Serioulsy, how awesome is that mug? A T Rex drinking tea. I'm in love. As are Ernie and Ivan. My little brother Span bought me this when he was on his amazing American adventure (he bought me way too much cool stuff - he's the best!). It's by Jay Jay Burridge and I've now become obsessed with all his amazing dinosaur artworks.
Firstly, please forgive the awful iPhone pictures. Last night was a night of Instax. That's just how I roll. Also, Mum insisted on lots of instant photos for her caravan. Why? Because her, my dad and their best friends leave today for their epic indefinite road trip. They've packed up their house and put everything in storage, rented out their home, and are now on the road. I'm so happy and proud of them for having the guts to do this, but its also a bit sad, although they will be back home briefly in October, and that's not too far away. I will admit to being super jealous as one of their first stops, as they're heading to western Queensland to check out the dinosaur fields. Kinda wished I'd organised time off work to meet them for that one. Although Mum is probably the one person in the world who takes more photos than me, so I'm sure I won't be missing out on anything if I just check her Facebook ;)
Me and my brothers are finally all grown up, so its time for them to go and have their own adventures. Bon Voyage cool parents!
Happy halfway through 2012! Six months in, I thought it would be a good time to check how I'm going with my New Year's resolutions. I must be super motivated this year. That, or I just made them far too easy. So how have i been going...?
Blog at least every time I have days off.
Well, I tried. Then I moved and couldn't get the internet to connect at my new house. But I just got a new computer and am fully connected (through my phone, anyway), so look out!
Work on an artwork at least every time I have days off.
I'll admit I've been a bit lazy with this one, doing it every couple of weeks or so, which is better than nothing. I have a group exhibition coming up in August, though, so shit is about to get real. Art will be worked on not only on days off, but well into the early hours of the morning when I have work the next day.
Photo a day.
I've really been getting into the photo a day thing. Instagram makes it pretty easy to do this, but most of my photos there are of dinosaurs and food (my username is raptorsnelling if you're into that kind of thing). Just before the start of the year I got myself an app called Photo365, and every day I've been uploading a picture that kind of sums up my day. Unlike a lot of people's photo a day projects, I love that this one is private. Knowing that I don't have to share the pictures with anyone (although the app does give you the option to share if you like) means that I can be honest when I describe my day with a picture - so there's plenty of awful days along with the good ones. And you can set a reminder so that you don't fail at your resolutions ;)
Go to Perth.
Done and done! Stay tuned because I took a billion photos.
Make an effort to do more PROPER exercise.
For once, I actually followed through with the exercise thing. To be fair, moving house has made all the difference. It's now possible for me to walk to work every day, and even when I'm not working, I just find that it's a nicer place to wander around and explore. Also, my new housemates are the type of people who own gym equipment and I am the childish person who can't help but play around on the cross trainer on my way to the laundry. I'm also fairly sure that I'll get lazy when summer comes around. I hate being hot and sweaty.
Try a new recipe every month.
Nope. I've been super slack with this one. Must try harder.
Drink more water.
After I wrote that I filled up my cup with water rather than putting the kettle on for yet another cup of tea. Baby steps, people.
Send more mail and email.
No. I suck at this.
Make a dedicated studio/creative space when I move.
Slowly getting there. If I make a promise that I have to take pictures of it, surely that'll inspire me to finish it off and tidy up.
Not too bad an effort. Did you keep any resolutions, or did you wake up on January 1st in a pile of vomit regretting your life choices?
It's playlist time again, and you
know there's only one option this week. The best of the Beastie Boys. They're
one of my favourite bands, so it was such a sad day when I found out the awful
news about the awesome MCA. It's hard for me to pick just ten songs from these
guys. Everything they do makes me happy. But I went with the ten most amazing
(in my opinion) videos. Plenty of these ones were directed by Nathaniel
Hornblower, which I've included not just as a tribute to Mr Yauch,
but because they're some of the funniest videos not just of the Beasties, but
of all time.
Intergalactic
This one I have a soft spot for
because it ticks all the boxes. Since I'm old, but not that old, a lot of
their albums had been released when I was much younger and so I had to do
some reverse discovery. But Hello Nasty was released just when I was at that
perfect teenager discovering music age. It has some of the greatest, sometimes
overlooked, songs like Super Disco Breakin' (such a great way to start an
album), The Move, and The Grasshopper Unit. And of course Body Movin', which
is, of course, in this list.
This video is the reason I
obnoxiously kept yelling "Shibuya!" every time I was anywhere near it
when in Tokyo (do yourself a favour and watch the Criterion Collection
anthology with the commentary on to understand that). There's a robot
doing the robot, a squid headed monster, and an easy
Halloween costume for you and two friends. How can you not love it?
Best lines: When it comes to beats
well I'm a fiend.
I'm from the family tree of old
school hip hop.
Like a pinch on the neck from Mr
Spock.
Ch -Check It Out
I much prefer this version, but for some reason it's not available on you tube, which is really weird. It's one of the funnier ones.It's got Star Trek, old ladies
throwing fish, fights with joggers, and the visualisation of lines like bank
cashier, engineer, magician, scientist, and the doctor who's breaking the bad
news about the sparky in your butt. Rad.
Best lines: Son you better listen,
stuck in your ass is an electrician.
You look like cable guy dunked off of
your crown.
Like a scientist, when I'm applying this.
Body Movin
I bought this as a single not only
because it was awesome and I was obsessed with it, but because this was a time
before easy internet downloads, and the Fatboy Slim remix was better than the
album version. I think it says a lot about my 15 year old self that I thought
this song and video was the best thing going around at the time. I would get
stupidly excited and make people watch it whenever it came on tv (remember that
I'm old enough to not have you tube in my childhood). It's just pure fun, and
doesn't really make a lot of sense, but that's what's so great about it. The
use of stock footage is almost as good as Sabotage.And that weird fondue soup
thing still makes me feel ill. In a good way.
Best lines: Flame on! I'm gone! I'm
so sweet like a nice bon bon! Came out rapping when I was born! Mom said rock
it til the break of dawn! Puttin bodies in motion cos I got the notion. Like
Roy Cormier with the coconut lotion! The sound of music making you insane, you
can't explain to people this type of mind frame. Like a bottle of Chateau Neuf
Du Pap, I'm fine like wine when I start to rap. We need body rockin not
perfection, let me get some action from the back section! (that was all from memory, because I'm a loser)
Sure Shot
I love you. Is what the dog says at
the start. And I love this video. Those suits. Hurricane's fear as he hangs off
the camera. Underwater rapping. Adrock's weird part. MCA's hat. The funny
walks. You should love it also.
Best lines: I got more rhymes than I
got grey hairs.
Can I crossfade on your ass and bust
your eardrums.
Keep my underwear up with a piece of
elastic.
Hey Ladies
I can't help it. I love the
funky disco sounds. And a man with a hair dryer. And the cowbell. And more
underwater rapping. And that polyester look. They do make ladies flock like
bees to a hive.
Best lines: Date women on TV with the
help of Chuck Woolery.
Educated no, stupid yep, and when I
say stupid I mean stupid fresh.
Vincent van Gogh go and mail that
ear.
Shadrach
I know I probably say this all this
time, but this is one of my favourite songs ever. Of all time. I love it so
much I was going to get a Shadrach tattoo. The only thing that stopped me was
that my mother would kill me, and I don't think I could be bothered answering
the stupid questions about what my tattoo meant. Anway, gorgeous video. Press
pause on any moment in this, print it, and I'd happily hang it in my house. Or
press pause on every moment and make me a sweet ass wallpaper.
Best lines:
Got the girlies in the coupe like the
Colonel's got the chickens.
We love the hot butter on what the
popcorn!
Madder than Mad's Alfred E Newman.
Three MCs and One DJ
Firstly, what's with the Ghostbusters
get up that Mix Master Mike is wearing? It makes absolutely no sense, which I
guess is what makes it cool. Especially since it seems to get in the way a bit.
While we're talking about Mix Master Mike, I've always wondered what would
happen if nobody had let him in that door. Would the Beastie Boys still be
standing there today, with weird atrophied arms and grey hair? I kind of wanted
to live in that dodgy basement area. At least there was a turntable, and some
nice rugs. I think we can all agree that the best part of this video is Mike D's
weird handstand. He's obviously a very athletic man.
Best lines:
Kenny Rogers' Gambler is my gambling
theme.
My beats is sick like malaria.
He'll tweak your ass across the
cross fade.
Root Down
Money makin! This is the funkiest
shit ever. I remember hearing this as a kid and I wanted to learn two things.
How to breakdance and how to play a Hammond
organ. Luckily these boys were all about name dropping, because that's
how I found out about Jimmy Smith and became a loser teenager who listened
to funky jazz. That's a record!
Best lines:
Jimmy Smith is my man I wanna
give him a pound.
Because I've got the flow where I
grab my dick, and say oh my god that's the funky shit.
It's Kool Moe D vs Busy Bee there's
one you should know.
Sabotage
Waaaaahhhh! Can't stand it! I know
you planned it! I guess this one is most people's favourite, which is totally
understandable. Kicking doors in. Moustaches. Suits without socks.
The lamest knife fight ever. Shitty stock footage. Be
honest. We've all driven around listening to this thinking that we're
fucking invincible.
Best lines:
But make no mistakes and switch
up my channel, I''m Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle.
Shake Your Rump
It's the joint! Another funky always
on repeat track. Watching that video actually makes me want to be young and
stupid again. I can't say much more about this one. The hilarious lyrics speak
for themselves.
Best lines: With your bad breath
onion rings.
My man MCA's got a beard like a billy
goat.
Got more rhymes that Jamaica got
mangoes.
Suckers they be saying they can take
out Adam Horovitz.
Like Sam the butcher bringing Alice the meat, like Fred
Flintstone driving around with bald feet.
Fight For Your Right
Best lines:
Living at home is such a drag. Your
mom threw away your best porno mag.
Mom you're just jealous it's the
Beastie Boys!
Kick it! I'll admit it, I've included
this one purely because I wanted to follow up with this...
It's been a Sunday morning full of awesome tunes. Enjoy this one. A mash up of my three favourite types of music, resulting in one of the best songs ever.
What a sad day. I've finally walked a hole into my sweet, sweet converse. It's always the way. It takes forever to get them to that perfect level of comfort, and then BAM, you're starting to feel puddles on the soles of your feet. My feet have been hurting pretty badly lately, I guess because I wear shoes from the 70s, so I know I should replace them with some decent running shoes. But they're all just so ugly! To me, running shoes are on the same level as Crocs and Crumpler bags. Hideous, yet comfortable. Although Crocs don't even have the comfort thing. Yes, I bought Crocs, but I was young, I was in America, and I wasn't allowed to wear thongs. For the record, I gave them away because I was so ashamed.
Some good news, though, and to stop you thinking about the Crocs (they were black mary jane style ones because I couldn't go through with wearing the classic variety) I just booked flights to go visit one of my best buddies in Perth. Very exciting. It's kind of weird to think that I've been around the world, but haven't even been to the other side of the country. I wonder what kind of strange things they do over there, apart from watch sunsets and drink cider.
