I was asked again today about what mostly informs my basic likes and dislikes the most. I usually mention education and music when I am asked similar questions. I consider my formal education to be one of the biggest gifts of my adult life and one that daily informs how I experience quatidianity. Possessing a doctorate degree means different things to different people, to me, among other other things, it means having an increased appreciation of the kinds of arts I tend to like naturally. As an adolescent I knew I liked Verdi but I couldn't quite say why.
While a Verdi opera meant one thing to me then, it means much more in my formally informed adulthood. Education allows one to not only have standards of art appreciation but, most importantly, to have the strength to stand by them. And art appreciation rarely does not apply to life. Cognitive knowledge informs experiential knowledge very well. And if a person could invest in one thing of lasting worth it would be formal education. I illustrate, when I would go to rock shows when I was still in school I would experience them differently. I remember noting in one of my grad school courses the following: "well, literary theory is ruining the enjoyment factor of a fundamentally simple art experience. I keep having all of these questions all of a sudden."
Being a more informed audience member, however, is something I appreciate more as it is better for me in the long run. Arts don't exist to simply give us access to escapism. They exist, I tend to think, so that we can think more, deeper, and better about ourselves. Entertainment has longer lasting effects this way. And such effects, I would add, are worth not only keeping but, most importantly, preserving. Much can get in the way of one's pursuit, education, however, is there to comfort you when much else might not. Education, true education, promotes self-sufficiency and independence and I cannot think of many other things in life that can quite do the same. So, today, my special tip of the hat goes to higher education and the beautiful things it affords us. It is hard work and, at times, infernal but oh-so-worth it as in the process of getting to know more about the world we get to know more about ourselves. What is that psychological Socratic phrase one hears all the time, i.e., 'an unexamined life is not worth living?'
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Assorted Links
1) Congratulations to Penelope Trunk, one of my favorite bloggers, on her nuptials.
2) Here's Rolling Stone's new format. I liked the old layout better.
3) Here's Spin Magazine list of the best 125 Albums of the past 25 years. I lost interest paying too much attention after noticing that the brilliant album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots of The Flaming Lips was listed at 117.
4) A Black Book magazine conversation between Edward Norton and Tim Blake Nelson.
2) Here's Rolling Stone's new format. I liked the old layout better.
3) Here's Spin Magazine list of the best 125 Albums of the past 25 years. I lost interest paying too much attention after noticing that the brilliant album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots of The Flaming Lips was listed at 117.
4) A Black Book magazine conversation between Edward Norton and Tim Blake Nelson.
Music Review Index: The First 20
I have been collecting the music reviews I have written over the past few years for an upcoming Music Review Collection that I'll be editing. Here are the first unedited twenty.
1) Where Toby Keith and Stephen Colbert meet.
2) A review of Once. Read here.
3) Discussion of new music with musician friend. Read here.
4) The Magnetic Fields' Distortion: a review. Read here.
5) Where is the new music of 2008? Read here.
6) Unrecorded minstrels, Natalie Merchants, and co. Read here.
7) Kate Nash. Read here.
8) Mozart and Brandon Flowers? Read here.
9) The Killers' album Sawdust: a review. Read here.
10) Camera Obscura. Here.
11) Modest Mouse. Here.
12)Red Hot Chili Peppers and Californication. Here.
13) Dylan and I'm Not Here. Here.
14) Stereophonics. Here.
15) Lost in Translation. Here.
16)Working Class Hero, Lennon and Green Day. Here.
17) Rocker in my living room. The music of Theanti. Read here.
18) Rock Starts and how they validate. Read here.
19) Dimitri's review of my radio piece on the text of the iPod. Read here.
20) Jason Schwartzman's Coconut Records. Read here.
1) Where Toby Keith and Stephen Colbert meet.
2) A review of Once. Read here.
3) Discussion of new music with musician friend. Read here.
4) The Magnetic Fields' Distortion: a review. Read here.
5) Where is the new music of 2008? Read here.
6) Unrecorded minstrels, Natalie Merchants, and co. Read here.
7) Kate Nash. Read here.
8) Mozart and Brandon Flowers? Read here.
9) The Killers' album Sawdust: a review. Read here.
10) Camera Obscura. Here.
11) Modest Mouse. Here.
12)Red Hot Chili Peppers and Californication. Here.
13) Dylan and I'm Not Here. Here.
14) Stereophonics. Here.
15) Lost in Translation. Here.
16)Working Class Hero, Lennon and Green Day. Here.
17) Rocker in my living room. The music of Theanti. Read here.
18) Rock Starts and how they validate. Read here.
19) Dimitri's review of my radio piece on the text of the iPod. Read here.
20) Jason Schwartzman's Coconut Records. Read here.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Satire a-la-Jon Stewart
And here's yet another example of satire as only Jon Stewart can do it. It features current news, comedy, literature, and, most entertainingly, Catullus and Latin poetry.
I give you Stew-Beef (hat tip to Tracy Morgan for the coinage).
I give you Stew-Beef (hat tip to Tracy Morgan for the coinage).
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Bernie Goldberg Fires Back | ||||
| ||||
Sue Sylvester Channels Madonna
I am happy to see of Jane Lynch's recent successes as she is a most deserving actor. After stealing the show in Guest's Best in Show I looked forward to seeing her portrayals in all else. She is usually cast in supporting roles and when giving herself to the part she trumps all other performances around her. She has raw talent and I suspect her current work in Glee will result in a much deserved Emmy.
Here is Sue Sylvester channeling the Material Girl's Vogue:
Here is Sue Sylvester channeling the Material Girl's Vogue:
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
New Videocast: "Parzival" and a Misunderstood Man
In this new episode of De Amore: On Love with Brikena Ribaj I discuss the rather quiet, wondering, and anxious character of Gahmuret. Just what is it, other than the call for knightly adventure, that makes Gahmuret stir-crazy and so interested in moving about and exploring new places and people? What is it that informs Gahrmuret's [gender?] anxiety? In this piece I also tip the hat to Boethius and Umberto Eco and his work Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages.
Again, great thanks to Paul for his superb job with the green screen and the visuals.
This episode, along with the others, is also available on iTunes.
You may see me discuss these questions below.
Again, great thanks to Paul for his superb job with the green screen and the visuals.
This episode, along with the others, is also available on iTunes.
You may see me discuss these questions below.
Monday, April 19, 2010
New Videocast: Nurse Jackie, The United States of Tara: A Review
This is the best quality videocast to date. As one of the readers noted, the opening sequence is very Tokyo, or rather, very 'Harajuku meets the West'. I would concur with that point. Major tip of the hat to Paul for his spectacular work with the new visual input.The podcasts are also available on iTunes.
You may see me review Nurse Jackie and The United States of Tara below.
You may see me review Nurse Jackie and The United States of Tara below.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Assorted Links
1) Well, Roger Ebert said it best. "Shall I have feelings, or should I pretend to be cool? Will I seem hopelessly square if I find “Kick-Ass” morally reprehensible and will I appear to have missed the point?" More here.
2) Moderation trumps exercise. "But a growing body of science suggests that exercise does have an important role in weight loss. That role, however, is different from what many people expect and probably wish. The newest science suggests that exercise alone will not make you thin, but it may determine whether you stay thin, if you can achieve that state." More here.
3) Most entertaining tweet of the day is courtesy of SPINmagazine. "Attn fans of grown men getting weirdly emotional seeing indie-rock: I will be live-tweeting."
4) Excellent music to check out here.
Subscribe to Gendering the Media Podcast
graph via the music slut
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Assorted Links
1) What it feels like to be size normal in a super-skinny world. Interesting article by Jigsaw owner Belle Robinson.
2) Why are there so few women in Silicon Valley? Tip of the hat to Richard Florida for the pointer. Read here.
3) What makes a great neighborhood? Read here.
4) On the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. You can see the new music videos here.
2) Why are there so few women in Silicon Valley? Tip of the hat to Richard Florida for the pointer. Read here.
3) What makes a great neighborhood? Read here.
4) On the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. You can see the new music videos here.
Best Twitter Sentence of the Day
With regards to activity of Eyjafjallajokull, the irascible Icelandic volcano, a Twitter user writes:
"Iceland's last wish: to have its ashes scattered all over Europe" -- market analyst
"Iceland's last wish: to have its ashes scattered all over Europe" -- market analyst
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