Marielle

Marielle is a television actress from Sweden currently working at Bigfoot Entertainment as body-double and jack of all trades! Check out these two commercials, photo and Fashion TV video of Marielle:



This is an ad for a grocery store in Norway called "ICA"



This is an ad for "First Card" which is a bank card in Sweden.


This is my favorite photo I took of her as part of the shoot in the video below:

Google Analytics

One month of google analytics reveals a lot for my blog. Analytics enables me to see the nature of hits to my blogs, and come up with cool ideas for people that are looking. I also see trends such as which blog posts are most popular. My favorite feature is seeing what countries and cities traffic comes from. My biggest traffickers log in from Dallas and Los Angeles; Ha Noi, Viet Nam for International. Below is a list (relatively in order) for what countries look at my blog & website:

United States
Vietnam
Philippines
Cayman Islands
Canada
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia
Malaysia
France
Sweden
Singapore
Belgium
Austria
Costa Rica
Estonia
Portugal
Romania
Croatia
Denmark
South Africa
Hong Kong
Argentina
Finland
Kuwait
Dominican Republic
New Zealand
Netherlands
Israel
Japan

Here's to many more months of blogging, and to some hits from Africa!

Celebrate Learning, Empower it Too

I value the execution of good ideas and the process of ideation itself. I value learning even more. Before you think I'm advocating traditional education, I'm not. School sucks. It's boring, old, tasteless - but it's all we know and it's hard to do anything differently. Check out this video about this digital library project and start thinking about the near future.



We are in new era of information where 'survival of the fittest' has changed to 'survival of the savvy and scholarly.' That doesn't mean you have to go to school either. School is an outmoded system that desperately needs revamping, but learning is a beautiful thing seldom enjoyed, or shared.
'Sharing is caring' - such is the aim of a library system, or at least their general mission. Before I get to the question of access, let it be known that I worked in the University of North Texas library system for the better part of a year. Though the menial work I did was superficially boring, I received a much greater inspiration in checking out materials to patrons and speaking with librarians (and librarians in the making) because I was dreaming beyond the walls of the library and into the possibilities for learning (and entertainment). Possibilities, Possibilities! I was even inspired Keanu Reeves' film Bill & Ted. Learning Shakespeare in 30 seconds or less is way cool!



In recent conversations with international friends, I had enlightening discussions about libraries. My American friend says the library system is old and boring and died 50 years ago (I agree). My Nigerian friend says libraries in his country were being developed recently until the internet effectively stole its patrons away. After mentioning a dream to make libraries accessible to EVERYONE on the planet, my Slovak friend liked the idea for its merit as a socialist concept while I see a digital library, free to the world as a highly capitalist endeavor. However you look at it, people are hungry for information, ideas, and life. Take away traditional schooling and you can have more time and resources to live life, and help other do the same. With the benevolent and forward-thinking state of the blogosphere and internet, there's a great possibility some of the things Brewster Kahle talks about in his TedTalks video will come to pass. It will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Please comment and share how you think we can be a part of this sharing, in a real way.

The Arena - Fashion TV

The Arena is a $3m club in Singapore that boasts excellent live music shows in the middle of Clarke Quay. They even have magic shows. Oh yes.
In July, they joined the ranks of forward-thinking venues and became a smoke-free club!
Featured above is their anniversary party segment I edited for Fashion TV (FTV.com)
For more info, check the press section of their site.

My bokeh is bigger than yours

Cars don't really fascinate me, lifting weights isn't my thing, I don't drink, and guns are boring. In terms of macho-ness, I'm just chillin', man - what's to prove! But the one expression of tradional, societally-taught manliness I will claim is the bokeh I get with my Canon 85mm L-series f1.2 lens. Sure, it's no Stanley Kubrick / Barry Lyndon f0.7 lens (or an out-of-production 50mm f1.0 Canon) but one thing is for sure: my bokeh is bigger than yours.
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Bokeh is a Japanese word used to describe the background blur achieved using lenses with a large aperture (or special effects lenses like tilt-shift & lensbabies) which give a large depth of field. In the process of lens construction, it is both difficult and expensive to manufacture high performance lenses with large apertures, thus a celebration of traditional manhood and patriarchy is achieved after one has purchased and photographed with this heavy piece of glass.
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Photo above is one I took while momentarily distracted by raindrops on a car hood in New York, while on a shoot with Sarah Renfro. Shot very, very late at night. My mommy wouldn't approve.

Snarky Puppy is for caring guppies

Is this thing on?

At the release of their 3rd studio album, I realize the just how correct it was to name Snarky Puppy's 1st album "The Only Constant." That constant is change. From their unofficial (but radio-played) recording "Live at Uncommon Ground" they have evolved significantly, not only in personnel but in their musical style. Their sonic mastery kicks you right in the face and runs away with your dancing shoes. And you want them to do it again!

In case I haven't mentioned it, they're on tour - East Coast & Canada.

Brian Donohoe, Fubu'ed out.

Percussionist Nate Werth in unconventional apparel.

Robert "Sput" Searight - drums, keys, award winner - you name it.

Chris Bullock - saxophone

Brian Donohoe on an outside excursion. Note that this industrial part of Dallas is booming with creative professionals, as well as an excellent set of Taquerías and BBQ restaurants...yummy creative!

L-R: Brian Donohoe, Chris Bullock, Mike League, Nate Werth, Justin Stanton & Sput
Though the music is serious, it's hard to take a serious band shot with these guys. And that's a good thing. Keep posted for shots of Snarky member with prominent jazz violinist Zach Brock.

Snarky Puppy Plays Music That I Sometimes or Most of the Time Enjoy.

Cebu by weekend

On the weekends, there's and eclectic mix of outings in and around Cebu. There's always karaoke, then there are the resorts, the islands, the live music venues - new music and cover bands. There's the church of Santo Niño, "Tops" overlooking the city, and casinos with very odd beauty pageants. BUT, on the way to seeing the CPDRC inmates there were kids singing verbatim the lyrics to T-Pain's "Apple Bottom Jeans" song. Here Katie Moon caught me in action photographing those children.


Here are a few shots in and around Cebu:

Karaoke at it's worst/best, depending on your perspective.

The view atop "Tops"

Near the twin lakes National Park, Negros Oriental


Stay tuned for a blog on the CPDRC inmates!