tanjab 2.0

TanjaBarnes.com's Gone Mobile!

2012-02-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to announce the launch of Tanja Barnes Mobile. It's the same tanjabarnes.com URL but with an interface tailored to your phone.

With this webapp you can learn in a concise format the various services I provide and the cost of a treatment. You can also:

Contact me with the touch of a button and book a massage
Purchase gift certificates via Google Checkout
Learn a few tips on how to massage a friend or sweetheart
Add my new mobile app to your home screen for quick access on the go.

For those who would like to know more, my full website can still be viewed from your laptop or desktop computer. It provides more in-depth information about my services and includes access to my entire suite of online resources including FAQs, digital downloads, blogs, 360° panoramas and more.

Check it out by clicking tanjabarnes.com or scanning the QR code above from your smart phone to get started. And please let me know what you think!

Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation

2012-01-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

A year ago I posted my first 360 panoramic image to my blog featuring the interior to the Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation which is very similar to the image posted above. Some improvements between the one from this year and last year:

Portal of the Folded Wings (exterior)
"Little Planet" projection

Use of a nadir shot (to hide the tripod) using a fantastic tutorial by Florian Knorn.
Use of PhotoShop to post-process the image.
Use of KRPano projection instead of QuickTime. I really like this method because it's viewable on a mobile device such as an iPhone.
Position of camera within the shrine (more centered within the space).

On this particular image, the use of PhotoShop is probably the most dramatic improvement overall because previously throughout 2011 all of my panoramic images were edited using Aperture. Since I began using PhotoShop I've quickly come to realize what an injustice using solely Aperture was to all my in-camera work and preparation.

Moving forward for 2012, I'll be developing my skills with PhotoShop to obtain better quality shots. I hope you will join me in my travels and adventures.

Salvation Mountain in 360° Panorama

2012-01-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

A year ago I blogged about my New Year's goal to develop my chops in 360° photography. To that end, throughout the 2011 I explored and photographed spaces that artist's work in and/or find inspirational.

This brought me to Salvation Mountain on Easter Sunday where not only did I meet the artist Leonard Knight (see original post) but also had a star sighting: Sean Penn and his gal pal Scarlett Johanssen. Knight appeared as a cameo in the film "Into the Wild" (2007) that was directed by Penn. It would appear that since then they've remained friends.

When in early December Knight was placed in a home after being diagnosed with dementia, I became concerned about the survival of his life's work. In my humble opinion, without the artist there to maintain it, it wouldn't be long before the mountain suffers from either erosion or vandalism or both.

Salvation Mountain - "Little Planet" projection

So I made plans to camp at Salvation Mountain for New Years and take some panorama photos for posterity. The first time I came to visit the weather was warm but blustery winds whirled around the mountain which limited my ability to interior shots only.

This time, however, the weather conditions were more favorable: the air was calm and still which enabled me to get a series of exterior shots that I've posted below.

Salvation Mountain gives curb appeal to the community of people who live in what's called Slab City, an abandoned Marine base in the Salton Sea that's been overtaken by squatters for the past 50 years or so. You could say the mountain is the crown jewel of the slabs.

Recently there's been a lot of press about Slab City* that's mostly tied to Knight's health reports and the fate of Salvation Mountain. This has caught the attention of many journalists (of which I met several on this recent trip) that have discovered that Slab City's inhabitants to be rich with human interest stories about outsider artists as well as survivors of the Econopocalypse.

I should say that "slabbers", as the locals like to refer themselves to, consists of folks living on the edge: a weird hybrid of retired fixed income senior citizens and wealthy snowbirds, homeless vagabonds, itinerant Canadians (!), dirty hippies, children of the Rainbow Family and binky sucking candy ravers, not to mention runaways, alcoholics, tweekers and dropouts.

It's not exactly a tourist destination to go to Slab City. It's not even remotely like a family vacation at Disneyland or even Burning Man. No, Slab City is rough yet some inhabitants have brought their families there presumably because they have no place else to go. A visit to the slabs is like entering the world of Mad Max where all the perceived danger is real. It's no place for kids. That said, most of the locals I met were incredibly kind, genuine and authentic. I even met a bunch of out-of-towners like myself including a slew of hipsters from San Francisco, a contingent of Tucsonian students, and some German and Australian tourists. Of course, academia also represented: I met a sociolologist from Stanford documenting the slabbers and their urban tribal community.

While I befriended many slabbers that I consider to be the salt of the earth, I also found that a few of Slab City's inhabitants -- to quote Obi Wan Kenobi -- can be described as wretched and well, downright scummy. One must be cautious when visiting this place. If you're thinking of visiting put your trust to the tender mercies of a man named James, a long-time slabber with the world's smartest and cutest dog called "Spider Monkey" and tell him I sent you.

If you prefer to visit the slabs through the magic of technology, you can catch James tonight at 10pm on the History Channel: Corey's Big Play. (2012). http://www.history.com/shows/pawn-stars/episodes/current-season. And you can always virtually visit Salvation Mountain through the series of 360° panoramas I took by clicking on the images below:

Entrance to Salvation Mountain

Parking lot of Salvation Mountain

Leonard Knight's "Yellow Brick Road"

The Gates of Love at Salvation Mountain

North side of Salvation Mountain

Salvation Mountain from the road

Interior, Salvation Mountain

* Slab City: Last free place in America? Imperial Valley Press, December 31, 2011
All directions point to East Jesus, Imperial Valley Press, December 31, 2011
Hard Times on Salvation Mountain, KCET, December 20, 2011
The Future Of Salvation Mountain Uncertain, KPBS, December 20, 2011
A 24 Hour Visit To Slab City…, Seattle Post Intelligencer, December 20, 2011
Living off the grid in Slab City, Los Angeles Times, December 19, 2011
Slab City, a trailer park utopia, thrives in remote desert - Los Angeles Times - December 17, 2011
"Slab City" a desert haven for recession's victims, CBS News - December 14, 2011

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1948) Max Fleischer Studios & Jam Handy Productions

2011-12-21T01:31:00.000-08:00

While Rankin-Bass gets all the love for their classic 1964 stop motion version of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", the above featured animated short by Max Fleischer Studios was actually the first telling of the original story as written by Robert May in 1939.

May, a 34 year-old copywriter for the Chicago based department store Montgomery Ward's, was assigned to create a property in-house that could be developed into a promotional giveaway intended to boost Ward's 1939 Christmas sales.

At first May pitched his story ideas to his five year-old daughter Barbara and within a week delivered a rough draft of a Christmas story with rhyming couplets modeled after Clement C. Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas".

Initially Ward's publicity department decided to pass on the story. The feeling was that the imagery of a "red nose" was associated with drunkeness, rendering May's Christmas pitch inappropriate for children.

Denver Gillen, "Rudolph the Red Nosed
Reindeer " by Robert May

It wasn't until Denver Gillen, an illustrator in the company's art department, produced some initial concept drawings that anyone realized how endearing a character like Rudolph could actually be.

Gillen's illustrations were so cute that the publicity department came to the conclusion that there was no way people would think of Rudolph as a drunkard and the story was approved for production.

On September 1, 1939, Montgomery Ward's retail sales department announced the Rudolph book internally to all store managers with the following: “We believe that an exclusive story like this aggressively advertised in our newspaper ads and circulars... can bring every store an incalculable mount of publicity... and, far more important, a tremendous amount of Christmas traffic”.

They were right.

That year 2,365,016 copies of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" were given away. At the time, a production run of a mere 50,000 copies could make a book a best-seller. This overwhelming success garnered the property the “largest first edition yet recorded” by the press.

In 1948, Max Fleischer, acting as Head of the Animation Department for the Detroit-based industrial film company Jam Handy Productions, supervised the first animated adaptation of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". It is this version that is more faithful to May's original story and Gillen's illustrations. It's worth noting that unlike most Rudolph products, this cartoon has fallen out of copyright, and is now available in the public domain.

An Update on Leonard Knight, Creator of Salvation Mountain

2011-12-18T01:36:00.000-08:00

This past Easter I went to visit Leonard Knight, 80, the creator of "Salvation Mountain" an on-going art installation near Slab City in the Salton Sea, California. Just last week, Knight was hospitalized. According to reports, he was suffering from cognitive issues. He was placed in observation for 72 hours and then subsequently released to a long-term care facility with a diagnosis of dementia.

Salvation Mountain is significant not only as a major American folk art installation but also because of Leonard's heartfelt and simple message that God is love. He spent over thirty years building the mountain to convey that message and during that time he personally told each and every visitor the same thing.

If Leonard's friendship, art or message has touched your life, won't you take a moment to send him a note of gratitude, love and support? You can send him a card or letter to:

Leonard Knight c/o

Eldorado Care Center

510 E. Washington

El Cajon, CA 92020

Salvation Mountain, Niland California in California

More 360° Panorama Photos from the Epicenter of Carmageddon, July 2011

2011-07-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Click to embiggen

Last Saturday night's concert of the Monkees at the Greek was awesome, especially after coming off the excitement of being on the 405 freeway when it was closed off. As promised, here are some more panorama photos taken at the epicenter of Carmageddon.

On the morning of July 16th, I decided to risk being stuck in what was being predicted to be LA's worst gridlock nightmare. My plan was to hike up to Mulholland from the valley-side of Sepulveda in an attempt to get some panoramas. But I wanted to see how far up the side of hill I could drive before I hit traffic and then I would hoof it from there.

Photo: Malingering

Interestingly, as I set out on my daring plan the streets were really calm and practically empty. At Sepulveda and Burbank I noticed a gloved traffic cop standing on the corner looking bored. Then at Sepulveda and Magnolia I noticed another traffic cop and several more at the intersection of Ventura Boulevard. This went on for every traffic light as I headed up Sepulveda towards Mulholland and it didn't take long before I was driving pass the Skirball Center and pass the demolition site as well.

Photo: Malingering

I tried to find a place to park but there was none to be found. I ended up turning around and parking north of Mulholland on a residential street and then walking back to the site. Along the way I met several happy spectators on foot including another blogger who had run all the way from Santa Monica with his Flip video camera interviewing people. I asked him what the name of his blog was but he wouldn't tell me. WTH? I guess he was afraid I would cyberstalk him! Whatev. I'm glad I declined to be interviewed.

Anyway, I even met a man that rode his bike from Venice Beach. He was repairing what he said was his third flat tire and he was concerned about making it back home with no tire to spare. But I reminded him that MTA was offering free bus rides for Carmageddon weekend and he brightened at the idea of a back-up plan. It's worth mentioning that the Metro Rapid 761 drove by as we were talking and there was nobody on it!

As I approached the Mulholland Bridge, the site was fenced off and the LAPD were everywhere. I thought for sure I would be told to turn back. But to my surprise they were very friendly and encouraged me to have a look around but to stay on the sidewalk and observe traffic lights.

Above is my second panorama taken on the tarmac of the 405 freeway. I've oriented the image to open up looking southbound towards the Skirball Bridge that's currently under construction. Beyond the bridge are concrete barricades. If you scroll your mouse and do a complete 180 degree turn, you'll be facing towards the Mulholland Bridge. Due to the nature of panorama photography, it appears tiny and way off in the distance but it really wasn't that far. However, for safety reasons this was about as close as the press was allowed. Unfortunately you can't really see the work crews with industrial machinery "woodpecking" away at the bridge bit by bit to bring it down.

Photo: Anthony Citrano

I have to say: it was pretty epic to be standing on the closed off freeway with nothing but what sounded like jackhammers taking down the bridge as well as the sound of helicopters of overhead.

Some folks want to know how I got down to the tarmac. The story is pretty cool, IMHO. Not too far from where all the action was happening was the media village that was chockablock with news crews and satellite dishes. Most of them were just hanging around. One guy even fell asleep upright in his folding chair while his buddy was mischievously taking his photo.

I started talking to some reporters when suddenly the press was invited to walk down the freeway ramp and report from there. Since I didn't have a "press pass" or any sort of official badge, I was asked by an LAPD officer what news organization I was with. I told him I was a blogger and that was that. Away I went along with the press to photograph this historic local event.

While on the freeway, I met a news crew from Time Warner and happily took photos of them with their iPhone after they had just captured their story. I also talked to a camera operator who told me he was 17 years old when the freeway opened and that he was one of the first to drive it as he flew down the hillside towards the San Fernando Valley on his motorcycle breaking the speed limit. He said at the time it was pretty cool but that now -- 51 years later -- to be able to walk on the very same spot was pretty amazing, too.

Below is the last of my panorama photos from the epicenter of Carmageddon. As I've mentioned, for safety reasons, no one but the demolition crew was allowed close to the Mulholland Bridge. While it was pretty darn amazing to be down on the tarmac when the freeway was closed off, the viewpoint wasn't too great. In an attempt to find an optimum view I walked up Skirball Drive to Mulholland to where the road turns into Mulholland Bridge.

Click to embiggen

Unfortunately it was all fenced off and it was difficult to see much or snap a worthwhile image. But while I was there, I ran into a long time client. She lives about a mile east on Mulholland and she was there with her family to check out the momentous occasion. So I took the opportunity to capture the moment for them. Off in the distance on camera right beneath the green traffic lights you can see some of the demolition taking place. If you can imagine, where the dust clouds are coming from below about 100' is the 405 freeway. Incidently, the dust was being watered down by a long hose which is not really clear in this image.

While I had a great weekend not only for the fact that I got to take these photos and see the Monkees in concert, the apocalyptic reality of "Carmageddon" itself was about as underwhelming as the Y2K bug. On the news this morning Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky was quoted as saying "Carmageddon, shmarmageddon!" and suggested the city make the event an annual holiday. While I don't think Los Angelenos will be duped again to the media frenzy and fear tactics that went into play for the second half of the Mulholland Bridge demolition slated for next year, I do hope that maybe the citizenry can join together with local government to make this unique experience happen again soon.

360° PANORAMA OF CARMAGEDDON! THE 405 FREEWAY CLOSURE @ MULHOLLAND

2011-07-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

This image is my first in a series of the epic Carmageddon weekend in Los Angeles. More to follow but for right now I'm off to see the Monkees (hey hey!) perform at the Greek.

Please excuse the stitching errors but this pano is a rush to publish. If you're from Los Angeles I'd love to hear how your weekend is going.

If you're viewing this image from the RSS feed, be sure to click through to the site of origin. Most 360° panoramic vr photographs that are embedded in my blog do not show up correctly in my feed due to permissions settings.

If you are unable to see the described panoramic image click here to view it on the site in which it is hosted.

I'd love it if you would click through on the link to rate this image. Pretty please???

Teh fine print: this image is licensed by Tanja Barnes as Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works

Interior of a 1937 Pierce Arrow Trailer at the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar, California

2011-06-19T09:14:00.001-07:00

1937 Pierce Arrow Trailer Interior at The Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar

In memory of my father and grandfather, for Father's Day this weekend I visited the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar, California, to have a look at some of the world’s greatest antique, vintage, classic and special interest automobiles on display.

Growing up dear old dad drove a black convertible 1955 Cadillac El Dorado which was his daily driver. Occasionally on the weekends he'd take out the blue hard top 1955 Coupe de Ville for a spin. In the late eighties, he traded them both in for a gold convertible 1971 Cadillac Ed Dorado which he also commuted with daily.

But there were more than Cadillacs in our two car garage. We also owned a red 1945 Packard that my dad would cruise Van Nuys Boulevard on Wednesday nights with the family. And then there was our beloved blue 1955 Chevy Bel Air which was my mom's daily driver that she drove well into the nineties.

Touring the Nethercutt by myself made me nostalgic. I didn't have my grandfather around to talk stories about the past and I didn't have my dad to share the history of each vehicle. I miss them both.

On my own I explored the fully restored 1937 Pierce Arrow trailer and tow car simply because I could step inside and capture this 360° image.

What's great about visiting the Nethercutt is that it is completely free. Be advised that the Museum is a self-guided tour that is available on a walk-in basis however next door, the Collection (which in addition to classic cars features rare collectibles ranging from mechanical musical instruments and antique furniture) is only available to view by guided tour so make a reservation in advance.

More information at NethercuttCollection.org

Something to do in Los Angeles This Weekend: Walking Tour of Thai Town Street Art Graffiti Murals

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

View Walking Tour of Thai Town Graffiti Street Art Murals in a larger map

I'm taking off for the Memorial Day weekend, leaving behind my house-sitting stint and the world's sweetest kitty so I've put together a map of a walking tour (see above) of the street art murals in the Thai Town area that I've been blogging about these past few days.

Some of the works from graffiti artists you'll see on this tour: RETNA, Miles "Mac" MacGregor, LA Mural Front, Dabs Myla, Desire Obtain Cherish Street Team and SEVER(MSK AWR T7L LOSS PREVENTION) and OZER(LTS T7L).

Click on the map pin to view an image to help you identify the piece. You can even click on the image in the popup to view more information or even perhaps an interactive panorama.

There's way more to see in the area. But if you head west towards Hollywood and Highland, you'll find this piece from ~~Banksy~~ Mr. Brainwash (left).

If you know of a location, please help me stick a pin in this collaborative map. Note: I reserve the right to edit the map pins if the locations don't relate to street and graffiti art.

It won't take you more than 30 minutes to see them all but you may want to grab a cup of coffee or smoothie at the nearby Casablanca Coffee Loung e in which case add some more time to your tour.

Have a great weekend!

Click through below for 360 interactive images:

"Venus" Mural by Desire Obtain Cherish Street Team

On the opposite wall is a piece by the LA Mural Front.

Mural by Dabs Myla

Super Smooth by Dabs Myla

La Reina de Thai Town

A collaborative mural by Retna & Miles "Mac" MacGregor

Violence Solves Nothing by the Seventh Letter

By SEVER (MSK AWR T7L LOSS PREVENTION) and OZER(LTS T7L)

Kannon / Kuan Yin

A collaborative mural by Retna & Miles "Mac" MacGregor

"La Reina de Thai Town" and "Kannon / Kuan Yin" - Two Murals by RETNA and Mac

2011-05-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

"Kannon / Kuan Yin" can be found at the intersection of Hollywood and Western across the street from the Metro station

Success happens overnight for some people but for graffiti artist turned gallery artist, RETNA's breakout success is a long time in the making. Last week, RETNA unveiled a unique work of art on the tail of one of VistaJet's Global Express XRS aircraft during EBACE 2011 in Geneva. This week RETNA was featured in the new documentary "OUTSIDE IN: The Story of Art in the Streets" that premiered yesterday at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. However, RETNA's been collaborating with fellow street artist Miles "Mac" MacGregor for several years now and many of the murals they've produced together have become local landmarks, two of which happen to be within very close proximity to the place where I'm house-sitting. Featured here "Kannon / Kuan Yin" (above) and "La Reina de Thai Town" (below) were created in 2007 and 2010 respectively. I'll be posting a map of the street art of Thai Town along with some additional fantastic murals soon.

"La Reina de Thai Town" is situated just south of Hollywood Boulevard on Wilton

Desire Obtain Cherish versus Stella Artois on Hollywood Boulevard

2011-05-24T00:17:00.000-07:00

I'm house-sitting in Thai Town, an area on Hollywood Boulevard roughly between Wilton and Normandie just off the 101 freeway. In addition to featuring some of the best Thai restaurants in Hollywood, the hood also plays host to a dream team lineup of some of the city's finest street artists including the LA Mural Front, Miles "Mac" MacGregor, RETNA and most recently the street team of Desire Obtain Cherish.

When not overtaking the billboard of a Stella Artois ad over Torung Restaurant (right, May 2011), Desire Obtain Cherish have also blessed the alley way near Mel Pierce Camera with a fleeting ephemeral vision they call "Venus" that I captured in 360° (above).

Join me over the next few days as I'll be sharing with you some more works in this fascinating neighborhood street gallery.

It's Full of Stars - The Central Rotunda at the Griffith Observatory

2011-05-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

Vault of the rotunda at the Griffith Observatory. Click to embiggen.

The Central Rotunda at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles has the distinction of being one of the top 10 ceilings in the world. It was designed by muralist and Hollywood art director Hugo Ballin who also worked as a sketch artist on MGM's 1939 classic "The Wizard of Oz".

Be sure to click on the image above to see all the gorgeous details that are featured in this mural including the celestial heavenly bodies of classic Greek mythological heroes such as Atlas, Mercury, Venus, the four winds, the planets as gods, and the twelve constellations of the zodiac. The line that you see coming out of the hole at the apex is the wire from which Foucault's Pendulum is suspended.

I had an opportunity to capture this image of the rotunda on a recent hike to the observatory with the awesome Downtown Greather Los Angeles Hiking group from Meetup.com. This is a really great group of fun, gregarious people. Bob, the leader of the group, describes it as "We're not a "hard core" hiking group. We believe that having fun and socializing while hiking is just as important as getting some good exercise, so don't expect any sprints to the destination or death marches here. And dogs are always welcome (except in prohibited areas) on our hikes."

Salvation Mountain: Leonard Knight's Interactive Vision in the Desert

2011-05-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Entrance to Salvation Mountain

Leonard Knight, 79, has been building "Salvation Mountain" an on-going art installation near Slab City in the Salton Sea, California, for the past 27 years. Its soul purpose is to convey the simple message "God is love."

Because of Knight's dedication, it seemed fitting to see Salvation Mountain on Easter. So last Sunday along with my sister we set out for a visit and while we were there, we had an opportunity to meet the artist. Knight is a sweet, kind soul as evidenced in the video clip below. He has only recently returned to the mountain after being hospitalized for heart complications about six weeks ago. Despite his weakened condition, the artist remains cheerful and vibrant sharing his message and giving gifts of postcards, stickers and a DVD featuring a documentary about his work to all who come to visit.

The mountain itself is fabricated from an adobe mixture that Knight mixes himself using dirt from the desert floor and straw. The structure is then lovingly lavished with color using thousands of gallons of paint. The panorama image above is one of four that I took that day. You can view the others here, here and here. I also experimented using HDR techniques with the image you see above by wildly saturating the colors and that one can be viewed here.

(Above) Artist Leonard Knight was featured in the in the 2009 film "Into The Wild" directed by Sean Penn
who happened to be visiting the same day I was along with his gal pal Scarlett Johansson.

Whether it's Easter Sunday or not, anytime is a great time to visit Salvation Mountain but more so now while Knight is still alive and kickin'. According to his friend Kevin Eubanks, due to his health Knight will no longer be sleeping in his truck near the mountain at night but instead staying at a house nearby in Niland with visits to the site during the day. You can keep up with the latest developments at Salvation Mountain's Facebook page.

In Touch with Tanja Barnes - Spring 2011

2011-03-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

This is a test. This is only a test!

2011-03-02T22:49:00.000-08:00

Amphitheater in Central Park, Playa Vista.

Hey there!

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed a recent image I took on my iPhone and posted to Twitpic last week from the Amphitheater in Central Park in Playa Del Rey. The location that the amphitheater sits is a 7.9 acre park designed by Michael Maltzan in collaboration with the Office of James Burnett.

Now honestly, there's no real reason for me to share this photo with you now except that I've been having some hiccups with this blog and the ability to posts images so I'm simply testing the feed. But I thought I'd take a moment to share with you the pretty picture.

If you experience any duplicate posts or other issues of functionality with this blog or my website please let me know. I'm working on making this a s-m-o-o-t-h ride.

View Amphitheater, Central Park, Playa Del Rey in a larger map

About This Blog - Updated February 2011

2011-02-22T03:48:00.000-08:00

Hello, this is Tanja. I'm in the midst of redesigning my website which will be a work in progress for the next month or so. In so doing, I thought I'd take a moment to update the blog as well.

I launched my first blog back in 2004 with the intention to replace my on-line quarterly newsletters that were posted to my website since 1999. If you want to read past articles from this now defunct newsletter they are now archived at my old website here. It was designed by the great folks at Kapow. At the time I posted content about massage therapy, alternative healing methods and some healthy recipes. Occasionally I wrote about things as if my blog were a public diary -- thankfully nothing I'd be embarrassed to say openly.

Back then, I didn't really know what I was doing. I think most people new to the blogosphere don't know what they're doing either so I don't feel too bad.

I think this whole Web 2.0 thing is just one big experiment really and so we all fumble about as we find our voice and create our digital identity here on the Web.

Unfortunately, my ISP ate my blog when I switched providers and then *poof*! It was gone!

Then in 2005 I heard on NPR that the Oxford University Press had selected 'podcast' as the Word of the Year.

When I heard the that, I vowed I would give up my love of all things tech because I felt like I simply couldn't keep up! I mean... you know... it's an expensive habit buying all those new shiny gadgets that quickly become obsolete. And like a great athlete you have to constantly be training to keep up.

Not too long after I quit a friend dared me to make a podcast and you know what? I couldn't resist!

At first it was really, really, REALLY hard. I'm a massage therapist by profession so I'm completely autodidactic in learning all there is about interviewing subjects, capturing audio/video, editing, mixing, coding and publishing to the Web. There was so much to learn not mention that things were constantly changing as the medium continues to develop and evolve.

But I kept it up and fell in love with it along the way. So much for giving up technology as an expensive habit, eh? Now I can proudly assert I am one of earliest pioneers of podcasting! To this day I produce a community-based arts and culture podcast that's tremendously fulfilling. But still... there's so much more to learn.

So through this current iteration of my blog I aspire to share with you things that I feel are pretty nifty using podcasting tools including audio and video recordings. Occasionally I may even post a wordy, text heavy posts much like this one as well.

I'm happy to share with you my knowledge and have posted several video tutorials on how to do things on a Mac or in social media. If you're stuck with a problem and it's something I can assist with you with, feel free to contact me and I'll try to help.

* The views expressed on this blog do not reflect those of any employer, past, present or future.

Queen Califia's Magical Circle

2011-02-11T23:20:00.000-08:00

This is my latest 360° panoramic image from Queen Califia's Magical Circle, a mosaic sculpture garden by Niki de Saint Phalle located in Escondido, CA. The garden consists of nine large scale installations including a circular "snake" wall with a labyrinthine entrance into the confines of the circle.

Eight large totems of mythical monsters and deities surround the main piece of Queen Califia standing upon the Eagle Throne. There used to be a gold-egg shaped fountain underneath the eagle that referred to Queen Califia's magical reign over oceans and also symbolized the cycle of birth, death and transformation. It was faced with handmade gold leaf sandwich glass that was controlled by a solar pump.

Upon my latest visit the Egg Fountain had been removed, due probably to abuse since this beloved park is overrun with children and adults climbing and scaling these fragile mosaic pieces. On the one hand you can't blame folks for stomping all over the installations as they appear to invite interaction with their colorful textures and shapes. However, I'm afraid that should this rough interaction continue with the pieces not maintained they too will suffer removal like the Egg Fountain.

The Niki Endowment Fund was established to enable the city of Escondido's school children an opportunity to visit the garden. It pays for transportation costs of docent lead classes to visit the site. For more information about the fund and how to contribute call 760-839-4331.

Namaste, Rik Sharaj

2011-02-11T00:52:00.000-08:00

I'm utterly shocked and deeply saddened to hear yet another friend has passed on into the light this year. While Rik Sharaj may have gone on to become one with Shiva his music will forever live in my heart.

Namaste, dear Rik. At every full moon I will remember you with joy and I will listen for your song amongst the stars. You have been such a sweet blessing to me and everyone in the community. Safe journey.

The Art of Clément Sauvé

2011-01-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

The comic book art and animation community suffered a tragic loss on Wednesday when Clément Sauvé passed away at the young age of 33 after a struggle with cancer. I met Clément only once and worked with him if however briefly on "G.I. Joe Renegades" last year but in that short time came to recognize a highly gifted artist with a wicked sense of humor. My deep condolences to his family and friends who knew him well.

"My name is pronounced SO-VEY, but don't feel bad, nobody manages to pronounce it correctly. And yes, I get Suave a LOT, including in credits, con badges and checks."
-- Clément

"A Table is a Table" - A Short Film starring Jack Danahy

2011-01-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

To my great sadness today I discovered that actor Jack Danahy, a friend and colleague, passed away some time over the holiday season due to complications of lung cancer.

Jack was quite a conversationalist and it was through our mutual fascination and enjoyment of butoh that we connected. But it was his love of evolutionary anthropology and his observations of humans as a species that really got him to talking.

This piece entitled "A Table is a Table" was written by Peter Bichsel and directed by Diego Quemada-Diez. Of all the gigs that Jack had as an actor, it's this precious artistic gem that I'm heartened to know has now become a cinematic part of his legacy. It is so quintessentially Jack as I knew him.

Jack Danahy was a generous, thoughtful and articulate man with a kind soul. I surely will miss working with him. Rest in peace, Jack. Rest in peace.

The Art Space of Treiops Treyfid

2011-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Above is my most recent 360° interactive panorama image featuring the creative work space of artist Treiops Treyfid, a long time friend with whom I've had the pleasure of working with on a few group installations in the past.

Most recently Treiops has been developing new media performance art projects with the creation of "Meta Meta Meta Man" a character that is the subject of this photo.

In the future I hope to use of 360 ̊ panoramic photography to explore and investigate other spaces that artist's work in and/or find inspirational.

How Colin Firth and Guy Pearce Got Their SAG Cards

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Back in 1983 I met actor Colin Firth backstage in London following a performance of "Another Country". A year later he made his film debut in the screen adaptation of that play.

Flash forward to this past weekend where I once again had an opportunity to meet Firth backstage at a screening of the much acclaimed motion picture "The King's Speech" in which he plays the part of King George VI. The role garnered Firth both an Academy Award nomination as well as a Golden Globe one for "Best Actor". But it also received a nod for this year's SAG Awards and earned an ensemble nomination for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture".

I asked Firth and co-star Guy Pearce one question: How did they get their SAG cards?

Of course, as anybody who knows me knows, I recorded the conversation on my iPhone but in this instance the sound quality is so wretched and so unlistenable that I decided it was better to transcribe it. I hope you enjoy their responses as much as I did in getting them. :)

Me: "This question is to both Mr. Firth and Mr. Pearce. Both of you: How did you get your SAG card?"

Colin Firth: "Through devious, devious means...(laughter).'

"I have to say it was one of my finest moments. Getting my SAG card was probably more meaningful to me than any nomination I've ever had. It made me feel more like a film actor or a movie star. I still have my first SAG card. I think it should be framed in the bathroom!'

"Um...I got it... well... you're challenging a person whose memory is going! Um... I got it... let's see... I did a film in this country and I couldn't do it unless I was a member of SAG and I went through all the right channels and the right motions. I had to apply for it and get all the approvals and everything before I could do the film. I think it was in the early nineties. But I had to become a member of SAG in order to work here on that film. So I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that but it was all legitimate."

Me: "Guy, do you remember your first SAG role?"

Guy Pearce: "Well, "LA Confidential" ... which you may have heard of! Uh, same process also although it was a bit difficult because Russell [Crowe] had already got his SAG card because he had done a few films before.'

"But I think it was a difficult process for Curtis Hanson to try and prove that I really was the person they needed to cast in this role. We were the first two people that were cast in that film and not only was there pressure from Warner Bros and producer Arnan Milchan to cast Americans in the film but I think there was some difficulty in proving I was the right person for the role as well (laughs). But we managed to succeed obviously."

Actually, I was surprised to hear that Pearce did not require a SAG membership for his performance in "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" even though the film won an Oscar and various other award nominations. I'm guessing that either it wasn't a union show or Global Rule One did not apply in the case of this film as it was an Australian production.

While I thought the "The King's Speech" to be well worth watching the only thing that was difficult for me to believe was the casting between Pearce and Firth. Pearce plays the older brother and heir apparent to Firth's little brother and second in line to the British monarchy. Despite the fact the they both are really quite good in their roles, when you put the two together in a scene it's unconvincing and doesn't play out quite right. Pearce appears much younger than Firth. The fact is Pearce is indeed seven years younger and it shows on the screen. That said, I was unable to find a still that features both of them so I had so create the image you see posted above as an indicator that the two were even in the same movie.

Perhaps Pearce wasn't the first choice to play King Edward VIII because he made mention during the interview that he was cast much later in the production well after all the roles had been cast and principal filming was about to begin.

"The King's Speech" is paint-by-numbers, award attracting bait but nevertheless it is a good film. The best ensemble cast nomination from SAG is rounded out by top performances from Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

Here's to 2011!

2011-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

QuickTime required for viewing. Click and drag image to view. Use Shift or CTRL to +/- zoom.

2010 has been a fantastic year for me both personally and professionally. I have been lucky enough to meet wonderful people, work with some amazing artists and learn from a variety of talented experts -- all of which I feel has given me a great stepping stone for 2011. When I look back I'm gobsmacked at all the opportunities I've been given. There's one dear friend in particular who opened the door to all this as well as to a fresh start on my livelihood and to her I shall always be deeply grateful.

At the beginning of 2010 I made the jump from my beloved Flip camera (a basic gun-and-run digital video camera) to a Canon T1i EOS Rebel, a consumer level digital SLR camera that can produce both standard photography as well as HD movies. Much to my dismay, I was a little late in the game in acquiring this device as it had been out on the market for about a year. Within a month after making my purchase, Canon's flagship DSLR was upgraded to the T2i model that I really, really think I MUST HAVE! ;)

The idea in getting the camera was to create better quality content for my blogs. However, while the T1i can do some pretty amazing things I couldn't bend it to my will like I can most other technological devices and I quickly got frustrated.

The difference between a point-and-shoot and a DSLR is ginormous. I found that learning to express myself and communicate the world that I saw through the lens of my new camera to be extremely difficult. The thing is so infinitely complex that I began to regret my decision to buy it in the first place. At one point I was so disheartened with the camera, I had to put it down and revert back to my Flip.

After a several months I picked up the T1i again and began to experiment with the attitude of "just have fun with it". The learning curve was steep but the challenge was engaging. With my new philosophy of "fun" it wasn't long before I quickly got pulled into its tractor beam of delightful exploration.

Some of things I did with the camera was make some time lapse videos and full spherical 360° panoramic photography like the image you see above. It's the interior of the Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation in Burbank, California. The shrine is a 75-foot-tall structure of marble, mosaic and sculpted figures, and is the burial site for 13 pioneers of aviation. It was built in 1924 as the entrance to Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery which also happens to be the final resting place for my maternal grandparents who immigrated to America in the 1950s.

This image is what's known as an interactive panoramic image, a cutting-edge form of photography used to capture an entire space in 360° along the horizontal and 180° along the vertical. In this instance, you'll need the QuickTime plugin installed on your browser to view. Click and drag within it to experience the entire space. Use the CTRL and SHIFT keys to zoom.

In looking forward to 2011 I hope to develop my chops in 360 photography, learn to lens a better "Give Thanks" video and try my hand at Final Cut Pro after pushing the limits of what iMovie can do for the amateur digital media creator. I hope you will join me as my journey continues to unfold.

Happy New Year!

Free Holiday Music Download For You

2010-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Mahalia Jackson

"Silent Night (46bliss Remix)" (mp3)
from "Holiday Chill - The Christmas Remixes"
(Christmas Chill)
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

My gift to you of music to download is this rendition of Mahalia Jackson's "Silent Night" as remixed by 46bliss.

The original track of Jackson's "Silent Night" on Columbia Records became one of the best-selling singles in the history of Norway. When she sang the song on Denmark's national radio, more than twenty thousand requests for copies poured in.

Click on the orange arrow button above to download.

Happy Holy Daze!

Seasons Greetings!

2010-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Click me!

Legend of the Guardians: Q & A with Zack Snyder

2010-11-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

Legend of the Guardians - Q&A with Zack Snyder by TanjaB

Q & A session following a screening of "Legend of the Guardians" with director Zack Snyder. Recorded on 7 November 2010 @ the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood, CA.

Roy Barnes on Art & Design

2010-10-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

Roy Barnes on Art & Design by TanjaB

In loving memory to Roy Lee Barnes
9 Feb 1936 - 29 October 2006
Ars Gratia Artis

This is an excerpt from a conversation I had with my late father Roy Barnes who served in the entertainment industry for close to 30 years as a member of both the Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) and the Set Designers & Model Makers Guild (IATSE Local 847).

In this snippet we talk about the meaning of art. This recording took place in the ICU ward of St. Joseph's hospital only a few days before he passed away from cancer.

Note: My father is receiving supplemental oxygen during these recordings therefore a slight hiss can be heard throughout.

Toy Story 3: Q & A with Darla K. Anderson and Lee Unkrich

2010-10-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Toy Story 3: Q & A with Darla K. Anderson and Lee Unkrich by TanjaB

Q & A session following a screening of Toy Story 3 with producer Darla K. Anderson and director Lee Unkrich. Recorded on 23 October 2010 @ the Aero Theater in Santa Monica.

Toy Story 3 will be available in a standard DVD edition, two-disc Blu-ray and in a four-disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and the PSP edition on 2 November 2010.

Give Thanks #74

2010-09-25T00:06:00.001-07:00

Give Thanks #73

2010-08-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hollis Hawthorne A Year Later

2010-02-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

A year ago this week my friend Hollis Hawthorne fell into a coma as a result of a motorcycle accident she suffered in India. Her progress has been slow but steady and both her friends and her family have been blogging about it and documenting every milestone.

For instance, recently her friends blogged as of the beginning of this year, she's been singing and humming to songs she listens to on her iPod.

In the blog that Holli's mom keeps she reported that yesterday Hollis was being evaluated to see if she is a candidate for the Shepherd Center of Atlanta, one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the nation, specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury or brain injury.

These blogs are very poignant reads, so be sure to check them out by visiting FriendsOfHollis.com.

As a network of kith and kin I think we did a pretty amazing job of fundraising to get Hollis back home. However, her family is still burdened with out-of-pocket medical expenses recently such as the purchase of a new custom wheelchair and Botox injections in her right arm so they can stretch her arm out in order to place a brace on it to straighten it. There are other numerous costs as you can well imagine so fundraising for her medical continues. If you have a bit to spare, please donate to Hollis.

Rest In Peace: Martin Bosworth

2010-02-23T19:23:00.000-08:00

I first met Martin Bosworth (aka @martinboz) a year ago this month at the L.A. Tweetup, a face-to-face social networking meetup for Los Angelenos. So in a weird way it seems fitting that I learned of his recent death on Twitter.

Bosworth was a managing editor at the consumer advocacy site ConsumerAffairs.com. He also posted to his personal blog Boztopia. In the short time that I knew him, I found him to be an extremely intelligent and articulate man full of mirth and wonderful ideas to share. Upon reading his blog post entitled "Who’s Gonna Take The Weight?" I discovered an in depth recounting of his fight against thyroid disease.

To me the tragedy in his passing is the fact that he had a long standing struggle with his insurance company to pay for his medical treatment because of a gap in coverage between jobs. He was only 35 years old. You can read more here.

Ensuring that health care reform isn’t just about providing coverage to the uninsured, but reforming the system to prevent excessive overbilling, medical errors, and other costly mistakes and bureaucratic snafus that only harm the patient and waste the provider’s time.

I have faith that my current issue will turn out okay. I’ve been through worse, after all. I think, in a philosophical sense, that I am going through this at this exact time in order to drive home how serious the need for better health care is. Listen to my story, share it, repeat it, and do everything you can to support real health care reform for all.

-- Martin Bosworth

The passage of a national health care reform bill is more than an economic issue: it’s a moral one as well. To quote the late Senator Kennedy providing access to health care is a “fundamental principle of justice and the character of our country.’’ Please contact your senator today.

Goodbye, Martin. I will miss your strong smart voice pixelating out from my little neighborhood of the blogosphere. May you rest in peace.

This clip featuring Twitterer @chaiguy and Bosworth was taken on 4 February 2009.

It's from a longer video entitled "Is Twitter The Vomitorium of the 21st Century"?

Ukulele Underground's Huntington Beach Jam

2010-01-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

It was a super wet rainy day for a meet up with Aldrine Guerrero from Ukulele Underground who's here in SoCal to attend NAMM. Since I don't play the uke (and have no plans to) I thought I'd just come to see his live show on Tuesday at DiPiazza's in Long Beach. But then I saw that there was going to be meet up and since it was MLK Day which meant I was free I was like, well why not go? Eddie would! :)

Person Finder: Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-15T20:09:00.001-08:00

Ak espwa pou tout moun nan Ayiti.
(With hope for everyone in Haiti).

Gratitude - Love - Hope

2009-12-23T03:00:00.001-08:00

Change in the world can only happen one step at a time. We all can make that difference. Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Join my Kiva lending team today. Kiva also has fabulous gift certificates perfect for the holy days.

Be My Guest Contest Review "A Serious Man"

2009-12-15T01:24:00.000-08:00

Above is an audio recording of the review of "A Serious Man" with the only person to leave a comment on my blog to a Be My Guest screening of the latest Coen Bros. movie. The theater was not as full as some of the other previous screenings I've seen these past few weeks either. But I attribute this apparent lack of interest to the busy-ness of the holiday season and not so much the film per se.

Be My Guest Contest! Enter to Win Screening of "A Serious Man"

2009-12-07T13:12:00.001-08:00

Who wants to Be My Guest to a SAG Awards screening of the new Coen Bros. movie "A Serious Man"? It screens on Monday, 14 December at the ArcLight in Sherman Oaks located at 15301 Ventura Blvd.

As with all guild screenings this is sure to overbook so meet me early in line at 6:30pm to connect and play catch up before the holy day madness. Immediately following there will be a 40 minute Q&A session with Director of Photography Roger Deakins and Costume Designer Mary Zophres. Afterwards I ask that you hang out with me for just a few minutes to videotape your review of this film.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below. I'd like to step things up a bit and ask you to tell me something serious and/or silly. Your choice. Limit is one entry per person and be sure to leave some sort of contact information (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, email, etc) so that I can contact you in the event you are the winner. The drawing ends on 13 December at straight up noon and the winner will be selected using the Random Number Generator at Random.org.

Be My Guest Contest Review "Sherlock Holmes"

2009-12-02T08:08:00.000-08:00

My friend Blue won my latest contest to be my guest at a special advance screening of "Sherlock Holmes". Afterwards we have a chat about the film.

Be My Guest Contest Announcement Winner

2009-12-01T02:23:00.001-08:00

This video features the winner to the "Be My Guest" series special advance screening of Warner Bros. latest film "Sherlock Holmes" directed by Guy Ritchie that's scheduled for release on Christmas day. What's totally cool is that there will be aQ&A immediately following with the film's star Robert Downey Jr.

So lucky winner, you, hit me on Facebook so we can plan ahead for our rendez-vous. It's elementary, of course! :)

Be My Guest Is Back! Enter To Win Screening Of "Sherlock Holmes" With Me Tomorrow!

2009-11-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

Leave a comment below to win a chance to be my guest at a very special advance screening of Warner Bros. latest film "Sherlock Holmes" directed by Guy Ritchie that's scheduled for release on Christmas day. There will be Q&A immediately following with the film's star Robert Downey Jr.

These screenings ALWAYS overbook and I anticipate this one will be no different. The winner should plan on meeting me in line beginning 5:30 pm at the Director's Guild of America at 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles. Since recording devices will be disallowed in the theater, I hope that you will consider spending a few moments following the Q&A to videotape your review of the film over coffee.

The winner will be selected using the Random Number Generator at Random.org later this evening sometime after 1:00 a.m. If your comment is there before I make the selection, your comment qualifies.

Give Thanks #72

2009-11-29T17:47:00.000-08:00

Free Holiday Music Download For You!

2009-11-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

The von Trapp Children
"Snow" (mp3)
from "Snow - New Songs of the Season"
(IMI)

Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

I can think of no better way to bring in the holiday spirit than with music. Except maybe cookies. Recently over breakfast a friend told me that he believed music was a gift from the universe. I think he might be right. As my gift to you is this free download of "Snow" performed by the von Trapp children -- the great grand children of Captain von Trapp, father of the famous singing family whose story captivated the world in the musical The Sound of Music.

To get this freebie simply click on the orange arrow button above to download.

Happy Holy Daze!

Give Thanks #71 - Andie

2009-11-26T13:23:00.001-08:00

Free Blogger Theme For Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers

2009-11-02T02:54:00.000-08:00

Blogging is an excellent marketing tool for any profession but especially for massage therapists who's business it is to touch and connect with people in a personal and personable way. If maintained on a regular schedule a blog can help you stay in touch to your clientele and remind them about what you have to offer.

I created a massage therapy theme for Blogger based on a template by OurBlogTemplates to help professional bodyworkers sustain their practice during today's challenging economic conditions. You can download the XML code and see a live demo by clicking here or on the image above.

Terms of Use: Since I did not actually design the template or take the photos, it very important that the credits must remain intact both at the bottom of this template and within the XML code. This is not just fair but also very smart because OurBlogTemplates may change the code and so you need to be able to reference them for any updates. It also required by them for using their template for free.

Live demo here.
To download the template click here.
To download the banner click here.
For assistance on installing both the template and the banner click here and here.

I encourage you to become inspired to design your own custom Blogger theme using the same tools I have. Since I'm not skilled in web design or coding I am unable to offer support if you have any issues from using this template. I advise you to do-it-yourself with OurBlogDesign's tutorial links I've provided above.

Hello Kitty Super Fan Day at Royal/T

2009-10-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the Hello Kitty Three Apples Exhibit launched at Royal/T, a unique art space in Culver City. It's a killer place with a cosplay cafe that is utterly fantabulous. While I was there I got to meet one of my creative idols Yuko Yamaguchi (aka Kitty Mama) Hello Kitty’s head designer and her friend the seriously awesome Simone Legno of Tokidoki who were both signing autographs at the event. They were there to launch the exclusive Tokidoki for Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary collection. The exhibit continues until November 15, 2009.

Give Thanks #70

2009-10-12T06:36:00.001-07:00

Give Thanks #69

2009-09-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Is Twitter The Vomitorium Of The 21st Century?

2009-09-20T06:15:00.001-07:00

Give Thanks #68

2009-06-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #67

2009-06-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

Geeks versus Nerds

2009-06-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

In Loving Memory: Joseph Lawrence Huckins

2009-05-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

Joseph Lawrence Huckins

15 December 1978 - 30 April 2009

Some very dear friends suffered a heavy loss last week when their brother Joseph Huckins passed away in a tragic work related accident. This is the obituary as featured on Placeropolis.com.

You are sorely missed, Joey.

Photos: Tony Tohono and Burntown.

Music: Gleam Remix by Etherine available at Magnatune.com

How To Talk Like A Pirate On Facebook!

2009-04-30T04:26:00.001-07:00

Avast! Set yer native tongue ter pillage ye olde Facebook. This video tutorial will be teachin' ye how!

Me Want (Anthony's) Cookies!

2009-04-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

After seeing my friend Hollis Hawthorne in the hospital I went to go meet up with some friends for brunch in the Mission district of San Francisco. Quite serendipitously I walked past this bakery and I was like "mmmmmm...cookies"! Who doesn't like cookies? Right? ZOMG...they were the best cookies EVAR! As it turns out Anthony's Cookies is brand spankin' new and now they're open for business! Come to their Grand Opening party this Saturday 25 April 2009 from 1-3 pm.

Anthony's Cookies
1417 Valencia Street,
San Francisco, CA
(415) 655-9834

Bring Your Own Big Wheel (BYOBW 2009)

2009-04-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

More information about BYOBW here.

Give Thanks #66

2009-04-10T03:20:00.000-07:00

Pillow Fight Day - Los Angeles 2009

2009-04-05T09:06:00.001-07:00

On Saturday April 4th 2009, there were massive pillow fights in cities world wide! More info at http://pillowfightday.com

Give Thanks #65

2009-03-24T00:09:00.000-07:00

art lab: the art of hair (# 2)

2009-03-05T03:33:00.001-08:00

Two months ago I got a fantastic makeover by Billy Van Roy from Art Lab. Last week he wrote on my Facebook wall inviting me to come in for an update. He's so awesome. Look what he did for me! Art Lab 1410 Montana Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90403 310-394-5200 http://artlabsalon.com

Help Hollis Hawthorne

2009-03-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

Recently my friend Hollis Hawthorne suffered severe trauma to her brain from a motorcycle accident while traveling in India. Though she has no health insurance, Stanford Medical has offered to take her case and treat her. Now all Hollis needs is an air ambulance from Pondicherry to Palo Alto.

Please help if you can by making a donation at FriendsofHollis.com.

Love Lou

2009-02-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

This video (and the ensuing playlist) is dedicated in loving memory to Lou Genise who passed away from cancer after battling the disease for many years. The intro with Lou playing guitar is inter-cut with clips of his friends at his funeral. Rest in peace, Lou. You are missed.

Using Twitter On Your Cellphone

2009-02-04T18:12:00.001-08:00

A brief tutorial on how to set up your phone to receive SMS messages from Twitter.

Making Scene Transitions in iMovie '08

2009-02-04T17:28:00.000-08:00

For my friend Yayoi who lives in another state.

Editing Movie Clips in iMovie '08

2009-02-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

A how to video for my friend Yayoi who lives in another state.

How to Create an "Obama Icon"

2009-01-29T10:54:00.001-08:00

I've received numerous questions on how to make the "Obama Icon" as featured on PasteMagazine.com. It's a pretty easy application if you know what levers to pull and button to push. My friend Vicki was unable to save her icon so I made this video to help take her the through steps. Get your own icon at http://obamaiconme.com

How To Create A Facebook Badge For Your Website or Blog

2009-01-28T19:35:00.001-08:00

art lab: the art of hair

2009-01-14T18:52:00.001-08:00

Suzy said "Tanja come get a makeover from my friends at Art Lab in Santa Monica." So we did! Thanks, Art Lab. I feel like a sexy poodle! Woof! Art Lab 1410 Montana Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90403 310-394-5200

Looking for Love - A Valentine's Day Twitter Treasure Hunt

2009-01-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

Lonely? Single? Looking for love? Come join us for a Valentine's Day event like no other.

Meet and tweet with us on Saturday, February 14th for a heartfelt afternoon of food, friends, fun and a little "Love On The Run". We'll be mixing it up with drinkies, sweet nothings and candy hearts in a "Love" themed web 2.0 meets real life treasure hunt.

Meet some new peeps, enjoy some old favorites, and re-discover your love affair with this beautiful City of Angels that we are blessed to call home. This event is strictly park-and-play (no driving during the event required), so you're free to imbibe (BYO or crawl the pubs along the way -- provided your 21+ and have ID, of course).

We want everybody to shine so costumes are encouraged. But don't say we didn't warn you: you can really get wild and wonderful -- oh dear Heavens, yes. But don't forget to wear your comfortable shoes! We'll be walking and or taking public transportation.

This event will team singles with other singles. If you happen to be part of a couple, we'd love for you two to join us in the fun! Just let us know so that we can group you accordingly. And please: just keep your perpetual smugness at being able to snag a mate to yourself. ;-)

To participate all you need is LOVE -- oh and $10.00 to help us pay for some fabulous prizes for our scavenger hunt, which you will probably win because you are so clever and hawt! You'll also need a few more things to make the magic happen and so here's a checklist:

Cellphone -- make sure it's charged!
Digital camera -- make sure it's got fresh batteries!
Twitter account to pick up some of the clues to the scavenger hunt.

It's been forever since we've seen you, and remember your New Year's Resolution to spend more time with us this year? Let's not disappoint. We promise you'll have a great time with lots of chocolate kisses and maybe a few real ones. So don't stand us up (again!), PayPal your cash today, and we'll have a big heart-on for you! See you on Valentine's Day!

Get you tickets here: http://lookingforlove.eventbrite.com/
Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@Looking4Love) for updates leading up to and throughout the event.

Please note: this is a rain or shine event.

UPDATE: 5/9/2009 - The Twitter account associated with this event has been cancelled and now belongs to somebody else.

Give Thanks #64

2008-11-28T00:17:00.000-08:00

Give Thanks #63

2008-11-25T00:33:00.000-08:00

Pandora Founder Tim Westergren's Top 5 Desert Island Album Picks

2008-11-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

In this quick interview (as recorded on my iPhone) I asked Tim Westergren, the founder of Pandora, what five albums he would take with him to a desert island.

UPDATE October 2009: It’s worth noting Tim did that interview prior to the death of pop legend Michael Jackson. I was inspired update this post after hearing him recently give an interview on Internet Evolution Radio.

At the time I made the recording, Westergren gave a talk about Pandora on the iPhone and the entire presentation is available below. It was done on my iPhone and mixed in GarageBand.

For you music fans out there, the music selection in this recording is a mashup entitled "Let's D.A.N.C.E." (Lady Gaga vs. Justice vs. David Bowie) by DJ Paul V.

YouTube's Video Your Vote

2008-11-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

This playlist features 27 videos I produced from October to November of this year as part of YouTube and PBS's project "Video Your Vote". With my little Flip camera in hand I went all around my city and talked to friends and strangers about what they voted for. It's worth noting the question was "What do you vote for?" as I feel that voting is a private act. It was interesting to me that many people chose to respond with the presidential candidate they were voting for.

On another note: KFWB (my local AM news radio station owned by CBS Radio, a subsidiary of CBS Corporation) ripped a sound bite from one of these interviews the day following the election. They failed to give me credit as a source. I attempted to contact the newsroom for several days and each time I was connected to a person they said they would look into it and get back to me.

But they never did.

I think this is sloppy reporting. Today with my blog and the tools I use for podcasting even I know the importance of acknowledging where I got the information I'm relaying or commenting on. Any corporate mainstream press outlet worth their salt ought to be doing the same. Not only that, except where indicated by a Creative Commons license, I retain the copyright to most of my digital media. Kindly obtain permission from me if you are interested in using my work because even under the CC license I disallow commercial use or the creation of derivative works.

No on H8 Protest Rally

2008-11-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

This series of videos documents the "No on H8" protest rally where gays and lesbians gathered at the gates of Mormon Church in Los Angeles to march for their right to legally marry. Recorded 6 October 2008.

Give Thanks #62

2008-10-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #61

2008-10-06T23:57:00.000-07:00

Postcard From Maker Faire

2008-09-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #60

2008-09-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

Full Moon Meditation

2008-09-16T00:29:00.001-07:00

Filmed on location at the Glow Festival in Santa Monica, California on 19 July 2008.

Give Thanks #59

2008-08-13T00:29:00.000-07:00

Free Advice #67 - John

2008-08-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #58

2008-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Click to Play

This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Give Thanks #57

2008-08-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

Click to Play

This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #66 - JK

2008-08-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

Free Advice #65

2008-08-08T00:47:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #56

2008-08-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

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This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #64

2008-08-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #55

2008-08-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

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This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #63 - Poodle McFry

2008-08-06T00:28:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #54

2008-08-06T00:24:00.000-07:00

Click to Play

This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Give Thanks #52

2008-08-01T00:52:00.000-07:00

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This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #62 - James

2008-08-01T00:29:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #53

2008-08-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

Click to Play

This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #61 - Judith Ann

2008-07-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #51

2008-07-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

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This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #60 - Nage

2008-07-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #50

2008-07-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

Click to Play

This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #59 - Glow

2008-07-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

Give Thanks #49

2008-07-28T00:41:00.000-07:00

Click to Play

This series of videos is dedicated in loving memory to Otto Schutt. Give thanks at: http://GiveThanks.tv

Free Advice #58 - Chris

2008-07-28T00:38:00.000-07:00

Free Advice #57 - Bri Brozy

2008-07-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

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