Dealing with Unemployment | Sadness or an Opportunity?

Pig Race or Corporate AmericaWell it’s been a month and a week or two, since I have been unemployed (Feels like a week to be honest). Part of a massive layoff (approximately 22 at the same time), which helped me feel less strange because I was part of a group. I could see it coming with the many changing faces, the outsourcing and the economy.  It seemed to have become a revolving door long before I was let go.

I accomplished what I needed in the first year of being there.  Learned most of what I needed in the first month or two.  Stuff I wanted to learn had to be put on the backburner and instead I learned how to dive into other peoples work, figure them out within the day (or hour in most cases) and enhance or add features them.  I launched the site with the highest traffic (Sherdog.com) and stabilized it soon afterwards.  Worked many hours overtime to get it ready for launch and then many hours overtime to train the outsource and in-house teams on what I had done.

I walked away with a lot more than I had before, so I do not regret anything I had done.  I gained some lifelong friends (people that are helping me to this day) and some dough in the bank.  (Note:  I highly recommend saving as much money as possible for a rainy day (at least a years worth)).  Even more than anything I acquired the experience necessary for me to find the next position.

The Fleet Foxes – Album of the Year or Another Arctic Monkeys – Self-Titled CD Review

The Fleet Foxes have been awarded album of the year from the best music magazine in the world Mojo Magazine.  Are they another Arctic Monkeys or actually good?  The Fleet Foxes - Self Titled

With five part vocal harmonies, this band echoes their folk influences on their sleeves.  They’ve done their homework and are actually able to pull off the harmonies without sounding like a boy band.  Influences The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Crosby Stills & Nash, Simon & Garfunkel, The Zombies, and more than anything else Steeleye Span.  In fact, the first thing that comes to mind on the first track “Red Squirrel/Sun Rises” is “Are these guys the offspring from Steeleye Span?”   It also sounds like a mishmash of Crosby Stills & Nash or Simon & Garfunkel.

This album has a lot of references to family members.  Robin Pecknold (the songwriter/singer/guitarist) had recently lost his grandfather while recording this album.  Surprisingly, these guys are from Seattle even though they sound like they’re from Woodstock or the South.  Every family member is mentioned on most of these songs including the grandpa on one or two, mother, sister, and father.  Most of all the brother is mentioned as in telling him to be good, staying at his house and missing flights.

Leon Redbone – Champagne Charlie – CD Review

Leon RedboneI first saw Leon Redbone on a SNL 70’s rerun doing a tune called “Harvest Moon”.  After hearing his voice, I knew I had heard it somewhere and that place was a cover of “Frosty The Snowman”.  I had to check out some of his work and it was wonderful if you like his sort of style.  Albums On the Track and Double Time showcased his unique style and blend of jazz, folk and blues standards.

Leon Redbone basically does a bunch of standards with the ragtime feel.  If you think of music that the Simpsons grandpa listens to, then you will get a sense of what his music sounds like.  His voice is so unique it is hard to describe, but the words gravel-throated baritone do come to mind.

Furthermore, there is little known about Leon Redbone’s personal life.  According to the liner notes, he described himself as “… born in Bombay during a monsoon and to be the offspring of Paganini”.  When asked to submit his biographical info, he supposedly sent a picture of Bob Dylan and called himself “Blind James Hocum”.  His looks only add to his mystery.  He looks like he walked straight out of the 20’s with a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and a mustache.

Top / Best of Music DVDs of 2008

1.)  Get Thrashed : The Story of Thrash Metal

Get Thrashed - The Story Of Thrash Metal DVDBy Far the Best and Most Comprehensive DVD in the lot.    You get the whole spiel on thrash metal history.  Starting and giving props to Metallica and even more importantly bassist Cliff Burton (R.I.P.).   Interviews with Anthrax and Kirk Hammett (of Metallica) describe him as a quiet shadowy figure.  Kirk said he would always practice guitar, so much so that Kirk would have to join him (Note:  Cliff wasn’t even the guitarist!!!)  It goes on to show the other 3 major thrash bands of the time Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth.  Then the documentary dives into another level of thrash metal bands under them with bands such as Death Angel, Kreator, and Overkill.  And the extra features go by region and feature even more bands.  A personal favorite of mine is the Canadian band Annihilator.  I found out guitarist Jeff Young was asked to join Megadeth.   All in all, this documentary is like a visual Heavy Metal Thrash magazine and gives you insight into the fact that Metallica wasn’t the only Heavy Metal Thrash band.

Grade : A

2.)  Tom Petty :  Running’ Down a Dream

Tom Petty : Runnin' Down A Dream DVDThis is another documentary, but only available at Best Buy as a 4-disc set (3 DVDs and 1 CD).  This is the only documentary of Tom Petty worth checking out.  The first two dvds are detail Tom Petty and The HeartBreakers start in Gainesville, Florida to present.  You get insight as to what happened to Tom Petty and his band at the time (now called Mudcrutch) when he arrived in Hollywood.  The inner turmoil with his drummer and eventual dismissal.  The cons would be the later part of the 90’s are skimmed over quickly.  The She’s The One soundtrack and albums Echo, The Last DJ and Highway Companion are skimmed over as footnotes and instead the last half is filled with a lot more filler as a result.  The 3rd DVD is a crystal clear view of Tom Petty in concert.  The best you can find as of this time and includes most of his hits.  Although it leaves out the song “You Don’t Know How It Feels” and “Yer So Bad”, it makes up with special guests Stevie Nicks and a stunning rendition of “Southern Accents”.  The CD is mainly of unreleased songs such as “Honey Bee” with Dave Navarro on SNL and a cover of Hank Williams “Lost Highway”.  Overall, one of the best buys this year ($14.99 at bestbuy.com), no pun intended.

Grade : A