Talk is Cheap, But Music's Cheaper

I've spent a good deal of time over the last few weeks testing out new cds, new bands, attempting to find my summer soundtrack, and after dozens of albums, I've finally narrowed down my Summer 2009 picks to my very own Top Five. In no particular order, we have:

#5 - Three - Joel Plaskett
The perfect blend of pop, folk, rock, and a little bit of banjo, Joel Plaskett's Three spans 3 cds, for a total of 27 tracks. Well worth it's dollar value, Three is the perfect soundtrack for a ride on the train, bus, plane, or for a walk down bustling city streets.

Epic Win.


#4 - Hunting Ghosts (and Other Collected Shots) - Library Voices

Regina's own Library Voices put on, by far, one of the best live shows I've ever seen. Opening for K-Os on his Yes! Karma tour, they provided an amazing - and free - show, thus reinforcing my belief in free shows, and bands who are willing to play them. This album, although by far nowhere near as wicked as their live presence, provides a wonderful, poppy, imaginative blend of genres and instruments to create an eclectic groove for your summertime strolls.

#3 - Night Ripper - Girl Talk

This one was actually a pretty difficult decision, and I'd like to start by saying that Feed the Animals is another highly suitable Girl Talk pick for this list. Greg Gillis manages to blend music in such a way that it makes it almost impossible to listen to other cds, because after about 30 seconds songs start to get... boring. Either way, this album is amazingly up-beat and entirely dance-able. You'll be boogying your way down the beach in no time!

#2 - The Very Best Of - David Hasselhoff

Okay, I know, WHO likes The Hoff. Me. That's who. Looking for Freedom is amazingly groovy, and Crazy for you will have you doing the YMCA in no time! This album is entirely campy, and even teaches you how to Do the Limbo Dance! It's an amazing summer selection and I encourage each and every one of you to indulge your inner cheeseball.

And, finally, the #1 pick for a summer album, we have:

The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo - Steve Martin




















I should make it clear that I do love the banjo. I think it's a great instrument that adds just enough punch and twang in time for Stampede season. And, while I'm not a huge Stampede fan, I do enjoy western themed things more than I should probably admit to. And there is nothing more energetic and banjo-tastic out there than this album. Steve Martin is a man who is very talented at making people smile, and I promise that this album will have me smiling all summer!


What are your picks? Anything you think I should check out?

(Honourable mentions include: Record in a Bag - Hollerado, Bagsy Me - the Wannadies, and This Is MBF EP - Micheal Bernard Fitzgerald.)

#89 - A New Wednesday Tradition

Last week I launched a new, year-long project. #89 on my List of Things I'd Like to Try to do, Probably, is to send one letter, every week, for a year. And, although I'm not kicking it off at the beginning of the year, from May 20th, 2009 until May 20th, 2010, I'm setting out to send a letter, every week, to my good pal Jordan.

This doesn't mean that I won't send other letters (because, well, how can I do that?) but what it means is that every Wednesday for the next 50 weeks (51 if you include todays, which still has to go out) I'm going to mail him a letter.

When I was pondering this project, however, it occurred to me that the reason I don't send him more than one letter a month is that I can't physically find enough things to write about to send him a detailed letter any more often than that. And, given this goal, the task of sending anything substantial or worthwhile once a week seemed daunting.

So, instead of my usual rambling letters, Jord can expect to get 52 letters on 52 (relatively) identical blank white cards, all of which will contain a word. One new word (verbs, mostly), for 52 weeks. I'm hoping that, given his poetic and creative nature, these words will provide him with some sort of inspiration, or shall at the very least stimulate creative thought.

Each card will be numbered, and will contain (usually) multiple conjugations of that weeks word. Each word, however, will be in latin. (While I'm at it, we might as well both learn something, right?)

And, as a special bonus, todays post will include another set:

mitto, lego, dimitto, arcesso.

Here's to one stamp, every week, for the rest of the year. Enjoy, Jordy!

Snail It Forward

Hey there, Internet! There's a meme going around right now that I put up on my Facebook page, and I decided to open it up to the rest of you, as well! Here are the details:

Pay it forward -- I make you something!

The first five (5) people to respond to this post (via email: sj leask (at) u calgary (dot) ca ) will get something made by me.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.

2. What I create will be just for you, with love.

3. It'll be done this year (2009).

4. I will not give you any clue what it's going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something strange.

6. In return, all you need to do is post this into your own blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond.

7. Send your mailing address!

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if you do not repost + provide a link.

Let's hope that some beautiful things arise from this!

Five People I Want to Punch in the Face

My picks, as well as my justifications for them.

1- Justin Timberlake.
Honestly, I don't know why JT is at the top of my list, but he is. There's just something about being able to punch him in the face that seems really appealing. Sure, he seems like a nice guy. I mean, this is the dude who used to date Britney Spears and who didn't say anything negative about her, even given the insanity that erupted over the last year. And yet I kind of want to see what would happen if I just walked up to him and punched him. Because he's just. That. Nice.

2- Jesus Christ
I know this is going to get me in some trouble, but I have to say it- the dude was awesome. He was so peaceful and mildmannered, and as far as I know there aren't even stories of him raising his voice in anger at the people who CRUCIFIED HIM. So part of me would just really like to test his ability to put up with some outright physical violence. Plus, then I'd be there with him, and we could sit down and have a chat.

3- Spencer Pratt
Just look at that face. That face is screaming to be punched. Multiple times.






4- Mel Gibson
Because the douchepacker should know better.








5- Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa
Again, these are all about testing boundaries. You all know that I have mad respect for both of them, especially Gandhi, so what it comes down to is wanting to know just how far I could push them. Nonviolence can only go do far, right?

Like 'The Village People'... Only Gayer

I was at a party the other night, and at around 2am we got on the topic of kids toys – and so, in the spirit of nostalgia and ridiculous 90's toys, here are a few of our picks from Friday's festivities:

#5 - Puppy/Kitty Surprise

Gotta say, there's something a little disturbing about buying a stuffed toy and ripping open its belly to find little baby versions. Either way, I still had one. (And it had 5 babies.)
First response: "So THAT'S how you make a baby..."

#4 - Lite Brite

Okay, who DIDN'T love their lite brite? In fact, you can still buy them, and they're ONLY $13. Of course, then there's another $7 for batteries, but $20 definitely seems worth it for the amazingness of setting up a Lite Brite on your shelf.

#3 - Cabbage Patch Dolls

I never really understood the whole Cabbage Patch phenom, mostly because little kids being born from the heads of Cabbage seemed a little wiggy to me, but that doesn't change the fact that these things were friggin ICONIC.

#2 - Talkboy

Who doesn't remember Macaulay Culkin using one of these to dupe the bad guys in Home Alone? And who *wouldn't* use this against their older sibling who was getting fresh on the couch? (Man, the days before digital cameras.)

And, finally...
#1 - My Buddy / Kid Sister Dolls


I included two videos for this one because both are just amazing. When Christian brought these up the other night I wasn't actually sure what he was talking about, but after watching the commercials I'm pretty sure I remember seeing these at some point. Either way, it's a decently creepy invention, especially given the mass number of horror movies that have come out featuring dolls which come to life.

Also, check out this parody of the My Buddy / Kid Sister phenomenon, which is both creepy and amazing!

7 Years, 4 Months, 26 Days, 19 Hours, 16 Minutes

This thread on the MacRumors:Forums makes me laugh. On the Inside. Keep Reading, because it only gets better.

1 in 1300

Did You Know? from Amybeth on Vimeo.
via SoulPancake


I've gotta say, this wigs me out.

My Soul is Hungry

A friend of mine believes in embracing the shitstorm that, more often than not, rains down on us in times of frustration and grief and absolute mind-numbing stress.

"I'm Lost Again," he says, "And I Feel Fine."

I don't feel fine. My version of this typically goes "I'm Lost Again, And I'm Fucking Scared Shitless, But I Guess That's Okay. Sort Of."

I was fully prepared to write a huge rant about my current frustrations, but after browsing around SoulPancake for the last few days, in particular over the last half hour, I find myself just not caring anymore.

What is SoulPancake? WHO EVEN KNOWS. Okay, I do. Sort of. It's fluid. It's alive. It's you and me and we're debating Life's Big Questions. Like Why are we here? What makes something right or wrong? What is that gook stuck to my shoe?

Seriously, it's gross.

Either way, it's a brand spankin new project that's being largely spearheaded by The Office's Rainn Wilson, and it's all about challenging our ideas, a place where people from around the world can talk about what really matters.

"We want to make discussions about Spirituality, Creativity, and Philosophy cool again. Were they ever cool? I have no idea. But it seems like a good idea. We want to engage the user to “Chew on Life’s Big Questions”™. (I was kidding about the ™ symbol; you can use that phrase however you want. Even to sell frozen taquitos.) Where do you go on the Interwebs if you want an irreverent, fun, and profound take on God and Art and the Soul and Faith and Beauty? Fox.com? Maybe. But maybe also here at SoulPancake.com."

I was talking with Naddine about the role of technology and society, and we both agreed that it's all in how you use it - and I can't help but think that this is one of those amazingly incredible ways in which the world can benefit from technology. Even if we never meet face to face, SoulPancake is a place where those of us who a searching for some sort of greater connection can get it- and without annoying the pants off of those in our immediate vicinity in the process.

10 000 Pounds Each

My good friend Taryn has a blog now! And she just posted about something that happened to us yesterday using language far more eloquent than what I can muster. Somehow when I get annoyed my vocabulary is reduced to mono-syllabic profanities.

Anyway, you can check out her post about How Rude People Can Be over at her blog! (Here is just a taste of her amazingness!)

...she was uncomfortable with the change in the physical space of a classroom so much so that she felt her power in the classroom was threatened by the fact that we move desks around. the traditional form of a classroom was not there and so she felt the best way to reclaim authority was to yell at people who do not have the same amount of institutionalized authority as her. her approach to teaching is what we are trying to dismantle and prove ineffective.

My reaction was pretty much summed up with the tweet "@tarynhope well, chairs are pretty hard to move."

Designed to Blow Your "Mind"

I fully intended to post this last week, but apparently got distracted and, well, forgot. Thursdays are officially Dirty Music Video day!

My question for the duration of this Thursday them is: were they really fooling anyone? And, How did my parents ever think this was appropriate?