Wednesday, May 31, 2006

I'm Proud to be a Scatter Brained Freak

I've always been a scatter brained freak. Always shifting my focus to different things. Always looking for the next big creative thing that I could do. Before I discovered television production, I was on my way becoming a musician. I was playing unrehearsed, embarrassing gigs at dive bars when I landed an internship and immediately fell in love with it. It was exactly what I was looking for, new concepts every day, new focus almost every minute...But at least it was the same medium. I miss it.

But do I?

You see, I turned to different media forms after I was excluded from television, shortly after a lay off. I wrote a book. Then after discovering how much grammar and writing practice I needed, I decided to start writing magazine articles. Then, after my skills became regarded by local, regional and national editors... I began to throw it all away because of an ego (only a newbie writer could obtain), combined with my lack of financial stability and the creative exhaustion, when I returned back into the television world, assigned to producing a local television show.

Being out of the television medium for almost 6 months has once again launched me into a scurry of searching for an new one. Readers of this blog will notice my attempt to make designs for people to wear. I've pissed off people, I've made people laugh and I've discovered some of the local and global issues that really slap the nerves of some folks. It was fun. It was dangerous. It was fun because it was dangerous. The Internet is definitely a medium I'm interested in learning more about. But I realized very soon that the shirts were merely a creative band-aid. I grew bored of it...Then discovered pod casting and completely fucked that up. Then I wanted to start a business and midway through my business plan I returned back to writing a book about my fascination about rock n' roll and my very strange rendevous with a international rock star.

Then I go to a few really good concerts and all of the sudden I want to become a musician again...

What the FUCK!!!!!! Am I crazy? Back to where I started over 10 years ago, before I accepted an internship at the television station. I drive my friends, family, wife, dog, cats and myself batty with my endless pursuit of finding a perfect medium.

I'm not upset about it though. I'm happy that I'm still hungry for more. If I wasn't, I'd probably be dead. I've learned a lot over the years while searching for the perfect medium that there is no such thing as a perfect medium. The best chance I have to be happy with my creativity is if I choose either web, television, writing or music and apply the lessons from the mistakes of my past.

It's never to late to begin again. It's actually nice having a fresh start. Which ever door I choose in my immediate future...you can expect me to be there for a while, making smarter moves.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

More Pics of the Lips and Beck


A fellow concert goer took this photo with me as the monkey and posted it on his flicker site.

He took a lot of cool shots of both Beck and the Lips... check em' out.

Rockin' Weekend















photo taken by BrENda at Flaming Lips Concert

So far I've been to seven concerts at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon; Lyle Lovette, Willie Nelson, The Pixies, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Beck and The Flaming Lips. If I were to rank the which concert rocked Bend the most, it'd be.

1. Beck - The puppet show was amazing, original and the crowd's energy was huge. I loved the multi-media presentation and the sound was amazing.

2. Willie Nelson - The crowd is what made this concert so fantastic. Willie has an amazing draw of different types of people. Hippies love him, Rockers love him, Indies love him, and Country folks love him. All Willie needed to do was be Wille.

3. The Pixies - This was a great concert. Had a lot of energy and the band sounded great. I saw them again at the Sasquatch festival and in my opinion the smaller venue in Bend was more enjoyable to experience. The crowd was not as hyped as Beck or Wille Nelson.

4. The Flaming Lips - This was personally the most fun concert I went to at LS amp. I went with my wife and friends and I was dressed in a gorilla suit, feeling as if I was a part of the concert, not merely paying for a ticket and consuming what was fed to me. Although I was hot, I got a lot of pats on the back and appreciation for what I was doing from folks the crowd. The Flaming Lips lived up to their showmanship reputation. Wacky and fun. They were incredibly humble before and during the performance, sitting on the stage during the opening acts, waving to me and signing autographs for another fan during their own gig. The crowd was smaller and a little milder. It was a Sunday and felt like a mini-burning man.

5. Lyle Lovette - I liked this concert because it was one of those "miracle ticket" times. I didn't by a ticket and was riding a bike around the grounds when someone walked up to me and gave me one. The crowd was great and my mood was celebratory for the ticket.

6. The Beach Boys - This was a fun concert. Smaller crowd. It was fun to enjoy the sounds of this band.

7. Bob Dylan - I had a good time at this concert. It wasn't what I was hoping it'd be though. Not old Bob's fault, his voice was a little raspier than usual. The crowd was into it but not as hyped as the Lyle's and definitely not as hyped as Wille's.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Bigfoot Spotted Downtown Bend

We were walking down Wall street when I spotted this Yeti. Definitely a young one, only standing maybe 6 feet tall on a balcony eating the flowers off of the hanging basket and looking at the traffic below. I wish I had my 6 Meg cannon on me. Damn it! So far I've collected 20 pictures of this tribe. This was the first time I saw one in broad day light, 10:30 AM, Downtown at a condo. They are getting bold and restless.

I'll continue to unravel the truth about this phenomenon.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

5

five

Monday, May 08, 2006

Pay to drive to Bend


Some day you'll have to enter in your key pad number and wave to the security guard as you enter Bend. I often joked with my friends that Bend has so many gated-communities, the idea would eventually rub off, motivating council elects to establish Bend as the first gated-city.

There's been talk about expanding hwy 97 to a four laner and paying for it by having toll booths. I knew it was only a matter of time before this would come up.

The reality of traveling to Bend, Oregon is there are limited (especially during the winter) ways to get here. You can drive from the south, from the north and the east, or you could fly in. That's it. No interstate here. In a way it's like an hour glass, limiting the flow of people driving to Bend, which could be a good thing as much as it is bad.

I can see how a two lane highway would ease up the congestion a bit. Nothing is more frustrating than being stuck behind an eighteen wheeler or stopping because of an accident up the road.

I am not, however; a huge fan of paying a toll booth to get back home. If it meant higher taxes, then I'd choose the lesser of two evils.

What I think they should do is put a train, (like the MAX in Portland) to run down the center of the highway to the Columbia River and to California. I'd ride it, rather than drive.

It'd be cleaner, it'd reduce the traffic and it'd be fun for visitors. It'd also cost a lot of money

Any thoughts on this subject?

Friday, May 05, 2006

My Co-worker is strange


I'm so tired of seeing my coworker walk around the office without any clothes on. I mean, COME ON! Nobody wants to see your horribly out of shape body.

Maybe by posting this photo in my blog he'll get embarrassed and stop. On the other hand, he is doing this for attention, we all know that for sure.

help...

Thursday, May 04, 2006

30 something

I know I'm in my 30s because:

Both my credit score and cholesterol level are getting higher than normal.

I'm getting tired at 10 pm.

I'm waking up earlier, showing my neighbors the "ass crack of dawn."

I shed more hair than my dog and cats combined when I take a shower.

The coffee shop chick says, "have a good day...sir" after she gives me my order. Bitch.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Sugar Daddy Material


Money...Helping ugly people get some, for centuries.

I made this design for those who want to send it to their friend who's desperately looking for a sugar daddy.

Any of you folks have some Sugar Daddy stories to share?

Monday, May 01, 2006

Modest Mouse coming to Bend

Wow! Just heard that Modest Mouse will be playing at Les Schwab Amphitheatre this August.

YEAAAAAAHHHH!