Over analyzing thoughts and poor communication skills can reinforce insecurity and leave any of us in a state of not knowing what to say. In 2019, I had two different political disagreements with in-person friends that ended in silence. I presented a dictionary definition of the word racism as a counter to the concept that “people of color can’t be racist.” I was told the dictionary was written by “old, white, men,” which itself is an ageist, racist, and sexist sentence. Still don’t know what to say about that one.

Choice Architecture

Don't Know What Say

Don't Know What To Say

Arranging a ménage à trois is easier said than done.

Easier Said

Sugarpuss is about simping over a woman. You know it’s unlikely she’ll ever come round but you hold out hope in the off chance the bridge ain’t completely burned.

Sugarpuss

Two Ladies

Jump Start

Leviathan

The term choice architecture was originally coined by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein in their 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Thaler and Sunstein have endorsed thoughtful design of choice architecture as a means to improve consumer decision-making by minimizing biases and errors that arise as the result of bounded rationality. This approach is an example of "libertarian paternalism", a philosophy endorsed by Thaler and Sunstein that aims to "nudge" individuals toward choices that are in their best interest without limiting choice. Libertarian paternalism may also be described as soft paternalism.

While writing the chorus line riff on the guitar a hummingbird flew up to my window and hovered for a moment. The peaceful moment reminded me of my grandmother, who at the time was dealing with age related dementia. So I combined the feelings I had about that with my feelings about being a consistently failing musician.

Mostly Live (from Seatac)

Hummingbird

“Right Things," offers a sarcastic perspective on the internal voice that constantly judges its host's actions. Optimistic antagonists often demand reality be silent, yet the truth, symbolized by light, seldom complies. 

"I wrote Right Things" in 2021 during a "fugue state," engaging in dissociative rhyming over guitar riffs repeatedly until something intriguing emerges. Once the song's subject revealed itself, the process involved doubling back and refining the lines into a cognitive narrative, still allowing for interpretation. Conceptually, I envisioned living in a house entirely made of glass panes. Without framing and walls, it would be shaky, especially when someone pulls shades to block out light.

The chorus reflects my personal journey – departing a lucrative tech career without having children, making it sardonic to offer advice through a song when most would have chosen the staple paths I denied. The second verse introduces nihilism, countered by the optimistic antagonist urging, "don’t remind the crowd of that, just make 'em dance or else just shaddup a ya face and go home!" Despite never playing to a substantial audience, the line pays homage to a novelty song by Ohio native Joe Dolce, discovered shortly after my family moved to Italy in 1981.


Right Things

Sometime around 2010 or 2011. The first known recording of the song Fifteen Minute Window.

15 Minute Window (Demo)

How Was The Water (Demo)

A track I created at Summer Camp 2019 for a Project Runway competition families participated in. The request was for an apocolyptic theme and I had already worked out a bit in ProTools to jam over that when added to with the guitar hits and other Maschine layers turned out to be on theme. The team provided the following poem that I ran through speech text on the mac into ProTools channel and doctored with some effect slightly. Poem provided by Noelle Smithhart, Jessica KP, Michael, and Karianne Stinson:

"I. Need. Your. attention!

I need your attention, please?

Do you like it? Do you love it? 

Ring. my. bell.

Wow.
The apocalypse?... now?
The world as we know it - 
The heart, The hand... now gliffs that have taken on newer, EMPTIER, meanings.

“Like me.” No... “LOVE me.”
“Know how I’m feeling...”
At. All. Times.
Follow me. Subscribe. 
Like it. Love it.
I’m wrapped up in this thread, choking and I can barely breathe.
“See the world through my billions of eyes.”

I’m composing my next status update. Right. Now. I need your attention, please?

Do I love my life or am I pretending for the likes?  This is me, curating my best life for you. Like it. Love it.

I don’t show you my bad angles, my double chins and closed eyes, I don’t show you my warts and all, this hashtag Blessed life is a lie. and I need your attention, please?

FEED this insatiable harbinger of the end times. I need your attention, please?

Scrolling endlessly looking for validation or something to rile me up. My thumbs are cramping up. 45 degrees up - selfie! 45 degrees down - consume! 

A cant so constant that Horns are growing out of the back of my skull. I need your attention, please?

I am algorithmically finding my bubble. grouping and looping the same stories. over. and. over. feeling validation through sound bites and headlines. I need your attention, please?

I’m sorry to miss this place but if you’re not working on getting a like or a love or angry then what’s the point of scrolling.

Like me.

Love. Me."

Runaway Runway

Project Runway (demo)

Incomplete

A Seattle based video and production company formed in 2018. The label for Seattle bands [poly-band-erous], Now or Ever, Herb & Jellyfish, and Madness Blooms.

Polybanderous Productions

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