tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64888182764852638702024-03-13T04:58:52.239-04:00c. d. brinkerChadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-82900786899145584752012-08-27T10:34:00.001-04:002012-08-27T10:34:43.727-04:00Music UpdateIt's been a big week for me musically. <br />
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First was a rather lengthy recording session for <a href="http://www.silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> this past Friday. Preparing for the session was in itself exhausting -- I wrote a few click-tracks for and spent a number of hours practicing to them to ensure the recording would go smoothly. All in all, the recording went really well. I was able to finish up all the necessary tracks needed for the upcoming fourth album (untitled) and even managed to lay down a few tracks for the next installment of <a href="http://www.silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>. <br />
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Afterwards, I packed up all of my gear and hopped across town for another recording session. A local musician wishing to record a few demo-style songs needed a drummer to help fulfill the sound he was desiring. I threw a few chops his way for a couple of his songs and he seemed rather pleased. Not real sure what the outcome will be, but it looks promising.<br />
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And I've also recently accepted a part for <i><a href="http://www.streetdrumcorps.com/player/default.aspx?meid=6470">Blood Drums</a>,</i> a production of <a href="http://www.streetdrumcorps.com/splash/">Street Drum Corps</a>, which will be hosting a show at Kings Island during the fall as part of the Halloween festivities. On Sunday I met up with the other local cast members, it was rather refreshing to be in the company of percussionists who could speak drumming lingo. <br />
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So all in all, I really love playing the drums.C. D. Brinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315315611625309586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-54183028397320316692012-04-30T21:46:00.004-04:002012-04-30T21:46:54.438-04:00PosersOkay, so it's childish, immature and completely cliche, but I just can't resist calling out <i>posers.</i> If you don't know what a poser is, just read this standard definition set forth by yours truly!<br />
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POSER (noun) 1. an individual who, with limited knowledge, pretends to understand a particular trend; 2. an individual seeking a particular social-scene because it's trendy; 3. this dude at the coffee shop.<br />
<br />
So Kayla and I went to get some coffee and WHOA! the dude was wearing a Mayhem tee-shirt. If you don't know who Mayhem is (and you probably don't) just understand that they have a rather unique band history, especially concerning the founding members. So, I asked this dude at the coffee shop if he liked the band Mayhem, to which he replied he did, and then I proceeded to uncover that he had actually no knowledge of the band's history. Now, that may seem rather inane, but the band's foundation was a crucial moment not only for the band but for the music scene in which the band was involved. And this guy, proclaiming to be a fan (not just of the band, but of the scene) was completely oblivious to those critical events.<br />
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*cough*POSER*cough* <br />
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<br />Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-43732599162862736062012-04-29T11:20:00.000-04:002012-04-29T11:36:38.797-04:00Blast Beats . . . as a child I remember standing there at the end of my driveway, waiting for the school bus and wondering what wondrous taunts the bullies would have for me, seeing as I was a geeky fifth grader carrying a xylophone . . . that's right, a xylophone!<br />
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THIS DORKY THING!<br />
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There's no way you could possibly look cool lugging that heavy thing. And d____ those things were heavy. I remember in high school when I actually put on a pair of marching-xylophones (for our marching band didn't believe in drum-pits) and I was amazed at how heavy those things were. I really gave it to the two girls for maintaining the stamina to keep up out on the field, but man I was glad to have been Sectional Leader (by seniority) and snare 1.</div>
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. . . because that thing was so much more cooler than those dorky xylophones!</div>
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But in truth, I hated the snare. I hated the xylophone. And I really hated the crash cymbals (an unfortunate instrument forced upon freshman). I just wanted to play the drums people. And the guitar. And the bass. And video games and chess and Risk. So I did . . . </div>
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<i> . . . .as I proclaim, thus I am.</i>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-47266173216066081642012-04-29T00:10:00.002-04:002012-04-29T00:10:22.610-04:00Haha . . . aww, yes.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YKInE2bL1aY" width="420"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-78206776598153914502012-04-28T19:56:00.002-04:002012-04-28T23:57:02.729-04:00Blasting Back Into ActionIt's been five months?! Five d___ months? What have I been doing???<br />
<br />
A lot.<br />
<br />
Kayla and I are now engaged. The proposal was nerve-racking, my hiding the ring for a whole month while simultaneously striving to devise a special gift for the occasion. As a joke, Kayla once said "[she] would like a snow-globe for Christmas, with a diamond ring in it." Coincidentally, that week on the morning news a report was aired on <i>Christmas Creativity, </i>in which middle-aged housewives explained DIY snow-globes. And so, voila! A plan had formed. On Christmas day, as Kayla stared into a DIY snow-globesque creation I concocted (complete with a gaudy, giant glass-diamond ring), she was rather puzzled. Until, I asked gently for her hand marriage. <br />
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She accepted.<br />
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In other news, Kayla's RV purchase has been quite the obstacle, but with a little help from some parentals and a lot of back-ache, our journey to Tennessee for a week of musical-debauchery will go smoothly. The RV is a beast . . . a loud, rumbling, behemoth of pastels and childish-imagery. I like it!<br />
<br />Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-69543897920823655912011-11-12T21:54:00.003-05:002011-11-12T21:54:55.186-05:00Look, a book!<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Night Circus" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320508797m/9361589.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus">The Night Circus</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4370565.Erin_Morgenstern">Erin Morgenstern</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/234777952">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Wonderful. Full of rich descriptions on wondrous phrases that will surely leave you smiling and tempt you to highlight three-fourths of the book. A stunning example of adjectives portraying the thematic elements. This book is definately for those who have a passion for literature, especially students.<br />
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The story overall was adorable, a cute little tale about love and opposition, centered around the fantastical world of a magical circus. It's a story that leaves you wondering what is happening and why, and when all comes out in the open, it's truly magical. The greatest element of all is how the characters are real, and their actions don't betray their mannerisms. This is a story that trumps many you may have encountered.<br />
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Great book, great read! <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4551065-c-d-brinker">View all my reviews</a>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-40037205264230557092011-11-11T20:24:00.003-05:002011-11-11T21:42:54.826-05:00Out of the Studio . . . more or lessWell, the drumming went as expected, though there were some definite surprises. A few technical issues sprouted up (including crashed-hard-drives and lack of Internet service) and there were of course some drumming issues (I think I may be developing arthritis in my knees and I never did find my tambourine), but all in all the recording session went very well.<br />
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In the end, a massive collection of over twenty songs were recorded in the span of five days. Some songs went smooth, some not so smooth, and some induced arguments -- albeit because I was cranky and tired! Yet, I walked away proud and excited, and I'm eager to hop back in to begin the mixing process and to record guitar/bass tracks for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>. <br />
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As you may know (or rather, you would if you followed my blog), I also play guitar and come up with a few riffs from time to time. Over the past few months, I had kept a Vlog entitled <a href="http://chadwick-brinker.blogspot.com/p/im-in-band-vlog.html">I'm In the Band</a> where I featured a song in the making known as <b>1 to 3 V.7</b>. It was quite the journey with said song, having undergone several revisions. There was also the slight problem of it being my song as <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> hadn't the time to learn it; ergo, I hadn't the time to practice it on the drums. With that being said, I was left with but one option . . . my percussive imagination.<br />
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For days I listened to variations of <b>1 to 3 V.7</b> trying to imagine drum parts. I sat at work with my headphones and just tapped away at my cubicle -- trial and error. Finally, in the studio, I had a vague idea of what I wanted. And this is what I came up with . . . check it out:<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZQ93KtXambg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-80641253970790052972011-10-12T01:15:00.001-04:002011-10-12T20:35:00.686-04:00In the StudioSo, this past weekend was my first session at <b>Litter Box Studio</b> recording material for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher's</a> upcoming fourth album. While there, I had some extra time to kill and decided to record a lil' ditty consisting of some old, old (like teenage old) material. I'm not the guitarist, but I do play, and occasionally I have the opportunity to lay down some riffs for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>. Jon Krech, lead singer and founder of <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> suggested I recorded the riffs not only for the band, but for myself as well. The result was a short little song that I couldn't wait to jam out on the drums. And completely unrehearsed, I gave the song a go and the band was quite happy with the first take. So here it is . . . the first studio take of "Utopia."<br />
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<i>Keep in mind, it's un-mixed and doesn't have any vocals yet.</i><br />
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<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n8xTcBKAG0k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-9940929352015026242011-10-02T22:00:00.002-04:002011-10-02T22:02:18.572-04:00A Writer Writes . . . some wordsHolding hands<br />
-- more exhilarating than a kiss,<br />
As finger tips<br />
-- amidst vigorous innocence,<br />
Rock across tantalizing hips,<br />
However,<br />
Does one not see<br />
Two hearts <br />
Too in unison<br />
To ruin<br />
Such tender moments<br />
With tender lips<br />
. . . whispering sweet somethings?Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-47075772231452265242011-09-24T12:11:00.000-04:002011-09-24T12:11:36.786-04:00New Song Up From Silver Cypher<a href="http://www.myspace.com/silvercypher/music/songs/nineteen-eighty-four-84251582">1984</a>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-47511429806647638962011-09-24T08:39:00.003-04:002011-09-24T10:52:37.431-04:00Status/UpdateWhew . . . it's been a few.<br />
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In just three weeks I'm headed to the studio to begin recording the most insane musical project I've ever been involved with. The as-of-yet <i>Untitled Project</i> (album) from the band <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> will be the band's 4th release, and it's going to be quite a beast! In all, there's some 25+ songs with playing-time ranging anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes per song; and its been hectic these past couple of months rehearsing this gargantuan conglomeration of musical visions. How can three people (Jon Krech, Mike Lawson, and myself) have so much to say musically . . . especially after all these years? And believe me, this is the big one!<br />
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Okay, enough of that sappy-self-promotion.<br />
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Over 25 songs, each with dynamic contrasts and a multitude of time and key signatures, have taken quite a toll on me committing them to memory (muscle memory). I'm exhausted, so I've been relaxing a little lately. But in all honesty, my time-off from work and practice has been self-motivated. I need to just kick-back and relax, not bombard myself with constant practice leading to sheer exhaustion. But, I'm confident with my preparations. I cannot stress how impressive it is that in just three months <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> has constructed a colossal collection of songs that's sure to reach a few ears.<br />
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Yet, despite relaxing, I'm not relaxed. There's still a lot of work to do, and as I'm adding finishing-touches, I'm already planning my next project (or rather, planning on revisiting previous projects). And though I will be finished with the drums for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> at the end of October, I'm not finished with the album itself. There's still guitar and bass work that has to be done, which I will also be adding. As such, I took Friday to work on a click-track to establish the tempo for the song <i>1 to 3 v.7</i>. It hasn't been easy rehearsing this song on drums and looks like my only practices will be with the click-track itself before I head into the studio. So, much work, but I'm confident all will go smoothly. I've already coonstructed the main drum-lines and what few practices <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> managed with the song, all will fit nicely.<br />
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And so here it is, another segment of <a href="http://chadwick-brinker.blogspot.com/p/im-in-band-vlog.html%3C/A%3E">I'm In the Band</a>. Check it out . . .<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RXcktA4MORg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-63844972829065332892011-09-24T08:04:00.003-04:002011-09-24T10:43:34.800-04:00Work SucksSo, I called off . . . for the fourth time in two weeks. Aye-ye-ye . . . what am I thinking?<br />
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I'm thinking: my job isn't satisfying. I'm thinking: I could better spend eight-and-one-half hours pursuing more creative endeavors. I'm thinking: I need a break before I head into the studio with <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>. I'm thinking: <b>TrollHunter</b> is the coolest movie I've ever seen and I refuse to leave home before watching it at least once more . . . I fear I may never see it again!<br />
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That's right! <b>TrollHunter</b>! <br />
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<a><img border="0" height="320" src="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Troll-Hunter-Poster.jpg" width="204" /></a><br />
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The coolest movie ever, no joke! For those of you who need your fix from <b>Netflix</b>, don't even bother adding <b>TrollHunter</b> to your instant queue, just <i>watch</i> it! Watch it now! It's aces! <br />
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Now, it's a Norewegian film (say wha? . . .) so it;s subtitled and there is some Christian-stereotyping (say wha? . . .), but if you have any basic concept about Norway (and I'm speaking to all you black-metal posers . . . say wha? . . .), then you'll really love this movie! It adds such a unique twist to classic fables featuring trolls; it's creative, original and imaginative, not too mention fun, while at the same time very professional. <br />
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Rarely do films hit everything on the mark in terms of self-perception -- a screenwriter's or director's ability to realize "Hey, this is a <i>movie</i>." <b>TrollHunter</b> hits that mark. There's a genuine story, constructed from various elements of fairy-tales, told through POV perspectives in the vain of a horror-documentary (think, <b>Blair Witch</b>) while simultaneously admitting to being a movie: using special effects, interesting camera-work and camera-shots, great dialogue, evenly-paced action with quite possibly the most epic battle in fantasy! And the scenery: oh, so beautiful; and horrifying. Overall, <b>TrollHunter</b> tells a story, very smoothly. So flawless is this film that it will leave you sitting, thinking "This is the coolest movie I've ever seen! I must tell everyone! They must see <b>TrollHunter</b> for its . . . TROLL!" <br />
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I couldn't recommend any other movie more . . .Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-13938147393847850492011-09-04T03:00:00.001-04:002011-09-04T03:14:59.860-04:00I'm In the Band - 1 to 3 (latest version)I'm preparing for my studio sessions with <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> and there's a lot of work that still needs to be done (on my behalf). In just four weeks I begin recording drum tracks for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher's</a> upcoming fourth album, but some of the songs which will be featured on the album have been written by yours truly. As such, I need to make sure those songs are finalized (in terms of structure) before I can begin recording scratch-tracks and click-tracks. Yet, one song in particular <i>1 to 3</i> has been rather difficult, and I'm still struggling with the structure. Jon Krech, lead singer, rhythm guitarist and founder of <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> has been helping me with the song and as such, this is the latest version I've come up with.<br />
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Check it out . . .<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KSH-hdnFI7Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-65963076816452034802011-08-26T22:54:00.005-04:002011-08-26T23:04:13.619-04:00I'm In the Band - Chad's ArsenalIn preparing for the upcoming studio sessions on drums with <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>, I decided to clean my guitars and see what sort of <i>action</i> they still possessed. I will most likely be recording guitar tracks for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher's</a> upcoming fourth album much like I did with their third album <b>Existential Realisms</b>. In doing so (cleaning my guitar collection) a wave of nostalgia hit me and I thought it might be rather interesting to include my guitar collection as a feature for <a href="http://chadwick-brinker.blogspot.com/p/im-in-band-vlog.html"></a><a href="http://chadwick-brinker.blogspot.com/p/im-in-band-vlog.html%3C/A%3E">I'm In the Band</a><br />
<br />
Check it out . . .<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yWTnKYV5g9s" width="420"></iframe><br />
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So . . . what's in your arsenal?Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-17623659402712947852011-08-19T01:31:00.002-04:002011-08-19T01:35:13.003-04:00I'm A Clone!So, I swear to science I'm a clone. People always say I look like so-and-so. <br />
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When I was in college, people would randomly inquire whether or not I went to such-and-such high school because I looked so familiar. I used to just think it was a comical coincidence, albeit slightly annoying, but I really began to take note of these strange mis-sightings when an individual started a confrontation with me at a party. I had never met this individual before, but he was absolutely positive that I was sleeping with his girlfriend. Even after I explained to him that I had no idea who he, or his girlfriend, even were -- or the fact that I hadn't slept with anyone in quite some time -- he still tried to accost me. It was only after a third-party (who knew us both) intervened that the individual finally conceded.<br />
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Since then, I've had a number of peculiar encounters:<br />
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At a concert, a girl came up to me and gave me hug, then backed away wide-eyed, stating, "Oh shit, you're not Alex!" Apparently, Alex was a good friend of hers who looked exactly like me.<br />
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On another occasion, while I was working at a bookstore, a young lady became rather smitten that I didn't say hello. She mistook me as an old friend she knew from high school. When I tried to explain to her that I was not her friend, she just sneered and said, "Whatever, Jack." Then, she walked away.<br />
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Once, while wandering the downtown district of Hamilton, Ohio, I was greeted by three different people, on two seperate occasions (roughly fifteen minutes apart), and was mistaken for familiar acquaintances. Oddly enough, according to both parities, their acquaintances had the same type of hair and even dressed similar. <br />
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These occurrences happen to me a lot. In fact, there's even been scenarios where people who are acquainted with me mistake other individuals for being me. And it seems that hardly a month will go by that someone won't say I look like so-and-so; recently it's begun to morph into celebrities. <br />
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A number of people say I look like Chad Kroeger (lead singer of Nickleback), and a few times people have suggested I look vaguely similar to Mikael Akerfeldt (best known as the lead singer for Opeth), and just yesterday, while purchasing bagels, someone said I looked like actor Paul Giamatti.<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlFkLV89NJfN-Nfs80fg0K_BvsOVP04nVtoYPz8hpIa95L-JX4s-HX_cDsBK5IvlycwzYASHhciwNX4R942ZnrnVAhNGRFuZHLQkrBWHtwx4fz1eA8spwsvlyow1l4RDnoflaU3_IUeKy/s1600/phpNaxFXP_c1PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlFkLV89NJfN-Nfs80fg0K_BvsOVP04nVtoYPz8hpIa95L-JX4s-HX_cDsBK5IvlycwzYASHhciwNX4R942ZnrnVAhNGRFuZHLQkrBWHtwx4fz1eA8spwsvlyow1l4RDnoflaU3_IUeKy/s200/phpNaxFXP_c1PM.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://otopsivideo.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/chad-kroeger.jpg?w=350&h=521" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://otopsivideo.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/chad-kroeger.jpg?w=350&h=521" width="133" /></a><a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/41785_2228280862_7913196_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/41785_2228280862_7913196_n.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-78735997572446288872011-08-15T00:29:00.002-04:002011-08-15T00:36:38.183-04:00I'm In the Band - Flamenco?I attended band practice Saturday afternoon with <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>, and after an exhaustive session learning Jon Krech's monumental masterpiece -- a fast, thrashy/black-metal-esque song clocking in at around twenty-five minutes -- I decided to give my limbs a rest and began messing around on the bass -- Mike Lawson (the bassist) was unable to attend, but his bass was at least present. Whenever Mike doesn't make it to band practice, I always relish with much delight playing his bass. Ah, who am I kidding, I play his bass even when he is there. It's so choice . . .<br />
<br />
Anyway, doing what I do best on the bass, Jon Krech offered up the idea of utilizing my bass lines to write a song for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher's</a> upcoming fourth album. I don't know if any such song will truly happen; nevertheless, I was merely happy playing Mike's sweet bass!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_utuJhsbo1k" width="425"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-43964143800465370352011-08-14T15:55:00.005-04:002011-08-15T01:24:50.427-04:00Bar Bands Rock - n/a<b>HYPOTHETICAL</b> -- you're a musician, and you're first band (a basement band trite and true) has just broken-up, what do you do?<br />
<br />
<b>ANSWER</b> -- join another basement band! Duh!<br />
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But when that basement band breaks-up, what do you do then? Join another basement band! Gah! How easy is that! And when <i>that</i> basement band breaks-up (or you're simply compelled to walk-out because the singer is a psychotic ex-police-officer and thought it would be funny to aim a loaded pistol at the bassist . . . <i>hahaha, so funny</i> [note the sarcasm]), well what do you do then?<br />
<br />
Therein lies the next musical chapter in my life: <b>n/a</b>. My first official bar band. And just what is a bar band? Well, it's a band that performs at bars. And there are two types of bar bands -- bands that play covers (performing songs written by other bands) and bands that play originals (performing songs written by them).<br />
<br />
<b>n/a</b> was the brain-child of an individual known as Kaine, a singer/song-writer/artist who I had met many years prior and even had a brief musical-stint with in a prior basement band. But after I had graduated college, Kaine approached me with the idea of starting up a gothic-rock band with a few other musicians he knew. <br />
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"I have a guitarist and bassist," he said, "and we could use another guitarist."<br />
<br />
"What about a drummer?" I inquired.<br />
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"Well, I'm working on that," he said, "but I imagine we can find one."<br />
<br />
"Well, I'm a drummer," I said.<br />
<br />
"You are?"<br />
<br />
Even though we had played music together for a brief period of time, I don't think I ever mentioned to Kaine that I was indeed a drummer, and had been one for years, nor did he know that I had my own drum-kit. And so, the pieces fit perfectly. A band had formed. And in just a few months we had a couple of songs that were perfect for a demo recording. Yet, unlike our previous attempts in music, we weren't content with the mere status of being a basement band. We wanted more. And so, with a little luck, Kaine was able to set up a few shows for us at some local bars.<br />
<br />
I was rather ignorant of the whole bar ordeal. Little did I know that there was no money involved; I mean, we got paid from time to time, but only a small percentage of what was made at the door, and being a small local band with almost no fans, there wasn't a lot of money pouring in. On average, a good night for us was when all of our friends showed up -- truth be told, we had quite the group of friends (long live <i>The Den</i> [that's an insider-thing]) -- but that only added up to enough cash to support our love for whiskey, which we indulged in quite frequently before and after our set. <br />
<br />
(On a side note, I will never ever play a set drunk ever again. Only once did I ever perform while intoxicated, and being a rather versatile/active drummer, the end result was nauseating . . . figuratively speaking). <br />
<br />
But oh, did we think we were aces! We thought our band was going to be the next big hit. We were original, unique and very talented, and our friends loved us! Unfortunately, no one else did -- for the most part, anyone who was not acquainted with us didn't really seem to take an interest in what were doing. Often times, we recieved a lot of negative criticism. However, I don't think it was because of the music; instead, I'm fairly certain it was the locale and its societal-disinterest for musical pursuits. There has never been a real musical presence in Cincinnati, save for some scream-core and/or punk bands, and most of the bars in the area were so low-key that even the popular bands in the area found difficulty drawing decent crowds. I do believe our biggest show consisted of nothing more than maybe thirty people in the crowd.<br />
<br />
But it didn't matter. Like I said, we were aces! The music was so fresh and unique that I had a lot of faith in <b>n/a</b>. I was confident that with the right steps, we would reach higher grounds. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, we began to spiral into the obliterating status of being a basement band, which ultimately led to the dissolvement of <b>n/a</b>.<br />
<br />
Shame. I really loved <b>n/a</b>. Still do. To this day, <b>n/a</b> is still one of my all time favorite musical projects. I frequently listen to the demo and live-cuts with as much passion and interest in the music as I had when actually performing with <b>n/a</b>. <br />
<br />
Check it out . . .<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0TsHmy9Siec" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aQmAGZ4FS8A" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CKkR-gWyMQ8" width="560"></iframe><br />
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R.I.P. <b>n/a</b>.<br />
Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-60651159838966748002011-08-12T22:25:00.003-04:002011-08-15T00:45:10.090-04:00I'm In the Band - Messing Around On Bass GuitarI love the bass guitar . . . I really do; although, it's not an instrument I usually pick-up.<br />
I first learned the bass (for what it truly is) when I was in high school, performing for the <i>jazz ensemble</i>. Yet, for the most part, the bass was merely a passing interest of mine when it came to "rock bands" and what not. It was based on my assumption, that on average the bass is merely an accompaniment instrument, adding a sense of rhythm alongside with the drums. Perhaps, that's why my fascination with it didn't flourish until my focus on drums became more rigid in my mid-twenties. <br />
<br />
Indeed, only within the past few years has my skill on the bass really begun to take shape. I discovered that the bass was definitely one of the more interesting instruments associated with rock-esque music . . . or rather, has the potential to be. Most bassists I encounter don't go beyond the typical root-note basics, and that's a shame. There's just so much this instrument is capable of. And if I wasn't so focused on drumming, I would definitely invest a lot more time and energy (and money) into the bass.<br />
<br />
Check it out . . . <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nSLQMJYn4O4" width="560"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-76752211283385969772011-08-09T01:43:00.000-04:002011-08-09T01:43:48.479-04:00I'm In the Band - Drum MaintenanceHere's a little video I made pertaining to maintaining my drums. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7BoKe3J2M4Y" width="560"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-74125580758656238692011-08-08T00:12:00.000-04:002011-08-08T00:31:30.889-04:00I'm In the Band - Chad Guitar #3Yesterday, I was messing around with my song/riff after having showed it to the other members of <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>. I was rather pleased that they liked it, but it's still in its early stages of creation, and therefore incomplete (especially in my eyes).<br />
<br />
Writing a song on guitar can be quite challenging. Most people aren't really aware (assuming, of course, most people don't play guitar . . . or music in general) of just how much thought and re-thought goes into writing a song. It's not as if number-one-hits result from the very first try; rather, most musicians are like writers, in that they undergo drafting/editing stages with their work. Sometimes, you get lucky, and things just sound so perfect together that there's really no need to fine-tune any of it; other times, however, you'll give yourself a massive headache just trying to figure which note actually sounds better - C or C-sharp. And sometimes, such intense focus on musical details lead to nothing more than a messy conglomeration. I think a number of the riffs I write are rather good (some exceptionally so), but the task of structuring certain riffs together, and in the process creating new riffs when-and-where need be, has definitely proved to be a struggle. <br />
<br />
Jon Krech, guitarist, bassist and singer for <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>, is definitely a master at structuring riffs and writing songs. He does it so effortlessly that it's truly a thing of envy. Nevertheless, I do have my moments in musical creation and am more than eager (as well as excited) to share them.<br />
<br />
For the past week, I've been creating a song with the combination of a few riffs I've had in my musical catalogue for years as well as a few new riffs I've been exploring. I'm pleased with the result thus far . . . and I hope <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> is too.<br />
<br />
Without further adieu, here is my latest creation:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frame border="0" height="390" src="
http://www.youtube.com/embed/-ghpCfBWd_o" width="480"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-1207077946583427072011-08-07T17:21:00.000-04:002011-08-07T23:58:38.584-04:00I'm In the Band - Introduction (plus the musical creation)So, here it is . . . the first, of what will soon be many, videos featuring yours truly living the life as a musican. I'm aiming to cover every aspect (both great and mundane) of musicianship. There's so much involved in the world of music (and how we as musicians navigate through it) that I figured documenting it would be a great way to share with you the ins-and-outs of being in a band. (Plus, this is an awesome chance for shameless self-promotion, right?!) So, let's jump start it with a little feature concerning the musical creation, shall we?<br />
<br />
As some of you may know, I'm currently the drummer for the band <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> and our upcoming album <b>Existential Realisms</b> will be out very soon; in the meantime, however, we're getting ready to head back into the studio September/October to begin recording material for the upcoming fourth album (as yet, untitled) and though that's relatively soon, we're still on that journey through musical exploration. As such, the fact that I also play guitar and bass (though my true focus is on percussion [that's drumming, in layman's terms]) is a great addition for the band's musical exploration. With our last album, <b>Existential Realisms</b>, I actually wrote a few songs/riffs for the guitar as well as played a number of guitar-tracks on the album. In fact, the song titled <b>The Greater Evil</b> features me on drums, guitar and bass! So, with an upcoming fourth album on the horizon, I've been tossing out a number of ideas. Recently I've been sharing a new idea with them, which they seem to like.<br />
<br />
So, without rambling any further, I'd like to showcase the process I go through with musical creation. This is a song, as of yet untitled, which will be making an appearance on the upcoming fourth album. All I have to say is "Yay!"<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iRrloLFEn5g" width="425"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M4j3huqkAAc" width="425"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-87621992117686360822011-08-07T16:46:00.000-04:002011-08-07T17:01:53.412-04:00New Videos . . .Lately, I've been attempting to make as many videos as possible to showcase the life as a musician. My attempt is to keep a vlog about the various affaris and trivial ordeals within said life. There's just so much that goes into musicianship that I figured it would be a great idea (for self-promotion . . .) to share it.<br />
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But first, I'd like to share an updated video featuring the song <i>Relax</i> (with yours truly drumming in the studio) off of the upcoming album <b>Existential Realisms</b> from the band <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a>:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gEV2Pm0u8a4" width="425"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-89398234646100716792011-08-02T00:52:00.001-04:002011-08-14T16:36:12.613-04:00Basement Bands Rock - Mind TrixxIf you're a musician then you know what I'm talking about. A basement band is one of those bands that doesn't really go any further than the garage . . . because, you know, you at least want someone to hear your music, even if it is just the mailman and the neighbors.<br />
<br />
When I was in high school, I convinced a few friends of mine to form a band with me. We called ourselves <b>Mind Trixx</b>. Why that name, I have no idea. But it was cool. And we thought we were cool. We would hang out in my parent's basement for hours, smoking cigarettes, playing video games, watching cult movies, sneaking off to indulge in the occasional joint, and of course rocking out until the sun came up the following morning. Eventually, we had enough songs that we thought were good enough to record. So, we packed up our gear and headed all the way down the street to another basement -- though, this basement was in the home of a family-friend who happened to have some recording equipment. And over one glorious weekend, we rocked out the best we could.<br />
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The result, a really hideous basement recording, but it was all in good fun.<br />
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Man, we thought we were aces! We really thought we were going to have it made! We were young, cool and awesome at video games! Oh, and the music was pretty good too . . . or at least, we thought so.<br />
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The band obviously broke-up -- most bands do, whether basement, local or national -- but one thing you (as a musician) can never do is quit. I never quit playing music. In fact, neither did the bassist of <b>Mind Trixx</b>, Mike Lawson. Together, him and I stuck through thick and thin and went on to form other bands. Today, we both play for the band <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> . . . and with a little luck and wisdom, we actually managed to get out of the basement; thouh he still plays video games, I still smoke cigarettes, and we still sneak off to indulge in the occasional joint -- just kidding (but not really).<br />
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Nevertheless, whenever waves of nostalgia wash over me I reach for that <b>Mind Trixx</b> record. It's quite comical, honestly, but still awesome! I mean, come on, we were high school kids . . .<br />
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Check it out:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGv2C96hJuBEuq1gZ1nv3tJ0HBWbQcowCln79O5okVlA-ZKFGMkoIjzMfJNl6dTSrf3p5tul3UO2rrbrSnd31i4vMj587iQs2jD0CW_re2uPxK_zWa0Dl3f2YtLPLBipEp49Bv1RVi0PLW/s1600/mind+trixx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGv2C96hJuBEuq1gZ1nv3tJ0HBWbQcowCln79O5okVlA-ZKFGMkoIjzMfJNl6dTSrf3p5tul3UO2rrbrSnd31i4vMj587iQs2jD0CW_re2uPxK_zWa0Dl3f2YtLPLBipEp49Bv1RVi0PLW/s320/mind+trixx.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm the one on the fence . . .</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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To quote <b>The Coneheads</b>, "Ah, memories! We will enjoy them!"Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-44087266954799628822011-08-01T22:53:00.000-04:002011-08-07T16:49:40.798-04:00Guitar<a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> (the band I drum for) is getting ready to release their third album <b>Existential Realisms</b> very soon. I hope to have a sneak-peek created very shorty, but there are a few videos (which can be found here on the page:<a href="http://chadwick-brinker.blogspot.com/p/noise.html">Noise</a>) floating around the internet.<br />
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In the meantime, the band is currently set for another studio session, recording material for the upcoming fourth-album. That's approaching fairly quickly, and we're still creating new material everyday . . . <br />
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Though I am a drummer by trade, I do play guitar and bass from time to time (in fact, I even play a few guitar tracks on <b>Existential Realisms</b>); and occasionally, the guys in the band ask me to write a few riffs now and then. Today, I took the day off (relaxing from the previous night, as <a href="http://silvercypher.net/">Silver Cypher</a> played a show in Chillicothe, Ohio) and I came up with this lil'-diddy . . .<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iRrloLFEn5g" width="480"></iframe>Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6488818276485263870.post-88404195118957315422011-07-26T14:17:00.000-04:002011-07-26T14:38:43.083-04:00Language and WritingAt the blog for the magazine <a href="http://vagabondagepress.blogspot.com/"><b>The Battered Suitcase</b></a>, the editors featured an intriguing article concerning spelling within the literary world. Apparently, author F. Scott Fitzgerald (who, if you're completely ignorant of, then you're just completely ignorant in general) was horrible with spelling. Yet, no matter, that's what editors are for. But more and more these days, with so many new writers jumping into the game and literally hundreds a various writing platforms offering assistance to emerging writers, it seems common writing mistakes (especially spelling) are becoming rather prominent, and there's a fear that it may lead to a new evolution of dumb-downed language.<br />
<br />
<i>Say what?!</i><br />
<br />
In laymen terms . . . does the new-wave of digital-age writing (and its use of limited characters and phrases -- such as: u2, lol, tl;dr) threaten the literary world?<br />
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Well, my personal response . . . no.<br />
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I do find the new wave of digital-age writing rather irritating from time to time (especially when I have no idea what certain acronyms mean), but I don't see it bearing any real threats on the literary world. I mean, it's not as if you see an abundant trend of dumb-downed language littering literature -- especially when concerning young, emerging writers. And I'm willing to bet any number of authors, these days, use limited characters when typing on their cellular telephones and electronic-mailing devices, but nevertheless maintain a strong focus on language when writing stories, essays, journals, et cetera. And why is that? Because it's merely a different writing platform . . . like fiction versus nonfiction; philosophical prose versus scientific prose; journalism versus research -- all vary with writing style. <br />
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There will be (and already has been) text-style writing to appear in the literary world from time to time, but I don't think it's going to write itself (pun intended) into history as a new literary convention. Sure, there are some phrases and/or words that will undoubtedly be adopted, but overall, I don't think it'll amount to anything more than a different style of writing for a different platform. <br />
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Also, I love a misspelt [sic] word or two. It adds character! And it shows that we are not flawless, no matter how hard we strive to perfect every tiny detail. To think, mistakes still plague us, especially in this day in age with a vast wealth of information and technology at our fingertips. And for such a mistake to be something as trivial and simple as spelling . . . well, that in itself is perfection! The perfection of the non-perfect.Chadwickedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12934093939697425619noreply@blogger.com0