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Why I don’t like Babymetal anymore, and more thoughts

This will start with one thought, and move to other thoughts.  If you don’t like it, oh well.  At this point, I’m beyond caring.  And maybe this post will explain why. Babymetal released their new single this week.  It’s called “Divine Attack – shingeki”.  I didn’t really like it.  All that hype, and for a song that’s pretty much just cookie cutter metal. When they were in their younger days, it was much easier to like them.  They were trailblazing – they did something that few people had done before,… Read More »Why I don’t like Babymetal anymore, and more thoughts

The Brain

So I heard an interesting question the other day – I found it on the thumbnail of YouTube video.  It’s apparently part of skit by Bill Burr – which I haven’t watched, and at the moment, don’t plan to.  But it asked an interesting question, one which has been reverberating through my mind ever since I read it. The question goes something like this:  “Do you control your brain, or does your brain control you?” Now this is a fascinating question, and not because of the question as stated.  It’s because… Read More »The Brain

Thoughts on Worship

As with most of my posts, wherever you think this is going to go, it probably won’t, so take that for what you will. I have been on a binge of watching Babymetal and Sakura Gakuin lately.  No idea why, it’s just what popped up on YouTube and I get bored.  So I was churning through, and found this one thing called “Moabanger”.  It’s a version of “Headbanger” where Moa takes the microphone from Su on her birthday, and she stands there holding it while literally the whole concert venue… Read More »Thoughts on Worship

Graduation Toss

So lately I discovered a song by the (now defunct, iirc) group called Sakura Gakuin called “Graduation Toss”.  In particular, a live, extremely emotional version where nearly all the girls are on the verge of crying throughout the song, and people seem to take a rather unhealthy interest in exactly who’s near tears and when.  But while that’s moderately interesting, that’s not what’s attracting me to the song. There is something about its structure that reminds me very powerfully of a late 70s or early 80s song. Young people don’t… Read More »Graduation Toss

Thin-Skinned Japanese People: One Mystery Solved

So, last night, I had a question answered that’s been bugging me for years. On YouTube, one of the major things I tend to watch is Japanese or Japanese-oriented content.  One channel I currently follow is a guy who reacts to random Japanese videos as a “try not to laugh challenge”.  I remarked that the Japanese culture was kind of repressed and blows off steam in unusual ways.  I also said their culture had dark aspects, careful to also say it had beautiful aspects too.  Basically, what I’ve been repeatedly… Read More »Thin-Skinned Japanese People: One Mystery Solved

Playing to My Talents

So here’s something I bet you didn’t know:  the concept of a “talent” is actually a biblical concept.  Specifically, in the times of Jesus, a talent was a large block of silver, maybe 80 lbs or so.  They were very, very valuable.  Today, it would be just over $4,000.  The concept of a talent being related to a skill actually comes from a parable attributed to Jesus, where he seemed to have been saying something to the effect of “if you’re given a seed, make it grow”. So, with that… Read More »Playing to My Talents

Parasocial

The word of the day is “parasocial”.  I don’t know if I’ll continue to have a “word of the day”, but there’s one for today.  I decree it. YouTube comments are a cesspool. I think the reason for this is, about 95% of the time, they fit into two molds.  Needlessly critical, or annoyingly fawning.  Whenever I go to a YouTube channel, and read the comments, I’ll see hundreds of comments that say nothing but “you’re great” or “you’re wonderful”, in much more flowery language.  Often the creator doesn’t bother… Read More »Parasocial

Just Talking about Stuff

So I’ve had a lot of stuff going on lately, and thought I’d just talk about whatever I feel like talking about. I’ve been dealing with a lot of anxiety lately.  I’m not really interested in going into the ins and outs of the war in Ukraine.  quite frankly, it’s boring.  Is it a terrible thing?  Sure, all war is.  But I’ve learned a long time ago that you really should only worry about the things that you can directly change, and quite frankly, this isn’t one of them.  That… Read More »Just Talking about Stuff

Why “Celebrities” Should be Ignored

Lately, it seems to be all the fashion for celebrities to speak up about political issues. For example, just today, there’s an article about Bette Midler trying to organize a “sex strike” in Texas. It seems like so many celebrities have so much useless stuff to say. I ignore it all. Every bit of it. Even JPop celebrities (though I did read Sashihara Rino’s book, and thought it was pretty good.) Here’s the thing about celebrities: Generally, they’re pretty dumb. Oh, I’m not saying they’re not talented. They certainly have… Read More »Why “Celebrities” Should be Ignored

My Tumultuous Relationship with Music

Good morning! It’s Labor Day in my country today, which for most people means a day off, barbecues, that kind of thing. I am taking the week off. I have been working at my company for over five years, which means I get three weeks now, and I plan on using all of them. Plus since it’s a holiday, I only have to take four days. Yay me!! Okay, so on to the post. I have made my thoughts on music like JPop, KPop, etc., pretty clear. I like some… Read More »My Tumultuous Relationship with Music