Cool painted rain barrels

Photo_04
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Amazingly cool rain barrels in Lexington. Hoses run down into a junction that fans out to assorted watering devices.

IMDB, no way!

Well, I don't do it hardly ever, but I googled myself. Actually, I've been reading assorted A.J. Jacobs pieces and he talks about being obsessed with googling himself, and between that and procrastinating my taxes, I googled myself. And by and large, got what I expected; nothing much in the way of surprises, except--

A listing in the Internet Movie Database! Huh? How's that?? It was due to working on a documentary about horse genetics for National Geographic Television. It's not much but it kind of made my day! Extra thanks to producer Susan Steinberg!

Note to little-people friends of mine: I will still talk to you.

Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot

Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot - Spring 2007 - 168
Originally uploaded by pixestential

I was in Winchester a few months ago and struck up a conversation with these two women at a diner who were fondly reminescing about the annual Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot. I apparently added it to my calendar, because, looks like it's about that time. A part of me can't imagine going to something like this but then the photographer in me longs to get some images like this.

Anybody game? It's April 11, 12 & 13 this year. Here's their website.

Photo_03
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Springtime at the kentucky horse park. Draft horse pull a trolley full of visitors and I'm as delighted as anybody (partially because i'm also doing design work a couple days a week here)

Photo_03
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

A little break from exhibit design work at the kentucky horse park. Me and a shetland pony friend

A Stroke of Insight

Please take 18 minutes (yes— 18 minutes) out of your busy life to watch this deeply moving and astonishing lecture by Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist who had a stroke and came out on the other side to share the incomparable, nearly inconceivable experience in words that any human being can understand. It's 18 minutes and you do have the time to watch this.

Here's a direct link, if you prefer (bigger picture).

Photo_03
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Uk ensemble playing the music of frank zappa? yes, and after a lecture by gail zappa. Thank you, ron pen.

Stuff White People Like

Without a doubt, Stuff White People Like is my favorite blog of the moment. Take a moment, click the link, and prepare to laugh, whether you agree or not.

Business Lexington Features Foxfire Hypnotica

Nice little piece on our pals Foxfire Hypnotica. Some pretty cool footage, fire wielders!

Really?!

Really?!
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Does this bus really say 'lamers?' that's just embarrassing (at least for the passengers). Seen in the parking lot at the Kentucky Horse Park

Buddy Holly, with The Everly Brothers, in 1958

Buddy Holly, with The Everly Brothers, in 1958
Originally uploaded by rattlingdjs

I love this picture. I've been obsessed, alternately, with Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers for years. They are the architects of rock'n'roll, and were worshipped by both the Beatles and the Stones. Buddy Holly was from the middle of nowhere (Lubbock), Texas, and the Everlys were from Central City, Kentucky. And they were giants. What a wonderful candid moment. Buddy's career from his first hit "Rave On," until his death "the day the music died:" a year and a half.

Another day at the Kentucky Horse Park

Photo_03
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Just a pretty day at the Kentucky Horse Park, where I'm doing some design work. It's a pretty great gig for moments like this, where I'll be sitting at my desk by the window, and suddenly think: "I'm going outside to pet a horse."

It's surprising how irresistable the urge is, even for full-timers there. You look out and see somebody on a horse, and visitors (or in this case, a staff member) smiling and conversing, and you think 'I better go out and pet that horse.'

And then you take a picture with your camera phone and post it to your blog.
:-)

Rappelling in UK Library

One of the coolest things I've ever (not) seen happen at UK, I'm grateful today for youtube, but sorry my pal Jamie is moving to ATL. We both learned about this happening this morning when she was my guest on Trivial Thursdays and she blogged it at It's All About before I could.

Yay, Jamie! Good luck in ATL!

Deejay Season for Mick

This is charity deejay season for me, which is pretty fun. So far, my favorite event has been H'Artful of Fun, partially because I've ended up as the intro guy on Mary Meehan's video for the Herald Leader.

The next stop is the Headley-Whitney Museum's fundraiser, Studio 54 Fashion Dance Party, this Saturday. You should come on out and disco!

Soccer Practice

Had our first soccer practice today under coach Bow Wow. Went well, but hear my initial trepidation, Gods of Pelé.

Photo_02
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

T-Mobile

balloon guy at retirement home

There is something just wonderfully tender about this.

new EBS-transmitter tower goes up at KET

new EBS-transmitter tower goes up at KET
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Construction Dudes do the all-important stand-about and walk-about that is so critical to all sorts of Big Machine Operations. (no, really)

new EBS-transmitter tower at KET

new EBS-transmitter tower at KET
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Crane putting up new transmitter tower at KET! Exciting Big Crane Times as they "snugged' one section onto another, no bolts necessary, apparently!

Family

Seaside New Years
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

this is a real family portrait to me:

my brother,
my mother,
my wife…

my beloved stepdad and … uh, four dogs?

this a real family portrait. whatever that means.

click the image to see the next two in the stream of the same shoot.

Very funny to do — to try to pose a family portrait … that I needed to be included in, too. "Oh, sure we'll just rustle the dogs; they'll fall in to line"

I think the pictures tell a different tale (and yes: tail) and one — accidentally — of family.

I've heard it from some of the best, I guess, now that I think about it. "It" is something about photography being an often accidental art.

"I'm just waiting every day to see what kinds of things will go wrong or mistakes that I'll make that have never happened to me before."

--mirthfully paraphrased from some guru at The Workshops in 2007. He was speaking about botching photoshoot after photoshoot throughout his otherwise celebrated, illustrious career. (ha)

Which reminds me — jeffries, time to book this year's dreamtime enlightenment odyssey. could this be it?

Skype Me!

Is anybody using Skype?

It's an amazing telephone alternative that uses the net to allow you to make phone calls. To any phone. And while you can enhance the experience with a variety of handsets and headsets and video cameras, you really don't need anything except your computer. This morning I called Lucy from my laptop on a wi-fi connection at Coffea Island. That's just cool. Did I mention that the connection includes live video? (assuming your laptop is connected to a webcam or such)

Plus it's free and/or unbelievably cheap (less than 3¢ a minute to call any phone in (practically) the world. Go sign up and install the Skype software so that I can have more Skype friends. It's free to talk skype-to-skype, and that includes a video feed, if you're into that kind of thing. Even if you don't have a video feed from your computer, you can see somebody else who does. That would be me.

OH. One more thing — Skype is just one implementation of Voice-Over Internet Protocol (VoIP for short), which is going to change The Telephone forever and for everybody. Why not get on board early? It's already happening. Some claim there are currently at least 1500 companies vying for a foothold in the nascent VoIP business. You've probably at least heard of Vonage, the biggest kid on the block currently. That could change; ebay bought Skype for large dollars and that was way back in late 2005.

I'm mickjeffries on Skype, should you choose to play.

Skype official website

lucy on the "car phone"

lucy on the "car phone"
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

We've gotten many laffs out of this brilliantly ridiculous cell phone "headset." You just plug it into yr. cell phone and then, um, hold it just like you would yr. cell phone. It's cool, but not quite as cool as this.

Apples in Stereo's Robert Schneider

Robert performs "Skyway" last night at the Big Fresh record release part at the Icehouse in Lexington. Good times.

Waving goodbye

My cross-country journey comes to end, just a few hours ago

Free Sandwiches!

One of my favorite things about Amtrak is a certain goodnatured haphazardness that seems to run collectively throughout the organization. One of the best examples of this was shortlying into our voyage. It's what I like to call the Free Sandwich Debacle.

The explanation: Over the PA, in a typically longwinded address, we were told that due to the breakage of "certain equipment" in the snack car (read: refrigerator) that "arrived in Portland that way" (read: not our fault), everybody on board was going to get a free sandwich, with chips and a cookie. In a box. With a coupon.

The fallout: In order to get our coupon, we were all instructed to return to our seats. No mention was made of any individuals who might for some unknown reason not want a free sandwich. After receiving our coupon we were encouraged to proceed fairly immediately back to the snack car (4 cars away in many cases), to get our sandwich. This led to a herd of people moving all in the same direction on the train, without consideration of the fact that these very people, in a very few minutes would need to move in exactly the opposite direction.

Now, the aisle on the train is somewhat larger than that on a plane, but still, folks, we're talkin' one lane. I got my sandwich and watched the well-intentioned hilarity unfold.

Pulling in...

I made it all the way from Portland, Oregon, to Ashland, Kentucky this AM and this was the scene as I prepared to, um, de-train? It was a great trip. I'm stil in Ashland, working at the PubLib here... I was on the train for 50 hours... awesome.

Home again!

Well, i take that back. Ashland is NOT home, but close enough, considering that I came from the other side of the country.

The Cardinal dumped me out here only an hour and a half late at 7:30am and I've found a nice little diner a block from the station with super wifi and bottomless coffee.

I'll post some video here in a bit..

an earlier post

Welcome to my weird mobile officing experiment.

I'm currently on Amtrak's Empire Builder, next to one of only two serviceable AC outlets (okay, there are two others located impossibly behind the arms of seats) on the car.

I've got my brother's Sierra Wireless Broadband Modem card, some snacks and variety of wires, a flip video camera and a yen for long trips. Really long trips. Like 50 hours long. I'm in coach, which is fine. Amtrak ain't the airlines. I've got major leg and elbow room (elbow room diminished greatly if somebody decides to sit next to me, please lord no), no "fasten your seatbelts" sign, relative quietude (except for several people with repeatedly ringing cell phones -- "vibrate" people!), and a barcar and lounge car, too!

It's dusk now... we're truckin' right along. I love the train.

the amtrak sandwich

I've done a bit of wandering and real quickly made some friends in the observation car, and as we discussed predicting the exact moment that the bar car might open, there was an announcement that went kind of like this:

"Attention— due to the malfunction of certain equipment that is in our snack car — it came to us this way from Seattle — we will be giving each passenger a free sandwich. We will come through the cars and you will each get coupons for a free sandwich and some chips and maybe an apple or possibly a cookie. After the free sandwiches have been distributed, then we will open the lounge car for beverages. Now, everyone please return to your seats so you can receive your free sandwich coupon."

It's hard not to love Amtrak, if not simply for their congenial weirdness.

City of Minot | HOME

A late night longer-than-expected stop in Minot
North Dakota. It's at least 10 below zero here, but not where I sit in the observation lounge.. Internet access through Montana and ND has been super sparse and I haven't bothered to try much, but here in Minot — magical wi-fi appeared to me! So had to take the opportunity.. Video to come..

I'm On! (amtrak)

My experiment in mobile officing has begun and here's video to prove it, currently I'm headed east, away from Portland on the Amtrak Empire Builder. I bribed a couple of employees with chocolate (very nice chocolate) to get first dibs at a seat with an electrical outlet. (very rare in coach. But I've got it, and my bro's broadband wireless card is working an away we go!

The Stereo Projector find! Hollywood Camera (Part 1)

I came to Portland with a strange and kismet-like destiny and that was to discover that: 1. There is a vibrant community of stereo photography fans here; 2. I happened to have brought, coincidentally, my grandfather's stereo camera; 3. I found and purchased — by sheer coincidence — a stereo photography projector. Here's a video of that. There are also two other parts, which you can find by clicking on the video and going to my youtube site.

A treatise on Growing Up

Here's a little bit of homespun holding forth from a Portland woman who operates SunLan, a store of nothing but light bulbs. Wow

Kultur Shock

footage from last night's fantabulous show by Kultur Shock at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portand! Viva la Balkan Roll!

the word from portland OR…

Dateline—Portland OR

Had a BIG time today on my first visit to the Pacific Northwest. Portland is basically wonderful. Under the direction of the Eames clan, Lucy and I checked out the Japanese Garden and then made a monumental visit to the 3-D Photography Museum where we were treated to a special viewing of some of the curator's favorite features. Plenty of public transpo, too. Later, after a fab dinner, we hit the Doug Fir Lounge for an unexpected performance by what I'm calling the Balkan Iron Maiden, Kultur Shock. Fantastic! Video soon to come, since I was in front of the mosh melée with nearly $2K of photo equipment in hand. I must admit: It feels good to defend that kind of investment, and yet still throw the goat.

Also, earlier in the day, I made a visit to Union Station and straightened out my ticket with the extra-friendly Amtrak folk. On Sunday at 4:30pm, you see, I embark upon my 50-hour trip on the train from Portland all the way to Ashland KY. With Internet, in theory. Much more to come!

BTW: with so many links, how could Portland not be great? Portland is great.

Schmap!! includes a photo of mine

I don't really understand it, but this travel website solicited me for a pic that I shot in Madeira Canyon, Arizona. What I'd really like to understand is how to helm a business that makes robot travel websites and solicits people for their photos. (ha)

the marble machine

I help Leo build a magnicifent marble machine over xmas.

seaside spin-around

A popular photo technique has been revised for vid-joe!

Seaside vids and such

Lucy and I are lucky enough to be spending New Year's with my parents in Seaside, along with my brother and four — count'em four — dogs. If you want to see assorted video, it's here.

Check back and Happy New Year!

Seaside Dogpool Arrives

Lucy's lost one

Recently, there was a tapping at the front door. We've got a glass door, so I could easily see who was there: a somewhat unkempt middle-aged man in a blue thrift-store nylon parka and beige house slippers, who nonetheless carried himself with some pride and authority. He politely stood back as I opened the door and exuded no menace.

As I expected him to start into a story that would culminate in a need for money, he instead said: "Is the lady of the house available?" I replied that no, she was actually not home. He calmly thanked me and turned to go, and I ventured one more question, utterly out of curiosity: "Can I give her a message?" I said. His eyes lit up as he stopped and looked back at me: "A message?" he said, implying that perhaps I had one for him. So I reiterated: "Would you like to leave a message for her?" And he said: "Yes! Ask her to please come home."

I didn't want to burst the guy's bubble, but I decided to clarify and told him that, interestingly enough, she was my wife, and this was, in fact, her home. After which, he promptly thanked me and walked on down the sidewalk, with gusto.

A little while later, I saw him knocking on the front doors of other houses on my street, only now palming a gold spraypainted styrofoam globe in each hand. And then after about an hour he knocked on my door and we had nearly the same conversation again.

I didn't feel like calling the police. The man — clearly schizophrenic — seemed calm and rather happy. It was a sunny, mild Winter day, he was reasonably clothed, and he was looking for somebody to come home. No problem, that I could see.

SantaCon Lexington!

I'm delighted to report that Lexington's first entrée into SantaCon was a bit hit and a success! About two dozen "Santas" and assorted elves and reindeer convened at the Hyatt early friday evening and from there, began our Santa rampage across downtown Lexington. Stops and highlights included:

• A couple of public bus rides
• Al's Bar
• Natasha's Café (in collaboration with Rakadu Gypsy Dance, pictured)
  
• BANG
• Mia's

I'm "Blind Santa" (though I was more going for Witness Relocation Santa).

Here's some video from my new little Flip camera. (photo by brooke)

Wyn's Wacky Xmas Show on Trivial Thursdays!

This morning was the annual gas that is Wyn's Xmas Show, hosted by Trivial Thursdays. We heard sad songs where children die on Santa's lap, we heard how they do the 12 Days of Christmas in David Lynch land, and also we learned what Christmas means to Wookies.

If you want to hear it, it's available for download here! (107mb mp3)

(5 minutes of live Daft Punk at the beginning, no extra charge)

Also, here's a link to video of Wyn and I discussing the roster of the Star Wars Christmas Special, live on the air.

Painting Party at Campsie

kaydence painting party from mick jeffries on Vimeo.

The merits of FILM.

Holga Maine
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

I've been quietly nursing an actual film fetish, in the form of my Holga toy camera (this image), and my recently-acquired and completely heavy and badass Zenza Bronica XTRC medium format. Room for lots of improvement, needless to say, but some images from both cameras can be found in this gallery.

Pictures of friends

loll
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

I love taking cool pictures of my friends. Near the end of summer, there was a nice little gathering at the Houlihans and I put my thus-far-unused lens baby to some work. Take a look at some dreamy pictures.

Photo_11
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Nick collins performs sonic audacity at the ice house in lex, ky

2007 Carrion Flower blooming

2007 Carrion Flower blooming
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

This is the unlikely story in pictures of how Lucy and I and a number of esteemed guests witnessed — first-hand — the blooming of the ultra-strange Stapelia Gigantea, commonly known at The Carrion Plant. It was an amazing way to spend a Sunday morning.

Thriller Lexington 2007

Alrighty, undead!

We just had YEAR SIX of Thriller: Live in the Streets of Downtown Lexington, and it was probably the greatest yet. Over 100 zombies. 3 Michael Jacksons. And about 3000 people downtown to watch. Even an appearance by Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It's hard to underscore what a great event this is, what a great community art event — but I want to try. Mecca Live Studio is the organization that conceived of this and makes it happen. Certainly, other organizations — notably WRFL-FM and LFCUG Parks and Rec — are to be mentioned, too.

But it's funny — this "dancing Thriller" concept has become oddly widespread and is done all over the place: in prison, even. For that matter, some enterprising, promotionally-minded people even opted this year to try for a Guinness Book world record by coordinating Thriller dancers around the world through a web site. And yes, Lexington dancers participated in this event, called Thrill the World.

But that felt odd to me, and here's why I feel the need to shout out to the Mecca peeps, especially Mel, TT, and Jeff. I feel an inner certainty saying this, but can't prove it: I think they did it first. If they didn't do it first, they did it nearly first. And I want to say "we" instead of "they," because the Mecca peeps are some of the most dedicated community artists that I ever expect to know; but still I want them to get credit. Ironically, even more than they want credit, I might venture.

So even if I can't prove it, I wanted to say it: Thanks to Mecca for such a cool thing. It's great fun that people are doing this all over the place. It's community art, pure and simple. There's no admission, no big commercial sponsorship, nothing but everyday people who want to learn a great dance and get out and put on a show watched by thousands. How cool is that?

Thank you, Mecca. For your humble and friendly greatness.

Video of this year's Thriller is starting to appear. There's already this one. And this one. And there are more video cameras and photographers downtown every year. So while you're waiting for more youtube and flickr posts, go see what a great thing we've got going on by looking at past years.

Previous videos: 2005, 2002 and 2006. Some of my pix from previous years 2006 and 2005.

I'm working on editing the new pix and will put them up soon.

PS: This also shouldn't go without saying: Thanks to Michael Jackson, John Landis, Vincent Price and all the fantastic dancers and production people that have amazingly cemented Thriller into our collective memory.

smalltown officing

Latest office
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Out on the road with Lucy today, in Mt. Sterling, Ky. This is a neat way to do business. She goes on sales calls, I find a hot spot. Failing all else (coffee shops, lawyers stoops) there's usually the public library. Mt. Sterling is a funny little dollhouse town. Meaning, it's full of fastidiously maintained early 20th century colonials. Otherwise, there seems to be an abundance of bars for such a little place. And the rest is antique stores and tanning places.* Also: it's the home of our dipshit governor who will be voted out of office with godspeed a week from today.

*'tanning places' remark was completely uncalled-for, possibly even false. As a peace offering, I would like to point out that their library has a surprisingly large collection of Gore Vidal novels.

Eulogy for Black Betty

betty
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

We lost Betty today.

Betty was a wonderful, cantankerous, glaring long-haired cat that Lucy has had since years before we met and of whom I was very fond. She was first and foremost a hunter. I initially became enamored with Betty over her behavior at Lucy's place on 6th Street. Betty loved the outdoors; and while she did include cat food in her diet, she generally would only consent to come indoors for an interim snack. Dead of Winter or heat of Summer, Betty preferred to be outside at nearly all hours.

One of my favorite memories of Betty concerns the large glass door that opened onto Lucy's back yard; Betty would often sit there on the outside and stare inside. Early on in our relationship (with Lucy or Betty, take your pick), I would open the door, thinking she was wanting in. She would turn and bolt away. I gradually learned that Betty only wanted to observe us caged creatures. She vastly preferred the wilds.

I don't think I've ever lost an animal like we lost Betty. In the past, they've gotten hit, or ran away or some other form of, um, absentee death. We think Betty had a stroke or thrown clot. We came home to find her semi-crouched in the kitchen, occupying a single spot. This wasn't exactly unusual behavior for Betty— one of my favorite eccentricities about this soft black cat was her habit of staking out some random spot — and then occupying it vehemently, sometimes for days. Frequently, you would just have to walk around her, depending on the spot. One time, the spot was my pillow, but that was one of the few times that she was unseated by me. Repeatedly, I must add.

This evening was clearly different and we took her immediately to the animal hospital; after some compassionate consultation from the Vet, I sat with Betty and stroked her soft furry black head while she was put to sleep.

I've cried a lot tonight over Betty because I loved her. I loved her absolute disdain for the trappings of comfort and domesticity. While she lived with humans, she never particularly deigned to be much other than a prowler. I respected that. Betty would come in, but mostly she was going out. She liked to be OUT, and as a token of respect, we will bury her somewhere out. In The Wilds.

I didn't know we were going to lose Betty today. I keep thinking this. I don't know why. I don't think I could have changed it, I don't feel guilty, I just puzzle in the crevices and chasms of grief and how it works.

I didn't know this morning after a welcome few hours of sleep recovering from the Mountain Workshops.

I didn't know during an unusually cheerful visit to KET.

I didn't know during a delightful trip with Lucy to Winchester.

And I didn't know while we crashed the pool at the Marriott. I didn't know that such a wonderful day would end in tears. And it's okay, really— It'll be okay. I just didn't know. I 'm reminded that we cannot really predict or prepare for these things. I just want to be present when they happen. I think these are some of the most important times in Life.

Epilogue: Betty, I'm told, was properly called "Black Betty Bam-Ba-Lam," after an old blues song. To this day, I'm not sure that I know it. But I knew Betty. We understood each other, and while she was a remarkable crank, she was also a delight to me and I will miss her, as will Lucy and the rest of our household.

MOUNTAIN WORKSHOPS 2007 | DANVILLE, KY

MOUNTAIN WORKSHOPS 2007 is kicking my ass. But it's been a good ass-kicking. I trust that I'll be able to profit at least a little from the presence of several National Geographic shooters as well as a couple Pulitzer prize winners and a host of world-class newspaper photojournalists. But ouch! Critique hurts!

The support staff here is hard at work doing all manner of things, only some of which I understand, some of which have to do with extremely new Macs, and some of which have to do with the website. The full site isn't up yet; Last year's MW site was up until about a week ago, and now I see why— the site is a testament to the work that is currently being done and it is contantly evolving.

That having been said, click the link above and wait for a picture to load. After it does, hit "reload" and another will load. And that's what's going on here at Mountain Workshops 2007. Yay.

MOUNTAIN WORKSHOPS 2007

Getting that excited-but-can't-breathe feeling again as I prepare to embark upon my second hardcore photojournalism camp experience: It's the 2007 MOUNTAIN WORKSHOP!

I've very excited, possibly even concerned; I guess my fear is that this expedition isn't going to have the same warm-fuzzy feeling of the Maine Workshops.

But I'm hoping…

There was some kind of magic in Rockport that absolutely moved me to a level of focus and concentration that I rarely experience. And while, in my heart, I expect the same out of Mountain Workshop and hope that it's not modivated by merciless critiques. I didn't go to art school. I think if I had, I might handle critiques better. But wow, I'm sensitive. I hope I can get over that, regardless.

It's a great workshop, by all accounts. One of the odd things, though, for me is that it's in Danville this year, barely an hour away, which is pretty different from the pilgrimage I made to the Maine Workshops a couple of months ago. Still— people are coming from all over the country, including a few of my heroes from Maine.

Strangely, I also feel like I'm making up for a 25-year-old faux pas: When I was about 14, I got to go to Western Kentucky University's Yearbook and Newspaper camp for high school students. I went as a photographer and was coming from the perspective of being photo editor of both publications several years running at my school. What happened kind of still bothers me; basically, I was cocky as shit. And I was surprised and unnerved to find out that there were better—and younger and more experienced—photographers there than me. Easily. It rattled me and I ended up not paying the kind of attention that I could have and thus not learning too much. As odd as it might sound, I'd like to make up for that at Mountain Workshop. Why Mountain Workshop, you might wonder? Well, because it's put on by … Western Kentucky University.

Maybe I can lay this old demon to rest.

Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize for climate campaign - Times Online

Does it seem weird to anybody else that Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize
is getting so little press coverage here in the US? How disappointing. What an amazing achievement in these times.

TTtattoo

TT's Tattoo Excursion
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

TT got a tattoo. Here's some pix..

oscarbark©

Oscar loves to bark. Barking is usually preceded by growling, indicating an imminent intention of barking. Generally, I discourage excessive barking. But sometimes it is encouraged.

This is one of those times. (click on the picture for authentic barking action)

Sufing game

Sufing game
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

A weird and popular "surfing game" at lexington's oktoberfest

A few new pix from The Indigo performance

Rachel portrait
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

I realized that I had neglected to post about a dozen pix of interest with my set from Mecca's show featuring The Indigo. Probably, I got sidetracked making classic cocktails for the girls. Anyway I've added about a dozen to The Indigo Set on my Flickr page.

Brooke

Brooke
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Lexington got a great treat in the form of a visit by The Indigo from San Francisco. Yay, Rachel, Mardi, and Zoe! The show was, of course, the handiwork of the ever-fabulous Mecca Live Studio, responsible for so many fun things here in Lexington. Thanks, Mecca!

Here are my photos.

"Before your time, kid…"

A little while ago, I was beleagering a younger friend about her supposed love of early Rush, which I noisily decried to be "too long ago" for her to know about. Or appreciate?

It's funny—the same accusation would totally rile me.

In fact it did once, a few years ago. I was at the State Fair, gaping over the bitchery and pomp heralded by the many horse shows. I think I was paying witness to a particularly fruity Saddlebred Horse Show, which featured a cavalcade of jaunty tunes played on a colossal organ, live, everybody! Anyway, I was fascinated and sought out the organ player, who was sequestered in a corner of the showring seats, alone at his organ. I kind of hung around and watched him do his gig. He was not a jaunty man—in fact, he ended up being more of a vituperative, bitter grump. I know this because at one point he started playing "Cherish," by The Association—a song that I knew but couldn't place at that moment. So I asked him about it and he spit back this bile: "Ah, it's before your time…" The guy was positively sour. And I there I was, trying to connect with him.

I wanted to say: "Oh, dude—you so don't know of that which you speak."

Because that's a funny thing about music fandom: Loving music is a timeless habit. I happen to be a big fan of The Association, despite having been barely born during their heydey; Similarly, some of my 22-year-old noise-rock friends probably know more about John Cage than some scholars; And it's possible—entirely possible—that my friend-in-question might love Rush's "Fly By Night" as much as somebody significantly older than her.

Anyway, I guess the reminder for me is: watch it with the "it's before your time" thing. When it comes to a love of music, it often a bad idea to judge a fan based on age.

Jill and Joe's Wedding!

The reception
Originally uploaded by mrtoastey

Massive big fun was had by past and former Kentuckians and their North Country hosts for Jill and Joe's nupts in sublime Minneapolis-St. Paul. What a great time, y'all!

The set of pix is here!

saturday morning thoughts

For the first time in recent memory, I don't feel overwhelmed waking up in the AM. I've spent months now feeling the need to jump out of bed and start running as fast as possible until the inevitable bedtime, when I would rest so that I could do it again. That is not healthy, I am quite aware. And in fact, this has been the busiest craziest summer ever, from a mostly work standpoint, but also just in general. And lots of that has been really cool and some not so much and plenty just kind of in the middle. Mostly my issue has been with volume of stuff.

And I'm really happy to momentarily report that it's cooling off. And that refers to volume of stuff (VOS) and even just plain tempurature. The thing I wanted to announce is really quite simple: I'm wearing my hoodie. It's Saturday morning, things are quiet, I hear the hissing of the sprinkler watering my tomotoes and I'm wearing my favorite hoodie.

Last night, through a wonderful "friend connection," I worked at photographer at this benign horse farm party where The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band played. Everybody was nice and reasonable, and cheerful, nobody got wasted or belligerent (including me – ha), I was nicely paid and I might get to do it again. This is calming.

Just came back from Minneapolis, from Jill's wedding (pictures coming) and that was a great trip in many ways. And? I'm glad to be home with not too much on the horizon. Except Mountain Workshop, which has me a little heebie-jeebie, I admit. But mostly in a really excited way. Besides that's a few weeks from now.

In the meantime, I'm hoping to sort through some pictures, keep the clients under control and help Lucy here and there with her new job.

hammer time

hammer time
Originally uploaded by brian arnett

Hammer Schlager: I have got some shit to say about this North Country oddity.

Jillabration

Jillabration
Originally uploaded by brian arnett

me and "the bride," puttin' the hurt on a reception.

oktoberfreaks

seerSUCKERS!
Originally uploaded by brian arnett

jill's wedding reception, near Minneapolis. Land of the 1-liter beer. Gawd. What fun!

Jill's wedding!

aisle
Originally uploaded by brian arnett

Just came back from Minneapolis and Jill's wedding. Lucy give it the thumb up! (me, too.)

Mother - Daughter Reunion

Two Simmons, originally uploaded by mrtoastey.

My friend Merrill and one of the compelling portraits that she has around her place of her mom. I was secretly delighted to get this picture even though I was acting like I was not paying attention to such things while Merrill was standing there. ;-)

Maine Workshop Memories

Kate's Cottage, originally uploaded by mrtoastey.

I've been meaning to post this set of some casual snapshots that I took around the campus of The Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine. My time there was so precious. And so busy. When I got around to taking these pictures, one of my last days there, it felt … so weird to be taking snapshots. After spending the week shooting shooting shooting in the field. I felt funny walking around like a tourist taking these pix. But I wanted to share them.

Mingle Freely dot com!

I've owned the domain minglefreely.com for quite some time, but I only just now got around to plugging it in.

So! The good news is, my blog can now be reached from the web address minglefreely.com! Much easier to remember, right?

Joe Zawinul RIP

Just saw this morning that Zawinul died. And that requires a brief eulogy. Because Joe Zawinul and Weather Report grooved me through my early 30's, years that I remember fondly for the house parties on Kentucky Avenue often helmed by Lexington's great jazz-rock party band Lily Pons. So many of us had such a great time in the presence of our friends/incredible musicians. And there was no doubt that they took cues of inspiration from "Black Market-" era Weather Report.

Those were great times. In fact, just the other day, having dinner with some friends, I noticed a copy of Black Market on top of the stereo and couldn't resist putting it on. That music can still summon memories of some of my most carefree years. I never got to see Weather Report with Zawinul, which is a bit saddening, but not too much because I would have really liked to have seen them in the late 70's, well before I could have actually appreciated them.

A final thought: One of my favorite albums of all time, Brian Eno's "Another Green World," includes an austere instrumental interlude called Zawinul/Lava: Many musicians were inspired by Joe Zawinul. Many people delighted in his music.

RUSH! Riverbend 2007

Saturday night, saw an amazing show by the heros of my youth, Rush. The show tickledlme in every way and I am just so delighted that I didn't feel somehow too old to go see the patron saints of my teenage years. Here's my phone cam pictures

They're kinda psychedelic.

Chicken rotisseries

Chicken rotisseries, originally uploaded by mrtoastey.

The rectangles. Seriously! The orangish rectangles are chicken rotisseries.. It's a joke apparently about how they no longer need big huge amps like in the old days; so Geddy had a row of institutional chicken rotisserie machines. Last tour, it was washer/drier units. My cam-phone pic pretty much sucks, but here's a better photo.

Rush!

Rush!, originally uploaded by mrtoastey.

T-Mobile

Gourmet chili

Gourmet chili, originally uploaded by mrtoastey.

I went in search of authentic cinci style chili. A random guy that I hollered at from my car tried to send me to Skyline but when I balked, suggested Dixie Chili in Newport. While I tried to got there, I instead accidentally wound up at this place down the street. Gourmet Chili 'n' More, I think it was called, on Monmouth Street in Newport. Perfect. Also, chili (mostly) fits my phase 1 SBD.

Awesome!

Awesome!, originally uploaded by mrtoastey.

The absolutely nutz bldg by Daniel Libeskind in covington (in progress). Libeskind said ""This building, while modern in design, is based on shapes that reflect the history, traditions and landscape of Greater Cincinnati." Um, clearly? Regardless, the guy is incredible, is a former faculty member of the UK College of Architecture and we're very lucky to have one of his buildings here in Kentucky. There's more about the project here and here.