I am not a Grammar Nazi

Are there a good number of errors that some make in writing/speech that will either be corrected by me or give me a coronary? Yes. Am I a fascist? No. I’m sure there was a time when someone referred to me as a “grammar nazi,” and I agreed, but let’s get a few things clear. Many grammatical and/or spelling errors are made around me every day that could be easily fixed if folks would make a bit more effort, but my correction of these things does not make me antisemitic or a racist. I just want people to understand the difference between a contraction and possessive forms and learn how to spell words so simple that it would insult a competitor in a 3rd grade spelling bee. But again, I am not a fascist. Thank you.

RE: T. Swift in “Les Mis”

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a fan of Taylor Swift’s music, but I am also a huge fan of Les Miserables. In fact, “Bring Him Home” is my go-to audition song.

Image Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

So far, no one really seems upset about a lot of this movie other than Taylor Swift being offered the part of Eponine (which she hasn’t accepted, by the way). There is currently a video gaining a bit of traction with a young lady that believes this to be a bad casting choice as well. She does, however, end the video explaining that she does not wish to pick a fight but only shed a tear for what seems to be a dying art. Let’s first clear up that this is going to be a film and nobody is trying to put Taylor Swift on Broadway. I don’t think that she would thrive there, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a sound built for a certain stage. Madame Swift is built for recording studios and head mics. I do not even think we’ve seen her fully-matured sound yet, but that’s for another day.

The role of Eponine is full of pain and heartache. Sure, Taylor was not, to our knowledge, beaten as a child, but I don’t believe it would be a good or easy idea to cast someone who has experienced that. What she does, however, sing about frequently is heartache. That longing and the unrequited love. We really just want an Eponine that we can feel sorry for and can make us cry along with her. I believe she has that potential.

What I’m mainly trying to get out in some form or fashion is that we should give her a chance. I have high hopes and am looking forward to her exploring a new venue for her creativity.

My Inspiration

For those of you who don’t know me very well, you are probably unaware that Jerod McBrayer is the reason I’ve done pretty much everything I have done. Any time I have prepared anything, he was the first one I wanted to tell. Some of this may be due, in part, to the fact that he is my older brother. Today is his birthday and I just wanted to let him, along with anyone who should want to listen, know how much he has helped me.

Growing up, I always knew I could be cooler if I liked things Jerod liked. He was/is always introducing me to new things to expand my creative palate. I have found new music, movies, stores, and even speech patterns based solely on watching him. Early on, he got involved in music by doing chorus, a little school band, and even musical theatre. I, of course, followed suit and was in the school chorus for seven years out of my life. I also joined the theatre troupe purely because I knew Jerod had done it. During my first performance in front of an audience, I knew that I had been called to perform on a stage and I haven’t stopped pursuing that dream yet. During all of the ups and downs of my performances, I knew I could count on my brother to give me a really honest, but constructive criticism of my performance. A thumbs up means the world because I have truly earned it.

More of you are probably aware that my brother and me have gone down slightly different paths. He has become a rock star with successful musical groups such as Worth Taking or the film-inspired Home Alones, where I am getting a music performance degree and taking the more classical route with more oratorio-style or operatic works. The universe pulled us in different directions, but we’re still brothers.

Though he’s moved to San Francisco, I still talk to him on the phone or Google+ Hangouts as if he’s just a few miles down the road. Everyone has always agreed that my brother is one of the most talented people they know, but he still got a lot of Negative Nancys in this day that thought he should take a more general approach to life. You know, to be happy like everyone else in a dead-end job. He had the guts to strike out on his own and follow his heart’s calling to music, and he has been an inspiration. Any time I feel like I should turn tail and run to a business degree, I think of his courage and drive. He has accomplished more in a few short years than I couldn’t even fathom to get done in my lifetime. I know it was not an easy task always having me tag along behind him, but he was always there to help me out when I really needed him, and I am/will be eternally grateful for that with a heart full of love.

 

Happy birthday, Jerod!

Kindled Fire, A

I wouldn’t believe that many people would argue that tablet computers and e-readers are on the rise in the marketplace. What the argument seems to be now is which tablet is right for you. One of the greatest sights I’ve seen this season is my father reaching for his shiny, new ASUS eeePad Transformer, powered by Android, and start playing Angry Birds excessively. We got it on Black Friday as a simple yet awesome device that he could use to check his emailz. So, far, he just really likes playing around with it because touchscreens, especially 10.1″ ones, are just fun.

There are a plethora of tablets hitting the market, and I know that they are not iPad killers the same way an HP Pavilion is not a Macbook killer. It is just a different option for a different market. Now, we come to the hot item of the season: the Kindle Fire. I personally own a 2nd generation wireless 3G Kindle with an E-ink display and it is perfect for a casual morning/day/night of reading. The display is easy on the eyes as I have said many times in the past. Just a refresher. The new Kindle Fire, unlike previous Kindles, has a backlit display and touchscreen all on top of Android. When I first heard rumblings of an Android-powered E-reader in the past year or so, I got a bit excited, because there was also word that there might be some sort of screen switching between the backlit LED and an E-ink display. This really only got out in the nerd circuit, so the common consumer is not really upset with what they got, but I don’t care for it.

Is the real benefit to the Kindle fire that it is an easy-to-figure out Android tablet? It’s been promoted as a Kindle with extras, but it really just seems like a way for Amazon to sell an Android tablet under familiar branding. The benefit of iOS over Android in a lot of cases has really been ease of use out-of-the-box anyway, so a simplified interface built by Amazon could be the trick.

I’m totally open to hear what anyone else thinks, but I don’t view this as a valid E-reader.

Ninja Cowboy Rides Again

He had humble beginnings not much different from those that came before him, but what made him different was his dedication: to his work, his family. This was a man that lived each day without a care in the world. He’d spend most of his days hanging around the saloon or taking a ride down to the corner store, but his wakeup call was coming. It seemed like a typical day for this cowboy. He woke up, and headed out to meet with his sister Helen and shoot the breeze for a spell. That’s when the shadows suddenly crept in on a sunny afternoon. Dark figures were coming from every direction. He darted for Helen, but someone knocked him down. When he got back up, the figures were gone, as was his darling, baby sister.

Our good friend wanted nothing more than to run off after his dear Helen, but these roughnecks were trained in a way folks this side of the Pacific didn’t quite understand. It was an old technique from feudal Japan: Nijutsu. The bartender caught a glimpse of the marking on the garb of one of the roughnecks. They were ninjas alright, and some of the meanest from the East. So, our cowboy saddled up and set out in search of training deep enough to be able to take on the world. Some say he didn’t get very far, but I heard tell he made it all the way to the great mountains of Japan. All that we know for sure is that the man that rode back into town was no longer just a cowboy, but Ninja Cowboy, and he rides the seven continents and seven seas in search of the ones that took away his sweet and innocent Helen hoping he’s not too late.

—–

I discovered that people at parties are not always really excited to hear about the backstory you’ve created to go with the costume you’ve put together. This is, of course, either the result of a severe mental disability or just straight jealousy. I, on the other hand know where all people go to spout off useless rantings that all others find to be a bore. Some call it the Internet. Others call it the Timmy, but whatever you call it, blogs exist on it and it exists as a “safe” place. Enjoy.

Hello, Peter Brady!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor nor do I even claim to play one on TV (yet). I am not an expert on this material and none of it should be taken as medical advice without consulting your own physician. I am just passing along what I have heard to share a little piece of myself.

This past Thursday, I went to my allergist to get some test results analyzed. Before I go any further I want to clarify a few things. I have some severe food allergies that can be severely misunderstood by some. I was diagnosed with food allergies when I was 12 years old and was lucky enough to be diagnosed before I had a bad run-in with an allergen a few summers later.

When people hear the word “allergy,” they more often than not associate it with seasonal allergies, and until I experienced a true allergic reaction, I thought the same way. In a discussion with my allergist, he explained to me that being exposed to a food allergen will almost always lead to anaphylaxis or similar symptoms. That is both a good and bad thing as there is no confusion about food allergies, but it also means that you have to be prepared with an EpiPen and maybe a good antihistamine everywhere you go.

When I was 12, I was diagnosed with an allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. I took a skin test and a blood test at the time. When I came back to a different allergist a few days ago, he asked me if I had ever had peanuts or peanut butter before I was diagnosed with an allergy. I had, but with no severe or immediate reaction. My doctor proceeded to tell me that he did not believe I was allergic to peanuts or ever was. A few tests were run and were analyzed to the conclusion of my not being allergic to peanuts. My new allergist seems to think that my test results were taken correctly by my previous doctor. Apparently, the blood test allergen panel can sometimes give a false positive and requires some sort of follow-up to be truly conclusive.

Immediately following this news, I went to the nearest Kroger and got a pack of holiday Reese’s (pumpkins), and oh, were they sweet. No longer do I have to be afraid of peanut butter or any restaurant or venue that shells peanuts. Of course, I still carry an EpiPen and recommend EXTREME CAUTION when feeding me because I am still SEVERELY ALLERGIC to tree nuts which include, but are not limited to walnuts, pecans, and almonds. I have had a little too close of a call with some foods in this family before  and had to use my EpiPen and visit the nearest hospital in the Bahamas. Take food allergies seriously.

 

I just wanted to take the time to share with everyone that a small weight has been lifted from my shoulders and it never hurts to get a second opinion from a doctor.

 

 

 

Curious about the post title? “Peter Brady” is the code phrase that those in the Underground Allergen Community use to refer to “Peanut Butter.”

Choosing Innovation Over Regulation

I don’t get serious on this blog very often, but I do feel that I should share important things when they come along. The PROTECT IP Act (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011) is currently making its way through the Senate. This act is just the latest in a long string of attempts to allow government regulation of the Open Web in the United States. This country being what it is, throwing a government hand in throws up a red flag more often than it does in other countries. This bill is being hidden under the guise of trying to protect intellectual property. Though it’s true that artists may be losing a lot because of some piracy and such, this is not the proper solution.

I plead with you to look into this and make your own informed decision on the matter. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF.org) has made great strides in educating the masses about issues like these and also being the voice of a large number of global citizens.

Following the break is the letter I sent to my congressman with help from the EFF urging him to reject this proposal:

All Word and No Play

Puns got a bad rap somewhere along the way, and I’m not talking Asher Roth. Someone throws their best one-liner out for the world and all they get is a snicker or a glare. This paronomasia often seems to be taken as lower-class humor, when it should be hailed as humor for the more educated because these jester pesters take more work to make than your common pie in the face. Take insult comedy; it requires pointing out an obvious flaw in another. Not exactly astrophysics here. Yes, one has to get the proper timing, but, late enough at night, any of it can be hilarious. Wordplay requires analyzing two words that are not only partially homophonic, in many cases, but also are related given the current situation. Not only all of this, but a pun is also part of a very intimate brand of humor. Wordplay only makes the right amount of sense in its original language and possibly even in its original dialect. For example, a lot of pronunciations and colloquialisms may not make sense to an American but be absolutely hilarious to an Englishman. Whether you find puns hilarious or heartbreaking, just try to appreciate the work that went into it next time. We thank you.

On Voices

Being a male vocalist, I am often in a lot of situations where I hear voices or groups of voices, and it struck me this weekend that I hold different standards for male and female vocalists, as I imagine many do, in the context of a solo performance or a choral performance. I decided that now would be a good time to go on record with my current feelings toward these groups.

Female choirs have never impressed me. There have been many that I find full of very talented ladies, but they seem to bore me often. I seem to hold very high standards for a female-specific choir requiring them to truly blow me away to truly be interested. I guess it has something to do with how many women’s choirs are out there and how many I have seen/heard, but female soloists are a different matter. The lyrical ladies have a line of skill that, as long as they drift above it, are angels in my book, but if they sink below it, they’ll get nothing but thrashing from ol’ Joseph.

Male choirs are rarer and therefore a men’s chorus represents the holographic Charizard we all searched for. My standards lie a bit lower for the men, but I also want them to do better, so I get quite frustrated when the  boys can’t seem to get it together. Male soloists have the hardest time with me. A high-quality, male vocalist really has to bring something new to the table if they really want to interest me. If he has a real talent, I’ll know what sort of work he has put into it to get that sort of sound because I more often than not know where he’s coming from. That also makes it much harder for these fellas to get to me if they aren’t that good.

Mixed choirs are really where it’s at. You get the sound from all ends of the spectrum (if it’s properly balanced) and you can get the proper sound that the Good Lord intended us to hear.

Again, this is just what was running through my head this weekend as I got bored listening to a top-notch women’s choir. I would love to hear if other men feel differently and especially the female perspective.

Why I don’t care about The Beatles coming to iTunes

Before all of you Beatles superfans jump the gun and start burning me at the stake, let me speak. Honestly, you should be the ones caring the least. If you already love The Beatles, you are likely to have most of their music on your iPod currently. With the ability to rip CDs to our iTunes libraries, why is this such a big deal? Yes, this does make it easier for a new generation to get a hold of the entire catalog of a great band, but should it be as big of a deal as Apple made it out to be?

 

Never Forget Whatever/Today/Is

As you can see, the announcement read, “Tomorrow is just another day. That you’ll never forget.” Other than the fact that it is questionable grammar (see: “think different”), it’s a lot of hype for what doesn’t need it. I don’t blame Steve Jobs for doing this, but the reason he made this big deal about it is that Jobs is a big Beatles fan. There was so much promotion that went into this, and it did not seem worth it. I’m supposed to never forget this day? I don’t even know what day it is. Okay, it’s Tuesday the 16th. Just checked. When Apple has an event, something revolutionary is supposed to be announced. Snow White did not get this kind of attention when she came out on Blu-Ray. It’s just a format switch. I imagine a lot of people just lived freely thinking that The Beatles were, in fact, already on iTunes. iPhone users should really be upset that this event overshadowed the release of Google Voice for iPhone.

Anyway, for those of you that don’t know, Apple Inc had been at odds with The Beatles’ legion of Apple-related companies since the Apple Lisa, and I’m sure Steve Jobs was not thrilled when one of his favorite bands didn’t want to come out and play ball. A slap in the face, I’m sure. Today’s announcement via press event, Apple.com frontpage, and iTunes storefront was really a victory lap for Senor CEO.

What I really find great is that “Glee” was able to cover Beatles songs before they were on iTunes. Rant over. Thank you. Listen to Kurt now.