I have no idea what took me so long to find this girl. I am in love with her sound. This is my feel good song of the year… hands down. Now go give your ears and soul some much needed love.
Chrisette Michele – Let’s Rock
June 28, 2010
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Napoleon Fact
By Van in Design, Inspiration, Life
Just put this together because the visual crossed my my mind.
When I was a child I thought Napoleon was known for the creation of Neapolitan ice cream.
Fact: He was not.
I am comforted to know that I am not the only one who thought this. I at least hope not…
Tags: french, ice cream, napoleon bonaparte, neapolitan
May 27, 2010
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That’s Not Cool Banksy
By Van in Design, InspirationIn recent years, graffiti street artists have become international names. I am intrigued, and admittedly unfamiliar with the graffiti / street art scene. I am familiar with names like Shephard Fairey and Banksy, who have had international success. I find the dichotomy between “street cred” versus mainstream success very interesting, especially in a culture such as graffiti art. Can the two coexist? Why do many claim Banksy’s pieces as art while a graffiti painting down the street from me goes unnoticed and is regarded as vandalism? Why is one acceptable over the other? What is the true relationship between society and graffiti, between order and chaos? Why do cities spend so much money restoring Banksy pieces that were mistakenly painted over during a restoration project to remove graffiti?
The more I think about it, the more I find the exceptions made for Banksy annoying. This is probably why I find this story insightful and a little bit satisfying.
This happened late in 2009, but I just read about it recently. Robbo, is known and recognized as a pioneer in the British graffiti scene. In fact, this piece has stood in Camden for more than 20 years as recognition of that fact.
That is, until Banksy painted over it.
Robbo, returns the favor and paints over the Banksy original. The first of many to come.
A good old fashion graffiti war. Check out these video and blogs to learn more about the Banksy vs Robbo war and the London street art scene in general.
http://www.babelgum.com/streetartlondon
Tags: art, Banksy, graffiti, Robbo, Shephard Fairey, street art
May 20, 2010
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The Road Ahead or The Road Behind
By Van in Inspiration, LifeI think the fates must grin
as we denounce them and insist,
The only reason we can’t win
is the fates themselves have missed.
Yet, there lives on the ancient claim-
We win or lose within ourselves,
The shining trophies on our shelves can
Never win tomorrow’s game.
So you and I know deeper down
There is a chance to win the crown,
But when we fail to give our best,
We simply haven’t met the test
Of giving all and saving none
Until the game is really won.
Of showing what is meant by grit,
Of playing through not letting up,
It’s bearing down that wins the cup.
Of taking it and taking more
Until we gain the winning score
Of dreaming there’s a goal ahead,
Of hoping when our dreams are dead,
Of praying when our hopes have fled.
Yet, losing, not afraid to fall,
If bravely we have given all,
For who can ask more of a man
Than giving all within his span.
That giving all, it seems to me,
Is not so far from VICTORY.
And so the fates are seldom wrong,
No matter how they twist and wind;
It’s you and I who make our fates,
We open up or close the gates
On the road ahead or the road behind.
-George Joseph Moriarty (June 7, 1884 – April 8, 1964)
Tags: baseball, basketball, george joseph moriarty, inspire, john wooden, poem, sports
May 18, 2010
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My Subconscious Home
By Van in Dreams, InspirationBesides writing this blog, I keep a personal journal at my bedside which contains the more intimate writings of my life. It’s also my dream journal. I want to share a dream I had a while back and I am reminded of this dream because I ran into some Japanese architecture, a Tokyo apartment designed by Sou Fujimoto. http://muuuz.com/2010/05/17/tokyo-apartment-par-sou-fujimoto/en/ 
I haven’t written in my journal since February 22nd. It’s as if I have nothing left to say, exhausted writing about the same troublesome things in my life month after month, week after week. My dreams are different. They are always new adventures, new experiences. I wonder what my subconscious is trying to tell me sometimes. If I am lucid enough, I make an honest effort to reach over to my journal and write or draw. That is the only way I can remember my dreams. They are but just momentary glimpses into my mind. Here is what Sou Fujimoto’s apartment design reminded me of…
January 17, 2008 12:50pm
January 17th, or at least I think it is. I literally just woke up from a deep sleep and a wild dream. This might not make much sense since I am half asleep. I remember being in line at some theme park with my Canadian cousins. It’s weird how that is what I call them now, “Canadian Cousins.” You know that weird awkward feeling you get when you approach the ride and you have to figure out, “Dude, someone has to sit with a stranger in this ride because we’re odd numbered.” That was me. I was stuck with this girl on this ride. I remember I was taking pictures to use the flash to light up the darkness of the ride. I captured a few shots of the girl’s face. She was dark skinned, black or Filipino or something. She wasn’t anything beautiful, but she wasn’t ugly either. She was plain and ordinary as plain and ordinary can be. Her black hair blended into the background of the photo. We went through the ride together and emerged in this insanely Dr. Seuss like suburb. I, or my family, had just purchased a new house. I fell in love with this place. It was excessively hilly, but very green. As I tour the house, I started recognizing certain things about it. It was the home of a psychic I had visited in a previous dream! I wondered if I wrote about it. I’ll have to refer back to my previous entries. The house was unusual, but I loved it. The previous owner seemed very superstitious. I found all these charms outside. The home felt like a maze inside, but looked exceptionally small outside. It had a reading nook that I couldn’t reach. The guest room/house was held together with cardboard and duct tape. My father and I were more than happy to fix and rebuild it. We shared a few laughs and I wake up….
Edit: I found a note I made on my sketch that says “looks japanese-like”…
Tags: architecture, Dreams, japan, journal, sketches, sou fujimoto, tokyo, writing