Day Off Day

Fridays are supposed to be a day off for me. SCAD only has a four day class schedule so that weekends can be even more fruitful and creative with an extra day. This sounded a bit too lax for me when I first heard of it, but it isn't really at all. Fridays are for all The Other Stuff that needs to get done. I usually get almost no personal work done on Friday because I either work (like last week), have a teaching workshop (like this morning), a graduation meeting (like this afternoon), open model session (this afternoon as well), art show reception/closing (one this afternoon, two this evening), errands that can't be done on the weekend, and social constraints (like Octoberfest this evening. Damn!). So I say that Saturday is the day I will really get some work done. For personal reasons I'd rather not get into, that usually doesn't happen either.

Anyway, I whipped this one out yesterday somewhere in my busy schedule of class, work, TV, social life, meetings, Lost chat forums, and heavy drinking. It's called, "Pick Me."

Goodbye Gary

Gary Melton, my radio professor in undergrad, died yesterday of a brain cancer. I'm not sure of his age exactly, but he was barely 60 years old, if that. In his heart he was a solid 25 years old. He was a really great teacher who had an insurmountable enthusiasm for free radio. Also, he really liked the Beatles. One day I played You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) off of Past Masters, Vol. 2 and he ran into the DJ both to talk to me about it. I only knew him a few years, but he was a consummate smoking quitter. I don't think I ever knew him to not be in some process of quitting smoking.

I really barely knew him, but he was such a unique and good person that he has stuck in my memory. When I signed up for SCADradio here at SCAD I was severely disappointed because it was so drool compared to Gary's KRFH. Not only was it a tight community of audiophiles, Gary was a key part of it. He somehow rode the line between authority figure and peer perfectly. Normally I would say that is impossible, but he did it. KRFH was one of those few places where we learned so much, and we had a blast doing it. I can't imagine KRFH without him. Humboldt State has lost a gem. Gary will be missed.

The biggest thing about Gary was that he was living the life he wanted to. (If that isn't really true then I don't need to know it.) Even if you weren't into the same things he was into, his enthusiasm and happiness was infectious. You could tell he got a huge kick out of KRFH, no matter what the pay. He was inspiration, at least to me, to really pursue what you love.

I ♥ Huckabees

Now here is a movie that seems to divide people. I have only just seen I ♥ Huckabees last night for the first time. This is after much goading to see it or warnings that it is a waste of time. I really liked it all the way through. I don't want to join the school of thought that says, "If you like this movie, you are smart. If you don't you are stupid." However, I think the movie itself does that. Similar to Vanilla Sky, except Vanilla Sky decided to trump everybody in the end by saying, "I, Cameron Crowe, am smarter to all of you so let me explain . . ." (We'll get to that ka-razy Tom Cruise later.)

When I had to take philosophy classes in college (there is a time and place for everything) or read about that crap on my own, I always remember thinking, "Yeah, but none of this stuff can really be applied. It's just a fun puzzle to think about." Even realistic matters like environmental or cultural issues are seemingly impossible to do anything effective about. I loved the mile-a-minute dialog and action around the absurdity of everyday application of systems of thought that really have no place in modern western society. I guess that's what makes this movie so unique and interesting (sometimes that alone make a movie good to me). These same topics disseminated in a sci-fi (The Matrix) or drama of some sort, I believe wouldn't have been so dividing of its audience. Russell says -

I’m doing something different—I’m taking the ideas seriously in a comedy, even though I’m being off-handed and joking about it as well. I think the most daring thing about this film is its sincerity and its optimism.

As a Zen monk once said to me, “If you’re not laughing, you’re not getting it.”

Sound a little pretentious? Do you see the like-me-and-you're-smart-don't-and-you're-dumb argument hidden the wisdom of a Zen Monk? Do I have to point everything out for you, you dimwitted dolt?

Tomcat69w, a commentator on IMDB had this to say -

This pile of excrement has been on Cinemax 3 times in the past 36 hrs. and I didn't make it past the first 2 minutes. It had NOTHING to say!!! Now some will say "Why didn't you change the channel???" I popped in Last Samurai instead,...and I don't care for Tom Cruise at all, but it was better than trying to make sense of this dung-heap. Also,..I'm on my neighbors cable,...so if I want to watch TV I HAVE to watch what he watches or play one of my own movies. I like Dustin Hoffman,...but the whole cast acted as if they were just F'ing' around without much to say other than some Jewish idealism of what existentialism means to everyone!!! Most of us have our own ideals and I'm sick and tired of Jews in Hollywood making crap like this and thinking the 'rest' of Us will like it. Now b4 I get hate mail for anti-semitism,...4get it,...I am NOT anti-semetic,...I'm just anti-crap!!! The 1st poster 'wastecontainer' had it right too,...cause THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE FOR THIS DRIVEL!!!!!!! Another poster said if you don't like this 'stick to your action/comedy movies! Damn straight again,...as much as I dislike Tom Cruise I'd rather watch any of his 'crappy' movies over this,...so to sum it all up,...I HATE THE HUCKABEES!!!!!!!

So after two minutes of viewing his stolen cable Tomcat69 has concluded that Jews suck. By the way, David O. Russell the writer/director is only half Jewish by blood and grew up atheist. However, it is very clear that Jason Schwartzman is. His character, Albert, is by Russell's own admission based on himself. Still, the Jew in Hollywood argument will never fly right. Anyway, the ideas presented aren't originally western at all - they're based in eastern philosophy. So how about we try the I Hate Asians In Hollywood Argument? Or maybe the I Hate Asian Ideas Watered Down Through Whites In Hollywood Argument? Like Last Samurai. Oh! Damn, there's Ka-razy Tom again! Tomcat69, simplistic as he is, is not too far off with the racial stereotyping although. Here is an interesting review that rightly points out Russell's (and Jeff Baena, the other writer) shortcomings as an effective communicator -

Albert the moral and emotional Jewish man outweaseled by the Brad the two-faced WASPy-blond who cares only about money and status. Even worse is a shameful sequence in which a family of fundamentalist Christians who have adopted an African man are shown up as screeching hypocrites. The sequence, poorly written and played, didn't convince me Russell has the experience to get this schematic shouting match right. It feels sloppily prejudicial. (The Looking Closer interview contains some of Russell's ideas about religion, and, to his credit, he is somewhat abashed by his portrayal of the Christian family.)

Anyway, I liked this movie. I liked Marky Mark Walburg in it. I think it is one of his strongest roles so far. I don't get it when people say that nothing happens in this movie - it is all talk about stupid ideas. Tons of stuff happens all the time, maybe even too much. It is a classic melodramatic story structure with all the high (silly) drama appropriate to it. I might not add it to my top Ten Movies Ever list, but for a good time it hit the spot.

RITAAAAAA!

Global warming doesn't exist. It is fiction propagated by the faithless. This hurricane season is happening for one reason only - God hates you. You really pissed him off this time. I read the Bible and shows that God does this kind of thing. You push his buttons and he will get Sodom and Gomorrah on your ass. If anybody can mess with Texas, it's God. God don't care. God is one bad mofo and you, Sinner, you really did it this time. I don't know if it was your gaying off all the time or how you want to be related to monkeys, but God don't like it. You can't run from God. He's faster and badder even than the best ninja. I'll bet you're repenting now, but it won't make a difference. You've gotten the Kiss of Death from God. I would feel sorry for you if you weren't going to Hell anyway. I'll be in Heaven. In a mansion. A gated mansion on the highest cloud. You can't come.

Lost Art

Here is some Mysterious Lost Fan Art. It was found after The Horn Section attacked another survivor. Steve, or Scott, or whoever it was, barely got away, but had this scribbled down in their coat pocket. Of course, he has no memory of the event or the drawing. Mysterious!

Viva la France!

Well, here they are finally. My mother always said, "better late than never." I can't imagine this is much better than never, but here are my pictures from my trip to Lacoste, France. There are a whopping 131 of them (some are drawings) edited down from over a thousand. I guess that is why it took me so long.

I posted them to snapfish so that I could get prints of them - unlike flicker. Unfortunately, you have to sign in. I hate having to log in to a new service for every little thing. That would keep me from even browsing. So if you are like me, and I think you are, here is log in info for you to use if you aren't already signed in to snapfish -

login - snapphish@gmail.com
password - snapfishy
folder - lacoste

Lacoste and the surrounding area is even more beautiful than my piddly pictures could capture. Still, some of the pictures turned out pretty good. There are some other grad students here that are thinking about going there next spring. I couldn't recommend the experience more. Maybe these pictures could serve as propaganda.

Get Thee To A Nunnery

What the hell is this crap? We might have to evacuate on Sunday if this is correct. Usually the place we would go is Slidell, Louisiana, but that is out. The amazing thing is - even after the horror of Katrina, the first thing I think is, "It won't land here. I'm not moving."

Which Came First - The Chicken or Egging?

What motivates a person egg someone else's house? Why is it okay that the word egg can even be used as a verb outside of the noble art of cooking?

I never had the privilege of egging someone's front door when I was a kid, but I can only imagine ever getting somewhat close to doing it only at that time of my life. Why would an adult do it? It's not funny when done anonymously. (I'm willing to admit that it could be funny under the right circumstances. I.E. If it is The White House. Especially during a press conference.) It's not effective in resolving conflict. Most importantly, it doesn't make a good omelet. I guess if I were feeling completely helpless in the face of overwhelming power, it could help me feel like I did something, even so small a thing. (see White House example) But I don't think Marigold and I wield such overwhelming power, so why would someone egg our house?

Last night around eleven o'clock someone egged us twice. Once at one of our front windows and once at our front door. It made an amazing sound. Such a loud crack. I was sure that our window was broken. When I checked the front door I had to step carefully due to the splatter in the hallway. It is fascinating how deep into the hallway it reached, especially for hitting a closed door. It just proves that weather sealing the front door actually is a good thing. We obviously didn't have any. Also, for only two eggs there was so much gunk! Luckily it was mostly outside.

It turned out good in the end, because it forced us to clean up our hallway and front porch a bit. Really, there was more dirt than egg.

Why did the chicken cross the road? To egg my house.

Justin Time

Happy birthday Justin!

Justin is a Germanic sucker punch. His beard alone is more intelligent than the entire population of most citystates. Yet he still can't recall the contents of his medicine cabinet. A lifelong audiophile, Justin has no time to listen to any one song twice. Unless, of course, it contains references to overripe filk. One day Justin will write the next big summer blockbuster movie and forget he ever knew anybody. He will live in the desert with his wolf-hound, sipping frothy beer.

He has a wife. Like him, she is also a steamy, sexist taxidermist. Their San Diegan estate is the glamorous abode of such cosmopolitan antiques as The Curious Sofa and The Haunted Tea-Cozy. Or maybe not. But it does house an impressive DVD collection, some legal.

I'm proud to have Justin on my list of friends. And my list of things to do.

Talkity Talk Talk McTalkerson

Marigold and have contributed to the Hurricane relief cause in our own little way. We have gone over on our cell phone minutes by letting these homeless refugees talk them away. We have been doing so much talking and emailing to relatives and friends and around the country I really am pretty sick of talking about it. But I can't help but watch the news and look at the horrible pictures and read the heartrending stories. What is especially deplorable is the fact that this was preventable. Not Katrina, but the terrible aftermath. Within a week of moving to New Orleans I knew that the levee system was only designed for a cat3 storm. I have seen many charts and maps detailing the carnage that would be New Orleans if a real storm hit it directly. I have been there when a typical thunderstorm floods the streets and backs up the pumps. In fact, Tropical Storm Bill (June 29th -July 2nd) flooded the building where I worked. There was a foot of standing water throughout the building, and that was just for a tropical storm. When Bush said, "I don't think anyone could have anticipated the breach of the levees." I got pissed. That is not ignorance. If he is acting in the capacity of a president, he should be nothing less than at the very least generally informed. He has had high level meetings with experts. Even I would have told him this had he asked me. Therefore he is lying. Many of the officials, "Don't have a clue." I think they are spinning the situation in order to cover their own asses. Not that they don't want to help, but that they only now know the full capacity of their incompetence. This doesn't take an act of Congress. It takes clear leadership and swift action. Perhaps some shock and awe to win the hearts and minds of those poor people. I don't blame them for "looting." How else are they going to survive. If you have never been to New Orleans or the surrounding area you don't know how incredibly hot it can get. When my brother visited us in 2003 he called it "uninhabitable." I know I am just repeating other opinions, but all this talk is pissing me off. Poor people are really suffering. In New Orleans that means Black people. Any denial of racism by neglect is racist. Count how many white people you see in the picture above. Now count the black people.

In Related News . . .
It looks like my In-laws' houses in Slidell might not have suffered flood damage! Tree and wind damage might the be biggest of their concerns.