If you didn’t notice, there was a new episode of the SketcheeBook Podcast last week. The next new one will go out this Tuesday! I’m having some problems with the audio recording quality that I didn’t have before. Hopefully I can get them squared away soon. For these two episodes, it will have to do.

And I put it here on my wall. Sorry about the flash, my room is so dark:

My suggestions of things to do are really quickly rejected. It’s like okay let’s just do all the things that you usually do alone and I’ll just stand around and watch. Who knew that watching someone sit at a computer flipping threw car websites wouldn’t be fun. That’s my fault though, I should have just said okay I’m going home. Bye.

Next time I go over there, I’m packing my camera, maybe a book, sketchbook. Times like these where a laptop seems appealing.

Keep your suggestions coming because now it’s winter and it’s like, outdoor things seem less appealing. Movies and TV have been good as have intimate contact, but that only goes so far and I’m frustrated. I thought we were going to try things like bowling and pool, but I guess we’re not now because we’re poor.

Star Trek sighting! Counsellor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) as the Iranian wife and mother. It’s worth watching it just to see the Greek actress playing the small role. She said in an interview that she didn’t even audition, they called her up from seeing video and she really doesn’t know why they didn’t cast an Iranian actress.

While I was waiting I saw The Pacifer. Well okay I went to White Flint mall since it was right across the street from where my mom was at the doctor. There were these two asian teens kissing right in front of the ticket booth. Naturally, no one was in the ticket booth … probably avoiding the nasty teens in the empty corner of the mall. The lady saw me. I think she had Parkinsons and she was pretty nice. She got the other guy to man the booth and I asked what was the soonest movie I could get into and it was this one. I missed about 10 minutes which he was was basically the previews so I was like fine fine.

Who cast this movie? Has Vin Diesel or that girl from American Dreams ever been in a comedy before? Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls was the principal and she had a way of taking the lines and making it funny .. That’s about it. The script might have worked if it was done more tongue in cheek, but they played it straight and it was really bad and predictable. Vin Diesel is hot, but that’s about it. It got interesting when the son was suspected of being a Nazi.

Here’s a cartoon dude did. You know him from the chat I go to.

PART 1

PART 1, part 2

The movie itself being about the oppression of the Polish Jews from the perspective of a pianist was heavy, but it’s exciting to wonder what will happen next. That war was just entirely sad on grand scale. What evil lies in the hearts of men and all that. Even here in America, there are places you wouldn’t want to be and yes people who fear for their lives and rightfully so. As if just the regular world isn’t scary enough without knowing all that.

Anyway, I guess it’s best that we concentrate on enjoying those good moments, because no matter who you are there will be tragedy in your life. If you love anyone, they will die or worse. If you never do love, then that’s a tragedy in itself. I’m sure you can think of your own. Blah blah blah. I liked the movie. It’s good to think.

I can recognize why it got mixed reviews. Most movies force feed us and tell us what to feel so directly. You don’t have the opportunity in the modern polished cinematic form to have to ask yourself what you feel. I really felt so much empathy from the characters. It’s based on the book based on the true story. So at the beginning they tell you everything is going to happen and so you feel like there won’t be any suprises. Then you realize, wait how can the guy who wrote this book be dead. So like the characters in the movie, the movie itself plays with the superficial to hide what’s real. The movie is funny though. I mean they quickly set up too many serious things but the comedic setup at the beginning should have been a clue. The characters in the movie all continually do the wrong thing and know what they’re doing is wrong. It was so sad. I think what was worse is that even when their actions had bad consequences, they continue with the same behavior. That is how real people act often.

Empathy is my worst character trait probably. But it’s unique in some ways and so I try to work with it. This movie makes me think about myself. I mean, I’m not like the gay people in this movie and I’m not talking about that. I really dislike the flamboyant mannerism of gay men but it didn’t bother me here. The ridiculous costumes weren’t too appealing but ring true unfortunately. What was I saying. Ah yes, people who know me from my college years know me as a much more put together person. Back in high school those were crazy times. I make a joke out of it when I tell people and say oh I wasn’t really crazy, but it was a series of misunderstandings. Whether or not I was sane, I wish I showed more respect then. Lessons learned in all that. That’s wear I empathize. I can see how one can live with bad choices. We all do it to some degree somewhere. We know that something we’re doing is wrong but keep on doing it. It’s the status quo. Sticking to the comfort zone. In Party Monster, the character of Michael is comfortable with the outrageous attention he gets.

The drug scenes are arguably a case of excess and not necessarily anti-drug. Still, here again often one can’t always recognize their own excess. That working with what I was saying about living with your faults without a will to change and the rest of the story wrote itself, even if it is a true one. The author being high on drugs at the time had obviously had some missing memories which explains how the resolution came about. It’s sick that “he” was still alive–spoiler avoided. Anyway watch this one. You might hate it!

So one of my dreams involved time travel. Well at first I’m in the woods saving these girls from this guy who I guess might be an ogre or maybe just a big villain and then the girls are one by one escaping and running into the woods or somethig. Then I had to save this one girl and she and I escape to a 1920s house or something and we disguise our selves by me putting on a purple hat and I don’t remember but I think the ogre dude followed us. Another dream involved my old house except it was haunted! My mom is at the top of the stairs and says there’s a ghost and I look and I see it too. It looked like a white mage from Final Fantasy Tactics though. Anyway in another part of that ghost dream I find that I can’t leave my moms room because ifI try I teleport back there and then I see a map of the house with arrows and I figure I have to walk sideways down the stairs to the front door but when I’m outside it’s a foggy morning in the neighborhood so then what do I do! I had another dream but I can’t remember anymore right now!

Among the supporting cast Julia Stiles is in it, but just like the first her character does very little other than stand around and ocassionally be scared or devulge plot information. By occassionally I think there was really only one important scene with her. The one villain I kept going “He’s hot … he looks so familiar.” I looked him up and he’s Karl Urban aka Eomer from Lord of the Rings as well as Caesar and Cupid from Xena and Hercules. With Xena and Hercules being in the same universe, doesn’t that make Caesar and Cupid one and the same! But then as Cupid his hair was died blond so that makes him completely different! In hindsight he’s not cute at all, he was just familiar from those shows and that movie. We also have the elf Celeborn also from Lord of the Rings.

Comments

• July 27, 2004, Tanner writes: Id give it closer to 8/10...damn good movie.
• November 20, 2006, Lisa writes: i love this movie its so action pacted, i watch it every chance i get its a really fun and exciting movie and if you haven't seen it its a must!

I woke up at aboout 3pm after having a series of dreams. Judging by how groggy I am, I didn’t sleep well. Remembering so many dreams means I was waking up. The first dream took place at my house yet again. We sold it at the end of last year! Damn you, dreams, I don’t live there leave me alone. Anyway, my house is haunting me. Okay, so I answer the door–I guess it knocked–and some guy wants to give my oldest sister gifts. But their not really gifts, they are her son’s toys messily wrapped. Yeah. Anyway, then she comes down or whatever. He leaves. At some point I lock the door, but they easily force the door open because it’s broke. Okay, at our old place we had a bad looking door for a while, but it wasn’t broke to the point where it could be easily opened. Anyway that all I remember of that one.

The next dream involved my mom and my other sister. In reality, those two went to a gala last night. Yeah a gala… Anyway, in this dream the two went in together to get my sister a new car. This is typical of them I guess and of course it turned into a financial disaster. My sister saying she makes a lot of money, my mom saying “Well then give me some”. They get along great without those kinds of things involved. Anyway it’s just a dream.

Next dream of last night, I went back to high school. (I was on the webpage club in high school! but the dream wasn’t about that.) I haven’t been there in years! Anyway, I go into the band room and thier taking a test so I go in the back and take the test too. Then some other guy is supposed to play what I distinctly remember as a piano transcription of something because JeffreyAtW was supposed to but he’s in college in California. Jeffy didn’t go to high school with me but I guess he did in this dream.

Last dream was more typical of my dreams, a tv show or movie where I’m not there at all. I watch too much tv. It was a night time college meeting of people on campus and I don’t know. It was dumb. the were saying oh we should do gang signs of which frat we’re in or something. It wasn’t really coherant.

So I woke up and immediately took a shower. I have that song from Chicago, thanks Eric! Ahhh. He’s right though, those songs are way too catchy and way too memorable. Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!

Anyway, now that I finished my recital my professor gave me a new piece. Yes another one. So on top of the 20 pages of the four movement Beethoven sonata, I get Chopin’s Scherzo, Op 31.Woo. I guess.

My friend Jay drew this and I got bored and colored it:

[Edit]Forgot to mention, I’m working on Beethoven’s Sonata No 3, Op 2 No 3. It’s driving me insane at some points with all the counterpoint play in the two hands but it’s simple for the most part.

I saw “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” today. It was an awesome movie and did not disappoint at all. Went with my sister to the 11:15pm Union Station showing. I don’t want to spoil the movie of course. I just want you all to go see it so we can talk about it!