My Home Screen #2

I love photography. ( It runs in the family ) I love to trap a moment, and hold onto it forever. If you are patient and curious you can collect some very special slices of life. One of my favorite things about the magic phone is that it makes sharing these moments so very easy to do. I send a lot of pictures to the web from my little, hand held friend.

The magic phone is ultra-capable  – you may have heard, there an app for just about anything. The ability to edit pictures on the iPhone is a really cool feature, and one that I take advantage of all of the time. Here is a quick look at the apps i use to style my mobile pics. …

CameraBag: This is a one-stop shop of awesomeness. One of my first photography apps for the iPhone and still one of my favorites. This $3 application offers nine different styles which can be applied to any image housed on the phone, or the styles can be applied as the photgraphs are made through the application. I really like the square ratio that is delivered by the “Helga” and “Lolo” styles. It reminds me of my old Hasselblads.

CameraBag for iPhone

TiltShift: A fun $2 application for manipulating perspective and depth of field, TiltShift allows for a lot of creative expression. I don’t use TiltShift as much as I use the other photography apps, but when I do, I’m always pleased with the results.

TiltShift / CameraBag for iPhone

FocalLab: Similar in service to TiltShift, FocalLab offers the ability to alter the appearance of an image’s depth of field. FocalLab also offers the ability to ad faux-motion to an image with multiple “blur” options. FocalLab carries a price tag of $2.

CameraKit: The easiest to use of all of the photography applications that i own. CameraKit, another $2 application, makes it very easy to add vignetting, saturated processing, and a slightly softened focus to any image.

Photogene: The swiss army knife of iPhone photography applications, Photogene offers a user-friendly interface for performing several essential photo-editing tasks. I use this $3 app for adding a slight white border to my images.

FocalLab / CameraKit / Photogene for iPhone

ToyCamera: I was too much of a creative snob to buy ToyCamera when it first came to the app store. It was a toy for the folks who didn’t know how to use the legitimate tools – at least that is what I thought back then. A few weeks ago, a friend at work showed me some shots that he had taken with this $1 app, and I was floored with how cool they looked. I use ToyCamera to deliver random processing effects for cool antiqued photographs.

ToyCamera / Photogene for iPhone

QuadCam: Another one of the painfully simple to use applications, QuadCam produces some incredible stories. The images captured with this $2 application allow the viewer to see a moment from several different perspectives enabling the imagination to create a unique narrative. I am a big fan of QuadCam.

QuadCam for iPhone

I’m out of words now…

Over the last two months I’ve been doing a ton of traveling. Austin/Memphis/L.A./NYC/…the travel fairy just keeps sprinkling her magic dust on me, and sending me on my way.

planes, trains and automobiles

In that time, I missed the 2-year birthday of wholebrevitything. So…hey, we’re two!

On to the now, I don’t want you to miss these two things:

1. Sarabeth has a great post about our 42 hours in New York.
2. I’ve awakened Flairification.

I’m out of words now…

Following up on a follow up of another one of my posts about the magic birdie.

For some reason there are now 300+ people following me on the Twitter. Alas, only half of them want me to buy Viagra. Here is a quick snapshot of the poor unfortunate souls who’ve chosen to listen to what I have to say:

…

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Crayon Art by Christian Faur

The last two months in awesome: sorry for slackin’, folks.

• 99 Things You Should Have Seen On The Internet (thanks guy)
• One Love (Bob Marley Cover) – Jason Mraz (thanks copycats)
• King of Twitteronia (thanks soup)
• In The Name Of The Father – Gavin Friday & Bono – almost forgotten awesomeness
• I Bet This Party Was Awesome (thanks again soup)
• My Waitress On Twitter (thanks gchoate17)
• Got To Give It Up – Marvin Gaye (thanks mercifuldiatribe)
• Seriously Kid… (thanks everybodycares)
• Ghosts In The Machine: Jimi Hendrix – analog awesomeness
• Urban Outfitters Project LSTN#4 (thanks hunson)
• Flag (thanks awesomejuice)
• Tauntaun Sleeping Bag – dreamy geeky awesomeness
• Jesus Shaves – David Sedaris – unfettered awesomeness
• Sea of the Memory (thanks roamin’)

I’m out of words now…

Bob Marley

I posted this one on extraawesome earlier in the week, and it’s just too nice to not post here.

Jason Mraz covers One Love originally recorded by Bob Marley & The Wailers.

I’m out of words now…

(not-so-hidden easter egg)

NYMecca

The week in awesome: links open in new tabs

• Sir Mix-A-Lot Photo Shop – saturday night awesomeness
• KryptoNate (thanks furryrabbits)
• Lykke Li & Bon Iver – Dance Dance Dance – perfect storm awesomeness
• 25 Things I Hate About Facebook (thanks mashable)
• Every Album Ever (thanks thecommonplacebook)
• Thoa with the Get Down Stay Down (thanks WoopWoop!)
• The Trilogy Meter (thanks inthefade)
• Troopers’ Night Out (thanks guy)

I’m out of words now…

Following up on my other post about the magic birdie, these are the folks that I follow on the twitter:

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Savinelli Slowdown (B-Side)

The original playlist was comprised of 103 tracks. In the spirit of the CD, I try to limit my mixes to be burnable for the standard car stereo. So Savinelli Slowdown was a version, my best version, of a CD for mellowing a bit.

But after a couple of days passed by, I thought “man, I wish ‘x’ would have been on there.” And, “Gah! I can’t believe that I cut ‘z’ from the list.”

So Here is the B-Side to Savinelli Slowdown – the regrets.

Cheers, friends! …

[download savinelli slowdown b-side]

1. Empty (Live) / Ray LaMontagne
2. Typical Situation (Acoustic) / Dave Matthews Band
3. Come Down (Acoustic) / Bush
4. Straight To Hell (the clash cover) / Josh Rouse
5. Out to Get You / James
6. Re: Stacks / Bon Iver
7. Dreams (fleetwood mac cover) / The Morning Benders
8. Looking For The Heart of Saturday Night (tom waits cover) / Shawn Colvin
9. Speed of Sound of Loneliness (john prine cover) / Amos Lee
10. How Can I Tell You (cat stevens cover) / Ben Taylor
11. My Love (justin timberlake cover) / Tender Forever
12. Kid A (radiohead Cover) (live) / John Mayer
13. Albion (Acoustic) / Pete Doherty
14. Sting – Roxanne (Live) / Sting
15. Rocket Man (elton john cover) / Jason Mraz
16. Hello (lionel ritchie cover) / Blackbird Harmony
17. These Days (jackson browne cover) / Denison Witmer
18. Hallelujah – Live (leonard cohen cover) / Ari Hest

For the orginal version, here’s the link: the big easy

I’m out of words now…

Sad Vader

The (last two) week(s) in awesome: links open in new tabs

• CareerBuilder.com: Tips – advertising awesomeness
• Pepsi Max: I’m Good – dude awesomeness
• The Beastie Boys, Live on Letterman ‘04 (thanks soup)
• Andre the Giant (thanks butterflyeffects)
• Joshua Radin covers Sam Cooke – acoustic awesomeness
• David After Dentist (thanks robhuebel)
• Take Away Show #58 – architecture in helsinki awesomeness
• AT-AT wants outside (thanks robot-heart)
• Margo & the Nuclear So and So’s (thanks hipstertracks)
• I’m On A Boat – the lonely island awesomeness
• Dance Off With The Star Wars Stars 2008 (thanks darthvader)
• Dude (thanks wadea)
• Movie Poster Color Usage (thanks roamin)
• Domo: My Pet Awesome – paternal pride awesomeness

I’m out of words now…

Whole Brevity Thing: Savinelli Slowdown

There are days.

There are always days.

There are days when I’m thankful for traffic jams that stretch the drive home at the end of the day from the normal 15 minutes to 30 or so. It’s not a sadistic pleasure, this is a decompression necessity. I love The Dramatic and the Little Dudes and Dudette, and I think that it’s best that they not see me when I’m frustrated by the immovable objects that exist at my place of employment.

On those days, rather than driving home to the jaunty rhythms of Los Campesinos! or the good ol’ Beasties, a more mellow vibe is needed. So my good friend Mr. Savinelli and I meander home via the long way with the chilled Savinelli Slowdown mix.

Because you may also have the need for an attitude adjustment from time to time, I’m sharing the goods. Not Mr. Savinelli, the tunes, man…

[download savinelli slowdown]

1. Details In The Fabric (Feat. James Morrison) / Jason Mraz
2. Float On (Live Modest Mouse Cover) / Ben Lee
3. Be Be Your Love (Live At KCRW) / Rachael Yamagata
4. Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own (Live In Studio) / U2
5. In the Middle / Mat Kearney
6. No Envy No Fear / Joshua Radin
7. Dance, Dance, Dance / Lykke Li
8. Heretics (Early Version) / Andrew Bird
9. Love Vigilantes (New Order Cover) / Iron & Wine
10. Modern Love (David Bowie Cover) / The Last Town Chorus
11. Running To Stand Still (U2 Cover) / Elbow
12. Naked As We Came (Iron & Wine Cover) / MDL
13. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (The Postal Service cover) / Jonna Lee
14. You Really Got A Hold On Me (The Miracles Cover) / She & Him
15. All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down (Hank Williams Jr. Cover) / Elliott Smith
16. Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me) / The Flaming Lips
17. Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard (Paul Simon Cover) / Julie Doiron
18. She Says (One-U2) / Howie Day
19. To Zion / Lauryn Hill

For the rest of the mixes available via whole brevity thing, here’s the link: original soundtrack

I’m out of words now…

Hall of Famers - KISS

This one is from the early days of the acoustic cover collection. Sorry that I have waited so long to share it.

Toad The Wet Sprocket covers Rock And Roll All Night originally recorded by KISS.

I’m out of words now…

(not-so-hidden easter egg)

Spiderman

I have many questions for Spidey this morning.

I’m out of words now…

They're dead! They're all DEAD!!!

The week in awesome:

• Time Spent Writing My Essays (thanks commonplacebook)
• A Thousand Words – smooth awesomeness
• Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros – business sock awesomeness
• Flash Mob for T-Mobile (thanks adamiss)
• CiaD – want-this-real-bad awesomeness
• Eyebrow Cadbury Ad – nonsense awesomeness
• I Wanna Be Adored (thanks butterflyeffects)
• Fats Food (thanks szymon)
• He = Fool I Pity (thanks pasquale)
• Bokeh City (thanks eons)

I’m out of words now…

Billy Idol (circa 1984)

Middle school madness in the mid-80’s. That’s how I remember Billy Idol. Then on to Motley Crue and Van Halen followed by Black Flag and Dead Kennedys it was an awesome period of time for obnoxious, nonsense music.

Queens of the Stone Age cover White Wedding originally recorded by Billy Idol.

I’m out of words now…

(not-so-hidden easter egg)

Body like Arnold with a Denzel Face

The last two weeks in awesome:

• Sufjan Stevens – Damascus – This one makes me speechless
• Virgin Atlantic Ad – 2-year-old awesomeness
• Lego Inauguration – Gulliver awesome
• Dr. MLK Jr. – We Shall Overcome – Inspirational awesome
• Typography (thanks thedramatic)
• Side Effects… (thanks robot-heart)
• Being John Malkovich Nesting Doll (thanks kelpenhagen)
• That’s what she twittered – Michael Scott awesome
• Fear the Turtle (thanks soup)
• Dr. Dog – Heart It Races – Cover awesome
• Bokeh Stars (thanks guy)
• Snow (thanks scout)

I’m out of words now…

Justin Timberlake

Volume 40. That’s nuts.

Glen Hansard (of Once fame) covers Cry Me A River originally recorded by Justin Timberlake.

Four for 40 Easter Eggs:

Dr. Dog – Heart It Races (Architecture in Helsinki Cover)
Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassal (Vampire Weekend)
Ryan Adams – Like A Virgin (Madonna Cover)
Bon Iver – I Believe In You (Talk Talk Cover)

I’m out of words now…

I have been tagged. Twice. First beeps caught me via WordPress, and then Guy via the Tumblrs. The object of the game is to share 16 things about yourself, and then pass the baton. If this goes on long enough, I think that we’ll eventually find out where Bruce Lee, Elvis and Tupac are hiding out.

Without any kind of theme, here are my 16:

1. I was accepted to Baylor University eight times.
2. I once worked at a sandwich shop where we had to greet customers as they walked in the door by saying “Welcome to Substop, home of the 18-incher.” We had T-shirts emblazoned with the same message.
3. For two years, I worked at a party picture company called Flash.
4. If you put the two preceding items together, you’ve got a career written in the stars.
5. I have been detained by Johnny Law five times, but bail was only required thrice.
6. My grandfather was born without a first or middle name, just the initials J.B.
7. One Summer I worked as a professional cowboy in Colorado.
8. My dress shirt are size is 19.5 x 38
9. When I was young, I wanted to be a Jawa when I grew up. That, or a dentist.
10. For Halloween, when I was six, I dressed as Space Ace Frehley from Kiss.
11. I went through thirteen skateboards in three years of middle school.
12. My diploma declares that I have earned a Bachelor of Arts in History.
13. I am married to a woman who holds Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
14. On paper we are unemployable.
15. For the last ten years, we have had two 18-wheelers up on blocks at our family ranch north of Austin.
16. Counting college and high school, I have formally studied German for six years, yet all that I can clearly recall is: “Ich habe eine grosse bleistift.”

Now, let’s see if Alison, Lance, Wade and Rich want to play along.

I’m out of words now…

the dramatic and the dude

It was almost a decade ago when the dramatic and I had our great expectations realized when we broke away from our little ones for a date night with the beautiful Moulin Rouge. We were huge Baz Luhrmann from the moment we saw Strictly Ballroom and when we heard that he was making a flick with Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman we counted the days until we could see this epic. We loved it. In fact after the credits rolled, we left the theater, strolled into a nearby Target, and bought the soundtrack so that we could enjoy the moment a little longer as we re-entered the real world. Great love story. Great soundtrack. The most lush visuals we had ever seen on film. We really loved everything about it. …

Tonight, we had the same movie going experience with Slumdog Millionaire. Intrigued by the awards earned at the Golden Globes and enabled by willing grandparents, we ditched the Little Dudes and the Little Dudette and ventured out with high hopes.

Truly worth every penny and more. It was a two-hour journey through another world. Given the chance, we’d go again…right now. With a script as well crafted as The Usual Suspects and a selfless love story rivaling WALL-E (and if you laugh at that, you’ve obviously not seen Pixar’s masterpiece) Slumdog Millionaire is what a night at the movies often hopes for, but rarely delivers.

What I’m trying to say here is that if you love the cinema, I encourage you to see this jewel – but don’t dig up any inside info before heading out. Let it be a wonderful surprise. Enjoy the film with another film lover. Willingly suspend disbelief for a little while, and immerse yourself in the journey laid out before you.

Then go home and download the delicious soundtrack. I just did, and just as with Moulin Rouge, I’m enjoying the trip all over again.

I’m out of words now…

I should've worn the mask

This week, I’ve spent nine hours in meetings preparing for a presentation…in which I was alloted one minute and thirty six-seconds (00:01:36) to speak.

I’m out of words now…

Cassette Kiss Hero

The week in awesome:

• Star Wars ABC Set – Viva Jawas!
• History of the Internet (thanks Dalas)
• Huey Lewis covered by Throw Me the Statue
• Bed Head Stop Motion – 35mm Greatness
• Kurt Vonnegut on Art (thanks misanthropolis)
• Kings of Leon vs. Lykke Li (thanks rhodyram)

I’m out of words now…