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.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
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?
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?
Monday, October 24, 2005
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.
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.
Friday, October 21, 2005
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!
Welcome!
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
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.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
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.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
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?
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Saturday, October 01, 2005
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.
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