STUDY ANTHEM O' THE DAY: goes on a field trip

Too much classical musical driving you crazy? Sometime when studying, you need to hear some words. But words in English would be too distracting. That means it's time to hear a song with words you don't understand, you know, like, in a foreign language. In the grand ol' USA, we often forget that people speak other languages. But they do. And sometimes they even sing in them, too. Here is a great example of just that. This song will chill you out, take you to Ibiza, and return you to your college town just in time for your deadline.

José Padilla - El Sueño De Ibiza

READERS SPEAK: study music

Ahoy bloggerinos! You guys and gals are slacking off. So few of you voted in this poll. And nobody likes rock 'n' roll? What's your problem? Perhaps I need to replace you folks with some newer and cooler readers? Nah, I'm just joking. You guys are great and I love you! Anyway, I'm the one that's been slacking off by not posting. I guess I'll have to be a little more diligent next time. Well, I've chatted enough, here's your results: 

What is your study anthem (by musical genre)?

Classical 33%

Jazz 16%

Rock 'n' Roll 0%

Electronic 33%

STUDY ANTHEM O THE DAY: in the summertime

Back when I first quit my job to finish my thesis, the trees were bare and the women were covered. It was February, a cold, dark and studious month if I've ever heard of one. Yet even then, when the weather was on my side, I found it hard to study. Now the thermometer conspires against me. It's certainly that much harder to study when it seems like everybody else is having fun. But hey, if you can't beat 'em, you can at least study by the pool, right? No? OK, well you can at least listen to today's study anthem to imagine all the fun you'll have post-graduation! I dreged this baby up from the funny facial hair days of the '70s. Which leads me to ask, is there anything that YouTube doesn't have on file?

"In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry

STUDY ANTHEM O' THE DAY: Nochella

I wish I had gone to Coachella this weekend. I went last year. But that was my old life. This year, I stayed home and studied. (And still managed to be three days late on a deadline.) In honor of the missed music festival, I feature one of the bands that played. What have you missed out on for your education?


The Verve - Blue
I don't know if they played this at Coachella, cause I wasn't there.

STUDY ANTHEM OF THE DAY: Daft Punk

Sometimes even the most diligent grad students need a pumping, futuristic, robot beat pushing them to study harder faster better stronger. (Added bonus: Any Daft Punk song could replace caffeine in a pinch.) Here is the same song with two different videos. Which is your favorite?

Open minded people could interpret this video as a metaphor for the education system or at least the conception of socialization, maybe.


I think I like this one the best because of its garage band simplicity and witty choreography.

Daft Punk - Harder Faster Better Stronger
Check out even more videos of this song on YouTube.

STUDY ANTHEM O' THE DAY: Take it Easy

It's Saturday morning and I'm studying outside. The birds are singing, my neighbor's air conditioning is humming soothingly, and a pleasant breeze wafts just so over my skin. For the next few hours, I will put all stress aside and just enjoy life while I study. This song will help.


Rjd2 - "Work It Out" from Third Hand
For back story on video click here

STUDY ANTHEM O' THE DAY: "Miss Misery"

When I revert to Elliott Smith, it's a sign that things can only go up from here, right?

PS. I LOVE Elliott Smith.


Elliott Smith "Miss Misery" (Directed by Ross Harris)

Study Anthem O' the Day: "3 Sad Semesters"

Stay in School. Or don't. I don't know. With my chronic lack of productivity, I relate to this song a little too much. I wish it had only been "three sad semesters." At least with my TA position I will scrape by with paying a little less than 15 grand.



Ben Folds Five - Army

STUDY ANTHEM O' THE DAY: melancholy chill

The Sea and Cake produce a unique emotional combination in the listener that I like to call "melancholy chill." Take a gander and tell me if you don't feel a strangely calming squeeze of sadness in your chest. It's as if the band has captured the exact sound of a yoga instructor's reaction to the end of the world. And since graduate students often feel intimate with the coming apocalypse, this makes nice study music.



The Sea and Cake - Coconut

STUDY ANTHEM O' THE DAY: Cibelle & Devendra Banhart

I describe this video as a piece of quiet happiness. Enjoy.


"London, London" video by Cibelle feat. Devendra Banhart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65N_1eSkKWg

Thesis progress: I've wasted most of today away. : (

Study Anthem O' the Day: "Burn My Shadow"

It's nearly 2 a.m. and my ability to string words together needs to be conserved for the thesis all-nighter. In lieu of writing, I'll let this music video speak for me. It pretty accurately describes my inner turmoil and back pain. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. This video is pretty dark, and my life isn't so horrible in comparison. Now that I think about it, I don't know how conducive the music is to studying. You tell me.


UNKLE - Burn My Shadow
The actor is Goran Visnjic and the vocalist is Ian Astbury (from The Cult)

All-night update

It's 1 a.m. I'm sipping vanilla vodka & Diet Coke to both rev me up and calm me down. I'm also listening to RJD2 (a strong candidate for future Study Anthem status) to get me in a pounding yet chill rhythm. I don't know if this means I am on or off track. The fact that I'm writing this and not the other thing might (or might not*) be a bad sign.

*In my pre-blog era, whenever I got stuck writing I would look at pictures of my exes on MySpace. It was quite depressing. So sharing my feelings through blog, though not productive, can't be any worse than retroactive stalking.

Study Anthem O' the Day: All Night Music

OK, ok, I know I must to get back to work. But first I need to tell you what to listen to when pulling an all-nighter. You need something without distracting lyrics. And you need a fast, hypnotic beat that slowly speeds up until you are zombiefied. You need an organ donor. DJ Shadow will make your donation. Thank him by putting that new liver to good use with a couple "study shots" (Bonus: this song is quite cool musically.)

DJ Shadow's "The Organ Donor"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRS8cM4lyKY

For a jazzier zombie music option try: Medeski, Martin & Wood

THESIS PROGRESS: 29 of 40 pages. But to be honest, I'm only about halfway done, and it's going to hit over word count. Thesis gods, I call unto you. Caffeine gods, I beseech you. Self-discipline, please return to me. I need all the help I can get.

Study Anthem O' the Day: "I Am a Scientist"

Apparently, I was wrong when I said, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the only indie rock music video you will ever find that celebrates academic research." Here's another one! I'm on a roll, baby!

Musical Note: This is not the best music from these endearingly too-hip-for-school Oregonians, just the most relevant to this blog. Nonetheless, the song has a good, fast beat that will help fuel those all-nighters. It also makes ya feel cool for being a nerd.
Adult Swim: Their most famous song (explicit content): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK5MC8pa_cY


The Dandy Warhols - "I am a Scientist" from Welcome to the Monkey House
If video doesn't work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suazwrc2RPU

Thesis Progress: Please, stop asking me this. It's getting too depressing.

Let Me Count the Ways

I just realized that I have yet to follow through on the title of this blog. I have written around my thesis but I have not yet written about it. Don't worry, I will spare you the gory details (and avoid yet again compromising my anonymity). But it's only fair I share a few reasons why I hate the thing that I have (temporarily, I hope) devoted my life to. I am oh so tired (and still have to study more), so you only get one tonight. But more will follow ... sooner or later.

Reason I Hate My Thesis #1
I got to choose the topic (naturally), so the research is actually pretty interesting ... or it was two odd years ago when I first laid eyes on the beast. Now my brain registers "thesis" in the same category as these lyrics, "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold..." That's with a cringe, if you had to ask. Yes, my thesis is like Led Zeppelin. It was so amazing the first 10 million times I heard it. And now, I can only sigh.

Thesis Progress: That's another cringe and a sigh. I'm royally in big big trouble. I do not know how I will produce magic between now and Friday.

Study Anthem O' the Day

It's very important to listen to the correct music when studying. Of course, the "right" music changes according to person, topic studied, time of day, mood, energy level, etc. But forget all that. I'll give a few recommendations now and again, and they will pretty much be based on whatever comest to mind at the time.

Without further ado, here is the perfect inaugural Study Anthem. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it is the only indie rock music video you will ever find that celebrates academic research:

Andrew Bird - "Imitosis".
From the 2007 release "Armchair Apocrypha"
In case video doesn't work, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnXCzFnkxtY


THESIS PROGRESS: I'm still awake, which isn't saying much