Monday, February 25, 2008
another
so i just got another inquiry from my facebook application asking if i'm still reading the same book. oh, and i don't think i've touched it since my last post. shame on me. hehe.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
turning pages
One of the many applications I've added on my facebook page is the "visual bookshelf." I did so in part to shame myself into reading more. Well, not shame myself, but just put something out in public that will kinda publicize my small collection of reads. For those unfamiliar with the app it acts as a computerized version of a bookshelf, but has "shelves" for what you've read, what you want to read, and so on. You can see mine above.So, is it a bad thing that I've gotten two emails asking if I'm still reading This Is Your Brain On Music? Eeks. I admit I've been working thru it slowly, but that's just kinda who I roll. These silly emails don't really get me to do much, I've been reading more regularly so far this year. It's tailed off a bit, in part due to travels and going to the gym, and video games, and making better use of my netflix.
But I probably should spend more time on reading and a little less on TV late at nite. Hmmm...anyone got any good recommendations?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
the first review
i got the music blog up and running and the first reivew [of the 25th Anniversary release of Thriller] is up [and really long...i doubt i'll usually go into such lengthy discussion...but who knows]. stop by and check it out!
weekend recap...music, politics, and people
another weekend and of course another trip to sf. jumping to the highlights...
being up in sf around such quality people as always reminds me of how great the City is and how lucky i am to know the people i do and be able to call them my friends.
. . . . . . . . .
politics are of obvious importance these days. i've engaged in a handful of discussions about politics, the candidates and so on. i've also spent more time reading up on things and learning more about the lay of the land and what have you.
one thing i find interesting is the intensity some individuals possess about their beliefs. obviously passions will abound on such matters but i'm dumbfounded at the negativity and distaste felt for individuals within the same party. it doesn't make sense and i don't think it really serves any purpose, especially on the democratic side where the tow candidates share much in common and each would represent a major (historic) change and a step in the right direction.
i feel this distaste, this divisiveness does no one good and results in individuals being unable to listen to each other, learn from each other, and grow. anyway, i think my style when it comes to espousing political opinions is more of one in which i discuss things with an individual as opposed to blogging about it.
speaking of blogs and politics, Nick's blog has a link to a very interesting article about art and politics. this leads to the next topic of the evening...
the article wasn't exactly what i thought it was going to be, but i found it very interesting, informative, and thought provoking. as with some of the events from the weekend, just because something isn't what you thought doesn't mean it isn't of equal value.
the arts serve an important purpose in our lives, something that goes beyond anything politics could ever reach [as important as politics may be and as historic as this presidential race may be]. the arts are a form of communication, a way of reaching one another and touching one another's lives.
the 50th Grammy Awards were handed out last nite. taking into account my personal enjoyment of kanYe west and his work, i felt like his performance last nite was simply outstanding. many people criticize him for his cockiness, his tantrums at award shows, etc. multiple people tell me that his lack of humility detracts from his appeal, making these people like him and his music less.
i completely understand that viewpoint. i do not dispute it. but at the same time there is something about the artist. he does possess a talent that few others do. and, ironically, in his music he is at times both self-indulging and also humble and questions himself...i wonder if people see these things beyond his award show outbursts.
but beyond these points, performances like the one he gave last nite set him apart. his rousing performance of Stronger was possibly one of the greatest performances i've ever seen. yet he managed to top such a fierce performance moments later with his rendition of Hey Mama, a dedication to his mother who recently passed away.
music is often used to convey emotions, express oneself, manage one's emotions...to find strength, to find a way to continue on. kanYe has definitely turned to the music and the fans in finding the strength to deal with such a significant loss. to see an individual truly put so much of himself into something, to invest so much emotion and create something that is truly touching is amazing.
seeing him go from a performance that was as much of a show as anyone could ever put on at the Grammy's to a somber, focused, understated tribute was simply amazing. you can hear the emotion in his voice, feel it in how he carried himself, and see it in his eyes. to see the reception he received after his performance speaks to the power of music, of the arts. as important as the political climate may be, for me it will never reach the importance of something i feel is a basic part of our being.
you see, as into himself as Ye may be at times, his performance of Hey Mama indicates his ability to rise above any of the tantrums and be a true artist. it shows that, as much as some may be detracted from his apparent lack of humility, he is at the same time an artist unlike any other...one deserving of a certain admiration for being something others are not...
and yes, i sound like the world's biggest kanYe west supporter at this point, i'm sure. but personally it's more about an appreciation of art and music. i've written about music a lot in this space [the blog generally, not just this post]. so, as i've begun to start leaving reviews on Yelp, i feel a desire to start a second blog devoted strictly to music. i also still want to start a golf blog.
and with the release of the 25th Anniversary Edition of Michael Jackson's Thriller coming tomorrow, i feel there couldn't be a better time to start. so here's the link to what will hopefully be a fruitful blog about music entailing my silly opinions and reviews of albums, songs, what have u as i purchase , come across , and experience them. so here's the link: '...just like music...'
don't worry, there will still be plenty of stuff here and some possible overlap with the two...
- being given a flower
- a return to Stacks and a huge, delicious omelet
- the Exploratorium...and finding out u've got to be in the right mood to go there...
- window shopping
- Poleng and all it entailed
- a shot for Los
- the houseparty
- late nite Cybelle's and Safeway fried chicken with a gatorade chaser
- filling up on curly fries and ranch sauce
- lots of walking
- the perfect weather
being up in sf around such quality people as always reminds me of how great the City is and how lucky i am to know the people i do and be able to call them my friends.
. . . . . . . . .
politics are of obvious importance these days. i've engaged in a handful of discussions about politics, the candidates and so on. i've also spent more time reading up on things and learning more about the lay of the land and what have you.
one thing i find interesting is the intensity some individuals possess about their beliefs. obviously passions will abound on such matters but i'm dumbfounded at the negativity and distaste felt for individuals within the same party. it doesn't make sense and i don't think it really serves any purpose, especially on the democratic side where the tow candidates share much in common and each would represent a major (historic) change and a step in the right direction.
i feel this distaste, this divisiveness does no one good and results in individuals being unable to listen to each other, learn from each other, and grow. anyway, i think my style when it comes to espousing political opinions is more of one in which i discuss things with an individual as opposed to blogging about it.
speaking of blogs and politics, Nick's blog has a link to a very interesting article about art and politics. this leads to the next topic of the evening...
the article wasn't exactly what i thought it was going to be, but i found it very interesting, informative, and thought provoking. as with some of the events from the weekend, just because something isn't what you thought doesn't mean it isn't of equal value.
the arts serve an important purpose in our lives, something that goes beyond anything politics could ever reach [as important as politics may be and as historic as this presidential race may be]. the arts are a form of communication, a way of reaching one another and touching one another's lives.
the 50th Grammy Awards were handed out last nite. taking into account my personal enjoyment of kanYe west and his work, i felt like his performance last nite was simply outstanding. many people criticize him for his cockiness, his tantrums at award shows, etc. multiple people tell me that his lack of humility detracts from his appeal, making these people like him and his music less.
i completely understand that viewpoint. i do not dispute it. but at the same time there is something about the artist. he does possess a talent that few others do. and, ironically, in his music he is at times both self-indulging and also humble and questions himself...i wonder if people see these things beyond his award show outbursts.
but beyond these points, performances like the one he gave last nite set him apart. his rousing performance of Stronger was possibly one of the greatest performances i've ever seen. yet he managed to top such a fierce performance moments later with his rendition of Hey Mama, a dedication to his mother who recently passed away.
music is often used to convey emotions, express oneself, manage one's emotions...to find strength, to find a way to continue on. kanYe has definitely turned to the music and the fans in finding the strength to deal with such a significant loss. to see an individual truly put so much of himself into something, to invest so much emotion and create something that is truly touching is amazing.
seeing him go from a performance that was as much of a show as anyone could ever put on at the Grammy's to a somber, focused, understated tribute was simply amazing. you can hear the emotion in his voice, feel it in how he carried himself, and see it in his eyes. to see the reception he received after his performance speaks to the power of music, of the arts. as important as the political climate may be, for me it will never reach the importance of something i feel is a basic part of our being.
you see, as into himself as Ye may be at times, his performance of Hey Mama indicates his ability to rise above any of the tantrums and be a true artist. it shows that, as much as some may be detracted from his apparent lack of humility, he is at the same time an artist unlike any other...one deserving of a certain admiration for being something others are not...
and yes, i sound like the world's biggest kanYe west supporter at this point, i'm sure. but personally it's more about an appreciation of art and music. i've written about music a lot in this space [the blog generally, not just this post]. so, as i've begun to start leaving reviews on Yelp, i feel a desire to start a second blog devoted strictly to music. i also still want to start a golf blog.
and with the release of the 25th Anniversary Edition of Michael Jackson's Thriller coming tomorrow, i feel there couldn't be a better time to start. so here's the link to what will hopefully be a fruitful blog about music entailing my silly opinions and reviews of albums, songs, what have u as i purchase , come across , and experience them. so here's the link: '...just like music...'
don't worry, there will still be plenty of stuff here and some possible overlap with the two...
Sunday, February 3, 2008
weekend.
it's funny how even when a work week goes by quickly, the weekend still isn't long enough. maybe it's because the carryover of the fast work week makes the weekend go by at an equal pace, and it's 3 days shorter. i often marvel at where my weekends go and i joke that i need a 4 day a week job.
it forces one to value his or her free time, even if it's just free time spent doing nothing. for me, it's a bit strange. much of my more active free time happens out-of-town because many of those i'm closest to live elsewhere. when i am home in LA for the weekend i usual relish in accomplishing as little as possible with myself, making up for rest i've missed out on traveling and being busy other weekends.
either way, i end up spending time thinking about careers and working. it's not that i sit around and worry about stuff at work or anything like that; i get away from work [which is healthy and necessary]. but it makes me think about how much of our lives is devoted to working at a job. it really causes me to pause and wonder where i'm going and wonder if i need more of a plan.
i think the generation of individuals in my age group definitely has it different than those that came before, but that is likely always true. i feel like this generation gets tagged as being lazy and spoiled and pampered. but i think we've been afforded opportunities that previous generations were not, in large part due to the hard work and sacrifice of our "elders" as well as the developments of recent decades in terms of technology as well as the recognition of civil and human rights more generally.
i am completely unsure where these words are wondering off to at this point. but i do feel like, spending so much time working and having the free time be of such importance and sometimes go by so quickly, it is important to have a good plan and know certain things [about yourself, who you are, and the things you would like to do with yourself and your life]. yet plans change and more importantly, the myriad of experiences in life inform your desires, hopes, and dreams.
time for some reading and then sleep [another precious commodity much like free time].
...also, i don't mean to complain. things could definitely be worse and i'm lucky to not feel completely overwhelmed or anything of the like. but who would turn down a little more free time?
it forces one to value his or her free time, even if it's just free time spent doing nothing. for me, it's a bit strange. much of my more active free time happens out-of-town because many of those i'm closest to live elsewhere. when i am home in LA for the weekend i usual relish in accomplishing as little as possible with myself, making up for rest i've missed out on traveling and being busy other weekends.
either way, i end up spending time thinking about careers and working. it's not that i sit around and worry about stuff at work or anything like that; i get away from work [which is healthy and necessary]. but it makes me think about how much of our lives is devoted to working at a job. it really causes me to pause and wonder where i'm going and wonder if i need more of a plan.
i think the generation of individuals in my age group definitely has it different than those that came before, but that is likely always true. i feel like this generation gets tagged as being lazy and spoiled and pampered. but i think we've been afforded opportunities that previous generations were not, in large part due to the hard work and sacrifice of our "elders" as well as the developments of recent decades in terms of technology as well as the recognition of civil and human rights more generally.
i am completely unsure where these words are wondering off to at this point. but i do feel like, spending so much time working and having the free time be of such importance and sometimes go by so quickly, it is important to have a good plan and know certain things [about yourself, who you are, and the things you would like to do with yourself and your life]. yet plans change and more importantly, the myriad of experiences in life inform your desires, hopes, and dreams.
time for some reading and then sleep [another precious commodity much like free time].
...also, i don't mean to complain. things could definitely be worse and i'm lucky to not feel completely overwhelmed or anything of the like. but who would turn down a little more free time?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
change
i got extremely sick of staring at a computer just about an hour ago. so i watched a little more TV and then got in bed to read. but while reading i got inspired to blog, altho not necessarily about what i was reading (This Is Your Brain on Music). like i did last year and like i plan on doing for years to come, around new year's i sat down and wrote out a list of resolutions for the new year. i debate how many and what detail at the time, just a few weeks ago (it feels like much more). over the past week or so i've given thought to what kind of start i am off to on the yearly quest of resolving myself to new goals and growth. the final conclusion? in some ways i think i'm doing well, in others not. but change (not that i feel some impending need to change myself based on a dislike of anything about me - let's be honest, i'm so spectacular that no growth is even necessary) takes time. more importantly, growth is a process. it'd be easy to hold myself to some standard and just say i've already failed (based on things like, e.g., the fact that i have not worked out once to start the year). but life is about taking steps and taking those steps in the right direction. it's easy to sprint out of the gate and then tire. it's also easy to start out too slow and fall so far behind that u just throw in the towel. so i guess it's about balance.
i've been reading more lately, writing here a little more often, and just balancing out the grind of working with time to just get away from it all (with tv, music, private dance parties, surfing the interweb, chatting, seeing friends, and sleeping at funny times of day) and honestly it feels nice. even with the things i may not like or enjoy, balance provides a sense of calm.
at the end of the day, i want to to do more (when it comes to a lot of things, not just the handful of resolutions). but u take your steps each day or when confronted with each situation. it's crazy to think 1 of the 12 months of the year is almost gone (i gotta get that last hour of MCLE time in). it seems so fast yet it also seems like so much happened in that same span. hopefully we all get to the end of the next 11 months and have progressed and moved in a positive direction.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
rain.
it's been raining quite a bit down here in LA over the last week, for those who didn't know. i know the weather is worse in other place and there are place that get a ton more rain, but i guess we got as much rain in one day as we did in all of last year. anyway, i'm not about to complain about the rain at all. in fact, i'm here to celebrate it.
sometimes rain is really depressing. often it's just a pain in the @$$. but it's been nice for some reason lately. i think it's in part because it's been needed (altho i'm sure with all the fires down here it's leading to mudslides due to the lack of vegetation and it's led to snow in the mountains and unfortunate deaths). it's been pretty dry down here and i feel like the rain (or at least some of it) will lead to regrowth and a fresh start.
the rain can be cleansing and refreshing. it also just causes u to kinda slow down, literally and metaphorically. seeing how green places can be after some rain just reminds you that, while it can be depressing it's also vital to life and growth and sometimes restarting.
so i'm just trying to enjoy the rain and slow down, reflect, and kinda let the rain wash away it needs to...