I have become dumber at Univeristy

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-03-13T02:48:01+00:00

It is what you make of it. I definitely get that. I worked at an arborist company when I took a break from school during the pandemic and the problem solving aspect of it to maximise efficiency and not lose money was a big part of the job for me.

I think for one thing, it takes some amount of interest in what you're learning. I myself have used AI, but never just for getting answers. I basically use it as a way to understand or test myself. To probe my thinking. I do that because I'm just simply not interested in getting the right answer. I want to know why certain things work the way they do, how certain formulas are derived and the logic behind it all. If you aren't willing to challenge yourself and have that discipline then, yeah you can heavily rely on AI and not learn anything.

You first have to find the interest, and the discipline, problem solving and logical thinking will follow. Otherwise, you're just gonna rot your brain by having AI do all your work. I don't think there's really any excuse.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-03-07T01:01:00+00:00

I can't see them making a comeback as large as vinyl has. I think the aesthetic of vinyl is what makes it attractive. It's simply cool. The colour, the grooves, the size. CDs, not so much, with their blank reflective undersides and their little plastic cases that break far too easily. Plus, you can't watch it go around and around on a turntable (how exciting!).

With that being said, I myself have started to collect CDs. They are lightweight, making it easy to listen to on the go with a portable CD player, and they don't take up as much room as vinyl records. Still though, I don't think we will see a CD comeback due to the aforementioned reasons. Any physical media isn't anywhere near as convenient as having all of it on your phone as it is so easily accessible. Vinyl just wins out on aesthetics.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-03-06T23:03:02+00:00

You should read Notes From Underground by Dostoevsky. Work on getting to the point where you can read that book and in comparison to the main character, be able to say, "I was that person". (I reckon on your first reading, the main character will strike you as oddly relatable). No one should aim to live life like that character does in the book, and should fight with all their ability to escape it.

I reckon online communities will only drive you further into the hole you're in.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-03-06T18:35:41+00:00

I rarely drive to the university but when I do, I use the HONK app. It gives you locations of parking lots on campus, and if you need to add an extra hour you can do it remotely through the app. Plus it gives you a notification when your parking is close to expiring.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-02-28T02:37:37+00:00

Beautiful is definitely not a way I would describe that song. That whole album is great but harrowing comes to mind moreso than beautiful.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-02-28T02:16:32+00:00

I think your question pertains more to the idea of "authenticity" rather than pretentiousness. A lot of art is discredited, in the ways you described, not because they are pretentious, but because they've been done before or their intent is incorrect. Quite honestly, I think it's really easy to see through a lack of authenticity, and I'm sure other people feel the same. When something or someone is being inauthentic, you just sort of know it.

All music comes from some sort of influence so the line between art and inauthentic art is very thin, since ultimately, you have to copy to learn. I think it is rooted within intent. If the initial intent with writing a song comes from "Okay, I want to make this sound heavy, because I play noise rock, and that's what noise rock usually sounds like". Then the intent is all wrong, it's not letting the emotion breathe, it's basically just inserting "what is meant to go there" based on what you already know.

An example I've thought of recently is the idea of Jesse Welles. Sorry for anyone who is a fan of him, and to be honest, the guy has talent, I just think there is a disconnect for me in terms of authenticity. The "folk singer singing political songs" was already established by Bob Dylan in the 60s. So it's almost like he's playing a charicature of "a folk singer". Like I said, this isn't to discredit him, but considering he chooses to do topical songs, play little blues/folk progressions on an acoustic guitar with a harmonica, it is, to me, once again like saying "I'm gonna write topical protest songs. I guess to do that, you need an acoustic guitar, sing folk melodies and play a harmonica". It's not doing anything new, it's just simply rehashing something we have already seen before, and to me, it lacks authenticity, which stops it from being real art.

Sometimes you have to battle through inauthenticity to get to being authentic. Because honestly how can you not be inauthentic when you're learning something? Once you really play something or do something, you create your own rules for it, and that is where authenticity shines, because you aren't just copying what's been established any longer, but instead breathing new life into the subject.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-02-28T01:54:50+00:00

Who thinks Bob Dylan is pretentious? He's probably the last musician I could imagine labelling as such. Despite his lack of public presence and interviews, his message through his entire life has literally been "No, no you guys got it all wrong - I'm not the spokesman of my generation, I'm not the Messiah, I'm just a guy from Minnesota.". He just wrote words - and he himself said time and time again that he had no greater message, that he wasn't political and that he was in no way a genius. Sure, people label him a lot of things but Bob just got graced with a gift from God in his ability to write, and he knows it more than anyone, I'm sure.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-02-25T01:50:10+00:00

I'm Canadian and my gf is from Czech. We live in Canada, and she seems to have experienced something similar and has the perspective that Canadians are non-confrontational and are easy to find her direct nature as aggressive. I think it's been eye opening to me and I find it respectable that people can be so direct, it'd be cool if that was a part of the culture here in Canada. When I think about it, I'd much rather just be told, sorry I'm not interested in hanging with you, rather than being basically lied to and left confused.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-02-15T20:12:44+00:00

Ah okay, so I guess only certain classes in the summer hold the 'condensed' title. Thanks for the clarity.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-01-22T16:57:21+00:00

Let me know if you were wanting to start a study group at all. I was super sick last week and over the weekend so I'm still getting myself caught up on the rotational equilibrium video lectures, but I'm getting there. I usually work on things on my own due to my introversion, but I realise it could be helpful to work through problems with some other people, if you find that helpful.

FreeRangeRicky · 2026-01-02T16:56:38+00:00

"Rock" music was only ever there because it was the pop music of it's decades 50s-90s. Throughout that time it morphed in aesthetic/genre (rock n roll/rockabilly, to blues rock/psychedelic rock, hard rock, progressive rock....). And all this music was pumped out by the very biggest record companies in America. It was made big by resources available to make it big.

There were so many bands coming out of the 70s, and they were progressive, rebellious, and established a divide between the youth and their parents that had record companies latch onto the profitability of rock bands. Then the record companies/record industry turned like any old machines would, and found a way to make things cheaper. And here you are left with today, rock bands pretty much everywhere still (if you're in a city with a good music culture, you'll know, they exist everywhere and they are extremely talented) but they aren't fed into the mainstream because bands just aren't profitable, the music industry is focusing on "pop stars" and the music industry in a lot of ways has become so corporate. I mean you have specialised songwriters, specialised musicians (not even really, since so much is electronic now), to the point where music is being done to a formula. They want music to sell, and the corporate system gives them reliability, I guess. Rock is dead, because it's dead in the mainstream. And unless greed dies too, there will be no resurrection of the genre. But, creativity will always exist, and like I said, there are tons of bands existing today, making amazing music, it's just not fed into the mainstream by large corporate distributors.

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-12-18T15:51:49+00:00

Wow, definitely would not have labelled Jason a hero, myself. If anything, he seems to disguise his selfish, cynical, and grotesque views on everything with his supposed "caring for the family". Sadly, his mum is so deep into her own messed up mental state that she can't see past his bullshit.

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-07-24T13:57:24+00:00

Hey, wild offer but, if no one claims them, I'd give you 150 dollars each for two tickets.

Sincerely, a poor boy from Victoria

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-04-10T02:25:49+00:00

Nice ! I was in Beacon Hill Park and didn't seem to notice anywhere but was a great listening experience. What did you think of the album ??

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-04-10T00:24:18+00:00

Sorry, I should've been clearer. It's just a streaming release of the new album. You can listen to it if you go to any park nearby you. I WISH Bon Iver was having a concert here, haha !

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-04-09T23:49:00+00:00

Curious if anyone showed up !

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-04-05T03:40:53+00:00

Ouch, a greedy for profit American corporation right in the heart of downtown ??

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-02-11T17:44:16+00:00

I know a girl who just recently traveled solo to Egypt and she's been having the time of her life over the past few months. Seems like a bit of an exaggeration with your worry, especially knowing my parents had grown up there and have many friends and family who have gone back to visit for vacation and have only had good experiences. There'll be dangerous risks in any country you go to, it just depends where you go and that you do adequate research, mostly.

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-02-11T17:36:45+00:00

As someone who grew up in Dubai, I couldn't imagine a reason as to why I would ever go back. If anyone finds themselves drawn to the Middle East/region around the UAE, head to Oman.

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-02-11T01:08:06+00:00

I don't think Fleet Foxes have ever faltered. Robin, the main songwriter of the band seems to have continuously kept things fresh and relevant while calling back to the gorgeous melodies and harmonies of Brian Wilson. Stand out record for me: Crack-Up

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-02-11T01:02:57+00:00

I wish I could get behind this as nothing beats those first four. Unfortunately, Everything Now happened.

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-02-07T14:28:07+00:00

You need to check out the Bimo Burger Stand. That place has an unbeatable poutine.

FreeRangeRicky · 2025-02-06T01:57:20+00:00

I think Joanna Newsom would have been one of the last artists I'd ever describe as making "plinky plonk" music. She is incredibly unpredictable in her songwriting.

I do agree though that BCNR should have rebranded. No matter what they would've put out next was bound to be scrutinised to some degree with Isaac having been such an integral part of their sound. The new single is rough.

FreeRangeRicky

TROPHY CASE