Fifth Weekly Wrap Up

LJ and the Bamboo Path

Another week of fun and games has drawn to an end here at Paideia. I'm a bit mixed on my assessments of this week's production. In terms of quantity it was a let down. With only twelve posts, I averaged less than two per day. That's a slacker pace and needs to be improved.

On the other hand, I'm fairly pleased with the quality of my posts, a few of which were long articles with ample photos and vids. These mega-posts could have been broken down into multiple smaller length pieces. So, I guess that evens it out. The post count may be smaller but the amount of stuff to read is maintained.

But most importantly. . .


1969 Dodge Charger "General Lee" from the Dukes of Hazzard (credit: Warner Bros.)


I've learned how to jump!!!


We started the week off by marking the 25 year anniversary of the movie Top Gun with memories and assessments, in Eject, Goose! Eject! 

Then, in Streetscapes and Supercars, we took a trip to the Petersen Automotive Museum to admire their awesome collection of cars. I was especially impressed by the "Super" car exhibit, but we also enjoyed seeing the "Movie" cars, including the ol' General Lee. ;-)


Running (2011) by Brad Miller


In Fire and the Forms of Life, we considered the works of Brad Miller, currently on display at the Edward Cella Art + Architecture gallery. We admired the organic feel of his works.

Another cinema post, in True Love's First Kiss, we celebrated the ten year anniversary of Shrek, but deplored the awfulness of sequels. A fun movie soiled by subsequent hackery. Boo!!!!!

In Whippet! Whippet Good!, we contemplated the wonders of the whippet, a charming canine noted for being quick of paw and eloquent of countenance.


Is this an ad for vodka or soft core porn?


We mocked the advertising failures of Skyy Vodka, most recently putting out an ad for their Dragon Fruit vodka infusion with an image evocative of heart-ripping, in Heart in Hand. Seriously, Mola Ram called and he wants his finishing move back. Kali Ma! Kali Ma!!!

As is our tradition, Friday's Flower Never Fades continued our weekly admiration for flowers and fine poetry.

In Nature and Circles, Jazz and Lights, we did a mega-post about the various performances that we had the opportunity to enjoy at LACMA's ArtWalk event. There was interpretive dance, performance art, high concept music, and jazz!!! Good stuff!

We did a brief survey of dance music over the last 40 years in Eight Dance Songs for May. I expressed my discomfort with viewing E.G. Daily as an object of sexual attraction, dismissed Janet Jackson's rhythmic pablum, and adored the cool stylings of Vanessa Daou.

In Flying Elbow Drop, we did an "in memoriam" post for "Macho Man" Randy Savage and critiqued the post-Macho Slim Jim ad campaigns. These subsequent ads are lame and deserving of the treatment described in the title. Ooh yeah!!!

And then, in Space Is the Place, we celebrated the birth date of jazz great Sun Ra. His eclectic music is relatively obscure but well worth exploring.

Finally, in This Time I'm Doing It, we visited Thinkspace Gallery to view the exhibit "Being There" featuring the works of Pakayla Rae Biehn and Jeff Ramirez. Although both artists fall into the broad "photorealism" style of contemporary painting, their usage of obscurement and absence gives their works a compelling emotional tension.

In any case, I hope you've enjoyed last week's posts. I know that there is much room for improvement in terms of quantity, design, and style. I'm working on it.

Thanks for reading!!!