Random (yet awesome) stuff I stumbled across this week

First up, “Last Day Dream” by Chris Milk. A very short film simply described as “A man watches his life pass before him.” Produced for the 42 Second Dream Film Festival, Beijing China 2009. Thanks to Ze Frank for the heads-up. Something about death moves me. Loved Six Feet Under, loved this video.

Last Day Dream [HD] from Chris Milk on Vimeo.

Next, a song. On YouTube, but no accompanying video footage. Not to worry. Jimi’s extended guitar solo is well worth it. In fact, in my opinion this is the best guitar solo in the history of rock music. That’s right. The best ever.

Finally, a talk given at Google Headquarters in 2007 by Jon Kabat-Zinn. If you have an hour and the interest, this is one of the best introductions to mindfulness meditation I have ever come across. Brilliant.

Ze Frank on The Sound of Young America


Ze Frank on The Sound of Young America from Jesse Thorn on Vimeo.

Ze Frank talks with host Jesse Thorn about creativity, what works on the internet and why, and being a traffic whore. Plus a whole lot of other stuff, like rubbing his head on the microphone.

Recorded at The Sound of Young America Live!, June 2008 at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York, as part of Sketchfest NYC. Videography by Benjamin Ahr Harrison.

Ze Frank did a daily video blog called “The Show” for exactly one year, from March 2006 – March 2007. I stumbled upon his site a few months into “The Show,” and I was so impressed that I spent hours watching every back-episode. This was right after spending my biggest tax refund ever on my first “real” computer and beginning my own blog. It came as no surprise to discover that Ze was about my age and grew up just minutes from my hometown in upstate New York. However far from home I’ve roamed, I always seem to connect up with people from the homeland.

Ze’s work still inspires me because it shows what is possible when people challenge themselves to do something with the full force of their creative energies. Check it out.