I finally got over to Blair earlier this week to practice the piano for the first time in literally 4-5 months. Fortunately, the rust came off easily, and I had fun just wasting a couple of hours toying around with a new composition I came up with that I really like. I've been storing up several different pieces for the next album I put together, which unfortunately may not occur for another 2 years. But it will happen someday, you can count on that. Its just too much fun to be in the studio working on music. I really miss it.

I've been on an 80's kick over the past month, and I don't really know why. Part of it is Napoleon Dynamite's 80's slant, which has reminded me just how effective a consistent, coherent soundtrack that uses songs that all have the same musical textures can really work to give a plot or story a solid infrastructure. The "square" synths used in most of the songs in that movie (excluding Jack White's "I Think We're Gonna Be Friends" at the beginning) really work to give the movie a listless, nostalgic feel that stays with you long after the movie's over.

Here are the songs I downloaded off iTunes in this 80's rediscovery. Don't laugh too hard. Many of these I remember listening to in the car with my mom when I was 6 or 7. Weird how entire musical periods of time - not just individual songs - come back to you at unexpected times.

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper (of Napoleon Dynamite fame)
Kyrie - Mr. Mister (amazing voice)
Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry
Running to Stand Still - U2 (very moving tune)
Sara - Jefferson Airplane (stop laughing!)
Missing You - John Waite
Islands in the Stream - Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers (a weird song, admittedly...but this is one that evokes all sorts of memories of being at home growing up)
We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - Tina Turner (a really dark 80's tune, and a good one)
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
Sailing - Christopher Cross (no idea at all why I like this song, but I do)
Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2 (no description necessary. bona fide classic.)


If you compare the laundry list of 80's one hit wonders vs. the 90's one hit wonders, the 80's narrowly edges out the 90's in terms of sheer musical scope and lasting power. But when you also compare the bands from the 80's that have maintained strong careers over time with bands from the 90's that have done the same, its no contest. The 80's was a remarkable period of popular music, covering all sorts of new ground and musical landscapes.

Thankfully, the 00's are largely shaping up to be like the 80's in terms of variety. Lets hope it continues.

Do we make our own luck?

Or do we simply wish we had this much control over our own fate?

As the iTest reaches a critical turning point, in which the fires of skepticism have been extinguished and the core of the original idea lies exposed yet indestructible, I wonder just how much was pure luck.

I've been walking such a tightrope with this project for so long that it almost feels uncomfortable finally being on solid ground. But I think I'll get used to it.

Spending spring break here in Knoxville with Lori...

Its been a great week! Lori got the internship she wanted with the Tennessee Supreme Court, which is HUGE. Its tough enough to get any job the summer after first year of law school, but there are a few select plum jobs to be had. This is one of those. Congrats, L.

This week for me has been a mix of pure relaxation and looking ahead. AHSIMC iTest registration packets headed out to over 2400 schools across the United States this week, and next week will be busy with the beginning of the registration period. I have continued to write test questions, get the 2005 results database created, concoct a system of organization for the entire process once again, and even do a little bit of publicity for the 2005 competition this week. So I have managed to get at least a little bit of work done.

I have definitely gotten my gameage on this week, as you might have expected. I have logged several hours playing Resident Evil 4 on GameCube, and finally finished it last night. What a spectacular experience. Calling RE4 a "game" is misleading - this is an epic work on a massive Hollywood blockbuster scale. The gameplay is simple to learn and builds slowly, but some of the stuff the designers pulled off in the latter half of the game is just stunningly brilliant. It is, perhaps, the greatest single player video game of all time.

I've also been playing liberal amounts of Halo 2 and ESPN MLB 2K5 on XBox Live, as I won 2 of 3 matches against Dave this week in the ESPN baseball game. Only $20, a BIG steal if you're looking for a baseball game. I'm also working on finishing up FF1 in the Final Fantasy: Dawn of Souls GBA game that Lori gave me for Valentine's Day just under a month ago.

Fantasy baseball is well underway, with the draft of one of my leagues occurring Thursday night, and the draft for Evan's league on Monday. The main event, however, is Wednesday night's kickoff to our perennial fantasy baseball league with my friends from high school. Having lost last year's championship by the slimmest of margins - a single hit! - I'm looking forward to the start of a new season.

Finally, I'm happy to report that I have started actually READING BOOKS AGAIN!!! I rifled through Jose Canseco's steroid tribute "Juiced," and now am on to Jared Diamond's follow-up to the critically-acclaimed "Guns, Germs, and Steel" ... which is called "Collapse." Good stuff so far...hope to finish it late next week, though it might be a bit ambitious with the start of the final mod of business school.

Lori's in town for the weekend! Unfortunately, as I sit here and watch the Lakers finish off the Mavericks, she's asleep trying to escape some bad food she ate at Boundry earlier tonight. We went out to dinner with Noah and his new girlfriend Caroline. We both had a lot of fun, but unfortunately, some of Boundry's more exotic options that Lori tried out didn't exactly agree with her. I'm sure a night of extra sleep will help.

I have a little side project to announce: BondsCheated.com. This will be a site ripping Barry Bonds for his wishy-washy steroid "non-denials" and making the case why Barry Bonds should not be taken seriously as he pursues and breaks both Ruth's record, and eventually, Aaron's.

We'll likely sell a piece of merchandise or two through the site - something that people can bring into the ballpark wherever Bonds is playing to protest his pursuit of the record. This really has some potential to get noticed by the media, who can't seem to get enough of Bonds, his mouth, his attitude, and his home runs. If the media pick it up even in a small way, this could become a profitable project in a hurry. If not, it'll remain a fun little aside to the baseball season, and a permanent testament to Bonds' steroid-powered records.

I just got sick and tired of hearing Bonds on TV and my general inability to escape hearing about him through the media. After reading Jose Canseco's book and finding it surprisingly believable - despite several egregious errors in the text - my tolerance for Bonds, and steroids, is very low. Bonds' recent press conference pushed me over the edge - he's just too big of an idiot to ignore.

Anyhow, enough about Bonds...I have a project for my Securities Analysis class that's due Monday that I haven't even started yet. Yay.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LET ME OUT OF SCHOOL.