The "Real Lifers" edition :: Issue #089

:: :: The first IRL Picnic was FANTASTIC! :: ::

Rusty’s Electric Dreams, an inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff
Issue #089 :: The “Real lifers” Edition :: 06:15:2016

Real lifers…

The first IRL Picnic was a grand success! Four RED readers –Andy, Fin, Jillian, and former A-i-R Michael– joined me at the fabulous Rooftop Garden at Oakland’s Kaiser Center. That place is a *trip*! I highly recommend picnicking up there.

I couldn’t possibly recap our entire lunch but I did learn some things I’d like to share:

Michael’s working on the upcoming OMCA’s “Oakland, I want you to know…” exhibition
He also made the super-cool black-light screen print posters for the big Peaches Christ: VEGAS IN SPACE Tribute & Reunion
Andy is heavily involved with the Wig Lodge of the Immersion Composition Society (which sounds like an absolute delight)
For the past year, Jillian (co-owner of Because We Can) has been working on The Port Workspaces, which just happened to be next to the Rooftop Garden! We got an impromptu tour! It’s reallyyyyy awesome. You should check it out if you are in the area. Thank you, Jillian 🙂
Fin shared some of her badass sketchnotes with us and told us about her upcoming sketchnotes coloring book, Leaves from the STEM. It will “document lectures, TED talks, podcasts by Women in STEM, acting as a showcase for women and girls of the otherwise often invisible women already out there doing incredible work.” By the way, she’s slated to be a future Artist-in-Residence here at RED.

Next week I’m going to share a recent epiphany about art I had! I was going to share it this week, but work! picnic! SJ’s fifth-grade graduation! Trip to Bolinas Beach! General life chaos!

Lastly, I’m reading The Alchemist for the first time and really digging it. It’s, I dunno, kind of validating. Totally a fast read.

— Rusty Blazenhoff

p.s. The next IRL Picnic is Thursday, July 14 at Codornices Park in Berkeley. 11:30 AM. Bring lunch and cardboard to slide on!

Praise: “…I hate the fucking news. Eat art for breakfast.”

— Kimberley Cross, Cakewalk

This space intentionally left IRL

As seen on the Internets

Mickey Mouse Ears

:: Shanghai Disneyland opens on June 16
:: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disneyland-719038-ever-look.html

:: Bait: Off-Color Stories for You to Color by Chuck Palahniuk
:: Pre-order: http://amzn.to/1Om1h14 via

:: 2 things: Wingtip social club & THCheese
:: https://youtu.be/f4C93U0-9sY Thanks, Larry!

:: Jefferson Airplane playing “White Rabbit” at Woodstock (1969)
:: https://youtu.be/OWiYhTCzLL0 Thanks, Joe!

:: The rogue museum at Treasure Island’s Signal Tower
:: http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=64a

:: “Secret speakeasy offers a window into San Franciscoâ€™s past”
:: http://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/Secret-speakeasy-offers-a-window

:: Burning Man bought Fly Ranch
:: http://journal.burningman.org/2016/06/news/we-bought-fly-ranch

:: Ken Burns gave this year’s Stanford commencement speech
:: https://youtu.be/Wndp6gR7-1o

:: Our dear Whitney needs our help: Throw some $$ her way, if you have the means
:: https://www.gofundme.com/whitsquared

:: “A very small sampling of the female artists now in their 70s, 80s and 90s we should have known about decades ago”
:: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/05/15/t-magazine/17older-female-artists

I had, not one, not two, but THREE NSFW items sent my way this week. NSFW means Not Safe For Work, in case you didn’t know. So, if off-color things offend you, don’t click on the items below…especially if you are at work! I work at home, so I click on everything, which is often a mistake.

:: Item #1

:: Item #2

:: Item #3

I warned you! 😛

Artist-in-Residence: Russell Sparkman

About the Photograph
The emerging drone camera technology is effectively providing photographers with a tripod in the sky, and one of the most compelling views from this flying tripod is called the “Eye of God.” These views are particularly compelling because they are from vantage points that are higher than the highest tripod, but lower than typical aerial photography from helicopters or airplanes (often no more than 100 feet off the ground).

In this week’s photo, a car makes it way through a stand of fir trees on Whidbey Island, in Puget Sound.

About the Photographer:
Russell Sparkman, CEO of digital marketing agency FusionSpark Media, Inc., was an early adopter of digital photography in the 90s, and authored a book called “Essentials of Digital Photography” in 1996. It was a natural evolution of Sparkman’s experience to start using drones, in this case a DJI Phantom 4. Sparkman is also co-founder of DroneVideoServices.com, a DBA of FusionSpark Media.

[I met Russell at Dent! –ed.]

Events of note

Rusty's IRL picnic

East Park Reservoir in Colusa County, California
[6/20-6/26] Camp Tipsy, an “annual rotten boat building contest and camp-out”

United States
[Now until 8/19] Tiny Book Show, a touring bookmobile of little books handcrafted by artists and writers

[Various dates] 420 Games

Alameda, California
[Until 6/29] Island City Waterways: Waves of Inspiration, new landscapes with borax and shoe polish by Ginny Parsons at Rhythmix

[7/4] The Mayor’s 4th of July Parade

[7/15-7/16] Vau de Vire Society presents The Soiled Dove at The Taxiway at Point Alameda

Barcelona
[3/2017] Spannabis

Belden, California
[7/1-7/4] False Profit Presents: Priceless 2016

Berkeley, California
[7/14] Rusty’s IRL Picnic, Codornices Park, Berkeley: meet near the concrete slides at 11:30 AM [Bring your lunch and a piece of cardboard if you want to slide]

East Park Reservoir in Colusa County, California
[6/20-6/26] Camp Tipsy, an “annual rotten boat building contest and camp-out”

Lake Iseo, Italy
[6/18 to 7/3] Christo’s Floating Piers

Las Vegas
[Ongoing] Akhob, an immersive “Ganzfeld effect” experience by artist James Turrell at Louis Vuitton [by appt only: 702-730-3150] HIGHLY recommended!

Laytonville, California
[7/8-7/10] The Cannabis County Fair 2016, 21+ [Tickets]

Los Angeles

“Cool Places to Buy Weird Shit in Los Angeles”

[Dates in Summer and Fall] Krampus mask-masking workshop

[6/17] Charles Phoenix’s Downtown Los Angelesland, a free slide show at Union Station, 8 PM

[6/25] Raising Arizona at Hollywood Forever Cemetery [Tickets]

[8/14] BrunchCon LA at The Reef, 9 AM to 3 PM Thanks, Josh!

[Begins 9/13] 8-week long Neon workshop at Lili Lakich Studio, 6 pm to 9 PM

[10/1] Dolly Parton at Hollywood Bowl [Tickets]

[12/5-12/8] Henry Rollins at Largo

Marble Falls, Texas
[10/7-10/10] Camp Grounded, summer camp for adults

Martinez, California
[6/18] Red Meat at Armando’s

Mountain View
[9/24] Dolly Parton at Shoreline, 8 PM [Tickets]

New York City
Quirky NYC by Oriana Leckert:
“From Bumper Cars to Torah Taxidermy: A Guide to 25 of Brooklyn’s Most Unusual Museums”
“From Elevators to Outsider Art: A Guide to 16 Under-the-Radar Museums in Queens”

[Ongoing] Sleep No More at The McKittrick Hotel
[Ongoing] Jungle-Ized by Sound Collective, Free
[Ongoing] The Ferry Play on the Staten Island Ferry, $1.99
[Ongoing] More NYC events

[6/9-6/26] The Great American Casket Company, an immersive play in a Brooklyn cemetery Thanks, Oriana!

Oakland

[Until 9/25] Altered State: Marijuana in California at OMCA

[6/10-9/9] Kaiser Center Rooftop Garden Concerts, Fridays, 12 PM to 1 PM, Free Thanks, Jewelz!

[6/15] Yarn, a new storytelling event by Heather Gold at the Octopus Literary Salon, 7:30 PM to 9 PM [Tickets]

[6/18] Burning Man PRECOMPRESSION at American Steel, 7 PM to 1 AM

[6/21] Garden of Memory at Chapel of the Chimes, 5 PM to 9 PM [Tickets]

[6/25-6/26] Burger Boogaloo, Mosswood Park [Tickets]

[7/9] Louis C.K. at Oakland Arena, 7 PM [Tickets]

Palm Springs, California
[7/8-7/11] Yes and Yes Yes (YxYY) at the Ace Hotel, a “summer retreat for anyone who considers themselves a thinker, maker, creator, nerd, or weirdo.” [Tickets]

Paris, France
Editor’s note: I had the good fortune to spend the night in an artist’s yurt. My photos from that visit are included in this show…in PARIS!
[Until 8/29] Habiter le Campement, CitÃ© de l’architecture & du patrimoine au Palais de Chaillot

Portland, Oregon
[8/11-8/15] World Domination Summit [Tickets]

San Diego
[8/18-8/21] Tiki Oasis: “Monster Island”

San Francisco
“Best storytelling events in the Bay Area”
Upscale vs. Frugal SF
[Ongoing] Elsewhere Philatelic Society
[Ongoing] More SF events

[6/22] Art and Virtual Reality, 7 PM to 10 PM [Tickets]

[6/24 thru Sept] Midwayville, a mixed reality popup carnival at SoMa StrEat Food, 7 PM to 12 AM

[Until 6/24] Retrograde: Art by Winston Smith at Mule Gallery, reception 6 PM to 9 PM

[6/24-6/26] New Games with John Law

[7/7-7/18] Flower Piano 2016 at San Francisco Botanical Garden, A must see! [Schedule]

[7/10] Cocktail Robotics Grand Challenge at DNA Lounge [Tickets]

[7/13] Fireside Storytelling: “What Doesn’t Kill You” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[7/16] Drones & Drinks at iHangar, 6 PM to 1 AM [Tickets]

[7/17] Dark Garden Annual Corset Rummage Sale, 11 AM to 6 PM

[7/22-7/24] J-POP Summit at Fort Mason Center [Tickets]

[7/23] The Murray Invitational. A Bill Murray Art Exhibition and Golf Party at Public Works

[7/31] 3 O’Clock Rock (kid rock) show with Meshugga Beach Party and The Jet Stars at Treasure Island Flea Market, 12 PM

[8/5-8/7] Outside Lands, Golden Gate Park

[8/10] Fireside Storytelling: “Nerve” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[8/12-10/1] The Speakeasy: illicit bar, crooked casino, immersive theatrical experience at a discreet location near you [Tickets]

[8/13] Daylong Retreat with Michael Taft, 10 AM to 4 PM

[8/21] The New Pornographer’s at Stern Grove Festival, Free

[9/14] Fireside Storytelling: “Storyteller’s Choice” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[9/21-9/22] Dent: Space at Innovation Hangar

[10/1] Release party for Chicken John’s The Book of the Un at 111 Minna

[10/12] Fireside Storytelling: “Games People Play” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[10/13] Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary, 8 PM [Tickets]

[11/9] Fireside Storytelling: “Caught in the Act” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[12/14] Fireside Storytelling: “Hot!” at Chez Poulet, 8 PM

[10/2017] 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love

San Jose, California
[7/23] Blacklight Slide

SF Bay Area
[Ongoing] Best swimming holes in the SF Bay Area

Santa Fe, New Mexico
[Ongoing] Meow Wolf [Read this] [Tickets]

[9/2] The 92nd Annual Zozobra

Seattle
“The Obscure, the Charming and the Odd: Mark Pahlow’s Guide to Seattle”

Spain
[7/4-7/10] Nowhere

Sun Valley, Idaho
[4/19/2017-4/22/2017] Dent 2017, a creative retreat for people who want to “put a dent in the universe,” as Steve Jobs once said. (Highly recommended!)

HEY YOU, YES YOU

If YOU would like to co-curate an issue of Rusty’s Electric Dreams, I’d love to hear your idea! Please email me: rusty@blazenhoff.com.

Know about a cool event? I can’t be everywhere and know about everything, so s hare it with me! I’ll do my best to include it in the next issue.

“For me, a computer has always been a bicycle of the mind. Something that takes us far beyond our inherent abilities.”

— Steve Jobs, the Lost Interview

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a weekly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff. These personally-curated missives are beacons to signal and celebrate the global tribe of weird, wonderful, and unconventional people (“the Others“).

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