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I Couldn't Hold Back
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When I started this new blog I had a couple of "resolutions." First, one that has been true for both of my blogs, I wasn't going to engage in any "I took my cat to the vet today" entries. Despite all the hype blogs get, 90% of them are about people taking their cats to the vet. I don't have a cat so we're all safe here.
Secondly, I was going to take "me" out of it. On the last one I went on at length about my work history, my own frustrations and delights, etc., but then realized maybe I should have been posting the ingredients from the side of a ketchup bottle, for all the impact it made.
Third, I wasn't going to recite what CD's I had bought lately.
However if I don't break my resolutions you'll have nothing to read. So here goes...
Another Threadbare Attempt
Yesterday, after I took my cat to the vet, we had a "skip level meeting" at work. This is where we get to grouse directly to the #1 and #2 in charge at the call center. Number One quickly excused himself and said further grousing should be directed to Number Two. So one of my co-workers made the astute observation that there was nowhere to advance to in the call center. At best you can move to another position that still involves being on the phone all day with angry customers and make $40 more a week...maybe. Number Two said that there were other call centers you could also go to and, uh, have some kind of raise.
Somewhere in here she mentioned knowing people in the PR department. Aha, my kind of thing! Well, maybe not running around shaking hands and smiling, but maybe writing some B.S. press releases. So after the meeting I asked her if I hadn't brought her one of my portfolio folders before; apparently not. Of course she said the PR department was hard to get into and they usually wanted someone with a journalism background, which reinforced that they really know nothing about me at all in this place. If you sit there with your headset/harness on all day answering the phone/plowing the field, they think that's all there is to you.
So anyhow I've put together yet another folder of my efforts, my "box set," and I'll present it to her this morning. She'll then decide I'm overqualified, or too annoying, to continue working here and will begin thinking of ways to get me out. Or she'll say, "Well, we really do most of this stuff out-of-house and you have to have a lot of years with an agency." Or both. It'll be something. I probably just get ego gratification from showing people my box set.
The CD Binge Continues
Sitting down to write thoughtful, compelling blog entries takes a lot of time and energy that I don't have. Blowing your money on Amazon and E-Bay is very easy, though, and I've excelled at that lately. I've been on a huuuge music binge, and happily so.
Humble Pie, Smokin' - I heard this one about 15 years ago and for some reason didn't get into it. Now I don't know why. One of my favorite albums of all time in just one listen. Have Rock On on order now, and will get more soon.
Jeff Beck Group, Truth - Good stuff, and it has turned me onto Rod Stewart. Due to this I now have the following two on the way...
The Faces, Good Boys...When They're Asleep (Rhino greatest hits) and Rod Stewart: Mercury Years Anthology
Cinderella, Night Songs, Long Cold Winter and Heartbreak Station - I saw Cinderella three times as a teen, and they put on the best, flashiest shows of the era. Tom Keifer also had enough taste that these shouldn't be totally embarassing to listen to when I finally put them in the CD player.
Dokken, Under Lock and Key - I expect to feel slightly embarassed when I listen to this one, but only while tapping my foot and humming along. Except for Breaking the Chains my collection of classic Dokken is complete!
The Black Crowes, Shake Your Moneymaker and a live one with Jimmy Page - Either the Black Crowes stole my musical thunder way back when, or the crappy, solid state Valvestate amplifier I played did; I've never been sure which. I found Shake Your Moneymaker the least impressive of their first three albums that I'm familiar with, but it was their biggest and is a touchstone of that time. As for the Jimmy Page one...well, I just can't wait to hear this. Except for maybe the second Firm album I now have anything remotely worthwhile Jimmy Page did post-Led Zeppelin.
Anthrax, Live: The Island Years - Anthrax was one of the few bands of the speed metal genre I could ever stand. The live stuff on their I'm the Man EP particularly impressed me, and I hope this stuff is at least nearly as interesting. And hey, is anybody else watching Supergroup on VH-1?!
Ratt, Detonator - I always envied my pal Scott's pop metal collection when we were in middle school and early high school (my parents thought Boy George represented every rock n' roll singer and would have flipped to have seen their 12 year old bringing some of this stuff in), and Ratt always struck me as one of the best of the genre. I now have everything with the classic lineup except their first EP which now goes for about $50 on CD on E-Bay. Haven't put this one in yet, either, but I know it's gonna be...well, I'm glad to have it!
ZZ Top, Eliminator - another touchstone of the early `80's. Great stuff to listen to as Bush ruins the nation*.
*Token political comment for those who enjoy such things. |
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Posted by Art | 8:06 AM EST |
6 comments
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Humble Pie, try "Live at the Fillmore". Between that and Smokin' you'll have their best work.
As for the Crowes..."Amorica" and "Three Snakes One Charm".
Now, please sir, step away from the heavy metal.
This Mercury anthology has four or five songs from Stewart's first five solo albums, so that may fill me for Rod Stewart or maybe I'll have to get each album for the two or three tracks left out.
I've had Rockin' the Fillmore for awhile. Smokin' is just a completely different level, though. Rock On was the one just before Fillmore and Smokin', so I have high hopes for it. Gotta get the self-titled one, too. I read Steve Mariott's son still lives in Atlanta and plays with all sorts of crappy local alternative bands!
I got Amorica back when it came out.
Bush is the best president we've had since Herbert Hoover.
None of my business, but I think you might really enjoy some old Johnny Winter.