Genetic

It is time for the March 2009 iPod quiz. This month's questions were found via a Google search, and specifally a website devoted to fostering mentor relationships in the workplace through a simple set of "getting to know you" questions. Without further adieu, the quiz.

1. What do you like most about your job? "Swimsuit Issue" - Sonic Youth
- if only I worked at Sports Illustrated
2. What do you like least about your job? "Hannah & Gabi" - The Lemonheads
- I don't work with a Hannah or a Gabi, but I could probably name a few people to replace them
3. What work activity is most challenging for you? "O Girlfriend" - Weezer
4. What is your favorite work activity? "When the Levee Breaks" - Led Zeppelin
5. What work-related skills are you good at? "Mr. Self Destruct" - Nine Inch Nails
- no comment
6. Work work-related skills would you like to learn more about? "Holier Than Thou" - Metallica
- I guess I am pretty modest
7. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? "Daktari" - 10,000 Maniacs
8. When you have a bad day at work, it is usually because... "In The Backseat" - The Arcade Fire
9. When you have leisure time, what do you like to do? "Chasing Ghosts with Alcohol" - Gomez
- um, no comment
10. What other career(s) are you interested in? "Can't Ignore the Train" - 10,000 Maniacs
- a second 10,000 Maniacs song? I swear I don't listen to them that much...
11. Do you take outside lessons or classes of any kind? "European Son" - The Velvet Underground
12. Do you have any pets? "You're the One" - The Black Keys
13. What is your favorite food? "C'Mere" - Interpol
14. What is your favorite place? "Nature Boy" - Primus
15. What is your favorite sport? "Lucky" - Radiohead
16. What is your favorite indoor activity? "The Rolling People" - The Verve
- once again, no comment
17. Who is your favorite friend? "Oh My God, Whatever, Etc" - Ryan Adams
18. Who is your favorite relative? "Nobody Lost, Nobody Found" - Cut Copy
19. Who is your favorite movie star? "Losing My Edge" - LCD Soundsystem
20. Who is your favorite hero/heroine? "So Alive" - Ryan Adams
- I am not going to complain about a second Ryan Adams song
21. Happiness is... "Kiss Kiss" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- hard to argue with that one
22. What will be the title of this post? "Genetic" - Sonic Youth
- gotta love the Sonic Youth bookends to this quiz

The Vinyl Revolution

I like to shop for music at small independent record shops. Actually, small independent shops are the only true record stores still in existence. Electronic downloads, mega bookstores, and electronics depots have driven a lot of the competition out of business. Still, a few independents are hanging on and some are even thriving in DC due to the re-emergence of vinyl records.

For years it seemed that vinyl records continued to exist only for the avid collector and professional DJ (and I don’t mean cheesy dudes that play tunes at wedding receptions and school dances). However, vinyl has found new customers in those longing for a nostalgic music experience, those interested in hearing music in a non-digital format, those that are looking for a more tactile music buying experience (as opposed to the virtual world of digital downloads), and hipsters looking to expand their retro-coolness from their clothing to their music collections.

At first I dismissed the vinyl trend. I doubted vinyl’s ability to thrive in a world where music is easily bought and shared over the internet. Then I wandered into one of the independent music stores in my neighborhood called Crooked Beat Records and saw this notice:

“For the second year in a row (2008) New & Used Vinyl LPs have outsold CDs at Crooked Beat. LPs now account for around 70% of our total sales. We will be increasing our vinyl selection even more in the coming months.”

True to their word, I have seen the space devoted to vinyl at Crooked Beat increased while they gradually shrink the amount of CDs they stock. In fact, Crooked Beat is only going to stock CDs from indie and import record labels and a select few alternative artists signed to major record labels. Furthermore, Crooked Beat sells a variety of turntables, making it easier for someone to dive into the vinyl listening world. The fact that vinyl is thriving at places like Crooked Beat defies simple economics. New vinyl records often cost more than $20, or about twice as much as a download or CD (to be fair, sometimes a new vinyl record will also come with a CD or with the ability to download the album).

I must admit that I resisted this vinyl revolution. I do not own a turntable and I love my iPods (yes, plural) so much that I can’t imagine listening to music any other way. My views on vinyl changed when I discovered frames for hanging LPs on walls. LPs have always been better at exhibiting and displaying album cover art. CD booklets and the “cover flow” function on iTunes and iPods only go so far. Also, some records are printed on colored vinyl, making the actual record a bona fide collectible and potential art piece.

Thus, I have succumbed, though only slightly, to the rebirth of vinyl. Like many things in my life, I have created rules for purchasing vinyl (particularly since I have no means of actually playing the records). First, I will only buy vinyl albums I already own in another format. Second, I will limit vinyl purchases to albums I consider to be essential to my musical taste. Third, I will make an exception to the second rule for colored vinyl and albums with extraordinary cover art. I followed these rules the other day when I purchased Doolittle by Pixies, The Hot Rock by Sleater-Kinney, and Fables of the Reconstruction by R.E.M. These records joined the previous purchases of The Body, The Blood, The Machine by The Thermals (purchased at their amazing show at the Black Cat because they had very little merchandise for sale and I needed to buy something after they rocked my world) and In Rainbows by Radiohead (purchased as part of a deluxe package of CDs and art directly from the band’s website).

Resistance was futile. Viva la revolution (at 33 1/3 rpm).

Anyone Can Play Guitar

A few weeks ago I accomplished one of the goals I had set for myself before I turned 35. With the help of some actual musician and guitar-playing friends, I purchased my first electric guitar. The purchase of the guitar was a dream come true. I have always loved rock music. Now I will be able to play rock music. At the very least, owning and learning how to play the guitar will add a new dimension to listening to music and watching concerts.

I am very fortunate to have friends in DC that can play guitar. Walking into Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center can be very intimidating to the first time guitar buyer. There are guitars everywhere and without the aid of Roger, Paul, and Michael, I would have been completely lost on where to begin in selecting a guitar. They were extremely helpful by telling me what to look for in a guitar, actually playing some of the guitars for me, and giving me their honest opinions. They were also there to make sure I got all the necessary accessories, namely an amp, cord, and tuner.

I learned in the guitar buying process that a first time buyer should not go in with any preconceived notions of what they want to buy. I have been a fan of the Fender Telecaster guitar since going to see The Thermals play at the Black Cat in 2007. Hutch Harris, guitarist for The Thermals, was making the kind of sounds with his Telecaster that I hoped to make someday. The guitar seemed classic, simple, and gritty all at once. However, during the process of trying out guitars, and having my friends try out guitars, one guitar stood out from the others. That guitar was the Gibson SG. What stood out about this particular SG was its feel and versatility, something I wanted out of a first guitar. The final selling point was when my friend Michael stated how much he loved the guitar, particularly since he had previously stated how he generally didn’t like the SG model.

So with my new guitar in its hard case, my amp that apparently is “loaded with rock star settings,” and all the other goodies I bought that day in tow, we were off to Roger’s apartment to actually play some instruments together. While I only played one chord along with my friends as they played real music, it was a great moment. The evening also included good Thai food and beer. In other words, it was a great day.

Since then I have bought a lightning bolt guitar strap, purchased some picks, learned a few new chords, practiced a bit, and hopefully started the process to getting guitar lessons from a real musician. Learning to play the guitar can be frustrating, but I am having fun and that is what is most important to this music lover. Watch out people! I will be melting your faces before you know it!

It Wasn't Me

I am going to steal another great idea from a dear friend. This idea involves using the shuffle function on an iPod to answer a set of questions. I like to think of it as a modern day Ouija board or magic 8-ball. The rules are that you must answer each question with the song that comes up on shuffle. Subsequent questions are answered by hitting the next song button. I hope to make this a monthly feature of the blog. If anyone has suggestions for future questions just send them my way or leave a comment. Without further adieu, here is the iPod shuffle quiz:

1. If someone says "is this okay" you say? "Space (I Believe In)" - Pixies

- very trippy!

2. What would best describe your personality? "Length Of Love" - Interpol

3. What do you like in a girl? "Slime And Oxygen" - The Black Lips

- um, I have higher standards than that!

4. What is your life's purpose? "Hey" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

5. What is your motto? "Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pickups

6. What do your friends think of you? "White Mystery" - Minus The Bear

- I guess I can be mysterious

7. What do you think about often? "Emergency Exit" - Beck

8. What is 2 + 2? "Crying" - TV On The Radio

9. What do you think of your best friend? "No Need To Cry" - British Sea Power

10. What is your life story? "You're A Cad" - The Bird and The Bee

- hardly

11. What do you want to be when you grow up? "You Are Dreaming" - Shout Out Louds

- even my iPod wants to shatter my dreams

12. What do you think when you see the person you like? "Hold On, Hold On" - Neko Case

- that is a great song

13. What do your parents think of you? "Paper Tiger" - Beck

14. What will you dance to at your wedding? "Company Calls Epilogue" - Death Cab For Cutie

- the song does take place at a wedding

15. What will they play at your funeral? "PA" - Ryan Adams and The Cardinals

16. What is your hobby/interest? "Judy and the Dream of Horses" - Belle and Sebastian

17. What is your biggest secret? "Dreamworld" - Rilo Kiley

18. What do you think of your friends? "So Long" - Rilo Kiley

- first, two Rilo Kiley songs in a row; and second, my friends know I love them

19. What's the worst thing that could happen? "120 Mins" - Teenage Fanclub

20. How will you die? "Ringfinger" - Nine Inch Nails

- hilarious

21. What is the one thing your regret? "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" - The Smiths

22. What makes you laugh? "Lucky" - Radiohead

23. What makes you cry? "Canary" - Liz Phair

24. Will you ever get married? "No One's Leaving" - Jane's Addiction

25. What scares you the most? "On A Plain" - Nirvana

- ending up like Kurt does scare me

26. Does anyone like you? "The Happiest Days Of Our Lives" - Pink Floyd

- I will take that as a "yes"

27. If you could go back in time, what would you change? "Orange Crush" - R.E.M.

28. What hurts right now? "Space and Time" - The Verve

- when things do hurt it can feel like the whole universe

29. What will be the title of this post? "It Wasn't Me" - Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins

The 25 Things

A very close and dear friend of mine created a list of 25 things about herself recently (a trend that has gone viral since a completely unrelated person I know recently did the same thing). I thought in response I would create my own list of 25 things about myself.

1. I am a t-shirt junkie. I haven’t counted the number of t-shirts I own, but it is a lot. I even have some in storage at my parent’s house. I order many original design t-shirts from Threadless, which has new designs for sale each week online. I also typically get a t-shirt from memorable concerts and the occasional cool design from Urban Outfitters.
   
2. I am generally shy when meeting people for the first time. Do not take it personally if I seem reserved at first.
   
3. I read comic books. I don’t care if that makes me a dork.
   
4. I desperately want to learn how to play guitar. My goal is to own a guitar before my 35th birthday, preferably a Fender Telecaster. I will not be satisfied until I am melting faces.
   
5. I don’t think I watch a lot of television, but in reality I do. I regularly watch only a handful of programs, but I will watch mindless shows until the one I am really interested in comes on the air.
   
6. My undergraduate degree is in Economics. Since I graduated from a liberal arts university, I had to have a “support program” of other disciplines. So I also “minored” in Philosophy and Art.
   
7. If I could have a different profession it would be in psychology/psychiatry, architecture/urban planning, or teaching.
   
8. I am afraid of exposed heights.
   
9. Three moments in rock and roll history have occurred on my birthday: (1) R.E.M. played their first show; (2) Kurt Cobain committed suicide; and (3) Layne Staley died from a “speedball” overdose.
   
10. I tend to give more in friendships/relationships that what I either get or expect back. I am trying to change this pattern because it can lead to dark places.
    
11. When I am around my family I am routinely called by my brother’s name. I try to act like it doesn’t bother me, but in fact it sucks. The next time it happens I am thinking of requesting they call me something they would find very offensive until they learn to actually use my name.
    
12. I love music festivals. I attended Bonnaroo for the first time in 2007, which was the first multi-day festival I experienced. I went to Bonnaroo again in 2008. This year I will be going to at least the Sasquatch Music Festival at The Gorge in George, Washington and the Austin City Limits Festival. I can no longer imagine a year where I don’t try to attend one music festival.
    
13. I love modern architecture and mid-century to modern furniture.
    
14. Similarly, I love modern and contemporary art. My favorite artists off all time are Pollock, Rothko, and Rauschenberg.
    
15. My favorite colors are blue and green. Though I don’t like combinations of the two, like aqua or teal.
    
16. Since I was born in the Chicago metropolitan area, my favorite sports teams are the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks. I don’t care for the NBA, so I am not going to add the Bulls to the list. The only non-Chicago team I support is DC United soccer.
    
17. I unfortunately like ice cream and Oreo cookies (not always together). Both of those things are really bad for me since I need to watch my cholesterol levels.
    
18. I can’t stand coconut, cinnamon, or raisins. I am okay with coconut milk in soups and curries, but things with actual bits of coconut in them are repulsive.
    
19. I absolutely detest scrapbooking. In fact, the question “do you scrapbook or do you ever see yourself getting into scrapbooking?” will from now on be used to screen all potential dates. Other screening questions are “do you want to have children?” and “how religious are you?” Incorrect answers to those questions are “yes” and “very.”
    
20. Since I am naturally a fast walker, I tend to hate people that walk slowly on city sidewalks during the workday.
    
21. I generally hate malls, or more specifically people that go to malls to just hang out and walk around. I like to have a plan and a focus when I go to a mall so I can get out of there as quickly as possible.
    
22. I have lived in 5 different states and 1 district.
    
23. Speaking of the District of Columbia, I do not like living here. I don’t like most of the people that live here either. DC has a way of changing people, and not for the better.
    
24. Because I don’t like where I currently live, I no longer have family in any place I grew up in, and my family is spread out in different faraway locations, I feel like I don’t have a true home. I think I know where I would like my home to be. Now I just got to make it happen.
    
25. I really want to be happy. I am taking the steps to get there and someday I will find reasons to smile everyday.

Uh-oh! SpaghettiOs!

I made an unwise decision the last time I went grocery shopping.  I decided I was going to purchase SpaghettiOs.  The decision might not seem strange to those that eat SpaghettiOs regularly or have children that enjoy the circular pasta in a can.  However, I have not had SpaghettiOs for at least a decade and during that time it has not crossed my mind to buy or eat them once.  I can only guess that my commitment to eating more vegetarian combined with my desire to have an easy to make meal drove this decision.  What's easier than open can, put contents in pot, heat pot on stove, and serve?

The first problem with buying SpaghettiOs is that it is primarily a product enjoyed by children and stoned college students.  At the age of 34, I do not fit either category.  Nor do I have my own children that I can rationalize buying the product for and then enjoy myself.  The second problem is deciding what kind of SpaghettiOs to buy.  When I reached the shelves of canned pasta products I immediately began looking for the regular variety.  In that spot on the shelf was one can so dented I was shocked its contents had not exploded out the top.  These are the types of products my former grocery store employer would put in a blind grab bag and sell to employees for a couple of bucks.

To the left of the dented can was the "with meatballs" variety.  This type goes against my desire for more vegetarian meals and I was not about to trust the processed meat product of the Campbell Soup Company (author's note - Campbell's bought Franco-American over 90 years ago and it fazed out the Franco-American label over 4 years ago).  To the right was the "shapes" variety, which is just regular SpaghettiOs shaped like cartoon characters instead of rings.  I didn't recognize the cartoon characters, but they were princesses of some sort.  I am guessing it is from some Disney creation.  There was no way I was going to eat princess shaped SpaghettiOs.  That would be creepy on many levels.

That left one variety on the shelf.  SpaghettiOs "with calcium" bothered me for a couple of reasons.  First, SpaghettiOs are in a tomato and cheese sauce.  One would think that the cheese in the sauce would provide adequate calcium.  I began to wonder about the quality of the "cheese" used to make the sauce.  Second, are kids these days getting so little calcium in their diets that there needs to be "with calcium" options for kid-friendly products?  Unfortunately, "with calcium" seemed to be my only choice if I was going to buy SpaghettiOs.

Like Ron Burgundy after he jumped into the bear pit and the last time I ordered a Filet-O-Fish, I immediately regretted the decision.  I decided to eat the SpaghettiOs right away so that I could be rid of it in my apartment.  Thus, I opened up the two cans I bought and started to heat them up on the stove.  I bought two cans because: (1) canned products are getting smaller; and (2) as an adult I felt like I could eat more than I could as a kid.  It was another poor decision on my part.  At least I ate the SpaghettiOs out of a bowl instead of out of the pot.  In an effort to make the meal more palatable, I added some salt and pepper.  That was probably one of the most useless things I have ever done.  Why should I attempt to spice up this mess?  The only thing more useless would have been to add fresh garlic, rosemary, and perhaps some shaved parmesan on top.  Extra cheese would have been pointless.  I was apparently getting extra calcium without it.

Safe to say I didn't feel good about the meal or myself afterward.  It had been over 10 years since I had SpaghettiOs, and in retrospect that was not long enough.  Let's hope the next time I cook up some in a pot it is for a child or a stoned college student. 

Reflections From Starbucks

If you want to get the flavor of a neighborhood in DC, head to the closest Starbucks and observe the customers.  I live in Adams Morgan, a diverse neighborhood that turns into one of the city's busiest nightspots along its 18th Street spine of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.  Here are my observations of the patrons of two different Starbucks in the general Adams Morgan area on a Saturday morning.

• African cab drivers communing before or after their shifts;
• Homeless men sleeping in the chairs and sofas;
• Gay men coming back from their early morning gym workouts;
• A gaggle of young women wearing the previous night's skinny jeans and Ugg boots;
• Older women talking on cell phones speaking a language I don't recognize;
• Hipsters walking their tiny apartment dogs;
• Lesbians walking their tiny apartment dogs;
• Professionals and students appearing to work on their laptops, but who knows what exactly they are doing;
• Parents with newborns that probably have designer names, owning the latest in stroller technology, and toting the trendiest of diaper bags;
• Young couples in almost matching workout clothes, drinking matching soy lattes, hauling their dry cleaning back to their Pottery Barn filled apartments or condos thinking that their lives are so interesting and important (okay, that is what I'm thinking they're thinking); and
• Me, a lonely middle-aged divorced man living in a crap apartment in a city he doesn't love while working a decent but unfulfilling job.

As I wait for my venti skim no-whip mocha, I can't help but think that I have very little in common with any of these people.