What makes a recording great? Why are there some disks that we go back to again and again. What are those qualities that come together to form the gestalts we call our favorite songs, artists, and disks? Why do certain bands sing to us in a way that others do not? What qualities do we seek in the tunes that become the soundtracks of our lives?
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A Hobby Rediscovered
About twenty years ago, I was an avid audiophile. I remember many a night when Giles, David, and I would haul speakers, amplifiers, and whatever other newly acquired equipment we were enthusiastic about that week into Giles’ living room for a bit of A-B action. Armed, too, with our CDs du jour, adult beverages, and the whole evening free, we would spend hours alternating speaker positions, sitting arrangements, and disk tracks to see what cable, amp, or CD could bring us to a level of audiophile nirvana.
Be Nice to People, You Jerk
I don’t think I’m crazy, but I occasionally do crazy things. Fortunately, I’m no Raskonikov. (If you’re unsure what I’m talking about, watch an episode of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. He does poshlost well. You can see some of this in the Michael Scott character in The Office, too.)
I’ve Got My Philosophy
I have always resisted labels. I have chosen to be an iconoclast for most of my adult life. Labels allow you to be easily judged, unceremoniously dismissed, or thoughtlessly respected.
Professor of . . . ?
Sometime over the last couple of months I made a transition — a subtle shift from one reality into another. On the surface, not much has changed. It’s only when I compare what I’m doing today with what I was doing last year at this time, and I notice that I’m not really an English Professor anymore.
A New Look
I have been ill for the past week. It always seems to happen at the beginning of the semester. Invariably, I touch one of the stinky, virus-infested keyboards and forget to wash my hands. It’s just like a Windoze peecee to give me a real virus. Probably something karmic. Being sick has allowed me to [...]
The Struggle
Since moving to Georgia, I have been struggling with my weight. My struggles are not because of Georgia, necessarily, but are caused by a number of factors. I’ll list these in no particular order.
