Compute this

Computers rule this world. They addict me. They frustrate me. The cause me to lose sleeping time. They are horrible creations that need to be destroyed. Yet we can't. We cannot do it. Is this the problem with the human condition? We cannot live a life not ruled by time and machines and cars and computers? Why not? What happened to living with nature and by nature. Our nature is now made of circuit boards and LEDs. Distractions are all around us. The smart avoid them, the dumb succumb. Not just the dumb, but the curious, the thinkers, the observant. They somehow control us yet still. I hate it. Now as I write on my computer at 3 am. Why? Computers made me do it. I hate them but cannot live this stage of my life without it. I look forward to the day where I can leave my computer and never return to it. That will be the day I have found true peace in my life and my own being. That'll be the day when I am happy. I look forward to that day but fear it is too far away.

-nick

My natural nature

Nature is amazing, human nature is destructive. This is what I realized today on a run. As I ran along my favorite route, I noticed a swan swimming in the water, and to his right a bunch of ducks dobbing in the water, then I heard chirping from the trees beyond. It sounded so soothing, as the light rain drops fell from the sky, these little birds sang there cheerful song. Then came the humming, the thundering boom, the giant airplane. Humans have managed to ruin nature. I turn to my left and look over the providence river and the shore is lined with salt piles, tankers, plumes, and smoke. Its disgusting, making the gray November sky seem like a polluted cloud of smoke. I continued, the plane had passed, the birds must have been afraid, for they had gone silent. Then I heard something nice again, raindrops, raindrops, raindrops, raindrops. Gently falling. Making a shimmering sound, majesty and peaceful. It was nice. I truly believe I may have been the only person to stop and think of these things today but I'm glad I did. Really how important is everything we've made? Isn't the stuff that came before us more amazing?

_nick

The drive, the vison, the sound.

I'm enjoying some relaxing time spent at home. I've been feeling pretty shitty lately so its nice to get away from the thing that was making me sick. I've been writing some songs lately hopefully I can try to actually put some together fully. I've realized that the most important thing about producing something good is having the drive, the vision, the sound. If you know what you want, and know what you want it to feel like for others, then you need to devote time to getting that right. There's no easy way to it, its getting it done, through repetition, through hate, through love, through whatever looking glass you put your eyes to!!!

_nick

P.s. Mason Jennings is awesome, listen to him!

Safe for now

Today was a difficult day, not only have I been rendered pretty dysfunctional from what I call the "head cold from hell", but I also had my judicial hearing today. Things went pretty well though, I managed to not fall apart completely and the hearing went alright. I didn't get expelled, I didn't get suspended, and I can still live on-campus. So the worst punishments were by-passed and now I must deal with the minor ones I have received. Oh and explaining this to my mom - arguably the most difficult. But anyways, once I'm healthy again hopefully training will start to pick up. As for music, still loving the swell season, here's another vid from the other night at Lupos:

_nick

Fall is a swell season

WEEK 1, day 5: 8 miles (56 min)
WEEK 1, day 6: 13+ miles (1:31)
WEEK 1, day 7: 16+ miles (1:51)
WEEK total: 81 miles

Last night I saw The Swell Season play and they were absolutely amazing! By far one of the most beautiful sets I've ever seen a band play. Each song was filled with passion and meaning, not to mention incredibly talented musical parts. Glen Hansard's ability to sing so gentle and also intensely scream at the top of his lungs, while jamming out on his broken-holed guitar was inspiring. The couple of Glen and Marketa Irglova was beautiful on their duet songs. Someone in the crowd took this video of the opening song, it demonstrates the beautiful relationship of the two musicians:

Someday we will be set free

WEEK 1, day 3 - 12+ miles (82 min.)
WEEK 1, day 4 - 14+ miles (95 min.)

I forgot to set my clock to "a.m" and not "p.m" so needless to say I was fucking late to rise. 5 minutes after waking up, I was in the RISD museum admiring the amazing originality and beauty of modern art as it relates to modern poetry. Really amazing stuff. I loved the "dada" work by I believe Jean Arp. It was incredibly simple but effective. The movement essentially was not a movement at all and their art was not art and they were not artists. And thats why it was just a bunch of dadada. Really cool stuff. I also gained a huge appreciation for Picasso's cubism paintings. Awesome collection and hopefully I'll have a chance to explore it even more sometime. Run went well today, felt pretty good but ran pretty easy. As for music, I've gotta go with another Langhorne Slim:

_nick

An Immigrant Country

WEEK 1, Day 2: 8+ miles (59min)

So first I read this terrible article: http://www.cnbc.com/id/33587668

And this is my response to Mr. Rovell:

Did you also know that the last American before Meb to win was Alberto Salazar? And do you know where Salazar was born? He was born in Cuba, and shared a very similar background to Meb. Though Salazar immigrated with his family when he was two-years-old and Meb was I believe closer to 12 years-old, the fact is they both went to school in America, lived here their entire lives leading up to their vicotries at the New York City Marathon (Salazar won three years in a row), and are in fact U.S. citizens.

So why do you degrade his accomplishment and not Alberto Salazar's? The only possiblity I can deduce from your article and apology may be the color of their skin. Salazar: white; Meb: black. You said: "But Keflezighi's country of origin is Eritrea, a small country in Africa. He is an American citizen thanks to taking a test and living in our country." You had to point to the fact he was from Africa, and belittle his great success.

I assume now that you know Salazar was not American-born, you can write-off his accomplishment as well in another article. The last American born victor was Bill Rodgers, winning four times in a row, spanning from 1976-79, since you are really concerned with when an American-born runner last won.

It saddens me that in this country, ethnicity plays such a huge role with identity. Just look at the questioning of our own President Barack Obama's nationality. It illustrates a huge problem with the media and demonstrates an underlying discomfort with ethnicity in our country. Articles such as your own Mr. Rovell only perpetuate and bring to light this problem.

Other than this seemingly racist article my day was pretty good, tiresome, so I'm going to bed "early": midnight. Busy day tomorrow, need all the sleep I can get.

_nick

Good sleeping music and appropriate video because I have a fruit fly problem in my room: