William Shatner's "Bohemian Rhapsody"

William Shatner is amazing and his rendition of Queen's classic rock-opera is fantastic. Almost like an homage to his spoken-word "Rocket Man," but with an odd music video with his face in the sky. I was incredibly excited to find this video and I wasn't disappointed. Corny, low-budget excellence.

 I found this on ultimateclassicrock.com

Chris Austman

I chose to let fate decide the topic of this Thursday's post, maybe I'll keep up this trend. Anyway, I went to bandcamp.com and the first Indie page that popped up was of Chris Austman. He has a smooth, laid-back, eclectic vibe and was a pleasant surprise to me in my random search.

He is self-described as "Born in Toronto, formed in Montreal, raised in Calgary, Chris Austman pursues a much needed merging of forms between the dust bowl and the digital. "Anything that makes a noise is able to make music.""


You can find him on Bandcamp, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

Give him a look and a listen below.

Legos

Near Rockefeller Center in New York City is a super awesome Lego store. This past weekend featured the Manhattan College XC Invitational, the largest high school cross country meet east of the Mississippi. I went there with my team, going down the day before to visit the city. One of our stops was at Rockefeller Center where we came across this Lego wonderland. Two of my runners made this Lego men from a bin full of various Lego pieces.

I love Legos and this photo, never mind the chainsaw murderer connotations, is really fun.

Union Station, Chicago

A few years ago, I took a short weekend trip to Chicago with my brother and sister. It was a very short, compact vacation that featured a seemingly endless train ride there and back from Western New York and non-stop action in and around the City of Chicago. I absolutely loved it there. We went on an architectural river cruise, toured the John Hancock Observatory, walked around the city, visited some museums, and saw the Blue Man Group, and saw an off-Broadway production just outside Chicago at the Theatre at Center. It was one of the nicest cities I have ever been to (sorry NYC), and I can't wait until I get a chance to go there again someday.

As we were preparing to start our long voyage home, rushing to board our soon-departing train, I snapped this photo from the backseat of our rental car. Though I was frantically snapping shots in the car, not really trying to set up anything cool, I got this little gem.

Occupy Wall Street

Thanks to Dan Patterson on Flickr

The past several weeks have seen a modern American revolution of sorts in the Occupy Wall Street movement. Average citizens have taken to the streets to protest commercialism, mass-corporatization, capitalism in general, and a whole mess of other issues. The protests have been fairly peaceful but has seen the usual police oppression and over-reaction to public, non-violent, peaceful protesting. Perhaps they're all paid off to suppress the rights of the people, or maybe the cops are just ignorant of the rights that the protesters, and every person, ought to have.

The success of the Occupy Wall Street, and the broader NYC General Assembly, have inspired similar protests in other cities across the country, as well as additional movements to join this one. It is possible that everything in the other cities were planned in cooperation with what's happening in NYC, but whatever the case may be, it is really exciting and I hope a lot of change and progress will come of this. We all know that the government is incapable of catalyzing such change, so the people must stand up and fight the man.

This all reminds me of the World Trade Organization protests in Seattle, the Battle in Seattle, where very well planned protests shut down the WTO world meetings in 1999 in the name of fairness, equality, and ending oppressive capitalism.

Trailer without the Horses

As I was running with my Cross Country team one Sunday evening, I came across this little bit of landscaping in the middle of a field. I though it was very pretty, especially for being the end of September. It juxtaposes some of the bright summery colors that are fading away with the bold earth-tones that are on their way in. I also really like the hills that this region offers as they gently rise and fall against the valleys between them. It is especially beautiful in the fall and it is something I truly missed when I was at school in Buffalo, NY, which is dreadfully flat and relatively tree-less. Well, at least compared to anything rural. 

Diatomaceous Earth

My friend, that I previously have posted on, has re-started a music project of his. It is an interesting sound, to say the least. It is a mix of experimental, electronic, hip hop, and rap. Though it may be an acquired taste, it is definitely worth a listen. Your can download a 2006 album and a 2011 single from Bandcamp and you can find Diatomaceous Earth on Facebook. Take a listen below and see what you think.

Enjoy.

Riding off into the Sunset

Here I have two high school cross country runners on the beginning of an eight mile run while their coach bikes closely behind. I actually took this while riding my bike as I inattentively narrowly escaped toppling over. This one I did some editing on to make it really something special by the meaning behind this photo is something even better. This coach, my coach from when I was a young lad not too long ago, is quite possible the wisest man I know and pillar excellence, leadership, and morality within the small community in Western New York / Northwestern Pennsylvania. He will retire after this year from thirty-plus years of teaching and twenty years of coaching. He has made a lasting impact in the lives of many young students and will be dearly missed as he rides off into the sunset.

Morgan Freeman: He's in Everything

Morgan Freeman is one of my very favorite actors and though I wouldn't really be capable of producing such a project, I think it would be an excellent idea to produce a biopic on the man entitled, "Morgan Freeman: He's in Everything." This of course is in reference to Family Guy reference to Morgan Freeman's incredibly lengthy filmography. Thank you Chris Griffin, which is to say thank you Seth MacFarlane

My Dog Oliver

My beloved toy poodle, Oliver, has been with me for more than half my life. I got him as a ninth birthday present from my aunt and I love him. Not only is he the perfect lap dog and a true companion but he is just as cute as a button. Though I did not personally take this shot, it is the greatest photo of Oliver, excluding the hideous time stamp, and, I dare say, the greatest photo of any pet I have ever seen.

I also like this one from the same photo shoot.