Thursday, July 28, 2011

Otis by Jay-z & Kanye

Every once in awhile I am surprised by rap/hip hop music. Living in the city with the BEST radio in the country I am treated to early releases and underground tracks that take months to hit the rest of the country. Live broadcasts from places like the Velvet Room make Sunday night car rides all the more entertaining.

I found this track just because Atlanta is the ish when it comes to new music -- and keeping the classics alive. Thank god soul is back because hip hop now has a future. Put away the Autotune, real beats are back.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Advice from a Tree


Stand tall and proud.

Sink your roots into the earth.

Be content with your natural beauty.

Go out on a limb.

Drink plenty of water.

Remember you roots.

Enjoy the view!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Winning at Everything

In light of my Road Trip of Winning and all the nonsense about the subject these days I thought it appropriate to wrap up my summer with an interesting article about the topic:
I like relating it to dance too...

Why Winners Win...

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/07/10/the-new-science-of-triumph.html

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Road Trip of Winning: Videos 2 and 3 - Duck in Boulder

Duck goes bouldering in Boulder...because that's what you do.
"Being in Boulder is hard. You have to climb stuff to be cool."




Classic Road Trip clip of me finding Duck doing something ridiculous before leaving town.

Road Trip of Winning: 1 of 3 - Duck in Boulder

So many adventures in Colorado - as usual. Here is the first of three videos:

After a failed attempt at busking in Nola, Duck attempts to sell her hippie wares to an unsuspecting local.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Road Trip of Winning: Duck makes it to Colorado

So we didn't get a video of Duck at dance practice in Abq as previously planned. Crossing the state line into to Colorado will have to suffice...

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Road Trip of Winning: Driving Austin to Abq

Just in case you didn't know...Duck is an excellent driver.



If you're not first, you're last!

Bon Iver covers Bonnie Raitt

I credit my mother for my eclectic taste in music. She raised me on soul, oldies, folk, rock n roll, jazz, blues, and the always 80s mother favorite, Raffe. Her favorites included The Beatles, Roberta Flack, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Rolling Stones, Carole King, The Pointer Sisters, and Whitney Houston.

Finding this cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bon Iver was unexpected and perfectly timed. So far I am three for three.

He does a beautiful job of capturing the elegant melancholy of the lyrics:
Cause I can't make you love me if you don't
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
Here in the dark, in these final hours
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power
But you won't, no you won't
Cause I can't make you love me if you don't.


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Road Trip of Winning: NOLA and New Music

Being in NOLA brought a lot of joy back to my dancing. Just showing up, grabbing a beer, and letting it all soak in. The locals could not have been friendlier -- I was welcomed into their scene right away. It was southern hospitality at its best. The element that pulled us all together was definitely the music. Toe-tapping rhythms that just didn't let you sit still.

At the going away party (for two people I met at the party) there was a live band. Luke Winslow-King. A name I had heard before, but not experienced. So good. Check out his stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/lukewinslowking. Then, go buy his album like I did =)

While the entire album is full of gems my two favorite songs hit home for music and lyrical reasons. The first I can't find a video of, so here are the lyrics. Just replace 'she' with 'he' and it is spot on. I realized it took me about a year of being single, and 6 months of really being alone for it to be true. But yeah....it is.

~Lost Soul~

woke up this morning,
found i was no longer sad
it's only a memory of what's been hurtin' so bad
i'm walking down the street
and i do not dispaire
i'm singin' i'm smilin' not havin' a care
i'd have me locked up like i was in the county jail
what had me beat down
like a storm of hail
i couldn't see for nothin'
all darkness, all night
now it's high noon
not a shadow in sight

she's a lost soul
it don't matter anymore
she's so far behind the axious days of yore
she's lost to me, but it don't matter
_______ i've got to soar.

in this wide world there' open roads ahead
no time for mournin', heavy hearts of lead,
look over yonder see the wonderous trees
so much beauty in the open seas
she's a lost soul,
just a memory

i'm so far beyond
she's got no hold on me
don't keep rememberin;
don't even try
you found ____ she was just a lie
she's a lost soul
it don't matter anymore
Shes far behind the achient days of yore
she's a lost cause but i dont' care
i'm a ____ without a burden to bear in this world

My other favorite caught my eye because of the title, but upon listening I like it more and more:
Dragon Fly, Dragon Flower Video

Friday, July 1, 2011

Road Trip of Winning: NOLA Video Blog

This clip was meant to be an introduction to a much longer movie...but I said screw it and just uploaded them separately.





Thursday morning...I am packing up the car and trying to find my phone...

Road Trip of Winning: Video Blogs

This road trip has a few unique elements that makes it a bit more...special. One being that a small, yellow friend is accompanying me. Cookies and all. You see, we have a duck in our family, so to speak. She arrived when I was about 14, and has in some strange way become a personality in my circle of family and friends. I don't know how else to explain her, when you give me that weird look except by asking, "Well, have you ever watched Sesame Street or the Muppets? People interacting with personified objects/characters is not the weirdest thing you have ever heard of, right?"

She is a knock-off beanie baby, has been all over the country via car and plane, traveled to France, eats a solid diet of cookies, loves to sing and dance (with dreams of being famous), knows Duck Wong Foo, is exceptionally mischievous, and has a side kick named Kitchen Mouse. She has the very original name of C.D. Quacker Duck, but just goes by Duck for simplicity's sake.
With the arrival of my new MacBook and it's built-in camera I got the crazy idea to make videos of duck. So I made a fun birthday dance video for a friend...and now I can't stop. It started with a 'getting ready to leave Atlanta' video, and now I am determined to make a few more of her in each respective city. We will see how and where this goes...

These videos are not about the quality/editing of the video. I could give two craps about that. I am not a video producer, nor do I aspire to be. It is about capturing the Personality and Adventures of Duck. As her Main Voice, it is interesting to observe how I have really created this alternate personality. Did I ever mention I want to be a Muppeteer....?
Ok, enough explaining the fact I am a total dork. Here is the first video.

Duck Packs for the Road Trip of Winning: