Facebook inbox, feed me something good to eat

Remember when facebook messages were actually from friends and on occasion, unwelcomed stalkers? (welcomed if they were hot). I do. I miss the days of getting messages that had no agenda other than to share a simple "hello." Nowadays whenever I check my inbox, the hellos are outnumbered by the "omg, come see my performance" 's.* While I appreciate the exercise my finger gets deleting these messages, the onslaught can be overwhelming.

Maybe it's just me, but these mass messages make it feel like there's an a cappella performance every other day. I'm not anymore inclined to attend, I'm just that much more aware of events I don't care about. Don't get me wrong though, I'm all for the shameless self-promotion of activities and causes. I think you should be proud of what you're doing and solicit support any way you can. It's just that every now and then, it would be nice to receive something worth reading to help dilute all the rubbish.

Actually, as I write this, I can recall a few mass messages that I actually enjoyed reading. One of which was for the upcoming Pilam event on Feb 9.

Hmm, I guess there are two take-aways from this post.
1. send more hellos. (hellos from strangers [even ugly people] are welcome)
2. if I have to read your spam, make it really delicious. I may acquire a taste for it.


*if you can clean up this punctuation, tell me how

Help remind Rendell what democracy means: sign the petition

Last semester, after having followed the Philly casino chronicles for an urban studies class, I signed up for the Casino-Free Philadelphia newsletter to stay on top of the issue. I've vacillated between supporting and opposing the proposed casinos, recognizing both the advantages and difficulties they present for the city. Some critics, including CFA, haven't wholly rejected the notion of casinos and have instead taken a more muted approach, opposing the casinos in their currently proposed locations in favor of alternative sites away from neighborhoods.

There have been a lot of twists and turns in the process, replete with petitions, neighborhood rallies, vociferous opposition, City Council resolutions and now, rebukes from the top.

Today's Metro reported Rendell's fierce condemnation of a:

"City Council with no guts that can be extorted by community groups."

Clearly, Rendell is not happy with City Council's reluctance to jump on board his propaganda-infused money train.

But last time I checked, City Council was a group of civic officials, elected to office by voters from Philadelphia communities, with the express purpose of representing these people's interests. And if the people don't want Casinos in their backyards, isn't City Council just doing its job?

Now, the word "extort" has a negative connotation, but that's exactly the kind of power people should have over their government. A more appropriate usage of the word, Governor Rendell, would be in reference to the Gambling Industry's ability to extort your complicity.

If you would like to remind Rendell that the government operates on the people's behalf and that private interests extort power, sign here

Blog makeover

My blog got its hair did. Rhinoplasty next. Stay tuned : )

Tecktonik: the West's answer to Para Para

I haven't written any posts about music yet, but you can expect plenty, including this one.

Last November, my friend Liz introduced me to the wonderful world of Tecktonik dancing. Knowing my affinity for all-things techno, she recommended I watch French artist, Yelle's, "A Cause des Garçons" music video remix which features some crazy Frenchies doing a nifty dance.

The dance was quite nifty and complemented the remixed song equally well.

Have a look-see:


Pretty sweet.

Naturally I got addicted to the song, downloaded the mp3 and listened to it ad nauseum. Then I passed it along to Brett and my boyfriend who were just as easily sold. (except the boyfriend watches it because he finds the dancers hot - grr) I'm still in the process of selling the song to the roomies, but like every other song I try to ease into the rotation, it will take a bit of time to catch on.

Now let's talk about the dancing. It's an updated form of raving, geared more towards techno/house beats and less towards the 1999-2001 trance scene synonymous with glow-sticks and pacifiers.

To be honest, it almost looks like a cooler version of disco dancing. Not to disparage the coolness of Tecktonik by equating it with disco, but the comparison isn't that far off. (I personally have no problem with disco but I know that everyone else uses it to epitomize everything that 'cool' isn't)

But wait, Tecktonik is also somewhat reminiscent of a fad that sprang up in the late 90's in Japan: Para Para! I remember when that game came out for Playstation and we were like, what the hell? It was too far ahead of its time, at least in the Western world. We were still coming to terms with electronica. Para Para garnered a few brave followers in the 2000's, but we all remember those kids as the random Anime addicts who were too nerdy for the high school social order. (I was a closet one)

Anyway, have a look at Para Para and tell me what you think:



Notice any similarities?

Para Para dancing has limited leg movement, but the arm points and rolls are very similar. Quite similar to disco if you ask me : )

I leave you with a classic.



*Check out the Wikipedia entries for Tecktonik and Para Para for more info

Imagine Philadelphia

This evening the Philadelphia City Planning Commission hosted its seventh "Imagine Philadelphia" meeting for Center City residents. The series, championed by the PCPC and City Hall which engages citizens in the local planning process, aligns with an on-going effort to build trust in local government. An effort that can hopefully scuttle the city's reputation of corruption and nepotism.

Like the title says, the meeting was a forum for people to come together and dream big for a city that's been running low on hope. The conversation started out with "safe," conventional suggestions to break the ice. (fix SEPTA, fix schools) Shortly thereafter, the discourse crescendoed to a fever-pitch of enthusiasm; everyone had plenty to say. (I pitched my dream for a Maglev between NYC and Philly)

Now, I know what you're thinking. Philadelphia needs a lot more than imagination and wide-eyed dissimulations if it ever plans on becoming the "Next Great American City." Persistently high crime rates, an ailing SEPTA, and scourging "brain drain" provide even the idealists ample cause for skepticism.

However the home-grown Phanatics and newly-arrived optimists are willing to take their chances. These individuals propound a voice for renewal that reverberates through the staid din of dejection. They have slowly begun in chorus to rally one another, if not out of idealism, then simply for the the sake of their own livelihoods. Look to Northern Liberties, Fitler Square, and West Philly; these neighborhoods are flourishing. Although their prosperity, when cast against the welfare of the city, seems minimal, their impact as the agents of change, is widely heard. They've seized National Geographic's accolade as their call-to-arms and taken steps to mobilize the rest of the city. Their expectations may seem high and dreams even loftier, but these are the first ingredients in any recipe for change. (Look to sentiments of national politics and the Progressive Movement for additional justification)

Thankfully we have a new mayor who is one of them.

Any good parent can tell you that a few words of inspiration and positive reinforcement can go a long way in motivating your kids to create their edifice. The same paradigm applies to cities. We've been told our potential, accepted the challenge and are beginning to talk back. Help spread the word.

These meetings are a positive step in the right direction and I can only hope that civic participation embeds itself into the ethos of what can truly be the Next Great American City.


PS. The Planning Commission should re-Imagine its website as a necessary symbolic gesture

Waiting for readers

Part of the fun in doing these blogs is watching readership swell. Measuring readership after a whopping 3 posts over the course of a couple days may be premature, but how can I resist?

If you are reading this post now, you are likely the fifth reader! Be proud to follow in a long line of other famous fifths; Beethoven's fifth, The Fifth Amendment, The Fifth Element, and now of course you, the fifth reader of my blog.

I'll keep hitting refresh on my counter, waiting for lucky #6.

Where were you the day the stock market crashed?

I was sitting on my ass, in my living room, enjoying a day-off thanks to Martin (LKjr). Brett and I had just settled into our daily blog roll with the sweet sound of Armin Van Buuren's "State of Trance 2007" in the background, tickling our ears.

Brett pauses.
Decides his comment is worth rupturing the tunes for*.
Great.
He wails, "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

What Chicken Little meant was, the stock market is falling, the stock market is falling. Not quite the sky, but an equally impending cause for alarm. That's right, around the world people are losing money - and this time, it's the rich guys too. No need to post a link, just use the google. Try words like "stock market," "recession," or, "what any economist could have (and had) predicted months ago."

The catch? The stocks in America, like my lazy ass, are enjoying a day off as well thanks to Martin. But since Japan and Europe don't have (many) black people, their stock markets get to plummet a day before ours.

(*eep, preposition at end of sentence)

What's this fool gonna write about anyway?

Unlike most bloggers, whose intentions are nobler than to exploit the internet for self-aggrandizement, I can assure you that my blog will stay myopically focused on me and my musings. Instead of obsessing over inexorably fetishized subject-matters, like politics, hot guys and funny cats, my blog will reflect the ebb and flow of my psyche, in all its persnickety glory. For those who would appreciate a visual analogy, picture a child captivated on a floating bubble, who soon catches a glimpse of a butterfly, only to pursue it with wistful hands. I know it sounds somewhat frivolous, but rest assured you can count on a highly accurate, if not entertaining, description of said bubble and butterfly pursuit. If you're not much for bubbles and butterflies, I don't blame you, different strokes for different folks - just forgive the little gay toddler for chasing bubbles and butterflies. (Note: I will ask the reader to forgive my indulgences quite frequently)

Let the posting begin : )


*Props to thesaurus.com

The First Entry?

This blog has existed for about 6 months now and I have absolutely nothing to show for it. I have two draft posts sitting in the waiting room, but nothing ready for publishing. There are several reasons for reneging on my o-blog-ations (snark snark), some of which are forgivable and others which I'll attempt to justify.

Indolence, distractions, sleeping, inebriation, and stonedness - forgive me.

Lack of confidence in my writing, coupled with an inability to channel my thoughts into keyboard - I can explain.

When I started my blog, it began as another capricious interest on which I could fixate my attention until something newer, and equally ephemeral, came around to steal it away. In July (T-6 months) my attention was diverted to living in China. In September (T-4 months) it was hijacked by school. In subsequent months (T-3 months until the present: T) it was consumed with a combination of school and the aforementioned laundry list of forgivable lapses.

It became so easy to put-off because I had such lofty expectations for my first post. I tried crafting an elaborate, postmodern entry that would be self-conscious of its existence as a first blog post. I know - extremely lofty and unnecessarily presumptuous. The more I wrote, the more convoluted and pretentious it became. Eventually it evolved into a complex syllogism, exploring blogging's implications on confession and personal affirmation. Clearly I was getting entangled in the trappings of my own ego, having made little headway towards the completion of my first entry. So I decided to keep it on the back-burner (at time T=January, 6 months later) and write something (anything!) I could use to introduce my blog.

So yeah, that was it. And here's the rest:

Kinda underwhelming, considering I built this up for 6 months to myself. (and to Brett, for whom I hope this satiates 6 months of anticipation) Definitely not the earth-shattering (or even mountain-moving) first entry I fantasized about posting, but an important and quite necessary step to starting a blog. Not to mention, an equally important avowal myself.

If, and when, I terminate this blog in the very-distant future, I'll post the phantom first-entry as my last one, with some minor and major modifications. It probably won't live up to the pseudo-hype I built for it in my actual first post (this one), but it will likely provide the sentimental closure I'll seek. Kinda kitschy and cliche, but eh, forgive me.