1. Handstands for the win

    Posted by Shane Becker on 

    <p>About four years ago, right after I moved to Salt Lake City, I started learning how to do handstands (and other stuff) with the hopes of becoming a b-boy. B-boy didn't happen, but handstands did. The quality of my handstands goes up and down depending on how often I do them. But what's more interesting to me than the particular merit of <em>my</em> handstands is how it's turned into this thing with me and my friends.</p>

<p>It seems like we're always doing handstands somewhere. Road trips and rooftops. Volcanos and vegan houses. Four corners and friends shoulders. It doesn't matter, if we're around you better watch out. And if you hear "Hands up, Stands up" quick throw one up and join our endurance competition.</p>

<p>Some of us have better form than others (<em>cough emily cough scott cough</em>) and some of us are more daring and sometimes they get captured well in photos better than others. Either way, these are just the tip of the iceberg of our feet in the air.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elisfanclub/2642041596/" title="Rooftop Lightning Party by elisfanclub, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2411/2642041596_ec8ce10270.jpg" alt="Rooftop Lightning Party"> </a></p>

<p><a href="handstand%20730%20ft%20in%20the%20air" title="handstand 730 ft in the air by emilyvoss, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2428498133_d04cbdfe78.jpg" alt="handstand 730 ft in the air"> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/emilyvoss/137684663/" title="handstands at four corners by emilyvoss, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/137684663_301e83817f.jpg" alt="handstands at four corners"> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/elisfanclub/468619921/" title="the ride to denver by elisfanclub, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/221/468619921_4e0b95750c.jpg" alt="the ride to denver"> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/emilyvoss/806164000/" title="sort of by emilyvoss, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1286/806164000_d8ff0d75c6.jpg" alt="sort of"> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veganstraightedge/2585873895/" title="emily trying to press up on leah's shoulders by veganstraightedge, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2585873895_8a2cfbfb7f.jpg" alt="emily trying to press up on leah's shoulders"> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/elisfanclub/290263433/" title="mapstand by elisfanclub, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/110/290263433_0eff408356.jpg" alt="mapstand"> </a></p>

<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/smashysmashy/222617669/" title="Handstand. by smashysmashy, on Flickr"> <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/86/222617669_1ccb100fcf_o.jpg" alt="Handstand."> </a></p>

    And I feel so alive

    Posted by Shane Becker on 

    <p> Last night I went to a <a href="http://www.tillyandthewall.com/">Tilly and the Wall</a> show. I really, really love this band. I have for about four years now, ever since <a href="http://flickr.com/people/smashysmashy/">Steff</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/steffROCK/">Crashy</a> <a href="http://crashycrashy.blogspot.com/">Crashy</a> gave me four CDs with a couple bands each on them. But for the life of me I couldn't tell you who was on the other CDs. Right out of the gates with "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3jbT6wfMPg">Fell Down the Stairs</a>" they blew me away. I was hooked. Each record is just better and better. They're one of those bands for me. Few are. <a href="http://www.availavail.com/">Avail</a>, <a href="http://savestheday.com/">Saves the Day</a>, <a href="http://www.againstme.net">Against Me</a>, <a href="http://www.sleater-kinney.com/">Sleater-Kinney</a>. </p>

<p>I don't really go to shows anymore. The last one was <a href="http://www.last.fm/event/130383" title="Saves the Day at Neumo's (Seattle) on 17 Apr 2007  – Last.fm">Saves the Day</a> with <a href="http://elisfanclub.com/" title="elisfanclub">Eli</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/worstdukeever" title="Twitter / worstdukeever">Hannah</a> over a year ago. I just happened to stumble across this one in <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/" title="The Stranger - Seattle's Only Newspaper">the paper</a> the last week at work. And I almost didn't go. I sure am glad I didn't not go*.</p>

<p>First band, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/elephantkiss" title="MySpace.com - Elephant Kiss? - SEATTLE, Washington - Surf / New Wave / Glam  - www.myspace.com/elephantkiss">Elephant Kiss</a>, was super annoying. Their like a bad meme. Second band, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/birdwatchers" title="MySpace.com - birdwatchers united! - seattle, US - Pop / Pop / Pop  - www.myspace.com/birdwatchers">Bird Watchers United</a>, was pretty alright. They got me be-bopping a bit. Oh yeah, there was like 30 minutes between bands. What's that about?</p>

<p>But then Tilly came on. It didn't matter that I didn't know anyone there or that hardly anyone else was dancing. In fact, <em>nothing</em> else mattered. I felt like I used to at shows. Like they were magic. Screaming these words like our lives depended on it.</p>

<p>They played a phenomenal set. Then a three song encore which ended with their song "Night of the Living Dead". The final words of the song are: "I wanna fuck it up. And I feel so alive." Over and over. In that moment, truer words did not exist.</p>

<p>Of course, recordings of any kind don't replace actually being there, but here is a video of them playing "Night of the Living Dead" at some other show. That's kind of what it was like last night.</p>

<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XtVN3fSaHCA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<p>Here's a few other videos for extra credit:</p>

<ul>
  <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd3G3i0QBq0" title="YouTube - Tilly &amp; The Wall, Beat Control Music Video">Beat Control</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KirTaMHAUG0" title='YouTube - Tilly and the Wall "sings songs along" video'>Sings Songs Along</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgA-dJ9imVk" title="YouTube - Tilly and the Wall on Letterman!">Bad Education live on Letterman</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7HjBr_QMXI" title="YouTube - Tilly &amp; the Wall - Pot Kettle Black">Pot Kettle Black</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyIfrGMUGQI" title="YouTube - Tilly And The Wall - Kiss Off">Kiss Off (Violent Femmes Cover) on some radio show</a></li>
</ul>

<p>That is some kind of heckafied grammar. Heckafied.</p>

    Flickr Embiggens

    Posted by Shane Becker on 

    <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/veganstraightedge/2642828969/" title="Flickr Embiggens by veganstraightedge, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/2642828969_4fc6702196_o.png" alt="Flickr Embiggens"></a></p>

<p>When using the Flickr slideshow feature, click on options in the bottom right corner. They then go and drop a Simpsons bomb:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embiggen">Embiggen small things to fill screen</a></p>