Second Life

After participating in Second Life, I thought it was kinda interesting. My name is Maaaark Gothly haha in the game. It was very confusing to do things, but I made a friend almost instantly and they showed me how to transport and do many different tasks. Although, I felt it was more of a video game than a social tool so it seemed alittle boring. When I play in virtual worlds I can usually break into a car and blow things up, to me I think it's more of a thrill then just walk around and talk to people. I don't have trouble communicating with people in the real world so I do need an escape like second life to be social with people. I was also skeptical of what people actually feel about this program, I almost could not take it serious. I end up carrying around a sword and flying around while everyone just walked around and chatted with other people. The person that became my friend said they have been using this program for 2 years, to me seemed a little strange because I probably will not go back on because it was boring and useless. This kind of activity is definitely not for me, I like to go out as much as possible and experience the real world. I'm sure this is perfect for other people that have difficulty going out and communicating with people. I was also concerned about how there was no age requirements and you really do not know who you were talking to, either a male-female, older-younger it was hard to decide who to talk to. Anyways I had my fun, but like I said Second life is not for me and I don't believe I'll be going back on anytime soon.

Seasons and Memory

After visiting home this past weekend I had an interesting conversation with my parents. The subject was on how seasons trigger your memories and most of what you remember in your life you can also remember what season it was at the time. Also, seasons create a certain mood or emotion when a season is mentioned or changes. The main reason we started to discuss this is because I lived in Orlando for four months on an internship. I absolutely loved the weather and everything about it when I was down there but did notice how I missed the seasons and temperatures changing around me. I was in Fl from Sept-Dec. This is a time where seasons change dramatically and you can feel and see the changes around you. I did not experience this for the first time since I've lived in the northeast my whole life. Around Christmas time is what really made me feel out of place, not only the weather but the whole experience and feeling of Christmas wasn't there. Since I left home right after summer time it felt like I had an extended summer, which don't get me wrong remarkable but not what I am use to. Always in Oct. you notice the leaves to fall around, Halloween and every activity you do with your family and friends have to do with the change of the season. As November and December roll around the weather starts to get colder and yes! Snow comes down! Before you know it the Christmas season has started and there is nothing better. Fortunately, I came home right around Christmas but that transition was very strange at first. What also triggered this conversation is because I am planning on moving to Fl for good to work for that company I originally interned for. My parents believe that I will love the area and fit nicely down there but eventually come back to the northeast because it is difficult to lose the seasons and the many memories that come with it. I believe they might be right but who knows, there's only one way to find out...but hey 70 degree weather all the time is an easy thing to get use to.

Celtics: Wow

Most of you are aware of the courageous run the Celtics have acheived last night. This is one the greatest stories I think in NBA history. The Celtics had such anticipation to win a championship after trading for Ray Allen and KG that I felt it would be too good to be true. But at last they have overcome the gruesome NBA playoffs bringing each series to game 7. Now they have defeated the Lakers with class and honor. I have never felt more confident about the Finals after we won the first 2 games of the series. We were playing like champions and it was fascinating to watch every second of it. Paul Peirce couldn't have looked any more of a superstar and having greats on our team like Allen and KG step up to the stage couldn't have happened more perfect. Being in Boston for these kind of wins and achievements really makes you feel like you apart of something great. I will remember these moments for the rest of my life and will be babbling about it with my friends and family til I'm six feet underground. The chances of a team to be 2nd worse in the league and strive to be the best in the world is unimaginable. Every piece of the puzzle fit and when everyone stood back there was a picture of a NBA championship trophy. I could only imagine the emotions veterans like Peirce must be feeling. He's been the great underrated player, playing for a horrible team for years but always playing with heart and never giving up on his team. He has finally risen to the forefront and this is his time to shine. He is now among the greatest not just only of the present but of all the many greats that have worn the Celtic jersey proudly. The feeling of being the best at what you do when many try so hard to try to reach such heights is why we play the game. As they interview Kevin Garnett right after the championship win, he can only repeat the words "I'm on top of the world" the sense of joy and happiness poured out this great athlete that words could never describe the feelings he possessed at the time. This is what being a fan is all about and why I love sports is these kind of moments. I am proud to be a Celtic fan and a Boston fan because it has been nothing but a rollercoaster...and I love rollercoasters.

Renaissance Paintings

After visiting the MFA and seeing the many works of art throughout the tour, I feel Renaissance painting was my favorite section. I also enjoyed the Egyptian art and sculptors because of the fascinating history behind it but Renaissance was kept me in awe the most. What I like about the painting was the intense detail put into each painting. Each piece was massive and looked like it took a year to finish it was simply remarkable. I especially admire how each panting tells a story where you can not only glimpse at the art but experience it. I do enjoy certain types of art where it is very contemporary and you must create your own ideas toward the piece. Although, the stories behind the Renaissance and the graphics are very intriguing and interesting. The vibrant colors are also a beautiful asset to the many paintings posted along the MFA hallway. I have been to the MFA a couple times within my academic career and every-time I come I always remember the Renaissance painting display. The other displays are beautiful but the Renaissance paintings always leaves quite an impression on me where I can almost picture each detail after leaving the room. 

Mixing Music Cultures

I have always been obsessed about music throughout my whole life. I've always been a fan of hip-hop music especially the older hip-hop like Tribe Called Quest, EPMD, Artifacts etc. What is very interesting about hip-hop and rap music is how they sample music and turn it into their own. Some people might feel this is stealing but I feel it creates a new art. An issue that also comes up is mixing certain cultures of music with hip-hop and rap. Such as Indian Pray music and artists like Jay-Z or Timbaland who use this type of music and create a whole new sound. I personally like this kind of sound because it helps me appreciate the other cultures of music that we do not hear everyday. Without hip-hop music reaching out to these cultures and different sounds many people would not be able to experience this kind of culture. This is true about certain techno and dance music that uses the sounds of different cultures and adds a certain hook to it so it's more amusing to us and we can enjoy it in a different atmosphere. I can still see how some people might be appalled by this because some music is sacred to some cultures but that is what music is all about, sharing. Without the birth of blues and the sharing of this music there would be no hip-hop or rap. If there was no sharing of rock there wouldn't be any punk-rock or ska music and so on. If we notice it or not every genre of music is connected to one another and we must appreciate it all or we will be in a standstill in the upcoming of music.