A setback

My movement is starting off very weak. As mentioned in previous posts I frequent Triggerstreet.com a website for amateur screenwriters and filmmakers. On that site they have a plethora of message boards. I don't often post, but I read because during the day I sometimes have naught else to do.

So I started my own thread, basically restating the tenets of my previous post. Needless to say I was overcome with opposition. I continued forward into the fray. Common responses: "It's just easier, people might not understand the underlying meaning behind your words with out the smiley faces, they are tools like punctuation." And so forth. I parried back stating that if one can discern the tone of a novel or an op-ed piece they should be able to do the same with an online posting. If one is so concerned one might be misconstrued one should put more thought into one's language.

Again a barrage of opposition.

I thrust myself back into the discussion, this time attempting to prove my point by composing an entire posting solely in haiku (four haikus to be precise). No one seemed to care and continued disagreeing with me. Finally I yielded, not my point, rather that I would no longer push the issue. And this retreat was posted in Iambic Pentameter, two quatrains of rhyming verse, abab cdcd.

And once again my attempt to show the power of the written word was lost on my fellows on Triggerstreet. Though one can take meaning from this that the written word does not contain the power I once presupposed; I still stand by my thesis. Only now with this addendum: people are more entrenched in this short hand than I previously believed.

Perhaps it is because I studied writing in college; I am lazy in almost every aspect of my life (really gotta get my taxes done) except for what may have to do with language, specifically: writing.


trying a new catchphrase to see if it sticks
"Everything is a miracle. It is a miracle one does not disslove in one's bath like a lump of sugar." -Pablo Picasso

Hidden Gems of the internet

Quick note. There is a blog I've discovered (Beta-English) a while ago who never seemed to post anything. I checked her blog today and found some new posts. One can only hope that she continues on a regular basis, as I thoroughly enjoy her prose. It's a delight to read. She's in my link section (under noodles), one and all should really check her out.

testing out yet another new one
"But don't take my word for it." -Reading Rainbow

I'm starting a movement

I don't understand 98% of all abbreviations used online. I know LOL (Laughing out loud) LMAO (Laughing my ass off) and YMMV (your milage may vary). But that's it. And the last one, YMMV, I would never have figured out on my own; a friend told me what it meant. The abbreviations seem to come out of thin air. It's as if I suddenly started typing YCBAHTWBYCMID and expected people to know what I was talking about (You can bring a horse to water but you can't make it drink). I think it's most discouraging, especially on a medium where for perhaps the first time in history we can try and promote writing as a skill and art form for almost anyone and everyone to participate. It is no longer something beholden to a literary elite but open to anyone who has a computer. An age of literary enlightenment is on the precipice of our generation; all we have to do is reach for it.

In the same vein I'm rallying forces against smiley faces. In a medium where the nuanced written word - the well crafted sentence - can convey a myriad of emotions and ideas we instead use a little smiley face. I was hoping that as a culture we have progressed past the era of the pictogram (as I thought it went out with papyrus). Instead of writing a well thought out sentence to convey our thoughts we type :). I find it disheartening - and I write that instead of typing in :(

Though I might have used the abbreviations - and even the smiley faces - in the past, starting now, NEVER AGAIN.

I'm starting a movement, is anyone with me?

this post, no ending catchphrase. I'm letting the post speak for itself.

jump to see what happened.

On a hair trigger

I just posted a revised script on triggerstreet.com. It's one of the most nerve wracking things in the world (save most everything else in the world, let's face it, the world is pretty nerve wracking). It's the waiting that does it too me everytime. I have to wait to get reviews. It's going to take a few days before I get any feedback and that entire time I'm going to stuck in a state of perpetual anxiety. I know I shouldn't care what these people think, and I don't so much, at least not until I know what they think. Until I know, I care a great deal. It's strange but true.

In other news I'm going to try out new closing catch phrases starting with:

Hey! What are you looking at? PUNK!

Porn

I don't really have much to say about pornography. It was suggested to me by a freind that if I used the word porn in the blog I might get more (or any) accidental readers. Those lonely men and women (who am I kidding, like some man looking for porn would stop and read this) late at night (or whenever the time for porn is at it's peak) are searching the intenet will stumble along and read this.

So, just to hedge my bets, porn porn porn porn.

I think that's enough and I don't think we should talk about this again.

And if you are looking for porn I apologize and, well,

uh.. carry on then...
hey, the catchphrase actually works in this one!

Wonder twins power, activate (well sorta)

I just saw the film Vampire Effect, also known as Twin Effect starring no other than the Hong Kong teen Pop sensation Twins (Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung, who are by no means actually related, let alone twins,or are they teens anymore, both being over 20, if only barely). And Jackie Chan makes a fun guest appearance.

it's not that great of a movie. In fact, I'd go so far as to qualify it a bad movie. It's totally cheesy, over the top, with bad vampires, and out dated computer effects. On the plus side it has some fun kung fu fight scenes, and never really takes itself seriously by throwing in some old school zany comedy moments. Combined, the camp factor alone makes this worth watching. It's crap and if you start watching it knowing it's crap you can have a lot of fun.

The reason I bring this up is twofold. Firstly, I think it's interesting that teen pop stars in this country make bad romantic comedies while teen pop stars over there make bad kung fu flicks. If I have a choose between them, kung fu wins, hands down. If only somehow we could convince Hillary Duff to do an action flick, then we'd be somewhere. I don't' know where we'd be exactly but it'd have to be better than the crap she's shitting out now.

Secondly, I have to admit it, I think I've developed a crush on the Twins (more so Charlene than Gillian). There's something about that Asian pop fashion aesthetic that drives me wild. I wish I can explain it. I searched the web for images I can show but couldn't find any links. Anyway, I know they don't do their own stunts like Jackie Chan, but they fake it much better than any of Charlie's Angels. The clothes they wear when they fight make sense, no high heels or bikini's or skin tight leather. And they seem very cool with being wacky on screen and comedy in my book is always sexy. I know some people say that a sense of humor is important for them, but I truly mean it, I find comedy sexy. What could be better than a cute girl who can kick ass and tell a joke? Very little.

Uh...Carry on then....

Insignifigant me

Not that I want, I don't think I do, but if I did: How do I get people to read my blog? Probably have to tell people about it and I haven't been able to bring myself to do that yet. Not even when people ask me if i have one (and some people actaually have). I lie and say I don't. Maybe I'm embarressed. Maybe I should start telling people, or commenting on other people's blogs, get active in the "community", and what not. notice how I used the british punciation keeping the comma after the quotation marks. It looked wierd at first to me but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

carry on then.
why do I insist on a closing catchphrase. I ought to rethink that.

Maybe I'm the only one

V for Vendetta, one of the most brilliant graphic novels ever written (who else but Alan Moore could have penned it) is being made into a movie. I can deal with that. Out of all the stories that they have made out of his work, this particular one seems to be the most adaptable in my mind, still being able to stay true to the novel - as opposed to previous flops: From Hell, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Another graphic novel of Moore's - Watchmen - is being made into a film. I think that too will fail like all of Moore's previous adapted work, but solely because there is a richness and complexity to the work that will be lost in the simplification to the screen. What is a thought provoking story about the cold war, politics, life and the meaning of existence, and super-hero's, will be reduced to a cliched action adventure, because you can't fit it all in.

V, on the other hand, is more of a streamlined story. There is a single lead character (V of course is his name), and singular goals for the lead directly related to the themes. The story is told in a fairly linear fashion, resorting occasionally to flashback when appropriate. It has the makings of a great film. I'm not going to get into what V is about, let alone that it is, in my mind, one of the great stories about a future dystopia; though unrealistic, strikes a chord resonant to what I perceive to be many of today's current problems (specifically with various laws of zero tolerance, mandatory minimums, the patriot act, terrorism, and so forth).

The script is being penned by the Wachowski brothers; the team that brought us the Matrix trilogy and the film Bound. Sure they are comic book fans, sure they are a box office draw, but are they good writers? Hardly. the first matrix movie, though visually fascinating, upon repeated viewing becomes trite, and the dialogue and interactions quite mediocre. The second two matrix films are, in my opinion, garbage masquerading as postmodern philosophy. They don't seem to have an original idea between them.

So I'm being a film snob, I can't help it. I don't like the Wachowski brothers (mind you not as people, I just don't like their work) and am a little worried as to how they mine the work of Alan Moore to produce what hopefully will be a gem of a film. Though I won't let it keep me up nights, I don't think The Wachowski's are up to it. All I can be thankful for (in this matter) is: at least James Robinson didn't get a whack at this one.

For a bit of a better article about this film and mistakes the Wachowski brothers have already made see this newsarama article.

Man I'm such a comic book dweeb.

Uh.. Carry on then.

You're on my list!

I used to try and keep a journal. Never worked. For some reason I've been able to keep with this.

Anyway, ala George Carlin (though not as funny), a list of things that bother me:

Self righteous people who adamantly claim there is no god, or conversly, adamantly claim that there is one (or many, depending on the faith). People so sure of something completly beyond the scope of human understanding.

People who think homosexuality is a choice. And in that same vein, people who claim to be "cured" homosexuals.

Apricot jelly.

People who give Comic Books and (to a lesser extent) Science fiction a bad name, i.e:
- who dress in "uniforms" when they go to star trek conventions.
- who dress in costume when they go to comic book conventions.
- but mostly people who dress as such out in public (to jury duty perhaps...you know who I'm talking about).

Fake accents.

Any sentance with the words oriental vs. occidental (or vice versa)

Untitled poems, short stories, and peices of art. That's just lazy pretentiousness.

Obtuse films (David Lynch, I'm pointing at you; and P.T Anderson, don't think you're getting away with anything, I'm on to you).

Nom Chomsky.

Internet lingo (lol, lmao, ymmv, and so on) and the idiots who use them. How fucking hard is it to type a full goddman sentance?

People who use interent lingo in real conversation.

The fact that I hated France back before it was cool to. I'm still pissed about that whole Dryfuss affair.

Golf.

There's more but for now I'll leave it at that. I think you get the general idea.

Carry on then....

Life continuing

I went out last night to a rock show/fashion show. Didn't know the bands but all the clothes were designed by my good pal Ayana (and many of them had comic book themes, which is alwasy cool in my book). I saw freinds, I heard live music, I ate cookies. I had fun. I miss having fun. I need to do it more often.

damn I need life.

Uh.. Carry on then...

Damn I suck at this

So I was wrong about everything Oscar wise - except the bit about Walter Murch, but only because he wasn't nominated for anything (and he probably would have lost if he was nominated only because I said he'd win). And I guess my bit about Marin Scorcese wasn't wholly incorrect, so really it seems I only got two wrong, but that's two out of three.

On a side note, as a huge fan of Charlie Kaufman I'm very happy he won, and continue to believe that Scorcese should stop trying to get an oscar and just make the great independant minded films he used to make. In regards to everything else: I couldn't care less.

And that's that for the oscars.

And though she wasn't nominated for anything - I am and will forever be in love with Scarlett Johansson, regardless of that restraining order. One thousand yards be damned. (A bit of an aside, they are in the pre-production stages of a The Last Unicorn motion picture and she is the only one in my mind who could play Lady Amalthea, any one else cast would be a disapointment. I'm sure this will come up again on this site in the future, just wanted to get my 2 cents in now.)

Uh... Carry on then.

oscar the grouch

Tonight is the Oscars. The beautiful night where hollywood pats itself on the back for making at least five palatable movies out of the hundreds of crappy ones it pumps out every year. Unfortunately I can't really comment on any of the films as I haven't seen any of them. That's what happens when you're poor. However, when in doubt always bet on John Williams, and Walter Murch and bet against Martin Scorcese and Charlie Kaufman.

I don't even know if Walter Murch is nominated for anything. Hell, I don't even know if he's still alive (though I'd bet money that he is). But if he is nominated he's gonna win that editing statue.

I think if they gave Scorcese an Oscar now, for The Aviator, it would be more insulting than anything else. it's like the kids at the cool table in high school horribly tormenting a dweeb who so badly wants to sit with them. All four years this dweeb has tried everything he could think of to land a seat at the cool kids table, and now, at the end of senior year, the cool kids, purely out of pity, say to the Dweeb: 'Sure come sit with us.' Every one in the lunch room knows that the dweeb doesn't belong at that table but everyone just winks and smiles like they're in on the joke. Sure the dweeb might be really great, and in the future be remembered as being greater than all the cool kids combined, accepting the dweeb this one time, and so late, just shows how much of a joke they really think of him and are just letting him sit with them this once so he shuts-up and goes on his way. That's Scorcese in a nutshell. He should just stop trying to pander to the Oscar and go back to making great independent minded films like he used to.

Charlie Kaufman is brilliant, funny, turns clichés on their ears: there is no way he can win. He doesn't give us hollywood endings, he doesn't give us happy stories, or sad stories; he gives us good stories that combine many elements of human emotion that can be both happy and sad at the same time. Oscar doesn't like smart or complex. Oscar likes big, over the top, extravagant, and drama. So Kaufman is out.

I shouldn't even have to explain John Williams.

The rest I have no idea about, and only wish that the other categories (short film, short animation, documentary, ect) were more accessible. I really wish i knew where I could go to see those nominated before hand, because as it stands I don't think i've heard of any of those nominated for the aforementioned categories.

Enjoy your TV and let's all hope that Chris Rock can keep the ceremony under four hours (so far my favorite host was Steve Martin, he was funny, he was in, he was out, it was over and I didn't lose any sleep staying up till the end).

that is all for now.

Uh, carry on then...

In your ear

I didn't get the job with the ad agency, which is all very good. Direct marketing apparently is going door to door, form business to business, trying to sell coupons, and annoying the hell out of the customers and the employees of the business you are interupting.

That's just sleezy and I don't want to be one of those ass-holes.

that's it for now, Oscar info to come later.

Uh... Carry on then

trust me little ones

What the hell is direct advertising? I have no freaking clue and yet I have a job interview on Weneseday for an ad company that specializes in Direct Advertising. They don't explain at all what it is on their website. I have a sneaking suspision that it has something to do with telemarketing; not something I really would care to do. On the plus side it gets me into Boston for the day so there's that. I'm gonna half to (by which I mean I want to) call some friends to see if they are available for a visit after my interview. I want to bring an extra pair of shoes as mine are ok to wear for a while but I don't want to be walking around boston in them.

Currently I sit in New York (Douglaston, Queens to be precise)watching the snow gently tumble down from the heavens; trying not to ease drop on my brother talking to his girlfreind over the phone. I was hoping to get into the city tomorrow to maybe see the gates they put up in central park or do something else fun only availabel to me in New York. Alas I think my day will be spent in doors, reading comic books, maybe going bowling with my siblings. Roni won't be there so maybe this time I'll win 'cause I'm better than Asaf and I'm pretty sure I can beat Hillel.

that's it for now.

Carry on then...

A poem for valentines day

Macaroni and Cheese
a prose poem

Mr. Smith had come home to his wife only to find she was dead.

“You’re dead?” He asked.

“No, I’m just resting face down on the cold kitchen floor. Or course I’m dead you idiot.” She yelled at him.

“Did you make me any dinner?”

“Yes, there is some Macaroni and Cheese in the refrigerator. You just have to put it in the oven for about fifteen minutes and it will be ready.”

“Thank you.” Mr. Smith said as he stepped over his wife's body and opened the refrigerator to get to his macaroni and cheese. “As long as I’m here do you want anything?” Mr. Smith asked politely.

“No you idiot. I’m dead.”

“No need to get snippy.” Mr. Smith said. “Boy, you sure are cranky when you’re dead.”

Short story in honor of valentine's day

The Happy Couple

Mr. Smith was walking home one day to notice a large skeletal foot sticking out of the ground. Carefully so that no child would trip over it Mr. Smith decided to pull it out of the dirt. The foot however was stuck and refused to move from it’s designated spot. Mr. Smith being a nice man took off his coat and started digging. It wasn’t too long until Mr. Smith had uncovered an entire skeleton.

“What business have you here?” The Skeleton asked Mr. Smith.
“Why? I just wanted to move your foot so that no child would trip as they walked home from school.” Mr. Smith replied.
“And you just decided to move my foot without asking?” The Skeleton asked angrily.
“I meant no disrespect, just looking out for the children you know.”
“Well I’m awake now and it always takes me forever to fall back to sleep. Do you mind keeping my spot warm as I run off for a cup of tea.”

Not knowing what else to do Mr. Smith sat down in the hole he had dug as the skeleton walked away.
“When will you return?” Mr. Smith called after the calcium clad creature that slowly vanished in the distance.
“Never you worry about that.” The Skeleton replied and continued on it’s way.
“But you aren’t dressed so no one will sell you tea.” The Skeleton realized the truth to the statement, turned around and very nicely asked to borrow Mr. Smith’s clothes.
“Here you go.” Mr. Smith said as he climbed back into the hole naked. “It is the least I can do.”

Later after Mr. Smith had fallen asleep in the Skeletons bed some children happened to be walking home from school.
“Oh no, an open grave, we should fill it up so that no adult falls in and hurts themselves.” One of the children said. So the other children began filling up the hole with Mr. Smith inside. As they finished they walked away proud they had potentially saved a life.

The Skeleton returned not much later with a cup of tea in hand unable to find his resting place. It was then that Mrs. Smith was out drving the town looking for her husband.
“Get in the car you silly old man.” Mrs. Smith said to the Skeleton. “I leave you alone for a day and you lose too much weight. Come home dear husband so that I may fatten you up once agian.” The Skeleton just shrugged, got into the car and drove home. “I can’t leave you a second with out you getting into trouble.” Mrs. Smith said. The skeleton said nothing, not knowing how to respond.

When Mr. Smith awoke later he cursed the skeleton who he beleived had tricked him. He tried to climb out of the ground but then died from lack of oxygen.

Mrs. Smith and the Skeleton lived happily ever after.

A prose poem

The would be Angel

An Angel decided to see what it was like being a man so it grew a penis and went to Earth.

“Hey, look at that funny looking angel.” A little boy said to his sister.

“I’m not an angel, I’m a man, look at my penis.” The Angel retorted.

“No you aren’t.” The sister said. “Men don’t walk around naked.” So quickly the angel put on some pants.

“See, I’m a man.” The Angel said now dressed.

“No you aren’t. Men don’t have wings.” The brother said.

“Oh.” So the Angel took off it’s wings and placed them on the ground. Quickly the brother and sister each took a wing held hands and started to fly.

“Hey! Where are you going with my wings?” The Angel asked.

“Your wings? They can’t be your wings.” The airborne couple replied.

“Why not?” The Angel asked angrily.

“Because men don’t have wings.” The siblings said as they flew up to heaven.

“I guess not.” The man admitted as he watched the two children grow smaller in the distance.

here we are once again

So it's a few hours past midnight and I have nothing to do, thus I write an entry to this blog.

I'm applying to jobs, being unemployed, that's what one does, or needs to do, otherwise, one is stuck with no money, stranded from friends, living at home with one's mother. I'm not talking about anyone in specific here, just a general observation. Anyway, I'm applying to jobs. One thing I hate (among the many things I hate) are most of the jobs I find interesting posted on craigslist. For instance. Today I sent my resume to a what sounds (based solely on the description) to be a promising position. The problem, the company name isn't listed anywhere in the post, and the only contact info is an anonymous e-mail address. Is this a legit job? Is it some scam just to get e-mail address's from unsuspecting dopes like me? How can I verify that they actually got my resume? It is so very discouraging.

In other news; I've come to the realization that though my grammar is less than desireable, I can't stand when other people's grammar is incorrect. Call me hypocritical (just don't call me a hippo, oh what a bad pun!), but that's where I stand. This realization, this epiphany, became the motivating factor for taking "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" from the library. This book is highly entertaining and has only increased my distaste of bad grammar and those who use it. Myself included, as one can clearly see based on this blog alone.

A joke comes to mind (I don't know if I made this up, very likely because the more I think about it the less funny it seems to be)

Jimmy turns to his roommate after finishing his first college paper. "Finished." Jimmy says.
"Let me look it over." His roommate replies, "I'm a strict grammarian."
"Oh, sure," says Jimmy, "But what does your religion have to do with anything?"

Like I said, not very funny.

That's all for now.

carry on then.

Blah

I'm too bitter.

It's snowing again.

Goddamn it!

I wish I had something happy to write.

Why does everyone suck, including me? It would be better if I wasn't included, but I've got to be realistic on this one.

Today's been one of those days where, as warren ellis put it best, (paraphrase) If you really loved me you'd all kill yourselves today.

My life sucks and it's no one's fault but my own.

I wonder if this is what it means to hit rock bottom. I hope so, because I don't want to get any lower than this, and I don't even smoke, or drink, or get stoned any more.

I should go to sleep.

I'm never going to fall asleep tonight.

I saw eternal sunshine of the spotless mind today. I've seen it before. It might be only me, but that movie depresses the hell out of me when I see it. I mean it's a brilliant peice of cinema, I just can't help but feel depressed after watching it.

I've got to get a life.

For the love of pete, or, why do I suck?

So I joined triggerstreet.com. It's a web site where people post short films and feature length screenplays, and the other members give it feedback and reviews. I posted a screenplay that I know needs some work, but I needed direction as to what I parts I should work on. I tried very hard to be subtle, cute, and to a certain extent fall in the category of magical realism.

it was panned. Completely. I'm getting horrible reviews. that unto itself isn't bad. I know it needs work, that's why I posted it. My problem is this. I just read a screenplay posted by a fellow member that was horrible. Really bad. It was supposed to be a romantic comedy but was neither romantic (unless you confuse romance for lust) nor was it comedy. It was the same old generic attempted twist of Cyrano De Bergerac. It was god awful. And it's doing leaps and bounds better than mine on the site.

Like I said, I wasn't expecting mine to be considered brilliant, or even in the top 100 of the site (there are near 2000 postings) I just didn't expect it to be so (nearly 900 places) far behind this obvious piece of crap.

And this isn't me being belligerent because i was panned. There are plenty of scripts I've read on that site that deserve to be ahead of mine. Ones that are clearly superior to mine, I respond accordingly on the site when I review them. It just depresses me that there is no accounting for taste, or that too many people have bad taste.

I guess that's my rant for today. Most people suck, what else is new?