Mental Nomad

Aren't we all kinda wondering what we are doing???

2009-05-14T17:44:00.002-04:00

This movie looks lovely....

Sigh, I know....

2009-05-02T15:24:00.004-04:00

Sometimes women are just not rational when it comes to men (cough...boys), that's why we need our friends.
Is there ever an hour of the day that an episode of Friends is NOT airing somewhere in the world??

I'm Pregnant & I Don't Know It???

2009-04-24T14:44:00.008-04:00

Taurus Apr 20 | May 20

"Rachael Yanetta, a young English woman, got a bellyache while working her regular job at the local pub. Despite the pain, she toughed it out until her shift was over, then went home. Her distress increased, though, and at 3 am she checked into the hospital. A little over an hour later, to her shock, she gave birth to her first child, having been unaware she was pregnant until the very end of her nine-month term. I predict a comparable sequence for you in the coming days, Taurus."

I certainly hope NOT!!! I have put on a few pounds, but that's winter weight - I swear!! Lazy and lethargic, yes, but I'm just a little prone to seasonal depression. This is obviously a metaphor for something else. Right??? This is why I don't like checking my horoscope. The stars are for gazing at, not for offering insight. Again, the stars are bullshit.

*some of the above qualities may be true. :(

My Mother and I Like The Same Music - Part 2

2009-04-21T22:16:00.006-04:00

My mother recently shared this video with me. (She's so web savvy!) Alain Clark sings with his father Dane. A nice message and dad has a great voice. Save it, wrap it up and give it to your pops for father's day.

Remember...Remember

2009-04-14T19:28:00.002-04:00

Road Trippin'

2009-04-07T18:15:00.006-04:00

Despite the fact that winter seems to have returned this week, I'm thinking forward to the Summer. Sun, vanilla soft serve ice cream, road trips, these are just a few of my favorite things. If you don't like road trips, I'm sorry, I don't think we can be friends. My grandfather used to use say to me - "Just like the white lines, you are always on the road!"

Road trips = road mixes.

A few new(ish) & old journey faves...no not "Journey"...you know those songs that even in the dead of winter bring make you all nostalgic for those warm summer days and nights venturing towards your destination. In no particular order.

Caravan - VAN MORRISON

one last one, for that special nostalgic/cheese factor.
It's a surprise.

Bon Voyage!

MINI Fashion Bloggers Frighten Me.

2009-03-31T14:22:00.005-04:00

When I was 12, my mother took me shopping for an outfit for a friend’s Bat Mitzvah. I bought a yellow plastic jumper dress (think raincoat material) and black thigh-highs. It made a swishing noise when I walked and my pudgy legs spilled over my tights, despite that, I thought I looked pretty fuckin cool. I made my mother take pictures, lots of pictures. Now, I would pay my mother to burn those pictures!! She won’t, she loves them. Of course, this was all in the days before the interwebs and blogging. Thank goodness.

Times have changed, now wearing what you think is a super cool ensemble to a p'tay is no longer the way of showing off your style. Tweens are taking their passion for fashion to the Internet, writing and starring in their own blogs for the whole world to see.

Tavi Gevinson is only a 12-years-old, but she's getting tons of attention from NY fashion editors. Editors say this kid knows couture. On her blog, Style Rookie, Tavi posts photos of herself, posing in her favorite designer/designer inspired creations.
She was recently interviewed for the August edition of New York Times T Style. Stay tuned.
Watch the video on her blog. I’m amazed//disturbed by her sense of style and use of language. She says things like "when I was a child", and refers to herself as a "hag". This kid seems original, self-aware, a real old soul. I give her props, but at the same time I find her frighteningly precocious. If you read some of the hype, she’s going to be an editor at Vogue before she graduates high school! Anna Wintour’s blessing pending, of course.

Tavi, is not the only mini-blogger getting buzz and racking up (pun intended) fashion credibility points.
Teen Vogue recently featured a whole spread on young online fashion phenoms.
I have questions:
1) Where are these kids getting the cash to buy loads of D&G designer duds?
2) Aren’t their parents worried about pictures possible predators can see online?
3) Is blogging replacing Barbie? (soon you will see “Blogging Barbie”- she comes with mini Mac and webcam!!)

USA Today also did a piece on the trend. Clearly it has some parents concerned.

Final thought - It's a scary world (or should I say world wide web) we live in, where cute kids are growing up just so darn fast.

If you haven't heard yet, Ciara licks JT's ear.

2009-03-24T18:35:00.002-04:00

"Love, Sex, and Magic"

They Are Just Jealous...

2009-03-22T22:29:00.003-04:00

Man, people are always saying I over accessorize. They just don't get it!! It's like frosting on a cake, chocolate sauce on a sunday, you can never have too much of a good thing. I dig my style. Plus, I'm 3 years old, so give me a friggin break.

My Mother and I Like The Same Music - Raphael Saadiq & "New" Old Sounds

2009-03-15T21:09:00.006-04:00

Was on a Saturday afternoon stroll/breakfast/shopping with a friend, we walked into a store and I didn't want to leave cuz of the music they had going. I felt transported to another era by the sounds of late 60's Motown/early 70's soul. It was Raphael Saadiq's 2008 album The Way I See It. I had heard it was good, but had yet to take a listen. The former Tony! Toni! Toné! frontman is bringing back sounds from decades ago. The first person I recommended the album to -- my mother!! Seriously, she loves Motown and is the reason I know/love the stuff.

100 Yard Dash

I like.

All this talkin about new, old and Raphael Saadiq got me thinking about High School/CEGEP. Precious, a little Lucy Pearl just for you.

Wall Street, Main Street, Sesame Street

2009-03-12T07:42:00.006-04:00

Puppet theme, part 2....

Soon to be the Mean Street? Desperate times….

The crisis on Wall Street is plaguing Sesame Street.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit producer of "Sesame Street" and other kids' programs, is cutting about one-fifth of its work force because of the economic downturn. The NY based company declaring it is "not immune to the unprecedented challenges of today's economic environment."

Sesame Workshop gets cash from product licensing and the sale of its programs to PBS and syndication. The company is also funded by government agencies, foundations and corporations including drug maker Astra Zeneca LLP and McDonald’s Corp. Even Bert and Ernie are tightening their belts...this is REALLY bad.

This story is getting lots of coverage today. It comes as no surprise that a non-profit is feeling the pain of the sour economy. Seriously, more people are loosing their jbs everyday. How are people expected to find confidence in the markets//economy when even Sesame Street is hurting!!?? More bad news. It's draggin me down.

More on Sesame Street story on Bloomberg here

Dead Muppets = Designer Fashion?

2009-03-11T21:57:00.014-04:00

First the Muppets take Manhattan , now Paris. How about Paris takes the Muppets and chops off their heads!!
The models at Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's show at Paris fashion week walked down the runway wearing dead Muppets. That's right, decapitated Kermis and Fozzis made their way down the runway.
No part of Miss Piggy was seen on any of the clothes, in fact I hear she was enjoying it all from a coveted front row seat. Please, that bitch was probably happy to see Kermit the Frog all cut up like that. After the shit he's put her through!!

A London paper actually took these "fashions" seriously, calling the show "whimsical" and "theatrical". How about "weird"??!!

First toilet themed restaurants, now this??? File under Sick and Twisted

News headlines of the day.

2009-03-09T09:03:00.003-04:00

"Cocaine in Spain Hidden Mainly in the Sprain"
Police in Spain arrested a 66-year-old passenger who arrived at Barcelona airport in a wheelchair and with a leg cast made entirely of cocaine...

click on headline for more.

...and of course "Ode to the Commode" see previous post.

Ode to the Commode

2009-03-09T07:30:00.007-04:00

I've been to crappy restaurants before but come on, this shit is weird!!
Tuna out of a toilet?? A sushi restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan with a full-on toilet theme?? Seats made from toilet bowls, toilet bowls instead of soup bowls?? Ice-cream shaped like shit?? I have so many questions.

File under: Sick and twisted

John Stewart's CNBC Rant

2009-03-06T16:28:00.004-05:00

If you haven't seen this yet, tune in. It's gold.

A reminder of how bad news can get when networks jeopardize solid reporting in an effort to be super fast paced, flashy, and provocative.

See more here.

Poetic Ladies: Def Jam Poetry

2009-03-05T15:45:00.003-05:00

Some favorites for your watching pleasure:

Erykah Badu: "Friends, Fans, Artists Must Meet"

Lauren Hill: "Motives and Thoughts"

Ugh, we miss you...

Mayda Del Valle: "To All The Boys I've Loved Before"
Warning: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. It's intense.

Stunned, Scared, Speechless

2009-03-03T19:11:00.005-05:00

I've seen Jonathan Krohn doing the media rounds lately (CNN loves this shit), but most of the time its on mute (newsrooms) so I had yet to hear what he had to say. Now that I have, wow, I have so many mixed emotions. He's 13!!!!!!!!!

I'll give it to the Republican party. It seems like just yesterday Bristol Palin had her baby boy, and now he's already addressing CPAC!!

Not true, not fair, not funny. This Kid is way smarter than Sarah Palin and her clan.

Now I need to take a moment and collect my thoughts.

The stars are bullshit

2009-03-03T07:40:00.009-05:00

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Tuesday, Mar 3, 2009
You might want to think about how you can make the most of your money situation right now. And if you decide that any financial arrangements you've gotten yourself into might not be to your advantage, don't worry. You ought to be able to make some kind of fresh financial start before long. Read more

This is my horoscope today?? Every once and a while I like to see what the stars have in store. It's a crock. What money, what finances?? I'm not even going to bother with my "lovecast"

That being said, all the traits of a Taurus listed above are dead-on. Wink.

Metric New Songs//New Album!

2009-03-02T07:24:00.008-05:00

The Montrealer in me is excited! Metric will release their first record in four years - I’m already fantasizing about "Fantasies"!! See Acoustic versions of 2 new songs from new album here.

Oh, how we loved this performance. I suddenly have the urge to go home and watch "Metric: Live @ Metropolis"- Live it Out tour stop in Montreal. Great show! It's been a while ...enjoy with me friends.

President Obama is Ready 2 ball!

2009-02-28T18:38:00.006-05:00

OK so he's not actually playing here, but still....

He's a baller. It's hot.

Besides, It's nice to see a President with a past time that doesn't involve shooting shit with a long range rifle. Did bush do that?? I'm not sure, but Cheney did - it wen't a little something like this...

Time For A Little Optimism

2009-02-26T17:54:00.009-05:00

As February winds down, we are all a little hopeful that the snow will soon melt, the clouds will part, the sun will shine, the heat will rise, the clothes will come off...

...Anyway...winter is a drag and if freezing temps aren't bad enough there's the thousands of job losses daily, hiring freezes, failing banks...a.k.a "global financial meltdown"

But is this time to become the positive minded optimist or remain the clear headed realist???

Before President Obama delivered his State of the Nation address this week, political pundits suggested that Obama's words would have to instill a sense of hope that things (mostly the economy) are going to get better. The financial markets have been experiencing a crisis of confidence. Investors worry about the steps being taken to fix the economy.

Now that spring is around the corner, I think you are going to hear a lot more about these "reasons to be optimistic" - reasons why there is hope things are going to get better. The Daily Beast does a good job at laying some of them out.

And for your reading pleasure: The Optimist

Sly Stallone Likes Hookers - True Story

2009-02-20T15:12:00.006-05:00

Have you ever noticed when any of your traditional late night men (Jay, Dave, Conan) interview celebrities the guests always have these watered down lame stories to tell? These stories are obviously scripted (thank you publicists) to ensure that they don't come across as lackluster. Things can't get too crazy - it may be late but it is still network TV. That is why we love the internet. Seriously, I <3 width="540" height="425">

Grrrrrreaaaat!

2009-02-06T15:23:00.002-05:00

I know I said I didn’t care much about this Michael Phelps taking bong hits story, but I just want to make one small point. Cereal maker Kellogg said it won't renew its sponsorship contract with Phelps because of a picture that showed him smoking pot from a bong. (*see below) The company says the swimmers behavior is "not consistent” with brand. The company put Phelps on boxes of its Frosted Flakes and Corn Flakes. I think they are forgetting one important thing, and that’s just how good Tony the Tiger’s tasty flakes are when you have the munchies. So good they’re Grrrreaaaaaat! (Yup I went there) I wouldn't be surprised if Tony himself has taken a few tokes on occasion.

Men Not Machines

2009-02-02T14:41:00.004-05:00

Roger Federer broke down in tears after defeat by Rafael Nadal in a thrilling five-set Australian Open. It was Federer's third consecutive loss to the world No 1 at this stage of a grand-slam title. "God, it's killing me," Federer said on accepting the runners-up prize. "I love this game, it means the world to me and it hurts when you lose."

and more news that shows that star athletes are just like us...
Michael Phelps with a bong. So apparently he was down in South Carolina acting like a douche frat boy, I don't care, do you?

Let it be me

2009-01-27T22:06:00.002-05:00

Ray LaMontagne

Hand Art

2009-01-27T20:20:00.006-05:00

http://octoberanniversary.com/home.html

Is there going to be a battle for the spot as Obama's BFF?

2009-01-26T15:16:00.008-05:00

I think a dangerous love triangle is starting to form between President Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. US Vice President Joe Biden says he sees his role as being a "confidant" and "adviser" to President Obama. "I don't see myself as the deputy president. I see myself as the president's confidant," Mr Biden told CBS News programme Face the Nation. "Hopefully I'm the last person in the room with every important decision he makes," the former senator added.

Funny you should say that Mr. Biden, and I wonder if you read this Sunday's New York Times article on Rahm Emanuel? The Times article suggests that Mr. Emanuel has "exerted influence on countless decisions; in meetings, administration officials say, Mr. Obama often allows him to speak first and last." The article also goes on to suggest that Obama has already promised Emanuel the seat next to him at the lunch table - assuring him that the position as Chief of Staff would be the functional equivalent of ''a No. 2'' or ''right-hand man''

If you ask me this has the makings of a seventh grade spat, with Biden looking like the third wheel.

Spring Lookbook: Smart is in Style

2009-01-25T20:05:00.005-05:00

Read this column by Karen Vohn Hahn and tell me you are not excited about this notion that "geek is the new chic". Primarily, Hahn notes during the past eight years our culture has Ok'd ignorance, even expected it and found it entertaining. Many of us (yes myself included, don't deny it...you too...) have in recent years embraced this group "empty headed celebutantes". But aren't you bored of it? I know I can't watch another episode of "the hills". I am all for guilty pleasures, but I feel more stimulated from a piece of chocolate than watching good looking people exchange facial expressions and say nothing of substance. Now that my rant is on a roll, I will say that I wish both Paris Hilton and Perez Hilton vanish into thin air in 2009. I would like to believe we are smarter than this, and that is why you (my American friends) elected Obama. We now have history behind us to show us that the smart kid eventually outwits the bully. So, smart is sexy, forward thinking even fashionable. My aunt, who has been married almost 40 years, always told me geeks make the best husbands. I'm not there yet, but I always keep that in mind.

Prediction for 2009 - People's Sexiest Man Alive - White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is a shoe-in.

Strangely Similar? Kraftwerk and Ross on "Friends"

2009-01-25T12:50:00.002-05:00

Coachella 2008

Better quality - Kraftwerk The Man Machine

Florence and The Machine: Sounds like??? Velvet Underground, The Monkeys, Tom Jones, Velvet Underground, and The Incredible String Band...

2009-01-07T18:01:00.004-05:00

At least that's how Florence Welch describes her sound. Florence and The Machine is getting lots of cheers in the U.K. as the next big thing in 2009. Hype or no hype, I cant stop listening //watching this single Dog Days Are Over and the couple of other tracks available on now only on myspace.

This video kind of reminds me of a really good children's novel. It's all fantasy and play. Which I guess is fitting since the singer/songwriter says she writes about "things people have said to me, I write about things I've done. And then it all gets stuck together and it sometimes becomes a story with characters, like a bird or a donkey"

See the rest of her BBC interview here.

Thumbs Up Santa! Happy Holidays!!

2008-12-15T22:06:00.002-05:00

In case you are wondering why David Choe apologizes to Canada several times....

Canada contributed Vice Magazine, the same guys who started VBS, which contributed to Choe's paycheck. There's your answer, here is the apology.

I like season 1 better. Now when I see a hitchhiker I look to see if it is David Choe and Harry.

Only the Best

2008-12-09T21:54:00.013-05:00

With 2008 coming to a close, everybody and their mother has got a "Best of 2008" list.
Here are just a few if you dig this sort of roundup or have been in a coma:

Last.fm
Filter Magazine

Pitchfork
Best and Worst in Money 2008

Best Blogs

and the lists go on and on and on...

While Im on the subject of favorites in 08' I want to mention my favorite album cover. Sam Sparro's "Black and Gold" album cover seems very 70's/80's, and I like it.

The cover is the work of London illustrator Steven Wilson.

Wilson's client list includes big name companies like Nike and Coke, but he says his favorite projects are album covers.

Check it out.

And just in case you have been in a coma in 08' here 10 things you may have missed:
1) The U.S. elected the first black President, his name Barack Obama!
2) the global economy is in the crapper and you have most likely lost your job, home and savings.
2) Canada is in a "political crisis"
3) business is bad, and everyone's asking for a "bailout"
4) Brad and Angelina multiplied their spawn...again
5) Madonna gave Guy Ritchie the boot
6) Britney's back...again
7) Mad Men is the best thing on TV
8) Facebook changed it's layout, please join the rest of us in trying to figure out how to navigate your way through it.
9) Sad News, Oscar nominated actor Heath Ledger died.
10) The vampire movie/book Twilight is a really big deal, but I don't really get it.

Sounds from Sweden: Lykke Li & Lacrosse

2008-12-08T22:57:00.010-05:00

Music critics and bloggers have been singing the praises of Lykke Li for a while now, and why not, her songs just make you wanna dance dance dance.

Here's other Swedish act that make me want to turn up the volume and and dance alone in my room. (It's the best kind of winter pick me up. Try it some time.)

Lacrosse is the national game of Canada. I thought it was hockey, but whatever...maybe Hockey is the national game of Sweden? Lacrosse is also five boys and one girl making punchy pop music.

Check them out on Myspace

Maxime Touratier's Glittering Illustrations

2008-11-29T08:52:00.003-05:00

Maxime Touratier's glittering illustrations are created by photographing light shining out of holes in black paper, as the artists puts it, to 'reveal shimmering images like the universe constellated by stars'...

Please, who didn't create such pieces with their lite-brite when they were little!??

No harm meant to the artist, I am somewhat dazzled by her creations.

Best/Worst Birthday Card Ever

2008-11-28T19:49:00.004-05:00

This picture never gets old for me....

My 26th birthday was spent working alone on a Sunday, producing the 6 pm News in Salinas, CA. When I got to work this card was waiting at my desk. It's was left from the overnight Producer. Allow me to translate. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXIS!! There was a triple shooting in Salinas last night. 1 person is dead, 2 others injured and taken to the hospital. There is a full screen map graphic of the scene and some video of where the shooting took place. Called the police this morning." Happy Birthday to me!! I laughed, I cried, I grew another year older.

Black Cab Session, Brilliant.

2008-11-28T18:34:00.015-05:00

Without a doubt, my favorite place to listen to music is in my car. I drove across the U.S. solo this past summer, but never felt alone because I had some of my favorite artists new and old playing courtesy of my Ipod. The Black Cab Sessions from the U.K. is one of my favorite discoveries on the web. Thanks to this site, I can imagine what it would be like to have someone singing in the backseat. Intimate, raw, lovely. I would drive across the country 10 times just for the experience.

The above clip with the Robin Pecknold of the Fleet Foxes is especially nice. Love, love, love Pecknold's voice. I actually had a chance to meet the Washington state band on my cross country adventure this past summer. When I showed up at their sold out show in Austin, TX, with no ticket, Pecknold himself invited me. The bouncer filled him in on the fact that I had come pretty far and still had a long way to go. The lead singer then tracked me down on the street and invited me in. A friendly gesture I thought. Nice guys, making nice music.

Fleet Foxes - Austin, TX - July 2008

You know Oprah's audience felt like they got the shitty end of the holiday drumstick.

2008-11-27T22:02:00.004-05:00

We must be in a global recession. Even Oprah is tightening her belt! (you are an asshole if you make a comment about her weight here, she's fucking Oprah she can get as big as her stage if she wants and still be one of the only women in the world to have her very own empire) Oprah's annual holiday "favorite things" episode went from lavish to lame this year. I am not sure if it was an effort on behalf of talk show host to be sensitive to those feeling the impact of the global recession (as some speculators have suggested) My best guess would be, she couldn't get the stuff for free to give them away for free.

There certainly are more important news stories out there this week, (ie political unrest in Thailand and Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai) and I am not sure why so many outfits devoted as much time to this story as they did. That being said, I too would be really pissed if I got the once in a lifetime opportunity to be in the audience for the "favorite things" episode and one of the richest women in the world gave me a garden gift basket and some homemade gift cards. shitty.

I lost my blog

2008-11-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

I could not find my own blog on the internet for some time now. Which is just one reason I have not actually written anything of interest. Not that this latest entry makes up for that. After going through several address possibilities, blog providers, and passwords, it is nice to be reunited with my blank little page.

Mental Nomad a.k.a My Blog

2008-11-16T00:21:00.000-05:00

Directions: Read if you are interested, comment if you desire, most importantly enjoy.

Ingredients: Water, Glyceryl, Music, Politics, Pop Culture, Fashion, Food, Art, Photography, Video's, Humor, Lifestyle, Travel.

Warning: May contain traces of nuts.