You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August, 2006.
A couple of weeks ago I was told by my doctor that I have severe sleep apnea. I’ll have to wear a mask to help me breath at night. A lot of things make sense now… my health problems, my ‘mind’ problems, and to think… all I seem to need is a good night’s sleep. Look at this mask, though. I’m pretty sure this is an old school one. I was told the machines are smaller and quieter.
[music: none]
[mood: tired]
Pluto has been reclassified as a ‘dwarf planet’, which means it’s no longer a planet. I’m on the fence with this, since I was raised with nine planets. I guess that’s science for you. It allows for change. I’m a bit disappointed, because I liked the idea of a 12 planet solar system. It gave me the feeling that we’re expanding. In any case, I guess we’re down to eight planets.
Now all the text books need to be re-written, planetariums changed, documentaries are out of date.
[music: Last Dance by The Cure]
[mood: tired]
Ever since watching Blade Runner a month ago, I remember being so fascinated by The Future when I was a kid. Even now, I can’t help but get a kick out of living beyond the year 2000. I can’t imagine what life will be like in 2050. I’ll be in my 70s, so I HOPEFULLY will be around for it. I love watching movies that take place in the future. Weather it’s cheesy sci-fi or something as strange and captivating as The Fountain, it’ll always hook me in.
I played a mean game of racquetball today. While I was searching for a pic to show on ‘the future’ I found this one from Star Trek. Hah. Is that what we’ll really wear to play raquetball in the 24th century?
[music: Selling the Drama by Live]
[mood: nostalgic]
I had my childhood in the ’80s, but I was ‘growing up’ in the ’90s. It’s where my musical tastes dramatically changed. I went from Slick Rick and Redman to Nirvana & Nine Inch Nails in one summer. I discovered Live, and I was immediately hooked.
The cover of their album Throwing Copper remains one of my favorites, especially because the painting has a somewhat haunting background.
Their MTV Unplugged performance is one of my all time favorites. It’s too bad they never released it. It’s been 11 years since that performance, and I’m sure there would be plenty of buyers.
[music: Waking Up by 10 Years]
[mood: tired]
I’ve known about 10 years since they first came out, but for some reason they didn’t speak to me. Maybe I’m finally seeking out that post A Perfect Circle rock sound I love so much. Well, this album has it. I’m sorry to be like everyone else and compare them to APC. Maybe I’ll make an effort to write a true critique later on.
Being the music snob that I am, I usually stay away from the mainstream (unless a friend really wants me to try something) …anyway, while on iTunes I noticed a few notable names have some new material coming out. The Killers (finally), Evanessance (sounds great), Audioslave (bleh) and The Roots (the only hip hop I care for.)
[music: Jenny was a Friend of Mine by The Killers]
[mood: inspired]
I had some dinner after work and decided to watch The Office series 2 video diary. I love watching behind the scene documentaries. Not so much the kind where they show you how they created all the special effects and everything, but where they show you the creators in their enviornment, and the crew who all worked together to create something. I always thought it’d be cool to be a part of something like the creation of a show like The Office.
Another good documentary of that sort is on the Loony Toons Golden Collection Vol. 1, where it takes you behind the scenes of the people behind those great cartoons. I would’ve loved to been a part of that crew, to be a part of something that’s become a classic, and is a part of cultural history.
[music: Smile Like You Mean it by The Killers]
[mood: amused]
I’m helping my wife create a video for her parents. I like being behind the camera, but I especially had fun with my wife and bro-in-law doing take after take on the introduction to the segments. A good way to spend a Saturday night.
We shot so many takes that we decided to create a blooper reel as an ‘extra’ for the dvd.
[music: Rosetta Stoned by Tool]
[mood: okay]
In 1999 Madden Football for Playstation was my game of choice. I wanted something different, but didn’t care for the shoot-em-up games. A friend let me borrow FIFA Soccer 2000. I was aware of soccer as an international sport, but never followed it or played it. So, I popped in the game, and chose a team to try out. Arsenal sounded good. Never heard of them.
Never heard of these names… Overmars, Henry, Vierra, Bergkamp. I won that first game, and picked up on the rules of soccer pretty quickly.
That night, I flipped on a sports channel (we get 4 of them) and an English soccer game is on. Low and behold… it’s Arsenal. Caught the game late, but it was pretty exciting. They won, of course, and not only that… I was suddenly HOOKED on soccer.
I knew they broadcasted Mexican league soccer on Univision, so I tuned in that weekend. I never heard such passionate sportscasting! I couldn’t understand a word of it, but if a player got anywhere near the box with the ball they talked faster and louder, the crowd would go crazy (and of course Goooooool!) As I continued watching these games, I noticed they always showed a team called P.U.M.A.S.
I followed the U.S. National team’s journey in the 2002 World Cup. I was very sad when they lost, and since there was a lack of decent Premiership coverage, I couldn’t keep track of Arsenal (except the internet), and with no Philadelphia MLS team to root for (and lack of coverage,) I stopped watching soccer.
The USA was goiong to be huge in the 2006 World Cup. We all know how that turned out, but I was hooked again. As I understand it, I missed some great Arsenal moments over the years. There are rumors of an MLS Philadelphia team, but I guess I can default to New York Red Bull for now (I drink enough of it) …I set the TiVo for the P.U.M.A.S. match this Sunday.
As for Arsenal… Bergkamp may be gone, but let the good times role again!
[music: Slide Away by The Verve]
[mood: concerned]
The first time I realized I felt very uncomfortable watching images of 9/11 was when I saw Fahrenheit 911 in the theater. I just didn’t like seeing the images.
I didn’t lose anyone in the attack, and I wasn’t in New York at the time. I don’t like 9/11 used in jokes and humorous tones, and I can’t stand to see the image of a cartoon Bin Laden used on Flash banners on websites to win XBoxes or iPods.
I saw United 93 a few months back. That uncomfortable feeling came back during that scene in the control tower watching the first plane strike. I was sure I could handle the movie, and I did for the most part. But, I’ll never see it again. It was at that moment when I decided I will not watch any movies about 9/11.
[music: All Tomorrow's Parties by The Velvet Undgerground]
[mood: good]
Today Andy Warhol would’ve been 78 years old. I wonder what he would think of the world today. I wonder what he would think of the ‘pop art’ filter that’s built into the Intel iMac’s iSight camera. Well, here’s to you, Andy.
“Lou-Pop”
iSight Pop Art filter
2006
“Mission Accomplished”
digital collage
2006
“The Paris Hilton Axiom”
digital collage
2006
