This man's got nothing original. His jokes are stolen, his ideas are hacked and done, and his thinking is nothing new. But - you'll never meet a hedonistic character more eccentric or charismatic than him. He's part pervert, only slightly mad - a humble egotist, an honest liar, and a nice asshole, a smart idiot, a religious blasphemer, a paradox, an enigma, living simply, yet thinking complicatedly.
If I ever get AIDS, find me a gay man from San Francisco with the CCR-5 Delta-32 gene and give me his bone marrow.
Fortunately, I won't be needing it any time soon... I'm not a heroin addict, nor do I get any action so I guess my chances of getting HIV or AIDS is pretty slim...
First Ed McMahon... Than Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson... and now Billy Mays?!
Death, you've been a dick for the past two weeks. I swear, if you take Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, or Robin Williams next I am going to have a personal vendetta with you. This I promise.
with commitment problems. It's a wonder how I've been able to stay in marching band for all four years in high school. Shoot, it's a wonder how my last relationship lasted so long! Hell, people were making bets that it'd last a week or two (though, that was not because my commitment problems per se but rather because I was a boy with a notorious reputation whereas the girl I was dating was a conservative, Protestant).
Looking at my last post, I haven't written in here since the beginning of last quarter. I should've written more in my blog, but when life gets to you, its hard to keep up. If that makes any sense.
In other words, I haven't been writing lately because I found a life outside of blogging. Or so that's my excuse. That isn't to to say that bloggers don't have a life, I mean they need something to write about, right?
Just that I'm lazy. And have commitment problems.
But I'm blogging, so here I am!
I maybe a week or two late on this but...
Freshmen year of college. My take on it? It's been... interesting, to say the least. Not exactly what I expected from college at all, but then again. Well, let's take it back to a year ago.
A year ago. I just graduated from high school and was totally pumped for college. But first several months of it - well, I hated it. Had a hard time making friends because well... I really didn't let myself open up to it. I was haughty. Pretentious, even. "TFC" as others would put it. You know, I tried the usual antics I would pull off in high school - but it just didn't work. I was catering to a different crowd. I mean, not to say I didn't try - just that I was exposed to some individuals that I've attempted to avoid all throughout high school. Not specific individuals, but rather "cliques" - types of people, you know?
But I can say, UCI's definitely grown on me. I don't know how I ended up in VSA in the first place - well, actually, my friends Malessa and Lee dragged me along to it. I was very hesitant about the idea at first, to be honest. My reasons? I didn't want to be tied down to any club. But, ironically enough, between the three of us, I think I've probably been the more outgoing when it comes to VSA. Winter Retreat, Lead role in VSA UCI's culture night, Lion Dance, the Banquet... Best thing about VSA, though?
The people. I've met some pretty amazing people in there. Absolutely phenomenal - and I'm glad I'm good friends with several of them. In fact, I've made some pretty amazing friends out here. Some that I hope will never fall out of my life - cause you know how the whole "friend" thing can be - some stay, some go, some refuse to leave - and sometimes for the better. I hope they're more amongst the latter. Course any kind of relationship is a two-way relationship. So don't think I won't be making an effort.
I'm digressing. Freshmen year of college? Best put - it started off quite shitty, but ending up pretty awesome. The thing I hate about it most? The fact that many of the awesome people I've met - specifically most of the friends I've made in VSA - have graduated and are leaving me for the East Coast. You know who you are.
I can say I've definitely grown, though. I mean, I don't want to come off as pretentious, but if I were to compare myself then and now I've... well, definitely toned down. I no longer drop my pants at the drop of a hat, I can tell you that. I've found more joy in... talking. Either it be over coffee, or just walking to class, I've found myself looking more for intellectual and/or pensive conversation.
Hehe, great thing about college: you start all over from scratch and be what you've always wanted to be. Yes, I will admit, when I first came to college, I've had this romanticized ideological image of a campus filled with bright, young, hip, coffee-drinking, indie-loving, pop culture obsessing students. First sight, I really didn't see that. I mean, no offense, but there is a reason why UCI is also dubbed University of Chinese Immigrants... Hell, when I told my parents about my decision to go to UCI - or even their friends for that matter - their response was the same as mine.
"So. Many. Asians."
And its odd, you know, being a part of the majority. I tell many people this all the time and I'm going to tell you guys now - it's weird being part of the majority. I mean, I come from quite a diverse high school - and being a band geek, it was populated with quite a diverse group of people. I mean, when the Spaniard took me to Chapman University - a private school that is 15 minutes away from UCI - I felt more comfortable there because well... I was a minority again! And I think being a minority makes me feel special :3
Where was I going with this? Oh yeah.
College is a great opportunity to build yourself into the image you want yourself to be. Me? I've somehow earned the title "Hipster." I know, it's un-hip of me to say this - but come on, I know that some of you "hipsters" know that you're hipsters, and you get some kind of pretentious pleasure from knowing that you are above the philistines and their lowbrow culture. Admit it!
But then again, what counts as Lowbrow? I had to write a research paper on that - a very fulfilling assignment, by the way, from Hum Core. I'm going to miss Humanities Core - I've learned so much out of it. Favorite paper has to be the research paper - I did mine on the Lowbrow Art Movement, and working on it, I felt like such an art snob - and I didn't like it. Luckily, the feeling subsided.
Why am I writing so much? Probably to make up for several months worth of not. God, I should blog more often... What am I putting you guys through? I bet none of you have made it this point. And for those of you who have well... I owe you lunch or something, I don't know...
My thoughts are all over the place - it's like, chaotic in there, you know? Sometimes, I wonder if I have ADD. I mean, my mind keeps on jumping from topic to topic. I'm guessing from my writing, it shows. I can't help it.
Digression! You know, I've got a small story about the whole "digression" thing but I'll tell it another time, there was something I wanted to put out there...
Oh yeah. My summer plans.
Well, from the looks of it, I can't get class over at Mount San Antonio College aka Mt. Sac aka Mt. Scrotum aka the nearby community college to my house. What with the economy the way it is, people are deciding now is a best time to get an education. Yay! This is good news, because that means I have the summer to myself - to do all the things I want, and to work on all the projects I've been putting off because of college.
At the same time, this is a terrible thing for me. Because Mt. Sac's filled to the brim with students, people all around can't get any schooling either. So they resort to working. And I need a job. I had my heart set on working at Denny's - well, not really, I hate working in the restaurant industry, it was just a set plan for cash - but it turns out they don't need me. Because everybody at Denny's can't get any school, they're picking up hours. Yay.
So, I got duped into looking into a company called Vector. They're asking me to sell knives. It looks good, sure, at 16 bucks an hour. But they're asking me to look for my own hours. As in set an appointment with people to try to pitch a knife set that costs several hundred dollars.
In this economy? Nuh-uh. I'm better off applying at McDonalds. Which, according to the Sandman, I have a better chance getting laid by the end of this summer.
The joke there is that I'm not getting any.
My Dad's uncomfortable with me lying around the house, playing video games all day, and hanging out with friends (which is something I don't mind doing...) but I can understand why he doesn't want me to do that. But I keep on telling him I do have plans of my own, but being he always seems to forget... This calls for a -_-.
My plans for the summer? So far, I have several scripts in mind that I'm working on. Also, reading those books I've had lying around the dorm for awhile. Oh, and also hopefully I can lose some weight. I've got the Spaniard coaxing me into going to the gym - so I can only hope that I become committed to this. More about that in a future blog. Also applied to Blockbuster - probably a long shot, but hey, here's hoping! I should also look around more, too... I should commit tomorrow to that. HAH!
Alright, well, hopefully I can stay committed to one of those plans. And on that note, I'm off. I need to get up in the morning to head to... the gym...
... So, how're you guys? Me? I just started first week of Spring Quarter of my Freshmen year at UCI. And I think I'm finally getting the hang of college.
Over Spring Break, I went up to Sequoia up in Northern California to go camping with the Lion Dance Troupe. I learned something up there: sleeping in the middle of a blizzard is no fun. Granted, yes, snow can be a beautiful thing. But I feel I can enjoy it better when my soaks aren't wet and my toes are frozen. I hate wet socks. But hey, it was fun.
After that, I spent most of my time in my room, finishing Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time! Not too long after I defeated Ganondorf did I search around the house for the Ocarina I bought a couple years ago - the one that is a replica of the one from Ocarina of Time! Granted, it does not sounds as pretty, but it looks pretty awesome!
Next on the list: Majora's Mask.
In recent news, I just saw Avenue Q on Thursday! VSAUCI were making an event out of it, and I had to take the opportunity! I really enjoyed it - it's like my childhood (Sesame Street) meets my adulthood (Adult Swim). It's really well written, surprisingly enough - albeit, I feel certain parts a bit trite, but even so I think its great! Here something that isn't in the musical:
As of the moment, I'm playing the new Pokemon Platinum. I found myself smiling while playing it - there's so much new content just within the first hour, compared to Pearl and Diamond. I can't wait to see where the game takes me...
Alright, so I'm about to provide my amateur review of the Alan-Moore-adapted-Zack-Snyder-directed superhero movie Watchmen. Obviously, there's going to be a fanboy-bias to the movie - I mean, after all, I did dress up as Rorschach :D
... in fact, I was the only guy in the movie theater dressed up as Rorschach... I mean, I was considering dressing up as Doctor Manhattan but a) I don't have enough body paint and b) I don't have the time to shave all the hair off my body. And I guess the fact that I don't have his physique either probably has some factor in it...
Putting that aside, let's move onto the review. I've learned that easiest way for people to read through reviews are to list the pros and cons - and lists are usually fun to read.
Cons: - More plot-driven than character-driven. The comic book is very character-driven and I really liked that about the comic book. However, Snyder opted for a more plot-driven move - which, sure, makes it a fun movie to watch, but there really isn't much to get out of the experience.
- Forced and trite dialogue. I felt that a lot of the dialogue written felt very forced. A lot of the lines seem to be written for the sole purpose of moving the story along, however they lack subtlety. Not to mention, there were some cheesy lines that made me want to punch somebody.
- Acting. I felt Patrick Wilson, the actor behind the Daniel Dreigberg - the second Nite Owl - was the only one I felt satisfied with. However, there were something about the other actors/actresses that rubbed me the wrong way...
- Characterization. Doctor Manhattan and Rorschach were just too human in the movie. What made these characters interesting in the first place was their inability to connect with the world around them. Rorschach does not have the cold demeanor that he's displayed throughout the graphic novel, nor the awkward tension that he brings to the room, and Manhattan is not alienated enough from the world around him... I do appreciate Laurie being not as whiny or bitchy as she is in the graphic novel, however there really isn't much to her character in the movie was well. I felt that Dan Dreiberg (the second Nite Owl) was the only character that was appropriately adapted in the movie.
Pros: - The adaptation is very faithful to its source. There are shots, lines, and scenes lifted straight out of the novel. Zack Snyder said that he used the comic book as his story board, and it shows.
- Visually stunning. It's expected from Snyder. He's a very visual director, as evident by his work, 300, and uses this to his advantage. Beautiful shots and great visual direction.
- Awesome combat scenes. Seriously. So much fun to watch, so visceral and brutal - it's just so much fun.
- Easter eggs. Did you know that the US flag that is buried with the Comedian has 51 stars on it? The extra star belongs to Vietnam, which becomes a state of America after the Vietnam War in this reality. It's small details like that that Zack Snyder puts into the movie that I believe makes the movie worth watching over and over again - just to try to catch little things like that.
- Soundtrack. You know how in the graphic novel, there's always that last panel of black with quotes? Some of the songs from the soundtrack correlate with those panels. Within the same vein, the soundtrack also provides an idea of the epoch that Watchmen encompsses.
- More of the old Watchmen in action. We get to see more the old Watchmen in action in the beginning of the movie, which I feel is a lot of fun to watch: Mothman being thrown into an asylum, Dollar Bill being caught with his cape in a revolving door and shot, Silhouette and her murder. It's interesting to see the rise and fall of the Watchmen condensed into less than five minutes.
That's about all I can provide - I would rant more, but I have things that I need to do as of the moment. By all means, do go and watch the movie - its a lot of fun. Just don't expect it to have as much depth or meaning as the graphic novel - rather, see it because it's just too bloody awesome to pass up.
Click "original post" to see what I'm talking about...
Also, I never did get into my Facebook, for those of you who saw the status update - the Caucasian holds the password to my Facebook - which I won't know about until the end of finals - and he decided it'd be fun to mess around with my Facebook...
So most likely if there are changes to the Facebook - it's him not me. I don't even know my password D:
I have five followers on blogspot? Wow. Wonder if any of them read any of this...
Alright, so as of recent I have declared myself a Facebook ban. Tristan, the Caucasian, has changed my password and will not tell me until the end of finals. Granted, yes, there will be other things to distract me online, but I feel Facebook will take a load off my short attention span.
With this week being Week 9 of Winter Quarter, I feel I've really gotta buckle down and study. I'm so behind that I think I'm going to need to deprive myself of sleep - and I feel I'm ready for that. The 24 Hour Film Dash has really thrown off my sleeping schedule and in a way conditioned me to be able to withstand staying up with minimal sleep. Terrible for my health? Probably. But hey, it's college - and at least I'm not resorting to Adderall or Ritalin - or any drug for that matter - to aid me in my studying. Though, I have read that neurologists do encourage brain enhancing drugs...
... I'll look into that later. For now, I need to bloooooooooooooooooooooooog. Cause I miss you guys. And I miss writing. And I miss looking for an excuse to ignore Italian homework.
It's odd. Since the 24 Hour Film Dash, it has indeed awaken something inside of me. And lately, I've been in a real Jazz binge - been getting a hold of some Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, and the list goes on... I'm ingesting all of this music and all this knowledge of jazz, hungrily.
I can't help it. I miss it. I need to pick up an instrument. Thing is, I don't have the time for that so I've resorted to just... listening. And learning. I need to find somebody on campus I can talk jazz with. Sure, my knowledge merely scratches the surface, but jazz is like a drug to me - it's intoxicating and I'm on it constantly. You know what I've fallen asleep to for the past couple nights (aside from Radiohead and Kings of Convenience)? Stan Getz and Bill Evans. Dave Brubeck Quartet.
All this jazz... I admit, it makes me feel pretentious listening to it. (But as I've always said people who use the word pretentious are a bit pretentious themselves...) But hey, I also feel like it makes me... classy. If there's anything I can say that I've taken away from Philip Ruiz, the band/orchestra director/conductor of Diamond Ranch High School - it's class. Either in one form or the other, I feel like I need more class in my life. Come to think of it, I've always felt an amount of class playing Jazz during 0 Period. And considering the people life has forced me to interact with - I've come to the realization that class died a long time ago. When? I don't know. Nevertheless, I think I'm going to try to keep it alive. Through jazz. Ah, listening to it again...
And trust me, listening to jazz is one thing. But to play and make jazz? It's a high that I miss. A high that I need.
Maybe next quarter... Or this summer...
Maybe...
Oh, and this is most likely going to feed into my Facebook notes... so those of you reading this, no I have not been on Facebook. It's just that my blog feeds into my notes.
Alright, enough about ze jazz. More about my Italian.
Friend of mine, Jessika Taylor-Nunez, were talking awhile back about the good old band days. She brought something to my attention - there's something about hanging out with someone into the late night and being there in the early morning... Maybe it's just me, but I feel there's something about that experience that kind of binds people - some bonding time, you know, being there when the sun rises and the birds chirps.
I found myself reliving that moment with my 24 Hour Film Dash film crew. It was exciting - staying up 24 hours, with friends - several new.
Yeah, I have to admit our movie is absolutely cheesy. But it was fun, and exciting making it. And I feel we have quite the film crew with us - several of us have good acting experience, a couple of us great editing/filming skills, and a pair of great writers. Only problem were the restrictions that the competition gave us - but I'm pretty sure once we get a couple scripts going and exercise our creative freedom, we can make some great works.
As for our movie - once it's up, I'll let you guys know. Despite the fact that I hate seeing/hearing myself on stage/screen.
I haven't written in here for awhile. What can I say? Been busy. But here I am again.
Odd thing happened to me today. I was walking with the Caucasian (Tristan) to grab a caffeinated cold drink when we came across a turtle. Grazing on the grass. Eating. In the middle of UCI. It was just chilling there, eating. I found it highly entertaining. I looked around for a manhole, and pondered upon the possibility of finding radioactive sludge... But then I remembered how John Cusack turned out in the end of Fat Man and Little Boy (absolutely terrible movie, by the way) and decided against it.
You know, I've realized how close I've gotten to the people in my hall. Figure it was bound to happen, after living with each other for this long. But I just realized how comfortable I was around these guys. Honestly, I initially wanted back home or wanted to live in Middle Earth (the other housing complex for freshmen at UCI, and yes, it is name after the Tolkien setting) because the former I feel less like a social retard and the latter I feel my nerdiness could get me further there. But then again, I would not be hanging out with some of the pretty rad people living in this hall, Viento.
I've been listening to Tally Hall again. And apparently, their online internet series have been posted on their website (Google it up, I'm too lazy). A friend of mine (here's looking at you, Perdomo) would call me gay for liking them, but hell, I can't help it. They've got amazing harmony, genius instrumentation, their upbeat songs put me in my happy place - and looking through their online video series, I declare them a favorite band of mine.
I mean, watch this:
I feel like I could mesh with these gentlemen quite well. In fact, they've kind of inspired me to find a ukelele and pick up a song or two of theirs. But unfortunately, I'm not so sure if I got the time for that...
I've found myself remarkably busy as of late. I think the 24 Hour Film Dash did something to me. I don't know what, but I feel like something good. And I think it correlates with my business all of a sudden.
I've been listening to a lot of jazz lately. More so than usual. I can't help it. I think jazz is classy, and I like to consider myself a man of class. I'd like to declare Charlie Parker my jass favortie saxophonist, Dave Brubeck my favorite jass pianist and Glen Miller my favorite when it comes to big band/swing. As for trumpets, I still need to explore that - as well as trombone. Don't know why, but I feel I need to venture back into jazz. It was one of the only things I would look forward to in high school after marching season was over...
I seem to keep on reverting back to my desire to relive high school, huh? I can't help it. High school I really enjoyed. But college isn't anything that I hoped for. I don't know, I guess I had this idea that soon as I came out here, I'd be able to find a hip, happening crowd that's well-verse and cultured in music, movies, theatre, and pop culture and stuff, and I'd be able to hang out with them in coffee shops and just find ourselves deep in discussion, and I'd be up to date with the latest alternative fashion/subculture. Like a beatnik of the early 21st century or something...
And look where I am now. Granted, I feel college is growing more and more on me. I'm just having a hard time finding people with the same things in common with me. Maybe I just need to put myself out more... And stop being so cooped up in my room.
I'm sorry if the post seems a bit scatter-brained - I've been meaning to write for a week, and I have yet to put anything up.
I figure anything would work. I wonder if any of you still read this...
Hey, do me a favor. I'm just wondering, but for those of you guys who actually read these posts - leave a comment? Just this one time. I want to know who actually reads my online ramblings.
... Oh God I just realized how emo this post sounds. Forgive me! I'll try not to sound like a whiny bitch in the future!
Crap. It's 4:14 AM. I got class in less than 5 hours. Well, least I got a post up.
I was supposed to write something last weekend. I forgot to. Or rather, I got lazy.
I've really got to work on my laziness. It's seriously biting me back in the ass. I'm weeks behind on my reading - and anybody who's been around me for the last couple weeks knows I've been repeating that for awhile.
Last weekend would've been the two year mark. Those of you know what I'm talking if you were there in high school with me. For those of you who weren't - the ex-gf and I would've been going out for two years. On Valentine's Day.
And oddly enough, I carried myself quite well. I was worried that I was going to reduce myself to a bumbling fool, but nay! That day really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be in retrospect. Granted, yes, it could be better, but hey, I'm fine with what's life thrown at me. Had my first Lion Dance gig that day, too. Stage fright got the best of me - in the sense that I didn't perform as well as I hope I would. But hey, least I got a performance underneath my belt.
Quite recently, I've found jazz again. And Monica, my harmonica - I left her back in Diamond Bar and I was feeling empty without her. Over the weekend, I got a hold of some Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Dave Brubeck albums. God, how I miss Jazz- I feel like jazz gives people a certain amount of respectable, mature class that's missing in my generation. I also cracked open the old trumpet I had in my closet. The buttons are a bit rusty, but I've got at trumpet... Hey, maybe I'll pick that up over the summer. That, and the piano. I need music back in my life.
My iPod's - Bruce Campbell Moan, or Bruce, or BCM, or just BC for short - has been doing a good job of that. I can understand why people carry around iPods. It adds a soundtrack to an already boring and uneventful life. And considering the rainy weather, its appropriate when my shuffle goes to The Postal Service songs.
I need to get back into acting. Music. The liberal arts - I need to use my left brain a bit more. Speaking of which, I have been, actually - with 24 Hour Film Dash coming up, my minds been reeling with ideas and shots and random snippets of scenes that I can put into films. I'm excited - and nervous. My eyes are getting too big for my stomach with the ideas that are in my head, so I'm pretty sure I'm setting myself up for disappointment. I usually do. I gotta bring myself down to Earth.
Still, it's nice to do a little scriptwriting again. I've read through a couple books of scriptwriting and understand the craft better than before. I'm trying to put it into practice, but it's kind of hard doing that with five minute scripts. Nevertheless, a creative epiphany hit me. I just need to put it down on paper.
Seriously. I'm trying to stay awake, procrastinating (which I NEED TO SERIOUSLY STOP DOING) and somehow I ended up listening to Youtube videos on ragtime.
Oh yeah, I remember how. I was looking through 24 Hour Film Dash videos, looking for the type of genres to expect, and I saw Silent Film was one of them. I thought to myself, "Hey, if we were to do a silent film, I'd like it to be very vaudevillian! You know, the silent films with the paid ragtime piano players!"
And thence, my search for ragtime music. Its really upbeat, and really energetic - which is probably why I'm still able to stay up. But I really got to get going on homework...
Putting that aside, I just recently got myself a Sixth Generation iPod Classic. 120 Gigabytes of pure, black beauty. I call it - "Bruce Campbell Moan." I know, weird name. But for a good reason. For instance, take the title of this post. And imagine the fun I can have with the name!
"What're you doing?" "I'm just listening to Bruce Campbell Moan."
"What're you watching?" "Bruce Campbell Moan."
(in the event I can't find him) "Have you guys seen Bruce Campbell Moan?"
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to “Notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
1. I am a proud geek - clogged sinuses, nasally voice and all. Comic books, sci-fi, video games and everything that the internet has to offer.
2. I have just recently discovered contemporary pop culture in high school, and trying to catch up on it. Queen, John Hughes, the Godfather, Citizen Kane, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, The Kinks, Pulp Fiction, Hair, Hairspray, Johnny B. Goode, and everything that Billy Joel said in "We Didn't Start the Fire" and then some. Over 70 years of American pop culture I need to consume... God that's a mouthful.
That's what she said.
3. I can't seem to get away from music; for some reason why I'm magnetically attracted to musicians - either they still be practicing musicians or at least they were in high school. I seem to hit it off with them better than other folks.
4. I've played the trombone for seven years, and before that the trumpet for three. During that time, I also played the piano for five before I quit. I was never any good at any of them.
5. My best years were in high school. Those were my glory days, and I miss them.
6. I would like to be part of a Barbershop Quartet before I graduate from college.
3. I want to be in the entertainment business. Acting, directing, screenwriting, producing - I'll take any of those jobs. I just enjoy the movie making process.
4. I thrive off an audience and laughter.
5. Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs was a life-changing movie for me. It honestly changed my perspective on what a quality movie is. It also was a gateway to contemporary pop culture for me. Thanks Catie :D
6. Oh, and as a result of number 1, I'm not very athletic. OMG SHOCKER I KNOW.
7. I'm deaf. Not literally. However, I do find ironic the fact that I know some sign language. I think being in band and listening to terrible music at max volume with my headphones on throughout middle school is possibly the cause of my hearing problems. And my tinnitus.
8. My time in college has taught me something - the whole partying scene? So not for me.
9. I'm a sucker for a pretty face.
10. I like to consider myself a Jack of All Trades when it comes to my geekisms. I've dabbled in everything, but not exactly an expert at a specific subject.
11. Jazz = Love. Favorite subgenre = Bebop, Big Band, & Ragtime. Hated subgenres = Jazz fusion & Soft Jazz. Well, aside from the Jazz Odyssey.
12. I actually like musicals. I just don't go out and watch a lot of them because well... they cost quite a pretty penny. So I'm limited to college productions, amateur productions, and film musicals.
13. I was raised on cartoons; from Felix the Cat of the 1930s to the Simpsons of the 1990s. If its animated, I would watch it. Looking back at what I watched... I understand what people mean when they say "Kids'll watch anything."
14. I think Heroes is terribly written. It's cliche, ripped out of the pages of comic books (and not even the goods ones) and a lot of the characters are very two dimensional. And the writing - God, it's looser than Paris Hilton!
15. Heroes is a guilty pleasure for me. So are Michael Bay movies (minus Pearl Harbor) and Dan Brown books.
17. I like the Victorian, Vaudevillian lifestyle - which is why a top hat, cane, tuxedo jacket with coattails, and a monocle still remain on my wishlist. And it's also why I like steampunk.
18. I also fancy the Prohibition era of the 1920s - jazz, flappers, the Charleston, speakeasies synonymous with drunken debauchery. It was America at its most cultural - most likely due to its seclusion from the world after of World War I.
19. You know, I feel like I have a knack for teaching. I think I get it from my dad - he was a math teacher. I get a kick out of teaching random people the random stuff I know or things I learned from class; but I don't think I can ever have enough patience to teach.
20. I'm not outgrowing designer/vinyl toys, comic books, video games or cartoons anytime soon. In fact, I'm watching old episodes of Animaniacs as we speak.
21. People think I'm weird. I think I'd rather be weird than boring, uninteresting, and generic.
22. I plan on picking up the piano, a brass instrument, and doing some vocal training one of these days. At least before I turn 30. Oh God, but seeing how my plans never seem to turn out the way I want... I can only hope I get around to doing any of that.
23. I'm terribly lazy. And have a hard time being motivated. It's a wonder how I get anything done. Or how I am where I am today. Does not bode well for my plans on number 22.
24. I kind of enjoy street culture. Graffiti, alternative hip-hop (mostly from the Bay/San Francisco area), low-brow artistic movement, designer/vinyl toys, Banksy, Joe Ledbetter, Garey Baseman. I'm not exactly a part of it, but I do enjoy it.
25. I get a kick out of the vulgar, lewd, explicit, taboo, awkward, offensive and shocking. However, I won't laugh at dicks being drawn all over the place, or terrible jokes out of movies like Date Movie. There has to be some taste in the distaste. And for some reason, I find gratuitous full-frontal male nudity hilarious - like Borat and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
I've always got a kick out of the image of old geriatrics ranting about the "liberal, Marxist, hippie bullshit" that they're teaching us in college. I bring this up because guess what I'm learning about in Humanities Core out here?
Half of you are smart, I'll let you guys decide for yourself.
But by all means, it isn't bullshit - it's just a whole bunch of socialism that I actually enjoy learning. Mind you, enjoy learning. Not enjoy practicing. Because Communism only works in theory.
I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the Communist party. I swear. Shut up, Carlos.
Walking away from class today, my attention was caught by a crowd; I walked towards them only to find one of those crazy Evangelist with signs. He mentioned something about Obama endorsing guys porking other guys (more or less his exact words) and had a banner that listed the type of people going to hell - aside from the typical Atheists and Non-believers, there were also Mouth Women and Girlie Men listed.
And he called us (the collective UCI students staring at this circus act) stupid and ignorant. Ironic, eh?
God if only that work... But at least Fanboys is finally getting a release! It's a limited release, with 10 screenings of it in LA next friday. And dammit, I NEED to see this! As a geek, I am not only ENTITLED to watch this - I must gaze upon Kristen Bell in the Princess Leia slave costume.
I have to stop. The thought of it is making the blood rush to my head.
