Get a Mac: Yoga

“Once you go Mac, you’ll never go back.” It’s not just a catchy slogan, it’s the truth. The line of Macintosh desktop computers and laptops from Apple Inc., are some of the best-selling computers on the market. Known for their innovative and user-friendly nature, as well as for their one-of-a-kind applications, programs, and features, Apple computers are most popular among younger generations, and especially on college campuses. Over the past several years, Apple’s “Get a Mac” advertising campaign has launched dozens of ads beginning with a man dressed in casual clothes who introduces himself as a Mac computer, “Hello, I’m a Mac....” followed by a man dressed in a more formal suit and tie who introduces himself as a Microsoft Windows computer, “...And I’m a PC.” The ads, simple in nature and consisting of a plain white backdrop and only a handful of actors, are often very successful in highlighting the advanced technology, ease of use, special features, and protection from viruses that make the Mac operating system far superior to it’s rival Windows Vista. 

Though the “Get a Mac” ad entitled Yoga is literally set against the usual white screen seen in all other Mac ads, the viewers can assume it to be taking place in a yoga studio. The sender of the ad, clearly identified as Apple Inc., has once again created a simplistic ad representative of their simple, easy to use computers. The fact that the “Get a Mac” ad campaign, now in its third year, has run more than four dozen ads using the same backdrop, actors, and background music, reveals just how successful the ads have been in communicating the sender’s message. 

“Breathe out and expel all that bad Vista energy,” says the Yoga instructor to PC. From the beginning of this short commercial, viewers immediately understand it to be a parody of Windows computers, and especially of “Vista,” Microsoft’s newest operating system, known for being difficult to use and understand. Though this ad plays less on the strengths of Apple computers than other ads do, the message is still clearly communicated, especially as the yoga instructor voices her frustration that “I could have switched to Mac but instead I stuck with PC and now my yoga studio billing is completely screwed up.” The ethos of the ad points out the obvious weaknesses of Microsoft computers, “Forget that Vista still doesn’t work,” in order to convince frustrated Windows users to make the switch to Apple, the better of the two computers.

This message is successfully communicated through the emotions of the ad, the two most prevalent being anger and frustration. Though the ad begins with the yoga instructor’s soothing voice, viewers can sense her mounting frustration as she continues to talk about Vista and its problems. The shift in her tone, from peaceful to enraged, is also marked in the shift from describing generic problems, “Forget that Vista still doesn’t work right,” to describing personal frustrations “...instead you stuck with PC and now your yoga studio billing is completely screwed up.” The pathos of the yoga instructor’s personal vengeance toward Microsoft computers creates a catharsis in viewers who can relate to her situation and feel the same frustration and anxiety.  

The simple template of the ad further communicates the meaning, especially when paired with the presence of simple language and exchange of dialogue. The words “stressed”, “relax”, “energy”, and “ forget” contribute to the ad by creating a scenario in which someone attempts to be calm and relaxed when dealing with Vista, trying to forget all its problems and weaknesses but eventually ends up frustrated as usual. The final line of the commercial, “Maybe I should try Pilates,” suggests that Windows users could try time and again to find a solution for fixing Vista’s problems, or they could simply switch to Mac. 

The simplicity of the commercial is again prevalent in its use of logos to communicate the idea that getting a Mac computer, with its efficient and easy-to-use operating system, immunity to viruses, software like iLife, which include applications such as iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, and iWeb, and features like built-in cameras, would be not only a better alternative to getting a PC, but would also be the logical choice. As the angry yoga instructor explains the problems that arose after she chose to stick with a PC instead of switching to Mac, viewers in similar situations begin to wonder if they too, have made the wrong decision in continuing to use Microsoft computers.

As a happy owner of a MacBook, the Apple ad campaigns accurately reflect the frustration I previously felt as I waited for my PC to slowly restart after freezing or “not responding,”  as I exited error messages, only to have them reappear on the screen seconds later, or as I went computer-less for a week or two while waiting for a new hard drive to be installed in the computer that succumbed to virus after virus. These ads, through the use of emotion, language, and logic, not only explain problems and weaknesses of Microsoft computers that I can personally relate to, but also assure me, and other Mac owners, that we have made the right choice in “getting a Mac.”

i've gone identity mad!

Grace Kelly by Mika

I wanna talk to you 

Last time we talked Mr Smith you reduced me to tears 

I promise you that won't happen again 

Do I attract you? 

Do I repulse you with my queasy smile? 

Am I too dirty? 

Am I too flirty? 

Do I like what you like? 

I got to be wholesome 

I could be loathsome 

Guess I'm a little bit shy 

Why don't you like me? 

Why don't you like me without making me try? 

I tried to be like Grace Kelly (mmmm) 

But all her looks were too sad (ahhh ahhh) 

So I tried a little Freddie (mmm) 

I've gone identity mad! 

I could be brown 

I could be blue 

I could be violet sky 

I could be hurtful 

I could be purple 

I could be anything you like 

Gotta be green 

Gotta be mean 

Gotta be everything more 

Why don't you like me? 

Why don't you like me? 

Why don't you walk out the door! 

[Getting angry doesn't solve anything.] 

How can I help ya 

How can I help it 

How can I help what you think? 

Hello my baby 

Hello my baby 

Putting my life on my brink 

Why don't you like me 

Why don't you like me 

Why don't you like yourself? 

Should I bend over? 

Should I look older just to be put on your shelf? 

I tried to be like Grace Kelly (mmmm) 

But all her looks were too sad (ahhh ahhh) 

So I tried a little Freddie (mmm) 

I've gone identity mad! 

I could be brown 

I could be blue 

I could be violet sky 

I could be hurtful 

I could be purple 

I could be anything you like 

Gotta be green 

Gotta be mean 

Gotta be everything more 

Why don't you like me? 

Why don't you like me? 

Walk out the door! 

Say what you want to satisfy yourself 

Hey! 

But you only want what everybody else says you should want 

you want 

I could be brown 

I could be blue 

I could be violet sky 

I could be hurtful 

I could be purple 

I could be anything you like 

Gotta be green 

Gotta be mean 

Gotta be everything more 

Why don't you like me? 

Why don't you like me? 

Walk out the door! 

I could be brown 

I could be blue 

I could be violet sky 

I could be hurtful 

I could be purple 

I could be anything you like 

Gotta be green 

Gotta be mean 

Gotta be everything more 

Why don't you like me? 

Why don't you like me? 

Walk out the door! 

Oooh, oooh! 

[Humphrey, we're leaving.]

Kaching

Mika, a Lebanese born, London based singer-songwriter, has topped UK charts with his upbeat, quirky melodies and unique vocals. But prior to signing his first record deal in 2006, Mika was rejected by labels who saw promising talent in his voice but encouraged him to compose songs with more conventional and commercial lyrics like those of the British pop star Robbie Williams, in order to be more popular and therefore successful. Eschewing this advice, Mika was inspired to write “Grace Kelly,” a song which references the great actress who played a variety of different roles and assumed numerous different identities throughout her career. Through such references, the songwriter creates an interesting and somewhat absurd, yet catchy mockery of those who change their style, behavior, or appearance simply to appeal to fans or to please recording tycoons seeking to make a profit. 

The song begins with a dialogue between a man, the supposed “Mr. Smith,” and a woman, who many believe to be Grace Kelly. Though this conversation does not actually appear in any of Kelly’s films, the reference to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a Hitchcock film from the same time period, allows Mika to create his own sample of dialogue with a kind of Grace Kelly-esque voice. Assuming the role of another right from the beginning of the song creates an image upon which the songwriter builds as his lyrics continually question identity and the idea of artists reinventing themselves to be popular. This idea, central to the meaning of the song, appears throughout the first stanza in a series of questions, apparently from the musician to his fans, “do I attract you, do I repulse you...?” The rhetorical questions begin to create a satirical tone as Mika seems to be mocking those in the music and film industries who recreate themselves in order to appeal to the public. The parallel rhyming phrases, “Am I too dirty, am I too flirty,” contribute to this satire, especially as the stanza continues, adapting an inquisitive, almost whiny tone when the speaker begs the question, “why don’t you like me, why don’t you like me without making me try?”

Rhyming "wholesome," with "loathsome," creates two contrasting images and identities which the speaker attempts to assume in order to win the admiration of fans. The songwriter expands these differing identities in the following stanza through allusion to Grace Kelly, for whom the song was entitled. But finding "her looks were too sad," the speaker then tries "a little Freddie," a reference to Freddie Mercury of Queen, a singer to whom Mika has been compared. The ABAB end rhyme scheme of "Kelly / Freddie," and "sad/mad," helps to create an almost sing-songy rhythm which heightens the satirical mocking tone of the singer. With the final line of this stanza, "I've gone identity mad!" listeners fully understand the intentions of the songwriter in mocking the identity crises of those in the spotlight who lose themselves in order to please the public. 

The song then takes a nonsensical turn as it moves to the chorus and the writer begins rattling off things he "could be," like "brown, blue, violet sky." The ridiculous rambling continues with the juxtaposition of the slant rhyme "hurtful" and "purple." The two words, having nothing to do with each other, seem to have been chosen only in an attempt to create a rhyme. The absurdity of the chorus allows Mika to rise to a whole new level in mocking his fellow musicians. Their behavior, which he views as ridiculous and absurd, is reflected in his choice of ridiculous and absurd lyrics and images. The simple and concise lines "I could be brown... I could be purple..." in the chorus build anticipation for the delivery of the longer, "I could be anything you like," creating sentence structure that mimics the importance of the lines. Mika returns to his simple diction with the parallel, rhyming lines "gotta be green, gotta be mean," again choosing contrasting words seemingly unrelated aside from their similar sounds. The simple diction of these two short lines again creates an anticipation for the arrival of the longer line, "gotta be everything and more," a line which brings light to the strange, contrasting, and unrelated images developed in the preceding lines. The random thoughts such as "I could be violet sky," and "gotta be green," while ridiculous and nonsensical, help the songwriter to communicate the feelings of other musicians or actors who think they must be "everything and more," to their fans, even if it means accepting a fake or absurd identity. 

The song then reverts back to the almost whiny tone of the preceding stanza as the singer wonders "why don't you like me, why don't you like me without making me try," and then in frustration suggests "why don't you walk out the door!" The temper tantrum that occurs at the end of the chorus is juxtaposed with the input of a voice of reason, which advises that "getting angry doesn't solve anything." Mika then returns to the pattern used in previous lines with the witty and concise parallel phrases, "how can I help ya how can I help it," building up to the longer "how can I help what you think," creating a whining, despairing tone that reflects the excuses of those who say they "can't help it," in response to their absurd behavior. The repetition of "hello my baby," and "why don't you like me?" is interrupted by the line "putting my life on the brink," meant to describe those who live on the edge, seeking thrill as a remedy for their unhappiness in order to seem adventurous, exciting, and therefore appealing to their fans. 

After this digression of sorts from the pattern created throughout the rest of the song, Mika returns to the use of short rhyming parallel phrases such as "should I bend over, should I look older," citing almost desperate attempts to figure out what type of identity or appearance would be most desirable to fans. These pleas are all out of the desire for their CDs and movies to be purchased, displayed, and "put on your shelf."

The song then repeats the chorus once, followed by the lines "say what you want to satisfy yourself." This is the first time throughout the song that Mika, previously acting as other musicians would in an attempt to mock and satirize their behavior, eschews this false identity and can be heard voicing his own ideas in an almost demeaning and condescending tone. Though the rest of the lyrics target his fellow musicians and their absurd behavior, this is the first and only point in the song where he can be heard speaking directly to them, instead of about them, saying "you only want what everybody else says you should want." With this, the chorus repeats, completing the song's ridicule of the rich and famous who adapt their behavior and identities in order to comply with what others want or tell them to be. 

At the close of the song, a voice suggestive of Grace Kelly can be heard saying, "Humphrey, we're leaving." This reference, most likely to Humphrey Bogart, an actor prevalent during the same time period, may have been employed on the part of the songwriter in order to voice Kelly's disgust with and desire to leave her surroundings, possibly the set of a movie, because of the ridiculousness or absurdity of others' behavior.

 

that fateful night

When I met you on that fateful night

I believed every word you had to say

Praying, wishing, hoping our future would be bright

 

In shining armor, you were my knight

I didn't care if we were cliche

When I met you on that fateful night

With you, what once went wrong was now right

Together you and I, we paved our own way

Praying, wishing, hoping our future would be bright

We were inseparable, with our hands clasped tight

Ready to take on the world, come what may

When I met you on that fateful night

Then I began to sense that trouble was in sight

Afraid that our passion would fade to gray

Just praying, wishing, hoping our future would be bright

Standing next to you under that dim light

I didn't know there would soon be hell to pay

When I met you on that fateful night

I was praying, wishing, hoping our future would be bright

inside that chapel of love

I miss you, and your one man show.

But you don't really care because you're in motion

And I'm still standing here, speechless where you left me.

Though your friends, they think I'm only a waitress

You used to tell me I was the jewel inside the mermaid's chest,

A flash of fuchsia among the colorless.

I believed you, but then you let me get away.

I remember the first time I saw you, I mean really saw you.

You were wearing something blue, and under those dark lights

You took my hand in yours, smooth like red velvet, and I fell for you

As I listened to your heartbeat.

There was an aqua chrome twinkle in your eyes, and

Tangerine joy shown upon your smiling china glaze cheeks.

I think back to those carefree days, a few short months ago

When things were perfect, and I was happy, and you were you.

We connected like the sound of live jazz in a quiet cafe

And I had so many plans lingering on the horizon

But then you grew distant, I grew doubtful,

We both got too busy for the wild thing that love becomes

And we broke apart like a crack in the silver ice

We used to skate on.

We were star-crossed lovers, a modern day Romeo and Juliet 

And fate did not approve. You said 

"If it's meant to be, our paths will cross somewhere in the future."

But I don't really believe that, and I don't think you do either.

In this give-and-take world, you only get one chance

And I let ours, that sterling silver rose slip away

As I watched you get into that taxi and drive off, 

To Paradiso Inferno, or Aspen, or somewhere equally as glamorous

Leaving me here in recovery,

Trying to re-load and learn again to feel.

Next to each other under the luminous moon

We were a walking contradiction, you and I.

It wouldn't be easy, this I knew all along.

I guess I just thought that what we had

Would be worth fighting for.

But in the end, racing rubies of hope

Fade to ferrari black and I am left, alone again

Inside that chapel of love.

sixty minutes.

Every lap around the field. Every drill. Every scrimmage. Every minute of practice, every game of the season leading up to this moment. In a voice as brisk as the night air surrounding us, Coach's pep-talk intermingles with the stream of thoughts running through my head. "This is our night. This is our game," she said. "This is it," I thought. "We're ready. I'm ready. This is who we are and what we do. This is everything." The whistle blew, sharp and ear splitting. Deep breaths, eyes closed. Focus. I survey the idyllic scene around me. This 60 x 110 yard plot of land is the place I call home. The field, that shiny viridescent grass blazing in all its synthetic glory. My cleats dig into the microscopic rubber pellets underfoot. Ground up old tennis shoes, worn out tires. The glare of the stadium lights pierces the otherwise nigrescent surroundings. A deep voice, low and guttural booms over the loud speaker. The referee in his dichromatic uniform maintains order. The clinquant bleachers, full of familiar faces staring out in anticipation. We huddle together, sticks in hand, and prepare for the elephantine task that awaits us. Energy pulsates around us, adrenaline rushed, we were ready to fight. Jumping from side to side we raise our sticks. "One. Two. Three. Vikings!". The consonance of our shouts rang out in unison and we stand- linked at the shoulders- immobile for a split second, overcome by the importance of the moment. The buzzer sounds, intermittent and sonorous. The players took their positions. The ball was set in motion. The rest is history.

brisk (adj.) quick and active, lively; sharp and stimulating.

idyllic (adj.) perfect, extremely pleasant, rustic.

viridescent (adj.) slightly green

nigrescent (adj.) blackish

guttural (adj.) harsh, throaty, deep in sound

dichromatic (adj.) having or showing two colors

clinquant (adj.) glittering; tinsel-like

elephantine (adj.) huge, colossal in size

pulsate (v) to expand and contract rhythmically, beat, throb

consonance (n) correspondence of sounds, harmony

this is a story...

With a debut album on the horizon, Andrew McMahon expected big things in 2005. Leukemia wasn’t one of them. The punk-rock party boy lead singer of Jack’s Mannequin and the now disbanded Something Corporate thought he was in control, invincible. At the ripe age of 22 he was living the rockstar dream, signing record deals, partying, performing in front of thousands of screaming fans. But in May 2005, just 3 months before the scheduled release of Everything In Transit, Andrew McMahon found himself repeatedly forced to cancel sold out shows due to voice problems and physical strain. Hospitalized and scheduled for blood work, McMahon awaited the results of a bone marrow biopsy before being dealt an official diagnosis- Acute Lymphatic Leukemia. McMahon described the diagnosis as marking “a substantial shift in the course of my life” and one that would forever influence the music he was to write. 

In the months that followed the unsettling diagnosis, Andrew walked the line between life and death, sprawled across the hospital bed, wires in his arm hooking him to numerous machine. During his first round of chemotherapy he had an extremely close brush with death, as a persistent cough turned into a full-blown case of pneumonia that took a significant toll on his already compromised immune system. For three days McMahon battled a fever so intense his body was packed in ice to try to keep his temperature below 104º. But the natural born fighter soon recovered against all odd, and was, for once, met with a sliver of positive news- the doctors had found a perfect match for a much needed bone marrow transplant in his sister Katie. The transplant set his odds of survival just over 50%, slightly higher than his chances of beating the cancer with chemotherapy. Yet the journey to the transplant would be a difficult one. Preparation for the operating consisted of a combination of radiation and chemo treatments much more intense than the first round. Sores in his mouth that ran all the way down his esophagus prevented him from eating. Shingles on his stomach and back attacked his nervous system. His fingernails cracked and split down the middle and his feet swelled. But as the date of the transplant neared- August 23, the exact date of the release of Jack’s Mannequin’s debut album Everything in Transit- his spirits were high despite poor physical conditions. The stem cells from his sister were to be his cure. On August 23, he wrote in a blog entitled “And it all collides on one fateful Tuesday,”

 “On this strange day in August, the most perfectly bizarre coincidence of my life will take place. The culmination of years of work and inspiration now falls on the same day that I will be transfused with stem cells from my sister to fight the monster huddled within my marrow. I can say for the first time that I am not afraid, and while this is a feeling that can undoubtedly change with time, I feel cradled by this universe and the immense love that comes from it. I feel blessed for the music that has filled my life and connected me to so many people on so many levels. I sit her on the eve of this album’s release and the eve of my rebirth into this world and realize that no two events could be more perfectly timed.”

100 short days after the transfusion, McMahon walked out of the hospital a new man and returned, after being absent for more than six months, to the place he called home: the stage. A bald-headed bag of bones, he was weak as could be, but nevertheless, back where he belonged. And the experiences of the months he spent fighting for his life inside that hospital, and the outlook on life he gained there, have forever changed his music. The Glass Passenger, Jack’s Mannequin’s second album, released September 30 of this year, reflects on McMahon’s brush with death, but it is more than “the cancer chronicles.” It is encouraging, it is hopeful, it is the story of one man’s survival. It is freedom from the past, vulnerability, and gratitude. Each and every one of the fourteen tracks on this album was written with a unique and inspirational perspective on life and a thankfulness for each new day that can only come from the threat of having it all taken away.  An eight minute track entitled “Caves,” a beautiful conglomeration of soulful piano chords fused with upbeat guitar rifts parallels McMahon’s battle between life and death, his initial desperation but eventual triumphant recovery. 

“Caves” begins in a quietly reflective tone, a falsetto voice paired with soft piano melodies. In an interview in which he discussed his new album, McMahon addressed this track, explaining that each of the nine verses in the song describes a different hospital visit. Therefore, the song follows the logical progression of time that elapsed between the initial diagnosis of his disease and his final discharge from the hospital several long months later. The first verse conjures up images of “clicking machines,”  and “the quiet of compazine,” a drug prescribed to combat the nausea and vomiting induced by radiation treatments. Throughout the song, the repetition of the line “the walls caved in” describes the despair experienced by the speaker as he feels his hopes and dreams for the future crumbling down around him amidst the claustrophobic and confining walls of a hospital. In the second verse, the lines “my bird dressed in white, and she stings my arm in the night” relate the nurses who frequently inserted IVs, central lines, and drew blood for dozens of tests, to the gentle, peaceful image of a bird singing quietly. As the song continues, the listeners experience a shift from the initial anguish to a slightly more hopeful tone with the lyrics “I lay still, still I’m ready to fight.” In this verse, the poet begins to reveal the positive spirits and encouragement to fight that persisted amidst physically challenging situations. This insight continues with the next line “have my lungs but you can’t take my sight.” The author relies on the literal use of the word “lungs,” referencing the pneumonia that attacked his respiratory system, in juxtaposition with the metaphorical meaning of sight to convey the message that though the cancer could attack his body and leave him for dead, it could never grab hold of his spirit, his hopes, dreams, and visions for the future. The song continues along the timeline of McMahon's battle for his life, coming finally to his cure, his transplant, described as "the marrows colliding in rebirth." The speaker describes this liberating experience as "the walls fell and there I lay saved." 

The end of this verse marks not only the end of his battle, but also a departure from the slow, reflective and melodious piano prelude that comprises the first half of the song. Just as it seems the song were to end, the music builds and the song erupts in a fury of guitar chords. The second half of the song assumes a sort of cathartic tone with a purging of emotion on the speaker's part as he reflects on this part of his past. It is at this moment in the song that the listeners truly begin to understand the meaning of "Caves," and that of the entire album: overcoming obstacles. But more than just jumping the hurdles thrown our way, life is about reflecting on the past but realizing that it is just that: the past. In the second half of the song McMahon repeatedly emphasizes his desire to move on from this chapter in his life, and encourages his listeners to do the same. With lines like "think it's time I broke some glass, get this history off my mind," and "like the past never happened, and time did not exist for us at all," Andrew McMahon finishes the story of his battle against leukemia, realizing that it was, in some strange way, a wake up call. It was a departure from the life he was used to living. Forced to fight for his life everyday, McMahon quickly came to realize just how precious this thing called time really is.  This insight, this notion of living in the present and seizing each moment, is one that is rarely gained so early on in life. McMahon understands that this unique perspective will forever change the way he writes music. But he also understands the opportunities he has to share this insight with millions of fans and followers who may stumble upon his lyrics in the same state of mind he was just 3 short years ago. It is for these reasons that "The Glass Passenger," and tracks such as "Caves" are more than just a chronicle of the life of a cancer patient. They are encouragements and inspirations to all who listen.

Even for those who pick up a Jack's Mannequin album unaware of the lead singer's battle with leukemia and the affects it had on their music, it is obvious that this piano-rock band from Southern California is a unique blend of pop, soul, indie and alternative rock unlike any other. The band transcends classification into any one genre, mixing sounds reminiscent of Rush, the Beach Boys, Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Fleetwood, all of which were listed as influential in the songwriting career of Andrew McMahon. But McMahon believes in making a name for himself, one that is distinctly and identifiably Jack's Mannequin. One that others turn to for inspiration, the album people put on when they need to be reminded that music will save them when they're not so sure they'll survive. 

"The sun rose for all of us today but for me it meant more than most sunrises of my near 24 years. It meant that this year had past and a new one had begun. It meant that the wires were undone and the scars were just scars, and yes, that it's time to move on. In this year I have seen dark places and I have seen some places flooded with light that I never knew existed. I have walked to the door of death and never felt more alive and I have learned something that is inherent whether we choose to live knowing it or not. That we are just pieces of this crazy universe, floating through space like every other piece of this crazy universe. You don't have to push or pull or fight or win, the struggle is illusory. Sometimes or rather, all times, you just have to be."

"Caves"

I'm caught
Somewhere in between
Alive
And living a dream.
No peace
Just clicking machines
In the quiet of compazine.
The walls caved in on me.

And she sings
My bird dressed in white.
And she stings
My arm in the night.
I lay still
Still I'm ready to fight.
Have my lungs
But you can't take my sight.
The walls caved in
Tonight.

And out here
I watch the sun circle the earth
The marrows collide in rebirth
In God's glory praise
The spirit calls out from the Caves.
The walls fell and there I lay
Saved.
 
The walls are caving in
As far as I can see.
The walls are caving in
The doors got locked for sure
There's no one here but me

Beat my body like a rag doll
you stuck the needles in my hip
Said 'we're not gonna lie
Son, you just might die
Get you on that morphine drip, drip'
 
The walls are caving in
As far as I can see
The walls are caving in
The doors got locked for sure
There's no one here but me
 
I fought a war to walk a gang plank
Into a life I left behind
Windows leading to the past
Think it's time I broke some glass
 
Get this history off my mind
And what if we were married forever?
Like the past never happened
And time did not exist for us at all
I still think we'd still be traveling together
Through all kinds of weather
Everything's a piece of everyone

As far as I can see
Walls are caving in
Doors got locked for sure
But I see these doors have keys

Walls are caving in
As far as I can see
The walls are caving in
Doors got locked for sure
There's no one here but me
There's no one here but me
No one here but me, yeah.
There's no one here but me
No one here but me

the mind travels faster...

... than the heart but doesn't go as far.

Emotion versus reason, or simply put listening to your heart versus listening to your head, is a dilemma which humanity is faced with on the road to making every decision, whether major or minor. As students and intellectuals, we are often told to heed the advice of our head, our conscience. We are told that decisions based solely on emotion are skewed, corrupted, faulty, feeble, irresponsible. We are told that when we react in a certain way based on passion or emotion without fully thinking through the possible implications of our actions we will, most likely, find ourselves regretting such a hasty decision. Yet, this advice, intended to prevent us from making mistakes we will regret for the rest of our lives, doesn't account for the dichotomy between brain and heart, emotion and reason, thinking and feeling.  I'm not advocating that we simply ignore our consciences and do whatever we feel whenever we feel, regardless of consequences. I just have to believe that there is life beyond cold, calculating and concise decision making. That sometimes, when we are faced with choosing between what our heart tells us we feel and what our brain tells us is safe, hasty, emotional, and passionate decisions might end up being the best ones we've ever made. If we focus too much on thinking with our brains that we forget to feel with our hearts, humanity faces a fate as bleak, emotionless and robotic as the conformists of the Brave New World.