A local Alaskan photographer, Mark Meyer, has a slideshow in today's NYT online.

Super cool.

Way to go, Mark!

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/11/20/travel/escapes/20091120-amer-slideshow_index.html

Cheery to no end

Had a photoshoot today with a friend for her weekly photography project. I was the first in her weekly portraits.

Bravely, she admitted that she thought ukulele music was hokey. *tisk*

Now she'll have to put up with me sending her links to videos for the next 6 months.

Click here to get to the set (of 2) on Valette's Flickr page.

Violent movies I love...

I started thinking about violent movies last week when Luke invited me to go see American History X with him and a friend at the Beartooth Theater Pub.

I declined.

I can't watch that movie (again).

It's funny because Luke doesn't like gorey movies. He won't even watch Shaun of the Dead. How will he get through this totally violent movie?

Anyway, my favorite violent movies are:

Caligula: fisting, rape, castration, murder and Penthouse Pets. It's the Penthouse Pets that get me through.

Pulp Fiction: except the part when Tarentino is actually in the movie. The man makes me crazy.

Shaun of the Dead: Good for some zombie bashing. It's funny, there's good music...and Shaun is a great easy halloween costume.

Silence of the Lambs: Altogether brilliant.

Q:So why can I watch these movies with blood and torture and killing but not American History X?

A:I can't stand the nature of the crimes in AHX. The curb stomp scene is terrible. Hate crimes make me queasy and bring tears to my eyes.

There's no way I would willingly view something that makes me feel like that.

ouch embarrassing

The Anchorage Municipal website is undergoing some changes. They are pushing a uniform website for all departments. This doesn't seem to be a new concept. Before I left Virginia there was a similar project happening there. There is certain content that the library can control and certain content that it cannot. Funny enough, the library banner (that is, first of all, barely readable) is NOT under control over the content editors for the library but the New-Muni.org Task Force is.

And there's a misspelling.

Perhaps it's not large enough for you to see...above the picture of The Cat in the Hat is written "Dr Suess".

What kind of dingbats...? I'm ashamed. But, like I said, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT.

new ukulele

Here's a picture of my new KoAloah Noah short scale soprano ukulele:

banjo uke

I've spent some time tonight playing my banjo-uke. It was made by this guy. The particular video I link to is the one I was using.  

I've been desperate to learn clawhammer since I saw my friend Matthew play his banjo. I'm not sure I have the coordination but it's a goal for the summer.

My new apartment is rad. The neighbors (upstairs) are a little loud but I'll drown them out with my music.

ukulele stuffs

Ukulele stuff I just ordered:

A Shag Wahini sticker,

a ukulele sized stand (instead of my big-ole guitar stand),

new strings for my Pineapple Sunday,

2 wall ukulele wall hangers (instead of my guitar wall hangers),

King Kukulele & the Friki Tikis--Live at Trader Vics,

and King Kukulele & the Friki Tikis--Luau in December (via iTunes).

I've also ordered quite a bit of old-timey sheet music from eBay.  I found Ev'ryone Says I Love You online also.  It's tuned weird and I'm going to have a hell of a time learning it but I love a challenge.  

I also found this that I really, really, really, really, really, really want.  But I didn't buy it!  See how good I am?!