Hello again,
Well they’re still in the apartment. This will be changing soon. I’ll get Adam out and about (say it like a Canadian, it’s fun!).
A good friend suggested I check out that Star Wars: Clone Wars CGI series. I was hesitant, because I hate the newer films. However, if they had of made the films like this TV series, I’d imagine everyone would have been happy. That show kicks a lot of ass. I’ve been enjoying it. I’m a little late to the party on it, but I’m glad I made it!
Oh hey, short week this week. Holidays rule.
Thanks for reading,
Marc
Last week we took a break from Auckland and headed to the South Island. As always, Christchurch was the destination, so I could catch up with friends and on any changes the city might have to offer. Previous trips have usually been done on a budget, but we spent a little extra this time, hiring a rental car so we would have the freedom to get around past the city limit if we chose to do so. Unfortunately arriving on Thursday wasn’t the best idea as the weather offered up the worst it could with a lot of rain and some cold southerly winds. The car was a blessing in this instance as we were able to check into some places with minimal discomfort. We headed out to the port town Lyttleton. Which is a really cool historic part of the city where the original settlers first established after arrival. Before heading over the hill to start a city on the plains. Lyttleton was cool to walk around, but after being beaten down by the weather it soon became a good place to stop into a cafĂ© and have a hot drink.
Friday we left town and headed for the Alpine Lakes in the middle of the island. The weather was still horrible for most of the journey, but thankfully cleared just as we arrived at our destination. It then got quite warm, and we didn’t see any more cold weather for the rest of the weekend. Those lakes are amazing. Totally worth the 4 hour drive just to see them.
Saturday and Sunday were spent catching up with friends and hanging around the city. Both days were hot, with Sunday fetching 30 degrees C! From one extreme to the other I guess. It was nice to be able to actually walk around the city and take some photos.
Funniest part of the holiday? Walking with my friend Richard up Hereford street we were passed by a policeman. He was a few steps ahead of us as we walked past a famous breakfast spot in the city. The smell of bacon wafted in the air. Richard turns and says “Hey do you guys smell…”
I cut him off right there, both of us realising just how inappropriate (appropriate?) that sentence was in that exact moment. It did give us a good laugh though!
Thanks for reading
Marc
New sounds: Mint Chicks x MusicHype.com – an alternative to a greedy industry
March 11th, 2010 | by MarcAnytime you’re lucky enough to hear some good new tunes then you know it’s going to be a good week. This was the case this last week. I had pre-ordered the new Mint Chicks EP which was a collaboration between them and MusicHype.com. Instead of releasing on a traditional format, this release came on a pre-loaded USB stick. A great idea. The dinosaurs of the music industry are still trying to find ways to strangle more money out of an already well past its used by date way of shifting sounds to the mainstream market. It’s good to see bands / companies / people use their initiative and explore other options that don’t involve a series of middle men to absorb what profit there might be left in the art. Selling something tangible and different like a customised USB is just a great idea. You get the music. You get something the band put some thought into, and you get a re-useable item. The band gets its music direct to its fans, and more money in the pocket.
My USB was on pre-order, so it was a nice surprise to have it turn up in the mail. Loaded up on it was the new “Bad Buzz” EP in m4a, mp3 and flac formats. Giving the consumer choice is a great thing. Also included were some press photos of the band, and a thank you with some artwork. For 25 bucks (NZD), that is a pretty sweet deal really. The EP is now available for digital download for those who don’t want the USB and extras but want some new rocking tunes.
As for the music. It was awesome. Loving the new tracks and looking forward to more from the Mint Chicks in the near future.
Thanks for reading!
Marc
This page was a mission. I knew what I had to do, but assembling it was very time consuming.
Hope you like it.
Thanks for reading,
See you next week!
Marc
This one took a while to draw. I’m still learning the digital work flow I guess.
Hello!
See you next week.
Marc