Sasha and I have now been on the Pecha Kucha Portland Board for a few months, and I have to say that Pecha Kucha is one of the best creative forums that there IS right now. If you're not in the Portland area, look Pecha Kucha up, as there is probably one near you.
The goal of Pecha Kucha is to get a lot of creative people together to share their ideas and images. Its set up in a super condensed format where there are TEN presenters in an evening, and each only gets 6 minutes and 40 seconds (20 slides for 20s each).
The event is truly a blast and its been an honor for us to help with the curating process. Below are the images that Sasha and I presented when we were emcees for the Portland Pecha Kucha this past Fall. There is no audio for this one, so it might not make a lot of sense.
Sasha and I also presented at PK last winter about Food Art! (This one has audio!)
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3.09.2011
Flowers. . . in review.
I recently was talking to a friend about flower pictures, and thought I would show some!
1.23.2011
Maine Music and Humor
There are two sites that I'm pretty psyched about:
This site is all Music from Maine recording artists all the time! I was skeptical at first, but there really IS enough music to do this! I've heard some great new artists and recognized plenty of my local favorites.
I have high hopes for this site as a place that organizes the Maine music scene, and ultimately results in the first Portland Music festival! Yes all roads lead to the Portland Music Festival!
That's what I think. . . go see for yourself.
1.15.2011
Maine Licensed Architect
I just received a letter with this crest on it.
It also contained this table.
The end result. . . I am licensed to practice architecture in Maine!
The ten years of hazing are over, and I'm now in the fraternity.
*
1.12.2011
Seeing Italy. . . . finally
Seeing Italy from Evan Carroll on Vimeo.
I made this narrated slideshow in the winter of 2005 after spending a semester in Florence Italy during the fall of 2004.
All photography is mine except for a small number of images of the Iraq war.
The music is not mine but is credited at the end.
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1.10.2011
A Mayor for Portland!
Next year, Portland will have an elected mayor for the first time in eighty years. The Mayor will be granted limited political powers allowing him or her to lead and organize the City Council, hire the City Manager, veto the municipal budget, and represent the city to the world beyond.
While the new Mayor will certainly face the serious logistical challenges of educating our children, maintaining services, and balancing the budget, the Mayor must also be expected to be kind of person who can bring Portland forward.
The “first” Mayor of Portland should be a person with the optimism to inspire pride and motivation within the city, the charisma to sell Portland’s image to vacationers and prospective businesses, and the dexterity to negotiate stronger regional agreements between the municipalities of Greater Portland.
The way in which the new Mayor performs his or her duties will set a precedent for how a mayor in Portland should act and what a mayor’s responsibilities will be for decades to come. The “first” elected mayor of Portland should look beyond written policy to provide an atmosphere of collaboration and consider these suggestions:
- Thank local organizations. Portland is a diverse city and will benefit from the continued diversity of services. The new Mayor should be prepared to work with, promote, and support local non-profits already providing civic services that the city does not have to supply.
- Enable local businesses. The movement to keep business local is strong, but survival for a small business in Portland is always precarious. The new Mayor must review city procedures to ensure that permitting and licensing processes are prompt and predictable for all business ventures.
- Support local farmers. The farmers’ markets in Portland have been very successful. The new Mayor will need to be part of a regional dialogue about land use to ensure that local food and natural resources are both available for years to come.
- Praise local artists. Portland will continue to be a vacation destination, and the presence of street art vendors, galleries, and an artistic culture create the kind of excitement that tourists expect. A strong relationship between the city and all artists will help Portland continue to be a tourist destination.
- Encourage local music venues and musicians. Portland is a hotbed for original music and musical performance, but has the venue infrastructure of a much larger city. The new Mayor should consider ways to create events or festivals that would bring new attention to Portland as a musical destination.
- Recognize Portland’s residents. Portland rests on the shoulders of its residents who choose to live here. A mayor for Portland must be a community organizer who will encourage neighborhood, community and city-wide events such as clean-up days, crime watch meetings, and neighborhood meet-and-greets.
The “first” elected Mayor of Portland must have the discipline to handle the daily challenges of running the city, but must also recognize that Portland is a city of willpower that continues to thrive because it is something to believe in.
While the new Mayor will certainly face the serious logistical challenges of educating our children, maintaining services, and balancing the budget, the Mayor must also be expected to be kind of person who can bring Portland forward.
The “first” Mayor of Portland should be a person with the optimism to inspire pride and motivation within the city, the charisma to sell Portland’s image to vacationers and prospective businesses, and the dexterity to negotiate stronger regional agreements between the municipalities of Greater Portland.
The way in which the new Mayor performs his or her duties will set a precedent for how a mayor in Portland should act and what a mayor’s responsibilities will be for decades to come. The “first” elected mayor of Portland should look beyond written policy to provide an atmosphere of collaboration and consider these suggestions:
- Thank local organizations. Portland is a diverse city and will benefit from the continued diversity of services. The new Mayor should be prepared to work with, promote, and support local non-profits already providing civic services that the city does not have to supply.
- Enable local businesses. The movement to keep business local is strong, but survival for a small business in Portland is always precarious. The new Mayor must review city procedures to ensure that permitting and licensing processes are prompt and predictable for all business ventures.
- Support local farmers. The farmers’ markets in Portland have been very successful. The new Mayor will need to be part of a regional dialogue about land use to ensure that local food and natural resources are both available for years to come.
- Praise local artists. Portland will continue to be a vacation destination, and the presence of street art vendors, galleries, and an artistic culture create the kind of excitement that tourists expect. A strong relationship between the city and all artists will help Portland continue to be a tourist destination.
- Encourage local music venues and musicians. Portland is a hotbed for original music and musical performance, but has the venue infrastructure of a much larger city. The new Mayor should consider ways to create events or festivals that would bring new attention to Portland as a musical destination.
- Recognize Portland’s residents. Portland rests on the shoulders of its residents who choose to live here. A mayor for Portland must be a community organizer who will encourage neighborhood, community and city-wide events such as clean-up days, crime watch meetings, and neighborhood meet-and-greets.
The “first” elected Mayor of Portland must have the discipline to handle the daily challenges of running the city, but must also recognize that Portland is a city of willpower that continues to thrive because it is something to believe in.
12.03.2010
GIFs!!!!
Last year when in Somerville we made these silly GIF files. I never figured out how to put GIFs on my blog, so i remade the images into this video.
It is what it is. . .
It is what it is. . .
11.29.2010
Fall Photography 2010
I had the opportunity to take some great pictures this fall.
It feels good to be back in to it for a change.
It feels good to be back in to it for a change.
11.28.2010
Chilili - Folk Dance (. . . LEGOS!)
My fantastic wedding and marriage to Sasha did not receive quite enough blog attention.
One of the best parts of our reception was doing a few international folk dances with all the guests, led by my mom. More recently than the wedding Sasha, my sister, Jesse and I recreated one of the dances with Legos.
International folk dance is a great mix of history, anthropology and (you guessed it) DANCING.
I intended to include a picture of the dancing from the wedding reception but we don't have one that really captures it.
Here's what the dance really looks like:
And here's how to do it yourself:
http://www.folkdancecamp.org/07syllabus/Chilili%20(2007SFDC)%20E.pdf
One of the best parts of our reception was doing a few international folk dances with all the guests, led by my mom. More recently than the wedding Sasha, my sister, Jesse and I recreated one of the dances with Legos.
International folk dance is a great mix of history, anthropology and (you guessed it) DANCING.
I intended to include a picture of the dancing from the wedding reception but we don't have one that really captures it.
Here's what the dance really looks like:
And here's how to do it yourself:
http://www.folkdancecamp.org/07syllabus/Chilili%20(2007SFDC)%20E.pdf
11.03.2010
Election Fall-out
I would like to draw attention to a previous post of mine:
http://evancarroll.blogspot.com/2008/08/what-will-i-think-of-next.html
I think of our government system as on a continuum of evolution. It will either flourish, or become extinct.
Our national government is really quite young and there is no reason that it won't become extinct. Monarchies have lasted much longer. Dictatorships have lasted much longer. Smaller, social governing or self ruling methods of indigenous peoples have lasted the longest.
The reason we like (the U.S. of) America is because of its aspirations. It's an amazing concept. . . give every person the same chance at life, liberty and happiness. The question of course is how to deliver on this promise. . .
I am officially fed up with the crucifixion of the incumbent. . . unless of course you see the two major parties collectively as the incumbent. If you see it that way then I'm with you. . . let's get out our torches and pitchforks!
It's becoming more and more obvious that we are in a bi-partisan stagnation. Whatever happens in elections two years from now will surely be reversed in four years.
(This has officially been a rant.)All that I am trying to say is that unless we find a way to alter the two party system then I'm not going to expect much.
Right now instant-runoff voting sounds pretty good to me. It would allow people to vote for their favorite candidate without concern for political strategy. Americans have become too political. Politics - literally - are about maneuvering and manipulating, and that is simply not a positive way of thinking about things.
That is my stance: I'm not interested in politics; i'm interested in DOING things. I (perhaps naively) think that a country could be run this way. Give me my instant-runoff voting, and let us all vote for what we believe in.
http://evancarroll.blogspot.com/2008/08/what-will-i-think-of-next.html
I think of our government system as on a continuum of evolution. It will either flourish, or become extinct.
Our national government is really quite young and there is no reason that it won't become extinct. Monarchies have lasted much longer. Dictatorships have lasted much longer. Smaller, social governing or self ruling methods of indigenous peoples have lasted the longest.
The reason we like (the U.S. of) America is because of its aspirations. It's an amazing concept. . . give every person the same chance at life, liberty and happiness. The question of course is how to deliver on this promise. . .
I am officially fed up with the crucifixion of the incumbent. . . unless of course you see the two major parties collectively as the incumbent. If you see it that way then I'm with you. . . let's get out our torches and pitchforks!
It's becoming more and more obvious that we are in a bi-partisan stagnation. Whatever happens in elections two years from now will surely be reversed in four years.
(This has officially been a rant.)All that I am trying to say is that unless we find a way to alter the two party system then I'm not going to expect much.
Right now instant-runoff voting sounds pretty good to me. It would allow people to vote for their favorite candidate without concern for political strategy. Americans have become too political. Politics - literally - are about maneuvering and manipulating, and that is simply not a positive way of thinking about things.
That is my stance: I'm not interested in politics; i'm interested in DOING things. I (perhaps naively) think that a country could be run this way. Give me my instant-runoff voting, and let us all vote for what we believe in.
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