First off, has it really been six weeks since the last time I posted?
Knocks has been extraordinarily time-consuming, in great but unexpected ways. My phrase these days is, "I accidentally started a business!" My desire to write music journalism and provide a place for others to do so turned into a really cool magazine that I actually do have to view as a business for many reasons. Crazy! So, in a sense, I'm a businesswoman now!
Anyway, I was terribly overwhelmed with Knocks but figured out a way to organize the work and my time more efficiently and am no longer freaking out and am actually able to keep track of everything. Thanks again, DKSimon.
Which doesn't at all mean I'm working on it less. I'm still working a ton but in a much more relaxing yet efficient manner. I'm also still enjoying the coffee shop and start tutoring a new child in two weeks, a middle-schooler with dyslexia. I love the combination of all these different types of work! Whoever created this whole 40 hours a week from 9-5 in the same place thing really got it wrong.
Midst the various types of work, I've fallen behind on my fiction but am still chugging along. I've also been making time for puppy play and leisurely reading (part of organizing my time and work on Knocks was also setting aside time for fun stuff, like watching Basil go on a humping rampage at the dog park -- it's his adolescent phase), and am currently reading Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy, a poet turned autobiographer. It's a true story of her childhood battle with cancer that left her missing half a jaw for the rest of her life, written beautifully and insightfully and thought-provokingly. One sentence she wrote in the section about the day after her first big surgery where they removed the tumor along with the majority of her jaw (she was nine), making speech extremely difficult and making her emotions hard to express without the physical hurdle, particularly stood out to me:
"Language provides us with ways to express ever subtler levels of meaning, but does that imply language gives us meaning, or robs us of it when we are at a loss to name things?"
This is such an interesting statement, because it's almost like a catch-22. My first reaction was, "Obviously we have meaning and emotions without language, so neither is true." But then I realized that expressing your emotions and thoughts to others, and even to yourself, requires some form of language. I think in English, or Spanish when in Ecuador. I figure out what I'm feeling and thinking through putting it into words. No one knows my personal experiences without my expressing them in language. So does language give us meaning to these mere impulses and internal surges, do our emotions and thoughts remain useless and empty until we express them in language, or do we have these developed feelings and thoughts and are restricted by the need to express them through language?
It's tricky to separate. I like thinking about phrases like this.
I also like just sitting and not thinking, zoning out to a truly great song. I'm currently listening to Dr. Dog's album Fate, and for those of you who haven't heard it, go download now. It's good music, and it's calling me.
'Til next month, or hopefully sooner.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Knocks is up!!
My apologies once again to "From KY to NY." I do enjoy you, though you are on the back burner at this moment, because...
Knocks From the Underground is a real live blog now! Ta-da! Will and I are so very excited to share this with ya'll. Please check it out, leave comments and let us know what you think. Woooooooo!
Happy New Year to everyone, and Happy Holidays in general. Dave and I had a great Eve, watching good live music at a masquerade party at this new art/performance space called Cameo. It was small and there was no art on the walls, but I think there will be in the future. The sound mix was also pretty bad, but I imagine that will improve (I think last night was their first show). Overall, good fun but odd place.
We just got back two days ago from a quick week in Kentucky, visiting with both sides of my huge family and squeezing in some play time with the Baize family. Their father was my high school English teacher and I babysat for the kids throughout high school, since their first child was about one, all the way through the birth of their fourth. These kids are so amazing, I can't even explain how cool it is to be in touch with a family and watch them all grow up. We also got to see James Kurk Vertigo, hearkening the old days by meeting up at the trusty Dairy Queen (my brother's first job). We went bowling at the old school alley also from my youth, run my the same old man who somehow never looks any older. We got in some awesome daily Granny time (including a remarkable patch-up of the hole Basil ate in a quilt she made for me), Christmas fun with stockings, presents, entirely too many cookies and Mom's whole side of the family (all very sweet, loving people -- it was good). Max and Kelly in snippets, the biggest Firesheets get together since my grandma's funeral, a very strange night in a Louisville bar that actually had a jerk-off room upstairs (ewwwwwwww), delicious dinners that everyone else paid for, and many hours on the road with my goofy dog in my lap (though he did sleep in the back for part of it...he's learning). Overall, we loved KY.
And now we're back in the hectic city, but weirdly the busyness makes me feel at home and relaxed. It's somehow comforting that there's always something going on, always somewhere to go or something to do, even though I'm cozy in my apartment. Oh New York, it's totally addicting.
P.S. Don't forget to check out Knocks!
Knocks From the Underground is a real live blog now! Ta-da! Will and I are so very excited to share this with ya'll. Please check it out, leave comments and let us know what you think. Woooooooo!
Happy New Year to everyone, and Happy Holidays in general. Dave and I had a great Eve, watching good live music at a masquerade party at this new art/performance space called Cameo. It was small and there was no art on the walls, but I think there will be in the future. The sound mix was also pretty bad, but I imagine that will improve (I think last night was their first show). Overall, good fun but odd place.
We just got back two days ago from a quick week in Kentucky, visiting with both sides of my huge family and squeezing in some play time with the Baize family. Their father was my high school English teacher and I babysat for the kids throughout high school, since their first child was about one, all the way through the birth of their fourth. These kids are so amazing, I can't even explain how cool it is to be in touch with a family and watch them all grow up. We also got to see James Kurk Vertigo, hearkening the old days by meeting up at the trusty Dairy Queen (my brother's first job). We went bowling at the old school alley also from my youth, run my the same old man who somehow never looks any older. We got in some awesome daily Granny time (including a remarkable patch-up of the hole Basil ate in a quilt she made for me), Christmas fun with stockings, presents, entirely too many cookies and Mom's whole side of the family (all very sweet, loving people -- it was good). Max and Kelly in snippets, the biggest Firesheets get together since my grandma's funeral, a very strange night in a Louisville bar that actually had a jerk-off room upstairs (ewwwwwwww), delicious dinners that everyone else paid for, and many hours on the road with my goofy dog in my lap (though he did sleep in the back for part of it...he's learning). Overall, we loved KY.
And now we're back in the hectic city, but weirdly the busyness makes me feel at home and relaxed. It's somehow comforting that there's always something going on, always somewhere to go or something to do, even though I'm cozy in my apartment. Oh New York, it's totally addicting.
P.S. Don't forget to check out Knocks!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
10 Rules to Follow for Proper Bar Etiquette
First off, what is bar etiquette? I think it's generally accepted that puking in bar bathrooms or passing out on the bar is not cool. But is it cool to shrug and leave the person on his own to puke or sleep? It's not cool to spill drinks, but it happens all the time so we can overlook that one. It's definitely not cool to Ruffie someone. But it can be hottt to find a one-night hook up. Though that introduces a whole new set of rules...
Mainly, everyone has their own ideas of how one should and shouldn't behave in a bar. People are always talking too loudly or bumping into you or not talking to you enough or not touching you enough. When I go out, I wanna have fun, and part of having fun for me is not pissing anyone off and not getting pissed off by anyone. So I think there are ten simple rules that, if properly followed, would create the chillest, nicest, most never pissed off atmosphere.
1. Know your limits! If you can't keep up with Mr. Football Player, don't try. I've never understood this. No one has fun if they're vomiting/passing out/feeling sick/rampaging/whatevering because they're too drunk. Most people in this country have plenty of experience with alcohol by the time they're finally 21, and know how drunk is too drunk.
2. Don't leave your friends in a bad place! Meaning, don't wander away from your crew if you're too drunk, and also don't leave drunkie behind. Seriously. They're a pain in the ass, they're gross, they're annoying, but don't leave them alone to get mugged or raped. There are obviously exceptions, violent drunks being the hardest and disappearing drunks being the scariest. If you can get the friend home, do it. But if number 1 is followed, this should never be an issue.
3. If you see a random person passed out, maybe point it out to the bartender. You don't need to get all involved but it is nice to alert someone who works there and will get paid for helping passed-outers to a cab. On their way out though, suggest they re-read number 1.
4. If someone spills a drink on you, accept their apologies and dry off. No need to start a fight over accidents. If someone purposefully pours a drink on you, make your own decision 'bout that.
5. If someone bumps into you, a-okay. If someone purposefully pushes or shoves into you or exerts extra pressure, turn around and tell him to stop. Why would you ever just shove into someone on purpose? Obviously ask them to move, maneuver around them, or wait. And if there's another person in front of the person you're shoving, then you're just an impatient dumbass and should go do yoga instead of go out drinking.
6. Tip well! Some bartenders are horrible but most do a decent-to-great job under stressful circumstances. They make their living off tips, so be nice. I know it seems dumb to pay someone a dollar to pop open your Tecate can, but it's just how the system works. Find another system to rebel against, like the U.S. Government. But don't fuck with the tipping system.
7. Don't steal someone's seat. Simultaneously, give up your seat if someone needs it. Honestly, I was in a bar after twisting my ankle and it started to ache a bit. I stood up but the little foldable chair I was sitting on fell as I stood. I tripped, twisting my ankle further. I hobbled to the back of the bar and saw three people, one sitting on a stool and the other two standing beside her. There was an empty stool beside them so I asked if they were using it. The guy said, "Yeah, kinda." I said, "It's just that I just hurt my ankle and would like to sit." He shrugged and sat down. He's going to hell.
8. When the place is busy, don't stand right in front of the bar and sip your drink and chit chit chat. Other people are trying to order, for fucks sake!
9. It is totally fine to wave or shout for the bartender. Sometimes they don't see you and are doing something else when they'd rather be serving you and you'd rather be getting served. With this in mind, don't be an ass. Don't reach over anyone or walk behind the bar or shout ten times or say something condescending. Again, just be nice. I read some statistic about how it takes all these extra muscles to frown and yell and wrinkle your brow. Save that energy for something fun.
10. Don't talk overly loud about the threesome you had with your mother. That's just gross.
So there you have it. I honestly believe that if people follow these rules, which really aren't very difficult, then our night lives would be a hell of a lot more fun. Don't be nasty or dumb or impatient. Be smart about maximizing the fun. Vomiters and pushers and fighters and assholes are the worst brand of fun vacuums.
P.S. On a more serious note, if you see a guy harassing a girl or a girl who looks scared, step up and ask if everything's okay. You don't have to get in a fight for some girl (or guy, too) you don't know, but you can alert the bartender if necessary. And sometimes just asking is enough to change the vibe and break some of the tension.
Funny story: One time, Dave and I were heading home from a bar and I was being lazy, so big bad Dave gave me a piggy-back ride. I started tickling him and we were both giggling, when some man comes up and asks if everything's okay. We were like, "Yeah. Uh, thanks?" I don't think men typically abduct women by giving them giggly piggy-back rides. But, the intention was honorable and one that should be followed.
Mainly, everyone has their own ideas of how one should and shouldn't behave in a bar. People are always talking too loudly or bumping into you or not talking to you enough or not touching you enough. When I go out, I wanna have fun, and part of having fun for me is not pissing anyone off and not getting pissed off by anyone. So I think there are ten simple rules that, if properly followed, would create the chillest, nicest, most never pissed off atmosphere.
1. Know your limits! If you can't keep up with Mr. Football Player, don't try. I've never understood this. No one has fun if they're vomiting/passing out/feeling sick/rampaging/whatevering because they're too drunk. Most people in this country have plenty of experience with alcohol by the time they're finally 21, and know how drunk is too drunk.
2. Don't leave your friends in a bad place! Meaning, don't wander away from your crew if you're too drunk, and also don't leave drunkie behind. Seriously. They're a pain in the ass, they're gross, they're annoying, but don't leave them alone to get mugged or raped. There are obviously exceptions, violent drunks being the hardest and disappearing drunks being the scariest. If you can get the friend home, do it. But if number 1 is followed, this should never be an issue.
3. If you see a random person passed out, maybe point it out to the bartender. You don't need to get all involved but it is nice to alert someone who works there and will get paid for helping passed-outers to a cab. On their way out though, suggest they re-read number 1.
4. If someone spills a drink on you, accept their apologies and dry off. No need to start a fight over accidents. If someone purposefully pours a drink on you, make your own decision 'bout that.
5. If someone bumps into you, a-okay. If someone purposefully pushes or shoves into you or exerts extra pressure, turn around and tell him to stop. Why would you ever just shove into someone on purpose? Obviously ask them to move, maneuver around them, or wait. And if there's another person in front of the person you're shoving, then you're just an impatient dumbass and should go do yoga instead of go out drinking.
6. Tip well! Some bartenders are horrible but most do a decent-to-great job under stressful circumstances. They make their living off tips, so be nice. I know it seems dumb to pay someone a dollar to pop open your Tecate can, but it's just how the system works. Find another system to rebel against, like the U.S. Government. But don't fuck with the tipping system.
7. Don't steal someone's seat. Simultaneously, give up your seat if someone needs it. Honestly, I was in a bar after twisting my ankle and it started to ache a bit. I stood up but the little foldable chair I was sitting on fell as I stood. I tripped, twisting my ankle further. I hobbled to the back of the bar and saw three people, one sitting on a stool and the other two standing beside her. There was an empty stool beside them so I asked if they were using it. The guy said, "Yeah, kinda." I said, "It's just that I just hurt my ankle and would like to sit." He shrugged and sat down. He's going to hell.
8. When the place is busy, don't stand right in front of the bar and sip your drink and chit chit chat. Other people are trying to order, for fucks sake!
9. It is totally fine to wave or shout for the bartender. Sometimes they don't see you and are doing something else when they'd rather be serving you and you'd rather be getting served. With this in mind, don't be an ass. Don't reach over anyone or walk behind the bar or shout ten times or say something condescending. Again, just be nice. I read some statistic about how it takes all these extra muscles to frown and yell and wrinkle your brow. Save that energy for something fun.
10. Don't talk overly loud about the threesome you had with your mother. That's just gross.
So there you have it. I honestly believe that if people follow these rules, which really aren't very difficult, then our night lives would be a hell of a lot more fun. Don't be nasty or dumb or impatient. Be smart about maximizing the fun. Vomiters and pushers and fighters and assholes are the worst brand of fun vacuums.
P.S. On a more serious note, if you see a guy harassing a girl or a girl who looks scared, step up and ask if everything's okay. You don't have to get in a fight for some girl (or guy, too) you don't know, but you can alert the bartender if necessary. And sometimes just asking is enough to change the vibe and break some of the tension.
Funny story: One time, Dave and I were heading home from a bar and I was being lazy, so big bad Dave gave me a piggy-back ride. I started tickling him and we were both giggling, when some man comes up and asks if everything's okay. We were like, "Yeah. Uh, thanks?" I don't think men typically abduct women by giving them giggly piggy-back rides. But, the intention was honorable and one that should be followed.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Knocks Knocks!
Who's there?
From the Underground!
Hahahaha.
So... my life has been taken over. My apologies to From KY to NY, but a new blog has entered my life and is way more demanding. Knocks from the Underground, an online music magazine focusing on local, "underground" music, is actually happening.
For those of you who don't know the story, about two years ago, Will Bryant and Dave Buivid put together a compilation of rock songs by Boston musicians and entitled it, "Knocks from the Underground: The Best of Underplayed Boston." They also hosted a huge show in the Middle East downstairs and it was a ton of fun. I actually wrote one of my first published articles for that concert, a show preview published in The Phoenix online. But the point is, the CD was a big hit and everyone was happy.
Then about a year later, Will contacted me regarding helping him with an online music mag (going by the same name) that would cover local, emerging artists. He lived in San Francisco at the time, so I was going to head up the New York site, he was going to head up the San Fran site and others friends would focus on L.A. and Boston. We actually wrote reviews and sent them to each other to revise, and then Will found a company willing to create the site! We designed a logo (see below) and a layout of the web page, and then got involved in other endeavors and awaited the news from the company.
My other endeavors involved The Deli, as many of you know. I was writing regularly for the blog and the printed edition, but in two of my blog entries I noticed changes the editor added in that were actually grammatically incorrect (by little ways, i.e. missing punctuation marks, etc). I didn't comment on them because they were small and online, but then a printed edition came out with a feature article I wrote about a band named "Semi-Precious Weapons." I spent two hours interviewing them and almost ten hours slaving away on this article, only to have the editor leave out a byline (meaning nowhere on the article did it say, "By: Becky Firesheets") and make multiple changes that were either incorrect or just flat out cheesy. He made two changes that had wrong punctuation or an incorrect tense, and made three changes using punctuation that is technically correct but is typically reserved for informal speaking. He also added in three incredibly cheesy lines, taking out my original ending and adding in a quote I already used later on in the article.
Needless to say, I was quite upset. The editor is a VERY cool guy -- really chill and creative and in general good people. His heart is for sure in the right place, and he's a musician who just wants to support local music. But as an editor, he doesn't pay close attention to details and therefore misses quite a few mistakes in his own edits and in his writers' work that make the publication look second rate (and English is his second language). He's very overworked and generally follows a different ethic than I would take as a journalist and editor. So after multiple email exchanges, we kind of settled on a realization that he does things differently than I would but that he wanted me to keep writing for him and would try to be "more sensitive to my needs."
This is when I realized I am very capable of running my own online magazine and really, really want to.
I contacted Will and it turns out that as a result of the current economic crisis, the company that was creating our site had to delay the project in order to focus on a more important client because they lost some big job and needed money. Will and I decided to take this into our own hands and make it happen at the pace we wanted.
And this is when Knocks took over my life. Since this conversation about a month ago, we have both been working hardcore on making this happen. Meanwhile, Will was also moving from San Francisco to New York, so he kinda had to focus on that. But now he's here and we're hitting the New York site with gusto. I posted an ad on craigslist for writers and received twenty responses, we have a photography team, we have a fundraising show scheduled for January 3rd, and we've already created the blog version which will be ready to launch in about two weeks. The actual site will launch in 5-6 months, and we are working hard to organize everything and get it all ready. Obviously I'll keep you updated.
Just to be clear, here is the main mission of our mag:
We want to cover the "underground," focusing solely on up-and-coming and independent artists, or basically anyone who hasn't yet hit the mainstream. We don't want to cover music news regarding bands like Modest Mouse, but rather review acts like Akudama or Teedo or The Woes. It is a bit of a sliding scale and highly subjective, but a good rule of thumb would be to ask, would any other site be reviewing this show or album?
We are also trying to fill a gap on a local level. This is not to say our writers will be limited to reviewing local acts only, but they will limit themselves to reviewing acts who are playing in local, small venues and being supported by local artists. The goal of the site is to act as a resource for New Yorkers to learn of new, up-and-coming bands. We want to help the local bands who we think are amazing but are only playing to 50-150 people a show.
The site will consist of all types of articles, including band briefs, full album reviews, full live reviews, features (with interviews!) and venue blurbs. I think it will be totally cool and will actually appeal to people because nothing like it exists. I mean, The Deli also covers local music but I don't see it as competition but rather as they are covering the local scenes in their way and us in our way, and hopefully we can collaborate somehow. Then there are publications like Pitchfork, but that's on a much wider, broader scale. I think this has serious potential!
I am completely excited.
If you want to write or contribute in any other way, please email me. In the meantime, stay tuned.
From the Underground!
Hahahaha.
So... my life has been taken over. My apologies to From KY to NY, but a new blog has entered my life and is way more demanding. Knocks from the Underground, an online music magazine focusing on local, "underground" music, is actually happening.
For those of you who don't know the story, about two years ago, Will Bryant and Dave Buivid put together a compilation of rock songs by Boston musicians and entitled it, "Knocks from the Underground: The Best of Underplayed Boston." They also hosted a huge show in the Middle East downstairs and it was a ton of fun. I actually wrote one of my first published articles for that concert, a show preview published in The Phoenix online. But the point is, the CD was a big hit and everyone was happy.
Then about a year later, Will contacted me regarding helping him with an online music mag (going by the same name) that would cover local, emerging artists. He lived in San Francisco at the time, so I was going to head up the New York site, he was going to head up the San Fran site and others friends would focus on L.A. and Boston. We actually wrote reviews and sent them to each other to revise, and then Will found a company willing to create the site! We designed a logo (see below) and a layout of the web page, and then got involved in other endeavors and awaited the news from the company.
My other endeavors involved The Deli, as many of you know. I was writing regularly for the blog and the printed edition, but in two of my blog entries I noticed changes the editor added in that were actually grammatically incorrect (by little ways, i.e. missing punctuation marks, etc). I didn't comment on them because they were small and online, but then a printed edition came out with a feature article I wrote about a band named "Semi-Precious Weapons." I spent two hours interviewing them and almost ten hours slaving away on this article, only to have the editor leave out a byline (meaning nowhere on the article did it say, "By: Becky Firesheets") and make multiple changes that were either incorrect or just flat out cheesy. He made two changes that had wrong punctuation or an incorrect tense, and made three changes using punctuation that is technically correct but is typically reserved for informal speaking. He also added in three incredibly cheesy lines, taking out my original ending and adding in a quote I already used later on in the article.
Needless to say, I was quite upset. The editor is a VERY cool guy -- really chill and creative and in general good people. His heart is for sure in the right place, and he's a musician who just wants to support local music. But as an editor, he doesn't pay close attention to details and therefore misses quite a few mistakes in his own edits and in his writers' work that make the publication look second rate (and English is his second language). He's very overworked and generally follows a different ethic than I would take as a journalist and editor. So after multiple email exchanges, we kind of settled on a realization that he does things differently than I would but that he wanted me to keep writing for him and would try to be "more sensitive to my needs."
This is when I realized I am very capable of running my own online magazine and really, really want to.
I contacted Will and it turns out that as a result of the current economic crisis, the company that was creating our site had to delay the project in order to focus on a more important client because they lost some big job and needed money. Will and I decided to take this into our own hands and make it happen at the pace we wanted.
And this is when Knocks took over my life. Since this conversation about a month ago, we have both been working hardcore on making this happen. Meanwhile, Will was also moving from San Francisco to New York, so he kinda had to focus on that. But now he's here and we're hitting the New York site with gusto. I posted an ad on craigslist for writers and received twenty responses, we have a photography team, we have a fundraising show scheduled for January 3rd, and we've already created the blog version which will be ready to launch in about two weeks. The actual site will launch in 5-6 months, and we are working hard to organize everything and get it all ready. Obviously I'll keep you updated.
Just to be clear, here is the main mission of our mag:
We want to cover the "underground," focusing solely on up-and-coming and independent artists, or basically anyone who hasn't yet hit the mainstream. We don't want to cover music news regarding bands like Modest Mouse, but rather review acts like Akudama or Teedo or The Woes. It is a bit of a sliding scale and highly subjective, but a good rule of thumb would be to ask, would any other site be reviewing this show or album?
We are also trying to fill a gap on a local level. This is not to say our writers will be limited to reviewing local acts only, but they will limit themselves to reviewing acts who are playing in local, small venues and being supported by local artists. The goal of the site is to act as a resource for New Yorkers to learn of new, up-and-coming bands. We want to help the local bands who we think are amazing but are only playing to 50-150 people a show.
The site will consist of all types of articles, including band briefs, full album reviews, full live reviews, features (with interviews!) and venue blurbs. I think it will be totally cool and will actually appeal to people because nothing like it exists. I mean, The Deli also covers local music but I don't see it as competition but rather as they are covering the local scenes in their way and us in our way, and hopefully we can collaborate somehow. Then there are publications like Pitchfork, but that's on a much wider, broader scale. I think this has serious potential!
I am completely excited.
If you want to write or contribute in any other way, please email me. In the meantime, stay tuned.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Overweight at 24? Wanna Lose Up to 20 lbs in 20 days?
I freaking hate all these advertisements for lame diets. "Crash diet for brides! Lose five pounds right before the big day!" With a photograph of a beautiful, slender, tall blonde woman wearing a white dress, grimacing at her stomach while she squeezes it. What the hell?
This is not new...for decades our society has been focused on twig thin models and telling young women they're fat if they're not 100 lbs or less. Eating disorders are rampant for a variety of reasons, but it's true that a lot of young girls in the States think they're fat when they actually are not. These ads not only encourage this line of thought but also take money from healthy people because if you have a centimeter of fat around your stomach, you are ugly and worthless and need to spend money for this ridiculous diet that translates into starvation. With photographs of rock hard abs only hours of personal training a day will provide, or skinny girls surrounded by attractive men, of course young women will get tricked!
The most infuriating part for me is where these ads are located: myspace and facebook. Both websites encourage young people to create a profile (isn't the limit for facebook only 13?) and help them connect to one another. Both sites brag about all the good they do for certain causes and for people in general, yet every goddamn page is lined with ads picturing beautiful young women pulling skin from their arm, claiming it to be fat, and expressing how some diet will help them lose this fat. WE ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE FAT ON OUR BODIES! How can these sites claim to do so much good for young people, to be great resources and social utilities, when they constantly harass these young, impressionable kids for being normal and beautiful, tell them lies and encourage them to spend their money on unhealthy diets? If facebook is so socially conscious, why don't they only have ads about politics, environmental causes, ways to volunteer, or even just some dumb ad for Delia's or Old Navy? Don't tell me facebook doesn't have enough money to function without all these diet ads.
It's just bullshit. I wish companies and corporations, particularly those geared toward young people and those that claim to be positive for young people, would actually live up to what they claim. How is it right for them to say they do such good work for our society when they're constantly spreading lies about what is healthy and what is beautiful? Any man you ask will say some pale, bony, weak, skinny girl is not nearly as attractive as an energetic, strong, curvy girl, yet all these images attack us every day.
If facebook and myspace truly cared, they would not allow these ads on their sites. Turns out they're just two more shitty businesses that crave power and money, rather than real and honest companies that truly support young people.
Please don't let these ridiculous ads trick you. But to be honest, it's not you I'm worried about, as most people reading my blog are older, smart individuals who can see straight through bullshit. It's the self-conscious, confused, angsty 15-year-olds who use facebook everyday, want to be beautiful and don't know the first thing about healthy eating. These ads are actually powerful in the lives of teenagers and it's truly a fucking shame.
Examples:
I opened facebook, entered my name and password and was taken to my homepage (there are no ads at all on the homepages). I then clicked the "Friends" tab. A page appeared where all my friends were listed, and running along the side were these two ads:
I then clicked the photo of my first friend in the list and was taken to her profile. Running along the side was the same ad as above (the supermodel diet) and another ad for a salon. I'm not complaining about the salon ad, just using this brief time on facebook as an example of my complaint.
So what do we do? Do we write letters? Form events on these sites regarding the advertisements? Boycott?
Let me know your suggestions. And in the meantime, please educate any young person you know about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. Letting them know the truth will hopefully go further than false advertising. And enjoy some milk and cookies, would ya?
This is not new...for decades our society has been focused on twig thin models and telling young women they're fat if they're not 100 lbs or less. Eating disorders are rampant for a variety of reasons, but it's true that a lot of young girls in the States think they're fat when they actually are not. These ads not only encourage this line of thought but also take money from healthy people because if you have a centimeter of fat around your stomach, you are ugly and worthless and need to spend money for this ridiculous diet that translates into starvation. With photographs of rock hard abs only hours of personal training a day will provide, or skinny girls surrounded by attractive men, of course young women will get tricked!
The most infuriating part for me is where these ads are located: myspace and facebook. Both websites encourage young people to create a profile (isn't the limit for facebook only 13?) and help them connect to one another. Both sites brag about all the good they do for certain causes and for people in general, yet every goddamn page is lined with ads picturing beautiful young women pulling skin from their arm, claiming it to be fat, and expressing how some diet will help them lose this fat. WE ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE FAT ON OUR BODIES! How can these sites claim to do so much good for young people, to be great resources and social utilities, when they constantly harass these young, impressionable kids for being normal and beautiful, tell them lies and encourage them to spend their money on unhealthy diets? If facebook is so socially conscious, why don't they only have ads about politics, environmental causes, ways to volunteer, or even just some dumb ad for Delia's or Old Navy? Don't tell me facebook doesn't have enough money to function without all these diet ads.
It's just bullshit. I wish companies and corporations, particularly those geared toward young people and those that claim to be positive for young people, would actually live up to what they claim. How is it right for them to say they do such good work for our society when they're constantly spreading lies about what is healthy and what is beautiful? Any man you ask will say some pale, bony, weak, skinny girl is not nearly as attractive as an energetic, strong, curvy girl, yet all these images attack us every day.
If facebook and myspace truly cared, they would not allow these ads on their sites. Turns out they're just two more shitty businesses that crave power and money, rather than real and honest companies that truly support young people.
Please don't let these ridiculous ads trick you. But to be honest, it's not you I'm worried about, as most people reading my blog are older, smart individuals who can see straight through bullshit. It's the self-conscious, confused, angsty 15-year-olds who use facebook everyday, want to be beautiful and don't know the first thing about healthy eating. These ads are actually powerful in the lives of teenagers and it's truly a fucking shame.
Examples:
I opened facebook, entered my name and password and was taken to my homepage (there are no ads at all on the homepages). I then clicked the "Friends" tab. A page appeared where all my friends were listed, and running along the side were these two ads:
The Supermodel Diet?
Hottest New Diet
I then clicked the photo of my first friend in the list and was taken to her profile. Running along the side was the same ad as above (the supermodel diet) and another ad for a salon. I'm not complaining about the salon ad, just using this brief time on facebook as an example of my complaint.
So what do we do? Do we write letters? Form events on these sites regarding the advertisements? Boycott?
Let me know your suggestions. And in the meantime, please educate any young person you know about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. Letting them know the truth will hopefully go further than false advertising. And enjoy some milk and cookies, would ya?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Ghouls and Candidates, Parties and Elections
First off, YAY FOR OBAMA! He is not my ideal candidate, I do not obsessively love him like lots of other people, but I do like him and think he's an excellent step in the right direction. Obama will not only lead us in a different way than the Bush administration, but just by being young and black, he sends messages of embracing change and diversity to our own citizens and to other countries. I hope he fulfills half of his promises; that will be infinitely more than what Bush fulfilled. As a friend's mom said, "Well we at least know Obama's not a moron so that's a step." Also, they're getting a puppy!! I love the idea of a little doggie shitting on the polished floor of the white house. Those girls are gonna love it.
It must be so surreal. The whole thing is so much like the Kennedy's...young, beautiful, stylish, excited, strong. Michelle Obama is a great first lady, but what a burden to take on as a young mother and lawyer! She has her own work, which she went to Harvard Law School for, and now is seen by all as the wife of Barack and mother of his children rather than a successful lawyer. And raising kids as the first African-American family in the white house! I hope she doesn't have an anxiety disorder or the next four years will destroy her nerve-endings.
Those girls probably have no idea what is actually going on. They are young, only seven and ten. This must feel like a dream to them. I hope they're able to enjoy their time in D.C. and live somewhat normal lives. I hate when the media exploits politicians' children, especially with these girls being so young! Let's hope the focus remains on Obama and what his administration will do... 'cause damn they have a lot of work. Did anyone else hear a bit of relief in McCain's voice during his speech?
Well, congratulations Obama and thank you for a wonderful speech accepting the presidency. I particularly loved the section about the 106 year old black woman. What an amazing and bizarre experience life must be for her right now! Also, congrats to everyone who voted and followed the election details, no matter who you voted for. And thank God this shit is over.
More importantly, HALLOWEEN PARTYYYYYY! Jess across the hall, Dave and I threw the biggest and best party I've ever helped host, ever. We spoke to the people in the other apartments before doing anything and got them all excited too, then invited 100 people and went nuts with decorating. There are four apartments in the building, two on the second floor and two on the third floor, a small foyer on the first floor and a roof, so we went all out... fake blood on the walls telling a story about the murdered Eliza, cobwebs and lights encircling the banisters and rails, a graveyard with bones and tombstones and eerie music along with caution tape and chalk-outlined bodies on the roof. The actual apartments had themes; mine was Wonderland and Jess's was Underworld. In my kitchen we hung garbage bags from the ceiling to the floor and put this weird doll we made out of a pumpkin sack stuffed with newspapers in front of the bags. I also hung up a small doll's head and hung the rest of her body in the doorway to the living room. I then made a dreamy/creepy sign welcoming all to Wonderland ("May all your dreams come true... be careful what you wish for") and we hung stars on the counters, lighting the room with Christmas lights, a dim lamp placed behind the hanging bags, and a Jack-o-Lantern. In the living room, we hung glittered stars from the ceiling along with bloody, decapitated dolls. We put various shades of red liquid in eight little jars we have, took apart a Barbie doll and placed her body parts in the different jars, then displayed them on a small shelf in the middle of the mantle. We had Christmas lights in there, too, along with more garbage bags and lots and lots of candy. Dave made an awesome playlist, full of funky and poppy and rockin' dance tunes, and we partied like it was 1999. Amazing. At least 75 people showed up, mostly in costume and amazed by our haunted house. It was so incredible.
Jess's apartment, Underworld, was full of cobwebs and bats. Her living room was beautiful, with rose vines, cobwebs and bats hanging from the ceiling. She draped all this cloth around the walls and hung creepy vampires and ghosts around the room. Between the kitchen and living room hung caution tape with bloody letters. And she looked so hot in her little hat, her long curly locks and a Victorian style lace-up dress.
I dressed as a peacock, with makeup on my eyes, feathers sticking up from a headband wrapped around my neck, and a tail sticking up from my ass. I wore a feather boa, a crazy shirt, black spandex pants, and wrapped green/gold ribbon around my waist. A couple hours into the night though, I shed my feather because they were annoying all the guests (whenever I walked anywhere, people were poked and tickled and complained). Friends from Beacon came, from college, from Boston and from D.C. We got them properly drunk... in my apartment we offered beer in the fridge and a homemade spiced wine. Jess's apartment offered loads of Jello-shots (including some made with Everclear) and Jungle Juice. Then on the roof was our Coors Light kegger. It was truly an amazing night!
If you wanna check out pictures, go here. This is one album Jess posted on facebook... she has another one if you search her profile. Enjoy!
Lastly, CMJ ended up not as fun as anticipated, but still a good time. I missed the Deli showcase with Semi-Precious Weapons because I was working late for this crazy Halloween dance we hosted at Beacon where the twelve-year-olds thought they could dry hump each other to some reggaeton. I did see Akudama at the National Underground, which was a pretty good show despite the horrible sound mix. I also saw The Gay Blades play an absolutely too drunk show at Spike Hill, which had its great points and its low points and mostly its very drunk points. The highlight from the week was Jay Reatard rockin' his soul out at Glasslands on Saturday night (which, actually, wasn't a CMJ show 'cause they rejected my badge). Women and Crystal Antlers opened, and I literally moshed and thrased and kicked like the little 15-year-old I once was with short pink hair in church basements at straight-edge punk/ska shows. It felt good until the next day when my neck and shoulders were painfully stiff and my toesies were throbbing from a very poor choice of shoes, but the night was way worth it.
In closing, Happy Belated Halloween and Happy Election and Happy The Election Is Over. We're considering hosting a New Year's Eve masquerade ball, so beware...
It must be so surreal. The whole thing is so much like the Kennedy's...young, beautiful, stylish, excited, strong. Michelle Obama is a great first lady, but what a burden to take on as a young mother and lawyer! She has her own work, which she went to Harvard Law School for, and now is seen by all as the wife of Barack and mother of his children rather than a successful lawyer. And raising kids as the first African-American family in the white house! I hope she doesn't have an anxiety disorder or the next four years will destroy her nerve-endings.
Those girls probably have no idea what is actually going on. They are young, only seven and ten. This must feel like a dream to them. I hope they're able to enjoy their time in D.C. and live somewhat normal lives. I hate when the media exploits politicians' children, especially with these girls being so young! Let's hope the focus remains on Obama and what his administration will do... 'cause damn they have a lot of work. Did anyone else hear a bit of relief in McCain's voice during his speech?
Well, congratulations Obama and thank you for a wonderful speech accepting the presidency. I particularly loved the section about the 106 year old black woman. What an amazing and bizarre experience life must be for her right now! Also, congrats to everyone who voted and followed the election details, no matter who you voted for. And thank God this shit is over.
More importantly, HALLOWEEN PARTYYYYYY! Jess across the hall, Dave and I threw the biggest and best party I've ever helped host, ever. We spoke to the people in the other apartments before doing anything and got them all excited too, then invited 100 people and went nuts with decorating. There are four apartments in the building, two on the second floor and two on the third floor, a small foyer on the first floor and a roof, so we went all out... fake blood on the walls telling a story about the murdered Eliza, cobwebs and lights encircling the banisters and rails, a graveyard with bones and tombstones and eerie music along with caution tape and chalk-outlined bodies on the roof. The actual apartments had themes; mine was Wonderland and Jess's was Underworld. In my kitchen we hung garbage bags from the ceiling to the floor and put this weird doll we made out of a pumpkin sack stuffed with newspapers in front of the bags. I also hung up a small doll's head and hung the rest of her body in the doorway to the living room. I then made a dreamy/creepy sign welcoming all to Wonderland ("May all your dreams come true... be careful what you wish for") and we hung stars on the counters, lighting the room with Christmas lights, a dim lamp placed behind the hanging bags, and a Jack-o-Lantern. In the living room, we hung glittered stars from the ceiling along with bloody, decapitated dolls. We put various shades of red liquid in eight little jars we have, took apart a Barbie doll and placed her body parts in the different jars, then displayed them on a small shelf in the middle of the mantle. We had Christmas lights in there, too, along with more garbage bags and lots and lots of candy. Dave made an awesome playlist, full of funky and poppy and rockin' dance tunes, and we partied like it was 1999. Amazing. At least 75 people showed up, mostly in costume and amazed by our haunted house. It was so incredible.
Jess's apartment, Underworld, was full of cobwebs and bats. Her living room was beautiful, with rose vines, cobwebs and bats hanging from the ceiling. She draped all this cloth around the walls and hung creepy vampires and ghosts around the room. Between the kitchen and living room hung caution tape with bloody letters. And she looked so hot in her little hat, her long curly locks and a Victorian style lace-up dress.
I dressed as a peacock, with makeup on my eyes, feathers sticking up from a headband wrapped around my neck, and a tail sticking up from my ass. I wore a feather boa, a crazy shirt, black spandex pants, and wrapped green/gold ribbon around my waist. A couple hours into the night though, I shed my feather because they were annoying all the guests (whenever I walked anywhere, people were poked and tickled and complained). Friends from Beacon came, from college, from Boston and from D.C. We got them properly drunk... in my apartment we offered beer in the fridge and a homemade spiced wine. Jess's apartment offered loads of Jello-shots (including some made with Everclear) and Jungle Juice. Then on the roof was our Coors Light kegger. It was truly an amazing night!
If you wanna check out pictures, go here. This is one album Jess posted on facebook... she has another one if you search her profile. Enjoy!
Lastly, CMJ ended up not as fun as anticipated, but still a good time. I missed the Deli showcase with Semi-Precious Weapons because I was working late for this crazy Halloween dance we hosted at Beacon where the twelve-year-olds thought they could dry hump each other to some reggaeton. I did see Akudama at the National Underground, which was a pretty good show despite the horrible sound mix. I also saw The Gay Blades play an absolutely too drunk show at Spike Hill, which had its great points and its low points and mostly its very drunk points. The highlight from the week was Jay Reatard rockin' his soul out at Glasslands on Saturday night (which, actually, wasn't a CMJ show 'cause they rejected my badge). Women and Crystal Antlers opened, and I literally moshed and thrased and kicked like the little 15-year-old I once was with short pink hair in church basements at straight-edge punk/ska shows. It felt good until the next day when my neck and shoulders were painfully stiff and my toesies were throbbing from a very poor choice of shoes, but the night was way worth it.
In closing, Happy Belated Halloween and Happy Election and Happy The Election Is Over. We're considering hosting a New Year's Eve masquerade ball, so beware...
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
CMJ Preview: Part 3, Saturday
SATURDAY
Deli Showcase number two at Public Assembly! I am definitely checking this out, to see Semi-Precious Weapons, The Orion Experience and The Gay Blades. As many of you know, I wrote the cover story for the latest edition of The Deli, featuring SPW, and totally fell in love with these raunchy, crude dudes and their masculine yet glam punk rock. They're original and crazy, and totally let loose in their high heels and leather vests with insane sexual energy and intense punk tunes. They go on early, at 8 pm, because later in the night they're playing the Perez Hilton showcase. Ooooooh! It's by invite only and I don't think I'm invited. Anyway, The Orion Experience is a pop/rock indie band with bubbly refrains and a ska flair, and The Gay Blades, as mentioned in the last entry, are sassy and loud. Doors are at 7 pm, it's $10, and the last band, Boyskout, goes on at 1:45 in the morn. Info here.
The aforementioned Vivian Girls are playing at Bowery, with Crystal Antlers and A Place to Bury Strangers. This is gonna be an awesome show, blending VG's punky sound with the Antler's aggressive electro rock and finishing with A Place to Bury Strangers' totally psychedelic, dark tunes. All three bands are playing shows during the week, but the combo of these three is killer.
If you're looking for some daytime fun, Union Pool is hosting an early show with Cordero, a group I've recently fallen in love with. Ani Cordero fronts this salsa-rooted, indie rock latin band, singing Spanish lyrics in her sultry, sexy voice while playing guitar and wearing some beautiful and crazy dress. They have an awesome, full percussion section and just came out with a new album called "De Donde Eres." Show is $10 and starts at 12 pm, with Cordero starting at 4:20.
The one and only, well-loved Akudama boys will be playing their chilled-out but still upbeat, instrumental driven rock at the Bowery Poetry Club. Show starts at 8:15 with Julius C and costs $8 in advance, or $10 day of. If you haven't seen these boys, go! Not only are they totally adorable but they also make great music. Admire them here, but beware that their catchy tune, "Dishes," will be pleasantly stuck in your head all day.
Almost as cool as the George Clinton show is Blue Note's Saturday night performance with Otis Grove. Otis Grove?!? When I think of CMJ, I think of shitty indie rock with some awesome gems and now, hip hop and maybe a little metal. Never do I think, oh, maybe I'll see Otis Grove! Sometimes I wish I weren't an after school teacher and actually made money. The show's expensive, but Blue Note is historic and Otis Grove is, well, Otis Grove. He goes on at 12:30 a.m. and will probably play that ridiculous song called "Pimp Juice." Check out Blue Note's full schedule here.
To continue in this vein of funky music, Lee "Scratch" Perry is headlining Santos Party House! I'm dying to see this man play... maybe I'll head over after The Deli show since he doesn't go on until 1:30 a.m. For those of you who don't know his glory, Scratch is 72 years old from Jamaica, one of the originators of dub reggae. His music has modernized slightly as the times have changed yet still maintains the authentic, real vibe it always had. He's completely chilled out and still a dynamic performer in his older years. Now he lives in Switzerland but plays in the States a few times a year. Doors and pricing on Santos site here.
Though not a part of CMJ, this bizarre percussion group called Electric Junkyard Gamelan will be playing for free at Zebulon in Williamsburg. Using the word "unique" doesn't do these guys justice at all. They've created an entire percussive orchestra out of plant pots, saw blades, rubber bands, household utensils, lard churners and other unrecognizables. They have every child's dream, a drumset made out of pots and pans and buckets, and have also managed to create their own electronic instrument. Comprising young through middle aged men and women, Electric Junkyard Gamelan loosely bases their songs on the traditional Balinese style of Gamelan but also adds in original material, including hip hop and rock-n-roll. I saw them play at the Salvador Dali exhibit at the MOMA and their surreal appearance and sound fit in perfectly. They are truly incredible, like nothing out there. I honestly feel like words can't describe them well enough, like the only thing that would honor their originality would be the creation of an entirely new word. So... they are babalooney.
Honorable mentions: The Delta Spirit at Red Bull Space. Bell playing a DJ set at Pianos, followed by DJ Pumpkin Patch (also every kid's dream, to grow up and called yourself DJ Pumpkin Patch). Nightmare of You, an upbeat, delicious pop band from BK, playing at The Greenpoint Legion Hall. Violens at Love. And The XYZ Affair at the beloved Cake Shop.
ENJOY AND ROCK OUT!!!!!
Deli Showcase number two at Public Assembly! I am definitely checking this out, to see Semi-Precious Weapons, The Orion Experience and The Gay Blades. As many of you know, I wrote the cover story for the latest edition of The Deli, featuring SPW, and totally fell in love with these raunchy, crude dudes and their masculine yet glam punk rock. They're original and crazy, and totally let loose in their high heels and leather vests with insane sexual energy and intense punk tunes. They go on early, at 8 pm, because later in the night they're playing the Perez Hilton showcase. Ooooooh! It's by invite only and I don't think I'm invited. Anyway, The Orion Experience is a pop/rock indie band with bubbly refrains and a ska flair, and The Gay Blades, as mentioned in the last entry, are sassy and loud. Doors are at 7 pm, it's $10, and the last band, Boyskout, goes on at 1:45 in the morn. Info here.
The aforementioned Vivian Girls are playing at Bowery, with Crystal Antlers and A Place to Bury Strangers. This is gonna be an awesome show, blending VG's punky sound with the Antler's aggressive electro rock and finishing with A Place to Bury Strangers' totally psychedelic, dark tunes. All three bands are playing shows during the week, but the combo of these three is killer.
If you're looking for some daytime fun, Union Pool is hosting an early show with Cordero, a group I've recently fallen in love with. Ani Cordero fronts this salsa-rooted, indie rock latin band, singing Spanish lyrics in her sultry, sexy voice while playing guitar and wearing some beautiful and crazy dress. They have an awesome, full percussion section and just came out with a new album called "De Donde Eres." Show is $10 and starts at 12 pm, with Cordero starting at 4:20.
The one and only, well-loved Akudama boys will be playing their chilled-out but still upbeat, instrumental driven rock at the Bowery Poetry Club. Show starts at 8:15 with Julius C and costs $8 in advance, or $10 day of. If you haven't seen these boys, go! Not only are they totally adorable but they also make great music. Admire them here, but beware that their catchy tune, "Dishes," will be pleasantly stuck in your head all day.
Almost as cool as the George Clinton show is Blue Note's Saturday night performance with Otis Grove. Otis Grove?!? When I think of CMJ, I think of shitty indie rock with some awesome gems and now, hip hop and maybe a little metal. Never do I think, oh, maybe I'll see Otis Grove! Sometimes I wish I weren't an after school teacher and actually made money. The show's expensive, but Blue Note is historic and Otis Grove is, well, Otis Grove. He goes on at 12:30 a.m. and will probably play that ridiculous song called "Pimp Juice." Check out Blue Note's full schedule here.
To continue in this vein of funky music, Lee "Scratch" Perry is headlining Santos Party House! I'm dying to see this man play... maybe I'll head over after The Deli show since he doesn't go on until 1:30 a.m. For those of you who don't know his glory, Scratch is 72 years old from Jamaica, one of the originators of dub reggae. His music has modernized slightly as the times have changed yet still maintains the authentic, real vibe it always had. He's completely chilled out and still a dynamic performer in his older years. Now he lives in Switzerland but plays in the States a few times a year. Doors and pricing on Santos site here.
Though not a part of CMJ, this bizarre percussion group called Electric Junkyard Gamelan will be playing for free at Zebulon in Williamsburg. Using the word "unique" doesn't do these guys justice at all. They've created an entire percussive orchestra out of plant pots, saw blades, rubber bands, household utensils, lard churners and other unrecognizables. They have every child's dream, a drumset made out of pots and pans and buckets, and have also managed to create their own electronic instrument. Comprising young through middle aged men and women, Electric Junkyard Gamelan loosely bases their songs on the traditional Balinese style of Gamelan but also adds in original material, including hip hop and rock-n-roll. I saw them play at the Salvador Dali exhibit at the MOMA and their surreal appearance and sound fit in perfectly. They are truly incredible, like nothing out there. I honestly feel like words can't describe them well enough, like the only thing that would honor their originality would be the creation of an entirely new word. So... they are babalooney.
Honorable mentions: The Delta Spirit at Red Bull Space. Bell playing a DJ set at Pianos, followed by DJ Pumpkin Patch (also every kid's dream, to grow up and called yourself DJ Pumpkin Patch). Nightmare of You, an upbeat, delicious pop band from BK, playing at The Greenpoint Legion Hall. Violens at Love. And The XYZ Affair at the beloved Cake Shop.
ENJOY AND ROCK OUT!!!!!
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