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This is my blog. It's old. Interests: live music, simulations and modeling, languages, iPod, social and business networking, systems thinking, history of science, management, BBQ, trivia, good coffee, organizational learning, traveling, personal histories.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

why stop with a book club?

I had an idea that proves just how derivative my thinking can be. I have very few (if any) original ideas of my own -- it's all a reworking of things I've seen elsewhere.

One popular trend in recent years is the emergence of the "Book Club". People gather together, perhaps have some dinner, and then discuss abook that the group has chosen to read. For those of you who hated English class, the idea of reading an assigned book, then discussing it may seem a bit crazy. What's next? A pre-calculus dinner party?

Actually, I am told that they can be quite enjoyable. It's stimulating and can be a nice social activity with somewhat like-minded people. So what does someone like me do, who doesn't have much time to read a book nor attend a weekly Book Club meeting?

I listen to music, and lots of it during long drives. Perhaps there room for a New CD Club. You listen to the tracks, discuss lyrics, instrumentation, videos, production, artwork, etc. OK, most CDs don't have much discussion matter to fill an entire meeting, but some do. Consider a historic jazz release. Or lyric-heavy bands, like Rush (whose music is also very much worthy of discussion). This may squarely fall into the deep grooves of the ultra-geek. I mean who wants to sit around and discuss an album for any length of time?

I guess a TV Club is already happening when people gather to watch the Simpsons, American Idol, Buffy (in reruns), etc. How about magazines? Newpapers? I like the music idea, but fear that it it not a sustainable "club". Who would join? How many CD's can you actually do before we get tired?
|| hcpark, 11:43 PM

2 Comments:

I think a music discussion group is a great idea. I have always loved music -- I was involved in school radio stations from middle school through college. Now with three kids, it's tougher to keep up with new music -- in fact when I make the rare CD purchase today, it is usually to fill in gaps in my current collection (e.g. my last CD purchase was the Replacements "Hootenanny" circa 1983). The question is how to organize such a group. Do you focus on one album per meeting? One group? One genre? This is not entirely unprecendented. There are pleny of fan forum internet sites that serve largely the same purpose. I think you may be on to something here Howard.
Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:12 AM  
I think it's the "social meet-up with other folks" aspect that seems attractive to me. The internet can be somewhat distant, detatched, anonymous, etc. Uh oh, I think the blog gods of the Internet will prevent this comment from being posted!
Blogger hcpark, at 9:39 PM  

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