Tiger

PHOTOS: American Museum of Natural History, New York

While we are on the topic of tigers, I have to add that I recently bought into the revolution and installed OS X version 10.4 (aka Tiger) on my Mac. It seems I am really behind in getting with the funk of things because everyone I have called about happy butterflies in the stomach feelings about Widgets already are past their excitment phase.

In other news, the sun is out again in beautiful Michigan and there will be new photography recording bicycle adventures!

hands

Bring on the sun

PHOTOS: NYC

lookie

I came back to my place from class and
found this on my door knob.

Playlists

Mix tapes are in art. As we have become so technologically advanced the drive to sit down in front of a tape player and constantly hit play stop play.... has become very unnecessary. Of course, the old school hip hoppers, scenesters and the pretentious head bangers will disagree, I have to say that ipod playlists or mix cds (made on itunes) are just as fun.
People take all kinds of approaches to making a perfect playlist. Some stick to a specific genera, you could have a mix cd with only hip hop or you could have mixed genera playlist. While others will go from a mellow song and build up to a climax and then back down again. The possibilities are endless.
The good people at Tiny Mix Tapes have created an Automatic Mix Tape Generator .

Here's the deal: You send us a style, genre, word, phrase, emotion, or whatever else, and if one of our mix tape robots fancies your suggestion, that crazy set of circuits might just make a mix tape out of it -- well, at least a tracklisting for a mix tape out of it.

The following are a few of my favorite "mix tapes" they have made:

Songs to complement my mustache.

Requested By: tasty
Compiled By: Scott

01. Sly and the Family Stone - "Brave and Strong" (There's a Riot Goin' On!)
02. The Modern Lovers - "Dignified and Old" (The Modern Lovers)
03. Modest Mouse - "Perfect Disguise" (The Moon and Antarctica)
04. Bruce Springsteen - "Brilliant Disguise" (Tunnel of Love)
05. Queen - "You're My Best Friend" (Greatest Hits 1)
06. The Turtles - "Happy Together" (Happy Together)
07. The Cure - "Close To Me" (Greatest Hits)
08. Saves the Day - "Handsome Boy" (Can't Slow Down)
09. The Pixies - "Broken Face" (Surfer Rosa) (this song is how you'd be with no 'stache)
10. Paul Simon - "You Can Call Me Al" (Graceland) (you, talking to your mustache)
11. The Smiths - "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (Hatful of Hollow) (how you'd be, 'stache-less).



it's not Milk and cheese , it's soy milk and tofu

requested by: Junie Sanders
compiled by: cleo

01. Belle and Sebastian - "Asleep on a Sunbeam" (Dear Catastrophe Waitress)
02. Van Morrison - "Astral Weeks" (Astral Weeks)
03. Animal Collective - "Sweet Road" (Sung Tongs)
04. Built to Spill - "Now and Then" (Keep it Like a Secret)
05. CSNY - "Guinnevere"
06. Devendra Banhart - "Insect Eyes" (Rejoicing in the Hands)
07. Rogue Wave - "Eyes" (Just Friends Soundtrack)
08. Neil Young - "After the Goldrush" (Greatest Hits)
09. Cocorosie- "Terrible Angels" (La Maison de Mon Reve)
10. Melanie Safka - "I Don't Eat Animals" (Carolina on My Mind)
11. Animal Collective and Vashti Bunyan - "I Remember Learning How to Dive"
12. Thunderclap Newman - "Something in the Air" (Spirit of the 60's)
13. Built to Spill - "The Weather" (Ancient Melodies of the Future)
14. Emiliana Torrini - "Sunny Road" (Fisherman's Woman)
15. Damien Jurado - "Ohio" (Rehearsals for Departure)
16. the Mamas and the Papas - "Somebody Groovy" (If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears)
17. Wilco - "Handshake Drugs" (Handshake Drugs)
18. The Incredible String Band - "Mr and Mrs" (Changing Horses)
19. Matt Pond Pa - "New Hampshire" (Emblems)

faces photo log

Since a few years I have had personal rule to lug around my camera bag to as many places as I possible. You never know which turn around a corner will reveal a once in a lifetime photo opp. I guess I picked up the habit from my mother, she would make us stand in front of every major landmark to snap the shutter and preserve the memory forever. In our constant pursuit of happiness It is human nature to keep the good times rollin'’, so I guess I don't blame her for it. We have countless boxes of pictures at my house. But in today's world of digital photography we have cameras in the rims of laptop screens, on the backs of our tiny cell phones and even a ten year old kid can buy one from Toys"R"us. Many people argue that photography alters the way we preserve memories in our brain. As soon as we see something beautiful or worthwhile we try to remember it through the lens of a camera. So our memories are replaced by snap shots we take on the fly.
As I took this portrait of Bugsy, I noticed a few other tourists were doing the same in the background. I wonder if this is how I will remember Time Square, I hope not.
So . . . I have decided to amend my rule of "lugging around the camera". I will make a more conscious effort to make more concrete memories before I start figuring out what aperture I should use.

road tripin'

PHOTO: (Left to Right) Bugsy, Devin, Me, and Kevin

I have been back from my mini spring break trip for a few days now and it is such a drastic change of pace. Just a few days ago I had now worries in the world and SLAM I am right back into it again. Kevin and I have been planning this trip to visit X for a while now. We considered almost every mode of transportation from train to catching a flight and in the end making it a road trip was the most economical. It cost us about $40 round trip to visit the east coast. On the way there we drove over night and on our return trip we left and noon and arrived back to Michigan late at night. Even though, driving during the awake hours wastes a day it is seemed to go by quicker because we were all awake.
Christina and Devon were amazing tour guides. We ate food at great restaurants, saw the American Museum of Natural History, MoMA and explored many random open doors. Now that I have a better idea of how the city works it would be nice to make a visit during the summer.

Boris and Yeltsin

PHOTO: Yeltsin one of the gerbils

Off to NYC

Good bye Boris and Yelstin

Kevin, Justin (Bugsy), Devon, and I packed up Bugsy's Ford escort wagon and headed for NYC last night. We left at 5 pm and drove into Manhattan at sunrise. Everything ran pretty smoothly and we didn't get lost on the way here. Today I will be in Union Square and for brunch with all these cool kats. Look for updates.

PS
Our car had:
4 iPod
2 laptops
4 amazing cameras
and 4 gangstaz ahahhaha

Bugsy

PHOTOS: A walking ad

A special thanks to all the wonderful people who commetns on my last post (esp. Bugsy).
Since you all liked the pictures, I thought I would introduce you to a good photographer - friend of mine.
Bugsy and I have known each other for the past four years or so and he still continues to inspire me. He has been running Bugsy Rocker since 2002 .

His website is jam packed with great photography from his adventures, his online journal, digital art, and last but not least Daily Fruit. For the last 1600 days he given his readers daily fruit for the mind and this all comes down to 450 of novel size pages.

here are some examples

01-03-06
don't skip the part where you absorb everything.

12-22-03
winky winky, guess who's gettin' kinky.
your eyes are not beautiful for how they look, your eyes are beautiful becasue of how they see.

10-29-04
i'm just not very kinky when it comes to cereal.

02-28-06
your photography is strong everywhere that mine is weak, for that my friend, i commend you.

Shacka lacka boooom!

Michigan winter photo-log

A few nights ago I couldn't fall asleep so I walked out to the wood lot just north of where I live. The snow had just freshly fallen and there was no wind so the trees looked really beautiful. These are a few of the pictures I took. I hope you like them.

stay warm

PHOTO: The Sparrow meets the paper crane.

This past weekend was the coldest weekend of this winter season. Saturday evening was -8˚F along with some wind chill. After living in this winter wonderland for such a long time we Michiganders come up with some ways to keep warm. Here are a few of my trade secrets.

-This past semester I was introduced to the idea of taking baths. Before that I was a shower man. But there is nothing better than a hot bath and a good book. A bath keeps me warm for atleast the next seven hours.

- A couple of years ago I got a space heater that fits perfectly under my desk. So when I am studying I can just flick on the switch for some instant heat. This is also where origami comes into play, because the goal is to stay in one place.
✓ I went to Micheal's and bought a packet of origami paper so I could make apaper crane but since then I have discovered so many other cool things to fold.

-Lifting weights, running, and biking really hard will also keeps you warmer throughout the day.

-Finally, after a long day of work nothing is better than a nice down comforter, a body pillow and some jersey knit sheets.

i got tagged

PHOTO: I haven't been taking pictures lately, I will get right on that.

Four Jobs I've Had:
1. Pizza Hut: Waiter/shift manager
2. I worked at a book store for a month, mad discount
3. College of Human Med. : Clerk
4. American Red Cross: caseworker

Four Movies I Can Watch Repeatedly:
1. Jimi Hendrix live at the fillmore east 1970 (concert dvd)
2. Rage Against the Machine (live shows)
3. Lost in Translation
4. Valley Girl

Four Places I've Lived:
1. Gilgit, Pakisan (Just south of the Himalayas)
2. Rawalpindi, Pakistan
3. Rochester Hills, MI
4. East Lansing, MI

Four TV Shows I Love:
1. N/A (I killed my TV)
2. N/A (You should...
3. N/A ...kill yours too..
4. N/A .... it feels good)

Four Places I've Vacationed:
1. Himalayas, Pakistan
2. Aspen, Colorado
3. Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia
4. Islamabad, Pakistan (while I was living in the US)

Four of My Favorite Dishes:
1. Bhindi (Okra Paki Style)
2. The Omi Maki II roll at OMI in East Lansing
3. Bell's Samosas
4. Veggie Lasagna

Four Sites I Visit Daily:
1. NY times
2. BBC news
3. angel.msu.edu
4. mail.google.com

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. Saudi Arabia!
2. HOME
3. Pakistan
4. Riding my bike instead of sitting here

BAM

The Hard Lessons

I hate to complain but for the last week I haven't done much more than study, go to Red Cross, and go to the lab. If is nice to know that all I needed for a quick recharge was some good music. I biked to Mac's from Campus, and got rocked the frick out by The Hard Lessons.
I think many students start getting sentimental on there final lap to graduation. This band will always bring back memories of good ole' East Lansing,MI. When I was a sophomore, I was assistant coordinator (along with my friend Alex) of Common Grounds Coffee house in the basment of our Hall. We were low on our funds and we got Augie (the Hard lessons guitarist/vocalist)with his old band to come play a show, and our budget went back up to normal. We packed the venue.
Good Times.
Thank you for the Music.

PS In some news for everyone who has left MSU behind.
Theio's (local diner) now has Wireless internet!

Freak mode

PHOTO: Baby at a restaurant. Thankfully the parents let me take this foto.

I am sorry for not posting lately, I am in FREAK MODE. But after Feb 10th, I will be back in action. I wonder what this kid has on his mind? I am sure he is not worrying about memorizing what nucleoprotein and hemagglutinin do when a cell is infected by orothomyxoviridae (Influenza virus).