What is it about the mountains that have been attracting men for thousands of years? After all, they're a dangerous and unpredictable place to be. Maybe it's exactly that. It's the adventure and the thrill, the spirituality and the unpredictability. The mountains are not a force of man. You must surrender to the power of them. They're a special place that I will love forever.

     Yesterday, I saw American Sniper directed by Clint Eastwood. Going in to the movie, I was skeptical of it because I heard people saying that it was advertising patriotism and republicanism. However, it didn't seem to be doing that at all. It showed the hash realities of war and of terror in Iraq. After watching it, I had much greater respect and understanding for our troops. Overall, I would recommend it to you all, it's worth watching.

      The musical, Curtains, is now officially over. Our three (technically 2.5) performances all went extremely well. As sad as it is for the performances to be done, it is also relieving. I am truly thankful that I chose to participate in this performance because it reinforced a love for acting in me. Last year when I messed up in the last night of the musical, I did not plan on acting anytime soon. But thankfully, my mom forced me to do this year's play. It definitely was a great experience and I will miss it.

     Tonight is the opening night of the Curtains. We have been working labouriously on this production for months. For the past week, we have stayed at school practicing for hours after classes ended. Finally, we are ready to perform this wonderful production. It is full of energy, drama, mystery, and comedy. Come see it! You will not regret it.

     I can't wait for the poetry slam on next Friday. It seems like it will be a great time. I am preparing several poems which I am excited about because I see a lot of potential in them. Also, I am planning to dress up in fancy attire and bring my upright bass which I will lay down a bass line with. What I am most excited about however, is hearing my classmates poetry. I am excited to fid out what they have to say. Overall, this should be a wonderful time, and I am super excited!

     I am happy to say that the generation of hip-hop consisting of artists such as Lil' Wayne, Soulja Boy, T-Pain, and Flo Rida is over. This generation of rappers reigned from the early 2000's until only about a year ago. As we all know, they had a remarkably bad reputations, and for good reasons. There are many factors that come into play when judging a rapper. Wether it's their flow, style, or lyricism, these rappers lacked quality in every one of those categories. Of course, this is just my (and thousands of other people's) humble opinion. Anyway, there are many new rising rappers that have great potential, along with great skill already. And, they have incredible originality. Artists such as the group Odd Future, Chance The Rapper, Earl Sweatshirt, and Vic Mensa are examples of the new age. I see a bright future for hip-hop. 

      I recently stumbled across this wonderful piece of slam poetry. It was very touching to me, and also eye opening. Give it a look, you shan't regret it. 

I've just decided that I am going to start a "Song of The Week" series on my blog. Every week, I will post a song, review it, and give some background to it. So, here is the first one. Stay tuned!

Song: So Far To Go
Artist(s): J Dilla (Feat. Common and D'Angelo)
Album: J Dilla - The Shining

"So Far To Go" is one of J Dilla's most popular songs. J Dilla is a hip hop beat maker/ MC from Detroit. He was a pioneer in hip hop music not only for his style of rapping, but his skill and innovativeness with DJ technology. He is compared to Nobel Prize winning scientists for his outstanding work with technology.
     This song is said to be one of his best works. It has a very warm, vintage, and soulful feel to it. In this song, Dilla combines the roots of the music with the latest tech to create a unique blend. At the beginning, there is a steady drum beat mixed with echoey synth sounds and a short fills from a pre-recorded gospel choir. Common and D'angelo begin rapping with a deep and romantic sound. About half way through, Dilla adds a jazz piano to the mix, creating even more of a "roots" feel. This song touches that part of you that's deep in your chest, a part that can't be touched by inauthentic pop music. It leaves you feeling downright satisfied, like you just ate a Thanksgiving dinner. Give it a look, you won't regret it!  

       As I endured the -7 degree weather this morning, I overheard an uplifting piece of news over the radio. We only have a few more weeks until the start of spring! This winter has been a particularly rough one, with record braking amounts of snow and low termeperatures. While it seems as though we are still in the dead of winter, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Spring is coming.