The olympics have officially begun, so i thought a little social commentary on China was in order. This huge sticker can be seen all around my neighborhood. It suggests that America itself is being made in China.

More Evidence. "Fall" by Brandy

We're ready. Even if you're not.

First I want whoever sees this to watch this short clip and listen very closely.





Now. Let me give you the background for this post. I just finished watching a B. Scott video that talked about not trying to convince people all the time. There is no need when you know what you want and try and surround yourself with people who do the same. Recently, my friends and I were in the car, coming back home after a trip to Martha's Vineyard and we were listening to music. So, of course, Brandy comes up, cause I'm in the car, and they proceed to give it to me about her career, and what it lacks and doesn't lack and all that. I then retaliated with a barrage of accomplishments and perfectly logical reasons why they were uneducated trend puppets who didn't know what they were talking about. I know now, that all of that was unnecessary. No more tirades or rants. Just the facts. If you can't understand why I love her so much, then google her, do your own research. Listen to the old stuff, listen to the new stuff. Learn something about harmonizing and how music is actually recorded. And if after that, you still don't get it, or think I'm just some stupid fan. Then fine. Maybe she's just not your cup of tea. Even if you're not convinced. I am. That is all that matters to Nathanael LyCurtis Holley.

The return of the red-eyed.

I'm back in New York. My vacation on Martha's Vineyard was a complete success, and I truly feel better equipped to make the moves I've planned for the rest of the year. Figuratively and literally.

My only gripe, (you know I have one), is that things always seem to happen when you're away and not prepared for it. During my vacation, my bank account was having all kinds of snafu's that I just can't afford, one of my friends had a run in with the Secret Service, and the organization I used to work for was audited by the CDC. As much as I like to think that I kick my heels up with the best of them, I couldn't help but feel that I wasn't responding to these things properly. If I had been in New York there would be people I could talk to, paperwork I could complete etc. Out in the Atlantic, I was socially adrift. But that's the cost of true relaxation I suppose. Somethings got to give... right?

However, thank God for paid time off. I'm glad to be back though.

serious napping takes a dedicated mind and a lot of booze.

dinner time for the black men waiting for seafood. carefree stomachs full.

my last day at the beach. its hard to say goodbye to sanity. sigh.

me , taking care of some important business at the office today.

Techno-Babble

I'm just overwhelmed by the way that technology has become so ubiquitous in our lives. Right at this very moment I'm signing up for a voice-recognition service called Jott to help me organize all of the organization, communication and reminder services that I've already signed up for. Maybe one day we'll get it all together and prioritize our innovations so that we can get the best out of the ones that work well for us and ditch all those that merely distract us. Like this blog, perhaps?

E3 2008, is a bit of a let-down. Of course, being the simpleton consumer that I am, I wasn't invited to attend. The podcasts and blog posts that have trickled out info from the event have been all about games and updates of games, nothing really industry changing. Nothing spectacular and Aha! Then again, why would I look to E3 for that kind of major announcement.

a mathematical representation of a dragon. made out of push pins in an office conference room.

lucy on the ground at union square. with nothing but love for life.

Seeing the light

It just came to me in a flash one day recently. Amidst repetitious cliches and obvious statements of truth. To be successful, you have to engage in something that you like to do. You have to love it. You have to feel as though your work just springs from your innermost desires.

Writing and designing are the only things that really just come naturally to me. So I think I'm going to stick with them and expand my skills. I want to dig down deep into my abilities and max out the quality of everything I produce.

Excel is not my friend

Look. I know I'm not a math genius. Ever since they tried to teach me how to use an abacus in the third or fourth grade, I knew that I was in trouble with the numerals. But Excel is just ridiculous. I just want to get a sum, and it's turning into a research project. I'll just have to add a Microsoft Suite refresher course to my list of To Do's. What does a guy have to do to get organized around here. I'm not a rich man, or even a middle class family man with lots of "responsibilities". So why can't I get my finances in order? I'll tell you why. Lack of education and an egregious lack of interest. For some reason, I've convinced myself that making more money is the answer to any financial problem that I may encounter. Funny. The first think I think about when it comes to social policy and the nation's economy, is "...cut spending, and invest better..." Duh! I should be holding fast to that edict as well when it comes to my own meager earnings.

BTW. I'm so into jewelry right now. Not just the usual urbanite bling, but the real rare and fun stuff. Collector Ish. I watch more GemsTV now than anything else. (at least until the Olympics start up - Way too excited!) The random ramblings of the colorful hosts drowns out my own mental exhaustion and keeps me company as if I was an elderly person in the hinterlands of our fair nation and not a young Buppy.

My friend Gym

I used to have a crippling fear of the gym, or any other athletic space where strangers were forced to perform, succeed, fail, and disrobe in front of each other. When I was a young lad in grade school, I was teased and harassed by the jocks. Although I truly do enjoy athletic competition, I couldn't seem to get a hang of the aggressive bonding culture that seems to go hand in hand with it. I just wanted to have fun, enjoy the exercise and move onto the next thing. How much more ignorant and foolhardy could I have been?
Sports and exercise are about manipulation, intimidation, and domination, right? At least that's how I used to feel. After being forced to go to New York Sports Club in the past 3 years to perform maintenance on my aging body, I've come to understand a little bit more about how the mindset of a "gym-goer" is formed. First there is the fear of public failure. Then, you have the unavoidable and obvious sexual titillation that stems from loosely clothed, sweaty bodies in motion that is simultaneously terrifying and alluring. And lastly, you have the forced socialization. Sharing space, equipment, and air with a group of people can cause one to feel pangs of sympathy, a sort of kinship of action as well as disdain and suspicion. So what is a "gym-going" brain to do? Block Block and again I say Block!
When I was younger, I wasn't able to discern negative harassment from adolescent ribbing and suffered greatly because of it. Now, I'm much better positioned and trained in the art of group dynamics. I can ignore looks from people, block my person from being offended by another person's proximity etc. Taking all of the good vibes in while actively keeping the bad vibes out is the key. In fact, I may even be well on my way to enjoying going to the gym and seeing the faces of the other people who share my new mindset about bodies and how they can workout together without having the minds attached to them colliding in misunderstanding and fear.

A Lovely Day

My favorite part of Central Park. It has an unmistakeable grandeur that illicits romanticism from all those who visit without fail. Like a time portal to another era, it brings a not so subtle formality to one's experience of the park and offers respectful acknowledgement to the natural beauty within it's boundaries. I would love to have a party there. What kind i don't know.

restrain yourself.

It just might work

Music is a unique business these days. Especially since, due to the dawning of the digital age, people have new ways of stealing it, buying it and making it for themselves. We all love music, and in most parts of the Western world, we all dream of being closer to it and its production. Pop stars, rock stars, indie hits, most downloaded favorites, who wouldn't want a piece of the action.

Well, I have an idea. There is this new website that just launched called rifflet that allows people to download music files and share them with others, finished or unfinished. What if a committee of some sort were put together to rifle through these riffs and produce an album of what the talented general public is dabbling with in their own homes? I think it could be really fun and people could share in the profits and joy of their music making hobby in a way that embraces community values and ideals instead of individual dictations of taste and substance.

I put this question to the makers of rifflet. Why not? Hit me back with why you think this could or couldn't work. I would love to see something like this come to pass.

find the time to care. trust that it doesn't take much. become different.

Don't Cut Me Off

Gabcast! Snizatch Blog #8 - Don't Cut Me Off

Career, Good news, Stuff to do

Bask in the Glow of my Non-Fame!

Hey there.

Someone named Clayton sent me an invitation to this thing called VerveEarth. It places blogs and other net-oddities on a global map so that people can pour over digital media based on geographic location. I think its a pretty cute idea. Especially, if your looking to get a feel for what spots and groups of people are into what. So check my little rss feed location button thing for SNIZATCH out.

Also. I'm concerned about the logistics involved for the May 18th AIDS Walk here in New York. I'm ashamed to say that this year will be my first year participating and I have no idea how to comport myself on a "walk". Do you talk to people on the way?Do you chant? Do you link arms and sing songs? How does it all work, and why is it a walk instead of a run? Whatever happens I'll try to prepare myself.

Please help me raise money for the NY AIDS Walk. Click on the link below to donate money online.

HELP STOP AIDS NOW!