palindrome

a funny parody

2008-05-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

My friend Amanda made this video for a contest.
I really like it.

Portland Comedy Co Op

2008-05-10T13:16:00.003-05:00

If you like to laugh and are looking for a good time in Portland, You should come take part in the Portland Comedy Co Op. Every Saturday night through the summer!

Random Question

2008-04-22T20:19:00.003-05:00

Do you think people voting for this person are stupid?

I'm pretty sure I do.

Hollywood Burger Bar

2008-03-15T01:18:00.003-05:00

action sequence 1

2008-03-15T01:04:00.000-05:00

test

2008-03-03T14:14:00.006-06:00

me learning how to post html things:
the new blog

(new title)

bye bye blog

2008-03-01T09:54:00.000-06:00

www.thesoftestbulletin.blogspot.com

Grizzly Bear on KCRW

2008-02-28T17:33:00.001-06:00

Morning Becomes Eclectic:

a slow transition

2008-02-28T14:55:00.004-06:00

I will slowly be transitioning from one blog to another.
I never liked the name of this blog - it was a last minute kind of thing I threw together to get something going.

Starting in the next week all new updates will be found at
http://www.thesoftestbulletin.blogspot.com

thank you, flaming lips.

Bishop's Robes

2008-02-26T11:26:00.002-06:00

my friend David Cady Jr. was the first person to force me to listen to radiohead in 1997, I think..? It was right around when OK Computer was released. That year I became obsessed. It stopped for the next few years, until Hail to the Thief came out. Today, I'm not the worlds biggest radiohead fan. I appreciate everything they do for music. I know they are very creative and innovative, but I'm not one to go out of my way and spend thousands of dollars on a ticket to see them live.

Still, every once in a while I listen to my catalog of Radiohead songs and get inspired and impressed by something they've done years ago...

Neutrino to P.I.M.P.

2008-02-25T17:18:00.004-06:00

Curious Production's first run of the Neutrino Project closed on Friday (February 22nd, 2008) to a great crowd. We did our first religious thriller titled "Loaves & Fishes". After our interview on OPB (which brought at least 12 people to the show) we were hoping our crowds would grow - and they did.
Overall - it was a successful run. There are a few small changes I plan on making - and I'm going to hire (hopefully) 4 more cast members for the show. Our audiences liked every show. We got great feedback along the way. Now it's time to blow their minds.

The first change will be a name transition. We're going to start moving away from The Portland Neutrino Project (which doesn't do anything for us, marketing-wise) and start calling the show the Portland Instant Movie Project (or Pimp) inspired by the Neutrino Project.

talk about pimp...

Sugar in the blood

2008-02-20T13:10:00.003-06:00

I fucking hate being diabetic.
I don't complain about it all that much. I've been living with it for 18 years, so I have learned to deal with how much a pain in the ass it is, but I feel like bitching so bare with me.
Over the course of a week, 7 days, I get exercise on average 4 of those days a week. By exercise I mean I ride my bike 5 miles to and from work. I walk my dog close to a mile (in total) every day. I get my usda approved amount of working out every week. I'm not much of a stationary guy. I sit a fair amount at work, but I try to walk seven or eight blocks at lunch every day.
Keeping control of my blood sugar every minute of every day fucking sucks. I haven't been able to remember a time where I didn't have to worry about what I was eating, or how much insulin I need to inject - since I got this when I was twelve.
To think that most people don't have to worry about it make me mad. I have never been one to eat terrible foods. I wasn't an obese child. Nobody close to me in my family had type 1 diabetes before I got it.

It's a pain.

I have read a few other diabetic blogs and they all complain like this a little, so I thought I would share.

My blood sugar has been high for 30 hours, with three days of 5 mile bike rides.
I give up.
I don't mean I give up, give up. I mean I give up worrying about it and I'll continue to take just as good care of myself as I've been. I give up worrying about the numbers. That's the biggest pain of all of it. Bodies change every once in a while. Even if I did the same exact thing, ate the exact same meals, etc. everyday - it would eventually change a little bit. I have to adjust insulin and exercise, all that.

It's still not the best it could be, but it's getting closer.
I have an appointment with a diabetes specialist in two weeks. I need to start writing down my glucose and insulin levels.

perfect pretty (and tough)

2008-02-19T18:38:00.002-06:00

Rainer Maria - Look Now, Look Again

From the transition of punk - to pop punk - to emo - to indie rock, Rainer Maria came to me right at the emo to indie phase. Look Now, Look Again was the first album I had to stop everything I was doing and just listen to it, when I heard it. With it's poetic (pretentious?) lyrics, male/female back-and-forth vocals and shift from soft to shouty vocals... this records stands out as one of my favorites. At the time of its release, Polyvinyl had one heck of a strong bunch o' bands. If you're looking for some inspiration, you may find it when you listen to this record.

Perfect Conceptuals

2008-02-18T11:59:00.004-06:00

Over the past few years I've begun to appreciate the concept album. I find it's a great way to focus a band's sound when they're telling stories. If the concept album works and the large story is clear - while giving perfect individual songs along the way, it's quite an accomplishment. Two of my favorite 'concept' albums are:
the Extraordinaires - Ribbons of War

Holy crap. When I discovered this album three years ago I listened to it nonstop for two months. I soon introduced everyone I knew to it because of its simple brilliance. The Extraordinaires are a fairly young band out of Philly, but they sound like a group of old folk-storymen on this record.
The concept/rock opera of Ribbons of War is a brilliant piece of lo-fi indie folk music from start to finish.

the Black Heart Procession - Amore del Tropico

The concept album of Amore del Tropico is the dark side of love gone wrong. While Ribbons of War tells a story of heartache, the Black Heart Procession have always been able to illustrate the seedy underbelly of all things (especially love). Here on this tropical love adventure Pall Jenkins and Company weave a tale of love destruction and sadness. It's haunting and Beautiful and at the same time, the creepiest thing you've ever heard... and I love it.

a perfect helpy ablum

2008-02-18T11:43:00.004-06:00

Of Montreal - the Gay Parade

In late 2001, early 2002 I went through a tough, tough break up. It was not a good time for me. Of Montreal's The Gay Parade was one of the two albums that helped me get through it. This record is full of fun and little stories to escape into, exactly what I needed when the feelings of an 8 year relationship was dissolving around me. I've sort of fallen off the Of Montreal bandwagon since they went disco a few years ago... but the Gay Parade is one of the most treasured albums in my collection. It brings a smile to my face each time I listen to it.

perrrfectly cool

2008-02-17T18:24:00.003-06:00

Holly Golightly - Serial Girlfriend

About a year after I moved to the city (late '99) I was introduced to Holly Golightly by two of the girls who worked at Borders with me. Kathrine and (I can't remember the other girl's name... terrible) They would bring in a lot of music to listen to. Holly Golightly hit me right away. She creates the coolest sounding, retro 60's garage dirty girl Russ Meyer movie soundtrack sounds.
I want her to score the movie I plan on writing. It's perfectly cool.

more flavorite ablums...

2008-02-17T17:20:00.003-06:00

the Most Secret Method - get lovely

I just went through my itunes and put together a playlist of albums I think our perfect for whatever reasons. There are 23 of them, so I guess I have something in common with both Michael Jordan and Jim Carrey.
Nevertheless - When I left college in 1998 (a year shy of graduating) I did a lot of growing up in a little amount of time. It was the way I chose to do it. I could have forced myself to stay in school for another year and graduate with a degree in theater and creative writing, but I seriously doubt I could be in a better place than I am right now. I wasn't learning anything, nor was I enjoying myself. I knew where I wanted to be - and that's where I went. I moved into the city to study and perform improvisational comedy - and I loved all ten years I was in Chicago with all the good and bad things that happened along the way, I wouldn't change a day of it.
This album by The Most Secret Method is one of the three records I had on repeat for my first few months living in the city by myself. (The other two will be posted on this list, I'm sure). The trio of brothers Marc and Ryan Nelson with Johanna Claasen start with a foundation of DC/Dischord style punk, but they make it there own. For the band to have three members, this is one of the strangest, most full albums I own. I always fall in love with this album when I listen to it. I'm not sure if everyone will encounter the same effect, but this one does it for me. It's aggressive and beautiful, taking it's time between crazy outbursts of guitar and yelps. This record means a lot to me and will always take me back to that point in my life where I was really figuring out who I was and who I am.

ablumsss, con't

2008-02-17T11:04:00.003-06:00

Modest Mouse - the Lonesome Crowded West

When I first moved to Chicago (from the suburbs) I was working in the cafe of a Borders Book Store. See, people in the cafe make just as much as the book people, but they also get tips. Generally the tips aren't that much, but every little bit helps. (working around food when you're broke is always a plus too.) While working there I was introduced to Modest Mouse by a fellow employee named Ben. Ben only worked there for 4 or 5 months, but in that time we exchanged a lot of musical knowledge. This was in late 1998. Modest Mouse became a big obsession of mine for the next three years. The Lonesome Crowded West is a 74 minute masterpiece, with songs ranging from the slow, dark western-tinged crawls (Long Distance Drunk, Polar Opposites) To the quick, punky anthems (Convenient Parking, Shit Luck). This is the type of album most bands wish they could create.

Favorite Albums (college edition)

2008-02-17T02:25:00.001-06:00

Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy
This album has nothing but good things. The band hit its stride and knew how to do what they do best. This Bay Area Trio got national (and international) acclaim with this record. So much so, they were signed to David Geffen's DGC label. Dear You came out a few years later and caused the band to self-distruct. Here on 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, Blake Schwarzenbach and Co. give you the antidote to every Dear John letter ever written. I remember riding around in my 1985 white ford escort 5-speed (it was 1997), blasting and singing along to "Do You Still Hate Me" on more than one occasion. I'm sad this band blew up.

albummmsss, con't.

2008-02-17T02:09:00.002-06:00

Blonde Redhead - Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons
For the most part, I'm a pretty straight forward music appreciator. I don't enjoy art rock that is arty for the sake of it. I don't like my music too avante garde for it's own good. I'm surprised I love Blonde Redhead as much as I do, but alas - I can't help it. They're no Liars or Deerhoof, to be sure - but they have a bit of a bite. If you're not careful you can get turned off by the shrieks and yelps Kazu Makino can and will let out at any given time. I bought this record a few years after it was released, right before I started interning at Touch & Go Records. I have dreams of Blonde Redhead scoring my most artsy movie I plan on making...

more albumssss....

2008-02-17T02:00:00.004-06:00

Pedro the Lion - it's hard to find a friend
This is the perfect album to listen to when you're feeling sorry for yourself. I've spent many cold winters listening to this awaiting the springtime sun in Chicago. Now that I'm in Portland, the winter has not been bad enough to put this on and pray for sun. I suppose that's a good thing, but I kinda wanted a reason to sulk and listen to this beautiful record. I remember buying this album at Reckless Records on Broadway in Lincoln Park, Chicago. It was late summer, 1999. A year later I would see David Bazan play at that same record store for a 30 minute in-store performance. He is a very nice fellow and this is my favorite album of his.

the Important things

2008-02-17T01:04:00.004-06:00

I've been reading a lot about the 10 year anniversary of Neutral Milk Hotel's album IN The AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA lately. I suppose it's my way - that if I'm told to like something, or that I will love something before I hear it, I approach it with too much trepidation. While I think Aeroplane is a good album, I'm one of the few people who it has never really hit. I enjoy both NMH albums and like a lot of what the Elephant 6 Collective was putting out in the mid-to-late 90's... I can't say I am the type of indie rock music nerd who has listened to In The Aeroplane Over The Sea more than 10 times in the 10 years it's been out. Their are portions of the album that I think are brilliant and beautiful, but there are other parts that drive me crazy in a bad way.

I thought I would put together some posts of the albums that are important to me. Meaningful to me and my life for whatever reason, in no particular order.

Spoon - Girls Can Tell

I had just quit my job and got a lower-paying, but more enjoyable job at Cornerstone Promotion doing on-line promoting for bands - thanks to Jason Anfinsen (he got me the job). It didn't pay much, but it was very easy and it allowed me to listen to a lot of new music. Those ten months or so at Cornerstone was a blast. I could come in whenever I wanted and listen to any of the promos we got in. While listening to internet radio while working the song "Lines in the Suit" came on and it hit me hard. That day I went to my local record store and sought out this album. Every song on here is perfect, to me. This album is thirty-six minutes of perfect indie rock.

it's about time...

2008-02-15T11:19:00.002-06:00

So, I finally asked my girl to marry me. She said she'll think about it, but I'm pretty sure she's leaning towards "yes". I'm kidding. We're in no rush to get married, but we are now (finally) officially engaged.

where was I?

2008-02-14T11:06:00.002-06:00

I don't know where I've been, or why I've slept on the Bowerbirds,
but I think I have found my favorite song of 2008. Or at least my favorite song for February 2008 (though the album came out last year)

Check into Bowerbirds debut album Hymns For A Dark Horse on Dead Oceans Records.
PS - Dead Oceans has one of the best collections of bands. Every album in their catalog is pretty darn amazing.

McCain

2008-02-12T12:59:00.001-06:00

Now, I'm not a very political person - so I don't follow primaries or care to know what each candidate says. Generally they all say the same thing. Right now they're all talking about how great they are and/or how bad their opponents are. I couldn't care less.
However, some friends from Second City put this together and it makes me laugh a lot.
It's a pro-Obama / anti-McCain video that was put together perfectly.

a serious addiction

2008-02-07T18:54:00.000-06:00

Holy Crap. I can't stop eating these things. When they first came out I thought they were alright, but I never went out of my way to get them. For some reason, right now - they are the only thing I crave that I can't get enough of.

Some things I have overcome the cravings for:
Chipotle Burritos
Yoohoo Chocolate water drink
Jewel brand diet cream soda
Papa John's bacon & pineapple pizza (that shit is gooood)
Original Cookie Crisp cereal (they changed the formula around 1998 and it hasn't been the same since)
good clam dip

one of these days I'm going to prepare a feast of only the foods I have an insatiable craving for. I'll probably die of a joy explosion.

funny

2008-02-05T16:40:00.000-06:00

this makes me laugh like nothing else:

Now poop on them Oliver.

the first best record of 2008

2008-02-05T14:40:00.001-06:00

Evangelicals - the Evening Descends

I have been captured by this album. It will not let me go.

review:
http://www.lostatsea.net/review.phtml?id=104499001647a7935f3f840

(I suppose this post is a lie, as I also have fallen in love with Vampire Weekend, which was released in 2008 - but I heard it in 2007 first.)

Just for what?

2008-02-05T07:24:00.001-06:00

justforlife
Originally uploaded by jihaboy

Another fun store in Paris. I have no idea what's in here either, but look - it's the top of my index finger!

my favorite store in Paris

2008-02-05T07:22:00.001-06:00

yanko
Originally uploaded by jihaboy

I have no idea what type of store this is. It was on a sidestreet (next to a Mcdonalds, again!) but the name alone made me laugh. It wasn't quite in the red lights of Paris, kind of just out of the red light district... so the name probably means something other than what you're thinking.

Pictures from Paris...finally

2008-02-03T11:56:00.001-06:00

metro
Originally uploaded by jihaboy

After two weeks I have finally gotten around to uploading the pictures from Paris from my phone. They're not the greatest quality, but here they are.
I got to be fairly familiar with traveling on the Metro. This is the stop near Moulin Rouge. I didn't get a picture of my stop at Bastille... but it's the Metro. It doesn't matter where I was, they all have a sign like this.

Paris Pics, con't

2008-02-03T11:53:00.001-06:00

alley
Originally uploaded by jihaboy

Walking around Paris, it's hard to see why any director would want to shoot a movie there. You turn from a busy street and walk down an alley that looks like this. Even from the picture, it looks like it was created in its own time zone. The color of the next street casting shadows in the black and white of the old alley. I realize my tone doesn't come across here in my typing. The landscape of Paris is perfect for any/every movie.

Paris pics, con't.

2008-02-03T11:49:00.001-06:00

sexodrome
Originally uploaded by jihaboy

more phone pictures...
This will make it seem like I spent most of my time in the Red Lights of Paris. I had to take a picture of this 3 level sex shop/dance bar. It's two or three blocks away from Moulin Rouge... near the Mcdonalds!

Paris pictures, con't

2008-02-03T11:46:00.001-06:00

moulin
Originally uploaded by jihaboy

These are all pics from my phone, so the quality won't be the best. I have them on my flickr page as well.
Here is Moulin Rouge. I walked around a lot on my last Saturday in Paris. Every time I walked past Moulin Rouge there were groups of people taking pictures of it. At this moment, I was one of those people.

drama

2008-01-30T13:03:00.001-06:00

Oh Boy,
So week two of Neutrino passed with a lot of drama. I've discovered it is difficult managing a cast of 14 people and making sure each of them feels comfortable and feels heard/understood at all times - especially with a show as complicated as Neutrino.
I am learning how to handle it all and to make it as even as I can... while still wearing my director hat. It's not easy.
I could sure stand to have a little less drama as we move forward.

PNP Article 1

2008-01-25T12:08:00.000-06:00

from the Portland Tribune January 25, 2008:

A dubious director entices a young actress to star in a project involving his bunny. Two Russian buddies deal in black-market feminine hygiene products. A husband recounts his wife’s recovery from an addiction to cat medication.
At first it looks like a regular movie — a quirky, multistoried new work by say, Steven Soderbergh or Jim Jarmusch.
What the audience at the Hollywood Theatre didn’t see last Friday night is the controlled creative chaos it takes to bring these movies — unique hybridizations of improv acting and guerrilla filmmaking — to the screen.
The same process, with new personalities and new stories, will be used again during tonight’s second presentation by the Portland Neutrino Project.

At a breakneck pace, the dozen rapid-witted (and aerobically fit) improvisational performers plot, perform, film, edit and splice together a 90-minute movie in real time.
Story lines are based on objects provided by the audience, and the makeshift script is shot at various locations near the Hollywood Theatre.
“We’ve been rehearsing once a week since November, and as it gets tighter, you get more and more in sync with each other,” said Betse Green, co-founder of Curious Productions, the organization behind the project, and a veteran of Portland’s improv scene, with five years in the Comedy-Sportz team under her belt.

The group rehearses the tightly timed format, but the material — the plots, the characters, the dialogue — remains 100 percent improv.
New York City was home to the first flock of Neutrinos. The idea has taken flight in other cities, from Seattle to Phoenix.
Portland’s Neutrinos are divided into three teams, each composed of actors, a director working the camera, and a runner, who keeps time on the video segments and oversees continuity of the overall story line.
“For the actors, they don’t have the audience, and that instant reaction, so they have to trust their directors to be the audience,” notes Curious co-founder Stacey Hallal, who directed last Friday night’s premiere.
Hallal and Bob Ladewig, a member of Chicago’s Neutrino Project, provided coaching tips for the stage performers’ transition to on-camera comedy.
As the run of the show progresses, each Neutrino will rotate roles on the team.

Teresa Tulipano served as the runner for her team, noting the plot and mood of each scene on a Post-it. Runners hastily converged after each filmed segment outside of Mark Lindsay’s Rock & Roll Cafe to trade notes and keep the flow of the movie.

“The timing is the hardest thing of all,” she says, adding, “runners don’t need to work out that day.”
For the audience, the result is eye opening. You can’t help but come away with a new admiration for improv performers as gifted all-around comedians, who can work with a new medium and bring in the funny under tremendously tight deadlines.
The team plans to keep up the pace, every Friday night for the next month.

“There are 18 (feature) films being shot in Portland this year,” says Neutrino Bill Cernansky, “and a ton of them are going to be ours.”

— Lee Williams
Portland Tribune

January recap

2008-01-24T12:44:00.000-06:00

I feel like writing, so bare with me.
the Ad agency I work for is having a contest of sorts - it coincides with Manuary, so I'm all about it. All the dudes in the office spun the "Wheel of Mustaches". On the wheel were 16 different "celebrity" mustaches. Whichever mustache you land on you must grow. There was everything from Rawly Fingers to Hitler. Everyone chipped in 20 bucks and whoever grows the best mustache (the one they're supposed to grow) wins the pot. A collection of women in the office will be the judges.
The day of judging is February 22. That is still a month away. I have been growing my dumb mustache all of Manuary - and now I still have a month to go. Ugh.
Every Manuary around the 22nd it gets too much to handle. It's a real commitment at this point, either you trim it up and keep it - or you shave it off.

It's kind of driving me nutso.

Enough Mustache talk,

Spending time as a freelance writer makes me want to continue doing that.
I have enjoyed my day job here at a very cool ad agency, but it was a whole different ballgame getting flown in to a new company, having meetings where they present all sorts of information and then wait for us to deliver genius in writing up all the info they just gave us.
It was three days of meetings, three different projects.
In the end, I developed on logical storyline that gives their game exactly what it needs on all angles.
They seemed very pleased and excited about it.

By Monday I should get the word about working with them on the other two projects as we move forward.

I hope I can continue this working relationship...
and I also hope to get paid soon. I didn't realize the exchange rate as I was paying for things in Paris. Yikes! I spent a lot more money than I thought I was.

Neutrino week 1

2008-01-23T15:45:00.000-06:00

While I was away, the show I directed opened in Portland. The Neutrino Project. It's an extremely technical show and it went off without a hitch. Congratulations to my cast and to Stacey for taking on the most difficult role in the project and bringing out a great show.
Apparently there was a reviewer from a local paper who tagged along with one of the groups the entire show. Hopefully we'll be getting some good press this week and larger audiences as the show continues.

France

2008-01-19T05:20:00.000-06:00

My week is up here in Paris.
Holy crap - it has been great. Everyone at Ubisoft is teh awesome. I have made a great friend in Cedric, the lead producer on the game. He apparently has a club that meets every Wednesday to watch the worst Bmovies ever created. He and his girlfriend took us to a "retro bar" where we hung out for 3 hours late Friday night.
I can't believe how much fun this trip has been - and while it has been a lot of work, we have created a great relationship with the Rayman brand and will probably continue to do work with them as all these projects move forward.

Thank you to Amanda Philipson, my friend and writing partner for getting me mixed up in this business. Seeing Paris for the first time has been great.
Hopefully I will be getting some sleep soon.

PS - This is big in Paris. It's ridiculous.

Across the Planet

2008-01-14T19:01:00.000-06:00

I am currently in Paris France.
It's two in the morning and I'm working on scripts for videogame commercials.
I walked around the streets of Paris a little this evening.
It's pretty beautiful.
I have to charge my phone in order to take pictures. It can't do anything else without a French
SMS card, which I don't want to purchase (thank you SKYPE).

Things are good.
I have to go back to the office at 8 and present some things.
I should get some sleep.

more to come.

the Portland Neutrino Project: Horror

2008-01-11T21:29:00.000-06:00

I used footage from rehearsals to build trailers for The Neutrino Projects. I made trailers for movies that don't exist as an ad for Neutrino.

Horror

Wiiiiiiiii

2008-01-11T01:24:00.000-06:00

I now have a Wii.
I have played Rayman (1 and 2) and have been splitting all my time between two activities: The first - Directing the Portland Neutrino Project. The show opens on January 18th (next Friday) at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. It runs for 6 weeks, Friday Nights at 9:30 pm. We've been rehearsing forever and it's already a great show. The thing about Neutrino is - you never know what to expect. It's such a technically challenging show - and it needs to be timed out so perfectly... disaster could strike at any turn. We have done our best ironing out any possible kinks, but you never know.

The Second - preparing for my international work trip. I'm being paid to fly to Paris to write about the Rayman Rabbids and brainstorm the next version of the Bunny game. I have played, talked about and written all things Bunny over this past week. It's pretty sickening. Bwaaaa! I've never been to Europe, so to be paid to go for my first time is a pretty crazy thought...and all I have to do is punch up Bunny jokes and make them "american". I'll take it!

Bwaaaaah!

2008-01-04T12:00:00.001-06:00

I am obsessed.
I need to find a Wii... and quick.

out with the old, in with the 2008

2008-01-01T15:06:00.001-06:00

Lots of great stuff going on at the end of 2007 -
and it hasn't stopped in the 2008 either.
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

This Debut album gets released in early February and it's fantastic.
I'm going to Paris on January 12.
The Portland Neutrino Project opens January 18.

2008 is moving.

My top 10 of 2007

2007-12-26T11:57:00.001-06:00

My own recap of my favorite releases of this year.

10)Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Probably the most intimate and beautiful album released this year. This album is for anyone who wishes TV on the Radio were best friends with Sam Beam. A unique twist for the hole left in your heart after the death of Elliott Smith.

09) Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

I listened to this album many times during my move from Chicago to Portland. When I listen to it now I will always have images of a beautiful Wyoming Sunset.

08)Okkervil River - The Stage Names

It took a while for this album to hit me, but it has... hard. These boys know how to make emotionally driven music even when they're not trying.

07) St Vincent - Marry Me

Seeing Annie Clark live helped me understand how wonderful this album is. Such a huge, deep record for a multi-talented individual.

06) the Teeth - You're My Lover Now

Each year I seek out my favorite 'out of the blue' band/album and The Teeth took that slot this year. I got to see these guys live in Chicago before I left and there couldn't have been a better way to say goodbye.

05) Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Zach Condon may be an elitist. He may also subscribe to the Morrissey-lifestyle newsletter, but damn can he make great music.

04) Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala

If I were to fall in love with one individual simply for the music he creates, it would be this individual. Jens Lekman has won my heart. sigh...

03) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

This sophomore album is a perfect Dancey-post-punk record. The Debut LCD Soundsystem put out a few years ago went on a little too long and some songs were kept alive a little too long, even if you're dancing. Sound of Silver makes it look easy and sound even better.

02) Battles - Mirrored

When I think about the future of music, I hope this album influences the way young bands think when they're creating their albums.

01) Menomena - Friend and Foe

I now live in the same town as these three guys. This is the most enjoyable and creative album released this year and I enjoy it far too much.

Hooray for lists!

Happy Howlidays

2007-12-20T11:41:00.001-06:00

I never agree to dressing up dogs like people. I think it's wrong.
This was a little different. The Vet we take Arlo to had a charity 'picture with santa' day, where we make a donation and one of the vet techs dressed like Santa.
We had the option of putting antlers or a santa hat on our dog, but we politely refused. Arlo in the arms of a vet-turned-santa is priceless enough.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Um...

2007-12-16T19:37:00.000-06:00

Bill Cosby...
Shouldn't you add a comma somewhere in there?

also

2007-12-13T15:58:00.001-06:00

this makes me laugh a lot.

Tis the Season

2007-12-13T15:01:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays from a hard working adult in Portland Oregon.

PNP

2007-12-08T00:06:00.000-06:00

the Portland Neutrino Project is in full swing. Last week Curious Productions purchased three brand new Sony VX 2100 cameras. I've been playing around with mine a lot. It has many different in-camera edits as well as top-o'-the-line low light shooting.
The cast has been great. We're all learning the ins and outs of these new cameras. I can't wait for the show's debut on January 18th.

Troubles: a trip down memory lane

2007-12-05T17:06:00.001-06:00

I have been writing music reviews for different online publications for going-on five years now.
I write about twenty reviews a year, on average... which isn't a lot, but seeing as how I don't get paid for it, I do it because I enjoy music and I enjoy writing... so it's kind of the best of both worlds. With every year I probably write one or two reviews I'm really proud of - and every once in a while a bit of controversy is stirred up upon the publication of a review.
Case in point - my review for Seth Knappen's album "Leaving Sound". When I listened to this album I was bored and amazed at how much he was ripping off the sounds of John Vanderslice - so I wrote this review:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dear John Vanderslice,
Let me start by saying I am obviously a fan of all the music that you create. Being a songwriter myself, I have an ear for the creative and atmospheric textures you are able to layer within all of your songs. From the perfectly timed whirrs and buzzes of"Fiend in a Cloud", way back to the beautiful and heartfelt crooning of "My Old Flame". My hats off to you, sir, you are an inspiration.

The way you make a moody album flow is astounding. You can take a simple chord progression and use it to its fullest potential by layering genius sounds and fleshing out strong lyrics on top of all of it. You never (or rarely) create the feeling of any one particular mood - and that is my problem. You see, I've made an album consisting of 9 separate tracks, yet they all sound exactly the same (and to be honest, they're all a little boring).

I was able to work with a friend of mine, Mr. Alan Sparhawk of the band Low (name drop), which possibly added to the dull and somber feeling of everything, but I'm not trying to place blame. I hear you yourself are a bit of a perfectionist in the studio. Geez, if only I had that sort of patience. I have an overwhelming tendency to strum a guitar slowly and draw out one note on a keyboard for minutes at a time. With all that said, I suppose me whining in the most sad and pathetic way when I sing doesn't really help matters much ("Carrying You Through" for example).

I was in the band Darling for many years, which paved the way for my slow music tendencies. I've been around music for a long time and I love to create it, but I think I need a vacation. Maybe I just need to cheer up. Perhaps writing this letter will cheer me up, after all- you are someone I obviously get inspired by. Maybe this will be the start of a long, friendly relationship. Thank you for your time, I gotta go now, I'm gonna eat some Triscuit crackers and watch golf on television.

Write back soon.

Sincerely,
Seth
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The day after it published online, Seth Knappen himself wrote an email to my editor asking him to take it down. He said he was offended and the review confused his friends and family, asking him "why did you write a letter to John Vanderslice"...
Really?

My editor wrote him a hilarious email in response:

Hey Seth.

Uhm, first off I should preface this email by saying that no tone is
implied, that I take no offense to your email(s), and that hopefully we
can clear this up for everyone's understanding. Sorry for the slow reply,
but I was on a trip and didn't get your messages until Sunday evening. Look,
I know you're the center of the Universe and all, and I should have been
home all weekend checking my email, but alas- I was out of town. See, that
could be seen as rude unless I put one of those :) things in there! But it
wasn't rude, because email has no tone! Happy happy rar rar!

Okay, so first of all someone did indeed send us a press kit with your
album asking for it to be reviewed, so you might want to check on who is
representing you without your express written consent. We don't solicit
for press kits- they just magically appear from places we've never heard
of. So, that out of the way, we were indeed asked for our opinions on your
album. When we're sent a press kit the contents are ours to do with as we
please.
There is a clear statement on our website regarding this matter, and we
cannot be held responsible for those who do not read said statement.
Obviously, as we were sent a press kit, we are free to use your name,
the album cover, song titles, et cetera in our reviews. That should be
obvious.

Now on to the review. It's sarcasm and, quite frankly, anyone with half
a brain knows that IT IS A REVIEW and that it was written by Bob Ladewig,
a writer for LAS, a publication which was sent a copy of your album. I
mean I honestly, sincerely apologize if any of your fans, friends or family
have been upset thinking you'd actually written that letter to Mr.
Vanderslice, but if that is indeed the case you need to find some smarter people to
associate with.

So, after your initial howling email, I removed the link to your email
address (which was funny- admit it!) and your last name as a courtesy
to you. That's about as far as it goes. We are under no obligation to
accept unsolicited mail, no obligation to open said mail, no obligation to
listen to contents of said mail, and we're certainly under no obligation to
write a review. But we did all of that stuff with a package someone sent us
WITHOUT ASKING, as a courtesy, and now we're getting the third degree? Tisk, tisk.

Basically there are no rules once we open that press kit. Because if
there were rules, number one would read: Do not send us a packet of plastic
and paper asking for a review unless you really want a review. With all of
that out of the way, I'll consider this issue resolved unless you'd like our
legal council to send you a copy of the review policy which should have
been read before the press kit was sent out.

Now I'd like to take a moment to surmise that if the same style of
review had been written for a review which called your album "the true trump
to John Vanderslice" and went on to rave about it I'd most likely not be typing this email.
If you have any other questions, please let me know. Again, please keep in
mind that this email has no tone :) and that none should be implied.
Thanks for reading, and have a good week!

-> Eric J Herboth / Editor
PS- If you'd really like to name your next album "the lostatsea.net cd
that tells the public what these people really think about what theyre doing in their own words..... courtesy of seth knappen" that would be totally cool with us. We'd be honored (although we'd probably urge you to use an editor for grammur)!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
how silly.

Year in Music review

2007-12-05T15:03:00.000-06:00

In Random order, my twenty favorite releases this year.
To be whittled down to a top ten at some point this month.

Menomena - friend and foe
Battles - mirrored
Jens Lekman - night falls on kortedala
Beirut - the flying club cup
Iron & Wine - the shepherd's dog
LCD Soundsystem - sound of silver
Arcade Fire - neon bible
the Teeth - you're my lover now
Spoon - ga ga ga ga ga
Bon Iver - for emma, forever ago
!!! - myth takes
St Vincent - marry me
Man Man - six demon bag
Okkervil River - the stage names
Radiohead - in rainbows
Andrew Bird - armchair apocrypha
the New Pornographers - challengers
Patrick Wolf - the magic position
Alaska in Winter - dance party in the balkans
Sunset Rubdown - random spirit lover

I think those are all the albums released this year that I would consider putting in my top 10. Time to start listening closely, I guess.

Too much Whine, not enough Iron

2007-12-03T02:32:00.001-06:00

We went to see Iron & Wine at the Crystal Ballroom this evening. I have all the albums Sam Beam has recorded under his Iron & Wine moniker and I enjoy them a lot. Some more than others. I've written on here how I do enjoy the new album very much... but I've never seen him live.

apparently he has a band now - and they all took part in writing and recording the new album. That's a good sign. As I said - I like the new album.
If you're wondering whatever happened to the crowds of people who used to follow the Grateful Dead around, I can now tell you. They're in the band that backs Sam Beam and together they all call themselves Iron & Wine.

It's pretty unfortunate. Sam Beam used to write/record some of the most beautiful and intimate folk/indie tunes around. Now he's got this backing band of old jazz/hippies who like to transition from one song to the next with a fucking jam session. They played for an hour and a half. Maybe 3 songs sounded like their original versions and all but two of them included a serious hippy waste of time jam session.

Disappointing for sure.

the waiting game.

2007-11-28T14:29:00.000-06:00

I am currently waiting to hear back from a videogame company about them buying some commercials I've written for one of their games. They are planning on buying them, but they also MAY want me to take a trip to their location and pitch the commercial ideas firsthand. They are in France, just outside of Paris. This means I will need a passport, which I don't have.
They also said, or hinted at - all this happening BEFORE Christmas, which is over the next three weeks. In order to expedite a passport in that amount of time I will need a confirmed flight and departure date.

This waiting game is torturous.

...but I really want to go to France and work with this videogame company.

funny

2007-11-25T10:22:00.000-06:00

My friend Nick introduced me to this on youtube. I'm still not sure why it makes me laugh as much as it does... Some guy called StSanders overdubs live rock video footage - with terrible guitar solos and other weird instruments. But he makes it look as close to the actual playing as it can get. It really shouldn't be as funny as it is - but I can't stop laughing. The whistling in this one gets me every time...

there are a lot of them on his youtube page. Check them out.

Enjoy your Turkey

2007-11-22T12:48:00.001-06:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, FRIENDS!

Top 2007 Albums Con't (Great Videos Section)

2007-11-20T18:41:00.000-06:00

Justice - cross
dance

Similar to Fujiya & Miyagi last year, Justice hit me at the right place and the right time. This album is a digital dance party (and this video is cool as hell). I'm guessing this album will make the top ten on pitchfork this year. It's in my top 20 for sure, but it probably won't break the 10.

Socalled - ghettoblaster
you are never alone

This album is not bad. Apparently this kid takes all his parent's old 45's and scours them for samples. Some crazy little jewish kid. This has to be one of the best videos ever.

Cold War Kids - robbers & cowards
hang me up to dry

I fell in love with this band last year and have listened to their song 'we used to vacation' well over a hundred times, according to iTunes. This album, while not as strong as many others released this year - isn't bad.
This video looks like a cut up Scorsese movie... I like that.

Wet Season

2007-11-17T09:49:00.001-06:00

This is an old picture of Arlo.
The Rainy season has begun in Portland. I decided to try to take Public Transportation to work yesterday. It's about 4 miles from my house and there is a bus (77) that will take me 4 blocks away from where I work, according to Portland Pub.Trans. I got to the bus stop and waited for 15 or 20 minutes. No bus. So, I jumped in a cab and spent 10 bucks getting to work. Looks like I'm going to have to buy a wetsuit in order to ride my bike to work over the next 4 months. I'm not a fan of rain. Looks like I'll have to grow to appreciate it.

Best Song Ever

2007-11-15T18:59:00.001-06:00

do you enjoy rock and roll cliche's?

Hot Shot City

West Coasting

2007-11-15T18:07:00.000-06:00

So I have been away from Chicago about two months now. While I am writing this post about it, I haven't been missing much. I keep in touch with friends and I've got plenty of fond memories, but so much is happening so quickly I don't have time to sit down and wish things are the way they were. There is so much good out here in Portland on the West Coast, I don't really want it to be any different.
I got my first salary pay check (instead of through the temp office) at the Ad agency and by gosh by golly did it bring a smile to my face. It's only 2/3 of a pay period, too.
2007 has been a pretty darn good year. Let's keep this up, 'eh?

Top 2007 Albums Con't even further...

2007-11-13T17:38:00.000-06:00

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
skinny girls:

I have only had this album for a month or so, but I'm listening to it the way I did Grizzly Bear last year. I love it. It's haunting and beautiful. I know it sounds like TV On The Radio playing Iron & Wine songs, but it's unique in that way. Every song on this 9 song album is perfect. Look into it.

speaking of...
Iron & Wine - the shepherd's dog
boy with a coin:

I love how full this album sounds. Sam Beam is getting more and more creative with each album. This has a much more full (and much poppier) sound. While the roots are still in southern folk, Iron & Wine are moving into different territory - and I like it.

Bishop Allen - the broken string
like castinets:

While this full album isn't as big and bold as their EP's from last year, it's still a great listen. Nice boy pop music. it's friendly and fun - and these guys are so nice.

There's a NEW york?

2007-11-12T09:55:00.001-06:00

Took a crazy trip to New York this weekend for two of our best friends, Jed and Teresa - who went and got hitched in Battery Gardens. It's the southern-most point of Manhatten. The closest to Staten Island you can get. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception. I got to see a lot of old friends, met some new ones - and chatted with the wonderful/crazy people in Jed's family. They're all great.
We took a red-eye flight out Friday night. It was supposed to land at 8am at JFK. The wedding began at 11 am. That's close. Closer still, the plane was delayed two hours. We didn't leave Portland until around 2 am. We got in at 9:45. The flight attendants on our JetBlue plane gave us a pointer about hailing cabs at an airport. Most airports have a cab station where you have to wait in a line. At JFK, it's almost always guaranteed that the cab line will be long and it will take you up to half an hour to get a cab. Instead of waiting in that line, go to Departures and get in a cab as it's dropping people off. It worked.
We spent all of 3 minutes inside JFK and got to Battery Gardens about 10 minutes before the ceremony.
It was crazytime for us. The flight home took over six hours. ugh.

After the reception, a group of us jumped on the Staten Island Ferry and boated past the statue o' liberty. It's something I've never seen in NYC - so it was great.

Overall, a lovely weekend.
Congrats to Jed and Teresa...
now get out here to Portland.

Top 2007 Albums Con't...again

2007-11-08T18:37:00.000-06:00

Battles - Mirrored

God Damn. This album pushes boundaries. It has a lot of the future of music on display and it takes left turns at every possible stop. Seeing these guys live was a little underwhelming, but only because I have loved this album all year. There's no way they could live up to the hype. Plus - they had a SUPER SHITTY opening band, so that didn't help. This album is on the list fer sher.

Man Man - Six Demon Bag

These guys are just as crazy as this song and video suggest. Their live show was amazing. This album took me a while to get into, but after seeing them live - I have fallen into deeper love with it. They are great and I can't wait for the follow up record they apparently just finished.

the Teeth - You're My Lover Now

From the same town as Man Man (Philly) The Teeth popped onto my radar in April or May of this year. This album, while not nearly as crazy as Six Demon Bag - has it's fill of insane moments. There is also plenty of clever songwriting and fun all over it. It's well worth it. These guys are creative and could use some recognition.

many more to come...

Commmmmercialsss

2007-11-08T11:51:00.000-06:00

I received a dvd copy of a commercial I shot a few weeks ago.
It looks really good.
The Ad Agency I shot it for told me it was now up to the company to buy the spots and use them however they want to use them...
Is this something Ad agencies tell actors - in order to pay them less than necessary.
I didn't get all that much for the commercial itself. It was fine for the 5 hours I was there - a lot more than a temp job for sure,
but I'm wondering - if these actually make it to local or national airways, I will have gotten nowhere near the $ commercial actors get for that.

The reason it comes up is - the quality of the commercial and the writing/idea behind it is pretty clever. I can see it doing well for the product.

I guess we'll see how it all turns out with the company...

Top 2007 Albums Con't

2007-11-06T14:37:00.000-06:00

Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala

Scandinavian / English Pop. The stuff that dreams are made of. I love this album (and this person) a lot more than I should. His music is so simple and beautiful. It gets me in all the right places. Thank you, Jens.

Beirut - the Flying Club Cup

Similar to Jens, Zach Condon wears his Eastern-European influences on his sleeve and creates beautiful (and old-worldy) pop music. I like this Sophomore Beirut album more than the debut.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Sure they're surrounded by Hype at every turn. It's well-deserved hype in my eyes. This band creates lush soundscapes and haunting rhythms.

all three of these albums are big in the public eye for my indie albums of the year, but they are all wonderful works.

Why do I hate Wilco?

2007-11-06T12:11:00.000-06:00

I really shouldn't.
I never really liked them, but it seems now every time I hear them it grates on me.
I used to be able to dismiss them. Now they are like the Grateful Dead to me. When I hear them, I want to rip my ears off. They sound just like the Grateful Dead. They are slow and wandering and whiny.
People in my office like Wilco.

I am not one of those people.

It's kind of driving me crazy right now so I thought I would vent.

How do so many people LOVE this band?

Top 2007 Albums

2007-11-04T22:02:00.000-06:00

It's November and time to start thinking about the year end best of lists.
There were a lot of great albums that came out this year. It's going to be tough for me to pick ten and put them in order. I just went through my itunes lists and put a playlist of my favorite albums released this year. The playlist has 37 albums on it. For the next few weeks I'm going to post some of the highlights of this year to help me slim down my choices and see what sticks.

Menomena - friend and foe

this album came out in January and I've loved it all year. I'm sure this will end up on the final list of ten... I just don't know where.

!!! - myth takes

Seeing this band live twice this year has helped me enjoy this album. !!! knows how to make you dance and this album is really great from start to finish... when I feel like dancing.

St Vincent - marry me

It honestly can't get more haunting and beautiful than this album by St. Vincent. I saw her in Portland the first time I visited the town. I have since moved to Portland. Now, I'm not saying I moved here because I saw her play here... but it's surely more than a coincidence.

Kinda Gross

2007-11-04T05:01:00.000-06:00

I've noticed a lot of different names for companies that rent out portable toilets, but this one takes the cake on weird imagery... but I do like the fact that it tells you it's for both men and women on the door. With a name like Honey Bucket, it's not just a chemical toilet for the ladies.

ManManManMan

2007-11-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday Stacey and I went to the Hawthorne Theater to see Man Man play. I had heard about how crazy and intense their live show was, but have never experienced it for myself. We effing loved every minute of it. The band doesn't banter much with the crowd, they just keep their crazy momentum going from one song to the next without much of a break anywhere in their hour-long set.

I wrote a review for the tripwire, posted here:
http://www.thetripwire.com/news/2007/10/30/live-man-man-hawthorne-theater-portland-or

5 years later...

2007-11-01T00:25:00.000-05:00

Wow.
I did this short film with my friends Jason, Erin and Amber 5 years ago.

seems so crazy to think it's been that long.

you'll never see me shirtless in public again.

dia de los muertos!

2007-10-31T11:23:00.000-05:00

dumbo

2007-10-30T11:46:00.000-05:00

It's kind of hard to believe when you see it,
but some little dummy actually fell asleep like this.

what a dope.
Guess he's warn out from all of the Portland he's in.

Aaaah Portland.

2007-10-29T11:56:00.001-05:00

After our first trip back to Chicago - we were walking from our terminal to the bus that would take us to our car.
On the way down the escelator Stacey started laughing. I had no idea why. She told me to go back up and come down the escelator again, but pay attention to the big sign above, which welcomes people to Portland.
It's a jokey sign that says "The Best Cars are made in Portland" - and is referring to train cars. Stacey said she has seen the sign hundreds of times, but never noticed what is in the upper right corner until right then and there and it cracked her up.

I went back up and came down.
I had to do it twice so I could take this picture of it.

Silly Portland, you're my home now for sure.

Pictures... finally!

2007-10-29T11:31:00.001-05:00

There it is. Our first glimpse of Oregon from our car. Stacey took this picture when we crossed the border from Idaho into Oregon. Thing is, it doesn't come close to capturing just how beautiful it really is here. When you see it for yourself you'll know what I'm talking about.

We entered Wyoming and saw our first signs of natural beauty. I think it's Montana that is called "Big Sky Country", but going through Wyoming Stacey convinced me it was Wyoming. We could see for hundreds of miles. We were on top of some of the highest mountains in the country and could see nothing but blue sky forever... until we spotted the storms - and they rolled in (and out) quickly. It was crazy. We hit 4 or 5 storms in Wyoming, but each of them was isolated. You could see the sky falling as you approached it. We would drive right through it and see blue sky on the other side, 20 or 30 minutes later.

Not much else to do in Iowa, other than stop at a rest stop and walk your dog. Boringtown. We stopped at 2 or three rest stops and met other folks travelling with dogs. At this rest stop we met a guy in a small Rav4 or Jeep style car packed to the point of almost overflowing. He had two medium sized dogs with him. Arlo ran around and played with the two dogs. We talked to the guy... he was headed to Utah. Then we watched him load his two dogs into their two specific compartments in his packed car. They had no more room than where they could fit. He told us he stopped at every rest stop though... so that's good.

on the Workfront

2007-10-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

Well alright...
I still haven't had time to load any pictures.
I should search out the cable I need to connect my camera to this here computer and get that going. I should, but I don't think I'm going to. Soon though... I'll make that promise again.
For two weeks I've been temping at a pretty cool ad agency in Portland. On Friday they talked to me about hiring me full time. I'll be making pretty good money, have insurance and I'll be doing something somewhat creative. Plus, the office is really great. They have some crazy music software and speakers throughout the whole place - and anyone can add music to the listening que. There's a lot of hipster designers that work there, so the music is right up my alley.

In other news, Stacey bought Arlo a new toy. It's this weird cloth snake and he's obsessed with it.
We haven't been able to tear him away from it for three days.

Saw the Darjeeling Limited the other night. M'eh. I haven't liked anything Wes Anderson has done as much as Rushmore since Rushmore. I think he likes to be quirky just for the sake of being quirky. Great, Wes Anderson... You have/had a weird relationship with your father. Do all your movies need to address that? Change it up. Sheesh. I didn't find any comedy in the whole thing. I was bored for way too long... and I'm an expert. I'm kidding. I know I'm not, I'm just stating my opinion.

Good effing Lord

2007-10-23T19:43:00.000-05:00

After four and a half hours on the phone with both Apple and Comcast - we finally have the wireless internet connection working in our home.

Ugh.

Pictures to be uploaded soon.
I promise.

La La

2007-10-21T15:43:00.001-05:00

I went to LA this week, for the first time in my adult life.
It was a great trip. Got to see some friends, saw a reading of
a (hopefully) soon to be made animated movie, and saw the old couple
who does the Superstar Machine cover in this clip, play live at the Dresden:

Thanks to Amanda for hosting me - and for Mike P and Matt C for hanging out
late thursday night.

good times in LA.

Krampus

2007-10-15T14:21:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the Spencer Krug interview on Pitchfork today - I just found out about Krampus.
Apparently - Christmas in Austria is very different for good boys and girls, than for the bad ones.
Santa has an evil side kick that hits the bad boys and girls in the head and takes away their gifts.
He looks like a devil santa and his name is Krampus.

Krampus can be found on the back of the new Sunset Rubdown album as well.

crreeeeeepy.

update

2007-10-11T12:15:00.000-05:00

I have started my first official temp job.
for this company:
www.headnorth.com

It's pretty nice so far.

Our show opens this weekend.
We're all a little crazy at this point.

Hopefully it will all work out for the best, as I'm sure it will.

In Rainbow's 'eh?
It's good, right?
Radiohead, 'eh?

Poor Tland

2007-10-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends.
We're in our new place. It's huge and great.
Our Kids show SOMETIMES TOILET WATER opens in less than a week.
Weather has been good.
However...
Our belongings have not yet arrived in Portland from Chicago.
They are expected Wednesday of this week.
We are living in a big empty house with borrowed kitchenware and towels
and a futon we bought for our guest room.

Also - I have no job, still.

But things are looking good!
I have many pictures to upload once our stuff gets here.

Kids show in Portland

2007-09-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

The title comes from one of the stories that was submitted. We had a story writing contest for kids and have turned those stories into scripts for our show. There are 10 of us in the cast, which ranges from 17 years old - to 44 years old. It's going to be a fun show.

On the Upside

2007-09-20T13:46:00.001-05:00

This looks like one of the best movies ever made.

over a month

2007-09-20T10:36:00.000-05:00

I'm over a month in to living in Portland and still no job.
Ugh.
It's frustrating to continually get turned down.
I'm blaming it on the fact that I live in Hillsboro with friends and having not moved into the city proper just yet. It is having an effect on my mood(s) which is NOT a good sign. I want to stay happy and positive, but when I get nothing but bad news - that makes it difficult.
Anyone know of any fun, creative places to work that are looking for fun, creative people to work at them? That's what I'm looking for. My move into Portland will be happening October first (the house is in a post below).

At least there is good music to keep me going...

Battles - Tonto

(and a song from my new favorite album of this year...)

Alaska in Winter - balkan low rider anthem

Portland Performance number two

2007-09-16T17:45:00.000-05:00

Last night we had our second long form show in Portland.
We did the Harold Hasse at Portland ComedySportz 10pm.
This time there were five of us, Me, Stacey, Bill, Betse and Dr. Dave.

It was another good show.

A loose harold structure with personal monologues as an opening, which influenced the scenes.
Having never done a harold together, the five of us did pretty well.

After a month I've done two improv shows
and have seen:

Eric Bachman
Tiny Vipers
Grizzly Bear
Holy Fuck
and
Wolf Parade

play live.

I think music is beating improv so far.

NEWs

2007-09-15T11:04:00.001-05:00

So
we left Chicago a month ago. We're now in a new City and have set up shop.
We'll be moving into our own new (rented) home October first. It's a duplex in Sullivan's Gulch.

The Arrow is pointing to "downtown" Portland where the business people live. We are just above and to the right of downtown.
Pretty much the center of Portland. Not 'center' like the hippest place, but center like the middle of the town. (It's near the country's first Indoor mall, whoopie!)
All of our stuff is still on it's way out here, so I'm just living with the things we packed in the car. I have the camera, but not the cable to connect to my computer - so picture updates will have to wait.
It is beautiful here. We took Arlo for a walk on Mount Tabor (which our new home is relatively close to) and he loved it. It's got huge, open (and beautiful) spaces for him to run around in. He found a little Boston Terrier friend and the two chased each other in giant circles on the side of the mountain.
I had a job interview for an intern position at a production company. I need to start making money. I haven't done that in a while, which is not cool for anyone, especially Stacey who has been paying for everything going into this move.
Rehearsals for the Kids show are going well. We've gotten some great stories submitted by kids. Some very cute and silly and a few heart-wrenching stories. It should make for a very interesting show.

Things are at a good place right now.
hopefully they'll be getting better as I hear from all the jobs I've applied for.

We'll be back in Chicago (briefly) for Scot and Holly's wedding in a week and a half.
then, we'll be moving into our own place in Portland, proper.

Perfect Song 28

2007-09-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

Love seven and seven is

this is a good song.

Portland debut performance

2007-09-09T17:41:00.000-05:00

A month ago Bill signed us up to play a late-nite slot at Comedysportz theater in Portland.
The time came and last night was my first show in this West Coast Town.
We went under the name 'Swingers' originally - as it was two couples: Bill & Betse, Stacey & myself.
Betse, however got sick over the weekend and couldn't make the show - so we made it a Trio.

Our suggestion was Hopscotch - which inspired our first scene to be about a Mafia-run hopscotch competition with the current champion (Stacey) the Mob boss (Bill) and the new contender (Me)
While it was a bit on the wacky side - it set us up for the rest of this fun rollercoaster show.

highlights include:
Stacey as a young miss america pageant winner who was there to cut the ribbon on a new tire store with me as her guidance she-man and bill as the store owner. (I'll get the dumper).

Me in a car at a Sonic drive-thru with Stacey as the drive-thru worker with too much going on.

The data-entry office, viewing youtube clips of Miss America (from the tire store) catching on fire and stapling faces.

The old drunk (Bill), His horse (me) and his lonely little girl (Stacey)...

and on and on...

There was a lot of fun had. So much so I had to pull it together a couple of times during the course of the show... I was breaking a lot, but it was a very successful show.

Portland My New Home

2007-09-08T11:24:00.001-05:00

Perfect Song 27

2007-08-26T20:54:00.000-05:00

Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You.

Seven Swans is a beautiful album.
This song is my new perfect song.

the video is pleasant as well.

Neutrino

2007-08-24T23:34:00.000-05:00

So we finally have our season in order.
We went here:

and signed on for two runs of 6 weeks for the Neutrino Project.
I have worked with the Neutrino Project in Chicago for three years and have loved all the time I put in with that show. Now I get to run it myself at the Hollywood Theater in Portland.

This place used to be an old Vaudeville theater that seats 900 people. They have since closed off the old balcony seats and turned them into two smaller 200 seat theaters. Movie Theaters, all three.
So we are Starting Mid January with the Neutrino Project.

I am a little more than excited.

Trail blazin'

2007-08-21T01:57:00.000-05:00

We had planned on leaving Chicago on Thursday at 10am. We didn't actually leave until 3pm, which cut our first travel day in half.
We stopped an hour West of Omaha Nebraska on night one. Nothing special to report. Made it through Illinois and Iowa in one day and stayed in a nice hotel in Nebraska. Arlo got to ride in his first elevator (we stayed on the third floor). The room was nice and we were off to a good start.

Day two began in Nebraska and seemed to cover three or four days in Nebraska. I swear, Nebraska is the longest, most boring state in our nation. There is nothing in that state to keep anyone entertained. We did spot our first "Kum and Go" in Nebraska, so I guess that was something.
We finally got to Wyoming and found it to be one of the most beautiful states we visited. While it was still boring, it gave us much more to look at. Beautiful mountains, Wide open sky and hardly any corn fields. Thanks Wyoming.
I planned on getting into Utah Friday night, but we ended up staying about 40 miles outside of Utah in Evanston Wyoming at a pretty scummy hotel. It was pet friendly and Arlo hated it. As soon as we pulled into the hotel parking lot, Arlo began acting strange. We got our stuff into the room and Arlo looked and acted like a lame horse. His back was arched and he was dragging his head and drooling. He was in some sort of pain. We called an emergency vet and took him in.
We determined it had something to do with being in a car for 14 hours and not drinking a lot of water. He got a few pilled and his anal glands pressed (yikes) and we slept for almost 6 hours.
Saturday morning began our marathon drive from Evanston Wyoming to Portland Oregon. We stopped more often, but for less time - to give Arlo some good stretching/walking time. We ate at a Jack In The Box in Boise Idaho (it was terrible) and stacey and I discovered we both have a mutual appreciation for Taco Time... though we have yet to share a meal there.
It was another 14 hours in the car from Wyoming to Portland, but it was pretty enjoyable.
It started to rain as soon as we pulled into Portland and hasn't really stopped yet. It's not a hard, pouring rain... just a grey drizzle and from what I understand, it's unusual August weather for Portland.
I don't care. I'm just happy to be here. Time to get a good, interesting job.

going away

2007-08-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

It's all happening pretty fast. On Friday we got our first offer on our place, went back and forth a few times, but eventually made it agreeable to both parties (buyer and seller) and are selling.
It will be a while before it closes, but the fact that there is a buyer is a bit of a relief. This week we start packing everything up so we can head out West on Thursday morning.
We had a party Saturday night. Scot and Holly brought Wes up to play with Arlo while the party was happening...
I'm going to miss all the great people I've become friends with here in Chicago. As I said a hundred times at the party, everyone must come out to Portland once our theater opens. it's the right thing to do.

G.L.O.R.I.A.

2007-08-09T14:49:00.000-05:00

Midnight Juggernauts- into the galaxy

I am eating this band up.
Go Australia!

Perfect Song 26

2007-08-08T08:56:00.000-05:00

Jens Lekman Pocketful of Money

It was over two years ago.
I was listening to Mary Nisi's morning radio show on 88.7 WLUW in Chicago
when I first heard this song.
I had to find it and I did - and subsequently fell in love with the entire album
Oh You're So Silent Jens.
This is a dumb fan video from Youtube, but the song is still great.

Perfect Song 25

2007-08-05T01:22:00.000-05:00

David Bowie - the man who sold the world
this got popular when Nirvana sang it.
I prefer the style David Bowie has when he sings his songs.
Stacey has recently learned how to play this song on guitar.

PS - this video is terrible.

Dumb City

2007-08-03T10:13:00.001-05:00

After New York last weekend, Stacey and I took a trip to Cincinnati, Ohio. I was helping out with the company she works for. They had a project for Proctor & Gamble in the 'Nati.
While there, I spent a lot of time wandering around the city looking for anything resembling any sort of interest. I found nothing. I got my haircut from an olde-timey barber in an olde-timey barbershop. That's about the extent of the fun to be had in Cincinnati. We stayed in the Downtown area where everyone said is NOT the place to be. Weird.
They were right. After 6pm everything closes down so I got to entertain myself at the Westin Inn. Our room faced that fountain.

super fun.

Robots

2007-07-31T19:40:00.000-05:00

Monday Pictures recently had the idea to make simple shorts using Matt's collection of Robots.
We figured it would be easy to light and shoot, and we could use a program (and website) in which you can type whatever dialogue you want and record the playback of it. The website even lets you pick how you want the voices to sound. I like the pompus british guy voice.

So here are Robots in a bar.
the Pick Up

NYC

2007-07-30T20:35:00.000-05:00

Boy oh boy,
Just had a great weekend in New York City.
Stacey had a terrific show w/ Marc Sutton
and I had two shows at the Del Close Marathon.
Friday night - Stottlemeyer 8pm
Saturday night - Washington Generals 11pm

the Stottlemeyer show was Great. I have been coaching the team for 7 months
and they asked me to sit in with them at the festival. Lots of Rick Springfield
references and crazy fun.

the Generals show had its ups and downs. It was still fun, but I think it started
out a little rough. We had great group moments. the Games were top notch.

Saw the Simpsons movie on Sunday. This makes me laugh more than anything right now

Also, Jed and Tere are the greatest people in the world.
Thanks for letting us stay over all weekend.

you'll like Portland.

Ra Ra Riot

2007-07-24T14:25:00.001-05:00

I've recently been introduced to this band and I find them very enjoyable.
Their first EP is available at emusic and itunes and is worth picking up.
This is the first song on that EP.

Ra Ra Riot - Each Year

new fun times

2007-07-20T13:10:00.000-05:00

We had Lord Wessex visiting us again the past few days. Watching Arlo and Wes play gave me an idea for a web-serial I want to create. It will consist of Arlo and Wes playing with voices dubbed over speaking melodramatic dialogue. I'd call it Dog Hospital.
Look at these two jerks. Too cute.