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Alright, so this is my first post on our prestigious blog. Get excited.

For those of you out there that have no idea who I am, I will let you in on a few details about myself. 1) I’m hilarious, 2) I love music, and 3) I’m not a cocky jerk, I promise.

There is enough web-expertise on this blog, so I think I’ll use my time here in a different way. I have decided to be your personal Music Guru. I’m a dedicated, vinyl freak. I’m viciously opinionated and always honest. And lucky for you, I’ll be here to let you know exactly how I feel about new releases, and maybe some oldies/classics too (and yes, I’l probably let you know about most of my vinyl purchases as I make them).

For those of you in Columbus, Ohio, I’ve got a gem for you. Used Kids Records. At 1980 N. High Street just south of Buckeye Donuts, you’ll find a small black and white sign pointing into a strange entrance. Passing through the door you find steps leading to the gold mine upstairs: thousands of new and used records, CDs, and cassettes. Personally, I use it for the vinyl. I’m kind of in love with the 12″ album art, the warm sound, and the physical satisfaction I get from a vinyl LP. So seriously, get down there and do it old school.

So now that you know what you’re in for, and where to get some of the goods, I’ll hit you with my first set of recommendations.

1) The Shepherd’s Dog – Iron & Wine (or any of their albums, really)
I recently saw Iron & Wine live here in Columbus (at the Newport Theater, one of my favorite venues ever), and I was blown away. Sam and Sarah Beam’s vocal harmonies are so well-done and completely enveloping. The Shepherd’s Dog introduced a full backing-band to the mix. Honestly I was a little worried about this, the Iron & Wine feel is traditionally very acoustic and raw. But after seeing him perform new and old songs with the band, all my concerns disappeared. The same heart and honesty that made his early music popular is still going strong and fueling some surprisingly funky jams (I might be an old Phish-head). Anyway, go out and buy some Iron & Wine, you won’t regret it. Other Notable Release from Iron & Wine:  The Sea and Rhythm EP (2003), Our Endless Numbered Days (2004), Woman King EP (2005), In The Reins w|Calexico EP (2005).

2) The Autumn of the Seraphs – Pinback
I’m new to this band, but their latest release took very little time to win me over. The interplay of the twangy bass and acoustic and electric guitars on this album is warm and precise. The riffs the two principal members have created here are complicated at times, but also catchy.. it’s like a brain exercise (the good kind). Add a drum machine, a piano, and occasional synth sounds as a backdrop and you’ve got music that some would categorize as pop, but with one fundamental difference from mainstream pop: it has substance. Other notable releases from Pinback: Blue Screen Life (2001), Offcell EP (2003), Summer in Abaddon (2004).

One side-note in closing, if I get a comments on these posts asking why I haven’t mentioned Miley Cyrus, [insert disney-generated crap here], Good Charlotte, Fallout Boy, or any other no-talent clown(s) out there, I will be thoroughly upset and probably lose all faith in humanity. So please.. spare me?

Peace.

Better late than never right? Yes, Startup Drinks Columbus was last Wednesday night, but I’ve been meaning to post about it and damnit, I’m going to.

The event took place at Surly Girl Saloon in the Short North. Bobby and I both went and had a great time. Didn’t really know what to expect heading in, other than things to do with startups, right? The night brought some good beer(I had a Harpoon UFO – reminded me of being out in Providence with my sister – and a couple of Eliot Nesses), some great conversation, some faces to put with names and twitter handles and some new acquaintances. Many of the people there will also be attending Startup Weekend Columbus July 18-20 (which dynamIt is sponsoring), but Startup Drinks aren’t only for SU Weekend goers. The idea is that people interested in startups, entrepreneurship and business conversation get together and interact. In attendance were individuals with ideas for startups, developers, designers, local journalists and media people, marketing types, business types, lawyers, consultants and people I didn’t get to talk to that do something really cool that I might not even know about. Chris Anderson of TechColumbus was there as well, which I think is important. While a big part of what TC does is facilitating funding for companies who have at least solidified an idea, the seeds for those ideas, I believe, are more prevalent here in Columbus that many people are aware.

I’m hoping that SU drinks continue to grow here in Columbus. While I’m not planning on a splinter company anytime soon (dynamIt was our startup!), the interaction with other designers, developers, creatives, marketers and entrepreneurial-minded people is stimulating. Needless to say, I don’t get enough of it in my life. While in school I knew and worked with many people heavily involved with the Miami University Page Center for Entrepreneurship. (I took a few classes, but could never engage as deeply as I would have liked because of this little thing called dynamIt). Little known fact – Ohio is home to 3 of the top 25 Entrepreneurship programs in the country.

*Note I’ve received word from Dr. Jay Kayne with the Page Center for Entrepreneurship at Miami University that the MU program will again be ranked in the top 25 undergraduate programs in the US out of over 700 schools. The official rankings come out in October in Entrepreneur Magazine

The energy, passion, creativity and cerebral environment surrounding startups in general has the ability to fuel everyday activities, work-tasks and life in general. It’s refreshing, especially the courage, and I think professionals bogged down in their day-to-day would benefit greatly from a night with some people who think differently.

Big thanks to Brian Jones of Jones Insight and Ashley Routson of Young Isaac/The Beer Wench for organizing the night.

A few other posts re: Startup Drinks Columbus -

• the270
  
• Greatest City of All
• wyliemac’s pics

one.

nick

So I think there’s a certain rung in the ladder than you can decidedly say you’ve reached when you have deserts and sweets being stamped out (and/or being baked with love… Jess ) in your likeness. It was to our surprise today when Matt walked in after lunch with a tray full of cookies. Ya, we like our snacks, but don’t generally eat a lot in the office. He had a smile on his face and couldn’t wait to show us what this tupperware treasure chest contained.

Upon opening:

Ya, that’s right… those are indeed cookies in the shape of the dynamIt Integral (our logo). Needless to say Jess scored major points today. Oh, and by the way, they were delicious.

Thanks Jess!

one.

nick

Courtesy of Common Craft

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