CHUCKLEHEAD.

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for people to realize that mike huckabee is worth nothing more than a good laugh. clips like this one,

in addition to remarks such as these,

"You don't like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag," Huckabee said at a Myrtle Beach campaign event. "In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole, that's what we'd do."

have convinced me that watching his campaign is only going to get better. in other words, little by little he is going to reveal how unfit he is to lead the country. simply stated, huckabee sounds legitimately dangerous; a loose cannon.

our country is capacious enough to embrace change, not lunacy.

if you try to steal the beat, the beat will steal you.

SIGNS PORTLAND HAS BEEN INFLUENTIAL >

a. i've had a bike stolen.
b. i've bought a bike.
c. i've been hit by a car on my bike.
d. i'm one 'crash' away from being able to count my crashes on more than one hand.
e. i bought fenders for the aforementioned bike.
f. i've had facial hair for more than six months.
g. i've actually described a cup of coffee as 'cantelope-y.'
h. i finally own a waterproof jacket.
i. my camping equipment collection has grown significantly. in other words, i now own a $300 sleeping bag and a thermal mat.
j. i'm willing to see a band perform at the expense of my personal health as well as the expense of my personal relationships.
k. political discussions have become a means to alienate myself from old friends.
l. meet the press has become far more entertaining than sportscenter.
m. i've realized the utilitarian characteristics of skinny jeans.**
n. i can't remember the last time i used an umbrella.

continuing my western assimilation,

corbin.

**truth be told, it's actually quite logical.

2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 MUSIC.

> albums >

1. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
2. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
3. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
4. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
5. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
6. Battles - Mirrored
7. Menomena - Friend And Foe
8. Justice - †
9. Pseudosix - Pseudosix
10. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly

> the rest >

> Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
> Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
> !!! - Myth Takes
> Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
> Burial - Untrue
> Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
> Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
> Radiohead - In Rainbows
> Feist - The Reminder
> The National – Boxer
> Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
> Mary Timony - The Shapes We Make
> Trans Am - Sex Change
> Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted
> José González - In Our Nature
> Handsome Firs > Plague Park

> best songs >

> Knife {remix} – Girl Talk
> Knife – Grizzly Bear
> Stronger - Kanye West
> Sharpshooter - Mary Timony
> Hustler - Simian Mobile Disco
> Honey Honey – Feist
> Enclave – Pseudosix
> Peacebone - Animal Collective
> Houseclouds – Liars
> Take Pills - Panda Bear
> You Are My Face – Wilco
> All I Need – Radiohead
> XR2 - M.I.A.
> Phantom – Justice
> Phantom Pt. II – Justice
> See A Penny (Pick It Up) – YACHT
> The Moneymaker - Rilo Kiley
> Summer Town - Blitzen Trapper
> How We Breathe – Pinback
> I Used to Complain Now I Don't - White Rabbits
> What They Said - Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities
> Faberge Falls For Shuggie - Of Montreal
> Slow Show – The National
> Bodysnatchers – Radiohead
> On Call – Kings of Leon
> From Nothing to Nowhere – Pinback
> +81 – Deerhoof
> Flashing Lights – Aesop Rock
> And You Lied to Me – The Besnard Lakes
> 20 Dollar – M.I.A.
> Air War – Crystal Castles
> Bronson – Calla
> Atlas – Battles
> Black Wave/Bad Vibrations – Arcade Fire
> Mass – Tulsa
> Your Lips are Red – St. Vincent
> For Reverend Green – Animal Collective
> Walcott – Vampire Weekend
> It’s All True – Tracey Thorn
> Unless It’s Kicks – Okkervil River
> Blue Harvest – Pinback
> Fluorescent Grey – Deerhunter
> Devil’s A-Go-Go – Pinback
> Lake Somerset – Deerhunter
> I’m Impressed – Your Code Name is Milo
> The Sega Method – Driveby Argument
> Tonto – Battles
> Reckoner – Radiohead
> Break In Case of Everything - !!!
> Beehive State – White Rabbits
> Pom Pom – Matthew Dear
> Rag & Bone – The White Stripes
> Tall Trees – Lost in the Trees
> Teardrop - José González
> Sparta #2 – The Fall
> The Towering Inferno – Lucky Soul
> Murder Babe – Blitzen Trapper
> Crossing Line – The Sea and Cake
> Melody Day – Caribou
> Sum – Au
> Elephant Gun – Beirut
> All Fires – Swan Lake
> Clear Island – Liars
> Cold Hands – Black Lips
> Paper Planes – M.I.A.
> Potentialities – ARP
> For the Pier {and Dead Shimmering} – Sunset Rubdown
> The Taming of the Hands that Came Back to Life – Sunset Rubdown

i desperately want to be excited.

FASHIONABLE WORDS IN TODAY'S DESIGN COMMUNITY.
by Corbin Keech & Laura Richardson.

sustainable,
responsible,
sturdy,
delicate,
elegant,
rustic,
contextual,
well-scaled,
simple,
modern,
organic,
perishable,
fashionable,
earthy,
green,
uniform,
subtle,
refined,
unified,
textural,
strong,
purposeful,
transparent,
flexible,
natural,
clever,
geometric,
repetitive,
deliberate,
emulate,
mimic,
echo,
homage,
bold,
reflective,
brazen,
kitsch,
aged,
rigorous,
fragmented,
stout,
depth,
contrast,
baroque,
transcend,
continuity,
abrupt,
axes,
dominant,
postmodern,
ornate,
classic.

I was Clytæmnestra on a good day, dispensing wisdom to the uninitiated ...

> that's it. from now on, i'm blogging at least once a week. i'm putting an end this antiquated notion that i must write something 'relevant' at all times. a brief discussion with my boy andrew this morning was enough to inspire me to keep this blog alive, no matter how extraneous the subject matter may be.**
> people i wished blogged more often: Nolan Lienhart, Sean Hughes, Elliott Nickell, Konnor Ervin, Dave Hudnall, Sam Loring, Evan Weir.
> i'm assuming half the aforementioned men prefer i don't use names on my blog.
> i'm back on regular 1% milk. no sign of yogurt in sight.
> oh, my job? it's ... um. good?
> after having pizza at ken's artisan bakery, a boulangerie by day and pizzaria every monday night in northwest portland as well as a place that laura and i have breakfast at least three times a week, i'm assuming about one-sixth of my expenses on food are devoted to this establishment.
> "Cultural Tourism," a phrase i managed to swipe from a fellow blogger, is probably the most profoundly accurate phrase i have heard in a long time describing our collective role as consumers of art and media outside our respective day-to-day. i just love it. this is why i'm detailing skylights and not sitting at a coffeeshop simultaneously lamenting my generic liberal arts degree and relying on hyperbole to pay my rent.
> radiohead's kid a finally makes sense to me. it only took seven years.
> destroyer's destroyer's rubies, an album i detest, is playing as i write this. i think i finally like it.
> about a year ago my friend sara laid down some pretty heavy wordage critiquing my critique of others' unsavory musical choices on this very blog. in other words, she called out my elitist musings and threw a well-taylored clown suit over my shoulders. now, while i stand by my sophomoric {as she put it} rant, i genuinely respect the move, have accepted the consequences of making a public ass out of myself over something so unconsequential as another person's less refined sonic tastes, and probably will never forget it.
> i finally watched silence of the lambs last night for the first time. i can barely type that sentence without feeling overwhelmingly pathetic.
> living in oregon makes it difficult to gloat about missouri's recent domination of college football. i also have a suspicion there are a great number of kansas fans in portland, something that probably shouldn't shock me, but still manages to get under my skin. beyond that, people out here are too busy pouting about the pac-10's inability to gain national respect to even notice this midwestern ascention has even occured.
> i shaved my head on saturday before the missouri/kansas game. while this wasn't done in an attempt to give mizzou some spiritual, cosmic advantage, despite my instincts as a supersticious sports fan i'm reluctant to suggest this had something to do with the tigers' dominance of the jawhawks.
> before the game, laura and i shared a solid coffee hang. it involved her reading a novel while i doodled in my moleskind and struggled to write something profound about my highly irregular but terribly enjoyable caffeine high. my inability to accurately describe this moment only stands to accentuate my frustration that i haven't written in weeks despite an overwhelming amount of ideas and topics that have revealed themselves to me. this 'notable' achievement in self-awareness brought upon a tangential realization: i'm typically fearful of all things considered "long-term committments." these range from the mundane {property} to the ridiculous {movies} to the obvious {relationships}. i am working on all of these with equal fervor.
> "Cockeyed Perfection" is another phrase that struck me during this particular hang i shared with ms. richardson. i might have stolen this one from the portland mercury.
> where did you get that line, where did you get that look? where did you get that penchant for destruction in the way you talk?

**i also plan to use many articles at the end of my sentences just to remind everyone how much of an amateur i am.

TIMECAPSULE.

today i turned 25 years old. currently,

> it is 52 degrees outside and cloudy,
> i probably ought to shave,
> i slept approxomately 7.25 hours last night, which pleases me,
> my favorite album of 2007, based purely on number of listens, is of montreal's hissing fauna, are you the destroyer? however, i don't think this is the best album of the year,
> i drink porters more than stouts, but will take a bridgeport esp over most porters,
> i buy soymilk half the time, and regular milk the other half. my almond milk phase has since passed. i still haven't tried rice milk, and do not plan on it anytime soon,
> i haven't bought skim milk in months. now i'm up to 1%,
> my wallet currently contains four coffee cards {one is full}, a debit card and no cash,
> surprise! the sun came out and my nagging headaches went away. SAD must be real,
> predictably, the dismemberment plan's emergency & i is playing on my computer,
> i am disappointed in myself for spending so much energy caring about the chiefs when i swore off them in week 2,
> i typically drink coffee when i know it makes me feel worse,
> i sometimes think i have things figured out,
> i am reading three books, al gore's the assault on reason, jr tolkien's the hobbit, and rem koolhaas' delirious new york. i probably won't finish any of them for at least five more months.
> i am encouraged by the royals' recent roster moves,
> my parents are currently driving from the oregon coast to portland,
> i am extremely hungry,
> it never occured to me that the men are called horsemen there,
> miller's crossing, my latest netflix acquisition is sitting peacefully in my dvd player. i watched half of it two nights ago. i've had it for nine days.
> i found some cash on my desk ... change, actually. 72 cents. two quarters, two dimes, two penniesm
> i cannot remember the last original idea i had,
> i'm supposed to host a halloween/birth-party at my boy nolan's cavernous soutwest portland apartment on saturday. i'm supposed to cook for everyone, and i haven't invited one person so far,
> two cyclists have died in portland in the past two weeks. they were in bike lanes when they were struck,
> i am hoping this post is going somewhere,
> the kansas city star is still my homepage. this includes both my pc at home and my work computer,
> i have watched three full episodes of this season's america's next top model,
> it's been nearly a year since i was struck by a car on my bike. i was in a bike lane,
> i stand by my earlier rant regarding barry bonds' home run ball, but i have been exposed to some new perspective,
> i still have trouble remembering which printers are color at my office,
> radiohead's new album is on constant rotation at work, but i think i'm listening mostly out of principle. the album is pretty good, but i have heard more enjoyable albums this year. bring it on, sam.
> i guess anti-marketing is the new marketing?
> are women the new men?
> is green the new black?
> you are a waterfall, waiting inside a well. you are a wrecking ball before the building fell. and every lightning rod has got to watch the storm cloud come.

factually,

corbin.

i accumulate wealth in the form of headaches and general disdain for humanity.

The clouds are growing thicker, the days obviously shorter, mass-brooding is eminent.

i love the asterisk and use it quite frequently, as many of my readers {is it up to six now? seven? I know my parents are afraid to read this} have seen. Whether it is this blog, the over-thought and over-designed myspace comment, or the occasional office email, it is without question the perfect disarmament; a miniature, whimsical, perhaps childish conversational enhancer, and hardly more …

… and here comes heroic fashion designer/asshole marc ecko to throw a stick in my spokes.

Speaking in an interview with the AP about his recent purchase, prostitution, and promotion of Barry Bonds’ record setting home run ball, "This is obviously something that struck a chord with fans," Ecko arrogantly proclaimed. How was the decision made to let the fans decide what happens to the ball? The guy literally got drunk with his friends, started an argument with his boys debating the home run record & its validity, and proceeded to blurt out, “we’ll let America settle the debate.” My fucking hero. First I was speechless. Then incensed. Now color me horrified. Did I mention I’m buying stock in Zoo York right this moment?

But before all you libertarian-slanted readers spit your coffee all over the screen, let me explain why am I so opposed to the public deciding the fate of what used to be the most sought after artifact in baseball.

It is major league baseball’s responsibility to maintain the purity … hell, the integrity of the game {at least what is left of it} by exercising some control in a situation like this. While I understand that Bud Selig and his staff of autistic toddlers haven’t authored the book of ‘good professional sports management’ {see: the mlb collective bargaining agreement, a borderline apathetic and lenient steroid/drug testing, a Schwarzenegger-like players’ union, etc.} I would hope that at some point, the commissioner would grow a pair and at least attempt to preserve history. It’s irresponsible. It’s reprehensible. It makes me disgusted to be a sports fan.

Yes, the hall of fame’s job is to chronicle the game of baseball and how it has unfolded and developed. Yes, ten million people have ‘spoken.’ Yes, the media has convinced the public that it’s okay to hypocritically cheer Bonds towards the inevitable demolition of Aaron’s record and curse him simultaneously while he rounds the bases {and for that matter, when he fails to do so.} But while I have not visited Cooperstown myself {I obviously plan to} I’m going to assume every jersey, catcher’s mitt and jock strap contained in those walls was not doctored or altered in such a way. Autographing a ball just isn’t as foreign as a branded mark.

Morever, Ecko sounds like a delusional prick. He probably drives a Boxter, dogmatically compliments most meals ranch dressing, thinks ‘Mind of Mencia’ is hilarious and summers in Cancun. Further underscoring how hilariously unqualified he is to make this decision is the fact that he owns a fashion company. Of course he’s a sports fan. Of course he has the ‘answer.’

This is the sort of self-aggrandizing, maniacal, narcissism that pushes me past fury – now I’m just plain confused. Am I the only one who thinks he’s just stroking his ego? Self-promoting? Scraping the earth for publicity? Desperate for attention?

What’s worse is that he thinks he’s doing the right thing by putting the ball in the fan’s court. Bullshit. If you’re going to claim you’re doing the right thing by giving people three votes {1. placed untouched in the hall of fame, 2. branded with an asterisk, or 3. SHOT INTO OUTER SPACE!? Are you kidding me??} at least give them some reasonable, mature options. Don't insult us, please.

Ecko is simply perpetuating a truth that he’s probably too stupid to even understand in the first place; the average person will simply accept things as they are. Questioning is out, acceptance is in. ignorance is bliss and a virtue. So while my fellow ksu bloggers are finding form, waxing poetic on everything positive Wichita, and crushing Tolstoy’s left and right, I’m complaining about pop culture’s impact on baseball. Needless to say, Corbin’s stock hasn’t been much lower.

+++++++++++

words I continue to have difficulty spelling correctly >

occasional.
spatial.
ridiculous.
architecture {I swear this isn’t a joke.}
succeed.
across.

+++++++++++

I recently came across a new band {at least they’re new to me} from Portland called Pseudosix. It’s beautiful, wonderful, soothing; all things my mind needs right now. I’m probably just hyper-aware, and will most likely discontinue spinning this record by the time I finish this blog, but for now I’m feeling better. I also listened to Tom Waits as I typed, and will attribute this post’s abrasive nature to it.

this crappy blog could really use a facelift ...

... but i don't have the time right now.

however, i did have the time to spend the last seven minutes of my life reading this article here.

the ideals discussed are most certainly applicable to the field of architecture, if not anything 'design.' this encourages/energizes me more than anything else since i had the pleasure of watching the webcast of this thom mayne lecture here.

on this sunny friday afternoon at 5.15, my goal was to pin down a blog-worthy article, filled to the brim with profundity, pithy observations and ... well, positivity.** needless to say, i couldn't have possibly found a better piece of reading material.

**this is apparently something i am completely devoid of.

there is sun and spring and green forever.

let me start off by saying that i'm struggling with my propensity for fighting losing battles. all it takes is five days sweating in kansas city and one computer rendering to find myself up to my armpits in something new to rant about; context.

thanks to one of my reliable sources, this morning i had the privilege of viewing the latest rendering of a new parking garage at kansas state, designed by architect ken ebert of manhattan, kansas. as one would expect, the building is utterly forgettable, a missed opportunity, a good reason to annul my annual donation, etc.

i sent the image to my dad, who replied that while the building isn't anything new, {which is obviously the point} it will 'match' the buildings surrounding it. whatever.

i only slightly agree. yes, the building is borrowing from the pre-existing aesthetic, but it’s pretty apparent the amount of thought pretty much ended there.

i’m sure the older buildings were built on different principles; stability, strength, and a regionalist sensibility in terms of their materials. this new parking garage proudly mimics those principles. i use mimic because of it’s inherent negativity.

moreover, while i am aware this is occurring in rural kansas, i still don't feel as though this is a reasonable justification for giving people what they 'think' they need. ksu students and staff have been bitching for years that the campus does not provide adequate parking. RIDICULOUS. everyone wants to drive to class when manhattan is a terribly small town. it's safe to assume that this university, like most universities, is full of forward-minded professors, designers and other staff. these highly educated, new york times-reading, espresso-drinking, op-ed-writing intellectuals should have seen this as an opportunity to do something great for the school, if not the community. this could have been something that represented a little foresight; perhaps even something just slightly unconventional. instead, they’ve created a structure that is prison-like, imposing, and dangerous {I can’t wait to hear about the first reported rape occurring inside that thing.}

lastly, while back home i took advantage of the FIFTY CENT bus fare {reduced 'ozone' rate, i know} and rode the bus the entire time in kansas city. i had the pleasure of riding in an air-conditioned vehicle, complete with cushioned seats and convenient and frequent stops wherever i needed. i parlayed this experience into a host of awkward conversations with family members and a few old friends, therefore constructing my own personal island built on principle and thrift.

in the end, it's clear that i've been infected by portland. all the things this town eccentrically prides itself on aren't necessarily applicable in other big cities, for good, better, or indifferent. however, ignoring the problems that we have created for ourselves in terms of waste and limited resources is the most harmful thing we can do to ourselves. the tired notion that "it's just kansas city" or "i can't live without a car" need to run their course.

rant over.

how do you spell 'SOLEY'?*

at last, i feel compelled to write about something besides music. i've addressed this habit before; my unwillingness to discuss anything related to 'work.' at this point, i'm considering this my version of 'not bringing work home with me.' more proof that i'm becoming more like my dad more and more every day. but i digress ...

two days ago {august first} was a special day for myself and a few of my co-workers. we took it upon ourselves to jump on the light rail {the 'max' if you're cool} and rode it to portland's hollywood district. hollywood is a strange part of town, not because it features a strange amalgamate of chinese, italianate, mid-century modern, and hilariously mediocre 21st century buildings similar to southern california's Hollywood, but mainly because of it's perplexing inability to reach it's full potential as a powerful, self-sustaining district. where cafes and restaurants should be wrought with activity, there are copy centers with oversized parking lots. where low to mid-rise residences should be proudly bordering Sandy Boulevard, predictable, reliable small-box-chains like starbucks and whole foods shops are posting up.

sandy boulevard cuts diagonally through the east side, much like new york city's broadway. as a result, wonderful triangular blocks are created. intuitively, these are attractive parcels, and seem conducive for an active street life and remarkable urban design. portland has a strange ability to create these incredible visual corridors, on both the west and east side. in terms of sandy's uniqueness, the views into the street from the peripheral, residential areas are abundant and dynamic. on the flip-side, these angles do create a significant amount of confusion in terms of driving, but i'm of the opinion this is a simple function of unfamiliarity and the construction occuring on the street itself.

in the end, we collectively postulated that much like Portland's thriving districts {the pearl, hawthorne, the 23rd/21st street corridors, st. johns, etc.} convincing the general public, as well as property owners and developers, that while investing in the enrichment of Sandy Boulevard is a a difficult and risky task, the upside is limitless. every new 'district' faces that obstacle. my boy nolan and i stand by entirely different standpoints about portland's rising {literally} south waterfront. it's a textbook example of a seemingly asinine development move, but is also one that will one day be considered 'necessary' and a 'visionary' move. i disagreed with him at first, but i think my argument is slowly crumbling. nolan did get his undergrad at colgate and a masters from penn in urban design. i went to a state school in eastern kansas.

the point is, this was an evening of ideals. everyone present still believes in all that is good and positive about really providing for the public. it is our responsibility in every sense of the word to be thoughtful, considerate, and calculated about what we do.

strangely enough, this 'walking analysis' was thrilling. we looked at hidden opportunities, missed opportunities, little mistakes, and outright criminal developer moves. in other words, i felt fucking alive. lucky, i work with a group of people who are so terribly in love with their work that their energy is undeniably infectious and addictive.

++++++++

i leave in fifteen minutes for eugene to see the completed project i have been so consumed by over the past several months. a reflection piece via blogger? probably not. probably. who knows. right now, i'm too focused on my trip home next wednesday, preceded by a trip to crater lake and the official opening of the treatment center and celebratory tailgate party {i'm not kidding} with the oregon community. in howard slusher's words, "if you didn't like oregon before this project, you sure as hell will hate us now."

++++++++

okay, i obviously can't help myself ...

albums currently rotating >

The National > Boxer.
Archie Bronson Outfit > Derdang Derdang.
White Rabbits > Fort Nightly.
Lucky Soul > The Great Unwanted.
The Fiery Furnaces > Bitter Tea.
Fugazi > Red Medicine.
Girl Talk > Night Ripper. **
What Made Milwaukee Famous > Trying Never to Catch Up. ***
Wilco > A.M.
Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton > Knives Don't Have Your Back. ****
Handsome Furs > Plague Park.
Clipse > Hell Hath no Fury. **

* question overheard by a co-worker {principal} while typing this. yes. i'm at work.
** again?? yes!! again.
*** this album is average, but i keep on listening.
**** this album is LEGIT.