Life Advice
Q1: I’m running out of music this time of year. I’m tired of the typical solemn and dreamy Ben Howard or Lumineers type of vibe. Could you recommend some new music and some music to look out for in the future?
OGSimpy: Some albums to chew on… Already out: “B4.DA.$$” by Joey Bada$$, “Yesterday’s Tomorrow” by Phony Ppl, “I Need Some Answers” by Mellowhype, “200 Press EP” by James Blake and “Black and Blue Point Two” by Raleigh Ritchie featuring The Internet. Coming in 2015: “Eclipse” by Twin Shadow, “Sour Soul” by Badbadnotgood and Ghostface Killah, “I Love You, Honeybear” by Father John Misty, “25” by Adele, “Mr. Wonderful” by Action Bronson, “Man on the Moon III” by Kid Cudi, “Radio Silence” by James Blake, “Surf” by Chance the Rapper & The Social Experiment and “View from the 6” by Drake.
Among the highly anticipated albums coming out this year, there are also some currently unnamed projects by music heavyweights like Corinne Bailey Rae, Beach House, Earl Sweatshirt, Mac Miller, Nas, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar and, finally, the infamous… “god”... Kanye West.
Q2: So the Sundance Film Festival just happened and we have the Oscars approaching soon. I heard you two are quite the movie connoisseurs and I was wondering if you guys have any good recommendations.
OGSimpy: A few great movies I’ve seen recently are “Birdman” (Alejandro Gonzàlez Iñàrritu), “The Imitation Game” (Morten Tyldum), “Charlie Countryman” (Fredrik Bond), “Selma” (Ava DuVernay) and “Nightcrawler” (Dan Gilroy). Also, if you’re looking for something a little more educational or socially pertinent, there’s a really interesting documentary on food waste in America called “Dive” (Jeremy Seifert). Grab some popcorn, sit down with some buddies, grab a comforter and enjoy yourselves; you deserve it.
OGYoosk: While the Oscar lineup for the Best Film category are all great movies, I’d also recommend watching some great movies from the past. A couple of my favorites are “Ginger & Rosa” (Sally Porter), “Gone Girl” (David Fincher), “Camp X-Ray” (Peter Sattler), “The Kite Runner” (Marc Forster) and “Reaching for the Moon” (Bruno Barreto)
Q3: So I’m writing my meditation right now. I’m not a very good writer and I’m having trouble coming up with a topic. I also don’t want to embarrass myself when the time comes to present our meditations. I’m sure you guys are in the middle of this process, too. Any tips or tricks?
A3: I think one thing to keep in mind when writing a meditation is to not rush the process. Make yourself some tea and find some time to be alone to brainstorm some possible topics. Think about the important experiences in your life and how you could elaborate on them. No two meditations are identical, and make sure to keep your identity and voice in your writing. If you aren’t a particularly strong writer, I’m sure your teacher would be willing to help you out. As for the actual presentation, don’t worry about it. By the end of the term, you should feel comfortable with sharing your writing with your peers. I don’t think anyone will judge you for your ideas or your writing.