Did mom poop? Mom did. #palindromes are awesome

I love a good palindrome.  "What's a palindrome?" you ask?  Well, let's consult Wikipedia:  "...a word, phrase, number, or other sequence...whose meaning may be interpreted the same way in either forward or reverse direction...was coined from the Greek roots palin (πάλιν; "again") and dromos (δρóμος; "way, direction") by the English writer Ben Jonson in the 17th century. The Greek phrase to describe the phenomenon ...crab inscription...alluding to the movement of crabs, such as an inscription that may be read backwards." ...Blah blah blah blah....anyway...it's a word or number that is the same forward and backward.  There's so many little easy ones that you can learn beginning in like 2nd grade....mom.....dad.....boob.....racecar....

One time in 2011 when I was on tour with the Windsor Oaks Band, I looked over and saw Ryan, deeper in thought than I have ever seen him before.  And I was like, "Dude, are you OK?" and he calmly looked up and slowly said to me "Strap Race Nude Dune Car Parts."  I thought he was going delirious from too much road time, but he followed up by explaining that sometimes he likes to sit there in silence and develop new palindromes.  

Since then, I have had a keen ear for recognizing palindromes and I've been compiling a list of awesome palindromes:

Strap race nude dune car parts.
Gun So Snug. -Ryan's favorite
Did mom poop? Mom did.
Mr. Owl ate my metal worm.
Madam, I'm Adam. (and then.... Madam, in Eden, I'm Adam.)  
Poor Dan is in a droop.
Able was I ere I saw Elba
A man a plan a canal panama
No "x" in "Nixon."
Amore, Roma
Step on no pets.
Are we not drawn onward, we few, drawn onward to new era?
Revel on no lever.

some I have found, look like made-up words:
tattarrattat 
detartrated 
Rotavator 
redivider
Malayalam, 
aibohphobia - (The irrational fear of palindromes...hehehe)

some palindromes are just short numbers or words:
2002
radar

rotor

civic

mum
noon 

toot

sees 

deed

Tit
Tot
Stats
Solos

Some involve brand names!
Lonely Tylenol
Xanax

Some people's names are palindromes!
Hannah 
Eve
Anna
Elle
Viv
Lil
Otto
Bob
Nan
Odo - (my Confirmation name (weird and archaic, I know), taken from St. Odo of Cluny)

The topic of palindromes has come up a few times in conversations since then.  And usually it's in a bar late in the evening.  So I don't totally remember all of the cool palindromes people have told me over the last few years.  If you have any more palindromes, short, long, one-word, paragraph-length, PLEASE please post them in the comments.  I am addicted to palindromes.  

This is the Ryan fellow, by the way (the guy who introduced me to the wonderful world of adult-level palindromes): 

There's also a really cool list of palindromes here: http://voices.yahoo.com/50-palindromes-list-palindrome-words-sentences-2349273.html - and some of them on this post appear in that list too.  Here's an awesome one from a comment in that post: 

Anne, I vote more cars race Rome to Vienna

(Someday I will attempt to write an entire song that is a palindrome.  That day is not today.)

Searching for ideas for new music video... #musicvideos

Every good music video needs a great story.

A few months ago i was at a pet store with my friend Corinne and we came across this mouse.  He was so happy to live his life running on a wheel.

meet Skippy the Mouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1AHWCC5_IQ

 Skippy kind of reminded me of people.  All of us in this strange place together running this way and that, trying, striving, some getting further than others, some people seeming to get no where.

The only idea I can think of is filming people moving right to left, just like Skippy.  Except, humans use buses and cars and bicycles and motorcycles.  So today my friend Mark and I are venturing to downtown Raleigh to film some things and people moving from left to right. I do have footage of Skippy and another mouse joining him on the wheel. So that could be a story idea right there...a second character.

but I am at a loss for what the NUT of the music video should be all about.  like the main story.  the idea.  I have no  real character ideas, or plan for a story....maybe some footage of me singing the chorus, or not, I don't know. I do know I want Skippy and people going about their lives in cars and buses and bikes and stuff.
The song!
https://soundcloud.com/brandonscottmclean/the-white-lies-you-tell

Do you have any ideas?  Send them my way in the comments or on facebook or twitter or wherever...

PS
Corrine also sang all over this song. and a lot of other people who I will list in the credits later..

Skippy the mouse

Primal Blueprint 21 Day Challenge Starts Today...Are you in? #fitness

...I've been in for 2 years.  Yesterday was my 2 year anniversary.  Come join me...


Learn more at Mark’s Daily Apple

Hopscotch 2013 is here!

1) Hopscotch is here!  
Unless you live under the proverbial rock, you know that Hopscotch is this weekend in beautiful downton Raleigh!  It's the state's largest multi-venue festival. It's amazing.  We're playing early on in the fest: Thursday night at 10p at London Bridge sponsored by Jaegermeister.

...but we decided to have some fun all the way through the weekend...we are announcing the WOB Hopscotch 2013 Photo Contest!!!  Share your awesome 2013 Hopscotch memories for you chance to win the Ultimate WindsorHop Prize Pack! Prizes include WOB swag, House of Swank stuff, local gift certificates, and beer! (Full details on our site at: http://thewindsoroaksband.com/windsorhop2013-photo-contest, but basically take a cool Hopscotch pic, Instagram it, and use #WindsorHop2013 and @WindsorOaksBand)

2) Our show last week at the Pour House in Raleigh was absolutely awesome.  Huge thanks to the Pour House, New Sweat, Motley Tones, as well as our friend Michael Thomas who came up and sang a song with us.  But a double extra thanks to all the people who came out and shared the evening with us!  You can watch the re-run of the live broadcast here.

3) Our video contest is now over, and we are proud to announce that we will release the videos to the public very soon.  We will interview the grand prize winner, NOLAN MOLT (from Kennewick, Washington) LIVE on BreakTime 1X15 on September 15.  

What's Next in Windsor Land:
#WindsorHop2013: (photo contest all weekend)
--Thursday Sept 5 - London Bridge Pub - 10pm [sponsored by Jaegermeister]
--Friday Sept 6 - Sullivan's Steakhouse - 7pm
--Saturday Sept 7 - Woody's @ City Market - 10pm

Sending a smile,
Brandon from Windsor Oaks



<WOB is powered by House of Swank clothing company, who produces the raddest NC-themed shirts and swag on the planet, period.>

live online with my mom? + video contest update + old school pic

Hello and Happy Thursday,
Great news! My mom is in Raleigh, visiting me from Rhode Island :)
We're gonna do all kinda of North Carolina touristy stuff, including 3 days on the coast. If you have any suggestions, please send them our way by responding to this email or tweeting to us@WindsorOaksBand.

As we near the end of our video contest, we are starting to see the entries trickle in. There's at least two music videos up there now, and you can go and vote for your favorite by going to the contest page on Facebook.  People have until August 18th to get their videos in. When you get to the fb page, scroll down a little bit and hit "View Entries." (Interestingly, both entries are for our song "One in a City," which is included in this email free)

Today is August 15, so that means I will go live on Ustream for BreakTime 1X15 in just about an hour at 1:15pm EST. Since my mom is here, it'll probably be a pretty short broadcast so we can get back to exploring Raleigh and stuff. Tune in here. (And if you're reading this after 1:15, the broadcasts are always there for later viewing at the same link): http://www.ustream.tv/channel/breaktime-1x15

Sending a smile,
Brandon and the Windsor Oaks Band

August in WindsorLand:
Live on Ustream today at 1:15pm EST - http://www.ustream.tv/channel/breaktime-1x15

Sat, Aug 17 - Private Party @ Carolina Beach (email for details if you wanna come...)
Wednesdays in August - Sullivan's - Acoustic - 7pm

Saturday, August 24 - FREE Windsor Car Wash!! 

Friday, August 30 - POUR HOUSE in Raleigh - full band w/ Motley Tones and New Sweat (don't miss this one!)
fb event: http://www.facebook.com/events/260669410742559/




PS
Old-School Pic of the Week!

This pic is from February of 2009, from propbably last one of the "Cougar Magnum" shows before we grew up and changed our name. Garrett and Heather! Now they are engaged 4 years later! and they want us to play at their wedding! yippeeeee! congrats Garrett and Heather.

Top 3 Reasons to Kiss a Pirate Today! + Old School Photo of the Week

[Guest post from Shane Smith...]

Greetings!

Perhaps you are wondering why in the world the band and I are so obsessed with pirates these days. None of us are from Pittsburgh and none of us are eagerly anticipating the release of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie. (What are they at like the 10th one or something??? Who knows.) It's just that we are stoked that our next big rock show is going to be Pirate Night! August 30th at the Pour House to be exact.

In anticipation of the big night, I've been doing a lot of extra yoga to improve my balance and stability. I'm hoping to be able to work out some kind of wooden leg trick. I'll keep you posted on that, it's definitely a work in progress!

I know you're super interested in the 'Top 3 Reasons to Kiss a Pirate', so let's get it on!

3. It's the first step in any quest to find any sort of buried treasure, trust me.

2. If you give a pirate a smooch, no way you'll have to walk to plank!

1. Pirates are known for their singing and songwriting abilities...kiss a pirate and you may find yourself in a Pirate love song, like "Taking a Ride."

Do you have any other pressing reasons to kiss a Pirate? If so I'd love to hear them.

Have a great weekend and catch ya latARGHHHHHHHHHH!

~ Shane and Windsor Oaks Band

PS- we had a BLAST rocking in the Raleigh streets outside of The Raleigh Times last Friday! Thanks to@raleighstatic for the shot above

PPS
Oh yeah, almost forgot...old school pic of the week!
This one was from Halloween in 2010:

Halloween 2010! From L to R: GEICO Tennis Caveman, Free Credit Report Pirate, Elvis Presley.


~ What's up in WindsorLand: ~

August 24 - FREE Windsor Car Wash!! 

Friday, August 30 - POUR HOUSE in Raleigh - full band w/ Motley Tones and New Sweat (don't miss this one!)
fb event: http://www.facebook.com/events/260669410742559/