Top Ten of 2008 (movies)

so i still havent seen the dark knight, but these are the ones i have seen that i loved

Top Ten of 2008

i like the bon iver album. it was on my list last year. that is why you do not see it.

Air France - No Way Down

Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel

Daedelus - Love To Make Music To

Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.

Gregor Samsa - Rest

M83 - Saturdays=Youth

Sebastien Tellier - Sexuality

School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms

Subtle - ExitingARM

Bohren & der Club of Gore - Dolores

just like Man on Wire

investments / the economy

$3000 turned into $750.

kiva:
a little bit of money helps people get on their feet. makes me forget about our economy

Intellect

i realized that i crave intellect more than anything right now.

years ago my happiness could have been drawn from watching and making movies, concerts, staying up late, and so much more that i can view as who i was years ago.

when i used to watch cheesy comedies i now watch Mad Men.
when i used to read music magazines i now read news articles, mcsweeneys, modern classic literature, the believer and good magazine.

i find myself liking regional specific events (craft fairs, beerfests, antique fairs...)

i enjoy seeing authors speak.

i like drinking but not for the sake of drinking, but tasting.

i find myself being more intentional with my daily life, making sure that what i buy is good for the environment / the workers who created each product.

there is nothing wrong with any of this. and i love this.

the last few months

i always need a certain thought to hit my head. one thought that puts all other thoughts away. this thought is kindof an satisfaction/looking back thought. let's backtrack.

i wanted to work with design. my frustrations with the stagancy of my life (6.5 years at starbucks, 6 years at college....so on), i needed a change. i tried to bridge my life by doing freelance work while i was in college and at starbucks. that wasnt much at all, it ended up being my volunteer work for vintage faith. i wanted more clients, i was never satisfied.

then i get this job, move to santa cruz, that is great. but this thought i had today is that i was blessed in my freelance. i've been doing a nice job at it. i need to not always be frustrated, i need to think about where i am at, and this is what makes me happy today.

i am gloating a bit. but i am not really too proud of my work normally, so i can gloat today.

in the last few months i made (in freelance / madebybrian.com style):
2 cds
1 logo
2 wedding invitations
almost done with a website
1 book cover / interior layout
lots of little things

i think i just need to be thankful right now, as i am usually unhappy or mildly bitter about where i am at in life.

audio / visual
here are things that i love right now:

DVD
- Mad Men (only 5 episodes in)

WRITING
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
- Haruki Murakami's writing

MUSIC
- Crystal Castles
- The Dead Texan
- Horse Feathers (who i missed at the crepe place)

FUTURE
- Half Camping tomorrow
- David Sedaris on sunday
- Soulwax / 2manydjs on thursday
- Halloween
- Maybe Boston
- Maybe Tahoe
- Maybe My Brightest Diamond on Nov 24
- M83 on Nov 28
- Jesse coming home
- Nicole coming home
- Sebastien tellier on Dec 4
- Amber and Simon coming out for a month
- Tahoe
- Maybe i will swing some big trip in the winter.

-

what should i read?
i just finished laughter in the dark by nabokov, and i feel like i have an array of options, and i am bored at work. help me decide what i want to read:

- sputnik sweetheart by haruki murakami
- life is elsewhere by milan kundera
- farewell waltz by milan kundera
- now and then by joseph heller
- the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by mark haddon
- the corrections by jonathan franzen
- the final solution by michael chabon
- summerland by michael chabon
- amazing adventures of kavalier and clay by michael chabon
- the shipping news by annie proulx
- mary by vladamir nabokov
- the red pony by john steinbeck
- __________________ by ___________________

bloghaus
bon iver and lykke li.

things i like right now

the song, murderer, by Low.


my morning jacket live.


jeffrey eugenides.


and i love that he doesnt make appearances.

round trip to ljubljana for $10

i had a dream last night that i went to ljubljana for only $10. now i am looking to see how much airfare is there. i miss it.

i am an elephant.

The blind man who feels a leg says the elephant is like a pillar; the one who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope; the one who feels the trunk says the elephant is like a tree branch; the one who feels the ear says the elephant is like a hand fan; the one who feels the belly says the elephant is like a wall; and the one who feels the tusk says the elephant is like a solid pipe.

A wise man explains to them

All of you are right. The reason every one of you is telling it differently is because each one of you touched the different part of the elephant. So, actually the elephant has all the features you mentioned.

i feel like this is where the enigma that is brian lies.
to me i feel like i have many qualities and faults.
but some people that see me as a rope cannot see me as a wall.
i want everyone to see the whole elephant.

banksy in new orleans

obamabraham

mcsweeney's and politics
i love this.

i enjoyed reading superbad by ben greenman, and this made me appreciate him more.

so i like to buy cheap books

for these reasons:
1. to read
2. the covers
3. the illustrations (for future design work and inspiration)
4. the maps
5. the rarity
6. possible resale

here are some recent finds:




with a great non-jacket cover too:







i already own catcher in the rye, but i figured for 25 cents, i might as well.


with these illustrations:


and its set in gill sans.

oh-merica

At 8:00 p.m. on August 8, 2008, an estimated 4 billion people beheld what looks to have been spectacular feat of pageantry: the opening ceremonies of the summer Olympics, held in Beijing's National Stadium, aka the Bird's Nest.

A few hours before the commencement of the ceremonies, Chinese President Hu Jintao declared, “The historic moment we have long awaited is arriving...The world has never needed mutual understanding, mutual toleration and mutual cooperation as much as it does today.”

NBC opted not to broadcast the ceremony live. We Americans, it seems, will attain our global understanding, toleration, and cooperation when we're good and ready—i.e., when it's most appealing to advertisers.

Cynicism and corporate loathing aside, we are utterly sincere when we say the following: GO USA!

-from good magazine's blog.

another blog
Ligatures On Tap

if anyone wants to contribute about beer or maps or design, let me know. i like the idea of communal blogs.