la vie rêvée des clowns

something happened a little bit early this year

2012-02-14T21:20:00.001-08:00

Scott Olsen speaks from Occupy Oakland

2011-12-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

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I am working on a film about warriors for peace, including Vietnam Vet for Peace Brian Willson, who lost both his legs during a non-violent protest here in the U.S. when he was run over by a train. It is easy to make the connection between Brian Willson and Iraq War Vet for Peace Scott Olsen of Occupy Oakland, who was knocked unconscious during a police raid on October 25th. It is very ironic that both Brian and Scott came home from fighting in wars on foreign soil with no physical injuries and were consequently brutally injured while practicing their democratic freedoms at home.

excerpt from my short story, Bad Faith

2011-12-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

That night I dreamt I was with him. We were in a strange city at night, maybe Florence, walking hand-in-hand down cobblestone streets. He led me down a narrow passageway that was lined with marble statues of naked Romanesque women. There were so many of them that I started feeling unsettled by the thought of having to compete with these stone beauties. Morris stopped at one in particular. Gazing at her, he said to me, “You are my favorite.” It was a statue of a young woman, draping a sheet of billowing fabric over her front side, her back exposed and naked, save for the long curls of hair that hung there loosely. He reached up and fondly touched the curve in her lower back, the part that merged into her plump bottom. “Isn’t she exquisite?” he asked. And then he leaned down and gently kissed my lips. I awoke, flushed, still tasting the flavor of Morris’s lips on mine, floating in an ethereal space high above my body. It took a few seconds for me to come down, back to my bed and the emptiness of my bland bedroom.

The Kiss

2011-11-16T23:38:00.000-08:00

I went on a walk last weekend, and serendipitously, these were the two things that I filmed. Coincidence? I think not.

The City

2011-09-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

Whitey's got skillz!

2011-09-18T11:06:00.001-07:00

"People call me crazy and I think they're right."

2011-08-07T23:33:00.000-07:00

Here is an outtake from my behind the scenes interview for my film, Forms of Identification - an experimental dance film about identity crisis resulting from debilitating loss.

F*CK YOU Mike, I WILL NOT JOIN YOUR CULT!

2011-07-08T13:41:00.001-07:00

I made the BIG LEAGUES!

2011-06-04T17:22:00.001-07:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Awesome doggie companion seeks permanent home

2011-05-29T12:44:00.001-07:00

Good Morning, Mr. Puddleduck!

2011-05-18T23:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I witnessed an actual puddleduck, though I didn't have my camera or phone on me to document it. I thought it was just a figment from a Beatrix Potter story, but no. Puddleducks are for real. This evening, on my walk with Rookie, both the duck and the puddle had disappeared. But the moon was full and beautiful.

I like a man with a slow hand

2011-04-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

I think I love thee!

2011-03-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this song!

"Here it comes another dong!"

I can't think of anything more clever to say about this music video

2011-02-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Elemental Beauty

2011-01-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

Some friends and I spent the day in Yosemite Valley between Christmas and New Year's. It was snowing all day, so all we got was fresh powder, plus all the sights, sounds and sensations that new snowfall brings to you.

There's nothing like the elements to reconnect you to life and the earth.

To the music of Jesca Hoop, "Hunting My Dress."

vamos

2010-11-30T19:27:00.000-08:00

It's never as good as the first time.

Where can you find my recent work online?

2010-11-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

Right here!

KT & host Liam Mayclem of Eye On The Bay.

My most recent project is Islands of Life, a feature length documentary about the conservation success story of the Bahamas. The film explores the protection of several wildlife habitats, including the land crab and the flamingo. I served as story consultant and film editor on this project.

I co-produced, co-hosted and edited the first two segments (SF Bike Tour & Scraper Bikes) of the recent Eye On The Bay Bike episode (originally aired Oct 25, 2010).

SF Bike Tour

Scraper Bikes (produced, directed, edited)

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I produced, wrote and edited the following promo for Link TV's ViewChange - The Mothers Index:

Other promos for Link TV:

NHK Newsline (from Japan)

Global Spirit - is a multi-cam talk show infused with documentary segments that I edited for Link TV.

Here's a smattering of a few favorite episodes.

Watch here:
Global Spirit - full episodes
Global Spirit - clips

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Hey! You Up There! is a show for kids about sports hosted by kid journalists who go behind the scenes to talk with top athletes. Shot in studio and on location.

Watch more here: Hey! You Up There!

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Here But Not For Long - Lexus Golden Opportunity Sales Event

Here But Not For Long - Edited by Kristin Tieche from Kristin Tieche on Vimeo.

A promo for Lexus that I edited. Shot on Canon 7d!

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Business profile for Allbusiness.com - Luscious Garage. I edited this segment.

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Power Paths is a feature-length documentary that I edited that aired on PBS in November 2009.

Watch here: Power Paths.

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Ediblease pilot with host Kara Tsuboi

Ediblease & SF Grill from Kristin Tieche on Vimeo.

I produced, directed and edited this pilot for Ediblease, a cooking show that makes sense of the locavore movement - Eating Well... Made Easy!

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And last but not least, your dose of daily madness on my very own Vimeo Channel:

KT's Vimeo Channel

Enjoy the ride!

whale song as food for thought

2010-11-18T22:23:00.001-08:00

I'm reading this book that I happened to come across at the $1 book sale at the SF Public Library - "The Moon By Whale Light," by Diane Ackerman. It's an incredible book of non-fiction. I'm realizing that I can learn more about human nature's good intentions by studying the way animals communicate with each other - the echolocation of bats, the dance of a crocodile and especially the singing of the Humpback whales. Here's an thought-provoking passage that I feel worth revisiting again and again:

"... mind is such an odd predicament for matter to get into. I often marvel how something like hydrogen, the simplest atom, forged in some early chaos of the universe, could lead to us and the gorgeous fever we call consciousness. If a mind is just a few pounds of blood, dream, and electric, how does it manage to contemplate itself, worry about its soul, do time-and-motion studies, admire the shy hooves of a goat, know that it will die, enjoy all the grand and lesser mayhems of the heart? What is mind, that one can be out of one's? How can a neuron feel compassion? What is a self? Why did automatic hand-me-down mammals like our ancestors somehow evolve brains with the ability to consider, imagine, project, compare, abstract, think of the future? If our experience of mind is really just the simmering of an easily alterable chemical stew, then what does it mean to know something, to want something, to be? How do you begin with hydrogen and end up with prom dresses, jealousy, chamber music? What is music that it can satisfy a mind, and even perhaps function as language?"

A Giant Parade!

2010-11-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

On November 1, 2010, the San Francisco Giants became the World Champions for the first time in history! It was one of the greatest times I can remember being here in The City, and I also experienced the greatest connection to my birthplace that I ever remember.

Two days later, SF exploded into a sea of Orange & Black as 1.5 million fans descended upon the downtown area to welcome our champs home. It was an amazing outpour of support and love for our team! I am blessed to have shared that beautiful moment with such amazing friends, so now, I share my memories with you!

Music: Wide Eyes, Local Natives

(I'm going to make another one where I bleep out the expletives, but I like the raw feeling to it right now. Not too many expletives. Plus we got Timmy Lincecum who made "F*ck Yeah!" the Giants slogan for 2010. It was on the tip of everyone's tongue.)

Too much awesomeness

2010-11-13T10:05:00.000-08:00

on baseball, dreaming and loving

2010-11-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, one of my girlfriends asked me what was it about baseball specifically that created such die-hard fans. Why was it that when nine players take the field, people from all walks of life cast aside their differences in the ballpark or in a sports bar and form a camaraderie under the colors of their team's uniform?

It's the dream, I told her. Baseball is not just our national pastime, but it's also the American Dream. Our heroes on the field pull us out of our daily routine once a year from late spring to early fall, and with them we must hope and we must believe that our dream of winning it all against the odds becomes a reality.

We step on the roller coaster ride with them in April and we live their drama, sometimes with all the twists and turns of a Hollywood screenplay - though when we buy our tickets, we don't know if we're off to see a comedy or tragedy, if our team will give us the feel-good movie of the year, or if it will end in bloodbath and we must close our eyes because it's too painful to watch. Or maybe, just maybe, the final scene will leave you crying tears of joy.

When my favorite player steps up to the plate, I can imagine it's me. I visualize smacking that ball far into the outfield. I hear the crack of the bat. I watch the ball soar past the outfielders' reach... long, far and uncatchable. I am running the bases. I am sliding home. I am listening to the cheers and applause. I am hi-fiving my team mates.

Baseball is such an American icon that its significance goes beyond the sport itself. Baseball is inherent in the American psyche. In budding relationships, holding hands brings us to first base. Kissing brings us to second. Then there's the joke about how men fantasize about hitting a home run while having sex. We refer to our boyfriends and girlfriends as a good catch.

We make pitches in business meetings. We expect people of integrity to step up to the plate. When we're in a sticky situation, we're in a pickle. We strike out if a guy that we fancy doesn't call back. Life throws us curve balls almost daily! Something unexpected in life is out of left field. We hit it outta the ballpark when we've done a great job. We can even order a grand slam breakfast at Denny's if you choose to visit that establishment. We live baseball at home, in bed and at the office. In America, the baseball analogy touches our lives whether we're fans or not.

And so I go to the ballpark already speaking the language of baseball. It's a metaphor that my heart and mind are already pumping through my bloodstream and nervous system. So when I watch a game live, my emotional and physical reaction naturally is extreme. The cheering doesn't stop. The adrenaline surges. My stomach gets tied up. And in the ninth inning of Game Five of this World Series, I got choked up. When Wilson threw the last pitch, and the dugout ran onto the mound to smother him in hugs, my friends and I followed their lead.

It's at that very moment that baseball becomes love itself. My girlfriends and I all picked our Giant boyfriend early in the season. But late in the season, after I had gone yard with the Giants, I was caught repeating over and over how much I loved this entire team. I took to wearing Orange and Black even on non-game days - always wanting to show my unconditional support and send my good vibes, showing them that I was thinking of them always, especially when they were away. And I was not alone. San Francisco loves this team. I talked Giants with everyone I encountered - the cashier at Trader Joe's, my shoe repairman, my bike mechanic, the farmer at the Ferry Plaza market, the gal at the pet store, the barista who made my cappuccino. San Franciscans embraced these players as a team and as individuals as much as they embraced us as their fans and their City. The love was reciprocal, as if we had the right chemistry.

Love makes you do crazy things for your lover. Aubrey Huff reached into his pants and pulled out his thong for his fans.

Love makes you steadfast and true. Buster Posey committed himself to doing it all over again for San Francisco next year.

Love makes you come to your senses. Freddie Sanchez publicly severed his allegiance to the hometeam of his youth - the Los Angeles Dodgers - and forever devoted himself to their rival San Francisco. 1.5 million euphoric fans can have that effect on you.

Euphoria feels like falling in love. Brian Wilson, while marching to City Hall to receive the keys to The City, described the energy as electric.

I rode away from City Hall filled with this powerful sense of love and passion for where I'm from. I owe that feeling to The Giants. I owe that feeling to baseball.

From the pit of my heart, Giants, THANK YOU for making me dream and love again!

list no. 8 or 9? I have lost track - bathing in Orange and Black

2010-11-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

1. hugging strangers
2. hearing "Don't Stop Believin'" on some random person's car radio for the hundredth time and not being tired of it
3. falling in love with The City... again, and The City loving me back
4. the knowledge that a few more cultural icons have emerged from San Francisco
5. Torture has become Euphoria

As a friend of mine says, "This feeling is eternal for as long as it lasts." It will last a long while. Perhaps my lifetime.

Fuck Yeah!

2010-10-24T00:51:00.001-07:00

GYPSY CABARET - A Benefit for Forms of Identification

2010-09-29T11:05:00.001-07:00

Jessica and I are so close to making our first fundraising goal so we can finish our film. We have partnered this time with several local SF businesses and artists to put together a fun-filled evening for you in exchange for a modest tax-deductible donation. If we get 75 people to attend our event, we can meet and even exceed our first fundraising goal of $2,500! A short distance to go, but we can't make it there without your help! Plus, it's going to be an amazing night filled with great music, dance and raffle prizes!

Please invite friends and family & spread the word!!!!

Empowerment Works! is the (501)c3 fiscal sponsor of the film and all donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Additional donations can be made via Eventbrite:

GYPSY CABARET
a benefit for Forms of Identification

Thurs. Oct 14, 6 pm to 10 pm

Mission Workshop
40 Rondel Place (16th & Mission)
San Francisco, CA 94103

Gypsy Cabaret is the second fundraiser planned to help producers Tieche and Ingersoll-Cope put the post-production finishing touches on the film to prepare it for a premiere screening and entry into national and international film festivals. Raised funds will also help with the marketing and promotion of the finished film.

DJ Delachaux spins Burlectro
Live Dance Performance
Bike food carts
Raffle for various prizes including Mission Workshop messenger bag, Pedal Panties & Private dance lesson for two at Vima Dance Studio.

$15 - $25 sliding scale tax-deductible donation includes one beverage

purrfect

2010-08-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

It's Time To Dance!

2010-08-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

pas de deux

2010-08-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

It was my privilege to witness this ballet performed by the same two dancers in this video today at Stern Grove surrounded by trees in misty weather.

Makes me want to be in love, roller coaster ride and all.

Also available to watch here.

High Tea at Numi Tea Garden - a fundraiser for my film

2010-08-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Help us finish our experimental dance film Forms of Identification, which asks the question, "How can I be me when I'm not me?"

RSVP and reserve your spot now!

God Bless America

2010-07-12T21:48:00.001-07:00

Because I collect pics with the Prez.

KT's World Cup Roundup

2010-07-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

David James - England - Not the greatest goalkeeper, which is why he is called Calamity James. Among all the hotties of the World Cup, KT loves him primarily for his passion for collecting vintage bikes, living a green lifestyle and maintaining artistic and literary hobbies. A true Renaissance Man. His next career move is to accept my invitation to come ride bikes in SF.

Bastian Schweinsteiger - Germany - Not exactly KT's physical type (though I have no complaints). My love for him is based solely on his football skillz alone. I liked him better during Euro 2008 when he had platinum blond hair. Der Schweiniiiiiiii!!!!

Didier Drogba - Ivory Coast - He's a goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations, credited with playing a vital role in bringing peace to his country and was voted one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people. KT loves him not just for his abs, but that smile and those bedroom eyes. In addition, he has donated every dollar from commercial endorsements to build a hospital in his hometown (He gets two photos - that's how much I like him).

Diego Forlan - Uruguay - That tan, those abs, those pecks, those blond curls! And he's unstoppable on the pitch!

Florent Malouda - France - So sad he went home early. How can you not appreciate those chiseled features?! South African newspapers have suggested he pursue a modeling career and I concur. He also scored France's only goal during the Cup. Thank God.

Kevin Prince Boateng - Ghana - A great goal scorer. In addition to collecting tattoos, apparently he also has a shopping addiction and more pairs of shoes than Imelda Marcos.

Massage y Soccer

2010-07-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Only in San Francisco? A find from my friend Adrienne.

when Drogba says come hither - OBEY

2010-07-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

fifa duh

2010-06-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

I love seeing the muscular limbs floating through the air in slo mo as much as I love seeing moments like these where our demigods look like total dorks.

gets better with age

2010-06-27T01:32:00.001-07:00

Taken nearly 2 years ago. I still love it.

And this one too.

no matter if we win or lose, this is Cape Town

2010-06-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

I've been following my friend Renata Falzoni's experience covering the Cup in South Africa. This short woman-on-the-street video captures the spirit that we are really missing in this country.

I've been trying to do my part, but one Lone WC Nut alone does not make a party. Despite SF ranking as one of the top WC viewing cities, I still don't feel the fever here like we would in any other country in the world... yet! ;-)

Bee The Change!

2010-06-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

My friend Holly is producing this film! A great project to support!

Coup de boule!

2010-06-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

No one remembers Italy's goals from 4 years ago, but EVERYONE remembers le Head-Butt!

Another fantastic example of the French sense of humor.

Allez l'Equipe de France!

2010-06-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

L’équipe de France je t’aime, je t’apprécie.

Couplet 1
Tout le monde dit qu'on passera pas le premier tour
Qu'en France on est des tricheurs - c’est mal
C’est pas grave moi j’ai eu notre message d’amour
ça vient tout droit de nos cœurs
Car on s’en fout que vous vous tapiez des putes
Le plus important c’est que vous marquiez des buts !

Refrain
Allez l’équipe de France
On y croit , on vous fait confiance
Foncez, rien n’est perdu
Mais... Sortez vous les doigts du cul !

Couplet 2
Faites des petits-ponts, des pichenettes, des talonades
Vos matches sont trop chiants, on veut des Papinades
Faites pas les cons chez les Sud africains
C’est pas pour rien cette main contre les rouquins !

Refrain
Allez l’équipe de France (Allez l’équipe de france)
on y croit, on vous fait confiance (on vous fait confiance)
Foncez rien n’est perdu (rien n’est perdu)
Mais Sortez vous les doigts du cul (les doigts du cuuuul)

Refrain
Allez l’équipe de France
On y croit , on vous fait confiance
Foncez rien n’est perdu (rien n’est perduuuuuuuu)
Mais sortez vous les doigts du cul (les doigts, du, les doigts du cul)

[Point musical magnifique]

Allez l'équipe de Fraaaance

[Applaudissements]

- Gaël,
- Quoi ?
- Tu penses vraiment que cette chanson va les aider ?
- Euh...bof !

I've got a standing desk already, this is just the next step!

2010-06-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

Treadmill Desk - More DIY How To Projects

Or maybe a stationary bike?

finally! hair balls put to good use!

2010-06-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hair and fur clean the Gulf!

Settle for your amazing, powerful self!

2010-06-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

A couple friends have stumbled upon this book for women and settling on what is referred to as Mr. Good Enough. This makes me frustrated.

Men have the same problems when seeking a mate. Men are picky. They want her to look like a model, be younger than him, not be too aggressive. They sometimes think they can push her around or win her over with charm. And then they want her to let them be slobs or chums or whatever. They also want to make more money than she does, and are usually not ok if she has more success in her career than he does.

BUT, are there self-help books on the market for men to debunk their dating myths? No. There aren't. This whole market is a scam to make money off of women's insecurities.

AND what's more is that the title of this book is assuming that men are just good enough, and that an amazing, wonderful, cool person that inspires you isn't out there. That you should settle. Why settle? (This reminds me of the 30 Rock episode when Liz Lemon almost settles for Wesley Snipes, the annoying insurance salesman, when all of a sudden Matt Damon the pilot strolls into her life.)

If inspiration is what you seek, ask and you shall receive. (I'm going back to the Trifecta here.) Or as Ghandi put it, Be the Change.

We are amazing women. We are amazing human beings. Powerful. We have achieved so much, faced many obstacles with health, money, love and family. We are doing nothing wrong. We have done everything right!

Be yourself, and nothing else. Your beautiful, multifaceted and profound self!

And that goes for men as well as women! In a relationship or out!

where'd you get that TACO?

2010-05-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

Great article on the sourcing of a Mission Taco.

I am lucky to have known him!

2010-05-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

My dad's best friend:

Richard Salay, a beautiful man who joyfully influenced many.

Richard, Dickie-Boy, Sales, Dick, Pops, Salay, Dad, Grandpa... enraptured with love, has shed his skeleton and moved on. Recently achieving 70 years, he amassed an enormous yet eclectic portfolio of smiles. He simply made life more interesting. He will be revered.

Long live Dickie-Boy.

Mothers Day Ride

2010-05-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

Mothers Day Ride from Kristin Tieche on Vimeo.

Ofertório - A Vélo Vogue Film

2010-05-06T00:38:00.001-07:00

So if other bloggers get to write about their kids and spouses, I think it's fair game for me to write about my break-ups, and how a bike ride helped me deal with the latest.

This was filmed entirely with my Panasonic DMC-LX2 on the day that I broke up with my ex-boyfriend. I rode my bike to the Labyrinth at Land's End to make an offering and decided to film the whole thing.

The music is Ofertório by Brazilian artist Milton Nascimento. The title means "Offertory." I love the music, but don't understand the lyrics. When I first heard it, I knew it matched the visuals of this film.

A Photo Show

2010-05-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

I'm going to participate in this group amateur photo show. I was assigned the Upper Haight. Because I've had to deal with so many extraneous things, and then with Bike to Work Month upon us, I've found myself kinda too busy for photo taking, but I managed to snap some nice shots, and I'm sure there will be a wealth of other good ones in the mix!

my favorite movie of all time

2010-04-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you don't have it in your Queue, put it there now and move it to the top of your list. I just watched it again last night, and am thinking that I'll keep it for the rest of the week and watch it over and over again.

saudade

2010-04-19T00:38:00.000-07:00

As defined by Wikipedia: Saudade has been described as a "vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist ... a turning towards the past or towards the future." A stronger form of saudade may be felt towards people and things whose whereabouts are unknown, such as a lost lover, or a family member who has gone missing. It may also be translated as a deep longing or yearning for something which does not exist or is unattainable.

faster cupcake kill kill

2010-04-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

I went to a wedding. They had a piñata. Form of cupcake.

I had to kill it.

I had a cheering section.

Killing felt good.

i'm much happier with this ninja version of domestic bliss

2010-04-07T09:47:00.001-07:00

much more satisfying than my own reality at the moment (although Cloud and I are doing just fine, thank you very much).

ninjas at peace

2010-03-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

more DVF!

2010-03-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

"The biggest mistake a woman can make is not to be herself in public or private."
— Diane Von Furstenberg

i was just feeling so happy to be a virgo, when i read this

2010-03-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

I like calling upon reason and logic to help through the rough spots. I can always count on rational thought. That's what we Virgos do best! So now, according to Mr. Brezsny, must I really subject myself to further (irrational) scrutiny?

Virgo Horoscope for week of March 18, 2010

The storm is your friend right now, Virgo. So are the deep, dark night and the last place you'd ever think of visiting and the most important thing you've forgotten about. So be more willing than usual to marinate in the mysteries -- not with logical ferocity but with cagey curiosity. The areas of life that are most crucial for you to deal with can't be fully understood using the concepts your rational mind favors. The feelings that will be most useful for you to explore are unlike those you're familiar with.

is your cat plotting to kill you?

2010-03-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

Looks like Cloud wants to kill me.

my gmail theme

2010-03-13T23:09:00.000-08:00

I selected "Ninja" as my Gmail background theme. What I like best about it is that every day, the cartoon ninja characters change their activities. Sometimes they're flying through the air in total sabotage, other times they're bowing in respect.

It gave me hope today to see the ninjas putting down their nunchucks and instead offering a bouquet of flowers.

2010-03-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

"In the context of lifelong partnership, love is not an emotion. Love is a course, an utterly steadfast, stable path that deviates not in the face of hardship or challenge. It is an undeniably fixed and invariable promise that does not waver, even in the face of death. While we look for a mate who shares our hobbies, is sexually attractive, makes us laugh, and helps us to feel good, these things are not the substance of love. All of our criteria for finding a mate - the person has to look this way, have that kind of job, dress like this, be hip, have this much money, etc., are all things that will disappear with time. None of them will last. All that will last is the love that was given and the love received. True love must transcend our limited views of love, for true love stands in its own category. As such, it is not dependent upon the endless ebb and flow of our emotions and on the ever-changing agendas of our current likes and dislikes."

Katherine Woodward Thomas

run run run awaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!

2010-03-11T07:59:00.001-08:00

no, it's not cliché - gloria sings the truth

2010-03-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

The 8 Phases of Dating

2010-03-06T14:19:00.000-08:00

I have over 3,000 emails in my inbox. Jess was laughing at me for my disorganization. I keep all these emails because sometimes there are some special gems I want to look back on. Especially when they make me laugh.

This is one of them: The 8 Phases of Dating.

take a bite outta SF

2010-03-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

I know... another picture of Cloud.

This one rocks though. Looks like she's gonna eat the Muni.

wild parrots on lightpost

2010-03-01T00:14:00.001-08:00

Spotted at Ferry Terminal a couple Sundays ago. The parrots bring a sense of magic and wonder to a city that's already quite magical and wonderful. :-)

cloud in space

2010-02-18T10:10:00.000-08:00

viewer feedback

2010-02-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

One of the shows I edit, Global Spirit, has been generating some unique viewer feedback:

> FIRSTNAME: Viktor
> MIDDLEINITIAL:
> LASTNAME: Ovallep
> SUFFIX:
> ADDRESS:
> ADDRESS2:
> CITY:
> COUNTRY: US
> STATE_PROVINCE:
> POSTAL_CODE: 10031
> SUBJECT: Global Spirit
> PROGRAM:
> MESSAGE:
> Mr Host: Congratulations!!
> Your program is done according to the New Age. The One who write you is an instructor of this new times, serving god and humans being.Plase may me tell you something: Your themes are only introduction of each one, there is much much more to learn, it mean, to teach, in every one of this, that's our function, but only for those who are ready to enter in an upper world. For thousands of years, men have read and hear about god, times has come that will know it. Go ahead!!

Sarah Palin is a ...

2010-02-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Sarah Palin Uses a Hand-O-Prompter

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economy

more on donations to Haiti

2010-02-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

I found out today that the SF Fire Department is collecting donations until Friday February 12. I encourage all of you to find a firehouse near you and drop off any clothing and other useful items that you are not using. Follow this link so you can find an SFFD firehouse location.

Here's a list of items they accept:

* Clothing, including new or used underwear, for all ages. It would be incredibly helpful if these donations could be separated (babies, small children, large children, women & men’s clothes).
* Shoes, all sizes
* Medical Supplies: Gauze, Tape, Neosporin, Tylenol/Advil (Generics OK)
* Kotex and Cloth Diapers
* Towels and Sheets
* Plastic Storage Boxes (Large) for packing, shipping and giving Haitians something to store their personal effects in. If you can bring nothing else, bring these!

It makes me happy to know my shirts, shoes, skirts, pants, even my underwear, will be worn by someone who lost everything and really needs it.

donating to Haiti

2010-02-07T22:23:00.000-08:00

I have three large bags full of women's apparel and a few other useful trinkets which I will drop off on Monday or Tuesday.

Not much more to my post today but to say that I am happy to be able to give.

I hope my giving inspires you too.

here it is again... we need the eggs

2010-02-05T15:36:00.001-08:00

Just a reminder. This should make all of us sigh in recognition of the richness of life.

Alvy Singer: [narrating] After that it got pretty late, and we both had to go, but it was great seeing Annie again. I... I realized what a terrific person she was, and... and how much fun it was just knowing her; and I... I, I thought of that old joke, y'know, the, this... this guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, "Doc, uh, my brother's crazy; he thinks he's a chicken." And, uh, the doctor says, "Well, why don't you turn him in?" The guy says, "I would, but I need the eggs." Well, I guess that's pretty much now how I feel about relationships; y'know, they're totally irrational, and crazy, and absurd, and... but, uh, I guess we keep goin' through it because, uh, most of us... need the eggs.

Donating for Haiti in SF

2010-01-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

Sirona Cares - a local organization working in Haiti's orphanages is collecting donations of clothing and supplies. Sirona Cares is run by Michelle Lacourciere and supports several orphanages in Haiti. Her blog with postings about how the orphanages have been affected is at http://www.sironacaresblog.com/

Items they accept:

Clothing, including new or used underwear, for all ages. It would be incredibly helpful if these donations could be separated (babies, small children, large children, women & men's clothes).
Shoes, all sizes
Medical Supplies: Gauze, Tape, Neosporin, Tylenol/Advil (Generics OK)
Kotex and Cloth Diapers
Towels and Sheets
Plastic Storage Boxes (Large) for packing, shipping and giving Haitians something to store their personal effects in. If you can bring nothing else, bring these!

They also need help sorting the donations. The following is from their blog - http://www.sironacaresblog.com/

"If you have more time than money, collect donations and bring them to 190 King Street in San Francisco. The owner of the property has donated the space for sorting, and we will be there receiving. We sort, fold, and box everything in plastic bins which will be used in Haiti for years. If you haven't been there, you don't know the many lifes of a plastic bin, but the goods a family collects will be kept dry, they will use it first as a suitcase to hold their entire life's belongings, then someday it will be a bathtub. Perhaps even a gas station. Haitians need these bins, as they need everything else.

If you are near San Francisco or itching for a reason to come: 190 King Street is our drop spot. Go to 188 King Street if we aren't there and Philip, the security guard, will let you in. Unload (park on the sidewalk) and then move your vehicle (south of the Giant's stadium is best) and then come back to sort. I'm serious, if you are sitting somewhere wishing you could do something like go to Haiti, come here. You will be busy, and feel the blessing of delivering good to Haiti" - Michelle Lacourciere

Times that space is available to sort are Monday through Friday 9am - 9pm. Saturday 9am - 8pm.

You can also drop off your donations at 2 other locations:

286 Fair Oaks Street [@24th] from Monday night onwards. Call ahead to arrange at 415 706 4453

OR

More Mojo Studios, 1347 Church Street (at Clipper). Collection times are Monday - Friday 9am-12pm and 3-6pm
[p] 415 821 mojo (6656)
[e] info@moremojostudios.com

beisbol bery bery good

2009-11-20T16:33:00.000-08:00

I was watching CNN at the SF Passport Agency today and saw this update at the bottom of the screen:

US and Cuba practice baseball diplomacy.

Hmmm... I had to investigate.

From the article in the Associated Press:

"Pingpong diplomacy" thawed relations between the United States and China in 1971. Can "baseball diplomacy" help do the same for the U.S. and Cuba?

Read more here.

get your back up off the wall!

2009-11-10T21:14:00.000-08:00

Dance! Come on!

et glou et glou et glou et shoe

2009-11-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

The really funny part is that I've actually done this before in a moment of desperation.

All I ever really needed to know I learned in France.

a sweet thank you note from an unexpected guest

2009-10-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for making my final stop so wonderful Kristin,

The french cafe - the pomegranates and learning how to pronounce Guillaume

The view out to the water

The mist rolling in

Cloud purring on me - when you weren't there ; )

Riding on the cable car - the wrong way

Reading the Tao

Freezing outside CBS cause I didn't realize the doors were open

Walking the stripper district and exploring the city lights bookstore

Freezing outside city lights

Our Italian dinner and interesting service personnel...

Red wines

Learning about the men of your life

Sleeping in

Cream cheese and fresh salmon on toast with flax and yoghurt on the side

And of course Numi's lime tea!

Learning how to pronounce lao tze

Celebrating the sale of gloves

And most importantly:

Enjoying the best burritos in the WHOLE World

See you in Rio,

Simon

x

Baby Naoko

2009-10-08T16:43:00.001-07:00

Baby Naoko, originally uploaded by jojohead.

My friend Sujata after giving birth to beautiful baby Naoko!

that better be one good caipirinha

2009-10-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

I bought a ticket to Rio de Janeiro today to celebrate New Year's on Copacabana beach. I'm quite sure that I made the right decision.

Vive le mariage!

2009-09-30T21:25:00.001-07:00

Only in France.

list no. 8: fave french words

2009-09-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

1. grenouille
2. écureuil
3. pamplemousse
4. Époisses
5. prestidigitateur

quinn deveaux

2009-09-23T23:46:00.000-07:00

I saw Quinn DeVeaux perform solo at Amnesia some time ago, maybe it was last year. He was opening for a band I had been following, The California Honeydrops, and even though he was playing solo, I remembered being impressed by his voice. You could tell he was singing wholeheartedly, without any sign of pretension. He was at the club because he believed in the music he was offering to us. And in turn, we all believed in him. So I signed his mailing list.

Now Quinn has a full band, with three backup singers, and through the weekly emails, I keep seeing that he has more and more shows coming up. I just had a peek at this podcast in which he and his band perform their songs in a studio. It's gorgeous to look at, and even moreso to listen and tap your foot to. Enjoy!

drifting away

2009-09-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Cats can be in any position and tune anything out, drifting away into a meditative state. (At this particular moment, she was tuning out the street noise and my rendition of Jacques Brel's Amsterdam.)

Bobby McFerrin: Neuro-Scientist

2009-08-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

self-identified crazy person

2009-08-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

I shot this video of myself after a shoot I did with Jessica a few months ago for our film: Forms of Identification.

What do you think? Should I stay in the picture or is this gonna end up on the cutting room floor?

Drink... Then Drive!

2009-08-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

Forget Gas, Batteries — Pee Is New Power Source

* By Eric BLand
MSNBC, July 8, 2009
Straight to the Source

Urine-powered cars, homes and personal electronic devices could be available in six months with new technology developed by scientists from Ohio University.

Using a nickel-based electrode, the scientists can create large amounts of cheap hydrogen from urine that could be burned or used in fuel cells. "One cow can provide enough energy to supply hot water for 19 houses," said Gerardine Botte, a professor at Ohio University developing the technology. "Soldiers in the field could carry their own fuel."

Pee power is based on hydrogen, the most common element in the universe but one that has resisted efforts to produce, store, transport and use economically.

Storing pure hydrogen gas requires high pressure and low temperature. New nanomaterials with high surface areas can adsorb hydrogen, but have yet to be produced on a commercial scale.

Chemically binding hydrogen to other elements, like oxygen to create water, makes it easier to store and transport, but releasing the hydrogen when it's needed usually requires financially prohibitive amounts of electricity.

By attaching hydrogen to another element, nitrogen, Botte and her colleagues realized that they can store hydrogen without the exotic environmental conditions, and then release it with less electricity, 0.037 Volts instead of the 1.23 Volts needed for water.

One molecule of urea, a major component of urine, contains four atoms of hydrogen bonded to two atoms of nitrogen. Stick a special nickel electrode into a pool of urine, apply an electrical current, and hydrogen gas is released.

Botte's current prototype measures 3x3x1 inch and can produce up to 500 milliwatts of power. However, Botte and her colleagues are actively trying to commercialize several larger versions of the technology.

A fuel cell, urine-powered vehicle could theoretically travel 90 miles per gallon. A refrigerator-sized unit could produce one kilowatt of energy for about $5,000, although this price is a rough estimate, says Botte.

"The waste products from say a chicken farm could be used to produce the energy needed to run the farm," said John Stickney, a chemist and professor at the University of Georgia.

à table!

2009-08-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

I started a blog (finally) about my other passion: Food.

The blog is designed to help promote my new food project, Ediblease.

This pic is from our pilot shoot. Kara and Úna prepared a delicious cold cucumber soup.

SF's Best Dressed Boyz!

2009-07-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Slideshow #2 is up on NBC Bay Area! Don't forget to vote on how you feel (thrilled! intrigued!)! Merci!

Forms of Identification

2009-07-31T00:06:00.001-07:00

Jess and I created a blog for our short experimental dance film Forms of Identification. We'll be posting updates on screenings of rough cuts, trailers and other clips and or photos of the film here. You can also stay tuned to hear how post-production and our distribution and funding plans are going. So come back often!

new food for SF!

2009-07-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today issued the first ever comprehensive food policy for San Francisco, and a sweeping action plan to make improvements to food that is available in the region. The plan, which Mayor Newsom issued through Executive Directive, aims to ensure that all regional residents have access to healthy food, and will have far reaching impact throughout Northern California by increasing support for area farms.

Read more here.

kermit does corks

2009-06-26T09:31:00.001-07:00

Kermit Lynch has partnered with ReCork America in a program to reuse and recycle unwanted corks! I've been saving corks for years since my dad and I both knew artists who used cork as their medium. Now there's no reason for all y'all who don't save corks to start, and pick up a bottle of your favorite Cotes du Whatever while you're at it from good ol' Kermit!

back to the basic goat

2009-06-22T10:59:00.001-07:00

I saw these goats grazing on a hillside behind USF last Thursday evening. Apparently they belong to City Grazing, an alternative to lawnmowers, weedcutters and other gas-guzzling yard equipment.

sequoias giganticus

2009-06-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

As Bay Area residents, we often get visitors who want to tour California, see the City, the Coast and of course the Redwoods. About 12 years ago, a Swiss couple came to visit, and inquired where they could see the big Redwoods. My dad steered them away from Muir Woods and toward Sequoia National Park where you could experience the really big old trees. After a few martinis, he insisted on calling them by what he thought was their Latin name "Sequoias Giganticus." This has been a running joke in our family ever since.

So a couple weekends ago, my dad and I went on a photo weekend to Amador, Stanislaus and Calaveras Counties. We stopped by the "Big Trees" National Park to picnic. I took a brochure so we could figure out what kind of big trees were in the park.

meditative cat

2009-05-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Cloud has reached Nirvana.

cloud on my mind

2009-05-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

I love this double image of Cloud. It's like she's dreaming, and this little reflection of her is seen in the mirror behind her, which makes it look like a little mini-me of Cloud is floating above her head.

radio africa & kitchen / velo rouge cafe

2009-05-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

too good not to share with every tom, dick and harry

2009-05-04T20:04:00.001-07:00

rudo y cursi

2009-05-01T20:17:00.001-07:00

OMG! Ay Dios Mio! What an enjoyable and fun film! And great acting to boot. I'm a fan of Mexican film, and I'm also a footie fan, AND I'm also a Gael Garcia Bernal fan, so how could you go wrong with Rudo y Cursi, a charming and funny film about a couple brothers/campesinos trying to make it as First Division footballers in el DF. And, Bernal even sings and plays accordion (thump thump goes my heart), even if he's un poco riduculo in doing so. I'm not even going to tell you what his big hit is.

Rudo y Cursi will be back in theaters for a week in SF starting May 15. Go see it!!!

it's them... isn't it?

2009-04-27T17:12:00.001-07:00

I just saw this amazing film from Quebec at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Here's the write-up from the SFIFF newsletter:

It's Not Him, He Swears
Vandalism. Breaking and entering. Arson. Suicide. Not typically the stuff of a movie centered on a ten-year-old boy, particularly one who plays with kites and has a sweet tooth for Fudgesicles. But Léon, the protagonist of Quebec director Philippe Falardeau's It's Not Me, I Swear!, is one maladjusted mischief-maker, coping with his parents' separation and his mother's abandonment to disastrous effect. Falardeau, who appeared at the Festival in 2007 with the farcical Congorama, was careful to ensure his film would “blend humor and drama simultaneously.” The movie opens with an incident that is both horrific and bizarrely amusing, setting the tone for a comedy wrung from tragic circumstances. “The opening scene, it's absurd,” said Falardeau. “When you look at it, it's funny. But when you actually think about it, the situation is not funny. And life is like that.” When one audience member commented that he was “profoundly disturbed” by the film, Falardeau noted that “about 20 percent of the audience always has that reaction. But oftentimes a viewer's reaction to a film says more about his personal experience rather than the film itself.”

Sometimes, he said, kids are better judges of what's truly unsettling. “In Berlin, this film was shown to a theater of 11-year-olds. I didn't think they should see it. In my mind, this was a film for adults. But, it turns out that the children take it better than we do. They laugh much more. The thing that traumatized them most was the kiss” between the two child stars. When asked how he worked with his exceptional leads—a ten-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl—Falardeau shared a secret. “Candy. We threw candy at them when they were good.” In reality, he rehearsed for weeks with the kids, who, despite their lack of experience, turned out to be professional and intuitive actors. “We would discuss the characters and Antoine L'Écuyer, the young actor who played Léon, would be dead-on about 80 percent of the time. And professional actors are just children anyway. So there's almost no difference.”

It's Not Me, I Swear! screens next on Tuesday at 1:00 pm.

A Poem For Spring

2009-04-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places in San Francisco, The Red Poppy, has a mailing list that I've subscribed to for the past several years. Today I received this Pablo Neruda poem from them, and now I offer it to you.

A Poem for Spring

(Poem 14 from Neruda's Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair)

Every day you play with the light of the universe.
Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and in the water.
You are more than this little white head I hold tightly
like a cluster of grapes between my hands every day.

You seem like no other since I've loved you.
Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.
Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?
Ah let me remember you as you were then, before you even existed.

Suddenly the wind howls and knocks against my shut window.
The sky is a net crammed with shadowed fish.
Here all the winds come to give, all of them.
The rain strips off her clothes.

The birds pass by, fleeing.
The wind. The wind.
I can only fight against the power of men.
The storm gathers dark leaves
and lets loose all the boats that last night were moored to the sky.

You are here. Ah, you don't flee.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Cling to my side as if you were scared.
But once a strange shadow ran through your eyes.

Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and you're perfumed all the way to your breasts.
While the sad wind gallops killing butterflies
I love you, and my happiness bites your mouth plum.

How you must have hurt as you accustomed to me,
to my solitary and savage soul, to my name that drives everyone away.
We have seen the evening's first star burn so many times, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the twilights untwist in revolving fans.

My words rained over you, caressing you.
I've loved your sunned, mother-of-pearl body ever since.
Until I believe you own the universe.
I will bring you elated mountain flowers, Chilean copihues,
dark hazelnuts, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want to do with you
what spring does with the cherry trees.

translated and (c) Mark Eisner

wherefore art thou?

2009-04-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

In light of my recent love/horror story, the title of this article caught my eye and made me chuckle.

Global Spirit

2009-04-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

The series I edited for Link TV, "Global Spirit" premiered on Sunday evening, but you can also watch the episodes online. The New York Times also wrote a favorable review about our series. I highly recommend it, so please take some time to check it out.

Out of the ashes, rises the Phoenix

2009-04-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

I wrote a letter to the Universe this morning. It was a visualization about my future life partner, and how I imagine we will be together. The vision made me feel very supported and happy. It was as if he were already here in my life, and all I have to do now is keep walking down my path, and all the love, beauty and happiness that I visualized would soon be here.

our eloquent prez

2009-04-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

This post is way overdue, and for lack of anything better to say at the moment, I give you these profound words from da Prez.

rub-a-dub-dub

2009-03-31T18:03:00.001-07:00

My dad sent me this pic of my nieces, and that is the only caption that is needed.