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The Miracle Of Suffering

“I think you’re gonna’ have to throw up to feel better,” he said matter-of-factly. The morning began at the iTunes music store. Such is my voracious appetite for substantive public radio podcasts that I’d already burned through “This American Life,” “Studio 360,” and two episodes of “Fresh Air” on my twice-daily, fifteen-minute commute — and…
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“Mister Rogers & Me” In 25 Words Or Less?

I’ve been drafting our Independent Film Week application as Chris fine tunes our submission. We’ve made some elegant revisions tonight, including the addition of a cute piece of footage of Ethan and me, some evocative driving b-roll, and a song by Davy Rothbart’s brother’s band, The Poem Adept, “Bear & Raccoon” (though we haven’t officially…
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George Washington, Rufus Scott & Me

Few vistas afford the sweeping panorama of New York City like the George Washington Bridge. The Bridge was opened for traffic on October 24, 1931. It spans some 4,760 feet from the sites of Fort Washington (on the New York side) and Fort Lee (in New Jersey), fortified positions used by General Washington and his…
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Ten Reasons I Should Have Taken Up Needlepoint Instead

The last few weeks in the studio have been sort of painful. It all came to a bit of a head last night when I found myself preparing dinner between takes and swearing under my breath — well, maybe not so much “under.” Abbi said, “I’ve never seen you so moody!” Which was a really…
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Studio Chicanery (Or, My Weekend In The Closet With Chris)

Just how long does it take to nail a guitar solo? Even if you’re only a casual Rolling Stone or Spin reader, you’ve probably read the same B.S. I have about first takes. Yunno, Slash is talking about the “Sweet Child Of Mine” solo on “Appetite For Destruction” and he’s all like, “Yeah we just…
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My Perfect Storm Of Poor Planning (Or Hubris)

Four miles on four hours of sleep is not an ideal training scenario. These days find me in the center of a perfect storm of poor planning (or hubris). I’m in putting the finishing touches on my forthcoming CD, “The Invention of Everything Else,” due June 18th on Des Moines’ own Authentic Records. I’m still…
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