Raondo

UT_sandcastle_paul_web

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:38:50 -0700

The Octopus Project - Music is Happiness

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:45:16 -0700

Great video! Check out The Octopus Project and their other videos.
Hamsters are cute, but now they're got missions too! (They also seem to be close relatives to friendly squirrels.)
:)

Stoney - Sheffield Rock Star

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:34:56 -0700

Here's a video on a friend of mine - Mark Stoney. I really enjoy his music. It has a wide range - from the battle scenes, the victories, the failures, and what we learn in between. Sometimes tender & intimate, at other times wide & deep, but always singing to hearts with honesty, humor & hope. ... A great display of fireworks!

Nice work Stoney! Glad you're getting to help the Sheffield musicians get a stage to be heard on too! :)

Font Conference ... If fonts were people

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:02:09 -0700

Here's a great video with design humor about typography. It made me laugh. :)

Steampunk Moves Between Two Worlds

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:32:13 -0700

I read this article - Steampunk Moves Between Two Worlds - today on the New York Times website about Steampunk & its subculture - wow! Amazing! ...

It's an aesthetic of the industrial age - brass, gears, burlap, time travel, adventure, creativity, etc. ... It reminds me of Waterworld, The City of Lost Children, Matrix, Around the World in 80 Days, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the video game Myst. ... I found Abney Park - a band that promotes themselves at "steampunk", Tom Sepe - who built a steampunk motorcycle(with lots of other cool inventions!), Gypsy Moon, a steampunk fashion site, and even SalonCon, a victorian/steampunk ball.

I really enjoyed looking through all of it ... I was even seeing the world through a sort of steampunk vision - pretty cool to think about! :)

The Reverse Graffiti Project

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:23:25 -0700

The Reverse Graffiti Project - a beautiful art project in San Francisco - a reverse graffiti mural of indigenous plants in an urban space.

The artist - Moose - has some other great design projects/creative ideas of communication in the city. Check 'em out! :)

My friend Matthieu Brajot also helped out on this cool project.

Davey Dance Blog - fun stuff

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:46:12 -0700

Check this guy Davey Dance Blog. I really like how he just picks a public place - showcasing a city or something - and dances to the music. I love it when the music plays off the city surroundings ... kinda like dialoging with the city about how it makes you feel. Great idea Davey!

Danielson Famile - Did I step on your trumpet?

Wed, 21 May 2008 20:21:25 -0700

A cool video for "Did I step on your trumpet?" from The Danielson Famile.

Also check out the documentary movie on them.
Here's a preview of the movie that came out in 2006.

Imagine! France sings for USA

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:50:12 -0700

Wow! Check this out ... France sings to the USA - "land of the free" is the part that really struck me ... France is the nation who gave us the Statue of Liberty. They know what freedom is all about, and we need its fullness! :) ... Bravo! beautiful!

(There's also a longer version.)

A great idea by Johannes Leonardo for Pangea Day, a global event bringing the world together through film. I love the other films they made about countries singing other countries' national anthems too, especially these two - USA sings for Mexico, and UK sings for Argentina since I'm more familiar with those countries.

Imagine! USA sings for Mexico

Imagine! UK sings for Argentina

Keep it up Johannes! I'd love to see more!

Earthship Biotechture

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:54:57 -0700

In the last couple days, I've just been amazed at the ideas presented in Earthship Biotechture. It's a really creative way to build homes from things left-over, economical in that it has figured out systems to build the houses, and eco-friendly. They're totally self-sufficient houses - no electric bills, no water bills. They're really innovative ways of living out in nature.

Check out this video and the website if you're interested:

http://www.earthship.net/

Way cool! It's got me dreaming about the possibility of having a house in nature. :)

Food Court Musical

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:37:53 -0700

Here's a funny improv event by Improv Everywhere. It brought me a smile. :)

tiny bubbles

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:56:27 -0700

tiny bubbles
Originally uploaded by themexican

where is the child
who loves to sing & dance,
who plays with beans & blocks,
who builds sand into castles,
and loves to fly from any height?

let hope & joy break through, I say!
come forth. it's safe to play.

Hope for America

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 21:40:29 -0800

What is Hope for my generation - the young people of America? Everything has been given to us, and yet it's still not enough. Everything is available at our fingertips, and yet we're still looking for more. Our leaders have stretched themselves thin by overextending their arms into other people's lands - without even acknowledging that we have problems here at home. Our systems have been built to encourage young companies to grow and increase their profits, but there is little reward for steady leaders who choose to give back to their communities and families. We are a country of adventurers, of pioneers ... but when we've come back from the highest peaks, the deepest seas, and have experienced it all, what's left to discover? What's left to hope for? We are left dry and despairing, with a world that seems to be falling apart.

The vision of glory that we sought after - that was passed down to us - has faded. We see the cracks starting to crumble in the statues, the pursuits and the systems. They are simply facades. Who can we trust? Who is truly good enough to revere? Their character must be flawless, but is that humanly possible? So many search for the cracks. If they look hard enough, they will find them. But do the cracks diminish the whole? If that's what you're focused on - yes. And then it becomes a sad world because all you see are the cracks, the dirt, the brokenness and you feel completely useless. The Dark seems inevitable.

If you choose to look at the heart though, I think you'll find Hope when you see people giving of themselves so that others might live ... and not the giving out of abundance, but the giving of what is precious, of laying down treasures and dignity to serve others. Is it not the lowly, the aliens who do that for us now - without us even appreciating them? There is real beauty in their gifts - it's choosing to pursue wholeness for another at the expense of our pride. It's learning to honor other people's decisions, sometimes even if you disagree. It's learning wisdom in how to pursue your passion - with patience, humility and compassion. It's learning to appreciate what you've been given - the uniqueness of the people in your life, the serendipity of events that happen throughout the day and the idiosyncrasies which give things their definition and personality. It's learning to enjoy the simple things, the intangible things, the things close to home. Indeed, it's making Home and inviting others into it.

Who are we though? Where is our Home? We are a mix of so many cultures, so many backgrounds, so many nations. What does it mean to be "American?" If you're in America, you are always expected to say where you came from BEFORE ... somewhere in your family's history, they're expecting that a relative came from some other place, some other Home. Some people are able to keep parts of that history with them, and that's what they claim as their Home here ... but it's really more of a home away from Home at that. The USA is one of the few countries where the Name is "to find a name for yourself." People can start over here. They can search for who they want to be. They can sail the high seas looking for the coast of their Hope. Anything is possible. Any Hope is acceptable to strive for. It's even encouraged. There is beauty in the freedom of allowing others to discover their hope - whereas in many places it's dictated to you.

Where is the resting place though? If our Name is "To Find a Name," what then do we have to offer? If the Adventurer has no Home to return to, then he's really more of a Wanderer - lost without a Home. The wilderness can make you strong and resilient, but there's also a place of comfort, enjoyment and family that are so important for Life. What would the "American" family look like? Where is some common ground? The Home of the past is fading. The memory has quieted to a whisper. We're Here now - which is a much different land. We are becoming more like our neighbors - mixing cultures, hats, foods and family names. It's a much different world now then where our parents grew up.

Now the world is limitless. Names are less Names. Heart streams start to flow together - apart from space and time. To someone looking for a Name, the voices are endless and can drown you out. It takes learning how to say "no" and where your boundaries are to find peace within you. It's growing in wisdom - of who you are, of what's realistic for you, of what you desire to do and finding out how to make it possible. There can be personal hope to go after, but Hope must help you get there ... an eye that notices your Name and gives you the opportunity to share it. It takes someone who is willing to wash away your dirt, to patch your cracks - someone who chooses to see you whole and helps you to remember your beauty. They give you your Name - even though you might have faint memories of what it sounds like. It takes someone else to call your Name out and make it be ... and then you start to know it for yourself as you experience the walk of those shoes.

Hope is in finding the one who helps you find your Name - for it is your Home, your resting place - a place of comfort, enjoyment and family. There is always more fullness to the Hope. It always seems to be a journey. But when you find your Home, it changes things. From then on the Adventures you go on become reminders of what makes Home so special.

I hope that America finds it's Hope, it's Name in this generation ... That one could say "I'm an American!" and be filled with Hope, Honor, Delight and Purpose. It's much different than the old Names. But I believe the glory will be more beautiful - once Wisdom is learned and Pride is laid down. Then one can start to see and gently give room for the Name in others to blossom. Then Hope will be shining brightly - even into the past.

Horton Hears a Who!

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:25:05 -0800

Fantastic story & website. I'm really looking forward to the movie! :)

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"Falling Slowly" Wins Academy Award

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:33:49 -0800

I'm so glad that Glen Hansard and Mark

The Masculinity of Sacrificial Love

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:19:58 -0800

I think both of these videos do a great job of visually capturing the essence of self-sacrificial love ... love that perseveres, that won't give up, that will do to all lengths to extend the love of the heart. I think it's the masculine heart in full ... willing to lay down it's life for another, willing to face evil hordes in battle, willing to endure pain & suffering for another. I think some of it has to do with the battle that many men long for. It gives them life inside - even when they're facing death. There is also honor in dying for another, in fighting to protect life, freedom and what is beautiful. ... It's a beautiful wonder to see men giving their lives for another.

These videos have very different flavors of that love, but I think there's a common thread between them - especially visually. I find beauty in the depth of their love - the passion of a man's heart fully alive, serving another when it's painful, willing to face their own death so that another may find LIFE.

Aqualung - Pressure Suit

Foo Fighters - The Pretender

Rock on!

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:53:58 -0800

I've been reading "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis for the first time, and I'm really enjoying them. I haven't enjoyed reading that much since jr. high - when we had to stop at every chapter and evaluate every little detail. It's been a long time since I've read for pleasure ... and now I've been getting back into it with "The Monument" by Gary Paulsen and "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis. I love how imaginative the Chronicles of Narnia are. They're richly creative and I can sit reading for hours without noticing the time fly by.

I look forward to seeing Prince Caspian as a movie too. I think they did a great job with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." I do enjoy the books - since I have to use my imagination to see the fantastic worlds - but the movies are awesome too!

mural mosaic: hundreds of paintings, one masterpiece mural

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:13:10 -0800

This is a great collaboration project for fine artists - a mural mosaic - a beautiful idea by illustrators Lewis Lavoie & Phil Alain. I like their idea for the Wildlife Ark Mural-in-a-Book idea ... it makes buying a piece much more affordable, fun for the buyer to put together and goes well with content - seeing the beauty of each piece individually and then seeing how they synergize to form a different beauty when they're all-together.

harry ransom center - photo booth

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:55:48 -0800

I'm really enjoying the playful photos of people who have visited the Harry Ransom Center Photo Booth. It accompanies an exhibit and involves a Victorian backdrop setup with a foot pedal switch in a semi-private room. All you have to do is go in the room and stand in front of the camera. There's a live video feed of what the camera sees so you can see how the photo might come out. There's a few instructions on the wall - asking folks to please limit themselves to 5 photos (although some people were having a lot of fun & took a few more), that by taking the photos they're releasing the HRC to publish their photos, and that the HRC has the final say on what's put online/published. The switch is a foot pedal-similar to a sewing machine pedal-that is hooked up to the camera. Usually people play a little bit-seeing that they're on camera-and then they press the pedal to take a photo. It takes a few seconds to focus & take the picture. So you have to hold a pose for a few seconds to get a clear picture.

I think it's a brilliant idea! I love the way you get to see ordinary people playing - jumping, hugging, kissing, hiding, acting, smiling, laughing, moving, with loved ones, by themself, elderly, little children, college students, adults, etc. It's so fun to see other people in play - being themselves or just having fun. Even shy people who normally wouldn't do something like this have a chance to be expressive because there's no one else in the room (it is open on one corner to the gallery but it's hidden). I like the diverse cultures represented and the range of emotions shown in the photos. It seems that a lot of people have had fun with the installation.

Wonderful art! Great idea David Coleman. :)

Paul Rand: form + content

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:37:39 -0800

"don't try to be original, just try to be good"

a great video designed by Imaginary Forces