six ways to sunday: June 2011

Monday, June 27, 2011

"Michigan Drop" song

Twelve years ago at 3 am on the frozen edge of the lone weather tower on the sea wall bank of Great Lake Michigan. Me, Jenny, Regan, Karl, Chad. Everything almost changed forever. But it didn't. Did it?

I am wearing a brand new horse necklace that my six year old wheedled out of my mother, the Grand Collector of my world...and I then wheedled out of her. Oh, horse of destiny!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Bookmaking: My Ben and Emma book

This is my second hand made book. Important features: mixture of newsprint style old fashioned school ruled papers, graph paper, account ledger paper. Hand stitched binding, still only semi-methodical with some jury rigging to get it tight in the end. Added illustrations taken from my Open Mic sketch collection, loosely "Ben and Emma." They are, in true form, both horrid and nearly unrecognizable. I'm sorry. I never claimed to be a portrait artist; I just like to draw pictures of people.

I'm using this book for journalling and writing music, principally.

I love this paper

I just used card stock and bent it around for the cover/spine.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Open Mic

I imagine that everyone secretly wants to write their own music, and perform it. Clearly that isn't so. I rather think the people who don't are the ones leaping out of airplanes, playing the stock market, carrying deadly weapons. We all have ways of leaping off cliffs, of scaring ourselves silly, of flirting with total destruction. Mine just happens to be forcing myself up in front of other people to take what's in my heart and my head and smash and mangle it into a tune, metal strings and air, blown across vocal chords.

Truly, I've never been a part of a creative community quite like this one. Here anyone can try. I haven't heard a snide word spoken. I am speechless each and every week as a bizarre cornucopia of folks, instruments, ages and mediums get up and kick down. You will be cheered. You will be clapped for. You will want to get up and do it again.

Riverwalk Cafe, Railroad Square, Nashua. All ages. 7:30-10pm

Steve, the Owner

Ben, Steve and Jane's son. Played Bob Dylan, Low Anthem

Mike. Likes to play originals, and lately, Foster the People

Emily, an employee, singing with her Dad. Played 'Land of Your Imagination' from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! and Falling Slowly

Emma, Jane and Steve's daughter, a cellist, singing with Max.

3 song max

The Ukulelele crew

Andre. Plays Bob Dylan and Nirvana. Kinda.

Simon

Simon, Noah and Jed, played Hallalujah

He sand a few Appalachian folk songs. Originals..?

Mike and Mary

Brothers Andrew and Dan, and Andrew's wife, Angela

Jeff. Plays originals and Bon Iver, Iron and Wine

"Amerikant" the rapper. "All you people think you're rappers, all you rappers think you're gangsters, all you gangsters think you're people."

French hornist from Old Abram Brown

Carson

Genesis.

Me! I play lots of originals, plus Arcade Fire, Sea Wolf, Bell X1, Muse.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Bicycle Arts, Bicycle Parts

Chelsea, a recent import from Virginia, has worked in fashion in NYC, and has an industrial design degree from R.I.S.D. She creates jewelry, and works as a designer for Brookstone, whose headquarters are here in Merrimack, Nh. She's also a Vinyasa Flow Yoga instructor, and is running free classes on Monday and Thrusday night this very week, so connect with her on facebook to learn more about Chrome Yoga on Factory Street in Nashua.

This piece caught my attention, so I barged in on her conversation at the Riverwalk Cafe this afternoon to snap her photo. So glad I did! Welcome to New Hampshire, Chelsea and Bernie.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Thai Peanut Pasta recipe

Thai Peanut Pasta:

boil/prepare one box of 100% whole wheat pasta; penne or angel hair

saute shrimp and/or chicken in a bit of peanut oil + sesame oil + pad thai simmer sauce

stir fry one bag of broccoli slaw veggie mix in sesame oil for 3 minutes

toss together with meat and pasta

add salt and sesame oil to taste

chop 3/4 cup of peanuts

chop 6 bunches of green onions

chop a large bunch of cilantro

squeeze 1 or 2 limes

optional: add bean sprouts

toss everything together, and serve hot or cold, with your favorite peanut sauce!

I couldn't resist adding these, mainly because Levity insists on posing her 'candid action' shots so precisely.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Worst Food Presentation Ever

This is a video shot at the House of Blues, at the Foxy show. Seriously? Would I eat that pizza? If someone paid me?

Took my breath away.

Foxy Shazam, baby

The great Eric Nally

Friday, June 3, 2011

What's round on the end and high in the middle?

I honestly believe that friendship is a cure for most ills. It's difficult to express the level of therapy and hilarity and joy I experience swapping stories and ideas with dear friends, pastors and leaders that work all over the world to build people up in their faith, to help them become the people they were meant to be, in Jesus name.

I must also say that I am still processing a staggering amount of content that I absorbed and noted this week. I am amazed by the variety, artistry and wisdom displayed in the array of speakers, work shop leaders, and creative arts that went into this year's program of events. I am walking away feeling like "that is why I am in Foursquare. It is not an accident. I have a place here, and I have a future here." I have some complaints and negative observations, as well, but I have already received a survey monkey request via email, and honestly believe my reaction is wanted by our National leaders, and so shall express those things there.

Below are oodles of shots, many of which are taken in the phenomenal North Market, a famous international market of Columbus that was, fortuitously, about a block away from our hotel.