Singing

So, I really want to be able to sing well. I've been told a bunch of different things, from "Wow, don't open your mouth ever again" to "That was really good! You have a great voice."

So which is it?

Good or bad?

I've been singing a lot lately (even if I suck) so that I can get better and train my voice. If anyone out there knows any singing technique things that will help make me better, please share them! I've never had any formal training in singing. The radio is my teacher, if you will.

To Retain and Confine

So, as I write, I'm getting ready to go to the orthodontist for the first time since about 4th grade. I had braces back in the day (only on the top four front teeth) and then a retainer. The only thing is, I grew out of my retainer pretty quickly, so a small gap opened up between my two front teeth.

Now, I'm not necessarily self-conscious about it, since most of you just went "Really??". The reason I wanna close the gap is because food becomes an issue sometimes. For instance, I was eating jumbalaya the other day and some chicken got stuck in there and I was with my girlfriend, so I was trying to fish it out without bringing attention to myself. The other food that gets me is tortilla chips. They're just thin enough to slide up that small gap and stab my gums. Not often, but any time it gets through, it hurts like crazy.

And who knows? Maybe I'll get a retainer today... maybe I'll get braces again... guess we'll see and find out!

Just Weirdo

Alright! I shaved. Just letting everyone who happened to have read the below post.

That is all.

Weirdo With a Beardo

Ok, so as most of you probably know, I've been growing a Spring Break Beard. Just for fun and just because I can. But as Spring Break is drawing to a close, I have to decide. Keep the beard and face comments from a mostly facial-hairless community (school.) or shave it all off and go clean. OR I could keep a goatee of sorts. Like the moustache and chin. I don't really mind which way I go, but I want to get opinions from my peeps.

VOTE:
_ No shave
_ Goatee combo
_ Go clean

"Sin Wagon"

Recently, I was at a party. My own. We were playing rock band, see. A group of my friends were watching from the side and I jokingly suggested playing the song "Sin Wagon" by the Dixie Chicks because one of my friends had brought her brand-new banjo to the party. However, because I was singing that round, I had several suggestions to sing that. Of course, I know my friends, so I knew that there wasn't much arguing this. So I decided to do it, even though it would hurt.
So we go through our setlist and all's well that flys through crappy falsetto well. (some of my choices were a little high) And then we got to that song. I know the song well. My mom used to be really huge on the DC. She used to play their CD's in the car a lot, which as you all know, will teach you the songs fairly well. Anyways, the song was complete poop. It was WAY too high for me and... country.
Anyways, felt that I should share this terrible experience with the rest of you who may believe that making an alternative-rock, teenaged guy sing the Dixie Chicks, could possibly be funny. It may look funny. It may sound funny. But I implore you... ask him. He may beg to differ. Actually, he may plead to differ.

Thank you for reading. I hope you didn't laugh. If you did, it's ok, I'm just going to hit you the next time I see you in person, since I can't hit you through a computer screen--legally. But this semi-disclaimer here at the end serves the purpose of telling you all to contain thy laughters and bantering. Please refrain. Tender feelings are at stake here.

Band, Ten, HUT!

So, I've decided to try out for drum major next year, which is one of those two or three people that conducts the marching band, for those that don't know, and I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

I really want the position because I feel like I'd be able to do a lot of good with the title (if not merely the power). Now, I don't intend to sound power-hungry here. Of course, there is the ever-present fear that I won't be able to lead as I want to, or that I'll fall to corruption once the power is obtained, as seen throughout history. But my will to lead and my optimistic outlook will help combat that.

Anyways, I just thought I'd share what's on my mind, since I haven't really posted anything in quite a while.

Spaghetti Cat... 'Nuff Said.

A Dream, Literally.

Ok, so I just woke up a while ago from the strangest dream.

The first half was this: a friend and I were the chosen caretakers of a very important dog. His name was Avogodro, as in Avogodro's number (6.02 x 10^23). And as mighty as this task was (apparently it was really important...), we were on one of the playground at my elementary school. We were chasing Avogodro around and calling his name. It was... fun.

But then! The dream shifts into something much more serious. I'm suddenly in dark, deserted ruins of a once great building. I have a partner (maybe the same friend?). A few seconds and I realize we're both holding guns. We're running through these ruins looking for something. We turn a corner and he shoots down some enemies, shouting in a language we don't understand. He quickly disposes of them with a few short blasts of his automatic rifle. We turn another corner and there's an explosion and in this moment my partner pulls me quickly from the falling rubble. We look up (as we had fallen to the ground) and see our objective. A woman and 3 children. We were to rescue them. My partner and I began towards them when a shot rang out. My partner and guardian ran towards an "empty" building, shooting all the way. I followed suit, but seconds after he entered, he ran past me. Being significantly less athletic, I can only slide down by the wall and hide from our attackers who hopefully haven't seen me. I point my gun up at the window I hide behind. I see the tip of a gun cross the threshold of the window and aim my gun through the wall where the attacker would be. I fire, suprised to find I'm holding a shotgun (my favorite type of gun in the video games). I hear a groan and some steps-- a second enemy filling the first's position. I fire again and again and again, hearing my foes drop to the ground. When there is a second more silence than normal, I rise quickly and sprint past the woman and children to a wall that seems to have some sacks lined up. I slide into the wall and am hidden by the sacks. I hear my partner take charge and attack (and finish off) our assailants. We're safe, but the woman and children sound mournful. They mutter something quickly in Spanish. I am unable to follow due to the speed of their tongues. However, I picked up "Es muerte. El Obama es muerte!" followed by heavy sobs. Suddenly, I realize that I'm President Obama on a mission with a young marine. This revelation paralyzes me until the woman and children have left. I rise and travel back stateside. The next night, I walk into the room where the woman and children are being held safe. They all sleep except the youngest of them. His age, I can't decipher, except less than 7. His eyes widen upon my appearance and a smile cracks his lips as I survey our newly rescued friends. I then leave the room and he falls back to sleep-- the smile still on his face.

Weirdly Odd With a Hint of Strange-- The Cold

Has anyone ever noticed the ridiculous effect the cold has on... everyone? Example 1: Animals. When it's cold, they're usually pretty hyperactive. Example of example 1: Riley, my dog. He's a hyperactive pup to start with. I'll go outside and he'll be freaking out, jumping on me, and licking me to infinity and beyond. But when it's cold, he can jump to my face level (a significant 4 feet higher than usual). It's WEIRD.

Example 2: Kids. We/they (I consider teenagers middle ground) get really excited and jumpy. My littlest sister, for example of example 2, tends to bounce up and down more often. Kids also want to go outside more often when it's cold. Alyssa likes to go jump on the trampoline when it's cold. I don't know what it is, but they seem to be happier little elves. It's ODD.

Example 3: Adults. We/they (Again, I consider us middle ground) get more tired. "Oh no... it's cold..." Slug. Slug. Slug... Shuffle. Shuffle. Shuffle. This doesn't make sense, however, since the adult's favorite beverage is the triple mocha double frappa lattechino with three pumps of vanilla extract and four and a half pumps of semi-non-fat milk (coffee). Doesn't it make sense that they'd be more awake now that it's the season for hot drinks? Coffee doesn't make sense in the summer. Iced coffee, maybe. Not hot. Either way-- I don't like coffee, so it doesn't matter much. :-) It's STRANGE.

Overall, winter just affects people. Or maybe it's just Texas, where 32 degrees F = -20 degrees F. Maybe we Tex'uns aren't as used to freezing. The truth of the matter remains to be seen.

Madden 'Oh-No...

So, I was over at my friend's house last night, and we played Madden '09. I was on his team against another friend and we lost the first game, only to come back and win the second. After that friend had to leave, we played a round of him vs me. Now, I fancy myself knowledgeable in the vast realm of football. Yet, I managed to throw 6 interceptions by complete accident. Obviously, I lost the game. But what's worse, while I was stewing in my own pathetic defeat, a little notice came up on the screen saying that he unlocked an ACHIEVEMENT!

Yay....

No.... REALLY.... -_-


....It was the achievement for catching six interceptions.

Microphone Shenanigans

A few months ago, I did offertory at my church, and I was REALLY nervous for the performance in front of the congregation. It also didn't help that neither of my lucky charms were there!



But alas, I went on stage, got all set up, inhaled, and began strumming. So far so good, until...

...yeah. The microphone was muted. And being mid-song, I couldn't really just stop and unmute. After a short while, I realized I couldn't hear any amplification of my voice. I looked around the congregation to see if there were any befuddled faces. A few short seconds after I noticed my dilemma, I searched the crowd and whilst doing so, saw my youth pastor (pictured here) coming on-stage. I already felt like a tomato burning in the summer sun. He moves the mic and remains standing while holding a mic that is sure to work. I finish the song and feel as red as my Converse. My youth pastor pats me on the back and there is enthusiastic applause. While retreating from the stage, my pastor said, "Thank you, Nick. It's amazing enough that you play guitar so well, but you have a great voice to go along with it!" I hurried to get to a pew and sink into the depths and in my rush, I almost tripped. It also didn't help that I was dizzy from the head rush. As I sat down, I was congradulated by the teens, though I wish I could have performed to my fullest.

The song I played was called, "Here I Am to Worship."

I'll get my chance someday...

YouTube Superstah

So I've got some YouTube stuff out on the interwebbings. I figured for all of you who can't type youtube.com into the browser, I'd post them here as well.

This is really the only one so far worth viewing.

GO SOFIA!

(Lyrics)

Now that she's back in the atmosphere With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey She acts like summer and walks like rain Reminds me that there's time to change, hey, hey Since the return from her stay on the moon She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey Tell me did you sail across the sun Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded And that heaven is overrated Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star One without a permanent scar And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Now that she's back from that soul vacation Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey Now that she's back in the atmosphere I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane Told a story about a man who is too afraid to fly so he never did land Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day And head back to the Milky Way And tell me, did Venus blow your mind Was it everything you wanted to find And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance five-hour phone conversation The best soy latte that you ever had . . . and me

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day And head back toward the Milky Way

Na na na na na-na na na na na na-na nananana

Come One, Come All

Well, I've decided to start a blog for no reason at all. I'll have random ideas, thoughts, and TTD (Topic To Discuss) whenever I remember both that this exists and what my password is.


Anyways.

TTD of the Week: Do you, as a blogreader, enjoy playing classical video games (i.e. pong, sonic the hedgehog, super mario brothers, legend of zelda, etc. and anything else that sidescrolls with low pixelation)? If so, what is your favorite game to re-live?