so my twitter account has been down for about a week now, after some issues with twitter.search caused me to disable my account.
i can't restore it because my registered e-mail is invalid. i may not be able to get my 1,500 followers back or have access to my carefully-crafted voice, etc.
after swearing at the computer a bit, laughing at twitter's automated e-mail responses, and otherwise killing time on the weekend, my annoyance led me to think about whether or not the channel is useful, whether it's a "flash in the pan," etc.
as much as it currently bothers me, i've decided that twitter is pretty functional (i know, groundbreaking insight, right?). in spite of its infancy, it has extreme value as the evolution of marketing and journalism. brands, celebrities, politicians, etc. communicate directly to the consumer. there is no third party editorializing, zero filter, and nothing to stop an individual from communicating with his or her chosen personality.
my only fear for twitter is that they are furthering the perception of modernity that things on the internet should be free.
hosting isn't free.
tech development isn't free.
legal consult isn't free.
so why wouldn't you expect to pay for a service like this? to top it off, the minute a site tries to monetize by including advertisements, its users complain that the site has "sold out," and that "the man is wrecking their internet lives."
get over it.
if the advertising is respectful, if it provides value to you (the consumer), and if it is targeted to start conversations that you personally might find interesting or insightful, then you have nothing to complain about.
either put up, or shut up.
cause this sh*t ain't free, homie...
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
lucky.
3:49pm. tuesday. july 21. 200therestofmylife...
and i've had a minute to think about where i sit. i've caved to the corporate structure of a major national blah blah entity. i have given up on my dreams of changing the world through music in exchange for stability in life, predictability, and some sweet business cards.
i was lucky that i had options... and i feel even more fortunate that i might even be able to keep playing and writing music going forward. shane (the co-songwriter & lead guitarist in the project) and i put some of our deepest creative impulses down on tape over the last three years. but there's a catch: i feel like we weren't able to achieve the reach and impact that we could have. i would have loved to be able to influence more kids... to develop a community of artistry and creation centered around our revolutionary idea.
on the flip side, i think we did alright for a few kids who liked to get faded and play some tunes. i had so much fun making music, that it spoiled me...
but, again, i'm lucky. in the advertising world, i've found the resources and platform to be able to share this point of view. i work in a creative environment with access to some of the most influential broadcast resources and some of the most recognizable brands on the planet. i have embraced popular culture and commercialism for the greater good of revolutionizing an industry.
lofty goals.
people often dismiss them, but it's what turned a stupid college band into a form of art that i was proud to have been a part of... a collective of talented musicians (myself EXcluded)... who could bump a party or lay down timeless tracks in a studio.
i hope i can bring this passion and enthusiasm to my job. i feel like i'm in the right position to do it. i also feel like the current social atmosphere is rife with opportunities to really connect with people... be it through advertising or music. hopefully this movement can salvage good old-fashioned original thought and creativity.
maybe i should say, "fuck the revolution." if i acknowledge that talk of a movement is nothing without supporters, maybe people will realize its up to them to get involved.
probably not.
either way, i appreciate everyone's ear. i am thankful for the position i am in. though i've worked hard to get here, i'd be an idiot not to realize...
how lucky i really am.
:: in the headphones
phish - 6.20.09 (alpine valley, wi)
these guys absolutely kill it on this bootleg. sure, they're getting a little old and losing a step. but name 4 musicians on the radio today that can play tracks with this much enthousiasm and musicality. it's a shame that people write them off as "hippie jam freaks..." because there have been very few groups EVER that synthesize modern rock, party funk, and free-form jazz improvisation as well as phish.
"can this wait 'till i'm old? can i live while i'm young?"
and i've had a minute to think about where i sit. i've caved to the corporate structure of a major national blah blah entity. i have given up on my dreams of changing the world through music in exchange for stability in life, predictability, and some sweet business cards.
i was lucky that i had options... and i feel even more fortunate that i might even be able to keep playing and writing music going forward. shane (the co-songwriter & lead guitarist in the project) and i put some of our deepest creative impulses down on tape over the last three years. but there's a catch: i feel like we weren't able to achieve the reach and impact that we could have. i would have loved to be able to influence more kids... to develop a community of artistry and creation centered around our revolutionary idea.
on the flip side, i think we did alright for a few kids who liked to get faded and play some tunes. i had so much fun making music, that it spoiled me...
but, again, i'm lucky. in the advertising world, i've found the resources and platform to be able to share this point of view. i work in a creative environment with access to some of the most influential broadcast resources and some of the most recognizable brands on the planet. i have embraced popular culture and commercialism for the greater good of revolutionizing an industry.
lofty goals.
people often dismiss them, but it's what turned a stupid college band into a form of art that i was proud to have been a part of... a collective of talented musicians (myself EXcluded)... who could bump a party or lay down timeless tracks in a studio.
i hope i can bring this passion and enthusiasm to my job. i feel like i'm in the right position to do it. i also feel like the current social atmosphere is rife with opportunities to really connect with people... be it through advertising or music. hopefully this movement can salvage good old-fashioned original thought and creativity.
maybe i should say, "fuck the revolution." if i acknowledge that talk of a movement is nothing without supporters, maybe people will realize its up to them to get involved.
probably not.
either way, i appreciate everyone's ear. i am thankful for the position i am in. though i've worked hard to get here, i'd be an idiot not to realize...
how lucky i really am.
:: in the headphones
phish - 6.20.09 (alpine valley, wi)
these guys absolutely kill it on this bootleg. sure, they're getting a little old and losing a step. but name 4 musicians on the radio today that can play tracks with this much enthousiasm and musicality. it's a shame that people write them off as "hippie jam freaks..." because there have been very few groups EVER that synthesize modern rock, party funk, and free-form jazz improvisation as well as phish.
"can this wait 'till i'm old? can i live while i'm young?"
Friday, July 17, 2009
lyrics. #a
man can’t fly
awake in the city | a black cloud above me | perfection of progress | a woman who loved me.
i filled up my lungs with | the air of tomorrow. | and coughing and choking | and swimming in sorrow…
and baby it’s alright | man ain’t never gonna fly away.
i kick start my conscience | with rumors of lightning | it comes in the nighttime | the visions are frightening
and i in this twilight | like daddy before me | see death on the corner | but they still ignore me…
and baby it’s alright | man ain’t never gonna…
feel the air | heavy wings gonna drag and you fall back down |
and in the moment you feel good its understood
you wish you could…
Monday, July 13, 2009
a thousand words.
take it from me.
photography is one of the more involved ways to experience reality. personally, i am a huge fan of taking film shots and spending time in a darkroom turning them into works of art. it's a hobby i picked up in college and i continue to this day.
in the same vein as vinyl records, film photography just feels like a much more organic, artistic act when compared to digital. it's more authentic, more involved, and a much more "raw" representation of the physical world.
at the same time, a great photographer can manipulate reality in a way that means something far more universal and impactful.
at the heart of the revolution is inspiration. find yours.
it doesn't matter what your profession, or how far out of touch you are with your "creative side." people seem to have forgotten how amazing its feels when they create something new... something original... something beautiful...
instead, imitation and tunnel vision plague our generation. the creative ones are looked at as rebels, freaks, or attention seekers.
instead of the originators they are.
find inspiration. seek creativity. support soul. write. sing. take. a poem. a song. a picture.
a thousand words.
photography is one of the more involved ways to experience reality. personally, i am a huge fan of taking film shots and spending time in a darkroom turning them into works of art. it's a hobby i picked up in college and i continue to this day.
in the same vein as vinyl records, film photography just feels like a much more organic, artistic act when compared to digital. it's more authentic, more involved, and a much more "raw" representation of the physical world.
at the same time, a great photographer can manipulate reality in a way that means something far more universal and impactful.
at the heart of the revolution is inspiration. find yours.
it doesn't matter what your profession, or how far out of touch you are with your "creative side." people seem to have forgotten how amazing its feels when they create something new... something original... something beautiful...
instead, imitation and tunnel vision plague our generation. the creative ones are looked at as rebels, freaks, or attention seekers.
instead of the originators they are.
find inspiration. seek creativity. support soul. write. sing. take. a poem. a song. a picture.
a thousand words.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
the real world.
so i just finished up my second week of my career (aka "the rest of my life").
all in all, i couldn't be happier. i feel like this concept of revolution has already been applicable to the campaigns that we are running. to provide a little background, i've just started working at the chicago leg of D*gitas (to protect the innocent, characters will be left out), an online and interactive advertising agency. the client i have been assigned to is Walgreens, which is a fantastic brand with a little bit of modernizing to do.
don't worry, my deal is that i activate influencers who stand by the brand. i modernize, baby.
what does this have to do with the revolution?
basically, we are NOT merely spewing advertisements at people. we are in the unique position to become a part of someone's online experience. to have a CONVERSATION with them, rather than just talk AT them. after all, don't you hate it when you're at a party talking to someone and they are clearly just waiting for you to shut your mouth so that they can talk? unbelievably annoying...
oh, and don't worry: i've written 4 or 5 new songs, enlisted a drummer, and will be auditioning musicians for the next month or so to put together a worthy platform to spread my message.
the revolution is still in progress.
all in all, i couldn't be happier. i feel like this concept of revolution has already been applicable to the campaigns that we are running. to provide a little background, i've just started working at the chicago leg of D*gitas (to protect the innocent, characters will be left out), an online and interactive advertising agency. the client i have been assigned to is Walgreens, which is a fantastic brand with a little bit of modernizing to do.
don't worry, my deal is that i activate influencers who stand by the brand. i modernize, baby.
what does this have to do with the revolution?
basically, we are NOT merely spewing advertisements at people. we are in the unique position to become a part of someone's online experience. to have a CONVERSATION with them, rather than just talk AT them. after all, don't you hate it when you're at a party talking to someone and they are clearly just waiting for you to shut your mouth so that they can talk? unbelievably annoying...
oh, and don't worry: i've written 4 or 5 new songs, enlisted a drummer, and will be auditioning musicians for the next month or so to put together a worthy platform to spread my message.
the revolution is still in progress.
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