Spin+judges didn’t get to fully talk through the mini-opera challenge before it was posted. I don’t blame anyone. We’re all busy people. But I’m concerned that the challenge post as it stands may mislead some entrants. I speak for nobody…
Category: Essays
SpinTunes 3 Wrap-Up Recommendations
After my first SpinTunes competition last year, I posted a lot about both my experiences going through SpinTunes and my thoughts on songwriting contests in general. This year, I knew better what to expect and so didn’t have as many…
Lost, Found: Finally
If You Don’t Have Something Nice To Say… On May 23, 2010, Lost signed off with The End. Finally, the finale, after years of mystery. A few days later, one of my local libraries hosted a discussion. Someone there told…
A Songwriting Cycle and the Benefits of Cooperation
Edric Haleen, one of the participants in the first SpinTunes songwriting contest, decided to create a project to tide people over during the wait between SpinTunes 1 and SpinTunes 2. A number of participants from SpinTunes 1 and other past…
Thoughts on Songwriting Contests
In addition to some valuable learning about my songwriting and how to participate more effectively in songwriting contests, my SpinTunes experience led me to some general thoughts on how songwriting contests are — and could be — run. SpinTown and…
Lost, Found: Last Tuesday
Last night, the final new Tuesday episode aired. As much as it moved things forward and set up the finale, I don’t have much to say other than this: I remain pretty convinced of the general direction I posed the…
Lost, Found: Light at the End of the Tunnel
Good and Evil and In Between The third from the last episode, and we start to see, literally and figuratively, a light at the end of the tunnel. And I believe more than ever in what I’ve said about Lost…
Lost, Found: That Sinking Feeling
Yes, I haven’t written about Lost for ages. Yes, I’ve procrastinated across the better part of the entire series in what was intended to be episode by episode commentary. Yes, this isn’t an episode-specific commentary. Yes, I realize nobody probably…
Lost, Found: Raised By Another
Claire dreams of her baby’s disappearance. In the dream, Locke says, “It was your respnsibility but you gave him away, Claire. Everyone pays the price now.” She goes through the crib, only to get blood on her hands. This episode…
Lost, Found: Solitary
The survivors can travel with each other, they can bond with others, and they can do so all the more effectively through and after their journeys, but each individual journey is a solitary one. Sayid finds the cable to the…