Qualifications of Critic

First of all, a little background as to what got me thinking about this in the first place. I’ve got a friend of mine in a very successful band that just put out a new album. Yesterday I came across a couple of review that, while well written, were not what most would consider a positive. 

I find the idea of a critic interesting to say the least, especially with regard to the arts (music, film, art).  I understand that they’re allowed to have their opinion, as I am mine.  The only real difference is they get paid to share theirs.  Couple things I was thinking about….

How seriously should we take what they say?  Just because they don’t like an album doesn’t mean I won’t like it. 

How can you tell if they’re a good critic or not?  Isn’t their opinion (and mine) completely subjective?  If they don’t like an album and it ends up going platinum, should they be fired?

With all that being said, I still go looking for movie/music/book reviews on a regular basis and allow some person who I don’t know and whose taste may be completely different than mine tell me why I won’t like an album…or a movie….or a book…or whatever. 

Why should I allow their opinion to influence what I may feel or think about the object of their criticism, whether good or bad?  I shouldn’t, but I still do…and probably will do in the future.  Oh well, one day their critique may save me from wasting $20 and 2 hours on a movie that was horrible…and that they were right about (at least in my opinion).

Dating Tips from a Nine-Year-Old

Came across this video this morning on my blogroll courtesy of Joshua Harris: 

Couple of thoughts rolling around my head…

1.  To Harper Collins (the publisher):  How do you even entertain an idea like this?  You must be scraping the bottom of the barrel for childrens books.   How do you sleep at night?  Have you no shame?

2.  The last thing I want my son to do is take relationship advice from from a 9 year old.  Seriously.  It’s like recommendations from a single buddy about which girls to date (don’t do that…if the girl’s so great, why isn’t he dating her?  Also, what the deuce does he know about finding a good girl.  He’s still single).  With that being said, I know some guys in their twenties that would probably benefit from this book….especially the part about not eating too much sugar and talking too much. 

3.  Just the thought that a 9 year old is even thinking about this kind of thing, let alone ‘write’ a book about it (I smell opportunistic parents) is disconcerting.  When I was nine, I was too busy playing Cowboys and Indians in the backyard to be  thinking about this kind of stuff.  Besides, as far as I knew, girls had cooties.   

4.  Grace isn’t leaving the house until she’s 30.

HT:  Joshua Harris

Saturday Ramblings….

Some quick hit thoughts that have rolling around in my head….

1. Why is it that every time I take a ’sick day’ at work when I’m not really sick (although I’d like to think that I am), I end up getting sick and not being able to take sick days because of some upcoming deadlines? Do you think the Lord is trying to tell me something?

2. Did you read the story and see the pictures about the uncontacted tribe in Brazil? Here’s the story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24895872/
Absolutely fascinating. How amazing it is that I can’t get away from the ever-changing and always-advancing technological world I’m surrounded by and yet just a few thousand miles away, there’s a group of people shooting arrows at the ‘biggest and noisiest bird they’ve ever seen in their entire life’. What an amazing world.

3. I woke up early this morning and began thinking about ‘how early is too early’ when it comes to mowing the yard. In that moment I realized that I have become that which I despised so much when I was a teenager: The ‘Saturday morning lawnmowing guy’. Oh well, darn kids need to get out of bed anyway…it’s amost 9 o’clock for goodness sake!

4. Finally, it breaks my heart to hear about a friend whose marriage is in trouble. It is also humbling to recognize the blessing that the Lord has given me in my wife. Thank you Lord for Catrina…

Enjoy your Saturday. I’m going to go mow the yard…