Month: October 2008

I Don’t Think So, Upstart

So, you know that I love Pandora, right? I love that you can go onto the site, enter the name of an artist you love, and within moments be listening to your very radio station based on your own taste. I love that that radio station will introduce you to new bands that you’ve never even heard of, and maybe your friends have never heard of either. Then, as I have done on this blog on several occasions, you can share your stations with the world. What’s not to freaking love?

And did I mention the sweet iPhone application that makes it possible to listen to it anywhere you go that has wi-fi or cell reception? Better reception than XM for sure?

The genius of the thing is how it works. You see, every song in the Pandora library has been analyzed by a musician. Hundreds of musical attributes are taken into consideration when matching and suggesting songs. And it constantly learns from your feedback.

Well, this week I learned about a new site, called NuTsie.com. They also claim that they can introduce you to new music based on bands that you like. They’ll also allow you to upload stuff from your iTunes so that you can listen to it on any computer, which is kind of cool, but you have to download some software to make that work, and I don’t like that one bit.

By the way, their VP of Business Development was a founding member of The Presidents of the United States of America, which is a decent band.

But they’re a little cocky. They’ve apparently issued a challenge, saying that they want every Pandora user to go to their site and use it and then vote on which is better, Pandora or Nutsie.

They also issued this obnoxious press release, stating ““The Music Genome Project sounds cool in theory but I trust my friends and fellow music fans to help me find new music more than I trust some geek in a cubicle.” Um, excuse me? Some geek? THEY’RE FREAKING TRAINED MUSICIANS!!!!!

OK, calming down now.

Anyway, so I went to the site. I futzed around with it a little bit. And it made me think of David Letterman a little bit.

Top 10 Reasons Why Nutsie is in No Way Better than Pandora!

Deal’s Gone Bad
The A.K.A.s
Maldroid
Go Jimmy Go
The Phenomenauts
The Aggrolites
Nellie McKay
Two Gallants
Westbound Train
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

These are ten artists that I based stations on Pandora around that I could not find on NuTsie. And they’re not just any ten artists. They’re some of my favorite artists. They’re some of my favorite people, too.

So nice try NuTsie, but Pandora rules, and you simply drools!

Unabashed Love of Other People’s Babies

I don’t have any kids.   I don’t have a problem with kids.   I just don’t really feel like raising any.  

 

Interestingly enough, many people mistakenly assume that I don’t like babies.  

 

So, in answer to that misconception, I present a couple babies I love.   Of course, I love them more, because I don’t have to clean up their various fluids.

 

And now, the cuteness:

Devon
Devon
Newborn Cameron - June 2007
Newborn Cameron - May 2007

1st Annual Lolympics!

Yesterday, Lo’ decided to celebrate her birthday in an unusual way.  She had her own “athletic” games.   Some of the contests included Staring, Rochambeau, Hula-Hoop, Knockout, 3-Legged-Race, Limbo, etc.   I won a bronze medal for Breath Holding.   There was a medal ceremony for each event, and we were allowed to chose our own anthems to be played when a gold was awarded.

It was good times, with good people and good food.  I was honored to be able to compete.

I took a lot of photos.  Click to enlarge:

It’s Raining

It’s very unusual for it to rain so early in October in this part of the world.   And yet, it obviously happens.   

 

I’m sitting here on a Friday night, very close to closing my eyes and drifting off.   Very early in the evening for me.   I am listening to the sounds of the cars driving by on the wet streets.   

Maybe it’ll bring a fresh start tomorrow.   It never hurts to have a do over.   

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the past year, about the losses, about my health, and about the many changes.  

It seems appropriate that the rain is coming down tonight.  

 

I know this probably seems like some random, incoherent stream from my brain, and it is.   

 

I just feel like things are changing now.   And the coincidence of this rain just happens to be a good metaphor.   

So, hopefully this rain will wash away what’s been weighing me down, and I can have my fresh start.