Hi!

Hi, I'm Cute.

I still love St. Vincent

Annie Clark can't stop amazing me every time I see her.

#22.1 St.Vincent - Marry Me from Handheld Shows on Vimeo.

Moving on from the Illinoise?

Sufjan Stevens, you have written, recorded and released one of the most beautiful album of the 2000's (Illinois), but that was three years ago and I haven't heard a peep from you since. What gives? I know you've been touring and helping lots of other talented indie musicians with their endeavors, but you really need to motivate yourself to create and release your next wonderful masterpiece. Wont you?
Here's some stuff from the immaculate back catalog:

Seven Swans

Also - I compiled a mix of some of the most beautiful songs in my collection and it can be downloaded here:
Beautifl Mix

Kites Are Fun!

What can be said about the Free Design? They were a baroque pop band from the 60's that never made it big or were heard by many until it became fun and ironic to like weird, quirky things in 2000. This was a band of brothers and sister in New York who learned jazzy-pop music. Inspired by Peter, Paul and Mary and other sunshine pop bands of the 60's - the Dedrick family were one of the best unknown acts in New York.

Kites are Fun!

challenging

At times, it can be tough raising the cutest dog in the world. I spoil him like crazy - and I know this, but I can't help it. It seems that every time we're out for a walk people comment on how good looking a dog he is. I know this already, so that only makes it tougher on me to NOT spoil him... which I can't do.
He sleeps in our bed with us. He looks out our front window by standing on the couch and leaning over the back of it. He barks at the mail carrier. He pout-barks when he can't get his toy or ball from under the couch or from out of his toy basket. He's a baby... and I love him. We're pretty sure he's the smartest, cutest, best dog in the world.

Blonde Redhead

I am going on a kick, posting some of my favorite albums.
Blonde Redhead is a unique band, to say the least. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but I think this album is a good/safe introduction to what they are capable of.
Unique and Beautiful. Sometimes jarring, sometimes sleepy - altogether unbelievable.

Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons

my Spoon is too big

I have been a fan of Spoon since 2001, with their release of this album
Girls Can Tell

From start-to-finish it's 36 minutes of perfect albumness.
Spoon has gotten super solid over the past 10 years of existence, but on this - their third album, they hit all the right marks. A fine place to start if you're looking to collect a great bands' collection of albums.

Oh You're So Silent Jens, Lekman

I got turned on to Jens Lekman from my friend Mary Nisi about three years ago.
Mary is a DJ in Chicago for Loyola College Radio WLUW and she know a heck of a lot about good music. Jens 2005 compilation album titled "Oh You're So Silent Jens" was my introduction to this very talented Swedish singer/songwriter. He writes witty, melancholic chamber pop filled with samples, strings and horns. One of the most charming 27 year old singer/songwriters you will ever see, make sure you catch him live when he comes to your town. You will not be disappointed.
Oh You're So Silent Jens

Elephant Parade

Summer officially began over the weekend. My favorite part of summer is the dusk hour, a cool breeze blowing over the hot air that is sitting on your front stoop. The same air that greets you as you walk out your front door in the morning... but at night, it's got that cool breeze that makes for the perfect time to look around, to take in the little things that surround you and your world. There is always a lot happening around you, but on a beautiful summer night you're allowed to stop, breathe and take it all in.
I found a great soundtrack for that time of day in the summer:
Elephant Parade - bedroom recordings

a Brooklyn lo-fi dreampop duo that has created feel good in the evening summertime music. Check it out.

Gotye

Pronounced like Gaultier, this Australian music maker has been around for a few years. His second album went gold in his home country, while never making a splash here in the USofA. He can be compared to Beck due to his quest for interesting sounds and white boy soulful croon.

He also makes interesting videos.
His album Like Drawing Bloodwas released two years ago in Australia.

I'm an old man

Up until my 30th birthday I was pretty much strictly an indie/punk music listen to-er. I generally stayed away from anything too mainstream. (Except for George Michael. For some reason I have always enjoyed Wham! and George Michael...gay.) Recently I started getting into music that sounds closer to what mainstream is (though I have also found it's hard to define mainstream music that isn't rap or garbage alternative rock).
However, staying with my current belief that 2008 is the NEW BRITISH INVASION - I have just recently found this 19 year old soul-pop star Adele. She's got a great voice and a cool style, similar to that of Amy Winehouse, but more controlled.

Globetrotting?

While working around downtown Portland I came across this sign for Obama:
I'm not quite sure what to make of it... Globetrotters, 1970's racism? I guess it's funny, but I don't understand its intent.

It's official

We registered the car in Oregon.
I guess we're really living here now... though this weekend we rode our bikes a lot more than we used the car.

another Portland thing

Last night the two classes Stacey has been teaching had performances at the CSz stage. Both the Teens and Adult classes have learned a lot in the 10 week course(s) and their shows were both very good. It's crazy to see teens play so smart and confident.
After the show we all (the adults) went out to what has become our local hang-out-after-shows place, Casa Del Matador on 23rd and while there I got to witness another weird thing that makes Portland such a great place to be.
the Naked Bike Race.

Every year hundreds of people strip down and ride bikes around Portland. As soon as they started passing the Matador, we all got up from the table and walked outside to cheer them on. We treated it like they were running a marathon. "You Can Do It!" and "Safety First!" were my two favorite chants we had. There were somewhere between one and two hundred people in the pack.
It was ridiculous.
I just found out they did this in Colorado too, as a 'soft protest' against automobiles. Pro bikes. Being naked helps get attention.

Portland City Ordinance

Arlo

update:
Arlo is still the cutest dog in the world. He turned two last Friday.

Rolex

Doing temp work downtown yesterday I saw this in the window at the Rolex store:
As if I needed any more incentive to spend thousands of dollars on a watch.

Micro Castle

Last year (or was it longer?) when Deerhunter released Cryptograms and caused Pitchfork, the blogosphere and the indie rock world to go crazy and soon became one of the biggest acts around - I tried to enjoy the album. It has some great parts, but the slow, droning transitions make it difficult for me to enjoy. The Fluorescent Grey EP that soon followed made their style of music a little easier to stomach.
Micro Castle leaked a little while ago and I have listened to it five or six times through - and I'm finally seeing what everyone was caught up in the first time around. This album is gorgeous.
Deerhunter - Micro Castle

Political Bike Rack

I hope this can be read...

It's difficult to take pictures of small print with my phone and make sure it comes out. I met a friend at Starbucks over the weekend. When I came out and freed my bike from being locked to the bike rack out front, it had a message for me. The message is:
"9/11 was an INSIDE JOB!! & freedom isn't free!" (on a sticker the size of a fortune cookie fortune). I hope my bike feels free and informed now.

strange happening

A month ago Stacey and I took a trip to Dallas Texas to attend her brother John's wedding. It was a fun weekend and it came at a perfect time. We were a few weeks in to getting the business proposals written and lining everything up for the business plan and all that. We forced ourselves to take the weekend off and enjoy the surroundings of Dallas Texas. Neither of us had ever been - and we were in need of spending some quality time with the Hallal family.
While Stacey was doing some girl things with the bride to be, I spent an afternoon at the Dallas zoo with Stacey's nephews Joseph & Jeremy: (here they are in a forced photo op)
It was a great way to spend an afternoon. If you're ever in Dallas I recommend the zoo - along with the Spongebob ride.
The morning of the wedding (which didn't start until the afternoon) We decided to visit the JFK Memorial Museum/tour. Why not? We're in Dallas. While there we see a man on the street giving his personal/private tour. He shows pictures from the day of the assassination, where he was 40-some years ago - he's giving his first hand accounts of what happened. While listening to this man talk I look up across the small crowd that has gathered and I see someone I know from Chicago. Here we are in Dallas Texas in early May (a place I had never been) and I see Heather Bland - A girl I knew from ComedySportz in Chicago at the same place at this same time. Weird. To be in a city we had never been to, 8 months after leaving the city I had always lived - to run into somebody I would sometimes see in a place as emotional as the JFK assassination site on the day of a wedding... It was a strange time and place to say the least.

Curious Theater Blog

If you want to keep up with the progress of our theater building here in Portland, please check out the blog:

Building Curious

missing Chicago

I spent a lot of today watching old videos and short films I have made with friends in Chicago. It makes me miss them. I remember when Monday Pictures (specifically Ryan Gilmour) first started talking about making this short. We all loved uncomfortable/awkward situations. Matt and Chris play this perfectly. I wasn't around for the making of this one, but I love it just the same.
My Roommate the Prop Comedian

skateboarding

I grew up skateboarding. I started around the age of twelve and have yet to stop. While I don't do it nearly as much as I once did, I still consider myself a skateboarder. I feel fortunate having grown up in the best possible era of skateboarding (the 90's!).
I've put together a compilation of 'skate rock' - the best songs from the most influential video parts from the best skate videos.

mid 90's skate rock compilation
Featuring:
fIREHOSE - brave captain
Operation Ivy - knowledge
Milk - knife song
Sub Society - a lot less
the Odd Numbers - it makes no difference

and more!