Friday (Tieday)

Well... I've come into some watches recently (sorry that's not the best picture). I purchased my first Suunto (Core) the other day through Todd's Mega-Discount Outdoor Market. Got a sweet deal. The watch has a barometer, altimeter (which does an excellent job telling me the weather for the next day), compass, depth... meter, sunrise/set times, and time (amongst other standard features). Another feature, which I unexpectedly got to try out earlier this week, is that the battery is extremely easy to change. It's made so you can unscrew the back using a quarter; just pop the old battery out, new one in, and screw it back on. Boom. $2. Done. So that's good for upcoming times. (ALSO, I've yet to put a scratch on the face! Every time I get a new watch, I always ALWAYS put a huge scratch in the crystal the first week I have it.)





So I thought I was kind of set on watches (my solar Casio Pathfinder is still running like a champ), however, when my parents came back from their cruise the other day, they brought back a birthday present for me: a new Citizen watch. ...So that was unexpected. I felt like my dad, who seems to always go out and buy himself something before his bday or christmas that someone has already gotten him as a present. Anyway, what a watch. It's one of their solar powered Eco-Drive diver watches. Really solid (although I can only dive down to 1000ft, so, you know, not perfect :) ). The only thing I didn't like was how skinny the band was, so I replaced it with an Australian diver's band. I really like it. $15. Can't beat it.





So... I'm set on watches. For a long time. That Citizen will probably outlast me.


Couple last things here... Wearing the 8-Bit Tie again today. This time with a less distracting shirt (yes that's my bathroom at work). I like it. Did I mention it's a clip-on? I think that really adds to the silliness of it. "Silly." That sounds a bit non-heterosexual to say out loud. I should use it less.

This was an article of interest on Jeff Mangum, The Salinger of Indie Rock



And finally, some music. Pretty sure I haven't recommended this one to anyone thus far. This is some electronic stuff from Sweden. The guy's moniker is The Field. At first I thought this it was really stupid. I couldn't figure out why it received such high reviews. It's SO repetitive that using the word "repetitive" is underselling it's repetitiveness. However, after some time I've really gotten to enjoy it. It's not for all occasions, but as background music or something to drive you while working (out), it's awesome. You might not like it (at first), but you should at least give the first (shorter) song a listen (on GOOD headphones!). He creates this whole song out of like 3 sec samples of well known songs (you won't recognize anything though unless he plays the sample at the end). It's... it's neat. Just try it.

The Field - Over the Ice

The Field - Morning (This is one off his new EP. I think it's 15min. Nuts.)


That's all. G'night.

Thursday

Wednesday

The 8-bit Tie

I'm not getting much love on the 8-bit tie today. I think it's so funny, but apparently I'm alone on that... which is disappointing. It fits well though. I thought it might be too short, but it's perfect.

I also think it goes really well with my shirt today (AND my orange watch). I was feeling festive till i showed people and they didn't get it.

Maybe they got it and just didn't want it.


On an unrelated note, it appears my forehead is still growing. Such is life, I guess.

I Drink Your Milkshake

Absolutely brilliant (not counting the Fred Armisen part).



(That video got taken down (figures). Here's a link to another.)

Hader is just spot on.

This Week in Bowling

I bowled this week. For work. It was work bowling. With free bowling alley pizza and cheap beer.









On the downside, I had to drive to Smyrna for it, but on the upside, I got a free shirt! (only 1 of 8 ever made!)



And finally, an old picture of Dudley I just came across (in a silly frame):

New Hot Pocket Technology

Well, I've completely thrown away my lunch hour on this. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I just feel plain retarded. Anyway, the Hot Pocket people finally improved on an already incredible technology by adding a flap at the bottom to hold in the pocket.



Like I said, seemed like something fun to document at the time. Now, though, not so much.

I did, however, get to put my Gorillapod into full effect for something other than a camera tripod. Turns out it my flash can screw onto it to, thus giving me a versatile flash holder!



Anyway, there's so much more important stuff going on. I don't know why I did this. Glad these things (blogs) are free. (Too bad my time's not. Dangit.)

NMH's 10th

10th anniversary of Aeroplane Over the Sea (I like how every song from the album has it's own Wikipedia page). Crazy. Easily one of the most influential albums for me personally. It's just... a different take on music. Period. I can't... describe it. It's one of the albums that's an entity... a work of art... just, a complete work within itself. It might not be your cup of tea, but it's worth checking out. I'm always amazed at how many music lovers I come across that haven't heard of Neutral Milk Hotel. Don't be one of them.

If these 2 songs don't suck you in, it's probably not going to happen.

NMH - King of Carrot Flowers Part I, Part II & III






One of my favorite songs (and versions) by Jeff Mangum: A Baby for Pree/Glow (not on Aeroplane, by the way)...



It sort of blows my mind to think that this was being made while I was just goofing around in high school and just had no idea... of any of this.

Interesting...Things!

Some funny stuff... for you.

5 Most Badass Presidents of All Time

on T.Roosevelt...

Did we mention he had asthma growing up? He did, and after he beat asthma to death, he ate asthma's raw flesh and ran 100 straight miles off the energy it gave him.

Billy showed me this the other day: The LOL Cat Bible

Genesis 1

1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem...

6 An Ceiling Cat sayed, im in ur waterz makin a ceiling. But he no yet make a ur. An he maded a hole in teh Ceiling.7 An Ceiling Cat doed teh skiez with waterz down An waterz up. It happen.8 An Ceiling Cat sayed, i can has teh firmmint wich iz funny bibel naim 4 ceiling, so wuz teh twoth day.

and today: Eat it, you whiny Muslims.


And finally, this was the device I used to make that heart light in the photo below (previous entry)...




(crap, i feel terrible today. i think my sinus congestion has kicked it up a notch to full blown infection. and i've got a fever blister now. tubular.)

Mine/Your's

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day :*

Snoooooooooowwww.

(i like the processing on this; very film-like.)

PicLens for Firefox

Honestly, this is probably the coolest extension I've ever seen for Firefox. Maybe it's because I'm obsessed with photos and this feeds that obsession, but I think this just makes it SO much easier and fun to browse through pictures online. Just tremendous.


You can use it in conjunction with almost any pictures online. Whether you're searching for images through Google (there's a search bar up top) or simply browsing through the photos on some website or someone's Flickr stream. It goes into this full-screen mode and it's fluid like something on a Mac. Absolutely seamless.


You just glide through the mosaic of photos, find one you like, and click on it. Want to see it bigger or know more? Double click on it and it blows it up full-screen. Click on the little arrow in the top left corner and it goes to the photo's URL. Again, tremendous.

Just a few more screen shots...

When you're on Flickr (or anywhere I suppose), just look for the little blue arrow in the corner of any picture (when your mouse rolls over it) and click on it to bring up the the program in no time flat.

Like I said, this really is an beautiful extension for Firefox. It's 1mb in size, so you really should give it a go.

PicLens

(Give it a shot on the Library of Congress's (3000 photo) Flickr page!)

Snoot

This is a snoot. It constricts the light from the flash to a much more directional shot. It probably should be made of something more opaque, but this worked for playing around. It really has some interesting possibilities for portraits and stuff.







Look how crazy Jesse's eyes look. I guess the light scattered in one of them giving her a two-tone look.











I haven't done much serious photography lately. I've really been thinking and praying about it a lot and the more "into" it I am, the less clearly I can think about it (I think). I miss it though. I haven't gone out and shot anything and our place is too small for me to get too crazy on DIY lighting stuff (cause I have to put everything up before we go to bed or else it'll be in the way the next day). So I've just been watching sunrises and sunsets go by and it kills me. I'm really trying hard to focus on work while I'm at work and after the days over I feel like I've wasted a day. Part of me thinks, "Well, just take it easy and work. You'll have all the time in the world to work on photography in 5 months." But that goes against everything I feel is right. Nothing frustrates me more than someone who continually says they're going to do/try something and never seems to get around to it. If it means anything to you... do it! I don't get it. So I really don't like the thought of putting this all on the backburner for a few months, but like I said, I'm also praying about it and if that's what God wants, then I'd be stupid not to.

The Fiery Furnaces

Went to see the Fiery Furnaces last night at Exit/In. I wasn't too pumped about going cause we've been low on sleep lately (as usual), but I'm glad I went. Not so much because I thought it was the greatest show ever, but because I would've regretted not seeing what they were like in person.

It was odd how few people were there for this relatively well known indie band. You're happy it's not crowded, but you feel bad that more people haven't show up. At the end they said they were going to play their encore piece without going off and waiting for the applause signal because they didn't want to take any chances. They said it in good humor, but I felt bad for them. There appeared to be a few hardcore fans in the front though, so hopefully that made it worth it for the band.

I think the Friedbergers were probably very nice people, but I really couldn't get into the show. Jess and I decided they were like Mates of State, only less melodic and more metal... and they weren't married. I think their EP is really the only thing of theirs I could really get into. Everything now is too out there for me to enjoy. The tempo changes all the time, the melody is not very pleasing or prominent, and in general, it's just too darn cacophonous for me. (Maybe if I was more of a lyrics person, the story-like songs would be more fun, but I'm not. I'm a music guy.)



I really won't be surprised when they do the soundtrack to some indie movie in the next couple years (it might be a scary indie movie though). I think they'd do well at that.

THE 2008 BONNAROO LINEUP!!

It's here and it looks pretty dang awesome to me! So here it is so far (I've taken the liberty of highlighting the ones I'm most excited about)...

2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists:

Pearl Jam
Metallica
Jack Johnson
Kanye West
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Phil Lesh & Friends
My Morning Jacket
The Allman Brothers Band
The Raconteurs
Willie Nelson
Death Cab for Cutie
B.B. King
Sigur Ros
Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road
Ben Folds
O.A.R.
The Bluegrass Allstars Feat. Luke Bulla, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Bryan Sutton
M.I.A.
Umphrey’s McGee
Iron & Wine
Yonder Mountain String Band
The Swell Season
Talib Kweli
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival
Gogol Bordello
Broken Social Scene
Robert Randolph’s Revival
Rilo Kiley
Mastodon
Lupe Fiasco
Against Me!
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
Pat Green
Ozomatli
Tegan & Sara
Solomon Burke
Drive-By Truckers
!!!
The Avett Brothers
Israel Vibration
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck
A Very Special Acoustic Performance by Larry Campbell, Jackie Greene, Phil Lesh & Teresa Williams
Aimee Mann
Ladytron
The Fiery Furnaces
Orchestra Baobab
Ghostland Observatory
Jose Gonzalez
Dark Star Orchestra
Minus the Bear
Donavon Frankenreiter
Lez Zeppelin
State Radio
Battles
Jakob Dylan
Two Gallants
The Sword
Vampire Weekend
Little Feat
Nicole Atkins
The Felice Brothers
Mason Jennings
MGMT
The Lee Boys
Black Kids
Serena Ryder
Steel Train
Grupo Fantasma
Back Door Slam

Bonnaroo Comedy:
Bonnaroo Late Night Chat About with David Cross
Janeane Garofalo
Zach Galifianakis
Jim Norton
Brian Posehn
Mike Birbiglia
John Mulaney
Michelle Buteau

(I've got a lot of bands to research. The worst thing is when you learn about a band AFTER Bonnaroo and figure out that you LOVE their music and that you completely missed them live the past year.) So who's in?! I wonder when tickets go on sale?

Because I REALLY Want You to Listen

I realize that it's probably a pain to go to another site, wait 10-20sec, download a file, and then listen to it. SO I've gone to greater lengths to make it easier for you to hear what I want you to hear. Thus I give you, the embedded mp3 player. I can't make it any easier. For real.

(Okay, you might have to pause it and give it a sec to load. I can't do it ALL. And for some reason it only loaded half of the first song, so let me know if that doesn't work. Sheesh. I'm not a magician!)

(Also, if you have a better idea for an mp3 player I'd love to hear it... Jeff... Josh Bush I'm looking in your direction...)

Ghetto Jugs

Just when I thought my site couldn't bring in any more than 12 viewers a day, I come across a delightful surprise such as this. Of course, I have a site counter on here that lets me know where people come from and how they get here. Every now and then I get some really fun Google searches. This is one. Apparently, if you Google "watch ghetto jugs," I am the sixth site to be listed on there. Not bad, eh? I don't even know if you can BUY that sort of ranking. So to the individual who inadvertently happened on my blog instead of (or in addition to) the other choices out there, whether or not this was what you were looking for, I at least hope it was to your liking.

josh




(UPDATE: As of writing this post, I am now number ONE in searching for ghetto jugs! Which, interestingly enough, actually puts me higher than GhettoJugs.com! How bizarre Google is (however, I'm only #3 if you leave "watch" out of your search). And I think I just figured out how to get more hits on my site: Randomly title my blog posts using sexually suggestive/ambiguous words. It's almost too easy...)

(Also, for the record, joshhunter.com does does not endorse nor is it affiliated with ghettojugs.com)

Focal Point

This was something I didn't expect, but is definitely the case: my focal point has changed. My eyes have been so used to only seeing up close (I'd say a distance of about 3ft was my focal point) and now rather than them being near-sighted and easily seeing things up close and straining to see far, they're "neutral." What this seems to mean is that now, if I relax my eyes, they don't focus at 3 ft, they naturally focus at 10-15ft. So this creates an interesting (opposite) condition at work for me. I'll notice they just want to stop focusing on the computer screen, but if i look up, things at a distance across the room are easily focused on. So... that's interesting. I guess we'll see how that goes. Kind of frustrating since most of what I do at work takes place about 3ft away :) I guess we'll see how this all goes.

I might need a new job.