Music

Episode 79 - Operation Varsity Blues

 

Getting round two of the vaccine this week, feeling hesitant about returning to normal life, listening to more classical music recently including "classical" radio, SF Opera's streaming broadcast of "Siegfried," and Bela Bartok's string quartets, classical music not being culturally relevant, not liking the culture around most of my areas of interest, failing my first attempt at the Marksman level of the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, making things too hard on myself, feeling deflated when the going gets tough, getting an acceptance notification for UC Santa Cruz, the closing of Mills College in Oakland, the incredible Netflix documentary "Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal," watching a lot of "Jeopardy" with my girlfriend, and the existence of blue ketchup.

Music by Disasterpeace.

Episode 18 - The Cult of Concept

 

The age-of-consent episode.

Discussed: Our new social handles (@thisismpod) and email (thisismpod@gmail.com), struggling to record this week's podcast, cultivating confidence, learning how to talk to girls, creative concept vs. entertainment value, the music of Steve Reich ("It's Gonna Rain" and "Music for 18 Musicians"), the latest Robert Eggers film ("The Lighthouse"), Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow" and the novel-as-phallus, Arvo Pärt's return to minimalism ("Für Alina" and "Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten"), the fraudulence of modern art, and giving yourself permission to enjoy what you actually do.

Music: "Adventure" by Disasterpeace.