So, I'm sure you've heard of Microsoft's latest money-baby - Kinect.
But, 22 years ago, Nintendo had a very similar idea: the Power Glove. Prepare to be wowed less by technology and more by 1980's marketing:
The Power Glove. It's so BAD!
You may now return to something productive.
8.19.2010
Running: It's All About the Music
So, I am not the leading authority on running, but I have found one thing very helpful: music. We worked out each week at the Forge, and it was really the first time I had a regular running schedule. However, I never listened to music while running.
Fast forward to July, when I was finally settled into Dallas, I started running again. And, my friends, music makes all the difference. So, here is some advice on what to listen to while you burn away those Ho-Ho's.
1. Pick upbeat songs. This is key. I can't run to slower, chiller bands such as Explosions in the Sky or Moby. No, no. What you need are songs with a fast tempo, cause your feet will want to match it. Pick a faster song, and you can improve your times.
2. Pick songs you actually like. So, with this being said, don't just go and get all the techno and rave songs you can. Once, I was surprised by Journey's "Separate Ways", which I had put on my playlist as a semi-joke. But, it came on one time, and I was able to push ahead, focusing on my love of classic rock instead of my deflated lungs and lead legs.
3. Skip songs as you run. If a song comes on you don't like / want. Skip it. It's your life, take some control!
4. Breathe. This is another great thing about music. During that silence between songs, I've realized that I breathe pretty loudly about 1/4 of my way into a run. But, when that music is playing, I don't care who hears. So, I'm able to suck in that air and not care who's listening.
5. Turn up the Volume. This one took some experimenting, but I've found turning up the volume helps me run faster. You can really get into those songs, you know? I'd say I usually listen to my iPod around the halfway mark. But, when running, it's closer to 3/4. Just one more thing to push you.
6. Pick songs that yell at you. So, you like your song, it's upbeat, and the volume is up. The last things that helps me run faster are songs a little outside my usual listening - throw in some Coheed and Cambria, mewithoutYou, Family Force Five... it's almost like a mini-Brooks Beless yelling at you to keep going.
Bryce's Top Ten Music to Listen to While Running:
- Stretching -
10. Arcade Fire - Ready to Start - This song gets me pumped up. Starts off slow, builds in some layers... But, I'm a little obsessed with this album right now, so it may be biased.
- Starting off -
9. mewithoutYou - Nice and Blue - I've found this hard drum beat to be the perfect tempo for me to start running. Plus, they start yelling, and man!- it just gets me going!
8. Arcade Fire - Wake Up - Again, starts off slow (maybe a little too slow). But, I usually just start listening to the song and forget I'm running. (I want to actually start waking up to this song.)
- Running -
7. mewithoutYou - Bullet to Binary - One of my favorites. Early mewithoutYou is screamo mewithoutYou. At one point, they're yelling in French. What's not to love?
6. Lecrae - Go Hard - This one always gets me. With Lecrae shouting 'Go Hard or Go Home,' I start thinking, "You're right Lecrae, I'm gonna go hard, cause I don't wanna go home!! ARRRRGH!!"
- Pushing Through the Pain -
5. Switchfoot - Bullet Soul - About the 3/4 mark, I need music I like to listen to and forget my pain. So, this catchy tune usually takes me away from my pain.
4. Journey - Separate Ways - Once, I was running in some really hot weather, and felt like quitting. Then, I heard the guitars at the beginning, and had a complete out-of-body-experience. Also, it makes me think of this scene in 'Yes Man' (especially the end). Works like a charm...
3. Rush - The Spirit of Radio - Again, if this comes on at the end, it's such a surprise. I end up getting lost in Neil Peart's drumming prowess.
- Finishing -
2. Coldplay - Viva la Vida - For me, I like a really good song at the end which, I don't know, just lifts your spirits. I imagine this song to be playing as I run into the olympic stadium or something.
1. Edison Glass - The Jig is Up - Not only my top running song, but one of my faves anytime. The message behind this amazing song inspires me to finish strong as much as the music.
Alright, now get off the computer, grab the iPod, and get fit!
Fast forward to July, when I was finally settled into Dallas, I started running again. And, my friends, music makes all the difference. So, here is some advice on what to listen to while you burn away those Ho-Ho's.
1. Pick upbeat songs. This is key. I can't run to slower, chiller bands such as Explosions in the Sky or Moby. No, no. What you need are songs with a fast tempo, cause your feet will want to match it. Pick a faster song, and you can improve your times.
2. Pick songs you actually like. So, with this being said, don't just go and get all the techno and rave songs you can. Once, I was surprised by Journey's "Separate Ways", which I had put on my playlist as a semi-joke. But, it came on one time, and I was able to push ahead, focusing on my love of classic rock instead of my deflated lungs and lead legs.
3. Skip songs as you run. If a song comes on you don't like / want. Skip it. It's your life, take some control!
4. Breathe. This is another great thing about music. During that silence between songs, I've realized that I breathe pretty loudly about 1/4 of my way into a run. But, when that music is playing, I don't care who hears. So, I'm able to suck in that air and not care who's listening.
5. Turn up the Volume. This one took some experimenting, but I've found turning up the volume helps me run faster. You can really get into those songs, you know? I'd say I usually listen to my iPod around the halfway mark. But, when running, it's closer to 3/4. Just one more thing to push you.
6. Pick songs that yell at you. So, you like your song, it's upbeat, and the volume is up. The last things that helps me run faster are songs a little outside my usual listening - throw in some Coheed and Cambria, mewithoutYou, Family Force Five... it's almost like a mini-Brooks Beless yelling at you to keep going.
Bryce's Top Ten Music to Listen to While Running:
- Stretching -
10. Arcade Fire - Ready to Start - This song gets me pumped up. Starts off slow, builds in some layers... But, I'm a little obsessed with this album right now, so it may be biased.
- Starting off -
9. mewithoutYou - Nice and Blue - I've found this hard drum beat to be the perfect tempo for me to start running. Plus, they start yelling, and man!- it just gets me going!
8. Arcade Fire - Wake Up - Again, starts off slow (maybe a little too slow). But, I usually just start listening to the song and forget I'm running. (I want to actually start waking up to this song.)
- Running -
7. mewithoutYou - Bullet to Binary - One of my favorites. Early mewithoutYou is screamo mewithoutYou. At one point, they're yelling in French. What's not to love?
6. Lecrae - Go Hard - This one always gets me. With Lecrae shouting 'Go Hard or Go Home,' I start thinking, "You're right Lecrae, I'm gonna go hard, cause I don't wanna go home!! ARRRRGH!!"
- Pushing Through the Pain -
5. Switchfoot - Bullet Soul - About the 3/4 mark, I need music I like to listen to and forget my pain. So, this catchy tune usually takes me away from my pain.
4. Journey - Separate Ways - Once, I was running in some really hot weather, and felt like quitting. Then, I heard the guitars at the beginning, and had a complete out-of-body-experience. Also, it makes me think of this scene in 'Yes Man' (especially the end). Works like a charm...
3. Rush - The Spirit of Radio - Again, if this comes on at the end, it's such a surprise. I end up getting lost in Neil Peart's drumming prowess.
- Finishing -
2. Coldplay - Viva la Vida - For me, I like a really good song at the end which, I don't know, just lifts your spirits. I imagine this song to be playing as I run into the olympic stadium or something.
1. Edison Glass - The Jig is Up - Not only my top running song, but one of my faves anytime. The message behind this amazing song inspires me to finish strong as much as the music.
Alright, now get off the computer, grab the iPod, and get fit!
8.07.2010
Battlestar Galactica: A Beginner’s Guide
STOP. Don’t skip over this post; don’t just mark as ‘read’
Yes, the title of the show (and now this blog post) is SEVERLY nerdy. Please, just read over some facts about why I think the show is accessible to all.
1. You don’t have to be a Sci-Fi fan to enjoy this show.
This is not Star Wars, nor Star Trek. After watching five minutes of the show, you will see it as a demi-LOST, only in space. (but not Lost in Space)
2. The show is about characters, not Sci-Fi gizmos.
The producers say in an extra features – “We don’t really care how people will make coffee on spaceships or use light-speed. We wanted to focus on making characters and a story people will enjoy, not fancy machines.”
3. “Thou shalt be real.”
This is one of the first rules the producers decided on when making the show. They didn’t want a clean, Star-Trekkish ship. They wanted one that actually looked like people lived (and died) there.
4. You do not have to know anything about the original show.
And, from what I gather, they’ve changed a lot of things anyways (which makes the hardcore fans upset.)
5. Dr. Baltar is an antagonist.
If you do actually check out the show, this is very helpful. I watched the whole first season and was so pissed at this guy. But, apparently we’re supposed to hate him. He slipped by my radar as a narcissistic good guy; don’t be fooled, he’s technically an antagonist. This will help you enjoy the show so you don’t have to try to like him when you are screaming at the TV.
SUMMING UP
So, give this show a chance. I enjoyed the first season (all I’ve seen). On my (limited) TV show judging scale, I would place BG third – LOST, Arrested Development, Battlestar Galactica, Burn Notice, The Office. (And if you know me, you know I love Burn Notice… )
Overall, the show has intriguing characters and a stellar storyline. Also, when the whole human race is being destroyed, some tough ethical decisions come up. When you throw all of this in the oven, out comes a very intelligent, emotional TV drama.
Check it out, the cool people at IMDB didn’t give it 9/10 for nothing.
B R Y C E
PS Also, note that the ‘first’ episode was a three-part, three-hour miniseries. Keep that in mind for viewing time. Split it up. Or don’t?
8.03.2010
3 6 5
So, I joined a cult on flickr last spring called 365 days. It's basically a bunch of crazy photographers with a simple idea. You take a self-portrait. Every day. For a year. I began the journey last year, but only made it halfway-ish. I decided to give it up when the Forge started.
Not this time. 8/1/2010 = Day 1. Actually, I’m pretty excited to start again. I haven’t touched my camera since the end of the Forge in May. I already have a few new ideas.
The best thing about the project was it always kept my mind going in photography mode. After handling the camera, every day, for 148 or so days, things really started to click.
Now, the only hurdle is – what do I call it? Last year, it was simply 365days. But, what about this time? 365 v.2? threesixfive? 365-2010?
I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon…
Also, all photo posts will go here: clickmeclickmeclickme
B R YC E
[[originally written 7-30-10]]
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