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Thursday, 20 October 2005
show #6 - genrecidal maniac
Now Playing: the bernie mac show on upn
Topic: my podcasts

this one's a bit longer than i wanted it to be, but whatever. you can either stream or download the results. it's high time that i start providing some show notes on the blog, so here we go:

sunspot*radio free earth (on the podsafe music network)
lunchbox*brown bag
jason forrest*nightclothes and headphones (feat. laura cantrell)
radio shows mentioned: advanced d&d and the radio thrift shop
book mentioned: vinyl junkies by brett milano
dvd mentioned: deep crates documentary
phil moore browne*the smallest title
vivian fields middle school psa
capitol k*pillow
connoisseurs*uv
antipop consortium*ghostlawns (lfo rik waller mix)
bjork*enjoy (further over the edge mix)
the almighty k.o.*george bush doesn't care about black people

Posted by macedonia at 11:10 PM EDT
Updated: Saturday, 22 October 2005 8:52 PM EDT
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Friday, 14 October 2005
all up in the family
Now Playing: House Nation w/DJ Silver (eastvillageradio.com)

yesterday, Beth and i went by the hospital to see my grandma. she had surgery to get her gall bladder removed earlier this week. seems to be doing better, not as much discomfort. as much as i know she wants to get back to being her active self (she does more at age 83 than those considerably younger than her), i hope she takes it easy for a while. my mom will make sure of that - she's up from Virginia to keep an eye on her and was at the hospital when Beth and i got there.

yesterday was also my father's 62nd birthday. after some hesitation, i made sure to give him a call. i never liked the fact that a ten-minute phone conversation with my dad consisted of one minute of talking and nine minutes of silence. neither of us are great on the phone, so i know where i get it from. as of late, i've often thought to myself that we should be able to find more to talk about, being father and son and all. (one of the best conversations i ever had with him was two years ago on his 60th birthday, his words fueled by too much gin so the truth had no choice but to come out. i really will have to share that story someday...) plus the rain and the job have had me in a very foul mood lately and i just didn't feel like going through that last night. even so, i called him anyway.

while i was at the hospital last night, i told mom how i felt. she suggested that his ability to recall memory and thought isn't what it used to be, and she noticed that one of the last times she talked to him. i never thought of that before, but when i talked to him last night, for the first time i heard it, and a lot of things started to make sense. Beth talked with him also and confirmed the same: it takes him a while to search for the right words. mom said that she wouldn't be surprised if he ended up getting Alzheimer's like his mother. while the doctors say that it's not hereditary, ma dukes doesn't believe that's the case. obviously, i hope that doesn't happen, but i wouldn't be completely and totally surprised if it did.

i'm not sure how far back substance abuse goes with my father, but i know enough to know that when i was a young boy playing in the back seat of his green Cadillac Eldorado, he was freebasing with his friends in the front seat. i saw that with my own eyes. i saw the burn marks on the pipe sometime before that and wondered what it was used for. outside of hard drugs, he smoked cigarettes for many years. a cigarette was like an appetizer that goes along with your evening meal for him. it was like that for a lot of my relatives on my father's side. kind of a shock that i never picked up the habit, but not really: when you have to hang up your clothes in the garage after holiday functions because your outfit absorbed enough second hand smoke to make people mistake you for a chimmney sweep, it's somewhat difficult to find smoking glamorous after that.

so i think about one of my intellectual comedic heroes...Richard Pryor. i think about the abuse he put his body through regarding cocaine and how upfront he was about it with his audience in his comedy routines. i also think about the fact that he has multiple sclerosis now, which has advanced to the point where he can hardly speak, if at all. while i don't think that drugs are a direct cause, it is possible that such substance intake over a prolonged period of time can break down a body's defenses. maybe the same thing's happening with my father. i don't think it's just age. my other grandmother (my dad's mother) was as sharp as a tack until the Alzheimer's hit.

and here i am, having the nerve to feel old before my time at 31 years of age (going on 32). riiiiiiight. suuuuuuuuuuure you're old.

Posted by macedonia at 4:18 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 12 October 2005
rainy day thoughts
Now Playing: the sound of silence (for once) in my office...

once again, mother nature has mistaken new york for seattle. it's been raining buckets for the past five days or so. this is some biblical "40 days and 40 nights" stuff here. we're all gonna need an ark by the time it's all over. i think i'm finally dry from this morning's commute only to have to do my best duck imitation in about an hour or so. my shoes and socks are still damp, however. one of these days, i'm gonna invest in a pair of galoshes - they aren't fashionable, but they keep your feet dry. nothing will make me sulk quicker than the feeling of rain-soaked shoes on my feet.

this morning was truly horrible. the heaviest rain seemed to come during my walk to the train station. there was no avoiding the puddles. my feet were soaked long before i made it to the train. my raincoat and umbrella were of no use at all - i may as well have gone outside without them. it's especially difficult to get motivated on days like these. it's still dark outside when i wake up in the morning and kinda cold, too. pouring rain just adds a sense of futility to the whole day. usually, i get to work 30 minutes before i have to do the customer service racket. recently, i've been getting to work right on time. although i'm not late (i don't believe in being late to anything), prep time before the work day begins is usually best. particularly when your work place tends to be catty, petty, and generally poisonous to one's spirit.

been a while since i've written a work post, mainly because what i do doesn't deserve the space. but better to get it out now rather than keep it bottled up and go pyro on something or someone later. it's not like i haven't written about work because things are hunky dory - far from it. i just think that there are better uses for the blog, period. it's been a little over two years since circumstances beyond my control pushed me into the customer service field, and while i'm at a better job in terms of pay and benefits, in no way, shape, or form am i proud of the work i do. if it were a job that i found fulfilling, that would be a different story. but since it isn't, why post about that? why remix the same song umpteen times if the melody remains the same? you get the idea the first time.

i will say this, though: there's a lot of lying involved with this job. that doesn't sit well with me. not in the realm of insider trading or embezzlement or a white lady drowning her kids and then dialing 1-900-BLAME-A-BROTHER, but little white lies. the kind that add up. the kind you need to keep track of. the kind you have to spend time remembering who you told what. the kind that's encouraged by management. that sh*t's tiresome. and it's not just a matter of Christian ethics here, although that has a lot to do with it. i'm about to turn 32 years old. i'm restless, i'm sarcastic, i'm dangerously embittered, and i'm rapidly losing the ability to lie to people in general. i figure, why bother? it's much easier to tell the truth. if it hurts you, you'll get over it. if it pisses off a customer, too bad. that and i'm tired of having entirely too much to remember in terms of policies and what to do when and what to say when. and the moment you start to learn the tune, that's precisely the time when someone over your head switches up the tempo. TIRED, TIRED, TIRED, TIRED, TIRED.

it's sad in a way...what i get paid to do, i care nothing about. i have absolutely no idea who's listening to the podcast or how many listen, but i'm totally into it. totally obsessed with anything having to do with music, technology, and how they tie into popular culture and the sociopolitical angles found within certain art. not getting a dime from any of it and it doesn't matter.

gotta go. time to get wet now. quack.

Posted by macedonia at 5:38 PM EDT
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Thursday, 6 October 2005
now, that's what i call a photo op...
Now Playing: Monica's radio show on wfmu.org
Topic: music appreciation

i'm really regretting not being at the Future of Music Policy Summit after checking out some of the panels. thankfully, podcasts and streaming video of each panel can be found here. i highly recommend the interview with George Clinton and Hank Shocklee as they discuss sampling. classic.

Posted by macedonia at 10:41 AM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 20 October 2005 11:18 PM EDT
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"a little drum music, if you please..."
Now Playing: Monica's radio show on wfmu.org
Topic: my podcasts

a bit funky, a bit minimal, a bit tribal...and a bit short at 30 minutes and change, but i've come to appreciate the time constraints of the podcast. it means that you can't mess around, that you ought to showcase the best and leave the rest for someone else. it's like a release on seven-inch vinyl: you only have so such surface area to play around with. seeing as how that's the case, YOU BETTA BRING IT.

now, i don't claim to be the house maestro, but here are some joints i strung together. as always, available to stream or download.

Posted by macedonia at 10:40 AM EDT
Updated: Monday, 10 October 2005 11:02 PM EDT
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Thursday, 29 September 2005
down with o.p.p. (other people's podcasts)
Now Playing: Mike Lupica's show on wfmu.org
Topic: music appreciation

the first music podcast i listened to was a show called Accident Hash, hosted by C.C. Chapman. his show is based in Boston, featuring "podsafe" rock and roll (i.e., permission granted by the artists before playing). while the music might not be my cup of tea, i do like how the shows are structured, although depending upon which show you listen to, you could make a drinking game out of every time he says, "these guys ROCK."

it was through C.C. Chapman's show that i found out about another show called In Over Your Head. Julien Smith hosts this podcast comin' straight outta Canada - he's a crack-up. his music selection is somewhat reflective of my own tastes. he plays a lot of independent hip-hop - Anticon artists get love from him more often than not - but also dives into some indie rock and electronic stuff from time to time. that and i just like him as a host...Julien's a main part of why i'm drawn to the show. his ramblings don't feel aimless or over-the-top and i dig that about him. always funny, always observational. been taking some notes from this show, seeing as how i'm testing the waters with a podcast of my own. been listening to a number of different music podcasts to hear how the host and music flow. i keep coming back to Julien's, though: the combination of the music and the rants just feels right.

recently checked out the first edition of Podshow Music Rewind, a weekly show featuring the best moments from the Podshow music podcasts. out of all of the music podcasts getting larger exposure over at Podshow, i'm feelin' In Over Your Head the most. you can feel the difference when Julien's featured compared to the others, in my opinion, although i will say that it's good to experience all those different shows in one place - smart idea on Podshow's part. still i can't see myself putting on the "power radio" voice of the PMR host (check out the show, you'll see what i mean...). i hear that voice and i think to myself...i thought podcasts were supposed to offer an escape from all that. but hey, that's just me talkin'.

basically, i'm learning from others who have come before me...just like back in the day during my years at WCDB. if i remember the lessons from the past and stay open to what can happen with Radio BSOTS in the future (and keep at it), i think i'll do alright...

Posted by macedonia at 5:16 PM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 20 October 2005 11:18 PM EDT
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Friday, 23 September 2005
black feminist manhood? EXCUSE ME?!?!?
Now Playing: Under Feather - "The Little Bug That Thought He Could"
Topic: articles

very few brothers tend to be on some ol' male feminist steez, but if you've ever read any books penned by Mark Anthony Neal, you know he specializes in thinking outside the box. but if you're still not hip to my man's brilliance, or if you're sitting there thinking, "what the hell is a male feminist?!?", check out this brief interview on NPR to hear it explained in the author's own words...

Posted by macedonia at 5:08 PM EDT
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"that's groovy, oh yeah..."
Now Playing: Bring That Beat Back with Billy Jam (wfmu.org)
Topic: my podcasts

finally uploaded the second half of the September shows to the website. still bouncing around and it feels good. KRS-ONE tells it to you straight, Gold Chains got his baller game on, a techno cover of a Paul McCartney tune, and closing with a lil' somethin' for the wifey. check it out as a streaming webcast or direct download.

if you would like to subscribe to this podcast, simply copy and paste the following XML link into your iTunes or other podcatching software:
http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/bsots/sound/radiobsots.rss

brother man's gonna need more webspace soon. ON THE CHEAP.

Posted by macedonia at 1:22 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 21 September 2005
GOD's gonna trouble the water...
Now Playing: Transpacific Sound Paradise on wfmu.org
Topic: articles

few black public intellectuals are in the public eye and are seen or heard through various media channels as much as Michael Eric Dyson. as an ordained Baptist minister, he is able to straddle the line that connects the halls of academia to the pulpit. many brothers and sisters of the mind have used Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath to hand out critical pimp slaps upside the heads of what they call "the New Black Church," specifically its focus on materialism and blessings in the form of bling. certainly this is something that needs to be addressed, what with Jesus being a champion of the poor and oppressed peoples of the earth.

and that's exactly what makes this article from Dyson so relevant. it explains the significance of the black church and spirituality to those outside of those experiences. at the same time, for all those who are familiar with and are a part of the Christian faith, it reinforces the stance that the church ought to have regarding social action within communities across this nation and the world. one hundred percent on-point.

Posted by macedonia at 4:33 PM EDT
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Monday, 19 September 2005
sixth & thirteenth: how *not* to celebrate your anniversary...
Now Playing: Little Brother - "Lovin' It (feat. Joe Scudda)

so, how did our anniversary go this year? not the way we expected, but certainly memorable.

yesterday, Beth and i celebrated six years of marriage and 13 years of togetherness. we were making our way down to Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturday for this rooftop party. we were on the Grand Central Parkway en route to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway when we hit a pothole and the left front tire blew out. Beth describes the GCP as the "Autobahn of New York" and rightly so: people fly like bats outta hell on that road. Beth pulled over to the few places where there actually was a shoulder on the side of the road and took a look at the tire. we were basically riding on the rim: we hit the pothole with such force that the valve popped right out of the tire. she tried to get us to the next exit but to no avail - the tire started smoking.

so we stopped (in the right lane, no shoulder), put the hazards on and start flagging people away from the car. it was the only dancing we were meant to do that day. (that and flinching when cars came too close to us). i can't tell you what it does to your morale to motion oncoming cars over to the next lane, only to have them honk at you and flip you the bird because you're in their way...AS IF YOU'RE DOING THIS TO THEM ON PURPOSE. i've gotta get out of this country, even if only for a two-week vacation. at any rate, this went on for the better portion of an hour. Beth called the cops, but they never came. (had she informed them that five black guys were assaulting a white woman, i guarantee you they would've fallen out of the sky and set up roadblocks.) she called her folks, she called Geico roadside assistance. two good Samaritans offered a push, but we couldn't go anywhere on that tire. we needed a tow.

somebody finally came and got us out of there, but they had no towing truck. their partner ended up driving our car to a service spot anyway. i don't even want to get into the money spent for a new tire and service and all that...just depressing. but if it were a choice between the money or our lives, i'll give up the cash. nobody hit us, nobody hit our car, and we lived to talk about it over pricey Thai food back home.

after our harrowing experience, we decided to exchange gifts a day early. perhaps better than that was hearing my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nine year-old niece sing "happy anniversary" to us over the phone...TO THE TUNE OF "THE WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE." i wish someone had a video camera recording that - supposedly, my niece was dancing frenetically the whole time.

we got out of the city on Saturday about 45 minutes before ominous clouds came through and a thunderstorm started. so as bad as things were that day, they could've been a whole lot worse. now, there's a story to tell our future children...

Posted by macedonia at 5:09 PM EDT
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