musical musings

My music collection has become somewhat stale as of late. I've been on the lookout for new things, but I also realized I'm not sure what I even like anymore. So, I've been listening around with a pretty open mind... and ears. I've found a couple of things that I am interested in.

1. La Dispute - Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair
While we were setting up for a shoot yesterday, Jake put their new album on. It was really good. I don't have it yet, but this is one that I want to buy from the source instead of pirate, because it's a local band and I want to support them.

2. Marc Broussard
Yeah, he's been around for a while, but I just saw him on Leno again recently. I think he's just good feel-good music. I really just want to collect any of his songs wherever I can find them, and not spend $45 to buy all of his albums.

3. Rosie Thomas- A Very Rosie Christmas
I am very excited about this album and will also be buying it soon. I am also hoping to go see her Christmas concert downtown in December. mmmmm....


Any other suggestions?

the race problem

So, I was warned of the following phenomenon last semester by my Sociology professor, and I find it particularly potent now.

The media last night and today have been going on and on about how significant it is that America has elected a president of mixed race.

and yes, it is amazing. Don't misunderstand me. This is huge. It gives hope to the oppressed all over the country and the world. It expands the imaginations of young black children, making anything possible to them. Last night will be written about as an enormous breakthrough in our country's history, 40 years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

However, I have heard more than one reporter talk about how this is the end to the race problem. Saying that we've beat it, it is no longer a part of us.

This is simply not true. The residues of our country's racial divisions still lurk in every corner. In every interracial interaction, the nuances of racism are there. In media coverage, the music industry, the grocery store, the judgements seep through.

And I'm not pulling for equality in the sense that everyone's culture is integrated and looks the same. But the goal is equal respect for every human being.

just sayin...

thrown into this position once again...

So, for my Media Production class this morning, we were supposed to have prepared a pitch for a short narrative film. The two best would be chosen by the class and produced. Whoever's pitch got chosen would be the director. So, I procrastinated all weekend. And last night after I drove home from Kalamazoo I was dead tired. It was only 10pm, but it was really 11pm due to daylight savings. I couldn't keep my eyes open, much less write a pitch. So I went to bed.

So this morning, I find myself driving to school at 7:45am trying to come up with a pitch. Finally, I scrape one together in my mind scribble it down once I get to class, and hand it in.

I am convinced that this horrible behavior was my subconscious way of saying that I do not want to be a director. I'm not a visionary; I'm a detail person. I am a producer.

But the stupid thing got picked! Agh!

I mean, yeah, cool. People liked my idea. That feels nice.

but man, this is going to be one hectic finals time.