The Impact of Cell Phones

There is no doubt that over the past 20 years life has changed drastically. Think of all the inventions and advancements that have been made in communication, one of the key ones being the cell phone. It has majorly changed how we interact with each other. Our high-tech phones have made it easy for us to change plans almost instantaneously, making us less resolute. We are used to calling someone up and making plans for that very evening. If I had grown up 20 years earlier, it would of been hard to make plans quickly. This would greatly effect our relationships because we would probably hangout less with our friends, not to mention how much less time would be spent texting. Texting allows you to casually talk to a friend throughout the day, improving your relationship by making you closer to that friend. You learn more about them which in turn helps you understand them more.
Another major impact of our phones is that you are able to catch up on what is happening almost instantaneously. Having access to the internet on phones lets you check what is going on around the world as well as what is going on in your friend's lives. It is easy to get on facebook or twitter through your phone to look at what other people have recently posted.
Although there would be several benefits of growing up 20 years earlier, the benefits of today outweigh those. The cell phone has provided a sense of safety and security by providing instant communication with others that we have learned to rely on.

Smittywerbanmanjansen #1

Technology is the peanut butter to my jelly, the milk to my cookies, the Steve to my Jobs. I use technology on a daily basis. From the moment I wake up my day is filled with booping, bleeping, and flashing lights. Technology is great, who wouldn't love technology? With it we can: communicate, educate, medicate, frustrate, update, donate, rotate, mutate, estimate, and create! Many things we can do today we can only do because of the technology that we have come to possess. But as is everything, we should enjoy our technology with moderation. Just as Confucius once said, "With great phone comes great responsibility." It is our job to know when we've had enough and put down our blackberries and turn off the television. This is the time that we go enjoy our planet Earth and marvel at the beauty which is unmatched with any shiny new phone. Take a hike, close your eyes, and imagine what your life would be like with TOO much technology.

Music for Each Mood

Although I listen to music frequently, I never use my iPod. It just seems so impractical to pay for a song that can easily be heard for free on YouTube. I will admit that, at times, an iPod could be useful on the move when I am feeling a surge of any type of emotion. Music is great for amplifying any mood, so here is my perfect playlist for enhancing my emotion.

• "El Manana" - Gorillaz The sequel to the acclaimed "Feel Good Inc.," this song is amazing for those times when life gets tough and sadness begins to show. Taking on a more melancholy tone than its predecessor, this song is depressing not only in it's subject matter (the supposed death of Noodle, the fictional band's guitarist), but also in its structure. The progression from synthesizer to a full chorus and orchestra in just four minutes is marvelous and powerful, and being accompanied by Albarn's forlorn and downright broken vocals definitely enhances that sense of gloom.
• "Bridges Burning" - Foo Fighters When anger prevails, I want a song that will make me clench my fist or punch a pillow or something like that. This song makes me want to destroy furniture and anything else I can get my hands on. The growing guitar facilitates the accompanying rage, preceding Grohl's introductory scream. And there's nothing quite like that harsh drumming to go along with the impact of some bloody knuckles.
• "Parabol/Parabola" - Tool I am a very laidback person, and as such, I relish relaxation. In terms of calmness, not much compares to the meditative, almost spiritual mood created by "Parabol." The droning bass and guitar fit perfectly with Keenan's entrancing vocals. The gears shift into "Parabola," the heavier half, yet the meditative state remains, creating a sense of semi-consciousness and utter calm.
• "Gee" - Girls' Generation More of a contrast from the rest of the playlist, this song is for the happier times. Everything about this song brings a smile to my face. The energy, the harmonizing, the nine cute Korean girls. What is there to be unhappy about?
• "Sell Out" - Reel Big Fish For joy. Being a saxophonist, it's sort of an obligation to love ska, right? Well, this song is definitely no exception. This song would undoubtedly be great for parties, as it easily brings out the energy in people. I am no dancer, yet this song gets me moving pretty quickly. It's fun to harmonize with, too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Na na na na na na na na na na na na naaa

I normally listen to my iPod, least every day, for a total of an hour or two. Music is pretty much my life and is what keeps me going at certain times. It can get my mood perfectly right with the click of just one song, or change my mood with the press of another button.
My idea of a perfect playlist is for: A Partaaaaay (for mainstream hipsters, that is)

1. Super Bass by Nicki Minaj- Okay, I admit, the song is a little sketchy at times, but the whole beat of the song is really catchy. If you listen to the clean version of the song, it isn’t AS bad as what you would get. But, these are one of those songs that gets stuck in your head and just kind of stays there, and you can learn to rap to it easily (I can rap it, thank you ;) )

2. Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO- This is one of those songs that even if you don’t like to dance or you don’t like mainstream music, you almost have to like this song and you have to find some way to dance to it. It’s just impossible not to have fun to this song.

3. Vegas Skies by The Cab-This is one of my favorite bands and not many people have heard of them. This is one of their slower songs but it’s really pretty. This is a song that would be played for a slow dance or to just kinda calm the crowd down a bit. But this song is really well done.

4. Who Says by Selena Gomez and The Scene-This is one of those power to the girls songs and one of those songs that is just fun to sing to. Guys at a party can get over the fact that this is being played and the high pitched sing alongs going with it.

5. Forget You by Cee Lo Green- This is a song that everyone has to know. And if you don’t know it, you have been living under a rock for the past 6 months or so. Even though it annoys some people, it’s still a good party song and it’s a song that makes people happy.

The Thirty Minute Drive

How often do I use my ipod? Let me count the ways.

I use it for the middle of the day when there's nothing to do but dance.

I use it for when I want to sing, or maybe want to laugh.

I use it to make playlists for thirty minute drives.

I use it when I want to drown out the sound of little brother's lies.

I use my ipod when I want to play a game solitaire,

I use my ipod when I am bored and just want to find a wall and stare.

And when the day is done and my playlist is over

I use my ipod to create a dream with Enya's "China Roses."

Because of Spanish Immersion, almost any given drive to a middle school best friend's house is more than twenty minutes long - thirty minutes depending on traffic. Of course five songs won't cover the entire drive, but if I had to choose just five they would be:

1. "Waving Flag" the version by K'Naan for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. This song just gets me pumped, makes me want to roll the windows down, and sing along with every other car.
2. "The Anthem" by Pitbull, featuring Lil Jon. It is hands down one of my favorite songs. I probably shouldn't listen to it because it makes me want to dance, and I can't dance and drive, but I know all the words and when you're sitting at a red light what better is there to almost do?
3. "Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)" by Sarah Vaughan. I won't lie and say I don't like the sound of my own voice, because I do. But I especially love singing this song. I especially like having this song on at night when it's just too late and dark to turn on a faster CD or the radio and be subject to SuperBass or some other song like that.
4. "Tea Party" by Kerli. If I'm going to be driving all the way to the border of Fayette County and Jessamine County then I will turn the volume up, maybe even the bass, because the farther out Tates Creek you go the less cars you have to drive with, and the faster you can drive. Plus, the song just feels like a surprise every time I hear it, although I couldn't tell you why.
5. "Firework" by Katy Perry. This song is also one of my favorite songs. And ever since I made an arrangement of it with Garageband and my violin for a church camp talent show I feel way more aware of it. And I can't sing it without harmonizing. Plus if I turn the volume all the way up then the only thing that will offend people in nearby cars is the volume. As opposed to...say... Ludacris's "My Chick Bad." Not that I have that on two different CDs in my car or anything(;

Technology in the 80s

In 1975, on the day before my birthday, Bill Gates founded Microsoft. Had I been born twenty years prior to my actual birth; I would have grown up right alongside the technological revolution. Relationships have changed drastically because of technology. It has changed the way we make plans, stay in touch with people, and communicate with adults. The perfect example of how much things have changed is in one of my favorite 80's movies. In "Sixteen Candles" Jake Ryan, without even knowing Samantha, calls her house and talks to her grandparents just to talk to her, and eventually goes to her house. This act may seem so simple to him and at the time when the movie came out, but in a modern day society this would have been an insanely large romantic gesture. It takes a great amount of courage on his part, and really shows his true character. Technology has made communication so simple that now it is done without thought and is often done without any fear of embarrassment because it is easier to be bold when you are in the safety of your room. I love this movie partly because of the communication differences and how much of an effort that he had to make which is now disregarded. I would have loved to live in this time period.

Pretty obscure stuff here, you won't have heard of it.

I use my iPod whenever possible, mainly for music, but I'll play a game on it when there is absolutely nothing left to do. I can't say I have playlists ready-made, but I do have certain songs reserved for certain moods. When I listen to music I usually just scour my iPod for songs that fit that moods the best. The music that I enjoy the most is music that has either and epic or groovy nature to it, it's so energizing and fun to listen to for me, which is the mood I'm going for. As such, this playlist will mostly consist of fast-paced, catchy songs, most of them metal.

"The 13th Caesar" -Cradle of Filth This song is a symphonic masterpiece. The quick tempo and harsh vocals really appeal to me as a listener, but I can understand why this wouldn't be for everyone.

"Cliff Burton Surprise" -Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza This song has got to be one of the craziest I've ever heard. The catchy, lighthearted intro gets you into a groove, and then you are given 2 seconds of "Sweet Child O'Mine" by Guns N' Roses before being thrust into the most musically confusing three minutes of your life. The time signature switched (I believe) from 24/8 to 28/8, which is not only impressive, but sounds Cliff Burton surprisingly good.

"19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)" -Gorillaz This song never fails to put me in a good mood. It's is so incredibly catchy and lighthearted that I could listen to it every day and not get bored of it.

"Got the Life" -Korn This song is noticeably different from most of Korn's other songs. It's one of the only ones that isn't tuned to drop A (not an expert, but I'm going what friends have told me) so it doesn't have as much of a dark and angry vibe to it. That makes it one of my favorite Korn songs because despite the heavy distortion it still has potential to make one feel good.

"CAFO" -Animals As Leaders This is just another example of a truly epic song. The guitar is incredible. Guitarists and non-guitarists alike will find this impressive. It's such an intricate song on guitar that I would actually call it a composure instead of just a song, comparable to classical composers like Beethoven or Mozart. Tosin Abasi, the guitarist, is really a mastermind of sound.