Sunday, December 28, 2008

Weekend Geekout

(like susual, this long winded and doesn't always stick a point)

Every year (or so) I try and read one of favorite sets of books in and around Christmas.
My absolute favorites are of course "Zoey and Frannie" as wella s "Raise High the Roof beam Carpenter" by JD Salinger. I think I've read both maybe 10+ times in my life starting with "Catcher in the Rye" when I was 13 years old. I din't tackle the rest of his work till I was Frosh in College though, but his work has always been a return for me. My other favorite writer was JRR Tolkien, I started on the Hobbit in Jr High, and then hit the trillogy in mid high school followed by Unfinished Tales and Silmalarian in College.

Just over a year ago when the last of the Harry Potter books was released, an unfinished book of sorts from Tolkien was released as well called "Children of Huren."Now I had to put off the last of the Harry Potter's books tilll after the semster was done, but I picked upt hat Tolkien book and that was what I read last year about this time.

This year though, I was lazy, instead of reading I pulled out all three of the LOTR movies (I've picked them up used over the last couple of years) and watched them. I watched them plus all of the bonus materials, which is 12 disks with 2-3 hours on each. I'm completely geeked out at this point and nearly can't wait to get back to work in the morning.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

I feel Like an Ass

So today, my sister kind of tried to fix meup with a friend of hers. The whole time though, I couldn't take my eyes off of her mustache. Why the hell does anyone notice stuff like that why the hell did I get fixated on it? I feel bad for her now and tend to think, hell what the hell was I thinking? Anyway, I can't really think of anything else about her. She said something funny at some point too, but no, asshole me had to get fixated on the mustache.

Merry Holidays btw.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

What was that?

So today we didn't have a snow day, but we did have a you can come in late day because of the several days of snow we've had here in Portland. Which was good, because I've had cabin fever for the last day or two and really wanted to get out. The drive in was pretty bumpy and I was one of the first to arrive. I had been baking off and on for two days with Xmass treats for everyone. Upon reaching the kitchen, the smell of rotting chicken hit me pretty hard. The cleaning crew hadn't come in over the weekend and Friday's lunch left overs were rotting. A Quick clean up was in order and the bags all closed and kitchen airing out. Tastie food treats out for those who ventured in. Check.

By the end of the day, most of the tasty treats were gone, except the brownies, which I spent the most time on.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Snow Dayz

For the last three days we've had record snow fall here in Portland. Every day I've been driving in it and have been having the time of my life and appalled at the same time. On one hand, it's been fun as hell as you drive about and are never really quite in control. On the other hand, there's a record number of retards out there. I should point out that up until two years ago, I have never driven in snow. I've been in snow, but I was never the actual driver. All that having been said, I seem to know more then many I've seen on the roads of Portland over the last couple of days.

Things I know though:

IF you're afraid to be on the snowy icy road, don't go out in it. If you do, you're a retard.
Just because you have chains on, doesn't mean you are in control.
Don't drive too close to anyone and be careful passing because well you're not going to drive in a straight line.
Driving in chains in the highway, where the road was cleared days ago, means your chains are going to break and cause road hazards. As such, pull over and take them off.

Things I've been able to figure out:
Just because I have 4-wheel drive, doesn't mean my truck can go any place it wants too.
Little hills are bigger when they have a that much ice and snow on them.
82nd avenue is filled with retards before Xmass, even when we have a blizzard. (note- I should include myself in this retard class).

Pedestrians: Walking in the middle of the street can make sense because the ice is compacted. But you're retarded if you're walking in the middle of the street when cars are around and you expect them drive around you. Remember, drivers are only slightly in control. And if for only a second they are not, you're gonna lose big time. As such, don't be a retard, use the fucking side walk and help compact that ice yourself. But I can understand if you're on a side street and all, but on main bullivards? You're a complete retard if you're out in and amung traffic. Hopefully you haven't yet reproduced.

Cross Country Skiers: Probably the smartest people in Portland right now.
I mean this, not in facetious way either.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Black Wednessday

For those of you up here you might already know that my employer just axed a whole lot of folks. In many respects it was all of a sudden, but in some ways it wasn't. Let's be honest here, our economy sucks and I think most of know that there's a good chance where ever we work, that the axe is hanging over us.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Snow Days

Saturday night we had our company xmass party. I went prepared with not one, but two flaskes of whiskey (Irish and single malt scotch). The venue confiscated the scotch, but I had more then enough to share with everyone. I actually enjoyed going this year, last year wasn't really that enjoyable, mostly since I brought a date I think. This year I brought a former co-worker and introduced him as me "Heterosexual Life Mate" which got quite a a lot of laughs. I promised my friend not to make him the but of all jokes all evening in his presence, so he only had to hear once more. Leaving the venue, it was pretty fucking cold and some one joked about me now wearing shorts. Well I had worn shorts all day, but wasn't about to wear them that night and for good reason, it was fucking cold. So fucking cold it snowed an hour later.

The snow blanketed Portland with about 2-3 inches by morning. When it snows in Portland, everything shuts down. We only have a handful of snow clearing trucks, and they tend to go to the interstate first. Anyway, instead of meeting up with the family for lunch and doing laundry I spent the better part of the day working on a 8 page paper. How I hadn't already finished this stupid ass paper I don't know. But I did go outside a couple of times and snapped a picture of two:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/filmtwit/

I gotta add, most portland drivers know to stay off the road after it snows, but for those that do, most I hate to say are retards. I saw no more then 10 cars sliding around and stuck. Dumbasses.

Monday was great since I was able to sleep in for once. Work had pushed back working hours till 10:30. I came in early since I had some work I wanted to get done before anyone else got on me about it. I wasn't surprised to find that West side of Burnside was clear of ice and snow, while the ease end hadn't been touched. Turning off to 23rd I was stuck behind some woman in a Landrover Disco driving literally 5 miles per hour and straddling the bike lane. Fucking retard. First for buying the Disco and second for straddling the bike lane.

Anyway, the paper is done and so it school for a couple of weeks at least.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

INto the Couv

Oh what a week!
Quick Recap: I finally got the truck threw DEQ and have the weekly laundry going too. Last Saturday I overloaded the electrical for my apartment and lost power to the looving room and kitchen. The electrical here is a nightmare, but nothing was lost other then food. But I'm spending the afternoon setting up the computer and tv again in the livingroom. I just have to careful of the microwave and heater I think?

Anyway, I've been following the local craiglist pretty religiously looking for canon lenes these days. I really want to upgrade my 70-200, but unless a used one comes up locally I'll be waiting till after xmass before I do buy the uber 70-200 2.8 is that I've been lusting after for years. But while following the local craiglist I've seen couple of deals come and go on several other cameras as well. One I called about a couple of weeks ago but had reservations. I don't really need it, but it kept coming back up and the guy talked about folks flaking on it. I did some investigating on it, and the actual camera body is a slight odity and I can understand folks not really wanting it. Anyway, on Friday he relisted it at a price I just couldn't say no to, especially with my bday tomorrow it would make the perfect gift to, well me! Anyway I gave him a call this afternoon expecting it to be gone and low and behold he still had it for sale so I asked if I could come and take a look at it. No problem,he'd be at home all day. He gave me directions to of all places, Vancouver Washington East Vancouver to be exact). AKA- Vantucky and/or The Couv. Honestly I think it's been years since I even took that bridge to nowhere. I hate say, I had some reservations and the thought of this camera being stolen came to mind. But the guy has had listed for literally a month, if it had been stolen, he would have been easy to catch. So it was off to the Couv.

The drive was rather easy, but ya know, once you're across the river the world seems to change. It's not liking when you go from the "City" to the "Suburbs" or to the "Country" type of change either. Vantucky is a real odity since it's a mixture of recent suburban sprawl, industry and farm land. The place reminds me of the Inland Empire back in California, jsut a lot colder and wetter. But the literally the same people you'd find down there you'd also find in Vancouver. So in the back of mind, I was hoping to run into someone like "Spock" who totally ruins my conception of who lives in a place like this. Anyway, the guy's house literally just a block away from local Fred Meyer so traffic really sucked right around his place. But I pull into block and their a guy, bigger then me with a RC off road monster truck racign that noisy ass thing up and down the block. I was tempted I hate to say to run the damn thing over mostly since he thought the thing owned the hood. I park and catch sight of the house, 5, count them, 5 vehicles in the driveway of 70's ear track ranch house. Ugh, I am in the IE, or the worse I'm in Victorville! The frotn door is open and their is a nasty ass coy pond in front with two cats stalking what's left of the poor fish. Did I mention that the front door was wide open and it's December 6th? It's actually a warm sunny December 6th btw.

ANyway I can hear kids, lots and lots of kids so when I knock on the door, there suddenly 4 kids and two women. I quickl ask that I was looking for Greg and was here to look a camera. Oh, "Greg just left torun an errand, let me give him a call". Great, fucking great! So she's on the phone and these 4 kids are now out in the front yard and playing and talking to me as if well, they've kown me all of thier lives. Holy shit, these kids are starved for attention. The oldest girl (age maybe 8 I would guess) keeps telling me her current life and how she likes to pick on her youngest sister. I hate to say it, but I am this point reminded of why I have taken the steps I have not to have had any kids in my own life. These kids were not bad or anything like that. But they honeslty craved attention and honeslty they should not be trying to get it fro a nearly 40 year stange male. I'm not sure how to say this, but if I didn't know me, I wouldn't leave kids with me. Anyway, about every 5 minutes one of the two women pops their head out to let me know Greg is on their way and to ask if I might want to buy a cat or a puppy. "Sorry, my apartment it small and I think my land lord would flip if I brought home a puppy". Oh that sounds about right, plus these fucking Pitbulls to boot.

If thei ris one breed of dogs I am exceedling wary of, it is Pitbulls. Now I've met some great Pitbulls in my life, but as whole, these is one seriously fucked up breed of dogs that humans have fucked up even more. It seems their have a small puppy breading farm out back. They get $200-$500 for each puppy. Honstly I want to run at this point. I am now inthe trashiest place I have been in quite a while which is odd, poor white people honestly scare me. I've honestly never felt scared in poor black or latino nighborhoods in my life. But poor white people put me edge. So while i'm waiting one of the women comes back out and now I get her life story. It seems they just loss their house and had to move in whith her sister. Honestly this makes a shit load of sense since the market has dropped out on real estate and all that. From what I get, this family was probobly the prime target of all that shit and they were able to bail from it finally last month. She hasn't worked in a bit, but her husband is still working at least. Their trying to unload all their excess stuff since it won't remotly fit the shared house nor do they want to keep paying for the storage unit.

About this time, dad comes home and god this guy is big. Not in a mean white trash way, just rounder then me and definitly not int he best of shape. He looks stressed out to boot. I'm actually feeling for him. He goes into one of the bedrooms (which loooks filled with crap) and emerges about 5 minutes later with the camera. It looks better in person then did in pictures. It works fine and I pay the man. Their is alook of relief. I suspect he's been dealing with flakes for weeks concerning getting rid of this camera.

Anyway, either I just bought stolen camera or I got a great deal on a camera no one wants!
Eitherway I have a Mamiya 645 medium format camera. Now to think of what the shit I can shoot with it?

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Saturday Morning

So the holiday weekend is upon us and I don't know what to make of it already.
I know I've over eaten everyday except today (but who doesn't this weekend).

Thanksgiving itself was odd. My mom had an eye operation a couple of weeks ago and didn't feel up to making the family meal this year. My sisters were luke warm about throwing the festivities at thier digs thus year too. So for Thursday I made a lunch time italian feast for the family of Angelhair carbonara. I didn't use prescuto though so I think it was bland to my tastes, but the rest of the family did gobble it up. For dinner I went by Anthon's place, which I've done for years. The odd thing though as it seemed to be couples night. I think Matt was the only other single other then me. Oddly I din't feel my out of place like I do when I'm the only single amung too many couples. Part of it is that I don't spend a lot of time amung these folks like I did when I first moved to Portland. I did miss a couple of faces I wouldn't have minded seeing though.

This morning I went for a hike to downtown portland. Mostly because I needed the exersize, but also because I needed to get out my apartment for a couple of reasons. One, I spent too much time here yesturday and second, the electical blew out half of the apartment. I am currently typing on batteries. I got a little bit of a sprinkle on the walk, but no rain. I would have liked the rain as I brought along light rain jacket. I hit the open market found under Burnside too. Lot's of hippy gear and crafts from what I can tell. A mostly thoughly middle class clientelle too. I was tempted to get another scarf or two, but just didn't find anything that had to bought. The fun side was running into a very big Newfie. he good and friendly, but not in a I'll jump on you type way. I simply put my hand out and licked it. That's a good dog in my book. The owner said he was rescue and was still underwieght. Poor guy looked liked he hadn't been fed too well. His hair was stillpretty matted too. Not too much drool either.

After the market I hit two camera stores. I've gotten some early birthday money I really want to upgrade my 70-200 4l to a 70-200 2.8l. Both places were over priced, which really sucks because I'd much rather buy locally then on the internet. Especially when it comes to high end electroncs and stuff. I don't want to have to call and mail stuff if their any problems with it. But both palces wanted more then a $100 more then any online retail place I've seen. After leaving the second place I ran into a Swiss Mountain Dog, who was also very lovely and well behaved (Swissie's tend to have a long adolecence from what I've read). Good and friendly bit not overly friendly. Honestly I was surprised to even ever run into one. The bread was only exported out of Europe in the 70's and I've never seen any on the rescue board for Oregon before. Wow ran into two dogs that I've been pining to get in the course of 2 hours! So, I'm now back to Newfie or Swissie. Eitherway, I can't really have either, at least for a while.

OK, powers still dead in half the apartment and I can't tell what apartment is mine from the circut breakers downstairs either. Plus the building owner is out. Fuck.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Music

I haven't spent a dime on music in oh so many months. Part of the reason for it, is that I've been trying not spend money, and part of it is because I can't find what I want locally at a price I'm willing to pay, or simply can't find. That's one of the very few things I miss about LA. I had two very good used places for my CD buying needs. But in Portland, the used is easy to find, but selection can be hit or miss for me. Anyway, I'm not quite a poor as I wnated to be as I got some pre-birthday money recently and as such, I hit amazon. The prices look good, but the $3 shipping makes everything nearly retail as far as used prices are concerned.

My music listing has been up and down as recent too. For much of the last year, it's been a heavy rotation of 60's and 79's era ska, rocksteady and some reggae and more modern stuff like the X, Pixies, Pogues or Wilco. On the older stuff, the emphasis on licks of Toots and Maytals, Derrek Morgan, Tommy McCormick, and similar stuff. Right now, most of that is off my playlist as I've had a big hankering for the Stax sound, some classic soul or Billy Bragg material. So I did hit the EM Music and found some stuff too.

Local Selection:
Otis Redding - Live in London and Paris
Sam Cooke - Rythem and the Blues

My Amazon selection:

Clash - Live a Shea Stadium
Billy Bragg - Brewing up with Billy Bragg (extended version)
Billy Bragg - Life's a Riot with Billy Bragg (Extended version)
Erma Franklin - Golden Classics
Sam Cooke - Live in Harlem.

Though I wished Ihad added some Toru Takmitsu too.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Fluster

I hate heavy sales tactics. In the past I've called this type of bull shit to managers and told them specifically why I wasn't making a purchase after dealing with a sales staff who used this type of tactics. So over the weekend I went and did some xmass shopping. The stored were fine, but it was the little stands out in the open that were maze of sales shit. Let's be honest here, retail work sucks, but mall retail has to be the worst. Anyway, every time I passed one of these in door cars one of the sale shits wanted to ask me a question. Shake my head and keep walking. But after coming out of one store I was literally corned by two little girls about what else, my nails. OK when was the last time two 19 year old girls even came close to me. One of them had the worst fake French accent too. They asked if I was doing Xmass shopping, to which I answered "no". So lots of fake flirting later from the two and they are now at their sales pitch about buying their wears as a xmass gift, to which I replied "Umm, I'm Jewish". This line works every time. Years ago I used to use it at Cal State LA when the very Christian Korean girls wouldn't leave me alone. And again, it worked it's charm, but girls jaws dropped at this point, especially when noted I wasn't here for Xmass shopping. The fake french one tried to pick it up with oh, you should buy this as Hanukkah, I walked away, giggling to myself. god I'm an ass some times.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Where It's At

So where am I now? I finally made some headway on my paper, I have a topic and I'm working on an outline. I'll need some library time this weekend to pull info together before I start to write. I'm not 100% sure my topic will work for this paper. At least it the main topic something I know a lot about.

My legs are itchy right now despite the rainy weather. Ugh.

My Nissan failed DEQ/smog today. I'll have to have it checked some time in the next week and see what is really the problem with it. I'll also need to find a decent mechanic if I can. Ugh.

PLans: Weekend should be about 70% to myself. That should be good, especially as I need to do some research on the paper above. I have some social shit to do Friday or Saturday night, but how much am I looking forward to them? Who the hell knows. After all, when I think of my current depression, I'm at about half full. I'm still making myself socilize at work and my eating is erratic. It started off fine today with yogert and no snacking. Lunch sucked, I hit bad fast food. Didn't snack this afternoon, but once I came home from the gym I ate, and I ate alot. Good spicy teriaki chicken and rice, two serving. Ugh. I know when I over eat it tends to mean I'm dealing with stress and depression. Not a good mix for me.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Some OF

The last two years:
http://www.coraline.com/
password = stopmotion

Anyway, these days I spend my mornings cataloging stills from the above, and shooting props from the above. Before that, I handled the immidiate post production needs on the film.

And my feet hurt.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Same, but different

OK, this is a bit rambly and disconnected.

I tend to think that the vast majority of folks are far more the same then we realize. I think we all have far more common then we really want to know either. But we hang onto our differences to create the illusion that we're so different. I also tend to believe what we hate in others is in fact what we hate in ourselves. Do most people recognize this? No idea. Do I always believe it? I'm not sure, But think that when I have time to really think about what I'm feeling about some one else, I tend find myself going back to the above statements. But I don't find myself thinking about it enough to say otherwise I guess.

Today started off kind of nice, I could wear shorts and such, but it's turning kind of gloomy with the cloud cover building up. We're slowly building back to "Oregon" weather. We actually had a very nice summer where I could wear shorts most everyday. But now, It's closer time to wear pants, especially if I have to spend anytime outside. It means it's almost means it is sweater time too. I like sweater time, we had so little of it in LA, that it always felt special. Much like when t actually rained in LA. I am wearing shorts today though, and will try till it get's simply too damn cold. This should be the last weekend I have totally to myself for the next couple of weeks. I'll choose a topic for my last paper of the semester today or tomorrow as well. Otherwise the weekends won't really be mine to do as I want or what not. Plus I turn 40 in a couple of weeks. Last night I was thinking about it and it looks like I'm alf way into my life. Does this mean that my life is nearly half full, or half empty?

My depressions these days have been pretty mild so far, I can guess it's because of the light or the fact that I don't feel completley disconected from people, but I still have to make myself go beyond the normal to connect or deal with them. last month I spent a bit of time making a number of prints of some of photography. I did it in part to sprouce up my apartment and to reconnect me to things I enjoy in my life. Be these photography, people, object, things and what not. I have a few more to hang and a few more to print, but those to print are for familyat this point as it seems that my sisters have lost all their childhood photos and I've been creating an archive of them from my family collection. I've some to flickr and facebook. I do have to say, I was really cute kid, my sisters were less so though. Especially once puberty hit. My eldest sister's hair was quite terrible and she looked like a boy from a bad 70's hair band. My middle sister I think tended to look like she had her shit together. I knew I went from cute to aquard once I started wearing glasses. I can't see without them, though I think I tried going glassless for most of my sophmore year of high school. Did try the 50's ear dork glasses before anyone else did. But went back to round ones soon afterwards.

But I'll never get rid of my glasses.



BTW- I love Urban dictionary at times. Look up "Ginger Minge" when you get a chance. It made me laugh a wee bit.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Changes

Ya, didn't like the last blog and wanted to be more personal I think.
So, this one is actually named after me.
I'll be refraining from work info for the most part.