Wow… can I just say WOW. I have been using wordpress for ages and upgrading has ALWAYS been annoying and nerv racking. Well now ladies and gents, it really is easy as pie. If you haven’t already seen this I suggest you give it a look as it is amazing. Anywho… its amazing.
Burke Shartsis
I listen to a lot of music Ladies and Gentlemen. It’s a problem and I admit to it right here in the open. I would like to say however, that it is quite possibly the best problem one can have next to having more money then they know what to do with. One solution to that problem would be to buy lots of music. Anywho, so I have decided to post a new song everyday (most likely excluding the weekend) for your listening pleasure. Today I bring you a new favorite of mine, The National - Fake Empire. (Pardon the Letterman intro it was the best version I could find)
Burke Shartsis
So I just got done doing some late night work on campus. Expect pictures soon. Also mark your calenders and start your countdowns because my gallery opens in one week. The official part is Tuesday night at 7am, Gallery 5 in the SJSU art building. I don’t care who you are, show up and have some free food and drink.
In other news, I am still looking for an awesome graphic design job come graduation. Print and/or web I don’t care, I’m flexible. Anyone with connections and or recommendations contact me.
Burke Shartsis
A great and fun way to find out how well you know typography, and perhaps improve it a bit. I did alright the first time but after a bit of review improved quite a bit. I wish they showed you what you got wrong. That would allow for people to improve a bit. I am still beating myself up over Palatino though. I should have got that right (insert typographic mark of shame here). Anywho, don’t bother with submitting your name to the “Hall of Fame” as it is already completely full of perfect scores. Until next time…
Burke Shartsis
Three people climbed the suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge Monday morning in a protest against China’s treatment of Tibet. The video interview with the climber while he was on the bridge is definitely the best part.
read more | digg story
The fact that they put an advertisement in when I embedded that video is bullshit btw. At least put it at the end of the video.
Filmed at TED in 2005, this video of how the future of US military force and foreign policy is down right amazing. His solution,
“Break it [the military] in two. He suggests the military re-form into two groups: a Leviathan force, a small group of young and fierce soldiers capable of swift and immediate victories; and an internationally supported network of System Administrators, an older, wiser, more diverse organization that actually has the diplomacy and power it takes to build and maintain peace.”
Sounds utterly brilliant to me. I only hope this will someday become a reality. Not only is this video interesting and thought provoking it also happens to be one of the most entertaining TED talks I have seen. It is very much so worth your time.
Burke Shartsis
Art is made in many ways and as such is manifested in many forms. Music, next to God, is probably the biggest influence in my life. Unfortunately I can not hold a tune to save my life and as a result have no musical talent whatsoever. What that does make me is a huge music fan. I listen to a lot of music. It is way more then just sounds to me and as an artist I fuel off of it. I mention all of this because while many view music as an art form it seems like it is never given the same kind of credit as other art mediums. Understanding the relationship between the artist, the works they create, and the inspirations behind them is one of my favorite things to study. Truth be told its the only way I can approach art history. But what I am getting at with all this is really just about something I experienced, or should I say experience on a regular basis. You see, if you haven’t listened to Sigur Rós then you are missing out a true musical experience. Recently, they released a DVD entitled Heima. There were many purposes to the film all of which are explained when watching but what I find interesting is the placement of imagery with sound. The choices of colors and movements of the camera make for an interesting thought.
This is what of course drew me to the film but what brought me to blog was a description comment made during the film about how they make their music. They talk about how they sit down and just start playing in different spaces. How the sounds they create are the result of the atmosphere they create in that space and how it makes them feel. What struck me about this was that it is exactly how I create my art. I just found the whole thing rather connected.
Below is Heima in its entirety as it was graciously uploaded by the band themselves to YouTube. It’s pretty amazing so give it a watch or better yet, go out and buy it.
Burke Shartsis
I find that 2am is always the time that I site down and ask myself do I want to blog right now. I guess it’s because my mind is always active at this time. I have been so busy as of late that I barely have time to do the things that need to get done let alone the ones I want to get done. As a result blogging has taken a back seat. I also think that due to the nature of my relationship with Elizabeth that my desire to express my internal dialog no longer exists. I think that due to the nature of a long distance relationship much of what I would normaly internalize has to be vocalized. When coupled with the fact that very little often needs to be explained to her for her to understand what I am thinking or feeling and the need to blog disappears entirely. Sometimes, however, it is just necessary to write it out. In fact, it almost feels good to blog again.
This is all fine and dandy but the reason I felt drawn to blog was because I felt the need to put a few thoughts in list form. Truth be told, I probably wouldn’t be here typing if there wasn’t a three hour time difference between California and Pennsylvania. Regardless, here it is:
Burke Shartsis
Define: Blog - “A frequently updated journal or diary”
Sometimes I forget why I started a blog. I just remembered why a few moments ago. I just finished watching a really not that emotional movie but it kind of triggered a train wreck. You know that feeling of when you have been holding things back for so long and then when one small thing happens it just comes out. Sometimes this happens at bad, inopportune times and sometimes its just a silly Adam Sandler movie on tv. Well, I was sitting there and when the movie ended it just all came out. It was… for lack of a better word, real. I am now sick to my stomach and I feel like a train just hit me. It’s amazing how life changes. A friend reminded me recently of the role God plays in our lives if we let him. Well… Lord here I am. Show me your path, show me whats next.
Burke Shartsis
I woke up this morning, after a dream filled nights sleep, completely restless. My apartment smells like bacon and Mike is gone. I performed my normal morning pattern of email, facebook, and scanning the news. I got up to wander around my apartment and stopped to look out my kitchen window. It’s a beautiful fall day. The tree outside my window has lost most of its leaves as the wind blows them around on the ground. I watched the mail man as he put the mail in my buildings boxes. As he finished, I realized that my restlessness was due in part to my desire for something to happen. I would be happy with anything really. I think I have been living like this for a few weeks now. Living each moment hoping something will happen in the next. Something exciting. Something worth being happy for. I suppose this moment is coming to an end. I hope something happens in the next…
Burke Shartsis
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