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Such is the last week of life before college starts. Such is moving on and letting go.

I think I covered how I felt pretty much in the last post. Life is great. I don't plan on regressing any time soon.

To sum everything up in one word is impossible for me to do on my own, so I'll do it as Common did it because he did it best.

In conclusion, in one small word that summarizes our existence and our potentials: be. Think about it. One love, thanks to everyone who made me me.]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry080119-215937
Now that first semester is over life's going to be easier. We're going to grow closer and then in the blink of an eye be scattered in a hundred thousand different directions. We'll weep at our fondness but one day later shirk it off when we find that we don't have to see the same people. We'll see growth in ourselves but revert back to immaturity when things become difficult.

We can't stay the same, but we shouldn't change too much. Bridges aren't meant to be burned, they're meant to be supported. Even though the year's only halfway done, I've realized all this. Look back upon our high school days with fondness, not revulsion (except Rosie's class. That's always fair game for revulsion). As Boys Night Out put it, "hold on tightly, let go lightly." I hate to be going metaphysical like some of my other friends have been doing, but I'm in that kind of mood so fuck it. Never forget where you came from. Remember the relationships you cried over, the friendships you smiled at, and every single time someone you loved made you laugh. Because frankly, it's those experiences that lead you to the similar ones. And who knows, maybe somewhere along the line we'll make a lasting relationship. Or perhaps that person we care so much about has already found us?

Either way, the point I'm getting at is that we should never forget who we were, who we are, who we loved, who we love, where we came from, and where we're going. I'm out. One love.]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070911-161812 http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070829-140337 1) AP Bio
2) AP Calc
3) GT English
4) Philosophy

Second Semester:
1) AP Bio
2) AP Calc
3) Sociology
4) Honors Physics

First semester will blow. AP Bio and Calc are going to be good but difficult, GT English is going to be difficult and horrible, and I can't sleep through Philosophy (nor do I want to)

Second semester will be better. I'll probably be accepted somewhere. Which means I have to put no effort into Sociology and Physics. I'll be driving by then, so there will be a considerable amount of half days. Yay.]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070803-212039
1. The Spill Canvas - I was just sitting waiting for Kaddisfly to come on (they would be on right after the Spill Canvas) and I discovered a new great band. For some reason I thought these guys were super emo, but they're more hard rock than anything, and the guy can sing very well. Good show considering I was just there chilling.

2. Kaddisfly - Amazing performance. They had the standard five song set, but I knew 4/5 of the songs. All kinds of crazy instruments were used, ranging from a siren to a one stringed violin type thing. These guys are better live, there's so much energy. Although it was annoying to see all the hardcore kids starting fricking pits in the middle of an experimental composition.

3. Circa Survive - Incredible. I knew Circa was good live, but you have to go to a show to really appreciate it. Anthony Green hits every single note perfectly, they're flawless. He can command a crowd like nobody's business. If he says get in a triangular pit, they get in a triangular pit, no matter how ridiculous that is. The set was great as well, standouts included Semi Constructive Criticism, Living Together, and Holding Someone's Hair Back. Once again, however, the pits got annoying. I got super close though, around the first five "rows".

4. Coheed and Cambria - They were good, but it was a little lackluster, especially in retrospect. They went out there and did their thing, no frills or bullshit. No pits this time around, which is always a relief. Coheed isn't that great of a live band, so I wasn't expecting much, but I did enjoy the lighter set which oddly enough included Everything Evil.

5. Evaline - Best performance of the day, hands down. The singer is crazy. He was on top of the keyboard singing his heart out, and jumped into the crowd a total of three times, fulling scaling the barrier the last time. The band will be a force to be reckoned with once the album comes out. They're also sweet guys too, I met them at their merch stand and shook their hands, they were very glad to hear that I thought they were the best show of the day.

6. Chiodos - Better than expected. Usually with the more commercialized, mainstream bands, you expect a shitty live show. Not the case here. I only got to see 3/4 of the set, but what I saw was great. Craig Owens keeps you guessing and turns around the songs you thought you knew so well, even if he only speaks instead of screams a lyric.

7. Killswitch Engage - I'm glad I was nowhere near the middle for these guys, as the infamous "wall of death" occured (and Derek and Matt were smack in the middle of the wall, and didn't leave without some battle wounds). The band knows how to work a crowd though, and I commend them for being able to do so. I'm not a big fan of Killswitch, but they put on a good show.

All in all a good day. Pros were spending time with my bros enjoying the aforementioned incredible music. Cons were that my best bud couldn't make it, those annoying as hell pits, and that I missed a couple bands (Bayside's set interfered with Coheed's, and everyone wanted to leave before Underoath came on).]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070728-230440
I miss everyone at Pitt so much I dont know what to do with myself

But Im looking forward to catching up with my bros here

Im shot so Im going to bed]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070715-115656
I've made a shitload of new friends. I got numbers like nobody's business. And I don't care about anything. It's great.

I do miss b-town though but I'll be back to wreak havoc in two weeks. That is all.]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070623-112710

OR you can play Monster House









IDK my bff Jill?]]> http://shah.for-the-win.com/index.php?entry=entry070620-174455
Juturna by Circa Survive: I still can't get over this album. It's one of the the only album I've really understood in my life. I get why every track is there, I picked up on the concept without any outside helped, and deeply listened to it. Even after all of this, I still find little nuances that make the songs even better than before. It's a great album to listen to when you're reflective, just to look deep into it, cut it apart, and sew together a new, broader whole. Critics call the album overly experimental, and say Anthony Green's voice is annoying. But no other genre than experimental and no other voice than Green's could ever make the album what it is to me now. It's my muse, whenever I need inspiration for whatever, I go listen to Juturna. This is one of the few albums on this list I will NOT recommend to everyone. As stated, it's highly experimental and some find Green's voice annoying. It loses it's meaning if one listens to it because of recommendation. Maybe one day you'll forget about this little blurb and find it yourself, without any aid from music listeners. Then, by all means, delve into it. It'll mean so much more.

Metropolis Part II - Scenes from a Memory by Dream Theater: From the opening track to the ending, this one hooks you in. It's a prog album for people who hate progressive. It doesn't meander. It sticks to the story of love, power, and murder quite effectively, even managing to tell the story through total instrumentation. You don't have to listen deeply to get this one, the narrative is quite straightforward. But the reward is in the amazing musicianship from all members of the band which makes the simple story incredibly effective and somehow touching. No filler here, every track is thoughtfully composed and adds something to the album, whether it's part of a suite or simply a unit in itself. This, unlike Juturna, I recommend to people who appreciate musicianship in general and especially to anyone who has a good understanding of music theory.

LA Woman by The Doors: I'm obliged to give a nod to the classics whenever they are mentioned, simply because that was the music I exclusively listened to for a good 3 years. However, this is one of those albums that I will laud without obligation, because it's that good. Every style is represented here, poppy tunes to the blues to straight up rock. And Jim Morrison's voice carries it all. I've realized over the years the man didn't have a great voice at all, but it made the music what it is. It doesn't fit together like a cohesive unit as that wasn't the intention of the musicians. It's just 4 guys putting together the best damn music they could make, and it works. It's almost as if Jim knew he was going to die, so he left us with this masterpiece. It's also amazingly accessible, as long as you have an appreciation for classic rock.

Those are the 3 I'm doing now. Next edition will be... I don't know 3 other kickass albums. Yeah so fuck you.

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