Ramsayings

I’ve been selfish about how I share things online. When I was writing regularly as a critic, wielding my blog like a bullhorn for whatever I desired, I shared with near wreckless abandon on virtually every platform at my disposal. Lately, I’ve turned inward, keeping cool articles and ideas nestled snugly in Instapaper, or worse, my head, like they’re some precious bauble to hold close. Well, that’s going to change. I’m vowing to share more in 2012.

Something I’ve come to love about the most excellent writers (call them “curators” if you must) is how they editorialize links. I think I’ve been slow to accept this because with music writing, it could be monetized in clear ways by publishing through a third party. When you read great stuff at blogs like daring fireball, you marvel at how far a link and an ounce of editorial can take you. Same is true for Twitter follows like David Carr, who just re-shared his insightful interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air specifically about this topic. Serendipity! It’s what makes the Internet fun and I think that I forgot that somewhere along the way while hoarding links and articles and ideas in Google Reader and Reeder and Twitter and Tumblr and Instapaper and all the other ways we use the web today.

So 2012 at Ramsayings will be about sharing those insights. Brace yourself.

Here’s something I scribbled about @TheRealYLT back in 2007. It’s still so true. Need more proof? Fine. Check out these clips of a reunited Pussy Galoredazzling the crowd at Maxwell’s last week. Let’s not forget the fact that Yo La Tengo are still playing their standard 8 night Hanukkah run while Ira recovers from an undisclosed illness. Since I couldn’t make it to any of their shows this week, I’m listening to everything Yo La Tengo on Spotify. Unsurprisingly, it’s perfect for this week.

These guys are seriously the greatest, most generous act in indie rock and I can’t help but think people still take them for granted, because, well, they do.

(I’d be remiss if I didn’t link over to Jesse Jarnow’s online home, Frank & Earthy, for full setlists from these shows.)

Have to say that having a two and a half year old really reminds you of the true meaning of Christmas, which in my household means going totally bonkers over all the stuff you’re so fortunate to receive as gifts.

Had a lovely time with family: great food and drink and company are what make the holidays so special. Already plotting for next Christmas!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday, too. All the best in 2012.

This is how I used to feel about music 2.0. Now I’m more than willing to spend $10 a month to listen to whatever I like, give or take. I will say that the playlists feature is pretty great, especially now that I’m not a music editor who would’ve been tasked with assembling them. Tedious work, that. That said, I’m enjoying the Pitchfork Top 100 songs playlist right now. Point me toward good playlists and I will add them.

I’d love to see them add a bookmark feature so I could catalog titles I find as I surf around the web. Think Instapaper, but for music.

Thanks to The Wirecutter for this recommendation!