This entry is in reference to the sample blog in our reading assignment entitled, "Rock... What Happened?"
I’m getting really tired of people whining that rock is dead and new music sucks. This is not the only blog or article or even verbal discussion I have come across on such topic. People of all ages complain about it all the time. While I agree that current mainstream music does lack true talent, it doesn’t mean that people in general don’t appreciate musical talent anymore. And on top of that, I really wish they’d stop crying about it and just accept it; music changes with the times like all other forms of art.
There are several reasons for this “tragedy” in the music industry. First and foremost, rock is not dead. Rock is just not getting record deals because recording companies are only contracting so-called-artists who merely involve themselves in mainstream music and whose image can be sold on a cereal box for the one huge target audience that buys anything that’s sparkley, brooding to the extreme, or “hot” – teenagers. The music industry is no longer about music. The real shame is not that rock is dead, it is that rock is struggling so hard to be heard, but probably never will. Not because they lack talent, but because they lack bling or bad attitudes to bleat over-used lyrics about.
On my second point, of course rock is phased out. It has run its course, just like baroque, classical, jazz, blues, ragtime, doo-wop and disco. Music has evolved with the rest of the world and has become more electronic and experimental, along with our phones, TV’s, visual art, writing and newcasting. Things get born and then they die out. Even music and art.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Hoping for homework... WHAT?!
Back to school again after 10 years, for real this time. Seriously, I mean it! This is my ... hmmm... 4th (I think?) attempt at returning to school. All other attempts failed due to overwhelming myself or lack of funds before said funds were due 2 weeks after class began. It's funny now to look back on my journey of attempting to return to school. Let's have a look...
Backtrack 10 years. Once I turned 18, fresh out of high school, I was most definitely "ready" to go back to school. Everyone said financial aid was a breeze, so I didn't even think about worrying about that. Everyone wanted me to go to study art or advertising or fiction writing, to enhance my inborn abilities. But no, in 1998 I was fascinated with the rave scene and electronic music. I was going to Columbia to study electronic music production and no one could change my mind. I applied, got accepted, even went to the orientation. Then something happened. I don't even know what happened actually. I think I probably went to a rave, or maybe 3, and just totally forgot about it.
Then around 2001 when I was severely struggling to find work, thanks to the market crash of September 11th, it was time to give it a try again. This time though, I was charmed by the commercials for the International Academy of Merchandising and Design. My new fascination was fashion design. How I loved to coordinate odd patters and textures together and throw together strange outfits no one would dream of wearing. Yes, the fashion world was for me. I went to IAMD and they convinced me to enroll immediately, instead of waiting until the next semester. "Don't worry about saving your money, you can get financial aid. It's a breeze!" So 2 weeks later, I was in school. One teacher asked us to write a paper about our favorite designer and why. She said that if we didn't know about other designers and their work, then the fashion world is not for us. So considering I thought other fashion designers were snotty weirdos, I stopped going. I would've had to anyway because I couldn't get financial aid in time, contrary to what I was promised.
2 years later, and finally starting to grow up, I decide it's time I get serious about going to school. I thought, I am going to work full time and go back to school full time too. Not a minute of my time shall be wasted! No messing with financial aid either. I am saving the money myself and paying for it on my own. I did some research and decided on Northeastern Illinois University. I was going for my Bachelor's in business. I always liked my dad's stories about his business consulting, so I decided that is what I would do. So I began. I especially loved my linguistics class. A few weeks into the semester, tuition was due. I was too short. I didn't even think of asking for a small extension, I just gave up.
Since then, the thought of trying to go to school just scared the hell out of me. Too many "what if's." But the most terrifying what-if of all was, "What if I can't do all the HOMEWORK?" I wondered if this was actually the underlying subconscious blocker all along. When I went to study fashion, I found myself overburdened with so much homework. And all I wanted to do was go out and party. I had no idea how on Earth I would get it all done. Same story when I started at Northeastern. I made all kinds of other excuses why I quit, which also happened to be true, but my real fear was homework.
Homework was my academic downfall my entire life. I think I must have completed about 15% of homework assinments in my lifetime. I would always do it if it was a writing assignment, because I love writing. Anything else would just sit in my book bag, if it even got that far at all. It was, in truth, the REAL reason that I have a GED now instead of a high school diploma.
It has now been 6 years since I last attempted to go to school. I know this time is for real. I know because I chose a school I can easily afford on my own. I chose to go part-time. And after a decade of brooding over what I want to do with my life, I chose to go into human resources management. I want to help businesses improve by helping employees enjoy their jobs more. This combines several of the fields I wanted to go into throughout the years, including management consulting, counseling, and motivational speaking. So HRM it is! The funny thing is, now that I am an old geiser, ;) and I don't like partying anymore, all I want to do is come home and read and write stuff. So I come home now and hope for homework. HA! Me, of all people, actually WANTING to do homework. Is this for real? Am I dreaming? I guess not, because here I am right now, doing my first homework assignment.
Ciao for now, peeps! See ya on the flipside, homeslice, and all that fun punch.
Backtrack 10 years. Once I turned 18, fresh out of high school, I was most definitely "ready" to go back to school. Everyone said financial aid was a breeze, so I didn't even think about worrying about that. Everyone wanted me to go to study art or advertising or fiction writing, to enhance my inborn abilities. But no, in 1998 I was fascinated with the rave scene and electronic music. I was going to Columbia to study electronic music production and no one could change my mind. I applied, got accepted, even went to the orientation. Then something happened. I don't even know what happened actually. I think I probably went to a rave, or maybe 3, and just totally forgot about it.
Then around 2001 when I was severely struggling to find work, thanks to the market crash of September 11th, it was time to give it a try again. This time though, I was charmed by the commercials for the International Academy of Merchandising and Design. My new fascination was fashion design. How I loved to coordinate odd patters and textures together and throw together strange outfits no one would dream of wearing. Yes, the fashion world was for me. I went to IAMD and they convinced me to enroll immediately, instead of waiting until the next semester. "Don't worry about saving your money, you can get financial aid. It's a breeze!" So 2 weeks later, I was in school. One teacher asked us to write a paper about our favorite designer and why. She said that if we didn't know about other designers and their work, then the fashion world is not for us. So considering I thought other fashion designers were snotty weirdos, I stopped going. I would've had to anyway because I couldn't get financial aid in time, contrary to what I was promised.
2 years later, and finally starting to grow up, I decide it's time I get serious about going to school. I thought, I am going to work full time and go back to school full time too. Not a minute of my time shall be wasted! No messing with financial aid either. I am saving the money myself and paying for it on my own. I did some research and decided on Northeastern Illinois University. I was going for my Bachelor's in business. I always liked my dad's stories about his business consulting, so I decided that is what I would do. So I began. I especially loved my linguistics class. A few weeks into the semester, tuition was due. I was too short. I didn't even think of asking for a small extension, I just gave up.
Since then, the thought of trying to go to school just scared the hell out of me. Too many "what if's." But the most terrifying what-if of all was, "What if I can't do all the HOMEWORK?" I wondered if this was actually the underlying subconscious blocker all along. When I went to study fashion, I found myself overburdened with so much homework. And all I wanted to do was go out and party. I had no idea how on Earth I would get it all done. Same story when I started at Northeastern. I made all kinds of other excuses why I quit, which also happened to be true, but my real fear was homework.
Homework was my academic downfall my entire life. I think I must have completed about 15% of homework assinments in my lifetime. I would always do it if it was a writing assignment, because I love writing. Anything else would just sit in my book bag, if it even got that far at all. It was, in truth, the REAL reason that I have a GED now instead of a high school diploma.
It has now been 6 years since I last attempted to go to school. I know this time is for real. I know because I chose a school I can easily afford on my own. I chose to go part-time. And after a decade of brooding over what I want to do with my life, I chose to go into human resources management. I want to help businesses improve by helping employees enjoy their jobs more. This combines several of the fields I wanted to go into throughout the years, including management consulting, counseling, and motivational speaking. So HRM it is! The funny thing is, now that I am an old geiser, ;) and I don't like partying anymore, all I want to do is come home and read and write stuff. So I come home now and hope for homework. HA! Me, of all people, actually WANTING to do homework. Is this for real? Am I dreaming? I guess not, because here I am right now, doing my first homework assignment.
Ciao for now, peeps! See ya on the flipside, homeslice, and all that fun punch.
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