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  • in movies
  • 1 min read

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Dad Cred

I took the kids to Captain America: The Winter Soldier this past Sunday. You know it’s going to be a blockbuster when the theater is 75% filled at a 9:30 a.m. showing on a Sunday morning. I usually like to take the kids to the early showing as the theater is almost empty on Sunday mornings.

Warning: Minor Spoiler

Two thirds of the way through the movie, Natasha Romanova (Black Widow), played by Scarlett Johansson, and Steve Rogers (Captain America), played by Chris Evans, enter an abandoned military base with an ancient mainframe computer system. Natasha Romanova turns to Captain America, and asks in a monotone, “Would you like to play a game?” Right out of the 1983 movie WarGames. Zoe turns to me in the theater, her face all lit up, as she gets the in-joke, mostly in there for my generation.

We had just watched Wargames a couple months ago on Netflix, right before it was set to expire. (Alas, it’s still expired and not available for streaming.)

That was definitely a warm fuzzy knowing I’ve contributed to my kids geek credibility. Achievement Unlocked.

Cherry Tree Blooming in Kyoto, Japan

Winter never ends.

I just returned home from 10 days in Asia, with a weekend stopover in Japan, staying in Osaka with a day trip to Kyoto.

It’s cold, snowing and blustery in Minneapolis on April 1st, so here’s a photo of a cherry tree just starting to blossom in Kyoto, Japan. We were a week or two early to enjoy the full cherry trees coming in to blossom, but there were a few just starting. Enjoy.

Congratulations Wisconsin Men’s Basketball

Congratulations to the University of Wisconsin’s Men’s Basketball team on their victory over Arizona to win the West Regional bracket and advance to the Final Four.

Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal has an excellent article on what this means for Coach Bo Ryan.

The game was a nail biter, with the last 18 minutes of regulation being a one possession game before finally going into overtime and the Badgers pulling out a huge win. On to North Texas and a chance to play in the national championship.

Photo: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

XBMC 13 (Gotham) Beta 1 Out

XBMC, the best media center for home theater computers, has just released the first beta of the next release, 13.0 (code named Gotham) – go get it!

The feature I’m most excited about? After adding PVR integration in XBMC 12.0 Frodo, commercial skip is now available for those using MythTV as a PVR. That, plus the all new audio engine and and a new version for Android devices have me excited to try this out.

I know what I’ll be doing after work tonight. Sometime in the next few weeks I owe a blog post of my current setup – my last blog post from a few years ago is woefully out of date.

  • in Games
  • 3 min read

Why Dungeons & Dragons Matters

40 years of using your imagination.

Ethan Gilsdorf has a fantastic essay up on Boing Boing: At 40 Years Old, Dungeons & Dragons Still Matters. As the original Dungeons & Dragons turns 40 this year, I’m guessing we’ll see many great tributes to the grandaddy of all role playing games, and Mr. Gilsdorf’s essay really resonated with me.

Along the way, D&Ders like me learned about stuff. We discussed hit dice and saving throws, ballistas and halberds. We studied, without encouragement from our parents or teachers, arcane subjects such as architecture, history, languages, and statistics. I learned how to draw and map. I learned battle tactics, how to bargain, how to empathize and negotiate with those not like me—be it undead kings or jocks. And a lot of introverted, socially-inept kids found friends and fellowship. I got socialized, and I learned how to be a leader. Bored and dissatisfied with my real life, I created a more exciting one, again and again, where I got to save the day and have agency.

The tools of D&D gave me permission to imagine a better me, and a better story for myself. They gave me the courage to imagine a different future. And taught me how to change myself. Not happy with lowly Level 1 Ethan, I worked hard to level up to my better, stronger, faster level 17 version today.

This is the key to role playing and I learned similar things playing D&D in the ’80s. I introduced my two youngest children to role-playing with rpgKids a couple years ago and this year we’re transitioning to Pathfinder. I’m hopeful they will learn the same things using their imagination to role play, and it helps to unplug them from their screens as well as challenge them mentally while encouraging them physically with the athletics they are involved with. Balance is good.

D&D is still my springboard into dreaming. Me and four other guys, all in our forties, embark upon these imaginary adventures on Sunday nights. How can I give this up? I leave my computer behind and dip into an amorphous, enigmatic current of magical thinking that humans rarely swim in: something epic and unknown.

I had the chance recently to re-connect with a friend from high school whom I haven’t talked to (or anyone from that period of my life) in over 20 years. He still plays D&D regularly with other friends from high school, including the one who introduced me to D&D. I find that I’m jealous of that; both the camaraderie of friends staying connected like that and the discipline of having a weekly gaming group with the chance, as Mr. Gilsdorf says, “[to] leave my computer behind and dip into an amorphous, enigmatic current of magical thinking that humans rarely swim in…” My oldest son regularly plays Pathfinder (and Magic: The Gathering) with his group of high school buddies and I like to think I had something to do with that. I’ll continue to play with the two younger ones and I hope they learn the same things Mr. Gilsdorf and I learned from Dungeons & Dragons.

Photo by Davi Silva under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

City Pages’ Oral History of 89.3 The Current

A few weeks ago I was out watching football with some buddies. I was talking about my new car and how I was disappointed it didn’t have Radio Data System built in, which shows you the song name and title when listening to the radio. “Who still listens to the radio?!” he said. I replied, “I listen to The Current! We have one of the best public radio stations in the country!” A week or so later, he forwarded me the Arbitron ratings locally to debunk my statement.

As The Current celebrates its ninth birthday, City Pages has published an Oral History of The Current. Featuring former and current employees of Minnesota Public Radio and the station, they talk about the founding of the station; the highs of getting it off the ground; the lows of the rating crash a few years later and bringing in a consultant; and the success they’ve had with both the station, supporting new artists and especially their support of the local music scene. It’s a fantastic read and gives you a rare behind the scenes look at running a radio station.

And to my friend who wanted to argue with me about having one of the best radio stations in the country, the opening paragraphs back me up:

This week, 89.3 the Current celebrates the start of its 10th year, having become the model for cutting-edge radio throughout the country. Not bad for a station built from the ground up in six weeks.

Before the Current hit the airwaves in January 2005, local FM radio was a dead zone, and 89.3 was home to string orchestras. Flash forward to today, and the Current has revitalized the local music scene and been named the country’s best non-commercial radio station by industry peers for four years running.

Happy 9th birthday, 89.3!

  • in music
  • 4 min read

Favorite Albums of 2013

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With 2013 now in the books, I’d like to share some of my favorite albums of 2013. After Polica dropped their debut album digitally on December 20th, 2011, I’ve learned to wait until the year is over to share my favorite albums – don’t want to miss one!

These might not be the critic’s choices, but these are albums I like, and almost all of them I’ve bought on vinyl this year. In no particular order:

Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart – 89.3 The Current started spinning the second track from this album, The Way I Tend to Be, just a few months ago, and I fell in love. Giving the album a listen on Rdio, and then his back catalog, I realized how many of his songs I knew, without even knowing who the artist was. This is a fantastic album with catchy hooks and amazing lyrics. The only downside is the vinyl album didn’t come with an MP3 download card.

Free Energy – Love Signs – As a child and fan of everything 80s (well, maybe except the fashion), I love the 80s style power pop of this album. It started the year out with a bang and this albums knows exactly what it is – unapologetic pure fun.

The National – Trouble Will Find Me – I’ve always liked The National – and this album, along with their previous effort, really solidified for me how good they really are.

Chvrches – The Bones of What You Believe In – This is arguably my favorite album of the year. I’m just kicking myself for not going to see them at First Avenue earlier this year. Chvrches brings back that 80s power synth sound and merges it with today’s indie movement. Fantastic debut album.

Dessa – Parts of Speech – Local singer / songwriter / poet and member of the Doomtree collective. Good songwriting combined with her and Aby Wolf’s vocals made this a great album. The lead single, Warsaw, was nothing like she’s done as a solo artist and hit me like a hammer the first time I heard it. The Current did a special with her live at the Fitzgerald Theater, Dessa Deconstructed, which combined a live interview with Dessa mixed with a live performance. It’s available on YouTube and my favorite part was where she broke down the making of Warsaw.

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Mikal Cronin – MCII – I took a gamble on this album as I’m a fan of most artists on the Merge label, and it quickly became a favorite of mine. I was quite happy to see this make a bunch of “Best of 2013” lists as it didn’t seem to have much buzz or airplay.

Superchunk – I Hate Music – When I started running again early this summer, this was my go to album. If you’re a Superchunk fan, there’s not a lot new here, but it’s a short album at 40 minutes, and fast paced with a good beat. I’ve always liked Superchunk and this album doesn’t disappoint.

Neko Case – The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You – Neko Case’s last album, Middle Cyclone, was the first vinyl album I bought when I got back into vinyl a few years ago, on clear vinyl on the second Record Store Day, no less. I’m a huge fan of the New Pornographers, of whom she is a member, and I’ve always enjoyed her solo work. It’s much more personal and raw, and this album is especially so as Ms. Case has talked about her struggles leading up to this album as she was depressed and grieving the loss of her grandmother.

Volcano Choir – Repave – Is there anything Justin Vernon of Bon Iver does that doesn’t turn into gold? The second album he was a part of in 2013 (the first being the blues rock Shouting Matches), Repave is the second release by Volcano Choir and one in which he didn’t write any of the songs, but still retains a very Bon Iver feel. There’s not a lot I can say about this that Barb Abney of 89.3 The Current hasn’t already said.

Har Mar Superstar – Bye Bye 17 – Six or seven years ago I was volunteering at MPR and they handed me a few CDs for helping out for an afternoon. One of them was of Har Mar Superstar, whom I hadn’t heard of at the time, but quickly learned to love. With the lead single, Lady, You Shot Me, Sean Tillman aka Har Mar Superstar takes us back to the old soul sound and it works.

Caroline Smith – Half About Being a Woman – Another local Minnesota artist, Ms. Smith ran a successful Kickstarter campaign for her latest album of which I participated in. When the vinyl reward ran late ran late, she sent all of her vinyl backers a copy of the CD, which was a great touch as we had already received access to the MP3 download. Like Har Mar Superstar above, her album is a tribute to the classic Motown soul sound and after a few listens, you will forget that it came out in 2013.

Janelle Monae – The Electric Lady – this soulful, funky concept album has received rave reviews and not enough airplay. This is unlike most music out there and if you haven’t listened to it yet, go do it now.  It will make you dance.

  • in music
  • 1 min read

Best of Bootie 2013 Released!

Best of Bootie 2013 is out! And just in time for Christmas, too!

Featuring 22 of the year’s best mashups from some of the best DJs currently in the business, Best of Bootie 2013 is available as one big MP3 file or 22 tracks in one convenient zip file. Curated by A Plus D, aka DJs Adrian & Mysterious D, founders of Bootie, they didn’t just stop with their 22 favorite mashups – there are also 10 bonus mashups available for download, too.

I’ve been listening to the Best of Bootie albums since 2005 – it’s my go to music for running and working out and pretty much the only introduction I get to pop music these days. Give it a spin at the Soundcloud link above or download it now – you’ll love it. (Don’t wait either – songs have disappeared due to takedown notices. Get it while it’s hot!)

Another Reason Why I Love The Current

I vividly remember the day Rev105 changed formats. My wife and I were leaving work and climbed into the car in the carpool lot. Turning on the car, Van Halen was playing. I was surprised, but I’ve always been a Van Halen fan, and dug that they were playing it. Rev105 was the most eclectic radio station I’ve ever listened to, and while I was surprised to hear Van Halen, it wasn’t out of the norm from some of the things they played. And then another hard rock song came on, and another – and they announced the new call letters, X105. And just like that, my favorite radio station was dead.

The latest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced a week and a half ago. To celebrate, 89.3 The Current played a number of the inductees, including:

  • Hall and Oates
  • Linda Rondstadt
  • Cat Stevens
  • Peter Gabriel

Mary Lucia was driving to work when they played the above artists and missed Barb Abney’s introduction to the set list. Her reaction was hilarious, along with the voicemail she left to Jill Riley, co-host of the morning show on The Current:

I FREAKED out! Not another format change! This isn’t happening again! I was convinced we had flipped formats overnight and this was my way of finding out I no longer had a job at the Current.

I know this sounds overly dramatic, but friends, this has happened to me before in my radio career: One day I have a job, and the next day we are playing Scorpions and Nazareth. BOOM! “Thanks for all of your hard work, now who needs a box to pack up your [stuff]?”

Hit the link to read her reaction, listen to the voicemail and the Twitter reactions by people around the Twin Cities.

Kudos to The Current for sharing this – it brought a smile to my face.

  • in EFF
  • 2 min read

Ten Years of Giving to the EFF

EFF Proud Member

This year marks ten years of charitable giving for me to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The EFF is by far my favorite charity that we give to each year and I can’t stress enough how important the work they do is.

A number of years ago my wife framed my letters and stickers I’ve received from my favorite non-profit organizations (pictured above) including the EFF, Creative Commons and Minnesota Public Radio.

Who is the EFF and why is it important? From their About page:

When our freedoms in the networked world come under attack, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the first line of defense. EFF broke new ground when it was founded in 1990—well before the Internet was on most people’s radar—and continues to confront cutting-edge issues defending free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights today. From the beginning, EFF has championed the public interest in every critical battle affecting digital rights.

While most of America was shocked at Edward Snowden’s revelations this year about the NSA spying, EFF supporters have known about the NSA’s taps on the internet for years – it was in January, 2006 when Mark Klein became a whistle blower, sharing with the EFF information about the NSA internet taps at AT&T. (The full timeline of NSA spying is staggering).

This is just one of many important projects that EFF works on to protect our digital rights. Check them out with the full list:

A few examples:

Their work is important. Support them and support your digital freedom.