Sunday, February 11, 2018

Making a List

I was recently reading the liner notes for Moby's record Innocents. In every album he has released, Moby usually includes an essay in the liner notes, and for Innocents Moby's essay was a list of random things on his mind. I really liked it, and thought it would be fun if I did something similar.

1. I find myself being more drawn to analog technologies. Writing in notebooks, talking on the phone, reading physical books, writing letters, and of course listening to records. I feel like I'm spending too much time on my phone or computer, and that it's effecting my general happiness. But I feel much more connected to life when I do things in an "analog" way.

2. Which makes me think, should I get rid of my phone? I like the idea of having an old school flip phone, so that you were forced to talk to me, or I to you.

3. But texting is very convenient, and I feel like I would miss that a lot. How do you strike a balance?

4. I'm currently reading "All of the President's Men" about the Watergate scandal, and how the Woodward and Bernstein's reporting forced Nixon to resign. I feel like in current political environment, this would be an appropriate book to read. I'm a chapter in, and I'm already hooked.

5. I've been watching a lot of Star Trek recently. Growing up, I was more Star Trek than Star Wars, mainly because more Star Trek movies and TV shows were being released during that time period.

6. I wonder if Star Trek is generating any new fans? It seems like everyone is fans of Star Wars, but you never hear individuals discussing Star Trek. Is this part of nerd culture still too nerdy? If so, I'm okay with that. I still like it.

7. I'm writing this blog while listening to the soundtrack of Ghostbusters II. It's glorious with its 1980s hip-hop.

8. I'd love to write a critical essay at some point, and see if I could get it published.

9. What would I write about? Maybe I would argue that you should become fans of Star Trek.

10. I liked this blog entry. I think I might try and do this style of entry once a month.

4 comments:

Matt Maldre said...

1. Oh yes, I keep a paper notepad to write down ideas and diary entries. Every time at lunch, I try to write at least something. It doesn't have to be a lot. Even just a few lines.

2. You might find the flip phone more annoying in our current era. But who knows? Give it a try!

5/6. Yeah, it certainly seems like Star Trek had a lot more attention in the late 80s and 90s. Especially with tv series like Star Trek New Generation. And now Star Wars is getting all the attention. Part of that attention to Star Wars might be due to the long time where Star Wars pretty much fell off the map. When Star Wars started to come back, it had people a lot more excited, because of that draught.

7. I'm listening to Ghostbusters II now too. Oh man. Bobby Brown. His 1988 album "Don't Be Cruel" was one of the first CDs I ever owned! Man. I can even remember unwrapping it during Christmas that year. Back then CDs came boxed in really long packages, so they could sit inside the old record LP cases.

8/9. Where would you want your essay to be published?

10. Yes. More blog posts in this style. I will take blog posts of any style!

Chi-Town Kid 83 said...

1. That's a great idea. I think I might start doing that too.

2. It would be very difficult to text, but it would force me to talk to more people

3. I agree. I wonder if Star Trek will ever "regain" some of that popularity it had from the 80s into the 90s. Plus with the launch of all of the side movies and TV shows for Star Wars, the sky never looked higher.

4. You got it in a letterbox!!! do you still have it?

5. I don't know. Maybe self-published. I also like the idea of doing audio essays as a side podcasting series. I think it would be a challenge doing them.

6. Done!!

Matt Maldre said...

Oh those things are called "letterboxes"? Ah... I just found the other name for these: "Longbox"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longbox

I do not have any my original longboxes.

Here's one of the longboxes that I had: https://www.ebay.com/itm/WAILING-SOULS-All-Over-The-World-CD-EMPTY-Longbox-NO-CD-Long-Box-Empty/232598610183

Chi-Town Kid 83 said...

That cover is insane!!!