First, summer is over. Bummer. And now we can begin. I've had a love hate relationship with chain stores, Best Buy, and the way they've abandoned physical music. Actual CD's. Only stocking too few copies of good music and braking the bank on crap. And you need four rows and a kiosk of G&R's waist of ten years? Okay? Every week Pop and Hop-Hop (Love lots of Hip-Hop that's not on the radio) dribble gets prime shelve space and supply while actual good music gets barely ten copies. Now I know that everyone thinks their music selection is better than everyone else so I know this argument can be combated by a simple; uh-huh. But, I digress I could bore all with many arguments on modern music and the business but I will end here...
The real post is how of all music genres metal seems to be a universal language among people. Once you find out some is into metal, real metal not that radio-rock-friendly-crap but, real metal. A friendship is formed even if you don't agree on all your discussion topics you know you just meet someone else like you that walks among the world. I met a metal friend today and at a time when I was going to abandon all hope for the yellow tag and start a long trek to find music elsewhere which where I live would cause much headache. Even among my close friends I am alone on talking about metal and my list of metal heads is my brother who lives out of state and my wonderful girlfriends brother. So I am glad to find a new metal friend.
Metal I've grabbed of recent:
Black Dahlia Murder "Deflorate"
Bury Your Dead "Nothing Personal"
Every Time I Die "New Junk Aesthetic"
Job For A Cowboy "Ruination"
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
the failure and the cowards
During the long and cold winter that we recently lived through and are slowly creeping towards again a close friend and I created a character to live inside a blog. The idea was influenced by the character Darcel and I wanted to do something similar but in a completely different direction. I never want to copy someones ideas. Instead of a hip New York socialite very cleverly and unequally commenting on city, pop culture and contemporary life. Very great very original. My friend and I created a character around the idea of a alien or robot sent from an other galaxy or planet to learn about our culture and life and then destroy us. But, the hitch was that the character would start to be corrupted by our cultures especially pop culture and begin to love us. The idea was sound and the creation of the character was a great experience and even though I am still kicking myself for doing such a thing but with all that is going on I just don't have the time for another side project that would take on a life of his own. So, I am the failure. But, in order to give our character, LADO (Learn, Adapt, Destroy, Objective), the credit he deserves here are the imagery that was posted and ones that where in line.
The First
This was a simple image to announce LADO's arrival.
The Second
This was used for a post about when a study was published that Red States, the faith based family first states were found out to be down loading more porn than the sinful Blue States. And, their only defense was saying that the study is bias because the Red States were legally purchasing their porn not the other way around like the Blue States. Sure. Hypocrisy. This was also the first time I crossed over into a political theme and really wanted to live there. My cohort and I decided that I would speak out against political and social issues and he would soften that edge with pop culture references.
The Third
An instant and emotional response to The Watchmen movie.
The Fourth
Title G0d Con-Plex this post was about the Great Pacific Trash Heap and how religion is stunting any movement into responsibility toward keeping our planet clean for generations.
These last two where not posted but where on deck for more posts.
Although this project is over the ideas and passion are still there. In the future there will be a second round of the ideas and creativity that born LADO. Just not at the moment. I fear that I need to create something moving in the next four years. I fear that these four years with Obama are going to filled with crazies attacking him and then they are going to elect a Palin and our country is going to really go to shit. I feel more of the youth needs to speak out and ideas like LADO need to be planted right now to blossom when ideas and movements are needed most. The world is going to get worse very soon. The cowards, the Glenn Becks, the Ann Coulters, the Rush Limbaughs and the fear mongering crazies have the platform to say their racist and ignorant comments and we have all the right to speak against their bullshit. Which we need more of. Speaking out against the ignorance and stupidity that is rooted in America right now is a great start.
So, I feel a bit of a failure. I gave up. But, not for long.
Sorry, Tim. Love ya, bro.
The First
This was a simple image to announce LADO's arrival.
The Second
This was used for a post about when a study was published that Red States, the faith based family first states were found out to be down loading more porn than the sinful Blue States. And, their only defense was saying that the study is bias because the Red States were legally purchasing their porn not the other way around like the Blue States. Sure. Hypocrisy. This was also the first time I crossed over into a political theme and really wanted to live there. My cohort and I decided that I would speak out against political and social issues and he would soften that edge with pop culture references.
The Third
An instant and emotional response to The Watchmen movie.
The Fourth
Title G0d Con-Plex this post was about the Great Pacific Trash Heap and how religion is stunting any movement into responsibility toward keeping our planet clean for generations.
These last two where not posted but where on deck for more posts.
Although this project is over the ideas and passion are still there. In the future there will be a second round of the ideas and creativity that born LADO. Just not at the moment. I fear that I need to create something moving in the next four years. I fear that these four years with Obama are going to filled with crazies attacking him and then they are going to elect a Palin and our country is going to really go to shit. I feel more of the youth needs to speak out and ideas like LADO need to be planted right now to blossom when ideas and movements are needed most. The world is going to get worse very soon. The cowards, the Glenn Becks, the Ann Coulters, the Rush Limbaughs and the fear mongering crazies have the platform to say their racist and ignorant comments and we have all the right to speak against their bullshit. Which we need more of. Speaking out against the ignorance and stupidity that is rooted in America right now is a great start.
So, I feel a bit of a failure. I gave up. But, not for long.
Sorry, Tim. Love ya, bro.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
holga
I've been trying to explore photography as an outlet for my art for a little over a year. I've made some progress, little, but it's a work in progress. The goals of tackling photography as an artistic growth and a hobby are too; in a short list.
To become...
...more spontaneous with my art.
...more in the moment.
...better with composition.
...strengthen my artistic eye.
...crack out of my shell.*
*The last one is the most important. I become very closed off while working on my art. Not closed off to the world but I am very seclusive. Not that it is a bad thing but to grow as an artist I need to become more open and capture art as I see it. Not lock myself in my room by myself.
So after months of me talking my girlfriends ear off about a crazy plastic camera called a HOLGA. My wonderful girlfriend bought me one for Valentines of '08. I've been using and loving my HOLGA ever since especially after the breaking of my digital I've exclusively been using my green plastic camera.
I have recently updated my Lomo Home, a digital place to post and share my HOLGA and other analog pics taken on the brands of Lomography. So I invite all over and share in my growing as a photographer. My Lomo Home.
It will also be added to my side bar under the My.. heading. Enjoy
To become...
...more spontaneous with my art.
...more in the moment.
...better with composition.
...strengthen my artistic eye.
...crack out of my shell.*
*The last one is the most important. I become very closed off while working on my art. Not closed off to the world but I am very seclusive. Not that it is a bad thing but to grow as an artist I need to become more open and capture art as I see it. Not lock myself in my room by myself.
So after months of me talking my girlfriends ear off about a crazy plastic camera called a HOLGA. My wonderful girlfriend bought me one for Valentines of '08. I've been using and loving my HOLGA ever since especially after the breaking of my digital I've exclusively been using my green plastic camera.
I have recently updated my Lomo Home, a digital place to post and share my HOLGA and other analog pics taken on the brands of Lomography. So I invite all over and share in my growing as a photographer. My Lomo Home.
It will also be added to my side bar under the My.. heading. Enjoy
Monday, September 7, 2009
summer ends
The last few grains of sand fall from this summers hourglass and the same bitter sweet feelings about the dieing of summer and the birth of the frozen winter are all too familiar.
First off, weather wise, this summer in the Midwest was crap. It was cold and rainy, although good for running, bad for enjoying the summer air and swimming. Living in the Midwest and having such a long, cold and snow filled winter having a cold summer is just a slap in the face. We pack so much into our summers to enjoy it as much as possible and by the end we are all just run down. After weddings, trips, relay and summer parties my friends and I are all looking for a good break. Not from each other or fun or even the summer-ish weather but from spending money and time away. From June to September there are seventeen weekends and I was, or will be, gone or had major plans for eleven of them. And, like I lamented in my other summer time posts art and design have suffered greatly from my busy schedule. Not only where my weekends filled but having a non regular schedule my Mondays are really important to get work done. I had a good stretch in July and August where I only had a few Monday to work so in short I am still really behind. I've been working on the same few projects, making progress, but still plugging slowly away.
Another sign, non weather related, that summer is coming to a close is when my friends and I start to gather our fall/winter '09 race schedule. I'll be starting my racing in mid September and will provide some racing reports later.
It was nice to be finishing up summer yesterday with my girlfriend doing a bike pub crawl for charity. The charity was to help American Brain Tumor Association and children fighting life-threatening diseases. We donated some money to a good cause, rode thirty miles on our mountain bikes and had some tall beverages. Great time but my legs hate me today. The real end of summer is coming soon and me and my girlfriend will be closing summer in Chicago this weekend. Going to have a great time and see U2 all at the same time.
Another great summer leaves us. Had an amazing time with my girlfriend and my friends. Made wonderful memories and spent time with the people I love all summer and witnessed wonderful moments and weddings, parties, races and just small moments away.
After this coming weekend no more lamenting about art and design not finished. I managed to get some stuff done in the little moments and will be looking forward to posting some of the great work I've been putting together.
Now I leave summer with this. I remember liking this song at the beginning of summer and feel it's a fitting end. I think The Cold War Kids will be a band I get more involved with in the near future. There is a line in the song that says "How's it going to feel when summer ends. Out of money. Out of friends". Well I am not out of money and never will be but, money is gone. Without reading to much into this songs I dig it and feel it's a great way to close summer.
Enjoy!
First off, weather wise, this summer in the Midwest was crap. It was cold and rainy, although good for running, bad for enjoying the summer air and swimming. Living in the Midwest and having such a long, cold and snow filled winter having a cold summer is just a slap in the face. We pack so much into our summers to enjoy it as much as possible and by the end we are all just run down. After weddings, trips, relay and summer parties my friends and I are all looking for a good break. Not from each other or fun or even the summer-ish weather but from spending money and time away. From June to September there are seventeen weekends and I was, or will be, gone or had major plans for eleven of them. And, like I lamented in my other summer time posts art and design have suffered greatly from my busy schedule. Not only where my weekends filled but having a non regular schedule my Mondays are really important to get work done. I had a good stretch in July and August where I only had a few Monday to work so in short I am still really behind. I've been working on the same few projects, making progress, but still plugging slowly away.
Another sign, non weather related, that summer is coming to a close is when my friends and I start to gather our fall/winter '09 race schedule. I'll be starting my racing in mid September and will provide some racing reports later.
It was nice to be finishing up summer yesterday with my girlfriend doing a bike pub crawl for charity. The charity was to help American Brain Tumor Association and children fighting life-threatening diseases. We donated some money to a good cause, rode thirty miles on our mountain bikes and had some tall beverages. Great time but my legs hate me today. The real end of summer is coming soon and me and my girlfriend will be closing summer in Chicago this weekend. Going to have a great time and see U2 all at the same time.
Another great summer leaves us. Had an amazing time with my girlfriend and my friends. Made wonderful memories and spent time with the people I love all summer and witnessed wonderful moments and weddings, parties, races and just small moments away.
After this coming weekend no more lamenting about art and design not finished. I managed to get some stuff done in the little moments and will be looking forward to posting some of the great work I've been putting together.
Now I leave summer with this. I remember liking this song at the beginning of summer and feel it's a fitting end. I think The Cold War Kids will be a band I get more involved with in the near future. There is a line in the song that says "How's it going to feel when summer ends. Out of money. Out of friends". Well I am not out of money and never will be but, money is gone. Without reading to much into this songs I dig it and feel it's a great way to close summer.
Enjoy!
Monday, July 27, 2009
late race reports
The last 5k, my race of choice, was in April, a local race, and I did okay for how much training I was doing. I ran a 28:44, not great by any means for what I should be running but like I blogged before I am coming off some injuries that made my normal training difficult. My fastest 5k time this year was in March at the Hanson's 5k where I ran a 27:50, some great progress at the time. I'll get back to my 5k later.
Since my last 5k in April I still have been racing: I did a 8k in May, the NCTR was in June, and I did a duathlon and the GLR in July. So I have been doing a fare amount of training and racing. Mid summer is usually the drop off of my 5k racing when the relays and more endurance racing starts. But, now that all the relays are over I am going to concentrate on getting my 5k time down before winter starts and my training slows to maintenance training.
Here is a look back at the past few major races I've completed.
The first was NCTR a drunken weekend with the friends that starts summer off with some adult sodas, good friends and some good running. I've only had one really great NCTR relay three years ago the rest have been hard runs that kick my butt into gear and remind me that GLR is a month away and my training needs to improve. I died on the first leg which was a 7.2 miler trail run. I ran it in about an one hour and forty minutes. Just miserable. After that long run tripping through the woods my back was shot and in pain. I was down for a nap in one of the cars and after that I felt a bit better and finished the day with a 3.5 miler that was slow but not to bad. This was not a great start to my running for the summer.
The next big race was my first duathlon. A first annual local race that was a 5k run, 20k bike and then a 5k run to finish. I ran the first 5k easy and relaxed, I have never done such a race before so I didn't want to die. I ended up running a lady into the ground that was trying to race the first 5k. She kept attacking and because I was running easy it wasn't to hard to control the pace and keep ahead. My first 5k was run in 30:22. Then the bike came up. I rode strong and for such an insane ride with huge uphill climbs I didn't die or get beat down by the ride. I've realized that I am a strong rider just not a brave rider. I could have taken a few down hills with a bit more bravado than I did. But I finished the ride in 01:02:27, which is close to how long it takes me to ride around 14-16 miles with traffic stops so the hills didn't slow me down to bad. The last 5k was hard. I past a few people but the last mile was just me trying to maintain my pace. I was glad to finish the last 5k at 35:45 with a 02:08:34 overall time. I was proud of myself for accomplishing my first duathlon and finished in a realistic time. I am hoping to compete in more duathlons if I can find ones that use Mountain Bikes, not a big Road Biker yet.
The last race report is for the GLR our yearly three-day drunken running fest. Lots of memories and funny stories from this year. A great time. My first run of day one was a 5.2 mile trail run. Good trails and I ran it easy at 01:03. My second run of day one was horrible a 5 mile trail run on overgrown sandy horse trails. Took me 01:17 to suffer through that run. Day two was a bit better I ran my first run a 5.4 mile trail run in 01:04 so I was on the same pace as the day before and it was cool to run the same run again after running it for my first GLR first leg six year ago. Then the mess comes out. I started drinking after my first leg and didn't stop. Ran my second leg a 3.5 mile trail run in 50 minutes of drunken stumbling running through the woods. Don't recommend running distance runs wasted. Day three I only had one run which I killed. It was a 5.5 mile run on two tracks, dirt and country roads. I ran it at a ten-minute pace finished the leg in 57:20. This is when I really realized that trail running sucks for me. I can't stride out like I can on roads. I had a great year this year. Oh, and between five drinks and five little helpers we drank ten cases of beer. So, yea, we had some fun.
So, back to 5k's. After all this crazy running I am really looking forward to running a 5k this Saturday and hopefully setting a new PR (Personal Record) that I am proud of. Got a week of rest last week, new shoes this week and starting to hit some good running. Hopefully I will hit a low 26 min or a high 25 min time. That would make me happy.
Since my last 5k in April I still have been racing: I did a 8k in May, the NCTR was in June, and I did a duathlon and the GLR in July. So I have been doing a fare amount of training and racing. Mid summer is usually the drop off of my 5k racing when the relays and more endurance racing starts. But, now that all the relays are over I am going to concentrate on getting my 5k time down before winter starts and my training slows to maintenance training.
Here is a look back at the past few major races I've completed.
The first was NCTR a drunken weekend with the friends that starts summer off with some adult sodas, good friends and some good running. I've only had one really great NCTR relay three years ago the rest have been hard runs that kick my butt into gear and remind me that GLR is a month away and my training needs to improve. I died on the first leg which was a 7.2 miler trail run. I ran it in about an one hour and forty minutes. Just miserable. After that long run tripping through the woods my back was shot and in pain. I was down for a nap in one of the cars and after that I felt a bit better and finished the day with a 3.5 miler that was slow but not to bad. This was not a great start to my running for the summer.
The next big race was my first duathlon. A first annual local race that was a 5k run, 20k bike and then a 5k run to finish. I ran the first 5k easy and relaxed, I have never done such a race before so I didn't want to die. I ended up running a lady into the ground that was trying to race the first 5k. She kept attacking and because I was running easy it wasn't to hard to control the pace and keep ahead. My first 5k was run in 30:22. Then the bike came up. I rode strong and for such an insane ride with huge uphill climbs I didn't die or get beat down by the ride. I've realized that I am a strong rider just not a brave rider. I could have taken a few down hills with a bit more bravado than I did. But I finished the ride in 01:02:27, which is close to how long it takes me to ride around 14-16 miles with traffic stops so the hills didn't slow me down to bad. The last 5k was hard. I past a few people but the last mile was just me trying to maintain my pace. I was glad to finish the last 5k at 35:45 with a 02:08:34 overall time. I was proud of myself for accomplishing my first duathlon and finished in a realistic time. I am hoping to compete in more duathlons if I can find ones that use Mountain Bikes, not a big Road Biker yet.
The last race report is for the GLR our yearly three-day drunken running fest. Lots of memories and funny stories from this year. A great time. My first run of day one was a 5.2 mile trail run. Good trails and I ran it easy at 01:03. My second run of day one was horrible a 5 mile trail run on overgrown sandy horse trails. Took me 01:17 to suffer through that run. Day two was a bit better I ran my first run a 5.4 mile trail run in 01:04 so I was on the same pace as the day before and it was cool to run the same run again after running it for my first GLR first leg six year ago. Then the mess comes out. I started drinking after my first leg and didn't stop. Ran my second leg a 3.5 mile trail run in 50 minutes of drunken stumbling running through the woods. Don't recommend running distance runs wasted. Day three I only had one run which I killed. It was a 5.5 mile run on two tracks, dirt and country roads. I ran it at a ten-minute pace finished the leg in 57:20. This is when I really realized that trail running sucks for me. I can't stride out like I can on roads. I had a great year this year. Oh, and between five drinks and five little helpers we drank ten cases of beer. So, yea, we had some fun.
So, back to 5k's. After all this crazy running I am really looking forward to running a 5k this Saturday and hopefully setting a new PR (Personal Record) that I am proud of. Got a week of rest last week, new shoes this week and starting to hit some good running. Hopefully I will hit a low 26 min or a high 25 min time. That would make me happy.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
the weirdness: part one
I get really weird about completing projects and outlandish tasks before I leave for a weekend whether it's for a race, wedding or vacation. I noticed this last year when I had a lot of destination weddings and races, among summer time stuff, to leave for I would run around crazy trying to complete weird things before I left. Besides my "five goals" a week I write on a dry-erase board to complete weekly I also write a list of random crap that has no consequence to try and complete before leaving. I think I'll document this behavior for a future post, circa July 16-ish before I leave for the GLR (Great Lakes Relay).
Well, I hit a snag two weeks ago before I left for the North Country Trail Relay. The snag was because not only did I create a random list of crap to complete but I was lamenting the fact that my list of 5 goals to complete have for the most part stayed the same all June. Aside from one goal, clean my studio space, all the artistic goals have stayed the same. So the week before I left for the weekend instead of packing I was trying to catch up on my art. And, this craziness hasn't let up. I've been really trying to clear my list, plus some other projects I am behind on, and get some new goals up before the end of June.
Here is one project I started to knock out. This is something I've tried hard to keep secret until launch but here is a brief taste. These are some finished comic boards of an online weekly comic my friend Paul and myself created. The comic is called Side Quest and is in the vein of pop and nerd culture. I'll post a full report on the comic just before we launch. Hopefully in the next two weeks. But, enjoy the first peek.
The next image is of a painting I knocked out this weekend during a crazy storm. I am happy with the experience of creating and what I learned from painting. But, I did need to separate myself from it. I do enjoy it now but I wasn't really happy with it. But I am excited about my next paintings. I am already planning the next four, yes, four, I am gathering the money right now. I hope to have them started next week. I am going to do multiple painting this time because I am impatient and get board when I have to wait for the paint to dry. So, I am going to knock out four next time. But here is my first of hopefully many paintings.
My last image is of a comp for my new digital portfolio. I told my girlfriend that I would have my design portfolio done by the time she takes the BAR. So I have five weeks to complete my new portfolio. A flash version, a web version and some hand-outs (printed cd holders and business cards). A lot of work and not a lot of time to do it. I'll post the process. Here is the comp.
Well, I hit a snag two weeks ago before I left for the North Country Trail Relay. The snag was because not only did I create a random list of crap to complete but I was lamenting the fact that my list of 5 goals to complete have for the most part stayed the same all June. Aside from one goal, clean my studio space, all the artistic goals have stayed the same. So the week before I left for the weekend instead of packing I was trying to catch up on my art. And, this craziness hasn't let up. I've been really trying to clear my list, plus some other projects I am behind on, and get some new goals up before the end of June.
Here is one project I started to knock out. This is something I've tried hard to keep secret until launch but here is a brief taste. These are some finished comic boards of an online weekly comic my friend Paul and myself created. The comic is called Side Quest and is in the vein of pop and nerd culture. I'll post a full report on the comic just before we launch. Hopefully in the next two weeks. But, enjoy the first peek.
The next image is of a painting I knocked out this weekend during a crazy storm. I am happy with the experience of creating and what I learned from painting. But, I did need to separate myself from it. I do enjoy it now but I wasn't really happy with it. But I am excited about my next paintings. I am already planning the next four, yes, four, I am gathering the money right now. I hope to have them started next week. I am going to do multiple painting this time because I am impatient and get board when I have to wait for the paint to dry. So, I am going to knock out four next time. But here is my first of hopefully many paintings.
My last image is of a comp for my new digital portfolio. I told my girlfriend that I would have my design portfolio done by the time she takes the BAR. So I have five weeks to complete my new portfolio. A flash version, a web version and some hand-outs (printed cd holders and business cards). A lot of work and not a lot of time to do it. I'll post the process. Here is the comp.
Friday, May 29, 2009
music for the masses: 0002 & supplies
In the celebration of my birthday over the passed week I used money and gift cards to feed the beast and snag a major amount of music over the past week or so.
- The appetizer was when I went out a grabbed:
Mastodon Leviathan
Protest the Hero Kezia
- Then from my awesome girlfriends parents:
Ray Lamontagne Trouble
- The main course was yesterday when I snagged four cd's for under $35:
Ray Lamontagne Till The Sun Turns Black
Grizzly Bear Veckatimest
Side Bar: I downloaded Grizzly Bear's Yellow House at the beginning of the year. These guys are moving closer to the top of my favorites list...if I had one that is.
Walls of Jericho Redemption
The crowning jewel one of my favorite bands:
mewithoutYou It's all crazy! It's all false! It's all a dream! It's alright
- For dessert my order from amazon came in with:
Ghostface Killah Ironman
This leads me to the rest of my delivery today and the rest of my post:
I started a side column or side bar...what ever it is, that has the art supplies I use and where I get them from. I've been ordering KRINK inks for a bit now and have found the perfect place to order from. The last place wasn't good at all. They took about a month to get the order to me and when it arrived I had one tube that was smashed and one was the wrong color. But, I found a new great place and put links to all the places I buy from and the supplies I use. Enjoy.
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