Posted: 2012-02-02 20:45:18
Say what you will about Spotify, whether you love it or hate it, it is changing they way people consume music. I have been discovering new music left and right, and it has been awesome.
I'm a huge advocate of Spotify. I think a subscription model for music a great way to go. There's so much out there that if you actually had to purchase every individual song/album you wanted to hear, you'd be either A) broke in a month or B) so so sad because there would be a ton of music you never got to hear. Spotify (and others like Rdio, Grooveshark, and Pandorda) have made (just about) every song out there available for you whenever you want it for a monthly cost that is less that one album. Fantastic.
My band, The Van Goghs, have their music up on Spotify. It's a great way for smaller bands to get their sound out there. We now have the same reach that Ke$ha does. Couldn't say that 5 years ago.
With all this new music coming at me, I've got some favorites that I'd like to share with you. Here's my top 3 so far in 2012.
1) MUTEMATH
These guys are like blues-rock with a shot of adrenaline. Their rhythm section is so tight you'd need one of those rubbery hand grip things to unscrew the lid.
MUTEMATH -- Odd Soul
2) Bear Hands
Enough rock to make you grimace, but enough dance to make you bounce. These guys are just fun.
Bear Hands -- What a Drag
3) White Denim
These guys are clearly on drugs, but that's ok because it makes for some fantastically trippy psych-rock.
White Denim -- Drugs
Enjoy.
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Posted: 2012-01-18 15:14:36
Today was a slow day at work. Er, I should say: Today is a slow day at work. I'm currently at work without work to be working on. So, in an effort to stay sane for 8 hours, I actually did something productive.
One of the coolest things about HTML5 is the introduction of the <canvas> tag. It allows drawing in the browser very similar to how Flash does, only it doesn't require a plugin. It's built right into the browsers and uses JavaScript instead of Flash's counterpart, Actionscript.
This is great for two reasons: 1) Mobile platforms like tablet and phones (*ahem* Apple) don't always support Flash and 2) I already know JavaScript!!
I decided to make a little project for myself to try and learn canvas better and the result is kind of fun to play with. If you're a code-type person, feel free to view the source. All the js is right there and there's actually not that much of it.
Let me know what you think in the comments!
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Posted: 2012-01-11 15:22:35
If there's one thing this blog isn't, it's active.
That sentence sounded weird. Point is, I haven't written anything new since March of 2011, almost a year ago. Bad Bryan.
Sure, 2011 was a busy year, but that's no excuse for not keeping up with my writing. I mean, I got married, moved into a new home (technically 2010, but let's not be a stickler), got a new job, um, did some other stuff. So yea, no time for blogging at all.
Ok, that's a lie, I totally could have been blogging, but I'm a pretty big fan of video games and general wasting time on the internet. That seemed to happen more often than blogging.
As with every new year, I tend to feel a sense of "Hey, stop being lazy!" Inevitably I go back to being lazy within the first few months, but you can't fault me for trying. So I'll give it a go again. This site is due for an upgrade sometime soon anyway, and maybe having a cool new site will be motivation enough to keep writing in it.
Let's end with a list of things I've tried to do and actually succeeded!
1) Stop biting my nails.
It took a while before I wasn't having to consciously think about it, but I don't think I've bitten a nail (save the random hang nail, but those need to be gone FAST!). Hooray disgusting habit kicked!
2) Become a runner.
I spent the vast majority of my life hating running. But I also hate when people are better at something than I am. The Wife is still a much better runner than I am, but these days I can bust out a 4 mile run without much trouble, something that a year ago would have landed me in the ER. So there's that.
3) Dress better.
I know I know, I'm so vain. But you know what? Sometimes a little vanity can be a good thing. I still wear jeans and a t-shirt most days, but I feel that I've stepped up the fashion game a bit, and when you look good, you feel good. I like both.
I'm sure there's more (man, I hope so) but that seems to be enough self-congratulatory writing for now. Let's see if blogging can be #4.
~B
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Posted: 2011-03-09 12:46:39
Last night we watch The American. I thought I was in for a treat. Espionage? Vast Italian landscapes? George Clooney? Hell yea!
But no. It was just a long, pretty boring movie with the occasional suspenseful music. We've been on a kick of crap movies lately. The Adjustment Bureau might have been cool if I hadn't seen Inception, or The Matrix 10 years ago. Cyrus could have been really good if I didn't keep wanting it to be a comedy the whole time. You can't but John C Reilley and Jonah Hill in a movie together and then make it a drama. You just can't. There were more bad ones, but I think I've already blocked them from my memory.
We did watch Heartbreakers, a French film (it's a 'film' when it's French... even though it was a romantic comedy) about a dude who's job it is to break up couples. Actually pretty entertaining. So I'll go ahead and recommend that one.
One the wedding front, I've picked out the tuxes. Since I was a little boy, I'd always dreamed of wearing a gray tux and walking down... wait, no I haven't! But the gray tux does look pretty damn sharp. And it's Calvin Klein, so that should give it some cred.
Finally finished up A's new site, so now it's onto my new site. It'll be just like this, only prettier.
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Posted: 2010-09-21 20:58:03
We've bought a house. Well, almost.
Last month, after casually searching for homes in Chicago, we found one we really liked and could (potentially) afford. So began the ridiculously complicated and long process that is home purchasing. I've signed and initialed more documents than I think I have in my entire life previously. I've also had to promise everyone that I'm not a convict, nor do I plan on having illegal immigrants live in my basement.
With all that said, the contract is still in attorney review, and pending a favorable outcome there, we have to get an inspector in. IF the inspection goes well, then we'll officially buy the house. That's what I'm hoping for, because I really like the place. I can see great potential in it (and believe me, right now it's nothing but potential).
We've been to Home Depot and looked at sinks, cabinets, paint swatches, toilets, garbage disposals (they make me tingly), among other things, and we realized that it barely scratches the surface of all the stuff we're going to have to pick out. I'm just going to assume we'll work better under pressure and can make all those decisions when the time comes.
So, if all goes well, you might find yourself invited to a house warming party early next year. Bring us something nice :)
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Posted: 2010-08-18 11:35:17
I think at the heart of every person is a need to explore. The desire to venture into unknown territory, be it physical or intellectual, is a desire that is simply ingrained in people. I'm not saying everyone wants to be a mountain man, but that they thirst, however much or little, for the sense of wonderment that new discovery brings.
While driving home from Minneapolis this past weekend, I stared out the window at the rolling tree-covered hills, cow pastures, and thick forests, picturing myself trekking over the land in search for some small village to spend the night. A town where there is a blacksmith, a carpenter, tradesmen and animals living in a small, self-sustainable bubble.
In today's world, this is tough to find. I live in the city. And not just a city, but the third largest city in the country. Small farm villages don't really exist here. But luckily, I have outlets for these medieval desires.
Anyone who knows me knows that this stems from my love of fantasy writing and games. There is something about the minimalistic lives led in this genre that calls to me. Maybe it's because my real life is overrun with fast-paced, technology driven actions. I spend probably half my waking hours in front of computer. (And no, the irony of playing such games on a computer does not escape me).
It's not so much an escape from my everyday life, but just an extension of it. I found out recently that a colleague of mine carves arrowheads from stone in his spare time. He referred to it as his "analog hobby," since every other aspect of his life was so digital. I suppose this love of fantasy worlds, heroically exploring fantastical worlds, is my analog hobby. It's my answer to my digital life.
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Donna Dunk said:
So cool
the old man said:
the canvas experiment was fun to play with, but its usefulness is over my head.