Merry Christmas everyone. Let's keep it going in the new year!

Things to look forward to:

1. WEDDING!!!
2. Spider-man 3
3. New blog (!!)
4. More art classes
5. Art school??
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
7. New Radiohead album

And much, much more...

End of an Era

End of an Era
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

The closure of Tower Records is just one step closer to the digital age, not because people are buying iTunes music like crazy, but because local record stores can't keep up with what was once an album-based market place that is quickly turning into a track-based marketplace. Who really is going to buy the entire album, or listen to the entire album, when everyone's digital audio player is constantly tagged to "shuffle?" We truly do stand at the doorway of a new wave of distribution. Part of it is very exciting, but part of it is also disheartening.

It was with true sadness that I made my final visit to a Tower Records store with only a mere 5 days before it's final closing. The store itself, very unkempt and dilapidated from its impending boarded windows, was quite bare. Nary a popular disc in sight, what was once a proud bastion of independent record store heaven is now a depressing testament to how much the market has changed in the last decade. While iTunes is bustling with exclusive albums and television shows, Tower is stuck with the dregs of musical history including such stalwarts as "Moot Ditty" and "BB Mack." When your employees have to start labeling the Rap section as the Crap section, you know the industry is in trouble.

Tower does have a fond place in my heart. It stands as the place where I discovered the music of Interpol and The Mars Volta, but it is also the first retailer that sold Kubricks in the United States. Before I discovered Kidrobot and other outlets, Tower was the place where I went for getting my vinyl fix, in more ways than one. It was there that I learned to enjoy Rock, Trance, Trip Hop, Bluegrass, Indie, Jazz, and other genres all under one roof and even though its catalog cannot compare to the massive expanse of Amoeba it was the place I knew I could go to discover new talent or even re-discover the old.

Even now, while I purchase music from Rhapsody and other digital marketplaces, nothing compares to actually flipping through jewel cases through the aisles of an actual store. If it wasn't for the hundreds of discs taking up space in the apartment, I'd no doubt be making the trip more often than before. Where now, will people go for a Ticketmaster outlet, where will people go to pick up the local music and event rag? I understand that the online era is king these days, but it doesn't make the fact that one of my favorite stores is going to be shuttered forever.

So it's with great lamentation that I bid Tower Records a fond and bitter farewell. From here on, it's Amoeba or bust.

Conquer the Mountain

Blue Skies on the Big Mountain
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

It's been a couple of days and I think I'm recovered well enough to report on our weekend excursion to Mammoth. I may be a little sore and a little exhausted still, but it's only been our first trip of the year.

Anyhow, we took off Friday afternoon under a hazy California sky with the promise of snow in our hearts in a decently packed minivan. This winter's been unkindly dry so far in Mammoth, especially after the goldmine of powder the resort was blessed with last season. Upon getting into town, we could already see a difference in seasons. There was brown to be seen everywhere, not all the lifts were open, but it didn't mean the weather was any less cold. With the highs in the 20's all weekend, we were very lucky to have packed plenty of layers.

Saturday. We woke up for a continental breakfast and run-down of the day's conditions. Scattered snow showers were promised and they finally opened the remaining two lodges (Canyon and Eagle) as a result of earlier fallen snow in the week. A quick shuttle ride later, we were sitting at the bottom of Canyon lodge and staring up at what looked to be a fresh crop of untouched snow. Other than a few tracks already left, we'd made it early enough that there were only a few people ahead of us for the Canyon Express lift.

Trust me, I fell many times on that first trip down. The warm up was worth it though, as I felt much more confident the second time down. Although the snow was a bit crunchy and icy in patches, it was good enough for a few runs before heading over to the Main Lodge after hearing the snow was much better on that side of the mountain. At this point, it's starting to come down a bit and each trip up the lift gets a little bit colder.

Coming down Broadway, we knew it was going to be a good trip. There was plenty of packed powder, but I created enough snow clouds and fresh tracks that it felt like floating. We ended the day exhausted and freezing from the flurries, but were rewarded the next day as the trails accumulated about 12" overnight.

The second day was the best. As you can see from the inset picture, there were blue skies everywhere and the runs were wide open. I didn't care that I had to wait an extra 5 minutes to get on each lift, it was as close to perfect as one can get. While I had a minor flame-out after riding the Facelift chair and coming down the Saddle Bowl, the day encapsulated the whole weekend and gives me many, many high hopes for the coming season.

We're already booked for another trip up next weekend (and more snow is falling this week and next) and I'm very excited to be getting my new board in this week, so this last trip was the perfect tune-up. I wish we could make it elsewhere this year, but Mammoth is always great, so here we go, pray for snow!

Let it Snow

Off to Mammoth this weekend for the first snow trip of the year. It's supposed to snow snow snow while we're there, so we should be able to whip ourselves into shape quickly before the season is underway.

Still waiting for board to be delivered and contemplating buying one of these, so we're not fully into the season until then.

Well, that and also not until I have my first faceplant of the year. Woo.

Globes!

Hey, Golden Globe nomiations came out, which means time for predictions and commentary.

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES
DRAMATIC PICTURE
"Babel"
"The Departed"
"The Queen"
"Bobby"
"Little Children"

Prediction - The Departed.  The Hollywood Foreign Press loves Scorsese.


MUSICAL OR COMEDY PICTURE
"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
"Dreamgirls"
"Little Miss Sunshine"
"The Devil Wears Prada"
"Thank You For Smoking"

Prediction - Dreamgirls.  A pure musical, the ensemble performances are said to be some of the strongest so far this year.


FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE
"Apocalypto" (USA)
"Letters From Iwo Jima" (USA/Japan)
"Lives of Others" (Germany)
"Pan's Labyrinth" (Mexico)
"Volver" (Spain)

Prediction - Letters from Iwo Jima.  Having shown up on a few critics' "Best Of" lists, I'm gonna say it's heavily favored to take away the award.


BEST DIRECTOR
Clint Eastwood, "Letters From Iwo Jima"
Clint Eastwood, "Flags Of Our Fathers"
Martin Scorsese, "The Departed"
Stephen Frears, "The Queen"
Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Babel"

Prediction - Martin Scorsese.  I'd like to see him win just because the sheer force of working with such big names has to make him more of an icon than he already is.


BEST DRAMATIC ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Blood Diamond"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Departed"
Peter O'Toole, "Venus"
Will Smith, "The Pursuit of Happyness"
Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland"

Prediction - Forest Whitaker.  He may be the dark horse of the group, but he always delivers consistently.


BEST DRAMATIC ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, "Volver"
Judi Dench, "Notes on a Scandal"
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "SherryBaby"
Helen Mirren, "The Queen"
Kate Winslet, "Little Children"

Prediciton - Penelope Cruz.  I love her Spanish language work.


BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Sacha Baron Cohen, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
Johnny Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
Aaron Eckhart, "Thank You For Smoking"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Kinky Boots"
Will Ferrell, "Stranger Than Fiction"

Prediction - Johnny Depp.  For the same reason that the academy loves Scorsese, they love the Depp.


BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Annette Bening, "Running With Scissors"
Toni Collette, "Little Miss Sunshine"
Beyonce Knowles, "Dreamgirls"
Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada"
Renee Zellweger, "Miss Potter"

Prediction - Annette Bening.  Wouldn't it be nice for her to win while her husband accepts a lifetime achievement award?


SUPPORTING DRAMATIC ACTOR
Ben Affleck, "Hollywoodland"
Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls"
Jack Nicholson, "The Departed"
Brad Pitt, "Babel"
Mark Wahlberg, "The Departed"

Prediction - Jack Nicholson.  Although I was going to pick Affleck, because I love the underdog, Jack Nicholson is the smart bet.


SUPPORTING DRAMATIC ACTRESS
Adriana Barraza, "Babel"
Cate Blanchett, "Notes on a Scandal"
Emily Blunt, "The Devil Wears Prada"
Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls"
Rinko Kikuchi, "Babel"

Prediction - Jennifer Hudson.  I don't think I've ever heard so much buzz about a cinematic performance in a long time.


ANIMATED FILM
"Cars"
"Happy Feet"
"Monster House"

Prediction - "Cars."  Pixar wins, every time.

SCREENPLAY
Guillermo Arriaga, "Babel"
Todd Field and Tom Perrotta, "Little Children"
Patrick Marber, "Notes on a Scandal"
William Monahan, "The Departed"
Peter Morgan, "The Queen"

Prediction - Guillermo Arriaga.  From what I've heard, "Babel" is another classic Inarritu film weaving and intersecting around several complex characters.  Writing such a film deserves an award all by itself.


ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, "The Painted Veil"
Clint Mansell, "The Fountain"
Gustavo Santaolalla, "Babel"
Carlo Siliotto, "Nomad"
Hans Zimmer, "The Da Vinci Code"

Prediction - Hans Zimmer.  Unfortunately, I don't recognize any other names.


SONG
"A Father's Way" from "The Pursuit of Happyness"
"Listen" from "Dreamgirls"
"Never Gonna Break My Faith" from "Bobby"
"The Song of the Heart" from "Happy Feet"
"Try Not to Remember" from "Home of the Brave"

Prediction - "Listen."  Beyonce's gotta win, because she's popular.


TELEVISION CATEGORIES
DRAMATIC TV SERIES
"24"
"Big Love"
"Grey's Anatomy"
"Heroes"
"Lost"

Prediction - "Heroes."  Because it's such a tough category, I'm going for the new show.  I say Grey's is the favorite because it's the least genre-ish and the most mainstream, but I'd like to see Heroes take it all.


BEST ACTOR, TV DRAMA
Patrick Dempsey, "Grey's Anatomy"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Bill Paxton, "Big Love"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24"

Prediction - Hugh Laurie.  Who could play Sherlock Holmes better than Hugh Laurie?  Nobody, that's who.


BEST ACTRESS, TV DRAMA
Patricia Arquette, "Medium"
Edie Falco, "The Sopranos"
Evangeline Lilly, "Lost"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Ellen Pompeo, "Grey's Anatomy"

Prediction - Kyra Sedgewick. While Eve and Ellen, who can get their cry on at the drop of a hat, are quite popular, Kyra plays a strong, complex character week in and week out on "The Closer."  Although Edie Falco's character on "The Sopranos" is award fodder, Kyra walks away with this one.


TV SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
"The Office"
"Desperate Housewives"
"Entourage"
"Ugly Betty"
"Weeds"

Prediction - "The Office."  Easily the funniest show of the bunch.


BEST ACTOR, TV MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Zach Braff, "Scrubs
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Jason Lee, "My Name is Earl"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"

Prediction - Alec Baldwin .  I love Scrubs and I love Steve Carell's work in general, but Mr. Baldwin does a great job at playing the all-powerful, all-seeing network executive.

BEST ACTRESS, TV MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives"
Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Prediction - America Ferrera.  She's not really that "Ugly."


BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
"Bleak House"
"Broken Trail"
"Elizabeth I"
"Mrs. Harris"
"Prime Suspect: The Final Act"

Predicion - "Elizabeth I."  I'm throwing this out there as a shot in the dark.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Gillian Anderson, "Bleak House"
Annette Bening, "Mrs. Harris"
Helen Mirren , "Eilzabeth I"
Helen Mirren, "Prime Suspect: The Final Act"
Sophie Okonedo, "Tsunami, The Aftermath"

Prediction - Gillian Anderson.  SCULLY!


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Andre Braugher, "Thief"
Robert Duvall, "Broken Trail"
Michael Ealy, "Sleeper Cell: American Terror"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Tsunami, The Aftermath"
Ben Kingsley, "Mrs. Harris"
Bill Nighy, "Gideon's Daughter"
Matthew Perry, "The Ron Clark Story"

Prediction - Bill Nighy.  Even if Mr. Ejiofor was great in Serenity, Bill Nighy really delves deep into his performances.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Emily Blunt, "Gideon's Daughter"
Toni Collette, "Tsunami, The Aftermath"
Katherine Heigl, "Grey's Anatomy"
Sarah Paulson, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"
Elizabeth Perkins, "Weeds"

Prediction - Sarah Paulson .  The Lisp wins!


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Thomas Haden Church, "Broken Trail"
Jeremy Irons, "Elizabeth I"
Justin Kirk, "Weeds"
Masi Oka, "Heroes"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"

Prediction - Masi Oka.  Hiro is awesome.  More awesome than the Pivs. 

CECIL B. DEMILLE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Warren Beatty

Prediction - Like this one even needs a prediction...

You notice how the last few nominations get very long-titled and specific?  I guess that's how television goes these days.

Play Misty for Me

Do you think it's crazy to go all-out and buy a brand new musical instrument?

I've had this thing lately, for trying to find a new alto saxophone to replace my aging Martin model.  Part of the reason why it's so difficult for me to pick up the horns again isn't just time, but the frustration with now knowing, or at least feeling, like the horns that I grew up playing in high school and college weren't the right ones for me.  The Martin in particular is a great horn, but it feels like it really needs an overhaul.  Springs are slow, the horn stays cold quite often, and the octave spring never retains its tension.  Forget for a second that I haven't played in a really long time, somehow I still know what it feels like when playing the right horn.

The second half of the coin is the super action 80 Selmer Soprano saxophone that resides with my alto in their little home.  From the moment I picked it up, I fell in love with the horn.  The problem that exists for me here may be something else entirely, however.  For instance, there is one mouthpiece that I have used to play on this saxophone that blew the other ones out of the water, but they don't manufacture it anymore.  I'd much rather find the mouthpiece I want than the horn that I want in this case, mostly because the Selmer is a beaut, but also because the horns that are out there now are more expensive in the Soprano model than one might expect and much harder to find.

Perhaps the toughest part about buying a horn (besides money) is the playing experience.  There are a few things you shouldn't take for face value when purchasing, it might look the best out of everything, but it doesn't matter much if it doesn't connect with your playing style.  Unfortunately, many different models aren't supplied to major retailers of musical instruments, so it can be hard to find names other than Selmer and Yamaha when looking for a new horn.

So while I sit and ogle the P. Mauriat vintage style models, the Cannonball Raven finishes, and the Selmer prestige, I can noodle on the old horns for a bit longer.  At least I'd get my chops back.

Freakalude

Every once in a while, I come across something that gives me a little boot of inspiration.  Trust me, it doesn't happen often as my lazy little butt hardly gets anything done.  While I dabble in the occasional noodling with the col-erase and keyboard, it happens to be a bit easier once I pop in a jewel-cased compact disc.  Forget, for a second, that most people are buying all sorts of tunes online in bits and packets, there's still that satisfying crinkle of plastic as you break open a freshly bought album. 

Well, I made the trek to Best Buy (poor Tower) and grabbed a couple of discs I've been meaning to procure (reviews to come later) and have been dropping them intermittently with all the other goodness that usually goes on.  While I've been pretty satisfied so far with the money spent, one of these artists deserves a premature special mention for what's currently bumping through the headphones.

The Basement Jaxx, those British gentlemen, have long been a strong contributor to all those dance musicks that you probably have heard but never had the idea of who they are. I give them a nod, not because Crazy Itch Radio happens to be their latest, but also because each record is just a little more insane than the last. 

You've got your trippingly popular tracks such as " Where's Your Head At" amongst others, they never disappoint be when they shred the ones and twos with some particularly palatable and schizophrenic beats.  While the previously mentioned single stands out on Rooty as an pop standard, the handily plural beats of "Crazy Girl" happen to be more infectious.  The same defiant unwillingness to retread the same old trip-hop/hip-hop beats stand out on this latest one in both " Hey U" and "Smoke Bubbles" that you might actually think to yourself, "What would possess any professional artist to sample these sounds?" 

Honestly, it's something I find fascinating and inspirational enough to attempt to apply in whatever you might do on your own.  Why should I still want to write the same old stories and draw the same old superheroes when breaking out with something never seen before is so much more satisfying.

For this, I submit that you should give it a listen.  If anything else, you'll have a reason to shake a fist in my direction for the bad suggestion if you don't enjoy it.

Who's Got the Magic Carrot?

Hot Dog Heaven
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Well, I'm a bit backed up on the posting and while I can take the cop-out answer that the holidays have pretty much slapped me upside the braincan, I seriously have no excuse. Really. None. Nothing. It's pure Virgo laziness at this point.

Aside from all that, I feel like I've been really busy. Just to catch up on a one-by-one basis, let's take a couple of weekends ago, pre-Thanksgiving and pre-December where Grace and I made a small trip out to Buena Park to hang out with one of her former co-workers to catch the USC/Cal game (which incidentally, we did not watch).

What ensued was quite fun, given that I'm not normally very good around people I don't know at all that well. We'll start with our dinner at the Illinois chain standard, Portillo's. You know Skooby's, right? That bastion of fancified organic hot dogs? Well, Portillo's is like that cousin that visits from the Midwest in all his cornfed glory, but covered in savory grilled onions. The highlight of this visit has to be their famous chocolate cake shake. Never have I had such a devilish sweetness post-dinner and probably would make the trip to Buena Park for this dessert alone. Too delicious.

After that, we rolled ourselves back to the house for a game of Killer Bunnies which turns out to be a mind-bender of a game. When one of your weapons is a negative black hole, you have to believe this is one twisted little game.

Through one learning game, I was quite lucky to come really close to winning before losing out to Grace. Truthfully, the bunny army I amassed in the second game was more intimidating and I probably one out of sheer lucky, but needless to say, I think I got the hang of it.

It all comes back to something that I do tend to enjoy and endorse. If you manage to meet up with people, it tends to be more fun experiencing new things and just sitting and chatting for a bit. While I do have a good time just lounging in front of the tube for a while, there's something to be said for the lost art of game night.

Anyone up for some shoots & ladders?

Belated T-Day

Wow, well this weekend had no shortage of fun, so I'm before I dispense with the bloggerly pleasantries, I just want to say that I hope everyone had a pleasant and relaxing holiday in preparation for the next one up ahead.  I especially hope that no one was seriously injured or bankrupt by the weekend sales either.  Lord knows that there are a few too many incidents out there as it is.

The "HB" List

A friend of mine sent me the following list, I thought I'd comment a bit since it was kind of funny the first time around.

You know you're from HB if...

- You give directions using the beach as a point of reference.
I used to do this a lot when I was living at home.  "You take Newlad heading towards the beach..."

- You got mad when they tried to change the name to Surf City.
This was weird and sometimes I still think it's weird seeing as I don't surf at all.

- You got mad when Santa Cruz tried to claim that THEY were the official Surf City.
It's still hard for me to believe that people actually surf in Northern California.

- You've gotten drunk under the pier.
Nope, never done this one.  I'm a good boy, apparently.

- You know that the North side of the pier is local territory, therefore anyone else trying to surf there will be promptly run over by said locals.
Once again, I don't surf, but the North end of the pier is very sparse most of the time.


- You walk outside and can see at least 10 palm trees, 5 seagulls, and 1 tourist, at any given time of the day.
Very true.  I used to see this more often in high school which was surrounded by palm trees.

- You drive Beach Blvd almost every day.
Not anymore, but more often than not, I'd try to avoid Beach Blvd.

- You loathe the summer months when Main Street is flooded with tourists, so, as a result, you proceed to laugh at them any chance you get.
Actually, Main Street is flooded more often now that it's a tourist trap.  It's very easy to point out tourists there, but even easier to crack a smile when they're trying to score some food at Fred's.

- You know that not all surfers are stoners, have blonde hair, or say "dude" every other word.
This is true, since everyone has surfed at least once while growing up in HB.

- You freeze when the temperature drops to an artic 55 degrees, yet you complain when it gets over 80. (don't hate us because we've been blessed with good weather).
When it gets that cold on the beach, you thank the lord you brought a sweatshirt.  I know that I've been scoffed at for my aversion to the cold, but it's what I grew up with.

- You've attended just as many bonfires as regular parties.
More true in my childhood.  That goes to show that most regular parties are bonfires.

- You've ever ditched school and couldn't think of anything to do, so you just walked to the beach.
Yea, this has happened.

- You ever had a season pass to Disneyland.
I think this must have been mandatory.  It's even harder now that the passes are more expensive though.

- You cringe every time someone asks you if you're from "THE" OC.
I still cringe, especially since Newport and Laguna have to constitute less than 5% of the Orange County population.  We call it just "OC" but it's hard not to throw the "the" in there.

- You're used to people from MTV scouting the beach for people to be on their dating shows.
Never seen this, but I'm guessing it happens more often nowadays.

- You've ever had a Bravo Burger breakfast burrito.
Actually, I've never had one of these, but I have had a Bravo Burger.

- You've ever had Golden Spoon (come on, I had to include it).
Oh yes.  Is that place even still there?

- You live 10 minutes away from school, but you can get there in 4.
Ha. Try me.

- You consider stop signs a mere formality.
They call it the "California Roll" for a reason.

- You've become sickened by the growing number of hotels along PCH, yet you never pass up a chance to attend a party being held in one of them.
Never been to a room party, but I'm sure it's an experience.

- You hate tourists and send them to Laguna Beach when they ask where Disneyland is.
I'm not this unfriendly.

- You rarely pay for drinks at Starbucks or Jamba Juice because you "know people."
Well this is a new one.  Unfortunately, since I didn't know anyone working at Jamba or the Starbizzle, I never got the hook up.

- TK burger follows all beach trips!!!
TK what??  Where is this?

- You've been arrested.
Do I look arrestable?

- You've been to a REAL house party.
Strangely, the answer to this question is "yes."

- You've had your share of experiences at Central Park.
A couple friends of mine and I filmed a short adaptation of "The Scarlet Letter" with an all-male cast.  It was the stuff of legends I tell you.

- You know that sex wax has nothing to do with sex.
Anyone who tells you differently has never touched the stuff.

- You know that Las Barcas/Fiesta Grill/Chronic Tacos is the most legit Mexican food around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too bad, I disagree.  Although the food isn't half bad, you can't get real Mexican food in Huntington Beach from these places.

- You know to walk directly to the back seating at Sugar Shack.
Sugar Shack: always crowded and not as good as Plums.

- You remember a beach town before the hotels, the gated communities and cookie cutter stores.
I'm not quite this old.

- You know all the cops hangout at Starbucks and will harass you at any chance they get.
Apparently, I'm a real goody-two-shoes.

- Your high school has won every surfing championship for 80 years, but has to forfeit your homecomming game (HBHS only).
When I was in high school, our football team was quite good.  Can you say "Tony Gonzales?"

- You know exactly how to spot a 909'er (you 951'ers arent fooling anybody).
951?  A little help here.  And yes, I can spot a 909'er for miles.

- You or your friends have been to Samoa, Costa Rica, Hawaii, or Indonesia; and you're dirt poor.
If any of my friends have been here, it's while they've been living away from Huntington.

- Your next door neighbor is 50 with long hair and smells like pot.
My next door neighbors were families with children, so no.

- You actually have to schedule when to park your car during the months of June through August.
This must apply to people who live within 1.5 miles of the beach.

- You don't exterminate your roaches, you smoke them.
Once again, I'm a good boy.

- You pack shorts and a T-shirt for boarding in the snow, and a sweater and a wetsuit for the beach.
I know better than this for the mountains.

- You know why the waves glow sometimes at night.
It's been way too long since I've been to the beach during the night. 

- Your children learn to walk in Rainbows.
Only recently have I discovered the sandal glory that are Rainbows. 

- You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Huntington Beach.
Haven't done this yet, but it would be interesting to see their reactions.

Big Musical Catch-up

There was going to be a long, long, long post about music and the recent listens, but I'm going to keep it very concise and to the point.  Brevity is the soul of wit, right.

Sia - Color the Small One
A very mellow pop-soul record, the disc is enjoyable to listen to while working and especially heartfelt towards the end.  Grace reckons it sounded almost like Sheryl Crow, if she had been smoking for hours before recording.

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
One of the most lauded albums of the last year or so, Sufjan Stevens' musical journey through the USA continues.  Although I'm not too familiar with his other work, this record reminds me of a high school wind ensemble performance.  Not that it's amateurish and unpracticed, but that it's an intimate record with a story to tell.  Easy to fall asleep to, but compelling.

Kraftwerk - Minimum/Maximum
The German trio delivers on this record combining some very simple vocals with some most stirring techno rhythms.  Similar to Illinois, this disc tends towards a narrative, but unlike Illinois, it's more about emotion than personality.  Their four-part tribute to the Tour de France gives the start-off record some energy and it's very easy to see why so many popular bands give them inspirational credit.

DangerDoom - The Mouse and the Mask
Before there was Gnarls Barkley and after there was a Gray Album, Danger Mouse collaborated with rapper/showman MF Doom on this somewhat alternative hip hop album.  It's an interesting mixture, seeing as the album was produced in concert with Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block.  While there are some notable cameos (Cee-lo, in a pre-Gnarls appearance and Talib Kweli) and some remarkably funky and folk beats, there also happens to be some sound bite contributions from Adult Swim staples.  It may sound bizarre (it is) but I actually liked it quite a bit. 

Metric - Live it Out
More of the same from this Canadian outfit.  Emily Haines' vocals are instantly familiar as they sound somewhat generic, but in the context of the band they work very well.  While there are only a few groups with female vocalists, Metric stands out for it's new wave melodies and unreliance on folk harmonies and instrumentation.  Having listened to two records of theirs, Metric is consistently good, but I'd like to see the music stretch a little more on the next effort.

The Mars Volta - Amputechture
The third full-length studio album from these guys strikes me as an oddity.  While they've expanded their sound quite a bit (with the addition of a saxophone) they seem stuck in a rut.  While the first album (De-Loused in the Comatorium) was a jigsaw of progressive rock and punk, this one dwells for way too long in the progressive direction.  It makes for a much more difficult listen than I would have liked, but I admire their ambition.  As a side-note, the majority of lead guitar is played by the Red Hot Chili Peppers John Frusciante. 

Nelly Furtado - Loose
As female pop vocalists go, Ms. Furtado is the least generic.  You have your Britneys and your Jessicas, but who could ever see them trying to integrate Reggaeton, Latin Pop, and Hip Hop into one record.  Granted, Gwen Stefani and Fergie have stretched the limits of pop music so far, but you could say that Nelly Furtado was toying with more diversity than the same old Rap and New Wave flavors.  Timbaland makes many an appearance on the album, but it's Ms. Furtado's unique vocal presentation that makes it listenable.  While there may be a few throwaway tunes at the end of the record, there are also some gems.  Personally, I like that there's more to each track than just sampling and a vocoder.  If all pop acts took their cues from the undersampled and underproduced vocals on Loose, music would be all the better for it.

Beck - The Information
A Los Angeles native, Beck always gleans the diverse musical spectrum of his imagination that undoubtedly springs from his upbringing in some East LA neighborhoods.  He's mentioned before how many critics like to describe his music as pastiche, but I think it's gone beyond that.  While there are many different layers of style on every track, there's a distinct sound that is so inherently "Beck" that you could recognize it within a few bars.  Much stronger than Guero and more upbeat than sea Change, The Information is better for his partnership with Radiohead uber-producer Nigel Goodrich.  Right now, this one is in strong rotation and is in strong competition for my favorite record of the year.  A must-listen.

OK, so it got very long at the end, but I can't help it!

Ketchup

There's a good deal of things to recap over the weekend, but there's more than enough stuff on my mind to keep me occupied.  I'll have a better update until then.

Here's what I'm thinking about these days:

1. Collecting all the stories I've written and passing it around in a little booklet, is that really a good idea?
2. Reading the new Comic Tools blog and wondering if I should change up my technique.
3. About the upcoming opening of Mario Batali's Mozza and whether or not I should set up a reservation now or later when the hype dies down.
4. After seeing Puppets on the Pier, I've been tinkering with the idea of actually building my own marionette.
5. Whether or not my life drawing instructor is really committed to our class.
6. Actually finishing both Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metroid Prime: Echoes before the Wii arrives.
7. Catching up on the 4 episodes of Nip/Tuck that are backed up on the TiVo.
8. Moving the blog to either Blogger beta or Movable Type.

Ah, so much to consider...

Hallowe'en Tales

Because I haven't done so in a while...

Tree Song

Once upon a time...

There was an old tree with black bark that sat in the middle of our front yard. When I was younger, I'd fall asleep on the couch in our living room beneath the blue light of the television with nothing but the oily squeak of wind-strained branches. How old it was, when it was first planted, and what type of tree, I never knew, but it was suitable for climbing. I knew this, especially when I would break sleep at 2 AM staring into the moonlit blinking eyes of a possum bumbling along a sparsely-leafed branch.

Summertime, while always hot, was cool underneath the shock of pale green leaves. My younger brother could be seen rolling around in the mossy dirt underneath with our aged beagle, Rufus. We buried Rufus under that same tree after one of the neighborhood ne'erdowells slipped some strychnine in his water bowl.

I used to tell some of my other friends that there once was a clubhouse perched in the dark branches, tucked behind dense foliage. There was a ladder leading upwards that could only be accessed by tugging on one of the lean, dangling twigs. It was completely furnished with sleeping bags and old posters made from found wallpaper and wrapping paper scraps. I would tell them this as they narrowed their eyes towards the top of the tree, only to be dismayed when I told them we had to tear it down a few years after it was first built when it became infested with raccoons.

It was a voluminous presence on the pathway to the front door. You would look outside when company arrived and see them visibly shift to the tree-less half of the cobblestone walk when approaching. It wasn't imposing in its height, but in its girth. Three men, six feet tall each, couldn't clasp hands and surround the trunk without hyper-extending their shoulders. Several passersby would tell us to uproot the thing for fear that it would rip into our foundation or, god forbid, upend the concrete sidewalk underneath their feet, but we knew better. Many years I'd lived at the same house, but I still noticed how fewer and fewer people would cross directly in front of our house, instead deciding to cross the once, away from our house, and twice, towards our house, while gangling through the neighborhood.

In my adolescent years, I would drag the vinyl lawn chair onto our birch porch and sit with my homework assignments under the spring shade. Occasionally, I'd glance towards the tree of my youth and remember how many times I'd skinned my knees against it while climbing. Even then, I would remember the knotty smoothness of its weathered limbs, some with peculiar bites encircling some of my more sturdy perches. As I sat, I could visualize it as I had in my youth, like a twisted rubber hose knotting off a wound.

Yes, the Virginia house had lots of history, and I could feel it hurtling earthward with each leaf of the tree. Glaring from the pit of its bushy pale top, it never failed to send a shrill pitch of shudders down my spine in a stiff wind.

After we cut it down last year, the city gardeners told me chilling stories of how each thunderous draw of the chainsaw sounded like the shrieking wail of an old woman. They started on a Monday and didn't finish cutting it all down until three Thursdays afterward. Each week bringing in at least two new faces where three old ones had left. It was only after they dragged the trunk from the ground that they noticed its sap, a deep crimson pool in the soil, had stained their hands, clothes, and equipment permanently.

We saved some of the trunk for sentimental reasons. Some of it, my grandfather used to make knick-knacks or picture frames for friends of his, but the lion's share he used to make a rocking chair for my own home and a crib for my brother's daughter. To this day, she hasn't slept a full night since she's been born. As for me, I can't sit in that rocking chair without fitful afternoon dreams of a white-haired woman with piercing eyes pronouncing my name as if it were read from a bill of sale.

Happy Hallowe'en!

An old habit of mine I used for this day was to sit through each weekend in October and watch a scary movie.  Here are a few favorites (in no particular order):

The Omen - Even though it's a bit dated and some of it can be considered layers of cheese, it still holds one of the creepiest premises for it's main antagonist that I won't even get into.

The Ring - I watched this one through my hands for the last videotaped sequence.  The Japanese version, while less overt, does stand up to the high standards of American audiences with the addition of a more creature-esque take.

Audition - You could argue that this film isn't strictly a horror flick, but the god-awful realization of "What's in the bag" will have you looking for something to bleach your eyes with.

Seven - Still one of my favorites.  You've never seen Brad Pitt more vulnerable or Kevin Spacey more sociopathic.  It takes a strong stomach to fathom each deadly sin, but the payoff really is the ending.

Rosemary's Baby - Again, a classic marred by it's age.  The descent of Mia Farrow into madness over the true nature of her offspring alone stands as one of the greater performances in a film about the supernatural.

The Thing - One lonely group in the Antarctic wilderness makes for claustrophobia, but it's their fight against the unknown that plays on your fears. 

The Shining - All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.  The book is a bit scarier, in my opinion.  Kubrick, however, makes this film drip red rum.

Alien - The original is still the best.  An industrial space cruiser assaulted by one single terrifying beast gets better once they all get picked off, one by one.

Carrie - This freaked me out when I was much younger.  Telekinesis sounds cool in comic books, but what happens when when you anger the most powerful person in the room?

An added bonus, here's a list of some tracks that make for a halfway decent Halloween playlist.  Not that the songs are scary themselves, they're just memorable enough for the subject matter.

Beck - Strange Apparition
Gnarls Barkley - Monster in My Closet
Outkast - Dracula's Wedding
AFI - Ms. Murder
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Warlocks
Primus - Too Many Puppies
XTC - Scissorman
The Mars Volta - Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore
Gorillaz - Last Living Souls
Radiohead - A Wolf at the Door

Comedy Night Starts November 30th!

Biggest news of the day for me, SCRUBS is returning November 30th!!  Set your DVRs, there is no excuse to miss this show.

Well, unless you're recording Gray's Anatomy or CSI.  Things to look forward to this season: three concurrant pregnancies, SCRUBS: The Musical, and whether or not Zach Braff decides to return.  I can't wait.

Commentary - "...Old and Fat Need Not Apply"

If you want to talk about discrimination, you best read this article that appears in this morning's Los Angeles Times. Specifically, the article exposes the truth behind the Mexican job market that its citizens have known all along:

Job seekers who are considered too old, too chunky or too dark are screened out by companies that sometimes specify the ideal candidate's marital status, height, weight, tone of voice, even the part of town in which the person should reside.

If one isn't too familiar with the social politics of Mexico, the article may be an eye-opener.  If you think about it for a moment, it really shouldn't be too surprising considering how many blond and fair-skinned people populate the typical telenovela and how many of them are distinctly more European looking versus indigenous. According to the article, it's not a very strange practice in Mexico, to see those within a certain profile gainfully employed.  One could also say that it's not that uncommon in our own country as well.  Personally, if I've been a victim of discrimination on this level, or maybe I've never recognized it.  Maybe it's because I appear to be of a different origin than most people would assume, but maybe that highlights the issue itself?

Take, for instance the job requirements and justification from this particular law firm:

Baker & McKenzie, a Chicago-based law firm, recently advertised for a real estate attorney — a male one — for its Monterrey office in northern Mexico. Celene Caballero, a company recruiter in Mexico, said Mexican clients feel more comfortable being represented by men.

While I don't find this statement particularly stunning (machismo drives the country towards a decidedly patriarchal bent), it doesn't make it any less detestable.  Seriously, is it truly a demographic requirement driven by some vague idea of a focus group and would anyone be surprised if there was the same equivalent requirements for the same company in the United States where surveys lead to a great majority of the decisions large corporations make every day?  Unfortunately, this is a truth in the Mexican landscape, where very wealthy men are given carte blanche and it compounds the many problems the country already has.

Most telling, however, is the type of attitude the citizens have come to develop over such practices:

...legal experts say Mexicans rarely complain to authorities or file employment discrimination lawsuits, partly because seeking redress is a lengthy and expensive process.

While there are some activists out there looking to change such positions, there isn't enough funding or community support to enact swift social reform (yet).  There may be some changes on the way, especially with the latest electoral controversy, but something like this doesn't change overnight.  What I'd like to think about it in terms of our own social situations is, how does something like this effect us or if these unspoken policies are things we see in our normal lives.  Of course, I'm sure there are those American employers who would sooner hire a very attractive candidate over one they consider to be less aesthetically pleasing, but that's never as strictly outlined as it might be in the job description.

So, in the end, is it the parent company's responsibility to police these practices, the government's responsibility, or the community's responsibility to resist such policies? 

Maybe its a little "all of the above" if you ask me.

Blither Me This

Not that I've been neglecting the postly duties, but more that I've just had not as much to share of late.  There was the phenomenal Cheshire show and of course, the new dog, but everything has been very even keel since I popped the big Q.  Funny how that works, it's the only question that can be referred to as "the question."  Kind of like "the pill," in its vaguely named certainty, it's quite a big deal.  I'm not here to talk about that, though, so we move along.

What's on my mind these days is the usual lack of productivity in the art department.  What I've been doing is just taking it very, very, verrrrry slow in developing a new direction and tact.  Some of this comes from some very useful advice from one of the Flight artists, Rad, and some of it is also from my own disappointment with my skill level after who knows how long.  Funny thing is, it's the perfectionist in me that drives me to try and improve, but it's also the perfectionist in me that drives me to be disappointed and depressed.

But I don't choose to let it get me down forever.  Most of the time, lapses in self-confidence are followed by a great increase in inspiration.  While inspiration has been plentiful of late, motivation has always been dampened by the great procrastination tool itself: the television.

In essence, I blame the TiVo for artistic recession.  But my love affair with our DVR really isn't so much love-hate as you'd think given the fact that Television-watching really is a passive activity.  Given the recent spate of quality shows, however, it's much more interactive than I remember it, plus if you're studying/drawing/writing while the tube is on, most likely you'll be missing something important.

So anyhow, I'm going to clear myself a little space on the table and re-commit to that chestnut of chestnuts, the improvement and exploitation of a hobby.

The JJ Complex

JJ Fever
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Since I'm such an obsessively devoted fan of Mr. JJ Abrams, I figured this would be appropriate. Funny thing is, I think the same principles may be able to be applied to Mr. Joss Whedon as well.

The premise is that JJ tends to have the same types of characters in each of his shows. While there are subtle differences, it's basically the same ingenue, the same furrowed-brow hero, and a few other standards. Have fun with this one.

Heeeeere's Johnnie!

New Dog in the House
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Our family has a new dog, Johnnie the pug! She's a 5-year-old adoptee from Orange County and a welcome new addition to our home. Frankie still has to get used to her, seeing that she's almost 10 years younger than he is and full of boundless energy, but it seems that they more or less co-exist together for now.

As for Johnnie's story, she's the product of a broken home. Having been raised by a couple, she was given up after the relationship ended. The previous owner, being a young, single professional, could not care for Johnnie as well as she may have wanted to. Coupled with the fact that her new significant other wasn't a dog-lover (gasp!), Johnnie needed a new home. There were parting words and even some tears, but I think the dog has found a new place to call home. There are times where she appears to be a bit confused by the significant increase in numbers of people in the household, but for the most part she is very obediant, friendly, and energetic.

It's funny to notice the little personality changes as we only had a few hours with both dogs, but already I could see Johnnie trying to impose herself as the dominant dog in the house. That and Frankie just seems very forlorn that people now have to split their attention elsewhere. Even if he doesn't move, see, or hear like he used to, he's our senior pug. I'm hoping that Johnnie will give him a bit more energy, although something tells me she's just going to wear him out.

We're All Mad Here

Tokidoki Cheshire
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

As Dollar Bill previously reported, a group of us made it out to Hollywood for a little gallery showing at 1988. This time, instead of painterly goodness in the form of Joe Ledbetter and Greg "Craola" Simkins, we were treated to a curated event of custom Cheshire Cat vinyls and paintings. Disney first got in the vinyl business with their somewhat popular Chicken Little figure, but they've really thrown their hat in with the cat, producing several variants and now going with a more artist-centric custom show than their previous "Chickinterpretation" at the El Capitan theater.

This time around instead of just exhibition, 1988 went for the gold and are auctioning off each of these little puppies for charity. Designed and customized by each artist, there were a few that struck me particularly. You could say that the $900 custom by Joe Ledbetter is a steep starting price, but you could also argue that it will go for much higher than that at auction given his popularity, but I was more impressed with the creativity displayed by some of the less popular artists, including Attaboy and Upso. No doubt, there were many brightly colored customs, but some, you might say, could have tried a bit harder than just recoloring the kitten's stripes.

These shows are always an inspiration to me. Having done a couple of custom dunnies myself, the learning curve is a bit high. What strikes me though, is how fun it is to create a three-dimensional character on such a canvas. While Dunnies themselves tend to have much more versatility in their form factor, I was impressed by how interpretive the artists were with the more restrictive shape of the Cheshire.

I was very tempted to pick up a blank one for future usage, but instead decided to practice my wares on a much less expensive Munny for the time being. Until I can master both that and the use of my acrylics, I'm just going to have to draw and dream.

The One and Only, Mariah Carey

When it comes down to it, I'm more of a rock guy at heart.  All the concerts we've seen in the last year (except for maybe, Gwen Stefani) have been sneering guitars and the like, but starting this Fall, it seems the flavor is a little more pop than usual.

Starting this weekend, we saw a vocal legend on stage: Mariah Carey.  OK, you may wonder, what interest do I have in seeing Mariah on stage?  Besides the fact that Grace loves her music, I feel that it's a once-in-a-lifetime moment to see an extraordinary and perhaps quite legendary talent perform live.  Being mostly familiar with her more popular singles, I wasn't expecting to know everything she sang, but amazingly enough, I think there was only one song I didn't recognize.  That in itself is a testament to her talent and popularity, but all of that pales in comparison to her actual performance.

While the highlight of the show could be the songs themselves or the spectacle of a lavish stage, it was witnessing the vocal aerobics live.  Trust me, when a good deal of popular acts are barging through their sets with tracked vocals, it's a breath of fresh air to know some acts can man up and bust out their talent with confidence.  Mariah, being no exception, showed up in full form last night, with plenty of renewed life and a more humility than one might imagine.  You'd think her proclivity for baring skin would take away from all this, but that was the only diva that showed all night.  Well, that and her actually scolding someone lighting up a cigarette in the front row.

So she played through her hits "Hero," "Heartbreaker," "Dreamlover," "Vision of Love," "We Belong Together," "Shake it Off," "Fly Like a Bird," and even the infamous hit from her Unplugged record, "I'll Be There." Those are the most I can remember off the top of my head.  Each one got the crowd moving.  Amazing enough as her voice is, it's almost incredible to see such a diverse crowd bumping to one person's music.  It shouldn't be unexpected, seeing as she's had seventeen number one singles, but I was still impressed.

Here I am now, a few days later, still remembering the show fresh in my mind.  Grace claims it to be the best concert she's ever seen (close to the Coldplay concerts we've seen) and I don't disagree with her.  It was classy, personal, and entertaining from start to finish.  Malign her if you will for her exhibitionism and attitude, but Mariah Carey can sure put on one fine show. 

No Rest for the Television-Weary

What do we have here?  Another fall television season.  The TiVos are firing on all cylinders, so trust me, I've seen my fair share of shows already.  Frankly, it may be a bit too much, but the networks are doing a good job of trying to hook in all the new viewers that they can.  My initial take?  It's not a bad way to start the Fall.

NBC already has a couple of winners on their hands, but I'm not sure whether they'll stick around.  My top new show for this network has to be Heroes.  That should be the easy choice, right?  Well, with Studio 60 and Kidnapped in the lineup, it's remarkably difficult.  While I'm loving the sharp dialogue and character antics of the very polished Studio 60, and I'm really getting into the intensity and superb acting of Kidnapped, Heroes is the most unique in its premise.  While the serialized pacing may be nothing new to those of us Lost addicts, I've been drawn in more to the story of how the main leads of the show are dealing with their new-found abilities, the most fun so far has been watching Greg Grunberg spread the wealth on a non J.J. Abrams show. 

ABC, being the strongest contender with their stable of reality and hour-long dramas, has a few new notables shoring up their somewhat stable lineup.  Brothers & Sisters, while an admirable effort with an Alias-laden cast, seems to be trying too hard. I have to give them a gold star for attempting a modern family drama, but it seems too fabricated.  Maybe it's the plastic lips of Calista Flockhart giving me the shivers, but not even Ron Rifkin nor Sally Field can save the day.  My vote for their best new show is Mr. Abrams' Six Degrees.  On the surface, it's a story of how everyone is connected in some way, some how, but so far I've been drawn into the character interaction, the simmering few mysteries hinted at thus far, and of course, the New York setting.  While I haven't been able to catch Ugly Betty, I've heard good things, but that's not fair enough for a micro-review...

CBS is supposedly looking to make a push for ABC's top spot this year, moving heavily in the serial direction for their top hitter, CSI, but the new shows may be a little less risky.  Smith, for example, while featuring a cast most would see under the lights of a Hollywood Marquee, has managed to underscore what edge it could bring by focusing on pretty people in pretty locations.  While the scenery is nice, there's not much in the area of three-dimensional character development, but I can see it coming to the surface at some point.

Out of the four major networks, the CW has the least amount of new shows.  Truthfully, I don't even know which ones are new since the only ones I've been watching are all carryovers from last year.  It remains to be seen which ones will survive the move, so I really can't pass verdict just yet.

There's a few still left to premiere, but I'll have initial thoughts once they come right out of the gate.

Football Depression

Usually, I tend to keep very silent about sports, since most of the time there's been a rash of bad luck every time I leave my impressions for a season, a tournament, or even a single game.  Right now, I feel that no more harm can be done as has already been inflicted upon the sad-sack Stanford Cardinal football team.  Trust me when I say this is the worst team they've put on the field and trust me that it's almost an embarrassment to watch them play.  This last game had to have been the bottom of the barrel (well, besides an already lopsided loss to San Jose State).  Watching them get thrashed 31-0 at the hands of the UCLA Bruins wasn't unexpected, but managing to see them lose without scoring a touchdown is very, very sad.

Myself, I was quite fortunate that while I was attending school, the team was quite competitive.  Having been to the Rose Bowl during Tyrone Willingham's stint as coach gives me a good reason to be upset, since I'd say I'm used to a certain level of competition.  Crippled as they've been by poor recruiting, poor coaching, and many key injuries, there is a plethora of excuses, but excuses just don't satisfy.  Especially since simply being the worst team in the Pac-10 apparently isn't enough as they may just be the worst team in college football at the moment.

So what is one to do when there is sure to be a giant goose egg in the win column by the end of the year?  Do you shore up and proclaim "next season" every time someone asks you about the team?  Do you feign ignorance and say, "I'm not into college football?"  Do you proclaim the ultimate denial of having ever attended the school itself?  I could try all this, but that's not what being a fan is all about.  Mostly, I throw my hands up in confusion, try and support them however I can, and remain optimistic about the future of a dismal season.

Either that, or just wait for the basketball season to start...

Surprise Surprise

Guess What...
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Since it's been a while, and since it's been an up and down month, it's no more appropriate for me to announce this here than where I've already let people know. Grace and I will be getting married soon! I was very anxious to propose to her, given that I'd felt it was right from the start, and the look on her face from the proposal and gift were priceless enough for me to be infinitely happy.

I'd say that I'm very lucky to have met a girl like Grace and to be able to spend the last four years with her. So much so, that I'm ready to spend the rest of our lives together. I like to think that my parents and grandparents have been an inspiration for me to see and understand what true love is, but it's more compelling when you can experience it first-hand. Perhaps only than was I able to understand what this type of commitment means and what hard work it takes to make it to this point.

Even so, it's never felt truly difficult. Grace has been my constant joy for the four years (almost!) that we've been together. I've been able to experience new things, learned so much, and grow with her for every day of it, and for that, I'm ever grateful.

So now we begin an adventurous new path towards what will be one heck of a day and, more importantly, an amazing new life together.

Reflections

One year ago today...

I managed to get out a little earlier than usual and celebrate a little with my dearest.  We had a late dinner at Michi (which was good) and ended up spending the rest of the night feeling a bit under the weather from some suspect scallops.  Much fun.


Five years ago today...

I was living in the San Gabriel Valley and working near Norwalk by this time last year and a had a very small party at my place.  We bought Togo's, sat, and caught up with each other before cleaning up.  Would you believe the majority of my friends were still living in the city of Angels?


Ten Years ago today...

An age milestone was reached.  We were all entering our senior year and I pretty much did nothing.  No, wait.  Some friends of mine had a surprise party where I ended up meeting some of my old friends who had supposedly started college already.  Oh, and one of my friends baked me a sugarless chocolate cake.  Yay.


Twenty years ago today...

I thought it was a big birthday moment for me and I was officially a "big kid."  I'm positive that my parents had a little something for me and my sister at home and Nintendo was on my mind.

Ah... nostalgia.

Another Day Older

Brain Age Scores
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

It's only fitting that I can post this. I may be another year older, but my brain still thinks it's "young."

Most of the time, I prefer to keep this little zone of my life private.  Even if the tone of the blog has been very open within the last couple of years, it's still difficult to talk about certain things, especially given recent events. 

There are certain undeniable facts of life you have to face within your life, and while confronting them is inevitable, it doesn't make it any more unexpected. 

SFO

Mama's on Washington Square
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

We made it to the City early on Sunday morning for a jam-packed day of tourist-ish-ness-ess-ness. As you all might know, no day is complete without a healthy breakfast, so G and I decided to go whole hog and take in our first meal of the day at Mama's. Hoo boy, this place was so hyped that one wouldn't believe people would wake up early enough on a Sunday morning to stand in line for waffles. Thing is, they don't just serve waffles there. On the contrary, when the specials of the day include dungeness crab and shrimp omelets, you know something special is going down. You can read the full yelp about it here.

From there, we hopped on the Stockton Bus (no. 30) down to Union Square for some mid-morning shop-o-rama madness. Since H & M wasn't open for another half an hour, we hopped on by the local coffee joint for a light drink and sit. You do tend to notice that coffee is an accessory these days. All the City hipsters with a cup in their hand while perusing the racks at H & M made this quite clear in the sense that even though they were carrying mounds of clothes in one hand and a cup in the other, they somehow managed to rifle through all sorts of goodness during their time in the store. It was almost ridiculous.

Anyhow, our whirlwind continued as we hopped on the Judah for some time in the Haight. The bohemian district of Haight-Ashbury happens to be one of my favorite sites in the city. While the creativity flows from some stores and while there are some great finds on the street, you will get harrassed for change by several people looking for spares. I didn't mind much since I was too busy either taking pictures or salivating through the aisles of Amoeba Music.

If you couldn't believe it then, we traveled from deep in the heart of the city back out to the peninsula coast for a visit to the Ferry building and the Ferry Market. Surprising as the new renovations were, the little restaurants and such were reason enough to want a return visit in the near future. Reminiscent of Chelsea Market, but nowhere near as expansive, the Ferry Market has all sorts of specialty stores and even one notable restaurant (in the form of the Slanted Door) with enough wares to goggle many pairs of eyes. Even though we didn't get to check out the Cowgirl Creamery, our bags were full of some fresh Acme Bread for the ride home.

We made one more stop before finally heading out for the night, a trip to the Olive Bar. The venue is a small wine bar in the Tenderloin, which isn't exactly the nicest area, but the bar itself is a neat little find. It's cozy and the food itself is decent enough, but it probably could use a bit more pep in the kitchen area. Even so, it was a nice end to the evening.

We took off, but there's always the promise of coming back. It's my home away from home, trips like this just remind me that I've been away for too long.

Oh, and peep the rest of the set here.

Labor Day Nuptials

Labor Day.

Three-day weekends seem to be few and far between since most of our floating vacations are smashed together during the holiday season (which is in itself, awesome), so whenever we do get the chance, it's nice to use them to their fullest extent. Having already been invited to a wedding for that Saturday afternoon and evening, and since it was up north, we managed to make a vacation out of it.

Firstly, the wedding.

I want to give a nice congratulations out to the happy couple on the occasion of their matrimony. Like most weddings, it was beautiful and emotional. We, of course, dined on a great Chinese dinner with so many trimmings, we had to be rolled out in wheelbarrows. The thing that I enjoy about weddings besides the celebration itself, is reconnecting with old friends and maybe even relatives. As evidenced by my sister's wedding, it can be stressful at times, but more than anything, it's way too much fun.

We were treated to a candy bar, which was empty in no time, and even some mood lighting when the Sunnyvale area was hit by a region-wide blackout. Everyone took it in stride, however, and we socialized a bit more given the extra down time.

Still, with all the excitement, we were able to squeeze in yet another trip to the City the following day...

Best Seat in the House

TMV
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

One of my all-time favorite discs from my early days of collecting music has to be the Chili Peppers masterpiece, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Ever since I first heard what has to be one of the greatest Rock albums of our lives, I've been a fan of this band from beginning to end. Fascinatingly enough, I've never actually seen them perform live, mostly because their overwhelming popularity leads to rapid sell-outs. Lucky me, this time around I was able to get tickets to their first night at the Forum.

Well, what really sweetened the deal was their opening act, The Mars Volta.

For the uninitiated, there was a burgeoning group of the early decade by the name of At the Drive-In that was hailed as the next big thing. What happens most often in these situations is either tremendous legendary status or implosion.

They opted for the latter.

From the debris of an old group sprang two very different parts of an old whole, Sparta and The Mars Volta. Sparta, being a bit more of a straightforward rock band is a solid group, but comparatively, they lack the progressive nature of TMV (which is what I like most about TMV in the first place). TMV's two albums function almost on an experimental level, but underneath an eccentric mixture of jazz, rock, funk, and otherwise astrological psychadelia, you find an extremely unique and compelling musical construct. It defies explanation only in that their an intensely progressive group with very specific artistic aspirations (which, no doubt, led to the split).

So I was pumped to see both of these acts, when else would I get an opportunity like this? It was also very special since RHCP happen to be from the city of Angels and as a matter of fact, are huge fans of the Lakers. I was looking forward to this so much so, that the realization that the "COL 10" on my ticket was in the upper section was a bitter pill to swallow.

Despite having most of TMV's opening ruined by foul ticket bitterness, they killed their set. Mostly focusing on their new album, Amputechture, and a couple of songs from their sophomore effort, the set was a continuous aural assault. I wish, very much, that they'd played more music from De-loused in the Comatorium, but I think it's a lot to ask from a band who's constantly looking forward to look back. A very surprising addition to their sound was actually a saxophonist! This only means I can anticipate their latest much more than I had before.

After a short wait, RHCP made their way onstage. They opened with a solid jam session with Flea and John Frusciante vamping the funk until Anthony Kiedes joined them to break out with "Can't Stop." From this moment on, I knew it was going to be a set filled with crowd-pleasers. If that opening number wasn't enough, they blasted through some very old songs, "Me and My Friends" to their latest hits from Stadium Arcadium. My favorite moment had to be when John Frusciante broke out into an impromptu version of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." Classic.

I could have been disappointed that they never played "Under the Bridge" (which I was expecting as an encore), but it was a really impassioned performance all-around. Anthony Kiedes leapt around the stage like a mad punk jumping jack, Flea's head must be missing some vertabra, and every time John Frusciante let fly on a solo, I swore I could see smoke billowing from his fingers. Even Chad Smith broke into the act with a solid solo opening up several songs.

The best thing about the show is what I love about the band in the first place. RHCP always plays some great melodic songs that make me smile. It's inspiring to me that while they have had shake-ups and transitions, this band can keep plugging away and enjoy every second of it.

I can't say it's the best show I've seen all year, but it's very close.

Lost and Found

Is it sad that something as trivial as a pencil sharpener can throw off major plans?

If you or anyone you know likes to draw or write (handwritten especially) one may know the importance of a few good personal supplies.  Everyone has a prescribed set of tools that they've come to know and love either because they're comfortable with the ultra-familiar or because it was love at first sight/touch/smell/whatever.  Now, I've managed to spend quite an hour in Aaron Brothers, Utrecht, Flax, and Pearl and even have been lucky to spend some time in the most fabled of art stores in Japan Yuzawaya and Tokyu Hands, and still, I keep finding new implements to obsess over.  While I haven't yet managed to hunker down for an electric eraser, I keep finding markers, brush pens, pencils, and even french curves catching my eye.

When this happens, you get very attached to that favorite pencil or maybe even that pair of red Fiskars scissors that cut so neatly.  Maybe one is dependent on that familiarity to make themselves more productive.  I think it could extend everywhere, maybe even to those little post-it flags everyone uses, or perhaps that pink portable Sharpie someone could use to mark everything. 

The fascinating thing is that I'll probably never find the perfect pencil or the perfect eraser, no matter how simple the task might seem.  I'm content with that though, because it still means I can spend an afternoon open-mouthed and wide-eyed while walking the aisles of an art supply superstore.

Don't even get me started on sketchbooks either...

Potent Portables

My new obsession is the Nintendo DS Lite that we recently procured (or NDSL as some people like to call it).  It's been quite a while since the original DS was released to much skepticisim, but after a spate of highly original games and intense popularity in its home country of Japan, the dual-screen platform has come into its own as one of the best hand-held consoles anyone can own.  For a while, I was more into Sony and it's beautiful wide-screen baby, the PSP, but after sitting down with the DS for a short demo, I was sold.

We've only two games right now, Brain Age and New Super Mario Brothers, and frankly, that's pretty good for us.  While there are a few out there still very elusive ( Phoenix Wright and Trauma Center anyone?) and a few more notable big releases ( Tetris DS!  Starfox Command!) it's been fun just banging away on the ones we have right now.  Thank goodness it's also backwards compatible with the Gameboy Advance games we already have, or we'd have a real portable problem on our hands.

While gaming is the main draw for the DS, there are other parts that one might not expect to come from Nintendo.  Anyone familiar with the PSP knows that it's not just a powerful gaming machine, but truly (well, supposedly) a personal media center of sorts.  You can watch movies via the dying UMD format, listen to as much music as your memory stick can hold, and even use its Wi-fi capabilities for various other activities.  Fancy, eh?  Well, being the innovators that many people consider them to be, Nintendo has incorporated only a couple of those aspects that they felt were integral to gameplay, the biggest of which being the Wi-fi.  One has the ability to chat via their lites, download others' games, and eventually even surf the web .  The one thing the DS lacks in media capabilities, it more than makes up for with games.

So, if you're still on the fence deciding whether or not to trek down and nab a DS, I can say with full confidence that it's an enjoyable little machine.  What more incentive does one have than for the two new colors that will be released next month. 

Play on!

Noir Obsession?

There's something about film noir that I really find fascinating.  The early dialogue of Raymond Chandler's " Big Sleep" or the easy menace of Humphrey Bogart in " The Maltese Falcon" bring to mind fedoras and cigarettes under the light of a lamppost, but it's the rawness of the language that I really appreciate.  Either that or it's the underdog nature of one man attempting to make sense of an out-of-control situation.  " Chinatown" is a prime example of this, with Jack Nicholson in the Role of private eye Jake Gittes attempting to win a losing battle.  Early noir was characterized by high contrast and smokey alleyways, but now when someone brings something new to the table, it's quite special.

" Memento" is one of those films that brought forth a new flavor to the already dreary noir landscape.  One could argue that the Wachowski's "Bound" is an even earlier example of neo-noir, but " Memento" did it much better and with more twists and class.  "Bound" cranks up the tension in a way the pre-" Matrix" Wachowskis can never duplicate again (when will they ever make another film?), but "Memento" has brains enough to craft it around a whip-smart screenplay.  Maybe this is why I'm such a noir freak; its charm is in its language.

Why all the noir discussion?  I just caught last year's very new interpretation on the old theme in the independent film " Brick" earlier this week via the red envelope.  Almost a year old, "Brick" never found a very large following in the States, instead garnering a few favorable reviews here and there, it never made a peep.  The British contingent actually has greeted the movie with a quite cultish fan-following and I've read the random smattering of praise here and there on message boards and the like, but it was the original review in the LA Times for the movie that caught my eye.  They praised it for the originality in its vision, its solid acting, and of course, the new interpretation of an old chestnut.  How could I resist.

The film itself is technically a high-school drama surrounding Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character, Brendan in his vow to help his ex-girlfriend Emily (an  unmistakable Emilie de Ravin) after she calls him in a frantic and confused mess.  Of course, he meets the requisite colorful characters, wrangles with the authorities, and even outwits the local crime lord, but the presentation is where it all comes together.  It might be confusing to try and inhabit the pseudo-noir slang (which sometimes borders Shakespeare in its timbre) and the settings are pretty bare, but its starkness and pastel camera palette drive a newish energy into the genre. If it wasn't for the commitment to the plot by both actor and director, " Brick" would border on parody, but it's anything but.

Just after watching a film like this, I now understand more why I'm drawn to both this type of cinema, hard-boiled novels, and even the high-contrast moral interpretations of certain artists.  Maybe I'll try harnessing this energy into projects of my own when I have moments of breathing space.

Until then, I can just watch and be inspired.