why i like miley cyrus

okay. i know from the start that this is going to sound odd (and i can anticipate the jokes already - so let's just get all of that out of the way), but ... i actually like miley cyrus.

i first was exposed to miley through my work, where it was my job to market hannah montana branded soap, shampoo, etc.. though pictures, product, presentations, etc. containing miley occupied my desk, i hardly thought much of her. but this changed. at first, it was a catchy tune on the radio that i caught myself enjoying. and then, it was a movie that, although only mildy entertaining (the humour is targeted to tweens after all), struck a cord as it portrayed the struggle one can have with reconciling "professional" success with "personal" values which i identified with.

from a character stand-point, the thing i like most about miley (and i believe this is also what has helped her become so popular) is that she is down-to-earth. you will oftentimes find her character in less-than-perfect - and even embarrasing - circumstances - which ultimately makes her relatable (contrast this with other child-celebs such as britney spears who also had her start through disney).

miley has an interesting background, and i encourage you to read about it if you get a chance on wikipedia. one interesting thing i learnt is, even though she is the daughter of a famous celebrity, she didn't necessarily live a privilged life. she actually had to scratch and claw her way to become a success (example: when auditioning for the hannah montana show, disney executives originally judged her to be too young, but it was her persistence that resulted in her being called back for auditions, and ultimately led to her landing the job.)

with all that being said, it is my job as a (very part-time) blogger to impart with you my readers good music, insights, news, etc. that will hopefully benefit you in some way - regardless of the package it comes in. and if it is in a 17-year old musician, so be it.

enjoy.

A Critical Look at Music

Music shapes memory, and organizes our sense of time. Clearly, one of the effects of all music is to focus our attention on the feeling of time, and intesify our experience of the present. One measure of good music is its "presence", it's ability to "stop" time, to make us feel we are living within a moment, with no memory or anxiety about what has come before us, what will come after.

Our most revealing declarations of feelings are often expressed in banal or boring language and so our culture has a supply of songs that say these things for us in interesting and involving ways.

[Cambridge University Press]

truth

“You've searched me.
  You know my way.
  Even when I fail you,
  I know you love me.”

so good

another henri nouwen hit! for anyone looking for good daily inspirationals, i encourage you to sign-up on henri nouwen's email list. enjoy!

tall and thin

to those tall but thin people who struggle with finding suits/shirts/pants (basically anything "business") that actually fit them, i found the perfect solution -- custom! if you are like me, the main barriers that prevent you from considering this option include: 1) the price ("it's too expensive.") and/or 2) the impact ("does made-to-measure really make a difference?").

regarding the first objection, many of you in the business world have already found the solution. it is one of the best-kept-secrets that there is a mysterious "chinese tailor" (who ironically enough isn't even chinese) that visits toronto only a few times a year. during his brief stay here, he collects a bulk load of orders for custom-made suits/shirts/pants which he takes to asia with him to fulfill. a couple of months later, a myserious package arrives at your door, and BAM, you have officially gone custom!

[1. fist's worth of space between chest & button;
2. personalized initials sewed onto cuff;
3. custom-made suit]

the best part about this is, it won't cost you an arm/leg. a fully custom-made suit (including all shipping, duty, taxes, etc) costs only a few hundred bucks - comparable to what you might pay for a generic suit at retailers here. the myserious "chinese tailor" is taking what once was considered a luxury, and making it affordable.

regarding the second objection, i can't speak for all people, but i can testify to the importance of custom for tall and thin people. for years, i have had to make the painful choice between either swimming in my clothes (having the right length but wrong width) or wearing 'capris' (having the right width but all-too-wrong length)! with custom, you can be free of this burden. thank you o mysterious chinese man! you have released tall and thin people from their chains!

"i am tall and thin. my clothes fit. my life is (not) average."