Episode #121 of “This American Life” takes you on a journey through one man’s life from the eyes and memories of his nine children. I feel my thorough enjoyment of this program is rooted in the themes contained within. The pursuit of dreams, recreating the self, personal mythology, contrast and contradiction, and the concept of one’s identity were all present in the tale that spanned a lifetime.

The fact that the story is told from multiple perspectives is something that always grabs my attention. It reminded me of Citizen Kane in the sense that a person’s story is told through numerous individuals sharing anecdotes about said person. Using this method lends itself to the idea that numerous and seemingly contradictory feelings and ideas can exist in the same ‘space.’ Not only can the father be loved, but he can also be hated – even by the same person in the same moment. Stories of this nature convey a very real and human side to things rather than a perfect dramatized version.

Life’s complexity is truly expressed in storytelling of this nature.  As we navigate through the years of these people’s live’s we’re presented with the same character portrayed in different ways.  Not only due to other’s perceptions, but due to the personalities he tries on as if they were a suit of clothes.   Each change resulting from a constant striving for dream realization and completion of one’s perceived destiny, at the expense of his family.

I think many of us can empathize with the drive for ‘greatness.’  Not only that, but the desire to achieve it through recreating oneself in a more preferable image.  It isn’t uncommon for people to pick up, move, and start a new life.  Usually part of this life is a new version of the self.  Neynobot v2.3 .vs the outdated v2.2 model, for example.  One would hope to learn and improve with each model upgrade.  However, as this story shows, some people never correct the inherent flaws in their programming and suffer as a result of it.

Sometimes the mythology and the reality are hard to pick apart.  This is especially true in the case of someone who seemed to desire a myth to build around them.  So, I invite you to give this show a listen for yourself.  Hopefully you, too will come away feeling it was as worth your while as I did.

“This American Life” can be heard on Wisconsin Public Radio, and many other public radio stations nationwide.  Be sure to go to their site to see if it airs in your area.  If not – request it!  You can also go to their site to get podcasts and news in regards to the show.

Links:

This American Life

Wisconsin Public Radio

Recommended Viewing:

Citizen Kane

I was to read either Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” or Guy De Maupassant’s “The Necklace” and write an analysis of it. I chose “The Necklace.”

Click Here to Read “The Necklace”

Click Here to Listen to “The Necklace”

-START ESSAY-

The Choker

Written by Guy De Maupassant in 1884, “The Necklace” is a short story about a woman, her husband, a necklace, and the impact it has on their lives. The reader is presented with a scenario which many lessons can be derived from. However, I feel that one theme in particular stands out above the rest. I feel that Guy De Maupassant was trying to present the idea that one’s belief is the creator of one’s experience rather than the external reality itself.

At the outset of the story we’re presented with Mathilde Loisel who is clearly unhappy with the hand she’s been dealt in life. She wistfully dreams about being of a higher social class. Her fantasies are filled with beautiful dresses, elaborate balls, and opulent luxury. While she may feel “as if she had gone through bankruptcy” her life is far from it (Maupassant 4). She enjoys the stability and luxuries that come along with a woman of her status in that time. She has a modest home, a maid, a seemingly loving and supportive husband, food to eat, clothes on her back, and enjoys perks from time to time such as the invitation to the dinner at the Ministry of Education. It could be argued that her quality of life surpasses that of the average person of this time. As a result, the stress she experiences would be a manifestation of the mind rather than one of external circumstance.

As we go deeper into the story and life of Mathilde we find her at the home of an old friend who enjoys the experience of being of a higher social class. Mathilde is looking through her friend Jeanne’s collection of jewelry trying to find the perfect piece to wear with the new dress her husband graciously paid for. After going through much of her jewelry she stumbles upon what she perceives to be a beautiful necklace of diamonds. Mathilde’s perception was based solely upon her friend’s status rather than any sort of expertise in regards to the stones themselves. People of wealth enjoyed extravagant and expensive belongings so she naturally assumed the stones reflected this belief. To her surprise, Jeanne allowed her to borrow the necklace for the party. Now possessing the jewels herself, she went away in a state of joy which would carry on long after her departure.

The day of the party finally arrived and Mathilde felt as if she was finally prepared. The elation she felt upon receiving the necklace had yet to fade. In fact, as the evening progressed she grew more prideful in herself due to her perceived success. No longer did she appear to these people as a woman who had come from a modest home and married to a simple clerk. On the contrary, Mathilde was admired by all, man and woman alike. Even “the Chancellor himself eyed her” as the evening progressed (Maupassant 7). It no longer mattered what her true status was. She appeared as a woman of wealth and intrigue, so she was accepted as such. The fact that she was an average wife of an average social standing was overshadowed by the image she now projected and experienced. Only after a simple twist of fate did her mood and ideas in regards to the necklace and her current experience change.

Upon arriving home Mathilde noticed she had somehow lost Jeanne’s necklace, instantly transforming it into a symbol of stress and concern rather than one of wealthy status and joy. An unsuccessful search for the necklace left Mr. and Mrs. Loisel in a state of despair and financial ruin. Rather than telling Jeanne what happened and risking the potential judgments she may make about the Loisels due to their social status, Mr. Loisel decided to use his savings and take out loans to purchase a replacement. Mathilde’s own thoughts and feelings surrounding the necklace are a clear example of how someone’s different ideas in regards to the same physical possession can alter one’s mood and experience. In one moment the necklace is a symbol of class, respect, beauty, and joy. In the following moment it is a symbol of anger, disappointment, lost dreams, and the hard life to come. This hard life would last for 10 long years.

After the decade long struggle to pay off their debt a lot had changed for the Loisels. They no longer lived in a house, had a maid, or had even the modest clothes of the past. Instead these luxuries were replaced with hard work, cheap and practical clothing, an aging appearance, and a constant struggle to make ends meet. Even while being consumed with a life of housework she still found time to fantasize as she had in the past of a finer life. Her external situation had changed, yet her internal experience and discontent had continued on throughout. In the end Mathilde found out that the original necklace was nothing more than costume jewelry. The appearances that she herself hoped to acquire from possessing the necklace had in turn possessed her.

Regardless of whose perception is spoken of the concept is the same. The underlying belief one has is what truly will create and color the experience of an individual. The idea about a single thing, false or not, can be the sole creator and driving force in one’s experience. Constantly looking to other horizons for a better external reality will not change one’s experience if they cannot also change their mind. Mathilde helped prove this point by showing us that her perspective and feelings throughout the story, regardless of her ups and downs, remained consistent. Chances are that even in a life of higher status Mathilde would continue to look towards farther horizons for something better. However, something better may not be over the horizon. Or, as in the case of Mathilde, a beautiful necklace seen from afar may become a choker when viewed up close.

-END ESSAY-

Word.

I’ll be doing a highlight of different internet radio stations and services starting with the one I’m personally involved with, Dogglounge.com.

The Dogglounge was started up in early 2004 as an experiment by Brian “Odogg” Williams of Minnesota. It really was just that, an experiment, and that experiment is still going strong well over 3 years later. ‘The Lounge’ describes its sound as ‘deep and soulful house music’ which is represented by the regular programming Odogg selects and the live shows presented by the cast of characters from across the globe. Now, lets meet those characters….

(In order of appearance – Sunday thru Saturday)

Killa-B – Minneapolis, MN

Fleep – Tokyo

Odogg – St. Paul, MN

Mike Metz – Cleveland, OH

the Suit – Rugby, UK

Marc Cotterell – UK

Boogie Down – NYC via Indiana

DJ Channing – Jacksonville, FL

the Curious J – Chicago, IL

Neyno – Milwaukee, WI

Hard Drive – Minneapolis, MN

Each DJ does a liveshow at least once per week leaving no day neglected.  Even tough all of the DJs generally fall under the ‘deep and soulful’ banner they still offer a variety in sound and vibe.   Another great ‘feature’ of the site is that it has a chatbox on the main page which is generally fairly active, especially during business hours.

Another interesting aspect of the Dogglounge is the fact that you can not only listen in your first life, but you can listen in your Second Life as well.  Second Life is a free to play online virtual world that is constructed and run by you – the user.  Within Second Life there is a ‘Virtual Dogglounge‘ where you can go to listen to the music, dance, and interact with other ‘Loungers.’

Moving back into the first life, no music site would be complete without audio you can take with you when you walk away from the computer.  There is also a section on the Dogglounge that has a fairly long list of former shows and mixsets made by the resident Dogglounge DJs.

So be sure to check out the Dogglounge, and leave your feedback and let us know what you think.  Good or bad. 

Also, be sure to check back soon where I’ll be profiling another internet radio station that has ties back to the Brew City.  Until then, cheers!

The first video is of Jessica and I. On the first evening while wandering the streets of Detroit while trying to find a club to go to I stumbled upon a wig in the road. Already being in a Detroit state of mind, that of a dervish, I picked up the wig and donned it. We were supposed to get a picture, not a video….. But – it is what it is!

The next video video is that of two cuties getting down at the Beatport Stage to some Minimal Techno. I really wish I remembered which DJ this was, because the set was fabulous.

Our next selection is one of the two dancers from the previous one gettin’ down. NICE!

The next video is of one of the best break-dancing I saw of the entire fest…

Kerri “Kaoz 6:23″ Chandler – ‘Nuff said.

Some video of me losing it to Kerri.. Singing along to one of my favorite Classic House tracks!

I was trying to take a picture of the sign that noted the fountain in our hotel as the Guinness World Record holder for largest indoor fountain.. But accidentally took video.. Which turned out great thanks to Tara Jade.. haha.. Three of my roommates for the fest are contained in this video.. FAM!

Hah! The next generation gettin’ down…

Booka Shade

A panoramic view of Downtown Detroit and a cheering crowd at the end of Booka Shade’s set…

And that’s all she wrote, folks. If you have any photos or videos please contact me. I’d love copies.

DETROIT.

If you have a serious interest in Electronic Music in its many forms or know someone that does, I invite you to watch this film or pass it along. Pump Up The Volume not only has a wonderful soundtrack, but also provides one with a solid background as to where our favorite music came from. History is important, especially if you have ambition to go far in any area of life. Know the roots of your passions, and I’m sure you’ll grow far more than you would otherwise.

Enjoy the film – pass it along – leave comments…. and stay tuned for a full review by yours truly in the near future.

Part 1:

Part 2:

…. And then there was House…..