Bringing Back Soap Operas

No, I don't want a revival of low quality relationship dramas; I'm remembering the origin of the term. Soap Operas came about by soap companies funding shows for women which included ads for their product. So:
1. Get a corporate sponsor
2. Write some entertaining fiction that mentions their product, and some themed ads
3. Profit!


This does happen in various forms still, and is a controversial topic in some circles. There's the argument that sponsorship corrupts your artistic vision. I think your personal focus is the issue, not the way you get paid, and a well made and revisable contract can keep both parties satisfied.

Think of the benefits. A company large enough to afford sponsoring something will already has a marketing department that could play agent for you. The point is to join mediums; a companies products and someone's fiction, the company helps get you into the market, where you make their product appealing.

The trick is getting the right fit, a company with products you can support, and you having the talent to make their venture worthwhile.

An old media opportunity like this has came, gone and could be again. I like the old radio stories. Wouldn't it be great to hear "And now..." "...Brought to you by..."

TV, radio, print, comics; come on, who's game? I'd like to sell some soap!

A Friendly Reminder

This is addressed to those of you who are over 30, or 40, who are in the news media, those of you who don't understand why those punk kids wear shorts and stocking caps the year 'round.

Don't tease us. Sometimes what you see can be pretty stupid, I can't speak for everyone in the preteen-to-young adult culture. We aren't unified. We aren't the new enlightened generation. The current youth culture is divided into a wide variety of subcultures and I only subscribe to a few. I watch the other ones, because they're like neighbors ya know? What I'd like to address here is a couple underlying issues that are widespread and basic, and ultimately flow over into other areas of human life as well.

One of those fundamental issues is respect.

I was listening to a lively young talk show host; female, 40ish, she had a good style to talk politics and news. I was wondering what she'd say if she ran into a news article that mentioned one of the youth subcultures I'm involved in; furry fandom. Basically, it's about playing games and reading media that has humanlike animals instead of human characters. I doubt she could handle the topic well; it's too far removed from the interests of "responsible" adults. That's what started this whole train of thought. There is a good many similar examples, and actual cases where the adults of the status quo misunderstand, misinform and misrepresent the interests and practices of youth culture.

All people tend to belittle things they don't understand. To use an example older adults will understand: In business and government foreign policy, and when considering dealings with foreigners it is understood you need to be considerate of their differences. You may not understand them very well, but you know that the foreigners you are dealing with are honored or important in their country or business, and therefore you need to accommodate them and be understanding.

Just looking at youth culture examples and not many other areas, we most often learn about other people's culture and interests from negative press. The day to day happenings of a subculture don't get noticed. So if you hear about furry fandom it will likely be because of something inappropriate being peddled to children, some bizarre crime, someone's embarrassing mistake, some example of today's decadency or weirdness. So Ms. Status Quo reading the newspaper is likely to think we're a bunch of looser freaky kids and dangerous adults wasting time on the internet.

Much could be argued about the merits and problems of one person's lifestyle over another. This isn't the place for that. What I would like is to find - sometime before you're all in nursing homes and my peers and I are running the mainstream culture - is a news article, a comment, someone's statement that treats some youth culture item with respect. That's what most "kids" want. You don't have to like our hobbies, fiction and music, we'd just like you to recognize that what you just heard about is liked and enjoyed by people, not "mindless punks". Don't assume the worst until you've researched and understand the field. The strangeness of youth culture isn't going to go away. It only changes amongst itself, and spreads in influence as those involved grow older. No matter how much you disagree and/or dislike something, if you show their side some respect, then it gives them the opportunity to respect you. Common decency isn't gone; it is the backbone of most all subcultures, hobbies and lifestyles. It's just communicated differently. This communication problem can be quite difficult between some subcultures. In this modern era, geographic and language differences are greatly diminished. With transportation and a handful of common languages, you can interact with anyone. What we have now is steep subculture differences; so the suit wearing professional on Wall Street has a very hard time understanding his blue haired raver son. But both desire respect.

The new and old generations ultimately want the same things. We want people to like us. We want to pursue our interests. We want to create valuableness of some sort. So please don't tease us. We will be where you are one day, and I don't think you'd like it vary much.

Comfort

Rain drips from the eves like tears.
The sun is setting, hiding its face from sorrow.
Why do the drops sparkle in the fading light?
Don't they know the pain here?
They twinkle white.
Rain tears.
Why do they have to be so beautiful now?




I don't write poetry. Exsept when I do. I don't think I could if I tried, and the stuff scares me, so I don't. Exsept. This time I was sleepy, sitting in the dark, listening to sad celtic music, and chatting online with a sad person. So like, yeah.
:-)

Grey-Blue Lounge

“I got done talking to Manuel; the plane’s fueled and ready to go by sunrise.”
“It’s eight hours till then.”
“How do you want to spend it?” Michael grinned.
“We could sleep, most people do that.”
“Eh, I did that last night. I don’t know how you got into this game - thinking like that. A guy can only take so much boredom. There’s a decent little bar around the corner. Let’s go.”

After an hour of sitting in a smoky bar, watching a Latin girl sing backed up with fragments of a jazz band;
“You consider this fun?”
“No. But it’ll do.” Michael said, lighting another cigarette.
“You have problems with disturbing dreams don’t you?”
“Shut up! No. I don’t know how you make it in this game saying stuff like that.”
“That’s why I’m in it. I can see the truth.”
“Whatever. Shut up. Yer ruining the atmosphere.” The tip of Michael’s cigarette glowed red.
“I don’t think it’s fair to leave Manuel out of his share of the gold certificates.”
“Never talk about business in public!!!” Michael hissed.
Dusty stayed silent a while. He then picked up a coin at his elbow and twiddled with it, twirling it and dropping it on the counter.
“That’s mine.”
“Um humm.” Dusty flick-threw the coin towards the singer, it hit her silk wrapped breast with an audible smack. She stopped with a yip, the band’s song fell a part a moment later.
“What’s your problem?! You said everything was fine!”
“I’m sorry; I told you how I work.”
The furious lady stormed towards them.
Dusty leaned against Michael, removing Michaels’ auto as he whapped his arm around his partner. With a shout of Yeah-ha-haaa! Dusty fired a half dozen shots into the ceiling. He then shifted back to his own seat and slumped forward on his arms; dead asleep from all appearances. Angry voices and people overran the singer, crowded hands grabbed Michael.
“I didn’t do nothing!! He did it, you saw him!”
“He has been sleeping there all evening senior. You are going with us to the police!”
“You there! You were looking at us! Tell them! Lady, you saw! I was just sitting…” Michael saw their eyes. They didn’t believe him.
“Dusty! Dusty! Dammit; take him for questioning too!”
The mass of locals and travelers hanging on to Michael moved him toward the door, telling him to shut up and leave an innocent man alone. They where carrying Michael now; he was looking back, shouting at his partner.
Dusty looked back at Michael.
Dusty spoke, his quiet words seemed to project through the crowd and noise. “I’m sorry; I told you I follow orders. You never specified whose or what skills not to use. I’m sorry.”
The last thing Michael saw of Dusty was human features melting to dark grey fur, solid black eyes and muzzle.

In the morning Dusty was still asleep when Manuel flew the plane a different direction.

This story is 495 words long. I wrote it in less than an hour, which was surprising to me. It was inspired by instermental music I heard on a Winamp internet radio station: Secret Agent: The soundtrack for your stylish, mysterious, dangerous life. For Spys and P.I's too! It's listed under the genre of 'Downtempo Lounge Spy'. It's not a station I frequent. Let me know what you think.