Remabulous

found on cragislist a few weeks ago... a dedication that we all might try to emulate

possibly one of the best things i have read online recently(plus i love that it is from poughkeepsie):

Look here, Hudson Valley. I'm tired of answering ads on these pages only to find poseurs, geeks and acoustic folk acts who want me to change my unique playing style to match their style. It's time for a band that is as unique and forceful as I am, and I'm taking no prisoners.
This monumental effort will require the cooperation of a thunderous bass player with the mind and skills to keep this beast of a freight train on its tracks while a talented drummer will unleash an unrelenting hailstorm of destruction down upon his kingdom of percussion. The band will need to be as focused and driven as I am, willing to meet two, perhaps three times a week. When I host a practice session, I treat it like an Ultimate Fighter match, where nobody leaves until someone taps out. If you think you've got the endurance and fire to keep up, then bring your best, but be warned... I don't let up, and I don't want to share a stage with anyone who will.
As you can see from my picture, I wear chain mail to protect my body from the rigors of extreme playing. When you step up on stage with a true performer like myself, it's like stepping into battle, only instead of swords and arrows, we fight with 32nd notes and pinch harmonics. So in a way, the chain mail is largely symbolic, but my legions of fans have come to appreciate and expect it. You may don similar armor, but only if it fits the theme (no hockey masks or umpire's vests).
You are expected to have suitable gear. If you can see the top of your amplifier, don't bother answering this ad. It is expected that you will have a commitment to tone that approaches mine. (would be impossible to exceed, to be quite honest) I have a pedalboard that is ten feet long and would not dare sacrifice a single effect for the sake of portability. My pedals are alphabetized so that I can easily find them in the middle of "battle". Behringer up front, Zoom at the end. When you've been in the business as long as I have, you tend to come up with little time-saving tricks like that.
So that is my decree. I know that many of you will mock my demands and continue posting your offers and requests for lesser musicians. You may continue to carry on at your own leisurely pace, hoping for a shot at a coffee house or open mic night. I will not rest until we have our own stadium on the moon, with amplifiers pointed towards the sky's infinite expanses, so that we may truly rock the galaxy. I wish for you to join me on this epic quest.
Yours in rock
-^v-Riley-v^-

• Location: Poughkeepsie

my did do list- installment 1

i was quite delighted by a post of kristen havens' "did do" list idea back in march. it has been kicking around in my head ever since, and i have finally decided to do the did do list. for those of you who don't know, a did do list is a list of things you are pleased and proud to have done in your life.

i shall start with the first 10 of 100:

the ideal working relationship

some people work from home. some couples have one person who works from home. but what about both? i have talked about this before, but when working styles collide, this can be a real challenge.

here are the seven questions you need to ask yourself, and each other, if you plan to live and work from home:

image: "off to work" by picaday via flickr

the ideal working space

as i am starting to gear up for a move this fall (only within the los angeles area, not to worry!), my thoughts naturally turn to what kind of space i hope to create in my new, and hopefully long-term home.

to the rescue is decor8, the wonderful design blog i've been hooked on for eons. holly becker has been clever enough to create a flickr group called "rooms i heart," culled from all her adventures in design land. the room above is my favorite of the lot.

sometimes all it takes is a fantasy of a new office to breathe life into your work...

image: c/o rooms i *heart*, curated by holly becker on flickr.

sometimes, pesto is best

this past weekend was a hot one in los angeles. i spent most of it reading the bedroom, curled up by my ancient roaring air conditioner. when it's hot, i can't even bear to watch movies. i finished the mysteries of udolpho at last, read through what you wear can change your life, got through much of style statement, and picked among several others.

eventually, when on a reading bender, one gets hungry. but what to do when heating up the kitchen is a nightmare or sweat and misery? get out the blender!

image: helenabraga via flickr.

swimming in muck: learning to overcome obstacles.

sometimes, moving ahead into a new landscape feels like walking in the one above. for me, and for may clients i have worked with, making a break from the usual feels scary, rather than like a romp through the flowers. here are some thoughts about how to navigate in the world when you want to do it differently...

image: james good via flickr.

aha! perhaps i'm not the only one with this crazy artists-watching-sports idea...

brian johnson, the founder of zaadz, now gaia community, does a little newsletter during the week with inspirational ideas. perhaps i've mentioned it here before...
this morning's selection shows that art and athletic endeavor can be more linked than we thought before.

thanks, brian, for being on the same page. read on for the text:

why artists should watch sports

yes. i can admit it. i was watching this guy this weekend.

i was watching the lakers as well. i used to be one of those snooty creative types who poo pooed watching sports and was too busy reading russian novels and the new yorker to do so. but after many holidays home when i end up getting dragged into watching some champioship or other (read: if you can't beat them, join them) i realized that we artists who stay away from sports are missing out. here are ten reasons why:

thai massage at pho-siam in echo park. my adventure for the week.

i have decided to start a new feature on this blog: adventure of the week. those of you who get my newsletter will be hearing tomorrow morning about how i am discovering that working at home and lack of inspiration can often go hand in hand. in order to combat my own working from home blues, and to take advantage of an unexpected day off from my day job, i set out on adventure my friend ruth from book soup recommended: thai massage at pho-siam. i shall tell all below...

to those of you on facebook... this may amuse.

Not really an article, but still. A friend found and posted this little ditty and as a recent facebook member it both made me laugh and highlighted the more freaky elements of this method of communication.