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.

Fall TiVo Primetime Schedule

Since the Fall Television schedule is finalized, I found it useful to go out and try to map out what's going to be TiVo'd this year.  Since we have two of them (at least until the Series 3 dual tuners are released) it's a bit limiting.  Thankfully, it all seems to be working out, save for a few double dips here and there.  This schedule does not include the mid-season premieres of both 24 and Scrubs nor does it include late night and daytime shows.  Couch potato city, baby.

MONDAYS
8:00 p.m.
Prison Break (Fox, second season premieres August 21)
    
9:00 p.m.
Heroes (NBC, premieres September 25)

10:00 p.m.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC, premieres September 18)
What About Brian (ABC, second season premieres October 9)


TUESDAYS
8:00 p.m.
House (Fox, third season premieres September 5)
Gilmore Girls (CW, seventh season premieres September 26)

9:00 p.m.
Veronica Mars (CW, third season premieres October 3)

10:00 p.m.
Smith (CBS, premieres September 19)
Nip/Tuck (FX, fourth season premieres September 5)


WEDNESDAYS
8:00 p.m.
Bones (Fox, season two premieres August 30)

8:30 p.m.
30 Rock (NBC, premieres October 11)

9:00 p.m.
Criminal Minds (CBS, premieres September 20)
Lost (ABC, third season premieres October 4)

10:00 p.m.
Kidnapped (NBC, premieres September 20)
The Nine (ABC, premieres October 4)
Top Chef (Bravo, second season projected premiere date October 25)


THURSDAYS
8:00 p.m.
My Name is Earl (NBC, second season premieres September 21)
Smallville (CW, sixth season premieres September 28)
Ugly Betty (ABC, premieres September 28)

8:30 p.m.
The Office (NBC, third season premieres September 21)

9:00 p.m.
Grey's Anatomy (ABC, third season premieres September 21)

10:00 p.m.
ER (NBC, 13th season premieres September 21)
Six Degrees (ABC, premieres September 21)


FRIDAYS
8:00 p.m.
Crossing Jordan (NBC, sixth season premieres October 20)

9:00 p.m.
Las Vegas (NBC, fourth season premieres October 20)

10:00 p.m.
Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi, third season premieres October 6)


SATURDAYS
8:00 p.m.
Dateline NBC (NBC, 16th season premieres September 23)


SUNDAYS
9:00 p.m.
Family Guy (Fox, 5th season premieres September 10)
Desperate Housewives (ABC, third season premieres September 24)

10:00 p.m.
Brothers & Sisters (ABC, premieres September 24)

There is some light commentary here.  I've already seen the pilots for both Studio 60 and Kidnapped and both were very dramatic with Studio 60 being quite a bit better than Kidnapped.  There's three helpings of JJ now during the week with Lost, What About Brian, and Six Degrees, so weepy mature melodramas seem to be par for the course.  I'm also very intrigued by the return of Calista Flockhart in Brothers & Sisters, but maybe more interested in seeing how a telenovela translates to screen with Ugly Betty.  Just looking at all of this tells me this is a lot of television.  We'll see how it all plays out when the rest of the shows start to premiere in late September.

Agua y Poder

Anyone not familiar with Chicano culture may be surprised to note that there is a rich history of drama inherent in the form of protest dramas and short form pieces.  Many of it borders on the side of the Greek style of theater, with plenty of symbolism, melodramatics, and sometimes tragedy.  Myself, I'm somewhat partial to theater as a form of literature, but I probably don't see many shows as often as I might like to.  That changed this Sunday when we took in a production of the latest Culture Clash drama, "Water and Power."

Now, Culture Clash has been around for quite some time.  For the uninitiated, Culture Clash is a group of Chicano writers/actors who've performed for over 20 years together in many ways including done short form comedies, long-form drama, and even television.  My first exposure to them was through their ground-breaking television appearance " Bowl of Beings," a biting commentary on the current and past political situation facing minorities in the United States.  At the time, I barely understood most of it, but my parents were adamant that I watch and come to comprehend what they were saying.  It wasn't until I saw them again, many years later, on stage at Dinkelspiel Auditorium that I would come to fully appreciate their wit, humor, and passion.

This is what I expected from "Water and Power," and it is safe to say, whole-heartedly, that it was everything I expected and more. 

Describing the story is rather simple, twin brothers born in the East Los Angeles area, are raised to do what they can for themselves and their community.  Unexpectedly, it is this community and the society around them that leads to the highest peaks and the lowest valleys in their lives.  The questions remain, is it a result of their environment (as I have interpreted) or is it a result of their own blind ambition?  As a program note, it was fascinating for me to read about the historic significance of Twin Legends, especially after having studied a couple of them before.  The underlying message of the play, however, did resonate very well with the content of its dialogue.

Much of the theatrics are laced with pop culture references, Spanish language, and local knowledge, which strengthens the reality of the play.  Although it is somewhat restrictive and always envelope-pushing, it made for some great moments.  In particular, a stirring callback to the cultural song, " De Colores" brought to mind how much one's culture can be diluted.  Perhaps one could consider some of the content tragic, I still think there is an underlying message of hope. 

It doesn't hurt that it was funny, touching, and well-acted.

Catch it at the Mark Taper Forum while it's still playing.  Culture Clash will also be performing in La Jolla next month.  Road trip?

A Day at the Therapist's Office

Lots to go over from the weekend, but as usual, I'll start from the beginning.

Friday's dinner at Musha was a rousing success, of course.  All has been said, but if you haven't experienced it, you must.

Saturday night was an event though. An event to be remembered as my first ever spa and massage experience.  If it hadn't been for Grace's sister and her brother-in-law, we may have not been able to experience this at all.

Having never been to a spa before, I wasn't prepared for the luxury that awaited me.  Free drinks, free snacks, and some nice atmosphere.  All courtesy of the Zen Day Spa, which is a quite fine establishment in the Calabasas area.  After having washed up and relaxed for a few moments, our therapists introduced themselves to us and walked us to our room.  If anyone has ever had a massage, I'm sure you know how the routine goes, but I really wasn't prepared for how relaxing it is.

They really did a good job concentrating on areas that seemed tense.  What was amazing is how tense I was initially.  I like to think of myself as more of a laid-back person, but perhaps it's just the everyday stresses that one never notices.  After all was said and done, my muscles felt like spaghetti, but only in the best sense of the description, trust me.  I wish we had more time to decompress afterwards, but that comes with being one of the last appointments in the day.

Suffice it to say, I'd definitely go back and if you've never been, you must go.  What other times are there were we can truly treat ourselves?

Yelp!

In the never-ending glut of self-indulgence, I've found another outlet.  Throngs of people are still flocking to that vacuum on the Internet, Myspace.com, but the social networking drama associated with that site is just too much for me to even want to attempt to assault.  I've decided that on another level, Yelp.com is a much friendlier and unique place. 

Actually, it's the concept itself that sold me.  Yelp is an arena for peers to review local spots within their cities with the same gusto they do on a blog.  The interface is very easy to use and the seamless integration with Google Maps makes it very, very useful. 

My favorite part, thus far, has been posting reviews for my favorite restaurants where we've had the pleasure of dining.  So far, there's only two thrown up on my yelp site, but I've only been a member for just as many days.  A cursory view of those people marked as "elite" yelpers shows there is quite a long way to go.  As the site was created within the last year, people have had plenty of time to rack up hundreds of reviews.  Some of the reviews happen to be only a couple of lines long or several lines long with no paragraphs, but there are also some that are very informative, hilarious, and, most importantly, accurate.

So, if you will.  Yelp along with me.  We'll see if anyone accepts the invitation.

I'm All Hopped Up on Mountain Dew

Apparently, all the big Summer movies have come out already, because we're finally in the time frame where movies like "Step Up" can be released.  While this film has been given a glowing review by Kevin Smith, it's not like the entire world is going to laud it as the next Godfather (or even the next Dirty Dancing) any time soon. What I'm trying to say is that the Summer movie stock is wearing thin.  Very thin.

Even so, it doesn't mean that we're done seeing movies.

Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby is already almost two weeks old, but we managed to see it this past weekend as it is on our "must-see" list for the year.  The memorable laughs of Anchorman do make this movie more enticing than other comedies, where one expects not just laughs, but belly-bursting guffaws from moment to moment.  Was it all that we had expected?

Personally, I found it to be slightly less funny than Anchorman.  Although the story has more focus than the uproarious Legend of Ron Burgundy, it somehow detracts from the overall humor of the film.  Would you believe it if I didn't say so?  I doubt anyone actually believes me about that now.

Well, the message of the movie remains the same.  A star falls from grace and learns a lot about life and himself at the same time.  Will Ferrell sells his role as a celebrity NASCAR driver of immense risk and caliber with the type of commitment you can expect.  The unexpected comes from his supporting cast, which includes a game John C. Reilly as his partner and best friend ("Shake and bake!") and even a bizarrely played Sacha Baron Cohen as a rival import from "Formula Un."  Both of these actors deliver some very surreal moments, the former with his admission of the Mike Honcho pseudonym and every scene with the latter and Andy Richter is eye-widening.  

Don't get me wrong, I really did like the movie, but I would have to say had the movie been a little more nonsensical, it would have thrown Ron Burgundy to the wolves.  What I can say is that Adam McKay is becoming one of the most consistent comedic directors of his time.  Three hits in his last three outings isn't bad at all, and as long as he keeps pairing himself with strong comedic leads, I don't see his resume falling short anytime soon.

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Still Art

No one I know, at least most of the people I've talked to, who has lived in Orange County has been to The Pageant of the Masters.  Apparently, a "tourist favorite since 1932", this spectacle of living art is a seeming anomaly to all of us locals.  That is, I guess, until we've actually seen it.

My first experience with the POM last year was surprising.  Not expecting much else besides made-up actors and models portraying the Mona Lisa and such, I was amazed by the stunning likeness to both works of painted art, sculptures, and even hood ornaments.  Along with an emotive narrative script and a full orchestra, the Pageant is an unlikely combination of entertainment and art education.  Last year's theme was Americana, but this year's was a definite improvement focusing on art created and inspired by passion.

Opening up with a couple of stunning Fragonard portrayals, one knows what to expect: romance.  All works of art ranged from humorous to dour in the full two hours we saw, but the most stunning, for myself, was the portrayal of some Japanese block prints.  Second to that was most likely the exposition of vintage posters and the Rodin towards the end of the show.  The script was much more engaging this time around and the music itself was a bit more memorable, including more vocals and quite a bit more movement than anticipated.  

I do recommend that anyone who hasn't seen the Pageant should see it while you have time.  Although tickets are sold out for this year's shows, they will be available months in advance for next year's.  I don't recommend it for the scenery, although Laguna Beach is unique, I recommend it for the celebration of the arts that it is. 

Be a Superhero

Bill Parker
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

If you're like any normal college-age student in the bay area, you've probably been to either the Exploratorium or even the San Jose Tech Museum for purely entertainment purposes. Both usually are aimed more for education than entertainment, and the Tech Museum does have the IMAX experience as well, but once you've seen your fifth gigantic diorama of an earthquake or a blind halway, it can get slightly old. They're valuable landmarks and great for children, but oftentimes, it's hard to get people really interested in learning about science in this manner. That's why the California Science Center in Los Angeles has made the Science of Superheroes such a hit.

In close cooperation with Marvel Comics, the California Science Center has gone a long way to try and explain some quite basic principles through usage of a very colorful exhibit. Doctor Octopus describes the usefulness of prosthetic limbs. One can play with a simulated lightning and electricity exhibit modeled after the mutant Storm. You can even tickle the hippocampus of a giant brain to turn Bruce Banner into the Hulk. Perhaps my favorite part of the exhibt was the exo-suit designed to pick up a car in the vein of the Invincible Iron Man. Well, it was either that or climbing across the wall like Spider-Man.

While we managed to get some slight education in, it was more fascinating to see how much the kids around us were enjoying each exhibit with abject glee. More impressive, perhaps, was the fact that each of these kids knew which characters did what. Adorned with artwork from many major artists, the stations were delightful and engaging, just the way they should be. Anyone looking for a more grown-up, or perhaps a more comics-centric exhibit, may be somewhat disappointed, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Well, the trip to Chano's afterwards really helped. Check out the full flickr photoset.

Tiny Stories

From time to time, I'll get what is seemingly another random email hit to the Trash Heap imploring me to check out their website after having seen mine, I suppose.  Most recently, I got a hit from a seemingly innocent site promoting the concept of " Flash Fiction."  Being curious, and possibly naive, I decided to check it out and get a good idea of what they were selling.  Was it spam?  Was it another bot string looking to hijack the Heap?  What I found was actually intriguing.

It appears as though there are quite a few people dedicated to what you might describe as the "microstory."  Any long follower of this here written space may recognize that I've often flittered about with the random narrative as practice (or maybe even for show?) and have also toyed with the idea of writing in a longer form.  I like to think of it as an exercise in restraint and language, but perhaps it shows how unfocused I may be in the artistic sense.  Stops and starts, these are the easiest bits of prose I can spit from my brain without worrying about unfinished bits and pieces floating about my hard drive.  Maybe Flash Fiction is another outlet to investigate.

After reading the Flash Fiction Wiki, it became apparent that Flash Fiction isn't such an insular phenomenon, it's all over the web.  How could I have been so clueless?  Something tells me that flashfictionnow isn't the only webspace trying to make a name for itself in the world of Flash Fiction as there is Flash Flooding , 1000 words, and even online courses dedicated to teaching the concepts of Microfiction.  I suppose this has a lot to do with the immediacy and the availability of this here Internet and what other place for there to be the association of creativity and freedom?  I may dabble a bit more, it seems, and maybe I'll even submit a piece or two.   

Like I said, this may require further investigation.

It's a Miracle

Spending Time With the Family
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Everyone talks about the miracle of childbirth after there's a newborn baby freshly delivered. Even those with a most cynical worldview can concede that a baby can bring a smile to their face. Now that I've seen a few new ones in the past few months, and especially after seeing Grace's sister's new baby stretch her legs and take in the new world, it's not a mystery to me any more why peopel say every newborn is a gift.

She's curious and makes funny faces. She's every bit as special as everyone had imagined and she's finally here!

We finally compiled all the pictures we could, so check out the new photoset. Happy Birthday!

Little One

Congratulations to Grace's sister who just gave birth to her first child last night!  She's healthy, happy, and somewhat curious.  She also happens to be a beautiful baby girl. 

Sugar and spice and everything nice, isn't that what they say?  I'm sure she will be all of these things and more.

Be a Pirate

There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Warren Ellis. 

Apparently, Mr. Ellis has taken up the massive challenge to curate a webcomics collect that shall be known as Rocket Pirate Comics.  Anyone with a million dollar idea and the grand talent for comicking can undertake the challenge and send a submission package in hopes that you, yes you , can be a webcomicker. 

Do I have ideas?  Most definitely.

Do I have any submittable materials?  Not at all.

Therein lies the conundrum of being a pseudo-wannabe artist at the time being.  More apt to crash on the couch, I've been warming up the chops for a few weeks after a brief hiatus, it's time for me to get that blood flowing and scribble on some bristol (or some paper variant thereof).  Why must it be so difficult to be motivated?

Really, it shouldn't be that difficult at all.  We'll see if I have the guts.

Straight, No Chaser

How many of you think you know Jazz?

I mean... really know Jazz?

I only ask this because I've been matting some prints in the apartment over the last week or so and I've come to the point where I've started to matte some Jazz photographs I received as a gift some time ago.  Each of these stellar portraits sat around 13"x15", which is not a standard frame size.  At all.  Therefore, a larger frame and the matte-cutter come out to play.  I've screwed up several to get to a point where the mattes are presentable, but it's not that at all, it's the subject matter of the framed photo I was touched by.

There was a time in my life where my music collection was littered with Jazz discs all over.  Undoubtedly, my connection with the saxophone had a lot to do with it, but I thoroughly enjoyed the artistry, creativity, and general emotion of it all. On one album alone, you could go from the highest bombastic flurry of notes to a teary-eyed emphatic 20-minute long soliloquy.  All I could think of at the time was, "How do they do that?"

What's it take?  Practice.  For all the practice though, one could never approach the raw talent of someone like Charlie Parker (sober or not), Thelonious Monk, or the incomparable John Coltrane.  Just looking at the photos as I drew them out of their sleeve reminded me of grabbing that brass horn and closing my eyes once again.  I don't think I have the chops for it anymore, but it's like riding a bicycle, right?  

At least I'd like to think so...

Red Rental Fever

(This is not a paid advertisement)

The power of Netflix means that all movies, past, present, foreign, independent, animated, documentary, short, long, horrible, and amazing are at your disposal for all to watch and experience.  I do like to think of movie watching as an experience, which is most likely why I'm so willing to drop coin at places like the Arclight and the Bridge when catching a blockbuster.  I can say that so far this year, seeing Superman Returns in Imax really came close to making movie watching an amazing experience, but much can be said about watching a good movie in the comfort of your own home.

If it wasn't for Netflix, I'd never have been able to see Takashi Miike's Audition, the entire defunct season Joss Whedon's of Firefly, or drop the odd early flavor horror of the Wicker Man in my eyeline.  A long time ago, my friends and I decided that one would have to watch at least 6 movies a month to make Netflix truly worth it.  When one can rent movies at Blockbuster for $1.99 each, it's a tall order, but the convenience of Netflix and its selection make it all the more worth it than one could ever imagine.

For instance, I just started watching The Princess and the Warrior during my lunch break.  A full third of the way through, I'm digging the sleek cinematography, the poetic dialogue, and nuanced performances.  Having first seen Run, Lola, Run at the most awesome Stanford FLICKS, I was looking forward to seeing another film by Tykwer, but wasn't expecting it to contain the same resonance in a more subtle and dramatic turn.  

What also makes the service itself handy, is being able to share movies and suggestions with friends.  They've recently unveiled a new way of browsing through the gargantuan queues and preferences of other cinema-heads and in my opinion, it's much less awkward to navigate and very engrossing.  

As long as my queue is immeasureable, I'll keep a handle on the account.  Although at times I do miss popping into the video store on a random whim and picking up dinner, the red envelope is addicting.