My Vices

I was at the store tonight, and I became curiously aware of a couple vices I possess. First of all, I had gone to buy some items for my upcoming trip to Japan. Unfortunately for me, I passed the Star Wars toy aisle, and proceeded to spend about 45 minutes wandering the Decorah Wal-Mart (shudder) debating whether to buy a Darth Vader action figure, an Anakin/Luke Skywalker lightsaber, or save it and buy a Revenge of the Sith t-shirt online. I also debated buying Pulp Fiction, but that's beyond the point. Oh yes, I also debated purchasing a Star Wars camp chair. Needless to say, I ended up not buying a dang thing related to Star Wars, but that's not the point. The point is, I have a vice for Star Wars. Which shouldn't come as a big surprise, but it made itself very clear tonight. Seriously, I like, have a 6th sense, in that I can pick out whenever anyone talks about anything from that galaxy far far away. Is that a good thing? Probably not, but it happens. Okay, so I'm going to make a Star Wars purchase this summer, in accordance with my vice. I'll leave it a question to the readers. I'll list them off, and drop me an e-mail at anxwing10@gmail.com, and tell me what you think sounds best.

1- A Master Replicas lightsaber (preferably Obi-Wan or ROTJ Luke Skywalker)
2- Authentic Obi-Wan Kenobi leather Jedi boots
3- An X-Wing helmet
4- Star Wars Trivial Pursuit Saga Edition

So, that's my Star Wars vice. The other vice I noticed tonight was for peanut butter. I stopped at the Whippy Dip, the local ice cream joint here in Decorah, and I just felt compelled to get a peanut butter cup blizzard thing. The thing is, that's probably the only flavor of blizzard I've gotten in the past 6 or so years. I'm not going to lie, I have a thing for practically anything having to do with Reese's peanut butter cups. They used to make Reese's peanut butter, and it was like, the best peanut butter ever. Then those losers discontinued it. Idiots. I just found the Reese's website. Man, it's cool. I should probably get to bed. Although, I have one other thing to discuss. I'm disappointed, because I'm not sure I will be able to achieve my goal of seeing Revenge of the Sith at least 11 times in the theater. This trip to Japan and my upcoming trip to New York is severely cutting down the time I have to go to the movie. And the lack of income right now is complicating the issue of purchasing tickets. So, that grieves me, but I"ll give it my best shot. If you haven't seen the film yet, I highly highly highly recommend it. If you ever want to see it with someone, drop me a line, I'd be glad to go.

The Day, and A New Blog

Hello all. I just returned a little while ago from seeing Revenge of the Sith a third time. I'm aiming to break my record of 10, which I set with Attack of the Clones. Gosh, this movie is just so well done. I am really very pleased with it. And the more I watch it, the more I like it. I mean, I do come up with a few more things I thought could have been done better, of course. But overall, each time I see it, I feel more and more like I'm watching the original Star Wars. And although the initial shock is gone, I still get chilled at the same moments. I highly recommend seeing it. As a member of the offical Star Wars fan club, I was entitled to create a Star Wars blog on their website. So you know, if any of you are interested in listening to me geek out a little more intensely, I'll put the address at the end of this post, and hopefully get up a link on the side bar. It's fun, I think. I already had one girl write to me and tell me how she liked my review of the new film. It's just fun when you can get into something you like, and have other people be interested in it. So, I went to band today, then spent the afternoon watching A New Hope. I went to a trombone sectional, then watched Animal House on my computer. Funny movie, I'm not going to lie. I laughed out loud. I do have a penchant for ridiculous comedy. After that, I drove off to see Star Wars. I may go again tomorrow, I'm not quite sure yet. I guess it would be later today. I'm looking forward to getting home, if only for a couple hours on Sunday. I'm at the point where I just want to be done with Luther College for a while. Although I'm looking forward to going to Japan, I'll be glad when I'm back. I had the opportunity Thursday night after I recovered a little from the emotional jarring of Star Wars to see part of a show choir concert that a good friend of mine participated in. Now, you have to understand, I am not a fan of choir concerts. I love to sing, but am terrible in it, and have never really shown an aptitude nor special love of choir. I do appreciate choral music, and have much respect for singers. But at choral concerts, I just get bored. I'm an instrumental guy, through and through. So, I had misgivings about my friend's concert. But you know, I went, and was pleasantly surprised, in that I really enjoyed myself. And my friend sang beautifully. I was very proud of her. As much as I love instrumental music, the translation of ordinary speech into music has a certain power and exuberance that is hard to duplicate on an instrument. She sang this song called "Popular" from the musical Wicked. I became so enamored with the song, I downloaded it, and it's been stuck in my head all day. It's really a great song. Anyways, I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Hope everyone has a great day. And check out the Star Wars blog for some insightful commentary from a galaxy far far away.

http://blogs.starwars.com/darthjigga12

Aaron's Review of Episode III

Warning, spoilers ahead. So, if you want to be completely pure to see "Sith," read no further. So, I have seen Episode III. Twice. And I'll see it at least once more in the next two days. What is my verdict? I give it a resounding 4 out of 4 stars. It is not as good as Empire or A New Hope, but it overtakes Return of the Jedi. In all honesty, I have not been so moved or emotionally drained at a film since I saw The Passion of the Christ last year. I teared up at the end, when Obi-Wan tells the burning Anakin that he loved him. Really, I got chills all over my body. I got chilled at a couple of moments, among them the aforementioned scene, the betrayal of the Jedi by the clones, and the scene where Anakin was suited up as Darth Vader. Although the special effects were freaking spectacular in the movie, the part that really elevated it was the human aspect. I really liked how they developed the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan. They were just so chummy. You could tell instantly that these were best friends, and that they both cared about each other. The fact that Anakin ends the movie screaming "I hate you!" at his mentor shows just how radical the shift is. What also worked well was, Anakin came off as a likable character. I really liked Anakin. I didn't want him to turn, because he was a really nice, albeit confused, guy. That made his turn poignant as well. I really appreciated all the cues to the original trilogy, like the Tantive IV, Anakin telling Padme they can rule the galaxy together, and especially, the final shot. The final shot of the film is of Uncle Owen holding baby Luke on Tatooine, and looking into the setting twin suns. In the original Star Wars, A New Hope, that exact same pose is struck by Luke in the exact scene as he contemplates his destiny. The two scenes even had the same music. Another scene I really liked was the juxtaposition of Anakin's charred body being operated upon and put in the Darth Vader armor, and Padme giving birth to Luke and Leia. It was really chilling and disturbing, I thought. One is giving birth to light, and the other is being reborn in darkness. Overall, I was just so pleased with this film. And considering how much I hyped it to myself in the months beforehand, that's saying something. Ask anyone at Luther college, especially my roommate, and I sort of went a little overboard when it came to being excited about Star Wars. But hey, we all need a hobby. Back to the film. I'll admit, I had some misgivings about how the acting and script might turn out. However, even the scenes with Anakin and Padme were at least decent. And there was actually some memorable dialogue. I think the whole saga makes more sense now. Now mind you, I like the first two prequels, Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. But I can see why people didn't like them. However, with Revenge, the first two movies make a lot more sense. And in the original trilogy, Darth Vader is in a completely different light. He's not so much evil now, as he is controlled. He's controlled by Palpatine, and just sort of pathetic in that manner. But he's still a BMF, if you dig that. When I finally get down to marathon all 6 films, I think the point where he saves Luke in Return of the Jedi will just be so much more emotional. It won't be so much that he saved Luke, but that Anakin returned to the light, and fulfilled his destiny to destroy the Sith. As a devoted Star Wars geek, I loved this film, and was moved by it. I highly recommend it to the people who are mature enough to handle the subject matter and the grisly images (Anakin gets MESSED UP). The saga is truly complete now, and overall, it is a masterpiece, I think.

The Legendary Aaron Nyquist

So, apparently, I've become something of a mythic figure at my high school in the realm of band. My friend went back to visit my band director, and was able to sit in on a jazz band rehearsal. So, anyways, the kid who plays first trombone this year, played second when I was there last year, and I always gave him crap about how much he sucked. I guess, when my friend went and sat in, all the trumpet players that I knew last year, and other players, would be like, "Dude, if Aaron Nyquist were here, he'd play that right," and "Nyquist could kick your ass anyday on trombone," and "Nyquist would make you sound like a little girl." Stuff like that. I was just like, "awesome." I'm like, a legend. I was watching the Late Show tonight, and the top ten list was "Top Ten Things You Don't Want to Hear from your Prom Date." One of the reasons was something like, "Instead of wearing this tuxedo, I'll be going in my Obi-Wan Kenobi robes." I just had to laugh, because I went to prom in a freaking Star Wars vest. And it was awesome, I can't lie. But still, in retrospect, it's pretty ridiculous. But still, pretty sweet. It's only 5 days and 36 minutes now. Man, that is hot. I can't wait until our lineup. Everybody Loves Raymond is going off the air on Monday. That's sad. Back in high school, I used to go to Boy Scouts (I'm an Eagle Scout, if you care to know), then come back and watch that show as I did my homework on Monday nights. I really liked it, but sort of stopped watching it after I got more involved in school. Oh well. Finals start tomorrow. I think I'm going to do well. Anyways, that's about everything for now. Hope everyone has a good Saturday.

Me on the Internet

Hello everyone. Welp, today was the last day of class. Just have to survive 4 finals, and school will be over. I think I can do it, I just have to study hard. My roommate and I re-lofted our beds today, so our room is a lot different. It feels very cold, not near as inviting and home like as it did throughout the year. It's strange, thinking that I have less than a week left. It's funny how used you get to your dorm room, how much it grows on you. After living someplace for such a long time, I guess it happens though. I'm angered, the intense Star Wars fan film I downloaded a couple weeks ago freezes up with only about 5 minutes left. It angers me, I wanted to finish it. The people that made it spent like, $20,000, and it has all these computer generated effects and lightsaber battles. Made by just a couple of fans who really wanted to make a movie. It's well done. Hey, do any of you all want to see me on the internet? If so, go to the http://www.rebellegion.com and click on the "Members" button on the top. Then, hit "The Jedi," and go to page 29. It's pretty awesome. Less than 6 days now, so that is pretty awesome. It's just going to be a lot of fun, hanging out with friends, seeing the film. I can't wait. I had my trombone jury tonight, and it went well. Could have been better, but you know. George Lucas was on "The OC" tonight. It was weird, he talked about not going to his high school prom. I don't know, it was just messed up. I wanted him to tell the guy to live his life by the Jedi Code, or something like that. You know, I'm not going to lie, I can see why that TV show is so addicting. There's just something about high school relationships that fascinates people, myself included. Relationships in general, I suppose. I have a friend whose father apparently had a heart attack either today or yesterday. I don't know anything other than that, how he's doing, or anything like that. So, if you feel so inspired or comfortable, please pray for him, my friend, and their entire family. I just hope and pray that God is with them during this time. I can't imagine how frightening that must be. You know, I really don't have much more to say tonight. I hope everyone has a beautiful day.

Revelations

So, I might have realized my future wife tonight. I say this partially in jest, partially in seriousness. Well, I've discussed the 3rd trombonist in jazz band before, the one with poofy hair who I think is so nice. Anyways, dig this. Tonight, I'm talking with her about brass juries tomorrow. Basically, you just play a solo for a grade. And we were looking at times, and mine was at 6:12, so I said something stupid like, "Oh good, I won't miss The OC." So, she's like, "You watch The OC?" And I'm like, "Well, George Lucas is guest starring as himself, so I have to watch it tomorrow." She looks at me and says, "Do you have your ticket yet?" I'm like, "For Star Wars?" She's like, "Yeah." So I said, "Yeah, I bought them online about two weeks ago." She says, "Yeah, I just got mine today." As you can imagine, I just look at her with this dumbfounded face. So, I say, "For the midnight showing?" She says, "Yeah," and goes on to tell me that she's a big Star Wars geek. Not to the level of dressing up or anything, BUT STILL!!!! Holy crap. She even understood my having a convenient "family obligation" on the day Star Wars comes out. I just wanted to ask her to marry me right there. In all seriousness, I just thought that was awesome. If she happens to be around here for graduation next week, I might have to ask if she wants to go see it with me in town. That would rock. A "date" to Star Wars. I don't know how it could get better. Anyways, I went to swing club tonight, and learned some moves. I really sucked at one thing, but I was alright at the rest. I got to dance with Star Wars trombone girl, so that was enjoyable. We seem to jive really well, and I'm not just saying that. She's sort of eccentric, and I'm eccentric, it works together. Plus, crap, it's a girl who likes Star Wars, plays trombone, and has poofy hair. Can't get much better, I suppose. I hope she's Christian. Anyways, the leader of the swing club is from the Dominican Republic, and his mom and dad were in to see him graduate. So, his dad showed us some real merengue moves, which was cool. So, last day of school, today. Intense. And only two classes. I really hope my finals go well, but I think they will. I feel pretty confident about them, as long as I have a productive Friday. Tonight, I also went to a little party at my Paideia teacher's house in town. So, that was fun, we had ice cream, and talked about stuff. I really liked her, she was a great teacher. Anyways, in one week, 7 days, from RIGHT NOW, Scott and I will be in the theater, watching Revenge of the Sith. Insanity.

Close

It is close now, to the end of college. That is joyous. I had a rather uneventful day. I woke up, took my oral typhoid pill, went to class, played for chapel in jazz band, skipped medieval history (the teacher was gone and we were watching lame movies), ate lunch, sat around, played frisbee with Jacob, turned in my jazz band music, ate with Ben and Gavin, practiced, watched Attack of the Clones and played Galactic Battlegrounds. Good times, and that was a run on sentence. I had another productive night of practicing, so that was enjoyable. I'm looking forward to practicing with the piano later on today. So, Star Wars comes out in a week, 23 hours, and whatever minutes. That is more happy news. Man, I can't wait. I almost had a crisis today though, as I just learned that we have band practices on May 19th and 20th for graduation. I was sort of angry, as they just sort of randomly tell us, and just expect us to cancel everything, even if it's been planned long before. I wrote an e-mail to the director telling him I had a family obligation that I had to attend. I figure it's my Star Wars fan family, so I wasn't lying. My youth director suggested a "Skywalker Family Reunion." Nothing, save God, is going to keep me from seeing Episode III with my friends next week. My friend Scott and I have been planning this since we saw Attack of the Clones at midnight 3 years ago. My 3 year old plans take precedence over the band practice I was just told about today. It's just going to be a really fun time, a good time. The pastor from my church is probably going to come as well, so that will be awesome. He's a super cool guy. I offered to let him wear my Jedi robe to preach in one day. He didn't seem too hot on that idea though. It was a beautiful day here today, and it was fun to play some frisbee out in the sun. Very enjoyable. I was sad to have the last day of jazz band today. I'm going to miss that, especially 3rd trombone girl and Tony Guzman, the director. He's nothing like the legendary Jeff Gottwig, but he's good. For the uninitiated, Jeff Gottwig is the greatest music educator who has ever trod upon the Earth, and one of the all around best and most influential people I know. My respect and love for that man is beyond words. Anyways, I think I might go to sleep, and get a little extra tonight. So, I hope everyone is well, and have a good day. And remember, MTFBWY.

High School Costume Party!

So, I've been talking with a good friend of mine from high school tonight, and we want to have a costume party with a bunch of people from our high school. Our friends. I'm going to list the costumes, and anyone from the Farmington High School class of 2004, guess if you can think up the actual people that go with this list!

1- Stress ball
2- Viagra tablet OR a Republican pharmaceutical executive who drives a Subaru
3- Jedi Master
4- Bottle of tequila
5- A farm OR a punching bag
6- Scott OR a mosquito
7- Something really lame
8- Slave Leia
9- Aaron's future wife
10- A defined niche OR something else

So, that's the list. Great fun. I turned in my last Paideia assignment today. It felt awesome. I also had a fairly productive hour of tromboning, so that pleased me. Other than all of that, I don't have much else to say.

Rainy Romantic Comedy

It rained tonight, and the strangest thing happened. I was practicing the trombone, and alphabetizing my jazz band music when the rain started, so I had to walk back to my room through the rain. And you know, I just felt like walking in the rain, and I really didn't care about getting wet. The strange thing is, I had this cacophony of memories just surround me. One was being in Floriday, in the rain. The other one was being at Camp Wapo as a kid, in the rain. Basically, all these memories came back to me regarding rain. It was strange. You know, when I thought of Florida, I really thought of Disney World. I am not going to lie, I love Disney World. One of my fantasies is taking a week long vacation to Disney World, staying in a nice Disney hotel, eating with Mickey Mouse, going to all the theme parks, the golf course, the Disney shopping mall thing, just everything. It would be cool if I could go there with my future wife. That would be fun. I really enjoy Disney World. Right now, I'm watching "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, and Greg Kinnear. I have to be honest, I love this movie. It is one of my favorite movies. I mean, I am a closet fan of romantic comedy, and for the longest time, really enjoyed "Notting Hill," until I saw the light. Then, I realized just how whimsically awesome "You've Got Mail" is. So, I used to get in heated arguments over which was better. Julia Roberts just can't hold a candle to Meg Ryan, I'm sorry. And really, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan need to get married. Just watch this movie, it's so good. My favorite part; when Tom Hanks goes to visit Meg Ryan when she's sick, after he destroys her business (they're enemies in real life, but best friends on the internet). And he brings her daisies, and says how he wants to be her friend. I don't know, I just love that scene. It's so honest. I also really like "Sleepless in Seattle." I saw a trailer for "The Dukes of Hazzard" tonight. It looks intriguing. Nowhere near as intriguing as Star Wars, naturally. You know, the one thing that I don't like about romantic comedies is how easy they portray everything. That's probably part of the appeal as well though. It would be so easy if relationships came so easily, that the one person destined for you in the whole world just shows up and everything is grand. Life would be nice if it was like that, but I think you'd miss out on the journey. So, there are pros and cons. Man, giving flowers to people is such a great idea. We men need to exploit it more often. I am an advocate of a much more chivalric form of wooage. With a modern tint, of course. I think people need to keep their own personality, but modern ways of wooing, like going to clubs and "grinding," crap like that, it's just so lame. Men need to dress nicely, compliment women, open doors, bring flowers, learn to dance for real, go to nice restaurants, speak French, stuff like that. Of course if you don't have the means, you can improvise on all those ideas, I think. Like taking a tablecloth and candelabra to McDonald's, or something like that. I don't know, my views aren't shared by many. But they should be. People need to stop looking at women as sex objects. I'm not saying I'm free from this, because I fall into it too. It's a shame. I don't know, dealings with the opposite gender equal confusing and puzzling situations. Puzzling, people need to use that word more often. Anyways, time to go write the last Paideia paper.

Sunday Afternoon

It's Sunday afternoon, the 8th of May today. I should be writing my last Paideia paper of my life, but I'm in a rut where I can't think. Is that writer's block? I don't know, whatever. I saw Kingdom of Heaven last night. You know, it was good, but it wasn't what I had expected. I expected a lot more battle, so I was surprised when there was not really a whole lot of it. The siege of Jerusalem was quite short. There's only so much you can show in a siege though, when you're incredibly outnumbered. It was cool to see all the trebuchets. I wish I had a trebuchet. They took great care not to offend either Muslims or Christians, I'll tell you that much. I talked to my French friend Camille today, so that was fun. I do like that girl, she's very nice. There's just something awesome about talking to someone on the other side of the planet. It's just cool. Welp, only about a week and a half until Episode III. I'm getting excited. The pastor at my church might come and see it at midnight with us, which would be really awesome. Man, it's going to be such a good movie, I can't wait. I wonder if I'll cry at the end. I don't usually cry at movies, but it's happened. I cried at Titanic, I'm not going to lie. It was sad. So, I move most of my crap out of here in less than a week. Basically, I have 4 more days of school, 4 finals, then I am out of here. For a couple days at least. Then I come on back, play for graduation and stuff, and return home. Only to go right to Japan for 18 days, or something like that. Pretty hardcore. I hope it will be fun, I think it will. I always get a little paranoid about flying though. I always have all these worst case scenarios running through my head. So, on Friday, I called and apologized to the person offended by this blog. Although I didn't actually get them on the phone, I left a message. And you know, I just felt so much lighter after I called, so much better. My conscience just felt cleared after I said I was sorry, and I was truly sorry. It's strange how something so simple, that we make out to be so difficult, is just so helpful in making you feel better. I haven't heard back from this individual, but I guess it's out of my hands now. I can't wait to not have to do homework all summer, holy crap. I have a jury this week, which basically means I play a trombone solo, and get graded on it. I think it will go well though, I'm pretty confident. Well, that's about it for today.

The Clothing of My People

Man, there really are few things quite as pleasurable and just wholly satisfying as walking outside on a sunny day in Adidas flip flops, khaki shorts, and a floral Hawaiian shirt. I really can think of few clothing sets so awesome to wear. The only things I can think of are intense skiwear, intense formalwear, or Jedi robes. I love Hawaiian shirts, and the Hawaiian culture. I had an opportunity to go to Hawai'i in 9th grade, and it just opened my eyes. I can't explain how, but go to Hawai'i, and you'll understand. I bought two shirts from Hilo Hattie, a Hawaiian wear retailer in Kona, and have been hooked every since. I wore one of my original two shirts out, the other one is still kicking. If any of you don't own an aloha shirt, I highly suggest you go out and purchase a couple. They're just so lighthearted, so full of life, and so much more enjoyable than wearing a cliché Abercrombie shirt or something lame like that. As you can imagine by the subject matter, it is a beautiful day here in Decorah. This may be my second favorite day of the year, after the day where it was super cold, super sunny, and we had lots of snow. But today, the trees are green, the birds are singing, it's extremely sunny, and about 75 degrees out. Man, it is exceptional. According to my roommate, it gets even better if you listen to Mozart while you're outside. I might have to try that. I think I'll listen to "Mr. Blue Sky" instead though. That is a great sunny day song. Anyways, time to go tune the bass trombone. Everyone have a good day.

Thursday Night

Hello everyone. Welp, it looks like I'll be going to see Kingdom of Heaven tomorrow night, my friend isn't going to come up. I'm not going to lie, I'm disappointed to not be able to see them, but I respect their decision, the reasons of which I don't fully understand right now. But that's okay. In all honesty, it's probably a lot more exciting for people a lot of other places besides Luther College, especially in my company. As we have established, I don't know many people, so I usually just spend my weekend nights watching movies or doing homework. Or maybe we haven't esablished that. I'll establish it now, I have a terrible time meeting new people. Like, an absolute horror at meeting new people. It's okay though. It's my burden to have a rough time meeting people, and I just have to deal with it. I am meeting new people, but just as I predicted at the beginning of the year, it takes a long long time. Anyways, the Twins won today, so that was good news. Apparently, something that I've said on this site has offended one of the readers. I don't know what it was exactly, not that the specifics really matter. Someone was offended, that's the only real point. I do apologize to that person, as sheepish as it sounds. It is rather sheepish, doing anything personal over the internet, so I'll stop right there. I have an intense fear of confrontation. Even when I know I'm right, which doesn't happen very often, except if you talk in the realms of history, Star Wars, or stuff like that. I don't know, I just can't stand talking with people about sensitive issues. I get flustered and can't get my words out. Of course, I can't get words out in normal conversation either, so that's nothing new. I don't know. Mainly, I think I just don't want to hear how I am not informed enough, or was insensitive, or hurt someone's feelings. I really don't like hurting people's feelings, but I seem to do it, mostly inadvertantly. And it's always to the people I consider to be close friends. It really irritates me. I wish I could stop causing pain to people, but it's a fact of life. I cause pain to others, and others cause pain to me. I cause pain to God, and He doesn't cause pain to me. I should take a cue from my Christian faith and atone for all these sins. And you know, I do, I just don't do it publicly, personally, in front of the people that I hurt. I should really look into doing that. I think that is something that everyone struggles with. It takes such a tremendous humbling and shedding of hubris to honestly look at how your deeds hurt other people, and acknowledge that fact to the person in question. It has to be one of the most difficult things people face. At least, it is for me. I guess we all struggle with things. I'm sure some people struggle with things that I think are second nature. In non intense issues today, I had a trombone lesson, which went well. I think I'm one of my trombone teacher's favorite students, simply because I do what he tells me. When I know I'm doing something wrong, I go in the practice room and try my best to correct it. That's what he said at least. Personally, I feel as if I don't get enough practice time. At least I'm improving. Some new Star Wars TV spots came out today, they were awesome, as expected. I drank some Mountain Dew, recovered from my sporting injuries, to an extent. I lent Brad my Episode III soundtrack, he seemed to really enjoy that, so I'm glad I could help him out. I wished I would have either struck up a friendship with jazz band girl earlier in the year or had more time to continue said friendship. I like her, she's quite nice. Other than that, I looked forward eagerly to getting out of here, and going home. I'm still not really excited for my Japan trip. I mean, I'm looking forward to it, it just hasn't captured my imagination yet. Not like France. Oh man, I wish I could go back to France. Anyways, hope everyone has a great night.

Sporting Injuries

So, I have some sporting injuries. Or rather, injuries caused by lack of sport. I went to the weight room on Monday for like, the first time since February. And yeah, I lifted too much than I should have, so now my bench pressing muscles hurt, and the inside of my legs ache. So, that kind of sucks. Then tonight, I played catch, so my wrist and right arm feel like they're about to fall off. I feel like I should be soaking in a vat of Bengay. Man, I wish I kept playing baseball. That's why I have to get back into it, to atone for my idiotic decision to stop playing the sport I love. Holy crap, I love baseball. Especially the Minnesota Twins. What I don't love is being 4 and a half games out of first to the freaking White Sox and losing the to chump Cleveland. We've established the awesomeness of the Revenge of the Sith soundtrack, that awesomeness is gaining with every repeated listening. Two weeks from now, I'll be in the theater, in costume, watching the movie. Man, I can't wait. It's going to be so awesome. There was an article today on CNN about the screening they showed to a bunch of reporters. I guess one person responded that it was a "bloodbath" and deserved the PG-13 rating. You may ask why I'm excited about all this violence. It's because that is the way this story needs to be told. Anakin has to completely renounce his light side, and just become so evil. I can't even handle in the trailers, when they show close ups of Anakin's face as he fights Obi-Wan. He just looks so full of hate and rage. And one has to remember, this is his best friend, his mentor, practically his father. He loved Obi-Wan, and now he is hell bent on killing him. I just think that is so sad, and it shows the tragic story of Darth Vader. I love the way Hayden Christensen is acting, at least from the trailers. He really seems to be conveying a sense of conflict and anger. I have confidence in the acting in this film. Anyways, I'm excited to see Kingdom of Heaven this weekend. I did a project on military religious orders in the Crusades for medieval history, and I find the Crusades to be fascinating. Not that I like the idea of killing for Christ, I think it's stupid, but it is still an interesting time in history. And, I like epic films. In reality, epic films all just strive to be as totally awesome and cool as Star Wars. Lord of the Rings came close, but in my opinion, nothing can top the Skywalker saga. Funny Star Wars story. This girl, Bai Ling I think is her name, played some obscure senator in Episode III, and hyped up her role really big, going to all the conventions, and meeting fans in line over in Los Angeles. I mean, she was like, the 3rd senator from the left, if you dig that. So anyways, she's a pretty girl, and got to be the Playboy centerfold for the June issue, which is a Star Wars feature. Anyways, her sole scene got cut from the film. So funny. She's on the cover of the Star Wars Playboy, and she isn't even in the movie. She'll probably be on the deleted scenes on the DVD, but still. I hope my female high school friend comes and visits me on Friday, I really do. I want to talk to her. I really miss my friends from high school. So, I'm hoping. Anyways, I'm going to get to bed a titch earlier tonight. I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and as always, MTFBWY.

The Phantom of the Opera

I went and saw The Phantom of the Opera tonight (the movie). I think when it came out, I saw it like, 3 times in the theater. I love that movie. I was also fortunate enough last summer to see the stage play at the Orpheum, but had seats that inhibited my view. I also didn't really get the cemetary scene. But man, I think the movie is one of my favorite movies ever. I think it is just beautifully shot, in that the sets and costumes are just awesome. I've always had a love of formalwear, and the formalwear just rocks my world in that movie. I wish I could dress like the Phantom. I always thought, that if I was Christine, if you could just get rid of the whole killing thing and rabid obsession thing, I would pick the Phantom over Raoul. I mean, we have to face it, Raoul is kind of boring. The Phantom seems so much more full of life. That's what I think, at least. And of course, I just love the music. It's so good, crap. I really want to sing "All I Ask of You" to my future wife, to aid in wooing her. There's just something about romantic songs that gets me. In high school, I memorized a large catalog of Chicago love songs, most notably, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," and used to sing them to my female friends. They would usually feel flattered. I liked making them feel a little better, I guess. If I could do that by singing some corny songs in my terrible voice, hey, why not? I remember distinctly, in 11th grade, Bryan Adam's song "Everything I Do" came on at prom, and I sang it in my date's ear as we danced. I sang absolutely terribly, and forgot a bunch of lyrics, but you know, I'd like to think it made her feel a little more special. There's just something awesome about expressing love through song, something that comes through that I don't think necessarily comes through in plain prose. I wish I could sing to the girl I sit next to in jazz band, or the girl back home, or to the aforementioned one, or whoever is out there for me. In reality, I should probably stick to trombone, but you're not being very discreet if you carry around a trombone. She'll know what's up. Voice, usually, has the element of surprise. I suppose you could hide a trombone somewhere, and pull it out, but that is a titch complicated. Plus, your lips tend to be occupied with a mouthpiece, and as we all know in romantic songs, the lips usually play a part at the end. Anyways, for your reading pleasure, I am going to present to you Aaron's all time mack daddy ultimate romantic songs, in no particular order.

1- Hard to Say I'm Sorry - Chicago
2- All I Ask of You - from The Phantom of the Opera
3- Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
4- Everything I Do - Bryan Adams
5- If I Were a Bell- from Guys and Dolls
6- Your Song - Elton John

Awesome songs, and I'm sure I forgot some of my favorites. In other music news, everyone go out and buy the Episode III soundtrack. It is awesome, to put in bluntly. The music is just so emotional, I can't handle it. Just listen to the Main Title (the Star Wars theme for all you non-geeks), and if you don't get feelings of hope stirred in you, I don't know what's up. I used to just listen to the opening chord on that song for like, 10 consecutive times, because I thought it was so inspiring. Anyways, the soundtrack is exceptional. I haven't listened to it closely enough to judge it against others, but I'm guessing it's near the top of my list. I especially like the last song on the disc, which has Princess Leia's theme. It is very moving, I think. It really shows that even in the midst of such terrible evil, hope remains, and will not be blotted out. Simply phenomenal. Anyways, you all have a good night, and MTFBWY.

Trombone, Eccentricity, Film Music, and My Origins

Hello readers of Aaron's blog. Before I do anything, I am going to clarify something which has sort of caused confusion at college for people. When asked where I hail from, I always respond with "Farmington." I have never, in my entire life, lived in the city of Farmington. I have lived in Lakeville, right near Farmington, and Apple Valley, just a titch farther away. So, why do I say I'm from there, you ask? I spent all my school years in Farmington public schools, and as such, became quite intimate with the workings of the town. Especially in high school, I began to identify heavily with the city of Farmington, and my school. So, I always say I'm from Farmington because that is the town I feel I most connect and identify with, and best reflects who I am as a person. I do not identify with either the academic or civic functions of either Lakeville or Apple Valley. So, that's why I say I'm from Farmington, and as far as I'm concerned, I am. Anyways, on to the rest. I play trombone here at Luther. I've played trombone from 6th grade. And you know, I've always been pretty good at it. I mean, in high school, save for my 10th grade year, I was first chair in the top band, and held lead position in jazz band all except one year. I won some US Marine Band award my 12th grade year, and even lettered in band. I like band, and the trombone. Then, I came here to Luther, and got my butt whooped, hardcore, in terms of band auditions. I ended up in the lowest band here. I also discovered I had been playing the trombone incorrectly since 6th grade, in multiple ways. I did get 1st chair in the second jazz band down here, but I sort of got whooped in that too, by the other players. So anyways, I didn't want to suck, so I practiced. A lot. I became good enough to snag the last chair in the top concert band for second semester. And realize, I go to a music school, which is famed for music, and famed for having awesome bands and choirs. So, I was kind of surprised at that. I learned that I had to play bass trombone in band, so I had to basically, build up my low register from scratch. And I'm still working on it, but I've made considerable progress, I think. Throughout the year so far, I've also met quite a few people because of trombone. There's Luke, who is pretty much a cocky mofo, but a freak at trombone. Brad, who is freakier, but not a cocky mofo, and also a big Star Wars fan. Benjamin, who is quite hairy, but quite nice, and a freak at trombone. Phil, who is just messed up, and a freak at trombone. Lacey, who also plays cello, Emily, my jazz band buddy, and various other people. I think I'd be in trouble if I didn't play the trombone here. This girl I play with in jazz band, I like her. She's very quirky. I think that's the best way to describe her. I can't really put a finger on her quirkiness exactly, but it definitely exists. She has hair that is uncannily similar to one of my good friends from high school. Except she isn't half Thai. I don't know, I seem to be attracted to quirky girls. The girl who is discussed in the "Interesting Developments" post was very quirky, at least when I knew her. I think she's a little more diluted now. Most of my petty crushes in high school were eccentric in one way or another also. Actually, when I think of it, most of my friends are people who would generally be considered to be eccentric in one area or another. I have friends who are Lord of the Rings geeks, Star Wars geeks (naturally), band geeks, Catholic zealots, gamers, overly political, exceptionally opinionated, exceptionally religious, obsessed with boys, obsessed with girls, Republican, etc. I even have a friend who drinks Pepsi (gasp). If you didn't know, I am a Coca-Cola devotee, and consider Pepsi to be no better than motor oil mixed with sugar. Anyways, I think it's good to have strange friends. Normal people are quite boring, I think. It's good to be eccentric in certain ways. It definitely makes life a little more interesting, at least in my experience. The Star Wars Episode III soundtrack is released tonight at midnight. I think I'm going to go pick it up at midnight. Plus, I'm all out of deodorant and other hygienic items, so it would probably behoove me to get those items as well. I'm excited for the soundtrack, as it comes with a DVD of music videos, culled from all 6 Star Wars films. It basically takes a piece of Star Wars music, and shows how the person, and/or idea it represents progresses through the movies. Brilliant idea. And they're all introduced by Ian McDiarmid. I am a big fan of film music, especially epic music like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. I just think John Williams is a genius. I have the "ultimate" edition of Star Wars Episode IV, which basically means, every single note of music in that movie, I have on two CD's. And it's amazing, I can listen to the music, and basically be told the story, such is the interconnection the movie has with the music. Like, I can tell feelings, events, whether something is good or bad, all sorts of stuff. George Lucas has always maintained that you can watch any of the Star Wars movies without any dialogue, and still be able to understand the story through simply listening to the music, and I heartily agree. I just think the Star Wars music is so beautiful. And I think Twilight and Shadow, from the Return of the King, may be the most beautiful song I've ever heard. If you haven't heard it, go find it. It's in Elvish, and I just think it's the most relaxing song in the world. Before the TEC leadership turned upon me, and I was still in good relations with them, I sat in the prayer chapel on a TEC weekend one time, and just listened to that song, and prayed for a friend, and seriously started to cry. I was that moved by this song. Anyways, I should go practice the trombone and stuff. I hope everyone has a great night. Only 16 days or so until Revenge of the Sith!

The Jedi

DSCN0259
Originally uploaded by DarthJigga.

All you fellow Star Wars fans out there, you know you can't deny this. Full blown Jedi costuming awesomeness, in the cloth. This is the costume I will be wearing to the premiere of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It is patterned heavily after Obi-Wan Kenobi in the same film, though there are some slight descrepancies. For example, the lightsaber is mainly based off of Luke Skywalker's from Episode IV, the boots are not real leather, and I am missing the belt pouches. But, I'll get all that crap put on later. Still, you can't deny, it's pretty sweet. Even for all you haters out there. 17 more days.

My Weekend

Hello people. So, I went home for the weekend. Let me give you a quick recap. I got a prescription for oral typhoid, which I forgot at home, so that was kind of stupid. I also had some photos of myself taken in my Jedi robe, and then proceeded to walk my dog in it. I spent Friday night at my friend's apartment in downtown Minneapolis, so that was fun. We then walked around the Nicollet Mall for a couple hours in the morning, and went to T.G.I. Friday's. So, that was fun. The rest of Saturday, I practiced my trombone, and did other things. Washed my dog. At night, I went and saw "The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy," which was interesting. I don't know if I'd exactly recommend it, but I don't know if I'd discourage it either. It had its moments, like the fish song in the beginning. It rocked my world. Sunday morning, went to church, played my trombone for our traveling choir thing. A person gave me the Darth Vader voice changing helmet, so I had quite a bit of fun with it. It definitely isn't a fully accurate copy of Vader's actual helmet, but what do you do? And the voice changer doesn't really work, but oh well. At least, it definitely deepens your voice, but it doesn't "Darth Vaderize" it exactly. I saw the girl that I have referred to in the past on Sunday morning, so that was a pleasant surprise. But, all the musings I did made me look at her in a different way. Gosh, I'm just really getting sick of that. But, it happens, I suppose. I wish I could just be friends with people without always having the past shape things. But the unfortunate thing is, as a history major, I have intense interest into the past. I really think it's impossible to understand anything, be it a person, country, civilization, relationship, whatever, without knowing about the past, and learning how that relates to the current situation. So, I think I'm sort of stuck in a perpetual something like that with this person. I need to move on though, and forget those romantic underpinning things, and just focus on the now. Another example, I was very close friends with a guy all through high school. I knew him through my church. As I've gone off to college, and as I got more involved with high school stuff last year, I've lost a lot of contact with him. In the meanwhile, he's sort of gone off on this rebellion thing. And, I want to be there for him, but I keep acting as if nothing has changed from two years ago. That is a problem. So, yeah. I have a band audition in 58 minutes. I feel pretty good about it though. My time is at 6:12. I was quite happy to get that time, as my lucky number is 12. Why 12, you ask? It was number when I played baseball in 3rd and 4th grade, and you have to understand, I loved playing baseball. I hate it that I quit. But anyways, I just liked the number 12, and I played pretty well wearing it. See, there is another situation you would not have understood without history. It's everywhere.