As everyone knows one of the most important parts of preparing for the summer is the proper playlist.
Here is mine (more or less):
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Don't Carry it All - The Decemberists
Girl Is On My Mind - The Black Keys
Foxey Lady - Jimi Hendrix
Abel - The National
Un Dernier Verre (Pour La Route) - Beirut
I Was Born - Billy Bragg/Natalie Merchant
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Crystal Frontier [Widescreen Version] - Calexico
Jesus Gonna' Be Here - The Blind Boys of Alabama
Born to Hum - Erin Mckeown
Heavy Lifting - Ambulance LTD
Everybody Needs Love - Robyn Hitchcock
Killer Queen - Queen
Flightless Bird American Mouth - Iron & Wine
Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine
Cello Song - Nick Drake
Our Story - The Judybats
Sec Walkin - My Morning Jacket
Damn, Sam (I Love A Woman That Rains) - Ryan Adams
Animal Shapes - Silver Jews
Transcendental Blues - Steve Earle
Since the Last Time - Arrested Development
Simple - Collective Soul
Baddest of the Bad - Reverend Horton Heat
Sister Havana - Urge Overkill
Blue Orchid - White Stripes
Filipino Box Spring Hog - Tom Waits
Mr. Grieves - The Pixies
Big Brown Eyes - Old 97's
It Goes On And On - The Avett Brothers
Too long to burn to a CD but not too long for my digital player. Go technology.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Sometimes I Just Need to Act
I watched an episode of the most excellent how-to web series Film Riot today and boy it made me want to be an actor again. I haven't performed in almost ten years. (Wow!) Every once-in-a-while it hits me, this wave of longing and angst for something I found incredibly fulfilling. I can go months and even years between the longing, but when it hits it's overwhelming.
If you were to ask me why it's been so long the answer is: I've been busy. From the time I last performed to now, I've had three kids, a couple of mortgages, moved across the country, dealt with the depression and emotional aftermath of a difficult miscarriage, changed jobs six times, and decided to actually finish my bachelor's degree. I've been busy.
I don't regret any of those decisions (or the experiences that resulted) and have done a lot of maturing in that time. There's been a lot of happiness, a lot of fun, and some pain. I'm not wishing for a life I never had. I love my life. But sometimes I miss some parts that I've chosen to leave behind (even if only temporarily).
Someday soon I will perform again. I'll find a little theatre or an independent filmmaker and lose myself for a time in the creative process and make a little art. It seems incongruous to say, but despite having let the acting muscles lay largely unused I feel like I'll be a better actor when I do return. The years in-between have given me greater empathy and understanding of myself and those around me. I can see now a lot of the mistakes I was making. My approach to the craft is going to be significantly different.
I daresay I'm not the only one out there who's creative life has been on hold for a few years. (In part starting this ever so cutting edge blog [It'll revolutionize the internet!] is an attempt to fulfill the part of me that loves and needs to write.) To my fellow Creative-Souls-On-Hold I would only give this small piece of advice: Your time will come just as mine will. Until then we have our dreams.
If you were to ask me why it's been so long the answer is: I've been busy. From the time I last performed to now, I've had three kids, a couple of mortgages, moved across the country, dealt with the depression and emotional aftermath of a difficult miscarriage, changed jobs six times, and decided to actually finish my bachelor's degree. I've been busy.
I don't regret any of those decisions (or the experiences that resulted) and have done a lot of maturing in that time. There's been a lot of happiness, a lot of fun, and some pain. I'm not wishing for a life I never had. I love my life. But sometimes I miss some parts that I've chosen to leave behind (even if only temporarily).
Someday soon I will perform again. I'll find a little theatre or an independent filmmaker and lose myself for a time in the creative process and make a little art. It seems incongruous to say, but despite having let the acting muscles lay largely unused I feel like I'll be a better actor when I do return. The years in-between have given me greater empathy and understanding of myself and those around me. I can see now a lot of the mistakes I was making. My approach to the craft is going to be significantly different.
I daresay I'm not the only one out there who's creative life has been on hold for a few years. (In part starting this ever so cutting edge blog [It'll revolutionize the internet!] is an attempt to fulfill the part of me that loves and needs to write.) To my fellow Creative-Souls-On-Hold I would only give this small piece of advice: Your time will come just as mine will. Until then we have our dreams.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
As Is Typical I'm Late
Hello,
I'm Nate. I have opinions. Sometimes I have questions. Occasionally I have neither. Being on the cutting edge of technological innovation I thought I'd start a webblog (or blog) where I tell people what I think about stuff. This is a revolutionary idea I realize but that's me, always pushing the envelope.
I'm Nate. I have opinions. Sometimes I have questions. Occasionally I have neither. Being on the cutting edge of technological innovation I thought I'd start a webblog (or blog) where I tell people what I think about stuff. This is a revolutionary idea I realize but that's me, always pushing the envelope.
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