I Love Beaker!

July 23, 2008 at 9:38 pm · Filed under Commentary

These two videos had me laughing pretty hard.

BONUS!  Feist on Sesame Street singing a special rendition of her song “1 2 3 4″.

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The Case of the Subliminal

July 17, 2008 at 1:18 pm · Filed under Commentary, Life

It sometimes amazes me how my subconscious works insidiously behind my back. I suppose that is the nature of the subconscious: to provide subtle hints toward true motives and emotions.

I am a big proponent of the well thought out mixtape. I derive great joy in modelling a mix around both the tastes of a person as well as a theme. Sometimes the theme can be as simple as a pregame mix or as complicated as a story told through song. For me to make a mixtape for someone usually takes between three days to a week. I’ve even had a mix take two weeks before I finally thought it was complete.

Yes, you could say I take a mixtape too seriously. In some ways, I would agree. But to me, handing someone a mixtape is like saying, “Hi, my name is Mattie and this is who I am right now.” I’m just now realizing how true that statement is.

I’ve been looking back at the playlists to various Matsie Mixes from the past few years. (Yes, I name and number every mix I make for someone.) After looking at the songs put on different mixes for different people at different times, I can see subtle hints as to how I felt at that time. Emotions that I only realized later, rather than actively feeling them.

In a mix I made for a friend last year, I can hear the distrust I had for that friend make itself evident in the music I chose. I didn’t come to grips and address this distrust until several months later.

A mix I made several years ago for a very close friend hinted at the fear I had of losing this friend. All this unbenknownst to me until quite recently.

Perhaps this is a case of perfect hindsight. That is very possible. But I do find it fascinating that despite all the effort I put into conveying a specific message in a mix that another almost subliminal message can be found.

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Truth in Advertising?

June 18, 2008 at 10:36 pm · Filed under Commentary

I despise those anti-smoking “truth” advertisements on television.  I think that feeding young people a load of b.s and propaganda is no way to get them on your side.  Unfortunately, it seems these adverts are effective.

My latest grievance with these flashy advertisements is the fact that they pull quotes from memorandums and press conferences from 40 years ago and try to tell me that is still a relevant quote.

“In 1978, when a big tobacco executive was reminded that smoking can lead to underweight babies, he said, “Some women would prefer smaller babies.” - quote from truth ad

Hmm.  This quote is from 1978 and it’s 2008 now.  That is thirty years ago and there has been thirty years of change in medical knowledge and in the attitude toward women in the workplace and at home.  In 1978, the U.S. was still transitioning from a completely male dominated workplace to one where women played a more prevalent role.  That kind of misogynistic and ignorant quote comes from that era.  Albeit, women still do not have equal pay, but we are in a VERY different atmosphere today.

This quote has no relevance to the Truth ad campaign against modern day smoking.  If we were in 1980, then yes, this would be a pertinent quote to use — and a powerful one at that!  I hope thirty years from now, people will not take things I say now and hold them to be a completely accurate portrayal of how I feel then.

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