Author: Rob Attrell

I fully intend to get around to writing some thoughts I had about the year that was 2014, but today is not the day for that.

Today, I am going to share some of my feelings about the world’s entertainment landscape, discuss how the rise of the internet and the last 5-10 years of pop culture are changing our behaviours, and how we entertain ourselves in today’s media-centred universe.

North American culture is becoming a veritable minefield of television, movies, books, radio, music, podcasts, comedy specials, video games, board games, vlogs, etc. that there is simply no way for the average person to consume more than a tiny percentage of what they might find interesting or engaging.

On the very outer fringes of this maelstrom of huge media conglomerates, independent publishing groups, and self-employed journalists and bloggers is me. In the last year or two, I have taken an extreme interest in working in media. Since I’m still in debt from the first degree I took (in Chemistry), I’ve elected to approach this in a completely self-started way.

They say that the mark of self-improvement is that you will look back at some of the work you did in the past, and you will cringe because it is just so bad. By that measure, I have come a VERY long way in the last year.

I am writing to you specifically, the people I know in real life, and the people who read this, because I need you the most to get where I would eventually like to end up. I tend to imagine that most people who read what I put here are friends and family, but stats tell me that at least half of my audience is in the US, which I think is awesome, as well as interesting.

I don’t really BEG for likes on Facebook, retweets on Twitter, or +’s on Google+ when I post things, but getting those from you really is the best way for you to help me get what I do more widely seen.

I’m sure it happens that a LOT of people who follow me don’t particularly care about all or any of what I’m working on. However, it would and does mean a great deal to me when people like or share what I put online, because it helps others see that stuff.

If you HAVE seen something I’ve worked on in the past and maybe weren’t impressed by the quality, or didn’t have a good time listening/watching, I would like to take this chance to suggest you give me another shot. I’ve put a lot of effort into bettering what I do, and I am really proud of what I’ve been putting out lately, with my friends and colleagues. We also have some new shows you can find on UnwindMedia.com, which I’ve been really excited about.

It only takes a second to like or retweet something you see, but it means a whole lot to me and my work that you’re helping expose it to a larger audience.

Lastly, if you have a minute or two today or when you’re reading this, I would love to hear what you think about what I’ve been working on for almost the last year. I’ve set up a VERY short survey at http://UnwindMedia.com, which you can also fill out by going to http://bit.ly/UnwindSurvey. It will help me find out what people like and dislike about the things I’m putting online, so I can be informed about where my energy is best invested.