What' Music?

So, in lieu of the recent Grammy Awards (I know, I'm a tad late) I thought I'd talk about today's music scene. I was discussing this last week with the writer of Sansiracy/my boyfriend. We were talking about the mainstream music that is out there today, and our general consensus was "what music?" Or perhaps, a more appropriate question is "where did the good stuff go?"

Really though, where did the good music go? I feel a lot of the stuff out on the radio today is not really music. It's people kind of chanting along with the beat and you don't really even know if that's really them singing anymore because of all the technological advances made in the production side of music. You can now alter one's voice so drastically that it doesn't even sound like their original voice at all. And not only one artist is doing it, A LARGE MAJORITY of 'artists' are doing it these days making the music sound less unique.

Whatever happened to the days where people were trying to trail blaze their way through the music industry? Where did the art of singing go? Where did the reviews that said "_______ has a unique sound...". It's gone because a lot of music sounds the same. And to make matters worse, there are artists that are ultimately recycling their own beat. They're taking an old beat, adding two new tricks and BHAM! a new track? Whaaa? How is that a new track when i just heard that two years ago?!

I then started to ask the question, "are today's music artists really artists anymore? What art are they trying to portray? Can you even say that today's artists are musicians too? Can they read music? Do they even know what the key of C is? Or do they just listed to their production director and mimic that not even knowing what note they're singing?!" Yes, there are those artists that are really artists who know how to play a musical instrument, who do, in fact write their own music, and know what a musical bar is? Do they know what 3/4 time is? How many beats there would be per measure?" and the list of questions goes on and on and on. I feel like a lot of "artists" today just read the words on a sheet of paper and put their own melody to it without even knowing what notes they're singing.

I think there are a number of factors that feed into this. Well first of all, society's standard of what good music is has significantly lowered. The lyricists of today are not nearly as eloquent and creative as the greats once were. Our language is drastically changing. We now speak in acronyms and abbreviations. Upcoming generations will no longer know how to spell words properly because they're so used to abbreviating everything. All of this affects how we see and perceive music.

I would also like to look at the lack of music programs in schools. Those budget cuts have negatively affected the music scene. Kids don't even know what a french horn looks like anymore or anything. They don't know how to read music, know what major and minor chords are, etc. Therefore, i think they won't know a bad tune from a good tune.

I could easily go on and on about this. My point is there is a lost art of music out there. I know I'm going to raise my kids to be musically intelligent. And hopefully the upcoming generations will raise the bar and increase the standards of what "good mainstream" music is. Yes, the definition of music is changing, but i can't say that I particularly like where it's going.

What do you think of music today? Who is your favorite artist/band? Do you, like me, yearn for the music of the 90's and early 2000's?

Well for your musical plug for the day, here's a classic track from, what I have dubbed, "the golden years" of music. Enjoy!


Thanks for listening!
...until next time...

I Believe...

I just received this and thought I should share. I know it's not my usual format, but it rings so true in so many ways right now. Enjoy!

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born A Death Certificate shows that we died Pictures show that we lived!

I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if We understand that friends change.

I Believe....
That no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant That will give you heartache for life.

I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with Loving words.. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe....
That we are responsible for what
We do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe....
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time..

I Believe....
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe....
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated..

I Believe....
That it isn't always enough,
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe....
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
But, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find
Out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe....
Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of Hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe....
That even when you think you have no more to give, When a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...
That you should send this to
all of the people that you believe in, I just did.

'The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; They just make the most of everything they have.


...until next time...

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!!

So, it is only natural that I post something in regards to the new year. 2009 was a tough year on the majority of us. Employment plummeted, tax rates soared and somewhere in between I managed to maintain my sanity (barely). I thought of doing a recap of 2009 in pictures or monthly excerpts, however that seemed a bit too time consuming for something that is in the past. Needless to say, 2009 was an interesting year.

2009 marked the first time I stayed at a real job for a year (this coming March marks the second year) since I graduated from college, it involved my first anniversary of my relationship with my boyfriend (it's his first ever anniversary), TJ turned three years old and I hit a quarter of a century in age. 2009 was filled with growth and maturing, joy, laughter, togetherness, adventures, family days, and a bit of anger, sadness, and frustration. It served as an ugly reality check that I am not getting any younger and that time is flying by before my eyes. It proved to me that I need to get on the ball. I had a moment of panic. I felt like I would never get to where I want to be because, let's be honest, the situation I am currently in isn't exactly that of my dreams. Thank God for bringing me back to reality and realizing that everything happens for a reason and everything will fall into place at HIS will. I just continue to pray, to do work in HIM, and to stay patient.

So, on to 2010....

I have so much hope for 2010! I refuse to make resolutions. Instead, I have made points where I feel could use some improvement. So, here are my "improvements" for 2010.

~ I seek to improve my physical self -- I want to be more fit. Workout more often like I used to. And to eat healthier. If I happen to shed 5, 10, 15lbs doing so, then AWESOME! Icing on the cake :)

~ I also want to improve my financial-ness -- new rules and limitations that I strongly intend to stick by. We'll see how far I will go come year's end!

~ I also want to improve my spiritual self -- I want to grow closer to GOD. I want to learn to listen for HIM when HE commands me to do something. I want to be able to walk down the path HE has set for me. I want to be a better me for HIM.

~ The improvement of my spiritual self includes the improvement of my mental-health -- I want to get better at letting things go. What's the use of a grudge? It's ok to vent, but when you vent, really let it go; and that I have to work on. I really need to learn how to let things go. Holding on to the negative is not healthy. It pollutes your inner being and it clouds the light that HE is trying to shine upon you.

~ In connection to that, in 2010, I will seek the positive in all things and beings. There is a silver lining to everything if you just take the time to look. There will be certain situations where it seems that it is impossible to see the light, but if you squint, and look hard enough, you just may find it. And, in 2010, I seek to find that light in all.

~ I also want to improve to explore the adventurous side of life -- There are too many places in California/Los Angeles I have yet to explore. So, in 2010, I want to go on more adventures, see more that this glorious city has to offer. And, if I am so blessed, I hope to be able to explore other cities, states, and countries.

...and lastly...
~ I hope to do better by living for the audience of ONE. That is my motto for 2010: "Living for the Audience of ONE". I intend to do better by living my life not by how I think others will think of me. Rather, I want to do better at living my life according to what HE thinks of me. I want to do better to not care about how others judge me because, in the end, there is only ONE who judges me and HE is the ONE I need to live for.

In essence, I intend to fill 2010 with tons of life, love, and laughter.

How do you intend to live 2010? Any resolutions? Or, rather, "improvements"?

This post kinda reminds me of this track. I was singing it in my head as I was writing... Enjoy!





Thanks for listening!
...until next time...