Wild Wilderness - First Thursday of 2010

Celebrate the First Thursday of the new decade with artwork by Julia Green at Flying M Coffeehouse. She makes my heart leap!

Jesus vs. Santa (The Spirit of Christmas)

Jesus vs. Santa is one of two animated shorts that Trey Parker and Matt Stone created in the mid-90s, later becoming the "South Park" series on Comedy Central.

This was the very first thing I had seen come from "South Park" - in about 1996, a friend showed me this animation (which at the time was groundbreaking and complete adulterated awesomeness) on a bootleg VHS tape. This tape made its rounds, it was showed to many friends, usually after bong rips.

Jesus vs. Santa, for me, is a Christmas cult classic, right up there with A Christmas Story and Scrooged.

So, Merry Christmas, if that is what you believe - and

Happy Last Friday of the Decade!

The Garden of Earthly Delights Ravages The Eagles Bldg.

The Garden of Earthly Delights (a.k.a. "Millennium") is a Medieval painting by Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch.

This triptych shows biblical scenes, and tells a story about the choices humans make - and the eternal consequences to such choices.

I'm likening this painting to my office holiday party this year, as 16 of the party-goers became ill afterwards. We're not positive if it was influenza, H1N1, food poisoning, or the favored gastroenteritis. All we do know is this: fun and happy times were shared by friends and colleagues. We ate, drank, and were merry. Then, Hell took over and tortured the living shit out of us.

Fortunately - it seems only to be lasting a day or two.

Click the link for a finer view: The Garden of Earthly Delights

The Magnitude of the Continental Divide

This is a beautiful video that harmoniously animates illustration and graphic design. Thanks for sending this to me Geoff!

The Magnitude of the Continental Divides from Chris Coleman on Vimeo.

"The Magnitude of the Continental Divides" is an animation exploring the ways we define ourselves and our nations. It is a journey between many locations in various states of withdrawal and aggression. Borders become weaponized and damage is always dealt from afar. The individual is caught in the midst, unable to separate themselves, unable to define identity without place.

Great Movies!

I'm not going to critique any of these films - other to say that I enjoyed each of them and that I hope you get the opportunity to see them too!

Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson

A Serious Man, Ethan & Joel Cohen

Where The Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze

Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino

Watch movies. Be happy.

The Muppets Go Bohemian

I feel sorry that the children of today's generation don't have anything like The Muppets. If this doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will!

ps... i truly believe that jim henson was one of the greatest people of the twentieth century.

Turducken

Poultry on the Farm, 1937

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kids of 88

Introducing slutty new wave/electro duo Kids Of 88, who describe their music as "a cross between a late 80s police drama intro theme and a sophisticated super hussy".

Vintage Reality Entertainment

I found these great "home videos" on Archive.org about a real family vacation, spanning the summers of 1957-61. The 16mm films were archived to tape in 2000, and are narrated by Robbins Barstow, the father of the fun 50s clan.

These films are interesting to me because my family went on long road and camping vacations too. It is interesting to see how things have changed - and to contemplate today's society (especially how families interact and what we consider entertainment).

I give you...

Bartsow Family Vacations

During five summers from 1957 to 1961, the five-member Barstow family of Wethersfield, Connecticut, set out to visit all 48 of the then United States of America on a series of month-long camping trips.

PART I

Part I includes seeing famous sites from "America's History" in 24 Eastern, Northern, and Southern states.

PART II

Part II showcases "America's Wonderlands" with 18 National Parks and other exciting attractions in the great Northwest and Southwest.

The "Utah Claw" - bangs that shot up towards the heavens!

Leigh Ann Underwood, Fifth Grade, Peruvian Park Elementary, Sandy Utah, 1987-88.

This was my Utah Claw. The hair that Aqua Net born. This was THE look. Young women of Utah (and parts of New Jersey) are still known to brave the back-comb and aerosol fumes associated with this defining do.

Here are a few additional definitions of this hairstyle phenomena:

Utah Claw n. a female hairstyle typified by bangs projecting outward from the forehead. Subjects: English, United States, Apparel, Appearance, & Fashion, Body, Slang

1994 - “Re: “Bad Hair Day””: “It was often used in reference to something I came to refer to as the “stiffened frontal bang facade,” a hair tierra set in place with blow drier, hair spray and teasing comb. The heights these can sometimes reach is quite ridiculous.”…“I grew up in an area of West Virginia where such hairstyles are quite popular. We always used to refer to the tall, teased bangs as ‘joke-catchers’ (kept the joke from going over one’s head). A friend from Idaho whom I met in college informed me that her circle of high school friends had dubbed the style of bangs the ‘Utah Claw.’” -[apowell@liberty.uc.wlu.edu (April N. Powell)] Usenet: alt.usage.english (Mar. 7).

1999 - “Very proud to say she has never had a spiral perm nor big, crunchy bangs.”…“Around here we call it the Utah Claw.” - [kimncyn@aol.comspamiam (Cyn)] Usenet: alt.radio.talk.dr-laura (Nov. 16).

2000 - “Re: Application to Live in New Jersey”: Do you have the equivalent of what we know here as the Utah Claw. Long straight hair styled down with the bangs flipped up defying gravity and lacquered with hair spray to withstand hurricane winds? - Robert Nelson (rnelson@library.utah.edu) Usenet: alt.tv.sopranos (Mar. 17).

2003 - “A Night Out With Tiffani Thiessen” p. 9-4: “She had the Utah Claw,” Mr. Simington explained, describing bangs that shot up toward the heavens. - Jesse McKinley New York Times (Mar. 2).

2003 - “Town Talk: Should humans be playing with tigers?”: Actually, it was a “Utah Claw” that led to Roy Horn’s injury. According to the owner of the Mirage, the tiger became distracted by a woman with big hair in the front row. (I can sympathize; I also can’t help but stare at a white-trash woman with a hairdo that she hasn’t changed in 20 years.) - [Dandle] CTcentral.com (Conn.) (Oct. 10).

2004 - “The Fartkeeper”: I never did perfect the “Utah Claw” it always fell over by 2nd period—but oh, I tried. Me and Aqua Net, we tried! - [Jessica] Very Mom (Murray, Utah) (Aug. 4).

¡MALVAVISCOS GIGANTES!

FOUND: Giant marshmallows, mexican pastries, and delicious tacos - all at Nueva Vida Bakery in Downtown Nampa. Nueva Vida, in a converted gas station, used to be "Rita's Bakery," - it is just one block south of Flying M Garage. Downtown Nampa makes for a fun Saturday afternoon!

Favorite stops in Nampa: Flying M Garage, The Brass Razoo, The White Pine, Yesteryear Book and Record Store, any thrift store, Nueva Vida Bakery, and Wheeler's (for a "long & juicy" burger).

What else is in Nampa or Caldwell that I should check out on my next visit? Leave me a comment to let me know!


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Ignite Boise III

Ignite Boise - III

Thursday November 12th, 2009 - Egyptian Theater

Get tickets online here, or come at 6:30 for general admission.

What is IGNITE BOISE, you ask?

Ignite Boise is a 3 hour-ish idea feeding frenzy that brings together artists, geeks, entrepreneurs, academics, government officials, and others to share their ideas in fast-paced, bite-sized presentations. It’s a great opportunity to meet smart, interesting people (if we do say so ourselves) and maybe even learn something.

THE GOAL:
Bringing together embers of big ideas to spark a blaze of creativity in Boise’s business and creative community –leaving attendees more educated and just as importantly, more inspired.

HOW IT WORKS:
Presenters each get five minutes and 20 slides (automatically rotating every 15 seconds) to talk on a topic of their choice. Everyone is invited to participate, though due to the limitations of space and time, only a handful will be selected to present at each event.

Here are two of my favorite presos, from Ignite Boise past-

The super cool Jess Flynn, of Red Sky Public Relations

Jamie Cooper, of Drake Cooper (poor sound on this clip, sorry!)

I get it "Animal Style"

In-n-Out Burger

mmmmm.mmm.

An In-n-Out cheeseburger was one of the first things that I ate after being vegetarian for nearly a decade. Not living near an In-n-Out location leads Mr. VonShtupp and I to go kinda crazy when we are in California, Nevada or St. George Utah (there are in-n-outs in Arizona, too - but we don't go there).

Behold the 4X4. With onion. This behemoth is what my better half orders: four meat patties, four slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato and the opted-in onion, between two buns with sauce. It is glorious.

I'm all about the Double-Double "Animal Style". Double-Double is half of the 4x4, and "Animal Style" is an In-n-Out Burger **secret menu option. It means grilled onions, extra pickles and mustard. De-lish!

To top it off, we enjoy an order of fresh cut french fries and a milkshake (I'm a strawberry, he's a chocolate).

If you've never been to an In-n-Out Burger, you should really get to one. Located all over California, in parts of Arizona, in Las Vegas and Reno areas, and now in St. George Utah. This is a family owned chain of restaurants. They do not franchise. The food is fresh, the employees taken care of, and the locations are clean (and always packed). Not to mention that a 4x4, dbl-dbl, fries and shakes cost less than $15. Yep. Awesome.

**Link to In-n-Out Burger Secret Menu.

Moby Dick and Captain Ahab

I love Halloween, dressing up is one of my fortes. Mr. VonShtupp, on the other hand, not only dislikes wearing a costume - he's also a big fuddy-duddy when it comes to any kind of social gathering. Fortunately, I didn't attend Halloween parties stag this year, as he agreed to attend our friend's 5th year anniversary party, which was a side note to their grandparent's 50th anniversary party (Halloween Weddings are fun)!

I decided that a couple's costume would help with my husband's lack of imagination. On Halloween day I pulled together items that I already had, purchased a few things and donned a vintage male mystique, calling myself: Captain Ahab.

I dug out my acrylic paints, a ringer t-shirt and went to town painting a sperm whale. Mr. V's costume was essentially a t-shirt, something I knew he'd be comfortable in, but something that tied us together. I love the shirt I painted for him, I hope he wears it again!

Boise Idaho, 1913

University of Minnesota (1941) presents "I Want To Be a Secretary"

"I thought perhaps I should cancel History and Physics, I don't really need them."

4th Annual Boise Zombie Walk

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

This was my fourth time to walk amongst Boise's undead. There were about 100 zombies in attendance this year, most of which turned the Zombie Walk into a spooky marathon of sorts. The course was undefined, and the leaders of the pack were the most nimble zombies I've ever come across.

We all had a great time! Kudos to Levi Johnson - this year's Zombie Walk coordinator; he did a stellar job!

Above are photos of our perspective of the Zombie Walk, it was too dark to take photos with my iPhone, so this is what Jenny and I were able to shoot.

You'll see two "Tea Bagger" zombies, that's Whitney and Wendy - one "Organic Farmer" zombie, played by Seth, Jenny as a sexy librarian zombie, myself as "Sister Underwood" aka Mormon Zombie, and a random photo of the Hello Kitty who joined the Zombie Walk.

Zsa Zsa shows us how to do it

Workout videos from the eighties crack me up! I love them! From the hilarious remake Drew Barrymore did on SNL, to the FABULOUS Richard Simmons.

These clips are always comic action packed - I get a pretty great laughter workout, I must say.

This is one from Zsa Zsa Gabor, her line of workout videos was called "It's Simple Darling" - and with Francois and Mike, why shouldn't it be simple, darlings?

Neon Graveyard

Lushing out at the Las Vegas "Neon Graveyard" off Fremont Street. Vegas is strange. The casinos get bigger and bigger, yet the memories of yesterday are the biggest part of Vegas. There is very little historical preservation in this city. The city pushes for megaplexes and corporate development, leveling anything in the way. The sand hasn't covered all of the history, but soon - money will.

1978 TOMY Fashion Plates

I used to play with this toy at my grandma's house in the early 80s. I doubt she still has it, but I think Im going to keep a keen eye out for one on my thrift or antique store-capades.

I love the 70s-80s fashion and hair styles that this toy celebrates - these plates would be great for many an art project or just for fun & nostalgia when friends come over!

If I find a set, I'll post sketched designs!

Cupcake Collective to benefit TrICA! 8-15-09

Click on the image for more info about Cupcake Collective!

Real world MadMen Advertising

These 1960s commercial clips are not from the television series MadMen, although I'm certain that men in Modern advertising had something to do with them!

BABY BABY BABY

D & D

D & D - What the nerdy me once thought stood simply for Dungeons and Dragons takes on a completely different meaning in Elko Nevada's "Red Light" District.

For another perspective of the trouble one can get into in Elko, please read Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Elko" - an article written for Rolling Stone magazine in 1992 (although Gonzo's story has very little to do with Elko, much other than some whiskey and a shotgun).

Mormon Crickets Are The REAL Terrorists!

Mormon Crickets: the sight of these little bastards is nearly as bothersome as the name. Turns out they are actually katydids, not crickets. As seen in this photo taken from my car, they often travel in swarms. Swarms so large (100 crickets per square meter) that when squished between car tires and road they can make a vehicle slide. That's right, hydroplaning from bug guts.

Another unpleasant fact about Mormon Crickets is that swarming is caused by cannibalistic behavior. They have to keep moving forward from getting bitten from behind. The infestation of swarming Mormon Crickets is chemically controlled in populated areas, or areas with crops. This photo was taken in the Owyhee Mountain Range of Northern Nevada, a desolate but beautiful area.

The title "Mormon Cricket" was given to the pests in the 19th century. Pioneering Mormons were said to have been saved by the seagulls that ate the insects that were known to destroy their crops causing famine. The seagulls migrated from California to the desert area of Utah to feast on the crickets, and thus the California Seagull is Utah's state bird.

Like their namesake, Mormon Crickets are reported to dislike hard rock music. According to farmers and townsfolk dealing with Mormon Cricket infestation, the insects are deterred by loud hard rock music playing from stereo systems and boom boxes. Seems to me that Mountain City, Nevada should consider some Twisted Sister.

I love SCANWICHES!

Seriously, one of the greatest blogs of all time!

scanwiches.com

Weirdness

Where do I begin? The hair? The long jackets? The limo? The "Kevin Spacey's brother?" ... I'm writing about Boise local Randy Fowler. If you live in Boise, or spend anytime in Idaho's capitol city... you've probably seen or heard about Randy, aka Rod Stewart. Here is what I can tell you about him:

• Rod Stewart impersonator
  
• Limousine Company proprietor, www.rodslimos.com
• Kevin Spacey's (aka Kevin Fowler) brother
• Professional drummer
• Author

Randy reported to Sunday Mirror.co.uk that his estranged brother is indeed Kevin Spacey. Randy also told The Mirror many of Spacey's "secrets" would be revealed in his up and coming book (although this article was posted in 2004, and it appears the book has not yet been written), and calls his movie star brother a "lying weirdo."

For more information on this Boise gem, here is a link to Randy's website: randybfowler.com

The Information Machine, 1958

I found this gem on my new favorite website, Archive.org - wish I had known about this while in college!

thoughts on summertime

i remember cramming into the cruddy non-air conditioned family car & road tripping to national forests & peaking in strangers cars. i always wished we'd go to disneyland or the beach, like everyone else. but now i appreciate that we didn't; that i saw the land. i'll never forget driving cross country in the '79 camaro, hot and sticky, with my smelly little brother who always crossed over his half of the back seat. i was familiar with the stereotypical parental arm flailing around from the front seat to grab whichever seed was making it a long trip.

CupCakeCamp to Benefit TrICA

I am very excited to announce that the borrowed "Cup Cake Camp" concept (originally of Ariel Waldman and team in San Francisco: cupcakecamp.org) is resurfacing in Boise Idaho to benefit TrICA (Treasure Valley Institue for Children's Arts, www.tricarts.org).

Boise's creative company of cupcake coordinators have been working on ideas to incorporate CupCakeCamp to benefit cupcake lovers and TrICA. Boise will celebrate it's first ever Cup Cake Camp and Cup Cake Collective on August 15th 2009, 11-2pm at The Linen Building.

Everyone (individuals, families, businesses, and organizations) will be welcomed to submit cupcakes to the Cup Cake Collective, and everyone is invited to eat the tasty treats, and submit a vote for their favorite cupcake! Cup Cake Collective will feature cupcakes to be judged and eaten, an awards ceremony, live music, performances and fun!

Cup Cake Camp is a children’s culinary art class focused on the baking and decorating of cupcakes. Kitchen etiquette and safety will also be taught. A local celebrity chef will head each class with an assistant. Cup Cake Campers will have the opportunity to include their cupcake creations at Cup Cake Collective (a cup cake celebration and contest among Boise’s cup cake comrades). Cup Cake Camp will be held in three sessions (approximately 15 students per class) according to age on August 14th 2009. Cup Cake Collective is scheduled for the following day.

Call to Artists! The Mend Project

The Mend Project, a Boise based arts and crafts non-profit organization has put out a call to artists for their newest project. Spectacled is a fundraiser for The Mend Project at The VAC March 5th and 6th, 2009. An $8 donation is requested at the door, or $5 with donation of used eyeglasses. Proceeds fund The Mend Project, and eyeglasses donations will help those in need through Unite for Sight.

More information can be found by following the image link below.

Wanted: Somebody to do my homework.

I found this on Boise Craigslist last week. It was flagged for removal, but I copied the text. It is truly classic. Do you think this kid has balls and initiative, using the web to get what he/she wants, or do think the student is lazy, and could've written such a simple paper in the time it took them to post the ad?

Reply to: job-982998177@craigslist.org [?] Date: 2009-01-06, 4:59PM MST

I am a college student looking for help.

Project Description: I am looking for a person who can write a 3 1/2 page paper on YouTube. What needs to be included in the research paper: 1. Who the co-founders and management team are 2. How they thought up YouTube 3. How they attracted so many users to their site

Also, the paper needs to have at least 2 references.

Document Length: No more than 3 1/2 pages double spaced

I need the following: Editing, Proofreading, Research, Writing

The professional must provide the following: Final Draft, Research Documentation

Other items the professional must provide: Cover page which is not part of the 3 1/2 pages.

Desired File Format: I need to receive the final product in a 2003 word document format.

Project Start Date: 1/7/2009

Project Completion Date: 1/20/2009 (Must be done by this date because I have to turn it in by the 1/25/2009).

* Compensation: I will pay $35. Reason being the research should probably take about 1 hr. max and to write the paper should take 2-3 hours max. * This is a contract job. * Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster. * Please, no phone calls about this job! * Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 982998177