Minor updates... in list form!

-Starting The Secret History soon.

-Seen why people are addicted to Facebook... it's the Pieces of Flair feature for me.

-Just watched An Inconvenient Truth. Great message... not-so-savory messenger?

-Enjoying a new mattress, which helps calm the sciatica.

-Writing a summary of a thought-to-be-lost novel project. And it may work this time after all! Yea! 8D

-Is reading this, wondering how to be a writer that is praised for more than just smexy writing.

-Finished yet another book in a less-than-24 hour-period. And it was good.

An Open Letter to Warner Music Group and YouTube

To Whom This May Concern,

Music videos have been a necessary evil for some, a marketing tool for all. We cannot deny the art form's original intentions. Yet, when handled correctly, music videos add pizazz to a newly-released single. They also can become a statement for the artist. Sometimes, as seen with artists such as Michael Jackson and Madonna, the videos become cultural icons, inspiring fashion and art. Music videos are also a good way for someone to be introduced to a band. As stated before, the video is usually for a single that the record label considers to be a potential hit. It is a "safe way" for a newcomer to learn about the artist, if you would pardon the lack of better phrasing. For some, the only way to attract possible sales would be bombastic visuals, like the kind seen in early metal videos.

As a child born in the '80's, I grew up watching music videos. They were of the country music persuasion, but the point remains the same. I have many fond memories of watching Reba McEntire and Garth Brooks walking around in fields, singing heartbreak songs. As I got older, I started to watch VH1. I was too late, though. The channel was moving to air more music-based shows more so than videos. I was lucky even to catch something with the Go-Gos or Lionel Richie.

As the world discovers the infinite space we all know as the Internet, there are places where these once-forgotten music videos have a new home. Places like YouTube, where watching videos of animals doing cute things can get boring after a while. People then uploaded music videos. And it was good. Older folks relived their younger days, and the tykes of today were discovering Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden.

But now, there is a disagreement between Warner Music Group and YouTube. Now, music videos posted with artists signed under the WMG banner are removed. Odd enough, other record labels haven't gotten into a disagreement with YouTube and their videos are happily streaming, racking up plays, and comments between fans and non-fans alike are being shared. The musicians get their publicity (and eventual sales), the record labels get their sales and advertising. It's win-win.

While the solution of music videos being posted on the bands' official websites is not a bad idea, it does defeat the purpose of what YouTube was all about and what the other record labels are doing. It's all about sharing, being open to whatever venue there is. It's about catching up with the times. Whether it is a fear of change or financial hang-ups, this whole debacle between WMG and YouTube is an unfortunate one.

Please, WMG and YouTube. Work something out. You're hurting not only the musicians, but all the viewers (and even potential fans!). TV is no longer reliable for kids these days to find classic music. The Internet was their main source. Don't deprive them of that.

Sincerely,
Lindsey
-a concerned audiophile and YouTube user

Random note on YouTube...

My sister recently asked me why I don't go onto my YouTube account these days, and regulars with sharp eyes would notice a link to that profile is absent from "My Other Haunts". That is because, until Warner Music Group and YouTube reconcile (restoring all my old favorite videos, mostly of the Fleetwood Mac and Talking Heads persuasion, and even Jerry Harrison and Guster ones), I refuse to log back in.

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Stupid? Yeah, I know. But it is just backwards how WMG is looking at it. It's free advertising! Plus, it's not like these old videos are getting any airplay on MTV and VH1 (God forbid music video channels actually play videos *rolls eyes*)

In case you ever wondered...

Here is the origin of my pseudonym here.

God, I forgot how much I loved these guys...

Ow...

I finished reading Hell House and then I started and finished The Sugar Queen. All in less than eight hours.

As the title implies... my eyes blur and hurt now.

But reading and finishing two books in one day? Yeah, I'm awesome.

And a good evening...

Well, today was quite an eventful day. My sister and I went looking for bookshelves, then stopped by a local indie bookstore. I found hardcover copies of Brightness Falls and Veronica, and this interesting Margaret Atwood short story collection.

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We also saw Angels & Demons. Honestly, this thing was as histrionic as a My Super Sweet Sixteen brat.

They rewrote the book quite a bit. But after reading Wikipedia's summary of the book, no wonder they did. A lot of it, frankly, sounds quite silly. Sadly, I don't recall enough of it to make a good book-vs.-movie judgment.

A while back, before it was considered the cool thing to do :P, I read the book after The Da Vinci Code. I remember preferring Angels over Code. And that's it.

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OMG, my avatar has Kate Bush! Squee!

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I have some ideas to liven up this blog. Expect test runs in the future...

Bye for now, listening to my Australian pop song...

Hey, kids! Here's a math question:

what does Editors + Talking Heads song = ??

This awesomeness.