Introduction to a bench

You know I had to do it to them 
Photo from October 2017

Hey everyone, Matthew Boensch (pronounced like "bench") here! I am a sophomore and an MIS major in Price college. I am originally from the south Philly/Jersey area, but have been living in North Dallas for the past couple of years. While I have picked up "Y'all" while living in Texas, much of my Northeastern slang has not left me and tends to come out when I am talking casually. I listen to all music, and I mean all music, so if you have any obscure or unpopular songs or genres you like, please drop a link cause I love discovering new stuff to bump to! While my music goes from Japanese EDM to ancient Mongolian throat singing, the stuff I listen to most of the time is underground and old school hip-hop, as well as lofi. I love playing all sports, even if I'm not too good at them. I played Offensive line in high school, as well competing in field events during track season. I am a huge super hero fan, though I don't read comics or graphic novels. I'm more of a TV/movie kind of guy, so I really like the Marvel movies and Netflix shows. Sadly, there is little DC influence in TV/movies, but I always preferred DC over Marvel. When it comes down to super heroes, there is no doubt who my favorite is, Green Lantern! Let me clarify, I am talking about John Stewart, the African American Green Lantern portrayed in the Justice League cartoons from the early 2000's, not the very poorly made Green Lantern film with Ryan Reynolds. This is actually how my interest in super heroes began, by watching Saturday morning cartoons as a child. Lastly, I love learning about folklore and mythology, as I was one of the "Percy Jackson" kids in middle school. I think I loved learning about the gods of each pantheon because they were like super heroes to me. Hermes was like The Flash, Artemis was like Hawkeye, and Thor was like... well, Thor. I have some slight knowledge of Indian folklore from middle school, but I am excited to refresh my memory and learning some new stories, I look forward to reading and commenting on your blogs throughout the semester. Boomer!

Comments

  1. Hi Matt!

    Your intro was so fun to read! Your background is so interesting and I love how broad your music interests are. I also listen to very broad ranges of music, but it is not as extensive as yours! I think you should check out some 90s Bollywood music. It'll kind of dip your toes into Indian culture and the songs are classics. They are so fun to listen to even if you don't understand it. And if you're interested in international movies, you should definitely watch some Bollywood movies! There are a lot on Netflix and they all have subtitles. Some of the best are 3 Idiots and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Funny enough the latter film has my name in it and the infamous line in the movie also uses my name, so I get references from friends all the time haha. I think since you like the Greek Mythology you will surely love Hindu epics. They are just as fascinating and there is even some actual proof for some of the events that occurred in the Ramayana.

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  2. Hi Matt! I was born in New Jersey and my mom was born and raised in Jersey! Even though we've been in OK for 12 years, she still has her thick Jersey accent and apparently my friends say I have a slight accent too!
    I am the opposite to you when it comes to sports, I cant play anything that involves a ball, BUT I can run! I was in cross country and track in high school.
    I also enjoy watching the Marvel movies. I am super stoked about the Captain Marvel and Avengers: End Game movies that are coming out soon!

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  3. Hello Matt :)
    Reading your introduction was very interesting. I am from Baltimore, Maryland and can completely understand having the Northeastern slang in the South. However, I have not picked up "y'all." I love all types of music as well. If you have a shot, listen to: Jacob Banks, Raleigh Ritchie, Cosmo Sheldrake and there are many more linked to those. I enjoy playing a wide array of sports, such as: football, tennis, softball, volleyball and swim. Not that I am necessarily good at them, but I do enjoy them. Why did you move? If you don't mind my asking.

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  4. Hi Matt! I am surprised to see that you watched the old justice league cartoons. I used to have those on DVD as a child and would watch them constantly. Did you ever watch Young Justice, and if so, did you enjoy it? I think DC does a fantastic job with the animated movies/TV series. It makes up for some of the movies they have made.

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  5. Hi Hi Matt!! I'm curious as to why you liked that particular variant of green lantern. I remember my favorite superhero when I was a kid; it was the Sam Raini Spider man, because he wasn't overpowered and so it always felt like he might really lose. I remember that I once heard a professor explain how comic book superheros are actually very similar to old pagan gods. They are both generally superhuman individuals who are written with constant feedback from their audiences, which molded them into representations of the cultures that produced them, among other similarities.

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  6. Hey Matt!
    I am not sure how to forgive that you are a DC fan over Marvel, but I know you DC fans are having it hard with the movies, so maybe I'll let it slide! :D I'm not sure if you've ever listened to music from the Caribbean, like soca, dancehall or reggae but I would definitely suggest any of those genres! One recent popular song is "Toast" by Koffee which is more modernised reggae. Hope you enjoy it if you check it out! It was nice to meet you!
    -Daana

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  7. You are lucky to have a fun last name like that, Matt! My memories of elementary school are of being called "Turkey Giblets" ha ha; Bench is definitely better than Gibbs! And if you are into Mongolian throat-singing, you should definitely explore some of the far reaches of Indian music this semester; there is so much to listen to that may be different from anything you have heard before. And have you seen Genghis Blues? That beautiful movie is how I first learned about throat-singing! Highly recommended! And even Rick Riordan is getting into Indian mythology at last; he sponsored this FABULOUS book in his "Rick Riordan Presents" series: Aru Shah and the End of Time: A Pandava Novel Book 1 (Pandava Series) ... it's full of characters from the Mahabharata. So if you want to read this book in the free reading weeks at the end of the semester, just let me know: it would be a great reading option. I thought it was one of the best books I read last year!

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  8. Hi Matt, this is Zachary. I enjoyed reading your introduction post! Interesting that you are an MIS Major! I had to take the first level MIS class here at OU last fall semester, for some reason it is on my degree sheet even though it is far from what I want to do with my career choice. Hope you enjoy your time here at OU and wish you luck in your degree!

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  9. Hey Matt!
    Bruh I really enjoyed reading through your introduction, you seem like someone I'd like to get to know! I included a pun in my intro too, I love dad jokes. I don't think I have any music recommendations for you but I'm a really big EDM fan and also half Japanese so definitely please hmu with your Japanese EDM recommendations any time!

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  10. Hi Matt!
    Nice picture and suit! If you love all music, you should definitely listen to the new Ariana Grande album. Yes, I know.. This is probably a very mainstream suggestion, but it is still awesome! I'm from North Dallas too! I hope you're loving it. I bet it is a complete culture shock from what you are accustomed to. Good luck this semester!

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  11. Hey Matt! I'm originally from Maryland, and I too have found that I've adopted y'all after living in Oklahoma for the past three years! I've never heard Mongolian throat singing, but I'm definitely going to have to give it a shot. I really love Middle Eastern music, if you're looking for a new genre to get into! Here's a link to a unique Radiohead cover done by a Middle Eastern artist:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Xt4ObtKas
    If you've never heard German metal music before, I also recommend looking up the band Rammstein and having that experience.

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  12. Hey Matt! Imagining someone with a northeastern accent saying the word y'all just makes my day. I love that. That is one of the coolest part about a University, you have people from around the world and around the country all in the same place to learn. I hope to read some of your stories later on and good luck with the rest of your semester Matt!

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  13. Hi Matt,

    It is nice to meet you. I hope you are having a great semester so far. Your introduction was great, and I thought the title of your intro was funny! I like how you have such diverse genres of music that you enjoy. Unfortunately, my taste in music is pretty limited. I also enjoyed watching Percy Jackson growing up. I love movies that are similar to that series, and am also a pretty big Sci-Fi lover as well. I am excited to learn more Indian Epics and strengthen my writing skills. I hope you get everything you desire and more out of this class.

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  14. Hello Matt! I'd like to start off by saying... I was a Percy Jackson kid too. I got way too into it and I love it still. Even though the movies absolutely suck and I haven't watched them in a long time I still think about them. Especially how the lotus scene was depicted even though that whole timeline is messed up. ANYWAYS. Thank you for enlightening me on the different interpretations of super heroes and I hope I get to see a bit of both fandoms in your writing!

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  15. Matt, it is nice to meet you! I myself am into superheroes and whole heartedly agree with you that John Stewart is the best green lantern of them all. I remember watching Justice League animated cartoons and remember how much fun that was. In fact, I still do re-watch the DC animated movies and cartoons. That is something that I appreciate about DC, they have a strong presence in the animated sector. On top of that the stories they write for their animated series are top notch. I hope that this translates into their movies as they are investing more in live action movies.

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  16. Hey Matt,
    I'm actually and MIS major too so that's pretty cool! I also listen to basically every type of music out there! I love music and I feel like it's more fun when you don't limit yourself to one specific genre. I thought your introduction was really interesting to read. It seems like you have a lot of fun interests and hobbies! This class seems like it is a really good fit based on what you've said about yourself. Good luck with the rest of your semester and those MIS classes!

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  17. Hey Matt,
    It’s really nice to meet you. It’s interesting that you listen to all kinds of music. I would recommend listening to some Indian music cause that’s primarily what I listen to. It’s great that you are a MIS major. Do you have any plans for what you’re going to do next after you graduate from college? Anyway, I really liked your introduction and hope you have a great rest of the semester.

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  18. Hey Matt! Thank you for the last name pronunciation, I think its interesting when people have names that everyone mispronounces but it's actually so much more simple than people imply. I love how you like all kinds of music because I grew up listening to everything my parents did and my friends, so my music variety is vast and I appreciate other people who have open minds about different kinds of music!

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  19. Hi Matt! Your introduction made me smile! I thought I had a different name and a tough time with people pronouncing my name incorrectly but I have nothing on your last name! At least Matt is a pretty simple one to get correct. My understanding of DC vs Marvel is limited as I just realized the two were different upon reading your introduction :-) you learn something new every day!

    I'm dropping some tracks below!! I don't really have favorite songs these are just some at the top of my Spotify playlist

    BTSTU (edit) Jai Paul
    The Wave, R3HAB & Lia Marie Johnson
    Trndsttr (feat M. Maggie) - Lucian Remix
    REVOFEV Kid Cudi

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  20. Howdy Matt. You mentioned that you like Japanese EDM and all sorts of other music, so I'm gonna recommend you a cool genre. It's called City Pop, it's basically just Japanese pop from the 80s but there are a lot of totally undiscovered gems. If I had to recommend some songs to start they'd be Plastic Love - Mariya Takeuchi, Track 7 off Cindy's album: "Angel Touch", basically anything by Anri, and then Toshiki Kadomatsu - Fly By Day, Offshore & Summer Emotions, and Hatsu Koi. There are some bangers in this genre and it's great music for just driving around and chilling in summer/spring. It's practically all I ever listen to anymore. Anyways, take care man!

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  21. Hi Matt!

    I can tell from your post that you have such a big, happy personality! I never liked super hero movies until I watched Captain Marvel! Now I want to see all of the Marvel movies just so I can understand all of the Easter eggs in that movie. If I had to pick a favorite super hero, I would probably say Captain Marvel just because she doesn't seem to have a flaw (which a lot of people have criticized the film for). Good luck on your last two years!

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  23. Hi Matt!
    I listen to a huge range of music as well! I appreciate that you are always down to discover new music because that is one of my favorite things to do. I'm always listening to my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, and I'm always changing/making new playlists to listen to. My little brother has always loved superhero movies, and so I have seen just about every one of them. I haven't seen Green Lantern though, so I'm going to have to add that one to my list!

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  24. Hi Mathew! So nice to meet you! I’m also a big fan of superheroes. I have to definitely agree with you that DC is so much better than Marvel; however, I will always love watching the Marvel movies. I can’t get enough of watching them. With that being said, have you seen the most recent release “Captain Marvel”? I haven’t watched it yet, but it’s definitely the next movie I’m going to go watch.

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  25. Hi Matt!
    So if you haven't seen Captain Marvel yet, go. It might make you a Marvel fan, instead of a DC fan. My dad is a DC fan because of the comic books and he really enjoyed and is more on the Marvel side than I have ever seen him. It is so good! I am always in the market for new music and I have a really open mind and you seem like the right person to hit up, so if you have any suggestions???

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  26. Hey Matt!
    If you really want to test your limits for "musical experiences" take a listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaIByDlFINk

    It's a post-tonal 20th century piano work by composer Henry Cowell wherein rather than playing the instrument like a normal human, he opens up the piano and rubs the strings in a way in which he felt resembled the sounds of a Banshee coming to steal the souls of the damned. While listening to these kind of pieces gives me no real audible pleasure, it is fascinating how much emotion they still are able to evoke. Also, you can see how atonality really shaped movie music, especially in horror!
    I agree with you on your super hero opinions. DC has the cooler heroes, but Marvel just has the movie formula down so well. I just saw Captain Marvel, which honestly just felt like a two hour exposition for the next avengers movie, and now I'm pumped for End Game to come out!

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  27. Hey there Matt,
    I feel you with the move to OU and the slang change. I'm from Illinois so it was as drastic of a switch, but I have definitely picked up stuff from here. Comic book superheroes are great, and I am the same with not reading actual comic books. Jumping in now seems kind of hard, so I might as well not.... Because of Marvel's cinematic presence I would have to say that I am more of a Marvel guy but it's not that I don't like DC. I just haven't had the exposure yet, and hopefully they get their act together on that front. Anyways, I'm sure my thoughts are similar to everyone else's on that topic.

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  28. Hi Matt!

    Wow, I thought I had a diverse selection of music, but since reading your introduction, you have definitely shown me up! How did you diversify your taste in music? It is actually quite impressive. My favorite genres of music are probably hip-hop/rap/r&b (especially early 2000's), EDM, and pop (from any part of the world really), and some raggaeton music!

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  29. Saaaah Dude.

    Alright I'm back with more City Pop recommendations. I'm actually listening right now to "Dance in the Sweet Memories" by Meiko Nakahara. Definitely one of my top five favorites if not my most favorite song in the genre. I didn't mention any Tatsuro Yamashita songs last time because personally I don't like his style or his singing voice all that much, but I would remiss if I left out some of his songs. His album "For You" is my favorite from him, definitely his best and probably most famous song is "Sparkle" and my other favorite on the album is "Morning Glory", he also did the music for this anime movie "Mirai no Mirai", the opening song "Mirai no Theme" is probably my third favorite from him.

    Fun fact, Mariya Takeuchi and Tatsuro Yamashita are actually married. They often cover each other's songs, although I think that Mariya Takeuchi's covers of Tatsuro's songs are better than the inverse. I can't stand the Tatsuro Yamashita cover of Plastic Love.

    Okay okay I know but two more songs.

    Mariya Takeuchi - Shiawase no Monosashi
    Junko Yagami - Kashimiya no Hohoemi

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  30. Howdy Matt,

    Sooner! I had to. Thanks for the pronunciation check because I definitely would not have guessed that pronunciation in a million years. I was born and raised in Texas, so it always makes me smile when people pick up the y'all and ain't slang words. You seem like a super interesting person with an abundance of varying interests. Well, best of luck on the closing few weeks of the semester!

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  31. Hey Matt!
    If you're looking for an amazing artist who is not super widely recognized, try out Zoe Boekbinder. My favorite song by her is Typewriter Girl. As for the slang thing, I definitely relate. I used to hate "Y'all". Then I started saying it ironically, and now its part of my vocabulary. I have maintained my very Midwestern habit of saying "Ope" though. Lol. Anywho. Best of luck this semester!

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  32. Hey Matt!
    It was great getting to know you through your intro blog post! My best friend got a degree in MIS and is doing so well. It's such a great degree! I wish you the best in school and your future career! I'm excited to see more of your work!
    ~Sooner~

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  33. Hi Matt! Great to meet you! First off I really like your last name. I too have a different last name. Most people call me by my last name. Is it the same for you? How are you enjoying Oklahoma coming from Jersey? Things are mighty different here with our horses and all! Good luck with the rest of the class!

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  34. I introduced my roommate to Mongolian throat singing and until now, I have only known two people who enjoyed it - me and him. But now I know three people! I think my music tastes are similar to yours - I like whatever has a bopping melody, or whatever I can relax and listen to, whether that be hip-hop, J-rock, K-pop, metal, etc. Very nice to meet you, Matt!

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  35. Hi Matt,

    I feel you with the “y’all,” I’ve definitely began to pick it up myself…

    That’s cool that your musical and athletic tastes are so, so broad. Must make for an interesting time. I also have a very broad and strange music collection, ranging from Indian classical/funk fusion to 20’s jazz to pop metal, and the reactions I get are quite something.

    Best,
    A.M.

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  36. Hey Matthew,
    I love your wide range of music! I like to listen to English, Korean, and Spanish music whether it be rap, R&B, indie, etc. You should listen to Bad Bunny. He is my favorite reggaeton artist. He is so creative and you can see how he expresses it though his music. I loved watching cartoons on Saturday mornings. Unfortunately, I had Korean school on Saturday mornings and my mom never believed me when I said I was "sick".
    Joanna

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  37. Hi Matt!

    First off, let me start by saying that y'all is an incredibly useful word, that I didn't realize I was missing out on until I moved to Texas, so I can definitely relate to that being the only southern slang you use. I also watch a lot of Marvel content, including Agents of Shield on Netflix, which is a surprisingly good TV series if you're looking for something to watch. Nice to meet you!

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