I didn't really know what to say. During the pause, a kid that probably was wearing Lee Pipes walked by Ricky and made sounds that someone who wears a helmet for health reasons would make.

Retrospectively, it's kind of funny that such a scenario straight out of a Hollywood bust like 'Drillbit Taylor' happened right then, but I vividly remember the shameful look both Ricky and his mom had on their faces when we walked our separate ways.

I have a handful of sad memories featuring kids at my schools in special ed. Being a person who was blessed with decent reading, logic, and social skills, for the most part, I never felt inferior to people until I got into high school and met people who would eat shit if it looked good on their academic resume (looking back, I'm sorta glad that by high school I had contracted a certain level of pride). I'd love to know if/when/how kids in special ed get the confidence to be themselves.

My logic tonight was that perhaps these sad memories would disintegrate if I saw these special ed kids in their profile pictures looking talented at something or standing by/at/in a foreign country's historical landmark.

I wonder if those special ed kids are or feel like they are still losers by elementary and middle school standards.

Also, by standardized testing scores.

By the way, can our country even afford to have special ed classes anymore? That sure will change up the dynamics in schools if special ed disappears.

I think the picture above was labeled as "special ed" by google because now if you're special ed you just get an extra teacher/aide to help you as opposed to being in a separate class with a separate monolith.

Greatest Rap Music Video Ever Made

This is old I think, but I just saw it today...Kanye, The-Dream, Drake, & Jamie Foxx....swagger times a trillion. Best part: 2:10. Foxx mistakes his Blackberry for a dancer.

Just Sit There and Enjoy the Sun

In the midst of a fat AZZ paper, I came across this Theophilus London track called "Enjoy the Sun." It's a blend of feel-good R&B with J.Dilla backbeats and rhymes, but it's unique in London's poise and passion - something most hip-hop MCs these days overshadow with a uniform swagger. Check out the simple, yet impressive music vid below.

By the way, I found the song via 22 Tracks, this rad website of genre mixes made by DJs in Amsterdam. It's just the right amount of music for a day's enjoyment, especially in the midst of all the blogs / file sharing mayhem.

Theophilus London- Enjoy The Sun (Prod. By Machine Drum) from GFCnewyork on Vimeo.

Breakfast at Sulimays

Breakfast at Sulimay's could be one of the funniest/honest portrayals of pop music. A panel of disgruntled senior citizens listen to the latest hyped artists and are usually unimpressed with what they hear. The crew, Bill, Ann, and Joe, usually have no idea who these music makers are and really could care less. They approach everything they hear free from pretense and knowledge to accurately assess the songs. But that's what really makes these little segments so interesting. The show reveals how big the personalities of artists play in the marketing and success of records.

With the dissemination of music on the Internet, along with new cheap and mobile recording software, never before has there been more music available for the consumer. Music websites and blogs feel they need to distinguish what is canonical during this period, so investigation into the artists' lives is a new way to decipher good and bad music. It is also very common for the media to pack together and support artists that are getting exposure from certain sources regardless of what the artists sound like (what's up, Pitchfork?).

It's refreshing to see how insignificant hype and exposure are to these three people on Breakfast at Sulimays. My favorite is Joe, who does his best to give fair praise and criticism despite Ann and Bill, who look like they just want a free breakfast.

Here Comes The Feeling You Thought You'd Forgotten...

I despised Vampire Weekend when their debut album came, save "Mansard Roof". Their look exploited the worst part of East Coast culture, their music was so predictably "highly educated white dude" indie rock, and on top of that they were so overhyped by other people/things I despised. I was so sure they would fade into oblivion when they released their sophomore album, which still might happen. Bittersweetly, that won't be the case for me.

When I sampled their first single, "Horchata", I was met with an overwhelming amount of nostalgia related to a winter goodbye at a train station, spending nice days alone, and of course, heart-warming, slow motion indie flick scenes that made my head spin after listening to the song like 5 times (a rare occurrence ever since I started reading music blogs). I can't remember a song that has been so toxically evocative since any song off the Strokes' 'Is This It'.

The impact this song has had on my head is dizzying, but without much logic as to why, this song has made me feel earthquakingly optimistic about my relationships with things: First I hated Vampire Weekend, now I love them. There has got to be some valid reason why everything continues to exist besides serving as fleeting mental collisions. (I am aware that I don't actually believe this, but like I said, this Vampire Weekend song...it's magic.)

Are you next Fox News? Probably not. Fleet Foxes? Definitely a better chance than the former fox.

PS I wish I could post songs w/ a music player. If someone who happens to read this knows how to do that, I would love to know.

This Is Bound To Happen

Lots of things about graduating from college are both exciting and scary. The possibilities are so overwhelming. I thought about this when I was at Goodwill one time and spotted a book called 'How To Get Things Done' and knew that this minor accomplishment in self-help literature would be something I turned to when I didn't have a curriculum to whip me into responsibility. I bought it and have it on my bookshelf to judge me when I'm making mixes instead of reading my homeworks.

But it's not even really about that. It's about being decisive when there are so many things that are worth being decisive about. This may sound like something one of the books from 'The Pagemaster' said to cartoon Macully Caulkin, but how the hell do you prioritize adventures?

I don't want to think about all the things I want to do after school. So I'm trying to think of what's to come until December. Here are several things I want to do:

-Learn Ableton Live and start making music

-Purchase some turntables and a mixer

-Camp out some place this Winter break

-Work on my capstone - a novella about attention spans

-Get some more berry pies under my baking belt

-Stay close with a handful of people that I really enjoy

Unrelated: I can't wait for the new Atlas Sound album. I saw Bradford Cox at a Noodles in Company last weekend. He got a macaroni n' cheese, which is pretty plain for the NIC. I was also to intimidated to talk to him. From what I've heard and read he can be kind of moody and he was straight chillin' at NIC. I think "Walkabout" the first single featuring Panda Bear of Animal Collective, is one of the best things I've heard all year. Check it.

Fox News...

...why do you exist if not to feed the confusion that plagues so many of the citizens in the U.S.? I was hoping that George Bush's agenda of hate, fear, and division would cease when he left, but, alas, Fox News seems to be carrying on the torch, sensationalizing everything that happens and exploiting the worst sides of people.

I understand there are certain people who are misled/uninformed, however, Fox News is not helping anyone get a stable footing in this tumultuous time. Fox News just disseminates backward thinking ideology and prevents our country from progressing out of mental and physical trepidation. I respect differing opinions, but what the hell happened to constructive criticism?

I'm ashamed this broadcast reflects a large group of people that live in my country.

I also recognize this rant is pretty cliche for a liberally-minded, college student, but this shit really bothers me.

Awesome Jay-Z Promo For Blueprint III

Jay-Z's highly anticipated new album, the Blueprint III arrives on Sept. 11 (in a few weeks!). Not sure that it will top American Gangster, The Black Album, or even it's predecessors - Blueprints 1 and 2.

No matter how good the album is, this promo (via P4k) is one of the best commercials I've seen in awhile. Watch as Hov recreates all the covers of his former albums, subsequently taking you down memory lane. On that note, I really should revisit "Money, Cash, Hoes" right now.

RIP Michael Jackson (And His Weirdness)

Although my day at work was negatively augmented upon hearing of Michael Jackson's passing, I stopped to wonder why I had such a sad reaction to this news. Is anything really going to change now that the King of Pop is gone? As the holder of the throne, he had not contributed to the world of music since 2001's Invincible. Perhaps it was that his upcoming tour had the potential to make the world remember how incredibly talented he was and perhaps allow some critics to look beyond the social stigmas he had amassed in the past two decades. It would've been a chance for him to return to music - the reason people noticed and appreciated him in the first place. 

A lot of talented and/or famous people pass on every year. I often wonder why people are so unhappy when most of these deceased individuals, with some exceptions, had exceeded the peak of their trade or renown. Personal connections are made with artistry, but it isn't like what was special and intriguing died with the person. Michael Jackson's music will be aggressively preserved, I'm sure. 

If anything, what died with MJ was his ability to make a spectacle of himself in the spotlight. Fans of Michael Jackson should be relieved because 9 out of 10 times Jackson's portrait in the media was seen in a negative light. For people, like myself, that weren't cognizant of Jackson's music during the time he was actually making music, the strange persona Jackson had created himself through the media was very off-putting. I meet people younger than me who think and will probably always think that Michael Jackson's weirdness overshadows his music and, therefore, his discography isn't worth being explored.

I am hoping Michael Jackson profiles will be revised with his passing. Elvis Presley, another man who got weirder as his career unfolded, was given a lot of positive media upon his passing. Death is a strong persuasive device for sympathy in our society. It doesn't always have to be that way, but with a person like Michael Jackson, a person who has positively influenced and enriched billions of lives with his aptitude and hard work, there should be more positive reactions to his passing.

That said, perhaps the passing of these incredibly talented and exposed people are merely a chance for the media and fans to look back and enjoy the special things that people such as Michael Jackson have done for the world. And retracing a lifetime of special moments is a little sad to say the least.

                                 

Full, Paid, and Paranoid

I am working as a dishwasher in a kitchen at a summer camp. The summer camp is in rural northern-ish Michigan in a place called Glenn Arbor/Maple City. It's probably obvious by the syntax in the last sentence that I have no idea where the hell I am...

Regardless, I am loving the job as cadet-like as it may seem. The best part is that I can eat as much food as I want, whenever I want. Although pay could be better, the job allows me to kick back immensely on my off-time.

Ultimately, my plans this summer are as follows:

* Write some fiction, no matter the quantity
* Read some books on criticism and psychology (Freud, Foucault)
* Record my first EP
* Submit some reviews/features to some publications (a list in its own right)
* Do some PR work for the Frozen Food Section
* Attempt to listen to Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa...

I don't want to overwhelm myself because even though I don't know really where I am in Michigan I do know I am surrounded by lakes - one being the great Lake Michigan - and awesome hiking spots. Normally I would be back home teaching swim lessons, buying gas, and eating hot and readys daily. Hopefully, being in an environment such as this pastoral-esque area will help me to focus. I just worry that I will get nothing done and just stress about shit. At least I can drown myself in endless amounts of left over spaghetti, sloppy joes, and Golden Grahams.

Here are some pics of a place I went to with a buddy called Pyramid Point:

Animal Collective - "Summertime Clothes"

After the last post, this video (via Pitchfork) is almost like a repeat - as far as weird, trippy choreography goes - except that this was one of my favorite songs in Australia. I had the pleasure of interviewing Geologist for Cream about a month ago and he mentioned that this video was one of their bigger upcoming projects. I definitely was thrilled to finally see it yesterday.

Basement Jaxx - "Raindrops"

Best dance single out so far in 2009. The new music video is like watching Halloween at the playboy mansion through a kaleidoscope:

Handshake Drugs

What the hell is up with the state of salutations among males, ages 10-40? 

Yesterday I met up with some people in St. Louis and our preliminary exchanges were probably less than smooth from a third party's perspective. The first guy, hip-hop producer and performer, Jonathan Toth From Hoth, gave me one of those handshake-hugs - aka "the bro grab." The second guy, another producer named Maji, had a more complicated approach. Doing the best I can to describe the moves, we shook hands, interlocked knuckles, then turned this seize about 90 degrees, only to end with a sharp separation that made a popping sound. Maji, then snapped his fingers, and I, noticing his post-greeting maneuver, followed suit a few seconds after the fact.

Now, I thoroughly enjoy these symbols of friendly acknowledgement, but I wish that there was more transparency to the choreography. Although, I am not close friends with the aforementioned people, when I think about the friends I am closest with, our handshakes do slightly surpass interpretation from outside parties; at least, our greetings would not be able to be picked up during a first time exchange with someone new. 

It made me wonder how vital these quasi-unique handshakes are becoming in society.  In urban cultures, these interactions are tied to the individual's knowledge of street smarts. They reflect the person's group of influence and show a glimpse of social status. The weight of these greetings are increasing, especially in the social networking era where direct interactions are becoming limited. Social networking profiles create facades of people, with the main gatekeeper/censor being the individual who created the profile. Choosing to provide viewers of the profile with edited information and hand-picked pictures definitely does not give an accurate representation of individual character; it's all a self-made, web personality. 

I believe handshakes are coming to be an extension of social networking.* A goal social networking profiles is to establish and maintain strong relationships with people. There's an element of social networking that evokes a sense of curiosity within browsers (i.e. the term "Facebook stalker"). When you interact with a profile on social networking sites, you become interested not only with what is there, but with what isn't there. Similarly, a handshake is a lead in to conversation and, depending on extravagance, attempts to instill an ideal facade, analogous to social networking, before anything serious is said. Based on my interactions with J-Toth and Maji, if I hang out with them more and learn to carry out a successful and suave salutation, perhaps it will lead me to more details about their personal lives. 

In this context, a contemporary handshake serves doubly as an advertisement of one's vibrant personality and a tangible representation of a gateway to a more intimate relationship between men. I suddenly have the urge to give everyone I see today some bro grabs/pounds...

*Pertaining to people whose relationship is more contingent on social networking than face-to-face interaction.

Black Moth Super Rainbow

Nothing ever shakes up my senses quite like BMSR does. Their prior albums, 'Start A People' and 'Dandelion Gum' have kept my mind active even in the most stagnant environments. More than anything, the music has simply been good, strange company. I am very pleased with their latest effort, 'Eating Us'. The album, produced by Dave Friedman (The Flaming Lips), represents the plethora of signature sounds BMSR has developed on their last few albums; this time the group attempts to spit out songs with more traditional sound structures. I can't tell whether or not I like the approach, but regardless I can still clearly identify a band that has taken me many places metaphysically - the only other bands that compare are probably Animal Collective and Ariel Pink.

Check out this crazy interactivemusic video / image collage, BMSR put together for "Dark Bubbles": 

"Dark Bubbles" Interactive Music Video

Moby Vs. David Lynch

This is Moby's latest music video for his first single "Shot In The Head".  Not only is it a dramatic departure from his latest rave endeavors, but the video is directed by David Lynch. Despite how awesome the video is, I actually think I enjoy the song more...