fly by

Sorry, folks, I only have time for a fly by this morning. I've been on the road and busy and just a touch disorganized. Now, I am heading to my grandmother's for the weekend for her 90th birthday and won't be able to post again until Sunday. But I'll give you my full attention then.

Or, my full attention while watching the Academy Awards.

In the meantime, do everything in your power not to see what the double EE's look like while jogging when you check out the Shockometer. I tried, but quickly descended into my normal state of juvenile behavior. (It came to me via Daddy Types, which is a reflection of a new work project and not a new fetish.)

Someone sent me an email with this recent article about ITunes in the Post with the subject line "Blog this," which left me feeling a bit like a show dog who has been given a biscuit and asked to sit -- so don't do that anymore. If you think something is worthy of being written about, WRITE ABOUT IT.

Anyway, what do I think about the article? It's about the iMix function on iTunes and the impact that it is having -- and will continue to have -- on online music sales. Basically, it's a way to share that great mixed tape you made with a whole hell of a lot more people than before.

(Of course, there's something about that perfect mix that you made for someone you were gaga for that just shouldn't go any further than from you to him. I've had a couple of tapes -- yes, tapes, I did live and breathe in the 80's and 90's -- that I would have liked to break in after hours -- a la Laverne and Shirley -- to get back so I could destroy the evidence.)

It's a great example of word of mouth happening in a way that benefits the online music stores in terms of volume, but leaves the old school music industry scratching their head wondering how in the h*ll they're going to sell CD's or even promote individual songs.

"This CD contains at least four songs that perfectly capture the heartwrenching experience of getting a divorce, along with three songs that are great soundtracks to the first time you sleep with someone else after 15 years of bad sex with your ex-husband."

Yeah, not so much.

The focus of the article is on people who are making iMixes that reflect the loss of a child. In addition to finding great music that captures their feelings, they are also finding each other and building a community in a way that I don't think Apple intended. Harvard researchers (they are always from Harvard) have looked at the phenomenon:

"Instead of primarily disc jockeys and music videos shaping how we view music, we have a greater opportunity to hear from each other. These tools allow people to play a greater role in shaping culture, which, in turn, shapes themselves. In this way, recommendation tools encourage music fans to engage in expressive acts, becoming creators."

More when I get back from Grandma's.