Saturday, August 19, 2006

Goal Tending


I was approached with a question by another co-worker about 3 days ago (this seems to happen often, huh.) I tend to be the person that people come to when they have a song in their head that they can't remember the artist or title. Sometimes they just remember the music video. I plead ignorance to some of the 70's and current hits but can usually nail my decade of study (the 80's.) This co-worker has a sister that used to be a local DJ at KUNV (where I trained as a DJ much later) who now works for Rhino Records. After answering his question, he asked me one that I haven't heard before. "Martin, why haven't you written a book?"

That's a darn good question. I had two goals (formed when I was in high school) that I wanted to attain by the time I turned 30. Goal #1 was to record an album. I sort of conquered that one by 1996 but that's a whole other story. Goal #2 was to publish a book. I didn't get to that one in time. Early on, the idea was simply publishing a collection of poetry and short stories that I'd written during my high school years. That goal evolved over time yet my focus jumped to different arenas while goal #2 gathered dust... until 3 days ago.

I recently mentioned my re-entry into college. Doing so, I'll need to spend some time in English classes (pesky core requirements.) This will give me some time to refine an outline for a possible book about... squirrels. No, of course it will be about 80's music. There are so many books about the music of this time period out there that just throw names about (Madonna, Springsteen, Duran Duran, etc.) but I'd like to show the decade for what it was. It was a time when charting pop music was disco, country, rock, dance, reggae, synthpop, rap, punk, jazz, metal, R&B and even T.V. show instrumental theme songs (think Miami Vice and Hill Street Blues theme songs.) It was a time of musical tolerance before each genre needed a radio station for itself. So, here I state that goal #2 has been given a 10 year extension with hopes to finish something in the next 5 years (as I try to juggle everything else.)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll buy several copies!!! Martin, I think you should write a book for sure and that you are ready NOW. I really do. You have the knowledge, you are a good writer, just get something down and go for it. Find someone to help you edit it. Why wait? I think your ready.

Please share the story about your recording!!!

Unknown said...

Cool Martin. I remember us talking about the writing goals many years ago and I haven't written my book either...Good luck.

Cupcake Blonde said...

I would totally buy a copy!

I am that friend my friends call when they need to know anything regarding music, movies or TV. I am the pop culture go-to-girl and very rarely can not give them an answer. It's cool to be good at something.

Lucy Stern said...

Write it Martin and don't make it too complicated. I'll buy a copy.

LoraLoo said...

I'll echo what the others have said - you really are far more ready now than you might think. It would be a fantastic book, and you know I'll be requesting an autographed copy!

Teri said...

Great idea, I can't wait to get an autographed copy for the library :)

BeckEye said...

Next time VH-1 has one of those pop culture world series dealies, you and I and a third person (as yet undetermined) should sign up as a team. We could kick so much arse.