Newton Faulkner! Get to know this guy. I just found a video he made in an Amsterdam elevator of his song, Teardrop. I haven’t heard of him before, but his acoustic playing and singing really makes you catch your breath (so powerful). As a matter of fact, I had to catch a few more of his songs and…OMG…they are really incredible. How did I not hear of him before now??? He’s got talent radiating from him like eternal sunshine. Take a listen and see if you don’t want to hear more!
Stephen Fry is someone who is loved by all simply because he is such a cool guy. Or in his nephew’s eyes…”book”. Though its definition isn’t the same as most of us know, it has evolved because technology sort of forced this new meaning as it tries to help us predict what we’re typing. Perhaps our devices feel sorry for us waiting as we poke in a series of letters on the itty, bitty keyboards that frustrate us to no end. So, the youth of today simply make do by redefining the word based on a shortcoming in the system. So, for all of you luddites, “book” now means cool. Who knew, right?
This clever little discussion between Stephen and Jonathan Ross is a reminder that following the rules doesn’t mean that everyone else will. Or that those rules are right and should always stay the same. Whenever a shortcoming is discovered, we humans have a pesky way of compensating for that flaw by modifying the rule on the fly and getting others to accept this new mod.
As a writer, I’ve been frustrated at all of the straight-laced rules that the writing industry pushes on us, as though they were written in granite and could never be changed. EVERYTHING CHANGES. It’s what makes life grow and transform to fit with the changing world that flows all around us. So, whenever someone corrects you for not following the rules, perhaps you might want to question them on their rigidity that won’t allow for better changes to transplant the known flaws that boggle the mind of so many. Creative endeavors, like writing, are as unique as the individual who creates these remarkable works of imagination. Telling someone that they are flat-out wrong is tantamount to ripping out their heart in my book.
Not book.
just saying…
- another great reminder that will make you think, from Reddit
So, German artist team extraordinaire Herakut made a stop at Coachella 2013 to bring some life to an enormous snail (by Poetic Kinetics). And all of their talent brought it to life as a chapter from their now-evolving Giant Storybook. This short clip they put up on Vimeo shows the awe-inspiring duo doing what they do best: Creating dreams. Just looking at the details of this new project has me imagining how each chapter will emerge into being. Do yourself a favor and follow this amazing team as they start on another project that will leave your eyes filled with stardust and your jaw on the floor. One of these days I’m going to see them do their magic live. They are truly filled with everything magical captured in children’s storybooks.
This gorgeous rendition by an incredibly talented Egyptian group, Haggar and the Band, just popped up on Reddit, and it really is worth the listen. Every member brings that uniquely rich Middle Eastern sound to a song that we all know well… Crazy. And can you believe that one of the singers (Layla Mostafa) is only 13?! It’s going to be hard to imagine her getting better, and you know she will being accompanied by some amazing talent. There is something about the sounds that come from the land of the mysterious sands that resonates deep within you whenever you hear them. Beautiful!
I just stumbled onto this video on Reddit and it’s an impromptu acoustic play by Florian Gilbon, who was serenading Paramore in Paris and ended up playing with a really happy Hayley. This is a wickedly gorgeous song with some awesome lyrics. Enjoy your Saturday now after hearing this perfect exchange of talent and love.
Awesome Star Wars image by Frank Quitely from this isn’t happiness. It’s easy to relate to because this is what my life often feels like. Bet I’m not the only one…
So, I stumbled into Starbucks last month, saw the latest by Depeche Mode, Delta Machine, and bought it simply because it’s the DM. Put it into my player and have not taken it out yet. Seriously, it’s like hearing the DM of old that I’ve always loved. Especially this song right here…Welcome to my world. It’s a phrase I (and many others) use often when we are in an situation that is waaaaay too common to us. Cue the sarcasm!
But THIS song is way beyond special. It feels like that moment when you smash into wakefulness after a really long sleep.
Leave your tranquilizers at home….You don’t need them anymore – Welcome to my World lyrics
DM is back in a serious way with Delta Machine. There isn’t a single song on their new album that does not bring back that feeling I had when I first listened to them back in the 80s. I can honestly say that this is fast becoming my favorite of theirs, and I’ve loved them all (some more than others, but I especially adored their 80′s era of angst) so that says a lot. The album grows on you with each listening as the layers embed into your DNA with each listening until it becomes one with your heart beat. Whatever you do, keep listening. Repeat often. Because that’s how this music crawls insidiously by winding its melodious tentacles into your ears and into your soul.
Brilliant, brilliant song. And stupendous album that makes me say that DM is indeed back. It’s been a while guys. I’m back in love with you again (though never really fell out). And thanks for accompanying me on another long trip and keeping me smiling the entire way! The beats were so churningly great that I simply need more. Maybe a concert is now in my future? How about you?
So, a mom wanted someone to explain to her newly arrived daughter what it means to be a Nerd. Now, anyone who loves that list of things that most people find geeky (sorry, meant nerdy – it confuses me too) are usually lumped into the category of Nerd. Namely, anything that doesn’t seem cool. But then, what you consider to be cool might be radically different from what others deem cool. Leather jackets – cool (actually, really hot, as in my skin can’t breathe even when I tell myself I look cool). Comics – nerdy. Sports stars – cool to the “real world”. Sci Fi stars – NERDY to the “real” world.
Neil deGrasse Tyson – just plain cool (I’m so not worthy)!
So, who better to tell this little girl what it’s like to be a Nerd than Wil Wheaton of Wesley Crusher fame (amongst many other cool things). Listen to the short convo that Wil has with the future her who will understand what Wil’s trying to tell her. It’ll actually leaves you a bit teary. And it will allow you to embrace being a nerd. Because being a nerd is about being interested in the world around you in all of its forms, even if they are animated or computerized. Or scientific. Or awkward. Just as long as it keeps you loving the awesomeness that comes with the details…the many, many details that build that awesome holodeck called your mind.
So, don’t just Live Love and Prosper. Live Long and Accumulate (knowledge, ideas…anything that inspires creativity and is easy to carry within) to your heart’s content. The world’s a very big place and there’s just so much awesomeness to discover.
I was watching Defiance on SyFy when I heard a song that really sums it all up. Wow, it’s been a long time since I heard it. This gorgeous rendition is by the amazing Beth Orton. Sotero Trinidad did an emotional video reminding us that even children have it tough. And sometimes we can feel like one of those children.
A reminder of what we need to be pushing ourselves for: A new and better world so that these faces will change to happy ones. As will ours.
Things will get brighter…but only if we want it bad enough.
So, it seems that we have a really BIG birthday to celebrate here, and it’s one that blows my mind. Yep, the WWW is 20 year old today and CERN wanted to celebrate it by revisiting the site that started it all (well, a 1992 copy of it). Their gift to the world that became the ungainly but much loved child (well, adolescent now) that we all go to on a daily (or a whole lot more) basis:
Hyperlinks allowed us to connect the many disparate pages that already existed, but could not be easily connected to unless you knew the direct address. And Tim Berners-Lee gave us this gift which then CERN gifted to us all when they turned the whole project over to the public domain. The whole story is much more in-depth and exciting than I could describe, so go check out a much better story told on ExtremeTechas well as the whole story as told byCERNitself. I really need to read more about its history as the Web really is a home for so many of us, and one that we cherish with all of our hearts and minds!
If you want to check it out, then click on this link to stroll down a little path in history that opened up the whole wide world to us all – or the ones who connected to it anyways.
HAPPY B-day WWW! 20 years and still going strong. May you always continue to grow, share, and inspire without the barriers that so many are trying to put into place.
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** STOP CENSORSHIP! **
Our censorship fight with the US Congress is far from over, as they continue to attempt to break the Internet with legislations driven by crony capitalism in the US and abroad. Though SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) have been pulled back for now, more continue to follow them. Now, we have to contend with ACTA(more) and TPP(2), which are international attempts to censor and control the Internet for the sake of commerce. And if that's not enough, now there's CISPA (more).
Go to EFF.org to keep up with the legal news that impacts our world and its technology. The greed won't stop, so we have to stay vigilant as well. Especially now that lobbyists are admitting out loud that they expect to be rewarded for their "contributions": Read it on TorrentFreak
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I want to thank all of my visitors who are taking the time to leave such inspiring and thoughtful comments. I'm glad that I'm able to connect with so many of you through my writing. This blog is all about things that drive my creative inspirations, and all of you are part of that inspiration. So, thanks for your support. I look forward to getting to know you better throughout this creative journey.
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