brickgrrl

2011-12-06T21:03:00.001-05:00

This widget has successfully logged in! Replace this text with your
first post.
 
 
You can use ⌘-B and ⌘-I to make text bold and
italic

An observation

2011-09-30T16:09:00.004-05:00

Isn’t Scientology one

of those things where

you really like someone

and then once you hear

they’re a Scientologist,

you’re like, hmmm, ...

I’m out.

—Kathy Griffin

Steve Jobs, from a commencement address at Stanford, 2005

2011-08-24T20:10:00.001-05:00

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride ... all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Thanks, Mr. Jobs. This was some comfort reading this on the day you resigned as CEO. We love you.

As for you, Mr. Cook- I'm keeping my eye on you.

Mistaken Identity

2011-04-15T07:24:00.002-05:00

For your enjoyment, something a good friend sent to me today —

The light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing,
stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red
light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in
frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection,
dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked
up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered
her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched,
fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened
the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the
arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up
behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy
in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the What
Would Jesus Do bumper sticker, the Choose Life license plate
holder, the Follow Me to Sunday-School bumper sticker, and the
chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally....I
assumed you had stolen the car."

—source unknown

Hacktivism 101

2011-02-26T19:52:00.008-05:00

Hacktivism. I'm not sure people who are involved in this activity like the word. But ... it's a clever portmanteau and you can go about your business and leave it at that. But I cannot. For the last few days I've become obsessed with reading as much as I can about the topic. [If you know me at all, you know how I am. I'm that girl who discovered Somerset Maugham and bought all the books. I'm a selective completist.]

I've been aware of vigilante hacking and always seemed to mentally back-burner the idea. But I got hooked. It happened about 2 in the morning during yet another insomnia episode. It was one of the few times I was glad to be wide awake in the middle of the night. Someone tweeted something about a Gawker link to a Westboro interview something-or-other. As much as I hate the new Gawker site, I couldn't help it ... CLICK! "Oh gosh. This looks like a smackdown I'm going to love," I thought.

And that was pretty much it for the night.

[If you're reading this, we know each other from twitter or facebook, most likely, and I don't want to be redundant so I won't embed the videos but will link instead.]

So there was this: Anonymous Hacks Westboro Baptist Church Website During Live Confrontation. Do I even need to qualify this with how bat-shit Westboro is? That they're not a religious group as much as they are a cult. That they are so egregiously grotesque that opposing hacktivists can agree that they should be taken down.

The radio spot was fascinating. Transfixing. I despise Westboro and I really admired the poise and calm of the Anonymous representative. Further, how could you not admire the calm cool collectedness of an organization who refused to engage and then decided to silence that little barnacle with a -BLAM!- all your sites belong to us, kind of move. Impressive. Like having a Maserati and not feeling the need to race it down the street.

And it started a few days and nights of surfing the net, learning about Anonymous, the Jester, how they are alike, how they are philosophically opposed, finally learning more about Wiki-Leaks, and following a number of Anonymous-related accounts on twitter.

That's it for now. I'm sure the next post will be full of links and ideas and loops of ethical internal conversations. I just wanted to update you about where I'm at.

Linkovitch

2011-01-24T19:30:00.004-05:00

In which I move to the next level of cat ownership and introduce
The Count online.

Sea Song

2011-01-13T18:54:00.005-05:00

I knew about Soft Machine, but I wasn't aware of Robert Wyatt and his contribution to the early days of this seminal 70s prog group. Nor was I aware of his intensely personal and profound solo album Rock Bottom. You can read about Wyatt and the backstory for the album at the wiki. It's a complex story that's at once sad and inspiring. You can read reviews at allmusic, at Pitchfork, and at uncut. These last two sources are both reviews of Wyatt's reissues.

The exquisite Sea Song is the first track of the album. If this is at all your cup of tea, do yourself a favor and purchase the album. It's a masterpiece of quiet brilliance.

[ click it and listen | song time is 6:33 ]

Art for the album reissue was done by Alfreda Benge, Wyatt's wife

The Little Warrior

2011-01-03T08:43:00.004-05:00

My best friend, Kerry, had plans for quite some time to vacation in Spain over the holidays. Not long before she was to leave, her cat Sammy came down with what we thought was a cold/flu sort of thing. It was ascertained that he had a tiny mass in his hard palate. Kerry and Sammy's doctor had a fair amount of conversation about this—what it meant at the moment and what it might mean in the future and what options were viable.

After two attempts at different antibiotics, Sammy was back to his old self. Kerry and I talked quite a bit about what to do and I encouraged her to continue with her plans and that Sammy would be happy and content at my home for the holidays. Knowing that I wouldn't take no for an answer, I was delighted that Kerry agreed. We decided that Sammy should spend his first night at my home while Kerry was still in town so that we could see how he fared.

The little guy took to his new surroundings immediately. He was my constant companion—except for when he needed his alone time. And this alone time always seemed to involve finding the best patch of sunlight for napping. When he wasn't patrolling the perimeter, he was ensconced in my studio, making his best bid to commandeer my keyboard ... or steal Geo's chair ... or "help" with the podcast that is recorded most Wednesday evenings ... or test out new perches ... or sleep in my lap. I was forced—FORCED, I tell you—to watch old movies with him while he curled up next to me. He had tiny toys and water bowls on all three levels of my home and his meals were served twice a day, each time in a fresh crystal dish.

What? No. Of course I was not wrapped around his elegant, little paw. Not even one little bit.

Near the end of his holiday, he developed a bad cough. I called the Cat Clinic and talked with his doctor. She thought the mass might have a grown a bit and started to cause the congestion I reported. I picked up more meds and proceeded to annoy him at dinnertime with the refresh of antibiotics. He did love, however, that I now had him sit in his new steam room, previously known as my bathroom. He put up no resistance to relocating to the bathroom when he heard the shower running. This new regimen seemed to help, at least enough to take off the edge. He was still eating, even though with a little less enthusiasm. He was still prowling around every level of the house. And he still wanted to "help" record the second podcast during his stay. But I knew down deep that he was diminished, despite his noble attempt to be a good guest. The night before he left, we watched movies together and he lay with his little head on my chest and I suddenly had that sharp corkscrew-to-the-heart feeling. Because I knew. I just knew. It was the inescapable knowledge that this was the last time we would spend an evening like this.

Kerry returned and came to scoop him up. We sat on my red couch, Sammy on her lap, and our conversation that afternoon was a sad one. It was the private conversation between best friends where some things are said and some things are unsaid but completely understood. We have that kind of connection. We packed up the car with the ton of things that a little being needs. (Why is that exactly? The smaller they are, the more things they seem to need. – See: Babies)

Later that day, my cell rang. It was Kerry. With tragic news. Once home, Sammy completely devolved. He had an awful event. She rushed him to the clinic. The mass had grown dramatically and he was fighting to breathe. There was nothing that could be done but the one humane thing.

At age 11, Sammy left us, peaceful and protected and lying in the arms of Kerry, the person he loved most and best.

~ ~ ~

The Bustle in a House (1108)

by Emily Dickinson

The Bustle in a House
The Morning after Death
Is solemnest of industries
Enacted upon Earth –

The Sweeping up the Heart
And putting Love away
We shall not want to use again
Until Eternity –

~ ~ ~

More photos of Sammy and his holiday stay at Sheer Brick Studio.

Red sky at morning

2010-12-28T11:28:00.001-05:00

Christmas morning in Roseto.

I threw on a jacket and ran outside to document the incredible fiery sunrise over the woods in my parents' backyard. It was spectacular and fleeting, but at least I caught its last moments of glory.

When I went back inside, our houseful of family was still asleep, except, of course, for my mother. We stood in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to perc and my mother quietly said, "certainly worth getting up for." And then she smiled and quoted the weather lore verse "red sky at morning, sailors take warning." Fortunately, none of us had any plans to sail that day. Whether that's fact or fiction, what mattered was that it was a beautiful way to begin one of my favorite Christmases.

Christmas Morning
by Jon Coe

Eyes open, to the dawn

attention span, somewhat torn

Excitement, fills my heart

Christmas, is about to start

Pulling blankets, across my toes

electricity, atmospheric, glows

To the stairs, a bird in flight

soaring high, with much delight

The tree stands, in corner, bold

tinsel, lights, and all, behold

Presents, laying on the floor

lower branches, hiding more

Fire light, twinkling, magic room

smells of baking, chocolate, soon

Mom and Dad, are smiling wide

arm chairs, cats, and fire side

I do believe you are blushing

2010-11-22T20:07:00.004-05:00

[ click and crank it ]

I prefer to revel in the "wow- I love this sound!" and appreciate the fact that I have smart friends with sophisticated taste, and refrain from dwelling on the "how did I not know about this?!" ... even though this was released in 1992.

Mark Robinson, the genius behind TeenBeat, was also the brains behind the band Unrest, as well as its guitarist. This tune is from their album Imperial F.f.r.r., reviewed by Pitchfork and worth a skim. It adds up to a brilliantly hypnotic, experimental, sometimes unsettling sound. This selection is probably one of the more accessible tunes, but the album—unlike so much else today—is best appreciated in one sitting as an entire work.

Enjoy.

In the Library

2010-11-02T09:59:00.004-05:00

The library always smells like this:
an ancient stew of vinegar and wood.
It’s autumn again,
and I can do anything.

—Dorothea Grossman

Thanks to the extraordinary nimariel for the beautiful images.

What? Again?

2010-08-12T18:45:00.000-05:00

It's Musikfest which in itself is an eleven-day commitment when you live and work at its vortex. And there's a studio deadline that's holding me hostage. Add to that a local twitter tempest in a teacup which is a statement I can only sum up as [redacted]. Plus friends both in and out of town. ...

This isn't a case of blog-fade. I promise you that.

Just trying to make it to the other side of this whole deal.

I'll be back soon.

In the meantime, feel free to comment, send vodka or pasta sauce, or give me links to some puppy and kitten videos.

Miss you, kids.

A conversation

2010-07-31T21:31:00.002-05:00

Kerry and I had just begun our weekly meeting, seated in our favorite booth at the Tally-Ho. While waiting for our designated minutes-taker, Nicky, we discussed the cultural landscape.

Kerry: For the longest time, I thought Jane Seymour was the Gerber Baby.

Me: Really? I have to confess I don't know who was.

Kerry: Turns out, she's not.

Me: How do you know this? And why is this a thing?

Kerry: I was online trying to find out more about Anthony Bourdain's trip to Spain.

Me: Okay, this isn't how I thought the story would begin.

Kerry: And while I was surfing, this old bat comes up on the page and claims SHE was the Gerber Baby. It just doesn't seem plausible. She looks so old and Jane seems more the right age.

Me: For a few minutes, I wondered if Mr. Green Jeans was Frank Zappa's dad.

Kerry: That was a thing for a while, wasn't it?

Me: Yeah. Eons ago. That pre-dated my skepticism. And my awareness of Snopes and Wikipedia. And my friendship with Geo, of course.

Kerry: I still want it to be Jane.

. . . . .

Postscript, with apologies to my wingwoman:
Ann Turner Cook was the Gerber Baby.

As for Mr. Green Jeans, the wiki has this to say: "Mr. Green Jeans was the subject of an urban legend that claimed he was the father of the late musician Frank Zappa. The confusion probably arose from the title of song by Zappa, "Son of Mr. Green Genes", from Zappa's 1969 album, Hot Rats. Zappa was, in fact, the son of Francis Vincent Zappa, Sr. The rumor has also been attached to shock rocker Alice Cooper." What I found most surprising about his brief wiki entry is that he died in 1987 in East Stroudsburg, Pa, only a hike over a mountain from my hometown.

Rockin' Horse Corral, again

2010-07-26T14:52:00.001-05:00

I'm delighted to say that another photo from the flickr photostream of the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit received some love from Rockin' Horse Corral.

Here are Raven and George on patrol one evening this summer. They looked like they were posing so I had to oblige with a click.

[click on the photo for a larger view]

And here's the permalink to the entry in the Rockin' Horse Corral Winners Gallery... but do yourself a favor and scroll through those amazing photos.

Rockin' Horse Corral

2010-07-22T14:11:00.001-05:00

One of the sites I garden for the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit is their Flickr page. I've joined a few groups—both law enforcement photo and horse photo communities—and occasionally I contribute a photo or two to these groups.

One group I like is Rockin' Horse Corral. Some of the contributions are overwrought with type and watermarks but some are particularly stunning and make the group worthwhile. They have an award structure where if your contributed photo receives three award comments on your photo, you're allowed to post the image in their photostream of winning images.

I was very happy to see that one of the shots made it into the winner's gallery! This is a shot from the Blueberry Festival at Burnside Plantation. [You can see the entire Blueberry Festival set here.] After each demonstration in the turnout, the mounties would do a meet-and-greet near the barn and many kids queued up to pet the horses' noses. I tell you, I never grow tired of watching children approach the horses in what is their first-time contact. It always melts my jaggy old heart.

Here's a young lass meeting Raven, Pharaoh and George. She was so sweet and tentative but they acted like the gentle giants they always are with children.

[click on the photo for a larger view]

And here's the permalink to my entry in the Rockin' Horse Corral Gallery. Check out some of the gorgeous photos there!

Model horses

2010-07-20T19:00:00.002-05:00

This has to be one of my favorite photos that I was able to capture of the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit. This was after a demonstration in the turnout at Burnside Plantation at their Blueberry Festival. I owe it to serendipity. And clicking quite a lot.

The mounties were speaking with a television reporter who is out of frame. The horses? Well, who knows. There was a pony ride in the orchard behind me. Maybe they were interested in that. Maybe they were curious at the sound of my shutter. And then again, maybe they have just become total hams.

From left to right: Raven and Officer Timothy Brooks; Pharaoh and Officer Jon Buskirk; George and Officer Michael Leaser.

[click the photo for a large version]

If I didn't love you...

2010-07-15T17:37:00.019-05:00

[ click and crank it ]

If I Didn't Love You is from Squeeze's third album, Argybargy and
was released in 1980 only in the U.S. as 7" and 5" vinyl.

The version here is actually a demo recorded by Glenn Tilbrook, lyrics by Chris Difford. Right now I prefer this stripped-down demo to the track on the original Argbargy. This is available on a deluxe edition of Argbargy, released in 2008 from Universal U.K., and the song list has been expanded from 11 to 36 tracks. The song list includes live material from a 1980 concert at the Hammersmith Odeon.

Listening to this is going to make you wonder why you stopped listening to Squeeze. Soon you will rummage through your dusty
vinyl collection only to give up and spend a small fortune on mp3s.
You might also want to look into Spot the Difference, release date
August 3, 2010.

Consider yourself warned.

Things that happened this week

2010-07-11T17:49:00.013-05:00

I'm typing this on a Sunday, slightly incredulous that so much happened this week, especially some significant moments. Some of it seems like weeks ago—kind of like I was living in compressed time.

First of all, Trebuchet has been charting consistently at CD Baby and for WEEKS has been on their front page for their Top Sellers list. In fact, I did a little ~~stalking~~ searching on their site and found that a number of the Maestro's albums are featured on their genre and "mood" pages. For example, in Funk Rock, three of his albums are at the top of that list: Trebuchet, Coelacanth and Interrobang. We love the Baby! And we love you fans most of all. Thanks so much!

Rock on!
[You can click any of these images to embiggen, a term I appropriated from Dr. Plait.]

Speaking of Geo, he was a Guest Rogue on show 260 of Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. The show was recorded about a week prior to this post but uploaded while the SGU gang was at TAM8 this weekend. It was offered in their feed today and it is chock full of awesomeness and SCIENCE. If you're not already a devoted fan of SGU, perhaps you might consider checking them out. They are indeed one of the 900-pound gorillas in the skepti-sphere and we love them a bunch. The work that they do and the panache with which they do it continue to inspire us.

As for the conference—damn! TAM8 and I couldn't go. Oh well, maybe next year, y'all. For the time being, I'm making my plans for Dragon*Con. Yes!

The highlight of my work this week was the Dark Øverlord Media deadline for THE STARTER by Scott Sigler. On Tuesday the 6th, I uploaded the final files to the publisher for the interior book design. I'm profoundly honored to work with Scott and A Kovacs and fortunate to have the mentorship of Glen Edelstein who was one of the creative directors at Random House for a skabillion years and now is my secret weapon and book design ninja. As for Scott and A, while I was working on THE STARTER, they were involved in a leg of the ANCESTOR book tour and there was never a single moment when they didn't make themselves accessible to my endless questions via email, text and phone. Go Krakens!

While working, I make endless pre-flight scribbles. That sheaf of paper is a fraction of the original manuscript. [HEY! I see what you're up to. Clickety-click to enlarge but it won't tell you much more about THE STARTER.]

While working, I make endless pre-flight scribbles AND non-sequitur notes just because that's the closest available note paper. Honestly, I have no idea what this was about. That's how crazed I was.

And when I was through with that deadline, I had a case of serious work hangover so things like this became essential for decompression. It's very silly and very sweet. [If you think the video is about the baby, you didn't watch it. Watch it!]

A favorite ~~distraction~~ blog to visit lately has been vovchachow. Geo's sister, Lesia, is a cook at a Ukrainian camp for kids, a camp they attended when they were growing up. She started the blog at Geo's suggestion—she's a top-shelf raconteur and I wish she had more outlet for writing. It must be quite the slog, working in that kitchen, but Lesia makes the journal re-telling pretty hilarious. My Ukrainian is rudimentary at best. Although she sprinkles Uke words throughout her posts, it doesn't matter that I don't know the vocabulary. It only adds to the flavor. This should be a screenplay. Check it out.

For fun, mid-week I documented a training session with the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit at Burnside Plantation. They train frequently but I thought this might be an interesting session to shoot. They were going to review some obstacle and desensitization exercises but they were also going to kick it up a notch and involve gunfire this time. Recently they had detonated firecrackers with great success so this was a logical step. They started the exercise with the ponies at a distance and fired sim rounds into the woods. Of course, they employed all necessary safety measures. They brought the horses closer and closer to the officer firing the gun. [FYI: a Glock 17, the model they use on the job, outfitted to deliver paintball cartridges.] Since George seemed to be the least fazed by the gunfire, Officer Michael Leaser actually shot a round from atop the horse. George didn't even flinch. Quite astounding. After this exercise, there was more training in the turnout with obstacles. They're getting ready for the Blueberry Festival at Burnside and want to give the attendees a demonstration. One of my favorite moments was Pharaoh's head being covered by a raincoat. He really could not have cared less. Given the way he loves to nap, he might have thought it as just time for lights out.

Officer Michael Leaser with George at Burnside.

Pharaoh and the raincoat.

As the week progressed, plans started to come together for an evening in Manhattan next week. Magically, a package from FedEx appeared. [And NO, they're not off my hate list just yet. FedYech, that is.] You're looking at a signed copy of original Squeeze vinyl—on the original shrink wrap—from their 1981 release. It was a wildly generous gift from my friend, the amazing Mean Guy. The autographs are from Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. I'll give you a moment to absorb that. And yes, the album has been given a place of honor in the studio. The only way this could get any better will be actually attending the concert.

A prized possession, joining the ranks of the Sheer Brick Hall of Fame, including an autograph from Bill Bruford, an autographed copy of Death from the Skies, and Hoops and Yoyo characters signed on their bums.

I am a camera

2010-07-08T17:18:00.002-05:00

[ click and crank it ]

Here's one for all you shooters out there. A little stalker-y but, hey, it has the word "camera" in it and who doesn't dig that?

If you haven't listened, thinking it's The Buggles tune by the same name, fear not. Entirely different thing. Go ahead, listen.

Sounds kind of nineties, but it's actually from 2004. I stumbled across this tune today and got a huge kick out of it. It's from The Golden Virgins, a UK quartet. They were only around for a few years and disbanded in 2006. The tune is from their one album Songs of Praise.

Rather throwaway but it's got a nice gritty wall of guitar. Combine it with a summer evening and a couple of cold ones and you'll start flashing back to all the nights you wasted in Hoboken.

One fine day

2010-07-05T16:06:00.004-05:00

[ Click and Listen ]

I've heard it suggested: what a different world it might have been if Mama Cass had shared her sandwich with Karen Carpenter.

You can ponder that for a while but I prefer to take a few minutes’ break for a studio dance party.

You're listening to:
One Fine Day, originally recorded by The Chiffons and covered by
the Carpenters in a medley on their album Now and Then.

Catapulting onto the charts...

2010-07-03T09:42:00.002-05:00

In an automatic email from their warehouse, CD Baby asked that we send a skabillion more CDs for Trebuchet. After some conversation with the Maestro, I called CD Baby to inquire if that request was for real. “Oh yes,” the young man said, “That's for real!”

Later that day, Geo stopped in the studio and said, “Check this out.” And he brought up CD Baby on the screen. There on the front page as the featured Top Album was Trebuchet. I was so jazzed, I didn't have the presence of mind to take a screenshot. However, I did get a shot of the Top Albums list.

And then I realized that it had made the Staff Picks, too!

Here are the screenshots of what I saw. [You can click the images to embiggen.]

Pretty damn cool.

If you're a fan of Hrab's music and haven't purchased the album yet, you might be interested to know that the Golden Ticket is still floating around out there. That means that the person who receives a Trebuchet CD with the Ticket inside is entitled to their own George Hrab show—and the Maestro will travel to their location and perform a living room concert for them.

Many MANY thanks to all the people who purchased the physical album, as well as the digital downloads, both at CD Baby and all the other digital distribution sites.

You rock the Geologic Universe!

- - - - - - -

This, just in!
And now my collection of Trebuchet screenshots is complete.
With thanks to my super-amazing friend, Mean Guy.

My new message going forward...

2010-06-29T17:22:00.001-05:00

So thanks to all the insanity with FedEx over the Trebuchet delivery-to-CD Baby debacle ... and then the Hotel Palomar in Dallas conveniently forgetting that they don't have courier service on a Saturday, meaning that my receipt of a batch of edits for THE STARTER was delayed ... and then an entire evening of shoddy Verizon service and waiting on the phone FOR AN ENTIRE HOUR to have “John” in Bangalore finally clue me in about a server problem ... you might say that Mommy Sheerest™ has not been very happy.

Last year, that major dude, my good friend Tony Delgrosso, sent me what he thinks I should consider as my new branding direction.

I didn't take advantage of his expert opinion then, but now it certainly seems like timely PR advice.

Thanks to the fabulous Sheila Dee for providing the photo from
her set of Balticon 43 images.

Ready for a close-up

2010-06-28T20:35:00.002-05:00

Brent Weichsel. Film director. Screenwriter. Young whippersnapper. A virtuoso at black-and-white visuals, whether he's shooting stills or film.

And if I could choose a little brother, he'd be that, too.

One day, sooner rather than later, we're going to see him on a red carpet with some hot brainy broads on either arm. One day, he's going to sweep all the indie awards events and be the rage at Cannes.
Palme d’Or, baby - bring it!

For now he's in a User-Generated Video Contest designed to promote the hardcover release of ANCESTOR, a horror thriller novel written by New York Times best-selling author Scott Sigler. He's a contender but the contest's outcome will depend upon view count.

Show him some love. Watch the video. Raise the count.
The deadline is July 7.

Let's get this kid on his way.

A conversation

2010-06-27T15:30:00.000-05:00

Over martinis at the Apollo Grill...

Me: So, I have this friend. He's kind of an unusual cat.

Kerry: Really... How unusual?

Me: He's a juicer.

Kerry: [*gasp!*] Like... steroids?!

Me: No. Like kale and apples.

No dancing

2010-06-25T19:42:00.001-05:00

Elvis Costello's debut album My Aim is True hit the stores in the UK in 1977 and was released in the States in 1978. And the world would never be the same again.

I know my world will not.

No Dancing is the third track on the original album and one of my favorites.

Four days, four nights...

2010-06-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

In which the Maestro decides to... ummmm... re-decorate.

Actually, this is a four-day time lapse of Geo creating the cover art for Trebuchet. The song you hear is the title track.

Listen to the entire album for free at Show 170 of the Geologic
Podcast or purchase at CD Baby, iTunes and a variety of other
digital distribution sites.

Finally... FINALLY!

2010-06-16T18:20:00.002-05:00

The long-awaited album, Trebuchet by George Hrab, is finally live.

You're looking at the cover. For the first time in Geologic history, this sixth album is in a conventional jewel case. However, true to form, there are slightly unconventional features about it. For one thing, there is a 20-page booklet. That's right. You read me. TWENTY pages. I can't say any more than this since there should be an a-HA moment when people purchase the physical CD. There will be one lucky customer who will discover something we're calling The Golden Ticket inserted into one of the CDs. That ensures that the Maestro will fly to wherever they are—Belgium, Waukesha, the Congo—and deliver a concert in their home.

The cover photo and all the images in the packaging were shot by the wicked-talented and profoundly amazing John and Erik from John Sterling Ruth Studio. The album features a number of contributors: Dr. Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer for his voiceover on track 11 "Death From The Skies", named for his book; the technologically-innovative cellist, Peter Gregson; Slau Halatyn for all his vocal, arrangement and music contributions, as well as the intrinsically-important recording and engineering at Be Sharp Studios; Dr. Stephen Primatic for a few arrangements; Milton Mermikides for recording the cello part at Miltone Studio in London; the Skeptical Shoe Horns—Andy Kowal, Dale Gearhart, Larry Ogden, Steve Bridges, Dave “Hotloaf” Painchaud; and many MANY others who are mentioned in the liner notes.

We pick up the final product at Discmakers tomorrow. It will be rather exciting [and slightly sad] to NOT have to hand-tip everything like we did with the earlier albums. [I love you, shrink-wrap!] Interrobang, in particular, required a white-glove treatment. No lie. I bought white photo gloves for a roomful of people so that we could put these things together in the most pristine manner. [How nice that it won a handful of major awards and was a Nationals finalist at the ADDYs. It made up for all that mincing around with the assembly.]

Trebuchet is available at CD Baby, iTunes and a variety of other digital distribution sites. When we ship the product to CD Baby this week, it will be available for purchase there as an actual CD. Oh, and you can also listen to the album for free at the Geologic Podcast, released in its entirety as Episode 170.

And just let me say this about CD Baby. [...gets on soap box with megaphone...] This will be the sixth album we offer there: Interrobang, Coelacanth, Vitriol, Minutiae and the re-issue of the post-litigation version of [sic]. They are our main e-commerce source and the portal through which we do business with all the digital distribution sites. There is no one... and, I mean NO ONE who equals them for customer service. They are a real and active advocate for independently-produced music and truly give a damn about their artists. They not only have revamped their online interface to be artist- and buyer-friendly, but they will hold your hand, as they did mine, through every single phone call you make to them about your concerns and questions. And they will do everything they can to make your business happen. You can imagine that I had nearly memorized their contact number since we had to be a little creative with this album's release, doing an end-run around the traditional process. [Imagine that!] I don't know if they rolled their eyes every time I rang them but they surely didn't act like it. They were extraordinarily gracious, helpful and proactive—I owe every single one of them a fruit basket filled with mangoes, skittles, unicorns and rainbows.

Phew!

Hurray!

And with that, I think it's time for a celebratory drink. [clink!]
Cheers, y'all. Cent'anni!

Infrastructures

2010-06-12T08:51:00.001-05:00

From the frequently brilliant XKCD.

Never There

2010-06-11T17:42:00.001-05:00

Another nostalgic slice of Cake for you. This tune, widely considered their most popular, is from the album Prolonging the Magic.

I love how John McCrea is rocking a western Ed Norton kind of vibe. Totally hot.

No Phone

2010-06-09T16:57:00.000-05:00

A nostalgic moment from a band whose vibe still holds up. It's one of their brilliant videos that uses passers-by. And seriously, who knew that butcher would have such serious rhythmic mojo?

Enjoy.

The Good Guys - part one

2010-06-08T19:49:00.007-05:00

You already know I had the opportunity to document a few days of mounted training at the Pennsylvania State Police facility. And you might know that I've promised to share my impressions and some photos. Since the demands of returning to studio life are pretty high, I thought I would at least share a few moments here.

One of the things I want to talk about is the fact that the "good guys" do exist. I love people who are passionate about their work. I have the good fortune to know some extraordinary musicians and writers and designers... but it's profoundly fascinating when I can discover this first-hand with people in professions that are fairly new to me.

Standing at the intersection of the horse-training community and the law-enforcement culture—camera in hand—is a pretty interesting place to be. And there are some pretty superlative individuals. The evidence can be subtle when the people are so unpretentious... but you can tell, you know? I was around people who worked for hours in the corral [while I, on the other hand, had the chance to run into the barn every once in a while and douse myself with water.] They were focused and serious about what they were doing and that was inspiring, but the best part was that they never took themselves too seriously. Oh, and they not only love their work, they truly love and respect their horses. That was key for me. Kids, these are some of the people in law enforcement and they are indeed the good guys.

I want to share a lot more with you, but for now, here are a few moments from an evening's demonstration on ground manners with the amazing Trooper Colleen Young Shelly and her beloved Kevin.

Kevin with Trooper Colleen Young Shelly as she talks about ground manners and a new way to approach training.

Colleen explaining to Kevin what they were going to do next. No, really. She telegraphed his mission by word and gesture and he took off around the corral on cue.

Officers Leaser, Buskirk and Brooks look on as Kevin canters the small corral, jumping the obstacle every time.

Kevin had a blast at this cantering/jumping game.

Note: if you click on each picture, you'll be able to see a larger version.

Call for information

2010-06-06T16:53:00.000-05:00

My dear Hive Mind:

I've got some questions for you on the topic of donations and pro bono work. You're a tuned-in and generous lot—a superlative gang to be sure—and I'm certain you can offer some enlightening perspectives here.

To wit:

Do you donate to causes? Which ones and why?

More to the point- do you donate your professional services? To which causes and why? It's the "why" that I'm very interested in.

May I use your name and specific information or do you and your particulars prefer to remain anonymous?

I ask because I'm developing a post about this. I know why I do what I do but I'm interested in the larger picture. And that's where you come in.

You're welcome to email me. Or you can comment here. Since my site is comments moderated, I'll compile your information and delete your comment if you wish.

Thanks in advance. You know I adore you all.

Hay there!

2010-06-05T13:36:00.003-05:00

You're looking at my new love, Alex. He was one of the horses at a training week at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy. [His partner is Deputy Jesse Van Deusen from the Lackawanna County Sheriff's Department.] I was fortunate to be allowed to take pictures and document a few days with the trooper instructors, the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit and the Lackawanna Deputies.

I've got about two gigs of data to process and a mountain of live projects here at Sheer Brick, but I intend to post images and impressions from the last few days. What a fantastic experience!

Pictured left to right: Alex; Officers Buskirk, Brooks and Leaser; Senior Trooper Ed Golias.

Owner of a lonely heart

2010-06-02T00:27:00.000-05:00

In which the Maestro covers a tune by one of his all-time favorite bands. He took a few days and this is what he came up with. Good thing I'm one of his two neighbors.

Would it be sacrilegious to say I like this better than the original?

Condentation. A love letter.

2010-05-31T21:13:00.007-05:00

I returned to Bethlehem by early evening after an epic weekend at BaltiCon. Strangely enough, I was able to buzz up I-95 with zero road rage and no stop-and-go holiday traffic drama. When I walked into my studio and dropped my bags on the floor, I saw immediately that the Maestro was up to his old tricks again. When I'm away he takes the opportunity to give something a make-over. This time he completely re-orged a part of the studio that was a little black-hole-like... organizing all the disparate elements of the deep-sink room onto shelves, hanging framed items [even my t-square has a new home!], putting up a mirror to relieve the area of claustrophobia. This guy is just amazing.

So my first inclination was to run next door and hug him to bits... and then I proceeded to give him an hour-long encapsulation of the weekend. I missed him terribly—it's just not a Con without him. But my gushing about the weekend just re-confirmed how much I feel at home at BaltiCon, how much I dig hearing what people are doing, experiencing their awesomeness in person... and how much I simply adore everyone who participated.

The experience warrants a detailed account but you know how I am. Like any blog aspirant with a day job, every good intention to write will probably fall victim to the maelstrom that will be re-entry into the work week. After a weekend of little sleep from a geek-heaven summer camp with alcohol and microphones and electricity and a desire to do every single thing on the program agenda and then the trek home—one can feel kind of dented at the end of the haul. So I wanted to take this opportunity to say:

~ I love all you talented, tuned-in, magnificent bastards. You make my world an enormously more interesting place.

~ Thank you for always inviting me to join the experience and the fraternity and the hijinks and making me feel like I'm truly among my people.

~ If you couldn't make it this year, please know that you were sorely missed and trust that when your name came up in conversation—because it inevitably did—it was dipped in affection, topped with the last best story about you and succeeded by a sigh of regret that we couldn't hang with you.

~ I hate that I had little time to spend hours with you but I'm grateful for the opportunity to hug each of you, even if it was a brief meet-up on the way to another panel. I'm beyond fortunate to know you all—from acquaintances old and new to dear friends who live in far-flung places. I wish I could list every single one of you. It would be a roll-call of pure fucking awesome. From the snacky-cake caper to the Goat Rogan Josh to the Zombie Apocalypse panel [wtf?!] to the sci-fi prom to Santiago's martinis to the scads of “that's NOT an overheard“ statements to the question of marginally- or fully-intoxicated assessments to all the incidents that will never actually surface on the internet [right?... RIGHT?!]... You rock my world in so many ways that I'm kind of verklempt just typing this.

~ And special thanks to:
1] The Maestro for taking care of HQ while I was gone, making my life here more beautiful and livable, despite his completely gig-ified weekend.

2] Paul Fischer who is tirelessly helpful, cheerful and understanding while totally herding cats.

and

3] Evo and Sheila for being great hosts and close friends who continually saved me from losing direction or simply losing it. [“Sheila, where is my large black bag?!” “Evo, how the hell do we get there?!” “Sheila, where is my black nail polish?!” “Evo, how off-topic was I?!” “Sheila, where is my small black bag?!”] I love you both dearly.

It's weekends like this that make the memories of having been a fringe kid a complete badge of honor. Here's to you, geek gods and goddesses of the podosphere. Long may you transmit.

Seriously...

2010-05-25T00:16:00.000-05:00

The way things have been going here at Sheer Brick, I've been rambling around the studio pretty damn late. Lots going on. Fortunately, that's actually lots of good things going on. I mean, this big deadline mode I'm in is the reason that I've been throwing videos at you here instead of writing some cogent essay on, say, the cultural impact and recent demise of mathematician and ur-skeptic, Martin Gardner.

Somehow, it's all getting accomplished—in that steady, slow and sure pace that infuriates me, keeps me from more satisfying activities like laundry, but ensures there will be few to no dramas at press-time. And somehow, at the end of the week, I'll happily find myself at BaltiCon 44, or as I like to call it, summer camp. I feel like I've been out beyond the breakers lately and miss all those magnificent bastards I'll thankfully see this coming weekend.

In the meantime, I'm tempted to add some mouse-type to the bottom of every piece of print material that goes out of here lately with the endorsement "brought to you by the makers of Ketel One, Marlboro and duct tape.

But that's a story for another day and I've got to get back to work...

Night in my veins

2010-05-22T20:03:00.004-05:00

The Pretenders perform one of my favorites. It's from the album “Last of the Independents”. Night In My Veins: Chrissie Hynde (vocals, guitar), Adam Seymour (guitar), Andy Hobson (bass) and Martin Chambers (drums) accompanied by the Duke Quartet. Written by Hynde with Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly.

Also? Chryssie Hynde is a goddess of massive proportion.

Everything’s amazing and nobody’s happy

2010-05-19T21:55:00.003-05:00

from an interview with Conan O'Brien

He's a profane motherf*cker but I love him, I do. He talks about the things that everyone experiences but the difference is that he has the chops to put them into cogent, hilarious observations.

Louis C.K. ... If you have the opportunity to see him live, go!

Luminosity, revisited

2010-05-17T11:16:00.000-05:00

Question:
How many designers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Answer:
I think really the issue is not so much the light bulb in this case, but the relationship between the light bulb and the ceiling around it, and if we were to introduce a light bulb at this point, what knock-on effect would that have on the room in general. A light bulb in this context may seem like a small addition but, in actuality, could have an effect on the whole which, will require a considerable amount of subtle work to be carried out on the general interior design which would, of course, result in budgetary issues for you. Not saying we couldn't screw it in, but it's best to establish a baseline for this at an early stage.

Thanks to Brian "No E" Mahony.

A conversation

2010-05-15T20:44:00.001-05:00

After just making it to all my errand stops before stores closed and having dealt with the snail's-pace Saturday night traffic [and by "dealt with" I mean "had to make some less-than-legal, zippy Cooper moves"], I walked down my street with all my bags. Two regulars were sitting outside the bar on the bench near my studio.

Guy: "Uh oh. Here comes trouble."

Me: "That's correct, sir."

Guy: "You don't look very happy."

Me: " In fact, I am in one of the crabbiest, worst fucking moods possible." [I'm not even sure that's correct grammar, that's how crabby I was.]

Guy: "Do you need a hug?"

Me: "You know... I think I do!"

[big bear hug]

Me: "Honestly, I really do feel better."

Guy: "Dude, sometimes you just have to hug it out."

Actually, the kooky thing is I did feel better. The guy was one of those big lugs who's kind of boisterous but has a good heart. He has no idea that thanks to his inadvertent [and rather amusing] kindness I could easily put up with the loudness outside for the rest of the evening.

Sometimes you do have to just hug it out.

Officers, both

2010-05-13T17:07:00.006-05:00

This was taken the night of the Candlelight Vigil, a ceremony hosted by the Bethlehem Star Lodge No. 20 Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary and it was to honor the fallen heroes in law enforcement from 2009.

Here, a member of the Blue Knights meets George. I like to think they're talking law enforcement. Since George is still a kid, I hope he's listening carefully to the retired officer.

This image just gets to me on so many levels. It's tender and tough and says a few things about the Thin Blue Line, a culture I've been immersed in since I've started working with the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit.

An unexpected observation

2010-05-13T08:49:00.004-05:00

Beginning his review of Letters to Juliet, Roger Ebert surprised me with this declaration.

"I know “Letters to Juliet” is a soppy melodrama, and I don’t mind in the least. I know the ending is preordained from the setup. I know the characters are broad and comforting stereotypes. In this case, I simply don’t care. Sometimes we have personal reasons for responding to a film."

He goes on to explain his connection to the Redgraves, memories of Verona and Juliet's Balcony, the set of Camelot and myriad reasons this movie was so evocative for him.

It's not a movie I plan to see, but what was important to me was reading his review. And, in particular, this closing thought.

"I also want to observe that our response to every film depends on the person we bring to it. Pauline Kael said she went to a movie, and the movie happened, and she wrote about what changed within her after she saw it. This is quite valid. Sometimes, however, we go to a movie, and our lives have happened, and we write about what hasn’t changed."

Juliet's Balcony courtesy of coop91 at flickr.

A love letter

2010-05-08T15:52:00.001-05:00

This morning, I had conversations with all three of my sisters. We haven't all been in the same room since Easter. We don't need to talk every day but I truly can't go very long without some sort of update, even if it's through The Ros.

So I called each of them and, I must admit, it was like a fix until I see them next weekend. It's interesting how we are as a group— incredibly close—and how we all have each other's back. And yet, we have our own entirely separate and distinct relationships with each other. And the age span is wide; the youngest is almost 20 years my junior. In fact, my Dad calls us the JV and varsity teams. It's fascinating, really. You probably have a similar dynamic. At least, I hope so. I can't imagine life without them. Whenever I'm around them, I always feel invincible.

It's also cool how different we are from each other and yet how perfectly parts of a sum. My parents did a lot right LONG before there were guidebooks on this sort of thing.

From left to right: Sarafina; Melissa; Lisa's son, Josh; yours truly; Lisa.

We're kind of like the white Sister Sledge. In fact, it's our theme song. YES- as goofy as it sounds, it's our tune. But you can borrow it.

Vintage Garbage

2010-05-07T20:14:00.001-05:00

Only happy when it rains was the single from the 1995 album of the same name from Garbage.

And Shirley Manson is the still the reigning queen of the girl-rockers.

[Are those Fluevoggs she's wearing?]

Pharaoh

2010-05-06T10:22:00.001-05:00

To date, this is my favorite picture of Pharaoh, one of the police officers in the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit. He had just been groomed after finishing a good equitation workout with his partner Officer Jon Buskirk at Burnside Plantation. Waiting for his afternoon hay, he chilled in the shade of the barn.

Your moment of zen

2010-05-05T10:21:00.001-05:00

There's a lot of excitement when the boys know that breakfast is about to be served.

That's Pharaoh, Raven and George at the barn at Burnside Plantation. They're police officers who don't have their gear on yet for their day's work with the Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit. And they're demanding to be fed by ... frolicking?

footage: Officer Michael Leaser

A good sign of the First of May

2010-05-02T23:59:00.016-05:00

Stephen Torrence is one-third of the gents at the Bad Philosophy podcast. He's also a, well- let's let his twitter bio tell the story:

Renaissance geek, philomath, Texas Tech Philosophy Major,
Jack of all Trades, Jonathan Coulton fan, and ASL songsigner

And yes, that's all true, interesting collection of attributes that it is. Also? Philomath. Steamy!

I should have listened to my gal, the incomparable Adele McAlear when she first told me about Torrence. She had to tell me a second time. I should have known better. [Adele, forgive me.]

Let me get to the point—and I do have one. Yes, I know we're a few days into the month, and yes, I had already referenced this song on May Day, and yes, I'm one of those people who can't get enough of Coulton's music, but you really must check this out.

It's Coulton's “First of May” in American Sign Language. You can choose to watch the video with captions—which is very cool since it's not only the lyrics, but the sign transcript as well.

Now tell me that you don't have a crush on this fellow.

Caution: No, this is not safe for work. And it's still kind of risky if you turn off the sound. You never know what your boss's skill set might include.

Addendum: Adele left an interesting note in the comments. You might want to check out Torrence's ASL version of "Re: Your Brains".

The word for the day is coagrasper.

2010-05-01T13:42:00.001-05:00

On the phone with a client...

Me: "Yes. That's right. DoubleLayer Stent, GuideMaster V, LithoCrush, TetraCatch FlowerBasket, VisiGlide, X-Suit... I think that's it."

Geo: [to himself] Heh.

Me: [covering the receiver] "What are you chuckling at?"

Geo: "That sounded like the list of my favorite Beastie Boy albums."

It’s spring! Also, Jonathan Coulton.

2010-05-01T10:20:00.003-05:00

I have to tell you—the burgers at Shake Shack in Madison Square Park are probably some of the best in the city. And they taste even better when you're lunching in the sunshine of a perfect spring day with, I don't know, say, Jonathan Coulton. Thanks to my friend E for arranging this outing. We had quite the lovely time—laughing, sharing stories, dodging some bold-ass birds swooping down to grab our lunch. And thanks to JoCo for waiting in that horrendous line before we arrived so we could score those burgers a lot faster. Rockstars as admins, who knew?

Also? Take everything you know about Coulton and multiply it by like a thousand times. He's that awesome, in every way. Seriously.

Documentation, thanks to E:

~ ~ ~

I know this is a highly obvious choice of song here, but let's face it—we love this tune. Coulton with "Re: Your Brains" in concert at PAX 2007, playing to a very enthusiastic audience.

~ ~ ~

This. Just in!

At Coulton's site, he posted Please Do Not Get Arrested in honor of May 1st. From "Best. Concert. Ever." is a little gift of an mp3. You know it. You love it. You can't play it at work. First of May.

It’s elementary.

2010-04-28T21:55:00.006-05:00

If it were typographically more subtle, I would totally wear this.

Bad bedtime choices

2010-04-26T14:18:00.004-05:00

I watched a flick about the RAF—Rote Armee Fraktion—before bedtime. The Baader Meinhof Complex, to be exact.

At 6 am I dodged a Molotov Cocktail. And then I woke up with a shriek and a hypnogogic start. [Jesus H, what a way to start the day.]

Coincidence?

I'm just saying.

2010-04-25T20:50:00.000-05:00

When your iTunes jumps from Rage Against the Machine to Bomba Estéreo to Neubauten and then to Guys and Dolls like mine did, there's just no point in questioning why you're so effed up.

It's pretty apparent.

Another conversation

2010-04-25T08:24:00.000-05:00

At a restaurant, ordering drinks before dinner, reading the cocktail descriptions...

Me: This one also has tequila, pineapple, grenadine... yikes.

Him: Apparently, now you can put anything in that glass and call it a martini.

A conversation

2010-04-24T16:47:00.004-05:00

After taking pictures at an outdoor event for kids, I returned to the studio where Geo was working on some charts. As usual, I was dressed
entirely in black — jeans, V-neck, boots, Ray-Bans.

Geo: Hey, look at you, rock star!

Me: Yes, I dressed for the children.

Geo: Marcello Mastroianni's children.

Cops, Kids and Reading

2010-04-23T09:51:00.001-05:00

One of the most positive initiatives connected with the Bethlehem Police Department is their involvement with the Cops 'n' Kids Reading program.

There's a big event at Looper's Grille & Bar on Saturday, April 24th. It's the 4th Annual Celebration of Reading and it sounds like a lot of fun for kids and their families. The performance schedule between 11 am and 3 pm includes everything from the Parkettes to Kim's Black Belt Academy to different musical groups ranging from bagpipers to The Dirty Sock Funtime Band. The Police Department will be there, of course, as will the Mounted Patrol Unit. Even the Peeps Mobile is going to make an appearance!

Cops 'n' Kids is a national Children's Literacy Program founded by Julia Burney Witherspoon, a police officer from Wisconsin. The dynamo behind the local chapter of the Cops 'n' Kids program is Bev Bradley, an amazing woman. Please do check out the important work that they do. It's quite something.

Here's the poster for the event.

Hipsta-cosmic

2010-04-22T16:37:00.003-05:00

That guy? He happens to be one of my favorite people on this or any planet, the sublime Dr. Phil Plait, Bad Astronomer. The reason for this post is simply that my friend Amy Roth, aka the ridiculously talented @SurlyAmy, took a gorgeous portrait of Dr. Plait recently. And I had to share it.

This little hipstasnap is so painterly and a very evocative image of a wicked smart dude with a sensitive side.

You might want to click on the image to see the clear original.

A mission of balance

2010-04-20T20:28:00.006-05:00

“
We need to have the

tough eye of a skeptic and the

tender heart of a humanist.

”
—D.J. GROTHE
keynote speech at NECSS

Buddies

2010-04-18T13:47:00.011-05:00

The boys, waiting for their close-up at the Bethlehem Police Department special units CALEA re-accreditation shoot at Payrow Plaza. From l to r: George, Raven, Pharaoh. [Officer Buskirk in background.]

From the Mounted Patrol Unit's Flickr site.

©Bethlehem Mounted Patrol Unit/Sheer Brick Studio

Peeps Show IV

2010-04-04T10:55:00.003-05:00

The Washington Post diorama contest winner of

Peeps Show IV.

From the page:

"For their winning diorama based on the Pixar flick "Up" Michael Chirlin and Veronica Ettle of Arlington constructed a miniature Victorian house from plywood and Popsicle sticks, and placed it atop salvaged mattress springs to give it an airborne quality."

2010-04-03T13:59:00.000-05:00

Dude, we've all been there.

Fresco!

2010-03-30T11:06:00.005-05:00

Marcello Mastroianni.
Quello è tutto.

Appropriated via Michael Calore.

C is for curvaceous

2010-03-29T21:31:00.003-05:00

by Ryan Freese

Found at ALPHABATTLE from LetterCult

C. See?

Found via Brian Hoff.

My hood

2010-03-27T14:40:00.012-05:00

At 2 a.m. this morning, I heard the roar of a mob and went to the window. It was unsettling—the kind of thing that means nothing good is coming next. One-half block from me, there were EIGHT cruisers, lights flashing, some stacked bumper-to-bumper within a block, some placed strategically at the intersections, announcing over intercoms to "Clear the area. Get in your cars and go home." Apparently there was a dust-up of some sort in progress outside 40 Below, a very problematic nightclub. This is the same club that had an ambulance and some cruisers outside its door hours earlier. This is the same nightclub that is listed in the Recreation and Entertainment section of Bethlehem's wikipedia entry—which enrages me to no end.

Charming, isn't it?

A scrum of people and police officers roiled through my neighborhood. People were shouting, getting in cars, blasting their radios. It was so edgy that the pub near me didn't have a single person exit at what is supposed to be their closing time. I doubt anyone wanted to mistaken about which establishment they were at.

Last year I was on the phone with dispatch a handful of nights in the week, to the point where I'm certain they recognized my voice. [Despite the fact that one contentious dispatcher actually asked me if I ever considered moving, the department's response time was extraordinarily swift, which is certainly encouraging.] I don't even have to press speed-dial any more since it looks like this area is on the Bethlehem Police Department's weekend radar.

You see, I'm in the otherwise calm, genteel historic district of a beautiful city. I own property that is both residential and commercial; I have lived and worked here since 1997. This scene is diametrically opposed to the years-long personality of the location and it makes me wonder where things are headed. As you might imagine, the incidence of vandalism has ratcheted up over the last few years. This concerns me, not just for my own property, but that of my neighbors, it's part of the defensive position I take as my condo association's head of council.

So, do I try to take this to City Hall or do I resign myself to the fact I may have to start answering the phone, "Sheer Brick Studio, yo. What's crackin'?"

An honest panhandler

2010-03-21T17:13:00.000-05:00

A very toasted gent stood on the sidewalk near Union Square, stock still, staring into the middle distance. He was holding a cardboard sign in front of his chest.

"Keeping it real. I need weed."

Apiary

2010-03-21T16:13:00.014-05:00

Thanks to my incredibly generous hosts, Slau and Audrey, I had the chance to have dinner with them at a very delicious bistro in Manhattan with a fabulous, restrained design by Ligne Roset.

When the restaurant opened, The New Yorker took a nice little swipe at it—and my guess is, deservedly so—declaring that furniture companies were not meant to open dining establishments.

Since that review, the original executive chef left and was replaced by Scott Bryan. Here's what New York magazine had to say. If you compare the original menu mentioned in The New Yorker review and the menu at Apiary's site [a downloadable PDF], it's clear that the tone has changed quite a lot. I'd venture it's more imaginative and a lot more subtle.

Although I don't entirely agree with this assessment, I like its positivity. New York magazine ended the review ended with this: "Dining at this new version of Apiary is bracing and even a little discombobulating, like riding in the back seat of your sister’s Mini Cooper, which has suddenly been commandeered by Dale Earnhardt Jr."

If you happen to find yourself there, order the Hamachi Crudo. Yum!

Onward and upward

2010-03-19T10:15:00.003-05:00

This week I re-committed to my independence. Sheer Brick Studio is now operating full-time again and, oh, does it feel great to be back!

Many thanks and much affection to all my friends, colleagues, supporters and clients, especially you people who have been with me for the duration. You're all deeply important to me and your loyalty, generosity and belief in me is far more affirmation than I could hope to have.

It might seem like swimming against the current at times but this is surely a leap forward and my money's on that I land in cooler, bluer waters.

The winter barn, briefly

2010-03-17T16:42:00.006-05:00

The horses of Bethlehem's Mounted Patrol Unit have been wintering in Coopersburg at Stone Field Stables. Don't let that link fool you. These are great digs for an equine sabbatical. I can't quite call it a vacation since the horses have been training with their law enforcement partners all winter, mostly in the spacious indoor ring.

I visited the stables today and will stop by again before they head back to Burnside Plantation. I want to take a handful of pictures to document their stay. Hopefully then I'll be able to catch Officers Leaser, Buskirk and Brooks and their horses working with Jan, their trainer, in the outdoor turnout.

With my studio back in fulltime operation—which is a story for another day—I've re-committed to promoting the Mounted Patrol Unit. I'll have more to tell you about the patrol, the horses and their links online. Plus lots of pictures.

And I'm certainly looking forward to seeing them again on the streets of Historic Bethlehem this spring!

Pictured: Raven.

It's good to be a little scared.

2010-03-15T19:48:00.006-05:00

I have a few friends who are sci-fi/horror/suspense type writers and they are all mad-talented people.

Including Phil Rossi. He's all that.

If you've never heard of him, check him out at his site or on twitter. He's a writer, musician, dad, husband, and vigilante of music. And he has the voice of a fallen angel.

You can find his music on iTunes; Harvey, an incredible story and a free audiobook at iTunes; and Crescent, a critically acclaimed book, free also at iTunes. And because I love you, I suggest you look him up.

The challenge of multi-tasking

2010-01-13T08:53:00.001-05:00

I'm not only involved in the usual [and happily so] hectic life at both my studio and the Spark office, I'm planning a party for this coming Saturday night. As I move among my three floors of studio and home throughout the day, it's unusual if I'm not carrying something to place it elsewhere while on the phone with a client, a vendor, the condo association, an invitee, my family or one of my best friends who I am pressing into service again to listen to my list or to whom I am delegating another odd task.

If I accomplish all my goals today I will be less surprised than if I wake up tomorrow from a bender in a Vegas motel with a Turkish diplomat, a marriage certificate, a spangly pink jumpsuit, some vintage majolica, a yak and an empty oxygen tank.

Well, maybe except for the spangly pink jumpsuit. That is SO not me.

Chasing the Dragon

2009-09-03T19:35:00.015-05:00

Hey Kids—

I am on my way to the convention in Atlanta that I've been name-dropping for weeks now.

Dragon*Con. Finally.

FROM THE PAGE—
"Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the US."

I'm joining George Hrab and Slau at the Con and where both of these guys will be working their professional mojo at scheduled events. I know I'll be assisting in some way but I intend to carve out my own Dragon experience. For one thing, I'll be at Scott Sigler's THE ROOKIE Tailgate Tour kickoff on Saturday night and then heading over to the Parsec Awards. Hopefully all my pals will win something, which will be a trick because so many of them are up against one another in a number of categories.

I've promised pictures of goth girls and strange-character mashups, stories of decadent geek behavior and tales from the front lines of the podcasting and skeptic tracks. And I will most definitely make good on all of this, y'all!

And if you search on Flickr, there's a good chance you'll see photos surfacing of all sorts of Dragon*Con activities. With any luck nothing terribly incriminating will come to light. Well, not before I have a chance to contact my attorney.

Stay tuned for the post-Con reportage!

Today’s Find: Porcupine / Incident

2009-08-30T08:59:00.012-05:00

You think you know contemporary progressive rock and wave it away dismissively. And then, this comes along.

Time Flies from the album “The Incident” by Steven Wilson’s project Porcupine Tree.

I found this via Sid Smith—writer, reviewer, quiet bon vivant—and his reportage at Postcards from the Yellow Room.

Allow me to quote his opening paragraph from the juicy review:

“Porcupine Tree has always been about exploring the resonance and echoes found within Steven Wilson’s subconscious. After witnessing a road accident, Wilson was prompted to construct an ambitious song-cycle exploring the numerous associations which this initial incident triggered."

Really, you have to read Sid's entire entry.

Sid hips me to all sorts of things I’d never hear about otherwise. Who knew Steven Wilson existed? Okay, lots of people. But not me. Wilson's project list is fascinating.

An excerpt from the wiki—

“Steven John Wilson (born 3 November 1967) is a British musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. He is involved in many other bands and musical projects both as musician and producer (including No-Man, Blackfield and Ephrat) and also maintains a solo career.

Wilson is a self-taught producer, audio engineer, guitar and keyboard player, also playing other instruments as and where required (including bass guitar, concert harp, hammer dulcimer and flute). He splits his living time between Tel Aviv, Israel and London, UK.”

Remember those crazy days of imported vinyl prices? You can pre-order The Incident/Special Edition at iTunes for a mere pittance compared to what we used to shell out in the 80s. [Ah, the 80s...good times but I'm grateful I lived through them.]

Something more, also from Porcupine Tree: Fear of a Blank Planet, their critically-acclaimed and best-selling album available now for purchase. It's Wilson's self-described take on Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet.

The actual title track is a smart, clean, muscular seven-plus minutes of force. For you, the abbreviated version in video form:

Thanks, Sid. You do indeed rock.

~ ~ ~

Addendum: George reminded me that the second drummer during King Crimson's last tour—the show I saw at the Keswick—was Gavin Harrison, Porcupine Tree's drummer.

THE ROOKIE: The Unboxing

2009-08-27T08:49:00.011-05:00

Scott Sigler and A Kovacs simultaneously, via skype, decant their hot-off-the-press copies of THE ROOKIE. The book is a limited hardcover first edition with a press run of 3,000 copies.

Sigler is a New York Times bestselling author of INFECTED and CONTAGIOUS. Recently he partnered with A Kovacs of the San-Diego-based Audacity Events to form Dark Overlord Media. THE ROOKIE is the imprint's first offering.

THE ROOKIE's Team: Scott Sigler, Future Dark Overlord™ and brilliant author; A Kovacs, project manager and hall monitor; Kevin Capizzi, GameDay program layout and 3D modeling; Greg Poloynis, alien designs and illustration; Jerry Scullion, team logos and book cover; and me, interior design.

Working with this ridiculously talented team was one of the high points of my professional life. I cannot overstate how honored I was to be hired by Dark Overlord Media and much I enjoyed working with Scott and A. They're not only gifted professionals but amazing people as well. More about this when my copy of the book arrives.

THE ROOKIE Story Synopsis:
— from the page
Set in a lethal pro football league 700 years in the future, THE ROOKIE is a story that combines the intense gridiron action of "Any Given Sunday" with the space opera style of "Star Wars" and the criminal underworld of "The Godfather."

Aliens and humans alike play positions based on physiology, creating receivers that jump 25 feet into the air, linemen that bench-press 1,200 pounds, and linebackers that literally want to eat you. Organized crime runs every franchise, games are fixed and rival players are assassinated.

Follow the story of Quentin Barnes, a 19-year-old quarterback prodigy that has been raised all his life to hate, and kill, those aliens. Quentin must deal with his racism and learn to lead, or he'll wind up just another stat in the column marked "killed on the field."

~ ~ ~

Go, Krakens!

True, that.

2009-08-22T08:29:00.006-05:00

“
It is sobering to reflect that one of the best ways
to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen
these days is to go about repeating the very phrases
which our founding fathers used in the struggle
for independence.

”
—CHARLES A. BEARD, American historian

found via my friend Joe Hanna.

The virtual mop and bucket

2009-08-16T11:59:00.003-05:00

No, this isn't a post about cleaning up the attrition that was the festival a few weeks ago. Although, dude, I could go on and on about that week.

One of my activities as Ms. Information for the Geologic Podcast is comments moderation. It's unfortunate that we can't leave the comments open and free. There's a serious twit migration every so often and it's hella difficult to mop up after the spammers track muddy URLS all over the place.

They get more wily all the time, these spammers. My guess is that they're actual workers since there a double-Recaptcha feature on the site. SOMEone has to do all that login. Tedious job, that.

Once in a while, I'm amused by the attempt to look like a real comment. One of their tricks is to cut-and-paste a previously-posted comment and attach their slimy info to it. And then sometimes, their "comments" are just stupidly hilarious.

To wit:

"Well, so nice post haah! Your mind help me so much! I’m not sure if you mind the thing I’ll do here, Im online seller for the Ed Hardy, and also the pretty UGG Boots were my products, alright, seems I have to make the apologys for my Jordan Shoes, they are the moste hot item on my site, are u interest in them?"

Spam-tastic.

I should be working...

2009-06-06T18:33:00.006-05:00

You know how it is.

You have a stack of work and you find yourself doing stupid things on the net. So, Celebrity Lookalikes. Yeah. Well, I ran a few photos out of sheer morbid curiosity. They gave me a collection of people that included Harvey Keitel, Matt Bellamy, Clive Barker. Clive Barker. Not even Clive Owen. And Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly?! The nerve!

I can't understand why they didn't pair me with this guy.
Clearly, we were separated at birth.

Chester Bennington on the right.
Oh, and that's me on the left.

We could be the new Mick and Bianca.

a lifetime in a moment

2009-05-20T15:55:00.003-05:00

“
For moments together my heart stood still

between delight and sorrow to find

how rich was the gallery of my life.

”
—HERMANN HESSE, from STEPPENWOLF

with thanks to Stan Carey.

Cor blimey!

2009-04-08T10:08:00.003-05:00

Where the hell have I been?

I've made a list of topics and checked it about 14 times. As soon as I get two minutes to rub together, I've got tons to tell you. And this includes the Songs That Make You Verklempt.

I'm back and I'm working on it all.

Cheers, dears!

A small hiatus

2009-02-20T23:21:00.004-05:00

Hello, my friends.

Please don't think I've fallen off the face of the planet. I've been involved in some heavy changes and challenges in my family's life. At the moment, it seems there's movement in a positive direction but the going is slow and we are eyebrow-deep in concern and anxiety. It's nearly all-consuming an existence.

I'll return quite soon, even if it's just to toss out some random thoughts.

Be well.

I hear America singing

2009-01-20T10:17:00.005-05:00

by Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his, as it should be, blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—at night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.

Thanks to Charlie Suisman from Manhattan Users Guide.
This was their entry today. Brilliant, isn't it?

A balanced perspective

2009-01-10T08:43:00.007-05:00

“
I want to stay as close to the edge as I can

without going over.

Out on the edge

you see all kinds of things

you can't see from the center.

”
—KURT VONNEGUT

L'histoire d'un épouvantail

2009-01-01T09:39:00.012-05:00

The synopsis reads: "The End" raconte l'histoire d'un épouvantail
pris en flagrant délit de trahison envers ses congénères.

Which is to say, the short, entitled The End, tells the story of a scarecrow who betrayed his kind.

CREDITS
PRODUCTION: C.C.I. Valenciennes SUPINFOCOM
YEAR: 2005
DIRECTORS: Maxime Leduc, Martin Ruyant, Michel Samreth
SOUND: Arnaud Liefooghe, Jean-Baptiste Saint-Pol
RUNNING TIME: 6 min. 10 sec.

Some extra information can be found at Michel Samreth's site.

—A tip o' the beanie to my friend, the wired ninja artist, Shitao.

Verse 33

2008-12-22T19:28:00.000-05:00

Knowing others is wisdom;
Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self requires strength.

He who knows he has enough is rich.
Perseverance is a sign of will power.
He who stays where he is endures.
To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.

—Tao Te Ching | chapter 33 | tr. Feng and English

A conversation after the party

2008-12-21T10:39:00.004-05:00

We've left the party for a drink at the Tally-Ho. [That's its real name. Could I make that up?] In walks a hipster couple and the woman is stunning. She's a tiny thing with a mass of jet-black hair piled on her head. They sit nearby.

Kerry: Oh my god. She is so Amy Winehouse. But healthier.

Me: I know. And so fabulous. She's got more class in her little finger than that entire group of shrieking girls behind you.

Kerry: We would totally be friends with her.

Me: Definitely.

Kerry: As for the real Winehouse...

Me: What a story she is...

Kerry: I want her to get better. But not too much better.

A conversation on the way to a party

2008-12-21T10:06:00.004-05:00

Kerry and I are on our way to a holiday party at the home of our erstwhile veterinarian. He lives out in the sticks. I told Kerry I'd have directions. Clearly, I am a terrible wingwoman.

Kerry: Alright, we're on 191. Now where do we turn?

Me: Ummm... There a restaurant that will be on our left. I can't remember the name but it begins with a C. Candlelight?

Kerry: Dee, you know that's not it. The Candlelight is on the other side of town.

Me: Oh, right, right. What was I thinking?

Kerry: I know where you mean; I just can't remember the name of the restaurant.

Me: The only thing I can remember about the place is that years and years ago I had a pretty mediocre Lobster Newberg there. That's not even something I'd order anymore.

Kerry: That's it! The Newberg Inn!

Me: Oh, for pete's sake.

[driving, driving...]

Kerry: Okay, here we are. [makes left and the terrain becomes more rural]

Me: Now we have to make a right on some woodsy kind of road.

Kerry: I have no idea where I am. How far is the next turn?

Me: It's dark.

Kerry: How on earth is that any kind of answer?

Getting back to work

2008-12-17T09:14:00.003-05:00

In the wake of the election celebration, I spent most of my time online reading the news recaps, predictable analyses, insightful commentaries on various appointments and watching videos of crowds spontaneously bursting into the national anthem. [When was the last time you witnessed that?] It was selfish of me, I know, not to share any of this here. The U.S. Politics page at friendfeed kept me particularly busy, trying to keep up with everything as it was happening.

Now that things have calmed down a bit, if not for the President-Elect, at least, for us, I have to say I agree with Jay Smooth.

—necessary tangent—

Jay who, you ask? He's the force behind Ill Doctrine. From the page: "Ill Doctrine is a hip-hop video blog hosted by Jay Smooth, creator of the hip hop music blog and founder of New York's longest running hip-hop radio show, WBAI's Underground Railroad." I know, I know—you're thinking that I'm crushing on another smart net-boy. And what if I am? Frankly, I think he's both brilliant and a breath of fresh air. That's saying something, considering the morass of electronic babble out there.

—end tangent—

Here's where I agree. If you don't happen to be on board with his commentary, you might dig his delivery, or, at the very least, the enigmatic cat cameos.

Getting Back to Work, Part 1
(November 27)

People, people...

2008-12-16T22:49:00.003-05:00

It's true I've been busy inhabiting other acres of internet real estate lately.

What gives?

This place needs a good housecleaning. No. Better. A strong powerwash. [Raises fist heavenward] And, by golly, it will happen. Soon. After I make my Christmas list.

Which reminds me. I hereby authorize you to feel self-satisfied and righteously smug in the knowledge that at this very moment I have accomplished zero shopping.

That said, must dash for the moment.

Be well, friends. I promise to bring some sugar very soon.

Winter conversation

2008-11-25T17:53:00.001-05:00

I listen to you explain the difference
between a right brain thought and a left.
I am distracted by the smell
of cold on your face.
I lick it away like a child
with an ice cream cone
sticky fingers and sweet tongue.

Aware that I have been here before
I pause in your words.
I have slept in this flesh,
dreamed these winter bones.

Waking in the darkness between us
I hear frost sweeping the porch,
edging toward the morning.
I reach for your hand.

What, you whisper, voice hoarse with dream.
My lips, swollen with you, cold,
are silent.

—Joyce Wakefield

. . . . . . . . .

pilgrimscrybe

. . . . . . . . .

pilgrimscrybe

. . . . . . . . .

pilgrimscrybe

. . . . . . . . .

virtually_supine

. . . . . . . . .

Relections on a moment in time...

2008-11-04T10:00:00.007-05:00

On Sunday there was a huge commotion coming from the Sun Inn Courtyard, only steps away from my studio. My neighbor, Geo, stopped by and said there was an impromptu Obama rally in progress. I grabbed my camera and went to see what was going on.

The Obama campaign office on Main Street in Historic Bethlehem couldn't contain the group that showed up for an event they had scheduled. Apparently they expected maybe 30 to 50 people. Instead hundreds arrived and the event was moved to the nearby courtyard.

I arrived at the courtyard just as Senator Bob Casey was introducing... Caroline Kennedy! She was poised and articulate and held the crowd in thrall. It was exciting and heartening to be part of the electricity of this gathering but the thought kept occurring to me that I was witnessing history. Of course, it was only a tiny sliver of the larger picture, a pivotal time I think we'll reference far in the future with a clear memory of where we were.

It's interesting that Caroline Kennedy is connected to another time when I clearly remember where I was. That was November 25, 1963 and though I was only three, I can still see my mother watching the television in tears. I clearly recall the crowds and the rider-less horse, but most of all, the dignity of the only family I'd ever think of as our royalty. And here, at this moment, was a woman whose entire life has been swathed in American legend.

It's fitting that this gathering took place at the Sun Inn Courtyard. This tiny piece of real estate has been the scene of public opinion, the most notorious being the Fries Rebellion. The 250-year-old Sun Inn has hosted some of the luminaries of the American Revolution, a meeting of the leading members of the Continental Congress, and a deputation of 51 Native American chiefs and warriors.

The guest list included:
• General George & Martha Washington
• General John Sullivan
• General John Armstrong
• General Nathanial Green
• General Marquis de Lafayette
• General Count Casimir Pulaski
• Surgeon General John Warren
• Dr. William Shippen
• Colonel Ethan Allen
• Governor John Penn
• Governor Richard Penn
• John Adams
• Samuel Adams
• John Hancock
• Richard Henry Lee
• Benjamin Harrison
• Governor Morris
• David Rittenhouse

And here in the present is the Sun Inn Courtyard, again witnessing another important moment of public expression in our history. Here I stand in with people on a beautiful Sunday afternoon- not just any crowd- but people who are passionate about our country, people who are trying to make a difference, listening to a woman whose beloved father helped shape our nation. It's hard not to be emotional about this, no matter what your political stripe.

It's been a contentious, protracted, and exhausting political season. At the end of the day, we're not red or blue, but Americans. Let's not lose sight of what's truly important: our future, our culture, and our responsibility to the global community. To that end, please exercise your right to vote today.

Frank says...

2008-11-03T21:51:00.003-05:00

...a few very important, poignant and beautifully-articulated things about peace, love and understanding:
Why I'm Voting for Barack Obama.

From the page—

“
Really, I could list a thousand reasons for voting for Barack Obama tomorrow. I could talk about all the negative things that have happened in this country in the last eight years, but my decision for Obama all boils down to this: Peace, Love and Understanding.

”

Please do read the rest of his essay.

I'll post his choice of video here. This is a long-time favorite song of mine and never as relevant as now.

Searching for light in the darkness of insanity...

Peggy says...

2008-10-26T22:20:00.011-05:00

Telegraph.co.UK published an article: Republican fears of historic Obama landslide unleash civil war for the future of the party

There's a very prickly section about Sarah Palin.

From the page—

“
In addition to Mr. Frum, who thinks her not ready to be president, Peggy Noonan, Ronald Reagan's greatest speechwriter and a columnist with the Wall Street Journal, condemned Mr McCain's running mate as a "symptom and expression of a new vulgarisation of American politics." Conservative columnist David Brooks called her a "fatal cancer to the Republican Party".

”
You might be interested in reading the rest of the article. What I took away is that the civil war brewing in the party, landslide notwithstanding, might be a great opportunity for the Grand Old Party to clean house. It's about time.

The illustrious Peggy Noonan had a few things to say in her commentary for the Wall Street Journal online entitled Palin's Failin. She leaves room for the possibility of magic and gifts unknown when a wild card surfaces. I like this and have continue to beleive this can happen in unexpected places. But this isn't one.

From the page—

“
Here is a fact of life that is also a fact of politics: You have to hold open the possibility of magic. People can come from nowhere, with modest backgrounds and short résumés, and yet be individuals of real gifts, gifts that had previously been unseen, that had been gleaming quietly under a bushel, and are suddenly revealed. Mrs. Palin came, essentially, from nowhere. But there was a man who came from nowhere, the seeming tool of a political machine, a tidy, narrow, unsophisticated senator appointed to high office and then thrust into power by a careless Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose vanity told him he would live forever. And yet that limited little man was Harry S Truman. Of the Marshall Plan, of containment. Little Harry was big. He had magic. You have to give people time to show what they have. Because maybe they have magic too.

But we have seen Mrs. Palin on the national stage for seven weeks now, and there is little sign that she has the tools, the equipment, the knowledge or the philosophical grounding one hopes for, and expects, in a holder of high office. She is a person of great ambition, but the question remains: What is the purpose of the ambition? She wants to rise, but what for? For seven weeks I’ve listened to her, trying to understand if she is Bushian or Reaganite—a spender, to speak briefly, whose political decisions seem untethered to a political philosophy, and whose foreign policy is shaped by a certain emotionalism, or a conservative whose principles are rooted in philosophy, and whose foreign policy leans more toward what might be called romantic realism, and that is speak truth, know America, be America, move diplomatically, respect public opinion, and move within an awareness and appreciation of reality.

But it’s unclear whether she is Bushian or Reaganite. She doesn’t think aloud. She just . . . says things.

”
As much as I respect her background and political gravitas, I wouldn't have imagined that I would so willingly agree with so much of what Ms. Noonan has to say. But I do. Noonan makes more points in her essay, not the least of which is calling Palin not a leader, but a follower. And that is the biggest condemnation of all.

Conservatives for change

2008-10-25T13:30:00.002-05:00

Thoughts from registered Republicans and Independents.

This is a genuine, sincere and balanced offering. Please give this a few minutes of your time. In this incendiary and, at times, completely insane atmosphere ... whether or not you agree with their political views ... at the very least, this might make you feel a little better about your fellow Americans.

The barefoot diva

2008-10-21T20:56:00.001-05:00

A native of Cape Verde, Cesária Évora is the undisputed queen of the morna, songs of sadness and longing. After a rocky career, her album Miss Perfumado accelerated her comeback in 1992. She's achieved international acclaim and it was Sodade, the single from that album, that propelled her onto the world stage.

Let's remove any question of cure

2008-10-16T17:13:00.006-05:00

There's a lot I could tell you. We feel this need to take our lives and put them out there and this medium makes it so easy to do. In fact, it's almost seductive in its immediacy. Why do we do this? That's a question for another day, and one I've been mulling for some time.

For now, the relevant point is this. I think you've had moments, too, where something—a book, an image, a song—touches you, becomes meaningful, serves as a life raft. And you hang onto it, imbue it with your own meaning. This song from Aimee Mann is one of mine. It's part of an odd collection that ranges from Satie to Linkin Park [I know, go figure] to Elvis Costello to, recently, tango electronica.

For the most part, I can't write in specifics of being unattached at 48. That would be too confessional, but more to the point, it would be an invasion of privacy. Whether any individuals involved deserve my respect is another matter. Some do. Some don't. Just like any situation in your own world. Don't get me wrong- some will definitely score some re-telling because they have acted way beyond the bounds of decency and have become their own cautionary tale. But what's going on now has to remain opaque.

Therefore, I'll choose instead to give you the lyrics again, a January 5th post redux. And if my ethics happen to slip, you'll be the first to know.

. . .

Satellite
from Bachelor No. 2 (Or, The Last Remains of the Dodo)
by the extraordinary Aimee Mann

Let's assume you were right
and play the game of charm and strange
and satellite
and when we've all had our fun
deflate the stars
and put away the sun
and so we can call it a day.

Cause I'll never prove that my motives were pure
so let's remove any question of cure
cause even though you've made it pretty obscure
baby, it's clear, from here—
you're losing your atmosphere.
from here, you're losing it.

So let's assume it was true
cause baby can't lift up a hand to swear to you
and what's the use of defense?
the hangers-on are too far gone for evidence
and that one was lost from the first.

Cause I'll never prove that my motives were pure
so let's remove any question of cure
cause even though you've made it pretty obscure
baby, it's clear, from here—
you're losing your atmosphere
from here, you're losing it.

So have it your way
whatever makes the best resume
whatever you can throw in
wash, rinse and spin til it's
spun away—okay
but I won't be sticking around.

Cause I'll never prove that my motives were pure
so let's remove any question of cure
cause even though you've made it pretty obscure
baby, it's clear, from here—
you're losing your atmosphere
from here, you're losing it.

. . .

—Listen to a sample at iTunes.

Ustedes deben bailar!

2008-10-05T21:17:00.009-05:00

The Argentine/Uruguayan tango fusion band, Bajofondo, released the fiery Mar Dulce over the summer. This is the version of Pa' Bailar featuring Julieta Venegas. She has a voice like smoky, gritty velvet. I used to think I wanted to sound like Chryssie Hynde, but I've officially changed my mind for the moment.

The interesting thing about the entire album is that Bajofondo takes traditional forms and infuses them with contemporary sensibilities; it's a genre-bending but satisfying ride. Few can do this with such skill. Bajofondo aces it and the collective gives us a collection that dips in and out of tango, torch, rap, jazz. Note, too, that Elvis Costello guests on the album with "Fairly Right" and one of the principals of Bajofondo is Gustavo Santaolallo, the composer.

~

Pa' Bailar- Siempre Quiero Mas

esto esta bueno pa bailar

no se donde acomodarte
no se de que color pintarte
no se muy bien que nombre darte
si te veo por la calle
pero se que tu
me miras a los ojos y es algo unico
se que yo siempre quiero mas

no se porque si solo fue un instante
se niega el tiempo apodarte
fue una fina sombra que dejaste
algo ermoso inexplicable

se que tu me miras a los ojos y es algo unico
se que yo siempre quiero mas
lo quiero hacer es salir a bailar un poco
en realidad me gustas para bailar un poco

se que tu me miras a los ojos y es algo unico
se que yo siempre quiero mas

te quiero cerca pa tocarte y pa bailar
te quiero cerca pa sentirte pa bailar

se que tu me miras a los ojos y es algo unico
se que yo siempre quiero mas
se que tu me miras a los ojos y es algo unico
se que yo siempre quiero mas
se que tu me miras a los ojos y es algo unico
se que yo siemopre quiero mas

~

Impossibility, Like Wine

2008-10-03T20:04:00.005-05:00

Impossibility, like Wine
Exhilarates the Man
Who tastes it; Possibility
Is flavorless - Combine

A Chance's faintest tincture
And in the former Dram
Enchantment makes ingredient
As certainly as Doom -

- Emily Dickinson

Paris - 1952 © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

How happy are you with the way you look?

2008-09-29T07:44:00.005-05:00

From the page:
Hundreds of ordinary Americans were asked "How happy are you with the way you look?" This is what they had to say...

With a tip o' the beanie to my friend JB who hipped me to this.

Riding the Elevator into the Sky

2008-09-11T09:10:00.005-05:00

by Anne Sexton (1975)

As the fireman said:
Don't book a room over the fifth floor
in any hotel in New York.
They have ladders that will reach further
but no one will climb them.
As the New York Times said:
The elevator always seeks out
the floor of the fire
and automatically opens
and won't shut.
These are the warnings
that you must forget
if you're climbing out of yourself.
If you're going to smash into the sky.

Many times I've gone past
the fifth floor,
cranking upward,
but only once
have I gone all the way up.
Sixtieth floor:
small plants and swans bending
into their grave.
Floor two hundred:
mountains with the patience of a cat,
silence wearing its sneakers.
Floor five hundred:
messages and letters centuries old,
birds to drink,
a kitchen of clouds.
Floor six thousand:
the stars,
skeletons on fire,
their arms singing.
And a key,
a very large key,
that opens something –
some useful door –
somewhere –
up there.

Thanks to Charlie Suisman
found at Manhattan Users Guide

Parsecs and Podcast Peers

2008-09-01T17:15:00.008-05:00

In conventional terms, parsec is a hybrid of the words parallax and second. According to Wikipedia:

“The parsec ("parallax of one arcsecond", symbol pc) is a unit of length, equal to just over 30 trillion kilometres, or about 3.3 light years. The parsec is used in astronomy, and its length is defined as the distance from the sun at which two imaginary lines—one projected from the Earth, and one projected from the sun at a right angle to a third line connecting the Earth and the sun—intersect in space at an angle of 1 arcsecond.

”

However, Parsec in the world of portable media is an award given to standouts in the speculative fiction podcasting community. Now in their third year, the Parsecs were named at Dragon*Con at an event emceed by Mur Lafferty and John Cmar.

Special congratulations to Scott Sigler for "Red Man" in Best Speculative Fiction Story (Short Form); Mur Lafferty for two wins: "Playing For Keeps" in Best Speculative Fiction Story (Long Form) and "Heaven - Season Four: Wasteland" as Best Speculative Fiction Story (Novella Form); Christiana Ellis for "Space Casey" in Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Short Form including Independents); and Tee Morris for "Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword" in Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Long Form including Independents). Congratulations, as well, to the rest of the estimable winners of the Parsecs.

Thanks to this year's steering committee for all their hard work: Doug Kress from Slice of Trivia at Slice of SciFi, Kristin Mayo of Food Geeking; Thomas Vincent from Wingin' It 3-D.

~ ~ ~

The Podcast Peer Awards recognize excellence in podcasting and are in their fifth year and also announce winners at Dragon*Con. These Awards are nominated and voted upon by their membership.

I'm pleased to say that the Geologic Podcast has won Best Comedy Podcast. I extend huge congratulations to George Hrab for all his amazingly creative work and sincere thanks to the membership of the Podcast Peer organization.

I also want to congratulate the fabulous J.C. Hutchins for winning Best Podcast Novel for 7th Son, Book Three: DESTRUCTION; Derek and Swoopy for all the fantastic work they do on Skepticality which won for Best Science Podcast; Christiana Ellis of Christiana's Shallow Thoughts for Best Short Podcast; and the rest of the winners on the Podcast Peer roster.

The morning is full

2008-08-19T19:52:00.007-05:00

The morning is full of storm
in the heart of summer.

The clouds travel like white handkerchiefs of goodbye,
the wind, traveling, waving them in its hands.

The numberless heart of the wind
beating above our loving silence.

Orchestral and divine, resounding among the trees
like a language full of wars and songs.

Wind that bears off the dead leaves with a quick raid
and deflects the pulsing arrows of the birds.

Wind that topples her in a wave without spray
and substance without weight, and leaning fires.

Her mass of kisses breaks and sinks,
assailed in the door of the summer's wind.

—Pablo Neruda

© Peter Marlow / Magnum Photos

Reviewer sees red, misses Crimson

2008-08-14T08:24:00.003-05:00

When is a concert review not a review?
When it's like this.

This guy had it oh so wrong. The strangest aspects of the review are that there was barely mention of the actual show and some of the things the reviewer did mention were either incorrect or skewed or inanely deduced. He showed all the finesse of a teenage girl in full-on tantrum because she couldn't use her blasted cell phone.

It's worth a skim, especially for some of the intelligent comment responses. It's disturbing what passes for journalism these days.