2007: Year of the Empty Bank Account

Before I get into too many details, I'd like to wish my readers a belated Merry Humbug and a Happy Hangover Day. I hope your last week has been filled with joy, fellowship, and lots of 'walking through the winter, drink in hand'.

The pillaging of the tree this year wasn't quite the cache as it has been in years past, though all I really asked for was clothes. I did however, brave the lineup at Visions on Boxing Day, and walked out with a 40" Samsung LCD high-definition television. I'll be feeling the pinch of that purchase when my January credit card bill arrives.

It has somewhat been a bit of a yearly tradition here at mcfro.blogspot.com that I take a few minutes on the first day of the new year to reflect what I accomplished this year, and what I would expect in the next 52 weeks to come.

Sifting through this year's posts, I have come to the early conclusion that I really didn't accomplish anything, given the astounding few number of posts there have been. I mean, there were at least three months were I didn't blog at all. Like I have said on here ad nauseum, I have been busy -- I've been lazy too, lethargic, exhausted, and unmotivated. It's all derived from worker burnout, and is a big reason why my New Year's resolution is to find a healthier work/life balance. Money can buy lots of things; but it can't buy sleep.

2007 got off to a very expensive start, as I quickly dropped four digits into a newer, faster, and larger iMac, which has, more or less, become a machine I use for audio production. Since the successful resurrection of my derelict iBook, I spend most of my web-surfing time on it instead of the desktop machine. Sure it's not the fastest, but it's good enough for most mundane tasks, and even runs a number of video games quite nicely. The laptop also keeps me out of the windowless basement, which ensures that I see more sunlight -- indispensable for someone like me who goes through mood wings and bouts of depression.

2007 continued with a string of large purchases, as in April I added a third drumset to my arsenal. Price is relative: though I got a great deal on the kit, I still paid a pretty penny for it. I have subsequently spent small sums over the course of the year for replacement parts and upgrades. The Canwoods have also seen a number of gigs already, so they are paying for themselves -- if they haven't already.

An expensive set of concert tickets allowed me to see the Police in concert in Edmonton. After paying for fuel, meals, accommodations, and toys, the trip escalated well into four digits, but it was worth every penny to see Stewart, Sting, And Summers together for the first time in nearly 25 years.

June also saw the most successful blog post on this site, ever. Skeet from medhatblog.com kindly linked to me from the website. Though it didn't elicit comments as I had hoped, it did generate scores of traffic -- over tenfold what I was accustomed to. It even increased my readership -- albeit temporarily. Had I continued blogging regularly, I may have managed to keep those readers, but they have since gone.

I guess this was where I really got lazy. Now that I was generating a great deal more traffic than I had been, I also felt increasing pressure to be delivering work of exceptional quality in order to maintain that readership. That was, to say the least a little daunting. In one hand, the site was beginning to become what I had wanted it to become (popular!). On the other hand, I didn't have the energy to invest the time and effort required to make this site what it was becoming. So I sat on my haunches and meditated on what I wanted to do with this site. The next thing I knew, nearly four months had passed, with nary a post on this site, and all my readers found other weblogs to be entertained by. Thus, the answer became clear -- I'll just write about my insignificant little life whenever I am inspired, and if readership increases, great. If they do not, that's still great too.

The first entry since my 'hiatus', was a review of Matthew Good's performance at Medicine Hat College this November. The posting also generated a fair amount of interest from readers across Canada, including a few views from Mr. Good himself. He didn't drop a note, but he left a trail of bread crumbs that said he had been here.

Musically, 2007 has been a year of transition and flux. The Savoys took an extra long vacation this year, and by the time the band got back together to prepare for this year, it became clear that the band would be falling apart. We have best intentions to continue in 2008, and we are currently auditioning a replacement for BG, which we should know in a week if he is the right guy -- or not.

Tung 'N' Groove also got out of our heads and onto the stage. It took a great deal of rehearsing, and a large number of hefty equipment purchases, but we are now gigging regularly, and continue to build a dedicated following. We have secured a number of dates for 2008, which will be posted on the band's website when I have both time and motivation.

I hope everyone's 2008 is a prosperous one. See you (hopefully) soon.

YouTube; Blogs Kill Culture

Andrew Keen seems to think that the internet, in all it's wonders is killing American Culture. He has written a book entitled "The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing Our Culture," in hopes in drawing awareness that Hollywood is losing money, market share, and most importantly their influence on American pop culture.

Keen, a former dot-com entrepreneur, argues that the phenomenon of user-generated content, particularly blogs and YouTube videos, is overpowering established media players. Consequently, he believes the notion of quality content will be eradicated as the playing field tilts in favor of consumers churning out substandard and erroneous content.

"The monkeys take over," Keen says. "Say good-bye to today's experts and cultural gatekeepers -- our reporters, news anchors, editors, music companies and Hollywood movie studios." -- Reuters

It's like he's giving a eulogy to the big, bad media conglomerate, whom for nearly one hundred years has reaped unthinkable profits from American Teenagers, all the while producing -- by their definition -- what is to be considered "quality entertainment". It's like he is saying that Hollywood in itself, defines American Culture.

Hollywood doesn't define American culture; it shoves it down the throats of anyone willing to pay attention to them. American culture is Davey Crockett, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Paul Bunyan, and Martin Luther King Jr., just to name a few.

American culture is not Mickey Mouse, or American Idol. American culture is not defined by Hollywood actors, especially those who are accused of uttering threats, antisemitism, or racial slurs (and I need not name names). America is not the latest flavor of the month or A-Team reruns on satellite television. American culture is not defined by CNN, MTV, ABC, NBC, FOX, or HBO. It is not defined by Sony, AOL Time Warner, EMI, Universal, or BMG, and it is most certainly not defined by Paramount, Disney, or any other major motion picture distributor.

We bloggers and "amateur" film producers did not kill American Culture; we took it back. Not bad, considering Keen regards us as "a bunch of monkeys".

Daily Reading for the John:

Here are two brilliant blogs you should visit daily.

tonypierce.com + busblog

raymitheminx

Tony is a brilliant writer who has a rather cynical nature to his writing. Because of which, I like him already. More often than not, I find myself laughing out loud to his borderline rudeness.

Raymi, on the other hand, has a much different style. She avoids punctuation (a style of writing I cannot stand), however her approach to life is like an adventure. Even the most mundane aspects of one's life becomes paramount. She also has a bit of cynicism to her writing.

Now, go read, laugh, and read some more.