Monthly Archives: October 2008

The finish line

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I can see it from here.

On 2 January 2007, I began my doctoral program in music education. On this day next week, I will have officially completed eleven courses (44 credit hours) and twenty months of nonstop study — roughly 35 hours per week in addition to my full time job.

I have learned much. For instance, in addition to helping me cultivate a whole new thought system on the philosophy, history and cultural context of music education in America, this experience has taught me to:

  1. Operate on 4-5 hours of sleep per night
  2. Balance a daytime teaching job, nighttime rehearsal schedules for four mainstage musical productions, concerts, family gatherings, a wedding, the birth of a grandchild, web clients and other commitments with 30+ hours of homework per week
  3. Truly appreciate the Thriller for basically living on his own (and doing all my jobs around the house) for the last 20 months
  4. Love and appreciate my family more (the Thriller, #1 Son, Jakey’s Mom, Lars, Helen, Mavis, Simone and Johanna) for always being there for me and remaining patient and supportive
  5. Keeping up with it all without sacrificing my important personal commitment to write every day

Yikes — big list. But the heck of it is, this little party’s nowhere near over with. In April, I will take the dreaded exams, which many people (including some brilliant folks whose ideas and accomplishments I admire) have failed. No joy in Mudville till that’s done and in the books — one way or the other.

Still, it feels good to have come this far. If you’d asked me three years ago what I’d be doing today, I wouldn’t have said “finishing up my DMA coursework.”

Life is goofy, eh?

Fink out.

Not looking good for the home team

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Well, fiends – we’ve had what appears to be the first suicide related to the sickening problems on Wall Street. I hope this is not the beginning of the huge personal, corporate and country-wide slide that many are predicting.

I wish I had a better feeling about things.

I did some lightweight comparative analysis this morning on the similarities between this crisis and the market crash of 1929. What did I find? Overwhelmingly, a haunting refrain: at some point, the piper must be paid. The federal debt grows by $1.7 billion per day. The deficit spending buzzard has come back to roost, and the government has no idea how we’re all going to avoid being its carrion. The debt crisis can’t just continue to spiral; there has to be a touch-down effect — a bottoming out.

And it’s coming. Except this time, as the Wall Street Journal pointed out two days ago, it’s “not your father’s market crash.” Many readers agreed. Some of the comments I read:

No, this time, it’s worse. 1929 was an equity crash. This time, it’s a debt crash. It’s going to take a long, long time to dig out of this one. In 1929, the Government wasn’t deep in the hole going into the crash. We could afford the New Deal. This time? Maybe not.

You are right: this is not your father’s crash. It’s the mother of all crashes.

You dipstick Wall Street cheerleaders are getting exactly what you deserve. It’s such a shame that you criminals were able to convince so many unknowing people that our “debt boat” would just continue sailing along… making big profits. Surely there’s a special place in hell for you con artists.

Tighten your belt, reassess your values and your priorities, read and study and learn to understand where we’re all going down the line (with a realistic emphasis on the fact that people WILL be ignorant, greedy, foolish and stupid, by and large) and most of all: DON’T PANIC.

Some tried to infuse the situation with a little humor:

Lock all the wall street high rise windows!

There is no market crash. The DOW remains above 14,000. Only the infidels and the goat lovers are telling you these lies. We will surround and kill them at the airport. They will all end up in the stomachs of camels. (Comment signed by “Baghdad Bob.”)

Bottom line — we need to get ready, because the band is apparently finishing its set, and it will want its money. We danced, now we pay.

Tomorrow, only good news. Promise.

Fink out.

RNF X

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Random Neuron Firings

  1. I’ve been up since 2:40. Yay.
  2. Had my high school fall concert last night. They did well, considering the spiritual I chose probably should have been programmed in the spring instead of 5 weeks in. Regardless, I am proud of them.
  3. Must have Helen and Lars over for dinner; I haven’t seen Helen since the wedding on 13 September. That ain’t right.
  4. Breaking news: I am going to be a grammie again. :-) #1 son and Jakey’s mom are expecting!
  5. As Halloween approaches, I feel obligated once again to remind everyone that the ridiculous misconceptions about the “holiday” are still rampant, as amazing as that seems, in an age when primary and secondary research sources are so readily available. I mean, it’s a free country & all, and folks can practice whatever rituals they like (be it going to church on Sunday or sleeping in late and reading the Times over coffee), but labeling Halloween “evil” without knowing the facts is just arrogant. I should stop here before I launch into a “labeling” fit myself.
  6. Speaking of Halloween: now that our football coach is doing these “Thursday night under the lights” practices, I can actually have rehearsal in the daylight hours and be home in time to feed the little beggars who come to my door on the 30th. I can also be there in person to take pictures of Jakey in his costume. Fun.
  7. Life is just too short.
  8. It is now 5:00 a.m. and I’m on my 2nd big mug of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. Life is good (except for the 5 a.m. part).
  9. I hate Christmas music. I mean really. I think I’d like it if it weren’t in my job description to try and make it interesting year after year after year. I’m not complaining, mind…well, yeah I am. Scratch that.
  10. I am looking forward to driving home from rehearsal without turning on my truck lights.
  11. I am *not* looking forward to spending all weekend working on this research proposal. Never thought a Saturday rehearsal would provide me with a welcome respite…

Off to the races, my fiends.

Fink out.

Remember…

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…the TV shows of the late 70s? I’ll bet some of you do, either through experiencing them at the time, or watching them as “classic” reruns. I came across a well-written Time article from 1982, reminiscing about the four “biggies” of the late 70s that were summarily canceled by the networks. These were good shows; intelligent, smart-aleck, but never cruel or stupid or crass — unlike today. Can you guess what they are without clicking over?

Is it possible to actually *have* a sitcom that doesn’t deal primarily with sex, imbecilic behavior or women’s body parts (or the pining for same) today? I’m not trying to get all prudish; the premise itself doesn’t bother me, and I know sometimes it is important to story development, but some of the “top” comedies on TV today are insulting not only to women, but to human intelligence in general. Two of the highest-rated sitcoms today are cartoons depicting families as ridiculous, insipid, dysfunctional, inbred feebs. And America yucks it up.

I know there are a few exceptions that folks could name, but that’s my point: they are the exceptions and not the standard. This is why I don’t watch comedies on TV (yeah, I beat you to the “if-you-don’t-like-it-turn-the-channel” punch).

Now dramas….that’s another story. I think they have improved over time.

Of course, there’s my #1 favorite. The characters are multi-layered, and the stories are deep, sad, funny, and symbolic. In fact, there’s little on the set of Mad Men that escapes symbolism. And the writing — somebunny did his research, friend. Right down to the fabrics on the dresses, the wall hangings and color schemes.

What’s your favorite drama, and why? The Fink covets your thoughts.

She also covets sleep and a vacation, but that’s another matter…

TBS Pipeline V

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Ok, I must say I’m going to DVR the upcoming “Frankapalooza.” On Tuesday, 21 October, Frank Caliendo will have two guest impressionists on his show. The scenes:

  • Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu walk into a diner
  • Superheroes go before Congress about their steroid use
  • David Letterman talks about doing a show for kids
  • Ice-T gets confused over why he’s promoting lemonade (I do not know why that totally cracks me up this morning, but it does — I am *not* getting enough sleep)
  • Oliver Stone has an idea for a new movie: a fresh take on the Clinton-Lewinsky affair

Completely silly.

And over at TNT: I read on the boards that next Monday’s Raising the Bar will feature ex-Cosby show kid Tempestt Bledsoe. (Ok, why the two Ts, really?) I’ve got to go get caught up on all the episodes. Mavis, is it still good?

Oh, and….

At least the wait is over.

Fink outta here