&- 11:23 pm
exactly one more year and i'm twenty.
wow.
My birthday today went pretty well. Last night, met up with the IJ gang. pulled off the surprise with jenn. Managed to get the very reaction i wanted from Ellen, (because i swear miss lourdes is looking more and more like her..) Very memorable night i'd say. With some random tissue selling man singing a birthday song to me in such an extremely loud voice i think all of newton circus heard him.
Today was spent with my family. Had lunch, watched Madagascar 2 and dinner at thai express. nice. still haven't really accepted the fact that i'm HOME.. and i get to see my CATS!! i swear i'm twice as round as ever but i'm still eating like a pig. but totally worth it man.
Labels: birthday
I,alone
&- 4:40 pm
i hate life and it's STUPID ironies. Sometimes they're just not funny. at all.
I,alone
&- 9:02 pm
damn.
feeling a little worried.
it's not me to do things on impulse. technically i didn't.. i did think it through.
but.. oh well. i was expecting these consequences anyway.
so i just gotta shut up and face it.
I,alone
&- 8:49 pm
So you know how people pay 20 bucks for a cd? check this out.
Here's a real breakdown, based on a (highest price point) $18.98 CD:
$18.98 - suggested retail price in store (what buyer pays)
$14.74 - what's left after subtracting for "packaging costs"
$1.33 - how much your band gets as defined by average major label contract (standard average, 2004. Complicated stuff, and varies slightly depending on your deal and who you sign with...but I would be willing to guarantee that most upstart bands today make less than this if they sign with a major).
$0.93 - what band gets after various managers commissions (estimated: 30%)
$0.23 - what you get if your band has 4 members
http://www.mikeshinoda.com/blog/How_To-Responses_To_Fans-Music_Business/how_to_artist_royalties_indie_v_major
23 cents. that's all each member of a band gets from YOU buying a cd. initially i was like.. WTH? i pay freaking 20 bucks for a cd *yes.. i am not ashamed to say i still BUY cds* cuz i support the BAND.. and all they get is blooody 23 cents?? ok fine. about a dollar for the whole band. but then, you realise... the amount of work done by everyone (distributors, record companies, managers etc) for YOU to get your hands on that ONE album. Amazing how we totally disregard the work of all these other people. But really, it's the seemingly small and insignificant people who hold the big ones up. but it's for this very reason that i stay behind till the very end of the credits of EVERY movie i watch. (provided i don't need to rush to the loo, or rush to another place altogether). All those tiny little names you see rolling up the screen? they're the very reason why you can even see Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's faces on screen..without them, there's no movie. i'm not asking everyone to stay till the very end of a movie's credits. i'm not even reprimanding people who download music because i myself am quite the culprit. But, i just feel that there are ways for you to show your acknowledgement and respect for the 'smaller' people in life.. even if said people have no idea what you're doing for them, you know it yourself. and who knows? it might change your whole view of life in this capitalistic world.. No point keeping your heads up there in the clouds, when really, it's those tiny raindrops that you can feel, and enjoy.
I,alone