With over 70 posts since I started posting my inner-most thoughts here on 11/16/04, I've decided to close up shop. Only 'sorta close though.
See, over the past year I've had a small - and appreciated - group of close friends read this thing. I never bothered to promote the blog or put up subscription feeds, because it was mostly for my friends entertainment and my own release. Well, being on MySpace for a while now, I figured it might be a bit more sensible to integrate my blogging into that and open up the chatter to a wider audience of friends. So if you're still here (yep, another looong gap in posts) I'll be around, just set up at another address. If you're not one of my good friends, but you've been reading from time-to-time because you've somewhat enjoyed these random musings, please follow me over there and add me to your friends list - it'll even make you look more popular!
I'll be here: http://www.myspace.com/dreamingsfree
Peace, love, and fishgrease.
- E
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
I Can't Sleep
A little too much going on upstairs tonight. Usually I'm the type to be out like a rock too.
What do you do when you can't sleep? When you've got too much racing through your mind. I've never taken a middle-of-the-night run but right now seems like a good time for one.
What do you do when you can't sleep? When you've got too much racing through your mind. I've never taken a middle-of-the-night run but right now seems like a good time for one.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Speaking of Sports Radio...
I started another blog project with my friend Aaron. If you didn't just stumble across this blog, there's a good chance I've told you about it. If you're still in the dark, click here.
Not 100% sure if we're going to do the podcast, but keep your eyes open and please, please, please spread the good word.
Not 100% sure if we're going to do the podcast, but keep your eyes open and please, please, please spread the good word.
Top 5 Dream Jobs
"Thank God dreaming's free, 'cause I spent all my money on make believe" - Ryan Adams
One of the characteristics of my personality that has definitely been evident over the course of writing this blog is my penchant for lists. Making lists of things to do, things I like and ranking things. It's definitely my main idiosyncracy. It's also a small reason (of many) that I love the movie High Fidelity. Outside of the standout humor scenes of the movie, one of my favorites is when Rob (John Cusak's character) breaks down his dream jobs with a top 5 list, the running motif of the movie. I saw the movie on t.v. a few weeks ago and thought about my own top 5 then and when popped back into my mind again today, I thought I'd make a quick post about it.
Now unlike Rob, I can accept at this point that it really isn't feasible for me to become a professional football player or a musician in a well-known rock band (a small-time band would be tough given my lack of experience on any instrument). Instead, I'm going to focus on things that I could actually do given my skills and potential ability to be successful in the position.
1. Independent record label owner (Second-tier: replace label with any business)
2. Writer/Producer for television or movies
3. Full-time travel writer/travel show host
4. Copywriter/Creative Director at my dream ad/marketing agency (ie. Crispin Porter, GSD&M, etc.)
5. Sports radio show host
Now looking at this list, it doesn't look like any of them would be impossible. The problem I always have is pinpointing one thing and dedicating myself solely to it. If I had to choose which would be easiest right now, I would have to go with the Copywriter gig, BUT it would be more of a hybrid creative communications position involving marketing copywriting, blogging, and marketing within social media and new media. Out of all of them, my ultimate gig would be a toss up between owning an independent label and being a writer/producer. I'd be quite happy owning any business that I was passionate as an alternative to the record label as well.
Sitting here reflecting on this list and the possibilities of my future, I know I can land one of them. I just need focus...and a whole lotta grit, determination and resilience. New goal? Be sitting in one of these positions within the next five years...that is, unless I've found something better.
One of the characteristics of my personality that has definitely been evident over the course of writing this blog is my penchant for lists. Making lists of things to do, things I like and ranking things. It's definitely my main idiosyncracy. It's also a small reason (of many) that I love the movie High Fidelity. Outside of the standout humor scenes of the movie, one of my favorites is when Rob (John Cusak's character) breaks down his dream jobs with a top 5 list, the running motif of the movie. I saw the movie on t.v. a few weeks ago and thought about my own top 5 then and when popped back into my mind again today, I thought I'd make a quick post about it.
Now unlike Rob, I can accept at this point that it really isn't feasible for me to become a professional football player or a musician in a well-known rock band (a small-time band would be tough given my lack of experience on any instrument). Instead, I'm going to focus on things that I could actually do given my skills and potential ability to be successful in the position.
1. Independent record label owner (Second-tier: replace label with any business)
2. Writer/Producer for television or movies
3. Full-time travel writer/travel show host
4. Copywriter/Creative Director at my dream ad/marketing agency (ie. Crispin Porter, GSD&M, etc.)
5. Sports radio show host
Now looking at this list, it doesn't look like any of them would be impossible. The problem I always have is pinpointing one thing and dedicating myself solely to it. If I had to choose which would be easiest right now, I would have to go with the Copywriter gig, BUT it would be more of a hybrid creative communications position involving marketing copywriting, blogging, and marketing within social media and new media. Out of all of them, my ultimate gig would be a toss up between owning an independent label and being a writer/producer. I'd be quite happy owning any business that I was passionate as an alternative to the record label as well.
Sitting here reflecting on this list and the possibilities of my future, I know I can land one of them. I just need focus...and a whole lotta grit, determination and resilience. New goal? Be sitting in one of these positions within the next five years...that is, unless I've found something better.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Feelin' the music
I haven't written about music in a while and with the variety I've been rotating lately, I figured it was a good time. I've always felt like people listen to music for two different reasons: because of melodic enjoyment (the way it moves your body) and because of a lyrical message that resonates with them. Some people seem more geared towards one or the other, but I pretty much fall in between, favoring each type based on my mood and the setting. Here's some of the new music that I've been into lately and my reasons for "feelin' it."
For the former:
Wolfmother - Love Train
Jamie Lidell - Multiply (dope blue-eyed soul!)
The Roots - Doesn't Seem Right
Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes (Saw them perform it Live @ First Ave - AWESOME)
Snow Patrol - Hands Open
The latter:
Mason Jennings - Be Here Now
The Raconteurs - Together
Rogue Wave - Eyes
Drive By Truckers - Dress Blues (Live on The Current)
Download those songs and you've got a start to a pretty hot mix. For more goodies, check out this live recording of Bloc Party's set at the recent Coachella Valley Music Festival.
For the former:
Wolfmother - Love Train
Jamie Lidell - Multiply (dope blue-eyed soul!)
The Roots - Doesn't Seem Right
Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes (Saw them perform it Live @ First Ave - AWESOME)
Snow Patrol - Hands Open
The latter:
Mason Jennings - Be Here Now
The Raconteurs - Together
Rogue Wave - Eyes
Drive By Truckers - Dress Blues (Live on The Current)
Download those songs and you've got a start to a pretty hot mix. For more goodies, check out this live recording of Bloc Party's set at the recent Coachella Valley Music Festival.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Papa's got a brand new Mac
Soon enough anyway. After a long-awaited release, I jumped online this morning to find the MacBook glamourously featured all over the front page of Apple's site. About $1500 later (bought the Apple 3-year warranty), my spankin' new laptop is on it's way.
It can't come soon enough.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Finding purpose in what we do
If you've been reading my rants, raves and ruminations here for a while, you know quite well that this blog is more of an inconsistently updated personal journal than a themed or focused piece of editorial. While I often write about my passions and things I enjoy, such as music or sports, I also sometimes delve into deeper thoughts and personal stories. Well, here's one for the latter so leave right now if you were expecting fun.
If you did read a few months ago, you probably caught me sharing thoughts about my first "career" job and how I felt about the whole career thing in general. I was uncertain if I made the right choice taking the job I did, as I wasn't totally in line with the things I had been passionate about for a while. Well, since then it's been a lot better. As the situation has been, the position/industry is not ideal, but I'm getting great experience in a wide variety of things and seeing where my work impacts the business, so I've started to enjoy it more and see its benefits.
In addition to thinking about my initial career out of college and the life that comes with the 9-5 grind, I began thinking about the bigger picture. For one, how I might be in this type of work lifestyle for the rest of my life. On a deeper level, I began contemplating the purpose of what I do.
When you're bored at work or sitting in traffic on the way home, there's A LOT of time to think. Sitting in a car and looking out and seeing tons of other cars, you start wondering what the life of the person in the lane next to you is like - and then, how big the world is. And you're just one person on a globe that's filled with billions.
So this is something that has been on my mind lately. In addition to continuing to try to enjoy my work and eventually putting myself in the position where I love what I do, I've been thinking about my place in the world and validating what I do in that career that I go to for 8-9 hours a day. Sure this is easy to do if you're a doctor or a teacher, but if you work in Marketing or PR? Maybe the purpose of life is as simple as us just being here to experience life and enjoy it as much as we can. But I also feel an inherent push to find something greater in what I do. And that's an immensely added weight of thoughts for someone already questioning if they enjoy their job on a level of self-satifaction.
Do you have ever have these type of thoughts or do I just think about this stuff too much for a 23-year old with most of his life ahead of him? None of this would matter if I was content with "just getting by." But I'm not. My girlfriend questions my level of spirituality and though while I guess I don't casually bring up subjects this profound very often, there's a whole lot going on in the internal monologue. I think I've just started to scratch the surface of the spiritual exploration and it's not something you figure out overnight.
So recently I decided to get myself involved in more activities outside of work. I think more involvement these things will suck up the free time I have to ponder what I'm doing with my life and cure my need to question it in the first place.
This post has probably gone in circles so excuse me if it was a bit of a ramble.
CURRENT LISTENING: The Postal Service/Ben Gibbard - Recycled Air (acoustic)
If you did read a few months ago, you probably caught me sharing thoughts about my first "career" job and how I felt about the whole career thing in general. I was uncertain if I made the right choice taking the job I did, as I wasn't totally in line with the things I had been passionate about for a while. Well, since then it's been a lot better. As the situation has been, the position/industry is not ideal, but I'm getting great experience in a wide variety of things and seeing where my work impacts the business, so I've started to enjoy it more and see its benefits.
In addition to thinking about my initial career out of college and the life that comes with the 9-5 grind, I began thinking about the bigger picture. For one, how I might be in this type of work lifestyle for the rest of my life. On a deeper level, I began contemplating the purpose of what I do.
When you're bored at work or sitting in traffic on the way home, there's A LOT of time to think. Sitting in a car and looking out and seeing tons of other cars, you start wondering what the life of the person in the lane next to you is like - and then, how big the world is. And you're just one person on a globe that's filled with billions.
So this is something that has been on my mind lately. In addition to continuing to try to enjoy my work and eventually putting myself in the position where I love what I do, I've been thinking about my place in the world and validating what I do in that career that I go to for 8-9 hours a day. Sure this is easy to do if you're a doctor or a teacher, but if you work in Marketing or PR? Maybe the purpose of life is as simple as us just being here to experience life and enjoy it as much as we can. But I also feel an inherent push to find something greater in what I do. And that's an immensely added weight of thoughts for someone already questioning if they enjoy their job on a level of self-satifaction.
Do you have ever have these type of thoughts or do I just think about this stuff too much for a 23-year old with most of his life ahead of him? None of this would matter if I was content with "just getting by." But I'm not. My girlfriend questions my level of spirituality and though while I guess I don't casually bring up subjects this profound very often, there's a whole lot going on in the internal monologue. I think I've just started to scratch the surface of the spiritual exploration and it's not something you figure out overnight.
So recently I decided to get myself involved in more activities outside of work. I think more involvement these things will suck up the free time I have to ponder what I'm doing with my life and cure my need to question it in the first place.
This post has probably gone in circles so excuse me if it was a bit of a ramble.
CURRENT LISTENING: The Postal Service/Ben Gibbard - Recycled Air (acoustic)
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
I can smell the summer
It's getting gorgeous outside and that's enough to make many-a-Minnesotan happy. The season for hangin' out by the lake, pickup basketball games and scent of sweet bar-b-ques is right around the corner. I'm lovin' it.
Speaking of lovin' it, I had a blast watching the NFL draft and enjoying some cold lager in the company of good people over the weekend. The University of Minnesota Spring Jam was once again spoiled by rain but I wasn't really participating anyway, being a graduate and all. I won't get into it much but I was very satisfied with the Packers draft and it looks like I wasn't alone as they pretty much received high grades across the board from national sports reporters. While draft grading is pretty worthless since you don't know how good prospects will be in the NFL until they've actually played a few seasons, it's hard not to get excited by Green Bay's 2006 draft class. Spearheaded by the animal that is Ohio State Linebacker A.J. Hawk, the Packers rookies look like the core of a team headed in a new direction: intelligent, athletic, hard-working, tough and most of all, REAL football players.
I'm gonna leave it there for now. Here's my Top 5 for May:
1. Cinco de Mayo
2. Developing a blog for my employer
3. Border Battle
4. Lake Calhoun
5. Gnarls Barkley
CURRENT LISTENING: The Vines - Take Me Back
Speaking of lovin' it, I had a blast watching the NFL draft and enjoying some cold lager in the company of good people over the weekend. The University of Minnesota Spring Jam was once again spoiled by rain but I wasn't really participating anyway, being a graduate and all. I won't get into it much but I was very satisfied with the Packers draft and it looks like I wasn't alone as they pretty much received high grades across the board from national sports reporters. While draft grading is pretty worthless since you don't know how good prospects will be in the NFL until they've actually played a few seasons, it's hard not to get excited by Green Bay's 2006 draft class. Spearheaded by the animal that is Ohio State Linebacker A.J. Hawk, the Packers rookies look like the core of a team headed in a new direction: intelligent, athletic, hard-working, tough and most of all, REAL football players.
I'm gonna leave it there for now. Here's my Top 5 for May:
1. Cinco de Mayo
2. Developing a blog for my employer
3. Border Battle
4. Lake Calhoun
5. Gnarls Barkley
CURRENT LISTENING: The Vines - Take Me Back
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