Living at home after college

The living room of an abandon concrete duplex in Nanticoke, PA

Since Christmas, a handful of individuals asked me the same question: where do you live nowadays? 

The holiday season signals people to celebrate with their family and friends. It is the reason many commits to pilgrim home, for old friends and relatives to be together once again. The holiday season is a moment when loved ones catch up on where they are at in life, like verbally communicating your Christmas holiday card over and over again, drunk. 

Anyway, to answer the question, I live at home. Living at home is my choice. If I wanted to, I could rent an apartment, mortgage a house, whatever. But I don't-- I live at home, in the house I grew up in, located in my hometown, surrounded by my parents, some siblings, and, recently, my grandmother. 

I moved out of my house to attend college and did not come home, much, except for the holidays. Once college was over, I moved back.  

No one answer can explain why I live at home because there are several. 

First, my job is fifteen minutes from my parents' house. I chose this company because of its brand and was the highest money making opportunity compared to every other offer in front of me. 

Secondly, my parents want me home. They enjoy my company as I do. They are grateful for my contributions to the household as I am grateful for them subsidizing my rent. 

Third, living at home presents an opportunity to save and invest a substantial portion of my income. I incurred a modest load of debt from attending college. With the time value of money being high (I took out a privately held loan), I was looking down the barrel of inordinately high-interest payments or else be stuck paying this loan for fifteen years. Additionally, before leaving for college, my father asked me what my goal was. It is to survive on my own. One objective is to own a house. If I were to rent then, about, 30% of my income will go to rent, never to be recoverable. Instead, living at home enables me to build a foundation for a downpayment on the house.

Fourth, I have no idea where my career will take me over the next couple of years. As a result, I can save up some money and earn work experience, which can catapult me to the next opportunity. 

Living at home is not an option for everyone. For those who can understand that there are great sacrifices. Your freedom, liberty, and privacy will certainly hinder. Respect your parents-- you can not live like you did in college, but everyone has to grow up eventually... You will feel like a guest in their house-- it's not yours after all. I cannot set the kitchen up how I want it, so cooking is awkward and unencouraging; thus I find myself eating out more than I ought to be (counter-productive, I know). One annoying aspect is my mother still treats me like her child, not as her adult son. And, finally, mentioning to a girl that you live at home does not make a great first impression and presents logistical problems. 

Of course, I fantasize about living in my apartment, again, or buying the home of my dreams. The fact of the matter is living space is expensive no matter if you are renting or mortgaging. With entry level wages being low/stagnant and the cost of space, property, and college tuition being sky high, surviving on your own after college is a momentous challenge and requires one or two sacrifices. But do not worry, if surviving on your own was easy then everyone would be doing it. Living at home is worth doing-- just until I can buy a piece of property. 

-Tyler

*Disclaimer 

Where I work happened to be in the vicinity of my parents' house. I chose to do digital marketing, and the company I work for now is a mainstay in the industry. I am also fortunate to have parents that welcome me back into their house. Lastly, I am lucky to make a comfortable income and am fortunate to have paid off my student loans so quickly. No, my parents did not pay for my college. I paid for college through the direct method. 

Response to Groundhog Day

Groundhog day is a terrific movie. It is about Pittsburg weatherman Phil Connors dispatched to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover Groundhog Day. While there, Connors falls into a loop of living the same day over and over again until he turned a new leaf. The loop ended after Connors realized that the needs of others are more important than only fulfilling his own and falls in love while transcending. This movie is fantastic. 

Groundhog day made me reflect on what falling in love is. 

Falling in love is not superficial. Falling in love is two like-minded people who connect seamlessly like Lego bricks. Falling in love is taking care of yourself and selflessly taking care of the people around you, no matter what walk of life they come from. Falling in love is expanding your mind on a daily basis. Falling in love is creating something not to impress others, but only yourself. Falling in love is existing happily like the moment after a mother gives birth. Falling in love is being the best human being one can be, and ultimately another becomes your biggest fan. 

I know, I know, Groundhog Day is a classic movie, and I should be ashamed for waiting until now to see this masterpiece. At least I saw the movie, and from here on I pledge to promote this film to anyone who has not seen it. 

-Tyler

Letter to Eli of Dopapod

The Band Dopapod courtesy of dopapod.com

On September 7, 2016 Eli Winderman announced the return of  Neal "Fro" Evans to Dopapod as the drummer:

"Scotty is a great person and an amazing drummer. I'm incredibly grateful for everything he has contributed to Dopapod. It was an honor to be in a band with him and I have no doubt that another band will soon be extremely lucky to have him."

Below is a message I sent Eli on Facebook in response to the news:

Hi Eli, I meant to post this a while ago, but here it is now. I am writing to you because of Neal's return to Dopapod. This letter is overdue because I've been a fan since its conception. When I read that Neal was rejoining Dopapod, I was so excited and thought to drop a note.
Thank you for making some of the best music, ever. It's a pleasure listening to Bahbi on repeat on an almost daily basis. Being a fan of Dopapod got me laid, once, because your band's style swept her away. Being a fan sparked conversations with strangers because I would heard your music being played at a party or in public and I'd be like, "who put on Dopapod? I want to meet them!" Your music can connect with people, which few musicians can do, in my opinion.
I first learned about Dopapod from my brother, who was in PCJB. I heard about yourself from Susan Schmidt when she talked about notable music theory student alumis. She still has that picture of you winning the composure contest in her classroom and mentions you and the band. Anyway, you're a legend at PHS, and it's a pleasure knowing someone so talented went to the same high school and went through the same music program. Then when you visited Pennsbury High School and demoed in front of the symphonic winds assemble I was hooked.
Dopapod's sound has matured like a kid graduating high school. From the demo tape to Never Odd or Even the sound so tight. Bet in tails was a great, catchy track, but Like a Ball or Present Ghosts is so full and the solos!!! I feel like I'm listening to Steely Dan in Like a Ball-- love it. No doubt Drawn Onward is your best album and Bahbi is the best track. I'm really glad Neil is back in the band because Dopapod's trademark sound isn't there without him.
Keep up the great music my friend. We've never met in person, but it feels like I've known you because of our loose association and the awesome music you make. You work with a lot of talented people, and I hope Dopapod stays together and makes music in perpetuity.

-Tyler

The Similarities between Shine and Change

 Richard Shannon Hoon of Blind Mellon left, Joshua Ostrander of Mondo Cozmo right.
Picture via Twitter and Wikipedia

While driving on the highway, cruising at approximately 65 miles per hour, I listened to eighty-eight point five, WXPN. 

The DJ announced that he was about to play a new single track by the band Mondo Cozmo called Shine. Once on-air a solo guitar riff accompanied by a solo singer appeared. Immediately my ears perked and interest was pointed, almost, directly to the radio. The introduction to Shine sounded oddly familiar as if I have heard it before. As the track went into the first verse, the guitar was drowned by the rest of the band and familiarity ceased but didn't go. I have never heard Shine before, and I never knew Mondo Cozmo existed. So, why did this composition ignite nostalgia in me? Luckily, after the track finished, the DJ proclaimed that the guitar riff in Shine is similar to that in Change by Blind Mellon. 

Eureka! At last, mystery solved, but my feeling of antagonized yearning is not answered. 

Having listened to Change many, many times before hearing Shine, I realized the main similarity between Shine and Change is the guitar riff. 

The riff in question is in the key of D major. The chord progression is dominate V, IV, I or descending A major, G major, D major. Within each chord, two types of suspensions are heard: sus2 and sus4. Check it out:

A, A, Asus4, A, Asus2, A, G, G, Gsus4, G, Gsus2, G, D, Dsus2, D, Dsus4, D then starts over.

What is interesting about this progression is a blues turnaround! Aka, rock and role, aka twelve-bar blues. 

Typically, the music theory gods prefer a minor iv to resolve to major V then major I, but blues defies the gods every time. Instead, blues inverts the wishes of the gods as the major V goes to major IV. Whereas the dominant commands resolution, like a burning sensation, heard in your ear, to the tonic (I), but are left with anguish as the dominant goes to the subdominant, intensifying the seventh chord. The order is restored when the IV resolves to I, then repeats. 

Shine modulates into a different key at the bridge, so the familiar riff isn't the entire song like it is with Change. 

Shine

Shine is a single release on September 15, 2016. 

Shine is about faith in Jesus. 

Its chorus is about getting high, stoned, and letting go of, presumably, getting high and stoned to improve the quality of life. 

Shine's orchestration is one acoustic guitar, two electric guitars, a bass guitar, an electric piano, and a drumkit with what sounds like a trashy sounding snare. Shine starts with the familiar guitar riff and vocals then explodes into a wave of sound. The familiar riff isn't heard from until the accompaniments stop playing. You can barely hear the electric piano, the bass guitar is way too loud, and the backup electric guitar is playing embellishments like a kid putting too many ordinates on the family Christmas tree. Ironically when the chorus is on there is a choir of people backing up the lead vocalist. The lead singer's sound is unique, in tune, and is fitting for a song about Jesus. However, the rest of the band and their music fits together like a peg forced through a square hole-- the ensemble's sound is not balanced nor does it express dynamics while playing. Shine's orchestration does not fit the familiar guitar riff, and its volume is synchronized like someone messed with the band's instrument volume settings and didn't tell anyone about it.

Change

Change is a b-side track on the self-titled, debut album released on September 22, 1992. 

Change is about a person who will not change. 

It has no chorus.

Change's orchestration is a harmonica, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar (sometimes acoustic as well), a mandolin, an electric bass guitar, and a drum kit. You can hear the familiar guitar riff throughout the entire track, even during the solo. The track starts with the familiar guitar riff and a melodic harmonica solo then fades away for the first verse to begin. The mandolin pierces through the ensemble's sound in a good way with a not too noticeable counter melody. The bass guitar's volume is perfect-- you can hear it, and you're not sure what exactly it's playing. The drummer carefully hits the drum as if one hit too loud will break a sheet of glass. The lead guitarist chugs away until the solo. Overall, Change's orchestration is a well balanced acoustic hybrid, and the band plays with sound dynamics like professionals. 




Moreover, Mondo Cozmo has a history or borrowing other musician's material. Their track Plastic Soul is comparable to a makeover of Erma Franklin Piece Of My Heart. Yet, Mondo Cozmo's Sound Cloud reads, "MC [Mondo Cozmo] is working class, honest, inspirational, cautiously hopeful, and socially observational."

MC's biography on their Facebook page proclaims, "Not sure if I graduated high school." Someone should remind Joshua Ostrander that education is essential to a professional musician or you will sound like someone else's composition, by accident.



In conclusion, the familiar guitar riff does not make a track sound good-- the musicians and the orchestrations are what makes a track sound good. Plenty of musicians will borrow, rewrite, or copy the familiar guitar riff, but most will not make it sound good. Change by Blind Mellon is an excellent track because of their superior musicianship and orchestration.



-Tyler

Paying for College Tuition

Temple University Fox School of business commencement ceremony, December 2014

There are two methods to pay for college tuition: direct and indirect.

The direct method is paying tuition with cash. Examples include generous parents, earning an academic, an athletic scholarship, or taking on debt.

Then, the indirect method is minimizing your rate by proxy or service. Examples include attending a military academy. Or the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill). Or taking advantage of a federal grant. Or declaring residency and qualify for an in-state-rate. Or work at a company with a tuition reimbursement program. Or earn an associates degree then transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor degree. This post will focus on which direct method is the best way to pay for college tuition.

There is no doubt most parents want what is best for their children. What parent wouldn't want to pay for their children's college education? All it takes is small, quotidian deposits into a savings accounts or premium payment to a term life insurance policy. But saving requires disposable income, which, let's face it, could spend on prioritized needs. This method is fortuitous, thus cannot be a viable option.

The student has to perform and work hard to achieve an academic or athletic scholarship. Only the most gifted students earn a scholarship. Even those few gifted students may not have the scholarship for their entire spent at college. Though an athletic scholarship could pay for some or all the student's tuition, it could negatively affect the quality of that student's education. Even so, scholarships exist to attract and keep top talent. Scholarships only go to top performers, not all students. Counting on a scholarship isn't viable for all students.

Some students take on debt to pay tuition-- this is a big responsibility, especially for an 18-year-old. Taking on loans incentivizes the student to perform well and earn a well-paying job to pay back their loans promptly. Only if the student plans on entering the workforce as professional after college, then debt is a viable option.

One thing I wish my college peers knew at the age of 18 is the total post-tax annual income you make after college. It should be a third of the total amount of debt taken during college. Also, private students are easy to get for a reason-- high-interest rates, so please shop around.

At the end of the day, the caveat emptor is the student. Choosing which method of paying depends on merit-- you have it or you don't. If the student does not have the merit to go the indirect method, then the students opt for the direct method. The student opts into financial responsibility.

Many students are not aware of every available direct method of paying for college tuition. Would you think High School guidance counselors would drop a few points?

The best method to pay for college tuition is indirect. The student can go to college based on the merit of their ability, so they are free to study what ever they want.

The direct method is not a bad, it just comes with more responsibility. When students pay for it themselves through the direct method they have an incentive to complete their course work, on time, to ensure opportunity after college. If the student doesn't do a thorough job of completing their course work, then it will take them longer to pay back the cost of attending college. Nevertheless, this option is widely available to most students and, if the consequences are considered, will incentivise the student to do well. 

-Tyler

Why College Tuition Cannot Be Free

College tuition cannot be completely free. Free education is a wonderful idea for a perfect world. Unfortunately, this world, the United States, is not perfect because its economy is a free market and there is no room in state budgets. Despite promises by politicians, it is impossible to make tuition free for all colleges and universities.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Senator Bernie Sanders vowed to make the cost of attending undergraduate college free. Similarly, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed to make the cost of attending community college free. Both planned to use taxpayer money to subsidize the colleges.

How can a free market economy allow government intervention for colleges, but not other industries and institutions? If Sanders and/or Clinton made college free to anyone to attend then why can't we have a free house, too? Like the cost of college tuition, the cost of having a mortgage is too high, so the government must step in and pay for it? Oh, that's right, the role of government in the US is to stay out of private business because they can't afford to buy everyone a home and everything else already promised.

Private business and government don't mix in the US, for the most part, because the government is not in the business of being the economy. According to Merriam-Webster, the free market economy is an economic market or system in which prices are based on competition among private businesses and not controlled by a government. The government is designed to enforce the social contract and preserve society, not run the economy.  Colleges set their own prices based on the supply colleges and universities and demand of receiving a college education.

Admittedly, not all colleges are private. There are public college systems, for sure, like the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which is chartered by the state, has a board which the governor appoints, and uses taxpayer money. Moreover, some private universities, like Temple University, receive taxpayer money by the state and, in return, the University discounts tuition. Therefore, governments can influence tuition cost, but not control it. Sounds wonderful!

Since Sanders and Clinton want to make college free and some colleges are chartered by state governments and other receive state funds to decrease tuition cost for students then I don't see why the federal government couldn't step in further-- they already have! I'm sure state legislators will welcome a blank check from the federal government. Seems logical that college could be free if  they're chartered by the state or receive taxpayer money to make tuition more affordable, problem solved. In a perfect world, this is a great idea and one that should have happened years ago. Trouble is state governments, let alone the federal government, as they are nowadays, are incapable of passing a balanced budget. State legislators cannot afford to appropriate taxpayer money to colleges and universities inorder to make college tuition free.

Making college education free sounds intelligible, but, unfortunately, college tuition cannot be free because legislators cannot agree oh how to raise enough money. State and federal legislators have a lot of programs to fund in this great country already: entitlement plans, departments, endowments, military, and pensions, to name a few. Unless new taxes are levied and other programs are cut or funding is cut, the likelihood of tuition being free, which is estimated at $62.6 billion dollars annually, is slim to none.

Free college tuition sounds great, but there is no budget for an expensive endeavor and the government cannot set tuition costs.

Thank you not thanks

Thanking someone is the simplest and easiest way of expressing gratitude. One of the basic human emotions, gratitude is something all humans feel. Whether one asks for a favor or one is signaling the conclusion to an interaction, thanking is an expression so common it is almost subconscious.  

As someone who works in sales, I have encountered plenty of people express their gratitude insincerely. Just because someone expresses gratitude doesn't mean their gratitude is positively received. Choosing the word or phrase to express or attempt to express gratitude means the difference between being grateful, insincere, or blatantly rude. 

I'm talking about thanks, not thank you-- big difference between the two. 

One day I received an email from a customer who was upset about an inconsistent data formatting.  When read fast the email sounded like a simple question, but when reading slowly it sounded like a command. I thought nothing of the email until I saw the sign-off, thanks. Leaning in my chair I reflected. This person was not asking me to help her with something difficult-- this person was commanding me to help even after the sale was made. (To be clear each customer signs a contract stating that the data sold as-is) At first, I would have gladly helped her, but her "thanks" sign off made me rethink this person's email.

Six letters don't seem like a big deal. How I analyzed this person's use of thanks could be totally wrong because I did not confront her about it. Nevertheless, I am sure that this person used thanks in a commanding way. If she used thank you then, maybe, I would not have reacted in a way that motivated me to write this blog post. 

Column leaves more questions than answers

The morning started at an unusually high temperature for late October. All I could ever want was a fresh cup of coffee and a comfortable chair at that moment. The day’s agenda was open, let alone the what was going on a 8 am.  

“Do you want to be involved with my Sunday morning routine?” Julie asked as she walked through the front door. With a copy of the NJ Star-Ledger in hand, she sat down, put the newspaper down and flipped to the "Arts and Leisure" section, flipped a few pages, and tore out a word scramble puzzle. Then as Julie began solving the puzzle I grabbed the paper and decided to read the front page.

Upon flipping the front page revealed the business section. There graced a gigantic, The Simpsons “Treehouse Of Horror” looking jack-o-lantern wearing a Santa hat. The column was about shopping malls and department stores putting Christmas decorations up in October. Upon reading it I was left with more questions than answers.

The column starting with an imagination of wreaths, stringed lights, and red bows draped over mannequins and clothing displays and ended with a response from a department store marketing manager and shopper testimony of how Christmas decorations are set up earlier than usual this year.

Excuse me, is there any substance to this column?

Did I decide to read Halloween’s scariest trend? not because of its silly, dual holiday symbol hybrid, but because I excited to learn why department stores and malls prematurely decked the halls. The concept surrounding topic is assuming at least. If more research was put into writing that column, I imagine the answer to be deeply interesting, wise, and insightful-- possibly humorous. The mystery of why malls and department stores put Christmas decorations up in October eluded me this time, so I am left with a question instead of an answer.