Beauty

There's a certain skill to be acquired in order to also acquire happiness. The ability to find beauty and art in the things around you is absolutely necessary for an existence of peace and ultimate happiness. Time and time again, in myself and in others around me, there are examples of unhappiness. It is far too easy to confuse contentment with happiness, because it is easy to slip into a feeling of helplessness in situations that are less than satisfactory. There are so many people who live comfortably in lives and situations from day to day that are nothing near what they would call true happiness. A lot of the time, accepting your unhappiness or discomfort with your life and being able to look past the parts that leave you less than satisfied can be a big part of disillusioning what real happiness is. It is certainley a positive trait to be able to look past negativity in your life, but it doesn't seem to be enough to simply cover up too much of the things that will ultimately lead to more loneliness and deconstruction. The biggest thing is to be able to balance looking past negativity while at the same time moving forward towards a lifestyle of both inner peace and beauty in the things around you. One of the keys is to accept change, and embrace beauty that is sometimes harder to identify than the stereotypical and materialistic ways society tempts us. Please do not ever hesitate to try and understand others, or foreign situations and art, because the greatest beauty comes from unexpected change and creations.

You Come And Go Like A Pop Song

Recommended Music: 'You Come And Go Like A Pop Song'
By: The Bicycle Thief


http://www.amazon.com/You-Come-Like-Pop-Song/dp/B00001SICO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1264655963&sr=8-5

The Empyrean

Today is January 20th, 2010, the one year anniversary of John Frusciante's album 'The Empyrean'. Since that day last year, our world has seen many consistences, as well as drastic changes. We have seen a historic presidential inauguration, advances in technology, and been introduced to great new artists. We have also dealt with less appealing news, including major disasters, economic downfalls, and recently, the news that Mr. Frusciante himself has quit his band the Red Hot Chili Peppers for the second time. However, one thing has remained very constant throughout this past year, and that is the album itself.

The Empyrean was recorded over a two year period, and every song reflects the amount of time and effort put into them. The album as a whole is built around a concept, that of the highest point of heaven, or the "Empyrean". The character travels throughout his life and experiences ups and lows, which are displayed beautifully through the songs. As all of Mr. Frusciante's work is, The Empyrean is a deeply personal look into the life and mind of Frusciante, and his musical talent. It is widely agreed upon that The Empyrean features some of the best vocal work on any of Frusciante's 10 studio albums, as well as great amount of work done on mixing and mastering the album and a stellar display of synthesizer and modular effects. If his work in the Chili Peppers is any indication of Frusciante's mastering of the guitar, then The Empyrean is as clear an example of his skills as an electronic musician as well. John applies modular synth effects on the guitars, vocals, even drums, to create a very wide open and spacy feel to the album, while still holding onto the feeling of something that is personal and small enough to be played amongst a few friends. Upon the release of the album, Mr. Frusciante was quoted as saying the album is best fi to be played in the "dark, at full volume". He goes on to explain that he mostly creates music that he would want to listen to himself, or play amongst friends late at night. By experience, I have found this to be incredibly true, and from a technical and a spiritual standpoint, his statement makes total sense. The recording was done in Frusciante's home, and there are many instruments, voices, and effects that were recorded at a lower volume than usual. The mastering of the album is rather quiet in comparison to a typical rock album, and that is because when turned up loud, one can hear the details of exactly what the song was intended to sound like when written and recorded. It is truly breathtaking to experience this album in a relaxed state of mind, and at full volume. The songs are nothing short of as close to perfection as music comes, and the beauty of certain verses will reinstate the belief that Mr. Frusciante has truly earned his right as one of the most talented song writer, musician, singer, producer, and human beings in our lifetime.

Dream

Until you feel hope, your faith is blind. And until you dream, hope is impossible.

Loss

Change comes with loss, but likewise, loss does not always come from change. People and things are lost every day, and people and things change every day. We cannot view loss as a permanent change, because there are very few things in this world that are final, and there are very few things that always stay the same. I rarely write about something specific on here, usually I try to keep the message as general as possible, so that it will apply to as many readers as possible. Today I want to briefly say that it is believed John Frusciante has left the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a major loss and change to music fans, especially fans of the band and of John himself. Mr. Frusciante has done something extraordinary with his life, and that is create some of the most personal and emotional music from any artist I have ever seen, as well as master the guitar as not only an instrument, but an extension of his body. His work in the Chili Peppers can only be seen as ground breaking and visionary, for he has taken his instrument and transformed it into a machine that produces sounds of warmth, love, pain, hope, joy, exuberance, energy, and inspiration, and wails of loneliness, passion, and distress. Frusciante's solo works only dig deeper into his personal life, while hovering over our heads like a dream we'll never be able to understand. He has created songs with synthesizers, drums, effect pedals, string quartets, vocal group, rap artists, and others with just an acoustic guitar. His versatility as a solo artist can only be described as impressively massive, and his songs drip with emotion and passion, and a love for music that is greater than almost any other artist I know of. John's absence from the Chili Pepper's is more bitter because in recent news it has been revealed that John feels as though he does not need to release any more solo music, rather he will create it solely for the love of creating it, and will not feel the need to release it to the public. For me, the only way that the news of John's leave from the band would be comforted would be to know I would hear solo music from him in the near future. For now, and until there is an official announcement, I can only say that I wish John and the Band the best of luck in whatever they may pursue, and to always continue to create the music that has touched so many lives.

Embark, Experience, Live.

If you aren't a dreamer, then you must be nothing. Find that place you want to go, the place that exists right outside of your comfort zone, right over the wall in front of you. If you live by the rules set by others, then you are setting yourself up for failure. There is not greater failure than to settle for anything that doesn't exist in the deepest of your dreams. Stay in your comfort zone until you can't stand it anymore, when your dreams have been completed in your mind, and you have made a future for yourself. Then embark, experience, and live.

Music PSA

Never stop discovering new music. Go buy an album, download a record, or write a song. Find, create, and digest NEW music daily. This has been a public service announcement sponsored by common sense.

Hope for the Hopeless

Be happy. Please, do not ever hesitate or sacrifice anything for happiness. In the end, we will end up alone. It is not worth the loneliness in our present lives to pass up and abandon chances or risks.

Emerging from the Early Hours

There is pleasure in the careless mind and body, but at the end of the day, we must be able to understand that a higher goal and purpose is necessary. It is not enough to rely on our careless spirit, though it can be appealing and addictive for a while. Develop a world for yourself, a life, and a love. Do not forget what you imagine, for it is truly the only important goal to achieve. Find an idol, an object, a place, and a sound that you can always rely on. Use it, depend on it, because if your catalyst for a better life is a good one, it will never misguide you.

A PSA to All

Is there ever a time in which it is not in our own best interest to make whatever we are doing the most fulfilling experience of our lives? Is there ever a good time to settle for something that we find undesirable, something we find to be boring or uninspiring? I am constantly told what to do, and because of it, when I am rarely asked what I want to, I am often left speechless or confused. We are raised to be obedient to those superior to us, and yet often, those people are anything but superior. We are taught to listen and not speak our true minds, to stay quiet and polite, and live in the shadows. There is nothing more detrimental to the mind and spirit than to quietly follow the rules set for us from generations before us. We need now more than ever to listen solely to our own spirits, other than the voices of those who have gained these positions of self proclaimed superiority. I cannot urge you enough to understand that what people say should have no effect on you other than motivation to further express your own individuality.