A day or so ago I was working up my subject matter for this week’s post and was going along the lines of how music is great and all, but sometimes when you feel you should just be listening and enjoying it, it takes up your time and you’re thinking about it and suddenly, you’re not doing what you wanted to do in the end. You’re thinking about music.
I know everybody in the know says that music is not something you should have on in the background, but I like it there sometimes. Its like my daily drug to help influence my mood. But sometimes it just gets in the way, and then I have to go turn it off for awhile. I’m trying to get some work done here, ok? I wanted to have you on, but you got too… interesting. We’ll have none of that.
Then a friend came up and we talked about reality TV shows, one of our favorite topics of conversation, and The Pickup Artist came up, which then brought up the topic of manipulation. He’s specifically interested in how he can manipulate the scene and situation of a space before his band even starts playing. He picked up some good cues from the Nazis, actually. They knew how to set up a scene and get the crowd excited. Slowly light up sets of stunning lights from the floor, let’s say, one set at a time, slowly getting closer to the stage. Etc.
But back to The Pickup Artist… the end ditty that comes on when Mystery decides between the two men who will be kicked off and who will stay really entrances Artie and he wants it as a ringtone. Then the music stops and the name is revealed.
You do know this show right? Mystery and his wing people (a lady and man this season) take a group of geeks that have barely any social skills and can’t get dates, and give them specific ways to meet women. By the end of the show, utter geeks are now transformed and within 15 minutes have walked into a club, found a target, practiced some kino, dropped some IOI’s (Indicators of Interest)and kissed the girl.
It’s amazing. Really. I’d recommend his book as a stocking stuffer for any man who doesn’t have an SO.
Later this week I’m actually going to attempt a blog that combines Mystery’s techniques and how you can use them in client meetings. Wish me luck!
For some reason I feel like I should apologize for something in this post, about how it doesn’t really relate to music, or maybe because it’s not more put together, however Mystery says do not neg yourself. And if anybody has beat it into my head to not apologize for myself, it’s Mystery. The irony.
Isn’t it Mr. E?
I love that you worry about this post not being about music when in a round-about way it is more about music then practically anything you’ve done lately (a fact, by the way, which has always pleased me about your posts).
And no, there is nothing wrong with music in the background. Ask Brian Eno.
Definitely nothing wrong with background music, how would movies and theater and tv survive otherwise?
I have a friend who went to NYC to work for a pick-up artist training school, then did so well that him and a friend opened their own school, which has been featured on the Today Show and mentioned on SNL. I’m totally happy for him, but the whole thing is a little creepy. I know that a fool and their money are soon departed, but ugh, something isn’t right about these pickup schools.
a fool and their money are soon departed
Wow, P.T. Barnum may have been a con artist, but he warn’t no murderer. What he said was, “a fool and his money are soon parted.”
ahaha. thanks for keeping my Puerto Rican ass on line, Mr. Crane.
yeah, taking it to the next level to have a relationship would probably make that ‘school’ more palatable.
however, some people just ain’t into that, you know? they are young and carefree and will never die, right?
truthfully, I don’t quite get that either, but like my powerful ability to ignore, I can like Jonathan Richman for his music and I can like Mr. E for his power to befriend the people.
Maybe Jonathan Richman and Mr. E should get together, come to think of it.