Jeff's Weblog

Damn It Feels Good To Be a Hacka

(With apologies to the Geto Boys and anyone reading this.)

->Verse 1<-

Damn it feels good to be hacka
A real hacka-ass coder gets his types right
A real hacka-ass coder never runs his fuckin mouth
Cuz real hacka-ass coders don't start fights
And coders always gotta high cap
Showin' all his boys how he eval em
But real hacka-ass coders don't flex nuts
Cuz real hacka-ass coders know they got em
And everythings cool in the mind of a hacka
Cuz hacka-ass coders think deep
Up three-sixty-five a year 24/7
Cuz real hacka ass coders don't sleep

And all I gotta say to you
Wannabe, gonnabe, untyped, void castin' prankstas
Cuz when the core dumps down what the fuck you gonna do
Damn it feels good to be a hacka

->Verse 2<-

Damn it feels good to be a hacka
Typin' the terms and helpin out the checkas
Although I was brought up codin' C
Now I'm in the repl makin' lambdas
Damn it feels good to be a hacka
I mean one that you don't really know
Codin' around bugs wit' a case-mod Cray
Hittin' buttons in my black model-M
Now hacka-ass coders come in all shapes and colors
Some got pnz3d in the past
But this hacka here is a smart one
Started living for the types and I'll last

And all I gotta say to you
Wannabe, gonnabe, untyped, void castin' prankstas
When the bus error comes what the fuck you gonna do
Damn it feels good to be a hacka

Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov

My copy of Vladimir's Nabokov's infamous novel, Lolita, quotes a Vanity Fair review claiming it is "[T]he only convincing love story of our century." Vanity Fair is wrong. While Lolita is convincing, it is not a love story; rather Nabokov writes about lust, obsession, and immorality.

Humbert Humbert, the lecherous protagonist, is a curious character. He is a well read scholar, handsome, and socially adept. The novel's first person narration, coupled with Nabakov's careful diction and sophisticated rhetoric, strongly support such positive impressions. Humbert's private obsession with nymphets, as he dubs his young would-be conquests, stands in stark contrasts to his civilized exterior. Although Humbert actions are unequivocally deplorable, he is often hard to hate. Anyone can make demonize a rapist, but only a truly skilled novelist can humanize one.

The other characters are obscured by Humbert's sociopathy. The lines surrounding Dolores Haze (Lolita) are so full of irrational flattery, it is impossible to separate the girl from Humbert's id. Likewise, the protagonist's feelings for the adult women in his life, a peculiar mix of apathy, jealousy and disdain, overwhelm any objective description. As the reader is unable to distinguish the supporting characters from the protagonist's state of mind, the resulting characterizations are interesting both as individuals and as a reflection of Humbert.

Although Nabokov was a Russian emigree, Lolita is American novel. The author drops his characters into classic americana settings: the highways to California, sleepy New England towns, suffocating suburbia, southwestern thunderstorms and dilapidated roadside motels. Nabokov entered the United States in 1940, and lived here for fifteen years prior to publishing Lolita. His views of the country are reminiscent of Hemmingway's vision of Paris. Each examined his adopted home with a foreigner's detachment, and understood it perhaps more fully than any native.

Schoolyard Heroes at Graceland

Sergey and I drove through a torrential downpour to see Seattle rockers Schoolyard Heroes open for Three Days Grace. I saw Schoolyard several weeks ago at the Capitol Hill Block Party, and was blown away by their high energy and original sound.

The Schoolyard Heroes play an aggressive post-punk. Although unafraid to scream, lead vocalist Ryann Donnelly sings with a refreshingly melodic voice which complements, but does not overwhelm, the heavy guitar and bass riffs laid down by Steve Bonnell and Jonah Bergman. Brian Turner's drums provide a solid foundation for the band's fast-moving numbers. The resulting sound is powerful, and reminds me of a louder, darker and more intense Save Ferris.

Graceland's stage is a small, but provided sufficient space for the band to perform. Steve attacked his bass the flair of a lead guitarist. However, the real stage show is Ryann. One moment she looks almost shy, awestruck by the lights and the crowd; the next she is screaming and writhing with music. Some female rockers sell themselves with sex appeal. Ryann doesn't. Although she is undeniably cute, she moves to express the music, not flaunt herself. Indie rockers don't, as a rule, dance, but Ryan does, and she does so well.

The Schoolyard Heroes, put on a fantastic stage show and play innovative music. Their set was well worth a trip in the rain. I hope to see (and hear) a lot more of them soon.

First Post

All the cool kids are blogging. Clearly, I should be too.