A Summer full of Weekend

So this summer pretty much blew. Nothing exciting or noteworthy happened at all. And, despite my plans to put something exciting and noteworthy in this magazine, that didn't happen either. Most of this year's highly anticipated summer movies didn't live up to the hype. "Star Wars Episode II" came and went with half the fanfare of the obviously worse predecessor "The Phantom Menace." \nThe summer pretty much lacked any exciting concerts, and this can be reflected by the lack of ticket sales and the many buy-one-get-one-free ticket offers at the Verizon Wireless Music Center. The most promising concert, Weezer and The Strokes, saw The Strokes back out a couple days before the show.\nMusic pretty much stood at a standstill, while record companies tried to push bands like The Strokes, The Hives, The White Stripes and The Vines through the wall that's been up around rock n' roll since the unique Seattle-grunge sound lost its uniqueness. While these bands are good, they aren't going to be rock's saviors.\nThis is the last not-exciting issue of Weekend this summer. Usually Weekend doesn't publish in the summer. We take a big break from May to September. But this year we decided it needed to go year round in order to become a "household" name. \nWe started with a lot of hope. We were going to get great interviews with bands, actors, directors and other stars. Then class started, and my understaffed group and I struggled to bring you a readable entertainment magazine. For the size of my staff, we managed to accomplish a lot. For those who were pleased by this summer's Weekend, thank you. For those who thought it sucked. Stay tuned.\nWeekend shifts back into gear the last week of August with a brand new editor, staff and the numbers to deliver a high-quality entertainment publication. With no doubt in my mind, the fall semester's Weekend staff will return the magazine to what it had just started to do: entertain with well informed and interesting articles and reviews. \nNow, I'm not ripping on my staff this semester. Our review sections were as solid as ever, and when our features writers had the time they needed to write a story, they did so with flying colors. Most of our problems came from a lack of writers and a design editor. This limited the magazine to only 12 pages an issue, which leaves space only for one feature.\nBut no one really cares do they? In fact, you aren't even reading anymore.\nThis is my last article ever in the IDS and probably any other publication. I plan on pursuing a career in newspaper design and probably won't be writing at all. Oh well, I'm not heartbroken. I will miss writing movie reviews though, despite the fact that no one ever agrees with a critic. (Listen people, critics are supposed to criticize movies more than praise. If it was the oppostie, they'd be called praisics).\nMy six years at the IDS and in Bloomington have been wonderful. This paper has given me a great education and a lot of good opportunities, and without it I don't have any clue where I'd be right now.\nHere's some lasting advice on entertainment I've picked up on while living and working in B-town:\n1. Don't hate music because it's popular, and don't like music because it's not popular. If you are this type of person, then the music's not important to you anyway, trying to look original is. Newsflash: You're not original, no one is. Deal with it. For every type of person, you can find another person just like them, and that includes myself. Listen to music because it's good and you like it, not because of what other people will think. \n2. On the other hand, don't like a certain type of music because its cool to like it. That's lame too. Stop and listen to what you're being force-fed. Also, open your ears to music that's not on the radio. It's usually better. \n3. Think about movies objectively. Think about whether it was a "good movie" or whether you "liked it." I could like the Spice Girls movie, but I know it completely sucks. Just like "Crossroads" with Ms. Spears. I didn't like it, and it sucked. But, I know people who really liked it. The problem occurs when they think it's a good movie. Because it's not. In fact, if you thought "Crossroads" was a good movie, than you are a big idiot when it comes to movies. You are a complete and utter, mindless moron. But if you liked "Crossroads" and know it wasn't a good movie, then you aren't stupid. Besides, Britney's career is over. She's taking a break. Remember what happened when the New Kids took a break?\n4. Read IDS Weekend. Its the best place to find out what's happening. I have nothing else to say. Goodbye.