Getting Into The Vacation Groove
I woke up late (for me) this morning, worked out, and when I got around to posting here, my web host (bluehost) was down for what seemed to be like 30-45mins. I’m deep into the vacation groove and wasn’t the least bit bothered by being down.
Now that it’s back up, I’m onto other things. So I’m not going to post anything today.
Here’s Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney on SNL last weekend. I watched it today while waiting for AVC to come back up and thought you all might enjoy it too.
Comments (Archived):
Back at ya Fred and enjoy!I watched this early this morning as well.
Beat-uls streaming everywhere starting tomorrow!!http://recode.net/2015/12/2…
I think this counts as a post 🙂
Good time to stretch and yawn, earned!Merry Christmas
Started packing to return to Connecticut last night and am traveling this morning. Lots of co-workers took leave so the office has been pretty empty this week. It is great that we have a time of year we dedicate to friends, family, and smelling the flowers while we can.
My cousin hired the Max Weinberg Band this past summer for his wedding at the Central Park Zoo. Max, who is Springsteen’s drummer, told my cousin, “I only do weddings, not Bar Mitzvah’s.” Needless to say, he had a fab band around him, but I was dumbfounded by the sellout. Guess everyone needs to make a buck, even Max.
That’s pretty neat what does it cost to hire Max Weinbergs band?
I was afraid to ask what he charged. I’m sure it wasn’t cheap, nothing like the fairly recent trend of more popular artists (Beyonce, J-Z, Niki Minaj, J-Lo) getting paid millions of dollars for private gigs for foreign dictators.
I was afraid to ask what he charged.Hah! I am guessing you aren’t Jewish. We are never afraid to ask. [1] By the way I think it’s the opposite. When someone pays a great deal of money many times they want to tell you what they paid. [2] Exception might be if you would think they are a schmuck for paying so much and getting little value. [3][1] While you develop the skill of just asking outright (if you want) you can always start with just saying things like “wow that must have been really expensive…” and see if it’s answered with an actual number.[2] The paradox is also when they paid a small amount of money. Then they want to brag about what a bargain they got.[3] Another exception might be if the perceived value is much greater than the actual cost but not enough to be considered a steal.
“Hah! I am guessing you aren’t Jewish. We are never afraid to ask.”I’d love to understand more about the framework that this predisposition comes from. Is there an implicit Jewish “How to raise a kid 101” that is universal amongst the community?Mark Suster referred to it once in the podcast with Jason Calacanis. He called it the “inner jew”.Any light you have time to shed on this would be appreciated; or even a link to an online resource you’d vet.Thanks.
Well I don’t speak for all jews just the ones in the community that I was raised with and/or have heard about or perhaps those of Eastern European and/or Holocaust survivor parents. However much of what I know of I have been able to triangulate somewhat also from popular culture. Take Trumps mention of jews as being good negotiators as only one example.Or take the general idea that jews are cheap. I am not sure that is actually true I think jews ask more questions are perhaps more cynical and aren’t easy marks like possibly non-jews are. Jews spend plenty of money when buying things that’s obvious however the ones I was raised around don’t spend money in a stupid way and typically don’t fall for things (because they are less trusting of what people say) that (once again just a stereotype here) certain non-jews might. That is simply something that is bred in the community, at least (and I have to stress this) the one that I was raised in. Jews aren’t afraid to complain and open their mouths. This might actually be (to my point) more of an immigrant thing than a jewish thing. My wife is jewish and she doesn’t complain anywhere near like I do for example. Although she is learning and now is doing it much more. I have dated jewish girls who have to dive for cover when I open my mouth to get a new restaurant table or return something or some other complaint that I have. [1] The way I was raised it would be considered stupid to not do that. Jews therefore are good for a business. They will complain and offer feedback. As a stereotype non-jews (at least certain non-jews I don’t mean all of them) might just never come back and say nothing at all. Which customer would you rather have? The one that gives you a second chance and some feedback.[1] At a recent condo board meeting the hotel didn’t give us enough tables. The condo association manager (a middle aged woman) was ready to accept that fact (even though we paid for a big room with a certain amount of tables). She was happy that they just apologized. I said “well I hope you are going to get a discount for the room, then”. She hadn’t even thought of that angle and wasn’t going to ask.. I then marched out to the front desk and in front of 4 people in line yelled out “hey we are having a meeting and they didn’t give us enough tables!”. A few minutes later 2 guys showed up with our tables. Just like that. I would have felt like a schmuck if I didn’t do it and actually enjoy standing up like that actually.
.It is really this damn simple:In life, one does not receive power, one takes power.Demanding value in a transaction is an exercise in power.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
Michael Douglas, Fallling Down, “I’m just standing up for my rights as a consumer”.https://youtu.be/a2YRMixW9u…On another note Youtube/Google is a good example of a Comcast grade sucky company. Rolling 30 second ads before a 4 minute video. Totally clueless. They should run ads just not be such pigs about it. I guess the rocket scientists aren’t working in that division and the Neros are off playing the fiddle.
We used to hire the Hooters (Philadelphia band that opened for Live Aid and the Who for non Philly people) in their Heyday in the 1980’s. They cost $3k which at the time was really cheap. I think bands that are not playing are like other assets that are not being used.Statute of Limitations is over but we used to run one hell of a nightclub on the center of campus. $20/head with four drink tickets. When we needed money we would throw a party.
Ha I remember the Hooters.Ever hear of Heaven’s Edge?https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…A guy who was in that band lives in our neighborhood. He basically gives guitar lessons out of his house (his wife has a job though). I first noticed him at the elementary school nights where the kids play songs he and the rest of (what my wife calls) “the dad band” seemed really into what they were doing especially this particular guitarist (iim offline I will tell you the guy if you care or know of that band).I was thinking more about the Max Weinberg thing. He probably does need the money since the pay for being on TV is really publicity not pay how much could they afford to pay basically a cover band? I mean by “star” standards?I mean playing a wedding they could get say $100k to $200k maybe but hard to believe they get anywhere even close to that playing everynight on TV.Sessions musicians pay although once the show was on and he was good for it the pay went up but not tenfold:http://www.billboard.com/ar…
but I was dumbfounded by the selloutYears ago I attended a backyard birthday party in a normal middle class neighborhood where some 60’s or 70’s pretty famous back then (don’t remember who they were) band and famous singer sang. The person whose birthday it was was all impressed with how they got them to sing and all I could remember thinking was how Groucho Marx it was if they were playing her backyard party. They obviously needed the money and weren’t to famous anymore.
I like Max and Steven Van Zandt from that band.
Merry Christmas to everyone, or the holiday of the season. If you are in Chicago, me and my family will be at Lagunitas this evening at 5PM. When we hang in Chicago over the holiday, every person gets to put three activities in a mug and we draw-whatever we draw on that day we have to do. My youngest wanted to see Lagunitas…..
Household democracy, good for you! I am just a helper dwarf during Christmas, no voting rights, Christmas fairy releases command on Jan 2.Merry Christmas
That’s a great tradition! Merry Christmas to all here.(And for those of you in Chicagoland, I hope it stops raining soon.)
I assume your kids are there too, and perhaps you’re getting a sun tan to boot — enjoy!
Yes to all of that
.In all the world, there is only ONE bit of advice that is universally applicable and sound. Every faith, ethnicity, citizenship, nationality.SUNSCREENJLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
Ha ha! Even then, there will be some sun-purist-vitamin D cult that will oppose it — you can bet on it. Concensus isn’t the strongest trait on this planet.
.And for them, Mario, we have SPF5.SUNSCREENJLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
ABC — always be closing, right?
Bruce didn’t appear to have his heart in that.. McCartney (73 years old) just there for entertainment candy.I stopped watching SNL years ago but I saw the first part and this skit was actually funny:https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Holy Crap – This is classic! Can’t wait to show my wife. ;>)
When I had my bar mitzvah my 2nd wife wasn’t even born yet.
my web host (bluehost) was down for what seemedI’ve actually notice several times over the past month where I’ve gotten either slow response or no gateway or some connection problem to a database. You might want to get 24×7 monitoring so you can see exactly what your uptime actually is.
loved that video! you got me smile, thanks!
Referral plug for InMotionHosting – they have been awesome since I switched over in the last 6 months!Happy holidays everyone.
Yup…the email Inbox is slowing down to a trickle. My biggest worry right now is finding a decent Buche de Noel because I didn’t pre-order it.
I have no worries.Gonna work out every morning. Write every day. Eat around. Drink wine and watch movies.
aha….my wines were picked last week-end.
;)I’ve been obsessed with the completely opposite duo of wines and been sending them out two pack presents till the stock is gone.This Vitovska from Cotar in Slovinia. Two months on the skins. So so exceptional. http://www.wine-searcher.co…This field blend of PInot Gris and Pinot Noir from Wshington. Love this winemaker. https://www.chambersstwines…
Eat around.Love this!
Bravo for going with the flow! It’s great to see that the passion is still running high for these artists. Something to be said for, “do what you love and love what your do!”
.The Boss played at my high school dances. I never knew who he was and didn’t know this excellent fact until a few years ago. Who knew?Totally unremarkable at the time or, perhaps, clueless?Of course, everybody has been to the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, no? I was there this summer.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
Well, *I* at least was bothered that your Bluehost was down. 😉
.Got to give it to Fred Wilson. Even when giving us the thumb in the eye, he still posts. The guy is a machine. A freakin’ blogging machine. Dependable.Well played.Merry/Happy Everything to everybody. Go see Star Wars!JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
he’s the Paul McCartney of blogging. dunno how either of them keeps it up
.On a very, very, very serious note — I know of nobody else who is as diligent as our Fred. No. Body.JLMwwws.themusingsofthebigredc…
Go see Star Wars!If you had watched the Dem debate (instead of going to dinner and Christmas caroling) you would have caught Hillary plugging Star Wars in order to pay back her Hollywood democratic ties and donors on the left coast.
.Haha, how do I know that the Grifter in Pursuit would do something that cheesy? There is one thing that you can count on — that grifter will be working her pocketbook issues every single minute of every day.This is a criticism of her character, for sure. But it is also an admiring compliment for her capitalistic instincts.Happy/Merry Everything!JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
tom sawyer would appreciate this post
.Tom Sawyer made this post.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
GO SEE STAR WARS!!! GO BUY BB-8!!! Go witness why+how a generation of girls will be inspired by Rey to be feminine, fierce, sensitive, sensible and an awesome engineer and fighter.* https://www.youtube.com/wat…It’s so funny to think that 3 years ago, I was a judge at a hackathon where developers hacked a Sphero … The Sphero team went through Techstars (@wmoug:disqus) and the rest is movie magic. ‘Force Awakens’ will inspire a new generation to get smart robots — just as I was transfixed by R2D2 as a child.Yes, my parents gave me a lightsaber when I was 8. Ours wasn’t a household with any Barbies, lol.
that robot came out of a TechStars company right?
It did indeed. BB-8’s an example of a startup being “in right time at right place, championed by right person” — in their case, the CEO of Disney himself!* http://fortune.com/2015/04/…
When I see videos of Fred talks or interviews I am always amused by his humbleness at the time of the introduction by the host: And now, a special guest, the VC legend of the east coast… and so on. If you observe his attitude, he always looks down, waiting for the host to stop, almost bothered… then says something like ‘Nah, that’s not true’. He is cool!
.You missed the one where he ripped off his shirt and underneath was a Superman shirt with a big “VC” underneath?Fred is the real deal.Well, except for the Monkey’s Paw deficiency, no?JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
Nobody is perfect. I also have MPD, but the cure is in my bucket list.As for the clothes ripping, I have never seen that. Must be a french thing he does in Paris. :-)Merry Christmas
Fred, thanks for this! Happy Holidays…cheers!
Merry Christmas, Fred and to all the AVC readership. My parents just arrived from Arizona and we are sliding into vacation mode with all the family.
There is a growing consensus in our house that if the weather stays warm, we pack up everything on Christmas Day and head to the Lake. May happen.Merry Christmas to all.
Actually watched SNL live this past Sat night…I made it to the end, I saw Paul walk on stage – cameo type appearance – It did not feel like Bruce wanted him on stage w/ him – or at least that was my impression while watching live.Merry Christmas!Merry New Year!
as they themselves had been raised “not to make trouble”.Curious were they raised by Italian immigrants? (Just a guess based on your first name..)To be honest, I think both can be taken too far –just like anything.Agree (even to much milk isn’t good for you..)that I took it too far at times and into the “asshole”” categoryThe reason for that is simple. You don’t have a “seat of the pants” feel for what is to far or perhaps how to negotiate the situation. The nuance is important, knowing when you should or should not do or say something or be an asshole. For example with a condo board at a building I own at, at first I was nice and it didn’t get me anywhere. The management company didn’t go for that. Typically try that first. So as a result I then decided to “be the crazy driver that others look out for”. That worked great! They they took notice. They realized it was easier to give me what I wanted then it was to fight the overwhelming amount of paperwork that I created (as only one example). Next I became a member of the board and created even more havoc. By the time of the last yearly meeting they had they actually thanked me for what I had done in a very genuine way and sort of in so many words said I was right to question so many things.. But to stress “nice” is typically the first step since if that works no need to go any further.
No, they are French Canadian, even though they’ve opted to call me Mario — mind you my father was going to call me Emanuel, until my mom stepped in, he he he.I like how you have what seems to be a definite approach to it.I’ve learned quit a bit from our interaction today, thanks again.
Feel free to share vacation photos if you get bored for posting ideas. Always great to see people smiling at Holiday time!
What was the workout, yoga?