Good Times at the Titan

Tomorrow I am excited to be going to the Daily Titan 50th Anniversary Banquet.

The more I think about it, the more excited I am. I'm excited to see my DT friends again and I am happy just to have been a part of the DT for the year I was. Writing and editing for The Daily Titan was seriously the most fun I had in college.

I got along with the staff and, while we all worked hard, were always stressed out and were there from early in the day to late at night ... it was a good time. My time at the Titan as a staff writer and Sports Editor was awesome. The hardest work I ever had to do but the most rewarding and most fun. I can't believe a year has passed since then. I still remember most of it like it just happened.

I miss it. I miss the people and the job and loving what I did so much, I miss it but I'm glad for it. Remembering my time there makes me want to go back into it again.

I know my thoughts are all over the place right now, but I just wanted to say I'm excited for tomorrow. I hope  a lot of the staff show up. We had fun and accomplished a lot so I hope they show and I know if they do it'll be a good time.

The majority of the Spring '09 Editorial Staff graduated together :)

More of the DT staff at the after party for the Spring '09 Daily Titan Banquet

That's all.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

Try Mutemath Already

Maybe it is that I had a  few friends at Coachella over the weekend or maybe it is just my state of mind but I'm on a music kick lately and strongly campaigning for a band I love called MuteMath.

MuteMath

My friend Jason first  introduced me to MuteMath in mid-2007. He'd been a fan for about a year I believe, which makes sense because the Mutemath album came out in January 2006. When he first told me about them my response was "Yeah, yeah I'll check them out," but I didn't really listen. Then I heard Noticed and I was hooked. I listened to them via MySpace for a while before getting Jason to give me the album and it just happened to be around the time Typical came out as a single. I enjoyed the band and listened to the album but it took me a while to appreciate it.

One day I was listening to You Are Mine and something clicked. I played the entire album through and just enjoyed the music. I was excited when Spotlight went on the Twilight Soundtrack because I knew it would mean better exposure for the band. I practically giggled with joy when I saw the video being played before a few games at Dodger Stadium too. Once that song came out I started trying to campaign for Mutemath with my friends a little more. Then they released Armistice.


Armistice is a very good album. I definitely recommend it. In my opinion, it's even stronger lyrically and musically than Mutemath was. It's  good all the way through and really easy to listen to. The weakest song is probably The Nerve (the first song) but it's not a bad song, just not as strong as songs like Pins and Needles or Backfire or Clipping or Lost Year or Electrify.


That reminds me, Wankavision had a really cool article about them: http://www.wonkavisionmagazine.com/webzine/wz3_mute_math.html

I enjoy Wonkavision when I can find it. It's a really cool magazine, too bad it's based on the East Coast. I think my friend Danny would do well writing there - he's cool and hip and indie like the magazine.

Anyways, I have yet to see Mutemath live. I hear nothing but good things about their shows but when I found out they were playing in SoCal last time it was was only one show and I had already promised to attend Oktoberfest with my friends the same night (also a good time, by the way). Then I found out they would be at Coachella but couldn't afford the show. BUMMER.

What bums me out most is my cousins did not check out their Coachella show ... and neither did anyone at KROQ apparently because there's nothing on the Website about their set. My cousins would probably dig Mutemath, but they can't dig them if they don't try them out!


So anyone looking for a good band with a unique sound try Mutemath already!

'Nuff Said,
Crysania 

It Might Get Loud ... Kickass!

I didn't get to the Dodger game Saturday ... and, for once, I'm glad. That game kind of hurt to watch. Ouch. But they did win Sunday and take the series! Over the weekend I did watch some cool movies though.

First, I saw Kickass. It was funny, cool and an overall good superhero type of movie. I enjoyed it ... and I'm very much thinking about being Hit Girl for Halloween.

The other movie I saw was It Might Get Loud. It was a very cool movie. I loved it.

It's a documentary featuring The Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White about how they got to where they are and mostly about their guitars. It's a really cool, well-made movie with some really interesting points of views from three very different artists who have this one thing in common. It's insane to hear Edge talk about how much fun he has with using technology to change simple riffs into something amazing and complex and then hear Jack White say technology kills creativity. It shows their differences as artists yet it is clear they respect each other. And who wouldn't want to jam with Jimmy Page?

There's this scene where Page starts playing the riff for Whole Lotta Love and The Edge literally gets out of his chair to get a closer look and Jack White leans forward. They share a grin like two kids being amazed by this riff for the first time. Another part I loved was listening as Edge played early recordings of Where the Streets Have No Name from when U2 was trying to figure out how to structure the song. You can hear Bono sing the beat as Edge reminisces how the song came together. It was also insane to watch Jack White play on stage until his fingers bled!

The movie gives a unique look at the guitar and the artists behind it. My favorite scene was hearing Edge talk about his inspiration for Sunday Bloody Sunday.

I'll admit I am a bit biased. My dad and aunt have always loved Led Zeppelin so I grew up with their music around and I've seen U2 live twice and adore them (I'm also reading U2 by U2 right now and really am enjoying the book and loving The Edge more every chapter) so I knew I'd enjoy them. I've liked stuff I've heard from Jack White but never appreciated his love for and dedication to music until I saw this movie.

All three artist light up like little kids when talking about their guitars or songs that inspired them, it's nice to see that. If you love rock, blues, the guitar or any of these artist check it out. You probably won't nerd out like me, but I think you'll enjoy it.

That's all for now.

'Nuff said,
Crysania

Vegas Was Fun But ...

I have to talk about my Dodgers today!

Last night my man Andre Ethier came up with another walk-off hit! I honestly have to say ... I knew it was going to happen. Once the pitcher threw that wild pitch and the runners advanced I knew Andre was going to get the hit! Very cool.

Sexy Andre Ethier - taken by my brother against the D-backs last season

The Dodgers haven't been playing particularly fantastic lately so it was a cool win. I know Andre had a chance the night before but he can't get a walk-off every single time, it's amazing that he gets them as often as he does!

Yes, I love Andre Ethier. He's a sexy, awesome baseball player with a beautiful swing.

Anyways I haven't posted much about Vegas other than the fact that Muse was ridiculously amazing in concert, but I don't think I really will put too much up there. I mean, it was Vegas - good times.

There is this bar that every time Kristin and I go to we make international friends. It's in the New York New York right outside the Coyote Ugly. When we went there at 4:30 am during Kristin's birthday we made some friends with these Australian dudes who sang Happy Birthday to Kristin followed by some Australian cheer and bought us drinks and when we went there again Friday night we made friends with a couple British dudes and some desperate but sweet and funny Canadian ladies. The ladies were really into Gary (one of the Brits) and he was happy Kristin and I got between them to get our drinks. Kristin chatted with Stu while the Canadian chicks talked to me. Then I talked to Gary then we both ended up talking to Stu about Muse. It was pretty awesome. I love that bar.

Ben and Kristin - I love this pic

The other cool thing other than the concert was that I actually won on the slots! I lost my ass Friday but got it all back and about $10 extra Saturday so it was nice. I'm not a big gambler but it is fun ... especially when there is winning involved.

That's all for now, really. I want to go to the Dodger game tomorrow and watch Tim Lincecum pitch (hopefully he can pitch and the Dodgers can still win). I know it's bad to want to see a Giant pitch but Lincecum is just that good. Plus I can cheer for the Dodgers and I always enjoy time at Dodger Stadium. I guess I'll see what happens, I do need to go to a game soon.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

An Uprising

I FINALLY saw Muse this weekend!! Wow. Wow. WOW! They were incredible! I lost what was left of my voice Saturday night and it has yet to fully return.

Seriously, one of the absolute best live bands I have ever heard! People told me I was going to love it, but I didn't want to build things up too much in my head and be disappointed. I definitely was not. They were fantastic. The awesome towers, the lights and their (especially Matt's) stage command was amazing. I do love Matt Bellamy; his voice and talent are just ridiculous.

I do wish my section would have been better. We were back kinda far I guess but it seemed like every section but ours was on their feet the entire time. I don't see at all how anyone could sit through Muse's live show (with the exception of my best friend Kristin who got beer dumped all over her feet, shoes and pants) ... but whatever, I enjoyed them thoroughly. And it was a long time coming.

I first heard Muse in late 2004/ early 2005. I was watching TV and an add about this British band came on MTV 2 (yes, it was back in the days when I occasionally still tried to watch MTV). I heard a part of Time is Running Out and needed more. A couple months later I was talking to my cousin about how I'd heard this awesome band but didn't know where to physically get their CD. She had just gotten it and we were stoked to actually have found someone else who liked the band. I burned the CD and the rest is history.

I wasn't a rabid fangirl (adore their music but have avoided scary status, thankfully) but I loved and appreciated their music and always recommended them to friends. I turned some family and friends on to them too. I even made a friend in college mainly because she was a huge fan and she recommended I listen to Origin of Symmetry. I did but by then Black Holes and Revelations was coming out so I focused on trying to get that. I went back later and listened to it and some of Showbiz too. The more I heard, the more I liked the band. I was so excited when other people started liking them and began working on seeing them in concert but the timing was always wrong. Either I was broke, out of town, both or the shows were sold out. That part did suck.

Now that I've seen Muse live ... I need to see them again! Really, I do. They rocked but there are so many songs I have not yet watched them play!

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Plug in Baby (I really didn't think they'd play that one at all) and stoked to hear Feeling Good and Stockholm Syndrome but those were the only three they played I wasn't sure about.

I didn't get to hear songs I love like Bliss, Exo-Politics, Butterflies and Hurricanes, Invincible, Unintended, Sing for Absolution or Hyper Music ... to name a few (Honestly Sing for Absolution and Hyper Music are doubtful but the others they did play on their live album HAARP). So I've got to see them again for any chance of hearing those songs.

I was also surprised that they didn't do MK Ultra or I Belong to You (Mon Coeur S'Ouvre a te Vioux) off The Resistance but was stoked to hear Unnatural Selection and Undisclosed Desires. 

Anyways, I picked up a shirt (it's my thing, I always get a shirt with the tour dates on it when I go to a show) and a kick-ass poster (can't remember the last time I bought one of those) so all in all it was a fantastic night. I was definitely in outer space the rest of the trip. They really are my new favorite live band! They are up there with U2, Coldplay and The Hives in terms of fantastic live shows.

Vegas was pretty fun too. I'll post about it later.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

C'est la Vie

I hate being sick. Truly, hate it.

I'm sure no one enjoys being sick but I despise it. I feel gross and useless and hate doing anything at all. Unfortunately, I am sick a lot. I have a crappy immune system or something and I'm sick at least 4 - 5 times a year.

Of course, I am sick right now.

Yet another reason I hate getting sick so often is the timing. This weekend is my long awaited, highly anticipated Muse concert in Vegas ... and I'm sick ... not funny, life.

I skipped work yesterday to do my best to fight this off and I do feel better, but I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be. I still have a sore, scratchy throat and am stuffed up ... ugh!

I am determined not to let this bring down my weekend. The result will likely be me getting more sick after it is over ... but it's Muse and they are worth it..

So adios vocal chords and sinuses be prepared for a DayQuil onslaught because I will be having as much fun as possible either way. I need this weekend, I need the break, I need some good times.

Pray that I survive it.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

"In the Name of the Moon, I Shall Punish You"

I've let it be known that I'm a slight video game nerd, so I might as well say I'm a little bit of an anime nerd too.

I'm not hardcore but there are a handful of anime/manga that I will proudly nerd-out for. Sailor Moon and Cowboy Bebop have to be my top 2 ... and recently I have been indulging my inner Sailor Moon.

In 2004 they released a live-action Sailor Moon series in Japan and it is EPIC! Don't get me wrong, it's bad - really bad - but it is oh so good at the same time. And who doesn't love Power Ranger-esque fight scenes like this:



Yeah, I know. Awesome.

Seriously though, I actually kind of like it. So far (I'm only 17 episodes in) it's stayed pretty close to the manga - closer than the anime had been at this point anyways. It expands on the girls being in school and not solving their problems in one episode. I like that they use wigs when they transform too. The girls always looking exactly the same when they transformed yet never being discovered was one thing you learned to live with in the anime/manga, but this way makes sense.

It's hilariously bad, but fantastic and I'm addicted. I even kinda wanna learn the hand motions - they're that cool.

And just because I know you all want to see more than just Sailor Moon's transformation here is a little present (the Sailor Luna part is only for the live action show for a few episodes):



Life on the moon is pretty epic.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

*Note - I have since continued farther into the show and it goes way off both the anime and manga for a while ... still epic though.