Friday, June 30, 2006
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters is a five-piece American glam rock band.
The band has been influenced by the gay-club scene of New York City, and was named after a lesbian sex position. (The group's initial full name was Dead Lesbian and the Fibrillating Scissor Sisters.) The band was formed in 2001.
Members
(from left)
Guitarist Del Marquis (born Derek Gruen)
Vocalist Ana Matronic (born Ana Lynch)
Lead vocalist Jake Shears (born Jason Sellards)
Drummer Paddy Boom (born Patrick Secore)
Bassist/keyboardist Babydaddy (born Scott Hoffman).
The nucleus of the band formed in 2001 when Shears and Babydaddy connected via mutual friends, and began to play music together. The duo met Ana Matronic at a cabaret night, and the group soon began playing gigs. After becoming a quintet, the band was signed to independent record label A Touch of Class, and recorded a single, "Electrobix", which had as its B-side a disco/glam cover of the Pink Floyd classic, "Comfortably Numb".
"Comfortably Numb" became noticed in the UK when the London hotel Hotel Pelirocco featured the song on a compilation disc that was given away to guests. The song got the attention of British label Polydor, who signed them to a contract.
The group's first single, "Laura", had a limited release in 2003 (reaching #54 in the UK singles chart), but received little attention except from British music paper New Musical Express. 2003 also saw the inclusion of the atmospheric "It Can't Come Quickly Enough" on the soundtrack of the film Party Monster; the song played over its ending credits.
Their first hit was in 2004 when "Comfortably Numb" (reaching #10 in the UK), featuring Paul Leschen on piano and keyboards. This success was followed by fan favourite "Take Your Mama" (#17 in the UK), a re-release of "Laura" (#12 in the UK), the ballad "Mary" (#14 in the UK), and the randy "Filthy/Gorgeous" (#5 in the UK).
All the singles came from the self-titled debut album Scissor Sisters, which reached #1 on the UK albums chart and became the best selling album of 2004, beating their closest rival Keane by just 582 copies.
The lyrics of their songs, largely written by Shears and Babydaddy, are known for their mixture of wit and tragedy. The songs on the debut album dealt with a number of subjects and issues in a variety of styles, from crystal meth abuse in "Return to Oz", to Jake Shears' deep platonic love for his best friend in real life, Mary ("Mary"). The same name was also used for the song. Sadly, Mary died of a brain aneurysm in April, 2006, news which devastated members of the band.
At the 2005 Brit Awards, the group won all the awards they were nominated for: International Group, International Breakthrough, and International Album. It was the first time in the Awards history that an act won all three International categories. They also opened the show with "Take Your Mama", on a set made by The Jim Henson Company.
The band won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist on March 28, 2005. On July 2, 2005, the group performed at Live 8. Their set included the previously unheard song "Everybody Wants the Same Thing".
They have received a lot of attention in the United States by VH1 and magazines such as Out and Entertainment Weekly. So far in the U.S., two videos have received play: the "Take Your Mama" clip and the second "Laura" clip. They have also been interviewed on VH1's website and Del Marquis had been interviewed by the music section of IGN.com. As their early successes have been almost exclusively in Europe, they are often mistaken in the U.S. for an import band despite their New York roots.
In late 2004, Shears and Babydaddy co-wrote and produced the hit "I Believe in You" for Kylie Minogue.
The group were one of the headlining acts at the British V Festival in 2005, where they collaborated on stage with Scottish rock group Franz Ferdinand to perform a cover version of David Bowie's "Suffragette City".
This song is one of my camp themes. Great to dance to too.
Filthy/Gorgeous
When you're walkin' down the street
And the man tries to get your business
And the people that you meet
Want to open you up like Christmas
You gotta wrap your fuzzy in a big red bow
Ain't no sum bitch gonna treat me like a ho
I'm a classy honey kissy huggy lovey dovey ghetto princess
Cuz you're filthy Oooh, and I'm gorgeous
You're disgusting Oooh, and you're nasty
And you can grab me oooh, cuz you're nasty
When you're runnin' from a trick
And you trip on a hit of acid
You gotta work for the man
But your biggest moneymakers' flaccid
You gotta keep your shit together
With your feet on the ground
There ain't no one gonna listen
If you haven't made a sound
You're an acid junkie college flunky dirty puppy daddy bastard
Cuz you're filthy Oooh, and I'm gorgeous
You're disgusting Oooh, and you're nasty
And you can grab me oooh, cuz you're nasty
Scissor Sisters' new album Ta-Dah is stores September, 2006.
The new single I Don't Feel Like Dancin' out September 4th, 2006.
Labels: Music
Sunday, June 25, 2006
New Word for The Dictionary
As all my close friends and people who had gone to camps with me know, I am (as what they say) an All Terrain Lie-r.
As long as I am tired, I can and will lie down anywhere.
I am also quite well known as a sleeper. I sleep as much as I can and I am always the last to wake.
My friends from the last Kid's Camp hated my ability to laze everywhere. Especially once we sent our babies back to sleep, I'll automatically switch to 'Sleep Mode'.
Hence, they invented a new word.
When another fellow instructor stared into blank space and went into 'Sleep Mode', another explained
"oh.. he's g-aging..."
This, of course, started an English lesson as they teased me.
"Please do not gage. Pay attention."
"Look! He's g-aging.."
...
hee.
As long as I am tired, I can and will lie down anywhere.
I am also quite well known as a sleeper. I sleep as much as I can and I am always the last to wake.
My friends from the last Kid's Camp hated my ability to laze everywhere. Especially once we sent our babies back to sleep, I'll automatically switch to 'Sleep Mode'.
Hence, they invented a new word.
When another fellow instructor stared into blank space and went into 'Sleep Mode', another explained
"oh.. he's g-aging..."
This, of course, started an English lesson as they teased me.
"Please do not gage. Pay attention."
"Look! He's g-aging.."
...
hee.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Pets and Lovers
I was on the bus a few days ago and saw a Japanese Toy Company unveiling their new electronical pet cat.
These cats purr and close their eyes when you stroke them. And see how lifelike their movements are!
And of course, they don't pee. So kiss goodbye to all the mess!
This reminds me of the craze that happened about a decade ago - Tamagotchi.
I remember the manufacturers claim that the toy will give children a sense of responsibility as they have to 'play' and 'feed' their pets.
Of course Tamagotchis can't really take the place of real pets. So the craze died and slowly resulted in the creation of lifelike pet toys.
But I wonder when have we come to be so desperate to fill up our voids in lives?
(Ah.. the wonderful word - Desperate. From a TV series, it exploded infected everything in its path. I was watching Sesame Street this morning. And even they have a section called Desperate Plants. But I should discuss this magic word another time.)
How are we complete when we have pets that are made from metal and wires and plastic?
When we avoid the hassle of cleaning our pets and their urine and faeces, and remove the necessity of spending time to be with them, and also cultivate the norm that it is ok to spend time with something you love only when you are free.
When there are so many things to love (real pets and even your friends and family), I think it's a big problem when we jump to love something else just because it's more convenient.
Just like love.
The fear of being single and lonely is very concrete and real.
But when we let that fear make us stay in a relationship that is wrong but convenient, unhappiness awaits in the near future.
But how can there be a convenient relationship?
Well, isn't keeping a love only because I've already put in so much time and effort more convenient than looking for another?
I think the ideas of pets and lovers result from the fear of loneliness. So maybe the solution to these problems are inside each and everyone of us all along.
May happiness be with you even if you are single or you are without a pet.
Love,
Gage
Labels: Thoughts
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Seven Signs It's Time to Toss Your Résumé
By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder Editor
They've reviewed millions of résumés and seen it all. From the candidate whose stated objective was to "seek a high-paying, relaxing job" to the software developer who included a photo of himself bare-chested, cavorting in the surf.
Corporate recruiters say you'd be surprised at how many candidates leave out important facts, such as the names and locations of companies where they've worked, or include too much information, like the candidate who asterisked her dates of employment with the caveat: "Please do not misconstrue the fact that I have had 12 jobs in six years as job-hopping...I have never quit a job!"
Is your résumé working for you or against you? Here are seven signs it may be time to tweak (or toss) your résumé:
1. No Career Summary/Introductory Statement
Most hiring companies don't have time to match unspecified résumés to open positions, so lead off with a career summary or introductory statement that makes it clear what type of position you are seeking and why you are qualified for the job.
2. Lack of Keywords and Phrases
To pass through a company's applicant tracking software, your résumé must contain the keywords and phrases it is screening for. These words are not the verbs stressed in paper résumés, but nouns such as job titles and technical skills.
To find out what keywords you should be using, read the job posting or obtain the actual job description. You also may want to check out the book 2,500 Keywords to Get You Hired by Jay Block and Michael Betrus, which lists critical keywords for each career and shows examples of how to use them in your résumé.
3. No Evidence of Your Experience
Your résumé should not merely list the jobs you've held; it should provide specific examples of how you achieved success. Résumé-writing professionals recommend using the PARS formula: Describe a Problem, the Action you took, the Results you achieved and Skills you applied.
4. Use of Personal Pronouns and Articles
With just two pages to sell yourself, make each word count. Write in a telegraphic style, eliminating all personal pronouns and articles like "the," "a" and "an." Removing the "I," "me" and "my" from your résumé not only frees up space, but creates a subliminal perception of objectivity.
5. Irrelevant Information
Irrelevant information keeps the reader from seeing your selling points. Weigh each portion of your experience from the hiring company's perspective to decide what to include and what to emphasize. If you're applying for an engineering position, for example, don't devote a whole paragraph to your job as a camp counselor unless the position has elements that are transferable to the engineering job. And never include information about your marital status, personal situation, hobbies or interests unless they are relevant to the job for which you're applying.
6. Poor Formatting
Unless you have no work experience or have held a number of different jobs in a short amount of time, a chronological résumé is the most effective. That means using the following order:
Header (your name, address, e-mail address and phone number) Career summary, profiling the scope of your experience and skills Reverse chronological employment history emphasizing achievements Education
Since poor alignment, spacing and use of bolding and caps make a résumé hard to read, you may want to use a résumé template.
They've reviewed millions of résumés and seen it all. From the candidate whose stated objective was to "seek a high-paying, relaxing job" to the software developer who included a photo of himself bare-chested, cavorting in the surf.
Corporate recruiters say you'd be surprised at how many candidates leave out important facts, such as the names and locations of companies where they've worked, or include too much information, like the candidate who asterisked her dates of employment with the caveat: "Please do not misconstrue the fact that I have had 12 jobs in six years as job-hopping...I have never quit a job!"
Is your résumé working for you or against you? Here are seven signs it may be time to tweak (or toss) your résumé:
1. No Career Summary/Introductory Statement
Most hiring companies don't have time to match unspecified résumés to open positions, so lead off with a career summary or introductory statement that makes it clear what type of position you are seeking and why you are qualified for the job.
2. Lack of Keywords and Phrases
To pass through a company's applicant tracking software, your résumé must contain the keywords and phrases it is screening for. These words are not the verbs stressed in paper résumés, but nouns such as job titles and technical skills.
To find out what keywords you should be using, read the job posting or obtain the actual job description. You also may want to check out the book 2,500 Keywords to Get You Hired by Jay Block and Michael Betrus, which lists critical keywords for each career and shows examples of how to use them in your résumé.
3. No Evidence of Your Experience
Your résumé should not merely list the jobs you've held; it should provide specific examples of how you achieved success. Résumé-writing professionals recommend using the PARS formula: Describe a Problem, the Action you took, the Results you achieved and Skills you applied.
4. Use of Personal Pronouns and Articles
With just two pages to sell yourself, make each word count. Write in a telegraphic style, eliminating all personal pronouns and articles like "the," "a" and "an." Removing the "I," "me" and "my" from your résumé not only frees up space, but creates a subliminal perception of objectivity.
5. Irrelevant Information
Irrelevant information keeps the reader from seeing your selling points. Weigh each portion of your experience from the hiring company's perspective to decide what to include and what to emphasize. If you're applying for an engineering position, for example, don't devote a whole paragraph to your job as a camp counselor unless the position has elements that are transferable to the engineering job. And never include information about your marital status, personal situation, hobbies or interests unless they are relevant to the job for which you're applying.
6. Poor Formatting
Unless you have no work experience or have held a number of different jobs in a short amount of time, a chronological résumé is the most effective. That means using the following order:
Since poor alignment, spacing and use of bolding and caps make a résumé hard to read, you may want to use a résumé template.
7. Typos and Misspelled Words
From the would-be administrative assistant who claimed to be a "rabid typist" to the executive who boasted that he was "instrumental in ruining the entire operation," misspellings communicate that you have poor writing skills or a lackadaisical attitude. Proofread your résumé carefully and have several friends and family members read it as well.
Last, remember that the purpose of your résumé is to communicate your experiences and accomplishments as they relate to an open position and to obtain a job interview. Because each situation is different, you should tailor your résumé to each opportunity.
Labels: Come Grow With Me
Friday, June 09, 2006
Button Moon
Probably most of you would have heard about my all time favorite cartoon. Well, it isn't exactly a cartoon. And it's not Masks or Smurfs or what.
It's just a 5 minutes puppet show called Button Moon.
It's one of those short clip that fills up the time in between the cartoon episodes.
It's simply a spaceboy who leaves Earth on his spaceship to have an adventure on the moon (which is actually a button. Hence, button moon). Every episode, the show is simpy he leaving in his spacerocket, then everyone (the narrator and me. hee..) counting down.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Blast Off!
He lands and runs around on the button then goes back to Earth.
I love it so much.
And probably most of you would also have thought "He's crazy" when I told you about Button Moon.
1st because it's not even a famous cartoon.
2nd because no one remembers Button Moon. So far, I only know 2 other people who knows Button Moon. I guess the rest just think that Button Moon is a show that only existed in my head.
Well, thanx to my brother. He found a short clip of Button Moon. Unfortunately, it's not the whole show.
But fortunately, I another missing piece of my life. And more importantly, I found the proof that I'm not exactly crazy all the time.
ha!
Have a Look!
It's just a 5 minutes puppet show called Button Moon.
It's one of those short clip that fills up the time in between the cartoon episodes.
It's simply a spaceboy who leaves Earth on his spaceship to have an adventure on the moon (which is actually a button. Hence, button moon). Every episode, the show is simpy he leaving in his spacerocket, then everyone (the narrator and me. hee..) counting down.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Blast Off!
He lands and runs around on the button then goes back to Earth.
I love it so much.
And probably most of you would also have thought "He's crazy" when I told you about Button Moon.
1st because it's not even a famous cartoon.
2nd because no one remembers Button Moon. So far, I only know 2 other people who knows Button Moon. I guess the rest just think that Button Moon is a show that only existed in my head.
Well, thanx to my brother. He found a short clip of Button Moon. Unfortunately, it's not the whole show.
But fortunately, I another missing piece of my life. And more importantly, I found the proof that I'm not exactly crazy all the time.
ha!
Have a Look!
Labels: Childhood
