Tastes Are A Peculiar Thing

My tastes of what I like are really slim and really vast. For instance, I like plain desserts. Just give me a white or marble or yellow cake with butter-cream icing. That's it. That's what I like for a dessert. And Candy? Just give me some Mike and Ikes (which I'm absolutely addicted to!), or Brach Jelly Beans or Double-Stuff Oreo Cookies or a delicious Honey Bun--lightly glazed. Well, cookies and Honey Buns aren't candy...but you get what I mean.

But then there's music... which, sometimes, even I don't know what I would get into.

I subscribe to a fellow author (David Gaughran) who was talking about Kickstarter. I ran into Kickstarter reading some other author's blog about how he was using Kickstarter to fund for his Dungeon and Dragon games (Jeff Gupton). Don't ask me how I found him. I run all over the place on the internet and run into sites. You know how it goes with surfing. But back to tastes....

So David Gaughran mentioned this artist and I took a look at her story on how she and her band mates raised enough money, and then some, to do their music tour in the United States using Kickstarter. Then I visited her website and got intrigued with her music. Warning: It's a bit "risque"...well...very risque. She's fun and hits some sensitive subjects like her Missed Me song in the Dresden Dolls Album. And her funny song about Lady Gaga being an artist or not, was what made me then go find out what she actually sings about. I just hit play on the first song on the The Dresden Dolls album (I picked that one since it had the name of one of the Science Fiction TV Series I enjoyed--The Dresden Files) and I sat there listening to it as I type this blog.

Amanda Palmer is one of those artists that people admire--a Free Spirited person that people are drawn to because they wish they could be that comfortable with themselves. One of those true artist types that are rugged and spirited and intelligent and fun! The ones whose light burn out quickly if they're not careful. Hopefully she'll be like Madonna and keep on burning.

After listening to her, I went on YouTube to watch my favorite video, at this moment of time, Hot Wings from the movie Rio (2011).

Tastes...I tell ya. They're scattered all over the place!

Until Next Time.

Instructions Help with Life!

In Middle School, I learned about reading instructions from an exercise a teacher handed out to calls. The exercise had like over 100 questions, and the first thing it said was to read everything before beginning. I didn't read that part, or at least didn't pay much attention to it, and went heads-on to completing the assignment.  There was a grade, you see, for passing the exercise and completing it before the time was over.

I then began wondering why a few other people had finished their exercise and was playing around. The questions were getting hard and harder, and taking me time to solve them. How did this people finish it so fast? I began feeling very stupid.

Time was up! And I barely finished answering the questions. Then the teacher told us how she had stated to "Follow Instructions Carefully," and pointed something out to us.

Somewhere on the 3rd statement of the instructions, before the 100 questions, was for you to only write your name and ignore the rest of the questions. I just saw the questions and went at it!

And I wasted time and energy with frustration because of that.

That was a BIG learning lesson for me about instructions.
And that is the basis for most achievements I see.

Knowing the Rules.

Back when I did contests, and every contest while growing up after that teacher's exercise, I LIVED for those who didn't follow the rules. It just increase my chances for being in the finalist group.

And people not reading instructions is increasing. There's just so much more to read these days with more PCs in the household and the internet.

For equipment I purchase to use, I read instructions, but for Terms of Service on facebook, twitter, free email...well.... I mean, I just got a pop-up on my cell phone on something changing on Words for Friends and to ACCEPT the terms after reading them...didn't do it. I just clicked ACCEPT. All those TERMS just read like blah blah blah to me.

However, 15 years ago, I would use the HELP menu for Microsoft Office applications and then when problems came up, I would show people how to get things done. Someone ask me, "Are you Microsoft Certified or something?" I had to laugh. "Nope, I just read the instructions," I told him. That got me moving up the ladder...just because I read instructions. I make it a point to read the HELP menu. If it wasn't for that, I couldn't do most of the software stuff I do today.

Following instructions...I don't think people realize how it really helps you out in life to get ahead.

It's really helped me :)