"Little Talks" Brings Music back to Video

If you haven't seen this video, then I highly recommend you take a peek.  As much as I enjoy watching hip hop artists' videos about parties and drinking or abusive relationships, I was quite taken by this video that tunes into the actual music and even the text in its own way. The lyrics to the song might suggest a distressed relationship with the glimmer of hope hanging at the end of the day.  The video is quite different in that it at first seems to have little or nothing to do with the lyrics; however, the one theme to which this video maintains true is the refrain: "Cause though the truth may vary, This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore." The characters' journey - their trials and triumphs - is well played and entertaining to watch.

It's when we look past the lyrics, that the artistry can take over our senses. To the first-time viewer, it looks like a strange monty python concoction. Looking past the strange animation and creatures, however, the creative design makes the video. If the artistic visuals were not enough, then watch it again and notice how the rhythmic accents correspond to various visual accents. Once I noticed it, I kept looking for other places where rhythms as subtle as interluding drums are present. I would point them out here, but the self discovery is part of the fun in watching the video so I shall refrain from doing so.

Now that you've read my opinion, watch and listen for yourself - and enjoy! :-)









Lyrics to Little Talks :

Hey! Hey! Hey!

I don't like walking around this old and empty house.
So hold my hand, I'll walk with you my dear

The stairs creak as I sleep,
it's keeping me awake
It's the house telling you to close your eyes

Some days I can't even dress myself.
It's killing me to see you this way.

'Cause though the truth may vary
this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

There's an old voice in my head
that's holding me back
Well tell her that I miss our little talks.

Soon it will all be over, buried with our past
We used to play outside when we were young
and full of life and full of love.

Some days I feel like I'm wrong when I am right.
Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear.

'Cause though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Hey!
Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same.
Hey!

Though the truth may vary
this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

You're gone, gone, gone away,
I watched you disappear.
All that's left is a ghost of you.
Now we're torn, torn, torn apart,
there's nothing we can do,
Just let me go, we'll meet again soon.

Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around
I'll see you when I fall asleep.

Hey!
Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same.
Hey!

Though the truth may vary
this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Hey!
Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same.
Hey!

Though the truth may vary
this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore (x3)

Life Explained through Graphs

Ads from the Past

So these ads were sent to me in an email as "You'll never see these ads again." I can see why. Take a look:

Just imagine the reactions these ads would get today-yikes!

Hashtag, You're It!

Oh the tales we will tell on twitter--one of the fastest growing online communication sites for people of all ages. Now I'll admit that I fell into the Twitter Trap and am now sucked into the cyber space of relatively meaningless status messages that frequent my twitter homepage.

However, one of the reasons I like twitter is that you can send out random messages, quotes, pictures, links, or shout outs about whatever is on your brain at the moment. As someone who has tweeted, yes, over a 1000 times you would think that I had a good understanding of the ins and outs of all the aspects of this site. For instance, I have a pretty good idea of what is a good tweet, a bad tweet, the retweet, the tag (@), and what it means to follow and be followed. However the most important and most random (or so it seems) element of twitter still manages to stump me--that is, the inevitable, unavoidable hashtag.

Marked by placing a pound symbol (#) before a word, I was under the impression that this simple little device was a means to connect tweets of a common topic to one central location. If, for example, I 'tweeted' about the weather, I might put #weather at the end of my tweet so that anyone and everyone who even cares what people are tweeting about the weather can possibly see my special weather tweet. So why do I find them so confusing?

Probably because the hashtag is more than simply a means to connect a topic. It is almost a symbol of "what lies beneath" the tweet. Hashtags like "#donotwant" or "#lol" seem to symbolize the feeling you wanted to say in your tweet, but instead you made it cooler by putting the words together and slapping a # in front of it. My favorite examples are those that are by themselves without a tweet to be found: "#iamsoupsetandthishashtaghelpsmeexpressmyangerwithouttheneedforspaces"

I mean, really? What is the point of the hashtag if you don't have a common purpose? I have had a few moments of the marathon hashtag, but even as I did it, I asked myself why? Perhaps someone will explain the art of hashtags to me, but for now I will continue my tweeting as it allows me to post the most random messages--whether they are insightful or idiotic-- to all of my faithful followers.

#thanksforreading

Awkward Restroom Encounters

I usually associate public restrooms with the ability to come in, get it done, get out.

Today I was proven wrong.

I went to use the restroom at work (nothing unusual about that). As I walk in, however, I heard someone in one of the stalls on the phone. While that didn't shock me, the woman remarked that "someone else just came in the bathroom"--as though that is so surprising.

I thought, fine, whatever. However, shortly after, she finished her phone conversation and then proceeded to talk to me. She asked "Who else is in here?" I didn't know it was custom to have "stall small talk" so it was a little awkward. It's like saying "Hey, you strange person that I can't see but is in the bathroom, what's up?"

I don't mind meeting you or introducing myself, but I prefer to do it when I'm not in a bathroom stall. ^_^

"In the Ghetto"...

Never thought I would find myself driving through it, but alas this morning as I rode MCTS for the very first time, I somehow wound up there.

Today started off really well; I enjoyed a nice walk through downtown this morning into work, and work was very pleasant. The problem, of course, arose in regards to public transit. This was my first time using the Milwaukee transit and I obviously am not very canny with the system yet (nor know my directions). Anyway, I was supposed to get on the Route 30 bus that would take me to UWM. Silly me, I took the "30 Florist" bus which is not only the wrong direction, but heads directly into Milwaukee's inner city--the "ghetto" as I say.

Though I hadn't been there previously, I will agree that the place is quite shady to say the least. I was a little freaked out when I realized that UWM was not going to be on the horizon. While on this "tour", I encountered several "interesting" people including a drunk man. Long story shorter and two and a half hours later, I finally arrived at my intended destination. As a result of this, I missed my first class (which fortunately the professor chuckled at what happened). The experience was an eye-opener to say the least!

#Spotted

Instead of having a separate blog for strange sightings, I thought I would simply update this post whenever one came up. If I did these all on twitter, my tweets would all be the same, so here it goes:

8/25: A Smart Car during rush hour. Probably one of the few times they hit the freeway because then they can drive their average speed of 25 mph and not get run over.