Monday Mixtape: miscellany medley

Just like the lint trap on our dryer, my blog draft file seems to get clogged up every once in awhile.  I figured this week would be as good a time as ever to share the hodgepodge that's been accumulating behind the scenes here lately.  The only theme you'll see here this week could be filed under the heading miscellany, medley, anthology, melee, odds & ends, and the like.  (look who loves thesaurus.com)

Really, every day will be a mixtape day around here this week.  Hope you enjoy!

track 1: music

Where's Ulysses released their second -- and final -- release is available for free download here.  I'm not sure why I'm surprised about this, but I think the second EP is even better than their first!  I'm totally going to miss this group.  

 track 2:  film

What do an elderly topiary gardener, a retired lion tamer, a man fascinated by mole rats, and a cutting-edge robotics designer have in common? Both nothing and everything in this unconventional documentary directed by Erroll Morris. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (Referring to the robot specialist's strange philosophy of robot design structure, not Erroll Morris's documentary techniques!) interplays, overlaps, and interrelates these four separate and highly specialized documentary subjects in order to in truth study all of humanity, raising questions about the future of mankind. Written by Matthew F. Griffin

Brian and I watched this together last week -- kind of on a whim.  Frankly, the subject matter was so odd we figured we'd know within a few moments whether it was worth our time.  We watched every moment and it was an unusual, well-crafted,  strangely beautiful documentary.  I'd argue that there are really five subjects in this film;  director Erroll Morris' mastery makes what would seem to be uninteresting, unrelated, even ugly, subjects connect in seamless, even beautiful cinematography.  Once again we were reminded that when a human being knows his purpose in life and pursues it with excellence and passion, we are all elevated.