Finals, Foo Fighters, and Link's Awakening

Hey everybody.  John here.  Looks like it's my turn to write a blog post again.

As most people are probably aware, right now Vanderbilt is in the middle of exam week.  Because of this, the majority of my time has been spent studying for upcoming exams and working on a take-home for an anthropology class.  For the most part, this has been pretty mind-numbing, but the take-home was interesting because I got to do a paper on moshing from a post-modernist perspective.

Anthropology at its finest

To keep me from going insane while studying, I've found myself listening to a lot of new music.  If you want some thrashy punk/metal to listen to while you stare vacantly at notes you don't even remember writing, check out this band I just discovered called Voivod.

I also have a friend who just recently discovered how insanely good the Foo Fighters are, which inspired me to watch their amazing documentary "Back and Forth" for a second time.  Whether you're already a fan of this band or have never heard their music before, I highly recommend this documentary.  The film offers a great mix of humor, passion, and some really incredible live footage of Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a ton of other great bands.

Also, here's an awesome live version of their song "White Limo."

When I wasn't listening to music, I managed to distract myself by playing an emulated version of the Gameboy color game "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX."  Originally released on the black and white Gameboy system, this title was later redone in full color for the Gameboy color, adding a few new features like an extra dungeon and new side quests.  This was the third Zelda game, and it introduced a lot of the classic elements of the 2D games like the ability to equip different items for both the A and B buttons and the ability to jump using the Roc's feather.  This game is really strange compared to the other Zelda titles.  It deals a lot with dream imagery, and because of that there are a lot of bizarre elements to the game.

In the other titles, you fight through dungeons to save the princess.
In Link's Awakening, you fight through dungeons to get THIS.

The game also features some surprising cameos from characters outside of the Zelda universe.  Does this look familiar?

Or this?

How about this?

The only time I managed to get away from my computer this weekend was when I went to Clarksville to play a show at the Coup with the bands Guntherdoug and Linear Downfall.  We had a reporter come down that night to take some photos of us for an upcoming article in Clarksville's newspaper the Leaf Chronicle.  This was the 49th Resistance House Band show, which is kind of exciting because our 50th will be at the Coup's insanely big End of the World show.

If you want to know what zombie rock sounds like, there's free music here.

Anyway, that pretty much covers my weekend.  Since we are rapidly approaching winter break, this is going to be our last post of the calendar year.  We'll be resuming our posts whenever everyone gets back on campus.  Hope everyone does well on their finals and has a great break!

FinalsFinalsFinalsFinalsFinals

Oh dear. Blog post! Yes! Hi! This is Nell!

What is going on this weekend? Well, first and foremost, for us stressed students, MEGA STRESS FEST. This insane time of year means that Vandy treats us very well. We have help through finals by study breaks, and we had a Christmas Dinner tonight at Rand! It was delicious, as I am sure many of you know.

But, let's go in chronological order! This is the time of giving. And Vanderbilt has adopted 400 children to give presents to under Angel Tree! So, Thursday, from 8 am to 5 pm, people can go turn in their gifts at the SLC Meeting Room. And then the holiday party will be the next day, Friday at 10 am! You should go support our wonderful Nashville community. :)

Also, until the 7th, so (this Friday), there is a lovely Holiday Arts Festival in Sarratt, where you may buy Christmas presents made by some of Middle Tennessee's wonderfully talented craft artists. Again, great gift opportunity, and supporting your community!



But yes. Let's talk about this Stress Fest. You can go to the Student Life Center for free massages, waxing, hand waxes, facials, yogas, and more! It's a way to destress, and it's all for free! If you want to make an appointment, you can go this Friday at 6 pm and make an appointment for any time between 7-11 pm.  Isn't that great?!

Anyways. But really. Besides that, guys, I don't know what else to tell you. It's a stressful time of year. Our reading day is Friday. Our first exams start Saturday. Then we get a break on Sunday to recuperate! Before the beginning of more exams. That being said. Best of luck to everyone! Christmas Break is around the corner, and if anything, your friends and campus will do everything to help you out! :) 

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays to all, and a Happy New Year! Be on the lookout for our final blogpost of the year this Sunday, too! As for our movie night Friday, well. If you want to know, just ask! (Well, really, we haven't decided yet. Finals!)

Finals Rock

This past week has been SO MUCH FUN. You know what's the best time to schedule your fun social events and performances? The two weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas when everyone's cramming for finals. Um, not really. But hey, I'm not complaining; I saw two wonderful shows this week and I would not have missed them for the world.
The first one-
Freshman showcase 2012
Vanderbilt University Theatre

Yes! It's exactly what the title says.
Every year VUT puts on a show in December featuring freshmen and directed & designed by students!
The first-years this year are so talented. So are the director and designers. There were 3 short comedies and a lot of thespian fun.
It was absurdly hilarious. (Absurdist plays are my fav. If you don't know what theatre of the absurd is, check out Waiting for Godot or Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf )
I refuse to tell you more. That will make you want to go to our shows in the future.
So there. Ha!

The second one--

Holiday Concert
Vanderbilt University Concert Choir

3 of our Mayfielders have been in choir and one of us is currently in choir.
It was wonderful.
One of my favorites was '12 Days After Christmas'. it was vengeful, gritty and dark, just the way Christmas songs are supposed to be.

No it was funny.

Something else that I really really need to share with the world-
I have the most wonderful friends in the world. They're so nice that I can't believe I'm friends with them and I live with them and I'm doing this project with them! Yeah! So, dear reader, when you read their blogposts, please note that you're reading the blogposts of some of the people who're making the world a better place.

So anyways, it's my birthday to and my fellow blogger-housemates prepared a surprise for me. I heard a commotion outside my door. And then I took a moment to comb my hair so I don't look like a mess. And then I took another moment to concentrate and rehearse my surprised face. The ladies baked a sticky bread cake. It's like a cake but it tastes like bread. It has enough cinnamon and sugar to keep me happy and sane till February. I. LOVE. CINNAMON. I ALSO GOT A CARD WHICH IS ON MY WALL NOW, ALONG WITH THE ONE THEY GAVE ME LAST YEAR AND THE ONE MY FRESHMAN YEAR ROOMMATE GAVE ME AND OTHER THINGS.
(Okay, I'll stop. I'm not demonstrating sanity heer)