Julie R. Neidlinger: Lone Prairie Art Works

The last bison.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 3 comments link this post

Back on May 2, I had a brief message on my Twitter update that said I was out to shoot bison, but with a camera. It was quite a day.

I made a much longer film for Michael and Colleen to keep as a kind of visual reminder of the bison herd they sold. The longer video detailed the day that started early in the cold morning and ended with a trip to New Rockford and back. However, here are a few of the exciting highlights in this shorter video.

Here you go. The herding of the last of the bison. Two bulls, named General Sherman and Ivan the Terrible.

Labels: friends, north dakota, video

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Cloverfield.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

Sometimes I stumble into weird things. After seeing the movie Cloverfield (you know I love monster movies), I wanted to know if the monster came from the sea or from space. That's it. I didn't really care to know what happened to the characters or what happened next; I just wanted to know where it came from.

In the process of searching, I realized that there is a whole fictitious clamor around the film. I, never having seen the TV show Lost, understand that its creator J. J. Abrams (who produced Cloverfield) tends to build up these kinds of modern myths that wrap people up in the game of trying to figure out what he provides clues for. The closest I've come to being weirdly obsessed with something like that would be the game Myst, almost ten years ago. I was a fan of Abrams' Alias show for a few seasons until it just got really dumb and uninteresting.

As it is, with the ease of putting up web sites on the internet that seem legitimate, there are fake corportations, fake missing persons...unbelievable. Viral and creative marketing at its best.

In a time-wasting way, it's interesting. But I don't have the time to waste, nor the extra energy to expend. And, nothing serves as a reminder to get a grip like visiting a forum where people are freaking out and "screaming" at each other over incorrect "facts" for something that isn't real, like Cloverfield. There is a serious amount of devotion to this new story that has sucked people in. Odd.

You know -- it's an interesting movie. Pretty good as far as monster movies go. But I'm not going to do more than a simple Google search to find out where the monster came from. I certainly have no plans on writing a thesis on the story, or taking the inevitable college class that, in a few years, will pop on some campus discussing the film and what it means to society.

Joseph Campbell was right: myths are powerful. And, I might add, distracting.

Pretty good movie, though. Interesting concepts, camera work (hand-held camera feel), special effects. I liked it. Not enough to devote my free time or life to it, however.

Here's the (now old) trailer for kicks and giggles.

Links:

Labels: movies, video

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We still have hockey.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 2 comments link this post

A friend emailed me the link to a video that, if you're from North Dakota, you'll at least understand and, if you're an NDSU fan like I am, you'll find it hilarious. I chuckled out loud several times. Nothing like a little more fuel on the UND-NDSU rivalry.

GO BISON!

UPDATE: The video has been pulled, obviously. In the grand tradition of stuffed shirts that can' take a joke, it has been removed. It wasn't, however, the first effort at using that video clip to make a bit of a hockey joke. There is another video (and others, since it has become rather common on the internet to use that clip, apparently). It isn't, however, as funny. I have a strong feeling that the real reason it upset people in high places wasn't so much the Hitler aspect, but because of the personal pot-shots taken at college administration officials. Perhaps Kupchella didn't want anyone to know he frosted his hair. Tough to say.

Labels: north dakota, video

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One score and minus five years ago...

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

When I catch myself saying "...back when I was in Prague about 15 years ago" I realize I'm fast becoming an elder.

Regardless, I have a video that will only interest people who like drawing, but I'm pointing out here since I put the video on a blog that I don't update much and probably suffers a bit from some stagnation problems. It's of me sketching from a photograph I took in Prague...15 years ago.

Argh.

Prague was beautiful. I have a little money left from there, money from back when it was still Czechoslovakia. Again...I'm eldering: "...back when it was still Czechoslovakia."

Argh. I can now be dated by the changing political maps.

Anyway, here's the video.

Side note: No, the cat is not dead. He's just very, very calm.

Labels: art, video

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Ergonomic office equipment.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post

For more Red Green, visit here.

Labels: humor, television, video

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The St. Patrick's Day photo shoot.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

See the photo shoot that took the world by storm.

Or, at least, the cat by storm.

The video behind this festive post:

Labels: brutus, pets, video

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Smokin' monologues.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post

Eve Ensler has nothing on Tom Marinaro.

Marinaro, owner of Tank's Bar in Babbit, Minnesota, tried to get around the smoking ban by having theater nights at his bar. Minnesota's smoking ban allows for smoking in theater productions by actors and actresses. So, like other bars trying to utilize that loophole, Marinaro began holding "Gunsmoke Monologues" starting at 3 p.m. daily.

He got a citation for it.

Now we have some court time.

But think of it.

Gunsmoke Monologues.

Lots of pun fun there.

For some reason, the first thing that came to mind when I heard this story was the scene from "The Blues Brothers" (one of the top all-time funniest movies ever made, in my opinion) where they sing the theme from the TV show Rawhide. Not Gunsmoke, but still funny.

Labels: current events, movies, video

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The legacy of Carl Stalling.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 2 comments link this post

Thanks to Carl Stalling, I'm unable to listen to Rossini's "Barber of Seville Overture" (which is playing now on XM Radio via DirectTV) without thinking of some very hilarious Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd antics.

Back in 1991, I bought a tape (yes, tape, not CD) called "The Carl Stalling Project." It contained the bizarre conglomeration of the classics with Stalling's own music that he'd created for Warner Bros. cartoons (1936-1958). I'm sure whenever I played the tape, it drove people crazy, for it was crazy-sounding music. I used to listen to it quite a bit.

Actually, I'm not "up" enough on the history of Stalling or his successor, Milt Franklyn, to know who is responsible for my association of a number of popular classical pieces with rabbits, stuttering farmers/hunters and the like. I do know, though, that Stalling was responsible for the hilarious "Rabbit of Seville" travesty that's making me snicker right now. If you saw the cartoon, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen it, check it out below. It's absolutely classic and absolutely hilarious. The ending is truly bizarre.

Labels: music, video

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Markers and salt.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

There are many times in the Old Testament of the Bible where markers, made of a pile of stones, are used to set aside a spot as a place of remembrance for something that happened there.

I have difficulty distinguishing between what is merely a marker, and what threatens to turn me into a pillar of salt. What should I remember, and what should I leave behind?

I came across a video that reminded me of something I should remember. The video is found here (Click the "Baptism by the Bay", fourth from the bottom). It reminds me of this moment. We had another ocean baptism this past February. Both are in need of markers. Good to remember, especially now while we are trying to plan for the upcoming trips and I, at least, have lost some of my earlier steam and am struggling to regain focus.

Markers are a good help for that. This video was exactly what I needed to get my focus back, at least for a little while.

This is part of National Community Church, a non-denominational church with connections to the Assembly of God. About a year ago I had the opportunity to correspond with Heather Zempel, the discipleship pastor at NCC, and found it a rich experience.

Those emails? Another marker.

Some things I foolishly build a marker for, like where I've buried the hatchet or hidden a grudge. And some things I never get around to stacking the stones.

Things to think about.

Labels: nicaragua, religion, video

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Favorite scenes.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 2 comments link this post

Flipping through the TV tonight, I happened upon the end of Blade Runner. My favorite movie scene of all time is this one, featuring Rutger Hauer:

My other favorite movie scene is this one, the ending from Man on Fire (caution: violence is shown in the clip). Like above, the acting, visuals, music, impact -- all perfect:

Labels: movies, video

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Blogathon 2007: Setting up a scene.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 2 comments link this post

This video shows me setting up a scene in the starship. It's a fairly badly shot video, but getting the dolls to stand up on their own is bad enough, let alone doing it with one hand occupied with controlling the video camera. But I think you get a taste for how each scene is set up.

Labels: blogathon, video

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Blogathon 2007: Backstage tour.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

Have a look behind the scenes and see how I assembled and put together the story of Bob Rogers and the Final Frontier Final.

| Start . Next |

Labels: blogathon, video

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No sleeping in.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

Happy Fourth of July.

You need to get out of bed to celebrate it.

Labels: internet, video

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You have no friends.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 3 comments link this post

Or so my YouTube account tells me, down at the bottom, which you won't be able to see.

I'm glad you can't see it. As if I need the additional pressure of knowing that the dirty secret -- that I have no friends -- is available for the world to see.

YouTube, like every other site, has incorporated every other site, like every other site, to become...like every other site.

I can't think of a different way to word it.

Why does a video site need any aspect of social networking?

The problem with social networking sites, besides the fact that they are annoying to me because people pick anime avatars and stupid nicknames or you have idiot 19-year-old girls posing suggestively in their -- I don't know -- Burger King uniform, is that if you don't take part, you "have no friends."

I beg to differ.

I have friends.

And I'll not be letting a YouTube account tell me otherwise.

Labels: internet, video

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I hate spiders.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 4 comments link this post

A friend asked me just tonight why I like spider movies, since I'd mentioned tonight's SciFi Cheese-tacular film "Ice Spiders" with notable interest. I do hate spiders. I do like spider movies, since they make the perfect monster. Shelob. "Eight-Legged Freaks." Good stuff.

All that aside, the below film takes a scientific look at spiders and drug use.

No, not really.

But kind of.

Hat Tip: Will

Labels: humor, video

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Conan's Walker lever.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

For no reason other than it always made me laugh: Conan O'Brien and the Walker, Texas Ranger lever.

Labels: humor, television, video

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Yes, sometimes it's just like this.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

A friend made me aware of this video yesterday and yes, I admit, it's funny.

It's really funny, because it's true. It captures the agony of such moments, such calls for tech help, completely. Never mind what it says about dumb girlfriends.

Labels: humor, technology, video

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Code Guardian.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 6 comments link this post

Coolest. Video. Ever.

Code Guardian
Uploaded by Cee-Gee-Productions

(Very Thankful) Hat Tip: Locusts and Honey

Labels: video

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A great example of parody (unless you're easily offended).

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 3 comments link this post

If you have ever seen the Black Eyed Peas vacuous and mind-numbing video to their equally vacuous, completely moronic and non-sensical song "My Humps", I'm sorry to hear it. It's the visual interpretation of the phrase "lowest common denominator" with an emphasis on lowest. I can sum it up for you:

T
A
Shake/grind both of them.
Women are about lumps, both front and back.
And they want guys' money.
So use the "lumps" to get the money.

It's so incredibly bad, you have to almost wonder if BEP weren't making fun of that particular genre of music themselves. I hope so. Otherwise it's...irredeemable.

But along came Alanis Morrissette, the 1990's queen of intensity and anger who, just a few years back, sang a song on the Narnia soundtrack. As an April Fool's joke, she makes a video with a different version of "My Humps."

It's heartfelt. It's intense. It has a piano playing in a minor key.

It's hilarious.

She mimics the moves, enunciates the words, and, stripped of a catchy beat and piles of attractive extras, shows the song "My Humps" to be what it is: a load of crap.

Seeing the Hip/Hop bump and grind in slow motion with dumpy "gangster" guys kind of shows how stupid it is. Morrissette, does a great job of making her point -- even making a little fun of herself and other singers prone to emoting a little too much behind a piano. -- but the video below still has the same lyrics as the BEP original so if you're easily offended, just don't bother.

Labels: humor, video

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Herding cats.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post

Funny.

More from the EDS Commecials:

Labels: humor, video

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I don't believe in Richard Dawkins.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 2 comments link this post

All I can do is laugh.

Hat Tip: Verum Serum.

Labels: humor, video

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Product Placement: Topline Bison Jerky is good!

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 2 comments link this post

::I was going to have this really cool melodramatic Marty Stuart music in the background, but you know how great Windows Movie Maker is. It crashed at all EIGHTEEN ATTEMPTS AT ADDING MUSIC. Anyway, the below commercial is supposed to be funny in that I made it in about ten minutes, not counting the three weeks of working with SHODDY SOFTWARE. I'm pretty sure the video won't be around long...so enjoy it while it's here.::

Topline Bison Jerky is good. It really is pretty darn good stuff. And I generally don't like dried meat products. But this is good.

Mike and Colleen's brand new web site is up and running: www.toplinebison.net

You know Mike, infamous Mike?

Go buy some of his jerky. It's the real deal, just like it says on his web site. Do it now. Tell your friends. I'm serious.

Labels: food, friends, north dakota, product placement, video

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...and still more from Barats and Bereta...

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post

Still more great videos from Barats and Bereta. You can see all their stuff at YouTube or their website.

Labels: humor, video

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The last bison.

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Cloverfield.

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We still have hockey.

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One score and minus five years ago...

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Ergonomic office equipment.

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The St. Patrick's Day photo shoot.

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Smokin' monologues.

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The legacy of Carl Stalling.

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Markers and salt.

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Favorite scenes.

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Blogathon 2007: Setting up a scene.

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Blogathon 2007: Backstage tour.

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No sleeping in.

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You have no friends.

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I hate spiders.

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Conan's Walker lever.

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Yes, sometimes it's just like this.

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Code Guardian.

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A great example of parody (unless you're easily offended).

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Herding cats.

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I don't believe in Richard Dawkins.

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Product Placement: Topline Bison Jerky is good!

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...and still more from Barats and Bereta...