Seattle Art Morsel – Z. Z. Wei

I was lucky enough to meet my favorite living artist, Z. Z. Wei, last night at Seattle Asian Art Museum.

And he even gave me a copy of his book, Light and Shadow!

Check out his exhibition in San Francisco if you have the chance (it ends 4/2/11).

His gallerist‘s Artist Description:

“Z.Z. Wei’ s paintings transport us to a place where time stands still. His compositions portray quiet, yet powerful images reminiscent of a whimsical, rural America. Richly complex, they are filled with humor and loneliness, peacefulness and pain. They balance on the knife-edge of meaning, half in shadow, half in light, tempting those who choose to look beyond the mundane to experience a unique and timeless look at life.”

Mike Posner – Rolling In The Deep (Adele cover)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Deli X Creative Recreation

My favorite boutique in Seattle, the very innovative guys over at Deli, just got some new product in from the brainiacs at Creative Recreation:

I just found out that they’re got a few pairs left. Get down there and get your hands on a pair before they’re gone!

Deli
1307 First Avenue, Seattle, WA

http://www.deliseattle.com/

Macklemore – Otherside ft. Fences (Ryan Lewis Remix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

This is undeniably good music. Surprisingly, it all came from Seattle.

The Eastside vs. Seattle Mentality

CurT@!n$ ft. Kings of Leon & Lykke Li – Knocked Up (Killer Remix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

How large is your school bus?

A year and a half ago, I was conversing with media commentator and web-celeb Julia Baugher (better known as Julia Allison / @juliaallison) about the challenge of paring-down the size of your network to something manageable. In the end, we decided that it was a topic ripe for a dissertation:

Enter 2011. The indefatigable Eric Koester, a published author (his most recent book can be purchased here), well-known technology attorney, and tireless supporter of innovative non-profits, graced me with a nugget of wisdom on this topic that is so inspirational I simply must share it. Mr. Koester, the humble man that he is, would be the first to tell you that the ideas I’m about to explain are not his own, but rather came to him from his mother, who is obviously quite wise herself, so all credit goes to her.

Years (perhaps decades) ago, Mrs. Koester approached her blossoming young son Eric, and kindly asked him to sit down for a moment, for she was going to teach him about his Yellow School Bus.

“Eric,” she began, “everyone on this planet has their own school bus. Each person’s bus is of a different size, seating a different number of people.” Eric listened intently, trying to ascertain what exactly it was she was getting at.

“The people seated on your school bus are the people you interact with, the people who you respect, the people you make time for. Going through life, you’ll meet thousands of people, and if you try to stuff them all onto your bus so that you can keep in touch with them, you’ll find that invariably, some of them will be forced to stand in the aisles. If your bus gets too full, you neglect the relationships you have with the people you value most.”

“I see,” Eric said, signaling his attentiveness and politely awaiting the conclusion of the story.

“The solution,” she continued, “is to maintain a bus with the appropriate number of people on it such that nobody is left standing in the aisle, and also to have a section at the front of your bus for your closest relationships, your inner-circle. These seats at the front of your bus are permanent seats. By making it clear to these cherished people that they’ve got a permanent seat at the front of your bus, they’ll be likely to reciprocate in kind. This mutual respect will pay dividends, and together you will thrive with the help and support of the riders seated at the front of your bus.”

Eric pondered the wise words he’d just heard from his mother. He thought about the many relationships he’d built over the last few years, and the fantastic people he’d met. He realized that she was right–it would be impossible to stay in touch with all of those amazing people. It was time to be more selective, it was time to decide how many people could be safely seated on his bus, and who he would select to sit in the front.

It’s time to take a look at your own bus. Do you see anyone who has been neglected, who has been relegated to standing in the aisle? How many people can safely fit on your bus? Who is on your bus, and do each and every one of them deserve to be there?

Visit Eric Koester’s Blog / View Eric’s TED Talk from TEDxTucson

Soup Delivery

Cameron: “Want to run around Greenlake some night this week? Lots of meetings this week–I have availability after 11:30pm.”
Becca: “No. Wanna run _DURING THE DAY_? A revolutionary idea–I know.”
Cameron: “Running during the day went out of style five years ago.

So I’ll consider it.

Because you know how stuff that was cool last decade invariably becomes cool again, and you *KNOW* I need to be ahead of the curve on that shit.”

[We set a date to meet up.]

Cameron: “Are we still on for 7?”
Becca: “I’m going to flake. I feel and look like shit. Although I am currently accepting soup delivery.”
Cameron: “Is that what they’re calling it these days?“

Lil’ Wayne – Green & Yellow (F*** The Steelers!)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Because nobody likes the Pittsburgh Steelers. GO PACKERS!

Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls