Waldon here, and guess what? It's almost finals!

Which sucks, but they have to be done. Bleh. Careers.

Anyways, I've been reading a lot of MegaTokyo recently. It's a webcomic by Fred Gallagher, I believe. I love it! It's actually entertaining me.

So, my bio class is pretty much done, and all that's left in Math is this week. Chem, we'll be done in a few days and in English we're just coasting. Stats is... Stats is odd. We're done all the essential work, but our teacher is still giving us work that won't be on our exam.

Whoops! I need to go pick Bre up lol, I'll blog again another time!
-Waldon

Waldon here, and the smell of my hot chocolate is driving me crazy, but I don't want to get another one cause I'd wake up the house. XD

Anyway, for my first post since getting out for March break and Weebly letting me log back in, I'll finally do a post that I've been thinking about for a day or so; Music.

I'm branching out guys. I NEVER talk about music.

(Apologies in advance, I doubt this is very coherent. I didn't exactly plan it out before writing it.)

I was listening to Breaking Benjamin the other day, and I realized something about the genre of metal that linked it to classical; even to things like folk and spiritual music. You see, heavier rock or any of the sub-genres of metal (That's really vague, but believe me, there are hundreds of ways I could classify this. I'll just use these two categories.) ARE passive music. You can sit down and listen to it while working or relaxing, but it's also involved in the active mind processes. It is thought provoking and stimulating. It will give you ideas that you've never had before, or create mental channels that you've never used. Because you have to TRY to hear it.

When I'm listening to metal or heavier rock where others can hear it, numerous times, I've been told that it's not really music, or that it's just senseless noise. It's not senseless at all. It's HEAVY. That's the point of the message of that particular song. It's when the emotion is so strong in a piece that the singer has to yell it out. That song has to get out; it has to get out, or the emotion is gone. The genre is almost pure, if you look at it that way. But that isn't the point that I'm trying to get across here.

What I'm trying to say (albeit in a roundabout, convoluted way) is that you need to actively LISTEN to the heavier genres. You need to concentrate on the song itself and filter out the "noise" about it, so that the vocals are clear to you, so you can distinguish between the individual instruments and listen to the song itself; how they all fit together.

Now, I know at least one person reading this is going to wonder; where do genres like Classical come into this?

Simply put, classical music is open to interpretation as well. As is Folk, Trance, Spiritual music and all the other non-canon (I do not believe canon is the word I'm looking for, but alas.) musical genres that are considered weird by a majority of the population.

This is because a good portion of what ends up being mainstream music, or the music that the average person listens to, is passive. It allows you to just turn it on, and let the words and beat, rhythm and meaning come to you and influence you. It tells a story or presses an ideal forward that we can readily agree with, whilst that message may not even be what the artist intended, because we've all decided to make the song mean what we want it to mean.

People, en masse, do not want to have to work to hear a song or have to focus to understand a message. Music for most people is for relaxing. They listen to music to hear bands or artists that they relate to "talk" to them. People want to feel like they're listening to a friend. They want to turn on the radio or iTunes or browse youtube and listen to things that aren't harsh or directly related to themselves, and I completely understand that.

Think about when you listen to a song and the vocals aren't clear. Now, I want you to think about how often you subconsciously dismiss something that's just gibberish or pointless rambling? That's because we process all of those things on the same mental level; white noise.

If I may step back to a previous point; people say metal or heavy rock is just noise, and I personally I hear the most objections about metal or heavy rock that have to deal with how the words of the song are all just growling or too jumbled to hear. "White noise."

When I started listening to metal and heavy rock, I couldn't tell what the vocalists were saying. I didn't have a CLUE. But, I kept listening to it. I wanted to know what they were saying, I wanted to know what they were trying to tell me. Slowly, I began to actually hear the song itself and not just some amalgamation of cacophony (That would make an awesome band name, btw) that's blaring from my speakers.

And I slowly began to enjoy more, and more of the genre. I noticed that bands that I thought were just yelling at me, were actually just angry; angry at themselves, at the world, at the unfortunate things that happened to them. And then I noticed that people expanded that again, they made the genre into it's own breeding ground. Comedy, drama, serious musical compositions. It was all there. It was just under the surface of that harsh exterior.

Similar to the wordlessness of classical or trance, wouldn't you say? It's almost impossible to tell what the maestro is trying to tell you, exactly what the composer was trying to say, even though the sounds are clear and concise. Classical and trance music are the equivalent of images without pictures. You paint your own, you create an image from the sounds you're given. It's similar to hearing a soundtrack to a well loved movie; you can see the actors going about their assigned roles.

Since starting to listen to metal and the harder rock, I've found myself liking more and more of the other types of music. Including hip-hop, rap, blues, jazz, trance, electronic, folk, acoustic and classical. I started to really listen, and I guess I just couldn't stop.

The genres of metal and hard rock make you start to think. They make you sit down and process their music. It creates a fandom within itself. You feel more personally connected to the song. Like listening to a well loved soundtrack... right? It makes you actually hear what the band or artist is trying to say, because if you don't actually LISTEN to them you won't even hear the song. It'll just be noise. It makes you think and process... and if you listen to the music and say you love it just because it's harsh and you're an angry individual, all the power to you.

But you're not really listening, if you're making a generalization like that, are you?

Now, I may have just made a few people irritated with me after hearing that, but I want you to look up two songs by Breaking Benjamin, and one by the universally loved Eric Clapton.

Layla [Unplugged] - Eric Clapton
Rain - Breaking Benjamin
I Will Not Bow - Breaking Benjamin

You'll notice that Layla [Unplugged] and Rain sound fairly tame, don't they? They sound like something relaxing, pretty, even. But I Will Not Bow? I bet a bunch of you didn't enjoy it, even though it was by the same thought provoking artist that made Rain. Within metal and hard rock, it isn't all just "yelling" and sacrilegious intent. Is music about the sound, or the message? That's entirely up to you, of course. After several years of listening to metal and heavier rock, I don't even need to try to filter them anymore, the words are clear to me. Musical preference is subjective, and I'd guess that a good portion of people if they ever read this, just dislike metal and hard rock just because. But if you've read this far, then I guess you're of a similar mind to my own, and I implore you and everybody around you...

Listen.

Just please. Sit down, and actually listen to the song. Listen to the sound of the song, and how it influences you. Listen to the words being said, and how they change your mindset. Listen to them both, together. Listen to the actual song.

Don't just dismiss metal and hard rock as pointless noise. It's a message, and a message left unheard can only hurt you, in the end.

Every thought you have that you've never had before, will enrich you.

Thank you all for listening to me.
-Waldon

...you get so caught up in something that you enjoy that time flies without you noticing? :P

Waldon here! I actually meant to write this almost two hours ago. But! Then I found a new webcomic! :P It's called "Magellan" xD IT'S ABOUT SUPERHEROES. :D I love superheroes xD They're so corny that they're great. Also, gender inequality in hero comics is not restrained just to women. There's enough to go around. Sure, women wear all the skimpy clothing and become horrendous sex symbols, but have you SEEN Superman (Or Batman with his terrifying bat-nips from Batman and Robin?) How can a regular guy compete with a bod like that? Or that awe-inspiring coif he's been stylin' since his inception way back when?

Also. We have Aquaman.

Aquaman.

He can talk to fish.

That's just.. It's... No.

No more Aquaman, guys.

I think I heard the other day that (did you know this?) they're making an Aquaman comic where he's -wait for it!- in the DESERT. Yes. From what I've heard, the whole issue is how he reacts in the desert. From what I gather, he's kind of useless. :P

Today! Bre and I have been in school Nothing unusual. :P She had a math test today :( It was rough, from what I can tell. :S The lab ended up being about 20 minutes later than normal because nearly everybody in our chem class is in Bre's math class xD I had a pretty easy day, actually. Wednesdays usually are pretty slack for me. I love it. :P

Anyway, I suppose I'm done for the night! I have a Bio Lab Midterm tomorrow night, and I want to be ready for it (I.e. more than 5 hours of sleep). Good night all!
-Waldon

Waldon here! You wouldn't believe the sheer volume of work we've needed to do over the past few days. I've got chemistry still due, I've got two math assignments due for the start of next week, some English, a bio test on Tuesday (I think) and a stats assignment.

AUGH.

By the way, most of that is for Monday.

So! Onto news! Bre and I finally got to spend some time together tonight! :) It's been a few weeks since we actually got to sit down and just watch a movie or something and relax. :( Something always comes up, or something always needs to be done, or somebody always has a problem that we need to help with. Tonight was exactly what I needed, I think. :) Hopefully, Bre had a good time, but I don't think I'm very entertaining to be around. :(

We have next to no time anymore. >.< As it is, I had to decline a woman who asked me to babysit for her tonight. :( I just have too much to do! I didn't finish my bio lab until 8 o clock, and it was due by midnight tonight. >.< I was working on it since Friday night. >.<

I hope that woman isn't too angry with me... :(

Just now, I was hearing a weird scratching noise coming from the living room and after about 15 minutes I was starting to wonder about it. Now, I should clarify that I'm ALWAYS hearing things in this house. Like, even Gladdale and Scottie and a couple other people have heard people calling out my name, and nobody was there or calling out anything. I've heard it too, and things regularly make noises in the walls. I got home from work during summer vacation while my parents were gone to the cabin for the day, and there was a massive chunk of bloody meat on the floor.

So, I figured I should probably check this out.

I walked out to the living room, and lo and behold; my dog Gunner lying on his side, the side of his face pressed into the carpet, scratching the floor with his feet like he was running sideways, his tongue lolling out. There was a crazy look in his eyes. His tail was going nuts.

So, I call out to him. He nearly explodes with happiness.

After about 3 seconds of extreme joyousness, he promptly lies down and goes to sleep, like he wasn't just channeling an "I just smelled 14 permanent markers and ate chalk" level of crazy.

I love my dog. :P

Oh, hey! The movie I was watching is over. :S It was Hellboy. I love that movie, and I think it comes on every Saturday night here. I must have seen it about a dozen times over the past couple months.

Now, I need to go to sleep. I've got a ton of math due Monday, and I need to start working on it early. :(

Good night, all!
-Waldon

Waldon here! I know we don't update much, but there's always so much work to do be done, and sleep kind of needs to happen somewhat regularly or bad stuff starts to happen. :P

Anyways! On to the blog!

I started playing Pokemon again the other day. I think my fingers have almost melted to the DS. I LOVE POKEMON. I'm such a nerd. In fact, I just connected my DS to my Wi-Fi for the first time. I'm pretty pumped. I've got a team of dragons! : D And soon I'll be borrowing Bre's DS so that I can get a Charizard from my Heartgold! And a bunch of other dragons! : D I love dragons. xD

Man, I feel like I'm 10 and ranting to all the other kids in the cafeteria. See? This is why I should stop waiting until 1 in the morning to do this. xD

So, this week. Where should I start?

Well, firstly...

There is never an end to the work that needs to be done. Seriously.

Today was Friday, and I was informed that on Monday we'll be having a test in my Stats class that's worth 20% or so, and a math assignment is due, and a Bio lab is due, and... Something else? I can't remember that last bit...

Oh well, it'll come to me.

This week I had a bio lab that I loved. xD We looked at small protists. I was studying Paramecium. It was cool. :P Those little guys move REALLY FAST. We had to dope them up on methyll cellulose and hope they slowed down enough to watch them up close. :P

Also! I started playing Pokemon Yellow again too, and whilst doing research on Gyarados I discovered that it's name in beta was "Skulkraken." I can't believe they never stuck with that name. If I ever have a child, and that child is male, I will name him "Skulkraken" because the name Skulkraken Best would sound awesome on the top of a list for any new teacher during the school year.

Also, it inspires fear the hearts of all those whom oppose him, and isn't that what a father really wants?

So, tonight I went down to Bre's while she was babysitting, and that was fun :) We watched a lot of "1000 Ways to Die" after the kids went to bed. :P Being around a crowd of kids scare me. O_o I mean, I'm terrified of people regularly, but kids get all close and stuff. No joke, I'm terrified of my own species... That's kind of sad. But! I'm good with animals! : D

Yeah, so, this rambling, very tired blog is now done. It probably has very little coherence, or entertainment value (Aside from me sounding like a child.)

So! Good night all!
-Waldon

Waldon here! I just got back from a night out with Bre and Russell. It was great xD We watched that new Muppets movie, and I LOVED it. I was smiling for a solid two hours.
Tonights title came from one of the previews from a movie called Brave. I'm going to watch it. I don't care if it's for 5 year old's; hearing that line spoken whilst a man moons another man in front of an army is all I need in a good movie. Yeah, I know I'm rather young for an 18 year old, but you know what? I don't even CARE. :P

I did so much laughing tonight that I think I gave myself a sore throat. xD Not necessarily at the movie, even. Just being around Russell tends to make me break out into laughter. :P He's one of those funny ones.

I have a feeling that I'll be inserting in-jokes about the movie all night, so I'll try my best to keep things mostly spoiler free. Just in case you're one of those people that haven't watched the movie yet. But if you haven't by now, you really should. Like, right now. I think I just gave away a major plot point about that movie. Well, I should hope so, or else most of the readers will be really bored right now.

Anyways, the movie started at around 7 or so this evening, so after Bre got her haircut at 2 30 (Which looks amazing, btw) we went to her house for an hour and a half, ish? Then, we drove through Tims and then to her dads house to drop off her sister. After that, it was my house for an hour or so, and then to pick up Russell and go to the movie. Russell's girlfriend was out of town for the weekend, sadly, so it was just the three of us tonight.

After the movie, Bre, Russell and I went to Tims, and hung around there for an hour and a half or so. Russell looked like he was about to pop by the end of that, so I made sure to get him home. :P Bre came over for an hour or so, and then I took her home too. :P

So, I suppose I'll go to bed... Good ni-

MENAH MENAH!
Doo ooooo ooo oo ooo.
Doo ooo ooo oooo.
Menah menah!
Doo ooo oo ooo ooo
oooo oo ooo
ooo oooo ooo
oo ooo ooo oo oooo oooo oo.
Menah menah.........

Waldon here! I know we haven't been updating recently, but like my last post explained, our schedules have been full up. Sorry!

Anyways, I'm sick of apologizing all the time, so I'll get on with the meat of it. :P

Actually, on the topic of apologizing, am I the only person that feels like they have to apologize if nobody is saying anything? Like, you get in a scuffle or something, and nobody says anything, and then you'll apologize, regardless of if there was even and wrongdoing to BEGIN with? :P Cause I know I do. Like, it's compulsive. People have asked me why I'm so apologetic sometimes, and that's why. xD If you've ever got reason to think (God forbid those situations from happening!) that I'm not the one that should apologize, you'd best apologize first cause otherwise, here I come. :P

So! My day. Tuesday is my best day of the week, usually. I get out from school at 1 30, but I've got a steady four hour block of classes before that. xD I'm always SO HUNGRY.

I picked up Bre this morning at about 8 10, and we went to school, where she then went to Psyche class. I hung around the library and finished my stats assignment that was due next period. :P Then, I went to stats. Then Bio (Which I love.) and math, and finally chemistry (Which hurts my brain.).

After Chem, I had to run and look for a caribou hunting license, but the line at the registration office was too long so I went home to get something to eat first, and then I was planning on going back. PLANNING, on going back being the imperative. (I think that's the right word?) I went back to the building around 3 o clock, hopefully I'd get in, get the license, and be out in time to pick up Bre at school and get my haircut.

I walked in the building.

THE SAME SIX PEOPLE WERE STILL WAITING IN LINE.

Augh.

So, I left it. I'll try again tomorrow, I suppose.

Yeah! And then I got my haircut. :P I like it, but I think Bre is kind of meh about it. xD Now, it's time for me to finish my Chem Prelab. Off I go! Good night all!
-Waldon

Waldon here, and it's very, very late, or very, very early. That depends on when you wake up, doesn't it? But, sadly, I don't have the energy to discuss philosophy with all of you right now. As much as I love to debate the fallacies of existentialism (I believe that's what this would be classified as, but I've no doctorate. xD) I've got to go to sleep. :P

As you can probably tell, Bre and I have been busy this week, and our schoolwork load has increased by a TON (I received an 18 page math assignment on our first day of class. Before our instructor taught us to do the material). Also, we had to have at least half of it finished somehow by the next day. I had a lab and a prelab due a few nights, and a stats assignment as well. And frankly, I've been tired. xD Bre is in the same boat as me, but she's got Physics instead of stats. :P

We really do try to post! But between my schoolwork and my blogging, I choose to get my work done, sorry. xP Anyways! I suppose I'll be off to sleep now! I'll tell you about my week another time?
-Waldon

Waldon here, and tonight's title is a serious question. AM I the only one? :O

Yeah, so Bre and I registered for our next semester of College today, and I've got the great fortune of having the most awkwardly blocked up schedule in the school, I swear to god. I think I only have one two hour break between classes (meaning that I have very few class blocks that don't include at least three hour long classes in a row) the whole week? Also, I can only get to the cafeteria three times in a week, meaning I'll either have to go without dinner or get something from somewhere (meaning greater expenses >.<) and Bre and I can only eat dinner together once a week now. :(

ANYWAY!

Bre and I both registered, got that over with, and now I'm writing the blog after a wonderful afternoon with Bre where we spent an hour or two looking around for an agenda for her, and then I got to introduce her to the miracle that is Fable II. :P I would show her Fable III, but for some reason my disk is scratched up and it won't play. :S So I'll try and find one of those CD repair kits around and see if that works. xD

After supper, I started getting ready for school tomorrow (I.e. reading webcomics and sketching a little xD) I actually think Bre did pretty much the same thing? xD We've been on Skype together for 3 hours 32 minutes and 18 seconds, as of this sentence. :P So yeah, it's been a good night. :)

Anyway! I'm back to drawing now! Good night all!
-Waldon

Good evening folks! Tonight's title comes from a little rhyme that my sister and I used to sing when we were little. It's about a worm that eats his family. Charming? I think so. Junior just read what I wrote. Poor bugger. He thinks it's horrible haha. I think it's a funny little tune.

Junior is sorry that he didn't write the blog tonight! I forgive him because he hasn't been feeling very well. He didn't exactly have a great day today. When he woke up, he realized that his pump disconnected while he was asleep, so he had REALLY high blood sugar. By noon, it had gone down to almost perilously low. (It went from about 26 to 3 in the span of four hours). It had only gone up to about 4 or 5 when he got home for supper. He's just been feeling really sick today! :(

What did we do today (other than worry about his sugars)? We went to the eye doctor! Gladdale came too! She needed to get her glasses fixed and Junior needed to pick out some new glasses frames. Gladdale had to leave before we picked out new frames because she was leaving at one. :(  We all had to say goodbye at the eye doctor's office. I miss her already!

After that, Junior and I went to school for a bit. We register tomorrow morning so he had to go talk to advisor to make sure that he picked out all of the right courses. It was nice! We saw Felicia! Theeeen... We went back to his house! We shovelled a little bit around his yard then went inside. He kind of force fed me soem spaghetti. THAT'S when he figured out why he was feeling weird. His blood sugar was really low. We ended up hanging around his house until about quarter to four, when we went to my house. He could only stay for a few minutes because he had to be home for supper.
 
Since Junior dropped me off, I haven't really done much. I ate some lasagna, hung out with Britt, watched some tv... Britt is amazing! I love her to death! There's a little boy in her school that has autism, who LOVES her to death. He's always devasted if he doesn't see her during school. Today was their first day back after the Winter vacation and the little boy was so excited to see her! Britt always lights up when he's around. It's love if ever I saw it. :)

Now Junior's back here again! I'll leave this for now because he's not feeling very good. Good night!

- Bre :)