Blog is a Mix Tape

song for sunday: love vibe

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:41:59 -0700

Love Vibe

Iz & Diz

No big pre- or post- amble this week. No ambles of any kind. Just...the groove.

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beyond the 140: planet tweet-boy

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:07:36 -0700

It's been a few days and here's what you've missed...

@michellej oooh, muxtape. I'm going to play with that tonight. 11:27 AM March 25, 2008 from twitterrific in reply to michellej

GOOD Magazine made a muxtape: http://goodblog.muxtape.com/ 10:09 PM March 25, 2008 from twhirl

and, my muxtape. All 2008 releases, none of which I've talked about anywhere yet - http://misterjt.muxtape.com/ 10:48 PM March 25, 2008 from twhirl

Alright, the muxtape is updated. It's a Gray Sky Saturday Kinda Mixology - http://misterjt.muxtape.com/ - And now, we escape the APT. about 17 hours ago from twhirl

Muxtape was the new hotness this week. No one is quite sure why or whether it will last very long since it doesn't seem to have any RIAA deflector shields but it sure is fun. I always want to share my iTunes playlists/mixtapes. I'd been planning to send out monthly mixes this year but the process doesn't work with my internet conditioned mind. I need everything to have an easy button. I might still actually get around to creating physical mix CDs at some point this year but for now you can enjoy my semi-regular muxtape updating.

My friends are doing it, too! Collect them all (and share your own please):
http://sixsquare.muxtape.com/ (no disrespect to anyone else but Will kills his. My fave of the week)
http://felicious.muxtape.com/
http://michellej.muxtape.com/
http://lynneluvah.muxtape.com/
http://mellemusic.muxtape.com/
http://skeskali.muxtape.com/
http://allaboutgeorge.muxtape.com/
http://benchristen.muxtape.com/

In unrelated music news, I'm trying out iLike.

finally digging into iLike. The instant playlist thing is the only thing that's a killer app so far. Everything else I get from last.fm. about 12 hours ago from twhirl

It's like the Casey Kasem American Top 40 version of last.fm. Lots and lots of poppy myspace kids driving the music charts there. A little different from the UK/indie heavy focus of my favorite website.

spent the afternoon with Dick Sherman. Feeling inspired and Mickey Mouse Proud: http://www.theboysdoc.com/ 05:06 PM March 26, 2008 from twitterrific

Wednesday was one of the best work days I've had in a while. I spent the afternoon in the Old Animation Building listening to half of the duo that came up with It's A Small World and all of Mary Poppins and nearly a thousand other Disney songs. He told us Walt stories and about what it was like to work at Disney in the 60s and also shared insights into teamwork and relationships and creativity and having a positive view of the world. As he said, "The other way is too easy."

Of course, I ate it up.

@tiffanybbrown I'm naturally an introvert, too, and people are shocked to hear that. 06:35 PM March 26, 2008 from web in reply to tiffanybbrown

my bumper sticker of the day: introverts do it one on one. 06:43 PM March 26, 2008 from twitterrific

@gillianr I'm INTP 06:44 PM March 26, 2008 from twitterrific in reply to gillianr

and, if you ever want to shrink me, this is kind of perfect: http://en.wikipedia.org/wik... 06:45 PM March 26, 2008 from twitterrific

Ever since my first taking of the Myers-Briggs test in high school, I've been INTP. The only one that even has a chance of switching is the N to an S. I've always liked this test as I think it explains me really well. I don't like generalizing (actually, I do, but in context and with the expectation that you understand what "generalization" means. Sigh, see, I'm already overexplaining), but INTPs are most concerned with the "why" of things. How is fascinating, of course, but How ceases to be useful after it has informed the Why. What, When, and Where? Bah. Those things can change but they rarely effect the universal Why.

I like to know stuff. I'm generally convinced I know more than you do. I don't hold that against you. Also, I'm too busy trying to know more to call you on the phone or put away these dishes.

That's me in a nutshell.

a funny thing happened on the way to book reading in the great outdoors, planet bboy and hurry curry in old pasadena. Double bonus. about 13 hours ago from twhirl

Undercover Black Man wrote about the film earlier in the week and there was a discussion about it last weekend during the Poketo revelry. It's worth the hype. The stories of the b-boys are emotional (there's a whole mess of daddy issues). The transformational power of hip hop and breakdancing in the global community is inspiring to watch. Oh, and the dance moves are sick. Someone on twitter asked why there was this rash of dance shows on TV these days and I think this movie distills why. Dancers don't make any money. They put their bodies through extreme training all for one reason -- they love it. They can't imagine doing anything else. When they are dancing, they put their souls on display. In those moments of sweat and movement, they know for sure that they are alive. How can you not watch that and feel just a little bit of the same?

I nearly broke into an uprock while walking out of the theatre. True story.

Also, some other independent films to remember to go see:
Young@Heart
Jellyfish
Red Belt

Video chat is the business. Now to get a bunch of stuff electronically powered done in the next 53 minutes so I can read/nap at earth hour. about 12 hours ago from twhirl
time to light some candles and power down some ish. about 12 hours ago from twhirl

whilst walking my 'hood during earth hour, was reminded that my orthodox neighbors are earth hour compliant every shabbat for a full day. about 10 hours ago from twhirl

my earth hour compliance? I powered down/unplugged everything except for tivo. I read for 8 minutes and walked for 52. Did use iPod on walk. about 10 hours ago from twhirl

post earth hour? microwave, printer, heaters and fans will stay unplugged until needed. about 10 hours ago from twhirl

Earth Hour was last night. It provided some good perspective about our role in keeping this a sustainable planet. I point out that going an hour without electricity isn't really a very big deal not to put a smack down on those participating but to remind myself that the hour itself is symbolic. No matter how many of us participated, we saved no real measurable energy. And, while we can do our part to be green as individuals, the real change comes when we're serious about changing our mass consumption - the ways our food is produced, the ways we travel, how and where we construct our buildings.

But, you know, that's way too heavy to think about, man. It's easier to just be a feel-good green shopper.

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speakeasy: like the fall of rome

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:46:08 -0700

My husband and I look forward to [Rock of Love 2] every week, sometimes going as far as to privilege it over catching up on “The Wire.” We’re not alone in this guilty pleasure. Conan O’Brien admits his writers are oddly enamored with the program. And the folks at SNL must be too, given Tina Fey’s pitch-perfect impersonation late last month of Bret’s blubber-lipped suitor Daisy. Despite the safety in numbers, though, as the credits rolled last night, I dissolved into shamed giggles, simultaneously revolted and delighted by this pageant of excess and debauchery. “Why do we watch this?” I asked my husband. His response: “To witness America jumping the shark.”

- Clips of America Jumping the Shark, Utne Blogs, 03.18.08

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one line: bad boy for life

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:48:08 -0700

Last week's bombshell Los Angeles Times report claiming that the 1994 shooting of Tupac Shakur in the lobby of a Manhattan recording studio was carried out by associates of Sean "Diddy" Combs and that the rap impresario knew of the plot beforehand was based largely on fabricated FBI reports, The Smoking Gun has learned.

I said to anybody that would listen last week that that Chuck Phillips article smelled wrong (just like his 2002 Tupac article smelled wrong). Now, look atcha!

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beyond the 140: killer apps and devil dolls

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:57:29 -0700

@toddkelley you are so wrong for that avatar. I have seen the black devil doll trailer. in HD! about 15 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to toddkelley

@toddkelley heh heh heh. Undercover Black Man posted a link to it a couple months back. SOOOOO wrong. Funny. But SOOOO wrong. about 15 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to toddkelley

Black Devil Doll (Not Safe For You Anywhere). There is nothing right about this at all. And, of course I want to see every minute of it.

http://quotably.com/ is hot about 12 hours ago from twitterrific

have I said recently how much I adore skitch? about 11 hours ago from twitterrific

trying out this friendfeed joint. I'm not sure how it's different from plaxo pulse but I'll give it a shot. about 10 hours ago from twitterrific

It was a "fun with the internetz" day. Quotably really is great for following a twitter conversation. Especially if you don't follow all the people who are talking with the person driving the convo. I used it several times today. Tweetburner launched today too but I haven't really checked it out yet.

Skitch is kind of a killer App (mac only). I'm here.

As Mau pointed out to me, the big thing about friendfeed may be that it makes facebook updating a passive activity. (Yeah, I'm back on facebook after a 2 month hiatus. Sigh.)

I also really like drop.io.

np: way down in the hole by tom waits about 11 hours ago from twitterrific

i did this for @michellej but since I like drop.io so much, I figured I'd share. I'm not going back to pownce. http://drop.io/waydownhole/

Pretty cool, right?

Am I really buying the day26 album? about 2 hours ago from twhirl

My name is a Jason and I'm a Making The Band addict.

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last.fm says...

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:29:03 -0700

Top Artists this Week (see more)

16 Mar 2008 – 23 Mar 2008

1		Danity Kane
2		José González
2		Zero 7
4		Ghostface
5		Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek
6		Elisabeth Withers
7		Madvillain
7		Jamie Lidell
9		Chris Joss
10		Talib Kweli

Last week's pick-ups/purchases: Ghostface Killah's Big Doe Rehab, Elisabeth Withers's It Can Happen to Anyone, Jamie Lidell's Jim (Thanks Felicia!), Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, Super Cool: California Soul 2, Zap Mama's Supermoon, and

Is Anybody Listening

Danity Kane

Hoping to get to know each other better, the guys and girls jump in a limo for a night out at on the town. The drive is filled with awkward silence, but once at the club, everyone starts to loosen up. After a round of shots, Aubrey and Donnie start dirty dancing and Dawn and Qwanell get flirty. Stay focused, guys!

The next day brings all the Making the Band 4 participants back together for the first day of recording. The girls nail a song called "Is Anybody Listening," proving that they already have a winning formula in place.

- Making The Band 4 (Season 2) | Episode 1: Battle of the Sexes, MTV

Last.fm Recommended:

I Like Giants

Kimya Dawson

Kimya Dawson is most famous (in my mind) for being the fantastically charismatic folk singer from Olympia who once photographed her own poop and posted it on her MySpace. She's also an honest and bright songwriter who plays joyful acoustic guitar while singing optimistic and sometimes weird songs. While you drive to Kent, think of the opening lines to "I Like Giants"—"When I go for a drive/I like to pull off to the side/of the road/turn out the lights/get out and look up at the sky/And I do this to remind me that I'm really, really tiny/in the grand scheme of things/and sometimes this terrifies me."

- Road Trip by Megan Selig, The Stranger, 10.24.07

Song of the Week:

Another Day

Jamie Lidell

With all the music I bought last week in a sneeze-filled haze, the song of note comes from an impromptu video chat with Felicia and her gracious file sharing. I remember being underwhelmed with Jamie Lidell's Multiply so I was prepared to find his new album nice but forgettable. This track is far from that. A bright and shiny blast of soul, this is a song you put on first thing in the morning. I might have an inexplicable love for my Danity Kane girls but I know serious music when I hear it and this is mixtape worthy now and will likely be 5 years from now.

Wake up!

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song for sunday: twisted

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 12:37:50 -0700

Twisted

Ultra Nate

The standout is TWISTED, an atmospheric, acid-jazz track that bears the stamp of its producer 4 Hero, but once Ultra pours her sultry, soulful vocal into the mix it is all hers. Given a fair shot -- and the right promotion -- TWISTED could be the one that takes Ultra into the urban mainstream, placing her alongside the Erykahs, Lauryns and Mary J.'s. Of course, the great irony of her career is that after 10-plus years of riveting, thoughtful, provocative music that meshes, bends and spans several musical genres, she is still commonly referred to as a "dance diva". Stranger than fiction, indeed. Whatever they may call her, the rest of us know that Ultra will always be in a league of her own.

- Evolution: an Amazon.com User Review, 04.24.01

I turned 33 (I think) last week. I honestly was debating with myself whether I was turning 33 or 34 or perhaps 32 all over again. I find time very fluid of late. It passes. It doesn't. Months move at a lightning quick pace but days can seem to go on forever. Moments linger. I occasionally dream the future. Deja Vu is common. I'm convinced I've had conversations before yet I know I haven't but, yet, maybe I have.

I've always been fascinated with time travel stories. It's probably why I love this current season of LOST. I imagine time travel is exactly like how they are portraying it. A sense of being in multiple moments at once, every instance of time sitting on top of each other. The future has already happened. The past is here with us. Twisted.

I don't celebrate my birthday any more. SXSW is my gift to myself. Honestly, every day is that gift. I have no other responsibilities other than taking care of me...and I do. My money, my attention, my time belong to only me and I do with them what I will. So why should I celebrate my birth? I'm celebrating me the other 364 days (plus one more in 2008) of the year. The only thing my birthday stand for this year is a time for quiet reflection and envisioning that future.

Tracy and his family made vision boards at the beginning of this calendar year. So, this week, I've been doing the same. I cut out words, images, and sounds from the magazines around my apartment and today I'll be placing them -- collage style -- on a cork or bulletin board. It is what I predict for myself for the next year.

I like words so there are lots of phrases:

"We Love the Web"
"Party to Learn"
"...and culture"
"Investing in positive social change is easier than you think."
"Listening to My Life"
"Respect the Planet"
"Hesitation Can Wait"
"Reserved. But Not Tame."
"A Simple Kind of Life"
"Frisco"
"We Are The People We've Been Waiting For"
"Soul Chameleon"
"Record Your Visions"
"Black Girls Rock!"
"Carpe Whatever"

There are places:

The Hollywood Bowl
A Spank Rock Party
A San Francisco Parade

There are people:

Jay-Z (in Africa)
Lightspeed Champion
Wale
Justice

There are things:

a Paul Frank watch
a stylish formal tux...rocked with fitted dark jeans
a how to on getting promoted
The Wire
Headphones

And from this, I see my past, present, and future.

Twisted.

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beyond the 140: poketo!

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:54:53 -0700

3 months after being lost, the iPod Touch has found it's way home. w00t! about 21 hours ago from twhirl

I lost my newly purchased iPod Touch on a trip to San Francisco at New Year's. I'd been in the city just a couple hours. I'd taken a cab to the San Francisco Food Bank for a volunteer activity and the Touch stayed in the cab. I didn't worry much about it. I try to not have an overwhelming connection to things, property, what have you. I'm possessive of experiences, thoughts, and emotions. The stuff -- the physical stuff -- well, it's never really ours at all is it? It all goes back into the ground eventually just as we do. Besides that, I had a wonderful time that day and didn't want my carelessness to ruin the feeling I had. Not to get all philosophical on a Sunday, but whoomp, there it is.

Cut to 6 weeks later, I get an email from a guy asking me if I lost my iPod. I excitedly replied and we had a conversation. He grilled me on what I named the Touch (Luke Cage). I noted that my iPod Classic is currently named Nightwing and that my new iMac was named The Immortal Iron Fist (blogger's note: I'm kind of a freaky mac nerd these days. I didn't realize how bad it had become). He asked where I'd lost it. I told him the story. He complimented my music tastes. I thanked him for recognizing. He kind of dejectedly said he guessed he'd send it back to me.

It took a few more weeks but he did. I hadn't been to my P.O. Box in awhile but, yesterday there it was. I'm so excited to have it back. With the 20 buck upgrade, it's become an even cooler device. I'm sending the good samaritan a nice Amazon gift certificate this morning.

Gadgets and good folks rule.

@ poketo. Chillin in a cabaná with a bed swing about 14 hours ago from im

Scooter Kitty's friends and my acquaintances, Ted and Angie, run POKETO and they recently purchased a loft in Little Tokyo. They had their first art show there last night and it was hella fun. I rode in an elevator with Paul Frank and his wife. I bought prints by Tom and Rama. I ran into a former co-worker. We unexpectedly created a hot tub party on the building's posh rooftop pool area. It was a glorious evening and it didn't stop there. After several hours with our tootsies in the warm bubbly soup, we made our way over to 1st street and Far Bar.

Far bar. Drinking. In need of late night vittles about 11 hours ago from im

Far Bar - the hidden away side alley mostly outdoor bar is a perfect place to stop for a quick drink. They make them strong. The spot has a lot of style and a nice mish-moshed crowd of locals, Asian trendsters, and the accidental entrants. We were all hungry, though, and soon made our way up the street for some late night cuisine. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the restaurant but I had a pork cutlet bowl and iced coffee from a can while Godzilla hung over our heads next to giant winged cupie dolls and the home shopping network tried to sell us heart shaped faux jade pendants from a small color tv at the door.

The only way the evening could've been more perfect is if there was a spontaneous dance party in front of MOCA.

But, I'll take what I got.

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beyond the 140: wherein we bite from anil and think about biting dogs

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:16:19 -0700

I told Anil I was stealing this idea and now, for you, a new blog feature - Beyond the 140!

home! my short good friday wasn't that short. Now waiting for my sister to come over so we can go see There Will Be Blood at the arclight. about 7 hours ago from twhirl

The verdict on There Will Be Blood - intense. Daniel Day-Lewis's performance was amazing to watch. I get all the "I Drink Your Milkshake" references now and why people have enjoyed the film overall. That said, it is lacking in a clear plot path. I could've used more story and less character study. That would've made the two and a half hours not feel like two and a half hours.

The sisterly time included a lively conversation about what her dream 21st birthday would look like (a trip to Paris with friends from both LA and New York) and what my ideal wedding would look like (taking 20 people - 10 for the bride, 10 for the groom - to the Greek Islands featuring a small outdoor ceremony, a ship, me being named the new king of Santorini and a lot of happy). That said, pretty much any dream party of mine these days involves taking X number of people to Y location (where Y varies from Greece, South Africa, Japan or Hawaii).

This was my favorite article in last month's GOOD. I want the most expensive pizza, like now: http://xrl.us/bh29f about 11 hours ago from twitterrific

It was. GOOD is a very enjoyable magazine and I'm a sucker for decadence. I'm not one for denying myself the finer things in life. I'd probably feel sick after this meal but, you know, I don't desire to jump out of planes or do the extreme sports. The $250 pizza is how I take it to the limit.

hot dog talk: twitter as food pr0n: flickr - put that on your SAT Verbal Exam. about 12 hours ago from twitterrific

a hot dog is most perfect with just mustard. You may add cheese, chili, saurkraut and maybe relish (not all at once). at a BBQ, bbq sce, ok about 12 hours ago from twitterrific

ketchup is *never* okay on a hot dog made for the kid. about 12 hours ago from twitterrific

There was a passionate 2 hour conversation about hot dogs on twitter today. This is why twitter is winning, by the way, despite one of the most wrong-headed articles I've read in awhile. The most perfect dog is the Dodger Dog with mustard. Well, really 3 or 4 of them washed down with a giant lemonade. That said, my number 2 is a chili cheese dog also with a little moustasa. I don't do the LA street dogs and even our recent trip to Pink's was pretty tame on my part. Don't mess with the classics.

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last.fm says...

nobody@vox.com(Jason) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:00:20 -0700

Top Artists this Week (see more)

9 Mar 2008 – 16 Mar 2008

1		MF DOOM
2		J Dilla aka jay dee
3		The Go! Team
4		Cee-Lo
4		Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins
4		wale
7		Lupe Fiasco
7		Burial
9		Jay Dee
10		Justice

Last week's purchases/pickups: ...and all the pieces matter, Five Years of Music from The Wire and

Surgelator Action

Chris Joss

Joss’s crisp and clean songs have a throwback feel and could easily be mistaken for some loungin’ oldies but goodies from the ‘60s and ‘70s, but his technical trickery keeps him firmly in the future. He seems to be inventing new hybrids by sampling different vocal textures and playing with tempos and styles that are supposed to be disparate. “Atomic Tape,” for example, melds rockabilly guitar warbles, hip-hop scratches, sitar riffs and samples of sneering young voices. And it all seems to make sense.

- Chris Joss, 'Teraphonic Overdubs', Metromix Chicago, 02.11.08

Last.fm recommended (we're going to go back a couple weeks since I missed last week): Camera Obscura, The Noisettes, Lil' Mo, Mick Boogie & Little Brother, Menomena, and

Black Mags

Cool Kids

From their forthcoming Totally Flossed Out, "Black Mags" starts with a deep, slowed-down voice like the one on another album track, "Gold and Pagers" (which itself opens like Fabolous' "Diamonds"). Here the Cool Kids rap laconically about their bicycle, managing to tie in "MacGyver" and further the Pack comparison with a shout-out to Nike. As usual, the beats are laid-back and streamlined, the bass burbling.

- Pitchfork Forkcast, Pitchfork, 05.17.07

Song of the Week:

D-D-D-Dance

Micatone

or maybe it was:

D.A.N.C.E.

Justice

Whatever it was, we danced it out.

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