Tales of the Merman

Art, Friends, Video / /

I miss Don and Janet. We used to see them all the time and went to their house every whatever-day-of-the-week it was to watch Friends when Julie and Don were in Graduate school together. Janet is one of the most talented interpreters of imagination and how it splashes out all over everything that I’ve ever known. She once made a bar (yes a bar) for Don as a birthday present.

What happens when they decide to make something together? Tales of the Merman, that’s what. If you’re one of those fuddy-duddies who need things to make sense, then I don’t know what to say to you. I never have.

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Nick Brandt Wildlife Photography

Art / /

Lion Before the StormI’ve seen a lot of photographs of wild animals. Hell, we all have, right? I’ve even seen them up close and personal living in Kenya for a year. I’ve taken a few pictures of zebras in Hell’s Gate and elephants near Amboseli that I’m even a little bit proud of. But I’ve never seen the likes of Nick Brandt’s photographs. Looking at these things I can’t help wondering why anyone else even bothers.

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Couldn’t You Wait

Friends, Music, Personal, Video / /

I was visiting my friend John’s MySpace page a minute ago and saw that he has posted a trailer for a documentary about one of my favorite bands from Seattle, Silkworm. Halfway through the trailer they start talking about Michael’s death. I hadn’t even known he had died.

It was a little more than two years ago when, apparently, his car was hit by a woman speeding and trying to kill herself. Michael was a great drummer with – as I recall – an amazingly sweet personality and no pretension. That was rare in the 90s rock world of Seattle.

I remember standing to the side of the stage at the Off Ramp watching him play. Coincidentally – after posting just an hour or so ago about smiling rock musicians – I remember him smiling shyly as he played. Man, he really hit the drums hard.

I’m sorry he’s gone and my thoughts go out to his family and the rest of Silkworm. Cheers, Michael.

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Lyrebird

Neat!, Video / /

I posted this video a long time ago, but it was before the new-fangled video hosting places made it easy to embed video. Or maybe it was this creaky old WordPress blog software that wouldn’t let me do it. Whatever the reason, bask in the wonder that is the Lyrebird:

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Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations

Music, Video / /

Why haven’t I posted this before? This is one of my favorite bands: great lyrics, great music, great energy. And a fucked up perspective. Yay.

I picked this version because it sounds pretty good (not as good as the official video, but live is better for me). This version of the song performed live at Bonnaroo is great too. The sound isn’t as good, but I feel good every time I see how happy Craig Finn seems at the start of the song. It reminds me of how playing shows used to make me feel.

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Lawrence Lessig on Why He Supports Barack

Politics / /

In a very clearly stated 20 minute video, Lawrence Lessig (EFF Boardmember) sums up why he is voting for Barack Obama. I’d say he hits the nail pretty squarely on the head and does a great job of supporting what, for many, is a slightly ambiguous “feeling” about the principles of the two remaining Democratic candidates.

20 minutes or so on why I am 4Barack (lessig.org)

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