Since you've never ever brought me anything before, I think you owe me. A lot. So this year for Christmas I want...
1. Nextwave #11 with the 6 double page spreads.
2. I Kill Giants tpb.
3. Ming and Ping tickets.
4. Someone to go to a Ming and Ping concert with me.
5. Someone to go to any concert with me.
6. Dwayne Wayne flip-ups.
7. Dwayne Wayne.
8. More Brittana on Glee.
9. X-Factor #206 and the Nation X one-shot, the only two I'm missing from the current run.
10. A Moonlit Sailor CD.
11. More opportunities to be with friends.
12. Someone to explain Young Liars to me. Good luck with that one.
13. Danny Boyle to finally make a 28 Months Later.
14. The obligatory World Peace and Joy to All I guess.
15. Whatever.
Thankfully yours,
Diddly S. Quat
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Goonies Never Say Die
I saw a Goonies shirt at Target and got all excited thinking it was a Goonies Never Say Die shirt and how awesome and weird it is that they've gotten so far by way of fanbase and what an amazing store Target is for recognizing the world of lesser known talents. Then I remembered that there was a movie back in the eighties or something called The Goonies that the band got their name from. Something about kids and pirates in a cave. Totally forgettable but cult classic or whatever. Anyways, I felt stupid but in an awfully amused way.
Digging the all-instrumentals lately.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Halloween 2010
Alas, another Halloween has come and gone.
I made a Jack-o-lantern Skellington.
Dressed up as a sound effect.
And bought two of my favorite movies of all time. Then realized Carnival of Souls is in the public domain and felt cheated by Best Buy. Then felt stupid because that's where I got a hold of this awesome movie in the first place but didn't remember that because the movie itself was so awesome. The other movie was 28 Days Later if you're wondering.
Also, yay for my first Halloween after learning that Starburst uses Type B gelatin. So yay for them as well. Now I deny myself of their fruity deliciousness out of concern for my ever-changing waist line as opposed to some cosmic question over the final resting place of my soul that is frankly, a bit morally ambiguous. And congrats to all you comic book and horror geeks for making The Walking Dead a mainstream entertainment success.
I made a Jack-o-lantern Skellington.
Dressed up as a sound effect.
And bought two of my favorite movies of all time. Then realized Carnival of Souls is in the public domain and felt cheated by Best Buy. Then felt stupid because that's where I got a hold of this awesome movie in the first place but didn't remember that because the movie itself was so awesome. The other movie was 28 Days Later if you're wondering.
Also, yay for my first Halloween after learning that Starburst uses Type B gelatin. So yay for them as well. Now I deny myself of their fruity deliciousness out of concern for my ever-changing waist line as opposed to some cosmic question over the final resting place of my soul that is frankly, a bit morally ambiguous. And congrats to all you comic book and horror geeks for making The Walking Dead a mainstream entertainment success.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
I am so old.
In hindsight I realize two things. That I probably should not have named this site what I did as at best it only gives this blog at most a year's worth of relevance. And also, everybody loves you when you're twenty-three!
This time exactly one year ago I was reminiscing about my life as a 22 year old. It was the mark of not only another year closer to the dreaded high school reunion but an entire year of death, depression, and overall disappointment in all things I had once thought worth living for. It was my quarter-life crisis come early. Where nothing made sense and my life had already gone beyond unfulfilled potential to waste. I was marred and nothing would ever again be right. This was the sentiment that welcomed me as I opened the door into the next chapter of my story, what seemed to be a continuation of this dreary existence I had called life. (Of course I would be remiss not to mention the standout positive memory of the year, that one moment of reunion and consequent friendship that seems almost too unreal in re-tellings to be, you know, real.)
But things change. Oh, how they do change.
It's the little things that made this year what it was. This will always be remembered as the year I met Slow Club while eating bad thai food or the year I finally learned -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . It will be the year I met a tattooed security guard named Grim and shot down my very first marriage proposal, though the fortunes may have been reversed had it come from said security guard. Where I learned that every day is a day of “unbridled possibilities” and that even I had a story worth sharing. I will always remember the image of the old woman crying as I handed her a dollar. The coroner's seal on an apartment I was assigned which led me to meet one of the nicest people I might ever meet with one of the most interesting. The acquaintance that turned into a friend and the friend that called out in need when I was so powerless to help. Yes, I have done much in this year and met many. It was unbearably bleak at times and yet unbelievably entertaining in it's bleakness. Like the science fiction stories I am so fond of, there was hope and possibility hiding down there, beneath the hard sludgy surface. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
It has led me to question one of the statements from my very first post here which I once considered a veritable truth. When in these past 365 days exactly did the world stop hating 23 year olds? Or could it be so simple that I have changed?
Perhaps I have changed. Perhaps not. Not drastically so anyways. I still see the world in the same critical cynic laden eyes of a black haired teenager with internet access growing up in rural Missouri. But I can take credit for whichever outlook on life I choose to run with for the day or the proactive though futile actions that led me to enroll in classes, though the idea of sitting in a classroom again bored me to tears, but I must admit that there had to have been something waiting there beyond the winds. Something big. Something that I cannot, ever, take credit for. I look for it always and see it sometimes in what I like to call my hallelujah moments, whether they be good or bad.
Maybe that's just it. There is no good or bad. There just is. Because only when things get bad enough do they actually start to look good again. Like a circular timeline. It's when you give up on all the things you were always told to try and all the things you ever thought you wanted that you can finally do what feels right for you. I feel blessed to know the things that I know now. To know myself.
And so I come to the next year with a cautious optimism, while I sit here still on my parents' couch, this time quite unabashedly. Because I know I'm not where I'm supposed to be yet and I don't know if I'll ever actually get there. But that's okay. Isn't it? Because I'm on my way. Because I'm here.
Anyways, here's to things being indifferent at 24!
This time exactly one year ago I was reminiscing about my life as a 22 year old. It was the mark of not only another year closer to the dreaded high school reunion but an entire year of death, depression, and overall disappointment in all things I had once thought worth living for. It was my quarter-life crisis come early. Where nothing made sense and my life had already gone beyond unfulfilled potential to waste. I was marred and nothing would ever again be right. This was the sentiment that welcomed me as I opened the door into the next chapter of my story, what seemed to be a continuation of this dreary existence I had called life. (Of course I would be remiss not to mention the standout positive memory of the year, that one moment of reunion and consequent friendship that seems almost too unreal in re-tellings to be, you know, real.)
But things change. Oh, how they do change.
It's the little things that made this year what it was. This will always be remembered as the year I met Slow Club while eating bad thai food or the year I finally learned -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . It will be the year I met a tattooed security guard named Grim and shot down my very first marriage proposal, though the fortunes may have been reversed had it come from said security guard. Where I learned that every day is a day of “unbridled possibilities” and that even I had a story worth sharing. I will always remember the image of the old woman crying as I handed her a dollar. The coroner's seal on an apartment I was assigned which led me to meet one of the nicest people I might ever meet with one of the most interesting. The acquaintance that turned into a friend and the friend that called out in need when I was so powerless to help. Yes, I have done much in this year and met many. It was unbearably bleak at times and yet unbelievably entertaining in it's bleakness. Like the science fiction stories I am so fond of, there was hope and possibility hiding down there, beneath the hard sludgy surface. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
It has led me to question one of the statements from my very first post here which I once considered a veritable truth. When in these past 365 days exactly did the world stop hating 23 year olds? Or could it be so simple that I have changed?
Perhaps I have changed. Perhaps not. Not drastically so anyways. I still see the world in the same critical cynic laden eyes of a black haired teenager with internet access growing up in rural Missouri. But I can take credit for whichever outlook on life I choose to run with for the day or the proactive though futile actions that led me to enroll in classes, though the idea of sitting in a classroom again bored me to tears, but I must admit that there had to have been something waiting there beyond the winds. Something big. Something that I cannot, ever, take credit for. I look for it always and see it sometimes in what I like to call my hallelujah moments, whether they be good or bad.
Maybe that's just it. There is no good or bad. There just is. Because only when things get bad enough do they actually start to look good again. Like a circular timeline. It's when you give up on all the things you were always told to try and all the things you ever thought you wanted that you can finally do what feels right for you. I feel blessed to know the things that I know now. To know myself.
And so I come to the next year with a cautious optimism, while I sit here still on my parents' couch, this time quite unabashedly. Because I know I'm not where I'm supposed to be yet and I don't know if I'll ever actually get there. But that's okay. Isn't it? Because I'm on my way. Because I'm here.
Anyways, here's to things being indifferent at 24!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
sticks and stones
How long can someone call you Madison before it becomes too awkward to correct them?
Cause it's been like 2 weeks.
Cause it's been like 2 weeks.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Never met a guy that liked a nerd girl
I guess that's a good thing though cause according to this song that would mean one of us would be dead...
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or handless...
or a robot...
But I do like me some Egon
and Lipsmackers.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Tokyo Godfathers
I was introduced to this movie on a lark some time ago and for some reason it's just been stuck in my head since then. I've been trying to get a hold of it for quite some time now. And then, randomly (like incredibly random), I find it. At a bargain price too. Yay.
So I buy it on Sunday.
I watch it on Tuesday.
It turns out director Satoshi Kon died on Monday.
An interesting and tragic turn of events for a movie about interesting and blessed turns of events.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Cartoon Heroes
Remember when I said I wanted to be like this guy?
I realize now that I am a lot more like these two.
And I don't think that's all that bad.
I realize now that I am a lot more like these two.
And I don't think that's all that bad.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Explicit Content
I warn you now. There is some harsh language beyond the cute rabbit. Read at your own risk. Or if you're not interested just enjoy the adorableness I used as a page breaker.
You fucking asshole cunt sucking shit eating horse fuckers.
It's not what you took. Or the damage you caused. Or the fact that you thought it amusing for everyone else to see what you had done. Or that you were too fucking shit for brains scared or stupid to own up. It was that you violated my property and you violated me.
I hope you get whatever it is that comes to you.
Sometimes I think there's something wrong with this world. But it's not the world itself I realize. It's the people in it.
And part of the problem is that people like me dwell on the bad when there is so much good so you will not hear any more of the subject from me. This is me letting go. And to get the bad aftertaste of it all out of my soul, here is a song that makes me feel good every single time I hear it.
You fucking asshole cunt sucking shit eating horse fuckers.
It's not what you took. Or the damage you caused. Or the fact that you thought it amusing for everyone else to see what you had done. Or that you were too fucking shit for brains scared or stupid to own up. It was that you violated my property and you violated me.
I hope you get whatever it is that comes to you.
Sometimes I think there's something wrong with this world. But it's not the world itself I realize. It's the people in it.
And part of the problem is that people like me dwell on the bad when there is so much good so you will not hear any more of the subject from me. This is me letting go. And to get the bad aftertaste of it all out of my soul, here is a song that makes me feel good every single time I hear it.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
My Secret Life of Television
Darn you ABC Family for your
marathon making me once again hooked to a show I gave up long ago for the sake of my own sanity. I don't know what it is. The horrible writing, the horrible plots, the horrible acting, or that every other word is sex or something to do with Christ. So bad it's good doesn't even apply because by no stretch of the imagination can this show ever be considered good. Seriously, Ashley is in love with Ricky and Adrian is having Ben's baby?! What the fuck what the fuck. Oh how I have missed you cheap tacky soap opera romance novel plot twists.
And that is my secret television guilty pleasure confession.
marathon making me once again hooked to a show I gave up long ago for the sake of my own sanity. I don't know what it is. The horrible writing, the horrible plots, the horrible acting, or that every other word is sex or something to do with Christ. So bad it's good doesn't even apply because by no stretch of the imagination can this show ever be considered good. Seriously, Ashley is in love with Ricky and Adrian is having Ben's baby?! What the fuck what the fuck. Oh how I have missed you cheap tacky soap opera romance novel plot twists.
And that is my secret television guilty pleasure confession.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
DC Universe Online
The epicest of all epicness. (For this week at least.)
BAM!!!
If you've seen it already, watch it again. Full screen. Headphones on. Full volume. It's just that good.
BAM!!!
If you've seen it already, watch it again. Full screen. Headphones on. Full volume. It's just that good.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Simply Beautiful
Which means something coming from me because the other great graphic novel everyone apparently must read, Bone, bored the heck out of me.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Rejection
You'd think after all this time it would start to hurt less.
It's a sad state of affairs when I would do anything to be more like this guy
pre y2k.
Back from Crisco by the way. I mean Frisco. Ghirardelli is good. It makes me sad about my chocolate allergy. Everything makes me sad about my chocolate allergy.
Also I didn't think it was possible to love Kif anymore than I already did. I was sadly mistaken. And all it took was 5 seconds of him on a motorcycle. What? Jealous of Fry and Amy? How is this possible?
It's a sad state of affairs when I would do anything to be more like this guy
pre y2k.
Back from Crisco by the way. I mean Frisco. Ghirardelli is good. It makes me sad about my chocolate allergy. Everything makes me sad about my chocolate allergy.
Also I didn't think it was possible to love Kif anymore than I already did. I was sadly mistaken. And all it took was 5 seconds of him on a motorcycle. What? Jealous of Fry and Amy? How is this possible?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Review: Splice
Okay I watched this movie a while ago and am only writing this review now because I think it's the kind of movie you need to sleep on for a few nights before you really understand any of it. You know, until the nightmares about alien babies stop. Actually, I think it's the kind of movie you need to watch two or three times before you understand any of it but $11.50 is a bit much for me being unemployed and all. It's my belief that the price of your average movie ticket without discounts or 3D should be no more than the current hourly minimum wage for the state. So somebody write that into a law already. $23 for the both of us? I could've gone to that Mates of State concert with that.
While looking at the showtime listings on the marquee, my friend and I started talking about how there's no more originality left in Hollywood, a conversation I hear many other people have been having lately too. Well, we wanted originality and by George, I think we got it. Splice is an indie, sci-fi, horror-ish, drama about two scientist lovers creating then raising a human animal hybrid child sprinkled with quite a bit of incestual soft core porn. Taking this into consideration, I find it interesting that more than anything it is a movie about family relationships. Mothers, fathers, lovers, brothers, children, yes, even pet owners. These relationships are supposed to be about love and caring and other good things so how exactly does it all end up so horribly for every one of these characters? In the way that it warns all those potential parents out there and plays on those common fears of family that most people don't conceptualize nearly as monstrous, it reminds me a lot of David Lynch's Eraserhead but in color and without all the sperm. No wait, scratch that.
Overall, it was very promising until the very last 15 minutes. I even liked some of the characters until the scene that proved to me all those sit-coms were right; sex really does screw everything up. It was at his point I wanted everybody to die. And yes, I did have a soft spot in my heart for baby Dren before this too.
Now for some random thoughts.
1. Dren reminds me so much of this guy. Same bald shiny head and random color changes throughout the movie. But more than that, it's the almost magical way that Dren just happens to avoid death by mutating at just the right moment. Falling off a roof? Bam! Here's some nice new wings for you. Daddy tries to drown you? Well the jokes on you Dad because Bam! Amphibian lungs can breathe under water. You're heart stops and they bury you? Nope still not dead. Daddy learns from his mistakes and stabs you through the gut? And... yeah. Still alive.
2. I'm glad they didn't make this in 3D because Adrien Brody's nose is huge.
3. Based on Adrien Brody's inability to kill defenseless little hybrid babies as evidenced by point #1 and the camouflage issues associated with #2, I don't hold out a whole lot of hope that he's going to survive the Predators reboot due out this week.
4. I will now always remember that tedious and outside use the same exact letters.
5. If you were ever in any doubt, that very last scene proves this is a Sundance movie seething with it's unmistakeable indieness.
6. Oh Diddly. Why do you do this to yourself? Don't you remember The Box?
Ok, seriously, this movie is much much better than The Box. Though it did end in disappointment, I am glad I saw it. It really was unlike anything I had seen before and that alone gives it major enjoyment points. It's a risk and that's part of what makes it fun. I say give it a try and then rewrite the ending for yourself. Honestly, as scientist mommy says, 'what's the worst that can happen?' but without all the ominous foreboding music that goes along with it.
While looking at the showtime listings on the marquee, my friend and I started talking about how there's no more originality left in Hollywood, a conversation I hear many other people have been having lately too. Well, we wanted originality and by George, I think we got it. Splice is an indie, sci-fi, horror-ish, drama about two scientist lovers creating then raising a human animal hybrid child sprinkled with quite a bit of incestual soft core porn. Taking this into consideration, I find it interesting that more than anything it is a movie about family relationships. Mothers, fathers, lovers, brothers, children, yes, even pet owners. These relationships are supposed to be about love and caring and other good things so how exactly does it all end up so horribly for every one of these characters? In the way that it warns all those potential parents out there and plays on those common fears of family that most people don't conceptualize nearly as monstrous, it reminds me a lot of David Lynch's Eraserhead but in color and without all the sperm. No wait, scratch that.
Overall, it was very promising until the very last 15 minutes. I even liked some of the characters until the scene that proved to me all those sit-coms were right; sex really does screw everything up. It was at his point I wanted everybody to die. And yes, I did have a soft spot in my heart for baby Dren before this too.
Now for some random thoughts.
1. Dren reminds me so much of this guy. Same bald shiny head and random color changes throughout the movie. But more than that, it's the almost magical way that Dren just happens to avoid death by mutating at just the right moment. Falling off a roof? Bam! Here's some nice new wings for you. Daddy tries to drown you? Well the jokes on you Dad because Bam! Amphibian lungs can breathe under water. You're heart stops and they bury you? Nope still not dead. Daddy learns from his mistakes and stabs you through the gut? And... yeah. Still alive.
2. I'm glad they didn't make this in 3D because Adrien Brody's nose is huge.
3. Based on Adrien Brody's inability to kill defenseless little hybrid babies as evidenced by point #1 and the camouflage issues associated with #2, I don't hold out a whole lot of hope that he's going to survive the Predators reboot due out this week.
4. I will now always remember that tedious and outside use the same exact letters.
5. If you were ever in any doubt, that very last scene proves this is a Sundance movie seething with it's unmistakeable indieness.
6. Oh Diddly. Why do you do this to yourself? Don't you remember The Box?
Ok, seriously, this movie is much much better than The Box. Though it did end in disappointment, I am glad I saw it. It really was unlike anything I had seen before and that alone gives it major enjoyment points. It's a risk and that's part of what makes it fun. I say give it a try and then rewrite the ending for yourself. Honestly, as scientist mommy says, 'what's the worst that can happen?' but without all the ominous foreboding music that goes along with it.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Wonder Woman #600
Why can't I get myself to care?
That's right. Because it's DC.
If you can't get me with Batman's death then this thing has no chance.
I don't get the big deal personally. Most people change their clothes every day let alone every 70 years.
That's right. Because it's DC.
If you can't get me with Batman's death then this thing has no chance.
I don't get the big deal personally. Most people change their clothes every day let alone every 70 years.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Ice Cream at the Xavier Institute
Since it's still the beginning of summer I thought this page of Loa and Wolf Cub eating ice cream from New X-men would be a great way to start the season off. A little backstory though, Loa, Wolf Cub, and Pixie are all members of the newest group of x-men students. In a rather depressing plot they're trying to figure out who the youngest mutant at the mansion is because really bad things tend to happen to the young ones (you know, like maiming and death). That's what Loa and Wolf Cub are talking about. Also, Pixie is trying to get out of a training session by using her hallucinogenic pixie dust on Wolverine.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
2010 Pacsun Beach Ballyhoo
Matt & Kim are so much better live. And here's one of the reasons why:
Also this:
She is standing ON TOP THE CROWD!!! And that was cinders, my favorite of their songs that I was really hoping they would play. I wish I could find a video of Matt hanging one handed from the top of the rafters. I am a much bigger fan now than I was even last week and I think I was a pretty substantial fan last week. Steel Train, Neon Trees, B.o.B, bmx demos, free stuff and beachiness! This was an amazing day. I wish you guys could've been there.
Also this:
She is standing ON TOP THE CROWD!!! And that was cinders, my favorite of their songs that I was really hoping they would play. I wish I could find a video of Matt hanging one handed from the top of the rafters. I am a much bigger fan now than I was even last week and I think I was a pretty substantial fan last week. Steel Train, Neon Trees, B.o.B, bmx demos, free stuff and beachiness! This was an amazing day. I wish you guys could've been there.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Boom Boom Ba
Go Lakers! Yay!
Anyways, I was watching the NBA finals on ABC 7 and a commercial popped up for ABC's new summer season show The Gates. What I get from this is basically a what happens when the Twilight kids grow up, come into crazy amounts of money from who knows where, and then take over Wisteria Lane. I haven't watched either a Twilight movie or a single full episode of Desperate Housewives before so I'm actually really really sure I'm not going to watch this new show either. (What was that Mad TV sketch? Something about so many shows are just rich white kids with problems? Yeah, that doesn't interest me so much.) Anyways, really quietly in the background you can hear Boom Boom Ba by Metisse. That's the Dead Like Me song! So I've posted the song with clips from the first amazing episode of that show. Enjoy.
Anyways, I was watching the NBA finals on ABC 7 and a commercial popped up for ABC's new summer season show The Gates. What I get from this is basically a what happens when the Twilight kids grow up, come into crazy amounts of money from who knows where, and then take over Wisteria Lane. I haven't watched either a Twilight movie or a single full episode of Desperate Housewives before so I'm actually really really sure I'm not going to watch this new show either. (What was that Mad TV sketch? Something about so many shows are just rich white kids with problems? Yeah, that doesn't interest me so much.) Anyways, really quietly in the background you can hear Boom Boom Ba by Metisse. That's the Dead Like Me song! So I've posted the song with clips from the first amazing episode of that show. Enjoy.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Geek Crafts
I got bored yesterday so I made this belt out of soda pop tabs.
Then I got bored again and counted how many tabs I used. It took ~100 and came out a little big. I used only pop tabs, string, 2 paper clips, a little bit of nail polish to secure the knots, and three hours of time. Some of this time was spent on washing pop tabs though. Some of those had been in there since I 1st started collecting them back in 6th grade. It makes me feel bad about how many soda's I drink, which really is only one or two a week, but still. I think this will go great with my other geek projects.
The duct tape shoes (using only duct tape, one plastic bag, and a small sheet of cardboard, and shoelaces I guess) with matching duct tape wallet:
Jamie Madrox jacket:
And... Leela's wristlojackinator?
That hole is where I put my watch so that when I look at the time it's like I'm really using it. And I know it's supposed to be on the other arm. Just look at the picture with a mirror if it bothers you.
On a side note, a few people have asked me about my jacket. No, it's not supposed to be shoe laces. It's the trademark uniform of X-Factor's fan favorite Jamie 'The Multiple Man' Madrox. It is awesome because Madrox is awesome. Here's a picture of him.
Hmm. That's a Madrox, but not the right one. Let's try this again.
Oooh. That's not the right one at all. At all at all.
Ah. Madrox looking bad-ass with the mutant M over his eye.
But this is the kind of Madrox I fell in love with.
Then I got bored again and counted how many tabs I used. It took ~100 and came out a little big. I used only pop tabs, string, 2 paper clips, a little bit of nail polish to secure the knots, and three hours of time. Some of this time was spent on washing pop tabs though. Some of those had been in there since I 1st started collecting them back in 6th grade. It makes me feel bad about how many soda's I drink, which really is only one or two a week, but still. I think this will go great with my other geek projects.
The duct tape shoes (using only duct tape, one plastic bag, and a small sheet of cardboard, and shoelaces I guess) with matching duct tape wallet:
Jamie Madrox jacket:
And... Leela's wristlojackinator?
That hole is where I put my watch so that when I look at the time it's like I'm really using it. And I know it's supposed to be on the other arm. Just look at the picture with a mirror if it bothers you.
On a side note, a few people have asked me about my jacket. No, it's not supposed to be shoe laces. It's the trademark uniform of X-Factor's fan favorite Jamie 'The Multiple Man' Madrox. It is awesome because Madrox is awesome. Here's a picture of him.
Hmm. That's a Madrox, but not the right one. Let's try this again.
Oooh. That's not the right one at all. At all at all.
Ah. Madrox looking bad-ass with the mutant M over his eye.
But this is the kind of Madrox I fell in love with.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
-.. .. - -.. .- ....
-- -.-- -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . .--. --- ... - .- ... .--. .-. --- -- .. ... . -.. .-.-.- .. .- -- -. --- - . ...- . -. -.-. .... . .- - .. -. --. .-.-.- - .... .- - -- .. --. .... - -... . --- -... ...- .. --- ..- ... - .... --- ..- --. .... -... . -.-. .- ..- ... . .. -.. --- -. - -.- -. --- .-- .. ..-. .. -- .- -.- . .- -- .. ... - .- -.- . - .... --- ..- --. .... -.-- --- ..- .--. .-. --- -... .- -... .-.. -.-- .-- --- -. - . .. - .... . .-. .-.-.- .. .- -- -. --- - -. . .- .-. .-.. -.-- .- ... --. --- --- -.. .- - - .... .. ... .- ... .. .---- -.. .- -.-- .... --- .--. . - --- -... . .-.-.- .. - --- -.-. -.-. ..- .-. ... - --- -- . - .... .- - .. -.-. .- -. .-- .-. .. - . .- -. -.-- - .... .. -. --. .. .-- .- -. - -... . -.-. .- ..- ... . .-- .... -.-- .-- --- ..- .-.. -.. .- -. -.-- --- -. . --. --- - .... .-. --- ..- --. .... - .... . . ..-. ..-. --- .-. - --- ..-. - .-. .- -. ... .-.. .- - .. -. --. - .... .. ... ..--.. ... --- - .... . -- . .- -. .. -. --. --- ..-. .-.. .. ..-. . .. ... ..-. -..- -.- ...- .-. --.- ... -. .-.-.-
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Explain this to me.
Okay. The only requirement in this job description was "1+ years experience interacting with people." So then how the hell can someone "more closely match the requirements for this position" than me? I've been interacting with people since the day I was born! No, seriously, that was stupid and if they weren't going to take me I wish they would've just ignored it rather than send me some bullshit excuse like this. Ah well, this is what I get for working my ass off in college. Maybe they can hire me to reword their rejection messages so they don't sound like bad pennysaver ads.
Monday, May 24, 2010
George. Chuck. Jaye. Diddly?
I think I'm living the first fifteen minutes of a Bryan Fuller show. You know, the underachieving young girl in her late teens or early twenties that either dropped out of college one semester in and ended up working in the basement of Happy Time Temporary Services or graduated from Brown only to end up behind the counter of Wonder Falls Gift Emporium selling tacky trinkets. Promising girls living dead end lives and none of them realizing what they have. What life has to offer. They go through the motions and rebel against life in passive aggressive ways like dropping out, which I think actually does take a good bit of courage. They're okay in these lives. Okay to live alone with recluse aunts forever or in a trailer (I really want to do this one day because I think it sounds fun). Not happy but still okay. It's only us the viewers that can see that something’s not right. That there's something missing here and we badly want them to see it too. And they do come to that epiphany eventually, after those fifteen minutes and the first commercial break, only it takes some large force outside of themselves to help them to it. And that's scary because Jaye gets schizophrenia and both Chuck and George end up dying gruesome horrible deaths. And they wonder why their lives couldn't have been like this before, but they know. They know that it wasn't the world or fate or anything like that; it was them.
But that shouldn't happen to me because I'm already self-aware and I'm trying to learn how to pick locks. That's initiative if I ever heard it. It makes for bad plot.
On a related note, hulu now has all of Dead Like Me if you haven't seen it before, but you need to sign up because it's for 'ma-toor' audiences. That's how he says it too. Ma-toor. And because it's a joint Canadian show there's a whole bunch of random actors from every other Canadian show or movie you've ever seen. It's a lot of fun really and it makes playing six degrees of separation Canadian Edition way easier.
But that shouldn't happen to me because I'm already self-aware and I'm trying to learn how to pick locks. That's initiative if I ever heard it. It makes for bad plot.
On a related note, hulu now has all of Dead Like Me if you haven't seen it before, but you need to sign up because it's for 'ma-toor' audiences. That's how he says it too. Ma-toor. And because it's a joint Canadian show there's a whole bunch of random actors from every other Canadian show or movie you've ever seen. It's a lot of fun really and it makes playing six degrees of separation Canadian Edition way easier.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Yea Yeah
I really like this video today though it's not my favorite song of theirs. I thought I should share. Most of this was also done in one take which I guess is kind of a thing for me. Also, I absolutely love that Kim smiles like this in every single video I've seen of them. I don't think I've ever met someone so happy and excited all the time but I want to and then we can be friends.
She takes a bite of the pizza which I think is funny too. And their name has an ampersand in it. An ampersand! Doesn't that just make you nostalgic for Yorick?
She takes a bite of the pizza which I think is funny too. And their name has an ampersand in it. An ampersand! Doesn't that just make you nostalgic for Yorick?
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Sun in May
It was cloudy and rainy today. Oh dear MaySun where have you gone?
See what I did there?
See what I did there?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
beefy pop-tarts and funny over-gelled hair
Hello dear reader. I know it’s been awhile and I honestly don’t even know why it’s been so long. You wouldn’t believe how many posts I’ve started writing, got bored with, and then abandoned on my ever growing potential blog post archive. Also, I’ve been having issues with Microsoft Word telling me my version isn’t authentic even though it totally was a month ago before the big computer crash of o’ ten and now has me running around (figuratively of course for the lazy couch potato) backing up files continuously and uninstalling programs then reinstalling them then downgrading them only to find out that I can’t read any of my old documents on the older version of Word so I have to go and use the ‘fake’ one again and hope it doesn’t self destruct or something because then how would I add on to my potential blog post archive?
So before I get to the meat of my post today, or really Pop Tarts chocolate fudge filling, I thought I’d let you guys in on a little of what I was planning on letting you guys in on. And without further ado, a few nuggets of wisdom from my many years of life:
1) I’ve always wanted to meet an icon, a real icon, not the kind of movie stars that I’ve met plenty of before. I wanted to meet Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. And to a lesser extent Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells. I had the chance to see Ray Bradbury in a lecture before but I don’t think I’ll ever pay money just to see someone. (On a side note I met Dwayne McDuffie creator of Milestone Media, Static, and Static Shock. This part is said in sing song: exciting. Mark Waid was also there. Mark Waid is evil.) Alas, most of these people are long dead, many before my lifetime or in Sri Lanka until their death. And then I found out that Harlan Ellison lives in Los Angeles and got excited again. That is until I watched Dreams with Sharp Teeth, a documentary about him and realized that he is a horrible mean old contentious man and my life can in no way be improved upon by meeting such a man. I can’t understand how Asimov had found such nice things to say about him. It just makes me want to meet Asimov so much more now.
2) Kick-Ass kicks ass. I wanted to write a full review of the movie, the first I’d seen since early February which is a long time to go without a movie for someone that’s not working, but I don’t think anything more needs to be said. Also I think it’s the fact that I can only review things that are sucky because I like to complain. Need to work on that. The review thing, not the complaining thing because complaining really is a lot of fun. Oh, little gossip from Wikipedia, the main actor 19 year old Aaron Johnson is expecting his first child with his 43 year old fiancé. (Is fiancé really spelled with 2 E’s?)
3) Carli D’Amato is a bitch. Neil is stupid but an amazingly awesome dancer. I loved Jay’s face when he said he wouldn’t eat the fish because it came from the sea. Sigh of content. Thank you BBC America for introducing me to this awesome show when the drama of last year’s BBCA find, Skins, got to be too much for me. You know, cheating, jail, infertility, psychosis, abandonment, suicide, murder, death. I just have to think about Simon and his over gelled hair projectile vomiting all over Carli D’Amato’s (2 apostrophes?) little brother. Incidentally, rewatching Skins season 1, Jay played Cassie’s dark hospital boyfriend in Michelle’s episode. Also, in Thomas’ episode from season 3, he really does say he runs like a dog, so full circle, maybe? No. You’re right. No.
4) I’m interested in being able to communicate in different ways but still using English. There are so many ways to say the same thing and we’re not even talking about different languages. It’s like opening your world up to alternate dimensions or something. I’m pretty good at finger spelling. I’ve actually held full conversations with it before. I am somewhat familiar with binary as well. I understand that shirt now about the 10 kinds of people in the world. Those that understand binary and those that don’t. It’s a lot funnier now than it was when I first came upon it. I thought about learning shorthand but that is just way too complicated I realize. It takes about a year to fully master which is way too long to be considered a flighty hobby. So now I’m focusing on morse code. I know E, T, I, A, N, M, S, and O, so the easy ones. I wonder how many things I can say with those letters alone so I don’t have to memorize the whole thing. If I get any good at it, I’ll put a morse post on this blog.
And finally, something amazing has happened. I just found out that the frosting on Kellogg’s pop-tarts while still containing gelatin is created from cows. Isn’t that the best news ever? No more unfrosted strawberry. My world has been open to chocolate fudge, brown sugar cinnamon, strawberry milkshake, blueberry muffin, chocolate chip, oh the list goes on forever but I must mention: frosted strawberry. What a difference a little crushed bone frosting makes on a product. I can stop being so hateful towards my pop-tarts shirt now that I too can partake in that which I’ve been promoting. I think some of my favorite memories are of eating things that were previously forbidden. I remember them all and all mark an important moment of my life. Oreos, marshmallows (though I’m still hoping for a better version than this crap), turkey bacon, pudding, jell-o, skittles. Am I exaggerating? Probably, but you’ll understand too when you take your first bite of this frosted chocolate fudge no pig delight.
So before I get to the meat of my post today, or really Pop Tarts chocolate fudge filling, I thought I’d let you guys in on a little of what I was planning on letting you guys in on. And without further ado, a few nuggets of wisdom from my many years of life:
1) I’ve always wanted to meet an icon, a real icon, not the kind of movie stars that I’ve met plenty of before. I wanted to meet Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. And to a lesser extent Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells. I had the chance to see Ray Bradbury in a lecture before but I don’t think I’ll ever pay money just to see someone. (On a side note I met Dwayne McDuffie creator of Milestone Media, Static, and Static Shock. This part is said in sing song: exciting. Mark Waid was also there. Mark Waid is evil.) Alas, most of these people are long dead, many before my lifetime or in Sri Lanka until their death. And then I found out that Harlan Ellison lives in Los Angeles and got excited again. That is until I watched Dreams with Sharp Teeth, a documentary about him and realized that he is a horrible mean old contentious man and my life can in no way be improved upon by meeting such a man. I can’t understand how Asimov had found such nice things to say about him. It just makes me want to meet Asimov so much more now.
2) Kick-Ass kicks ass. I wanted to write a full review of the movie, the first I’d seen since early February which is a long time to go without a movie for someone that’s not working, but I don’t think anything more needs to be said. Also I think it’s the fact that I can only review things that are sucky because I like to complain. Need to work on that. The review thing, not the complaining thing because complaining really is a lot of fun. Oh, little gossip from Wikipedia, the main actor 19 year old Aaron Johnson is expecting his first child with his 43 year old fiancé. (Is fiancé really spelled with 2 E’s?)
3) Carli D’Amato is a bitch. Neil is stupid but an amazingly awesome dancer. I loved Jay’s face when he said he wouldn’t eat the fish because it came from the sea. Sigh of content. Thank you BBC America for introducing me to this awesome show when the drama of last year’s BBCA find, Skins, got to be too much for me. You know, cheating, jail, infertility, psychosis, abandonment, suicide, murder, death. I just have to think about Simon and his over gelled hair projectile vomiting all over Carli D’Amato’s (2 apostrophes?) little brother. Incidentally, rewatching Skins season 1, Jay played Cassie’s dark hospital boyfriend in Michelle’s episode. Also, in Thomas’ episode from season 3, he really does say he runs like a dog, so full circle, maybe? No. You’re right. No.
4) I’m interested in being able to communicate in different ways but still using English. There are so many ways to say the same thing and we’re not even talking about different languages. It’s like opening your world up to alternate dimensions or something. I’m pretty good at finger spelling. I’ve actually held full conversations with it before. I am somewhat familiar with binary as well. I understand that shirt now about the 10 kinds of people in the world. Those that understand binary and those that don’t. It’s a lot funnier now than it was when I first came upon it. I thought about learning shorthand but that is just way too complicated I realize. It takes about a year to fully master which is way too long to be considered a flighty hobby. So now I’m focusing on morse code. I know E, T, I, A, N, M, S, and O, so the easy ones. I wonder how many things I can say with those letters alone so I don’t have to memorize the whole thing. If I get any good at it, I’ll put a morse post on this blog.
And finally, something amazing has happened. I just found out that the frosting on Kellogg’s pop-tarts while still containing gelatin is created from cows. Isn’t that the best news ever? No more unfrosted strawberry. My world has been open to chocolate fudge, brown sugar cinnamon, strawberry milkshake, blueberry muffin, chocolate chip, oh the list goes on forever but I must mention: frosted strawberry. What a difference a little crushed bone frosting makes on a product. I can stop being so hateful towards my pop-tarts shirt now that I too can partake in that which I’ve been promoting. I think some of my favorite memories are of eating things that were previously forbidden. I remember them all and all mark an important moment of my life. Oreos, marshmallows (though I’m still hoping for a better version than this crap), turkey bacon, pudding, jell-o, skittles. Am I exaggerating? Probably, but you’ll understand too when you take your first bite of this frosted chocolate fudge no pig delight.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Slow Club at Spaceland
Slow Club has popped my music performance cherry.
So last weekend I was planning on seeing Eyeshine, Johnny Yong Bosch’s (see previous post) band, but it didn’t pan out and I really couldn’t be happier because had I gone to see them I probably wouldn’t have been able to see Slow Club last night. Sorry Johnny. Maybe next time.
Anyways, I’ve been certifiably obsessed with this group’s music for the last few months after getting initially introduced to them via a potato chip commercial way back when. I don’t know if they can actually be called a group when there are only two of them. Charles plays guitar and in some of the songs it’s surprising to think that all that sound comes from him. The way he plucks the guitar strings can make it sound like two different instruments by playing bass and melody in one. Rebecca occasionally plays guitar as well but more often is known for her percussion efforts. Now I think everyone’s got a soft spot in their hearts for female drummers but Rebecca does it while standing up! They both sing creating harmonies that have become a defining point for this band but I think I’m partial to Rebecca’s amazing voice in slow songs like Sorry about the Doom and Boys on their Birthdays.
They have two kinds of songs: ones that are really fast and upbeat even when it’s about a breakup and slow emotionally filled ones. Every song is pretty much about love but an innocent kind of hand holding love. But there are songs like When I Go (which has whistling in it!) that is not about romantic love as much as it is a connection between two very close friends, which is a very special love in its own way isn’t it? It’s like one reviewer had said about Yeah So, their debut album, love is great when it happens and it’s not a big deal if, rather when, it doesn’t work out. And then you get to the last song Boys on their Birthdays (the song that makes my heart melt) and you hear the pain in it. She really is hurt. It’s also really interesting to me that a lot of their songs have lyrics about maiming or death hidden behind those cheery melodies. One of their shirts apparently drawn be Rebecca even showcases a grim reaper.
They’ve also got some great videos to go with a lot of these songs. Because We’re Dead was shot for 16 quid! One of my favorites which I highly recommend is It Doesn’t Have to be Beautiful, an absolutely amazing song and the video is done in almost one shot which is cool. I’ve linked to Our Most Brilliant Friends which gives you a good idea of their fast songs and about five minutes in you get to Boys on their Birthdays, you know the heart melting one. And I absolutely love the last line of this song. I’ve also linked to Trophy Room just to help Charles get it viral. You’ll understand when you watch the video.
So back to last night, I’ve never paid to hear someone perform before. I’ve been to small gigs of people I knew or just open mic nights but never a real show like this. I know, 23 and never been to a concert before! But really I know a lot more people that have never even heard of Free Comic Book Day and isn’t that much more alarming? Anyways, the show started at 8:30 and after driving for 4 hours in traffic I finally got there around 9. But I really wasn’t interested in the first couple of bands so my brother (who originally only came to protect me from being alone at some strange club late at night) and I decided to get some dinner at the Thai place next door to kill some time. And how lucky we were that we love Thai food, because besides the fact that it tastes amazing, guess who we saw inside? Rebecca and Charles! I talked with them for a little bit and let them know that I drove 4 hours just to see them and how excited I was. Then I got pictures with them but on my crappy camera phone they didn’t come out very good. They shook my hand and introduced themselves by name as if I didn’t already know. I don’t know. I haven’t been star struck since I met Michael Clark Duncan and he was way smaller in real life than he was in the Green Mile, but last night it was weird because I totally was. Maybe because I’ve been surviving on their music like it was air for the last few months. Then they left and my brother and I had some Thai food. I’ll just say it’s no Sanam Luang but it was cheap so that was cool.
The other two bands were Honey Bunch and something to do with molecules. We didn’t see Honey Bunch but the molecule band was interesting. Drum and bass were okay but lead was weird. And they had this girl that had a fan up to her face permanently that hummed along in two of their songs but ended up writhing around the floor for most of it. I think she thought she was dancing.
Then we finally got to Slow Club and the place filled out nicely. They're a British band so they don't get to come out here that often. This was their first headlining show in Los Angeles which makes me glad this is the one I got to see. I was lucky to be pretty close up but that didn’t stop a guy from stomping on my foot while he was ‘dancing.’ They opened with Wild Blue Milk and played songs from their album like Sorry about the Doom, It Doesn’t Have to be Beautiful, Trophy Room, I was Unconcious It was a Dream and Giving up on Love. They played some new songs too that I had never heard before, the only one I remember by name was Rotten Mouth. Between songs there was talking and some references to Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Friends. People are right, they are funny. Rebecca mentioned wanting to rap again which is the third time I’ve heard about it, once being in Boys on their Birthdays. I hope she does because I want to hear it. They ended with an acoustic version of Christmas TV on the very edge of the stage and began by announcing a Merry Christmas to Los Angeles. After they left the stage they came back with an encore that was performed acoustically and in the middle of the crowd of another new song, something about put my dead body in a boat. The amount of new songs they played gave me hope they might come out with something new soon since it took some time to get their debut album out but really I’m okay with the one they have out now.
I bought the album from them that night seeing as how it’s not supposed to come out in this country until the end of the month. I told Rebecca how it was my first show and she sounded surprised and had to tell Charles. Her first show was Muse and his was Bowling for Soup. For the lady next to me it was Paula Abdul and Milli Vanilli. Yeah. I asked them to sign my CD and he signed with a ‘thanks for coming,’ across his face. Hers was ‘congratulations on slow club being your 1st ever show.’ She had a lot of exclamation points in hers and a little heart in the corner. And then we left, my brother practicing his British accent the whole way back to his place. He was happy he went after learning they weren’t another of the Europop bands I’m so fond of. And if he can enjoy the concert of a band he’s never heard of before what’s stopping you from giving them a try?
Our Most Brilliant Friends and Boys on Their Birthdays
Trophy Room
So last weekend I was planning on seeing Eyeshine, Johnny Yong Bosch’s (see previous post) band, but it didn’t pan out and I really couldn’t be happier because had I gone to see them I probably wouldn’t have been able to see Slow Club last night. Sorry Johnny. Maybe next time.
Anyways, I’ve been certifiably obsessed with this group’s music for the last few months after getting initially introduced to them via a potato chip commercial way back when. I don’t know if they can actually be called a group when there are only two of them. Charles plays guitar and in some of the songs it’s surprising to think that all that sound comes from him. The way he plucks the guitar strings can make it sound like two different instruments by playing bass and melody in one. Rebecca occasionally plays guitar as well but more often is known for her percussion efforts. Now I think everyone’s got a soft spot in their hearts for female drummers but Rebecca does it while standing up! They both sing creating harmonies that have become a defining point for this band but I think I’m partial to Rebecca’s amazing voice in slow songs like Sorry about the Doom and Boys on their Birthdays.
They have two kinds of songs: ones that are really fast and upbeat even when it’s about a breakup and slow emotionally filled ones. Every song is pretty much about love but an innocent kind of hand holding love. But there are songs like When I Go (which has whistling in it!) that is not about romantic love as much as it is a connection between two very close friends, which is a very special love in its own way isn’t it? It’s like one reviewer had said about Yeah So, their debut album, love is great when it happens and it’s not a big deal if, rather when, it doesn’t work out. And then you get to the last song Boys on their Birthdays (the song that makes my heart melt) and you hear the pain in it. She really is hurt. It’s also really interesting to me that a lot of their songs have lyrics about maiming or death hidden behind those cheery melodies. One of their shirts apparently drawn be Rebecca even showcases a grim reaper.
They’ve also got some great videos to go with a lot of these songs. Because We’re Dead was shot for 16 quid! One of my favorites which I highly recommend is It Doesn’t Have to be Beautiful, an absolutely amazing song and the video is done in almost one shot which is cool. I’ve linked to Our Most Brilliant Friends which gives you a good idea of their fast songs and about five minutes in you get to Boys on their Birthdays, you know the heart melting one. And I absolutely love the last line of this song. I’ve also linked to Trophy Room just to help Charles get it viral. You’ll understand when you watch the video.
So back to last night, I’ve never paid to hear someone perform before. I’ve been to small gigs of people I knew or just open mic nights but never a real show like this. I know, 23 and never been to a concert before! But really I know a lot more people that have never even heard of Free Comic Book Day and isn’t that much more alarming? Anyways, the show started at 8:30 and after driving for 4 hours in traffic I finally got there around 9. But I really wasn’t interested in the first couple of bands so my brother (who originally only came to protect me from being alone at some strange club late at night) and I decided to get some dinner at the Thai place next door to kill some time. And how lucky we were that we love Thai food, because besides the fact that it tastes amazing, guess who we saw inside? Rebecca and Charles! I talked with them for a little bit and let them know that I drove 4 hours just to see them and how excited I was. Then I got pictures with them but on my crappy camera phone they didn’t come out very good. They shook my hand and introduced themselves by name as if I didn’t already know. I don’t know. I haven’t been star struck since I met Michael Clark Duncan and he was way smaller in real life than he was in the Green Mile, but last night it was weird because I totally was. Maybe because I’ve been surviving on their music like it was air for the last few months. Then they left and my brother and I had some Thai food. I’ll just say it’s no Sanam Luang but it was cheap so that was cool.
The other two bands were Honey Bunch and something to do with molecules. We didn’t see Honey Bunch but the molecule band was interesting. Drum and bass were okay but lead was weird. And they had this girl that had a fan up to her face permanently that hummed along in two of their songs but ended up writhing around the floor for most of it. I think she thought she was dancing.
Then we finally got to Slow Club and the place filled out nicely. They're a British band so they don't get to come out here that often. This was their first headlining show in Los Angeles which makes me glad this is the one I got to see. I was lucky to be pretty close up but that didn’t stop a guy from stomping on my foot while he was ‘dancing.’ They opened with Wild Blue Milk and played songs from their album like Sorry about the Doom, It Doesn’t Have to be Beautiful, Trophy Room, I was Unconcious It was a Dream and Giving up on Love. They played some new songs too that I had never heard before, the only one I remember by name was Rotten Mouth. Between songs there was talking and some references to Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Friends. People are right, they are funny. Rebecca mentioned wanting to rap again which is the third time I’ve heard about it, once being in Boys on their Birthdays. I hope she does because I want to hear it. They ended with an acoustic version of Christmas TV on the very edge of the stage and began by announcing a Merry Christmas to Los Angeles. After they left the stage they came back with an encore that was performed acoustically and in the middle of the crowd of another new song, something about put my dead body in a boat. The amount of new songs they played gave me hope they might come out with something new soon since it took some time to get their debut album out but really I’m okay with the one they have out now.
I bought the album from them that night seeing as how it’s not supposed to come out in this country until the end of the month. I told Rebecca how it was my first show and she sounded surprised and had to tell Charles. Her first show was Muse and his was Bowling for Soup. For the lady next to me it was Paula Abdul and Milli Vanilli. Yeah. I asked them to sign my CD and he signed with a ‘thanks for coming,’ across his face. Hers was ‘congratulations on slow club being your 1st ever show.’ She had a lot of exclamation points in hers and a little heart in the corner. And then we left, my brother practicing his British accent the whole way back to his place. He was happy he went after learning they weren’t another of the Europop bands I’m so fond of. And if he can enjoy the concert of a band he’s never heard of before what’s stopping you from giving them a try?
Our Most Brilliant Friends and Boys on Their Birthdays
Trophy Room
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Ray Park really wants you to watch his movie
I met Ray Park yesterday. You may know him better as Darth Maul from Star Wars Episode I or Toad from the first X-Men movie or even Snake Eyes in the G.I. Joe movie though I really don’t remember a single thing from that movie let alone a guy with a mask on the whole time that never speaks. Anyways he’s a sweet guy when you forget about the thirty bucks it costs to have him sign something, even if he’s only signing something you brought. Pictures were free though so we made sure to get a couple of those. He has an accent which I couldn’t picture from Toad or Darth Maul, but then Darth Maul was voiced by some other guy.
Anyways, it was a Star Wars event but we ended up talking about X-Men and Heroes. And then I asked him about the recent movie he did with Johnny Yong Bosch, Hellbinders. (You might know him as Adam Park from Power Rangers or Ichigo in Bleach, or my personal favorite, Renton of Eureka Seven.) He told me it might not even come out in this country. And then he told me he was sure I could probably find it online. Online? ‘Are you giving me your permission to download your movie illegally’ I asked. He responded ‘You didn’t hear it from me.’ And added ‘My Dad bought a copy in London.’ To which I responded that if I couldn’t afford to purchase a man’s scribbling of his name I probably wouldn’t be able to afford a flight to London. We then talked a little bit more about the movie. Did you know Ray and Johnny, both skilled martial artists, never fight each other in it? In fact, Ray doesn’t fight in it at all. He did assure me that there are some worthy comedic moments and that Johnny is a great guy to work with. And then as we were about to leave he leaves me with one final thought, though it had popped up a few more times in our short discussion, ‘I’m sure it’s online. You can find it.’ So I just wanted to let any Ray Park fans out there know that he gives you his blessing in downloading his latest movie, Hellbinders. But he also wants you to remember that you didn’t hear it from him.
That was much more interesting than now grown up young Boba Fett Daniel Logan (who was also there and only charges 20 dollars for autographs by the way) talking about Magic Johnson and AIDS.
Anyways, it was a Star Wars event but we ended up talking about X-Men and Heroes. And then I asked him about the recent movie he did with Johnny Yong Bosch, Hellbinders. (You might know him as Adam Park from Power Rangers or Ichigo in Bleach, or my personal favorite, Renton of Eureka Seven.) He told me it might not even come out in this country. And then he told me he was sure I could probably find it online. Online? ‘Are you giving me your permission to download your movie illegally’ I asked. He responded ‘You didn’t hear it from me.’ And added ‘My Dad bought a copy in London.’ To which I responded that if I couldn’t afford to purchase a man’s scribbling of his name I probably wouldn’t be able to afford a flight to London. We then talked a little bit more about the movie. Did you know Ray and Johnny, both skilled martial artists, never fight each other in it? In fact, Ray doesn’t fight in it at all. He did assure me that there are some worthy comedic moments and that Johnny is a great guy to work with. And then as we were about to leave he leaves me with one final thought, though it had popped up a few more times in our short discussion, ‘I’m sure it’s online. You can find it.’ So I just wanted to let any Ray Park fans out there know that he gives you his blessing in downloading his latest movie, Hellbinders. But he also wants you to remember that you didn’t hear it from him.
That was much more interesting than now grown up young Boba Fett Daniel Logan (who was also there and only charges 20 dollars for autographs by the way) talking about Magic Johnson and AIDS.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Review: The Book of Eli
I know this movie came out a few weeks ago, but what can I say? I don’t get to the movies all that often.
This was an interesting movie as long as you avoid thinking about it. There was fighting and gun shooting but not enough to watch solely for the action. Of the two twists one was completely predictable and the other did absolutely nothing for the story. It sucks because the first one was really important and once I figured out what was going to happen like halfway into it, it really took the urgency out of Eli’s journey. I could’ve walked out right then but then I wouldn’t have seen the fight for the house advertised in the previews. Plus, I was in the middle of a very riveting game of peek-a-boo with the fidgety little girl in front of me. The second one could have been an interesting way to go if there was a little more set up for it and why it should matter.
Some other things that bothered me include but are not limited to the following: 1) I’m no scientist but the whole shaking hand thing makes absolutely no sense. And you know what? From a public policy standpoint the stigma against shakers doesn’t make a lot of sense either. 2) It must be really cheap to film in New Mexico like desert what with both Legion and this movie taking place out there. 3) I don’t understand evil guy’s plan. It seems almost like he’s being evil just because that’s how he is. And then his ending is really weird too. The story lost a lot of its power when it dismantled its antagonist so easily. I mean he starts off with this whole power structure and people who he ruled over and order in the city and it all comes apart so easily. It actually reminded me of that episode in Futurama when Fry and his girlfriend wake up in what they think is a post-apocalyptic year 4000 but it’s really just the present day (as in the year 3000) only in Los Angeles. Anyways, the couple find a gang of kids that rule the city and Fry starts a war with the leader so he can impress his girlfriend. Then the kids’ parents come in a huge SUV and Fry realizes the kids really were just kids and not the savage rulers of the new world at all. That gang of kids is evil guy’s empire. 4) They are awfully vague about this apocalypse. They’re all secretive at first about it and hint around and that’s almost like promising the viewer that soon enough all will be told. And then nothing more is ever told! This works in things like Cloverfield I guess and Children of Men is way better off for avoiding the details of their apocalypse but this movie is not that good.
In the end? I don’t know. Better than Legion. Like I said, I had a good time. It was entertaining for the moment. But then, I tend to enjoy a lot of movies. If I didn’t, I would never even want to be a critic, right? I understand what they were trying to do about it being the Book of Eli. It’s the book he’s carrying, the bible in case you didn’t know, but then it’s also the story of Eli in a prophet like way, like the Book of Job is the story of Job. When I sum it up like that, it seems like it should've been better than it was.
This was an interesting movie as long as you avoid thinking about it. There was fighting and gun shooting but not enough to watch solely for the action. Of the two twists one was completely predictable and the other did absolutely nothing for the story. It sucks because the first one was really important and once I figured out what was going to happen like halfway into it, it really took the urgency out of Eli’s journey. I could’ve walked out right then but then I wouldn’t have seen the fight for the house advertised in the previews. Plus, I was in the middle of a very riveting game of peek-a-boo with the fidgety little girl in front of me. The second one could have been an interesting way to go if there was a little more set up for it and why it should matter.
Some other things that bothered me include but are not limited to the following: 1) I’m no scientist but the whole shaking hand thing makes absolutely no sense. And you know what? From a public policy standpoint the stigma against shakers doesn’t make a lot of sense either. 2) It must be really cheap to film in New Mexico like desert what with both Legion and this movie taking place out there. 3) I don’t understand evil guy’s plan. It seems almost like he’s being evil just because that’s how he is. And then his ending is really weird too. The story lost a lot of its power when it dismantled its antagonist so easily. I mean he starts off with this whole power structure and people who he ruled over and order in the city and it all comes apart so easily. It actually reminded me of that episode in Futurama when Fry and his girlfriend wake up in what they think is a post-apocalyptic year 4000 but it’s really just the present day (as in the year 3000) only in Los Angeles. Anyways, the couple find a gang of kids that rule the city and Fry starts a war with the leader so he can impress his girlfriend. Then the kids’ parents come in a huge SUV and Fry realizes the kids really were just kids and not the savage rulers of the new world at all. That gang of kids is evil guy’s empire. 4) They are awfully vague about this apocalypse. They’re all secretive at first about it and hint around and that’s almost like promising the viewer that soon enough all will be told. And then nothing more is ever told! This works in things like Cloverfield I guess and Children of Men is way better off for avoiding the details of their apocalypse but this movie is not that good.
In the end? I don’t know. Better than Legion. Like I said, I had a good time. It was entertaining for the moment. But then, I tend to enjoy a lot of movies. If I didn’t, I would never even want to be a critic, right? I understand what they were trying to do about it being the Book of Eli. It’s the book he’s carrying, the bible in case you didn’t know, but then it’s also the story of Eli in a prophet like way, like the Book of Job is the story of Job. When I sum it up like that, it seems like it should've been better than it was.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Learning Swedish
I've decided I want to learn Swedish just so I can learn the lyrics to Basshunter's Dota. Sure I can just use the English lyrics of All I Ever Wanted, which has the same melody and made by the same guy, but then I wouldn't be singing about World of Warcraft, would I?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Review: Legion
Okay let’s get this straight. God has lost faith in mankind so He decides to create a somewhat apocalypse. I say somewhat because it seemed to me that the world itself wouldn’t end, just the human race. Also in the preview itself it was compared to Noah and the flood, which if you believe it literally occurred, obviously was also not an apocalypse. Anyways, this time he decides to send angels but one of the angels, Archangel Michael (I’m not sure which one he is), decides to go against God and save the humans, or rather one unborn baby. So a bunch of random strangers led by Michael hole up in an old middle of the desert diner wait for the angels to attack, oh yeah and angel possessed people, in order to protect unborn baby savior and baby mama, with only a trunk full of guns. So expect a lot of shooting.
Why guns? What the heck are guns going to do against angels? Since when do angels die? And even if angels do die, with guns? I mean really. A human invention designed for the human anatomy. There’s nothing divine in that. The only thing I can think of is the evil behind guns and maybe that evil is what destroys the good of the angels and when angels lose their good they kind of die because they’re not angels anymore… Yeah. I tried. I really did. Also, Why this baby? Michael even says the birth of the baby isn’t enough. They have to teach it to be good. Well, isn’t that every baby? At first I thought it was just written, you know, like the end of Slumdog Millionaire. But then there’s all this talk about changing what’s written and God changes His mind and based on that context, it really shouldn’t matter which baby is needed to save the world.
Now for the flipside. I have to say there were a couple of times that I jumped, though it doesn’t take a lot to make me jump and more than anything, I loved watching the crazy old lady and the ice cream man because it was just so unlike anything I’d seen before. Am I supposed to be scared or laughing? The sound of Gabriel’s horn was intense. The character work actually reminded me a little of Brothers. The acting was good for the most part and it’s a shame the actors had to put their talent into this story and this script. I cared about Dennis Quaid, baby mama, one or two of the diners. But then the other actors were absolutely horrible. You remember the main guy in Tokyo Drift? Yeah, he’s only better in this movie because he doesn’t try to speak any Japanese.
I know some people are saying this is blasphemous. I can’t go that far. If you believe in any of the Abrahamic religions then you know that angels play a big part in any apocalypse and God has done mildly apocalyptic things in the past. The flood and the plagues on Egypt and I don’t know but the eviction of mankind from paradise seem pretty severe. And angels only do what God wants of them. Azrael brings death to humans but he is an angel and the devil was an angel at one point, perhaps there will always be something angelic about him. And I’m not totally sure (and I’m not sure if all three religions believe in them) but what are the four horsemen of the apocalypse?
Anyways, interesting idea. Bad story. It’ll give you a cheap thrill if you don’t mind wasting the other hour of your life.
Why guns? What the heck are guns going to do against angels? Since when do angels die? And even if angels do die, with guns? I mean really. A human invention designed for the human anatomy. There’s nothing divine in that. The only thing I can think of is the evil behind guns and maybe that evil is what destroys the good of the angels and when angels lose their good they kind of die because they’re not angels anymore… Yeah. I tried. I really did. Also, Why this baby? Michael even says the birth of the baby isn’t enough. They have to teach it to be good. Well, isn’t that every baby? At first I thought it was just written, you know, like the end of Slumdog Millionaire. But then there’s all this talk about changing what’s written and God changes His mind and based on that context, it really shouldn’t matter which baby is needed to save the world.
Now for the flipside. I have to say there were a couple of times that I jumped, though it doesn’t take a lot to make me jump and more than anything, I loved watching the crazy old lady and the ice cream man because it was just so unlike anything I’d seen before. Am I supposed to be scared or laughing? The sound of Gabriel’s horn was intense. The character work actually reminded me a little of Brothers. The acting was good for the most part and it’s a shame the actors had to put their talent into this story and this script. I cared about Dennis Quaid, baby mama, one or two of the diners. But then the other actors were absolutely horrible. You remember the main guy in Tokyo Drift? Yeah, he’s only better in this movie because he doesn’t try to speak any Japanese.
I know some people are saying this is blasphemous. I can’t go that far. If you believe in any of the Abrahamic religions then you know that angels play a big part in any apocalypse and God has done mildly apocalyptic things in the past. The flood and the plagues on Egypt and I don’t know but the eviction of mankind from paradise seem pretty severe. And angels only do what God wants of them. Azrael brings death to humans but he is an angel and the devil was an angel at one point, perhaps there will always be something angelic about him. And I’m not totally sure (and I’m not sure if all three religions believe in them) but what are the four horsemen of the apocalypse?
Anyways, interesting idea. Bad story. It’ll give you a cheap thrill if you don’t mind wasting the other hour of your life.
Monday, January 25, 2010
temp-agency blues
I got turned down by a temp-agency today. It seems I don’t have enough experience in clerical work or factory work though I have worked at a distribution center and as a pseudo janitor before. It made me realize something. Graduating from a prestigious four year university where I specialized in three very different fields of study plus years of volunteer work and community involvement have somehow left me with zero marketable skills.
I’ll tell you what I’m good at now that I’m done with college. I am absolutely awesome at having to pull two all-nighters in a row. I’ve learned to fall asleep absolutely anywhere and am no longer queasy about cleaning public toilets. I’m pretty good at basic logic (I know this sounds like a good thing but we’re talking philosophy logic that uses a computer program and Ps and Qs and is a lot more like doing math in a foreign language). And I now realize that multiple choice tests are much harder than essays you can BS your way through.
They don’t teach you how to be successful in life. They teach you how to be an intellectual. What’s the point in reading when you can’t afford to feed yourself? Sometimes I think about what would’ve happened if I just didn’t go. I’d be much richer that’s for sure (yeah I know some of that money was financial aid). But I think more than that, I might’ve actually been happy with myself. For doing what I wanted to do and not what other people expected of me. For not throwing away years of my life. For not being in the position I'm in now. I could’ve learned something real. Something about life.
I’ll tell you what I’m good at now that I’m done with college. I am absolutely awesome at having to pull two all-nighters in a row. I’ve learned to fall asleep absolutely anywhere and am no longer queasy about cleaning public toilets. I’m pretty good at basic logic (I know this sounds like a good thing but we’re talking philosophy logic that uses a computer program and Ps and Qs and is a lot more like doing math in a foreign language). And I now realize that multiple choice tests are much harder than essays you can BS your way through.
They don’t teach you how to be successful in life. They teach you how to be an intellectual. What’s the point in reading when you can’t afford to feed yourself? Sometimes I think about what would’ve happened if I just didn’t go. I’d be much richer that’s for sure (yeah I know some of that money was financial aid). But I think more than that, I might’ve actually been happy with myself. For doing what I wanted to do and not what other people expected of me. For not throwing away years of my life. For not being in the position I'm in now. I could’ve learned something real. Something about life.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Review: American Born Chinese
I just finished reading Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese. I have to say I was surprised almost by my reactions. I assumed something more of an autobiographical memoir, you know, the kind that usually gets the awards. Persepolis, Epileptic, Maus. But this is not that kind of story. Rather than simply being the story of Yang’s childhood, it takes the emotions of that time and turns it into something bigger. With all three of the novels I mentioned above you never get that feeling. You never once forget who the main characters are. You’re reading because you want to know about plot points. In Yang’s book, the main focus is not the plot, but the experience. Though I am not ABC, I am first generation (meaning first generation to be born here) ABCD, I couldn’t help but feel he was writing my story.
I feel like I can say this about plot vs. emotion because I wasn’t too happy about the ending, though the very last page with the youtube screen was great. Let me give you some of the experiences I was talking about. Jin’s new teacher tells the class his family just came from China though they moved from San Francisco. The class rumors that he and the only other Asian in the class were arranged to be married at thirteen causing him to avoid the only person that he might be able to relate to. Danny hates his cousin the stereotyped FOB Chin-kee because Chin-kee’s presence taints Danny’s perception of who he himself is. Suzy compares her life to being an unwanted wallflower at a perpetual party. Read this book for these kinds of moments.
While I think I’ve given it quite a bit of praise, I will say that to me this is only telling half the story, the half where you don’t fit in as an American. He makes no mention to the half where you don’t fit in as Chinese or Desi or what have you. Growing up I think you’re both. There’s the culture you have at home and the culture you have at school. Then you hit a certain point and realize you’re neither, that you will never fit in anywhere. This is when you find a bunch of other American Born something or others and make your own culture, your own identity.
I guess what you can do then is take Yang’s story and read it once as him not being able to fit in white America, then turn all the white people into his Chinese born parents and their generation of immigrated Americans and read it again.
I feel like I can say this about plot vs. emotion because I wasn’t too happy about the ending, though the very last page with the youtube screen was great. Let me give you some of the experiences I was talking about. Jin’s new teacher tells the class his family just came from China though they moved from San Francisco. The class rumors that he and the only other Asian in the class were arranged to be married at thirteen causing him to avoid the only person that he might be able to relate to. Danny hates his cousin the stereotyped FOB Chin-kee because Chin-kee’s presence taints Danny’s perception of who he himself is. Suzy compares her life to being an unwanted wallflower at a perpetual party. Read this book for these kinds of moments.
While I think I’ve given it quite a bit of praise, I will say that to me this is only telling half the story, the half where you don’t fit in as an American. He makes no mention to the half where you don’t fit in as Chinese or Desi or what have you. Growing up I think you’re both. There’s the culture you have at home and the culture you have at school. Then you hit a certain point and realize you’re neither, that you will never fit in anywhere. This is when you find a bunch of other American Born something or others and make your own culture, your own identity.
I guess what you can do then is take Yang’s story and read it once as him not being able to fit in white America, then turn all the white people into his Chinese born parents and their generation of immigrated Americans and read it again.
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