Cavemengo: Year One

Much like Batman incorporating all the best of such heroes as Harry Houdini, Zorro and Sherlock Holmes, Cavemengo is nothing if not the product of its predecessors. Here are just a few of the giants whose shoulders I had to stand on in order to make Cavemengo what it is today:

CAPTAIN'S BLOG

Captain's Blog, now defunct, was a strange travelogue (travelblogue?) I kept in order to document any adventure that took me away from home. When the time and the money required to travel disappeared, so also did Captain's Blog. While I continue to post travel pictures on Cavemengo, the most significant contribution from Captain's Blog came in the form of small travel playlists that I turned into mixes.

CORN LIKE AN ANGEL

Also defunct, Corn Like an Angel was a food blog inspired by a quote by Steve Carell as Dan in Dan in Real Life ("This corn is like an angel."). Though the blog nearly got me a writing gig in New York, I shut it down because, like travel, New York cuisine costs money that I didn't have. Since I left New York, I've been able to do some write ups on fantastic food, particularly in Fort Worth, Texas (Love Shack, Charley's, Yucatan, Jesus BBQ, Off the Bone, Five Guys, Mellow Mushroom) and Grand Rapids, Michigan (Mediterranean Grills, San Marcos, Yesterdog, Winchester, Schnitz, Bombay, Jonny B'z), but also occasionally elsewhere (Slows, Skeeter's, American Coney, Czech Stop, Rudy's, Nick's).

ELLIOT MAYO

As the previous subsections witness, I have juggled my fair share of blogs that have narrow purpose and that only last so long as I am still interested in that purpose. The main motivation behind the creation of Cavemengo was when my good friend Elliot Mayo, frustrated with keeping up with all my blog, told me I should combine them all into one. What Elliot didn't know is that I modified my new blog on his Elliot Mayo blog. Like Elliot, I would post on any project I was involved with, be it music, literature or art of any kind. I can say without a doubt that if it weren't for the influence of Elliot Mayo, there would be no Cavemengo.

FAT TRAIN

Though the influence of Fat Train on Cavemengo might not be immediately evident beyond a devotion to popular mass media, its creator Josh Toulouse has been incredibly influential to my blogging. Over the last year I've had the chance to discuss upcoming blog projects (blogjects?) with Josh and get his opinion on my posts. Josh has been one heck of a resource and one heck of a friend. Join me in thanking him by visiting Fat Train often. I know for a fact he's got some great things in store this year!

GET STOP TICKET

Get Stop Ticket is a blog devoted to a Brooklyn band named Get Stop Ticket that I started with friends Elliot Mayo, Becky Prevette, and Fiona Maier. Physically, the group has split up, but we still record music together with the help of the internet and our new guitarist Stephan Mathos. The blog itself has seen better days, but its spirit is carried on in Elliot Mayo's Elliot Mayo, Fiona Maier's A Bjorky Whale, and my Cavemengo. Why don't Becky and Stephan have their own blogs? I don't know, but if you leave enough encouragement here maybe we can convince them to start blogs.

LETTERS TO BOWIE

There is something so creative about my brother Micah Tiemeyer's blog titled Letters to Bowie. In Bowie, practically a folk hero due to our father's obsession with the rock legend, Micah found someone to whom he could confess his freakiest and funkiest thoughts. Following in my younger brother's footsteps, Cavemengo is a response to Bowie's 1972 album Hunky Dory, from the title ("Life on Mars?") to the header ("Oh! You Pretty Things") to the very first post. It was the seed of Bowie, delivered via Micah Tiemeyer, that breathed first life into my blog.

LOST 365

Though Jared Stumpenhorst never accomplished his goal of 365 unique pieces of art based on the hit ABC television program LOST in 365 days, the mere partial undertaking of this enormous project was an inspiration to me. Combined with my brother's sudden Arnold Schwarzenegger obsession upon returning from Vienna, Austria, I had all I needed to start my own year-long project titled Arnold 365. Here's to hoping I can make it to the end.

MUSIC, SWEET MUSIC

If my Denton roommate's web site promoting local music had taken off, my music blog Music, Sweet Music (named after a lyric in the Jimi Hendrix song "Manic Depression") may have earned me my first staff writing position. Like my other previous blogs, Music, Sweet Music can no longer be found on the internet, but my post on Bob Saget covering "Purple Rain" is still available, as are several music related articles inspired by it.

SOQUITCHERBITCHEN

I think Justin Metz was my earliest friend to have a blog, and though he would hardly list it as his greatest accomplishment - Justin's a proud father and husband and, in my opinion, an overall success - I think his music blog Soquitcherbitchen is one of the best things on the net. I've been known to steal a video or two from Justin, if you head over to Soquitcherbitchen more often maybe he'll consider us even...