2008 music

The shows went well. We tested the majority of our sketches in front of an audience and got great reactions... specifically the reactions of an old couple during a sketch called "Break". It blows up the attitude office workers have while on break as apposed to when they're actually working. Lots of curse words in that sketch = lots of uncomfortable audience members. Hilarious.
I've been doing my best trying to stay on top of the new releases this year. I've compiled a collection of 18 of my favorite songs from albums released in 2008.

Final Fantasy - Oh, Spectrum (from Spectrum, 14 Century EP)
Noah and the Whale - 5 Years Time (Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down)
Pas/Cal - Summer Is Almost Here (I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke and Laura)
Wild Beasts - Devil's Crayon (Limbo, Panto)
The Dutchess and the Duke - Reservoir Park (She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke)
the Last Shadow Puppets - Standing Next To Me (The Age Of The Understatement)
the Shaky Hands - We Are Young (Lunglight)
Rahim - Cities Change (Laughter)
Bloc Party - Signs (Intimacy)
Human Highway - Moody Motorcycle (Moody Motorcycle)
Shugo Tokumaru - Future Umbrella (Exit)
the Uglysuit - Chicago (the Uglysuit)
Get Well Soon - Tick Tak! Goes My Automatic Heart (Rest Now, Weary Head You Will Get Well Soon)
Fujiya & Miyagi - Uh (Lightbulbs)
TV on the Radio - Golden Age (Dear Science,)
Dark Captain Light Captain - Spontaneous Combustion (Miracle Kicker)
Bound Stems - Winston (the Family Afloat)
Department of Eagles - Herring Bone (In Ear Park)

Download it here: 2008 Songs

sketch

We have begun testing our sketch material for the show that opens in a week. (Yikes).
Tonight we'll be doing our rough 'first act' of the show at CSz late night (10 pm).

I am rediscovering how terrible I am at memorizing lines.

Ketchup

Here I am, in bed with nothing to do in the morning, save a rehearsal at 10 am. I can sleep in. I have needed to get more than 3 or 5 hours of sleep for about a week. It's great. I know I've been pretty much on top of it all the whole time, but there have been a few moments of loopiness, or temporary insanity or just full-fledged idiocy. I did my best to get a lot of work done and managed to do the majority of it. Just have to clean up a mess.

I miss sleep

Ugh.
All the work it takes opening a theater has really taken its toll on me. From Thursday to today I have put in around 45 hours in that space painting, cleaning, priming, eating and everything else. Just an hour ago I woke up to paramedics waking me up in my bed. Stacey called them to help revive me, as my blood sugar dropped pretty low - mainly due to the amount of work I have been doing. I need to remember to take care of myself. If I don't, why am I putting in all this work? I just need to remember to slow down a bit. There are plenty of people around helping with the theater. Realize that working a part time job, directing a show, coaching an improv group, writing and rehearsing another sketch show, performing in an improv group and opening a sketch comedy theater is all in a days (or weeks rather) work.
Every once in a while it's okay to take time to sit down and look out the window at all the things happening around you. All the things that are keeping you going are there for a reason. Appreciate these things.

bound stems

My dear friend Crescent works with a member of the band Bound Stems in Chicago.
I had heard a lot about the band while living there. They have a pretty good size following and play a fair amount of shows around town. For one reason or another I never spent the time to get to know them/their music and I'm now kind of kicking myself.
Crescent (and Janie, thank you both) sent me a copy of the latest Bound Stems album titled The Family Afloat and it's great.
There's a lot of music comparisons that can be made. Lead singer Bobby Gallivan has a Win Butler meets Daniel Smith voice while the instrumentation is all over the board of indie rock. These songs build and tell interesting stories. Take a listen...
happens to us all otherwise or better yet, buy the album: bound stems / flameshovel website

funny

Why does this make me laugh?


Because it's funny, that's why.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today is my Mother's birthday. I know it's been over a year since I've seen you. I'm happy we get to talk once a week, or at least every other week. I know we're both pretty busy and you haven't been in the happiest of places this past year, but I'm glad to see things are working out for the best. I'm glad you have a job you enjoy. I wish you had more of a social life too, but that will come. You're a very sociable person.
I hope I can get you out here to Portland sometime soon. I know you will love it here. I want you to see this theater we're building and the great life Stacey and I have created out here... that sounds weird. We didn't create a life, but the lives for ourselves that we have/are continuing to create.

Happy Birthday, Pamela. I hope I make you proud. You mean a lot to me. I love you.
1981. I love those boots!

dog names

Our friends Kathryn and Jeffrey got (another) dog. We need to give her a name. She's some sort of german shep/hound mix (and she's terribly cute)




Name suggestions so far:
Gumball
Halle Berry
Lady Mix-A-Lot
Sasquatch
Chicken of the Sea
Craizin

please suggest more!

Commercial part 2

was on day two (of two) of the commercial shoot today. There was a group of 8 of us playing a friendly game of Rayman's Raving Rabbids 3. It was pretty awesome. There were a lot of cameras and a lot of fun games to be played.

Commercial

I was cast in a national (possibly international?) commercial for Rayman's Raving Rabbids 3. Funny, since I did some freelance writing for the game in January. Seems I can't get away from it. Weirdest thing about it - I'm not actively seeking it out, it's finding me.

I was on set for a total of 4 and a half hours. Everyone was very friendly. I got to pretend to play chess in a unique way. I can't wait to see how it looks.

On my way to the theater after the commercial shoot I walked by a home with a fenced in front yard. Inside that fence I saw something that looked remarkably like something I see every day.
I call him Arlo 2. He's younger and a bit pudgier than Arlo, but he was very friendly and cute... just like the Real Arlo.


RRR3 is supposed to be released in November, so I'll bet the commercials start airing in October. Be on the lookout for me in a striped yellow polo shirt and nice, tight khakis!
RRR3

Matt & Brandi visit

I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but I had a great time with Matt & Brandi while they were here. Being here in Portland a year, I felt like I knew enough about the city and had plenty of places to take them... like Ground Kontrol
The bar that is an arcade from 1989. So many great games, all a quarter. Brandi took both Stacey and myself to school on this game of Rampage.

Stacey didn't have too much fun at Ground Kontrol


I was glad they were able to spend some time here and visit. Next time they promised they'd spend more time in Portland... and they better.

the first 2/3's of 2008

The old man in me wants to say, "I can't believe 2008 is 2/3's over already" - but I'm trying to act younger, so I won't say it. A lot of good music has come out this year.
I've been attempting to keep track of it all to make my Best Of list in December a little easier to create.
Here are some stand out albums that have already been (or are soon to be) released this year:
Moscow Olympics - cut the world

I enjoy the poppier side of dreampop music that this band from the Phillipines creates. Like a younger sibling of the Jesus & Mary Chain. It's feel-good dreampop music that works. A beautiful (albeit short) indie album.

the Uglysuit - the uglysuit

Remember when Connor Oberst was young and you thought, boy - I hope this kid grows up and becomes less pretentious than he is now at the age of 19 (when he released Fevers & Mirrors)..? Well, that didn't happen (in fact, he only got worse), but the Uglysuit picks up that dream and released a beautiful indie pop record with a similar soul and style to early Bright Eyes. It's lovely.

the Dutchess & the Duke - she's the dutchess and he's the duke
If you're anything like me, you've been wanting to get into the Rolling Stones, but haven't had the time or actual desire to sift through everything they've released to find the good gems you're searching for. I like what I know about them, but they have a large library of music. Lucky for us, The Dutchess & The Duke can point you in the right direction. If you're looking for dirty, bluesy garage rock, this band is your saving grace.

Wild Beasts - limbo, panto

Do you like your music unique and weird? Do you like your lead singer to have a voice you really have to dig into to really appreciate (before it annoys you too much)? The Wild Beasts are for you. A wonderful, challenging album from a quirky british quartet who don't really sound like anything else out there.

Deerhunter - microcastle

This album has been released digitally and comes out (physically) next month. I do not like their previous album Cryptograms at all, but the Flourescent Grey EP was a little bit better. Microcastle blows me away. I'm glad to finally see what it is everyone has been goo-goo-ga-ga over Deerhunter about. This album needs to be bought.

International Stinger

I have previously mentioned how I've been living in my new city for a year. Portland is a great city and my first year here has included far more successes than setbacks - which makes me enjoy living here that much more.
Every once in a while I find myself with a desire for something I can only get in Chicago - but when I first think of it, I don't realize what it is or where I am. I spent the last ten years of my life in that city and I learned a lot. I got used to a certain lifestyle and surrounded myself with such wonderful people... After being gone a year it sometimes feels like I'm still there.
One of the things I miss the most about Chicago is International Stinger.
I coached that team every Sunday for four years. Over the course of that four years the cast changed, but somehow the team always felt the same. Rehearsals felt the same and quality of shows kept improving. It's crazy to think about how great everyone on that team worked together and has stuck around, committed to the team as a unit. I love and miss everyone who was ever a part of International Stinger. Thanks for being so great and keeping the dream alive!

good things

Good things are happening in Portland.
We've got about 4 weeks until our theater opens. I'm working a great part time job, putting some shows together, listening to good music and enjoying nice weather.
I'm happy, before I'm about to go crazy in busytown.

Department of Eagles

My new favorite album of this year.
I'm such a huge fan of Grizzly Bear, Daniel Rossen is in both bands - so the sounds are similar. In Ear Park is a haunting and beautifully crafted pop record. Beautiful effects, harmonies and instrumentation. This album has been a long time coming and it does not disappoint.
In Ear Park