DAILY MUSE | Boy, do I have excuses for not having posted since… November! I-yigh-yigh! Here they are. Work. The Holidays. Family. Sloth. Working out (I have lost 14 pounds and am getting in great shape). Oh and there’s my newly rekindled interest in cooking. Yesterday, I made a killer pot roast recipe. Lately, I have been interested in making ‘one-pot’ meals and also revisiting old classics (but finding killer recipes of them with lots of flavor… no boring old foods pass these lips). Anyway… that’s a sampling of the many excuses I have for not having posted in a while. I’m not going to make any puffed up promises, either. At this point, I’ll just take it one day a a time.

p.s. Did I forget to mention ‘Project Runway’?

DAILY MUSE | Well, I sure didn’t live up to my promises did I? I spent the summer wrapped up in work, my Miata convertible and my new MAC book. This past week I restarted a work-out program (Power 90) that I had done a few years ago to magnificent results. Hoping for that, and then some, this time around.

Here is a picture I took for my avatar on the P90 website… in case any of you are wondering what I actually look like. I’m hoping in six months I won’t look anything like this. Well that’s a bit too much self loathing isn’t it. Well, maybe I’m hoping I’ll just look like a better version of the me in that picture. You know that fit guy with the totally sick body that’s lurking underneath there… somewhere.

DAILY MUSE | One of my favorite radio programs broadcast locally here in Connecticut is fortunately available over the internet and through podcasts– it’s ‘The Faith Middleton Show’, a constant breathe of fresh air in my day. Whether it be her ‘Food Schmooze’ show, made famous by it’s Saturday Night Live parody, or her Book Show, or her general shows on the richness of life, I always look forward to listening in– it helps me make it though my 3 o’clock slump in the afternoons. She has a special knack for interviews as well. Check her show out.

Listen via internet stream…

Podcast link via iTunes

DAILY MUSE | It’s been quite a summer and I haven’t been around here very much. Besides the general barage of summer activities, there have been family hospitaliations, a funeral, work dealines and general exhaustion that cused me to drop my posting commitments to this blog. I’m not gonna make any promises yet, but I’m gonna try to make it around here more often… so check back sometime. Thanks.

DAILY MUSE | I’ve been finding alot of great TV links over the course of getting my new Macbook set up. One of these links is of the pilot episode of David Lynch’s masterpiece of the surreal, ‘Twin Peaks’. This highly creative, ground breaking series, which lasted a mere two seasons on ABC, revolutionized TV production to follow. It elevated the the overall prodcution quality of TV series, blurring the boundary between cinema and television. It’s quirky style pioneered that of other series to follow including ‘Northern Exposure’, ‘The X- Files’, ‘Six Feet Under’ and ‘Desperate Housewives’. It also pioneered the use of a season long and/or series long plot arc that has come to be commonplace, as in recent series like ‘24′ and ‘Lost’. Enjoy!

(Not the best quality video, but still watchable.)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

UPDATE | Please tell me if you are having any trouble with the links.

GENERAL UPDATE |For the time being, I wil not be posting daily as I did and I intended when I started this blog. I will try to post a weekly ‘Sunday Serving’ and on occassion a ‘Today’s Muse’ post. Once the summer passes and my life responsibilities attain a better balance I’ll look to return to daily posts.

DAILY MUSE | Continuing the theme of honoring the 40th anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper’s album, I’ve located links to a full length documentary called ‘The Complete Beatles’. Hope you enjoy this expansive review of their epic creative journey and arguably unrivalled cultural impact.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

via Joosealvva of YouTube

DAILY MUSE | Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in Britian. Today is the 40th of its release in the US. In honor of it, and the immense creativity offered by The Beatles over the years they were together, I offer links to various Sgt. Pepper homages.

Documentary called “The Making of Sgt. Pepper”

A mini documentary done on the 20 year anniversary

The portion of the ABC’s ‘Revolutions’ documentary regarding the album

Paul discussing the album

More dicussion about the creative backgound of the album

Paul and Bono’s version at Live 8

Kelly Clarkson’s version on Americn Idol. I have to say, she does have a killer voice

Animated version of the Sgt. Pepper song from the movie ‘Yellow Submarine’

Cover Art outakes

ABC News report yesterday

Another News Report

Here’s a real trip… a Japanese Beatles tribute band

I’m spending the night in tribute listening to my brother Jay’s band “The British Beat” playing at the Central Cafe in Palinville, CT. He’s ‘Ringo’. My brother Terry just got asked to join the band as ‘George’, although he is not playing tonight. If anyone is in the area, come on out an join us. It’s a fun evening of sing-along.

DAILY MUSE | Today I just came across this very interesting website that provides links to nearly 2500 TV stations from around the world. I have already saved links to several BBC stations and programs and have browsed stations quite literally from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Found several classic movie channels and unique lifestyle channels. The enormous number of news channels should serve to broaden horizons and viewpoints beyond those available from our narrow minded corporate owned news media outlets. Check it out and broaden your world view.

UPDATE | Here is another link that shows free streaming movie channels along with lists of what is currently playing. Right now I am watching Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in “Charade”.

DAILY MUSE | Sorry everyone! Between recovering from my computer problem, formatting and gettting my new computer up to speed, ever present work loads and general spring fever (enjoyed greatly with the top down in the driver seat of my new Miata) I’ve been spending time away from the blog. Spring has been gorgeous. And I have never so much looked forward to the summer as much I am am right now– everytime I get in my little convertible I feel like I’m on vacation. I’ve been much more apt to go out for a cruise than sit inside and write a post. Nonethelss, I am henceforth rededicating my efforts towards this blog… yeah I know I said that before… but I really mean it this time.

DAILY MUSE | If you don’t already, start keeping a sketchbook.

I’m a firm believer that creativity is a gift from God/ the creator/ the universe (whichever way one looks at it) and that ideas are gifted spontaneously. They come in spurts and streams. One has to be ready at anytime to receive them (capture them) when they come. And it’s the responible and courteous thing to do when bestowed with such wonderful gifts. Consider your sketchbook entries as thank you notes to the universe acknowledging the creative source for the generous gifts.

I have kept sketchbooks all my adult life. I think the count is up to thirty. I fill them with whatever comes my way in inspiration: words, drawings, concepts, diagrams, poems, lyrics, inventions, to do lists, solutions to probelms, etc. It’s quite interesting going through my collection of acquired ideas ever know and then. There are some real gems in there.

If you are and active person a good one is made by Moleskine– and they come in all sizes from small pocketsized ones on up.