Obama is a constant happy surprise

I had forgotten what it was like to be pleased with what one's government's actions. Never in my adult life had I experienced the U.S. government creating legislation that was cognizant of global climate change and working progressively to curb it, or acting to cease detainment/torture of prisoners on foreign soil without probably evidence. All this in the first week? Thank you Obama.

From the NYTimes:
Obama's Order is Likely to Tighten Auto Standards

Animal Collective's video for "My Girls"

D-dang. Sometimes there is a thing that at first you wish would hurry up and get over with, but then it drags you in slowly, submerges you in its soupy washing machine brand of lovemaking and suddenly you're like, "I like this!" in a way that surprises even you.

I guess that just happened to me, with this:

Inauguration Poem for Obama, on Inauguration Day

As we watch the Inauguration with joy today, a re-post of my poem celebrating Obama's victory, the beauty of our collective connected humanity, and the conscious evolution we are undertaking.

Austin Celebrating in the Streets On Election Night After Obama Won!

A compilation of videos from the post Obama victory melee in downtown Austin, outside the Driskill on November 4th, 2008. My poem (posted above), "Above the Streetlights; The Night Obama Won," is a rumination on that night, what it meant for all of us, and what it will mean in our futures.

I'm glad for the bottom up media that documented that night and got these videos onto YouTube. It was a beautiful street party that night in Austin; jubilant beings finally feeling empowered and inspired by their government. Look at the people in the crowd laughing, dancing, hugging each other. And I've never seen radical young people sing the national anthem or wave a flag before!

Terapeak!

I never sell things on eBay so I'm discovering Terapeak a bit late, but I love it.

I just went on eBay to list a Dansk pepper mill that I bought here in Austin. I typed in "Dansk pepper mill" in the Terapeak search engine that's hosted on the eBay main page. Terapeak analyzed the last three weeks of Dansk pepper mill eBay auctions and said the average value they sold for was $80, and the 26 sold in the last three weeks sold for between $0 and $411. Yes. Thank you simplicity.

And thank you to the Terapeak nerds who thought up such a smart, smart creature of software.

MLK Day of Service in Austin

Tomorrow is the Martin Luther King Day of Service for the United Way and its partner agencies. The non-profit I work for runs Top Drawer Thrift and we'll be with a volunteer crew of ten people overhauling the back room and re-organizing the store so we can put out more donations.

Michelle and Barack Obama have been e-mailing their supporters, as you have no doubt noticed, encouraging them to participate in a nationwide day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.. The day of service honors his commitment to service and non-violence.

Let's get out there and do some good work!

Luzinterruptus's Recent Installation in Madrid

I just saw Luzinterruptus's January 5th installation around Madrid, Acomodate y Lee, on Art MoCo and spent more time looking at the photos on their blog. Each installation consisted of a blue light, most (all?) with antique lampshades, and a book on a string. They were little reading nooks carved out all over the city. The reading nooks were installed in niches as odd as a condom machine, or as clear as next to homeless person's bedroll on the sidewalk.

A very interesting intervention. I'm always drawn to private space insertions into public space or transformation of public space into private. This is a fairly well thought out one. Their other work is equally competent and alluring. Check it out on their blog.