Day Is Done

I think my Film History final went pretty damned well. I wouldn't say I killed it, but I still did fine, I feel.

I came home, watched a movie, then napped a short bit (the previous night had been rather sleepless). Went over to Luke and Rebecca's to finish up me and Luke's game of Gears of War 2 and say my goodbyes. Then at 9, Matt, Tom M and Emma and I went to the Fat Cat one last time. Then we goofed around at a kid's playpark again, and finally came back to my room to watch a zombie movie and I said my goodbyes to them as well.

Things are winding down pretty quickly and summer is officially on. I'm ecstatic, to say the least.

A Rushed Recap of Recent Events

Sorry for the delay in updates, all.

Italy was, in word, beautiful. It was the tail-end of the trip that sucked. I was all set to fly back to the UK from Italy on the 29th. This was all going fine-- Nony and I spent four days in Florence, followed by two in Rome, and all I needed to do was take a short ride from Roma Termine station to Rome Fumicino airport. I got to the terminal, and the flight was progressively delayed until 9-something PM...the scheduled time, by the way, was 4:15.

So I land in Heathrow at 11:30-- the exact time direct trains from Liverpool St. Station to Norwich stop. My only option now is take an hours-long bus ride all the way out to Norwich. So I pay 40 quid for a bus ticket, and make futile attempts to sleep as I wait for the bus to arrive at 1:50. Get off at Gatwick airport at 3:50. Catch another bus an hour or so later, and fade in and out of consciousness all the way to Norwich bus station. At this point, I should mention that half-wakefully listening to Nick Drake's "From the Morning" as the sun rises is really an experience in and of itself.

But anyway, I got to the Norwich bus station at around 9:30 AM and was back in my dorm just before 10 AM. Hopefully I'll have time to post a full trip summary before I leave.

I've spent the past two days typing up a 28-page study guide summarizing of all the chapters we've read for Film History that I highlighted during my first reading. The exam is the day after tomorrow, and while it's not going to be the hardest one I've ever taken, the sheer amount of material to be studied is a little intimidating. With that said, the associate professor has informed me that my paper grade was "exceptionally high."

In related good grade news, I got an A- on my final journalism assignment, worth 25% of the grade. I'm entirely sure this is also my final grade in the class, as I only got a B+ on one small assignment-- everything else was an A-. Awesome! I'm hoping I get my final Creative Writing story back soon-- I leave Thursday!

Meanwhile, I need to print out this study guide and go type up more notes for the exam. I'm excited to get home and get into summer!

All RIIIGHT

So, Poe seminar got snatched up. BUT I'm taking a seminar on Oscar Wilde instead. Not bad at all!

Sari scored me a single in my sophomore-year stomping grounds of Tuttle. It's apparently the biggest single in the building, and faces the quad. So excited right now.

Dawn of Victory

As of five minutes ago, all three of the following huge projects are printed, in my backpack and ready to be timestamped and turned in tomorrow:

-2,700+-word paper on Double Indemnity's marketing campaign (Film History)
-1000-word analysis of three different news documents/clippings (Journalism)
-2000-word final draft of my short story, "Grown-Ups," and an additional 500-word critcal self-commentary (Creative Writing)

Now all I have left is a gigantic final in Film History on May 5th. But that's virtually aeons away at this point...time to head to London, then Germany this weekend! Spring break is officially in full swing!

One of the Better Times of My Life

As I'd mentioned, Tom M, Matt and I made the trek to London by train last Thursday, March 26th, to see Portland, Oregon's Agalloch at the Camden Underworld. I first discovered the band from recommendations and praises from friends back home. In the fall of freshman year, I picked up their then-newest release, 2006's Ashes Against The Grain, and was blown away by the cold atmospheres, brilliant melodies, tasteful composition and the mixture of various genres I enjoyed. This band's sound harnesses the power of the natural environments of the Pacific Northwest. I can listen to them anywhere and teleport my mind home.

I discovered a few months ago that my buddy Aesop-- who I know from the music download blogosophere for his amazing, varied blog Cosmic Hearse (WARNING: NOT NECESSARILY SAFE FOR WORK) has been drumming for the band for over year and is a permanent member at present. He was down to hang out and talk music, and I was stoked because the guy seriously has an encyclopedic knowledge of most genres I enjoy, be it death metal or obscure '70s rock. Add to this that Fen, whose new album The Malediction Fields is already in my top albums of the year, were opening, and the show quickly became the most excited I'd been since seeing Carcass' first US reunion tour last September.

Tom unfortunately forgot his ticket for the show at the guys' flat, so he had to catch the train after Matt and I. Once we arrived at Camden Town after tubing their from Liverpool Street, Matt and I dropped our stuff off at a hostel he'd booked, only a few blocks from the venue. After that? FALAFEL! There's a really good falafel place situated right next to the Camden Underworld, and I indulged for my first of three times in less than 24 hours.

I converted Matt, too.

Happy boy.

Eventually, we met up with Tom and got in line a little late for my liking...and as a result we-- and many other people-- missed a hefty chunk of Fen's set. I met up with Aesop and had just begun to converse when I realized Fen were playing and apologized for having to cut things short. "Go, go!" he chuckled. "We'll talk, man."

The last two songs I caught of Fen's were fantastic. The stage at the Underworld is pretty small and the venue, while not too cramped, is plenty intimate. Good sound for all bands throughout the night, and Fen were playing tightly.

Fen's The Watcher.

Next up were the German Dornenreich ("realm of thorns"), who sounded remarkably full for only being a trio of guitar/vocals, violin and drums. The drummer did some great off-time/folky stuff too.

Dornenreich: German for "muscular posing with awkard facial expressions."

Then, the moment Matt, Tom, myself and several hundred others were waiting for. Agalloch, being not only humble but also on a shoestring budget and touring minimally to acommodate guitarist Don Anderson's collegiate teaching job, had no roadies and set up the entirety of their gear before performing. Oh man. I was cautiously optimistic, especially after reading the reviews on the TrueMetalSeattle forums and the band members themselves openly admitting they don't have much time to rehearse (presently, they all live in different states!). So I remained positive, but wasn't holding my breath.

Then Jason Walton hit the fog machine, John Haughm (vocals/guitars) looped guitar drones and lit incense at the front of the stage, and the band ripped into a chronological set beginning with "Hallways of Enchanted Ebony," from their debut record Pale Folklore. And then "As Embers Dress the Sky." They didn't miss a beat. Aesop slammed. Jason pedaled bass notes steadily kept it all steady and together. Don was incredibly energetic and nailed his leads. And despite internet rabble about his live vocal struggles, Haughm's singing was one-hundred-percent SPOT ON, clean and growled alike. So you can imagine the excitement when he announced the next song in the set was "In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion," from their second record, The Mantle, which is some of the band's best and most epic songwriting. They went straight into "I Am the Wooden Doors," from there, then once again looped guitar drones and quickly switched axes to play the drop-tuned Ashes Against the Grain stuff-- "Not Unlike the Waves," "Limbs," and "Bloodbirds," then returning to The Mantle for an encore of "The Lodge."

This shot pretty adequately represents the crowd response throughout the night.

But the fun didn't stop there. Long after the audience had filed out, I got falafel again and met up with Aesop and Jason outside. When the band went to go to a pub with a few other friends and The Watcher from Fen, Aesop beckoned us to come with him. After much wondering, the group of us settled on a rock bar. I had some great conversations and laughs with Don, Jason and Aesop.

Aesop and myself: blog buddies!

A stoked Don, a satisfied Asa, and an uncharacteristically
gruff-looking Jason.

I briefly conversed with Haughm as we all walked back toward the Underworld for the band's bus curfew. He proved to be just as down to earth as the other members and told me about a zine he'd done the design work for. It turned out Aesop had a spare copy with him and he gave it to me. Awesome. Haughm's work with earthy tones never fails, whether in zine form or in Agalloch's record art.

All in all, one of the best music-related experiences I've ever had. Thanks to the Agalloch dudes for not only being fantastic musicans, but also kind people.

Jamming, Part II

Just returned from the rehearsal space, and it was a blast! Vicky (singer) couldn't make it this time, so that left Jon (drums), Tony (guitar/vocals), Ben (guitar) and myself (bass). We jammed a bit, and hadn't really had any cover songs prepared so I asked if it was cool if I taught the guys "Fix Me," one of my favorite songs by the Doughboys. We played through it numerous times-- with me on lead vocals as well as the usual bass duties! I felt my confidence steadily rise-- somehow it was easier to sing over a full group than just myself practicing to the original recording.

Then Tony joined in on backing vocals and the harmonies worked out really well! The only thing we really need to tighten up is John's knowledge of the structure (he improvised it just fine) and Ben tightening up his rhythm. Seriously though, SO much fun! On the ride home Tony-- a longtime veteran of singing and playing from years of church music, band practices and big band ensembles-- told me my vocals perfectly suited the song, and that I kept rhythm on the bass just fine while singing!

Here's the music video of the song. We won't ever sound this good, but the point is that it's a killer, catchy tune.

Finally, Grades

Today I received the first two Journalsim assignments back. The first was a 250-word article on this Erasmus study/work abroad UK program, and the second was a 400-word "update" of a continuing story from a few years ago where a senior citizen's tour boat capsized. I got a 64 on the first one and a 66 on the second one. Before your jaw drops in dismay, realize that a 70 or above is considered an A in this country. Yeah, it's ridiculous. So basically, I got in the B/B+ range. With that said, more effort could've been put into these, so let's hope the 1000-word ethics opinion piece I turned in today-- worth 25% of my grade-- comes out better. As long as I'm taking only three classes, I'd like to be getting A-'s and A's.

In more straightforwardly good news, I have turned the tide in my battle against chronic tendonitis and repetitive stress injury. For the past month, I've been doing this fantastic lil' exercise program for stretching my wrists, doing hot/cold baths, and squeezing a tennis ball every day (3 sets of 40 per hand) to increase strength. Yesterday I exercised and felt NO wrist pain for the first time since I can remember. I'm very pleased, to say the least.

GREAT SUCCESS, vol. II

Today I received some work back from my Creative Writing class. My professor enjoyed what I'd written-- an exercise about suffering from stupidity and subsequently, dehydration while climbing Masada this summer, and a short story about an office worker who finds out mid-argument his fly has been open all morning and Cap'n Winkie has been making a subtle appearance (hey, one of the assignment's plot options was "business man in a public setting with his pants' zipper down").

Then I FINALLY got back to the gym and really took my time. As always, it really cleared my head. Shortly before I left school, I benched 180 once and that was my big achievement until today. I benched the kilo equivalent of 176.4 pounds 4 times the first set and then 5 the next! Awesome. One day I'm hoping I can reach 200, and then go beyond.

Lastly, I returned to my room to find an email informing me that yes, my Creative Writing class here can count as a 300-level seminar towards my English major! This really frees up my schedule next year, because otherwise I would have to take three required seminars (one creative, two literature).

GREAT SUCCESS

After the teacher didn't email me back I was sweating bullets-- the class meets tomorrow (Thursday) and after that it would be too late. Hell, it's to late already-- 3 weeks into the semester! I popped into the School Office-- an office that serves as an essay turn-in station, a reception area and a mail room for the Schools of Literature & Creative Writing, Film & Media Studies and others-- and left my information and number with one of the women working at the desk, who said she would contact the teacher for me and inquire about my switching in.

I just now got a call from the same receptionist, who informed me that the instructor "would be delighted to have you in the seminar." YES! So long, TV history.

Updated schedule:

Monday: NO CLASS. Wing Chun 7-9 PM.
Tuesday: Film History film screening, 2-5 PM.
Wednesday: Film History lecture, 10-11 AM.
Thursday: Journalism, 10 AM-12 PM. Creative Writing, 4-6 PM.
Friday: Film History seminar, 3-4 PM.