So someone asked me for some links that I like. Fine -- here ya go.
Angelo Inc. -- The best web comic out there. Ever. Go read it. Right now. NOW, I said!
Dracula's Full Lament -- The praise and worship song, done by a secular Muppet. Better than some things out there today.
Sham Rock - "Tell Me Ma" -- a great Irish techno song. Just kinda stumbled across it accidentally and fell for it.
Kongregate -- Whenever I need a good break, I head over and play a few rounds of whatever I feel like. All kinds of timewasters on this place.
Google -- More powerful than anybody realizes. My homepage.
Facebook -- My social networking drug of choice. I used to have a MySpace page, but then I turned thirty, and decided to take it down.
Hulu -- One of several online video services. My personal favorite for recent domestic television.
AMV Cake -- For those of you who don't know, AMV stands for Anime Music Video. This is a good example of it.
Common People AMV -- One of my favorite versions of this song, being done in a slightly more grown up style. It's a grown-up song, though, so it's all ok.
That's eight, and that's enough for right now. Comment me your favorites, and we'll do lunch or something.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
40th Confession
So tonight, I'm gonna take a quick look at Contemporary Christian Music. Only a quick look, because much more than that and I get sick to my stomach.
Most CCM has fallen into the sameness trap: it all sounds the same. It tries to be "fresh" and "pure" and "holy", when all it comes across as is sweet and ineffectual.
QUICK DISCLAIMER -- THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL CCM. NOT ALL CCM GROUPS ARE SYRUPY SWEET SUBSTITUTES FOR "SECULAR" MUSIC. THERE ARE A FEW - VERY FEW - DECENT GROUPS OUT THERE.
When I look around for decent music, I look for a group that knows its sound and works it to the best of their abilities. U2 has anthem rock down pat and they play around with it in creative ways. Delirious has a similar sound, but they put it to use not to rock stadiums, but to challenge believers. Queen's songs changed the way that it meant to rock the world; Third Day has done something similar to the CCM world, without the extra makeup or the leotards. Although, I think Mac Powell would look lovely in the harlquinn...never mind. No I don't.
When I look at both the CCM and the "secular" world of music, all I hear and see is static. The local alternative station plays some decent stuff, but all of it sounds like the 80's or earlier. With a couple notable exceptions (Mumford & Sons and Cake), all the new, fresh, alternative sounds all are played out and tired, too.
Which means it's time for a new sound to come out of somewhere. I just hope that we recognize it when it happens.
Most CCM has fallen into the sameness trap: it all sounds the same. It tries to be "fresh" and "pure" and "holy", when all it comes across as is sweet and ineffectual.
QUICK DISCLAIMER -- THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL CCM. NOT ALL CCM GROUPS ARE SYRUPY SWEET SUBSTITUTES FOR "SECULAR" MUSIC. THERE ARE A FEW - VERY FEW - DECENT GROUPS OUT THERE.
When I look around for decent music, I look for a group that knows its sound and works it to the best of their abilities. U2 has anthem rock down pat and they play around with it in creative ways. Delirious has a similar sound, but they put it to use not to rock stadiums, but to challenge believers. Queen's songs changed the way that it meant to rock the world; Third Day has done something similar to the CCM world, without the extra makeup or the leotards. Although, I think Mac Powell would look lovely in the harlquinn...never mind. No I don't.
When I look at both the CCM and the "secular" world of music, all I hear and see is static. The local alternative station plays some decent stuff, but all of it sounds like the 80's or earlier. With a couple notable exceptions (Mumford & Sons and Cake), all the new, fresh, alternative sounds all are played out and tired, too.
Which means it's time for a new sound to come out of somewhere. I just hope that we recognize it when it happens.
39th Confession
Here's hoping your new year is brilliant and fantastic, as well as completely wonderful!
As some of you know, I used to work at a call center. It wasn't the best job in the world, but then again, I'm not entirely qualified to say that, because what didn't work for me might work for someone else. I also have had my share of fun with people on the phone, both before I worked at the call center, and afterwards. Let's revisit some of that today, shall we?
First, most telemarketers/advertisers/people who cold call and annoy you have a script that they have to read. This is abasing, detracting from basic human dignity by attempting to analyze and measure something that ought not have been measured probably in the first place. Second, the person reading the script is usually being forced to work long hours for peanuts, not generally adding to their general good cheer. Third, most of them have just gotten off of a call where they've either been verbally abused, degraded, or cussed out - and they're dreading talking to you because they think you'll do the same thing.
So what should you do? My suggestion is one of three things, depending on how much time and love you have. Well, on how much love you have: if you have the love, you'll make the time. For people who don't have the time or the love, just thank them for calling and hang up. Say no more than that - it's the kindest way to deny them what they're shoving on you, and they're used to it by this time anyway. For people who have a little time, listen to their script, kindly thank them and tell them of your disinterest in a polite, courteous way. Of course, they're going to try again a couple of times - it's in their script. Listen, thank, and dismiss politely again, repeating as often as you wish.
The third option is to actually interact with them as though they were actual genuine human beings. Gently coax them out of their scripts by complimenting their accent. Answer their question with something totally outrageous. If you get them off their script, you give them a chance to breathe and be a human being in a dehumanizing position. At worst, you've just wasted their company's time (which means nothing to you, but a bigger paycheck for the agent); at best, it gives them something to talk about at the soda machine. "Hey, you'll never believe this call I had with this guy who calls his fish long distance. No, really!"
As some of you know, I used to work at a call center. It wasn't the best job in the world, but then again, I'm not entirely qualified to say that, because what didn't work for me might work for someone else. I also have had my share of fun with people on the phone, both before I worked at the call center, and afterwards. Let's revisit some of that today, shall we?
First, most telemarketers/advertisers/people who cold call and annoy you have a script that they have to read. This is abasing, detracting from basic human dignity by attempting to analyze and measure something that ought not have been measured probably in the first place. Second, the person reading the script is usually being forced to work long hours for peanuts, not generally adding to their general good cheer. Third, most of them have just gotten off of a call where they've either been verbally abused, degraded, or cussed out - and they're dreading talking to you because they think you'll do the same thing.
So what should you do? My suggestion is one of three things, depending on how much time and love you have. Well, on how much love you have: if you have the love, you'll make the time. For people who don't have the time or the love, just thank them for calling and hang up. Say no more than that - it's the kindest way to deny them what they're shoving on you, and they're used to it by this time anyway. For people who have a little time, listen to their script, kindly thank them and tell them of your disinterest in a polite, courteous way. Of course, they're going to try again a couple of times - it's in their script. Listen, thank, and dismiss politely again, repeating as often as you wish.
The third option is to actually interact with them as though they were actual genuine human beings. Gently coax them out of their scripts by complimenting their accent. Answer their question with something totally outrageous. If you get them off their script, you give them a chance to breathe and be a human being in a dehumanizing position. At worst, you've just wasted their company's time (which means nothing to you, but a bigger paycheck for the agent); at best, it gives them something to talk about at the soda machine. "Hey, you'll never believe this call I had with this guy who calls his fish long distance. No, really!"
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