The Pasty Journalist

New Dog

2011-08-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted - but folks...meet Jade

The Beatles' White Album - It's Everything You Want It To Be

2008-12-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

As a friend of mine said "The White Album is officially middle aged."

To honor The White Album's birthday, I had a few drinks of Basil Hayden and listened to the album from front to back. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a jingle out of my head: "Visa - it's everywhere you want to be." And sort of like a DJ Dangermouse mash-up, I started to think how The White Album can fit in almost every popular music genre as a metaphor.

First off, I have to look with a great degree of skepticism for people who list The White Album as their favorite album of all time and fawn over every single track. That worship sort of reeks of hippie desperation. Every track, really? "Honey Pie," "Revolution #9," "Ob-La-Di, Ob La Da"? I can definitely see why the album is perceived as a masterpiece in the way that some epic albums are greater than the sum of their parts.

One group of people who would be lost without The White Album has to be music critics. The album has been used to describe albums that fit so many facets. For good, The White Album encouraged artists to go wild and throw all of their energy and ideas into a grand statement. And for ill, that same album showed that even the best bands can succumb to self-indulgent excess and showcased the need for an editor at the control panel. That is why the album fits so well in describing albums from almost every popular genre.

For example, The White Album is brought up to describe the following albums that are common in almost every genre, such as...

The Album Where An Artist Or Band Every Musical Element They Can Into An Album -
Along with standard rockers, Extreme pack everything from sappy 60s ballad arrangements, funk and a gargantuan three-part opus into their latest album. In essence, III Sides to Every Story is Extreme's The White Album.

The Album That Is Made Despite The Fact The Band Refuses To Be In The Same Studio Together -
With Andre 3000 free to explore his affinity for the jazz, show tunes and the abstract in general, and Big Boi free to do what he does best, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below can be regarded as Outkast's version of The White Album.

A Double Album That Could Have Used Some Pruning -
See Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Wu-Tang-Clan's Wu-Tang Forever or that god-awful Red Hot Chili Peppers double-album. What's worse, each of the White Album's sides (on CD) is around 45 minutes whereas most groups of today who want to make double albums unwisely push each side to the 60-minute mark.

It seems like The Beatles' music reflects the music of today in terms of what many critics regard as the greatest Beatles album. In the '80s, where production was at the forefront, Sgt. Peppers was regarded as the greatest Beatles album by many critics. But in the late'90s and this decade, when the arrival of scaled-down bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes came along, it seems like Revolver became the album of choice for critics. Who knows what music environment would have to be fostered to have The White Album regarded as the best Beatles album in the future. But don't rule out the possibility...

Just listen to it already

2008-06-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

This past week, I bought Chuck Berry's Chess selection, the two-disc treatment of Pavement's Crooked Rain Crooked Rain and Coldplay's new album. All are going in my iPod. And I hate to say it, but I'm afraid that I'm not going to listen to either of these front-to-back for awhile. The Chuck Berry and Pavement purchases were steals (both got super cheap used). Coldplay was deeply discounted.

Next week comes the dual-disc release of Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville masterpiece along with the new Sigur Ros album. There's so much music that is now readily available and so many great review sites that you can't help but think about picking up an album that gets a '10' from Popmatters, a 9.4 from Pitchfork or an 'A' from The Daily Vault.

What's worse, is the allure of the iPod 30GB. I have it filled to the gills and I'm having trouble finding which five of the 200-so albums on the iPod should get the ax. One of the four discs from the James Brown or Velvet Underground box sets? Hell no - those are disc sets for a reason. a hip-hop CD? No, because I'd need to replace the deleted hip-hop CD with another hip-hop CD.

I remember when a 20-disc jacket was like a gift from the gods when it came to having music to listen to driving around. Now - if my 30 GB iPod is close to being packed, I'm becoming twitchy. At work, one of my greatest pleasures is exchaning a daily shuffle list with one of my friends. Nothing like hearing John Coltrane, followed by the GZA, followed by Elliott Smith, followed by some sampling from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, followed by....you get the idea.

What I would like/need to do is go back to how I lived when I was 15: total immersion of a new purchase. Thus, I will try to do the following for every new album I buy:

listen to it fully at least twice
write a review of it

Ed Bradley - RIP

2006-11-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/10/national/main2170517.shtml

I can't put into words how much I admired him - his work ethic, his approach to a story, his interviewing and most of all - his trailblazing individuality.

Happy 25th MTV

2006-08-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

There have been several, but not a ton of retrospectives about MTV turning 25. Just driving around, I did a quick personal inventory of MTV's impact on me: watching MTV for three solid hours in hopes of catching Michael Jackson's video "Thriller" when it first came out, watching "Headbanger's Ball" with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden hosting, Bill Clinton's "boxers or briefs" statement and watching "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for the first time at around midnight on "120 Minutes."

Ever since it came out, MTV has been bashed by its critics for various reasons. Today, they're bashed for promotion rampant materialism with such shows as "Cribs" and "The Hills" and not showing videos. When it was showing videos, MTV was criticized by showing the wrong videos and for forcing artists to make videos to get an audience - hence the praise that was leveled on Pearl Jam when they stopped making videos.

Two major items I give credit to MTV: it arguably gave the election to Bill Clinton in 1992 and it changed the way information is presented in everything from commercials to classrooms.

First, the election of 1992. MTV decided to become involved on a civic level and started to campaign to "Rock the Vote." Though they tried to maintain balance, it was clear to see they were pushing for Clinton. The rare occasion that Bush was interviewed, the questions were far more confrontational than the ones tossed at Clinton. Bush didn't do himself any favors. In a memorable segment during U2's Zoo TV tour, a clip was played with Bush sr. poking fun that Clinton was taking foreign policy hints from Bono. He quipped that he would consult the experts and Clinton can consult Boy George. With Bono meeting with scores of world leaders (and even Bush jr.), it was goof on George Bush's part. MTV also subtlely incorporated "change" in their voting drive, alluding to the fact that not only get out and vote, but vote for change (e.g. get Bush out of the White House). Still, Bush was doomed with MTV. If he courted the MTV vote, he would seem dated and out of touch, pandering to the MTV audience. As a result of MTV's push, more youth were mobilized to vote and helped Clinton get into the White House (Ross Perot helped out a bit as well).

Now the second impact... the way information is presented. MTV's hyper-editing and use of several, brief cuts - a chop suey effect - has been co-opted everywhere. It used to be youth-oriented products, but now even Right Guard incorporates this type of "extreme editing." Classroom videos have had to adopt such an approach to "compete with the MTV generation." It's led to charges that we're raising a nation of kids who have ADD.

Like it or not, MTV's impact has been enormous. From giving us Madonna to shaping foreign policy, it has arguably changed our cultural landscape more so than any television network in the history of the medium.

Sleater-Kinney goes on infinite hiatus

2006-06-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here's the post from Sleater-Kinney's Website:
http://www.sleater-kinney.com/

If you need any reason to trek to Lollapalooza, it would be to catch this band while you can.
It comes as a shock, especially since they recently moved to Sub-Pop records. And last year's album, The Woods, was one of those albums that could provide a band with a whole new palette of opportunities to pursue (like U2's Achtung Baby).

They will be sadly missed. Still, I think The Woods can easily go up on my Top 5 "best albums to end a career on" list.

Rather uneventful exit

2006-06-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

First off, I apologize for the title pun

Dan Rather's unceremonious exit from CBS is hardly unique. Edward R. Murrow had the same fate as his broadcasts were shoved to the Sunday afternoon graveyard for broadcasting. I can partly blame Rather as the network gave him a fairly respective sendoff from the nightly news. It would have been a dignified way to leave the network altogether and go out - maybe not at the top of his game, but dignified nonetheless. If you're looking for an undignified exit, look no further than Connie Chung's latest exit.

But I understand that when something is so ingrained in your DNA like journalism, leaving the position is akin to being sent to a nursing home. A minor story on 60 Minutes is still a story on national television and after being on the air for the nightly news for more than two decades, any story is better than no story.

I sort of equate Rather to Dan Marino. Marino was a capable quarterback, but his last game he was humiliated by a 62-7 thrashing by the Jaguars. He had ample opportunities to retire before this last game, but he just couldn't do it.

Much has been made about the "changing of the guard" for the nightly news. To some, Katie Couric's assumption of the nightly news throne symbolizes the hyper-competitive nature of journalism. Media has never had a good track record of sending out their old stars on a high note since there's a deep talent pool of energetic, young, hungry reporters and broadcasters who are willing to work punishing hours for little to no pay. But the cynics only need to look at the success of Bob Schiffer to realize that youth doesn't always equal ratings.

A separate note -

Living a dog-free existence hasn't been easy. It's given me time to think about how I would be able to afford a house where I could indeed house a dog, pay for student loans and pay for an eventual car payment whenever my Corolla decides it's had enough. Scores of journalists have been able to do this. But like teachers, most are lucky enough to pay rent for their apartments and student loans.

That said, if I can't have a dog as of now, I can certainly volunteer. I came across this story from the Heartland Weimaraner club and gave a donation. Yes, I know there are homeless shelters that need donations, anti-poverty organizations that need donations. But that still doesn't erase the fact that two dogs were found abandoned under a bridge, both sustained injuries from an apparent hit and run and both will need surgery. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Here's the link to Charlie and Parker's story -

http://www.heartlandweimrescue.org/charlieparker.html

My surrendered dog's brush with superstardom

2006-05-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Larry "Git R Done" The Cable Guy for making a huge donation to Heartland Weimaraner Rescue.

You were only waiting for this moment to be free

2006-05-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm at my desk and it feels like I've swallowed a rock. I've cried two times today.
I woke up, wondering how to handle my new dog. The whining when I have to crate him when I leave. The futility of making the crate appealing. The fear of neighbor complaints.

Heartland Weimaraner Rescue, based out near Kansas City, gave me some great hints. For instance, refer to http://www.caninelullabies.com/ if you want a CD that plays soothing lullabies under the backdrop of a mother's heartbeat. Try kenneling the pup throughout the day, but gradually increasing the time you spend away.

But she called and said she didn't want to pressure me, but a perfect family has inquired about adopting a puppy Weimaraner. The mom stays at home. The dad is a cop. There is another dog to play with. They have kids, a back yard and a loving family. It's more than I can give him. And so, with only two weeks under my belt, I give up Friedman, knowing he is going to a place that I cannot provide right now.

I do this with some comfort. Great comfort in that I know he's going to a great family. I do this knowing I didn't send the dog to the Humane Society (A great organization, but too often abused by people who use it as a dumping ground for pets beyond their control. I can't judge, but if you're in a position where you can no longer keep your pets, please, please inquire into nearby rescue operations before going to the Humane Society. It's costlier, but it will usually give you more peace of mind).

I thought I was numb to music. Lyrics haven't affected me recently, with the exception of Neko Case. Now, almost any song I hear scraps me. Sort of like hearing a general lyric like "I won't forget you..." - and then you get in a situation such as a death or a catastrophic breakup, and all of a sudden, those so-called pedestrian lyrics take on the weight of an anchor.

I'm envisioning my dog running in an open field right now to the tune of the Beatles' Blackbird...

Blackbird singing in the dead of night / Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life / You were only waiting for this moment to arrive
Blackbird singing in the dead of night / Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life / You were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Even boyish Emo-rock...something I'm supposed to be immune to, is moving me to tears, thinking of the Sunday where I give my first dog away...

Hold me in your freezin' arms / Before we have to go.
I wince a little, but it's not because I know the truth / The windshield of your little car is frosted through the glass
A clear heart of air appears as we shiver on the seats / It's the same(It's the same, the same) - Snow Patrol

Heartland Weimaraner Rescue

pics of the new dog

2006-05-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

Colbert's roast

2006-05-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

iFilm.com is a great resource for all sorts of videos. Along with music videos and movie trailers, you can view news reels and "captured on tape" moments. The site has Colbert's speech along with Bush's tight-jawed reaction. To see the video, click this link.

So, much discussion has focused on how Colbert's speech was inappropriate. After all, Bush is the president and no matter how much he openly despises the press, respect should be bestowed upon the office.

True, but Bush hasn't done himself any favors. After all, this is the same man who last year had a staff film a video of him looking around the White House for WMDs during a month of heavy combat in Iraq. Which instance is more offensive?

Jill Carroll released

2006-03-30T06:38:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone already knows, but here's the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060330/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_carroll_released

I'm elated. There are other journalists who have died, been captured and have been wounded from this war. However, I'm not too sure why this case moved me more than others. Most of the journalists over there are not there for the fame - they're there to cover a war that puts them in danger just as much as soldiers and civilians. Many journalists are saying that they are unable to do their jobs because the security situation is so bad that they can't venture out of the 'safe' areas, such as the Green Zone.

One of the criticisms about the war coverage is the wealth of attention spent on covering "the bad news" but not enough covering the good. However, using this logic, if a car bomb detonated near a major marketplace in Chicago or Los Angeles, do you think the press should be criticized if they covered this event extensively and not other events going on in that city at the time, such as a school being opened or a church-sponsored food drive?

Help Me Decide What Book To Read

2006-03-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

I spent about five months plowing through all six of the Harry Potter books. I usually like to balance my non-fiction reading with fiction reading. However, the books I have read since Harry Potter have been the amusing memoir/essay line - specifically Sarah Vowell's Take the Cannoli and Chuck Klosterman's Killing Yourself to Live and Sex, Drugs and Coco-Puffs. Not exactly Sun and the Northern Star or American Theocracy.

So, that said - I'm looking at my 'book to read' list and I'm at a total impasse. Here are my choices:

The Tender Bar - J.R. Moehringer

What's the Matter with Kansas - How Conservatives Won the Heart of America - Thomas Frank

Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlosser

The Osama Bin Laden I Know - Peter Bergen

...any thoughts, suggestions?

Tools of the trade

2006-03-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

Someone just gave me a style guide for the music review Web site they write for. In regards to interviews, the editor requires a person to use a tape recorder.

Fair enough -

But the writer sluffed it off, saying he was glad tape recorders were required because that meant no note taking.

If you're a reporter, you should be laughing - or at least snickering. I kept thinking of the great reporters I read about in Gay Talese's book The Kingdom and the Power. Much of the events Talese documented happened before 1960. The most prominent journalists we learn about in journalism colleges usually had to rely on their notetaking abilities.

I've had my share of recording screw-ups. Be it batteries that fail, or beginning a recording with the end of the tape or those phantom happenings where it records, there's plenty of tape, but when you play it back, you receive absolutely no audio. Tape recorders are invaluable, especially when you're dealing with fast-talking subjects. However, I try to use it only as a supplement.

Sort of like the Internet -

I'm not a knuckle-dragging, anti-techno crusader. I inevitably use the Internet when I'm doing stories. Still - all you have to do is conduct a random search on something you want, but you can't seem to find (e.g. lyrics to Neko Case's "The Needle Has Landed"). You look at all the information that's available and the Internet probably documents less than half of all the stuff you need as a reporter. In some ways, it's more accurate than interview sources because you can easily double and triple-check information. Still, you think of people who are extremely knowledgeable on any topic - and most of them probably don't have the capacity to post a blog because computers "aren't their thing."

Some folks believe the Internet makes reporters lazy. I agree with this to some extent. Tight deadlines and reduced budgets force reporters to remain in the newsroom and not outside - where stories are happening. But doing stuff the "long way" doesn't necessarily make a person hard-working either.

Current listening selections:
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Wire - Pink Flag
Verve - The Complete Verve/Remixed Boxed Set

Ingredients for a great concert

2006-02-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

I saw Jeff Tweedy in Lincoln this past Saturday. The venue was great - a restored theatre. The musician - well, he's Jeff Tweedy (enough said). The set list was acoustic. And it featured whatever the hell Tweedy wanted to play. He's been known to dip way back into his days with Uncle Tupelo. For the few solo dates this year, he's been hitting Mermaid Avenue - Volumes One and Two pretty heavily.

This amounted to a great recipe for a flawless show. The only things that could mar this show would be the inescapable technical glitches and - maybe one or two unruly audience members.

... or a few dozen.

I saw a show that could have easily placed in my Top Five Concerts of All-Time list quickly derail as drunken sorority-age girls yelled out "California Stars!" - repeatedly. Guys with backwards baseball hats raised their arms and yelled out as Tweedy played through painfully quiet numbers like "Someone Else's Song." I can see how excited fans may have a hard time calming themselves down for a show like this - but many other audience members talked to each other - about their jobs, their neighbors, their roommates - with Tweedy simply being in the background, like someone playing at a piano bar.

Tweedy got off some nice blasts. He suggested that he should change the format of the show to be more in the style of a campfire "since you all like to use your mouths so much," he quipped. Tweedy also made the general observation about why it was strange that people would pay $25 to see a show and talk to each other just like they were at a bar ... when there were dozens of bars in the area where they could talk for free.

I took my sister's dogs running this Sunday. The samoyed got unruly. He playfully barked and antagonized a few other dogs. He started humping one of the dogs. Fortunately, the hump-ee sank her teeth into his fur and dragged him down. It's the pack mentality. One dog gets out of line, there's a few dogs in the pack who correct the dog with the attitude. That pack mentality is sorely needed for concerts like the one that was damn near ruined this past Saturday.

Reenergize - and galvanize

2006-02-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

So, I started a new job and I had to quit my job as a freelance writer because of conflicts of interest. I was fine with that - and will dutifully obey. Still, it's hard not to want to be in the game during times like this. Specifically, the controversy over the publication of offensive political cartoons published in a Danish newspaper. The Philadelphia Inquirer was one of the only major U.S. newspapers to publish these comics. Their act deserves to be lauded by newspapers not only in the U.S., but across the world.

The Times Watch (whose usual agenda, I'm not a huge fan of) did a decent summation of the double-standard by most newspapers. It's ironic that newspapers, in general, felt free to publish controversial artwork including Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" and Chris Olfini's "The Holy Virgin Mary", because both pieces triggered protests. Their art became news. However, the protests did not spark the death and destruction caused by the comics produced in the Danish newspaper. As an editor, I may have not published the comics when they first came out because they were offensive. However, the protests and violence sparked by many fundamentalist Muslims have inadvertently made these comics a news item. Most readers want to know what would cause such an outrage. Not publishing these photos is doing a disservice to the general reading audience. I understand the offense that register with many Muslims because of these comics. But taking into account the offense of a segment of the population, I believe these photos need to be published to bring greater insight on this story.

The majority of the United States is Christian. Still, many news editors published the images of the "Piss Christ" because they were using sound journalism judgment. Many ran disclaimers that stated the images on such-and-such page may be offensive for readers. Editors constantly have to weigh not offending religious groups, but in general, if it's newsworthy, many editors publish possibly offensive material. It's sad that fewer mainstream newspapers other than the Philadelphia Inquirer owned up to their responsibility for providing news to readers.

On a side note, the late comic Bill Hicks would have loved this. It's irony in its truest form: A group protests the depiction of their group appearing to be bloodthirsty terrorists... by killing people and setting fire to embassies. File this right up there with pro-lifers murdering abortion doctors.

Career choice

2006-01-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

I handed in my resignation on Monday. I've worked at a software company since 2002 as a technical writer. I freelance for the Omaha Weekly-Reader. Now - I am taking a job at a new company. I will have to resign from The Reader because of conflicts of interest.
Before going into the ramifications, I thought I'd spout that stuff that I needed to go through to get this job (in general) in 2005:

14 'official' job interviews that I had to do everything from taking a day off of work at my regular job to finding creative ways to skim two hours of time
34 official applications - those jobs that you actually research the company and write a customized cover letter
74 'generic' applications
Six trips to the cleaners
Three major formatting changes to the resume
One trip to Tucson to research the job environment

... welcome to the job market of 2005-06.

So, I went to lunch with one of the ex-employees at the company I'm currently working for today. She's a secretary at an office furniture warehouse. She patted me on the shoulder and said "see, you're leaving journalism and on your way to an actual career - as a technical writer."

I didn't know what to say. She was right. As much as I look forward to this new job (hell, my editor once had a class with no other than Kurt Vonnegut), that line did sting. I'm looking forward to working with great writers. I can always write on the side. But that line left a bit of emptiness lingering.

Parting thoughts for my current company:

I am anxious to start this new job. I am anxious to leave the company I am with. But, I can't help but dwell on the circumstances that brought me to the company. I was in competition with 15 other writers. I did have eight years of experience working in a hospital, but it was part-time - a way to pay for college. Other than that - no full-time experience. I just graduated from college. And it was 2002, the middle of a major recession. Simply stated - they took a major gamble on me. For that - I'm eternally grateful.

Current Listening Selections

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

Mark Sandman - Sandbox

Is Pat Robertson Really a Kook?

2006-01-11T19:43:00.000-08:00

...well, yeah.

But Sunday's January 8th issue of the New York Times had an interesting article about Robertson's control over the media. Here's an excerpt from the article written by Laurie Goodstein:

Every day, two people pay particularly close attention to Pat Robertson's religious news and variety show, "The 700 Club." They have notepads in hand, and the VCR set on "record."

They work in Washington at two of the nation's most ardent enemies of the Christian Right: People for the American Way and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. They lay in wait for Mr. Robertson to say something truly jaw-dropping - like his suggestion on Thursday that Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for "Dividing God's land," and giving away Gaza to the Palestinians.

Within hours of such comments, the remarks are disseminated by e-mail to journalists around the country, and soon video clips of Mr. Robertson are the subject of news broadcast and nationwide ridicule.

Most politicians can't buy that type of PR - forget the fact that it's negative PR. If Robertson says something like how the abortion rate provoked Hurricane Katrina (but oddly enough, he considers people who are concerned about global warming to be environmental wackos), you can bet the next day you Google Pat Robertson, you will find three or four news articles about him from credible news organizations. They have to cover what he says, because it's news.

Many Christian leaders have long since denounced Robertson. Several liberal institutions have written Robertson off as a washed up flake. But someone who can generate this sort of publicity with these remarks can hardly be called "washed up." Take into account his "700 Club" averages more than 800,000 viewers on average. This surpasses the prime time ratings of CNBC and MSNBC.

Not all who watch the "700 Club" watch it for comic relief. To many fundamentalist Christians, Robertson's program is the news. In short, it's gospel. It's powerful enough to snag Bill Frist, Tom Delay and Rick Santorum. Unfortunately, for journalists, Robertson represents the cold sore that you just can't leave alone. He's the Courtney Love of fundamentalist pundits. Unfortunately, Robertson seems to be a lot more savvy in getting his audience to vote for the candidates he favors than Ms. Love.

Current listening selections
Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm
Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah - s/t
Wilco - Kicking Television - Live in Chicago

Are you a 'Frazz' or are you a 'Get Fuzzy'?

2005-12-29T06:28:00.000-08:00

X-Box 360s are sold out everywhere. No matter, unless you have a major guilt complex and need to buy your kid a $400 system to prove your love, most gamers know that the first generation systems are never a wise bet. Far better to a) wait a year when the price drops and b) have a superior product because that system will have many of the fixes that gave people major headaches when they first opened the XBox 360. I remember being one of the lucky ones to get an XBox in 2001. The result? I had to send it back to get a new hard drive. Six months later, it still wouldn't play most of my DVDs and games that just came out of their wrapping were deemed 'dirty' and unreadable. I eventually had to buy another XBox.

Can you imagine - wanting something like an XBox 360 so bad. Standing in line - even camping outside of Target overnight to get one of about 20 that came into the store. Shelled out $400 and an extra $200 in accessories. Spent another few hours finding a home for it. And then - the sonofabitchin' thing doesn't work?

I was reading that even with an XBox360 (keep in mind, this was probably a trade magazine), you would still need a high-definition television to fully bring the amazing graphics to life. You will also need a home entertainment system with a theater-type sound system so you can hear the cars coming behind you in one of the racing games. So, breaking it down... $2000 for the Hi-definition tele, $1000 for a serviceable stereo system. $3000. Which is the same price (after figuring in the XBox 360 price) as this comic about a songwriter/janitor who is an avid road biker and triathlete:

Frazz - by Jeff Mallett

Frazz has a car that barely runs. A 40-mile bike ride for him is a warm-up. Many of Mallett's strips revolve around people with sedentary liftstyles (usually depicted as dim or uncool) and active lifestyles (Frazz, most of the kids in the elementary school where Frazz works). If the words 'watching the football game' or 'playing video games' is in the strip, most likely, it's going to be a dig against engaging in either activity. It's a great motivator - especially during those weeks where I'd rather do nothing else but veg and watch a House marathon.

Before you praise Frazz, honestly - $3500 for a bike is sort of frivolous. Bike shops love guilt-ridden people who come in after New Year's, shell out $1500 for a bike (where a starter $400 would do just fine) - go on a few bike rides, and see their bike slowly turn into a coat rack. Another comic character, Rob from Get Fuzzy , is more likely like most of the people I know: honestly tries to be active (we see him running, playing basketball, following his beloved Red Sox), but more times than not, we see him vegging in his apartment with his pets and watching the tube.

Which (finally) brings me to the point of this Blog - if you had $3000 of totally disposable income, what option would you choose (assuming you had to choose one or the other) : $3500 bike, or $3500 home entertainment system. I know what one I would choose and I know what one I should choose. The entertainment center will forever keep you on the couch and honestly, during blizzards and punishing heat waves, can be a nice option. The bike will obviously keep you away from the couch and make sure you spend your time outside and give you opportunities to socialize with other biking enthusiasts - and get your self-esteem battered when your out of shape body gets put to the test in the first race you enter. Still, this is one of those purchases that separates people into two distinct categories. Both are nice, but deep down, most people have a strong feeling in their gut what option they would purchase.

Off subject - Wil Wheaton did an amazing article about the supposed 'War on Christmas' for Salon. Here's the link: The Real War on Christmas .

Current listening selections:
My Morning Jacket - Z
Blackalicious - The Craft
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane over the Sea
The Appleseed Cast - Low Level: Vol. 1

No, it's the people...

2005-12-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

I was watching TV last night and I caught what may be the last episodes of Kitchen Confidential and Arrested Development. Kitchen Confidential is produced by Darren Star, best known for Sex in the City. The pilot held some promise, the cast was good, but the writing just never took off. Most of the meat from Anthony Bourdain's best-seller that the show was based on - was not there. The moral lesson voiceover at the end of most episodes was also annoying (sort of like a vulgar One to Grow On). Last night's episode - in which the head waitress sleeps with the rival chef of the main character (Bradley Cooper playing Jack Bourdain), you got the feeling the writers were getting desperate. You could almost hear the group of writers nervously pitch their ideas to the FOX execs before the ax fell "more sex! people are bound to tune in if we promise them more sex - and more sight gags!"

At the end, Kitchen Confidential deserves a dignified death. I'm still hoping for the movie version of Bourdain's book with David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club) directing.

It's with a heavy heart that Arrested Development goes. Seriously, there is no reason FOX needs to pull this show. If FOX can find a room for The War at Home, they can find a home for Arrested Development. While the show doesn't do well rating-wise, it certainly isn't a ratings bust. In addition, AD brings in a ton of positive press from fan devotees and critics to FOX. Its season collection DVD collections sell well, bringing in more revenue to FOX. It also practically guarantees a few Emmy nods for Comedy for FOX. Can The War at Home do that for the network?

It's true that Rupert Murdoch deserves a special suite in the sixth circle of hell for unleashing FOX News, but FOX broadcasting isn't entirely to blame for Arrested Development's demise. When the show was on regular rotation (before baseball season and Prison Break), FOX advertised the show as well as The Simpsons and House. The show received plenty of publicity for its quality from the print and Web media.

Frankly, the failure of Arrested Development lies with *gulp* viewers. As powerful as the networks are, they cannot force us to watch According to Jim, Stacked and The Swan. FOX had a great series out there for almost two years. People were given ample time to warm up to it. Sadly, like Freaks and Geeks, people simply chose the simpler sitcoms.

I watched Good Night, and Good Luck a few weeks ago. Looking at the broadcasts in the movie and studying Murrow's broadcasts in the 50s, it stunned me how much intelligence and focus were in those news broadcasts. The vocabulary and complexity of some of the news broadcasts would never fly for today's nightly news broadcasts from the major networks. At the same time, the TV shows of that era did not have near the sophistication of shows like Arrested Development, 24 and Lost, so you can't look back on the era of Murrow as an era of lost intellectualism. Some networks, like FX and IFC, reward viewers with quality programming, and viewers reward them back by tuning in regularly. Let's home that Arrested Development finds a home on such a network.

Current listening selections
De La Soul - 3 Feet igh and Rising
U2 - Zooropa
Sigur Ros - Takk

Time's running out...

2005-11-03T06:46:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions was to snag a national, paying freelance gig. Actually, in the optimistic haze of a few vodka tonics and some champagne, I think I vowed that I would snag two paying freelance gigs by the end of the year.

Well, it's mid-November - and so far - zero. And I have no one to blame but myself. I wish I could say it wasn't for lack of trying. But it wasn't. I did a lot of stuff for The Reader (a weekly news magazine based out of Omaha), my full-time job put a ton of work on me. And for almost two months, I've dedicated my Saturday's (with the exception of two) to preparing my uncle's house for sale (he died at the age of 90 in August...he is survived by his mother, who turned 109 this year).

But ... I AM published. I have two Blogs going - two more than I did last year. It's not paid, but it's an international gig.

Still, there's no sugar-coating this. I will not likely meet this goal. I don't have time right now to constantly chase down freelance gigs. I'll have more time in January. It did get me thinking about the nature of writing. Like a career in music, you ultimately wish you can make a comfortable living by doing what you love. But in terms of securing a freelance gig, I had no beliefs this would pay my rent. I just wanted a publication to tell me that my work is good enough for someone to pay for its content. It means that there's some legitimacy to it. After all, any plebian can start a Blog and rail against something or translate their diary (or journal for guys) to an HTML format.

But even that is a grey area. Are we trained to believe that the only way to make our stuff legitimate is for someone to pay for it? That sounds sort of whorish. Are you trying to tell me that some of the articles in magazines like Good Housekeeping or even Rolling Stone are immediately better than some of the best blogs out there because the writer is receiving a paycheck?

The answer is obviously "Hell no." But a paying freelance gig (especially national) remains one of the most elusive goals for most writers. And no doubt, I'll be resubmitting this goal as a resolution for 2006.

Current list of favorite words...
- Unsavory - (longstanding joke from the Jim Rome show - the producer stated any email with 'unsavory' in the subject like stood a greater chance of getting read.)
-stentorian
- taint
- cauldron

Conversation with an editor...

2005-10-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

So, while I was in Tucson, I had lunch with the editor who supervised me during my Dow Jones internship. Since I left, the Arizona Daily Star (the paper I worked at) was sold to Lee Enterprise (it was formerly owned by Pulitzer Inc.). One professor summed up Lee: It's not the evil empire, like Gannett.

Anyway, the editor's son is now in college and looking at a career in journalism. The editor, let's call him 'George', expressed some reservations about this. Primarily, he was worried about his son's ability to make a sustainable living in this career.

It's not unusual for a parent to express some concern when their son or daughter wants to persue the same career of their mother or father. After all, the parent has seen the ugly side of their career and with few exceptions, most people have a 'backup' career they sometimes wish they could have pursued. This one doctor I worked with said he wished he would have opened a record store instead of putting up with the politics of his profession (take note, he said this before having three girls). George is looking at probably another ten years of editing before retiring. However, his son is looking at a career that must sustain him for another 40 to 50 years.

For all I know, there may be no newspapers in 40 or 50 years. Still, I don't see books going anywhere. And no matter how many .PDAs, laptops and Internet cafes spring up, none of these technologies can duplicate the readability of a newspaper (no scrolling or monitor glare). And even the most cynical and obsessive sci-fi-dystopia-worshipping reader out there has to relent that people will demand 'news' in the future. If anything, people will demand news because of their own self-interest: to tell them when a hurricane is coming, to tell them how the stock market is doing and to tell them what they need to buy to remain cool. And there are always elections.

Perhaps the biggest safety net newspapers have is the further limitations of government. Libertarians (sometimes too idealistically) say that government doesn't need to tell companies to stop polluting the air, give their employees better insurance or increase fuel efficiency. They believe companies will respond to these demands if public outrage reaches a certain point. They may have a point - this week Wal Mart said it is taking measures to be more environmentally conscious (but isn't the outrage at Wal Mart aimed more at their poor treatment of their workers and not because of their environmental track record?). So, if the government is no longer a watchdog for these companies, who assumes that watchdog role? The media.

In the next 50 or 60 years, I don't see any other outlet that can reach a mass audience and mobilize people to demand companies change their way than the media. What about Bloggers? Well, with the exception of word of mouth, you usually need a media source to tell you to check out a blog. That's how most people found out about The Huffington Post. For George's son, the market and the industry will be radically different than the world that George saw. But George can rest easy ... a market and demand will continue to exist. Just don't expect George jr. to make a ton of cash from the field.

Speaking of which...
While helping with the cleanup for Hurricane Katrina, my ex-roommate and National Guard member was told he no longer had at the Birmingham Post-Herald because the paper folded. After a few tense weeks and a few interviews, he is now working as a police reporter at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

Listening selections:
Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
Lucinda Williams - Live @ the Fillmore
Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret

2005-10-25T19:49:00.001-07:00

Humbling view...

2005-10-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

Stuff to feed me (aka technology doesn't suck)

2005-10-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've written anything. I took a trip to Tucson to hang out for a few days and I saw one of the best concerts in ages at the Sokol Underground (Sleater - Kinney). Not to be too new-agey, but I truly believe we are stimuli-seeking machines. As a journalist, I've been blocked for some time. However, that changed after I picked up a few immigration-related stories for freelance. Nothing like a deadline to kill writer's block - like it or not, something has to be in your editor's hands in seven days. Even if you don't have an idea, just write and keep on writing until something sticks.

Different topic - technology
When front shocks came out on mountain bikes, I scoffed. I couldn't believe how many folks were buying these shocks in Lincoln, Nebraska. To me, shocks were for people who had to bike through wilderness regions and mountains to get to work or for leisure. Not for a city commute. However, when the time came to buy a bike, the price of shocks went down. Virtually all mountain bikes had them. So what the hell -

I can't imagine riding without them now. My back feels better. It allows me to ride longer and when you ride down a flight of stairs, your bike is so much more forgiving.

When cell phones came out, I was enraged at how many kids were brining them to school. Kids DON'T need cell phones while they're in school. Any information parents need to relay to them, if it's that important, can be relayed to the school desk. I also got sick of people using cell phones everywhere - their cars, in coffee houses, in bars. That's what answering machines are for.

Still... I purchased one because I needed it while I was in Tucson for an internship. All of a sudden, those annoying phone calls during the X-Files disappeared when I disconnected my phone at home. Suddenly, I could regulate when people could get ahold of me. No longer did I have to worry about some drunk a-hole waking me up at 2 in the morning. In short, cell phones are a glorious invention to those who hate to be bothered.

Which brings us to... wireless Internet. I was reluctant. I was already turning into a reclusive geek/borderline nerd. I needed some sort of anchor that told me when I could access the Internet and when I needed to shut up, get out and read a godd*mn book. But while I was in Tucson, I needed to get something to a possible job lead STAT. My hotel didn't have Internet. The libraries were closed. Yea, yeah, I could have paid $3.50 to use a free computer somewhere, but I used the opportunity to justify purchasing a wireless card. (the $50 rebate didn't suck either) - Now, I'm at the Blue Line coffee, writing and doing research. Suddenly, a few more beams of inspiration are hitting me. Access to the Internet, people watching - this sh** rocks. So comes another addiction.

Current listening selections
Nada Surf - Let Go
Sleater - Kinney - The Woods
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
Radiohead - Kid A

Running on Empty

2005-09-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

Creatively, I'm tapped, strapped and dry right now. I have two stories due and I don't have the drive to get excited about the topic. True, the topics are serious - but I don't know if it's lack of sleep, the full-time day job, or the weather, or the city of Omaha (or possibly, just possibly...me), but it's getting harder and harder to get into this profession called journalism.

Journalists, writers, chefs, Web developers, singers, virtually every profession that requires you to create something out of nothing , will have its periods of burnout. There are floods of alternatives to 'break' this burnout - books you can read, drugs you can take, exercise and diet programs you can take or workshops you can attend. Still, nothing seems to be working.

Originality vs. Catharsis

2005-09-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

In this corner - originality

I saw Sufjan Stevens last night at Sokol auditorium. I won't bother describing the crowd because even the cliches that describe these hipsters have become cliched. Messed up hair, horn-rimmed glasses and tight-fitting t-shirts that reveal their undernourished selves. These are supposed to be the people who where shunned in high school, but strangely enough, at the show - most of the audience did not make eye contact with anyone other than the people they were with or the bartender.

Sufjan Stevens and his band took the stage. If you don't know about Sufjan Stevens, he made possibly the most critically-acclaimed album of the year with Illinoise. The album is beautiful, original and heartfelt. It also has the feeling of indie smugness. You can't judge an album by its cover, but in this case you can - the cover of Illinoise has the following: crudely drawn historical figures, butterflies, a superhero (Superman, but DC has issued a 'cease and desist' order - so the cover with Superman on it is somewhat of a collectors item) and the general layout is reminiscent of a catalog ad you would see in a magazine in the late '50s or early '60s. A typical song title is "Riffs and Variations on a Single Note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds and the King of Swing to Name a Few" (try yelling that out at a show).

The show was good - I stayed until 10:45 and left. The members of the band are known to dress up and act out cheerleader-type skits during their set. It looked like a high school production (which was the point). With lyrics about lost love and John Wayne Gacy, you want to let the album in, but between the cheerleading and the dress up skits, you are kept at bay. Other artists have done this (released theatrical albums with intensely personal lyrics) - the Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin comes to mind. Still, it's hard to get absorbed in such an intimate moment when you know in moment or two, a dancing bunny may appear onstage.

In this corner ... catharsis
After the show, I popped in the only album I've been listening to for the past month - Twin Cinema by the New Pornographers. It's nowhere near as original as Illinoise, but it's loud, insanely catchy and in some parts, intensely moody. Yes, Sufjan Stevens and Conor Oberst are great songwriters, but after working 11-hour days at a job you don't like, or if you're old enough to experience one of the following: not making ends meet financially, losing a job, family angst (adult-oriented - not your typical teenage angst) - sometimes you want something more immediate. That could be Lucinda Williams's ache, Tool's anger or a loud shout-out of a chorus like "salvation holdout central" from the New Pornographers. With the exception of Tool, these moments may not have the ambitions of an artist like Sufjan Stevens, and when it comes to 'end of the year' albums, I think that it's important to reward originality. But equally as important is to reward bands who are able to provide that valve of release for the listener.

Hopefully, some bands can combine both elements with their albums. Still, as I looked on at the crowd last night, I could only shake my head in caution ... Sleater Kinney are going to eat these folks alive in a few weeks...

Current listening selections...
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Sleater Kinney - The Woods
De La Soul - De La Soul is Dead

I go to these forums so you don't have to...

2005-09-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Sept. 17 (Omaha, NE) -

Where: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts - 724 S 12th St.

I was able to pry myself away from the exciting Pitt/Nebraska game (exciting in a 'when are we going to blow it' way) to attend a forum on The Art of Writing Funny. The forum was moderated by Omaha's own 'bar hag' columnist, Leslie Prisbell. The attendees included authors John McNally (The Book of Ralph), Otis Twelve (whose novel, On the Albino Farm won a Brit Lit Idol contest), Meghan Daum (The Quality of Life Report) and Kurt Andersen (Spy magazine founder and host of NPR's Studio 360).

Just by the practice of writing, most writers are predisposed to be self-absorbed. That was evident throughout the forum. But self-absorption doesn't necessarily mean 'full of one's self' - it also could mean one who is extremely self-conscious - and that was also evident throughout the forum. When Prisbell asked the writers about how they knew if their work was funny, the writers adjusted themselves nervously. It was like a low-grade current went through the table. Other questions, either from Prisbell, or from the audience, elicited similar reactions: "Describe your process" "How did you know you were going to be a humor writer?" "Who are your influences?"

The answers ranged from overt modesty to borderline condescension. Daum explained that she didn't wake up and say to herself "I'm going to write something funny today." McNally said humor was an almost genetic thing that cannot be defined. The only time the forum seemed to stray from the typical forum trappings was Daum's deft rant on 'chic lit.' As a writer, chic lit is a favorite topic because most every writer has an opinion and when you incorporate universal elements such as gender and age, you are bound to get a lively debate, even though this was probably Daum's 3,487th time she has talked about the subject.

I asked about whether or not living in a specific region of the U.S. made it easier to write humor. After all, most of these writers either grew up or lived in Omaha - and have since moved (with the exception of one writer who still lived in Omaha). Most of the panelists said 'no' - your internal voice does not have anything to do with where you live. I would disagree. Ted Sorensen once said Nebraska was a place to leave - or a place to die. Virtually all of my friends are trying to get out of Nebraska. But, I would sense that ingrained sense of modesty or inferiority that comes with living in Nebraska would stay with people long after they left. For instance, yes, you leave Nebraska for New York, where you are surrounded by the literary elite to inspire. But then you are constantly surrounded by smug, vapid literary snobs who are willing to tear your work to shreds. You are also surrounded by figures who dwarf you in terms of artistic merit and financial success. It's like having someone compliment you on your salsa, then having that same person throw you in Les Halles kitchen (Anthony Bourdain fans will recognize this kitchen) and asking you to hold down the saute station for a Friday night dinner shift. That tangent aside, McNally did say that living in North Carolina for three wasn't a funny experience, however.

Anyway - I need to give you a reason to read this - so writer's who are looking to break through, listen up - here are the responses to the question about what a writer needs to do in terms of sending their materials through the proper channels to get noticed...

Avoid...

- Magazines. They are expensive to publish and they usually have a backlog of talented (or connected) writers waiting for an assignment. There are a handful of magazines out there, but in general, about 125,000 books a year get published. If you want to play the odds game, you're probably going to have more success trying to get a book published, so indulge and write that book you've been wanting.

- Putting too much pressure on yourself. Daum said that even as a published writer, she occasionally has trouble making ends meet. If you are looking for your writing to be able to afford you a car payment, house payment and food, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Yes, J.K. Rowling did it. But you are far better trying to make yourself happy as a writer.

Tips to be a writer - the 'do's

- Start local. There are plenty of alternative, local publications you can write for. Stop looking for The Atlantic Monthly, get a foundation built with stuff like local rags.

- Be prepared to write for free. There are tons of places, like Amazon.com, Eopinions.com and the current favorite, myspace.com, where you can turn into a writer and build up your writing muscles by being a critic or a columnist. You can gain a following. You can experiment. Just don't expect to get paid.

Advice from the attendees -

Trac, author of Ponderings from a Gemini Redhead on blogger.com and I came to a shaky conclusion about trying to make it as a writer... avoid the literary world. Most of the people in this world are in their own cocoon. After 15 minutes of a literary-oriented gathering, you get this 'wanting to crawl out of your skin' sensation after hearing some members of this community talk just to hear them talk or keep referring to 'their work.' Writing is all about experience. Hang out with as many people outside the writing community as you can and surround yourselves with people who have strong bullshit protectors to keep you humble.

Current listening selections -

Sigur Ros - Takk

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

This crappy decade

2005-09-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

I went on the eight-year plan for college in the '90s. Sure, a lot of it was part-time because I had to work two jobs to pay my way through school, but I would say at least two of those years were slack-filled. Skipping classes to play Street Fighter II on Sega Genesis, skipping critical fraternity meetings to catch Dazed and Confused for the fifth time and skipping classes to get an album review in for the college newspaper. I would say for the most part - people tend to have the most nostalgia to the decade they went to college - or the decade when they were in their 20s. It shows because you'll notice by the time these 20-somethings reach their 40s - you'll see the mainstream culture shift.

Remember when everyone made fun of the '70s and vowed that decade would never 'come back' like '60s nostalgia? Now that's happening with the '80s - a decade that for all purposes, can stay buried (with the exception of Bloom County, Nintendo, Transformers and college rock bands like The Replacements, The Pixies and heavy metal staples like Slayer and early Metallica).

There was tons of garbage produced in the '90s. Ace of Base, Vanilla Ice, boy bands, Michael Bay movies and Independence Day to name a few. But there were a few moments where it looked like the unpopular geeks in the '80s could overshadow the popular jock circuit. Take the explosion of the Seattle scene - sure it sounds formulaic now, but there seemed like there was a time when everything was possible - Mazzy Star getting a top-ten album, Morphine was getting played on the radio and a movie like Pulp Fiction could surpass $100 million at the box office.

People who have come of age in this decade were greeted by September 11, 2001, then a debilitating recession, then a war, then another war, then hurricane Katrina. And we're barely at the halfway mark.

If the '70s were the 'me' decade and the '80s were the 'Go go decade' and the '90s were the .dot com decade, I have no idea what to call this decade.

Still, I hate to leave people on a down note, so here are some things that this decade has produced that will make me look back (somewhat) fondly at this decade:

The outpouring of generosity from strangers time and time again - from Sept. 11 to the tsunami to hurricane Katrina
Blacklisted, by Neko Case
The Harry Potter series for getting kids psyched about books
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Political protest is still alive in well with stuff like 'The Daily Show'
24

Current listening selections -
Lucinda Williams - Live @ The Fillmore
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder
Kanye West - Late Registration
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

Nurturing your little introvert

2005-08-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Now, I don't want to panic anyone - but...

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/31/news/gas_prices/index.htm?cnn=yes

$4 a gallon gas.

Soon

Let's break this down - almost a year ago, people were complaining about $2.25 fuel. Now, it's $4 due to the hurricane. No doubt there're some greedy bastards who are profiting from price gouging. And anyone who bitches about having to fuel up their SUV's because of this storm and turn on the news to view the devastation. You still have a house, a-hole. Shut up and donate to the Red Cross.

Yes - if you were to adjust to inflation, fuel would be about the same price as it was in the '70s. But wages have not increased enough to match inflation for a long time. And It's our own damn fault. If milk were still fifty cents a gallon last year, then all of a sudden, the price jumped to $3.00 a gallon, you would have people freaking out as they are now. If it were a gradual increase, say 25 cents a gallon for the past few years, we most likely wouldn't blink an eye at this $4 a gallon tag. But now... like it or not - our lives are changing faster than we can prepare.

They are changing because people are starting to factor in fuel as a cost. It used to be that a lot of people would take a trip to a city 50 miles away to try a restaurant or even drive across town to see a movie at a better theatre and not bat an eye about filling up their car. Now... fuel is a factor in that decision. "Am I willing to spend $20 on gas for a 110 - mile round-trip trek from Lincoln to Omaha?"

As you can see, this is going to likely result in more and more people staying indoors or closer to home. Thank god for the Internet - at least that tool has a bit of human interaction tied to it. But otherwise, you're going to find more and more people opting to stay in and watch TV. I'm hoping this price shock will result in cities going into crisis modes and devising far better public transportation systems, but we'll see. I'm also hoping this will result in more people walking and biking places. But we'll see.

The thing that we will definitely see is more and more people are going to become introverted as a result of this spike. Subscribe to Netflix, start reading more books and get a few buds online, because this gas crisis isn't going to go away anytime soon.

Diving head first

2005-08-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

My roommate just threw down about $150 for bike shorts, a helmet and bike shoes. He's starting to get into mountain biking again.

My other friend - who has a blog here is planning on immersing herself in a creative writing program. This will require putting together a 50-plus page portfolio and getting three quality letters of recommendation in two weeks.

Me - I'm stuck.

I'm working 50 hour weeks, but everywhere I turn around, I see another reason why I want to get back into the journalism world on a full-time basis. The camaraderie in the newsroom, the rush you get when you have a tight deadline and you meet it - the feeling of pride you get when someone you don't know emails you a compliment on a story.

I can't fully immerse myself in technical writing. There are some people who can. I can't. I can partially do it because new technology (Dreamweaver, RoboHelp, FrameMaker) excites me to no end. But in essence, technical writing is a lonely field. You usually are the only technical writer. And everyone else in your company is too busy to give you adequate feedback.

I guess I'm one of those folks who needs to fully immerse themselves in a job or occupation or career to feel fulfilled, alive, etc. But I'm making a decent wage, and I haven't totally given up on the freelance gig - a way to indulge this passion and still be able to afford stuff like a house payment. The phrase "you are not what you do" is true. I just wish I could believe it.

Current listening selections

OK Go - Oh No

The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

Kanye West - Late Registration

How I spent my summer

2005-08-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well, Summer is coming to an end. I used to rank my summers much like how I rank albums now. I think starting at age 10, each summer had to top the next summer - sort of like how the Hollywood box office has to top the year before. Obviously, I was crushed when I was 11, I had to spend the majority of my summer in my grandmother's radon-rich, moldy, decaying house with only a paper sack full of GI Joes and Transformers to entertain me (the neighborhood was heavy on elderly, unemployed and college students and light on kids). No way that summer was going to beat the summer when I was ten, when I saw Ghostbusters about five times and Gremlins about 15 times and played basketball until it got dark - and watching MTV's "Friday Night Video Fights" and calling in to vote for Duran Duran's "The Reflex" (it worked, I think "The Reflex" was one of the only videos to get retired from MTV's "Friday Night Video Fights").

I think it was in college where I stopped comparing summers. They all sort of started to blend into one another. Sure, I had a summer soundtrack for each summer, but I gave up trying to rank one above the other. Nowadays, with a full-time job, it's getting even harder to identify any album that defined my summer. So, here's my recap of the summer I'll use only as a reference -

Movies I liked: Good question - Not too sure. Wedding Crashers was really good. Star Wars - Episode III was good solely based on the fact that it wasn't a total cinematic abortion like the previous two. Still, there was no Spiderman 2 in terms of great overall entertainment, no Fahrenheit 9/11 to piss people off or no Sideways or other movies you can honestly see yourself watching again and again.

Music: Despite what my friends say, I like Bloc Party's Silent Alarm. Oasis's Don't Believe the Truth can 'almost' be declared a return to form and I'm crossing my fingers for the New Pornographers latest, due August 23. But I guess my favorite album of the year has to be System of a Down's Mezmerize (even though for two weeks, I thought the album was called 'Mezmakize' because I just glanced at the album cover - the 'kize' part just sounded so intense, heavy and totally appropriate for System).

Books: Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat and Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down. Freakanomics is on my purchase list.

Concert Highlight: Wilco in Red Rocks with the Roots opening for them. Not perfect, but I'll definitely take it.

Summer soundtrack: It's an older album, but I can't think of anything else - it pretty much summed up this summer -

Congrats - Wilco's Summerteeth

My jeans are purchased. I want to make chili again and watch college football and eat wings and down bloody mary's with my friends. Bring on autumn.

Current listening selections -
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Radiohead - OK Computer

RIP - Peter Jennings

2005-08-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

I almost feel intimidated by writing a Blog eulogizing Peter Jennings. He was that commanding of a presence. If you are looking for a definitive summation of what we lost this week, go to Salon's article about Jennings: http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2005/08/10/jennings/index_np.html.
Jennings's death comes at a time when the mainstream media needs Jennings more than ever. Sure, ABC News focuses on stuff like Natalee Holloway, OJ Simpson and tabloid marriages, but Jennings was an anchor that was determined to focus on international coverage. I saw ABC's tribute last night and I was struck at how even when he was tackling an easy target (big tobacco), he grilled his reporters when he heard that ABC news was being sued for the report. "What did you mess up?" Jennings reportedly asked a reporter. It turned out nothing, but he was that determined to get both sides of the story.
ABC also replayed the early hours of September 11, 2001. Jennings's stoicism in the face of chaos is something that should be played for all prospective broadcasting students. Still, he wasn't a robot. My stomach still sinks when I see the replay of the Towers collapsing. And when they replayed Jennings's reaction, to which he said in a shaky voice "Oh God...", you couldn't help but be moved and marvel at his composure - holding up in a time where the unimaginable kept happening while probably 100 million people were watching his broadcast.
Switch to FOX News - another easy target, but that does not mean they should get away with such journalistic travesties as Brit Hume's sarcastic remarks during his so-called newscast "Special Report with Brit Hume" or the talk about Gretta Van Sustran's ratings coup for her on-the-scene reporting of Natalee Holloway's disappearance. One example shows how Jennings's cool composure and objectivity (which he, of course, sometimes failed - but you could tell he at least made a good attempt at objectivity for every story he reported) is going out of style and the sad truth that as much as the American public complains about it, tabloid journalism sells.
Much has been made about the loss of Jennings reflecting the loss of the 'big 3' media. But that's doing a discredit to Jennings. His loss reflects a loss of the suave, matter-of-fact, newscaster, replaced by barking pundits, which NBC is already veering dangerously close toward.
RIP - Peter Jennings
Current music selections
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
The Verve - A Storm in Heaven
Marjorie Fair - Self Help Serenade
The Streets - Original Pirate Material

Triathalon finished..

2005-07-31T20:48:00.000-07:00

Don't worry about the government...

2005-07-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

Was reading the Business section of the New York Times when I came across an article about Blogging - and how it can get you fired from your job. Fair play - It would be no different than if a professional sports player had a Blog and that Blog consisted of exclusively of calling out their teammates and revealing 'behind the scenes' secrets. The article referenced that you could get fired for Blogging at work. Fair play, again. After all, Blogging (for the most part) is a recreational tool that should not use up company time (and bandwidth).

But... the chilling part was when the article referenced the fact that some companies have put in clauses that you could get fired for having a Blog. Doesn't matter if you use that Blog for anecdotal stories about how your sister's dog polished off a plate of chicken enchiladas while the sister wasn't looking. The Blog could be about music reviews. Some clauses say 'if you have a Blog, that may be grounds for termination.'

Ok, here's the problem. Yes, Blogs are considered to be journals. But they are also, basically Web pages. They're Web pages for people who either can't code or can do the bare minimum of coding. Many of these clauses may not object if you have a Web page (providing it doesn't reveal company secrets or your maintenance doesn't interfere with company time), so why can't you have a Blog?

It seems that more and more, free speech isn't under fire from the government, but from business. Some business require a dress code outside of work - even on your off days, because "you're representing the company when you're off work just as much as when you're here in the office." Unfortunately, due to the competitive job market, you have no choice but to abide by the rules set by your company. Sadly, however, if the government ever opted to enact some of these clauses set by some companies, they would be reamed by the public.

Current listening selections

Franz Ferdinand - s/t

Raekwon - Only Built for Cuban Linx

The Libertines - Up the Bracket

Radiohead - Kid A

Just a break

2005-07-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

Since I always point people to this site, I thought I would reward them by posting nothing other than a few photos of my niece and nephew, Dakota and Riley.

2005-07-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the link if you can't read it: http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/2005/07/03/

I gotta say, as a journalist, Blogs are still the equivalent of 'Letters to the Editor.' There are some exceptions. You are always going to have a blogger get an inside scoop or call out a journalist on an incorrectly-reported element of a story. But for a sustained stream of factual content, I will most always put my trust in journalists. Just by design, they have an army of editors and a bevy of libraries at their service - not to mention back issues of newspapers. Newspapers also have the constant threat of getting sued, so, despite of what you hear on Rush Limbaugh, newspapers are sensitive as hell to reporting bias. There's no way that a journalist can be an expert in all things - and that's where bloggers come into the fold - these bloggers are free to expose gaps in a story.

Current listening selections:

Lucinda Williams - Live at the Fillmore

The Verve - Urban Hymns

Prince - Sign O' The Times

Heyah! Heyah! You forgot something!

2005-06-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so most people who are vaguely interested in 'Top 100' lists for music know that Spin has released their 'Top 100 albums from 1985 - current.' Here's the link for the news story:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/20/music.spintop100.ap/index.html

If you don't want to visit the link, Radiohead is atop with their masterpiece OK Computer (no argument there). In fact... I think I'm going to listen to that right now... Anyway, Number 2 is Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. There are some albums that were not included in favor of other albums from the same artist (e.g. The Bends was excluded in favor of the polarizing Kid A) and some omissions were borderline criminal (see list below).

Spin put out their 'best of the 1990s' list a few years ago and a few of the albums that were on the list are now in very different positions. For example, PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love was way the hell up at number three in the 'best of '90s' list, but it languishes in the lower half of the most current list. Rid of Me is now in the top ten. Some of the albums in this list are very, very good, but still - Elastica's self-titled album, D'Angelo's Voodoo, Cornershop's When I was Born... and Weezer's Pinkerton pale in comparison to these selections:

U2 The Joshua Tree
A bummer this wasn't included. However, at least All That You Can't Leave Behind was also excluded. This album helped bring in a much-needed air of legitimacy to mainstream '80s music.

Radiohead The Bends
Yes, OK Computer was a better album. But The Bends remains Radiohead's best 'front to back' listen. Yes, Kid A was more experimental and arguably more influential, but The Bend's exclusion is inexcusable.

Massive Attack Blue Lines and Mezzanine
Hard to believe that Portishead and Tricky landed on this list, but the pioneers of the trip-hop genre get left out. Mezzanine was the better album. Blue Lines helped usher in the genre. BOTH needed to be included.

The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin
In the tone of a teenager in a bad sitcom: "Were lobotomies like totally passed out when I was gone?"

Tori Amos Under the Pink
A tossup between this and Little Earthquakes. Tori Amos almost single-handedly redefined the singer/songwriter album for the '90s and today.

Tool Aenima
Aside from its relentless quality, this album made metal accessible once again to book-reading intellects.

Other dumb omissions:

Bob Dylan Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft - Old people made music too during this time.

Johnny Cash American Recordings - See above. It's hard to compare, but it's hella better than the White Stripes White Blood Cells (which I am a great fan of).

The Verve Urban Hymns - As long as we're including Oasis and Blur, this album definitely ranks up with Parklife and Definitely Maybe.

Modest Mouse The Moon and Antarctica - It's as good as the album that was included in the list (The Lonesome Crowded West) - meaning it's amazing enough to be in the Top 10 list.

Garbage - Their self-titled album is a pop album for the ages.

Albums that are my favorite, but I know Spin would never include, so I know better than to ask...

Morphine Cure for Pain

The Cowboy Junkies The Trinity Sessions

Rancid ... And Out Come the Wolves

Neko Case Blackisted

Current Listening Selections

Wilco - Summerteeth

Radiohead - OK Computer

Cowboy Bebop - mix CD

At least that's what I said - Wilco and the Roots - Red Rocks, June 17, 2005

2005-06-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

The pairing of The Roots and Wilco seemed both horribly mismatched and totally right at the same time. The prospect of seeing Wilco live almost made me throw down the cash to see them at Red Rocks. But the inclusion of the Roots made the show one of those shows you have to see, regardless of funds, vacation days available or transportation issues. The last time I saw a show at Red Rocks was 1995, where I saw Pearl Jam and Bad Religion. Trekking up the steep incline and seeing the huge, sloping sandy maroon rocks brought back a flood of nostalgia ... which was automatically broken by seeing the $6 price tag for Coors.

The crowd was mercifully light on the hipster side. The only people with horned-rimmed glasses were people who actually needed glasses. No trucker hats. No tongue-in-cheek heavy metal Dokken or Def Leppard t-shirts. The only presence that was ample was the throngs of pretty and fit girls and guys, which my female traveling cohort pointed out. However, with respect to the folks near the Red Rocks area, when you're surrounded by mountains, trails and altitude, you're going to get a workout whether you like it or not.

The Roots was the first band to take the stage. Things Fall Apart and their latest, most straightforward album, The Tipping Point are pure hip-hop albums, but as a live unit, The Roots turn into a rock/rap/jam/R&B party band. The addition of guitar god Vernon Reid could have been a misguided match (think Dave Navarro in the Red Hot Chili Peppers), but Reid's style fused perfectly with The Roots.

The only issue I had with the Roots performance (aside from brevity) was the heavy emphasis on covers. Sure, I loved hearing the Roots do a slamming cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" (a perfect vehicle for ?uestlove, one of the finest drummers in rock today), but the inclusion of a few other covers meant less time to hear material from Phrenology and Illadelph Halflife.

Wilco came on stage and began their first 'instant concert highlight' with "A Shot in the Arm." Jeff Tweedy looked out and commented about the amazing breeze he was feeling and how he couldn't believe they were playing in Red Rocks. After the affirming "Shot in the Arm," he went on to the more morose "Handshake Drugs," which he dedicated to his sister during a concert last year.

The setlist focused primarily from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born, however, old-school fans were treated to a liberal helping of tunes from Being There during the encores. Even tunes from their Billy Bragg recording sessions made it into their set (however, crowd favorite "California Stars" was not included).

Judging by Tweedy's notorious perfectionist leanings and volatile temperament, Wilco's lineup will always be as stable as the tech market for graduating seniors. However, after seeing Wilco's performance Friday, you hope that the lineup will remain the same at least for another album or two. Drummer Glenn Kotche showed a genuine glee banging away to "I'm a Wheel" and "At Least That's What You Say." Fairly-new Nels Cline also fit in perfectly, at times looking like a grizzled Bob Dylan (circa era 1997). Tweedy's mood seemed to change throughout the show. Some tunes he sang with an infectious grin, affably looking over toward his fellow bandmates. Other times, he just seemed slightly bored. But still, it's a job, and after performing a few hundred shows, you're going to run into a few moments of boredom from show to show.

Wilco closed the set with "Spiders," perhaps the only song that really worked the crowd into a pogo-stomping frenzy. Around this time, the smell of pot - be it skunky, generic or sweet - was as prevalent as the fresh Colorado air. Wilco took the stage and began to play the opening bars of "Misunderstood," which at least a fifth of the crowd sang along with half-drunk heartfelt affirmation. The second encore, Tweedy and company looked like they didn't want to leave. Tweedy joked that he wanted to play a ton of more stuff. By the time the band came on for the second encore, about a tenth of the crowd had already began making tracks to the exits in hopes of avoiding traffic.

The show was worth the nine-hour trek. The only thing I was hoping for was a joint encore that would have brought The Roots back on stage. Wilco's live shows have been compared with jam-heavy bands such as the Dave Matthews Band and Widespread Panic. However, Wilco's focus rarely allowed them to go into extended jams and noodling. What Wilco's live set accomplishes, like Radiohead's live shows, is that it brings an organic warmth to some of their more sterile and perceived standoffish albums. It's enough to make a bookish techo geek reach for a bic lighter.
Current listening selections:
Wilco - A Ghost is Born
Prince - Sign O' The Times
Yo La Tengo - Prisoners of Love

Jackson verdict and in defense of Reality TV

2005-06-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

If you want to know why the verdict voted the way they did for the Micahel Jackson trial - check out Slate's assessment at: http://slate.com/id/2120812/?GT1=6554.

The trial was said to have been the most-covered trial in history. I had a good talk with my roommate about this. It didn't seem possible, the OJ trial still seems like the "Trial to end all trials" in terms of media circus. It was the trial was able to spawn full-blown cable channels, devoting 24-hour coverage. It was the trial that most Americans could remember where they were when they were watching "the chase" in the white Bronco. The OJ trial made Jackson's trial seem almost subdued by comparison. However, my roommate pointed out that in terms of coverage, it was probably the international coverage that made it the most-covered trial of all time.

On to topic 2 - In Defense of Reality TV

Just watched Fox's Hell's Kitchen last night. For those who don't know, it's a reality TV series that features about a dozen-or-so aspiring chefs trying to win the respect of acclaimed, renowned asshole chef Gordon Ramsay and win their own restaurant. Like many series, it's lifted from a previously UK series. The series is amusing, derivative and ... fun.

Reality TV has been routinely bashed for its exploitive nature. It's also been bashed for pushing a lot of television writers out of business as networks turn to cheap reality TV instead of investing time and energy into creating scripted sitcoms and dramas. For awhile, it looked like TV was going to turn into "all reality, all the time," but shows like 24, Lost, Arrested Development and Desperate Housewives show that there will always be a place for writers (even though Arrested Development always seems on the verge of cancellation).

Truth be told, the criticisms facing reality TV are the same criticisms that faced TV in general when the medium first emerged: it panders to the lowest common denominator, it contributes to the "dumbing down" of our culture and it's vastly inferior to other artistic expressions. I remember Chevy Chase bashing television on "Politically Incorrect" - but seriously, I would find more humor in an episode of The X-Files (seasons 2-5), Seinfeld or Arrested Development than anything Chevy Chase has done on the big screen in the past 20 years. Those who say books are better than television are right (to a point) - in general, they do force the audience to use their imagination. But the writing and storylines in shows like The Sopranos, Lost and The Wire are just as good as the best books that came out last year - and are vastly superior to approximately 90 percent of the stuff published.

And in terms of reality TV, shows like The Amazing Race and Hell's Kitchen are more entertaining than most scripted sitcoms and dramas out there. Given the choice of According to Jim or Hell's Kitchen, I'm going to Hell, no question.

Hell's Kitchen represents the best of reality TV (just like the first season of The Apprentice and the best seasons of Survivor): compelling characters and an interesting premise. Just as business classes in college showed episodes of the first season of The Apprentice, Hell's Kitchen serves as a great primer for people who are thinking of going into a field that they don't know much about (other than the way it's romanticized in TV shows, books and plays). It also teaches you some fundamental lessons about the work world, namely:

as much as your boss may deserve to be told to "f**k off", it's almost never a good idea.
never, never leave a hot cookie sheet out in a work area filled with chaos
don't take criticism personally, especially when you're doing something that you're passionate about (e.g. cooking, writing)

Current listening selections

Beck - Guero

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Neko

Bob Dylan - Love and Theft

Mid-year report

2005-06-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

I'm a few days out from seeing Wilco and The Roots at Red Rocks. Looking forward to that show.

So - mid-June is here and that means it's time to do a brief rundown of the new releases and see what are the standouts. Lots of stuff has come out: The Chemical Brothers, Tori Amos, Bruce Springsteen, Garbage, System of a Down, Oasis, Nine Inch Nails and Beck are a few that come to mind. Bright Eyes released a great album that is destined for my 'Top 5' with I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning. The Eels's double-album will most likely grow on me.

As someone who came of age in the '90s - I obviously have a soft spot for the '90s artist on this list and want each of these artists to succeed. But seriously... I haven't been too pleased with what I've heard. Tori Amos's The Beekeeper suffered from the same ailments of Scarlet's Walk - too long and forgettable lyrics. Nine Inch Nails came up with the most annoying chorus of the year for the title track "With-a-teeth-AH." And after reading about all of the studio hell Garbage endured, you have this feeling that the band is just waiting for this tour to finish so they can pack it in and move on. Oasis's Don't Believe the Truth is actually an entertaining release, depending on whether or not you can spot all of the riffs they ripped off from other bands. Still, just by listening to the interviews, I have come to the conclusion that music currently NEEDS personalities like Liam and Noel Gallagher. Actually, the only work from a '90s artist that I'm really impressed with so far this year is Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm.

System of a Down's Mezmerize is weird, even for System of a Down, but it lives up to the title and makes me really curious for their next album.

Listening Selections
Prince - The Hits (Part II)
Green Day - International Superhits
Paul Westerberg - Stereo
The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols

And we were all yellow...

2005-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

So now, Deep Throat is out and the political pundits are out in full force. Some range from ludicrous (G. Gordon Liddy and Pat Buchanan obvious have a thing against Woodward and Bernstein and they've pretty much painted them as traitors). Some critics have said the work of two self-serving journalists led to the downfall of Nixon's progressive agenda toward China. The more level-headed critics have decried that ever since Watergate, there has been impeachment fever for every president that has been in office.

Some media pundits have worried that Woodard and Bernstein have made a generation of attack dog journalists who value the scoop above all else and who yearn to be the one who brings down people of power. These folks wish journalism would return to the pre-Woodard and Bernstein world. Obviously, they've never heard of muckrakers - those journalists in the 20s and 30s whose desire to expose corruption was their fuel. In this time, if journalists couldn't dig up something, they would make something up - hence yellow journalism. You can say that journalism has declined, that reporters are lazy in the age of the Internet as opposed to when you had to rely more on good old-fashion footwork, but in virtually all of the major journalistic institutions, that yellow journalism crap would not fly today in the age of fact checkers, fear of libel and a more-informed public. So, in short - even with the problems of anonymous sources, bias and lazy reporting, the media is far more reliable now than the glory days some critics wish journalism would venture.

Lighter topic - Neko Case at Sokol Underground...

The cool basement of Sokol auditorium in Omaha was a haven from the wall of humidity that has settled for the past week. My roommate let out a few sneezes on the way to the show "12 hours into my f*$&ing 24-hour Claritin." Both he and co-concertgoer Trac grumbled about the 9 p.m. show (with all due credit, all of us had to work early).

Still, Neko Case is one artist that you gladly sacrifice sleep for - without question. The crowd initially was made up of a lot of aging hippies and Gen-Xers. It was a nice contrast to the Shins, where you were awash in ironic t-shirts. These folks didn't give a crap about how they looked - polo shirts, untucked generic striped shirts. Heck, one girl I saw had a Penn State t-shirt on, jeans and a clip that had at least 20 keys jangling from her waist.

After Low Skies performed their set to a polite reception (think Jeff Buckley's band backed by the Verve's Richard Ashcroft with a blown vocal cord), Neko Case's band took the stage. The girl with the Penn State t-shirt politely weaved her way through the crowd, climbed up on stage and began tuning her guitar. Internally, I was banging my head against the wall - I'm way too shy to be a stalker, but I definitely wanted to have a 'fan moment' where I thanked her for making one of the best albums of the decade (Blacklisted) and thank her for capturing the generic vibe and loneliness of Tucson (where she recorded Blacklisted and is recording her next album).

For fans who have not seen Neko Case live, her vocal translation from studio to live is virtually identical. Her voice (think Patsy Cline signing at a piano bar designed by David Lynch) is one of those few voices currently in rock that shocks you with its openness and power. She is one artist that you will not confuse with any other artist when you hear a song by her on the radio.
Case's set focused heavily from her latest live album, The Tigers Have Spoken. The album is a mix of Case's original alt-country/lounge/rock style ("If You Knew") and some extremely smart covers (Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Soulful Shade of Blue"). In the course of the show, Case stopped to tune her guitars (two acoustics, one electric). While she was tuning her guitar, her crowd banter was easygoing and never forced. The sometimes off-key acoustics from her supporting band gave the show an informal charm. However, you can tell Case is a perfectionist; at the end of virtually every song, she kindly instructed her soundman where to tone down the volume and where to add more and less reverb (other than the poser rock star move of raising a thumb up or down and mouthing 'can we get more?').

In addition to fan favorites ("Blacklisted", "Deep Red Bells", "Set Out Running"), Case tried out some new songs and rewarded the crowd of about 500 with a cover of Bob Dylan's "Buckets of Rain."

Throughout the show, she tousled and occasionally tied back her hair. Some may see that as a nervous tic, but her laser-focused gaze toward the audience and her dead-on hit of every note shows a confidence that has come from years of hitting the road with various rock, country and even punk backup bands.

The fans, for the most part, let Case and her band play whatever the hell they wanted. There was an occasional cry for her cover of Aretha Franklin's "Running out of Fools" (sort of rude by the concertgoer, but who can blame her?), but Case politely dismissed the request, saying the band hadn't rehearsed that song.

The set clocked in at a little more than an hour-and-a-half. She closed with "Furnace Room Lullaby" and said her band would be available to meet the audience and to sell stuff after the show because the sales were needed to fuel their vans. The show may have been low-key, but Case packed a punch that left you hoping she would come back and perform at the small venue of Sokol Underground, even though you hope enough people catch on to her to fill a much larger venue.

Final Topic (thanks for those who have made it this far) - No one likes Coldplay

Coldplay's new one comes out today. No one likes it - it's either a masterpiece or a calculated, harmless piece of hokum.
Paste Magazine says it's a masterpiece: www.pastemagazine.com
Pitchfork Magazine says it's harmless: www.pitchforkmedia.com (altho Pitchfork wear their elitism like a badge of honor)
Rolling Stone plays the middle ground, but still give it three stars (which is like a 3.0 out of 10.0 for any other magazine). www.rollingstone.com
I'm curious as to the folks who criticize the band for its broad lyrics. Some of the best blues lyrics are simple variations as "now you're gone." Hell, even critical favorite Joy Division's typical line was something like "Where will it end?" Not that I'm ranking Coldplay up with Buddy Guy, Son Seals or Joy Division. Just saying...
Others fault the band for its ambition. However, if you have the skills, ambition is not something that I usually dog. It was far more fun to make fun of overly-ambitions bands of the '90s like Smashing Pumpkins and Oasis than earnest folks like Dave Matthews and Hootie and the Blowfish. Be it Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Beck or Outkast, it's far more riskier to aim high and try to record that "album of the decade." For that, I have to side with the Coldplay supporters. I'll be in line picking up X&Y - even though I haven't heard a note of it.
It's funny that Coldplay is coming out with its opus the same day as the White Stripes come out with Get Behind Me Satan. Some critics are pitting this as the battle of the overly-earnest, studio-shined wizardry of Coldplay verses the scrappy, low-fi stomp of the White Stripes. The problem is that the White Stripes overly earnestness is just as calculated as Coldplay's ambitions.
Current listening selections:
Neko Case - The Tigers Have Spoken
Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Oasis - Don't Believe The Truth

Leaks and the incredibly shrinking newspaper

2005-06-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

So - it was W. Mark Felt who was the famous "deep throat." In the journalism world, I'm sure this news is slightly bittersweet because arguably the most famously-kept secret in journalism history is now revealed. It's sort of like Carly Simon finally revealing the subject of the song "You're So Vain" - when the secret's out, it's typically anticlimactic.

Felt's revelation comes as leaks are being attacked by the administration and conservative media. Felt has already been attacked for having an agenda. If you want a good refresher on Felt and his impact, check out MSN's linked Washington Post article. One thing that all administrations typically do is try to deflect the fact that they engaged in illegal activity by attacking the leak as someone with an agenda. For Felt, it could have been the fact that he was passed over for a position as FBI director when Hoover died (the position went to relative outsider L. Patrick Gray). And just to play fair, Clinton supporters did the same thing with the leak(s) that broke the Lewinsky scandal, which, of course, led to his impeachment.

The fact is that people are generally self-motivated and have an agenda. You're not going to get that many Boy Scouts in 'leak-worthy' positions unless they are motivated by their own agendas. That doesn't discount the fact that wrongdoing occurred. It's also interesting to see that little has been learned from the lessons of Watergate: The tighter the grip on leak suppression, the more leaks generally come out. It's sort of like trying to hold water with your fist.

Topic 2

NPR's "On the Media" did a good story on The Christian Science Monitor. The paper's circulation currently stands at about 60,000. At its peak, its circulation surpassed 200,000. It's a problem that virtually all major newspapers are facing. For most people, it's hard enough to get out of bed, take a shower and make it to work on time without taking an extra 20-30 minutes to browse a newspaper.

Most newspapers realize this and have made their material available online. However, this poses a unique problem... most readers are not too hip on shelling out money for an online subscription. If it's a good article, it's bound to be copied and pasted into an email by a friend. The New York Times is planning to charge its online readers for specific columns. With the Internet approaching 15 years of mass use, it's going to be hard to readjust peoples perceptions that some content comes with a price tag. All I can say is woe to the advertisers who are facing this problem.

For newspapers, this means less revenue from advertisers that are reaching smaller audiences. This means less revenue for reporters, photographers and editors. That means less investigative reporting and local stories. This means more reliance on AP wire.

The good news - newspaper critics said television would kill the newspaper. It didn't. It was a kick in the solar plexus, but they still operated. Coffee houses and bars still need newspapers spread around. You still need newspapers on public transportation to distract you from a long commute. Also, the laptop can never replace the newspaper when it comes to reading the Sports (or comics) section on the throne on a Sunday morning after a night of poor eating and excessive drinking.

Current listening selections:
System of a Down - Mezmerize
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
REM - Reconstruction of the Fables
The Eels - Bright Lights and Other Revelations

Something light

2005-05-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

For the holiday - I wanted to make things fairly low-key. I just saw Green Day at the Qwest. I initially said I would put in my 'top ten' but I started thinking and I do have to say the show just missed my top ten - joining the ranks of The Eels at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha in 2003 and Def Leppard in Omaha in 1987 and the Beastie Boys with Fishbone and Murphy's law in 1987 for their Licensed to Ill Tour.

So - here's my informal 'Top Ten' list for best concerts I've attended.

10. Pearl Jam/Bad Religion - Red Rocks Stadium (Colorado) - 1995. This was during their Vitology tour. Besides Bad Religion's near-flawless set and Pearl Jam being on top of their game, the nostalgia of seeing Red Rocks for the first time put this above such stellar shows as Green Day in Omaha and The Eels at the Ranch Bowl.

9. Beck/The Flaming Lips - Orpheum Theater (Minneapolis) - 2002. Beck touring for Sea Change. The Flaming Lips touring for Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Beck at his heartfelt best.

8. The Flaming Lips - Knickerbockers (Lincoln, NE) - 2000. I'm still trying to figure out how they put on a show that was supporting what NME called 'Album of the Decade' in a dingy bar that could sit barely more than a thousand people. With band-issued headphones passed out to the crowd and talking sock puppets, the worldwide scope of The Soft Bulletin was reduced to a beautiful essence - even the beer tasted supernatural.

7. Reverend Horton Heat - Royal Grove (Lincoln, NE) - 1997. It's Martini Time was the album. To that point, I had never seen a mosh pit so frenzied and so intense. My friend was lost in the mosh pit for almost a minute, he came up, lost his shirt in the pit and I got my first chance to see the 'Rev stand up on Jimbo's upright bass like a crazed surfer. Absolutely amazing.

6. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sokol Hall (Omaha, NE) - 2004. A sold-out show. At the top of their game. Karen O coming onstage wearing a utility belt that was circa era Luke Skywalker 1977. Yeah, Karen O is rock-star-worship worthy, but Nick Zinner was the unsung hero of the night for his guitar antics.

5. Pixies - Pershing Auditorium (Lincoln) - 2004. Ever wish you could see a band that broke up long before you formed a love for them. Ever have that band reform, but when you saw them, the band was a pale imitation of their prior glory, making the nostalgia all the more bitter to swallow? Didn't happen when the Pixies reunited last year. Thank god - now let's just hope Husker Du can do the same.

4. Radiohead - Alpine Valley amphitheater (East Troy, Wisconsin) - 2003
Finally got a chance to see this band. I've been building up more than six years of anticipation on how these guys would perform live. They didn't disappoint. Highlight of the show: being scrunched in with thousands of other geeks, on a grassy hill that felt like you were going to fall over into a human boulder - and having that energy explode when the band tore into "2+2=5."

3. Tori Amos - Midland Theater (Kansas City) - 1994
Couldn't have been a more elegant place to see Tori Amos support Under the Pink. Her other shows at the Orpheum in Omaha were solid, but this was the first time I saw her - and the only time where her albums didn't contain a smidgen of filler.

2. U2 - Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City) - 1992
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and the Sugarcubes opened up. U2 was supporting Achtung Baby. Bush I was about to get the boot - and partial thanks was because of MTV and U2. It was a big event - big and bloated - with vid walls and old cars used as spotlights. Long before webcasts, this was one of the foundations on how concerts were to be judged. Ask anyone who saw this concert in their late teens and early '20s and you'll get basically the same response: most kids felt like they could change the world after seeing this show - or at least have a helluva story to tell their grandkids on how they were AT the Achtung Baby tour.

1. Morphine - Music Hall (Lawrence, KS) - 1997
No question. The opening act couldn't perform, so Morphine simply opted to put on a longer show instead of string out the anticipation. Mark Sandman was the epitome of cool and the venue was perfect for the band's ultra-intense coolness. The venue's single Jack and Cokes were actually doubles. The audience lapped up Sandman's beat-poet banter with the audience and Dana Colley's dual-saxophone attack so much that the audience didn't let the band leave the stage until they heard basically their entire catalog - and a few quirky tunes in-between. I wanted to move to Lawrence for three years after seeing this show. RIP - Mark Sandman.

Disclaimer - this list subject to change as I'll be seeing Neko Case on June 6 and Wilco with the Roots on June 17 at Red Rocks...

Masked and anonymous (sources)

2005-05-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

"Is it worth the aggravatiooooonnnnn, to find yourself a job when there's nothing worth looking for?" - Oasis - "Cigarettes and Alcohol"

- 179 resumes printed and sent
- two drawers full of clips - one for edited copy, one for clips

Resume posted on monsterjobs.com, yahoo.com, University of Nebraska Medical Center, bestjobsintucson.com, University of Nebraska and about a half dozen more that most likely need updating because I learned a better word for 'impact'. Resume updated in three formats, all on nice, sandstone-resume paper from Kinkos; each resume geared toward a specific market (one freelance, one techical writing, one newspaper). Two 3x5 spiral notecard books (75 count) filled with job leads, contact person, when I sent the resume, contact person's email, phone extension and the materials I sent.
... welcome to the job search for the 21st century.

And it doesn't end here. There's always a better way to say 'compiled,' 'assisted' and 'led.' The column format that was so praised by a resume expert gets ripped to shreds and you're asked to resubmit it in a more organized, horizontal format. All of this stuff will lead to a better opportunity, but after working a nine-and-a-half-hour day, it's the last thing you want to do - go out and fight another battle, revise your strategy and get back in the ring for Round 34. It could be far worse - you could not have a job and have to do this. Like exercise, every workout will produce a great result down the road. But... bloody hell, competing in a globalization society with approximately two million new grads can suck all ass.

Media topic - Newsweek and New York Times
So, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh basically say Newsweek killed more than a dozen protesters by running a story that had to be retracted. However, Hamid Karzai said the riots had virtually nothing to do with the Newsweek article. No doubt Newsweek did a stupid thing. And if I read one more "a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity said she was 'concerned' about Bush's stance on such and such..." - I'm going to freak. I understand anonymous sources are needed in the media, but the reasons that papers are giving sources anonymity has to either get a lot stricter or the reason for giving anonymity to sources needs to be made a helluva lot more clear.

Different media topic (sort of) - but still relating to the Newsweek article - I'm renting the second season of '24' again - the one with the fabricated tape that tried to get three countries into war with the U.S. Yeah, this is a fantasy show, but when that season first came out in 2002-03, I was worried that after the nuke exploded, the last half of the season would get preposterous because, come on... using false information as a means of going to war with a country? (what a difference a few years makes). Anyway - in the age of improved technology, journalists are going to have to not only become journalists, but cops, detectives and CIA operatives as well. It's only going to get easier to make convincing forged documents and even doctored photos and recordings. This happened when Photoshop initially came out - people were worried that newspapers may accidentally run fabricated photos out of ignorance, but with the exception of a few major screw-ups, this never came to be a huge problem. And nothing still beats good old fashion intuition and hunches. But still, with deadline pressures, low paying jobs and newspapers forced to do more with less in the face of lower circulation, it looks like there is a recipe for more Newsweek and 60 Minutes 2 - type gaffes in the future, not less.

Listening selections
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
Paul Westerberg - Stereo
Oasis - Definitely Maybe

Activism

2005-05-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Recently, there's been a lot of talk about activism - namely 'activist judges.' It strikes me that when judges become activist when it comes to enforcing laws such as requiring the ten commandments be posted in judicial courthouses, or in the case of the 2000 election, judges are upholding the law. However, in other cases, such as the case in the striking down of the 416 law in Nebraska - it's almost like a declaration of war on the Christian right. Keep in mind that some of our proudest moments in our country came from judicial activism - namely, some of the key decisions on the civil rights movement (namely Brown vs. Board of Education).

Far less serious topic...
Took my nephew to see his first concert tonight - Green Day at the Qwest Center in Omaha. Hats off to Green Day for giving him a memorable first-time experience as a concert goer. My vocal cords are already beaten raw by a cold (most likely acquired from trying to find my car after seeing Bright Eyes and the Faint at the Mid America Center and walking through a torrential downpour for 30 minutes) - the smoke from the floor of the Qwest Center and my occasional lapse into teenage geekdom by jumping and screaming is going to do wonders on Monday.

Anyway - yes, for the punk pretensions crowd, the Green Day concert reeked of the very excess of rock that punk was trying to destroy in the 70s: huge pyrotechnics, dumb shout-alongs from the crowd and a ton of confetti dumped on the floor during an encore. But, I have to cry 'uncle' on this one - it was one of those great moments as a concert goer - seeing a not-bad-at-all concert through the eyes of an estatic, firsttime, 14-year-old concert goer (who, by the way, owns Radiohead's The Bends AND OK Computer).

I will rattle off some highlights, since I'm still recovering from a massive cold and needing to get to bed before going to my technical writing job tomorrow and draft up some documents that no one will read and work in a cubicle where no one will notice whether or not I'm there - Billy Joe Armstrong dragging a novice drummer, guitar player and bassist from the crowd to play a number - and then giving his guitar to the elated Iowa-raised guitarist and forcing the drummer to take a stage dive, a blistering opener of "American Idiot" in front of a Nazi-like backdrop of the Green Day American Idiot logo, and in a moment where I probably went into embarrassing uncle mode (read... jumping up and down like I was on an invisible pogo stick) with Green Day's absolutely devastating performance of "Jaded."

The concert ended around 10:30 - plenty of time to take my nephew home, talk about the concert to my sister (half-jokingly saying to her that we're even for her taking me to see The Beastie Boys and Fishbone in 1987) and have me just miss the final moments of Aqua Teen - Hunger Force on the Cartoon Network. Yes, I saw ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, The Shins and Bright Eyes/The Faint within two weeks, but I relent, I didn't have nearly as much fun as seeing Green Day in concert. Maybe because it's the release of hearing such an articulate response to what it's like to live in post 9/11 America, or the fact that ... face it... - they may just write really, really good songs, but I will have to put seeing Green Day during the height of their American Idiot tour in my 'top 10 concerts of all time' list while the Shins and ...Trail of Dead will most likely be forgotten in a few months. Yes, it was cliched, with their cover of "We Are The Champions" and the endless "Somebody say 'heayahhh'" crown banter, but, as journalists, we know that sometimes cliches work and are necessary. Bravo, Green Day, for making a believer out of a cynic and giving my nephew an unforgettable first-concert memory, and thanks for playing "Jaded."

Current listening selections:
The Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Green Day - American Idiot
Green Day - International Superhits
Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm

My Commencement Address to the News Editorial Class of 2005

2005-05-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

I caught Bright Eyes and The Faint last night at the Mid America Center. I will be the first to concede that I was about ten years too old to fully be part of 'the crowd.' It's going to be really interesting when I take my 14-year-old nephew to see Green Day. (continuing my family tradition first adopted by my sister, who, despite her refusal for listening to anything heavier than Styx or Kenny Loggins, fearlessly took me to see the Beastie Boys and Fishbone during their 'Licensed to Ill' tour in 1987). Anyway - I saw one of my journalism grad buddies - who is about 27 now - wearing denim Capris and a lace, thrift store Ballerina top over those Capris. All that was missing was a polka-dot, Hello Kitty purse to mask her desperation to remain cool. I believe she works for an insurance company now. And making more than she would working at a newspaper.

I'm in the same boat. I got out of the full-time journalism game to take a job as a technical writer for a medical software company. The job gives me full authority, I have virtually no supervision and I can listen to NPR (right now Ridley Scott dissecting his masterpiece 'Blade Runner' right now on Studio 360) and CDs all day. And it pays the bills.

But I'm still kicking myself for not taking a copy editing job in Bend, Oregon a few years ago. I justified this career decision by saying that I didn't want my eight years of hospital radiology experience (I worked there for eight years to pay for school) to go to waste. I justified it by saying that I can learn new technology like RoboHelp, FrameMaker and DreamWeaver and keep myself relevant in the marketplace. But - it came down to being able to live alone and pay for a car payment, student loan and your average credit card debt vs. having a roommate and working a second job waiting tables and working at a paper.

I can imagine a lot of kids feel the same way. It doesn't help that some of our journalism peers call us "sellouts" for taking corporate jobs. I keep vowing to get a freelance job, but securing a national freelance gig that pays is about as difficult as beating Halo on the 'Nightmare' level in one setting.

It's not just the money. As far as occupations go, the public trusts the media about as much as lawyers and porn producers. True, the public doesn't rave about the media, but they also don't rave about the drinking water - I think it's just one of those aspects of life where the majority of people are cynics. In essence, you're going into a job where people already hate you. You're also entering a market where newspaper sales are plummeting (why clutter your house with paper and coupons for processed cheese when you can read most articles on the Internet for free?), some press corps members and even networks are turning into propaganda machines and not legitimate news sources, forcing an average reader to get one take from NPR, another take from Fox news, maybe some Salon, Slate or BBC to balance things out for one damn story and finally, you see stuff like Iraq and Afghanistan take a back seat to runaway brides. This business is not for the weak.

Still, you can do it. When I was making $10 an hour as a copy editor during an internship, I somehow made ends meet. If you feel it in your gut that you have to be a journalist, that's going to be something that will eat you away if you don't at least give it one half-ass shot. Besides, that hunger in your gut will always bring journalism out of its doldrums. So, best of luck to you. Just don't be hating us folks on the sidelines who are still looking for the perfect freelance gig (that pays - that's the key).

Music topic - The Shins
I'm beginning to think The Shins's Oh Inverted World will be the cult album of this decade. It came on the scene more than three years ago, but if you catch Amazon's best sellers, it remains on their Top 50. Yes, Garden State has something to do this - but there is something to be said for word of mouth. In a few years, it could be one of the only 5-million-plus selling albums that probably sold about around 10,000 copies a week at its height ... however, as long as colleges have freshmen and sophomores, it's pretty safe to assume that this album is going to sell 10,000 copies a week for a few years.

Music selections of the day:
Bruce Springsteen - Devils and Dust
The Clash - s/t
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway

Scopes and fluffier topics

2005-05-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

It was just announced on the news that Boise, Idaho and Austin, Texas were some of the best places to find a career. New graduates, take note - Austin is an especially hip city to live in - if you can handle the humidity.
NPR's Morning Edition program is doing a segment on Christianity in politics. Today, they are focusing on Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, two of the more extreme representations of Christianity doctrine. It would be nice to have some of the moderate voices start appearing out of the woodwork. Just goes to show you how similar Muslim and Christian religions are in terms of their political clout in their own regions; both have a way of suppressing the more moderate voices in favor of the more dynamic/extreme voices.
Speaking of religion, this week marks the anniversary where John Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution in a classroom. Coincidentally, Kansas is currently rehashing this trial at this very moment. The argument is basically to let other viewpoints be taught and put the focus on categorizing evolution as a theory. Ok - but why is this one specific theory being attacked? When the theory of relativity is taught, it's usually not given a disclaimer. While I agree that Darwin's theory is still a theory and not a fact, it's as close to a fact as I can imagine in the science world. Horses originally had toes. We grew thumbs. Even the former Pope said that evolution could very well be in God's plan. Just like the argument that social conservatives have about judicial activism (would James Dobson label a judge 'activist' if he or she used their authority to put the Ten Commandments on the steps of a state court?), it appears that those who argue against the filibuster and against having Darwin's theory be one of the primary cornerstones of biology are not necessarily concerned with judicial activism or scientific theory at all. It's just a veiled attack against anyone who doesn't share their beliefs that the Earth is about 12,000 years old and a holy war is imminent because people watch "Desperate Housewives" and "Sex in the City."
Anway - different, lighter topic...
I know these albums were made while Green Day was making American Idiot, but it seems like the concept album is making quite the comeback. True, The Flaming Lips sort of got the ball rolling with The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but artists who you generally wouldn't associate with big concept albums have released their own - namely The Eels Blinking Lights and Other Revelations and Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm. Out of all the new/big releases this past month (Springsteen, NIN, Garbage, Aimee Mann), The Eels has been receiving the most glowing reviews. Blinking Lights... is a beauty of an album; sad, morose and with 33 tracks - bloated. Not an album to listen to during a workout or if you are already in the throws of a deep depression (unless you like listening to depressing music). Aimee Mann's release is more focused and catchier. Both are worthy investments.
Current listening selections:
Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm
The Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Radiohead - OK Computer
NIN - With Teeth

Dumb pride and prejudice

2005-05-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

Had a good conversation with a friend about prejudices today. The topic definitely is surfacing due to Dr. James Dobson's claim that the democrats are attacking people of faith when it comes to Bush's judicial nominees. (Pay no mind that number-wise, the number of nominees that have been approved under Bush's wing is about the same as the number of judicial nominees approved when Clinton was in office.) I tend to be prejudice as well - when I meet with a supporter of Focus on the Family, I will have a prejudice that this person is going to be a closed-mined, Bible-beating hypocrite - but it's important to be keep your prejudices in a critical realm. Still, I have to admit - it was fun running off a list of my prejudices.

Here's a short list of people who I'm prejudice against:

Nerds (not geeks, we'll get into that difference in another Blog)
Critics that already have an album review written before an album comes out (e.g. - put a '90s has been label on any artist who came of age in the '90s (so far, I've seen this applied to Beck, Garbage AND NIN).
Drama queens who can't spin their self-pity into an engaging story
Carb-phobic people
People who constantly talk about their 'core' (thank pilates for this)
SUV drivers
Hummer drivers (one of the only groups I freely discriminate against)
Pavement fans with no sense of humor
Hipsters who use the word 'hipster' at least five times a day
Moral value Republicans
Promise Keepers
Rednecks
Anyone who doesn't have one Bob Dylan CD in their collection
Go-getters
Gay men over 25 who use 'boi' in their screen name
People who take sections of the New York Times that you paid for from your couch at a coffee house and get offended when you refuse to let go of it.
People who don't critically discriminate

See?! It's fun to rally off a list. I invite anyone who wants to list their prejudices to post as well. Just so we have the understanding that these are prejudices. Deep down, we as civilized people need to give each person the benefit of the doubt. However, be honest, how many times have you formed a prejudice in your mind about a driver ahead of you - you think "this jerk's going to cut me off, I just know it" - and that person does exactly what you predicted?

Oh, and a real quick thanks to Aimee Mann, Nine Inch Nails and The Eels for emptying my wallet this week. Would have rocked to get these releases spaced out a bit.

Listening selections for the day..
Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth
Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm
Bruce Springsteen - Devils and Dust
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus
Wilco - Summerteeth

2005-04-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

about the author...

2005-04-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

The gang

2005-03-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

Riley the Dog (just like the Mark Sandman song)

We have an announcement...

2005-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

Totally selfish blog here - was going to talk about the joy I felt when I heard that the ratings are tanking for most media outlets covering the Michael Jackson trial. But what can you really say? He hasn't been relevant for almost two decades. It's pathetic that most media outlets are putting more resources covering this trial than in covering the war in Iraq. But other than that...

So - Tuesday - at the office. A bit hung over from catching Modest Mouse play in Omaha, the owner of the company says that we have been purchased by another company. Throughout the rest of the day, all you could hear was sterile clacking of keyboards. Virtually everyone at the company is even afraid to breathe.

The initial reactions...

Panic: "Oh shit, I'm gone." They're going to clean house. Start anew. Fire some people for the sake of firing them.
Uneasy cockiness, mixed with quasi-logic: All right - most office restructure involves higher-level. The new investors are from India and they still need technical writers - writers who understand how to write so people with less than a high school education can understand.
General numbness: Oh...kaaay. If they fire me, they fire me. We needed restructuring. Change is never easy. Evolve, learn a new skill, or die. But right now... just make it to 5 so I can go home and have one vodka tonic, decompress and face tomorrow.

Listening selections:
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Green Day - American Idiot
Bjork - Medulla (still don't like it - but giving it another chance)

This blog brought to you by Riley... the dog

My first blog

2004-10-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

This is basically my first blog. I still think Blogs are over-glamorized message boards. Still - it's one of those things I wanted to try.