The Purpose of a Writer

For further inquiries as to my ongoings, please refer to link below.

2009-07-11T07:49:11Z

http://scarlettxxmage.tumblr.com/

scarlett__mage @ 2009-05-02T22:39:00

2009-05-03T05:42:34Z

"Because cashless spending is more convenient, industry reports suggest that visitors who use the wristbands spend as much as 25% more at resorts and parks."

from http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wrist2-2009may02,0,3597459.story

Also, people don't see themselves physically spending dollars, which also prompts them to spend. Altogether an interesting article.

Things are looking on the up and up.

2009-05-02T07:06:36Z

I went to edit my Activities in Facebook to add "Dungeons and Dragons" when I saw that my last activity listed was "JOB HUNTING." I quickly changed it to "NOT JOB HUNTING! YESSS." I still can't believe it. The first thing I did after the successful interview was tweet about it. The second thing I did was call my mom. She was so excited when I told her the news. She kept saying she wanted to take me out to dinner and just kept laughing with joy that I'd found a real job. "Oh you called me first (to say you got a job)!?" She was so happy that I'd called her and I didn't want to explain that I tweeted about it first or what that even meant so I just assumed that no one had read it before I dialed my mom and that technically she was the first to actually know.

A steady paycheck with steady hours in a steady environment... I can finally install WoW and not have to worry about scraping pennies together for my subscription fees or a work schedule that varies every week! Plus I can probably purchase an actual copy of Windows and just write it off for work--I can finally install Guild Wars too!

Yes, I know I am being ultra geek right now--I'm going to be able to afford it!! And so much more! Relatively speaking of course. I'm not going to be able to roll in a Rolls anytime soon.

Besides, I'm probably going to need these escapist outlets. My new job is assisting a criminal defense attorney so I'm bound to encounter some... shady characters, to say the least.

OH, but I love the building. It's The Gas Company building on 5th and Olive. I can take the train everyday and he said he'll cover my train pass! Suck it, LA drivers! But yeah, the building has this beautiful courtyard/lobby area OH and I'll need a badge to get in and I get that on Tuesday AHH a job! A job that isn't my current job!! Light at the end of the tunnel.

Also, tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day http://www.freecomicbookday.com/fcbd_locator.asp

Also, the same day I got the job, I went to a meeting @ Causecast HQ for the Viral Marketing Interns. I'm glad I went. I'm reaffirmed and renewed in my efforts with them. If you see me talking about Causecast, please take a second to look! It's much appreciated! Once my schedule settles down, I'm going to look into volunteering with two featured organizations: 826LA (http://tinyurl.com/cc826LA), which provides creative writing tutoring to kids and Project Angel Food (http://tinyurl.com/ccprojAF), which delivers meals to people affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and the like. They're both conveniently located near me--one on Sunset, one on Vine. I'll probably contact them at the end of next week. Join me if you can!

Actually, there are a couple benefits coming up--one for each org, both on May 7th. The first is a screening of Sam Mendes' "Away We Go" (which I'm eager to see btw) @ the Vista Theater http://tinyurl.com/d2joxt. It benefits 826LA. The second is "A Cause for Comedy" @ the Hollywood Improv http://tinyurl.com/cyrgyu. This benefits Project Angel Food. I'm more likely to attend the latter since it's a little more wallet-friendly. If you're going, let me know!

Same page, different city.

2009-04-08T00:04:43Z

Dialed up Mom on the ol' cell phone today.

Mom: What are you doing?
Me: Making ravioli.
Mom: Oh you know how to cook now? So what's up?
Me: Uh... I'm bored.
Mom: Me too. I'm making spaghetti and meatballs.

A great start to year 22.

2009-04-04T06:34:52Z

Got a Munny from Matt. Disneyland and bowling with friends and family. Pay day on Thu. Birthday money from family. Visited them and caught up w/ them before bowling. Getting paid to test a video game this weekend. Job interview and career fair on Mon. I'd say this was a pretty good week in a long while.

EDIT - Oh and how could I forget!? Matt got me a kitty! Her name is Sydney and she has REALLY beautiful eyes! She's adorable!

Then I'll take your house.

2009-04-03T18:58:06Z

I read this story @ ABC7's website: "Suspect arrested in fatal USC hit-and-run" http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=6743393.

At the bottom, one user marxtvshow comments "I bet my house this was an illegal alien. And you know I'm right."

Oh really, you racist bastard? Because, you know, the victims were coming from a frat party and it couldn't have possibly been drunk driving USC students at the wheel.

Today was a nice outing day.

2009-03-26T05:32:35Z

Matt and I bought day passes and went to Chinatown and Little Tokyo. In Chinatown, we visited a shop called Ooga Booga. I bought one of those red fortune telling fish for a dollar. The guy at the store, Chad seemed to be an event organizer/promoter for stuff going on at the Grand Star jazz place across the way. In Little Tokyo, we perused the shops and found this shopping center we'd never been to before. From the outside, it looked deserted, but inside every other store bustled with business. We wanted to have dinner at one of the places, but since I'd just bought a crap load of shirts from Threadless, we decided against it. On our way home, we stopped to have Pinkberry off Hollywood/Vine. We saw a guy who looked and dressed like Mark Stone.

Double check your bed and breakfasts.

2009-03-16T19:29:44Z

I was in the mountains with this mostly Caucasian Christian cult. We were having a meeting in a big room in one of the houses about who in the community has been sinning. Long tables bordered the walls and everyone was sitting at the tables. While I was waiting for the meeting to start, I looked over to the door which was on my right and a gay dude was standing in the doorway and he seemed to be flirting with me. And then later on during the meeting, some chick on my left wrote some checkboxes for me to check on the back of her copy of the meeting agenda. I think one of the checkboxes had something to do w/ hooking up w/ her and the other checkbox had something to do w/ asking if I thought Rebecca Bruner was stupid/if I wanted to kill Rebecca Bruner. Becca was sitting on my left and noticed her name on the paper in front of me so she asked if it was about her and I said no and quickly hid the paper. Also, there was a random middle-aged Chinese couple who seemed to be tourists testifying at this meeting. Both sexual advances from the gay dude and the chick seemed tempting and I was thinking about how to pull them off w/out ending up w/ a noose around my neck.

So it turns out people who even sinned the tiniest bit were being condemned by the cult leaders as major sinners and sentenced to death by hanging in the courtyard. I vaguely remember a woman sitting on a stool in the center of the room desperately trying to argue her case. And failing.

Now we're in the courtyard. It's evening and overcast. Some EZ up tents are up and under these tents are where they're hanging people. There's a stool in the center. The person to be hanged sits on the stool. They put a noose around their neck, thread the rope through the top supporting bar of the tent, and when it's their time, the executioner pulls on the other end of the rope really hard. For some reason, the EZ up didn't collapse and death was swift even though you thought it might linger because this process is essentially strangulation and not a snapping of the neck.

At one point, they put a man on this stool. He seemed like a middle-aged rocker type w/ shoulder length dirty blonde hair and a mustache and beard. I was standing right in front of him with some observers and his family and friends. I thought he was one of the most stand up persons I'd ever met and he shouldn't be hanged, but I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't want my ass on that stool. His only daughter was there too. She was a cute little girl no older than 5. She kept climbing all over him trying to hold on to him. I don't think she understood what was going on. She just wanted to be w/ her daddy. Ultimately, I had to restrain her and her daddy was telling her to be strong etc. and I kept trying to cover her eyes but she kept pulling at my hands. I'm pretty sure she saw her daddy die two feet in front of her.

Somehow, I decided to make a break for it. I didn't want to die in the mountains at the hands of some fanatical strangers so I just bolted and ran down the mountain w/ the leaders and his henchman following me all the way to the bottom. At the foot of the mountain off a country highway, I finally came to a bed and breakfast which was the front of operations for this cult. For some reason, I could only escape the settlement by going through the bed and breakfast starting from the 2nd floor because I remember having to run downstairs and I don't remember going up them. Mostly toward the end of the chase around the bed and breakfast is what I remember about fighting the leader and henchmen. Apparently, I knew karate and tried to kick and punch them, but my hits didn't seem to faze them in the slightest. At one point, I stabbed some guy in the arm pit w/ my car key and I could see it pierce him and the tip come out of the fleshy part toward the front of the shoulder.

I ran around to the parking lot and jumped in my car a bright yellow Hummer or Scion xB, something boxy, and I locked the doors. When I got in my car, my friend Justin Hill was sitting in the passenger seat and I yelled at him, "GET THE FUCK OUTTA THE CAR!!" because I didn't trust anyone at that point and I didn't need someone turning me in after I'd already gotten all the way down the mountain. The leader caught up to me and he was standing at the passenger door glaring at me through the window but not doing anything. Justin was sitting there all chill like he is in real life and he just calmly said that he needed a ride to Vegas.

Vegas was only half an hour to an hour from the crazy mountain bed and breakfast cult. I dropped Justin off at his hotel and I was going to say I could just take him back home so I would have someone to ride w/, but he said that he had to be in Vegas for another day or two. I dumped my car at the airport and caught a flight home instead. All the rest of the passengers seemed to be famous or semi-famous actors and actresses. We were all on the plane storing our luggage. It wasn't a normal plane. Everyone loaded their own luggage and the passenger cabin was downstairs. Instead of a suitcase, I had a shoe organizer that hangs in the closet except mine was on wheels so I could push it around. I was afraid all of my stuff would fall out because it would be a bumpy flight so I started taking everything out and organizing them so they would fit neatly in a bag or my pockets. Then a young Dustin Hoffman (at least I think it was him--I know it was a classic actor type) walked in and said "I'm the greatest wrestler! I'm looking for the greatest mud wrestler." He wanted to fix a match between him and the greatest mud wrestler and he was going to do it for only a quarter or a penny. I forget which. Anyway, I was the greatest mud wrestler he was looking for.

Substitute metering and ethnic background.

2009-03-09T19:28:25Z

From How To Select and Use Nikon & Nikkormat SLR Cameras, Chapter 8: Exposure Metering --

A very handy substitute metering surface is the palm of your hand. You should check your own palm but light skin typically reflects about one step more light than an 18% gray card. If so, you can hold your palm in front of the camera--in the same light as the subject or scene--meter on your palm and then open up one step. If your palm reflects only half a step more, obviously that's how much to open before shooting.

"If your palm reflects only half a step more" = if you're not white? Well, my palms are pretty light I think so I'd say they're one step more than an 18% gray card. And palms in general are the lightest part of the skin aside from the soles of your feet, right? So I guess you could meter with the soles of your feet too. Unless you've been walking around barefoot all day and your feet are dingy.

When life gets in the way.

2009-03-08T06:44:02Z

The other day at work, we were in the middle of morning rush. Basically, "rush" is a group huddle of a dozen employees where a couple managers spout off business figures us commonfolk don't pay much mind to and remind us of things like sell the latest promotions and don't forget the rules. One of the rules the manager brought up at this rush was about "No Call, No Show." It's basically a strike against us if one of these crops up on our CDC's (Community Development Calendar i.e. Permanent Record). It's pretty self explanatory--a No Call, No Show is when we don't call about why we don't show up for the day. The manager went on to say that he can understand if calling in slips our minds or an emergency occurs and prevents us from doing so. But he embodied this sentiment in a phrase something along the lines of "Life gets in the way sometimes" and I immediately thought, 'What an absurd thing to say.'

Imagine that, life getting in the way. Getting in the way of such a menial trudge. Granted, it's a menial trudge that keeps a roof over my head, a late-night-partying bass-bumping sound engineer under my floor, a Netflix account with instant viewing on my Mac, and a phone line with which to instantly view so for that I am, in a word, grateful. But imagine something getting in the way, obstructing your path from diving head first into a garbage disposal. And then someone calmly telling you to make sure you remove this obstruction whenever possible. Or you might lose your job. If this scenario tilts your head to the side with a whatthefuck, then you can imagine the feeling silently evoked in me as I stood among my coworkers.

Life getting in the way. Huh. Then I would have to ask, 'You don't do much living, do you?' Or maybe the appropriate question is 'How does life get in the way? Isn't life everything? Everything that happens?' Isn't it? I am just really boggled, my mind is just really boggled by a man saying this aloud to other people and issuing it as a doctrine. Granted, I know that the words of managers are not often heeded. I'm a first hand witness. But managers are elevated to their positions based on their qualifications which essentially state such persons are certifiably superior to you... are they not? The incompetence of upper management. I am not saying that everyone in an upper management position is incompetent, but certainly this concept is a familiar one. Enron. Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac. Countrywide. The White House from (among other years) 2001-2009. Generally, people in higher positions (however ascribed) are supposed to be those who lead the rest, those whom we aspire to become. Or replace. But in replacing we become because what is a replacement? (n. substitute, equivalent.)

And yet... and yet so many calamities at the few hands in which so many placed their trust. The incompetence of higher management. Just as absurd as the thought of life getting in the way. Why are these things presented as infallible truths and why do we accept them? Because then I can't watch 30 Rock from my Instant Queue.

ATTN: social web networkers!

2009-03-07T03:33:06Z

Just forwarding an announcement from a higher-up...

***

We are the leading 'cause' based social network on the web, with a massive community and noted celebrity backing, located in the heart of the social web tech sector of Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles.

Starting April 1 we are opening up a three month intern program for select candidates. This position has the opportunity for leading to employment. The role will be highly educational - we will actually be giving classes on how to become a Social Web Marketing Expert - and if you pass the certificate program, which lasts three months, you will earn a certificate of completion as well as access to the network of the CEO and a Senior Web Marketing Specialist, with full recommendations and employment opportunities.

This position is not restricted to Los Angeles residents as we will be providing an online component for our remote interns. There are a limited number of spaces however and through our personal networks have already had a significant response and seats are filling up fast.

This opportunity is perfect for people who:

1. Want a career change and want to become social web marketing experts
2. Social web savvy people who want to learn how to build and quite literally start their career in online marketing
3. People already in online marketing who want to hone their skills and increase their market place value and offering
4. People who are in college or fresh out of college and just looking to learn about the great career potential of the social web

You will be connecting with the LA Social Networking scene like no other opportunity in LA today: Attending key events, meeting key people in the industry - if you shine you will do well. That's a promise.

If this sounds like something that might be interesting to you - please contact me: I am a senior Marketing Web Specialist and have been in online social web marketing for over ten years, consulting with multi-nationals around the globe to start ups right here in LA, speaking on prestigious panels and in focus groups around the world. I can teach you everything you need to know.

And no: There is NO COST, NO TUITION - this is not a scam. We genuinely want to find the next generation in social web marketing brains out there, we'll train you, you'll learn and you will help us grow our business. It's an incredible opportunity and if I turned the clocks back on my own career ten years I'd be ALL OVER THIS.

If you are interested: Shoot me an email and request an application. I don't need resumes or cover letters or any of that. I will learn enough about you through the application process to base my decision. The program starts April 1st, and applications are not accepted after March 15th. So please move quickly if you are serious.

Please contact mateo@causcast.org. Thank you very much!

Original craigslist ad: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/mar/1058901675.html

x-posted

On the field from Riverside, CA and KYE-OH-TO, JP...

2009-02-26T21:13:56Z

01. WHAT CORPS DID YOU MARCH/ASSIST WITH?
marched - Yamato '06, '08
assisted - Phuton Regiment (by wearing their shirt @ DCI Champs '08)

02. FAVE CORPS FOOD?
shells and cheese + VK dogs

03. WORST CORPS FOOD?
i was just glad to have food in my tummy

04. BEST SHOW?
my personal best? '08 @ whatever show it was where the Oregon Crusaders explained their rehearsal process for a very long time. at least, i think it was Oregon Crusaders.

05. WORST SHOW?
my personal worst? '06 during the "Water" movement when i stepped off incorrectly and the form was supposed to be us moving in a wave

06. BEST STADIUM?
i liked Madison's. partly because it was my rookie year and this was the field i saw on all the DVD's. partly because it was in the middle of an awesome downtown area where we could just hang out.

07. FAVE INSTRUCTOR QUOTE?
whatever Chris Velez said out of frustration. or to Taylor. they were usually one in the same.

08. MOST MEMORABLE SONG PLAYED ON CORPS BUS?
"Time Won't Wait" - Jamiroquai

09. REHEARSAL SHOES?
'06 - cheap pair of Easter Bunny pink tennis shoes from Steve and Barry's at Ontario Mills
'08 - black and white tennis shoes Matt's mom bought me during our East Coast/birthday trip because i didn't bring comfortable shoes

10. KOOL-AID FLAVOR?
Pocari Sweat!

11. ROOKIE TALENT?
burping Panic! at the Disco's "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" w/ Zach

12. NAME THE UNSUNG HERO OF YOUR CORPS.
Eddie Linnett

13. IF YOUR CORPS COULD PLAY ONE SONG OF YOUR CHOOSING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
uh... dunno. that song that plays whenever NERV launches the Evas.

14. NEWBIE IN YOUR HOUSE. WHAT SHOW DO YOU PLAY?
Mission Viejo '01? i'm more up on indoor than i am on drum corps

15. WHAT OTHER SECTION WOULD YOU PERFORM IN?
you mean, what haven't i (tried to) perform in

16. SHOWS YOU WISH YOU HAD SEEN LIVE?
dunno. every corps' very first year. it would be like staring into the primordial soup.

17. BEFORE OR AFTER ‘TICK’?
i'll just say what Papa said 'cause he's smrt. after.

18. FAVE NON-FOOD ITEM IN A CARE PACKAGE?
Moxy! the Ugly Doll Papa sent me http://www.uglydolls.com/

19. WHAT DID YOU MISS BACK HOME?
'06 - nothing
'08 - everything

20. FANTASY DRUM CORPS NAME?
The Motherfuckers. Just imagine that classic DCI announcer introducing the finals performance of The Motherfuckers.

21. WHAT GENRE OF MUSIC DID DRUM CORPS INTRODUCE YOU TO?
jazz, classical, the good stuff

22. BEST MOMENT OFF THE FIELD?
sleeping, but particularly in '06 sleeping on a library table after we didn't make finals. actually, maybe i'd say not making finals 'cause we had SO. MUCH. DOWNTIME. i'm pretty sure the corps explored every nook and cranny of that elementary school.

23. BEST MOMENT ON THE FIELD?
'06 - the sixteenth note run i didn't get cut from

24. WACKIEST AUDIENCE MEMBER?
Bobby

25. WHAT WAS YOUR 15 MIN OF DRUM CORPS FAME IN YOUR CORPS?
dunno. pantsing who i could in '06?

26. DO YOU KNOW THE LYRICS TO ‘ON THE ROAD AGAIN’?
negative

An organic experience.

2009-02-22T22:28:52Z

I had pleasant time at the Hollywood Farmer's Market (http://www.farmernet.com/) this morning. Matt said it's about the same price-wise as the grocery store (I never buy veggies at the grocery store so I wouldn't know :/), but I think the quality of the produce is fresher and there are much more organic-oriented options.

But I also say it's an organic experience because... well, you know at the grocery stores, sometimes they have chalkboards and lattice decorations and other design choices for the produce section that give it that ye-old-tyme/mom-and-pop-market nuance? But it's really not? Well, the Farmer's Market actually is what those places attempt to recreate. There was such a diverse crowd shopping for greens today w/ their reusable green bags. Plus, there were various street musicians and a guy making balloon animals for kids and a little artsy alley and some cute dogs even though people aren't supposed to bring their dogs 'cause it's a "health code violation." It was just cool to see a bunch of people shopping at a place that wasn't so contrived and didn't try to imitate a more personal atmosphere.

We bought veggies for kale stew. Matt found a lady who sells seashells and next time she comes to the market, he might buy a conch he can play. There were a lot of plant and flower vendors, too. I really wanted to buy something for my mom, but I wasn't sure what to get her. Maybe for Mom's Day.

If you get a chance to go, I highly recommend it.

Forget the red--stroll down the green carpet instead.

2009-02-19T21:42:08Z

Check out the Global Green Pre-Oscar Party tonight @ the Avalon Hollywood brought to you by Causecast and MySpace. Proceeds go toward Green Schools initiative: http://globalgreen.org/greenurbanism/schools/. Party will be broadcast live on MySpace @ 8pm tonight.

Host Shira Lazar will be on the green carpet, but you can ask the celebs your own questions by:
1) Submitting name of celeb and your question @ myspace.com/causecast.
2) Clicking the CHAT NOW button during the show to get your question to them while they're on the carpet.
3) Following @Causecast on Twitter and tweeting your question w/ the name of the celeb and #causecast. They'll also update live from inside the party.

Pre-Oscar Party 2009 with Causecast and Global Green

Just cause.

2009-02-11T00:09:57Z

A few just causes actually. All on Causecast.org. Basically, it's MySpace meets nonprofit orgs meets altruistic celebs meets you. I'm not one to pass on chain letters or memes, but I wanted to share Causecast with you because it's important to me. It's my hope that you too will share Causecast with others.

My Profile:
http://www.causecast.org/member/scarlett__mage

Register:
http://www.causecast.org/signup/d6af1ce903c5769df991da8deb994deba2f1b0e4

I promise these links aren't robot spam. Just to help prove I'm me, my Facebook 25 random facts meme #8: "My ultimate career goal is to effect positive social change. Still figuring out how to do that." Yes, I'm using Causecast to help me figure it out.

If anything, I encourage you to explore and check it out. If you have any questions, I'd love to talk more about Causecast with you! I hope you'll find inspiration somewhere on this site just like I did :)

Causecast internship - Day #1

2009-02-04T11:20:37Z

Well, technically today is day #2 since I signed up on 02/03, but basically I just started an internship with Causecast.org, which launched on Sept 10 last year. If you haven't heard of it, you will soon 'cause I'm going to give you the details. Keep an eye out for an arrival from me to you in your electronic message receptacle.

Though brimming w/ zeal, I am still but a n00b and I want to take a day or two more to wrap my brain around the site before I pass it on to you. But if you do end up perusing and joining me beforehand, do let them know that scarlett__mage sent you and then friend me :)

This is something I'm really eager about. I think I'm mostly motivated because it's rooted in altruistic purpose. Plus, I eat this web stuff up. Constructing and reconstructing profiles. Spouting off all sorts of randomness about me. Except w/ Causecast, I can do it for reasons beyond myself. That's the goal anyway.

It's still quite early so only time will tell what comes of all this...

Jan 30's My Mom is a Fob

2009-02-02T19:14:43Z

I was in the car with my older sister and mom one day.
Mom: You know, if you have a boyfriend now, its ok, you’re old enough to meet nice boys.
Sister: Thanks mom, I know, and no I don’t have a boyfriend.
Mom: Good because if you do, I’ll kill you.

http://mymomisafob.com/2009/01/30/ok-is-not-okay/

Rescinded.

2009-01-24T09:31:17Z

Been thinking about grad school lately. Not sure what to study though. Or where. Or why, really. When can be whenever. Doesn't have to be tomorrow. Thoughts and suggestions welcomed.

First post of the 2009.

2009-01-04T21:12:51Z

"I've been tagged...

Apparently, once you've been tagged, write a note with 16 random things, shortcomings, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end choose 16 people to be tagged, and they have to do the same."

1) Astrology signs - zodiac: Aries, Chinese: rabbit

2) Myers Briggs personality type - INTJ

3) I work at ArcLight. Free movies, occasional famous person sighting, and my work badge states my favorite movie as Kill Bill Vol. 1. (Though I've considered adding "+ 2" at the end.)

4) I only have one dirty joke fully committed to memory. Ok, well maybe a couple more, but if you ask me for one, there's only one I usually jump to tell.

5) I would like to drink more water. Not a New Year's resolution, just a general one. I don't think I drink enough on a regular basis.

6) Since moving out of my family's house and other subsequent events (e.g. Yamato '08), I feel I've grown closer to my sister, Donna.

7) I write in all caps. (But obviously don't type in them.)

8) My ultimate career goal is to effect positive social change. Still figuring out how to do that.

9) My ideal wedding - ceremony: gorgeous Catholic church w/ huge amazing choir, reception: on the beach, live brass music, closest fam and friends

10) I'd like to have 3 kids.

11) I'm bad at math. (Hence, I rounded the 2.5 up to 3.)

12) I'm 5'1", 5'2" on a good day.

13) I eat my sandwiches and similar foods (e.g. burgers) in a specific fashion. First, I bite each of the corners. Next, I bite each of the sides. Lastly, I'm left with the center-y goodness of my sandwich. I do this EVERY time. Except recently when I went to watch Seven Pounds in the theater. I didn't want to keep crinkling the paper around my Famous Star while everyone was watching.

14) I love Kidrobot stuff and other useless artsy items.

15) I've been debating over what album I should buy with the iTunes gift card I got from the random guest at work. I really wanted to get the Vampire Weekend album, but I recently remembered that I once saw Pretty Girls Make Graves at the Glass House shortly before they broke up so now I'm not sure which I should get.

16) I made my aquarium background by cutting up a poster from the movie Flash of Genius. I got the poster free from work 'cause when they stop showing movies, they give the posters to the crew members. I must say, it looks pretty nifty.

Geekdom.

2008-12-30T22:14:12Z

American Solid Snake co-wrote the screenplay for Watchmen. Awesome.

WARNING: reflections may contain book/movie spoilers.

2008-12-25T13:16:49Z

Just finished reading Watchmen. Brilliant. Depressing. Not exactly depressing. But shook me to the core. After reading Brave New World and Watchmen back to back, I wonder if, like John the Savage, like Rorschach, is it right, is it proper, is it just and honorable to pursue our own humanity in all its faults and flaws, unaided by social constructs or technological crutches, to an inevitable and violent end? Even if we perceive this end far in advance?

If this question makes no sense, read these two and call me in the morning. I suppose a more accessible story is The Matrix. Though it's been ages since the one single time I watched it, The Matrix builds upon similar themes, if I remember correctly. Its argument rejects the fabricated Matrix for the harsh but "true" reality of existence. I put the word in quotations because its debatable, relative. (These thoughts btw I take from an article whose title and author I forget, but subject matter is always embedded upon me.) Though the Matrix is constructed, within that world lay its own set of functioning rules, laws, that is, its own truths. What is it about reality's "truths" that constitute a higher value than the Matrix's "truths?"

Yeah, the last 20 or so pages of Watchmen were like, "fuck. Fuck. FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK." The very last page, the very last frame leaving you with an "Awwwwwwwwww shit." Man. What a dilemma. What a dilemma. I admire John. I admire Rorschach. Two social outcasts unwaveringly devoted to their principles. Principles that lead them to their deaths. That they followed willingly to their deaths. Two characters that above all should have been spared, should have been commended, elevated because of their resolve. That is, depending on your own principles. At least, in my book, they most certainly deserved to live. Ironically, in their books, if not for their deaths, then their meaning is lost. What they stood for would've remained unfulfilled, incomplete. Oh literature. Cruel, cruel literature.

I sit here and think how disgusted I would be if world peace were truly achieved through a plan like Veidt's. I don't know if I could live with myself if I knew it cost millions of lives, innocent lives, just for mine to continue. But then I wouldn't know, would I? Unless I was Dan or Laurie or Jon. Or Rorschach.

So much culture, art, literature, history, sewn together with the thread of imagination to bind a single work known as Watchmen. I want to read it again because there's SO MUCH that I'm sure I missed. But I almost fear rereading it, almost as if I were to subject myself to a trauma I'd experienced before. A beautiful trauma.

Merry Christmas ~

Thoughts tossed into an open window.

2008-12-21T13:29:14Z

I listened to most of Danger Mouse's The Grey Album on my way to work the other day. I liked that it remixed Jay-Z's tracks with rock and acoustic stuff you never hear in mainstream rap. I liked that it was something different. However, I must admit that I did not like most of the songs themselves. Take for example, "Dirt Off Your Shoulder." I like The Black Album far better than The Grey Album. The guitar lick in Grey strikes me as contemplative, airy, and sped up, a little dizzying, a little frenetic. Perhaps it's because I heard it in Black first, but in Grey it just seems lyrically incongruous. To me, Black is much more laid back, straight up, this-is-how-it-is-mothafucka. In Black, "the mothafuckin' greatest" is a statement; in Grey, a question.

I get it now. Black and White make Grey. Thanks, Wikipedia, even if I can't cite you as an academically credible source.

Well, the more I listen to Grey to better articulate why I dislike it, the more I like it. But I believe I am being influenced by what I've been glossing over on Wikipedia. Curse you, Wikipedia, since I couldn't cite you as an academically credible source.

I should lie down soon. It's very late-slash-early. I'm going to have a bowl of cereal, Life to be precise. I guess now would be a good time to sleep since my neighbors seem to be sleeping as well.

I guess your sleeping hours are funny when you work nights. I'm scheduled for evenings for four days straight this week including Christmas/Eve. I'm not particularly pleased with that. Can't be helped I guess. Required resting hours between shifts and all.

I'm getting that bowl of Life now.

...

What am I doing with my life? The question repressed pops up, maybe not every day, but often enough. I calm myself down and tell myself that my career (whatever that ends up being) isn't gonna up and take off overnight. Sometimes I wish it did. Sometimes I'm happy at how simple my life is. Enviously simple. I'm not worrying about kids or a mortgage or the direction of my career because frankly I don't have one right now. Granted, many financial concerns are still covered by Mom. But rent and groceries and personal comforts I can pay for all by myself. Baby steps. Does anyone graduate and move out and instantly become a grownup anymore? Did that even happen to begin with? Snapping up every responsibility as soon as they flew the nest?

When it crosses my mind that my life is nothing because I'm just a lowly crew member at a Scientologist movie theater, I tell myself that really I have so much freedom. All this freedom I don't know what to do with. I'm not tethered to this job. This place? I can just throw it into a couple of boxes and move to where I need to.

There was this guy I was talking to at work one day. He said he used to be a really successful... food restaurant something or other. Or something business-y. Anyway, it was quite lucrative for him, but it required a lot of travel and it was time-consuming and it was in a state other than the Golden one. He got tired of it, decided to move here and try his hand at acting. As far as I know, he's still at ArcLight so he makes a little above minimum wage, but he's much happier than he was with his previous job. No stress, difficult labor. I tell you, monkeys could do our jobs. Seriously, simian creatures could really do our jobs. Some of us think we're actually a bit overpaid for doing nothing 90% of the time. Not a complaint, just an observation.

But such a job leaves me so much time, so much time. I finished Brave New World yesterday. I resolved to read Brave New World when EJ told me they were reading it in CP. Four, five years ago. In high school. I finished it yesterday. Took me no longer than a week from the time I actually picked it up. I feel like I've been catching up, little by little, with everything I put off because I had class-work-internship-etc. Everything I put off for years upon years. I go to the library. I reopened my Netflix account. All these books and movies. A co-worker of mine told me the library is where books go to die. I silently stewed indignant. If that is so, then I am a grave robber hoarding precious treasures. Do you know how small my paycheck and my studio are? I've neither money nor space to buy up all the books in Borders as I please.

It's so cold these days. Papa's rather happy about it. I would be too had I only a space heater. Not that I'm unhappy. Just cold. I feel like I have to bundle up like that little brother from A Christmas Story just to sit comfortably in my own place. I could never live in New York, I think.

Suprising generosity.

2008-12-21T09:42:49Z

I worked in concessions today. I got a $10 iTunes gift card from a random customer guy, $5 cash from a big flashy Filipino family w/ their Ed Hardy shirts and Louis Vuitton purses and glittery makeup, and a quarter from another guy's change.

I was really skeptical about the card. I was instantly dumbfounded when he gave it to me. The guy took my dumbfounded-ness to be not understanding what the card was for so he told me it was an iTunes gift card. I was just dumbfounded he even gave it to me in the first place. I thought maybe he was playing a prank on me and giving me an empty card, but I checked it and the whole 10 was there. Huh.

The mom was so thankful that her son's ArcLight membership gave her a discount that she said she wanted to give me a tip. It was funny to see them bicker amongst each other at the counter. It's always funny for me to see other Filipino families. It reminds me of my own.

You know what'd be nice for Christmas?

2008-12-17T07:30:40Z

A bell for my bicycle. I could use one of those. I also miss using body wash from Bath and Body Works. I love how lather-y it gets. And how nice it smells.

Public Restrooms

2008-12-05T22:04:13Z

So last night I was hangin' around the snackbar at the end of my restroom porter ("porter" being a deceptively more agreeable term for "janitor") shift and the guy restroom porter wondered aloud, "Why are there all these Tampax in the storage [room for restroom supplies]?" and I thought 'What kind of questions is that? Obviously... Oh that's right, guys don't have tampon and pad vending machines in their public restrooms -_-' So I explained what it was for 'cause he (and most guys I presume) totally didn't know. He thought that we might just hand them out randomly in the lobby or something.