dead old blog

I can’t really begin the third entry in the Scrap Life series without getting a bit into a product review, sorry:

It’s tricky to be a conscious consumer, balancing function and form with cost and ethics. For most of my life I have rocked cheap shoes, but I had decided that if I ever had the cash, I would try to spend my money more ethically. Eventually I bought a pair of Blackspot V2s from Adbusters and couldn’t believe that these super expensive shoes fell apart so easily, so one week later I sent them back… about a month and a half later I got a package from Adbusters opened it up and IT WAS THE WRONG PAIR OF SHOES*, shit. So another couple weeks go by before I finally got my pair of shoes. Within a week the same thing happens, a split in the seam, so bad that I decide to just take ‘em to the shoe repair down the street and get it all fixed. Not the experience I was looking for from the most expensive shoes I’ve ever bought.

But I decide to try again, this time from a company called Worn Again that makes great looking shoes using leather from car seats, used tee shirts, recycled coffee bags, puppies, and recycled rubber. Again, another great looking shoe, that failed to last very long. Within days of light usage the toe on my right shoe started to unravel.

Whatever, I give up. These shoes are so expensive, and morally I think it’s worth the price for well made slave labor free shoes, but these shoes suck.


There, so getting onto the Scrap Life. After all this heartbreaking with the shoes, I kept thinking about how cool it would be to re-upholster a pair of shoes. Taking a good design and customizing it with cool fabric.


So after tons of research, I learned this would be a virtually impossible task to attempt without the right machine. A little more research and I learned that there was only one place in SF with the right type of machine, and it was Anthony’s Shoe Repair on 30 Geary.

These cats are old school, they know the names of every customer that comes in while I’m in there, like they’ve been working with them everyday for the last thirty years.

Raquel helped me out, apparently she and the Gino, the owner, are the only to employees who do what I was looking for. I explained that I wanted to rip off all the burlap sack from the toes to the tongue and replace it with my calico fabric from LoveLife. “No problem” she said and a week later I came back to check out the work on the shoes and get a peak at the repair shop in the back. Most of the machines where pretty old, including the watchamacallit that Raquel was working with to do the finishing touches (you know da’ kine). It was a singer from the 30’s or possibly sooner and Raquel said there was something fancy about that particular model number that made it extremely coveted.

So now I’m rocking my LoveLife Bag, with matching wallet and kicks! I look like a fool, but I’m excited about all these cool things so far. There’s more to come with the Scrap Life series!

*For the record, Adbusters sent me a pair of Blackspot V1s, and I absolutely love them! I can see why they wanted to keep making shoes, but it’s a shame the V2s where so low quality. The V1s are pretty much a Chuck Taylor knock off, which is a very simple shoe that’s easy to make well. I do recommend this shoe, but wasn’t impressed with anything else I got from them. I’ve even covered up my anti-logos that come on them.. Anti-anti-logo.

If anyone is interested in getting shoes re-upholstered, let me know. I'll see if I can help out.

Labels: blackspot shoes review Scrap life V2, crafts, scrap life scraplife

There’s needs to be a word to describe the sadness you feel when you open that refrigerator door and discover your roommate has devoured the last of your ice cream.

Not that the ice cream was super exceptional or anything, but maybe it was a rough day, the worst, perhaps you were fired from your job… with no warning and no severance pay.

As your packing a box full of your cds and sketches on scraps of paper while cramming as many pens and office supplies as you can, one happy thought crosses your mind. You grab onto this thought, of the pint of caramel ice cream on the top shelf in your freezer, thinking of it all the way home. “How nice it will be to veg out watching the Simpsons and finish that ice cream off.” you think.

But of course it never works that way. The same roommates that keep eating EVERY SINGLE BAG of Have’a Corn Chips and finish up all your Odwella Orange Juice must have had the same happy thought you had and beat you to the ice cream.

So, blah blah blah, here’s the point… I noticed something weird in my fridge recently, I bought a half gallon of Lucama ice cream recently and it’s remained untouched. Actually, they must have tried some of it, but I guess they just didn’t like it. So I laid out a plan, I washed the container and taped a piece manilla paper over the clear window to make it appear to still be full of the freezer-burned ice cream.



Now my half gallon Lucama container makes the perfect disguise for pints of ice cream. It works like a dream, an “ice dream”. I can leave anything in there, gyoza, shrimp, Cherry Garcia.. whatever.

Sometimes when dealing with roommates, you gotta be crafty.

So the first Scrap Life project was a no brainer.

I'm-a make a wallet.

Now the wallet design that I went for was based on a gift from my buddy Zo. I made it at a craft night at my new friend Rachel's apartment. She was really cool to let me use her supplies and her kick ass Bernina sewing machine.

This wallet is the first item I've ever sewn together from scratch. I've fixed and embroidered hella stuff, but putting together the wallet from scrap was an amazing experience. Note the cute embroidered heart... It's puffy!

That being said, I keep showing it to everyone I see, and I swear to you that absolutely nobody is as impressed as they should be... I mean, I made something from less than something. To me, that's a big deal, but whatever.

Zo's wallet design also happens to be my fave, I don't know if it's his complete design, or where he go it, but I've loved my Zo wallet, and so very proud to have my own handmade wallet that matches my LoveLive Bag.

Labels: crafts, scrap life scraplife

A few months ago I blogged about going to LoveLife Bags on 16th and Mission and picking out my own bag. They actually let you pick out the fabric, trim, tags, and style of bag at the shop. It usually takes up to 6 weeks, but I think mine was done in 2 or 3.

Due to some past experiences, I wanted to wait a few weeks before I started raving or complaining about these bags, and after rocking this one for a month I can finally say it looks like I've totally scored.

Unlike my Worn Agains and Blackspot shoes, nothing has started to unravel or tear. It doesn't look like it's going to fall apart soon, and I've seen a few people rocking their LL Bags and saying they hardly age at all. This bag fits well, holds all my shit, and is completely unique. I dig it.

I don't have a good picture of the inside yet, but each bag is made by re-using old vinyl signs from store fronts, so the inside looks really neat.

Scrap Life? I asked Roxanne at LoveLife for the leftover scrap from my bag so that I could use it for a few projects. She gave me about 1/4 of a yard of this awesome calico (upholstery?) material. So over the course of the next week I'm going to post the results of this project online for you guys to check out. Some will by mine, some will be with the help of friends. Stay tuned for Scrap Life #2 soon.

edit: view the rest of this series-

Scrap Life #2 The Wallet

Scrap Life #3 The Shoes

Scrap Life #4 Sonny's Bag

Labels: crafts, scrap life scraplife

The line at Mitchell's Ice Cream was huge yesterday, as it tends to be on hot Mission nights.


"Now calling number 21".


I looked down at our ticket, number 59. There where 38 groups of people ahead of us.


So Shan and I walked an extra block to the freezer section of the nearby Safeway.


Apparently a giant comet had struck the frozen food section the night before, resulting in drastic climate changes that plunged the dessert section into a new ice age.


Now I know how prehistoric man must have felt as he foraged for food. How difficult it was to differentiate between the regular and low fat varieties of frozen dairy.


I stumbled upon an Atkins Push Up bars, a relic from a long forgotten past.


So I picked out a pint of Starbucks Java Chip ice cream and headed out of the section. I checked out the different toppings on the way down the isle. I was considering the unique opportunities that squeezable Marshmallow had to offer when I came across the Banana Boat Ultra Sunblock sp30 topping in front of the Push Ups and Klondike Bars.

So I've been working on remix work for the last week, reworking some songs for Sandman and working on some art for an upcoming Robot Friend project.

Today I'm going into Studio 132 to lay down some vox to Twisting Cherry Stems. I'm using a Baddd Spellah beat and can't wait to belt out the song. It'll be the first time I've recorded in a studio in about 8 years. I'll lay down some vox, drink some Jack, sing some more, drink some Absinthe, more vox, then a final round of Jack. Once we are done with vox, we'll send it all up to Baddd Spellah in British Columbia for mix down and extra production.

Done some odd gigs for The Go Game, but haven't had any luck finding a new job yet. I'm not going to rush to find something, I want it to be good and there's the chance that I'll be able to make full time yo-yoing work. I mean, I've been a full time pro before, it's very easy for me to survive by only yo-yoing, but it doesn't leave me much extra money to spend on things like absinthe, studios, and crafting.

Speaking of crafting, two projects in plan for tonights craft get together in the Mission. I'm going to take some of the extra fabric from my Love Life bag and make a wallet. I've already got the templates worked out, just need to sew 'em. I'm also going to try to repair those piece of shit Worn Again shoes using some of that extra material. I've never worked with shoes before though, I'm assuming it will take a lot of glue and some weird stitching angles. Bethanne might bring her propellor pasties.

The Master of Champions episode should air next week, June 29th, but if you live in SF and have nothing to do this thursday, I'm doing a show with DJ Marz at the Hemlock Tavern, if you say "pippylongstocking" at the door, they'll let you in for free. It's going to be yo-yoing and scratch dj-ing.

Scream Club are also rocking out an SF Club that night too, bummer I'm-a miss them.

This came as a total shock, I was at work, booking a new 52 week backpage ad, when I got called into my managers office.

He was there with his new assistant who closed the door as I entered the room:

"We are going to make this quick, unless you have any questions. We are going to let you go."

...

"Any questions?"

"Uh, yeah... Why am I being fired?"

They told me I was being fired, because my call count wasn't very high considering I just got back from vacation. They didn't ask why my call count was low (because I had been gone for a week and had tons of billing and production issues), they didn't seem to care that I had still been booking a bunch of new ads in the two days I'd been back, and they had the balls to ask "What, you look surprised?"

Well of course I'm surprised, isn't it normal to tell someone their job is in danger, or at least indicate it in some way. I thought they were happy with my performance there, I was selling long term, showing up on time, had a good attitude, and felt I was a team player.

There’s a new boutique on lower fourteenth, right beside the space where Needles and Pens used to be*. It’s owned by Miranda Carol and primarily features her own designs, however my friend Bethanne has some jewelry there too.

For the show, I wanted our team to have some decent costumes, so I went to Ross and bought three orange shirts to work with. I got together with Miranda and discussed my idea, based on old shirt with a heart on the sleeve that I designed (that will also probably be in the show also). Amanda sewed the original shirt design.

I’m really happy with the end result, I also bought a black coat to have as a back up in case we needed it for our stunt. A heart was added to the coat as well as cool blue and orange trim.

Miranda took my heart on the sleeve idea and made it uber sexy, note the embroidery on the collar too. She also added a zipper to my pants and surged the edges of the coat with orange and blue thread.


Bottom line, Paul, Auggie, and I look great in our fresh new gear, word.

miranda caroligne - a living construction boutique
485 14th st @ guerrero sf ca
open 1-7pm tuesday - sunday
415-355-1900
www.mirandacaroligne.com

* Needles and Pens moved over to where Otsu used to be** on Guerrero and 16th..

** Otsu has moved across the street from 826 Valencia.

When my train pulled into the Jack London Sqaure stop last night, I finally had a chance to check a weeks worth of Metro PCS voicemails. Several people had called me to break the bad news. Benders Bar and Grill on 19th and S Van Ness had a late night fire, and appears to be pretty gutted.

My friend Phil (from Yes, Absolutely.) lives right down the street and heard the fire trucks at around 4 in the morning. The next day he snapped these photos.


He says the fire appears to have started on the bar side, and he says the other half of the bar, where the Grille and stage is, doesn't look too affected.

I called Ta Wei last night to see how he is doing, but haven't heard back yet. As far as I've heard, nobody was hurt in the fire.

Hopefully Ta Wei and the other Bender's employees will have something to fall back onto for a while.


chilling at Benders with our out of town friends after BAC.

Wait for an hour, rehearse for an hour, move to another location, wait for a couple more hours, get ready to leave, wait for an hour an a half. That's the day.

Rehearsal was great, we nailed the last one perfectly today. If we can do that on friday night, this will be fantastic. The ambiguously vague stunt will be fantastic, I spent half the rehearsal working on my bicycle kick. Friday is the big day, by big day I mean, the day we spend waiting around the studio while some bitchy person "babysits" us, but I also mean we film our segment. Live audience, celebrity judges, stunts, Augie/Paul/Doc, how can't it not suck?

Before I left San Francisco, I made sure to pack underwear. One pair in fact. You see, this was a result of Sunday's all day filming. It never occured to me that underwear would be necessary for a day of filming all over the city, but I forgot about the microphone pack. The mic was on my lapel, but the mic guy had to store the battery pack on my back, packed firmly against my hairy ass. Now it didn't really bother me, but I thought it was asking a little too much of the sound man to have to handle that... So, I planned ahead and brought underwear. One pair. For the entire week. It was all I had. So yeah, theoretically it will be necessary for the stunt.

So far, there hasn't been any electronics pressed up against my sweaty butt cheeks, but there's still a day left on the set.

We haven't seen the Texas Crew's routine yet, or any other performers, I can't wait to see them Friday night. The producers keep adding bullshit to the routine and the show, so even tonight I'm working the routine's last minute alterations.

Wait till ya'll see this shit on the teevee, I'm feeling so very proud right now. That feeling will start to turn into anxiety, then into fear by 5pm. Honestly I'm super anxious to see what the Texas Crew have planned. Jesse and Miggy are two cynical bastards, but they seem proud of it and I know Bazan has tons of team routine experience. We have a lot of surprises, but I can tell they do as well.

Beefy has a new song on myspace.com/beefynerdcore, the beat is mine, the singing is great. Go Beefy.

Addendum: I went to K-mart this morning.. to purchase means tight boxer briefs...

Wapner. Gotta watch Wapner!

Today was fantastic, I mean it started off bad. Really bad, but it turned out great.

Our 9 am rehearsal was bumped from studio to studio, we couldn't really even practice because of construction and shit. I was getting really fed up, we could have gotten more done at the hotel than at our rehearsal.

But then shit got fun, there's a certain performance element of our routine that had me worried, but today I met with the stunt coordinator and we practiced it for a couple hours. So much fun! I'm not gonna talk about what it is yet, it's better to just leave you hanging.

It was a long day, but I can't wait for more of this practice.

J-, our driver, was a trip today. I can't get over how much he acts and sounds just like Mark Montgomery, Paul sees it to. So I decided to capture some of that on audio. Here is an excerpt from over 5 minutes of J- talking about Godzilla. It's a trip and so is J-. He'll go from a huge diatribe about how he doesn't like any cars with more than two doors, or any car not made in Japan (he did admit he would look at a Viper though), then he'll totally geek out on some old manga or something.

I think Augie was bummed, today was marked as a black day so the studios were fairly empty, thus the catering was really slim.

Yes, I'm well aware of the significance of today's date.

I knew it from the moment I woke up and looked out the window to see a dark and stormy sky...

I knew it from all the internet hype.

Today is of course, National Yo-Yo Day.

A huge event in the course of this countries history.

I left SF this morning and flew in to LA with Augie. We met up with Paul at the television studio and did a few hours of taping and rehearsal. Paul showed up with one yo-yo, and it wasn't one that would be used for the show. Not that Augie or I were much more prepared, I think we have 20 strings between us, but still. What's the one thing your gonna bring on your trip to film a big yo-yo segment on ABC?

Most of the filming today was to get us messing up, so they asked us to intentional mess up stuff. Augie and I did a bunch of huge aerials and "almost" caught them, etc.

J-, our security officer, told us a bunch of scandalous stories about celebs he's worked with. I literally haven't heard of any of them... I'll ask Augie:

"Tyrese the male model who masquerades as a rapper slash r 'n b star who's popular who his overuse of the word "baby" is apparently quite the pansy and quite the "b----." He refused to see the little kiddos and got scared of em when they asked for an autograph from their favorite b-movie style music star. His film shoot also got shot up by a drive by shooting on BIKES, because Tyrese used to belong to the crips, and he was shooting (literally apparently) in blood territory.
The other dudes were wannabe rappers like The Game, and some others who I don't care enough to recall.
Ohh, and apparently, the dude from Hells Kitchen purports as the sweetest guy in all the freaking world, but on the set, he lashes out irrationally and even choked a fool. He then hit him with a teflon coated frying utensil, and the dude has been in a coma since the 1950s."

Riding with Paul on the way to the hotel, he kept freaking out about every store we passed. I just can't get with that, you know? You can get all this stuff in SF, seriously, even the "rare" stuff. Paul's here to shop.

Augie and I are here to mooch and take as much as we can from the network. They had a huge catering table in each sound room. Our's had donuts, drinks, bagels, twizzle stix, and vitamins. Tons of vitamins! I took 10 different kinds, B through E and aloa and tons of stuff.

The hotel is free, but internet costs money, so I'll only be checking infrequently.

And yes, I think 6/6/6 is kind of cool, but movies and album releases for today pale in comparison to the feeling of looking down at your plane ticket and seeing "Isle 13, 6/6/06". Now that's edgy.

Woke up, went to Cafe Gratitude for breakfast, it's a raw food restaurant where all the foods are named things like "I am Beautiful" and "I am Plenty Good"... I think I'd have a little too much attitude to work there-

"What do you want today?"

"I am Lucious."

"That's great.. what do you want?"

There is a sign over the restroom that says "I am the Bathroom".

After breakfast I picked up my photos from a portriature studio on Mission. I've always wanted to do a K-Mart style photo shoot, but this is way cooler...

Full set here

Did some laundry then went home and tried to kick out a beat for Ham-Star. That was fun, a super casio sounding 1 minute jam.

Then I went to Ross and picked out 3 bright orange button shirts for our group to use for the TV show.

I took the shirts to Miranda's, a designer in the Mission and we laid out some cool changes for the shirts.

I recieved a call from the ABC crew that Zietgiest would not let us film any footage there Sunday during the Consortium of Yo meeting, so I biked over to Benders and got their permission to film there as a back up location. Yay, sundays are free bbq day at Benders.

Then I met up with Dan, a film maker from Chicago that is doing a documentary on Nerdcore Hip Hop. We shot some of my circuit bent gadgets and an interview. I think Dan has a bunch of bigger names slated for the film, but hopefully I'll end up in the final edit somewhere.

Dan was in town originally to interview Monzy, a nerdcore rapper over at MIT. Monzy's blog is keen btw, here is a nice example.

So, now I've gotta get all my crap ready for my day with the ABC guys. The goal is to get as much of my friends and their art in front of that crew.

Ummm... My instrumental was due friday, and I still have not started... damn.