branded. part I

brand‧ed  /ˈbræn dɪd/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[bran-did] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective
1. marked with a branding iron to show ownership: branded cattle.
2. Commerce. carrying the brand or trademark of a manufacturer: branded merchandise.

[Origin: 1645–55; brand + -ed3]

more practically a brand is a kind, grade or make. a mark, image or something made by burning or otherwise denoting ownership. it is also a beginning, to observe, look or take head and lastly, a target, marker or goal.

ok, so now you know right? wrong. you have the definition above but lets explore a little more.

everything is branded, everything. you, me, every company, every animal, vegetable, mineral, EVERYTHING. what is your brand? You have one, even if you purposely try to keep away from committing oneself to a brand, that is your brand. so get used to it, you are branded. actually, the decision is not to brand or not to brand it is to keep or change ones brand. here is how important it is – a good brand makes people remember that brand.

a branding quiz…










1. apple
2. internet explorer
3. kellogs frosted flakes
4. mcdonalds
5. nike
6. pepsi
7. play station
8. puma
9. shell
10. volkswagon


So what do you think? Is branding something pretty cool? For what? Who would use it and why. maybe you know maybe you don’t – read on. or… if you don’t care, don’t read on you will be bored. in fact, if you are bored click here.

Stay tuned for part II

Music Review: Evanescence - The Open Door

7 of 10 stars

My theory is that a bands sophomore release shows what they are really made of. I mean it took a veritable lifetime to put together their first “ultimate release”, so the second release should tell if they have staying power. In this case, I’m going to call “The Open Door” a sophomore release because rehashed live recordings don’t constitute a full release (especially when you have only had one recording to date??).

Well, since that is out of the way, on with the comments.

Evanescence sophomore recording was an expected safe recording. They really hit it big with their first recording and developed a unique sound, or at least imported it, for a mainstream audience. Amy Lee has really brushed up vocally and her vocal pipes are stronger than ever. The rest of the band seems to have kept current and at least not gone backwards musically. The sound is the same, and that is ok for their “second” release but I was hoping for some new trails to blaze; either musically or lyrically. MOSTLY NOT THE CASE. One exception – the beginning of Cloud Nine and Snow White Queen showcase some interesting, and not expected loops that some could term almost danceable.

The CD is still a keeper because I personally couldn’t get enough of “Fallen”. So the hard driving guitars, ethereal strings, scary choirs and eerie piano are still here but now with more vocal presence, they sound a bit better. They are still mixed and produced well which separates Evanescence from other well to do semi talented bands. The guitars are as thick and greasy as ever, and the abrupt transitions from noise to cloud floating are clear and exciting. There are some droning ballads which grow tired really quickly (Lacyrmosa, Your Star, Good Enough).

Lyrically, maybe they have “Fallen” out of “The Open Door”. They are dark. The band is reaching for something spiritual, but falls short of happiness and subsequently keeps the entire CD in melancholy darkness. The content here is searching and grasping for deep but not finding either. Here are some intellectual insights:
“Lithium, don’t lock me up inside” (come on, a ballad with the rhetoric of a batter driving it). .
Call Me When Your Sober – how sweet; the jr high lyrics don’t mesh with the dark music genre.
There first single, “Call Me When Your Sober” is a case and point of the CD: Amy’s vocals - stellar, the music - solid, the feel – dark, the lyrics – juvenile.
The only depth of lyric is really the dark questions. But unanswered offer no positivity

There is enough good lyrics to see from where they came (the band originally met in an Arkansas Christian camp) but not enough to convince they did not leave their religious roots behind. While the opening song tells us, “Fear is only in our minds”, in the song titled “Lose Control” we are told, “Just once in my life I think it’d be nice just to lose control”. Although these extreme messages exist, there is far more “I’m standing on the middle ground, keeping my options open, while I have fun and maybe make up my mind and choose my real message” kind of lyrics.

[music therapy]

The last few cd's I bought (since last summer) that were worth listening to, in order.

1. *U2, U218 – Great stuff! 28 songs, some older album stuff, some album radio edits, some live, but for the real fan, there are three cuts unavailable any other way. Suh weet!

2. *Evanescence, The Open Door – The open door leads to the same sound, stronger vocals by Amy Lee and the same old questioning and depressing lyrics; but still a great sound.

3. The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers – Totally different than the Strips. Music not as creative, but lyrically solid. Songs include pro stands on marriage, monogamy, happiness and intellect. (great website too, hilarious)

4. David Crowder Band, A Collision – GREAT LISTEN! This could have been the number one pick but musically it didn't tread much new ground (if any). The drummer is crankin, but the guitars only support the overall sound and don't tantalize me. The lyrics, first four soungs (not counting the very first, c'mon it's not a song) are awesome. I also love the interview and other fun stuff (live and banjo).

5. Franz Ferdinand, You Could Have it So Much Better – The music value is genius; the lyrically quality, sophomoric. Still, kudos on the simple, complex, creative, stretching, tempo-switching and innovative music.

* Review coming soon to a blog near you (hint, this one)

on marriage.

marriage is the second most important decisions one makes in their entire life. but the season of life when one makes that decisions is sometimes tumultious. the person themselves is underdeveloped, busy and often unprepared to make a decisions of this magnitude.

the following are some simple guidelines to help in this process

1. know the facts that make for a great marriage - rutgers university released an interesting study in what factors make for a great marriage. i'm combining them with my advice below.
2. only marry when you are totally sick of being single and you cannot live another day without being married.
3. only marry your best friend of the opposite sex (and best friend period).
4. only marry when you have the ushey gushey, heart palpitation, palm sweating when i sit next to them feeling (but not that alone),
5. consider your plight's in life. if you want to run for congress and she wants to go to botswana with the peace corps you may have a challenge,
6. dont marry the person you think you can live with, marry the one you cant live without,
7. have an income of $50,000.oo or more so you don't have to squabble about money matters,
8. don't have a baby until at least 7 months after marriage (hint it takes babies 9 months to be born -just wait1),
9. get married after you are 25 years old (you change soooo much from 18 - 25),
10. if you come from a nuclear family it will be easier for you to have one, but if not, this is the only thing on the list that is out of your hands completely,
11. have some college education,
12. have a christ centered home or at least some religious affiliation,14. and lastly, develop a top ten list and don't marry until you find someone with 8 out of ten qualities on that list.

ABOUT THE TOP 10 LIST
* any quality or characteristic can make the list from big muscles to big brains, musical ability to mathematical ability.
* i would caution against more than one physical characteristic. i mean if physically attractive (i know this is open for interpretation and because it is YOUR list, it is your interpretation) is important to you list it and if you have to list blonde do it too, but that should really be enough on the physicall.
* make sure you include everything that is important to you and limit it to 10 so you can be concise and it will also help you to really think. if at the end of the day you need to have 11, go ahead, you deserve it, but not 20 (you don't deserve it and Barbie is only a doll).
* put them in order if you want. or you don't have to. if number 1 and 2 are deal breakers, them order them in importance rankings. i recommend you make them all as even as you can. this it self is another mental exercise (and another blog).
* the simpler, the better.

when you get 8 out of 10, if you have done your work right, hey...

in closing i'll leave you my list as i remember it (this is going back twenty some years ago, so be patient). also this is NOT in order.

CHRISTIAN
INTELLIGENT
MUSICAL
GOOD WITH NUMBERS
RESPONSIBLE
COME FROM GOOD AND SIMILAR FAMILY BACKGROUND
PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE TO ME
BLONDE, LONG LEGS
HAVE A VIBE/STYLE THAT IS REALLY COOL AND INTREQUING
A DESIRE TO HELP AND SERVE PEOPLE

my wife possessed and still does possess all but number 8. and only number 1 was a deal breaker in my book.

Christmas V Holiday

the holiday's are as popular as ever. christmas seems to be taking a beating though.

the differences are obvious; christmas begins with christ. it is a baby. it is giving, it is life, love and the promise of imortality vicariously. the holidays begin with us, they mean recieving, being politically correct, credit cards, worring over appreances and wall street.

in sum the holiday's have obsorbed christmas and forgotten christ as shopping, parties and other traditions have gained in prominance.

the holidays placebo, christmas real. so why is the former celebrated more than the later?

dear santa,

this year i want a fire in the fireplace, a cup of cocoa, my family and peace on earth.

i just got a playstation 3

nah. not really. but what is up with those people who waited in line for three days??

ok, so, really, what would you think if i were one of those people who waited in line...?

1. get a life
2. cool, can i play
3. are you gonna sell it on ebay for $3000.00?

i was set to make fun of the people who waited in line until i just saw that PS3's are going for 3000.00 on ebay, wow.

now i'm gonna say if anyone waited in line to get a PS3 to play, get a life.

but if anyone waited in line to get one to sell for $3000.00, good for you, nice move and nice ROI at 400%. good job.

but here is the kicker, if you didn't wait in line and just won an ebay auction to shell out the $3000.00 you should have either waited in line or sought out profession help.

so the moral of the story is go to block buster, rent a movie for $3.00, read a book, write some blogs, and play PS2 for another couple of months and then go to best buy and buy the PS3 for retail price.

that is a lot of time to be spent on what some people would call something insignificant; but those who waited in line wouldnt. i submit that video games is "their life". ok, so you wouldn't spend 3 days waiting in line for the newest video game, but what would you spend three days waiting in line for? a great price on a new car? a chance to see your favorite band or movie star? is your life wrapped up in that? what is your life? what is important?

i say, while you are in line for three days waiting for anything, think about what is really important.

also think, maybe best buy will have one on disply that i could play for free.

good boy landry

keep it together i said to myself, looking in the review mirror of my truck to my dog of thirteen years, Landry. I cried like a baby as i knew this would be the last time i would be with him. he was old for a sheepdog and we were blessed to have him healthy for as long as we did.

i took the long way to the clinic, stopped extra long at stop signs and prayed for long red lights.

you used to bark at the top of your lungs to all the passers by when we drove home from the groomers when you thought you were so handsome.

people thought you were the shaggy dog from the movies and could talk.

when we first started running together, as a puppy i pulled you along. you got older and pulled me. you got older still and i pulled you again. you are once again pullin at me.

you were happy to be with me and that was all you really wanted.

life goes on. i'll miss you boy. we may get another pet, but you will never be replaced.

you were a good dog landry. good boy.