"5-STAR READ LISTMANIA"

Does your Christmas wish list look anything like mine?

Shopping for someone who enjoys suspense/romance?

I recommend each and every book on my Listmania. I guarantee the reader will be totally satisfied…(perhaps I’m a tad opinionated here…lol)

1.  Conquer All Obstacles by Jo-Anne Vandermeulen

This film completely rips off one of my favorite books called The Fermata by Nicholson Baker.

But whether a book or a movie, learning how to stop time and using that power to undress women and/or make one fall in love with you is very compelling.

Which my parole officer is not going to be pleased to read.

One car? Two lanes? Commuting was apparently a different experience in 1959. This is the Banfield Freeway westbound with NE Grand Avenue crossing over.

(City of Portland Archives)

Not to poke holes in this rather benign installment of Grand Avenue, but there are a lot of things wrong with today’s strip. First off, it seems unlikely that all nine of these stocks would have gone up on the same day, despite the recent surge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Even on very good days, some stock prices rise while others fall. Secondly, no one tries to fall asleep by counting sheep out loud. That would sort of defeat the purpose. And finally, counting sheep (or anything, for that matter) isn’t likely to help anybody doze off. My recommendation for catching some zzzzs? A hot cup of green tea with a large spoonful of honey.

We don’t watch football much.  After church we usually hang out at home. The kid and his momma nap. I wander around aimlessly – waiting for them to wake up. Then we all wander around aimlessly. Tonight we ran downtown to take some photos. More for a chance to have a little fun and get out of the house than anything else. As usual, Izzy was accomodating. Get him doing something and he will let me photograph him for hours.

These last two are probably mistakes, but I really liked them any way. My mistakes are usually my favorite. Other photographers would probably scoff and roll their eyes.

Last night, my lovely, Sarah, and I went to Punch Pizza for my birthday. It was my birthday yesterday – I’m 23 now.

The food was amazing! We ordered a Bruni pizza (sausage, spiced salami, onion, oregano) and a chopped Italian salad with a Summit Red Ale and a mediocre cup of red wine.

The food came quickly and we tried to eat slowly to enjoy the meal.

For the food itself, I’d give Punch top marks.

For EVERYTHING else we dealt with, I’m probably going to spit on the on the place every time I walk by it from now on.

Walking inside Punch is like walking into a Chipotle or Five Guys, there are people everywhere and it’s noisy. I give major props to both of those places over Punch because I actually enjoy eating there. I am never going to eat at Punch again; take out, maybe, but not inside.

We walked inside and took a gander at the crowd. We were standing in line when we saw a table open up, “thank God,” we thought. I jumped towards it and sat down to ensure our seating for dinner. Two minutes later, some floor manager guy walked over and kicked me out of the table; there are some seating rules apparently. I was annoyed, but they have a system, I suppose I can respect that without being TOO perturbed. Then we sat and waited for our number, 82, to be called (by the same guy). After calling 82, he hurried off to a large table in the middle of the place – I refuse to call this a restaurant. I looked around to find two other tables open, one was even a booth. But instead of taking us to one of those, he still went with the giant table. This table is one you’d imagine in a pub in some bad fantasy movie – long, wooden, bench-style. He sat us here, saying, “one on either side.”

Seriously?

Sitting in between people we don’t know, bumping their elbows with our own, more than a full arm’s stretch away, Sarah sat across from me mirroring my look of disgust and annoyance. I had to basically lie across the table like a bored 3rd grader to talk with her; in doing so, I drew a few looks from the people around us, but didn’t care because I wasn’t going to let the atmosphere COMPLETELY ruin my time with her.

Not long after being seated, our food arrived and we had to go get our own silverware, plates, napkins, etc. Again, the food was really, really good, but we had to focus on it to enjoy it.

Then, get this, halfway through our meal, the same balding floor manager approached us, touched my shoulder and asked us to move over so he could make room for more people.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m sorry, you want us to do what? Even after you kicked me out of a table and then sat us at this giant wooden log between strangers, you want us to move?  Being the polite, Christian kids we are, we moved down, only managing nasty looks. Then two minutes later, he came back and told us to move the other way because the hole we had already made wasn’t good enough where it was. By this time, other pairs of people had joined us and were equally frustrated. This whole act pissed me off and I started shooting my mouth off to Sarah about the guy’s dickheadedness, how rude he was, “this giant *f-bombing* table”, etc. Sarah tried quieting me because the guy was just behind me. Bless her soul, it didn’t work. I hoped he could hear what I was saying. We finished eating, got up and left. On our way out, with me still complaining, we walked past the guy again.  Our eyes met and he didn’t say goodbye like he had just done with the past four couples walking out.

I’m still fuming about that place. I even got on Google to read other reviews. Like us, everyone loved the food. They recommend, however, “don’t go to the Punch on Grand Ave.” Apparently this location sucks and treats people like cattle more than the other sites.

Maybe someday, when I don’t feel as offended and angry, I will give Punch another try at a different location. Maybe.

(Please notice I didn’t link to Punch at all in this post, but linked to several other places instead)

Ligge som eit slakt på sofaen i dag igjen. Har vore dautrøytt i heile dag, noko som resulterte i hovudverk på jobb og ei “gi faen” holdning når eg kom heim. Så langt har kvelden gått med til å sjå One Tree Hill og Two And A Half Men. Må jo vere oppdatert på kva som skjer i serieverden

I går vart det eit hyggeleg gjensyn med det glade 90-tal. Såg Beavis and Butt-head Do America og eg humra og lo rett så ofte. Når Beavis går over til å bli denne karen tek det heilt av

Mtv burde sende dette igjen i staden for alt dritet dei no maktar å putta på denna kanalen sin.

Ellers så har eit av banda eg oppdaga under mi tid i København, Grand Avenue, komme på bana igjen med eit rett så flott album. Har likt dessa sidan eg høyrte Take it as it comes tilbake i 2003. Feiande flott dansk rock

Sjekk ut videoen til Almost Gone:

I morgon er det jaggu onsdag. Halvvegs gjennom denne veka også. Fy kor fort tiden går. Dette skal feirast med Champions League, grilla indrefilèt av storfe fra sjølvast Uruguay og alkohol. Trur jaggu det blir litt Galliano i morgon eg. Har hugsa krem denna gangen, så da blir det kos. Skal nok få pressa ned ein Vana Tallin eller to også. I tillegg er konjakk obligatorisk. Blir ein fin dag på jobb torsdag detta

Men detta skjer altså i morgon. Planen for resten av kvelden er null, niks, nada. Einaste so er sikkert er at det blir tidleg i seng.

  If You Are Like Everyone Else, You’ve Always Wanted To Attend Jayne’s Classes at UWM-School of Continuing Edu, Career Transitions Center…(if not, get with it!        

  I Have Great News!  If you discover you are a “Dislocated Worker,” you will only pay $150.00 each for my November classes (regular cost $250.00 each)! 

The classes are listed below:

Part One of the Two Part Class Series:

“A New Way of Thinking for the FUTURE Work World”

 Dates:   Tuesdays beginning November 3, 10, 17, December 1, 2009

 Time:   7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

 Place: Plankinton Building, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., 6th floor, above the Grand Ave Mall.

(For FREE parking, park at Grand Avenue parking structure and get the ticket validated)

 Description:   There are some emerging trends that we can learn to watch and observe to understand what the FUTURE TRENDS will be in the “NEW WORLD OF WORK.”  This class will guide you through these changes as the Western-based economy moves from the Information Age, through the Digital Age & into The Conceptual Age.  Many jobs (typically “Left Brain” jobs) have begun/are being Automated or Out-Sourced to the Growing Economies of China & India. Learn what types of jobs & positions you may need to know about to stay relevant; the types of skills & potentially new ways of thinking that can help you qualify for the new jobs that will replace the old ones. Obtain information & materials to help assess your future employment opportunities. Guest speakers from different companies and industries will be presenting at each class.

 If you have questions, please contact me at:    jaynehs@yahoo.com, or at 414-704-6139

 To Register: 

• On-Line at http://sce-ctc.uwm.edu/
• Debra O’Neil, Career Transitions Program Specialist:  Oneil@uwm.edu 
• Jayne Holland, Instructor:  jaynehs@yahoo.com, or at 414-704-6139

Part Two of the Two Part Class Series:

“What Will You Do In The FUTURE Job Market?    Redo Yourself!”

 Dates:  Thursdays beginning November 5, 12, 19 and December 3, 2009

 Time:  7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

 Place: Plankinton Building, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., 6th floor, above the Grand Ave Mall.

(For FREE parking, park at Grand Avenue parking structure and get the ticket validated)

 Description:   The intent of this class is to guide and present you with new ideas and attitudes towards a new job, different career or industry. In-depth professional tools are offered to assess your current skills and help identify ones that may need to be updated. You will gain knowledge on how to assess and understand the different skill sets required for the new job market in the FUTURE World of Work. The class will help guide you towards learning how to obtain a new job/career, or change your perspective towards your current career. You will receive updated information and ideas for networking, explore different types of resume options (video resumes, etc), and obtain knowledge and resources for the companies and industries that will be providing the new jobs for the FUTURE. Guest speakers from different companies and industries will be presenting at each class.

 If you have questions, please contact me at:    jaynehs@yahoo.com, 414-704-6139

To Register:

• On-Line at http://sce-ctc.uwm.edu/
• Debra O’Neil, Career Transitions Program Specialist:  Oneil@uwm.edu
• Jayne Holland, Instructor:  jaynehs@yahoo.com, or 414-704-6139

If you’re having a problem figuring out who “really runs the office,” then this next class is for you: 

“Corporate Culture – How to Survive and Thrive at Work”

 Dates:  Wednesdays beginning November 4, 11, 18 and December 2, 2009

 Time:  7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

 Place:  Plankinton Building, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., 6th floor, above the Grand Ave Mall.

(For FREE parking, park at Grand Avenue parking structure and get the ticket validated)

 Description:   Culture is so important that it literally underlies the way business is done in every way. Recently, there has been more attention focused on the ways in which culture influences management and leadership styles. When differing personalities and temperament are added to the cultural “mix,” the result can make a difference in the overall success of a business venture, or in an individual employee’s career. Where people move within narrow employment circles, there are also different industry cultures, such as the banking and financial industries, the companies that support the Internet, as well as product manufacturing industries.

As executive leaders become more aware of the productivity benefits of healthy corporate cultures, employees come to expect and demand healthier environments. Once an industry culture becomes seriously contaminated, it may affect many companies as people move to “better workplaces” within the same industry. In a very tight employment market as we have now, many people will refuse to work in the less healthy corporate cultures.

Many individuals are unsuccessful in job after job because they remain unaware of the existence of a “culture” within the workplace. Program participants will learn what corporate culture is and how important it is to their career. New strategies will be presented to detect and understand the culture of a company before they become an employee; determine what type of corporate culture accommodates their temperament, work style and personality, and how to be understand the culture at a current job to become more successful.

 The program content contains material to help the participants in assessing what corporate culture is and guides them towards learning how to work successfully in their new or current job.

 If you have questions, please contact me at:    jaynehs@yahoo.com, 414-704-6139

To Register:

• On-Line at http://sce-ctc.uwm.edu/
• Debra O’Neil, Career Transitions Program Specialist:  Oneil@uwm.edu
• Jayne Holland, Instructor:  jaynehs@yahoo.com, or 414-704-6139

Surely everyone knows my background by now, but if not, here it is:

As an Instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Continuing Education, Career Transitions Center, I teach classes in Future Global Trends and how these trends affect the ways that both individuals and organizations “think” and perform work. My classes look at how companies and individuals can “Re-Do” or “Re-Invent” themselves to be able to remain relevant in current careers, industries and markets, or transition into other available or more fulfilling work opportunities. In addition to teaching, I work in the Career Transitions Center with adults who find themselves in career changes and transition. I am also a member of the Advisory Board for this university department.

In my work as the founder of Blue Skies Consulting, I specialize in observing emerging trends that are affecting current work, and the ways they will continue to change the Future World of Work. I work with individuals and organizations to help guide and assist them in the development of new perspectives and awareness in problem-solving, creative thinking, organization change and customer relationship management, especially in their application in a Global Economy.

Other areas of expertise in business organizations includes organizational performance, team building and development, effective communication between work groups and teams, individual performance development and career coaching, organization multi-culture awareness and change, communication etiquette, and strategic future visioning and planning.

Working with individuals in career coaching and transition (voluntary or non-voluntary), my services include assisting in building self-awareness of personal growth needs and their integration into career goals; utilizing assessments to measure current skills and aptitude; and developing personal plans for specific career paths. Guidance and assistance are offered towards facilitating the implementation of career plans for emerging jobs in new and future industries and companies.

Other local business, state and federal consulting services are conducted through partnership with The Alliance for Creative Professional Transitions. This group specializes in providing all aspects of Career Transitions and Development, including working with individuals and corporate management teams.

I also serve on the Advisory Board and the Planning and Steering Committee for JobCamp Milwaukee, an innovative group that presents participants with access to career education and coaching, networking and social media experts, financial advisers, continuing education and employer opportunities.

A business solutions expert for many years, my background includes the Staffing, Medical and IT Consulting Services industries, in the areas of Business Development, Solutions & Project Management, Major Account Management, and Personnel Development and Training.

Contact me at jaynehs@yahoo.com, www.BlueSkiesConsultingMke.com, and you know you can/will! read more about Future Trends and how they are/will! affect You and Your Work in this blog!  Burn the address into your brain!  Please?    http://jayneh.wordpress.com.

THANK YOU!  SEE YOU IN CLASS!

JAYNE

UWM-School of Continuing Education
Career Transitions Center  

New Four Week Class Series
(2 courses – Part 1 & Part 2)

Presented by Jayne Holland

Career Changes

In a

Tough Economy?

The Career Transitions Center classes at

UWM-School of Continuing Education offers the

Very Best Resources Available for YOU!

UWM-School of Continuing Education
Career Transitions Center

Course Name:

Part 1

“A New Way of Thinking for the FUTURE Work World”

Instructor: Jayne Holland

Dates:   Tuesdays beginning November 3, 10, 17, December 1, 2009

Time:   7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

 Place: Plankinton Building, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., 6th floor, above the Grand Ave Mall.

(For FREE parking, park at Grand Avenue parking structure and get the ticket validated)

Description:  Feel Like You Need A Crystal Ball To See What’s In Your Future?

I do not really have a Crystal Ball, but there are some emerging trends that we can learn to watch and observe to understand what the FUTURE TRENDS will be in the “NEW WORLD OF WORK.” This class will guide you through these changes as the Western-based economy moves from the Information Age, through the Digital Age & into The Conceptual Age. Many jobs (typically “Left Brain” jobs) have begun/Are being automated or Out-Sourced to the Growing Economies of China & India. Learn what types of jobs & positions you may need to know about to stay relevant & the types of skills & potentially new ways of thinking that can help you qualify for the new jobs that will replace the old ones. Obtain information & materials to help assess your future employment opportunities. Guest speakers from different companies and industries will be presenting at each class.

If you have questions, please e-mail me at one of the following:

• Jayne Holland, Blue Skies Consulting: JayneHS@Yahoo.com

 To Register:

• On-Line at http://sce-ctc.uwm.edu/
• Debra O’Neil, Career Transitions Program Specialist:  Oneil@uwm.edu
• Jayne Holland, Instructor:  jaynehs@yahoo.com

UWM-School of Continuing Education
Career Transitions Cente

Course Name:

Part 2 

“What Will You Do In The FUTURE Job Market?

 Redo Yourself!”

 Instructor: Jayne Holland

 Dates:  Thursdays beginning November 5, 12, 19 and December 3, 2009 

 Time:  7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

 Place: Plankinton Building, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., 6th floor, above the Grand Ave Mall.

(For FREE parking, park at Grand Avenue parking structure and get the ticket validated)Description:

The intent of this class is to guide and present you with new ideas and attitudes towards a new job, different career of industry. In-depth professional tools are offered to assess your current skills and help identify ones that may need to be updated. You will gain knowledge on how to assess and understand the new skill sets required for the new job market in this FUTURE World of Work. The class will help guide you towards learning how to obtain a new job/career, or change your perspective towards your current career. You will receive updated information and ideas for networking, explore different types of resume options, and obtain knowledge and resources for the companies and industries that will be providing the new jobs for the FUTURE. Guest speakers from different companies and industries will be presenting at each class.

 If you have questions, please e-mail me at one of the following:

• Jayne Holland, Blue Skies Consulting: JayneHS@Yahoo.com

 To Register:

• On-Line at http://sce-ctc.uwm.edu/
• Debra O’Neil, Career Transitions Program Specialist:  Oneil@uwm.edu
• Jayne Holland, Instructor:  jaynehs@yahoo.com 

• About Instructor: Jayne Holland
  Founder of Blue Skies Consulting, a group of Milwaukee-based consultants. 

Specializing in observing emerging and future trends that affect the World of Work.

• Guiding and assisting individuals and organizations towards new perspectives and awareness in leadership visioning, organization re-tooling, problem-solving, creative thinking, and customer relationship management.
• As a Business Solutions Expert, worked in the Staffing, Medical and IT Consulting Services industries, in the areas of Business Development, Solutions & Project Management, Major Account Management, and Personnel Development and Training. 
• On the Advisory Board for JobCamp Milwaukee, an innovative group that presents participants with access to career education and coaching, networking and social media experts, financial advisers, continuing education and employer opportunities, as well as on the UWM-School of Continuing Education, Career Transitions Center Advisory Board.

Jayne believes in always doing what is in the highest and best good/interest for her clients. Working with this objective on a daily basis has allowed her to develop and maintain strong client relationships over the last 20 years. 

Phoenix First Friday (Photo source: Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau)

[Source: Roosevelt Row] — Join one of the largest free art walks in the U.S. on the first Friday of every month in downtown Phoenix.  And enjoy the luxury of a hassle free ride to First Friday on the Light Rail.  Finally, you can enjoy the evening without the stress of parking.  Just get off at the Central & Roosevelt stop and head to your favorite spots on the Row.  Don’t forget to head west to the great businesses and attractions in the avenues and along Central.   [Click here for Arizona Republic interactive map.]

[The following "letter to the editor" was written by Steve Weiss, Steering Committee Chair of Downtown Voices Coalition, in response to the Arizona Republic's June 10, 2009 editorial on the Jackson Street Entertainment District.  Since the letter hasn't been printed in the Republic, we're reprinting it here.]

There are many issues to debate regarding the proposed Jackson Street Entertainment District: the loss of historic preservation on the last surviving contiguous areas of the Warehouse District, the impact on residents South of Jackson Street, or even whether a created Entertainment District can achieve the financial and sales tax success the developers and city officials hope for.  The debate can rage back and forth on these issues.

But there is one glaring fact that disputes your editorial, where you say “Even now the area is drawing artists’ studios and clubs.”

The artists were forced out of Jackson Street long ago, first by the America West Arena (now US Airways Center) and then by Bank One Ballpark (now Chase Field).  What was once an area inhabited by live/work studios and galleries seeking large spaces with cheap rent is now priced for speculation or geared towards the ethereal sports fan.  The one exception is the eternally struggling Icehouse, way West of the proposed development.  No city help seems forthcoming to the last true artspace on Jackson.

As in all big cities, the gentrification of the downtown, first made cool by the artists, will be left to those who can afford “attainable” housing or “themed” entertainment.  A House of Blues club is no match for the authenticity of The Rhythm Room, as an example.

If the developers who seek to make Jackson Street interesting once again are wise enough, they will create incentives for affordable (not just attainable) live/work artist spaces and the kind of hospitable and distinct food, music and art venues that thrive in the less structured and less pricey environments of Grand Avenue and Roosevelt Street.  Look to those streets to find the remaining downtown artists and artspaces.

Steve Weiss
Steering Committee Chair, Downtown Voices Coalition

Eyedea and Abilities will be performing @ the Dixie Stage, located on Grand Ave. and St. Albans.

M.Anifest will be performing @ Salut Stage, located on Grand Ave. and Milton Ave.

More Details Here

Cover Attraction is a weekly meme hosted my Marcia at the Printed Page. This is what she says:

I’m a very visual person and love beautiful, or interesting, cover art. It entices, and invites, me to stop and take a peek instead of walking right on by.

I couldn’t agree more! Here’s my Cover Attraction for the week:

Title: Grand Avenue
Author: Joy Fielding
Published: October 2, 2001

For four women, the bonds of friendship had sustained them for twenty years — through marriage, motherhood, and murder….

Looking back, it seemed like paradise: lives filled with the blessings of friendship, marriage, children, and career. For twenty years, four friends — Chris, Barbara, Susan, and Vicki — shared everything through good times and bad, and faced the challenges of life and love head-on.

Now, one sits alone to ponder the strange twists and turns of fate and circumstance.

Now, she must sift through each of their pasts to discover exactly what went wrong, how dreams turned to nightmares as friendships faded and lives were destroyed.

Chris lived a contented life in her modest house with her growing family. It was her husband who never seemed satisfied — and who expected her to sacrifice her happiness to cater to his whims.

Barbara prided herself on staying beautiful for her handsome professor husband. But it wasn’t enough to keep him from dallying with his nubile young students.

Susan finished college after motherhood and became a successful magazine editor. But a casual flirtation threatened to shatter the harmonious life she had worked so hard to build.

Vicki’s achievements as a stellar and sought-after trial lawyer came at a huge personal price: a marriage and family that always took second place.

Going deep inside the minds and hearts of her utterly believable characters, Joy Fielding unlocks the secrets hidden within even the closest relationships. This powerful and mesmerizing novel explores the bonds women forge, the nature of friendship, and the meaning of unconditional love.

The first thing that drew me to this cover was the light pastel colors. I’m a sucker for that kind of thing! The more I looked at it, I realized that it was beautifully laid out, and it’s very aesthetically pleasing. The flower is bent in a way that brings the eye to the title, and then the pedals lead you back up to the frame. It’s very well done!

After reading the synopsis, I will definite have to read this book! It looks like a fascinating story. Though I won’t get around to it for a while.

What about you? What covers have caught your eye this week?

“Câteodată dragostea se ascunde printre secundele vieţii tale.” Hm, când am citit sloganul ăsta de promovare a filmului lui Sean Ellis, varianta omonimă însă de lungă durată a scurtmetrajului realizat în 2004, nu ştiam dacă n-o să văd vreo comedie romatică uşur(at)ică, de duminică, pe care nu merită nici măcar s-o amintesc în acest hall of fame cinematografic în construcţie. Domnişoara picturală din posterul filmului, într-o ipostază intrigantă pe culoarul unui supermarket, precum şi – să fiu sincer – ratingul de pe IMDB mi-au promis o proiecţie de zile mari. Şi n-am fost deloc dezamăgit.

În povestea lui Sean Ellis (dacă aţi văzut The Broken, e realizat tot de el, în 2008, dar nu dau detalii fiindcă am cam strâmbat din nas când l-am văzut), tânărul Ben (Sean Biggerstaff), pictor în devenire suferă de insomnii şi melancolie după despărţirea de iubita lui, Suzy (Michelle Ryan). Când spun insomnii, mă refer la faptul că omul nu poate dormi aproape deloc şi trăieşte o stare de surescitare continuă, cu flash-uri care ne poartă din copilăria lui până în camera de cămin în care-şi măsoară nopţile.

În timpul pendulărilor sale insomniace între prezent şi trecut, Ben descoperă că are capacitatea de a opri timpul, de a “îngheţa” momentele pe care vrea să le trăiască şi de a contempla liber instantanee cu oameni şi lucruri din jurul său. Tocmai despre asta e Cashback, în opinia mea. Poate că-s mai diletant într-ale cinema-ului decât tipul care a scris recenzia filmului în Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) dar cred că miza lui Sean Ellis n-a fost să creeze o poveste romance (sau oricum nu-i vorba doar de asta), cât să surprindă una dintre cele mai intime şi arzătoare dorinţe ale fiinţei umane captive într-o lume efemeră: aceea de a putea opri timpul, de a fi în stare să-l capturăm în instantanee care, disecate pe îndelete ne vor oferi măcar senzaţia că stăpânim curgerea temporală.

Ok, să mă întorc la personajul nostru, Ben. Deoarece nu poate dormi, îşi ia un job de noapte la un supermarket cu colegi de muncă trăzniţi (filmul e pe alocuri şi o comedie spumoasă alimentată de comicul de situaţie şi de introspecţiile de o auto-ironie fină ale lui Ben), unde o cunoaşte pe Sharon (Emilia Fox), o casieră ce visează să plece în Spania.

Nu mai dezvălui din detaliile intrigii, vreau doar să pariez că după ce veţi vedea filmul îmi veţi da dreptate (atât băieţii cât şi fetele) că scena cu Ben schiţând femeile “îngheţate” din supermarket şi cea cu studenta suedeză din copilăria lui Ben, care urcă nişte scări interminabile îmbrăcată cu…nimic, reprezintă nişte capodopere de erotism cinematografic, tocmai fiindcă nu transpiră în picanterii ieftine. Nu-mi vine minte în cap nici un film comparabil din punctul ăsta de vedere, deşi sigur am mai văzut scene asemănătoare (poate în Toba de tinichea, ori în Frumoasa scandalagioaică), însă cu siguranţă am găsit un erotism asemănător în miniromanul mai puţin popularizat al lui D.H. Lawrence, Fecioara şi ţiganul, în care, la fel ca şi în scenele amintite din filmul lui Ellis, nu e descrisă nici măcar scena unui sărut şi cu toate astea îi simţi tensiunea, din creier până-n vintre.

O menţiune specială pentru soundtrack – nu numai pentru coloana originală a lui Guy Farley, care mi se pare mie că supra-stilizează un pic construcţia, cât şi pentru câteva melodii fabuloase, însă extrem de greu de găsit şi ascultat (dacă găsiţi voi ceva din titlurile de pe genericul filmului, v-aş fi recunoscător să-mi daţi un semn). Preferata mea, dintre toate, este She, a trupei Grand Avenue.

Hoy cumplo otra peticion hecha en el blog, que me ha hecho acordar que existia la banda que hoy posteare, estoy hablando de la banda de Copenhague, Dinamarca formada en el año 2001 formada por 4 grandes amigos y musicos llamados Rasmus Walter-Hansen, Niels-Kristian Bærentzen, Marc Stebbing y Hjalte Thygesen, la bandas se origino por que los miembros estudiaban en una escuela musical Londinense, en Inglaterra de donde proviene su sonido casi puramente Britanico, hasta el momento ha lanzado 4 albunes llamados “grand avenue”lanzado en 2003 como album debut,”she”su segundo album lanzado en el 2005, “the outside” en 2007 y para cumplir la seguidilla de 1 disco cada 2 años este 28 de septiembre que acaba de pasar lanzaron “place to fall”su cuarto album de estudio, su sonido que va desde lo mas brit pop de la ultima decada y con un estilo algo caracteristico pero comparable con los trabajos realizados por Colplay y U2, sobre todo por el vocalista que emula de cierta manera a Cris Martin y el guitarrista a The Edge, para mejora el grupo fue mejorando y evolucionando haciendo de su sonido mas progresivo, pulido, directo y con buenas melodias logra consolidarse como una de las bandas mas importantes de la actualidad en Dinamarca, espero que le guste al que lo pidio, exelente Dinamarca que sigue demostran su potencial casi Britanico.

1. What’s On Your Mind
2. This Is Not An End
3. Take It As It Comes
4. Everyday
5. Falling
6. Nothing At All
7. Is It Pretty
8. Slow Burning
9. As You Are
10.Shine For Me
11.Come ‘Round
12.Dancing Shoes
13.Average

GRAND AVENUE – GRAND AVENUE(2003)

1.On your side
2.Playground
3.The city’s on fire
4.Happy with a secret
5.Beautiful mistake
6.After the rain
7.Let go
8.Slow motion
9.Give it to me
10She
11Broken night

GRAND AVENUE – SHE(2005)

1. Give Myself Away
3. Bullet
4. Monday Morning
5. The Outside
6. Winter’s Passing By
7. Anything That’s You
8. Closer
9. You Please Me
10. Restless World
11. Ordinary

GRAND AVENUE – THE OUTSIDE(2007)

1 Almost Gone
2 Nowhere Now
3 Follow You Down
4 Black Heart
5 Control
6 She Leads the Parade
7 Waiting for the World
8 These Days
9 Coming Up
10.Place to Fall

GRAND AVENUE – PLACE TO FALL(2009)

COMENTAR NO CUESTA NADA MAS QUE TIEMPO!!!COMENTEN!!!

]]> http://downtownvoices.org/2009/09/24/celebrating-art-history-and-adaptive-reuse-in-phoenixs-lower-grand/ Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:15:03 +0000 dvcwebsite2008 http://downtownvoices.org/2009/09/24/celebrating-art-history-and-adaptive-reuse-in-phoenixs-lower-grand/

Click me to learn more!

[Source: Grand Avenue Merchants Association] – The Grand Avenue Festival, to be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009, has finalized a schedule of events including live music performances, fashion shows, adaptive re-use tours, open studios, and other special events throughout the day.  The festival will focus on the theme of neighborhood sustainability and adaptive re-use of the Lower Grand Avenue arts and small business district. Everyone is invited to this free (except for adaptive re-use tours), day-long celebration.

Adaptive Re-use/History Tours. Guided walking tours of some of the historic buildings on Lower Grand Avenue will focus on interesting adaptive re-use projects.  Tours will start at 8am, 9:30am, and 11am and will last approximately 1.5 hours.  This is a walking tour so participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring a hat.  Tour tickets can be purchased at Tilt Gallery for $10 per person on the day of the festival, or in advance online.  Tour stops will include Tilt Gallery (all tours will start at Tilt Gallery), 919 W Fillmore; Jordre Studio, 1007 W Grand Ave; Paisley Violin Cafe & Paisley Town, 1028 W Grand Ave; Motley Design Group building, 1114 W Grand Ave; Arnold’s Auto Body Shop building, 1209 W Grand Ave; and Bragg’s Pie Factory building, 1301 W Grand Ave.

Fashion Shows. Three fashion shows are planned for the afternoon and evening of the festival.  The shows will feature the work of local artists, designers, and boutiques.  “Recycled Wearable Art” presented by Lee Berger will be at 5pm at Bragg’s Pie Factory and will feature fashions made from reused materials.  At 7pm “Local Boutique Fashions” will be presented at Bragg’s Pie Factory with fashions from Dragonfly Boutique, Wicked Wear, and Butter Toast Boutique, and music by Silver Medallion.  At 8:30pm, Gloria Marsiglia will present “The BoHo Haute Hippie Movement” at Soul Invictus Theatre.  This accessories fashion show will fuse Bohemian Hippie fashions, late 60s music, a light show, and special effects.  All fashion shows are free.

Live Music Performances. A variety of music performances will be presented free of charge as part of the festival activities at The PHiX, Sweets & Beats, Rockin’ A, and The Loft. Bands include Flyaway Tigers, The Boys, The Super Funk All-Stars, The Chandails, Great Job, River Jones PRESENTS!, The Complainiacs, Snake Snake Snakes!, Liam and the Ladies, Ray Reeves & the Phoenix Sons, Boys and Frogs, Bolt, Some Never Sleep, The Package, Scorpian vs. Tarantula, Azul, Flux Manifesto, Haunted Cologne, Somber Sounds, Man About a Dog, and The Skinwalkers.  Performances will start at 4:00pm and continue through midnight.  A complete schedule of music will be available on the day of the festival.

Open Studios. Fifteen artist studios will be open to the public on the day of the festival from 10am to 6pm.  The public is invited behind the scenes at these working studios: Jordre Studio, The Lodge Art Studio, Lucky Rabbit Studio, Studio of Jen Urso & Christy Puetz, Studio of Lee Berger, the ambient studio, Deus Ex Machina Gallery, Phoenix Fall Space, Studio 8, Moderncat Studio, Barry Sparkman Studio, Brad Konick Sculpture Studio, R. Booker Studio, Chris Caufield Studio, Trillion Clarke Studio.

Other Special Events. Businesses all along Lower Grand Avenue will host special events throughout the day including “The Trashy Sculpture Show” at Bragg’s Pie Factory; “Celebrating Woodstock” with acoustic music starting at noon at Gallery Marsiglia; glass blowing and pottery demonstrations, live music, and exhibits at Paisley Violin and Paisley Town; mural painting in the parking lot at Bragg’s Pie Factory; and free snowcones at ShopDevious.com.  There will also be a raffle for art, jewelry, pottery and more hosted at Paisley Town.  Neighborhood cafes and bars will be open for festival goers to purchase food and beverages. Parking is allowed along Grand Avenue on the day of the festival.

The Grand Avenue Festival is a project of the Grand Avenue Merchants’ Association.  The 2009 Grand Avenue Festival is being sponsored by Downtown Voices Coalition, Phoenix Revitalization Corporation, Downtown Phoenix Journal/Urban Affair, New Times, Capitol Litho, Grand Oasis, Habitat Metro, CenPho.TV, and Yelp. For more information about the festival, please visit our website or follow the festival planning on Twitter.

So I’ve become a little bit of a sticker stalker… I’ve seen numerous stickers from our friend from yesterday all over town. I was beginning to think he/she was a West Oakland neighbor, but today I found one by Grand/Lake when I had to go to the hardware store.

This design is similar to larger ones I’ve seen that seem to have been reproduced in glossier more finished applications than his hand-drawn postal stickers. I like this one particularly because of the way it is cut out… nice touch. See the underlying same wide nose and thick lips from his faces on yesterday’s post?

On the newspaper stand next to this one I spotted this sweet little post-it that someone had left as well… If you can’t read it, it says “Meta… to love, feel & appreciate everything to your fullest capacity without expectation or attachment”

It’s entirely different of course, but in essence, it’s still a piece of sticker art, because it is, in fact, stuck.

Part of what got me started on this whole art blog idea was a book a girlfriend gave me for my birthday earlier this summer… a great little creative project guide called The Guerilla Art Kit by Keri Smith. It’s a nice primer on guerilla art for the novice… discussing philosophy, various techniques, and loads of exercises to get you inspired to put your art out into the world.

In her section on stickers, she includes recipes for making your own out of simple household items, including a lick-n-stick recipe made out of gelatin; info about pre-made stickers and labels (she mentions the post office labels too… no wonder they’re going broke!); and great tips about weather-proofing your stickers with packing tape, acrylic medium, and spray enamel.

One of the most adorable tips she gives is the following:

Quickest Stickers in the World
Materials: post-it notes, a pen
1. Do a drawing
2. Stick it up

And this is precisely what someone did outside the Grand Avenue Ace Hardware, which incidentally is a great store, even though the guy gave me a hard time about returning my hose.

By JENNIFER COURTNEY
Beat Oakland Bureau Chief

Nearly 100 business leaders and nearby residents gathered at the Grand Lake Theater Thursday night to express their outrage over Oakland’s increased parking fees and extended enforcement hours.

Theater owner Allen Michaan organized the community meeting in an attempt to pressure the Oakland city council to rescind the measures, which took effect July 1. The theater and at least three other businesses — the Grand Lake Smoke Shop, Grand Flowers and Walden Pond Books — also closed their doors Thursday to protest the changes.

“My business, if this isn’t corrected, will fail,” Michaan said, explaining that since the new measures went into effect revenues at the theater are down about 50 percent.

Faced with a $83 million budget shortfall for the 2010 fiscal year, the city has adopted numerous measures to help close the deficit, including cutting the number of city jobs by 350 and reducing employee pay 10 percent.

Councilmembers also raised the hourly parking rate from $1.50 to $2 and extended metering hours from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Parking fines were also increased, though the fine for parking at an expired meter, $55, was kept the same. The city estimated it would generate an additional $4.5 million in revenues from the increased fees.

District 2 councilmember Pat Kernighan also attended Thursday’s meeting, and attributed part of the growing controversy to ”doing too much too fast.”

She said she has fielded hundreds of angry emails and phone calls, and based on such feeback said she supports rolling back the metering hours to 6 p.m. She urged those present to contact the council and ask them to hold a special session. The council isn’t scheduled to reconvene until mid-September.

Michaan said if the council doesn’t do so, he is prepared to hire a lawyer to help with business owners’ efforts to collect signatures for a potential class action lawsuit. “We can’t wait until September and we won’t. Too many businesses are on the edge,” he said.

E-mail Jennifer Courtney at californiabeat@gmail.com. Join the California Beat on Facebook, and get breaking news headlines, story alerts and previews when you follow us on Twitter.

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Cities x Design is a 35-city trans-media research trip across the United States that is recorded online and will later be released in film, exhibition, and book form.  Their fifth stop was Phoenix.  Visit their website to learn more about their trip, express your opinion on your favorite metro Phoenix sites, and view pictures of places they visited here and along the way to their next stop, San Diego.

“Should you be using fireworks in the house when Grandma is taking a nap?” A better question might be, “Should you be using fireworks in the house at all, lest you blow up the linoleum and burn a hole in the couch?” Of course, the girl in this strip has a point when she claims that poppers don’t qualify as fireworks. These lame noisemakers were a staple of my childhood and, despite being cheap and plentiful, were no substitute for a handful of bottle rockets or a fully loaded Roman Candle. Unfortunately, those latter items were illegal in Illinois. That didn’t stop the neighborhood adults from driving south to buy fireworks in Indiana, but, more often than not, my friends and I were still stuck popping poppers and holding sparklers.

[Source: Beatrice Moore] — The Bragg’s Pie Factory building at 1301 Grand Avenue in downtown Phoenix will host several special exhibits as part of the September 26, 2009 Grand Avenue Festival, which will celebrate the history of Lower Grand by highlighting interesting historic commercial sites, adaptive re-use projects, neighborhood sustainability, recycling, and the diverse small business community.

Suite 2, the main vaulted room in the Pie Factory building, will host the Trashy Sculpture Show, and will exhibit all manner of work made primarily from trash and recycled materials. Works can hang from the rafters, be free standing, be attached to the walls, be attached to the parking lot fence outside the building, or be hung from the trees in front of the building.  An entry fee of $10 per piece will be charged (proceeds go to the Grand Avenue Merchant’s Association); however, in the case of school groups the fee will be waived.  Work must be ready to install by September 24.

For more information on how to participate, contact Beatrice Moore at 602-391-4016 or e-mail.  Advance notice will be needed for projects slated for fencing outside the building or for tree sculptures.

APPLICATION FOR THE TRASHY SCULPTURE SHOW

NAME OF ARTIST(S):

GROUP (IF APPLICABLE):

ADDRESS (INCLUDING CITY AND ZIP):

CONTACT NUMBER:

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

NAME OF WORK:

MEDIUM:

PRICE:

Work can be for sale (or not).  Seventy percent of the sales price will go to the artist with the remainder to the Grand Avenue Merchant’s Association.  All work must be delivered ready to hang or exhibit in whatever manner it was intended.