Time Fly’s when you’re Having Fun!

I don’t know if it’s just me or not, or whether it’s because this is so much freaking fun, - but these weeks seem to just fly by like nobody’s business! The next thing you know, we’ll be announcing week #100 and shortly thereafter, 2 full years of consecutive weekly publications - WOW!

Yes, at present, STEEM and SBD are in the dumpster along with all of the frivolous machinations and goings-on that typically accompany the negative sentiments and outcomes of extended bear markets. I say, “GREAT!” Let’s cut the wheat from the chaff and stick to the “Cream of the Crop” as it were – and with a bit of luck, good shall prevail over evil, and the “cream” shall indeed rise to the “top!”

In my view, the sooner all the BS surrounding “auto-voting,” (votes without views) – “bid-bots,” “tribe-based favoritism,” “reward pool raping,” and all of the other nonsensical childish behavior that seems to have “risen to the fore” comes to a screeching halt – the better!

Whatever you do, please, do not allow yourself to be mind-fucked by all this childish nonsense. We have enough mind-fuckery going on in the real world, and the last place we want to be subject to additional mind-fucking is here!

As is the case both here and in the legacy realm of contrived reality, the choice to blindly “herd” vs. intelligently “discern” is entirely up to the capacity and will of each individual. I just hope that the collective majority of individuals that comprise the whole ARE NOT “FOLLOWERS” by definition.

“Followers” by definition are weak and need to be led – something I abhor from either perspective. I much prefer to refer and relate to such a constituency as “Like-Minded-Thinkers.” LMT’s are NOT followers, and they will not agree with you every step of the way, but they will share “similar” and “alternate” ways of thinking. Categorizing them as such vs. that of “sheeple” or “followers” is a far more respectable classification in my view than merely referring to them proudly as “followers,” which honestly, in my view, is somewhat of an insult.

I don’t consider myself as having “followers” nor do I want them – what I do value is “Like Minded Independent Thinkers” with well-established views of their own – that have the wherewithal to intelligently add to the conversation, pose meaningful arguments for debate, and to lead themselves wherever it is they wish to go.

I mean, come on, who really knows what types of “social experiments” are being played out across this and other mass social media venues of the like. Don’t be played folks – just in case this is one grand mind-fuck of the century, always keep things in their proper perspective. Always stay true to yourself and to your strongly held convictions despite what the zombified “herd” might otherwise be prompting you to think or do.

Think for yourself, do for yourself, and DO NOT be swayed by what others may say or do – ALWAYS remain loyal and steadfast to what you believe is JUST and TRUE from deep within your hearts – and you shall never be led astray.

A suggested, “YES,” and a few suggested “DONT’S.”

Yes, always have a “plan-B!” Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, or become reliant upon any one thing or source of income. Don’t invest more than 10% of your entire net worth into any general asset class – with the possible exception of one’s permanent home.

Listen to / Evaluate ALL – and Follow NONE!

Draw your own conclusions after deep thought and contemplation. Don’t be afraid nor hesitate to disagree with the collective wisdom of the day. That’s my general take on things, anyway – it has served me quite well for the last 40-years - and I’m stickin’ to it!

Since I have a wee bit of a baby soap-box here, I figured I step onto it to share what I feel – good, bad, or indifferent. Everyone is entitled and expected to come to their own individual conclusions and to act upon them accordingly with the best of intentions and desirable outcomes, at least that is what’s assumed - until proven otherwise.

I for one refuse to be swayed by all such propaganda no matter where it may emanate from, and I suggest each and every one of you consider a similar approach in respecting your individual faculties and critical thinking skills to arrive at your own personal conclusions – not just here, but in every realm of your existence.

In the meantime – we are here, right now, at the Open-Mic Venue – and regardless of any underlying platform issues or real-world fuckery going on – we are here to “HAVE A FREAKING BLAST WITH MUSIC!” So for now, let’s cast the “deep-thinking” BS aside, place it diligently atop the back burner for future contemplation, and get on with the show!

Next Up, a few words about our Sponsors

Please, VOTE for These WITNESSES...

IMPORTANT: Before we move on, please don't forget to vote for @Pfunk as witnesses! @pfunk is our biggest supporter, and plays a major role in helping to fund, the Open Mic contest each week.

In addition to @pfunk, I am also adding @curie, @ausbitbank, and @aggroed to my short list of “must-vote-for” witnesses who support the Open-Mic venue.

You can vote for each of these witnesses right now by going directly to this link: https://steemit.com/~witnesses

With all of that said, following some further insights as to how I judge entries, let’s get on with it, shall we?

Steemit Open Mic Week 90

My Process

As one of the esteemed Open Mic judges, it is my job to come up with (or “curate” as it were) a short-list of my top 5 entrants each week. With all of the great talent here, that is by no means an easy task. Sure, tossing in another 5 honorable mentions helps, but not when my weekly list starts out with 100 or more of my favorite entries... You guy's rock - I'm tellin ya!

Yes, I am a Libra – so I have an inherent drive deep within me to be fair and balanced – good qualities for a “judge” if you ask me. That being said, I’m still human – filled with emotion and subjective feelings – just like you. So, in order to mitigate my subjective tendencies to the best extent possible, I’ve come up with a method by which to narrow down my selections in a more objective vs. arbitrary manner.

Here’s how I go about my personal judging process: I first start out with a list of 100 or more of my most favorite entries for the week, and score them (yes, subjectively) in six distinct categories via a spreadsheet. The categories I’ve selected for scoring are in general harmony with those explained by @luzcypher in his post titled How We Pick The Top 3 Entries, referencing such.

To get a more in-depth perspective as to how I personally go about selecting my artists, please refer to What I go through as an Open-Mic Judge.

Even though it’s still a “subjective” process – diligently going through each scoring category to come up with a “total” score for each entrant helps to minimize any overzealous subjectivity that I may harbor with respect to any specific entrants.

Quite often, this exercise doesn’t give me the exact results I would personally prefer to see – but that only means that my system of judging is working as intended and designed. With all of that said, here are...

My Top-5 Picks in Order

FIRST PLACE: @mayneth – Mejor Así - (Cover)

This week Mayneth introduces us to the stunningly beautiful and talented Marianna Bracho! As a teacher, professional, and mentor, Mayneth is fully dedicated to all of the technical, artistic, production, and performance aspects of music. He has mentored the likes of @moccamonica and @belenlopr just to name two incredibly talented artists that most of us already know. I am sure he has mentored many, many more - one of whom is the lovely Marianna. Together, their rendition of Juan Quintero’s “Mejor Asi” is a tender and beautiful work of brilliance, joy, and perfection! For this and much more, I give Mayneth and Marianna my top spot here in week 90.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@mayneth/steemit-open-mic-semana-90-mejor-asi

SECOND PLACE: @drewsmusic – Forever - (Original)

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Drew, and I’m so glad he’s back with us here in week 90! Drew believes, as do I, that “Forever” is one of the best songs that he’s written to date! There is something enduringly classic sounding about this composition. Perhaps it’s the hint of Jazz in tandem with Drew’s whistling solo. All that in concert with the playful melodies and blissful lyrics is just some of what makes this performance, magic. Whatever it is, “Forever” is a keeper for all time!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@drewsmusic/steemit-openmic-week-90-forever-original

THIRD PLACE: @daily-musings – Florida Girl - (Original)

I’ve been checking out @daily-musings for a few weeks now and have been generally impressed, and very much aware of the potential she has. Well, she came out in week 90 slinging an original she calls “Florida Girl.” When I heard it, I was thrilled! Her composition and performance totally confirmed the level of talent that I knew she had building beneath the surface. I’m in love with her vocal styling, along with the storyline and melodies she has created here. I sure wish I were a Florida boy back when she was a Florida girl! :-)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@daily-musings/steemit-open-mic-week-90-or-florida-girl-original-song-or-daily-musings

FOURTH PLACE: @samidbarid – Guitar Song - (Original)

I love the way Sami just pumps out original tunes like it was nothing. In fact, he hasn’t even bothered to title his last two - simply calling last week’s entry an “Original Piano Song,” and this week, an “Original Guitar Song.” One of Sami’s tremendous gifts is having an incredible ability to make his audience really feel what he intentionally sets out to make them feel. His “Original Guitar Song” is yet another fine example, which is a pensive composition replete with deep reflection, contemplation, and healing.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@samidbarid/steemit-openmic-week-90-sami-d-barid-original-guitar-song-by-sami-d-barid-and-geco

FIFTH PLACE: @lillywilton – I Will Learn to Love Them - (Original)

Okay, so she had me at:”We pick each other’s open wounds, and somehow expect to survive.” Lilly is one rather exceptional artistic entity – there is no doubt about this in my mind! I don’t know if she’s on the Upper East Side, West, Gramercy Park, the Village or if she resides somewhere near the Theatre District, - all I know is that those sirens sound all too familiar to my ears. In this case, they just so happen to add a measure of reality atop Lilly’s “I Will Learn to Love Them.” She is speaking about living with and learning to love the scars that each of us carries. It’s a beautiful message and one that we should all strive to embrace and be proud of.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@lillywilton/7t3505cu

My Top-5 Honorable Mentions in Order:

First: @pedromrmourato – Barco Negro - (Cover)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@pedromrmourato/2hsrxg2p

Second: @aidarojaswriter – This Is It – (Cover)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@aidarojaswriter/w9wbrtic

Third: @carlosgu – How Deep is Your Love - (Cover)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@carlosgu/mmlw4c06

Fourth: @angelmar – Hallelujah - (Cover)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@angelmar/steemit-openmic-week-90-or-aleluya-cover-angelmar-mupsikotico

Fifth: @cesaralejandro – Bajo Mis Pies - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@cesaralejandro/steemit-openmic-week-90-bajo-mis-pies-original-ft-abel-and-jose

Thank you for reviewing my selections for this week’s Open-Mic contest. If you find this content I’ve curated entertaining and of value to you, then please consider up-voting and/or re-steeming it.

Peace, Love, and Justice for All

A Very Special Shout Out To:

The following 20 artists who were very much on my radar, each within a splitting hair of making it into my overall top-10, and whose performances I loved, cherish, and respect most assuredly. This special list is very much an extension of my most honorable mentions.

They are - in no particular order:

@mariajruizb, @klynic, @builtinfire, @racso, @shookriya, @dianakyv, @exzorltg, @ilazramusic, @digitalopus, @carljohn, @manuelmusic, @mightyjoenolan, @davidcentenor, @lk666, @honeymoon-1611, @g10a, @andreabortone, @joseacabrerav, @tribedownsouth, and @katrina-ariel!

Another Special Shout Out To:

The following artists whose performances I very much enjoyed this week.

They are - in no particular order:

@jembee, @acousticsteveo, @johnthefelon, @orlandogonzalez, @chaifm, @wilins, @gibber, @chrisgoans, @elainefaye, @funkmedia, @thesimpson, @hornetmusic, @maycorjerjes18, @ragnar29, @coruscate, @scottone, @guifaquetti, @ebolapunk, @drewley, @neron-dc, @k0wsk1, @marafranceschi, @jarradlevi, @pollocyber, @graceleon, @lorenzopistolesi, @mandysp, @edprivat, @mcmusic, @danieldedosd2, @amundafrank, @mendike, @luiskrupaz, @betzaelcorvo, @pedroi, @minuetoacademy, @elisonr13, @salvadorhr18, @ryoucha, @camuel, @gabrielamenesesg, @cesaramos, @siomarasalmeron, @orianacortesia, @samjgonz, @itslobianco, @rjcha, @polohyung, @jonmagnusson, @leomolina, @tfeldman, @yrmaleza, @edwardstobia, @nior, @josegri, @lozanocarmen, @eyewritedaily, @diegopadilla, @duocover, @ricardogmusic, @miguelblanco, @tcpolymath, @dreamrafa, @yetxuni, @juanmolina, and @bennettitalia!

Much love and thanks to each and every one of you who have touched a part of my heart and soul - not only this week but forever!