2DO Before I Die

"A Normal Day" - Video

Just another normal day in the life of Thomas & Sebastian (bet it took a lot of practice). Pretty impressive...

'This Column Will Change Your Life'

Oliver Burkeman's weekend Guardian feature "This Column Will Change Your Life" often hits a note that regular readers of this blog might appreciate. His is a sharp-witted, anti-fluffy approach to the tricky topic of self-improvement, with a healthy store of scepticism for the quick-fixes and miracle cures of the self-help industry.

In the past, he's scrutinized topics such as life-goal obsessives, the virtues of being ordinary and those suspiciously convenient case-studies featured in almost all self-help manuals. This week he looks at the twisted priorities of modern life, how being eager to please can keep you from your lifelong goals and the perils of sharing your ambitions with those around you. Click here to read the full article...

Image courtesy of plan59.com

"Civilization" - a trip through Heaven and Hell - video

Comprised of over 400 video clips, "Civilization," is an impressive video installation by artist/director Marco Brambilla for the elevators in the Standard Hotel in NYC. 

A trip from hell to heaven...found on Boing Boing. Play it large... 

More pix of the exhibition here.   

Civilization by Marco Brambilla from CRUSH.

'Into Africa' - The latest from the Metal Cowboy...

It's our pleasure to welcome back regular columnist Joe Kurmaskie to the 2DO blog with a brand new post of his adventures as Oregon's original Metal Cowboy. Good to have you back Joe!...

Summer is when we let the child inside us out to play. For me, the bicycle has always been the best way to show myself and others, especially adults, a path back to those carefree days that stretch out from June to somewhere late in September, and to help kids discover adventure and confidence atop saddles, on trailabikes and tucked into trailers.  

I know, I know, if there was a twelve step program for outdoor enthusiasts and two wheeled addicts, I’d have been tackled to the ground long ago.  

Thank God the only interventions I have to wrestle with are a few short-on-daylight, bitter cold days each February.  

I think of adventure cycling, especially the summertime variety, as a public service - channeling my addiction for a greater good; rescuing kids of all ages from the couch, reacquainting them with what their bodies can do, the simple mysteries still residing in the natural world and, in the case of hardcore desk jockeying adults rusty and brittle from seasons of striving, it’s my sworn duty to reunite them with their former selves or introduce them to the kid they never met.  

About those kids. The outer ones not the metaphoric variety 

First, it was my own sons I hooked on the open road. It started with rides to school, then weekend trips, graduating to an epic pedal across America by bike, followed by a madcap adventure across Canada with their Mother... along for the first time. Note to those who believe it’s folly to try to get your spouse onto a bike; mine's rarely been seen out of the saddle since, so it can work. 

13 Tips for Taking Photos in a Developing Country

Blogger, Photographer, and world traveler Brendan - aka 'Cashewman' offers 13 great tips on how to take good photos when traveling in developing countries. Here's his 12th tip: if in doubt about taking a photo, ask if it's ok: 

This is an important one for me. There are larger debates about photography etiquette and our responsibilities as visitors and photographers. I'll leave that for another time, but a golden rule is: if you're unsure whether to take a picture of somebody, then ask. In some areas, it's considerate to leave a small gift or amount of money as a thank you. Your call.

I missed one of the best shots I have ever come across, because I asked whether it was okay to shoot. Picture an old Senegalese grandmother, piercing green eyes within a face etched with thin white contours. Headscarf, clutched just below the chin with a flowing, boney hand. She was sitting in front of an earth wall with soft evening side lighting. When I asked if I could take a picture, she said no, with a subtle smile. I still wish I could have taken the shot. But she didn't want me to, so I'll just have to remember it instead.

13 Tips for Great Photography in a Developing Country (photo by Cashewman)

Director Guillermo del Toro on the Future of Film and Storytelling

Wired magazine interviews writer-director Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) and he has some intriguing ideas to share about the future of film and storytelling.   

An excerpt: 

"In the next 10 years, we're going to see all the forms of entertainment—film, television, video, games, and print—melding into a single-platform "story engine." The Model T of this new platform is the PS3. The moment you connect creative output with a public story engine, a narrative can continue over a period of months or years. It's going to rewrite the rules of fiction..."

Click here for the full story.

Eugene Mirman’s High School Graduation Speech - video

Great commencement speech given by comedian Eugene Mirman (video below). Especially liked his advice to the graduating students about how important it was to "follow your dreams - unless your dreams are stupid..."

"Either You're In, Or You're In The Way"

Hi, I am Mike's little sister, Margaret, and I just thought I'd stop into 2dobeforeidie today with a cool story that seems to fit the very essence of this blog.  

I went to a book signing the other evening to learn more about a recently published book called Either You're In or You're in The Way. I got so much more out of the event than I expected. The book is by two brothers about their experience writing and making their first film. The guys were charismatic, off-the-cuff, and unassuming; stories tumbled out of both of them and captivated everyone in the audience. They showed scenes from the completed film and signed books.  I haven't read a book so fast in years and I laughed out loud the whole time. Below is the story behind their film and subsequent book as well as a few excerpts from their book. The excerpts are not examples of the funnier moments, mind you, but they should give you an idea about what this is all about. They're showing the film at San Francisco's Bookstock on June 6th at AT&T Park, if you're interested in seeing it for yourself. 

"When identical twin brothers, Logan and Noah Miller’s homeless father died alone in a jail cell, they vowed, come hell or high water that their film, Touching Home, would be made as a dedication to their love for him. Either You’re In Or You’re In the Way is the amazing story of how--without a dime to their names nor a single meaningful contact in Hollywood--they managed to write, produce, act, and direct a feature film in under a year starring four-time Academy Award-nominated actor Ed Harris and a cast and crew with 11 Academy Awards and 26 nominations." (more at the 'continue reading' link below...)

Tight Times Loosen Creativity

The New York Times web site recently requested artists to share how the economy was affecting their lives and work. 

As the Times says in a feature out today: "Perhaps most striking about the comments was the considerable number who were defiantly upbeat despite grim circumstances. Many artists testified that the recession had strengthened their commitment to their work or allowed them to concentrate on their art — since the time spent on side jobs had diminished — or had even been a source of creative inspiration....Said one: 

“Nobody wants me to do anything, so I’m just doing what I want,” she said.

Click here for the full story. 

Mario Benedetti's "Life Drawing" - video

My Spanish is non-existent, so am not exactly sure what's being said here - but the illustration - along with the idea and the execution - is impressive....

Super Slo-Mo Surfing - BBC's 'South Pacific'

Beautiful - I don't know how these surfers stay on... 

Nine Ideas to Save the World, Inspired by Buckminster Fuller

From the latest Fast Company: 

"The visionary architect Buckminster Fuller believed that a single design could save the world. That ethos is being carried forward by the Buckminster Fuller Institute, which every year holds a contest to create a design with maximum social impact; the winner gets a seed grant of $100,000.

The 33 finalists, chosen from 285 entries, were just unveiled. The grand prize winner will be announced on May 4. Here, we've culled nine of our favorites:  click here for their picks.

How To Make A Baby - video

Surely, it's not that easy....

J.J. Abrams on the Importance of Mystery

Wired has handed over their magazine to Writer/Director J.J. Abrams for their May issue. Abrams has dedicated his guest-editorship to exploring the importance of mystery in one's life...Excerpt below:

"Mystery, obviously, is everywhere. Is there a God? Mystery. What about life after death? Mystery. Excuse me, what material is the ShamWow made of? Mystery. Stonehenge? Big Foot? Loch Ness? Mystery mystery mystery. McDonald's Special Sauce? I don't care how many bottles of Thousand Island Dressing you show me, it's Special Sauce. Mystery.

And yet: For all that mystery, why does it feel like the world has been ripped open, all parts exposed? Why does so much seem absolutely and thoroughly demystified? These days we can leap, all of us, from a casual curiosity about anything to a sense of satisfying understanding. Instantly. Want to fold origami? There are more than 200,000 Google results on that subject available to you, now. Need to know the capital of Mauritania? A recipe for sticky buns? How to pick a bicycle lock? You could answer all these questions in less time than it will take you to finish reading this article (which, for a second time, I suggest you skip. Remember: You know how it ends, so why are you still here?).

What I'm getting at is hardly news to anyone: We're smack dab in the middle of the Age of Immediacy..."

Click here for more. 

"The Longest Way" - A Walk Through China - Video

Really nicely put together time lapse video by Christophe Rehage of an incredible journey he took - walking 4646 kms across China, from November 2007 to November 2008...

For more details, visit his site, The Longest Way.

With Finance Disgraced, Which Career Will Be King?

Today's New York Times has an interesting piece on the changing job market. With Wall Street no longer providing a lucrative, safe haven, it asks where will recent college graduates be looking for work, and how it will impact society? 

An excerpt: "Today, the financial crisis and the economic downturn are likely to alter drastically the career paths of future years. The contours of the shift are still in flux, in part because there is so much uncertainty about the shape of the economic landscape and the job market ahead.

But choosing a career is a guess about the future in which economics is only part of the calculation. Prestige, peer expectations and the climate of public opinion also matter. And early indications suggest new career directions that are tethered less to the dream of an immediate six-figure paycheck on Wall Street than to the demands of a new public agenda to solve the nation’s problems..."

Click here for the full story. 

L.E.D Art - "Extreme Sheep" - video

Things to do in the countryside part 19: Mix sheep, a smattering of LED lights and a healthy dash of human ingenuity and you can get some interesting, innovative results...

by sertanarig

Life.com Opens Its Archive - Your World In Pictures

Life magazine has just unleashed their incredible archive online - 7 million photos and counting. 

A great reference, with many powerful, iconic images, Life.com will be adding over 3,000 images each day, in over 1,000 categories, including their coverage of the Vietnam war, filmmaker Billy Wilder at work, and Life's salute to the bikini. 

Click here to start exploring...

Group of Teens Capture Images From Space

Four Spanish students have managed to send their own camera-operated weather balloon out to the edge of space, bringing back a series of original images. Total cost? $120....NASA trembles....

For more images and details, click here.

"Weary of Looking for Work, Some Create Their Own"

From today's NY Times, a feature on how people are exploring new avenues of work in the face of the recession - by starting their own businesses:

“If there is a silver lining (to the recession), the large-scale downsizing from major companies will release a lot of new entrepreneurial talent and ideas — scientists, engineers, business folks now looking to do other things. It’s a Darwinian unleashing of talent into the entrepreneurial ecosystem."  Read the full story here.