Well because we are getting a pretty good sized snow storm work closed early and now I'm home.
It really isn't that bad snow wise but the wind is a killer. So on the way home I bought some chili, pizza, and of course chocolate (regular and hot varieties) to ride out the storm:)
I am sure that tomorrow it will be easier to get around and most of the snow will be on its way to melting. So for now I'm home, warm, and cozy:)
I might spike some of my hot chocolate with some Irish Cream:) That might just make me a bit more cozier:)
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Alright....
I'd say that Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder is average. The first one is priceless, this one has its moments.
The London disc is better. It has better questions than the first disc which was shot in Toronto. The Toronto disc seems a tad mean spirited. The stories overall are darker and not quite as witty and funny as the first Evening With Kevin Smith or on the London disc.
I am not sure if Kevin was in a bad mood but the Toronto show just didn't work as well for me.
The London show, much better much funnier and more enjoyable.
Overall I'd say stick with the first Evening. Out right hilarious stories!!!!
The London disc is better. It has better questions than the first disc which was shot in Toronto. The Toronto disc seems a tad mean spirited. The stories overall are darker and not quite as witty and funny as the first Evening With Kevin Smith or on the London disc.
I am not sure if Kevin was in a bad mood but the Toronto show just didn't work as well for me.
The London show, much better much funnier and more enjoyable.
Overall I'd say stick with the first Evening. Out right hilarious stories!!!!
An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder
Finally I got my copy I pre-ordered six months ago, signed.
Yeah, finally....one day after release day.
Naw, I am now set for the night!!!! Four hours of questions posed to one of my favorite directors. Kevin Smith is a natural storyteller. He can talk about one question for ten minutes, take it in twenty directions, and hammer home the point at the end while making everyone laugh.
He really is a genius in his own way. He is very unassuming and seems to be a very down to earth guy. He is also is one of those directors who is inspirational in the sense that he is one of the reasons I am a filmmaker. He makes it seem so simple but even in his unassuming state he is a brilliant writer of dialog. He really is. That is his strongest point and he knows it.
If I could write half as well I'd be....well me except just better at writing.
Yeah, finally....one day after release day.
Naw, I am now set for the night!!!! Four hours of questions posed to one of my favorite directors. Kevin Smith is a natural storyteller. He can talk about one question for ten minutes, take it in twenty directions, and hammer home the point at the end while making everyone laugh.
He really is a genius in his own way. He is very unassuming and seems to be a very down to earth guy. He is also is one of those directors who is inspirational in the sense that he is one of the reasons I am a filmmaker. He makes it seem so simple but even in his unassuming state he is a brilliant writer of dialog. He really is. That is his strongest point and he knows it.
If I could write half as well I'd be....well me except just better at writing.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
500!!!!
This is my 500th post!!!!
I have looked back over some of my posts and wondered what in the world I was thinking.
I guess it reflected an accurate snapshot of my frame of mind at the time though so I guess that shows progress of sorts.
It shows a lot of ups and downs, a lot of emotional turmoil, and it does show a modicum of growth.
I'd like to say that I have lots of projects in the works but the truth is I don't have anything of my own except for Drinkbusters. The Fanfilm Project is going to be huge though and I am very much looking forward to that!!!!
I'd love to say that I am hard at work writing a script that I know I can shoot but I can't tell you that. I don't. I start writing on an idea, fleshing it out, get twenty or thirty pages into it and the idea dies on the vine.
Maybe writing isn't my strong point. If you have seen Locker and read my blog you might be right in assuming that.
Alright here is a secret, I know that writing is a skill and that if I keep writing this blog I feel my screen writing will get better so I keep doing this. I do enjoy it though, it is a nice vent. Believe me I sort of think about these posts before I write them. Not a lot but there is a small amount of forethought put into them.
I do think that every time I write here I am unconsciously building my writing skill and can soon write a full length script to shoot. Yeah I know. I just need to start writing. I keep trying to figure out a niche that just hasn't had a movie made about it though. Something that will grab some online buzz. Something that will be Blair Witch unique. Blair Witch can't be done again. It just can't. It was a brilliant idea and could only be done one time. A one off. I'd like an idea that is just so unique that it will allow me to quit my job.
Oh yeah there is that too....that is a wonderful reason I write this blog. It helps me deal with my soul crushing job. So in a way my blog is a search for the meaning of happiness. I know I'm not happy at my job, however it has turned into a trap. I get so many perks it is difficult to quit without replacing at least the pay part. I can live without the massive amounts of vacation and copious amounts of federal holidays....yeah I can live....I'm sure....well....we'll see. That is the real trap of the job. They know it sucks so they give you more money every year and more time away from the job!!!! How devious is that?!?!?!
What my job also allows me to do is pursue my filmmaking future!!!! I have put a lot of time and effort into learning the filmmaking process. I can frame nearly any shot and do it efficiently. I can edit and make a story out of it. I can study the classic movies and I can tell what shots were used and why. I am all about film and making a story out of a lot of chopped up shots. I am about making the process fun for the actors and crew. I am all about making something harder on myself if it means that it is easier on cast and crew.
If you have seen my living room and the literally thousands of DVDs laying around it you would know I study movies. It is really hard to actually enjoy a movie for just being a movie without thinking about it and how it can be better.
Alright so this post isn't very focused but again this is my blog and my rules. I've got five hundred posts and in my life that is an accomplishment, a milestone that allows me a small amount of pride.
To make it more amazing I've probably written at least two hundred of them with at least one cat in my lap and like now two.
I have looked back over some of my posts and wondered what in the world I was thinking.
I guess it reflected an accurate snapshot of my frame of mind at the time though so I guess that shows progress of sorts.
It shows a lot of ups and downs, a lot of emotional turmoil, and it does show a modicum of growth.
I'd like to say that I have lots of projects in the works but the truth is I don't have anything of my own except for Drinkbusters. The Fanfilm Project is going to be huge though and I am very much looking forward to that!!!!
I'd love to say that I am hard at work writing a script that I know I can shoot but I can't tell you that. I don't. I start writing on an idea, fleshing it out, get twenty or thirty pages into it and the idea dies on the vine.
Maybe writing isn't my strong point. If you have seen Locker and read my blog you might be right in assuming that.
Alright here is a secret, I know that writing is a skill and that if I keep writing this blog I feel my screen writing will get better so I keep doing this. I do enjoy it though, it is a nice vent. Believe me I sort of think about these posts before I write them. Not a lot but there is a small amount of forethought put into them.
I do think that every time I write here I am unconsciously building my writing skill and can soon write a full length script to shoot. Yeah I know. I just need to start writing. I keep trying to figure out a niche that just hasn't had a movie made about it though. Something that will grab some online buzz. Something that will be Blair Witch unique. Blair Witch can't be done again. It just can't. It was a brilliant idea and could only be done one time. A one off. I'd like an idea that is just so unique that it will allow me to quit my job.
Oh yeah there is that too....that is a wonderful reason I write this blog. It helps me deal with my soul crushing job. So in a way my blog is a search for the meaning of happiness. I know I'm not happy at my job, however it has turned into a trap. I get so many perks it is difficult to quit without replacing at least the pay part. I can live without the massive amounts of vacation and copious amounts of federal holidays....yeah I can live....I'm sure....well....we'll see. That is the real trap of the job. They know it sucks so they give you more money every year and more time away from the job!!!! How devious is that?!?!?!
What my job also allows me to do is pursue my filmmaking future!!!! I have put a lot of time and effort into learning the filmmaking process. I can frame nearly any shot and do it efficiently. I can edit and make a story out of it. I can study the classic movies and I can tell what shots were used and why. I am all about film and making a story out of a lot of chopped up shots. I am about making the process fun for the actors and crew. I am all about making something harder on myself if it means that it is easier on cast and crew.
If you have seen my living room and the literally thousands of DVDs laying around it you would know I study movies. It is really hard to actually enjoy a movie for just being a movie without thinking about it and how it can be better.
Alright so this post isn't very focused but again this is my blog and my rules. I've got five hundred posts and in my life that is an accomplishment, a milestone that allows me a small amount of pride.
To make it more amazing I've probably written at least two hundred of them with at least one cat in my lap and like now two.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Arrested Development
The past two days I have been watching the first, second, and third seasons of Arrested Development.
This is a very good series. There is this insane rich family who are suddenly not rich anymore because of some very shady dealings from the father who founded the business. Jason Bateman plays the straight man and the only responsible character. His only real weapon is his sarcasm and sense of family loyalty.
Well pretty much all of them have a sense of loyalty to their family but they really REALLY don't have a clue about anything else. All of the characters have their own unique personalities and approach to being shallow.
From Gob (pronounced Jobe) and his attempts at being a magician to Lindsey and her forgetfulness that she has a daughter named Maeby and Lindsey's complicated husband.
To Buster, the special sibling who has a weird relationship with his mother the lush.
This show is great for pop culture junkies, you will notice many pop references put to film. For example there is a red dog house with a dog sleeping on top of it but only if you look quickly. Many many of these can be found if you look hard enough. The dialog is sharp, witty, and very funny with nearly every line being some kind of joke of some sort.
Remember the old show Soap? Well you can almost call this show Soap 2. There are more site gags, more laughs, and to be honest this show is far more entertaining. The story arcs last several episodes and the overarching storyline of George Sr. and his legal problems lasts the duration.
Even the narrator (Ron Howard) gets into the act with witty narrating. There is a plethora of guest stars through out the entire run of fifty three episodes. This show struggled to find a steady audience and finally got axed.
It is a shame. This is a good and very affordable show.
This is a very good series. There is this insane rich family who are suddenly not rich anymore because of some very shady dealings from the father who founded the business. Jason Bateman plays the straight man and the only responsible character. His only real weapon is his sarcasm and sense of family loyalty.
Well pretty much all of them have a sense of loyalty to their family but they really REALLY don't have a clue about anything else. All of the characters have their own unique personalities and approach to being shallow.
From Gob (pronounced Jobe) and his attempts at being a magician to Lindsey and her forgetfulness that she has a daughter named Maeby and Lindsey's complicated husband.
To Buster, the special sibling who has a weird relationship with his mother the lush.
This show is great for pop culture junkies, you will notice many pop references put to film. For example there is a red dog house with a dog sleeping on top of it but only if you look quickly. Many many of these can be found if you look hard enough. The dialog is sharp, witty, and very funny with nearly every line being some kind of joke of some sort.
Remember the old show Soap? Well you can almost call this show Soap 2. There are more site gags, more laughs, and to be honest this show is far more entertaining. The story arcs last several episodes and the overarching storyline of George Sr. and his legal problems lasts the duration.
Even the narrator (Ron Howard) gets into the act with witty narrating. There is a plethora of guest stars through out the entire run of fifty three episodes. This show struggled to find a steady audience and finally got axed.
It is a shame. This is a good and very affordable show.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Over There
I am one episode away from finishing this fine show. I am sorry to see this one end.
Over There follows several storylines from several characters. The one I find myself enjoying the most is the complex Sgt. Scream. There are several episodes that show his character's character but he is really showcased in Orphans.
There is the saint like Angel who grapples with guilt issues from his great aunt. Double Wide and her stay at home husband and how he copes with being at home while his wife is at war. Dim and his cheating, alcoholic wife. Bo Rider who grapples with losing a limb. Smoke and his transformation of being a racist street thug into a soldier who trusts his brother soldiers. Mrs. B and her troubles. Tariq who is an American from Iraqi descent who has gone to fight after 9-11.
The storylines are inspiring and heartbreaking. It is a shame that only thirteen episodes were done. I am sensitive to politically slanted material and aside from a couple of throwaway lines this is pretty balanced.
This set is on loan from Beersnob and I have been needing to return it for a couple of months now. This holiday weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to watch the whole series start to finish today. As I said there is one episode left as of this writing and I am sorry to see it end. Like a good book that you want to keep reading or a good moment you never want to end.
This is one of those shows. It is about the soldiers themselves and not about the policies. Yeah a lot of it is fictional but I believe that a lot of it strikes home for a lot of our troops.
If you get a chance, see it.
Over There follows several storylines from several characters. The one I find myself enjoying the most is the complex Sgt. Scream. There are several episodes that show his character's character but he is really showcased in Orphans.
There is the saint like Angel who grapples with guilt issues from his great aunt. Double Wide and her stay at home husband and how he copes with being at home while his wife is at war. Dim and his cheating, alcoholic wife. Bo Rider who grapples with losing a limb. Smoke and his transformation of being a racist street thug into a soldier who trusts his brother soldiers. Mrs. B and her troubles. Tariq who is an American from Iraqi descent who has gone to fight after 9-11.
The storylines are inspiring and heartbreaking. It is a shame that only thirteen episodes were done. I am sensitive to politically slanted material and aside from a couple of throwaway lines this is pretty balanced.
This set is on loan from Beersnob and I have been needing to return it for a couple of months now. This holiday weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to watch the whole series start to finish today. As I said there is one episode left as of this writing and I am sorry to see it end. Like a good book that you want to keep reading or a good moment you never want to end.
This is one of those shows. It is about the soldiers themselves and not about the policies. Yeah a lot of it is fictional but I believe that a lot of it strikes home for a lot of our troops.
If you get a chance, see it.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Everyone in this country can be thankful for something on this day.
See if you can find out what it is today.
Enjoy it my friends.
See if you can find out what it is today.
Enjoy it my friends.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Red Beans And Rice
For breakfast you say? No way!
I say, "Sure why not?" It is nippy outside, looks like it is going to be a nice day though. So I decided to make a pot of red beans and rice. I can eat off of it all day, I have some Louisiana Hot Sauce and styrofoam bowls:) Life is still pretty good:)
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'll have a ton of leftovers for eating the rest of the week:)
My fantasy teams went 2-1 this week. My money league was a victory but I only had 38 points. That was good enough to beat my opponent but no help in the league point standings. I have fallen to seventh. I was in second place just a few weeks ago....sigh....I'm 4-7 and pretty much done.
My Yahoo league teams went 1-1. I'm pretty much finished in both of those leagues. I am 5-6 in one league and 2-7-2 in the other.
I don't think I'll make the playoffs in any of the three leagues. This season has a fork in it.
I say, "Sure why not?" It is nippy outside, looks like it is going to be a nice day though. So I decided to make a pot of red beans and rice. I can eat off of it all day, I have some Louisiana Hot Sauce and styrofoam bowls:) Life is still pretty good:)
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'll have a ton of leftovers for eating the rest of the week:)
My fantasy teams went 2-1 this week. My money league was a victory but I only had 38 points. That was good enough to beat my opponent but no help in the league point standings. I have fallen to seventh. I was in second place just a few weeks ago....sigh....I'm 4-7 and pretty much done.
My Yahoo league teams went 1-1. I'm pretty much finished in both of those leagues. I am 5-6 in one league and 2-7-2 in the other.
I don't think I'll make the playoffs in any of the three leagues. This season has a fork in it.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
MY PC HAS RETURNED!!!!
Yes my friends after a brief struggle to get it powered up and fixing the error that turned out to be a bad stick of RAM my PC is back home again.
Yeah so the case is tweaked from UPS and it has a few more scratches on it, it works well and it is as powerful as ever!!!!
Now I will be able to get Drinkbusters 1x5 edited, probably starting tomorrow and get everything back on track again:)
Yeah my laptop is very good, no doubt about it but this PC is what having a PC is all about my friends!!!!
Tomorrow I have decided to take off and enjoy five full days off from work. Life is good despite my lack of drinking buddies.
Yeah so the case is tweaked from UPS and it has a few more scratches on it, it works well and it is as powerful as ever!!!!
Now I will be able to get Drinkbusters 1x5 edited, probably starting tomorrow and get everything back on track again:)
Yeah my laptop is very good, no doubt about it but this PC is what having a PC is all about my friends!!!!
Tomorrow I have decided to take off and enjoy five full days off from work. Life is good despite my lack of drinking buddies.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Runnin' Out
I'm running out of drinking buddies.
It seems that everyone is busy which is understandable this time of year. However I still enjoy going out with friends and having a good time. Since Winner's closed it is harder to get a drink after work and even then finding someone to hang out with is twice as difficult.
A few months ago I'd mention to a couple of co-workers (well the fun, sane ones I know) and we grab a drink after work to relax some and everything was fun and easy going.
Now it is like trying to build the Great Wall of China single handedly to find a drinking buddy. For the most part they can only break away about every three weeks and on a Friday....and then only for maybe fifteen minutes or so.
Yeah I recognize that I don't have the restrictions that most people do and my schedule is much easier to work in nearly anything. I get that but irony rears its head when the last time that I went out for an evening was with my partner Chris who doesn't drink and Wendy who is a former drinker and I had lunch with Beersnob a while back which is always welcome and enjoyable!
I'm not complaining, I just like to have a drink after work sometimes and it is difficult to find someone to hang out with.
It seems that everyone is busy which is understandable this time of year. However I still enjoy going out with friends and having a good time. Since Winner's closed it is harder to get a drink after work and even then finding someone to hang out with is twice as difficult.
A few months ago I'd mention to a couple of co-workers (well the fun, sane ones I know) and we grab a drink after work to relax some and everything was fun and easy going.
Now it is like trying to build the Great Wall of China single handedly to find a drinking buddy. For the most part they can only break away about every three weeks and on a Friday....and then only for maybe fifteen minutes or so.
Yeah I recognize that I don't have the restrictions that most people do and my schedule is much easier to work in nearly anything. I get that but irony rears its head when the last time that I went out for an evening was with my partner Chris who doesn't drink and Wendy who is a former drinker and I had lunch with Beersnob a while back which is always welcome and enjoyable!
I'm not complaining, I just like to have a drink after work sometimes and it is difficult to find someone to hang out with.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
1 Wins Out
Ohio State beat Michigan yesterday earning them a spot in the BCS Championship game over a month from now.
What? You didn't know that the championship game is around six weeks away? Crazy huh?
So what we get to watch in the BCS game are two rusty teams in a game laden with penalties and mistakes because of the long lay off. Instead of using the next few weeks as a playoff, keeping the teams sharp, and determining a true champion we are subjected to meaningless bowl games that any team with six wins, yeah just six wins can get into.
Why so many bowl games? Well yes for the local fans of the team and for the gambling public but mainly for the schools themselves and all of the dollars a bowl game brings in. So now you know why the schools want to protect a broken system.
Keep an eyes on the rankings this week when they are released. You will see Rutgers fall dramatically, far enough to safely be out of reach of one of the big bowl games. The BCS hates small conference schools. The deck is stacked against them just ask Boise State.
I want teams to be able to settle who is the best on the field and not in the polls. There are going to be some deserving teams shut out of the possibility of playing in the big game because a poll or a computer ranking system says they wouldn't be the best game.
That leaves out all of the intangibles though in a football game. The turnovers, the team that is on and playing well, the team that makes all of the crucial blocks and does all the small things that win games.
Some teams go those things better than other teams and on any given gameday any team can win. They just need the chance to play which is denied by a big coalition which demands only two teams can play for the championship.
It is a horrible way to run something that has so much potential to be bigger than it is and it is already pretty big.
What? You didn't know that the championship game is around six weeks away? Crazy huh?
So what we get to watch in the BCS game are two rusty teams in a game laden with penalties and mistakes because of the long lay off. Instead of using the next few weeks as a playoff, keeping the teams sharp, and determining a true champion we are subjected to meaningless bowl games that any team with six wins, yeah just six wins can get into.
Why so many bowl games? Well yes for the local fans of the team and for the gambling public but mainly for the schools themselves and all of the dollars a bowl game brings in. So now you know why the schools want to protect a broken system.
Keep an eyes on the rankings this week when they are released. You will see Rutgers fall dramatically, far enough to safely be out of reach of one of the big bowl games. The BCS hates small conference schools. The deck is stacked against them just ask Boise State.
I want teams to be able to settle who is the best on the field and not in the polls. There are going to be some deserving teams shut out of the possibility of playing in the big game because a poll or a computer ranking system says they wouldn't be the best game.
That leaves out all of the intangibles though in a football game. The turnovers, the team that is on and playing well, the team that makes all of the crucial blocks and does all the small things that win games.
Some teams go those things better than other teams and on any given gameday any team can win. They just need the chance to play which is denied by a big coalition which demands only two teams can play for the championship.
It is a horrible way to run something that has so much potential to be bigger than it is and it is already pretty big.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
1 Vs. 2
Yep folks, today is the most anticipated day in this years college football season.
Number 1 ranked Ohio State vs. number 2 Michigan. What is at stake is a chance to play for the BCS Championship.
The wild card is what happened yesterday when long time Michigan coach Bo Schembechler died suddenly at age 77. To me in this game Ohio State should be a heavy favorite. They are playing at the Shoe and believe they really are the best team. I think they are heads and shoulders the best team.
So will the sudden loss of the beloved Bo have that intangible effect on Big Blue and rally them to a close win or will Ohio State blow them out as Michigan is emotionally drained? We'll see. If I were to bet on this one my green would be on the Buckeyes.
The problem though is that if this is a close game will the loser deserve a rematch in the BCS game? Well therein lies the problem. There is no playoff system. College Football is the only major sport in the USA that doesn't have a playoff to determine a real champion. Usually it comes down the the team with the best record at the end of the season.
This year though there are two undefeated teams that if they run the table and finish undefeated they probably won't even have a chance to play in one of the top bowl games let alone in the big game.
Just because they play in conferences that are very small they are penalized by a very slow escalation in their weekly rankings to keep them out of contention. The BCS is a sham and should be abolished. America loves to root for a underdog if they have no emotional investment in a team. That is why March Madness is so popular, because everyone can see the underdog overcome long odds and make a run at the championship. Everyone can get involved and feel included and every team has a fair shot to play for it instead of who plays in the Final Four coming down to a computer poll and voters.
I'd be thrilled if they took the top eight teams and even more thrilled if they took the top sixteen!
That tournament would be THE premiere event of all college sports, including March Madness!!!!
It'll probably never happen but it needs to.
Number 1 ranked Ohio State vs. number 2 Michigan. What is at stake is a chance to play for the BCS Championship.
The wild card is what happened yesterday when long time Michigan coach Bo Schembechler died suddenly at age 77. To me in this game Ohio State should be a heavy favorite. They are playing at the Shoe and believe they really are the best team. I think they are heads and shoulders the best team.
So will the sudden loss of the beloved Bo have that intangible effect on Big Blue and rally them to a close win or will Ohio State blow them out as Michigan is emotionally drained? We'll see. If I were to bet on this one my green would be on the Buckeyes.
The problem though is that if this is a close game will the loser deserve a rematch in the BCS game? Well therein lies the problem. There is no playoff system. College Football is the only major sport in the USA that doesn't have a playoff to determine a real champion. Usually it comes down the the team with the best record at the end of the season.
This year though there are two undefeated teams that if they run the table and finish undefeated they probably won't even have a chance to play in one of the top bowl games let alone in the big game.
Just because they play in conferences that are very small they are penalized by a very slow escalation in their weekly rankings to keep them out of contention. The BCS is a sham and should be abolished. America loves to root for a underdog if they have no emotional investment in a team. That is why March Madness is so popular, because everyone can see the underdog overcome long odds and make a run at the championship. Everyone can get involved and feel included and every team has a fair shot to play for it instead of who plays in the Final Four coming down to a computer poll and voters.
I'd be thrilled if they took the top eight teams and even more thrilled if they took the top sixteen!
That tournament would be THE premiere event of all college sports, including March Madness!!!!
It'll probably never happen but it needs to.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
PC News
I got an email from the builder of my PC late last night. It is supposed to ship this morning!!!!
He said that it should be here in the next few days and that he was going to send me the tracking number today!!!!
I'll be very excited to have my PC back. Yeah my laptop is a very good one but for the most part there is no substitute for my desktop.
I'm excited and hopefully I'll have it hooked back up and have Drinkbusters 1x5 edited very soon!!!!
He said that it should be here in the next few days and that he was going to send me the tracking number today!!!!
I'll be very excited to have my PC back. Yeah my laptop is a very good one but for the most part there is no substitute for my desktop.
I'm excited and hopefully I'll have it hooked back up and have Drinkbusters 1x5 edited very soon!!!!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Creating Reality
Today we live in a world where technology is everywhere. You are actually no longer bound by the harsh realities of life.
Get yourself a minimal job that pays for a roof over your head and you can unplug yourself entirely by being plugged into a network, a game, a community of people who share your own distaste of reality.
What does this mean? It means that just last week, in one of the most important mid-term elections of this generation just over 40% of the population voted. That means that 60% either don't care or that they are fed up with reality as they see it and and decide to create and get lost in their own reality.
It is easy now to get lost in a game such as Everquest or World of Warcraft not to mention twenty others. You can spend days on message boards or forums and find exactly the kind of company you want to keep.
When I was in high school I wished I could connect like now to like minded people as easily. I had a lot of things that I wished I could have researched then and learned all I wanted to know like I can now. A thought, few strokes of the keyboard, and whammo! I can find out nearly anything.
So that leads me to wonder exactly how long it will be before we can create an entire reality where we can live someone's life through implanted memories or some such concept we haven't even thought of yet. The internet would be primitive for what I have in mind.
Don't like living in a one bedroom apartment anymore? Plug in and all of a sudden you are Mick Jagger, John Elway, or Cindy Crawford. I mean if you can do that why not just invent someone, program some kind of amazing life and live that in your head?
Get up the next day, work a minimum amount to keep the rent paid and the lights on and then you can get back to your world. A world where things can go your way, anyway you want. Life too hard for you? Not a problem anymore. Just plug in someone else's life and you can escape yours.
Where is the line with that kind of reality? Virtual Reality would be tinker toys compared to these kinds of advances in creating your own reality.
Downside?
Yeah, compassion would die.
Art would die.
Creativity would die.
Apathy would run rampant.
Why would that bother you though? You have your own designed life at your finger tips and that is so much more satisfying right? It is as real as you believe it is. Why fix problems in reality when you can have them fixed and make a difference in your world. Why get your heart broken and beaten down in reality when you can have the person of your dreams and the life you desire in your own reality? Why die from cancer in reality when you can cure cancer in your reality?
What would I do? I don't know, I really don't.
What would you do?
Get yourself a minimal job that pays for a roof over your head and you can unplug yourself entirely by being plugged into a network, a game, a community of people who share your own distaste of reality.
What does this mean? It means that just last week, in one of the most important mid-term elections of this generation just over 40% of the population voted. That means that 60% either don't care or that they are fed up with reality as they see it and and decide to create and get lost in their own reality.
It is easy now to get lost in a game such as Everquest or World of Warcraft not to mention twenty others. You can spend days on message boards or forums and find exactly the kind of company you want to keep.
When I was in high school I wished I could connect like now to like minded people as easily. I had a lot of things that I wished I could have researched then and learned all I wanted to know like I can now. A thought, few strokes of the keyboard, and whammo! I can find out nearly anything.
So that leads me to wonder exactly how long it will be before we can create an entire reality where we can live someone's life through implanted memories or some such concept we haven't even thought of yet. The internet would be primitive for what I have in mind.
Don't like living in a one bedroom apartment anymore? Plug in and all of a sudden you are Mick Jagger, John Elway, or Cindy Crawford. I mean if you can do that why not just invent someone, program some kind of amazing life and live that in your head?
Get up the next day, work a minimum amount to keep the rent paid and the lights on and then you can get back to your world. A world where things can go your way, anyway you want. Life too hard for you? Not a problem anymore. Just plug in someone else's life and you can escape yours.
Where is the line with that kind of reality? Virtual Reality would be tinker toys compared to these kinds of advances in creating your own reality.
Downside?
Yeah, compassion would die.
Art would die.
Creativity would die.
Apathy would run rampant.
Why would that bother you though? You have your own designed life at your finger tips and that is so much more satisfying right? It is as real as you believe it is. Why fix problems in reality when you can have them fixed and make a difference in your world. Why get your heart broken and beaten down in reality when you can have the person of your dreams and the life you desire in your own reality? Why die from cancer in reality when you can cure cancer in your reality?
What would I do? I don't know, I really don't.
What would you do?
Monday, November 13, 2006
Desperate Housewives Part 2
Well here is what I thought of the entire season as I finished watching the second season yesterday. I liked it. It was entertaining as I stated in the last post.
This is a show though that I don't know if they can maintain the interest or not. It seems that they have explored a lot of storylines already so how much further can they go and keep it interesting?
I can boil it down to my interest, Teri Hatcher: Hot, Eva Longoria: Hot.
Yeah there are some good storylines that keep my interest and I have enjoyed the season. I just wonder how long the show will last. I wondered the same thing about 24 and Lost and supposedly they have lots of storyline written for Lost.
Anyway just wanted so sum it up for you. Watch it if you have the time and nothing else going on, it is fun, entertaining, and a good ride!
This is a show though that I don't know if they can maintain the interest or not. It seems that they have explored a lot of storylines already so how much further can they go and keep it interesting?
I can boil it down to my interest, Teri Hatcher: Hot, Eva Longoria: Hot.
Yeah there are some good storylines that keep my interest and I have enjoyed the season. I just wonder how long the show will last. I wondered the same thing about 24 and Lost and supposedly they have lots of storyline written for Lost.
Anyway just wanted so sum it up for you. Watch it if you have the time and nothing else going on, it is fun, entertaining, and a good ride!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Desperate Housewives Season 2
Well on my first day off of shooting I decided to watch as much as the second season of Desperate Housewives finally.
I've had it laying around for a while and just didn't get around to it but yesterday seemed like a good time to get it started. I could probably finish it today but the NFL is on today and it is week 10.
Well first about DH, it seems to have improved over the first season and that was pretty good. I'm just over half way done so far and it has been very entertaining. The storylines have been strong and unexpected. There has been a good mix of comedy and drama. All of the characters have a good share of screen time and the focus is never on one individual character. They all share in the storylines equally.
I don't know if that is because of the offscreen egos or just very good writing but it works on screen. For this show watching in long marathon sessions works well like Lost or 24. To me that seems to be the best way to watch TV anymore. I'd say this show is worth watching which is rare for me to suggest a show from the big three networks. I'm sure that there are some good shows on network but I'm more of a cable fan as many of you know from reading previous posts. I usually don't give the network shows a chance until they are on DVD.
Today is also week 10. The bye weeks are finished now and every team will be full strength the rest of the season. In my case it won't matter a whole lot unless Tiki starts scoring. This season reminds me of that one season that Barry Sanders led the league in rushing and had 2 TDs all year. Deja Vu for sure in my case. Tiki has 1 TD and yet has nearly 900 yards rushing and as a result my team is suffering.
When your blue chipper doesn't produce you really have to have a strong supporting team and mine is up and down. My WRs are strong, my RBs weak, and the rest is average. I've been on the waiver wire to try to improve my team but it hasn't helped a whole lot. I need to have at least two more 70 point weeks and right now I'm averaging about 30.
It is a longshot now to finish above average in my money league. The Yahoo leagues are split. One team, when full strength, will be above average while the other one is doomed to a losing record no matter what. Such is life right now, it seems like it is average at best.
In PC news I contacted the builder and the power supply should arrive to the builder by tomorrow. He said he hopes to get the rig shipped back to me by Tuesday!!!!
I hope so, I miss my machine!
I've had it laying around for a while and just didn't get around to it but yesterday seemed like a good time to get it started. I could probably finish it today but the NFL is on today and it is week 10.
Well first about DH, it seems to have improved over the first season and that was pretty good. I'm just over half way done so far and it has been very entertaining. The storylines have been strong and unexpected. There has been a good mix of comedy and drama. All of the characters have a good share of screen time and the focus is never on one individual character. They all share in the storylines equally.
I don't know if that is because of the offscreen egos or just very good writing but it works on screen. For this show watching in long marathon sessions works well like Lost or 24. To me that seems to be the best way to watch TV anymore. I'd say this show is worth watching which is rare for me to suggest a show from the big three networks. I'm sure that there are some good shows on network but I'm more of a cable fan as many of you know from reading previous posts. I usually don't give the network shows a chance until they are on DVD.
Today is also week 10. The bye weeks are finished now and every team will be full strength the rest of the season. In my case it won't matter a whole lot unless Tiki starts scoring. This season reminds me of that one season that Barry Sanders led the league in rushing and had 2 TDs all year. Deja Vu for sure in my case. Tiki has 1 TD and yet has nearly 900 yards rushing and as a result my team is suffering.
When your blue chipper doesn't produce you really have to have a strong supporting team and mine is up and down. My WRs are strong, my RBs weak, and the rest is average. I've been on the waiver wire to try to improve my team but it hasn't helped a whole lot. I need to have at least two more 70 point weeks and right now I'm averaging about 30.
It is a longshot now to finish above average in my money league. The Yahoo leagues are split. One team, when full strength, will be above average while the other one is doomed to a losing record no matter what. Such is life right now, it seems like it is average at best.
In PC news I contacted the builder and the power supply should arrive to the builder by tomorrow. He said he hopes to get the rig shipped back to me by Tuesday!!!!
I hope so, I miss my machine!
Friday, November 10, 2006
A Good Day!!!!
Yes my friends I am off today because of an important day called Veterans Day.
Yeah I know it is tomorrow but today is the day that federal installations shut down in honor of our vets.
Is there another military in the world's LONG history that is willing to die for the freedoms of complete strangers? To volunteer to lay their lives on the line to free opressed people?
No.
America and the American Military are unique in nearly every way. America represents what countries strive to be, we are the beacons of freedom around the world. People want to be here.
Our Veterans have paid that cost, continue to pay that cost, and will always be happy to pay that cost. Do something nice for a veteran today!!!!
Yeah I know it is tomorrow but today is the day that federal installations shut down in honor of our vets.
Is there another military in the world's LONG history that is willing to die for the freedoms of complete strangers? To volunteer to lay their lives on the line to free opressed people?
No.
America and the American Military are unique in nearly every way. America represents what countries strive to be, we are the beacons of freedom around the world. People want to be here.
Our Veterans have paid that cost, continue to pay that cost, and will always be happy to pay that cost. Do something nice for a veteran today!!!!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
An Interesting Trend
Since working on the Coke project I have noticed a unusual and interesting trend. That trend is the abundance of contests as commercials.
I know of at least two other brand products who are requesting people submit a commercial for their product. This is actually a win win situation.
First it is like a talent search for untapped talent. Many people will see someone else's vision for a product that many ad agencies might completely miss which can only benefit the product.
The other side is the potential for stardom for a young fimmaker to break in and catch the eye of someone who can give a helping hand....plus some prize money that can help fund a project.
I do hope this trend continues but as with anything it will attract those who just go out and buy a camera and believe they are the next Hitchcock or Capra or worse yet don't even know enough to know who those two are....sigh....
I know of at least two other brand products who are requesting people submit a commercial for their product. This is actually a win win situation.
First it is like a talent search for untapped talent. Many people will see someone else's vision for a product that many ad agencies might completely miss which can only benefit the product.
The other side is the potential for stardom for a young fimmaker to break in and catch the eye of someone who can give a helping hand....plus some prize money that can help fund a project.
I do hope this trend continues but as with anything it will attract those who just go out and buy a camera and believe they are the next Hitchcock or Capra or worse yet don't even know enough to know who those two are....sigh....
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
0-3
Yep, no wins in any of my three fantasy leagues this week.
This week hurt me and my chances in the money league to finish anywhere near the top. It goes to show you how important your first round draft pick is to your team. If your blue chipper doesn't score your team will probably not do well.
One of the teams in the league was sinking fast until LJ picked up the pace and now he is a contender. The team who drafted Shaun Alexander is tanking like mine is. In fact my team is probably just about done.
Well I'm all settled in now and ready to watch election returns all night. This is a critical election and it should be interesting to see the results! I was able to vote at lunch today. The allegations of fraud are flying all over the place which will add an extra layer of drama tonight. When it all pans out who will be in charge of Congress?
I don't know how anyone can pay attention to the silly election anyway, I mean Britney Spears just filed for divorce from K-Fed!!!!
How in the world can the election be the big news of the day when K-Fed's career just went up in smoke....in several different ways I'm sure. I'm sure that Britney will be headed back to Louisana with both chitlins to take refuge in the nearest trailer park while writing alimony checks to K-Fed to fund his monthly pot bill in the lifestyle he has become accustomed to.
This week hurt me and my chances in the money league to finish anywhere near the top. It goes to show you how important your first round draft pick is to your team. If your blue chipper doesn't score your team will probably not do well.
One of the teams in the league was sinking fast until LJ picked up the pace and now he is a contender. The team who drafted Shaun Alexander is tanking like mine is. In fact my team is probably just about done.
Well I'm all settled in now and ready to watch election returns all night. This is a critical election and it should be interesting to see the results! I was able to vote at lunch today. The allegations of fraud are flying all over the place which will add an extra layer of drama tonight. When it all pans out who will be in charge of Congress?
I don't know how anyone can pay attention to the silly election anyway, I mean Britney Spears just filed for divorce from K-Fed!!!!
How in the world can the election be the big news of the day when K-Fed's career just went up in smoke....in several different ways I'm sure. I'm sure that Britney will be headed back to Louisana with both chitlins to take refuge in the nearest trailer park while writing alimony checks to K-Fed to fund his monthly pot bill in the lifestyle he has become accustomed to.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Breaking Blu
Well here we go, an endeavor into another post about a celebreality show....Breaking Bonaduce. It follows the lives of Danny Bonaduce and his behind the scenes mess of a life with his wife Gretchen.
What is strange about this show is that it is hard to tell if any of it is scripted. I tend to think it is actually real. Sometimes the drama tips into melodrama but I think that is more editing than anything else.
This is the second season of the show and I watched it last year with some kind of morbid fascination to see how much this guy is going to crack up. Just how self destructive can someone get and still be alive? Well Danny Bonaduce would be your answer. He just can't have some kind of normal existence without pushing things too far.
Honestly I don't blame him. I can see his pain and I sympathize with it. I can relate to it. For the most part I think it stems from his wife. She seems to be his downfall at nearly every turn. All he wants is to is be happy and have this romantic vision of a family. It really seems he would be very content with that and abandon his hard living ways if he had that. The problem again seems to stem from her lack of any kind of romantic bone in her body which leads to a massive amount of frustration and more drinking and drugs on his part.
Speaking of frustration I have resigned from working on Chris's project. Chalk it up to creative differences. We are still great friends and hopefully always will be. There are more a LOT of projects that I feel he and I have to do in the future but this one, well I can't give what he needs.
Please don't read more into this than what is there, it is a mutual decision and better for the both of us. I have Drinkbusters and I have the Fanfilm Project which will be an amazing piece of work when finished! Yeah I am bummed that The Passing Drummers didn't work out, I won't lie. There is a lot to do though and maybe this will finally get me into gear to write something and get another project going, maybe for the Summer!
What is strange about this show is that it is hard to tell if any of it is scripted. I tend to think it is actually real. Sometimes the drama tips into melodrama but I think that is more editing than anything else.
This is the second season of the show and I watched it last year with some kind of morbid fascination to see how much this guy is going to crack up. Just how self destructive can someone get and still be alive? Well Danny Bonaduce would be your answer. He just can't have some kind of normal existence without pushing things too far.
Honestly I don't blame him. I can see his pain and I sympathize with it. I can relate to it. For the most part I think it stems from his wife. She seems to be his downfall at nearly every turn. All he wants is to is be happy and have this romantic vision of a family. It really seems he would be very content with that and abandon his hard living ways if he had that. The problem again seems to stem from her lack of any kind of romantic bone in her body which leads to a massive amount of frustration and more drinking and drugs on his part.
Speaking of frustration I have resigned from working on Chris's project. Chalk it up to creative differences. We are still great friends and hopefully always will be. There are more a LOT of projects that I feel he and I have to do in the future but this one, well I can't give what he needs.
Please don't read more into this than what is there, it is a mutual decision and better for the both of us. I have Drinkbusters and I have the Fanfilm Project which will be an amazing piece of work when finished! Yeah I am bummed that The Passing Drummers didn't work out, I won't lie. There is a lot to do though and maybe this will finally get me into gear to write something and get another project going, maybe for the Summer!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Two Poker Wins Last Night!
Yeppers my friends, last night I won second place in two tournaments.
Not too shabby! Since I haven't played live in nearly three months I did pretty well and felt good about my performance. We played two tournaments from 7 p.m. until just after midnight.
Tomorrow my team will be playing without Reggie Brown. The Eagles are on a bye week. Brown has been one of my most productive receivers this season. It is going to hurt not having him in the lineup. This is the last week for byes though so my team will be full strength for the rest of the season.
That will help since my team has potential to score big or really bomb during any given week.
The shows on Adult Swim Fix were pretty good yesterday.
What? You don't know about the Fix? For anyone who watches the Cartoon Network after 9 p.m. they turn the network over to more adult themed programming. This is called Adult Swim. You can see such shows as Futurama, Family Guy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Squidbillies. There are many other shows and most of them are pretty decent.
Some are much tamer than others as well. Anyway on the Adult Swim website there is a part called Fix. At Fix you can watch Sunday's premier shows two days early on that Friday. It is pretty nice to be able to see the shows before they show up on cable.
Check it out sometime, you might even laugh some:)
Not too shabby! Since I haven't played live in nearly three months I did pretty well and felt good about my performance. We played two tournaments from 7 p.m. until just after midnight.
Tomorrow my team will be playing without Reggie Brown. The Eagles are on a bye week. Brown has been one of my most productive receivers this season. It is going to hurt not having him in the lineup. This is the last week for byes though so my team will be full strength for the rest of the season.
That will help since my team has potential to score big or really bomb during any given week.
The shows on Adult Swim Fix were pretty good yesterday.
What? You don't know about the Fix? For anyone who watches the Cartoon Network after 9 p.m. they turn the network over to more adult themed programming. This is called Adult Swim. You can see such shows as Futurama, Family Guy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Squidbillies. There are many other shows and most of them are pretty decent.
Some are much tamer than others as well. Anyway on the Adult Swim website there is a part called Fix. At Fix you can watch Sunday's premier shows two days early on that Friday. It is pretty nice to be able to see the shows before they show up on cable.
Check it out sometime, you might even laugh some:)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Paranormal Experiences
I've talked to a couple of friends about this and have one that has told me she will tell me some good stories next time she and I grab a drink.
I was watching the Ghost Hunters last night and I don't know why but it seems that they really don't get a lot in their investigations anymore. It isn't like they got a lot but they did have a chair move in a haunted lighthouse.
Last night I saw one episode where some bed covers moved on their own. They had some EVPs but other than that, not a lot. They do go in with a different mind set though. They try to debunk a haunting and find reasons for everything. They don't fawn over every weird piece of video tape and pronounce something haunted just because they want to. They do look for evidence and seem to do a good job of collecting it.
So it just so happens that about the same time Chris called me up as I was pondering these things.
I asked him his opinions on the matter. We have discussed them before but that was a while back and I was looking for his fresh perspective. He just didn't know anymore. He said he had been on several ghost hunts and didn't really come up with anything. I asked if he had reviewed the footage from Saturday and he hadn't as of yet. He is still recovering from his cold and is a bit weak still. Saturday we shot at the former Sunny Side Center which was a nursing home for the mentally ill. The place had a lot of violence and sadness in its history so I was halfway expecting something weird to happen.
The only thing that really happened was that I felt really drained after we were done shooting. Even though we only shot for about ten hours I felt very very tired and slept from about an hour after I got home until the next morning straight through. Paranormal? I'm going to say no. If there was any place in town though that I figured would be haunted it would be that place.
So I asked an email list I am a member of if anyone had any paranormal experiences and the best story was when a friend and his buddy went into a club they belonged to but the founder's son had been gone for several years, and when they went into the building a music system started playing the son's favorite song. That was pretty paranormalish for sure!
So I can firmly say that nothing has ever happened to me but that doesn't mean it isn't real. I just have never experienced it. I'd like to see some kind of tangiable evidence that I am a part of like TAPS occasionally finds on tape or experience.
I was watching the Ghost Hunters last night and I don't know why but it seems that they really don't get a lot in their investigations anymore. It isn't like they got a lot but they did have a chair move in a haunted lighthouse.
Last night I saw one episode where some bed covers moved on their own. They had some EVPs but other than that, not a lot. They do go in with a different mind set though. They try to debunk a haunting and find reasons for everything. They don't fawn over every weird piece of video tape and pronounce something haunted just because they want to. They do look for evidence and seem to do a good job of collecting it.
So it just so happens that about the same time Chris called me up as I was pondering these things.
I asked him his opinions on the matter. We have discussed them before but that was a while back and I was looking for his fresh perspective. He just didn't know anymore. He said he had been on several ghost hunts and didn't really come up with anything. I asked if he had reviewed the footage from Saturday and he hadn't as of yet. He is still recovering from his cold and is a bit weak still. Saturday we shot at the former Sunny Side Center which was a nursing home for the mentally ill. The place had a lot of violence and sadness in its history so I was halfway expecting something weird to happen.
The only thing that really happened was that I felt really drained after we were done shooting. Even though we only shot for about ten hours I felt very very tired and slept from about an hour after I got home until the next morning straight through. Paranormal? I'm going to say no. If there was any place in town though that I figured would be haunted it would be that place.
So I asked an email list I am a member of if anyone had any paranormal experiences and the best story was when a friend and his buddy went into a club they belonged to but the founder's son had been gone for several years, and when they went into the building a music system started playing the son's favorite song. That was pretty paranormalish for sure!
So I can firmly say that nothing has ever happened to me but that doesn't mean it isn't real. I just have never experienced it. I'd like to see some kind of tangiable evidence that I am a part of like TAPS occasionally finds on tape or experience.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Night Of The Living Dead: Live From Wisconsin?!?!?!
Yeah, from Wisconsin and it was fun to watch!
If any of you have ever seen American Movie you are familiar with Mark Borchardt and Mike Schank. American Movie is a documentary on Mark and his faithful best friend Mike. It documents the making of "Northwestern" and when that falls apart the making of his movie "Coven". It is a fun watch if you can find it and better if you love documentaries and even better STILL if you are a filmmaker!
Mark is a fellow filmmaker from Wisconsin and has enjoyed some success since the documentary was released in 1999 I think. He has been in several movies and is currently working on a project called Scare Me. I am unsure what that project is or what it is about but you can bet that it will be funny but probably not scary.
Well last night the G4 network ran Night of the Living Dead, interspersed with the movie were comments from George Romero, commentary from Mark and Mike (Yeah I hope you Iowa readers get the irony), a live horror movie, live auditions, fan voting, and re-enactments from the movie. All of that was a blast!!!!
They did it all from their front lawn and had people from all over the neighborhood show up dressed as zombies. They had a cast member and long time friend Kenny cooking brats, and clips from Mark and Mike buying zombie hunting weapons at a local store. This presentation had nearly everything a horror fan could want and it was all just a party to watch!
I hope they do this every year and I really hope to hear more from Mark and Mike in their future endeavors!
If any of you have ever seen American Movie you are familiar with Mark Borchardt and Mike Schank. American Movie is a documentary on Mark and his faithful best friend Mike. It documents the making of "Northwestern" and when that falls apart the making of his movie "Coven". It is a fun watch if you can find it and better if you love documentaries and even better STILL if you are a filmmaker!
Mark is a fellow filmmaker from Wisconsin and has enjoyed some success since the documentary was released in 1999 I think. He has been in several movies and is currently working on a project called Scare Me. I am unsure what that project is or what it is about but you can bet that it will be funny but probably not scary.
Well last night the G4 network ran Night of the Living Dead, interspersed with the movie were comments from George Romero, commentary from Mark and Mike (Yeah I hope you Iowa readers get the irony), a live horror movie, live auditions, fan voting, and re-enactments from the movie. All of that was a blast!!!!
They did it all from their front lawn and had people from all over the neighborhood show up dressed as zombies. They had a cast member and long time friend Kenny cooking brats, and clips from Mark and Mike buying zombie hunting weapons at a local store. This presentation had nearly everything a horror fan could want and it was all just a party to watch!
I hope they do this every year and I really hope to hear more from Mark and Mike in their future endeavors!
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