She's in Sweden, full of sophistication and soul...
8.30.2008
Dr. Feelgood
Ms. Aretha Franklin was 26 years-old in this clip.
She's in Sweden, full of sophistication and soul...
She's in Sweden, full of sophistication and soul...
8.29.2008
me. need. sleep.
I'm exhausted. School has kicked in, and I'm already drained. Oy.
But on the upside, I'm excited to tackle some new work and engage with different folks.
I have so much to post, but I can't think right now...
But on the upside, I'm excited to tackle some new work and engage with different folks.
I have so much to post, but I can't think right now...
8.27.2008
Whack Mac
I'm typing this post on my Powerbook G4.
Why am I typing this on my Powerbook G4?
Because the wireless internet connection on my brand new Macbook doesn't want to play. It's constantly scanning for a connection while my trusty Powerbook is stayin strong like the good child it is.
The scanning issue on the Macbook isn't an isolated incident. I googled my problem and found a forum thread that's piled with similar complaints and few solutions.
UGH.
Why am I typing this on my Powerbook G4?
Because the wireless internet connection on my brand new Macbook doesn't want to play. It's constantly scanning for a connection while my trusty Powerbook is stayin strong like the good child it is.
The scanning issue on the Macbook isn't an isolated incident. I googled my problem and found a forum thread that's piled with similar complaints and few solutions.
UGH.
8.26.2008
white women in barcelona
I saw Woody Allen's new movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I won't give away anything other than Ms. Johansson is whack. Why is she getting parts in movies??
Everyone else was great. High 5s go out to Penelope Cruz & Rebecca Hall--the real stars of the movie in my humble opinion. I hope they're awarded with Oscar or Golden Globe nominations.
Woody Allen is still getting it done. And interestingly enough (or maybe not, this is the first Allen pic I've seen) he made a few unique statements about women wrestling with love and passion. It was a clean and simple movie.
You, my friend, should check it out.
Everyone else was great. High 5s go out to Penelope Cruz & Rebecca Hall--the real stars of the movie in my humble opinion. I hope they're awarded with Oscar or Golden Globe nominations.
Woody Allen is still getting it done. And interestingly enough (or maybe not, this is the first Allen pic I've seen) he made a few unique statements about women wrestling with love and passion. It was a clean and simple movie.
You, my friend, should check it out.
8.23.2008
Maine
I'm writing this from a Wholefoods in Portland, Maine. It's been a kuh-razy weekend so far (and it's only Saturday night), but I'm having a great time. Will post pictures, and send high-5's soon.
8.20.2008
moving on...
I bought a macbook yesterday.
I've had five great years with my 12-inch powerbook G4, but it's time to retire my lil workhorse.
I'm typing what might be the last post on my pb, and I can't help humming this tune:
I've had five great years with my 12-inch powerbook G4, but it's time to retire my lil workhorse.
I'm typing what might be the last post on my pb, and I can't help humming this tune:
8.14.2008
Ebert Tellin It Like It Is!
This is a clip from Siskel & Ebert, reviewing Eddie Murphy's standup comedy film Raw (1987). I think it's safe to say Siskel got told about himself:
The thinking playwright
Just finished Artist Descending a Staircase by Tom Stoppard.
What I'm digging:
- The play calls upon Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase for structure and symbolism:
I don't know much about the ever-evolving art scene in the 20th century, but I think Stoppard handles the backdrop of the play well; he uses the avant-garde art movement of the 1910s, 20s to play out the relationships between three artists. As old men, they settle into each other while creating their art, but the circle is broken when one of them falls (or is pushed) down a flight of stairs.
I think this play is a great example of how a playwright can take a big idea or thought (such as surrealism) and whittle it down to a dramatic action.
So.
Yay for that.
- The other thing I'm digging is the scene structure. There are eleven scenes: ABCDEFEDCBA. The spine of the play being "F" or scene 6.
So A-E are flashbacks (jumping back a few hours to a few decades), F stands on its own, and E-A pick up where we left off in A-E. [Whew, I hope that makes sense.}
It's tricky, but it's cool to track how Stoppard makes sure you keep up.
- The audio cues in the play are cool. This was originally a radio play, a medium where sound is crucial--obviously. This makes me want to see a production of the play to see how a director negotiates the visual with the sound.
- The humor is swift. Stoppard uses words like a pair of tap shoes. It's remarkable to me how he stretches the rhythm and timing of a joke to accommodate his rich language without losing the punchline.
What I'm digging:
- The play calls upon Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase for structure and symbolism:
I don't know much about the ever-evolving art scene in the 20th century, but I think Stoppard handles the backdrop of the play well; he uses the avant-garde art movement of the 1910s, 20s to play out the relationships between three artists. As old men, they settle into each other while creating their art, but the circle is broken when one of them falls (or is pushed) down a flight of stairs.
I think this play is a great example of how a playwright can take a big idea or thought (such as surrealism) and whittle it down to a dramatic action.
So.
Yay for that.
- The other thing I'm digging is the scene structure. There are eleven scenes: ABCDEFEDCBA. The spine of the play being "F" or scene 6.
So A-E are flashbacks (jumping back a few hours to a few decades), F stands on its own, and E-A pick up where we left off in A-E. [Whew, I hope that makes sense.}
It's tricky, but it's cool to track how Stoppard makes sure you keep up.
- The audio cues in the play are cool. This was originally a radio play, a medium where sound is crucial--obviously. This makes me want to see a production of the play to see how a director negotiates the visual with the sound.
- The humor is swift. Stoppard uses words like a pair of tap shoes. It's remarkable to me how he stretches the rhythm and timing of a joke to accommodate his rich language without losing the punchline.
8.11.2008
Benjamin Bixby
Mr. Andre3000 from the stellar group Outkast has a new clothing line for men called Benjamin Bixby.
He offers a sneak peek at the "10 Essentials" feature over at menstyle.com. According to a New York Magazine article back in February, he's been piecing the line together with his own time and money. The article quotes him saying that Benjamin Bixby "is a character who’s kind of like your uncle, or your granddad, and he has a closet full of experiences and clothes, and he’s been around the world.”
Maybe we'll see what it's all about this Fall.
I have absolutely no doubt that it will be a delectable selection of shirts, pants, and blazers.
He offers a sneak peek at the "10 Essentials" feature over at menstyle.com. According to a New York Magazine article back in February, he's been piecing the line together with his own time and money. The article quotes him saying that Benjamin Bixby "is a character who’s kind of like your uncle, or your granddad, and he has a closet full of experiences and clothes, and he’s been around the world.”
Maybe we'll see what it's all about this Fall.
I have absolutely no doubt that it will be a delectable selection of shirts, pants, and blazers.
8.10.2008
Issac Hayes 1942 - 2008
From WattStax documentary (1972):
Hayes at the height of his badass-ed-ness. Jesse Jackson exhibits the limitation of his hypeman abilities.
And here's Hayes making his mark for new generations:
Hayes at the height of his badass-ed-ness. Jesse Jackson exhibits the limitation of his hypeman abilities.
And here's Hayes making his mark for new generations:
Songs I Hum....
A new play list for your listening pleasure in "Songs I Hum While I Run."
This time around we're enjoying the softer side of the Jackson 5. For Michael to be a pre-teen for most of these recordings he knew how to sing a love song. Am I right?
[awkward silence]
Okay, maybe not, but I think Maybe Tomorrow is quite possibly the best slow song in the Jackson 5 catalogue. Very sophisticated and, yes, very 70s. I love it.
So cute and so cool.
This time around we're enjoying the softer side of the Jackson 5. For Michael to be a pre-teen for most of these recordings he knew how to sing a love song. Am I right?
[awkward silence]
Okay, maybe not, but I think Maybe Tomorrow is quite possibly the best slow song in the Jackson 5 catalogue. Very sophisticated and, yes, very 70s. I love it.
So cute and so cool.
Bernie Mac [1957-2008] R.I.P.
N.S.F.W
I like this routine because I think it showcases the craft of Mac's jokes. His timing, language, and tone are on point.
I like this routine because I think it showcases the craft of Mac's jokes. His timing, language, and tone are on point.
8.08.2008
S.Y.T.Y.C.D finale!
Yay Joshua!!!
Mary was in love with him from the get-go! Ha!
The show is gaining a shade of respect in the dance community, so all the pretty young things are coming out to audition. Joshua is cute, but he doesn't wear the pretty like some other folks on the show (and inevitably like some of dancers who will audition next season).
So yay to America for not picking solely on the pretty!
The two-hour finale was really a 90minute promotion for the upcoming tour. The rest of the time was filled with the Jonas Brothers singing a harsh falsetto, and three extraneous dance performances.
It was great and smart to include two dance numbers featuring Nigel Lythgoe and the MILF/ Cougar Mary Murphy. Just awesome.
And where the hell is Sabre?? I was glad to see Benji, Donyelle, Hok, and Travis but I was hoping to see MY favorite dancer.
Mary was in love with him from the get-go! Ha!
The show is gaining a shade of respect in the dance community, so all the pretty young things are coming out to audition. Joshua is cute, but he doesn't wear the pretty like some other folks on the show (and inevitably like some of dancers who will audition next season).
So yay to America for not picking solely on the pretty!
The two-hour finale was really a 90minute promotion for the upcoming tour. The rest of the time was filled with the Jonas Brothers singing a harsh falsetto, and three extraneous dance performances.
It was great and smart to include two dance numbers featuring Nigel Lythgoe and the MILF/ Cougar Mary Murphy. Just awesome.
And where the hell is Sabre?? I was glad to see Benji, Donyelle, Hok, and Travis but I was hoping to see MY favorite dancer.
8.07.2008
Shakin the Blues Away...
Yesterday I pieced together a post about Black folks and tv theme songs. It was great. Lots of info, links, and clever lil' jokes wrapped in smiley faces :). I went to publish it and Blogger responded with an error message. I refreshed, found a draft of the post and soon discovered "autosave" only automatically saved the first few lines and nothing else.
Ugh.
A series of other minor things occurred yesterday that are too boring to describe, but when added up they equal a very bad day.
In circumstances like this, one should turn to Ann Miller singing about an "old superstition way down south...":
Ugh.
A series of other minor things occurred yesterday that are too boring to describe, but when added up they equal a very bad day.
In circumstances like this, one should turn to Ann Miller singing about an "old superstition way down south...":
8.05.2008
Woyzeck by Georg Buchner
I have to read a stack of plays in the coming weeks, so I decided to post short responses for each one.
The first play is Woyzeck by Georg Buchner (forgive me for not having the two little dots above the "u"; also forgive me for not remember what those two dots are called).
The wikipedia page describes the play as "a comment on social conditions as well as an exploration of complex themes such as poverty."
Buchner never finished the play. He died at the age of 23, leaving an unfinished fourth draft for scholars and translators to piece together for various productions.
I read Eric Bentley's translation.
What I liked:
- Numbered scenes! I'm a sucker for 'em even though they don't appear often in my work. It's interesting to make note of what playwrights use them and for which plays. I realize for this play it was probably the style of the time. Numbered scenes, I'm assuming, were considered the normal format of a play so maybe Buchner wasn't making a statement with the structure, but reading these plays, for me, offers a lesson in how transitions work. I think how the scenes are constructed tell just as much of a story as the plot, dialogue, characters, etc.
- The use of song and the human voice.
- The play's look at the concept of the "ideal human." There is much talk of this specimen but it never appears in the play. It seems that everyone yearns for an unattainable human condition. The dysfunctional doctor and an irrational captain belittle Woyzeck, who in turn kills his lover Marie for not being a "pure woman".
What I didn't like:
It's hard to talk about dislikes with translations, because there's a filter between Buchner's own words and the reader. I will say the overall flow of the piece wasn't very smooth.
The first play is Woyzeck by Georg Buchner (forgive me for not having the two little dots above the "u"; also forgive me for not remember what those two dots are called).
The wikipedia page describes the play as "a comment on social conditions as well as an exploration of complex themes such as poverty."
Buchner never finished the play. He died at the age of 23, leaving an unfinished fourth draft for scholars and translators to piece together for various productions.
I read Eric Bentley's translation.
What I liked:
- Numbered scenes! I'm a sucker for 'em even though they don't appear often in my work. It's interesting to make note of what playwrights use them and for which plays. I realize for this play it was probably the style of the time. Numbered scenes, I'm assuming, were considered the normal format of a play so maybe Buchner wasn't making a statement with the structure, but reading these plays, for me, offers a lesson in how transitions work. I think how the scenes are constructed tell just as much of a story as the plot, dialogue, characters, etc.
- The use of song and the human voice.
- The play's look at the concept of the "ideal human." There is much talk of this specimen but it never appears in the play. It seems that everyone yearns for an unattainable human condition. The dysfunctional doctor and an irrational captain belittle Woyzeck, who in turn kills his lover Marie for not being a "pure woman".
What I didn't like:
It's hard to talk about dislikes with translations, because there's a filter between Buchner's own words and the reader. I will say the overall flow of the piece wasn't very smooth.
John Maedea + RISD
John Maedea began his post as Rhode Island School of Design's 16th president this past June. I don't know much about computer science or graphic design, but Maedea makes it...,well, simple to understand his fascination with simplicity in design and technology.
Here's his speech at the 2007 TED conference:
Here's his speech at the 2007 TED conference:
8.04.2008
Back in Full Effect
Geez, it's August already?? Summer is zoom-zoom-zooming along.
As you may or may not know I took a bit of a posting break to finish a few projects and schlep my life 2 hours closer to NYC. It's been a non-stop-go-go life for the past few weeks, but I got everything done. Well...almost.
Back in June, I decided to create a sense of purpose and discipline in my artistic life by drafting a list of projects I wanted to finish this summer. Most of the projects got bumped to the bottom due to impromptu deadlines, but I still feel like I got a lot done:
- A new draft of Inked Baby
- The first draft of a new play Blacktop Sky
- Read a gaggle of plays, old and new
- Researched mini-dv camcorders [I will make a short film, dammit!]
- Watched a lot of awesome work on vimeo's Make it Interesting channel
- Watched the first season of the Golden Girls [R.I.P. Estelle Getty]
Whew.
Looking over that list makes me believe I got done what was meant to get done, right?
Now that those things are squared away, I'm gonna try and tackle my list from two months ago:
- First draft of Africa Trilogy play
- First draft of a short story I started in the Spring
- Finish reading plays and essays assigned for the upcoming school year
- A new draft of my play U R Here
- Take everything to the next level
Okay, that last one is a bit grandiose, but it's a way of thinking I plan to embrace. Oddly enough it was sparked by this list that offers "72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life". I'll spare you the hippy-dippy details, but I will say I'm enthusiastic about things to come.
Alright.
So.
The posts will resume. If you want to stay informed, click that subscribe button directly above or make us a part of your google IG homepage.
As you may or may not know I took a bit of a posting break to finish a few projects and schlep my life 2 hours closer to NYC. It's been a non-stop-go-go life for the past few weeks, but I got everything done. Well...almost.
Back in June, I decided to create a sense of purpose and discipline in my artistic life by drafting a list of projects I wanted to finish this summer. Most of the projects got bumped to the bottom due to impromptu deadlines, but I still feel like I got a lot done:
- A new draft of Inked Baby
- The first draft of a new play Blacktop Sky
- Read a gaggle of plays, old and new
- Researched mini-dv camcorders [I will make a short film, dammit!]
- Watched a lot of awesome work on vimeo's Make it Interesting channel
- Watched the first season of the Golden Girls [R.I.P. Estelle Getty]
Whew.
Looking over that list makes me believe I got done what was meant to get done, right?
Now that those things are squared away, I'm gonna try and tackle my list from two months ago:
- First draft of Africa Trilogy play
- First draft of a short story I started in the Spring
- Finish reading plays and essays assigned for the upcoming school year
- A new draft of my play U R Here
- Take everything to the next level
Okay, that last one is a bit grandiose, but it's a way of thinking I plan to embrace. Oddly enough it was sparked by this list that offers "72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life". I'll spare you the hippy-dippy details, but I will say I'm enthusiastic about things to come.
Alright.
So.
The posts will resume. If you want to stay informed, click that subscribe button directly above or make us a part of your google IG homepage.
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