“3-Guchi” Table I

Sharon and I didn’t have enough room in our living room to fit the full size glass top to go with the wood base of a Isamu Noguchi Table. So we decided to make our own custom one, just slightly smaller. We started by purchasing a reclaimed piece of 3form Varia Ecoresin, then drew the shape against the base, cut it with a jigsaw, and finally sanded & polished the edges.

The result: our new “3-Guchi” Table. Since it was a lot of fun to bring together, I’m labeling it as #1 since I expect that we will be making more. Cheers.

 

4-Week Cold Turkey Platter

Every so often, it’s nice to surprise yourself. Even if the surprise is at the expense of your vices.

On May 22, I was feeling overwhelmed by too many things on my mind. So I decided on a whim, I would give up a few things. Consider it lent for an agnostic.

So that morning, after getting dressed, I wrote on Twitter: “As an experiment, I’m trying to eliminate as many unnecessary distractions from my life as I can for a month. Including Twitter. So, cheers!” I posted the same thing on Facebook. I then unchecked all email notifications from both, deleted their apps from my phone, and went so far to block both sites from my browser, both at home and work.

Since I checked both sites several times a day, it felt very liberating to disconnect. So I decided to take it a little further. I then decried that I would not watch any sports on TV and, most importantly, would not drink any alcohol in that time. As an NBA fan and a connoisseur of fine beer, these were tough to greenlight. But I deemed it for the best.

The way I see it, most people are able to rationalize that as long as they’re not abusive about their vices, then it’s okay to indulge at will. But is watching sports every night needed? Is a beer or two every night necessary? Will the world end if I don’t know what funny comments or status updates were left in the last hour? The answer is no for all.

I’m writing now to say that the experiment was a success. For four weeks, I never logged onto Facebook or Twitter (even though my wife told me people had commented on my last status), never watched sports on TV (even though I heard that the NBA Finals were fantastic), and never touched a drop of alcohol (despite it even being offered to me).

What does this all prove? Nothing. Will I go back to engaging in all four? Sure, why not; I’m not a self-sadist. Then why do this? Just to remind myself that (a) I still have a choice about the things I do every day, and (b) despite feeling older and less energetic, I still can summon extended willpower whenever I should need it.

This is something to build on. And I plan on it. Now it’s time to do the work. Cheers!

 

NYC Financial District Lunch Walk – 4/14/11

It was a beautiful day outside in New York City, so in the scant time I’m legally allowed to take for lunch, I took a quick stroll through the heart (and maybe lungs) of the Financial District. About a mile in total, which is pretty good for a desk bound production manager. Stopped for empanadas along the way (and hoping I don’t regret that decision later).

Click on the map snapshot to the left to view the path I took. Cheers.

Mark featured on Herman Miller’s Lifework

We have some news this morning that we’re very humbled and honored to report. Totally fantastic news that is! Mark has been featured on Herman Miller’s blog, Lifework.

Check it out here: http://www.hermanmiller.com/lifework/inspiration-artist-mark-sahm/

If by chance you’re not familiar with them (but you should be!), Herman Miller is a legendary furniture design company (learn more here). We couldn’t be more thrilled to see Mark, his paintings, and part of the Somrod studio featured here. Feel free to take some of the positive energy for yourself! Cheers.

Somrod Web Facelift

Most likely if you’re reading this, you’ve already noticed something different around these parts.

Somrod.com has been given a design facelift, most specificially the homepage. We’ve also updated other elements around the site, and added a new series of paintings inspired by classic design.

At The Mercy of Your Heroes The Joy of Going DownSpine That Holds Up Space

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please take a look if you haven’t already. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers.

“Mark Sahm: A Third Second Chance” – Round Up

Thanks to everyone who came to see the first solo exhibition of my art. I really appreciate the support and hope to have another exhibition sooner than later.

Here’s the online round up of the exhibition:

 

 

 

“Mark Sahm: A Third Second Chance” – Reception

Mark Sahm: A Third Second Chance Time: Saturday, July 17, 2010 · 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: High Street Gallery, 11 East High Street, Glassboro, NJ

 

Please join us at the opening reception for “A Third Second Chance“, an exhibition of creative works by Mark Sahm, on Saturday, July 17th at the High Street Gallery. Light refreshments will be served.

“A Third Second Chance” will be on display from July 11 – August 1, 2010.

Mark Sahm will be at the gallery every Saturday for the duration of the show.

Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.

The gallery is located at 11 East High Street, Glassboro, NJ, and is open Wednesday through Friday between the hours of 3:30 and 7:30pm and Saturday from 12 to 4:30 pm.

All works are for sale.

Things We Did in New Orleans

As you may have known from my Facebook or Twitter stream, Sharon and I just spent 6 days in New Orleans, LA. I have to admit that it was a good time from start to finish. We were active everyday with local attractions and activities (because I loathe going somewhere new and just sitting around), as well as consuming more tasty food and beverages than we could possibly handle.

Below is the massive summary of everywhere we went in New Orleans, LA (with links if you’re more curious):

There were a few things that we wanted to do but didn’t (Aquarium, Swamp/Alligator Tour, Strip Clubs… okay, just kidding on that last one, honey), but maybe on our next trip. All in all, it sure beat the hell out of going to Vegas or Puerto Rico again. Thanks for reading. Cheers.

Can New Year’s Resolutions Be Reborn in June?

I know I’ve been a bad blogger. Personally I blame Twitter and Facebook.  And ESPN and Wikipedia. They have been stealing internet focus away from blogging for the past 7 months. Okay, maybe the past 23 months is more accurate. As you know, my free time is not what it used to be, and the prime time I have should all be focused on the creative efforts that I’m “supposed” to be blogging about. Alas, I’m sure it’s all the same to you— unless I write something useful for you right now.

So, because I care about the random folks who may be reading my blog, here’s my 2 cents— start your New Year’s resolutions… again. You know you already know them, and you know damn well that you haven’t done all of them. Or even any of them. Yes, fess up.

Because (and I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again) if you have something you want to do, then what is stopping you from doing it? Don’t wait for January—get to it already! You don’t know what the future will hold. You may think you have all of the time in the world, but unless that thing is playing shuffleboard in a retirement home and not remembering what the score is— then no, sorry but you don’t.

Of course, I’d be a liar if I told you that I didn’t say these things as much for myself as I do for anyone who reads this. But I’m right here with you, having a long commute and job that takes 90% of my daily energy, and then trying to cram the rest of my life and dreams into the leftover 10%. It’s not ideal… but we have to make it work. We have to.

Thus, in the neverending pursuit of how to transform Jack Shit into Hot Shit, it appears to me that waiting for the New Year and the fresh start is just an illusion. Time goes on no matter what, it won’t stop for you, and it won’t even be courteous and wait for you if you woke up 5 minutes late.

So get to it. Now. Cheers.

That New Die-Cut I Mentioned

"The Peace Keeping Lie" - Silhouette

"The Peace Keeping Lie" - Silhouette

Characters Leading Words Leading You

** a bit of late night prose from M.Sahm **

There are words that lick the frosting off of your cupcake fucking world. Words that throw golden gates into the bridge of your nose. Words that rock the pants out of themselves.

There are words neatly laid across the ironing board, pressed and steamed so you may present them on yourself to your world of one. Your suit of cashmere lies, ready to assume a fashionable persona that may or may not be who you once were. As you walk in public, words begin to fall off and others pick them up.

So the word on the street is that you have caught the Twitter disease and no longer think in streaming madman thought processes, but rather in 140 character tweets. The word is that you can no longer be the happy clichéd doorframe that everyone wanted you to walk through.

It has been widely believed that you should check with your doctor to see if you qualify for a pharmaceutical to make you a whole egg again. Who needs horses and king’s men if only chemically happy words will put you back together again?

Who needs anything anymore? You don’t. You only need 140 characters. You only need amusing mottos of self loathing. That’s what you need. You need instant oatmeal memory. Popcorn paragraphs. A grand old basket of superfried clever rings.

You are fast food function key, baby. You make a respectable dent in a noisy metropolis machine. You burn headbanger hot, blow the fuckgasm up, blast the head off of a photo of yourself at half speed.  Whatever anything gets your 140 characters, who really cares.

There are words that show you who you could have been, words that melt away your candle wax face, your cotton candy eyes that got wisked away by the valley birds, your sugar in the dead wind.

There are words that prove you may still have a chance, a blind hope, a vibrating fist in the sand. But no. You don’t need any of that. You only need characters. Characters that support you. And characters that leave you somehow and strangely.

Silent.

SomBlock In Reverse: 7/10/09

1. First random song of the AM: “Miserlou”, the opening song to Pulp Fiction. I guess that means I should go rob a diner now?

2. Someone on my train is eating bacon. This type of inconsiderate behavior should be outlawed and… PLEASE PLEASE share some of your bacon!!

3. Of course, too much giving in to bacon will lead you to the fat side of the Force.

4. In lighter news, the man across the aisle is wearing a really ugly tie, mostly bald, and makes me look skinny. Ah, that made me feel better.

5. My sister @bethcardwell is retiring from her day job of 14 yrs today to do her photography FT. I’m so proud that I couldn’t be more jealous.

6. It’s refreshing when you see someone chase their dreams. Of course, most times, they have to be a little cuckoo. But very refreshing to see.

7. Somewhere along the line, all of us will have to choose between what we want to do and what we have to do. There’s no way around this.

8. I personally want to drink beer, eat bacon, and make psychedelic art. But I suppose I have to do something more constructive. Sigh.

9. I could lie & tell you that you’ll be maximizing your weekend, but the universe knows better and you’ll be back to the grind soon enough.

10. This morning’s SomBlock is sponsored by the last Red Bull in the fridge, because like Rambo said to the Big Bad Wolf, “Your ass is mine!”

*** Every weekday from 8-9am while traveling from Stamford to Manhattan, Mark Sahm writes a block of thoughts on his Twitter account (@Somrod) via his iPhone.***

Patience Is A Kick Ass Virtue

It’s always a difficult task waiting for a payoff on a big investment that you aren’t certain will come. But this time, it did and we couldn’t be happier.

As chronicled back in June, I knew the Mac Pro model I wanted to buy would eventually get discounted once they introduced newer models. Did I figure that it would take nine months for Apple to update? Hell no! (Although it did allow more time to save up.) But when Apple updated their Mac Pro line on Monday, the kicker suddenly became:

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2008 in the Rearview…

We’re driving away from that ol’ town called 2008 today… and flooring it like Hell is breaking loose!

So what if it wasn’t a banner year for us? We still got a lot of little things accomplished (updated our websites, finally finished our basement renovations, did 4 podcasts, and regenerated S.Rod’s spine!). It just was not the BIG things we’ve been planning for so long, those projects that we like to call “life-redeeming”.

But we will choose to be optimistic in our prognostication for 2009, because well, what the hell— what do we have to lose for trying? Nothing. But our adage is NOT to make resolutions. After all, resolutions are for people that give up in 40 days or less, because aerobics are actually kind of hard.

Instead, we’re going to make “Goals That Must Be Accomplished Immediately”. This is also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy, a cherished relic in the Somrod household, and something that we have in our targeting computer for 2009.

And thus, tonight we drink away that bad taste in our mouth that 2008 left (“That didn’t taste like chicken”) and tomorrow, we unwrap the clean slate and begin the plotting and scheming again… what? What’s that you say? Unwrapping was last week? Oh well. Cheers and enjoy!

Anatomy of a 4-Hour Daily Commute

People think I’m out of my mind to have a daily commute that balloons to as much as 4 hours. I agree that it’s crazy to do it, but I’m not out of my mind. The truth is, some of it is my fault, while most of it was imposed on me. Here was how it started:

The Original Commute: M. Sahm takes a 37 minute Metro-North train from Westchester to NYC. At the end of his work day, he takes another 37 minute trip, and is home by 7pm. With 20 minutes of walking included, total daily commute time is 1 hour and 34 minutes.

Alteration #1: Sahm and S.Rod cannot find a house within their budget in Westchester, or an affordable condo with enough space to grow and expand their home-based business. So they decide to buy a townhouse in Connecticut, 15 minutes north of where they lived in NY.

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Lolla Prep 2: Wilco

As you may have read the other week, we will be seeing Wilco on the second night of Lollapalooza. While it pains me to have to miss Rage, I know that Wilco will put on a show that is more relevant to S.Rod and I in our present states. Eighteen year old Mark is turning in his grave though. So be it.

One trump card that Wilco has over Rage is that Wilco is one of those bands who are really ready to play anything at anytime. A lot of bands nowadays will have 10-15 songs, but Wilco has at least 60. To further exemplify this, Wilco has created a page on their site, where fans can dictate some of what gets played at each show. I chose “I’m The Man Who Loves You”. S.Rod chose “Shake It Off”. We are crossing our fingers that both get played . Cheers.

Lolla Prep 1: Radiohead

With less than a month to go until S.Rod and I journey to Chiacgo for the Lollapalooza music festival, we have been scouring the Somrod music archives for songs we expect to hear. Since I have seen Radiohead three times now, I’m not too worried about hearing songs and so on— I just know that they play a phenomenal live set, and even the songs that I am not always as fond of on the CDs (i.e. Sail to the Moon, Wolf At the Door, and Like Spinning Plates) were reworked for the live performance, and those fine British gents tear it up. It gets me psyched up just to think of how absolutely good they play, and some of the recent sets have been killer.

That being said, I do have my worries about some of the new material from In Rainbows that they have been playing, and shall play. On the whole, the new album is a great listen, definitely better than Pablo Honey or Amnesiac in terms of the RH canon. But, as with many albums, IR has a few songs that feel like filler— usually a non-existent thing with RH, since they spend so much time crafting their albums.

Of course, I have a theory of why this was done— at the same time that Radiohead was practically giving away In Rainbows online, they were also selling a limited edition box set version of the album, which had a second bonus disc of material, as well as some fancy non-essential packaging.

Naturally, I plunked down my dollars-to-pounds conversion, and found out that the 2nd disc had a lot of great “B-sides”. Or were they? To me, some of these songs were so good, it confused me why RH wouldn’t have included them on the main disc. Then I thought about the financial difference between giving away a disc for “pay what you like” and selling a box set for $80. Yes, money talks, even to those without a label taking 50% (or more). Were the 2nd disc on the box set to have sucked, then all of the fans who bought it would have not been given that limited edition treat.

All the same, this does not make sense for Radiohead to be playing ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Reckoner’ in a live set when they could be playing (A) some of the great material from the 2nd disc, or (B) anything else from their impressive catalog. I can only hope they get these songs out of their system by the time they get to Chicago on August 1. Please.

Thus, in my imaginary world, I will pretend that Radiohead decided to release only one album for In Rainbows (followed up months later by a limited edition six-song EP that was sold in the UK, Japan, and Amazon only).

Radiohead – In Rainbows (Sahm’s Non-Box Set Arrangement)

  1. “15 Step” – 3:57
  2. “Bodysnatchers” – 4:02
  3. “Nude” – 4:15
  4. “Down Is the New Up” – 4:59
  5. “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” – 5:18
  6. “Last Flowers To The Hospital” – 4:27
  7. “All I Need” – 3:48
  8. “Bangers + Mash” – 3:20
  9. “Faust Arp” – 2:09
  10.  ”Up on the Ladder” – 4:17
  11. “Jigsaw Falling into Place” – 4:08
  12. “Videotape” – 4:39

Limited Edition EP

  1. “MK 1″ – 1:04
  2. “Reckoner” – 4:50
  3. “Go Slowly” – 3:48
  4. “MK 2″ – 0:53
  5. “House of Cards” – 5:28
  6. “4 Minute Warning” – 4:06

All rearrangements aside, Radiohead is still the band that I have the most respect for, and even their worst songs are better than many bands’ best ones. So it’s all relative. But what would the Internet be without some alternate possibilities? Cheers.

About Somrod Creative

Somrod Creative is the husband-wife duo of Mark Sahm and Sharon Rodriguez, and this site showcases their array of art, jewelry, and other creative media.
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