Giving up precious people, places and things. Could you do it? How about parting with things like shopping. Guilty of heading out for that seminal other American tradition? You know, the one known as Black Friday? I suppose it’s something that I never understood. The concept of shopping from midnight, after being in a food coma, to maybe 9 p.m. the following day. What’s your play for the day?
What’s my play for the day? Well, it’s going to be somewhere north of Santa Rosa where it’s a bit remote. Small family gathering to hike around in the hills. We’ll also be going by an area where my sister raced in the Terrible Two. The Terrible Two is a 200 mile one day bike race. That’s right, a full day of bike racing through the hills of northern california. Pre dawn to post dusk. It’s a grueling race from what I understand. My sister finished with flying colors in her class. Anyway, it’s been predetermined that we’ll be spending time in the outdoors well away from the heat of hoards of people and all that ‘deal’ time.
I also never did understand the concept of buying things to save money. If you’re spending money, you’re not really saving anything. It ranks right up there with people getting entirely bent out of shape over the iPhone when Apple dropped the price several months after they lined up to get it. People felt the iPhone was worth $599, yet felt ripped off?!? That again, doesn’t make sense. You wanted it, you got it, you spent the money cause you felt it was worth it. I suppose that’s the real meaning behind tomorrow, people feel it’s worth it.
It’s no state secret that I don’t own a TV. I’ve been asked if I’m crazy, or stupid, or whatever. The reality behind it is, I never felt compelled to have one. Many people say they could live without one, though never do. To them I’m betting it’s a sacrifice. Of late, a different question has been posed – when would I get a TV? The answer to that is when manufacturers make them with LED screens at the screen size of today’s larger flat panels. It wouldn’t be a matter of breaking some sort of principle. No, I’d only get it for watching movies. Thus no cable. Instead a real nice HD setup with a very nice surround system. More like a theater arrangement. No sacrifice for that.
In light of today’s special tag Black Friday and sacrifices people make to get goods for others, I thought this would work perfectly with a semi-goth musing. Normally reserved for Fallen Friday, I figured today would be a bit different.
Amy is no slouch of a singer. In fact, I’d have to say she’s got one of the more amazing voices I’ve heard in a few years. Especially for her style. I’ve had the pleasure of working with another vocalist Daniella Gaha who is astounding in her own right. This is about Amy though. I’ve heard her band is going through some personnel changes in the not so distant past. First the original guitarist and co-writer left, then the replacement guitarist got fired and apparently the drummer left right along with him. That sorta sounds like troubled paradise. If the music can continue to be written on the level they started with, she’ll have no problem keeping the career.
I personally love her vocal acrobatics. What kind of training goes into that type of skill? Of course the production is top notch, but if the songs aren’t there, the production can’t save it. I realize Amy is singing about soured relationships, yet I’m twisting the title to fit my will. What do you sacrifice? Why? Why do you feel it’s a sacrifice? Would this song be your soundtrack for it? I think so.
(** Disclaimer: If Evanescence’s label decides I’m in need of sacrificing my finances for helping them sell more on Black Friday, I’ll have to scratch a black sharpie all over the data bits of the audio for this post on the server. The post will remain to ask what you sacrifice. **)