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September 7th, 2009
11:49 pm - Quick Test Footage
Watch it in high quality. It took a few hours, most of that was learning new things I'd never done before. It's not good, but it taught me a lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZflvG6VTCU4
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July 26th, 2009
12:21 pm - Wow...
So, this is interesting.
http://www.florencestudio.it/bb/bbindex.htm
Works of famous art, translated to make them reflect heavier people. Interesting.
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July 2nd, 2009
02:54 pm - Hmmmm, Math?
What do my more mathematically minded friends think about this? I'm not, so I'm curious.
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June 27th, 2009
June 3rd, 2009
12:14 am
So my evenings have begun developing a pattern: Steve and I kill a lot of zombies, then a lot of people in liberty city, then I read about dinosaurs before bed. Anyway, it's gotten me thinking about dinosaurs again, one of my first loves. It's been a long time since I drew one, something I used to do all the time as a kid. This is the first one I've drawn in a long time. It was a ton of fun and I hope to make another soon. I love parasaurolophus. I think I'll do a pachycephalosaurus next.- - -
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May 24th, 2009
11:12 am - Just read the first 7 or 8, then stop
For the love of sanity stop. I hope to never, ever meet people like this in real life. Wow.
http://tweetingtoohard.com/
Great idea though.
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May 23rd, 2009
11:55 am - More Dreams
Last night I dreamt I was at a ska show with Buster Bloodvessel and the bad manners. I was extremely excited to meet him and also to skank with unlimited energy and stamina. Also I had a really cool brown pin-stripe suit which has become a new obsession with me.
I then had a dream about gangsters and my attempts to get Steve back from them. The first gangster was a spritely Welsh woman, the second a very large black man (large like Blob, i.e huge thick and mighty). I myself was a mechanic/ gambler with a smoking habit, a penchant for cheesecake shots and a mullet underneath a trucker cap. I also had awesome facial hair which I am unable to grow in real life. Anyway I was meeting with them at my local bar to negotiate Steve's safe release (he had been captured because of our gambling debts, while I was left to steal the money we owed in a series of robberies). We talked about a job and I knew I needed to get rid of them and go find Steve myself. So I had the barristas make me three shots, two of which would have the hottest spice they had. I figured when the gangsters drank theirs, they would be surprised enough that I could knock them out with chairs or steal their guns. Well, the shots took too long to make and the gangsters were going to leave so I followed them into the bathroom and beat the ever-loving crap out of the woman while they were separated. For some reason when I beat people up in dreams I don't use any of my real-life Tae Kwon Do training. I just pick them up and toss them around. I grab their legs and slam their heads into various things. I flip them around to disorient them and then slam them into walls, floors, and objects. Eventually the big fella came to see what the ruckus was, and upon seeing him I immediately transformed into Ving Rhames, sang a little song and crashed through the 3 foot thick tiled walls into the street to escape. So I didn't end up saving Steve. Sory pal.
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May 5th, 2009
11:22 pm - A Perfect World
I've had the good fortune to see many an excellent film recently.
"Fido" is a really great 50's style zombie flick. No worries friends, it's not what you think. I know what you're saying; "Zombies, guh, I'm so sick of that nonsense." Well, no you're not. Not when you see this film. It does it in a very unique and entirely enjoyable way. See it.
"Crank 2" is the next step in the evolution of film. Well, okay...no. However, it is very entertaining. You get 96 (or was it 82?) minutes of unstoppable adrenaline, forcibly pumped through your swollen, aching veins. It has more nudity and violence combined in every action sequence to put the porn and action movie genres out of business. If you haven't seen "Crank 1" see it. Wait two weeks to calm down, and then see the sequel. You probably won't be disappointed. Probably.
"Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo"...Where even to begin. I've known of this movie forever, but had never seen it in its entirety. I had caught glimpses in the youth, but it never appealed. Now, in my adulthood, I can finally say I've seen it all the way through and I am here to say that it was worth it, and that I have witnessed a perfect world. It's a lovely inner-city, rated PG13 and filled with bright colors, bright characters and scrappy spirit. And let it be known, extended dance montages solve every problem and shirt should not cover your navel, under any circumstances. Boys' navels especially. 116 minutes long, the dialogue and plot probably clocks in at around 22 minutes. The rest is dancing. Pure, ridiculous, hilarious, joyous, rambunctious dancing. This has got to be for dancers what "12 Monkeys" is for me. Perfect.
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April 2nd, 2009
07:48 pm - Ding Dong...
...the witch is...moved out.
I almost wanted to cry I was so happy to sleep through the night, two nights in a row now! No screaming, no crying, no homeless man hollering, no yelled epithets, no racial slurs, no breaking sounds, no banshee wailing, no thudding, pounding, scratching, sobbing horror in apartment #4. I don't know what to do with myself. I'm so at peace, so calm, I think I've stopped grinding my teeth. I can feel my dread, so ingrained in me, beginning to fade away. I proceeded through life in a constant state of fear that she would start up at any moment. Every peace I had was fleeting, as it was inevitably shattered. Now, it's quiet if I'm quiet. I realize that my building is a quiet one. I can now recall how much I liked living here when I first moved in, because I like it again. It's like Christmas and my birthday and Valentine's day all mixed into one.
Now I can only hope that some case-worker somewhere doesn't place some new crazy person beneath or next to me.
Current Location: blissful peace
Current Music: quiet, solemn, beautiful quiet
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March 22nd, 2009
11:41 pm - Perspective
Sometimes I take comfort in scale. Scale of time, size, distance etc. Our sun is roughly 100 times bigger than Earth. That's big. It's bigger than 80 to 90 percent of stars in the known universe too, but there are bigger stars. For example, Rigel is about 100 times bigger than our sun. Betelgeuse is about 1000 times bigger than our sun. VY Canis Majoris is 2100 times larger than our sun and is possibly the largest star known. They're cooler in temperature, but their sheer scale is mind boggling, until you start sizing up black holes. A black hole located inside the quasar "SDSS J1148+5251" is about 3 billion times greater than our sun. At least, it was that big 13 billion years ago. Considering the universe itself is probably no older than 14 or so billion years, that quasar is pretty old. It's scale like this that gives me a certain peace. I know it doesn't disqualify what I do in my life, quite on the contrary. It tells me that this is the party, right here, right now, because eventually, all thoughts that were ever thought, all civilizations that ever existed, all feelings, fights, deaths, lives, races, religions, societies and species will break apart and exist again as so much random matter, spinning, flying, colliding, forming new things in the universe and getting dispersed again. Even our transmissions will only be so much noise, undecipherable amidst the other waves in the vast emptiness. And it is empty. Only about 0.0000000000000000000042% of the known universe has anything in it, by which I mean matter, antimatter, waves or particles of any kind that can be observed with current technology. I'll still try to treat my people and planet well, but I always feel better when I remember that history as we know it and any future mankind has will have been nothing more than a quick, imperceptible blip on the time-line of everything. I like that thought.
Current Music: Ska Baby!
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March 15th, 2009
10:49 pm - It's Been Awhile...
... since I've been sick like this. My left eye refuses to stop watering. I mean it. It doesn't stop. I don't know how my tear ducts have this much water in them, but it's all coming out my left eye. My nose is absolutely raw from constant blowing (which if you know me, is a feat, since I am constantly blowing my nose anyway) The best part of this sickness is the visions and dreams though. Two nights ago I dreamt I was witnessing an ancient yet technological fight, wherein two opponents had their skin and musulature removed (teleported away to be exact) so that they could fight each other in a more obviously lethal way. They grabbed organs and pummeled them with bony, sinewy fists. They popped eyeballs like grapes and tore ligaments and arteries and it was the most awful thing I think I've ever witnessed in my head. It gave me a great idea for a semi-related sci-fi though, which is neat. Then today in the bath I kept envisioning I was in a polka/ska/zydeco fusion band, and we were opening for The Toasters in Chicago. I was wearing red suspenders, a fake beard, a top-hat and some kind of kilt with a huge hammer and sickle emblazened on it. I wasn't asleep, nor was I awake. Our most popular song was a rocking version of The Volga Boatmen (which I've just learned to play on my melodeon) and that song, when sped up by the way, makes an awesome ska song. I think we may have been called "The Sklavics"...but I don't know if I came up with thqat in the bath or when I was toweling off.
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Needless to say, I want to form this band. Jim? You on board? Jerry? Washboard? Piano? Who do we know plays a trombone?
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March 10th, 2009
09:49 am - I Was Curious
http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4947
I have to say, other than the odd lip-sync, I was completely fooled by Manhattan. I thought he was mostly makeup.
Rorshach was totally convincing as well. Huh. I'm losing my touch I guess.
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March 7th, 2009
11:53 am - Watchmen
I was going to post my thoughts on it, but here's this instead :)
http://gorillamask.net/gm_media.php?show_page=video&page_id=22238
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March 5th, 2009
11:51 pm - Resolutions Continued Continued For the last time
Steve and Allia accompanied me to Brocach for an open mic night. I played flawlessly, and had a fantastic time, so yay for me :)
Harmonium girl was there, and is totally not into me, which is fine. I'll get to enjoy her music at various open mic nights throughout the city.
Also, as a side note, I'm finally comfortable enough to have some modicum of stage presence. It felt good tonight instead of frightening. I'm going to enjoy this new-found hobby methinkst.
Oh, and I was far too full of spaghetti to eat bangers and mash Shan, but I'll have it eventually :)
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March 3rd, 2009
11:47 pm - Resolutions Continued Continued
GAH! I went to the Miramar's open mic night again, and it was again awesome and again I didn't suck too bad.
But, I failed in my pursuit of my new year's resolution. So, I have been endeavoring to "get out" of both the house and also my shell, correct? Yes. Well, I basically clammed up when confronted with an entirely adorable harmonium player. That's right, you heard it, harmonium. Only one of the coolest instruments ever. Think man-powered chord organ with drones and you're on the right track. Then listen to "Allah Hoo" by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and you'll hear some good harmonium. Anyway, long story short; cute girl, beautiful music, sings in sanskrit, plays harmonium, I totally clam up. The good news, she may very well be at the Brocach Gaelic Pub this Thursday for their open mic night. I think I need to brush up on my Irish reels, make sure my bellows aren't leaking and get my ass over there.
Geez, this resolution stuff is hard work.
Current Music: Allah Hoo
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February 24th, 2009
11:35 pm - New Year's Resolutions Continued
Well, I'm pretty sure I accomplished one of my goals tonight. I wen to the Miramar's open mic Tuesday and played three songs on my 3-row melodeon. I was sandwiched by a lot of guitar (a lot of really good guitar I should add) some good comedy and one great spoken word. It was 2 bucks well spent I'd say. I was nervous as all get-out, the room was FREEEEEEEZING so I didn't really thaw out my fingers until the third song, an I rushed a bit, but other than that and a few mistakes here and there I can say I wasn't atrocious. They even give you a cd of your performance at the end of the night, so I could verify that I wasn't awful. I was nervous, that came through, but so were a lot of people, so I was in good company. I think I'll go again, maybe bring one of the cajun boxes next time. I think one saving grace was the fact that nobody there knew the first thing about melodeons. Of course my fear now is that the next time I go some bandoneon or concertina player will be there and totally stomp the floor with me. All the more reason to learn more and better songs I suppose.
Geez that was harrowing.
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February 5th, 2009
11:29 pm - should I have tried?
It appears people are setting goals to meet in this new year...something I think I've tried once or twice, but can't recall caring about.
Hmmm.
I wonder if I would just let myself down if I set some kind of specific goal, or if I should try to set a more generic goal, like "Be even happier than you were in 2008" Well, that one's too easy because Bush isn't in office.
Maybe I should set a creative goal like Dan and others. Maybe I should try to make an animation this year, or to finally record that Soapbox Derby album with Steve, or at least hit an open mic night.
Hmmm again.
I dunno man, it seems like I would be doomed to ignore or forget any resolution I made. My structured life tends to squeeze out so much of my ambition. At least I'm collaborating with Luc again in another dance performance. That will be really fun, it's looking like a really good project.
Maybe I should make a simpler goal, like: "Do the things you want to do in 2009". I like that one. I think I'll try to shed my shell a little more this year and get out more to the events I'm excited about. I like that. It's easy, flexible, and I can do it whenever.
Boom! It's official. Yes.
Current Location: 2009
Current Music: J. Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreedz
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January 30th, 2009
January 19th, 2009
09:13 am - Dr. Martin Luther King Day
I took today off to get some work done and run some important errands. There was no threat of me sleepingi n, as my crazy downstairs neighbor decided to start crying and moaning at the top of her lungs right around 9 AM. How considerate of her to get me up like that.
Now I get to call HP support and convince them I know what's wrong with my computer, that I'm not a complete idiot and to send my ass a new video card to replace the recalled one they installed in my computer. Then I get to drive to the police station to prove I got my driver's side mirror fixed (for crazy expensive moneys) as well as my rear tail-light. Then I get to pay my health insurance. I'm not complaining, it might sound like I am, but really I'm just reveling in the things that make me feel like an adult. Heck yes, no 3 year old gets to raise a stink to Indian tech support. It's the little pleasures.
Peace all, and have a great Dr. King Day.
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January 6th, 2009
10:47 am - Darkness, Peeing and Parking
So last Friday I left work early to drop of DVDs to Baird. They were closed so I went home. As I approached my driveway I noticed that all the houses were dark on my block. Sure enough as I parked I realized we were experiencing a power outage. Since the back light was also inactive I walked around to the front of the building and began my attempt to gain access. I couldn't distinguish one key from the next in the gloom, but thankfully the girl in #6 let me in. Using my phone to navigate I was able to get into my apartment and drop off my various effects. Since I had been planning to do some coloring on my computer I had nothing to do, so I decided to walk to Last Drop and get some coffee. I passed #6 who was looking for her phone which she had accidentally set down and subsequently lost in the utter dark. We called it and it became the only source of light in the room. Then using both our phones I helped her find her keys. It's hilarious how bright phones are these days. I began my walk to Last Drop and passed Mama Mia's, the employees of which were outside chilling. I asked how long the power had been out and they guessed about two to three hours. I bid a mental adieu to the food in my fridge, thanked them for the info and kept walking. Ryan had closed shop but let me in and made me a delicious Hot Apple Cider with whipped cream all the same. We chatted about power (which he had in spades) and facial hair (he's growing a beard). I walked back sipping my enormous and phenomenal brew and struggled again to get in. Once in my apartment I began acclimating my eyes to the dark. I kept my phone on me at all times and attempted to pee. Peeing with a phone pointed at your nethers is a hilarious experience. I then decided to do the next logical thing to do in the dark. I drank my hot cider and played all my accordions as loudly as I ever have in any apartment, since I was the only resident still in my building. I played for as long as I could, as loud as possible, all the while staying warm with hot cider. Eventually I pooped out and went to bed early, having gotten around 2 hours of sleep the night before.
The next day we had power, such is that story. The parking story begins yesterday as I pulled into my alley after watching Heavy Metal (1981) with Steve. What's this? Someone has parked in my spot. Hmmm. Well, maybe it's a simple confusion, or a guest visiting. I'll probably walk upstairs and find a note telling me to let them know when I'm home so they can move their car. I park on the street and go inside, where I am indeed greeted by an note. It tells me that someone else is paying to park and that they think I'm in their spot, and please not to park there anymore. I fume for about a minute before calming down and writing a note clarifying the situation. I slide it under their door and attempt to go to bed. It's odd...I never considered myself to be an angry person, but I was absolutely seething as I lay in bed. It felt odd, I felt guilty for being so angry at someone who was just misinformed and confused. In their position I would have been compelled to do something similar. I awoke early to move my car so as not to get a ticket and immediately called my management. They confirmed that I and the party in question are both paying for parking, along with three other residents. that makes five cars for our four parking spots. So we're overbooked. The good news is I purchased my parking first so I will keep it. The bad news of course is that my neighbor will not and totally got gypped out of money and parking by our manager. I hope they are somehow reimbursed. In the mean time they wrote me another note and delivered it while I was in the shower. It was apologetic, which made me feel relieved and somehow guiltier for ever being angry. Emotions are an odd lot.
Current Music: Two Tone Army: The Toasters
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