Brown Sprite

Did you know?
In the early nineties, there was a fad for clear drinks. Crystal Pepsi and Tab Clear stole the fizzy consumer market for a short moment, but then the cap was opened and the drink vanished from the shelves. People wrote their dissertations to explain the Crystal phenomenon, and many argued it was because consumers preferred cola to look like cola.

Thus, introducing, Brown Sprite.

Because no matter what colouring you use, it doesn't change the taste.

Music and Work

I recently wrote a review about a restaurant whose music unintentionally sped in rhythm when there was more customers. I think this is a good idea, as a faster rhythm could help give andreline and passion to the workers, while a slower rhythm could help relax to the worker and improve concentration. Imagine that the slower, ultra-cheese Chinese song playing in the background makes the staff member concentrate just a little more on your Mango Pudding, and you can romanticise my idea a little more. It would also help kitchen staff know when they're busy and give them the motivation they need to keep on top of things and maybe help moral if the music isn't actually all that bad. It could become stress relief.
But how does music actually affect workers?

Music and Work

I did a very small amount of research, and came across Marek Korczynski's 'Rhythmns of Labor: Music at Work in the British Isles' and 'Stayin' Alive on the Factory Floor: An ethnography of music used in the routinized workplace.' I wonder if he thinks of the names himself?

Marek Korcyznski argues that rhythm of labour reflects rhythm of music, and coordinates labour. According to his research and quotes from previous research, "music's role at work has changed under industrialisation." (DeNora 2000) Korczynski emphasises that popular music 'primarily operates as a tool for social control, creating "One-dimensional," passive, uncritical listeners."(Adorno 1941,76) and effectively, makes workers work harder with less resistance. The musical 'song' allows a voice that would usually be banned from normal discourse at work, and hence, essentially replaces this and thus, resistance. In the past, workers may have sung about their woes and this would be acceptable. Take a look at folk songs for example. Nowadays, the popular song has different themes, and there tends not to be a singalong during work because this is seen as negative by the employer. Korczynski suggests that singing gives workers power, and of course, from an employers view, they don't want that.

So the cheesy music you hear controls staff and efficiency levels. Workers discount the boredom of repetitive work, removing the threat of workers uniting and rebelling. Korczynski suggests that music helps "factory-goodwill" in Britian and helps the "Stayin' Alive culture." He also suggested when business was slow or there was no work to do, there was little engagement made with music.

While repetition may have its benefits in the eye of the employer, I believe this on the whole would lower the moral of the workers - and while it may encourage suppression, it would also discourage ambition and creativity. 
Music that reflects the pace of the situation in the restaurant could help reduce stress, help focus and coordination.
But for the good of everyone, it should be varied. In this economy, I think rebellion is a little less likely, and repetition may only reduce ambition, moral and effort.

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Notes:
Marek Korczynski is a Sociologist specialising in studying the workplace. He has written various works including Rhythms of Labor: Music at Work in the British Isles and Stayin' Alive on the Factory Floor: An ethnography of music used in the routinized workplace. You can find every sociologist/psychologist mentioned above in his work.

Baby Buddha: Chinese Teahouse and Dim Sum!

Yesterday my boyfriend and I made a visit to Baby Buddha in Norwich, a chinese dumpling paradise in disguise as a teahouse. The tea is good too, but it's the Dim Sum menu you really want to be the focus on your visit. It's quite a small yet cute menu, with a couple of extra dishes available from Sat - Tues. For the fish lovers - this is the fishiest Dim Sum menu I've come across, for the vegetarians the menu may not be so convenient as other competitors.

 Overall, the food was great. As always - the BBQ pork dumplings was my favourite (and has been with all Dim Sum places!) but the rest of the dumplings were good as well. Baby Buddha does a FANTASTIC mango pudding - I really recommend it for sweet tooth readers. It is a good idea to eat the mango pudding last, as it leaves a satisfying smooth after-taste. We also had some kind of puff pastry 'thing', that wasn't too great & we've had better spring rolls, but overall I was quite satisfied with the food.

When ordering drinks however, I must encourage readers not to order Ooolong Tea with your Dim Sum. Oolong Tea is a lovely blend, but it does not go well with dumplings or anything sweet. For Dim Sum I'd probably recommend Green Tea from the small selection I am accustomed to.

The staff at Baby Buddha were lovely. The music, although it was your typical cheesy music, was fine and good for a background scene. I noticed to my amusement, when custom was slow the music followed suit, and when there were more customers the music was speed in pace. This has inspired another post.

I defiantly want to visit Baby Buddha again. It is not the best place for Dim Sum out there, but it's quite high on the ranks and defiantly worth any excuse to go.

Box

It starts with the housemate who orders the mother's day gift, or the birthday present for a second cousin law.

Then, the day begins to wind down. It requires a moment of silence. A moment where procrastination desires to develop into a tangible beast. You have to sense it. You have to be aware. You have to listen to the calling.

 You don't understand at first, but a part of you guides you into a state of supreme understanding about the nature of the world. You don't fight it anymore. You just let it overpower your ordinary mundane senses. Your harness this new... Creative energy...

And waste an entire evening making polyester models.

 

Because why not?

I got a little bored, so I edited some old photos.

I've found a whole folder of photos I took of shadows. Mainly myself holding my guitar.

I don't understand either, but it's 'experimental' for a reason... Right...?

This is my personal favourite. I took this originally from a monastery, and was going for the old school, academic book look.

I do like colours too. I should get round to taking a camera round Bristol at some point...

Yay for British weather.

Classical Guitar

I've always enjoyed sound and admired instruments, but until recently, I never felt fulfilled playing the guitar. I was always the drummer girl, or the ninja sneaking into the pianos in highschool and university. My dad taught me a few chords, and a therapist taught me how to play a short melody, but I was never really inspired. Then came a boy who was very interested in ukuleles, and suddenly, strings became interesting again. I could bring my guitar to university and use it to escape from stress and woes. Now I weave between four strings and six, and I find it fun. I want to learn more and get better.

While walking around in Bath, I happened to come across a man playing a familiar melody, and when he finished, I asked him two questions. Firstly, what was the melody he was playing? It was "Romance" by Vincente Gomez. More than six years ago, a lady working at a hospital to taught me a simplified version, and now I could learn how to play it properly. The man caught my smile, and explained it was quite a popular melody on classic guitar. Then I asked, if I could take a photo of him playing. He said sure.
But of course I forgot to bring the memory card for my camera. I no longer have the cable to connect my camera to the laptop. So he's stuck in a little black box. He did look similar to the man in the video though, so I'll just pretend it's him.

Living Poetry

Living poetry continues to sweep the air around my ears and bring warmth. It's a comfort, a scarf round my neck that isn't too tight. Concentration is a little difficult, but it's okay, because pressure has loosened. Nothing right now has to be perfect. But perhaps that that is a stronger beauty. Is that a little too cliché? Forgive me. I was tired last night, and I'm tired again. But there is this undeniable peace that is coming, closer and closer. It is like an aroma, you can't hold it. But it's there, and it's soft and it's kind, and it's gentle. Muscles may be heavy, but restlessness has been repelled by this aroma, and it's okay. I guess you have to accept it first, and sometimes it's a little bit strange, but it's certainly worth it. 

I can smile without guilt, smile without issuing a burden upon myself. I don't have to fear nor worry nor load myself upon stress.

This special incense can burn forever, but I will probably forget about it sometimes. When I do, you'll notice, but, eventually I'll remember and then it's okay.

I am thinking and thinking about a past I don't recognise. A child holding a glass rose. All the candles we used to burn together. The little flames still flicker now as ghosts. It's different now, because there is peace. And the warmth of a fire so alive steams inside and keeps me strong. And when I hear those silky whispers float and spin from each wall, it's okay.