Sitzmedia: Introduction

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“A while back… we agreed that what really matters is what you like, not what you are like. Books, records, films — these things matter! Call me shallow; it’s the fucking truth.”
-Rob Gordon, High Fidelity

If you are with my family for Christmas, you’ll notice one thing about the presents that we give each other: about 85% of them are books, CDs, or movies. And that may even be a low estimate. I was thinking about this phenomenon recently, and it also struck me that many of my friendships and conversations in the past used discussions about books, movies, and music as a centerpiece, or as a kind of springboard to a deeper conversation. When I talk to my friend Chris, for example, we can talk about almost anything, but a lot of the time we talk about the last movie we saw. Or the new music we’re listening to. Or what book we definitely have to read when we get a chance. And this is fine, in my opinion, because it’s just a part of a friendship, and not the whole friendship summed up in something material and shallow.

Still, being in Costa Rica isn’t too conducive to such conversations. Movies and music are popular here, but they don’t seem to carry nearly as much importance as they do in the U.S. (which probably goes a long way towards explaining Reggaeton music). And books? Well, people just don’t seem to read here.

Also, my wife Angela is slowly getting into these types of things, but growing up on a coffee farm around here seems to equate to infrequent visits to the movie theaters, to say the least. When I first asked her what music she liked, her list was two groups long: Bon Jovi and Savage Garden. In the meantime, we’ve gotten to the point where we can discuss movies we’ve seen together recently, but she still doesn’t have an entire quarter-century of pop culture references under her belt.

So, in an attempt to have at least a one-way “conversation,” I came up with the idea of “Sitzmedia.” I’m still developing it, but I’m thinking it can be a place where I can talk with you–or even with myself, if need be–about what I’ve been reading, listening to, and watching. I was originally just going to put up some quotes from books and samples from songs, but I’m thinking this could be a lot more interesting, depending on how I/we do it.

If you read something under a Sitzmedia heading, I would certainly encourage you to leave a comment, and maybe this can develop into something cool. If it does, I may be able to make a different blog out of this. Or, if it sucks and it bombs, I’ll just scrap it.

Those are my thoughts for now…

By the way, I think I’ll include some sort of links to the movies, books, and music, either like in the quotation above, or the link below. That’s the idea, so hopefully something interesting comes of it!

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Sitzman

Errand-Running Monkey at Sitzblog
Hey! I'm Ryan Sitzman, the person in charge of Sitzblog. If you want to know more about me, you can check out my profile on Google or go to my personal site, RyanSitzman.com. You can also click on any of the redundant little boxes to the left and it should take you to my profiles for all kinds of social networks. Thanks!
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10 thoughts on “Sitzmedia: Introduction”

  1. It’s true. The Sitzman’s have a long tradition of being media-freaks. But I’d say it’s really just our immediate family, and the rest of the Holthaus branches have a little more restraint. But I still haven’t really found what I’m looking for… in a way to describe why this is. I think part of it lies, though, in the fact that we set our own lists (and I was bitching about this the entire Christmas break) and people buy directly off of those lists, then even trade or haggle with someone that has bought presents for someone else, just so we can find an equilibrium where everyone has spent the same amount on everyone else. It’s fair, it’s democratic, and I suppose it’s the American way, but it also shows that you know absolutely nothing about the other person.

    I think I’m getting off topic somewhere, though. As much as I hate going off lists like I said, I love getting books, CDs and Movies. They are a springboard in TODAY’S culture for finding and keeping friends. I’ve never seen that to be more apparent than at the film school where the Star Wars debates occur every single day.

    Ok… gather your thoughts… what are you trying to say…? Well, Ryan, I like your idea, and I would like very much to talk with you about pop culture.

  4. If that really is Chris Sawyer, that comment was a stroke of brilliance, my friend!
    The answer is none, actually. The only movie I’ve seen in the theaters in the last YEAR was Slumdog Millionaire (good).
    We do rent them when they get here, either in regular (copied DVD) or “preview” (guy with a shaky camcorder filming in a Russian movie theater) versions.
    Having said that, we were watching season 7 of Smallville for the last few weeks since we got back, but we finished that, so I guess it’s time to start renting more. I’ll keep you updated.
    -Sitzman

  5. Yes, that was indeed me. I just purchased an mp3 album through Amazon’s mp3 store dooohicky via your aStore link. I don’t know if you get any kick-backs on those, but I hope so. I got “The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions” by Seu Jorge. Listening to it right now, very Tasty!

    Let’s talk movies, music, and books soon my friend.

    Cheers,

    Chris

  6. Hey man,
    You know, I should be getting a kickback soon, but it may not have kicked in yet, since it was on the weekend. We’ll have to see.
    Thanks for getting it, though!
    –Sitzman

  7. Lemme continue this thread from the dead. Here is a media quote for you, Sitzy.

    “States are not moral agents, people are, and can impose moral standards on powerful institutions.”

    Booyah, that was of course God saying that. Eh hem, I mean Noam Chomsky.

    I love talking book and movies with you but thought why don’t I hit you alternative media. I ease up on you after this, but you gotta admit, the man has a point.

    PS – Love the idea of Sitzymedia

  8. I’m assuming The Promise is Bobby, and if so, thanks!
    Good quote!
    And The Promise makes me think of that song at the end of Napoleon Dynamite…

  9. I can’t remember that song. Is it as they are playing tetherball? It actually comes from the song with the same name from the eighties by When in Rome. Which kinda sounds like stuff from Alphaville, also in Nap Mite!

    That’s just good SitzMedia banter.

    And to give away my identity, yes this is the one Jimmy calls Robbie.

  10. Robstopher,
    I’m sorry, but I’m just thinking of the right words to say…
    I know they don’t sound the way I planned them to be…

    Yep, that’s exactly the song, the group, AND the tetherball you’re thinking of!

    So you better wait a while and I’ll make you fall for me.
    Sitzmon-ay!

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