Interesting article tying rapid thought with happiness, mental stagnation with depression, and repetitive just-can’t-Let-IT-GO! thought patterns to anxiety.  Much of this would be simple common sense, but the interesting thing here is the Cart/Horse (aka Chicken/Egg) conundrum.  That is, does our mood affect our thoughts or do our thoughts affect our mood?

The advice: if you’re down, do a crossword and get the noggin noodling with something new.

I know that when I’ve got A.N.Ts. running up and down my brain (that’s Automatic Negative Thoughts, ‘natch) the best thing for me to do is drop to my knees and ask God for something else to think about.  Most recently the answer was:  “Just think about Jerry playing guitar.”  So I did, and now I’ve got the opening riff of “Lovelight” wedged in my head.  I think this is a blessing.  It sure as hell works!

(… without a warning…. you broke my heart…)

Article via BoingBoing

Do you have any Kahlua?

After reading a little about the similarities between Soviet iconography and the Obama pop-art posters which would encourage us to Obey Giant, this one really pulled the campaign together:

thanks to mr. whitman

(Thanks to Kingtycoon Mathoslah for the tip.)

Whether it left a soft spot or a sore spot, there’s no doubt that anyone who slid through the 70s could do so unfazed by the smooth sounds of Southern California’s Yacht Rock. Sailing a swath of pure stereo bliss from the cool waters of Santa Barbara to the spicy shores of San Diego, Yacht Rock was more than a sound: It was a mindset, a philosophy, and a takin’-it-easy way of life.

And now at YachtRock.com you can relive the adventure through the struggles of a young Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald as they wrestle with life, loss, and the urge to rock. Every episode is worth watching (and hey, they’re only 5 minutes or so each), and each one tackles a new angle of the Yacht Rock story. From its 60s hippie roots, to its 80s dalliance with Pop Metal, to its sampled-resurrection in 90s hip-hop, every line cast into this sea of cheese lands a catch of AM Gold.

Give it a try. And be sure to keep it smooth.

This cartoon is by Jeremy. Who is Jeremy? I really don’t know. Jeremy is just some guy I came across via GoodReads when he weighed in on Blankets:

Unless it comes with a device that magically produces a boundless supply of delicious cookies when I verbally specify into a tiny speaker what kind I want, I seriously doubt that I will ever read a better graphic novel than “Blankets”.

Does it help that I came of age during the ’80s with a fundamentalist Christian family in a small town? It certainly enhanced my enjoyment, but judging from the reviews I’ve seen here and elsewhere, a scant, detestable few have failed to find anything of value in Thompson’s wonderful story, regardless of their upbringing. That’s right: if you didn’t enjoy this book, I am angry at you, and I don’t like you very much. You have effectively negated any good deeds you may have performed in your life thanks to your failure to acknowledge this fine book as a masterpiece. Way to go, numbnuts.

I had intended to write a much nicer review than this but now I’m too angry because for the past ten minutes I’ve been imagining scenarios in which people tell me they found the book to be corny and sappy, whereupon I stab their eyes repeatedly with pointy rocks, screaming “ALLOW ME TO DESTROY THESE AS THEY CLEARLY HAVE DONE YOU NO GOOD! THIS IS A SERVICE TO YOU! PLEASE STOP SCREAMING! DON’T YOU LIKE HELP?!?!?”

Jeremy likes to post random bits of his Maine existence: curious garage sale finds; the forgotten frontiers of pop-culture; music, of course; and old comics scrawled in notebooks years ago, like the one posted above. And the ones posted here.

I think about Jeremy sometimes. He reminds me of many a first friend. He reminds me of teenage summer afternoons spent amusing ourselves with a regular rotation of iced coffees, taco bell, and camel lights. Creativity without target, unharnessed brain cycles spinning, spinning, spinning… and for what? Where are we now? What was that Jeremy…?

Work! It’s what there is!

Well then, here we are. I’m trying to make the best of it, and frankly it’s been going a lot better for me now that I’ve let some more of those unharnessed brain cycles do a little untargeted spinning. Jeremy, if you’re ever in town and need to use the john, stop by. And stick around if you can — the first beer’s on me. Life’s better with guys like you around.

Previously here and here, but I couldn’t resist . . .

How do you miss a guy like this…

… who’s been covered by Jimi & Steve Miller, and jammed with Zappa & Sly Stone?

Somehow I’d missed him until I picked up this anthology and found out about the Superman Lover and the original Gangster Of Love.

Is this legal? Let me know if it’s not!

Ever listen to Amy Winehouse and think to yourself, “I wished you’d shut up a little and let the band play!” If so, here’s your chance to hear the fabulous Dap-Kings stretch out and shake it like the Funk Brothers and the JB’s. Oh yeah, with the magnificent Sharon Jones leading the charge.

Have a listen.  (<– might want to “right click and save as” on this one…)

Here’s one for you: http://voodoofunk.blogspot.com

Crate digging in West Africa — finding the lost links between Afro-Pop and American Soul and mashing it up into some great mixes. Beastie Boy approved!

Favorite mix so far: This Hustling World