My Favorite Song is an Aging Hippie-Holdover Classic!
Posted on August 28, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | 3 Comments
This rant was inspired by a song. It’s a lovely little ditty and I’d like to play it for you now.
That’s right – it’s Dan Fogerlberg’s “Longer Than.” This optimistic ballad was released late in 1979 and gained most of its insane popularity in 1980 and is now my all time favorite song. A favorite song that I never need to hear again. In fact, I’d rather puncture my eardrums with porcupine spines than listen to that drivel. So, I hear you asking yourself, “with all that great music that The Slacker Factor has brought me, how could THIS possibly be his favorite song?” Well, I will tell you.
“Longer Than” gives me hope. Not because of its poignant lyrical content, its dreamy melody, or delicately sung vocal. Nope, in fact those things make me want to reach into the early 80s and pull Dan Fogelberg’s tonsils out through his nose. I love it for this reluctant hope that it offers. Hope that if this boat load of crap can reach a peak position of #2 on the Singles Chart in this god forsaken country, then actual quality music might stand a fighting chance.
But, what I really can’t believe is that back in the early 80s, people heard this song for the first time and said to themselves “Wow, what a fantastic little ditty, I can’t wait to hear several more times an hour on my favorite Adult Contemporary radio station.” Or worse, that those aging hippie holdover baby boomers thought that this was a cutting edge new sound for a new decade and warranted critical acclaim and a place in the rock and roll history books alongside Richard Marx and Bryan Adams. Why else would it have catapulted his album called Phoenix to platinum status? There can be no other logical explanation.
Headlights Reflecting on Gravestones, a Meandering Rant from The Slacker Factor Podcast TSF14
Posted on August 25, 2010 | By Patty Pino | No Comments
Headlights Reflecting on Gravestones
Driving home last night / I heard that tune / The one from the 70’s / About things being over
The singer is in denial / He “Keeps Forgetting” / Things have changed / You know the song
Everything ends / Jobs, friendships, relationships, life / Somehow we don’t expect that / Won’t except that
We hate that part / The ending / The Silence / Fini
We’re built to function in the moment / But the moment is ever changing / Always working towards finish
Electrons move to eventually settle / Yearning for finale
We keep forgetting / An inherent beauty exists / In conclusion
The sun slipping behind the horizon / The sculptor making a final tap / Resonance of strings culminating the concert
Ends allows us to pause / Take heed of our experience / And look to the next
Driving home last night / I passed that cemetery / The one close to the road / Where our grandparents are buried
Sometimes I forget / The pervasive artistry of endings
Until I see headlights / Reflecting on gravestones
~pp
< Listen to this rant, and more, on the podcast here or on iTunes TSF14: Hunger Never Ends >
TSF14: Hunger Never Ends – NOW ONLINE!
Posted on August 18, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | No Comments
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Slacker Factor Podcast, Episode 14: Hunger Never Ends
Somewhat melancholy and sorta informative, the Slackers bring you reflections on endings, an update on the unification of communications, and the beauty of music a la Sophie Hunger. Join us for a listen in your moment of relaxation, and you may just learn a little along the way.
Meandering Rant: Endings by Patty
Book Report: Unified Communications by Chris
Music Segment: Shape by Sophie Hunger
Check out TED at ted.com for talks about almost anything of interest and cool music, too.
Just Don’t Call Me Mr. Rob
Posted on August 4, 2010 | By Christian | No Comments
Check out this article by Rob Sachs, or Mr Sachs, in today’s Huffington Post “Just Don’t Call Me Mr. Rob“. He discusses the way our generation has brought up our children to refer to their elders as Mr/Miss First Name as opposed to the way we were raised to call them Mr/Mrs Last Name. Mr Sachs expresses his dilemma of how he should teach his children to refer to adults. Close friends can be Uncle/Aunt but at what point do we delineate between who is worthy of such a grand title or relegated to Mr/Miss First Name? And is Mr/Miss First Name really expressing the respect our children should learn to have for adults?
My wife and I have also wrestled with this (and I lost). I tend to agree with Rob, err Mr. Sachs, that some sense of respect seems lost in the change of title. Teachers and people in authority are typically Mr/Mrs Last Name so thats fine, but neighbors and friends are less formal? To be honest, if I were a kid today I would prefer we go one way or another. I have enough to think about other than worry about what/how I should call someone by name. And what if the child should choose the wrong way to go?!? Is this just going to add to the stress of the whole thing? As a kid I thought trying to figure out if a woman was Miss or Mrs was hard enough!
If I had a vote (which I don’t) I would rather we went back to the good ole days of Mr/Mrs Last Name. I’m ok with the Aunt/Uncle thing, but come on people lets all get together and make a real change! ~cg
TSF13: Hope, Hacks, & Hearing, Y’all – NOW ONLINE!
Posted on August 1, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | No Comments
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Slacker Factor Podcast, Episode 13: Hope, Hacks, & Hearing, Y’all
Did your mother influence the music you appreciate today or your music memories of yesterday or both? Do you have the skills it takes to be a successful, independent adult? Did you know the audio range of your ears plays into the music that artists create? Episode 13 of the podcast explores all of this good stuff, and Tennessee, too. Relax, listen, and maybe even learn something. Subscribe with iTunes
Links:
Meandering Rant: Dan Folgerberg’s Longer Than by Rob
Book Report: Life Skills by Patty
Marc and Angel Hack Life: 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do: http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/
The Independent: 20 things everyone needs to know: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/20-things-everyone-needs-to-know-481270.html
Zen Habits: 20 Things I Wish I Had Known When Starting Out in Life: http://zenhabits.net/20-things-i-wish-i-had-known-when-starting-out-in-life/
Seven More Skills TSF thinks should be included…
How to Handle a Firearm Safely:
- How to Handle a Firearm Safely: http://www.wikihow.com/Handle-a-Firearm-Safely
- Gun Safety: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1182704/gun_safety_how_to_properly_handle_a.html?cat=11
- Firearm Safety: http://www.pafoa.org/safety
How to Throw & Catch a Ball:
- Tips on Teaching Your Child to Throw & Catch: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/172873/tips_on_teaching_your_child_to_throw.html?cat=25
- How to Catch a Ball Well: http://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-Ball-Well
- How to Throw and Catch a Softball: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Throw-and-Catch-a-Softball/
Do Laundry:
- How To Do Laundry: http://laundry.about.com/od/laundrybasics/ht/howtodolaundry.htm
- Laundry 101: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/laundry/how-do-laundry-00000000000521/index.html
- How To Do Laundry – A Video Guide: www.household-management-101.com/how_to_do_laundry.html
Tie a Necktie:
- Tie and Necktie Instructions: http://www.tieanecktie.com/
- How To Tie A Tie: http://www.pilottie.com/How-To-Tie-A-Necktie.htm
- A Step-By-Step Tie Guide: http://www.2tieatie.com/
Ride a Bicycle:
- Teaching a Kid (and Adult) to Ride a Bicycle: http://www.ibike.org/education/teaching-kids.htm
- Learning How to Ride a Bicycle: http://www.lifespy.com/2007/learning-how-to-ride-a-bicycle/
- How to Ride a Bike Video: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=50012450
Deal with a Hospital Emergency:
- About Emergency Departments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_department
- Know your Emergency room rights: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/KnowYourRights/KnowYourEmergencyRoomRights.aspx
- Dealing with Emergencies: http://firstaid.webmd.com/tc/dealing-with-emergencies-overview
Catch a Fish:
- Take Me Fishing: How to Fish: http://www.takemefishing.org/fishing/fishopedia/how-to-fish
- Learning How to Fish: http://learninghowtofish.com/
- How To Fish: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-fish-2/
Music Segment: LCD Soundsystem
