Sunday, March 22, 2009

Half-assed

I am frequently annoyed by my own tendency to start small projects and hobbies and never really GET there.

I remember collecting stamps, coins. 2 weeks and then I lost interest.
I remember playing drums, flute, trombone, clarinet. A few weeks/months and then I lost interest.
I remember dabbling with photography. 2 weeks and out...never long enough to actually go buy gear that would make all the difference.
I love skiing, scuba diving, soccer, swimming, board games, etc., but never enough to become obsessed. And never enough to become really good at it, I guess.
I started painting. I liked it a lot, although it was no easy ride. Half-assed again...now the terrible result hangs in the shed.

Right now, I am working with vector graphics to make some sort of T-shirt concept for my friend's music venue come late summer. I have a nice sketch, and I've made some neat effects...but I never seem to reach the point where it comes together for me. I suspect because my skills, although maybe better than average, are still relatively half-assed. Bloody annoying because all the concepts are in my head. The practical building is just not appealing enough to ever let me finish.

I know I am a terrible perfectionist, which might be why I hate half-assed stuff, which in turn leads me to abandon those half-assed projects, which in turn forces me into new domains of half-assed-ness. I'm a half-ass on the run, forever chasing my half-assed shadow.

This might sound depressing, but it's not really meant that way. I probably have quite broad domain knowledge because of this quirk. I am coming to terms with the fact that I am more conceptually oriented than action-minded. It has taken a bit of introspection to accept that, because actions are generally perceived the winner. Even if they are only half-assed.

Here's to concepts, ideas, and visions. Fully drawn potentials...nothing half-assed about those..! =)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Me must learn EVERYTHING

It's all accessible here. Impressive collection.

I caught myself daydreaming about somehow taking a full month off from work, migrating to a wifi-connected cave in Bhutan, and just studying all the links intensively. Then I would emerge as an encyclopedic demigod...a true renaissance man.
Of course, that will never happen...at one point I would likely hit some massive equations of quantum mechanics and start gnawing my limbs off.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

A bird in the hand...

...is worth more than a Bush.

Gave in and bought a ticket for the (very likely) only appearance Ice Cube will ever make in Jutland. Expensive it was...and I was pretty pissed off at the pricing. So much, I actually wrote a complaint to the venue. They fired back with sound arguments about the small size of the establishment (Train), and thus higher ticket prices...but also a hopefully uniquely intimate atmosphere.

So, it will be interesting. Cube was my big hero back in 90-93, along with Gangstarr. His later stuff has been mediocre, to say the least. No soul, no funk...just synthetic loops and monotone club bangers. The regularly highlighted tracks, anyway. I'll admit I haven't really heard a full album since Lethal Injection. Hah, that came out 16 years ago! Crappit, I feel ancient.

My all time favourite will always be Death Certificate, however. A masterpiece of it's time...mixing just about all perspectives on black society, gang life, and US problems that one could imagine. And even managing a bit of introspection and self-criticism. Crossing my fingers for a LOT of pre-93 stuff...

[EDIT]
Gig was very good, with hints of excellence and a few pinches of wackness. Much too little pre-Predator material. Actually, only one NWA track (F.T.P., of course) and then "Natural Born Killaz". So, Cube's arguably two best albums were entirely lost to the set, save for some lame excerpts thrown together by the DJ at one point. Cube also left the stage for almost 30 minutes while WC pushed (admittedly good) material. But it doesn't count, when the show doesn't add that time in the end. Cube's club bangers held surprisingly well and the last 20 minutes were epic - but the concert needed 3 more tracks to be considered a great play, price and cheery atmos considered.
I am bitching too much since it was a great evening and Cube was in a great mood. Hard but happy and humourous. I just really needed those classics, man?

Sunday, March 01, 2009

La Linea

I suddenly remembered this classic and, as expected, the kiddo is also thrilled. Humorous across generations - or maybe I'm just extra childish. Is that real Italian or just gibberish?

Take a look at the interactive Youtube version, quite nice.