God

You Can Be Awesome TODAY

/ Alex Doriot / 1 Comment

Justin Timberlake is lazy. Here’s how you can tell:

How many Beatles songs can you name in ten seconds? (Go with me on this.)

Probably more than you can count on two hands. Can you believe the Fab Four recorded all those songs and countless other ones you know by heart in a span of about 7 years? A dozen of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums of all time, all created within just 7 years.

To contrast, Justin Timberlake – singer, producer, actor, all around king of the world – is releasing his eagerly-anticipated third album in March. He released his first solo effort back in 2002.

Just to clarify, that’s 3 Justin Timberlake albums in 11 years, as compared to 12 Beatles albums in 7 years.

What is wrong with that ratio? Continue reading →

How To Be The Most Interesting Man In The World

/ Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Who do you think is the most interesting man in the world? You may be surprised, but my answer is not going to be the familiar spokesman in the Dos Equis commercials.

No, the man I think is the most interesting in the world has held a variety of jobs. He’s been a movie star, fisherman, toy inspector, musician and published author. He hobnobs with celebrities and has played a vital role in many historical encounters. And occasionally he gets into fights with a giant chicken.

That’s right, the most interesting man in the world is Peter Griffin, the main character of “Family Guy.” Continue reading →

Thrift Shop Gospel

/ Alex Doriot / 2 Comments

thrift-shop-large

Who ever thought the thrift shop would be in style? With his ridiculous ode to secondhand shopping, Macklemore has the hottest song in the country, a horn-heavy homage to the greatness of Goodwill shopping.

Seems secondhand stores are bigger than ever. Besides general thrift stores like the Salvation Army, specialized consignment shops are popping up everywhere paying top dollar for used clothes, DVDs, cds, and books. Even big businesses like Best Buy and Toys R Us are now giving away cash instead of taking it, buying back old video games and Blu Rays.

Just the other day I put together a pile of movies and books cluttering up my shelves and headed to the local thread of thrift stores in Augusta. I rode into parking lots pumping Macklemore’s hit on my speakers, expecting to walk into the store with twenty dollars in my pocket and walk out with a secondhand swagger, or at least with twenty more bucks in my pocket.

I ended up just keeping most everything I brought in as I saw the trade-in value come up on the screen when each item was scanned: 75 cents, 15, cents, 10 cents, 5 cents, 1 cent. How could a DVD that cost $15 have a trade-in value of just a penny? The stores didn’t even want some of my movies, rejecting them out right.

And then I remembered this always happens. I build myself up with dreams of easy money from trading in my unwanted things. Instead I walk out feeling cheaper than ever, the collectibles I valued so much now deemed worthless. Continue reading →

Everything Counts

/ Alex Doriot / 2 Comments

darkness on the edge of town“Springsteen aims for moon and stars; hits and moon and stars.” – Rolling Stone review of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, 1978

At the age of 29, Bruce Springsteen was receiving incredible praise like the quote above on a regular basis for his latest album, Darkness On The Edge Of Town. 

Amidst all the accolades though something is missing. What the reviews don’t say is that before reaching for the moon and stars, Bruce Springsteen was nearly dropped from his record label on a couple of occasions because his first three albums failed to light up the charts.

Before he encountered those problems Bruce Springsteen paid his dues for years serving as an opening act for of-the-moment bands who rode a quick wave of success before falling by the wayside. Bands like Sha Na Na (Yes, really – these guys).

Before those problems Bruce Springsteen struggled to find his voice in a number of local New Jersey bands like Steel Mill, Earth, and Dr. Zoom and The Sonic Boom (Yes, really).

Before that Bruce Springsteen got kicked out of one of his first teenage attempts at a band after two days because he just wasn’t good enough.

Success that hits the moon and stars never comes without pain and failure along the way. In fact success only happens because of the opportunities our failues allow us. Continue reading →