Tuesday, November 20, 2007
unemployed. what a life we live in.
once again, i find myself on the chopping block. in less than three months i have been canned from two seperate jobs. this might even be a new record for myself. i was employed for a month at a canadian web design firm which i will not name for legal purposes. the role was a simple one: maintain the booking system they use and support the rest of the staff when needed. i did what i was asked, however was let go for lack of 'passion'. who could have passion about what really was just an hr role? the reasoning behind people's choices really baffles me. and now i'm in the job market, looking for whatever opportunity floats on by. i don't want to get back into sales again, but i have a feeling that might be one of my only options. to have my former company email me like they did was a longshot. something that will never happen again. could i have helped myself from being canned? could i have shown that passion they were so looking for? quite possibly, but i really can't see how. the man who orchestrated the firing is a smug bastard of indeterminate middle age. he has a fat face and a fat gut to match. his kids probably hate his guts and his wife must think of him a fool. i know i do. why else would he make such a foolish error in letting me go? this is more of a rant than a blog, that much can be said. i still have to convey the terrible news to my amazing partner. that won't go over well. i wonder what it is like living with someone who constantly fails at what he does. it can't be very uplifting, can it? i'll wait until she gets home to tell her. i don't want her to be upset at work. and i know she will be. i was off work for two months, now i face another undetermined period without money coming in. what am i to do? ~G
Friday, November 16, 2007
overdue and underpaid
I know it's a little past the due date, but here is the actual review that was posted on jambase.com:
The vibe inside Amsterdam's Paradiso was something to reckon with. We were there for one reason and one reason alone: to witness the reformed original lineup of hardcore punk icons Bad Brains with Dr. Know, Earl Hudson, Darryl Jenifer and H.R.. When these legendary Rastafarians took stage to kick out their typical repertoire, which moves from sensuous dub reggae into blasting hardcore as if the two were meant for each other, eyes lit up.
Their set featured a mix of new and old songs, fast and slow, politically motivated and emotionally inspired. With H.R. center stage, his persona, once that of a no-nonsense politically devoted Rasta, has mellowed considerably. This was a massive contrast to his overly animated, wildly aggressive stage performances of the late '70s and early '80s when the band first started performing. This night he wore white-rimmed sunglasses and a headscarf of the sort your grandmother would have draped over her coffee table. Displaying his trademark Cheshire grin, H.R. stood at the microphone with little movement, switching between Nixon-esque peace signs and pressing his hands together like he was praying to his own private god.
"You're such an energetic crowd!," H.R. said to the sold out Paradiso. The band weaved through their varied songbook including everyone's favourite songs, starting with "Sailin' On" and ending with "Supertouch." Watching Dr. Know's fingers rip across the frets like wildfire, I could see why Bad Brains are one of the most influential hardcore punk bands ever formed. No matter what the song, whether the soft reggae beats of "I Luv I Juh" and "I and I Survive" or the heavy, screeching guitars of "Banned in D.C.," "Right Brigade" and "The Big Takeover," the crowd danced appropriately.
The only disappointment was the length of the set, a paltry hour. For a cover charge of just over 18 euros one expects more than that. The punters knowingly agreed with me, filtering their disappointments into hundreds of plastic beer cups that were hurled on stage following the band's exit.
As a fan of hardcore punk since I was a troublesome teenager, seeing Bad Brains live was, in a way, a relief. Growing up, bands like Bad Brains, Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat were the cornerstones of the scene. A chance to see Bad Brains in the flesh was a definitive moment for myself and many other hardcore music fans.
The vibe inside Amsterdam's Paradiso was something to reckon with. We were there for one reason and one reason alone: to witness the reformed original lineup of hardcore punk icons Bad Brains with Dr. Know, Earl Hudson, Darryl Jenifer and H.R.. When these legendary Rastafarians took stage to kick out their typical repertoire, which moves from sensuous dub reggae into blasting hardcore as if the two were meant for each other, eyes lit up.
Their set featured a mix of new and old songs, fast and slow, politically motivated and emotionally inspired. With H.R. center stage, his persona, once that of a no-nonsense politically devoted Rasta, has mellowed considerably. This was a massive contrast to his overly animated, wildly aggressive stage performances of the late '70s and early '80s when the band first started performing. This night he wore white-rimmed sunglasses and a headscarf of the sort your grandmother would have draped over her coffee table. Displaying his trademark Cheshire grin, H.R. stood at the microphone with little movement, switching between Nixon-esque peace signs and pressing his hands together like he was praying to his own private god.
"You're such an energetic crowd!," H.R. said to the sold out Paradiso. The band weaved through their varied songbook including everyone's favourite songs, starting with "Sailin' On" and ending with "Supertouch." Watching Dr. Know's fingers rip across the frets like wildfire, I could see why Bad Brains are one of the most influential hardcore punk bands ever formed. No matter what the song, whether the soft reggae beats of "I Luv I Juh" and "I and I Survive" or the heavy, screeching guitars of "Banned in D.C.," "Right Brigade" and "The Big Takeover," the crowd danced appropriately.
The only disappointment was the length of the set, a paltry hour. For a cover charge of just over 18 euros one expects more than that. The punters knowingly agreed with me, filtering their disappointments into hundreds of plastic beer cups that were hurled on stage following the band's exit.
As a fan of hardcore punk since I was a troublesome teenager, seeing Bad Brains live was, in a way, a relief. Growing up, bands like Bad Brains, Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat were the cornerstones of the scene. A chance to see Bad Brains in the flesh was a definitive moment for myself and many other hardcore music fans.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)