The Booklovers

 

I came up to Michigan with several goals in mind, high amongst them is getting into the practice of doing more reading.  Back in the day I was quite the voracious reader but haven't exactly been flexing that muscle as of late, with the exception of whatever might be the newest David Sedaris book.

That being said, I shipped an ambitious box-full up to camp and hope to knock out quite a few over the course of the summer… that's what days off and beaches are for, right?  Many thanks especially to the two Catherine's (Couturier, my boss / Roberts, my aunt) for suggestions and loaning!

I'll certainly have more to say about some of them later but thought this would be the perfect time to empty out one of my favorites folder dedicated to our lexicological repositories (how's that for a pretentious euphemism for "book"!)

 

Self-described interdisciplinary artist Guy Laramée creates absolutely stunning sculptures out of books, inspired by nature, the death of his mother, history and a myriad of other topics.  Hooks-Epstein, can you PUH-LEASE do a show?!? [found via io9]

Ryoanji

 

Untitled / Stupa (Tibetan-Chinese Dictionary)

 

 

Toronto, Canada's Type Books created this stop-motion short entitled "The Joy of Books" to champion the continued creation and purchasing of physical books (as opposed to the burgeoning eBook business). [found via BoingBoing]

 

 

Spanish artist Alicia Martin has created several site-specific installations in her Biografias series using 5,000+ books cascading from various windows of multistory buildings. Talk about word vomit!! [found via BoingBoing]

 

The artist inside one of her creations

 

 

Last March a staff member of the Scottish Poetry Library came across a beautifully carved art piece and an accompanying note written to the library's Twitter handle (@byleaveswelive):

It started with your name @byleaveswelive and became a tree.… … We know that a library is so much more than a building full of books… a book is so much more than pages full of words.… This is for you in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….. a gesture (poetic maybe?)

Many believed this was just a "one-off" creation until another one showed up some time later at the National Library of Scotland, leading to many creations being found for months to come in many of Scotland's great institutions.  There's a really fantastic review of the entire story, including photographs of all the discovered pieces, here.  Was the mystery ever solved?!? [found via io9]

 

National Library of Scotland: from Ian Rankin's Exit Music / National Museum of Scotland: from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World

 

 

To round out our literary themed post let's take a look at the Oscar winning animated short film from this years' 84th Annual Academy Awards. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessermore, by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, is described thusly by the production team: "Inspired in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, 'Morris Lessmore' is a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor."

 

First up on my reading list, you ask? Neil deGrasse Tyson's Space Chronicles!

 

Artist: The Divine Comedy / Album: Promenade

My Grown Up Christmas List

 

Much in the same vein as my 2012 New Apartment Housewarming Gift Registry Extravaganza, I present to those of you who have not yet crossed my name off your list (I’m talkin’ to you Senor Kringle) my Christmas 2012 White Wonderland of a Wishlist—let everyone cheer!!!!!!!

 

Bespoke British Baggage: As BoingBoing put it, this “gloriously impractical” luggage from Williams British Handmade is sure to draw attention at the baggage claim turnstyle.  (You know… because I’m sure people who can afford to even consider buying this stuff take care of their own bags.)

 

 

Booze Books!!: These sneaky little things from BenderBound are an alcoholic bibliophile’s wet-bar dream come true.  My only complaint—what… no Barenreiter?!?

 

 

Doctor Who goodies from ThinkGeek: I mentioned last year how the nerd inside me looks forward to the annual Doctor Who Christmas special every year.  Why not celebrate with a Tardis mug and Weeping Angels t-shirt!!

  

 

 

Sugru polymer clay and LEGOs: Just so you know, Catherine, this is how I will now be hanging all of the shows in the gallery!

 

 

SodaStream Water Carbonation Machine: Ever since I was quite young I have always loved sparkling water.  One of my favorite things about going to Europe is that, as opposed to in America, it’s quite ubiquitous over there.  My host family in Minden even had one of these machines and I probably went through a whole CO2 cartridge just on myself.

 

 

Look, I Made a Hat: Stephen Sondheim’s follow-up to last year’s Finishing the Hat, the combination of the two offering his entire collection of lyrics as well as anecdotes for his entire body of work.  Somebody puh-LEASE Sondheimize me this year!! (The video below explains it all if you aren’t familiar with Modern Family)

  

 

 

Stealth Toothbrush Sanitizer: Because let’s be honest, it’s the perfect companion to the fancy pantsy toothpaste squeezer I mentioned in the last registry.

 

 

And FINALLY, for a bit of a laugh… if you think this list is a bit hodge-podge then check out the holiday shopping list these guys came up with (as seen on BoingBoing):

I’m pretty sure a gallery just down the street would probably sell an oil painting of circus clowns storming Normandy Beach.

 

Artist: Aretha Franklin / Album: This Christmas

Copycat

 

As I am sitting here in the lobby of an oral surgeon in League City waiting for Mallory to get out of some (minor) surgery I thought I’d do a quick blog post of a video I saw a while back on BoingBoing. What exactly does this buh-crazy animation of cats have to do with Mallory or surgery? – not much, but I’d imagine that with the drugs I’m sure she’s currently on, it’s not to impossible to imagine her hallucinating the following:

Omg WHAAAAAAAAAAT IS HAPPENING!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (PS… I love this)

 

Artist: The Cranberries / Album: Bury the Hatchet

A Whale of a Tale

 

As with a large percentage of my posts, this really has no intrinsic value other than it’s beautiful… oh yeah, I guess it teaches you stuff too.  Surprise, surprise, I found this on BoingBoing.

 

 

The above reminded me, for obvious reason, of a segment from BBC’s Life.  If you listened to my advice a while back then you have already seen it, but for those of you who didn’t then here’s a little taste:

 

 

And, just because it’s the way my mind works, a little 30 Rock for your Saturday afternoon pleasure:

YOU WERE TOO LATE, AL GORE!!!

 

Artist: Kirk Douglas/ Album: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

To Build a Home

 

I have officially been an “inner looper” for two weeks now and through setting up my new apartment I have come across a few decorating deficiencies with which I figured you blog friends could help out.  Gift registries courtesy of BoingBoing, Gizmodo and io9.  There’s a wide variety of items and price ranges to chose from, so spend spend spend!

Carved Gourd Lamps: Calabarte’s stunningly intricate lamps come in a variety of styles and sizes.  Check out his homepage for more examples his work.  Also, seeing as how it’s been just shy of six months since I’ve put up a new header I figured this was as good a time as any to change it up. (Plus it seems appropriately October-y for some reason).

 

 

 

Fancy Pantsy Toothpaste Squeezer: For just the price of around a hundred tubes of toothpaste you too can own this absurdly opulent device intended for the laziest and richest amongst us.  Yay dental hygiene!!

*Note—$10.00 tube of Marvis toothpaste not included

Elipson “Sound Tree”: Umm… do I really even need to explain this one?! It’s a tree made of speakers!!  Also, feel free to throw in that pair of chairs on the right and we’ll call it a joint housewarming/Christmas present.

“Tree of Life” poster (option 1): It’s a tree trunk made out of ANIMALS!!!  Noah would be so happy.

 

Tree of Life poster (option 2): I mentioned previously how I was lucky enough to catch this movie showing at the Michigan Theater when I was in Ann Arbor this summer and I’m a bit ub-sessed with the movie poster. PRETTY COLORS!!!

Blown-glass Goldfish Bowl: The only pet I’ve had since moving away from Crockett was when I was living in Ann Arbor.  My friends Will and Clinton had a guinea pig, Mr. Piggles, that seemed reasonable enough to deal with so I decided to get one, thinking they might become friends as well—they just ended up fighting a lot.  At any rate, I decided to give Phineas away after about a year because I wasn’t home enough to spend any quality time with him.  A goldfish, though… you don’t even have to pet them! (In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s recommended you don’t do so).

 

Tsunami Hurricane Capsule: And now perhaps the human equivalent of a fish bowl—a Japanese designed survival pod intended for use in a tsunami but, I’m assuming, perfectly acceptable for hurricane season here in Houston.  Plus… it “could hold four adults and had survived many crash tests.  It has a lookout window and breathing holes, and could also be used as a toy house for children.” 

A. Can’t you see me floating down Richmond in that?  B. I LOVE that he removed his shoes before going into the capsule.

 

Artist: The Cinematic Orchestra/ Album: Ma Fleur

Go West

 

I was trolling around BoingBoing.net earlier today and came across this video, which immediately reminded me of the photography of another Marfa resident and John Cleary Gallery artist, Marty Carden.

 

White Sands 36, 2009

 

White Sands 03, 2009

 

White Sands 13, 2009

 

White Sands 04, 2009

 

White Sands 35, 2009

 

Artist: The Village People/ Album: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert

Ball & Chain

 

I know it’s been quite a while, but don’t think I’ve forgotten about…

 

DANCE PARTY

FRIDAY!!!!

 

This video was featured on BoingBoing today and I just felt like it was screeeaming to be accompanied by Philip Glass’ “The Secret Agent”… so I dabbled in a bit of video-editing and put it in myself!  I have been ub-sessed with this piece for years and have been waiting to feature it somehow on the blog.   And heres we are!

 

Artist: Martha Wainwright/ Album: Martha Wainwright

Bravo Pour le Clown

 

I saw this interview with British comedian Russell Brand on BoingBoing.net recently and have watched it probably three other times since (mostly because I think it’s fascinating but partly because he speaks so eloquently/quickly I needed a bit more time to process.)  Before you say “pass,” though, realizes it’s not in any way a comedic set but rather a look at the culture of celebrity and what it entails and how it could one day be used to promote things other than, say, a can of shaving cream with Robert Downy, Junior’s face on it.

 

Artist: Edith Piaf/ Album: The Great Album