Jordan Adam Ettinger Blog

I'm baaaack!

2010-04-02T02:16:00.000-06:00

Hello fan! I am finally back in action!
After being in Vancouver for months without a computer, I had sort of stopped blogging. But I've finally succeeded in obtaining a computer to call my own. A gorgeous iMac 21.5" with 4gb memory blah blah such and such. To apologize for my long vacation from the blog world, I've made this exquisite playlist of some good tunes.

This blog is mostly for just music and videos and things I find that I connect with and enjoy. There is other projects underway I'm in the works of, but not for my blog. These plans are for bigger things. But don't even worry! I'll keep ya'll up to date. Meanwhile, enjoy these songs.

It feels good to be back.

White Mountain Fog - First take.

2010-03-24T23:56:00.002-06:00

mario kart 65

2009-12-12T12:57:00.006-07:00

When you first move away from home, you create this image in your mind of how a living life on your own will be. You think being a fully independent young adult will be a constant roller coaster ride of excitement and mystery. The reality is that living on your own is not a permanent vacation, its serious stuff! Us boys spend a lot of time at the apartment (Carl) since we are all extremely short handed for cash. I am blessed to be handed a job as a backstock boy at American Apparel. I am making next to minimum wage, spending $100 a month to buy a bus pass so I can commute 1 1/2 hours to work and back each day, so I can afford to buy no-name brand food and pay rent and bills. Money is tight, but hey, did anyone say it was going to be easy?

Our lack of spending money has yet to really make a permanent dent on our spirits and morale. Everyday we try to find new ways to spend our time and have fun. Some days we pull out the old 35mm cameras, get fresh from head to toe, and try to become the next lookbook superstars. When its cold and wet outside, we find things to do at home. Our latest time-waster involves Mario Kart and a whiteboard. Basically what we've managed to do is put a whole new

spin on this classic game. We keep track of who won what race on whatever track, and the goal is to claim every single track. Its a bit like monopoly, trying to own properties and take out the competition. You can also get stars by beating tracks you already own and doing other race challenges. As you can see, I own every track on Special Cup (purple). This game is still a work in progress. We might find a way to include a money system into it, or something.

In other news, I decided the other day that I have given up smoking forever. The past few months, cigarettes have had a serious effect on my life. It has tethered me down, and emptied my wallet. It went like this: I pulled the last cigarette out of my carton, looked at Ben and said "This is the very last cigarette I will ever have in my life." I felt so certain about it when I said it. There was no hesitation. What a time to quit, I must say! In times of struggle and despair, responsibilities and poverty, after being stabbed in the heart by whores kept hidden by the cross, you would think I'd need cigarettes more than ever! But I don't need something to control my life anymore. I feel 100% free now. It is great.

That basically sums up this post, and sums up what's new in NVan. I miss my family, and I miss my dog!

The Mario Kart board

epic decks

2009-12-07T11:36:00.002-07:00

Last weekend, me Ben and our good friend Jason from Vernon were hanging out at the apt, bored. While seshin hard on our tech deck park, we decided to get some epic shots. I don't have the legit shots (yet) but here are a few I do have. Expect some super sick looking ones soon.

The Shangri-Las.

2009-11-29T11:59:00.003-07:00

Sometimes we forget how much of an impact music of the 50's 60's and 70's has made on modern pop music. This song is called "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" by The Shangri-Las. Its sound is daunting and full of feminist power. Its sound its virtually indifferent from what modern groups try to achieve. Its soothing, moving, angry, unsettling, and catchy all at once. Shangri-Las, you are my latest addiction.

The Shangri-Las "Remember (Walking in the Sand)"

The Golden Controller.

2009-11-29T00:06:00.002-07:00

Here at the apartment, we don't have too much for entertainment. No cable, barely a computer. Our greatest sources of fun come from Lost seasons 1-3 and the N64 we bought. We've got 4 controllers: 3 flat greys and a yellow, or as we like to call it, "The Golden Controller." Whether we're playing Mario Kart or Goldeneye multiplayer style, the winner of the tournament receives the privilege of using The Golden Controller. We do a good job of staying true to the code. The controller gets passed around the room like when a "Surrey gurl" meets the Vernon Vipers. Tonight, Dale robbed away the golden prize from Ben in what must have been the most intense Mario Kart tournament of all time. Like camping, it was intense.

Congratulations Dale, and for the rest of you, I hope you've gained a bit of knowledge on how fun North Vancouver is in late November.

finally, a computer!

2009-11-16T15:42:00.002-07:00

After being in Vancouver for basically two weeks, I have finally have got my hands on a computer for more than five minutes. The setup I've created is super ghetto: Ben's absolutely slow mac mini from last millennium hooked up to our livingroom TV, sitting on the ground with the keyboard and mouse. The rug is my mousepad. My neck is being strained from staring up at this huge TV.

North Vancouver has been super great so far. We are finally settled into the apartment, all my things have been unpacked. I spend way too much time in this apt though. Rain is an all day every day occurrence. This is no surprise to me though, I was well warned what Vancouver winters are like. It should rain for probably another good 3 months straight before it starts to calm down. Did you know that Vancouver's rain climate is actually called "Pineapple Express?" I think that is sort of funny.

Now that I'm all settled in and I've got a haircut, I need to start looking for a job, because my money will be gone fast. At this point, I really do not care where I get a job. I will just hand out a resume at every single place nearby and wait for someone to call me back. Hell, I'll work at Zellers!

I've already made a few friends and have got a few good stories under my belt. Who knows whats to come, but as long as I've got my boys Ben and Phil with me, everything will be okay. Sadly, I really have no way of photoshopping or editing without a proper computer. The one I'm using now is waayyy to ghetto. That means you won't be hearing too much from me on this blog for a while.

I'll give you a heads up. This blog may very well die soon, but with the death of one thing, something else is born. Greater things are to come, so do not be afraid, bigger and grander things are to come sooner or later.

goodbye!

2009-11-05T15:17:00.002-07:00

So, today is my last day in Red Deer. I've just been spending the day packing and stuff, nothing too exciting. But when I get to Vancouver I'm not going to have much opportunity to get to write on my blog for the fact I won't have a computer. So, I leave you with this comic made by yours truly. It might be some time before the next post comes, but I assure you, it will come. Vancouver here I come!!

halloween!

2009-10-31T17:31:00.003-06:00

Next post I will show you my brilliant scheme for still getting candy door-to-door without looking like a fool. Sadly, you'll have to wait a whole year before you can try the same! I'll tell you how tonight foils out.

In the meantime, I wanted to share this video with you on Halloween to educate you on the dangers of murderers. Scary movies have created the impression on us that most killers are humans or animals or some form of spirit. But a blood-thirsty murderer can come in any shape or form. Let this video be a well learned lesson. "Billy's Balloon" by Don Hertzfeldt.

shine!

2009-10-27T00:36:00.003-06:00

As of right now, I only have 3 shifts left at the bank. Friday is my last day! It's crazy. Then the weekend, and one week of sitting on my ass. Then once Friday hits again, I'm off to Vancouver, never to return! Well, I'll come visit family, but I'll mostly try to get everyone to head west. Anyway, Since I'll be living with Phil and Ben, we've figured this would be the supreme time to get a ton of filming done. We have a project mapped out, but we still need a production company name. So I've been working on a bunch of ideas, and here is one. I made up these two logos from scratch pretty quick, so There's still a lot of work they could use. I'm not even too set on the name, but I just want something that really represents us and our films. Its harder than you'd think to find a good name!

It's late, and I gotta get up early tomorrow to take part in my 3rd last shift! WOOOO!

teeth can sink

2009-10-25T20:51:00.002-06:00

go ben/ twsnow/ featured.

2009-10-24T12:16:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Banjo to getting on the front page of Transworld Snow website! Ben, you're famous! See the guy with the yellow pants, yeah thats Ben. He also has a few shots in the video, but don't have too high of expectations of the vid. Hah.

laura marling/ alas, i cannot swim

2009-10-21T10:38:00.004-06:00

Laura Marling, a ridiculously talented 19 year old girl from Hampshire England, has captured my heart with her simplistic and heartfelt album "Alas, I Cannot Swim." I've been hooked on the album since I first heard it. It's just one of those albums where one song is your favorite for a few weeks, then you just shift to another song until every song has been your favorite at least once.

Here is my currant favorite, "Alas I Cannot Swim." It's a live version, but the album version is just as awesome. It's on the last track of the album after 4 minutes of bird sounds. Hope you enjoy.

the city sky/ layout.

2009-10-20T12:07:00.001-06:00

In celebration of my relocation to Vancouver, I decided to change up the blog.

Cheers.

The Mountain Rd Apt Tour.

2009-10-20T00:28:00.004-06:00

Alas, Adam sent me the photos, and Alas, you all get to see our glorious apartment! I love the place to bits. Being away from the apartment for only a week or more, I already miss it. Here's the quick tour.

When you first walk into our apartment, you are welcomed by a sea of shoes, because in this apartment lives 3 men who all love owning a dozen pairs of shoes. You walk forward, and you approach the first little hallway (Monika not included.)

If you take your first right, you come face-to-face with our small and narrow kitchen. It isn't much, but its all we need. I just wish there was more than one sink.

After making your way through the kitchen, you are welcomed by our "dining area." A comfy warm table and a few chairs that don't match is all you really need.

Back-2-back view of the living room. Still ghetto at this point, but eventually it will look nice.

Our big-ass patio. Its awesome. Our plan is to get a couch and coffee table out here to make it the chillest chilling spot ever.

The view isn't too amazing, because thee is a wall and trees in the way, but you can still see the mountains through the tree branches. The Chevron next door has a big blue sign that illuminates our entire apartment at night. Our bedrooms are also nice and big, and the neighborhood is super chill.

Let Love Rule.

2009-10-18T20:45:00.003-06:00

Phil and I totally had thought of this idea a long time ago to use in one of our videos, and Justice totally jacked it! But I don't mind, because they did a really good job of it. It's one of the big things in the world of film, if you don't get your idea out there soon enough, its just going to get jacked. Also, its a decent remix.

The View.

2009-10-18T20:25:00.003-06:00

The beautiful view of the coniferous mountainscapes from our street.
Why is the sky so blue on the coast?
Once Adam sends me the photos, I'll give you the virtual tour of our place.
But who knows how long that will take him.

a mini update.

2009-10-15T21:59:00.003-06:00

I haven't blogged in like, forever. There is a loootttt of stuff I need to put up so keep in touch. In two weeks time, I will be in Vancouver and this will be my new family. Well, Adam won't really be there.... neither will our newly added member of the family Monika, she'll be back in Penticton with her other family. But damn kid! You hella tight, come stay whenever!

In other news.

Tomorrow:

WHERE THE
WILD THINGS
ARE!

pretty prairies.

2009-09-29T21:43:00.003-06:00

This morning I woke up at an unearthly hour of 5 O'clock to venture out into the Albertan countryside to take some 35mm photos. Then I managed to bring them to Walmart before work, pick up the developed photos on my break, and upload them now. You can do a lot in one day if you just don't zone out on Facetube for hours. Here are my favorites from the 24 roll, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment, because that's the only thing that motivates me to blog more!!

-Jordan.

FIRED UP!

2009-09-22T22:27:00.005-06:00

Today I received some very exciting news. Phil, Ben and myself have been looking around for apartments in North Vancouver. Our dearest friend Katherine informed us about an apartment up for grabs. A 3 bedroom, in Lynn Valley. Near Capilano for Phil. Great location, near a mall with a Save On Foods. Also, a friend of ours lives in the same building along with 2 of her other friends. The bedrooms are big, the livingroom is bigger, a nice patio. $1450 a month, which is reasonable for 3 dudes in North Van. As of today, the place belongs to us! Well, to get super technical, it isn't ours until the first of October. I'm so pumped!! Finally the day is coming where I'll be out of Red Deer and persuing goals in a place I love. Hopefully I will be able to transfer to a TD there that's located about 500 feet away. Wouldn't that be convenient.

To keep myself busy, I've been working on a line of art pieces in Illustrator and Photoshop. I think the line will be called "Shellstring Albums" but I'm not sure. Here is a sample of what they will sort of look like. This one is only half finished, but this is where I'm at. I've hit a red light and am a bit stuck as to how to finish this one. Sadly for you, I won't be showing anymore of these until the entire line is finished. I'm thinking making 4 or 5, I dunno.

But yeah, I'm just so full of optimism and energy and excitment right now. Life is good. November 1st could not come sooner.

Click for big...ger

thanks josiah g

2009-09-19T17:46:00.002-06:00

2009-09-18T23:51:00.000-06:00

100% by moi.
Chinon camera drawing by ink
mixed media.
Photos, all from Chinon 35mm.
Photochopp'd.
Enjoy.

stuck in my head

2009-09-18T11:37:00.003-06:00

Last night I was burning a CD and since I was so bored I figured I'd make a nice little CD case for it. I got carried away and made this thing. It was a lot of fun to make and helped pass the time. I love it when I'm working on something and I get so tunnnelvisioned by it that I lose total track of time, and I'm thinking of nothing else. Sadly the CD case will be gone because its not for me. I got into a heavy conversation with a person I work with about songs that get so stuck in your head it drives you to near insanity. Sometimes only one line from a song will play over and over and over in your head for hours. My co-worker asked if I could make a CD because I was trying to explain my music, and so I did. I was very very tempted to keep the case but that'd be a dick move, and art isn't for yourself to admire, its ment for others. Thought before I give the case away and never see it again I'd throw it up on here.

beatles rockband!

2009-09-17T20:42:00.002-06:00

Rockband is fun, yes. I've never been fanatical about it, but today I forced Brett to purchase the newly released "Beatles Rockband." Wowsers. It is so much fun, and such a well executed game. The way its setup, the song selection, and especially the art direction. I am glad with the outcome of this, it has gone beyond my expectations. Thank you Sir Paul McCartney for allowing this game possible. When we first turned on the game, this is the video that played, and I instantly knew this was worth the $60. Check it out. Throw it on HD!

bye benny

2009-09-17T10:05:00.002-06:00

Well, my dearest Banjo has finally forsaken me and has left Red Deer forever. Soon he will be with Phil in Vancouver, living the good life. Maybe not good, but way better than Red Deer. Only two more months and I'll be living it good with them too! I am really not sure as to how I am going to keep myself occupied while Ben's gone, I'll have even more time to myself. I think mostly I will be at home, spending the small amount of time I have left with the family. I will for sure be avoiding the bars and the drinking with Adam and Brett though, to concentrate on better things. I've pretty much quit smoking. 7 days smoke free, doing great! Nicotine sucks. It grasps a hold on you and tries so hard to pull you down when you decide to leave it in the dirt. It does not help that everyone else in my family smokes, and so do my friends, so I'm constantly enveloped by it. But I stay strong.

I found this artist the other day, Pepa Prieto, and I find his style very beautiful and inspiring. I'm upset that I haven't been working on more things, so I've started something. I'm at that point where I'm cautious to continue in fear of destroying what I've made. When I finally finish, I'll show the end result. In the meantime, here is some Pepa Prieto, his website can be found here.

inspiration/ the element story

2009-09-15T10:37:00.003-06:00

A lot of people in the skateboarding have a hate for Element Skateboards. People just think their style is whack or something? Personally I have nothing against them. I love their style and everything their company stands for. Element has been working on a new video called "Make it Count." It is a history of Element Skateboards, where it's come from, and where it's going. So far only the first part "Wind" is out but I find it truly inspirational. I cannot wait for the next three parts to come out, but I highly recommend seeing part one!

Click here to watch part one.

god exists.

2009-09-11T11:09:00.002-06:00

Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't
work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically
fix the problem. Every kid in the world did that, but how did we all
know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards
or FAQ's. We just figured it out.

Completely unrelated to that,
I'm pretty sure that there is a God, some sort of creator of the universe,
but here it is. 100% PROOF! Haha.

feelgood.

2009-09-10T18:51:00.002-06:00

GOOD
SONG!

facebook knows me better than i know myself.

2009-09-08T18:30:00.005-06:00

Yeah, so... remember when I said that I was going to stop posting about music and movies and art and specifically concentrate on writing about my own works? Well, screw that. I am nowhere near productive enough for that. I am so contradictory, I am in a constant battle with my own psyche.

I recently discovered this band called "Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros." They are actually really good, and strangely enough, I found them off of a Facebook ad. How does Facebook know what kind of tunes I like? Good guess, FB. Actually, something very creepy happened a while ago on FB. If you go back a couple dozen posts, I wrote about some kid from England who wanted me to photoshop his mug into a cartoon. This guy only ever contacted me through youtube and myspace. He never once sent me a friend request on facebook. We have no friends in common, and yet somehow, somehow Facebook was creepy enough to suggest him as a friend. Uhhh, weird.

Anywhozzles, check out these songs, the first three songs off their self-titled album to be precise. Decide for yourself how good they are. Feel free to share you creepy facebook experiences with me so I don't feel alone.

40 Day Dream by jettinger

Janglin by jettinger

Up From Below by jettinger

Chillin' Illin' and Grillin'

2009-09-08T09:34:00.002-06:00

Summer is quickly coming to a close. Our days of warm sun and hot fun are numbered. I protest that you get out there and have one last good barbecue with the gang and listen to good tunes. Enjoy a good drink, take in the smell of the steak cooking on the grill. The Moustache Men DJs and Faction Soundcrew made this 80-minute mix specifically for hanging out with the gang on a summer day cookin on the grill. It leans more towards a hip-hop and R&B sound, but its so good I'm sure everyone will enjoy it... if you are actually barbecuing. Enjoy!

inglorious basterds.

2009-09-07T15:57:00.002-06:00

The greatest of apologies for my lack of new posts. Although the one and only person who cares is Riordan. Sorry buddy. A few nights ago Brett and I went on a bro date to see the latest works of Quinton Tarentino, "Inglorious Basterds." I must say, the film is a Tarentino masterpiece. I'm not the type to spill out the best parts, spoiling it all for you. Just go see it. The cinematics are superb. The soundtrack is perfect. What I love most about this movie is that, only Quinton Tarertino could pull off making a film like this. If anyone else tried, the result would be disrespected by any and every moviego'r. Tarentino has enough respect and distinctive style to do whatever the fuck he wants. Not many directors can do whatever the fuck they want without recieving horrid reviews. I reccomend you go see it. Now.

a catalogue

2009-08-20T00:03:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I'm not sure if I should be showing samples like this on the blog already. But who are the only people that read it? I did a bunch of errands today, getting things ready for Répertoire. I went to Sylvan to get a quote, and when I discovered what I'd be paying for just a few shirts, I had to fallback on another plan. Unless I made a large order, shirts would cost around $35 each. So instead, we decided to only make one or two shirts, then print up well made sample catalogues for shops. I've been working on this one all day, here's what I've got so far. It needs work, but I like where it's going. Also, today I went skating with Brett, who's finally back in town, hoorah! For the first time I did a tre flip down the 4-set at the water treatment plant. It doesn't sound like much of a feat, but I've never done a 3-flip down any gap! I'm progressing well, and hopefully I continue to raise the bar.

Until later blogging, goodbye.

latest creation: répertoire's "birds on the wall"

2009-08-18T23:21:00.003-06:00

So here is another design I whipped up today. I really like it but I feel like I maybe rushed it and it could be perfected. The thing I hate about me is that once I lose that momentum, its hard to revive that mindset and finish a design. Tomorrow should be an exciting day. My weekend pretty much starts now because I have Wed/Thur/Fri off, so with my spare time I'll be running errands all over town getting things prepared for Répertoire. Hopefully by Saturday Répertoire will be a registered business, have a business account, and designs will be submitted to the boys at showdown, who will be preparing our shirts. From there we just need to get shops to want our stuff. There is a lot to get done, but Ben and I can do it. We have the motivation, the drive. We've been doing research like mad, talking to anyone and everyone who has any knowledge of running a business. The ball is rolling. These are exciting times.

forgotten art

2009-08-17T20:46:00.002-06:00

This was to be the beginning of a long line of art pieces I was going to create, and hopefully sell somewhere like the Velvet Olive. I never got further than this, which is a shame because I like where I was going with this. All outlines were done by hand, then scanned into photoshop where I fixed up the outline, then filled it in with colour. I was attempting to create a surreal feeling by using only gradient in the colours. If I somehow build up the inspiration, I'll make more like these. Who knows, maybe they can be interpreted into something for RPT (Repertoire)

the night i punched a guy.

2009-08-17T20:38:00.006-06:00

Here is a piece from my own personal journal, two pages. It is the story of how Ben, Adam and yours truly nearly got in a fight. So it sort of just starts, then sort of just ends. I punched a guy in the face. We almost got beat up, the rest of that night was ten times as crazy, but this is all I feel I need to share.

If you can't read my chicken scratch, you're out of luck.

screens of silk make artwork walk on chests

2009-08-13T13:55:00.005-06:00

Lately I have been putting a fair amount of time back into Répertoire, the clothing line that had been almost lost, and will now hopefully be revived. Ben and I have been trying to get a clothing line going for years. The closest I got was in high school, selling people tee shirts I made for $10, which were made of blank shirts from Walmart and using bleach with a paintbrush to put on a design. These designs are Not fully complete, and might need tinkering. Normally, I wouldn't reveal all my works so quickly. But since only 4 people read this blog, it doesn't matter too much. Maybe the hyped feedback will inspire me enough to get these shirts made into reality. Give feedback everyone!

Here is an enlarged version of the one shirt, which I titled "Wave of Man." I don't think you have to dig too deep to get the metaphor. What's crazy about this drawing I made is that a girl I know who is a close friend of my sister loves it. She loves it so much she asked me if she could get it as a tatoo. Of corse I said yes! That is so inspiring to me that someone would like it so much. Maybe I should be a tatoo artist.

Click For Big

post one hundred. reinvented.

2009-08-12T02:06:00.003-06:00

To celebrate my 100th post entry, I have decided to change this blog entirely.
Firstly, I made this clear with a new template.
Designed by yours truly.
Which brings me to my second revolution.
I've grown tired of trying to make a blog that is not what I've really wanted.
I'm tired of trying to create a hip music blog.
Filling my blog with the "in" things has grown tired.
From now, my posts will all be of my own creation.
Thus, I will be more inspired to create more often.

Thank you to all the bloggers who've followed from the start.
Number of followers from the start: 2

atlantique

2009-08-06T10:41:00.002-06:00

In the quiet corner of a coffeeshop
Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes
A pen my friend to keep me company.
Together we made this, "Atlantique."
Hours passed, the pen never died.
Through Flume and Skinny Girl
I cried inside.

Am I the only man
Who's never slept a night on his back?

music & the modern fancy/ july

2009-08-03T22:34:00.002-06:00

Greatest apologies for my 4 readers of this blog, my concentration has been in other places, but I'll be sure to post more things more often. Here are some songs and bands that have caught my eye over the past month, I hope you enjoy.

First Aid Kit- "You're Not Coming Home Tonight"
This is a Swedish folk duo that has a really nice and simple sound. This song was actually recorded live in the forest. How epic. I love it.

Miike Snow - "Burial"
I instantly got addicted to this band. I recommend checking out the entire self-titled album.

Solid Gold - "Who You Gonna Run To?"
Very chill band with a nice electronic sound. Can't say much more.

Yuksek - "So Far Away From The Sea"
Feat. The Bewitched.

artist/ ben tour.

2009-07-17T09:45:00.002-06:00

Ben Tour, a 28 year old artist from Vancouver. This is his work, and I find it quite striking, intriguing, and beautiful. It somehow mixes simplicity with great detail. I'm fond of it. Inspiration galore.

weird and sad.

2009-07-16T14:10:00.002-06:00

I was browsing through all of my flickr photos after making my previous post, and I was taken by surprise when I saw that this photo, out of all my photos, has the most views. Bizarre. The photo is titled "Worlds longest nipple hair." Maybe people search "nipple" alot. Or maybe its because this photo is actually pretty sweet. Cool color.

This photo comes in second with most views. Its a cool photo I guess, the branches gives it a feeling which lacks identity. Also, the lace-flops are ridiculous. Are these the reasons why they have the most views? Maybe its because Morgan has no pants. I am just really hoping that majority of flickr isn't run by perverted people looking for photos for the wrong reasons.

Look at this photo, a spectacular portrait of Bryan's cat "Pooka" a.k.a. "Michael." I love this photo! It's one of my favorites. Look at that F-stop. Unbeatable select focus. Straight from the roll, no photoshoppin' required. Why does this photo only have 4 views?? It upsets me.

Who are the majority of guests on flickr looking for? Artistic photos that capture the heart and soul, or are they just looking for nipples and legs? I'm ashamed if this is the case.

the medias.

2009-07-16T13:32:00.004-06:00

Here are a few more photos of mine, all of which are 35mm (clearly.) Also, here are a few songs I've grown quite attached to, of which are inspired by the songs my friends love. Thanks for all your influence on me, whether its helped me for better or for worse. Friends are love, and love is everything. And you have a good taste in tunes. Also, if you want to see more of my 35mm shots, you can find them at my flickr. Add me if you have an account!

La Roux - Bulletproof
PNAU - Shock to my System
PNAU - Embrace
Blitzentrapper - Saturday Nite
The Shins - Sleeping Lessons
Regina Spektor - Laughing With

the imps in my head

2009-07-14T09:44:00.005-06:00

Benedict Carey wrote a fascinating article for the New York Times, which I find almost relieving, because now I realize I am not the only person in the world that feels like this sometimes. Kudos to a great article. Yes, it's a bit of a read, but I'm sure you can handle it.

The visions seem to swirl up from the brain’s sewage system at the worst possible times — during a job interview, a meeting with the boss, an apprehensive first date, an important dinner party. What if I started a food fight with these hors d’oeuvres? Mocked the host’s stammer? Cut loose with a racial slur?

“That single thought is enough,” wrote Edgar Allan Poe in “The Imp of the Perverse,” an essay on unwanted impulses. “The impulse increases to a wish, the wish to a desire, the desire to an uncontrollable longing.”

He added, “There is no passion in nature so demoniacally impatient, as that of him who, shuddering upon the edge of a precipice, thus meditates a plunge.”

Or meditates on the question: Am I sick?

In a few cases, the answer may be yes. But a vast majority of people rarely, if ever, act on such urges, and their susceptibility to rude fantasies in fact reflects the workings of a normally sensitive, social brain, argues a paper published last week in the journal Science.

“There are all kinds of pitfalls in social life, everywhere we look; not just errors but worst possible errors come to mind, and they come to mind easily,” said the paper’s author, Daniel M. Wegner, a psychologist at Harvard. “And having the worst thing come to mind, in some circumstances, might increase the likelihood that it will happen.”

The exploration of perverse urges has a rich history (how could it not?), running through the stories of Poe and the Marquis de Sade to Freud’s repressed desires and Darwin’s observation that many actions are performed “in direct opposition to our conscious will.” In the past decade, social psychologists have documented how common such contrary urges are — and when they are most likely to alter people’s behavior.

At a fundamental level, functioning socially means mastering one’s impulses. The adult brain expends at least as much energy on inhibition as on action, some studies suggest, and mental health relies on abiding strategies to ignore or suppress deeply disturbing thoughts — of one’s own inevitable death, for example. These strategies are general, subconscious or semiconscious psychological programs that usually run on automatic pilot.

Perverse impulses seem to arise when people focus intensely on avoiding specific errors or taboos. The theory is straightforward: to avoid blurting out that a colleague is a raging hypocrite, the brain must first imagine just that; the very presence of that catastrophic insult, in turn, increases the odds that the brain will spit it out.

“We know that what’s accessible in our minds can exert an influence on judgment and behavior simply because it’s there, it’s floating on the surface of consciousness,” said Jamie Arndt, a psychologist at the University of Missouri.

The empirical evidence of this influence has been piling up in recent years, as Dr. Wegner documents in the new paper. In the lab, psychologists have people try to banish a thought from their minds — of a white bear, for example — and find that the thought keeps returning, about once a minute. Likewise, people trying not to think of a specific word continually blurt it out during rapid-fire word-association tests.

The same “ironic errors,” as Dr. Wegner calls them, are just easy to evoke in the real world. Golfers instructed to avoid a specific mistake, like overshooting, do it more often when under pressure, studies find. Soccer players told to shoot a penalty kick anywhere but at a certain spot of the net, like the lower right corner, look at that spot more often than any other.

Efforts to be politically correct can be particularly treacherous. In one study, researchers at Northwestern and Lehigh Universities had 73 students read a vignette about a fictional peer, Donald, a black male. The students saw a picture of him and read a narrative about his visit to a mall with a friend.

In the crowded parking lot, Donald would not park in a handicap space, even though he was driving his grandmother’s car, which had a pass, but he did butt in front of another driver to snag a nonhandicap space. He snubbed a person collecting money for a heart fund, while his friend contributed some change. And so on. The story purposely portrayed the protagonist in an ambiguous way.

The researchers had about half the students try to suppress bad stereotypes of black males as they read and, later, judged Donald’s character on measures like honesty, hostility and laziness. These students rated Donald as significantly more hostile — but also more honest — than did students who were not trying to suppress stereotypes.

In short, the attempt to banish biased thoughts worked, to some extent. But the study also provided “a strong demonstration that stereotype suppression leads stereotypes to become hyperaccessible,” the authors concluded.

Smokers, heavy drinkers and other habitual substance users know this confusion too well: the effort to squelch a longing for a smoke or a drink can bring to mind all the reasons to break the habit; at the same time, the desire seemingly gets stronger.

The risk that people will slip or “lose it” depends in part on the level of stress they are undergoing, Dr. Wegner argues. Concentrating intensely on not staring at a prominent mole on a new acquaintance’s face, while also texting and trying to follow a conversation, heightens the risk of saying: “We went to the mole — I mean, mall. Mall!”

“A certain relief can come from just getting it over with, having that worst thing happen, so you don’t have to worry about monitoring in anymore,” Dr. Wegner said.

All of which might be hard to explain, of course, if you’ve just mooned the dinner party.

few 35mm's

2009-07-13T09:25:00.002-06:00

I wish they had turned out better, but lesson learned: Walmart Photolab sucks! Photo creds: Me, Steph, Ben

I wish they had turned out better, but lesson learned: Walmart Photolab sucks!

not at tswift

2009-07-08T14:59:00.003-06:00

Today Benedict and I were going to go down to the stampede and see Taylor Swift live in concert. Sadly, our tickets have yet to arrive, so I guess we aren't going. What a letdown. I was so excited to swim in a sea of cowboy hats, then push through a crowd of ten thousand little girls to get to front row so Ben could throw roses at her with his phone number in an attached note. Then Taylor would pull us on stage so we could harmonize during the chorus of "Love Story." After the show, Taylor would give us a call and ask to hang out, because she doensn't know many folks in this part of the world. We'd show her a great time, and Ben and Taylor would fall in love. But because the tickets never came, none of this will ever happen. What a letdown. So instead we decided today would be a go skateboard day. But that never worked because todays a whack day, my torso feels all shaky and my heart hurts. One of those days where skateboarding just doesn't go down. So far this has been a pretty bunk summer. At least I have my bff's by my side to keep me going. I'll just work like a dog and rake in a few thousand so I can peace out of here and never come back.

Music.
John Legend & Andre 3000 - Green Light (MSTRKRFT remix)

2009-07-03T17:06:00.002-06:00

My latest addiction: Buttery Ass Monday's supplied by the very best, The Berrics. Ho damn, this stuff is just too good! Too good. Here are a few of my personal favorites.

playlist [pley-list]/ june 2009

2009-07-02T08:14:00.004-06:00

A nice big playlist I'd like to share.
Let the soundwaves break through the air.
I hope these tunes will make you smile
and make that grin last for a while.
If you want to take these songs on the road
right click, "save as" to download.

Yo La Tengo - Beach Party Tonight
Florence and The Machine - Kiss With A Fist
Albert Hammond, Jr - In Transit
Belaire - Madison
Little Joy - Don't Watch Me Dancing
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Sunset Rubdown - You Go on Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)
Junior Boys - Dull To Pause
Okkervil River - Black
Goldfrapp - Clowns
Ra Ra Riot - Dying Is Fine
School of Seven Bells - Connjur
The Octopus Project - Wet Gold
Trouble Andrew - Chase Money
Miike Snow - Animal
The Sounds - Beatbox
Dr. Dog - The Girl

Hope you enjoy.

the new t swift/ awesome

2009-07-01T12:31:00.001-06:00

Too good for words.

the mcgangbang

2009-07-01T12:25:00.002-06:00

We've found a new amazing thing, and it goes by the name "Mc Gang Bang." What you do is get a double cheeseburger, take it apart, and put a junior chicken in the middle, and taadaaa. Mc Gang Bang. Its delicious, but eat with caution, it may cause heart murmers. I recommend taking out the pickles.

new deck!

2009-07-01T12:17:00.002-06:00

Girl skateboards came out with a special edition line to celebrate Spike Jonze's most recent film "Where The Wild Things Are." Somehow the bros at FS Skateshop convinced me to get one. I got the one at the very top. It's actually a really nice deck. Good shape. I've been bustin' tre's like nobody's business. Its a magical board that somehow gives me the power to FS nosegrind, BS crook-shove, and many other things. If you haven't seen the trailer for the film, check it here. I'm excited for its release.

Thieves Like Us - To Joy

justice/ planisphère.

2009-06-26T11:23:00.005-06:00

The world renowned French superstar duo Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay of Justice have come out with a few new tracks lately, and this four-part epic symphony holds to their name. Their electro-style bass slapping with heavy metal influences is enough to make you want to party, or throw water balloons at cars, or something. I dunno. I'm over with trying to make this sound like its an article straight out of some magazine. Here's the goods. Sit back and browse the net as you enjoy all 4 sections of "Planisphère."

Justice - Planisphère (Part 1)
Justice - Planisphère (Part 2)
Justice - Planisphère (Part 3)
Justice - Planisphère (Final)

tim burton/ alice in wonderland.

2009-06-25T22:45:00.003-06:00

In case you didn't already know, director Tim Burton (Nightmare Before Christmas, Big Fish) is taking a swing at Lewis Caroll's 19th century fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland. I was quite intrigued when I first heard of this. Tim Burton is a visionary mastermind when it comes to cinematics of the absurd. I found some concept art for the film, and I must say. Wow. It looks astonishing. I can not wait until this movie comes out. The planned release date is March 5, 2010. Here ais some concept art.
To finish off this post, I will put on some songs to commemorate the one and only "thriller," who is no longer with us. This man is a legend, and even though he has been a total nutcase for the past decade, he deserves some respect.

Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (LAZRtag Remix)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Bootleg Daft Punk Remix)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Mathematikal Remix)
Michael Jackson - Thriller (Discotech Remix) [Download only]

rhombus.

2009-06-23T15:54:00.003-06:00

rhom⋅bus

–noun, plural -bus⋅es, -bi /-baɪ/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [-bahy]
1. an oblique-angled equilateral parallelogram; any equilateral parallelogram except a square.
2. an equilateral parallelogram, including the square as a special case.

Rhombus is the new boss. Sadly, I can't claim

Black Kids vs. Mates of State - Look At Me, The Re-Arranger (DJA of Mad Decent Mashup)

a sense of Humör

2009-06-18T08:53:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure where this brand is based out of, but it brings some amazing new ideas to the table. It mixes simplicity with style, a look whose inspirations derive from metropolitan underground music, the DJ culture of New York, Berlin, London and Copenhagen. A very new and fresh perspective on men's fashion.

Music(s) for the day

The Antlers - Sylvia
Poney Poney - Cross The Fader
Detektivbyran - Om Du Möter Varg

the rain washed away all the yesterday

2009-06-16T12:52:00.002-06:00

Words cut and paste together into a poem consisting of simply song titles.

Monday Monday Monday [Tegan and Sara]
Rainy Monday [Shiny Toy Guns]
Leaves in the River [Sea Wolf]
Teeth in the Grass [Iron & Wine]
Uncovering the Old [Dr. Dog]

Monday Monday Monday
Hard Rain [Sam Roberts]
Better to Be [Liam Finn]
Back to This [The Helio Sequence]
My Lover [The Sounds]
Never Ever [Shout Out Louds]
Never Going Back Again [Fleetwood Mac]

Yesterday [The Beatles]
I'm a Terrible Person [Rooney]
I Couldn't Sleep [Au Revoir Simone]
No Sleep [Sam Roberts]
The Monster Inside of Me [Daniel Johnston]
Going, Going, Gone [Stars]

Without You [Elkland]
A Kick in the Teeth [Fischerspooner]
Without You
Like Eating Glass [Bloc Party]
Without You
Wish I Was Dead [Shout Out Louds]

Apart [Elkland]
Sleep Deprivation [Simian Mobile Disco]
Apart
Sad Sad City [Ghostland Observatory]

Today [Smashing Pumpkins]
The Old Days [Dr. Dog]
Come Cogether [The Beatles]
Second Chance [Liam Finn]
Hallelujah [The Helio Sequence]
A Smile That Explodes [Joseph Arthur]

To be Alone With You [Sufjan Stevens]
Cuddle Fuddle [Passion Pit]
Together in Electric Dreams [Lali Puna]
Perfect [Smashing Pumpkins]
Fast Asleep [Voxtrot]

Today
We Are Here [Au Revoir Simone]
Back to the Start [Lily Allen]
I always knew [Tilly and The Wall]
You are The One [Shiny Toy Guns]
Want U [Lo-Fi-FNK]
Love U [Blitzen Trapper]

funniest thing in, well... forever!

2009-06-13T11:08:00.006-06:00

I was doing some studying on exam bank, and got distracted and decided to give a try at a grade five test, to see if I'm actually smarter than a fifth grader. I stumbled upon this question, which I find so absurd and hilarious. I laughed aloud for several seconds.

Relatives at a family reunion are discussing what their favorite foods are. They create a Venn diagram which indicates their food preferences:

How many people are present at the family reunion?

Now, here's some songs! {right click downloads}
Songs such as
Dr. Dog - Worst Trip
Final Fantasy - No Cars Go (Arcade Fire Cover)
Arcade Fire - Lenin
Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed

you just must.

2009-06-11T08:41:00.004-06:00

Let's make this simple and clear. Here are three songs that you must take the time to right-click and "Save as" because these three songs are undoubtedly awesome (with the exception of the first 20 seconds of "Bullets"). Do it.

Do it.

song 1[one]: Kyle Andrews - Sushi

song2[two]: Tunng - Bullets

song3[three]: Ben Kweller - Thirteen

DO IT!

blue balloon!

2009-06-10T08:40:00.002-06:00

Thank goodness, there's finally another crapneto video out! Robjn Taylor, the man behind all of the crapneto videos, has been a pretty good inspiration of mine for years. Although his videos always tend to lack any sense, they are still awesome. Here is the excerpt that was posted with the video, just so you can get a slightly better understanding of how Robjn's brain is wired.

"I don't really know what HTML is, but I think that I want less of it in my life.

This video? It's about menu diversification! It was made for a 72hour filmmaker's showdown by a bunch of friends who smell really good. Except Raoul, who sadly, doesn't smell as refreshing as the rest of us. But he has nice teeth.

Anyway, no goldfish were harmed in the making of this film. Did they all die? Yes, yes they did. But not until later. Despite our best efforts. We think it was Matt's fault."

If you loved this video, there is plenty more on the crapneto website. As for musics of the day... find your own music this time.

répertoire/ underway.

2009-06-08T08:23:00.005-06:00

Now here's a good project that I've put aside for far too long. Now that my business partner Benedict is easier to get in contact with, things should get rolling faster. This past night, I had full on insomnia. As I lay in my bed, eyes wide open staring at the ceiling, thoughts of logos and designs for Répertoire blazed through my mind. At about 4:00, I finally decided to get up and put these ideas into action. Here are a few I made today, there are others, but I don't want to give away all of the surprise. Once I get a job and start getting some fine dollar, I'm dropping money into this company. Things will start.

folk rock/ the young &/ the old.

2009-06-07T12:30:00.004-06:00

Here are two exceptionally amazing bands that each have a very original and definitive sound. One represents the folk rock of today, and the other represents the roots of folk rock/blues/jazz. I recommend downloading these songs, and you should probably go and download more after... unless folk rock isn't your thing.

Folk of today/ Midlake.
Midlake is an American rock band from Denton, Texas and was formed in 1999. Their early work was a Herbie Hancock-influenced funk/jazz, which at the time was being released under the band name "The Cornbread All-Stars." Later, the band made the eventual transition to a more indie-rock sound with influences from bands such as Radiohead, Jethro Tull, and Grandaddy. A few albums later, this band has gained its respect worldwide, mostly in western Europe. The following songs are from their 2006 album, "The Trails of Van Occupanther" which greatly pertains the folk sound, and in the opinion of many critics, reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac.

Download for you: Roscoe / Van Occupanther / It Covers the Hillsides

Folk of Yesterday/ Grateful Dead
Formed in 1965 in San Fran, Greatful Dead has been ranked #55 as one of the greatest artists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Their concerts have been considered a life-changing experience by groups of fans addressed as "Deadheads," who follow the band from concert to concert during their tours. Their album "American Beauty" released in 1970 is considered to be the Grateful Dead's studio masterpiece, and is ranked by Rolling Stones magazine #258 for the top 500 albums of all time.

Download for you: Ripple / Touch of Grey / Friend of the Devil

commitment.

2009-06-03T09:33:00.002-06:00

A few days ago I was trying to kickflip this gap on the north side of RD, and I fell around 25 times, and a few times hit the ground hard. Eventually I simply gave up. I saw this video today and its inspired me to give it my all next time. Briggs and the gang is always inspiring.

dear troy steez.

2009-06-03T09:08:00.003-06:00

You should download:

Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position

Bloc Party - Your Visits Are Getting Shorter

Fiona Apple - Across The Universe

changed again??

2009-06-02T09:19:00.002-06:00

I really didn't like that other layout so I changed it again, my apologies for being so indecisive. I was digging through all of my old photobucket albums, and found some oooldd photos. They are ridiculous.

Musics for YOU!

Grizzly Bears - Two Weeks

Caves - Machines and Muscles

The Ghost is Dancing - Wall of Snow

The Whitest Boy Alive - 1517

changed it up

2009-05-31T14:06:00.002-06:00

I liked the old design, but it took way too long to load. If you sit around long enough you'll see the new design's true form. Not too much new things happening lately. My life has molded into a repetitive and everlasting bore. Sister just got back from Phoenix, she took some phenomenal photos with the 'ol Chinon CS, I'll be sure to throw some on here. Anyway, here is some tunes and a cool photo.

Here We Go Magic - Tunnelvision

Peter Bjorn and John - It Don't Move Me

Kate Perry - Electric Feel (MGMT cover)

Midlake - Roscoe (Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve Remix)

Polly Scattergood - Please Don't Touch (The Golden Filter Dub Remix)

LA Priest - Engine

pastelz.

2009-05-28T08:37:00.002-06:00

I've come across some pastels in my house, and I gave them a go. I thought I would hate pastels but they are pretty neat. Here's one I made, only slightly p-shop'd. Ha.

Lykke Li - Melodies and Desires
Goldfrapp - Happiness (Metronomy remix ft. The Teenagers)
Blitzen Trapper - Furr

me, you + waskesui.

2009-05-20T22:37:00.008-06:00

Oh man, it's been pretty much forever since I got to write a nice long story about an epic adventure! I haven't put on my good writing cap in quite some time, so cut the slack if I'm a little rust.

On the 15th of May, we departed from Red Deer, with little money, little clothes packed, and little food. Unprepared, just the way I like it. The greatest adventures are derived from the greatest insecurities. The greater chance for trouble, the better. We left quite late in the afternoon, and with an 8 hour drive ahead of us, we knew very well how late we would be arriving. Once out on the road we made little stops. Just a few places here and there for food, but that was about it. Our only other stop was in a random field in the middle of nowhere. We found the darkest place we could, put the car in park, and laid on the hood, basking under a blanket of infinite stars. I can honestly say that I have never seen so many stars at once in my entire life. It was stunning. Absolutely breathtaking. We tried taking some photos, but they don't do justice. At all. This was a form of natural art and beauty that can only be seen in person.

Our destination was Waskesui - a small, Sylvan-like town. Striving with life in the summer, and dead in the winter. But its wayyy nicer than Sylvan Lake. We arrived quite late, but the boys [Ben/Josh/Read] were still partying hard. And so Phil and I joined in. Really, there isn't much I can say about this weekend. We did nothing but party, and chill out in Read's spectacularly spectacular cabin, only 40 feet from the water. Every night, the sun touched the horizon, igniting the sky in shades of blazing orange and red. Saskatchewan really is the land of living skies. Saskatchewan really isn't so bad. No place is better than anywhere else. It's just different.

We met a bunch of cool people, climbed trees, made fires on the beach, had dance parties, didn't wet the bed (with the exception of Read) , and we did a number of other things. I don't know why I feel like there isn't much to say. Maybe it's just one of those weekends where you had to be there to get it. It was a blast. Getting out of Red Deer, even for a few days is always refreshing. I love exploring places I've never been. I love new things. This trip has just got me more excited for travelling around aimlessly with hopes of only gaining experience and spirit. I think I'm out of things to say, other than, enjoy the photos.

rgb/ random got beautful.

2009-05-19T23:33:00.003-06:00

I give you my greatest apologies for a lack of new posts on this blog. I've just been busy with drama tech, what a handful. Thankfully it's done, it's over with. Time to move on to bigger, better things. We've been writing some ideas for video stuff, but its still under wraps, but I tell you, its gonna be big. Other than that, here's what's been up. I've been a fan of Nikki Farquharson's website "Random Got Beautiful" for a pretty long time(thank you Katherine, coolest kid I know). Not until recently did it occur to me, "Hey, maybe I should try to get some of my photos on here." Not that it's hard or anything, but I'm pretty stoked that they are up in there. Link to the site is here. Check it out. Throw some of you're own on there too!

Over the long weekend, me/Ben/Phil/Josh headed out into the middle of Saskatchewan to visit read in a Sylvan-replicate town, know as... the name surpasses me. It was a great time. Over the weekend, Ben celebrated his 20th birthday. You're not a teenager anymore!! Take care, old man. I don't have the photos yet, waiting on Phil. But the moment he gets them uploaded, I'll throw the best on here. Hurry PHIL!

Fave Tunes For the Hour:
"Love Like Semtex Remix" by Metronomy
"Cars" by Now, Now Every Children
"Elanor Rigby (FIGURE remix)" by The Beatles

i hate windows computers!

2009-05-13T15:41:00.001-06:00

Due to owning a PC and not a mac, I haven't been able to put on anything lately. Can't put on photos because the PC can't recognize Adam's camera. Can't make an edit of nature skateboarding or raving because the PC can't import HD footage from a firewire. Can't record songs because there is no such thing as a good mixing program for PC. I need a mac...

expect music.

2009-05-08T21:04:00.001-06:00

By Monday, I will try to post songs that I will have recorded myself. I've been working on stuff, tweaking and perfecting, and I think I am ready to record. Prepare for awesomeness.

had to post this.

2009-04-30T11:06:00.000-06:00

performance lately

2009-04-29T11:12:00.002-06:00

I've been involved with stage stuff a lot lately. Last Thursday was Thurber Idol, the talent show at school. Me and Riordan Tayles worked up the crowd with our interpretive ribbon dance that we choreographed ourselves. We didn't win, but I never went into that show with the intentions to win. Here is the video:

Also, I just had the show I directed "The Still Alarm" perform at zones 4 last night. It was a success... for the most part. I was way more hyped on "The Bald Soprano." I was assistant director for this hour-long obscure one act, but I barely did anything. Props to Kris.

There is still more shows going this week, all the way until Friday, you're welcome to come check it out, I'll be attending. Tickets are $5/day or $10/all week.

fixing it up.

2009-04-21T21:42:00.000-06:00

Pointless entry, but I decided to make it so it only shows 4 posts per page, so the page will load quicker for you.

Yep.

sufjan stevens

2009-04-19T12:53:00.002-06:00

Awe, yeah. Guess who's blog just hit 1000 views? Mine! That's something special... I guess. Recently my love for the works of Sufjan Stevens has be re-kindled. His music is soothing, subtle, and ranges from inviting to haunting. Every time I listen to one of his songs, I create a clear image in my head of how his music would work so perfectly for the soundtrack to a film. Below is links to my favorite Sufjan songs.

Concerning The UFO Sightings Near Highland, Illinois.mp3

In The Devil's Territory.mp3

Out Of Egypt, Into The Great Laugh Of Mankind, And I Shake The Dirt From My Sandals As I Run.mp3

Holland.mp3

never heard of bromance??

2009-04-18T11:16:00.003-06:00

In honor of Benedict's transfer to Red Deer to live with me, I decided to post the Bromance videos. The other day I realized how many people have never seen Bromance! A lot of people have seen the trailer, which is on Facebook, but the one and only episode (episode one) is only on vimeo. We were going to make a scoopful of episodes, but shortly after making episode one, mtv came out with a new show and robbed us of our name. So here it is folks, the real bromance. Episode One. Actually, I'll put the trailer on here just in case you haven't seen that either.

TRAILER

EPISODE ONE: JORDAN MOVES IN

not much blog lately.

2009-04-16T14:28:00.001-06:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while, I've just been busy. Really busy. Almost overwhelmed. Actually, I'm completely overwhelmed. This theatre show I'm directing is stressing me out. It's so time consuming. I still have a lot of things to get done, and I'm running short on time. To add on top of that, Riordan and I have entered Thurber Idol with an interpretive ribbon dance. My drama teacher basically forced us to enter, but we have a week to prepare that, and we are nowhere near ready. Stress. So much stress. Can't wait until school is over so I can just high tail out of this town. In the meanwhile, here are two things that may fancy you as much as they fancy me.

FANCY NUMBER 1 (ONE):
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

This film looks so amazing. Can not wait until it comes to theaters. I was also stoked by their choice in song for the trailer, "Wake Up" by The Arcade Fire. Best band ever.

FANCY NUMBER 2 (TWO):
THE HELIO SEQUENCE

Such a wicked little band I stumbled upon the other day. They tickle my fancy for sure.

FANCY NUMBER 3 (THREE):
BENEDICT GIESBRECHTBen FINALLY moved in with me. Too bad he was only here two days before peacin' out with Brett, Phil, and Adam to California to check out Cochella. So jealous. I remember me saying I "Must must must go!" But because of school, I can not. I'm mad. Anyway, I'm out of blog stuff, so... yeah. Have a good day. Enjoy the weather. Hopefully it won't snow again, but it probably will.

funny grandpa. funny.

2009-04-12T15:55:00.002-06:00

Although I was pretty sure I am not adopted, this was complete confirmation. In the basement of my aunt and uncle's house is two very nice paintings done by my grandpa. The paintings are of birds on branches, with some Chinese symbols in the corner. When we asked him what the symbols meant, he told us he didn't know. He just found the symbols on the menu of a Chinese restaurant in the yellowpages. So next to these pretty little birds and flowers, it probably says something like "Ginger beef rice won ton soup special." I love my family.

the teen frequency/ it hertz our ears!

2009-04-02T17:30:00.002-06:00

In Great Britian, shopkeepers and shopping malls have set up speakers that emit a high-pitch frequency that the majority of adults can't hear, but teenagers can. They do this so teenagers are a lot less likely to loiter. I've got a link to the frequency here. Go ahead and try turning up the volume and playing this while your 'rents are in the room. They most likely won't hear a thing.

In Britain, kids have taken advantage of this frequency and have given adults a taste of their own medicine by setting their ringtones to this frequency. So this way, your phone can go off at school or work, and your teacher and/or boss won't hear a thing. High five!

I apologize for making you listen to this repulsive noise. To make it up to you, here is a few tasty tunes I quite enjoy.

"Make you Mine" by Miami Horror
or
"My Girls" by Animal Collective
or
"Saeglopur MMMathis Remix" by Sigur Ros

van gogh/an inspiration

2009-03-29T13:10:00.005-06:00

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,'
then by all means PAINT and that voice will be silenced."

~Vincent Van Gogh

vancouver post... soon

2009-03-27T13:09:00.000-06:00

I went to Vancouver for spring break, but I refuse to write about it until I get the photos from Phil first.

doritos commercial

2009-03-19T15:44:00.001-06:00

Doritos' newest flavor "Fiery Cheese Steeze" will be on shelves sometime in late 2009... We hope.

old people social gathering/albums.

2009-03-18T21:42:00.004-06:00

On March 13th my sister had a party to celebrate her 21st birthday. But what theme should we have?? Ben thought of the awesome idea of having everyone dressed up like old folks. It was a huge success. Here are a few of the shots, provided by Levi Thompson and Phil Lindsay.

Three new CD's just got released this month, and they are AMAZING. I'm in love with all three. It's all I listen to. Technically, the Metric CD hasn't come out yet, we just know how to rock the torrents and get the stuff that hasn't come out yet. Here they are.

MSTRKRFT - Fist of God

This is my first time seeing the album art. That's a bit strange. This Album keeps true to MSTRKRFT's style, but introduces a bit of new. Well, all the CD's I'm going to show you are like that. A few songs are a bit peculiar, but then again, a few just blow my mind and make me want to dance my little heart off. I recommend downloading "Breakaway ft. Jahmal (The Carps)", "Heartbreaker ft. John Legend" or "It Ain't Love ft. Lil Mo." They all have a good mix of true MSTRKRFT electro with modern dance club vocals.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

This is for sure, by far, most definitely my favorite album right now. Every song captures my heart. I sounds just like good 'ol Phoenix with a bit of new synthesized, upbeat stuff. It's perfect. I would recommend you download every song, but to be more specific on favorites of mine, I would choose "1901", "Girlfriend", or "Fences." They are probably what I listen to most. But seriously, get your hands on a copy of this.

Metric - Fantasies

Yes. About time Metric has released a new album. I love Metric, always have. Emily Haines is a total babe... vocal-wise. I've seen Metric in concert multiple times, and when they come back for another tour, count on me being there. This album is simple and clean cut and ranges from slow and memorizing to upbeat and punk. It's a nice range of sounds. I suggest downloading "Sick Muse", Twilight Galaxies", "Gold Gun Girls", or "Gimme Sympathy." This album hasn't been released it, it's on pre-order, but if you're good you can find a place to steal the whole album. Get on it.

more 35mm/ march 12.

2009-03-14T23:14:00.005-06:00

Here's some more for you. I shot this whole role in under 36 hours, which is pretty fast for me. Normally I dabble and take forever to get through a roll. It's quite sad, actually. Majority of the shots turned out superb, I even did some self portraits for the first time.

some 35mm shots. Jan/Feb

2009-03-12T16:54:00.003-06:00

This roll took me literally forever to get through. Here are a few of my favorite.

scooters went cool. really. cool.

2009-03-11T15:54:00.002-06:00

Scooters was always a big joke. Rollerbladers reigned supreme in comparison to it. But these guys somehow took a sport that was so unevolved and made into something amazing. Props to all of these guys. If they put out a full video I would buy it in a heartbeat.

to brett.

2009-03-05T22:59:00.003-07:00

Brett randomly left and moved to Ft. St. John.... again.
This is a drawing I made in my night class.

horse power!!

2009-03-02T16:09:00.002-07:00

I found this piece of paper in the drama class today. It was just standin' there! Apparently its been there for ages now. I found it too irresistibly funny to not have. So now, this beauty is glorified in the front of my school binder. Soooo good.

carts of darkness

2009-02-27T08:43:00.005-07:00

Murray Siple's feature length documentary follow a group of Vancouver homeless men who've combined bottle picking with their new sport of racing shopping carts down steep long hills. This is an amazing documentary made by a guy who used to make snowboarding vids, but after being paralyzed from an avalanche, he stopped making films for ten years. I recommend you sit down and watch this whole thing when you find the time. Very inspirational and eye-opening.

[P.S. If the player won't load, and it's just a black square, try hitting refresh. If that doesn't work, you're hooped.]

a little drawing.

2009-02-25T16:39:00.002-07:00

Just a little something I drew while I was bored in my night class. I thought it looked pretty good, so I photoshop'd it up, and threw it on here.

Anything else I should add into this post? I don't think so... I finished reading the novel "Miracle in the Andes" a few days ago. It's an amazing book. It's based on the true story of a South American rugby team that was involved in a plane crash. They are stranded in the middle of nowhere, high above the world in the life-less Andes mountains. It's a really good read, I recommend. Other than that, not much new.

roxanne/ discotech remix

2009-02-22T14:26:00.002-07:00

This is an awesome remix of "Roxanne" by the Police, remixed by DiscoTech. So good! Enjoy.

nick brandt/ photography

2009-02-19T17:30:00.002-07:00

I stumbled upon this amazing photographer from the UK, on his site he has handfulls of spectacular shots, mostly all in East Africa. His images are unashamedly idyllic and romantic, a kind of enchanted Africa. You can order his prints off his site. I am quite certain there is a few I want. I picked out my five favorite photos. You can go see more here.

coachella/ i must must must go go go!

2009-02-16T22:00:00.002-07:00

Last year I didn't go to Coachella. I also missed out on Pemburton. This year is going to be different. I MUST GO. The lineup is so freaking amazing that there is no way I could ever forgive myself if I didn't go. Here's the bands I'm most excited for:

Crystal Castles
Felix Da Housecat
Franz Ferdinand
Ghostland Observatory
Girl Talk
Los Campesinos!
Paul McCartney
Silversun Pickups
The Crystal Method
The Presets
The Ting Tings
We Are Scientists
Band of Horses
Billy Talent
Crookers
Dr Dog
Drive By Truckers
Junior Boys
MSTRKRFT
The Bloody Beetroots
The Killers
TV on the Radio
Lykke Li
Peter Bjorn and John
Sebastian Tellier
The Cure
The Kills
Yeah Yeah Yeah's

That's only half the bands for the course of three days that Coachella stretches across. So hyped.
SO HYPED!

playlist/ classic rock.

2009-02-15T14:39:00.003-07:00

Before I start on my playlist, I would like to quickly point out to you that this in my opinion is one of the most impressive photos I've ever made. It's all 100% done by me by hand in photoshop. I used another photo from a book in my house to template off of, but none of the original photo remains. I'm pretty proud of it. Soak it in. Anywho, here's the list.

"Babe I'm gonna leave you" by Led Zeppelin
"Care of Cell 44" by The Zombies
"For Your Love" by The Yardbirds
"Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones
"Heart of Gold" by Neil Young
"Dream a Little Dream of Me" by The Mamas and Papas
"Imagine" by John Lennon
"All Along The Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix
"San Fransisco" by Scott MacKenzie
"Who'll Stop The Rain" by CCR
"Temptation Eye" by The Grassroots
"Tell Her No" by The Zombies
"Never Going Back Again" by Fleetwood Mac
"Space Oddity" by David Bowie
"Girl From The North Country" by Bob Dylan
"Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite!" by The Beatles
"Magical Mystery Tour" by The Beatles
"Heart Full of Soul" by The Yardbirds
"Lets Spend The Night Together" by The Rolling Stones
"Free Money" by Patti Smith
"Old Man" by Neil Young
"Go Ask Alice" by Jefferson Airplane
"Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds
"Dazed and Confused" by Led Zeppelin
"Castles Made of Sand" by Jimi Hendrix
"I Got A Brand New Pair of Rollerskates" by Janis Joplin

clothing wishlist.

2009-02-14T13:15:00.002-07:00

Now that I have a job, I can afford to buy more stuff! Stuff's good. I made this little collage of clothing I want. Well, I mean, there's way more other clothes I'd love to get. I just didn't feel like making a massive collage.

the shack

2009-02-12T15:51:00.003-07:00

Yesterday I finished reading the novel "The Shack" by William Young. It's an amazing book that talks about the life-changing experience a man had with God 4 years after losing his youngest daughter.

This book is so compelling, and clears out so many questions I had about God and the Christian faith. It takes all the parts of today's modern religious and church guidelines and shows them wrong, that having a spiritual life isn't at all how most Christians perceive it.

This book is absolutely compelling. It's changed my outlook on life and the way I live each day. Whether you are big on religion or not, I recommend this book . In a world full of greed and despair, where nothing is clear, this book shines a light revealing the clarity of life and human companionship.

I'm tempted to start reading it again right now!

what makes me happy.

2009-02-07T23:59:00.003-07:00

I think this video is so awesome. A timelapse of a baby playing with its toys. So cute. Song is sweet too. "Ensemble" by Coeur de Pirate.

birthday boy brett.

2009-02-07T14:44:00.003-07:00

You know it was a good night when all your bros wrap you up in hockey tape, and spray paint your head! Thanks to everyone who made an appearance. Thanks to nobody for helping clean my basement. Wonder how long it'll be until someone gets rid of all those balloons? I also donated my big canvas to Brett by letting anyone and everyone paint all over it. That's a pretty sweet present, right?

Happy birthday Brett. You're 19, so now you can make stupid decisions across the whole country. You have a ton of friends that all love you like a brother, don't ever take that for granted. Let's hope next year is ten times as nuts.

music/ top 3 now.

2009-02-06T13:18:00.003-07:00

"Dropout" by Laakso

"Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" by Sigur Rós

"This Place is Killing Me" by Liam Finn

Some others:
"Your Parents Living Room" by Shout Out Louds
"Autobahn Music Box" by Cut Copy
"Deep Blue" by Ladytron
"Pistols and Hearts BBS RMX" by Bloody Beetroots
"Nån gång" by Familjen
"Humans" by Islands
"D.A.N.C.E. (Rehearsal)" by Justice
"Sleepyhead (Landau 'Wake Up' Remix)" by Passion Pit
"Kicking The Heart Out" by Rogue Wave
"Gobbledigook" by Sigur Rós

wisdom/ take it or leave it.

2009-02-05T11:28:00.004-07:00

I was never the wood that fueled the fire
But simply the spark that started it.
Don't let the fire burn out!
Go out, find your fuel. It's waiting.

help, i'm alive./ emily haines acoustic.

2009-02-02T22:24:00.002-07:00

I have been a huge fan of Emily Haines and her work for a long time. F-Y-I, for all you rural folk, Emily Haines is a Canadian artist/singer/songwriter founded out of Toronto. She has done collaborations with several well known bands, most driving from the Arts&Crafts record label. Her resume includes work with Broken Social Scene, Stars, The Stills, she has also done solo work and has collaberated with The Soft Skeleton. But for the most part Metric.

Their most recent album was "Live It Out" released in 2005, and not until a short while ago had they released much more. They've have many extended tours, but really, they haven't done much. Finally, they've came back together and Emily has wrote out a new album, which will be coming out in the spring of 2009.

I recently saw them in concert, and they played a lot of their new stuff. It's amazing. It keeps the very original feel of thier older work, yet it has progressed forward, reaching out to new boundaries. Their music has expanded and grown since "Live it Out" without gambling into the sometimes unforgiving pit of rejection, which I've seen happen to bands which try to get experimental or re-invent themselves.

You might have heard the single from their new album, "Help, I'm Alive"? Its worked its way around the radio, so it shouldn't be too foreign to you. Anyway, Metric has posted an acoustic version of the song on their blog, and I must say, wow. It's phenominal. I highly reccomend listening to it. It's available for full quality download here.

freaky drawings.

2009-02-01T21:55:00.002-07:00

The other night Brett and I were cruising around town on green bicycles when we decided to play a few rounds of "freaky drawings." I don't know what the actual name of this game is but its what my sister and me have been calling it since we were little ones. The idea of the game is to draw a picture made up of simple shapes, nothing too complicated. Without your friend having seen what you've drawn, you explain to them how to draw the picture step-by-step to the best of your abilities. Directions are easily mis-communicated even with the most simple of doodles. The directions you give have to stay as simple as the drawing. "Draw a square. Inside the square draw two circles side by side, with a triangle in between, etc." This game is a great example on how human communication and verbalization is very limited, and that information is misconceived or lost in translation. Thus the birth of creativity and ideas. Here's what we made.
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