Friday, April 28, 2023
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
What is going on?!?
After reading this article - https://slate.com/culture/2023/04/figure-skating-2023-same-sex-gender-pairs-rules.html - I have no words.
Monday, April 24, 2023
Armed Alliances Formed on Monday Night Raw
This is what happened last week when The Bloodline and The Judgement Day stables united. I wonder what will happen to move this storyline along?
https://youtu.be/ ILbzwjNFiFI - The Bloodline and The Judgment Day's alliance: Raw highlights, April 17, 2023
Friday, April 21, 2023
Versioning
As I read this article about "versioning" in software - What is Versioning? - I couldn't help but think about my own versioning standard at Quintrex. There were hundreds of PDFs that I was responsible for as the company's lone technical writer. One of the challenges I faced included deciding how I was going to distinquish between when I changed a document's formatting from when I changed a document's content. I didn't realize it at the time but I was seeking a way to separate "content" from "formatting" which is another way of separating the presentation and content - a concept mentioned elsewhere on this blog [See https://prhmusic.blogspot.com/search/label/separation%20of%20presentation%20and%20content]
THe strategy I used was to use this format: XXX.YYY. Version is in XXX.YYY format where XXX is upped when it is a content change and YYY is upped when it is a formatting change.
THe strategy I used was to use this format: XXX.YYY. Version is in XXX.YYY format where XXX is upped when it is a content change and YYY is upped when it is a formatting change.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
The 10 Greatest Currently Active Live Bands
https://www.wearethepit.com/2023/04/the-10-greatest-currently-active-live-bands/?eml=2023April19/6035235/6424942&etsubid=131064989
Interesting list. It makes me feel out of touch with the current metal scene... I have never listened to:
1. Undeath – Never heard of them
2. Rammstein – never a complete tune – seriously!
3. Jesus Piece – Never heard of them
4. Converge – Never heard of them
5. Code Orange – Never Listened to them – have heard of them
Of the others,
1. Meshuggah – AGREE!!!
2. EYEHATEGOD - I have at least one of their albums, can't name a single tune without looking them up
3. Lamb of God – AGREE!!!
4. Metallica – AGREE!!!
5. Rob Zombie – I didn't really consider RZ "metal" but, eh, okay
Interesting list. It makes me feel out of touch with the current metal scene... I have never listened to:
1. Undeath – Never heard of them
2. Rammstein – never a complete tune – seriously!
3. Jesus Piece – Never heard of them
4. Converge – Never heard of them
5. Code Orange – Never Listened to them – have heard of them
Of the others,
1. Meshuggah – AGREE!!!
2. EYEHATEGOD - I have at least one of their albums, can't name a single tune without looking them up
3. Lamb of God – AGREE!!!
4. Metallica – AGREE!!!
5. Rob Zombie – I didn't really consider RZ "metal" but, eh, okay
Welcome to the Future of Content
Someday, I would like to attend this conference, especially in Las Vegas.
https://youtu.be/ WS6RP2JvNpo - Welcome to the Future of Content | Keynote | Experience Makers 2023, Las Vegas
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
I Don't Remember
So interesting how the mind works! I stumbled upon this page - https://www.kissconcerthistory.com/tourbooks/tourbook_1976_ontour2.php. I remember owning this tour book. I remember Earl and Sheila Billington - good friends of my parents - went to see KISS in Cedar Rapids and then they gave me the tour book from that concert. I remember separating the book into single pages and using Scotch tape to put some of the pages on my bedroom wall. I remember many of the pages in that tour book except for page 6 - https://www.kissconcerthistory.com/tourbooks/1976_ontour/tourbook_1976ontour_page06.jpg and page 11 - https://www.kissconcerthistory.com/tourbooks/1976_ontour/tourbook_1976ontour_page11.jpg. I know I had pages 5 and page 12 on my bedroom wall because I wanted every picture of Peter Criss I could find. The picture in the lower right of Peter Criss actually was the first time I ever saw a drummer with a cymbal and an upside down cymbal on the same stand.
Revisiting Rush's GUP Album
https://youtu.be/ R8jwvVOojgE - In the Prog Seat: Album Study 'Rush-Grace Under Pressure'
After hearing the commentary by the Sea of Tranquility group, I want to lose myself in the album's awesomeness!
Chicago (Used to be) My Kind of Town
In the spring of 1992, as I was nearing graduation from college, I had the idea that living in "Chicago" would be paradise. Did I want to live in the northern suburbs, such as Waukegan or Mundelein? Did I want to live downtown? I really didn't know. I simply knew the following:
- There were a lot of bands in the area - which meant (to me) I could find a band to play drums in - which as of this moment in time, there are 26 "drummer wanted" ads on Craigslist: https://chicago.craigslist.org/search/ccc?query=drummer%20wanted#search=1~list~0~0
- There were a lot of concerts in the area - which is still true today, per this article - 10 Bands Coming Through Chicago in 2023 That Will Spark Your Nostalgia.
- There were a lot more technical writer jobs in the area - which as of this moment in time, there are 38 openings when I used Google to search for "indeed jobs chicago il technical writer jobs" - this is the URL that came up in my search: indeed jobs chicago il technical writer jobs
KISS in 1990
The video below includes a drum solo by the late and great Eric Carr. While I never had the opportunity to see Eric Carr in concert, I have seen KISS twice:
- 1992 at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, IA - for more information about this concert, see https://prhmusic.blogspot.com/2023/04/kiss-in-cedar-rapids-in-1992.html
- 2017 at Chicago Open Air in Bridgeview, IL - for more information about this concert, see https://www.kissconcerthistory.com/2017/2017-0714.php
https://youtu.be/ QnPZ1ZIyRKk - KISS Live in Detroit 1990 - Hot in the Shade Tour
KISS in Cedar Rapids in 1992
From https://www.kissconcerthistory.com/1992/1992-1115.php:
November 15, 1992
Details:
Cedar Rapids, IA
Five Seasons Center
Promoter: Jam Productions
Other act(s): Great White, Trixter (opener)
Reported audience: ~6,000 / 10,000 (60%)
Set list(s):
Creatures Of The Night
Deuce
I Just Wanna
Unholy
Parasite
Heaven's On Fire
Domino
Watchin' You
Hotter Than Hell
Firehouse
I Want You
Forever
War Machine
Rock And Roll All Nite
Lick It Up
I Love It Loud
Take It Off
Strutter
Detroit Rock City
Shout It Out Loud
God Gave Rock And Roll To You II
Love Gun
Star Spangled Banner
Notes:
- "Strutter" replaced "Cold Gin" in the set.
- A small fire occurred in the rafters during the show, which was quickly extinguished.
- From a local review: "KISS vowed to bring down the roof of the Five Seasons Center, and a small fire in the rafters at the end of last night's three-hour show made concert goers wonder if it would do just that. The spectacle gave a new twist to the lyrics 'Heaven's on Fire' that dominate one of the band's more popular songs. The flames were quickly extinguished, and a cheer went up from the curious crowd of 6,000. Arena officials said it initially appeared a cloth ignited, and Fire Department personnel on hand for the event were still investigating. Small wonder. The show was loaded with pyrotechnics, including bombs and a shower of fireworks from the crown of a garish Statue of Liberty dominating the 80-foot stage.
Garish is the hallmark of KISS. From shock rock to schlock rock and back again, the venerable foursome has returned to the roots that carved a hard niche in rock history... Even without the makeup, Gene Simmons is still rather garish. His clothes are too tight, his tongue too long and lascivious, and he's looking old. The years have been kinder to Paul Stanley, who fronts most of the songs, and is still fun to watch as he cavorts across the stage. New to the band is drummer Eric Singer, who joined this year in the wake of Eric Carr, who died of cancer. Singer is the only blond among the men whose favorite color is black. Does he stand out in the crowd? Only with his relentless rhythms, eloquently showcased in an extended solo punctuated with lasers. Stanley really cooked on blazing guitar riffs during 'Hotter than Hell.' Unfortunately, the quiet one, guitarist Bruce Kulick, never had the chance to strut his stuff in the spotlight" (Cedar Rapids Gazette, 11/16/92).
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Monday, April 17, 2023
A well-written Review not by Me
Like "Beggars Banquet" before it, "Let it Bleed" contains a mix of lighter songs alongside some much darker tracks. Musically, there is a lot more electric guitar than on the largely acoustic-based "Beggars", and almost all these guitars are layed by Keith Richards. Brian Jones only recorded on two tracks, before his dismissal from the band, and late recruit Mick Taylor contributed guitar on just two other tracks.
The album opens with one of the Stones all time classics, "Gimme Shelter". A dark, weighty piece conjures up by Richards while watching people running for "shelter" from a storm. It's a hauntingly beautiful track with Richards pouring emotion into every lick. The song quickly becoming a live show staple and fan favourite even though it was never released as a single
From there, the band use their knowledge of the Blues and extend into a slightly more Hard-Rock territory. Taking what they've learnt from past Blues masters and revamping it for a new generation. Tracks like "Monkey Man" and the harmonica driven "Midnight Rambler" are perfect examples.
Their cover of Robert Johnson's "Love in Vein" isn't just a simple cover either. The rearrange the song adding some chords and give it more of a Country feel, with Richards adding some incredible slide guitar. And while it's exactly a happy song, the Stones version definitely comes across as less doom and gloom then Johnson's original.
Closing the album with what is considered to be their true epic, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" clocks in at around seven and a half minutes and is full of plenty of twists and turns. Starting with the London Bach Choir singing the chorus, it's then followed by a French horn section just before Jagger swings in with the first verse. The instrumentals slowly build and build until, just before the end, the temp changes and leads us to a thrilling, and breathless conclusion.
The only downside to an otherwise near perfect album, is the Country version of "Honky Tonk Women" (Labelled as "Country Tonk"). I understand that was how it was meant to initially sound, but lets face it, the Blues-Rock single version of "Honky" Tonk is far superior.
Apart from that, "Let it Bleed" really is one of the best albums ever recorded. Its a snapshot of the Stones at their absolute peak, encapsulating everything that made them one of the most beloved bands of all time.
As always, check it out and have yourself a listen.
Enjoy and cheers to you 🥃
E.M.
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Who am I?
I agree with this text in the article - https://getpocket.com/explore/item/there-are-6-core-personality-types-but-which-do-you-fit-into - There Are 6 Core Personality Types – Which Do You Fit Into? - From self-assured Alphas to mysterious Sigmas, here’s what psychologists have to say on those six core personality types. - below:
If you’re anything like this writer, you’ll find that – depending on the day, week, month, or year – you might relate to several different options from the list below. And not just to their basic descriptions, but to their strengths, to their weaknesses, and to the lessons they must learn.
A personality classification is not something I put a lot of stock into. It's just interesting.There Are 6 Core Personality Types – Which Do You Fit Into?
Are you the sort of person who avidly takes personality quizzes and makes a careful note of the results each time? Have you taken the Myers-Briggs Indicator Test? Maybe more than once, even? Or are you the sort of person who finds the idea of personality types to be a bit… well, a bit reductive, at best?
If you fall into the latter category, it’s completely understandable; after all, learning about oneself is supposed to be something of an ongoing education – a work in progress, if you prefer, without a bevy of shortcuts. And, just as your blood pressure peaks and troughs throughout the week, so too does your personality shift and change with each new experience.
If you make sure to keep that thought in mind, though, there’s no denying that personality tests can be incredibly useful, as they offer us some insight into our psychology on that particular day. And mental health campaigner and TV & radio broadcaster, Neev Spencer, has made things even simpler by outlining the six core personality types.
If you’re anything like this writer, you’ll find that – depending on the day, week, month, or year – you might relate to several different options from the list below. And not just to their basic descriptions, but to their strengths, to their weaknesses, and to the lessons they must learn.
To that end, then, be sure to save this article to your bookmarks, as it’s worth checking back on for a little extra guidance every so often.
Alpha
“An Alpha is a leader; she is self-assured, powerful and confident in everything she does,” says Spencer.
“These personality types don’t hold back, tending to steer the pack in friendships and powerfully lead their teams in work. An overwhelming number of CEOs tend to be Alphas, actually, as they relish in striving to be the best and being challenged.”
“She knows her worth and excels in life by staying on track and true to herself and her needs”
Spencer concludes: “With this kind of leadership and power, Alphas can become overworked, stressed and disengaged from their personal lives.
“As such, the best kind of Alpha is one that knows not just how to be the best person they can be, but also understand that balance in life is always needed to truly succeed.”
Beta
“A Beta is friendly, likes to be helpful, always tries to avoid conflict and wants to fit in,” Spencer explains, “and she is kind at the very core of who she is. She is driven by a need to help those around her, is loyal, and always puts her friends first but at the same time is more open to getting hurt.”
She continues: “Betas want to fit in and seek acceptance from others. Indeed, the world can seem like a harsh place for a Beta at times, so it’s important for her to know that being kind and unreactive and non-explosive can be a great strength in life. Protecting her heart and knowing her own worth deep down is a powerful exercise, as is finding strength in the knowledge she is more than she knows.”
Gamma
“A Gamma is driven, hyper organised, confident and independent,” says Spencer. “She knows her worth and excels in life by taking pride in her actions, as well as by staying true to herself and her need to succeed. More importantly, she doesn’t rely on anyone else (or a job!) to do that for her.”
Spencer continues: “Gammas are in a world of their own – one that revolves around themselves, and that can be hard for anyone who wants to enter into and stay part of that world. As such, a Gamma needs to appreciate that, in order to stay true to ourselves and our goals, we need to be open to the people and the environment around us and all the chaos that may incur.
“We can’t control everything… we have to let go sometimes and learn to flow.”
Omega
“Omegas are intelligent, romantic, at times slightly introverted, and overly sensitive,” says Spencer, adding that these personality types are “most comfortable in their own company.”
“Usually bookworm types or studious souls, Omegas are deeply romantic, passionate and tend to keep themselves to themselves,” Spencer adds. “This can at times negatively affect their ability to make new friends, meet a partner and or put themselves out there in life.
“Omegas are often known to bottle up their feelings, not being able to express themselves freely and therefore often feel the effects of pent up pressure. They use movies and stories as their escape but long for deep one-to-one connections.”
“Their mystery comes from their innate sense of trust in themselves”
Spencer finishes: “An Omega would do best to put that book down and head out into the world bravely and boldly putting themselves forward for what life has to offer. Joining a team sport would benefit these solo types and help them feel part of something bigger.”
Delta
“Deltas are great communicators, despite being self-conscious and at times shy,” says Spencer.
“A Delta has all the attributes of an Alpha, but tends to keep herself and her hopes and dreams to herself, shying away from wanting to put her heart on the line in fear of it being broken. And, because she’s been burned by past experiences, a Delta is usually extremely realistic, often helping others around them stick to a more logical way or path.”
Spencer adds: “Deltas have a unique and empathic way of communicating with people and, although they may not always put their own past out there for all to hear, they take time in connecting with people and helping them in life. Indeed, a Delta is constantly wanting to improve and learn from her past experiences.
“However, Deltas should focus less on what life did to them and more on what life can do for them.”
Sigma
“A Sigma is intimidating, loyal, emotional and is utterly elusive,” says Spencer, adding that “Sigmas are very like Alphas, but with all the feels!”
She goes on to explain: “Sigmas are intriguing and powerful, easily commanding attention but also happy to step back when the need suits them. They know how to play the game.
“Sigmas are devoted to the relationships in life that they value and are incredibly loyal, and their mystery comes from their innate sense of trust in themselves. Despite this self-assurance, though, Sigmas have the ability to be vulnerable.”
Spencer finishes: “Sigmas are a combination of all of the six personality traits in one, giving them a powerful and somewhat magnetic edge over all the other traits.
“A Sigma would do well to remember this – and note that they’re far more likely to stay connected and earn the trust of others if they let things go more.”
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Remembering the High Hopes
Remember October 2022? There have been 182 days - 6 months - since 10-12-2022 when I posted a link to a Daily Iowan article and so it feels like today is a good day to revisit this article: https://prhmusic.blogspot.com/2022/10/iowa-mens-basketball-guard-tony-perkins.html.
The Final Four for the 2022-2023 season finished 9 days (1 week, 2 days) ago so I should know on 4-12-2023 whether Tony Perkins had a fantastic junior season.
The Final Four for the 2022-2023 season finished 9 days (1 week, 2 days) ago so I should know on 4-12-2023 whether Tony Perkins had a fantastic junior season.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Monday, April 10, 2023
Why Young Sheldon Needs To End After Season 7
https://youtu.be/ FXRhzVGUsuU - Why Young Sheldon Needs To End After Season 7
Editor's Note: Can't believe this is the first post with the "Young Sheldon" label. The show has been on CBS for 6 full seasons and will complete its 7th season in 2023.
Spitalfield and Bayside?!?!
In addition to the news that Spitalfield have reunited and are playing in Des Moines on Saturday, August 8-19, I learned that Spitalfield is playing in Council Bluffs at the Iowa is for Lovers 2 day festival... WITH BAYSIDE ALSO ON THE BILL!!!!!
Confessions about My Clutter
I have clutter. While I wish I didn't, I do.
Each and every time I drive the Ford F-150 into our garage, I confront the clutter. There's the workbench that I built in 1994 and all it is is a place to put clutter. Right now, it has our patio table on it, upside down with a blanket on it. The front of the garage also has the gigantic picnic table from Balltown that I haven't assembled for years. Then there's a white plastic shelf that is very old and very ugly. Next to that shelf is our deep freezer, which is next to a table we have had for decades on which there is a 3 shelf plastic drawer organizer. Next to that is the aforementioned workbench, and next to that is the fridge that used to be inside the house but that we moved to the garage when we swapped the fridge that was in the garage into the house because the ice maker in that fridge stopped working. However, when Calvin, our plumber, hooked up the water to that fridge, there was an issue and so, now, we don't have a fridge with a working ice maker.
Then, if you go inside our house and make your way to the basement, there's more clutter. I have tried to make the basement less cluttered but even after I spent the weekend of April 1 - 2 re-organizing both our storage room with our sump pump and our storage room with our furnace - yes, we have two storage rooms in our basement - I freely admit that I couldn't find the magical way to create more room for our stuff in those two storage rooms. While I was working on the storage rooms reorganization project, I noticed that roughly 33% of the stuff in the furnace room doesn't belong to Karen & I. Who owns it? Our kids! They have so much stuff, even though Karen and I are living in an empty nest.
I'll also confess my selfish intention and goal for the work I decided to perform. I wanted to figure out a better way to store my two acoustic drum sets - both the Ludwig Vistalite set that I've owned since 1984 and the Sonar set that I've owned for less than a year. I used to store the Ludwig Vistalite set under my basement steps. However, I took that set out from under the steps and put other stuff under the steps - trading places if you will. I had a vision of tuning the Ludwig Vistalite set and to then use it at a Bad Rumor gig. However, that hasn't happened yet.
I digress. On the weekend of April 1 - 2, I took almost every thing out of both storage rooms. I moved one of the 4' shelves from the furnace storage room and into the sump pump storage room. I also moved our light blue Easter storage bins from the furnace storage room into the sump pump storage room. Also, I finally built the 5 shelf from Lowes. I purchased that shelving unit back in May 2022. I had not put it together while I tried for months to design the best way to use it. Instead of building it as a single 5 shelf unit, I built it as a 3 shelf unit and a 2 shelf unit. The 3 shelf unit is in the sump pump storage room and the 2 shelf unit is in the furnace storage room. Additionally, I moved our microwave cart and our white clothes rolling rack from the sump pump storage room to the furnace room.
I freely admit that I will reorganize the two storage rooms in the future. Until then, I will continue reading articles - like this one -https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-top-5-sources-of-household-clutter-and-how-to-put-an-end-to-each-headache?utm_source=pocket-newtab - The Top 5 Sources of Household Clutter—And How to Put an End to Each Headache - in the hope that I have a revelation about how to use the storage rooms in the best possible way. Some friends I know don't have any storage in their house - I have two storage rooms. I need to figure out the best way to take advantage of that fact.
Friday, April 7, 2023
False Advertising
This was just too funny. I was looking on Amazon for a Star Wars poster to put up in my den and came upon the one on the wall in the picture below. The implication is that if you buy a huge Star Wars poster on Amazon, you'll get the women! I hope no one believes that that's a certainty. Karen, my wife, doesn't like Star Wars so, first of all, I wouldn't even ask to put that poster in our living room. Second, the idea that the woman would want to face the Star Wars poster while laying on the couch is hilarious. Third, and finally, is she smiling because she's looking up at Ewan McGregor in the poster or because she is happy to be with the dude with whom she's laying on the couch. Does it matter?
Listening to KISS from 11-28-1984
I had been on the earth for 5473 days (14 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 3 days) when KISS played this concert in NY. I was in 8th grade. Back then, high school was for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. I was at Kennedy High School for the graduating classes of 1986, 1987, and 1988 (my senior year). It's funny how I use dates to figure out simple things like what grade I was in.
Down the Rabbit Hole
As I was reading this article - https://blog.pinkelephant.com/blog/lessons-in-leadership-from-star-wars - Lessons in Leadership From Star Wars - I saw a link to this article - https://www.draudreyt.com/post/lessons-in-leadership-from-star-wars - Lessons in leadership from Star Wars - which was published in May 2022. I had never heard the name Audrey Tang in my life. My first reaction was, "If she's writing about Star Wars - one of my favorite franchises - and somehow relating it to business, I'm in!" My second reaction was, "I wonder if I can learn more about this." And, of course, thanks to the magic of an Internet browser, I can answer, emphatically, "YES!"
At the bottom of Tang's blog post, I saw the following:
I didn't know of Tang's existence when I woke up this morning so this is all brand-new. I haven't investigated further. Thus, this is a breadcrumb for discovering more in the future.
I did post the following to my department's Teams channel:
At the bottom of Tang's blog post, I saw the following:
Dr Audrey Tang is a chartered psychologist and author with a specialty in the "how to take action", rather than just giving explanation and advice. Listen to her podcast Retrain Your Brain here; or her Radio Show "The Wellbeing Lounge", and catch her practical masterclasses Psych Back to Basics on DisruptiveTV & Energy Top Up for resilience. For self development tools based within positive psychology: click Her YouTube Channel . Twitter/IG @draudreyt
I didn't know of Tang's existence when I woke up this morning so this is all brand-new. I haven't investigated further. Thus, this is a breadcrumb for discovering more in the future.
I did post the following to my department's Teams channel:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)