We're moving from Blogger. It's been good, but not good enough. We want some more features with a more robust... everything. So we've chosen WordPress. Sorry, Blogger. We just need to move on, yah know?
Head on over to blurbshift.wordpress.com to check it out.
Make sure to change your bookmarks and/or your RSS feed! :)
Meet yah over at WordPress! Tah-tah, Blogger!
Hey, I just realized--Blurbshift has been up and running for more than a year! So happy anniversary to us! We may not have a big fanbase [hopefully that will change in time!], but it's been really fun to write for a public blog. As said in the previous posts about possible changes, expect big things from Blurbshift in the future! If we can get a web host, that is. Nonetheless, if you've been reading, please continue! And if you have friends who need something to do for the summer, send them our link!
A belated celebration post is on its way!
Note: This post will be at the top of the blog until June 1st. Please scroll down to read recent posts.
Here's the deal, kids.
BlurbShift isn't where we want it to be yet. We want to change that. We want to make it a supercool safe haven of writing, art, and other awesomeness.
To make that idea reality, we have a few ideas. First off, a new website. We're calling it redo with our own domain name. But we're not stopping there. We're revamping the whole dang thing with voting features, ranking, and a second blog that's like a melting pot of everything you guys send to us, and not just what we think is great.
Second, for those of you who've been keeping up with us since we've started, we're going to go back to creating a printable magazine with the best of the best, some exclusive stories, and some stuff we like that you've sent us that we didn't really want to waste just putting in the blog.
Third, accessibility. We want you to go BlurbShiftin' all over the place. That means on your phone, your iPod, and of course your computer. We're going to optimize the site for whatever your needs and desires, as long as you ask for it. Maybe even a version for you Opera Mini users. I know I'd like that! ;)
We don't know when all this'll be up and running, but it could be from weeks to months to a year and a half from now. Just hang on and ride with us as we go beta crazy and test out features and ideas and make it what we want it to be.
Thanks!
Lets try something. I know some info, mostly about gadgets and websites and other crap, all of which I don't really need to know. So I feel I should pass that information on to you, the reader of this post, so that you may know some info you don't need to know also. Ready? Lets do this then!
*For all of you who have an iPhone, an iPod Touch, or are thinking about getting one or the other, here's a little tidbit. Or two. On the 9th of June, Apple is releasing v2.0 of the software for the iPhone and Touch. What's this do you ask? Well, kind reader, it's going to include some updates that aren't announced yet, but also an update that includes the ability for developers to create applications that are native to the devices, and not just through accessible Mobile Safari. This way, developers can use the full potential of the device's capabilities, and not just what Mobile Safari can do. This includes full 3D games with motion support, powerful productivity apps, etc.
And, if you're going to buy either a shiny new iPhone or Touch, wait until after the 9th. Apple's probably going to come out with a newer iPhone or some price drops, and that's not too far away, is it?
*What do you get when you mix awesomeness, the internet, and cellphones? The free mobile web browser Opera Mini, of course! It's comparable to the web browser in the iPhone, not as good of course, but still a really great mobile web browser. Zoom in and out of full webpages with ease. Go the the site to check it out. It actually made the $15 a month worth it for unlimited internet on my phone.
*Making things is hard. That's why there's Instructibles. The how-to on everything you'd ever need to do, by people who've done it themselves, with step-by-step instructions, pictures, and sometimes even video. Perfect for finding something to do for a "look what I did!" weekend, or weeknight, project.
Have crap you know and don't need to know? Send it over to
blurbshift (AT) gmail (DOT) com.
I think I was asleep when I wrote this. Or just totally out of it. So it kind of is getting edited a lot. Drop a comment if it needs to be edited further. Why am I keeping it? Because I think it'd be a really good post if it made sense :P
Jeez, someone needs to update this blog more. What's wrong with people these days?
Oh wait. That's my job. Guess I should be a little more consistent :P
[That, by the way, is my way of apologizing for not writing in over a MONTH!]
Anyway. I don't have much to write about so I figured I could write about the season finale of House, on Fox.
If you don't know what House is: It's a TV series based on a series of books, I think, about a mad genius doctor who takes almost unacceptable risks to save lives.
Ok.
SPOILER ALERT!
Not only was the story line compelling because it showed us that yes, House does have emotion somewhere deep inside that humongous skull of his, but it is also compelling because it has so many twists, turns, and unexpected occurances. His first conflict? Saving his best friend's girlfriend who he thinks he might have slept with. His dreams with her bring on disturbingly accurate symptoms that she has, and help him to solve the case. However, his friend's desperation to save his girlfriend effects House [oh my!], and he starts to waver and change treatments and become cautious to save his friend some pains. In the end though, he has to make the tough decision to go against his friend's requests, only to follow them again to successfully solve the case. After risking his life to save that of his friend's girlfriend, he pushes his already fractured skull to the limit and falls into a coma that he later confesses he's not sure he wants to wake up from [this is suicidal, people!] And all of this is, in a way, in vain, as he finds out she overdosed on a drug for her flu [I can't remember the name of the drug] that turns the situation terminal, and she's expected to die within the day. All of this is very sad and depressing, but brace yourselves because it gets worse! When Wilson [House's heartbroken friend] finds out his girlfriend will die in a matter of hours, he is miraculously able to wake her up for her remaining time on earth to snuggle with her and whisper sweet somethings in her ear. The saddest exchange of words?
Wilson: Why aren't you angry?
Amber [His dying girlfriend]: Anger is not the last emotion I want to experience.
Or something like that. A real tearjerker...if you cry.
But the saddest part has to be when Wilson gives her one last loving kiss, then dramatically turns to shut off her support, one by one. She gasps and gurgles romantically a little bit, and dies in his arms. Awe.
And if that weren't bad enough, House's female team member finds out she has a genetic and terminal disease [which I think is like...Huntington's?]. What makes it more heartbreaking is the fact that she's avoided taking the test so long--you hope that maybe there's a chance she didn't have it, that she was worried over nothing. But no. She has it.
And to make matters worse, when Wilson goes home, he finds an utterly suicidal note on his bed.
"Sorry I'm not here, went to pick up House. Love, Amber."
The significance? Her pathway to death started when she went to pick up a drunk House from a bar. After leaving they took a bus together that was in a nasty accident. But before the accident, Amber confesses she has the flu and takes the deadly medicine. Then, CRASH and everything is a blur. And so, Amber's last "words" become even more depressing, because perhaps, the note implies she's returning. Which she's not. Ever. And when that thought hits you, how do you deal with it? Not well, I would assume.
So shall we sum it up?
-Amber dies.
-House goes into a coma saving her.
-Wilson dies on the inside because Amber did, and gets the arrow twisted inside his bleeding heart with the devastating note.
-Female team member ["14"] has a terminal genetic illness.
-House has suicidal thoughts and admits his fear of returning to pain and misery.
[Did I not mention that? He's in a "bus to heaven" with Amber after she dies, talking about not wanting to get off, wanting to die because he doesn't want to live through pain and misery.]
Have a happy day. XD
Yes...we all suffer from it every once and a while.
Your schedule is hectic and full of social events, school, and whatever else you crazy people do with your spare time, and then boom! It hits. Suddenly you have a day where there is NOTHING you can even imagine having fun doing. And it's such short notice--who's to say if anyone is available for a movie or a day of hanging out? So how do we beat this boredom?
There are several ways, and I think I can list a few.
Take a walk. *gasp* I know...stepping outside into the world of germs, leaves, and annoying little kids. But hey, you don't want to grow up to be a fat person, do you? Well, maybe you do. But anyhow, it's a nice way to just relax, do some low key exercise and think about everything you wanted to think about. You could even call someone and walk around if just aimlessly wandering isn't your thing.
Play a game. This can be on your computer, with your family, or solitaire. Computer games are a great option because there are so many! Just go to:
Addicting Games
MiniClips
iSketch
Shockwave
Or just google "free online games",
And you have so many options your head will be spinning. And if you play interactive games like isketch or inklink or runescape, then you can talk to other people who are also probably bored and have nothing else to do...or who are complete gaming addicts.
Call someone. Now, personally this is not a good option for me. I've got what one might call "phonaphobia" or something. But for tons of people, this is a great option. Just pick up your cell or home phone and call up a friend to catch up on what's been going on. And we all know how conversations can travel.
Do any extra homework or chores. *blech*. Not the best option, but if you have nothing else to do, and you know that the following week or so is going to be stressful, then this is a good option to ensure a relaxing and not-head-spinningly-stressful week ahead.
Read. Let your imagination flow through novels, biographies, BLOGS, or comics! A great way to waste a few hours doing something that will entertain you, and maybe expand your vocab. And, you get to see what OTHER people think the world is like, possibly. Or, learn what the world WAS like. That's always fun.
Hope these have helped your bored-days! If you have any other ways of passing the time, drop in and comment, we'd love to hear your ideas!
Sorry I haven't written for a while! I've had a Blurbshift writer's block and nothing has come to me. But now I have something.
Oh, and Blurbshift is looking to expand; to get known a little more etc. So if you'd like to recommend it to a friend or link us in your blog or whatever, please do, we will be eternally great full :D
On to the article.
Bet You Haven't Heard Of...(Music)
ASTRONAUTILUS:
I was introduced to this band by a friend of mine who gave me one of their CD's. His synopsis of the band? "A white rapper that does really interesting stuff." Now the word "rap" turned me away from the band from the word "play". Buut as fate would have it, Shuffle introduced me to the song "Short Term Memory Loss" and I was hooked. The mellow sound with a hint of experimental techno really perked my ears up and I immediately went to listen to the CD in its entirety. So not only does the music sound amazing, but the lyrics are pretty awesome too. And it's not really RAP per say. It's more of...poetry with a rhyme. Which is what rap is. But if you listen, it's different.
CHIODOS:
These guys you may have heard of, but probably not, they aren't too big on the scene yet. Anyway, they're sort of your typical new alternative group with a garage-band sound and an angsty singer. But his voice is amazing. A soft whisper, then some almost-screaming. And some nice lyrics. Some very nice lyrics. I recommend getting their CD "Bone Palace Ballet". There are some soft songs [still with a rock edge] and some pretty hyped songs so it's a nice variation. No falling asleep or getting a headache :D
Which is always good.
BE YOUR OWN PET:
Another band introduced to be by the same person who told me about Astronautilus. Strange person, this one. Anyway. This band is really bizarre; an acquired taste if you ask me...it sounds like a bunch of shouting and screaming BUT the singer's voice [it's a girl! :D] is really nice actually, and suits the shouting well. And it's fun to listen to if you aren't really doing much, but if you DO pay attention to the lyrics they're pretty funny. Warning: there is some more..."adult" language so if you're a kid I don't suggest this band. :/ Sorry!
HELLOGOODBYE:
A more popular band, so you've probably heard of them. But their music is very pop-rock [not rock-pop] and very dance-able. They're all incredibly sweet and endearing love songs with a touch of techno. The sound is incredibly upbeat and the guys are sweet little nerds, so if that's your style then you really should listen to these people.
BLUE OCTOBER:
You've probably seen one or two of their music videos on MTV, but not too many have heard of them [at least that I know of]. They have really really amazing lyrics, although they might be a little depressing for some...
They're songs are pretty slow as well, but some of them have a little faster pace goin' on. Full of interesting lyrics and sounds, this band should definitely be checked out.
THE HUSH SOUND:
Ok people, last one for now!
This band was actually discovered by Panic at the Disco (they're actually opening for performances on Panic's tour), and then signed to the same record label, Fueled by Ramen. The band's been around for 3 cd's, and it seems like each one keeps getting better. The upbeat music is enough to make your day, with a couple soft, melodic songs thrown in once in awhile to slow it all down and make it balanced. Piano is a strong instrument in the music of The Hush Sound and gives it the quality of classic swing music. Female and male leads switch off and combine to pull it all together and give it a place on your playlist. (added by Chase)
If you have any other obscure or under-the-radar bands, please comment or e-mail us, we would love to hear about them! Hey, we need new music too!
A few months ago, a new service was released to a limited selection of beta testers (including me). The service is called "Hulu" and allows you to watch your favorite shows online, on demand, anytime your heart desires. Now, this has been heard of before. Going on to NBC's site and watching a missed episode of Heroes or The Office is something I'm sure millions of people have done, including you.
Now, as is the case with Hulu, you can watch dozens of networks' shows that have signed on with the service. A few "local" stations have joined, including FOX, NBC, and WB, even though WB has only one show available. But other than the stations that are picked up with your bunny ears, there's a good handful of cable stations including Bravo, FOX Reality, Sci Fi, FX, and Oxygen.
The site itself is pretty simple, showing links for TV and Movies, the latter of the two we'll get to later. Below that is popular episodes and clips (note that not all shows have full episodes) and a search bar.
When you choose a show, you go to a pretty straight-forward window. The video is widescreen and pretty decent-looking quality, but with my rather slow internet connection and 3 other tabs open, ran extremely choppy and kept stopping periodically. Before starting, a message came up noting that there are limited commercial interruptions. This is one thing that is, as far as I know, from watching it on another network's site. Usually, on those sites, you have to watch an un-skippable commercial that lasts about 15 or 10 seconds.
After closing 2 of the tabs and quitting Flash MX, iMovie, Microsoft Word, and iTunes that were all in the background, the video ran with less stopping, but still choppy. I put it in full screen and it looked very pixelated, but still wasn't as bad as watching, say, a Youtube video in full screen. A rather interesting and welcomed feature when watching it in a window, is that you can "turn off the lights" which makes everything around the video darker, and is much easier on the eyes.
Above the video is some basic info about it, and below is lists of clips, episodes, and comments. It seems like comments should be a little higher up on the page, considering they're at the extreme bottom below several lists of videos. This could also be a good choice, though, if the same Youtube crowd shows up on Hulu to flame their day away.
Another extremely welcomed feature, as mentioned before, are movies. There's a good amount of movies to be watched (I counted 74), including popular titles such as The Big Lebowski, Sideways, October Sky, and Ice Age, and Me, Myself & Irene. I watched the first few minutes of October Sky and it looked and sounded pretty good. As with the case of TV shows, there's commercials in about 15-20 minute intervals, if not more.
Some final thoughts: Hulu is often ridden with ads; even a Chili's ad popped up in the middle of October Sky, even though you could get rid of it. And don't think that you can skip through commercials. If you skip through one, a 10-20 second ad is played, just as if it would have if you watched it.
Video quality is pretty decent, and I'm sure it's even better the faster connection you have. The Office was running pretty choppy, but the October Sky ran smoothly, so it could depend on if you reload the video or different ways you play with it to make it work.
It's a pretty good service and I'd say that I would use it, especially to see a missed episode or a movie I haven't seen in awhile for free.
It may even replace your TV in a few years, if not another service or the network's sites combined.
So, my question is, do you Hulu? Let me hear it in the comments, and maybe even your thoughts on the service and what experience you had.
No, I'm not talking about oxygen and gravity and whatnot.
I'm talking science fair
Gasp...the horror!
Thinking of an experiment, a hypothesis, testing it, making a conclusion, charts, the board, the stress!
Now, maybe your school requires it (mine does), and maybe it doesn't. But you should be about halfway through give or take. Which means you're writing your conclusion, or you are finishing up your tests. So if you are doing science fair (by force or by choice) then please remember these things:
Pace yourself! No need to rush, you have until March...and maybe your teachers and fellow classmates won't like you being a showoff.
Ask for help when you need it! Science fair can be confusing and weird, so jumping in without a lifeline is a baaad idea.
Be thorough! Don't skip over minor details-people will notice.
Don't push yourself! If you work too hard to perfect the project, then you'll die before you win! That's not good.
And lastly: Follow the rules! It doesn't matter how awesome your experiment is...if you don't follow the rules and regulations, it's a dud.
Hope these help-I didn't want to get too specific because everyone is different. If you have any other advice, or you want to share your awesome projects, please let us know!
Lately I've noticed that different-style emoticons have different emotions...the happy is sometimes slap happy, sometimes sweet happy. For example: on oh say, Gaiaonline. com, the happy emoticon looks just absolutely devious. The one on my IM client (Adium) looks sweet and endearing.
Why are they all so different? Well, mostly it's probably that emotions aren't necessarily defined. Happy varies from person to person. And so, when the emoticons are invented the person's opinion on an emotion comes through in their final set.
So next time you see an emoticon, notice that it's probably different then the one on this or that site. Or...just ignore it. XP
So, today is Valentine's day-the day to show those you love just how much you care for them. But how far do you really need to go? An I love you? A kiss? A rose? A really expensive gift? They all should mean the same. Is Valentine's day too commercialized by the media and market? There really is no need for such attention. Valentine's day should be small, honest, even *gasp* intimate. So.
That's my little post for the day...please feel free to post your opinions on valentine's day or send us a story of how it was! (Please keep it PG-13).
That's right, you're needy needy people who won't contribute unless you hear how wonderful you are!
And you are wonderful! Wonderful wonderful writers who should show off their talents! So please, submit stories, articles, anything to us. Because as fun as it is to write articles for Blurbshift, we writers run out of ideas sometimes, and you, fellow readers/writers, can be our inspiration.
So contribute to this INTERACTIVE newsletter because I'd love to see what other writers think about :P
Sorry i haven't posted in a while – I couldn't find my account information. :P
Plus I was sick. So! I'll try and post more.
Anyway. Today I've decided to write about phrases or words that are used way too much in our lives today. I'm not saying that these phrases are necessarily bad, but maybe we should reconsider when we use them, and how often.
"I love you":
We hear it all the time. A sign of affection, undying commitment, starry-eyed gazes and happy little dreams about those we care about. But do we hear it too much? We hear it from married couples and families to people who've been dating for a year, or less. We hear it among groups of friends that are newly formed or long-lasting. At what point do these three words lose their meaning? It seems that nowadays, saying "I love you" isn't a huge deal. Should it be?
"You're/That's so gay":
Ok. Some people hear this one more than others, perhaps. It really depends on your environment. It barely even fits the definition any more where I hear it. Someone trips and then stumbles: "That was gay". Someone likes a certain movie "You're so gay". Does it really apply to the context in which it's used in these two instances? Ok. Maybe if it was one of the Barbie movies, and maybe if she shrieked like a girl when they tripped. But more often than not it'll be them just being clumsy or liking a movie that shows just a hint of emotion.
"OCD":
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A real disease that's thought to have derived from Tourettes Syndrome. Personally, I hear it a LOT. "You're so OCD" my friends laugh as I straighten the pencil on my desk. But OCD is a real, serious thing that needs to be addressed and treated as such. Maybe we have obsessive compulsive tendencies but I doubt that I, or anyone I know, has a full-blown disorder. But hey, maybe I need to see a doctor.
Curse Words:
I'm not going to sit here an lecture people [aka you] on the horrible-ness of curse words. Becaues I use them too. But maybe society uses them too often. Throwing in the F word just because it sounds cool or it adds another syllable is not going to get you far in life. Sure, they can serve a purpose; they can add emphasis and emotion to a sentence. But really, do we need to use them so casually? Many of them are derogatory anyway. "Bitch". Are you calling me a dog? I think not. "Mother fucker". No, I don't have sex with any of my friend's mothers, thank you very much. "God Damnit". No, you did.
"Like":
So I like, totally think that this word like, is the worst use of a word since like, ever.
It should be a curse word. It's used so abusively and horrible. Like: similar to or a fondness of. Not a "I can't think of anything else to say" word. We use "um" and "uh" for that. And really it just makes you sound unintelligent. I'm not saying that you aren't smart [because I'm guilty of using these inappropriately too; I think we all are] but maybe you should expand your filler word vocabulary.
So that's a short list [with descriptions] of words and phrases that are used in the wrong way, used too much, or both. Maybe I'll post something about "Txt talk" words and phrases etc eventually. If you have any more that you would like to contribute with a brief description of why the word/phrase is over/wrongly used, please feel free to contribute by posting in our forums at our social network page, or e-mail us at BlurbShift@gmail.com.
Especially some that many of you may not have seen or heard of. Let me name some for you...
Little Miss Sunshine
A disfunctional family packs in a yellow Volkswagon van to ride to a young girl's dream pageant. But the trip turns out to be much more when the family comes together in an amazing movie.
Juno (In theatres now!)
A witty sixteen year old girl (Ellen Page) becomes pregnant from her best friend (Michael Cera), and it makes her rethink life and love. The movie's very funny, but also has it's serious and heart-felt moments which make one of the best movie's I've ever seen. Also, not to mention a nice soundtrack.
Lady in the Water
With twists and turns and an extremely deep story line, this movie offers much more than what you'd expect. While previews persude you to believe that it's a thriller, it's really more of a fantasy in a modern day world. There's maybe, at most, a couple of jumps that may make you pee yourself a little, it's really not that kind of movie. Plus, I think M. Night Shyamalan is an amazing writer/director. And if you've never seen The Village, it's time you should.
Stranger than Fiction
Will Ferrell plays a man who discovers a voice in his head may be much more. Will Ferrell (actually) plays a serious and very convincing role. This movie messes with your head and keeps you wanting more.
The Terminal
A foreign man (Tom Hanks) gets stuck in an JFK airport in New York after a war between his country and another's. He has to spend many nights in the airport, but he meets a woman played by Catherine Zeta-Jones who turns out to be a much needed companion during his stay. Catherine is a little oddly casted, but if you can get past that, it's a great movie.
So watch those. You'll be happy. At least you should be.
Happy New Year 2008!
