Untruthful

I'm teaching myself piano!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007

I tried to do it once before, and failed miserably, but I'm back to try my second hand at piano thanks to a few new learning tools I have. Why learn piano? Everybody says its so helpful with music theory, plus it goes well with guitar, and its just nice to have another creative outlet at my disposal.

Anyway, as I was saying, I have a few new tools:
1. Chewing Tobacco - Key to helping mind-numbing tasks go just a little bit faster. Actually, its a little-known fact that nicotine sharpens your mind while in your system, it helps you focus. Its true, look it up.
2. Baby's First Keyboard - It may not be much. But it didn't cost much either. And it gets the job done... sort of. I can pretty much only play one hand at a time, but I'm trying to improve on my note-reading too, so it isn't that big of a deal. I'll upgrade when I know I'm for real on this.
3. Internet Sheet Music, accompanied by The Pencil - After learning the basics of reading sheet music, I downloaded a few songs, long ones, to practice. Practice how? Write all the notes in. It sounds tedious, but if you have a passion for music, you really won't mind it much. I don't, anyway.
4. Computer and Internet - The internet rocks. Use a site like Musictheory.net to learn how to read, and then just google some sheet music. Its that simple :)

Have a look at my classroom:
(click to enlarge)

Happy learnin'

Posted byJoe at 5:51 PM 0 comments  

Labels: keyboard, learn, music, nicotine, piano, self, self-taught, sheet, taught, teach, theory, tobacco, yourself

Weekend

I thought, after pondering for a bit, I thought I would explain a facet of my life to both those of you who can relate, and those of you who would chide me for such actions. The best way I can think to do this, is in the form of a short narrative story.

This past weekend, there was a blizzard. Being snowed in can be depressing on a Saturday night, who wants to spend the night inside? Luckily I was amongst friends. Though, it was still a break from the usual weekend activities. Usually, in my circle of friends, Saturday nights are spent at large social gatherings. Most of these involve 10+ people. However, at my friend's that night, there was no more than five of us. Distraught, we looked for something to do. Perhaps, we could enjoy some sort of spiritual experience? Now heres where I have to tiptoe. We didn't do anything illegal. But we did do something that is quickly becoming socially frowned upon. And it did involve some sort of psychedelic substance, which, I will not say. Ask me in person if you really want to know. My friend and I decided that we would partake of this, in hopes that it might bring some sort of religious or trippy experience, as it has in past uses.

After the chemical was in our system, we waited about an hour before feeling its effects. That hour was spent smoking hukka and talking with friends. Its sort of hard to describe the effects with words, its easiest to explain to someone who has tried it once or twice. But I suppose, the best way to explain it to a lay-person, would be the song "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. Coincidentally, this short story is almost entirely about that song.

We sat down in front of my computer. We were having a pretty good time. But it was late, and probably time to start chilling out for the night. So we decided to listen to music. I played a few trippy songs by The Velvet Underground, Nine Inch Nails, and Elliott Smith, among others. Then I got the idea to listen to some of the trippiest music in my collection: Pink Floyd. Music by drug-users for drug-users, or in our case, users of a perfectly legal, non-addictive substance (lol...). I told my friend to get ready. Little did he know, he was about to ride a spaceship into his soul, or perhaps a rollercoaster made of rainbows, or perhaps even fly around in empty space while enclosed in a constantly resizing polygon. That is, while waves of numbing care-free happiness purge you of any worries, pain, or stress. We sat down, put on headphones, and listened. What followed, was what I can honestly say is the happiest, most enlightening experience I've had with any sort of semi-illicit to completely-illegal activity (of which I have a couple experiences. But I think I'm a good guy for the most part, right?)

I didn't spend much time on detail, which I had intended to when I started writing this, but I'm happy with what came out anyway. I have not-so-standard views when it comes to drug policy, and also when it comes to what defines addiction. If things went all my way, I'm sure the country would be in flames, or at least not what it is today (for better or worse). People demonize any form of substance use and usually tag any use of any mind-altering chemical as substance abuse. Well define "abuse" do you mean using something for a reason you disagree with? Or do you mean using to the extent of harming one's self, or others? If you say the latter, what about the people who use responsibly (they exist, as does a large community and knowledge-base about proper use, and misuse of any and all substances that are considered mind-altering see link at end of story)? I feel that 90% of addiction today is mislabeled. People who get easily addicted to anything, be it gambling, porn, stealing, or drugs, among other things, all lack one simple trait that is key to survival in today's world: Willpower. Weak willed people are addicts. Its that simple. How do I explain things like "High-functioning alcoholics"? Well I would say: a high-functioning addict doesn't have a problem if it isn't causing external harm (to family, friends, etc.), for example, not more smoking a cigarette would.

Anyway. I'm tired of typing. Talk to me in person about all this sometime. I'd love to discuss it with you.

And here's that link I was talking about:
Erowid
Read, learn.

Posted byJoe at 2:18 PM 0 comments  

Labels: weekend substance abuse use laws politics legality illicit drug

The 2 Week Challenge: Day Six
Monday, February 26, 2007

Oh dear,

Over the weekend,
the time that I would normally devote almost entirely to self-pleasure,
something happened,
something was missing,
something snapped. (by means of a hammer)

Will I survive?
Watch, rate, and comment it here
Check out my other shit on my youtube channel

Posted byJoe at 8:12 PM 2 comments  

Labels: blog, challenge, day, jack, jerk, off, Personal, reality, six week, The, two, vlog

Year Zero
Sunday, February 25, 2007

Nine Inch Nails really knows how to attract a fan. I've been a rabid fan of this band ever since I discovered the joy that is Industrial Rock. But to be honest, I really didn't expect to get what they're giving me now. Not only are they giving me amazing music, this is a story. Its horrifying. If you let yourself believe, maybe you can feel something you've never felt before. Its something like...

Its parepin. The government's solution. Its in your water. Its in your body. Its in your head.

When did we make the conscious decision to follow whatever they shove down our throats?
What is real truth? And even if you you got it, would you want to believe it?
This is the beginning of the end.

Parepin and that presence, a hand, or something, extending from the sky.
What is it? Do you want to know? Can you believe?

Anotherversionofthetruth
Iamtryingtobelieve
Yearzero
NIN on myspacemusic (3 songs from new album)

Posted byJoe at 1:22 PM 0 comments  

Labels: another, believe, government, inch, industrial, music, nails, nine, parepin, rock, truth, trying, version, year, zero

Hit Me, Baby, One More Line!
Friday, February 23, 2007

I remember when that Britney Spears music video, "Hit Me Baby One More Time", came out. I drooled. She was hot. Then she sort of faded into obscurity when hotter chicks came around, like Jessica Alba. Plus, she lost her naughty touch when she hooked up with that highschool sweetheart for a bit. But they broke up eventually. Then she hooked up with K-Fed, got knocked up, then got a divorce. I think I can safely say that I lost interest somewhere between K-Fed and the divorce. However, in a fantasy world, if she were to come and offer her body to me, that is, after that poor child got out, and the baby fat disappeared, I would have obliged. I would have obliged, mainly because she was still pretty hot, and not a crazy bitch.

Lets examine that claim more closely; "not a crazy bitch" usually entails not.. well, not doing shit that just freaks me out. I should note however, that if an action should both freak me out and turn me on, it would not immediately put her in the "crazy bitch" category. That said, shaving her head in public while repeating "don't touch me" does not turn me on. All it really did was freak me out. Sorry Brit.

Apparently, though, theres quite the story to her strange actions. Britney does a whole bunch of coke! Oh! That explains everything! Not quite. Also, she drinks herself sick when she parties. And by drinking sick, I mean she gets fucking sloshed, passes out, then bitches at her bodyguards or friends to drive her home. Needless to say, if you've got a horrible soul, you can already guess what happened. "Britney passed out in the back of my car? What should I do (to... her...)? I'm afraid Britney's friends aren't the types to scribble dicks on her tits and write "balls" on her forehead with markers. They seem to prefer rape! Thats right. Apparently she got raped too. So, I think its safe to assume that between the stress of a (somewhat) failing career, divorce, child, drug habit, and rape, she snapped. Thank god though. Shes headed to rehab! That always works, especially for rockstars.

Just thought that you all should know. I wouldn't fuck Britney Spears.
My reason: Shes a crazy bald bitch.

Posted byJoe at 1:16 PM 1 comments  

Labels: bald, bitch, britney, cocaine, coke, crazy, divorce, drink, drinking, drugs, entertainment, hollywood, K-Fed, music, news, pop, rape, spears

The 2 Week Challenge: Day Two
Thursday, February 22, 2007

Its the second day,
And though I was composed in my video journal,
I feel that I may be coming undone.

Watch, rate, and comment it here

Daily Journal Excerpt:

DAY TWO

I don't know if I can do this.
I need to find an outlet that is both positive and effective!
But where, where could it be?
NOT EVEN DANCING WORKS.

How long will I make it?

Check out other vids on my youtube channel

Posted byJoe at 6:36 PM 0 comments  

Labels: break, challenge, daily, day, diary, entry, jack, jerk, journal, korea, off, south, spring, The, two, week

Ahhh. A Good Myspace Memory.

Posted byJoe at 3:08 PM 0 comments  

Labels: badass, chatroom, chatting, DDR, kill, larp, Metroid, murder, myspace, role-playing, roleplayer, rp, rping, vampire

A dramatic, analytical, and possibly controversial justification of a few of my habits.

EDIT: This is an old blog from Myspace that after rereading, I found to be interesting and related to my current "Two Week Challenge" Give it a read. Especially you, ladies.

So. This is going to be a long thoughtful blog, so if you don't like those, stop now. However, if you like getting in people's heads, or just wanna know what Joe thinks, read on.

I'll start with sex. It's such a touchy topic. I don't really know why.
I'll take a few guesses at it though.
Here are the reasons I think you avoid talking about sex (both guys and girls);

-You're afraid of it.
-You want to be "good" at it, but are not.
-You fear rejection.
-You don't enjoy the feeling of knowing less than another person, and thus avoid conversations on such topics, as to avoid being put into a situation where you might actually have to learn something.
-You are actually, and truly, morally opposed to it because of religion. (Thats rare, as usually people use religion as a tool to get/feel what they want.)
-It's awkward for you.

Thats just what came to mind when I asked myself "why?" I'm sure there are others.

Now, heres where this is going to get a little hard. Instead of going on reading with the negative mental attitude that sounds something like...

"What a know-it-all, he doesn't understand me, it's more complicated than that, my reasons for being so conservative are perfectly well backed up."

...instead of that, please continue on this intellectual and philisophical journey with me. Try something like this...

"Am I one of those people? Am I afraid to learn? What if he's right?"

The fact is, sex horrifies you, in one way or another. Guys usually struggle with a strange sense of competition, and frankly, I have no idea how many girls feel about it. In my opinion many take it far too seriously. I'll explain, so I don't get bitched out for something I forgot to mention, rather than something I said.

Notice the use of the word "too".
When someone takes something too seriously, it means they are taking perhaps one aspect of that thing, and blowing it out of proportion.

Many things about sex are solemn and/or serious. Things like marriage and age issues, pregnancy, abortion, STD's, rape, etc..

However not one of those things is so serious that sex should be taboo amongst young people. Pregnancy is rare, unless you're retarded. Use protection. Std's however can be spooky, and of the reasons listed, personally, that one scares me the most. But I'm pretty sure there's a remedy for it: Maybe you should ask before, and only fuck people you actually trust a little? Thats just an idea though, it would probably be impossible to actually do that. lol.

Here's my controversial part:

True love.

Probably exists. But I don't think everyone is going to find it at age 13 and get married 8 years later. To think something like that would be ridiculous. Even thinking that everyone has a special someone, somewhere is somewhat ridiculous. It certainly is a nice thing to think about, yeah, I'd love to believe it about as much as I'd like to believe Santa Clause is gonna climb down my chimney and give me free shit.

Now while a certain percentage of guys might believe in true love, I think it's safe to say that a vastly larger percent of girls believe, or at least want to believe in the true love concept. And for the most part, I encourage that, it's a pretty optimistic outlook on the dating scene. But what are the side-effects?

Someone looking for true love may not be looking at all. I think alot of people wait for true love, and sometimes it doesn't show up.

The fact is, tons of people live super-idealist lives. There is a manual for everything you're ever going to have to do. Mom and dad are the rough equivilent to God's left and right hand. Speaking of god, Jesus saved us, and if you believe anything else, you're gonna burn for it.

Sorry, but I really can't agree with anything I just typed starting at "There" and ending at "it."

I'm not an extremist in any matter. I do try to understand things from all angles, so I may sometimes seem less biased then I actually may be. I usually respect people when they respect me.

With that said, I'll continue.

Do you have to love the person you fuck?
If not, are you a bad person?
If so, can you love more than one person ever? How long does it take to "love" someone?

There are so many questions involved, how could you possibly answer all of them correctly? You can't because a lot of them conflict. People want to screw, everybody knows that. Well I should say, people who know they're going to like what they experience, want to screw.

I'm sure I'll fall for some girl, some day, somewhere, for good. But I'm sure before that, I'll have been in plenty of relationships. None of which I will regret, and none of which will cause me any pain. Why not fall in love a few hundred times, before you find that you don't want to again? Does it make it less special just because you've felt for someone else? Thats crazy.

If you want to be happy, get ready to be sad sometimes. Why do you dread being down so much? You know when something good happens to you, you're going to feel all the more incredible about it, so why not just let the somber moment stay, and eventually pass?

And if you want to make someone else happy, you better be ready to fuck up sometimes.

I really am rambling now, and if anyone read this far, I applaud you, and I really am flattered frankly, that you're that interested in this.

Heres something else that bothers me:

How when you are loving, or starting to fall, or even just at the edge, about to fall off, or anywhere in-between, when love gets introduced to the equation that is your life, every thing is okay. Everything isn't great, it ain't shitty, its just okay.

For example, usually in a state of love, my grades suffer. Because I don't really care about them that much anymore. Everything just gets numbed by the fact that she'll still love me back.

(I feel like such an emo bitch right now.)

And if I could kick myself in the head, I probably would. But the fact is, even if some dude reads this and says "what a fag" he's probably just too scared to bare all, because he's afraid to be judged, so he'll act tough. So I just don't care. lol.

Anyway. It bothers me sometimes, that numbing feeling. It's like a drug that's farrr too powerful for me to be fucking around with. And the comedown is exceptionally hard. You can go from invincible to fetal in two quick words. "It's over."

Sooo what the fuck are you gonna do? Life's crazy up and down and sometimes quite discomforting. The way I see it, people can live simple, standard, very neat, and happy lives by clinging to the morals of their fathers, religion, and the overall extra-protective society. But get ready to be closed minded. Get ready to not be able to open that book and read those things because they are taboo, they are forbidden to you. And embrace censorship.

Or you could try to open your mind a bit. See things in different lights. That's what I'm gonna try to do I guess. Until someone changes my mind I guess.

Yeah, it's that simple.

Posted byJoe at 3:03 PM 0 comments  

Labels: analytical, censor, censorship, habit, love, Personal, reflection, sex, true, two week challenge jerk off jack screw sex fuck youtube south korea spring break

The 1980's

I was born May 23rd, 1989. I saw the death of the 80's as a small child. But I didn't understand fully. I didn't understand what was being ushered in. The era of asymmetrical haircuts, bright colors, and fucking whacky television was over. The new world, the 90's followed by 2000, was a commercial giant. I have a few ways to describe the social structure, but I feel this explains it best.

Imagine, if you will, a coloring book. An uncolored rainbow beckons, you receive a package of coloring crayons, and are instructed to color inside the lines. Sounds like fun. Then someone puts a gun to your head. You better color in those fucking lines.

What color are you? Maybe a "Hollister Blue" or a "Hot Topic Black"

Believe it or not, this very definite, exact science of socializing didn't always exist. Nor did the social rituals we all participate in. Its all relatively new. Which is why I propose this return to the basics.

A return to rad headbands, bitchin' overalls, and all that other excellent shit. A simpler time when no one cared what you wore, because everything everyone wore was fucking retarded.

So, come with me.

And brush up on your 80's

Posted byJoe at 2:57 PM 0 comments  

Labels: 1980, 1980's, 1980s, color, crayon, fashion, hair, hollister, hot, television, topic, trends

BSN Supplement Guide

A Short Talk About this Supplement Guide:
Thought I'd change things up a bit, since talking about my lack of masturbation has already gotten a bit bland (not that I'm dropping that as a point of interest. Still in it to win it baby, new video journal tonight!). And on a related topic, since exercise is probably the best way to avoid a run in with my friend "Jill" each night, I thought I'd fill everyone in on what supplements and dieting programs I'm using :)

I'm a firm believer in most of this stuff, simply because it works! I use three products from BSN, and hopefully will be starting a fourth this summer. My current three are from what BSN refers to as THE MASS STACK (lol). This includes NO-XPLODE, CELLMASS, and their Syntha-6 Protein Blend. In a nutshell, the NO-X gives me the energy, the Cellmass provides quick recovery, and the protein provides the nutrients my body needs to build muscle.

Check out BSN Products at their site HERE

The Cost:
The stuff isn't cheap, well if you buy it at GNC anyway. You can still get a relatively good deal with one of their nifty little Gold Cards though. Since most of the stuff is usually BOGO (Buy one, get one half off) you can get about a month to two months worth of both Cellmass and NO-X for around $60-$80. The protein is an additional $20, but you could get cheap whey protein for alot cheaper, I just prefer Syntha-6 for the taste. So if you're financially crippled by this information, you have three options:
1. Get in shape the old fashioned way and say "fuck supplements"
2. Sign up for BSN's performance autoshipping thing and get like 50% off everything
3. Buy the supplements from an online third-party (I recommend ebay! its like $30 for two tubs of NO-XPLODE, which would be like... over $90 at a GNC WITH DISCOUNTS... fuckin' GNC...)

The Pros:
These supplements have done wonders for me. In spite of my partying and drinking habits that I've had for awhile, I'm still in what I would consider the best shape of my life. Going into the summer of 2006 I weighed around 130 lbs. I now weigh around 145-150 naturally. The catch is, I haven't gained any fat. The weight I gained was about 70-80% muscle. What does that mean? That means that these will work for you whatever you're trying to do. If I was trying to lose weight, all I would have to do is adjust my intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fats each day, and maybe cut one meal down or even out. But I'm not, I'm trying to bulk up, as I understand lots of guys try to do. I firmly believe that it is easier to lose weight than to gain it (though this may only be because my body grows/gains slow as hell), and these supplements have most definitely helped me to achieve my goals.

Another positive I'd like to address is the interest in health that these products have instilled in me. The first time I took them, I was astounded at their effectiveness, so I did research. I learned a shitload about healthy eating and exercise, and I feel that everyone interested in living healthily should do a bit of reading on these matters. All I did was go to Wikipedia, and search up topics like exercise, carbohydrate, fat, protein, along with information on some of the ingredients in the supplements I took, so that I could better grasp how they functioned in my body.

The Cons:
These supplements do have a few downsides. But with proper use, it should be easy to avoid most of them. The first is that they are complex. You need to understand how they work in order to reap what you sow. Here's an example of some of the info I had to gather (mostly from forums and friends).
1. Cycle lengths - Are the amount of time you spend using the supplement and working out, before taking a break. Generally use cycles are 8-12 weeks, followed by a 3-4 week break. These exist to get maximum effect from the supplements, and to avoid letting your body build up a dependency on them.
2. Overdosing - Not as dangerous as it sounds. But still something you'll want to avoid. The ingredients in these supplements (especially NO-XPLODE) are very powerful. Its easy to attempt a higher dose for more energy, but your body has a threshold for how much it can handle comfortably. There isn't any risk of death as far as I know, but you could make yourself very sick. Carefully read the instructions on each tub before using. My experience with NO-X involved 3 heaping scoops dissolved in a glass of water. This is the maximum dose, and I took it on my first day. Needless to say, I felt great for about 10 minutes, then crashed, much like a caffeine overdose (chills, nausea, lethargy).
3. NO-XPLODE - Just a note. Every single time I've taken NO-X, I've taken a dump less than 5 minutes after ingestion. Just putting that out there.
4. Order and Diet - This blurb is getting long, I know. So this is the last thing I'll talk about. Each supplement has a special function (NO-X: ignition, CELLMASS: recovery, Protein: nutrients, etc...) and thus, needs to be taken in correct order at correct times. Protein and water intake are key every day, as well as carbohydrates to provide energy. Drink lots of juice, eat meat, protein bars, drink your milk, all that good stuff. I highly recommend reading about nutrition on Wikipedia, at least briefly to gain an understanding of how to properly balance your intake each day!

In Conclusion,
I think these things are a great idea for anyone who wants to get in shape. Even if you cant afford the fancy performance enhancing wonder-drugs, I'd at least recommend some protein, either as a meal replacement, or additional food daily. I'm certainly going to keep using them as long as I'm financially able. Thanks for reading! Please feel free to send me any questions you might have, however smart or stupid. If I have time to write something like this, I have time to talk to you :P

Links: GNC Online, BSN Online, Wikipedia

Posted byJoe at 2:02 PM 0 comments  

Labels: BSN, cellmass, exercise, GNC, health, no-xplode, nox, nutrition, out, protein, supplement, wikipedia, work

The 2 Week Challenge: Day One
Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Day one of The Two Week Challenge.
Smooth sailing thanks to my sweet coping techniques.


Daily Journal Excerpt:

DAY ONE

Smooth sailing so far
Little to no trouble leaving my dirty habits
But I mean. Its not like I make it without any coping mechanisms, you know like techniques to keep any urges that might arise, in check.
I have a few, I'll probably show them off over the course of these 2 weeks.
Recently, I've found it very helpful to calm any urges by highfiving myself in the mirror.
If you're skeptical, try it. It works.

Watch, comment, and rate it here

Posted byJoe at 8:28 PM 0 comments  

Labels: break, challenge, daily, day, diary, entry, jack, jerk, journal, korea, off, one, south, spring, The, two, week

The Two Week Challenge!

My most recent endeavor:

Check it, rate it, and comment it here

Video Info:
I'm saving up for the exotic women of the east!

This is the first of a series of videos. I have been challenged by friends to abstain from any sort of sexual contact (with myself, anyone else, or any animals, inanimate objects, etc..) until we arrive in South Korea 2 weeks from now!

Will it fall off?
Will I master my own desires?
Will I develop some sort of rash, or worse, die!?
Will I achieve enlightenment?

Neither I, nor science knows, but this should be good. Check each day for the new clip.

Check out all of my videos on my YouTube channel!

Posted byJoe at 5:48 PM 0 comments  

Labels: two week challenge jerk off jack screw sex fuck youtube south korea spring break

Delicious

Posted byJoe at 5:00 PM 0 comments  

A few new videos
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Posted byJoe at 9:24 PM 0 comments  

Labels: abstain, camera, challenge, coax, fart, jj, mark, ryguy, sex, two, updates, videos, week, youtube

This is Why I'm Block
Saturday, February 17, 2007

"I'm block cuz I'm wood
I'm wood cuz I'm rectangle"



View, rate, and comment ya man block on YouTube.

Posted byJoe at 4:01 PM 0 comments  

Labels: block, city, i'm, is, new, rectangle, sameriel, this, why, wood

Personal FAQ: Part II
Thursday, February 08, 2007

Catch part I here

Anyway. Thought I'd make another, shorter one.

Q: What is the purpose of this blog?
A: Oh thats easy. Its obviously SHUT UP.

Q: Do you have a Myspace addiction.
A: Yes. But I've been cutting down. Don't have to quit all at once you know. I've got my whole life ahead of me!

Q: Why are you such a hypocrite?
A: Why are you such a hypocrite? Hypocrite.

Q: Will you go out with me?
A: No. Send nudes, though. kthx :D

Q: Do you have any bad habits?
A: Yeah. This, myspace, facebook, the internet in general, drugs, women, and I also bite my fingernails sometimes (thats the worst one).

Q: Why aren't you going to UNLV?
A: Apparently, I'm at the receiving end of a bad joke. That school isn't really a school. It's more like a place where you go, party, get old, then die young, working as a hotel manager. Plus it would have cost a lot :( Anyway, I'm going to UW - Eau Claire now. Which is fine. I like drinking anyway.

Posted byJoe at 7:08 PM 0 comments  

Labels: answer, FAQ, me, Personal, question

Playing guitar and self-expression.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007

I feel that everyone should play an instrument. That doesn't mean taking lessons, or even devoting much time to it. Music is a fun hobby for me. I took piano lessons, and have spent probably a total of 5-10 hours in my life being professionally taught how to play guitar. I have been self-teaching myself guitar for about 5-6 years now.

I guess the secret to being self-taught isn't anything like practicing EVERY DAY until you're good, its enjoying it. How can you develop a hobby if you aren't enjoying yourself. The reason so many people get hooked on things like videogames is because they're fun... immediately. You don't have to learn to play a videogame, you just pick it up and within 5 minutes, you're shooting, slashing, or passing the football, whatever. However, with an instrument, there are pitfalls. Especially with guitar. For one, before developing callouses on my fingers, it hurt like hell. Thats about the only part that required determination for me.

But the secret, really to teaching yourself guitar: have fun. Don't try to play some hard fucking song and fail horribly, then just look yourself in the mirror and say "WOW I suck." What I did was fucking rock out. It didn't sound to great at first, but I really got to know the instrument by playing whatever I wanted. I hummed tunes, then sounded them out on the guitar. I looked up chords and dicked around with them, even if it was some simple little song that went something like E A E A E A E A A A A A EEEEE (One of my all-time greats).

I feel sort of bad, because I have a few friends that have tried to pick up guitar as a hobby rather than go get lessons. And being slightly better than them, I almost feel like a hindrance, because since I'm self-taught, if they don't pick it up quick they feel like "I'll never be that good" or something like that. Well, maybe that isn't true, or maybe it is. The fact is, it took me like 5 years to get this good lol. Yes, I was once strumming out Smoke on the Water just like you.

Another misconception is that some people have "more musical talent" I don't think this is true at all. Its all just a matter of how you view music. I have a very open-ended view of all music, and all genres, therefore, its easy for me to relate to and understand the sound and structure. If you start really listening to what makes up the music you listen to (the drums, the bass, the guitar, the vocals) individually, I guarantee your "musical talent" will increase.

Anyway, for all you aspiring players, heres a few links that I found useful:
Ultimate Guitar Tabs
Chords Charts
Guitar Tips

Happy playing. Hopefully you'll be shredding in no time.

By the way, if you enjoyed reading this, let me know with a comment :D

Posted byJoe at 4:16 PM 0 comments  

Labels: chords, guitar, instrument, music, self, tabs, taught

Red Man chewing tobacco

Did you know, that it has been the leading brand in the chewing tobacco market since 1904? Fucking sweet. Old school shit. Everyone likes their Griz and their Cope. Both are dwarfed by the southern giant that is red man. Yeah yeah, like all chew, it still has carcinogens, and you will lose teeth, and eventually your jaw if you chew it. However, on a lighter note, it does NOT have fiberglass.

Red Man falls under the chewing tobacco category of "scrap" which is pure leaves dried, cured, then dipped into a sweet sugar-based molasses. Mmm mm mm.

"Joe chews red man, ask him if he don't"

read more at wikipedia.org

Posted byJoe at 2:24 PM 0 comments  

Labels: 1904, chew, chewing, cope, griz, man, red, scrap, tobacco

Neglected chatting services.

Google Talk and Skype

Not only do these programs let you talk to people like you would on AIM/MSN, you can also do all that fancy video chat, and voice chat. The voice chat is what intregues me. Google talk has it, sort of like AIM does, but skype offers phonecalls and voicemail. Granted, those cost a little money, but not much. I think its spiffy. But apparently noone else does.

Oh yeah, Skypes also cool because it has these... public chats. Where you can talk about whatever. Like for example. I was looking at the topics (many are in foreign languages, skype is apparently much more popular in the middle-east) and came accross "PHONE SEX ONLY 21 AND UP!!!" I wouldn't have entered, had I not noticed the number of users participating... Twenty-Three. It was fucking hilarious. You'd have to hear it to understand it though.

I'm in awe at how few people use these things.

Posted byJoe at 2:15 PM 0 comments  

Labels: aim, chatting, Google, msn, phone, sex, Skype, Talk, voip