Posts by Jeffrey Sullivan4

Nathan Castillo8 said:And what if... maybe they actually mean things like dresses... or floor-length skirts and stuff like that...

Honestly, even I'm starting to lose my grip on this one, but hey, we'll probably figure out the truth pretty soon enough... 🙂

Karen Thomas25 said:Has anyone actually tried riding a bike in a skirt before? Is it even doable? I don't have a place to change at work, and honestly, even if I did, I'd rather not mess around with changing clothes mid-day.

Look, I haven't personally traveled more than a block in a skirt, so I can't give you a firsthand report, but I’ve got a suggestion for you. If you've got an hour to kill, just dive into the summer archives of the Cycle Chic blog (it's by Mikael Colville-Andersen, who once visited Chicago) and you'll get a massive sense of all the different ways women actually mount their bikes. You'll find links on the right side to about fifty other killer international blogs just like it (like Cycle Chic Republic) if you're looking to switch up your vibe. 🙂

Bottom line: it’s totally doable. As long as you have fenders paired with some side guards and a chain guard, you're set—even if you're rocking a fancy evening dress. 😉

Donna Wells74 said:It’s honestly so awesome seeing so many people out there riding bikes! 😍 (And I'm stoked to be part of the crowd)

👍

Man, feels like this is just another girl thing. It’s like nobody even wants to strike up a conversation with me when I’m stopped at a red light... 😂

Carol Hughes10 said:What do you guys think about it? Is it overpriced, and does it feel kind of clunky to ride with?

Honestly, a bag like that isn't even expensive; it probably only costs a handful of bucks. But that Cannondale logo? That's where the real money is. It’s basically there just to flex—to show everyone how loyal you are to the brand even when you aren't actually on the bike. And let's be real, who doesn't love... 🙂

Plus, yeah, it's pretty awkward to carry unless you're riding a bike where you sit totally upright.

* Though, I'm not exactly one of those die-hard fanatics branded gearheads. I mean, I do rock a Kona cap, but I definitely didn't pay a fortune for it. 😁

How to actually stay on topic:

Look, every single bike buying guide out there is just the most basic, dry, soul-crushing blah-blah because they all ignore the fact that besides the frame material, components, and geometry, a bike is basically a canvas for color and graphic design. Not to mention, if you’re looking at any specific model, you really have to analyze its whole vibe and what kind of lifestyle accessories actually vibe with it. For example...

...if you've got a masterpiece like the Hoy Hoy Rats Cinelli from the Bootleg series, you definitely need a tuna/rukola* sandwich, an Araldica Gavi "La Battistina" and a Bruce Cockburn bootleg 33⅓ vinyl playing in the background. And honestly, you have to park it in your apartment right against a white wall under some monochromatic poster to get the aesthetic right. And even then, I'm barely even scratching the surface here... 😉 🤣 😂

*Arugula, arugula, rocket, greens...

But what I was actually trying to get at is:

brightranger43 said:hehe, we should totally start a thread: what are cyclists actually reading? ☕

So, what are we waiting for? 🙂

Carol Jackson45 said:Oh, thanks a million, Mr. Know-It-All, for breaking down that totally obvious fact for me. 😁 Now that you've reached such a brilliant epiphany, why don't you answer the real question I'm stuck on—what on earth is a slideshow even doing at an animation film festival?

No need to flex those muscles for nothing... 🙄 🙂

stormyviper11 said:In my opinion, the Academy Award is going to go to either Jasper Morello or Ryan.

I’m putting my money on Jasper, but honestly, we won't know for sure for another couple of hours.

Carol Jackson45 said:I mean, what’s even the point of calling "animated" "animated" movies things like that While Darwin sleeps flick from the other night or yesterday's Dias irae? 👎

Dies irae isn't even an actual animated movie; it's basically just a glorified slideshow.

Angela Booth said:The pacing felt a bit twisted and heavy for me, but man, that animation technique is seriously cool. And that soundtrack? It felt like watching a saw blade in motion—totally raw and intense—but honestly, it nailed that dark, noir vibe perfectly.

When I say "saw blade," I'm talking about Ivo Malec, the absolute legend of our MBZ shows. 🙂

Taylor Gray3 said:Does anyone remember the title of that cartoon from like two years ago—the one about the border guard living in a little house on top of a pointy hill? Man, I really want to find that one!!!

Nah... But there is this one from 2000 that sounds like what you're describing, Constantine Bronze: "Au bout du monde". Could that be the one?

stormyviper11 said:I couldn't find Dirdy Birdy

Man, there are tons of them out there if you know where to look! Honestly, just try to Google dirdy birdy jon dilworth. You might even want to swap "dirdy" for "dirty" because, let's be real, half the people online can't even spell the title right. You've also got plenty of streaming options if you just want to revisit it. Plus, if you check the credits during the intro, you'll see Stretch Films listed, which should give you some more leads. 🙂

Karen Diaz32 stormyviper11 said:I honestly feel like I’m just spinning my wheels here, just wandering around without any real direction, almost like I'm stuck in some kind of endless loop where nothing actually moves forward. It’s that feeling you get when you're trying to navigate through a massive, confusing maze without a map, just hoping that if you keep walking long enough, you'll eventually stumble upon something that makes sense. 😍 I am a wolf. 😍 They were absolutely brilliant, honestly—it’s such a massive bummer that the ending turned out to be such a total train wreck.

Honestly, it wasn't even that bad! WOOLF DADDY Man, that point hits home so hard. I honestly know so many people who are absolutely convinced, deep down in their bones, that books somehow matter more than actually living life. 🙂

What's the deal with that? Paradise CityLook, Gaelle is such a total trip—she’s definitely got that psychedelic vibe going on—but honestly, she’s exactly the kind of visionary who's going to keep churning out gems like this, and her technical execution isn't half bad either. When I look back at the absolute junk we were seeing just two years ago, this feels like a massive step up, like a total premium experience compared to that old stuff. 🙂

Just a little side story to throw out there... My kid is five years old, and she’s already got a whole setup at home—keyboards, guitars, wind instruments, percussion, you name it. Back when she was only three, we actually sat down together, jammed, mixed, and recorded our first little avant-garde single using two synthesizers for the CIA. We didn't have the heart to actually pitch it to any labels; we just burned some copies for ourselves to keep. Even now, we still find time to mess around with music every once in a while. She’s only ever brought up formal music school once, mostly just asking what it’s like and what they actually do there. It’s wild, though, because she’s already started scribbling musical notes on staff paper entirely on her own, even though nobody ever showed her how or suggested she try it. At the end of the day, she’s just playing, which is honestly the most important part of the whole thing. If she ever decides she wants to go to school for it, she’ll decide when the time is right and claim an instrument as her own. But if she doesn't want to? Then she won't. 🙂

... So, if there are any of you out there who have actually been or even just started:

What’s the real deal? I'd love to hear about your experiences and what you actually think of it all. 🙂

nimblemarlin17 said:It really all boils down to a few different things, honestly. Like, how you’re getting online and just how much you're actually writing. If you're someone who writes a ton but you're stuck using some ancient dial-up connection, you could end up looking at a pretty crazy bill. Plus, you've gotta drop cash on a computer. And hey, you can always shoot an amateur movie using just a basic digital camera. Man, the costs just add up. 😛

Yeah, sure thing. Just grab some cheap digital junk, edit the whole thing on your smartphone, and then send it off to a film festival via carrier pigeon. Seriously, if that's your logic, why even bother with a PC? You might as well just write your entire blog on your phone! 😬 🤣

Justin Smith83 said:I honestly don't get why everyone is making such a massive deal out of this whole controversy, because if you ask me, this movie is just pure entertainment. Besides, have you ever actually tried filming anything yourself?

Oh, you definitely stirred the pot, man. 🙂 And look, everyone’s got their own little reasons for getting worked up and making noise. But hey, sometimes kicking up a bit of dust does more good than harm in the long run. 😬

And it's not just about this one movie being the trigger for all those people who feel slighted, jealous, lazy, misunderstood, hypersensitive, defensive, (...insert whatever label fits here...) or just plain bored. You see the exact same thing happen in the music industry! The only difference is that the line separating the pros from the amateurs can be a little blurry there. Well, except in classical music—in that world, if an amateur tries to step up, they'll fly straight into a hornet's nest! 😬 Whether it's painting, graphic design, journalism, you name it...

Seriously, go back and reread what vividmason5 wrote to you and just soak up every single second of this project!

Justin Smith83 said:What do you guys think about the indie film scene here in America?

The biggest headache with amateur filmmaking in the States is honestly just how invisible it feels—most of these projects never reach anyone beyond the filmmakers themselves, their mentors, or maybe a tiny crowd at a niche festival. Even when there are free public screenings, nobody seems to know they’re happening because the mainstream media completely ignores them and local community centers are way too slow to get anything organized. It makes you wonder why anyone would bother pouring endless hours into something that gets zero eyeballs and offers basically no payoff, right? 🙂 I've seen so many incredibly talented creators just pack up and walk away after making only two or three films because they hit a wall. If our federal government actually took an interest and dedicated even just an hour a week to supporting independent cinema, we might actually see some real momentum building.

Bryan Torres said:The thing is, you can't actually join the NBA without passing both the exam and that workshop; think of the workshop as a sort of extended onboarding process for joining the club.

So, I was just reading up on these workshops that are already underway, and it got me thinking... does this mean someone who’s been in the game for, say, twenty years—someone who's been drawing, filming, and editing their whole life—STILL has to sit through a strictly beginner-level course just to get officially recognized as an NBA member? 🙂

Also, what’s the vibe regarding age? Like, what's the average age range for people attending these workshops or for the current members of the club? 🙂

Thanks!