EAR'phoria #2

As mentioned in the last post I had a few bands that I was mulling over to decide who to write about, and I couldn’t narrow it down to just one. Because I know for a fact that if I game them separate posts I would fall so far behind and next thing I know all I would write is EAR'phoria. So this time around I’m going to share all three songs, yes, count them, one, two, three songs! So let us get started!

Song number one comes to us from a very large, hippy, gown wearing band from Dallas Texas by the name of “The Polyphonic Spree.” The song is a few years old and I first heard it a while back when I watched “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” But re-living it made me re-discover just how great of a song it is. The song is “Light & Day / Reach for the Sun.” It’s a very uplifting cheery song, and it honestly makes me vision this is what a catholic choir (I think mostly because of the gowns they wear) would sound like on drugs. Go watch a music video of theirs on YouTube, if you’re having a bad day, seriously you’ll cheer right up!

Song Number two is a little more mainstream than I like EAR'phoria to be about, but given some recent events and how much I love this song, here it is, number two comes off of “All-

American Rejects” latest album “When the World Comes Down.” Song is the title track off the album called “Mona Lisa (When the World Comes Down).” It’s a very sweet song basically about the shape this world has gotten and how it’s a scary place out there, but as long as you have someone to watch the world come down with all of it doesn’t matter, and the world doesn’t seem all that scary. I’ve been listening a lot to this song as of lately, more so in the past week, and it’s been a comfort for me about what’s to come. It’s amazing what can happen overnight.

And Finally and most certainly not last is number three, from the Seattle indie-pop/lo-fi rock scene is “Say Hi” and their newest album ”Oohs & Aahs.” I first heard about this band while checking out other bands on “Death Cab for Cutie’s older record label Barsuk Records. I liked what I heard, but unfortunately I let this band drift off into the distance as I discovered “The Decemberists” and “The Shins” and “Arcade Fire.” But when I heard that “Say Hi” had a new album out I couldn't but help myself to see what has become of this band; I loved what I heard and it’s quickly climbing the play count on my iPod!  I’ll be the first to admit this type of music is at times an acquired taste, but if you like “The Shins,” and “Death Cab” then I recommend you download at least the track “Hallie and Henry” or “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh.”  You won't regret it!

And like my last post you can listen to these songs on YouTube, just search the band name and the song title, and all of them are on iTunes. That’s it for this post I promise I’ll keep it to one song next time.

-miniSCHOF

I know I suck!

Hey all! I know it's been a while since I've gotten on this site and updated you all on what's been up in the crazy awesome life that is JASON SCHOFIELD (miniSCHOF).  Oh and a little side note here, I'm going to try to work and capitalize this whole miniSCHOF thing,  I'm working on it and with your help I think we can make this huge!  Like Apple logo huge!  So... "Go team, go!"  Anyways, I'm rambling like a fool here!  Um, it's 6:45 in the A.M. and I haven't slept yet, cause I going to my brothers house in a hour to help the jerk move to Idaho.  God bless the economy!  So I figured whats the point of going to bed!  So yeah,  Laura at Starbucks will be getting a visit from me in a little under an hour here.   But um yeah, few updates.  I've decided I'm going to start doing a little web comic here soon, I have a few idea's that I've been perfecting and am going to start drawing them out, and soon posting them right here, exclusively on my blog!  So look for that.  Also I've been have been mulling over a few new songs that I've discovered and am having a hard time deciding who deserves to me my new EARphoria post.  So once I complete that battle expect to see that post here very, very soon!  As in the next day or so!  And umm, yeah, can't really think what else to inform you all with.  So thats it I'll end this here!  Peace out!

-miniSCHOF

Say what???

I know the reason why websites are making you do the word verification thing when you post comments, or send e-mails over blogger, Facebook, Myspace and so on. To prevent preprogrammed computers going out there and spamming the crap out of your page with advertisements, and other annoying messages.  But from a person who comments and sends alot of messages it’s annoying as hell having to decipher that word or words... or jumbled mess of letters and numbers, but it's hella annoying when it’s a double world, CAPS sensitive (which they don’t tell you), or has a bunch of static lines going through the word (that oh so conveniently make near impossible to figure out what the letters are). Recently I wrote a comment on my friend’s blog and had to type in one of these words… and well I’ll let see for yourself...

I know it's not the correct spelling but still, wheres the first place your mind goes?  Yeah.  Blogger called me a duche!  

Ear'phoria

Greetings friends, recently I had a struck of inspiration as I sat watching TV and discovered a new song that quenched the thirst of ear’phoria that I oh so longed for. And it occurred to me that this is something I would greatly enjoy sharing with my friends of the internet and making it a regular thing. And it came to pass for it shall be called ear’phoria. It makes sense due to that I frequently search for something new, whether it be something indie, underground, mainstream, or just a golden oldie from yonder. And why not share my findings with the world. I’m not a selfish person, there’s nothing in the world I want more than to have good music that would go over looked be found.


Today’s finding comes from the band “Cassettes Won’t Listen,” a one-man band out of Brooklyn, New York. He has a very calming indie/electronic sound that is very fitting for background music while on a lengthy road trip, working on the computer, or hanging out with friends. The song is called “Freeze and Explode,” it was attached to the ending to the latest episode of Chuck on NBC. It’s a very fitting song for realizing the truth, even though it’s something that you don’t want, it’s still the way it has to be. It’s a depressing song if you listen to the lyrics but it’s hands down one of my new favorite songs. It’s available for download on iTunes. And the video can be found on youtube here. Other mentionable songs are “The Last Parachute in Sight,” and “Paper Floats.” Now go and bask in the ear’phoria.

Hollywood you have 24 Hours!

This past Sunday was a momentous occasion, many bought new High-Definition TVs, invited large groups of friends, ate unbelievable amounts of food that can only be described as a gastronomical apocalypse, drank beers, and shouted obscenities that would make the fallen son of god embarrassed. Yes I’m talking about Super Bowl XLIII. There’s more to Super Bowl than just…football. There’s an over laborite half time show and of course the millions of dollars spent on a single :30 second commercial. Personally I watch the big game more for the commercials than the actual game itself especially when my team (Go PATRIOTS!!!) isn’t in the big game even though Sundays game was an incredible one and very enjoyable to watch! There were a lot of commercials that honestly sucked it up! So the only hope for redemption was the movie trailers for the summer blockbusters, most importantly the Transformers 2 and G.I. Joe premier trailers.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen was as expected; dark, loud, quick and AWESOME! I’ve watched it about Ten times and still get goose bumps by the end of it. Seriously watch it and tell me the fight between Optimus Prime and Devastator isn’t going to literally blow your friggin’ mind! You can’t because you know it will! I’m going to be there in full force the minute that movie comes out! Who know I may even bust out some cardboard boxes and costume up as a transformer for the premier. Haha, no I won’t. I’m not that big of a nerd.

Now for the purpose of my blog for today...

Now when I first heard that Hollywood was going to pony up and make a live action G.I. Joe movie; I thought to myself “It’s about damn time!” Then Stephen Summers (The Mummy, Mummy Returns, and [disgusted choke] Van Helsing) was attached as the director, I had an open mind, “Kay maybe he won’t F it up like his last three movies.” Then they released the official cast for the movie, “Dennis Quaid as General Hawk awesome! Sienna Miller as Baroness, good choice! Ray Park as Snake eyes!!! Are you F’ing Serious! HELL!!! YES!!! Channing Tatum as Duke, okay I’ll go with it. Marlon Wayans as Ripcord. Cristopher… what??? Marlon Wayans… of the Wayans brothers??? I must be reading this wrong. No, it says Marlon Wayans. Hmm, it must be a typo I’ll check back later. It’ll be fixed.” Days past, Weeks, Months… and it wasn’t fixed it still said Marlon Wayans. I knew Hollywood wouldn’t let me enjoy the wet dream that could have been “G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero” soon thereafter the first official screen shots showed up on the internet. And sure enough there he was clear as day, Marlon Wayans in costume as Ripcord. This movie is dead to me.

Time passed and I got over my initial anger, and I heard the first trailer would premier during Super Bowl. I got a little excited in hopes that the trailer would ignite my original flame that I held for the live action adaptation of one of my favorite 80’s cartoons. The trailer came on, then ended, and I about picked up my TV and walked to the roof to throw it down to the pavement below. If you want to know how my facial expressions progressed while watching the trailer, go pop on Raiders of the Lost Ark and go to the scene where they open the Ark and Major Toht’s face melts. There is problem after problem after F’ing problems with this movie!

First off, Marlon F’ing Wayans!

A very close second, the costume designs. I know that Hollywood can’t put the exact costumes the characters wore in the cartoon into the live action movie, they would look ridiculous and dated, so what do you do? Modernize it! The original costumes were a lot of shades of browns and camouflage, so basically military and espionage clothing well we have that already modernized people are already wearing that in today’s world. But what does Hollywood do…they put the Real American Hero’s in all black with body armor that honestly looks like they raided the poor man’s version of Batman’s closet. Baroness is in a costume that looks exactly how she looked in the 80’s cartoon. WTF! Oh because she’s a hot female let’s keep the black skin tight leather outfit from the cartoon. This is simply put infuriating to me!

Thirdly, in the trailer you see a lot slow motion Matrix style acrobatics, which is fine for Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. I’d accept and expect that from the ninja assassins. But you see it happening with other characters from the film as well... A word of advice Hollywood, slow motion action sequences aren’t as cool as they used to be and should be used at a minimum of say one scene per movie, any more than that is a Vin Diesel movie. And if you like Vin Diesel then you aren’t smart enough to understand that burn, and you shouldn’t be reading this blog you should be at home coloring. This trailer looked like all the action is in slow motion.

Fourthly Cobra Commander is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt you remember him as the dorky high school aged kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun, explain to me how and in what universe a 27 year old is the leader of a worldwide terrorist organization???

And lastly to end this post the last and final straw that I would have originally let slide but given the ongoing circumstances of the atrocity that’s become this movie. WHERE THE HELL IS DESTRO’S MASK?!?!?!

And now you know. And knowing is half the battle!

In the year 2009...

It's happened faster than I anticipated, 2008 has come
and gone. I don’t know about you but this year seemed to pass by at an exponential rate. Seems like just a couple months ago I was playing the first Rock Band with my friends till the beginning of 2008. I can’t help but look back and briefly recollect the events that transpired over the past year. A lot has happened this past year, from getting tattooed, to heartbreak and heartache, to being unemployed. I wouldn’t say 2008 was a good year for me; I wouldn’t call it a bad year by any means as well. 2008 was a gray year for me. The poor happenings of this past year do outweigh the good. But I look back on what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown from the experiences; and as much I loathed the circumstances while they were happening, there is very little I would have changed if I could relive it.
Now to keep with typical New Years clichés, I do have a few New Year Resolutions. And of course as much as I love to add a check mark to them when I’ve succeeded in said resolutions; we all know that we fail miserably after the third or fourth week in January. Some are lucky to have the will power to succeed the first two or three days. So after each resolution I am adding a failure rate from 1-10 (1 being I shall prevail and make this resolution my b*tch, 10 being who am I kidding addicts have an easier time quitting heroin ((Yes I did copy this rating off my friend Aaron’s blog, it’s a good idea and I’m using it)).

1. Get back into shape
Of course everyone’s new years resolutions have one form or another to lose weight, or get fit, or to drop a couple pant sizes. And if you’re not on CBS’s The Biggest Looser, chances are you’ll fail miserably and you’re stuck with a gym membership for 1 to 2 years that will go unused. But I had a very, very sad realization two days ago; I had to actually loosen my belt a notch. Needless to say it lit a fire under my butt. Especially when I think back to how I used to look four years ago; weighing in 195 with a flat stomach. It’s depressing to think how I’ve let myself go. I know how to eat right, when to eat, and the do and don’ts of working out. There really is no excuse to let myself look like this any longer.

New Years Goal: Weigh in at 200, and drop to a pant size of 36.
Failure Rate: 3 (I’ve dropped almost 50lbs in the past, I can do it again)

2. Eat Less Fast Food
I’m not saying "never eat fast food," but defiantly eating a lot less. The great thing about being unemployed is that I have time to cook, and I’ve been able to hone this skill. I’m not a bad cook. There are circumstances where yes fast food is the only choice; road trips, hanging out with friends, or you’re running too late to make something. Honestly skipping a meal is worst than eating fast food(that’s going off that you order the right thing at the drive up menu, Grilled chicken sandwich and a water, not a number 2 combo meal, large size with a diet coke).

New Years Goal: Once a week.
Failure Rate: 4

3. Cut Back on Soda and High Fructose Corn Syrup Products
The true killer of being in good shape and teeth decay. I drink too much soda, and consume too many products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS is what I’ll be referring to the rest of this; it’s too much to type out). And I’m not alone on this; most Americans suffer from this dynamic duo. Over 70% of Americans are overweight according to a percentage I just made up. It’s almost near impossible to find the products at the grocery store that we grew up loving that don’t include HFCS now; it’s in candy, store bought cookies, chips, Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, hell it’s even in some brands of canned fruit and vegetables. Only because it’s cheaper to use than actual sugar. Ever since nutritionists discovered how bad HFCS is for you, and it’s bad, it slows down your body’s response to tell you you’re full, so you overeat. A lot of companies have actually stop putting it on the ingredients lists or started naming it something else on their products, so it’s near impossible to not consume some HFCS. Ever wonder why Coke that’s bottled in Mexico tastes better than the Coke we get here in the States? It’s because they use Sugar, not HFCS. And to be clear I’m not addicted to caffeine, I’m addicted to the taste and to the carbonation of soda.

New Years Goal: One Soda a week or less. Consuming as little of HFCS as physically possible.
Failure Rate: 5

4. Reading More
I waste too much time watching TV or playing video games. I really need to read more. I read the first Twilight book over the week of Christmas. I forgot how much I love to read, reading for two hours you feel like you accomplished something. Playing a video game for two hours, you feel like you need to get a life. I used to always have my nose buried in a book; it’s hard to find the time to read with the pressures and responsibilities of day to day life. Well not really for me now, but when I was working, yeah it’s hard to dedicate time to read.

New Years goal: Read at least one chapter a night before going to bed.
Failure Rate: 7

5. Be More Social
I tend to enjoy my time alone a little too much. I’ve always been a pretty independent person; I don’t have a problem with staying at home alone on a Friday night. Yeah I do hang out with my friends, but majority of them are married or live far away and I see them maybe once a week leaving 5 or 6 of the 7 days I’m at home. Granted this will change when I start working again and going back to school, my social life will change but till then I need get out more.

New Years Goal: Break the norm, and getting out more.

Failure Rate: 5

Coming soon... My TOP 10 Movies and Music of 2008

-miniSCHOF