Turtle's Tips: Bizarre web show

Remember way back when the television writers' strike was going on? We were all lamenting our lack of continuous, fresh media content to digest. Many of us went to the web, where original video content was flowing on a daily basis. A new media era was proclaimed. Television was dead.

Then the strike ended. The networks got their shows back up and running. People returned to the comfort of Two and a Half Men and whatnot.

I'm here to tell you there are still good web series out there. Principally hosted by Blip.tv.

A show that is way under-appreciated is Motherhoodlum. Now in its second season, Motherhoodlum tells the tales of Emily, a pretentious performance artist coping with unexpected parenting and the relationship with her fiance, Marty the accountant. They conceived after their first date.

The main characters are pretty screwed up, but everyone else they encounter are more wacky. There's the sex-and-relationship guru, who sneaks out early as he makes the couple do a relaxation exercise. There's the sought after nanny, who is the one doing the interview, not Emily. There's Emily's desperate sister, who is upset at Emily for discovering her boyfriend is just a con artist using kids as props to score with other women at the playground. Emily has her own problems. She's a compulsive liar and has been kicked out of 5, no 6, different mommy groups.

Here's the most recent episode. It's six minutes long. If you want to start from the beginning of the series, check out the archives. Warning: This episode, as well as many others, feature frank talk about sex and a fair amount of strong language.

A Womb Of One’s Own

• Flash
• | QuickTime
• | iPod

Motherhoodlum is hosted by Offsprung.com, a wonderful parent community that proclaimes "Your life didn't end when theirs began." It was started by writer and occasional Salon contributor Neal Pollock and also hosts Open Salon's Heather Ryan AKA Terrible Mother.

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Turtle's Tips is a semi-regular feature on which I shine the light on some little known art, movie, show, music, food, or anything else under the sun. It's a showcase of what I like.

Turtle's Tips: Art!

This is the second of an occasional series of recommendations for philophical, consumer, and artistic consumption. It's admitedly from a guy who doesn't get out much but thinks he has something to offer anyways. I have no formal training that suggests I'm a qualified art critic. I just like what I like.

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Turtle's Art Tip: Abigail Woods Anderson

Abigail Woods Anderson* is a Minnesota-based artist with an eye for the detailed. Her water color, ink, and pencil pieces show her appreciation for nature, but maybe not in the way you most normally see it.

Anderson, like many artists, doesn't do art as a full time professional venture. She's occasionally but consistently selected for local exhibitions. Most recently she received second place in the watercolor category for the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition.

Title: Bittersweet and Tomatoes
Prismacolor on paper, 6"x8"

Title: The Hare Pauses, Never Idle

Prismacolor on paper, apx 6"x8"

Title: Oneiric Interval

Pencil and colored pencil on paper. 7.75" x 6.5". At the Groveland Gallery (612-377-7800)

You can see these and other examples of her art here.

I recommend her beautiful notecards. I just got another batch myself, hence the inspiration for this post. You can order 12 cards for $20 (free shipping) of any combination of the below six designs. Cards are professionally printed, full color with satin finish, blank inside with white envelopes. 4.5" x 6.25". Email awoodsanderson AT yahoo DOT com for ordering details.

* Noteworthy Disclaimer: The artist is a personal friend of mine. She made no request for help with promotion and I have not notified her of this posting. In fact, I'm worried she'll be annoyed.

Turtle's Tips: Music

I'm starting an occasional series featuring my recommendations for music, movies, televisions, books, and overall governing personal philosophies.  It'll be great for you, dear reader, because what could be better than getting advice from a guy who doesn't get out much?

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Today's recommendation is for anyone who likes Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, or June Carter Cash: Minnesota-based singer-songwriter Jaspar Lepak (formerly Jaspar Loes).  Her voice can best be compared to Joni Mitchell, which is pretty impressive as no folk singer has ever had a voice as smooth and sweet as Joni Mitchell.  Lepak is originally from Tucson, Arizona, and like her fellow Tucsonite, Linda Ronstadt, her songs have a pleasing, country music sensibility.

I've had the fortune to see Jaspar Lepak perform at our farmer's market a couple years ago.  My then three year old was so impressed with her that she mimicked Lepak's singing for a several weeks.  If you can't take a recommendation from a three year old, then you shouldn't trust anyone!

You can listen to a few of her songs for free at her MySpace page: myspace.com/jasparlepak  

Be sure to listen to Make a Pretty Thing, Bring My Mind, and Amy.  The last is a sweet and humorous song about her friend Amy, a geologist.

If you like what you hear, you can get her first two albums, billboard in this faint little light and Good Morning! Sunshine, from iTunes by searching under "Jaspar Loes" (her maiden name).  Her most recent album, Make a Pretty Thing, can be purchased at CD Baby.

So, take a gander over at her MySpace page and let me know what you think here (with comments)!