Robots in the Garden. Worse than Rabbits.

When you get an idea, just go with it, even if it's in the middle of the night. It may not come out perfect, but it just needs time to grow. It's a seedling that your robots need to tend to, and maybe your robots don't help it to grow into a mighty oak, but that one idea will lead to others. You'll have all these ideas, some great, some not so much, but they'll be there, ready for you take them and shape them into something grand. So get out of bed and create. You can sleep in tomorrow.

To Be or Not to Be or the Question of the Identiy Project

When you were little, what did you wanted to be when you grew up? Maybe you wanted to be a dinosaur!

Or maybe you wanted to be a robot! Powered by clockwork!

 

Well, as is the case, that always seems to be fine and dandy when you are little. We grow up, and we become something. Maybe that something is what we dreamed we'd be, but more often than not, we fall into our chosen professions. And that is who we become. Somehow, somewhere, we decided that what we do is who we are. I'm not sure that sits right with me. The big thing is that it lets society define who you are and not the other way around. We, as individuals, should be the ones to define what society is, yet the utter failure of that is evident if you just look at society today (politics anybody? Seriously, didn't anybody tell them to treat people the way you want to be treated?)

So where does this all fit in? For those of you keeping track, today is one of those retrospective days as we close out the year and it seems I've always been trying to define exactly where I fit in the world. Everyone is doing it, so don't worry, but it's one of those things that I think we need to re-engage with. We tell kids that they can be anything when they grow up and many of them make it, fulfill their dreams and I am happy for them. But are they the better off for it? Those that follow the straight line course achieve what they set out to, but what do they miss along the way? I for one have not followed the straight and narrow, but wandered the board a bit and I can honestly say it has been amazing, from the places I've been to the people I've met. Yes, there were (are) quite a few bumps along the way, but every little bump has helped shape who I am. Certainly, society has this idea of who I am, lumping me into a category, but it doesn't matter. So my advice for the coming year: deviate from the beaten path. Learn something completely unrelated to your job. Don't get settled into what society thinks you should be. And most importantly, have some fun while you're at it. You are who you choose to be.

Also, if you're so inclined to see more of the Identity Project, check out the ol' website. Yep, shameless plug.

In a New Way Day 22

In a New Way Day 18

Do the Robot! I was going to make a joke about dancing to Armored Core, but knowing my audience, it'd be like saying "it's really just bananastep."

In a New Way Day 2

Yes, I have an assortment of plastic break dancers (from the wonderful Kid Robot) I guarantee it is not the weirdest thing that occupies the same space I do and in all honesty, have you read my blog at all? This should have been expected.

For the Love of Amy Pond

Yesterday was my third time in Twist & Shout this week. Third. Time. Certainly I make it a point to stop in every time I head over to the Denver Film Center Colfax, and yeah, I'm there at least twice a week, but yesterday was specifically to find Amy Pond. Officially, I am a new Whovian, but I'm not completely clueless, growing up I knew the name as well as the Laural and Hardy baseball routine and was fascinated by the "bigger on the inside" TARDIS, but it wasn't until recently that it really captured my imagination. The entire concept about the show harkens back to what always confused me about the old Star Trek growing up (a planet full of cowboys?): imagination and possibility. Seems to fit right in with what I shoot, so now we know how it all fits together. Anyway, not only did I finally get Amy Pond (they are blind box packaged), I got to enjoy a sweet free concert by Vetiver and the Fruit Bats.

So seriously, think about stopping in the next time you head over to catch a film. The entire Lowenstein complex is awesome by the way, grab some music at Twist, a book at Tattered Cover (I hope I don't offend, but the LoDo location is still my favorite) and grab drinks and a show at the Denver Film Center Colfax.

I'll be headed there shortly for the The Watching Hour presents an Evening with Heather Langenkamp. It's gonna be fun and I expect to see you there.

And as a side note, how can you not love Amy pond (portrayed by the wonderful and beautiful Karen Gillan)? Just sayin.

"T" is for Thaddeus

Meet Goo T. Aeris von Canada. Dashing, isn't he? Still, not as dashing as the other monster dolls made by the kids in the art camp I've been helping with this week, but Goo still manages. But the real question is what have you created today? Stretch your mind, get those neurons firing and make something. Inspiration comes in all forms and from all places, so get out there and make something. I'm partial to cake, just don't over-do the fondant.

The World Ends With You1

That is only sort of a lie. True, the world has finite shape and dimension, but that's just the physicality of it. That's where it comes to you. The world we worry about, the one we care about, well that actually begins with you, not ends. In short, the world is what you make of it, like you've been handed a ball of clay and asked to make something out of it. And it's never permanent, it's constantly in flux, changing as you change, as you learn, as you grow. That's a lot of what this past revolution has reminded me. It's like what Captain Hammer² said, "Home is where the heart is, so your real home's in your chest."

So go, live, create, play, share, care. Make your world. You can start with these if you like.

_{1-Never actually got to play this, but it certainly looked intriguing.
2-You know, Dr. Horrible's arch enemy, his hair blowing in the breeze, the day needs his saving expertise. He has a Ham-jet. You know the Captain I'm talking about.}

May the 4th be with you.

You just got Bossk'd And yes, I know I missed it and that I should have posted something about Cinco de Mayo. Well this is all I have regarding Cinco de Mayo: If you put "stuffed sopapilla" on your menu, please understand by calling it that, you are not piling fixin's on top of a sopapilla nor are you laying a sopapilla on top of a pile of fixin's. You should in fact fry up a sopa right quick, cut that bad boy open so it's steaming like a tauntaun after the sun sets, stuff it like you're saving Luke Skywalker, smother it in chili, and bring it out to me. Just a suggestion.

Interlude: Clear the Road

It's been a long yogurt-y road, but it's time to clear the way. For those of you keen on calendars, you will have noticed we are a good six days past the end of our annual January Photo a Day. We've still got a little ways to go to spruce up what will be known to the halls of history as "Holga Days,"

So while we're waiting, take a break, rest up; I know you're "Tonka Tough," but you gotta take care of yourself. We'll take take care of clearing the road for you, while you finish up the yogurt.

Intermission

Sometimes you need to take a break, get the wind back in your sails if you will. Also, find your hat.

Lost at Sea

There's a lot going on the world, and without a doubt sometimes we get lost. We get wrapped up in the tasks, in the struggle, in the drive to achieve, that sometimes we lose what makes us who we are. Maybe it's gone forever, maybe it's just being held onto by a good friend for when the storm passes and we stop trying to look at what's beyond the horizon and look at what's right in front of us. But what it comes down to, is not letting the wind define our course nor define what we become. That's why we use triangular sails and an over developed keel. Tack the wind my friends and find your way.

Speaking of Playthings...

Remember to play, to smile, to imagine. Let the little things take up some space and just take a moment and think that world isn't so heavy and the road isn't so long.



Yeah, turns out the unofficial version of King Shark makes we wax poetic. Or it could just be that I'm actually much more philosophical than you suspected. Yeah, I don't think so either.

Not just Playthings

In my last somewhat odd post, I spoke about toys as basically keys to innovation and learning. I know I learn something new every time I set about shooting them. And lets face it, they are highly amusing. But beyond that, their value lies in their healing power. I'm sure I've mentioned it before here somewhere, but just in case I haven't, with the season of giving in full swing, I would encourage you to go to Child's Play and donate.

What's Child's Play you ask? It's a charity that puts toys and games in the hands of children in hospitals. I mean, where else does a child need a toy to distract them from whatever ails them, to inspire them to be a hero and keep on keeping on, or even simply to make them smile? Currently, Child's Play provides to more than 70 hospitals internationally. Yes, you heard me correctly, INTERNATIONALLY.

Also, I can't leave you with out recommending a little film called Marwencol. If you ever doubted that toys could help heal people, or even if you feel that you are too grown up for toys, this is the film to see.

And to help bring the conversation full circle:

Me divierte fácilmente

Me divierte fácilmente, como usted sabe. Juguetes construir imaginación. La imaginación lleva a la curiosidad. La curiosidad lleva al descubrimiento y el aprendizaje, ya sea en el arte, la ciencia, la música, los deportes. En mi caso, conduce a los hombres Mariachi LEGO y sombras. Sí, puedes llamarme Batman, que cuelgan del techo.



Este artículo ha sido presentada a usted hoy por "Miedo de los Dinosaurios."

The Last Leaf of Fall

Apparently didn't go without a fight. And I'm not sure who won.



I actually came across this leaving the house this morning. I doubt I could have set it up better if I had tried.

Remember to Play with Your New Toys

Just having some fun during this joyous season. You should do the same.







Here at Cobra, we do our killing the same way we take our tea, with our pinkies out.


The latest entry in the Heroes & Villains Series: Freedom. As we know, the greatest freedom is the freedom to leave.

And one more entry in the Cast Shadows series.

It's been a while...gimme a call...

"Well, I'm gonna try. I'll phone in the results."

Insight

Insight is simply amazing. Gianni Lopergolo is an amazing artist and who knew, that I’ve been following his work all along. I highly recommend picking up his book, Insight. Not only will you be amazed, but you will help contribute to the National ALS Association, its Rhode Island Chapter and the Gianni Lopergolo Foundation.

Additionally, it was very nice to discover that the principles I follow when shooting: capture in camera, keep it simple, looking at everyday objects in new ways, are the same ones that Gianni Lopergolo has used to create such an incredible body of work.

Personality

From people to pets to places and things, everything has it. Sometimes it’s easy to find and sometimes it takes a little work to find it. What I love about photography is that the “work” isn’t work at all.


And if you haven't noticed, I am a nerd. And for those of you that already knew, you know that today IS giant robot day. Also, you may remember this isn't our fine robotic friends first appearance on these pages. Anywho, lets focus on what's really import...giant robots are awesome.

Joker's Wild

Freakish playing card imps. What will they think of next?


(In case you have no clue regarding the title of this post, this is from the Legend of the Dark Knight line done by Kenner a while back. Turns out I don't get rid of anything.)