This video blew my mind away...

FULL SCREEN IT!
The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

January 4th, 2010

Burj Dubai opens on January 4th

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Dubai opened the world's tallest skyscraper Monday in a blaze of fireworks, then added a final flourish: It renamed the half-mile-high tower for the head of neighboring Abu Dhabi, whose billions bailed out Dubai amid last year's financial crisis.

- Horoscope for Capricorns 1.4.10 -
You've been thinking about how to better yourself -- thinking very seriously about it. Of course, that's not an easy thing for you to do. You're famous for taking advantage of every opportunity that comes along, and of doing a darned fine job of it, too. Still, there is one more venue that you'd like to explore, and it will definitely make you more 'marketable.' Why not get going on it now? All the cosmic lights are green.

All My Friends

Right now the sound of the hair dryer in the other room is in the same key as this counting crows song. all my friends and lovers, shine like the sun..

Jeremy Fish at Work

"Pigs" (music video)

Aesop Rock | MySpace Music Videos

early, in the morning

How fast does life appear to be going, if at half speed? Does it go to bed when it needs to, or wants to? Because it has to, or because your brain says so. How long could it take life to catch up to your need for sleep, and vice versa.

Early, in the morning is no time to consider such nonsense. Such time should be spent with eyelids shut, and dreams in the dome. Goodnight.

The Best Course

The new people you meet today hold a lot of opportunities for you, but keep in mind that there is more to them than meets the eye. People are very different on the inside than their appearances may lead you to believe, especially right now, when they are on their best behavior. If you make any assumptions about their beliefs, you should keep them to yourself, or risk offending someone. For safety's sake, wait until you know them better before sharing your opinions.

That's what we're waiting for

It rained and its over a shooting star
Landed directly on our broke down little car
We fold and we had made a wish
That we would be missed
If one another just did not exist

- something wonderful to ponder, thank you Mr. Brock

Dropout Boogie

September 11, 2009

It was a clear blue sky, just like today. Not a cloud present, and the weather couldn't have been any better. Today the moon and the sun were high in the sky, at the exact opposite positions. The moon setting high in the west.. The sun rising high in the east. Today, life is balanced. It certainly wasn't 8 years ago. For that, I am eternally grateful. I can do with a day of peace.

Painting the Sky

Clouds.. are so much closer to me, than the average friend.. than the average being. They talk but no one listens. I hear stories in the wind, and beg for distance... to understand the picture, in which they've drawn.. many conclusions, weak and strong. Rain patterns mixing, high above the earth. Waiting, Patient, Suddenly a cloud begins to burst. The story unfolds and memories are told, of oceans near and far, of coast-lines young and old. Their waters it carries, the blessings are many... the drama it holds, unleashed in waves.

Other Side of Poetry

Playing Drums with Jared Mees

Here are a few video tidbits of the time I got to tour with Jared Mees & The Grown Children

Song: The Tallest Building in Hell // Location: Berbati's Pan - Portland, OR


Song: Tallest Building in Hell // Location: Hogan's Place - Clarkston, WA


Song: Bees // Location: Redfish Lake Lodge - Hailey, Idaho

Next Song...

This is my pledge to you, Capricorn: I promise to use all my otherworldly connections to get your karmic debt reduced in the next few weeks. In return, I ask that you make these pledges to me: You promise not to be a self-pitying martyr or a cranky beast of burden or a willing victim of rank manipulation. You agree not to just follow sloppy orders or passively capitulate as some bad guy with a nice smile tries to lower your standards. And finally, you swear to feed a really healthy desire that will ultimately help give your other desires more integrity and nobility.

What is most important to you. Are you doing all you can to keep it in your life?

Today is perfect for taking a new look at your resume, asking about taking on additional responsibilities at work or finding other ways to enhance your career prospects. It's easier than ever!

Overview

You just accomplished a big victory, but you'd be wise to stop reminding others about it. You've definitely earned the position you're in, but people are very sensitive about things right now -- their egos are delicate and it's vital to maintain your good relationships with them. You don't need to minimize your accomplishments; you just have to avoid being pompous. Think about the future and cultivate goodwill today. People are impressed by good winners.

Coincidence and the Rest of Us

co⋅in⋅ci⋅dence
–noun

1. a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance: Our meeting in Indianapolis was pure coincidence.
2. the condition or fact of coinciding.
3. an instance of this.
4. The state or fact of occupying the same relative position or area in space.
5. A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.

Half-Moon

It is 7:45am on Thursday, and the moon rests low in the morning sky. It's quite the sight to see the sun rising, and the moon still trying to set. I feel this half-moon is telling me I'm about to spend a lot of time with my other half.. my family (my better half is staying in Portland and enjoying a week of spring).

I especially enjoy viewing the half-moon. I feel it is the one phase of the moon that truly fits me. I celebrate the new-moon and full-moon, but the half-moon just makes sense to me.

I'll take my coffee with some sugar, and a little bit of half & half. Good morning everyone, so much to do, so little time to get it all done. Flying to Indiana tonight.. so excited.

America Owns the Moon 10/16/08

Radio Radio - Indianapolis, IN

FINN RIGGINS + BUILT TO SPILL!!!!!!!!

Art by Rick Walter

Overall Enthusiasm

Animated Life Cycle..

The Seed from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.

paper, scissor, stone

One day you will die, and somehow something's going to steal your carbon. Interest thought, and something we all should explore internally. Death.. what does that include, and what part of our imagination is in charge of creating our thoughts on the afterlife? Who says your version of heaven is better or more right than my version of whatever it is that happens when I die? Yes, something to be pondered about.

Indeed.

Rock, Paper, Scissors... We all fall down.

I'm so salty and mean.. ha ha ha

I've been listening to Modest Mouse's latest album on repeat for awhile now.. It has grown on me like barnacles on a boat. Even if the ship sinks you know you can't let go.

Time To Pretend

MGMT

MGMT - Time To Pretend
by gotmullet

Quoting Dr. Solomon

The smart ones have learned to use their talents, but the happy ones have learned to accept their flaws.

› Dr. Dick Solomon

Pacific Barreleye Fish

Calling all cars!

We're tracking new ideas in the southeastern region of Kevin's brain, and we seem to have found the mother load. Look for signs of sleep deprivation and increased wrinkles in the brain. We're told that he's armed with a black ink pen and an army of sketchbooks. He has been known to draw his way out of any situation, so beware of unconscious thoughts he tries to conjure up in your imagination. The reward for capturing these new ideas is a bright shiny star. Go get 'em..

Thought Police

What do you do when you realize someone has stolen a piece of your artwork? Do you call the art police? Are they standing by in case many pieces of art are stolen in one day? I guess the decision would be just to give it up and let the thief have it. Unless, of course, you are intimately attached to said piece of art... then, I suppose, you'd be wanting to get it back.

I would start with thinking of ways to make art that can't be stolen. Somehow build permanent fixtures that attach to the wall, in which case the thief would have to pry the sucker off the dang wall, to even get it down. Now moving it would be much more difficult than usual because it is a slab of concrete. Booyah! I propose concrete slaps being attached to the sides of art gallery walls, and the artists have to paint on them right then and there. Or, I could be doing this, instead of giving away the secret.

It would be a pretty novel idea. What would look like a concrete table with four mini-legs... just attached to the wall. And obviously it would be well lit. Personally, I think it's a great idea. I think I might just surprise the pants off them all.

Inauguration 2009

Washington D.C. was full of people, millions of people in fact. All there for one united reason. To freeze their rear ends off in hopes of catching his story. One man's rise to fame, power and control over the free world. Here we go. Let's see how the next four years go.

Year 2009 Overview

In order for Capricorn to accomplish their goals in 2009, intelligent brainstorming is a must. Connecting with others satisfies your mind, and friends are a source of stimulation and inspiration, adding to the scientific developments you like to explore. That said, be sure to take time for yourself. You don't have to master everything in a day.

You thrive on making new discoveries and developing opportunities. Call upon your inner guidance to help get the job done more efficiently. If you feel any uncertainty, other people are there to confirm your ideas, and allowing yourself to explore your inner thoughts will help you align yourself with a greater sense of awareness and meaningfulness.

Capricorn rarely shies away from highly concentrated work, and you are able to meet challenges as they come up in 2009. This is a time of great self-discovery and transformation for you. As you work to manifest your best possible self, you will see things from a deeper perspective than ever before. Hidden beneath your desire to work hard is the key to making your life easier. In other words, you won't have to strain as much if you surrender to a higher knowing. Using your powers of concentration to tune into universal knowledge will help you manifest your highest dreams.

Finn Riggins - "Blackrock"

Hell. Yes. Finn Riggins.

"Doesn't know shit from Shinola"

Meaning:
Possessing poor judgment or knowledge.

Origin:
Shinola was a brand of shoe polish previously manufactured in the USA. The alliteration and the fact that the two commodities in the phrase could possibly be confused is the derivation. The distinction is well made; only one of them would be good to apply to your shoes and only particularly dim people could be expected to muddle them up. Of course, outside America, most people don't know Shinola from anything at all, as they've never heard of it. Even in America it would probably not be widely remembered but for this phrase.

The 'ola' suffix is popular in the USA as part of trade names, e.g. Crayola, Granola etc. This leads to the pronunciation of Shinola as shine + ola. That spoils the alliteration a little as it would work better as shin + ola.

This phrase is typical of the barrack room vulgarity of WWII, which is where it originated. Other "doesn't know" phrases, also mostly from the military are, "doesn't know his arse from a hole in the ground" (or elbow, or a hot rock, or third base), "doesn't know enough to pee downwind", "doesn't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his ass". The tone is lifted a little by the English conductor Sir Henry Wood who expressed a similar opinion with "he doesn't know his brass from his woodwind".

Source: Phrases.org.uk

Steadfast and steady...

Is everyone participating in celebratory slumber? Chase away the commercials that have haunted us forever. Are we ready to move on, and for-go all the excess crud that makes this nation divided? Do we want to be united? Are we sleep walking past one another, and forgetting names left and right? Are cityscapes and fields of wheat the same once you think about it? One giant organization built to sustain itself... So we have elected a new president, or was that the electoral college's job? Either way, good job.. here we go.. Have you possibly made yourself a sandwich lately? With three slices of bread, peanut butter and jam? Maybe you would rather have a grilled cheese and ham. To each her or his own. I would like to purchase a coffee and scone. To go.

President Elect: Barack Obama

Performing Live in NYC

Knitting Factory, October 24th, 2008
Jared Mees & The Grown Children
Kevin Fitz on drums.

Panning for Gold

Always panning for gold. Traveling in the van with one of my favorite groups of people... Finn Riggins. The last three days have consisted of seeing all whom I love and care about the most in the entire world. I'm on tour with Jared Mees & the Grown Children.. seeing the country side of these United States of America. And from what I've gathered, in my own opinion, that it's rather the United People of America, and not so much states. The borders define the differences between us, and we exploit them in our ignorance of each others cultures and ways of life.

I have discovered in this great treasure hunt, that the only gold in life is the hands you can hold, the bodies you can hug, and the faces you can see smiling from ear to ear. I love life at the moment, and about 98% of what's in it. Seems like there is always 2% of everything that seems to be the excess crap that no one needs in their life. Including hate, violence, ignorance, bigotry, racism, sexism, the entire gamut of all that is negative in this world.. makes up the 2% of my pie chart that I could rather do without. Thank heavens that I'm surrounded (currently overwhelmed) with positive vibes and great people. I mean great GREAT great people. Stand up people, the types of folks you can trust your life, your friends' lives and the lives of everyone else around you with.

Content. The feeling of comfort you can only get from a display of complete happiness. Content. The filler in between the front cover and back cover. The stuff that stories are made of. /thought change/ For some strange reason I've felt the power of the native americans in my system. I've felt them surrounding this entire trip. I took the graveyard driving shift, which meant driving through the entire state of South Dakota in one night. The entire time I kept seeing these big concrete tee-pee pole structures at every rest stop. Lit up like there was a fire inside of them. I even got a chance to stand under one of them. And although they had been made in this past decade, I still understood why they were there, and the importance of remembering our native american ancestry. Come to find out it was also native american day.. so the coincidence was in full effect. We were also one day away from approaching a full moon.

Something is going on here, something is in control, something is driving this train. Something. Coincidences are picking up steam, and the universe is colliding into other universes and galaxies and planetary systems surrounding by star clusters and creation. Last night at Rhino's in Bloomington, and Radio Radio in Indianapolis, and even Cal's in Chicago... I've felt like we were a planetary system performing for the sun, and being surrounded by my entire universe of family and friends. Fitzapalooza takes the cake for amount of universes colliding at once, but in the past few days.. my universe has expanded infinity fold. As in.. it burst at the seams and poured out into the black void of space. Filling gaping holes and shooting satellites deep into the unknown.

The best part is, we're about to do it all again tonight. With a different universe, and a different set of star charts. Everyone look for a rest stop, we have to pee. Until then, keep your pans in the water.. we're searching for gold.

Same-Same

If it feels like all of this is happening for a reason, then you're wrong. There is no rhyme or reason when mother nature is in control. The snow will drift, the sun will shine, the leaves will turn a bright red-orange, shrivel, fall and die.. Tighten my safety belt and close up both these eyes, so I may rest as silently as a person who never cries. A silent, peaceful deceased personality.

A Favorite-Artist Find

It started with this Harry and the Potters poster I grabbed off the pegboard while playing in Salt Lake City (Kilby Court to be exact). The moment I saw it I was mesmerized. I've never seen so much art packed into one little poster. Inspirational, indeed.

Here is the poster's owner, Tofu Squirrel.. The rest of the art on the site is just as amazing as the poster I have. I am fascinated with the insane detail and wonderful colors used. So here's to finding great art, and until next time.. Keep your brush wet with anticipation.

Rock-A-Fire Explosion

Last Field Standing

This is a satellite image of the neighborhood I grew up in. The square above is the portion where I ran around in. The section below is another part of the neighborhood that was developed when I was growing up. The corn field in the picture is the last standing memory of what used to be below our feet. Before we all decided we wanted to have kids and move to the suburbs, where corn fields could be razed, so that you could raise your children.

That's cool. I support human growth and progress. But I wanted to pause for a moment, and say thank you to the corn field that became our house, the corn field that got plowed away just down the street so that our road could be extended. Most importantly I want to thank the corn field that has yet to be developed over. The one where the road ends as the field lays in defiance. The farmer still producing on it after all these years of suburban progress. Ear shot away from society's devils and fast foods and supermarkets filled with shit. A thank you to what it means to have known what the ground you lived on once was. Where perhaps Indians once made their homes, where perhaps wild buffalo roamed, where perhaps I'll go to when this is all done.

My soul will be entrenched into the earth that lay underneath 626 Whipporwill Way. As far as my body takes me, I will always remember the neighborhood... How it was, and how it will always remain in my memory.

Musical Inspiration: The Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #2

9.11.08

I drew a 7th anniversary illustration, put it up on a utility pole outside my house. Someone must have appreciated it, because it was down two weeks later. When I was drawing this, I listened to this song for a straight hour on a loop. It's really that powerful.

Happy Sept. 11th, 2008

Happy? What the hell do you mean happy? Yeah, that's what I said. Happy. For some reason, there is happiness in knowing that I've somehow escaped the unsurpassed grief and complete shock of watching two hundred-story buildings crumble to the ground. It is Thursday, September the 11th, 2008 today.. and the sky is just as mind-boggling blue as it was 7 years ago on this date. The weather just about the same.. but somehow (I hope) there won't be news of airplanes flying into buildings. Happy because I know that I'm alive, and that you're alive, and that we get to enjoy this life. There are many who's lives end before they knew it would. It happens every day, unfortunately, but today.. I don't know. I'm happy for the big picture. No matter what, we're going to be fine. We're all going to be fine.

In the shadows of no towers... indeed.

3-Alarm Fire in SE Portland

As I was getting my food at a nearby restaurant, there was a huge black cloud coming from somewhere close to where I used to work on Water Ave. With food in hand, I took off running after the fire engines that past me screaming their sirens. As I approached, people had started to flock around the building as it was smoldering with smoke billowing out of the roof. The first part of the video is from that viewpoint.. Then I walked down the street a bit, across from the building on fire, and grabbed some more footage. It's not the best, but it's what I got. A 3-Alarm Fire, it was tremendous..




Article: 3-alarm blaze guts family business


Photos of the blaze


Photos of the smoke

Unforgettable

Still thinkin about your crazy spirit, it lives on..
Peace out brutha..

Hi, How Are You?

Source: Black Cab Sessions with Daniel Johnston

Tickle me ever so kindly

Can you keep this a secret? I type on here just for my own kicks. I'm sure no one reads this, or ever gives a damn. No one really gives a damn when you think about it. We're all here worrying about our own way out, our means to our end. And we'll keep all our memories in shoe boxes, with rubber band wrapping them tightly so we never feel like looking. Cluttered, unfiltered, undescribingly lucrative to get away from this all and keep on a current path of tomorrowness. That somehow tomorrow is the day. Today isn't even alive, isn't the past, isn't the future. What is now? What is tomorrow? What really, is yesterday? Why the hell are we alive? Why do we dream? Why do we walk in circles, and cry when we die? Isn't this life beautiful? Why do people hurt? Why are there catastrophes, and why aren't we in space yet?

It's a good breather to take a second to contemplate life's foibles. Not so much get stuck in history, but never really linger on the now.. Where is that place I speak of? Is it something unknown? Is it contemplation? Is it prayer? Is it thinking? The time we all use to stop and plan our lives, what is that time called? A waste?

Lordie, so many questions, and so many people not around to answer them. So many gods not around to listen to them. So much of me that doesn't give a rat's ass enough to fulfill the conclusions. Oh man, good night.

Jangle Bo'Dangle

If it's the precipice I fear, it's the depth of taking off. Which shutters my nerves into a single bounce, winding them down to a single ball. Until they explode, in a big bang of laughter... a series of stars for the short life after. A twinkling nod, placed upon the hemisphere, round in shape, and pleasant to the ear. With telescopes evenly drawn out in pairs, a whisker of proof, the heavens were always there. In front of our faces, and long-forgotten places, elastic in shape, surrounding all ages and races.

Spontaneous

spon·ta·ne·ous – adjective

1. coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned: a spontaneous burst of applause.
2. (of a person) given to acting upon sudden impulses.
3. (of natural phenomena) arising from internal forces or causes; independent of external agencies; self-acting.
4. growing naturally or without cultivation, as plants and fruits; indigenous.
5. produced by natural process.

Green Jacket, Gold Jacket.... Who Gives a Shiz

Drum Battle... and the winner goes to... (in my opinion) the feller in the gold jacket.. WOW!

Rooms With Views

People just keep coming up with crazy ideas.

twenty two

Of course I will lay it to you gently.. you're family has been dead for over a century. You just haven't received the proper dialogue, that would explain the fact that you've been forever lost.. Tell me, does your name have anything to do, with the fact that you never knew who.. kept you fed.. while you're family was, indeed... dead? Forgive me if I am the bearer of such unfortunate news, I share with you my empathy.. I shall walk around in your shoes.

For at least 15 days, or twenty two.

kmf