John Hughes Tribute from the Oscars
Posted on March 8, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | No Comments
The stars of such classic Generation X movies as Breakfast Club, Ferris Beuler’s Day Off, and Sixteen Candles were in full view last night at the Oscar Awards. They paid tribute to the late who wrote and directed the coming of age films that so impacted our generation. The actors may not have aged all that well but I certainly think the movies have stood the test of time. Or maybe I’m just biased.
Anyway, you can watch the tribute here:
Tags: Breakfast Club > Ferris Beuler > generation x > John Hughes > movies > Sixteen Candles
I’m no George Clooney but…
Posted on March 5, 2010 | By bmasterson | No Comments
Brian Masterson?
Some think it’s all fun and games when traveling for business. Movies are made about it (Up in the Air, Airplane, the list goes on), books are written about it, and hundreds of stories are told at businesses all over the world. Different cities, different countries, new faces, new adventures. To be fair, I have traveled more than my share in my short time of business travel, and have visited hundreds of cities and towns around the world. I have visited friends halfway around the world, eaten interesting cuisine, seen some amazing things, and had my share of fun. Someday, I hope my children can experience the same things I have been able to experience.
There is another side of business travel that most either do not know about, or care to think about. The DARK SIDE of business travel. From sitting next to and meaninglessly chatting with the nameless (and sometimes smelly) faces on airplanes, to eating dinner on your own (again), getting lost because the GPS you rented is not working, driving through snow/ice, it’s not always glamorous as some folks think it is. Think about it in these terms – for a normal week long business trip, it takes about 6-8 hrs of preparation – setting up appointments, booking flights, finding hotels close to the meetings, booking car rentals, figuring out directions to each appointment. The list goes on. And this is PRIOR to you even leaving.
So the night before, you pack up, confirm your itinerary, send it to loved ones, recheck it, go to bed. Next morning, you wake early and head off to the airport. There of course, you encounter long lines, crying babies, tons of people that are not “frequent travelers” and confused on where they should be, go, do. Wait in line for your ticket, wait in line to get through security, get patted down because you look like you might be bad news, wait in line to get some food for the plane (because we all know how good(not) and cheap (NOT) the food can be on planes). Then of course, you get to wait in line to get onto the plane. Just too much fun.
So you get there, rent your car, take your train, get picked up, whatever your means of transportation may be for this leg of the trip. Head to the hotel, first meeting, and so on and so forth. This of course assumes the airline has not lost your luggage. This goes on for days and in some cases a couple of weeks. No sleep in the hotel, wake up early to construction; eat a crappy FREE meal at the hotel, and the days starts again. Honestly, there have been trips where I literally forgot not only what room number I was in, but what HOTEL I was staying at. At the end of the day you eat alone or sit at a bar and talk with some stranger that is in the same situation as you. Small talk, blah blah blah. Gets old, you know?
As I mentioned initially, frequent travelers may say they have their share of fun on the road. However, each trip is not just a joy ride. Live one day in another man’s shoes, they say, and you will truly have your eyes opened to a whole new world.
It’s what we do, and we love it.
Tags: Anthony Bourdain > bacon > couch > Gen X > GenX > irrelevant > relaxing > slacker > slacking > sleep > the slacker factor > the slackerfactor > things i hate > travel > tsf > up in the air > Vegas
MTV Pushing out ‘cynical’ Generation X
Posted on February 24, 2010 | By Christian | No Comments
Here's to you MTV!
Well, its official. MTV has announced their focus on Millennials, casting aside Generation X… the generation that made MTV. Sad news indeed. I’d like to give a big FU to MTV. Not just for this recent admission, but for the crap they have been broadcasting for the past 20 years. There was a time when MTV was about music television. It was certainly a revolutionary, but simple, concept that changed music forever. Play popular music but with supporting video. It changed everything. No longer were we sitting by the radio listening to music while doing something else. Now we were completely focused on the music as a total sensory experience. And when I say focused, I mean sitting like a zombie starring at the TV, one music video after another… completely enthralled. It was a perfect formula and our generation shaped it. > keep reading MTV Pushing out ‘cynical’ Generation X
Tags: bacon > cg > Gen X > generation x > iPod > irrelevant > Jersey Shore > mp3 > mtv > nirvana > pearl jam > real world > reality > slacker > slacking > smashing pumpkins > Smells Like Teen Spirit > the slacker factor > the slackerfactor > things i hate > tsf > Vegas
Lack of Teen Spirit, A Meandering Rant from TSF 6
Posted on February 22, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | 4 Comments
The "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Single Artwork
Considering The Slacker Factor is a podcast and webspace targeted directly at Generation X, whose musical apex is squarely planted in early 90s grunge, what I’m about to say will no doubt offend some and may even be considered downright sacrilegious. So, let me just come right out and say it…
I never need to hear Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” again. That’s right, the GenX anthem that epitomizes all things slacker is not aging well in my eyes. In fact, the second I hear those opening power chords, I instinctually reach for the dial or digital preset button to find just about anything else (within reason, of course… I’m not about to choose any American Idol reject over the voice of our generation (I think, anyway).
It’s not really Kurt’s fault though. In 1991, when Nevermind was released unto the unsuspecting public, it was all I needed to puff out my chest and get all angsty. After all, this was the theme song to many a drunken slam dance, late night rally to plan our world domination, or solo introspective moment. But just three years later, after Kurt Cobain’s untimely death in 1994, the song sank into nostalgia. Hearing it then, we’d take a second to imagine what could of been, what still might be, and what contributions our generation was making (or not making) to the world. But now, it’s lost all that sense of nostalgia, emotional connection, and is just plain tired. > keep reading Lack of Teen Spirit, A Meandering Rant from TSF 6
Tags: grunge > Kurt Cobain > music > nirvana > pearl jam > Smells Like Teen Spirit > things i hate
TSF6: Pondering Nirvana. Now ONLINE!
Posted on February 20, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | No Comments
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Slacker Factor Podcast, Episode 6: Pondering Nirvana
Haunted by a love/hate relationship with the music of our past, Rob struggles in his quest not to achieve Nirvana. We are confused by guys/girls and the words around them in a discussion on gender speak. Finally, Chris attempts serenity with NPR’s top songs of the decade and breaks out cool/questionable jazz.
Links:
Meandering Rant on the Lack of Teen Spirit by Rob
Book Report: Gender Speak
Music Segment: NPR’s 50 Most Important Recordings of the Decade
Tags: gender speak > generation x > Meandering Rant > nirvana > NPR > pearl jam > Smells Like Teen Spirit
