Google Yourself

For this assignment, I was instructed to search myself and reflect/discuss the results.

Just like my life so far, I'm barely a blip on the screen. (that's going to change in a few years though.)

For an employer or anyone who knows me, you would find that I come up twice on the Internet. In one link I'm on the Honor Roll at Tokay High School during my sophomore year 2006-2007 and that upon graduating (class of 2009) I am an honor thespian in the International Thespian Society at my school's chapter. I find it funny that the search assist in both AT&T Yahoo and Google stopped after I typed in "l-o" to finish off my last name.

For me, the real big success is that there aren't any embarrassing or inappropriate pictures of me on the Internet which is a big problem for the young ladies. Whoo-hoo. Google turned up 596 pictures although none of them are me and they ask you if you mean gabriella ******. That's not me; there is only one, damn L in my name. I also extremely hate to think that there are other Gabriela/Gabriella's out there, even the two l one is too much for me to handle. If you haven't noticed, I'm super possessive. Anyway, AT&T Yahoo turned up no pictures for me but that's okay.

All in all, I'm not too surprised by the results even though I forget that I'm mentioned by my high school twice for business like matters. It's really good that I'm not in any compromising images or situations on the Internet although I haven't made much of an impression either.

Music Memories #1

If I think about the music I listened to throughout my Life, I guess you could say that I went through many changes and phases like any other human being. When I start to think about the music, I start to remember the times of the day and the nostalgia that comes with it.
My earliest memories are of me at around age 3-5 back in 1994 and '95. I used to listen to two CD's of Queen (one of the best bands that have ever existed): Classic Queen and Queen-Greatest Hits and of course the ever perfect Thriller album. During that time I mostly listened to tracks 1-3 on both CDs, "The Miracle", and "These are the Days of Our Lives". I also loved a song in Spanish; I don't remember the title but I do know that Alejandra Guzman sings it. My mom used to play a lot of Air Supply and ABBA in Spanish so that is definitely a part of my early childhood memories.
I am required to mention, as any other child of the nineties, that around six years old I was absolutely a huge, Huge, HUGE, fan of the Spice Girls and then during the late nineties there was the first album of Britney Spears and Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" and The Backstreet Boys. After the pop explosion passed, I went back to my classic rock roots, expanded my Queen repertoire, and after 2004 virtually shunned all contemporary music of recent years.

But, really could you blame me?

Gangsta Rap and modern R&B are not my thing naturally, "rock" releases nowadays is 97% of the time terrible and much better versions exist in classic rock, and the quality overall is just simply lame. Also, for probably my whole life, I've never been one to like sanitized, family-friendly, just-for-kids, bubble gum pop music. For Britney Spears' first CD I was but a child of seven who never heard anything quite like that opening piano of "...Baby One More Time".

So for a good chunk of time I totally loved eighties music and I still do but not nearly with as much fervor as me at around thirteen. So, I stuck to my established favorites but also embracing other music by my brother's influence (like most of my life up to the last three years)
such as the band Interpol and, by own design, Scissor Sisters. Only recently I started embracing my decade of the nineties and all the memories of young childhood days. I also want to be more open to music now but only if they're actually good. So, my music tastes have been pretty stable but have grown over the years and like the communist states of the 1990's, I'm ready to open up just a little bit after years blocking anything that didn't conform to my ideals. Yay.

Tips for Success #1

Tips for Success is a segment of study pointers for success in college.
Ooh, that's interesting. (Seriously)
One thing that has helped so far in my readings is to write notes while I'm reading. What I do is read the assigned passage and when I come across an important/interesting point I write it down or any other analysis or thought I had about the passage. The most helpful part of this study habit is that when I write while reading I retain more of information presented to me and that's always a plus.

Music List #1

Normally, I hate being asked what my favorite songs or my favorite movies are because I have so many favorites and I often leave out other great songs or movies. However, I mustered the strength to pick out only ten of my favorite songs. Even though this is difficult for me, I managed to choose some of my most favorite and special songs. In other words, these are not the top ten but they are part of that upper echelon.

10. Edge of Seventeen Stevie Nicks - This is one of my newest songs and I started listening to it a couple of weeks before I turned eighteen. It has one of the best guitar riffs I have heard and I really like the imagery of the lyrics.

9. Pioneer to the Falls Interpol - I generally like songs with lyrics that I connect with and Pioneer to the Falls is a great example with lyrics like, "I know you try/ You try straight into my heart/ You fly straight into my heart"

8. Piece of My Heart Janis Joplin - I love Janis's raspy, genuine, soulful singing. This a great classic but I have to mention Me and Bobby McGee which is an equal testament to Janis's talent and it's also my dad's favorite song. We both love listening to her while driving and it has awesome, awesome guitar.

7. Lady Stardust David Bowie - I'm a sucker for beautiful, well-written piano. This is such a great part of the Ziggy Stardust album in that takes a little break from other high energy songs in the album and expresses emotions of melancholy and nostalgia. Because it's from a concept album, I have interpreted, in my own way, the story's narrative and meaning which sort of plays out like a movie.

6. Song Seven Interpol - This song is a big reason why I got my ipod. This song wasn't in a CD and I loved it so much that I had to have it with me instead of it being available only in my computer. The music of the song is so enchanting that it doesn't sound like you're listening to guitars or drums in a rock group but something much more expressive and atmospheric.

5. Crystal Ship The Doors - This is my favorite Doors song and I love listening to it and contemplating love. It has beautiful piano and such poetic lyrics that it really makes you feel what Jim Morrison must have been feeling when he sang this song.

4. Don't Look Back in Anger Oasis - I love Wonderwall, also by Oasis, but I put this one here because it's somewhat more energetic and it's definitely my "wish" song. It has many circumstances that I would like to happen in my own life.

3. Sex and Candy Marcy Playground - What else do I have to say? The music has a great deep feeling to it and its simplicity makes the song so much more enjoyable. "Yeah, there she was/ like disco lemonade/ I smell sex and candy here"

2. The Other Side Scissor Sisters - The Other Side truly expresses my own self when it comes to love and relationships and the type of romantic partner I am. Also, this is the most played song in my ipod with the most recent count tallying it up to a record 226 times in three years. "If don't ever leave a thing behind/ I'll still leave here without me/ If it takes another life, I'll wait for you/ On the other side/ Everything good that comes to me belongs you"

1. Bohemian Rhapsody Queen - I have to give props to what my dad calls our family anthem. I grew up on this song and have been listening to it since I was five. So, what else can I say about this masterpiece in music that hasn't been said before?