A Few of My Favorite Things

There are a few things that I'm totally hooked on right now and I thought I'd share. In no real order of importance:

Toilet Ink - Jen and I kind of have his and hers bathrooms. Mine is in the hall close to the extra bedroom that we use as a den. One of these glorious creations will be spicing up my throne post haste. Not 100% sure which one I'm getting yet, but pretty sure that it will be "The Hot Seat.

TV on the Radio - I've loved this band since I stumbled blindly upon the "Young Liars" EP and they are consistently good. The new album is amazing and totally worth picking up. I don't know if it's as good as their previous album "Return to Cookie Mountain", but this is a bit more fun and funky, and not quite so dark. If you want to hear what they do, but don't want to pay cash money up front, check out their free live set on the The Interface - Live Feed podcast from iTunes.

This American Life - I'm a bit of a Public Radio / NPR geek. It's OK, I'm fine with it. It's the news I listen to when I'm in the car, and entertainment for me when I'm running around on the weekends. Specifically though, This American Life is hands down the best hour of radio you will ever hope to find. For those unfamiliar, each week there is a theme for the show, and each week they explore different perspectives of that theme from (generally) three or four different people. The topics range from topical (the Mortgage Crises episode was brilliant beyond words) to emotional (coping with death, lying, etc.). The different views or approaches to a subject can be in the form of a book reading, interviews, stand up, or journalistic style reporting. Often, the experience is moving. Again, iTunes has the show available for free Podcasting, so don't be shy. Go subscribe. Fall in love. Then, go to their website and give them a few bucks. It is Public Radio after all.

Urban Medium - I know I've sung the praises of UM here a few times in the past, but I love them so I'm going to do it again. I FINALLY got the cash together to get Kim Jong iLL framed. I placed the order and dropped them off last weekend and will hopefully have them back in the next 3-4 weeks. Now, they have a new Charles Manson / Hello Kitty print that's pretty amazing. I'm gonna have to see if we have room for that too. On it's own, it wouldn't be a hard sell, but she is giving up a substantial chunk of wall space for the three prints I'm already getting framed. Not sure that she wants to live in a UM gallery.

Rue Morgue - I've been picking up this magazine at the bookstore from time to time and it's always been entertaining to me. It's an amazing collection of all things horror in all its art forms. Specifically though, this year's Halloween issue is fantastic. Filled with lists of best ever gore films, reviews for novels and video games, and just fun reading over all. If you don't mind stills of nude people impaled on giant poles, this magazine is for you (or maybe just me).

True Blood - Alan Ball, the genius behind Six Feet Under (my favorite television show of all time), is now giving us vampires in rural Louisiana. Lots of blood, sex, death, and black comedy in a show that imagines life after vampires have come out of the closet. Jen said it best: "I can't wait for this show to be over so we can buy it and watch it all again."

Like Christmas in My Mailbox

*Used with permission from Urbanmedium.com . Check them out. Buy some shit.

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I was stuck at work late tonight when I heard that my dictator had arrived. Knowing that the prints that I had been tucking away money for had arrived made it even harder than usual to stay in the office until 7:30. As soon as I got home I opened the tube to behold Kim Jong iLL in all his glory. Really nice work. The only thing that will make me happier is getting them framed and up on the walls. Can't wait.

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In other sort of related news, an old friend, Laura Alexander turned me on to an event happening this Saturday. The Agora (sick of links yet?) seems like a great idea. It brings together hundreds of pieces of art, see a ton of local bands and go through fifty studios. Laura has studio space at Junctionview Studios (site of The Agora) and organizes other shows that take place on a regular basis. I haven't seen her since I was in highschool, but can't wait to say hi and check out some of her glass work in person. The photos I have seen look really great.

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You should come hang out Saturday night. Seriously. What else do you really have to do?

Urban Medium

If any of the two people that have actually peeped out this blog should ever return, you should really go check out http://urbanmedium.com/ . I can't say enough about how great these people are. Seriously, check out DJ-D2 (who graces my cube at work) and Che-Trooper. Straight up brilliant.

While I've picked up some stuff here and there (just got some new T's and I've got tons of their stickers cuz I'm a big sticker dork) I finally placed the order for what I desired most. Kim Jong iLL will be coming to live with me soon. I've got my archival quality frames all picked out and I'm just waiting for them to roll in.

Bring on the crazy North Korean dictator. I've got the spots picked out on the wall for him...