May 20, 2009

Eric B. & Rakim - "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em"

I used to borrow CDs from the library when I was younger; one of them was Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em by Eric B. & Rakim. I didn't realize the significance of what I had back then, but I'd come to realize that Rakim was - and still is - one of the most respected hip-hop lyricists of all time. Listen to the title track from the aforementioned album and see how Rakim's deft wordplay makes people like Soulja Boy Tell 'Em sound like cheap impostors.

Mind you, this is coming from someone who likes "Kiss Me Thru The Phone."

Do I Know Where I'm Going To?

As I continue to recover from my recent outsourcing, I'm faced with possibly the biggest decision of my life so far: continue to look for a job or go back to school.

So far, it looks as if I should go with the former option. If I go with the latter choice, I'd still need to look for a part-time job to sustain myself while I hit the books. I'm the primary breadwinner in my household and I have no one to fall back on if my income dries up. Besides, Lord only knows that this job could be an even bigger insult to my intelligence than my former job ever was, and there is no way that I'm going to willingly put myself through that again. Having said that, some short-term pain (the part-time job) is probably warranted in light of the long-term gain (the dividends from returning to school).

At least my provincial (Ontario) government has a program to help people who are in my situation and willing to go back to school for retraining. It's fittingly called Second Career; the gist is that the government pays for tuition and other expenses if you qualify for this assistance. Mind you, there is a process which every applicant needs to go through - however, the prospect of changing careers on the government's dime sounds worthwhile, especially considering the possible long-term benefits.

Personally, the fields of study relating to the arts sound very appealing to me, especially as a person who thrives on being creative. I used to produce drum 'n bass music as Charlie Van Pelt, and I terribly miss those days...