I've been waiting for some Chucks like you

I come across a lot of personality disorders working with individuals with developmental disabilities.  Many are considered to be egosyntonic, which refers to behaviors, values, and feelings that fit their ego or self image.  It can be difficult to deal with, but sometimes it's straight up funny!

I work closely with a particular client, who we'll call Chuck :)  For months he was very stand offish with me, would always give me dirty looks, never wanted to work under my supervision or go on recreational outtings with me.  He'd question, in all seriousness and maybe even anger, why I'm an A's fan and not a Giants fan.  Then one day, he took off his enormous headphones, nodded his head towards me, and actually struck a convo with me.  It went like this:

Chuck:  "Ay, where you get your shoes at?"

Me:  "Umm.. heyyy, how ya doin, Chuck?  You can pretty much get Chuck Taylors anywhere.  I got mine at the mall."

Chuck:  "Oh forrealz?  I'm bout to cop me a pair when I get paid." 

Me:   "That's cool.  They go with everything, so yea.  Cool."

Not long after Chuck was messing around with the radio and stopped at a soft rock station.  He knew every word to this song:

Goes to show not everyone is too cool for Foreigner.  I think everyone, to some extent, acts in ways that's acceptable to the needs of their own egos.  Since then he hasn't dropped the too-cool-for-school act, but he completely changed his attitude towards me.  He could not wait to show me when he finally "copped" a pair of classic black Chucks followed by a pair of green ones he found "hecka cheap at Kohl's".  He even joined our fitness program and insisted on being in my group.  Just a small personal victory for the books.

This has been the Cut of the Week brought to you by (ficky, ficky) loft remix.

K bye!

My my my ai ai WOO!

My Sharona - The Knack

I decided if I'm going to blog more (just one out of a hundred resolutions) I may as well start with a Cut of the Week, which I've sadly missed posting for, oh I dunno, a month and a half. 

It's not exactly a remix -- until I sing it on karaoke!  Oh yea!!  I heard it performed on Rock Band (the video game) a while back, and it's been my go to song on karaoke ever since.  And yes, I did gig to this loveable song at the fam bam's New Year's Eve shindig and scored 100%.  Woo hoo!  (Crushed it.)

My Sharona, The Knack's debut single, was written by the band's lead singer, Doug Fieger, who at the age of 25 met a real live 17 year old Sharona in a clothing store where she was working.  They dated for four years, and naturally she posed for the album cover.  Yowzah!

This has been your Cut of the Week by (ficky, ficky) Loft Remix.

K Bye!

Hammer Time!! Gangnam Style!!

I had to.  I just had to.  As hard as it is to get back to work after a nice, tryptophan induced holiday, it's easy to smile at Hammer practicing for his AMA performance with K-Pop sensation, PSY.  For a man in his fifties.. wow.. he can still move, and PSY wasn't half bad himself.

Both artists have a special place in my heart, bringing me back to two memorably crazy but happy places in my life.  I still remember the Hammer pants that I copped in 5th grade at Tinker AFB's base exchange, being the only girl to have them in my multi-ethnic crew dubbed by my sister, "The Posse".  Fast forward fifteen years later where I spent the most life changing, culture-shockingly fun year long tour in Osan AB, South Korea only to come home to find that K-Pop was all the rage in the states.

I don't care what anyone says.  These guys are talented, and this mashup was dope.

This has been your Cut of the Week, brought to you by (ficky ficky) Loft Remix.  Have a good week!

K Bye!

Aca-scuse me??

 

 

We Are Young - Pentatonix

Here's something fun to start off your week.  I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday this year with loved ones at The Great American Music Hall in San Franciso to drink and watch PTX.  AMAZING!  So amazing that I decided I can't have a blog about the remixes of life without including remixes of music, or in this case a cover song. 

What's the difference?  A remix, in general, is a "reinterpretation of a pre-existing song".  (Navas, 2012)  It's basically an alternative version based on the original by extending it, adding or subtracting material, changing the tempo or any other musical component. A cover is a new performance or "recording of a song that was recorded or made popular by somebody else".  Duh, right? 

I'm no where near musical nor do I claim to have an expert opinion on anything.  But can I just say, Pentatonix is pure AWESOMENESS?!?!  As an a capella group they redefine the meanings of remix and cover using nothing but their mouths.  No audio mixers, no synthesizers, no instruments whatsoever.  Just pure vocals and beat box style drum and bass.  Within one song they literally mix it up, changing the tempo by jumping from a soft ballad or catchy pop song to a Reggae or Latin infused beat.  I don't even know if I'm explaining that right, lol!  Just watch the video above, and you'll see what I mean.

I'm sure I'll be posting more vids of PTX and other musical remixes every Sunday night to start your week off right ;)

Image by Rosemarie dela Cruz

K bye! 

Works Cited

Eduardo Navas.  "Remix Defined."  Remix Theory.  2012. <http://remixtheory.net/?page_id=3>

"cover song.  "  wordnet.princeton.edu.  2012.  <http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=cover+song&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o8=1&o1=1&o7=&o5=&o9=&o6=&o3=&o4=&h=>