the photography:

There are times when I check out works created by my friends that absolutely kick me squarely in the ass. It usually happens with musician friends who release an album and all I want to do is sit on the train and listen to it. Well, this one, this release, THIS instance, this was an illustrator letting me know that I’m a lazy punk. And he’s right.

Austin Kleon (AustinKleon.com) is an illustrator, creative guru, and published author who’s most recent book, Steal Like and Artist, is burning up the book store circuit. He’s a smart guy who knows how to get his point across visually and effectively. You should really go and buy this book.

Buy it and measure your own creativity. Are you matching up? Are you keeping it fresh? Are you being all you can be? Well? yeah… Me neither. I work most of my days shooting photos for other people. By the time I get home (who am I kidding, I’m working in my own basement as we speak), nay, by the time I end my business day, I hang out with my amazing family, have dinner and a beer and go to bed. My time is limited at best. But Austin reminded me of two missing pieces in my life that I need to remedy and ASAP. “Use your hands” and “Side Projects and Hobbies are Important”. Blimey. I have been blatantly ignoring both of these things lately. It’s time for a change.

Photos today are an answer to the question I posed to myself when I left the house this morning. What does the city of Chicago look like when you dissect it in half? Is it symmetrical? Is is ugly? Does it scream when you cut it in half? I don’t know. But I used my hands. AND I put time and effort into my hobbies and side projects. AND I delivered a few key pieces of business. I was able to chat with folks via email while I road the train and I delivered valuable mail to some business associates. That’s three birds with one stone by my last count.

Relaunching is my mantra for 2012. Let me get off my ass and do it. If there’s anything that South By South West teaches me every year it’s that I’m lazy. Consider this post the answer to both Austin’s.

the music:

Don’t you know that your school hates you,
and don’t you know that your job does too?
And don’t you have some better place to go?
Where you’ve got to go?
Where have you got to go?

It’s honestly been months since I’ve sat down and gave Karate a listen. Karate was a band that was a force to be reckoned with. Musically, they nailed it. Lyrically, they nailed it. Noodling-post-rock-jazz-guitar-virtuoso-30minutes-at-a-time-spazz-outs, they nailed it. Karate was, at the very least, an inspiring band of high-quality musicians. They’re musical legacy is unrivaled in my mind. Their unique blend of grooves, distorted guitar, post-rock rhythms, jazz solos, and precision interactions blends into one very long memory of song-snippets and concerts.

I loved this band when I first heard them in college. And I love them now. Probably even more so.