Throughout the history of mass communication, many inventions seem to have an important role, but none is more important than the microphone.  Imagine a single entertainer standing on stage in a packed Elliot Hall of Music trying to talk to the entire crowd without a microphone:  impossible!  The microphone seems to be the ultimate mass communication device; simply allowing an individual to communicate to a mass.  It can control the level of sound by conducting the original sound waves to an electrical current, then back to sound waves through speakers.  Emile Berliner first invented the microphone in 1876 to be used in the newly invented telephone.  The Bell Telephone Company bought his patent for a mere $50,000.  In 1964, at Bell Labs, James West created the modern version of the microphone, which was smaller and more precise.  Today, in the “boom”-ing industry of microphones over one billion are produced each year!

And I’m not too upset.

This has been the busiest three months of my life.

I worked three jobs (Etc., The Homerun Hut, NS) plus played soccer at least twice a week.

Not much free time for actually enjoying summer.

There’s still two weeks before classes start.  This next week is my last at the paper, which I’m actually kinda sad about.  It’s been pretty fun.  Stressful, but fun.   A great experience and a nice taste of the newspaper business.  I was more an actually reporter than an intern, which I didn’t really expect.

The next week I’m planning a trip down to Purdue and maybe even up to Chicago to visit the girl.  Friday night I’m going to the The Ready Set cd release party and then traveling to Anderson on Saturday night to go to ANOTHER Ready Set show.  Goooooooood times.

Guess I have to make the most out of my last two weeks of summer.

The girlfriend went back to school last week so I’ve been pretty lonely after spending nearly 100% of my free time with her.  I’m now filling the time with the internet and working at Etc. a little more.  It’s pretty bad.  I need to spend more time outside.

I’m actually at work right now, so I better get back to that.

Laterz.

- ugduck.

Blogs are dangerous. A certain regional cellular provider found itself threatened and violated by an innocent blog and the intelligence of the writer of the blog.

Pretty pathetic. You lost a person that could save the company from some of the worst advertising currently on television.

And your 4th of July fireworks spectacular is pathetic. The bands you lined up are garbage. Everyone knows the TRF fireworks are better.

So I better be careful with this blog. Since free speech is pretty dangerous.

I don’t want Allie to fire me from the Homerun Hut for giving out secrets.

Back to work…

One of us has already enjoyed a vacation.

Two of us watched five periods of hockey.

One of us had a very painful dentist experience.

One of us is making too much money.

It’s summer.

So…I just checked our stats…

SOMEONE IS CHECKING THIS BLOG.

Who are you? Why are you wasting your time on us?

I apologize to you for never updating.

I have so much to say, and never get around to saying it.

So…as I’m in the process of writing three major papers for school, I’m going to take the time to say some things.

1. I would do almost anything to be in a band and go on tour. The appeal is overwhelming. My desires to have true musical talent really fill my thoughts at least a couple of times a day. I want people to watch me perform on stage. I want people to sing along with my songs. I want to make friends with other bands and have an amazing time. Heck, I would even be a tour manager or something, since I don’t (and won’t) have any band-worth musical talent.

2. I’m pretty upset about the murder in the dorms. I’m upset that an “innocent” girl was killed. I’m upset about the motives behind the confrontation. Why was the mother living with her daughter in the dorm for two weeks? Now she’s going to rot in prison for, quite possibly, the rest of her life. What kind of emotions were going through her? There’s so much I could say about the whole thing. How awful were the girls to her daughter? Why didn’t she confront them the night before? There’s just so many unanswered questions. Yeah, we know the story, but what’s the story?

3. Things like #1 and #2 are what drive me as a journalist. Let me explain. I want to tell stories. I want to know stories. I have this strange feeling and obsession with knowing things that I shouldn’t. I want to know people’s backgrounds. I want to know their story. Then, after I learn all I can, using my writing skills I can tell that story. Not for gossip. Not to ruin lives. I just want to tell people’s stories. I want to interview the murderer. I want to know WHY she was living with her daughter. I want to know WHY she has been in trouble with the law for so long. I want to know what she was thinking as she stabbed Lola repeatedly. It’s sick, yes. But I just want to KNOW. Then I want to tell the story.

Alright, I need to write more mindless drivel about Starbucks and their international expansion plans and why they should force their coffees and teas upon the people of India.

SWPL needs to publish Alex’s peanut butter feature. Get this guy’s work out there. He deserves it.

Summer, I’ll see you soon.

<3

Artist of the day: Forever the Sickest Kids

I thought I’d come to The Usze with this as Facebook will surely yield few, if any, results.  I am changing the title of my blog, but am too neurotic to decide on what it should be. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Go Christmas break!

I realized last week that I hadn’t posted on my own blog in some time, so with all my efforts concentrated there, I forgot about posting here.

You know what else I realized? There are only 3 semesters of school left before I have to go find a job, which really blows because I hate jobs. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who dislikes working as much as I do. I mean, many people hate their jobs, but can get used to them. I am not one of those people. To make a long story short, I’m super nervous.

My old lunch account number was 123699. I know because on a keypad it was so easy to type in.

Another number I enjoy is 3.141592654. The ninth digit in pi is actually a 3, but since the tenth digit is a 5, and most calculators round at the ninth digit, I memorized pi to be 3.141592654. This information was actually useful during one Mr. Knorr physics class as everyone was talking about extra credit and he said that he’d give 5 extra points to the whole class if anyone could give the digits of pi past 5 places. I rattled off my numbers and not only did everyone look at me inquisitively, but Mr. Knorr thought I had just made them up. After a quick check, everyone received 5 bonus points. Take that Jon Schaab! You dummy! “Ooh, ooh! Look at my Rubik’s cube! I’m trapped in the 80’s!”

Bye everyone!

166840.

i entered this number approx. 1,260 times in 7 years at lane and snider.

it’s ingrained in my memory.  i can make the motions with my fingers without even thinking.

143339.

i wrote this number on approx. 400 shoe boxes while at finishline.  i hate this number.

56.

it’s 8 x 7.  it’s the answer to my most memorable multiplication problem.  my fourth grade teacher taught us this one first, because it was one she could never remember.  i think of that EVERY time i have to multiply 8 x 7.

2,135

the highest i’ve ever counted.  i did it at first baptist church in south bend when i was like 11.  started at the beginning of the sermon and stopped right at the end.  i was so excited that i passed 2,000.

what’re your numbers?

as we near finals, i feel it is time for a post.

the necessity comes from an avoidance of studying, but still having the feeling of accomplishment.

when i write, i feel like i’m accomplishing something.  definitely something more lasting and more meaningful than business law (at least in regards to my own education).

i hate my new keyboard.  it’s so small, i can’t type quickly without messing up.  i have a need for speed, but it leaves me with red lines under half of my words.

so business law and economics are the only finals i have to study for.  i turned in my final paper for ethics already (a on the paper, a in the class) and for photography i just need to pick 8 of my best pictures.

for business law, i’ve read 14+ chapters, and typed all of the important facts of each chapter.  i still have a couple more to read, and i’m planning on taking a few online quizzes, and reviewing our midterm and other quizzes taken by members of my study group.  the test should be cake.  wanna know why?  shhh…it’s a secret…  half of our class is taking the test together.  it’s an online test, and she said in class today that we could take it to together so…why not?  so with 12 people working together, i feel i can get a pretty good grade.  the ability to flat out cheat on this test is flabbergasting.  after you take the test, you are shown your results, along with all of the correct answers.  one person could take the test, print out the answers, and viola, everyone gets a perfect score.  we’re not doing that though.  we’re at least putting some work into it.

the economics final should be fairly easy.  only four chapters.  concepts are pretty simply and the tests in the class are always pretty passable.

so by this time, a week from now, i’ll be finished with fall 2007.  hip hurray!

so excited for snowboarding. hopefully i’ll be more patient and listen to my teacher.  i don’t want another concussion.

i made some funfetti cake tonight. don’t you wish you could have some?  mmmmm it’s goooooooooood.

okay, time for some work time times nine.

<3

swan

maaaaaaaaaan nobody has posted forever.

i blame school….but i really don’t spend so much time studying that i couldn’t take some time to write.

just lazy.

the lazy swan i guess.

okay bye.