Mix Tape Monday: Especially Me

By Low.
Because they're great.



"Especially Me" by Low
Cry me a river
So I can float over to you
The bearer to deliver the news
I'm over the moon
And underfoot
All these elixirs would be moot

'Cause if we knew where we belong
There'd be no doubt where we're from
But as it stands, we don't have a clue
Especially me and probably you

You've fallen in a slumber
Just wake one more time
To miss or put asunder
Would be a crime
Some songs feel like butter
Some songs sound like cake
This little number is for your sake

'Cause if we knew where we belong
There'd be no doubt where we're from
But as it stands, we don't have a clue
Especially me and probably you

'Cause if we knew where we belong
There'd be no doubt where we're from
But as it stands, we all need the truth
Especially me and probably you
Definitely you

Frank Turner Friday: Reasons Not To Be An Idiot

It's been a while since I've dazzled you with Frank Turner tunes. So today you get a fun one. With a silly video. Enjoy.

Reasons Not To Be An Idiot by Frank Turner

You're not as messed up as you think you are
Your self-absorption makes you messier
Just settle down and you will feel a whole lot better
Deep down you're just like everybody else 

She's not as pretty as she thinks she is
Just picture her after she's had kids
I bet she sits at home and listens to The Smiths
Deep down she's just like everybody else

So why are you sat at home?
You're not designed to be alone
You just got used to saying "no"
So get up and get down and get outside
Cause it's a lovely sunny day
But you hide yourself away
You've only got yourself to blame
Get up and get down and get outside

He's not as clever as he likes to think
He's just ambitious with his arguing
He's crap at dancing, yeah and he can't hold his drink
Deep down he's just like everybody else

I'm not as awesome as this song makes out
I'm angry, underweight and sketching out
I'm building bonfires on my vanities and doubts
To get warm just like everybody else

So why are you sat at home?
You're not designed to be alone
You just got used to saying "no"
So get up and get down and get outside
Cause it's a lovely sunny day
But you hide yourself away
You've only got yourself to blame
Get up and get down and get outside

Amy thinks that life is lacking in drama
So she fell for horoscopes, faith-healing and karma
She's so wrapped up in her invisible armor
She'll never grow into herself
And it's OK thinking me and all my friends are just wasters
But saying that I can still see through her heirs and graces
I bet she's scared her life won't leave any traces
Caught up like everyone else

That's not the point anyway
Oh darling, I felt compelled to call you up to say
So why are you sat at home?
You're not designed to be alone
You just got used to saying "no"
So get up and get down and get outside
Cause it's a lovely sunny day
But you hide yourself away
You've only got yourself to blame

Get up and get down and get outside
Get up and get down and get outside
Get up and get down and get outside
Get up and get down and get outside
Get up and get down and get outside
Get up and get down and get outside

Mix Tape Monday: Little Boxes

My friend Jess sent me this vid last week and I've had it stuck in my head ever since. You may have already seen this band's cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," but I think this one is so much more interesting.

 Reasons I love it:
1. Their voices (but especially Gianni's - in red)
2. Gianni's hair, duh.
3. The production design (fabulous)
4. The fact that they pop up randomly, reminding me of the wedding scene in Love, Actually
5. The instruments are made out of random items (like the beautiful cigar box guitars), which is reminiscent of jug bands (when people during the Depression would make instruments out of anything they could find for entertainment)
6. Every single person in this large-ish band shows legit musical ability (just think about it: the different sized tubes? Incredible.)
7. Every time I watch it I notice something new: like the most recent time when I realized Gianni's slide is a toilet paper roll
8. Malvina Reynolds wrote this song in 1962 and it's still relevant, today

 So, I hope you enjoy Walk of the Earth's rendition of "Little Boxes" as much as I do. Also, there's a "Making Of..." video posted after the lyrics. Check it out, if you want be cool.



"Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds/Walk Off the Earth
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes all the same 

There’s a pink one and a green one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same 

And the people in the houses
All went to the university
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same 

And there’s doctors and lawyers
And business executives
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same 

And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martinis dry
And they all have pretty children
And the children go to school 

And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university
Where they are put in boxes
And they come out all the same 

And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same 

There’s a pink one and a green one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same

Mix Tape Monday: Are You Sad?

This song is by no means new, but I used to listen to it repeatedly my freshman year of college. Today, I randomly stuck an old mixCD into my player and was reminded of how much I loved this song.

I made this video myself using stock footage. It's been over two years since I've edited anything and I didn't have much to work with, so please forgive the amateurishness (yes, I made that word up). It's nothing special. No footage or, even images, of the band. Just felt like playing around with Final Cut Pro again since there were no vids I particularly loved on YouTube.

Here goes:



Are You Sad? - Our Lady Peace
Your life has been so hard
It's dried up
Angels can't keep guard
And I'm trying to reach your hand

But I'm on fire, I never meant
To fade away, away
Oh, just stop pretending
When they say you're nothing

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
Are you locked in your room?
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
Are you locked in your room?
You shouldn't be

I'm drowning inside your head
Help me to answer, help understand
Why it's been so long
Since we talked like friends?

Oh, please forgive me, I'm just a man
Who's made mistakes
Oh, just stop pretending
When they say you're nothing

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
Are you locked in your room?
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
Are you locked in your room?
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
Are you locked in your room?
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
Are you locked in your room?
You shouldn't be

You shouldn't be
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?
You shouldn't be

Are you sad?
Are you holding yourself?

Crafty Time - Dictionary Art

So, I found this dictionary page graphic from the Graphics Fairy and decided to mimic those dictionary prints so popular on Etsy. Here are the steps for the methods I tried.

1. I opened the dictionary page in Photoshop and removed the background so it would print white. I wanted to try to age the paper myself.
2. Print dictionary page.

Method 2 is the one in the top right

3. Choose image to print over page. I found a bunch of random images on Google and tampered with them (hopefully this falls under Fair Use since I'm not selling anything). I'll make them available at the end of the post. I really wanted a birdcage image, so there's a few of them to choose from.
4. Now, here's where I tried 3 different methods. All of them worked, but some better than others:

• Method 1: I sprayed a clear paint finish over the dictionary page before printing the second graphic over it. I was worried the ink would run together if I didn't.
• Method 2: I printed the second graphic directly over the dictionary page without the spray paint coat. No bleeding, worked just fine.
• Method 3: I waited until after the aging process to print the second graphic.

5. Now, here's the other difference in methods (the aging process).

• Methods 1&2: I put each page in a cookie sheet, poured cold liquid coffee over the pages, and then sprinkled coffee grounds in the corners and rubbed them in to make them look even more worn at the edges. Then I stuck them in the oven at 170 F for about six minutes. After that, I removed them from the cookie sheets and let them dry in the sun.
• Method 3: I laid the page out in a cookie sheet and poured Diet Coke over it. Then I sprinkled coffee grounds on it. After that, I let it soak in the sun, then removed it from the liquid and let it dry in the sun.

All of the methods worked fine, but Method 1 ended up looking kind of weird with the clear spray paint. The aging process of Method 3 (Diet Coke) worked well and produced a lighter page than Methods 1&2, however, waiting to print the second graphic was a mistake because the page is a little more fragile after drying.

All in all, I would recommend Method 2 for printing. Then, if you want a darker page, use coffee for the aging, and Diet Coke, if you want a lighter page.

Birdcage	Birdcage
Verne's Albatross	Birdcage