Cape Cod

May 31, 2010
Tennis, Golfing, Boating, Beaching, Cocktails, Croquet, BBQ, Family and Friends make for a quintessential Cape Cod long weekend. Despite the haze and burning smell from the Quebec forest fires, the air still has that sea-salty sweetness to it and brings me back to the summers of youth, spent engaged in all aforementioned activities for months at a time... Today I am lucky to find one or two weekends a year to spend in Osterville, but every day there is a master class in relaxation. This Memorial Day weekend's tasty tease of summer has whet my appetite for the next few…

Delivering Happiness

May 23, 2010
Caitlin sent me a link to an interview with Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com discussing his upcoming book. She wrote this note: This interview reminded me of you because you're happy and enjoy spreading happiness to others. That's why I love ya!! That is probably the nicest compliment I've ever gotten! What else is there besides happiness? It is the only real currency... all else is just a means of achieving it. And who better to spread this message than one of the richest men in the world? He gets it; he has accomplished more in the technology and business…

Saric’s House

May 16, 2010
Mt. Holly is a typically beautiful Vermont retreat, and nestled among the mountains and forests and fields is the recently purchased home of Sarah and Eric (Saric). It is anti-Brooklyn. Peace and tranquilty reign and life thrives in all shapes and sizes; it is actually possible in this country setting for humans to feel a part of the natural order rather than its oppressor. I appreciate what the city offers and need it in my life, but the occasional escape to an outpost of serenity is vital to my sanity. Congratulations Saric on your amazing property and thank you for…

Oil!

May 14, 2010
On April 20, an explosion on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico caused a massive leak a mile below the ocean's surface. It was clear then that we were witnessing an historical catastrophe, and now, three weeks later, the oil continues to flow unchecked into our environment. Estimates of the damage have varied from bad to horrendous, and now there is video of the underwater oil geyser spewing forth its toxins into the environment. It is devastating. Having failed to contain it with a giant structure lowered to the seabed, BP admits that it's arsenal to stop the…

Freakonomics and Moneyball

May 13, 2010
I was an Economics major in college and anytime I tell people that they find it funny--probably because my job is playing music with kids instead of making money with money. I never had any interest in joining the corporate workforce but still found Econ the most interesting department at Middlebury. It incorporated so much about humanity, from history to psychology to our core values. The focus was usually money, but the how and why made the topic endlessly engaging. Stephen Levitt is an economist who brings the study into new realms; he sees the discipline as general tools to…

Jonsi

May 13, 2010
Video is the new light show in concerts. While seeing Phish's lights is an unparallelled experience, a great video show is compelling in ways that lights cannot be. Jonsi, in his solo break from Sigur Ros, performed with one of the most innovative video concepts I've ever seen. Using six projectors on multiple screens combined with a stunning set, the effect was magical. The crowd was awed by the technical wizardry (literally oohing and aahing), as well as the extreme dynamics of the beautiful music. Jonsi's voice is unique and the music he creates is perfectly suited for his ethereal…

Phish 3D and The Bloody Bloody Band

May 4, 2010
3D technology is everywhere and I think we can safely say it has proven itself beyond a gimmick. It truly enhances the visual experience even without the original cliched application of sharks and other objects popping into your face. Phish 3D is the best look I've ever had at my favorite band, bringing the audience onstage with incredible depth and perspective, allowing visual details that would be invisible to anyone at the show and some that would be unseen even in a 2D format; I saw what their "farewell" show in 2004 simulcast in a theater, and this blew it…

Music Evolves!

May 2, 2010
I saw the band OK GO perform "This Too Shall Pass" on The Colbert Report then saw their videos for the song and am overjoyed by their brilliance. They made two versions, one featuring a giant Rube Goldberg contraption and one performed live with a marching band and choir. Absolutely Amazing. And if you have never seen their first video, dancing on the 8 treadmills, then you should probably watch that as well. Thank Good there are still great music videos despite the fact that MTV has turned into a wasteland of our culture's worst. Interestingly, State Farm Insurance paid…

Ukulele Cabaret

May 1, 2010
My neighbor is one half of Sonic Uke and host of the monthly Ukulele Cabaret, which is an eclectic variety show featuring that wonderful instrument. I joined the cabaret this month and played with a laptop running Reason/Record and a small keyboard, which I used to record loops on-the-fly. This is a condensed arrangement of the sounds I made last night. Ukulele Cabaret 4.30.10 It is far from home-studio perfect, but I love that my studio is mobile and that I can improvise and create a unique recording anywhere I go. O Technology!

Still At War?

April 28, 2010
Two great movies on war in the past 24 hours. First a My Lai documentary on PBS, which was one of the heaviest pieces I've ever seen, bringing us through the events leading up to the worst civilian massacre of the Vietnam war and though its execution. Men who were there and involved with mass slaughter of 500 unarmed villagers explained, almost rationally, why they committed this atrocity, and a photographer presents his magnum opus of War's Worst. In the heat of battle and under constant fire from invisible enemies, it is reasonable to expect men to lose their heads,…