The Fine Print

Harkonen Reunion

November 25, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Some albums are perfect for car rides. One, specifically, I listened to every morning on the way to my senior year of high school. It started when I started my car and ended almost always right as I pulled into the parking lot at school. Sometimes I would speed up or slow down just to ensure the perfection.

Like A Virgin, the split between Harkonen and These Arms Are Snakes. I have two releases of the album. This one has four special tracks, two from each band, at the end.

Download

But the real news is that on New Years this year Harkonen is playing a reunion show at The Comet Tavern in Seattle with Book of Black Earth, Lesbian & Shining Ones. I don’t really want to spend my New Years at a show, but I feel like I have to. I never got a chance to see the band live.

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R.I.P. Mr. Blue Eyes

November 25, 2009 · Leave a Comment

 

R.I.P. Mr. Blue Eyes, originally uploaded by Paul Israel.

He died a long time ago, but I decided to dig up some old photos from before I actually “took photos.” Taken on some old 1MP digital camera that came free with our internet service when I was in elementary.

All our cats had formal names. Mr. Blue Eyes was my cat. We found a litter of kittens in the wood pile and I decided to (was allowed to) keep one. All the cats were black, but he was white. The runt of the litter.

He was never really all that tame — never really let anyone touch him. All of our cats are outdoor cats. Near the end of his life he would come up and make circles against your leg and meow. That’s probably the most physical contact I had with him.

A few years ago I came home and asked the same question I always ask. "How are tux (Mr. T) and Mr. Blue Eyes? And sadly, I got the response. "We haven’t seen him for a while."

That usually only means one thing where I live. Eaten by coyotes. I like to think he put up a good fight.

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I Used To Throw Cats: 2010 Cat Calendar

November 23, 2009 · Leave a Comment

I finally did it! I made a cat calendar. Prints from Costco have proven to be great quality, so I’m hoping for the best with their calendars.

If anyone is interested, please message me and we can work something out. I only placed a small order this time around, but I’ll make more if there’s a demand. $20 each.

Also, if you’re curious where the title came from. Here’s a video of me throwing a cat in a mud puddle. And no, this calendar is made up of beautiful cat portraits, not animal abuse.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TgWyIDVMws

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Meet Arrow

November 18, 2009 · 1 Comment

 

Meet Arrow, originally uploaded by Paul Israel.

Marybeth met this cat a few weeks back and insisted I met and took photos of him. So, today after eating burritos at Diego’s we decided to  drive by his territory. We got lucky! I rushed to set-up my camera and we followed him around for a while.

Arrow is a bit of a mess, with a folded over ear and drool on his whiskers, but he’s hard not to love.

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Bad Romance

November 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

I don’t have cable or satellite and I don’t keep up with much popular culture, but sometimes it’s hard to ignore. Lady Gaga, pop-star/fashion icon/whatever she is, just released one of the most fantastic music videos I’ve ever seen. Stylistically a mix between science-fiction, fashion, and a little more than a hint of sexuality, the video’s conceptually-driven themes keep your eyes glued to the screen. Whether the song makes any sense to me, regarding both coherence to the visuals or just plain English, I haven’t quite decided. All in all, I just don’t care what it’s about or what she’s saying. It’s a pop song, a good one, and we’ll be hearing about it for years to come.

EDIT:

I’d like to make it clear that my response to this video is strictly regarding the cinematography and Francis Lawrence’s directorial skills, not the meaning of the content. You can find a better read of Lady Gaga and her persona here.

Here are a few stills I took from the video.








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Akimbo Flyer Design – Scanners

November 5, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Here’s a flier I designed for an upcoming show at The Wild Buffalo. This is actually the second poster I’ve designed with Akimbo on the bill.

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Movie Reviews: 10/26-11/1

November 4, 2009 · 1 Comment

Since I don’t have a “real” job right now, I’ve been watching a lot of movies.  This will be my way to remember which ones I’ve watched and which one’s I’d recommend.

My scale is 1-5.

The Maiden Heist (2009): 2 1/2 stars


Starring Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy and Christopher Walken.

Three men are all obsessed with different art pieces at the museum they work at. After hearing news that the pieces are being transferred to Denmark, the trio decides to steal the art for themselves.

I watched this probably for the same reason most people would; Christopher Walken is in it. It’s a trick I often fall for. I love him, but I should remember it doesn’t guarantee a good movie.

Orphan (2009): 2 stars


A wife and husband decide to adopt a child named Esther after a freak miscarriage. The adopted child ends up being a manipulative, psychotic brat.

This movie just made me upset. It wasn’t scary at all, I just ended up hating Esther’s character and her bad Russian accent.

Whatever Works (2009): 4 stars


Starring Larry David.

Boris Yellnikoff, an older man who is a pessimist as well as a quantum mechanics genius bumps into a sheltered runaway from Mississippi and begins an unlikely relationship.

Even as Boris Yellnikoff, Larry David can’t help but play the same role as he does in Curb Your Enthusiasm. I’m sure Woody Allen had that in mind when casting him for the part.

Watching Larry David be condescending and rude to everyone he meets is nothing new, but it never gets old.

Moon (2009): 3 stars


Starring Sam Rockwell.

Working on the moon as a harvester of Helium-3, a clean energy source used on futuristic Earth, Sam Bell discovers he isn’t alone.

I had no idea what this was about when I started watching it. I’m just a fan of science fiction and “Moon” sounded like a good choice. The plot was interesting enough to keep my attention, but I felt the conflict needed to reach more of a climax. The HAL-like GERTY artificial intelligence system, voiced by Kevin Spacey, was probably one of the more interesting aspects of the film. Expecting the typical robotic mutiny, it was refreshing to see A.I. actually help the protagonist.

Up (2009): 4 stars


After his wife dies, Carl Fredricksen, an elderly man, decides to accomplish their life-long dream of exploring South America. Unexpectedly, a young boy named Russell finds himself tagging along for the trip.

This is probably one of the funniest and saddest movies I’ve seen in a long time. In other words, I loved it. It definitely has its silly and unrealistic parts, as most animated films do, but the underlying themes of grief and loneliness  keep the story intact.

Paranormal Activity (2007): 3  stars


A married couple move into a new house only to discover the wife’s demon, which has been haunting her since a child, has followed her to her new home.

I watched this by myself in my room in the dark and only jumped once. Maybe I don’t get scared easy, but I would expect more out of a film with such hype. This movie shows that as long as you have a good concept, a small budget can go a long way.

Away We Go (2009): 3 1/2 stars


Starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph.

A couple with a baby on the way travel the US to find a new home for their family.

I mainly watched this because I had just seen Where The Wild Things Are and wanted to see another movie written by Dave Eggers. Away We Go started out slow and had the feel of a cheap Garden State-esque self discovery plot, but soon turned into something more. I really enjoyed the humor, which was to be expected with Eggers and I was pleasantly surprised by Krasinski’s acting as I only know him from The Office.

Primer (2004): 2 stars


Four entrepreneurs discover they’ve built something far more complicated and important than anticipated.

This movie makes no sense. Time travel is over my head. I’d probably have to watch it again, but I just don’t want to. Overall, the acting and filming style was interesting though.

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Pyramid Power!

October 29, 2009 · 1 Comment

On Monday I went to see  Shonen Knife, an all-female rock trio from Osaka, Japan at the Nightlight Lounge. I had never seen or heard of them before. Their apparently legends in the U.S. underground garage rock scene.  Kurt Kobain of Nirvana was a huge fan. That has to say something.

Opening up for Shonen was Seattle-based Visqueen who I had also never heard before.

I was excited to hear them play since I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the rest of Cristina Bautista’s musical work. She also plays bass and sings in Bellingham-based Connecticut Four as well as creates her own solo work.

Visqueen was a lot of fun.  I really enjoyed the female-vocals and driving pop/rock rhythms. Nodding my head wasn’t a choice, it was infectious. If I wasn’t taking photos, I’d probably be dancing with the rest of the crowd.

I’m really hoping to do a promo shoot with the band in the future.

And then there’s Shonen Knife.

At first I was worried the band would rely solely on their cute-factor. They came on stage holding miniature pumpkins above their heads, wearing colorful outfits and throwing up metal horns. And to top it off, they have trouble speaking English so it’s hard not to be amused by their attempt at communicating with the audience.

But as soon as they starting playing, I realized by their technical ability they were more than just a gimmick.

I could sense that I was witnessing something special. It was one of those situations where I wished I could appreciate the experience more by knowing the songs or history of the band beforehand.

I mean, doesn’t it just look like they rock hard?

You can find more of my photos from the night, here.

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Ryan’s “Ultimate Drinking Suit”

October 29, 2009 · Leave a Comment

“No one is gonna want to talk to you!” – Joseph O’Malley

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Vinyl For Breakfast

October 26, 2009 · 3 Comments

My friend Kaleb (Chance Random) came over for a photo shoot today for his solo hip-hop work. I was hesitant to use my house, but after a little organization and cleaning… the set-up turned out pretty clean.

The concept was “Vinyl For Breakfast”. We put on some neon-colored shades (for eye protection), went out into the rain and broke apart old records that Kaleb picked up from Everyday Music.

From there it was just Kaleb chomping on vinyl, smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee and chugging milk.

It was a good time.

You can find more of my photos from the day here.

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