whitney a jones

musicdiary2012 : Day 3

I’ve fallen behind. Here is Wednesday’s list. All played on my iphone hooked up to speakers while I was working. 10:35 AM to 4:30 PM:

• Yeah Yeah Yeahs : It’s Blitz! : Heads Will Roll
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs : It’s Blitz! : Little Shadow (acoustic)
• Yacht : Shangri-La : Beam Me Up
• Wilco : A.M. : Pick Up The Change
• The Corin Tucker Band : 1,000 Years : Half A World Away
• Little Scream : The Golden Record : Black Cloud
• Spoon : Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga : Finer Feelings
• Neutral Milk Hotel : In The Aeroplane Over The Sea : King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. One
• Talkdemonic : Beat Romantic : Bering
• Blitzen Trapper : Furr : War On Machines
• TV On The Radio : Dear Science : Lover’s Day
• Bon Iver : For Emma, Forever Ago : Re: Stacks
• Buke and Gass : Riposte : Horse Head Nebula
• Autolux : Transit Transit : Census
• St. Vincent : Marry Me : Apocalypse Song
• Yacht : Shangri-La : One Step
• Otis Redding : Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul : Down In The Valley
• Wye Oak : Civilian : Two Small Deaths
• Local Natives : Gorilla Manor : Wide Eyes
• Spoon : Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga : Don’t You Evah
• La Roux : La Roux : Cover My Eyes
• Sleater-Kinney : The Woods : The Fox
• The National : Alligator : Abel
• Sleater-Kinney : Call The Doctor : Good Things
• The Joy Formidable : The Big Roar : Chapter 2
• Ryan Adams : Heartbreaker : Damn, Sam (I Love A Woman That Rains)
• The Dodos : Visiter : Red and Purple
• Jonsi : Go : Go Do
• Sleater-Kinney : The Woods : Jumpers
• Bob Dylan : Greatest Hits : Just Like A Woman
• Autolux : Future Perfect : Sugarless
• Santigold : Santigold : L.E.S Artistes
• Radiohead : OK Computer  : Exit Music (For A Film)
• Animal Collective : Merriweather Post Pavilion : Also Frightened
• Crystal Castles : Crystal Castles : Crimewave
• Spoon : A Series Of Sneaks : Chloroform
• The Clash : London Calling : Lost In The Supermarket
• The Decemberists : The Hazards Of Love : The Hazards Of Love 2
• The Joy Formidable : The Big Roar : Austere
• The Beastie Boys : Hello Nasty : Unite
• The Arcade Fire : Neon Bible : Intervention
• Viva Voce : Rose City : Flora
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : Unless It’s Kicks
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : Savannah Smiles
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : Plus Ones
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : A Girl In Port
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : You Can’t Hold The Hand Of A Rock And Roll Man
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : Title Track
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : John Allyn Smith Sails
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Stand Ins, One
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Lost Coastlines
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Singer Songwriter
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Starry Stairs
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Blue Tulip
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Stand Ins, Two
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Pop Lie
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : On Tour With Zykos
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Calling And Not Calling My Ex
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Stand Ins, Three
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed On The Roof Of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Futile Devices
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Too Much
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Age Of Adz
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : I Walked
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Now That I’m Older
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Get Real Get Right
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Bad Communication
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Vesuvius
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : All For Myself
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : I Want To Be Well
• Sufjan Stevens : The Age Of Adz : Impossible Soul
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Montezuma
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Bedouin Dress
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Sim Sala Bim
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Battery Kinzie
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : The Plains / Bitter Dancer
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Helplessness Blues
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : The Cascades
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Lorelai
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Someone You’d Admire

musicdiary2012 : Day 2

Today’s List:

• Sleater-Kinney : The Woods : Steep Air
• Sleater-Kinney : The Woods : Let’s Call It Love

I listened to these on my iphone, through headphones as I walked back from the radio station at 2:30 PM.

At 3:00 I was working again and hooked my iphone up to speakers. From 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM:

• Sleater-Kinney : The Woods : (Entire Album)

And at this point I turned control over to the shuffle feature:

• Santigold : Santigold : Lights Out
• Sleater-Kinney : Dig Me Out : Dance Song ‘97
• The Corin Tucker Band : 1,000 Years : Half A World Away
• Okkervil River : The Stage Names : A Girl In Port
• Spoon : Girls Can Tell : This Book Is A Movie
• Okkervil River : Down the River of Golden Dreams : It Ends With A Fall
• Fleet Foxes : Helplessness Blues : Bedouin Dress
• The Beastie Boys : Hello Nasty : And Me
• The Clash : London Calling : The Card Cheat
• The Arcade Fire  : Neon Bible : Windowsill
• Okkervil River : The Stand Ins : Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed On The Roof Of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979
• Wilco : A.M. : I Must Be High
• Telekinesis : Telekinesis! : Awkward Kisser
• The National : Alligator : Karen
• Vampire Weekend : Vampire Weekend : Mansard Roof
• The New Pornographers : Twin Cinema : The Bones Of An Idol
• The New Pornographers : Moves : Together
• The Beastie Boys : Hello Nasty : Intergalactic
• Spoon : Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga : The Ghost Of You Lingers
• Sleater-Kinney : Dig Me Out : It’s Enough
• St. Vincent : Marry Me : Apocalypse Song
• Joanna Newsom : Have One On Me : Occident
• Autolux : Transit Transit : Supertoys
• The National : Alligator : Friend Of Mine
• Sleater-Kinney : All Hands On The Bad One : You’re No Rock ‘n Roll Fun
• Bob Dylan : Greatest Hits : Positively Fourth Street
• Knaan : Troubadour : Wavin’ Flag
• TV On The Radio : Dear Science : Love Dog
• Talkdemonic : Beat Romantic : Hillside Monarch
• Sleater-Kinney : All Hands On The Bad One : Ironclad
• Talkdemonic : Beat Romantic : Junesong
• Nirvana : Nevermind : Lithium
• The Decemberists : The Hazards Of Love : The Hazards Of Love 4
• LCD Soundsystem : This Is Happening : You Wanted A Hit
• Spoon : Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga : Eddie’s Ragga
• Sleater-Kinney : The Hot Rock : Banned From The End Of The World
• Sleater-Kinney : The Hot Rock : Hot Rock

I came across a New York Times article from June 6, 1965 just before baseball’s first amateur draft. The idea of the draft was to give the teams with the worst records access to the best new talent each year, so that you have a more even distribution of talent throughout the league and a more competitive league overall…you know, Communism. 

So, obviously, 40 years later, amateur drafts have now been proven ineffective and anti-American. I’m glad the Yankees organization was willing to stand up for freedom. 

musicdiary2012 : Day 1

During my morning reading of the internet, I came across a tweet by @nprmusic that asked: “Who all is participating in the #musicdiary2012?” I followed some links and found out that Nick Southall, whom I had never heard of before, is heading up a weeklong project where he and others are documenting everything they listen to this week, from May 7th to May 13th. I thought it sounded like fun and I was only one album behind so I quickly wrote down the listening I’d already done and pledged to nobody in particular that I would document the rest of the week.

So, here’s day 1:

• Best Coast: “The Only Place” (entire album). Additional info: NPR First Listen Series, listened to on my computer, in my bedroom, alone, 8:30 AM. 

It was nice. It sounded a little more polished than the first album. It was produced by Jon Brion. I felt stupid because I didn’t know he was a producer. I know Brion from his work on soundtracks like Eternal Sunshine and I ♥ Huckabees, etc. A quick wikipedia search revealed that he has had his producerial hand in a number of things I like from Spoon to of Montreal to Fiona Apple. Who knew? Apparently not me.

• Cults: “Cults” (entire album). Additional info: Listened to on my iphone while walking to the radio station, on headphones, alone, 10:45 AM.

“Abducted” still kills every time I hear it. I’m warming up to the rest of it, but what a way to kick off an album.

The following I listened to while working, other people were around, my iphone was hooked up to speakers, 5:00 to 8:30 PM:

• Explosions in the Sky: “The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place” (entire album)
• Local Natives: “Gorilla Manor” (entire album)
• Blitzen Trapper: “Furr” (entire album)
• The National: “Alligator” (entire album)
• Sufjan Stevens: “Illinois” (album through “Jacksonville”) After “The Black Hawk War” I unplugged from the speakers, plugged in my headphones and walked home.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

In July of 2010, I sat at my job listening to CSPAN Radio. I ended up listening to nearly all of the Elena Kagan Senate confirmation hearings, you know, as one does. As the Senate went through all of her public data, academic papers, memos, emails, etc. I amused myself by thinking about what this process will be like a few decades from now when people from my age group (Gen Y, Millennials, people born in the ‘80s, whatever the hell older generations are calling us these days) are being confirmed Supreme Court justices. 

Imagining the confirmation process was fun: “Whitney, on March 25, 2011, you tweeted the following: ‘Howard Schultz has doubts about #hcr. What’s his solution? Turn it over to OKC businessmen and let them fix it? #Notreadytoforgive.’ How can you assure us that this tweet is not indicative of a deeper anti-business philosophy?” Ok, so, I’m never going to be in a Senate Confirmation hearing, but someone is. And someday, one of those people is going to have a social media past. And what will we do with that? If I had to guess right now, I would say everyone will pour over her timeline and feign scandalization at anything that indicates any amount of personality.

I don’t think me and my peers necessarily have more opinions than previous generations. We just have better ways of broadcasting them. In the old days people would gather around the water cooler and give their opinions: some interesting, some not, some well informed, some not, some funny, some not. Some would tell what they had for breakfast. Anyway, that’s how it happened in the movies. I’ve never worked at a place where people gathered around a water cooler to talk. But the point is no future employers or Senate committees could go back and search the text of those conversations. What will we do when all of sudden a nominee, who is supposed to be a passionless blob (read: “umpire who calls balls and strikes”), suddenly has a searchable history of opinions offered on various issues via their twitter feed, or their blog or any other social media? What will we do when someone 20-30 years from now has NOT expressed an opinion via any of these media? Should we view that person as hopelessly out of touch with the culture? Should we trust that person’s judgment to make decisions on any cases that involve technology?

Just so you know, I haven’t been sitting around for the last two years waiting for the perfect time to write about the Justice Kagan confirmation hearings. This all came back to me a couple days ago after I had this short conversation with my friend @jillianjfoster: 

Here, the question is not whether anyone is being confirmed to the judicial branch, but I think at its heart this is about the same issue. What are our cultural expectations with respect to people and their opinions? Do we/employers/members of the Senate Judiciary Committee expect people not to have them? Or not to express them? What are the real world consequences for expressing an opinion in a public setting? And as a culture are we ok with those consequences?

Jillian was suggesting, I think, that if she shared everything she thinks in a public space that is easily searchable (as opposed to, I don’t know, going to a local park and standing on a soapbox…which, come to think of it, would probably get you tweeted about and would end up on YouTube anyway…so, bad example) that it could have a negative effect on her future employment opportunities, that potential employers would read what she thinks about a given topic and decide not to hire her because of what she wrote at some point in the past. Should this be the way it is? At some point is there going to need to be a shift, where everybody sort of recognizes that we all have opinions floating around in public and someone’s ability to do a job well is maybe not connected to how that person thinks about, oh, I don’t know, gun control, or reproductive rights, or government funding of public media (by the way, it’s pledge drive season, support your local public radio station)?

As for my own social media involvement, a lot of what I have been writing and retweeting about for the last year is related to public radio, because that’s what I do now. The two most useful pieces of advice I’ve heard are: 1. Don’t tweet about the people you’re interviewing and 2. Assume that anybody you write about will eventually see what you wrote. The first piece doesn’t really apply generally, but I think the second one does. And I don’t think it means never right anything negative, but just to be fair when you do. If you’re going to take someone down, make sure it’s a fair 140-character take down.

I don’t have any particular comedic gifts, but I’ve watched funny people, and I’ve studied them and it appears that if you’re good at that sort of thing, you can get away with opining in ways that unfunny people can’t. What definitely doesn’t work, again, just my own observation, is going around being an asshole and then after being called out on it saying something like “Oh, come on, it was just a joke. Lighten up. #takeajoke #lol.”

Finally, having family lurking around I’ve found is a pretty effective deterrent. My dad recently discovered Twitter. I do have mixed feelings about this. I sometimes wonder if I self-censor too much because I know that he reads every single tweet I send out. I have younger siblings that are internet savvy. This keeps my language a little cleaner, probably. I don’t have any real exploits to document, but if I did, the fact that I have family members around my social media spaces would make me think before posting anything remotely compromising. So maybe that’s something. Pretend you like your family and that they follow you on Twitter.

Transom Story Workshop: Photos

I’ve been out in Woods Hole, Massachusetts interning with Atlantic Public Media/Transom.org since the beginning of March. In addition to the radio stuff I’m working on, for the last couple of weeks I’ve been taking photos of the Spring 2012 Transom Story Workshop. A bunch of my photos are now up on Transom.org. You can check out the photostream and track the progress of the workshop here.

Monmouth Prohibition: 10 Years Later

In January, I started working on a radio story about my hometown of Monmouth, Oregon and its history as the the last dry town on the West Coast. Its status as a dry town ended back in 2002 when residents voted for the first time to allow beer and wine sales.

Election day 2012 will mark 10 years since this vote. I wanted to see how the arguments had held up. The nice sit-down restaurants that people imagined back in 2002, did any of those come to town? Did the town finally have its own grocery store again? Had drunks taken over downtown? Had crime rates gone up?

Here is my story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=150382869&ft=3&f=150382869

Re:sound

“First Love and 27 Other Firsts” got picked up by Re:sound, which is a show done by the folks over at the Third Coast International Audio Festival and airs on WBEZ in Chicago. Their most recent episode, The List Show, ends with “First Love.” The other stories in this episode are great, they include:

The List - by Sean Cole, Ashley Ahearn, and Nick van der Kolk 

World’s Longest Diary - by David Isay

The Feltron Annual Report - by Roman Mars and Nate Berg

They Didn’t Get Along - by Rick Moody and Michael Hearst

I highly recommend listening to all of them, you will be a better person for it. 

First Love and 27 Other Firsts

I did short little story last week and posted it over on the Cowbird website. Cowbird is a place where people tell stories using photos, words, and sound. When I was invited to the site at the beginning of the month, the email mentioned that they were starting to collect “First Love” stories for Valentine’s Day. My immediate thought was, well, I don’t want to do that. But the idea started to grow on me and I started to write. Last week at 2:30 in the morning I found myself huddled in my closet with my recording gear voicing what I had written. I produced the piece the next day and posted it. Have a listen and a look. Also, check out the rest of the “First Love” stories. Happy Valentine’s Day.