Blake City

Whatup

2010-05-17T19:26:00.002-04:00

I just had some hot and sour soup from RED HOUSE, a local Chinese restaurant. Now it feels warm in my belly. It was pretty fantastic as both nourishment and as a defense against this cold that's going around.

Afterward I ate a fortune cookie. It said,

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment."

I felt like this was meaningful but then sort of worried that I was twisting it to fit my own situation. But I guess thinking about life as an experiment is helpful.

The Suns play the Lakers tonight. It is summer now. There are a lot of books to read and projects to finish. All of these things are very exciting.

Winter break

2010-01-21T15:40:00.001-05:00

Is over.

Here is a video I assembled that represents such a time.

I have been using this Vado HD mini-camera (?) lately. The school loaned out to me as part of a poorly managed promotion/ contest (whatever) and strangely has not asked for it back. I've shot quite a bit with it, and become a little bit better at capturing/ predicting "moments", or just spying on people looking at porn on their iPhones on the subway. Among other things.

It is, as most of you know, a new year. I have resolutions and am sticking to them (at least the ones I remembered). My room has seen some practical improvements, like my new blue sunlight-obscuring curtains, and a padded computer chair. For the past year and a half I used a plastic folding chair. No wonder I've been having lower back pain.
I am looking for another bookshelf to tie the room together. Any suggestions?
I am also buying more frozen vegetables, on the advice of my mother, who believes frozen vegetables are actually often more nutritious than fresh ones. Today I bought pizza dough and pizza sauce too. Tiny, domestic victories.

In academic news, I dropped Narrative because I was getting bad vibes from the pre-class emails and don't really feel like killing myself for a movie. I'm taking Experimental Animation instead, which is an exciting prospect. I have plans of making my wilderness/prison break film in the summer. For fun.
I'm also taking a fiction class, a Melville class, and an International cinema class. All have met expectations, for now. We get to watch Syndromes and a Century and Spirit of the Beehive and some other crap I haven't seen, which feels useful.

The addition of Netflix instant to my life is a plus.
I am also trying to be more honest and learn guitar.

Here is another video I filmed.

High hopes and optimism 2010.

IN THE ZONE

2009-12-05T22:13:00.001-05:00

So I didn't end up getting the Advanced allotment the other day. I'm not too bummed, actually, except for when I talk to other people about it. If they seem upset, I too feel a strange responsibility to be upset. Like I'm not treating it seriously enough.

Listen, it's really not a big deal. I mean it. I'd rather you not feel upset about it. I genuinely think this is a blessing in disguise, and I will still make the film I want to make, and hopefully will do a good job of it. It just won't be in that class.

Luckily I've been able to bury myself in other work, which I am sorting through slowly and inefficiently (Story of my...). Storyboarding homework, a paper on Disney's WWII cartoons, and a life drawing assignment should be manageable. But three chapters of my memoir for my non-fiction class? What the hell am I possibly going to do with that? Have I even lived long enough? Done enough? Possibly the most excruciating exercise possible. Why did I sign up for this class? Does this post count?

I went to the Knicks/ Suns game with Sean Dunn on Tuesday, which was a huge bust for the team I wanted to see and an almost uncomfortable surprise for the other. Nash with 6 turnovers in the first quarter? The Knicks won, I spent the next day in an exhausted stupor, and except for picking up the new copy of Smoke Signals #3, it was mostly an unproductive mess.

Still fending off a general bitterness, I went for a long overdue session of basketball at Coles. It had been a month since the last Sports Team loss, and still being in a state of mourning I hadn't picked up a ball since. After struggling and wheezing my way through two full court disasters, in which I saw my athletic pride and functioning lungs flash before my eyes, I pulled out one impeccable game of pickup basketball. I'm a little out of shape, obvious from the first games, so in the third game, which featured some fresh and fairly high quality regulars, I made a concerted effort to use my energy wisely. I played economically, cutting when I had to, defending smartly, not crashing every board needlessly. I pushed the ball in transition and played patient offense. I shot the ball with confidence. I felt great. We ended up losing 13-11, but my stat line was out of control. I must have been 6-10, 2-3 from behind the arc, with a few assists and no turnovers. Team loss, personal win.

Pickup is all about these little, personal victories. Winning is honestly an added bonus, dependent on other, usually uncontrollable variables. The fleeting nature of the "team" in a pickup game and the expected lack of overall coherence leaves a player little to do but focus on their own performance, and their ability to hopefully contribute in a positive way. In a sense the best you can do is what you can do.

I'd like to think about my lack of allotment in the same way. It would be ridiculous and awful to gauge my being "cut" from the team as an absolute loss. It shouldn't even be thought of like a team at all. Why did I make that analogy? I'm being unfair to myself and the process and the people who did manage to get it. I'd like to take the progress I made in my story, in pre-production, in the good ideas I've slowly collected about the film, and hold on to them. Keep going with them. Find some avenue to use them. Small, personal victories.

After the games and a shower and the realization that yes, I did have to put sweaty socks back onto clean feet (forgot an extra pair), I emerged from the gym in a state of contentment that only fulfilling exercise can provide. I was tired and probably less spry but my steps felt balanced, my breathing focused, my movements deliberate. When I got to the computer lab to study and write, my thoughts moved swiftly and the usual distractions seemed uninteresting. I was in a zone of concentration accessible only to the physically worn.

Such is the reward of physical sacrifice. The bruise in my thigh has colored and grown and my legs were certainly stiffer the next day. But those are good, useful pains. Those will fade and, like any great RPG character, the experience will benefit me and eventually lead to an increase in ability. I like playing basketball because I like feeling like my body has been used. I like how good I feel after tough exercise, and how much more I wish it was a regular part of my life. I like feeling like I've done something.

Still working on the music posts. Trying to figure out good ways to talk about music, ideally with access to specific songs in the post. Anybody know a good embeddable mp3 player a la Lala or something? Right now I'm using youtube like this

"Call Me" - The Andrea True Connection

Upcoming music posts:
Kanye, Big Boi, Harold Melvin, and the narrative of a sample
The Andrea True Connection and the disco's bad rap
Panda Bear/ Animal Collective/ feelings of fear/ envy/ bliss
Nirvana
Big Blood
Pavement
Songs/ Albums of the Year

THE BLAIR DOODLE PROJECT

2009-12-01T15:49:00.001-05:00

Here are two improv doodle comics I drew with the endlessly talented Blair Zhou the other day. Thank her for the happy endings.

ARMS

MANS BEST FRIEND

BOB COSTAS...

2009-11-30T00:30:00.003-05:00

...makes everything seem like the Olympics. Right now he is doing Sunday Night Football and instantly making it the most important and inspirational event of the weekend.

Which, in this instance, is saying something.

I had a great Thanksgiving. Spent it with the Malone family of Yardley, Pennsylvania; M. Night Shyamalan country. Played a lot of Call of Duty 6 (MWII?), bought a lot of comics, slept. Rinse repeat. Spent Thanksgiving dinner with Rob's family on his mom's side. Oh Zach Feintraub was there too. I made a decent batch of cornbread, met some characters, fumbled through some social customs a la "Curb", and played far too many party games. Not the type of party games that are actually fun for all people playing, but the entertaining and annoying party games that all seem to take pleasure in their vicious exclusion. Games that make you feel stupid. Games like "I'm going to the picnic", the "Open/Closed" game, the "Indian numbers game", some other version of charades, "Umbrella", "The Green Glass Window", and then one game that involved a number between 1 and 100, some kid from Washington, and Zach Weintraub "blowing my mind". We never played that last one. But Bob Malone and Kaity Malone were super in to it, and I guess the general bitterness those games create is a small price to pay for memorable social interactions between strangers.

Yardley was relaxing in the best way. Rob's family was wonderful and even started making fun of me towards the end, which is just about the nicest thing a surrogate family could do to make some kid seem like he's at home. Tried to watch a couple movies, but never got through any. Saw half of Big Wednesday, Ultra Warrior, and Silent Movie, the end of Unforgiven, bits of Dead Snow, the beginning of Scrooged, and selections from The Ben Stiller Show. Nothing finished. Story of my...

No seriously, I blame it on my hip.

I don't know how many movies I can get through anymore if my hip keeps acting up. It really hurts to sit still in chairs, especially when I am putting pressure on my right side. It hurts and I always have to readjust for temporary relief. I feel like it's a pulled muscle but it's not getting any better. I also feel old.

The one full movie I did see in its entirety was Old Dogs, in theaters. It's relentless and retarded and surprisingly watchable. At least Bernie Mac was in it. Oops. I can't recommend it to anybody but my hip was magically cured for those 88 minutes, so in that regard it was a success.

I bought 66 dollars worth of comics in the last week, which I'm still sorting through right now. I really like some of the things I bought and really dislike some of the things I also bought. That's how hunting goes though. How else would I know what's going on in the often disappointing, occasionally extraordinary world of comics?

I guess I spend a lot of money movies I don't like. The ratio is probably worse actually, for movies, than comics.

Anyway.

POWR MASTERS - CF

Blew my mind.

MONSTER PARADE - Ben Catmull

Judgment Day

I find out tomorrow if I get the allotment in my competitive Advanced Production film class. A lot of people probably don't even know that I'm in Advanced, or I'm trying to make a live action short film, or that I'm even alive for more than one day a month. But yes, I am in such a class, and I am fighting to stay in it (By fighting, I mean twiddling my thumbs). My fate is in the hands of one stocky, bleary eyed, difficult to read Ezra Sacks, who is at times among one of the best things about NYU. However, he's gotten behind a couple of terrible scripts. Also he doesn't talk to me much. Considering there are only 10 allotments left for 18 students, and that a few of those students are certified "locks", I should naturally be feeling nervous or antsy about these signals, and this situation.

But I'm not. I'm not really that anxious.

I can't really relate my calm to anything other than the prepared acceptance of one's fate, in which I have not only gone through every possible reason why I would or would not be selected, but every emotional response to rejection as well. With all these options explored, any of the normal, accepted worries are now behind me, or beneath me, or at least somewhere out of sight.

I'm also enrolled in Narrative next semester. So I guess the film will be made.

doodles from Advanced

I am writing right now to remember how it felt, since it's been awhile. I apologize if it is of little consequence.

I think I'm going to write some stuff about music this week.

NEXT TIME: Chargers (8-3!), Suns (14-3!!), the crazy airport and suburban levels from COD MWII, the crazy nightmares I had from said levels, the mad brilliance that is the Mike'd Up Sports show on WNBC, the new "Indy" comic Rob and I are working on, the public access show I'd like to be working on, the Brooklyn comic book festival this weekend, the various movies I haven't seen and need to see, and my obsession with YahooAnswers.

OH LOOK WHAT YOU DID

2009-10-29T01:49:00.001-04:00

Sheesh.
Last post was something of a groaner. Remind me not to get that verbose again.

School is busy and constantly toeing the line between awesome and un-fun. I'm always doing things last minute. It's something I bring upon myself, and unfortunately its the only way I can give anything the sense of urgency it deserves.

Thank goodness I spent three hours today programming a universal remote, and reading Conan stories. Productivity gone boink!

The last few days have been really interesting, from the unironic and unexpected standpoint of creative inspiration. I'm not superstitious or anything but it seems like the stars have aligned into the formation of a giant, driving stick in my back. I feel a need and fundamental desire to get things done, to take action! Ah! Here are some of these influences, in order of appearance.

SATURDAY

Puppy whistlin

Kephalid, givin me a hard time.

SUNDAY

Saw this on the big screen. A truly "mad" film. Made me feel like a child in its scope and flawlessness. Also incredibly funny!

MONDAY

Andrew Stanton stopped by NYU, because apparently this is where Pixar children like to go to escape the evil clutches of their super cool parents.
He also happened to give a lecture on writing and story that, apart from being one of the most concrete and insightful storytelling lectures I had ever heard, absolutely blew my mind.

SOMETIME IN BETWEEN

Season 4. Yay/ wtf episode 1?

TUESDAY

NBA OH YAAAAA

WEDNESDAY

700 pages. He signed my copy of Breaks of the Game tonight. I told him "The best thing you ever wrote was the blurb on the cover of 'Breaks'." I don't think he heard me.

(The page above is one of my favorite all time passages in any print. How good is that anecdote?!)

Anyways, I feel good about work now and am excited to get stuff done.

~~~~

Sports Team lost its second in a row tonight, and it was winnable. We were within four points with 10 minutes left. Kinda fell apart.

My thigh is sore, and for some reason I can't wait for it to eventually bruise up.

I just watched Nash hit a game winning acrobatic left handed layup to beat the Clippers (ack) and now I'm going to bed with positive thinking. That's all anything is really. Thinking.

FALSE STARTS

2009-10-26T00:37:00.010-04:00

In the words of Charles Barkley, "turrible".

True, this blog has been nothing short of turrible in the last few months, which is, I'm not ashamed to say, kinda the norm for the internet (and me). I read a stat somewhere about blogs and unused blogs, and how close to 98% of all blogs were considered "dead" or whatever (probably because of lack of concrete statistical facts). Which makes sense. I guess it's a little inaccurate, considering 30% of blogs are Nigerian pop-up scam blogs, but it's still an important number. It also closely aligns with Blake LaRue's "98% of all his ideas go unmaterialized" stat, which he can unfortunately back up with hard conceptual evidence.

INSTEAD, I started keeping a sketchbook. It began sometime in 5/09, which is conveniently written with whiteout on the spine, and kind of petered out in September. I picked a little Canson one, mostly because Connie's always looked awesome, and mostly because it had a $3 rebate on it (that I never filled out). As my first major sketchbook, I didn't know how to approach it, and intimidated by the tremendous amount of the blank pages, I think the early entries are random juvenile musings made at the Astor Place Starbucks during my lunch breaks. They're some of my favorite and most pointless entries. I don't think you need to know what a sketchbook is about before you start it, because success is measured more in the persistence and discipline of the book than its achievement of some overarching goal.

The book, currently unfinished, ended up documenting a 3 month period of my life in occasionally shocking detail, mostly because of the dual responsibilities it assumed. I developed a tendency to write "diary-ish" entries along with the doodles, emotional and bitter and insecure ramblings that often overtook the feeling of the page. Text did end up pushing aside pictures for large sections of the book, as the more time I spent with it the more comfortable I became with dumping thoughts, ridiculous as they may have been (and almost regrettably honest).

But these are fun (or at least important) to look back on. They are so narrow minded, so focused on distinct moments and days, that they do everything a good diary should do: capture the feeling of a human being at an exact moment, without any perspective.

I guess this is sort of a longwinded introduction to my original point, which is that I want to start using this blog as a dumping ground again, and try don't feel bad about it being too much of "something". Blakecity, like many things in my life, has never quite worked out, and fell short as a cohesive web-experience. I can think of many words to describe it, and my attitude towards it, and since I love using loaded adjectives as excuses for behavior, I'll throw some out there now: restless, unfocused, inconsistent, disappointing, and just plain forgotten.

But this is a new post, you say. This is a sign of things to come. A green sprout through a crack in desert sand. New life!

I guess so. I want to make a zombie pun or something but I won't. I want to make this post more significant than it should be, but I won't (<--- this is the type of thinking that ruins blogs, and makes comeback posts so difficult). I won't even make any promises, because almost every idea I've "promised" to follow through with has failed reviews of everything I own, music videos of my youth, dream doodle contests, random pictures from my desktop, my essay on pandacam, etc.) So here is just a post.

To the right of this entry is a new feature on my website, called the Amazon widget box. To blogs with high levels of readership and influential cultural significance, this Amazon widget could provide some sort of revenue, but I'm expecting nothing of the sort. I like to think of it as an easy way to show things I enjoy with pictures and prices next to them (clearly the two most important characteristics of any item). I also like lists.

If I do update it I will post a few thoughts as to why I chose the items I did. If I fail to succeed at anything in life, it will most surely not be as a lover and promoter of all things I enjoy.

1) Michael Crichton. Pirates. $9. THATS ALL.
2) Raymond Carver short stories. I'm reading it right now so if you get it we can read the stories together and talk about them. The first one is really great and is about a boy who fakes sick to stay home to masturbate, hitchhike, and catch fish, in that order.
3) Because it makes me wish I lived in the backwoods of West Virginia. Short Stories. Author killed himself at 24. Very pretty writing.
4) On of my favorite longform comic books. It's actually all about the plants. Fantastic b+w art.
5) Melancholy on Mars, then more melancholy back home with Rusty Brown. Chris Ware: The greatest living artist? People will take classes on him in the future. If only he wasn't so sad...
6) The best series on TV (when Jackson Publick writes the episodes). An incredibly well animated and often hilarious one otherwise. Worth the $20 bucks for Dr. Killinger and Dr. Quymn episodes alone.
7) "2 for 1 special?" Where is my magic time machine that transports me to the world of this movie?
8) Early 90's Boston band. My favorite. The first 5 songs are the best cd of all time. The rest is cool too. But if I had to choose the best cd of all time it would be the first 5 songs of "On Fire" and the last 6 songs of "Today". "Galaxie 500" looks very nice in this font so I won't forget to write it.

9) How good are Nutty Bars?

wacky summer

2009-08-07T10:53:00.005-04:00

Bored with a brushpen.

My favorites are

The fisherman
The guy riding a Reindeer
The guy scratching his butt
and the pope

can you find them?

I'm in a state of reflection as I leave for home in a few days. Interested to gain some perspective on the last few months. Also really want to start writing my public access show.

I'm sorry Blakecity. It's just not really working out too well. But I know you'll be there for me so I guess I'll keep you around.

basketball and other stuff

2009-06-15T23:14:00.012-04:00

Hello guys

Hope all has been well. I'm doing okay over here. I'll be in NY until about August, and then San Diego for a bit, and then before anyone knows it Summer is kaput! and we're wearing jackets and long underwear again. Things seem to be moving so quickly now.

Frankly I find it a bit deceptive to be posting so sporadically (even if it is the summer) because it suggests that I've been off the internet this whole time, hanging out on the beach, partying, playing video games, finishing all the books and movies I've bought but haven't read/seen, eating mexican food, etc.

doodle, june

If only this was the truth. No, in reality I've been all up in the internet as of late, and in a bad way. I'm not getting anything done, eating a lot of Trader Joes nut mix, checking facebook in upwards of 10 times an hour but not doing anything with it, and, most productively, probably watching about two hours of NBA videos on Youtube per day. There's a lot of incredible stuff out there. Fascinating characters, specimens and freaks of nature, exciting calls and finishes, weird home video segments, snippets of stars out of their element, funny forgotten clips of players before their respective primes; it's a gold mine.

I'll get to more of these later, but recently I've been watching the entirety of the 1984 NBA finals, often called the best finals ever, with Bird's Celtics (before McHale even started) versus Kareem and Magic's Lakers. I don't know who goes through the trouble of posting this stuff in its entirety (something that could be asked legitimately for almost every web video, and is often explored by my good pal this guy). Anyway, it's a great series, and there's a lot to take in, from the presentation of the broadcast to how damn loud the crowds were and how good Kareem actually was. I could probably go all day but yeah I don't like typing.

I do want to talk a little bit about the NBA finals, because they happened, and I watched a lot of them, and sort of fell in love with basketball again in the process (see above).

It takes a pretty heartless, fair-weather basketball fan to just leap head- first into a month-long binge of game viewing, blog reading, thoughtful postgame analyzing, and constantly scrambling to find a TV to see said games, but that's sort of how it all happened. I watched a good number of games on shitty Justin.tv live web streams, which feels both diehard and pathetic.

All in all, I was really impressed with how the finals played out, and took on a whole new understanding about how the media tries to put together specific narratives throughout the playoffs to try and "establish" what these finals are "really all about". Which is mostly bullshit. If I hear another time about how Kobe "needed to win this one without Shaq" I think I'm going to vomit.

Thankfully, I won't have to, and there was definitely a wealth of just pure, good games throughout the finals that will sit fondly in my memory into the offseason (which I have taken a greater stock in). Other than the mega tease and premature ejaculation of the Celtics/ Bulls series, we saw a really promising first round victory by the Rockets, summed up nicely in this buddy comedy postgame press conference.

The streakshooting Magic were a surprise, and with Skip-to-my-lou, Turkoglu's ugly shooting, Rashard Lewis's Egyptian goatee, and Dwight Howard's twitter, a lot of fun to follow. I really became fascinated by Stan Van Gundy though. He has a brutal honesty in his press conferences which is weird, because his responses certainly feel nicer than packaged, programmed answers, but he does tend to beat his players up pretty bad.

In the end, I'm happy LA won. We saw three incredible games (2 through 4), a lot of bogus storylines crushed, Dwight Howard dealt a "learning experience", and a particularly awkward coach-announcer brotherly connection. But in the end, Kobe still needs the most dominant center in the league on his team to win a title.

This is one of the few times I will congratulate Pau Gasol. He deserves it; he absolutely punished Howard in the post all series. But he looks like a 6 year old kid in this picture. With a moustache. Gross.

In the next few posts, I think I'll talk about some of these things.
basketball
life aspirations
amazon widget
bicycle
things to discuss in the next blog
music
comics
mocca
subletting for august

And then, another doodle.

SCAN

2009-05-12T01:37:00.007-04:00

I read this comic called "Eschew" the other day, collected strips, good stuff. Find it here.

BELOW YOU WILL FIND

Some old scans I keep telling myself to photoshop but never do

Kinda embarassing, anyone want to go to some summer life drawing?

Just drew my summer to-do list on a napkin.
One listing read: "Do 3 comics"
Ya'll better hold me to it.

Big Baby can push whoever the hell he wants after hitting a shot like that.
Celts Magic and Rockets Lakers tomorrow hopefully I'll be done with school by then to watch some of them games.

TONIGHT WAS ALL ABOUT

2009-05-10T01:34:00.003-04:00

Face tattoos

No but seriously two great movies, go see em.

I'm going to make a concerted effort to use this baby more in the coming months and start posting some work and funny bits. Don't touch those dials.

Almost a tattoo

kickin ass

2009-04-06T00:20:00.004-04:00

I am a Cassowary. I can kick your ass.

Hello internet,

It's been a while. Shame I have nothing to offer you. Our relationship is like a really depressing version of The Little Drummer Boy, because I don't know how to play an instrument. Aww shucks.

Jesus this blog is lazy. Lots of good movies out. Want to see some?

fast and furious - have to see it in a theater with a parking lot (post-movie drifting/ peel out session part of the experience) - made 72 million opening weekend wow

Corey Arnold takes nice photos in crazy places

Anybody want to set me up with a summer job? I'll literally do anything. I am 98% legitimately interested in/ 2% romantically considering working as a deckhand on a boat somewhere. Deadliest Catch envy is partial but not complete excuse for this. If I can get an animation job or a fun internship or a weird job that pays well then that would be cool too. I promise I'll work extra hard and not whine about anything.

What is the purpose of blakecity anymore? What a crappy city. Like Detroit without the evident decay or sadness. I've got to get a real website and a real girlfriend and a real haircut. In the words of the procrastinator,

TOMORROW.

for the ladies

foamy like a brewskie

2009-03-31T02:52:00.001-04:00

congrats steve

first run 2009
best director
best screenwriter
best film

lkasdfdsmn asn

2009-03-28T01:21:00.004-04:00

I shoot a movie in a coupla hours. yay! wish me luck.

It's about two bros.

and pizza.

hopefully back to normal soon.
blake

2009-03-04T18:26:00.002-05:00

Hey folks, I'm not avoiding you intentionally, I swear. I'll get to those dreams soon, they were really awesome, but first I want to direct you to the holy grail of the internet, a shining beacon of hope for the future of the world wide web:

Shaq's Twitter.

CANNNNN YOUUUUU DIGGGGITTTTTTT

2009-02-11T17:19:00.007-05:00

Monday was a crappy day. I overslept, lost this shirt on ebay, and when I eventually did go to school it was without my backpack. I didn't notice until, waiting at the subway stop, my train arrived; I reached down to pick up my bag like I customarily do and grabbed nothing. I panicked for like three seconds, an in one sweepingly lame moment of realization, admitted to my own incompetence and stepped on to the train. I ended up skipping my class anyway.

BUT

In spite of these pretty minor hitches (and some really crappy pickup basketball that evening), Monday couldn't have been that bad, because MONDAY comes after SUNDAY, and on SUNDAY night, THIS happened.

I mean,

THIS.

And then, THIS

Woo!! So excited. Tom kinda looked like he was bummed Angels and Airwaves wasn't getting a best rock Grammy. Maybe that's why he's giving up his U2 stadium rock band to go back to what really made him big. Regardless, this is a really cool day, and I'm excited for the tour more than anything else. I never saw them when I was a kid and hopefully Tom will still cuss...

Here's Blink talking about Star Wars.

And the Josie video.

ok later

cali dreamin

2009-02-04T02:33:00.005-05:00

I've been "trying" to get into the habit of writing down my dreams when I wake up. There's definitely an art to it and I can't say I'm very good yet, but every so often I awake from a deep sleep in a groggy limbo-state that allows me to, albeit somewhat retardedly, jot down the details of whatever happened so clearly just before. Obstacles include not finding a paper or pen in time, falling back to sleep, going to the bathroom, and just generally not remembering/ caring.

Rereading the ones I've written is always exciting and fresh and totally fucking batshit goofy. In a way it's kind of like trapping thoughts from one world and bringing them into another. Like fireflies. OOOH...

NEW BLAKECITY.COM CONTEST

Hey readers, draw a picture of this dream I had. Click to enlarge. Translation follows.

"DREAM" (lol dreams are always in italics)

"TWO GIRLS CLIMB UP A SKYSCRAPER with a complex harness/ metal bungee system,
Where they have suction cups on their hands.
When one jumps off the topfloor bungee line (?)
the cord snaps and she goes flying into the water.
Somehow both ?...

There is a boat nearby with scuba and safety equipment but it has no paddles.

Michael Cera is in another boat, wearing strap sandals and socks.
He has little sympathy."

Please spend as little time as possible. Best picture wins a cookie.

---------------

Also here is a song I have been listening to all day. For anyone who likes Burial or dubstep or just a dark, intense/mellow (?), trippy sort of Rap-jam, here is Pinch. Let it soak in.

Pinch - Brighter Day (ft. Jukali)

"knucklehead!"

2009-02-01T04:49:00.004-05:00

I LOVE

youtube
Charles Barkley
Nirvana

oh god there is so much good Charles Barkley material out there.

I HATE

RAFA

This brat right here,freak of nature PUNK, no respect, fucking pulling wack ass angles out of his ass every other shot, seriously he grabs his ass after every point, no lie. And he hits wack angles too, like stuff that isn;t physically possible. Except I don't admire it at all it's bullshit to me. C'mon Federer please just smack his returns down the line or something like you do so well and get your first serves in and don't try to play points with this guy.

If you're up at 5 AM on sunday you can watch the match here.

http://aus-rogernadal.blogspot.com/

It's gonna be a dooozy!!

2009-01-25T16:21:00.003-05:00

At the Union Square Walgreens, in line to buy a Coca-Cola after the m83 show (excellent!), I photographed this fantastic baby t-shirt that, incidentally and hilariously enough, foretold what I would become later that night.

I Love You, Man - Redband trailer

This looks good. Along with Adventureland I am pretty excited for some comedies in 2009.

Lately I have been more interested in good comedy, in how good comedy works, in the structure of jokes and gags and stuff. I definitely want my color sync to be funny, I guess.

sandiego and new york shitty

2009-01-21T01:13:00.014-05:00

(Note: This post was supposed to come a week or so ago. For posterity's sake I'll put it up unedited)

Back in New York city!

(just me and my girl in the citay)

It's been a really nice almost-week here, and I've gotten the chance to relax and settle down with some cold hard venting, a Christmas party, Super Mario Galaxy, book-buying, Edamame Hummus, and pickup bball.

I saw this guy on the subway. He played a decent version of "All Along the Watchtower", after getting off to a particularly shaky start. What a microphone rig though! All into an amp in his backpack. In addition to witnessing this, I also: watched/ate/waved my face in pretty snow that fell like ripped cotton, pulled my hamstring slipping on ice, ate samosas, and saw former roomate Michael Brink and Bjork on the street within the same 24 hours. NEW YORK SITY!

No, in all seriousness, it's been a positive couple of days, but I am scared crapless by the amount of shit in front of me and the inevitable stress and anxiety that creating work tends to bring. I wish stuff would come easy sometimes. I wish that I could intuitively crank out 10 pages a day or set my mind on an idea that I could follow through on, or even have fun FINISHING something. Unfortunately, the masochist in me not only knows this isn't going to happen, but is silently preparing myself for the struggle to come, rather than finding ways of making things more manageable. SIGH

I just want to go back here for a little while. Just a little while.

Winter Break was quite fun.

God why are some Blink-182 songs so sad? I've really fallen in love with this band, in the utmost, completely unironic sincerity, over the last six months. They really provide some genuine insight into the joys and failures of young love, as well as singing about Sombreros and Star Wars. They're far less immature and crass than their image suggests, and as I was never really into/ allowed to listen to them as a kid, there's not an excess of nostalgia in my appreciation; these albums are very good and complete on their own, even to a 20 year old kid in an era long after pop punk mattered.

This one, the last song off Dude Ranch, is particularly sobering.

Blink-182 - "I'm Sorry"

"Don't bide your time
'cause it is almost over
and I know you're down
I'll see you around

And I know it hurts
but you're just getting older
and I know you'll win
you'll do it once again"

2009-01-17T02:49:00.004-05:00

I am fairly drunk right now but with the help of the google/blogspot.com spellcheck tool hopefully you will not notice.

I feel like I should post more when I'm drunk because then my insecurities won't be as prevalent and, umm, "inhibiting."

Lately I have been really into, Happy Go Lucky, which I downloaded illegally (missed the theatrical, sorry). Tis' a film by Mike Leigh which I found absolutely enrapturing, and really effective, but in the most human and non-dramtaic ways. The homeless scene seemed a little much. Then scene at her sister's house, though, was brilliant. It's a clear message but so humanistically expressed by the performances and the filmmaking that the effect is transcendant.

At times, (or during this film at least) I think of films like great athletic events, like boxing matches or Kobe vs. Lebron or Federer vs. Nadal. In this film SALLY HAWKINS AND EDDIE MARSDAN were the battle for me and I could have watched it all day; how do these actors and characters bounce off each other? What does one fundamentally different character do when just in the mere presences of another fundamen tally different character? How do these situations evolve? There's a certain vitality created when two characters enter the ring with each other; Jarmsuch I think works like this, in which he puts catalystic characters into situations and lets them "interact" or something. Like adding lions to a gladatorial fight. I like acting.

Anyways I really enjoyed the movie. But I think I might be biased because Sally Hawkins's character was unbelievably attractive in my eyes, in both personality and looks. Not grating at all. Like a dreamgirl.

Regardless, the movie is great.

But this post was really just designed to highlight the song of the year (2008), in my eyes.

This is SALEM with "whenusleep".

lyrics

Are you crying when you sleep
Or do you stay up
jacking off
to the thought of me

it's okay to be awkw~~~~
~~~~something~~~ blah~blah~~~
just like me

Are you crying when you sleep
Or do you stay up
jacking off
to the thought of me

ok wow about to pass out. whissky!

Zero Boys - Civilization's Dying

2009-01-07T21:23:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I wonder how different I'd be if I'd gotten into skateboarding and punk music when I was supposed to (15) as opposed to when my interests for these things grew (now).

ONETHINGIDONTKNOWWHY

2009-01-07T07:01:00.003-05:00

Today at my house Omar randomly plucked the "E♭" key on the family piano. For some reason I instantly thought of the beginning of the song "In The End" By Linkin Park. I then played around with it a little bit and recreated the whole opening melody on the piano. Needless to say Omar and I were really excited.

E♭ - B♭ - B♭ - G♭ - F - F - F - F-G♭ - E♭ and repeat.

Linkin Park is huge. Hybrid Theory is a top 10 album of the decade. Anyone disagree?

hahaha

2008-12-27T13:10:00.002-05:00

one of my greatest dreams, realized.

merry christmas and die!

2008-12-25T06:01:00.003-05:00

this is a picture of me on christmas day, 1999 or so. In a few hours I will open presents in the same room.

FUCK YEA!!! I AINT NO GODDAMNED SON OF A BITCH!

What did you get for xmas!?!

THESE ARE TWO SONGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL REALLY BADASS!!! HAVE A FUCKIN COOL XMAS (emphasis on X)!!

I'M CUSSIN YALL

2008-12-23T19:09:00.003-05:00

POWAY

Is giving me headaches. HEAD ACHES
HEADACHESSS

hadaches, I wish i had aches
i wish I had a cabin and acres and a machine

to slow time so I could get ahead
ache
headache

Poway: MY HOME

I've been seeing friends and everything, which is really great, but the fun I've been having is being negated by too much food, too little sleep, and too much driving around with my parents.

I'm realizing how bad I am at maintaining friendly conversation with anyone these days. Every time I start talking to a parent or old friend or person I'm not comfortable standing through moments of silence with (that's a true point though, think about it- Your best friends aren't the ones you feel most comfortable talking to; they're the ones you are most comfortable being silent with) I just steamroll through a number of generic topics until I can find a suitable jumping off point for me to do something and leave the room. It's almost like a little game now, because the pattern is so predictable. I always wonder about what the other person thinks of the conversation and my consistently distrustful mind always assumes they don't really want to be listening to anything I have to say either.

I don't really know what to do about this. Be more of an asshole? I've been thinking a lot about this too and decided it's time for me to be meaner about stuff. Nice people never get anything done. Actually, this isn't true.

Woah that was a rant.
I've had a bad day.

Slacker is the best movie ever. I want to move to Austin 1991 so bad.

2008-12-11T01:02:00.004-05:00

"Finals" are upon me and this week is busy. The 1 year anniversary of BLAKECITY has come and gone and I forgot about it. Oh well. Nic Cage remembered BLAKECITY'S birthday though and dressed up for the occasion.

I've been listening to a lot of Bruce Springsteen and Orange Juice (great!) and some new music too. I'm excited to post my end of the year lists because I love lists and I think I've been pretty up to date on material, so I'll be able to actually talk about stuff with some sort of confidence. Movies too. Not books though, I go through those like molasses. Suttree over break (fingers crossed).

Speaking of books, I saw Twilight the other day (sidenote; apparently after 11 on weeknights there is no one taking tickets at the theater[??]), which, as a film, is a preposterous mess that stumbles through so many levels of seriousness and cheese that it can hardly contain itself. That being said, it's one of the more interesting movies of the year and so much fun to watch. I've never seen a movie take place in between the staring eyes of two people more than in Catherine Hardwicke's mindfuckingly exaggerated shot-reverse-shot staring contest.

There are a lot of good movies out too. Che comes out this week in its 4 hour cut, as well as Gran Torino and some other stuff. Wendy and Lucy comes out this week too, which is as essential as any film is this year, in my mind. I saw it at the NYFF and... wow. Really amazing stuff.

Not to mention the new Punisher film which has received some surprisingly positive reviews from friends, and Transporter 3, whose trailer blew my mind.

I also saw Benjamin Button tonight, which was disappointing.

ANYWAYSSSS

Back to work, world. Stuff to show eventually, I suppose.

Home in less than a week. Here's a gem from the olden days.

WRITINS

2008-12-02T00:19:00.004-05:00

I'm taking creative writing right now. It's real fun. Hopefully I can get a minor (only 4 classes). I love writing stories but I'm a horribly undisciplined writer so it's nice to have someone on your back making deadlines.

What an idea! I would love to have my own personal man on my back making deadlines. Productivity in life and school and in Blakecity would increase tenfold!

(maybe it would be like the personal stenographer from that episode of Chappelle's Show. At least that's what I imagine.)

As much as I like writing, I find it really tough sometimes to show people my work. "It's not ready!" is a common excuse I've been known to use, and a weak one at that. "But it's not, I swear!"

Maybe one day I'll "finish" one of these stories that sits in development limbo (industry term) and print it out and give people copies and draw little pictures at the beginnings of the chapters.

(Redwall was always great at this)

But we have to write poetry in the class, and it's not something I care about as much, so I show that without any anxiety or hesitation.
Here is a poem I wrote about my greatest fear. Can you guess what it is?

MY BIRTHDAY

I woke with a start-
Cried for my wife,
“My face! It’s melting!“

Pressed my hands to my cheeks
tried to hold it all together
catch the falling bits just in case

Then she rushed in, upset,
But soon calm. Told me to relax
led me to the washroom

I dropped my hands and, well,
saw for myself. My face looked the same
I guess I’d just forgotten.

lines

2008-11-19T23:22:00.008-05:00

I found this really neat 4-color ballpoint pen the other day. You know, the ones with the green, red, blue, and black nibs, interchangeable by the cool clicky tabs in the back. Awesome stuff.

So here are some drawings with that. I call the first one "Le Struggle" and the second one
"Bearded Man on a Motorcycle with Guns on the Handlebars"

Two of my very best friends from Poway have some exquisite Blogs I would like to highlight in this post.

Josh Brown, aka The Bill Pullman Experience, has been my friend since the sophomore year of high school. We bonded in Mrs. Walton's English class over doodling, dorky movies, and maybe video games. Once we drew a giant, seven foot mural on the whiteboard that took an entire class period. An unknown girl took a picture of this but I've never seen it.

Anyway, Josh is a swell artist who draws really bad pun cartoons and really good cowboy stuff. He also recently posted a joint doodle we did in the wake of Katrina, back in high school, where we always tried to be about as politically incorrect as possible. He posts more often than me so check him out.

Rachel Cooper, aka Spooky Trees, has been my friend since about Junior year and she is also one of my best buds. Last Summer we went on a roadtrip up the coast; it was really fun and we unironically listened to lots of Lavigne's "Let Go" and Spears's "Lucky". She has a wordpress blog (cleaner layout methinks) and writes about really personal shit so be prepared. Just kidding she writes about Twilight and nostalgia and other stuff. She also posts more often than I do.

I'll post some more scans tomorrow of some other crap. Also I have a new recommendation for everybody because I am drinking it now and it's quite good.

Tea with milk

A classic

2008-11-11T00:26:00.004-05:00

In honor of finally fixing the border around my title page picture, I now present to you a short comedy I made with a good friend, Richard Provencio, in the Fall of 2004. I was 15 years old.

"Doin' Coke!" was an assignment for the illustrious Digital Media Production class, in the first semester taught by the inimitable and hopelessly under qualified Robert Kaechele. The program has inconceivably grown into a very successful and well equipped entity since then, which is a real mystery to anyone who has taken the class and seen this guy.

Yes, my teacher was/is a house DJ outside of school.

Anyways, I'm pretty certain the original idea centered around remixing the start of Pink Floyd's "Money" (you know, the part where they have all the change and cash register sound effects) by replacing those sounds with the sounds from a Coca-Cola can. Richard liked Coca-Cola a lot, and would have at least three a day usually.

None of us had ever done coke. I had yet to drink alcohol or smoke marijuana at this point either.

We filmed this is one night in my house, with a skeleton, two-man cast/crew combo. Notice the interesting, sort of over-the-shoulder conversation; that was filmed by pressing record on the camera, then running into place to do the scene, and then stopping it afterwards. Also notice the somewhat notorious "fridge shot" that Omar Malik so kindly remembers this film by. You won't miss the cameos by my two dogs (Happy and Shasta, I miss you! Well, Happy mostly) and a lot of strange homoerotic undertones.

I kind of love watching this stuff, because I couldn't even tell you what kind of movies I liked at the time, or why I was influenced to do things this certain way. It was pure dumb luck and intuition that anything got done at all.
Now I'm at film school where I spend hours learning how to dissect the craft and the art to its most excruciatingly minute details, almost seperating myself as much as possible from the stupid fun of the experience. I miss that creative innocence.

Anyways, enjoy.

human flight

2008-11-02T22:25:00.000-05:00

2008-10-30T00:26:00.008-04:00

One of my favorite things to do--

Okay, embarrassing. I'll start over.
Something I do on occasion, when traipsing around the internet or the various printed media, is save the pictures that I like and find interesting. I put them all in a big folder on my desktop, and sometimes when I feel sad I look at the pictures and smile. Some aren't funny and some don't age well, but more often than not they are worth the .4 second look every couple of months.

I have decided that when I have nothing substantial to post here (as is often the case), I'll just whip out a thing or two from the archives, so as not to let the swampy waters of Blakecity stagnate and attract disease-carrying pests. (hmm, good doodle idea there...)

Anyways, here are some of said pictures.

1989 PHS Yearbook (via ebay)

A bat flew into the stands during a Texas Rangers game. Click to enlarge/ explore.

Eskimo women skinning a Beluga Whale.

Book jacket for Outer Dark, written by a very young Cormac McCarthy.

Still frame from an episode of Frisky Dingo, the Adult Swim Show (episode 1.12, "Penultimate Fighting")

2008-10-23T00:18:00.004-04:00

Right now I have four unfinished posts sitting in the digital mist, so don't think I haven't forgotten about you, BlakeCity. You have just fallen into the deep, messy ball-pit where every other creative entity I have is waiting, bored and unfinished, for its name to be called.

~~

The other day in my uncontrollably distracting walk from Tisch to the Union Square subway I read this comic book on the floor of The Strand. It was called "Dogs and Water", by Anders Nilsen, and was essentially a super minimalist, post-apocalyptic story, real patient and contemplative. Right up my alley.

Click the below picture to see a page from one of the dream sequences in the book.

I liked it, with some reservations; the dialogue isn't great and some of the character interactions fall a little flat, but the art and borderless panels are beautiful. There's such a great atmosphere and use of white space.

It was still there today when I stopped in for another distraction so I read it some more. Graphic Novels/ Comics have always saddened me a bit because I feel like so much work goes into each drawing, something that is usually (and most effectively) glanced at for a second and then moved across. Which is weird, because, if anything, most animation functions at an almost laughably slanted "creation time: viewing time" ratio. But I never really consider it when watching something move.

Anyway here's another awesome picture from the author Anders Nilsen's website. Best viewed on a normal sized, much too small monitor. I won't spoil it so just click the link.

2008-09-25T01:33:00.005-04:00

One time,
there was a movie I wanted to make about a man who sees a beached whale on a city street. He tries to pour water on it, keep it alive, somehow get it back to the ocean. He can't get anyone to help him though, and the whale dies.

I abandoned this project, but still remain fascinated by the idea of the beached whale. As do others.

The mortality of a whale is something you don't encounter too much in life, so for one to die (or kill itself) in the realm of man is indescribably tragic.

Still reading Moby Dick.

BLAKES THEORIES OF THE WORLD

2008-09-09T22:55:00.004-04:00

1. Thinking complicates things.

2. Everyone needs to chill out a little bit.

3. Optimism breeds disappointment.

4. Pessimism breeds surprises.

5. But it's good to be optimistic because life is too big and weird for pessimism.

Hello, I am in New York, does anybody want to go see the J.M.W. Turner exhibit at the MET? He is the artist of the painting at the top of this page. Also this one.

2008-07-27T06:04:00.001-04:00

summerZ

2008-05-03T01:55:00.007-04:00

Man I need to stop. Lately I have been buying two McDonalds Cheeseburgers every night on my way home. I try and discipline myself, wait until I get to my room to eat them, but that never works. I always end up eating them on the walk back, and much too quickly.

When I do eat them I can physically feel my body reacting to the cheeseburgers going down. My skin sort of warms up and my pores clog with a light grease. I feel it in my forehead and on my nose, and that aftertaste of the ketchup and pickles sort of sits in the back of my mouth. In my belly they feel like too much cake; a thick sweetness almost.

Almost done for the semester. Yay! This summer is all about skateboarding and comic books. AWESOME!!!

sunsets

2008-04-30T00:47:00.003-04:00

Ahhhh the Phoenix Suns drive me absolutely nuts.....

Look I love Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire and I LOVE Shaq, maybe more as an interview subject than a player but I love him as a player too, and Barbosa is great but out of control.....
But I can't deal with this anymore. The Suns lost to the Spurs tonight by 5 even though it was a 2 point game with 20 seconds left and the Suns had the ball.... Jesus though, after a while it gets old. THey absolutely collapsed in the last couple minutes, even after Shaq rewards them with a few free throws they turn the ball over like 5 times in embarassing fashion (NASH DIAW WTF) and then on D they ran around completely clueless, standing straight up, letting Tony Parker look like Michael Jordan. DID I MENTION THE SUNS WERE DOWN BY 2 WITH THE BALL even after like 10 bad "tripping" foul calls and a bad out of bounds call and some bogus j's by Duncan? after missing 17 free throws still ONLY DOWN BY 2!~@#@#
But it seems like this always happens though. The Suns cannot keep it together under pressure; Nash, I love him to death, but he can't slow his game down enough and get under control enough in tight situations. He always turns the ball over too much in the fourth quarter, regardless of his contributions from 3 or assists. God, the D still sucks though, and the decision making is just ridiculous down the stretch. Missing 17 free throws? JESUjsmss...

Maybe it's my hatred for the snarky fundamentalism and hustle of the Spurs, and their constant whining and pouting and flopping and clutch shooting.... but, yeah, another really dark night for Phoenix in the NBA playoffs. Sigh. I wish they could just blow teams out and cut the drama because frankly they always fuck up the drama.

Go New Orleans I guess... and... the Lakers? whoa.

A sad African Jam in mourning. This one is from Amanaz, a kind of fuzzy psych band from Zambia.

"Kale" - Amanaz

space

2008-04-27T02:07:00.002-04:00

Sorry I've been neglecting this, busy busy busy as a bee and my parents are in town (!) and yeah I am kind of a physically and mentally drained.

Summer sounds pretty great about now.

Does anybody know some good strategies for clearing space off your computer? Other than like, deleting music and tangible files? Is there hidden stuff that I can get rid of?

Here is another P.H.A.T. African jam, this time substantially more funky.

"Greetings" - Joni Haastrup

Off the Nigeria '70: Funky Lagos compilation.

2008-04-21T03:15:00.002-04:00

3:14:33 AM Blake LaRue: why are you still up bouy
3:14:43 AM gamename14: peggle

2008-04-21T02:33:00.004-04:00

I am not even remotely involved with politics but this picture makes me laugh and I have no idea where else to put it.

"DECK OF CAYRDS"

2008-04-20T01:52:00.003-04:00

In general I am NOT a big indie pop guy, although there are a few exceptions. Most of them Swedish, most notably Love Is All....

...whose debut cd is great great great stuff and whose live show remains one of the single greatest and most heartbreaking experiences ever. (I have never been more in love with a singer at a performance than I was with Josephine Olausson on that fateful October night).

Anyway they have new song that is 89% poppy and 45% cute and 13% angel and 22% guilty pleasure and 100% relistenable.

"DECK OF CAYRDS"

#16.1 Love Is All - Wishing Well from Handheld Shows on Vimeo.
Via GorillavsBear

Stressed out about life. I need to get my stuff together, ya? What else is new.

Reading Herzog on Herzog now. Good Stuff.

It seriously is all about Sinead O'Connor

2008-04-18T03:48:00.003-04:00

This is Sinead O'Connor singing on the Grammy's in 1987...
I don't have any of her albums, or know any of her other songs for that matter, but I stumbled upon this one time and have just been so enthralled by the performance that it may be my most watched youtube video.

There is something kind of stunning by her lone figure, shaved head, intense face, crazy halter top, foot stomping, and Public Enemy logo tattooed on the side of her head (protesting lack of representation of rap at the Grammy's), and her voice is just killer (even with the backing track). The Billy Crystal fax joke at the beginning provides this perfect context/ juxtaposition for this raw performance, and, god, the song is great too. I still have no idea what a Mandinka is but maybe it's better like that.

Errol

2008-04-14T02:44:00.005-04:00

Sean's blog about Errol Morris made me think of Errol Morris and how he has popped into my life recently. (The 2 TIMES theory, will discuss later). So here are a few more Errol Morris posts.

Errol Morris has a new movie out soon, called "Standard Operating Procedure," and it's probably going to be fantastic. Here is the trailer.

Tony Kornheiser and Errol Morris, two of my favorite people, apparently went to school together! What a smart 6th grade class that must have been. PTI is my favorite sports show... ever? Yes, I think so.

Also, I recently rediscovered this Apple ad that Errol Morris did in 2002.

ELLEN FEISS!!! After watching about three times, and reading her wikipedia page and an interview with her, I decided that I love this girl, and even joined a Facebook group about her. Sigh. I think she goes to college too. Set me up!!!

So enough of this rambling. When his movie comes out, eat a shoe.

(Errol Morris apparently wasn't impressed by this event, and him and Herzog had a small "feud" until recently)

Ok a song for today? How about this classic from Saves the Day.

"Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off to Heaven" - Saves the Day

beached whales

2008-04-13T02:18:00.005-04:00

Tired, bed, etc.

Weird headaches, sickness, warm weather, exhaustion. Must be April?!

I think I need to learn how to type properly. Then I can write down my ideas before I hate them, not after.

Also, I'm thinking about starting a 25-30 minute music podcast about good African music from the 70's and stuff. Like this, which may be one of the greatest songs ever written.

"Strange Dream" - Witch

Does anybody know how to make a podcast?

Does anybody download these songs I post?

Does anyone want to take me on in Peggle?

TRAGEDY

2008-04-11T00:17:00.003-04:00

Nothing like Kanye to make me feel good about myself. Even HE has creative uncertainty..

"I don't do anything I don't love anymore... I loved the flashing lights vid so it didn't matter 2 me if someone one else didn't. While people chase money I pursue happiness. So many people talk about there investments or how much money they have but there's so many rich people who spend a lot of that trying 2 buy a piece of happiness. If there's anything my mom taught me is to enjoy life. I just recorded my first verse in the last 6 months 2 days ago at Bape's Studio in Japan. It felt good and I was inspired. I absolutely lost my mind (in a good way) on the new Glow in the Dark tour. The constant hours of creating helped me 2 keep from loosing my mind in a bad way. Chris Milk told me tragedy can produce great art and this is definitely true. I am a total mad man now, up till 3 am every night, trying 2 fight pain, board-um, and uncertainty with creativity. All that said, life is good..... good as finding the perfect fabric for a simple one button casual blazer with matching pants (see picture)."

Further proof that this man is one of the more special artists working today.

brink

2008-04-08T03:44:00.003-04:00

Sorry, really busy this week, losing hair left and right, will return from underwater in a little bit. The window is open and it is quite cold and the wind whistles through the crack and my baby sunflowers shiver.

Did you know the film "Brink" on vhs costs over 55 dollars? I downloaded it the other day, very excited to watch it. Some wild steadicam work throughout.

wooo

2008-04-04T21:27:00.006-04:00

Animal Collective is, in my humble opinion, the greatest working band right now. I don't think very many other groups have pushed themselves creatively as consistently and as successfully as this band. I get really excited when listening to their music and just am sort of infatuated with their skill.

I mean, I can listen to their cd "Campfire Songs" alot, which is all just acoustic guitars and was recorded in one take on a porch somewhere, just as much as I listen to "Strawberry Jam", which is almost all processed and looped and sampled. Theyre both really really great, but so different it's startling.

Here is a funny video of Animal Collective's first live TV appearance, on Conan O'Brian.

This is from a while back. #1 is a strange "representative" song off Strawberry Jam, but I actually like how it sounds with Panda Bear's voice higher in the mix. I would have loved to see the crowd reaction; it's definitely one of the stranger late night TV band sets ever.

Here is a really great song from their recent tour, well, October. Please listen and enjoy

"Brother Sport" - Animal Collective

(courtesy of nyctaper)

They have a new EP coming out later this year, called Water Curses. Yay!

I don't really know the purpose of this post. Do you like Animal Collective?

(ps NYC taper is amazing; some of the best live recordings you can get. Please visit and support him!)

TOM FROM MYSPACE

2008-04-02T01:09:00.004-04:00

God I have sooooo much to do, and yet instead of actually accomplishing anything worthwhile I am playing far too much Peggle and browsing Tom Hanks and Martin Scorsese's Myspaces.

Martin Scorsese apparently doesn't have the internet, but makes videos for Myspace with weird, floaty steadicam work. He has Tom Hanks as a friend, who drives an electric car, likes old typewriters, and makes silly blog posts just like an ordinary guy!!! .

No, but seriously, read Tom Hanks's "who I'd like to meet":

Who I'd like to meet:

I met Joe Dimaggio once, before he died. In a restaurant in New York. Then, the both of us met Gina Lollabrigida at the same time. How's that for a magic night? I met Brian Mulroney, the former Prime Minister of Canada, wandering around an Island in Greece. How often does that happen? I met one of the members of the band Locksley at a benefit for the Shakespeare Festival /L.A. earlier this week. Locksley is on my iTunes , too, but they didn't come up on the Random Play. I'd like to meet all those folks again.

Haha what?

another white board picture

2008-03-30T01:14:00.002-04:00

MUSIC VIDEOS OF MY YOUTH #1

2008-03-29T23:50:00.004-04:00

This is the first part in a new series about music videos that struck resonant chords in a young and developing Blake LaRue; videos that, to this day, still have a profound effect on me and ring of past memories and feelings.

Ok, so a little background information. I wasn't allowed to watch MTV officially until, about 7th grade, as my parents didn't think it was appropriate. Like most things that weren't allowed by parents, most of my MTV exposure came from being at friend's house and watching the shows there extensively. I only remember a few series of Real World, and not much of anything else, but I do remember the music videos.

The first video I am going to talk about is Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love".

History
This video played a fairly significant role in the life of an 11 year old Blake upon its release in 1999. I can almost pinpoint "If You Had My Love" as the exact moment when I found girls "attractive" and as things that "make me feel good", as opposed to having cooties and being annoying. Now, I know, at fifth grade that might seem a little old, and sure, I probably dabbled with heterosexuality previous to that point, but I can fairly say that this video was a major moment in my development. The white pants, the bikini top, the impeccable face, the movement, the fans!..... it was just so perfect.

Reflection
Upon watching this video again, I can't help but feel it hasn't aged well; the purple-digital-fortress internet, along with the dial up signal and original iMacs (underwater too) look a little funny, and the whole piece feels very familiar in terms of the setup and where it goes....

But damn, Jlo still looks amazing.

A few notes:

1. God, I love that opening riff.
2. JLo looks like Kate Hudson!!!?!!?
3. "My Trust" always sounded weird. I thought it was "Much Rest". Like, "I gave you a lot of rest....?"
4. INTERNET TV. LOPEZ DANCE. ZOOM. These websites are so fun.
5. I am sort of confused at the nature of this internet JLo; is she a programmable, adjustable, fully digital sort of woman, or is it a webcam thing?

Conclusion
Anyways, the video still is quite good and the song is fun and JLo looks great. But more than anything, it takes me back to a place in my youth where this white, silken goddess was the embodiment of female, physical perfection. I guess it was all downhill from there.

JONAS

2008-03-27T01:06:00.003-04:00

God, the enthusiasm for phenomenons like the Jonas Brothers stirs a strange emotional response in me. I somehow feel this infectious bliss when watching the spectacle and over the top performance and the tireless crowd reaction, and yet at the same time am confronted with a a kind of disgusting artificiality; these are kids for chrisssakes.

Anyway, here is their cover oh Ah-Ha's "Take on Me".

This may be my most unpopular post ever.

2008-03-23T03:09:00.002-04:00

I have a papercut.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure is really great.

I have a dead pigeon in my room. It's quite beautiful.

2008-03-21T01:06:00.006-04:00

I have a few ideas I really like right now but unfortunately NONE of them have anything to do with my assignments and tight deadlines. BOO HISS

I should never ever run for office because I can't even keep BLOG PROMISES.

That epic Panda post from December I promised?

Reviews of Everything I own?

The Ginger Ale Criteria Rubric?

All mere floating cherubs in my head, dancing around without any portal for literal externalization.

I'll try to get on that soon.

In other news, I have been listening to a lot of Portishead. I never listened to them before and remember a few songs from various radios but like them a lot, and totally can't stop thinking about a review/article that talked about how they sound like Spy movie soundtracks.
They are also recluses, like Mr. McCarthy above; their lead singer has never done an interview, and they haven't done anything since like, 1997. Reclusion always earns big points in my book.

Also, I've been listening to that Hercules and Love Affair cd, and while it's not as consistent or mindblowing as I expected/ Pitchfork scored it, I think this is the song of the year for me right now.

"Iris" - Hercules and Love Affair

2008-03-17T00:35:00.003-04:00

"The House Party Collection: 3-Pack"

lol virgin megastore

2008-03-15T15:47:00.002-04:00

he feels like hes not worth a pinch
not worth anything like that

he is the pinata
the slug
beat into a pulp by those flourescent rods
bleeding his syrup for the children
to kiss and eat
they rush to the carcass
they love the trail

he sweats and bake and his pores ooze
rewarded by sprinkling hard rains
a shower suns.
pink.
His own frustrated mess can't even bring itself to stand,

jelly covers their faces
and they roll in the excess
they laugh and bathe and play ball in it.
One even holds a balloon

He just wants to wait for the rain. Then he will be ok.
Then he can step outside and wash the dirt from his face and
feel ok again.
Step outside and let it hit and sink
That's when it feels fresh and clean and things grow
and he will be ok in this world

ALL TO MYSELF

2008-03-15T01:30:00.005-04:00

Roomate Michael Brink is in BERLIN until A WEEK FROM NOW!!!!

On a business school/ hoe "Spitzerin" trip.

Whatever.

A room all to myself!!!!!

Man.

Whoo.

Ahh.

I guess that means I'll sit around alone and watch these horror movies I've been putting off and eat a lot of nutella.

PS did anybody see that crazy Minnesota/ Indiana game? Wowzers.

2008-03-14T04:02:00.003-04:00

Today was looking like it was gonna be a great day, but, then a few things happened.

ONE - I lost my id card.

TWO - The new Hercules and Love Affair cd is an... IMPORT and costs a lot of money and isn't coming out in America for a while.

THREE - Sammy's halal food cart raised the price of the chicken and rice plate from 3.99 to 4.99!!! WOw!! And what do they reward me with for my two years of dedication? A tiny 4.99 portion.

FOUR - I saw Doomsday.

FIVE - I ate a McDonald's Double Cheeseburger and fries at 3 am. I wasn't drunk one bit.

Well, four isn't necessarily a bad thing. Actually it was pretty amazing.

But $4.99? It was just $3.99 yesterday!!!!

Ahh, the fleeting nature of all life's pleasures never ceases to frustrate and sadden me.

2008-03-12T00:24:00.004-04:00

In high school Josh Brown and I would draw on the whiteboards and one time we made this epic, full board drawing of these whales and elephants flying, being carried by balloons and flocks of birds with string.

(If anybody has this picture, please let me know).

Regardless, drawing on whiteboards has a certain quality that is really addictive; bold lines can be erased and adjusted with a simple wipe of the finger, the ink moves smooth and firm, and when the colors or shapes are crisp, it's quite satisfying.

So lately I've been drawing a lot on the 8th floor whiteboard. Here are a few examples.

2008-03-11T03:47:00.001-04:00

Today was a good day.

WEAAAAAAK

2008-03-07T04:09:00.003-05:00

63/227 = .275

BEAUTIFUL

2008-03-07T04:09:00.001-05:00

2008-03-07T03:58:00.001-05:00

2008-03-05T02:29:00.002-05:00

10 days

2008-03-03T19:24:00.003-05:00

Well ok not the longest gap from posting but winter breaks don't count so it kind of is. I got sick of doing short posts and am still working on this epic ginger ale thing but also have been really busy so guys, sorry. Something new should be up soon but it's not like it matters that much RLY...

Also Scrabulous is too much I can't control myself.

Also I am reading this it is good.

2008-02-21T01:17:00.003-05:00

Hey guys. I like sports. Does anybody want to go to a Knicks game with me next week, on the 27th? They are playing Charlotte who is pretty good. If that day doesn't work we could go some other time. It's only $12.

What should my next post be about;

Jennifer Lopez and my personal coming of age story

or

Ginger Ale: A Criteria for Tasting, Evaluating, and Enjoying Mankind's Finest Beverage

Giant sea spiders

2008-02-20T01:01:00.002-05:00

Respond to the music post! Tell me what I left out/ what I need to listen to!

2007 music

2008-02-16T19:07:00.004-05:00

Man, it sure is hard to keep up with music.
I didn't listen to a lot of good stuff. But here's some things. I think all in all it was a cool year for music.

5 Song EP - Fire on Fire
Strawberry Jam - Animal Collective
Untrue - Burial
War Elephant - Deer Tick
Person Pitch - Panda Bear
Sound of Silver - LCD Soundystem

Attack Decay Sustain Release - Simian Mobile Disco
Graduation - Kanye West
Alive 2007 - Daft Punk
From Here We Go Sublime - The Field
Random Spirit Lover - Sunset Rubdown
† - Justice

Most disappointing
The Stage Names - Okkervil River
Neon Bible - Arcade Fire

Live
Daft Punk - LA sports arena
LCD Soundsystem - Bowery Ballroom
Animal Collective - Webster Hall
Dan Deacon - Che Cafe
Arcade Fire - Greek Theater

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

"Same Girl" - R. Kelly (feat Usher)

Everything by La Blogoteque

#10.4 - Grizzly bear - The Knife
Uploaded by lablogotheque

POST # 50

2008-02-15T21:12:00.003-05:00

Today after shooting my first 16mm film I took a nap because I was tired. I woke up at the time I had set my alarm for (4:00, one hour nap), but wanted to get an extra 5 minutes or so in, so I put my head down. Almost immediately, in that tiny, five-minute stretch of time, I had a strange, vivid dream. There's no way to describe it other than being insanely specific, short, and really bizarre.

I dreamt that I was walking out of a deli on some gray morning and as I opened the door, Jerry Seinfeld walked in. He kind of nodded at me, and as I left I looked through the window to see what he was doing/buying. He was getting coffee from one of those self-service pump machines, like the ones they have a a 7/11 or something. I watched Jerry Seinfeld do this, and wondered why a man of his stature and social standing would be getting "pump" coffee. Then I woke up.

How did this come to me? I haven't even thought of Jerry Seinfeld for a long time. Much less used pump coffee.

------

Mutual Appreciation is really good. So is Oasis.

-------

You know how you get on Youtube kicks, where you'll spend an extended period of time just focused on one "genre" or type of video? Well, my latest obsession has been watching a lot of Super Bowl halftime shows on the internet. The Stage! The Spectacle! The compressed or shortened songs and ridiculous fan interaction! Marching Bands!

I'm not that old or good at remembering most of the ones I have watched in my life, so my frame of reference probably isn't great. But I have a hard time coming up with something greater than Prince's 2007 show, which gives me chills every time I see it.

CLICK HERE

The Reason why I am posting the link instead of the embedded video is because I IMPLOREEE you to go to the Guba page and download the full size version, which is actually of amazing quality. When you can see the rain pouring down on The Artist while he asks "Can I play this guitar?!?!?" and then ripping into "Purple Rain", I can't picture a better musical moment.

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

2008-02-13T23:07:00.003-05:00

Ok, I was going to post a bunch of other stuff, but JESUSSSSSS...

Pineapple Express Trailer

2008-02-11T18:34:00.001-05:00

Isn't it kind of funny and strange how
when you browse someone's facebook pictures
like, all of their pictures
and instead of going to the NEXT
(or just clicking on the image)
you click PREVIOUS
and go to their oldest image
and then keep going left
it goes old to new....

It's kind of like that person's existence on facebook, (a defined [albeit constantly growing] section of someone's life), is this bendable, circular strip, documented for the most part by pictures or series of pictures. A cycle where I can just move in between, with one click, the beginning and the end of the part of someone's life. And if I wanted to, I could track this life in any direction I wanted, whether it be from the beginning or, like most people, starting at the end (most current section) and working backwards.

This PIECE, a complete, defined, and somewhat digitally tangible piece of life. This piece of someone's complete existence, the piece that you know.

It's an interesting way to think about someone. How much of our perceptions are based on people, or the people we can identify, within this chunk of time? How much of our perceptions on individuals are based off of what we think of individuals in the pictures/settings/company/circumstances we see in this span of time?

That person's entire existence, for that period of time, sort of wrapped up so cleanly in this cycle of pictures is a little frightening in its simplicity and yet almost equally liberating. We don't have to judge people any further back than the end of their online "birth"; we can base entire relationships and complete perceptions on these "lifespans". No need to worry about what we can't see or trace.

Try going to a few people on Facebook and cycling between their most recent pictures and their oldest pictures. A lot of people won't be drastically different or whatever, but it's still amazing to just freely bend and scan these personalities, these images, these TIMES, at just a finger click. I bet if you do this for a minute or two you will find some fascinating things. Who is the "most" changed in that period? How did the style of pictures or the treatment of content change over this course of time?

Maybe? I don't know.

--------------------------------------------------

In completely unrelated but amazing other news,

http://lukecompany.ytmnd.com/

<^>

2008-02-11T02:17:00.000-05:00

Nothing really to report, except, well, if you missed the Grammy's, you missed a killer Kanye/Daft Punk deal.

Been working a lot lately on writings and such, but once again I really am overthinking things and getting into this bad cycle of HATING everything I do. Like, HATING. Disgust and sadness follow the recording of most of my ideas.

Except for one script idea which I would love love love to do anything with, I am honestly scared that I am unable to produce anything worthwhile. I mean, it's a natural feeling. I know realistically not everyone in the world can do great things, and that some people are, let's face it, more naturally inclined to be amazing.

Sigh.....

All I can think about is Wesley Snipes and how I miss him.

BEST OF MUSIC - 2006

2008-02-08T20:44:00.000-05:00

I never did a best of music for 2006 or 2007 or ever.

Let's hear it for "Best of" releases way after stuff has settled and time has tested, ya?

ESSENTIAL
Wowee Zowee (Sordid Sentinels reissue) - Pavement
Silent Shout - The Knife
Beach House - Beach House
Shut Up I am Dreaming - Sunset Rubdown
Let Me Go Let Me Go Let Me Go - Jason Molina
So this is Goodbye - Junior Boys
Fishscale - Ghostface Killah

NO DICE
TV on the cookie mountain (< Desperate Youths < YOUNG LIARS)
Joanna Newsom YS ( < MILK EYED MENDER)
Band of Horses ( < lots of things)

Maybe 'll do a 2007 tomorrow. Does anybody care? Whatever. Haha I like lists...

2008-02-08T01:08:00.001-05:00

Not to be THAT guy, but...

I kind of hate talking about film, to an extent, just because I don't believe my language or analytical abilities are sharp enough to either say anything coherent or truly express how I feel.

But, I do like movies, and I do like the discussion of movies, so most of my experiences in this realm are ones where I'm reading said discussions. Good, thoughtful, intelligent exchanges, where things are said and learned.

like here. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/board

Lately I've been reading a lot of David Bordwell. He wrote one of my textbooks last year, which was very ok...

(It's kind of funny how when the internet leads you somewhere once, you 99% of the time won;t go back to it again. There's too much to see, to many distractions, to many other things to do. Why does this site deserve your time and energy? [thx JD]. But when you unexpectedly return to a site, your chances of visiting and revising that site are almost guaranteed)

So in some of my extended internet browsing, I stumbled upon the extremely well educated Mr. Bordwell's blog twice, and read a lot of what he had to say. He doesn't so much criticize things as much as he asks questions and provides information, history, and context. Why does Cloverfield make people nauseous? What's the deal with that flat, symmetrical shot we see a lot in indies? Is the Bourne Trilogy really that original?

He draws from a truly encyclopedic knowledge of film and doesn't hesitate to compare Tati, Chaplin, the Coen Brothers, and CRANK (with Jason Statham) in the same set of paragraphs. see said discussion here

more stuff below. Just explore.

Cloverfield + pre-Cloverfield
Bourne stuff
Insane Godard Aspect ratio talk
And NATIONAL TREASURE

<3<3<3<3<3

2008-02-05T02:06:00.001-05:00

The more random a post is, the lazier I am being, the later I am posting it, etc. etc. etc. blahhhhhhhhhhhh buh

I saw Vincent Gallo today on the street. THE Vincent Gallo who made Buffalo '66 and The Brown Bunny, who wears light up grills and sells his sperm for 1,000,000.

It was weird because he said "HI" to me, and I had to think on my feet to make a clever response. Which happened to be the incredible "HEY". Haha.

This is pretty funny --------> A chat room discussing the Pazz and Jop poll (basically a magazine's Yearly "Best Of" for music")

I also like this. This was a short film from 1974 that was kinda jacked by a GMC Super Bowl Commercial that didn't make any sense.

Watch this instead.

2008-02-04T02:35:00.000-05:00

TODAY I FOUND A 10 DOLLAR BILL ON THE GROUND.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S SPECIAL SOMEHOW, AND I HAVE TO HONOR ITS UNIQUE WORTH BY PURCHASING SOMETHING... EQUALLY "SPECIAL".

HOW SHOULD I SPEND IT?

WHALES

2008-02-02T02:41:00.000-05:00

So I'm two episodes into Battlestar: Galactica's third Season, which, by the way, and not by the way, is AMAZING. Totally reminds me of why I like the show.

Anyway, Colonel Tigh, the second in command on Galactica, has a new getup for this season, and he looks like this.
Which, frankly, is pretty awesome.

He reminded me of a whaler, or a nautical man, I think they call them sailors, anyway and his actions and gruff voice match the idea I have in my head of a whaler. Which, is probably wrong. But it got me really into a mindset; a probably fleeting, yet passionate obsession with whalers and whaling.

Then I remembered this book my dad gave me, called

And it's about some shipwrecked whalers with eyepatches and beanies and GREAT white beards and maybe white whales,
who have to resort to cannibalism and other things while surviving at sea.

So I am going to read this

and then I went and picked up Moby Dick today for 5 dollars and i am going to TACKLE that thing next.

Yes. MOBY DICK. The one. The only.

I know you guys are like, "But Blake! I thought you only read Roald Dahl books or comics or the old Newsweeks that Thelma from down the street drops off? How are you going to read such a long book??"

And while such a claim is partially true, I have to become a man eventually, and NOTHING defines manhood like:

a) Getting into a fight
b) Growing a moustache
c) Reading Moby Dick

Since the first two have eluded me and will continue to for quite some time, I decided that IT IS NOW TIME TO READ MOBY DICK.

But first, that other book. Actually maybe a few episodes of BSG....

MY FAVORITE MOVIE

2008-02-01T19:43:00.000-05:00

MY FAVORITE MOVIE EVER.

"Baby Squid, Born Like Stars"

By Brad Seibel

WATCH

THE FUSION OF SOUND AND IMAGE AND MOTION IS LOVE IS THIS MOVIE

M**** Brink

2008-01-31T02:21:00.000-05:00

So the other day I was with my pal Matt G and we went back to my room to watch some Heroes and I opened the door to let my roommate Matthew Brink know to put some pants on if he didn't have any on.
"Matthew," I called out. "You here?". He wasn't.
So we watch an episode of Heroes and I sort of complain about certain characters and about how serious the show takes itself like I always do when I watch Heroes (but still I watch). And Matt G really wants me to see ep. 17, which apparently is great, but ANYWAYS

We watch it and leave the room and there is this startling revelation made by Matt G. on the way out...

BUT BEFORE THAT, MY ROOMATE....
deserves a little bit of backstory.

So this roommate, Matthew Brink, is new, and not one of choice. My friend/roommate from last semester, Sam, went to Cuba for his study abroad. Which I can't blame him for. So instead of that ultra hip recorded music major moving in and becoming my best friend and making ME awesome, NYU fills that extra bed space with the one, the only, Mr. Brink.

Mr. Brink is a business double major, I think marketing and accounting? Or management and accounting? I get them mixed up. Anyways, he likes the stock market and owns like 15 blazers and 20 pairs of shoes. He really likes partying too and actually plans and hosts parties at nightclubs and stuff. He complains a lot about the room and the lack of things that I've bought for it and he also OPENED the shrink wrap on my Aladdin dvd and watched it without me being there!!

Anyways, this guy is pretty funny and also sort of annoying, especially when he's very messy (often) or talking about money, politics, or the conspiracy theories he believes (which are numerous).

SO BACK TO THE REVELATION....

We leave the room, and I talk casually about Matthew Brink for a minute or two, when suddenly Matt G notices the name tags on the door. There are two: one says "Blake" and one says "Mike".

Mike?

I'm pretty sure I've called him Matthew since I got here...

Suddenly I am overcome with guilt and start rethinking any time I have greeted MICHAEL BRINK, and if I have greeted him incorrectly. Why didn't he say anything? What would he think of me as a person? Do I care?

But the guilt soon fades and I think it's more funny than anything else. I mean, look at this face.

How could you not love this?

BFFFS

I feel kind of guilty posting this with him asleep like 5 feet away. Oh well. That's what he gets for COMPLAINING about me not buying sugar or having better bowls.

2008-01-28T02:09:00.000-05:00

FUNKY

DFA band "Hercules and the Love Affair" BAM!!!!

http://www.myspace.com/herculesandloveaffair

2008-01-27T03:21:00.000-05:00

"Big Blood" and "Fire on Fire" are two bands that come from Portland, Maine. From what I understand they are basically a collective of musicians who sort of live together and play together and lead these amazing and wonderful musical lives. They are tremendously talented and have this great mindset about their work; they asked for some of their self-recorded CD's to be sent around the internet for free. Anyways, these two videos are sweet. Listen!

2008-01-25T02:03:00.001-05:00

Best of 2007 Part 2 of 2

Let me know what you think of these. Ok peace.

No Country for Old Men
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Superbad
Paprika
Once
Ratatouille
Zodiac
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Persepolis
There Will Be Blood
I’m Not There

Special Award
(These movies are good if not better than the ones listed, but are here for other reasons)

Syndromes and a Century – (fell asleep for a big chunk of it, long day, movie was amazing)
Killer of Sheep – (made in 1977, released now. Otherwise best film of the year)

Also deserving

Hot Fuzz, Knocked Up, King of Kong, Eastern Promises

W O R S T
1. 300
2. Rush Hour 3
3. Transformers
4. Juno
5. 30 Days of Night
6. The Host

OH PLEASE... Really?
(most overrated)

1. JUNO (This movie makes me hate America, adults, and so many things that I once thought I loved and understood.)
2. THE HOST (This is NOT a good monster movie. This is a MESS)
3. The Bourne Ultimatum (This is NOT the "greatest action film ever"; it's not even the 2nd best Bourne Movie)
4. There Will Be Blood (This is NOT the greatest American Film Ever! It's good but c'mon guys that is SO RASH!!)
5. Atonement (This is NOT a good complete film. It looks and sounds pretty. The End.)
6. 300 (This is NOT the future of filmmaking. This may be the future of the military recruitment film though.)

WTF

YAY WTF – National Treasure II: Book of Secrets, Next, Ghost Rider (WOW!!!!)
Depressing WTF – D-Warz
ETERNAL WTF – Southland Tales

Not seen

Really want to: Electroma, Brand Upon the Brain!, Quiet City, Surf’s Up, Resident Evil: Extinction
Feel obliged to: Michael Clayton, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, 3:10 to Yuma, Sweeney Todd, Lust, Caution
New Movies from 2007 seen in 2007: 45

2008-01-24T02:12:00.000-05:00

Best of 2007 in FILM - part 1 of 2

I saw a lot of movies this year. Here are some things I liked and otherwise; technical categories, things I care about in movies, etc.

TOMMORROW I will post the Best of Movies/worst of Movies list.

Cool Big Time Performances:

Casey Affleck - Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Tommy Lee Jones - No Country for Old Men
Glen Hansard - Once
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Michael Cera - Superbad

Saorise Ronan - Atonement
Marketa Irglova - Once
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Juliette Binoche - The Flight of the Red Balloon

Other

Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell, Paul Schneider - Assassination
Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Gene Jones, Kelly MacDonald - No Country
Will Smith - I Am Legend
Heath Ledger, Richard Gere - I'm Not There
Robert Downey Jr. - Zodiac
Simon Pegg, Nick Frost - Hot Fuzz

ACTOR OF THE YEAR

Garret Dillahunt - Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford AND No Country for Old Men

Visuals

Roger Deakins (Cinematographer - No Country, Assassination...)
Satoshi Kon (Director - Paprika)
Vincent Parronaud, Marjane Satrapi - (Directors - Persepolis)

Writing

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen - Superbad
James Vanderbilt - Zodiac

Coolest Sound Effect

Assassination of Jesse James... - Gunshot during train robbery sequence

Best Outfit(s)

The King of Kong - Billy Mitchell
I'm Not There - A lot of people, but the Richard Gere segment especially
Eastern Promises - Viggo Mortensen's Naked Bod
Southland Tales - Everyone involved

Worst Outfit(s)

Die Hard 4.0 - Justin Long's moustache
300 - everyone involved
JUNO - AWSUM VINTAG TEES

Best Musical Moments...

Once - Songs (Glen Hansard/Marketa Irglova)
Ratatouille - The Score (Michael Giacchino)
Paprika - The Score (Susumu Hirasawa)
Atonement - Score (Dario Marianelli)
Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Various songs (U2, Tom Waits)
Knocked Up - Opening song (Wu-Tang Clan)
Southland Tales - Extended Justin Timberlake musical sequence, others (The Killers, The Pixies)

Worst Music

I Am Legend (MARLEYY MAN!)
Juno (Made me want to cry/strangle small animals)
Transformers (sigh)

Stay tuned. Tomorrow.

HEATH

2008-01-22T17:36:00.001-05:00

New York Times interview - 11/4/2007

2008-01-21T02:16:00.000-05:00

Hey WEB

I'm back from break. I avoided using my computer as much as possible. It was nice.

So many things to come.

Cate Blanchett as Russian Agent "Spalko" in the new Indiana Jones movie.

The Zoo

2007-12-29T04:37:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I will post about my trip to the zoo.

In the meantime you all should respond to my post about CHRISTMAS!!! Only one person has so far, (Meredith, thanks) so don't be afraid!!! Pretend you just opened up all your presents and you got that awesome Lego set or Nerf Gun or Mighty Max Lavadome and the only thing you can think of doing is calling your friends and asking them what they got and seeing if you guys can play later.

2007-12-28T03:36:00.000-05:00

NO responses to my last post? How depressing.

In the past week I've seen

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
I Am Legend
AVP:R
Charlie Wilson's War

Still need to see Juno, Atonement, The Red Balloon, Sweeney Todd, and mayyybe Walk Hard.

Let me know if you would like to see these.

There's a midnight screening of There Will Be Blood on the 29th. Contact me if you want to see it. I can't believe people are instantly calling it one of the greatest movies of all time... That seems a bit rash.. But it's worth seeing.

2007-12-26T02:42:00.000-05:00

WHAT did you guys get? Tell me the

best thing you got

and the

most unexpected thing you got.

Christmas is always better with surprises. It's not about the giving and the getting; it's about the excitement in the process. It's in the wrapping and the hiding and the nervousness and the anxious, blissful anticipation.

I got a Wholphin/McSweeny's subscription, and also surprisingly some six packs of Ginger Ale and the 2-disc Superbad.

No alarm mornings, yum.

Here is a video. "Stairway to Heaven" sung backwards by a man greater than you or I will ever be....

lights

2007-12-25T01:29:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas.

I'm tired. I don't know what to say. I'm very afraid of failure.

Here's a cool clip from Henry Selick's upcoming all stop-motion animated movie. He's the guy behind Nightmare Before Christmas and James and The Giant Peach.

http://www.neilgaiman.com/mediafiles/exclusive/Video/Coraline/sneak.mov

enter RETURN

2007-12-24T04:28:00.000-05:00

OK guys, so sorry, didn't manage to post much in the transition from New York to Poway. I'm sorry. After an encounter with a "good friend" earlier tonight in which this blog was referred to as one of my many "lies", I felt ashamed, naked, and defeated. But this criticism has compelled me to only press on further, and with more gusto than before; to continue with my initial mission statement of a post-per-day, and never falter.

So, with that said, here's to a fresh start and some more content.

Poway has been nice. I feel like there's this natural sort of falling into place that happens when coming back home, in which this same set of emotions, of lifestyles, of sleep patterns and dialects kind of fold back over and around your body. An environmental, distinct, specific sweater, persay. It's great to see people too.

I had a crazy dream the other night, but not in the "wow I had a crazy dream" sense. Let me start over.

So in reality, earlier today, my family was talking about cellphones in the car or something. Batteries, how Kevin needed a new one, how Kevin's fell off the rollercoaster. Talk eventually shifted to my embarrassing story where I flushed my cellphone down the toilet and it got stuck in the piping. People laughed at this.

Then I said, "Hey, I just dried off my cellphone the other day, it fell in the water too!"

Before anyone reacted, I realized and maybe simultaneously visualized the story I was about to tell. I remembered me, swimming in this clear, green ocean, with cellphone in hand, not a care in the world. Suddenly, I must have dropped the phone, and, helpless, watched it drift slowly to the sand at the bottom, maybe 30 feet down. I took a big breath and frantically dove to the bottom to grab it, picked it up, and returned to the surface. I pulled off the battery on the phone and began drying off the connection points with a blow drier I somehow had available. I watched some last bits of water drip out of the phone, and knew the drying had worked. Only by this time, the ocean was not calm and tranquil; a huge wave was sweeping towards me, a wave bigger than any I had ever seen. It grew above me and blocked the sun and stretched high and intimidating into the air. I dove into the ocean face of it and tried to hide underneath the water, but the tremendous pull of the wave sucked me back out and spit me out with the foam. It was chaos; I was tumbling and rolling and gasping for air.....

And then I said "Oh, nevermind. I didn't really drop my phone in the water. It was just a dream. A strangely lucid and memorable dream."

I had never so strongly mixed a dream with reality, even in my own head, before today. There was no hesitation in my mind; the memory of the dropped cell phone was as clear and real as other memories in my head. It was truly bizarre and fascinating, and something that I hope happens to some degree later in my life. I don't really know what it means, but if you have any ideas, let me know.

hey poway

2007-12-19T05:46:00.000-05:00

back in town

today!

OH MY GOD

2007-12-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

!!!!!!

Let's talk about this in le comments....

2007-12-15T17:32:00.001-05:00

http://merchnow.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TITC

I'm a big fan of the "Closet Reveal" shirt. A large.

Thanks

Fire

2007-12-12T03:32:00.000-05:00

Home in a weeek!?!!

I saw There Will Be Blood tonight. I liked it, but, I'm not sure; there's something slightly unsatisfying about it, in how it settled with me. I will need to rewatch it, definitely. But a lot of it is truly mesmerizing.

This is from a great band I have been listening to lately called Fire on Fire. They are kinda helping me get through the week. Download and listen below.

Fire on Fire - The Hangman

By the way, if the future me could kindly tell me how I am to survive the next few days, I mean, save from spoiling the surprise for me, that would be much appreciated.

#######

2007-12-08T04:40:00.000-05:00

Averaging 4 nervous breakdowns a day...

For your consumption....

2007-12-07T03:52:00.000-05:00

some things from my grubby paws

RECLUSES

2007-12-06T03:36:00.000-05:00

I need a break.

I just bought the complete Calvin and Hobbes yesterday. Something to look forward to.

Bill Watterson is a recluse. Only a few written interviews, all in the 80's. Maybe two pictures of him, total? Complete control over everything he ever did; never allowed any licensed merchandise, never any adaptations, never anybody using his work in any way he didn't directly influence. He's lived in complete silence in ohio for the past 15 years.

In trying to figure out my career arc, and how I will deal with my inevitable fame and glory ( a topic I often consider), I've determined that I want to escape the public spotlight at some time, a set time, and become sort of a working recluse. When my work is identifiable enough to be important and yet still not reaching wide audiences, then I will deicde to escape from modern society as I know it and only emerge when I produce a work. You know, never any public appearances, the rare interview, the occasional photograph every five years or so. So admirable, so mysterious, so fascinating.

Favorite Famous Recluses:

Cormac McCarthy
Bill Watterson
Jim Jarmusch
Stanley Kubrick
Terrence Malick
Victor Erice
Daft Punk
John Hughes

STORY

2007-12-03T02:23:00.000-05:00

This was something I wrote a few days ago because I aint did it in so long.

Terrence stole a bunch of silver from Jay’s house to sell for money so he could buy a something probably drugs for that methgirl or for him and that absolute whore of a girlfriend mentioned earlier. So Terrence was about to sell it but Jay went to go yell at him and maybe do more and he brought the boy along. And then Jay got shot and the boy got shot and Terrence’s girl was strung out and she threw that lamp by her mattress at the wall!! The deer lamp. Shit the ceramics was everywhere and the boy ran and Jay was ? and Terrence was probably dead from Jay who had a gun too and Terrence’s brother the cop heard about it and shit the boy had to run quickly.

But first, home. But for only two seconds. Then he had to go. Where?

Keys to the work shed, maybe for one night. No car? By foot? Six miles? No roads, no roads, have to go over the hill, not by the Meyer’s but by the broken fence and the grave of that boy and his mother. So sad, he thought, he might cry when he sees it. But it’s very cold outside and to have water sticking to the face on the cheeks was never advisable. Besides, there were enough issues and the thought of a grave for someone in that house was too much to bear because the red on his arm was pulsing in his head and thoughts were not straight.

Circles and circles and throbbing and the circle of your legs as they first hit a position on the ground, then rise, then fall again, then rise once more. Knees bent to absorb impacts, feet reaching for some texture beneath the snow to hold on to and lay on and cry and sleep on for a short time before they have to pack up and head upwards once more. Circles of cycles.

The sun was bright and warm and his legs felt it when he drank coffee but now it was cold and there was nothing to drink. He could only think of that stuff now, it was far behind or below him in his memory and footprints. All he could think about was the cold, the bitter, stupid cold. It was so dumb, he thought to himself. Just dumb. The whole concept of it just baffled him beyond belief. The weather and the skies and the events and the recordings of all of it. Everywhere, too. Recordings in the rings of stumps of trees and fuzzy in his mind and clear in the snow behind him. Following him, with every step, more and more. Oblong and organic notes inspired by rubber treads and worn geometry and athletic performance testing. Crisp, complete, masks begging to be filled and recreated and admired if it were not for the temporary nature of the snow and ice.

His tracks were so deep and obnoxious in the forest. There was no way he could get out of this, he said many many times to himself. He said it so much that the words he spelled out in the clouds in his face took on new meanings and the syllables bounced strangely in his mind. No way.

He stopped and sighed and sighed and sighed and sighed or maybe panted. He looked at his forearm, wrapped tightly in cloth and a shirt, pressed against and staining his coat. He touched the redness of the threads and wondered how such thin and graceful strings had it in their hearts to fill themselves with his blood. He promised to wash away the dye when he got safe, to rinse clean those strings and use them for more civilized purposes, like a harp or puppet or to learn how to knit. But that was ridiculous and could never happen for five or six reasons, easily, off the top of his head. He chuckled and heard himself chuckle and realized he was alive because dead things or quiet things don’t chuckle or sound like chuckling. Then he started making those obnoxious prints in that big cold white crunch crunch crunch crunch.

The office and warehouse and storage shed were about two miles away now, but that was a guess at best. The woods were unfamiliar now. People too. But there were no people, only woods, strange woods that used to be friends. It was tough to gauge. It was tough to gauge what was going to happen next or what he was going to do once he hit the shed. And it was anybody’s guess as to his bloody arm with maybe a bullet in it. It was tough to gauge anything other than one’s own movement. But his direction was sound and the building quite large so he averaged out in his head that he would find the place eventually. It was only a matter of time; oh, that one’s not so easy to gauge either. Damn.

There was a new pattern in the curtain of trees up ahead. The black and white stripes from ground to sky that had acted like a laughing scrolling jail up until now were changing. But look! Ahead it doesn’t look so bad. Wider gaps between bars.

Small goals small goals drive high schoolers but also drive the artist sometimes but mostly they drove him now in this moment in this instance to push the bones which move the cartilage but mostly everything was moved my his muscles, inward first then outward then onward for that scattered light at the end of the first pattern.

When he reached the empty snow he wanted to collapse and spread his arms and make a snow angel. Strange idea. But instead he kept up until he reached the top of the hill and just sat and watched and sat. And thought about real angels.

please don't snow

2007-12-01T04:16:00.000-05:00

on Dec. 1st.

Is it ok to have a blog that is not relevant to much of anything?

2007-11-29T00:52:00.000-05:00

It's SO TOUGH sometimes

To stay positive.

You have to bite that lip really hard. And wrestle a lot. Inside, outside, over and under the world and time. And try quite hard.

I've never been a fan of talking about being sad or depressed; I guess I have a really old school philosophy of fighting through things and sucking up, absorbing, consuming such emotions and moving past them. I don't want my personal issues to bother or complicate other people's lives and create even more problems; besides, what do I know about suffering at all?

Pandas tomorrow, I promise!!!