Category: mixed media

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the post-New York post…

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times square subway stationSo here it is, back from New York with a few stories to tell, and some slowly healing shin splints. I didn’t come home with much else, other than a ton of photos, which are now up, and getting attention on flickr. Check them out.

Alright, so here’s where we start: I got the closest spot to the terminal I have ever gotten in the parking lot on Sunday. Nothing monumental, but something I was excited about, both on Sunday, and then again on Tuesday, so worth mentioning, I guess. After flying up to NYC, I checked into my hotel, and wandered around Manhattan for a while. I walked to the Empire State building, and back up to Times Square. It was kind of cool not having an agenda, and being able to wander around and take pictures of the city. It was a lot of fun. It was then, that I wished I had brought my SLR, but I am even more glad I didn’t; I didn’t want to have to deal with it to be honest.

After my adventure around the city, and after an hour spent in Virgin Records (oh the love I have for this store), I met up with my good friend Steve for dinner and drinks. It was a good first day in New York, especially considering the last time I was there; it was freezing, raining, and I was very sick. Thank God that is not how it went this time!

Now on to the first day of working in NYC. I was supposed to meet my team around 8:30, upon which time we would travel over to the site for the site visit. I called them several times, but got no answer, so I figured I would just head over to the hotel. I had forgotten which hotel they were staying in, but quickly fixed that with a call to my buddy Deb. Just as I am about to head out to the hotel (after waiting 20 minutes for them to call me back), I get a call. It’s them. They are already in Brooklyn. Fuck. So, I walked up to the subway, and took the 2 train to Brooklyn. Now, I wasn’t nervous or anything, because I have done public transit in England and France (as well as here), so I pretty much knew how it worked. But, I made a mistake and got off 2 stops too early. That meant I had the wonderful opportunity to wonder around the ghetto in Brooklyn, and walked like 10 blocks to get to the site. All that, and no apology for leaving me. Nice. grand central station

That night, after having drinks with my coworkers is a cute gay spot in Chelsea (which I still think it is hilarious that my cute lesbian coworker took us there… my other two coworkers are straight, married men), I bought a ticket to see Avenue Q. I was fourth row. It was fantastic. I had the cast recording, so I knew what to expect, but it was better than even that. I loved it. After that, I went back to the hotel and crashed. Walking around the city in the wrong shoes is not a good idea.

After heading back to the site the next day, and having the best bagel ever, we headed back to the airport to come home. I had a great trip, got to see a great friend and a great show, and got to really enjoy New York, unlike before. I can definitely see the appeal of the city now… before I was blinded by blistering cold, torrential rains, and hallucination-inducing sickness. And, I had to stay in Newark last time, so staying near Times Square made everything just so much better. And that was my trip to NYC.

I can definitely say, that now, I too love New York. I want to go back soon…

listen up!, mixed media, movie musings, music musings, near and dear, show the love

get these now!

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Seriously, you must do yourself a favor and go get Mika and the new Kaiser Chiefs‘, CD, Your’s Truly, Angry Mob!!! Both of these new CDs are only $8 at Best Buy!! Go pick them up!! You will not be sorry, both are fantastic. I love this continued British invasion! Let’s keep it up, by showing our support!!

Also, I just listened to the new Joss Stone, and it is HOT. More great Brit music. YES! Also, it comes out next week, so you will have to wait until then to get it; but it must be said that the new Hilary Duff is off the hook. There is a clear influence from Kylie on this one, and Hilary has really taken the “bubble gum” sap out of her music. It is a very good listen, and what I am always looking for… great pop!!

There are a few other things I am checking out right now (most of them came from seeing them at my visit to the Times Square Virgin Megastore *drool*):
New LCD Soundsystem
Muse
The first Kaiser Chiefs album, Employment (“I predict a riot!”)
The Bird and the Bee (from an initial listen, I believe I may be in love –> A little bit Imogen Heap, a little bit Jem)
Elliot Yamin (he covered my favorite Carpenter’s song… I had to at least check it out) side note: I can’t believe I just linked myspace. Barf.
Young Love (haven’t heard much yet… vote’s still out)
and the new Tracey Thorn (from EBTG) record, which is slowly growing on me (I was hoping for love at first listen). I think that she put too many sound effects in there, but I am slowly warming up to them.
I also snagged the live Portishead album, and eh. I don’t really like live stuff, but I have been in a Portishead mood lately, so I will give it a shot.

What’s everyone else spinning right now? I love finding new good music!! Also, I will gush even more about the albums that I am still completely and utterly in love with: the new CDs by Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Kaiser Chiefs, Kellie Pickler, and Dashboard Confessional. They are all FANTASTIC, and have been getting HEAVY rotation. Good music is like gold, but for my ears!

Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday, and I am working on getting my NYC photos on flickr (the uploader is being douche), and so I will post about my trip later. Just know, I had a great time!!! And I am jazzed about my new music choices! YAY! Now, share the love, alright!?

Also, be sure to get Children of Men… it’s on DVD, and it is great. Love that movie!

all about me, blog on blog, concerts, flickr, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, photography

Lily Allen @ the Loft 3/19/07

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First of all, before I get to the frivolity of gushing over the pure pop deliciousness that is Lily Allen, and go on and on about how wonderful her concert last night was, I feel the need to address the petty drivel that continues to go on about the expressing of opinions, both by me, of me, and of others. AGAIN, for like the billionth time I have said this, I am going to say whatever I want, and if you want to disagree with me, cool! I welcome your opinions! If you want to blog about it on your blog, awesome!! I say go for it! But, if you are going to be sneaky, and blog about it on your blog, especially if you are going to do so by taking my words out of context and developing an opinion of me without addressing me, then you are going the coward’s route by talking about me behind my back. Just because the internet is a “public forum” doesn’t mean that talking shit about someone on your blog without their knowledge isn’t talking about them behind their back. If you want to do that, AGAIN, I am 100% fine with whatever you want to say or think about me, I have tough skin, and trust me, there is little you can do to hurt me. But just know that you are a ball-less coward, because if you really had the stones, you would just address me on here, where we could probably actually discuss it. But again, that’s your choice; just don’t accuse me of “preventing you from saying what you want”, because AGAIN, that is completely inaccurate. Jesus I am sick of talking about this shit, it is really frustrating talking to people who don’t listen.

Lily Allen 3/19/07 AtlantaAlright… Now on to Lily Allen!!! Last night, we went to the Loft (which I don’t know if they have changed the name to Center Stage again or not, it was actually a bit confusing) to see Lily Allen, and I have to say, she was bloody marvelous. I was a little nervous, mainly because I have never seen her live before, and I usually like to get an idea of what someone sings like live before I head out to a show, but Lily was fantastic. I absolutely loved her stage presence; she swears, she takes shots, she smokes, and she tells it like it is. I went into the show really liking her, and left loving her.

One of the things I love about concerts, is when the artist gives little quips about the songs that he/she/they are about to perform. Giving some story or some little anecdotal bits about the songs make them more meaningful, and sometimes, even clarify what the song actually means for me. Lily did that wonderfully, talking about the boyfriend who had a little penis and who didn’t know how to use it (“it’s the motion in the ocean, right ladies?” she asked, “not!” she quickly replied), and getting even with the girl that gave her shit in school (“this song’s about a girl that was like that bitch from Mean Girls.” she said, “I wonder what she is doing now… I’m playing to thousands of people in the ATL! HA!”). Overall, I loved Lily’s voice, and her singing is spot on. Add in the comedic quips, and you have a very entertaining show. I highly recommend that you pick up her CD if you are still living under a rock and haven’t heard of her. I also recommend that you kick yourself for not going last night, and try to catch her next time she is in town. This broad is great!

Something funny and weird happened at the show that was too interesting not to blog about. Basically, the Loft is standing room only, save for chairs that stadium up the back and sides of the main floor. Most of the people opted to stand, because being a small venue, you actually can get quite close. We were standing towards to side, and were by no means crowded or uncomfortable, but we still managed to get pushed enough to be annoyed. Finally, one girl aggressively pushes my friend Stu, and I was like, “Geez, why not just push him down! You could at least say, Excuse me.”, to her, loud enough that I knew she heard it. She immediately turns around, taps me on the shoulder, and seriously said, “Look, my father has cancer. We are going out tonight drinking because I am upset about it. I’m sorry, but I am being a bitch tonight.”, and then stormed off. Seriously. Her dad has cancer, so she gets to push her way around a concert like a bitch. Um, whatever sister. Dad + cancer does not = a free ride without manners in life. Think of some other excuse, or just be more polite in the future. Even her friend said, “Did you really just say that?”. Um, yeah. Other than miss prissy pants, the night went off without a hitch. The concert volume wasn’t too loud (which I HATE when it is), we met some friends at the show, and the concert ended early enough for me to get home and be in bed at a reasonable time. What a great night, eh!? I have put some pictures I took at the show up on my flickr page; be sure to check them out!

hmm interesting, listen up!, mixed media

buried at sea: forgotten munitions

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James and I watched this very fascinating documentary this weekend called Buried At Sea (sorta half ass link), in which they went around looking for the sites where munitions were dumped in the world’s oceans after World War I and World War II. What they found, was little to no accountability in most cases, and surprisingly, many more sites than were expected; many of which are not very far off the shores of the US, the UK, and so on. Basically, what happened, was after the wars, in which everyone had stockpiled chemical weapons, like mustard gas, the massive stockpiles of those weapons were taken out to sea and simply dumped. And, which is even more interesting, is that they didn’t really keep track of where they were dumped, and they don’t even monitor them or anything.

Now, I know what you are thinking, “why should I care?”, but what I find fascinating about this, is that for one thing, the dumping was done with absolutely no regard for the future. Millions and millions of tons of deadly chemical weapons and bombs are, in many cases, just a mile or so off of the coastlines of almost every continent on the planet. When they dumped these weapons, they didn’t consider the fact that the shells containing the chemical weapons wouldn’t last forever. It is therefore, conceivable, that these chemicals are going to leech out into the environment. I checked a CDC fact sheet about mustard gas, just to get a clearer picture about it, and it doesn’t mention anything particular about mustard gas in the ocean. What I find even more interesting about these massive stockpiles of WMDs in the ocean, is that mustard gas was the very WMD that Bush claimed Saddam Hussein had, and was going to use in Iraq. It was the reason used to justify us going to war with Iraq, and low and behold, there are millions of tons of it just off the coast! Yikes!

I just hope that no one goes down there and gets these WMDs that we KNOW exist. I find it interesting that we went to war with someone because we THOUGHT someone had these very same WMDs, and here they are, all over the world under the water. Weird, huh? Also, it is interesting that often times, these weapons wash up on the shore, and still, nothing is being done about it. One of the sites was off the coast of Savannah, so if you are at the beach, be wary of WMDs being possibly too close for comfort.

A final side note: If you don’t agree with me, or want to discuss your opinion with me, then do it here, that’s why comments are enabled. Don’t be a coward and blab about it on your blog behind my back. It’s time to grow a pair; I can take criticism and differing opinions, and even welcome them. You can do or say whatever you want with your own blog, but it just makes you look like a coward if you constantly talk shit about people behind their backs.

all about me, hotness, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, near and dear, politics, the catch-all-egory, venting

the wednesday run-down

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Today, there are 5 distinct thoughts running through my head, so I thought I would give you a run down. In summation, here it is: 1) come on Dems!, 2) get this CD NOW, 3) examining relationships, 4) buying too much stuff?, and finally 5) comments on TV things. Let’s get started, but let’s keep it brief.

First of all, most people don’t think that I am critical (enough) of the Democrats actions. They are wrong. This is just great; now we can EXPECT an attack on Iran. Why were these guidelines abandoned? This just seems to keep getting worse and worse; if we don’t at least put caps and regulations on things, then things will continue to go in the same direction, and there will be NO changes. That can’t be allowed to happen! We need to send a message, that is LOUD and CLEAR to the president; no more occupation! No more war! Things just seem to be idling along, while real action needs to be taken. This is seriously disappointing, to say the least. UGH. We need some people that will take real action, fast.

In lighter fare, I am proud to announce the American release of a GREAT UK artist’s sophomore disc, entitled Back to Black. It is none other than the fantastical Amy Winehouse, and you must do yourself a favor and buy this CD today. It is only $8 at Target and Best Buy, and it is definitely $8 well spent. Let’s show our appreciation for bringing great artists to our shores, rather than leaving them as imports. Amy’s voice is an old classic voice, much like Billy Holiday, and it has power, class, soul, and life. The music is fantastic, like a hip hop jazz, and you will enjoy this if you enjoy great music. Do yourself a favor and pick it up today!

Relationships. UGH. Sometimes they are great. Sometimes they suck. Sometimes you realize that certain relationships in your life are not worth fighting for, but for whatever reason, they go on, because you let them. You don’t want yourself to be like them, so you do your part; even when they don’t do theirs. All that leads to is frustration, and the occasional cryptic portion of a blog post. I am just wondering what I will do next time they take it upon themselves to call. Perhaps I will just let it go for months on end, as it seems they prefer to do themselves; or maybe I will do what I did this time, and just suck it up, and sit through another fake attempt to maintain something that isn’t really there in the first place. Oh well… we’ll see. Relationships can really take it out of you. Thank God for the good ones.

I spent a lot of money yesterday and goodies that made me feel better. Sometimes, you just gotta pull out that card and swipe it. I am glad that I did, but I need to calm down. This is kind of a suggestion and a reminder of that need. Retail therapy! WOO!

Finally, I just want to say this, if you watch 24, were you not extremely excited that Martha came back this week? Even more than that, can you BELIEVE what she did to Logan?!?!? I LOVE YOU JEAN SMART!!!! YAY! Also, if that Sanjaya Malakar makes it through, I will be PISSED. Melinda, girl, you are my favorite, and I hope you win. Lastly, I wouldn’t mind having a three-way (or a four way if James wants in) with Chris Richardson and Blake Lewis. Those boys are hot AND they can sing!

Hope everyone is having a great hump day! That’s the run-down! I’m out!

civil rights, is it just me?, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, podcast, politics, venting

POPcast episode 2, more soldier nonsense, and why Fox “news” is evil

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A few weeks ago, I recorded the second episode of the Atlanta POPcast; a podcast where I highlight music that I want to get the word out about. As of yesterday, that podcast is now up, and ready for you to download, listen to, and enjoy!! Make sure you check it out. In this episode, I expose you to the greatness that is Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens, and Jamelia, as well as a few fantastic singles. If you are hankering for some new pop music, this will definitely wet your appetite! I hope you enjoy my podcast, and know that I am already getting materials ready for episode number 3! I never thought I would like doing this, but it totally encourages me to find new music, as well as lets me share music I love with all of you. I am having fun with this, ya’ll!

Alright, seriously, I read this today, and I really hope that it is an awful farce, or at best, an extreme exaggeration. If they are really sending troops that are deemed unfit for battle back to Iraq, that is unacceptable. I am disgusted and appalled that the soldiers that are risking their lives in this war are continually being treated so badly. I never thought that it was so dreadfully awful to be in the military (well, I definitely don’t want to be in it myself), but unfortunately, I am being shown more and more everyday what an awful position it must be for those that have no other choice but going into the military. Those that choose to serve our country deserve much more than respect, they deserve to receive our fucking support already. Shame on anyone that had anything to do with this, as well as the other injustices that continually come to light about the troops. I just can’t believe that serving your country seems to get you continually shit on. It doesn’t have to be that way, and it has got to change.

Finally, THIS is the reason why Fox “news” is not ever going to be right, unless you follow that “right” with “wing” and “propaganda”. Seriously, I have said it before, and I know that at least one person watches this program for his news, and I just don’t get it. This is an organization that “predicted” the election back in 2004, and as a result, threw a huge fuck up in the air, causing doubt, and an eventual turn of events. Making the false into something true is what Fox “news” is really good at. If you don’t want to be given false information, steer clear of Fox “news”, please. And if you do watch/read it, I hope that you are intelligent enough to question things that don’t seem to add up, especially when they are the opposite of what the rest of the media is saying. And get over this “the media is leftist liberal” bullshit. It isn’t.

flickr, is it just me?, mixed media, movie musings, photography

300, daylight savings time, flickr musings, and one BRIEF word about AI

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First of all, 300 opens today, and I want to start by saying that I have been waiting for this movie since I heard it was even being made. Needless to say (not to say how it happened, or when I have seen it… tee hee hee), I was completely blown away. The visuals are visceral and intense. The bodies of the men and women in this movie go beyond toned, and into the realm of sculpture. The acting is top notch, and the cinematography is at a minimum breath taking. This movie truly is an orgy for the eyes. The fighting and the special effects used in this movie put much of the other stuff I have seen to shame. I also find it completely fascinating that this is loosely based on a real battle, the Battle of Thermopylae, where king Leonidas, king of Sparta stood to protect his people. These men held an amazing level of courage and insane sense of loyalty, if you ask me, and it is eloquently portrayed in this film. As someone who loved Sin City, knowing that this was based on (as well as worked on by him as well) Frank Miller’s graphic novels of the same title, I was not only excited to see this, I was extremely pleased that the movie delivered, and I loved what I saw. Frank Miller is a force to be reckoned with, and if this is the type of thing we can expect from his projects in the future, I commit to have my eyes and ears peeled to whatever move he makes next. 300 is everything I hoped it could be, and more. The actors are beautiful (seriously, Gerard Butler is hot, but in 300? I mean, goddamn. And you lesbians… Uh, Lena Headey? WOW! She also wins the award for women’s lib in this movie). The fighting is epic. The special effects are unreal. The movie, is a beautiful triumph. Full 6 out of 6 stars (, folks; this one is NOT to be missed. You MUST see this in the theaters for yourself. This is what movies should be like. Wow.

Daylight savings time (DST)… seriously… Why do we do that anymore? I know, I know, gain an hour of daylight in the evening, shift it in the morning later in the year; but based on the headache that it is causing a lot of people this year, I ask, what is the point? There has been a criticism of the importance of this practice since its inception, and I just wonder if this criticism deserves more investigation. I for one don’t think that it serves much of a purpose, because it is really only one hour. Eventually, the day grows longer or shorter, regardless if time jumps forward or backward that one hour. So why worry about it?

Also, I wanted to put the word out, that I created a flickr group called Holy Cow!!!, and hope that you will join me. Now, I usually don’t get that excited about flickr groups and whatnot, but I am excited about this, because I came up with idea, basically, because of the lack of such a group. I think that it is cool to have a flickr group where we can put photos that we find astonishing, and even post those of our own that make us go “holy cow!” when we see them! Isn’t that fun? If you aren’t a member of the group, now’s your chance, go here and join up! I want to see how many people and how many awesome photos we can get involved.

Finally, and I promise this will be brief; HOW IN THE FUCK did Sanjaya Malakar make it into the top 12??!?!?!? I am serious people, I am not trying to be mean to the kid, but he can’t hold a candle to anyone on the show. If you don’t care about American Idol, please disregard this vent, and go on with your day. Thank you.

Well, that’s about it for me. Have a good weekend everyone! I am going to see 300 again tomorrow! You should too!

mixed media, music musings

two boys named matt

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Well, close enough anyway; one of them has two T’s, and other one only one in his name. But that doesn’t really matter.

I have been in a rock mood lately, and I was lucky enough to stumble on two great CDs that I had to share with you; after all, I like sharing music when it’s good. I encourage everyone else to do the same. I know I appreciate finding new music, and definitely appreciate hearing about it from others as well. Now, onto the music.

The first CD, Nothing Left To Lose, is the second CD by Mat Kearney (obviously the one with only one T). I discovered him by randomly seeing his video for the song “Nothing Left To Lose”, and I loved the song enough to snag the CD. And after a few listens, I can say that I am in love with it. I love his voice, because it is soft and sweet to the ears; all the while maintaining a worn, harder undertone. He sounds a lot (vocally, that is) like a mix between Chris Martin from Coldplay, and Adam Duritz from The Counting Crows; but has a little bit of that hip-hop funk Jason Mraz likes to throw down (without the cockiness). His sound is sort of light pop-rock, but sometimes has an interesting blend of folk sounds with some hip-hop beats and rap-lite singing. The whole CD is definitely a good listen, and is one that I find myself craving a lot lately. A few of the songs are so infectious, I find myself waking up with them in my head. With the initial praise aside, I must say that the more hip-hop oriented songs were harder for me to get into, but after listening to this CD over and over for a few days now (I told you I loved it), I am digging the whole disc, start to finish. I was hooked on “Nothing Left To Lose”, and have been reeled into the rest, because, well, the CD is damn good start to finish. It also doesn’t hurt, that when I listen to his beautiful voice, I have a mental image of his beautiful face, and I just imagine that he is singing to me (*swoon*). All hail the hotness that is Mat Kearney; beautiful face, beautiful voice, and a great singer/songwriter to boot. I will have to see him when he comes to Atlanta, for sure. I am also going to have to pick up his first, more independent CD, because if this is his sophomore effort, who knows what gems may be on that one. I hope he gains more momentum, and gets a lot more attention, because unlike many artists today, he actually deserves it; and this CD deserves the full six out of six stars (). Standouts: Nothing Left to Lose, Undeniable (this will get stuck in your head!!!), In The Middle, and the beautiful, What’s a Boy To Do (probably my favorite).

Another CD that I have been spinning lately, is the new disc by Matt Wertz, titled Everything In Between. Since I reviewed the other Mat’s CD, I will start by saying that this Matt’s sound is a little like Mat Kearney’s sound, but without the hip-hop stuff. Also he definitely has more of a Mark Broussard quality to his music, as it is pretty upbeat, somewhat jazzy-poppy-rock (and even a pinch of country), and fun to listen to. He definitely uses more of a jazzy-rock influence to his stuff, and manages to create a mature pop-rock vibe with his stuff. There is a lot of guitar, mandolin, organ, and other great sounds on th CD, and his voice is extremely pleasant to listen to. For whatever reason, he really reminds me of someone, but I can’t put my finger on exactly who it is… I would say that he is probably a little bit Bebo Norman, Stephan Jenkins (of Third Eye Blind), and maybe a little bit of a less emphatic Gavin DeGraw; but not necessarily all of those things rolled into one. Either way, I love the slight raspyness of his voice, which really makes for some great songs on this disc. It is a little bit more rock-y than the other Mat, and definitely more pop, but that isn’t a negative thing at all. The whole CD is a good listen, and I like the ballads just as much as I like the upbeat stuff. Interestingly enough, I checked him out on allmusic.com, and he lists Jars of Clay as one of his influences, and he even started out by touring with them, doing Young Life concerts and whatnot. I find this extremely interesting, to say the least, because Jars have always been one of my favorite bands. Even though he got his start at religious concerts, I don’t think that he is a Christian singer, as he really doesn’t say anything about religion in any of his songs on this record, and, he doesn’t say one way or another on his website. Well, not that his religiousness really matters to me at all, I just thought the close connection to one of my favorite bands was definitely interesting. Overall, I liked this CD right from the first listen, and while I definitely like every song, for whatever reason, I’m going to give it a five out of six stars (); but not because there is anything about it I don’t like, it is mainly because there are CDs that I love, and this one falls just shy of that love. Either way, no need to split hairs, because it’s definitely good, and I am glad I discovered it. Standouts: I Will Not Take My Love, With You Tonight, Capitol City, and Carolina.

mixed media, movie musings

post-Oscar post

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So last night was the gay Olympics… I mean, the Oscars… and I spent the evening at a lovely Oscar party, hosted by my good friend John. There was a lot of booze, a lot of fun, and a lot of anxiety, as John had us participating in a Oscar pool for a coveted Target gift card. I actually fared quite well, as I ended up predicting 13 winners correctly (INCLUDING MY BABY JHUD!!!), which placed me in a 4 way tie with Barry, Rebekah, and Lisa. The shitty thing is, that John had decided that in the event of a tie, the winners would square off in Wii boxing… which happens to be the game I am the WORST at in Wii sports. I fought a good fight, making it through the first round and narrowly beating Rebekah, but I was crushed by the mighty Barry, as he claimed victory (and the gift card) in the end. I wasn’t sore about the loss, though, but for some reason, my jaw is really hurting today, and my voice is almost gone. I tend to get a little too excited sometimes (especially when my buddy booze is there), and apparently, I let it all loose during the boxing matches. I think it is hilarious that my jaw hurts, though, because I wasn’t even hit, it was VIRTUAL boxing! WTF is up with that? Anyway… Here’s a wrap up of the actual awards for the night, with a focus on my correct predictions (13 baby!): (The ones with the (*) beside them are the ones I correctly predicted, leading to my almost victory in the competition, for the night.)

  • (*)Actor in a leading Role: Forest Whitaker — Didn’t see this movie, but I correctly predicted he would win based solely on the hype he garnered for this movie. If you play a real person, and play them really well, you have a good chance of winning. Too bad hottie Mchothot Ryan Gosling didn’t win. At least he was nominated, though.
  • (*)Actress in a leading Role: Helen Mirren — no brainer. Seriously… She was a total shoe-in.
  • Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin — Holy cow! While I did pick Eddie Murphy, because I was sure he would win (See!!! I told you Norbit crushed his chances of winning!), I was really happy to see someone win for Little Miss Sunshine… MY favorite movie of 2006.
  • (*)Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson — OMFG LOL ORLY YES YES YES??!?11!!?!? I am SOOOO happy my baby Jhud walked out with the win on this one. How awesome is it that for your first movie role EVER, you snag both the Golden Globe, AND the Oscar. Work it girl!!! Her performance with Beyonce was awesome as well, with Beyonce COMPLETELY surprising me… But that is a different story.
  • (*)Animated Feature: Happy Feet — Haven’t seen it, but I somehow knew it would win over the rednecky Cars. Penguins are cuter than cars, ya’ll.
  • (*)Art Direction: Pan’s Labyrinth — I have been gushing about this movie since I saw it. It is amazing, and beautiful. Totally deserved this one.
  • Cinematography: Pan’s Labyrinth — Kinda surprised it wasn’t Children of Men (my guess), but I do love Pan’s. Glad it won.
  • (*)Costume Design: Marie Antoinette — I was really shocked that more people at the party didn’t choose this one… when I was watching this movie, I kept saying to myself, “wow, these costumes are beautiful and amazing”… and when I saw that it was a nominee, it was a definite pick for me. The Devil Wears Prada didn’t stand a chance!
  • (*)Directing: Martin Scorsese, The Departed — It was his time. Everyone said so. I believed them.
  • (*)Documentary: An Inconvenient Truth — Hell fuck yes. This movie blew me away, and it was something everyone should see. It totally deserved to win.
  • (*)Documentary Short Subject: The Blood of Yingzhou District — Um, I just picked this one, because I hadn’t heard of any of them. As I said last night, if it is about oppression or disease (meaning it has Blood in the title), then it will probably win. However, that doesn’t apply to movies with the word Diamond, also in the title.
  • Film Editing: The Departed — I guessed Children of Men for the same reason I picked them for Cinematography. It deserved it… I mean, COM looked REAL!
  • Foreign Language Film: The Lives of Others — *audible gasp*… uh, where’s Pan’s Labyrinth?? Seriously?!?!
  • Makeup: Pan’s Labyrinth — I went with Apocalypto… did you see the make up on those people? Okay… THAT’s why. MOST of the people in Pan’s were just normal people.
  • (*)Music: Babel — I haven’t seen it, I just randomly picked this one. Lucky me, eh?
  • Original Song: I Need To Wake Up (Melissa Etheridge) — While I picked Listen from Dreamgirls, because why nominate 3 if you aren’t going to at least pick one of them (!??!?!), I am super happy Melissa won… this song is great, and it has a great message.
  • (*)Best Picture: The Departed — I thought this was a no-brainer, but apparently, a lot of people thought Babel would get it. I didn’t see Babel, so I wasn’t dissuaded by it… The Departed was pretty good, ya’ll. Good enough to be best picture! HA!
  • Animated Short: The Danish Poet — I went with No Time for Nuts, because everyone loves that little squirrel from Ice Age. Well, at least I thought they did.
  • Live Action Short: West Bank Story — I picked Eramos Pocos, because I originally didn’t choose one, and had to come up with one on the spot. If I would have known what WBS was about, I would have picked it. Damn!
  • Sound Editing: Letters From Iwo Jima — I went with Apocalypto… the other film in another language. Oh well.
  • (*)Sound Mixing: Dreamgirls — Well, they have to throw them at least a few bones, don’t they? YES!
  • Visual Effects: Pirates of the Caribbean — I was kind of surprised, because I picked Superman… I guess I was the only one impressed by it. I was told by people in the room that the CGI in Superman was obvious, and not so much in Pirates. Oh well…
  • Adapted Screenplay: The Departed — I should have picked that, but I went with Borat, because of the love he was shown at the Golden Globes. Silly me.
  • (*)Original Screenplay: Little Miss Sunshine — Seriously, if it can win best picture, it at least has to be recognized for the brilliant story. YAY!

So there you have it… that is how I guessed, and I am glad that I did end up coming in first with a four way tie. It is just too bad that I wasn’t able to defeat Barry at boxing… but no hard feelings, Rebekah said that she took the gift card. HA! Hope everyone had a great Oscar night, and a BIG thanks for John for throwing a great party. Can’t wait until next year!!!!

all about me, happenings, mixed media, movie musings

the upcoming movies I want to see post

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I mentioned on Wednesday that there were a lot of movies coming out in the next month or so, and that I should probably make a list; so I am. After seeing some good movies recently, I realize that while I don’t really like to go to the theater (who needs it when you have a 42″ TV and a soft couch at home?), there is some stuff I feel like I have to see, without waiting for DVD; although, I am sure that I won’t see ALL of them in the theater… Here’s my list so far (listed in the order in which they are coming out):

  • Because I Said So: I will probably go see this tomorrow with John and the boys. It looks cute, and it has Mandy Moore. She is awesome, and that is pretty much any reason to see a movie she is in.
  • Ghost Rider: Now, I HATE Nicholas Cage with a passion, but I LOVE comic book movies. I will probably give in and see this one. I just hope it doesn’t suck monkey nuts; because it definitely has the potential to. And it isn’t a good sign that they aren’t letting reviewers see it before release… that never is, really.
  • Zodiac: Jake Gyllenhaal movies are always worthy of a trip to the theater. Seriously.
  • 300: Holy fucking shit I am so excited about this movie. I talked with Deb about seeing this at IMAX, because based on the MANY previews I have watched, this movie is going to be stunning. I predict it will make my best of 2007 movies list.
  • Premonition: I saw the trailer, and it looks like it could pretty cool. I really like Sandra Bullock too, so perhaps she will make this one worth seeing. I find the whole idea of someone dying, and you waking up the next day and it didn’t happen yet, as a pretty creepy idea.
  • Blades of Glory: I am going to seriously have to see some trailers for this; because it looks really promising, but also looks like it could pull an Anchorman (which wasn’t that funny). At least Ben Stiller isn’t in it (even though he is one of the producers), because that would make it a definite NO.
  • Grindhouse: Holy nerd’s wet dream, Batman: Tarantino AND Miller in one film?!? Well, it’s actually two films, but I am still totally excited. Rose McGowan’s character has a gun for a leg. Fuck yes.
  • Hot Fuzz: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost?!?!? AGAIN??? These two did Shaun of the Dead, one of my favorite movies. I will see anything they do. This one is a top of the list type movie.
  • Spiderman 3: Duh. No need to explain this one at all; I still can’t believe Venom is in it. Wet dream anyone?
  • Shrek the Third: The second one was better than the first one… will the third be better than the second? We shall see.
  • Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer: OMG. I was terribly excited when they announced this, and have been following it ever since. I really liked the first one, even though many didn’t, and can’t wait to see Silver Surfer in action!
  • Transformers: Alright… I’ll bite, but I am not going to be running to the theaters. I liked them when I was a kid, but not that much. I would love to see a Thundercats live action movie. That would be awesome.
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Duh again. Harry Potter movies are always must see movies.

Wow, that is a pretty short list. I was thinking that there were more movies that I was excited about… what am I missing? What are you excited about seeing? I am probably just drawing a blank on something, so let me know what I am missing, kids!!!

Also, totally unrelated, but I am FINALLY getting my camera; my tax refund was much more than I was expecting, and I am getting a digital SLR!!!! I have wanted one forever, and now I am getting it (just the body, though, because my GREAT FRIEND Deb is giving me a lens!!!)! Woohoo! In case you were wondering, it is the Canon Digital Rebel XT; but I am getting the 8MP version, because it is about $200 cheaper than the 10, and I don’t think there will be THAT much difference, you know? Still, I’m excited!!! Hope everyone’s Friday is rock awesome!