Mixtape Madness #5: April Showers

According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.

April Showers Mix

 
As the old saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers." All talk about pilgrims aside, that saying certainly has described this past month. April has saturated us with a number of rain storms, including the thunderstorm that is making me second-guess sitting at a computer right now. But I could not let a little bit of rain get in the way of providing you with the April Showers, the ideal mix for a rainy day.


1- "The Rain" (Supa Dupa Fly) by Missy Elliot
Well, this is the obvious choice to begin with, is it not? This super slick track is a rainy day standard, and my choice to lead the charge on this rainy day. However, if the rain is not your thing...


2- "No Rain" by Blind Melon
Again, a pretty obvious inclusion to the April Showers mix. This song evokes images of a sunny day, helping you picture the exact opposite weather to what is actually happening outside of your window.  


3- "Feeling Good" by Muse
This cover is one of my favorites to rock on a rainy day. Something about the distortion used on the synths and guitars just seems to compliment the drops pelting my window.


4- "Is Anybody Home? (LIVE)" by Our Lady Peace
I have always enjoyed this song, but this particular version from a Y100 Sonic Sessions CD really stands out. The vocalist of this and the previous song sound just similar enough to let these tracks flow together.

Pickelodeon: The Philadelphia Science Festival

Welcome to Pickelodeon, a little feature where we review all that is reviewable in the world. Pickelodeon is your one stop shop for the inside scoop on the best restaurants, bars, movies, music, events, and anything else you want to hear someone else's opinion on before you try it. Drop us a line in the comment box for any suggestions on what we should review next!

The Philadelphia Science Festival

Science is everywhere! Or so says the slogan for the Franklin Institute's Discovery Camp. Over the past week, the Philadelphia Science Festival has shown the City of Brotherly Love that science truly is everywhere, from the beer they drink to the glass from which they drink. This two-week extravaganza has featured events that made astronomy astronomical, ecology economical, and physics physically impossible to ignore. Cheesy plays on words aside, the festival has inspired an interest in science and technology learning city-wide, and there is still a week to go.

Weekly Top Five - 19.Apr.11

In  High Fidelity, the characters compare their top fives in a variety of categories. Being big fans of both the film and novel, we here at the What bring you our Weekly Top Five, a feature focused on five fantastic things that you should become familiar with.

Job Hunting Tips

 

Let me begin for apologizing for the lapse in articles here. Part of the reason for that has a lot to do with this article. I have recently reached the end of a two year-long job search, which can be quite time consuming. Now, as an administrator in charge of, among other things, hiring, I thought it would be helpful to share some tips on how to secure employment.

5. Know Your Goal - It may seem unnecessary to list this, but knowing your goal and focusing in on that goal is vital to finding the right job. For example, I graduated from college with a media arts degree. After working on a television show and doing a lot of event videography, I realized that the media industry can provide many jobs but not as many careers. So I re-focused my efforts on starting a career in the museum industry, in which I have nearly 10 years of experience. With this focus I was able to narrow down my search into a very specific area that paid off in the end.

4. Sell Yourself - Applying for an open position turns into a sales job in itself. Your cover letter, resume, and interview are all selling points and opportunities to highlight the traits that make you the best possible candidate for the job. The tricky thing here is that different people look for different things in resumes. I happen to find value in reading cover letters, while many will skim or skip over them. I know other hiring managers who have specific pet peeves. For example, a friend of mine discards an entire application of it is addressed "Dear Sir," as she is not a sir. Another is turned off by people who mention they are proficient in Microsoft Office and/or the internet, as everyone applying for that job should be. So go over your resume, trim the fat, and only highlight your most important and impressive traits.

How to Not Be a Jerk: On the Highway

Writing an article on how to not be a jerk on a Snow Day was therapeutic. I finally got to say everything I have wanted to shout at people for several winters. Since then, the snow has (finally) gone away and life went back to normal. Normal enough that it brought into focus the other aspects of life in which one must contend with the jerkiness of others. Jerks are everywhere, but rarely do you find a place that has as many jerks as the highway does.

#1- Entering the Highway
THE JERK WAY: Jerks are mind-boggling in this situation. They have just finished speeding at 60 in a 45 en route to the entrance ramp of the highway. Upon entering the ramp, they seem to forget where the gas pedal is/how it works and coast slowly to the end of the ACCELERATION LANE, at which point they stop.
THE RIGHT WAY: It's called an ACCELERATION LANE for a reason, dimwits! The acceleration lane is a handy little invention that allows drivers entering the highway to bring their vehicle up to the speed of the other drivers already on the highway. The worst possible thing you could do in an acceleration is stop. Furthermore, you do not need to wait until the lane disappears to merge. If there is an opening for you to merge, take it! Don't be scared, it'll all be okay in the end.

April is for Science

In just one week the City of Philadelphia will be immersed in Science discussion, ideas, shows, and activities. From the universities and community centers to pubs and your street corner, Science will be everywhere, and you're invited!

This is the first annual Philadelphia Science Festival.

The festival will run from April 15 - 28 and kicks off with The Big Jump, at 11:00am on April 15. All around the city, Phiadelphians will be jumping to kick off the festival and may trigger a seismic event! Later that evening, at Kite and Key, will be the unveiling of the yet to be named festival beer brewed by Yards Brewing Company. To cast your vote for the name of the beer go to - PSF Name That Science Festival Beer. You have until Monday to cast your vote.