:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::

Merry Christmas!

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 4:39 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Lord of the Rings Rules ::

I saw Lord of the Rings (again) yesterday and I came away even more impressed with it the second time around. The fact that I was more alert and not suffering from jet lag probably helped somewhat but I can't help but like how a three hour and twnety minute movie can keep my attention rapt through it's entirety. It certainly didn't feel like three-plus hours.

It was a far more satisfying closure to a trilogy than most of the great trilogies of the past, even including "Star Wars," "The Godfather" series, and even "The Matrix." Like it's predecesors, the epic storytelling and in some cases the grand visual effects are there but one of the key differences with LOTR is the continued development of the characters throughout the three films. Most sequels eliminate character exposition and focus more on situational development but here we see the lead players grow and evolve as the story continues.

Or rather, let me put it this way: We likes it. We needs it. The movieses, it calls to us and seduces us. We likes the plotses, the effectses and all the candy for our eyeses! We try to to resist but it tricksy. We wants it, we must watches it. My PRECIOUS! RRAAAHHHHHHH!

If I continue to type I'll probaly give away too much (as well as give my readers even more reason to question my sanity) so I'll stop here. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you do.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 9:43 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Good to be home Again. I think. ::

It's odd to be back in L.A. Just weird. It was once unimaginable to me but I honestly feel like I'm on vacation and already looking forward to going back home. I didn't think this could happen after only three months in Miami Beach but I guess you never can tell. But it's not to say that I'm not glad to be back. I've already met up with some old friends and will see a few more in the coming weeks, and I'm certainly looking forward to going back to Newsong and catching up with everyone there. I wondered if it was just because it was just due to my lack of traveling but when asked how long I'm in town I catch myself saying "I go back home on the 2nd."

But it's something that's mostly in my head since I've otherwise enjoyed my stay. It started off the moment I stepped off the plane and got picked up by my best friend, who them drove us over a movie theater to catch the opening night screening of "Lord of the Rings: Return of the Kind." Yes, I'm a geek. I had watched the first two a few days before with some other friends back home (see? There I go again) just to get back in the mood to watch the final episode of LOTR. Even with my lofty expectations I was thoroughly impressed and entertained with the movie. I'll probably see it one more time before I leave.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 5:39 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Random Thoughts ::

Just a collection of random thoughts that have been circulating my mind today:

Today I said the last of my goodbyes to a couple of friends who are still in town but I don't feel like I'm going to miss any of them since I'll see them again in a little over two weeks.

I still can't believe the year is almost over.

The White House must be ecstatic at Hussein's capture since it will, to many people's eyes, give sense of accomplishment and success to this misbegotten war. Whereas Howard Dean must be thinking "s#!t, s#!t, s#!t!"

As long as we're on this topic, just how did President Bush convince everyone that capturing Osama Bin Laden - the Guy behind the 9/11 attacks - by invading Iraq was a good idea?

Last thought on this topic: Freeing the people of Iraq from a psychotic tyrant is a great thing BUT in the end, is it justified when the heart, reasoning, and mindset behind this war was at best, specious?

This connection at Starbucks is slow... like, 28.8 dialup slow.

My Faith during my stay in Florida has wavered between neglectful and need-based and yet... I still haven't been hit by lightening. Cool.

I still can't believe the 49ers lost to the Bengals.

On my first full day back in California, I am going to drive. A lot.

And I'm probably going to stop at a few In 'n Outs.

It's going to be nice to see the sun *setting* over the ocean again. Assuming the marine layer clears up while I'm there.

Seriously, I'm gonna do a lot of driving.

One possible reason for wanting to stay here longer is that my brand of humor is better received here than back in L.A. It seems irony and deadpan deliveries is an East Coast thing. My arcane references still remain an acquired taste, however.

For example, a group of friends and I were discussing what exactly investigators found while scouring Micheal Jackson's ranch. I said "any truth to the rumor that they found J.D. Salinger there?" Now, I thought it was incredibly clever on my part but, I kid you not, one could have heard radio signals from space the room got so quiet.

Did I mention that I really miss having a car?

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 7:39 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Headin' Home ::

I leave for Los Angeles on Wenesday and I can't help but feel very bittersweet about it. While I was, in retrospect, rather desperate for a change of scenery when I left, I certainly didn't expect to become so completely enamored with Miami Beach. And it goes far beyond the fact that part of me is little more than slacker beach bum, or that I've realized a lifelong dream of living in a city with the word "Beach" in its name (though I used to think it'd involve something like "Manhattan," "Hermosa," or "Seal"). It's mostly due to numerous intangibles that would be difficult to explain, never mind that most wouldn't understand anyway.

And before you ask, no: None of this has anything to do with a woman or anything. (Yet.) I just really like it here.

There's a certain energy, a dynamism, a verve, to this city I've never felt anywhere else. And it's exactly what I needed at the time and I'll continue to scarf up that energy as long I need to. Don't get me wrong, there's a part of me that will never leave L.A. but as for now I'm going to enjoy my new Home.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 5:52 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Quarters is Fun ::

While the school has taught me quite a bit in regards to commercial arts, it certainly hasn't made much of an impact in terms of augmenting my common sense. Or occasional lack therof (then again, artists were never very pragmatic).

Take Friday night for example. A couple of friends threw a party at their apartment to celebrate the end of the quarter. I woke up rather early that morning to get to work and I had to wake up even earlier the next day (7:00am... on a SATURDAY) so I figured at most that I'd make a token appearance, say "hi" to a few people, and maybe have a beer or three, and get out of there by 11:00.

So nightfall rolls around, I didn't get off work until almost 7:00, two hours past my planned clock-out. I decide to meet some friends for a late dinner. We didn't even finish eating until about 10:45 so at that point, my plans were revised to leave no later than midnight, which would still leave me with a comfortable six hour window for sleep.

So we get to this party and it hasn't even started yet. This being South Beach people don't start milling in until midnight, and that's when things start really getting intersting. It was at this point I realized how tenuous my otherwise well-laid out plans were. Maybe "1:30, 2:00-ish is feasable" I think to myself. Besides, that keg looked quite inviting.

Eventually, 2:30 rolls around and I've been deeply consumed in a game of "Quarters" for the past two hours. I've been on roll and out of the original six participants, one girl was extremely determined to end my hot streak of getting everyone else hammered while consuming very little beer myself up to this point. Actually, everyone else seemed to have it in for me but she was particularly vindictive. I should mention up to this point that this was only my second time playing Quarters in my entire life up to this point (the first time being, not coincidentally, at party thrown by the same people earlier in the year). The fact that I was completely and while she wasn't probably helped me a little. It was rather hilarious (for me) since I was been responsible for this girl's plastered state of being, despite her being a "veteran" at this game. Not that I'm proud of causing another's drunkenness by any means but considering that a lot of people came to this party intending to annihilate their sobriety, I didn't lose any sleep over it.

So back to the original point of this blog; I had to work the next day at 8:00, which meant I had to wake up around 7:00. Going to sleep at 4:00am the night before isn't the best way to successfully accomplish that. Now I did somehow drag myself to work and even clock in two minutes early but I was lethargic all day. It amazes me how this is a weekly occurrence for some people. And unlike me, they have hangovers to deal with. Ugh.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 7:46 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

I'm finally done with finals!!! I have to admit, it went much better than I expected, though not to say it was a cakewalk or anything but I'll take it. Thinking back on my first quarter of art school, it was easier than what I was led to believe. I have been given the reassurance that all following quarters will get progressively harder so I should enjoy this while I can.

One thing I couldn't anticipate was the relationships developed with certain professors. I have respect and admiration towards one, a feeling a of benevolent indifference (if that makes any sense) for another, and deep-rooted animosity towards a third (I'll probably expand on that later). I've also become friendly with some of the school's staff members, as well as the president (Ron Seichrist) of the school since I was one of the regular participants of Ron's Sunday Soccer before I started working. Not that I'm anything special since he's near-universally liked and respected. It's not so much that he's a pioneer in the industry, or a visionary who created a school whose curriculum is focused solely on the commercial arts, or even that depsite all his accomplishments he still manages to be a friendly, accessible mentor-figure, or that he's married to a pretty hot, yet intelligent wife who just happens to be co-president of the school (the last one is an opinion shared mainly among us guys). No, he garners much of that repect from the fact that he's in his 70s and still comes out every Sunday to run around with, and often outplay, the rest of us, most of who are a mere third of his age.

It's still surprising that I don't miss Los Angeles. I miss a few friends and certain aspect of LA that I long for (I could do an entire, fairly lengthy blog about not having a car anymore =/ Hell, I just might.) So as my return date nears, I'm left with bittersweet feelings; glad to be going back to the only place I've ever called home, yet I can't help but feel that the 17th is approaching all too quickly. I plan on thoroughly soaking it in, since I'll probably spend all of 2004 in South Beach.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 4:29 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Ugh, Finals ::

I'm smack dab in the middle of finals week right now and the only reason I'm blogging is because I really need to take a mental break right now.

One of the assignemts I did earlier in the semester for my Typography class was to lay out our names with an adjective relevant to ourselves, using the appropriate fonts, colors, and whatever else to convey the words used (yes, I'm paying $3500 a quarter for this). The word that I used was "arcane." Now, it's common knowledge that a lot of my jokes tend to fly over people's heads so I thought it was without irony that a few people, including the teacher, asked me afterwards what "arcane" meant.

It's nice when something you create garners exactly the type of response you intended.

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 3:30 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....