Pivot & Turn Around

Enjoy It (Probably Not)

2009-01-06T00:04:38Z

1. Venture Bros. Phone Calls - Dr. Girlfriend
2. Thief and the Cobbler Theme (Trailer Cut)
3. Me Lack Space... In the Spirit - Faust
4. Sister's Husband - Slim Cessna's Auto Club
5. Decline and Fall - The Virgin Prunes
6. It's Them - Themselves
7. Nick the Stripper - The Birthday Party
8. Moss - Big Hat
9. Dancing - Bauhaus
10. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) - The Moody Blues
11. Belle's Palsy - Reverend Glasseye and His Wooden Legs
12. Murs iz my Manager - Mr. Lif
13. Fiction (Second Draft) - David Mitchell
14. Got My Own Thing Now - Squirrel Nut Zippers
15. Akuma no Kuma - Sunn O))) feat. Boris
16. Last Day of School - The Wylde Bunch
17. Still Waters - Siiiii
18. Venture Bros. Phone Calls - 21 & 24

So...

2008-12-25T02:47:57Z

Merry Christmas

dole_crowner @ 2008-12-20T21:25:00

2008-12-21T02:58:37Z

A
- Available: Yes.
- Age: 18.
- Annoyance: GEEK RAGE (below)
- Animal: Slow things... sloths, turtles, pigs
-Actor: This is tough... I'm not the kind of person who follows this.
-Actress: Same as above.

B
- Beer: No thank you. The taste is okay, but I can't stand the smell.
- Birthday/Birthplace: August 2nd.
- Best Friend: Don't know?
- Body Part on opposite sex: Midriff
- Best feeling in the world: Being remembered. :)
- Best weather: I like the rain, to be honest. Makes everything smell nice.
- Been on stage: No.
- Believe in yourself: Sometimes.
- Believe in life on other planets: I believe it's idiotic not to. The universe is too large.
- Believe in miracles: Depends how you mean.
- Believe in Magic: Again, depends on how you mean.
- Believe in Religion: "Pfft, everyone knows religion isn't real." "What I think you mean to say is that GOD isn't real. Because religion is definitely real. There's, like, a Bible right there. Seriously, right there."
- Believe in Satan: Not literally.
- Believe in Santa: Not literally.
- Believe in Ghosts/spirits: Not literally. Figuratively for this one and the two above it.
C
- Car: That I would want? Weisman GT
- Candy: Not much of a candy person, really.
- Color: Yellow
- Cried in school: Probably...? Kindergarten?
- Chocolate/Vanilla: Vanilla
- Chinese/Mexican: Food? BTOH PLOX.
- Cake or pie: PIE.
- Country to visit: Spain.

D
- Day or Night: Day
- Dream vehicle: Weisman GT
- Dance: I CAN dance, but I don't.
- Dance in the rain? Sure.
- Do the splits? Almost front to back, not nearly side to side.

E
- Eggs: I like many kinds.
- Eyes: That I have? Grey. That I like? Blue.
- Everyone has: I don't even know what this one is asking for.
- Ever failed a class?: No.

F
- First crush: Sarah Yarmuth, 4th Grade
- Full name: Oxnard David John Allister Eldon Mitchell-Montalvo the Third, Esq.
- First thoughts waking up: It's Morning?
- Food: Even though meat is slowly leaving my diet, a great Philly Cheesesteak is hard to beat.

G
- Greatest Fear(s): In an immediate sense, dogs. In a "big" sense- not being able to pay for college, bankrupting my parents, not being able to find a job after college.
- Goals: Immediately- Obliterate the competition, become a much better artist in the process, and earn merit scholarships in the process.
- Gum: No thank you.
- Get along with your parents? Yeah.
- Good luck charm: My brown wristband

H
- Hate: Telephones piss me off hardcore.
- Hair Color: Brown
- Height: 5 10
- Happy: ...yes?
- Holiday: Halloween
- How do you want to die: Grandly.
- Health freak?: Not particularly. MOAR FILLY CHEEZSTAKE PLOX
- Hate: Didn't you already ask this?

I
- Ice Cream: Strawberry.
- Instrument: I only play French Horn...

J
- Jewelry: That I already wear? My brown wristband.
- Job: Hopefully, artistic director or production designer.

K
- Kids: Eventually, if I get married.
- Kickboxing or karate: Both are ghey.
- Keep a journal?: Not really.

L
- Longest Car Ride: 17 hours.
- Love: ...sure, I guess. This is another one I'm not sure the point of. I love... drawing?
- Letter(s): I love getting them.
- Laughed so hard you cried: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv_PghvwSio
- Love at first sight: Not that I've yet experienced.

M
- Milk flavor: Strawberry.
- Movie: Dawn of the Dead, Secret of Nimh, Immortel
- Mooned anyone?: No, for their sake.
- Marriage: Eventually would be nice.
- Motion sickness? Rarely, though, more often now than ever before.
- McD's or BK: BK CHICKEN FRIES BOB YO HEAD

N
- Number of Siblings: One
- Number of Piercings: None
- Number: I like lots of numbers. I think 2 is my favorite right now, though, historically, I've liked 4.

O
- Overused Phrases: I have lots of phrases I use too much.
- One phobia: Dogs?
P
- Place you'd like to live: I think I'd like Seattle or Toronto.
-Perfect Pizza: Stuffed crust, eaten with Kim & Maria's help.
- Pepsi/Coke: Neither.

Q
- Quiet: Some people think so, other people think I'm obnoxiously loud.

R
- Reason to cry: There are two movie lines that make me cry every time (in their respective movies).
- Reality T.V.: NO PLOX
- Radio Station: Tuesday nights, 10 PM, SAIC Radio
- Roll your tongue in a circle?: Yeah.

S
- Song: At the moment, "It's Them" by Everyone is blowing me away, as is "Thirteen Crimes" by Slim Cessna's Auto Club
- Salad: Caesar.
- Shrimp?: No.
- Skipped school: No.
- Seen a dead body?: Yes.
- Shower Daily?: Always.
- Sing well?: No, but I sing all the time.
- In the shower? No.
- Stuffed Animals?: Not any more.
- Single/Group dates: Single, though, I don't have experience with the latter.
- Strawberries/Blueberries: Dried blueberries, fresh strawberries.
- Scientists need to invent: A way to visually record mental pictures.

T
- Time for bed: Midnight, at latest.
- Thunderstorms: Yes, especially in the summer.
- TV: Not often.
- Touch your tongue to your nose?: No. Eww.

U
- Unpredictable: In some ways.

V
- Vegetable you hate: Asparagus.
- Vegetable you love: I like pickles a lot.
- Vacation spot: Not a vacationer.

W
- Weakness: You can make me feel guilty really easily.
- When you grow up: Artistic director or production designer... already said so.
- Which one of your friends acts the most like you? Carlos.
- Who makes you laugh the most: Kim.
- Worst feeling: Feeling like you're low-priority.
- Wanted to be a model: Hand model.
- Worst weather: HOT.

X
-X-Ray: Speks

Y
-Year now? 2008
-Yellow: My favorite color.

Z
- Zoo animal: Anything cute.
- Zodiac sign: Leo

Naw, I'll type this up later.

ALL THE REVIEWS

2008-12-11T00:09:28Z

I keep filling my time by watching crap online while working in studio. Let's run what I haven't yet mentioned down-

Duckman (20-some episodes) - A-
The Critic (a dozen episodes) - B
X-men Evolution (first season) - B
Wolverine and the X-men (first 11 episodes) - D+
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (first three episodes) - B

Believers - B+
Sukiyaki Western Django - D
Driller Killer - B
Metropolis - A-

Plus, for the heck of it, all the books I've read in the past 6 months-

Redwall - B
Mossflower - B
Mattimeo - B-
Mariel of Redwall - A-
Salamandastron - B
Martin the Warrior - B
The Bellmaker - A
The Outcast of Redwall - B+
Pearls of Lutra - A-
Long Patrol - B+
Marlfox - B-
The Legend of Luke - C+

The Setting Sun (Osamu Dazai) - C+
The Master of Go (Yasunari Kawabata) - A
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (Mishima) - B
A Personal Matter (Kenzaburo Oe) - B
The Box Man (Kobo Abe) - A-

Men, Women, and Chainsaws (Carol J. Clover) - C+ [ Part One: A, Part Two: B, Part Three: D, Part 4: C ]

So yeah, the semester is winding to a close really quickly. I'm totally done with two classes, and have one class period for each of my remaining classes. Last class is on monday. I have very split feelings about my first semester, and I'm trying to resolve them. There are certainly things I've liked and things I've disliked, but I need to sort out how much of it is reasonable, how much of it is temporary, how much of it may be positively or negatively influenced by living in the city of Chicago, or being around the people at the school.

The Song Thing Kat Did

2008-12-03T04:35:02Z

1. Mr. Lif - The Fries
2. And Also the Trees - |||Omen|||
3. The Moody Blues - I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)
4. Strangelove - The City Song
5. Eric Leonardson - Chase
6. Wovenhand - To Make a Ring
7. Slim Cessna's Auto Club - Sister's Husband
8. Themselves - It's Them
9. Darc Mind - Outside Looking In
10. Frank Ifield - She Taught Me to Yodel

And this-

YES

2008-12-01T02:32:35Z

YESSSSSS

WATCH AT LEAST TO THE 40 SECOND MARK

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 2008

Back

2008-11-27T04:07:10Z

Back in Michigan for the first time in more than three months.

It's kind of surreal, actually.

Also-

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/

It's ALL true.

dole_crowner @ 2008-11-19T23:11:00

2008-11-20T05:10:39Z

no replies for my mega post?

fine... I just show a video of a horse...

EDIT:

Also, I ate my first Chicago style hotdog today. It was fucking epic. I'm definitely doing it again.

Update Again

2008-11-16T03:17:46Z

Another Update

LJ-Cut isn't working too great for me, so I'm gonna have to do this all manually...

What the hell? James Lipton is 82? When did that happen? I thought he was only in his 60's. This is baffling. Apparently, he was born in 1926. 82 years old. Damn.

Yeah, this update will be random (and I hate using that word) because I'm writing it gradually over the course of like, 5 hours.

---

So, apparently, "Zutara" has not died yet. Zutara is the fan-made pairing of Zuko and Katara of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It has a rabid fan following, so intensely rabid that a small group of them are going to now be reanimating the finale, months after it premiered. The project will be using large portions of the canon finale, but will also be removing about 30 minutes (out of 2 hours) and replacing it with "Zutara-canon" animatics. The project, not yet completed, has gotten so much hype amongst Zutarians that Dante Basco (the real actor who plays Zuko in the real TV series) has agreed to provide his voice (though, he says he doesn't really support Zutara, he just supports fans).

A good illustration of how Zutara is NOT canon is this GIF taken from the series itself (season three, episode 2), featuring Katara and her canon love interest, Aang-

---

Unrelated, a more final version of my website will be up later this week.

---

In my Research Studio class, we had to make a project using a medium or material we've never worked in before. I chose to do sound, and I made a three-track EP. I think it's pretty good, given that I have no music experience outside of playing french horn (ghey) in middle school. That'll probably be up for download from my site sometime soon.

---

Sonny is planning on moving out for next semester, apparently. Doesn't bother me any, so long as I don't get stuck with anyone worse. Apparently, he wants a floor bed rather than the loft. Neither Daniel nor I will trade with him. His own damn fault. As an international student, he got here about 10 days before me and 5 before Daniel. He chose the loft rather than offering it to either of us, assuming it would be the best bed. After months of him bitching and whining about how hot it is and how inconvenient it is, he tried repeatedly to pawn it off to Daniel or I? No thanks Sonny, if you can find another dorm, go ahead. There are plenty of people who want a three-person room enough that they'd put up with being in a loft.

---

My CORE class is pretty damn awesome. We switched instructors a few weeks ago, and the new guy, Todd Pavlisko, is fantastic. He loves messing with people just for the hell of it, but he also seems genuinely interested in what we as students are doing. He's never once been condescending or patronizing, and sincerely has complemented our work beyond the typical "This is good, you know, for a student..." bullshit I hear from too many instructors. He's a lot like Korpusik... but, you know, arty rather than scholarly. He also has a really good taste in music. We (the class) spend a lot of studio time talk to him about music.

---

I'm getting more homesick by the day, I think.

---

aww, kitten.

---

I've been writing a lot lately, but none of it is serious.

---

Five songs I'm listening to now-

1. "Back and Forth" - Dr. Steel
2. "Cavaliers Har Hum" - Bombadil
3. "The City Song" - Strangelove
4. "Jigaboo Time" - The Pharcyde
5. "Moss" - Big Hat

---

There was a video-game tournament in my dorms yesterday afternoon, for a bunch of different games, but I was in Super Smash Brothers Brawl. I came in 2nd overall, which surprised a lot of people, because I never won a single match. The tournament was based around total number of kills, so even though I never survived longest, I always got a high kill percentage during my span. The tournament was fun, but intense. A bunch of people were playing MUGEN (a free, fan-developed 2D fighting game), so now I want to download it, but I'm having difficulty setting it all up. What's cool about it is that (being open-source) there's a ton of player-generated content available for download, including 600+ characters ranging from fighting game standards (Street Fighter, KOF, Guilty Gear, etc.) to original characters to anime, movie, and (non-fighting game) video-game characters.

---

Went to a birthday party yesterday night too. Relatively fun party, though, most people were drinking like mad. There was good lasagna though. And fun music. I met a cute girl, and I think she may be interested in me. She kept coming over to talk with me, and she said she wanted to hang out with me in the future. :)

---

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=665847

I literally "LOL"ed.

...

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY FACES YOU HAVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A HEART FOR EACH FACE

2008-11-10T04:42:32Z

I finally saw Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, as made evident by my entry title and LJ-cut text. TTGL, for short, is the most recent anime from Gainax, and it's been getting a lot of internet buzz the last year or two. I decided to finally check it out, and I respond with a resounding, "Okay". The series is split into two arcs, and the first arc (the first 16 episodes) is pretty fucking fantastic. Imagine if the director of FLCL and the artist behind Dead Leaves decided to do a remake of Last Exile... yeah, the first 16 episodes are amazing. However, the last 10 episodes (which take place 7 years later), are really... not good. Not essentially bad, but they lose a lot of what made the first arc great.

The first arc follows Simon and Kamina, two guys from a small underground village Jeeha where the surface is considered only a legend. Digging is the only passtime, the only job, the only anything for people to do in the village. Simon, a young boy, considers himself a digger. Kamina, a man who considers himself the Lord of the "Gurren Brigade", is searching for a way to escape the village and reach the surface. Well, the first episode is pretty damn explosive. A massive robotic bull-head breaks through the surface and into their village, along with a scantily-clad sniper named Yoko. Simon uncovers a tiny mech while digging and the group of three are able to defeat the massive bull, and escape to the surface.

From there, Simon and Kamina learn that humans on the surface are plagued by attacks from beast-men who pilot enormous, face-dominated robots. Kamina captures one such robot, and he and Simon (along with Yoko) decide to journey to find the beastmen's base and defeat them once and for all.

This arc is really damn awesome. Intense, insane action sequences and a nice dose of overblown comedy, all parodying action in an over-the-top way. Everything is great about the first arc, really. The animation is sharp, the writing is strong, the characters are likable, and the plot progression is, well, progressive- every episode serves a purpose. The problems come when the second arc comes in to play- it isn't fun, it isn't funny, it isn't over-the-top epic until the final two or three episodes. And even with a so-epic-they-use-galaxies-for-shurikens final battle, the actual finale isn't very satisfying.

So... they really should've just left it at the first 16 episodes.

First Arc: A
Second Arc: D
Total Show: C+

Things are going all right here, overall. Snowed for the first time today, as far as I've seen.

My website it now up here, and is going to be updated with new content and pages weekly.

Now that he's president...

2008-11-06T03:12:41Z

Time for MOCKING.

It's true.

2008-11-01T12:56:55Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeYOdgwByLc&NR=1

lul.

That One Survey

2008-10-29T15:19:29Z

LETTER A

Are you bored? Sort of. In Art History.

What were you doing at 10:00 pm last night? I was at home, watching Suspiria.

Ever been swimming in a lake or river? Yes.

What's irritating you right now? We switched "rotations" in Core Studio, and my new teacher is sort of cool, mostly annoying.

How many different houses have you lived in throughout your life? Two.

What is your name if you spell it without the letters "e" "y" and "t"? David. lul.

If someone doesn't like you, it’s usually because? They were probably annoyed by some singular habit of mine.

What color cell phone do you have? Black.

Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning person, I suppose, but I can stay up late when I choose.

Where is your cell phone? Left front pocket, by my wallet.

What time did you go to sleep last night? In bed by 11:00, reading until midnight.

Who's the 1st person on your missed calls list? Nick, but I'm not sure which one.

Background on your cell phone? An illustration I did a while ago.

What are you doing this weekend? ~~FUCKING THESE TWO CHICKS COMING OVER TO MY PLACE~~. Hanging out with Kat & Maria and not doing any studio work, no matter what.

Do you consider yourself a study freak? No.

Last place you took a plane to? Washington DC, from London.

Are you different now than you were six months ago? Probably. I shave with a razor now.

Do you usually tell people when your mad at them? No.

Recently kissed anyone with the name starting with R? ~~YEAH, LIKE, 20 DIFFERENT PEOPLE, LIKE ROGER AND RIA AND RASHOMON~~. No.

Do you think you are an argumentative person? Yes, probably. I'll sometimes argue with a person I agree with solely because of the way they made their point.

Will next weekend be a good one? Yes.

How did you feel when you woke up today? Okay, but I should've gone to bed earlier.

Is anyone on your bad side right now? Not specifically.

Do you regret anything you have done in the past three months? Yes.

Who is your first speed dial besides voicemail? I don't used speed dial, really.

Your favorite number? I can never decide.

When was the last time you had your hair cut? July.

Do you tell your parents everything? No. I sometimes feel guilty about my frustrations with the school and people here, so I often don't tell my parents.

When you go to the beach do you swim or lay out more? I haven't been to the beach in, like, 3 years.

Do you think Starbucks is expensive? Yes, but it's not as bad as many people like to exaggerate.

Are you named after a family member? Sort of? My middle name is my Dad's first name.

Done anything illegal lately? Not to my knowledge. ~~Other than the usual- kicking puppies, organizing hobo fights, masturbating to child porn, you know, the usual.~~

Where did you sleep last night? Same place as usual.

Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk? Strawberry milk is better than either, but chocolate is better than plain.

Do you sleep on your stomach? Either, or on my back, depending on my mood.

Are there any stressful situations in your life? Yes, but everyone will say yes to this.

What's the last thing you ate? Cereal & milk..

Can you sleep in jeans? Ew, no. I sleep in pajama pants.

What is something you just don’t understand? The way some people act.

Who was the last person you were in a car with except for family? Shit, it's been months...

Where were you at midnight last night? In bed. I already answered this one.

Is there someone on your mind that shouldn't be? Maybe? I don't know exactly.

Do you think you'll be married in 10 years? Probably not.

What do you look forward to in the next 3 months? Being back home, being done with (certain) classes.

When was the last time you gave/were given flowers? Given to someone else? Beginning of September, for my mom. Given to me? Never. :(

Where did you get the shirt you are wearing? British Museum.

Do you like winter? Yes, and it's hilarious to hear all the whiny bitches from Miami and LA squealing about how "cold" anything below 70 is.

Do you regret anything? Everyone does.

What are you doing tomorrow? Class from 9 to 1030, probably going to do some homework due next week, finish a project for friday, then class from 6 to 9.

Honestly, what's on your mind right now? Mosques (in class right now), the internet, money, people.

Do you think a lot of people think bad things about you? No. I don't have many friends (only one person who I'd really call a "friend" here, and a dozen or so other people that I like and talk to in-class), but I don't think anyone dislikes me.

What are you feeling right now? Pretty good. Still riding on positive feelings from a good critique on monday.

How did you get the idea for your livejournal name? From the opening line of one of my favorite songs, lyrically. The full opening line is "This dole crowner gallows me".

What time were you born? Sometime mid afternoon, around four, I think.

What song are you playing now, or wish you were playing? I sort of want to listen to "Cavaliers Har Hum" by Bombadil, sort of want to listen to "Last Day of School" by the Wylde Bunch.

Has the death of a celebrity ever made you cry? Nope. Doesn't even register with me, really.

What color underwear are you wearing? Dark red, with white fleur du lis.

Do you want a baby? If I ever get married, yes.

What does your mom do for a living? Substitute teacher/community service organizer/home-maker.

What does your dad do for a living? Defense attorney/Serves on boards and councils and whatever.

What is your pet's name? ~~Sunny~~.Well, he's kind of like a pet. A retarded dog, kind of.

What color are your bedsheets? Grey.

What was the last concert you attended? Never have.

Who was with you? No one

What was the last movie you saw? In theaters, London to Brighton. On my laptop, Suspiria.

Who do you dislike most at this moment? Not sure. I'm pretty chill right now.

What food are you craving right now? Greasy mexican food.

Did you dream last night? No.

What was the last tv show you watched? Pushing Daisies.

What is your fave piece of jewelry? My leather wristband.

What is to the left of you? A chair with my coat and bag.

Who is your best friend of the opposite sex? No single answer would be wholly accurate.

What shampoo do you use? ~~CHOCOLATE RAIN~~. Strawberry shampoo.

Are you on any meds? No.

Do you have a mental disease? I think I have mild autism.

What shirt are you wearing? Grey long-sleeved undershirt, black rosetta stone t-shirt.

What time is it? 10:14 AM

What color is your razor? Black.

What is your fave frozen treat? ~~FROZEN HAM~~.Not sure, exactly. Depends on how you define it.

Are you sexy? No.

Whats your favorite shopping store? Tough to say. I like Best Buy a lot.

Are you thirsty? ~~CHO-HO-HOCOLATE RAIN~~. Not particularly.

Can you imagine yourself ever getting married? Maybe, but not likely.

LETTER B

The Coming Weekend

2008-10-27T02:25:42Z

Will be awesome.

B4 that, updates-

- I've ceased to view Sunny as a human being, but not in a cruel way. More in the way of that his antics make him feel more like a character, in my mind, rather than a real person.

- I've seen some good movies lately, in class and at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Snow Country was full of lulz, Mishima was fucking intense, and Woman in the Dunes was damn fantastic. Courier was the most Russian movie I've ever seen, and London to Brighton was pretty sick (but it was trying to be). The Thief and the Cobbler was just an outright masterpiece. On the negative side, An Inconvenient Truth still sucks, and Dead Alive was surprisingly bad.

- It's lucky for me that you, Maria, didn't come this weekend. Today (Sunday) and yesterday, I worked about 20 hours in studio on a project for monday. More positive yet, I BUILT A FUCKING ROBOT.

- The new season of Pushing Daisies is damn fantastic. New season of Ugly Betty is horribly hit-or-miss, and it's leaning more towards the miss.

Okay, for the upcoming weekend-

This will be the post for filling me in with all the adequate information so my paranoid mind can lay at rest. Who is staying where, when we meet, what to plan for, etc.

UNTIL IT BLEEDS FROM ITS MOUTH

2008-10-19T15:23:49Z

http://www.rollingrazor.com/?c=183

HOLY SHIT THIS IS AWESOME

The website goes so far as to compare shaving to Zeus throwing lightning bolts.

The Dark Buzz Knightyear

2008-10-05T13:22:32Z

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1832397

Yeah, I LOL'd

dole_crowner @ 2008-09-25T01:34:00

2008-09-25T16:43:52Z

I'm not really a shipper, but here it goes.

Six ships you're into right now
1. Katara / Toph ( sorta hot, sorta rape )
2. Richard / The Mord-Sith
3. Gene / Melfina
4. Ichiro / Panda-ikon (Nerima Daikon Brothers)
5. Dean / Triana
6. Ned / Charlie (Pushing Daisies)

Three ships you liked, but don’t like anymore
7. Danny / Sam
8. Robin / Starfire
9. Ty Lee / Mai

Four ships you never liked
10. Roger Smith / R. Dorothy Wainwright
11. "Zutara" (Zuko / Katara)
12. Harry Potter / Anyone
13. Shinji / Asuka

Two ships you're curious about, but don’t actually ship
14. Beastboy / Raven
15. Ty Lee / Azula... for real, something was going on. I swear.

Why do you dislike #11 so much?

To be honest, it's mostly the fandom. Zutara, which has always been non-canon, has a MASSIVE fan following, and Zutarans tend to be total idiots. They're also kind of militant... since Avatar's series finale, I've heard a lot of Zutaran rants about how the creators "betrayed the fans" and whatnot. The obsession with the pairing is also absurd in my mind. There was once a 4-hour fan-made documentary on Youtube that was meant to "prove" how Zutara was "correct" and how the story's writers were "wrong".

Who is someone you know that ships #14?

It's a minority, but yeah, I've met people who support Raven / Beastboy.

What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?

The series finale...?

Which is your favorite moment for couple #1?

Katara and Toph? Probably their "girl's day out" during "Tales of Ba Sing Se".

How long have you been following couple #6?

Since the show started, I suppose. Pushing Daises always succeeded in making Ned and Charlie immensely likable characters.

What's the story with #8? What made you stop liking them/caring?

Starfire just got annoying as fuck. Or as she'd say in her broken English, "Did I get as annoying as "the fuck"?"

You have the power to make one ship non existent. Choose from #10 or #12.

12, Harry Potter with anyone. I'd honestly prefer if he ended up alone. Or died.

Which ship do you prefer #2 or #4?

Probably #4. Ichiro and Pandaikon are an absurd pairing, but there's something inherently right about it. Richard with the Mord-Sith seems... immoral, in a certain way. In the context of the original story, particularly with the events of the third book.

What interests you about #15?

Ty Lee being a lesbian always seemed to be a general undertone of her character, even though she often flirted with male characters. Her relationship with Azula always seemed like an unspoken romance.

Why did you stop liking #7?

The Danny Phantom storyline is essentially just a retelling of Spiderman themed around ghosts. Danny ending up with anyone... well, it just seems irresonsible. Especially being so young. Balancing a romance, schoolwork, and being a superhero? Spiderman always hit the concept well- Peter would either leave his girlfriend, or she'd die because of him. He can't have everything.

What’s a song that reminds you of #5?

I want to say something gothy, but there aren't any cute romance songs in the genre... For Dean and Triana, I'd probably say "Person to Person" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

If you could have any of these two pairings double-date, who would it be?

Ned/Charlie with Dean/Triana.

Have #2 kissed yet?

Yeah, but it's creepy as hell when he does.

Did #4 have a happy ending? If the show hasn't ended yet, do you think a happy ending is likely?

I don't know... never saw the ending to Nerima Daikon Brothers.

What would make you start shipping #14?

The relationship of Beatboy and Raven has been hinted at in the comics, but I never went too far into them. I suspect that if I read further, I'd support it more. The Beastboy of the comics is more mature than that of the show.

If only one could happen, which would you prefer, #2 or #6? (

#6

;_;

You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?

Roger and Dorothy... I would probably have the stay the way they are now.

Which do you dislike the most?

Zutara. For real, those fans remind me why I hate fandom. They're condescending, hypocritical, and for the most part, they can't support their ship worth shit despite claiming that it's SO obvious and SO real.

Which of these ships do you love the most?

Dean and Triana, or Ned and Charlie. Both couples are just cute.

Moar

2008-09-22T22:14:00Z

Saw Beautiful Losers on friday. It was good. The director was there afterwards for Q&A, which was alright. I liked that the film remained neutral, unlike a lot of modern documentaries which are too invasive, in my opinion.

Worked in the woodshop Saturday, which was nice. Without even having planned it, 3 of the 5 people I've gotten to know and like here were working in the woodshop at the same time as me. Later in the day, I went to a music sale at some Chicago library. Everything there- CD's, vinyl, and books too- was $1. I bought 9 albums for $9, most of which I'll probably resell for $2-$3 at Reckless Records. Chilled the rest of the evening.

Yesterday was laid back too. I went shopping and got some good deals (groceries, that is). I worked on some projects throughout the afternoon, then there was a teaparty on my floor, which was nice.

...

Boring update, yeah. Here's another picture-

Web Comics

2008-09-15T03:02:20Z

Before moving on to web-comic reviews, I'll interject-

I downloaded and watched "Salo: 120 Days of Sodom" and "Poultreygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead", and I have to say, I was disappointed by both. "Salo" was a decent movie, but it was far more boring than it should've been. It had a fair number of fantastically acted and directed scenes, but the whole thing felt aimless. "Chicken Dead" on the other hand failed because of poor writing. It got a very good reception earlier this year, but really, it was a very dumb comedy. There are a number of song sequences which are absolutely hilarious and brilliantly written, and once the zombies show up, it gets damn good. Unfortunately, there are only 3 or so songs and the zombies show up, like, 20 minutes before it ends.

webcomicslol

F@nboys ( fanboys-online.com )

F@nboys is a very predictable video-game webcomic. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It makes jokes about all the same games, features all the same cliche cast members, and features pretty generic art (for the most part; the art improves in the most recent 100 or so strips). Following a Playstation fanboy and a Nintendo fanboy, and an Xbox fangirl who shortly moves in with them, the comic walks a very loose plot parodying all the major gaming releases and controversies.

If there's any one real positive to make this comic worth reading over others, it's the upbeat attitude behind it. The characters eventually grow very likable, and the author seems to support a view of "Let's all get along" in terms of the game community. Because of this, it makes all the jokes feel like light prodding from a genuine fan, rather than bitter ranting from an irrational fanbrat (i.e. VGCats for the past 2 years). The art is servicable, and it improves over time, and the simple plot is cute enough to give the jokes some context.

Bottom Line: B-

Platinum Grit ( www.platinumgrit.com )

Jeremy has inherited a Scottish castle of his family's. But he won't soon enjoy it, as he's being terrorized by any number of things- immortal relatives who want him dead, aliens, the Zodiac itself, an insane detective, an deadpan reporter, scientists, conspiracy theorists, demons... and worst of all, Nils. Nils is the worst by far because Jeremy lives with her, willingly. The long-running comic Platinum Grit follows Jeremy's various misadventures and the antics of the highly unpredictable Nilson "Nils" Kerr.

Platinum Grit is really quite unlike any webcomic I've ever read. Streamed one panel at a time, each issue (18 in total, so far) takes 20 - 30 minutes to read, but the "I only show you one panel at a time" direction makes the reading experience very smooth. The art is extremely strong, particularly in later issues, and very expressively depicts motion, depth, detail, and value. Writing is mostly very strong as well, though, there are some inconsistencies- in some issues, Nils is only immature, whereas in others, she's absolutely sadistic. Jeremy, in some, is something of an absent-minded genius, while in others, he comes across as being borderline moron. And so on. These issues are largely ignorable, however, due to some brilliantly written issues, whether it be for format (Issue 3, for example, is told through the notes of a incoherent detective), or in symbolic storytelling (Issue 18, for example, deeply explores Nil's character traits and flaws through a tale of her failed attempts to masturbate one random afternoon).

But I digress... it isn't perfect. Some of the story threads go on far too long, and Nils herself grows tiresome in a number of issues, particularly after her foil (Kate) is introduced. Certain issues feel like they're treading in deja-vu territory (to past issues), and the inconsistencies previously mentioned, paired with retcons, become frusterating.

It's a damn weird webcomic, and something quite unlike anything I've ever encountered. Worth reading, no doubt.

Bottom Line: B+

Wapsi Square ( www.wapsisquare.com )

Wapsi Square is, without a doubt in my mind, the best webcomic I've ever come across. Running for 7 (maybe 8?) years with a consistent release schedule (5 comics per week), I just got into this series in the last couple of months. Having now read through the entire run twice, I'm itching for each new comic to be released.

The comic starts out as a pretty basic relationship-based comedy, following busty anthropologist Monica, tomboy mechanic/musician Shelly, and an assorted cast of characters who live in the fictional neighborhood of Wapsi Square, Minneapolis. Early comics were simple punch-line affairs with pretty ugly art, but after a few dozen strips, the series began massive development. Featuring a clean and servicable art style (seen above), the series became a much more complex paranormal/drama... though, those two issue stay seperate. The paranormal comes in the way of a brilliantly well told plot involving the Aztecs, golems, Chimera, and time-manipulation. Really, the complexity of the paranormal/sci-fi elements present are better than those of most sci-fi/fantasy books I've ever read. The drama elements come in the form of complex relationship stories, which are written reallistically and intelligently; each character has believable behaviors, motivations, and reactions.

All this isn't to say the comic has abandoned comedy. The strip is still sharply written with a witty comedic edge, and Taylor's ability to weave comedy into the more serious drama elements is impressive in itself. Really, this is just a damn fantastic comic. Not much else to be said.

Bottom Line: A

There was another webcomic I read, the Dreamland Chronicles, but it's not worth mentioning. It wasn't very good.

Also, for the lulz-

I've found an absurd number of hilarious pictures this week.

Media

2008-09-12T03:01:06Z

Classes are getting better, but I honestly feel above most of what's going on. The only classes that I'm taking that I really feel like I'm learning from are the two classes meant for upper-classmen. The other classes are all fine enough, though, I'm getting tired of hearing people complain about the workload. Seriously, I was working more (assignment wise) during my laid-back senior year than I am now. To a point at which I feel bored many days. I've been working through my boredom with a regiment of movies and webcomics. So, you know, I feel the need to post opinions.

Cannibal Holocaust

Billed by many sources as the most violent movie of all time, I was a bit timid going into Cannibal Holocaust. Banned in more than 30 countries, infamous for real violence against animals, and known for the peculiar tale of the director getting arrested for murder (the courts believed that he had killed his actors, and he was required to prove they were alive and demonstrate how the special effects were done). But I have to say... not that bad. The violence against animals was pretty disgusting (particularly a scene in which thei decapitate and cut open a large live turtle), and was horrific, I'll admit. But everything else was pretty standard affair for the era.

The film's premise is that a group of documentarians disappeared while filming a new project about cannibals. The first half of the film follows a professor who is trying to find them; upon finding that they were killed, the second half of the film is the professor watching what video footage he could recover. The first half is pretty enjoyable thriller material, however, the second half is annoying. Sadistic in concept, the film crew basically just does mean crap to the cannibals (burning their buildings, raping villagers, etc.) until the cannibals fight back. Hell, you actually cheer the cannibals on as they consume the documentarians.

The film addresses some big issues about violence in media, and is actually smarter than people give it credit for. If you can stand the animal violence and aren't too phased by the era-typical gore, it's not a half-bad horror film. Historically important as well for it's infamous reputation.

Bottom Line: B

Fritz the Cat

Two controversial films in a row? Wow, I must be sick.

Anyway, Fritz the Cat got a lot of attention years back for being the first NC-17 (or, X) rated animated film in US history. To this day, it's also the highest grossing. Based on an indie comic from the 60's, the film follows Fritz, a smooth talk college-cat living in 1960's NYC. The 90-minute movie chronicles his attempts to get laid, get high, find intellectual enlightenment, fit in with black people, start a revolution, and live the American dream.

Its an okay movie. Not much else. Very fragmented, the film has a lot of social commentary on the 60's, particularly on race-relations (notably a hard-to-watch segment in which Fritz tries to be cool in a bar full of black people, represented by anthropomorphic crows) and politics. The film is really damn offensive, but really does say a lot about the era. It's not perfect though- the film is really broken up into disjointed segments, and most of them aren't as interesting as the first few. Not to forget mentioning that the animation looks like crap... But it's an okay movie, like I said. Worth seeing once, at least.

Bottom Line: C+

Heavy Metal

I should've known. This is, in fact, the geekiest movie ever.

Boasting how AWESOME and TOTALLY EXTREME it is from the first frames, Heavy Metal (based on a magazine of the same name) is a compilation of animated sci-fi and fantasy stories, all united by a mysterious evil orb, all set to an 80's metal soundtrack.

On the positive side, some of the shorts are really good. One funny short (to a point at which it might be parodying the rest of the film) follows a geeky teenager transported to a fantasy realm where he's a muscular demigod who has sex with multiple different women over the course of a few hours, all the while batting two evil overlords, one being a naked women (who he has sex with) and one a famboyantly gay man (who he beats the crap out of). And, oh yeah, this is another very "mature" film. Tons of violence, nudity, and swearing, mixed in with a dozen or so different art styles and narratives to match.

On the negative side... well, a lot of it, really. Most of the stories are really cliche and not very good, and the "I'm SO FUCKING EXTREME" metal soundtrack and pointless nudity make it laughable. Pass this one up, unless you really have a desire to mock 80's geek culture.

Bottom Line: D

Tekkonkinkreet

Okay, first and foremost. Ignoring everything else about the film, it has to be said strongly that it's fucking gorgeous. Using some of the most amazing backgrounds I've ever seen and chillingly smooth character animation, this film is really worth seeing JUST for the visuals.

Anyway, I remember when this first came to the US a few months ago. There was a lot of buzz around the title, however, it had very mixed reactions. I finally decided to just download it and watch it, just to see. Well, it's a mixed bag. The plot is servicable, but the ending largely pulls an "End of Evangelion" kind of "WTF". Most of the story, however, is well told, and it's a rollercoaster of a film emotionally. Fight sequences are some of the best I've ever seen put to film. When the film wants to be playful, it's really playful. When it wants to be serious, it's dead serious. If there's any one flaw in the whole mix, it's pacing. Each segment works (broken up into the four seasons of one year), but the flow is a little struggled.

But seriously, watch it at least once for aesthetic's sake.

Bottom Line: B

I was going to review what webcomics I've read, but I can do that later.

Oh, and Kat- I checked prices at the Gene Siskel Film center, Students in general to get a discount down to a price of $7. Better than the usual $9, but not quite as good as my $4. The films this weekend don't hugely interest me, but check the calendar ( http://www.artic.edu/webspaces/siskelfilmcenter/calendar.html ) for what you may be interested in. Next weekend, they're showing two that I'm interested in seeing, if you'd like to join me. On Friday, there's "Beautiful Losers", and on Saturday, there's "Hollywood Chinese". Both are documentaries. Descriptions are on the calendar page, but in short-

Beautiful Losers is about the impact of hip-hop culture (particularly old school, including graffiti) on modern advertising.

Hollywood Chinese is about how Hollywood has portrayed China, Chinese culture, and Chinese actors in the history of film.

dole_crowner @ 2008-09-05T02:29:00

2008-09-05T07:26:20Z

This made me laugh for like 20 minutes, because it's 2:30AM and I'm so damn tired that I can't fall asleep.

dole_crowner @ 2008-09-02T00:02:00

2008-09-02T04:59:24Z

I swear, if Sunny doesn't learn how to not be an asshole in the next three days, I'm filing a request for room reassignment.

EDIT:

This movie was badass.

EDIT 2:

At 2AM last night, he started eating chips really loudly. Like, loudly enough to wake me up when there's a wall between us and he's in a loft, and I'm not. Then I was kept up because he started watching "Live Free or Die Hard" at full volume of his speakers.

dole_crowner @ 2008-08-30T17:45:00

2008-08-30T23:47:08Z

It's often the little things that get me through the day.

Today I went to FYE to look through DVD's, just a bit of window shopping. They had some cool stuff, but I was really just trying to fill my time. On my way back to the apartment, I noticed a teenaged girl carrying several large bags in both hands. Immediately, I thought she was some prissy teen-queen with bags from Macy's or wherever, though, a quick second take noticed they were from Blick, an art supply store. She was headed towards the apartments, so I opened the door for her. I went next door to the Gene Siskel film center just to see what they had playing today, and shortly returned to the lobby apartment. She was waiting for an elevator, so I offered to help her with her bags. I carried them for her when the elevator arrived, down the hall, and to her apartment. She was a Japanese exchange student, I suspected from her English and the name posted on her door. After placing the bags down in her room, I said goodbye and began to walk off. She told me to wait a moment, and quickly darted into her apartment and then back to me in the hall. She gave me a small bag of Japanese candy, thanked me, and we parted ways.

It's little stuff like this that makes me think I'm going to survive (and tolerate) Art School. My Research Studio class pissed me off a lot on Thursday, and some of what we've bee doing and talking about in orientation (earlier this week) likewise angered me. The School touts its interdisciplinary and (made-up) "transdisciplinary" stance, and this seems to be reflected by what they're showing off in galleries and expecting of us in (the required) classes. Plainly put, I honestly think I'm above and beyond a lot of the "high art" they're so proud of. The symbolism-heavy installation pieces, the avant-garde fiber experiments, and all the other hipster crap, all with vague messages about all the same cliche topics- consumerism, second-wave feminist revival, China, solipsism, blah blah blah.

Maybe I'm just being contrary, but I think I'm already beyond all that. I was into that kind of art when I was 16, and I still like going to museums and galleries of it, but I don't want to make that crap, and I'm afraid the School is going to force me into it. If they feel the need to distance themselves from discipline with their "interdiscipline" and "transdiscipline", then I think I could safely call myself "postdisciplinary". The addition of the terms "trans-" and "inter-" were meant to mend the divide between disciplines, but ultimately, created new intellectual divides between the creators and their thought processes. The conditions under which a piece was created became more important than the provocative and evocative nature of the work itself, and worse, the conditions made aesthetic irrelevant in the face of intent.

If I want to create a piece, the piece's final incarnation is all that matters to me. I don't care about using body fluids as paint, and I don't care abot doing this in front of an audience. I don't care if I have to do it blindfolded, I don't care if I recruit children to do it for me. I don't care if I'm using watercolors, acrylic, or photoshop. How it was created and what it was created from are unimportant in light of the creation itself. I'll jump through no loops to impress people with how a piece came to be. And through all of this, I want my pieces to be visceral as possible. I want people to know what it means without having to formulate a hypothesis or analyze. I respect artists who do this, but symbolism is too often used as an intellectual figurehead to divide "the people who get it" and "the commoners". Deep ideas can be reflected by simple gestures, by simple imagery. The mind works independent of language, and a work that has to be "explained" already becomes too esoteric.

Until a time comes when I can create the pieces I want in the manner which I want, it will be the little things which keep be afloat. The occassional frusterated grunt by a classmate. Watching "Project Runway" with girls on the 13th floor. Buying onions and putting them into every warm dish I make. Flipping through the same paper sleeves at Reckless Records. The sound of rain. Meeting with Kat for the day. Sitting in the laundry room and watching horror movies on my laptop. Reading before bed. Writing just because I feel like it. Knowing that my other friends are waiting to see me again.

And now I post this, before I go back and change anything.

EDIT:

wut

http://store.digitalpraise.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=135

Huh

2008-08-30T14:12:58Z

Didn't see that coming.

http://host.trivialbeing.org/galleries/persia-aug12-jake-gyllenhaal-as-the-prince/jake-gyllenhaal-shirtless-prince-of-persia-05.jpg

The meme thing

2008-08-27T00:50:13Z

01. I've come to realize that my butt: is one of my least favorite parts.
02. I've come to realize that when I talk: I keep saying the same words over and over.
03. I've come to realize that if I love someone: I should do more to be with them.
04. I've come to realize that I need: To get over my hesitancy.
05. I've come to realize that I've lost: Respect for art school.
06. I've come to realize that I hate it when: phones ring.
07. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk: I’m not.
08. I've come to realize that money: Is a bother.
09. I've come to realize that my mother: Don’t have anything for this one.
10. I've come to realize that I'll probably always be: Lonely, most of the time.
11. I've come to realize that I have a crush on: Don’t have anything for this one either.
12. I've come to realize that the last time I cried was: Trying to get to sleep on Saturday, when my roommates couldn’t be quiet.
13. I've come to realize that my cell phone: Has the worst reception of any model available.
14. I've come to realize that when I wake up in the morning: I have a chorus of alarms ringing in my room.
15. I've come to realize that before I go to sleep at night: The number one thing I’m looking forwards to the following morning is breakfast.
16. I've come to realize that right now I am thinking about: In Art School, I’m dealing with all the same assholes as who I dealt with in High School.
17. I've come to realize that babies: Are still cute.
18. I've come to realize that when I get on livejournal: I don’t.
19. I've come to realize that today I will: Spend another evening alone.
20. I've come to realize that tonight I will: Have difficulty getting to sleep.
21. I've come to realize that tomorrow I will: Probably do the same stuff.
22. I've come to realize that I really want to: Get studio time.
23. I've come to realize that who is most likely to repost this is: …no one?
24. I've come to realize relationships: Make my day.
25. I've come to realize love: Is often too complicated.
26. I've come to realize my best guy friend: Don’t have one, really.
27. I've come to realize my best girl friends: Will keep me sane.
28. I've come to realize food: Is something I used to use to fill time.
29. I've come to realize that when I'm a boy/girlfriend: Not applicable.
30. I've come to realize girls and boys: Are mostly the same.
31. I've come to realize over the summer: I’m going to have to make my own fun here.
32. I've come to realize heartbreak: Isn’t just for lovers.