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The Sunday show...
Jun. 15th, 2003 03:19 pmI got questions from John (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fauxbear) several days ago, and I never got the chance to finish them...especially because I got caught on one of them. Here's my answers:
1. You're the most newly "out" man I know. Realizing that you probably had no idea what to expect when you went looking for community, how does reality compare with your fears and hopes?
So far, so good. I don’t know if I’ve really gotten all into a “community” I’m defining community as a subgroup of the GLBT, and the community I’m identifying with is the Bears. I know, I’ve been to a couple of bear runs and that’s more than many bears have done themselves, but I haven’t joined a club (though I am thinking of joining the Houston Area Bears).
I had done “research” over the last few years. Trying to get a book knowledge of the community before diving in, so I have these little tidbits of information with no practical experience. I guess in many ways, I haven’t been too surprised, but I haven’t felt comfortable, either. I deal more with individuals than I do with communities, and that suits me well.
The other community I’m in is here on LJ, and this has been much better than expected. The support, the information, being able to meet and communicate with people in this forum has been great.
2. I once accused you of "failing upward" when you talked about doing less and being rewarded more in your job. What is the biggest failing of corporate America and what would you do to change it?
Corporate America has been ruined by the demands of the stock market these last few years. The whole “new economy” crap was just bullshit. (I know, redundant). To have to base your business decisions solely on what it does for your stock price is not a way to run your business. CEO’s need to get back to learning to do what’s right for the company, not for the shareholders. Unfortunately so many CEO’s own wealth is tied up in that stock, so this will never happen.
For example, layoffs. In our company, they were leveled purely to show stockholders and investors that we were cutting expenses. The company used to have a slogan, “People are the Product”, meaning that we cared about the well-being and development of the people we employed. Now, people are “resources” and resources can be easily moved or eliminated, despite to true needs and demands of the company’s business.
Strangely, being a fan of laissez-faire capitalism, I find that I must go against my natural grain and admit that legislation is needed to re-align the moral compass of business. I don't think they can truly self-police themselves enough to re-work company goals to really be towards business goals, instead of mergers and divestitures to appease the market.
3. I think everyone has a musical artist that speaks for them, one where they feel like they could have written the music themselves. What artist is that for you, and what three songs most explicitly define you?
I don’t know if I have that one, great artist. Songs speak to me, but a whole artist catalogue is a different thing. Plus you’d have to have an artist that had a big enough library.
Some of the long-term artists I’ve listen to are The Monkees (pure pop, no meaning), Chicago, The B52’s, The police and Sting, Barenaked Ladies and Billy Joel, but the one group that really opened me up to music was the Beatles. My parents didn’t even care for them. They were just a little older than the generation that made them stars, so the Beatles were my own discovery. I think that they had the perfect pop song craftsmanship with the right amount of experimentation and edge to make them more than other bands of the era. They really shaped the course of music, and when I look at bands labeled “Beatlesque” it piques my interest. Most fail to live to the comparison.
Songs of the Beatles that define me:
In My Life: Probably their best ever, in my opinion. The song defines relationships and the transitory nature of life to me. I loved them all – an aspiration for everyone.
Paperback Writer: That desire for popularity, even if it comes from a less than lauded industry. I guess that just speaks to my desire to be liked, and my love of the television industry at the same time.
Hey Jude: The big song of learning to love yourself. Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders. Na-Naa-Na-na-na-na-naah!
4. We're going to Toys R Us and you can have anything in the store you want except (heh heh heh) it can't be an electronic game or be part of a media franchise. What do you choose? Why?
Well, I don’t play many video games, so no big loss there. Since I don’t know many of the hot toys right now, I’d choose a Lego set. There’s always something you can do with Legos. Building, design, creativity. Fun.
I’d get a board game, but you can’t play those alone. I like board games.
5. What past experience gives you the most joy and the most comfort when you recall it?
Well, the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd has grown very distant, but I’d say the moment I was revealed the secrets of the fraternity (that’s initiation, for those who don’t know) was one of the best moments of my life. Here was the moment I felt most accepted. I’m sure that seems sad, having to join a fraternity to gain acceptance, but I tell you, I worked for that moment, more than most of my brothers ever did.
I had pledged and failed – through a variety of reasons, both mine and the brothers at the time, and when most would have given up and cursed their names, I fought back and got in. It was acceptance, but it was also the reward for hard work and perseverance. I should look at that more carefully right now…I have untapped strengths I should be using.
fauxbear) several days ago, and I never got the chance to finish them...especially because I got caught on one of them. Here's my answers:1. You're the most newly "out" man I know. Realizing that you probably had no idea what to expect when you went looking for community, how does reality compare with your fears and hopes?
So far, so good. I don’t know if I’ve really gotten all into a “community” I’m defining community as a subgroup of the GLBT, and the community I’m identifying with is the Bears. I know, I’ve been to a couple of bear runs and that’s more than many bears have done themselves, but I haven’t joined a club (though I am thinking of joining the Houston Area Bears).
I had done “research” over the last few years. Trying to get a book knowledge of the community before diving in, so I have these little tidbits of information with no practical experience. I guess in many ways, I haven’t been too surprised, but I haven’t felt comfortable, either. I deal more with individuals than I do with communities, and that suits me well.
The other community I’m in is here on LJ, and this has been much better than expected. The support, the information, being able to meet and communicate with people in this forum has been great.
2. I once accused you of "failing upward" when you talked about doing less and being rewarded more in your job. What is the biggest failing of corporate America and what would you do to change it?
Corporate America has been ruined by the demands of the stock market these last few years. The whole “new economy” crap was just bullshit. (I know, redundant). To have to base your business decisions solely on what it does for your stock price is not a way to run your business. CEO’s need to get back to learning to do what’s right for the company, not for the shareholders. Unfortunately so many CEO’s own wealth is tied up in that stock, so this will never happen.
For example, layoffs. In our company, they were leveled purely to show stockholders and investors that we were cutting expenses. The company used to have a slogan, “People are the Product”, meaning that we cared about the well-being and development of the people we employed. Now, people are “resources” and resources can be easily moved or eliminated, despite to true needs and demands of the company’s business.
Strangely, being a fan of laissez-faire capitalism, I find that I must go against my natural grain and admit that legislation is needed to re-align the moral compass of business. I don't think they can truly self-police themselves enough to re-work company goals to really be towards business goals, instead of mergers and divestitures to appease the market.
3. I think everyone has a musical artist that speaks for them, one where they feel like they could have written the music themselves. What artist is that for you, and what three songs most explicitly define you?
I don’t know if I have that one, great artist. Songs speak to me, but a whole artist catalogue is a different thing. Plus you’d have to have an artist that had a big enough library.
Some of the long-term artists I’ve listen to are The Monkees (pure pop, no meaning), Chicago, The B52’s, The police and Sting, Barenaked Ladies and Billy Joel, but the one group that really opened me up to music was the Beatles. My parents didn’t even care for them. They were just a little older than the generation that made them stars, so the Beatles were my own discovery. I think that they had the perfect pop song craftsmanship with the right amount of experimentation and edge to make them more than other bands of the era. They really shaped the course of music, and when I look at bands labeled “Beatlesque” it piques my interest. Most fail to live to the comparison.
Songs of the Beatles that define me:
In My Life: Probably their best ever, in my opinion. The song defines relationships and the transitory nature of life to me. I loved them all – an aspiration for everyone.
Paperback Writer: That desire for popularity, even if it comes from a less than lauded industry. I guess that just speaks to my desire to be liked, and my love of the television industry at the same time.
Hey Jude: The big song of learning to love yourself. Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders. Na-Naa-Na-na-na-na-naah!
4. We're going to Toys R Us and you can have anything in the store you want except (heh heh heh) it can't be an electronic game or be part of a media franchise. What do you choose? Why?
Well, I don’t play many video games, so no big loss there. Since I don’t know many of the hot toys right now, I’d choose a Lego set. There’s always something you can do with Legos. Building, design, creativity. Fun.
I’d get a board game, but you can’t play those alone. I like board games.
5. What past experience gives you the most joy and the most comfort when you recall it?
Well, the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd has grown very distant, but I’d say the moment I was revealed the secrets of the fraternity (that’s initiation, for those who don’t know) was one of the best moments of my life. Here was the moment I felt most accepted. I’m sure that seems sad, having to join a fraternity to gain acceptance, but I tell you, I worked for that moment, more than most of my brothers ever did.
I had pledged and failed – through a variety of reasons, both mine and the brothers at the time, and when most would have given up and cursed their names, I fought back and got in. It was acceptance, but it was also the reward for hard work and perseverance. I should look at that more carefully right now…I have untapped strengths I should be using.
