(A)musings of a bro you know

O HAY JAY HAY

2012-02-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hey sorry guys, no song for you this Monday. Don't you fret though, I did make a video edit of a recent trip to Jay Peak Resort with some friends. It was our buddy Lange's birthday and he wanted everyone to celebrate in the great white North. While most chickened out, 9 adventurous souls made the 4.5 hour trek and it was well worth it. Snow has been elusive this season across the nation, but Mother Nature dropped a sneaky 5 inches in the woods for our shredding pleasure. Check out what we did with it...ENJOY!

Woop

2012-02-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

el Derr coming up huge. Here's a monday cover that has me feelin right, this is good stuff! The Knocks teamed up with Mandy Lee to cover arguably the hottest song of late 2011. Here's their saucy rendition of M83's "Midnight City". Ok folks, let's have another good week eh? Yours truly, caskade..

The 2011 photo review

2012-02-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

The 2010 photo review was so much fun I decided to bring it back for 2011. I had hoped heading into the 1-1 that I would have an eventful year and, welp, it didn't disappoint! I've never traveled so much in my entire life and just feel really lucky to have experienced what I did. I didn't take a moment for granted, but tried to capture as many of them as I could! As always I met some great people along the way and it wouldn't have been possible without them. Without further adue....here's my 2011, a gift from me to you, enjoy.

My new roommates in Park City, UT: Chimay and Cosita

First Sundance in Park City

Just another day at work with USSA, Canyons Resort

View from my PC bedroom at midnight

PC fire in the sky

Three amigos in UT's Wasatch Range...up in the sky

Open Range headin to Jackson, WY..somewhere in WY

Highway to Heaven, Wasatch backcountry

When you get lost in the desert, you get good pictures..

Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon, southern UT 4/20

The desert: a place for sinners, poets and madmen

Desert Night

Good morning Goblin Valley

Shoobie in Goblin Valley

Me and shred partner Nick poaching Deer Valley May 1

ZAP!! Back to Boston

Hemenway 114 Apartment 3 in a nutshell...

Brasil! With some cool kids after a long hike, lencois

Minha familia brasileira!

Brasil, te amo

Identity Fest with some cool kids

Bringing Brasil to Boston? Fashion-forward...

Leaving 114, the greatest art experiment that ever lived

Later shoe wall

Chillin in Burlington, VT

Lake Champlain

Believe it

Boston Grind

Motley Thanksgiving crew

Just chasin pigeons, all day errday

Jesus makes a Christmas appearance

Famjam 1

Xmas

Famjam 2

Good to be back, Mt. Bachelor, OR

Top of Pilot's Butte, downtown Bend, OR

SMith Rock, OR

Home of the Portland Timbers

At the end of the rainbow, a blessed 2011 for sure

FIN

My 2012 (Chinese) New Year Resolution

2012-02-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

This comes your way a month late, but here we go (Chinese New Year was last week, so I'm in the clear right?). 2012, the year that will end all years, and maybe the last time I get to do this....

New Years Resolutions, most of us break them, but we all make them. Last year's resolution of 'No Pigeons' nearly worked out, but this year I really intend on keeping my resolution. This year's Kade Krichko Resolution is to: Do Me.

This may seem like a strange resolution, but check the rationale. I'm in my last year of college and all things said, 2012 may be the biggest transition year of my life. Between finishing school, potentially enjoying my last times with some people, looking for work and looking to the future, I think I have a lot on my plate, and stress tends to add up. When stress adds up, sometimes we forget who we are, where we came from, and where our priorities lie. THIS is what I am trying to avoid in 2012.

I think that through the help of my family and friends, as well as the few life experiences I have had, I've turned out OK. That being said, I'd like to continue along my path because I like who I am and the direction I am heading (wherever that may be!). In the next few months however, my resolve will be tested by outside pressures as well as internal doubts. My goal for this year is to try and weather all of this and stay true to the course. If I am able to do that when I write my 2013 resolution from who-knows-where (narnia?) I hope to say I was successful.

If for some reason you see me becoming too serious and bogged down by the little stresses that so often stunt our enjoyment of the world around us, for pete's sake....SLAP ME! I promise after the initial shock subsides, I'll thank you.

So yeah, there you have it, my 2012 resolution. While it may list as 'short and simple' this year will be far from it. I'm excited for the challenges it has in store and the experiences that await. In the words of Young Jeezy "You just do you...and Imma do me".

And the other resolution that really goes without saying at this point: Find Tupac.

Eyo Bostonia...Eazy Duz It Like Sunday Morning (see what i did there?)

2012-01-31T20:09:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let you guys know that ya'll are the best, and that I will have some ACTUAL written posts coming your way, imagine that!?! Boa noite meus amigos (good night my friends)..

Ernest Gonzales - In The End

2012-01-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

This is a chill tune by Ernest Gonzales, definitely check it out. Let me know what you think!

Ernest Gonzales - In The End

chickity check it

2012-01-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

So just when I feel myself moving away from Monday Covers, they say "hey you can't just toss us aside like yesterday's trash, take this..." SHIZAM! That Gotye song that I posted last week just happens to have one of the coolest covers ever. Check this ish and tell me it isn't cool, do it..you won't.

So Hot Right Now...

2012-01-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

So many of you followed me through my adventure/internship out in Utah last winter, but I recently compiled a video for school explaining exactly what I was doing for them for the "Coolest Co-op" contest at my school. Hoping its received well, I'm pretty happy with the end product.

Take a gander and leave a comment if you had time, thanks!

2012 has Mondays too!

2012-01-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

Ah I'm a lost soul on Mondays! Do I continue covers or do I stop focusing too narrowly? Should I just make it good music Monday? Too broad? Shouldn't it be good music everyday?!

Alas, the problems I face these days... the last as a college student, presuming I graduate as expected in May. Well here's a song I can't get out of my head about a weird feeling in an all-too-common situation that so often goes untouched. See what you think, I can't get it out of my head (in a good way). I'm not being a downer, it just rings incredibly true. And the truth...is what it's all about...right?

BEZ Bostonia..

LAST BRASIL POST!! (Just took me 4 months to post it, isn't suspense beautiful?)

2012-01-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

You can only go to the beach so many times. FALSE. Being able to walk to the beach after class was a luxury that I could definitely could have gotten used to, and I don't think I ever would have gotten sick of it.

All that aside, I was happy to change up the pace a bit on our last excursion to the interior Lencois. A group of 14 Northeastern adventurers made the six hour trek west late on our last Brasilian Tuesday. After battling sleep and stiff bus seats for what seemed like an eternity, I finally gave up and settled for the sunrise (not my last one) as we rolled into Lencois. Because it had been dark our entire trip we hadn't seen any of the landscape changes, so it almost felt as if we'd been dropped in this other world. Busy roads, buildings and sand were replaced with quiet cobblestone alleys, stucco and rocky hillside.
Still groggy, our pack climbed the hill to our pousada and immediately prepped for our upcoming jaunts into Mother Nature's playground. And even though I'm just fooling around with the words, Lencois and the surrounding area really is an outdoors playground. Our first day we hiked up a river valley over and under boulders until we made it to a 60m waterfall and pool for swimming. Our guides Puma and (Thomas) Edison dove off high rocks into the dark pool under the waterfall and were quickly followed by half of our group. We even got a chance to jump from a 15m (~45ft) cliff and there were enough cameras there to prove it!

On our hike down, our guides brought us to a natural slide aka water flowing down some slippery rocks. In all honesty it looked less than enticing and pretty rough, but I figured foi agora ou nunca (it was now or never) and I went for it. Despite the next day's bunda bruise, it was pretty wild to slide down the rock into the pool at the bottom carrying some solid speed. Definitely a good end to a long day of hiking.

The next day was a bit more expensive, as it included four destinations wrapped into one whirlwind trip. I thought about it for a second, but glad I took that leap of faith. We traveled a bit further out from Lencois and got a much broader perspective of the surrounding landscape. Mesas, plateaus, semi-arid desert, rift valleys, rivers, waterfalls, caves, it was like a 4th grade geography lesson in the flesh. Finally seeing what previously you only read about is an amazing feeling. The landscape was very similar to that of southern Utah, but much greener, unbelievable that we were only six hours from our beachy Salvador. After another waterfall and cliff jumping excursion we went to Lapa Doce, the largest cave in South America. It's so big in fact that half of it has yet to be explored! It's been a while since I've felt that small, but yeah, it was pretty intense. After the cave we hit up a tourist trap area called Pratinha. It boasted a beautiful lake/lagoon, but after all of the excitement of the past two days, it really didn't hold a candle. That and the fact that everything cost money (nothing's free in Brazil). I came as close to being a pirate as I may ever be when I started away on 'free' paddleboats across the lagoon just to learn from the boat's owner that I owed him 10 reals for 15 minutes. Nao obrigado amigo, woops.

The real highlight was our final stop: the sunset atop one of the morros (hills, more like mesas, but hey). The view from the top was UNREAL. I could not believe we were in Brasil. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for sunsets, but this one was just a perfect end to an eventful day. You could feel the contentment of the entire group, it was a really peaceful snapshot with some good people, que legal.

That night we were able to enjoy the fruits of being in a backpacking town, eating at this AMAZING Brasilian kitchen on a tip from a fellow nature junkie. The best part about the backpacking culture is that it forms this very complex web of communication that is dedicated to helping travelers find the next cool (and usually affordable) spot. In our case we lucked out, as we had an old angel cook enough food to feed 10 of us for a mere 7 reals each! Arroz, feijao, ensalada, frango, carne, peixe, pimenta, you name it, she cooked it. A satisfying end to a great day.

Lencois rounded out our whole Brasilian experience, adding a different element to the whole trip. We were able to satiate our craving for adventure on a backpacker's budget and also see a new side to the ever-active Brasil. i understood the active beach culture, but had no idea it extended to the interior. Lencois sponsors a rich backpacking tradition with hikers, travelers and thrill-seekers alike gathering to enjoy nature's bounty. In conclusion, it seems I've unintentionally created an ending catchphrase through the rest of my posts, so here it goes: It was truly an experience I'll never forget.

But really, I won't.

Ate mais tarde Brasil..

2011-12-15T20:33:00.001-08:00

whitney, so good to see you...

2011-12-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

Because sometimes words just complicate things...

The Grind

2011-12-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

So this week is full of last minute projects, studying and take home finals for many of my college brethren. I for one have a lot on my plate, but musica is helping me get through it all. Not the thick lyrical stuff this week though. This week is the week of instrumentals. So for those who need something to stimulate their ears in order to wake up that organ between them, I'll pump out some study jams for you all week.

So for those studious ones, here ya go. For the rest of ya, you're getting free music, stop complaining. B EZ keds...

Oneday Cover

2011-12-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

Gettin into the thick of it here in Beantown. Finals are coming up (for me it's mostly this week) and the crunch is on. I found a little bit of time to hit you with a sweet little cover, and in the process discovered a new artist that's definitely going to appear again on this blogadinho.

For now I'm keeping it short and sweet, so here's Ellie Goulding reworked by Blackmill with an Elton John banger "Your Song". Enjoy and thanks for hanging in you faithful few. I have writing on tap for as soon as I can breathe again..I promise.

Woohoo!

2011-11-28T06:02:00.000-08:00

Quick! I don't know how long I'll have access so...ITS MONDAY and I've had this cover burning a hole in my pocket. SHIZAM! Check out his dope cover of the Dream's "Walking on the Moon" by the uber-talented Bad Rabbits clan. This vid also features an amazing Boston rapper by the name of Moe Pope. Jump on the Moe Pope train, it'll be worth it, mark my words beezys. Be easy Bostonia...

Shafted

2011-11-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

So I don't know why, but my email has been blocking me from accessing the Blogger account for a couple of weeks now. A lot has happened in that little span, but worry not, I'm still alive and kickin it old school. Can't nobody break my stride, remember that Gmail.

Exhausted right now, but I figure I'll throw this guys at ya to hold you over. A song by M83 that's really, really grown on me. I heard it on Hypemachine about a month ago, but it's been blowing up and I just saw it on "How to Make it in America" and that sealed the deal. Dope ending scene with a perfect musical accompaniment. Enjoy beezys, eazy duz it...

Cover Me Monday!

2011-10-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Columbus Day almost tripped me up, but I refuse to be stopped! A beautiful weekend in Boston, but man am I itching to get out of the city. I think the mountains are starting to call me home.

This cover is kind of a fun one, as Hawa does a unique rendition of Justice's electro-banger "D.A.N.C.E.". Big-time switchup, but it works. Do the dance, do the dance, the way you move is a mystery...

2011-10-07T09:22:00.001-07:00

look up

Monday: The Year Mark

2011-10-03T06:27:00.001-07:00

Ok so I jumped the gun last week. I guess I missed a week somewhere in there so here it is: Cover #52!

After a year of digging around for these covers, I finally completed my mission and brought you a year's worth of pretty decent songs. I went through them last night and they ain't half bad, definitely impressed myself.

For those of you that have been following, it's been great to get some feedback every once in awhile, even though it's usually reminding me that I'm a day late.

This week's cover is a little jam by Lissie who does a pretty brilliant rendition of Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness". I've heard this one a bunch and thought I'd already put it up, but hey turns out it was still up for grabs, lucky me.

Hope you've gotten something out of this whole venture and are ready for the next. It's crazy to look back on these and see where you've come in a year, it's been an interesting trip. In summation, I think Dre said it best, "My life's like a soundtrack, I roll to the beat." EZ DUZ IT bostonia...

Brasil: Skin Deep 8/4

2011-10-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Ok so there's one more after this, then that's it for Brasil posts. Reading over these a little while later is kind of fun though, brings it back. Enjoy.

* * *

I had read about it previously, but didn't really believe it until I heard it again in one of our lectures.

Back in the States I read that Pelourinho and much of Cidade Alta had been rough area just a decade before (drugs, prostitution, crime, etc). Upon arriving though I was shocked to see a very clean-cut (almost cookie-cutter) neighborhood with the same old style architecture and colors used by early Portuguese settlers. How could this be an area like the books had described? Something didn't add up.

I was disheartened when my suspicions were confirmed. The area hadn't been improved, it had been gentrified. Instead of helping the people in need, Salvador had swept them away to the favelas to create something that they could show off to tourists. In my opinion this is always a temporary and very unstable solution, but Salvador is a city built on tourism and they needed a tourism center, so they took action. Worse still however, was the reconstruction of the area was only skin deep. Many of the buildings, were just made to look nice from the street, while their insides sat vacant and rotting. After I heard that I couldn't help walking through Pelourinho and feel like I was in Disney World with cardboard cut-out buildings surrounding me and a subtle "It's a small world" ringing in my ears. I felt a little cheated. I felt hoodwinked. I loved Pelourinho, but was it really Brasil?

A little of this bitterness started to carry over to my stay in Brasil. How much of my experience was simply a tourist facade? Admittedly, it started to bum me out.

But then I took a deeper look, a look beyond the plastic-y surface of Pelo. I was staying with a family that would bend over backwards to help me see what they see. They had taken me to their family house on Itapirica, to their favorite samba club, to play in a soccer tournament with their friends. They didn't stop at the surface, they opened their hearts and their home to a couple of gringos that for all they know could have been there because their parents in the U.S. wanted them out of the house.

My family helped me see the real beauty of Brasil, not just the picture-happy tourist trap. They helped me appreciate that short 15-minute walk down to Porto da Barra, helped me appreciate that R$5 acaraje that became R$3 after bartering away the "gringo turista tax" and the R$2 tallboy of ice-cold (and I mean ice-cold) Skol. They helped me appreciate sitting in the sand, watching futevoli (soccer volleyball) while the sun lit the sky on fire over Itapirica across the bay. No matter how many street vendor's were there hocking useless trinkets and how many plastic facades dot Salvadorian storefronts, that's a moment you can't fake. That's something I'll never forget. That's Brasil. That's real.

Obrigado Familia.

Brasil: Move Your Feet

2011-10-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

Woah, sorry I should have finished this a long time ago, whoops..

***

This post is a little dated, but essential nonetheless. Two weeks ago our mae asked Alec and I if we wanted to go to a concert put on by her friend's husband. Knowing little else beyond that Salvador is home to many different musical influences, we begrudgingly said yes despite wanting to spend Thursday night out with the group. What a pleasant and welcome surprise that gametime decision ended up being.

Our mae, Carla, swept us up and drove to Pelourinho, the Old City portion of Salvador. Through a convoluted maze of cobblestone streets we tried to follow our mae, not an easy task. After a couple of double-takes we caught up with her in front of a wrought-iron gate that seemed unassuming enough. We nodded at a bouncer and walked up some stone steps to where this small concert should have been.

And then we entered another world. A wave of music and motion crashed over us. I've tried a thousand times to think of a quick way to describe the scene and all I can come up with is that we were in a scene out of "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" (yeahh, they made a sequel). Bodies upon bodies all moving to intoxicating guitars and drums, as a singer belted out crowd favorites. We were quickly swept up in the mass and didn't stop dancing for over two hours.

When the dust finally settled we couldn't believe it. The band nailed it as everyone vibed to the funky Bahian fusion. Alec and I surprised ourselves really getting after it (even though our mae said we moved like "robos", robots). Our mae was even more surprising, looking at home on the dance floor. It sounds weird describing a mae like this, but she just seemed so happy and fluid out on the floor, it was really something to be seen, and contagious.

I really don't know how to express my appreciation to her for taking us into her world voluntarily and showing us something so authentically Bahian. She went out of her way to open our eyes and give us a broader perspective of a diverse (both societally and culturally) people and saved us from falling into the all-too-easy tourist trap of the bar scene down by the water. It was really something that I'll never forget.

Thanks Mamy.

DOORMAN!

2011-09-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

This school year has already signaled a lot of changes in my life, but one that's been a real altering experience has been my move to a new apartment in Boston.

Gone are the days of our 6 person "Brotel", gone are the endless cleanups after parties and gone are those pesky mice that made themselves at home in Hemenway 114.

Replace that with a quiet two bedroom place with no room for parties, a trash chute, laundry room and a doorman. Yeah, a doorman. It's a little different.

The idea of a doorman still irks me, it's just not my style. People calling me 'sir' in general just makes me uncomfortable. I like relating to people and the doorman just reminds me of some weird underground caste system I want no part of.

That's why my roommate Nick and I have decided to make it our personal mission to get to know them. There are 4. So far we have met Steve, Henry and Gavin, and though we know the 4th, a lady, we can't seem to remember her name (we think its Regina). Though the latter part of that sentence kind of makes my arguement sound dumb, we talk to the lady a lot and even gave her a nice loaf of bread to bring back home the other day.

The whole process has been slow-going, they seem kind of reluctant to acknowledge our efforts, but it's coming. If you smile and say hello enough in a day, people are bound to reciprocate it eventually, it just happens. Today out of nowhere I had Steve stop me and ask how classes were going and what I had on tap for the weekend. It was pretty cool. He doesn't remember my name but he remembers the face and I know now that he appreciates that hello in the morning.

It's really easy to walk past people, I know, I've done it all my life, but I'm glad we've taken on the challenge of cracking the doormen. It sounds stupid in the general scheme of things, but it's cool to connect with people we take for granted so much of the time.

Plus, it'll help further down the road when they start putting up with our antics, figure some positive repoire to start things off can't hurt.

But maybe I'm just musing...

2011-09-28T06:07:00.001-07:00

eyes are the window to the soul..

Just a thought

2011-09-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

I hope mortality isn't a running theme in my musings, but it certainly has cropped up a few times on the blog over the past year. Yet, as I say each time, mortality has never adhered to timing or any rules for that matter, so its appearance shouldn't come as a total shocker.

This weekend I attended the memorial service of a close friend's mother, who passed on after a courageous battle with cancer. Beyond the sadness of the passing and the other emotions associated with a final goodbye, I couldn't get past the amazing turnout for the event, not only in numbers but in diversity. This lady had touched far more people than I think she ever realized, and touched them deeply enough to have them converge from around the world to say goodbye one last time.

For some reason that left a huge impression on me, and, naturally, the wheels began turning in my head. Who would be at my memorial service? What type of legacy would I leave? Wouldn't it be weird and a little bit amazing to see this as a fly on the wall, return to life and apply what you've learned to improving your life?

Maybe one of the most fascinating things I've picked up from college classes is the story of Alfred Nobel. Alfred was afforded this "second chance" at life. Nobel was a renowned chemist, who, along with his contributions to steel manufacturing, developed dynamite. Dynamite was initially intended for construction purposes but quickly became a lethal weapon during the time period of the late 1800s.

When Alfred's brother passed away, many mistook the news and reported Alfred's death, including several newspapers. One newspaper denoted Alfred as the "merchant of death" because of his creation of dynamite. It stated that it was inconceivabale for a man to make so much money off of other people's deaths.

This news deeply hurt Nobel, as he had invented dynamite as a tool, not a weapon. However, after reporting that he was indeed still alive, Nobel took this information and made a change. Nobel dedicated his remaining years to reversing the legacy he had unintentionally earned, and on his deathbed donated a great amount of his fortune to creating the Nobel Peace Prize. Today, Nobel is most famously remembered for his prize, not for his time as the "Merchant of Death".

Now flash-forward. If your life ended today (hypothetical!!) what would your legacy be? Would you be remembered for the good things you've done or the mistakes you've made?

I like to think people would remember me as someone who listened and learned, who tried to be there for people when they needed him and who wanted to appreciate as much of life as he could. But I have to wonder...is that what other people see?

One thing I am sure of however is that my memorial service would be pretty funny. I have been fortunate to meet some amazing people throughout my life, whether it be in school, at home, travelling or just in random places along my road of life. I feel like half of the time would be spent wondering, "How did this guy know him? That's kind of random." I think it would open up an entertaining forum of meet and greet that I hope people would enjoy as much as I would enjoy watching. Hmm but maybe that's just me musing... stay classy planet Earth

The Year of Coverage

2011-09-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Monday rolls around, and what do you know.. it's been one full year of covers. 52 in fact, pretty cool. Thanks to everyone that's checked in on this periodically to see what I've been up to, and I hope you gained a little out of it.

I'd love to keep this experiment going a little longer at least. I still have a lot to write down, and I'm sorry about the slacking but it will get done. Sometimes I have a tough time saying stuff, but for whatever reason writing it not only comes easy, it's incredibly therapeutic. So, in that vein, thanks again guys and gals for reading, it means a lot, your awesome.

In other news today's cover extends to the Chris Isaak song "Wicked Game". Washed Out takes a stab at it and the product is very similar to their namesake, basically a washed out version of the original. But in a good way. Like "I washed out a stain from my favorite t-shirt" -kinda good. Enjoy beezys..

2011-09-22T09:10:00.001-07:00

I just got published on Boston.com. Fact. Boom.

Mundane Covers

2011-09-19T07:10:00.001-07:00

Ok, again..apologies. My head has been all over the place the last few weeks, but I (tentatively) think I'm back. Hey maybe I'll even write about it, since that's why I started this thing in the first place?

Anywho, time for today's coverage, and what better way to get us back on track than with a classic cover. Van Halen (ever heard of them?) broke on the scene in the late 70s with this Kinks cover. The Kinks have been published a few times on this blog for covers, so they must be doing something right. Here's Van Halen with the Kinks' "You Really Got Me Now". Enjoy beezys..

What day is it? covers

2011-09-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

How disappointed are you guys in me? I almost make it a full year and then I fumble the ball on the one yard line. That's such a Leon Lett move...

But I haven't forgotten. Without Internet and having moved to a completely new place in Boston has been hard, but you guys are worth it. Here's a cover to hold you over, I promise I'll be back in force to make it through the rest of the year. With Bloc Party's "Like Eating Glass" here is (Tempera)mental.. enjoy playas..

Monday Covers (Consistency)

2011-08-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

To all the killas and the hundred dolla billas, it's Monday again, and the week is looking chock-ful of the not-funs but the all-too-necessaries. I won't bore you with details, but a lot of moving has to happen this week in order to get into my new place on time.

But hey let's start this week right, shall we? Found this cover by accident (what else is new), but damn, I'm loving it. This song is a jam in its own right but the cover takes it in a whole new and equally awesome direction. With Blackstreet's "No Diggity" here's Australia's Chet Faker.

PS I remember dancing to this Blackstreet jam at the end of "dunston checks in"? If anyone can relate to this reference I'll award a yet to be named prize. gitit.

shirley

2011-08-22T06:25:00.001-07:00

Your promised chill-music followup. I would kill to throw on some noise-cancelling headphones and walk down the street to this song because I just envision everything moving to the beat. The song is actually a remix of Caribou's "Sun" but Pyramid does a great job with it (lots of nouns in the names today). Caribou released their album and asked and said they'd award a prize to whoever remixed their songs the best, and thank jah because Pyramid emerged with this beauty, enjoy...happy beat-hopping

Brasil: Musings July 30

2011-08-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Brasil post 3:

A short interim post to keep you hungry for more..

I've made a couple of small observations in Brasil that have particularly struck me. The first is pedestrian traffic patterns in Salvador. Coming from a relatively aggressive pedestrian zone in Boston (we made the J-walk cool) I thought that I would be prepared for reading walkers and runners as I try and make my way down the streets on my morning jogs. Wrong. Instead of the unwritten "pass on the right" rule that many runners and walkers adhere to, Salvadorians go wherever they feel like, which in most cases is as far from the treacherous roads as possible. Runners hold no right of way here and are usually pushed towards the road no matter how much room there is on the sidewalk. It's almost as if someone is saying, "Hey if you're trying to move that fast, then you can take that chance - on the inside lane". It's pretty amusing stuff actually and makes running in Salvador that much more of an adventure every (other) morning.

Another small observation is the use of the polite horn. Cars use their horns frequently down here, something that is commonplace for most cities. However, instead of laying on the horn like they do in the states, Brasilians give a polite horn tap to let people know where they're at on the road. The taps are so subtle to my Americano ears, that I don't usually hear them until the third go-around, which in some cases is a little too late ha. The polite horn usually only makes appearances in the States when someone is trying to get ahold of a friend on the sidewalk, so when I hear that beep here I spin around looking for a familiar face! Oh well, can't win them all, maybe some day I'll turn around to a familiar face, but for now I'll take just not getting hit by traffic.

Tchau for now.

brasil grandma and grandpa on grandpa's bday

the kool kid krew

alec and avo (grandpa)

cheel

2011-08-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Installment dos of chillin music inbetween these brasil updates. Here's a song I discovered (with help) this winter out in Utah. Great combo of styles here. Whenever I hear it I feel myself back in those aspen forest ripping through fresh powder in slow motion (yea in my mind I move in slow motion) with the sun hitting it just right, ahhh i miss it! And I digress....song's sweet take a listen..

Brasil: Favelas n Futebol

2011-08-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

(If these read a little dry, remember this was being submitted to my teachers)
Post Number Dois:

Well, well life in Brazil has continued to impress me as I reach the end of my second week here.

A week ago we were afforded a unique opportunity to spend time with children from a poorer neighborhood in Salvador. These poorer areas, known as favelas, rarely offer an opportunity for children to develop and prosper. (Picture a neighborhood built on a steep hillside with no running water or sewage, with apartments built three stories high by amateur (at best) carpenters using only cinderblock and clay.) We visited a community center that gave these children an alternative to life on the street and helped us understand how these kids get along from day to day. For two days we were showed around the center, dancing and playing drums with the kids.

Per usual, I found the most lasting impressions came from outside the planned events. I don't mean to sound ungrateful for the hospitality we were shown by the center, but I was very happy to steal some chances to interact with the kids outside of the arranged events. The center has two horses (cavalos) on the premises that eat the grass around the yard and wander around. One of the meninos pulled me aside and informed me that the white horse was very skinny because the brown horse ate all of the "good" grass. He then explained that I shouldn't pull the white horses tail because he'll kick me up into the sky, wise advice from the surprisingly vocal young sage. He then offered to teach me how to play foosball on the center's aging foosball table. Noticing that there was no ball, the little boy told me not to worry and grabbed an empty spool to serve as our makeshift ball. With ball in hand, the boy proceeded to "teach" me by beating my soundly. We high-fived and I thanked him for letting me play. It was a very simple exchange, but that's what I will take away from my favela visit, very cool.

My one regret is that we weren't able to play futebol with the ball we got the kids. I could tell they wanted to play as bad as we did, but I guess the opportunity just wasn't there. For me and Alec this whole trip has been a reconnection with the grassroots of soccer. Everyone here plays, and it would have been really amazing to have played with little ones who literally only have a ball and some imagination.

We did get our chance a day later when we traveled to Itapirica with our host mae and irmao for a weekend at their family's house. Around dinner time we were getting ready to head back from the beach and grab janta when some kids spotted our bola. We exchanged the customary "joga?" "sim eu jogo" with the guys and set up a small-sided game on the beach. They were impressed they had met some Americanos that could play, and we knew enough Portuguese to talk with the kids. With Salvador and the Atlantic as our backdrop we played for over 45 minutes, and it was an experience I'll never forget. There was no language barrier, only a common game, the power of sport connecting two very different cultures. After the game our opponents offered us coconuts, climbing a 45 foot tree and kicking down coconuts, catching them in towels and cracking them on the rocks. We sat with our friends and watched the sunset on the beach as we sipped fresh coco verde. Que legal. It really was something I'll never forget.

Soccer has really been our saving grace here. We bring our bola everywhere, and whenever the opportunity arises we whip the ball out to juggle. It's amazing how many people have joined in with us. I wish it was like this in the States. There is definitely a communal aspect to this game that is incredibly strong in Brazil.

This is kind of a one-sided article, but I hope to fill in more as the week continues, including many more picture updates!! Thanks for checking in.

Graf with favela in the background, notice how huge they are..take up 70% of land area in Salvador

Welcome flags to Itapirica

Our ride to Itapirica

My host family and Alec and I (Alec, Carla, Maya, Paulo, Kade)

Nighttime chilllin

Our friend and his horse on the beach at Itapirica, stoic pose

Moonlit, long exposure with Salvador across the bay (midnight)

Itapirica group

Moonshine

slide in there

2011-08-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

In between Brasil posts I'll throw some music at you, just to keep you in the loop. This Enigma remix of Sigur Ros' "Saeglopur" (which translated means 'Grocery Store Checkout Line" I'm told) is a bit more uptempo than the original, but hits that perfect chill chord in my book. It's a relaxed song with a heavy enough beat and even some soft dub that'll keep you moving in the morning... we'll call it downtempo. Either way, stuff's legit, add it to the playlist. L8r sk8rs..

Brasil: Branching Out

2011-08-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

So I've been keeping a (sort of) blog for my recent trip to Brasil on posterous, and I couldn't stand the site, so I'm switching it over here so people can see what I've been up to.

I had to take summer classes this year to fulfill credit requirements and was lucky enough to go to Brasil to fulfill them. I stayed with my good friend Alec and a Brasilian host family in an immersion setting. I went in with no Portuguese training at all, and it was an adventure to say the least. Here's some stories and pics from the trip. Enjoy!

* * * * *
Oi amigos! Welcome to my Brasil blog!
I have tried to hit the ground running here, experiencing as much of the city of Salvador as possible. Within hours of landing (a day late) in Salvador, some of us made our way down to the famous Porto da Barra - oft considered one of the best public beaches in Brasil and the world - to see what the hype was about. We were quickly blown away by the incredibly active culture that surrounds beach and city life in the region. Endless amounts of people, young and old, could be found running, playing soccer, swimming and enjoying the beach.
The beach itself was stunning, with clear and mild water and soft sand, a far cry from the beaches we have come accustomed to in the Northern Atlantic. It really was the perfect way to spend our first day in a new place.
For me personally the experience has been something out of a dream. Brasil has always loomed somewhere off in my distant imagination, always out of reach. Now however, I'm living it, and it really is something special. After just five days of language immersion, I'm beginning to grasp not only the spoken language but the body language that so regularly goes with it. My host family has been unbelievably accommodating and is dedicated to helping me learn the language and enjoy their beautiful country.
Trips to Ribeira, Barra, Rio Vermelho, Pelourhino, Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa helped us gain a lay of the land in our new and sprawling city. I took some awesome photos and am excited to continue adding to my collection.
What has really blown me away during the first week of the trip though, has been the love for futebol (soccer). The Brasileiros really bring to light how beautiful and simple the game is, and as a soccer player, I'm smitten. Two posts and a ball, something the Brasilian people have taken to heart. I have seen creativity blossom in each of the different fields we encounter with goals made from the traditional metal, to wood, to plastic piping, to sticks on the beach. We are also fortunate to be down here during the Copa America, the biggest tournament in futebol outside of the Copa Mundial. For the last Brasil game Alec and I went out to a small bar with our host broder Paolo and his friends, a very real and very Brasil experience. I am looking forward to exploring the city's love of the game further in future blogs.
I had many more experiences this week (bartering at the market for jerseys, going for acaraje with our host mother, shopping at the mall and visiting a favela), but I think I should end my rambling before it goes too long. Ate mais tarde...
-Kade (Ca-Ji)

One of the endless beaches in Salvador, most just a walk away

Futebol on the beach in Itapirica..Salvador across the bay

Knockoff jerseys for the Copa game..yes please

Back on Track Monday Covers

2011-08-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

So over the next few days I'll be transferring over my Brasil blog to here, hopefully it'll give you a better peek into what i've been up to the past month-ish, sorry for the delay on that. In that same spirit and in the spirit of Monday Covers, I thought I'd upload a random little video of some covers in action. Brasil had covers everywhere. Almost every band I saw down there would throw in a Bob Marley or MJ. So anyways a couple of times I had my Flip cam on me and decided it'd be fun to record some covers "in the wild". Here's a mundane attempt at "Walking on Sunshine" that I recorded..in the Salvador airport...at 3am, haha.

For those aching for a little more, let me start of with a PARENTAL ADVISORY. If you're still here, I've got a little Theophilus London cover of Tweet's "Oops..Oh My" (don't pretend like you don't remember this one). Definitely digging the song, the video kind of comes out of left field though. I guess it was some artistic venture Lindsay Lohan took before heading to jail? I'm really confused. Either way, the song is chill, the vid...it is what it is. Aight playas, headin back to CT today, B EZ killllas.

Throne

2011-08-11T07:03:00.001-07:00

The new Jay-Z/Kanye colab "Watch the Throne" is straight fiyerrrr. Get on board kiddos, this is one boat you don't want to miss. They leaked it online before it goes on sale so click this link and listen in.

My two favs are "Ni**as in Paris" and "Why I Love You". The sampling is out of this world, click the link snitches....... Dankity dank

...and don't say I never gave you anything nice.

**UPDATE**

So i guess they shut it off. Anywho, buy it, it's that good. Crazy, I know.

Whoaaa

2011-08-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

So you're saying I can't walk to the beach from my city apartment and drink an ice-cold 1.50 beer right next to the cops while staring at scantily-clad beautiful women anymore?

...reverse culture-shock is depressing.

In other news...I'm back in Boston and giving you your cover on a Tuesday...EZ DUZ IT

The video is pretty cheeky, name all the MJ references in the vid and win a free pair of plastic vampire teeth

Segunda-Feira Covers

2011-08-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

Blah gettin bogged down here, but not forgetting about ya. I'm a day late, and within hours of heading off on a jungle adventure in Lencois, and figured it was now or never (e agora ou nunca)! So here ya go Avalange...Carlos Santana covering Fleetwood Mac's "Black Magic Woman". WHAT?!? That's a cover? Well folks you learn a new thing everyday when you kick it with Killa Kade. B EZ ninjas...

Shmonday Shmovers

2011-07-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

Wow my Brasilian adventure is half over, I can't believe it. My only consolation at this point is that I still have another half to go, hoping for more of the same!

I've been to the beach more in these few weeks than my previous four summers combined, definitely a perk of my Brasil studies. My Portuguese is definitely getting better, but after a week of exponential improvement I think I may have hit a bit of a plateau. Hopefully I'll bust through that soon and continue onward and upward!

Spent a beautiful weekend on Morro do Sao Paolo (Look it up!!) and am now getting ready for school eating some fresh rolls, cheese and fried plantains.

This week's cover combines the Brasilian bossanova musical style (an upbeat acoustic-y guitar and smooth vocals) with another Brasilian love...Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson actually filmed one of his music videos in Pelhourino- one of the older neighborhoods in Salvador- and people haven't forgotten it. The King of Pop lives on in the land of samba. Today's cover is a bossanova cover of "Rock With You", one of my fav MJ tracks. Enjoy gatinhas.

It's Monday in Brasil too

2011-07-18T05:17:00.001-07:00

Oi amigos!

It's my second week in Brasil and I think I can officially say that I'm smitten. Beaches, Music, Architecture, People, Food, Culture, it's all here. Definitely feeling lucky to have been afforded this opportunity and trying to make the most of it.

This weekend while BA chillin I was sitting with my amigos from Northeastern and my host family at their beach compound in Itaparica (look it up) and listening to music. Out of nowhere, our host cousin Rodrigo (truly the life of any party) whips out a Lauryn Hill CD. Just a classic. No matter where you are, it just couldn't be denied. This week's cover had no choice but to come from the lovely Ms. Hill. Here's here take on Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You". Yuppp it's a cover.

I'll have more pictures and updates for you later, but I leave you with some from our weekend beach trip to Itaparica. That's the city of Salvador in the background..

Ps this is without flash at 10pm in the dark...yea buddy

The gringos de Salvador

2011-07-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

Hola meninos e meninas, I've landed safely in Salvador, Brasil and am trying my hardest to immerse myself in Brazilian culture. Part of the Brazilian culture is being a good hour or two late for appointments. In honor of this tradition, I give you your Monday cover two days late.

The cover straight from the depths is the Flaming Lips' rendition of Black Sabbath's famous and oft-covered "War Pigs". This is a pretty solid venture by the quirky Lips boys and I hope you enjoy! Muito (many) updates soon! Fica de boa gringos! (Be cool).

Tchau!

Let Freedom Ring

2011-07-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

Hot-Pea-Chew-Lie-Thief-Oath everybody!

Hope everyone is finding place to cool off in this awful mugginess! As our nation celebrates its independence we all get a chance to celebrate friends and family with BBQ, parties, swimming and everything else that makes life good. I'm at home in Ridgefield, CT for the last time before I embark on my Brazil excursion and personally can't think of a better holiday to celebrate beforehand.

Shifting gears, I came across this cover whilst creeping the Interwebz. A song that everyone knows, but an artist many have likely heard of. However the artist recreating the song may hold a little more sway, having burst on the scene over the past few years..Mr. Bon Iver. Covering the iconic 'sometimes you just can't force the issue' song, here is Bon Iver with Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me"..Enjoy America

summmer tunez

2011-07-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

Went to a sweet outdoor concert on the historic Landsdowne Street (think the street directly behind the Green Monster at Fenway) with Lange and decided to film a little montage instead of using my words this time. Featured Dom, Young the Giant, Foster the People, Naked and Famous and Cold War Kids for only 20bux. Hoped to capture the summer heat along with the huge crowds and great music! Finally got some film burn transitions for you guys and tried to make the footage look a little 35mm-esque...see what you think! PS the pixels and twitches only came about via my YOUTUBE upload so it may be time to make the shift to Vimeo, I think I might finally be worthy..

Song: Strings by Young the Giant

BALLERDASH

Wanderings

2011-06-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

"The desert is for poets, prophets and madmen" -Matthew Sincell (until I can find the proper source)

I will write on this later, as it rings incredibly true for many of us.

For now, some pictures from a Utah journey to the southern desert in April of 2011 will have to hold you over...

Muntay

2011-06-27T06:47:00.001-07:00

Ugh bummer, two Monday covers back to back...which of course means I was lazy and didn't give you kiddos anything else to nibble on during the past week, sorry for that. I've been trying to catch up on my Brazil preparations before I ship off and am definitely starting to feel overwhelmed. On top of document/book gathering for my classes down there, I've been trying to get a grasp for the language so I don't head off completely in the dark. Headway is being made, but that's about it.

Interestingly enough though, over the past week I've added a number of songs to my covers cache, and actually found myself with options this Monday. The one that stuck out for me today was actually a recommendation by my friend Lange. Originally I hadn't even heard the song being covered, "The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire, but after listening to it and then comparing it with the cover...the compilation is pretty awesome. Take a listen for yourselves and see if you can get behind it! Mr. Little Jeans covering Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs"...enjoy beezys.

mndy cvr

2011-06-20T06:13:00.001-07:00

Anotha Monday, Anotha Dolla...or in my case anotha attempt at stretching that dolla so it lasts another week, though that's ERRONEOUS to the task at hand.

Today's cover pushes the definition of 'cover' to the brink. I've chosen to highlight Tupac's "Do for Love" which samples the beat and the chorus from Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't do for Love" (pictured at right). While it can be argued that this is merely a sampling of beat and chorus with different verses, it was his birthday.. give him a break! And ladies and gentleman, less we forget, it is TUPAC we are talking about.. 'rules' don't apply.

I remember convincing my freshman-year English teacher (Ms. Freeman) to let me do my end-of-year project on a famous poet on Tupac, arguing quite admirably that he was a poet for an extreme minority that previously had very little representation. Using this song, "Dear Mama" and "Brenda's Got a Baby" I was able to establish Mr. Shakur as a legitimate street poet that shed light on the shortcomings of our economical, political and social systems' reach in South Central LA.. Pretty genius way to get an A I thought. My research consisted of listening to music outside while everyone else poured over pages of Emily Dickinson in the library.

Tangent's aside, here's today's cover AND original, as some may not be familiar. Enjoy beezys.

Original

For those of you who just can't get past my bending of the rules....Here ya go. Yeah that's Boyz II Men AND MC Lyte covering the exact same song...it doesn't get more legit than that

ballerdash

2011-06-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

If you're not from Boston... you're not from Boston. Welcome to Titletown U.S.A. Go Bruins, jump on the bandwagon...it's fun

(The only picture that exists from this night)

I'm Sorry Ms. Jackson

2011-06-14T05:47:00.000-07:00

Whoaaa finally. Just two months later that's all. After enough procrastination to put my usual self to shame I've finally compiled a little amateur video of my first trip to Jackson Hole in late March (the week before closing?!).

I was fortunate to live with another adventurous heart in Park City by the name of Matt and we both decided to make the 4.5 hour trek north to some of the hallowed ground of steep freeskiing, Jackson Hole...at the ungodly hour of 5am. We spent 3 days skiing some pretty amazing terrain and snow, and soaking up a local atmosphere that only Jackson, Wyoming can provide, chock-ful of music, hearty meals and people who are as crazy, if not crazier, about skiing as us.

The video isn't the highest quality, but I definitely think my editing is getting a little better. The overall goal of throwing this together though is to give you guys a peak at the journey I wish you could have joined us for!

Cheers Matt.

Covers on Mondays

2011-06-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

Not much to say about today's Monday Cover. Somewhere floating around the vast blogosphere sat this brilliant number, just waiting to be plucked up by yours truly. By means I can only describe as divine intervention it ended up in my lap, ready to go, ready for your ears. I guess that's the way it works sometimes. I give you the Trinity Orchestra (from Ireland) and their coverage of some of the Daft Punk album "Discovery". Enjoy.

Sunglass Effect Eh

2011-06-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

Here's one for the bros. I know I promised I wouldn't generate anymore fashion posts after my 'hipster glasses' tirade, but this is an epidemic that extends beyond fashion.

With the warm weather comes a drastic change in city attire, the most appreciated being the switch from baggy sweatshirt to sundress, thank you June temps and humidity. The least appreciated however, is the return of the sunglasses. And no, I'm not talking about regular eyewear to keep the sun's rays at bay for days (see what I did there?), I'm talking about the goggles taking up half of your face that have somehow been deemed 'high fashion'. Besides taking over most of the face, they have created a condition in males everywhere: The Sunglass Effect.

I first discovered that I suffered from this in high school, but it has become more malignant as time has gone on, and I figured something should be said. It's not as much a condition as a victimization by optical illusion really, but it needs to be curbed. Sunglasses these days hide key portions of the face and leave the rest up to imagination, a dangerous tool. Let me explain.

Someone can approach you wearing glasses and, with your mind filling in the blanks, you paint a picture of what this person looks like. After spending hours with said 'imagined' person she removes her glasses and instead of Heidi Klum you have Heidi Watson, the girl with the crazy eyes and the bad breath that sat behind you in third grade. Game Changer. You have just been bit by the Sunglass Effect.

Sadly we've all done it, and will likely do it again. It's the way we're wired and the evil sunglass wearers are banking on it. To everyone who insists on rocking these half face masks: Have mercy. Until then I'll be wearing a beanie and ski goggles just to return the favor.

Cheers.

Sunglasses can make this...

...out of this. Yikes spikes.

Even Urban Dictionary knows what's up: SUNGLASS EFFECT

Phishin'

2011-06-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

Another hot mugtastic week in Bostonia and I'm slowly settling into a routine. The only problem with routines is, well, it's predictable. Wake up, eat, run, clean (highly optional), work, eat, Bruins, sleep. I don't like it, it's too comfortable. So comfortable in fact, that I nearly passed up a chance to go to my first Phish show.

Luckily, my friend El Derr cut through my monotony cocoon and yanked me out, saying that Phish was "something you have to experience". And damn, I guess he had a point.

Just rolling into the Comcast Center parking lot you could tell you were in a foreign, but fantastic scenario. Tents upon pop-up campers upon more tents that would put a Moroccan bazaar to shame. People walking around shirtless, painted, glittered (I was in the latter bunch thanks to the discovery of glitter cream?) and most importantly everyone smiling. Not a single unhappy soul in the place, a true microcosm of jubilation. Some people had dreamed for years about seeing this show, had probably sold countless family heirlooms to purchase tickets, and here I was, a ticket-holder by fortune.

Though I felt a little guilty, I definitely made the most of my Phish experience (no not the illicit drug use part), trying to soak up every minute detail, even bringing my camera along. Me, El Derr, and some of his friends from home met up with some school friends and got to bask in the Phish lot weirdness/greatness for a couple hours before the show, easily some of the best people-watching I've done, and that's saying a lot. I'm a pretty habitual people-watcher, observing is my game.

After an awesome show, (Derr's right you have to experience it for yourself), the school of Phish fans migrated to the parking lots where we were able to watch the Nitrous Mafia battle the cops for an hour or so while enjoying the launching of 20 or so floating lanterns, a very cool, peaceful and surreal end to our night.

Moral of the story and something I've preached all along, though sometimes I need a friend to help me remember once and a while: Don't settle, take chances, life is too short for routine. So your gamble didn't pay off this time? So what. You went for it. More than most of us can say at any one time or another.

Good looks Phish.

Selling beer from a scooter-propelled wagon in the parking lot..

Artists doing what they do...hocking their art

Stayin cool in the parking lot

The freshest trio in the history of trios... high octane high-5s on the right

Every ship needs a masthead..

Workin on my base tan

flashing. lights. great light show to accompany great music

part of the motley phish crew

A phone's attempt to capture the throng of phish-heads, instead I got a creepy beard portrait

MORE FROM PICS COMING!!

Dumbday Cover

2011-06-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Despite the weather being absolutely beautiful, and the city awakening from its spring hibernation, today's Monday cover arrives on a somber note.

My cat passed away in rather tragic circumstances this past weekend, in a way that neither pet nor owner should ever have to experience. I feel awful for both sides on this one, and I also am sad to lose someone that, for 12 years, has been a part of my life in one way or another. For those of you asking if I really just eulogized a cat, my cat, the answer is yes.

Snickers was good to all of us, and on top of being a great pet gave me a chance to see kittens born firsthand, something everyone should get to see at least once. With my 'cat lady'-esque ode I'd like to attach a cover. Seems fitting to unleash the one-woman cover machine Cat Power on a day like today. I had another cover on tap, but life intervened and this was the most appropriate. Though most of her covers are solid, I found her rendition of Oasis' "Wonderwall" to tickle my fancy in particular today. Without further ado, enjoy beezys.

If I've posted this already (not sure) please forgive me in my old age....i'll make it up to ya

Also check out her take on David Bowie's "Space Oddity", I really wanted to post this one but turns out she only recorded it for this commercial and only did the 30-second bit, BLAST!

-I thought you said it was an electrical fire? -Yeah that's what I said totally electrical

2011-06-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a slew of strong storms swept across the state. Alliteration aside, by the time they made their way into Boston it was late and the dark had long ago banished the sun westward. Needless to say, it was the perfect theater for a lightning show, and boy did we get one. I was able to snap a couple pics that came out OK, which is pretty excellent considering that I just guessed at a low aperture and controlled my shutter speed manually (which I think might be the best bet for lightning photography). Hope you like some of them, my camera was dead during the first half of the extravaganza so I missed a ton of good ones (a likely story I know, but it's true!)

It got me to thinking though, that being a lightning photographer is on par in the photo world to being a meteorologist in the science world. The most imperfect and random skill in a field that requires precision and accuracy. I need to find a job like that. Meteorologists can be wrong 8 times out of 10, but if they get that one Nor'easter correct, people forgive all those other 'Tornado Warning' blunders from the season before. Same goes for lightning photography. A photographer can sit there for hours holding the button down to extend his shutter just right and maybe catch a bolt in that 30 second window (that's literally what you have to do) and if he catches it, BOOM, magazine cover. Nevermind the miles of film he wasted beforehand, THIS guy is a creative genius with an amazing lightning photo! Yeah sign me up for that gig. I need something where I can be wrong over half the time and not get chastized for it, and then when I finally do get it right, I get hoisted up like I made the game-winning shot. Haha imagine if that's how if worked in print journalism...a journalist can dream right?

Anyways, enough ranting for one day. I've been holding stuff off because I like to move sequentially, but it's taking its toll on this blog. My trip to Jackson Hole circa early March is holding me up big time. Hopefully that will be done soon along with some last licks from Utah and some East Coast adventures to the mountains, NYC and beyond. Wish me luck, and keep reading...once in a while at least.

Tchau (That's my extensive brazilian portuguese at work).

Kinda feeling this angle

rain on the lens but check out the streaks!

Memorialday Cover

2011-05-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day keeds! Another one of those tricky Mondays, but I won't be fooled! Today is a beautiful summery day in CT, but I hear my friends over in Utah are still slaying powder after Snowbird received over a foot of fresh snow last night! Wow. In other news, my cousin Samantha of the same age, was engaged yesterday to her longtime boyfriend Jeff. Un-be-liev-able! Seems like yesterday that she was convincing me that different colors of paper had different flavors (ie black = chocolate, red = strawberry, etc.) One National Geographic mag later, I was a little sicker, but a little wiser, man time flies!

In the cover world, I saw this the other day and couldn't resist. I really try and steer clear of the acoustic "Youtube-y" covers (I feel like that's cheating, too easy), but I really couldn't deny this one. Even though it's technically a Drake song it serves more as a Lil Wayne welcome back song and it has been blowing up the local hip-hop stations recently. "I get paper" has this obnoxious but unforgettable hook that seems, at least at first, to be unimitatable. Welp, it turns out a Katy Perry look-a-like begs to differ, she even kills the Busta part! Unreal. I urge, no I implore you, to take a look at this week's cover of "I get paper" by Karmin. AMERICA!

quewahhh?!?

2011-05-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Just broke 3000 views, ANTE UP killas!

rainy day play

2011-05-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

Mother nature's onslaught continues on the Beast Coast as each day of rain seamlessly blends with another. Somehow I was still able to figure out it was Monday, maybe it was on my post-rapture day countdown or something. For those of you chosen people who got plucked up this weekend, please don't call me collect, I can't afford those charges at the moment, sorry guys just the way it is.

As for the day's cover, I actually used some investigative journalism skills to dig this up from a music blog that has some great tunes. This one has a particular rainy day feel to it beat-wise yet was originally an uplifting song which maybe, hopefully may signal an end to this dreary weather! Covering Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" here is the Knocks featuring Julia. Enjoy kiddos.

uplate

2011-05-17T15:04:00.001-07:00

Sorry I've been so vacant lately, it's been hectic getting my feet back on the ground. I still haven't unpacked from my Utah stay and made a quick trip back to see my fam in CT this past weekend. Luckily I grabbed a cheap Fung-Wah bus ticket at the last second on Friday and got off at a rest station in CT before having to ride all the way down to New York, great deal!

After that fiasco I was able to celebrate my dad's bday, my sister Kori's homecoming from her first year of college and my youngest sister Kalia's confirmation all in one weekend. Interspersed were some great reunions with friends and family after nearly 5 months away! I got to watch my youngest sister carry on some of our athletic genes with 3 goals in her soccer games and an FCIAC-qualifying 400m time in track, too cool! I wish all weekends could be as productive as the last.

Alas, there's a short update, forgive my negligence towards the blog, it'll get better before it gets worse!

Tchau amigos.

Ondaymay Overscay

2011-05-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know. Well it's still Monday in Utah, so we'll go with that. Fugees, Bob Marley, nuf said, DEAL?!

Enjoy beezys..

Mon-day Co-ver

2011-05-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Back in Bostonia, and after a whirlwind weekend of reconnecting with my friends, my apartment and my city, my feet are back on the ground. Just in time, you might say, for Monday Covers.

Today's cover features the Wallflowers, a 90s band that really could have been on Third Eye Blind's level if they had played their cards right. Definitely a good band, I think they do a more than alright job with David Bowie's "Heroes". Pretty sure this cover was in "Almost Famous" too, correct me if I'm wrong.

Anywho for some today is bon voyage as they embark on some awesome adventures overseas, safe travels and miss ya already. B EZ Bostonia...

2011-05-04T17:00:00.001-07:00

In the Denver airport, makin' my trek home. Seemed like an appropriate flying song, and I'm heading back to Guru's hometown...it just works.

Utah's Final Monday Cover

2011-05-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Today is my last cover from Utah, it is also the birthday of my baby sister Kalia, who turns 15 today. 15?! Where has the time gone, I can't believe it. She's turned into quite a cool chick but it's definitely scary for the older brother over here. Happy birthday Kalpal, love ya.

As for today's cover, I'm taking a little different road than usual, but a cover I deliver nonetheless. Samuel Barber's renowned "Adagio for Strings", a critically acclaimed classical piece from the 1936, was reworked by techno maestro DJ Tiesto to create a quite catchy but equally powerful cover. Music can appear in many different ways, and this cover is testament to that...enjoy beezys

Chapter closed

2011-04-29T13:49:00.001-07:00

Well, I've reached an end. Today signals the end (for now) of my tenure at the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, my place of employment for the last 4 months. 60+ news articles, infinite social media updates, World Championships, X Games and 2 sports added to the Olympics later, here I am, on the other side. It's been a wild ride and I've had a lot of fun. Sad to say goodbye to all the people who made this experience what it was, but now's the time. Thank you for everything! Here's my final article for USSA, nothing crazy, but read and enjoy!

***US Freeskiing***

Gotta get down on Mon-day

2011-04-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER: If you have a short attention span, you're not going to enjoy this Monday Cover. I repeat, if you are easily distracted by shiny things, this might not be for you.

Well, with that out of the way, I'd like to say welcome to the newcomers. Seems like some of you enjoyed my last post, maybe I should write more often. Anyways here's Monday's cover. Straight from key contributor El Derr (That's Spanish for, "The Derr") I give you John Popper's rendition of "No Woman No Cry" by Mr. Bob Marley. Feel like I've done a lot of Marley covers but I think that speaks volumes about his legacy, the dude has earned mad respect. Anywho, patience is the name of the game on this one, takes a while for Popper to get going, but he kills it in the second half...I promise. Plus, who can hate on a harmonica solo. Not I good folks, not I...

Chairlift Chronicles

2011-04-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hey, so believe it or not, I actually am still writing, yeah i know crazy right? Took me a while to get my thoughts on paper on this one, but I just finished it and might go fishing to some local mags, just thought I'd give you guys the insider access before I'm uber famous and stuff. Haha. Interesting topic, I hadn't seen it explored anywhere else so I thought I'd give it a shot. As always feedback is appreciated. Try to enjoy will ya?

**The Chairlift Chronicles**

It's almost too routine.

Tales of knee-deep powder, untracked tree runs and the cliff drop "you had to be there for" swirl around the water cooler every Monday morning. High fives are passed around like the common cold and exaggerated hand motions fly as each beaming weekend warrior takes a crack at why his or her ski weekend was more epic than the last.

Yet despite the great detail and lengths these parables often extend to, most storytellers leave out half of the action. Sure the downhill adventures tend to be the most exciting, but just as the moderately-adjusted ancient proverb contends: with every downhill comes, oh yeah, that uphill. For many resort-frequenters this means the chairlift, a part of the weekend that no one wants to talk about. And for good reason. For many mountain-goers the lift is the bane of their alpine existence. Lift lines, wind holds, those lifty scanning guns that always seem to jam up just as you're finally about to load, it seems "annoying" is the most PG description for those uphill people-movers. The worst part? With the advent of teleportation seemingly at a standstill, it looks like the "annoying" lift rides aren't going anywhere soon.

Now I've been on the he-man-chairlift-hater bandwagon since I first clicked into my Kermit the Frog-adorned Rossignols at age 3. Of course there was also the time I was violently mowed down by a triple at 5, the time I snapped my favorite poles unloading when I was 8, and that time I sat through a 45-minute mechanical hold at mid-mountain with 50mph gusts at age 12. I would say those all but cemented my negative sentiments towards the lift.

But a move from the Ice Coast early this year triggered a cosmic shift in my chair-riding outlook. With an internship calling and no concrete plan, I picked up my skis, heeded Horace Greeley's westward call, and landed in Park City, alone and overwhelmed. In relatively foreign territory, I saw skiing as my solace, heading to the hill as much as possible. Only trouble with that was, for the first time in my life and much to my mother's chagrin, I was skiing alone. The limited knowledge I've gained over the years has taught me that most experiences are much better shared, and I learned that skiing was no exception.

Here I was, skiing the legendary Wasatch Range- an adventurer's playground that most can only drool over from behind their keyboards- and I felt like something was missing. There were no high-fives, no woops and hollers, no one to turn to after the most amazing run of my life and say, "Woah. That was awesome." I was craving that human contact and without it found myself in the strangest purgatory imaginable: stranded in powder paradise.

With my condition bordering on desperation, the chairlift seemed like the only option I had to reach for a connection. I began to ask questions to fellow lift riders, starting with the innocuous: “How’s your day going?”, “Enjoying the snow?” and gradually progressing to “What do you do?” “Where are you from?”. And though the questions rarely probed deeper than the surface, some of my preconceived walls slowly began to crumble. Soon I started turning down the headphones I’d relied on to enjoy my day and actually took a good listen to the answers I was getting. My comfort level grew with these answers and eventually my lift rides seemed less a burden and more an opportunity: an opportunity to fill that void that had threatened to ruin my Wasatch winter.

But the ultimate realization came during a blinding snowstorm. The kind of snowstorm that accumulates on your helmet on the way down and erases your tracks off the face of the mountain before you have a chance to turn around. Some skiers call it an “open bar”-type day with champagne powder on tap and free refills all over the mountain. Following one such run I loaded onto the nearest double with an unassuming old timer. After a short but animated conversation on the changing storm track sweeping down through Utah, we came upon our destination. My chair companion hustled through a choreographed performance of lift rituals to prepare for our unloading; adjusting the gloves, removing the pole straps, wiping his goggles and taking a big breath of mountain air. Prepared for action the mustachioed chair conductor turned to me and in one final act stated, “Have a nice life.”

Boom. There it was. The “Ah-hah” moment. The epiphany. As our skis hit the snow and the alpine sage evaporated into a wintry abyss, I realized just how right he was. I’d probably never see him again. Heck with roughly a couple thousand mountain-goers there on that day alone, I’d say odds were stacked pretty heavily against that scenario. “Have a nice life,” while awfully final and even a bit terminal, actually rang incredibly true. For 1000 vertical feet our life paths flawlessly intertwined and then, just as seamlessly, slid apart. I doubt he even noticed how profound and poetic those four little words could be, but they refused to loosen their grip on me.

What the words helped me realize was that the chairlift is skiing and snowboarding’s equivalent of speed dating. Ten minutes, that’s all you get. Ten minutes to make an impression. Ten minutes to hear someone out. Ten minutes to connect, and then, in an instant the moment’s passed.

But even ten minutes can be an eye-opening experience. The lift ride provides an extremely unique situation, a rare bubble of honesty in an oft-insincere society. There’s no real gain in misleading a complete stranger, and with most chairlift rides involving at least one stranger, most figure ‘what’s the point?’ The product is a very real, very open conversation that can yield some amazing moments with some fascinating people.

I rode up with three men in their mid to late-60s one afternoon and quickly turned to the usual chit-chat. Somewhere along the way we established that the group was part of a band of old friends and I began to see that the men had been close for some time. Inquiring about how long the men had known each other, I was impressed to learn that they had been steadfast buddies for almost 50 years. “But,” interjected one of the men, “This is the first time we’ve all been together since the last time we skied here… and that was 40 years ago.” 40 YEARS. I had just sat in on a moment in time four decades in the making. Jobs, moves, weddings, children, had all come and gone and after 40 years the group of schoolboy chums found themselves back together, stuck on a lift, with yours truly. Surreal.

Beyond some of these uncanny moments, I’ve also bumped into some great people. A season of lift rides has yielded me company from all different walks of life but all bound by a common thread: snow. In fact some of the best friends I’ve made on my western adventure have come from my chairlift escapades. And while that may appear kind of depressing from the outside looking in, I consider myself fortunate. I’ve been surrounded by people my entire life, but that doesn’t mean I’ve had a chance to meet them all. The lift provided me a venue to initiate a conversation naturally with people I may normally have no association with. Imagine doing that on a city street. Not likely.

And the stories are endless. The professor that picked up skiing late after falling in love with the snow and the mountains. Along his path to winter enlightenment he had chased wild game across the world and studied the Kodiak brown bear in its natural Alaskan habitat equipped with just enough provisions and a digital camera. A man that I would likely only read about plopped right down next to me. At the base a relative stranger sitting to my left, at the peak a friend with a family dinner invitation.

The 30-something snowboarder I bumped into on my first Utah powder day. Spent over half of his life in the mountains, but couldn’t stop smiling like it was his first time: in love with life and pursuing his happiness on a daily basis. A guy with the type of energy that’s as inspiring as it is contagious. What started as a search for the next powder stash evolved into a mountain adventuring duo and a bond forged over 1500 vertical feet that will last long after the snow melts.

These were people I had given up on meeting. Every day I’m out in the mountains I’m thankful I turned off my headphones a took that leap of faith. “How’s your day going?” How simple and elementary it seems, yet how often do we forget to do it? The chairlift forces us to interact, to reach out to someone and something new. As much as I hate to admit it, the chairlift saved my winter. The stories I heard and the people I met reminded me of the unbelievable energy that makes the mountains such a spiritual place.

And to think, it just took those four words from a whiskered wiseman in a snowstorm to set me right. He may never read this, but if he does I’d like to dedicate my unforgettable western adventure to that mustachioed maestro: Thank you friend. Until next season…have a nice life.

Covers and Friends

2011-04-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, only 3 more Utah Mondays left for me, starting to become very very bittersweet. The mountain closed yesterday and there's still tons of snow and boy did we go out in style! Still can't believe it though! But where there's a will there's a way and I don't see my ski season being over just yet..

As for today's cover, I give you the Foo Fighters' version of Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street". You may not know the song off-hand, but it's one of those you've heard tons of times and just never learned the name of, the wailing saxophone rift is unmistakable! I really like the Foo Fighters and think they too often get a negative review for their work, so here's to you fellas. This cover is pretty baller, hope you enjoy it.

And here's another cool little sesh frontman Dave Grohl did over the Beatles' "Blackbird"

Last day shenanigans at Park City Mountain. This was in the middle of the woods and a bunch of groomers brought up kegs and buried them in the snow then built rows of snow benches on our makeshift "beach"...cool stuff. Oh and some dude proposed and we saw a naked chick hit a jump, interesting to say the least...

Monday Kuvver

2011-04-11T10:48:00.001-07:00

this could be the biggest scandal in Monday Covers history. After getting this vid from two people in the span of a week, I have made the executive decision that based off of the 1. Awesomeness of this video and 2. Awesomeness of this song, I am going to grant it Monday Covers status. Now I know some may argue that this Pretty Lights remix of Pink Floyd's "Time" is NOT in fact a cover, but I counter that argument with the fact that Pretty Lights is an instrumental ensemble and therefore by reworking the instrumental aspects of the song rather than the lyrics like is commonly accepted as a cover, they ARE indeed covering the song.

That being said, the higher order has spoken and deemed it cover-worthy. Yeah, I'm the higher order.

A Tiny Day in the Jackson Hole Backcountry from Tristan Greszko on Vimeo.

Sorry, messed up the vid link before, woops

Check itttt

2011-04-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

SOOO it was about a month ago that my roommate Lange and good friend Derr visited me out in Park City and I finally got around to making an edit of the first half of our trip, ya'll should probably check it out...just sayin...

April (Snow)showers

2011-04-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

I TOLD you I'd come through with edits eventually, and here's a little teaser. The day before I went on my 5 mountain interconnect backcountry tour, I got a powder day at Park City, on April- yes you heard right- 3rd! I was skiing by myself so I had to employ the GhettoPro once again and only got 3 runs in before the cam died. The skiing was great, trust me. This a day after 60 degree temps the day before, crazy stuff. Anyway, enjoy the little edit, nothing major, more to come in the near, NEAR future.

Sometimes...

2011-04-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Dreamers and Doers Live as One...

On the "Highway to Heaven", Backcountry skiing between Alta and Solitude Resorts in Utah's Wasatch Range

Coverage

2011-03-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Because I didn't know if I'd have much time today, I already had this Monday cover queued up, this is the White Stripes covering Tegan and Sarah's "Walking With a Ghost". I'll admit, I'm kind of obsessed with the original, so it's an uphill battle for the cover, but I think Jack White and his creepy weird sister do an ok job on this one.

Reason, I'm rushing this post is that I'm in a hurry to make it to this interrconnect tour. Never been more excited, nervous at the same time I don't think, wish me luck!

A lesson in planning

2011-03-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Since the earliest days of grade school I have always had someone telling me to get my life in order, to be better organized, to plan ahead. And these recommendations were not by accident. I have always been the kid waiting until the last second to start my end of the year project or the one printing his term paper and stapling it as he runs through the door five minutes late. I have no real excuse for this, it's just the way I'm programmed, it's "how I do".

Lately this lack of planning has taken shape in life outside of school in the form of narrowly making a flight or running to catch the last bus home after a late night. But while this may seem careless and slightly irresponsible, it also carries along advantages. For one I feel less tied down by a set schedule, free of time's shackles if you will. And two, flying by the seat of your pants (in moderation) allows for spontaneity and creativity, the spice of life.

Take my last Friday for instance. That particular day had a lot of seperate entities that somehow I had to make one. A responsible human being might have had a brain meltdown trying to piece it together, but I chose not to worry and ride the wave as long as I could without falling off (or getting barreled). It was hectic from the start. Get to work and perform all the menial tasks required of an intern at early hours, but then onto the big stuff. After programming the TV to a European cable feed (still don't know how I accomplished that one) I watched the Euro X Games halfpipe final in Tignes, France. After watching Louie Vito stomp his first ever gold medal run, I grabbed my cell phone, gave the dude a call and got a quote from 8 time zones away, something that always never gets old and always seems pretty cool.

Just after my quote collecting my boss runs into my office and grabs me for our company ski day at the Canyons. Not wanting to miss out, I grab my laptop and in the 10 minute ride over to the resort write up a full story with only minimal speed-bump induced typos. I posted the story on the website as I was throwing on my ski boots in the parking lot and then met my co-workers for some afternoon runs.

We grabbed some beers after and I was settling into a nice altitude buzz when my cousin Connor called me up saying he was in Utah en route to Tahoe and wanted to meet up. Now without a car out here I'm pretty much a sitting duck, but I was determined to make it work. I had my ski stuff, I had my work clothes, I had my wallet, screw it, I was going to wing it. I asked a co-worker for a ride to the edge of town and was able to catch Connor as he and his buddy were coming through from Colorado. With only my skis and backpack in tow I was informed that we'd be hitting up Brighton Resort for some nightskiing and didn't really have time to stop. Rolling with the punches I suited up for my second resort of the day, and found out that we could just walk on the lifts without being checked for lift tickets.

I was pretty psyched at my good fortune and figured that it must have been a late night exception. When we rolled up the next day and did the same thing I was kind of shocked. Three days of free skiing at Brighton with great snow! Now I'm not particularly proud of 'cheating the system', but for a college kid on an even more college budget, it was pretty awesome and it was great to ski with my cousin again. Connor and I grew up skiing in Maine together so it was pretty cool to meet up and take on some Utah powder. After skiing backcountry, using an avalanche beacon for the first time and hiking some of the wildest peaks I've challenged out here in the Wasatch Range I said goodbye to Connor and his friends as they headed West to Tahoe and the epic powder kingdom. Without a ride back I got dropped off at the airport, where after an hour of trying to bum a ride to Park City I finally settled on a taxi just in time to get to my work on time Sunday evening.

But you know that's what you get for not planning ahead..an epic weekend and a $40 cab ride. So to all of you "planners" out there, let go and just live a little, you might learn something...

PS to anyone who doubted that good looks and great moves didn't run in my gene pool, check out my cousin Connor killing it on the dancefloor...

March Madness Monday Covers (Alliteration aside..)

2011-03-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well I was about to throw up my hands and claim Monday Cover defeat, but the great ones always find a way to persevere, and well, I persevered in a big way. What do Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer and Bob Marley have in common? Apparently they all sang "Redemption Song" as Bob Marley's original was covered in a pretty surreal cover by the Man in Black and the Clash's legendary frontman. Two icons covering another icon's greatest song? Yes please Monday Covers, yes please.

Anyways I'll keep this post short because I might have another one for you later today. Went to Jackson Hole this weekend, blew my mind, someday I'll be up to date on the vids but for now..TRUST ME. B EZ playas.

Not the first time a well-known artist has covered Mr. Marley, remember this little ditty by a Sr. Eric Clapton?

a step in my shoes..

2011-03-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

Some people do not have to search, for they find their niche early in life and rest there seemingly contented and resigned. At times I envy them, but usually I don not understand them…and seldom do they understand me. I am one of the searchers. There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we completely content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand. We like to walk along the beach, we are drawn by the ocean, taken by its power and unceasing motion, its mystery and unspeakable beauty. We like forests, mountains, deserts, hidden rivers, and lovely cities as well. Our sadness is as much a part of our lives as our laughter; to share our sadness with the ones we love is perhaps as great a joy as we know, unless it is to share our laughter. We searchers are ambitious only for life itself and for anything beautiful it can provide. Most of all, we want to love and be loved, to live in a relationship that will not impede our wanderance and prevent our search. We do not want to prove ourselves to others or compete for love. This passage is for wanderers, dreamers, and lovers who dare to ask of life everything which is good and beautiful.

-found on the door of a deserted store in Colorado by a NOLS instructor who memorized the passage because he had no pen and paper

Gringo Eyez

2011-03-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

My dad was in Honduras a week ago on a mission trip to help build houses and snapped this photo of some Honduran wall graffiti. It was his first trip to a Latin American country, but I think this picture shows how well he absorbed the culture while he was down there. Besides the very Latin vibrant colors and smooth transitions between both warm and cool colors, the picture has some distinct mayan design elements in their that show the blend of cultures and strength of roots in the region. What a cool picture and I'm super stoked to see more from him. Incredibly jealoso of his adventures, but glad he documented!

PS right about now I wish that blogger would fix their friggin washed out photo uploads. The colors are amazing but this site doesn't do it justice!

Thugday Covers

2011-03-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

A little cloud hangs over our Monday today, as someone that I really enjoyed passed on last week. Nate Dogg was one artist that was super unique in my eyes and with his passing at 41, I feel the gap he left in the hip-hop world will be a hard one to close. I actually wrote about Nate in a less serious light on a music blog I've tinkered with recently, check it out. Regardless I felt it fitting to not only pour out a 40 to the OG but to dedicate a cover to him as well. This cover of his and Warren G's "Regulators" is actually pretty awesome and proves once and for all that thugs come in all shapes and colors. Hope you enjoy this untitled cover while remembering a hip-hop legend. B EZ

More updates from my travels coming soon this week, I promise.

2011-03-14T22:33:00.003-07:00

Woohoo I broke 2000 views! There's no way I've looked at this blog 2000 times, that means someone read it!

Monday Funday Couvairs

2011-03-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Jeeesh it's Monday again already! Time is flying, even though this week had so much going on. Greenwich Mean Time tried to pull a fast one on me and moved the clocks forward (apparently they do this every year?) and I didn't even notice because all of the electronics I rely on switched automatically. Wondering why I was so tired, it was the radio that finally informed me of Daylight Savings, good to know haha.

My little cousin Nick turned 7 this week, what?!? I feel like it was maybe a year ago that I went and saw him at the hospital on my way home from skiing on spring break. Amazing, and I hear he celebrated with his ski buddies, too cool.

On a sadder note, what a week for Japan, scary, scary stuff. You know it's devestating when you can get a pit in your stomach from behind a computer screen thousands of miles away. My mind and heart are with them as they endure the tough coming weeks and perhaps months.

With all of that going on my own personal goings-on seem kind of miniscule. Been working my two jobs non-stop for the past week since the AFTRBNGRZ departure. I have had an awesome time with my two roommates, it's really cool when we're all around, feel pretty blessed to have stumbled upon them. Oh and I hit up Snowbird for the first time this weekend, hitching a ride with my neighbor of all people, a 36-year old from Nantucket. Age is so relative out here it's awesome! I better be that energetic when I'm that age, I'm planning on it at least. Hopefully I'll finish some video updates this week, but with European X games coverage on my plate and with March Madness going on, no promises!

Oh yeah, and I have a cover. This is a throwback cover from freshman year, but still a great one. I know I've been doing a lot of acoustic covers lately, but sometimes you just have to follow the course and see where it takes you. This week it takes us to a cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella" by Boyce Avenue. Hope it finds you well, enjoy!

My Commute...

2011-03-10T10:50:00.001-08:00

no traffic today

as promised...

2011-03-08T09:48:00.001-08:00

This is from two weekends ago. After skiing with my new roommate, Matt, for 2 days of heavy snow and deep powder, I went out to hike on Monday. Got a new backpack with ski straps so I can climb with my hands free and I must say it makes life a whole lot easier. I think I logged in close to 2000ft of climbing on this sunny Monday, and yeah I did it with a mustache bandana. Anyways decided to film a little bit and put together a little edit to give some perspective. Sometimes my ranting can get boring, so I'll let you just watch instead...

ps how awesome is this song? J Dilla RIP

Someday Cover

2011-03-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

Lange and Derr visited me from Boston this past long weekend and after 4 days of hard skiing, harder hiking, and general debauchery I'm seeing them off back to the Ice Coast...bummer. It was a lot of fun and I'm hoping it won't be our last adventure out in west country. As their departure falls on a Monday I figured I'd throw that tidbit in there, but here's today's cover.

The feel is a little melancholy but the singer's voice is haunting and sticks with you. Javier Dunn covers Miike Snow's "Animal" a good sing in it of itself. Enjoy folks. Should have another ski edit for you this week and then another one with the boys from Aftrbngrz.

Remembering

2011-03-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

I've been searching for inspiration in the sportswriting world recently, as my career track moves more and more down that road and was lucky enough to stumble upon one Jim Murray. Murray was a sports columnist for the LA Times for over 30 years and has some of the most clever, entertaining columns I've ever read. His sports knowledge is clear, but it's his ability to write and relate to a wider less sports-related audience that makes him so legendary. As famous SI writer Rick Reilly put it "Murray could write anything; sports just happened to get lucky."

I like to think I've fashioned myself in the same way. Sure I love writing about sports, but I want to be able to write about anything, so I'm glad to see that someone has followed a similar path and done so successfully.

The main topic of this article isn't about me though. It's about a beautiful memorial to Murray's late wife, a very non-sports topic. This is a beautiful read. I urge, no I IMPLORE you to read this and think about someone you care about. I've had to write about losing family and friends before and hope that I never have to again, but if I do, I hope that I can do it with even half of the eloquence, honesty and heart that Murray does. READ and see what I mean...

"This is the column I never wanted to write, the story I never wanted to tell.

I lost my lovely Gerry the other day. I lost the sunshine and roses, all right, the laughter in the other room. I lost the smile that lit up my life.

God loved Gerry. Everybody loved Gerry. She never went 40 seconds without smiling in her life. She smiled when she was dying. She smiled at life and all the people in it. When you thought of Gerry, you smiled.

She had these big gorgeous brown eyes and they were merry all the time and they looked at you with such trust and happiness. She never looked down or away. She never did anything to be ashamed of. Nothing. Never. She never did anything she didn't think God wanted her to do. She was in charge of smiling for Him.

She never grew old and now, she never will. She wouldn't have anyway. She had four children, this rogue husband, a loving family and this great wisdom and great heart, but I always saw her as this little girl running across a field with a swimming suit on her arm, on a summer day on the way to the gravel pit for an afternoon of swimming and laughing. Life just bubbled out of Gerry. We cry for ourselves. Wherever she is today, they can't believe their good luck.

I don't mean to inflict my grief on you, but she deserves to be known by anyone who knows me. She has a right to this space more than any athlete who ever lived. I would not be here if it weren't for her. I feel like half a person without Gerry. For once, I don't exaggerate. No hyperbole. If there was a Hall of Fame for people, she would be No. 1. She was a champion at living.

She never told a lie in her life. And she didn't think anyone else did. Deceit puzzled her. Dishonesty dismayed her. She thought people were good. Around her, surprisingly, they were. Her kindness was legendary.

She loved God. I mean, He made the trees, the flowers. He made children, didn't He? And color and song, and above all, babies. She knew He'd take care of her.

She loved babies. Anybody's. She played the piano like a dream. Ask any of the football coaches, the basketball players, baseball pitchers or just newspapermen who leaned across their drinks and implored her for one more chorus of "Melancholy Baby." She played "Galway Bay" every St. Patrick's Day for a maudlin husband who wept over a moonrise he'd never seen or a sunset that existed only in a glass and an ice cube. She was fun.

She wasn't afraid to die. She didn't want to. But she knew she'd see the mother she lost, the son she lost. In a place where she could never lose them again.

You have funny ways of remembering things. The thing I remember clearest today, for some reason, is the habit she had of leaving notes for the kids when she was only going to be gone for the shortest times, the briefest moments. She would leave these notes on a table in this huge lettering, for her handwriting was like her heart, large and overflowing and joyous. "Gone to store," it would say. "Be right back, Love, Mom." She didn't want the kids to think they were without her love for even a few minutes.

She has left no notes this time. But she has, as usual, left her love.

There is a line at the end of "Alice in Wonderland" that always hurt me to read because it reminded me of my Gerry. Alice's sister is dreaming of Alice: "Lastly, she pictures to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood; and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even a dream of Wonderland of long ago; and how she would feel with all their simple joys, remembering her own child life, and the happy summer days."

Gerry took the magic and the summer with her. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was supposed to die first. We would have been married for 39 years this year and we thought that was just the natural order of things. I had my speech all ready. I was going to look into her brown eyes and tell her something I should have long ago. I was going to tell her, "It was a privilege just to have known you."

I never got to say it. But it was too true."

kaPOW!!

2011-03-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Hey! Woops! I made this video last week after getting over two feet of snow in two days and forgot to upload it!

Incredible snow, too bad my camera died after about one run, so the actual ski footage is limited haha. I'm hoping the views make up for it. I tried to distress the video a little bit to give it a little 35mm feel, adding some noise (scratchiness) and deepening some shadows. The idea is to make it look natural, so if you don't notice anything I guess I did it right! I also REALLY like this song. Let me know what you think! (I have another one from this past weekend as well, it's on queue, so hold your horses gosh)

Monday. Covers.

2011-02-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

Last day of February, we're flyin folks! Only 4 more days until I get visitors from Boston, pretty crazy!

But until then, another day another dolla, Monday coverage for ya holla! Today's cover is pretty sweet. It's a Michael Jackson cover, something I thought would be strictly left to amateur acoustic covers on YouTube. But as it turns out Chris Cornell the lead singer of Audioslave and formely of Sound Garden, whipped out a "Billie Jean" acoustic cover at an unplugged show in Sweden, much to everyone's surprise and delight. Now via the interwebz I bring the action to you!

Chris Cornell has always had that unmistakable rasp to his sound, and it adds a whole new dimension to the MJ hit. Great cover, good hustle, enjoy errybody, SPRING BREAK 2011 NO TANLINEZ NO REGRETZZZ!! hah have fun kids...

Those smiling eyes are just a mirror for the sun..

2011-02-24T08:22:00.000-08:00

Been taking as many pictures as I can out here in Oootah and finally had a chance to review them the other day, and every other picture I took was a sunset. It's official I'm a sucker for the sunset. Nevermind the romantic connotations that are so often associated with watching the sun go down, the sun is truly an unbelievable artist. Every night before he goes out on the town he paints the sky for us, and every time he adds his own artistic touch, giving us something new each time around. Now my pictures described out in words may sound monotonous and repetitive, but looking at the pictures you'll realize just how different they all are.

Here's some sunset pics I've taken over the past month or so out here (I have plenty more from other places, but let's keep it simple eh?). I wish blogger would upload photos in full color, but I guess you get what you get, maybe their website is "going green" and washing out all the colors, who knows.

Anyways the key to sunset shooting, I've found, is that it's not the actual sunset, it's the 20 minutes after that's the really amazing. There's a proverbial life metaphor in there somewhere I think...

2011-02-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

This quality is even worse than I imagined, so is the commentary haha. But yea this is the weekend in a nutshell, I filmed...

Coverage, Bday style!

2011-02-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

Let me start off by saying a very happy birthday to my mother dearest and Erica Laut, two very important ladies in my life. The first, well, you know, gave me that whole life thing, and she's a pretty awesome lady, in her 50s and still kicking butt on the mountain, on the trail and anywhere else she happens to go. The second is the first and original Northeastern University biddy in my book, I met her at orientation almost 3 years ago and the rest is history! Have had some great times with the both of them, much love and happy birthday! And happy bday to my boy gdub too, killin it like only the Father of Our Country can...

In other news...I think I'm going to start calling holidays "Silent Mondays" because they're like those silent letters that mess you up in the spelling bee, just out there to trip you up and make you look bad in front of your friends. Well, President's Day got me folks, I'm Silent Monday victim. In my defense, I wasn't resting on my laurels, I was out there slaying pow as almost two feet fell on the mountain over the weekend, but still I know I let the world down.

I may have forgotten the date but I didn't forget the cover, here's one that I can only describe as cheeky and creative. The Fray aren't necessarily my favorite musical ensemble, but this rendition of Shakira and Wyclef's "Hips Don't Lie" is pretty fun, especially the dudes in the background. Plus I definitely crush on Shakira, so its a no-brainer. Take it or leave it, here's this week's coverbizness...

The birth of a legend

2011-02-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

The birth of a legend doesn't come along very often. Only one time can somebody say something truly unforgettable is born: Earth, toast, MC Hammer, all legendary things, and born only once. And now ladies and gentleman, is one of those times.

I give you...the GhettoPRO.

Fashioned after the popular GoPro POV cameras, the GhettoPRO was forged through desperation and pure ingenuity. Lacking the funds to purchase a GoPRO, I strapped a Flip camera to my chest and went skiing, the results, while varied, were overall successful in my book.

The GhettoPRO joins a line of McGuyver-esque cameras in my possession, including the Blind Camera (mentioned in earlier blog posts). So the GhettoPRO is definitely an experiment in process, but I thought I'd let the people of the world see its first day of work. Enjoy and hope you like snow...

Props to Ratatat for the tune, don't get too angry

For all you editing buffs, my final cut pro is acting weird, hence the completely bugged out transitions...those used to be fade outs and cross fades, so yeahh..

Utah'da be kidding me

2011-02-15T07:54:00.001-08:00

Hey all, been a while since I got around to update but frankly, been a while since I took a breath. The very few I've kept in contact with, including my parents can attest to the short one-word text response syndrome I've been suffering from.

Anyways, to all who feel slighted, I'm sorry, I didn't forget boutchu.

So what the heck have I been doing?

Well a couple of weeks back my cousin from Oregon, Taylor and my Uncle Dan made a visit out for cross-country skiing and I got to see them which was pretty cool. East meets West in the middle, sort of. Taylor is always awesome to have around because she will adventure anywhere and this trip was no exception as we found this amazing natural hot spring that overlooked the mountains around dusk. I snapped a couple of photos, hope they do it justice. And damn, hot springs are HOT! Ran into some naked hippies there who told me expressly to keep the place a secret, so as far as my leaking its location, well, I'm bound by the Naked Hippy Code, and that's as good as law out here.

After Taylor's visit I was swamped with writing for the X Games. I didn't get to go to the events, but I got amazing interview access and talked with a boatload of X athletes, many of whom I looked up to growing up, pretty surreal.

It got more surreal the week after as the X parade rolled through Park City for the Freestyle World Championships. I got to chill with the likes of Bobby Brown, Sammy Carlson, Simon Dumont, Sarah Burke and Alex Schlopy (you get a dollar for every name you recognize) and they were all super down to Earth. Oh Yeah, and they throw DOWN on skis. Absolutely unreal!

Writing for the event was exhausting, legitimately 8am-11pm for 6 days but most of my stories got published internationally at the FIS website, the skiing equivalent of FIFA, talk about exposure. Seriously, go ahead, talk about it. Press passes are sweet though, I found myself in VIP tents at Deer Valley eating crepes and lox while rubbing shoulders with the industry elite, a very eye-opening experience.

Less than a week after that I switched over to boardercross for the U.S. Grand Prix and national championship at the Canyons. Those guys are a lot of fun and absolutely insane for flying down those courses, but it was awesome to watch. I didn't have to write really for that event, but I got a chance to take pictures and actually snuck on the course to grab some closer shots. Got to cheese it up with Lindsey "indy grab" Jacobellis, who is actually a really nice girl. And I got two free days at the Canyons in 40+ degree weather which was sweet, the goggle tan is reallly starting to take hold.

During that same event I also started a second job as a busboy at a steakhouse. Now this doesn't sound that cool, but I'm actually super excited about it. All the other busboys speak Spanish, so I'm looking forward to really digging in and improving my dormant Spanish skills. Also I'll be able to make a little expendable income to adventure out of Park City more and try more restaurants, resorts and excursions! Always hustling, no rest for the weary!

Oh yeah, and on top of that stuff, I've been skiing. Totals up to 31 downhill days and probably 7 nordic (which will rise now that I figured out I can ski home from work!). I hope I can update in shorter doses next time, but maybe this will do for now.

Definitely missing everybody back in Boston, but taking advantage of my experience out here and looking forward to some familiar faces in the coming weeks!

I've posted some pics, hope they find you well! Ok going out to get day 32!

American mute grab at FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships

More American propaganda ski photography

Ski posse, -15 degrees Fahrenheit

Intense shadows

HA, Sharpshooter getting sniped! Finally got one back..

Nick Baumgartner, Winter X SBX gold medalist...funny dude

One of the coolest pics I've ever taken, accident, click it to get a closer view

Carnage at Canyons SBX

Lindsey Jacobellis (7 X Games Golds)

Hot Springs at Sunset

Some views get two pictures

Hot springs

I call this one "Utah Tundra at Dusk", because, yeah..that's wut it is

Loveday Covers

2011-02-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Going to be honest here, today I was completely stumped. Of ALL days, Valentine's day, I had plum run out of covers. But thanks to the creative genius that is Eric Dyer aka La Derr (Spanish for "the Derr") not only do I have a cover, but I have a holiday appropriate ditty.

Today's cover you have probably heard, but some may not realize its cover origins. 311's "Love Song" is actually a cover of the Cure's tune from 1989...brilliant. So for all of you in a lovey dovey mood, for one another, for chocolate, for life, here is your Monday Cover, "You make me feel like I'm home again".

Love,
Kade

ps anyone else feel like 311's singer sounds way different than usual in this song? The islandy reverb on the guitars and keyboard are the same dubstyley tho.

2011-02-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

Because we all do it...what's your excuse? Make that change...

CARPE DIEM! Sieze the...carp..?

Doneday Covers

2011-02-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

...I told you I was gonna be swamped. And woah woahhh, it's late on the ice coast, I almost didn't make it in time. Never fear, Monday's here, and so is your cover. I have to admit I was searching for something completely different when I found this, luck of the draw I guess. The actual music is ok, but the video makes it pretty cheeky and fun. Also I didn't realize the Gorillaz could be covered, so bravo Jack Conte. He covers the Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc. " oh so smoothly...jam on lee...

Updates this week, I PROMISE!!

Cover. Monday. Git it.

2011-01-31T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hello day after Sunday, why must you sneak up on me so? Monday's here and here's to another week of craziness. After covering X Games (ya heard of em?) and surviving the Sundance Film Festival last week this week it's on to Freestyle World Championships right here in Park City. I'm going to be maxed out this week and likely won't be able to update much, but the covers must go on!

Today's cover is by the band Youth Group. The song "Forever Young" has been all over the airwaves recently as a backdrop to the new Jay-Z. While I'm a huge HOV fan this song just didn't do it for me, maybe the radio killed it, so I'm glad someone else revitalized it. This cover has a bit of an ethereal feel, but I'm liking it. The old school vid is a definite plus. I'm really a sucker for the retro camera look, I wish I could figure out how to replicate that washed out kind of grainy look.

I'm trying to get into using Soundcloud, but I like this vid, so maybe next week. Cheers kids, and hey Bostonia, ship some snow West will ya?

Utah, Get Me Two!!

2011-01-23T20:59:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is a little overdue. When I last left you guys I had just found a place to live, but didn't have a bed. Well some things have yet to change...still bedless. On the other hand, a lot of stuff has changed and mostly for the better. Work out here is heating up, saw Shaun White working out in our gym the other day and just got assigned to cover some BIG freestyle skiing events in the near future..I'll let you guess what they are, pretty psyched about that though. I've gotten to ski close pretty much every other day, feeling pretty lucky about that. I'll get off work some nights and go night-skiing to unwind, something I could never do back east.

I've never been much of a morning person, but the view and sunrise outside my window is something that's really indescribable. The best way I can put it into words is someone throwing a light orangey pink paint at the sky and letting it slowly drip down the Wasatch Mountains, incredibly surreal.. sometimes you have to pinch yourself.

My roommate has been awesome so far, she's definitely one of the nicest people I have ever met, plus she cooks dank Mexican food- the key to my heart for sure. Her dogs could be my best friends out here so far ha, a lab named Chimay and a feisty little pug named Cosita. They're always down to chill.

I've been slacking on the camera work, but I promise I'll get better as I get more settled. That being said, I have a couple of pictures to tie you over..for now. I wish I could show everyone in person, but for now, my amateur camera work will have to do!

Cheers errybody, and to my Bostonia contingent, send some snow this way eh?

View out of my window: Morning

Dusk

Midnight
My two new buds: Chimay and Cosita

Night skiing looking back at Park City

Sunset from the lift

Desert Sunrise

Wasatch...dem mountains

Icicle Traffic Blur

Famous Egyptian Theater

Sundance in a nutshell...blur

Bing Bar, legendary

Blurz

Sundance 2011

Artsy photos take over

Cool angle, lots of different shapes/gradients

dirt mcgirt

main street moonin

main street sundance

kinda iffy vid quality, but you get the picture. outside my window..

Shmonday Coverz

2011-01-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

I've had this dude on queue for almost a week now, yeah, I was that excited, crazy I know. Sorry I'm slacking on the update posting from Utah, I swear I have a good one in line for this week. For now though, you'll have to be content with this cover of Jay-Z's "99 problems". This weekend I saw a dude perform an acoustic "Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangsta" and I wish I'd recorded it, pretty awesome. But alas, this week's cover is pretty cool, so drop in and tune out...

MLK Cover

2011-01-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

Tis Monday and even though it's a holiday, I'm sitting at work. Part of the reason for this is that it's raining in Utah? and I don't feel like shreddin the rainpuddles. Luckily for my faithful readers, that means that I WILL remember to post a cover today. Today's cover is courtesy of the Eric Dyer the "Derrminator". It's a dubstyley cover of the Beatles (ever heard of em?). Here's Easy Star All-Stars with "Lucy in the sky with diamonds". Enjoy muchachos.

Updated Upgraded

2011-01-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

Well my feet are finally on the ground here in Utah. I've started work at the US Ski Team and have a pretty busy schedule. They let me use the US training facility at lunchtime which is a huuuge perk, unbelievable setup in there. As far as everything else, I've been scrambling to fix my homeless situation, and I found a great place! I'm super excited to move in with some new people and I'm really close to town. Oh yeah and I wake up every morning and look out over Park City Resort and the Wasatch Mountains, no big. I'm getting my pass to Park City tomorrow and my skis came in today, so after a week of staring at the mountains I finally get to take my best shot at em tomorrow! Glad that everything is coming together, and hopefully I'll get some picture updates for you soon. The mountains are truly amazing and the sunsets can't be beat, I'm a sucker for that stuff. So despite living an unorganized whirlwind of a life, one thing is for certain...CAN'T KNOCK THE HUSTLE! ya digg?

And to all my Boston kids..enjoy the snow!

Sundance Film Festival in a week!!!

MONday Cover

2011-01-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

Monday, Monday, MONDAY! Just started work today at the US Ski Team and have to say I'm a bit overwhelmed, lots to do! Regaaahdless I got a cover for you this week. This cover has been floating around the Interwebz for a little while, but maybe some of you haven't seen it yet. Amateur covers are always hit or miss, but I think you will like this one. Possibly the cutest cover of the year, here is Jorge and Alexa Narvaez's rendition of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's "Home". Enjoy..

Kerouac-ing

2011-01-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

To whom (that's plural, grammar snobs) it may concern: Today is my last day on the Eastern Seaboard for an extended period of time. I am heeding Horace Greeley's call to "Go West Young Man", interning out in Utah. Today is supposed to be my travel day, weather permitting, so I threw together a collection of travel songs. Seemed appropriate. Good thing about posting is that I can do it from anywhere, so hopefully I'll still be able to make it rain from the Wild West. Keep it steezy tricks...

fav RHCP

This track is allowed to be used twice..

Wyclef? Check. Paul Simon? Check.

...because there's really no other way to end this post.

Sport

2011-01-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

ESPN's "30 for 30" is absolutely incredible. The production of full-length documentaries highlighting some of the most fascinating stories in sports is something I've always wanted to do since I was little, and I have to be honest I'm a little jealous and ticked off ESPN got around to it before I could make my directorial debut. That being said, ESPN has chosen some amazing filmmakers with some amazing stories and should really be congratulated for their work on the project.

I was just recently blown away by the documentary "The Two Escobars". This story follows the lives of two famous Colombians, drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and soccer poster child Andres Escobar. Polar opposites, the two share little, except the undying passion for soccer, something that, perhaps tragically, connects the pair in the end. The story examines how Pablo's drug money fueled the Colombian soccer economy and made Colombia into a soccer force during the early 1990s.

At the head of this tour de force was defender Andres Escobar, who saw soccer as a chance to escape poverty and positively promote his country. Andres and fellow teammates embarked on a mission to put Colombia on the top of the soccer world and for the years leading up to the 1994 World Cup they did just that. Suddenly Colombia had become a competitor, and the country had developed a positivie cultural identity through their team and their sport.

This was something that struck me as particularly powerful. Here was a group of 22 soccer players, who through a sport, had put a nation on their back and dragged it to prominence. A nation riddled with drugs and crime, looked upon these 22 as beacons of something bigger, something that could transcend the problems of a nation and put them in the positive world spotlight, something that the people could be proud of. This is exactly what Andres and his teammates did for Colombia. This too is what makes sports such an awesome focus for a story, and perhaps why I have pursued it so. Sports has the ability to create a cultural identity and pride that no political or physical force has been or will be able to create. A passion can bond a people more than any policy, something that even the greatest politicians have realized.

Tragically sports can also be unpredictable and cruel and Andres' case this plays out to the extreme. As a captain of his 1994 World Cup squad, Andres scores an own goal that puts his team out of the Cup and contention. After overcoming the devastation of that moment, he returns home and shortly after is killed in a dispute outside of a nightclub, he was 27 years old. Many of his Colombian players were so distraught they immediately retired from international play, unable to continue without their fallen comrade. With the death of Andres Escobar came the death of the promising Colombian soccer program. Sadly life can sometimes intervene in the purest of passions.

Ironically, and quite poignantly after the fact, Andres' last words to many of his admirers and countrymen came in a newspaper column talking about that fateful own goal. In it he described his deep shame and sadness but also his hope for the future of Colombian soccer. Despite his team's and his nation's setbacks, Andres believed that all was not lost. He ended his piece with a statement that reads beautifully in Spanish but equally as powerful in English. In his final living testimony, Andres said, "porque la vida no termina aqui". Because life doesn't end here.

Now as a followup to that incredible movie, which I hope you will watch (free onDemand until jan 10), I had to make a short documentary this semester for class. Though lacking in the power of these other documentaries, it is my first effort and overall I kind of like it. It follows a unique group of athletes from an art school up the street from my university and I enjoyed their story. Definitely on the lighter side it puts a unique twist on the "jocks vs art kids" stigma. My only regrets from the piece were that I had to cut it down to 15 minutes and that I wasn't allowed to use real music (strictly unregistered and uncopyrighted loops, which are abysmal). Upload is taking forever, so I'll post this and then post the video as soon as it comes through. Ah technology you've trumped me once again...