Thoughts on The Grammy's and Being A Failure

For some reason I put being a failure as the second part of the title, but as it turns out, it is the first thing I talk about. Talk about being a failure at organizing. Another thing I found out I failed at? Early celebration. Yes I know this all sounds convoluted, just wait for it. So the Computer Science program here at UW does not exactly grade things "quickly". I get it, I really do. The programs do probably take awhile to grade and there are a lot of 302 students. Normally I would not really care, but in this certain situation, it felt like a slap in the face. Today I got my grade back for the Ant Colony Optimization Program. (Yes it was exactly as exciting as it sounds). Ants and tunnels, pretty boring stuff. I worked pretty damn hard on it. Looking back at my notes from the assignment, they looks like the scribblings of a paranoid schizophrenic. Well, I was not all that impressed with my grade. I wont go into numbers, but let's just say one little mistake propagated into a lot of points marked off. I felt really confident about it when I turned it in. I was so confident and happy about being done with it that I grabbed my friends and went out for some celebratory Parkour, and well the rest is history (THAT IS HOW I BROKE MY BACK). In other words I probably should have waited to see my grade before celebrating. My not have spent my Halloween weekend in the Hospital.

Segway....

That great moment when you find out your professor is on my oxycodeine than you are.....

Grammys.
I heard Skrillex is going to be nominated for Best Artist. Now don't get me wrong, I like me some Skrillex. But I think Best Artist is kind of a stretch. Supposedly Bon Iver is also getting nominated for Best Album (These are all rumors from Reddit's Ugly Sister Tumblr at this point). I get what the "Grammy People" are trying to do. I mean it is probably a good thing that they are expanding to all genres of music. And yet I can't help but to get a bad taste in my mouth about the whole thing. I am just worried that they will take it too far. I was content with the way things were. The Grammy's did their thing with their music, and I did my thing. At the risk of sounding like an incredibly douchey hipster, I will say that I would rather not have all my favorite bands performing at the Grammys. In the end I guess it just goes to show that I just don't listen to obscure enough bands. Moral of the story... I failed again.

Here is not a very obscure band, but a badass song.




-KGM

ps- My scouces tell me the nominations were announced on TV, but I like my joke so I am going to keep it that way. I am going to hide this down here in case anyone wants to call me wrong.

Thoughts on The Loss Of A Dear Friend

I am currently wearing a PMT brand cervical section neck brace. It's job is to support my neck while my blown C6 vertebrae rebuilds itself. It is also ridiculously annoying and restricts me from looking left or right. I figured out that this limitation on my peripheral vision is the cause for my new found butterfingers. I drop everything these days. I did not think much of this until yesterday morning. There I was, drinking my Emergen-C, making sure I got a billion percent of my daily value of vitamin C and every other vitamin and mineral known to man. When all of a sudden, said cup of vitamin juice blend flies out of my hand and spills alllll over the table. Now if you know me very well at all, you would know that breakfast goes hand in hand with some morning internet time.

Flash back to 3 years ago, Christmas time. There my whole family was sitting in our living room. My parents had huge grins on their faces that morning. As my mother would later recount the great feeling she had of actually pulling of a Christmas surprise. Northwest Airlines offered their employee's an awesome deal on Mac-book Laptops. I was over joyed. I had always wanted a laptop. I used that laptop so much. Whether it was writing papers or wasting time on YouTube, I was on this thing constantly. Through the Florida and New Jersey times, it was on of my only friends. But it was a great friend. She even excelled here in Madison. I got her a new battery and installed Linux on her, which she worked wonders with. She let me do all my computer science homework in the comfort of my own dorm room, avoiding the crappy CS labs. She was especially helpful recently, because I am not able to look down and a sheet of paper to write on.

As you probably guessed the Emergen-C spilled all over my beautiful laptop..... I flipped it upside down almost instantly. Pulled the battery out and yelled for my mom to get the hair dryer.... It was a horrific experience. She is currently sitting in a bag filled with rice, in hopes that the moisture will be sucked out and she will be revived. I am writing to you from my mothers laptop.... Crowded desktop and Internet Explorer.....
Pray to the computer gods for me......

I am pretty sure I have posted a Cranberries song before. I am also pretty sure I don't care. This is literally the only song that fits right now....



-KGM

Thoughts on Hurrr Durrrr Herp Derp derrr

Goddamn...
Computer science is one of the most frusturating thing on this planet. At first it's easy. The lines flow from my fingers like Leslie Nelson in Scary Movie.
(blog check list: clever movie reference CHECK)

After writing comes the finger crossing and the running. This step requires a lot less work, and a lot more hope. Not surprisingly the hope is always in vain. It never works the first time, and I don't think it should. But let me tell you when you stare at the same 10 lines of code for 2 hours until realizing that you have a > (greater than) instead of a < (less than), it sucks.
(blog check list: complain about something sucking CHECK)

Seen we are in the computer vein I wanted to talk about Grooveshark. I had obviously heard of Grooveshark, but it was a month or so ago that I discovered its true beauty and power. I mean it fills the spectacular void left by my inability to acquire music while on the University networks. I am actually very proud of my self, resisting that good old convert youtube to mp3 button. (by the way if you don't have that add-on you should get it,awesome). Grooveshark gives me almost every song I could ever need to listen too, granted I don't actually have them; but still. Another great thing about Grooveshark is that it allows me to artificially inflate my musical repertoire. I always felt like being "hip" to all those new, underground indie bands on the radar this week was just too difficult. It is way too time consuming to be that "music kid". I put up a decent effort, when I get the chance, but Grooveshark really helps. Grooveshark - "Helping you seem like a bigger hipster than you actually are since March 2006"
(blog check list: talk about hipsters and stuff CHECK)
(Also I looked up that March 2006 on Wikipedia....citing sources like a boss)

Well what is left.... rant or politics....
I chose you Rant-A-Chu...
This one is on country music, more or less. I am not talking like willie nelson country, not Johnny Cash country. Nay the rant is directed at this new Country. This sexy-tractor bullshit. Some kid posted a video on our UW-Madison class facebook page. To a song called red-solo cup. By Toby Keith. Now I am familiar with several Toby Keith songs. One in particular is called "Beer for My Horses". Now any actual Red-Blooded American ranch who needed his horses to work hard for him is probably not pumping his horses full of beer. Granted it is used as an old time cure for horses that do not sweat enough, I doubt Old Toby knew that. Keyword there being old... goddamn. This red solo cup video is ridiculous, the guy is walking around a college rager. He is 50 years old. What is he doing at a college age party. In the song he states (originally in a more rhythmical manner) that anyone who prefers to drink beer out of glass over a red solo cup does not have a pair of testicles. Last I checked sasparilla didn't come in a red solo cup.
(blog check list: rant CHECK)

I could go on for days about new country music and how I despise it. But to each their own I suppose!
Here... enjoy it...



-KGM

Thoughts on Holy Broken Spine Batman!!

First:

 IT'S ALIVE

Second:
Alright guys... I know I messed up bad this time. It has been at least a month... I am genuinely sorry for failing this hard. In my defense I did fracture 3 vertebrae and partially collapse both of my lungs, in an "accident". I guess what it really comes down to is in those Parkour movies where it says "Do no try this at Home, These are professionals." In the past warnings like this feel in the same category as "Read All instructions before use." But alas I vaulted over a railing by ol' Steenbock Library and here I am a month later, in a neck and body brace blogging from my temporary home in Eagle Heights. The Family Housing area for UW. On a positive note at least I didn't end up in Family Housing because I went to Vegas and accidentally got married right? <----- see that, I am learning to do the whole glass half full thing!

I know it's a few days late but still.....

1. I am thankful that I can walk.
2. I am thankful that UW hooked me up with a sweet apartment
3. I am thankful for having my own room and shower, and mom's cooking again
4. I am thankful that my friends have not completely forgotten about me
5. I am thankful that I am recovering, and finally have enough energy to type and study and listen to music
6. "you get the point" for my rediscovery of Citizen Cope, it's been a while man....
7. "" for my sweet new Monitor/TV replacement and hopefully soon new computer
8."" even partially handicapped I am still doing well in school
9."" that I might get my neck-brace off before Christmas

Look at me being all not cynical, I am damn proud of my new found mindset. Maybe the next hospitalization can rid me of my sarcasm...

Here is your tune... Thanks for reading!



-KGM