Your local dance shop sells them....do everyone a favor and buy one. SERIOUSLY!

This photo from our friends at WIRED.com: Comic-Con's Costumed Crusaders

 

I went to a special screening of "Spaced" the BBC series that aired in the UK back in 1999-2000 here in Los Angeles tonight. What a treat! They are promoting the release of the series (finally) here in North America on DVD. I snagged my copy when it came out on DVD in the UK (thank you Amazon UK).Where do you suppose that I was introduced to this UK import? Right here on the Sift!

The perk of going to a theater tonight to watch 3 episodes of this show that I have already watched is that actor/writers Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes along with director Edgar Wright were there to watch and to do a Q&A afterward all moderated by Kevin Smith (baked like a honey glazed ham). They showed 3 fan favorite episodes (as voted on by fans) back to back.

It was a free event, just had to wait in line (I waited maybe and hour and twenty) and it was a "sold out" and very ethusiastic audince. A nice plus and very cool moment came as Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes and Edgar Wright walked down the waiting line and said hello to everyone and Hi 5's around! Class act all the way.

So do yourself a favor and pick up or rent a copy of "Spaced" and enjoy.

I have included a clip from the 3rd episode they screened this evening (which is the clip that got me to buy the series in the first place).

sigh.... 17 years old.... MEM-REEEEEEES Like the COR-NERS of my MIIIIIIIND.

I have started a massive online dump of my photos folder onto my Flickr account as to preserve the past and enable the sharing with the families and the friends. I will have to dole it out over the next several days and weeks I'm sure (10GB of pics) but gives peace of mind to have a place to save these in case of disaster or moments of selective/revisionist history.

**Update** here is a close up for the buttons.... sorry it's no where near as cool as the speculated buttons

Glad to see the return of Donnie, back in regular form giving sage advice twinged with angst and vitrol.

http://www.videosift.com/video/You-Suck-At-Photoshop-11-Smart-Objects

 

Who left the oven on? Holy smokes with the heat! Enough!

If you live in the southern california area you know what I speak of, triple digit heat for 3 days straight.

I'm fully cooked and ready to be served, thanks godz that it is supposed to end tonight. 

I had to throw on this old chestnut, cuz I always think of him sitting in the sun melting while talking to Bugs...enjoy.

 

 

Nothing better than being yanked back to your childhood by your own children's experiences. Case in point, the boy lost yet another set of teeth. The ever important 2 front teeth.

I was forced to remember the sensations of feeling my teeth wobbling around in my mouth by my sons question "Did your teeth do this?" What is really funny is I can see gushing head wounds and stuff but that kid grabbing his "wiggle teeth" and making them bend back and forth made my head spin like a well hit pinata.

I had been wrestling with a notion for several months now, and came across an article via Lifehacker that gave it a clear voice. Do subscriptions really save you money?

I took the writers ideas to heart and have dumped DirecTV, Netflix, Gamefly and Rhapsody.

I had found myself mindlessly filling my Netflix que with movies, many that I had already watched just so I would get "my moneys worth" from the service. I would regularly shake my head at the mind numbing array of dreck that was being offered to me via the DirecTV top tier of programing for just a few dollars more than the basic package. I was paying all of these services to fill up places for me, but with stuff I was not using, stuff I didn't really want or need. And there it was, the voice I needed to cut it all loose. Would I listen and act? or go "hmmmmm" and move on my usual path. I acted. 

The tinfoil hat and log cabin kit I ordered are on their way from "Unibombers-R-Us" as we speak, but till they get here, I keep asking myself "Will I be able to keep the hounds off my trail?" Will all my old ways creep back in? Will off air digital TV be satisfiying enough? I think my trusty TiVo! and the internets will help with that one, and If I really want to watch a film at home...Blockbuster is with in walking distance of the house or I can, as the article sugested, rent via online sources and have it delivered directly to my TiVo.

All of this is a big shift in the way I deal with my home entertainment, and of course this philosophy can start to soak into other areas of life, gym memberships and the like. I like radical change, I prefer the fast clean cut in life, jump in with both feet and see what happens... please watch along with me and I'll try to fill you in on how it all goes down. 

Made it down south to Carlsbad, CA to take my son to Legoland. This was my 4th trip to Legoland in the past 2 years, so decied to make the jump and get a membership for me and the boy. It pays for it self on the second visit you make so why not. Took along my camera and wanted to capture some of the water park area in slow motion, as they have a large dumping bucket with 100's of gallons of water that looks awesome and thought it might look even cooler in slow motion (as we all know everything looks cooler in slow motion). Here it is:

Legoland Splash from youdiejoe on Vimeo.

 

I also uploaded a HD vid where I played around with slo motion in software, it's not as silky smooth as the slow motion setting on the camera, but it's HD so...

Slo Water from youdiejoe on Vimeo.

Another session at the Long Beach Aquarium Of The Pacific. I wanted to concentrate on just jelly fish for this short as they are my favorite to video in macro, tons of texture and fine details.

The jellies that are represented here all range in size from a quarter up to a half dollar coin.

Jellies - Macro HD Video from youdiejoe on Vimeo.

A short subject (23 minutes) that would never make it through the sift, but still wanted to share with those who might be intrested. This outlines the recording process as it existed back in 56, it gives a more indepth view than a short I sifted about 4 months ago.  It takes you from a recording session through the master production (the work that I do now in the digital age) and final pressing process.

This is true fun, putting yourself into the Simpsons universe! I did this back when the film was released in theaters, but now they have added some extra content as well as the ability to print out a custom DVD cover with your avatar.

I sifted this video, and it looks like it's going to get thrown in the personal queue as  it hasn't gotten any veiws. I have watched 4 or 5 times today and it still cracks me up.

More macro HD video lovin'.. This time drops of water on the clover in the backyard.

Music is Aphex Twin - Strotha Tynhe

Water Drops On Clover - Macro HD Video from youdiejoe on Vimeo.

Posted another Macro HD video on Vimeo. My son and I along with our friends were hiking behind the Old LA Zoo, and our beetle friend crossed our path. After getting the boys to let the beetle move along its merry way I was able to grab some video.  The music is Brian Eno - Always Returning

Darkling Beetle Takes A Stroll - Macro HD Video from youdiejoe on Vimeo.