What I've been reading

In late January of this year, I took up the challenge to read 25 books in 2013.  I got this idea from Nikki Stafford’s amazing Nik at Nite blog.  It seemed like an easy enough thing to do.  After all, I love to read and have several unread books lining the shelves.  I could not wait to get started. 

As May ended, I marked my progress or rather lack thereof.   I had tallied three completed books.  Not good.  How had I fallen so quickly off the pace?  There were a few answers to this question.   When you have a family that you love dearly and with whom you enjoy spending time, there isn’t as much time for solo pursuits. (and that is totally fine with me)  Combine that with an overflowing dvr and a game backlog that will most likely never be cleared and things were going slowly.  The biggest mistake I made was in book selection.  No, not for the quality of the writing but more the voluminous nature of two of the first three novels I chose.  Deciding to complete two of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire tomes really slowed me down.  Both A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords were incredibly enjoyable reads.  But, their length meant it was going to take more time than normal to consume them.  In between I read The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers.  It was short but powerful.   While I had enjoyed what I read, I was left wondering how I was ever going to make ten books read let alone getting through 25 of the things.

Since that time, I have made a lot of progress.  As this is being written,  I am currently on the eleventh book in the drive to 25.  June was a great month for reading as has been July.  I have also been lucky in that I have enjoyed everything I’ve read over many genres.  I decided to write a bit about each book,  even if briefly, saying what I liked (or perhaps disliked) about them. Hopefully, someone will be inspired to read more whether it is something from my list or not.

To be honest, I had started A Clash of Kings in late December but had not gotten very far.  Inspired by HBO’s Game of Thrones series, I wanted to get back to reading some good fantasy.  I read A Game of Thrones after watching the first season.  I was determined to read A Clash of Kings before watching season two.  Having the HBOGO app on both the Ipad and the 360 meant I didn’t have to add to that already bulging dvr list mentioned above.   I didn’t get around to reading Kings until the third season was almost here but that’s neither here nor there.  I tremendously enjoy the world of Westeros that Martin has created.  The characters are deep and believable.  The political intrigue and machinations intrigue me to no end.  I can’t wait to read on and see who is betrayed next.  I was glad I was far enough ahead in A Storm of Swords to not be spoiled by the Red Wedding talk all over social media after that episode aired.  When I read Martin’s books, I find myself not wanting to leave that world  and savoring every word on the page.  It may be that it is not the length as much as the pure delight I get from reading them that leads to the time taken to complete each one.  I can't wait to get back to the Seven Kingdoms but wait is what I will have to do if I am to reach my goal. 

In between the two Martin novels, I read The Yellow Birds.  It was a touching tale from Iraqi war veteran Kevin Powers.  It was not a memoir but rather a fictionalized account about things that could happen in a war theater.  Not just for the ones experiencing it, but also for their loved ones back home.  The author is a poet by trade and that comes through in his descriptions and depictions of life in a warzone and at home.  The main character’s return after serving shows how difficult it is to readjust.  There are things that happen that can never be forgotten and will stick with him forever.  I thought this was extremely well-written, especially for a debut novel. 

While I was off to a very slow start, I had read three incredible novels.  Thankfully, I was able to build real reading momentum heading into the heart of summer.  The books have run the gamut from genre faves sci-fi, horror, and fantasy to mysteries, memoirs and thrillers.  It is my plan to write a little about each book I have read upon completion.  I have some catching up in my writing, and hope to do so over the next few weeks.   Until next time…

Ode to Joy or Fun with Microsoft Store Customer Service

Like most gamers in search of deals, I scoured the web the week of Black Friday to find some bargains. I ended up adding a few games to my already considerable backlog including a couple purchased from Microsoft’s online store. While feeling like I was stealing when purchasing Forza Horizon for only $15, I should have stopped there. On November 24, a number of games were listed for $9.99. I decided to get two more. Because I sometimes get an unhealthy hankering for a round of video game golf I chose the Tiger Woods 13 CE. And because many of the GiantBomb.com crew raved about it when it came out, I took a chance on Asura’s Wrath. And that is where my tale of frustration begins.

On November 27, I received an email that my order of the last two games had shipped. Forza Horizon arrived with no issues. The package that I believed to contain the other games was delivered on November 30. Due to various other things, I did not open this last box until December 2. Inside, I found the Tiger Woods game along with a copy of Mass Effect 3 but no Asura’s Wrath. I had previously purchased ME3 from Best Buy in April. As I am horribly behind on my gaming, I was only just finishing ME2 when this duplicate arrived. While aggravated, I assumed this would be an easy enough fix. And as the saying goes when one assumes…

Later that day, I called the customer service number listed on the support page and spoke to someone about the issue. She apologized for any inconvenience this had caused and said she would be happy to help. She put me on hold for a couple of minutes. When she returned, she informed me my problem had been escalated and sent to Tier 3 (which is apparently the Microsoft store version of Area 51). She told me that someone would call me within 72 hours to address the situation and gave me a case number. I thanked her but thought that seemed like an awfully long time for something as simple as this appeared to be. Just send me a shipping label, I will return the wrong product and they will replace it with what I originally ordered. It turned out to be anything but simple.

The next day, December 3, I checked my order status on the website to see if there was any notification as I had not received an email notating my initial contact. A chat window popped up asking if I needed assistance. I decided to see if it normally took 72 hours to get back to customers so I asked. A person with the screen name of Rusty replied. He began by asking for the information I had given on the phone the day before. I indicated to him that I had already been through all of that and had a case number. He took that and got back to me saying my case had been escalated to Tier 3 and someone would be with me within 24-48 hours. Since that fit the original 72 hour time frame I decided to wait.

On December 5 what was probably the worst customer service experience of my life continued. Since my 72 hours had expired with nary a peep, I called the number again hoping to speak to someone in Tier 3. The gentleman I spoke with today informed me that contrary to what I had previously been told not once…but twice, my problem had not actually been escalated to Tier 3. To make up for that apparent oversight, he was happy to do that for me now and someone would get back to me within 72 hours. I told him this was simply not acceptable. I had no reason to believe he was going to do anything different than the first two people with whom I spoke. I asked several times to be transferred up a level to this Tier 3 since they seemed to be the only people capable of solving my problem. He told me they had no way of transferring the call, no number they could give and no email address. I told him that was absolutely absurd. He said would let me speak to his floor manager.

This new person came on the phone asking how he could help. I explained my situation again providing the case number. At no time, did I use inappropriate language even though it was certainly warranted. I did however tell him in no uncertain terms just how awful and unsatisfying the customer service process was. His first solution was for them to sell me another copy of Asura’s Wrath but at regular price and not the sale price. I laughed and told him that was preposterous. His explanation of why they could not offer assistance and just send me the correct game was that I had (the apparent misfortune) of ordering something on sale and that had to be cleared through...you guessed it…Tier 3. At this point, I had beyond had it and just asked for a refund and a shipping label to return the wrong game to them. He told me they would process the refund in 5-7 days and they would mail me a return label during that same time. He confirmed my case number and the call ended.

A few minutes later, I got an email from Microsoft support telling me how I was going to get the refund I requested minus shipping and handling. All I had to do was return Asura’s Wrath and they would process if everything was in order. The only problem was of course, I had NO Asura’s Wrath which was the entire reason for my call in the first place. I immediately called back. The lady I spoke to listened to my story then seemed as if there was some confusion in the notes about what I did and did not receive. I asked, well actually demanded, to talk to someone in this Tier 3 area. She made a pretense of seeing if there was any way I could contact these Lords of the Refunds and put me on hold.

After a few minutes, she regretfully informed me that there was no way I could actually speak to anyone in that department. She did offer her supervisor. When the supervisor got on the phone, she told me contrary to the previous floor manager’s statement, I would not receive a refund until Microsoft had Asura’s Wrath. I thought I was in a bad comedy routine. I again stated my original reason for calling was that I did not have that game. I informed her that I was starting to doubt the existence of any such thing as Tier 3 knowing quite well my blasphemy might cause a complete meltdown among the peasants of Tiers 1-2. She assured me that Tier 3 was in fact quite real and the email I received was proof. She said it was o k to ship the extra ME3 with the invoice for Asura’s Wrath and she would make a note of what happened. I said I had zero faith in that as there already should been several notes about this on my account.

I told her that I understood she did not care and that I probably would not in her case either. But, I would not be shopping with them again and this had been an atrocious customer service experience. The fact that the first three people I contacted at the very least misinformed and basically flat out lied to me about the process should be cause for serious concern with her company. She again apologized and that was that.

 After thinking about it, I decided it would be simpler for me to trade in the extra ME3 or sell it myself rather than trust I will get the promised refund. I have written this blog not to discourage anyone from ordering from the online Microsoft store. Mainly, it is an admittedly long-winded warning that you are in for a rough experience if you have to contact their customer service department. It is an experience I will never repeat and would not wish on anyone. And that is all I have to say about it. Now if you will excuse me, several must have Ubisoft products are on sale on the Xbox live marketplace…

Music thing I wrote two years ago late one night. Posted here for your consumption.

I actually did go in and edit a few minor things from the previous posting of this. Maybe someone somewhere will get some enjoyment from this. A lot has changed since I first did that. The Drive-by Truckers should be on here somewhere. As do so many others. But that's for another day. Please forgive the past and present tense changes.

Well, it's been over two months since I promised the mother of all blogs. My top 25 albums of all time. I was all fired up about doing the list. Everyone knows how much I love music. And everyone loves lists. So, I thought I'd put the two together since that's never been done before. What? It has. Thousands nay millions of times? I hadn't thought about that. I'm not sure what happened to me doing my list. I think life got in the way. That and pure laziness.

The list was inspired via chat. I rattled off 20 of my favorite albums (record, cassette, cd) in short order. The only caveat being no artist would be represented twice. I saved the list. I thought about it for a few days and wanted to add a few more. I had visions of glorious prose as I would transcribe the impact of the music on me and my life. I decided to set aside time to get it done. One weekend seemed the likeliest choice. However, in my zest I somehow forgot that both the Barclay's Premiere League and College football take up all my time in the fall. The BPL continues not yet at the halfway mark but nearly there. Sadly, the college football regular season is over. I can content myself on overindulging during the bowl season. (Go Dawgs!!!) But, I still have this list. And, I'm not sure what to do with it. Best laid plans and all.

Looking at my top 20 shortly after making it, I noticed notable exceptions. For example, there were no bands that began with the letter P. Oh no. I've left off Phish. You know my love for the boys from Vermont. Not only were they not there, but no Pavement, nor Pearl Jam, or Postal service oh my. I'd also forgotten my latest obsession Porcupine Tree. I tried to steer clear of live albums with one notable exception. Hell, I wrote it in shorthand and there is one thing listed that I don't even know what it is supposed to be.

So here I sit some 68 days later. I can't explain some of the choices. I don't really have the time to write what I wanted to write. (whatever that was going to be) I guess I should stop stalling b/c I'm getting a little sleepy. Here's what I came up with a couple of months ago. It's already changed and I will try to find the motivation to actually write a detailed description of some of my faves at a later date. At the rate I'm going, that should be some time in the next decade.

1. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the aeroplane over the sea.

This I can say is my favorite. I want to write many great things about Jeff Mangum's masterpiece. but there's the sleep thing. I love this album from the opening chords to the end. I will write more about this later on an updated list. F@@ it. I have more to say about this. I have to thank the Whiz Kid from Secondhand Stories for introducing me to this one. It immediately resonated with my soul. I can't really explain why. The music is simple and beautiful. The passion in Jeff's voice as he sings about all sorts of things makes me laugh, cry and everything in between. The lyrics are sometimes out there but always heartfelt. I know I've used the first line from the title track to describe a friend or two. "what a beautiful face i have found in this place circling all round the sun' There's 'i am listening to hear where you are' from Two-headed Boy. The entirety of Holland, 1945 I could go and on. There's not a note or word that is out of place. I can listen to this anytime. 'Daddy hear this song that I sing.' I don't think i have the words to do this work of art justice.
The only thing that bums me out about it is it took me five years to discover it. There are so many sounds and meanings to be unearthed. I think I've heard it described as a marching band on acid but that doesn't begin to tell the tale of wonderment and beauty that is In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. It's got acoustic guitar, fuzz bass, percussion, horns, a saw and that raw pained voice soaring above it all. To me, it is just the best. And it has been especially pertinent to my current situation.

2. Derek and the Dominos - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs

This held the number one spot in my heart for many many years. I first heard it in the seventh grade. I'm sure I'd heard Layla on the radio before. Then again, I did grow up in South Georgia where good radio wasn't exactly prevalent so perhaps not. Anyway, my seventh grade art teacher let me borrow it. I didn't really get it at first. I'm pretty sure I was starting to get heavily into metal at that point. This was the eighties mind you. I think my main interest was due to the cover of Jimi's Little Wing that I saw on the back of the album jacket. I hadn't really heard Hendrix at the time to any great degree. I remember my good friend Morris bought a guitar mag with Jimi on the cover. I uh liberated that from him. (sorry if you're reading Morris) I still have it. Anyway, I took the album home and put it on the turntable. I listened to it for a couple of weeks then returned it. A couple of years later, I procured my own copy and it was like wow. How did I miss this the first time? By this time, I was aware of the Allman Brothers and knew Brother Duane was heavily featured on the album. The guitar playing soars as both Clapton and Allman push each other to new heights. This probably should have inspired me to practice more on my old blue harmony guitar in retrospect. And again, there's that pained vocal thing as Eric sings of his love for his best mate's wife. While I've never pined for the wife of a dear friend, I know how sad unrequited love can make you feel. I'm sure that's something we can all identify with dear readers or um reader...anyone? :)
My personal favorite from this is Keep On Growing. The part where they almost come back to the verse but hold out for a few bars is fantastic. I also love Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad, Bell Bottom Blues and Have You Ever Loved a Woman. Duane's guitar truly cries on that last one. Again, the entire album is great to me otherwise it wouldn't be number two on my list.

O k. From here on out, they really are in no particular order.

The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin

It was a tough choice between this and Yoshimi. They are both so great. (I have a feeling I'll be using that word a lot. I need to invest in a thesaurus). I had to go with this one though b/c it got me back into the Lips. Of course in college I had heard She Don't Use Jelly and seen the wacky video. I thought it was cool and probably something my high school homeroom buddy and first year of college roommate David Gentry would love. But I never purchased Transmissions from the Satellite Heart for whatever reason. (it's in my collection now). But I digress as I so often do. Alright it's the year 2000. (which according to the flight of the conchords is the distant future.) I have just started my new job at ECPI. There's this funny dude with no discernible neck who eventually starts talking to me after he learns I am into Phish and the Dead. I'm sure somebody remembers Ruffin. At some point during our conversations about music, he mentions the Soft Bulletin. He says it is the soundtrack to a movie that was never made and lets me borrow it. I slip it into (that sounds so dirty) the cd player in my old car and take a listen. Unlike Derek and the Dominoes I get this immediately and at full force. My ears are filled with sounds of musical bliss. I'm thinking these are the same guys who sang about jelly? I was not prepared for this. It's some of the best music I've ever heard. 'Two scientists were racing for the good of all mankind both of them side by side so determined' I'm not sure what Wayne is singing about but I know he's determined to make my heart fill good with the music. And he does.
One thing I remember about this album is playing it in my old apartment. My dear friend Melissa's (Hi!) oldest (and at the time only) daughter Ivy would jump up and down on my bed every time I played this. I think that means she liked it. Perhaps one day Audrey will bounce to the sounds as well. The line from the song The Spark that Bled 'i stood up and i said yeah' always made me think of the girl i was crushing so hard on (zing) at the time. I never really understood why but it's o k. (understood why the lyric made me think of her. not why i was crushing on her. girls with freckles on their noses will be the death of me) If I had to pick favorites from this I guess they'd be Race for the Prize, A Spoonful Weighs a Ton, Waitin' for a Superman, and Suddenly Everything has Changed. But I don't have to pick favorites so I can listen to the entire affair. One other note about this one. I do remember having many an email correspondence with Tim Conley of the Fuzzy Sprouts about the numerous virtues of the Soft Bulletin. My first name drop of someone semi famous! Yay me!

I took a small break and lost my train of thought. On we go then.

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland

As with so many of these artists, it's difficult to select one Hendrix record that is my favorite. This is a double album which means more Jimi. More is better, no? Where to begin with Jimi? I think perhaps a blog or blogs on my musical evolution would be a better place to give honor and praise to Mr. Hendrix. For now, I'll just say through the end of high school and and the beginning of college I was obsessed with all things Hendrix. I have tons of magazines from those days that I think I will always keep. The first song I remember hearing off this album was Voodoo Child (Slight Return). Like Little Wing though, I first heard it as covered by Stevie Ray Vaughn on his Couldn't Stand the Weather. Eventually, I would get my hands on the original. I have a habit of going backwards with music. For example, in high school I loved Van Halen. If Eddie Van Halen says he was heavily influenced by Eric Clapton then I need to check out his stuff. Clapton says he owes a lot to Robert Johnson then let's see what he's about. In fact, I did a speech about that very thing in the ninth grade. I'm sure my classmates were thrilled.
I'm off track again and the hour is getting late. (to quote Jimi quoting Dylan) I actually heard him sing that line from All Along the Watchtower in my head as I typed it. And, it's amazing that he heard an early version of that song then went and recorded his version soon thereafter. The guitar solo on that song has to be the most eloquent solo to grace top 40 radio in the history of well everything. This album has got it all. There are some fantastic tunes and out of this world musicianship. Voodoo Chile is 15 minutes of heavenly sounds. The entire Rainy Day side (on the original vinyl) is a fantastic piece. There are so many great tracks and styles to choose from. I recommend viewing the classic albums dvd about the making of Electric Ladyland. It's a great companion to the album itself.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Ah Wilco. Dear Wilco. Wilco is most days of the week my favorite active band. I would have to say they are always in my top three and among my all time list. (not another list) My first encounter with Wilco was at a H.O.R.D.E. festival stop in the ATL at good old Lakewood. They were touring in support of their debut a.m. I had not heard of them before. I'm not sure if any of our crew had. I know I knew nothing of Uncle Tupelo at the time. I remember Tweedy had on a red jacket like old country singers wore back in the day. I can also see in my mind now departed member and current solo artist Jay Bennett (RIP) on stage with them. My brother decides to take the piss by telling me the lead singer's name is Roger. For a moment I believe him. Chris Robinson joins them for a rousing Casino Queen. I came away very impressed and purchased a.m. I loved it. When Being There came out, I picked that up as well. Then somewhere in there, I Kind of stopped listening. I think this was during my ill-fated engagement. (no offense Rach...& no hard feelings)
Flash forward a few years, and my brother mentions this album. He thinks I might like it b/c I'm into Radiohead. (they appear later in this way too long tale) He says it's a bit more experimental then their previous stuff. So, I do a little research online. Thinking this is something I'd like to give a try, I head to Manifest. They had YHF, Summerteeth and Being There (which I had sold once when I needed the money) all on sale for $9.99. I bought them all but immediately plunged headfirst in to YHF. By the end of I am Trying to Break Your Heart, I was hooked. Tweedy's anguish in Radio Cure is something I can identify with. Ashes of American Flags is pure poetry. Heavy Metal Drummer brings a smile to my face. The two songs that close the album, Poor Places and Reservations give me chills. Picking songs to talk about from this album is like picking from the finest diamonds. You really can't go wrong. All of these songs have made their way to various mix discs over the years, mostly for the ladies. The way I see it, if they don't really like Wilco it's not going to work. But the ones that do...

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation

So, I'm either finishing my junior or starting my senior year of high school. I'm in some music store in the Valdosta mall. I should point out that Valdosta is home to Valdosta State University, my alma mater and 2004 & 2007 NCAA Division II football champions. At the time, I wasn't thinking about that. I was just trying to think of a way to get the hot blond girl working at the store to keep talking to me. I'm wanting to try some stuff I've never heard as well. She's in college. I'll be there soon so we're a perfect match. I kind of remember what she looks like but I definitely remember her suggestions. She thought I might try the Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me or the new Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation. Smart minds know the choice I made. Not that there is anything wrong with the 'Mats. But for whatever reason, I chose Sonic Youth.
I didn't have a cd player yet so the cassette was the format of choice. I ended up wearing out two or three of those. I have no idea how many times I've listened to this over the years and it never gets old. I don't know that I'd ever heard anything like this. Needless to say, they became one of my all time favorite bands and it started with this album. The most accurate description I've heard of the music contained herein is that it is sprawling. It's at times dense. There seems to be a lot going on here. The guitars just wash over my ears in all their oddly tuned beautiful noise. The tracks melt into each other in a chaotic yet most pleasing way. When I got the cd at Manifest to replace my latest cassette, I remember telling the girl I was reliving my youth. She said no way better to do that then with this album. Also, I was trying to learn how to play Teenage Riot on the guitar. I was having to do some weird things to my strings to get them tuned like Thurston Moore's guitar. When I finally had the strings tuned correctly or more accurately a close approximation, my roommate commented that it didn't sound right. My reply was "No. It's supposed to sound like that." I never did learn how to play that song though, probably b/c it took me so long to get the tunings close to right. (I should note here in 2009 that I proudly own the vinyl expanded edition of this album and it is as good as ever.)

I've been typing for what seems like hours and I've only completed six of these. I think I'll do one more then call it a night. I may or may not get back to the rest of them before I leave on holiday.

Radiohead - Kid A

Again, how do I choose one? It seems like I should be able to break the rules of this list/blog since I made them. I'm getting sleepy. Radiohead doesn't make me sleepy. When I first got this cd though, I would play it every night before I went to bed. I played it so much my friend and then roommate Melissa told me I had to stop as she was tired of hearing the opening of Everything in its Right Place. And on cue, that music plays in my head. This album is where I found more common ground with Ruffin. Remember him? Mentioned way back up in the Soft Bulletin portion. He could and did really get on my nerves at times. That usually takes some doing. (unless it is work related) But he did turn me on to some cool albums.
Back to Kid A. Honestly the first time I saw an in-store ad for Kid A I thought it had something to do with Kid Rock. I have no idea why. Phish was going on hiatus and that was pretty much all I had listened two for the last three years. I quickly realized there was a lot of great music out there I had been missing. When I finally read the rest of the ads and saw Kid A was the title of the new Radiohead, I became very excited. I absolutely adored (and still do) O k computer so I was looking forward to this. Apparently a lot of people I was around at the time were as eager as I was to experience the aural pleasure of Radiohead's new opus. It did not disappoint. The album is filled top to bottom with great tracks and wild sounds. (I know I'm getting tired b/c I just had trouble spelling tracks) There's not a wrong move on this album. One of the many things I love about this band is how they are constantly changing their music and challenging their fanbase to keep up with them. I like bands that take chances. It's even better when the result is something as awesome as this.

And with that, I'm done for the night. I rarely blog (obviously) but when I do it's a doozy. I set out to do 25 and finished seven. That sounds about right. This blog was produced to the sounds of a Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals concert on Mojo and Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy (Definitive Edition). i hope all those who made it this far enjoyed my stroll down musical memory lane. it was fun. I think I'll do it again. Unless no on reads it. Then what's the point? I mean really. But writing about music should be food and drink for me. And with 18 more albums to go I still have a lot to do. But for now I am well and truly beaten. Done and dusted as it were. I think that exhausts my stash of british football (soccer to my american friends) cliches. To quote the good old Grateful Dead 'I bid you goodnight....goodnight...goodnight.

Well here goes

I don't really have anything to say on this first blog. Obviously, you now feel mislead due to the title of my blog space thing. I'm sure at some point I'll have something to say. It might happen later today...or not. Until then, faithful reader(s)