valentine's day...

What other topic would I have for today? Wait, scratch that; it could have been anything, really... I was looking for some good information to talk about, but decided in the end I would simply redirect you to Wiki for the details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day They had plenty that I was not aware of as well as plenty that I already knew. My particular interest grew in the "Similar days honoring love" section, particularly Japan. If you hadn't realized by now, I enjoy learning about Japanese culture. So with that I bid everyone a happy Valentine's Day...

trying not to be fooled by imitations...

...or at least not getting albums of the same title- oh wait, I did that already. Yes it's one of those cases where you hear a song on the internet radio and say, "Wow, I would like to have a copy of that, and I bet the other songs on the album would be pretty nifty as well!" Little did I know that finding the cd was going to be so difficult and that there were actually two cds for sale that had completely different contents. Long story short, I ended up buying both, but fortunately I have not regretted it. I like songs from both albums, however the album cover shown above was the one I originally wanted because it had a great cover of Tomorrow Never Knows. I would recommend getting the other album as well because it has an amazing track called Asian Flowers and it gave me chills because it sounded like John was singing. If I am not mistaken, it was actually his son, Sean. If ever another tribute album is made, I would like to see his other son, Julian take part in it was well. Years ago, Julian cut a track called Too Late for Goodbyes and he sounded just like his dad.

of goals and destinations...

While my life may be a work in progress, I do set goals for myself along the way such as completion of chores, accomplishing projects (which sometimes sit around for a bit first, gathering lots of potential energy), and short/long-term work that I wish to do for a living. Anyone who's followed me for a while knows of my pursuit in and commitment to music (spec edm) and most likely equally aware that I am working towards a goal of teaching English in Japan. I recently came across a blurb discussing flexible careers that also pay well and I was intrigued that teaching was actually one of the options. I have always considered teaching as an underpaid and thankless job meant only for those with a passion or at least a genuine interest for such a thing. I think that reservation may only hold up to certain levels, i.e. i imagine an inner-city elementary teacher will make less than a private tutor, who will make less than an undergraduate college professor, who will make less than post secondary teacher, for instance. I am sure there is a breakdown on salary rank based on various contingencies that is more clear, but I don't have that information on hand at the present time. The article I found did actually specify a level of teaching that is more monetarily rewarding and it gave me food for thought that while I am aiming for teaching that maybe i might give consideration to seeing how far I can go in such a field (a bit of a personal challenge, as it were).

"Post Secondary Teachers

Did you know that many college teachers and university professors are retiring? You'll work on a school calendar, with summer, spring, and winter holiday vacation time if you want it. Some professors only report to campus two days a week. They make up for it by the work they do at home, but not reporting to campus every day can lead to flexibility.

You'll need a master's degree to teach at the community college level and a doctorate in your field to qualify for tenure-track professorships at four-year colleges. Positions for post-secondary teachers are predicted to rise by an exceptional 12 percent through the 2006-2016 decade. 2007 salary averages were $98,974 for professors, $69,911 for associate professors, and $58,662 for assistant professors."
Source: http://education.yahoo.net/degrees/articles/featured_six_flexible_careers_that_pay_70k.html

On a side note, I would like to reiterate that I still have no intention o giving up on music and think that pursuing teaching will be rewarding in multiple ways, including financially facilitating my pursuit in music, which is also an underpaid career field- hey, why do I keep choosing underpaid fields as career choices!?

radio stations i enjoy online...

itunes supplies me with some pretty fantastic internet radio stations to tune in to, but sometimes it would like to listen to something else. perhaps my tastes in music are more eclectic or diverse- or maybe as large as the itunes offering may be, it just isn't large enough. who knows?
subjection aside, i thought i would share the stations which i like to occasionally listen to (which are not offered on itunes, or that i know of as of yet). i will try to group them since my list is alphabetical, that way you can peruse by grouping. i hope you find some enjoyable stations in my list. since some of these sites offer more than one listening link and/or server, i will simply post the main page for you. by the way, i will post some pertinent links in my "Check It Out..." section on my main page here.

anime soundtrack, j-pop, j-rock, edm, etc.
these stations are basically anime related. some focus on one genre more than another. that being said, the majority of the music will be in japanese. the remainder will be either english or instrumental.

anime seed radio
http://www.animeseed.com/

animeamaze radio
http://www.animeamaze.net/

animenfo radio
http://www.animenfo.com/

armitage's dimension
http://www.armitunes.com/

kawaii-radio
http://www.kawaii-radio.net/

keiichi.net ex² extreme anime radio
http://www.radio.keiichi.net/index2.php

shinsen radio
http://www.shinsen-radio.org/

toon radio
http://www.toonradio.net/

aznv.tv radio
http://aznv.tv/?p=home


edm, alternative, etc.
the main reason i tune into these stations is for some excellent edm (electronic dance music) broadcasts. a few of these stations also broadcast non-edm-related programs, which aren't so bad if i happen to be curious enough to catch them.

lowercasesounds radio
http://www.lowercasesounds.com/

lunacast radio
http://www.lunacast.com/

wfmu
http://www.wfmu.org/

wmbc
http://www.wmbc.umbc.edu/

wmuc
http://www.wmucradio.com/

wber
http://www.wber.monroe.edu/site/html/index.php

back-words... domo-kun...

*** the original video link i posted was no longer valid, so i posted a new link. i hope this one lasts...

Friday, May 2, 2008
domo-kun...
ok how many of you have seen this character or heard the name, but never understood what the craze was about? here's and educational treat...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da9X4tnW2o4


want some more info on domo-kun? here's a wiki entry to satisfy your thirst for knowledge...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domo-kun

back-words... life derailed and blueprinting a backup plan...

Saturday, April 19, 2008
life derailed and blueprinting a backup plan...

I have been putting off any posts til I had something more concrete to post, but there is only one thing I can offer in case anyone has been wondering: my external hard drive has died.

Because of this hardware failure, I have been unable to mix, produce, or host weekly broadcasts as I normally would. Because my external hard drive is 2tb (read 2000gb), the cheapest repair quote I can possibly get is $6,000.00. I will also have to replace the unit that died and buy and additional back up unit so this doesn't happen again.
Needless to say, I don't have this kind of money to spend all at once. It will take me time to save up for this repair. If I am lucky, maybe I can afford the repair in a year, but I anticipate it taking about ten years instead.
Either way, it will be quite some time before release any new work or mixes. I am currently working on a way to get broadcasts done using different equipment and a different medium.
If anyone knows of a cheaper way to get my repair done, I would appreciate some feedback. If anyone would like to help out financially I could set up a donations link via Paypal, however I would rather be hired to spin or have my albums be bought online.
I would be thrilled to get my life back on track again. I'm sorry this has happened. Thank you for your support.
plur...

*********************************

That was a post I made early in April, over a month after my drive had failed. By that point, I already felt obliged to say something in regards as to why I had ceased to broadcast on a weekly basis, why I was not creating new mixes and remixes, why I was not releasing new albums, and why my work had not been distributed to more online stores for sale as I had promised. I didn't have a lot of information to offer as most of the people I had been in contact with had given me very little information to go on. I like to know as much as I can and compare services before I settle on one. After all, $6000 is a lot of money to cough up and I am not about to give it to the first person I find. I need to know if I can find cheaper, the processes involved, if it's possible for me to cut costs based on options and preferences... I want to feel comfortable and confident knowing the services to be performed will be successfully done by a reliable source.
Because of the paths my life has taken, I do not have $6000 to surrender in one fell swoop. In order to pay such a price all at once, I will need to make and save that money. Unfortunately, the drive died before I could get my music distributed to more online sources. I have only a couple places selling my work now, but they are in obscure locations which do not receive as much internet traffic as where they were going to be located. Most of the work available for sale was available for free for nearly a year so it has not been selling since its availability status changed. I trust at some point the music will start selling. When it was free, it had been down loaded over 15,000 times in less than a year. So I trust it will sell again upon finding a larger audience.
Not only do I not have $6000 to afford to repair my hard drive, my original intent was to make money from my music to afford car repairs so I could have transportation for a job. Most jobs require many things, such as a degree, experience, and reliable transportation. Having tried to work without reliable transportation previously, I know it isn't a viable option when public transportation causes frequent lateness thus threatening job security. I also lack a degree despite my years of college training. Additionally, my work history is patchy, having had to take time off to help my handicapped grandparents and even live with them for a few years. My options are reduced to nothing more than minimum wage jobs or possibly an entry level company position- still requiring reliable transportation at the very least. So i can't get a job without transportation and I can't afford to repair my transportation without a job! Vicious, isn't it? So that brought me to mixing making music and selling it. I figured I would work at home on something I love which I am also capable of doing and make at least enough to afford repairs. I also had dreams of taking my goals to higher levels. I had not planned on hard drive failure thwarting my momentum. I had no backup plan to fall back on.
So suddenly I find myself in the ugly position of wondering what I am going to do. I figure music sales and dj gigs might allow my to make enough money to afford various repairs, but it will take anywhere up to ten years or longer, depending on the strength of the income. I'm not sure I can happily sit around and wait for that kind of money to roll in bit by bit. I like to be productive. I like to feel useful. I tend to measure and assess my progress regularly, so I'm fairly confident I wouldn't like to sit around and wait to have enough money. So what can I do to expedite things?
I have looked into this before; in fact, every time I consider a new job I go through the same train of thought. Most work at home options do not appeal to me. Either I have to put some money into a kit or a phony certification process which turns out to be a scam or the work is for data entry/processing or for collections services. Years ago I was on the other end of the collections services and I can tell you I hate being felt like despicable prey. I would never do that to another person. One might say I should take any job to make money just because it pays. I have never been able to accomplish anything I couldn't put my heart into. I have done data entry/processing and I won't do it again. I have a lousy attention span and when it comes to things I have no interest in, I might as well not be doing it. I also have other limitations. I had back surgery twice. My physical endurance and general comfort level just aren't very good anymore. I find it difficult to sit, stand, lift, kneel and more. I also have developed a sensitivity to light after a scratched cornea; I can assure you migraines don't go as easily as your average headache.
So what the hell can I do??? Well, endurance can be built, but sometimes it takes years to do. It has been three years since my last back surgery. I can do more things now, but I still spend the majority of my time in my bed. I has also been about as long since I scratched my cornea. some days are worse than others, but I can usually manage to be outside in bright sunlight for about an hour before my eyes are exhausted and I start to feel a migraine coming on, both of which are painful experiences. I can withstand normal indoor lighting for even longer, but it's something I generally try to avoid; I even keep my bedroom dimly lit. I figure at the very least I can try to complete a degree or two online while I am still stuck at home. Perhaps I can get into another field that interests me which would afford my repairs. Perhaps there is other work at home, or maybe temporary work (perhaps even abroad) that I can do which will allow me to afford repairs or even more. I have always felt challenged for extra money in the past. Perhaps this is an opportunity to make to make my life even better. To be honest, I have recently been looking into teaching again. The idea of teaching English as a second/foreign language appeals to me. The idea of living abroad also has some appeal and maybe one I might make it a permanent situation, but right now it's merely a consideration as I review my possibilities for completing a degree at home.
I hope this offers some clarity as to whats going on with things in my life right now. When I have more concrete information to offer I will keep you posted. Thank you for your support.
plur...

yet another year has come to pass...

...and a new one is just taking shape.

not only is it a new year, but it's also the dawn of a new presidential term. we will see how that works out. personally, i'm not holding my breath; no individual alone can save a nation and i think the country maintains a focal point on the presidential position that is perhaps overwhelmingly unfair. i am not in favor of the current man holding this position, but i also don't think he should be scapegoated in the face of overwhelming failure. after all, many factors are involved in civic actions.

aside from the political rigmarole, i'm already seeing changes taking place in my life this year and i hope the momentum continues. i've been studying japanese on my own for a good part of last year and i already am coming to understand words, phrases, and characters. i listen to japanese as much as possible hoping to train my ear to the language. it's a difficult language, but i really would like to be fluent. maybe some dreams can be reached...

my financial situation is starting to look up and if i keep handling things well, then life's unattainable necessities will soon no longer feel like such a burden. this year should bring the onset of financial stability, which is something i have been hoping for all along. all i have to do is play my cards right and mainly be patient. the downside is i didn't want to achieve this as a result of a family member preparing to pass away. because of that, i will be sure to make the best use of these finances since it is thanks to my grandfather that i have them.

speaking of my grandfather, i mentioned we nearly lost him two weeks after my grandmother's passing last year. something similar happened again in december and i am aware his health is such that he may not see this year through, so i have been going to see him during each holiday since thanksgiving in hopes that he will realize he is not alone or forgotten. i wish the rest of my family would do the same, but it hasn't been on everyone's agenda, much to my dismay. i think my family was fortunate to be there when my grandmother passed. I don't think they will have the same fortune when it is my grandfather's turn. hence, i am concerned that he should be reminded how we feel so he has no doubts.

this month i scratched my other cornea and recuperation has been excruciating, yet nowhere near as bad as the first time with the other eye. i think this cements the idea that i won't be making a living as a fine detail artist as once planned. however, i feel that shouldn't probibit me from working on music, teaching, writing or whatever else i wish to set my mind toward doing. even if my eyes get worse and they still aren't surgically correctable, i still want to forge a way for myself following a passion rather than presuming im useless and only good for something such as basket weaving. the other day i heard that man can be destroyed, but cannot be defeated and i am inclined to agree with that. no matter what obstacles cross my path or change the course of my future, i want to find a way to always persist regardless of the odds.

while i'm thinking about it, i want to convert this blog into a central repository via transferring my other blog entries to this blog. i won't be deleting the other blogs, but i think it would be nice if everything could be read from on place rather than navigating to multiple locations. in that way, this blog will truly feature all facets of my life- or at least as much as i choose to post. i may make an effort to retain original post dates to those blogs so as not to create any confusion with what is currently transpiring in my life. i hope you will enjoy those entries as i bring them over bit by bit (it's quite a lot actually).