Music Is My Life

The Temptations: My Girl
Hidden in the back of my makeup drawer, safe from the everyday spills of my quick morning makeup sessions, is a broken jewelry box. This box is broken,two halves that are separated adding the character that all heirlooms should have . Its smooth wood reflects your face in its tag teamed light and dark wooden floral setting. Inside this box along the green velvets setting and just past the curving landscape of its ring holding section is an array of my “nice” jewelry. Not all of it is nice. But it is protected. From my great grandmas earring, to a bracelet my little sister made for me. Each has a special meaning or person behind it.There is one piece that particularly special. At the bottom of the larger pieces is a tiny green velvet pouch that blends perfectly into the velvet of the box itself. In this pouch is my secret treasure. It is my perfectly concealed memory. This is a bracelet that is far too tiny to wear now, for it was made for me when I was only one year old. Its tiny silver beads wrap the emerald center like a giant bear hug. I can almost smell my daddies bear hugs. Like the beads, he could swoop and surround my body as he picked me up. At my request my father would lift me to his shoulder and smile. Calling me little princess he would tickle my face with his beard and let me pull the pens from his pep boys pocket protector. My father died when I was 2 and ½. These memories are things, and yet I am not sure if they are memories of my own, or memories of stories I have heard. But I remember two things about my father I remember that bracelet, and his voice as he sang to his girl. Lyrics said "I've got sunshine on cloudy day.With my girl.I've even got the month of May With my girl".dancing with me, even though my feet were no where near the ground.

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Billy Joel: Uptown Girl
There is a tightly wound string that wraps around the hardcover of the book. Inside the pages are a yellow-white aging with the acid of the years.A tiny inscription reads "to my babies" in my mothers swirly mixture of cursive and print. There are tiny rips and tears where pictures or items have been removed. This is the book that tells the story of an uptown girl(my mother) and a downtown man(my father). At least that is what my mother tells me every time we look at it. I flip my hands through each section laughing at my parents near identical perms, and peering in awe at my mothers near bursting tummy in several of the pictures. On several of the pages are quotes from Billy Joel songs, most of them from Uptown girl.My mother said that my dad Barry would always sing that song to her, saying "She'll see Im not so tough.Just because Im in love with an uptown girl". He was so sure that she was too good for him. This scrapbook is a love story that was lost, a romance novel cut short. The last few pages are bittersweet showing our whole family, my mom, my dad, my brother, and I with my sister in my mothers stomach. It is one of the only family photos we have of all of us before he died. I know that scrapbook the same way I know my own memories. It is something that ties my mother and I together. In those aged pages are thumb prints of me at every age. That book and this song have followed me through ever major event of my life when I am with my mother. The chorus of "You know Im in love with an uptown girl"is like a reminder that no matter where I go I have that ground to go back to. No matter what age I am, my mother and I will always have those pages of memory, and those moments together remembering how she was an "uptown girl," who looked for "a downtown man."


The Used: Blue and Yellow
I have a mixed tape. It has just one song on it. The first beats of this song are slow and steady. The lyrics calm me and make me smile even while my eyes swell with tears. This song is his favorite, and for our five month anniversary he gave it to me. In the age of mp3’s and ipods, a tape is ancient history. The tape is older, it has been used and reused, and the tape inside has the look of something that has been stretched and rewoud. It has been flipped and renamed and restarted too many times to count. This tape is not a family heirloom or an artifact with information that will save people. It is a silly piece to some, in fact many of my friends mock me for it. They see its blue smiley face sticker with blushing cheeks peeling at the corner and ask what it is for. But it’s a secret. I keep this tape for memory only. On it is the voice of my first love. His fiteen year old teen angst voice is telling me a story. He tells me the way he loves the song, "its all in how you mix the two" he points out. . For certain lyrics he interjects a comments to remind me that this is a love song,because he loves me. It plays and his laughter echoes as he talks about the times we have had together, unknowingly giving me a solid memory of who we were. On this tape is so much of my life with friends and family and thoughts. Wound and rewound the way I have thought as rethought the things I went through. This song and tape are from a weird time, like that transition from tape to CD , switching to high school was like feeling around in the dark for a light switch. There is so much growing up done. A giant leap was made, and I lost him in the process. Like the song says "you never would have thought in the end how amazing it feels just to live again". There are some days when I want to go back to being so easily loving, and so truthfully loved. And holding that little piece of plastic is like feeling my memory flood back. I like that tape.


Mercy Me:I can only imagine
Many people are shocked to see the things that line the walls of my room. I guess I don't give off the same vibe that my possessions do. The most shocking of my objects seems to be a crown from a pageant I was in. This crown is not of great strength, it is sterling silver with rhinestones on it. Through its crisscross of diamonds and triangles the light plays tricks with your eyes. I can go back in a moments notice to that pageant, but it is not the competition I remember. I remember my dad. My dad was my escort on that stage, I remember because it is one of the only times I have seen him in a suit. He put on that thick grey three piece suit, and shined his black shoes. He tucked in a small pocket square that matched my dress perfectly, and he walked with me to the backstage area. There was the set of crowns, taunting the participants. The light played off of the tiara bouncing a kaleidoscope of light back to me. My dad was looking at me as the lights for the stage darkened. We reached the crest of stage, and those lights hit us like the reflection of the tiara ( multiplied by ten). I couldn't see the audience, and the girls were all turned away from me. The chorus of this song hit, "I can only imagine.What my eyes will see.When your face.Is before me" and my dad leaned over to me and told me he thought I was beautiful, and that no matter what,he was proud of me."I can only imagine" how jealous the other girls must have been, because I was the luckiest girl in the room.


Blink 182: Adams Song
Some people may wonder why I have a clown nose and a funeral announcement in the same box. I guess it is pretty strange. A clown nose is fluffy, its red material looks as though it holds the air around it in a gymnasium of fun. But in one squeeze you can extract all the fun from within it. The nose is seemingly whole at first glance. Cut almost perfectly as though sculpted by the prophet of clown noses. Yet somewhere in that perfection there is a cut, a small place where something should be, that is not. I guess that is where the funeral announcement comes in. No sixteen or seventeen year old should receive a funeral announcement. This one is beautiful, it is bright and cheerful. The top corner is hole punched carefully by hand. This hole is just large enough to place a short pink ribbon lovingly tied to a beautiful picture of a beautiful girl. I chose this song to remember my friends and the impact they had on my life. Though they were roughly a year apart, the death of my friend Katie and the suicide of my friend Brian seem simaltaniously engraved in my mind. This song is about people who feel lost, and the people who are trying to help them. Like the pictures on the wall behind the band,their funerals were filled with pictures of them, smiling and happy, they "laughed the loudest, who would have known".
These objects are beautiful, but they are both missing something. That something are the people who are missing from my life. These friends are tucked away gently into the corner of a wall of my memories. Like the video I zoom onto them often. For them I place that clown nose on my face, filling that small hole now, like I could not before. And I live my life the strongest I can for them, I laugh and I remember. Much like the songs lyrics, I am so sorry that they are gone.


Snow Patrol: Chasing Cars
Falling in love is hard. But it is also worth it. You just have to remind yourself of why you fell in love with them in the first place. Sometimes, I forget the meaning of the ring on my left hand, meant to remind me of the wonderful boy who is mine. It is a small ring, dainty, but tough at the same time. It has a sheen a metallic that embraces and reflects simultaneously. It is the circle of things that we have gone through; he an I. There are scratches where there have been some rough spots. Sometimes it slides off my finger a bit, and I have to make sure I hold onto it a little tighter. It curves a bit at the center, where the two ends have different paths. But always they come back. Always those two sides find that peace in the center. That place where we can lay and forget the world that surrounds us. Three diamonds. Discret and minuet to some, mean the world. They are the past, present, and future. Rings are tricky objects. They are strong and withstand many days and nights, but only if you care for them. Like memories you have to take them out every once in a while and polish them off. In this same way you have to be able to look at your love and remember why it is that it means so much to you. The lyrics "those three words are said to much, they are not enough" explain our love perfectly. My ring reminds me of all the things I sense that cannot be vocalized between us. The minuet he gave me that ring and promised me your love, I knew that I would always have a safe place. A center of peace where "We don't need Anything Or anyone" . So "If I lay here. If I just lay here." I know he would "lie with me and just forget the world".


John Lennon: Imagine
Sometimes it just seems so bizarre to me to see what people can do. In the hands of man things can be created or destroyed. Those hands have the capability to pull open a ripped and torn worn box. This box is full,from side to side, are pencils. They are my drawing pencils, that have the ability to work with or against my pure paper.These pencils have taken the liberty to climb upon each other to reach out to those hands. They want to help. There are a million different types of these pencils, in this box there are at least seven different types. These pencils have the same things inside of them,its just that something on their outside has given them a different name. With these pencils I can raise up visions of politics and action. With these hands and the help of these pencils, I could make anything. My art can speak volumes. I could create and add to my world something of the greatest value. I could ,like Lennon did,imagine all the people, and show them to you. With these same hands I could crush the creations around me. I could snap the pencils that do not follow my direction and command. Imagine for a moment. Imagine that people were pencils. How quickly we throw them away. How easily we destroy them in the name of our creation. I have never heard of anyone who took this idea to heart as much as Lennon and the Beatles. He asked us to imagine all the people, living for today. Throughout my time at college, I have learned alot, and it is all about people. It frustrates me to see people hurting eachother, when we could live in peace. Like Lennon, "you may say Im a dreamer, but I am not the only one". Dreamers are the people who take the pencils in their hands and create action for peace and understanding. And there is nothing wrong with a little dreaming, and a little art. I hope some day " the world will live as one".


Spring Awakening Original Broadway Cast: The Song of Purple Summer
When the mp3 players first came out, I didn't understand what was so great about them, I mean yeah they held a lot of music,but so did mixed CDs. I saw I pod commercials, with silhouettes rocking out to their music, but quite honestly I don't think that properly explains the amazing qualities of an I pod.When I received my metal personal jukebox before college I realized. This is not just a musical device. This is an object that in a moments notice can change your mood. You unravel the white earphones, ergonomically created to stay in your ears. In my case, my I pod has a cover that matches my mood in black white or blue plastic to protect it from the harms of the daily grind. Mine has been along side me this semester, through charcoal and paint, sun and rain and snow. The thing about this silver piece of magic has nothing to do with its 2 GB music holding potential, or its smooth scrolling buttons. It is about that freedom. Like the agony of adolescence, and I pod is yours and yours alone. Other people can attempt to understand, but they cannot truly see how the perfect combination of a inspiring soundtrack with the heart pounding screams of " Totally Fucked" can make you want to scream and jump.Its easy for you to forget them and feel that music and that movement, that love pump through you. Only in the world of your I pod are you in control. You can make or break your mood. Those people who piss you off or hurt you can dissapeare because you can play your Spring Awakening as loud as you want, knowing that you are mocking them with every note that is sung. And if that doesn't work you can repeat the sound until they are gone, or untill your anarchy is properly displayed by the smug look on your face. So jam and and spin that white dial until the mood of your Ipod reads, free.

Although Jackson has fallen into some less than favorable light in recent times, he was a hero when I was younger. My brother loved him first, and being the little sister that I was, I wanted to like everything he did. My mom has beautiful pictures of our Michael Jackson days.

The one particular time that I am reminded of is one Christmas. We were at my grandmas house as we often are. My cousins were all there and as per usual, we were putting together a show to enterain the adults. My brother and I had been practicing our moon walks, our quick turns, and our one armed " Owh"'s. We were ready. We had preciously packed our VHS recording of the video into my sisters diaper bag and ran to retirive it.

We grabbed the skirts of one of the many adults and asked them to place our plastic source of glory into the angry looking VCR. We ran around the corner to prepare for our grand entrance.With a whizz and a buzz the music and video sprang to life. We leaped from around the corner to the center of the living room, pausing only a moment to let the audience recognize us. We were ready for this. We had practiced and practiced. I broke it down as much as my five year old body could in a velvet dress. But for some reason my hearing was a little off You see, in order to be more "Jackson-esque" I had put a large black fedora over my head. Because of its size, I decided to put some earmuffs over the hat, just to be safe. Despite this minor convience, the show went on to be one of the best chronicled events of that Christmas. In fact, almost everyone in my family have at least one picture of me at five, clad in dainty red velvet with bows and frill, topped with my fedora, earmuffs, some sunglasses and one glove.

I still think it would have been a great career choice.

Worst ever

This is the worst music video ever. I know this for a fact because when I went to you tube and typed in worst music video ever,and this is what came up with.The reason that I think this video is my least favorite ever is because it doesn't make any sense to me.

These silly swedish singers are dancing around in like the 70s with cardboard cut-out disco balls. Also there are like 15 back up dancers all in red flares and white sweaters. None of whom can dance to save their lives, all of which dance to their own tempo. In the background are some sweet "stars". For what reason, no one knows. What we do know is that he wants to love her tender.

This brings me to my next point. The delicious, or as I like to say ridiculous lyrics of this video. Not only does the english not make any sense as far as sentence structure goes, but they also just repeat the same thing like seventeen different times. I appreciate so much the somewhat entertaining music videos of today bring thanks to technology. Unfortunatly I also believe that without technology, most of the videos would be just as bad as this Danish suprise.

Possibly the most ridiculous moment of this three minuet indent of my life was the ending where they drive off in a car, a Grease like fashion, except instead of driving into the sunset they drive off into outer space as the weird clone like dancers wave goodbye and twirl about the screen for a few more moments.

Rhetoric Appeals

Entering Nebraska has a feeling to it all its own. From Iowa you can see the endless river stretch below your car on either side. And childhood memories for many include clenching white knuckled hands while attempting to hold your breath from one edge of the aqua marine giant of a bridge that connects the two states. Ever since I can remember that green bridge and the weather worn “Nebraska…. the good life” sign have welcomed me back to this state.

Throughout the past few years, Nebraska has been working on bringing more tourism to the state. The Nebraska council in charge of this matter brought together the ideals of Nebraska (family, nature, and fun) in the newest set of Nebraska Tourism Commercials, released in 2007. Through the use of pathos they show an emotionally charged Nebraska not in the weathered worn look of that earlier mentioned green bridge, but rather in the easily relatable white picket Home and Gardens picturesque context of the golden best of Nebraska. Asking the inevitable “Who Knew” of Nebraska families and giving their testimony with the appeal of logos.
The first “Who Knew” opens the montage is the ever popular illustration of a family at the well recognized Henry Doorley Zoo. Although it is not an in-your-face-obvious shot of the zoo the argument is clearly backed up by the social knowledge that this particular zoo is ranked top two in the nation. Along with this is the imagery of a blonde family as the little tykes play amongst the statues, father safety watching an arms width away as the announcer asks if you would’ve thought “ your little monkeys would feel so at home”. This simple analogy is once again reaffirming the comfortable quality of the atmosphere they are portraying through the ideal situation.
Next is the nature section of today’s program. Flash forward to a bike rider (helmet on to promote proper Nebraskan safety) riding through the rolling hills of the Great Plains. There are friends nearby racing in multicolored tee shirts toward the viewer and “spinning their wheels” and finding it “exhilarating”. This scene helps move along into more adult of individual characteristics of Nebraska’s tourism. It also helps us begin to view the process of which our trip might take. Also we are shown the cause and effect of the time. Not only is there the pathos emotional feeling of family that is recognized in the primary image, but also the laid back feeling of freedom and open-ness that is unique to the Midwest in contrast to the bustling constricted momentum of the big cities. This of course is the very thing that makes the Midwest what it is.
Next in the series are a few shots reinforcing the family values, a burly farm father lifting his “ extra 35 lbs” aka his son onto his shoulders glancing back at his smiling wife. This is followed by two adults, wedding rings on hand, pouring, cheering, tasting and “mixing” the red and the white wines in the wine tasting vineyards of the great state. To keep your thoughts calm and earthy, the next vision is that of a three-generation family. There is the white haired grandfather, the chipper dad and the young boy campfire illuminating their laughing faces, camping on the grassy rolling hills, crackling stream nearby and the tangerine and mango sun going down in the background.

These main images that take up the beginning of the commercial are the primary events of the structure. This ad campaign is set up as a compare and contrast of audio and visual context. There is the irony between the visions that are commonly associated with the narrator’s comments and what is shown in the actual images. For example, the “lugging extra 35lbs” evokes the image of manual labor, something that is not seen as fun, but tedious instead. However coupled with the above-mentioned child friendly image, a humor is produced that creates a newfound pathos.

The last image is a few canoes floating down the gentle Niobrara waters sun glistening off the still glass and reflecting the overgrown trees. Suddenly out of the water comes the Nebraska visitors guide clad with the crisp lines and burnt colors of the states Chimney rock.

Here is this image to match the web address and phone number that have been plaguing the bottom portion of the screen all along. This commercial invites you, tiptoeing around your bias to explore the unknown. And with the help of these nature visions we begin classifying each scene into a section or grouping that applies to what each individual wants. There is something for the children, something for the couple, something for the athlete and the nature freak, something for the family and something to do alone. All of that is united by the catchphrase “ Who Knew” always easily announced, in a deep cliché narraratrs voice.
The last images are extremely important for tying together the piece. Shortly before the concluding image of the canoes, we are given testimonies that shoot down the narrarator and combine the before separated visual and audio tracks. This is through the phrase “We knew/ I knew” spoken by the previously seen characters in each Who Knew series. This ties back into the pathos positive feelings of unity, fun, enjoyment, and family.
No matter cliché, it is still apparent that only in the Midwest is it possible to do all of the beautiful things that are shown. However glimmered for the camera, all of these things are born of truth and portray actual places, events, and actions that are available to a face paced over worked tourist. You will not go there and find the place destroyed or the nature built over. It is a resilience built into the fabrication of the state. That within itself is quite that argument of persuasion. Because lets face it, truth has been known to set you free. Who Knew?

DLS

This video is one of my favorite music videos of all time. Not only because of the song and the band, but also because of the way they chose to portray the story they are telling. Alot of bands choose to put a nice focus on the lead singer for the audience to stare and oogle and admire. But the All American Rejects chose to switch it up and bring normal everyday people to the other side of the screen . They dont just give us the audio examples of the " Dirty Little Secrets" with their lyrics, they reenforce that with the handwritten and artistically drafted personal secrets that the public hides. This amazes me because they also introduced the humor and irony of life as they show some secrets that we are trained to think of as ridiculous in contrast with the heart wrenching truths that we can all related to, or even the unthinkable ones that are secrets for a reason. It brings up the question of humanity. How are we able to put on that mask of " normality" while holding these secrets within us. We dont hold them in the lightweight form of a decorated notecard, but hold them heavily on our shoulders. And although we are sometimes ashamed, dirty little secrets have a power all their own, like a secret identity you can always return to, a secret power that someone may one day understand.

To bring this human condition back into the video, all of the notcards are hung together behind the musicians, side by side like a tapestry of failures and hopes and dreams and fears, a vinyl personalized collection of dirty little secrets combined in a way that only musicians can. Oh, AAR how do you know?