This is cool :: Delicious Design League's Lykke Li poster as iPhone wallpaper

I've posted before about my love of omgposters... so it should come as no surprise that when I saw this poster by Chicago's Delicious Design League that I got all excited and wanted more. I'm a big fan of Lykke Li so it made perfect sense to use this fab poster for one of her concerts as a wallpaper for my iPhone:



Love it! Nice work folks!

Loving me some... covered notebooks

Owl Notepad Cover, originally uploaded by believehandmade.

OK so I'm biased... I am a geek for great stationary and I am a geek for my wife... but I do love what Olly is doing with notebooks.

She takes ordinary... boring... spiralbound notebooks and recovers them (as in "puts a new cover on them" instead of recycling used notebooks)... throwing in some nice customised details.

My girls love the books she's done for them for our wee trip that's coming up.

I've asked her to recover a Rhodia no16 5x5 spiral. I can't wait to see it completed.

Great job honey!

Check out believehandmade.

Why I love twitter... Gerard Kelly's "twitturgies"

I've been twittering for 2 years (since March 2007) and I love the community that's been built there with 140 characters at a time. I engage with some really dear friends on a daily basis there. For me twitter is as much about conversation as it is about broadcast... its more than "what are you doing?"

One of my fave tweeple at the moment is Gerard Kelly aka @twitturgies - he posts "a tweet for the soul: personal liturgies in 140 characters or less" that just blow me away.

Take the one pictured above:

This is the story we are held by: the embrace grace grafts us into. Created free; fallen in fear; redeemed beyond our fullest expectation

His tweets build me up in ways other more "evangelical" tweets can only dream of. If you are on twitter add him... you will not be disappointed.

Coffee with Stewart

Grabbed a coffee with Stewart at lunch time. Really great to catch up... especially after yesterday.
 
[Sent from my iPhone]

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Skype for the iPhone

It's kind of sad that I waited up until after midnight so I could download the Skype app for my iPhone... but then it is me afterall.
 
I'm excited about a *native* Skype app rather than a 3rd party app. Fring was good and all... but I'm glad Skype have their own app out.
 
The fact I'm excited is because Skype has become an important part of my life... through it's criticality to the something beautiful podcast. Put simply: no Skype, no podcast.
 
I'm going to have a wee play about with the app over the next few days... so if you are on my contacts and happen to be online... you may get a wee call.
 
One thing I've noted is that it only works with wifi... this is only a downside because it may result in me changing my place-of-daily-cup... I get free wifi in Nero but not Starbucks.
 
[Sent from my iPhone]

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I am the slowest reader in the world...

I am the slowest reader ever... certainly compared to my friends. I doubt I'll ever go back to uni or engage in any serious study as a result.

Take "the shaping of things to come" by Frost & Hirsch - it's taken me 9 months to read. Not because it's a dull book... far from it. It's because it is such a wonderfully eloquent & detailed read. I would read a couple of pages... armed with a highlighter pen... and then take my time to digest what I've read.

Concepts like the difference between the Christendom model of "attractional" church vs the post-Christendom need for "missional" church. In essence, the "build it and they will come" model no longer applies.

Or the fact that our leadership & fellowship should be based on Apostals, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, & Teachers... and yet the Pastors & Teachers have alienated the others to protect, maintain & "manage" their status quo. As a result, we have neutered the Gospel of its power & potential to change lives.

We have allowed the Gospel to be sanitized... and expect folks to come to us instead of us going to them... or in fact us being who we are in the cultures & communities we belong to. Powerful stuff.

I have now moved onto "Jesus wants to save Christians" by Bell & Golden.

From what I've read so far... I think I'll be through this book quicker... but then maybe I would be doing the authors a diservice by not giving them enough time.

Who knows?

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The Spoon...

Door + Clock (double exposure) (88/365), originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

Had a really encouraging gathering at the Spoon this evening. 11 folk gathered to drink coffee & tea (made by the Baristanaught himself), watch the Nooma DVD "you" and join in discussion.

I am really encouraged that there is a thirst for more... that folks want to come together for fellowship and mutal learning.

The gathering is finding its feet but I believe it is already helping folks journey together.

I have posted more pics here - please check them out and keep the gathering in your thoughts/prayers.

Two albums that reaffirm my love of electronic music...

"Illusion" by Soulstice (2001) & "Blood, looms & blooms" by Leila (2008) have recently joined my collection & have, in doing so, reaffirmed my love for electronic music.

Why? Illusion is timeless and blood, looms & blooms is bleeding edge - two traits I look for in my music.

Illusion is future-soul from Andy Caldwell & Gina Rene... that nicely captures a period of music discovery in the early noughties... when I was download a real hodgepodge of tunes from "epitonic" & making mix CDs. My mixes went from soulful & housey (Soulstice & labelmates on "om") to Americana to shoegaze to whatever took my fancy. I loved the hunt & then the mix. Good fun. The tunes from "om records" always stood out for their soulfulness & rhythm. They weren't 4x4 house... they were (are) more intricate... produced and yet human, if that makes sense?

Illusion really stands out from that period. I was glad to find it again after losing it for so long.

"Blood, looms & blooms" was given to me by my brother-in-law who had picked it up in a charityshop for 50p. It wasn't his thing but it is definately mine. On the "Warp" label, this album is bleeding edge quirky with a dark sense of humour. It feels baroque in a way with some time signatures used. It is dense & atmospheric... with some fantastic vocals from Terry Hall, Seaming To & Luca Santucci. It reminds me that great electronica should push boundaries and be more "both/and" rather than "if/or"... with a real sense of being in the sound. A "boldly go" kind of thing.

Both albums are strongly recommended. Check them out.

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Loving me some... Pretty Lights

Big thanks to aurgasm for the heads-up on Colorado producer Derek Vincent Smith aka Pretty Lights. I've just downloaded 3 albums worth of the sweetest electronic tunage that I've heard in a while... all for free!

His music reminds me artists on the mighty om records label... soulfully organic electronica with a sweet seasoning of futuristic instrumental hip hop. There is something here for all times of the day and night... and I am loving what my speakers are serving up.

Well worth checking out... all three albums are already on my iPhone.

Etsy find :: a tovicorrie iPhone case

Found this iPhone case on etsy... and I absolutely love it. In fact, the majority of tovicorrie's iPhone cases are awesome. He makes cases for the iPod Classic & Touch, and the iPhone... using leather & suede to spoil your wee toy... with some vibrant designs on the front.

Nice! In fact, I'd argue his designs are far better than the majority of cases in the Apple Store.

The Taking of Pelham 123

Received a wee parcel from Amazon this morning... The Taking of Pelham 123.
 
It's one of my fave films - a dark tragicomic cop thriller starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam & Hector Elizondo.
 
Set in the mid 70s in a gritty, cynical New York City... it has an intelligent plot & one of the best soundtracks ever (imho) - in fact the first 40 secs is my current ringtone on my iPhone.
 
I think the film has been remade... which is a disaster. I haven't seen the remake & don't really want to... I'm content with original.
 
Why can't Hollywood just leave stuff alone & create new films instead of tarnishing the memory of classic films?
 
But the again... they only remake the classics... so maybe it's a compliment?! Who knows?
 
Check it out... add it to your netflix or whatever... and enjoy!
 
[Sent from my iPhone]

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...fade out again!

Everytime I watch this video and hear this song... I go "wow". True genius.

PM on twitter & flickr (part 2)

Sao Paolo, originally uploaded by Downing Street.

A southern district of Sao Paolo at night, 26 March 2009;

Now this is a nice pic! I wonder if my PM actually took the pic? I doubt it... but imagine if he did. Imagine if we, the voting public, had that kind of access to the PM. This is why I love social media.

PM on twitter & flickr

Gordon Brown views Pele's shirt, originally uploaded by Downing Street.

"The PM and former Brazil captain Socrates look at the glass-encased shirt of Brazilian football legend Pele at the Museum of Football in Sao Paolo, 26 March 2009;"

I like the fact that I can follow the exploits of my PM via the Downing Street twitter feed and view pics of said exploits in flickr.

OK so he's not my friend on facebook... nor has he connected with me on LinkedIn... or friendfeed... but, hey, I figure he's kind of busy... doing stuff like viewing Pele's shirt on a trip to Sao Paolo, Brazil;

What a job... to do all the PM's social media. I think that would be fun.

This is cool :: "omg posters" & Shephard Fairey's Bad Brains poster

One of my fave blogs of the last wee while is omg posters :: they focus primarily on screenprinted posters but they do cover toys and other goodies.

The above poster by Shephard Fairey caught my eye because it features one of my fave hardcore bands :: Bad Brains. I think the poster captures their energy very nicely.

Alistair & Laura (85/365)

It was a real pleasure to meet up with Alistair & Laura (aka @takebrokenme) for a beverage at lunchtime today. It's good to know they are both doing well in their own unique ways.
 
Good times!
 
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Loving me some... 13 Songs

"13 songs" by Fugazi is one of my fave albums. One from my youth that still stands up as pure genius. Made up of their first two EPs :: Fugazi & Margin Walker :: it is truly awesome, imho.
 
Sonically wonderful with chunky guitars, great choppy beats & a unique 2 vocalist style... I love it.
 
I also love their Punk Rock DIY ethos & independent spirit... I found it inspiring back in the day & it still inspires me today.
 
I would well recommend this album from the bass intro of "waiting room" to the finally throws of "promises" it is one album that consistently delivers in it's unique & powerful style.
 
[Sent from my iPhone]

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Pics from last weekend...

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I thought I'd share the pics from last weekend - we had a great time: enjoyed being in the country and in a rural town... picked up some goodies in the charity shops... consumed tea and cake in a wee cookshop/coffeeshop space... good times!

I thought I'd also showcase flickrslidr - a fab wee doohickey that enables me to embed my flickr set into the ol' nanolog. We take so many photos that end up exiled on harddrives or on flickr... flickrslidr frees your pics and gives them a chance to be seen by a wider audience.

New (to me) threads... and some thoughts on thrift stores

One of the reasons why Peebles was such a success on Saturday was the "old fashioned" high street with individual shops, pubs, cafes etc. There are an abundance of charity shops there which may be off putting for some... but not for me... I love the hunt.

Pretty much the first shop I went in to I struck gold - I picked up a pair of super beat up pair of Levi's 501s and a Ralph Lauren polo shirt.

The jeans fit lovely... after I cut them down a few inches... and are broken in nicely. They are quite grimey with a couple of paint marks (well at least I hope its paint) and a bit of wear but they aren't threadbare or ripped.

The RL polo is a vibrant and a rather unusual shade of turquoise. The shirt itself is nearly brand new. It is my first introduction to RL and I have to say the quality is good!

I paid £5.50 and £3 respectively. Bargain.

Afterwards, Olly and I got talking about Charity Shops. Our fear is that with the rise of really cheap shops like Primark... folks wont buy second hand... they wont need to, afterall, because for the same price they can buy new from the trendy cheap shops.

I'm not a snob... but I know I will never find the quality of product in a shop like Primark that I found on Saturday. I don't own a pair of Primark jeans to compare them with the 501s... but I do have one of their polos & it is nice albeit not as nice as the RL.

This is one way the Charity Shops can compete - the provision of quality items. This is, however, wholly dependent on the generousity of the public. This could be problematic for these shops. What will happen when the cheap clothes get handed in... will anyone in their right minds buy a tee or jeans second hand for the same price as they could brand new? I really doubt it.

However, in addition to quality... where the Charity Shops can really compete is through the intangible value of surprise. I am never surprised in Primark... but I am more often than not surprised in a Charity Shop. I never expected to find a sweetly worn in pair of 501s or a great condition RL polo... to be honest I wasn't even looking too hard. Same thing goes for the time I found a fab pair of Levi's carpenter jeans a while back... or the North Face jacket... or the majority of the No1 Ladies Detective Agency book series.

I think thats whats missing on the High Street... if such a place still exists? Surprise. I know what I'll find in ASDA or M&S or Topman... well maybe not Topman... but you know what I mean.

This is where small independent retailers and Charity Shops can compete with the monoliths - quality items that surprise the consumer... and give back in some way.

Maybe, as consumers, if we demanded more quality and sought to be surprised more often then things may start to change. Who knows?

At the end of the day... I like my new threads.

Loving me some... Drink Me chai

Those of you who read the ol' nanolog regularly will be familiar with my almost obsessive-compulsive love of tea & coffee. I like rooibos... earl grey... sumatran & old brown java coffee blends... gingerbread lattes at Christmas time... and chai lattes all the year through.

I especially love me some chai latte!

On Saturday... as we headed out on a run... we stopped into ASDA to pick up dried milk. For some reason Olly likes the stuff and it certainly reduces any hassle when out and about. I waited in the car with the we'ans. When she came back to the car she produced a tub of Drink Me chai.

I was and am so chuffed. It is the real mccoy. Its the chai they serve in Caffe Nero... the coffeehouse where I am most fond of a cheeky wee chai. For about the price of one chai there... you can get a tub that will make quite a few for home or garden consumption... or, if you are a likeminded soul, consumption in the car at the base of Tinto.

Well recommended! Add it to your shopping list... if you like that sort of thing.

Tubby Tuesday :: 2.3...

Posted with LifeCast

More wisdom from Bob :: a relationship must be nurtured...

Read the full letter here.

I love the way Bob highlights something so dear to my heart... that a relationship must be nurtured, and CONTINUED!

I think this is vitally important when we consider the church and the people we come into contact. Relationships need to be nurtured... and kept up.

In this context we need to focus on discipleship rather than salvation - we need to walk with people, not just get them over the line. We need to build strong and lasting relationships with one another and... most importantly... do our bit to help facilitate lasting, meaningful relationships with God.

People need fed. If we are not about feeding people then we are not seeking to build disciples... its as simple as that. Flash-in-the-pan evangelism isn't about feeding & discipleship... its snack food... instantly gratifying but wears off pretty quickly. People need sustenance... not milk. Its not relational if its all about the milk... more parasitical, imho.

I will leave you with this: What are you doing to feed yourself... and those around you? and what are you feeding on?


Posted with LifeCast

Loving me some... LEDit

LEDit, originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

Picked up this wee app for my iPhone this evening after seeing it featured on notcot #19,857 - its a fun wee LED tickertape thingy-a-my-bob that allows you to display messages silently across distances. Sure its not private... but it is fun.

Below is a wee vid to show what I'm failing miserably to say in words. Check it out... if you have an iPhone. For more info... go here.

LEDit iPhone application demo from wes on Vimeo.

Uncle Jim (63/365)

Uncle Jim (63/365), originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

Finally got round to uploading my "missing' Project365 pic... the one with my Uncle Jim in it. It was good to see him when he popped round.

Loving me some... Ray Lamontagne

Lovely!

Loving me some... Coca Cola Happiness Factory

I love this ad... It is so dense with style, design & characterisation.

Oh and I know I've posted this before but... here's the "full movie" version:



Yes its an ad... but its a lovely ad!

Things to inspire... 19th March 2009

Popped into the library while the we'ans were at the "Rainbow Club" at a local church. Was looking for inspiration and think I have found it in the following tunes:

• "Poor Man's Heaven" by Seth Lakeman
• "Till the sun turns black" by Ray Lamontagne
  
• The Script... and
• "Only by the night" by Kings of Leon

...and the following books:

• "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi
• "Pattern Recognition" by William Gibson
• "Star Wars - The force unleashed" by Blackman, Ching, Dazo, Nichols & Atiyeh; and
  
• "Batman - The man who laughs" by Brubaker, Mahnke, Zircher & Sowd
  

I got the 4 CDs for the price of 2... because I borrowed a book for each CD. Nice encouragement to read... certainly for me.

What has inspired you... lately?

Loving me some... Street View

Had a wee play about with Google's Street View... and I have to say I love it. So I thought I'd give you a wee tour of three of my fave places in Glasgow.

First off (above) is the Caffe Nero we meet up in when we gather. As you can see it really is on the corner of Hope Street and Waterloo Street.



Next up is my fave record shop... Fopp. Many a lunchtime has been spent in there digging through the sale racks. So glad its still there.



Lastly... if you look to middle of the pic... where the perspective meets... at the end of the street... is Borders on Buchanan Street. I can usually be found around lunchtime in the Starbucks of this wonderful media establishment... partaking of whatever drip is dripping.

So that's me, what about you???

Here's the community challenge: Find three fave places on Street View and post them on your whatever... leaving a wee link in the comments as you go.

[ more on Street View ]

This is cool :: improve everywhere's Subway Art Gallery Opening

Another stroke of genius from improv everywhere :: The Subway Art Gallery Opening...

For our latest mission, 50 Improv Everywhere agents created an art gallery opening on the 23rd Street subway platform in Manhattan. We put up 30 placards next to objects in the space (pipes, electrical boxes, signs, advertisements), transforming them into works of art. The gallery included a bar, a coat rack, and a cellist.../

For more... go here.

Sony MDR-XD100-Stereo Headphones

Prior to recording the wraps for the second half of Mark Berry's interview for the something beautiful podcast tonight... I noticed that Stewart has the same headphones as I have - Sony MDR-XD100-Stereo Headphones. It was a bizarre moment of serendipity and jinx.



I have to admit I am particularly fond of these headphones for non-iPhone use. They feel good, have a lovely rich sound quality and emanate a real Cyberman aesthetic... making them well worth their pricetag of approx £14.

Looks like I am not alone in thinking so.

The last 36 pics from my Project365

The last 36 pics from my Project365, originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

I feel like I have some form of creative "block"... I just don't feel inspired just now and I don't know why.

That said... I love the whole "Project365" and feel it is helping me fight my way through this creative malaise that I feel.

I have 74 pics in my Project365 set... albeit I should have 75 to date - I need to upload a pic with my Uncle Jim from my Nikon.

Have a wee look-see, if you haven't already, and leave a wee encouraging comment.

Try not (76/365)

"Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."
Yoda
 
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Tubby Tuesday... Week 2.2

What can I say? A lack of excercise... as a result of a lack of discipline.
 
I can do better!
 
I will do better!
 
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More pictures from today's gathering (16/03/09)

Laura L joined us & Laura B tried to take our picture...

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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From today's gathering... (16/03/09)

Hanging with Dan, Alistair & Laura...

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My iPhone apps (15/03/09)

The following are the apps I have & use (to varying degrees) on my iPhone...

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Some random pics from this weekend...

[ email sent with the "Multi-Photo Email" iPhone application ]

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