Well That's Cool

Greetings Everyone,

On Thursday, May 26th, Blaine Duncan and C.R. Johnson put on another one of their “songs and stories” nights at the Bama Theater.  Blaine played an acoustic set, while C.R. read a selection of his short stories.  DSmithImages was on hand to photograph the night, which was definitely done up real good.

For the full gallery, please check out http://www.dsmithimages.com/site/music/blaine-duncan-and-cr-johnson-5-26-11/1/

Enjoy!

-David
DSmithImages
“Modern Photography for Modern Times”
http://www.dsmithimages.com
david@dsmithimages.com

[Show as slideshow]

Popularity: 12% [?]

We are proud to have partnered with our favorite bama blog, rollbamaroll, to sponsor The Sunshine Express. The express was a cross country donation drive of much need relief supplies donated by the Bama family all the way from Southern California to here in Tuscaloosa. The truck was driven by RBR author Kleph. After dropping supplies here, he also used the truck to ferry goods to many of the surrounding areas including Jasper.  The amount of love and help we have seen has been nothing short of a miraculous. While just a drop in the bucket, we realize this is a marathon and not a sprint.  Wellthatscool, as well as RBR, are gonna roll up our sleeves and be with it for the long haul. We have ended our podcast from day one with this as our motto: “Improving Tuscaloosa Together.” In a small way, this was a tangible proof of what needs to be done and will continue to need to be done. We are gonna get through these dark times together.

Popularity: 35% [?]

As many of you know there are a few things that we are really into. The first of course is beer, sweet delicious nectar of the gods beer. The second however is sports, we like to think of ourselves as the thinking mans hooligan. So why not do something that brings both of our passions together bowling. The way it works is that you form a three person team, bring $12 a person (and your game face) and get ready for what we call the midweek weekend. The $12 covers shoes three games, score keeping and the cash prizes at the end of the 12 week season. You will receive a handicap based on your average that really makes it fair no matter what your skill level is. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening then by hanging out  a bunch of friendly cool people bowling. If you have any questions feel free to call Bo @ 205-886-8140 or email us at wellthatscool(at)gmail. Hope to see you there!! This Wed. May. 18th is the first night of bowling and registration. Normally the bowling starts at 8pm but this week getting there early around 7:30pm would be good to fill out the forms.

The patron saint WTC bowling

Popularity: 15% [?]

While there has been considerable acknowledgement that this is a potential game changer for women in comedy, the frequent description of this as the “female Hangover” risks undoing the gravity of this potential progress. Aside from raunch and a wedding I fail to see the correlation. This movie is about what it means to be a woman. When it comes to this exploration, we normally don’t get beyond body issues featuring characters who normally weigh in at a stick and a half, and accepting single hood so that you can finally end up with an awesome man. What we have here is the crisis that is expectation, the whole package of what are women are supposed to be. And all this is not simply an issue of the big bad studios not willing to tak e a chance on material like this (though if you have time I could speech a treatise about the way particular points in cinematic history have fueled our present situation). Scapegoating the media is a pathetic cop-out. To paraphrase Lewis Black, media isn’t a bunch of robots running around and doing shit, it’s people. We can argue all day over how the percentages work out, but the fact remains that society and “the media” feed off of each other, not one inflicting itself on the other without mercy.

The most potent element of this film is the acknowledgement of female sexuality which normaly is not depicted beyond an ability to fulfill male desire. Though Kristen Wiig is the central figure, when it comes to figuring out the balance of how large a part a man should play in ones life, it’s Melissa McCarthy who really shines. The way she’s portrayed in the trailer seems to peg her as the pathetic comic relief like Zach Galifinakis in “Hangover” (keeping with that obnoxious comparison). Instead, she has a brutal confidence that we should all be so lucky to possess. To compare with other conventions: she’s not fat best friend, not butch comic relief, and most importantly, is not the chubby girl who somehow finds a man who can see past her awful appearance. She is in CONTROL and remains unshaken throughout the film, not in an attempt to show that beauty is magically on the inside, but showing that beauty, and awesomeness, simply is as is.

Finally, to touch on the claims made by some tv spots, though guys will probably enjoy this film, I venture that this isn’t a flick “finally enjoyable to both men and women!” Personally, I relished the occassional discomfort of the guys in the audience at the sneak preview. The humor can be exclusive at times, but that’s what a “woman’s film” should be — targeted to the people it’s about, not two-dimensional and obnoxious, and not agony for those of the opposite sex (aside from a few jokes and again, that was brilliant).

Popularity: 14% [?]

Looking for a way to help those in need in Tuscaloosa while spending some time with a lot of good people in a swanky establishment?  Then come on out to The Alcove on Friday for The Can Food Jam!

It kicks off this Friday, May 13th at 9:00 P.M.  If you bring a canned food donation to The Alcove, you’ll get a $1 off your drink.  The bar will also be serving $3 Good People Beer!

Come out, have a good time, and help some people in the process.  Hope to see you there!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Greetings Everyone,

On Tuesday, May 10th, The Well That’s Cool/Roll Bama Roll Sunshine Express made it’s way to the Tuscaloosa area to drop off a truck load of donations for storm victims.  The thing being is that the truck started all the way at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena and has been travelling I-10 and I-20 East since Friday, May 6th, picking up donations along the way.  After unloading this shipment, it is heading back to Texas to get another round of supplies to drop off here in Tuscaloosa.

DSmithImages was on hand to photograph the arrival in an effort to raise awareness of the trip, to let people who contributed along the way see an end product, and to let everyone else out there know of the continued help and needs in the Tuscaloosa area.  Please continue to remember the storm victims in the months ahead as the road to recovery for them and the surrounding communities will be long.  However, things can be a bit brighter if we do it together.  Well That’s Cool is for improving Tuscaloosa together… but now we are also for healing Tuscaloosa together.

You can find out more information about The Sunshine Express at http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2011/5/3/2151103/the-roll-bama-roll-well-thats-cool-sunshine-expressa

You can view the full gallery here, or you can visit the main link at http://www.dsmithimages.com/site/misc-galleries/wtc-rbr-sunshine-express-5-10-11/1/

Please retweet/share with as many people as you can to bring continued awareness of this situation.

Enjoy!

-David
DSmithImages
“Modern Photography for Modern Times”
http://www.dsmithimages.com
david@dsmithimages.com
2314 Starlight Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
205-586-97223

[Show as slideshow]

12►

Popularity: 10% [?]

Today at 1pm there is an Emergency City Council Meeting. It is not certain what this meeting is about but it is clear that as many home owners as possible should be in attendance. This is the first phase in the effort to rebuild our community. We want to make sure the Stan Pates of the world will not be allowed rezone the city to create more Mid-Town Villages.

Come and be a part of rebuilding Tuscaloosa. Lets not let what we have be turned into condos. The meeting is at City Hall, City Council Chambers on the second floor. 1pm.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Duracell Power Relief Trailer & Tide Loads of Hope Laundry Service

Duracell Power Relief: FREE phone charges, Computer charges and kiosks with Internet access & Wi-Fi

Plus

Tide Loads of Hope Mobile Laundry Service: FREE Laundry Services

• May 3- 12
• University Mall Parking Lot
• McFarland Boulevard , Tuscaloosa
• 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Daily
• Free Services for Families Affected by Storms

More info:
Facebook.com/Tide
Facebook.com/Duracell

Popularity: 6% [?]

As you can imagine it has been a bit hard to keep the site updated the past week. We have our boots on the ground, helping the city we love. We are doing our best to keep our Twitter and Facebook accounts loaded with as much helpful information as possible. So check those out and share the info.

The podcasting has not stopped. There is more info then ever that people need to know about.  If you have info you need to get out there next week, please e-mail us at wellthatscool AT gmail – or contact us via twitter or facebook. This week on the podcast, we plan on having a special guest call in, Roll Bama Roll’s Kleph.

We are proud to be partnering with our friends at Roll Bama Roll, for a little something we are calling, The Sunshine Express. Kleph is driving a 26 foot long truck from Los Angeles to Tuscaloosa, filling up the truck with supplies and donations along the way.  We all know people across the country looking to help but are uncertain as to what they can do… If they are out West, this is how they can help! People will be able to make donations, knowing that the supplies they donate will be handed out to the people of Tuscaloosa who need them. So if you know people along the route, tell them to help fill the Sunshine Express.

More about it here - http://goo.gl/xDXLW

Here is the schedule –

California area: Butterfield Square Shopping Center, 28690 Old Town Front Street, Temecula, California. ONE DAY ONLY Wednesday, May 4, 10 a.m. till whenever.

Phoenix, Arizona area: Fastenal, 250 S. Mulberry, Mesa AZ. This will be until Friday, May 6 at 5 p.m.

Dallas area: Lakeside Church of Christ, 1500 Breckinridge Road, Mansfield, Texas. This through Friday. On the weekend the dropoff will be Prescott Realty, 6060 N. Central Expressway, Dallas.

North Louisiana area: Ruston Parks & Recreation Complex, 605 James Street, Ruston, La. Until Monday.

Things that are needed –

• • Tarps/Tents
• • Cots/Air Mattresses
• • Charcoal
• • Cookers (BBQ grills, hibachis)
• • Hammers
• • Adult diapers
• • Pedialight

Now more then ever – We Are Improving Tuscaloosa Together.

Popularity: 12% [?]