a follow up

Just to let everyone know, I am still absolutely in love with my new Tele. You have to play a guitar for a while to really get a feel for how it responds to things like control changes, weight shifting, string bending, and speed.

I love my new Tele. I don't think I can say it enough. Every touch, every strum, makes me feel like we were made for each other. All of the above mentioned aspects of guitar-dom are found in levels exactly as I wanted.

She is indeed a beautiful thing, but I'm looking to improve upon her. I want to do something non-stock that would make her a one-of-a-kind. First things first, probably a cosmetic mod: replacement pickguard. Something kind of artsy, just to make me feel like I've got a start on a unique axe.

On another note, I think I am going to commit to going to see U2. I've loved their music for too long and who knows how much longer they're going to be doing this. Rumors of Muse opening for them have me drooling doubly. And, they're coming to Charlottesville on Keren and I's anniversary in October. Seems like a sign, eh?

skipping

I have a major confession to make.

I am a chronic song-skipper. It is, of course, a huge problem. I don't know what got me started, or how long I've been like this, but I do know that it has gotten way far out of control.

I'm not talking about skipping around to find a certain song on my iPod, I'm talking about listening to a song about 80% of the way through, then skipping.

I am going to make a commitment this week to listen to a song all the way through if I get more than a few seconds through it. It's going to be hard, it's going to be tough, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to see it through to the end of the week.

Maybe next week I'll commit to listening to whole albums.

music review: no line on the horizon

In recent times, I haven't anticipated an album quite as much as I have U2's latest work, No Line On the Horizon.

Man crush alert. I listened to more U2 when learning to play guitar that I did any other band, so The Edge holds a special place in my heart. I usually hate using "influences" type references, but The Edge's style (not necessarily in a gear way, just technique) really affected the way I love to play now.

That being said, with U2 I tend to stray away from reviewing lyrics, as I enjoy their cryptic nature and don't try to take too much meaning from them.
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Track By Track:
1. "No Line on the Horizon"
A nice fast one to start out the album. I think it definitely puts a good impression of what the rest of the album will be like: a turn in a different direction along with a little experimentation.

2. "Magnificent"
My favorite song on the album. The Edge does some awesomely lyrical work during the instrumental breaks in this song that just make me want to kiss him. Very singable. A "stomper" as I like to call them, just a step above a toe tapper. My foot comes off the ground during this one. Great Edge solo, he does a lot with very little. I love the way Adam Clayton keeps a groove in this song. I love the the irony in the lyrics, that love can hurt so painfully, but is also the only thing to fix those deep wounds.

3. "Moment of Surrender"
This gospel-flavored song fakes you into thinking it is going to be a "Stuck in a Moment..." or "Sometime You Can't...". I'd definitely say that this may be one of the more passionate Bono performance's on the album, if not of all time. It's a little darker of a ballad than I've come to expect from them, but I do like it. My only complaint is that it's a little long and doesn't quite hold up the momentum in a way that keeps my interest. Another great solo by the Edge evokes hints of "A Day in the Life", but speaks volumes over the chords.

4. "Unknown Caller"
The melodies in this song will surprise you each time; the chord changes are not standard and will take you to a completely unexpected place each time. I really enjoyed the computer references in the lyrics.

5. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"
My favorite one to sing on the album. I love the little tiny eastern influences that show up throughout the chords and melodies. Feels like the most traditionaly U2 song on the album.

6. "Get On Your Boots"
I did not like this song the first few times I heard it. Then, after blasting it through car speakers with the windows down, it started to grow on me. If you see a silver Taurus/grey Cougar with some idiot screaming "Sexy Boots..." you'll know its me. Sounds to me like it should be played right after "Vertigo".

7. "Stand Up Comedy"
This song, more than any other on the album, harkens back to the Achtung Baby/Pop era of hard rock-inspired riffs and full chord instrumentation. I can't wait to see The Edge stomp through this one.

8. "Fez - Being Born"
A little Brian Eno electronic/ambient collection starts out, followed by a primarily instrumental-focused track. Makes me a little anxious, like I'm being chased. I love Bono's wailing over the more instrumental parts, it adds an emotive depth that perfectly seals the mood.

9. "White as Snow"
This is a really beautiful and poetic piece. I love the dynamics that Bono puts in his voice. I really appreciated the use of a traditional song with different lyrics/rhythm/melody, although it almost distracted me from the song itself because I kept trying to insert "O Come Emmanuel". I thought the drums at the end could have been left out.

10. "Breathe"
Wow, what a rocker. If "Magnificent" wasn't on the album, this would be the favorite for Mikey. I can't help but band the head during this one. Best listened to at ear-splitting volume. I dug the little twist on the last chord of the chorus progression, I definitely expected a more cliche ending - I should've learned by this point in the album. Again, I really want to see the band play this one live.

11. "Cedars of Lebanon"
A great way to end the album, taking the dynamics way down. The one profanity is not neccessary. The little guitar groove at the end is one of my favorites. Probably a really heavily Brian Eno written piece.
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Brian Eno definitely has his fingerprints all over this album. That fact makes it difficult to tell what innovation is the result of growth on the band's part or if the new eccentricities incorporated into the sound are just a consequence of the producer.

My favorite thing about the arrangements are the surprising chord progressions. After working themselves into a bit of a chordal box in the past, this album showed they had quite a few surprises left to show the world. Some turns the melodies take (like in "Unknown Caller" and "Magnificent") completely baffled me, caught me off guard, and kept me wanting more.

I recommend getting the version with the bonus tracks (iTunes has them I know for sure). I may fancy the new mix of "No Line on the Horizon" a bit more than the original, and the dance mix version of "Get On Your Boots" is just plain fun.

I also liked that The Edge got a few more solos than he has in the past. While he's not a virtuoso player by any means, I think he creates hooks and melodies through his axes that speak volumes over their tunes.

My only complaints for the album:
- It doesn't have any of the anthemic tracks that they've always managed to pen. None of the songs really stand out the way "Vertigo", "Beautiful Day", or "Mysterious Ways" have in the past re-inventions of the band.
- The one profanity seems superfluous. It seemed forced, just like . . .
- . . .The lyrics. They also seems a bit forced at times. But, this isn't really a breakpoint for me, I'm really too busy listening to The Edge.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. I didn't have high hopes after hearing "Get On Your Boots" for the first time, but as that song has grown on me and the rest of the album has showed its colors, I think this one will stand against the trial of time and become one of my more beloved U2 albums.

From a purely guitar perspective, this is The Edge's best work. Maybe he wasn't as innovative as he has been in the past, but his solid style is truly the key the U2's sound and structure. I can't wait to pick this album apart with his playing.

the next generation

Today I came to a realization.

Whenever people talk about "the next generation", they are referring to the next group of young people who will live to take up the torch from the older people. Until recently, I have counted myself among that group.

However, I guess now I am getting "old" enough to no longer belong to the group known as "the next generation". I've passed into the "current generation", or whatever they're called; they're not actually important enough to have a title. If they had a title, it would be "the people who used to be the next generation".

I'm not thinking about having kids any time soon, but the kids that I see are now the people I am working for, the people for whom I will strive to create a better life.

I feel old. No offense to those older than me, and any comments about "you're only 21!" will be promptly deleted.

my favorite band doing a song by another favorite band

Sorry for just posting another video, but the past couple days have been rather hectic.

Yes, this is a guilted post.

However, this video is my favorite band, Dream Theater, performing part of one of the greatest albums of all time. I have the entire concert on DVD, and they play the whole album. My favorite band, playing one of my favorite albums.

on a less serious note

this song rocks.

stuck in traffic and pain

Yesterday I had a conversation with some guys in class about traffic.

When I first moved to the Hampton Roads area, I thought I had experienced traffic through living in crazy D.C. and overcrowded Honolulu. However, nothing could have prepared me for the ridiculousness of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

I'm not sure anyone really knows why it gets backed up, and I'm sorry for the poor soul who swerves too fast or doesn't break fast enough, causes a minor accident, and backs up the bridge for eight and a half miles.

Initially, traffic would drive me absolutely nuts. I would get bored, get angry, or even get tired. I was so incredibly tired of being stuck in pointless traffic. However, after three years of trucking it across the bridge to get to school, I have finally become accustomed to the traffic, and I expect it to be bad all the time. I know that mostly likely, it is going to be there, it is going to be horrible, and it is going to delay me.

I discussed this with the guys in class, and they said that I was probably thinking about traffic with the right attitude. Heck, now I think rush hour traffic has its good sides: I've listened to numerous audiobooks, sermons, and music albums while going in and out of first gear on Interstate 64 Westbound. For me, its not rush hour, its time alone to relax, pray, and/or chill out to some tunes.

Stu's sermon on Sunday and Community Group this evening made me think about this traffic, and how it is kind of like the pain in our lives. In John 16:33, Jesus said that "in this world you will have trouble." This means that because of the godlessness in the world, things are going to get bad. Not necessarily now or soon, but things will get bad. We shouldn't be surprised by the horrible things we see on the news or by the accidents, downfalls, and pain we experience in our daily lives. However, knowing they are going to come is probably the best thing.

Just like I knowing that there is going to be disgustingly long traffic on my way to Yorktown from Norfolk enables me to prepare my heart and soul for the experience and benefit from it, Jesus says that knowing that pain is going to come in this world is going to allow you to be prepared and strengthen yourself through a relationship with him. The passage in John also contains the good news, too: Jesus says to "take heart! I have overcome the world."

Though the traffic may be bad, and the pain may be deep, knowing is half the battle. So take heart! Jesus has overcome this world, and the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

a very serious condition.

I have never missed having a guitar as much as I have the past couple of days.

I've had too much time on my hands, and no strings with which to pass it. I had too much stuff to take back to the apartment in Norfolk after Spring Break and a guitar didn't make it onto the car. What a bad, bad idea.

I may have to make a slight detour on the way to community group tonight and pick one up. I thought I'd be OK until Wednesday band practice, but I am totally not going to make it.

I've been listening to a lot of new music that I'm enjoying quite a bit, and learning lots of stuff in terms of ideas of what to play, and style stuff to try out, and melodic hints I'd like to explore . . . BUT I HAVE NOTHING. Nothing at all.

a break during spring, part eye vee: the final chapter

Thus ends what could be the last Spring Break for Mike Dominice, ever. A very sad thing, but exciting nonetheless, mostly due to how productive I was during break, getting to jam with some new people, and a new job to boot.

Mondays are always really easy, I only have about 50 mins max of class, usually a bit less, then the rest of the day I usually devote to scheduling/budgeting time for the rest of the week. Since this week is pretty slow, this took basically, uh, no time at all. The rest of the day was devoted to gaming, reading, and getting a bit ahead on notes for the rest of the semester.

Short start to a week, but I have advising and stuff like that this week, getting ready for next semester, which is a scary, but really cool thing. The end is near! Yes.

Short start = short blog. Sorry.

Currently listening to Oceansize. These guys sure know how to be weird.

a break during spring, part eye eye eye

Today, I got the great news that I have an internship! After months (well, longer than a year if you count from last job search season) of searching, applying, and interviewing, the search is over. It is absolutely my ideal job, doing exactly what I want to do, and in a perfect location to boot!

Took my Tele out for a swing. She's so awesome. I think I'm in love . . .

Also walked the dog, fancying myself the Dog Whisperer after I watched that show for about two hours yesterday. The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel form a triumvirate of distraction and a black hole of wasted attention. But I love it so much . . .

After my great news, I was Mr. Handyman. I took care of some honey-do's at my parents house; getting some cool posters hanging in the awesomely developing music room and hanging some lights for my Mom on her deck. It feels good to be productive.

a break during spring, part eye eye

I know God says not to worry about the future, but I tend to ignore him on that regard. Money sucks.

Today I was brushed with a cold (well, let's call it lukewarm) dose of reality. Nothing horrible happened, just a great conversation over lunch with the one of my greatest mentors, advisors, and now, friends, plus a bit of prodding from the Lord about the future. Thinking about huge financial commitments like, uh, houses and other things tend to make me feel small. While I am enjoying the "simplicity" of being a college student, I was looking forward to those days being over, until now. Today, I had my first ever feeling of "Please don't let me grow up".

It faded away pretty quickly, as I began to reflect on the amazing surprises God has in store for me down the road. I can't even comprehend them; if you would have asked me, even four or five years ago if I would have known where I'd be right now, I would have laughed in your face. And then thrown stuff at you. At then ran. And laughed some more.

If you're the praying kind, pray for a job to come.

a break during spring, part eye

Sorry for the journal-ish entry today, but I thought y'all would enjoy some proof that I do actually go outdoors every once and a while.

Day 1 of Spring Break '09 consisted of a day trip with Keren down do Nag's Head. We wanted to give a try-out to her tiger kite that has been sitting in her closet for a really long time. So, we drove down to the Outer Banks this morning after a hearty eggs and bacon breakfast, stopping at the dunes of Jockey's Ridge State Park in North Carolina to taker her out. After a short hike to the top of a dune, we took the kite out.

Then, after about a half hour of untangling, we got it into a state we though would be air-worthy. To make a long story short, we messed it up. After a bit of frustration, we realized we had set it up incorrectly, and remedied the problem. We got it flying for a bit, but then pooped out and headed back to the car for a picnic lunch.

Next, we hit out the outlet mall in Nag's Head for a bit of shopping. Both of us got some pants.

During the car ride there and back, we listened to C.S. Lewis's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader on my iPod. We grabbed a Starbucks on the way home, and now I'm probably gonna spend some time with Ginny while the women in my parents house watch Dancing with the Stars.

Days like this are great; I am going to miss spring break after the college years are over, a time which is approaching quickly. Here are some pictures of the day.

a new lady in my life

On Friday I was blessed beyond infinite measure by being introduced to the girl of my dreams. I've been wanting to meet this girl in person for . . . well . . . years, actually. She is everything I dreamed she would be: she has a great body and her voice is simply to die for.

I'm talking of course of my brand spankin' new black on black Fender 1972 Reissue Deluxe Telecaster. I've been eyeing this one for a while. My parents surprised me with an early birthday present on Friday afternoon, and I've pretty fixated on her. I have dubbed her Ginny, after my favorite character in the Harry Potter books - a bit nerdy I know, but I've already been told that I will never be able to name any child of mine this lovely name, so I'm using it here. She is everything I hoped she would be: a nice chimey, Tele twang but with the nice low end provided by the humbuckers equals Mike's dream girl.

She made her live debut today at all 4 Waters Edge services, and I beat her up already. She performed phenomenally, giving me exactly the sound I was looking for, and not to snub my other lady friend, Laura, the only thing I missed was the whammy bar.

I am going to want to spend some quality time with her now that we've had our first date, and this week is perfect timing, as spring break starts for ODU tomorrow. I may not be reachable over the next few days. There will be a tie on the door.

late night come home work sucks i know

So, after a delightful snow day, where I got to relax, play with the puppy in the snow, hang out with the girlfriend, and do a little bit of gaming with friends, I completed underestimated how long it would take me to finish up some homework. Oh, I am going to be in trouble come tomorrow . . . I mean . . . today.

With that being said, I stand before you, here at 5:30 in the morning my time, I am definitely an expert at creating state machine charts, transferring them into VHDL, and implementing them with one-hot state machines or single-address microprogramming.

Coming soon will be another music review. The new (and long awaited, at least for me) U2 album started downloading (I pre-ordered it on iTunes) during the course of my all-nighter homework sessions. As I sat and beheld its awesomeness, I reflected on U2; what an amazing ability they have to completely remake themselves over and over again, while still holding true to their strengths. Some places on the album I can just see The Edge stomping; I can't wait to see him play these songs live. Very impressive work; not their catchiest by any means, but it kept my attention and there's lots to find interesting. Risky, but still U2 (with some very Brian Eno fingerprints smudged about).

I hate it when this happens. Good thing I don't have a public speaking class to sit through in the morning where people just give speeches the whole time. Oh, wait . . . ::falls asleep::