The Rebecca Project

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Write About Love

Published by Rebecca Raspberry // The Rebecca Project

It’s a month an a half until Election Day — can you believe it? Lots going on to try and get Judge Dan O’Malley (ret.) elected to District Attorney of Contra Costa County. We’re filming tomorrow, and I’m yet to finish the script. But I’m working on it as we speak. There’s always more than one thing being thought of at the same time. I’m creating through distraction…

Belle & Sebastian are coming to San Francisco next month! And they’ve given us a sneak peek at what they’ve been up to the last four years:

Can’t wait to hear their new album!

xTRP

Meet our latest addition: Buster Posey

Published by Rebecca Raspberry // The Rebecca Project

My life over the past two months since Jorge Posada (the iPod) karked it, has been so… silent. I have really missed music in my life.

The new iPod Nano

[Source: Pickgadget]

So today, I went down to the Apple Shop here in downtown San Francisco out and splurged on a new iPod. Meet the latest addition to our technological family: Buster Posey.

I love to collect names, and baseballers have some of the best names around (and did you know there was actually a baseballer with the named “Rusty Kuntz”? True story!). Buster Posey is a new hot pink 16GB iPod Nano (named after the new Giants catcher), and he joins Jorge Posada (a 30GB iPod Classic d.2010) and Coco Crisp, a silver 1GB shuffle… they all live here with us and James’ 80GB iPod Classic called White Poppy Sunshine in true Californian neo-hippy tradition.

I don’t quite have the attachment to Buster yet that I had to Jorge, but such things take time.

It’s been years since I have had to build my digital music collection from scratch. And now with just under 16GB, I don’t have the space to dedicate to crappy songs I always skip. I plan on being ruthless.

The death of Jorge P. liberated me from my entire collection — but where to start when building a new music collection from scratch?

1. ALWAYS start with The Beatles

If you only have one rule, make it that one.

We’ve been enjoying the remastered reissues from last year with James’ new headphones, and switch the ears around during the song for a completely different experience. Kick your shoes off and sing out loud. Even 50 years later, they’re the bomb.

2. Add everything Belle and Sebastian have ever recorded

They’re finally touring again! And they’ll be here in San Francisco next month! These guys are the real deal. I love them.

3. And Jens Lekman

I first saw him what feels like a decade ago, at the Hopetoun Hotel in Sydney, June 2005. Nothing can’t beat that gig — the first time he ever performed ‘Your Arms Around Me’. Kudos to Erin for the introduction.

4. Then add the ‘working’ music

Some classical (Hello YoYo Ma!), some instrumental (Hello Zoe Keating! Julia Kent!), some world music, some meditation — all the stuff that lacks words to sing along to. I’m easily distracted.

5. Add some old (but good) stuff

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, John Denver, The Beach Boys

6. Include some Manu Chao

Because he’ll be passing through here the same week as B&S and we’re pumped…

7. Add some stuff I’ve never had on my iPod before

Maybe some Morissey, …?

If you had to start your music collecting from scratch, what would you be certain to include? What new music are you really getting into at the moment?

xTRP

Summer arrives/arrived in SF!

Published by Rebecca Raspberry // The Rebecca Project

I am just so busy and feel like I have been neglecting certain aspects of my life that are necessary for keeping me balanced. Yet I suppose it’s better to be busy than bored!

One of my favourite part of the day is coming home (even though I work from home, mostly) and sitting down to read my daily blogs whilst I listen to music. I love the quiet time, stumbling upon that which inspires me, stretches my thinking, makes my spirit soar. I use my creativity in all aspects of my life (everything from decision making to cooking to mapping out my transportation to my hilariously witty banter) and really notice how things change when I don’t have an opportunity to fully explore it.

And whilst I have been so frantic, summer rolled into town! For two days, the city was a windless low 30s C/high 80s F, and the city just about melted…

We have spent the entire summer in jeans, jumpers and scarves. It was a lovely change for a day or so, then the wind and fog blew in, and that was the end of it. Locals say September and October are the months when the fog is not as omnipresent and starts to heat up as soon as the kids start back at school. So I’ve decided to reserve my judgement on the SF summer until Halloween.

Really digging this new song I found from Jens:

Here’s hoping life slows down a little and I can enjoy some ‘me’ time soon!

xTRP

Wednesday inspiration

Published by Rebecca Raspberry // The Rebecca Project

A friend of ours has just taken off for South East Asia and that has me thinking of the glorious months we spent backpacking around South East Asia a few years ago…

I desperately want to return, find a deserted, perfect beach in Thailand, watch the days pass from the beach or the porch of my bungalow, sipping fresh fruit shakes, eating pad thai and happy cow cheese rolls, wandering local markets, listening to music I wouldn’t normally (Why, HELLO, Jack Johnson), losing myself in books, letting my body relax and my mind wander…

On Hat Kata, Thailand

OH! To be back in South East Asia right now … I could use the rest and the inspiration, and I’d say The American would probably lie motionless for the good part of a month there after all the two-and-a-half months summer camps he has been doing.

Land of the Fruit Shakes, and Banana Pancakes...

Maybe we’ll treat ourselves for Christmas…

The colours are more real than real

What places have you already visited that you’d return to in a heartbeat?

xTRP

An Open Letter to San Francisco

Published by Rebecca Raspberry // The Rebecca Project

Dear San Francisco,

I would like to wear shorts this weekend, even if that means I have to shave my legs. I would just like to feel the sun on my skin… So if you wouldn’t mind telling the fog to bugger off for a day or two, I’d be most appreciative.

Yours,

I heart Illustrators

Published by Rebecca Raspberry // The Rebecca Project

Back when I was a wee little thing attending a small girls school in Sydney, I always envied my classmate, Elizabeth, and her natural propensity for drawing. What she created was amazing — my stick figures just paled in comparison to her masterpieces.

Subsequently, I can honestly say I’ve always had a soft spot for illustration as an art form after seeing her at work (and seeing how difficult it is to replicate). And she was so cool for many other reasons, but I specifically remember she had the greatest stash of Japanese stationary (including heaps of KeroKeroKeroppi stuff, that was worth some serious cache in the playground in 1993). I hope she still lets her art take her places, because she has an enormous talent.

So when it comes to searching for interesting cards or reproductions to give as gifts, I really value the slightly quirky. For me, it’s not about making an illustration lifelike, it’s more about giving them character, a soul that extends beyond the page. But I’m a sucker for anything that marries quirky with corny (Pear-fect, anyone? Mwhahaha)…

Here’s some of my favourite illustrators I’ve found on the web recently: