http://youtube.com/watch?v=jBWdRMQfjdo
I love me some R.E.M. I just stumbled across this song on Youtube and remembered how much I enjoyed it. I bought the DVD best-of featuring all of their videos when it came out, and this song was the ‘bonus’ new tracks. It didn’t get a lot of play when it was released–too different from what constitutes popular mainstream music. It’s kind of tough realising that your tastes have fallen out of fashion, but it’s comforting when the music and the message are still good, still hold up years later.
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I was out for a quick drink with friends last night, to celebrate a birthday, when the topic of blogging and ‘internet fame’ started to come up. It’s my opinion that you should not say (write) anything on the internet, anywhere, that you don’t want to be considered as the highlight in a television show starring you, on an all-you television channel. I kind of treat my interaction with the internet as generating content for “The Christopher Butcher Show!” which is pretty sneer-worthy, admittedly, but it’s the safest way to put any aspect of your personality or opinion into the public view; as a professional, polished product.
It’s also why I can get snarky/snappy with my posts and responses, because trying to put something solid and defensible can take priority over some of the stated goals of online participation, like conversation or civility. So, yeah. Sorry if I get unecessarily grouchy every once in a while. I think my whole post about Hibbs’ column was probably a lot more aggro than it needed to be, and every time I read Dirk characterising something I’ve written as “tearing apart” my opponent I shudder a little bit…
As for when I’m necessarily grouchy? No apologies there.
Incidentally, writer Ray Fawkes (Mnemovore, Apocalipstix) is an absolute treasure. If you have the opportunity to buy him a drink and chat with him for the evening, I highly recommend it.
– Chris