Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Just a song I like today.

This song is good.


Apparently it's from a movie.  I want to see this movie.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Song about deers

Californian turned Toronto band Snowblink performing the song "Rut and Nuzzle."



Listening to The Signal, drawing alternative GaN crystal planes on my computer, loving the her voice and that plinky guitar sound and the pedal-effects.  You can download this mp3 for free, courtesy The Wild Honey Pie.


Friday, August 26, 2011

I'm busy

I'm helping one of my professors write a journal/book chapter about laser diodes on alternative crystal planes of gallium nitride.  It's overwhelming.  I'm learning a lot, but I also feel like my brain is reaching some saturation point.

Right now, I'm listening to Sigur Ros and reading about the polarization of light waves.  Somehow they seem to go together.




Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The 70s were so fucked up.

This song was in my head today. WHY? IT IS SO WEIRD!

The Carpenters - Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft


What the fuck is going on here?  Were the Carpenters trying to be edgy like Queen and David Bowie, or was every artist going through a sci-fi phase in the late 70s?  

And now for some vintage 70s French space disco...

The Droids - The Force



Kinda feel like the Germans did it better.

Kraftwerk - Die Roboter


For some reason I'm reminded of a viral video by Santo Cilauro.  Do you remember this?  Zlad?  An Eastern European superstar from a fictional country called Molvania?  It's not vintage at all. It's from 2004.

Zlad - Elektronic Supersonic


Someone called this the worst video ever, but I think it's still pretty amazing.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Science, blinding you with it.

This probably only makes sense to other graduate students but it's FUCKING HILARIOUS.


Not sure I agree with all of these (do undergrads even know what a postdoc is?) but for the most part they nailed it.

I feel like I've been a PhD student for too long. I'm about to finish my SIXTH year of grad school. Why aren't I done yet? It's STUPID. I need to GRADUATE. The next few months are going to be major crunch-time, which is frustrating but exciting, too. I'm looking forward to clearing the hurdle. Then I'll be a pimpin' Postdoc!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

SB Cruiser Ride

I finally got to participate in the annual Fiesta Santa Barabara Cruiser Ride on Sunday.  Hundreds (over a thousand?) bike riders bombing down State Street from the fountains at the Fisherman's Wharf all the way into Goleta and Isla Vista.



I'm usually really good about obeying traffic laws, but it was SO MUCH FUN to just cruise through traffic lights with a huge group of riders.  That's the power of numbers!  I only noticed a few car drivers get really aggressive, honking and trying to cut off cyclists, but there were also a lot of people who just smiled and let us pass through.



It was an awesome experience.  I already can't wait to do it again next year.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Elvis knew a thing or two

I believe the key to happiness is: 
someone to love,
something to do,
and something to look forward to.
--Elvis Presley

I love that quote and it keeps ringing true.  Whenever I'm unhappy, it always seems like one of the three areas is lacking.  It's about balance.

(more ranting behind the cut)

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Kathryn Calder "Arrow"

This song is in my head this week.



Great song from Calder's first solo album, Are You My Mother?  You may know her as a member of a little Canadian band called The New Pornographers.