Weekly Recommendations, Week 4: Me Likes You Comics

This week, I highly recommend that you check out Me Likes You Comics by Lauren Barnett. They are some of the funnest and funniest comics around. They are often just a single panel, with minimal artwork, but despite their simplicity, they are loaded with humor and wit and sometimes even tenderness. Most of the comics feature either talking animals or talking food, which makes them especially endearing.  Lauren also has various books and things for sale, and apparently has a new book coming out soon. Seriously, if you haven't checked out this site, go there now.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 3: Greenwoman Magazine

Greenwoman Magazine is on a roll, and the second issue is this week’s recommendation. Sandra has high standards for the content in her magazine, and it continues to show. The thing I like most about Greenwoman is that, unlike most glossy, mainstream magazines, there is passionate, intriguing, and stimulating content filling its pages as opposed to countless pages filled with flashy graphics and advertisements accompanying a few throwaway sentences here and there. In that way, Greenwoman is a refreshing offering in a world of sound bites and background noise.

My two favorite articles in this issue were The Garden Club and Swarm Story. The Garden Club tells of a young girl who insisted on starting a gardening club with her reluctant but eventually relenting neighbor, who to his surprise ended up cherishing the experience. Swarm Story tells of a fascinating experience that Sandra had tagging along with a couple of beekeepers on a swarm capture. Also in this issue is an intriguing article about beetles, an interesting suggestion for an alternative use for honey, a charming story about a man who raises and breeds rare turkeys (and who is a “rare breed” himself), and a whole lot more. A stand out in this issue, of course, is an eleven page mini-biography of George Washington Carver, who, as it turns out, was so much more than just “The Peanut Guy.” I would highly suggest that you get your hands on a copy of this magazine, and while you’re at it, get yourself a subscription. With momentum like this, Greenwoman Magazine is bound to keep getting better and better.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 2: Oh No, Ross and Carrie! Podcast

This week's recommendation is a highly entertaining podcast called Oh No, Ross and Carrie! hosted by Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy. The purpose of this podcast is to investigate and report on different religions, alternative medicine treatments, and paranormal/fringe science claims. Apart from just doing the research, they actually participate in the ritual, treatment, etc. in order to get a first hand experience and, as their tagline proclaims, "show up so that you don't have to." The podcast is fairly new (not even a year old yet), so the list of investigations is small so far; however, that also means that it won't take you very long to get all caught up if you're a first time listener. Religions investigated so far include Kabbalah, the Sikhs, and Mormonism. They have also had tarot readings, received acupuncture, and been hypnotised. Some of the investigations (e.g. ear candling and homeopathy) have even taken place in the studio as they're recording. They have also done a couple of interesting interviews - Brian Dalton of Mr. Diety and Roger Nygard of The Nature of Existence - and likely have more interviews in the works. Each episode, aside from being interesting and compelling, is also filled with humor and wit, and it's very likely that you'll have a hard time making it through a single episode without laughing out loud as a result of the ensuing hilarity.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 1: Thee Headcoats

I'm not sure if this is really going to happen, but I'm going to give it my best shot (whatever that's worth?) and see if I can't post at least one recommendation each week for the next year. This being the first week of 2012, it seems like as good a place as any to start. My recommendations could be anything really - from music to books to food to people, places, or things - mostly they will just be something that I am finding enjoyable at that particular point in time. Perhaps you will also find them enjoyable, or perhaps you won't, that part doesn't really matter too much.

This week's recommendation is arguably one of the greatest garage bands of the 80's and 90's: Thee Headcoats. Hailing from Kent, England and fronted by prolific, multi-media artist and wild man, Billy Childish, Thee Headcoats put out a slew of albums in a relatively short period of time and also birthed a number of side projects, including their all-girl counterpart, Thee Headcoatees. If you're not familiar with Billy Childish and all of his numerous projects, musical and otherwise, I would encourage you to check him out. But for now, definitely give Thee Headcoats a listen - they will rock your brains out.