Novelties and Curiosities

Somewhere, Nevada. Summer 2006.



Broken Windmill, Tobin Range, Nevada. Summer 2006;



Self Portrait, 2007.



Sunrise, Berthoud Pass Colorado, September 2006.



"The Rain Won't Quit", Georgetown Island, Maine. May 2009.



Deer Isle, Maine. July 2009.



Guess no one else was looking, Monolith, 2009.



Canyon Country, Utah, October 2009.



Fluorite, Minerva Mine, Cave-in-rock, Hardin County, Illinois. ~25 cm . across. Personal Collection.



Franklin, New Jersey, May 2005.



Symmetry is Scary. Ogdensburg, New Jersey, January 2004.



West Headframe, Sterling Mine, Ogdensburg, New Jersey. 2003.





No Trespassing//Through the Wire, Eden Mills, Vermont, January 2005.

Doing nothing is so nice.

Tomorrow

My eyes caught the back corner of your jean pocket, bright blue denim in the August sun,

the backwards glances stolen from hazel eyes, bright with furious focus, you determined my fate on that muggy summer afternoon, why tomorrow must we endlessly postpone today,

tall trees lit by the relentless sun, green grass sizzles with the morning dew, gaping mouth of the ocean beckons with gray-green edges, guess I thought I knew you better, stranger.

If there is no past, and no future, only the bullshit of the present, then lets embrace it, and thrive on it's uncertainty and beautiful immediateness, meaning drafted from grand plans in some musty old shed, you know, the type every real New Englander keeps their old "fixer up'er" in, a noble hulk of an old sports car or sailboat, just waiting for the "right time."

Time, while we're on the subject, ah time, what a contrived idea, nature doesn't abide by silly rhythm's of numbers and tick marks, so in the spirit of forever being now, let's fix up the old sailboat now, break sweat painting creaking wooden beams, get covered in various toxic chemicals in a poorly-ventilated shed in August, then strip naked and dive into the ocean, just to get a taste of what's ahead. Dinner will be brought on the heels of ambition and yearning, for rest and also for energy, because tomorrow's never yesterday.

Roof Crack

Sat my ass on the red sandstone dirt on the side of a fading mountain, disappearing off the edge of the desert horizon, the sun lit the last few moved out from under this overhanging prow of erosion, I stretched the edges of my lanky frame upwards in a wild lunge, less calm and calculated than I'd hoped, but with the same brilliant result, hands met a shallow incut, a hidden weakness in the clean, sharp sandstones lines, and suddenly gravity pulled viciously downward with all the weight and expectations of the world as my feet cut out from under me, a deft swing into the vast blue sky, I gritted a little harder against the downward tug of school, work, and schedules, as suddenly my hands crossed the sun line and the sharp sand grains cutting my palm felt like nothing because the only place to go was down, down to friends and lovers and strangers with whom I can only share a hollow "yeah, It was a good day." Every day climbing is a good day.

1-2 1-2

Here's a short list of some of the better remixes I've been spinnin lately that I really like:

1.) Empire of the Sun, "We are the people" Shazam Remix

2.) The Juan Maclean, "One Day" Surkin Remix

3.) Ladyhawke, "Dusk Till Dawn" Linus Loves Remix

4.) Ladyhawke, "Paris is Burning" Cut Copy Remix

5.) Phoenix, "Lisztomania" Classixx Remix

6.) Grum, "Whoa" ULTRNX mix

7.) Chromeo, "Call Me Up" Kill the noise remix

8.) CSS "Move" Cut Copy Remix

9.) M.I.A "Paper Planes" DFA Remix

10.) Chromeo, "Bonafide Lovin" Yuksex remix

11.) Chromeo, "100 Percent" Treasure Fingers Remix

12.) MSTRKRFT, "Bounce" Bloody Beetroots Remix

13.) CSS, "Alala" Bonde De Role Remix

14.) Anoraak, "Nightdrive with you" GRUM Remix

15.) Cut Copy, "Hearts on Fire" Calvin Harris Remix

16.) Fischerspooner, "Danse en France", D.I.M Remix

17.) The Juan Maclean, "Tito's Way" Reverso68 Remix

18.) The Junior Boys, "FM" Tensnake Remix

19.) Metric "Monster Hospital" MSTRKRFT Remix

20.) Ting Tings, "Thats not my name" L.A Riots Remix [GET THIS SONG!]

21.) Teenager, "Alone Again" Van She Remix

22.) Yelle, "A Cause de Garcons" TePR Remix

23.) 33Hz, "Paris, Texas" DJ Razemurder Remix

24.) Nacho Lovers, "Acid Life" Surkin Remix

25.) Kanye West, "Stronger" A-Trak remix.

Some random unusual and possibly interesting facts about me:

So I've succumbed to the peer pressure here and am writing one of these. Here goes.

1.) My real first name is Max, not Maximilian or Maxwell or anything, just Max, but I have always gone by Philip, my middle name, as long as I can remember. Philip is a family name that goes back quite a ways, so I suppose it is more appropriate anyways.

2.) I was born in Upsalla, Sweden, and lived in the suburbs of Stockholm until I was six, when I moved to the U.S. Growing up I was fluent in English and Swedish, as both my parents are scientists so we always spoke english at home.

3.) This past summer, while solo mountaineering in British Columbia, I fell 40 feet into a gully after I accidentally dislodged a 300 pound loose block that rolled back on me. I broke my jaw and got a few nasty cuts ,but was fine otherwise. I hiked out 7 miles the next day and was taken to a hospital from there. Subsequently I had my jaw wired shut for 6 weeks.

4.) I have a mineral collection of over 3,000 specimens, ranging from stuff I've found in my backyard to pieces worth over $1000 each. I've been collecting minerals and fossils since I was around 10 years old, and am considering selling my current collection for around $40,000. I've been working on it for over 10 years.

5.) While working for Newmont Mining Corp. in northern Nevada in the summer of 2006, I climbed over 20 desert high peaks in Nevada, Utah, and California, some of which saw only an ascent or two a year at the most.

6.) I grew up on 75 acres on Long Island in New York, where we had 3 barns, a pool house, an extremely leaky but huge in-ground pool, a cottage, my grandparents house, and my great aunt and uncle's house. We had horses, cats, dogs, tractors, buggy's, a revolutionary war graveyard, and several endangered species of plants on our property.

7.) When I was a kid I climbed the tallest tree in my town and used 12" railroad spikes from home depot I nailed into the tree to get up the first 50 feet where there were no branches, then you had to jump for the branches after that because they were so far apart. My friend and I built a platform at 60 feet up and another one at 125 feet, and on windy days at the top you would sway a good 20 feet from the ground.

8.) I've always had about the same color red hair, but in the summer it gets lighter, then darker in the winter. I used to be terrified of old ladies, particularly librarians, as they always wanted to touch my hair!

9.) I tried modeling and acting as a little kid [NOT my idea], but was deemed to "hyperactive" to do that well at either. Probably a good call.

10.) I was a vegetarian from when I was about 6 up until a few years ago, but still don't eat Red Meat or Pork, mostly just because I don't like the taste.

11.) In high school I went through a phase where I knew the lyrics by heart to almost Every Bob Marley song ever made, and owned SIX Bob Marley t-Shirts.

12.) The first time my mom took me to the top of the hill and let me go on my own when I was learning to ski [I was four], I just pointed em' straight and got going so fast I skidded out into the parking lot about 500 feet. Miraculously I was fine, but was crying because "I stopped".

13.) I've probably traveled a little over a year of my life and something like 2,000 miles either in a canoe or on foot.

14.) I've been north of the Arctic Circle many times, but never south of the Virgin Islands.

15.) At one point I had over 136 freckles on my face alone. My friend counted them one day.

16.) I am absolutely terrified of cockroaches. Centipedes too come to think of it.

17.) I refused to eat pizza with cheese on it until about a year ago. I would just get all the toppings and no cheese. I still don't eat cheese really except for sharp white cheddar. It has to be sharp. And White. I'm a cheese racist.

18.) I have hereditary high cholesterol on my father's side of my family, so I take 10 mg. of Lipitor every day, yup, the same stuff your fat old Grandpa probably takes.

19.) For about 5 years as a kid I wanted to be a Chef, I still entertain the notion occasionally. I use to bake pies, cookies, breads, chocolates, pastries, ect... and won a bunch of bake contests, like the ones your grandma probably is into. I still really love to cook!

20.) I've probably eaten a lot of things you have never heard of.

21.) In high school I gave tours at a former underground mine that had been turned into a mining museum. The area is known as the Fluorescent Mineral Capitol of the World", and we would take visitors underground and turn on special U.V lights that made the walls light up bright colors.

22.) I consider myself a far left-wing liberal atheist with occasional Buddhist/Karma-influenced tendencies.

23.) I once ran and swam over 4 miles stark naked, then ended up in mud that was so deep you would sink up to your chest if you weren't careful. I also was wheeled through Golden on a float once, mostly naked and covered in crisco.

24.) I once wore the same pair of Chacos for over 200 consecutive days!

25.) The First college party I ever went to I ended up rappeling off the side of a 50 foot high Castle Tower.

Well there you have it. Just a small glimse into my crazy, demented life. It just keeps getting better!

Here's an old list I compiled last year that I just re-discovered:

~Best Dance/Hip Hop/Tech/House Single's of 2008~

1.) “Across the Dancefloor” [Chromeo Mix], Treasure Fingers.
2.) “High School”, Tiga
3.) “Magic” [Frequency Crunch Mix], The Ones
4.) “Bonafide Lovin”, Chromeo
5.) “21st Century Life”, Sam Sparro
6.) “Got this Down”, Simian Mobile Disco
7.) “Romantic Rights” [Marczech Makuziak Mix], Death From Above 1979.
8.) “Told Her on Alderaan”, Neon Neon
9.) “Numbers/D.J Kicks”, Booka Shade
10.) “Daft Punk in Playing at my House”, LCD Soundsystem
11.) “Fancy Footwork”, Chromeo.
12.) “Otto’s Song”, Mylo
13.) “You’re my Disco” [New Romantics Mix], Waldorf.
14.) “The Pinks”, Boom Bip
15.) “Say Whoa”, A-Trak
16.) “Stronger” [A-Trak Mix], Kanye West.
17.) “Give Me the Night” [A.T.O.C Mix], Xavier.
18.) “Seventeen”, Ladytron.
19.) “Hearts on Fire [Calvin Harris Mix], Cut Copy
20.) “Stars”, Cut Copy.
21.) “Silver City”, Ghostland Observatory.
22.) “Ultramodern” [ATOC Mix], The Ones
23.) “Bodywork”, MSTRKRFT.
24.) “Grip Like a Vice”, The Go! Team.
25.) “Chrome Night” [Feat. Chromeo], Surkin
26.) “Shove It” [Feat. Spank Rock], Santogold.
27.) “Minuit Jacuzzi.” [DaTa Mix], TePR.
28.) “Between Them and Us”, Moving Units.
29.) “Move Your Feet”, Junior Senior.
30.) “DVNO”, Justice
31.) “Alone”, Tennishero
32.) “Crazy All the Time”, 33 Hz
33.) “Girl and the Sea” [Cut Copy Mix], The Presets.
34.) “Enemies Like This”, Radio 4
35.) “My Time is Running Out”, The Juan McClean
36.) “Paris, Texas” [DJ Murdafunk Mix], 33 Hz
37.) “Pins”, Alex Metric.
38.) “She’z N Control”, Chromeo
39.) “Waiting to Die”, Mickey Avalon
40.) “Hipster Girl”, MC Lars
41.) “Get Live”, Strange Fruit Project
42.) “Stay”, Moka Only
43.) “Negative Thinking” [Treasure Fingers Mix], The Death Set.
44.) “I’m Totally not down with Rob’s Alien”, Minus the Bear
45.) “Drilling”, Minus The Bear
46.) “The Geeks Were Right”, The Faint
47.) “Next of Kin” [Todd Edwards Re-Remix], Surkin
48.) “Disco Twilight” [A.T.O.C Dub], Xavier
49.) “Fa-Fa-Fa”, Datarock
50.) “Clingwrap”, Sam Sparro
51.) “T-Rex”, Wallpaper
52.) “Kept Low” [Cut Copy Mix], Mercy Arms
53.) “Everytime We Do it”, Wallpaper
54.) “Ghost House.”, Teenage Bad Girl.
55.) “Mirando”, Ratatat
56.) “Falcon Jab”, Ratatat
57.) “Hot Flashes”, 33 Hz
58.) “Saturday Night Live”, Ohmega Watts
59.) “All Good.” [Feat. Chaka Kahn”, Dilated Peoples
60.) “Drop”, The Pharcyde
61.) “The Ballad of Noah”, K-OS
62.) “Burn it all down [Midnight Juggernauts Mix], VHS or BETA
63.) “Of Montreal”, The Stills
64.) “Don’t Cry Out”, Shiny Toy Guns
65.) “Monster Hospital” [MSRTKRFT Mix], Metric
66.) “Picture Perfect” [The Rapture HushHush Mix], The Ones
67.) “Am I High.”, N.E.R.D
68.) “Face to Face”, Daft Punk
69.) “When Did Your Heart Go Missing”, Rooney
70.) “Pogo”, Digitalism
71.) “Echoes”, Digitalism
72.) “Hold On”, The Holy Ghost
73.) “Crockett’s Theme”, FPU
74.) “Are You Sensation”,TigerCity
75.) “Digital Lover”, 33 Hz
76.) “Radio Retaliation” [Feat. Sleepy Wonder], Thievery Corporation
77.) “So Rich, So Pretty”, Mickey Avalon.

An amended list of song's that almost made the cut:

1.) "Your My Disco": Waldorf: 'A Touch of Class S***s!'
2.) "Daft Punk is Playing at My House": LCD Soundsystem: LCD Soundsystem
3.) "Dont Cry Out": Shiny Toy Guns: 'We Are Pilots'
4.) "Lapdance": N.E.R.D: 'In Search Of....'
5.) "Call on Me [Radio Edit]": Eric Prydz: 'Call on Me EP'
6.) 'Resolution': Thievery Corporation: 'Babylon Rewound'
7,) 'Heaven': VHS or BETA: 'Le Funk'.
8.) "Music is my Hot, Hot Sex": C.S.S: 'Cansei De Ser Sexy'
9.) "Voyager": Daft Punk: 'Discovery'.
10.) "Vanished": Crystal Castles: 'Crystal Castles EP.'
11.) "Between us and them": Moving Units: 'Dangerous Dreams.'
12.) 'Face to Face': Daft Punk: 'Discovery.'
13.) "Superstar: A Touch of Class Extended Mix": The Ones: 'Superstar- Single.'
14.) 'Flawless: Atoc ReRemix": The Ones: 'Flawless EP.'
15.) "Kung Fu Fighting Feat. Carl Douglas: Hong Kong Harbor Dub": Dubblestandart: 'Heavy Heavy Monster Dub.'
16.) "Disco Paradise": VHS Or Beta: 'Le Funk'
17.) "Easy Love": MSTRKRFT: 'The looks.'
18.) "Ready for the Floor": Hot Chip: 'Made in the dark.'
19.) "The Pinks": Boom Bip: 'Sacchrilidge.'
20.) "D.A.N.C.E": Justice: 'The Cross.'
21.) "High School": Tiga: 'Sexor'
22.) "Buscando" [Karuan vs. Circus Remix]: Madrid De Los Austrias: This is How We Lounge Vol. II.'
23.) "Pressure": Mylo: 'Destroy Rock and Roll'
24.) "I got this down": Simian Mobile Disco: "Attack Sustain Decay Release.'
25.) "Otto's Journey": Mylo: Destroy Rock and Roll.'
26.) 'In My Arms": Mylo: "Destroy Rock and Roll."
27.) "I feel upside down" [ATOC Original Edit]: The Ones: 'I feel Upside Down Remixes Vol. I'
28.) "Magic" [Frequency Crunch Remix]: The Ones: 'The Ones.'
29.) "Ultramodern Disco" [ATOC Voxmaster Remix: The Ones: 'Ultramodern/Blast EP.'
30.) "Forever": VHS or BETA: 'Night on Fire.'

Tags

21st Century Life

Climbing Sketch

Tattoo Design

Tattoo Design

1-LOVE

THIEVERY CORPORATION RADIO RETALIATION

ENERGY

COLORADO

STYLE

SSSSKKKKIIIIIIINNNNGGGG

Skiing this past weekend was fantastic. I know, such an unusual situation for me right? Really newsworthy. But it was absolutely superb. It's funny how our moods are so tied to activities that really serve no intrinsic value in our lives other than to make us happy, and, although I consider this to be of paramount importance in of itself, much of society would disagree with me, I feel. I feel truly blessed to be in a position in life where I can pursue activities like skiing and climbing at a level that transcends recreation and fits closer between a lifestyle and an obsession. In light of this, as much as I like to be cynical and judgemental about the corporations that have transformed a large aspect of skiing culture into something marketable, my recent powder day at Vail yesterday prompted the following letter to Vail Resorts:

"Let me start by saying I ski a lot. 60, 70, sometimes pushing 80 days a season. Skiing is more important to me than almost anything else in life, and thus, choosing a pass that fits my lifestyle is very important. Quite simply, there is not other ski pass I know of in North America that combines the value and versatility of Vail Resort's Epic Pass. In an age where big ski corporations are increasingly taking skiing out of the means of young people like myself, it is refreshing to see a genuinely good deal with gimmicks or catches. Last season is particular was just stellar; from sunny late-season afternoons bashing soft moguls at A-Basin, to incomparable powder days at Vail and Beaver Creek, it was indeed epic. one day, and more specifically, one run stands out in my mind, and is a memory I often turn to during trying times to remind myself how good life can be.

It was an overcast, chilly day in mid-January, and, driving over Vail Pass, I knew it was going to be good, as the trees were sagging low under a foot of fresh powder on top of almost 3 feet in the past week. Driving down intro the Vail valley, the open expanse of Benchmark Bowl, a backcountry gem adjacent to the eastern edge of the resort, peaked out from thick clouds, and thoughts of deep, untracked powder made it hard to concentrate on the road. 20 minutes later my friend, a long tome valley local, and myself were being whisked up the mountain on the Vista Bahn Express, en route to the backside for some fresh tracks. Just as the lift crested the top of the ridge, sunlight lit up my smile as the clouds broke and a bluebird skies filled the Gore Range, as they have a funny way of doing around here, even after the most intense storm. Silently, with a mutual understanding of where we were going and what our destination was, we dove into Sun Up Bowl, and WOW, what snow! It is often said skiing deep powder is akin to flying, and on this morning, I felt like I had grown wings and i sliced through the softest, lightest fluff of the season, sending great clouds of it up in my wake and wearing a smile you could see for miles.

After a few more blissful, uncrowded laps [Vail really is NEVER too crowded, even on the busiest holiday weekend, you just have to no where to go], we set off for our destination for the day; a spectacular and humbling backcountry area adjacent to the resort known as East Vail. Make no mistake, this is not a place for the inexperienced or unequipped skier to ever venture, but for the prepared backcountry traveller, it offers an experience unequalled in this part of Colorado. I had been eying a specific line all season and had a hunch that with the recent snow it had finally filled in enough to be skiable, so we set off for a tough to find slot in the trees leading to a steep, powder-filled chute I had dubbed the "magic forest." Sure enough, I was able to re-trace my path there from last season memories, and soon we stood at the top of a series of perfect "pillows" [large boulders covered in enough snow to hop between them]. Brooding, moss-covered conifers loomed tall and filtered golden shards of sunlight down on the fresh snow,and I shivered with both anticipation for the run and in awe of being in such a beautiful place.

The slope fell away at a precipitous angle towards the valley below, ragged groups of aspens clinging to cliffs and dark, magic clearings covered in untracked snow appearing through the thick clouds. There is something about being in the backcountry on days like this, a feeling of blissful seperation from the bustle and chaos in the valley below, a singularity of purpose that seems so rare in the world today. I almost felt like a 19th century explorer travelling through the uncharted and mysterious west for the first time, except instead of snowshoes and fur jackets, I was sliding downhill on acomplexly engineered pieces of p-tex, plastic, wax, and metal. Yet something primal and instinctual about the experience still perservered, and I understood the desire to know and see that motivated native Americans to settle this area for the first time thousands of years ago.

I clicked into my bindings and suddenly I was fluid, liquid moving in a carefully controlled cascade down through trees, chutes and wide open powder fields, hooting and hollering the whole way until finally arriving back at the East Vail bus stop, stranding among a dozen of so strangers all covered in snow and grinning ear to ear. There aren't many places like Vail, places that touch your soul and make you forget about all the stress, all the bad stuff in the world, and become completely absorbed in the moment, the experience. I feel blessed for every run I've taken and every run I'll taker in these mountains, and I want to thank Vail Resorts for making my dream a reality. Thank you!!
Best,
Philip Persson.

Couleurs

Airport Run

Hot, delicious May afternoon air, muggy and reflective, baked off the runway as I made a turn on the long, curving track of asphalt next to the airport, late day runs are always the best, myself, alone with my rhythm on the pavement and the raucous green weeds in the ditches, neat hedgerows and secret houses, speeding pickups and darting birds my only company. Just when I though for once life had distilled into something manageable, I rounded the blind spot under tall White Pines and there you were, smiling, running towards me, I suppose I knew you were going for a run as well, we live together, work together, eat together, for the moment at least, or perhaps that was just my memory of the future. Now that I recall a bit, we set off together, you laughed when I said I'd wait for you, go at your pace, I smiled and took off at a fast enough clip to escape society, 40 minutes ago seems like decades, when your caught up in a run. So we passed each other now, you laughed and gave me a swift smack on the butt as we crossed path's, I stiffened a bit with happiness and surprise, I don't love you, but I like you, I wanted to so much to be friends, like spring wants to be summer, but, like summer wants to be fall, things change without reason nor warning, and I'll probably never see you again.

We shared a warmth of friendship without pretense, without expectations, without awkwardness, that I long for so much these days. Last I heard your roaming the jungles of Central America, sounds like a made up half dream for a suburban Connecticut girl, but you did it, and god dammit if I'm not a little bit jealous. I'm tired of school, tired of restraining my true craziness to fit this urban wilderness, I want to run out to the airport again with no watch or destination; remember when we ran barefoot out to the point, stripped down naked and slipped on slick green seaweed into the gaping gray maw of the sea? The water was fucking freezing and I wish I could feel that alive every day, eat when I'm hungry, sleep when I'm, tired, run when I'm energetic, swim when I'm uncertain. Uncertain about the past, the present and the future, I miss the farm, planting something with my hands and being damn tired enough at the end of the day. my hands too calloused and rough to caress the problems of the world.

Out there on 485 acres of Maine coastline, I felt like those aboriginals you read about in middle school in National Geographic who have no other words to describe themselves with expect as "the people", you know, I feel so blessed, but also so hollow, I'm tired of being optimistic about mediocrity, enthusiastic about routine, ambivalent about chaos. I want to embrace uncertainty like it's the only thing that matters, like going sailing with Jacob, laughing as we dragged the little sloop up some muddy tidal stream with the current ripping at 10 knots lout in the channel, riptide in the July afternoon sun, 5 bajillion tacks to make it back to the harbor, upwind and upcurrent, seem like much of of life these days. We let the wind steer our ambition nowhere in particular, just forward, talked about school, politics, girls, life. Your so certain, just a kid but steady and kind, I know that just by your smile.

I like giving you a hard time because I know you can kick it right back at me, I lean way out over the rails as the boat heels hard in an afternoon gust, salt spray licks the edge of my week-old stubble and sea foam whips up swirling eddies in our wake. I chide you a bit about all the girls who checked you out at our recent sailing meet at the girls camp up the coast, but I hesitate as I see your normally bulletproof confidence waver, you say your not sure your really into those girls, I want to tell you its ok, I know what that feels like. We bring the bow around on a sharp windward jive and soon we are hauling ass, flying back into the cove, the boat shudders and lurches with momentum and soon we are stumbling up the landing to the boathouse, weather-beaten sails in hand, drunk on the possibility of nothing and everything being OK in the end.

Best Of..... opinionated speculation.

Here's an informal idea I had a while back at making up a few lists of "Best Of the 2000-2010" music. By no means accurate, all-inclusive, or even that well researched, but here goes:

Best Beat Makers/Producers: [Hip hop and R&B]:

9th Wonder, Jay Dilla, Dr. Who Dat? [Jneiro Jarel], Moka Only, Flying Lotus, Shingo Suzuki.

Best of the "New-Wave" Electronica Scene:

Neon Neon, Chromeo, Calvin Harris, The Ones, A Touch Of Class Records, DFA Records.

Best of French Electronica Scene:

M83, Justice, Surkin, Para One, Strip Steve, Institubes Records, Ed Banger Records.

Best of French "New Wave" Electronica Scene:

Valerie, College, Anoraak, Tesla Boy [OK, I think they are Russian, but I'm lumping them in this category because their sound is so similar], Digikid84, FutureCop! [English, but same reasons for including them as above].

Best of Australian "New Wave" Electronica Scene:

Cut Copy, Grafton Primary, Theater of Disco, The Presets, Sam Sparro.

Best of Australian Tech-House Scene:

Shazam, Bang Gang Records, Cassian, Bag Raiders.

Hip Hop:

Erykah Badu, Ohmega Watts, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, J-Live, People Under The Stairs, Moka Only, Jay Dilla/Jaylib, Gangstarr, Hieroglyphics, K-OS, The Notorious B.I.G, Kanye West [Late Registration and College Dropout], Zion-I. Sure I'm forgetting lot's here!!

Scandinavian Indie Electronica [how's that for a category!]:

The Knife, Kleerup, Miike Snow, Royksopp, Skatebaard, Air France.

Dirty/Glitchy Beats/Breakbeat Producers:

Flying Lotus, Onra, Jay Dilla, Moka Only, Mike Slott, Alex Metric, Hudson Mohawke, Dam- Funk, All City Dublin Records, Warp Records.

Downtempo/World/Ambient Electronica:

Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack, Amon Tobin, Kuba.

Tech-House/Electronica Remixers:

DJ Classixx, Treasure Fingers, Kill The Noise, Van She, The Twelves, Alex Metric, VHS or BETA.

I was reading an article on NPR today about Baltimore-based experimental electronica musician Dan Deacon and he had the following comment which I thought merited a little discussion:

""I just wanted to make a record that wasn't escapism," he says. "Like, I didn't want to write another record that was devoid of meaningful content. I feel like there's a lot of that going around, especially within dance music — a lot of it is just, you know, music that's written exclusively for abandoning reality in an altered state of mind. And I think an altered state of mind is very important, but in a responsible sense."

Exactly. I'm so tired of people over-analyzing dance music. It is meant to be a unique and open experience for the listener, and it's not so much about the meaning or lack of meaning in the lyrics, or some subtle, arcane aspect of the production as it is about how it makes you move/feel. So much great dance music is actually quite complex, which is what makes it great, and different from much of what I think the general public considers "dance", ie boring and repetitive computer-generated breakbeats and synth progressions that go nowhere. The cheesy, guido-inducing "big house" production of DJ's like Guetta or Armin Van Buren might fill shows at strove-lighted mega clubs, but they do little to pique the interest of the more experienced and discerning listener. Take Scottish producer Mylo, for example. His 04' record "Destroy Rock And Roll" is one of the better recent dance albums out there, along with Calvin Harris' debut album "I Created Disco." Are they experimental opus's of creative bliss? Certainly not. In fact, i'd say my only real criticism of them is that they can be a little too formulaic at times. However, this works perfectly for the sounds and quality they are looking to achieve, and if their music doesn't want to make you dance, you probably have some impaired motor skills or something.

Just like prodigal beat maker J Dilla catalyzed the underground hip hop scene with his beats, these artists have electrified the modern dance scene into something both light and deeply consequential. Most importantly, they manage to produce music that is catchy without being cheesy or over-produced, fluid without being boring, funky without being weird. This is sort of like the people who try and tell me Animal Collective is "accessible and danceable." With the exception of a few tracks like "My Girls", which differ significantly in beat structure and style from most of their work, their music is NOT what I would call danceable or accessible. This is not to say it is insignificant. Far from it, its like if the creative improvisation ability of Phish or Widespread discovered synth's and trippy vocal effects. What I m saying is that while successful modern dance like 'The Ones', Calvin Harris, or Mylo might be somewhat formulaic, their sound is undeniably catchy and fresh, which, in my opinion, are the only things that really matter in dance music.

Kinda Thirsty

~Basin and Range~

Bows of sunken warships breach the silent sagebrush valleys,

thrust skyward along cottonwood filled canyons and spiny couloirs,

a dirt road splayed across the sunbaked earth, fingerprints on a cracked palm.

A plume of red dust erupts behind a blaze of red, a pickup truck en route to god's country.

Bluest blue rises to meet a ridgecrest, lodgepole pines that cling to rock and the elements, determined to make a place here. I have come so far to get home, but this emptiness loses itself

in the nothingness of forever. You lure me across an endless plain, born on the horizon line of the desert, past a cow, a barn, a fenceline, a lifestyle. Creases in the unbroken West set against a sky with no borders; why have I not met you earlier, when indeed,

I found myself.

~Windowsill~

Dark winter, snow's bright, please stay here, tonight. Some things last forever, some things last for never, just like the windowsill, silent, brooding light spills over the whitewashed edges to my bed, the day beckons, but for what? Sleep is too scary, alone with my thoughts and the covers, naked under the windowsill, the light reflects off the bright white snow.

~Hitchin~

Thumbin' up the Redwood Coast, never been the type to boast,

the stubble tickles the scar under my chin, guess against nature we can't always win.

Fell into a crevasse up in the those wild mountains in B.C, 6 weeks wired shut sure ain't easy.

Taught me a thing or two about humility. Throw my pack in the back of your truck, guess I don't really give a fuck, rules and expectations they fade each day like the sun, never thought the road would be this fun. And I don't wanna cry my whole life through, yeah I wanna do some laughin too, so meet me up in Arcata, Moonstone Beach, I'll be skippin' stones dig my toes into the sand and rest my bones, the world only makes you weary if you close your soul.

~All these people aren't like you~

All these people aren't like you.

You sit near me, just a row behind, working of your computer, click click clack swift keyboards strokes, I don't know you but I can tell your so damn smart, maybe not super smart, but kind, your smile makes me embarrassed for even thinking about how much I like you, don't even know you, oh, and your gorgeous, hot is a mediocre adjective for your perfect dirty blonde hair and brilliant eyes, we had a brief conversation, I knew you wanted to talk to me, you were curious at least, don't know if you play for my team but you've thought about it, I know that at least, or else our conversation, wouldn't have been nearly as deliciously awkward. I should have asked your name. I should have asked your number. I should have asked that we leave and go directly to my place and do things that don't need to be mentioned here. But I'll see you on Tuesday. Oh, Tuesday, too far away, also too soon, cuz I'm already nervous thinking of seeing you, tired or stolen glances that cover my lust with feigned indifference, I'm a master of corny romanticism and non-reciprocal crushes, but I'm a pretty cool cat too, you see that, your intrigued, I care about how I look, but so do you, and I think we both share a little humility and sense of place in the world that brings things back, into focus. I love you and I don't even know you. But maybe that's just love.

A Ne'er-do-well does damn near well.

It's funny how these things seem to come to me only at times like when I see a photo of someone I just know is a good person, just by their smile, or after an oversized Latte-induced caffeine high post-climbing, but here goes:

~Climbing Ethics~

Climbing ethics are an interesting thing. No, I'm not referring to the age-old bolted vs. unbolted argument, or development of new crags, for that matter. These issues are really pretty straightforward when you take a little time to get to the heart of the matter. What is a bit more esoteric and difficult to quantify, however, are the personal ethics of how climbing effects our social lives and the way we connect [or don't connect] with others. It is often said that climbers and mountaineers are inherently selfish and intensely focused people, prone to extremes of reason and compassion over things "normal" people find mundane or strange. This is obviously a gross generalization, but is rooted in some truths about the type of people often attracted to the big mountains.

I realized today that while it's mid-January in Colorado, and, the recent "warm" spell not withstanding, not exactly prime sending weather, I've been on rock in some form of climbing for 5 out of the past 7 days. Is this particularly unusual for me? Not really. Has it served at a catalyst to examine so deeper positive and negative issues in my life? Certainly. Monday I bouldered at Morrison [finally sent longstanding problem, yay!], Tuesday again I found myself pebble-wrestling on some crimpy red Fountain sandstone at Flagstaff, then Saturday in Eldorado Canyon climbing some fun moderates with local hardman and season vet Stu Richie. Sunday, I ventured out for a few trad and sport multipitch lines in Boulder Canyon, retreating in the afternoon as some flurries turned to snow in from the divide. As for my social life over the past week.... wait, what social life? I suppose I did go see the new Tom Ford movie "A Single Man" Friday night with a friend who seemed at one time not too long ago to be a romantic interest and now I'm hoping can just be a friend, as I sat in the movie theater absorbing the stunning visual aesthetics of the film, I realized how much I like this person and yet dislike myself for not being physically attracted to them. Realizing this also was the acceptance of my own free will and ability to trust my intuition and do what's right for me.

There are some things in my life I need to sort out before I can really have a relationship with someone else right now. Anyways, I recently read an editorial in Climbing Magazine by Majka Burkhart about trying to date non-climbers, and I have to say I instantly empathized with her in a sense. Something that has become so important and stabilizing in my life; how can I reduce this to "oh, it was fun", or "yah, we did some nice routes today"? I realized this is a very selfish and narrow attitude, but right not it works for me when other things don't, and while I don;t expect a fellow lunatic like myself, it would be nice to be around someone who empathizes when I'm not feeling sexually energetic or charismatic or creative because I'm tired from bouldering today and I'm getting up early to go to Eldo tomorrow and right now I just need to go to sleep. I'm not always like this, but sometimes I am, and I need this to be OK. No, I don;t have expensive shoes or a new Sedan or a 40" flatscreen T.V, or even comfortable enough bed to share with you, but I do think I have a darn good sense of my place in this world and a happiness that overflows on the edges of my laugh when I'm with you; I hope this is enough. I've sculpted my figure into sleek lines without the aid of weight machines or treadmills, and while this seems shallow and vain, it's hard work and I'm proud of it.

Falling 35 feet into a crevasse in the British Columbia backcountry and breaking my jaw taught me some needed humility and when to ask for help; 6 weeks with my jaw wired shut has given me a new appreciation for every powder day and bluebird morning on the rock. Two weeks ago I was down in the gloriously rugged San Juans skiing at Silverton Mountain, a gem of an anti-resort tucked into an alpine valley above it's namesake town. Being there, high in the mountains with few dozen strangers who were also friends, I felt as if the rest of the world had vanished in some kind of silent mini-apocalypse and here I was; oblivious is this little bubble from all the stuff in life that makes me sad. Sure, I hit some rocks, got a few little core shots in my skis even, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

As I bootpacked up the slating knife-edge ridge of Storm Peak, a helicopter carrying eager skiers and riders buzzed over my head. Below, another group listened with nervous excitement as their guide briefed them on their flight ahead. He was strong, confident, a leader, yet also humble and safe. "I'm going to do that someday" I thought, and it was as if something unseen and looming had finally crystallized in my soul; a realization, and affirmation, "I can do this." I can't do long relationships it seems, I can't do calculus, I sure as hell can't do most popular sports, but god dammit a think I'd make a pretty good heli guide if I ever got the chance. I smiled as I realized both the freedom and the enlightenment of possibility and the daunting task of preparation.

It would be a tough road to being a real heli skiing guide, filled with training, training, and more training, more than just my WRF and little trip leading experience, and of course being a competent skier. A journey I couldn't wait to depart on, one that might shape my life into further meaning I didn't yet understand, something as terrifying and also satisfying as guiding strangers down some of the biggest regularly skied peaks in the world. In a way, I think climbing has prepared me for this; all the afternoon's spent soloing plain dumb highballs in Morrison, lapping the Flatirons, bushwacking through thickets of alder and spruce in search of backcountry powder. I'm a firm believer that if you aren't happy yourself, you can't make anyone else happy, and if this semi selfish pursuit of mild recklessness in the mountains is my path to self awareness, climb on!

Landscapes of the Rural West

Alpenglow, Gore Range, Colorado. September 2007.

Cows grazing in front of Mount Princeton, Arkansas Valley, Colorado. February 2009.

Vedauwoo, Wyoming. October 2008.

Mount Siyeh from summit, Glacier National Park. July 2008.

Teton Mountains, Wyoming, from the air, June 2008.

Snowfield, Purcell Mountains, B.C. Canada. July 2008.

Selkirk Mountains at Sunset, Kootenays, B.C, Canada. June 2008.

Black Bear in Meadow, British Columbia, Canada. May 2008.

Green River, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, October 2009.

Green River, Canyonlands, Utah, from the air. October 2009.

Backside of Long's Peak, RMNP, Colorado, September 2009.

Quarry, Golden, Colorado, 2007.

Sand Dunes near Winnemucca, Nevada, May 2006.

Osgood Mountains, Nevada, June 2006.

Paradise Valley, Nevada, June 2006.

Nevada Falls, Yosemite, California. July 2006.

Circles, Black Rock Desert, Nevada. May 2006.

County Road 485, Northern Nevada. May 2006.

Black Rock Desert, Nevada. July 2006. Listen to M83's "Couleurs" and drive along the playa here and you will view life differently.

King Lear Peak, Humboldt County, Nevada. May 2006.

Castle Valley, Utah, looking towards the San Juan Mountains, October 2009.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado, October 2007.

Ruby Mountains, Nevada, July 2006.

Natural Arch, Santa Rosa Mountains, Nevada. July 2006.

Hinkey Summit, Paradise Valley, Nevada, May 2006.

Santa Rosa Mountains, Paradise Valley, Nevada. May 2006.

Sonoma Range, Nevada, June 2006.

Water Canyon, Nevada, June 2006.