New Kicks

I won't go into the "why's" of my absence from posting.
I'll simply resume with a photograph of my new sneaks.

Except for the 'Nike-ness' of them they are pretty cool.

I Go Away from the Internets for 1 Week

and all hell breaks loose.

• This really bums me out. Or it would if I actually cared at all about Hollywood.

• I found a pretty sweet music stream..Rip it open in Winamp and enjoy.

• An impressive cleanup, I must say.
  

• Bullies need love too. [Towleroad]
  

Hmm. Coincidence?

I'm not an official card carrying member of Mensa or anything, but these two news headlines from today caught my attention:

U.S. Death Toll in Iraq Worst in a Year photo
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The number of American troops killed in Iraq in October reached the highest monthly total in a year Thursday after four Marines and a sailor died of wounds suffered while fighting in the same Sunni insurgent stronghold. The U.S. military said 96 U.S. troops have died so far in...

Followed by this one:

Exxon Mobil Posts $10.49B Profit in 3Q photo
DALLAS (AP) - Oil industry behemoth Exxon Mobil Corp. said Thursday its third-quarter earnings rose to $10.49 billion, the second-largest quarterly profit ever recorded by a publicly traded U.S. company. Its shares rose to a 52-week high. The report comes as high crude prices this year have fueled...


Keep up the good work, Mr. President. For reals.

PS - I've basically given up on the entirety of the internet and have thrown my self completely into Second Life. It was nice knowing you.

Douchebaggery of the Papal Sort

What do you call it when the figurehead of a major organized religion ends up making a statement that runs directly opposite to the message of the alleged founder of the faith? Seriously, there ought to be a word for it.

Oppose 'deviant' love, Pope urges

Yeah, cause opposing 'love'...it's a good thing.

Taken in the positive, the message would be "support state-sanctioned/approved love" I guess.
That's much better.

Another fine message brought to you from THE represenative of the Roman Catholic faith.

Helsinki Street Fashion: Mikko & Jan

I am completely digging this.

Mikko (28) and Jan (29)

Mikko: "I'm wearing my father's old leather jacket and shoes made by my sister Jenny Vainio."
Jan: "Junya Watanabe and rivets inspire me. But Emelie Björnberg's House of Björnberg is the one I love!"

From HEL LOOKS

Audio Treat: P.P. Arnold - 'The First Cut is the Deepest'

Adorable

Check it out.

And you are welcome.

Geek Tip: Online File Format Conversion

Haven't used this yet, but if it works, that would be very cool.

Allows you to convert audio files, image files, documents, etc. into other formats (pdf. to .doc, or .jpeg to .png, or .wav to .mp3, etc) without installing any software. You upload your file and then select from a pull-down menu what you want the resultant format to be. Then you save it locally.

Someone let me know if it's stable.
via

Daily Dose of Dietrich

My new favorite song - apparently aus Deutschland.


On a related note, now I can totally see why Google purchased You Tube for 1.5 billion or whatever..So much potential to make a profit -- especially with gems like these.

Halloween '06

this year's first display of my mad carving skills.

Heroes from Yore

Peter Marshall: Nathan Hale, one of the heroes of the American Revolution, was hung. Why?
Paul Lynde: Heredity!

I was but a wee lad when Paul Lynde was the center square, but I still feel the void that was left when he passed. Here are some of his swell zingers.

Gray Kid

Bringin Paxil Back

Two Words: Extreme Pumpkins

So I've been lying (laying?) low for the past couple. To be frank, I have not been loving the internets lately. Most. Boring. Place. Ever.

Aaaanyway, rather than rehash tales of an 8-hour marathon at a Santa Monica spa (a "body wash", by the way is the most relaxing thing ever experienced, thanks Burke Williams!), or 80's night at the Hollywood Bowl (hello, Phil Oakey from Human League looks & sounds great.. Ditto Anabella, Bow Wow Wow), or the feeling of seeing one's fitness goals realized (bumps to 14.5" guns and Level 8 incline on the treadmill for 8 minute miles)...

I'll get straight to the point:

Shut up, I'm designing my pumpkin, yo

Halloween's a' comin'... I got myself a battery-operated carving saw (2 blades), a decent preliminary pumpkin, and am searching for extreme stencils. I surprise myself every year with the enthusiasm that grows as I approach the 'holiday'. Maybe it's the Gaelic pagan from a past-life in me or something..Irregardless, I'm looking forward to the challenge this year. My pumpkin's gonna kick ass.

Or suck.

Haha! Screw You Terrorists!

Who's winning now? [My Way News]

Hold The Presses! I've Discovered Glurge

Broken puppy

A storeowner was tacking a sign above his door that read 'Puppies for Sale.' These signs had a weird way of attracting children. And sure enough, a little boy appeared at the sign. "How much are you going to sell those puppies for?" he asked. The store owner replied "Anywhere from $30-$50." The little boy reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37, can I have a look at them?"

The storeowner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said "What's wrong with that little dog?" The storeowner explained that when the puppy was born, the vet had said that the puppy had no hip socket and would limp for the rest of its life.

The little boy got really excited and said, "That's the puppy I want to buy!" The storeowner replied, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll give him to you." The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger and said," I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as the other dogs and I'll pay the full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now and 50 cents every month until I have him paid for." The storeowner countered, "You really don't want to buy this puppy. He is never going To be able to run, jump and play like other puppies!"

To this the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the storeowner and said softly, "Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands."

[GLURGE!]

---

I Loooove Variable-Interval Reinforcement Schedules

An interesting read on why 'Get Mail' can be such a compulsive and addictive habit.

I'm Gonna Delete This Blog

over the next couple of days.

it's virtually pointless.

Talk Like a Pirate Day is Stupid

Period.

Art: Banksy - Barely Legal

Banksy had his exhibit here in LA. I enjoy his stuff big time, but turned off by the hype and drama around the exhibit.. I mean, Bradd Pitt & Angelina Jolie were there??! WTF?

I'm just sour I didn't get to see it.

Pictures here

Personal Best: The Personal Edition

I've been feeling really good lately. The weather has been perfect, been running, eating well, sleeping well. I feel fortunate. The California "Indian Summers" [pardon the un-PCness of the term] really glow.

With friends like these, who needs family? Just got some fresh music as a gift, to coincide with the slew of reading material I bought for meself.

I'm sick of the bullshit with celebrity gossip and the current events about the Pope are just to messed up for me to consider seriously, as it would most likely make me flip out and start checking Nostradamus predictions. Ditto politics.

So I'm just going to back away from the keyboard, enjoy the offerings of the analog world, and occasionally workshop them here.

Breaking News: ctrl-freak Embarrassed that Pope is Upset Muslims Offended

It is unfortunate that I feel embarrassment at the Pope's "regret that some Muslims may have been offended by" some of his words in a recent speech in Germany. [MyWay News]

And I sincerely mean that.

Joanne had already inserted her card in the ATM when she realised that the keypad had been liberally thrown up on.

And other catchy one-line stories here.

Some are funny, some are quite disturbing, and some are just downright tragic:
I held my father's hand as he died in that hospital room and realized I'd never held his hand before that moment.

Random Images in My Temp Folder

Do You Think Jay Leno Actually Read This?

I don't. Regardless, it's well written.

Avenue Q Creator's Open Letter to Jay Leno [429 News]

I know that Jay Leno is completely irrelevant anyway, but I still feel some vindication from the letter.

An Artiste

Haha! Model Has One Job: Walk; Fails

Thank you, thank you very much.

WTC

I'm killing time by browsing through all my old drives and folders and digital assets..
I found these pictures I snapped looking straight up at the Twin Towers on a random Sunday afternoon. Man, a lot's changed since these pictures were shot.

Have We Learned Nothing from Ghandi?

This confirms my deep-seated suspicion that most many people are both stupid and mean. [TimesOnline UK]

I don't think the Croc Hunter would approve.

I Did Not Use This Link to Send Myself Email From Channing Tatum

I promise.

Deadfake ['anonymous' email spoofer]

CounterTerrorism: Rob!

Please read this heartwarming tale of emergent social behavior and altruism.

It's a nice change from today's terror-related media bits.

my old view, brooklyn, fall 2000

What Now?

Since summer is essentially over (although not "officially" as most media outlets erroneously claimed while covering Labor Day weekend), I'm faced with the typical autumn introspection.

The summer was good - by meteorological standards anyway - and I did more than my fair share of traveling about, visiting friends, seeing family, etc. so I shan't complain.

I guess I can no longer procrastinate on figuring out the Next Step -- namely, what I will try to do with my time. In other words, I have to make finding meaningful work a priority. And if I can't find something meaningful, then dammnit I want to get paid fat bank. At the risk of being redundant, surely the Los Angeles area must have opportunities for a guy like me, right?

A friend recommended that I try to post more here, with a focus. I have decided to take that advice and elevate the content to more than just snarky gossip regurgitations and far-out YouTube videos.

We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, I've got to get myself cleaned up and head out to the most dreadful of places (not the dentist or church) -- the Department of Motor Vehicle, Los Angeles. I am fortunate enough to be able to help out a friend in need -- who now lives again in NY and who let her CA registration expire pay said expired registration in order to get her towed automobile out of a NYC impound lot.

Wish me luck. On all fronts.

Already Over: The Internet

Seriously.

File Under: No Shit

USC Study: Celebrities Really Are More Narcissistic Than the General Public

In a separate study, conducted by yours truly, it has been found that celebrities are also more boring and unintelligent than the general public.

Now excuse me while I go look at pictures of that freak-spawn Suri.

Little Giant Girl

Before I head off, I leave you with this very compelling video.
It's eerie and cool. It reminds me of the Dark Crystal.

Discuss.

More Flight

I'm off again. (Although not in a Blue Angel, pictured above.)

Have a good Labor Day weekend, all you hardworking peeps.

Attitudes

Remember Linda Dano?
I like this video, even if the song is a bit saccharine.

Today's Mood

Rejection letters from shitty jobs in which you are commended on your handwritten follow-up to the interview thank-you note, but ultimately denied the opportunity suck.

Suck squared is when said rejection email opens with "Brad:" and your name isn't.

ctrl-vacation

I'm off to Portland, Oregon. Beaverton, to be more precise.

The weather looks good up there and I have absolutely no preconceptions so it should be fun.

Have a good week. Except you, Tom Cruise.

Advertising that Doesn't Rot

This is a decent time-waster. It's the best from international advertising. From the site:

Ad-Awards is an independent group who selects the best ads on a monthly basis. In November 2005, an award will be given to each of the categories selected on our DIRECTORY page.

The H&M ad from Sweden is funny and well done; the Danish Interflora ad is cute too. And those Australians and their beer adverts...(rolling eyes)

Anyway, since most advertising is pure shite, I thought I'd do the balanced thing and pass along examples that are the exception to that. Some yin fo' yo' yang if you will.

I'm Crushed

Goddayum, what the hell am I going to do now?
Um.. 'Git r done' I guess.










File under: sarcasm

post rss-capable networking

Haha.. Gotcha! You thought this post was going to be a timely, hot, geeky write-up about the fiercest trends in Web 2.0 action, but it's not.

I was just playing with this bullshit generator. And this bullshit logo generator.

Last week went crazy on me. I had an unexpected interview* Thursday morning, followed by a family bonanza series of amusements: Disneyland, 85th Birthday parties, dinners, brunch.

I'm tired and I've been eating gross food for the past 4 days (Mickey McCheese with Mickey Fries, Goofy Dogs, etc.)

*The interview was half cool/half lame. The guy I met with called me by the wrong name for the first 15 minutes of meeting and introduced me to his working partner as that wrong name (all while conducting a personal phone call, natch). Whatever. I should send a handwritten "thank you for your time" card, but I've already slacked and the pay there is pitiful so I don't really feel inclined to do so.. It's like they're not paying someone enough to go the extra mile in terms of courtesy. I have a bad attitude I guess. Whatever.

I'm hitting the road again this week for my innaugural visit to the Pacific Northwest. Beaverton here I come. Then to NY next week for a visit. (And a haircut perhaps?)

Worst. Episode. Ever.

Prrrr.

I am boycotting Project Runway from now on. After last night's appalling, ridiculous over-produced episode bumped Alison Kelly - the coolest person on a "reality" television program to date - I can no longer participate in the farce that the show has become. (Reminds me of a presidential election a couple years back.)

Seriously, because she wasn't some insane, cracked out, dramatic freak the producers made the weak decision to eliminate her. The justification from the judges never even came through. For her run on the show she never spoke ill of anyone, never got caught up in the drama, and consistently designed fashionable clothing. Her paper dress was far from being the worst thing on the runway (Hello, Kayne's tinfoil atrocity? Vincent's shameful craft-gown?)

I loved this girl. She has true style. And she's GORGEOUS. And her designs were solid.

Screw you wall-eyed Klum. And Oompa-Loompa Kors. And Chinless Garcia.
You lost a viewer.

I love you, Alison. Seriously. Your subtle retro-chill-sex-kitten demeanor is hot.

Tinny, Infantile Voice

I love the McRobot brogue holiday special offering.. I forgot about that part.

If you grew up on the northern east coast in the 70's, this commercial should take you back.

Hint: The Answer Rhymes with "Truck Mess"

Click image to view video [via Rawstory]

My favorite description of our illustrious leader: "intellectually shallow & one of the most incurious public figures ever". Owch. I'd expect to hear that said in reference to Paris Hilton or the like, not the Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America.

The footage of Bush at a press conference in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel is almost to painful to watch. No wonder the Germans think we are all idiots. Go make yourself sick do yourself a favor and watch this penetrating news analysis of the president of the US.

Interesting Question

Assuming you do, that is..'Cause I don't.

Why Do You Work So Hard? [SFGate.com]

---

On a somewhat related note, I sent out a cover letter and resume last week to a place and should really call today to follow up..I won't though. Months ago I had written a nice introductory letter requesting an informational interview at this firm in an effort to learn more about the particulars of the multimedia industry here. I sent the letter to the head of recruitment for hell's sake - it's not like I bothered the CEO - and you know what I got? No. Response. At all.
I followed up my letter with an email. No reply. From the head of recruiting. Not even a form email "thanks for your interest blah blah blah unfortunately blah blah can't help you at this time blah blah blah". I'd like her job. Don't do shit and get a title and salary. Sweet.

So when I came across what sounded like a decent gig that I was in all likelihood qualified to do, my gut sank a little when I realized I'd be sending my resume and letter to the same (lazy) woman who ignored me back in March.

Instead of calling her today to meekly inquire if my resume and letter had been 'received in good order' and to follow up on the status of the position or my possible candidacy, I hit Craigslist. I fired off an email in response to a gig that sounded pretty good. I avoided the usual overthought formal cover letter and just sent a succinct email along with my resume. BAM! Response came back quite quickly. The recruiter thought I was a good candidate and wants to send my resume on to the hiring manager. All sounds good to me. But here we go -- she needs to send along 'a demo reel' and asked if I had anything on line. Of course the answer is no, I don't.

I wrote her back a couple hours later saying that I'd put together a list of URLs that highlight some of the projects I was involved with. I have to get that done by like Wednesday morning.

Oh, and in an effort to avoid following up with the aforementioned Ignorer, I also sent off an email and resume to a friend of a friend who is looking for a researcher/associate producer for a documentary film studio. I have a feeling that the pay is obscenely low and that nothing will come out of it, but at least I went for it, right?

Praise me. Please. I could use it.

Great Moments in SPAM Subject Headings

Subject: huge crappie
From: decouplecircuitry@execs.com

Price: $0.27

You know what? I have information this stock will be a market winner very soon.

Check it out right now! Look at the chart !

Read all the news:
Contracts with Saudi airlines and Airone in Place! 

Friday: Better Living Through Advertising (and Jogging)

The dank mood that slithered over me on Wednesday has abated, due in part to the run along the strand that I forced myself to go on yesterday morning (see kids, that played line about exercise helping to elevate mood and ensure a good night's sleep isn't bunk). The fact that it's Friday doesn't hurt either.

In any case, I've picked myself up by the jockstrap bootstrap and am determined to fight that type of thinking. What better way to do that then through advertising, right? (How's that for a forced segueway?)

Here are a couple of advertisements (print) I came across that either made me think or at least smile. I highly recommend you click on the image to see the higher-res version. [via creativecriminal]











This one's for a nail strengthening product from Kuala Lumpur.










This one's striking- it's for Amnesty International, installed in Frankfurt.


















An Australian ad for condoms. The byline is "protect yourself". Love it.

Black Clouds Overhead

It's one of those days where, for no good or apparent reason, I'm feeling really frustrated, depressed, and hopeless about aspects of my living situation.

I've managed to internalize it to such an extent that I actually just feel sleepy from the funk. I'm too tired to spin out emotionally or run with the pessimistic thoughts lounging about in the Pantheon of my mind.

Awesome Monday News!

She's been found!

This Mel Gibson DUI Thing is Out of Control

My somewhat-Significant Other won't stop referring to me as 'Sugar Tits'.

Book Club: The Last Assassin

"The Last Assassin" by Barry Eisler, is the 5th book in the 'Rain' series. (John Rain is a Japanese-American assassin.) It's falls along the line of the Jason Bourne series -- but with an added sexual tension/relationship perspective, wrapped up in some luxury international globe-trotting.

Anyways, this last book (in hardcover) was pretty good. Better than its predecessor, for sure. There's a very, very good scene towards the end of the book - at the climax - that is..extremely tense and upsetting but also...exciting. (I'm at a loss for descriptive adjectives right now.) It involves an Israeli colleague of Rain's, Delilah. She's infiltrated a very private, very exclusive, and most likely illegal, hostess club in Tokyo in an effort to gain access to Rain's target. She's a beauty - fit, blonde, sexy, and an A#1 badass. She's posing as a French expat applying for a hostess job at the club and she's sitting with "the bad guys" wowing the hell out of most of them. She's also wired - an internal earpiece and a wired mic sewn into the strap of her evening wear.

Rather than continue with a possible plot spoiler, I'll just recommend the series. Think of it as beach reading for guys.

Analysis: NYT Article on Unemployed Males 30-55

I've already been directed to the article by a number of well intentioned friends and family members.

The article, ultimately, sheds little light on this purported 'trend'. What I did find interesting what how little I have in common with the demographic the article attempts to illuminate. The first point however, does apply to me,

Millions of men like Mr. Beggerow -- men in the prime of their lives, between 30 and 55 -- have dropped out of regular work. They are turning down jobs they think beneath them or are unable to find work for which they are qualified, even as an expanding economy offers opportunities to work.

From there, it seems I diverge from the 'herd' of middle-aged unemployed males.

1. I am not a blue collar worker.
2. I have higher than a high-school education. [Note: For clarification - and in the spirit of blowing my own horn while hurling meaningless academic names at you, I did receive a Master's degree from the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, specifically from the Interactive Telecommunications Program]
3. Accumulated savings have not made it more 'affordable' for me to be out of work.
4. "Many of these men could find work if they had to, but with lower pay and fewer benefits than they once earned, and they have decided they prefer the alternative." I wouldn't know about this yet as I haven't been able to procure a single job offer since coming to Los Angeles, save the one that paid $10/hour + gas to teach adults how to use a computer (3 hours a day) and was a 45 minute drive away.
   
5. I receive neither unemployment reimbursement nor disability payments.
6. I don't live alone.
7. I am not emerging from prison with a felony record.
8. I get less sleep than either these unemployed men who have stopped looking for work or their employed counterparts.
   

The rest of the article is equally boring and depressing, simultaneously. The bitter electrical engineer in Los Angeles whose dress was "out of place in the upscale Beverly Hills restaurant where he was interviewed for this article. But his education and skill were not out of place" hit too close to home for me to read comfortably.

I'd argue one point though: an advanced degree and some serious intellectual capacity is indeed out of place in the Los Angeles metro area job market.

The Internet Is Boring

I am seriously burnt out and bored with the web. I've Gawkered, Defamed, Drudged, Towleroaded, Boing-Boing'd, Stumbled, Fugged, MySpaced, AdRanted, Forksplit, GoldenFiddled, Overheard, PostSecreted, YouTubed, and Made Money Not Art to the point where I'm numb to it.

Like most good things, too much can ruin it.

Haircut

Bye bye chin, where'd you go?

This shot doesn't really do justice to the length at the bottom which is beginning to resemble
a 'tail' quite nicely. Also interesting - since one never sees the straight on view
of the back of one's head, the strip down the back is wider than I expected.

As a result of my somewhat more severe haircut, I went out of my way to be extra-friendly during my late afternoon visit to the foodstore. I held the door and smiled at an old lady and even let a couple scoot in front of me at checkout because they only had a toothbrush and toothpaste and i had like 15 items.

I don't want to scare people off. I have a hard enough time making friends as it is.

Permission

My Boy is Unige

I haven't yet come up with a catchy pseudonym for my 'companion' (either in Life or on this blog) so I'll call him Geoffrey for now..

'Geoffrey's' aunt sent out a mass email the other day, explaining that she was going through some old photo books and stumbled across this artifact:

Transcription:

How I am Unique Sept. 19, 1980
By 'Geoffrey'

I am very unige in all the world. No one is like me. forinsance I am a Godfather of my cousin, Klye. I am the only 9 year old Godfather I know of. I am a guard of my little brother Timmy when we walk to school. I am also a big brother to him when hes in trouble

It literally brought tears to my eyes.

Both his spelling and grammar were atrocious.

Mid Summer Stats

Well, well.. Very interesting.

I just stepped off the bathroom scale, après bain, and what did I spy?
I've lost 10 pounds since I purchased the scale (late winter?) and my bodyfat is down to 14%*.

My tan has reached enviable levels. More than 1 individual has declared to me, "you're soo tan". I've been using a 30SPF (liberally and repeated applications, natch) all summer.

Now I'm not that interested in 'tanning' per se, but it is nice to know that with minimal effort, one can become sun-kissed bronze without effort in Southern California.

As for the fat loss..(cause that's what we're talking about now, aren't we).. I just need to figure out a way to get the bodyfat lower while adding mass. I already eat like a robot -- I actually drank a glass of carrot juice prior to cocktail hour) so it's going to have to be a combination of more cardio (goodbye right hip) and supplements (goodbye kidneys). Is Creatine the solution?
And fuck that suggestion that I "cut out alcohol" because of the "empty calories". That's complete and utter bunk. It's much more likely that I have some rare allergy to say... - water! - that prevents me from losing the rest...

On a tangent, I've discovered that the teeny, tiny flies that seem to be moving in to my apt. (what? i shouldn't leave my front door open all day long? shut up, it's hot) really, really like Viogner. Rabbit Ridge to be precise. You-know-who has kindly removed not one, but TWO from my glass already this evening. He's great.



*Scale is describes as a "household" scale and "not for athletic or medical purposes". The documentation says something to the effect that for more accurate bodyfat measurements, one should use the "athletic" model of the scale which assumedly, costs more and works better. Whatever, my bodyfat was 18% when I first purchased it, so regardless it's down 5 percentage points.

A Good Thing

It's a hot and humid Tuesday (I'm not bitching, mind you, I'm just sayin') and rather than scour Craigslist for possible means of earning some money, I've been more domestically focused.

Here's what I made - a refreshing NON-ALCOHOLIC summer beverage:

6 cups of chilled still spring or mineral water
12 thin cucumber slices
4 thin lemon slices (or lime if that's your thing)
4 sprigs fresh mint, slightly crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, slightly crushed

[serves 4 thirsty people]

I tell you, it's the most Martha Stewart I've gotten to date. I even used an old school wooden spoon to stir up all the herbed goodness in the pitcher. I should open my own spa.

Hangin' Around, Nothing to Do But Frown

I just received an email from someone at a big studio in Hollywood with whom I had a phone conversation and agreed to set up an interview for a gig. She regretfully informed me that the position is an entry-level one (and therefore I am not eligible) but wants "to stay in touch" in the event that something more in line with my skillset and salary requirements opens up.

I tell you, if I had a fucking dollar for every time I've heard the "want to keep in touch" line out here in Los Angeles, I wouldn't need a job. I could buy you a present.

Whatever.

Mind Purge

I'm suffering from the onset of delayed post vacation depression so instead of parsing the contents of my mind into thoughts here, I'm merely posting an image of David Beckham cavorting on Roberto Cavalli's yacht on the Italian coast. Enjoy.

Apparently he's bumming about England's world cup loss and facing a downturn in his career for the first time. Full 'story' at Socialite's Life

SuperCrap

Superman Returns sucked.

The only 2 redeeming qualities of the movie were Brandon Routh's performance and Parker Posey. Both could have been better, mind you, but those 2 didn't suck.

Everything else about the film (read KATE BOSWORTH & KEVIN SPACEY) sucked.

There's nothing in this film you haven't seen Christopher Reeve & Gene Hackman already do much better. The characters (except for Routh) were flat and never popped, the plot was lame and unoriginal (we've already seen Kryptonite get stolen from a museum), and the villains don't even get what they deserve. Getting squashed by a rock accidentally doesn't cut it.

I wanted to leave the theater about 20 minutes into the film, but the crowd and my location in the aisle prevented me from doing so.

Go watch Superman II if you need a fix of the caped crusader. This production is weak.

Back from Vacation

And I've let things slide.

My friends' birthdays for one. My sister's too.

I'm bummed about it - mostly because I'm dissappointed in myself for not being the kind of guy who's so on top of things that he gets cards and gifts in the mail before he heads away to a place with no mobile phone or internet connection. I am perfectly capable of being that on top of things but lately, I've been letting things slip by through procrastination. If it weren't so hot and humid here today, I'd be less lethargic about it and get up off my ass to do something active and positive in that regard.

I guess it doesn't quite suffice or serve as consolation to say that I had said people on my mind and was 'wishing' them a happy day despite not getting in touch.

Huff. Pout.

No, screw it. I'm going to get back into the swing of things, starting now.

Friday Mashup

It's only Friday morning and already I'm in a spin.

I went to see a friend's film screened at Outfest in Hollywood last night.
She and her co-producer shot the short entirely on throwaway video cameras from CVS (nice one) and were the sole 2 cast members as well. It was titled 'Disposable' and it was great. It was a well edited vignette with good sound and I enjoyed watching it. More to be written about this. Declined drinks after and came home to figure out a food solution and watch the final episode of BSG Season 1. Shocking ending. Cylons are being developed plotwise as even more hateful.

Today I read some weird ass news article about police officers making some drug bust where the dude had crack cookies hidden in a Pringles can. Wow. I didn't realize that crackheads were so..crafty. I can only wonder what crack crisps feel like on one's tongue?

Hmm..What else can I bore you with? The fact that I'm reading 'Testosterone Nation' ("dot-com" of course) for rock solid shoulder weight exercises? Melon delts, man. That's what I'm talking about.

Wednesday in a Nutshell

First I heard an awesome audio clip of Ann Coulter getting owned by Adam Corolla on his radio show for her lying to him and throwing attitude, then I read that her column (didn't know she had one) got dumped from the Gazette of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (!). I imagine her, crouched in a closet ripping clumps of hair from her (empty) head as her career unravels.

Second, I've recently upped the exercise regimen while closely monitoring my protein intake. My goal is to have visible abdominal muscles by summer's end. In all likelihood this will only happen if I perform > 40 minutes of cardio at least three times per week. As it is I can't each much less fat and I don't think I'll be giving up my wine with dinner, so it looks like a combo of running/elliptical/treadmill will be the means to that end. See, I'm not just brains..

Third, and most importantly, I just got a phone call from a large production studio who received my resume and some good words via a friend. The woman who rang was very direct and not prone to small talk. I think I made the first cut (on the phone anyway). She actually asked me (among other things like salary expectation and willingness to work for someone "with a lot in his head,") "Mac or PC" and "what software do you know?" I replied, "Everything from Word to Maya." That seemed to suffice. We shall see. When I get back from my trip back east, I am to call her to set up a meeting.

And a couple of random wrap ups: got more Battlestar Galactica DVD's on their way thanks to Netflix; I successfully snagged Gawker Comment privileges so look for my biting wit and highbrow sarcasm there. And as soon as I can find that Rainbow Chard recipe I will post it.

Farmer's Market Update *Pics Added*

I just returned from the inaugural town Farmer's Market at the newly renovated town 'square'. The police station and firestation have been relocated and given new, state-of-the-art digs. (All those kitties stuck in trees, you know.) Despite the battalions of bleached housewives with jogging strollers, I made out like a bandit. There was even an old-timers jug band of sorts, with one cute little ancient lady playing the washboard. No sign of Huck Finn, but the sprouts girl hooked me up with 6 shots of (freezable) wheat grass juice and a hefty bag of assorted sprouts and germinated beans, including but not limited to:
onion sprouts (spicy!)
radish sprouts (ditto)
3 other kinds of sprouts
black eye peas
soy beans
3 other kinds of beans

which I will be eating with the fat slab of hamachi sashimi (that's right) that I bought for slicing up. This may very well be the best and healthiest lunch I've ever made for myself.

As a result, I will be photo documenting the entire preparation.

Stay tuned.

---

So here's my lunch. The diet of a nomad.

This is the bag o' sprouts and beans. (It was bigger than
it appears in this photo.)

The hamachi. Yes, it's cut very poorly, because the knife I sharpened was shite.


The salad (upper left); chopstick/shoyu/wasabi dish (upper right);
hamachi sashimi platter (bottom center)

What? Oh it's just the assortment of berries I got.

The blackberries are very big.

Weekend Recap

A couple observations first:

• Paris Hilton's single "Stars Are Blind" sucks as a single and is worse as a video (Logo, you should be ashamed of yourselves for airing it). I'm voting for a media blackout on that whore 'celebrity'. She's disgusting and embarrassing. Enough said.
  

• Mad Hot Ballroom is an excellent movie. Great documentary about NYC public school kids who practice for a regional competition. The kids from Tribeca are all weird and neurotic, but the Dominican kids from Washington Heights rocked. I couldn't get over how adult the kids came across -- so articulate and sensitive. I think NYC does something to even children that results in their being...superior. It's the perfect 'feel good film' of the summer for me thus far.

• Yesterday ended up being a Perfect Day© without effort.. Very Zen. Woke up, went to breakfast, then watched the World Cup final in HD (you're a scumbag Zidane). Came home, went for a 40 min. run, read a book. I ended up making a great dinner consisting of rainbow chard with pumpkin seeds and garlic, capellini with olive tapenade dressing, and the best chicken piccata (sauce) EVER. It's also very nice to know that after 14+ years with my mate, we can still put the sauce on low to leave the kitchen and rip each other's clothes off upstairs. (Thanks lucky jockstrap!). After a really great meal, we watched Mad Hot Ballroom (somewhat reluctantly at first because we really wanted to watch more Battlestar Galactica episodes but we're out).

How's that for too much information? Irregardless, I realized at the end of the day that it had been, a Perfect one.

Today Just Keeps Getting Better

It looks like my wallet was lost/stolen - most likely yesterday at the pub I went to watch the World Cup match at.

More to come..

---

Update: Heh, heh.. I found it. In my backpack. Funny thing is, after stumbling out of the pub with a couple of pitchers working to numb the pain of Germany's loss, the rest of the afternoon is a bit hazy. I guess being the careful ctrl-freak that I am, I put my wallet in my backpack for my afternoon nap on the beach. Hmm. I need to chain my billfold to my pelvis permanently somehow.

Overages

Imagine you have a mobile phone that rarely rings and that you rarely use to call people (because you have few friends, no job, and hate the headache that results from holding the thing to your sensitive head). Imagine that said mobile phone is essentially a text-messaging device (1000 msg/month!). Now imagine that your normal bill is a constant $68.14 without fail.

Are you with me?

Okay, now imagine the horror when you open this month's phone bill to see a total of $152.86. Oh sure, you go through the whole "This can't be right!?" drama. You immediately start dredging up repressed false-memories, "I must have left my phone in the car that night I went to Matsuhisa's for dinner and those damn valet guys called all their friends back in the Bronx." You go and check your email sent box to try to piece together what you may have been doing on the day when these expensive calls start racking up. Nothing. After the denial abates, you very assertively pick up your landline and call T-Mobile. As you are bounced around by the oh-so-diligent voicemail drone ("Hm, let me see if I have that right..You said 'speak with a customer service representative'...") you glance down at the total minutes and see that you've exceeded your 600 minute plan by 50% to a grand total of 900 minutes.

Once the friendly but hoarse customer service rep comes on the line, your bravado vaporizes. "Um..I have a question about my bill," you whimper. And by you, I mean me.

[end scenario of attempting to evoke empathy through projecting my nightmare onto you]

"Well I'd certainly be happy to go over it with you, Mr. Ctrl-Freak, and I do know how shocking it can be when you receive a bill that is much higher than you expected," the perkier-than-possible woman intones, then mechanically babbles through the details of my calling plan, ending with the observation that I surpassed my 600 minutes by 300 minutes resulting in the steep "overage" charge. She points out the obvious - that I may want to up my plan if I expect to be using my phone more.

I consider snarking back "Well, if I expected to use my phone more, I would have increased my minutes before you thieves starting raping me at a rate of $.40/minute," but think better of it.

"Er..Okay, well I'll look over the plans online and get back to you. Thanks for your..uh..help," I squeak pathetically. <>

---

I honestly don't know how I could have talked for 900 minutes last month. I literally hate talking on cell phones.

Feel free to send donations to ctrl-freak via the Internet.

Flashback

I was going to post an angry diatribe about what an asshole the president of the US is for trying to harsh on the NYT for publishing the news that the government is now monitoring financial transactions (on top of phone calls) in his "war on terror" but rather than do that and risk getting my ass hauled into some federal prison for anti-american Homeland security bullshit, I went to my happy place and I share it with you. I totally remember this vignette from Sesame Street and sometimes, when I get a really high fever, I still hear the song looping in my head.

Case Study in Horrible Television and Complete Freakiness

I've got to go out of town for a funeral, so I'm going to be offline for a couple. (Yeah, that to would be both of you who read this.)

I honestly don't know what referred me to this video, but it's both entertaining and disturbing on a number of levels. Enjoy it. Discuss. My money's on the fact that it's complete and utter artifice on both the producer's part and on the part of the 'victim', but I don't really care to ponder it much further.

A Reward for the Person Who Figures Out How to Order This

I want one so bad. [pdf via MUSUC]

Don't Cry for Me, Argentina, Cylons, Etc.

No, this isn't a showtunes post -- it's more FIFA FEVER!
The Netherlands are playing Argentina. As. I. Type.

So far, it's tied at zero. The color of NED sure is um..safe (for playing on a dark highway). No seriously, the orange is so intense it's leaving screen-burn on my monitor. To quote the idiotic sportscaster, "The parade of yellow cards continues."

Whoa, hello NED #17 - Ladies & Gents meet Wesley (haha) Sneidjer:

---

• In other news, I've been geeking out hardcore by watching the Battlestar Galactica remake on DVD. Say what you will, but it's actually some of the more compelling television programming I've seen in a while. Perhaps it's tapping into the 8 year old I was when the original was on air. Perhaps it's the parallels between the made-for-tv drama and the current political upheavals. It's good, regardless.

• I have another job interview this Friday morning at a start-up that a friend is working at. She told me to "dress cool". (RUDE) So now I'm sure to make a bad fashion call and show up looking like an idiot. I'm thinking that my red Team USA beret from the winter Olympics will have the perfect balance of 'edgy' and quirky while still conveying a sense of cool aptitude, whaddya think?

• In an effort to embarrass a certain lurker of these pages, I'm debating crafting a post that describes - in salacious detail - a certain erotic escapade that involved underpants being torn from the body and a lot of gymnastic man-on-man action. Stay tuned.