Out of Contact...

Hey look...its another post...two days in a row (pat on the back).

Everyone has their share of flaws..and I'm no different. However, a major flaw I have is an inability to keep contact with people. Now I'm not talking about people who have pissed me off, or wronged me in some way. I mean people who I generally have no issues with, and probably consider them to be friends in some twisted way. Unfortunately, I have the worst time keeping up with most of these people unless the are in my general vicinity, or they make a concerted effort to stay in contact with me.

Maybe you remember me saying this, but I'm not really a fan of talking on the phone. I can't explain why, but for some reason I'm unable to carry on a phone conversation for more than 30 minutes in most cases. I just can't do it. To date the only people who can stretch me past that time limit on the phone are my girlfriend and my mom. Ask my girlfriend the struggle she went through(and probably still goes through) when it comes to talking to me on the phone. I'm a computer person...I guess on a broader level I'm just a technology person. When I got to college, everyone used instant messenger to communicate. My room phone was basically a hotline for my parents to reach me and not much else. I've gotten to the point where online seems like a reasonable equivalent to a phone call...unfortunately I seem to be in the minority in this issue. I realized for many people a phone call does not equal a IM conversation.

I'm also pretty lazy. I can easily busy myself with other things like writing a blog post or playing video games or anything other than actually trying to stay in contact with friends and acquaintances. I'm sure its not just me who has some of these problems, but I guess over time I realize theres shit I miss out on. For example it seems my man Bonus and his girl got engaged at least 4 months ago, and are getting married sometime this year. Somehow I only found out about this 2 weeks ago (My bad Bonus if you're reading this, congrats to both of you), and I know I didn't find out cause I wasn't keeping up with my friends. Sucks to be me.

I guess there's no real point to this other than my own catharsis, however if you are reading this and I haven't spoken to you in a while, there's a good chance you'll be getting some kind of contact from me sooner than you think. I'm going to at least make an effort to reconnect with my people (not weoples as E-40 would put it) before I have no friends left.

That is all.

Play it by ear...

...this is going to be a post about music, so that was a bad pun. However, it works in so many ways when describing the state of this blog....

What I'm currently listening to (because I have a false sense of self importance and think people give a shit what I listen to):


Album: Black Star (Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Released: 1998
Standout Songs: Definition, RE: definition, Respiration
My take: It was around 1997-1998 when hip-hop took a terrible turn as far as I was concerned. Biggie and Tupac(who I wasn't really a fan of) were both dead, and this glam, frilly, music took over thanks to the likes of Sean Combs and others. I was completely turned off...stopped listening to the radio, stopped watching MTV for the most part. I wanted nothing to do with mainstream hip-hop. I found wonderful underground music after this...and this was one of the first albums I bought...outstanding piece of work. Both lyricists are hungry and relatively early in their careers, and that combination makes for a great album. If you are a hip-hop fan (and don't like most of what you hear on the radio) it's something you should at least hear.

Album: Silent Alarm (Bloc Party)
Genre: Indie Rock(i think)
Released: 2005
Standout Songs: Like Eating Glass, Banquet
My take: I can't give a full synopsis as I just recently started listening to this...but I like it. It's rock music, but it's not cheesy or overblown in any sense, at least to me. Something I can actually listen to from end to end. I can't explain my affinity for British indie rock music, but this is a good album, just wish I had stumbled upon it sooner.

Album: The Black Album (Jay-Z)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Released: 2003
Standout Songs: What More Can I Say, Threat, PSA
My take: What more can possibly be said about Jay-Z? This isn't his most recent album, however its probably a much better effort. This was the album he went into his "retirement" with and it seemed at the time a good way to go out. Obviously a different person from his first offering in 1996 (Reasonable Doubt), but still just as if not more talented lyrically. The album hits some snags (namely anytime he works with Pharrell of the Neptunes), but it's still solid, and for some reason I find myself listening to it currently.

Album: Corinne Bailey Rae (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Genre: Soul/Jazz/R&B
Released: 2006
Standout Songs: Like A Star, Enchantment
My take: I must have some soft spot for British musicians...or maybe its just soul/jazz music. Whatever it is I happened upon this album last year after watching Vh1 Soul late one evening, and I'm still listening to it. Not sure if its for everyone, but she has a good voice, and her songs are very pleasant. Great to listen to when trying to relax.