Well, at least I think I’m funny.

Wow. Really? Wow. 17.4 Billion. 17.4. Billion. Because you weren’t smart enough to run your company.

Look I’m all about people having jobs and work to do and the like, but honestly, if your employer is stupid enough to allow it’s CEO to take a private jet every weekend to and from Seattle, yeah, I’m gonna say that company SHOULD collapse.

You see, that’s how business works. If you suck at it, you fail. That’s how we learn from our mistakes. By failing at things. That’s how this country works. So that maybe one or a group of people that work for GM say “hey you know what? This actually isn’t all that bad, we can do it ourselves if we just do X differently.” And then they get to work out-performing your dumb-ass at some job you are paid WAY too much money to do.

There shouldn’t be do-overs, and Uncle Sam should NOT under ANY circumstances be throwing money at these problems! If the banks suck, let them suck! If we can’t make cars well, maybe we shouldn’t be making fucking cars! Yes, people will look bad and you will look inept and stupid and like you can’t do anything right…but that’s a valid assessment of your skills at business!

And the government, I mean, those people are too stupid to turn you down. “Oh gee golly! Lots of union workers that paid for me to get here will be mad!”

Do you know how many times people have been mad at me in my life? A lot. And guess what, I don’t fucking care. I let them be mad. What are they going to do? Not give you money next year? You probably don’t deserve it anyway. After all, what have you really done that’s worth while? Probably not much.

I hate all this crap. It is infuriating. Congress is more useless and stupid than the auto and banking industry. When I started my job I started to realize how many idiots exist in the world, but god, you’d hope they wouldn’t be running the country.

Not to steal any thunder from the qualified, certified, bonafide trainers out there, or the guys who play Ultimate who greatly surpass me in both skill and physical conditioning, but I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been up to athletically over the past 3 months or so.

Two years back when training with a friend of mine, I was introduced to a lovely little workout variation called the Tabata. We had just run something like 2.5 miles of sprints and it was decided the workout couldn’t be complete without two exercises done in the following fashion:

8 sets of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off.

Where ‘on’ is doing the exercise as fast as possible in the most difficult way you can do it, and ‘off’ is resting. For instances, if you were to do push-ups, you might start with 1-handed push-ups, T-push-ups, or clap push-ups, and then eventually wear yourself down to doing them on your knees (it doesn’t take long).

This year, after my last tournament was played and there were no more track workouts to run, I took two weeks off. I decided that I wouldn’t let go like last year and gain 20 lbs between October and January however, so I made a pact with myself to start doing exercises in my apartment.

At first I started with just 4 exercises in tabata sets with 1 minute of rest in between each, I have since moved on to running stairs, followed by 6 exercises in tabata sets, followed by some cool-down/burn-out exercise.

The exercises I do at home include the following (note: I use a 9 lb medicine ball and resistance band as my only workout tools - and an interval timer of course):

Jump-Squats (to normal)
Clap-Pushups (to normal, to knees)
Bicycles
Burpees (sometimes kicking feet back onto a chair)
Dips
Rows (resistance band)
Pull-ups (I have one of those non-screw-in over door bars)
Wood-Choppers (medicine ball)
Clean-to-Press (medicine ball)
Mahlers
Renegade Rows (requires dumbbells - I did these at my parent’s house)
Calf Raises (Single-leg)
Jump Step Ups (on a chair)

Now, to say I’ve gotten ‘good’ at tabatas would be a bold-faced lie as the beauty of the exercise is that you never get ‘good’ at them since you’re always trying to do them as quickly and in the most difficult manner possible. However, I feel stronger, I haven’t gained any weight at all despite over-eating on the holidays, drinking heavily at times, and keep in mind I do this only 3 days a week. In fact, I think I’ve lost a tiny bit of weight.

My roommate who joined me about 6 weeks ago has lost 14 pounds. Again, we’re not even really eating right.

I strongly urge any of you out there - men and women alike - to give tabatas a shot. Just start with 4 exercises and pick stuff that works multiple muscle groups at once (squats, push-ups, bicycles, etc) and remember - you only have to do them as difficult as you can, if that’s knee push-ups at first, then so be it. The best part? It takes about 25 minutes and you don’t have to leave your house.

Now get to it!

“He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.”

Samuel Johnson

This week has been a bit of a roller-coaster with things culminating in what could’ve yielded a mental breakdown for yours truly. I was very much looking forward to a trip to San Diego when due to some circumstances beyond my control, things seemed to blow up in my face.

Add on top of that the surly bastard below me, jack-hammering to his heart’s content, and my week started to look like complete garbage.

I’m not one to give up easily though, especially when it means I get a 4-day weekend near a beach, so I set myself the parameter of finding a hotel for less than $100/night in San Diego and if I could swing that, I’d go.

After checking out Sidestep.com (which is excellent for car rentals and flights) and yielding nothing better than a 2-star in my price range, I did some googling to find a happenin’ area and came across a website devoted to it - with hotel recommendations. The recommendation was the Hilton in the Gaslamp District…at $250/night. Yikes.

Then I decided I’d go on Priceline, select the Gaslight area, and click 4-star to see if I could get a decent rate. Bam. Done.

I’m off to San Diego tomorrow with a $50 car-rental and $90/night 4-star hotel. I’m jacked. Even if I just spend everyday on the beach I’m not sure I could be more looking forward to this trip - No jack-hammering (or M.C. Hammering, or hammering of any sort), no bar that cranks it’s music below my room until 4am on the weekends, no cold, no rain, just sunny, 80-degree San Diego and a whole lot of nothing to do.

Whoever the Jack was that invented the Jack Hammer, I hate you. I thought I was done with insanely loud construction directly outside my window when I left my old office, but it turns out even Rockefeller Center needs early morning jack-hammering to occur.

This just started a few days ago so I can only imagine it’ll be going on for months. Awesome. Well, at least my trip to San Diego on Thursday didn’t get cancelled…oh…wait…

Obama won. He won the election and all the world over Americans seem a little bit less retarded than we have over the past 8 years. CNN this morning showed Spaniards reveling in the victory, Germans inviting Obama over for parlay, and even the nuclear savvy numb-skulls in Iran made a statement about coming to terms (not that they haven’t done that 1,000 times before but it seems more significant this time).

Great, I’m pretty happy. I’m happy McCain didn’t win more than I’m happy Obama won as my personal politics always seem to greatly contrast in one way or another with both candidates. I’m also happy the rest of the world will stop thinking all Americans are hot-dog-eating cow-herders who lynch black people and enslave the Chinese (or vice-versa).

However, I’ll be damned if the idiot press wasn’t tripping over themselves last night talking about “our first black president” and “isn’t this great, we’re not racist!” and “I actually cried so hard I puked, and then ate my puke for it was the puke of sheer joy!”

Obama won because he was a better candidate. Not because he was black. He was inspirational because he’s got a solid head on his shoulders and appealing policies and he’s educated. Not because he’s black! If the press keeps emphasizing the most shallow difference between Obama and McCain, I’m afraid Americans haven’t come very far at all. We haven’t been racist for a long time now (most of us anyway), in fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve never been racist.

I’m not saying this isn’t significant for American History, it definitely is and it definitely seems like America has turned a corner - but we’ve been working on turning this corner for a long time and this election is just the milestone that says “we did it, we’re here, and we’re ready to start changing other things too.”

My favorite part about Obama’s speech was emphasis on the fact that we still have loads of work to do. That is the biggest thing to take away. This is only the beginning of change - not the end, or the outcome, the beginning!

So my friends, please join me in congratulating our first, intelligent, well-spoken president in 8 years, and the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and start whipping ourselves back into shape!

When most people commute to work they most likely do so in the privacy of their own car. They have their radio on with music or talk gurgling out from the speakers, maybe they curse a little at the guy who cut them off or sing along to their tunes, but probably they’re the only person in the car.

In New York when you commute, either by foot or by train, the experience is really odd. Often as I’m walking to work from the subway, or riding on the subway, I notice how very, very loud the city is: the train on it’s tracks, the overspill of someone’s headphones pouring from their ears, car horns honking as cabs whoosh by, but if you listen really closely, particularly on the subway or a crowded sidewalk something becomes apparent; the people are silent.

If you live here or the next time you visit, do yourself a favor and hop on the subway during the hours just before or after work and listen to all of the nothing and how LOUD it is. It truly is something to behold. People call New York a “noisy city” but I don’t think they realize just how accurate that is. The city is noisy. The people are not.

A while ago I read a book that I’ve since recommended to most people I know…well, most people I know that I think would be interested. The book is called Power vs. Force and in case you’ve never used the internets before, you can click the title to check it out online. This book teaches some powerful lessons (hi-yo!) that really force home (zing!) some pretty cool concepts and just recently they’ve been jogged up in the ol’ thinkin’ can.

I read Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Workweek (gettin’ a hang-a this here clicky-system webternet?) and something was switched on in my brain. A synapse connected and now with both of these books under my belt, well, I feel awake. It’s just noticeable. Everywhere. It’s made a huge impact in my life and as I reflect on day to day decisions and actions of myself and others I notice it everywhere: action vs. inaction. And I can’t help notice now all the distractions, excuses, and habits that I’ve fallen victim to, and that others don’t even realize.

The distractions in life are simply astounding. Things that would cause us to be inactive - not “procrastinate,” not “lazy,” just distractions that cause inaction - this is anything from TV, movies, the internet (including blogging - I’m looking at you tumblrverse (and as a recently departed member))…to the foods we eat, the thoughts we think, the things we say. It is incredible. And granted, it’s definitely cool to relax and say “for the next X amount of time, I’m doing nothing,” but how often do we let that time drift into time we could be using to get better at an instrument, start a company, pursue a dream of any kind?

And now, well, now I can’t sit on it anymore. I can’t watch TV for more than 30 minutes before thinking to myself “what the hell am I doing this for?” - especially when I’ve got goals that have literally NOTHING to do with TV! Even at work, I spend the minimal amount of time on the internet, checking e-mails (even work related ones) and I STILL feel overwhelmed by distractions. Because when it comes right down to it, when you think of what you want to accomplish, and how or if what you’re doing currently helps you achieve that goal, the answer is more often than not “No.”

My switch is ON to action. I’m not saying I’m good at it yet. I definitely still waste LOADS of time, but I’m getting better and now that I seem to be incapable of being unaware of all the useless wastes in my life, well, watch out.

As you may or may not know, I’ve been tumbling a lot recently, and the cool thing about tumblr is that you can actually see the people “following” you and what they post if you follow them in return. But there’s been a really big concern for me lately and, naturally, it has to do with music.

On Tumblr, people can post mp3’s that play in a flash player on their tumblog and this would be cool except…well, except every time someone posts something they write something like “this is so great!” or “wow, what great new music, finally!” And I listen to it, and inevitably it’s something I feel like I’ve heard so many times before.

It occurred to me today that there is so much access to so much music and so such a small percentage of it IS actually “great.” Then I got to thinking about what it was to listen to new music back in the day. Were there 50 people doing the same thing as Bach? Did people go to concerts and say “oh he’s just a poor man’s Mozart?” We’ve only retained so few composers over the past 100’s or thousands of years. But now, especially in the digital age, we’re retaining EVERYTHING. And there’s no filter for it. And I suppose that’s good if you like to listen to a lot of the same thing but when I click on something that says “this is the best album I’ve heard in years!” and it sounds just like some OTHER indie-rock band or it contains all sorts of musical sounds that, quite frankly, I’ve heard a million times before, it’s really very disappointing to me as a musician.

Not only that, but it’s not even a fresh take on the same concept. It’s not done in a clever or inventive way. And the lyrics are shit. And I can’t understand why people aren’t demanding more. Especially the ones who “love music” or “can’t get enough music.” But is it really that they can’t get enough music, or that they can’t FIND enough music that they actually like for more than 1 or 2 plays through? How do we breed the type tracks that EVERYONE loves?

A lot of people are trying to use algorithms to solve this problem and even to create business models to try to solve the music industry dilemma (which is, that it isn’t making money - either for the artists or for the companies). But is it really an issue of music and people finding music they like? Because don’t great bands still sell tons of albums and have sell out tours? Surely the great bands earn money for themselves and for their companies. And if an algorithm were to point you to a group “like Radiohead” if it knows you like Radiohead, what are the chances of you actually liking that group? Or liking it enough to buy an album or go to a concert? And why should a distributor make so much money from an artist that is, quite literally, doing more than 50% of the work anyway? Labels, publishers, online-sites - they should be distributors only. And compensated as such.

It’s really disturbing when you think about it. The lack of genius present in music, or maybe the inundation of “good” music vs. the amount of music that IS genius. I don’t WANT to be pointed to something that sounds similar, and I don’t want to hear something because someone else recommends it to me. If someone recommends something to me, unless that person is a trained musician, I typically don’t like it. At all. It ends up being trite or the same or whatever you want to call it, but it isn’t “Great” and it sure as hell isn’t genius.

What I want is MORE genius. But more than that too - I want the kind of genius that makes a GREAT musician, a GREAT lyricist, and finally, someone who plays, writes, and sings because they LOVE it. They LOVE to play write and sing. So they HAVE to get better at it. What they do HAS to be great.

Not to make money. Not to get girls. Not for any earthly reason.

The mind of a genius is different because it demands everything of it’s own capacity for reasons that don’t affect the self. The people obsessed with making incredible musical sound so they can express themselves because they are reaching out to people. Not reaching into people’s wallets or panties.

So genius, I hope you’re still out there and I hope you can still fight through all the Pandora’s and Next Big Sounds and SonyBMG’s. Not that we don’t need these services to distribute you, but I hope the collective filter of peoples’ preference gets more demanding from our artists.

First off, don’t get me wrong, I was reading through Music Think Tank today and I think it’s a great site. Here is a group of people trying to do something different within the music industry, and quantify and qualify exactly what it is that leads to an optimal end-user experience when it comes to purchasing music.

I love that. I love that people are finally rethinking the utter chaos and stupidity that is the record label structure. But there seems to be a flaw inherent in all of this thinking that these guys might be missing (I’ll be fair as I haven’t read more than the most recent posts): music should NOT be created with the intention of selling it or making money.

That’s the problem. That’s why the old music industry fell apart, and that’s why the new one probably won’t do a whole lot better.

There seems to be a lot of focus on things like peoples’ opinion, with mention even of an artist posting his song and subjecting it to users to see if they like it, and if not, how to change it. Or how to make it more marketable. Or how to develop complex algorithms that will help people find music they like based on previously selected tastes. But that’s completely absurd if you’re an ACTUAL musician. Why?

1) If you’re submitting something for someone’s approval, you’ve just created a work-for-hire, and chances are you are either writing music for a commercial, TV show, film, or what have you. Some entity is paying you money so that what you write for them comes out how they want it - so, you’re already making money. This actually makes sense and is a great way for musicians to cash in and use their talents to pay the bills, and yes, potentially happen upon a really popular bit of music (though the chances of the latter happening are quite slim).

2) If you’re an ACTUAL musician, you DO NOT care about the end result of your music. The point is not for you to become famous, the point is for you to express yourself. Should this result in commercial success in some way, fantastic. But no ACTUAL musician will do something TO MAKE MONEY.

THAT is the REAL issue.

True artists create art because they love it, and because they need to. Not because they want to become famous and make money. Anyone who is in it for the money will ultimately fail. The true musicians will stand out.

Now, notice I say “true musicians” and “actual musicians.” There are A LOT of people who play instruments, who are in bands, who write music, who get something right - the one hit wonders and joe schmoe guitar player. Money and fame for people like this is an oddity. These people probably, as a whole, aren’t terribly profound or talented, but managed to put their act together or work hard enough on something to create something that just kinda got stuck in someone’s head, or maybe they knew someone who knew someone who needed to do SOMETHING and got lucky.

I’m not saying everyone shouldn’t play music and write songs: quite the contrary, it will make you a better person, but if it isn’t happening for you commercially, there is a reason for it. Put your song in an iPhoto slideshow for your girlfriend or your mom - no doubt it will be greatly appreciated there. But if you’ve REALLY tried to get it out there…REALLY worked to get it heard by people who can do something and they’ve listened to it, and REALLY busted your butt to play publicly in any venue that will take you and you still haven’t gotten anywhere? There is a reason no one knows who you are, and it isn’t because you’re a tortured, over-looked genius who needs a business degree to get some great marketing chops in order to get his stuff sold.

The answer to the music industry is to forget the industry part. Forget that people will pay you money to make music.

Go create sound that you love to listen to, that fascinates you, that captivates you. THEN bust your ass to get copies of it to everyone you know. THEN start playing publicly. THEN create the bond with the people.

You simply can’t do it the other way around - people aren’t smart enough to tell you what they want, and you’re not good enough to come up with it anyway. No one is.

Do it for love.