Happy New Years!

The Ally Redux
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

Click Here for Video!
Well so long 2005, here comes the new year. In 2005 I began blogging, vlogging, and podcasting. I've gotten a DVR and two DVD burners. I became an avid flickr user and started posting photos onto the internet, I gained and I loss. It's been a very dynamic year. W's approval rating tanked, and Jon Stewarts stock went up. The world became introduced to podcasting and free media. The industry is running to find a new strategy. Howard Stern went to Satillite. People are feed up with corporations telling them what to watch and when to watch. With the advent of on-demand content people no longer wait for there favorite show to come on. Now the protocol will be Jon tells you about Deadwood, you go onto your on-demand service on your tv, then you watch from session one show one. It's the future, Nobody will care about thursday night line-ups. And who really pays for music anymore?
This year I got my drivers licence. I choose my field of mass communications. probably advertising, with a path into art direction. I very exciting about what 2006 will hold. I'll graduate, get a car, start my artistic and productive life. Move into exciting new worlds. Travel. Everything is going to be awesome. To me 2006 represents freedom. Freedom from everything. I am finally about to become an adult with choices and responsiblity. It's going rock. I do miss one thing that I lost though. But maybe everything will work out in the end.
Here's to College, cars, freedom, art.
let 2006 be a year of new experiences, and a year of growth, hopefully by this time next year, everything will be in it's right place!
-j

Almost to 2006

Philly Train Statue
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

Click Here for Video!
I'm back from my trip to Philly. I got to take the train there, I made a little vlog.
So the train was intresting. I don't think that it's my favorite way to travel, but it's not bad. Also I enjoyed the diffrent people that you meet on the train. In philly I opened my gifts and found that my grandfather got me the complete directors label dvd box set, sweeeet!
Also I got to eat out at some pretty awesome resturaunts, and tell my family about my descion to change my major to advertising instead of film making. This descion by the way is because i don't see my self as much of an painter or anything like that. Although i still plan to get a masters i film. So all in all i've come back a better individual. As promised i will put up a best of 2005 year post before '06. Well, talk later.
-j
p.s. it's good to be back in D.C.

Almost Where?

0
Originally uploaded by tafydocter.

Well it's almost time for the Present trading. Also it's almost the new year. I'm exciting to see what 2006 will bring. Hopefully before New years i can get a post up that gives a recap of 2005. Today is my last day of behind the wheel so I'll have my drivers license by 6:30 today. For Christmas I am going to Philly and hopefully I'm going to take the train there. If i do you can be sure it'll be in a video.
Some notes from around the web. Ira Glass from my favorite show, This American Life, did an interview about his life on radio, so go check it out. Also there's been a couple intrest meetings about art-o-matic 2006, you know that'll rock. I can't wait to see what kind of opurtunities that will bring for my friends and I. Some guy on Craig's List was trying to get some intrests raised about doing a vlog every morning like the Daily Show. I was intrested but don't have the time to do it. Hope he still goes through with it though. Also there's been talks of the Capitail Fringe Festival in June. It's weird art all through out the city. You know I'll be all over this that month.
So here's to a new year coming up. A new year of blogging/vlogging/film-making. I can't wait to see what's in store for me next.
-J
P.s. No Poem for Now. Next post they'll be one though!

Turn Here!

What a crazy world. Well it's sunday. Didn't really do much with my little film, but I promise myself I will work on my portfolio. Today I found this awesome item on Craig's List, and it for free of all things(pictured on the right). This desk would be awesome in my place. Well when I get a place. Also I found this really cool project called turnhere.com. What they do is ask professional indy film makers to take 5 minute videos of their favorite neighborhoods across the country. For d.c. theirs a Shaw & Dupont Circle film. They need some more. I was thinking of making one but i don't think I qualify as a professional film making, even though film making is my profession. Hey, there's the definition professional.
Also I'd like to comment on the current state of affairs in D.C. I think Jon Stewart put it best:

Lets pause for a moment, South Africa is now more progressive then the U.S.

Obviously he was commented on South Africa allowing gay marriage, Then later that night on the Colbert Report, Steve made this insightful comment:

The U.S. is ranked #6 in jailing journalist's, what happend to America being #1. You've lost your passion America. Lets work to beat the Chinese.

Only the greatest politcal comments on what is the destruction of the free democratic republic. And then thursday the New York Times released the story that GW had authorized phone taps on americans. Now to be honest with you, If you are a terrorist you would be stupid to talk about it on the phone, no matter what. You must think that your phone is taped. Hell, I think my phone is taped, and I don't think they had a court order. That's the thinking that I had even befor GW admitted to it in his weekly radio adress. What I found intresting is that The New York Times sat on this story for more than half-a-year. Since when are the journalist's of America cross checking their stories with the MAN. Doesn't sound like the free press to me. If GW was breaking the law my not getting warrants for phone taps, then it must be exposed, complete transparency and absolute punishment for corruption is what keeps democracy good. And GW wondered why the Senate didn't pass the Patriot Act into law.
So keep on muckracking my friends. And keep your ear to the ground. Lets hope things work out better in the upcoming months. So go check out some of the stuff I've written. I hoped I've started some discussions. Cool off, see ya later.
-j

What the Future Holds

See Ya
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

Well well well. today is election day in iraq, think i'll watch CNN for as long as I can stay awake. I'm really intrested. I hope everything goes well. Today I went to the Great Blacks in Wax Muesuem in Baltimore. It was intresting to say the least. Go check it out, it's worth your time. Also i've made a new video, check it out on the previous post. I've also started doing meditation, I read on wikipedia that it's really good for you. I'm going to do it before i goto bed tonight. Well here comes another poem.
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What we can only imagine that a bright future would be. In the future there will be greed, and there will be war. There will be suffering and hate. When we all grow up we'll have to worry about polution and disease. Life will stilll be as invaluable as it is today. People will take advantage of scencerity like they do now. The rich will become richer, the poorer more poor. In the future all our current pains and aches will only amplify. But in the future we will love. In the future we will loose. We'll control our own destanies and some of us will prosper. All of us will reach for our dreams. Some of us will fufill our goals, others will join the rat race of mundain. The only thing that is for certain is the unpridictability of the future. So go out and take chances, live life to it's fullest, and work towards your dreams.
-j

Awesome Retro Star Guide

Check out this really awesome way to create a star ornament for your room. It's scanned from an old issue of Home and Gardens. Very cool. Later.
Also I've finnished a new film. It's just the begining of what should be the film I am going to send to VCU. It's pretty good. It's only about 20 seconds long. I really hope that I can spin this into a real film. Anyways Check it out Here.
-j

A Day In the Life of A Heart

THis is It
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

Out first encounter, hearts racing,
stomachs churning, biological hormones enchanting,
Dates with no purpose, presents with meaning,
Silly lovers with not a care in the world.

Meeting your family, the Whole family,
Welcomed hugs, open critisisms, daring questions,
Wild glances, and stab-in-the-dark remarks,
A night full of more stomach aches.

Out first argument, lots of yelling,
Lots of appoligies, a couple tears,
Many more hugs, a greater understanding
knowing your true love cares.

Our last goodbye, misunderstandings,
lots of tears, many sorrows,
Tons of regrets, not enough apologies,
Disillusionment of the future, hopes of reconciliation,
Heart break, heart broken, and one day, maybe, heart mended.
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Today, Saturday, I should be working on photography and my 3 minute film. Probly won't get to any of it. Also probly won't go to the flickr show, don't want to go alone. Oh well. Just got to learn to be my self and more independent.
-j

Ballon Story

What will this turn into
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

Fluffy ballons, floating, spinning, taking their own paths, all diffrent colors, blues reds yellows purples greens oranges all diffrent shades and shapes and sizes. All diffrent ballons at a diffrent time focuses and grabs my attention. The orange ballon like a sun set or a large citrus fruit, it brighten my eyes and brings a glowing vibrance to the world. The green inclusion of growth luck, and money, and best of all irish. Yellow the brightest most exclusive ballon filled with summery happy thoughts, a big yellow smiley face.
Red, lucious, warm, and a divine passionate blood fruit. Blue, soft and fluffy cold ice chilled and pressed to the skin until bruising. Purple, royalty, and beauty. Only the most wonderful of colors.
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Me setting up for what should be an intresting 3 minute film. I'm making an artsy film for VCU. I hope that this starts me on to a good idea.

D.C.'s True Representatives

D.C. Drama
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

Outside the dome, around the stone,
Beyond the fence, amid the city's stench,
Underneath the stars, along the bars,
In the streets,
Between buildings,
Throughout the schools,
Toward the lower class, concerning a critical mass,
Against the grain, below the rain,
Before the courts,
Without..the..truth
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Me and my wierd poetry, thought I'd bring something back from the archieves. This is a poem I wrote In 9th grade. The teachers not on the back was,"Wow! what a powerful political statement. you are fill with ideas just bursting to be written. Your greatest fan, Mrs. Swarberg.I got a 100% on it. Later.
-j

If I Were More Minimalist, I'd be Dead

Robot Man
Originally uploaded by jamacdonald.

If I were more minimalist, I'd be dead,
My all white fabrics, all black accents,
Sparce uses of natural wood pieces,
Coffee table books about open spaces,
And fixtures made of unfinnished lead.
If I were more minimalist, I'd be dead.

Geometric Shapes,
Spheres, tubes, circles, squares, cubes.
All fair games for my minimalist homestead.
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Wow, i'm blogging poetry, how quaint of me. I can't wait for some of my good photographs to start coming out of me. Time to be introspective. Time to storyboard a 3 minute film. Well, whatever. Rock out.
-j

Instructions for a Childhood Experience

The Demo
Originally uploaded by THE WESTWING.

Sit on the porch, plate in hand, juice box in the other,
Grape-jelly goodness slapped on bread with faithful companion peanut butter,
Edge out a seat amongst ants; find shade from the hot summer sun,
Press slush-like cold juice box to forehead until satisfied

Pick up sandwich systematically to prevent jelly spillage,
Open wide, and take a deep breath,
Bite into the sugary morsel of a sandwich,
Repeat until satisfaction

Wash down with cold juice,
Now refueled, go back to playing with friends before days end,
Reminisce in the future about how easy life once was,
Repeat every so often as desired

Allow the Grape Jelly Goodness to own you once more