Case in Point (a.k.a. Charm)

[lapsedmodernist]

ID wrote in an email to me today: It's so good to hear from you! I don't think i need to tell you, your life sounds about 1000x more exciting than mine.

People often have that impression. I don't think that my life is that exciting or interesting, I just end up doing a lot of weird shit in weird places^* that adds up to a cumulative seaworthy Narrative.

Another email I got from a friend in New York today is a good example of how these things happen.


Subject: hey there
Message: Hey, apparently, my friend, Charm, is the next big
thing in russian hip-hop. he's releasing a russian
hip-hop mix CD and he needs a translator. I
thought it might be something you'd be interested
in checking out. Charm is a good guy and I would
totally hop on it if I could read + write russian. I
copied his email message for you below, talk to
you soon, A:

I need a person (preferrably female) between 25-35
who can appreciate hip hop and can read and write
russain and english, to translate russian hip hop
song titles, hooks and some lyrics, for a mix cd of
russian hip hop i am developing for release in
RUSSIA, I would cover all expenses,
transportation, food and label copy credit and
some money (to be decided) at the completetion of
the project.
the true benefit to the intern would be the tech
skills and knowledge of hip hop and music
production, and deejaying, they would gain from
me, also if this project goes well i will need a full
time assistant so this internship can become a
real job in about two - three months. no promises,
but it can lead to a trip to russia as well, i've been
there three times and will be going again this year.
please contact me if you know or are this person
at ________@hotmail.com. thanx peace out.

I just wrote back saying "why does he specifically need a girl for this?"


^* Internet house in New Orleans, burying dead gazelles in Israel, getting concussed/mugged in Guatemala, eating ayahusasco with alcoholic shamans, waking up with tarantulas on not just my pillow but my hair strewn about my pillow, not to mention my Soviet Childhood and all the other tropes that I would slur at you through a bourbon haze if I were Paul Theraux. Actually, I will still slur them at you, just through a Jameson haze.

Comments

[fengi.livejournal.com]

One can hope he wants a female because Russian hip hop is dominated by Female MCs and not because this is a "lust in translation" scam. I hope it's real, because if you did it, you'd become even more like some epic novel type person than you already are.

[claudelemonde.livejournal.com]

you should call your bio "lust in translation."

-jameson haze holla!

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

that sounds very Irving Stone meets Sophia Coppola.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

I think I have a little too much on my plate to take this on at the moment, esp. since it seems that compensation is mostly non-monetary. I will ask him, though, and also see if he can provide the adequate answer to the gender question.

[kowboy.livejournal.com]

He needs a woman because the one thing Russian hip-hop is lacking in order to make it HUGE in the United States is a feminine sesibility valuing nurturing growth and mutual respect.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

Hm. Judging by the success of T.a.T.U. what is needed to make Russian music huge in the US is lesbianism, even ersatz lesbianism. Shouldn´t then he be wanting women plural, though?

[monkey-flower.livejournal.com]

EEK! I totally forgot about that!

[monkey-flower.livejournal.com]

I don't think that my life is that exciting or interesting, I just end up doing a lot of weird shit in weird places* that adds up to a cumulative seaworthy Narrative.

Of course, you do very interesting things... but I get the sense that it wouldn't matter what you were doing, your life would be particularly interesting because you seem to live it with such huge energy, interest and committment, which is why I love reading your journal.

[twotoedsloth.livejournal.com]

But I think that's how you get an interesting life. If you do it on purpose, it's just conspicuous consumption.

[lapsedmodernist.livejournal.com]

ooh, mad kudos on the alliteration!

[twotoedsloth.livejournal.com]

Alas, I must credit Thorsten Veblen