There was a time, not so long ago, that I wast a techno-addict. Gadgets, constantly connected to everything, checking my email on vacation, responding, constantly changing directions to please whomever has dumped the contents of their brain into my inbox and expecting an immediate response.
I'm letting everyone know publicly that I'm ending that. I've set up a system in my email that filters out certain messages to be dealt with later. Only my clients end up directly in my inbox. Everyone else has been categorized so that I can answer all the personal emails at another time. Look, it's not you, it's me. And the sheer volume of emails I deal with. I process well over 100 emails a day, minimum, and at least 40% of them require a quick turnaround. I get email from business contacts, my business partner, our administrative coordinator, freelancers who are out on jobs for us, the clients I'm currently working with, clients who have questions about their invoices, anyone from the book team I'm working with on any give project (including, but not limited to, production managers, marketing, sales, authors, executive editors, publishers, permissions coordinators, editorial assistants, photo researchers, copyright holders, etc.), blog correspondence, alerts from INTERCOT and associated responsibilities and, finally, friends and family.
If you feel bad about being filtered into a folder to be dealt with based on a ranked system that allows me to manage my time more efficiently, blame Merlin Mann and his Inbox Zero plan. I cannot say that I will begin answering emails as brilliantly as Meriln, but I can say that he bought me an extra productive hour this morning that I haven't had in years.
Oh, and here's the other thing: I'm only opening up my email client three times a day. In the morning, after lunch and at the end of my day. I'll then deal with all that is sent to me or, get this, I'll categorize it to be dealt with later. Today was the first day and, honestly, it's fantastic. I've gotten so much done. And 15 minutes after I returned from lunch? My inbox is empty. Nothing requires my immediate attention. In the past, my inbox was chock full and it felt like everything required my immediate attention.
But, seriously? If it can't wait three hours then you should be calling me. Email is not a means of instant conversation. I'm not your monkey.
So, if you email me and don't hear from me instantly, I'm sorry. I'm accomplishing at that moment.
Wait until you hear what I've done with my phone... No, wait, that's a secret.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Joe Henry Live in Amsterdam
Taking a break from a horrible work schedule to tell you to watch this. It's a full set from the Paradiso on Feb 2, 2008. It's sweet. And probably the closest I'll come to seeing him, since it's been about a decade, or more, since he's come here. That predated my introduction and subsequent obsession. Actually, obsession seems too understated...Anyway, hit the full screen button, crack open a good wheat ale and enjoy.
Monday, February 18, 2008
How to Become an Internet Rock Star in 10 Scary Steps
The paradigm for music delivery has significantly shifted in the last 8 years. My consumption is completely different. I listen mostly to my iPod. I listen to a wider variety of artists. And my consumption has increased by at least 20%.
I get a lot of music for free, legally. More often than not that free MP3 translates to an album purchase by me. If you have a good product, I'll buy it.
Jonathan Coulton is the perfect example. He "released" a new song the other day. Right there on his website was a link to the MP3. For free. I listened to the song and I liked it. So I clicked on the option to buy the song and paid my dollar. Essentially, I decided that my entertainment was worth a buck. I could have kept the free version.
Jonathan Coulton is the perfect Internet star and has shown how the medium can be used for more than piracy, porn and viagra.
Check out the article and video on Yahoo on this very subject. Then go buy a bunch of his music.
I get a lot of music for free, legally. More often than not that free MP3 translates to an album purchase by me. If you have a good product, I'll buy it.
Jonathan Coulton is the perfect example. He "released" a new song the other day. Right there on his website was a link to the MP3. For free. I listened to the song and I liked it. So I clicked on the option to buy the song and paid my dollar. Essentially, I decided that my entertainment was worth a buck. I could have kept the free version.
Jonathan Coulton is the perfect Internet star and has shown how the medium can be used for more than piracy, porn and viagra.
Check out the article and video on Yahoo on this very subject. Then go buy a bunch of his music.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentine's Day
Ah, what do you get a girl who has been in your life for nearly a decade? How do you express your feelings when your writing skills have gone to hell? Why, with a song. Not mine, of course. She's already heard my nine minute opus on waffles. No, with other people's words. It's very sweet, if you could hear it. Imagine the brilliance. Believe it or not, all the songs make perfect sense for us. And there are two that refer almost directly to our first few dates. And her favorite breakfast food that I make.
1. The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You
2. Oh No! Oh My! - Our Mouths Were Wet
3. Let's Go Sailing - Sideways
4. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly
5. Half-Handed Cloud - We're Very Greatly Loved
6. Os Mutantes - Baby
7. Figurines - The Air We Breathe
8. Seymore Saves The World - Love Song
9. Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!
10. Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
11. Landon Pigg - Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop
12. Billy Bragg - A Lover Sings
13. Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
14. Herman Düne - I Wish That I Could See You Soon
15. Eels - I Want To Protect You
16. Nic Armstrong & The Thieves - In Your Arms on My Mind
17. Cat Power - I Believe In You
18. Bob Dylan - The Man In Me
19. Bon Voyage - I Just Wanna (Be With You)
20. Loudon Wainwright III - Passion Play
21. David Karsten Daniels - The Dream Before The Ring That Woke Me
22. Barry Louis Polisar - All I Want Is You
What did she get me? A monkey mixed with a pony. But she may have used too many monkeys. But that's okay. It's enough that she ruined a pony for me.
The girls made me awesome cards.
Gert front:
My kids are way cool. They're mine. You can't have them.
1. The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You
2. Oh No! Oh My! - Our Mouths Were Wet
3. Let's Go Sailing - Sideways
4. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly
5. Half-Handed Cloud - We're Very Greatly Loved
6. Os Mutantes - Baby
7. Figurines - The Air We Breathe
8. Seymore Saves The World - Love Song
9. Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!
10. Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
11. Landon Pigg - Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop
12. Billy Bragg - A Lover Sings
13. Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
14. Herman Düne - I Wish That I Could See You Soon
15. Eels - I Want To Protect You
16. Nic Armstrong & The Thieves - In Your Arms on My Mind
17. Cat Power - I Believe In You
18. Bob Dylan - The Man In Me
19. Bon Voyage - I Just Wanna (Be With You)
20. Loudon Wainwright III - Passion Play
21. David Karsten Daniels - The Dream Before The Ring That Woke Me
22. Barry Louis Polisar - All I Want Is You
What did she get me? A monkey mixed with a pony. But she may have used too many monkeys. But that's okay. It's enough that she ruined a pony for me.
The girls made me awesome cards.
Gert front:
Gert inside:
Matilda outside:
Matilda inside:
My kids are way cool. They're mine. You can't have them.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning
Because sometimes you don't have anything to say and you just happen to like Margo Timmons a lot.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
I Saw Willie Mays at a Scottsdale Home Depot
I know. I said no videos and I was talking about how busy I am. But this is Joe Henry. Not just Joe Henry but Joe Henry 1. talking about the single best song released in 2007 and 2. sitting alone at a piano playing the single best song released last year.
How good is this song? It still floors me whenever I hear it. Go buy Civilians for this song and stay for the brilliance of the rest of it. It's so good that upon seeing this video I immediately put Civilians on. This song makes me proud and sad at the same time. It's so good that I cannot even find the words to describe it. In fact, it should be the song you hear in your head when you think about life.
Truly, this is my song. I think I've felt this way nearly every day for ten years. Lyrics follow the video.
How good is this song? It's so good that Joe Henry is willing to give you the song for free knowing that it's impossible for you to not want the album after hearing "Our Song." Go ahead download it and listen. It's so simple and brilliant that it makes you say, "Joe Henry's a fucking genius" and you actually mean it.
It's so good because of the way Joe sings it, the way the lines are broken up, the way the end of each line seems to sigh into the next.
Put even more simply, this is the best politically-tinged song you never realized had anything to do with politics. Because it's not about politics, per se, it's about how we feel. How we all feel.
I saw Willie Mays at a Scottsdale Home Depot
Looking at garage door springs
At the far end of the 14th row
His wife stood there beside him
She was quiet and they both were proud
I gave them room but was close enough
That I heard him when he said out loud
This was my country
This was my song
Somewhere in the middle there
It stared badly and it's ending wrong
This was my country
This frightful and this angry land
But it's my right if the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
The sun is unforgiving
And there's nobody would choose this town
But we've squandered so much of our good will that there's
Nowhere else will have us now
We push in line at the picture show
For cool air and a chance to see
A vision of ourselves portrayed as
Younger and braver and humble and free
This was our country
This was our song
Somewhere in the middle there
It stared badly and it's ending wrong
This was our country
This frightful and this angry land
But it's my right if the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
I've started something I can finish and
I barely leave the house its true
I keep a wrap on my sores and joints but I
Guess I've had my blessings too
I've got my mother's pretty feet and the
Factory keeps my house in shape
My children they’ve both been paroled and
We get by on the peace we've made
I feel safe so far from heaven
From towers and their ocean views
From here I see the future coming across
What soon will be beaches too
But that was him, I'm almost sure
The greatest centerfielder of all time
Stooped by the burden of endless dreams
His and yours and mine
He hooked each spring beneath his foot
He leaned over then he stood upright
Testing each against his weight
For one that had some play and some fight
He's just like us I want to tell him
And our needs are small enough
Something to slow a heavy door
Something to help us raise one up
This was my country
This was my song
Somewhere in the middle there
It stared badly and it's ending wrong
This was God's Country
This frightful and this angry land
But if it's his will the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
If it's his will the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
How good is this song? It still floors me whenever I hear it. Go buy Civilians for this song and stay for the brilliance of the rest of it. It's so good that upon seeing this video I immediately put Civilians on. This song makes me proud and sad at the same time. It's so good that I cannot even find the words to describe it. In fact, it should be the song you hear in your head when you think about life.
Truly, this is my song. I think I've felt this way nearly every day for ten years. Lyrics follow the video.
How good is this song? It's so good that Joe Henry is willing to give you the song for free knowing that it's impossible for you to not want the album after hearing "Our Song." Go ahead download it and listen. It's so simple and brilliant that it makes you say, "Joe Henry's a fucking genius" and you actually mean it.
It's so good because of the way Joe sings it, the way the lines are broken up, the way the end of each line seems to sigh into the next.
Put even more simply, this is the best politically-tinged song you never realized had anything to do with politics. Because it's not about politics, per se, it's about how we feel. How we all feel.
I saw Willie Mays at a Scottsdale Home Depot
Looking at garage door springs
At the far end of the 14th row
His wife stood there beside him
She was quiet and they both were proud
I gave them room but was close enough
That I heard him when he said out loud
This was my country
This was my song
Somewhere in the middle there
It stared badly and it's ending wrong
This was my country
This frightful and this angry land
But it's my right if the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
The sun is unforgiving
And there's nobody would choose this town
But we've squandered so much of our good will that there's
Nowhere else will have us now
We push in line at the picture show
For cool air and a chance to see
A vision of ourselves portrayed as
Younger and braver and humble and free
This was our country
This was our song
Somewhere in the middle there
It stared badly and it's ending wrong
This was our country
This frightful and this angry land
But it's my right if the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
I've started something I can finish and
I barely leave the house its true
I keep a wrap on my sores and joints but I
Guess I've had my blessings too
I've got my mother's pretty feet and the
Factory keeps my house in shape
My children they’ve both been paroled and
We get by on the peace we've made
I feel safe so far from heaven
From towers and their ocean views
From here I see the future coming across
What soon will be beaches too
But that was him, I'm almost sure
The greatest centerfielder of all time
Stooped by the burden of endless dreams
His and yours and mine
He hooked each spring beneath his foot
He leaned over then he stood upright
Testing each against his weight
For one that had some play and some fight
He's just like us I want to tell him
And our needs are small enough
Something to slow a heavy door
Something to help us raise one up
This was my country
This was my song
Somewhere in the middle there
It stared badly and it's ending wrong
This was God's Country
This frightful and this angry land
But if it's his will the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
If it's his will the worst of it might still
Somehow make me
A better man
Funk Off
I'm having a supremly bad day. So bad, in fact, it started yesterday. Possibly, even sometime last year. Evidence has shown that I haven't had a good day since roughly 2004. My stress level right now is so high they I think I may head may actually explode before lunch.
So, to try and calm myself I'm going to make a controversial statement:
Funk #48 is the superior Funk. Funk #49 is simply not as good. Sorry, no samples. You'll have to do the research on your own.
Also, while we're at it Dire Straits peaked with the song "Skateaway" and have never done anything as good. Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys could have been better than the Experience based solely on the song "Who Knows". The Lyres deserve more attention. Richard Hell showed his genius with "Blank Generation" (sound sucks, but it's important). You've never heard of The Pop Group but OK GO owes them royalties. In the future political and other decisions will be based completely on opinion polls.
And, finally, today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Carl Wilson. You should miss him:
That is all. For now, this is where I go.
Screw it. My hero of the week deserves a solo shot too.
So, to try and calm myself I'm going to make a controversial statement:
Funk #48 is the superior Funk. Funk #49 is simply not as good. Sorry, no samples. You'll have to do the research on your own.
Also, while we're at it Dire Straits peaked with the song "Skateaway" and have never done anything as good. Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys could have been better than the Experience based solely on the song "Who Knows". The Lyres deserve more attention. Richard Hell showed his genius with "Blank Generation" (sound sucks, but it's important). You've never heard of The Pop Group but OK GO owes them royalties. In the future political and other decisions will be based completely on opinion polls.
And, finally, today marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Carl Wilson. You should miss him:
That is all. For now, this is where I go.
Screw it. My hero of the week deserves a solo shot too.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Jo Jo's Jacket
I know I said no more videos, but Westworld was on yesterday and it made me think of this. And, for the record, it has a kitty solo.
I'm not what you think I am
I'm the king of Siam
I've got a bald head
My name is Yul Brynner
And I am a famous movie star
Perhaps you saw me in Westworld
I acted like a robotic cowboy
It was my best role
I can not deny I
Felt right home deep inside
That electronic carcass
I'm not what you think I am
I'm the king of Siam
I've got a bald head
My name is Yul Brynner
And I am a famous movie star
Perhaps you saw me in Westworld
I acted like a robotic cowboy
It was my best role
I can not deny I
Felt right home deep inside
That electronic carcass
Sigh
I’m bummed out, having trouble sleeping. I’m having a business dispute with a vendor and, being the person I am, I can’t let it go when I’m not working. I’m even angry when I sleep. I didn’t know that was possible.
Anyway, at least I have Gert. She always brings a smile to my face. Like yesterday when she went to Lowe’s with mom. They saw a rack of primroses that mom described as a “plant orphanage.” Gert adopted one, using her own money which she keeps in her well-organized, sassy pink purse.
Later in the day she came running up to us looking for the dust buster. Why?
“I was cuddling with Planty and I spilled some of her.” So, she cleaned up and continued to cuddle with her plant until bedtime. She loves her plant. I mean, really loves her plant.
What do you do when you’re pretty sure that your six-year-old is a better person than you are?
Anyway, at least I have Gert. She always brings a smile to my face. Like yesterday when she went to Lowe’s with mom. They saw a rack of primroses that mom described as a “plant orphanage.” Gert adopted one, using her own money which she keeps in her well-organized, sassy pink purse.
Later in the day she came running up to us looking for the dust buster. Why?
“I was cuddling with Planty and I spilled some of her.” So, she cleaned up and continued to cuddle with her plant until bedtime. She loves her plant. I mean, really loves her plant.
What do you do when you’re pretty sure that your six-year-old is a better person than you are?
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