Some of that Boston pride

This is one of the funniest, most endearing things I've read in a while.

Boston Pride!

Noon Kids on the Block

Today I had the opportunity to run my own program on MIT's WMBR radio station from noon to 1pm. 

Earlier this week, I bumped into a TA (who's actually the program director for WMBR*) from last semester and he mentioned that I should join the radio station. I didn't want to commit to it at the time because I was in 6 classes, but a spot opened up for one show and I couldn't resist.

It was so much fun, and I got to learn how to crossfade my own tracks and be okay with screwing up while on air with actual people listening.

The link to the mp3 archive is here:

Noon Kids on the Block 12pm Show

I spent the hour playing some of my favorite songs and musing about them. I definitely made a few mistakes, like pressing the wrong track key and therefore not having anything playing at one point. I also had two songs playing at one point because I forgot to turn the other off. Or saying I was going to play one song and playing another by accident (you'll hear it haha).

But it was great fun and apparently I made surprisingly few mistakes for a newbie, so if I had the chance to radio in again, I'd take it in a heartbeat :)

I didn't end up making the tracklist for it until 4am the night before, but I like music so I didn't mind staying up late. 

Here was my intended tracklist for the program (though I had to improvise and cut a few during the actual thing):

• Charlie Brown (Coldplay)
• Sovereign Light Cafe (Keane)
• Don't Leave Me [Ne Me Quitte Pas] (Regina Spektor)
• Why Am I the One (fun.)
• From Finner (Of Monsters And Men)
• Not Your Fault (AWOLNATION)
• Barton Hollow (The Civil Wars)
• Breathe In Breathe Out (Mat Kearney
• Winter Winds (Mumford & Sons)
• One Night (Timeflies)
• Stubborn Love (The Lumineers)
• Shake It Out (Florence + The Machine)
• Human (The Killers)
• Living in the Moment (Jason Mraz)
• Don't Look Back (She & Him)
• Demons (Imagine Dragons)
• Toothpaste Kisses (The Maccabees)
• Sunday Morning - Demo Version (Maroon 5)
• Feel Again (OneRepublic)
• Rumour Has It (Adele)

There was a caller 10 minutes into the show who called in to ask what my show was called (I didn't have a name for it) and commented that he liked the show, which was cool. A lady called at the end of my show to ask what "the song before the song by Jason Mraz was with the singer singing 'love' over and over again at the end of the song" (turned out to be "Stubborn Love" which she said was the most beautiful song ever. The station records showed that there were about 45 people listening to my show online and probably more through actual radio (SO COOL). I don't know why anyone would keep the station on after I effed up so much in the beginning, but props to them. They have great music taste.

*WMBR stands for "Walker Memorial Basement Radio" because that's where the station is located. Had no idea about that til this week...the hidden gems you find at MIT!

Ring Premiere 2013

The validation of all our hard work so far is here: the Brass Rat.

Ring Premiere was Friday, February 15th (sorry it's a bit late...) at Kresge Auditorium and the design for this year was revealed.

I'm pretty excited, even though some design elements were "eh." However, they managed to sneak in the 148th Pokemon, which the child Pokemon card collector in me was won over by.

My second favorite part is the Class Shank on our ring: 

Right under the "2015," there are two hackers who stole the "C" and the "I" from the roman numerals on the dome, leaving behind "MMXV" which is "2015." Clever.

Third best part (maybe the best part for some other people), is that our Ring Delivery will take place at Fenway Park!!

image from wikimedia

Now every time I see an upperclassmen or alum with their brass rat, I catch myself just staring at it for a ridiculously long time and subconsciously raising my right hand up to envision their brass rat on my hand. I'm pretty sure the other person notices, and probably becomes very creeped out (for lack of a phrase closer to the truth). But I honestly don't care because soon enough, I will have my own brass rat to shit on my life.