i've remembered why i often don't like taking pictures: i feel like i'm missing the experience/moment that i'm trying to capture. i now feel bad for photographers.

i've now had to try to explain "Why Japan?" enough times to come up with a good answer. This being especially since i can't just try to explain my fascination with the green versus gray that is so stark yet an obvious result of Japanese existence. (Southern California just doesn't get that sort of vegetation.) Basically, last night i was asked this question by another performer. i started with something simple, the train system, but knew he wanted more than that. i did, too, so i referenced his set of music (he had already played by then, and made the effort to translate what his songs were about for just us! too considerate!). one of his songs he mentioned was about the need for all people of the world to work as one. this is a common thread in all of Japanese culture and life. i explained that this idea of working for a greater good was something i admired and enjoyed living during my time in Japan especially since that is not a common threat in the States. he went on to say that this happens as an effect of imitation and no sense of individuality which is why he admires the US: 'you can do/be who you want, say what you want and not have the government or those around us bring us down.' (i didn't want to burst his bubble and tell him that the US is losing the battle of holding on to these founding principles, but assuming that we weren't steadily losing our constitutional rights, i completely agree with him. so i told him so!)
basically, we had an understanding of both sides of the coin: Japanese culture can achieve its "oneness" due to their ability to assimilate and imitate while the US's "freedom" and "individuality" make that same goal near impossible. and with all honesty, i see more possibility in individuals working as one no matter how difficult. but lately i just think that we're (the US) is headed in the wrong direction... until then---

thOUGhtS While STaRing At A wAlL

...or while talking to my brother on the phone. we got into this conversation about nothing really important of course (pirating my band's new album that is soon-to-be-released), but somehow, the topic allowed for an off-the-cuff pirate v. ninja comment from me, which then led to a very "insightful" conversation:

we first discussed why have pirates and ninja become such a fascination with this generation? well, this generation of internet users in particular? our obvious answer is because they are generally all around awesome. but they are so often pitted against each other, like one has to be better than the other. i mean this isn't like the epic "who would win" match up that we get with comparisons of MacGyver v. Jack Bauer v. Chuck Norris. this has just become a battle of words with very little proof (i mean how many have seen either in action?).

yet, my brother and i were able to come up with some conclusions. because i stated that i leaned more toward the ninja camp due to me having seen more ninjas with my two eyes than pirates, we both were able to recall a recent pirate incident which proved their current relevance. awesome.

even though this did not solve the issue of which is better (i'm basically calling it even for me now), we then got into the thought process of what a pirate's purpose even was. we realized that although they plunder much booty, you've never heard of them ever spending said booty (those in the form of treasure, of course) especially since they take whatever rum (or other beverages... as to not stereotype, haha) from whomever they please as well as any other essentials for that matter. so, we decided, what separates pirates from a Robin Hood? the only difference we found was that pirates are more capitalistic rather than socialist: since they bury their treasure, they only bring down the rich, while not directly lifting the poor. either class has the chance to find the treasure as long as they are willing to put in the work for it. most white-collars would either send lackeys to find it, or just rely on their old tricks that have worked in the past to elevate themselves once again. but a blue-collar can dig, and will dig, to achieve his riches. until then---

a comparison:

most of you know that i'm in a band, and even more of you know that we are currently finishing up with recording and mixing down our new album. in this process, having done some recording before and having friends/acquaintances that know much more about recording than us (including our current engineer, of course), we have run across some new technologies that are indeed crazy! some would even venture into the words "unfair" or "wrong" (some definitely being me). what i'm talking about mainly are these new pitch correction abilities that we have available to us in recording software (obviously digital recording). these will make anyone, i mean ANYONE, sound as though they can sing in tune. yeah, that includes those that can't sing, but are beautiful, "easily marketable" people that you'll see outselling every artist that actually spent time working on their art as a trade and a way of life. if i recall, there was a time when if you weren't good at something, you wouldn't get to do it as your job...
but here's my comparison: these new technologies, although they can be helpful in a lot of ways, have seemed to hurt us in more. let's take the two forms of entertainment affected by similar issues: modeling/acting and performing music. for a model, the person (product) has to be good as what they do. something we call "raw talent." the look, an attitude or whatever it is that attracts us to these type of people, they've got it. not the next step is to photograph them. this weeds out a lot of people that may have everything else but the ability to show it to a camera. that's just personality, folks. but the fact is with the new technologies, a last step has come into play: editing, which then allows all of the same people that didn't have the raw talent have a chance at taking away from the opportunities that the actual talented products could have had. makeup, is bad enough, but when you're taking a far skinnier body and attaching someone else head to it and then selling that magazine cover?! there is a huge problem! not only that it saturates the market and, therefore, makes it far more difficult for the consumer to weed out the good from the bad. (i believe that the big whigs don't want us to realize it anyway!)
so how does this compare to music? i'm sure you understand the idea of raw talent. i have run into so many great musicians along my journey that i'm flabbergasted at the prospect of most of them never being heard outside of the street corner, or coffee shop that i hear them in. next is connecting with the masses with a live show and/or recording that just does it. the problem comes into play with the recording technology making it impossible to know the good from bad. i don't understand how a musical artist can have an amazing recording and not be able to perform it live... (like they did in the studio?) again, the digital technology has allowed us to be able to spread music at a more rapid rate, but at what quality? and now, i ask, what cost? i know that editing an mixing has always been a large part of the recording process, but that is like makeup. you can sense the raw talent there... it's not someone else body.
until then---

tHoUGhts wHile StaRIng at a WAll

disclaimer: this really has nothing to do with april fool's day. i promise.

an ethical question maybe. scenario: you're at work, and the day is winding down. you have hours before you're off but you are an efficient worker and have your deadlines all caught up. your boss comes in and tells you, "you can leave early today...," as in now.
here's the question: after that moment, you, the non-salaried worker, are stoked because you're leaving early, but should you be? since you are non-salaried, wouldn't that mean that you won't get paid for the time that you're not at work? does the boss do this just to save some money for the company and make him look good? or, since you've still gotten the work done that you had to in that day, and were scheduled to work from 8-5, you should not have to worry about missing a couple of hours and expect pay for a full day (i.e. your boss rules)?

until then---

thOUGhTS While StarINg At a WALl

why the heck can't i find a video of President Obama's address to congress last night? it doesn't make sense that i can find almost every television show that i missed last night, but i can't find an untainted (no pundits) replay of the leader of the United States addressing the people we elect to represent us. the closest thing that i've found for far is a transcript and audio. although this is cool because it will work, i'm pissed. internets: where are you now when i wanted you to come through? *shaking fist*

until then---

crap, i've neglected to post since last year. happy new year?
well it's been good thus far, but my purpose in posting has to do with this historical day in which the United States inaugurates its first black president into office. it falls on a day conveniently directly following a holiday celebrating a man that dreamed that one day this would be acceptable to all people alike... regardless of "race, color, or creed."
but this being that sort of day, i still look at this inauguration as i have any other: there's plenty of hope to go around, but the promises promised aren't up to the president to deliver. as the people of this republic, we have a responsibility to make sure that those promises are kept. this man we've elected has even stated himself (probably more eloquently of course) that he is just a man, and a man alone can do nothing, but with the will of the people we together can move forward to create change. the fact is, he's being placed into a system that doesn't favor change... which was his entire campaign platform. the problems that are now inherent in the system are what cause good people/politicians to fall away from their positive movements in society. these same problems cause me to think of inauguration as The Who states in "Won't Get Fooled Again":


And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
No, no!

I'll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie

Do ya?

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

There's nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss


until then---

has it really been a year?



honestly, to me it seems like so much has happened since then, it's ridiculous. wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving... Health Tip: for the most pridefully, glutenous day of the year, that is; if you eat smaller portions throughout the entire day, you can eat EVEN MORE turkey. until then---