Semi-Charmed Life

Anything You Can Do, EDM Does Better

EDM is taking over the world because it's a category of music where experimentation is encouraged in a time when other genres like hip hop and r&b are growing stagnant. Look at how creative these artists are in turning putting their own spin on a certain song or genre. Some of these guys are really pushing the envelope in the EDM genre.

[EDM X HIP HOP] Cypress Hill x Rusko - Roll It, Light It

[EDM X COUNTRY] John Denver - Country Roads (Pretty Lights Remix}

[EDM X SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA] John Williams - Duel Of The Fates (The Noisy Freaks Ft. Dead C∆T Bounce Remix)

[EDM X ARCHER] gLAdiator - Danger Zone (Original Mix)

That's right . . . he sampled ARCHER. Ridiculous!

[EDM X Rock] Aerosmith - Dream On (GRiZ REmix)

[EDM X R&B] Usher feat. Diplo - Climax

Usher can STILL DELIVER. Amazing electro-rnb ballad.

The Grammy's were forced to recognize EDM as a genre. It's taking over the world.

Riding the Bandwagon

What's more annoying than bandwagon fans?

People that cry about bandwagon fans.

I get it. You are a real fan. You've been through the ups and downs of your team, and don't like it when someone else who has not is suddenly a fan. I have not paid my dues and sacrificed myself in the name of team loyalty, so I am not a part of your club.

But years of struggle does not buy you exclusive rights to share in the joy of watching your home team succeed. Do you walk around calling every family bandwagoners for celebrating Christmas even though they might not be the most dedicated church goers out there, or not even Christian at all, for that matter? Do you test every person on the specifics of Jesus' birth before determining if they have a right to set up a Christmas tree in their house?

Look, maybe some people ARE celebrating for the wrong reasons. Maybe they don't know too much about whatever it is they're celebrating, but are just caught up with the goodwill and positivity of it all. What's wrong with that?

I will agree with jigg, though, in that being a poser is lame. If you don't know anything about the team and don't understand anything about the sport, don't pretend like you do. Like this woman.

I thought the bandwagon haters were rough during the Giants superbowl run, but it's even worse right now in the middle of the rise of Jeremy Lin.

"Where were these Knicks fans before?"

You know where we were? We were NOT watching basketball. Personally, I've never had any interest in the sport. I found it boring and unexciting, but now because of a single player, I have a whole new appreciation for the sport. I want to cheer for Jeremy Lin. I want to cheer for the New York Knicks. I want to go to their games. I want to learn more about basketball and soak up everything I can.

Does that make me a bandwagon fan? Maybe. I'm sure that millions of people became fans of basketball because they saw Michael Jordan on TV when they were younger. But if you get interested in a sport because of one player when you're an adult, you are a bandwagoner.

It's too bad there is such disdain by diehard fans in the mainstream sports for casual fans or newbie fans. This animosity does not exist in more niche sports such as mixed martial arts. Most diehard MMA fans are enthusiastic when their friends show interest in the sport, and are almost always more than happy to explain the intricacies of the sport and answer whatever questions a new fan might have. MMA fans understand that there are diehards and there are casual fans, and that it's the appreciation by the casual fan that fills seats at the arena and packs bars on the weekends. And it's how a casual fan turns into a diehard fan. Because the sport is smaller on a national level, we understand how valuable it is for people to learn to appreciate the sport.

Mainstream sports fans are spoiled with a huge market with a strong diehard fan base already in place. Their club is already set, and they are not looking for new members.

#UnapologeticNewFan

#AdultProblems

I've been getting a hang of things I once considered dreadfully laborious chores like laundry, cooking and washing the dishes. The trick for me is to listen to a podcast. It's 2012 people. If you haven't been checking out podcasts then you're not with the times. Podcasts are useful in all types of situations where you're doing some type of mundane activity and can't necessarily read a book or do something else to kill the time. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, running on a treadmill, driving to work and whatever other boring things you do in your daily life can all be enhanced relatively passively.

Yeah, you can listen to music too. I do also, but I'm not in the mood for music all the time. The podcasts I listen to are more entertaining and informative than listening to music. Don't tell me "it's not my thing" either. Just give it a chance! It's like when people tell me they don't read? What the heck do you mean you don't read? There are books about EVERYTHING, and you're not interested in any of those things? Same goes for podcasts. I won't give any recommendations, other than to just say go explore iTunes.

The only chore I've really been slacking on is updating this blog. Writing is a CHORE to me. A necessary chore though. Written expression is a muscle that needs to be worked on or you will forget how to use it.

The  breaking news right now in Alvin-land is my group operations are being moved to Delaware. My company is trying to sell the building they currently own. Most of it is largely unoccupied desks. They would definitely be able to improve their balance sheet by getting rid of it. The neighborhood is a condominium hotspot, so I'm sure it would sell for quite a nice premium.

The news was broken to me with the question: How would you feel about working in Delaware?

I had zero hesitation in telling my supervisor that I had zero interest in working there.

The timing is actually quite perfect and I could not be more thankful. I've been telling myself for months that I needed to start looking at new opportunities, but could not get myself out of the paralysis that is complacency. A layoff is a great way to shake things up and really force my hand.

The second major headline is that I just found out from my landlord that my roommates and I will have to move by June. Her son is looking to move back in. I could not care less about Landlord Junior and his sob story of just going through a major divorce and having to move back to Brooklyn. It hasn't even been a year since I've lived here and my roommates have only been here for 2-3 months! The timing of your divorce could not be any more inconsiderate.

Yes, that was me who got really angry afterward and kicked a kitchen cabinet after the landlord left.

Yes, I do regret doing that because now my foot is KILLING me.

I also realized, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!

These are #adultproblems and these are the things that we all go through unless your name is Peter Pan. Finding a new apartment, looking for a new job and I guess even divorce.

What surprised me was that I had posted that on Facebook just to semi-vent, but I did not expect the reaction from my friends that I got. Some of them texted me and some of them reached out to me, offering me a possible position or hookup in their company or offering to help pass my resume around. I'm not the type to put things out there to the public to look for FB pity, but the response I got was beyond pity and one of genuine concern. I'm not sure if it says something about me, that I did not expect that, but it was a very pleasant surprise.

I'm grateful to know such great people in my life.

I assured them though, that I was fine. I had actually known about my impending layoff for over a week before announcing it to the Facebook public. It was not something that bothered me. I only mentioned it alongside the news of me having to move out of my apartment because they were both sort of bad news things.

Aside from job searching and apartment hunting, the only other thing on the horizon are some jiu jitsu tournaments I signed up for as well as a marathon relay race in May. Training would be going better if I didn't just strain my groin muscle last week with the tournament in less than 7 days away from the tournament. I can't even run because I hurt my foot kicking that cabinet like an idiot.

Motivation

Something from my friend, who I will refer to only as Dubya, that was profound and hilarious at the same time:

I had a really weird dream last week about "motivation".

One of the Baldwins were lecturing me on how to stay motivated in life. He was asking me what I wanted out of life. I said, "I dunno". He said, "You have to want something. Whatever it is you want, think about the actions you need to take to reach that goal." Then I saw him stealing my red envelopes from Chinese New Year. I started punching him in the side, and he told me that I passed the test. He said I needed to speak up.

Drowning

It's not often I get caught up with the lyrics of a song, and it's not a particularly new one either, but for whatever reason I am completely enamored with this song right now. The lyrics and the melody are beautiful. Everything about the song is beautiful.

Armin van Buuren feat. Laura V - Drowning (Avicii Remix)

Rush
Pull me under
The world is at my feet
It’s no wonder

Your eyes speak to me
They tell me be calm
They tell me be strong

Swimming out so deep
Now I can’t breathe
And it’s exactly where I belong

Cause it feels like a run of a lifetime
And nothing’s gonna save us now
Let the waves come crashing down

Cause it feels like I’m right for the first time
And everytime I take you in
I feel my heart skip a beat again

I am drowning in your love
Cause I’m drowning in your love

Love
It’s taking over
There is no in between till I find me some cover

The tide is coming, I dont know if I can take it
I lose my focus, lose my focus
With every breath I feel my inhibition breaking
I can’t control it, no no no…

Cause it feels like a ride of a lifetime
And nothing’s gonna save us now
Let the waves come crashing down

Cause it feels like I’m right for the first time
And everytime I take you in
I feel my heart skip a beat again
I’m drowning in your love