The Music World

On Thursday, December 3, 2015, the world bid farewell to Scott Weiland, a gifted yet troubled vocalist who had been in the music industry since at least 1986.  I, along with many others, was very saddened by his passing.  I have to admit that I had been watching his story for many years now.  I grew up a huge Stone Temple Pilots fan in the 90's, since I was about 13 or 14 years old.  I do not wish to speak ill of the deceased, but I had watched and read stories of his being very late for concerts, disappointing fans and his bandmates alike, which lead to his eventual ousting from Stone Temple Pilots.  He started his own band, which at least prevented him from being kicked out of another band.  The music from his new band was commendable, to be sure.  I'm just not sure that anything could have saved Scott from himself.  I'm not sure if he saw that he had a problem, with drugs, alcohol, the rock-star life.  And if one doesn't see a problem, the problem and its ailments cannot be corrected.

In any case, it is my hope that Scott Weiland will be remembered for his contributions to rock music, and to the music world itself.  I was dismayed in the 90's to hear comparisons between Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots.  I admired and enjoyed both bands, to be sure.  STP, which was previously known as Mighty Joe Young, had a more unique sound to me, more ethereal at times, and all at once more driving, as can be heard in such songs as "Wicked Garden" and "Where the River Goes," and nearly any other song found on their album Core.  Core is an album that, to this very day, I can listen to without interruption or skipping over any songs, and be as completely mystified by its chords, drumbeats, and Scott's sometimes roaring, sometimes lulling and gentle voice, as I was at my first listen roughly 20 years ago.

Music has been a large part of my life since I was a very small child.  I not only wanted to utilize this blog post as a tribute to Scott Weiland, but also to remember what various songs, regardless of genre, have meant to me over the years.  I have compiled a list of the top 5 songs for each category listed below, ranging from what evokes certain memories of a decade to the mood and emotion, as well.

Take Me Back to the 80's:

1. Van Halen ~ Jump
2. Madonna ~ Material Girl
3. Level 42 ~ Something About You
4. Cyndi Lauper ~ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
5. Damn Yankees ~ High Enough

Take Me Back to the 90's:

1. Nirvana ~ Lithium
2. Stone Temple Pilots ~ Plush
3. En Vogue ~ Don't Let Go
4. Salt N Pepa ~ None of Your Business
5. The Offspring ~ Come Out and Play

Make Me Cry (Every. Time.):

1. Michael Jackson ~ Man in the Mirror
2. Phil Collins ~ Against All Odds
3. Dionne Warwick ~ That's What Friends Are For
4. Whitney Houston ~ I Will Always Love You
5. Pearl Jam ~ Last Kiss

Make My Day:

1. Sam Cooke ~ Cupid
2. Len ~ Steal My Sunshine
3. America ~ Ventura Highway
4. The Eagles ~ Already Gone
5. Madonna ~ Borderline

Most Memorable Music Videos:

1. Genesis ~ Land of Confusion
2. Gorillaz ~ Clint Eastwood
3. Eurythmics ~ Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
4. Bonnie Tyler ~ Total Eclipse of the Heart
5. Pearl Jam ~ Jeremy

Music should and does evoke a variety of emotions and memories within us.  It can also help us deal with our own happiness, sadness, inner turmoil, or it can even help us forget what troubles us.  I suppose it would be overly simplistic to think that music can also heal those who produce it.

Thank you for the music you provided us, and rest in peace, Scott Weiland.  

Weight Loss and MyFitnessPal App Review

As many of my friends and family know, I have been working on a lifestyle change of sorts since April of this year, 2015.  I have lost approximately 30 pounds.  While my weight loss has slowed in the past few months, I have maintained a steady weight loss of approximately 2-3 pounds per month (my goal is currently 1 pound per week).

I started out this life at a scrawny 6 pounds, 5 ounces.  I was a skinny kid up until I was about 5 years old.  That's when I started what would be a lifelong struggle with being overweight.  Being overweight/obese can very much be an obstacle, however you want to look at it.  My weight has been up and down most of my life.  And for the majority of the time, I freely admit to being in the wrong mindset regarding goals to reach a healthy weight.

For anyone who wants to get serious about being at a healthy weight, it is wise to consider to put yourself in the right mindset first. You have to want it, and you have to want it for the right reasons.  To just jump in feet first without realizing what you're getting into and what you might be setting yourself up for may have very unsatisfactory results.

Some friends referred me to a free app called MyFitnessPal.  I downloaded it to my phone back in April.  You put in your current height, weight, and the amount of weight per week you wish to lose.  This information is calculated and the app determines how many calories you can take in a day to reach your desired goal.  It allows the user to input food items for meals and snacks, and it even has a function that scans the barcode of food items and even supplements (vitamins, fish oil capsules, etc.).  You can also enter exercise information or download apps that communicate this information to MyFitnessPal, which calculates this information into calories burned and subtracts it from your caloric total for the day.  For example, I use an app called Pacer (the icon looks like a shoe), which is basically a pedometer, and it interacts with MyFitnessPal quite well.  I'd like to point out that the latest MyFitnessPal upgrade now allows you to choose from your overall food list, especially frequent items, for all meals, not just for the meal you typically eat said food item.  That comes in handy for someone like me who doesn't just eat eggs and cereal for breakfast, but at any given time of the day.

Dieting, fasting, and avoiding most foods are not long-term methods of weight loss.  There is nothing wrong with eating what you want.  Moderation works.  Making yourself accountable for what you eat and your activity levels works.  You have to find what works for you and make sure these are changes you can live with for the rest of your life.

Here is a rundown of my rating(s) of MyFitnessPal app on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best:

User-friendliness:  9.5
Interoperability (with other apps): 9
Accuracy:  9.8
Functionality:  9.6
Overall score:  9.5

MyFitnessPal is a considerably user-friendly app that allows users to track their eating and exercise habits.  It is considerably interoperable with other applications that are designed to work with it.  For the most part, the food, drink, and exercise caloric information are accurate; however, the user should be aware that some of these entries are entered by other users and must be cross-referenced to ensure accuracy, or else scan or use entries with a green "verified" check mark.  Overall, this is a highly recommended app for those interested in losing or maintaining weight through tracking food consumption and exercise activities.

Until next time!

A Moment of Reflection

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV)

I take a moment out of the wildness and wackiness of my typical world to pause and reflect on the life of a dear friend who departed from this life five days ago.  I attended her visitation this evening.  I only found out about her death just last night.

I met Doris 10 years ago when I was working at an automotive interiors plant.  She told me stories of her son (who is about my age) and daughter, and of her life in general.  I wasn't a smoker, but I often found myself outside with the smoking crowd just to get out of the building for a while on breaks, and also because Doris and the other people who sat outside often had more amusing stories and jokes to tell than the ones who usually stayed inside (for some reason - I never quite figured that one out; maybe they just took more walks on the wild side, who knows).  Doris tried to look out for me.  She would often give me good advice (although I was often too stupid and naive to listen and take her advice on things) and let me know when I was being stupid, which is definitely what a guy-crazy 20-something needs who continuously makes idiotic mistakes when it comes to guys (I still need  guidance along those lines as a single 30-something, but anyway).  She also helped me be aware of my strong points, as well.  She always told me I was too smart and too good with computers to stay in a place like that, even though I assumed at the time I would retire from the factory.  We worked together for roughly 5 years before we were laid off together among approximately 118 other employees.

I have made several friends and acquaintances through the years, and I have worked with hundreds of people since I began my journey into the workforce 17 years ago.  I worked with at least 900 people at that first job at the factory. Honestly, you don't get close to a lot of people except here and there in the workforce.  Doris helped me see things differently.  After the layoff, we would run into each here and there.  I didn't keep in touch as I should have, to be honest.  But I did see her at her workplace (a local convenience store) or at the local Walmart.

We always think there's going to be time, don't we?  One day, you see someone, healthy and their usual self, and sometimes they pass suddenly, whether by an accident of some sort or an illness.  It's going to happen, no matter what we say or do.  Do we think people are just always going to be there, like they're invincible or something?  Do we let time just get away from us?

In the long run, yes, we do have to prioritize our lives.  I keep telling myself I'm go to do better, that I'm going to make better use of my time. And yet, I still let it get away from me.

I said goodbye to a friend tonight.  I pray that her (grown) children find peace and comfort in the days ahead.  I was very lucky to have known their mother.

Goodbye and rest in peace, my friend.
 

Poetry and Other Literary Endeavors

As I have mentioned previously, I enjoy writing.  Poetry is my favorite pursuit; however, I also have short stories and a few novels in the works.  While work and college currently take up a lot of my time, I do manage to get a poem completed and a few lines or pages of my novels here and there.

I wanted to take a moment to link and discuss my three poetry anthologies that I have on Amazon:

Phaser's Poetry Anthologies on Amazon

There are three listed, but allow me to take a moment to explain.  While I have self-published three anthologies, Echo of a Heartbeat is out of print, and while it was a worthy start, in all honesty, it isn't my best collection of work.  I wrote many of the poems in that anthology as early as age 12, not that it detracts from my work, but there were poems that were most likely not ready for print.

My second anthology, Times Throughout, is a culmination of what I consider to be the best poems featured in Echo of a Heartbeat, as well as poetry I wrote shortly before publication.  I think Times is a book that is great at representing the past and present of where I was going with my poetry at the time.

Nebula:  And Other Poems was a bit of a walk on the wild side for me.  It was fun designing the cover, which was an extreme distortion of my own eye.  I added, took away, and distressed several layers to create the finished product.  I designed all of the covers for my books, but I think this was my favorite one.  Many of the poems were published in various places around the internet, so I gathered them up, added a few more, and thus Nebula was born.

I have a fourth anthology in the works.  I have roughly 14 poems ready for it, but I plan to add many more.  None of these will be published beforehand, on the internet or otherwise, so these will be brand new for my readers.  I'm excited, and I hope that all 2 of the people who read my poetry will enjoy, ha ha.  Seriously, though, I do hope that everyone will enjoy the new book when it's ready.  I hope to get it out there and published soon.

Until next time!

Studio Ghibli Brings Tears to My Eyes ... Again

When Marnie Was There - Movie Review

When Marnie Was There - Official Trailer

While browsing the DVD shelves at a store near where I work before heading home for the day (and weekend, yay!), I was surprised to come across a Studio Ghibli film I hadn't heard of before:  When Marnie Was There.  The cover shows two girls at the seaside on a sunny day.  Not to give too much away, but that's a pretty deceptive cover right there.  Anyway, I decided to give it a try, since I have yet to watch a Studio Ghibli film that I completely dislike, and many of their films are among my favorites, anime and non-anime alike.  It's not a Miyazaki film (Hayao or Goro), of course (although the animation could certainly pass for it), and it's not even an Isao Takahata (which might be good in a way, because that man can spin a story in a way that makes me cry *hard* absolutely every time, without fail).  The director here is Hiromasa Yonebayashi, alongside producers Toshio Suzuki and Yoshiaki Nishimura.  The whole cast and crew deserve props for pulling this movie together, because, while I may be saying so prematurely in this critique, they have created a beautifully pieced-together storyline that unveils itself in layers combined with gorgeous hand-drawn animation.  The moonlit marsh at night combined with intricately detailed houses that range from a cozy cottage with intimate, comfortable rooms to a lavishly decorated mansion that boasts copious amounts of space and luxurious views.  It is evident that so much heart and care were put into this production.

The story follows a troubled young girl named Anna who ends up on a journey for the improvement of her physical, mental, and emotional health, and she ends up finding so much more than she ever thought possible:  friendship, love, a sense of self, and basically ... herself, her own story, past, present, and possibly future.  There is a melancholy air to this story, but with a feeling of hope.  It didn't make me bawl my eyes out on a Takahata level, but it does have an emotional depth that certainly did make me realize I had a few tears sneaking their way out of the corners of my eyes.  There are some lighter moments of humor peppered throughout, which is great, because I can certainly appreciate a movie that makes me both laugh and cry.

It is my understanding that Studio Ghibli reportedly took a "short hiatus" after making this film, which has caused more than a few rumors to generate that this could possibly be their last movie, especially after Hayao Miyazaki's retirement.  I truly hope that these are mere rumors and that there will be no truth to this speculation.  Granted, one of my few gripes (and it's barely a gripe, just commentary) about this movie is that it does start out slightly formulaic, as I was vaguely reminded of the beginning of Spirited Away.  However, there's nothing wrong with starting out with a template of sorts and moving forward with a more original storyline, or at least going in directions few have taken in the world of anime film-making, if not movie-making in general.

So, let's get to the rundown of my review.

Positives:  
Great storyline, beautiful animation, and another fine Studio Ghibli movie to enjoy for years to come.

Negatives:
A feeling of deja vu when first watching the movie, which may or may not be experienced by other viewers, but I was feeling it.  While I don't mind a slight formulaic pattern here and there, I would prefer for Studio Ghibli to take the risks it used to, but with the gaping hole that Hayao Miyazaki's retirement leaves, their hesitance is a bit understandable.  Also, this movie may also be a little too emotional for some viewers' liking, especially for an animated movie - it really depends on what you like, as a whole.

Overall Assessment:
I feel that Studio Ghibli made this movie not to prove a point, but to find their roots in enjoying the process and the end result of creating a beautiful animated movie that families the world over will love.  I feel that this company still has a lot to offer in terms of making such movies, and Marnie makes an excellent case in point.  I recommend this movie to those who love Studio Ghibli, anime in general, or for anyone looking for something new, heartwarming, and even cathartic.  It is a beautiful movie with a great story, and I personally think you would be missing out to pass up on this one.

Introduction and Experiments in Social Media

Hey fellow interweb folks, Phaser Pulse here.  You can call me Phaser, or whatever, I go by a lot of different names on the internet.  I have a sister blog site at TaDolls! where I show my rescued dolls and toys that I enjoy repairing and restoring, projects which have been on the back burner while I work on my bachelor's degree and work a full-time job as a supervisor ... and I write ... so, I'm basically rarely bored, but I'm really liking where my life is going lately, and I feel like I'm on the right track, so yay!  The purpose of this new blog is to provide more of a personal touch, rather than the cut-and-dry format of TaDolls - I love that blog and plan to do more with it, but I want a more personal blog that I can update day-to-day, week-to-week rather than wait until I'm in the throes of a restoration project.

So, as of about a month ago, I walked away from one of the major social media outlets that I utilized on a daily, if not hourly, basis (2 guesses which).  I have since discovered the pros and cons of my decision, which I will list here.

Negatives:

• loss of social connections on a regular basis
• decreased ability to keep up with family and friends (didn't even know a family member passed away until the funeral was already over) 
• I am the last to know anything now.  Ever.
• a strangely hollow feeling like something is missing creeps up on me sometimes
• missing the latest humorous memes

Positives:

• more time to do what I feel are IMPORTANT things rather than sit on that social media site or get pulled into the constant distractions of mostly useless notifications
• friends reach out to me more with phone calls and text messages, which feels more personal
• in turn, personal connections feel more intimate, I don't feel like I'm just a social media buddy
• lower blood pressure!!!!
• I don't feel so agitated over ridiculous things that don't or shouldn't matter on a personal level and test friendships, like political conversations that get WAY too vicious and combative.
• I don't have to see 50 different people post/share the same meme/quote that got old in the last week or so.

So basically, I feel like the positives outweigh the negatives.  I actually didn't drop the site for any of these reasons - I did so for work-related reasons.  I anticipated all of the negatives, and I actually thought I would have withdrawal issues.  However, the positives were noticeable almost immediately.

I don't recommend everyone go out and ditch their social media accounts immediately.  I'm still on Twitter and the rarely used Tumblr, as well as Google+ (sorry, I'm not on there much either, though).  But maybe we don't need to be as constantly connected as we think we should be, you know?  I think oversharing of meaningless tidbits and being addicted to your feeds can be unhealthy, and I feel that it can cause the deterioration of deeper, more meaningful friendships and relationships in general.  I find myself actually wanting to blog more, which may be part of the reason I started this blog.  I'm not just giving a snippet of my life and my thoughts, but I'm actually typing out my thoughts and reflecting, regardless of my schedule.  I feel like I am making better use of my time, in general.   

But maybe I'm wrong.  As I said, it's been maybe a little over a month, and maybe I'll learn more about myself and my thoughts on social media as a whole.  I left it open to reactivate the account, as well, and maybe I will someday, but as of right now, I think I'm good.  

Until next time!