My group and I chose to write about culture because it is a crucial aspect in all our lives. We all come from different ethnic backgrounds and we embrace it. It was a perfect opportunity for us to link our individual cultures and the incredible diversity Baruch has to offer. Each of us wrote about a different aspect of our culture— food, music, and architecture. The topic we selected was our way of expressing our concern for raising cultural awareness. It is pivotal to raise cultural consciousness at Baruch, not only amongst its current students, but also its alumni, and faculty, because it is something all of us have/can and should openly embrace in other people.

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/Baruch/90695255

Almost all of these songs have a theme in common— positivity. I’m all about it. I try to portray it and bring happiness to others even if I’m not feeling too. I like to be the sun on a cloudy day because making people happy makes me happy.

The first song is ‘Born To Be Wild.’ I chose this song for obvious reasons (hahaha). I’ve always been very ‘out there’ and in reality, I do whatever I please, whenever I please. This facet of my character has gotten me in a lot of trouble in the past, but it has also allowed me to have some of the best experiences I have ever had in my life.

The next song is ‘Here Comes The Sun.’ This song is basically the theme song of the theme of this blog. It is one of my all time favorite songs  because of its tune and the way it makes me feel; and like I said before, I like to bring the sun to peoples’ lives.

‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ is all about positivity and having faith in knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’m not a very religious person, but I have faith in other things— like what the future has in store for me. I try to look past the darkness that I find myself living in sometimes and remind myself that everything passes, no matter how difficult a specific stage in my life may be.

‘Let Her Go’ is written about a guy that didn’t know how good the girl he had was until she was gone. For me, it’s more of a cherish-what-you-have-while-you-have-it thing. This has always been very important to me because it’s true how the “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” saying goes. I’ve lost a lot of people close to my heart in my life so for me it’s pivotal to show people that I cherish them while I can.

‘Within You Without You’ is also one of my all time favorite songs. It’s about reminding ourselves that life and the universe is so much bigger than we think it is and that we have to avoid getting caught up in drama that will be irrelevant in a month from now. Life goes on and the earth will keep turning with or without your existence in it.

‘I Will Be Found’ is about not knowing who you are, but having faith and hope in what you’re doing because you’ll find yourself no matter how small in the world you may feel at times.

‘Life Is A Highway’ is one of those songs that perfectly describes my life because I love traveling. I take lots of road trips on all sorts of vehicles and besides describing me perfectly, the song just makes me feel good— especially when on the road.

‘Sunshine’ is my play-when-I’m-having-a-perfect-day song. It’s the cherry on top of my perfect Sunday(dae). It’s a feel good song by one of my favorite artists/rappers of all time― Atmosphere.

‘Under The Bridge’ is a song by my favorite band, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The song itself is about a dark time in the lead singer, Anthony Kiedis’s, life when he was going through drug addiction. To me it serves as a reminder of thinking about how I can get through rough times and then look back at them when I’m in a better time in my life and being like, “wow, I really learned and grew from that. Thank you, life.”

‘I’m Like A Bird’ is also one of those songs that describes me perfectly because sometimes I feel that I’m just like a bird and I float around aimlessly. The song ties in my passion for traveling and my inability to find my true niche in the world in one.

Alright, I’ll be honest. The following songs are picked from my own playlists; I didn’t search for songs that could accurately portray me or whatever, like what some of you guys did. I may have taken the lazy way out, but if they’re from my playlists they still represent me in some fashion. So while they don’t give off some significant or deep meaning, they’re songs I like enough to take up space on my smartphone and my computer. I’d like to think this actually means something, because my entire library of songs is only just under 4GB of space.

The first song in the playlist is “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones. The lyrics of this song don’t really need explaining. Although the song is sung in an anti-war context, I also take it sometimes, you need a time-out from life to take a breather.

The “End Credits” from the movie Star Trek: First Contact is the second song on my playlist. While it has no lyrics, it has a very powerful, grand feel to its tune that says “The sky’s the limit.” In this case, space is.

“Kono Ai Tsugu” by Niira Etsuko is a song that I like purely for its tune and mood. While I can’t understand the lyrics, you can still understand what the artist is trying to put across. As a creative writer, this song was an awesome piece for thinking up random stuff to write about.

The next song is a classic: “Hotel California” by the Eagles. The lyrics hold little significance to me, but you can almost imagine the hotel that you can never leave when listening to it.

“Go the Distance” by Michael Bolton is a great song. It’s catchy, fun to listen to, and best of all, the lyrics really resonate with me. It’s a fantastic inspiration piece –you can Go the distance!

“United We Stand – Divided We Fall” by Two Steps From Hell is another song without lyrics. I’m really partial towards good orchestral songs without music, and this epic song is no exception.

“Skyclad no Kansokusha” by Itou Kanako is from one of my favorite shows, Steins;gate. It has a very “tech” feel to it without being one of those ridiculous synth or techno songs that sounds like robots having aneurisms. I’m fairly good with computers and make a good portion of my money fixing them, so this song does represent me in some way.

“Candle in the Wind” by Elton John is a piece written in honor of Marilyn Monroe. It serves as a bit of a reminder that life is short and can end arbitrarily. It’s sobering.

“Battle Mirai” is like “United We Stand – Divided We Fall” – Another song without lyrics.  Not much more to say other than it is epic, and pretty inspirational for when I’m writing.

http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/Creative+Title+Here/90718738

It is rather impossible for someone to know who i am through a series of ten songs, but through this playlist i hope for a general idea to be formed about me. My playlist begins with the song “Hey Mama” by Kanye West, which i believe to be one of his best songs ever. This song commences my playlist because it is a symbol for the most important person in my life; my mother. It is only right to put the most important person as number one. The second song comes from a fellow country-mate in “Aint Worried About Nothin” by French Montana. This is essentially my anthem as it symbolizes what i consider my care free attitude. “F**ckin Problems” follows as another one of my anthems. Although i have far more respect for women than the song would suggest, the song expresses my affinity for beautiful women. Similarly, “Beware” by Big Sean symbolizes the troubles that come with the opposite sex and various relationships and interactions with them.  As the proverb says, “Too much of anything can kill you”, various relations can kill you emotionally. The next song comes as one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite artists in “Dumb It Down” by Lupe Fiasco. The song shows how music can be so influential to the learning and intelligence of its listeners. By “dumbing things down”, one can keep their listeners in a perpetual state of ignorance or misinformation. Lupe stresses the power of intelligence in this song by mocking those who do not value intelligence. Intelligence is what i pride myself on the most so this song is a very powerful reminder of how important it is. The next song is “Tom Ford” by Jay-Z which has a similar message to that of “Dumb It Down” in that Hova stresses his affluence and wealth while also poking fun at those who are caught up in the drug culture. He sees making money and having the finest clothing (Tom Ford) as being more important than popping a molly and doing nothing. “Started From The Bottom” by Drake is fairly self-explanatory. The song expresses Drake’s rise to fame and success and i hope to follow the same path. “What We Talkin’ About” by Jay-Z sends a powerful message of speaking the truth and speaking words of relevance as opposed to nonsense. He is focused on success and would rather talk about that and conversations related to success. “Fallin For You” essentially shows my soft side and how i have always had a thing for “softer” music. Im a big Taylor Swift fan as well. Finally, “No Interruption” is just a solid song that expresses the desire to succeed and have fun at the same time. Hopefully this playlist has given you a glimpse into who i am.

Playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/121722051/playlist/39NOPROJpopTEx0RtFTDIb

so i was asleep literally like twenty minutes ago…then suddenly, i remembered that i had more shit to do. so i turned on the alarm, brushed my teeth, and now im doing this blog. but yeah, i’m not going to make a playlist like most of the people doing this assignment…ten songs and describe how each one relates to our lives? thats hella work!

since i was in second grade, my parents would be all asian like, “yo eric, you chinese baby. learn how to play the violin!” so…then i went on to be the orchestras concert master at school for a few years..all that jazz. i realized that i really like music. cool. but violin got so boring. one day i decided to pick up a random guitar my mom bought(seriously she never even played it) and i taught myself how to play. so ive been practicing for four years..i feel like i wanna try something new though.

anyway heres my two minute video(its more than two minutes.) you can probably tell that im falling asleep…LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvCa7AF2GmU&feature=youtu.be

yay im done..good night ya’ll

A Playlist, And All That Entails

This list of ten songs were actually chosen pretty carefully, no matter how random or generic the choices may seem. It’s just that it’s a pretty impossible task to try to describe your life within ten songs that could have any matter of content within them – but the ten that ended up making the cut create together a rather unflattering, awkward, and misguided portrait. So it seems that I succeeded, at least in part. The songs themselves have several binding ties, the greatest being their very tone and sound – which convey stories about nerves, anxiety, and general social illiteracy, so the playlist did it’s job in capturing a bit of me. 

The first even, “Blister In The Sun” by the Violent Femmes, with its title and main recurring chorus lyric (When I go walking I strut my stuff and I’m so strung out), and it just exudes restrictions and unease. That and I refuse to wear caps in the summer, so this actually rings more realistic bells. This goes further within “Forget Myself” by Elbow in a more explicit and clear sequence – ie. (Do you move through the room with a glass in your hand?/Thinking too hard about the way you stand?). Which is in fact something I do a lot of both literally and metaphorically. Trying to be aware of how one appears to the rest of the world, it’s not a proud trait, but it’s an exhausting one.

Of course not to the extent that the next song, “Flagole Sitta” by Harvey Danger, takes it – which is why I placed it here – to show the extreme and the thing that I try to avoid. Also it’s the theme song to a show called “Peep Show”, which features a character who reminds me of a hyper-exaggerated version of myself – and who would take this song’s lyrics to heart. Besides who hasn’t felt like (Paranoia, paranoia, everyone’s coming to get me/Pretend you never met me) once in a while? Pulp’s “Like A Friend” and Blue Swede’s “Hooked On A Feeling” are both tied to my simple tendency to get lost in whatever fixation I have at the moment, – a movie, a song, maybe some random assortment of words (hyperbole). Sometimes it’s detrimental, sometimes it’s not, and sometimes it’s detrimental.  (You are the car I never should have bought…the train I never should have caught).

Of course one cannot ignore the rather overt and blatant theme that has been running through all of the songs so far, it’s pretty in your face. But I’m going to so let’s move on. In comparison to the rest of the playlist “Out Of Time Man” by Mano Negra is actually a very simple one, as it simply represents my rather retentive need for order and more specifically just not being late. Losing track of time is a very worrying thing especially with the trains and crowds, so this reflects a sort of commuter’s plight. (Time don’t do it again/Now I’m stressed and strained/With my anger and pain on this subway train).The next three songs, “The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine” (Spoon), “Wolf Like Me” (TV On The Radio), and “Can’t Hardly Wait” (The Replacements), are grouped together into being basic escapist fantasies.

The first song stating things pretty much outright (Every morning I get a new chance/I want to land the part of Eddie in The Stranger Dance), while the other two simply in their beat and the energy they exude. Meaning the sort of familiar irregularity, the fun, which I want to see more of in life. The tenth song, “Lighten Up Morrissey”, is really only there for an out of context reason. It was written as a joke by the band about one of their friends, the Morrissey of the title, and that just goes to say that even if you’re being self-deprecatory you can still have a laugh about it. Learn to take a joke. (I’ve got comparisons coming out my ears/And she can never hit the pause).

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/Musical+Personality/90692583

In a world of commonality, some people strive to escape the norm. Categorizing myself as one of those individuals seeking distinctiveness, I can say that following the crowd isn’t something I do. Everyone that knows me well can say that I clearly depict my horoscope sign, the Gemini. Each sign has its positives and negatives. Some of the positives of a being a Gemini include adaptability, versatility, enthusiasm, and wittiness. The negatives that exist in a Gemini are inconsistency, indecisiveness and lack of focus. I express all these qualities, both good and bad, which creates my atypical nature. For instance, the playlist I created has a wide array of different genres, ranging from soul to hip-hop to electro house. This variety of genre compliments my sign’s traits because it proves that I am not only versatile, showing how a lot of different things interest me, but also inconsistent, being not engaged in only one particular thing. These ten songs listed portray my adaptable personality quite well. Track 1, In Da Club, starts off by showing the listener I like a strong beat, common in Hip-Hop and rap. The next song, Track 2, The Party & The After Party, shows I like to slow things down a bit with calming and relaxing songs. Track 3, Seek Bromance, displays that I like to quicken the pace with dance music. Continuing down the play list, Track 4, Turning Tables, exhibits that I slow things down once again, proving I have a sensitive side with soul and acoustic pop. Tacata, Track 5, proves that I can’t stay mellow for too long, with this catchy and fast paced Spanish beat. Track 6, Give me love, reveals that I like meaningful lyrics. Tracks 7-10 are similar in a way because they are all categorized under dubstep or electro house (edm). That is my favorite genre, given that it is a majority of my playlist. Live for the night, Track 7, demonstrates that I like to have a good time, and enjoy the night while it’s still young. Track 8, Crave You, has a combination of mellow and strong beats, which makes it one of my most played songs on my Ipod, due to its uniqueness. It gives off a powerful vibe, which edm is known for. Second to last, Track 9, Feed the Dada, is a song I play when I feel energetic. The strong bass and drops make it impossible to not put it on repeat. To conclude with Fire in your new shoes, Track 10, I feel is the best way to end my playlist. It gives off that enthusiasm shown in my Gemini traits, with its slow and composed beginning and later erupting chorus. It’s extremely catchy and makes it a signature song to play at any time of the day, putting me in a better mood. In reference to my personality, this playlist I feel correctly represents who I am as a person and how I interact with others.

http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/10+Songs+That+Describe+Me/90679179

This is 10 songs that describe my life, where I’m going and who I want to be.

The first song is “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled. This song is self-explanatory. I refuse to fail. I do what it takes to succeed.

“Headlines” by Drake explains my drive to make a lot of money. They lyrics that i want to focus on in this song is “We drinkin’ everynight cause’ we drink to my accomplishments” and “money over everything, money on my mind.” Those two lyrics describe why i chose this song. I want to accomplish every dream I ever had and have the money to do so.

“Warrior” by Ke$ha. I will fight to the end and I won’t let anyone tell me I can’t or I’m not good enough or too “different.” I’m going to do things my own way.

“Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato. This song means to me that no matter what people say or do to me I will always stand tall and never let them break me. “Go ahead and try to knock me down, I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper.”

“Baby Blue Eyes” by A Rocket To The Moon. I just love this song because I have baby blue eyes. Also, it’s a love song so it reminds me of my boyfriend and that he’ll do everything and anything to make me happy and keep me safe.

“Party In The USA” by Miley Cyrus. This song reminds me of my adjustment from Long Island life to city life. It’s going to be hard at first but I know I’ll end up loving it here. It also describes how it’s obvious I’m a Long Islander and everyone looks at me and goes “She must be from out of town.”

“Champion” by Chipmunk and Chris Brown. Once again it explains my drive to succeed and how I’m always pushing myself to be on top. “I was born a champion.”

“Donald Trump” by Mac Miller. Just another song that describes how I want to make a lot of money, enough to take over the world. Also, it explains how badly i want the best, crazyiest life possible.

“Is Anybody Out There?” by K’naan. This song is a bit more personal. It makes me appreciate my parents, family and friends for every single thing they have done for me to make me the person I am today. The song is right when it says “lonely is hard to survive” and I would never be able to survive all alone.

“I’ll Be There” by Mac Miller. My mom and dad have always been there for me. They are the reason I’m here and the reason I’ve become who I am today. Because they have always been there for me and such great parents I will always be there for them now and when they’re old.

Alright, I have attached a link to my playlist. Why did I pick these 10 songs in particular? Well, to be honest, I would usually have picked all 10 slots as instrumental anime/video game music since those are what I listen to in my free time. I didn’t because that would have felt like the easy way out and I wanted to do some song digging until I found the right ones. (I will try to talk about most of the songs, but the 500 word mark will make that tricky…)

http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/10+Songs+That+Define+Who+I+Am/90658472

1. Pokemon Theme Song: I selected this song to be part of the 10 because the lyrics are pretty inspiring and I agree with the words:
“Every challenge along the way
With courage I will face
I will battle every day
To claim my rightful place”

That can sum up a lot of my college life. The homework can be seen as a challenge and you’ve just got to tackle it head on!

2. Open Your Heart: I selected this one because of its heroic sound and the overall message is good. Sometimes you really can’t count on others and you’ve just got to finish the job yourself. It is good to rely on others and use teamwork sometimes, but there are times when you will have to complete the task on your own.

4. Crossing Field Sword Art Online Opening 1: Well, it’s no secret why this one made the list. The beat is good and the song is very catchy. This opening helps to symbolize that I’m a big anime fan and I do enjoy this particular series as well. The lyrics may be in Japanese, but you can always recognize quality when you hear it, even if you can’t understand it.

8. Blow Me Away: Do I believe that only the strongest will survive? No! I picked this song because it mentions how when you fall, then you shake it off. You’ve always got to keep moving and that’s definitely true. You can’t get wrapped up in something and forget the future.

10. Nankou Furaku: I picked this song because it is an example of the music that I listen to in my free time. No lyrics, just a really awesome song. The rhythm is spot on and it’s one of the first anime battle themes that I heard. It’s very nostalgic for me and I’m sure that I’ll continue to listen to it for years.

Alright, I only mentioned 5 of the songs, but I’m very close to the 500 word mark so I need to wrap up. In closing: My favorite film is Yugioh 3D, My favorite video game is DBZ BT3, My favorite tv show is Yugioh GX, My favorite manga is Megaman NT Warrior. I run a successful blog at DReager1.com. I’m going to have to stop now, but I’m always available on twitter/my blog. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your college experience!! Time to get back to my Saturday. 500 word mark in 7 more words. I’m there. I am at 500!