N.E.R.D lingo

I'm not a huge fan of Pharrell and Chad's band N.E.R.D, but I must respect the we-got-money-and-time attitude. They put out good beats for folks such as Jay-Z and the Clipse, reaped the rewards, and now Pharrell can do weird stuff like this.

For this reason, I post Nerd music:

press play

So I'm thinking I'll wear this Asosman watch on my left wrist and the Flud turntable watch on the right.

via hunterscanvas.com

Videos about how to shoot videos

update: a friendly blogger suggested I do some research before I post some bold-face lies. Guess I should've checked Etsy's wikipedia page. Check out corrections below.

I've deemed the next three months my I'm-going-to-make-something-pretty-dammit summer. My quest to make short videos has just gotten easier thanks to a video series about making videos that can be found on Etsy's YouTube channel. Go here to check out the first one hosted by super dude Bre Pettis. This series is great for someone like me because I can see and hear the different effects created by various mics, cameras, lens, etc. I'm what you'd call a "visual learner."

If you're not hip to things, Etsy is a great site where crafty men and women women and one or two men sale their handmade goods. We're talking buttons, zines, socks, nifty tshirts, totes, and anything else.

Their channel features how-to's on just about every hipster project I plan to do in the coming months. Yay!

New Common

Common has a new joint out. Me likes it:

Two-wheeled hottie

When I saw pictures of the Raw Cannondale for the first time I wasn't so impressed, but this bike has been lingering in my cycling fantasies ever since. The foot pedals....oh, man, the foot pedals:


There's an odd video here showing the wheels in action.

via joshspear.com

Oph3lia

Aya Ogawa's play Oph3lia is going up at Here Art Center. I saw a workshop production last year and it was AMAZING.

KNOW ABOUT IT.

Stag Growth

A Saul Williams (poet, music man, actor) and Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails, muscle man) collabo:

The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tarbust


I like Saul because he never stops. He's always taking his work to the next level and doesn't really seem to care if we're along for the ride or not--we have to grab the bumper and hold on tight.

If you have about 11 minutes to spare check out his philosophy here.

My favorite quote:

"Instead of studying the world, I studied myself. And knew that by studying myself, and reflecting that through my art, that people would see themselves in it."

I heard this and thought "that's some cocky b.s." but after thinking about it I can see where Williams is coming from. It's about staying focused on his work, finding answers to his questions, and connecting with people while on his own quest. I don't agree with everything, but I think he's a great example of an artist whose always on the move to bigger and better.

CUT TO

Reality TV:

The other night I caught an episode of The Real World season 20(!) on MTV. If you haven't seen it rest assured it's whack as all get out. I think the crew is living on a sound studio in Hollywood (running low on locations, huh?), and for the most part they're boring, boring, boring. Cookie cutter, man.

I feel like a grumpy grandma, but I felt deep nostalgia for the first three seasons of the Real World. I'm sure you pluck 20-year-olds from any generation and you're bound to get a silly and naive perspective, but I truly believe the crew of characters from the first few seasons were interesting people.

It was a time when young people weren't immediately and deeply influenced by the internet (social networks, blogs, youtube). It was a time when I didn't get too many chances to see Black folks freestyle in the booth (à la Heather B); a time when angry-Black-man talk was still dominated by the academics (à la Kevin Powell); a time when the cameras weren't everywhere all the damn time so that some things were truly left to word of mouth and/or speculation (à la the infamous Kevin and Julie bout).

A recap of Season 1:

Lars & the Real Girl

I watched this movie the other night and thought it was awesome. It was refreshing to watch a movie about an "other" in a small town who isn't smacked around by the insensitivity or ignorance of folks in his community.

The costumes were GREAT, very distinct but effortless. And I'm gonna say Ryan Gosling is border-line genius.

FloBots

About seven years ago (!) I stood in the living room of a sketchy co-op house I was staying in for summer and handed $10 or $15 to Jonny5 who, in exchange, gave me his cd Onomatopoeia. It has since lived in my ipod, and I still find myself hunting for particular tracks that pop up in my head. It's a good cd; Jonny5 is an emcee with lots to say and a unique way of saying it. I went to college with Jonny and even got the chance to do a few rhyme circles with him back then (I used to freestyle in a not-so-good way).

So imagine my surprise when I hear his uber-distinct voice on tv rapping over a track that appears on a new cd Fight With Tools by his band Flobots. Things are popping for the group with a major label contract, tour dates, and a snazzy video for the single Handlebars:



As you can see the music has a message.

I'm glad they're gaining a following.

Thespian

I'm in a play!
created by Robert Quillen Camp

Actually, my voice appears in the play.

If you're in San Francisco May 29 - June 14 head over to Climate Theater to check it out.

[Click the pic for more info]

Summer va-cay

My academic romp is officially on vacation for the next three months.

I'm taking the summer to slow down, chill out and process. I'm on the hunt for a mellow summer job; I gathered a stack of plays and books I need to read; and I might, maybe actually learn how to ride the skateboard I bought almost a year ago.

Oh, and I also have a bit of re-writing that needs to go down.

Ahhhhhh, summer.

Drop it low,low,low

I appreciate this dude's public groove out because I cannot tell you how many times I've been walking down the street practically biting my tongue to keep from dancing to a song pumping to my ears. Davey hits the street strapped with an ipod and a digital camera to record his own personal soul train line. See more at Davey Dance Blog

Click clack

NYC? PVD?

Fiction bundled up

The Best American Nonrequired Reading started in 2002 under the editorial hand of Dave Eggers. He's also the writer behind What is the What?, AND, among other things, he's the founder of McSweeney's.

The annual anthology consists of fiction, essays, and journalism. Each book is put together by a group of high school students Eggers works with in San Francisco. They sift through a bunch of periodicals and journals and come up with a collection of interesting works. Artists such as Beck, Zadie Smith, and Sufjan Stevens have written the introductions.

[click the pic for more info]

Gnarls Barkley - Going On

Directed by Wendy Morgan.

The Hundreds

I'm a fan of designer and business man, Bobby Hundreds.

If I were a ball cap wearing lady, I'd totally buy each and every hat. Never really appreciated the rest of collection. I clicked through the Spring '08 Look Book, and I must say it's some cool stuff. He uses two or three images that signify his brand and he stitches them in unique places. He also does lots of fun things with texts and graphics.

So, Mr. Hundreds, you don't know me, but I think your stuff is awesome.

Inked Baby siting

aka "the WTF??" musical

From the theater section in the nytimes:

King-Mellencamp Musical Postponed

Compiled by LAWRENCE VAN GELDER

The Stephen King-John Mellencamp musical planned for next season in Atlanta in preparation for a Broadway run has run into an obstacle.

Actually, things will be a lil' different...

I got an email this afternoon with an official ID number, so I guess it's a good time to announce the big news.

I'm transferring HERE in the fall.

Plays written by Women? Sorry we don't do that here.

Lucille Lortel awards will be handed out tomorrow night at Union Square Theater in nyc. The ceremony celebrates off-broadway theater.

I scanned through the nominations for outstanding plays: George Packer, David Harrower, Tarell Alvin McCraney, David Ives, and Michael Hollinger. All of the plays were written by men.

Ummmm, not one single woman wrote a play that was worthy of a nomination?
Suspect.
Lame.
Whack.
Weak.

THE REAL DEAL

Nora Chipaumire is a dancer who I had the privilege of seeing perform as part of the Urban Bush Women at the Joyce Theater almost a year ago. She is INCREDIBLE and embodies a power, grace, and hot damn-ness that cripples my ability to breathe at a normal pace.

She's performing a piece called Chimurenga at Dance Theater Workshop, and it looks awesome. Check out clips at DTW's website. And the nytimes review here.

Sincere

I had a dream last night that I was belting this song in a shopping mall.
From Bye Bye Birdie: