Isaac and the Awkward Situations

I had a really nice visit to San Fransisco and had a great time putting in two weeks at the Synapse Institute. I have a heart full of love for Katie and Gigi and all the students. I taught lessons in dance, music, improv, drawing, costumes design, and sculpture. WE put together a show for their parents with a lesson that trash is NOT part of the food chain, and we all can contribute to cleaning up the trash in the ocean. WE also made cool T shirts, I put a spanish dancer on mine.

I also got a chance to see some great bands in Sanfransisco and some excellent plays in Berkely.

I saw Uncle Nancy and the Family Jewels, who had a great flute player and a Shredding Cello player named Yoko. The Squirrel Nut Zippers can still bring down the house, I am so glad I got to catch them.

I also stumbled into the Berkeley Earth Day celebrations, met the cool folks at Good Joe T shirts. I was very impressed by how kind and friendly the people of Berkeley are. I caught THe Lieutenant of Innishmore” at Berkely Rep and “City of Angels,” a Student production at the university of California Berkeley. Both were great shows.

But what am I doing lately? I composed music for Caligari: ALaska at Theatre UAF> this is the last show for ANatoly, after a career of 15+ years at the university. The SDA was kind enough to give me an award for “BEST sound Design” and I heard compliments from everyone who saw the show. Molly Proue wrote “Paris’ score is at once fun and slightly eerie, creating a mystical and slightly vaudevillian backdrop for the action on stage The music, combined wit inspired lighting and video graphic selections and well executed choreography, allows the audience to more truly enter the dream/hallucinatory world of Dr. Caligari.”

Thanks Molly!

Coming up is MAY30- Clucking Blossom 5! the schedule will soon be finalized. I am playing here with my violin player Jennifer Harmon.

I am working on Shadow puppets to accompany my friends in WORK (a trick of the sea). Dinosaurs, sea monsters, rockets, knights and unheard of creatures, all in silhouette.

The show where I will debut them is next saturday (16) at 10 pm at the marlin, with THE BRINE, Worst band in Fairbanks, and Thought Trade.

I had a Circuit bending Workshop with some teens at Effie Cochrine. We are having another on Tuesday at 3:15. There will be another at Clucking Blossom itself, May 30 at Birch Hill Ski Recreation area.s

Today I am off to draw comics at the cartoon Kablooey at the literacy Council with Jamie Smith.

Later tonight I play with Ground Squirrel Improv at College Coffeehouse. I will also lay accordion backing up my friend Greg in “Black Flowers, Black Sun” I don’t know if there will be time for me to perform original material, and I don’t have much of a voice anyway  as I am sick. (Not that my singing voice is particularly sweet when I am NOT sick…)

Other things coming up, my friend Cassidy is planning a concert to raise funds for Teenagers in need at Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption. I will probably be playing in that, I might play a experimental noise set opening for the scurvies in their last shows in Fairbanks… I will be playing as a part of Rachel Blackwell’s Burlesque show.. more information on that as it comes along.

New Star trek was good. I am totally taking Miro.

Finally,

in the political arena… Dierdre has turned me on to wikileak. I am sure i am very late to the party.

this article made my eyes open widehttp://wikileaks.org/wiki/Obama%27s_%22enemy_combatant%22_policy:_following_a_familiar_pattern

It is about how Obama decried the treatment of Enemy Combatants, and is purging the term – but basically still reserving the right to treat people as enemy combatants- not giving them human rights or formally charging them with crimes.
I will be contributing to an upcoming issue of the Ester Republic, I am writing an article about Sibel Edmonds and my interview with her.

puni puni poemy
Is a parody of the “magic girl” manga genre- it is pretty absurd. I watched it last night with Andrew. I think this would be Salvador Dali‘s favorite anime, with lots of sexual imagery, bondage, and fan service.
FLCL or Fooli Cooli
I am a little late to the party, but this is very good/ surreal.  It changes styles in art direction constantly- which reminds me of David Mack, one friend said it reminded him of David Lynch– I though it reminded me of the Gorillaz music videos. I believe  Scott Pilgrim is influenced by FLCL and the production crew of Avatar were forced by their director to watch every episode.
AVATAR is amazing, if you like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars,  Bone, or any other epic story/ fable/ myth, and have an interest in kung fu this is your show! it has great character development- snappy, fresh funny dialog and constant plot twists and unexpected turns. Like Pixar films, it is truly aimed at all audiences, my 5 year old loves it (even if he doesn’t understand all the political intrigue), 13 year old jaded teens could love this, adults can love this.

I have been playing a few video games and i wanted to recommend a few to pals on facebook.
My brother downloaded “Braid” for x box 360 and its very fun and challenging. I have found most of the puzzle pieces so you can ask me for help. I think its just 10 dollars on xbox arcade and its a great twist on the classic Mario style side scrolling platformer. you cant die!! because you can go BACK IN TIME!! You need to come up with very creative solutions to puzzles.

also Castle Crashers
A fun 4 player side scrolling fighting game, where you get to level up your characters. The art style is cartoony and fun, reminds me of the Powerpuff Girls. Its fun to max out your magic and whoop ass, with 3 friends, its like old school Double Dragon– or like TMNT, Sunset Riders or the Simpsons arcade game. remember that shit???

I love those games and I hope the new games in the style of old retro games trend continues! I played a little of Mega Man 9 and dear god it was so hard! long live retro gaming!

and kind of related-
the animation of Paul Robertson
http://probertson.livejournal.com/
here is his blog

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/4096264
this is a link to his film “kings of power 4 billion %”
the most outrageous and postmodern thing I have ever seen.
It is not for the faint of heart- it is ultraviolent and insane- a visual equivalent of squarepusher. much religious iconography, pop culture references and its all in adorable pixel animation. very surreal, and highly recommended for fans of mega man cut scenes and anything Japanese.

My book is coming along. I recently drew pages for Jane Addams, Eugene Debs and Ron Paul. I am considering a page on David Lynch.

In my research I am finding some villains who sought to oppress free speech, maybe this book will necessitate a sequel that will feature Anthony Comstock, Lynden Johnson, and Richard Nixon.

Hi, welcome to Isaac and the Awkward Situations website. Here  I will post my cartoons and give updates to my music/stand up comedy performances.

Tonight I am performing at College Coffeehouse in Faribanks, AK. I am hosting a “Singer Songwriter Night” January 10 at 8pm.
15 songwriters will perform 2 songs each, showcasing a wide variety of styles. Some of these performers have played in bands, or at open mics or at the Fairbands Folk Festival,  for some it will be their first formal performance.
Performers include Leah Probst, Jim Rasmussen, David Barker, Stephen Moore, Rebecca Menzia, Jessica Christensen, Brandon Stoner, Daniel Firmin, Inna Rivkin, Hanna Corral, Chuck Brainerd, Sabe Herried flores, David barker, Tain Tru, Jon Michael Losinger, Nathan Zody and host, Isaac Paris.

My next performance is the 24th, at College Coffeeshop, with Rebecca Menzia and Daniel Firmin. I am performing songs from my new project with Travis Burrows. I will play many of my songs for the first time, you can hear them at myspace.com/thelithe. But before then, January 16 and 17 my friends Hannah, Nessa And Emily are playing at the Marlin. They are my favorite band ever and they play delta blues,  jug band music, and charming old time vaudeville fun! They are called “The Ba’Cuntry Bruthers.” and you can hear their music at myspace.com/bacuntrybruthers.

So thats the music news, now for the comics, here are a few old ones, new ones are on the way!

Naive

I'm quitting the music business

girls...

For Connor, a tribute to the cross pollination of pop culture.