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The Week That Was...
Jul. 1st, 2016 07:24 pmI honestly don't know what to call this post. Brain-DownLoad? To Blog or Not to Blog? Mish-Mash?
1. Politics?
I've decided staying away from social media and the news is probably a good idea in regards to politics. It's not getting any better. Another good idea? Is not to discuss politics or think about it. So, I'm not.
2. Television?
Woefully behind. Because, I am compulsively watching old 1998-2006 youtube video clips of a soap opera. Judge me as you will. Don't care. Television viewing is for pleasure, and relaxation, after all.
3. Books?
Bought another book on mindfulness. This one by a Tibetan Buddhist. I'd started reading it in Barnes and Noble and got captivated. I like it better than Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now, it's more pragmatic and less...smarmy. Called "The Pristine Mind". Also focuses heavily on Buddhist philosophy.
Over 78% of the way through Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire, which is the first in the October Daye urban fantasy series, although it fells more like fantasy than urban fantasy, but whatever. I have mixed feelings about it and not sure if I'll continue. I may skip the second book in the series, which has gotten abysmal reviews. I like the mythology, world-building, and to a degree the characters, but the plot is all over the place and the writing style a bit...clunky.
Granted this is the first book in the series and to date, most series writers debut novels are less than stellar. The only writers who had good debute novels but began to slide downhill from there were Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris. Everyone else is sort of the opposite. Also, these series have a tendency to take off with the third novel. The second novels always suck for some reason, the third is great.
4. Music?
Lando and I have been discussing music at work. Lando, besides being an accomplished race car driver and criminal lawyer, is also a musician. And back in the day worked with Sugar Hill Records and Grand Master Flash. (Of course I have no idea how much of what he is telling me is true and how much he's pulled out of his ass. He can out bull-shit Han Solo. And I am guillible -- I even looked it up in the dictionary once.)
But I think he's telling the truth about the music, there's too many small details. He even played the track he laid down for his friend, a barber, who did a rap. It was actually pretty good, considering I'm not a huge fan of rap or hip/hop. Then he decided to regale me with the history of rap, and it's early beginnings, which he was involved with as a teen. Woo-Tang (never heard of), Grandmaster Flash (have heard of) and Sugar Hill Records.
The guy in the cubicle in front of Lando is taking piano. Lando suggested that he buy a book - for finger exercises. Lando said that before you even begin learning the music or sight-reading, you should work the fingers and do finger exercises. And do it right to left. Don't play the hands together. Start first with the right, get it in shape. Then the left. Then together. And memorize the music the same way. Learn first with the right hand, then the left. Lando is an accomplished keyboardist, pianist, and organist.
Lando had also googled one of the project managers on one his difficult projects. Turns out the woman made a hip/hop music video. A scantily clad hip/hop music video. The song isn't bad, she's pretty, but the video is sort of jarring. Here it is. We were cackling over it at work. I'm not sure making scantilly clad music videos and posting them on the net when you are a project manager with a construction firm is a great idea. Particularly in a field that is highly sexist and male dominated. But what do I know?
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying 1980s hits on Spotify. You know you are a bit out of touch with the current music, when you prefer the music that was created over two decades ago.
1. Politics?
I've decided staying away from social media and the news is probably a good idea in regards to politics. It's not getting any better. Another good idea? Is not to discuss politics or think about it. So, I'm not.
2. Television?
Woefully behind. Because, I am compulsively watching old 1998-2006 youtube video clips of a soap opera. Judge me as you will. Don't care. Television viewing is for pleasure, and relaxation, after all.
3. Books?
Bought another book on mindfulness. This one by a Tibetan Buddhist. I'd started reading it in Barnes and Noble and got captivated. I like it better than Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now, it's more pragmatic and less...smarmy. Called "The Pristine Mind". Also focuses heavily on Buddhist philosophy.
Over 78% of the way through Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire, which is the first in the October Daye urban fantasy series, although it fells more like fantasy than urban fantasy, but whatever. I have mixed feelings about it and not sure if I'll continue. I may skip the second book in the series, which has gotten abysmal reviews. I like the mythology, world-building, and to a degree the characters, but the plot is all over the place and the writing style a bit...clunky.
Granted this is the first book in the series and to date, most series writers debut novels are less than stellar. The only writers who had good debute novels but began to slide downhill from there were Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris. Everyone else is sort of the opposite. Also, these series have a tendency to take off with the third novel. The second novels always suck for some reason, the third is great.
4. Music?
Lando and I have been discussing music at work. Lando, besides being an accomplished race car driver and criminal lawyer, is also a musician. And back in the day worked with Sugar Hill Records and Grand Master Flash. (Of course I have no idea how much of what he is telling me is true and how much he's pulled out of his ass. He can out bull-shit Han Solo. And I am guillible -- I even looked it up in the dictionary once.)
But I think he's telling the truth about the music, there's too many small details. He even played the track he laid down for his friend, a barber, who did a rap. It was actually pretty good, considering I'm not a huge fan of rap or hip/hop. Then he decided to regale me with the history of rap, and it's early beginnings, which he was involved with as a teen. Woo-Tang (never heard of), Grandmaster Flash (have heard of) and Sugar Hill Records.
The guy in the cubicle in front of Lando is taking piano. Lando suggested that he buy a book - for finger exercises. Lando said that before you even begin learning the music or sight-reading, you should work the fingers and do finger exercises. And do it right to left. Don't play the hands together. Start first with the right, get it in shape. Then the left. Then together. And memorize the music the same way. Learn first with the right hand, then the left. Lando is an accomplished keyboardist, pianist, and organist.
Lando had also googled one of the project managers on one his difficult projects. Turns out the woman made a hip/hop music video. A scantily clad hip/hop music video. The song isn't bad, she's pretty, but the video is sort of jarring. Here it is. We were cackling over it at work. I'm not sure making scantilly clad music videos and posting them on the net when you are a project manager with a construction firm is a great idea. Particularly in a field that is highly sexist and male dominated. But what do I know?
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying 1980s hits on Spotify. You know you are a bit out of touch with the current music, when you prefer the music that was created over two decades ago.