Rant

Haven’t ranted in a long time. Lately a few really trivial things have sprung up to bug me. Here are a few. . . Restaurants where the plates are larger than the table.

That stupid Visa commercial that trys to convince us that a credit card is faster than cash.

People who buy a $1.00 cup of coffee with a card.

Animals in stores. Especially restaurants.

Old guys with no shirts. No one with gray chest hair should be topless!

Spandex. Period, any size, any gender.

Pants and skirts on the same pair of legs.

Iphone

iphone glitch.jpg Sometimes a gadget changes our lifes. Depending on your age, it could have been a transistor radio, later the Walkman, then the cell phone. Now the tool that will change the way we think, work and play is the Iphone.

When I was about 7, I was able to scrape enought money together to buy a cheap red transitor radio from Thirfy Drug. Before it all music was tied to a cord. In the house, or in the car. So grown ups decided what to lisiten to. With my own radio I could listen to "my" music. KXFD, or a ball game. It was empowering for a little kid. Much later the phone became portable and you could get a call anywhere. Soon after the MP3 player gave us a whole wall of music in a postage stamp.

Untill now the interent was tied up. At the office, or home it took big computer and phone or cable line to use.

With the Iphone and the smart phones that will follow it is like that old transistor radio agian. You can take your "internet" with you everywhere. Check mail, or the BSU score. Google the salesman that is trying so hard to sell you a timeshare. Full access to my www.AmericanPhotoSource.com site. Plus all the blues a guy could ever want. Almost as cool as my little red am radio!

Made local, by locals-Buy!

Looking for a uniquely Idaho gift. Stop by the City Market Annex. Gotta' tell you I am proud to be part of this group. The artisans here are all local, as are the products. Hand blown glass, stunning jewelry, ornaments, even wallets made from duck tape. Naturally I have a couple of pictures in the corner and it is a great place to pick up a calendar or two.City Centre1.jpg The market will open everyday till after Christmas. Come by and buy!

Holiday Market Annex

The Holiday Market Annex will open up this 1st Thursday. Boise X mas web.jpgThe Market Merchants and the City Market crew have created a winter wonderland of 100% Idaho produced products. Located in the Mode building on Idaho(Think Grape Escape) the Annex will be open every day till Christmas. Naturally I will be displaying a merry group of photos, including a fun Christmas “Boise” collage.

Goodlife Gal

Check out the new blog in the blog roll. It is an interesting take on the "good life" here in Boise. http://goodlifegal.wordpress.com/

Behind the Mic is a Collection of Northwest Blues music

Music Review: Stocking Stuffer for Blues LoversBehind the Mic is a Collection of Northwest Blues music

By Curt Nichols, Guest Writer, 12-02-07 http://www.newwest.net/city/article/behind_the_mic_is_a_collection_of_northwest_blues_music/C108/L108/ You never know what to expect from a compilation CD. Most of them have a spotty record (think of the music sold on late night TV) while others are very good.

As a casual blues fan and a Northwest native, a collection of Northwest blues music sounded promising. So I was eager to listen to “Behind the Mic.” However, when I first looked at the artists featured on this CDs 18 tunes, I didn’t recognize even one.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that The Heard was included. That’s right, Idaho’s own impure folk original songsters (as they like to call themselves) are part of “Behind the Mic” with a bluesy tune called “I Saw You” that’s also on their most recent CD, Bliss.”

Except for The Heard, the rest of the musicians were new to me. I’m more familiar with the blues scene in Oregon and Washington. What I heard on “Behind the Mic” was a strong indication that Idaho has a thriving blues scene of its own.

One high point on this Idaho-centric CD is “First Night Out.” It tells a (nearly) true story of the first night out on the town after moving to Twin Falls. The song opens with the lines, “The first night that I went out/I saw some things that made me shout/Made me wonder about what kind of place this was.” In this tune, Dr. Mambo sings, “There I stood in my tourist shirt/Out among the cowboys and the dirt/A city boy in a place I did not know.”

If you haven’t heard Bobby Lindstrom, his song, “Angels in the Kitchen” is a great introduction to his brand of blues – acoustic guitar and vocals. Shaun Cox Leonard’s vocals stand out on “Playin’ with Fire.” The live instrumental, “Skatewings,” showcases Ken Harris’s abilities on the Hammond B-3 organ.

Unlike the compilation CDs hawked on late night TV, this one is available in stores. “Behind the Mic” is on sale at the Record Exchange. If they happen to be sold out, contact the Boise Blues Society and order a copy directly from them.

Gypsy Gallery-IPW show

Hope your planning on going out for 1st Thursday. The December 1st Thursday is one of the years best. Some of the best Idaho art now on display at the Alaska building and will be up all week. This is a combined showing of the Gypsy Gallery and the Idaho Photographers Workshop.

Greg Harley and I are sharing a room. The show is open 11am-2pm every day this week. There will be a reception 6p-9p Thursday night featuring the ever so talented and beautiful Gayle Chapman on Guitar.