Untruthful: wikipedia

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Finally, an absorbing hobby
Monday, April 09, 2007

So I've decided on a very time consuming hobby. Digital music production. I know I've talked about it before, but I'm prettttty sure I'm sticking with it now, so I thought I'd explain it. I'm aort of happy about it, but I'm also starting to dread getting sucked into this as a pastime.

Anyway, digital music is no simple thing. You need to make use of tons of software, and invest in boatloads of hardware to make it work, and even after that, you need to muster the creative energy to crank out a few tunes. I think I have plenty of the creative juices to squeeze out, unfortunately I've never been one to enjoy spending vast amounts of money, nor do I enjoy reading manuals and learning very very task-specific technical knowledge. I am, however, quite handy with electronics, so I'm not too worried.

I've been browsing the world of production software off and on for about 4 months now, and just tonight I finally found exactly what I'm looking for. I found out what programs and hardware, specifically, that Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails' frontman and creative force) used to produce both With Teeth, and my new favorite album ever, Year Zero: Native Instruments. Native Instruments is one of the leaders in digital production. I used their website to find the basic info on what I need to do what I want, and where to get it, and how to use it, etc. Anyway, after gathering all that info, I found that all of these programs are extremely complex, and I was going to need an in-depth tutorial, rather than an overview to figure them all out. So it was off to my good friend the Wiki. Gotta love piles of information.

So essentially, I'm in the learning stages of digitally producing my own unique sound. In the meantime, I'm also teaching myself piano, and making sure not to slouch in my guitar and singing skills.

Whats my goal? I want to express my opinions and emotions in a large, evergrowing body of musical compositions. I've already got a growing stack of lyrics, and once I get down this computer shit, I'll have a medium. Then what? Then I'm gonna share it with everyone! And maybe if lots of people like it, I'll get a couple fans. Can never have too many of those. I'll keep posting my progress on piano, vocals, guitar, and this computer stuff so you'll all know when to expect some music. And hey, if you wanna help, let me know, I'm sure theres something you could do.

Posted byJoe at 10:58 PM 0 comments

Labels: digital, guitar, hobby, instruments, learn, music, native, piano, production, sing, vocals, wikipedia

BSN Supplement Guide
Thursday, February 22, 2007

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