On sound and memory

It’s said that scent is our most vital memory retrieval agent. If that’s so, then it seems to me that sound must be running a millimeter or so behind in a close second place.

My memories are so incredibly affected by, and evoked in the presence of, the sounds and music that were in the air when I formed them, that even now I can reduce myself to a pudgy, nervous teenager by listening to Alanis Morrisette (also Metallica and Nirvana), or a babe in arms by listening to Simon and Garfunkel (but also Profokiev, and the Eagles – my mom had good taste, but it was definitely Soft-Rock/Classical taste).

(Whenever I hear this, not only am I a badass hacker, but also a thirteen-year-old watching Robert Redford teach me what it means to man)

It’s odd, isn’t it? the things you forget until you hear the sound that went on in the background? It’s like our genetic blueprint was made for synesthetics. I hear Peter Frampton and suddenly I smell cookies, vanilla and Murphy’s Oil soap on hardwood, the smell of my aunt’s house. When I was staying there she would have us clean top to bottom once weekly – and Do You Feel Like I Do was in heavy rotation on the ‘music to clean by’ mix CD.  ^^

(Frampton was never so pussyfied as when used for silver polishing montages)

I can remember my first kiss or my first breakup like it was yesterday just by hearing the songs I heard then. My first job comes back just fom listening to one of the (like five) songs they played on loop. (It was an awful job)

I wonder when we’ll learn to tap into this amazing memory sink and figure out how to create ‘mind symphonies’ as an aid to memorization, like we do already with ‘mind palaces’.

 

What music reminds you of your youth? What scenes does it evoke? Let me know in the comments section. ^^

This is just Dean-lightening

So for those of you who don’t know, PBS funds a show on youtube called ideachannel. It features some fantastically out there ideas, usually backed by pretty solid evidence. It’s pretty entertaining to watch, and they just did an episode on Community… so… you know I’m all over that. Anyway, take a look. video after the jump.

Graduation

(>^.^)> <(^v^)> <(^.^<)

I am sooooo…. glad…. It’s OVER! No more tests for a while, no more stuffing my brain with homework on the side…

On the other hand, I’m so looking forward to starting up again… SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE…

I feel like the guy from that Twilight Zone episode did, right before he broke his glasses.

Yeah, that guy.

I said BEFORE he broke his glasses. Jesus.

I’ve seen so much that I’ve wanted to show you all… I don’t know where to start. I’ve been building up since about mid-quarter, but school and homework (and my boyfriend ^^) came first.

So to start off, a little something on maturity.

http://www.viruscomix.com/gotes.jpg

I love the fact that whoever did this captured everyone at their best and worst… Maybe these should be renamed Barnum goats.

http://www.3steg.com/images/stories/super_human_expirence.gif

Talk about timing. That right there is something I can only admire… as long as it isn’t shooped, which it most likely is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirpan

That up there is about the only reason I can think of to become affiliated with a religion, even though I couldn’t actually believe in it. Being allowed to carry that bowie-esque sonuvabitch any-damn-where I want in public? and it’s my religious freedom, so law be damned? Freakin’ sweet.

Lastly, a little something to make up for that remark, because really, I promise I wouldn’t sell out my principles for a knife (unless it was Excalibur and the zombie apocalypse was at hand, at which point my principles would have a fire sale – you still wouldn’t be able to make me believe, but I’d say any damn thing you wanted to get my hands on a magic sword if evil undead were on the horizon).

http://lolgod.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-is-not-difficult-concept.html

So there ya go. I’m still Arthur from the block, or whatever.

See y’all soon!

Ok Go – Watch this beautiful one take video.

And then watch this one because of  the music. These guys are really GOOD.

100 Greatest film insults of all time

There are so many situations I’ve been in where I wished I had been able to remember the turn of phrase these movies masterfully put into an insult.

Now I don’t have to.

I took notes. Lol.

And for those of you who wonder where this or that quote came from, there’s a list of the movies used organized by time used here.

Chuck and Beans starts a flame war with an awesome cartoon.

Okay, so for those of you who haven’t heard about it, there’s this cartoon called Chuck & Beans. It’s accessible, funny, and just snarky enough to where I can show it to my younger sister without being called lame.

^^ So then the comic’s creator decided to do a two-panel layout of the arguments for and against organic food.  And I LOL’d. Matter of fact, I ROFL’d.

Of course the comment war ensued, and with it my frustration level. I mean, here’s this awesome, funny, well-written comic describing both sides of a raging debate accurately and with a sense of humor, and in come the boring activist types who can’t laugh at themselves.
So I’m going to post the comic, and my reply to all the haters. For more great comics, go follow the link to Chuck & Beans.

Great comic.

On a side note: to those who made the comments section a forum for the debate over organic/non-organic… The whole point of the comic is that neither standard is reasonable. Besides, too little is known about the possible health benefits or side-effects of either way of life.

As an example, we still don’t know for sure whether the incidence of disease is higher in those who eat organic or non-organic foods over the course of a lifetime.

And before you come in with an assumed answer, remember that one of the things pesticides help control for are pest-born diseases.

On the other hand, while all the chemicals used in farming and food-production must pass stringent protocols before being used commercially, we aren’t capable of using a crystal ball to gaze into the future and find the next DDT before it finds us.

sooo…..

Basically, we’re all screwed. Might as well LOL about it and not get all religious about a couple leaves of cabbage.

Creepiest Gif EVER.

This made me laugh, made me a little nauseous, freaked me out a little, and made me want to make a real one. The only question is whether I should make the skeleton out of hard sugar or not… you know, for that satisfying crunch sensation.

Because It’s Just That HARDCORR

Great Comics

check these out.

PVP (also known as Player Vs. Player - A great comic done by Scott Kurtz)

You can find it HERE.

Also check this one out. This was one of the first webcomics I ever fell in love with.

Sluggy Freelance - a hilarious comic by Pete Abrams

You can find it HERE.

Greatness. And a good comic too.

Which is why I’m posting a link to the guy’s website, two of his episodes, and a positive recommendation, to whit: GO THERE. Morbid, twisted, spike-and-mike meets Far Side comedy. You’ll laugh, and hate yourself for laughing.

Yeah, pretty much.