The House of Brain

New Blog

2009-11-26T23:45:00.000-08:00

I've created a new tumblr for blogging. I hope you all check it out. I'll be able to update on my phone, a definite win for the B team.
http://uniquelythesame.tumblr.com/
The updates will be mostly pictures, or that's what I'm hoping for.

I'm sooo sorry

2009-11-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

This bloog has died, I'm sorry. I love y'all for reading. Maybe I'll start another blog up sometime in the future when i have a more steady internet connection, a more working computer and that jazz. Catch you on the flip side. -BriKi

I spoke too soon

2009-09-23T16:43:00.001-07:00

I finally compressed and made available my summer's opus. This cutout animation is called The Sea. Hope you love it as much as everyone else did. It is also an ad for OFF, the local film fest. The quality will probably be a little low until the 24th.

This whole no Internet thing

2009-09-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

makes giving you all my blog love really hard. School starts up soon and so I might be able to start doing a weekly thing, but i can't promise anything. This may be the end of the house of brain as we know it.

Fanny Packs

2009-09-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

I thought y'all might enjoy this. Just found this handy little guide to make a fanny pack hosted by two dirty hipsters. I want the guys dookie chain, but otherwise they look ridiculous. Though I find the idea of buying a fanny pack unappealing, I do enjoy the idea of making a fanny pack. Inside of me is a little DIY punk gremlin trying to get out. Too bad I don't have access to a sewing machine or the skills to use it.

Capitol Hill Block Party Part 2

2009-08-12T15:36:00.001-07:00

Here it is, my eagerly awaited (completely ignored) report on the second day of the Capitol Hill Block Party.

July 25th
I got to the party around 2 o'clock and the madness started immediately. I started off by heading over to the Awesome Color concert happening at the Neumo's Stage.
The concert was Awesome as was promised and included many sweet ass break downs like this one:

Sometime in the middle of the show while I was hanging out enjoying the music, a middle aged man wearing sunglasses indoors came up to the front of the stage and started headbanging wildly. He was obviously skunk drunk and had a friend trying to keep him under control. While Awesome Color has a loud and fun show, they did not merit the sort of 'I'm a fucktard and listen to Korn' or 'I'm a juggalo' kind of headbanging that this man was doing.
During a short break, he asked the band what their name was and when told did not understand and expressed great dismay at them not being this other band he was excited about. I recall him later saying that he thought that this band was great and that oxycodone is a great name for a band. The bouncer laughed and told him to shutup.

I hung around there for Hotels. Hotels is nice new wave-esque kind of band. They were fairly good, but i wasn't hooked.

The next band I saw was surprisingly good. I'd never expected to listen to a band that admitted that it was emo and say, "wow, i could listen to this a few more times and not hate it." PELA is what emo was before MTV killed it and has carried on the old emo tradition. PELA has no whiny vocals and has a sound closer to a slow hardcore than to fallout boy. The main problem I had with them was that they all dressed like bros, but I'm willing to let it slide.

Next I saw the Maldives, a sort of bluegrass/folk/country rock band. Being a sucker for bluegrass and folk I loved the band. For some of their songs they had more of a Classic Southern Rock sound, another diggable type of music.

I don't know if I'll buy their album, but their concert was good.

Next was Truckasaurus, a band I'd been hearing about for a good while and was pretty excited to see. Every several months I become obsessed with 8 bit for less than a day, purists make me cringe because the sounds a gameboy make are grinding to listen to. I was one of those who welcomed standard electro into the 8 bit world and feel that the genre has improved because of it. If I were taking massive quantities of speed and/or coke, regular 8-bit would be pallatable, but seeing as I don't, it isn't. Check out Truckasaurus if you get the chance, their show packed Neumo's and had people dancing in the balcony. I hear that is hard to do. Also, I apologize for the camerawork, I was drunk.

Next was the Gossip. This band has roots where I live, down in Olympia, WA, and that would make most locals think that I would like them. Wrong. The Gossip was okay although maybe it was just the hundreds of people jammed together like sardines making my life a living hell.

The last band I saw was probably the main reason I decided to go to the concert in the first place. Sonic Youth is a great band that I've been into for a while now and I jumped at the chance to see them in concert.

They played mostly new music, but thats okay. If you've read my review of their new album you know how I feel about them. Even though they are an older band, they still play as well as if they were still in their twenties. You should've seen the mosh pit.

Capitol Hill Block Party Part 1

2009-08-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I went to a two day, 3 stage music festival. Capitol Hill Block Party, sponsored KEXP, KNDD (better known as The End), and The Stranger, attracts less well known bands than Bumbershoot (the other big Seattle music festival) and so I find them much more interesting. This is a 2 Part chronicling of my times at the festival:

Thursday, July 23rd:
Hitched a ride up from Olympia and got to parents house around midnight, went to sleep.

Friday, 24th:
Got to the Block Party just after 4 and tried to get my bearings. I had just walked all the way from downtown Seattle and was catching my breath. It was really hot out there. I could hear The Dutchess and The Duke playing from where I was sitting and was not impressed. I wandered looking for good music until 5:15 when I found and caught the tail end of Band of Skulls. I wish I had caught the full set; They ended up being really good.
I went to check out Bow + Arrow next, I wasn't digging it so I ended up heading to the first show I was really excited about for the day. Black Lips was playing at the mainstage and was sure to draw a crowd. I was determined to get up close, but got stuck pretty far back.

I bought their album after the show. Their punk vibe with some of the markers of their southern psychedelic rock sensibilities created a sound I wished I came up with myself.

Deerhunter followed immediately after Black Lips and played well. I’ve been excited about Deerhunter since I picked up their album about a year ago and was really jazzed when I saw that I could see them in concert. They were a full quarter of why I came to the Block Party.

Their vocal effects broke within the first 5 minutes of them playing and they still did a great set. They are definitely more of a recording-centric band, but their live show is still worth seeing. I recommend picking up their album, Microcastle. It has a nice flow from beginning to end.

After Deerhunter, I headed over to the Vera stage and found nice place to sit and recuperate for the final show I’d be seeing that night. Another quarter of the reason I went to the Block Party was Starfucker.

Besides the obvious attraction of the name, Starfucker is good local band from Seattle. They come through Olympia periodically. They play really mellow synthpop, I recommend giving them a listen sometime, it might change your life.

I went home to my parents house around 1 in the morning and got a good nights sleep. I would need it for the next day.

Weather

2009-07-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

When people don't have anything to talk about, they usually talk about the weather.
When someone isn't so committed to actually talking about anything, they only talk about the weather when its exceptionally good/bad.
Today, the weather might be characterized as too good in Olympia, Washington. The high for today is a balmy 104 degrees, what must be a record for the area. I've taken to hiding in the air-conditioned halls of the Evergreen State College library while downloading podcasts for my animation. Soon I will have to venture out into the non-air-conditioned world and go to dinner with a friend. I doubt it will cool off tonight, at least not enough to cool off the house at night. This is what LA is like; This is why my family left California. At least I can prove that I can in fact live in LA and not die.
HOLLYWOOD, HERE I COME!!!

World of Warcraft... the movie?

2009-07-22T13:31:00.001-07:00

It was just announced within the past day that there is to be a World of Warcraft movie coming out in the coming couple years. Sam Raimi has signed on as director (for now) and that means that:

1. It will probably be humorous
2. There is a good chance Bruce Campbell will be involved

The main worry I have about this movie is that it is a WoW movie. It's existence validates the millions (yes the numbers are in the millions) of people who don't go outside because they are too busy playing the game. I fear for our culture. If Bruce Campbell is in the movie I HAVE to see it though.

Bumbershoot 2009

2009-07-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Two posts in less than 24 hours, I'm on fire!

While looking through the lineup I discovered a few gems that you may have never heard of before, the first of which is Dead Confederate. They are playing Monday.

Dead Confederate - The Rat

Dead Confederate :: The Rat (Aquarium Drunkard Session) from Aquarium Drunkard on Vimeo.

Excited doesn't begin to explain how I feel about this.

Also on Monday is Akron/Family. Akron/Family is a band I've been familiar with for over a year and had not heard anything about recently. I suspect that the band is from Akron, Ohio and in fact a family. (in the Hippy commune and drug use sense) Weird psychadelic music with out there lyrics, screw it I'm in.

Metric is playing Monday as well, I am extremely excited to see them play. I'm a long time fan.

Mirah, a K Records (Olympia, WA Indie Record Label) artist, is also playing Monday. She's freaking great and appeals to all my Olympia sensibiliies.

Also, Truckasaurus:

Then of course there are the two headliners for that day, Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse. This my friends is why I am going to Bumbershoot on Monday if not for any other day.

Other Cool bands playing other days for you poor saps not going Monday:
Saturday: Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head

Sunday: Holy Fuck, Helio Sequence

Anamanaguchi

2009-07-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy 8 bit and/or animation at all you should check out this audio/visual project put together by Anamanaguchi for Dawn Metropolis, their new album. It's really cool although you might need to be concerned if you're prone to seizures.

Sometimes You Just Can't Stem A Flood

2009-07-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

The flood gates have reopened and I can't stop spitting out project ideas that I will soon be working on and killing myself with. Here is a little preview. If you have any ideas that you think would be helpful to me making these things or if you make music (cough...Ben Michaelis...cough) and want to help me with a soundtrack, let me know.

#1:Paint
I have another anti-individualism series. The groundwork is already lain, I might even have help from my roommate, Curt. The series involves painting fruit the same color as a background taking pictures of the work and then painting from that picture. The paintings would be displayed with photos of the process in either the form of a production book or hung on walls.

#2:Page
I really want to write a series of short reinterpretations of Roman myths and/or history. I think this would be a just for fun kind of thing and so is the lowest priority.

#3:Animation
The third idea I've had will probably end up being my final piece for EAT, (Experimental Animation Techniques) the class I am taking this summer. It is an animation of a cutout squid traveling through a progressively more strange and uncomfortable world. Starting out in a tropical ocean wonderland and ending up on the evening news or something ridiculous like that. I think that it'll end up being the most fun out of all of these works. I'm excited.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-03T02:21:00.000-07:00

I went to see Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen tonight and was so enthusiastic about it I had to write this post.

Transformers 2 sucks.
not just regular sucks, it sucks in the kind of way that you feel ill afterward. It sucks in a way that makes me wish Michael Bay would lose his eyes and therefore his ability to direct.
It takes hard work to really get me going about a movie, I'm pretty easy going and I have a sick fascination with really bad movies (Snakes on a Plane, The Scary Movie Series, The Final Destination series, anything by the guys who did the Thumb movies and Kung Pow!, and anything from Tromaville, etc.)
Where Snakes on a Plane acknowledged its badness, T2:ROTF was unclear. Could anyone actually create something so bad and not recognize how awful it is?
Rotten Tomatoes said: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a noisy, underplotted, and overlong special effects extravaganza that lacks a human touch." I am honestly surprised that this movie is TOPPING THE BOX OFFICE.
Fair, but that is missing a few points. The cinematography is insane AND inane. There is a whole sequence of the camera going through holes in walls and doors in a circle. The camera moved even when a simple stationary shot would have done fine, or even better.
I also found myself getting bored as I was watching the movie. (This IS a blockbuster, right?) My friend Charlie started nodding off and his roommate Derek straight up fell asleep.
I honestly expected better after the first movie, a half self-aware comedy, half fun-guns-action flick. For those of you who didn't know, Michael Bay is a hack, and T2:ROTF is a steaming pile. Happy Independence Day Weekend!

New Animation

2009-07-01T16:42:00.001-07:00

Since I am taking summer classes, I can continue to bombard you with my many animations
This is a paint on glass assignment that I'm rather happy with. Enjoy!

(due to issues with the video's size I will instead include a link with the video on Youtube) Paint On Glass

Look At This Fucking Hip-star

2009-06-25T16:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks be to Look At This Fucking Hipster.

And give us this day our daily creep.

Summer Classes

2009-06-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

I decided that to make sure I graduate on time, (I'd have to slack off really hard next year) I'd take summer courses this summer. I'm in the EAT (Experimental Animation Techniques) program, a crash course in experimental animation. I didn't realize this when applying for the class, but I already know just about everything there is to know about most of this stuff. I am happy with the pace of the course though: Our first day (yesterday) we learned about zoetrope strips and were assigned an exquisite corpse. (everyone in the class makes a part of it and then it is strung together afterwards)

This also means I'll be in olympia all damn summer, lets see how this goes. Hopefully I'll have something cool to show when I'm done.

The Eternal

2009-06-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last week I went down to Caffe Vita in Downtown Olympia and picked up a copy of my favorite newspaper: the Stranger. It is a terrible newspaper full of ads and made up of mostly opinions. The redeeming factors are the writers' ability to write something funny or otherwise amusing and the funny/creepy personal ads in the back. In the front, I saw an ad for the new Sonic Youth album, a band that I didn't know was still making music. I got really excited and went off to get a copy.

Sonic Youth's "The Eternal" sounds like the other Sonic Youth albums,(not that that is a bad thing, I still like it) they know how to package noise pop and make it fun to listen to. The album kicks off with some classic 'the kids don't care' vocals and some crazy distortion and guitar noise with moments of lucidity. About half way through the album, the music gets much more tame and effect heavy with right on vocals just in time for 'Malibu Gas Station' the song I would choose as the single. The rest of the album is much less crazy. The album even ends on a downright mellow point, while still maintaining the noise drones one expects. If you like noise pop, The Eternal is a good album to get.

This Is It, This is Dilemma

2009-06-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

I finally feel I have the time, energy and motivation to make this post.
This is a legitimate attempt at showing you my final installation, even though it is impossible to fully understand it without seeing it in person.
To get close, you should try setting up an uncomfortable chair in front of your computer and cover it with a blanket or bed-sheet. Make sure your computer is higher than your head when sitting down. Now, run the animation while simultaneously looking at the pictures. Congratulations, that is the closest you are going to get to seeing the original ever again.
The artist statement is laying on a table with a coffee stained newspaper, a painted coffee cup, and a sketchbook:

Brian King works in many mediums including poetry, music, drawing, painting, animation, and soon film. His works often deal with the appropriation of culture and the degentrification of the prestige class. He is also interested with the subtle reflexivity of any piece of art.
Brian’s installation, “Dilemma,” is a culmination of his studies on the subject of sleep deprivation, a problem he’d become all too familiar with. The installation consists of an animation, two paintings, and a recreation of a living room. This piece is intended to recreate the feelings of a sleep deprived person in the viewer, simultaneously giddy and distressed.
The pixilation, a type of stop motion animation where humans are posed instead of other types of objects, is displayed on a monitor. It is a representation of the (more-likely-than-not) sleep deprived viewer. The paintings appear on either side of the monitor and represent the mood swings and alterations in perception of the world associated with being sleep deprived. These pieces are arranged before a set of uncomfortable chairs. When combined, these pieces create a feeling similar to that of sleep deprivation.

The animation is playing on the screen while the paintings are displayed to the left of the monitor.

I've been considering putting this up again in another location with a little more control. Student shows aren't very high priority for resources.

Finished Project

2009-06-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

I made an artist blog and I'm completely burnt out. There are pictures of my shit on my artist blog I made for class. Take a look. There's also an artist statement! I hope you like it. http://blogs.evergreen.edu/brianking/

Dilemma

2009-06-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

I'm just full of surprises today.
This is the first element of my installation. This is my animation, Dilemma:

It looks really good if you watch the HQ version off of Youtube. The compressors messed with it a bit. It was originally shot in hi-def and the uncompressed version is two GB. I'll post video and/or pictures of the installation when its done.

Best Thing on "Look At This Fucking Hipster"

2009-06-01T14:18:00.001-07:00

This is the most ridiculous low budget music video I've ever seen. Thank you LATFH.

This shit is amazing. Have you ever seen two people act out a tiger attack with fake blood in adult onesies? Their makeup is great too. Open question, are these two furries?

Art show

2009-05-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

My art is going to be in a show on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Mine will be an installation up on the 4th floor of Sem II E Building at that point it should be obvious I think. Come see it and eat the food that will probably be available.

My installation is about Sleep Deprivation, it should be good. I hope you can see and do like it if you do in fact see it.

Secret Joys

2009-05-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

I get joy from opening my email every couple days and seeing an email from a MoveOn.org member telling me that I did a good job. I get joy from this because I almost never open their emails, just every once in a while when the heading piques my interest. Headlines like, "You Made It Happen" or "Victory for Seals" only get me to smile and look at the screen like i did something important.

Its like free candy for my ego, I love the shit out of it. I also makes me a terrible activist. OH WELL!

Showcasing

2009-05-25T18:18:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be showcasing almost all of my artistic skills in the next two weeks in various iterations. There'll be a concert I'm opening on Saturday May 30th with 'Pashaw!' It's my first concert and I'm really excited. I even made a flyer even though it is a small show for only a few people. I'm a nerd.

I will also be having an installation at my class art show Wednesday June 3rd through the end of the week. Contact me if you want to come to the opening.

I Half Expect...

2009-05-24T19:24:00.001-07:00

I half expect everyone to have something change about their appearance between our meetings. Maybe this is due to my own frequently changing facial hair, but its strange.
I won't name names but I expect that the next time I see one of my female friends, she'll have a mustache. This odd feeling may have been inspired by Charlie's picture of himself with a big fake mustache.

I Am So Inspired

2009-05-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

that I needed to share this again.

A week or more ago I posted a website from my swarm (websites I check regularly) in this post. I had only visited it once or twice and it was already on its way to becoming another facebook for me.

The Sixty-one
For a music geek like me, this is a great website. They have a constantly growing music selection of mostly indie and self-produced music, but also of some more popular, borderline MTV bands like 'Band of Horses' and 'Ratatat.'
It also offers a sort of democratic selection of what is good and incentives for the really big geeks like me.
Are you ready for the kicker?

There is an RPG aspect to the rating process that allows you to level up based on having good taste in music and friends with good taste. There are music quests (they aren't mandatory) to complete, something I really enjoy about the site that creates something to do while bored. Its Pandora.fm: the game.

If you're interested in getting involved let me know and I'll send you an invite. We can be friends on the Sixtyone AND be judgemental together!

Friday Nights

2009-05-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

As most of you probably knew or guessed, I like a drink. I really like a drink on a Friday night with a few friends. Others of you may know what a stressful week I had.
Upon entering the Brotherhood, one of my favorite Oly bars, how do you think I felt when all I could hear was a fat bro screaming things to his friend across the bar? The guy had on some stupid 'i'm trying to be cool, but i'm really a douchebag' t-shirt on along with a sideways hat. What was he doing in this bar? If he wanted to be a douchebag, he could have gone to Charlie's, or Hannah's, or The Royal. I mean, WTF?!?

Also, this bro and his bro buddies were trying to hit up on some beautiful women while still being douchebags. (Do douchebags get the girl IRL?) At some point I cracked and started yelling to my friends about the bros and them being in the bar that I like so much. The Brotherhood is CLEARLY not a bar for bros. My friends thought that I was going to start a fight, I was so angry. Then these guys and the women they were hitting on left together to go to another bar, Charlie's. (thats right, you better run!) I knew because they were yelling about it. Sometimes I hate Olympia.

Newbies

2009-05-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

I got a message from a newbie in Indiana. She wants to go to Evergreen, but is terrified of the weather and also of it not living up to her expectations. Despite my usual attitude towards newbs, I told her the full honest truth. I told her that I like it here and that the weather sucks but not so bad. I told her that the school is good if you are motivated. I portrayed the school with cautious optimism. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! As an upper-classmen I am supposed to HATE FRESHMEN! They just want us to buy them booze, they are soul-suckers. They are so OPTIMISTIC. RAWR

Also, this is very close to home.

The Swarm

2009-05-12T08:34:00.001-07:00

I've been swarmed with new websites recently by friends who think I'll like them.
Luckily my friends know me pretty well and so I have this huge swarm of websites I've been checking way too frequently.
Here's the list, I think you (my readers) will probably enjoy some of these.

The Sixty-One via Charlie
besides the name and awesome layout, which i dig, the service is nice too. Its like last.fm on awesome pills. It's a relatively new website so you can also feel really hip knowing and talking about it. hooray!

Hipster Runoff via Jesse and/or Courtney W.
I've actually been checking this one for a while, but now that I have a steady internet connection again (via iphone) i've been checking it a lot. Carles has a very specific and rediculous sense of humor. Check it out if you like laughing.

Look At That Fucking Hipster via I wanna say Jason (correct me if I'm wrong)
LOL HIPSTERS WITH CAPTIONS

Overheard in New York via I wanna say Jason (correct me if I'm wrong)
This is a website where people hear other people say funny things in New York and then post them on the internet. People say hilarious shit, really hilarious shit.

Picture is Unrelated still might be Jason
picture and a caption hilarity. Way good, but doesn't update much

KFC, Oprah, and Riots thumbs up

2009-05-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

On May 6th, 2009, history was made.

KFC barred their doors to the hungry masses, an action that prompted civil disobedience - Civil disobedience that hasn't been seen since the government sponsored racism. WE THE PEOPLE DESIRE GRILLED CHICKEN!

On the 5th, Oprah promised her fans FREE CHICKEN from KFC involving a coupon. Throngs of people came to KFC seeking the sweet flesh of fowl. When paying customers arrived to buy their own chicken, they were halted by the crowd. Many feared for their well-being despite their will to ingest greasy KFC chicken product.

The protestors chanted such uninspired words as, "I'm gonna pee on KFC!" and "Hell no, chicken to go!" The sit-ins were a swift kick in the cloaca for KFC corporate, a force that even the likes of Oprah should not trifle with.

And so began WW3, Oprah vs Colonel Sanders

http://gothamist.com/2009/05/06/kfcs_denial_of_grilled_chicken_give.php

http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/05/oprahs-kfc-free.html

Make your own KFC sign at KentuckyFriedCruelty.com

Drawing Nudes turns into Painting Nudes

2009-05-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

We've been drawing nudes in class a lot for the past year and this is the first one to make it to the internet. Its acrylic on watercolor paper.

I've gotten lots of positive feedback about the composition. I hope you like it. I think its my best technical painting so far.

Note to Self

2009-05-05T17:45:00.001-07:00

Don't throw parties at the last minute, nobody will be available or want to go. Such is the doom of the 'last minute party.'
This is not to be confused with the 'spontaneous party,' a rare occassion where people randomly appear around each other and begin drinking. 'Spontaneous parties' are one of the most enjoyable types of parties. They are huge piles of awesome with covered in awesome sauce and topped with an awesome cherry.
Generally planning is an integral part of throwing a party. Remember this and heed the words of the Fonz, "'EH-YEEE!!!"

iPhone

2009-05-03T16:21:00.001-07:00

I got an iPhone yesterday. When it comes down to it, the iphone is cheaper than internet on a month to month basis, although the initial cost was huge, 300 dollars is so much money. That is one hundred beers at the brotherhood or eating out every day for a month. Besides the issue of procrastination, my iPhone is great. People were telling me that the edge internet is slow, but i've not had any problems with it. It is fast enough for me to watch youtube videos and that is plenty. I used to live in freshman dorms on Evergreen campus where you would often have to wait an hour or more to load a youtube video. The battery life is short, but I can charge it when I'm asleep every night. A day long charge is not so bad, my old phone was starting to get there anyways. Thank you Apple, I'm enchanted... yet again.

Taking Things Way Too Seriously

2009-05-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

All right, this one goes out to Charlie D

We had powerpoint presentations for class on wednesday of last week where we were being evaluated by our peers. Mine was on sleep deprivation. I got my evaluations and they were ok, all of them besides one. I got to read a page of cold, odd insults which I will now quote:

Did he give a clear and organized presentation? Was it easy to find the main point of supporting points? Did they stick to the main points?
"No. No. Yes. He did not go off-topic." (this is where i started getting a feeling that this person thought they were better than me, complete sentence? come on!)

Explained connection between the research and project?
"No. He did not mention his project." (to be fair, i didn't and almost no one else did either)

Made good use of visual aids?
"Made adequate use. The images could have been better." (btw those images were AWESOME)

Used the time well?
"Yes."

(Here's the best part)
Had good personal demeanor?
"No. He was twitchy, ill groomed, and hesitant. He was not confident."

(Yes, I am twitchy and ill-groomed. They should string me up for that. What, should I get a fucking haircut before I go to do a powerpoint presentation? I couldn't take anything this person had said in the evaluation seriously anymore. Who says that?)

Well-prepared?
"Fairly. He could not quote sources."
(WTF? I thought we weren't supposed to write out a speech for our presentations. I thought paraphrasing would be good enough.)

What was the best about this presentation?
"The information" (sleep dep is pretty interesting)

One suggestion for improvement?
"He should know his sources and be able to quote them." (and that receives a big 'fuck you' stamp)

is it just me or is it inappropriate to call someone "twitchy and ill-groomed." The first time reading it I was incensed, but then I realized that this person must be upset with me,(is that possible) crazy, or socially retarded to say something like that. I have my theories on whodunnit, but what good is caring about it going to do. If I want to follow the life path of an artist, I need to be prepared to take harsh and ridiculous criticisms. That doesn't mean I can't give those people harsh and ridiculous criticisms right back and in a completely vindictive way. I gave the suspected ridiculing party some scathing criticism. (Allow me to paraphrase: Your presentation felt very canned, make it feel more natural and make us more interested in your topic. kthxbye)

My advice for anyone who wants to fuck with my shit, 'if you can't take the heat, stay out of my fucking kitchen. I cook with a flamethrower.'

Hipsters in Space

2009-04-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

So, this is old, but good.
Commence non-committal dancing! Space hipsters, whatever!

I mostly enjoy that their space ship is a shoe

The Reef Comic

2009-04-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

I just got done writing a comic for Timefighters this morning while sitting at Café Vita. It feels good to get work done that isn't school related, but it is also kind of a bummer that I can lump that in with the rest of my procrastinational ceremony. I have the first draft of a research paper and a powerpoint presentation on the subject due Wednesday. I'm relatively screwed when it comes to that, but we'll see what i can do. College is killing me.

Sleep Deprivation

2009-04-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I'm doing a big project/research paper on Sleep Deprivation for class. Now imagine my delight when I found this article while perusing Digg.

It sounds like the research I've been reading lately is finally being brought to light, but now I'm falling behind! What's the next cutting edge?!

Also, Swine Flu. The next Bird Flu scare? I'd actually be more afraid of Swine Flu, they share much more DNA with us than birds, but I'm not going to Texas or Mexico anytime in the near future.

Also, I'm working on a comic about The Reef that will hopefully end up in Timefighters' comic zine

Happy 4/20! Prepare to have your 'mellow' harshed

2009-04-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Happy 4/20 everyone! Can you smell the Hippies?

As a reformed Hippy myself, I have great insight on their world and feel obligated to critique the culture.

What a strange holiday April 20th is. On 4/20 you are supposed to break the law with all of your friends, but as far as I can tell there is no real reason to do it. There is a lot of speculation about where the date's importance comes from, but no one really knows and I don't think anyone really cares. Wikipedia claims that the date and time originated with some high schoolers who would smoke after getting out of detention at 4:20 every day, but I've heard plenty of other ones involving Hitler's birthday and other even more outlandish origins.

Do Hippies really even need an excuse to smoke some grass? No, no they don't. As protest I am making a point of not smoking grass and telling anyone who asks me to that this is a dumb holiday. 4/20 is similar to Christmas and Easter, maybe it meant something to someone at some point, but now its just a reason for misguided idealists to embrace consumerism. While you may not want to hear this, dealing drugs is a business just like the Frito-Lay Corporation, the company that sells Funyuns and other such popular stoner snacks. Way to break the mold, kids.

2009-04-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

Scenester, Hipster, Hippy? Some of you may be asking, "Whats the difference?" If I know you, I've probably tried to explain it to you before.

For all of you still confused, Marek Haiduk and Hillel Aron have compiled this handy reference list. Enjoy.

pulled from:
Madatoms

The Graphic Novel/Comic Book

2009-04-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Soon to be published in an anthology for the TESC library, this is the work that the animation was based on. This is the Graphic Novel/Comic Book, "The Ugly Caterpillar"!

Snail Animation

2009-04-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

Me and my buddy Charlie made this while we were fiddling around in AfterEffects. He told me I should put it on Youtube so I did. Hope you like the music choice. Laff a little?

The Ugly Caterpillar

2009-04-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is my final project from last quarter, in case you can't read the title it is called "The Ugly Caterpillar." It is an adaptation of the story, "The Ugly Duckline." It is a puppet animation with loads of fun mats in it. I hope you like it and I will take questions from y'all.

So Much for Spring Break

2009-04-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I know I said I would load up the blog over spring break. This time, it is really coming. I am SERIOUSLY going to be putting everything I've done in the last quarter and a half that I have digital copies of onto this blog. SOON.

Internet

2009-03-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

I will be back in the internet in less than a week. Prepare for the bombardment.
Also, the President of the Internet has been kidnapped, no longer able to smile upon our also smiling, happy subjects' faces. Where has he gone?

Holy Fuck!

2009-03-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

Holy fuck, its Holy Fuck!

wooooo! synthpop sans coherent vocals!
Holy Fuck - Balloons
Holy Fuck - Lovely Alien
enjoy

Turbonegro

2009-02-27T18:47:00.001-08:00

Turbonegro sounds like a cyborg name, but it is actually a Swedish butt rock band.
My friend Jason just showed them to me and I am really happy. I recommend you listen to them because they are cool.

Also, just in case you didn't know, Butt rock is a child of metal and rock with nice clean vocals and dirty fucking lyrics. It is so gooooood. EETZ LIKE CANDY

Here are some youtubes:

DiG?

2009-02-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

Can You dig it?
and

Well?

Thank You Linda Bean

2009-02-25T16:09:00.000-08:00

At Pike Place Market in Seattle, I found a tile that said, "Thank You Linda Bean"

This is what started the search that I've been undertaking for the past hour. The question, "Who is Linda Bean?" and "Why does she have such an entertaining name?"

My first google search brought me to Maine, with the headline "Linda Bean expands her lobster holdings" as the first hit. Intriguing. I dove in.
I cared little for the talk of a Linda Bean and her lobsters. Lobster economics matter little to me for four reasons: I don't eat meat, I think lobster tastes shitty, I don't fish for lobster, and lobsters scream while being cooked.
What are the chances that the Linda Bean of Pike Place's floor tiles would be the same Linda Bean that loves eating strange, bug-like creatures from the ocean floor. I continued my search.

The next hit is Linda Bean's Perfect Maine, a site where Linda talks about lobsters, (Homarus americanus) and lobstering. This is also irrelevant to the Great Pacific Northwest. NEXT!

The next hit is Artist Linda Bean's Web Page. She is described as "Linda Bean, a Northwest Artist. Oil/Acrylic, Colorist." in the abstract on google. Upon investigating the site, one discovers a pile of gushy crap and meaningless impressionism. Not my cup of tea although it does look very nice. I'm guessing that she is the person referenced by the tile and I doubt that this is the same person as the lobster lubber from before, but I want to be sure.

The next hit is a video of the first Linda on QVC "promoting her new Lobster Stew," yawn. NEXT.

The final hit that I am interested in is the New York Times' article on Linda Lorraine Bean (turns out to be the first Linda Bean) and her conservative philosophy. This is the L.L. in L.L. Bean.

Ms. Bean is an outspoken conservative. She is opposed to abortion rights, gay rights legislation and gun control, and she believes in Ronald Reagan's program that tax cuts will spur economic growth and lower the deficit.

Would she really be recognized by the Pike Place Market?

Hell, I don't know. The trail of bread crumbs ends there. HAH!

LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!!!

2009-02-24T14:22:00.001-08:00

I was sitting in class to day and made this. The funny part is that my work wasn't completely off topic. We are making collages as we speak in a tutorial on Photoshop. I've never used THAT program before....

So, good Public Service announcement or no?

EMPTY PROMISES

2009-02-24T08:41:00.000-08:00

So, I still don't have internet at my house. I'm really looking forward to this happening. When I have internet at my house I can bombard you with the many uninteresting details of my life, but until then you'll just have to suffer in the dim, post-apocalyptic, sunshine of my love.

My life is written in Eric Clapton songs.

I finished my graphic novella and will be putting it up on the blog as soon as possible. This is also true of about a million other things. I still haven't been able to put up my hybrids and cyborgs, or the interesting things in my notebook.

I got a new microphone recently and therefore have a much better ability to record music. I hope you'll be able to hear some of that soon. I've only had time to record one song on it, but spring break is coming up soon.

New House

2009-02-17T12:06:00.000-08:00

Well, I just finished getting moved into my new house. (Maybe pictures later) No more screaming children to wake me up at 5 in the morning. No more wanting to make coffee and not being able to get to the machine due to mounds of dirty dishes. No more constant fear of sickness due to children. No more diapers. No more vegetarian bashing. No more alcoholics. No more drama. (hopefully)
Makes me feel like this

Another way to waste your time

2009-02-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

I found what may possibly be the coolest flash game ever.
This my friends, is dino run
I really wouldn't start a game unless you have several hours to blow

Comic Making - The Bandwagon

2009-02-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

I am jumping on the bandwagon. All of my friends (gross exaggeration) have been making comics and so I am also making one.
Funny thing:
Mine is also an assignment for class. I hope to soon share it with you all.
It's my adaptation of The Ugly Duckling using moths, caterpillars and another SURPRISE
CHARACTER. It will later be made into an animation.

I am excited

Animation

2009-01-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

Finally, after much heartbreak and many failed attempts, one of my animations has made it to the internet. Without further adieu, the animated walk:

I drew that in about 10 hours. HAH! Maybe this whole hand animation thing is overrated.
BTW, the colors are intentional and allow for better readability. If it were blue and purple you'd all be really confused right now. Funny thing, color theory is one of the most simple things. Myspace should provide a primer on color theory so people will stop making shitty pages. They would use the slogan "Hey, take 5 minutes to save everybody a headache."

Something to whet your appetites

2009-01-25T12:59:00.000-08:00

So, I know you all are bawling your eyes out every night when you check your blog list. You say, "Oh man! The House of Brain is still out of commission! What will I do with myself?!?!" Seeing as I don't want to cause any more grief and because I'm tired of throwing away all the suicide notes, I came to campus today just to write to you.
How are you doing?
Are you loving life?
What's that smell?
I mean, you are about to wreck yourself. When is the last time you've checked yourself?
Do you like costume parties?
Why is the crotch cut out on this dolphin suit?
SO-tomorrow, I turn 21. I'm going to go to one of the local bars (the Brotherhood if you are so inclined to meet me there) that I've 'never been to before.'*wink wink nudge nudge* I am supposed to meet up with about 10 people there, most of them don't know each other. My roommate is also coming. This should be interesting.

Just discovered a new blog (I don't know how new it actually is) through my program website. It's interesting because each napkin is kind of like a frame in a comic book and that just happens to be what we're studying in class. I really like it and think i might copy it. I mean, I really love stealing people's ideas.

Also, what do you think? Would you buy this album if you judged it by its cover? (Like a book?) What kind of music would it be? Are you sexually attracted to it?

So....

2009-01-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

My computer went wonky (the monitor won't turn on, but the computer functions well in every other aspect. I think there is a loose chord inside) and now it has become hard for me to blog at y'all. You'll notice that I might post a lot less now. Also, class has started and I don't have that much free time. If you were one of those who relied on my words for sustenance, I'm sorry but you'll have to turn to other blogs for your word count. I hope my comp will be back up and running soon.

We. Are. Going. Musical.

2009-01-10T16:26:00.001-08:00

I found out how to make this blog significantly more musical via 'Box.net.' I look forward to filling your ears with new and exciting music. As a first taste, here are some of the best track of 2008, according to me.

Gobbledigook - Sigur Rós

A Thing For Me - Metronomy

Lola Langusta - Cheveu

Vanished - Crystal Castles

Isabella of Castile - Starfucker

Also, I just got around to reading a small book my sister got me for Christmas.
I am now an expert at peeing in the city thanks to Ray Tempus' book "A 15 Point Guide to Peeing in the City." The book gives good directions on where and how to pee in the city. It even instructs the reader on specifics such as angle of feet and where to direct one's stream. It "has been pocket sized for your (the pee producer's) convenience." It really is a useful little book and would probably be a good conversation starter if laid out on a coffee table.

*Edit*
At Comics Night @ Danger Room I got out my copy of "A 15 Point Guide to Peeing in the City." Everyone thought it was really interesting and it started several small conversations. Small books: The new hip conversation starter of 2k9? Also, at first glance, people thought it gave directions for men exclusively, (with statements like, "They should make a ladies version!") but then I showed them the 3 city peeing strategies exclusively for women. This book is a hoot.

Flexing my Youtube muscles

2009-01-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

So I finally got something up on Youtube that I'm artistically involved in. I thank garageband and imovie for helping me. This is a cover of the Brian Jonestown Massacre Song "Telegram." Enjoy!

Good picture from when I was heavily bearded, too.
What do you think of the video?
Is the picture a good representation of me?

The History of Superimposed mouths

2009-01-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed over the last several years the superimposition of mouths on characters in photos and video. This interests me.

The superimposition of mouths on images has its roots in the internet and probably began with the mass distribution of illegitimate copies of Adobe Photoshop. At this point, any bored person could waste endless hours creating hilarious/dumb/ridiculous images.

Here's one good example.

Some believe this started as a nod to the cult classic, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Though this makes sense temporally, this cannot be what happened. If the movie were to be referenced on the internet, it would be made fun of. The art of homage is lost on the great world wide web. This is why we must search for our sources elsewhere. To Wikipedia!

From what I can tell, this area was largely pioneered by Joel Vietch, owner of www.rathergood.com. His early work didn't use many superimposed things. A video(spoonguard) I remember from my childhood was one of his early experiments in using single elements of a face for superimposition. (ban spoonguard) It advanced further during the spongmonkey years as the meme began to pick up commercial attention. This may have been the first internet meme to make it into the mainstream. Maybe you remember this commercial:

After many years of flying under my radar, this year i have found a much more advanced use of superimposed mouths. In these videos they use video of a human mouth superimposed on animals faces.

Or roadkill faces

These things get played out pretty quickly

Things of Interest

2009-01-04T15:13:00.000-08:00

The people on the bus are ... of diverse personalities

"Forward-minded people tend to sit at the front of the top deck, according to Dr Tom Fawcett of Salford University, the independent-minded in the middle and those with a rebellious streak at the rear."

An interesting study on tendencies of people on the bus in the UK. I wonder what kind of people ride the bus in the UK. Is it just the lower and middle classes who ride the bus? (like the most part of America) Is it just Brit-hippies?

Frugal is cool in cash-strapped US

"The era of individualistic consumption that swept aside the Great Society of the 1960s has come to an end. For three decades, American culture has celebrated the glories of unabashed capitalism and the ideals of the rich. No longer. From Hollywood movies to celebrity culture to television, frugalism is taking hold. Consumers are cutting back. Luxury brands are falling by the wayside."

Good that we're not being blamed for digging our own graves anymore. (If we ever were) I like looking through foreign media, they always have more objective views on American politics and culture.
Does that mean less crunk rap?

Does that mean more stripped-down, cheap music videos?

I'm OK with that.

Man Can **FLY**

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.
In 2k9 we can defy gravity. CONGRATS! Those are going to show up in so many spy movies... I can has flysuit?

Hipsterism: A study (post-mortem?)

2009-01-02T01:02:00.000-08:00

IRL, People often ask what I mean when I talk about hipsterism.
First, a definition via Wikipedia:

"In the late 1990s and during the 2000s, the 1940s slang term hipster was used to describe young, urban middle class and upper class adults with interests in non-mainstream fashion and culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock, independent film, magazines like Vice and Clash, websites like Pitchfork Media, and organic, vegan, or locally-grown food.[1] In some contexts, hipsters are also referred to as scenesters.[2]

It is difficult to give a precise definition of a hipster, because hipster culture is a "mutating, trans-Atlantic melting pot of styles, tastes and behavior[s]."[3] One commentator argues that "hipsterism fetishizes the authentic" elements of all of the "fringe movements of the postwar era—Beat, hippie, punk, even grunge," and draws on the "cultural stores of every unmelted ethnicity" and "gay style", and "regurgitates it with a winking inauthenticity" and a sense of irony.[4]"

Now that we all understand what a hipster is, one would logically ask, "why?" Hipsterism is the result of the times. It is spawned largely out of the suburban boredom common in today's middle class young people. They want to be socially active, but have tasted the fruits of consumerism and want to have the good life as well. Essentially, they all want to be Andy Warhol.

Hipsterism is an absurdist, post-modern movement. (Whether or not this is recognized by its subscribers) Irony, the sole principle shared by all hipsters, is a disempowering force. After Duchamp's urinal, hipsterism strives to question societal norms. A hipster's irony questions what is classy and what isn't, what is beautiful and what isn't, what is pleasing to listen to and what is crap.

Hipsterism doesn't deserve the criticism it deserves. Hipster culture is saturated with 'posers' who don't subscribe to the philosophical aspects of hipsterism. These 'posers' create an awful image for the scene as a whole. It is important to recognize that posers exist in every counterculture. Hipster culture is an easier target than most. Like the other absurdist movements of the past century, hipsterism is not appreciated by the masses because it is largely misunderstood. Most hipsters are just thought of as pretentious consumer whores while their works are meant to make a difference.

Maybe you all can hate the hipster movement a little less now that you know more about it. Now, I have a question for you: Is hipsterism dead?

My Bloody Valentine....... 3D?

2008-12-30T23:39:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing lots of ads for a movie called "My Bloody Valentine 3D." Talking to many of my shoegazing friends, they were all very upset by this. For those of you who are unaware, there was a band called "My Bloody Valentine" that became extremely famous. They led the shoegazing movement and so has become widely known. After the shoegazer in me became offended, I decided to do some research. These are my findings.

First, we'll talk about the new movie.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D LOOKS TERRIBLE

The plot according to Wikipedia:
"Ten years ago, a tragedy changed the town of Harmony forever. Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles), an inexperienced coal miner, caused an accident in the tunnels that trapped and killed five men and sent the only survivor, Harry Warden (Richard John Walters), into a coma. But Harry Warden wanted revenge. Exactly one year later, on Valentine's Day, he woke up and brutally murdered twenty-two people with a pickax before being killed.
Ten years later, Tom Hanniger returns to Harmony on Valentine's Day, still haunted by the deaths he caused. Struggling to make amends with his past, he grapples with unresolved feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Sarah (Jaime King), who is now married to his best friend, Axel (Kerr Smith), the town sheriff. But tonight, after years of peace, something from Harmony's dark past has returned. Wearing a miner's mask and armed with a pickax, an unstoppable killer is on the loose. And as his footsteps come ever closer, Tom, Sarah and Axel realize in terror that it just might be Harry Warden who's come back to claim them..."

Typical slasher flick. Lots of blood and tense moments, maybe some metal during the opening and ending sequences. Since its in 3D is it therefore more terrifying? Other than the draw of a possible 3D soft-core scene, (maybe the first ever in the history of film?) I don't think I could pay money to see it.

Now, the movie shares its name with "My Bloody Valentine(Band)." They were the biggest thing to ever happen to shoegaze. Their music (directly or indirectly) influenced many bands that I feel are pretty important right now: Film School, Darker My Love, The Dandy Warhols, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and most notably The Brian Jonestown Massacre. In fact, the BJM's latest album was titled "My Bloody Underground" an homage to MBV and The Velvet Underground. That should help you understand the shock seeing this movie trailer caused in Shoegazers.

Here is some MBV if you haven't heard them before.

After digging a bit deeper, I found out that My Bloody Valentine 3D is actually a remake of a Canadian slasher flick from the '80s. The movie came out in 1981 while the band started in 1984. The name connection is not a coincidence either. According to this fansite they named themselves after the movie.

What a strange thing to name your band after.
BTW Emo kids, listen to this instead of your Dashboard Confessional. I'll hate you less.

What if....

2008-12-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

What if I started accosting people on the street and asking if I can take a picture of them to put on the blog? (posted with commentary of course)

Would you like that?

What if I figured out how to put my animations on Youtube?
Would you all watch them religiously?

religulously?

What if I figured out how to post MP3s on the site?
Would you like that?

What if I started posting MY music on the site. Would you think me egotistical?
Would you like that?

Any suggestions outside of those?

Have the Billboard Charts Outlived Their Usefulness

2008-12-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

Being bored AND curious, I went to the internet today and looked up the Billboard charts. I had never realized that Billboard was actually a magazine. In fact I'd never heard anyone talking about Billboard that wasn't a Radio DJ or an MTV VJ. I went to their website and read about the two groups Billboard caters to: the "fans" and record execs. Looking at what tops the charts, i'm guessing the numbers have nothing to do with good music. Would you care to take a look at the Billboard charts (for December 26th, 2008) with me?
(I'll be listening to the songs while writing this as to channel the exasperation I'll be feeling)

1. Beyonce - Single Ladies
Somehow, I've already seen the video for this and been thoroughly unimpressed. I also recognize the song before it plays. There is an annoying noise in the background. Its got an alright beat. The vocals are good, but the song itself is really shitty. A record exec probably wrote this piece of shit. I can imagine it now, "The kids like weird noises and monotonous beats, right? WELL, have I got a SONG for YOU! Beyonce, sing this and your record will go platinum"

Alright, I already have a headache, but i must push on in the name of science!

2. T.I. - Live Your Life
I've already heard this one, too. Its been played in a few peoples cars while i was "riding dirty." Alright, they get props for having that old internet meme with the singing fat kid, but I'm a little put off by how long it took them to use it. I like the chorus, but the verses are pretty awful. The beat is awesome. This is the kind of song everyone wants to sing along with. This is a really good clubbing or cruising song, but I can't imagine really listening to it alone... like I am right now. They tried to make this way too serious, especially using the fat kid meme.

I looked it up just in case you were unfamiliar, it was the Numa Numa Kid.(the actual song is called "Dragostea Din Tei")

3. Lady GaGa - Just Dance
This is already pissing me off, Its like she is trying to be both Britney Spears AND (lady rapper name here). It sounds like its one of those party scene songs, but less rappy and much more targeted at 12 year old girls. Also way too much annoying electronic shit for me to listen to it. My headache is worse than with Beyonce. I feel this is another prepackaged type record exec song. Its great when the record company writes your songs for you.

Well, I don't think I'm ever gonna listen to that again. Well here's some Kanye, like an oasis in the desert. He's easy listening.

4.Kanye West - Heartless
I am pro-vocoder and so this song catches my attention right away. Awesome beat, simple and uses a sound i haven't heard before. He just said Dr. Evil, that makes me smile. Can't really tell if Kanye is using a vocoder or not. I think so, but I'm not sure.

And we've found another dip.

5. Britney Spears - Womanizer
I am turned off by the intro and the name of this song. Nice beat, but Britney sounds hella creepy. Can she say womanizer enough. It sounds like Britney learned a new word and decided to make a song about it. She finally figured out what to call KFed. This is awful. Kill me. please kill me. oh my god. this is amazingly awful. it takes skill to suck this much. Who listens to this? Womanizer, the worst song of 2008?

Can it get any worse? Oh, i remember seeing this next artist on VH1 a few months ago. She was singing about kissing girls... and liking it.

6. Katy Perry - Hot 'N Cold
I like the synth, but the lyrics are shitty. Not nearly as good as her other hit. Also, she shits on her voice for the verses, but she does good on the choruses. Well, I think her hearts in the right place, but this song still turned out pretty shitty. Definitely NOT Top 10 Material.

7.Taylor Swift - Love Story
I like banjo and she has a nice voice. Kinda feels like it might end up on CMT. Kind REALLY feels like it might end up on CMT. I don't hate it, but I don't really want to listen to the rest of it. I guess there are a few minutes for it to get bad. Oh shit! Minor chord breakdown. So cliched. And now for the upbeat breakdown part2.

They'd be smart to cut off the back end of that song. It wouldn't suck half as much.

8.Kanye West - Love Lockdown
I've heard this song before. The intro is kinda repetative. Good beats again. Its alright, but it doesn't really stand out. Its a little whitebread for me. I can't think of anything to say for this. Its so average I can't really say anything.

I hate to be that way because i usually love kanye. I mean, I AM a white boy from the suburbs.

9 T.I. - Whatever You Like
I dig the 8bit sounding synth. The lyrics don't suck either. I like it. Its a love song about buying a girl whatever she wants because he has way too much fucking money. From an apolitical standpoint, I like this. Wow.

10. Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
I'm weirded out by this already. Does Beyonce want to be a guy? She is basically saying how she'd be an awesome guy. This song is way lame, but at least its not grating. Maybe she's trying to confuse everybody. And then there is a lame, even slower, breakdown. It just made me want to go to sleep.

So there is the list. Out of 10 songs, 3 had even the slightest chance of making my top 10 list. Most of them really sucked. REALLY SUCKED. So, have the Billboard charts outlived their usefulness?

Smaller-than-a-Breadbox

2008-12-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I was told that it would be a good idea to head to Bellevue and do whatever it is I do with my friends. (How can the ability to 'kick it' together be the basis for a set of friendships? Damn my humanity!) They moved out there a month or two ago and had been badgering me about not coming out there and meeting their kitten.
The kitten, Caesar,was maybe the most adorable, smaller - than - a - breadbox creature that has ever hung out around me. I'm sorry I don't have any actual pictures, but allow
me to regale you with a description and story. He looks like a miniature, miniature lion. Very tiny and golden. He is smaller-than-a-breadbox and can easily be held in one hand. Unlike the lion featured here, Caesar will not kill you. He will only climb on you and be adorable. He's also a spoon cat. Now, for those of you who haven't met a spoon cat, a spoon cat is a cat that will spoon with you will sleeping to keep warm but will, by the same virtue, keep you warm. I recommend spoon cats.
When I was playing video games, Caesar would bat at moving things on the screen. Also, he loves longboards and will sit on them at every opportunity. This allows one to 'scoot the kitten and watch him get excited about it.' Finally, after playing for a good 10 or 15 minutes Caesar would become 'tuckered out' and would have to fall asleep. When lying on the edge of the couch falling asleep can by quite treacherous, but even when he fell off, Caesar would land on his feet and promptly hit the ground with the rest of his sleeping body. He also fell asleep sitting/standing up and would fall over. Bottom Line: Adorable kittens.

Top 10 Albums of 2008

2008-12-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

As prompted by The Hype Machine, I've decided to drop my top ten albums of 2008. Who knows, maybe it'll educate the public or allow people to further understand me.(because I'm such a rockstar) Probably not.

1. ...Earth to the Dandy Warhols... - The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are amazing. Nuff said.

2. My Bloody Underground - The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Unless you know me, you probably haven't heard of these guys before. They are one of the most important bands in of the last two decades. While this is not their best album, it is a good psychadelic shoegaze drugfest. Do you like the Icelandic language? It's in there. Really, give this a listen.

3. Skeletal Lamping - of Montreal
So continues the saga of Georgie Fruit. If you like synthesizers, you'll like Skeletal Lamping.

4. Modern Guilt - Beck
After Guero's mediocrity and The Information's less than stellar presentation, Modern Guilt comes back strong with a much more mellow and melodic mixture of futuristic synth and simple guitar tracks makes for a very attractive album.

5. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
The Seattle five piece has made a really big buzz in this last year and they really deserve it. When played for people who don't know better, they feel the music is dated. It has been a long while since a band with so many beautiful vocals and folk music stylings has made a splash. It is good to hear once again.

6. In The Future - Black Mountain
These prog rockers from canada have broken through to our radio airwaves in the last several months. Their catchy music and relevant lyrics make for some good prog rock, like Rush good.

7. Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
I like MGMT, like everyone else. Don't think you need an explanation for this one.

8. Glistening Pleasure - Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
LOL HIPSTERS MAKING FUN OF THEMSELVES! Also synth is fun.

9. LP3 - Ratatat
What kind of hipster doesn't like Ratatat?

10. In Rainbows - Radiohead
Came out in America January 1, 2K8. Radiohead is one of the biggest bands in all the world. They top the charts regularly and so they must be pretty important. In Rainbows is probably their worst work to date, but it is still better than other music in that vein.

Home for the Holidays

2008-12-16T19:50:00.000-08:00

I wish my entrance was so warm and fuzzy. BTW what amazing advertising, I promise they've got you eating out of their hands whether you know it or not. Folgers in YOUR cup?!?!
So I awoke this fine morning to my celly ringing at 8 in the morning. My first thoughts were, "Damn, it's cold." My mamon called and told me that leaving Oly today would be much better than tomorrow. Its supposed to snow more tomorrow and the roads will only get more and more treacherous. So I got up around 9 and started packing.
Mooshu was sitting in the window looking particularly cuddly and I couldn't help but pet him even though he gets all upset. I made some breakfast and listened to some BJM, too.
When I had a moment I took a gander at the outside world. I live in a winter wonderland at the moment. Snow before Xmas is rare around this part of the sound, but what with GLOBAL WARMING (conspiracy by Al Gore) and all that we can expect all sorts of strange weather. I also had my evaluation for class today. I didn't expect to get all of my credits and such a glowing evaluation, but I did. I'm not complaining. When I got home, my Dad and I witnessed the most amazing thing to happen each year on Bainbridge Island: The Christmas Truck. Witness its glory.

Down With The Sickness

2008-12-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

I hope you all thought right then when you read the title that I was going to talk about going to a Disturbed concert or some random bullshit like that. If you were thinking that, thank Jebus that you're wrong. This is merely an explanation of my absence for the last 3 or 4 days. (I think)

Roughly a week ago, I came down with the sickness. (still not a disturbed reference) I didn't feel very sick at all for the last few days, just sick enough to want lots of sleep. It started out as 3 days of sore throatiness and so I was afraid I might've been getting strep. Once the first phase was done I started getting all coldish which was lame, but not so awful. Then the fun began.

Last Thursday I had to stay up all night finishing up my portfolio for class. (I'll have pictures of my stuff up soon, I just have to get batteries for my camera) I'm sure that didn't help with my illness and so I went back home around two pm. I then slept until ten am. I felt extremely wonky after all of that. I sat around the house all day Friday feeling wonky and not doing much of anything. I was going to go to a play my friend Corbin was in, The Book of Liz, that night, but instead fell asleep again.

The next day, Saturday, ended up being more of the same. Slept in late, but this time I was awake for the play. I walked outside and it was snowing. I was suddenly extremely happy. I got on the bus and my friend Claire was there, we chatted about making books and other important aspects of life. The play turned out to be really good, especially for being free. I got home and thought about doing productive things. I did not do anything productive.

I watched DiG! for the 10th time this year. (probably an exaggeration) If you didn't know already, I really like The Dandy Warhols, The Brian Jonestown Massace, and the rest of the bands that exist in the "DiG! Scene." Does that make me a 'scenester'?

Saturday was also the day I found out what I'm doing for my 21st birthday. My sister has offered to fly me down to California, get me hella sauced and fed down in San Francisco (emphasis on the 'hella') and then fly me back to Washington. Sometimes I wonder if my sister is into that whole organized crime scene, but not seriously. I also wonder if my Dad is going to try and match me in drinks when I celebrate with my parents. I feel like he's going to be all defensive of his drinking capabilities (he's 60) and I don't think I want to see him too drunk. Also, I'll have to hear him complain about being hungover for like a week after.

And now back from that tangent. I went to sleep Saturday night and woke up Sunday morning. I sat around all day Sunday, too. It started snowing really hard so I snuggled up with my cat Mooshu and watched the Discovery Channel. I got to see Bear Grylls drink his own piss and get stung in the face by a bee out in the Mexican desert. Talk about awesome television. Around 6 I decided to go to the party my classmates had put together, mind you I was still sick, and so trudged through the snow and ice to my friend Curt's house. It was a huge sausage fest until around 10 at which point the ratio still wasn't awesome. I got really drunk. (surprise, surprise!)At around 2 in the morning I walked home. It couldn't have been more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside. The thought that I might die crossed my mind a few times. I made it home by 3 and went to sleep.

I woke up this morning with a horrendous hangover and no access to cheap greasy food seeing as The Reef burned up. I went to Le Voyeur instead for some expensive greasy food and read the Volcano for the first time ever. Now I'm at the computer center writing in my blog. I don't know what I'm doing in the future.

Synecdoche, New York

2008-12-11T01:14:00.000-08:00

I was watching the Colbert Report tonight and the guest was Charlie Kaufman. He is the writer and director of a movie, Synecdoche, New York.

I am excited to see this movie. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. From what I gathered from the trailer, he plays a director who thinks he's going to die and so begins a big work that everyone should remember him for. He creates a replica of New York City inside a warehouse and hires actors to inhabit it. His life starts falling apart outside the warehouse and the actor that plays him in the warehouse is too good. That's all I know. It's already out, but I'd never heard of it before. It won a Robert Altman award at the Independent Spirit Awards. It was also nominated for a golden palm at Cannes, but did not win.

Seeing as a I know nothing about indie movie awards, I have no idea what that means, but I HAD heard of the Cannes Film Festival before. Maybe I should learn a bit about them, I think I'll be changing directions (from animation to film) yet again for my final year of college.

Its also interesting that I'd never heard of this film before tonight and it has been out for little more than a month. Not long enough to have faded completely from the public eye and not short enough for word not to have gotten out yet. This makes me wonder about advertising for art/indie work. Advertising makes or breaks a lot of movies and indie films are no exception. Is it from lack of trying or something else. Is there an open niche there?

The Zeitgeist

2008-12-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

Searches at Google.com - Fastest Rising (U.S.)
1. obama
2. facebook
3. att
4. iphone
5. youtube
6. fox news
7. palin
8. beijing 2008
9. david cook
10. surf the channel

happy end of the year everybody, its finally here!
Less than a month to the end of the year and we can't stop thinking about ourselves. The question is: What is the zeitgeist of 2008?
Here's my thoughts on the google list: (above)

Obama made a big splash, understandably. Everyone seems to think that he will single-handedly save our country from economic collapse. Well, the reality is that he is only a symbol of hope. He inspires the people of our completely feeling-based stock market to keep their money in the stock market and keeps us from despair, but we're the ones who have to get out there and do the work. WE have to fix our world.

Facebook is still a huge deal. I don't know about all of you kids, but the site steals my hours like anarcho-fascists steal hot topic clothing. Don't get me wrong, there is a reason for my addiction, (maybe they should change the name to "Crackbook")social networking is fun and keeps me in the loop even when my class doesn't allow enough time for friends.Hah! I just changed my language to English(pirate).

ATT used to be Cingular, they have really great coverage on the west coast. 'Nuff said. Do people really like looking at phones?

iPhone is another one I don't claim to understand

Youtube is a big deal, it must be, I use it all the time.

Fox News? Hiss...

Palin scares me. I love that everyone turned against her once the election was over. I guess the neo-cons needed a pariah and she took the bait

The Olympics were a big deal, too, what with them being held China and China being the up and coming world power. Michael Phelps kicked ass, I have a similar build with a super long torso and arms and short little legs. I don't look nearly as out of proportion as he does, though.

David Cook is one I had to look up. Fuck American Idol. Really.

Surf the Channel is another one I had to look up. After visiting the site I'm still very confused. Oh, well.

Cooking with a Twist (or rather a tug)

2008-12-08T22:44:00.000-08:00

Now that I have removed the content warning, allow me to start filling up my blog with smut. So this is a legitimate cook book for sale online. I assume that all of these recipes work.
Natural Harvest

are you puking yet?

Also in human food production news, PETA's request to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Company to start using Breast Milk in their Ice Cream was turned down with the statement"We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child."

Video Games

2008-12-08T21:24:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how the video games of the 1980s were spawned?
Prepare to find out.

Video Game Pitch Meeting (1979) -- powered by Cracked.com

Were the video games of our youth carrying hidden messages? I remember Mario, the game in which you eat mushrooms, (styled after a poisonous type of hallucinogens) collect shiny coins, (presumably to buy coke) collect trippy stars and flowers that make you harder to kill, and jump on the heads of goombas, (maybe a derogatory term for Italians?) different types of reptilian creatures, sometimes with wings, various other creatures and items.
Really, take a look
I think cracked.com might've not been very far off the point.

Thank You Adidas

2008-12-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

I found a nice re-edit of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' "Beggin'." It was on an Adidas commercial at early o'clock and it was pretty cool. The video consisted of lots of famous musicians dancing around and (presumably) having fun at a party. Funny part of the whole thing was that none of the artists in the video had any hand in the song playing over them. Can they do that?

Here's the video for the song:

I love this music video because old shit makes me chuckle, the dancing at the beginning of the video is priceless. The decade is juxtaposed with what is 'hip' and now towards the end and that's fun too.

I USED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNET

2008-12-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I've been trying to better all of your lives by showing you my freakin' sweet animations, BUT youtube and blogger won't upload my videos at all. You'd think a savvy technophile such as myself would be able to manage it, but to no avail. Any suggestions on how to "git-r-done?"

Whats New?

2008-12-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

I heard the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was good, but wow.

You've been Rick Rolled
But seriously, is this good? The forum culture of the internet has become mainstream enough that this made sense to a lot of people. The bottom of the internet has been dredged up and i don't know what's going to happen

Also, Thunderheist

2008-12-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

I was cruzing the intarwebs the other day and found these videos.
I immediately thought of my bored wankers.
These are two music videos directed by Eric Warheim of Tim and Eric's Awesome Show: Great Job! fame.

MGMT - The Youth

The Bird and The Bee - Polite Dance Song

New Blog for The People

2008-12-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

Visitors to the House of Brain, this is your captain speaking.
We're Going up. Top floor. Pantyhose. Illegal drugs and cigarettes.
OH NO YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STOP!
Welcome, I hope you all stick around to listen to me talk about things I like and my finished works of art/anti-art. (ad nauseum)
This is where my music, The Hipster Experiments, hangs out.
Keep in mind that it was all recorded on a shitty microphone.