I just post three new movies on my Youtube page. Two are of Dragonfly Flipz Books and the other is my first music video of "Wraped Sky Band Music".
DragonflyEnt Youtube Page
One of my last New Year's Resolutions was to renew my interest in music. as I
November Night is one of our favorite original tunes, which I wrote. This was actually the first time all three of us played it together. Richard, the flute player, and I had work on it before. I always loved the way we did a "stop time" pause near the end of the tune. It was performed before an audience of one, Joyce Benitez, my girlfriend at the time, at her apartment. Fun was had by all, so before the cassette tape totally rots away, I thought I'd share with with the world. (At the risk of making a complete fool of myself...well, too late now) Enjoy.
The Iron Man - War Machine Comix Flipz book (concept demo) was done several years ago, long before the movie was started. It's made from a test clip from NIC Entertainment, an Korean animation studio did as a demo for Marvel. I wish I have the full clip to show, but I return the demo tape to the friend who lend it to me. The NIC did the art for the War Machine graphic novel released under Marvel Comics' MAX Comics imprint. Maybe I get to make some more, if Marvel is interested.
The Halo 2 Dragonfly Game Flipz Mirco-Book is the first Halo Flipz book I did originally as 5" x 7" book. This time, I shrank it to trading card size, just to see how small this flip book format would work. Actually it worked pretty good. Still, without a licensing deal I can't produce them.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Mariam Makaba
I was really sad to read the news of Miriam Makaba passing. She was a truly remarkable person. If you don't know about her, do yourself a favor and read this obit from the NY Times, then search out her music.
Miriam Makeba - New Times Obit.
I remember my oldest sister playing Miriam's album featuring "The Click Song" back as a teen in the '60's. It's a warm memory for me. But, also it was probably my first expose to world music. I could never figure out how she did that vocal. Check out the youtube clip.
The Click Song - Miriam Makeba
The power of her songs will live forever. May she rest in joyous peace.
Miriam Makeba - New Times Obit.
I remember my oldest sister playing Miriam's album featuring "The Click Song" back as a teen in the '60's. It's a warm memory for me. But, also it was probably my first expose to world music. I could never figure out how she did that vocal. Check out the youtube clip.
The Click Song - Miriam Makeba
The power of her songs will live forever. May she rest in joyous peace.
Monday, November 10, 2008
New Hope for the Future
I'm not big on political posts. That said, I barely held back the tears at the news of the Obama win. On Election Day, my wife and I took our boys ("mixed-race" kids) into the voting booth with us. I wanted them to share in this milestone, with the hope that maybe, in their lifetime, the whole "hyphen-American" labels will disappear.
We, all Americans, did "win". Like-minded people kept the Dream of Martin Luther King alive and made it a real, every day, element of their lives. We kept the "Faith" and lived to see the seeds of our efforts, and the efforts of all those who came before us, bear fruit in our grown (and growing ) children.
This isn't a victory for a single Black man, or racial group. That is much too narrow a view of what this election victory stands for. I think Barack Obama won on "the content of his character", which, of course, is a turn on the famous line from the Martin Luther King's March on Washington speech. Born in 1950, I have witnessed and lived through many historic moments of the last (almost) six decades, with a mixture of proud, happiness, pain, and shame. Examine any piece of American, (or World History), and you'll probably feel the same range of emotions.
The two basic personal beliefs I hold: 1. There is only one Race on this earth , the Human Race, a Family of Man, dysfunctional perhaps, but still just one tribe. 2. I'm an proud American. The greatness of the United States of America is in the concept that's embodied in the words "We the People..." America is place where all earth's children came together and shared, learned from each other, and they choose to become "real Americans". Some came by choice, some by desperation, some by chains. Our dark times, were when we choose to exclude fellow human beings for petty, evil, reasons. Our brightest moments are times like this election when inclusion is the order of the day. Barack Obama was a magnet that drew new young voters into the system and older voters, who may have lost faith, back into the system. For that act alone, he is a winner.
The question of will he succeed as President is misleading. The real question is will we succeed in helping him perform to the best of his ability? Do we support his platform of change with positive actions, not just words? Challenge his ideas, we may oppose, in a respectful, thoughtful, constructive manner or tear him down at the first misstep? It's our choice.
I look forward to better day and I will do my best to help achieve them. There is hope for the future, again. I'm so grateful I lived to see this day.
We, all Americans, did "win". Like-minded people kept the Dream of Martin Luther King alive and made it a real, every day, element of their lives. We kept the "Faith" and lived to see the seeds of our efforts, and the efforts of all those who came before us, bear fruit in our grown (and growing ) children.
This isn't a victory for a single Black man, or racial group. That is much too narrow a view of what this election victory stands for. I think Barack Obama won on "the content of his character", which, of course, is a turn on the famous line from the Martin Luther King's March on Washington speech. Born in 1950, I have witnessed and lived through many historic moments of the last (almost) six decades, with a mixture of proud, happiness, pain, and shame. Examine any piece of American, (or World History), and you'll probably feel the same range of emotions.
The two basic personal beliefs I hold: 1. There is only one Race on this earth , the Human Race, a Family of Man, dysfunctional perhaps, but still just one tribe. 2. I'm an proud American. The greatness of the United States of America is in the concept that's embodied in the words "We the People..." America is place where all earth's children came together and shared, learned from each other, and they choose to become "real Americans". Some came by choice, some by desperation, some by chains. Our dark times, were when we choose to exclude fellow human beings for petty, evil, reasons. Our brightest moments are times like this election when inclusion is the order of the day. Barack Obama was a magnet that drew new young voters into the system and older voters, who may have lost faith, back into the system. For that act alone, he is a winner.
The question of will he succeed as President is misleading. The real question is will we succeed in helping him perform to the best of his ability? Do we support his platform of change with positive actions, not just words? Challenge his ideas, we may oppose, in a respectful, thoughtful, constructive manner or tear him down at the first misstep? It's our choice.
I look forward to better day and I will do my best to help achieve them. There is hope for the future, again. I'm so grateful I lived to see this day.
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