What am I doing here?

     Yep, just in case you haven't caught on, I have no idea what I'm doing with a blog. I'm not a huge blog reader to begin with so I don't know if I'm on the right track here or not. But I'm on break and there is no way I am doing anything that could potentially be classified as research so I'm just going to keep making stuff up as I go along if that's okay with you. What's that? You think this stuff is witty and enlightening? Even though I put little to no planning into it whatsoever? Well, I'd hate to disappoint you my loyal readers! On to the making stuff up!

     Of the very few blogs I ever think to check there are a few things I've noticed about blogs in general. For one thing, it seems that most of the better ones have a theme of some kind. Case in point Cakewrecks and My Mom the Style Icon. Those are really clever pieces of work and their fun subject matter has clearly gotten them a lot of attention. It's not that I'm looking for national fame by any means (too much pressure there) but it would be nice if I could reasonably believe that someone other than my parents reads this thing. The problem with themes is that I highly doubt I have that kind of focus, when I feel like writing something I just kid of go for it. Plus, I can't think of anything specifically new and hip to focus on that I actually know anything about. I mean I could write a blog about wayfarer glasses and handlebar moustaches and stick it on a mustard yellow background with some angsty black and white sketch work, birds maybe. I can't think of anything more hip. But I don't know anything about glasses or moustaches so I think I'd run out of post ideas pretty quick. You see the problem? The only other blogs I read are those that are just really hilarious i.e. hyperbole and a half (the post about moving with dogs had me laughing hysterically all alone in my dorm room... or was that finals stress?) Either way this writer is a genius in a subtle kind of way. I would like to think that I'm funny but every time I ask my mom she just says, "Yeah, sure you're funny" with enough sarcasm to give pause to a certain French mime. So I don't really know if I'm funny or not. In any case, I am certainly not funny enough to make people want to read about my daily life. Also, I'm not that good of an artiste.

     So in an effort to narrow down the subject matter of this here bloggy blog I present you with guidelines. Guidelines which you can expect me to follow about as closely as one follows a firebreather in a parade, closely enough to see what's going on but far enough away to keep your options open for escape. (Strangely, when you've walked behind a firebreather in as many parades as I have you eventually stop planning escapes and instead focus on witty comments for those watching.)

Official Blog Guidelines

1. Generally topics will have to do with music – as you have astutely noticed from the name of the blog, I am a music major. As such, it is music that I draw most of my inspiration from. So it makes sense that a good portion of this blog will be music related. I guess we can call music the theme. I guarantee that not every post will revolve solely around music, though I hope it will act as the glue that holds this thing together. I mean as together as it's likely to get. 
2. No Angst – I am very anti-teen angst. It’s exhausting and invariably leads to depression for the reader and writer alike. It’s played out at any rate. No, I’m not technically a teen any more but I have noticed that the stench of teen angst permeates far further than the blogs of teenagers. Again, I make no promises, occasional whining may occur.
3. Yes Zen-ness – Although I love sarcasm and stinging wit more than most people I am generally a very nice, happy person. Ever since last year’s New Year’s resolution to be a happier person I have been on a quest to find my Zen. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s not so much the Indian tabla music, incense, and meditation kind of Zen that I’m going far (although I have been known to meditate to Ravi Shankaar music when I’m really stressed out). To me it’s more about being able to be happy with whatever your situation is, not dwelling on the negatives, being thankful for what you have, and just appreciating this world and this life. On my best days I remember all of this and live by my self set standards but, like everyone else, I have my off days. I’m just trying to live this life loving my fellow man and the world we live in.
4. As Much Humor as Possible – I think laughing is the greatest thing ever. I love laughing and I love making other people laugh. People have told me I’m funny and though I may just brush the comment off (likely with another attempt at being funny) I truly appreciate every time someone laughs with me and at me. I’ve even been known to act ridiculous in public because I think it’s great when I can get a stranger to chuckle. I hope that humor gets translated here and it’s not just an outpouring of bad puns but if someone reads this and laughs I’m gonna keep doing it. Sorry.

     Huh, those turned out a lot weirder than I thought they would. To summarize, with this blog I will do my best to not be just another whining college kid. Instead, I will share with you all that inspires me, music and otherwise! Each post is just as much about the person reading it as it is about me writing it and I hope that we can both leave here having shared a laugh and feeling