Forgiveness

     If you guys were wondering, yes, i did survive my 21st birthday but I managed to get pretty banged up. A black eye, some road rash and a severe hangover were waiting for me on the day of my birthday but i was a trooper and now we're here. Memorial Day Weekend or affectionately, MDW, is the official start of summer and since I was born on MDW I get to kick off summer with a bang every year. This year was a little larger than others. I probably will never forget my birthday because it was the time of my life. After the dust settled and my hangover cleared, it was back to business as usual.

     Since we have a bare corner in our yard that only gets partial morning sun, I decided it was time to do something about it. After work today, a quick trip to the Garden Center to look at quite possibly one of my favorite plants, the Rhododendrons. There is something mildly amusing about them and their stout shrub appearance and beautiful blooms is almost ironic to me. As I browsed the many samples, I managed to find this gem. The last white Rhododendron left and it cost me quite a pretty penny. It was worth every bit of it.

     There is something about white flowers that always gets to me. The pure color is almost otherworldly and the fact they're not pink, purple or orange like the rest of the plants in the garden center makes me feel differently about them. Whenever I see a white flower, I almost feel as if it is a sign of forgiveness from God. He put me in a moment where all I could see was white blooms and all I could think about was His grace. It's quite an experience for me and now every spring, I'll get that same feeling over and over again.

     So hopefully, I can get my green thumb on and make this little guy grow to his fullest potential. I would be heartbroken to have to walk back into work with a dead root ball and my receipt after killing my new plant. I know that there was some greater purpose behind this Rhododendron adventure. Maybe it was starting a new adventure in my life or simply asking for forgiveness of my past sins. I can't quite put my finger on the true reason but I'm sure I'll figure it out someday.

     In other news, The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 3 - Ready for Glory is on it's way. I'm working on it as we speak and it will be in your hands next week. Finally, the first release of Electric Dreams Inc. shirts has been put in motion and I am really excited to share them with you guys. After all that remember that you don't have to let go of the past to move on, you just have to begin something new. 

Edge of 21

Pardon Our Dust

     You know what that picture means guys, we are currently under construction. Thanks to the wonderful web designing talents of John McCabe, we are currently working on getting our web store and our mailing list sign up up and running before the heat of the summer hits. Although these are not the only projects we have in the works right now. I currently have a big announcement to make. Drum roll please.....

     Get ready guys, I have decided that I love making The Switchblade Soundtrack so much that they will be released monthly for your listening pleasure. It's going to be a big June for us. The launch of the future. The shirts should be ready for you to wear loud and proud on The Fourth of July, my personal favorite holiday. I will keep you guys updated to when you can order the shirts and when you can sign up for our mailing list. Happy Summer guys, Let's tear it up this year.

Back in Business

      Since your boy had a little run in with the RIAA over my mixtape, let's show those guys who is really boss. The link for the reedited version of The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 2 - Sounds of Summer is here.

DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM

     Sorry about the mix up guys but it's not really worth fighting the feds. At best, we can at least work around them. 

Is Your Mother a Monster?

      The answer to this question for me, is absolutely. To anyone who either just got out of a coma or just isn't into music, Lady Gaga's long awaited album Born This Way dropped today. Being the little monster that I am, I had to show my appreciation to her and go out and buy a copy. Let's just say I am so glad i did. The album is so complete with the perfect amount of fit & finish to make it a serious contender for my own personal album of year award. 

     I've been having a good start to this year music wise. A lot of my favorite albums have come out this year including Lykke Li's Youth Novels, the Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part II and now Gaga's Born This Way. I'm just hoping the the rest of 2011 follows suit. 

      I already heard a bunch of tracks from it with the singles she released already but when it is in full piece, it only gets better. I've been watching the GAGA-THON on Fuse tv all week just to get prepared for this day and its always so much better when you know the reasons why the artists wrote the song and I use that word artist in the full scope. She truly is an artist and never lets her creative vision be compromised by anyone.

     From her humble beginnings to the grandiose spectacular we have now, she has changed music without a question. She has changed my life in so many ways including all of my opinions on women's fashion. The first time I saw the "Just Dance" video, my eyes weren't ever the same.

      The piece that really did it for me was the disco mirror bra. I, to this day, have seen anything so simple but so out of this world. Most of her outfits now are over the top and disgusting, to me what high fashion is truly about. Even a disco mirror bra is simply just over the top. I couldn't imagine seeing one in person.
     Back to her latest album, I listened to the whole thing once I bought it this morning and it was all really good but one track simply seemed to stand above. Like "So Happy I Could Die" on The Fame Monster my x-factor track on Born This Way  was "The Edge of Glory". Written half before she got to her grandfather's death bed and half after he departed, it's a strangely happy song for the topic it was written about. Gaga and I seem to share the same opinion on life and death, as when you're life flashes before your eyes, not only is it a recap of your life but a salute from it, letting you know that you kicked it's ass and really lived how you wanted to. After a long journey through the album this was certainly the best track to end it all. Halfway through the song, simply thinking of it's meanings, I couldn't help but shed tears. A mix of both happy and sad ones but the fact that I was there in that moment, I felt as if everything was perfect for a second and couldn't help but get very emotional. This is the second time Gaga has had me in tears and it is the second time that an album has made me cry just like The Fame Monster did almost a year and a half ago. So enjoy guys. Live you life and make sure that it salutes you when you reach the edge of glory.

White Girl Mob

     Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Kreayshawn. A really bad ass white chick with serious swag out of Oakland. Get at her

@KREAYSHAWN

Kreayshawn on Youtube

Kreayshawn on Facebook

     For some reason I didn't even know I was following her on twitter. Boy am I glad I am now. you can check out her mixtape Kittys X Choppas which is SO DOPE, on datpiff.com. LET'S WHITE GIRL MOB!

Big Brother

     To those of you currently wondering why you can not get your own personal copy of The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 2, I'll give you a little hint into why. I got a wonderful email today at work from the RIAA about violating copyrights on the tracks that I put on the soundtrack. I understand this and I agree with them that giving out talented artists songs for free is usually kind a "no-no" in the internet world ever since that Napster guy got in trouble with Metallica. I really have never looked at that band the same way since. The big deal i have with the RIAA is do they think that the music isn't going to get out. I own over 32 gigs of music and I've only shelled out about fifty bucks of my own money towards artists who really deserve my hard earned cash. I'll be working seriously hard to actually get the true mixtape back out there for you to download.

     If you have never heard the story about the Switchblade Soundtrack, I'll let you in on a big secret. I decided that I was tired of having my friends tell me to download stuff instead of making me a nice CD for my car. The Switchblade Soundtrack is just that. I'm making you guys a CD of songs you should be listening to. Well at least, songs I think you should be listening to. It's another one of my ways of giving back by bringing back old things we used to do in high school. I loved small gestures and in our lives, it's really the small things that count.

Kind Words

     To those of you who haven't checked out my "Friends" section, you really should. I only promote people who are good people and who make good things. I only endorse products that I use exclusively or wear exclusively. Other than that, if it's not featured here, I may be a fan but it doesn't make an impact in my life. To my close friends, I am a good-hearted, really nice guy. I treat people not only how I want to be treated but how they wish to be treated and I live my life like that. Since learning about John Rawls's Theory of Justice, I never knew that I lived my life exactly how he proposes in his theory. All philosophy aside, I'll let you guys in on a little secret.

All rights reserved to Delightfully Tacky.

     I have been following Delightfully Tacky for almost 2 years now. It's a blog about a girl's journey through adulthood and the trials and tribulations she faces in her daily life. She has a wonderfully vintage style and owns the coolest motor vehicles in the world. Elizabeth is a really awesome person and she's loyal to her fans.

All rights reserved to Delightfully Tacky.

     I recently wrote a very heartfelt email to her just because she made a post about the same situation I am in right now a while back. Now it's really not that hard for me to open up to people like that because I've been told I have such a big heart that no matter who hurts me, I'll be able to stay true to who I really am and be okay in the end. Elizabeth really confirmed this in her email. Telling me that I have a good head on my shoulders and a strong heart in my chest. Almost poetic but I would expect nothing less.

All rights reserved to Delightfully Tacky.

      After all that has happened this week including the death of a student of my mothers, I really needed what she said to me in her email. It's good to know that there is still good people left in the world that know you're hurting and will at least do something to help. I guess this is just a huge thank you but it's well deserved. So once again, Thank you very much Elizabeth, I hope the least that this post does, is bring you some followers but it just didn't feel right without thanking you.

     I really found out why I love this blog so much. It's almost like i'm speaking directly to the people who follow me. Like i make some kind of difference in this world. Probably the closest thing to therapy without the chaise lounge and the old guy scribbling notes about how stupid you are. Not only do I appreciate everything you guys do for me on a daily basis but you really have helped me through these couple of days. I plan to carry this brand with me forever and really live my life like I'm a member of the Dream Team. To all my soldiers and members of my Dream Team, stay up kids, never let anyone hold you down and never let anyone compromise your vision. It's your vision, you are responsible for seeing it through.

Vol. 2 - Summer is here to stay

     If you're in college, like I am, you're summer has probably already started. What does this mean? The beach, vacations to tropical places, even just visiting family members or random roadtrips. We all know all successful roadtrips have an awesome soundtrack so this is exactly what I did for you guys. All of these songs can be related to how I feel about this summer. It's going to be quite a wild summer for us over here at Electric Dreams but we hope we can stay in touch. Without keeping you guys hanging any longer.

     It's quite a compilation of all my favorite music. 80's new wave stuff, old school hip hop, and house/dubstep. These songs are going to fuel my summer and I hope they can fuel yours. Get out there and party, It's summer time!

The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 2 - Sounds of Summer

               1. A Tribe Called Quest - Award Tour
               2. The Beastie Boys ft. Santogold - Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win
               3. Wiz Khalifa - The Race
               4. The Clash - Lost in the Supermarket
               5. Death Cab for Cutie - You Are a Tourist
               6. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
               7. The Clash - Death or Glory
               8. The Cure - Mint Car
               9. Matt & Kim - Cameras
              10. Skrillex - Rock N' Roll (will take you to the Mountain)
              11. Avicii vs. Sebastian Drums - My Feelings for You
              12. Pendulum - The Island
              13. Swedish House Mafia - Miami 2 Ibiza
              14. Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat
              15. Deadmau5 - Raise Your Weapon
              16. Lady Gaga - So Happy I Could Die
              17. Thrice - Atlantic

      The link to the download can be found here. DOWNLOAD

Thanks for all your support guys in a time I could really use it. I will send physical copies to anyone who wants one just send me your address in an email at patmcpeak1@gmail.com and i'll mail it out asap. Each CD will come with a personalized gift from me to you.  It's just my way of saying thanks. Vol. 3 will be dropping this fall with the hottest tracks to keep you busy on campus while you're cutting class.

Shutdown

     Since the end of the world was predicted as two days ago. Blogger decided to play a nasty trick on all of us by shutting down. When I clicked my bookmark and saw it was down, I instantly though "here we go." Let's get serious. Today was a big day for us over here at Electric Dreams Inc. I recently collaborated with this guy and took some shots that you will be seeing in use throughout the blog so you guys can actually see what I look like and see the face of what this movement looks like.

Alex Bohn

     So here's a little taste of what the rest of the shoot looked like. All taken by Alex Bohn (see above inset) in his studio in Melrose Park.

     Hopefully, it will be an interesting summer and you guys will be along for the ride. We're putting the wraps on our first run of shirts and stickers so you can rep us heavy in the streets. Also look out for The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 2. It will be dropping next week for your downloading pleasure.

Art will Set You Free

     So if you guys have been wondering where I have been as of late, it's a super long story. It's been a rough couple of days since I last posted up on here but I'll tell you a little about what has been keeping me going through finals week, work and the rest of my life. The answer is very simple. It's Art. Due to recent happenings, my emotions have been twisted and beaten down by myself and the only way I can fully express the way I feel is through art. I recently designed a tattoo for later down the road which is going on my 23 before 22 list. Here is a sneak peak.

     It's just a rough sketch but you catch my drift. I wanted to go with an anchor to help me remember to stay grounded and to never forget my love of all things nautical. I know it may conflict with the United States Navy but tattoos, I believe are a personal thing. It's your body, get whatever you want done to it. The life preserver behind the anchor is to keep me afloat when the seas of my life are rough and the rope means that life goes on, no matter what happens there is always tomorrow, so I wrapped it around my anchor. I still am not too sure if I am just going to get black ink or if it is going to have a splash of color. If anything the red rings around the life preserver will be red and that's it. It felt really good drawing this up.

     When i took this picture, I almost was going for just a set up shot but realized how much of my life is actually encompassed in this photo. I love photography because sometimes when you're not thinking, you make wonderful pieces of art that tell stories a mile long. The first element would have to be the lens cap. Lens caps are so much like my life. I always lose them, but they seem to magically appear back in my pocket. This concept give me a lot of hope for my future because no matter what I lose, something will definitely appear that will help keep both my lenses and my life safe. The table cloth is fall themed, my favorite season, and it is currently the ass end of spring which is almost the feeling I have right now. My life has been going by so fast ever since I started college. I even forgot my 19th birthday in college. I really need to remember to slow down because before I know it, I'll be 80 and on my death bed, regretting the time I missed. The book in the photo is kind of an idea book that I'll draw out ideas with, write stories in and even just bleed on. I feel like this book is my mind on paper. If anyone wants a copy, I'll gladly share.

     Well, sorry for that awfully emotional paragraph but what can I do, I need some place to store these things that people call feelings and I'm glad that I feel comfortable with you guys to tell you how I feel. I am some big ideas for this year and I am not letting it go to waste. I'll show you this beautiful short film about one of my personal favorite artists, Swoon, that really inspired me this morning. Her "tent" at MOCA was amazing and this shows you a little peek into how they put it together. 

Swoon + Cat Solen from Levi's Film Workshop on Vimeo.

     Lastly, I leave you with a short section from Tuesdays with Morrie that has become a personal story about how I feel about life. 

“I heard a nice little story the other day,” Morrie says. He closes his eyes for a moment and I wait.
“Okay. The story is about a little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand old time. He’s enjoying the wind and the fresh air–until he notices the other waves in front of him, crashing against the shore.
“My God, this is terrible,” the wave says. ‘Look what’s going to happen to me!’
“Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, ‘Why do you look so sad?’
“The first wave says, ‘You don’t understand! We’re all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn’t it terrible?’
“The second wave says, ‘No, you don’t understand. You’re not a wave, you’re part of the ocean.’”
I smile. Morrie closes his eyes again.
“Part of the ocean,” he says, “part of the ocean.” I watch him breathe, in and out, in and out.

Awesome People Doing Awesome Things.

      We all know that people are awesome, enough said. Let's actually say something more about those awesome people. The world is full of talented artists, athletes, hard workers and just cool people so I am going to do them all a big favor. Give them the fifteen minutes of fame they truly deserve.

     We all know we want a little taste of it every now and again. Even if it's only to spread our message of peace, convey ideas with our art and just show the world what we've been doing with our lives. It's a tough road to the top with anything in life. Whether it be art, music, engineering, marketing, whatever your passion is, you really have to wake up in the morning and strive to make everyday a better day. I am about to make your life a little bit easier.

     As of this week my blog hit an all time high of 75 hits during one hour. To anyone who knows something about the internet, that's like Amazon status. Well, probably not, but that's what I thought it was. I have had hits from over 30 different countries and about 80% of my hits come from in the United States. So when you join our "Awesome People, Awesome Things" week, you'll get that much more exposure. This isn't really an opportunity of a lifetime but it's a good jump off point.

POSTS WILL INCLUDE:

-A Personalized interview about your trade/craft

-Several photos of you doing what you do taken by yours truely

-A small blurb about who you are and how we've known each other

-Links, buttons and adspace for your site on mine.

-Anything else you wish to add.

     So sign up today you can email me at patmcpeak1@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. It's up to you but it is your future.

Childhood Dreams

      Since today's date has kind of become a running joke online due to the way you can say it "May the 4th be with you". This instantly brought back insane feelings of nostalgia from my awkward childhood. I can remember the night like it was yesterday. My mother was out of town and my father had a "surprise" for my brother and I. If anyone knows my father, when he uses the word surprise, it's usually the most epic thing ever. It was. My dad brought my brother and I to see the movie Star Wars: A New Hope. This was after it was re released in a remastered format. I was instantly in love like any other typical kid who went to see Star Wars when it first came out in the seventies.

     It's been quite a strange love affair since I saw the first movie back when I was a wee little child. I've even carried the love affair into my days today, mainly quoting Yoda in my philosophy courses but there is a lot to learn for these movies. I have seen every single movie to the point where I can make fun of Hayden Christiansen's "HE'S HOLDING ME BACK!" in episode II while it's actually happening. But I've also learned a lot about life from these movies.

     A couple of my personal favorite Yoda quotes happen in the best of the series of movies, Empire Strikes Back but another one comes from Episode I. He is testing Anakin in the council hall and ask him if he is scared for his mother. Of course he would be scared, they lived on a lawless planet where she'll probably be turned into Bantha fodder. But then the most profound line comes out of the little green master. "Fear turns to anger, anger turns to hate, hate turns to suffering." It's almost a guideline to life there in those 12 words. Although good, the most influential line from the movies is by Yoda once again training Luke on Dagobah.

     The message that rings out in these five minutes is almost a blueprint for human life. A nerdy Sermon on the Mount. I've personally thought of this scene every time I've heard the statement, "I'll try". Yoda tells us that trying is only doing with the intention of failing. So no matter what your challenges are in life, Try Not, there is Do or Do Not, there is no Try. Until the day I die I will love these movies and no one will ever talk me out of not watching Return of the Jedi  at midnight on a Sunday. 

"I Don't Believe it!"

"That, is why you fail"

Lifted

     So it was a pretty event less weekend over here at Electric Dreams Inc. but I felt as if this week was a lot better. My Friday was filled with a road trip, yes, it takes me an hour to get there, to my favorite camera store to check out some new glass and talk photography news with my good buddy, Carl Kosola. All around great guy who helps me with whatever I need every time I walk into New York Camera & Video in Southampton. It is the camera shop that I dreamed of when I first got started in photography and anyone in the greater Philadelphia area who has some sort of photographic need will be impressed with their knowledge and overall friendliness.

     Just look at those shelves, fully stocked and Rich is there answering a complicated question that a customer has. The complete package is what you get when you walk in there. Taken with the luxurious 35L from Canon, I instantly was sold when I saw the way it rendered the bright yellow in the store to my absolute loving. I also took the enormous 85L for a spin. 

     Simply gorgeous was all I could say when I saw the lovely, creamy bokeh on this photo. At f/1.2 just a small slice of the Gorillapod is in focus and now I see why this lens is THE best portrait lens in the business. After all was said and done and my lens fantasies were fulfilled, I picked up a 16GB memory card for when I go to body that can take video, which I'm really excited for. If you're a fan of my blog you also know I was excited for this.

      That's correct, ladies and gentlemen, The Hot Sauce Committe Part Two from the Beastie Boys. Since I had heard the whole album before it was available in stores, I knew I was doing a good thing by going out and purchasing a physical copy of the album. I love doing that because I know some fraction of my money is actually supporting the artists and when it comes to the Beastie Boys, I want to fully support them. All I can say is, phenomenal.

     If you haven't heard any of it, you can check out the full album here but go out and do some good and buy a copy if you really like it. For a week straight, it's going to be all I listen to because I am so glad they are back on the scene after a short hiatus. They have a swagger that cannot be matched and will never be duplicated. I hope you guys find those artists you really love and actually go out and be a true fan by buying the album in stores instead of ripping them off and hitting up piratebay. Be a fan, everyone needs support in these tough times.

God Bless America

     Last night one of the biggest news stories in ten years happened and I'm sure you all know exactly what I am talking about. Osama Bin Laden was shot dead in his "compound" in Pakistan. I was hanging around my house last night and decided it was too early to go to bed so i flipped on the tube and Bam! My first reaction was a holy shit reaction because he was so good at hide and seek, I almost forgot he existed. After digesting the events as they unfolded, my true republican blood decided to sing the Team America theme song. You know, the one that goes "AMMMEERRRRIIICCAAAA, FUCK YEAH!" Then to digest even further, I instantly felt lucky to be a citizen of a country who will not stand for insecurity and injustice in this world.

      Now for us comes the real challenge, America. Get ready for some inspiration because I'm about to lay it down. Through my own personal study of religions of the world, Islam is a very beautiful religion about personal struggle and finding our own relationship with Allah (God). I am too tired of hearing people, off handedly bash Islam because some extreme sects have been blown up to define the whole religion (pun intended). Is it not the same offense if we go out and burn their holy books as them talking about how Christianity is wrong? Did not Jesus himself say that you thrown away the sins but not the sinner.

      So that's my challenge, don't shy away from those who choose to practice a different religion than you. We're all humans and we all deserve to practice what ever we wish. Even if you're religion was Jedi, I'd still probably give you mad props because that's awesome but don't spread hate, we only need to spread the love.