Music!

Hello to the few people who actually read my blog!


Sorry I haven't posted in a while, as my free time has been inundated with homework and... well... Skyrim. 


But I'm not going to be cliche and talk about how awesome of a game it is. I'm going to talk about my favorite bands! So let's get this train a rolling!


(in reverse favorite order)

Thirteen Senses
I was just clued onto this band recently. I have actually had their discography that I got from a friend for a while now, but I never listened to it. I think that there was a minecraft video that I watched with one of their songs as the music, and I was all "huh, I should really listen to them." I was pleasantly surprised. Some of their songs can get kind of old pretty fast, but then there's a few that are absolutely beautiful. And example of this being "Into the Fire" (as seen below).

(Video from Youtube and ThirteenSensesVEVO)

Like with The National (next), their style is very relaxed without too many harsh notes or beats. They have some more ethereal songs, as well.

Their website:
Thirteen Senses

 (picture from thirteenenses.com)

I haven't really listened to them enough to pass too much more judgment on them.
Favorites in no specific order:
Into the Fire, Animal, Do No Wrong


The National
 This band has a more mellow feel than a lot of bands that I have listened to. Their style is very relaxing, even though a lot of the time its a bit hard to figure out what they are saying. I first started listening to them two summers ago.
I like that they are based in Brooklyn, and they have a distinctly American Style.
Here's a link to their website:
The National

(image from GigPosters.com)

This is one of their signature songs, which was released in their newest album "High Violet"

(from youtube and TheNationalVEVO)

Its relaxing and gives me a good feeling inside. Their use of drums and other, alternative instruments puts them in a good place in my mind, as most of the time I don't like bands that just use drums, guitar, and vocals. 
They are also a pretty damn Hipster band, I'll have to admit.
Personal Favorites (in no specific order):
Runaway, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Fake Empire, Ada

The Script
These guys are a bit different than my previous two choices. While they still are a smaller band, they have enjoyed much more public exposure in the past because of their hit song "Breakeven." There was a point probably 2 years ago where I couldn't go a day without hearing this song. Unfortunately, none of their other songs were ever played, with the exception of "Man Who can't be Moved" every once in a while. They have some great songs that no one knows about because they were overshadowed by the success of one.
 That being said, I actually like the namesake song from their second album the best. It has an interesting message, and the music is phenomenal. So I give you "Science and Faith"

 (From Youtube)
Unfortunately I can't link to the official video in the US...

The thing that I like the most about them is that usually their songs tell some sort of story, as well as their great use of music. Yes, they are mostly Guitar and Drums, but they do it in such a way as to make it nice. As seems to be the trend with me, nothing too hard or obnoxious.
 The Script

Favorites:
Before the Worst, Breakeven, The End Where I Begin, For the First Time, Science and Faith, Walk Away

Evanescence 
Where do I start with this band. It is completely different from most things I have listened to in the past. They are a bit harder band, but their music, while being dark, just has a spark of life in it. Also I love Amy Lee's voice. The other members of the band have changed a couple times, but if she ever left, it could never be the same. Their music just has a full, rich feeling.
They didn't have a new album for almost 5 years, and in that time basically the whole band was changed, and they released a self-titled album "Evanescence" that was a slightly different style that their older ones such as "Fallen"
I'll let you compare one of their older songs to their newer ones:
First off: "My Immortal" from "Fallen"

And next: ""My Heart Is Broken" from "Evanescence"

 Evanescence
All of their music is basically just a ride into madness. And I like that.
Favorites:
Imaginary, BringMe to Life, Lacrymosa, My Heart is Broken, What You Want, Made of Stone, Lost in Paradise


Sigur Ros
 An Icelandic band, one of my friends introduced them to me in the end of High School. They basically sing in Icelandic, so I have no idea what they are saying, but it sounds ethereal and nice and relaxing and ambient. It is some of the only music that I can actually study to. 
Sigur Ros 

Sigur Ros is one of the most popular bands in Iceland, but they haven't really seen anything  here in the US at all.

 (From Youtube and sigurros)

I haven't actually gotten any of their latest music.

Not much else to say. Ambient Icelandic music.

 Coldplay
My favorite band for a very long time, Coldplay is one of the most successful bands in history. I was a fan before the whole huge release of "Viva la Vida," and have remained an avid fan now through their interestingly titled newest album "Mylo Xyloto."

Coldplay has been a part of many many days for me, on bad days and good days. They helped me through a couple tough patches in my life where I didn't have much direction. It is they that got me into the more alternative styles of music as has been illustrated here, styles that aren't exclusive to the guitar and drums. Their use of unconventional sounds in their music just adds an interest that few others can match. 
Coldplay 
Being one of the biggest bands out there has its perks, as their newest album is absolutely phenomenal, after spending 4 years on it after Viva la Vida.  
I present to you one of my favorites:

 Their sound is basically unique, and that draws me to them. Its so vibrant and full of life that it energizes me every day. 

But their new albums aren't just the good ones. I think that "Clocks" was their best song, from way back.

(Both videos from Coldplay's Youtube Channel, ColdplayVEVO)

 (Picture from Coldplay.com)

Too many favorites to list, sorry.

They bring to me memories of High School, and new memories in College. Many of the important things in my life have happened while I was listening to Coldplay. So they hold a special place in my heart.

And now, though I'm very excited about music, I'm tired of writing. so Cheers!

 Kevin

 TV: Archer
Movie: Beauty and the Beast
Music: guess...
Game: Skyrim
Food: Breakfast for Dinner!

The scope of Engineering

Well, a new semester has started, and that means getting used to all the new classrooms that I have to go to, and remembering all of the stuff that I have learned in the bast 2 1/2 years that all applies to the classes that I am taking now. Engineering is like that.

That, though, is one of the things that I love about it. It has a real sense of coherency throughout the field, because everything is interconnected. Mechanisms builds on Mechanics, which builds on Dynamics, which builds on Statics, which builds off of Physics, which builds off of Calculus, which builds off of Algebra, which builds off of Mathematics. Its like I'm climbing a mountain of knowledge, and I'm actually getting pretty close to the top now.

All of my classes this semester seem pretty interesting. Heat Transfer, which I'm sure will be the hardest, is necessary for basically anything in Mechanical Engineering, from engines to power generation. Everything is basically the movement of heat and energy.

I have an assignment for my Mechanisms class to go out somewhere on campus and to find an example of a mechanism. Looking around has really opened my eyes to how much engineering there is around me. I was aware of it, of course, but it made me look even more into the little things. Someone designed the little pneumatic door stop thing on all doors, they probably put many many hours into its design and development and testing and finally production, and now we all never think about it at all. Its just a given on many doors. And I think that's something that Engineers want. For their products to improve peoples lives. I will never meet the person who designed almost all of the things that I use every day, but I owe so much to these people.

That's why I want to be an Engineer. I want to create things that I might not be thanked for, but that I know will help people.


Kevin

TV: Family Guy
Movie: Beauty and the Beast
Music: Thirteen Senses
Game: Skyrim
Food: Cereal

Madness of Swimming

Well, I am back from Florida, settled in in my apartment in Valpo.

Florida was a really fun experience, albeit tough, painful, and cold. One of the days that we were there it was 44 degrees F, and we had to swim outside. Chilly.

Here's the pool that we swam at. 50 meter, 8 lanes, actually fairly warm for intense swimming in. 

On one of the days we actually went to the beach. Imagine that! Being in Florida and only going to the beach once. 

We were training at a gym called the "Institute of Human Performance" or "IHP." It's a really nice facility that trains everyone from UFC fighters to professional Baseball players.

 Speaking of Professional Baseball players, here's a completely different Maserati from the last one, yet still at the same place. I found out that the one in my last post belonged to the catcher for non other than the Colorado Rockies! Really cool.

This was at our hotel. I just thought that it was cool.

Now I'm back in Valpo, getting ready for classes to start tomorrow. I wish that break was a few days/weeks longer, but whatever.

Mainly because I want to play Skyrim... Fantastic game. I can see all of the work that went into it, from the faces and bodies of the people to the little pieces of grass and plants, to insects on the ground and rabbits running around. It sometimes gives me goosebumps when I get to a really awesome part. And that bodes well for a game.

I'll probably review it more when I have more than 5 hours of play on it.

I have a couple more classes this semester than I did last semester, so I'll have to deal with that as well as having swimming until February.

Classes:

ME-376-A  Heat Transfer
ME-374-A  Heat Power Laboratory
ME-362-A  Mechanisms
GEO-102-B  Globalization and Development
GE-301-A  Fin & Eth Decisions in Enginrg
ME-332L-B  Mechatronics Lab
ME-332-A Mechatronics
ME-261-B  Analog Circuits Laboratory

Should be interesting. I have heard that some of these classes are kind of fun.

So that is all for now. I'll probably post more later, but now I'm tired and have class at 8:00 am tomorrow. Lovely...

Kevin

TV: Archer
Movie: City of Ember
Game: Skyrim
Music: Coldplay
Food: My meal card didn't work today...
Book: Barsoom Series

Slight delays.

Hey guys. Sorry for the lack of posts in the last week. I have been training a lot in Florida, and it doesn't leave too much awake time where I feel motivated to blog anything. I'll have a really long post once I get back to School with pictures and words and lots of stuff going on. Just not quite yet.

I leave you with a picture of a Maserati from my phone:

The internet here really isn't the best, which is another reason that I haven't really posted anything.

Anyways, preow.

Kevin

TV: That 70's Show
Movie: nada
Game: Minecraft
Book: Barsoom Series
Food: Not really that good...

New Years

Well, its another day that just happens to coincide with a new year. I don't really care, as in my brain I still think that it should be sometime in the 90's. I don't know...

Anyways, had a good Christmas, and a really good New Years.

We went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa Colorado. Awesome scenery and it was really fun climbing up the really tall dunes. It was good exercise too, as when I was swimming today I could really feel it.

Here's me flying my brothers acrobatic kite. Really fun, though it kept dragging me across the sand, the wind was so strong.

Now I'm in Boca Raton, Florida with my swim team. Training trip is upon us, the time where we basically get destroyed by our coaches and trainer.

I'll take pictures of the pool and training facility and such and post them later.

Am now sitting in my room, my tablet on one side and my netbook in front of me.

Oh, speaking of which, I got an Asus TF-101 Transformer tablet for Christmas basically, and its awesome. 'Nuff said.

So, meow meow.

Kevin

TV: Top Gear
Movie: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Music: The Script
Game: Angry Birds...
Food: Mongolian Chicken.