finished painting

in an earlier post i mentioned that my dad was dabbling in abstract impressionism. i just wanted to post my dad's finished piece of artwork. this picture really doesn't do the painting justice. the painting consists of a large amount of paint that creates a highly marbleized effect. i absolutely love this painting. i personally feel that it is one of my dad's best paintings ever.

song alert: jay-z ft. santogold: brooklyn go hard

Jay-Z on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

this is a new jay-z song that kanye west produced. i think it is pretty cool especially the santogold part. it kind of bugs me that jay-z is rapping like little wayne a little bit, but i figured it was worth posting. i also think this video is pretty creative. it is very simple yet entertaining. supposedly this song is going to be featured in the new notorious biopic.

artist alert: richard diebenkorn

while i was home over the break my dad decided to paint a picture that could be displayed on our living room wall. my mom had been going to every home boutique imaginable trying to find something that could hang on the living room wall. out of my moms frustration, my dad volunteered to paint something that could be displayed on the wall. my mom decided that she wanted something different. she didn't want to display a traditional painting. my dad decided to study some artists in order to gain inspiration for the project. needless to say, my father discovered a true gem. he introduced me to an artist name richard diebenkorn. most consider diebenkorn as an abstract expressionist, but his works that truly interest me are his paintings of cityscapes, people, and objects rather than his large design based abstract pieces of work. please check out his work. you will not be disappointed.

richard diebenkorn wikipedia

artist alert: ray mortenson

i really don't know much about this guy. i was reading through the new york times yesterday and i saw an article about a photography project that he conducted between 1982 and 1984. he basically decided to enter parts of the bronx that were so deteriorated and destructed that they represented war torn areas like dresden. he documented his experience in these ravaged areas through a series of pictures that is now being displayed in new york. the picture i have included is one that i found particularly interesting. i have also attached a link to the article in the times.

ray mortenson new york time article

mustache monday!!!

so over thanksgiving break most of the guys in my masters program decided to grow mustaches. on monday morning when we finally got back to school we got together and compared "staches". i got the award for "never grow that mustache again." i was pretty proud of my accomplishment.

book alert: the brief and wondrous life of oscar wao

since i have had a little extra time over thanksgiving break i have tried to do a little reading. i picked up this book a while ago, but i haven't been able to give it any attention till now. i'm only about 75 pages into it, but i am actually enjoying it. the book incorporates a lot of spanish into the text. for those of you you that don't speak spanish this might be a little bit of a problem. since i have only read a little bit of this book i attached the link to the nytimes review. check out the review and if it sounds cool than definitely check out the book!!!!

ny times book review of the brief and wondrous life of oscar wao

please watch this!!!

i really couldn't resist posting this!!! kanye west is simply amazing. he might say a lot of stupid stuff, but i can put up with it as long as he keeps pushing the limits of creativity. the part when young jeezy comes in is pretty sweet. whether you like rap or not you need to check this out!!!!

please read this!!!

anyone who knows me knows that i am not a mitt romney fanatic, but i do greatly respect the man, and i would be more than willing to vote for him in the future. the recent auto industry situation has begun to interest me a little. as this issue has been forced into the headlines i have started to question the idea of bailout vs. bankruptcy. recently, mitt wrote an incredible piece for the new york times. i especially like what he said about increasing energy research spending from $4 million to $20 million. maybe mitt himself should head back to detroit and put things in order. its not like he really has anything to do until 2012 anyways.....

ny times mitt romney article

video alert!!!

i just saw this on a track bike blog. i really liked it so i thought i would post it here. enjoy!!


Fixed 2 from Charge Bikes on Vimeo.

video alert: brendan canning: churches under the stairs

so i know that i have posted on here about broken social scene before, but i couldn't resist putting this video up. i love the way this video was shot. the white background with the idea of two bands battling is pretty interesting. you got to love kevin drew and brendan canning going at it. its also a pretty good song!!

also, check out brendan canning and kevind drew's solo albums. they are basically extensions of broken social scene. they are both pretty good albums.

style alert: mr. campbell

the other day we were sitting around chatting when kirk walked into the room. we all started laughing when we saw what he was wearing. it was so funny that i had to take a picture of him. pay attention to the baggy sweats with brown dress shoes. i think kirk could be on to something.

p.s. happy 25th kirk!!!!

art alert: basque health department

i saw this on a site and it simply amazed me!!! this is some amazing architecture. this is pure insanity both inside and out. only in europe would the build something like this for the health department building. gotta love it!!!

check out some more pics here!!!!

video alert!!

my friend just showed me this video and it is pretty amazing!!! it is kind of long, but be patient, it is worth it!!! enjoy!!!

song alert: kanye west ft. kid cudi: anyway

oh man, this song is interesting. kanye west has a new album coming out the middle of this month (808's and heartbeak). many have described it as a concept album. most of the leaked songs have featured kanye singing rather than rapping and most of the beats are simple old school drum beats combined with synthesizers. some of the songs have been pretty good, while others have been a little more questionable. i really don't know how i feel about this song yet. i am kind of leaning to the sweetness side as of right now. let me know. just click the link below to check it out!!

kanye west ft. kid cudi: anyway

music alert: bon iver

i had read a ton about this, but for some reason never picked it up. well needless to say, i finally copped a copy and it has been extremely enjoyable. this is some good ole indie folk recorded on low budget equipment in a cabin in the heart of wisconsin. please check out this album!!! the song "skinny love" is amazing

http://www.boniver.org/

art alert: spiral jetty!!!!!!

i was just sitting around with one of my friends and he showed me pictures of a trip that he took to see something called the spiral jetty. this is a piece of artwork constructed on the banks of the great salt lake. after construction it was under water for 30 years before reappearing in 2004 when the water went down. i was completely amazed by this!!!! i had no idea such a thing existed. i think we are going to try and drive out there this weekend before it snows and the water level rises again in the spring. check out the wikipedia entry on this. it is unbelievable!!!! i can't believe i never knew about this until now. can't wait to go see it this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

spiral jetty on wikipedia

artist follow up: frank gehry

a few weeks back i posted some stuff about an architect named frank gehry. i was recently searching the blogosphere and found that kanye had posted a little bit about one of mr. gehry's recent project with the world company building in tokyo. check it out!!! you gotta love the fluidity of this piece!!!

frank gehry bench

don't know who to vote for?? let mr. friedman tell you!!!

obviously i am a huge fan of thomas friedman, so once again i am posting a link to his newest article over at the times. want to know who to vote for??? let mr friedman tell you!!! in this latest opinion piece, friedman simply giver the attributes that the future president should have. check it out, it is pretty interesting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/opinion/02friedman.html?hp

music alert: black cab sessions

everyone needs to check this out. the black cab sessions basically consists of bands getting in a cab and playing one song in one take. the idea is super simple, but provides for an extremely intimate performance from some amazing musicians. i have attached performances by my morning jacket and spoon, but please check out the website. there is a whole slew of awesome performances. check out sunset rubdown, fleet foxes, and the cool kids. all of these are pretty good.

......does anyone find it weird that jim james is wearing a cloak????



black cab sessions

blog alert: hypebeast

i don't really know how to describe this blog, but it basically consists of just about anything to do with style. it features a lot of shoes and clothing designs, but it also touches upon music and other urban trends out there. i find it pretty interesting. most of the stuff is pretty out there. anyways.....i guess the only way to truly understand is to check it out!!!

hypbeast.com

interesting!!!

i was surfing the net last night and i came across some pictures of this dog. a picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case...two pictures are worth two thousand words!!! enjoy!!!!

the death of rolling stone!!!!

back before the internet became the ultimate source of knowledge i frequently read magazines. one of my favorite magazines growing up was rolling stone. i looked forward to every issue due to the fact that it provided pretty reliable music stories and recommendations. i can remember my freshman year of college by what issue of rolling stone i was reading at a certain time. well i don't know if anyone else has noticed, but we are witnessing the death of a legendary magazine. the same magazine that produced the unforgettable photo of lennon clinging to yoko naked in bed has now almost completely abandoned music. i can barely even flip through an issue anymore without feeling complete disgust for the magazine. it is now almost completely dedicated to politics. i love politics, but lets let the political magazines handle it. rolling stone needs to get back to its roots and rededicate itself to music.

ps. i wonder who rolling stone endorses!!! hahaha.

pss. this will be my first and most likely only ranting i do on this blog. sorry for being such a complainer.

album alert: department of eagles: in ear park

so this one might be a little late, but i still think it deserves to be mentioned. about a month ago a friend sent me a copy of in ear park by department of eagles. i just barely got around to listening to this album and it is literally amazing. many of you might be familiar with grizzly bear. department of eagles is somewhat of a side project of daniel rossen from grizzly bear. the sound is similar to grizzly bear, but i personally feel this album is even better and more creative than grizzly bear's critically acclaimed yellow house. seriously this stuff is pretty interesting. i swear it should be illegal to listen to this on anything but vinyl. every listen seems like some kind of time warp. this is definitely one of those albums that takes time to grow. give it a couple listens and i guarantee you will see the genius that is department of eagles.

ps. if you've never heard grizzly bear, you should also check them out. my friend and i saw them live about two years ago and it was a very impressive show.

video alert!!

I know i have posted a ton of stuff lately, but i was in idaho all weekend so the stuff kind of built up. i just saw this video on a track bike blog. the video is pretty interesting, but it mainly caught my eye because of the cinematography. there is a part within the first minute where it shows an overhead shot of the bike messenger cutting through traffic and then completely zooms out. check this scene out. it is pretty amazing!!!!

a letter to iraq!!!! (please read this!!!!!!)

i was reading through old opinion posts on the new york times website and i found this article by thomas friedman. most of you that follow this blog have probably realized that i really like thomas friedman. he offers a pretty straightforward evaluation of politics and economics. he wrote this article as if he were george w. writing a letter to the iraqi people. i love the way he wrote this piece and it is safe to say that most of us can agree with his point of view concerning iraq. please read this article. it is very short, but very interesting!!!!!!!!

a letter to iraq

style alert: handlebar mustache

in case you guys haven't realized the new fall fashion is definitely the handlebar mustache!!!! after a full week of not shaving, i think i received some kind of personal revelation......the handlebar mustache. i entered the bathroom with the intent of shaving my whole face, but some kind of strange force just wouldn't allow me to complete the job!!! i think i might keep this wicked beast of facial hair for halloween. what do you guys think about that???

i think my diet of slim jims and corn nuts is starting to reflect in grooming standards!!!! hahahahaha!!!!!!!

cool pic!!!!!!

this is a pretty sweet photo of my friend matt messing around on his track bike. i really liked the pic so i figured i would swipe it from his blog. to see more sweetness like the pic above check out his blog!!!!

matt's blog

writer alert: john folker

i have recently been trying to include some art from my close friends and family..... my freshman year of college i lived in the dorms with a good friend from high school named john folker. we soon became friends with a kid that lived across the hallway named stuart. i am proud to say that stuart introduced john and i to a whole new world. never had we thought about poetry, art, or literature. years later after returning from a mission i continued to exchange creative ideas with john. most of the time we would talk music or art, but every once in a while we would exchange a poem or some other kind of personal writing. rarely did we ever show these poems to people other than our small circle of friends. this is a poem that he sent me two years ago. i really love the honesty of this poem. as you can see, this poem has stuck with me. two years later i feel like it is time to share this with everybody. simply an amazing piece of creativity!!!!



A Crystal Ball and a Calculator

When I ride away today
I won’t wear my seatbelt
Because I would rather die today
If the crystal ball intends it

And I’ll leave behind this parking lot
Of countless calculators
Who plan their whole lives to perfection
But turn out no surprises

If that’s what you call happiness
Then you can gladly have it
For happiness is never grand
Content is never glamour

So I’ll drive this creepy road myself
Since no one will come with me
You call it a waste of gas
I call it adventure

And I may leave a mess behind
From years of instability
But happiness is never grand
Especially if it’s scripted

food alert: corn nuts

ok so when i was driving home to idaho over the weekend i decided to stop at a truck stop and get some snacks for the long trip. for some reason corn nuts looked especially appetizing. since i was driving home alone i decided that the putrid smell of corn nuts would not be a problem. after my purchase i was left to think about my decision. after four hours of driving i came to the realization that there is something seriously wrong with my diet!! i am pretty sure that i am going to add a section to my blog called "trucker food." it is going to feature food items that can only be purchased at truck stops like slim jims and corn nuts. the true guilty pleasures of the road!!!

program alert: morning becomes eclectic

morning becomes eclectic is an excellent radio show done be kcrw in california. the show plays host to a whole variety of bands. the great thing about the site is that it allows you to search through a whole data base of earlier shows. the shows are great quality and usually feature the band playing in a very intimate atmosphere. i suggest checking out bright eyes, tv on the radio, and especially sufjan stevens. these are all great shows.

morning becomes eclectic

artist alert: nolan olson

well those of you that truly know me, know that i am the son of an oil painter. i figured i would finally put some of his stuff on the blog. his style is very loose and colorful. most paintings are done on location (plein air). His medium of choice is oil, but he has recently branched out into oil pastels. unfortunately, i don't have any pictures of his oil pastel pieces, but lets just say that it is incredibly creative. rather than using normal white paper for the pastels he has chosen to use black. this creates a pretty interesting effect. hopefully i can get more of his stuff up on the blog here soon. i will also keep everyone updated about his future shows. if you are interested in any of his work just let me know.

watch update!!!

we just got done checking the status of our watches. unfortunately, shipping is going to take 7-14 days!!! the watches are being shipped directly from JAPAN!!! these things are the real deal! can't wait!

ps... i will for sure be posting a real picture of my own watch when i get it. the hand pictured above is absolutely disgusting, but i guess that adds to the mystique!!!

artist alert: banksy

banksy is an anonymous street artist. his work has started to receive worldwide recognition. most consider banksy the leader of the guerilla art movement. his work is a combination of stencil and standard painting techniques. i especially find it interesting what he said about his recent trip to new orleans.

------when he arrived in new orleans he took a taxi from the airport into the city. while driving he noticed that the neighborhood was in pretty bad shape. he made a comment to the cab driver about hurricane katrina saying that the area looked quit damaged. the cab driver answered by explaining that the neighborhood they were in was untouched by katrina. it had always been like that.

sad!!!!!!!!

http://www.banksy.co.uk/

writer alert: joanne olson (round 2)

Here is another piece of work from my mom. This short poem is great. personally, i think her stuff just keeps getting better and better. The efficiency of this poem is incredible. With only 11 lines she paints a vivid picture. Check it out!!!

It Now Takes Two

Holding hands they walked across the parking lot with a slow and measured gait.
He shuffled over asphalt, cowboy boots clicking in a muted rhythm, his straw brimmed hat sitting tall.

Her steps were slow and measured just like his.
The task of buying groceries is now a task for two.
He’ll push the cart and she will read the labels.

Each knows their partner well, but neither sees the other as a burden or a weight.
One fits the other’s niche and in the blend they’ve created harmony.
It now takes two to do what once took one.

They’ve been a team for many years in the harness side by side.
Still his hand is what she seeks and what she wants in spite of age.
How nice to see they’ve grown together and not apart.

food alert: slim jim

also while wandering aimlessly in walmart i worked up a serious appetite. needless to say, i proudly bought a slim jim!!! hahaha!!!! what a tasty, budget friendly snack. i felt so dirty after eating this i instantly scheduled a bishop's interview in order to start the proper repentance process.

style alert: remote watch

well last night i went to walmart with two of my good friends. we were so completely bored that we spent over an hour in walmart simply browsing. i am proud to say that the time was not spent in vain. we made an amazing discovery. remote control watches!!!!!!!!!!! i am sure most of you remember the popular calculator watch that mathletes wore in junior high and high school. this product has now made a metamorphosis for the better. rather than being a calculator, the watch now doubles as a tv remote control. this is brilliant!!!! once we got home we logged on to ebay and bought three of them!!! one for each of us.

song alert: the clash:straight to hell

many of you might have heard m.i.a.'s song "paper planes." after being used in the preview for the movie pineapple express, the song has shot up the charts, even though the actual album was released over a year ago. i agree that the song is actually pretty good. i find m.i.a. pretty entertaining. what you might not know is that the song is based off of a sample by the clash. the actual song is called "straight to hell." this song is great!!! when i went to the tv on the radio concert this song was played between sets. my friend and i were both amazed by the song. go to itunes and download the song (the clash - straight to hell). it is worth $.99!!!

blog alert: the sartorialist

last year while interning in d.c. a friend introduced me to this blog. the idea is rather interesting. the concept hinges on one man traveling between some of the world's most fashionable cities like new york, paris, milan, idaho falls, etc hahaha......and snapping pictures of normal fashionable people on the street. whether you give a dang about fashion and design doesn't really matter. it is just interesting to see how people are creatively pushing the limits of fashion. check it out. maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't.

the sartorialist

album alert: foals: antidotes

ok ok i know i am a little late on this one, but for some reason this album slipped through the cracks. i remember when foals released this album a few months back. it received great reviews, but for some reason i ignored it. last night i was watching tv and i caught the last few minutes of a repeat episode of the jimmy kimmel show. it just so happened that foals were the musical guest. lets just say they blew my mind. after seeing the performance i instantly went to itunes and bought the album. after buying the album and doing a little research about the band it all came together. this new album, antidotes, was produced by dave sitek of tv on the radio. all of you that know me understand that i love tv on the radio. please check out their performance on the jimmy kimmel show, but even more importantly go buy their album!!!!!!

style alert: joe maddon

ok so this might be a little random, but i have been watching quit a bit of baseball due to the present playoff race. while watching the devil rays whip up on the white sox i realized that joe maddon has some serious style. check out his glasses!!!! what other baseball coach has style like this. it is like a wicked mix between rivers cuomo and lisa loeb!!!!

photo alert: paul newman

so i'm sure everyone realized that paul newman recently passed away. i am proud to say that i love cool hand luke. it is a great movie. yesterday i saw a celebrity gossip magazine with paul newman on the cover so i decided to take a look. the magazine contained some of the legendary pictures of paul newman. i was personally struck by this picture of him and his wife. to me this picture is amazing!! it ranks right up there with the picture of john lennon laying naked with yoko. paul and his wife were known for being madly in love with each other. this is one of those pics that seems to perfectly capture the moment. i wish i would've taken this picture!!!!!!!!!!

broken social scene: juan's basement

pitchfork recently posted some special live footage of broken social scene participating in an ongoing series called "juan's basement." these shows have a very intimate feel. it is almost like we are watching the band practice. for those of you who aren't familiar with broken social scene they are a canadian collective that has spawned such famous talent as feist, kevin drew, and brendan canning. please take time to get to know the music of broken social scene. also please check out this footage from "juan's basement."

juan's basement part 1
juan's basement part 2

artist alert: frank gehry

i few months back clark and i decided to watch a documentary about an architect named frank gehry. overall, the documentary was pretty boring. i think we both fell asleep. needless to say, i feel like his actual architecture creations are amazing. i really don't know how you define his style and inspiration, but i really like it. most of you will likely recognize his most famous piece of work; the guggenheim in bilbao, spain. please take time to look at some of his stuff. enjoy!!!

watch conference!!!!!

i know everyone is busy, but try and catch a session of conference. i'm not demanding all four, just watch what you can and we'll call it even.