Five Books that I LOVE:
Another Roadside Attraction - By Tom Robbins. ///// Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - By Robert Pirsig. ///// The Overstory - By Richard Powers. ///// Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver. ///// Seveneves - By Neal Stephenson.
Five DESIGN BOOKS that I LOVE
There are only a scant few books of which I still keep physical, dead tree copies. Everything else is digital. These are the real deal.
Paul Rand ///// Elegantissima: The Design and Typography of Louise Fili ///// Pictoplasma: The Character Encyclopaedia ///// Marks of Excellence: The Function and Variety of Trademarks ///// House Industries: 10 Year Book
Five Writing/Sketching/Drawing Implements that I love.
Each and EVERY pencil under the BLACKWING brand. /// The Uniball Roller... (which I've been using since 1986! I'd be lost without it.) /// Then, the sexiest "lead-holder" I've ever worn in my shirt pocket on a DAILY basis... the Staedtler Mars® technico 780. /// Next, the first and ONLY brand for technical pens that I've ever loved... the Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph. (Like the Uniball, in that I've been a user since the mid '80's!). /// Finally, the writing/drawing/sketching implement that Steve Jobs once famously poo-pooed... (he got that one WRONG…) the Apple Pencil. (Life changer for me, combined with the iPad of course.) /// Bonus round: Sharpie permanent markers. Who DOESN'T love those!!??
Five Typefaces/families That I LOVE:
Left to Right: Gotham - Hoefler & Company, 2000 ///// Ratfink Heavy - House Industries, Circa mid-1990's ///// Memphis - Rudolpf Wolf, 1930 ///// SHAG Lounge - House Industries, Circa 2003 ///// Champion Gothic - Hoefler & Company, 1990
Five DESIGN HEROES (from yesteryear) that I LOVE:
R. Buckminster Fuller ///// Charles and Ray Eames ///// Paul Rand ///// Mary Blair ///// The WPA Poster Program
Five SPICES that I reach for, OFTEN!
I’m always trying new things in the kitchen, but these spice blends tend to get a LOT of use in the culinary messes that I tend to make.
Shichimi Togarashi ///// Chook Chicken Salt ///// Dukkah (Trader Joe's... don't LAUGH!!!) ///// Ras El Hanout ///// Herbes De Provence
Five COLORS that I LOVE:
#00c878 ///// One-Shot 156-L ///// Pantone® 185 C Red ///// That brown on the TCHO packaging ///// Crayola “Dandelion” crayon color.
Five High-Tech “maker“ tools that I LOVE
CNCs such as ShoptBot ///// Printer/Cutter products such as those made by ROLAND ///// Vinyl cutters and plotters like those made by Graphtec or even the more hobby/DIY driven products from Cricut. ///// 3D printers such as the FormLabs line of 3D printers ///// the SawStop table saw.
Five (living) Music Composers for FILM and/or TV Whom I Love
John Williams. My favorite Film Composer of all time, hands down. From Star Wars to Indiana Jones to the Olympic Fanfare to Catch Me If You Can... one of the all time greats. /// Michael Giacchino. In my humble opinion, the heir apparent to John Williams. LOVE his work!!! /// Randy Newman. He has worked in a number of film genres, but it is his work for Pixar that I love the most. He really gave Pixar some special music in the earliest days, and onward. /// Alexandre Desplat. A somewhat recent addition to my "favorites" list, but he rose quickly. /// Danny Elfman. One of the most delightfully eclectic film composers alive. Wickedly playful!
Five MUSHROOM SPECIES That I LOVE
Of the culinary, non-psilocybin variety... (the magic variety is another discussion… ehem!) Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) /// Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) /// Enoki (Flammulina filiformis) /// Morel (Morchella esculenta) /// Portabello (Agaricus bisporus)
Five Books on Innovation that I Love
Generally speaking, these books on innovation are filtered through the process of DESIGN... but there are countless lessons for anyone in any industry or discipline. The Art of Innovation, By Tom Kelley. (A great read, from IDEO... one of the most important Design and Innovation companies in the world.) /// The Laws of Simplicity, by John Maeda. (I've gifted quite a few copies of this book over the years, to Designers I've hired. A fantastic resource.) /// Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, By Steven Johnson. (More of an anecdotal, historical look at innovation and the conditions that seem to be common for fostering it.) /// Oblique strategies: Over one hundred worthwhile dilemmas, by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt. (Yes, it is technically NOT a book, but rather a deck of cards. I submit that there's more nuggets of wisdom in this deck of cards than most books on innovation.) /// The Designer Says: Quotes, Quips, and Words of Wisdom, Edited by Sarah Bader. (This book could have just as easily been a deck of cards, like "Oblique Strategies"... or perhaps a desk calendar. I'd love it in ANY form it became. The book is delightful.) /// BONUS: Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, By Don Norman.
Five CLASSIC JAZZ Albums That I LOVE:
Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um ///// Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - A Night In Tunisia ///// Eric Dolphy - Out To Lunch ///// John Coltrane - Giant Steps ///// The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out.
Five TED TALKS that I LOVE
Reggie Watts made me laugh my ass off. ///// Elizabeth Gilbert made me cry. ///// JJ Abrams reminded me about the importance of mystery. ///// Garrett Lisi made me want to take up a nomadic lifestyle, while doing work that is important to me. ///// Jane McGonigal made me want to play games… to maybe help save the world.
Five COOKBOOKS that make my mouth water
Salt Fat Acid Heat ///// Ad Hoc At Home. ///// The Hot Sauce Cookbook ///// Japanese Soul Cooking ///// Plenty
Five FILMS that I LOVE:
“Amelie” from Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ///// “2001: A Space Odyssey” from Director Stanley Kubrick ///// “O Brother, Where Art Thou?“ from Directors Joel and Ethan Coen ///// “Arrival“ from Director Denis Villeneuve ///// “The Royal Tenenbaums“ from Director Wes Anderson.
Five SIX EMERGING TECH TRENDS That I LOVE
Trends in technology which are poised to transform the lives of BILLIONS of people. Many of my technology interests are in sustainable/green industries. Some, as simple as abundant clean drinking (and farming) water, others are “Air Taxis” and Artificial Intelligence. Giant batteries (charged by renewable energy) to power neighborhoods without a centralized grid. “Meat” without the meat. Biotech should also be in there somewhere…
Microgrids ///// Desalination ///// Self-driving automobiles ///// Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft (eVTOL) ///// Artificial Intelligence ///// Synthetic or “Cultured” meats (or perhaps “meat analogues“)
Five chocolate bars That I LOVE
(Not to be confused with junky candy bars… which also have their place from time to time.) But I do LOVE a bite of really dark, quality chocolate! (Usually 70% cacao and up... with exceptions.) Tony's Chocolonely ~ Dark chocolate 70% /// Tony's Chocolonely ~ Dark almond sea salt 51% /// Lily's ~ Extremely Dark 85% /// Ghirardelli ~ Intense Dark 92% Cacao Chocolate Bar /// TAZA Chocolate ~ Guajillo Chili Stone ground, organic Mexican-style dark chocolate discs.
Five TOYS that I LOVE
LEGO - A major influence on me, for my entire life. ///// Spirograph - My first exposure to the beauty of math, even though I didn’t know it at the time. ///// The Hoberman Sphere - An amazing feat of engineering, at which I still marvel. ///// 16 Animali Puzzle by Enzo Mari - The most beautiful “puzzle” that I’ve ever seen. ///// The original Frisbee Disc - This has been among my all time favorites, even BEFORE I headed up the Creative Department at Wham-O a decade ago.
Five DOCUMENTARIES that I LOVE - (More recent releases)
“Helvetica“ from Director Gary Hustwit ///// “Bill Cunningham: New York“ from Director Richard Press ///// “I Am Not Your Negro“ from Director Raoul Peck ///// “Exit Through the Gift Shop“ from Director “Banksy”…. whoever the hell he is. ///// “Particle Fever“ from Director Mark Levinson.
Five Organizations that I LOVE - (8, actually…)
The ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union - Doing vital work for 100 years! This is perhaps, my favorite organization. ///// AMERICANS UNITED for Separation of Church and State - Now THERE’S a wall that we should build! ///// The EFF - Electronic Frontier Foundation - I find the EFF to be a kindred spirit to the ACLU, but more in the digital realm. ///// The Long Now Foundation - Fostering long term thinking, building a 10,000 Year clock, and making GREAT cocktails at their headquarters. ///// The Sierra Club - Two words. John Muir….. nuff’ said. ///// The Rocky Mountain Institute - Their mission: >>>“To transform global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future.” ///// Council for Secular Humanism - A more recent addition to the list of organizations which I admire. >>>Representing a "comprehensive, non-religious lifestance incorporating - A naturalistic philosophy - A cosmic outlook rooted in science - A consequentialist ethical system." ///// The Southern Poverty Law Center - >>>”A catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people.”
Five Children’s books that I LOVE
“Where the Wild Things Are“ (1964) - “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend“ (2015) - “Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel“ (1939) - “In the Night Kitchen” (Another Sendak selection… 1970) - “What Do You Do With An Idea“ (2015)
Five India Pale Ales that I LOVE - (Plus an extra…)
“Racer 5 IPA” from Bear Republic ///// Sierra Nevada’s “Dankful IPA” ///// Berkeley’s own Fieldwork Brewing: “Coconut Milk Double IPA” ///// Elysian’s “Space Dust IPA” from Washington State. ///// Alvarado Street Brewing’s “Mai Tai PA” - Locally brewed in Monterey. ///// “Tropicalia IPA” from Georgia based Creature Comforts. (With a brewery opening in Los Angeles next year!)
Five SIX EV companies that fill me with LUST
I want to see anything that moves, become electrified. (And perhaps, autonomous.) Here are a few that excite me…. Lilium GMBH and JOBY Aviation - Call them “FLYING CARS” or “AIR TAXIS” if you want to…. but we are on the verge of quiet, clean-energy, regional AIR travel. Like using Uber or Lyft, but in AIRCRAFT that are “quiet enough to land in your neighborhood.“ I’m OBSESSED with this nascent industry!!! ///// DJI Drones - In this case, I’ll make mine an Inspire 1, please! I’ve used DJI products on various photo and video shoots the last few years, and my inner 10 year old from 1980 STILL cannot believe that we have such COOL technology such as this!!! We’ve come a long way from “Estes model Rockets.” ///// TREK electric bicycles - This is perhaps, the MOST beautiful bicycle that I have ever seen… (for my tastes at least.) ///// ZERO Motorcycles - The DSR “Black Forest” Edition. ///// RIVIAN electric trucks - Trucks have always been my preferred mode of personal transit. (I like to make and build stuff, and I’ve always needed a truck bed to haul materials around.) Car and Driver Magazine recently published a quick look at the electric truck landscape (there are a bunch in the works, from the “Big Three,” down to much smaller startup companies.) Now, I don’t yet have a favorite “Electric Boat,” but am open to suggestions!
Five TWELVE simple kitchen tools I LOVE (non-powered)
Got out of hand with this one…. but I LOVE cooking. Here's a dozen simple, non-powered kitchen tools which I find indispensable, except for the tagine. (Generally these are brand-neutral, unless otherwise specified.) I'll post a handful of POWERED kitchen gadgets another time. Global 7 inch Santoku Hollow Ground Knife (G-48). I use this knife damn near every single day. Greatest Chef’s knife I’ve ever used. /// Microplane Zester /// Stainless Steel Kebob Skewers (Generic.) /// Rubber Mallet (I use the one from the garage tool bench... hehe.) /// Pyrex Large Spatula. No need to spend a fortune on one. This one is PERFECT for every day use! /// PoachPod(s). I tend to poach my eggs “freestyle” directly in boiling water with a dash of vinegar. But when I’m poaching multiple eggs at once, these REALLY come in handy! /// Stainless Steel Corkscrew. (For obvious reasons… sipping wine while cooking is a joy.) /// OXO Tabletop Spiralizer. I’ve used several different spiralizers over the years, and this one seems to be my favorite. /// CAMBRO Food Storage Containers. Everyday use! /// Pyrex® 2-Cup Measuring Cup. Everyday use! I have 3 or 4 of these on hand. /// Porcelain Round Ramekin With Ribbed Side. /// All-Clad Stainless Tagine with Terracotta Cover. I only pull this one out once in a blue moon… but it has NEVER failed me, and is a JOY to use! (Appears to be discontinued. Bummer.)
Five TREE BOOKS that I LOVE
Well, books that are mostly about trees. In some cases, these books actually deal more with humans, and the trees are a metaphor for understanding US. “The Hidden Life of Trees” ///// The aforementioned Pulitzer Prize winner “The Overstory.” ///// “The Wild Trees,” ///// “The Tree: An Environmental Fable,“ ///// Lastly, and not to be cheeky, “The Woodbook. The Complete Plates,” from the best coffee table book publisher in the world, TASCHEN!!! I cite this book, as one who loves woodworking and fine objects made from wood… but ONLY in a sustainable way. As Richard Powers, the Author of “The Overstory” wrote…. >>>“What you make from a tree should be at least as miraculous as what you cut down.”
Five HOT SAUCES that I LOVE
Okay, SEVEN hot sauces that I love. What can I say…. I slather EVERYTHING in hot sauce. I put Sriracha on my Sriracha. Huy Fong Foods makes the Sriracha for me. Accept no substitutes. ///// El Yucateco (Green) ///// Lucky Dog “Year of the Dog” ///// Yellowbird Ghost Pepper Condiment ///// Good ole’ standby, Tabasco ///// The aforementioned Huy Fong also makes SAMBAL OELEK chili paste! ///// Lastly, Kumana’s delicious Avocado Sauce!
Five PERFECT ALBUMS that I LOVE
Albums, as a GROUP of songs meant to be heard together, rather than cherry picking a couple of singles and discarding the rest. These albums are sheer perfection, from front to back. (No particular order or genre, and offered here without comment…. for now.) “OK Computer” by Radiohead - “AJA” by Steely Dan - “Summerteeth” by Wilco - “YES” by Morphine - “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye.
Five ROBOTS I love (from film)
Left to right, as if I have to tell you their names… The Iron Giant /// WALL-E /// Optimus Prime /// BB-8 /// HAL-9000 (Upper Right) One might argue that HAL was a sentient AI, rather than a robot. I submit that since HAL had complete control of the Discovery One, including all of it’s systems and moving parts, that makes HAL a ROBOT.
Five food writing books that are not cookbooks
Botany of Desire ///// Edible Selby ///// Fast Food Nation ///// Lucky Peach Magazine (RIP) ///// The Potlikker Papers
Five(+2) California outdoorsy spots that I LOVE
As a fully naturalized Californian (almost 15 years now, since moving here) there are a few outdoorsy places that have captured my heart, and where I LOVE to spend my time! Point Lobos State Reserve ///// Indian Rock Park. ///// Monte Rio / Russian River Corridor. ///// Yosemite National Park. ///// Redwoods, ANYWHERE that they may be found. ///// NAPA Valley and the Norcal Wine Country. ///// Salinas and Central Valley Farm Lands. (I mean, hey… “Steinbeck Country” is right here in my back yard in Monterey!)
Five SIMPLE, everyday OBJECTS that I LOVE
Not sure why these are all black, white and stainless steel. (I suppose I do tend reach for those materials in my gear.) All functional, utilitarian, SIMPLE, and beautifully designed objects. Gotta’ appreciate the simple pleasures in life. POCKET KEYRING MULTI-TOOL. (I tend to prefer Leatherman brand.) ALWAYS in my pocket, with my keys. /// White cloth handkerchiefs. I loathe disposable things, and despite the gross factor of carrying around a used handkerchief during one’s day, it certainly beats killing a tree. Throw them into the washer with a little bleach and the rest of the whites. Thanks Grandpa! /// Simple black sketchbook. I seldom leave home without one, my entire adult life. Never know when an idea will strike. (I’m not brand loyal, but Moleskine has grown on me in recent years.) /// D20 Icosahedron. (Certainly not something I use everyday, as I’m not really into RPGs… I’m just comforted having this one my desk all the time. Perhaps it’s a fidget object?) /// Big ole’ Thermos 16oz Stainless King Beverage Bottle. Fill ‘er up once in the early morning, then fill ‘er up again mid-day if you need a little extra spring in your step. Again, thanks Grandpa!
Five Art Mags/sites/etc that I LOVE
Squeezed in 6… no particular order…… High Fructose Magazine / This Is COLOSSAL / Spoke Art Gallery / Artforum Magazine / Pictoplasma / Juxtapoz Magazine
EIGHT Condiments that I LOVE
Apart from some the aforementioned dry spices I love, here are some prepared condiments for cooking or slathering! Maille ~ Wholegrain Mustard /// Bella Cucina ~ Artichoke Lemon Pesto /// Haven's Kitchen ~ Herby Chimichurri /// La Rustichella ~ Black Truffle Honey /// That Garlic Stuff ~ Garlic infused sauce. (Local to the Monterey, CA region and neighboring counties.) I slather it on everything, and often cook with it! Amazing! /// A.1. Steak Sauce ~ Yeah yeah, laugh it up. I only use it once or twice a year... but it is a lifelong classic for me! /// Inglehoffer Cream Style Horseradish /// Fire Butter™ ~ Spicy-Hot-Sweet-Savory Peanut Butter Spread. (This is actually MY OWN product... not yet on store shelves, but I make small batches to give away for testing fairly often. A work in progress... You can see a bit more at the bottom of THIS page.) I cook with it, spread it on apples, crackers, chocolate and more. "Slather Responsibly™…. as I like to say!"
Five SCI-FI BOOKS that I LOVE
In no order here… 5 Sci-Fi books that walloped my little mind.
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card. ///// Childhood's End - Sir Arthur C. Clarke. ///// The Diamond Age - Neal Stephenson. ///// The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress - Robert A. Heinlein. ///// I, Robot - Isaac Asimov.
Five WINGED CREATURES that I LOVE
I suppose that it is somewhat revealing, that I would have 5 favorite winged creatures. Monarch Butterfly - (Danaus plexippus) ///// Western Honey Bee - (Apis mellifera) ///// Hummingbird - Blue Chinned Sapphire - (Chlorestes notata) ///// Firefly - (Pyractomena) ///// California Condor - (Gymnogyps californianus)
Five AUDIO DEVICES that I LOVE
I’m generally never more than a few feet from my tunes… Bose Soundlink Micro Bluetooth Speaker ///// Sennheiser HD450BT Noise Cancelling Headphones ///// Harman Kardon SoundSticks III (I included these in this list, for nostalgic purposes.) ///// Sennheiser CX 100 Earphones ///// Bose L1 Compact Portable Line Array System
Five SIX Book publishers (art/design/culture) that I LOVE
I’m talking mainly about big, weighty coffee table books here, on very specific subjects. These publishers always knock my socks off…. TASCHEN (Which is ALWAYS far and away, my hands down favorite!) /// PHAIDON (My 2nd fave, behind Taschen… but a solid 2nd nonetheless.) /// Chronicle Books /// Korero Press /// Baby Tattoo /// Prestel
Five 20th century artists whom i LOVE
Tough category. Going with my gut here….. Isamu Noguchi - 1904-1988 / Piet Mondrian - 1872-1944 / Ruth Asawa - 1926-2013 / Alexander Calder - 1898-1976 / Paul Klee - 1879-1940.
Five Women in music whom i adore
They do it ALL. Singer-Songwriters. Amazing live performers. Powerful women. And STYLISH as hell. Each one of these women should have a documentary about their lives and work. Neko Case /// Rhiannon Giddens /// Corinne Drewery /// Maki Nomiya /// Natasha Khan
Five ROBOTICS COMPANIES I Dig
In no particular order... KUKA /// FANUC /// Boston Dynamics (You broke my heart, ‘cause I couldn’t dance) /// HONDA Robotics (R.I.P. Asimo!) /// TESLA (Ok, Tesla isn’t technically a “robotics company”... YET, they USE robotic technology in manufacturing in jaw dropping ways. Even though the "Tesla Bot" is vaporware and may never get built…..)
Five Young-ish jazz artists who are giving me HOPE
Jazz is NOT dead. It is vibrant, evolving, and more inclusive than it has ever been. Here are a few relatively new voices on the scene, who delight me and give me hope that the fires will continue to burn. Kamasi Washington - Hands down, THE most exciting thing going in my own personal, contemporary Jazz world. ///// Julian Lage - Some file him under Jazz, although his style spans multiple genres. ///// Joel Ross - Vibraphonist out of Chicago… and only 25 years old. What will happen!!?? ///// Nubya Garcia - I just discovered her music in the last year, and what a TREAT!!! ///// Marius Neset - Stumbled across his music in 2019, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. His compositions are are all over the map, and have a frenetic energy that bounces off the walls.
Five SPACE Mission patches/Logos I love
Certainly not intentionally Americentric… these are just the ones that popped into my mind when I thought of this particular list. The original NASA “meatball” logo from 1959. Hard to beat an original! /// The mission patch for Apollo 11. Come on… the patch says those famous words without saying them!! THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. /// The early 1970’s Skylab logo. I remember in grade school, rumors going around that as Skylab began to fall back to earth, pieces of it were likely to fall on our school. /// The first Space Shuttle Program patch, for the Columbia. (April, 1981.) I worshipped that spacecraft. I even built a launchable model from Estes Model Rockets, hoping that the little parachute would save my hand built spacecraft for future launches. Sadly, my handiwork only made one flight. /// Fast forward to now, with global aerospace endeavors being reinvigorated by companies like SpaceX. The Crew Dragon Mission from May 2020, filled me with joy.
Five ANIMATED tv series (for Grownups) that I LOVE
I really don’t have much of a taste for violence in entertainment… so it is strange to me that I loved these 5 animated series. (See my 5 favorite animated FILMS below, for a stark difference. I wish that I understood why.) The Midnight Gospel ///// Primal ///// Love Death and Robots ///// Samurai Jack ///// Hit Monkey.
Five SIx Contemporary illustrators who knock my socks off…
(In no particular order….) 01 - Ralph Steadman was the first illustrator I was exposed to back when I was first starting out in my career, and I’ve loved his work ever since. He’s been at it for longer than I’ve been alive, but he’s still rocking. GONZO! ///// 02 - Mark Ulriksen has produced countless New Yorker covers that I’ve admired for years, long before I met him. (Somehow by chance I met him socially in the Bay Area, and we actually ended up doing some work together.) His style is one of a kind. ///// 03 - Wendy MacNaughton is a self described “Graphic Journalist.” I only discovered her work in recent years, but she has already had an impact on the way I think about design and illustration. (And she’s a terrific person. Watch this TED talk and you’ll be smitten.) ///// 04 - Irene Chan is a friend of mine, whom I’ve known for 25 years. She can effortlessly shift from amazing motion graphics, web and print design, to her current passion of illustrating children’s books and various adorable consumer products. There’s nothing she can’t do. ///// 05 - METHANE STUDIOS - In my humble opinion, the greatest “Gig Poster” studio in the business. I don’t know where they get all of their ideas, but their posters are AMAZING!!! ///// 06 - Chris Ware has such a distinct style!! (And like Mark Ulriksen, he’s done a TON of New Yorker covers!) Clean, crisp and playful… even when it is melancholy or sad. I own one of his masterpiece books, which is a treasured possession!
Five Design / maker books that I love.
So much of what I do is in print and pixels, but I’ve also enjoyed a fair amount of MAKING physical objects in my career. (As I like to say… Pixels, Print and Powertools.) 01 - How to Wrap Five Eggs is an all-time classic. I’ve gifted a number of copies to Designers I’ve hired over the years. ///// 02 - Cradle to Cradle opened my mind over 20 years ago, to sustainability in design… in a way that I hadn’t considered before. ///// 03 - The Craftsman, by Richard Sennett. I adore this book, which is really a philosophical look at craftsmanship and the ethics of MAKING things. It’s only a little over a decade old, but I think it’ll be a genuine classic in the coming decades. ///// 04 - Making It: Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design - A fantastic primer on manufacturing methods and techniques. ///// 05 - Another modern classic… Elements of Design: Rowena Reed Kostellow and the Structure of Visual Relationships. For a book that is largely for students, this is PACKED with profound concepts for “students” aged 19 to 99.
Five “Transgressive Fiction” Novels that I love.
Fight Club - By Chuck Pahlaniuk ///// Geek Love - By Katherine Dunn ///// The Contortionists Handbook - By Craig Clevenger ///// Jennifer Government - By Max Barry ///// The Last Orgy of the Divine Hermit - By Mark Leyner
Five WILCO SONGS that I love.
No possible way to narrow it down to 5 songs, from my favorite rock band of all time. Depends on my mood, what I might want from the Wilco catalogue on any given day… but these 5 songs are always ones that I can return to over and over and over again and never tire of them. In no particular order, except for “Impossible Germany,” from the 2007 album “Sky Blue Sky.” This song is not only my favorite WILCO song, but it is a strong candidate for my favorite song of all-time, from any genre. I was instantly in love with this song, when I first popped the CD into the player. Here are the other 4 songs…. “Jesus, Etc.” ///// “Hummingbird” ///// “When You Wake Up Feeling Old” ///// “Art of Almost.” (I may add some more notes on these songs at a later date. I just love them all…..)
Five Kitchen Gadgets (POWERED) That I LOVE
Villaware ProPress Panini Grill. I use it almost every day for all sorts of cooking! (It's not just a panini maker for me!) /// Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender. Great little kitchen "multitool!" /// The Breville Smart Oven® Pizzaiolo. No, I did NOT spend $1000 bucks on a pizza oven. (And I will NOT.) But I've borrowed this gadget a few times, and I do love it! /// Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 6-Quart Large Air Fryer. Pretty much use this baby each and every day! SO versatile! /// A VINTAGE Presto Salad Shooter. Hey, DON'T LAUGH! This seemingly cheesy kitchen gadget is TERRIFIC!! There are 2 of these in my cabinet, and they are both VINTAGE... and still slicing like a champ!
Five QUOTES ABOUT AI that I Enjoy.
Shown here in reverse chronological order.
"Artificial Intelligence can drive cars, trade stocks and shares, learn to carry out complex skills simply by watching YouTube videos, translate across dozens of different languages, recognize human faces with more accuracy than we can, and create original hypotheses to help discover new drugs for curing disease. That’s just the beginning." - Luke Dormehl, "Thinking Machines," 2017
"Emerging as it does from many fields - philosophy, mathematics, psychology and even neurology - AI raises basic questions about human intelligence, memory, the mind/body problem, the origins of language, symbolic reasoning, information processing, and so forth. AI researchers are - like the alchemists of old who sought to create gold from base metal -seeking to create thinking machines from infinitesimally small bits of silicon oxide." - Daniel Crevier, "AI: The Tumultuous History of the Search for Artificial Intelligence," 1993
“Whether we are based on carbon or on silicon makes no fundamental difference; we should each be treated with appropriate respect.” - Arthur C. Clarke, "Odyssey Two," 1984
"An attempt will be made to find how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems now reserved for humans, and improve themselves. … For the present purpose the artificial intelligence problem is taken to be that of making a machine behave in ways that would be called intelligent if a human were so behaving. - John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon, "Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence," 1955
"Not until a machine can write a sonnet or compose a concerto because of thoughts and emotions felt, and not by the chance fall of symbols, could we agree that machine equals brain - that is, not only write it but know that it had written it. No mechanism could feel (and not merely artificially signal, an easy contrivance) pleasure at its successes, grief when its valves fuse, be warmed by flattery, be made miserable by its mistakes, be charmed by sex, be angry or depressed when it cannot get what it wants" - Professor Geoffrey Jefferson, "The Mind of Mechanical Man," 1949
Five SIX SUPERHERO FILMS that I LOVE.
3 animated films, 3 live-action films, no particular order… ///// Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Quite possibly my favorite Superhero film of all time. Certainly my favorite Spiderman film of all time. They broke all the rules of storytelling and what can be done with animation. ///// Unbreakable - My favorite Superhero “origin story.” The film is not an action movie per se, and is a slow-burn… but a masterpiece, with one of the great lines in Superhero films… ///// The Incredibles (1 & 2) - Director Brad Bird takes themes and tropes from comic books and supe’ films and blends them into something new. We had to wait 14 years from the 1st film to the sequel, but it was WORTH the wait. ///// Deadpool (1 & 2) - I wouldn't normally reach for films like this, but they were just so damned shocking and entertaining! Here’s hoping for a 3rd film in the franchise. ///// The Lego Batman Movie - SO MUCH humor and detail packed into this delightful film!!! ///// Chronicle - Perhaps the most realistic depiction of young people being transformed into Superheroes (or villains, as it happens) that I’ve ever seen. The f/x were simple and real, and the narrative device of video recording the transformation of the young men was very effective!
Five (living) GUITARISTS I love.
Pat Metheny - My all-time favorite guitarist, from ANY genre. I own more than 70 Metheny albums. (His own recordings, and side-man albums in which he plays a significant role.) I've been a rabid Metheny fan (Metheniac?) since I was 16 years old. /// Kaki King - Astonishing talent. Her technique immediately grabbed me the first time I ever heard her music. (She’s the only woman in Rolling Stone's "The New Guitar Gods" list.) /// Nels Cline - I discovered him through my favorite rock band, Wilco... and soon learned about his broader body of work, including some TERRIFIC Jazz albums. /// Charlie Hunter - I've been a fan since his first album as a leader back in 1993. From his Wikipedia page: "Hunter plays custom-made seven- and eight-string guitars on which he simultaneously plays bass lines, chords, and melodies." /// Tom Morello - The rage is relentless.
Five (living) DRUMMERS I love.
No surprise that they are almost all JAZZ drummers.... In no particular order: David King /// Glenn Kotche /// Billy Martin /// Antonio Sanchez /// Steve Gadd
Five spaceships (from cinema) that I love.
Angular, or curvilinear? Whether for nostalgic or aesthetic reasons... (something OLD, something NEW, something borrowed, and something that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.) /// 01 - The Discovery One (From the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" released in 1968.) /// 02 - Darth Vader's Tie Fighter (From the film "Star Wars, A New Hope" released in 1977.) /// 03 - The Millenium Falcon (From the film "Star Wars, A New Hope" released in 1977.) /// 04 - Naboo Royal Starship. (From the film "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" released in 1999.) /// 05 - The Heptapods ship. (From the film "Arrival" released in 2016.)
Five BADASS WOMEN IN JAZZ (Contemporary) whom I love.
Five women who are primarily in Jazz (but also in other genres of fantastic music….) who are all BADASSES! Left to right, but in no intended order… Esperanza Spalding /// Anat Cohen /// Hiromi Uehara /// Terri Lynne Carrington /// Linda May Han Oh.
Five VINTAGE MAGICIAN POSTERS THat I love.
What can I say… I have a thing for vintage magicians and illusions. Here are a few fine examples of the many wonderful posters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (High resolution downloads available via the U.S. Library of Congress.)
Thurston —- Miss Baldwin —- Houdini —- Kellar —- Hermann
Five Toy patents THat I love.
I could look at patent drawings all day long! Especially TOY patents. Here are a few legendary patents, that have a special appeal to me. US Patent # US5024031A for the “Hoberman Sphere” - US Patent # US3298692A for the classic game “Mouse Trap” - US Patent # US3005282A for the first “Lego Brick” - US Patent # US2511334A for the “Viewmaster” toy - US Patent # US4591071A for the “Super Soaker.”
SIX LEGO SETS THat I love.
A few of my favorite sets from the world’s greatest toy company…
3033: Special Value Blue Tub - 1200 pieces, released in 1998.
9719: Robotics Invention System - 733 pieces, released in 1998.
6350: Pizza To Go - 152 pieces, released in 1994.
6901: Mobile Lab - 135 pieces released in 1980.
858: Auto Engines - 242 pieces released in 1980.
8480: Space Shuttle - 1368 pieces released in 1996.
Five Ballcaps THat I love.
What can I say… once a fanboy, always a fanboy.
Five EXQUISITE CHAIRS THat I love.
The Yanagi Butterfly Stool, Designed by Sori Yanagi, 1954. (Watch Video)
The GO Stacking Chair, Designed by Ross Lovegrove, 1998. (More Info)
Peter’s Chair, Designed by Hans Wegner, 1944. (Watch Video)
The Aeron Chair, Designed by Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick, 1994. (Watch Video)
The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Designed by Charles and Ray Eames, 1956. (Watch Video)
Five PAT METHENY GROUP Albums THat I love.
Pat Metheny is my all-time favorite guitarist (of any genre) and certainly my personal favorite Jazz Artist of all-time. One of his bands, Pat Metheny Group, is probably my most listened to band in my entire music library. Even though the PMG disbanded in the mid 2000’s and evolved into newer projects, the music is always in heavy rotation in my headphones. (Btw… The PMG begins and ends with Pat Metheny’s longtime collaboration with the late great Lyle Mays, IMHO. I’ve never learned why the duo stopped working together, but at least I’ll always have the music.) Here are 5 of my favorite PMG albums, from the 1970’s to the mid 2000’s… when the PMG was essentially just Metheny and Mays doing the composing. (Joined by other various badasses in the band, contributing in crucial ways.) Covering a lot of years here…. But SUCH amazing work with this crew of multiple Grammy Award winners! (Metheny has had 38 Grammy nominations under his belt.. and has WON a total of 20 Grammy Awards!)
“American Garage,” released in 1979.
“Still Life (Talking)” released in 1987. (Grammy Award Winner.)
“We Live Here,” released in 1995. (Grammy Award Winner.)
“Imaginary Day,” released in 1997. (Grammy Award Winner.)
“The Way Up,” released in 2005. (Grammy Award Winner.)
Five WES ANDERSON FILMS THat I love.
Who am I kidding? I love them all. I regard Wes Anderson as one of the greatest living Directors. (Right alongside another Anderson!) Yet these 5 seem to really grab me more than the others, if ever so slightly. The Royal Tenenbaums - The Grand Budapest Hotel - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - The French Dispatch - Isle of Dogs. Long live both Andersons!
Five 1970’s TV THEME SONGS THat I love.
NOSTALGIA TRIGGER WARNING!!!
I was too young to really watch these shows and enjoy them, but I’ve always been a sucker for a great theme song. So many wonderful 70’s TV themes from which to choose, but these 6 ALWAYS take me back!
“Angela”… which was a tune by Jazz legend Bob James used as the theme for TAXI. I like that it has just a touch of melancholy, but it’s not overly sad. Love the flute playing that sweet melody! To this day, I actually listen to this song several times a week… no lie. It’s in one of my “comfort food” playlists.
The theme to Barney Miller. MAN, that solo BASS LINE! Badass. Then a couple of bars later, the drums come slinking in. Then that dirty guitar sound. Then the blaring horns. I don’t remember ever watching that show, but the TV was always on, and whenever I heard that theme song playing in the living room, I had to groove along.
Welcome Back Kotter. A swinging, swaying sing-along if there ever was one! John Sebastian sings you a lyric, and everyone in the room sings it right back to him. Then we ALL sing “welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaaaack…..”
One of the all time greats in the music biz, Quincy MF’ing JONES gave us this funky masterpiece theme for Sanford and Son. I need to Google what type of organ he used in that song. Very distinct sound. Almost like a Hammond B3… but I’m not sure. I’d love to hear a band bust out with a cover of this at a live concert… just to see what the crowd does.
The Rockford Files. Again, not a show that I ever watched, but I LOVED hearing this song. One of the most prolific composers of TV themes back in the day, Mike Post. The synthesizers and that greasy harmonica… backed up by what sounded like the horn section from an orchestra. Epic.
The Streets of San Francisco. Talk about a fast paced theme song! Like the whole thing was an insane car chase or something. Again, the horns just RACING along like a rollercoaster. What a thrilling song this was!
Five PINTEREST BOARDS THat are on my mind...
These are my own Pinterest Boards that I’ve compiled, (NOT my own work) for various things I’m currently noodling on. (A private window into my creative soul?) My goodness… what did we creatives ever DO without Pinterest!!?? I used to have SO MANY cork board walls and little cutout bits from magazines and printed material as I worked on various projects. (Still do at times… but now it’s digitally augmented in ways that printed media NEVER was.) Here’s a few boards, without explanation……….. 01 - Abstract Geometric Patterns /// 02 - Fine Wooden Toys & Art /// 03 - Eamesesque /// 04 - Vinyl Toys /// 05 - Sacred Geometry /// 06 - Indo-Tibetan Circus
SIX TOM ROBBINS QUOTES THAT I LOVE...
My favorite novelist, TOM ROBBINS, is NEVER short on joyful, thoughtful and goofy things to say. Whether he is writing delicious prose in a work of fiction, or applying that same gift to non-fiction, he always puts a smile on my face. Here are a few quotes (out of many hundreds) that satisfy….
=====
“Our lives are not as limited as we think they are; the world is a wonderfully weird place; consensual reality is significantly flawed; no institution can be trusted, but love does work; all things are possible; and we all could be happy and fulfilled if we only had the guts to be truly free and the wisdom to shrink our egos and quit taking ourselves so damn seriously.”
=====
“Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.”
=====
“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious. Slavic peoples get their physical characteristics from potatoes, their smoldering inquietude from radishes, their seriousness from beets. The beet is the melancholy vegetable, the one most willing to suffer. You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip... The beet is the murderer returned to the scene of the crime. The beet is what happens when the cherry finishes with the carrot. The beet is the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon, bearded, buried, all but fossilized; the dark green sails of the grounded moon-boat stitched with veins of primordial plasma; the kite string that once connected the moon to the Earth now a muddy whisker drilling desperately for rubies. The beet was Rasputin's favorite vegetable. You could see it in his eyes.”
― Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume
=====
“Amnesia is not knowing who one is and wanting desperately to find out. Euphoria is not knowing who one is and not caring. Ecstasy is knowing exactly who one is - and still not caring.”
― Tom Robbins, Another Roadside Attraction
=====
“I've sucked way too much cement for this year. Bad juju rising off them city sidewalks. I need to babble with a brook or two, inhale starlight, make friends with some trees.”
― Tom Robbins, Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates
=====
"When she was a small girl, Amanda hid a ticking clock in an old, rotten tree trunk. It drove woodpeckers crazy. Ignoring tasty bugs all around them, they just about beat their brains out trying to get at the clock. Years later, Amanda used the woodpecker experiment as a model for understanding Capitalism, Communism, Christianity, and all other systems that traffic in future rewards rather than in present realities."
- Tom Robbins, Another Roadside Attraction
Five BOOKS ABOUT MUSIC THat I love.
Five books that are VERY different in the way they deal with music, but the common thread is the LOVE for music, and how it is integral to our lives. From left to right…. Quantum Criminals, by Alex Pappademas and Joan LeMay. This is one of the most interesting books on music that I’ve read… largely, an exploration into the characters that appear in the songs of one of my favorite bands, Steely Dan. Quirky, weird and wonderful. Full of anecdotes about the band of course, but through the filter of a “cast of rogues and heroes, creeps and schmucks, lovers and dreamers and cold-blooded operators.“ A must read, if you are a fan of the DAN. /// Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) by Jeff Tweedy. If you know me, you know that WILCO is my all time favorite band, and Tweedy is of course the founder and frontman. Turns out, he’s a terrific writer as well. This memoir is a terrific window into an Artist whose music I listen to pretty much every day. /// Playing Changes, by Nate Chinen. A Jazz writer and critic, telling the story of 21st Century Jazz. /// The Jazz of Physics, by Stephon Alexander. One might say that it’s a physics book that illustrates those principals through Jazz. But it might also be a book about Jazz, that describes the music through the principles of physics. Delightful. /// Absolutely on Music, by Haruki Murakami and Meiji Ozawa. Basically, the transcribed conversations between a critically acclaimed Author, and a critically acclaimed Conductor. Even if you aren’t into Classical music, this is a lively, quick read that will make you thirsty for it.