Random Thoughts

[Mara]

You don't need that in your life.

She had me tearing my hair out for the few months we lived together. In her defense, I was also deeply unhappy at my job and not in a great place emotionally. But once she moved out we were able to become friends, and we're still in touch and on good terms. We just couldn't live together.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Does anyone else hate that "where do you see yourself in five years" question at interviews?

"I see myself above you, firing you, for your insipid interview questions."

"I see myself in Fiji living off the money I embezzled."

"Oh, I don't know, some fuckin' place, I guess."

"Somewhere with a better co-pay for my therapy."

"Banging your wife."

"Banging you."

"I see myself taking a more proactive role in your company, possibly two ranks above the position I'm hiring for now, on the basis of my skill and this company's ability to recognize and promote talent appropriately. And that's when the stabbings start."

"Upgrading professionally to a job as sandwich artist at Subway."

I know I know there are reasons, Important Reasons, that the question is valuable, but it's as annoying and borderline-flustering to me as that old comment, "Man, I wish I knew what I knew now when I was younger." Oh, do you? Do you? Where do I see myself in five years? At the mercy of a God who laughs at my plans.

[Winston*]

Formal job interviews only really measure how good you are at formal job interviews. It's crazy to me that they are still the predominate hiring method in 2016.

[Sven]

Kinda like how standardized tests only demonstrate how good you are at standardized tests...

[MadMan]

Its all bullshit. Bullshit runs the world.

[Mara]

BroadwayHD, which has been quietly establishing itself with pay-per-stream videos of Broadway shows, is doing a live show of She Loves Me on June 30th for $10.

IMMA WATCH IT

It looked charming at the Tony's and I encourage this business model. Show us all the shows, please.

It looks great and the transitions are very smooth and well-rehearsed.

The sound balance is a little bit off and I hope they tweak it; slightly too much orchestra and not enough vocal.

[Mara]

Jane Krakowski is alarmingly bendy.

The sound issues are resolved and this is a really great production. The set has really cool engineering, too.

[Mara]

Zachary Levi is being a real champ about his costuming. He's spending a large chunk of the play in a three-piece suit with a bulky overcoat under Broadway lights.

"This is a great role! You'll maintain a body temperature of 110 degrees for most of it."

[Mara]

Completely charming, but the plot was slight to a fault. Totally worth $10 and I hope that they start live-streaming more shows.

[number8]

Holy shit, Mara, did you see that Hillary Clinton wrote a goodbye post for The Toast?

[Mara]

Holy shit, Mara, did you see that Hillary Clinton wrote a goodbye post for The Toast?

I KNOW.

It's a hell of a thing.

[MadMan]

I don't know why people choose depressing music to sing for karaoke.

[[ETM]]

I don't know why people choose depressing music to sing for karaoke.

You choose what you like and/or can pull off. Contrary to (seemingly) popular opinion, karaoke is NOT best when you're all drunk and singing pop songs horribly.

[Winston*]

You choose what you like and/or can pull off. Contrary to (seemingly) popular opinion, karaoke is NOT best when you're all drunk and singing pop songs horribly.

Disagree.

[amberlita]

Disagree.

Agree with this disagree. The only thing worse than karaoke is earnest karaoke.

[number8]

Thirded.

[[ETM]]

Americans...

[Winston*]

Americans...

I don't know where amberlita's from but you were born closer to America than me or number8.

[[ETM]]

It's just a western thing. Whenever I've been to karaoke, most people were awesome and it was great fun. People who can't sing tend to consider karaoke something awful and horrible karaoke "the only good karaoke".

[number8]

I feel like they're not mutually exclusive here.

I've seen my fair share of drunk people singing sad sack songs terribly. It just makes you want to leave the bar.

[Spinal]

Funny you should mention this. I just noticed that our local private karaoke suites added Lady Gaga's "Till It Happens to You" to their song list. I am trying to imagine the right circumstances for breaking this out at a karaoke party.

[number8]

That is horrifying to think about.

[Spinal]

My karaoke philosophy is that the art of choosing the right song is more about being a DJ than it is about being a performer. You try to get the feel of the room and what will work in a certain situation. Some rooms just want to dance. In others, a slow change-up at the right moment can be effective. Some appreciate a silly, ironic choice. Others will find it tiresome. People don't tend to care a whole lot about whether you sing everything well or not. If they like the song, they will most likely sing along with you. However, good singer or bad, it tends to work best when you are pretty familiar with the song you're singing.

The best karaoke rooms are not the ones where people are singing the best, although it doesn't necessarily hurt. The best karaoke rooms are the ones where people are on the same page and generally supportive of each other. I'll cheer and clap for your 3 minutes of Carrie Underwood if you'll get behind my 3 minutes of Siouxsie and the Banshees.

[Skitch]

I've never been to a public setting where karaoke was anything but tragic.

[number8]

There's a karaoke night I know at this bar frequented by aspiring musical theater people, and they go there like every week and do Disney and showtunes. Lovely people, and they perform the songs expertly, but I always read a tinge of sadness from watching that whole deal, so I can't handle their karaoke nights more than just every once in a while.