NUTS ABOUT THE SOFT MOON

I've decided to call my immediate music interest posts "Nuts About..." from now on. Here's the most recent band that I've had on constant rotation as of late. enjoy Circles by The Soft Moon

SHAPING UP

I don't often post images of my artwork here on C.O.P., but I've mentioned in a prior post that I shifted my style a little in an attempt to experiment and maybe loosen up my style a bit. To aid in this transformation I bought big single sheets of Ingres paper, some india ink, and a couple medium sized Japanese calligraphy brushes. I expected the process to be minimal and quick with somewhat purposefully sloppy results- a quick stroke here- a splash of a curve there... but as soon as I made my first stroke I realized my perfectionism was a beast that could not be slain with my new weapons. I instead became obsessed with creating perfect circles and forms that could almost be the blueprints for highly polished sculptures. Still, I was determined to complete the images with only the ink and brush and no compass. A series of these new creatures was created and here are a couple that I have photographed for you!

THE CLASSICS: WHOOPS!

Last night I was getting ready to go out with some friends when I decided then would be a good time to trim my hair up a bit. I've cut my own hair for pretty much all of my adult life and I've grown pretty keen to my clippers. I switched between the length attachments with confidence and obsessed over the finishing touches near the neck line and behind my ears. My friends would be by within the hour to pick me up so I knew I had to move with a bit more swiftness and grace if I wanted to be showered and dressed in time to leave. One final tuft of hair near the top of the back of my head needed another once-over with the buzzing blades. bzzzzzzzzz........ and just like that it was done- I accidentally shaved off a five inch strip of hair without any attachment on the clippers at all. It was strange how in that moment of realizing what had just happened I also found myself trying to convince myself that this was a dream world I was existing in and I would soon wake up to find myself with the full head of hair that I started off the evening with. This wanting of an alternate reality vibrated in my soul for approximately 10 full seconds before saying out loud, "shit" and then laughing at myself for doing the undoable. My friends showed up and convinced me that my only real option was to shave my whole head. So now I look like one of the following things I was called for the entire rest of the night: a baby, an old man, Benjamin Button, a skinhead, Sluggo of the comic strip Nancy, a chemo patient, or Curly from the Three Stooges. The funny/sad/scary thing is; I really look like all of them. Thank goodness this stuff grows back! (fingers crossed)

HYPER-DIMENSIONAL POWERS

The other day I went record shopping. That in itself is not unusual for me, but at the same time I discovered something about myself. What I discovered, upon further introspection, is nothing new; In fact, it's possible that a lot of my lifelong creativity has been sparked through my new(old) super power!

While perusing the shelves for new music, I found a record that seemed interesting enough. The record was by an artist who went by the name Xander Harris. The album artwork was an extreme close-up snapshot of a scene from a cheesy horror film snapped directly from a TV screen. The staff at the record store had written on the record's cellophane packaging an intimation in sharpie marker that read something to the effect of "Lo-Fi synth-horror in the vein of John Carpenter etc." This made me realize that I would probably enjoy the record or I would at least like to flip through my record collection and see that bizarre cover art pop out every now and then. I wanted the record, but at the same time I was a tad low on cash. Being low on cash does not typically heed my music purchases so I wistfully held onto the record as I scanned some more titles. Then my newly realized ability kicked in. You see, I didn't need to buy the record because I was already imagining a perfectly good version of it in my head. I may have even "listened" to it a few times over before leaving the store and that wacky cover design was burned well into my memory. I had possessed the record through some form of osmosis! I had so accepted the assumed compositions in my head that maybe they were more delightful than the actual hard copy in my hands!

I've always considered myself to be very intuitive and a good judge of character, and this 'osmosis' is probably a near cousin to those qualities. When enough elements or details are given to me about a new subject; I am able to determine its whole. Sounds obvious, right? Surely everyone possesses these tools of reason, but perhaps not everyone is aware of their full range of applications. We can draw inspiration from practically everything around us and this will allow us to not only shape our ideas, but shape the physical world as well. So the next time you look at something, really look at it, and you may be surprised to find that you are in tune with its texture or temperature. The next time you touch something, really touch it, and you will maybe feel its distress over the years or its contents will reveal themselves as if you have x-ray eyes! Absorb your surroundings, calculate what you've gathered and use your gifts to their fullest potential.

MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES PT.4

Here's a little treat for everyone! This track is the jump-off point of a new sound I have been experimenting with lately. Don't be fooled into thinking that it is only tedious and sad; this song is meant to be peaceful (for a happy or sad moment) and yes you may need to have a little patience and time to listen to it. This featured song is called The Well. In the near future you should be able to check in here for more songs to be born from the same style. Titles to check back for include: You Went Away and Shapes In The Sunlight. Both songs are currently in production. Enjoy!

The Well by Justin P Cipa

C.O.P. is #1!

A year ago today I found myself at the brink of a mini nervous breakdown. I had quit my job and I wasn't sure in what direction I was heading. My mind was flying apart and I needed to focus my thoughts and my energies and at the same time I wanted to find peace within myself. I soon realized the potential for a goofy blog to aid me in reasoning with my situation. I wasn't searching for answers or results so much as I was looking to relieve myself of the pressures I was facing. I took a deep breath, I smiled, and I prepared to start from a new humble beginning. Throughout the next few months I absorbed into a simpler lifestyle, I accepted help from family and friends without allowing myself much guilt, and made sure to spend time in the sun and listen exclusively to calming ambient music. This surely sounds corny and new-age-y, but it honestly helped, and I recommend this practice to anyone who finds themselves in a similar predicament.
I have since fully "recovered" from joblessness and many other pieces have fallen into place elsewhere in my life; I gained full custody of a beautiful cat, I met a wonderful girl, I shifted my artistic style a bit and I apparently took the time to write every-now-and-then! All of this wouldn't have been possible without the support from those who embraced Code of Posture and gave me continual encouragement and inspiration. My blogging community (ugh, that sounds ridiculous) consists of faithful readers, some of whom have blogs of their own. My friend Mackenzie has a couple of blogs. My favorite blog of Mackenzie's can be found if you click right here. She is, to speak in her language, rad. My girlfriend Allie has a couple blogs too! A seemingly endless visual treat from Allie's blog universe can be found if you click right here. (I hope you gals don't mind the free publicity!) My biggest fan is most likely Mom. Mom, you have been my inspiration to keep my writing clean and refined which has served well as a huge part of the template for each Code of Posture posting. My friends John and Joe (recurring characters in a few C.O.P. topics) have roused many ideas that were worth writing about. Thanks.

I hope you all continue reading because I expect that life is only going to get more interesting in this next year and I'll be sure to give you some perspective along the way.

Beautiful Day

The sky is a little hazy today in response to a thick heat consuming the Philadelphia region as of late. The sun is there for sure, and a beautiful day is breathing it's deep and slow breezy breaths onto those of us who have the patience and time to recognize that, yes, it is indeed a beautiful day. I'm fortunate to have today and tomorrow free of work so I can absorb every sticky second of my Wednesday afternoon even though my sweat glands are squeezing it all right back out onto the plastic chair I'm sitting in on my back porch. Wish you were here.