Neue and olde dreams for america

In recent times near and far, one found himself amid precariously placed microphones and a small legion of stringed instruments. What resulted were two rapid-fire recordings: side A and B, if you will, of the following sideless song selection: 

Side A was written back in the autumn of twenty ought eight. Side B was written at the tail end of september in the current year. They both smell like olde spice and taste like early times. Enjoy, whippersnappers!

In other less 'hey-look-at-what-i-made' news: 

Hey, look at what our friends Biak and Sui made...

Hniangtha Khun was born today. 

She's 11 pounds. 

Way to go, Sui.

Indy refugee at the earth house

Ladies and dudes, the Earth House is closing shop, but our little project instigated by the rad ms. katie basbagill  known as INDY REFUGEE will be opening and closing our exhibit at the Earth House this saturday night, y'all.

Along with the gorgeous photographs of our beautiful refugee friends, you can enjoy music by Old Thyme Eskimo and yours truly. Did i mention snacks? Oh yes, there will be snacks.

Check some press on the event: NUVO News

If you're in indy on saturday night, please come out for this one night event as we bid a fond adieu to the Earth House. Check the deets here, you lovely people you: FACEBOOK EVENT

While you were away

It's been a whirlwind of a month or so since we last corresponded. That's my way of explaining how lazy i am about typing words on this thing. I'd like to say that i'll be more frequent with the updates, but i can't promise that. After all, there are more pressing issues at hand. In case you missed one of the greatest nights EVER, you can read the recap at INDYREFUGEE(dot)COM. Needless to say, it was an amazing night of art, frivolity, and bringing awareness of burmese refugees to those in attendance.

Due to a smorgasbord of projects (and two kiddos) already demanding my attention, this holiday season's offering of sonic morsels was a collection of random, previously unreleased home recordings spanning the past five years or so. You can download all  twenty one tracks at NOISETRADE(dot)COM/JOELROCKEY so you might as well go ahead and do that right now. Feel free to leave me a tip, but if you don't want to, that's cool too. Listen for baby jane chatting in the background of a few tracks. The cover art features what mama jane lovingly describes as a 'naked potato' shakin a tambourine. You make the call...

Now, a few random thoughts and observations from the past several weeks:
-We need more black licorice twists.
-Three-year-olds talk smack.
-Three-year olds think they're in charge.
-We can't have nice things.
-Families are messy.
-I'm really more of a sheep dog than a bear.
-Repurposed desktop art is still en vogue.
-The one with the beard is the one who leads.
-Sometimes what appears to be chicken pox is simply a possible case of hand, foot, and mouth.
-No one knows as much about anything as my friend JD does about Saved by the Bell.
-If you want a baby to poop don't feed him bananas.
-Love is realized fully only in its being shared with someone else.

That last one came out of the brass tacks discussion my pops and i have been chewing through regarding the apostle paul's letter to the corinthian church known more specifically as 1st corinthians. By the way, if i haven't mentioned it before, my pops is rad.

Finally, i was honoured to make the acquaintance of one miss jennifer (aka turquoise feathers) upon her request of my involvement in her short-run, handmade mag featuring five handmade artists. She's a rad lady with a pretty rad guy in his own right. Below is a snapshot of the piece she had me write up about the mustard room. You can take a look at all of the pages of the mag titled 'pen & needle' on her blog at these precise coordinates.

One last thought: It's much more fun to refer to muffins as 'M, U, double-F, Ins.' Try it.

Doings & suches

Super-busyness has been the haps round these parts of late. A great deal of it having to do with having two little people running and rolling around, but another deal of it having to do with creating goodness for this event called INDY REFUGEE NIGHT. You really oughta make plans to be there. Especially if you're into changing the world and such.

The last couple of days have seen our entire downstairs overrun with holiday decor, framing supplies, and dancing monkeys. This dude is ready to radio-disney your tryptophaned arse outta that thar lazy-boy and into the new year. Boo-shocka-locka-lu-ya!!!!!!

P.S. Thanks Papaw Horrell.

Where you need to be

Peeps of all shapes and sizes, may i have your attention? Remember that time when you were asking me where you needed to be on the night of December 2nd, 2011? Well, i'll be a panda's pancreas if i ain't come to and suddenly up and remembered. Here's the skinny:

WHO? YOU, SUNSHINE!

WHAT? Photography, art, screening of Burma VJ, food, convo, jamz, photobooth, all in the name of raising awareness of Burmese refugees and their stories

WHEN? Friday, December 2, 2011 from 6:00 pm to the break-a-break-a-dawn (or around 10ish)

WHERE? Gallery 2 at The Harrison Center for the Arts in Indy(anapolis) (directions hizzle)

WHY? To change the world

HOW? Teamwork

If you're on the facebooks, soar on over to our page and punch "LIKE" right in the kisser. Also, you can read more about the whos, whats and whys at our website: INDYREFUGEE(dot)COM.

We can't wait to see you there.

P.S. You are the shiz.

Telling stories

We have amazing friends who have amazing stories to tell. We are falling in love with this family and they are teaching us so much. There are families all over indianapolis who have similar stories to there story. They are refugees from an oppressive, communist, military junta that has taken over their home in Burma. Too many of their new neighbors do not know their stories. They are a resilient, hopeful, and joyful people who have survived persecution for their ethnicity and religion for decades. With their help, we're hoping to create awareness of their journey, and avenues for action as we foster relationships with our new friends.


Please visit INDYrefugee(dot)com, y'alls.

By the way, that photo was taken by the always badass Katie Basbagill.

Just so you know.

Holla at yer bros

Get your holla for fifteen dolla. Choose your colour and we'll make it happen. Give a shout out to holla(at)themustardroom(dot)com to get the proverbial ball rolling, y'all.

Any guesses?

Nope. Try again.

Ooooooh! So close.

It's obviously a depiction of bunnies in the forest. And there's Yoda.

At least that's what the artist tells me.

Wished our dear friend K-baz fond bon voyage from the olde homestead as she prepped to travel the world once again. We spent an evening catching up with seasoned pals and acquainting ourselves with new ones. Check out our friend Zih chilling with Dr. Sugarman as Biak tries to pretend that he doesn't mind having to share. By the by, keep yourself up to snuff with what's going on with all these aforementioned folks involvement in the INDYrefugee project at indyrefugee.com. 

All right? 

Moving on...

This lil chick 'n' tiny dude are bros for life.