Apollo Lemmon

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-05-13)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Silversun Pickups
The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library
Fiona Apple
Neil Young
Dum Dum Girls

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-05-06)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 07 May 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Daria Musk
David Bowie
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider
The Tea Party
Rahim AlHaj, Ottmar Liebert, Jon Gagan, Barrett Martin

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-04-29)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:30:00 +0000

The Tea Party
The Armada
First Aid Kit
Jeff Martin
Tool

Board Games and Social Play

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:48:00 +0000

Board games are experiencing a renaissance. My friends and I have been caught up in the excitement that comes from playing great games with great people. Today we have access to the best games ever played and the social experience they provide is one I value greatly.

Two years ago I moved back to Halifax and began hosting a near-monthly games night. It has become a highlight of my social life and has led to some of the most memorable experiences I have shared during the past couple years.

Board games aren't the same as the ones I had access to while growing up; European board games have become available in North America and the design process of games here has improved greatly in the past decade. Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Dominion, Dixit and other games we now play are more accessible, more fun and more rewarding than the games of our childhood. The community building around board games doesn't seem to be just the contracted geek community anymore, but rather encompasses wide demographics.

Wil Wheaton has expressed the emotional value of games in his blog entry, "on the importance of making time to play the games you like with the people you love".

Keep playing games. Make time to play games with your friends and family, because it's surprisingly heartbreaking to wipe a thin layer of dust off a game you love, before you put it back on the shelf because the real world is calling you.

Wil also has a new half-hour board game show on the Geek and Sundry channel, which so far has two episodes, one on the game Small World and another on Settlers of Catan. Settlers of Catan one of my friends' favourites and a gateway game for the wider world of European board games.

Some games have excited my friends and I tremendously. Ten of my favourites follow and I highly recommend playing them with the best people you know.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-04-22)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Bike For Three!
Sucré
A Silver Mt. Zion
Gogol Bordello
Grimes

For the Win

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:02:00 +0000

Cory Doctorow's For the Win is a young adult novel that explores unions, economics and gaming through a very accessible, engaging and exciting story of gold farmers becoming unionized. Cory's writing always carries tremendous energy, even when he is addressing big ideas —such as the value of unions, how economic activities work or the importance of civil liberties— and this novel strikes a perfect balance between a sweeping story and informative, socially valuable insight.

For the Win, like all of Cory's books, is available as a free download, in print and in audiobook formats. Due to the Creative Commons license used for the book, it is available to be remixed and re-released for free by others, and the entire book has been podcast by Colbyjack.net at For The Win by Cory Doctorow.

Unions are often undervalued, though they are directly responsible for such important things as weekends, workplace safety laws, and living wage laws.There are many other positive influences unions have and Cory has created a strong introduction to the value of unions. Hopefully his work can help readers learn about unions' positive aspects as a counter to cultural momentum that minimizes the good of unions or is actively antagonistic toward them.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-04-15)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Robert Glasper Experiment
Sucré
Tom Cochrane
Billy Corgan
Rush

Sutras and The Kosmic Slop

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:46:00 +0000

Corey W. DeVos, who is also known as dj rekluse, creates wonderful mixes that merge pop music and mysticism. As often as he'll include Outcast, Radiohead or David Bowie, he'll throw in spoken word pieces from luminaries such as Ken Wilber, Alex Grey or Alan Watts.

Two recent releases are Sutras and The Kosmic Slop and both are available through Integral Life. On that website he makes the case for DJing as being a much more important role for society than many imagine.

To some, a DJ mix might seem like little more than an iTunes playlist, a mix tape you made for your boyfriend in middle school, or the product of wedding DJs who are contractually obligated to play "Mony Mony", "The Chicken Dance", and the Black Eyed Peas everywhere they go. But to others, the DJ mix is something much more extraordinary. When done right, it can be a truly integrative art form—taking bits and pieces of our shared cultural reference points, and using technology as an instrument to transpose, transform, and recontextualize those pieces until something genuinely and unmistakably new emerges.

The DJ is so much more than a human jukebox who puts together a compilation of catchy tracks. It's about knowing how to fit those tracks together into greater and greater wholes—matching, manipulating, looping, and layering individual songs into a single seamless experience. At his or her best, the DJ is a musical maven, turning people on to new sounds and new genres while fighting the growing tides of cultural homogenization. It's an art of sonic ninjitsu, learning how to use turntables, MIDI players, or laptops to mix and match beats, keys, and melodies. And like any performance art, DJing can be a sort of 21st century shamanism, conjuring and shaping the states and experiences of entire groups of people by crafting the most unbelievably satisfying breakdowns, bardos, and transitions—creating a space for all of us to dance ourselves into oblivion.

Now to be perfectly clear, the DJ mix is still a subversive art form, and is often perceived as a threat to the status quo of the music industry—which, come on, kind of makes it a little bit cooler doesn't it? Although no small-time DJs like me have ever been harassed or sued for sharing their mixes for free on the internet, I have to admit the fact that this all exists in something of a grey area in copyright law. I do believe I am morally justified in sharing my art with you all, but there are some who would disagree.

Many more dj rekluse releases are available on his website.

Willpower

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Kelly McGonigal began to appear on my radar last year. She was interviewed on the Buddhist Geeks podcast "Where Science and Compassion Meet" and spoke of the relationship between meditation and science. During an Authors@Google session in February, she spoke about scientific understanding of willpower, also the subject of her book, The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do To Get More of It.

In the talk she shared scientific findings about physiological, neurological and mental components of effective willpower enhancement. Sleeping well, meditating, exercising, eating largely plant-based diets —such as vegan diets or less effective diets that contain only small amounts of animal products—, being self-compassionate, minimizing guilt, thinking about our future selves, and imagining failure have been shown to improve willpower tremendously.

In my own experience, these interventions have been very helpful. Being more active and eating a vegan diet have been the two that have been most noticeably beneficial for me, but I am working to include them all in a constellation of willpower improving practices. I'm looking forward to reading her book and incorporating more insights into my efforts to improve my willpower.

Can You Live Forever?

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:48:00 +0000

I would like to live forever and I want the same opportunity for everyone, provided we take the responsibility of extended lives seriously. Movements such as transhumanism, organizations such as the Methuselah Foundation and scientists based in numerous fields are working to extend human lives and, more importantly, human health beyond the years we currently enjoy.

Tonight I watched an episode of Curiosity that explored, through a futurist lens, whether we will be able to extend human lives indefinitely. It's an accessible extrapolation of existing technologies and scientific understandings into what might be possible in our future. I believe we have an obligation to support these advances so that our lives and those of people in the future can include more time to enjoy and improve our world.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-04-08)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Eisley
Stars
Molly Zenobia
Grouplove
Amanda Palmer

Sucré - When We Were Young

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

I've listened to Stacy King's band Eisley for years and I'm excited now for her new project, Sucré's first album, A Minor Bird. The lead single, "When We Were Young", is a beautifully understated pop song.

Fragmentation, or Ten Thousand Goodbyes

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:44:00 +0000

This week Clarkesworld Magazine published Tom Crosshill's "Fragmentation, or Ten Thousand Goodbyes", a beautiful meditation on impermanence. The recent death of my mother and years of studying Buddhist interpretations of impermanence have made the story's exploration of memory, change and grieving tremendously meaningful for me. It's a great example of how science fiction, at its best, can encourage us to look at the most important considerations we have in life.

Every time Mom says goodbye to someone, it's for the last time. She thinks — no, she knows — that she'll never see them again. Not the mailman. Not her best friend Abby. Not me.

It's no tumor, no disease — we've run all the tests. Her reasoning is strong as ever. She can tell you how the milkshakes tasted in Miramar, before Fidel came down from the mountains and she left on the Peter Pan airlift. But deep within her mind, something has begun to fail.

"Fragmentation, or Ten Thousand Goodbyes" is available in text and audio at the Clarkesworld Magazine website.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-04-01)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Marit Larsen
Butch Walker and The Black Widows
Esthero
Butch Walker
Warpaint

Stuart Davis - Beautiful Place

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:54:00 +0000

Stuart Davis has been one of my heroes for years. His songwriting and performance capacities are surpassed only by his heart, intellect and unbridled enthusiasm for life. His latest album, Music for Mortals, is magnificent and this lead single is a perfect example of his unique vision of pop music.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-03-25)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling
The Go! Team
Collective Soul
Akara
Placebo

Discardia

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:34:00 +0000

On my calendar, this week is the quarterly holiday Discardia. To put it succinctly, it's about taking time to remove physical, mental and emotional clutter from our lives in order to be more awesome. It's nice to have a name and methods to apply to something we should all be doing more often.

With its three key principles and numerous practical tips, Discardia—a new holiday—helps you carve away the nonsense of physical objects, habits, or emotional baggage, and uncover what brings you joy.

I've been reading the Discardia ebook and have enjoyed the many simple and practical approaches to simplifying spaces. The strength of the book is its accessibility and gentleness; it allows even reluctant discardians to make meaningful changes to their lives.

Letting go and lightening our loads create positive motion; when combined with a light touch on the rudder—a little leaning of the boat—we have the ability to turn our lives in better directions.
The tips in the book, plus the supportive community of Discardia fans (whom, for convenience, I’ll refer to as Discardians) found in multiple online locations, will help you put your energy where it counts: in making your dreams real and in living a less stressful life full of awesomeness.
...
So what, exactly, is Discardia?
It’s a new holiday—invented by the author in 2002—with deep roots touching unconsumption, the slow movement, downshifting, and voluntary simplicity. Unlike many holidays, it doesn't involve obligations or expense or overblown expectations of specialness. It does not require us to interact with people whom we do not wish to interact with. In fact, it doesn't require us to do anything. Discardia is celebrated by letting go of what doesn’t add value to your life—whether physical object, habit, or emotional baggage—and replacing it with what makes your world truer to your essential self. The core concept is this: If we continually discard what doesn’t help us, we’ll be left with more of what does—more space, energy, and time to make our lives even better.

I recommend reading the Discardia blog for more tips on decluttering and the full "Introduction to Discardia" for a good overview of what the book offers.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-03-18)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Stuart Davis
System of a Down
Gogol Bordello
Meat Loaf
Rush

Channa Masala Hummus

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:14:00 +0000

Last month I made a large batch of channa masala hummus for a gathering of friends. It was a delicious and easy to prepare hummus that is now filed among my favourites. The recipe came from The Kathmanduo blog and the entry "Channa Masala Hummus".

Channa Masala Hummus
Three cups cooked chickpeas
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water or reserved chickpea liquid
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Place chickpeas and the next seven ingredients (through turmeric) in a food processor or high-powered blender.
2. Process or blend the chickpeas and spices until they are well combined, about 10 seconds.
3. Add the lemon juice and water (or the reserved chickpea liquid from cooking or the can). Process again until the liquid is incorporated and the mixture turns smooth, about 10 seconds.
4. Add the olive oil; if using a food processor, drizzle it through the spout on top, and if using a blender, just toss it into the main well.
5. Taste the hummus for seasoning and texture. Add salt and liquid (either water or olive oil) as you prefer. Dress with a drizzle of olive oil, a twist of lemon, and a sprinkle of garam masala.

The Kathmanduo have shared a lot of great content at their blog and I recommend looking through their adventures.

Love in the Circus - Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:25:00 +0000

Love in the Circus creates delightfully eclectic genre-mash pop. I've been enjoying the band tremendously during the last few months. A free EP is available on Bandcamp.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-03-11)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Black Mountain
Bruce Springsteen
The Wallflowers
Tom Cochrane
Sam Roberts

Grouplove - Love Will Save Your Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:05:00 +0000

Grouplove has a wonderful energy that has been exciting me since I first listened to their debut album. This live performance of "Love Will Save Your Soul" is a great demonstration of the band's thrilling enthusiasm.

Sweet Potato Power Balls

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:40:00 +0000

Last night I made Sweet Potato Power Balls and have been enjoying them very much since then. The recipe I used came from the Scandi Foodie blog, one of my favourite spots online for vegan recipes.

Power Balls (makes 10)
450g cooked and mashed sweet potato
2 heaped tablespoons almond butter1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 teaspoons pure, raw cacao powder (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground licorice
virgin coconut oil, for rolling
unsweetened desiccated coconut, for rolling (optional)

1. Combine the sweet potato, almond butter and chia seeds in a bowl.
2. Mix together the cacao and the spices and stir into the mixture. You should have a gooey, sticky mixture. Rub your hands lightly with coconut oil and roll the dough into about 10 balls.
3. Chill the balls in the fridge (20-30 minutes), then roll the balls in desiccated coconut before serving. These will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.

You can find the original post that contained the recipe and comments on conscious eating at "On conscious, mindful eating + A recipe for Power Balls!". I recommend looking at the Scandi Foodie's recipe index for more great food.

Last.fm Top Artists (Week Ending 2012-03-04)

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Zara Ahmed
Saul Williams
The Dears
Skee-Lo
Lindsey Stirling

Lindsey Stirling - Crystallize

noreply@blogger.com (Apollo Lemmon) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:18:00 +0000

I first encountered Lindsey Stirling's music when a video for her "Zelda Medley" was passed around among my geekiest friends. Her compositions and videos are both very polished and inventive. "Crystallize" showcases a performance described as "dubstep violin".