It’s been a roundabout path leading up to and culminating in “Telepathic,” the latest album from indie duo L’Altra, which was released this week. Since forming the band in 1999 in Chicago, and releasing an impressive catalog of material, Lindsay Anderson and Joseph Desler Costa have gone through a breakup (from each other), dealt with numerous lineup changes, and explored solo careers, before deciding to reunite and record the moody, brooding songs that would become “Telepathic.”

The clearly irrevocable bond between Desler Costa and Anderson extends past their bio and infiltrates their music as well. The two share vocal duties, and their past anguish rears its head in songs like “When the Ship Sinks” and first single “Nothing Can Tear It Apart.” Desler Costa recently offered his thoughts on the record and the difficulties in bringing it to fruition.

BLAST: Did music play a big part in your life growing up?

JOSEPH DESLER COSTA: It’s the thing that is always there for me. I wake up with it, go to bed with it, ride the subway with it. I got my first electric guitar when I was 15 years old for Christmas. It’s been an obsession (ever) since.

BLAST: Who are your major musical influences?

JDC: I was hugely influenced (through) my older brother’s New Wave tastes. I was very young but fell in love with The Cure, Love and Rockets, New Order. I think that romantic New Wave feel stayed with me. Lindsay grew up in a musical family and (sang) in choirs. She also studied classical piano. I think that’s been a huge influence on her.

BLAST: How did you meet and when/how did you begin writing music together?

JDC: Lindsay and I met on the first day of college. We have been friends and close for so long. We used to talk and listen to music constantly and it was a natural progression to start playing together. It kind of just happened on its own with no real effort. The effort came later in continuing to play music together, as it’s not always easy.

BLAST: Where did the name “L’Altra” come from?

JDC: It means “the other woman” in Italian and a number of other romance languages. It just fit our concept and I like having an apostrophe in our name.

BLAST: What are the pros and cons of being in a personal and professional relationship with someone simultaneously?

JDC: The pros are that you can say anything without filter and that you know this person completely. The cons are that you can say anything without filter and that you know this person completely.

BLAST: What made you decide to continue working together and make this record after your breakup?

JDC: We were both writing songs again and after making solo records I think we missed working together. I would think of her piano parts in songs I was working on. There was a lack in the music, so we then decided to give it a try and started working on some songs together. It all came back easily and I think the time off helped us to appreciate what each other brings to the table creatively. We also learned that it is important to have some filter when you collaborate with someone. There is a critical distance that you find. Too close is too close and too far won’t work either. We found an equilibrium.

BLAST: Is songwriting a cathartic process for you? While you were making this record, did any issues surface through the lyrics that maybe you hadn’t discussed previously?

JDC: It can be for sure, but its not like we write because we need to get something off our chests or anything. It’s just this way of communicating more abstract things and feelings. I am not ever exactly sure what a song we write is about. We focus more on creating a feel or a place, and then hope the listener finds something they can relate to inside it. As far as lyrics go, we always fight over them, and try to edit each other. That’s the only issue. I’m not sure we’ll ever work that problem out. Maybe it’s our way of working.

BLAST: Overall, “Telepathic” is very atmospheric. What type of vibe were you trying to achieve in the recording process? Would you say there’s a unifying theme to the songs?

JDC: The music we make is very intimate and we tried very hard to preserve the intimacy in the recording. It’s music written in our living rooms. We wanted the vocals to sound close, like someone whispering in your ear. We also wanted to leave a naturalness in the recording, like the creak of a drum pedal or piano keys. I think making a too perfect recording takes away the intimacy we were looking towards. Our goal is to make an “album” — by that I mean an unified group of songs that sound best when listen to together. Maybe the album is a dying format, but for us it’s essential. So yeah, I think there is a thread that runs through them all.

BLAST: What are the three albums you would take to a desert island with you?

JDC: Radiohead, “OK Computer”; The Cure, “Disintegration”; Beach House, “Teen Dream”

L’Altra’s “Telepathic” was released Tuesday. It can be purchased on iTunes.

It is no secret that today’s job market is struggling. Some of those lucky enough to have a decent job are finding that their work load is going up while their salaries are staying the same, and bonuses are disappearing. With a 12 percent unemployment rate in Florida, according to the US Department of Labor, those out of work are lining up to step in and fill your job if you decide to make a fuss and start proclaiming that it’s “unfair” and posting quotes from Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged” in the break room. As companies streamline their bottom line by cutting budgets and leaning heavily on their bases, it is no surprise that many people are hitting the classifieds and online job postings in search of their dream job and a little reprieve. However, after the first couple days on the hunt, it is clear that many leads are dead ends or some form of a bait and switch. Disillusion creeps in and that dream job landing in your lap starts to feel further out of reach.

I moved to south Florida to work in the event production industry and, over the past four years, have worked for some great companies and done some exciting events. Miami is known for its great weather and outdoor lifestyle, so it is a good bet that any given weekend will provide a number of events, both local and national. Beaches, venues, parks, amphitheaters and other attractions bring plenty of action our way and also support many local jobs. Although I have always enjoyed my work, it does carry the same frustrations and glass ceiling found in any other industry. Maybe I am just impatient and my “show your worth through your work” attitude has not set me up for the slow and steady pace of the corporate ladder, but I find myself longing for something exciting and new, a company poised atop a unique niche within the industry. It is, after all, human nature to strive for the next level and seek out the “best of the best.” For me, that dream job is with a company bold enough to take risks and nurture fresh ideas. And guess what? Last fall one such company fell in my lap.

A friend in Chicago tipped me off to a company his law firm had worked with called Red Frog Events. They are relatively young, currently entering their fourth year, and produce some of the fastest growing events around. In my last article I wrote about one of their events called The Great Urban Race, a traveling urban scavenger hunt hitting cities nationwide, and coming to Miami this March. Their other two events, Beach Palooza and Warrior Dash, round off a trio of home-run productions, putting them in a position of quick and exponential growth worldwide. After checking out the Red Frog Events website, I was drawn to the “world’s best benefits” tab. Red Froggers are privy to a number of perks: amazing health, dental, life and vision insurance, unlimited vacation days, $100 monthly cell phone reimbursement, free food, drinks and beer, a fully paid four week vacation for you and a friend to Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia, a free birthday massage, a $1,000 match to your favorite charity, and more. It was instantly clear that a job with them would be both rewarding and fun. So, after taking all this in, I was smitten to learn that they are hiring! Every three to four months they bring on a group of interns known as event coordinators to dive right in to their day-to-day activities and learn the ins and outs of event production at their very own Camp Red Frog in Chicago. The only way to get a full-time gig with them is by completing this internship, so I had found my “in” and got right to work getting my foot in the door.

Last October, I sent in my resume, cover letter, and even a YouTube video I made (the position is very sought after so bringing your A-game is a must!) and held my breath. A week later I got a call from their office to set up a phone interview. They receive over 100 applications a day, so this is a big accomplishment. After that goes well, I am informed that I made it to the two percent of people who are offered an in-person interview. A quick call to an old roommate who lives two miles away from their downtown Chicago office confirms that there is a spare bedroom at her place I could use if need be. I book my flight, call my family and try to tame my excitement as I wait for my big day.

The morning of my interview starts with some strong coffee and a glance over my notes before heading up to the fifth floor of their office. My feeling at this moment is comparable to the type of awe you see in the eyes of a child. Standing there off the elevator I felt like Charlie gripping his golden ticket at the gates of the chocolate factory. I was beckoned through a pair of double glass doors complete with hand-carved red frog handles and immediately start to take in the ambiance of the office. Straight ahead are a couple of cubicles with RipStik boards and Nerf guns strewn across the daily calendars. The intern work space is shaded by two giant trees sprouting from the wood floors to the high ceiling amongst lily pad-shaped light fixtures. Past the trees is the centerpiece of Camp Red Frog: the tree house. Complete with rope ladders, a slide, and Fatboy bean bag chairs, the tree house serves as a conference room.

Before the interview I am led on a short tour. As we start, I am led past a projected image of a map listing all their upcoming events. Recently added to their lineup are events in London and Australia. I am led passed a rock climbing wall, a fire pit and a giant stuffed bear; but don’t worry animal lovers, it’s not a real bear. Last stop before my interview is the kitchen, complete with a soda fountain, free cans of Red Bull, a beer keg (yes, you can enjoy a beer while working!) and tons of snacks for the taking.

Finally I arrive at a corner room complete with a conference table made entirely out of Lego bricks with a big Red Frog logo in the center. I am greeted by both Ryan Kunkel and Joe Reynolds, the founder and vice president of the company. Their titles are of course more unique: Joe is the architect of adventure and Ryan is the master of monkey business. Although I have many years of experience in event production and have the personality that seems to fit the company culture, I am quietly reflecting on the weight this interview will have on me. I am thinking about my frustrations with trying to navigate through a barren job market and how gratifying this job would be for me. In the few seconds it takes me to sit down and greet them both, I find myself envisioning the life of a Red Frogger. I can see myself as a well accomplished and valued member of this smart and innovative company, spending my days hard at work in this beautiful office as I sip draft beer and watch other fresh faced applicants make their pilgrimage from all over the United States to those double glass doors as I did so many years ago. I pull my head out the clouds and dive right into securing my place here by acing this interview.

I don’t want to give away the questions asked inside that room, but I will mention that some of them were unusual. This is no surprise, nor is it a problem. While preparing for the interview, I did not saturate my notes with the cut-and-paste answers you might find in a “How to get through an interview for dummies” book. I wanted to stay loose and expect the unexpected. However, after a while I can’t help but notice an inner dialogue threatening to shake my focus. Will not getting this job mean I failed? What about the friends who know how badly I want this? If I don’t get it, what will I say to my family and loved ones whom I so desperately want to make proud? I start to change strategy mid-interview and second-guess all my answers. I am thinking mid-question about what might be the answer they want to hear instead of being myself. It is a classic mistake, and I found my nerves sabotaging my original plan of attack. Those little cracks in the foundation can really shake your resolution if you let them, which I did. I shifted to auto-pilot and did not shine the way I had anticipated.

I am answering the question, “What sets you apart from the other applicants?” and I can’t even remember what I just said. Instead, I am watching their reactions, wondering what they are writing down in their folders. Do they see the real me behind this semi-formal shell? Can’t we just grab a couple beers and spend an hour at the corner pub where I can display my infectious charm and wit? I’m wondering how I would judge me if I were them. Did I misjudge what to wear? Am I coming across as desperate? Am I desperate? Are they putting big check marks and smiley faces next to my name or a big, fat X?

The interview ends and we exchange firm handshakes, gracious smiles and warm wishes for the upcoming New Year. I leave the conference room strong, hoping my facade did not give away any signs of the subconscious mutiny I had just endured.  As I gather my things and prepare to head back into the cold Chicago air, I pause to take stock of myself.  I want to run back there, tell them all the things that I forgot, re-answering the questions with the home run responses that have instantly popped in my head. Instead, I pass back through the double glass doors and down towards the ground floor, wondering how many others applicants will share the same anxiety and lament in this very elevator.

A week later I received an email letting me know they chose another candidate for the position. Bummer, but I was kind of expecting it. I thanked them for the opportunity and wished them well, with a postscript that I would love to be considered for future positions if and when they open up. In retrospect, it kind of felt like offering my number to the girl who had turned it down the night before. At this point I am back in Miami getting back into the swing of things with work and preparing for the night’s New Years Eve party. The year 2010 is just hours away from being behind me and, surprisingly, I feel great. As the ball drops I am at a house party at the Cloisters in coconut grove, standing on the roof of a condo and watching the fireworks shimmer over Biscayne Bay. All around me are people I love, people who love me for being the person always there to cheer them up with humor or a good story. I realize that the tragedy I thought I had endured was no more than a noble shot in the dark with a company that gave me a great interview experience and an optimistic perspective for the new year.

Two weeks after hearing about the company, I had secured an interview granted to only the top two percent of applicants. If I can get such a positive response from seeking out my own job prospects instead of wading though the same old job posts I find only semi-worthwhile, then perhaps sitting around and waiting for opportunity to find me was not the right approach. With a little refinement and leg work, I am sure 2011 will be the year I utilize this seek-and-employ attitude with other great companies.

The job hunt is a race not unlike those put on by Red Frog Events. You must challenge yourself, take some risks, put on your best warrior face and aim for the finish line. As the last of the fireworks explode across the water, I raise a glass to my fellow Miamians and drink to high hopes, broad perspectives and endurance on the battlefield.

It was 1999 in the Chicago suburb of Champaign, Il, when Steve Holmes, Steve Lamos, and Mike Kinsella, collectively known as American Football, set out to record their debut album with Polyvinyl Records.

It would be the only full-length album the trio made together, but the self-titled LP with songs like “Never Meant” would become staples in the underground Chicago scene. Out of the American Football ashes Kinsella created a solo project – Owen — that has forged its own place in the windy city’s indie hall of fame.

Some have gone so far as to credit Owen as being “The Inventor of the Chicago Indie Scene”, but when Kinsella talked to Blast he said the accolade was far from the truth. In fact, he suggested “The Passenger of Chicago Public Transportation” or “The Consumer of Chicago Style Pizza” are more appropriate titles.

“There was already a thriving indie scene in Chicago, and it’s surrounding suburbs, way before I knew what ‘indie’ or ‘math rock’ was. I spent my youth going to see all these bands and trying to learn their songs.” Kinsella said, and countered that the Chicago scene made a huge impression on him rather than the other way around.

“It had a huge influence on me: musically, socially, morally, in my formative years and I definitely felt connected to it then,” he said.

After American Football disbanded, Kinsella went solo. Owen became less about musical experimentation but more about an artist finding and creating his own sound.

Still signed to Polyvinyl Records, Kinsella took the money designated to record his first album to create a home studio. Kinsella recorded all the instrumentation in the comfort of his living room and the outcome was “Owen” (2001).

While it created some buzz, it was the second album, “No Good For No One,” released the following year that secured Owen a spot in the souls of the broken hearted everywhere. Once again, Kinsella took the money arranged from his label and used it to expand his home studio and recorded the entire album there.

Lines like “You’ve got everything you came for/Warm arms, a warm bed to fall into/when you can’t get what you did out of your head” (“Nobody’s Nothing”) are propelled by Kinsella’s heartfelt voice over intricate acoustic guitar melodies. From the first album to the second, Kinsella expounded upon his lyrical technique, using each track to tell a story.

“The lyrics usually come out one slow line at a time, and after I have a few strung together that I like I figure out what the song is about. It can be as vague as ‘a night out at a bar with friends’ or as specific as ‘feeling guilty about not wanting to shake the homeless man’s hand because he smelled.’ Once the idea is formed, then I fill in the rest of the lines, trying to keep them as concise as possible while still saying what I want to say,” Kinsella explained.

Kinsella said he doesn’t start making a record with a specific theme in mind, but his albums tend to have a similar tone dependant on what he is doing or where he is in his life when he is working on the album.

Assisting with Kinsella’s own lyrical potency is his tendency to draw on literary figures. “No Good For No One Now” is decorated with references to everyone from Raymond Carver to Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway.

“Usually I’m attracted to a specific line in a story and create my own context for it. Sometimes then the actual line works its way into the song and sometimes the song exists as a reference to the sentence or book. I find myself returning to Gabriel Garcia Marquez [author of "Love in the Time of Cholera"] for inspiration. I’m a sucker for love stories and everything he writes seems to gravitate around the concept of Love,” Kinsella said.

Lyrically, Kinsella has progressively moved away from the tales of heartbreak. From “No Good for No One Now” to “I Do Perceive” (2004) to “At Home With Owen” (2006) the content becomes less about the one that got away and more of the stories of someone slowly finding their way into their own skin. Songs like “Use Your Words” and “Windows and Doorways” breathe more like messages of moving on rather than being entrenched in heartbreak.

“It’s a result of me being more comfortable with myself than I was however many years ago ‘No Good’ came out. At that time I had recently figured out how to make myself happy but I was still feeling really guilty about it, so I was always sort of conflicted. Nowadays I think I communicate better, which makes my happiness less qualified,” said Kinsella about the change.

“At Home With Owen” also became the first album where Kinsella left his mother’s house to record anything. He split the recording of the album in half, opting to do part of it still in his living room and the other in a professional studio, which allowed him more options. In the end, “At Home” has a much more filled out sound than the previous Owen records. The use of more guitar and bass gives the album more of a full band feeling, but Kinsella says he’s happy with the final outcome.

“I’m definitely more comfortable recording at home for a number of reasons – I can do as many takes as I want without feeling like I’m wasting someone else’s time. I’m generally uncomfortable singing in front of anyone else. I can not put pants on that day if I don’t want to. I can take breaks if I get frustrated without feeling like I’m wasting money. That said, the final product that comes out of a studio makes me happier than the one that comes out of my house.” Kinsella said.

Two years since his last release, the world does not have much longer to wait to see where Kinsella ends up with the next Owen LP. Recording is slated to be complete by March with a tentative summer or early fall release date, Kinsella said. While fans can be sure to expect the same signature Owen lyrical honest intensity, some new influences in Kinsella’s life may provide view to yet another new Owen dimension.

“My wife and I are having a baby in late March and while I’m sure the birth of my daughter will inspire me in countless ways,” Kinsella said. “I can’t say for sure that’ll it’ll inspire me to continue to be a ‘starving artist’.”

Hundreds of Twilight fans were upset early Wednesday morning when they were turned away from Orland Square Mall in Chicago. Many came prepared to wait in the cold rain for hours, but that wasn’t necessary – mall security decided to sell the wristbands and t-shirts needed for entrance into Rob Pattinson’s presence early to avoid the same sort of fiasco that San Francisco fans experienced, but therein created a fiasco of their own. Wristbands that were not to be passed out until 7:30 that morning were gone by 2 AM.Liz Waters, who we’ve talked to before about her website twilight20somethings.com, was one of the many turned away this morning.

“It was only 1:15 and all these people were arriving and were so excited because there was no line and they thought they were first – but it was already sold out. There were people that had driven 10 hours to get there, and got there at the specified time, and were turned away.”

Security was strict in making sure all of the twi-fans left the premises, telling them that they were trespassing on mall property. Waters was confused by the mall’s change.

“We were told that we could start lining up at 4:30 and that anyone camping out before hand would be arrested. Instead, they gave wristbands to the people camped out at midnight and turned away the people following the rules.”

While anyone can attend the Q & A session with Rob later tonight, only those lucky 500 fans will be able to meet him or get a poster signed.

Authorities are still searching for singer/actress Jennifer Hudson’s nephew, who has been missing since Hudson’s mother and brother were shot to death in their Chicago home Friday afternoon.

William Balfour, Hudson’s sister’s estranged husband, was arrested Friday as the main suspect in the deaths, but seven-year-old Julian King has not been seen since the bodies of Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were found Friday afternoon.

An Amber Alert was issued Friday naming Balfour as a suspect in the double homicide. He has not been charged yet, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

A family member found the bodies at the Donerson’s home Friday afternoon. Donerson was found shot in the living room while Jason Hudson was found in the bedroom, police said.

Authorities described the shooting as domestic violence and said at least one of the victims suffered defensive wounds, Yahoo! News reported.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office has said autopsies for Donerson and Jason Hudson were pending.

Records from the Illinois Department of Corrections show Balfour, 27, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle, Yahoo! News reported. Public records show one of Balfour’s addresses as the home where Donerson and Jason Hudson were shot.

Jennifer Hudson won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in “Dreamgirls,” and her self-titled debut album is a top seller. She was featured in this year’s “Sex and the City” movie and is also starring in “The Secret Life of Bees,” which is in theaters now.

In an interview last year with Vogue, Hudson credited her mother with encouraging her to audition for “American Idol,” which launched her career.

What could be better than a tall, handsome, brown eyed Italian man in his 30s? A tall, handsome, brown-eyed Italian man in his 30s who sings vibrantly and could be the next European sensation. Meet Nicola “Niko” Congiu, a singer with an Italian following who has opened shows for Jewel and Celine Dion and sang alongside Tony Bennett. Until now Niko has remained under the Italian wraps but is ready to entertain America.

“I started to sing in front of people when I was in primary school with my friends but the first time I had an audience was when I was 16,” Niko reminisced. “Every summer I went to the beach on my bicycle with my guitar [But] it was unusual because I was a young boy singing Diana Polanka songs and the guys of my age sang other things.”

In an interview with Blast, Niko explained that his musical passion was, is and will forever be, rock. Because of this he began performing the rock songs he grew up listening to and loving. As he grew older his beach gigs got him a mid-sized following, or as he describes with a grin, “I started making many, many, friends.”

As a child he received a keyboard, rock cassettes and a guitar as gifts for Christmas and birthdays from is parents who wanted him to enjoy music. However, they never fully realized that as Niko taught himself to play the instruments and lip-synch to the rock tunes, he was dreaming of one day being an artist. After performing in the beach over the summers his first glimpse at fame came when he was 18.

The teen entered a TV competition, Rei Por La Note (King for a Night), where he sang and won the night’s honors. His performance was seen nationwide and after that his popularity grew. Through more contests and gigs he met Paolo Limiti, an Italian T.V. personality from the national station Rai Uno. Limiti decided Niko would be great addition to his show and sooner than soon he was performing American, dance and Italian songs for millions across Italy’s television sets. In search for more, Niko moved to Milan.

There he put together a band of seven musicians and toured the country for ten years. His large number of new “friends” started filing up bars, as he became a true “Piano Man” and sang at local restaurants and hot spots across the country.

“I worked in clubs and played and sang every kind of music, from waltz to salsa to cha-cha-cha to disco from the 70s every kind. When I was 20 I started to sing in Italian because I started to work at many piano bars, but for me it’s beautiful to be here [in America] because I feel at home. I don’t now why but I always thought there was something special for me, something between me and America- I always felt this, and now it’s a dream come true for me.”

While touring and being on stages nearly every other day the star in training learned valuable lessons. Niko says that first, and most importantly, he learned to stay on stage and to know how to talk to the audience. He also learned the “right behavior” with my musicians, to know how to be punctual and work as a team rather than being a diva-man. “I think it’s important to stay true to yourself, ‘tu mismo,’ because I am living this moment like an important adventure and a beautiful experience for my life first of all. Is not important to me to become a huge star it’s important to me to sing.”

Just as he got into Italy’s heart, Niko tells that when he sings he can give other people the feeling that he’s feeling. For him, that is the most important thing. “I understand it will be strong if you have success now but then no more! I don’t want this, I just want to stay quiet and enjoy this moment every day.”

It’s still uncertain if Niko’s days will remain quiet or not. He was offered the opportunity to come to America by director-producer Steve Binder who met Niko on one of his shows while vacationing in Europe. Binder enjoyed the show so much he offered Niko the chance to meet people in the industry and obtain a development deal with Live Nation. From his most recent album Niko’s sounds are smooth and romantic. He is indeed gifted with a good voice, making his ballads alluring, but what probably attracts audiences most is his open personality.

Throughout the interview itself, the singer was nervous about his accent but eager to share memories and talk. This Italian feel is what Niko can bring to the table without having much competition. Although he is compared to Josh Groban or Andrea Bocelli and toured this summer with Chicago and the Doobie Brothers, his music is constantly developing.

“I want him to be Niko not anybody else, you can compare the vocal talent but not the performance. His communication with the audience is different,” said Binder. “Going with Chicago and the Doobie Brothers who are heavy duty Rock and Roll and seeing that they’ve embraced each other and had true love affair of musicians is amazing. Too see that four bars into a first song people are putting attention”¦ I’ve never seen that with an opening act.”

Now as he prepares to work in the U.S. it’s exciting to hear about the music he may work in. Maybe audiences can expect Italian accented soft rock tunes? “I think when I first saw my first movie I was four or five with my parents and we went to see Grease. This was my first important moment because I immediately loved the music, Rock and Roll, the style, everything; I love many different kinds of music but my first love was Rock and Roll,” asserted the singer.

Although his summer tour has come to an end there are plans for future concerts as a record is being prepared. When asked whether or not he missed his native land, the answer is “of course,” but for the obvious reasons of family, friends and fans that are there. As far as his career is concerned Niko tells that he belongs here now.

“When I said ‘I am going to America’ people in Italy were very happy for my career and for me because I didn’t have many opportunities, it’s a sad thing but the music business in Italy is very closed; so we’ll see what happens because they are waiting for another Italian concert,” Niko added jokingly. “I couldn’t believe I to go out of Italy. I could not do it because it was difficult, I didn’t know anybody but I met Steve and this year is the beginning of my adventure.”

Enter to win a copy of Niko’s CD, Per Te, by emailing Giveaways@BlastMagazine.com