I was shopping in a local Baltimore grocery store the other day when I spotted Terry O'Quinn, the actor who plays John Locke on Lost. I didn't realize at first why I thought I knew him, and so I admit I sort of stared him down for a second while I tried to recall where we met. Once I realized who he was, I felt bad for intruding on his psychic space and promptly returned my attention to my own produce. Brian nudged me to say something to him and later my dad said he would have asked him about … [Read more...]

We went to the roller derby this weekend, and it rocked! I think this is my new favorite sport. The not-always-PC feminist I carry around in my head was not sure she was cool with this. The teams are made up of some kick-ass ladies, but they are also some unabashedly sexy chicks. In large part that's due to the previously mentioned kick-ass-edness these women exude, but the fishnets and tattoos and short skirts help, too. Never been? The Advocate laid out the paradoxical scene pretty … [Read more...]

Struggling some with the myriad communication tools currently available? Despite the busy buzz of the Twitterati and the Skypers and the Bloggers (though at least the number of people with the Bluetooth cellphone attachments glued into their ears seems to have waned), all of this chatter conveniently brought to you by 21st-century technology has left more than a few people feeling paradoxically isolated. We can say a lot, but what are we really saying? This letter to the NYTimes provided a … [Read more...]

So, the other day I was listening to a CD (not that unusual), and my attention kept drifting to the point that I'd forget it was even playing because it sounded to me like directionless sonic doodling. So I'd stop and start the track over, but I became increasingly hostile each time I had to hit repeat. Why would you write this down? I wished I had the composer on speed dial so I could make him tell me. Then I took a deep breath and got back in touch with reality. We can argue about whether it's … [Read more...]

We are surrounded by tensions--art/life, simplicity/complexity, beauty/tragedy--and this short poetically offers all that profundity while skipping the cliche. That said, it's cartoon about a mouse and a cat head. Roll the video. Video/animation by Chris Ware, music by Andrew Bird, created for "This American Life--Live!" … [Read more...]

Quick lesson on being yourself and being cool at the same time, even when those things don't feel like they jive with mainstream culture's definitions. (FYI: I hear a rumor that's an actor, not actually Ajay Bhatt, which is sort of disappointing in the authenticity area.) The "I'm a PC" campaign never did it for me, but this one totally nails it. … [Read more...]

I walked into Staples yesterday for some file folders and came out 12 minutes later with a new desk chair. Now, you hardly care that I have reluctantly traded in the small, hard piece of wood I've have sat on for the past couple decades (Seriously! My dad stained it to match my desk when I was ten.), but my entire work worldview has been drastically improved via lumbar support--and I don't even know what that is! I was wandering in the wilderness of office supplies and BAM! I was saved. I had … [Read more...]

We've been watching the performing arts community adopt (and in some cases heedlessly lunge and in others scream and kick) their way into social media/web 2.0 technologies--revealing the wondrous potential and the scary, scary sinkholes we're navigating. So this week's question: What kinds of technology do you think need to be more of a focus in the performing arts?(poll) … [Read more...]

I love those moments when life reminds you to stop taking yourself so damn seriously. I find myself needing the direct tackle on this point quite a bit lately, and Baltimore (where this photo was shot) is a good place to be for that. Strolling down a city sidewalk past John Waters, as we did right after snapping this pic, also seems to help in that regard. Anyway, further in the pursuit of keeping perspective and reducing myopic stress this summer, we put in our vegetable garden this weekend (my … [Read more...]

NewMusicBox, the web publication where I have worked since 2001 (with time off in 2003 for good behavior and a quick jaunt to Nepal) turned 10 years old this morning! I made a little highlight reel in honor of the festivities, but there's lots more celebratory content on the site today. … [Read more...]