Little Lady in the window at Casa Ballantino
Peanut lounging on the luxurious bed.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
the tip jar
someone asked me today when i was moving? now that i am re-entering this post-near-death fight with the flu world of social interaction, i keep getting that question.
"When are you moving?"
i don't know exactly. i may have a job as early as a week from this monday, or i may have to wait until late august/early september. it all depends on the way it goes. so.....uhh....go watch some theater, support the arts, tip your audio engineer as you leave the theater.
okay, i'm kidding about that last thing. although, seriously, every one else in the world feels entitled to their own tip jar, why can't i have one? if you can tip the guy at dunkin' donuts that turned around and picked up your donut for you and charged you way too much money for it, why can't audio engineers have tip jars?
you know why? cause it is against all my morals.
waitresses get tips cause that's what they live on. hair dressers and the like get tips cause they usually have to rent their space or pay out a portion of their earnings to the owner of the establishment. these people are living off tips.
m waiting for a tip jar at the mcdonalds drive thru. "thank you for doing exactly what youre being paid to do. i admire your talent to cash out a customer and talk on your cell phone at the same time. but then i would be talking on my cell phone, too, if i stood at a cash register all day for minimum wage. i use my intense will power to not tip at DD, or any other place where you can not pass judgment of how well they did their job.
How can you tell whether that guy who pulled your slice at the pizza place did it well? Did he handle it with care? Was it at optimum temperature? If I can't judge how well you just did your job, i am not tipping you.
i show up at work, i do what i am paid to do. it is what i have chosen to do. if i wanted to make more money i would find a better paying job, not ask for tips.
now, i will be the first to admit that minimum wage is nothing close to a living wage (especially with inflation in the last years), but if you're making minimum wage you are not living off tips. in fact when all is said and done, your're probably making more per hour than i am.
i guess the problem isn't the tip jar, the problem is minimum wage. the tip jar is a symptom of the ever increasing gap between the upper and lower class. the tip jar is where middle class america is forced to choose. share the wealth and join the ranks of the poor and underpaid? ...or... stand strong against the plea of the working class and hoard your pennies and dimes?
maybe there's another choice...
i can't think of one, but i don't have the money to tip my donuteer or barrista.
so, when i am moving? as soon as 9 days or as late as mid august.
i don't mind not knowing.
hell, when i moved back, i didnt have a place to live until i was halfway here.
"There is an art, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." -Douglas Adams
"When are you moving?"
i don't know exactly. i may have a job as early as a week from this monday, or i may have to wait until late august/early september. it all depends on the way it goes. so.....uhh....go watch some theater, support the arts, tip your audio engineer as you leave the theater.
okay, i'm kidding about that last thing. although, seriously, every one else in the world feels entitled to their own tip jar, why can't i have one? if you can tip the guy at dunkin' donuts that turned around and picked up your donut for you and charged you way too much money for it, why can't audio engineers have tip jars?
you know why? cause it is against all my morals.
waitresses get tips cause that's what they live on. hair dressers and the like get tips cause they usually have to rent their space or pay out a portion of their earnings to the owner of the establishment. these people are living off tips.
m waiting for a tip jar at the mcdonalds drive thru. "thank you for doing exactly what youre being paid to do. i admire your talent to cash out a customer and talk on your cell phone at the same time. but then i would be talking on my cell phone, too, if i stood at a cash register all day for minimum wage. i use my intense will power to not tip at DD, or any other place where you can not pass judgment of how well they did their job.
How can you tell whether that guy who pulled your slice at the pizza place did it well? Did he handle it with care? Was it at optimum temperature? If I can't judge how well you just did your job, i am not tipping you.
i show up at work, i do what i am paid to do. it is what i have chosen to do. if i wanted to make more money i would find a better paying job, not ask for tips.
now, i will be the first to admit that minimum wage is nothing close to a living wage (especially with inflation in the last years), but if you're making minimum wage you are not living off tips. in fact when all is said and done, your're probably making more per hour than i am.
i guess the problem isn't the tip jar, the problem is minimum wage. the tip jar is a symptom of the ever increasing gap between the upper and lower class. the tip jar is where middle class america is forced to choose. share the wealth and join the ranks of the poor and underpaid? ...or... stand strong against the plea of the working class and hoard your pennies and dimes?
maybe there's another choice...
i can't think of one, but i don't have the money to tip my donuteer or barrista.
so, when i am moving? as soon as 9 days or as late as mid august.
i don't mind not knowing.
hell, when i moved back, i didnt have a place to live until i was halfway here.
"There is an art, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." -Douglas Adams
Mix Tape II
Did you ever notice that the 90's was full of bands that were far better live than their studio albums. Not that their studio albums were bad or didn't sell, just that a live concert...or even a live recording seems to better for some bands. I guess it was part of that rebellion against electronic music, and pre- pitch adjusted vocal tracked live shows. There are a few bands still like that. It's not better or worse than the reverse (a well produced album, or even an over-produced spectacle concert). Just different. So, here's a few more for the mix tape.
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here....it's probably the only pink floyd song i feel can be taken separately from the rest of its album
Counting Crows - Rain King [live at Heineken Music Hall]...Honestly I could probably put the counting crow's New Amsterdam Live at Heineken Music Hall CD on here. It's all pretty good chill music.
Dave Matthews Band - Stay....just cause. It doesn't need a reason. Because it reminds me of something, someone, a time and a place in my life. I bet it does you, too. I was never what you would call a DMB fan, but this is a good one. Especially live.
Rusted Root - Back to the Earth
O.A.R. - That Was a Crazy Game of Poker
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here....it's probably the only pink floyd song i feel can be taken separately from the rest of its album
Counting Crows - Rain King [live at Heineken Music Hall]...Honestly I could probably put the counting crow's New Amsterdam Live at Heineken Music Hall CD on here. It's all pretty good chill music.
Dave Matthews Band - Stay....just cause. It doesn't need a reason. Because it reminds me of something, someone, a time and a place in my life. I bet it does you, too. I was never what you would call a DMB fan, but this is a good one. Especially live.
Rusted Root - Back to the Earth
O.A.R. - That Was a Crazy Game of Poker
Monday, June 2, 2008
Experience Sound
I am a sound designer & audio engineer. I love to experience sound. I am currently working on a Chill-Out Mix on Napster. I won't list the whole mix here, because some of them are obvious to most people. Perhaps, when it is complete I will post a track list, or a link to it on Napster. In the mean time I will throw out some rare gems that you may have to dig to find. Or at least, I have dug to found them.
Of course everyone's version of chill-out music is different. I tend to be attracted to deep thought provoking music sometimes, and more trance pop music other times.
This is my Deep Thought Chill Out Mix.
Peter Gabriel - "Don't Give Up" (The Original) - There is a live version that is pretty cool, but a slower and less haunting rendition. So, for chillin I choose the original. It has a slightly less whiny effect, the words are clearer, and it is well produced.
U2 - "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" - A nice upbeat trip through a Dali-esque musical painting.
Peter Gabriel - "In Your Eyes" (Secret World Live) - normally I would be absolutely true to the original, but the life recording is just as intense but with a slight Caribbean swing that gives the song an upbeat chill factor.
We also have some John Mellencamp Cougar Whatever. Still lookin' for some god Bob Seger. Some other tracks, and we havent even gotten modern yet. Stay tuned for the best chill mix tape to come out of the summer of 'o8.
Of course everyone's version of chill-out music is different. I tend to be attracted to deep thought provoking music sometimes, and more trance pop music other times.
This is my Deep Thought Chill Out Mix.
Peter Gabriel - "Don't Give Up" (The Original) - There is a live version that is pretty cool, but a slower and less haunting rendition. So, for chillin I choose the original. It has a slightly less whiny effect, the words are clearer, and it is well produced.
U2 - "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" - A nice upbeat trip through a Dali-esque musical painting.
Peter Gabriel - "In Your Eyes" (Secret World Live) - normally I would be absolutely true to the original, but the life recording is just as intense but with a slight Caribbean swing that gives the song an upbeat chill factor.
We also have some John Mellencamp Cougar Whatever. Still lookin' for some god Bob Seger. Some other tracks, and we havent even gotten modern yet. Stay tuned for the best chill mix tape to come out of the summer of 'o8.
Titus Flavius Domitianus and Vladimir II Dracula
Titus Flavius Domitianus, commonly known as Domitian, was emperor of Rome from 81 until 96, when he was assassinated. He was close to 30 when he became emperor. He was just about 45 when he was killed. He is considered by many Judeo-Christians to have been the bloodiest of the Common Era pagan Roman Emperors, though there is no historical consensus on this as fact.
Interestingly, enough, he is said to have worshipped Minerva, and in fact (with her help) predicted his own death. An astrological prediction told him he would die at noon, and he did. A dream of Minerva leaving him without protection is said to have occurred a few days prior to his death.
The Jesus Fish and it's origins are heavily debated, though one thought is that it was a protest against the Roman Emperors' habit of deifying themselves. One such emperor was Domitian who had coins minted with the phrase Theou Huios, son of god, in reference to himself.
Perhaps, but why the Jesus Fish, also known as the Ichthys? Perhaps a symbol stolen from Mithraism. A common Roman pagan tradition followed by many in the first few centuries of the Common Era.
ICXC is often inscribed in the Jesus Fish. It is a Christogram, initials of Jesus Christ. In this case the first and last letters of Iesous Christos, Romanized the S becomes a C.
It is also thought that the Jesus Fish is in fact an achronym itself. Fish in Greek being Ichthus. Icthus being an achronym for "Jesus Christ God Son Saviour."
It also happens to be the symbol representing the age of Pisces, of which Jesus is the central figure.
There are other Christograms. IHC or IHS are most common, the first three letters in the Greek, IHSOUS or Jesus. Also, interpreted as Iesus Hominum Salvator (Latin for Jesus, Saviour of Men). It has, also, been connected to the Latin In Hoc Signo (roughly translated, "by this, be victorious"). Chi-Ro was another Christogram, being the first two Greek letters in Christos or Christ.
The initials ICXC are often found on the Eastern Orthodox cross, divided into IC and XC and appearing at the ends of the main horizontal.
The Greek Cross was often representative of Eastern Orthodoxy and early Christianity. It has equal length arms, sometimes bowing out to become wider at the ends.
High ranking members of the Order of the Dragon often wore a number of symbols. One was a seal depicting a dragon with a big body, dented wings, only 2 feet, a free tail, and a small Greek cross on the chest.
Vladislav II , Voivode of Wallachia, was a member of the Order of the Dragon. Wallachia being a a region of Romania, and Voivode being a title similar to duke or count. He was better known as Vlad Dracul, Vlad the Dragon
This made his son, Vladislav III Draculea or Vladislav Son of the Dragon. Vladislav Dracula went on to become Vlad Tepesh or Vlad the Impaler. The man, the myth, the legend who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.
And thus I have traced my much derailed train back to where it started earlier this evening while watching a Biography special on Dracula....or perhaps it was on Vampires in general.
Either way, Wikipedia is dangerous kids.
Interestingly, enough, he is said to have worshipped Minerva, and in fact (with her help) predicted his own death. An astrological prediction told him he would die at noon, and he did. A dream of Minerva leaving him without protection is said to have occurred a few days prior to his death.
The Jesus Fish and it's origins are heavily debated, though one thought is that it was a protest against the Roman Emperors' habit of deifying themselves. One such emperor was Domitian who had coins minted with the phrase Theou Huios, son of god, in reference to himself.
Perhaps, but why the Jesus Fish, also known as the Ichthys? Perhaps a symbol stolen from Mithraism. A common Roman pagan tradition followed by many in the first few centuries of the Common Era.
ICXC is often inscribed in the Jesus Fish. It is a Christogram, initials of Jesus Christ. In this case the first and last letters of Iesous Christos, Romanized the S becomes a C.
It is also thought that the Jesus Fish is in fact an achronym itself. Fish in Greek being Ichthus. Icthus being an achronym for "Jesus Christ God Son Saviour."
It also happens to be the symbol representing the age of Pisces, of which Jesus is the central figure.
There are other Christograms. IHC or IHS are most common, the first three letters in the Greek, IHSOUS or Jesus. Also, interpreted as Iesus Hominum Salvator (Latin for Jesus, Saviour of Men). It has, also, been connected to the Latin In Hoc Signo (roughly translated, "by this, be victorious"). Chi-Ro was another Christogram, being the first two Greek letters in Christos or Christ.
The initials ICXC are often found on the Eastern Orthodox cross, divided into IC and XC and appearing at the ends of the main horizontal.
The Greek Cross was often representative of Eastern Orthodoxy and early Christianity. It has equal length arms, sometimes bowing out to become wider at the ends.
High ranking members of the Order of the Dragon often wore a number of symbols. One was a seal depicting a dragon with a big body, dented wings, only 2 feet, a free tail, and a small Greek cross on the chest.
Vladislav II , Voivode of Wallachia, was a member of the Order of the Dragon. Wallachia being a a region of Romania, and Voivode being a title similar to duke or count. He was better known as Vlad Dracul, Vlad the Dragon
This made his son, Vladislav III Draculea or Vladislav Son of the Dragon. Vladislav Dracula went on to become Vlad Tepesh or Vlad the Impaler. The man, the myth, the legend who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.
And thus I have traced my much derailed train back to where it started earlier this evening while watching a Biography special on Dracula....or perhaps it was on Vampires in general.
Either way, Wikipedia is dangerous kids.
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