Utobia

utobia: closed. utobia2.0:open

2007-07-10T15:20:00.001-07:00

Introducing utobia2.0!! Check it out at www.tobysturgill.wordpress.com

Be sure to update your blogrolls!! Stop on by and send me a comment. I've love to hear from you.

25 Reasons You Might Be A Hardcore Graphic Designer

2007-04-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

1. You’ve almost rear-ended the car in front of you because you were analyzing a font on a billboard.

2. You get pissed when a free Photoshop brush you download is less than 1000px in size.

3. You’d rather study the paisley pattern on your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouses shirt than listen to what they have to say.

4. You can use keyboard shortcuts at light speed, blindfolded, but you can’t type a paragraph of text without staring at the keyboard.

5. You’ve had “Software Nightmares,” when you’ve been working way too much.

6. You consider meals interruptions.

7. You’ve learned your lesson and stopped using the word “final” in any file name when saving.

8. You clean your keyboard more often than you wash your car.

9. You’ve intentionally given up trying to explain your projects to non-designers. Furthermore, even trying to explain what you do to non-designers.

10. You see CMYK and RGB like Neo sees the Matrix.

11. You’d rather organize your desktop than your sock drawer.

12. You can point out what stock photo came from what site in any magazine or newspaper.

13. When you look at Album art all you see are grunge Photoshop Brushes. (Then you see the album art a couple minutes later)

14. You’ve Photoshopped out a watermark for a comp or mock-up.

15. You’ve actually paid for a font.

16. You’ve totally slaughtered a great design concept because the client thinks he/she knows best. (everyone thinks they are a designer)

17. The amount of words you’ve written with a sharpie labeling burned discs total more than the amount of words you’ve read in novels.

18. You’ve had to explain to a client that a layered file wasn’t part of the deal.

19. You’ve kept a ragged concert ticket just so you could scan it.

20. You’ve nicknamed the OSX spinning wheel. (and not affectionately)

21. You bookmark a resource more often than you have a fun night out on the town.

22. You’ve intentionally overbid a project because you can sniff out a bad client from a mile away.

23. You can’t go to a restaurant without secretly critiquing the menu design.

24. You have an amazingly huge font collection, and an amazingly short temper.

25. If you had a penny for every mouse click, you would have been a trillionaire 3 years ago.

(Thanks, Patrick)

"Where the hell have you been?"

2007-04-11T05:57:00.000-07:00

Seems to be a common question lately. In a word: working my butt off. Ok...four words. And we just got back from a vacation to the Mexican Riveria. (Pictures to come next)

We've gotten several new clients since February. For a complete list go to www.credocreative.com and click on "about".

One thing I wasn't ready for was not getting paid right away. I'll spend four days on a project, but won't see the fruit of that for five or six weeks. THAT'S hard to get use to. The bank wants the mortgage payment the same time every month, but I don't always get paid the same time every month. So that's been difficult. Also, I had no idea that this was more "crisis management" rather than graphic design. It's pretty hectic when you've got six jobs all going on at once and due within days of each other. We live and die by "to-do lists".

*sigh* so much to talk about, but so little time. I'm paid by the hour so I better get going. I'll be back sooner.

Credo Creative | Open for Business

2007-02-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

www.credocreative.com

my new favorite tool | colorblender.com

2007-02-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

This is an AWESOME website if you're looking to create color samples. It's at www.colorblender.com Using the RGB sliders at the bottom you can create your own unique palette of color. Below the samples are the formulas for RGB and HTML colors. You can also vary the colors using the "honey comb" tabs to make it more green, or less cyan for subtle changes.

The possibilities are endless.

A New Journey

2007-01-31T06:44:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time coming, and it's FINALLY here...Celtic Woman's A New Journey CD and DVD. Already at number one on the iTunes world music chart, their new CD includes all of the new music that was on their tour last year that no one could get a hold of...until now :)

It seems only fitting that it came out the day before my last day at The People's Church...a new journey. Hmm. How ironic. As one chapter ends, another begins...pardon the cliche. As happy as I have been to branch out on my own, there's a part of me that will really miss the people at TPC. This was really my first experience working in such a hardcore team-driven atmosphere. An experience I have learned from and won't forget.

Thank you Stephanie, Kari, Dustin, Mark, Chad for cheering me on. For teaching, mentoring, supporting, listening. It's you that I'll miss the most. To me, you are more than colleagues. You are friends. Until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand. And may He never make a fist ;-)

Two Weeks Notice

2007-01-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

Well, it's offically out: I'm leaving The People's Church. Effective January 31. Bitter-sweet.

What am I going to do now, you ask? Well...I can't say too much yet. But I will say that it's the age of the Free Agent and time to embrace independence.

*yikes!

gossip at the watering hole

2007-01-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

Mark at work showed me this really cool webcam. It's overlooking a water hole in none other than SOUTH AFRICA! Complete with sounds and everything. Last night I was on and could see a lighting storm in the distance. The site tells the local time and temp. I haven't seen any animals yet, but I'm keeping one eye open.

Check it out if you have a chance.

apple-Z! apple-Z!

2007-01-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe this happened. Blogger sucks. I thought it'd be good to give utobia a face lift with a new look. Well...when I did that I lost ALL the changes that I had made to the previous template. That means links, blogs, the clustermap, the hit counter at the bottom. All gone. And there's no undo.

If you're one of the few that frequents this site, please leave a comment below with your linkage info and I'll build 'er back up. I am so sorry!

...it's coming

2007-01-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

Imagine. A design shop that's high-quality, forward-thinking, and concept-driven. It's coming.

Carrying the Banner.

2006-12-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here watching Newsies for the first time in a long time, and man does it bring back memories. It came out in 1992. I was 10 and wanted to be Jack Kelly when I grew up. I had the soundtrack on cassette and wore it out. It was my dream to dance in the streets and do those cool side kicks in the air (of which I've since mastered). haha

I don't know what it is about it. Sitting here watching it just takes me back. And I remember every word to every song.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness in the Fair that Changed America

2006-12-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

Wow! I just finished this AMAZING book by Erik Larson titled, "The Devil in the White City."

"Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Erik Larson's spellbinding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men--the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction."

I could write for days about this book and all that it intrests me, but I'll spare you. I'm not a big reader so when a book comes along that I rave about...then it HAS to be good. And it is.

blogging from the airport

2006-11-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

So I've got some time to kill and I've already paid to use the wi-fi...here's how I'm spening my time:

How'd they do that?!

Rockn'roll!

I'm interested to know what makes this so viral. It's had over 8 million views on youtube, I mean...I get it, but it's not THAT witty or funny or unexpected. Maybe it's NOT viral. MAYbe it's just a fun and light-hearted commercial. But what's so tempting about putting foil and bowls from Chipotle on your wall? Do these two characters know each other? I guess I don't get the tag, "tempting" within the contecxt of the entire commercial. The music, too, make it a very distinctive feel...it's fun and quirky, but I don't feel it's quirky enough to pull it off well. What are your thoughts?

A throw-back to the 80s. As soon as you hear the song the words just come right back...now THAT'S effective advertising.

haha...this is good. Notice how simple it is...there's no music. No voice over. There's only two words and it's as plain as day. A good example of "Keep It Simple, Stupid."

hmmm...there seems to be a trend here. Again, no soundtrack and just a simple tag at the end. I thought the concept was a little predictable. I had a feeling she was going to wish something against her family...I just didn't know what. But I admit, it made me smile. Clever.

Borat makes Jackass looks like a children's movie.

2006-11-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

I've been on the blogosphere looking for other's reviews of the film "Borat", but none of the blogs I frequent have done so. I'm assuming it's one of two reasons: 1.) they haven't seen the film, or 2.) they HAVE seen it and are too ashamed to post anything about it...Am I right?

Well as ashamed as I am to have seen it, I'm not ashamed to post about it.

We all went into the theater excited and ready for a good hearty laugh. The trailer looked pretty funny, but it only showed the innocent stuff...The premise of the movie was this: a man named Borat has been commissioned by his country of Kazakhstan to make a documentary (a movie-film) about the United States of America (the US&A). Being an experienced journalists over in Kazakhstan he's ready for the challenge and brings with him a camera crew and a rather heavy-set friend who is the films producer/assistant. By the end of the film, you've seen WAY too much of these guys.

Almost right from the beginning the vulgarity begins. He plays it off as a "cultural difference", but what comes out is just down-right wrong. He pushes the envelope at every turn and holds nothing back. No one is safe from being made fun of. The kicker is he gets other people to agree with him! There's one scene where he's at a rodeo and talks with an older man about gays and how they should be destroyed...and then there are the Jew jokes.

Only AFTER I saw the movie did I see the tiny type that read, "Rate R: Pervasive, Strong Crude & Sexual Content. Including Graphic (male) Nudity and Language." Hmmm, THAT would have been nice to know before I saw it.

So, the reason for this post: not to say you shouldn't see it...you can make your own decisions, but to make you more informed about just how crude this film was. Yes, it had its funny moments, but if it makes a group of guys blush and uncomfortable, then well...it was taken a little too far.

Where in the Country is Toby Sturgill??

2006-11-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

So, I'm out of town...yet again, but I'm with the band this time. We've been asked to lead worship at a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in...MONTANA!

Yeah. Never been to Montana before. It's very cold. 29 degrees, BUT...it's a dry cold.

I haven't seen any of the scenery because I got in at mid-night and it's still dark at 7:30 mst. But I hear it's fantastic, but very cold.

There's a slight possibility that we'll be able to go skiing, but I doubt it because the slopes open AFTER Thanksgiving. But that would nice...

Welp, better get a move on. I'm starting to see the mountains outside

"Fun With Photo Booth" 4 of 4

2006-11-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

4 of 4 in the series by Toby Sturgill titled, "Fun With Photo Booth". Medium: digital photography. Software: Photo Booth for Mac OS X, Mac Book Pro.

"Fun With Photo Booth" 3 of 4

2006-11-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

3 of 4 in the series by Toby Sturgill titled, "Fun With Photo Booth". Medium: digital photography. Software: Photo Booth for Mac OS X, Mac Book Pro.

"Fun With Photo Booth" 2 of 4

2006-11-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

2 of 4 in the series by Toby Sturgill titled, "Fun With Photo Booth". Medium: digital photography. Software: Photo Booth for Mac OS X, Mac Book Pro.

"Fun With Photo Booth" 1 of 4

2006-11-13T15:22:00.000-08:00

1 of 4 in the series by Toby Sturgill titled, "Fun With Photo Booth". Medium: digital photography. Software: Photo Booth for Mac OS X, Mac Book Pro.

when your dad is a graphic designer...

2006-11-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

now, now...this in not MY child, but I'm not above doing this...
The orginal photo:

The rest are the product of having too much time on his hands:

THIS is amazing...

2006-11-03T14:01:00.000-08:00

Why wasn't this around when I was in school?!

stay the night in a work of art!

2006-11-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

This hotel in Germany is AMAZING. Each room has its own theme that's completely different than the rest.

I like the upside-down room, myself. How 'bout you?

U2 in 3D

2006-11-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - U2's Vertigo world tour may soon create a real sense of vertigo among moviegoers as the Irish rockers are planning to release their first 3-D concert film next year.

The untitled feature, being readied for a summer or fall release, will draw from more than 700 hours of footage shot during the trek's South American leg in February and March. In conjunction with its release, U2 might take part in the first live 3-D performance projected in theaters nationwide.

The film was directed by Mark Pellington ("Arlington Road"), who began his career by shooting U2's seminal "One" video, and Catherine Owens, a creative director on several U2 world tours.

A representative for the band called it "the first-ever 3-D multicamera live shoot." Editing is underway in New York. Discussions are under way with several major studio distributors.

3ality Digital Entertainment, the project's producer, put together of the largest assemblages of 3-D camera technology ever used for a single project.

It is expected that the film will screen nationwide using the Real D technology put in place by theaters that showing the current digital 3-D release of "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas."

Real D unveiled the first theatrically projected live 3-D event last week at the ShowEast convention of movie theater owners in Orlando, Fla. It is planning a live 3-D concert presentation next fall, and sources said it might be a U2 concert.

step aside Matt Lauer!

2006-10-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

The other day I landed a gig opening each section of a website called, "Artists House Music". Check it out here. More will follow once they are edited.

Matt and Sarah are so awesome. They're so hot right now, Matt and Sarah.

Sony's new Bravia Ad is AMAZING

2006-10-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

THIS is awesome. First they dropped 250,000 bouncy balls on the streets of San Francisco. Now they've painted the town red...and blue and green and yellow.

You can watch and download it in HD here.

ways to maintain a healthy level of insanity:

2006-10-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It "In."

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Smuggling Diamonds"

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy."

8. Don't use any punctuation

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go." (my wife actually did this at Starbucks)

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme?

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical Sounds All Day.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

some random videos...

2006-10-21T05:24:00.000-07:00

Notice what happens to the car when she hits it...

Jackass copycat...

An inside look at how "beauty" is created...

This guy is amazing. I'd hate to go against him in a game of quarters...

guess who landed a GMA showcase at Rocketown?

2006-10-18T08:37:00.001-07:00

REND THE HEAVENS, that's who!!

Yeah, we'll playing on the main stage at 3:25...before the headliners start at 4:00. The big ones that'll be there are Leeland and Matthew West. Woo-Hoo!!

I'll keep you posted on that...it's a ways off, but we I just found out about it.

Check out the lineup here.

allow myself to reintroduce...myself

2006-10-16T06:08:00.000-07:00

HOLY COW! I'm such a bad blogger...September 21st?! Geez. Is anyone still out there?

Here's the deal on my lack of attendance: my computer broke. Yes, that's right...my Apple G4 desktop decided to stop working. Well, actually I think the hard drive got too full and it went into panic mode. Seriously. It has this message that says, "Panic: we are haning here..."

So now I have the new Mac Book Pro laptop and I'm blogging from Panera! I know, I know...whoopdee-freakin-doo. You've probably done that a hundred times by now but it's new for me.

So that's where I've been, and I promise I'll be back soon.

Cheers!

Toby: 24 | Utobia: 1| Norway: 1

2006-09-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

Well...tomorrow.

That's right. On September 8th, I will be 24 years old, utobia will celebrate its one year anniversary, and my wife and I will be on our way to Norway!!

We're actually leaving tonight because Colleen's passport won't work. It hasn't expired, but it's still in her maiden name. We were told that a marriage license would be enough proof, but the lovely people at the passport agency said, "no". SO we have to go to BWI by way of Washington DC to get her a new passport tomorrow--the day we fly out of the country. Let's just say, things have been a little stressful.

I wanted to launch the new look for Utobia before I left, but I didn't get around to it. To mark its one year anniversary be on the look out for a new do around here. The winds of change are blowing.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to blog once I'm over there. If I can, I will. If not, then I'll have lots to tell when we get back.

Wish me luck!
Cheers.

Norway in: 8 days

2006-09-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a little cabin that we'll be staying in for part of the time while we're in Norway. I think it's in Stavanger. We'll be doing some hiking from here.

I wonder if they ever have to mow the roof?

when I grow up, I want to work in advertising...

2006-08-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

So true. So true.

Rend the Heavens in Concert TONIGHT!

2006-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Come check us out if you're in the Nashville area in the Wallace Chapel Building at Christ Church in Nashville (really close to the new Target in Brentwood). The address is 15354 Old Hickory Blvd. We're playing a full set. The show starts at 6:30 and is FREE! Can't beat that, now can ya?

DIRECTIONS:
::: Christ Church is located at 15354 Old Hickory Boulevard in South Nashville, between Nolensville Road and Edmondson Pike.
::: From I-65, take Exit 74-A onto Old Hickory Boulevard going EAST. The church is located 3.5 miles on the left, one mile past Edmondson Pike.
::: From I-24, take Exit 59 onto Bell Road and go west approximately 4 miles to the church. The church will be located on your right.
::: NOTE: A new traffic light has recently been installed directly in front of the main entrance to Christ Church. The street name beside it is Woodlands Avenue.

See ya there!

Countdown to Norway: 12 days!

2006-08-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

Today's weather in Norway...Hello 60s!!!

Right Now for
Oslo, Norway
Save this Location

Light Rain Shower

63°F
Feels Like
63°F

Updated Aug 28 03:50 p.m. Local Time

UV Index:		1 Low
Wind:		From E at 8 mph
Humidity:		82%
Pressure:		29.29 in.
Dew Point:		57°F
Visibility:		6.2 miles

Look, Daddy. Kittens!

2006-08-23T13:23:00.001-07:00

my struggle with football

2006-08-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is, but I think I was denied the football part of the male genome.

All my life I have had little or no interest in football (or any other sport for that matter--unless it's a live game...and there's beer). I don't know any player's stats or life history. I don't keep track of how many touch-down passes they've made. I have nothing to contribute when it comes to sports. Part of me really struggles with that, but part of me doesn't.

It's well known that the common denominator amongst men is sports. They talk about offense, deffense, how Joe-Basketball should play the game. I just don't get it. But it's not my fault. Like I said, I was denied that gene at birth. I did play T-Ball for two seasons when I was little. But I have to admit that the part I looked forward to the most was the snacks at the end of the game. Will it be Little Debbie today? I wonder what they have for drinks. I hope it's grape cool-aid.

My dad tried, but to no avail I landed and found myself in the theater.

I do hate that for my dad. He loves to watch football, but I just have a hard time sitting there infront of the TV when a game is on. For me, it's like watching TV in Albanian. I have no idea what they're saying. Something gets lost in translation.

Last year all the guys at the church I work at created their own fantasy football league. By peer pressure and the natural tendency to just "be one of the guys" (it seems I'm always "one of the girls"...that's a post for another day) I created a team. I had no idea who was who, or what they did. I didn't know how many line backers I needed on my team, or how many quarterbacks. I DID, though, have the best team name: The Nashvegas Bloggers. (yeah, baby!) I never watched a game to see how my guys were doing. I didn't do a thing. All the guys would tell me what to do; who to trade and I just didn't get it. I had no clue what I was doing. I tried to hide my ignorance of football, but it didn't last long. I was "outed" by the end of the season.

Does not liking sports make me any less of a man? No. It just means that I don't like sports. That's all. I hate that a man's masculinity (by society's definition) is determined by how much he likes sports.

My wife can attest that despite my lack of interest in football, I am still very much a man ;-)

The Advertising Artwork of Dr. Seuss

2006-08-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Before Theodore Seuss Geisel found fame as a children's book author, the primary outlet for his creative efforts was magazines. His first steady job after he left Oxford was as a cartoonist for Judge, a New York City publication. In 1927 one of these cartoons opened the way to a more profitable career, as well as greater public exposure, as an advertising illustrator.

According to an anecdote in Judith and Neil Morgan's book Dr. Seuss and Mr. Geisel (Random House, 1995), the wife of the ad executive who handled the Standard Oil company's account saw the cartoon. At her urging, her husband hired the artist, thereby inaugurating a 17-year campaign of ads whose recurring plea, "Quick, Henry, the Flit!," became a common catchphrase. These ads, along with those for several other companies, supported the Geisels throughout the Great Depression and the nascent period of his writing career.

See them all here.

need I say more?

2006-08-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

well...except for the nude part ;-)

chocolate is brown

2006-08-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Just like roses are red and violets and blue, chocolate is brown. Not black.

Why didn't Verizon make their new phone brown? They named it "chocolate" and in all the ads it's wrapped up like a chocolate bar. So why isn't it brown?

Where does it say that all cell phones are supposed to be black? If you ask me (which you didn't, but you're here so I'll tell you anyway) it looks an awful lot like the U2 iPod with the black body and red lights.

Hello?! Orginality, please. Would it have hurt you to do something different? Maybe brown with white lights? It would be way cool if it even came packaged as a candy bar. Foil and all. But somehow I doubt that's how it's packaged :-/

Don't name it "chocolate" and make it black.

Leeland...a MUST HAVE!

2006-08-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

The much anticipated record drops TODAY and I would suggest you pick it up! seriously this is one of the best albums in my itunes right now. Nate describes them best:, "Leeland is Copeland, Coldplay, Keane, Travis meets Jesus.

(HT: Nate)

tasty type

2006-08-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

I love good packaging. Packages are proof that good type can make anything look delectable--even puffed corn or sugar water. It's a curse, really. Instead of just picking up any canister of allspice, I get distracted by the pretty colors and fonts that incase it. If I see a canister that looks better than the one in my hand, I put it back and go for what caught my eye. I hate to admit, but I often judge the food by its packaging. Here are just a few of some blog-worthy packages:

Package: Izze Juice
Typeface: Trade Gothic & Adobe Caslon

Izze Beverage Co®. doesn't boast their nonprofit mission on their label, but the design’s simplicity hints that they are a different kind of company. Izze’s sales grew 450% per year over the first two years without any TV, print, or online advertising. Surely their success is due in part to the bottle — clearly branded with Trade Gothic™ caps and a clever use of a Caslon™ asterisk, emulating a cross-section of the fruit contained therein. (HT: Fontshop)

Package: Simply Organic Spices
Typefaces: Sabon & ITC Giovanni

Simply Organic’s® packaging lives up to its name. The clear glass bottle is adorned only with its logo (a carefully customized ITC Giovanni™) and feel-good copy (in Sabon™), revealing the product’s natural goodness. (HT: Fontshop)

Package: Tazo Tea
Typefaces: Exocet, Nuptial, & Nicolas Cochic

There are few food identities as recognizable as Tazo®. Tea wasn’t very hip until the mid-’90s when tea master Steve Smith came along with his “Marco Polo meets Merlin the Magician” concept. The foundation of this antiquarian style is the Tazo logo — based on Jonathan Barnbrook’s Exocet™. Antique types Nicolas Cochin™ and Nuptial Script™ complete the look. (HT: Fontshop)

26 days to Norway!

2006-08-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

Septmember 6th through the 9th marks the 7th edition of Numusic, Scandinavia's leading club based festival dedicated to the advancement of new, alternative & electronic music and underground arts.

The West Coast Festival of Numusic features record label showcases, over 70 club / dj events & live concerts, workshops, discussions, installations, exhibitions and artistic showcases from a diverse range of independent artists.

This year also sees the expansion of Nuart into a truly international affair with renowned artists from the US, UK & New Zealand joining in the action. A new addition to this years event is Nuphilosophy, an attempt to clarify both numusic's and others take on what music was , is and could be. The series will be presented by several national & international contemporary philosophers.

The event is situated in Stavanger on the West coast of Norway and takes place in various venues throughout the city.

Expect: friendly crowds, unique concerts & great club nights covering all aspects of progressive, alternative & electronic music and art.

You can also check them out here on myspace. Sadly, we will miss this by one day :-(

Celtic Woman makes history

2006-08-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

It's offical. Celtic Woman has been number one on Billboard's World Music chart for 68 weeks in a row. A feat accomplished by no other artist or group.

They are getting ready to film they're next DVD project in Ireland in late August. Hopefully that means a CD will be coming out soon.

Check them out if you've never heard of them. They're amazing.

some creative animation:

2006-08-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Rend the Heavens now on iTunes!

2006-08-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

The wait is over. Rend the Heavens is now available for download on iTunes. $6.93 buys you the whole EP! Go check it out.

I hate cats, but this is pretty funny...

2006-08-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Taken: winner of eight awards in the 48 hour film festival

2006-08-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

"Taken" was created for the 48 Hour Film Project in Nashville, TN by Radiate Films.

Radiate had an amazing team of 15 crew and cast that gave up sleeping and eating for 48 hours.

To keep the teams honest, the genre, a line of Dialogue, a prop, and a character were given at the start of the 48 hours:

Genre: Romance
*Line of Dialogue: Go ahead, walk all over me!
*Prop:a wagon
*Character: Fred Maloney, Kleptomaniac.

(*Were the same for all films.)

Watch the entire six minute movie HERE NOW. (You must have Quicktime-if you don't have it-you can download it at the "Taken" site above.)

HT: Ethos

new medium for book readers: the e-novella

2006-08-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

Injecting a new element of intrigue into the traditional mystery novel format, The Daughters of Freya is a buzzed-about e-novella chronicling a journalist investigation of a California cult that believes sex is the answer to the world’s problems. (The book sounds a bit smutty, but the delievery is way cool.) Unlike conventional literature that is read page by page, readers of this cyber book receive 4-5 email exchanges per day that allow the story to unfold bit by bit, over a 3-week period. Each email is sent as if written by a character from the book, with the readers cc:ed.

With storytelling being such a well-received promotional method lately, this delivery method could ultimately become an interesting vehicle for brands and marketers to keep their story alive and their consumers engaged.

(HT: Trendcentral)

a day trip to chattanooga

2006-08-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took a little day trip to Chattanooga. What a wonderful place. We stopped to see Ruby Falls and Rock City. Oh my goodness...

Having previously worked in tourist traps (The Track in Destin, FL and Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA) I hate doing anything remotely touristy, because I know how the industry takes advantage of everyone. There are gifts shops around every corner and prices are sorely inflated. I Hate it. So I was a little reluctant to "see rock city" and Ruby Falls.

After about a two hour drive we get out on Lookout Mountain and head inside the Ruby Falls...building (for lack of better word). $28.95 buys us each tickets to the falls and rock city. Not really knowing anything about rock city, we ask. "It's a rock garden" I'm told by the man behind the counter. Great...we've just been raped by the tourist industry once again, I say to myself.

A freight elevator takes about 12 of us at a time down 1,100 feet in the moutain. From there we walk about 2,000 feet to the falls. Ruby Falls is the highest underground waterfall open to the public. Along the way are rock and cave formations that have been named according to how they look...pretty cool stuff. It's a constant 60 degrees with relatively hight humidity, so it feels more like 70. There are of course, the usual bad-tour-guide-jokes.

The waterfall comes complete with it's own light show set to music...very cool. The water is a constant 50 degrees and there's a walkway that allows you to walk all the way around it.

Back above ground we head father up the mountain to see Rock City. I was kinda tired, and probably would have opted out of that one had we not already purchased the tickets. "Alright, time to see gravel art" I say as we park in the car.

Oh my goodness...let me just say that this is one of God's coolest "art galleries". These aren't just rocks...they're boulders. We walk along an enchanted trail between moss covered rocks and 100 year old trees. There's a faint sountrack playing that fits the scene perfectly. There's a swing bridge that spans across a vast void between boulders. You can see for miles...on a clear day you can see seven states!

The end of the pathway leads to a magical cavern that's been taken over by gnomes. Second only to Disney, this cave portrays all of the Mother Goose fairytales that we all grew up with.

So needless to say, if you're in the area, or even looking for something to do for a day...you've got to see Ruby Falls and Rock City. They are unbelievable.

A few facts about Norway:

2006-08-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Countdown to Norway: 35 days

Galdhopiggen is Norway's highest mountain.

Mjosa is the largest lake in the Kingdom of Norway.

The Sognafjorden (Sogne Fjord) is Norway's longest and deepest fjord.

The Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in Northern Europe.

Harald the Fairhaired gathered Norway into one kingdom (900).

Before Norway converted to Christianity in 995 pagan gods such as Odin and his son Thor were worshipped.

In 1262 Norway annexed Greenland and Iceland.

During the Second World War thousands of Norwegians joined the Norwegian Resistance Movement. Many Norwegians joined the Allied Armies and the Norwegian merchant fleet provided assistance to the Allies fight against Germany.

For over fifty years the City of Oslo has sent a Christmas tree to the UK which stands in Trafalgar Square in London. The tree commemorates the protection given by Britain to members of Norway's royal family during the Second World War.

Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite, founded the Nobel Peace Prize. Nobel decided that the annual Peace Prize should be awarded by a Committee in Norway.

Someone keeps stealing my letters...

2006-08-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

Remember those magnet letters we used to play with on the refidgerate when we were little? Well this web site is deticated to just that...only everyone is using the same letters. You'll have about 15 people stealing your letters to try and make their own words at the same time you're trying to make yours. It took me about 10 minutes to spell "utobia". Try it. But beware...it's addicting.

Norway in: 37 days!

2006-08-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

Let the count down begin. 37 days until we go to Norway!

We'll be there September 8th (my birthday AND the one-year anniversary of Utobia) through the 16th. We will fly out of BWI (Baltimore-Maryland) and have a layover in Iceland before coming into Oslo. I've never been overseas before. This will be one to remember.

truth musical

2006-07-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

This is a cool break from their other "gorilla-esque" type of commercials. I like it, and know you will too :)

The 9 covers everything viral

2006-07-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

This is amazing.

The 9 is one of the first major vlogs that is current to that day on everything that's going on in pop culture...well...9 of the most important things. Early each weekday morning, Maria Sansone and the 9 Team scour the world wide web and find what they think constitute the nine best, weirdest, or funniest photos, sites, stories, and videos on the Internet. They're home to late-breaking viral information that people work hard to find themselves. The 9 items range between everything from Tiger Woods winning the British Open, to Ashlee Simpson's (A. Simp's) new glam look, to a video of a drowsy kitten.

And if you know of something that should have been in the top 9, but didn't make it, you can submit the link as Pepsi's 10th and keep checking back to see if it made it into the 9.

The 9 is sponsored by Pepsi and Yahoo!

Rend the Heavens Going to One Way Fest!

2006-07-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend we will be hitting the road to Kansas City to play at the OneWayFestival. We will be playing on the Neighbor's Stage at 7pm Friday night. Come check us out if you're in the area.

The Official Backseat Driver's Manual

2006-07-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

While flipping through the current issue of SPIN I noticed there was one of those annoying paper inserts that never allows the pages to turn easily. Naturally, I turned to it to rip it out before I got frustrated (c'mon...we've all been there) But what I found when I got there surprised me. It was The Offical Backseat Driver's Manual from Volkswagen. Wow, I thought. That is clever.

"With tongue in cheek, Volkswagen says: “Being a backseat is not a right. It’s a privilege. And a responsibility. What you will learn from this handbook…” and so on. The booklet is then filled with useful information including the drink to bladder ratio at which point a driver will need to stop the car. (A driver is only good for 30 minutes on a 32 ounce coffee, for example.) The final pages include an exam and official plastic Backseat Driver License. This is more fun than German engineering."-Rich Ottum

This is a brilliant print piece in a world where print is arguably lesser and lesser of an engaging medium. Here’s why:
- It looks like a real manual, authentically poking fun at themselves
- It is based on the realities of annoying passengers and is rather funny
- It contains an “Official Backseat Driver” card you can remove and affix a picture.
- The card is sans logo and/or mention of VW or Jetta brand (HT: The Client Side)

I think the only thing that would have made this better is some online content...maybe a website, or something DMV-esque that's interactive. Although I can see them going only by WOM marketing. The folks at Crispin Porter + Bogusky sure know what they're doing.

Just another reason why I love Volkswagen.

egg-vertising??

2006-07-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

(AP) CBS is enlisting eggs in its scramble to attract viewers. The CBS logo and slogans promoting the TV network and its series will appear along with coded expiration dates on eggs sold by grocers-- just another promotional measure in the competitive world of television.

More than 35 million eggs will be marked with phrases such as "CSI: Crack the Case on CBS" and "The Class, New Grade-A CBS Comedy" as part of a deal between the CBS Marketing Group and EggFusion, an egg-coding company. (HEY CBS! The 80's called and said they want their puns back!)

The campaign will begin in September, when the fall TV season begins, CBS said Saturday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association.

However, CBS isn't putting all its eggs in one marketing basket.

The campaign is part of what the network is calling its "Outernet strategy," an effort to reach viewers "outside their homes as they go about their daily lives," the network said in a statement.

EggFusion, based in Deerfield, Ill., will use laser technology to create the expiration dates and "On-Egg Messaging," the release said.

Other networks have tried offbeat ways to attract viewers, such as putting messages about shows in public restrooms or, for ABC's "Desperate Housewives," using dry-cleaning bags to promote the series.

Link to the article here.

vacation recap

2006-07-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

We're back and we're tired. Here are the highlights:

We stayed two blocks from the ocean in a town due North of San Diego called Oceanside. No Seaside, but still very quaint. It was a million-dollar three bedroom villa that easily slept 8-10 people. Complete with vaulted ceilings and a "gourmet kitcken". That was nice.

We went to San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park on Tuesday. None of their animals are in "cages" per se. They have open spaces where the animals can roam free (well...sorta, but you get the picture). They have this thing where you can buy a ticket and ride in a truck that goes into the "wilderness" and feed them upclose and personal. That was pretty cool. We got to feed Ivan, the giraffe and saw rhinos, antelope, and hippos doing what they do in the wild.

Wednesday we went to Disney Land. It really is the happiest place on earth. I was really impressed with a newer ride, "Indiana Jones". Wow! What a rush. I remember seeing something about it on TV. That's a must, if you're there. We also got to go on the newer "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride...complete with Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow peppered along the way. The only downer about this was we were with my 7 year old step nephew who got the crap scared out of him at Indiana Jones so in order to ease his nerves we had to keep convicing him that everything was fake. It really took the magic out of it for me because when I said, "Wow, Jacob! Look at the fire flies!" he said, "No Toby, those are little lights on a piece of string...see?" "*sigh* yes, Jacob, you're right. It's fake. Fake, fake fake." It was a crime. "Space Mountain" got a facelift as well. What I liked most was there were speakers behind my head and the music was in sync to what we were doing. So while we were going up the first hill, I could hear it counting down to "blast off" then there was a really cool techno-james bond-esque soundtrack that went right along with what we were doing. Talk about envelopment. It was awesome.

Then there was the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Let's just say that Colleen and I saved a ton of money. It was great. And the wedding (the whole reason for the trip) was beautiful.

All the other days were either spent on the beach, or lounging around back at the house. Very restful...but yet tiring all the same.

But now it's back to life. Back to reality.

(Sunset at Oceanside taken on my little sony cyber-shot)

we're here!

2006-07-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

Wow! San Diego is beautiful. 75 degrees and sunny with low humidity.

We arrived on time (go southwest!) and ate lunch at Kansas City BBQ-Home of the Sleazy Bar Scene in Top Gun. That's their claim to fame...well bras hanging from ceiling fans and pretty awesome BBQ. They still have the piano. A quick stop at the Seaport Village led us to the harbor where we sat in the shade and watched the boats sailing.

As soon as we got off the plane I realized that I had fogotten everything for the wedding. (The whole reason we came out here.) All I packed was beach stuff. I didn't have anything wedding-esque (slacks, shoes, a belt...) so we headed to the mall to buy something for me to wear. I couldn't believe it. I even handed Colleen her dress from the closet and I STILL forgot to pack everything I was planning to wear. It was a struggle, but it had to be done. ;-)

I couldn't resist these...

2006-07-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

Take a look at some awful Japanese pranks all caught on film. These would NEVER be allowed to happen in the states. Enjoy!

a mighty wind

2006-07-06T06:08:00.000-07:00

My weekend in Oklahoma was taken right out of the movie, "A Mighty Wind". If you've ever seen it, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Jack and Jamie are really into folk music. Now, folk music is different than bluegrass. Folk music is for and by hippies; bluegrass is for and by Republicans. Basically. (I think Jack and Jamie are the only Republican folk musicians). The first night we where there they summoned all the people they play with at festivals and played all through the night. It couldn't have been a better evening for it. The weather was beautiful. They all sat in a circle on the lower deck and played from 7:00-2:00 in the morning. There were two fiddle players, one upright bass, two mandolins, five guitars, one baritone ukulele, and one suspicious looking brown jug that was being passed amongst them all. Good times.

They have also started to ranch. While we were there they had 7 steers and a lama. I learned the difference between a steer, a bull, a heffer and a cow: a steer used to be a bull before his man-parts where removed. The testosterone that is produced by a bull makes the meat too tough, so steers are used for meat. A bull has all his parts in tact and is basically given the task of reproducing more cattle. A tough job, but someone's gotta do it. A heffer is a female cow who hasn't calfed yet while a cow is a cow that HAS calfed. (Calfed means birthed a baby bull or heffer) Learning this was like a scene from "City Slickers". I was just standing there with my faux-hawk and aviators like I belonged there. ;-)

We went a saw "The Devil Wears Prada". It was a good movie...a little long for that type of moive. Meril Streep was amazing. I'd see it again just for her. I hope she's recognized for it.

The rest of the weekend was restful. It was good to get away and see family. Colleen had a good time as well.

A new look at music

2006-07-05T07:40:00.001-07:00

I'll post about my weekend next, but I first wanted to show this.

It comes from a buddy over at Icon Tact. When I saw this I couldn't believe it. It's pretty cool.

Road Trip!

2006-06-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend Colleen and I are going to a tiny town called Skiatook right outside Tulsa, OK. We are to visit a side of the family that never gets to get together. It just doesn't happen very often, so when it does we make the best of it.

Jack and Jamie (unce and aunt) homesteaded in the wilderness. That meant they were almost given five acres of land with the promise that they would keep it up and and develope it. Jack's a rough mountain man and Jamie personifies everything John Denver and Jimmy Buffett ever wrote. They have an amazing piece of land. The house sits on the top of a hill and slopes to the back where they have a water inlet. On the other side of the water are foothills covered in trees. It's an amazing place. But it IS in the wilderness. They don't get cable, cell phone reception or city water because it's too far out. Jack has a water truck that he uses to bring city water to their well. It's a different life than that of suburbia.

And they are into folk music. Jack plays the upright bass, but only with the aid of Mr. Jack Daniels. Arthritis has taken over his hands, and he can only loosen them up after he's had a few. Jamie plays the mandolin and sings. This weekend they've called all their friends ("pickers" they call them) in for a night of music out on the tiki-themed porch...it's their very own margaritaville. They've got a fire pit, a hot tube, the hula doll christmas lights...even an outdoor tiki bar. (Appropriate because they at one time made their own beer and wine).

Colleen has never experienced this side of the family before. It promises to be a good time.

the perfect food

2006-06-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

...cottage cheese. That's right. Fat free cottage cheese is the best thing EVER! And it's so good for you. Get this: (a serving size is 1/2 a cup) there are 80 calories, O grams of fat, 4 grams of carbs, and 12 (TWELVE!) grams of protein.

I know what you're thinking, because I thought it too. It's weird. It IS weird if you eat it by itself. You have to add things to it. For example: salsa and cottage cheese. Mix equal parts and eat it up. You can't even taste the cheese. Red sause and cottage cheese. It's a great way to add protein to your spaghetti. Then there's always fruit with cottage cheese.

For more ideas, go here.

It's been a while

2006-06-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

My goodness...I can't believe it's been so long since I last blogged...June 9th! I guess I've been taking somewhat of a blogging sabatical. Not on purpose, though. It just kind of happened. I think it started with my trip to Willow Creek to the Arts Conference. I got out of my habit and just stayed there...until now.

So to all those who were wondering--I'm alive and well. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

noises off!

2006-06-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, I took my wife to the theatah to see Noises Off! performed by the Pull-Tight Players in downtown Franklin. What a show! I've never seen it live before--only the movie version with Carol Burnette, Michael Caine, Julie Hagerty, Christopher Reeve, John Ritter, and Nicollette Sheridan. Only having seen the movie version, I was very intrigued as to how they might do it live. I was very impressed.

Noises off is a play within a play. It is the last few hours before the opening night of "Nothing On" and the cast are going over last minute cues to make sure that everything is smooth. Nothing On (the play within the play) is about people coming and going and not realizing there are other people in the house at the same time. So as one couple closes the door upstairs, a different couple open a door thinking they are all alone. So timing is everything.

The second act takes us back stage of Nothing On. We see the stage manager's position, the props table...things that you never see. By this time, the cast is doing everything they can to kill each other quietly while keeping the show going. After all, the show must go on.

It's a great play done well by some amazing local talent. If you're in the area this weekend check them out. Tickets are $14.00. You don't want to miss this one.

accessory trends

2006-06-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

I would never have seen this one coming. Capezio-style lace-up Jazz shoes (you know--the ones with the split sole) are being spotted on both male and female hip designer-types. Worn mostly with skinny jeans (80s!), they are becoming an alternative to the already popular cheap canvas sneakers. Jeffery Campbell has created a line of street-ready jazz shoes for those who want a little more comfort and support.

a good quote

2006-06-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

"All men dream, but not equally. They who dream by night in the dark recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they act out their dreams with open eyes to make them possible."-- T.E. Lawrence photo by gettyimages.com

Rend the Heavens | Ft. Wayne, IN

2006-06-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we played our first "real" show at Heartland Church in Ft. Wayne, IN (Indiana for those of you who we absent the day they taught state initials in fourth grade geography). It turned out to be an amazing experience. We sold out of all our CDs (we only brought 60 because we weren't too sure about the outcome) and had preorders for 15 more. We're also low on XL tees :)

The church we played at is a charismatic church...very different from my Baptist upbringing. It just so happened that the same weekend we were there, the church brought in a prophetic teacher. THAT was...different. He prayed for us and said that we'd become an international success before we became known in the US. Interesting. We'll see.

Our wives were able to come with us so it made the weekend even better.

Check us out here and let us know if you want us to come visit you. We'd be more than happy.

(pictured above from L-R: Aaron (guitar, lead vocal, piano); Matt (bass, BGV); me (B3, piano, synth pad); Justin (drums); Sarah (electric guitar, BGV)

DIY vids on YouTube

2006-06-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

New from Trendcentral:

Make & YouTube: DIY tech mag Make has partnered with überpopular video sharing site YouTube to offer up a variety of footage, such as how-to documentaries on various projects from the magazine, and footage from the Maker’s Faire – a DIYpalooza where techies, crafters, science nerds, students, hobbyists, the MythBusters and Mak people gathered to see, do, and share.

Because it’s YouTube, any “maker” out there can post their own DIY tech footage under the Make Director group to share with the world.

Katie "Cha-Ching" Couric's goodbye

2006-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- NBC is making the most of Katie Couric's "Today" finale. According to buyers, the network charged $110,000 for a 30-second spot in Ms. Couric's final appearance on the morning show she first appeared on 15 years ago. Media buyers got a bargain if they bought the show in last year's upfront, when spots sold for $50,000.

According to industry executives, media buyers began scrambling for the 25% of available inventory the day before Ms. Couric confirmed her departure on air. Among the major categories ramping up a presence on the show, expected to rate highly, are movie studios, electronics companies, home-appliance manufacturers and travel and tourism marketers. Last week NBC sold the last of 50 units in the three-hour broadcast.

On April 3 Ms. Couric told viewers: "I wanted to tell all of you out there that after listening to my heart and my gut, I've decided I'll be leaving 'Today' at the end of May." She will be managing editor of the "CBS Evening News," and becomes the first woman solo anchor of a nightly news broadcast. CBS is paying a reported $15 million to Ms. Couric for the role, and the network has said it will look for a corresponding increase in ad pricing.

Read the entire article here.

How to Travel Practically Anywhere

2006-05-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

This is a great book if you're in the midst of booking a getaway. With summer upon us, most of us will be doing some form of leisure travel. This book, How to Travel Practically Anywhere, can make what could be a headache a little easier.

No matter what type of trip you're planning--business or pleasure, domestic or international, budget or splurge, exotic getaway or family visit--How to Travel Practically Anywhere is an indispensable resource.

Rend the Heavens in concert tonight!

2006-05-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Rend the Heavens will make their Nashville debut tonight at The End in downtown Nashville.

I'm not sure if there's cover, but we go on at 9:30 if you're in the area and can make it.

See ya there!

say it with a primate

2006-05-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

Correspondence is a multi-faceted and occasionally tricky business. Often communicative subtleties can be lost through reducing messages to black text on a white background. Do you ever find that simply tapping words into a bog-standard email causes the loss of their potency ? Sometimes it's like trying to convey nuance through smoke-signals.

But no longer, I declare! For now we have the ultimate messaging tool at our disposal : Monk-e-mail!

Surely all messages should be sent via the medium of a simian that speaks ? And a configurable monkey at that. There are four different voices to choose from, and countless combinations of ape attire, accessories, and areas in which they can be placed. You can even have the monkey talk to the sound of your own recorded voice.

As such, you can cater your chimp for the subtext that your message requires. Inviting friends to a party ? Give your monkey a tiara. Do you need to exude sophistication ? Give your monkey a pipe. Quitting your job ? Give your monkey a background of a tropical island, to show that you have better things in store for yourself.

Try it - Monk-e-mail will change your life; I swear. You may never use another method of communication. In fact, you may never do anything else ever again. So get mailing, monkey-lovers.

Psyched about Social Networking

2006-05-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

Sixty percent of trendsetters and 33% of mainstream 14-34 year-olds have a social networking page. These are just three of the many social networking trends you need to know:

Big Brother: Some young people are now afraid to create MySpace/ Facebook pages out of fear that potential college and job recruiters, and even school and law enforcement agencies, will read them. As one young person told us, “My friend got busted by undercover cops surfing the net looking for graffiti artists; he had posted a photo of his graffiti next to his tag.” Parents snooping in their kids’ lives aren’t anything new, but now young people have to be aware of a much wider audience stealthily investigating them online.

Cyberbullying: Kids are creating fake profiles under their targets’ real names and posting horrific photos and remarks to make them look bad online. Because kids are waging war against each other on online pages that are seen by most of their peers, there is potential for real damage.

Netiquette: As the distinction between friends, acquaintances, and contacts gets more complex online (for instance, with technology that allows an inner circle to view certain photos, while others are blocked), we’ve been seeing an online etiquette or “netiquette” evolve. MySpace has a “Top 8” category and Flickr distinguishes between “Family and Friends” versus “Contacts.” We’ve heard that being excluded from the “Top 8” list is affecting “real” relationships.

-The Cassandra Report
Three times a year The Intelligence Group publishes The Cassandra Report®, an in-depth look into the lives of 14-34 year old consumers. It’s a comprehensive understanding of emerging trends across a broad range of topics, including technology, entertainment, fashion, spending, marketing, attitudes and consumer products.

wouldn't THIS be loverly

2006-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

Coke Ad

2006-05-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

This never ran in the US. Only in Austrailia, and maybe the UK. Very interesting.

HT: rm116

Apple Store Fifth Avenue

2006-05-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Move over Prada. Get out of the way Gucci, Armani, and Louis Vuitton. There's a new store in town that's redifining high-end shopping. Fifth Avenue, meet Apple.

Tonight at 6pm EST Apple will open a store on Fifth Avenue and stay open 24/7. I don't think many people will be out shopping for Jimmy Choo shoes at 3am, do you? Which is why this is so cool. In a market that is driven by "soft goods", we now are seeing a tech store opening on 5th. Granted, it's not Best Buy (thank God). I think it's inhances the branding of Apple to the more afluent, trendy, creative class.

The Studio is the creative hub of the Apple Store, Fifth Avenue. A place where your ideas and their help come together to enhance your Mac projects. Whether your interest is photography, moviemaking, music or everyday use of your Mac, their team of Creatives can help you. They’ll teach you one-on-one how to re-touch photos, compose music and make Hollywood-style movies.

The Apple Store, Fifth Avenue, is the destination for creative or technical help when you need it. If you’re looking for special events and workshops, the Apple Store SoHo, with its new state-of-the-art theater is the place to go.

In keeping with Mr. Jobs's penchant for eye-catching designs, all that will be visible from the street is the entrance, surrounded by a roughly three-story-high glass cube jutting from the ground, reminiscent of I.M. Pei's glass pyramid at the entrance to the Louvre museum in Paris.

*sigh* I wish I could be there. They are giving away a free T-shirt to the first 2,500 people who come through the store. It promises to be a good time.

my new addiction

2006-05-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

One of the gifts my wife was given after an operation she had was a book of Sudoku puzzles. The object is to fill in the squares with numbers 1-9 so that each row has only 1-9, each column has only 1-9 and each box has only 1-9. No row, column, or box can have a repeated number. It's great. We both sit on our back patio and see who can finish first.

To play them online go here. Have fun!

Fit to be a Leader

2006-05-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Can a rigorous workout routine help your professional communication skills? It works for politicians and executives; it can work for you.

FEEL LIKE A LEADER. What does this have to do with professional communications? Plenty. When you're speaking to a customer, employee, investor, or prospect, how you look, feel, act, and sound all help you connect with the people listening to you. Leaders who are physically fit exude far more energy than their peers.

The other week I spoke with the general manager of Hersheypark Entertainment, who oversees a sprawling complex made up of an amusement park, a zoo, arenas, and hotels in Hershey, Pa. O'Connell had quite an eye-opening experience last year after he returned from a leadership course. As part of the program, his employees were asked to fill out a survey about their boss.

NO MORE TWINKIES. O'Connell scored very high on all attributes of leadership -- except for one. His employees thought O'Connell lacked energy, and it altered their perception of him. They were right. O'Connell was more than 40 pounds overweight. The amusement park's perimeter is 11 miles, and he often had to take rests while showing people around.

O'Connell, who is a young man with high expectations for his professional career, thought if his employees said he lacked energy, what did his superiors think of him? "I had been pouring 150% of my energy into one aspect of my life," he said. But everything changed once O'Connell began to focus on an aspect of his life he had neglected: physical fitness.

O'Connell immediately began working out one hour a day, seven days a week. Less than a year later the transformation is dramatic. He dropped 35 pounds and wants to lose another 15. His cholesterol and blood pressure, previously on the high side, also dropped dramatically. "I have a boatload of energy," he says now. "I'm happier with myself and it has had a positive impact on the folks I interact with. I'm a different guy, and people see it."

SETTING THE PACE. O'Connell now sets the example for others. Candy and junk food are largely gone from the company cafeteria, and people are seen jogging and exercising far more. Instead of having to stop and rest on those 11-mile walks around the amusement park, O'Connell now sets the pace!

When it comes to public appearances, there is a big difference between fit leaders and out of shape ones. The former have more energy, enthusiasm, passion, and confidence. They also have better posture, which makes them look and feel better. They smile more. They radiate leadership. Due to their demanding roles and travel schedule, they can not afford not to exercise. Neither can you.

-By Carmine Gallo for Businessweek Online

Happy Mother's Day

2006-05-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Oh to have a brother.

Grey's Craze

2006-05-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe this show!! At the end I was left speechless.

I know from a past interview that one of the characters is leaving. I just ass-umed that they were only talking about the interns, but I think they were talking about everyone. ANY ONE of them could leave.

At first I thought it was Alex because he was being such a jerk. Then last night I thought it could have been Izzy with what she's doing with Denny. But then Addison exploded to Derek and said she couldn't compete with him and Meredith. But THEN Dr. Burke got SHOT! So is HE leaving?! Will HIS heart go to save Denny?

Oh my gosh. I can't wait for tonight's two hour finale!!

YouTube who?

2006-05-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

User-generated online video content is continuing to flourish, but will young people start to resent the fact that big sites such as YouTube are raking in the profits when they’re doing all the work? One company thinks so. Revver is a new site that’s similar to YouTube with one major difference: it shares revenue with users. Video creators receive 50% of ad revenue associated with any clips they upload, and any users who drive traffic (known as “affiliates”) to Revver clips receive 20% of ad revenue. In other words, people who “grab” videos directly from Revver and post them on their blog, MySpace profile or other networking site, IM window, or via email have the potential to make some serious profits.

Advertisers can specifically choose which videos they want to associate with (e.g. a skateboard brand can advertise exclusively on skateboarding videos or an online music store can advertise at the end of a music segment with a direct click-through to purchase the music) and can track traffic in real time, with details on referring sites, ranking of affiliates responsible for posting videos, click through rates, etc. Brands also have the opportunity to work with Revver to have users generate their own commercials.

Aside from the fact that the ability to make advertising contextually relevant could be invaluable to marketers, we expect young people to like this site that gives back to them when no one else does. Who knows how much money the Star Wars kid could be sitting on now had he originally posted his video to Revver?

HT: Trendcentral

phonetag

2006-05-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Recently I wrote about StreetWars: Killer, the large scale hide-and-seek “assassin” game that’s taken Los Angeles by storm. Next up in the manhunt game category is PhoneTag, a game in which players track each other down using a GPS-enabled map on their phone’s screen. The goal of the game is to find and capture your target, all without physical contact. Instead, you send them a text message when you’re within a few yards or so---all while you’re also being hunted by another player. Like in StreetWars, the last player standing wins.

Depending on the reach of the game, the marketing potential of PhoneTag may be enticing to brands. Utilizing the game’s real maps, retailers could be integrated into the game by serving as “safe zones” or by offering perks whereby purchases could offer player benefits. Store icons will be able to appear on the game’s maps (for a fee, of course) and brands could also have the opportunity to host their own tournaments, gaining access to the game’s database of registered players.

PhoneTag is scheduled to launch through Amp’d Mobile in the third quarter. Stay tuned to see if the game finds an audience.

One Week Ago Today: Friday

2006-05-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

It's the final day here. Time to leave. I'm ready to leave. It was good to come, but it's also good to go.

I meet up with the guys again downstairs. No one is having McDonald's today. I have fruit from the gift shop again.

We get to the airport and my bags make it through the 50 pound limit. I grab a whopper for lunch and a 6" sub for the plane ride back. Dustin and I finish watching "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" on his computer. It's a great movie. Based on a true story. Very scary.

We touch down right on time. Every flight that lands is a good one. We grab our bags and head our seperate ways only to see each other Sunday morning.

It was good to go, but it's great to be home.

One Week Ago Today: Thursday

2006-05-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try and make it to the gym this morning. I haven't worked out all week, but I HAVE been doing a lot of walking, so I roll over and try to go back to sleep. But I can't. I keep thinking about KA. I thumb through my program before getting ready and heading downstairs. I don't think I can do McDonald's again this morning. As I head up the stairs to the food court I see some fruit in one of the gift shops. FRUIT! I immediately make a pit stop and get two banannas and one apple. This is nice.

I eat my fruit as I wait for the guys to come straggling in. I meet up with Tony (a volunteer on the media team) and he tells me he went to the gym this morning. He was 30 minutes into his work out when someone from the spa came in and told him it was $20.00 a day to work out in the gym. He said forget it, and walked out. I can't believe it. $20.00 a DAY! That's what most people pay for a MONTH! By this time I'm ready to come home. Everything here is so freakin' expensive. I hate being a tourist. You're ripped off everywhere you go. I'm glad I didn't go to the gym, though.

The only left to see at NAB today is the audio room. Mark says, "We shouldn't be too long. I just want to breeze through and see what's new." Yeah right. When it comes to audio, Mark and "breeze through" don't belong in the same sentence.

This is the smallest and least crowded room of all, but yet we stay there for the whole day. Mark and Dustin talk with Chris (the Yamaha rep that took us out to dinner on Monday, the same Yamaha rep that goes to our church, the same Yamaha rep they can talk to at anytime) for three hours. And the Yamaha booth was at the beginning. It's very easy to get lost in a place like this. Time just gets away from you.

By this time, I've run out of ceral bars and I'm now onto a bag of toasted almonds my wife packed for me. That is lunch.

Hours later, Dustin and I head off to go to the NAB store to look for a shirt. We eventually meet back up with Mark and John at the hotel.

We get in the van and head down the strip to Outback. We park for free (amazing) and have a nice dinner. After that we decide to make our way down to Steve Wynn's lastest dream resort, Wynn Las Vegas, the newest and grandest casino. One of the media guys was telling us about it. "What kind of theme does it have?" I ask. "It's a casino" he says. "Yes, but what style is it?"(all the casinos here have their own theme: Caesar's Palace is like Rome, Excalibur is like medieval knights, The Venitian is a take on Venice, Luxor is themed after Egypt--but apparently not everyone cares about that.) "It's a BIG casino" he says with a dead-pan look. Realizing I'm not getting through I figure I will just find out for myself.

It is unbelievable. It took 800 million dollars to build. Here are some pictures that I found on the internet. They aren't the best quality, but you get a sense of what it's like. Very whimsical and phantasy-esque. Lots of art and color everywhere. This is definately the artist's hotel.

After we take a look around, Mark and I decide to walk back. It's probably about 2 miles back to Excalibur. We decide to take a look into every casino on the way back. He hit Treasure Island, Paris, Bellagio, and MGM Grand before calling it a night.

I head up to my room to pack and make sure I'm still under the 50 pound limit. I'll find out tomorrow.

One Week Ago Today: Wednesday

2006-05-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

Rise and shine. It's day three of NAB. The morning starts again at McDonald's. By this time I'm really getting sick of McDonald's. I never eat there, and I'm not a fan of fast food breakfast, but that's all that's around. So I get a Greasy McGriddle, coffee, and water for the convention. I don't know if I can do this for two more days.

We are getting an earlier start this morning than the last two days. We will see the Apple booth today and want to sit in on some tutorials. They are going to talk about podcasting, editing, and everything Apple. Uber exciting.

We get there and I cannot believe my eyes. I cannot describe it in words other than huge. They have a class room section where you can get hands on experience; another section that is four rows of 5 G5 computers with an Apple staff person there ready and able to take on any question; then an auditorium-style section with a stage and big screen where they give their presentations from. Unbelievable. Really.

Dustin and I sit there for three hours and never get out of our seats. (Seats are a luxury at a place like this--but even if we had to stand, we would have been still) We keep sucking all the oxygen out of the room everytime we are shown a short cut or a new way of doing something. We aren't alone though. That is nice.

Lunch is chips and guac at another "booth" from a vendor that we use here at the church. I have walnuts that my wife packed with me and a Diet Coke.

Booths of note are Apple and Adobe today. Again, it's hard to call them booths.

We leave at around 4:00 to get ready for dinner and to see Cirque du Solieil's new show KA. Dinner is Veal Ravioli with Crimini Mushrooms at Wolfgand Puck's Bar and Grill at MGM Grand right outside the KA theatre.

KA, an unprecedented new theatrical show, combines acrobatic performances, martial arts, puppetry, multimedia and pyrotechnics to illustrate the nature of duality. It's the epic saga of separated twins who embark on a perilous journey to fulfill their destinies. KA applies the visual vocabulary of cinema to a dazzling live event that is more about storytelling than any previous Cirque du Soleil production. I have never in my life seen anything more brilliant than KA. For the longest time, Cirque du Solieil has been all about human stunts and acrobatic wonders. Don't get me wrong, they are phenominal, but KA is the first show that technology and acrobatics are euqal. They have blended cinema and live theater seamlessly and defy gravity in every act. The mainstage rotates 360 degrees and also tilts 90 degrees. They have speakers in the seats, so you're in the center of the sound. Incredible. I seriously cannot put it in words how amazing this show is. They have captured magic and transport you to a world unlike any other.

I leave the show in a daze not believing everything I've seen. I buy the soundtrack and a program. This is the best day by far. We go back to the casino for some slots, but I'm done for the night.

One Week Ago Today: Tuesday

2006-05-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

I don't think I moved at all last night. Yesterday was a good day, but today promises to be better.

The morning starts off again at McDonald's. A number 2 combo and two bottles of water, please. The water at the convention center is $3.00 a pop, whereas it's only $1.00 here. (Surprising, really.) So we stock up here at McDonald's before heading back over to the convention.

The bus ride is a little quicker today. Only 15 minutes to get through traffic. Today we are in the TV/Film/Video...building (seriously, this convention is so big that each category has its own building). SONY is what I remember the most from NAB today.

It is the biggest "booth" I've seen so far. They have a semi tractor trailer on one end that shows off their on-site production suite. The booth is on the second floor and the whole time I'm thinking how in the world they got this 53' trailer in here.

What's also cool is they have this live set that they've installed where you can play around with SONY's cameras. They have real people sitting in make shift cafes, or garden scenes so you can see what all the cameras can capture. The peoples just sit there and talk silently to each other or read magazines all the while droves of people zoom in on them so close you can see the pores on their nose. Kinda odd when you think about it. I would feel like I was in a zoo being watched and captured by all these strangers. I would feel like I had to do tricks or something.

Lunch is another cereal bar and water.

We leave a little early today because we have to be at Caesars Palace by 1:30. We are going behind the scenes of Celine Dion! It's an unbelievable tour. Construction of the $95 million theater began in Spring of 2001 and was completed when the show opened in March of 2003. The show was created by Franco Dragone who is the dreamer behind all of Cirque du Soleil's shows like Mystere, Saltimbanco, La Nuba, O, and many others. The tour is really cool.

I got to go up onstage and learn about everything that needed to be done to accommodate Celine. For instance: to better help her voice, her doctor said that the ideal condition for her to be in is an environment where the temperature is 75 degrees with 55% humidity. Yes, that's right. They got it 55% once, but she complained that her costumes where sticking to her and the dancers where more sweaty than normal, so they bumped it down to 35%. All along the front of the stage are vents that pump out air that's just right just for her. We see her green room--funny because there's not on spec of green in the place. Uber orange.

A really cool thing about her show is it houses a really big LED screen. Three stories high and 120 feet across. Unbelievable.

After a sound system demo, Mark gets sucked into talking sound with the Vegas guys. Not really knowing anything about sound, I decide to take my own tour of the backstage area. Everything is so organized and clean. I'm really a wuss when it comes to being places that I'm not supposed to be, so I quickly come back onstage.

We leave the 4,100 seat theater and go to dinner. It is 5:00 and we walk right into The Cheesecake Factory. I have never done that. I have the double BBQ bacon burger and a beer. It's amazing after a long day.

We try our luck over at New York New York. I win $23.00 on the nickle slots and I'm done for the night.

One Week Ago Today: Monday

2006-05-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's my first day at NAB in Las Vegas. (I can't believe how much things have changed here--of course it has--the last time I was here it was 1988.) Breakfast is McDonald's at Excalibur (our hotel/casino). It's the cheapest thing around and it's quick.

A 30 minute bus ride takes us to the Las Vegas Convention center right by the airport. When I get off the bus, I feel like I've entered an ant colony. People, people, people. Going everywhere all at once. And I thought Disney World was bad.

We get inside and I immediately start taking things from every booth I see. Bags, CDs, DVDs, magazines, pens. It didn't help that we were in the music section. I meet back up with the guys and they give me this look as if to say, "rookie" as I fumble with everything I've picked up only after 30 mintues. I realized then this was not a sprint, but a marathon. I needed to pace myself if I wanted to make it through the week (and back on the plane--I was already pushing my 50 pound limit coming out here; not much room for anything else).

Lunch is a south beach cereal bar and a pack of gold fish that I eat in Panasonic's promo section. It feels good to sit down. The presentation lasts only 20 minutes and it's back up and at 'em again. Here's an overview of the day's activities. I didn't see any of this live--I just found it on the internet.

We leave the convention at 4:00 to get ready for dinner. We are being treated by Yamaha. One of the reps goes to our church and is out here. We eat at this Brazilian place that serves 7 different kinds of meat. The servers come out with meat impaled on swords and slice it right on your plate. Kinda fun if you're a carnivore. I don't see much hope for people who are vegitarian.

It's late and we head back to the casino. I lose $20.00 at the nickel slots. I'm done for the night.

NAB 2006

2006-04-23T05:12:00.000-07:00

This week I'm off to the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas, baby! Some guys and I from the church will spend five days seeing what's causing all the latest buzz in the industry. We've got tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's new show, "KA" which I've heard in unbelieveable. And I might just have to try my luck on the nickle slots...we'll see.

I'll see ya when I get back!

when walls attack

2006-04-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to think that my wife and I aren't like most other "normal" couples. For starters, whenever we go into a store, we put lots of items into our cart, but end up talking ourselves out of buying everything by the time it's time to leave. We shop big, but hardly ever buy big...but that's another blog for another day. We don't fight over finances or money...our most passionate arguments are about paint swatches and home accessories :-/

Those of you who know us, know that we love to decorate. I'll admit it. I love to decorate. One of the coolest jobs I ever had was working in the visual department at Nordstrom. It was awesome. I'm a very visual and creative person, so naturally I want to convey that in my (now our) living space. But Colleen likes to decorate too, and being a wife she feels it's a reflection on her when things don't look good. She wants to be able to take pride in our home. So we both have a lot at stake here: my "reputation" (for lack of a better word) of being an artist and a visual guy, and Colleen being a wife and homemaker. It's very rare that we see things eye to eye at first. We may not both get exactly what we originally wanted, but the end result is a cullmination of two minds that have a far greater outcome than just one of us...except this time.

Our current them for the house is "Country Farmhouse" or "Country Chic". (Yes, it's ok to say, "Chic"...it doesn't mean you're gay--in fact this style is actually very manly. Lots of rustic appeal and destressed woods and metal, lanterns-that sort of thing) So Colleen wanted to paint a checker board in the kitchen. I added that it would be cool to have it on a 45 degree angle to break it up some. She was a little hesitant. "We could also crackle it to make it look old and aged." There was hesitation.

After a lot of talk back and forth about it, we decided to do it. It's only paint, right? So I found the 45 degree angle to work off of and we meausured out that we wanted 12" squares. Somehow our math was off (surprise!) and we ended up with 8.5" squares...that's a lot of squares. Our friends Matt and Sarah came over and suggested that we combine 9 little squares to make one big square. So we did. The end result looked like the circus was in our kitchen. Each square ended up being 25"...pretty huge for such a small wall.

So it's back to the drawing board. We have found that when we both feel right about something that it's a win. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

pure imagination

2006-04-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

This is the music video for Glosoli from Sigur Ros' new album, Takk. It captures the pure magic and imagination of childhood--something that doesn't seem to last long enough. The cinematography, imagery, and scenery are amazing. Watch it. I know you'll love it.

Smokin' Titles

2006-04-11T06:46:00.000-07:00

I saw this on the internet and was immediately intrigued. I haven't seen the movie, but the opening titles to "Thank You for Smoking" are stellar. Made to look like old cigarette boxes, these titles use all sorts of cool fonts and motion graphics. Check it out.

what's in a blog?

2006-04-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that blogs are a lot like a popularity contest. Granted, it's what you write and talk about, but I think it's also who you are. For instance, some blogs are popular because they are written by someone who is popular, or famous. It doesn't have to have a lot of meat, or social contribution, but if someone like Paris Hilton had a blog, I'm sure it would be popular only because SHE is popular. Who wouldn't want to read the everyday meanderings of someone they really like or dislike? Whether it's a rock star, or celebrity, people want a chance to feel a "personal" connection with whomever it is that's blogging.

Then there are the other people who aren't quite as famous. For them, it's what they write and how often they write it. People don't want news stories; they can read cnn.com for themselves. They want to read first-hand accounts. A personal narrative about whatever it is that you blog about whether it's commentary on the fine art of quilting and cross stitching, or tips and techniques on how to de-worm orphans in Africa--whatever it is, people want to read what YOU have to say. How does a story or current event impact you? What are your thoughts?

So what do I have to say? Apparently, not much in the last few weeks and for that I apologize. It's become my personal goal to try and change that--to make things a little more interesting.

So be on the look out. The winds of change are blowing.

Mac OS XP

2006-04-06T07:26:00.000-07:00

Somebody call hell…I think it just froze over.

Apple announced yesterday that it will now allow Windows XP to run on Mac’s OS (operating system). Windows just got a little cooler.

Granted, I’m a little skeptical about it all. I do see the benefit of it, but it’s just so bizarre to me that you can run Windows on a Mac. Although it’s probably the safest way to use Windows. Mac is a much more stable platform.

What I don’t like is people are buying Macs now because they can use Windows. The Mac OS is “too hard to learn” (B.S.—It’s MUCH more efficient than Windows), or “is too different from that of a Mac.” Hello?! It’s a different machine with a completely different audience…until now.

I just hope that Mac stays true to itself and doesn’t sell out. Thoughts?

Adam Frank's LUMEN

2006-04-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's all about bring the outdoors in and designer Adam Frank’s oil lamp shadow projectors do just that. From magnolia and cedar trees to flocks of birds and open flames, Lumen Designs brighten up dark spaces with a touch of the great outdoors. Lumen throws a soft shadow on the wall when lit. As the flame flickers the shadow moves about organically.

Art Destinations

2006-03-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

With warm weather fast approaching, here are two great art-centered destinations:

Storm King Art Center: Nature provides visitors with this 500+ acre sculpture venue that’s within daytrip distance from NYC. From April through mid-November, the rolling hills, wooded trails, lush lawns and grassy plains provide the perfect setting for uncountable works of postwar sculptures. Visitors can explore on their own, rent an Acoustaguide (mobile audio units providing commentary from artists, the chairman & president, and director & curator of Storm King), and maximize their viewing capacity by taking trams which hit designated areas at specific times all over the property, allowing people to roam and reboard at their own pace. Roadtrip anyone?

Storm King Art Center
Old Pleasant Hill Road
Mountainville, NY 10953
P: 845.534.3115

The Huntington: Edutainment at its best! Three art galleries, a massive research library, and 12 different botanical gardens cover 150 acres of this San Marino research and educational center. And of course, you can’t leave out the fabulous gift shop, book store and the Rose Garden Tea Room, where diners can enjoy tea, scones, and a buffet of fancy edibles while in the midst of a lush rose garden. While the jumbo sized Audubon's Birds of America, and Rogier van der Weyden's Madonna and Child might draw crowds, we’re partial to the gardens, particularly the Japanese and Zen Gardens. Be warned: get there early and leave the day plan-free as you might find yourself scrambling for more at closing hours.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
P: 626.405.2100

Street Wars

2006-03-28T06:38:00.000-08:00

Years ago it was known as "Kiss of Death", but the fantasy murder game is now known as "Street Wars" and is becoming a cult obsession among twenty-and young thirty somethings. The game is a mix between hide-and-seek and capture the flag with a little bit of the mafia thrown in for fun. It's played for 3 weeks 24/7. The Los Angeles game started on March 13th and ends April 3rd, and has been played in NYC, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Vienna.

Once players register at the Street Wars website, they receive a manila envelope containing the following:

A picture of their intended target(s)
The home address of their intended target(s)
The work address of their intended target(s)
The name of their intended target(s)
Contact information of their intended target(s)

Upon receipt of these items, your (or your team's) mission is to find and kill (by way of water gun, water balloon or super soaker) your target(s).

You can hunt your target down any way you see fit; you can pose as a delivery person and jack them when they open the door, disguise yourself and take them out on the street, etc.

If you are successful in your assassination attempt, the person you killed will give you their envelope and the person they were supposed to kill becomes your new target. This continues until you work yourself through all the players and retrieve the envelope with your (or your team's) picture(s) and name(s). Then you win. Cash…but first live in fear.

Here's clip from the San Francisco game;

**This post is about fun and games. Utobia does not condone real assassinations.**

Celtic Woman at TPAC

2006-03-27T06:39:00.000-08:00

Last night my wife and I has a chance to see Celtic Woman at TPAC in downtown Nashville. It was our second time seeing them live, and let me tell ya...it wasn't the last.

It's hard to say exactly what Celtic Woman is. The name makes it hard to describe because there isn't just one celtic woman. There are five. Orla, Lisa, Meav, and Chloe are four equally different, but yet equally beautiful vocalists and Mairead is the fiddler player who's onstage charisma in more like Tinker Bell than any fiddler player I've seen.

The show is a blend of theatre and concert. The voices may be uber fem, but the songs and orchestrations are not. David Downes, the composer and musical director, writes incredible scores and arrangments that showcase each of the woman on their own, but then brings them all together for some pretty breath-taking ditties. There's something very haunting and magical about the music of Celtic Woman.

A few facts:
Celtic Woman was officially launched in the US in March 2005 on PBS.

Since then, the Celtic Woman CD has been certified gold and the DVD has been certified platinum.

They have been No 1 in the Billboard World Music Charts for over 45 weeks and PBS has aired and re-aired the show on over 300 PBS stations across the US.

The girls solo albums were released in the US at the beginning of January 06 and all debuted in the Billboard World Music charts a feat only matched by Kiss in 1978. Who would have thought that Celtic Woman and Kiss would have something in common!

If they are ever within a 3-4 hour radius from you-GO AND SEE THEM! They are phenominal!

The Afters' Beautiful Love

2006-03-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

This is a great new band from Dallas, TX. The Afters all got their start at Starbucks and now they are the theme song to MTV's "8th & Ocean". "Beautiful Love" is currently number 24 on iTunes' top 100. Check them out when you get a chance.