Posts tagged creative culture
One of us: Rob Streisfeld
The artists, entrepreneurs and digital gunslingers of our creative culture. Rob Streisfeld is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, a health food chef, an author, a consumer advocate and concierge for better living. He is known affectionately as Doc Rob. I met him 6 years ago at Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore. After nearly 10 years in natural products I’ve come to recognize the industry is split into two camps: 1) Chumps. Wing-nuts, Nut-bags, crazy people. e.g. Kevin Trudeau 2) Champs. Health freaks, do-gooders, relaxed people. e.g. Sara Snow I’d like to tell you I am in camp #2, but I’ve still got a bit of crazy to get out. Doc Rob is a champ. Old guard, hippie, health food evangelist he is not. His message is sympathetic and easy to understand. Happy living is about healthy choices. Doc Rob has taken me to little neighborhood pubs in Boston. Sent me to some good clubs in Chicago. We talked about watches in Sacramento. What really separates Doc Rob from his peers; he’s not going to lecture you. Many a dinner I’ve been wrist deep in a porterhouse when a vegan starts in on a PETA diatribe. It’s a real buzz-kill. I am a nut-bag health freak, but I like bourbon and tobacco too. Perhaps Doc Rob disapproves, but he’s never let on. He is a friend first - then a physician. He’s my ticket to Camp Champ. Doc Rob is from Monticello, New York, is willing to drop coin on good food, he’s gunning for Dr. Oz’s job and was good enough to sit down with this Q & A: I am Dr Rob Streisfeld aka Doc Rob. My greatest anxiety is getting what I want, and not being satisfied. I grew up just like most people, not much into health foods. I was sick as a kid. and most of my journey and education was focused on finding answers and ways to feel better each day. I have an ability to be pretty flexible and tolerant. I wasn’t always this way, but studying philosophy and stress management has been a great reward in how I approach things day to day. I’d like to be more organized. I have so many creative ideas and passions. I’m realizing more and more its about the follow through and finish. I am a gypsy. I travel all the time, not sure there is one place i want to settle, at least not permanently. I think I’d like to live in Brazil for a bit, maybe Thailand too. Diet: Lots of veggies. I try to eat as healthy as I can, but I’m not one to over obsess about it. I like all food for the most part. It’s about the quality of the ingredients that is important to me. Dream job: Talk show host. Something where I can travel, help people, and make good money in the process. The most valuable thing I own is my sense of humor. The question I get asked the most is: How do I get healthy like you, Doc? One thing the Internet really needs is: I can’t tell you, in the process of working on it :) Parents: Awesome and always supportive. If I could do anything I’d travel the world for a while, without concern of cost. Favorite Book: aahh.. I can’t limit it down to one, but ISHMAEL by Daniel Quinn is pretty good. I think people are overwhelmed, confused, but generally good. I get inspired by people incorporating small changes into their lives for healthier living. I wish I could communicate via sign language and play the harmonica. My greatest achievement is publishing my first book; A Healthier Ever After. I’m just so sick of companies selling crappy health products to ignorant and desperate consumers. The thing I’m most excited about right now is my new talk show: “For the HIP”. The best way to relax is to breath deeply. Connect with me here: __
Digital Gunslingers
I met Nick Armstrong last night on twitter. I was talking to Rachel about her ‘One of us’ piece. Specificaly we were talking about my tag-line:
‘ The artists, entrepreneurs and digital gunslingers of our creative culture.’
I assume, Nick was scraping twitter for digital gunslinger. He uses this term in his presentation. He forwarded me his video (below). The production of the video is crappy but I loved the content. Nick’s talking about making social networking work; he uses a great frontier metaphor. He has a fantastic hat. His brief 6 minute presentation is affirming and positive. We have much in common:
Nick lives just up the road. His business helps charities with social media.
Nick knows a great word when he hears one: Gunslinger.
I use gunslinger for a singular reason. I am a deciple of Charles Mingus. Mingus is the greatest of the great American composers. He was a mad genius prone to fits of rage and violence. Mingus knocked out trombonist Jimmy Knepper’s teeth. Knepper was smacked-out and fucking up a score transcription. Not a good idea. (There’s also Jimmy’s side of the story.)
Charles Mingus was my kinda guy.
I collect his rare joints, I buy his books and I particularly like how he names his tunes:
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“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”
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“Put Me In That Dungeon”
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“Oh Lord Don’t Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me”
A true poet; the names of his tunes are little inside jokes. The more you learn about Mingus’ life, the better you appreciate these titles. There is of course the tune-title that soars above the rest:
“If Charlie Parker Were a Gunslinger, There’d Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats.”
Let that sink in.
When I was at the height of my Mingus adulation I spent weeks with this phrase in my head. Hell, I quoted it back in ‘03 on my old band’s first record.
When I say gunslinger - it’s real.
I’m sure Nick arrived at the term in a completely different way. Maybe not. If we’re lucky he’ll talk about it in the comments below. What inspired this post is how similarly he and I are using this term. How similar our business models are. How similar we are in age. And were neighbors.
It’s a trip really.
Ignite FC 1: Digital Frontiers - Nick Armstrong
A
shoutout to @missreported too. She fwd me the video I believe.
One of us: Rachel Romero
The artists, entrepreneurs and digital gun-slingers of our creative culture.
I know Rachel Romero pretty well. We’ve never met. We have mutual friends and we bullshit online. We have since Myspace - since ‘06 maybe. She’s witty and hilarious and produces excellent on-line content. Writing, pics, video, interviews and reviews - the whole gambit. Rachel contributes. In short: she brightens my day. I’m a big fan of her work and yet, I have no clue what her voice sounds like. That’s a lie, I think I heard her on a radio show once - can’t be sure. Either way, we’ve never shook hands. What an awesome world it is to have these incredibly low-maintenance but quite fulfilling friendships with strangers. Rachel grew up drinking malt liquor and skirting trouble, she doesn’t eat swine, she is a closet WOW gamer and she was good enough to take time from her schedule and share with us in this Q & A:
I am Rachel Romero; I was born in the middle of a blizzard.
I spend most of my time wondering what to make for breakfast tomorrow.
Career: Project manager for a top 100 web site during the day, a web maven & pseudo-promoter after dark.
Nickname: Miss Rachel. I will cut you if you call me Rach. My co-workers call me Ra-Ro.
Greatest extravagance: Sneakers.
Vice: Tequila.
I like my ability to look at all sides of the equation before making a decision.
I’d love a nomad’s lifestyle.
I’m just so sick of the Greenpeace fuckers on 16th Street Mall.
Dream job:
Something amazing and creative that properly mixes all of my interests. Chef x event planner x marketing professional x hip hop diva? HA.
Fictional hero: Dexter Morgan.
Real life hero: My grandmother, Celia.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: @radioestes, duh.
Frequently questioned: “What nationality are you?”
Work is bountiful.
The most valuable thing I own is my subconscious.
The Internet really needs an automatic grammar check.
The blogs I subscribe to are a true testament to my interests:
If I could do anything I’d shave my head.
Greatest Anxiety: Being late.
Greatest fear: Failure.
Top vacation destination: LA all day.
Favorite book: Aldous Huxley, Brave New World.
I have a moderate obsession with serial killers.
I would like to see @2509 answer these questions.
I think people are overworked and under-motivated.
I get inspired by random acts of beauty.
Pet: One dog.
Desired skill: X-ray vision.
Avatar for a day: Anthony Bourdain’s wife. #POW
My greatest achievement is pulling myself out of every single hole life has kicked me into.
The future (immediate): Watching my best friend of 11 years get married this summer… and also becoming a god mother!
The future (eventual): A beach, a marg, and someone that I love.
Favorite podcast: I probably need some suggestions.
Best way to relax: A good book and a hot bath.
I found the love of my life in a vinyl record.
My parents are absolutely responsible for the crazy person I am today.
Connect with Rachel Romero here:
Contact | @_missrachel | Video blog: 38thSquare | Editorial: Denver Westword
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