From A (Show) to Ze Frank

It’s amazing how much we are bombarded during our waking moments on a minute by minute basis. Sometimes, cool stuff gets through and sticks, for however long it holds our attention. The Internet is made up of short bursts of fireworks and smoke signals – we see them go off if we’re near by.

Ze Frank from "A Show"

“Life isn’t a sequence for waiting for things to be done.” – Ze Frank from “An Invocation for Beginning”

 

And so it was with Ze Frank, a sort of digital creative experimentalist (ah, a new title in this new age) who notes that technology without humanity (art, culture, humor, etc.) can be exceptionally arid. (Watch Frank on TED talks).

I first learned about him from a viral bit of Flash that somehow got spread around the Internet through email, message boards and forums (hey, this was BF (before Facebook)). The bit was called “How to Dance Properly” and it has entertained me countless times.

Sometime after, Ze Frank began a year long experiment utilizing video to create “The Show,” in which Frank would comment, caffeinated style, on news events of the day and feature contributions from his fans.

Frank’s ability to combine content from his fans and create mash-ups with other forms of new media has influenced so many from vloggers to digital artists.

But best to just show than tell…

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Guarded Revelation

He clutches the padding to his body as if in waiting for a baseball to sore through the air to hit him square in the chest.

But when he opens his eyes and sees it is just the aliens dancing on the sidewalk, he eases up a bit. Some things never change. It seems to him a daily parade of the mundane and the ridiculous mesh together in a dance so sublime only a drunk, like himself, sees it.

It’s his show, day after day. An old poster of a band, from long ago, reminds him that he has a wall all his own. In the other world, people go to work, come home to families, watch TV all night, and slip off to sleep, only to wake and repeat the same process day after day after day. Life isn’t meant to be a single stream of sameness in his opinion.

His memory holds the image of suited people surrounding him, while he lay on the floor. Their faces elongating and morphing into haunting images and the sounds echoed and blared loudly telling him he didn’t fit in, he wasn’t positive enough and had no business sense and why was he on the floor, anyway? But it was a long time ago.

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“Drinking Liberally – Dunwoody” to Host a Progressive Election Night Event

“Drinking Liberally – Dunwoody” to Host a Progressive Election Night Event

Drinking Liberally chapters in Atlanta and Dunwoody meet co-founder Justin Krebs during his book tour.
Drinking Liberally chapters in Atlanta and Dunwoody meet co-founder Justin Krebs during his book tour for 538 Ways to Live, Work and Play Liberal.

Democrats, liberals and progressives living in the Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and surrounding area are invited to an election night party hosted by the Dunwoody Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

Join kindred spirits and watch the election returns Nov. 6, 8 p.m. to midnight, at Firkin & Gryphon, located at 4764 Ashford Dunwoody Road Northeast in Dunwoody. TVs will be tuned to election coverage and the menu offers a great selection of nosh and, oh yeah, Firkin has a bar. (You did notice the “Drinking” part in the chapter name, right?)

Drinking Liberally (DL) is part of a national group called Living Liberally, which is dedicated to creating communities around progressive politics. Through various social activities and events, the organization promotes engagement in politics and facilitates collaboration among other progressive organizations.

Originating in New York City, the original DL club pulls in progressives weekly to chug and chat at Rudy’s Bar & Grill in Hell’s Kitchen. There, you can get a pint of Rudy’s Blonde for $2.50 and free Sabrett hot dogs, all the while promoting “Democracy one pint at a time,” DL’s motto. And just to note, the group’s once-a-week gathering is the only thing listed on Rudy’s online events calendar.

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Whitewater Creek Park

Whitewater Creek Park is off of the Palisades Unit of the Chattahoochee River. While the park is open for swimming (for people), many bring their dogs. As long as the dogs are on leash, they can romp in the water, too.

Once you park (be sure to pay the $3.00 park fee), the walk is just a few yards away. The beach is long and sandy and the river is shallow to about the middle of the river. Wear water shoes as there are loads of rocks and boulders in the water that are easy to slip on. Many people make their way to the outcrops of rocks scattered in the river to sunbathe and watch the rafters, kayakers and canoes go by.

Dog Beach Island

Hamlet on Dog Beach IslandA secret little spot off of Lake Lanier becomes a haven for dogs in the summer. Dubbed “Dog Beach Island” the tiny mound of land is within swimming distance from the shores of Little Ridge Park, the Habersham Marina boat launch area, off of Lanier Beach South Road.

Once you park, you can either walk the trail for about half a mile or you can just hang out on the shores of the main area. If you take the trail, it will twist around through the woods to the left and eventually lead to a shore. Just off the shore is a small island.

These videos show a bit of the island and the dogs that enjoyed a summer’s day. Hamlet sure had a great time!

Click continue reading to view videos of Dog Beach Island.

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