Richard Buckner ‘Our Blood’

5th August 2011

Slide Guitar: check, Jangly Guitar: check, Breathy Voice: check, Alt Country: check All of this = stuff I like. Richard Buckner’s new album ‘Our Blood’ is pretty damn good.

Skeptimist

My word of the month is SKEPTIMIST, an optimist with a healthy dose of realism. I can’t take total credit for this, as it is currently Psychologies Magazine’s word of the month…but I liked it, so I stole it. (Psychologies Magazine, September Issue, p. 32)

Bodies, Balance and Nirvana

People who work in physical professions are aware of the importance of muscle balance in performance. Ideally, each muscle works at an appropriate intensity in a state of equilibrium with other muscles. The spine is perfectly aligned, ligaments and tendons are neither too short nor too long. Similarly, the goal of self actualization or Nirvana […]

Baseball + Dance = Epic Win

Wow, I’ve seen a lot of super talented b-boys do this trick…but combine it with a spot on, strike out pitch, and my Jaw. Hits. The. Floor. EPIC WIN Cirque Du Soleil First Pitch

When Hope is the Only (and best) Option

When life throws you a serious curve ball that’s impossible to hit, and you have little or no control over external circumstances; sometimes HOPE is the only option. This idea is explored beautifully by baseball analyst Dave Cameron (no, not THAT Dave Cameron) when faced with a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Click HERE for […]

Prague, Pink Nails and Perfect Days

I just got back from Prague where I was shooting an IKEA advert. Now, my focus is back to Speed of Light (the site specific piece I’m working on for the cultural Olympiad next year) and screen writing. This month I’m loving Czech food, brightly painted finger nails and home made Italian (actually Italian American) […]

Change, Trains and Fly Wheels

18th July 2011

A friend of mine is an engineer. Let’s call him Sam. Somewhere in the bowels of Sam’s current work place, resides on old steam engine. Obviously, this steam engine is pretty heavy, it is not made of feathers and it is not easy to move. I know, because Sam tried. He pushed it with all […]

Gillian Welch: The Harrow and the Harvest

I’ve always loved Gillian Welch and listened to her last album incessantly. It’s been AGES since she’s had a new album out, but the wait is over. Anyway, for all you bluegrass/alt country fans, check out this song ‘That’s the Way that it Goes‘ from her new album The Harrow and the Harvest.

Bridesmaids: A Game Changer?

7th July 2011

In my book, there are a few things that mark a film out as a game changer. Genre mashes or twists. Innovation in film making. Elevated usage of new technology, and a unique approach to narrative. However, the recent film Bridesmaids is a game changer for me not because of style or genre or unique […]

July, June Bugs and Jobs

6th July 2011

For me, July is the sound of June bugs, since, despite their name, they hatch in July. It turns out that what I call a June bug is actually a Figeater Beetle whose habitat is the Southwestern United states where I grew up. In other parts of the US, people sometimes refer to Cicadas as […]