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.

Poder de Tres

I stole this poll a while ago when surfing around the 'net.  Little personal survey in threes.  Is this lazy of me?  Filler?  Probably...

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:

1. Mark
2. Jerk
3. Bud (family only please)

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:

1. Card42
2. Mako
3. Kardinalsin

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. My somewhat surreal imagination
2. Being patient
3. Learning to cook and liking the end result

THREE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. Procrastination
2. Self-importance
3. The terrible urge to correct grammar and spelling

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:

1. Mexican
2. American
3. Orange County

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:

1. Heights
2. Nuclear disaster
3. Tidal waves

THREE THINGS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND:

1. High-minded alternative philosophy 
2. String Theory (still trying to understand this)
3. Micro-economics

THREE THINGS THAT ANNOY YOU:

1. Inappropriate pluralization or possessive formation of proper nouns
2. Eating with one's mouth open
3. People who drive like they're the only person on the road

THREE THINGS ON YOUR DESK:

1. Rubber ducks
2. Beanie Tree
3. Dried apricots

THREE THINGS YOU SAY THE MOST:

1. I'm just sayin...
2. Dude
3. ...

THREE PEOPLE YOU SPEND THE MOST TIME WITH:

1. Grace
2. Neighbors
3. Family

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR CLOSE FRIENDS:

1. The diversity
2. Intelligent conversation (no, really)
3. For the unique passions they all possess

THREE REASONS YOU'VE BROKEN UP WITH EXES:

1. For being impossibly fickle
2. High maintenance
3. Not being good enough for them

THREE THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE/SAME SEX THAT MOST APPEALS TO YOU:

1. Intelligence
2. Humor
3. Culture 

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:

1. Water
2. Food
3. Air

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:

1. Brown Sweater
2. Brown Skechers
3. Eyeglasses

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS (or artists (at the moment)):

1. Coldplay
2. The Mars Volta
3. Beck

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:

1. Dare (Gorillaz)
2. What You Meant (Franz Ferdinand)
3. Stacked Crooked (the New Pornographers)

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

1. Finishing a comic strip
2. Uploading a complete webpage
3. Completing my list of requested illustrations

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP (love is a given):

1. Devotion
2. Honesty
3. Selflessness

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE

1. I used to be extremely frightened at the possibility aliens would abduct me nightly.
2. My family used to have a small, caramel-colored yorkshire terrier named 'Alfred.'
3. My first car was a '66 Ford Mustang with a broken fuel gauge.

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:

1. Lips
2. Smile
3. Do I have to even continue with this...?

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:

1. Windows
2. Lie
3. Fall asleep before 9 PM

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:

1. Drawing
2. Writing
3. Comics

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:

1. Leave
2. Nap
3. Snowboard (why isn't it snowing yet??)

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:

1. Illustration
2. Product Designer
3. Mechanical Engineer

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:

1. Peru
2. Brazil
3. England

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:

1. Walk barefoot in the Taj Mahal
2. Camp in the Rain Forest
3. Go on safari through the African Plains

THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW OR DIE PAINFULLY:
1. Dollar Bill
2. Camel
3. Any volunteers?

Cinematic PersuAsian

We all had a few days off last week. Time to reflect, time to catch up with those we haven't seen in a while, and time to actually sit down and do absolutely nothing for a day or two.  Knowing that a four-day weekend looms ahead doesn't exactly make everyone the most productive person during the preceding work-week or the weeknights for that matter, but it does get you motivated to take care of some random business so you can actually decompress.  In my case, I found it an ideal opportunity to finally catch up on some Netflix that I had left sitting on the shelf for a couple of weeks. 

 

Maybe I should have let it sit for a bit longer.

 

Well, that's not the right sort of stance I should take, but I shall explain.  A few months ago I was in the grips of catching the wave of new cinema coming out of the East Asian countries of Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong.  Notably, this was followed with viewings of Oldboy and Kung Fu Hustle.  Both innovative in their own right, it shows the new inventiveness being brought out by several new foreign filmmakers and their penchant for using computer-generated imagery in new ways.  Both Chan-Wook Park and Stephen Chow inject a different sensibility in each, which is what makes these movies appealing.  Disturbing, frenetic, and compelling in unique ways, these movies did not prepare me for the last couple I just saw.

 

To say that Audition and Ichi the Killer were different is perhaps an understatement.  What disturbing was in OldBoy was elevated to horrifying.  What was frenetic in Kung Fu Hustle became psychotic.  What did not change, however, was how compelling both films were.  On the surface, you have a couple of B-movie shockfests meant for jaw-dropping, eye-gaping revulsion, but it's not the onscreen bloodbath that is compelling.  These movies are actually decent metaphors for something much deeper and looking past the severed limbs (not even the half of it) and fountains of blood, although difficult, reveals what's lacking from even the most bloated budget films of the West.  What might that be, you ask?  For one, the characters are 3-dimensional with very, very complex personas.  Although replete with visually paralyzing scene after scene, ultimately there was more to take from the movie than hoping I could erase the experience.

 

Which is where my original assessment comes in.  If you thought you were desensitized by whatever Western films have to offer, you have not experienced these films by Takashi Miike.  One might be better off not having seen them not for the images burned into your mind, but for the nagging sense of "WTF?!" that you're left with once the end credits roll.  Some people could find that fact itself reason enough to be turned off, but I kind of like that feeling.  Who says everything has to be Black and White these days anyhow?  I say, the more grey areas we have, the better. 

 

So I'm going to pop more of these into the Queue and see where it takes me.  I dare you to do the same.

Give Thanks

After eating a hearty lunch and a hearty dinner, it's good to be home for a full day with nothing to do. It was good seeing family and eating of course, but it helps you reflect also on the things in your life that you can be happy you have. Your health, your friends, your family, and whatever else makes you happy to be in this world.

Hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving, I know I did.

More to come...

All Right There 'Arry?

A couple of months into the fall/winter movie season and we already have ourselves a winner: The fourth addition to the Harry Potter series of movies, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  Three directors in and it appears to me that the last two actually understand what it means to adapt an enormous book to screen.  Sacrificing what is necessary for cohesion and brevity, both the Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire have done an overly decent job of boiling down the soul of the books, the plots, and the characters into something more promising than the jarring word-for-word translations of Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets.  It's not a knock against the original director, but perhaps it should be.

 

Continuing the maturity set forth in the third film, Mike Newell directs a strong focus on adolescence.  There's anger, there's fear, and there's even the beginnings of young love.  We're introduced to a few new characters, some positively spell-binding special-effects, and plot density aplenty.  Compressed down from 600 pages, Goblet of Fire cannot afford to mince words when it comes to the story, nor can it stand the excess sub-plots lined within the book.  As lean as it appears, it still comes in at two and a half hours.  Maybe overlong for some, I was satisfied with the length.  Maybe a few seconds could have been trimmed here and there, but who knows what was left on the cutting room floor.

 

Coming back to the adolescence at hand, it's safe to say that the young actors who we've watched mature before our eyes have started to look quite comfortable in front of the camera.  The main three of Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson are making names for themselves in these films based on their strengths.  Ron is appropriately flummoxed, Hermione is exceedingly fastidious, and Harry is steadfast as always.  Do we sense that they are comfortable in their skins?  Yes.  Is it sad we do not get to see more of their education unfold?  As a service to the plot, no, but it always did serve to get more enveloped into their 'world' in the previous features.  They've done a fine bit of acting above what they accomplished in Azkaban.  I have full faith they'll carry through in the final three movies.

 

The look, the feel, and the tone of the movie are also markedly different.  One of my friends noted that it was "too dark" but I found it appropriate, given the subject matter.  We're experiencing the same menace at times of danger when it's required and it is only slightly simmering under the surface at other times.  The music is more moody, more brooding.  Almost unnoticed, it's a subtle touch that lends to the weightiness of the subject matter.  We're also treated to some of the best special effects amongst the films thus far.  Seamlessly, the magic that was an everyday happenstance in Azkaban, a marvelous new wonder in Sorcerer's Stone, and an anvil in Chamber, has become awe-inspiring in its elegance.  How far have they come, vision-wise and technology-wise that something new can be brought to the table four movies into the saga.

 

Complaints?  There are few.  Having not read the book in a while, there are some subplots that begged reckoning and I even found myself completely forgetting a few twists and turns, but I still regret that they have not clarified the "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs" label on the Marauder's Map (which happens to be inexplicably absent from the film).  There's terribly little of inter-class conflict and most of the teachers also get almost the same amount of screen-time.  It's all in the name of good storytelling though, as the movie suffers little from the omissions.

 

I'd say this one is very close to overthrowing Azkaban as my favorite of the four.  See it if you haven't, read the book again to refresh your memory, and know that Goblet of Fire is very much worth the wait.

 

Final Score:  4 out of 5 stars.

Disappointment Abounds and the Esprit De Corps

As soon as I start singing praises, the teams go and let me down. I'm not going to make excuses about two key injuries or many others that I could make, but both the basketball and football teams lost games I was certain they could win.

What a disappointment.

I would pout about the basketball team, but they started the season similarly last year, losing some games to teams they should have dragged all over the court. I would complain that the football team is much better than a 3-point effort, but there have been offensive inconsistencies all season. There's still a lot left to look forward to for both teams. Next year, football-wise and an entire season, basketball-wise.

Sigh.

***
Hockey!

The Kings are actually a first place team this year. Last week, thanks to Ms. Lau, we were able to see a game versus her dear, dear Vancouver Canucks. Thanks to some new rules, some young legs, and a close score, the game was a blast. It wouldn't have been that great had they lost though.

I guess this brings about a good point. Why are we so passionate about sports in the first place? Why do I get upset when my favorite team loses? Why do we hate other teams if there's an existing rivalry? When do we start getting so passionate that there's the use of the royal "we" when discussing a game, a team, a championship? Where does this come from?

There's something to be said for school spirit, home-team pride, and unfettered devotion, but what's everyone elses reason for being so dedicated? If anyone has a good opinion. Let me know!

Blue Tights, Red Cape

If you didn't catch it last night, click here to get a peek at the Superman Returns teaser trailer.  It's available for download to either PSP or iPod right now if you want, or just straight to the computer.  Goes to show you how powerful moveable media can be these days that one of the most anticipated movies of next year is being marketed towards such a specific format.  Interesting.

 

Couple of thoughts.  I saw it first-hand last night via the wonders of TiVo and the synchronicity of Smallville and thought, "What a nice trailer."  It didn't really blow me away, it didn't leave me cold, but it was a good set up.  There's not many clear close ups of the Man himself nor of Mr. Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, but a great shot of the Daily Planet and of some Kansas cornfields.  Anticipation is high that they might return some luster to the franchise just as they did with Batman Begins so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Everything I've seen so far from the casting to the costume has been quite promising and positive, so pessimism for me will be at a low.  With the mixed quality of most superhero-based movies these days, you're either going to get Spider-man or the Punisher. 

 

Please let this be the former. 

6th Man, Trent Never Quits, and Miscellany

Let it be known that college basketball season has officially started in California.  For me, it won't officially start until this Saturday, when the Stanford Cardinal Basketball Team opens play.  Being a former member of the 6th Man Club, one might say that I'm passionate, devoted, and maybe a little insane, but nothing beats being in those bleachers for 2 halves of hard court finesse.  It's a testament to the strength of the program that even without the high-flying, numerous NBA draftees that populate other top programs it can still compete amongst the best of them.  There have been a few that have gone on to be successful professionally, but then again, it's all about the team.

 

The true test this year, will be their success in the Pac-10, their continued health, and maybe, just maybe they can pull off another deep run in the NCAA tourney.  The Pac-10 itself looks like it will be very competitive with stiffest competition perhaps coming from the University of Arizona.  Nothing is for sure before the season starts, so I just like to sit back and watch the show.  Maybe I'll even be lucky enough to see a few games live this year.  Who wants to see a game with me this year?

 

***

 

On a related note, a couple weeks ago when the Stanford football team took a beating at the hands of the top-ranked USC Trojans football team, I was witness to a first half filled with sloppy play, inexperience, and plain lack of heart.  There was one bright spot though, that of the starting quarterback Trent Edwards.  A promising recruit out of Los Gatos, he had a lot of promise coming in every year.  Unfortunately, most of his seasons were hampered by injury. At the start of the season, he was knocked out during the first five minutes of an ultimately embarrassing loss that shall not be mentioned.  From this point on, I think we saw a different Trent Edwards.  Perhaps even a tougher one than I have seen in the past.  Actually, I have not been the only one to take notice, seeing as this article from the Chronicle sings his praises as well.

 

Hit after hit, drive after drive, he kept going.  No matter how deep the hole was, or how strong the defensive line of USC came at him, he never quit.  On the field, off the field, that's an inspiration in itself.  Maybe I espouse too much praise, but you can't discount the effort he's put through all season.  Especially after two very difficult losses in a row.

 

This weekend is where it counts though.  What can I say, "Beat Cal!"

 

***

 

OK, I'll try to stop with the sports talk, but what's wrong with a little something new around the ol' blog.  I've been thinking about a few things to add content-wise.  Lazy me, I haven't taken the time to execute them.  Didn't I talk about something different happening a few years ago?  Anyone have suggestions?  I promise it will be worth your while...

 

Make Keens Blog

I second the motion brought forth by Bill: Make Keens Blog!

Death Cab at the Wiltern

Mini Death Cab
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

My computer crashed when I was writing this nice post about these nice boys from Seattle, Death Cab for Cutie and their nice performance at the nicest of venues, the Wiltern. I'll dispense with the usual lengthiness and go for a concise rundown of the festivities.

Opening band from Montreal, Stars played a good set full of songs of their latest album Set Yourself on Fire and maybe a few others I hadn't heard before. Very solid opening act, I was entranced by the single, solitary dance the violinist knew and the head tattoo of the drummer. Aside from the almost assymetrical inclusion of a trumpet, their music translates well to the stage. Check out their album if you haven't already.

The main act, Death Cab, displayed a cohesiveness one would expect from professionals, but I was particularly enthralled by how practiced they seemed. Not mechanical at all, these boys know how to perform. Playing many tracks from Plans, it was a crowd-pleasing set for everyone. Even after they pulled out a few songs from the original effort, We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, the momentum of the crowd's enthusiasm never let up. I was singularly nonplussed that since the majority of the crowd could have been three-quarters of my age they could be such huge fans in the first place, but it's a testament to the level of quality they produce in the first place. Wouldn't it be great if all acts could gain new listeners as loyal as their original followers?

Great show, they pulled together an amazing encore and even brough Stars back onstage for Transatlanticism. Stirring and emotional, it'll go down in the books as a solid show.

Death Cab for Big Boy

Big Smile, Big Boy
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Did I mention we ate at the finest establishment closest to the Wiltern, Bob's Big Boy? A fantastic restaurant my family used to frequent post-Mass, the only change has been the quality of their printed Menu. I scarfed down a Reuben and lemonade for my troubles and got a photo with said Big Boy himself.

Random Internet Survey Post

Rosey Toes celebrates a birthday this week.  As a present, I'm taking the survey from her site and posting it on mine.  Isn't that gracious?

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you:
Supina! My next door neighbor freshman year.

2. Where was your first kiss?
Does anyone really want to know?  I don't think it's that special.

3. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else's property?
Hrm, I've kicked a hole in a wall at school.  I'm not normally a destructive, vindictive person.  Maybe I'm a ticking time bomb.

4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex?
Not with intent.  I've accidentally struck someone unwittingly though.  I felt horrible...

5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people?
Yea, Karaoke was a mandatory skill in high school.  It still is apparently.

6. What's the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Smile, amongst a bunch of other things.

7.What really turns you on?
Intelligence… HOTT!

8. What do you order at Starbucks?
Chai.  Not too bitter and naturally sweet.

9. What is your biggest mistake?
My biggest mistake has to be filling this little survey out right now.

10. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?
Never, that sounds like a psychological problem.

11. Say something totally random about yourself.
I get motion sickness on planes and boats only.  2 directional movement in transportation is ok. 3 directional?  Notsomuch.

12. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
Someone once told me I look like Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park.  Weird.

13. Do you still watch kiddy movies or T.V. shows?
Harry Potter counts, I guess.  So does Wallace and Gromit, but these movies are meant for all ages, right?

14. Did you have braces?
Yup. 2 whole years for nice, straight teeth.

15. Are you comfortable with your height?
At times, but I also wish I could be a tad taller.  Like Skee-lo!

16. What is the most romantic thing someone of the opposite sex has done for you?
So saccharine, the people that read this blog would instantly vomit.

17. When do you know its love?
You know when you lose all sense of reason and feel completely helpless to control your emotions around said person.

18. Do you speak any other languages?
Spanish, somewhat.  Japanese, minimally. Learning others as I type.

19. Have you ever been to a tanning salon?
Never, I can get pretty dark after long exposure to the rays of the sun.

20.What magazines do you read?
Wired and maybe a random issue of Rolling Stone when it interests me.  I'll also pick up an issue of ID, Sketch, Draw!, or How.  How artsy.

21. Have you ever ridden in a limo?
Yup.

22. Has anyone you were really close to passed away?
Not yet...

23. Do you watch MTV?
Sometimes even though I'm sick of their reality shows and I blame them for Tom Green and their fake Orange County show.  It's like a train wreck though, just can't pull your eyes away when channel surfing.

24. What's something that really annoys you?
People who eat with their mouths open.

25. What's something you really like?
Cheese, ice cream, art, movies, and comic books.  There's plenty more I'm sure.

26. Do you like Michael Jackson?
Thriller-era Michael, definitely.  Neverland Ranch Michael?  No.

27. Can you dance?
I'd like to think I have rhythm, but it's been refuted many times.

28. What's the latest you have ever stayed up?
I've stayed up all night many a time.

29. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room?
No, thank goodness and knock on wood.

30. Do you actually read these when other people fill them out?
Yea, I like to see how people think.  Is that creepy? 

Return to Gotham

View of East River
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Right. It's been a couple days and I've finally been able to decompress a bit from our whirlwind trip to Manhattan and parts thereabouts. Fun was had, much food was eaten and many pictures were taken. Check out the Flickr Photoset for more in depth photo analyses.

As far as specifics go, we spent Friday resting from our arriving flight and meandering about the Airtran navigating our way through the subway to the Upper East side abode of our very good friend, Anusha, who was gracious enough to keep us as her apartment-guests for the weekend. After resting our somewhat weary feet, I crashed from the effects of my dramamine and didn't wake up again until sunlight poured into the apartment.

What came next was a short trip crosstown into the East Village for a tour of Parsons, a brief visit to the eclectic shop Mxyplyzyk and an awesome lunch. From there, it was off to The Met via bus.

The museum itself is very large. Perhaps the largest I've been too, but unfortunately, we were unable to experience the vastness of it all due to our walking everywhere and due to time constraints. This also led to us missing out on the awesome experience of seeing any Central Park foliage. A little disappointing, but with the unusual warmth and rain of the last few weeks in New York, there wasn't as spectacular color as one might expect.

The main event of friday was eating at the excellent restaurant, Babbo. In the least amount of words: exquisite. The service was terrific, the food delicious, and there was plenty of ambience to spare. Mario Batali truly outdid himself with his flagship restaurant and being there made me want to see what his other restaurants have to offer as well.

Too full for any more food or activities, we retired and prepared for a massive saturday full of shopping, a trip to the Chelsea Market, and a requisite trip to Toy Tokyo before watching a dismal drubbing of the Stanford Cardinal football team at the hands of the number 1 team in the nation. Nothing to be ashamed of as the second half was much easier to watch than the first.

At any rate, we closed out our trip with a trip to Queens for dim sum in Flushing, an Indian Market in Jackson Heights, and a mad dash to JFK on the R train, the G train, the E train, and the Airtran yet again.

New York was better than I remember. As an adult, I can actually enjoy the late night pizza, the fascinating vibe of the city, and the experience of wandering about on our own just finding our way wherever we want to go. Seeing Parsons did make me think about the possibility of moving back east and the unknown future that I have to face. I've written about this apprehension in a previous post so it doesn't need to be reiterated that the first step is always the most difficult. Being there, however, made it seem much more a reality than ever. The solace I can take now is that I truly have nothing to lose by trying and ultimately, I have the most supportive and loving girlfriend who will support me no matter what. In this I find strength and confidence. So New York waits for now, just as I left it: bustling and hustling ahum with the vigor of an old and dense urban energy.

Holiday!

We're off for a few days to the east coast. Going to see some friends, eat some good food, and watch the alma mater try and rebound from a tough weekend.

Places I'm looking forward to seeing? The Met, the foliage, and the food. Blog report will follow when we return!

Red 5 to Red Leader

Thanks to my good buddy Dollar Bill for tipping me off to the newest company to make its foray into the world of comic books, Red 5 Comics. They're looking for new pros willing to audition themselves. Do I go for it?

Well, here's the rub: I need more work to show off. Really, I'm making the effort to build a respectable portfolio, but procrastination really hurts me more than anything. Is that the diligence one pro told me about? Not really.

What advice do people have for me to whip myself into shape? Anyone?

ADDENDUM: Scott Morse is the latest artist to go into self-publishing. This has to be motivating for the reason that I love Scott Morse's work and that anyone can really do it. Check out the press release at Scott's Blog.

You Little Heartbreaker

As has been tradition, the Stanford athletic tradition of bailing at the last second has been carried out this weekend. After a dismal last two seasons, the football team showed signs of life with a 3-game winning streak heading into this last weekend. Anticipation was high for them to compete heavily with the lauded return of the UCLA Bruins football team (currently ranked no. 8 as of this writing). Compete they did, racking up a solid 24-7 lead before the seventh minute of the fourth quarter. That, is when destiny was fulfilled.

Being a former student, and more of a basketball fan than a football fan, I'm used to disappointment from most of the mainstream big division I teams our school has put out there. Maybe it's the awesome freshman year experience of the Final Four having spoiled me indefinitely or maybe it's the junior year Rose Bowl experience, but getting so far and not achieving ultimate satisfaction is depressing. Since then, the football team has been aimless after Tyrone Willingham left for the storied halls of Notre Dame and the basketball team has dropped out of the tournament several times in the second round. Mike Montgomery moving on from the college level to coach the Golden State Warriors hasn't helped matters either. Such is my lot and such is the sadness many fans of these sports and alumni have felt.

Needless to say, since the winning had started and hopes were high, it was all the more crushing when the Bruins willed themselves to 21 points to force overtime. The defense of the Cardinal collapsed, their emotions lead to penalties, and they had no answer for what is ultimately a more talented team. Overtime was an awful pain with only a field goal to help them, there was no sign of the suffocating Cardinal defense to be found when a 23-yard Drew Olson dagger ended the game.

Dejected, I don't think I've ever been as upset at the end of a Stanford football game. I have this next weekend to look forward to versus the incomprehensible USC Trojan steamroller but I think I can be happy if we finish the season by putting Kal out of its misery. I can be proud that the program will no longer be a joke, but it still hurts.

Comics: Art or Pop Art?

There's been a recent upturn of comic book related articles these days, across the blogosphere, in mainstream media, and even in local art galleries. One event that I'm most excited about is the Masters of American Comics Exhibit at the Hammer Museum in Westwood. These kind of exhibits aren't very common in large museums as a serious exhibit and partly this may be because such curations can be somewhat Controversial.

As the Los Angeles Times reports, controversy can be overcome. To sum up the article, selecting pieces for such an exhibit is never easy and not all artists are willing to participate. Great exposure? Not necessarily. As pieces of pop art, comics aren't always happy to be on display as such. An interesting point of view is that it cheapens the original intent of the artist, but maybe this is only due to the stigma high art holds towards the graphic narrative. There are names thrown all around in the article, so I'll spare the overlinkage and delve a little deeper into personal opinion.

Personally, I always had a hard time giving myself the label of artist instead preferring the alternative of cartoonist. Is this strange? Well, in a way, I think it is now. Originally, I felt that by calling myself an artist, it'd come off as pretentious or that I considered anything I did to be relevant or important. It's almost like I'd be avoiding any attempt at making an artistic statement. This is where the strangeness comes in. Is taking the label of cartoonist rather than artist limiting? Is there a distinction one draws when you set that pencil down to bristol?

Those are the questions I imagine the artists in the aforementioned article asked themselves before setting out on the precarious journey of pictographic assemblages (thanks Dan Clowes). Most likely, it also comes down to who the art is intended for, is it for yourself or for an audience? The way I see it, I won't present a finished piece unless I'm somewhat happy with it. Maybe that's somewhat selfish ultimately, but one can't really create something without seeing mistakes every step of the way. Nobody's perfect and being a Virgo, some will accept nothing less.

So therefore, maybe artist is more appropriate these days. If you deem your work important to yourself, it doesn't cheapen it at all no matter what exposure it gets as long as you can be proud of it. I think that's how one can get up in the morning and look themselves in the mirror without any constant modicum of self-loathing for being artistically inferior. No competition, no worthlessness. Simple as that, right?

Right?

How Much is My Blog Worth?

Got some other stuff for later, but for now, here we go:

My blog is worth $564.54.
How much is your blog worth?

Tacos Galore

The Great Taco Hunt has to be one of the most fascinating blogs based in Los Angeles. Not for its extremely focused nature for finding the best tacos in the area, but because of it's dedication to nothing but the most daring of venues one can ever visit when sampling Mexican food: the taco stand.

A late night staple, these tacos aren't for the faint of heart. Piled high with meats of various types and oftentimes of somewhat irreputable health codes, they have to be the best guilty pleasure of the late night denizen. They're best served after a marathon session of many alcoholic beverages, but they're also best experienced on an empty stomach and with a hearty appetite. Small in size, these little puppies will drop in your stomach like a brick after about an hour, but they're totally worth it.

My personal favorites are a carnitas taco and a carne asada taco washed down with a refreshing horchata. I'm still trying to perfect my own recipes for these dishes, with some limited success so far. The more sampling of tacos, the better. So I'll be keeping a good eye on the Great Taco Hunt for a while.

Blog Boom, 2005

Want to give a big shout out to my good buddy Dollar Bill for joining the blog fold. I look forward to reading some good stuffs in the future, perhaps a lot more focused than what you are reading now before you.

Welcome!

The Return of Blogpoetry

I'm experimenting with the world of poetry again after a long, too long, hiatus. I love format, meter, and structure, therefore, I love haiku and have been experimenting with something new: the Limerick! Won't you join me please in exploring and testing out something new? Please, if you have any suggestions at all, I'm game for anything! Which is which?

***
Tender, derelict
Autumn brown downward tumble
Fall, fall, fall, fall, fall...

***
On bicycle green he pedals.
First left foot, then right foot they treadle.
Not moving with greed,
Heart aflutter, high speed.
'Pon chrome-spoked wheeled steed joy won't settle.

Beard Papa, CA

Hollywood Beard Papa
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

We made a trip this weekend to the wondrous new addition to our shores from Japan, the pastry heaven that is Beard Papa. They serve the most delectable cream puffs for a terribly affordable price. Tasty, light, and not too sweet, these cream puffs have to be experienced to really appreciate it. It was only a few months ago that I first tasted it in their native land and I'm so glad they made it here.

Beard Papa, CA (part 2)

Cream Puff City
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

These are the goods. The only flavor they have right now is vanilla, but that doesn't matter. These things are so good, there's no reason to leave there after just one. We brought back a half dozen and wolfed them down in less than 24 hours. Get out there if you can, this place is a welcome addition.

There will be many more trips in the future when a new store opens in Gardena. So much closer, and so much less touristy then the hell that is Hollywood & Highland.

That's Right... I'm Tyler

Which Food Network chef are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Cheese!

There's been some blog neglect. I usually post within the first couple days of the week, but it's been busy for me, so forgiveness. Please?

Just some random notes on some media/pop culture type things. The Wallace and Gromit movie was released widely this weekend and it did not disappoint. Aardman is starting to show itself to be the Pixar of claymation and if there were any doubt this was fact, the movie itself is standing proof. There's more character and more attention to detail than most other live-action features and I doubt there will be any family movie as enjoyable for the rest of the year. Go see it, I can't stress enough. 4 out of 5 stars.

Also managed to catch the film Mirromask a couple of weeks ago at the fantastically artsy westside theater The Nuart. After eating some subpar Ramen and perusing Giant Robot we caught what has to be an amazingly visual feast, as it were. A script written by Neil Gaiman was brought to life by the grand vision of Dave McKean for a paltry $4M. If you saw the movie, you'd probably never believe it, but it's a testament to the faith the Jim Henson Company in these filmmakers. If you're in the mood for a mind-altering experience, catch it if you can. 3 out of 5 stars.

Lastly, purchase the latest Franz Ferdinand album if you can manage to part with $10. It's full of bounce, vigor, and lyrical wit aplenty. From the opening number to the final track, the band manages to carry over the momentum from its self-titled debut for an impressive 40 minutes of what most would call pop-rock. Rolling Stone calls it pop-punk, but I have a hard time categorizing it anywhere near punk at all. Certainly less aggressive than punk and less bubbly than pop, it's another strong addition to the new new wave and the album itself is getting a terrible amount of play in my cd player. Any takers? 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Akira Sketch

tetsuo001
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Anyone who's ever seen Akira knows that the most oft-spoken line happens to be this character's name. After reading the manga, I understand what was a somewhat confusing movie much more clear.

Read it before you see it, I think one would appreciate it much better. Isn't that the rule with most on-screen adaptations anyway?

Cleaning House

I wish there was more I could do, but this is how it stands for now...

Belated Birthday

MOCA Hands
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Forgot to give a big thanks to everyone who was able to make it out last Saturday for our soiree out to the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art. There was not the expected tour of the Basquiat exhibit, but my friends and I were able to create a work of pseudo-art amongst ourselves on the patio of the museum. Albeit filled with non sequitorial graffiti of questionable repute, it turned out looking great.

Too bad we forgot the darn thing after we left. I still had tons of fun, and we had much fun hanging out, talking, and eating Mexican food at Chano's afterwards. Thanks to everyone who could make it and thanks for being there for me in one way or another anyone who couldn't make it.

Speedy Follow-Up

After getting a glance at the Speedy Gonzales Wiki entry, I've decided there is nothing to be absolutely ashamed of.  So what if certain people out there think he's a derogatory figure, he can also be viewed as a figure of empowerment.  Where else can you see a clever Mexican character outwit the oppressive figure? Zorro maybe? 

 

I loved his cartoons and there aren't that many animated shows that feature Hispanic/Latino main characters.  Can you think of any others besides Mucha Lucha?  There's a few comic strips out there and plenty more comic book characters, and I find it awful sad that within 20 years, there has been only one other Hispanic lead in a television show since Chico and the Man.  Granted, the demographic itself is small, but it's growing larger everyday, especially in California.

 

Myself, I'm not much of an activist.  I realize there are many other minority groups underrepresented in media, but one is always going to be somewhat partial to their own.  I always like to say that I never identified with my own culture as much until after I took a Chicano Literature class my sophomore year of college.  It's the culture my girlfriend says comes from us being "Third Generation" kids.  We're not of the originating country, nor are we able to be accepted into America completely as we are.  Is it weird for me being completely Hispanic yet never being recognized as such?  Seeing as I have a questionably unidentifiable physical appearance, it can be.

 

This is where the Literature comes in, I can identify with being misplaced, being different, and being happy that my family and myself can be completely comfortable in that sense.  I once had someone tell me I had no culture at all, and was completely offended because what in the heck lack of culture did I grow up with if my parents and grandparents never grew up with their own experiences and passed them on to me?  Is that not culture?  Is it my Orange County upbringing and lack of barrio birth that strip me of my heritage? 

 

It's just someone else's opinion.

 

My opinion is that, what the heck, Speedy Gonzales was my hero when I was nothing but a short stack of silver dollar pancakes.  I have new ones now, of course, but is there anything that I can do?

 

I think so... but I'll keep it under wraps until my lazy butt gets in gear.

Animatypical

General question I was wondering about on the way home: is Speedy Gonzales a bad stereotype? Should I be ashamed that I enjoyed all of the cartoons starring him without feeling guilty?

There are much worse, less well-known characters out there, but why does Speedy get singled out? Is it his costume, is it his accent? I honestly don't know what to think. Since it is Hispanic Heritage month, I thought this may be relevant.

I'll ponder this for a little while longer and see if I can form a more complete thought.

Random Bits

Do blogs make everyone feel like they're Larry David or Jerry Seinfeld?

Is it weird when your dental hygienist starts humming along to "You Make Me Fee (Like a Natural Woman)" while cleaning your teeth?

Lost won the Emmy for Best Drama last night and JJ won for best writing. This means that I will forever be Mr. Abrams' slave for time immemorial.

You know crickets can throw their "voice?"

Don't random lists like this bug you?

More to come...

Bill Evans Snapped

Bill Evans Snapped
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

What a weekend! Here's a picture of one of the highlights, a trip to the Jazz Bakery for a gallery showing by a friend of a friend, Scott Laumann. Having been published in various periodicals, including Rolling Stone and GQ, his latest project are a series of vast oil portraits of famous Jazz musicians. It was impressive to see them in person and even more impressive was the appropriate mood each painting captured. I was in awe.

Jazz is something that although I'm not as into it as I used to be, it still holds a special place in my heart. The passion, the creativity, and the sheer madness of brass, winds, and rhythm splayed out in musical freedom captured my heart when I first picked up the saxophone and it never stopped until I got out of college. Unfortunate that there has been no opportunity for me to grow as a musician at all, I'm reminded of a time when I would listen to Jazz while studying, while writing papers, and while throwing down graphite to paper.

Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, and Dave Brubeck were all favorites of mine and it will always be something I love and maybe something I'll rediscover soon.

Eyes closed, horn wailing, that's how it was, how it is, and how it should always be. Straight, no chaser...

Mainstream "Graphic Novels"

Please bear with the extra large paragraph breaks these days, the format by which I'm posting isn't conducive to aesthetic page design...

 

What I really want to say is that the New York Times is finally making the full-fledged leap into comic-land with a new push for humor in it's published edition.  I find it most interesting because the Times notoriously has kept out of funnybook-land for decades.  Does this mean graphic novels and the like are more mainstream than ever?  Well, let's ponder that question for a bit.

 

I argue that there are comics that are mainstream and obviously a lot more that are not.  There's nary a person who doesn't know who Superman is, that his alter-ego is Clark Kent, or that the love of his life is Lois Lane.  For every person who knows these facts, there are many, many more who are clueless to the fact that Superman is indeed powered by the Earth's yellow sun, that Lex Luthor used to have shocking red hair, and what the actual properties of gold kryptonite are (anyone who can answer this question immediately earns honor points in my book).  The distinction must be made though that although knowing what Superman is all about is decidedly mainstream, the reading of the comic itself is not.  Who would be caught dead reading a current issue riding the subway nowadays, who around here openly carries them to work and reads them during break at the cafeteria?

 

Yea, no one that I know at least...

 

This is where the Times draws the line, there won't be any classical format comic strips or men-in-tights charades published in four colors every Sunday.  Instead, the golden boy of the intellectual graphic novel era, Chris Ware, will contribute a weekly serial for six months.  Seeing that Mr. Ware is a favorite of mine, I see no problem with this at all.  The term "graphic novel" itself is something of a euphemism these days and no doubt this is why it's used so liberally in the mainstream media.  The term itself has even been thrown around madly on The OC with such vigor that even the suburbanites in letterman jackets and mini skirts know the term.  It's what separates the geek nerds from the reputable nerds, the dumbed-down explosive action of the average superhero comic from the self-loathing miasma of a panel auteur, and the Times itself from the USA Today. 

 

Should the average reader of Superman be offended then that he is likened to a child reading Dennis the Menace on a Sunday morning?  Personally, I'm not.  Even though I don't religiously read Superman at all, the foray into this realm for the NYT is good for the art form, which I really respect.  It's inspiring to see them take this step, and also to see many other publishers taking the precipitous plunge into new territory.  It gives me hope for achieving something new and maybe will supply more motivation for others as well. 

 

Here's the entirety of the press release, check it out: 

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES “THE FUNNY PAGES” AND MAKES FIRST FORAY INTO FICTION

 

A comic strip, a humor column and a Sunday serial of fiction will appear each week in “The Funny Pages,” a new 10-page section making its debut September 18 in The New York Times Magazine. The section will offer The Magazine's audience a new reading experience that complements “The Way We Live Now,” the style section and the signature reportage for which The Magazine is known.

 

“The Funny Pages is our own take on the traditional Sunday paper funny pages,” says Gerald Marzorati, editor, The New York Times Magazine. “We wanted a place in our pages for genre fiction - mysteries, detective stories, and the like - which is having a particularly vibrant moment in popular culture just now. And we wanted to make a place for the work of those creating narrative comics and graphic novels, a great new art form. We wanted to publish humor - narrative, memoirish humor. And most of all we wanted to give our readers some new things that would bring a smile to their faces each Sunday morning, and our youngest readers a go-to destination when the paper arrives.”

 

“The Funny Pages” include:

 

-- “The Sunday Serial” - In the most ambitious feature of the new section, “The Sunday Serial” marks the first foray by The Times Magazine into fiction with approximately 14 weekly installments of an original, commissioned work. Best-selling author Elmore Leonard, whose highly acclaimed novels include “Get Shorty,” “Freaky Deaky” and “Tishomingo Blues,” launches the first serial.

 

-- “The Strip” - Stars of the graphic novel create serialized comic strips exclusively for Times Magazine readers. Each week's full-page color-strip features one self-contained story, and each strip will run for approximately six months. Chris Ware, whose best-selling graphic novel, “Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth,” has won numerous literary prizes, will create the first strip. It tells the story of a young girl and her adventures in her apartment house.

 

-- “True-Life Tales” - A new column showcasing the best young humor writers who tell hilariously true stories about everyday family life and societal trends. The Magazine will draw on top writers from the world of late-night television, public radio's “This American Life” and elsewhere.

 

If readers miss an installment of “The Sunday Serial” or want to catch up on “The Strip,” or the humor column, “The Funny Pages” will be available on NYTimes.com.

 

The New York Times Magazine ranked second in 2004 among all PIB (Publishers Information Bureau) measured magazines for total ad pages. Its regular contributors include Lynn Hirschberg, Michael Lewis, Jeffrey Rosen, Matt Bai, James Traub, Michael Ignatieff, James Bennet, Lisa Belkin, Peter Maass and Susan Dominus.