Musical Preference

Like some borders, my musical preference has gone through drastic changes throughout my life time. I have always listened to many different types of music, but I tend to go through phases where I listen to one genre of music a little bit more than another. For example, a few years ago I listened to rap music and rock music, but in the car I found that I listened to rap stations a little more than the rock stations. Towards the beginning of junior year, my preference started to change, and I found that I listened to rock more and more.

I still listen to rock more than I do rap, but it feels that my current musical preference will be more permanent. I still listen to older rap music on my Ipod, but I found that there isn't a lot of new rap that I like to listen to. At the same time, it seems that there are tons of older and newer rock bands that are producing music that I enjoy, and it also seems like I find out about new bands constantly. In the last two years, I had a drastic change in favorite artists. Sophomore year, my favorite artist was 50 cent, but I found that I got tired of listening to his music all the time. For awhile I didn't really have a favorite band, until the middle of junior year when I started listening to Avenged Sevenfold.

After listening to one of their CD's for awhile, their song "Bat Country" became my favorite song, and still is today. There are many reasons why it has become my favorite song. One reason is that there are several points in the song where the song changes and it almost sounds like a completely different song, but it still seems to fit the rest. Another reason why I like the song so much is that the lyrics to the song match how the song sounds at that certain point which really emphasizes the meaning of the song.

Just last week, I went to a concert at Eastern Michigan University that featured Avenged Sevenfold so I was able to see the borders that their music created. I was surprised to see that not all of the people who were there wore all black and had multiple piercings, but many seemed to be the average kids, or even parents from the neighborhood just enjoying a concert. Most of my friends do not listen to Avenged Sevenfold, so I began to think there was a definite border created by their music, but after attending the concert I realized that all different types of people enjoy their music.

Veteran's Day

In the CNN article "WW II vet held in Nazi slave camp breaks silence: 'Let it be known'", Anthony Acevedo, a World War II medic who was captured by Nazis, talks about experience as a POW. Anthony Acevedo's story is an example of speaking the unspeakable in a couple of ways. After he and the other soldiers were rescued, they signed a document saying they would never talk about their experience in the camps and after years of silence, Anthony decided to talk about it. The events were also unspeakable because many of the things that happened in the camps were so terrible that no one wanted to talk about them.

Genocide

Especially since we in the U.S. have just elected an African American president it seems that racism no longer exists, or at least on the level it used to. Outside of the U.S. however, racism still exists, and there are even several acts of genocide that receive little coverage. In Chechnya, Russian military attacked Chechens in response to bombings that the Russians believed were carried out by Chechen militias. The Russians first entered Chechnya on September 30, 1999 and began bombing and attacking Chechen cities leaving much of Chechnya devastated. After the Russians assassinated the most feared leader of the Chechen militia, disapearences were reduced, but torture continued.

Definition of Art

After reading "Maus", I still believe in the same definition of art. Art is something that has to be attractive to those who view it, but it also has to send a message out at the same time.

Theo Jansen

Theo Jansen is a Dutch artist who is especially known for his kinetic sculptures that resemble animals, and also have the ability to walk. His creations are very interesting, and are fun to watch. They use wind for power, and some even have the ability to store the wind for when the wind stops blowing. Another one of his creatures has the ability to carry up to 3 tons. His creations are not only interesting in function, but they look very interesting as well which I believe is the main purpose of art. Art has to have a meaning that is interesting and engages people who observe, but it also has to be aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

I feel that the results of the election say a lot about how far our country has come. The civil rights movement occurred somewhat recently compared to our history, and now an African American man has been elected president. Now that Obama has been elected, there will be a few challenges he must face. While a majority of the country voted for Obama, there are still backwards thinking people in this country who will judge him by his race and there will be a lot that he will have to put up with. Another challenge for Obama would have to be dealing with the responsibilities of being president with the current amount of experience he has.

Ann Arbor Poem

A downtown are surrounded by houses
And people of many different kinds
From business men to men in blouses
And people out of their minds

Something is always going on
Whether it be day or night
Gameday parking on front lawns
Protesting for animal rights

Ann Arbor is where everyone comes together
To share their opinions, culture, and past
And that is the way it will be forever
Full of excitement and students going to class

Restaurant Review

Sidetrack Bar and Grill

Sidetrack Bar and Grill in Ypsilanti, Michigan is a medium sized pub that has been around in Depot town for over 100 years. While it only seats around 100 people, reservations are not needed to get a seat, but later in the evening there may be a little bit of wait for a table. At 2 o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday the 19th of October the historic pub was filled to about three quarters of its capacity with families, and groups of friends chatting, eating, and drinking. The pub is clean and decorated in various historic artifacts from throughout Ypsilanti history. There are many black and white photographs with captions explaining some of the history of the area. There are even a few moose antlers throughout the dining area. Even though Sidetrack has a TV in it, it is probably not the best place to enjoy a game, and it is definitely not considered a sports bar.

The menu itself has many options to choose from, but Sidetrack is probably best known for their burgers. The burger was featured in GQ’s “The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die” and also on the Oprah Winfrey show. Other than burgers, Sidetrack offers many different appetizers such as soup, chili, beer battered pickles, chicken wings, hummus, artichoke hearts, and several other items of similar nature. For a meal, one can order many different types of sandwiches ranging from grilled cheese sandwiches priced at $4.25 to a classic club sandwich priced at $7.95. There are a few non-sandwich items as well which include black bean tacos, quesadillas, and hand battered lake perch. Sidetrack also offers many different salads from the basic house salad to the “The Best” Linda’s Big Spring salad.

Before I even looked at the menu, I knew what I would order. A half pound cheeseburger with Swiss cheese and a side of French fries. When the burger arrived after a brief wait it looked inviting and delicious. The meat patty was thick, juicy, and cooked to perfection. The lettuce and tomatoes were also fresh , juicy, and flavorful. The fries were perfectly cooked, and seasoned with various herbs to enhance the taste of the fry. The service was there whenever you needed them, but not they were not overbearing and in your face. While the food and service were perfect, there was one problem. There were a few flies that constantly circled and pestered customers. This was the only trip to Sidetracks I had out of many where the flies were a problem, and if I had to guess, they had just flown in a few minutes before we arrived and would eventually be taken care of. The overall cost of the meal, which included a burger, fries, and a drink came out to be about ten dollars per person. The most expensive item on the menu is a “big” salad for $9.95. I would highly recommend Sidetrack to anyone looking to have a great time, and especially to anyone looking for a great burger at a great price.

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