the rizzo (fo shizzo) praank

I'm only happy because we closed early

The first thing I can remember after being socialized is that I do no operate by the rules that are given to me. The rules of society are not the rules of life. You may choose to live by them, but, you are not by any means forced to abide by them.

That being said, my mantra in life is to do whatever makes me the happiest. Selfish? No! This is human nature. If there is anyone in your entire life that should make you truly happy, shouldn't it be yourself? If you are looking for happiness in someone, or something else, you are only living by their perceptions of happienss, thought, emotion, and/or life. Is is really possible to live a happy life in everyone else's world, while maintaining a sense of happiness within yourself?

This is something I have been struggling with, because I feel as if I don't quite align myself with most of (at least mainstream) society (which, for most people means reality). What I do, as a human, as a friend, as a musician, and as an artist, is not for just myself. Hopefully someone, somewhere--anywhere... can find value in the way I do things, and for the reasons why I do them. The way I see it is, if one person out there, can find value (or even understand) in what I do, it is all worthwhile.

This is such a huge mountain to climb by myself, but I am willing to do it. I just wish, and hope, that there is someone else out there, trying to tackle the same mountain I am.; so at least I'm not the only one facing this behemoth alone. Can't someone understand?

It gets so much deeper than this, but it is so hard to relate.

I guess what this all boils down to is that it is really hard trying to become an individual in a world full of look-alikes. It will be so nice to find another individual that I can somehow relate to; someone who I can teach, while at the same time they can teach me.

Something that I have been really thinking on is experiences. Think, everything that you experience in a single day is vastly different than anyone else. I love to think about these things because, I think it is something so overlooked--yet something so important. I am going to try and expand on this soon, but in the mean time, just think of how your actions might affect any person you come in contact with. How would you perceive yourself? As a customer? As a client? As a business partner? As a friend?

//enough for now
p.s. check out this Hernan Cattaneo essential mix if you are into melodic tunes, and progressive beats.

Monday @ CHAPEL we are unveiling our 2008 drink menu... Kind of exciting! We all have tried to come up with innovative (and not to mention unbelievably yummy) drinks.

Here's the list of what's new, with my favorites *'ed:
MARTINI'S $5, five to eight/midnight to close

Beet: Infused beet vodka, lime, from our friends @ Mint/820
Blackbird: Vodka, Black Haus, marion blackberry
Bruce Lee: Sake, cranberry, orange, pomegranate
*Chloë: Vodka, lime, lavender, Madagascar vanilla
Fifty/Fifty: Vodka, orange blossom, Madagascar vanilla
*The Great Dane: Infused rosemary vodka, orange blossom, grapefruit
*Honeydew: Infused honeydew vodka
Lemon Meringue: Vodka, lemon, crème, madgascar vanilla
*Milkman's Daughter: Banana rum, Madagascar vanilla, crème
Pink Lumberjack: Vodka, Parfait d' Amour, Madagascar vanilla, pineapple, cranberry
She-Devil: Pepper tequila, lime, raw sugar
Strawberry Rhubarb: Vodka, lime, strawberry, rhubarb
*Superstious Man: Infused basil and garlic vodka, herbs, vegetable juice
Tequila Mockingbird: Tequila, espresso, crème
White Horse: Infused horseradish vodka

COCKTAILS

The Carpenter and the Walrus: Basil Haden, Sweet tea, lemonaide
The Dutchess: Crown Royal Whisky, Chambord, bitters
Jesus, take the wheel…: Absolut 100 Proof, twist
Pine Street Padida: Brazilian Cachacha, grapefruit, lime and ginger
Rhubarb Cooler: Gin, lime, rhubarb, soda
Trolley Car: Captain Morgan Rum, lime, blood orange, sugar rim
Vesper: Kettle One Vodka, Aviation Gin, Lillet Blanc.
Strawberry Tyme: Tequila, Triple Sec, lime, strawberry, tyme
*Basil Garlic Mary: Infused basil and garlic Vodka, herbs, vegetable juice (PIZZA!!!!)
Rodeo Queen: Infused Horseradish Vodka, herbs, vegetable juice
Bloody Geisha: Sake, herbs, Japanese spices, vegetable juice

Every year I like to indulge my geeky side and get up to watch the Macworld Keynote. It is the time of year when Apple CEO Steve Jobs announces their great new plans and products for the upcoming year. Which means shiny new toys for all of us.

I was particularly excited to see what they would mention on a new notebook (hopefully, soon, I will be in the market for a new computer!), and what they would mention on iPhone2 (because I thought I wanted to wait for all the bugs to get fixed). Lucky for me, he talks about both! kinda.


MacBook Air
Ok, so it is the worlds thinnest notebook, that's really cool! But not necessarily what I'm looking for. I think the main drawback is the battery life, I would sacrifice a larger notebook for that sole reason. I really like the fact that they left out the CD/DVD drive, because I really hardly ever use mine. They also add a good solution to that problem by allowing the Air to borrow another computer's CD/DVD drive over a network. SMART!!! I hope this is a sign of the direction they will be taking their other notebooks in!


iPod Touch software update
I just got an iPod touch, and I really, really enjoy it. At first I wondered why someone would get a Touch over an iPhone, but it makes sense. I don't really want my iPod and phone in one device. I like to keep my phone on me all the time, so I don't want to be worried about accidentally ruining both my phone and iPod. Sometimes I really don't need my iPod with me. I'm starting to use my Touch as a PDA, my calendar, contacts, etc; as a web browser, there are wifi hotspots EVERYWHERE; and also as my iPod.

My beef: The software on the Touch and the iPhone is the same software. They send out the iPhone update for free, and make the Touch users buy the upgrade for $20. Not a big deal, but isn't paying $399 for the device enough? Especially for just getting it.

Anyways, the new applications, which were previously standard on the iPhone, are really neat, and they can even pinpoint your location on the Google maps. COOL!

The iPhone doesn't look like the hardware aspect will be updated very often, because all of the phone's inner workings aren't mechanical, they are in the software. If the phone needs to be updated, they update the software. Easy. Smart! But not good for the people holding out for iPhone2, because that probably won't happen until later this year at the earliest.


iTunes Movie Rentals, Time Capsule
Movie Rentals will be great for my iTouch, for traveling and time wasting, but I probably wont use this very often because I like to watch movies on my tv, sitting on the couch, being comfortable. Can't quite do that hunched over a computer, and I am not buying an AppleTV anytime soon.

Time Capsule will be a great way to make sure all of my important stuff (read: music) is always safe. I don't think I can use it until I can upgrade to Leopard and have Time Machine running, but this will be great in the future!


Overall I liked most of Apple's ideas and plans. It's fun to watch smart marketing like this in action. They are starting to hit on so many different angles in everyone's lives, that it is really getting hard to imagine life without their products! Apple is constantly a few steps ahead of everyone.

Not to mention, how fun it is to watch Steve Jobs sell these products. He is really a great presenter, and makes you feel at ease with technology. His and Apple's vision makes technology accessible to everyone...

Hey, if my Mom can edit video for her classrooms without calling me every 5 minutes, they're doing something truly great!!!

I have become so disheartened with society as a whole. Everything seems fine until it suddenly affects you. The most fucked up thing is, the people who don't play that game are forced to every single day.

Every human life is bound to be different. Every human action or thought is going to be different. It is so sad that it seems so much easier to assimilate into the crowd. Creativity inspires passion. Passion earns growth. Growth leads to something greater. Who knows what that may be, but it has got to be better than this! I'm calling to you, begging really: let's work for this. Let's make a world to live in that is worry-free (we find true happiness). It must feel great!

There is really no reason for anyone to be unhappy. Happiness is one of the rare things that you, and only you, can control. The only person that can make you the happiest is you. As selfish is may be, if you cannot make yourself happy before anyone else, how can you expect anyone to make you happy. If you cannot find happiness yourself, how do you know what being happy really is?

One of the things that hurts me the most, is seeing a friend-- anyone-- truly unhappy. You can see it in their face. You can feel it from their energy. It really hurts. I see it too, too much.

Please, take just a second every day, and evaluate how you feel. Take a second to do whatever feels good. As long as you are doing what feels good, you are going to be happy. If someone doesn't approve, fuck them. This world is full of people, and the beauty of it all, is that everyone is different. Based on odds alone, there is at least someone who loves what you do. Instead of being unhappy for the rest of your life, make it a goal to seek out that person. Learn from them, as they will learn from you.

Ughh... it is so hard to vocalize to unhappy people how easy it is to let everything go, and to just be comfortable in one's own skin.



..... I don't know how to end this... so just be happy! :) :) :)

These are so cute!! They are the mascots for the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver. It'll be fun to take a trip up there for that!!

More and more, I am beginning to learn these life lessons, as obvious as they may seem, and I find it so interesting that these "no shit!?" moments are the things that are creating and forming whatever is behind "Mitchell," me... I love it! I think the first lesson was, "If I don't like being tired in the morning, then maybe I shouldn't go to bed so late!!!"

"No Shit!?" Life Lesson #53:
It is easiest to communicate with a stranger over the things you love, rather than the things you hate.

This is really cool, and something shy-ol-me didn't realize. It doesn't matter who you are, where they are from, or what they are about, as long as you love the same thing, you are both completely on the same level. We are both working for the *greater good; that is something (anything) different, better than what we know right now. :)











*greater good
expect great things from this project, you know I am!! I'm still in the super infant stages, but this is exciting :) :) :) check back with me in a few weeks.
(this creating a mini deadline so I can actually finish and perfect an idea.)

I just rediscovered Misstress Barbara. I've had a set she did at Cocktail Club in Stockholm for a while now, but I guess I wasn't ready for her when I first got it.

I think the best things in life are the things you can't ever quite describe, and Misstress Barbara fits nicely in that category. If I had to label it, I'd say minimal tech, or even maximum minimal? Her whole sets have so so so many levels, it's really quite fascinating...

Anyways if you'd like, check her out. This is a really great mix, with some great energy and incredible mixing:

Misstress Barbara - AOL Radio Mix - 05-02-2007
[play in browser, and interesting article on her]
[download, and cherish forever. rapidshare link]





OH
and I found this article on Booka Shade really fascinating too. If you don't know them or their label, Get Physical, you need to educate yourself!! ;) These guys truly smart!

"All these computer programs make DJing ridiculously easy, but the technical act of mixing two records so they beat match has never been the magic about Djing, anyway," he says. "The art of Djing is finding and combining the right records for the right moment, the perfect moment. A good DJ makes this 'moment' last for hours, without you even noticing." !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel as if I have a mild case of OCD knocking on my door, and the funny thing is I brought it on myself. By finding the things I love, I'm now always excited to learn great new things about them. The more I learn, though, the more it changes deep down lil' ol' me.

What will I discover next that will help me grow further?
time will only tell... until then I'm going to continue improving on the passions that drive me forward.

Today has been a great day to get a good start on some projects that I have been wanting to start for a while now. I am always hesitant to begin any new project because I know just how much time, thought, and effort will go into it. Once I start a project, it becomes so much a part of me that it occupies my thoughts, dreams, routine, life. A little at first, but it inevitably takes over. Usually when this happens, we're getting into the nitty gritty of the project, deep enough where there is no sight of where you started, and still can't quite see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is also where I (and I imagine most designers) get a little crazy.

If you, find me doing grand, outrageous, different, crazy things, this is your warning... This little head is just brewing with ideas and they are just waiting to make an appearance! :)

as a side: do yourself a favor and get this monoblock live ibza voice podcast [ direct .mp3 link, ctrl-click and save link as...]
Minimal set, and in my opinion, one of the best I've heard in a long time. Nice and upbeat, while at the same time smooth and complicated. Even if minimal is something you normally wouldn't get into, give it a shot! Listen to it the whole way through, no skipping!


Music is constantly evolving and your tastes for it should too! If you love or hate a set, focus on why, then you can start to explore new options based on what each past set or song taught you. :) Oh my god I love this stuff.

Big fancy private event

Something I love: Walking down the other side of the street knowing that it was once my path; and to forget for a second what's on the other side.

I know a few people on my f-list might like a little update on some new music :) So first, I just rediscovered this mix by MANDY who is from the Get Physical label which has nothing but gold coming from their speakers:
MANDY - Live @ Liquid Club
It's a long mix (three hours), and despite a little recording error a little over halfway through, it's a great mix that gives you a pretty wide range of emotion and energy...

Next, I present you, the stuff that occupies my mind most of the time, a new mix from me,
mitcho - mix 09/25/07
I've been acquiring a lot of awesome new stuff lately, but not enough time to figure out how to put it together, this new mix showcases a lot that I have been working pretty hard on. I would love to hear what you think if you listen to it.

What Starbucks