January, 2008

DNA put out 4 records in 2007. That's a hell of a year, if DNA can brag a bit. Two DNA records, one Nightsoil Coolies' record, and one Akkademiks record. Before the year was out, DNA had completed two new DNA demos, which are still on the front page (for now).

Permanent Historical Record: 1/1/08

It's Come To DNA's Attention That 2007 Is Over...

DNA spent New Year's Eve with the family, shopping, eating, and cleaning. It was more fun than it sounds. DNA watched the new year ring in right here, at this computer workstation. For DNA, a new month, new year, meant web maintenance, and changing all the dates about how many records came out in such and such, and how many years ago did the dufuses in the band meet, etc. DNA probably missed some of those details.

But, what do people usually use this occasion to do? To reflect, at least between vodka bongs and jello shots off their secretaries' bellies at their offices' New Year's parties, about what they have done and failed to do in the past year, and what they hope to accomplish in the next year. DNA is no different, except he doesn't have a secretary.

POSITIVES:

Last year, DNA wrote, recorded, produced, set up art, and distributed 4 different records of his material. Most of it did not suck. This was an unusual feat, considering that he didn't lose his job, or his marriage, or forget his kids' names because of how much time he spent at the office.

DNA made good strides in his job, helping some kids that really needed help.

DNA took the GRE (15 years after the first time he took it) and scored really well on it, like Harvard well, not to brag. He applied for and got accepted to the PhD Special Ed program at SIU.

DNA got an iPod, finally. As technically saavy as DNA is, he really is pretty cheap when it comes to his own audio stuff.

DNA, a fan of bargain guitar shopping, got a great little guitar for about $50 right before Christmas, and tomorrow is putting on a new set of Gotoh tuners which will make it rock.

2007 saw our family stay healthy.

NEGATIVES:

DNA is still too fat, still bites his nails too much, is still overworked and underpaid, doesn't have time to complete all the projects around the house he would like to do, and invests way too much time and money in comics and DVD's.

DNA is afraid that stats, and a special topics class will prove to be the straw that pierced the spinal column and paralyzed DNA this semester. DNA forgot how much it cost for books and fees. Bloodsucking leeches comes to mind.

Another year has gone by and DNA's fence isn't done yet; the house he built for his mother-in-law is still not quite finished, and the speakers in his car are failing fast.

Like it or not, a new car needs to be bought, maybe even two before it's all said and done, and DNA does not want another car payment.

DNA RESOLVES TO:

Lose weight. Eat more healthily. Finish the fence and other projects. Not get overwhelmed by school. Not forget about the importance of his job. Keep writing and recording music. Play out this spring or early summer. Sell a song to a big time artist or publisher. Still be able to spend time with the family.

Will this be the year DNA tries and fails, or continues to sail? Won't it be exciting to watch the disintegration live, here, while it happens?

Happy New Year!

Permanent Historical Record: 1/11/08

Change Is Good, Unless It's Happening To You...

Even positive change, even change you expected or wanted, can suck, because sometimes the misery you have is better than the happiness you might have.

Hearing so many political candidates talk about change, how they are the candidates for change, reminded DNA that after a while, when someone uses a word so often, it begins to lose its meaning. "I stand for change," "I am the candidate for change," "Change is what we need," "I've changed change to always change for change." After awhile, it it is just code for "I've said what you wanted me to say, so now will you please vote for me?"

In other words, whether Obama says it's been his message all along, or Clinton, who like all the others, is touting the kinds, numbers of, amount of, and various ways she is responsible for more change than anybody else, the message continues to be that candidates will jerk you off for a vote. "Change" is masturbation. "Ooooh, you like that?" Hillary licked her lips. "Like it when I say change? Yeah. How about this? Cchhaaannnnnngggge. That's it. I love how change makes you feel. I control change, and you want me to control change. You can't wait to change all over me. Oh fuck. Now look what you've done. I'm going to have to change my dress."

Jerk, jerk, jerk, spunk, feel ashamed, used, stupid for getting caught up in it all, get up the next morning and look her in the eye, and say, "You really weren't change at all. I still feel fucked." And she replies, "Of course. You're a dumbass." And you agree. Some things don't change that should, while others things that should, don't. That's gotta change.

DNA is facing a big change in his life. After the massive music recording and blogging fest that was 2007, 2008 is shaping up to be less massive, and more real-world work. Fuck. DNA knew this gig was too good to be true, and was a prime example of one of those things that shouldn't change but did. But, on the upside, DNA will start school again on Monday, which is one of those things that should have changed a long time ago, but didn't until recently. College textbooks still cost way too fucking much, which is something that didn't change that should have. DNA paid over $150 for one book. No, it was not wrapped in Kobe beef. It wasn't bound with human skin, or contained a magical secret. It was a fucking stats book. In the day and age of print on demand, when the actual costs of making a book have dropped through the floor, when the book is a textbook for which most of the research which the author did for it was paid for by the University at which the author works, when the people who have to buy the book have absolutely no options of getting the book cheaper somewhere else, high costs indicates that this is a big fucking racket. It's not like the paper is made with ground up humpback whale bones, for christ's sake. "Yes, I'd like to buy Statistics for Education and Psychology. No, not the paperback. The one covered in gold fillagree and freshly-cut ivory. Or, if you're out, one of those over there, bound in the skins of silverback pygmy mountain gorillas."

Publishers sure as hell aren't paying huge advances or royalties out to professors who are writing these god awful things, and have a pretty set and stable market for these books. Something fuels this cycle. DNA thinks that the high costs for textbooks is directly related to the availability of federal student aid. As long as that huge cash cow keeps stepping up to get milked, companies are under no pressure to provide cheaper books. If federal financial aid dollars could NOT be spent on books, you'd see the price of books drop pretty fast. As long as every publisher knows that students must pay, and even poor students have federal dollars at their disposal, then the price of books will remain high. The few attempts DNA has seen for book co-ops to begin have been beaten by concerted efforts of publishers and institutions themselves. Bookstores put up signs like, "We will only accept for trade or refund a book bearing our stamp from this year," which is ludicrous. A co-op bookseller gets the 4th edition of a book, but now the school requires you use the 5th edition, no teacher ever goes back to the 4th edition, and makes your copy of the 4th edition book worthless. How can you be made to pay $150 for something today, that, even if kept in perfect condition, may be worthless next year? Simple. It's value is extrinsic. It was never "worth" $150 to begin with, but if they have it and you need it, they can charge what they want for it. It's only worth what you pay for it.

Something that should change but won't: books be actually worth only a reasonable fraction over their intrinsic value (what it cost to make them). DNA's book was one of hundreds at SIU, which is one of hundreds of schools which have instructors who use that textbook. Do the math: If SIU had 100 copies of the textbook, then at SIU alone, $15,000 was made from that book this year. It couldn't take long for the cost per unit of the book can drop and still make a huge profit for the bookseller. The particular book that DNA had to buy was a third edition from 1998. That means for the last 10 years this book has been used. It don't take a rocket surgeon to see how much money has been made from the sale and official reselling of this book. Books shouldn't cost very much at all. But....

Big publishers won't change. They like dollars.

Average Joe won't push for change. It's government aid and mom and dad who are paying the bills.

The poor man don't want change. It won't get him into the University anyway.

Change is scary. Change doesn't make people rich. Change involves risk, and usually somebody loses, but no one can predict who ahead of time. No wonder those who "have" choose not to change at all. DNA is still glad he is one of the have-nots. For all DNA's dreams of financial independence, that is one change DNA would avoid, if possible.

Not all change is good.

Permanent Historical Record: 1/29/08

The More Things Change....

As you welcome or shun the inevitable changes of your life, other events return which show how some important things stay the same.

Case in point: When DNA was younger, he was a card carrying Air Marshall in the nerd patrol. You achieved that status by actively engaging in a campaign of Dungeons and Dragons when you should have been staying out late, defying your parents, and looking for pussy or liquor.

DNA liked playing D&D. Role playing games are fun. Like you didn't already figure out that a guy who creates a fictitious mystical persona to write a blog likes role playing games. And paste. And getting swirlies.

DNA was no more the stereotypical geek than he was the stereotypical rock and roll musician. Rock and roll is actually geek parity. It's not the cool jock kids who form the bands that everybody loves, it's the outcasts, losers, punks, fuck-ups, the artsy-types, the kids nobody took to prom.

In college, while other kids drank or fucked or bragged about drinking and fucking, DNA and his friends, Monstee, Mr. Kamikaze, Monstrella, and many, many others, played a campaign of D&D. We played it almost every week, at least once a week, for several years. Monstee was a genius, and kept the story we were in the midst of creating alive. To actively engage in the creation of the narrative is the reason people get together and play this game to begin with. That, and Satan :D

We played that game from the fall of 1984 to the spring of 1989. Not long after that, as school was over, or jobs changed, we all moved in one direction or another away. The party was split, and no one felt like continuing the game without everybody who used to play.

For awhile, a small group played up in the Chicago area, but that too ebbed with time.

For the last year or so, in fits and starts, Monstee and DNA have been talking about getting together and playing again, particularly since Monstee's hatchling and DNA's son, Spazz jr. both wanted to play, too.

Well, it happened. We all got together: Monstee, Monstrella, Hatchling, DNA, and Spazz jr. We played for a dozen hours straight and had a great time. Time, the intervening 20 years, melted away, as if nothing had changed. Some part of all of us had not changed. The things we love about the game had not changed. Somehow, and there was no guarantee of this, our kids discovered what we love about the game for themselves. It becomes pretty apparent after a short time whether somebody likes D&D or not. If you like it, you can play for several hours before you even think of getting up to take a drink. If you don't like it, you begin to fidget in your chair after about 10 minutes.

So here is DNA, in the midst of his life changes, when plop in his lap is the biggest most fun bag of staying the same he's had in awhile. At 42, DNA still likes playing. DNA thinks at 62, he will still like playing. DNA better shine up the Air Marshall badge and beret.

Not all static is bad.