What’s In Your Media Bag?

In First Crack Podcast #77, Erik Dahl mentions his ‘media bag’. A bag of recording devices and gear ready to document any event.

Got me thinking about consolidating all my gear more intelligently in a single, unified, media bag.

First step – inventory:

  • iRiver IFP-790
  • M-Audio MobilePre USB Mobile Preamp
  • Powerbook (does this count?)
  • Lots of AA batteries
  • Phillips Vista Pro USB webcam
  • Mini-tripod from Office Depot
  • Blank CDs and DVDs
  • 1/8″ to 1/8″ audio cable
  • 1/8″ to XLR audio cable
  • 2 1/4″ to 1/4″ audio cables
  • 2 XLR Microphones
  • Firewire cable
  • RCA to 1/8″ cable
  • 3×5 Notecards
  • Sharpie Markers

Seems like there’s a few things missing (like the obvious digital still/video camera).

What’s in your media bag?

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Categorized as Uplifter

First Crack 74. Uplifting the AmigoFish with Dave Slusher

As part of the Dave Slusher 2006 Over-Exposure Tour, Dave and I talked about his AmigoFish and the Uplifter.org projects.

Upfront I talk about:

Dave and I talk about:

I throw in a song from Jeremy Messersmith and then we talk Uplifter.

Listen to Uplifting the AmigoFish with Dave Slusher [45 min]

Weblog, Podcast, Videoblog Workshop – March 25, 2006 at Acadia Cafe

If you’re interested in starting a weblog, podcast, or videoblog and don’t know where to start, come by the Acadia Cafe (1931 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403) on March 25th between 2-6pm.

I’ll be there, with (hopefully) many other local bloggers, podcasters, and videobloggers to show you the ropes. Everyone leaves with more knowledge than they left with.

Bring what you have, Learn what you need, Share what you know.

Wanna help or be helped, put your name in the comments and the times you’ll probably be by the Acadia.

See you there.

More on the Uplifter movement at Uplifter.org

So, there isn’t a panel or anything as formal as that. I’ll be near the door saying ‘Hi’ and helping people in search of bloggy knowledge find those with it that are already there.

First Crack 73. The Banjo Brothers Bicycling Bags

I sat down with Mike, Eric, and Pete of Banjo Brothers for the low down on their grocery pannier and what got them started in cycling bags. There’s also some bits in there about how they’re partnering with bloggers like The Fat Cyclist to improve their bags.

Of course, you can buy their bags from Gene over at the One on One Bike Shop.

Hey, Mike & Eric gave me a Banjo Brother’s Mini Seat Bag, listen to the podcast on how it can be yours. Digital Dan Hook over at the Hook Show was the first one in.

  • Uplifter Minnesota, first event March 25th 2-6pm at the Acadia Cafe. Bring yourself, your gear, your passion.
  • DEMO LoFi musician showcases every Thursday night at the Acadia Cafe.
  • First Crack Podcast theme song by Jeremy Piller.

Listen to the Banjo Brothers Bicycling Bags [16 min]

Help, Help, I’m Not Being Oppressed

There’s a renewed DIY/independence/hacker vibe going around, Dave Slusher says it needs a name. I agree.

From my perspective, this vibe is about all of us making effective use of cheap tools – to serve our own individual/custom purposes first, and offering the finished product to others to extend and enhance. I hesitate to use the phrase “finished product” – for the end result is not a static, defined product – it’s another tool.

I’ve done enough home renovation to know building materials and tools are not expensive and the renovation is not extraordinarily difficult. It simply takes time to do.

There’s a tinge of Populism in here, but without the belief that the common person is being oppressed by the elite. It’s not socialism or communism – for despite the people owning the means of production we are acting as individuals, not a collective.

My library has far too many Ayn Rand books on it not to consider Objectivism. But it’s not, because everyone expressing the vibe in question places value in being starchy rational and subjective and emotional.

All this digging around makes me wonder if the formative philosophies of our time were defined around striving to get something – rather than what to do once you have it.

Back to the problem at hand….

In the television cartoons of my youth, the “good guys” always seemed to be more unified, more of a collective, more in unison than the disorganized albeit nefarious “bad guys” (the phrase “Herding Cats” comes to mind). Considering how we’re all working in parallel (not unison) on this and in honor of the Dave for throwing down the gauntlet, I suggest the moniker “Evil Genius“.

And since those of the cyberpunk/diy/hacker vein are not without their backup, I also offer: “MacGyver“. ReadyMade Magazine has a regular MacGyver Challenge.

On third thought, perhaps “Dennis” from Monty Python’s Holy Grail, he inspired the title of this post.