| Firefighters |
[07 Sep 2009|10:25pm] |
When did the sexualization of firefighters begin and how? Why is the sexual status of firefighters so high?
Firefighters are heroes and they are in uniform. They are like soldiers without the killing or cops without the oppression. Their goal is not to win territory nor to protect some more powerful entity's ambitions; it is only to save people indiscriminately. Seniors, babies, kittens, and the generally less prepared and able.
They are romantic in that they face death and injury. They do what lesser humans fear doing, and they do it with courage and skill.
The New York City Fire Department's most eligible bachelor is Johnny Newman. His avocation is pleasure. Through serial monogamy, he perfects the nuances to transport women to nirvana. Little do any of them realize once he turns out his boudoir light, the woman on his mind is the only one he can't have, Susan Cervini--his best friend's wife. When 9/11 makes her a widow, Johnny supports Susan through her grief. Two years later she is building a new life for herself while caught up in a mystery, trying to locate her presumed dead cousin. When smoldering Firefighter Newman makes his move, Susan is consumed by his inferno.
After 9/11 Marisa Tomei appeared on a late night talk show (Letterman or Conan possibly) stating that she and her friends were having a party for the FDNY. It was implied that they would be having sex with the firefighters. She later went on to co-star in The Wrestler, a movie in which (another) woman exhibits a comically out of control fetish for firefighters. After 9/11 Americans said and did a lot of things they wouldn't have otherwise, but it's not like these feelings came from nowhere.
A friend who hung out this weekend told a story of dating a firefighter who lost two fingers trying to put out a mechanical fire on a boat. He was "still fucking hot" despite this. He was also greatly financially compensated for the injury. Firefighters have stable government jobs with good insurance and pensions. This is probably one reason why an audio engineering teacher I had in college was -- at almost 40 years of age -- quitting his career in music production and education to become a firefighter.
Women firefighters continue to win recognition as capable professionals, although straight men don't focus such intense sexual energy on female firefighters. I wonder to what extent does sexual selection among lesbians mirror the heterosexual phenomenon of straight women lusting for male firefighters.
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| Just got your letter. |
[18 Aug 2009|11:18pm] |
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It's embarrassing to be 32 years old and still fighting with my father, although we've reached an impasse in which he asked "How do we begin this new relationship," and I answered him as if I were speaking to a child.
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| Not-so-subtle Differences |
[16 Aug 2009|11:00am] |
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music |
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Jelly Roll Morton |
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Let's get a drink sometime is different than let's get a beer sometime. What are the implications of each? A drink sounds more serious, as if there is business or romance to be executed. A beer sounds more fun, as if the meeting will amplify friendship. Sometimes getting a beer is codeword for getting a drink. Getting this beer/drink might be the most exhilarating of scenarios, because the ambiguity is two-fold.
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| Master Cleanse |
[05 Aug 2009|11:57pm] |
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music |
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Fights Monsters |
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Was I really this much of a bastard before I started soothing myself with cigarettes, booze, and coffee?
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| End |
[31 Jul 2009|03:46am] |
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I cannot find a balance between criticism and creativity.
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| Eh |
[14 Jul 2009|04:17am] |
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The only person signed onto Facebook is my Music Theory II professor. It's 4:17 am.
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| Everything's Gonna Be Alright |
[27 Jun 2009|05:42pm] |
What are the greatest songs of this variety? What are the worst? In my opinion the best songs are when an artist with significant credibility makes the plunge into optimism and kindness, for example Dylan's "Don't Think Twice", which although is a sad song is also about closure and forgiveness. Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" is another pillar of an example.
These songs don't attempt to describe a better world like Lennon's "Imagine" or suggest romantic love as a solution like Death Cab's "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"; they rest simply on the assertion that things will be fine. They seem to say that the world -- even in its current state -- is actually alright. No angels, knights in shining armor, or government policy changes needed.
Two more examples would be REM's "Everybody Hurts", or Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle"? These songs are both embarrassing to me, but both manage to escape and ultimately uplift through the sheer force of their optimism, even if I can't sit through the entire songs.
An interesting counterpoint:
Built To Spill's "You Were Right"
You were wrong when you said
Everything's gonna be alright
You were wrong when you said
Everything's gonna be alright
( Read more... )
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| What is love? |
[23 Jun 2009|08:34pm] |
I believe deep understanding can come from asking stupid questions. If someone is generous enough to answer a fundamental question honestly, then their explanation will contain unique but sturdy truths that support their understanding of the subject. That is why it is good to question like a child and perhaps one of the reasons children learn so much faster than adults -- because they are unafraid of appearing ignorant.
So, my friends: What is love?
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| Jazz |
[02 Jun 2009|01:15pm] |
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In order to study music I had to pick an instrument. The program wouldn't let me do piano (god damned ivory tower academics wanting students to actually be able to play their instrument of study).
This led me to guitar, of course, but I had one more choice to make. Jazz or classical. I don't think you should play the nylon string guitar unless you're Latino or Willie Nelson, so I chose jazz guitar.
Studying jazz makes me laugh at myself because 1) I am really bad at it; 2) my reaction to music is visceral, and the world of jazz contains some of the most amazing music ever composed and some of the worst fucking shit you'll ever hear. Most jazz guitar makes me sick, which I can admit to you but not to anyone in the program. As I'm starting to understand what's happening, I'm warming to stuff like Wes Montgomery, but right now it's generally too smooth.
But as far as jazz being some of the best of the best and the worst of the worst, here's what I'm talking about starting with something perfect:
Round Midnight
Round 2:30 AM After Your Girlfriend Left With Someone Else
Round 6AM Naked in an Alley
AIDS
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| I like LiveJournal. |
[21 May 2009|11:25pm] |
| [ |
music |
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The Clientele |
] |
Having the ability to spot things that many people will like is a hard won skill. Even so, getting confused between things that you yourself like enthusiastically and things you know many others will like often results in disappointment. This can happen two ways that I am aware of: 1) you diminish your reputation by attempting to advance the appreciation of something most people will never like, and 2) you waste time and energy trying to like something that you will ultimately dislike.
Be careful, friends.
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| Some Important Questions For You |
[08 May 2009|02:15am] |
I was at a gathering tonight, which eventually turned into everyone trying to find this "clip" online. It wasn't necessarily a "clip" in the nowest sense of the word because it was something I saw on television many years ago. It was a linguist who was giving a speech about the development of sound recognition. (Please forgive my complete lack of proper terminology). She was demonstrating a phonetic paradox of sorts by pronouncing sounds with her hand either covering or not covering her mouth. Depending on whether and when she covered her mouth the viewer would perceive that she was saying different sounds, although she was making the same sound repeatedly.
She also made the point of disagreeing with Chomsky on a subject or two. It was kind of this "I'm cooler than Chomsky when it comes ot this" thing she was pulling off. I'm not sure if she mentioned it, but it seemed the Saphir-Worf hypothesis or something like it was central to her studies and the larger point she was making.
After searching for this "clip" for a good 20 minutes, we got frustrated and invented a new game. You look at clips of talking heads and repeatedly pause the video. Everyone takes turns making the sounds it looks like the person is making once the video is paused. Attractive and animated female newscasters seemed to work the best. I probably don't need to point out that everyone should be very drunk before play starts.
Also important question number two. I'm thinking about buying this. Please talk me into or out of it.
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| Crossing The Street |
[07 May 2009|02:41am] |
Today I started to cross the street shortly after a woman with a stroller started to cross. The oncoming cars had stopped for her. I walked on the other side of her, with her between the cars and me. This felt immoral partly because I took advantage of the graciousness afforded a mother and her child, but more so because she and the stroller separated me from the cars. If the cars moved on us, they would have hit her first, and perhaps that extra distance would have allowed me time enough to get out of the way. If it were not a mother with a child in a stroller I would have felt less guilt, which is to say probably no guilt whatsoever.
Immediately after I walked by a old co-worker who had been accepted to a very good school, but in order to get accepted he had to join a fraternity connected to his field of study (history). He had been busted for selling pot about a year ago, however, he still sells it. Just this week he attended an in-store performance by two underground hip-hop artists who had put out an album admonishing their fans to smoke less pot. He smoked them out, although he said in their defense that they got very stoned because they had been smoking much less.
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| Trends |
[25 Apr 2009|01:51am] |
Things that are making me happy right now:
Being a homebody.
Quitting smoking. (3 weeks)
Reading Moby Dick. Slowly.
Learning Stephen Merritt's song "Ever Falls The Twilight". It's only 4 chords.
Apparently Merritt did the music for a theater version of Coraline.
Did he have music in the movie too? I haven't seen it.
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| Ghost Phone |
[19 Apr 2009|07:51pm] |
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Today in the shower the water ran over my thigh a certain way and I thought my cell phone was ringing.
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| Ahhh |
[18 Apr 2009|12:25pm] |
Apparently music theory is boring, even when served on a plate of neurosis. That being the case, I'm starting a personal blog about music. There probably won't be much in the way of music theory on it though, and I'll apply a 6dB cut to the growing pains.
Separately, I run a group blog (www.describetheruckus.com). We're looking for Portland writers. I'm going to start contacting my Portland LJ friends pretty soon, but if any of you are reading this and want to join in let me know.
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| Diminshed Wonder |
[12 Apr 2009|03:52am] |
The fully diminished 7 chord is fun when used as a secondary leading tone chord. I say that knowing full well that the me of five years ago would have scowled at anyone who uttered that sentence. I might still question the creativity of anyone who said such things publicly, but I forgive myself for writing it because it is entirely new to me as something to try while writing songs. It still feels like an accident or a surprise, which is crucial.
In fact, if you're a bit down the road in music theory, this is as obvious as roses being red. That's because the fully diminished 7th chord is said to almost always function as a secondary leading tone chord, tonicizing the chord that follows it when that chord is a major or minor triad rooted a half note above.
For example, try this (ignoring the Roman numeral analysis if it makes no sense):
Am C F#dim7 G Am *
i III viio/VII VII i
If you're playing guitar play the F#dim7 like this 2x121x, partially barring the 1st fret with your 1st finger. If you can get that A string to ring open, more power to you. Click here for some help and options.
Notice how the Am sounds the second time. It no longer seems so much like the tonic center of the key. That's because the G was tonicized by the F#dim7. Try putting an E7 after the G, however, and the Am will once again sound like home. That's because the E7 re-tonicizes the Am. The E7 is called the dominant 7 or V7 of Am. Tonicization happens because our ears are used to hearing "Ti Do" resolve a scale, and these secondary chords and the chords they tonicize contain a "Ti" and "Do" respectively.
My theory professor can compose a beautiful, complex 4-measure piano part in 4 voices in about 5 minutes and then play it on the piano just using the rules derived from studying Bach. In fact, using secondary chord functions and things like chain suspensions can sometimes propel you through the work faster because the rules are so clear. Anything that sounds good to Westernized ears has been theorized.
This is one reason why improvisation and generative music are so interesting, but that's another day.
I stopped studying theory many years ago because I felt it was ruining my playing (you might want to double check my theory.) Eventually I got bored and decided to start studying again. I don't want to think of rules when I make music, or at least I only want to think of tiny rules or rule fragments and then forget about theory entirely. For example, a chord is a rule. A melody from your subconscious is a rule. You could follow with the first thing that comes to your mind as you begin to chart the territory of your composition, or you could use an elaborate set of maps to end up somewhere impressive; but it is much better to start with that first kernel and experiment until you've found yourself somewhere unexpected and effective.
* I am using these chords in a folk ballad of sorts, so do something other than that with them. ;)
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| Vook.tv |
[09 Apr 2009|10:57pm] |
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I applied at Vook. They responded in a mass mail to the "overwhelming" number of applicants, asking us to "vook" a chapter of a novel or a short story, and directing us toward Project Gutenberg.
It was obvious that even they didn't know exactly what it means to "vook" something, but they asked applicants to "Add in media from Youtube, Flickr, Vimeo and from wherever else you can find." They gave us about a day and a half to submit our attempts. I chose "Araby", the Dubliners short story. I embedded a few photos, a Youtube clip,
and linked to as many interesting things as I could, using Joyce's own words as anchors.
Although I suspect that the competition to work for this company will be fierce, and I have no idea what sort of compensation will be offered, I found the "vooking" process (at least as I approached it) to be a lot of fun. I now have a wider perspective on one of my favorite short stories from one of a my favorite books.
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| Food Allergies |
[06 Apr 2009|09:05pm] |
In order to make this information more automatic and actionable, I am listing the foods I know and believe I am allergic to in this journal. That's one of the most important things to do with a journal, in my humble opinion.
Known (verified by skin prick followed by lab blood testing)
Wheat
Oats
Barley
Believed (self-diagnosed just as wheat was before testing)
Eggs
Legumes
Tomatoes
Quinoa (I am the least certain about this)
When I was originally tested, I hoped it was only wheat to which I was allergic, although I suspected otherwise. My doctor didn't believe I had food allergies, but still tested me for oats and barley along with wheat because those are commonly related allergens. Had I been more assertive about my allergy, and had my doctor been more sensitive to my complaints, I might now have been tested for a larger range of food allergies.
Now I don't have very good health insurance, so it impossible to have the security of test results, but in retrospect, I knew with virtual certainty that I was allergic to wheat before being tested. The reason I have posted this now, is that I believe for the first time since discovering my intolerance (allergies) that I can eat healthily going forward barring accidental exposure.
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| Not Turning This Into A Dream Journal |
[25 Mar 2009|12:47pm] |
But last night I had a dream about The Wrestler. The Ram and I got drunk at a party and ended up crashing in the same bed. Nothing sexual happened I thought, but when we woke up in the morning he tried to kiss me and I punched him, knocking him out. Then I discovered that throughout the night he had been jabbing me with pins and needles and sewing thread into my skin. He did all this into each of my thighs, the needle and thread into the left and the pins (large red and blue pins) into the right thigh and in a symmetrical pattern.
I had to find a digital camera to document the abuse so that I could press charges and/or sue him, but that took forever and then it was equally a struggle finding a private place to take the photographs. I ended up running into a professional photographer in what I thought was an abandoned room but as soon as he started taking the photos people started pouring into the room. They were dressed as gothic burlesque dancers in red and black and began moving around the room in a circle, dancing and laughing. They seemed entirely unaware of me, but I understood that in general the pins and thread in my legs and my handling of the entire situation would garner me much sympathy and respect.
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