Last Post of the Year?

For a vacation, this week's been unusually busy. I've spent time in my lovely hometown, Huntington Beach with my family, playing around with a bunch of my new Christmas presents, and have even had time to finish reading a book while I was at it. So busy in fact that I haven't had the time to write any good blog posts. An end to that I say, for this may be the last post of the year if my errands and inability to sit at home has anything to say about it.

New Year's plans anyone? Grace and I are making what seems to be an annual event of travelling to ski resorts for snowboarding over the New Year's holiday. This year's destination, Park City seems to be getting some awesome weather so far, with no signs of stopping until we get there. It looks to be a good time, so wish us luck with that venture.

In other news, I've been slacking lately on the drawing front, any advice before the week closes out? What can I look to for inspiration? Lord knows, the television isn't much inspiration...

Movies, seen any good ones? As a matter of fact, I saw King Kong last night at the fancy schmancy new theaters at home. I'll have a more extensive review later, but the long story short is that I liked it. Anything out there I'm missing?

If there are no new posts until after the New Year, have a happy one everybody!

Feliz Navidad, 2005

Christmas is over and done and it was a cracking one. Technically, the day isn't over yet, but all the festivities are. Thanks to my family for all their love and generosity and special thanks to my Gracie for making this one of the most memorably holidays I'll ever experience.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Pondering the Ponderosa Possibilities

As the final dregs of 2005 begin to meander out the door, I am thankful that I have been able to spend some time with the people that mean the most to me as much as I have.  Knowing that we are all able to at least take the time out of our lives to say "hello," to make that extra phone call, or to take time out of our busy schedules to touch base with one another.  Often, it's sad when you lose touch with some of your older acquaintances.  At least I tend to think so, but when you actually do run into and catch up with someone you haven't seen in a long time, you remember why they were your friend in the first place.  Especially if you end up hanging out like nothing in your lives has changed one bit.

There are times I sit and wonder whatever happened to a few friends of mine, or even take it personally when I haven't heard from someone in ages.  I like to think that I've gotten over my self-importance enough to understand there's nothing personal about it.  People change, circumstances change, and one cannot possibly know all the reasons a person has for being as flaky, as unresponsive, or as aloof as they are.  Maybe I forgive too easily and let that sort of thing slide too often, but is that what a real friend would do?

Normally I'd be blogging more about the coming holiday and all, but it's been said and done and all we really need is a vacation.  I can't wait for mine, so I hope it's a very relaxing and long holiday away from the rumble and grimness of the rat-race.  I want to get a lot accomplished before the work starts up again, before that 5:30 morning wake-up call, and before I run out of any creative thoughts in my brain. 

Something to think about, a comics class at Otis, the revamp of the website, and perhaps even a few more finished promised illustrations.   Good day to you...

O D

Perhaps I overblogged last week, but there was a lot to blog about. As Christmas comes closer and work winds down, there's a lot to reflect upon, especially since the year will be ending so soon. Did I accomplish every goal I had this year? Was I consistent in maintaining good habits? Is there anything I wish I could have done?

Well, I actually don't take much time to evaluate, really. Anyone have any thoughts on early resolutions for next year?

The Golden Globes, 2006

Golden Globe nominations are in.  I took some time to make some wild picks.  Even if I haven't seen most of them, I can fake an opinion:

Picture, Drama: "Brokeback Mountain" because foreigners love cowboys.  Especially ones that love each other.

Actress, Drama: Gwyneth Paltrow, "Proof" or Ziyi Zhang, "Memoirs of a Geisha." I can't see Charlize playing ugly, white trash twice and winning another award.

Actor, Drama: Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain" because, like I said before, the foreign press loves the cowboy love.

Picture, Musical or Comedy: "Walk the Line." Johnny Cash always wins.

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Keira Knightley, "Pride & Prejudice" Skinniest woman on the planet trumps the others.

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Cillian Murphy, "Breakfast on Pluto" or Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the Line." for being two of the creepiest actors alive at the moment.

Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson, "Match Point" or Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener" for being uber hot.

Supporting Actor: George Clooney, "Syriana" the man deserves an award just for the weight he put on.

Director: Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain" or Fernando Meirelles, "The Constant Gardener" Spielberg's movie is too controversial. I like Meirelles for what he did in "City of God"

Screenplay: Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, "Crash" Someone has to win for "Crash," it should be them. I've heard things, it sounds like this year's "Traffic" and not just for the similarity in name.

Foreign Language: "Kung Fu Hustle," China. I loved this movie for it's ingenuity and wackiness. The others, I haven't seen, ha.

Original Score: John Williams, "Memoirs of a Geisha" The man who wrote so many memorable themes gets some love from the foreign press for thinking outside his fifth chord box.

Original Song: "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway" from "The Producers" Did you know that musicals adapted for movies aren't eligible for Oscars? A travesty.

TELEVISION

Drama Series: "Lost," ABC. Lost always wins.

Actress, Drama: Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" Kyra does a bang-up job as a southern bell expat in Los Angeles.

Actor, Drama: Hugh Laurie, "House". I don't care how much emoting Matthew Fox does in Lost or how intense Kiefer is onscreen, Mr. Laurie does a great job every week with a very compelling character.

Series, Musical or Comedy: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO. Have you seen this show? I've never laughed so hard in my life. Where's SCRUBS?

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds." Please nominate someone else besides a "Housewife."

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Zach Braff, "Scrubs." No one does insecure better than Mr. Braff. He deserves this one.

Miniseries or movie: "Warm Springs," HBO. FDR and Branagh, like Peanut Butter and Jelly.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Nobody. I can't think of any single stand-out performance. Even if I haven't seen any of them...

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kenneth Branagh, "Warm Springs." Mr. Shakespeare plays FDR like a violin.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy" The only leading Asian actress on TV these days. I'm still trying to figure why her and Alexander Payne split.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Naveen Andres, "Lost." Our favorite wacky Iraqi brings one home, even if he isn't Iraqi at all.

Touma! Touma! Touma! at Mixi Bang!

Touma and Me
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Here I am with a most prolific Japanese toy designer, Touma. The event, Touma's First American solo exhibition at Mixi Bang in Pasadena. We were fortunate enough to have a place in line via a connection and were thus able to wait outside for only a short while before being able to meet he man himself.

Not being very comfortable with his own English, he was naturally quiet, but still took the time to greet every customer and sign/sketch every one of his own toys. The time he took to do is evident in the toys he designs. Their simple shapes are painstakingly thoughtful, engaging, and unique enough to make them terrifyingly popular. Myself being a fan, how could I resist taking a picture.

More below...

Aniballoon Custom Craziness

Tongue's Out
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

The newest toy that Touma designed, the Aniballoon, was one of the big attractions at the show. Not for the exclusive figure that was being sold, although that was enticing, but for the incredible custom pieces done by some well-known artists including this one, by Joe Ledbetter. One of the hottest artists/designers, Mr. Ledbetter's work shows the kind of creativity brought through by this whimsical template. I picked up a show piece myself, but these ones were perhaps the most desireable.

Comment if you'd like to see more of the customs, I'll either post more, or send the pictures your way.

Glossy, Nightmare Reptile

Mutant Vinyl Turtle
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Touma's Skuttle really popped out at me when I first saw the design. Sporting the trademark sharktooth grin, this piece itself is quite rare, being one of only 111 in existence. This variant was made for the Japanese company One Up, but the design itself made its debut at the Taipei Toy Festival. What you can't see is the awesome sketch Touma himself did on his half-shell. Everyone at the show was lucky enough to receive a personal sketch from the man himself and I think the toy is much more meaningful for this touch.

Cross-Eyed Pinky

Boo!
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Here's one I'd picked up previously at Alpha Cult. You can see Touma's sketch on his belly. The last one I got signed, it's a great toy and a good reminder of why I like the hobby I have. Even as childish as it may seem, the simplicity of this design is fetching enough to be compelling. The shape itself is so versatile and compelling.

Can't wait to see what Touma comes up with next. I've got more pictures if anyone wants to see them, just ask!

College-Bound Hawthornites

On my way to work, I noticed that one of the local high schools was recognizing by name and by school where seniors would be attending college across their marquee.  No matter what school, what city, state, or whatever was announced alongside the name, no one was treated any more special than their fellow senior.  It was a nice sight on my way through what some might consider one of the least desirable areas to live within the South Bay.  The names, in lights is a nice little recognition of the accomplishment their seniors have achieved, but is it unfair to those who have no college dreams?

Well, the school argument, I'd imagine, would say it should be inspiring to those not attending four-year institutions to step up their academic game in order to achieve the same success.  The no-frills announcement says that no matter where you go, any college is good and it is especially amazing for those who've come from so little to make so much happen with their lives.  Maybe we all could have used this recognition in our own lives, what do you think?

Personally, my college acceptance was a mixed bag.  For those of you who know me a bit, this might seem as a shock as maybe I'm a little too eager to howl at my own success from time to time.  However when I received that envelope in the mail, my trap shut like a four-ton, iron-clad safe.  I think it was equal parts fear, shame, and anxiety.  Fear for the change that would be coming, shame for the fact that I never really felt completely worthy, and anxiety for what my peers would be feeling.  In some cases, all feelings were unwarranted.  In others, perhaps I should have been more anxious.

Maybe this is why the marquee effect did something for me.  I never saw a lot of "congratulations" for being accepted, nor did I really expect it from anyone else save my parents and those terribly close to me.  A few of my teachers even suppressed their disappointment that I would be attending there instead of their favored schools, but was I really obligated to make everyone else around me happy with my decision?  Was I happy when people said my ethnicity factored into my application?  Was I excited that I was the only one of however many who applied were accepted? 

The answer to all those questions is, "No."  No.  The second and last questions still bother me to some extent, because on the one hand, I feel that I never really lived up to my potential in college and on the other, I feel there were many more students very deserving of being considered.  No doubt, they felt the same way and I feel terrible that I could not feel that I deserved what I'd been given. 

Perhaps I'm too hard on myself, but that's how I feel.  In some ways I've gotten over my perfectionism that's caused me to deal myself several self-inflicted shortcomings.  What better way to deal with it than to prove to myself that I'm wrong, right?  Perhaps that is why we all seek more than just higher education to fulfill that which makes us, "Us."  And that is why these high school kids need to realize the gift that they have been given. 

I'm off my soapbox now.  Normal, less self-loathing posting to resume later...

Scrub a Dub Dub

It's time to give a shout out to my favorite comedy on television, Scrubs. Consistently, for me, the funniest, warmest show for a while, the show has been on hiatus for the entire Fall 2005 season. Finally - FINALLY - the show is returning to our TV screens January 3, 2006. If everyone would please, please join me in welcoming them back, it's been way too long for them to be gone and I'm terribly happy for the show's new season. Here's a summary for the first new episode:

MY INTERN'S EYES
9pm 2006-01-03 ALL NEW!

DR. COX PUTS J.D.'S SKILLS AS AN ATTENDING TO THE TEST- J.D. (Zach Braff) struggles with decision-making and responsibility now that he is an attending physician, all the while Dr. Cox (John McGinley) is testing his skills. And while Elliot (Sarah Chalke) is learning the ropes in her new hospital, she still feels more comfortable hanging out at Sacred Heart. Meanwhile, Carla (Judi Reyes) is ready to have a baby, but Turk (Donald Faison) afraid of moving forward continues to slip her birth control pills. Ken Jenkins and Neil Flynn also star. TV-14

After watching both Season 1 and Season 2 I have realized how much more I like the show. What has cemented it even more was my experience sitting in the audience during their live taping of "My Life in Four Cameras". The wit of the cast and producers and their appreciation of their loyal fanbase was never more evident by how much attention they paid to their audience.

Watch Scrubs and if you can't be there, please set your DVR. You won't be disappointed.

1 Hour in Line for 365 Recipes and 30 Minute Meals

Rachael Ray!!
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Here's Grace and I (I'm in there, though you can hardly see me) getting our books signed by none other than Grace's favorite celebrity chef, Rachael Ray. We got the heads up thanks to our friend Amy (big ups to Ms. Lau) and were able to assure our place in line would be secure by picking up tickets the previous day in Beverly Hills. The wait wasn't too long, but our meeting with Ms. Ray was a bit short. Such are book signings I imagine, and someone as popular as Rachael is definitely on a tight schedule (even if she did show up about 15 minutes late).

One thing I noticed about her is she's so friendly, as ebulliant as you'd expect, and much cuter in person. She whizzed through her signing with her trademark "Yum-o!" and we were satisfied with having had a brush with fame for the morning.

I admit, I enjoy her recipes for how accessible, how simple, and how little time it takes to put them all together. Although the show itself can fall victim to her bon mots from time to time, it's enjoyable for the fact that she's never pretentious and always about having a good time while you're cooking. Grace loves to pick a couple of her meals from time to time and I do admit, they're quite tasty. Her pasta salad got many compliments at a workplace potluck recently, so she's doing something right.

As celebrity encounters go, I'm glad we got to see her. Rather, I probably would have liked to have seen Giada De Laurentiis or even Nigella Lawson, but maybe next time.

On a side note, it's almost as fun to people watch in Beverly Hills as it is anywhere else. I spent my time trying to pick out designer jeans and poking fun at the all too "I'm so fabulous" consciousness of many a young person wandering down Beverly Dr. A few Ferraris, many Porsches, and even more BMWs passed by for me to peruse as well. Don't you just love Los Angeles?

Need more pictures? Look no further, I've posted more at the home website.

Oh, the Things I've Seen!

No one would believe what I saw yesterday even if they'd seen it with their own eyes.  I'm walking through a supermarket in Manhattan Beach, let's call it 'Rudolphs,' which happens to have free samples of dip and cheese near it's deli section doing my normal grocery shopping and minding my own, when I witness what has to be one of the lowest common denominator things I've seen thus far in any supermarket.  Normally, the cheese samples have toothpicks with which one can sanitarily (supposedly) sample said dairy product.  Many are there, obviously very accessible to any person. But no, this doesn't stop the horror.

What I see is an elderly man pick up a piece of cheese with his hand.  This is not his offense however.  What he proceeds to do afterwards is much more heinous.  He grabs a handful of cheese.  A great, overflowing handful of Swiss chunks with his, I'm quite sure of it, unwashed hands.  Does he eat them all with one gaping bite?  Does he hold them while he's walking around the market for a quick snack? 

No.

Not only does he grasp through this mountain of cheese, but he stuffs what he's grabbed into his pocket!  Some for the road, I guess.  I turn away, thinking I've witnessed the last of it, only to turn around one minute later to see him return for more. 

My eyes.  My eyes...

Ski Dazzled

I'm going to run through the weekend backwards today starting with yesterday, Sunday.  Quite an eventful weekend if you ask me, and Sunday was quite typical as Grace and I left the apartment about 10 AM and didn't return until well after 10 PM.  Long day, fun day, and exhausting. 

Skipping over my lovely trip home, a lovely dinner at the Lazy Dog, and the lovely Christmas tree that we picked up from my parents' house, I'll begin with our previous trip to the Los Angeles Convention Center for the annual Ski/Snow event that is Ski Dazzle.  Occurring about the second week of December and running for an entire week, Ski Dazzle is the biggest convention for Skiers and Snowboarders in Southern California.  Booths with vendors, resorts, instruction, and other helpful information line the aisles and wherever you go, you are surrounded by people who are knowledgeable, helpful, and often very passionate about what they're selling.  Grace and I had a couple of missions to accomplish while we were out: stock up on equipment.  Like I said, lovely.

 

Personally, I was looking to buy some boots for our upcoming trip to Park City, but it's hard not to walk around the convention floor and not be enthralled by the deals you find on boards, clothes, and resort packages. I found myself checking out a lot of boards from last year and a lot from this year with serious consideration.  Too bad I could have gotten a better deal over the weekend, I felt almost rotten had I bought one and paid more than I should have.

What was important however, is that I scored a pair of boots that I'm very, very happy with.  Which I guess brings me to my point.  I'm hoping that even though there is very little rain/snow so far this season we'll be able to make it up to the slopes more than three times.  I've seen people buy their gear, spend hundreds of dollars to get prepared, and only go up once.  Once!  I have to admit, I don't think I've been up enough times to warrant the money I've spent so far on this sport that I'm not even that good at, but it's all in the interest of getting better, right?  How does one expect to get better if you don't go more often?  Maybe it's the curse of convenience.  Do any of us have the time to travel up there every weekend or every other weekend?  I wish...

There's much more coming from the weekend, but for now I can't wait until New Year's weekend in Park City and I can't wait to see how much more snow's going to fall on us in California.