The Michael Jordan of Music Videos

February 5, 2010

Sometimes it’s hard to figure out if  someone is really as talented as it seems, or if it is just hype based on magic captured in the past.  For Joe Charbonneau it was hype.  For Michael Jordan it was not.

A good test is to imagine if the individual somehow was unknown would their next performance be judged as fantastic or mediocre.  If Lady Gaga walked into an American Idol audition would Simon and America be blown away or usher her out?

I remember when I heard the opening chords of “What’s the Frequency Kenneth?” and I thought to myself, “Wow, I need to listen to this band.” I was thrilled when I found out it was R.E.M, who I had liked for about a decade.  (Unfortunately that album was pretty much the last music I liked from them).

But now it’s happened again.  OK Go consistently produces the only music videos I watch repeatedly.  The ridiculous dance video, the treadmill, and now this one…..how come no one else can come close to making an interesting video like this?

http://new.music.yahoo.com/ok-go/videos/view/this-too-shall-pass–218626580


Groundhog Day Just Like “Groundhog Day”

February 2, 2010

Six more weeks of winter.  The Groundhog saw its shadow.  The fix is in.

Really, this whole Groundhog Day thing is a sham.  People treat it like there’s a 50-50 chance that the little critter will see its shadow.  But it’s just not true.  The scorecard is now 98-15 against an early spring.  It takes suckers like me years to catch on that there is a better chance the Orioles will win the World Series than Phil going silhouette free.  We keep replaying our ridiculous hopes year after year, thinking things might be different, just like  Bill Murray in the movie “Groundhog Day”.  It never changes.

My guess is that Punxatawney Phil has bet heavily against “early spring” and has been cleaning up for years.  Every year he comes out of hiding, sees his shadow, and then uses the proceeds to put an ostentatious addition onto his burrrow.  Next year I’m taking “shadow” and giving the points.

"There's my shadow....looks like I can add a home theater this year."


Balancing Act

February 2, 2010

Good riddance January!  And take your achilles rupturing, lice infesting, health care reform destroying, cold wind blasting ways with you.  Or my little Groundhog friend here will rip you to shreds.

I guess a more positive spin on January would be to look at it as a month that has strengthened me.  Certainly I hope my achilles is getting stronger.  And definitely my balancing skills.

When I first got the crutches I was really worried that the cure was going to be worse than the disease.  Sure my tendon was in tatters, but my lack of balance on crutches was life threatening.  I stood at the bottom of the stairs in our house and murmured motivational words to  myself for five minutes.  The security doors at my office seemed like a particularly cruel joke.

But not anymore.  I am like Daniel-san in the Karate Kid.  I have even upgraded myself from stall-exclusive visits to the bathroom at work.   

I’m not sure what if any long term benefit I can parlay from this once I throw my crutches away.  Maybe some hopping olympics events or at the very least challenging the girls to one legged hopscotch.  But it’s these small successes now that can help me try to get my mental balance back in check.

Okay Zabka, I'm ready for you now


The 3 Year Plan

January 28, 2010

So much in life comes down to timing.  And in many cases the mechanics of life are stacked against us so that the timing is less than ideal.  For example, many people start their families at the same time that their professional lives take up a large chunk of their time.  That’s just the way it is: Biological and Financial requirements collide at the same time.  Certainly it would be better in terms of efficiency if the 15-20 years of retirement could be spent while children are being raised instead of when one’s health is deteriorating and offspring have long since sprung.

Well, the retirement v. family timetable is going to be impossible to align.  But how about education?  Is four years of college really necessary on the heels of 13 years of schooling?  How did we arrive at four years as the magic number before someone is pronounced ready to inflict their college intellect on the world?

I think four years is arbitrary, and in many cases overkill.  I completely buy into the need for higher learning, and even that a sustained period of time away from home (for those who have the means), in the relative seclusion of a learning environment can be very positive.  But I’d venture to guess that more than 90% of students who attend a US World and News Report “Top” institution attends for 4 consecutive years.  Is that really the optimal duration and timing for all of them?

In terms of economics I think the answer is definitely “no”.  Let’s imagine a world where 3 years of college were as commonplace as 4 years.  Do we really think there would be a noticeable difference in the competencies of those graduating?  Perhaps for certain vocations the answer is yes, but those students require additional years of education anyway.  For most Liberal Arts graduates (who still make up the majority of graduates) is there any real difference, other than saving $50K, that is derived from going to college for 4 years rather than 3?  Sure, the 3 year student may not gain exposure to as many different types of subjects as the 4 year student.  But wouldn’t that line of thinking suggest that 5 years of higher learning is even better than 4, and 6 is better than 5, etc.?

If anything, presenting 3 years of schooling as a more viable option would encourage students to focus their time in school more directly.  Sleeping late, drinking hard, and partying through the night are all activities often associated with undergraduates.  Can’t we at least look to move the Sleeping Late part of the equation to later in life and save some time and money?

And moving to 3 years of college post high school could work for all involved, including the universities.  What if instead of needing $200k to attend a four year school, students pay $165K for three years of schooling?  The institutions get a bigger chunk of money over a shorter timeframe ($165K v. $150K).  In return for this windfall to the schools, the individual is allowed to take eight additional courses AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE at any university participating in this 3 year program.

That’s where the efficiency/timing part comes in.  There are many courses I took in college that did not seem relevant to me at the time that would certainly seem so now. There are other courses offered now (like Social Marketing) that simply weren’t around then.  Doesn’t it make more sense for me to take those courses now then it did for me to enroll in “Thanatology” back in sophomore year?

The 3 year plan would make a college degree more affordable, provide an opportunity for retraining and additional learning later in life, and increase the funds for colleges across the country. “Four More Years” should be the chant for Obama, not necessarily for high school graduates.

....and while we're at it, let's change it to the NC Single A....the second A is redundant


Best Picture 2025

January 25, 2010

Time to dust off the theme song for the old “Odd Couple” movie and get it ready for a film currently in development. 

The script is currently being written in draft form in California.  Ted Olsen, the lawyer who argued for Bush in the 2004 election case in front of the Supreme Court, is arguing a case again.  But this time it’s Perry v. Schwarzenegger, and he is for the plaintiff in support of gay marriage. There’s a very good chance that Perry v.  Schwarzenegger makes its way from the CA court to the US Supreme Court.

And his co-counsel is David Boies.  The guy who argued against him in Bush v. Gore.  (Cue the theme song and voiceover).  “Can two accomplished legal egos coexist in order to bring social justice to millions?  Can they put their differences on virtually every other topic aside to focus on sweeping change?  Or will the Supreme Court, like Gloria Unger, send them packing?”

I have no idea what will win the Academy Award for Best Picture this year.  But I wish I could bet on the Best Picture for 2025 (give or take 7 years).


Frogosphere

January 19, 2010

Alive and swimming

Pets have always been a difficult subject in our house.  In theory we love them.  In reality we are not a good match for them. 

Dogs and cats would seem to provide a lot of fun for everyone, but the work involved in tending to them (and resuscitating me from allergies in the case of a cat) just never seems to lead to a decision for us to jump in.  And other animals, while low maintenance, dont…er…last.  We have gone through more fish than Gorton’s.

But behold we have stumbled upon a great match for our family.  Frogosphere.  A self contained unit with two frogs, and a snail according to the manual though we’ve never seen it. 

The frogosphere includes rocks and vegetation within the container which self cleans the unit.  The girls feed their frogs a pellet each, twice a week.  Low stress, great fun.  And the frogs are very active and haven’t died yet.  All for $59, or slightly more than half the cost of the equipment we bought for our last fish ”swimmy” who has long since been flushed down the toilet, along with our money.


Cast Party

January 17, 2010

Oh for the carefree days of 2009 in our household.  January 2010 has brought a ruptured achilles, a lice infestation, and Scott Brown pulling ahead of Martha Coakley in polls.  I’m half expecting boils and vermin to strike next.

But the silver lining to this has been the cast that is keeping my newly formed tendon in place.  Not what the cast represents (which is six weeks of not being able to do the most menial of tasks without first giving myself a motivational speech to pull myself up and hop), but the cast itself.  First, it’s a lot more comfortable than the splint I had on before my surgery….a big surprise.  Second, it’s seen by Molly and Emma as a work of art.  They marvel at it, try to comprehend how it was put on me, and doodle pictures and leave me little notes on it.

But most importantly, it has helped my perceived professional value at a time when I am limited in what I produce.  I gave a presentation to a client last week, and I walked (crutched) in a bit unsure of the content.  The story seemed a bit unconnected to me.  But the client loved it.  And thanked me for coming in to present, even though I had pushed the presentation back a few days at the last minute.  I definitely got the Willis Reed treatment, where without the crutches it may have been a bit more like the Greg Kite treatment.

Crutches have become to me what the blazer is to The Bachelor. On rose ceremony night he brings it with him as a prop, so that when he speaks to his harem one on one, he can symbolically drape it around their shoulders to keep them warm in their strapless gowns.  It scores him big chivalry points that he does not deserve.  Oh look, the Bachelor is such a gentleman (never mind that he is dating 25 women simultaneously).  Well crutches have become my version of the Bachelor’s blazer.  Crutches have become my…well, my crutch.


iCore

January 9, 2010

A lot has been written in the past month in advance of Apple’s new product announcement (expected January 27th).  And as with all things Apple I am giddy.  Speculation revolves around how this new “tablet” will compete against netbooks, e-readers, and microwave ovens (well only for instant popcorn making).  But it hit me recently that there will likely be a much more clear function for this unnamed product.

It will connect other Apple products together to enhance capabilities across all of them.  For instance, if you have an iPhone then pairing with this new product can let your phone calls become video conferences.  If you have an iMac then you can access your desktop from the tablet.  These extended capabilities would be in addition to the features that would be available from owning only the tablet (such as gaming, electronic reading, internet, etc.).  The key is for Apple to be sure people view the new product not as a way to cannibalize iTouch, iPod, Apple TV, or computers, but as a motivation to buy even more of the other products.

Whatever they end up calling the new product, if Apple is able to position it as the missing piece that links its other products together (the iCore of its growing line) then Apple will gain revenue from its new product introduction while boosting sales for its older products.


F-email Troubles

December 30, 2009

Every year at this time Webster’s, Oxford,and anyone who has a dictionary announces the new words that have been added.  As of late, these words have been tech-heavy.  I know from a missed trivia question a couple years ago that “woot” was added to the English language and that it has something to do with the internet or texting, but I still have no idea what it means.

Anyway, I’d like to nominate a definition for which we desperately need a word.  Preferably before 2010 starts.  The female or gender neutral equivalent for “guys” just doesn’t exist.  And when you’re addressing a group of people in a work email, but are looking for a casual tone…..well you’re left with nothing.

Sometimes I go with “All-” but that’s a bit too abrupt/distant.  “Hey-” is a cop out and diminsihes anything that comes after it; there’s no way you can have a really good idea introduced by “Hey”.  And while according to Broadway the opposite of “Guys” is “Dolls”, starting an email with “Dolls” would likely be the last email I sent at my current job.

So hold the woot.  I’ll be looking for a more useful word to start my emails yet again this year.  And likely again next year.


“Love Stinks”

December 17, 2009

Perhaps the biggest regret of my concert going life is that I never saw the J. Geils Band play live.  They were at their peak back before I had my license, and they broke up soon after I could drive. 

So when Teddy mentioned that Peter Wolf and company were getting back together for a New Year’s Eve concert, I told him I was definitely going….if I could find a time machine to transport me back to 1983 for the event.  I’m just not sure I want to see these guys as 60+ year old rebels (and for their part I’m guessing they would have been much better served by the 16 year old version of me standing and cheering them along than my current self who would be very happy simply sitting in my seat).

But I am having second thoughts.  I was driving on the Mass Pike and I saw a billboard that said in large letters “Love Stinks”, and then had details of the concert in much smaller font.  How great is that?  I mean, it’s 11 characters including the space, and it captures so much of what a rock band should be about: humor, childishness, anger, rebellion, emotion.  You could write it a dozen times as a Twitter entry and still have room to sign off (C U L8r?).

“Love Stinks”.  And getting older sucks.  And they might be enough to offset each other.  Unless we get an invitation for watching a kids movie at our neighbor’s house for New Year’s Eve.