genre jumps, devolution, and cover art.

I'm unhappy with Fueled by Ramen [and Fall Out Boy]. All their bands are changing their sounds. And yeah, sure, I'm cool with them maturing musically and everything, but most of the time it sounds like they're devolving. Panic[!] at the Disco, The Academy Is... - it's not that I don't love the bands [because I do]. It's just that I expect more from them. Quality stuff, not the somewhat cliche, not-entirely-pop-but-reminscient-of-it, slightly boring stuff they've put out recently.

Panic[!]'s newest CD, which they worked on for years [literally], was a disappointment. With the exclamation point went the energy of the music. Sure, I liked a few of the songs on Pretty. Odd. - We're So Starving, Pas de Cheval, sometimes Northern Downpour. It's certainly not as if the rest of the songs are bad, but they just don't catch my attention like their old music did. Honestly, if the CD hadn't been by Panic[!], I would never have bought it. I only listened to it when I was getting ready to see them, because I wanted to be able to still have fun if they only played songs off that. [Luckily, they played the old songs also and sounded better than ever.] I love the band, but I expected more from them.

The Academy Is...'s new CD isn't terrible. I still haven't listened to the whole thing, but I do like a fair amount of the songs I have heard. Paper Chase and His Girl Friday are my favorites off the album at the moment. But I would never specifically choose those songs to listen to. I'll listen to them if they come up on my playlist, but I'm not going to seek them out. Even in Santi, their previous album, it was a little hard for me to find the sound that I loved about them. I grew to love Santi though, especially after seeing them perform it live twice. It's a CD I probably would have bought even if I had no idea who the band was. Fast Times at Barrington High is a CD I wouldn't have looked twice at. The music isn't bad, but it doesn't catch my attention. I hear it, but I'm definitely not captured by it the way I was with their first album - which I discovered years late. The lyrics on some tracks are brilliant, but most are slightly cliche. [Not that I can even write cliche lyrics.] Again, I love the band. I just wanted more. However, considering how often they toured between Santi and this album, it's pretty impressive.

Fall Out Boy - who isn't on Fueled by Ramen, but whatever - has a new album coming out on Election Day. I've already made sure that the CD store that I go to is ordering it. I'm buying no matter what. I adore the cover art as well as the title. I liked the new songs on the free mixtape they put out. But "I Don't Care" just doesn't really meet my standards. As selfish as it sounds, I wish Patrick had never learned to sing; in my opinion, his voice is absolutely brilliant on Take This To Your Grave [which is my favorite CD anyway] and decreases from there. That's not to say that I don't love his voice, because I do. I just don't love it as much. The lyrics to I Don't Care aren't great, but I can deal with that. I wasn't worried, because I felt the same way with Infinity On High and still ended up really liking that CD. Besides, I'd already heard other new songs that I liked [despite the constant "GET FAMILIAR" crap]. It can't be all bad. They put out a new song on iTunes the other day, and I was totally ready to text my dad to ask if I could borrow a dollar to buy the song. I was even a little excited, but I ended up not even wanting to buy it. I was just like "Eh, it'll be on the CD... Why waste money?" I never like the singles though, so I still have faith in them. :)

I'm not giving up on these bands.

Y'know, maybe it's me.
Maybe I'm outgrowing them.

In the scheme of things, school doesn't make sense. To be completely honest.

Art?

My whole life I’ve been drawn to more creative, artistic hobbies – things like drawing, writing, photography. Various phases led me through ambitions to be a cinematographer and fabricated skills at black and white photography. By the end of freshman year in high school, however, I’d learned that I just wasn’t good at any of my proposed passions. Ballet was a six year experience – one that ended quickly in third grade when I realized that tights and good posture just didn’t mesh with my personality. Meanwhile, I’d discovered photography, filling my summers with workshops at the zoo, a hobby which lasted approximately ten discontinuous years, if you count the bright red plastic camera I ran around with at five. Art, which replaced photography for a bit, was my middle school endeavor; although I’d been forced to take art classes in elementary school, I was never serious about it. Drama featured a very short spotlight, lasting less than a week, because I’d discovered my inability to think on my feet. Video lasted almost as long as photography, really, starting around fourth grade and continuing until eleventh. For about four years, I walked around with my video camera in hand, recording everything and editing it all before losing the footage throughout the years. Taking a class on the subject quickly ended that hobby. Guitar, also a long-term investment, began in fifth grade and endured through both middle and high school, mostly because I loved the class, despite my lack of talent.

Overall, I have no artistic talent.

over there.

I cling to illogical optimism, although I claim to be a pessimist.

[I hate Paramore.]

???

So I've been watching the Olympics this summer. I like watching gymnastics, swimming, and volleyball the most, but I like a lot of the other sports too. Not that I know much about any of them. As an American, it's relatively obvious that I'm rooting for Team USA. I don't care how many golds anyone has though. The medal count doesn't REALLY matter to me. I like watching the Americans win, but hey, if we lose, we lose. Big deal. China has more gold medals than us. That's cool; they have some amazing athletes playing for them. The U.S. has the most medals total. Whoo. I'm pretty sure we've got the most athletes, also, so that kind of balances out. Whatever. Besides, if you're an athlete at the OLYMPICS, then you're already pretty amazing.

But. I just read an article about the "real medal count" and people in the comments are whining about how Americans are "sore losers" and how Chinese are "cheaters" and one guy comments, "The Olympics are about SPORTS, not POLITICS." I'm just a kid, and I've definitely not been out in the real world yet. But you know what? The Olympics ARE about politics. I don't understand how anyone would think that there ISN'T a huge political influence. And yeah, some of the judges may be biased, but who really cares? There are so many tiny things that can change an outcome, giving some people gold medals when maybe they deserve a silver. Or maybe they recieve a silver when they deserve a gold.

In the scheme of things, does any of that even matter?

Huh?

So I'm watching Picture This! or whatever on ABC Family and like half the people in it are from Degrassi so far. [That's a lie, but at least two of the main-ish characters are.] I don't know why that like... surprises me, but I'm always like "WTF? Weird..." Yeah. This isn't relevant. And the guy she's obsessed with is kind of ugly, to be honest.

Okay, WTF? You fell in a pool and you can't swim or something? Or are you doing that on purpose?

I wanna work in a pet store... Lisa's dog is really ugly. Who names a cat Andy? Who says "funky"? Uh. That guy probably wouldn't be able to get into law school in real life. He can't be 'perfect'; it's impossible.

I like her glasses though... And is she wearing that to school...? It's like pajamas. ... That's a SUCKY gift. "Guess what, hon! You get to LIVE WITH ME!" But she's kind of a jerk. I don't like her.

Are they seriously talking on the phone while walking together? I love his camera. Okay, you would so get like kicked out for drinking out of the fountain like that. I'd be all "STOP TAKING PICTURES OF ME." And who randomly says, "I like your laugh"? Uh, let's look at the text under the picture, dude. DAD. Can you read? Idiot.

I want more water. Purdy camera... He's so like cheating on his girlfriend. Okay, WHEN did they exchange phone numbers? Stalker much? He's like hiding in trees and taking pictures.

WTF? They're HUGGING? They've talked like twice. "I feel like I can be myself around you. And I like your eyes." That was STUPID and SO fake.

I so want a Girl Scout Cookie blizzard. Aren't Mac and Cheese crackers just like... cheese nips? Okay, hair dye commercial, that wasn't a question. I love how you like pawned your wedding ring. I'm not sure you can guarantee satisfaction. AW, IT'S JONATHON KENT! YOU DIED INSTEAD OF LANA AND NOW YOU'RE ON THIS WEIRD SHOW AND I MISS YOU.

Okay, how would you - okay, IT SAYS DAD!!! - lose your phone the FIRST day you got it? "I'll leave your name at the gate." Ass. No one says "sick music" and I dislike him. So he took her phone. She still has her computer... She could just IM people. Or video chat with them. Stupid. Okay, I love that it's always "no."

I love that the dad is actually smart. At least he actually let you out of the house and gave you your phone back. Brat. I hope she gets caught and is forced to live with her dad. I love how they all have video phones. I love how it's not obvious that he was just going to have sex with her and dump her anyway. Idiots. "A.A. meeting and then she's meeting Jennifer for a drink." That's brilliant.

Okay, who doesn't lock their cars? Not even kidding. "Marilyn Manson doesn't have blood!"

Commercials suck and this is SO pointless - the blog entry is way long and boring.

"Oh my God, I have butt-face!" ...She's like chugging that allergy stuff. My friend fell in a mall fountain once! They would SO get kicked out of the store. She changed clothes... If I were her dad, I'd be like "Did you bring a change of clothes...?" I love Bruce.

I feel horrible for them. It's like "my friend forced me to do this." And that TICKS me off. It's all "YEAH I'M SMART AND PRETTY AND GET EVERYTHING I WANT AND I CAN SING." God. ...I love concert people.

I don't get why having smooth legs leads to Walmart. Oh. That's stupid.

I just missed a HUGE part of the movie. Now they're dancing? And he's going to rape her. And she's like "uh, I don't want to have sex with you." Hey, at least there wasn't that cliche guy best friend that she falls in love with. I hope he tries to rape her and she's all "I DON'T LOVE YOU." Uh. Sorry, I like Tila Tequila a little too much. [I don't know if you'll understand that reference, but WHATEVER.] Creepy cult people; Manson's blood + curse = stupid.

I love how he's actually normal. Dude, that guy looked like Bob from The Hush Sound!

Okay, I'll bet you $1,000,000 she ends up with him in the end.

... Stupid.

www.wefeelfine.org

I like that most people feel empty when it's sunny out.