Fitz dreams of living in a dome-shaped house surrounded by a vast desert. Therein he would spend his days creating music, doing martial arts, and tinkering with computers.
Until then, he has this
Web site...
Fitz dreams of living in a dome-shaped house surrounded by a vast desert. Therein he would spend his days creating music, doing martial arts, and tinkering with computers.
Until then, he has this
Web site...
Drum roll please... It's here. Yes, only a little more than a year from the day we started the new Mesmers CD: Fitz's Subway to Another Life is available for sale on the Mesmers Website. Actually, there are two CDs:
The Regular is $10, the Limited Edition $18, and we're running a special where if you buy both the price is only $20. You can listen to samples on the Mesmers site. I hope folks like this one. I've put a lot of work into it and think it's miles better than our first release. Big thanks for all the encouragement and support!
I do believe it's time for a cigar and a strong drink now...
3/14/2010 | Permanent Link
Boy my friends are being productive this year. First Rob with his book, now Jay with his first iPhone app that, uh, well let me just copy his description:
Yodel-Ay-Hee-Moo is the worldÕs first and only alpine cow timer... It is basically a countdown timer with a whole lot of fun and whimsy thrown in for good measure. What could you use it for? Many things IÕm sureÉ..cooking, e-bay auctions, etc. Let your imagination be your guide. I absolutely love the ÒMoo-alarmÓ-the cow truly does sound alarmed...
I think that pretty much sez it all. :) Congrats for the launch! Go see his app at Runcible labs.
3/13/2010 | Permanent Link
Ugh! My favorite TV show is failing me fast. Billed as a "science fiction" show it's quickly degenerating into pure fantasy and jettisoning any pretense of that pesky science stuff. Even worse, its once detailed characters are flattening into good and evil cutouts. Argh!
Lost isn't alone in taking this path. We've seen it before in many series: The Matrix, Star Wars, the remake of Battlestar Galactica, and on and on. What we haven't seen is this sudden story shift EVER work. I call it the "metaphysical twist" and it's always a bomb. The metaphysical twist generally has two elements:
The twist is also often accompanied by clunky exposition of all unresolved story elements.
The result is always the same: an awkward and jarring ending that spoils the previous acts. An ending that quashes all the mystery, authenticity, and nuance that the story writers have struggled so hard to build. It's a masterful classical composition that abruptly ends with a pop-song chorus. And it never works.
Now make no mistake: I LOVE simple stories of good vs evil and can very much enjoy tales of magic and fantasy. But when you sell me on something more textured, detailed, and authentic don't hit me with an inconsistent switch at the end.
The one series I can think of that avoided this trap while still delivering a classic ending? Babylon 5. It stuck with its "real" world science till the end and both the "good" and "bad" guys maintained clear, rational motivations for their actions. Both interpreted "good" as a different thing and ultimately both were trying to be helpful. I'm still hoping Lost will find its way to such a gracious finale.
3/10/2010 | Permanent Link
It seems even our illustrious President from the frozen burg of Chicago is impressed by the media-hyped "Snowpocalypse 2010".
It's a frosty Monday morning and with the Federal Government closed I've got the day to myself and can afford a bit of time to write down what I've been up to in this "chillageddon". It's actually been an incredibly social weekend. Hanging out with neighbors as we all shoveled snow, a trip to Freddie's on Friday, the Evening Star on Saturday, and then a venture all the way down into Old Town to visit my mom last night. Pronto went with me on that last trip and made it almost the whole way which is impressive for a 13+ year-old dog.
I know a lot of folks are tired of the snow but I have to say I love it. It brings wonder to the mundane, adventure to the routine, and even instills friendliness in our normally jaded DC-area population.
Here are some pix from the last few days but the most grabbing image I sadly didn't have time to get a shot of: As I was walking to my mom's house thru an upper-class neighborhood I saw the classic looking Washingtonian couple walking down the street - all dressed up - and carrying martini's replete with olives.
 Freddie's Frozen Fowl |
 Weighted Tree |
 Ghostly Snow Tree |
 Snow Cushions |
 Lamp |
 Bending Tree |
 Rt 1 |
 Amy and Jenny |
 Shoveled Out |
 Snowy Sunset |
 Ice Lights |
 Have dog will travel |
2/8/2010 | Permanent Link
I've come down with a nasty cold again this season and have been suffering from a fever. Last night I awoke burning hot, covered in sweat, and my mind afire with the strangest idea: a religion based on space aliens. No no, not Scientology, something far better. It all came careening out of my mind at 100-miles-an-hour and I was scarcely able to follow my thoughts. A kinder more benign religion to replace the current outdated and pernicious ones. A religion that has afterlife (cloned memories into computers), holds science and reason in the highest regard, and even dissuades people from believing in it:
The space aliens understand that reasonable people may reject the notion that they even exist. They consider this to be a virtue.
The aliens further understand that some people may choose to believe in the space aliens to cope with fears and troubles in their life. While this disappoints them, they are a compassionate race who understands life can be very difficult and will not hold it against these people.
It was such a, well, fevered brainstorm I'm still a bit shaken by how fast an furious it all arrived. It was so dreamlike that I'm not sure I was completely conscious. I'd wager I was conscious just enough to let my creative mind run amuck without my analytical one getting it the way. A very interesting experience. I've got to write the rest of this religion down and come up with some sort of crazy hat for a space-alien pope to wear! After some chicken soup that is...
1/21/2010 | Permanent Link
Thanks to James for forwarding me along this link to information about prefab Dome Homes made of styrofoam by Japan Dome House Co., Ltd.. They are very similar in appearance to Monolithic domes but I can't imagine they're as durable.
Pink Tentacles also has a write up on the houses and some nice picture as well.
1/17/2010 | Permanent Link
Big props to friend Rob Gutro on the publication of his first book "Ghosts and Spirits: Insights From a Medium"! According the the description:
If you're interested in the ghost hunting programs on television and want to know the who, what, where, when and whys of ghosts and spirits and how to understand them, this book will provide some insight and answers. There's much more to life than just the time people and animals spend on Earth. Rob Gutro is a medium who is still growing in his abilities to communicate with Earth-bound ghosts and spirits who have passed. In this book, you'll learn the difference between those entities and the ways they attempt to communicate with the living. Learn what they are and how to recognize signs they give us.
Of course, my reason-based mind would prefer to see a peer-reviewed scientific study conducted on the topic, but for those amenable to faith-based thinking I'm sure it's a good read. I've already ordered my copy and you can to:
Book details are: ISBN 978-1-60264-513-4, $12.95, 164 pages, and he's got a support blog as well: http://ghostsandspiritsinsights.blogspot.com/
Getting a book writing and on the market is an enviable accomplishment that I hope to garner for myself one day so again I say big congratulations to Rob!
1/7/2010 | Permanent Link