Pretty gets you 30 seconds.

Usable gets 5 minutes.

Useful gets a customer.

Last December, I wanted to see if Bonobo could mix with hip-hop (turns out it does), and work outside my 125 BPM comfort zone. Thanks to the guys at Rap Genius for the inspiration (and the help). This is the result:

Download “Honey Junket” mixtape (256kbps MP4 / AAC, 61MB)

Track List

1. Atmosphere — The Woman With The Tattooed Hands
2. KiD CuDi — Maui Wowie
3. Ming + FS — Is There Honey?
4. Rhymefest — Mike The Mentor (feat. Michael Jackson)
5. Common — The People (feat. Dwele)
6. Apollo Brown — Brag Language (feat. Buff 1 & Magestik Legend)
7. DJ Danger Mouse — What More Can I Say
8. Kanye West — Stronger
9. The Hood Internet — Dr. Dre (feat. Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg) vs Fujiya & Miyagi - The Next Collarbone
10. Kanye West — Flashing Lights (feat. Dwele)
11. ydnar — Good Days Ahead (Bonobo vs Big K.R.I.T.)
12. The Notorious B.I.G. — Ghetto (feat. Akon & 2pac)
13. Bonobo — Light Pattern
14. Dr. Dre — Housewife (feat. Hittman & Kurupt)
15. Anni Rossi — Rude Boy (Rhianna cover)
16. Ratatat — Party And Bullshit (feat. The Notorious B.I.G.)
17. Bonobo — All In Forms
18. Notorious B.I.G. — Big Poppa
19. Lupe Fiasco — Hip-Hop Saved My Life (feat. Nikki Jean)

Chipped away learning to mix hip-hop, I present Bonobo’s “Days to Come” (2006) narrated by Big K.R.I.T. “Good Foot” (2011).

Download “Good Days Ahead” MP4 / AAC Audio (5.5MB)

…I stepped out of John Dory onto Broadway, looked south, and heard a voice behind me “nice hair!” I turned to find two women finishing their cigarettes. I thanked them, they smiled and stepped back into the bar.

After which, Sasha introduced me to his friend Tom, who’d taken his first Square transaction earlier in the day—a wholesale batch of his artisanal tonic.

Remarkable territory, this “mid-town.”

40 minutes, 125bpm, island hopping via flight 79 to Honolulu.

Download (256kbps MP3)

Track List

1. The Avalanches — Live at Dominoes
2. 40 Winks — Welcome To Paradise Island (Interlude)
3. Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto & Stan Getz — The Girl from Ipanema
4. Silicone Soul — The All Nite Dub
5. Rodrigo y Gabriela — Buster Voodoo
6. Shwayze — Buzzin (Villains Remix v.2)
7. Michael Jackson — Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough
8. Steed Lord — You,
9. Sufjan Stevens — The Dress Looks Nice On You
10. Yelle — La musique (Tepr Remix)
11. Spoon — Don’t You Evah (DJ Amaze and Alan Astor Mix)
12. Death From Above 1979 — Romantic Rights (Girls Are Short Mix)
13. OH SNAP!! — I’m Too Fat To Be A Hipster
14. Brad Sucks — Dropping out of School
15. Mumford & Sons — Little Lion Man
16. Kid Cudi & Cee-Lo — Scott Mescudi vs. the World
17. The xx — You’ve Got the Love (Theophilus London Remix)
18. Delphic — This Momentary
19. The Presets — This Boy’s In Love
20. I Am Finn — I Love You (Van She Tech Remix)

Starting July 1, and every day for a year, I will get rid of something. I will donate, discard, re-gift or recycle some bit of debris accumulating in my house. Anything non-perishable considered, exempting books and music.

My climbing partner TJ and I hatched this last week on an (overly encumbered) hike to Alamere falls in Marin. It’s one aspect of a larger goal to apply the philosophy of minimalist alpinism to everyday life: light, fast, with minimal protection—your wits, your experience and the strength of your companions.

Backdated to July 1, the first thirteen: two pair headphones, one Maglite, one pair Pumas. Two pillows, one remote-control wand, a coffee thermos and a padlock. A retired pair of glasses, one cable modem and one rain jacket.

July 1, 2011 is the summit. Or maybe base camp.

Update: Follow #less365 on Twitter (thanks Tim and Caterina!)

For two weeks I’ve eaten a vegan diet. It was an experiment to see if this card-carrying bacon abuser could dine & be happy. Ten years ago, this would have been unlikely, if impossible. Certainly living next to Whole Foods and a few blocks from Gracias Madre has contributed.

This continues to be an interesting challenge.

First big smile of the new year, via Elliot Clowes:

1951

2009