WATCH IT

Running Late, originally uploaded by Patrick Q.

I was thinking today about how many clocks I own. I lost count at 20. How about you?

OLD-SKOOL BOXES

Old School School Boxes, originally uploaded by Neato Coolville.

I check out Todd Franklin's flickr stream or his blog about once a week. He's an artist who frequently puts up nostalgic pics. Yesterday, I was surprised to find this photo in with his other posts for the week - two schoolboxes that he had in the 70's. What's the big deal? I had the same boxes! Nothing like mass production to make it seem like a small world, after all.

Kirk Demarais also blogged about his school supply box this week. He makes a good point: because I used it every day, the pictures on my schoolbox probably got deeply embedded in my psyche.

I picked up this box in a local thrift shop because I remembered using it in grade school. It's dated 1979.

Do you remember your favorite supply box? What did it look like? Do you still have it stashed away somewhere? Maybe your mom or dad rescued it to store odds-n-ends and stuck it in the top of a closet or on a garage shelf. Or is it a lost treasure?

STOP BIG MEDIA

I just finished reading an article at Free Press that I think you should explore. Here's a summary:

Turn on the radio today in any U.S. town, and you'll hear the same Paris Hilton song played over and over. When was the last time you heard local talent played on the radio? (And I'm not talking about on your college station.) Do you ever wonder why your hometown station plays the same repitition of songs by big name commerical talents (using the term loosely)? Wouldn't you like to hear something new? And how do those famous few top the playlists all over America?

Ever hear of the term "payola?" The labels are paying off the giant conglomerates who control the airwaves. That's right: the big name labels pay Big Radio to feature their mainstream acts, blanketing the airwaves with their "stars" and leaving the indies out in the cold. But the airwaves are public property, and payola is supposed to be illegal.

The FCC has already fined Sony BMG and Warner Music Group $15 million + for payola abuses. These fines are too small to really make a difference, but the FCC won't impose heavier fines or take away their licenses unless you and I do something to force the FCC to hold the conglomerates accountable.

Please visit Free Press to find out ways you can fight back against big media (unless you secretly like "Stars are Blind.") While you are at Free Press, please check out their discussions of Net Neutrality, "corporate-sponsored" news, and the AT&T merger.

ANYTHING CAME AND WENT

anything goes, originally uploaded by Patrick Q.

A year ago, I was rehearsing for my upcoming role in Center Stage's production of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." I ran across the photos online today and posted some of them to my flickr account. A lot of screwy stuff has happened to me in the last year. I'm glad to remember some of the good times. I'm looking forward to performing again, someday.

PATRICK RHYMES WITH...

...geriatric. Call it the curse of Taylor Hicks, and maybe I have been listening to too much of his music. What else can explain all of this gray hair I've been finding around my ears and in my beard? This morning I even found a gray chest hair! BLAH! I'm feeling old. What's good for warding off geriatric depression? Can you really find the fountain of youth in a box of "Just for Men?"

Along this same theme, happy 49th birthday to my brothers, Dan & Steve!

THE TWINS IN 1958

twins times two, 1958, originally uploaded by Patrick Q.

This photo is my favorite of the twins - who turn 49 this month. They've changed a little since Mom snapped it.

4 VIDEOS

Here are four clips that inspire me to start saving my pennies for a video camera. The first video was made by a couple of guys, Ryan Wieber and Michael Scott. To download it, check out their page. The footage was shot over three weekends. The editing took four months. Neither had any formal training beforehand. They shot with a Canon GL-1 camcorder and used Adobe After Effects to add the glowing effects.

The next two Kablamo vids I'm posting tonight are fan remakes of my favorite SNL digital short, "Lazy Sunday." The first was done by a couple of guys named Bryant Fisher and Max Sitinikov. The next was done by two eleven-year-olds, Luke Brightfield and James Gillespie, with help from one of their dads.

If you are offended by dumb things, don't watch this last one:

ONE RED PAPERCLIP

DSC_1125, originally uploaded by kylemac.

Pauline has been telling me about this guy who is trading a paperclip for a house. Today, Terry emailed me the link.

NES EMULATION

Ben emailed me the address for Vimm's Lair. When you visit Vimm's page, just follow the link on the left sidebar to the "Emulation Lair." According to Vimm: "Emulators are software which allow one system to simulate the functions of another. Many people have written freeware emulators which allow your PC to emulate many different video game consoles. While emulators aren't perfect and can never replace the real thing, they can often perform most of the functions of the system they're emulating. Here you can download emulators for systems represented in The Vault. While there are dozens of emulators available, these are the best!"

PIRATES

pirate boy, originally uploaded by krissie p.

I talked to a theatre employee about the new "Pirates" movie coming out today. She previewed it on Tuesday and loved it. Ben and I will see it tonight.

Here's a survey to gauge how excited you are about the newest Depp flick:

__ I'm with you - I'll be there opening night.

__ I might see it with the kids sometime.

__ I'll rent it.

__ I'm avoiding it like the Black Death.

__ What Pirates movie?

NINTENDO, REVISITED

I'm visiting my brother Steve's family for the holiday/his birthday (Happy #49, Chief!) and my nephew, Ben, and I have been discussing growing up playing video games. He's a member of the Nintendo Generation, while I'm an Atari guy. If you are ever in the mood for old skool gaming nostalgia, you should check out what's available online. Ben's downloaded all the classic Nintendo games, along with covers of the theme songs done by a band called the Minibosses (other bands cover the songs, too).

The timing was perfect when I checked my inbox and found this Mario video. Thanks to Terry for sending me the youtube link.

Of all the 1st generation games, Super Breakout is still my favorite. Which of the old games tops your list?

CRAVING

Marzipan stollen, originally uploaded by schönwandt.

Last night, I dreamed of marzipan stollen, so I awoke craving it. I wish I had brought some back from Germany and stashed it in the freezer.

Ever had a strange food craving that you couldn't satisfy? What's a good substitute for stollen?

SKETCH IDEAS & GHOSTS IN THE SQUARE

I've been bouncing ideas around with friends for some future youtube sketches or short podcast bits. I'm jotting them down here before they go to mental la la land.

(1) an ad for Emo Elmo - complete with black eyeliner, safety pins in his lip, and depressing sentiments. Who wouldn't rush out and buy one?

(2) little kids prank calling 911 - admit it; you did it, too. How mad was your mom?

(3) oh man, this one is gone already, and I knew it when I started typing this list...Does that ever happen to you?

On Friday, I got an unexpected invitation from Ryan to drive up to Oxford for Ole Miss' Shakespeare Festival. I enjoyed the plays and meeting his friends from the theater department there. We saw Rowan Oak and walked around the Square.

My mom's family is from Oxford, so while we walked around town, I started reading the dates on the buildings and thought about my great-grandparents and grandparents walking those same sidewalks seeing the same sights. There is a DVD store that has a display of antique TV's in the window. As I stood looking at them, I remembered that my mom first saw a TV in an Oxford Square storefront window. There I stood over 50 years later looking at a similar set. I liked experiencing that feeling of history.

We stayed at Ryan's college roommate's century-old farmhouse in Water Valley (about 20 minutes away). My dad's family lived in that town for many years; his grandfather ran the railroad there. So this weekend turned out to be a bit of a homecoming for me.

DECLAN GALBRAITH

Declan Galbraith is a British phenom. Here's his wiki article. What a voice!

Here's Part 2 of that interview. These are 2 longer clips of his songs:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MRS B!

Birthday Cake, originally uploaded by catsper.

XMAS IN JULY

I Know it's not quite July, but I had a strange craving for holiday songs today.

FREE KYLE XY PILOT

Visit iTunes' store today or tomorrow, and you can pick up a free download of the premier of ABC Family's Kyle XY. It looks like it will be a fun show.

Growing up, I remember the Summer as a rerun wasteland. When did the networks start airing brand new shows during this season?

Speaking of pilots, here's one you won't find on iTunes. I was browsing youtube and ran across a profile with the first episode of a show called "Nobody's Watching" (bitter irony) that didn't make NBC or the WB's line up. Too bad. Here's an article about it, in case you're interested.

DIET COKE AND MENTOS

Last Sunday, Kate blogged about trying (unsuccessfully) to duplicate a Diet Coke and Mentos science experiment she'd heard about. It was the first I've heard of it, but apparently, it's a big thing now. Terry sent me this video tonight and clued me. Check it out!

WIRED

FIRST LINE
Go buy the July issue of Wired. I'd send you a copy, if I could. Why?

*Youtube is changing the face of baseball (p. 24)
*Blockbuster movies and hit songs are dead (p. 122)
*Blogs are driving the global economy (p. 132)
*Rupert Murdoch bought your favorite website (p. 142)

Want to know what I talk about when I'm not blogging? No need to fork over the dough for Big-Brother-style equipment! For a few bucks you can read about every trend that I've been discussing offline for the past few months. (Man, I want a podcast so bad I can taste it).

MYSPACE: THE NOVEL

A novel based on the myspace phenomenon is overdue. I want to (help) write it, but my poor brain can't even come up with the main characters, much less the conflict. Hey! I did the hard part by cooking up the big idea. Now it's up to you to help me fill in the details. Any suggestions?