May 29th, 2006 Rachel
After four years of university, it would appear that I have quickly become a literature bulimic…in between required readings, essays, lectures, and all the other good stuff that comes with being a university student, reading "for fun" kinda fell off the to do list. Well, unless you count issues of People and Shape as ‘reading’ - for me it was more about *not* thinking in a way that did not involve a television set.
That might be it too - our decision to pass on cable at least for the time being has also changed our daily routines. Less TV = more walking, more conversation, more music. Now, the TV is still sitting out front as the centerpiece to the living room, but it’s not the center of what we do when we get home from work. DVDs have replaced the routine sitcoms and nightly news (okay fine, there wre way more nights watching sitcoms than indepth interviews about important issues…). Watching a DVD becomes a deliberate choice, not a routine.
The same goes with purchasing the content we watch - if you add up how much a $50 a mont cable bill is…that’s a lot of DVDs. That’s even more DVD rentals. We’ve started to compromise between the two, thanks to a genius idea by a co-worker (thanks Steph!). DVDs on eBay are extrordinarily well priced. Example:
Season 2 of the O.C. in the stores = 70 bux before taxes
Season 2 of the O.C. on eBay as a "buy it now" purchase = $30 bux with all taxes and shipping included.
Arrested Development so far is an even better deal. But the auction hasn’t closed yet, so I can’t say exaclty how good. But trust me, it’s worth it.
But anyway, back to the books. We went to Borders on Saturday and I immediately felt liberated and apprehensive about the whole thing. Where should I start? Best Sellers? Cultural Theory (I studied it yes, but I still love this stuff)? Business books? Bargain Bin?
I browsed and picked many a book up. By the time I left I had a nice heavy bag of five books, three of which were part of a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" deal. I justified this kind of literary gluttony with the very true realization that I would have a hard time remembering the books I had found interesting the next time I came through…plus five books would last me a while, right?
Well, if this weekend is any clue, five books won’t last me a while. Curtis Sittenfeld’s book Prep was tough to put down mostly because it was so good, but also because it just felt so darn wonderful to be reading because it is pleasurable and not because it is a chore…not because it is required. I urge any girl who attended high school, public, private, prep or otherwise, who ever felt unsure or insecure to pick it up and see how easily you find it to put the book back down. Best of all, the book is not written in an adolescent voice - Lee is thinking back on her high school days from her late twenties. It makes the story read far more honestly and allows Sittenfeld to foreshadow and allude to the future in a way that keeps you turning the pages.
Less T.V., more exercise and reading. If this is California living, it’s agreeing with me.
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March 19th, 2006 Rachel
The Paradox of Choice is an interesting argument, especially for one in the predicament that I find myself today. In fact, it’s the same quandry that has plagued much of the trip. There is so much choice and opportunity that surrounds this entire event that making decisions is not an easy feat (I’m sure Rob would agree…). Which acts to go see? What swag to purchase? Where to eat? What to wear? The list goes on.
Like my hesitations and long pauses while trying to spit out this post, it can stifle one to the point that no decision is made at all. I did well for the first three nights. But by last night, I was music-ed out and tired. The 12am time slot loomed and the several choices that I had sitting before me begged a definite decision. Which I finally made….my hotel bed won.
Here’s a run-through of the music I caught this week:
Wednesday - Band Marino, New Pornographers, Belle and Sebastian
Thursday - Lorrie Matheson, Elliot Brood, Persephone’s Bees, Magnet, Fiery Furnaces, Dresden Dolls, Mates of State
Friday - The Brakes, Billy Bragg, The Subways, Metric
Saturday - The Jessica Fletchers
I know I could have seen more, but overall I’m actually quite pleased with the above list. Last night was too much choice. I was tired of making all these decisions and my camera was tired of commemerating moments. I’d heard some new stuff, got to experience some of my most favorite sounds live and up close, and had a great time.
I’m going to have to start working on a couple of friends who won’t be working the tradeshow floor to come down here with me next year so I don’t die early like that again. Kelly? Allie? Court? Slava? Ang? Anyone interested?
Adam, you’re going to be here for sure - eleven days is just too long, my dear.
Well, my box o’ swag is packed and my camera is happily snoozing away in my bag. It’s time to go home, get some sleep and figure out what happens next.
Oh, and Kelly don’t worry - there are close to 25 CDs in my luggage for experiencing some new sounds that appeared at the show. Ah, music heaven.
Posted in Books, MusicIP, SXSW | 1 Comment »
February 8th, 2006 Rachel
If you want a snapshot look at one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, with even more current information and perspectives on the music industry, check this out. Gerd Leonhard writes in his Future of Music Blog from MIDEM 2006. Here’s a tiny piece of a heck of a lot to take in (but if this is your thing, you’ll soak it up…):
The bottom line is that the SYSTEM, the OPERATING PARADIGM, is
broken, at the core, and that truckloads of band-aids will not make it
well again - these attempts at reviving an almost comatose record (but NOT music-) industry
will just keep us going until we can get a full set of organ (and
brain) transplants. But of course, usually, big changes must simply
play themselves out, and so for 2006, I predict
that the PAIN of selling music the good old way (i.e. by the ‘unit’,
whether online or offline) will become so severe that most incumbents will
simply waive most currently mandatory must have’s and finally throw
their holy cows (such as not licensing anything in MP3 format, or
maintaining territorial restrictions) into the digital meat-grinder, and will start heading for greener pastures, in droves. Good.
Yeah, this is a guy to read. He knows what he’s talking about, has fascinating ideas and an enlightened perspective. For a topic that often gets bogged down with financial, emotional and political issues, Leonhard rises above it all and makes the issues clear and a possible path almost self evident.
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