30 April 2008
and while we're on the topic of AWESOME videos...
watch the whole thing.
this is for me, later.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RaeeMh7qFhY
bad haircut? check. bad suit coat? check.
So... finally. My television appearance has made it's way to the internets.
By Any Other Name
(Host of the show) Mike meets Mike as another gentleman named “Michael Atwood” drops in on WFYI, Indianapolis, to ask for our help in stopping the many calls he gets, suggesting stories for “Across Indiana” to cover. To his and our amusement, he points out that his father, “Tom Atwood” used to receive phone calls in his hometown of St. Louis for the famous sportswriter of the same name. “I guess this ‘Atwood’ name is just a family curse,” the “other “ Mike tells us. Huh? We ’d prefer to think of it as a “family blessing.”
The interview with host Michael Atwood on Across Indiana:
Click here.
I can bee seen in the beginning of the following clip, and then again at the 5:15 mark.
Part II.
Those'll load in media player if everything is right..
By Any Other Name
(Host of the show) Mike meets Mike as another gentleman named “Michael Atwood” drops in on WFYI, Indianapolis, to ask for our help in stopping the many calls he gets, suggesting stories for “Across Indiana” to cover. To his and our amusement, he points out that his father, “Tom Atwood” used to receive phone calls in his hometown of St. Louis for the famous sportswriter of the same name. “I guess this ‘Atwood’ name is just a family curse,” the “other “ Mike tells us. Huh? We ’d prefer to think of it as a “family blessing.”
The interview with host Michael Atwood on Across Indiana:
Click here.
I can bee seen in the beginning of the following clip, and then again at the 5:15 mark.
Part II.
Those'll load in media player if everything is right..
28 April 2008
27 April 2008
24 April 2008
resuscitation.
You may recall my old LeMond bicycle - a bike that was last seen with a twisted fork and a bunch of other damage when I ran it into a deer.
Ever since (and actually, a little before) that crash, I've had the worst bike luck - flats, a new bike that I'm not in love with (which is a travesty), and now this stupid knee surgery.
I have become convinced that the LeMond is the cause of my curse. I suppose the natural thing to do would be to sell what's left of it... but instead I decided to rebuild it.
And thanks to Ebay, today I am well on my way..
New Ritchey WCS road bike bars/Cinelli tape/stem $50.00
NEW RITCHEY WCS CARBON 1 1/8 Road Fork NIB $219.99
These parts are upgrades from my previous fork/stem/handlebars (though the handlebars are quite narrow and might need switched out)... I still need a front wheel, a headset, and maybe a shifter... but I'm thinking about upgrading all that too. And buying a new crankset. And I need a set. And a seatpost.
In the end, it's going to cost more money than just buying a replacement bike, I bet. I know this. But a replacement bike doesn't cure curses.
And when this bike is back to riding condition? I think the Bianchi goes. Which reduces the bike stable to five.
Dear Bianchi bicycle,
I don't expect you to curse me now too.
Mike
Ever since (and actually, a little before) that crash, I've had the worst bike luck - flats, a new bike that I'm not in love with (which is a travesty), and now this stupid knee surgery.
I have become convinced that the LeMond is the cause of my curse. I suppose the natural thing to do would be to sell what's left of it... but instead I decided to rebuild it.
And thanks to Ebay, today I am well on my way..
New Ritchey WCS road bike bars/Cinelli tape/stem $50.00
NEW RITCHEY WCS CARBON 1 1/8 Road Fork NIB $219.99
These parts are upgrades from my previous fork/stem/handlebars (though the handlebars are quite narrow and might need switched out)... I still need a front wheel, a headset, and maybe a shifter... but I'm thinking about upgrading all that too. And buying a new crankset. And I need a set. And a seatpost.
In the end, it's going to cost more money than just buying a replacement bike, I bet. I know this. But a replacement bike doesn't cure curses.
And when this bike is back to riding condition? I think the Bianchi goes. Which reduces the bike stable to five.
Dear Bianchi bicycle,
I don't expect you to curse me now too.
Mike
23 April 2008
found while browsing an article on cnn.com...
did anyone else just wince?
Q: My husband got a vasectomy after our first child, but now we want to have more. Is it really permanent?
A: It can be reversed, but it's pricey (from $6,800 to $13,000) and the success rate is only 30 to 40 percent. Another option to consider: A physician can use a needle to remove sperm from the testicles and then perform in vitro fertilization.
did anyone else just wince?
22 April 2008
last night Gina and I did the ol switcho-chango, which means that instead of her sitting in front of the computer from the hours of 5:30 - 11 and me sitting in front of the television for those same hours (on different floors of the house), I sat in front of the computer. And watched a movie. Before The Devil Knows You're Dead.
Which I thought was supposed to be good. It did feature Marisa Tomei naked quite a bit, and that's ok, but other than that there's very much redeeming about the movie. I kept checking the time because I just wanted it over. And then it was. Thank goodness.
The whole spending time on different floors of the house thing is what makes the three people in the house thing work. I, in the livingroom, Gina in the computer/craft castle, and John (and his girlfriend) in his room. We interact as little as possible, not intentionally, but that's just how it works.
When I wasn't a worthless cripple I'd be spending the hours of 6-8 on a bicycle, but this year that's not happening. I intend to whine about it until I don't have to any more. I recently listened to a This American Life episode about manliness of something and they were saying, you know, that a real trait of manliness is never complaining or showing weakness, and I guess I can see that. So what's that make me. I complain about every single thing like I'm dying. I mean, I really play it up. Partly because I think it's funny, and partly because I feel like I wasted my 20's being unhealthy, and now that I'd like to be athletic or whatever, it seems like perhaps I wasted my window.
See? Complaining. Where's my skirt.
Which I thought was supposed to be good. It did feature Marisa Tomei naked quite a bit, and that's ok, but other than that there's very much redeeming about the movie. I kept checking the time because I just wanted it over. And then it was. Thank goodness.
The whole spending time on different floors of the house thing is what makes the three people in the house thing work. I, in the livingroom, Gina in the computer/craft castle, and John (and his girlfriend) in his room. We interact as little as possible, not intentionally, but that's just how it works.
When I wasn't a worthless cripple I'd be spending the hours of 6-8 on a bicycle, but this year that's not happening. I intend to whine about it until I don't have to any more. I recently listened to a This American Life episode about manliness of something and they were saying, you know, that a real trait of manliness is never complaining or showing weakness, and I guess I can see that. So what's that make me. I complain about every single thing like I'm dying. I mean, I really play it up. Partly because I think it's funny, and partly because I feel like I wasted my 20's being unhealthy, and now that I'd like to be athletic or whatever, it seems like perhaps I wasted my window.
See? Complaining. Where's my skirt.
19 April 2008
prawns
yesterday/today/the day before was my friend jon's birthday, his 31st birthday i believe, and that's cool and all, but also this:
makes me realize that we're turning into old people. i guess that's worth celebrating somehow.
when i got a camera i thought it'd be cool to document things, but really now it just makes me realize that i don't look 23 anymore. really i'm not buying it because i don't think i ever looked like i was 23. i don't know who this is with gina.
and then there was the time i looked like maybe i had a disease and gina cut off her hair in support of my potential death, which i appreciate.
i dunno. it all looks like funhouse mirrors to me, really.
once upon a time my friend dave told me i looked like michael moore...
makes me realize that we're turning into old people. i guess that's worth celebrating somehow.
when i got a camera i thought it'd be cool to document things, but really now it just makes me realize that i don't look 23 anymore. really i'm not buying it because i don't think i ever looked like i was 23. i don't know who this is with gina.
and then there was the time i looked like maybe i had a disease and gina cut off her hair in support of my potential death, which i appreciate.
i dunno. it all looks like funhouse mirrors to me, really.
once upon a time my friend dave told me i looked like michael moore...
18 April 2008
stuck
I've just finished read a piece from the New Yorker on a man stuck in an elevator for 41 hours. Which looks like this on time-lapse video.
The article covered everything from what he did to elevator design and "theory", smart elevators, personal space... really an interesting all-around look at the thought that goes into elevators.
Far those of you who aren't familiar with the "smart" elevator - really a system of elevators with one control tower set in the lobby that controls the movement of all the elevators - it was interesting to note that the first ever smart elevator was installed in Indianapolis' own Ameritech building. The system was apparently so bewildering to users that the building hired mimes(!?!?) to help people use the elevators.
41 hours in an elevator might raise one question: How'd he use the bathroom? Apparently he pried open the doors and urinated in the crevice created by the space. I wonder what that looks like in mime.
The article covered everything from what he did to elevator design and "theory", smart elevators, personal space... really an interesting all-around look at the thought that goes into elevators.
Far those of you who aren't familiar with the "smart" elevator - really a system of elevators with one control tower set in the lobby that controls the movement of all the elevators - it was interesting to note that the first ever smart elevator was installed in Indianapolis' own Ameritech building. The system was apparently so bewildering to users that the building hired mimes(!?!?) to help people use the elevators.
41 hours in an elevator might raise one question: How'd he use the bathroom? Apparently he pried open the doors and urinated in the crevice created by the space. I wonder what that looks like in mime.
17 April 2008
15 April 2008
surgery on may 9
I'll be undergoing surgery for a torn miniscus in my left knee on may 9. This will make it impossible for me to bike for a month or so, which isn't really that big a deal since the problem has meant I haven't been riding anyway.
It hasn't stopped me from looking at bicycles though. Or watching races.
I know you're probably not a cycling fan, but this post over at bikesnobnyc might be funny or interesting to you anyway... it's about pass/fail bike racing - basically:
As proven by the hundreds of daily comments, this guy really knows how to write an entertaining blog... he's consistantly brilliant.
It hasn't stopped me from looking at bicycles though. Or watching races.
I know you're probably not a cycling fan, but this post over at bikesnobnyc might be funny or interesting to you anyway... it's about pass/fail bike racing - basically:
Road racing is all about tactics. Unfortunately, the tactical advice you get from books and magazines is intended for winners or for people who aspire to be winners. As such, it doesn't apply to you. Using that stuff for pass/fail racing is like trying to assemble a piece of Ikea furniture by following Mapquest directions to Chuck E. Cheese. You’re not interested in winning, you’re interested in surviving. Here are three key pieces of advice for the survival of the pass/fail racer:
As proven by the hundreds of daily comments, this guy really knows how to write an entertaining blog... he's consistantly brilliant.
09 April 2008
how to freak mike out in 3 seconds flat
Say "I've looked at your MRI and" then use the words "knee scope" and "surgery".
I then went into some form of shock leaving me unable to come up with any relevant questions.
Of course now I've got all sorts of questions that I will spend the next few days investigating.
Yuck.
08 April 2008
Self Taught.
I have been given the task of designing the posters and promo cards for Hops for Pops, the charitable beer festival we are putting on in June (June? I think.)
Normally when I do an ad or poster thing I steal my ideas from somewhere else, which I'll be sure to do again. Usually when I do an ad or poster thing I steal images from somewhere else, which I'll be sure not to do this time around for legal reasons.
The inspiration for posters comes from all over the place - things I've run across and liked, half finished photoshop tutorials, current events, whatever images I can steal online...
That was where it all kind of started - The HGB logo was very much influenced by the Heineken logo (some might say ripped off).
Of course the current Heineken bottle-use logo is a little more stretched, but... same idea.
I don't think Heineken has full legal rights to circles - at least I hope not - so I've always assumed we're in the clear.
This image and corresponding photoshop tutorial led to a couple of ideas. The New Year's poster used the background ray of light sort of thing originally - though the rays I created were lightning bolts, actually.. then I started throwing things on top of that...
A shot from 28 Days Later
Bart Peterson's City of Indianapolis Logo
Add some hand-drawn flames and some Photoshop layer burn and dodge tricks and you've got an event poster.
I also used the Polaroids on a background idea from that tutorial for the first header in the big site redesign.
These images should look strikingly similar. Hopefully, anyway, since I was pretty much just following half the directions.
Instead of the hands on wrench thing, I did a hand on a Schlafly tap handle. Instead of the airplanes, I put wings on a keg... and then I threw in some black stars to fill space.
Of course these never end up exactly the same - when you're messing with colors and levels you usually want to change it up at least a little bit.
I thought the following poster ended up really pretty great... the inspiration kinda carried through the whole design.
Of course my favorite bit was turning Big Car's regular old Mustang:
Into a convertible.
Putting the Kennedys in the Mustang was a little tricky, and the perspective is all wrong, but I was happy with the results anyway. It may have been in poor taste, but I suppose that's nothing new...
This Oktoberfest poster, which seemed to be popular with the warped minds of HBG, ended up in this version:
I didn't really want to offend anyone, anyway.
One of my favorite posters was this one:
Well, you can see where I got that idea.
These last three were all me minus inspiration and the little things I've picked up in tutorials - I think the difference is obvious.
So this Hops for Pops poster? A poster that will be used in ads and businesses across Indiana? That'll take every trick I can come up with.
Normally when I do an ad or poster thing I steal my ideas from somewhere else, which I'll be sure to do again. Usually when I do an ad or poster thing I steal images from somewhere else, which I'll be sure not to do this time around for legal reasons.
The inspiration for posters comes from all over the place - things I've run across and liked, half finished photoshop tutorials, current events, whatever images I can steal online...
That was where it all kind of started - The HGB logo was very much influenced by the Heineken logo (some might say ripped off).
Of course the current Heineken bottle-use logo is a little more stretched, but... same idea.
I don't think Heineken has full legal rights to circles - at least I hope not - so I've always assumed we're in the clear.
This image and corresponding photoshop tutorial led to a couple of ideas. The New Year's poster used the background ray of light sort of thing originally - though the rays I created were lightning bolts, actually.. then I started throwing things on top of that...
A shot from 28 Days Later
Bart Peterson's City of Indianapolis Logo
Add some hand-drawn flames and some Photoshop layer burn and dodge tricks and you've got an event poster.
I also used the Polaroids on a background idea from that tutorial for the first header in the big site redesign.
These images should look strikingly similar. Hopefully, anyway, since I was pretty much just following half the directions.
Instead of the hands on wrench thing, I did a hand on a Schlafly tap handle. Instead of the airplanes, I put wings on a keg... and then I threw in some black stars to fill space.
Of course these never end up exactly the same - when you're messing with colors and levels you usually want to change it up at least a little bit.
I thought the following poster ended up really pretty great... the inspiration kinda carried through the whole design.
Of course my favorite bit was turning Big Car's regular old Mustang:
Into a convertible.
Putting the Kennedys in the Mustang was a little tricky, and the perspective is all wrong, but I was happy with the results anyway. It may have been in poor taste, but I suppose that's nothing new...
This Oktoberfest poster, which seemed to be popular with the warped minds of HBG, ended up in this version:
I didn't really want to offend anyone, anyway.
One of my favorite posters was this one:
Well, you can see where I got that idea.
These last three were all me minus inspiration and the little things I've picked up in tutorials - I think the difference is obvious.
So this Hops for Pops poster? A poster that will be used in ads and businesses across Indiana? That'll take every trick I can come up with.
07 April 2008
famoose
I just spent an hour or so shooting my part for next week's Across Indiana program - I'd tell you more but I'm sure you'll all be watching and I don't want to ruin it for you (Indianapolis Channel 20 Monday or Tuesday (I should have paid better attention, but I live in Tivo world) at 7:30 pm).
02 April 2008
Mr. JPBrown
If you've got email, I'd like an address. If you don't...
I'm recalling a story for the beer blog, but I've got an idea about perspective.... anyway... I can explain more if you've got email. If not, remind me this weekend.
I'm recalling a story for the beer blog, but I've got an idea about perspective.... anyway... I can explain more if you've got email. If not, remind me this weekend.
these are pictures of dead people
before and after death pictures of cancer patients.
a return to a lesson my dad taught me.
i suppose reading the stories accompanying the photos reminds me why i sometimes feel like maybe i'm getting the whole thing wrong.
and then i think "i could be more caught up in stuff like work and possessions and stuff that really doesn't matter. and i'm getting better all the time."
so maybe less wrong that some folks? i dunno. it's not a contest anyway, is it?
give me experiences. good or bad, i'll take a story every time.
regrets scare me more than anything.
a return to a lesson my dad taught me.
i suppose reading the stories accompanying the photos reminds me why i sometimes feel like maybe i'm getting the whole thing wrong.
and then i think "i could be more caught up in stuff like work and possessions and stuff that really doesn't matter. and i'm getting better all the time."
so maybe less wrong that some folks? i dunno. it's not a contest anyway, is it?
give me experiences. good or bad, i'll take a story every time.
regrets scare me more than anything.
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