Editor's Diary

Taylor Cavallo

Wednesday:

My Wednesday nights are devoted to producing this glorious publication (you’re welcome), and music is always an essential part of production nights, especially at the Arts desk. While there’s always a wide variety of music, since Dan, Brennan, and I have such different tastes, there are also a lot of overlaps. This particular Wednesday I was hooked on Simon & Garfunkel for some reason, and chose to play, via YouTube, some of their classics: “April, Come She Will,” “Scarborough Fair,” and “I Am a Rock,” to name a few. We decided that “Bridge Over Troubled Water” would kill too much of the mood.

Thursday:

Thursdays are my free day of the week (no class!). While I delude myself into thinking I’ll get all the work done that’s lined up for the weekend and the following week, it usually doesn’t happen. I do most of my work, but I’m always tempted to use this time to relax and catch up on, or repeat, some of my favorite TV shows. It’s my down time. One of my favorites to watch is A&E’s Intervention. Some find the show too disturbing and sad to watch, but I think the show presents an interesting insight into the world of addiction, not only tracking the development of the intervention itself, but also exploring each addict’s past. Ironically, I’m addicted.

Friday:

Every morning I wake up to a playlist on my iPod that varies depending on my mood. I tend to make a new playlist each month with a pithy title, filled with a combination of new songs I like, old ones that I’ve been listening to again, remembered, or can’t get out of my head. Some selects from my current playlist are as follows:

“Ride” – Lana del Rey

“Pop That” – French Montana

“Martians vs. Goblins” – The Game; Tyler, the Creator; Lil Wayne

“She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)” – David Guetta

“I And Love And You” – The Avett Brothers

Saturday:

Saturday night, as is probably evident through my column from this week, I saw Frankenweenie at the Fenway movie theatre. The movie was fantastic, but my favorite part of the theatre experience is the previews. I guess I just love looking forward to things. Since I attended a “kid’s movie,” most previews were aimed at the younger crowed, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t excited. The highly anticipated movie adaptation of J.R.R Tolkein’s The Hobbit, set to release in December, offers a whimsical and intriguing preview—it’s on the top of my list of movies to see. Also previewed were Les Miserables, and the animated Wreck-It Ralph, both worth a gander.

Sunday:

This past Sunday I spent the day in scenic and beautiful Newport, R.I. While the lovely beach was a must-visit place on our itinerary for the day, we filled the rest of the time with amazing food and a stroll through the quaint downtown area. My friends and I ate brunch at the Atlantic Grill, where we welcomed the influx of breakfast and lunch foods willingly. Everything there was amazing, but one dish stood out in particular: chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes. Yum. Later on we strolled through the shops downtown, nestled right along the water’s edge, which all boast a casual and relaxed yet elegant atmosphere. The home-cooked dinner sealed the deal.

Monday:

Having Monday off from school was a lovely treat. Because of all the free time, I suppose, I had a few different interactions with the arts. I listened to a few of Nirvana’s live albums (including Live at Leeds and MTV’s Unplugged in New York) and ate some amazing farro salad, cooked by an amazing chef (my co-editor Brennan’s mother). One thing that I enjoy in my spare time as an added treat is watching music videos—it’s something I don’t get to do often. One that grabbed my attention in particular is Iggy Azelia’s new video featuring T.I for her song “Murda Bizness.” It’s an amazing twist on the Toddlers & Tiaras-esque subculture and quite aesthetically pleasing.

Tuesday:

Again, something self evident: I wrote a review for the new Rick Ross mixtape The Black Bar Mitzvah, so much of my music time was spent listening to Ross’ renditions of some currently popular rap songs, which I enjoyed very much. Once I started down this rap road, I couldn’t stop. I listened to some tracks off a lot of somewhat recently released rap or R&B albums and mixtapes, God Forgives, I Don’t; Cruel Summer; Self Made 2, Channel Orange; Kaleidoscope Dream, and even the older OF Mixtape Vol. 2. I frequently get into these rap black holes that I can’t get myself out of. Not that I really want to.

Dan Siering

Wednesday

One of my early birthday presents this week from a close friend was an Odd Future mix CD. I had heard a lot about this rap group since joining The Heights, but frankly, was confused about who they were. The CD was an assortment of hand-selected tracks from Odd Future by a true connoisseur. Songs included “Real B—h,” “Rella,” and “Sam (Is Dead).” Tyler, the Creator made a few more appearances on the mix CD with some solo tracks such as “Yonkers” and “Splatter.” While the group was certainly aggressive, it showed a unique artistry on their part, and I could see myself becoming a fan in the future (pun intended).

Thursday

In one of my film classes, this week we watched John Ford’s 1956 film The Searchers, starring John Wayne. Set during the Texas-Indian war, Wayne plays the role of a headstrong, loyal, and devoted ex-military man who has to choose between loyalty to his country or his family. The film, which my professor claimed to be his favorite movie of all time, exemplifies the Western genre, and despite its antiquity, boasts eye-catching cinematography and scenes picturing beautiful, vast landscapes of the desolate Old West. The film is definitely a staple of American film, and is certainly a must see.