Non-negotiables

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.

Kool and the gang

Here's something: Last friday was so completely rad that i've been unable to blog about anything due to soaking in the afterglow.

First, Baby Jane and i spent the morning riding in circles atop horsies and deer. Then, after checking in with our pals and the newest member of their clan, me and the Jane gals made the short hike home to rendezvous with some house guests for a night of pinning cloth and connecting dots. It started in the mind of Katie Bee who shared the dream of her creative endeavor with Mama Jane and myself months ago before trotting off across the globe. Recently, we regrouped and talks began to set the plan in motion. An evening of beers, sheers and bobbins turned into a junction of function and fashion. The night served as a catalyst for grand conversation with buds from all corners of life. Here's a rundown:

• non-profit investigation
• cool porters
• merry bobbins
• second hand slicing
• cozy neck splicing
• granola fever
• baby snuggling
• party favors

Today, we put pen to ink, we put paper to pen and tore the whole thing apart to put together again. Also, for some reason, i made cherry kool-aid.

Word.

Proverbial irons in literal fires

Behold the mighty Schwinn Hollywood. She's bedazzled in rust and raring to go. If memory serves me correctly, this beaut was once the teenage chariot of my mother's younger sister better known as Aunt Patti. Somehow she (the bicycle not my aunt) wound up propped upon a kickstand in my folks' shed for the better part of twenty years. I really am referring to the bicycle here. Let's just put those rumors to rest right now. My aunt has lived in oregon for some time now. At least that's what i've been told. Regardless, i am bound and determined to squeeze every last ounce of life from this rickety wiry beast or get slightly injured trying. While this is an exciting prospect, the addition of her majesty does not come without its problems. You see, we now have more bicycles in our garage than necessary for a healthy young couple living south of indianapolis.

Here is a list of things that you may or may not need which we have to offer and/or negotiate a deal for:

• ten-speed bicycles
• a lawn mower
• a propane grill
• 12" copy of 1978 billy joel record '52nd street'
• complete set of 1989 bowman baseball cards
• tv with built-in vcr requiring a hefty dose of patience to operate (remote control included, batteries not so much)
• dandelions

Take your pick and make an offer. Otherwise, they'll all die sad and alone and the guilt will follow you home and beg for scraps from your front porch until you spray it with a garden hose and shoot bb's at it. You really don't want that. Do you? I don't know, maybe you do.

And now, a bear...

More from him later.

Daddy is the new mommy

As Mama Jane rests for early work with grammar kids, day one of the great Mommydaddyswitcheroo Experiment wraps up. Todays tasks accomplished...

-eggs n nanners.
-milk. cow milk.
-framed hat.
-wagon rides
-new sketches
-warm fresh honey whole wheat.

Mmmmm...

Brewing

The dawning of a new era in crafting fine beverages for the public has arrived. As i was settling in, i was pleasantly surprised by two young ladies whom i miss participating with in the daily routine of slinging coffee at hurried customers to the end of fattening the wallets of others.

Sigh.

Together, we gathered behind the fish tanks discussing half-lizards encased in ice cream sandwiches, sugar-induced water retention and the like. More importantly a collective formed to out-ghost-hunt those other poor excuse for ghost-hunters. Boo indeed.

Ideas are in the hopper including but not limited to:

• casting pods
• sesame substitution
• purging 'n' shelving
• cutting ties

As usual, there are no guarantees. However, here are a couple sure to be shortly realized...

Slim pickins

Let's just begin by saying, I stumbled upon some much needed sleeeeeeeep overnight. I am sorta-to-well-rested with a trail of half finished projects left in my wake. All unintended puns aside, I presently sit in the mustard room typing between a cool breeze and a hot cup with an optimistic outlook upon the unfolding day.

Yesterday's givings were rife with good vibes, friendly furrow voices, toasty cheese and comical situations over chocolate covered pretzels and rum. Watch out for those pretzels, they'll come back to haunt you. Also, revelations continue to abound. One particular discovery is that olivia apparently wants to eat not just eight to twelve times a day, but instead always times a day. We continue to trudge forward in apprehensive glee with the occasional soy-based supplement on the side to give mommy a chance to catch some much needed and overdue sleeeeeep.

While picking some of the last of summer's bounty for lunch, I spied this love among the ruins. Despite his ancestors, the little purple pepper that could reluctantly emerges forth beneath the warmth of the autumn sun. We'll try to keep a closer eye on this guy.

More from the digital/analog catalog. Definitely feelin the mellow as of late. I'm starting to think that mr. simon's self titled solo album might be one of my favorites of all time this week. There we go...

Assignment for the day:
What are your top 5 favorite self-titled albums this week?

1. ________________


2. ________________


3. ________________


4. ________________


5. ________________

Alright, your lists are due by midnight next friday morning.

I'll be chillin with the flamingos