Scooped In A Coupe, Snoop We Got The News
Ben Folds rocked. I had never seen him perform live, but this Saturday's free concert at Underground Atlanta lived up to expectations. The crowd seemed better than the free Weezer concert a few weeks ago (i.e., less GA Tech frat boy high-fives). The song selection was varied, including a few tunes from the obscure Songs for Goldfish album and a certain crowd-pleasing Dr. Dre cover. Awesome show. J-Ma and I also caught Anna Nalick playing an acoustic set at Borders in the afternoon.
Sunday, July 31 at 4:05 PM
On A One To Ten, She's A Certified Twenty
"Yeah" Acoustic
From today's seminar at Portfolio Center.
Peace up, A-town down.
Thursday, July 28 at 1:44 PM
Thanks
Thanks to Pandagon and Nerve for linking to the Real Images project. The diverse stories received so far are incredible; the end result is going to be strong...please keep them coming. This is such a cool quarter because I've got two one-on-one independent studies for two engaging projects with two great instructors: Real Images (with Melissa Jun) and Cadence of Seasons (with Chris Doherty).
Tuesday, July 26 at 4:48 PM
Keanu's Unconvincing Coughs
I've got a new routine of watching movies on the laptop when I'm ready to go to bed. If I fall asleep, eh, I just stop and continue watching it the next night. So far so good. Here are the latest rentals (via Blockbuster Online):
*The Final Cut (B) Slow but engaging; great concept. Worth a rental.
*Equilibrium (B+) Cool Matrix-esque sci-fi with Christian Bale. Should've gotten a better reception at the box office.
*Constantine (B) Sweet special effects, some laughably bad Keanu moments, but it's got Shia LeBeouf.
*Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (B) A few genuinely funny parts (usually from Steve Carrell or the cameos), but I liked Dodgeball better.
*After the Sunset (B+) Fast-paced, fun heist movie. Rentable.
*Million Dollar Baby (A) Incredible story, unique ending...not your stereotypical sports movie.
Monday, July 25 at 7:56 PM
Five-Minute Designs Are Fun
Sunday, July 24 at 10:56 AM
Real Images Project
Remember that female self-image project I was working on before the New York move? It's been revived, and is moving ahead again with the dedication of an independent study class. If you or a friend has a story to share, please click the image on the left to visit the anonymous feedback form. Thanks for your help.
Friday, July 22 at 4:15 PM
Voicemail Is Fair Game
I rarely leave answering machine messages that make sense anymore; they usually involve a fake accent or singing. Sometimes my friends return the favor. Ladies and Gentlemen, Michael Ferenczy.
Thursday, July 21 at 9:04 PM
Datablitz Next Thursday
After a year and a half of patiently waiting, my "datablitz" is next Thursday morning. Every week before our seminars (when industry professionals come to speak), a few random students are picked ahead of time to entertain the crowd as warm-up acts of some sort. "Entertain" is vaguely defined. For a creative school, some people leave a lot to be desired by showing a clip from their favorite movie or a funny commercial. Okay Samurai roommates are batting 1000 though; Howard had a cool self-made hiking/climbing adventure movie, and Zack had a hilariously weird speech and film about a new cult he was creating. Some other classics were Katie and Anne Marie's Riverdance, Josh's breakdancing and Kevin's mullet. But nothing, absolutely nothing has prepared Portfolio Center for what they're going to get next Thursday. Prepare to be rocked.
Wednesday, July 20 at 11:58 PM
No Tengo Pantalones Puestos
Man I love Taco Bell. I remember during our 8th grade Civics budget project, Nick Ovuka and I talked about how we would save so much ka-ching by eating exclusively at the Bell. Sure, I know it's probably not good for me (probably? who am I kidding) but that late night drive-thru is so convenient when a Chalupa calls my name at midnight. Everything I've ever eaten there has meat, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream. Then they add a special shell or bread and call it something like Gordita, Taco Supreme or Mexican Pizza. And they aren't even trying with the combos. Without a side order mainstay like fries or onion rings, they just throw in another taco instead. I have come to realize that this is their answer to all problems: tacos. Yesterday I had to wait a little longer in the drive-thru than expected so they gave me a free extra taco. Sorry for the wait, here's a taco. Unfortunately my local Taco Bell's drive-thru speaker has wires sticking out of it and they are always adding tacos or cinnamon twists to my order. Does anyone even buy cinnamon twists? Ah yes, they compliment the flavor of the Double Stuff Burrito so well. But no complaints here. As long as Taco Bell is cheaper than Ferenczy's Pikachu lightning attack, I'll keep thinking outside the bun.
at 6:25 PM
Treehouse
If we've had a conversation for more than five seconds, then you probably know about my treehouse dreams. Yeah, that's my one measure of success; if I have a backyard with a treehouse one day. I never actually had one growing up but lived next to a small forest. Andrew and I knew those paths and secret bases better than anyone. We embarked on hundreds of epic adventures in those woods, venturing farther and deeper back as we got older. It was the same thing during trips to my Grandpa's farm, a special yellow house with a secret winding staircase and open fields to run around in. And our family trips to St. Maarten always ended up with Andrew and I going beyond the borders of the public beaches and finding caves, abandoned hotels and hidden islands. That sense of exploration is something I miss in this grown-up world full of daily routines. A treehouse seems to embody that sense of childhood discovery; a simple balance between humans and nature...a tangible, realized expression of a limitless imagination.
This dream is easily visualized. Swinging in a hammock on an extended deck, two or three stories above the ground, our house on a hill nearby. Sipping lemonade through a bendi-straw and strumming a guitar (maybe not at the same time), while a cardinal swoops down to one of many bird feeders (hey I'm flexible, I'd settle for a ring-tailed lemur). My kid(s) running over the suspension bridge with crayons and paper in their hands, getting ready to draw a treasure map of the surrounding forest, while I hope they'll ask me for help. Maybe there's a secret passageway like a rotating wall or trap door somewhere. Afternoons are spent staring deep into the trees and just imagining what's next.
So that's my personal goal. It might take ten years, it might take a lifetime, but it's out there.
Oh yeah, congratulations to Mrs. Jurinski's 12th Grade Calculus partner-in-crime Brian Shea on his recent engagement! And thanks to Alison for the recent mention (you might recognize her from singing Surf Wax America into a water bottle in yesterday's video).
Monday, July 18 at 9:15 PM
Fifty Points from Gryffindor
Click here to watch a short movie of my friend Erik's 31st birthday and this weekend's free Weezer concert. Well, it's mostly a slideshow of PC students since we were pretty far away from the stage at Weezer...but they rocked the place. Maybe I'll get closer for Ben Folds in a couple of weeks.
As promised, I got through Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince this weekend...and I really don't know what to think; some pretty shocking stuff happens that surprised me and left me with a negative feeling. Many more questions are raised than answers and the stage is definitely set for some major action in the final book. If you've finished it too, let me know what you're thinking in the mailbox...
Sunday, July 17 at 9:41 PM
Whoop, There It Is Indeed.
Last night was entertaining and slightly traumatizing. I played student host to three speakers / workshop presenters, so last night I took them to dinner with Hank and several other students. "Show them a good time," Hank said as he left early to rest up before his 5:30 AM class the next morning. Without going into too much flashback-inducing detail, their definition of a good time involved an infamous Atlanta lounge known for its portly dancers and interesting clientele. Thankfully my friends came along for the ride and we somehow survived.
There might be a new movie up here soon since there's a big birthday party tonight and a free Weezer concert on Saturday...but that's only if I can tear myself away from Harry Potter for a couple of hours to put it together.
Friday, July 15 at 2:11 PM
No No No No, Don't Phunk With My Heart
Harry Potter #6 comes out THIS FREAKIN' SATURDAY. Can't wait. I will be completely worthless this weekend. If Amazon comes through on Saturday, expect initial reactions here on Monday...I miss being in Baltimore when all four of us were tearing through #5 and comparing Professor Umbridge to Baltimore City Public School administrators.
Recently saw The Jacket (C-), Spanglish (B), I Heart Huckabees (B), Closer (B-) and Finding Neverland (A). (Side note: if your name is Jeff Ma, take into consideration the exact opposite of those grades and you're good to go).
Monday, July 11 at 9:21 PM
A Drinking Problem
I drink Coke with Lime like it's going out of style...because I think it is.
Sunday, July 10 at 9:07 PM
Wait For The Falling Eyeball
This thing is so cool. I made an exploding balloon head, and here's where you can make your own.
at 8:05 AM
Slippy Sure Hates Aparoids
Without any internships or jobs this quarter, it's high time to focus on finishing this Portfolio Center puppy up. I'm taking six classes this quarter, including two independent study classes. My creative strategies instructor passed out napkins today, explaining that our homework is to come up with a marketing idea for a beverage company that fits on that napkin. Will it make the ideas clear and concise, or just smeared with residual spaghetti sauce from dinner? We'll see. Another class is more theoretical and deals with how methods of interaction can distinguish a brand...sounds boring but the teacher is hilarious ("...The trendy thing to do when you're using a whiteboard for a presentation is to take a picture of your sketches with a cameraphone and post it on your blog...").
Thursday, July 7 at 6:31 PM
Pax Musica
After four months away, it's nice to be back in Atlanta. While listening to music while unpacking, I thought about how I seem to attach memories and feelings to songs. Sometimes the application seems to be the complete opposite of the song's intended emotions. Most recently, Ben Folds' "Landed" takes me back to New York, and the ending always triggers the image of spinning around in Times Square. Jack Johnson's Brushfire Fairytales played in my car during much of the TFA Baltimore days, making it almost unplayable now when even an upbeat chorus stirs up the worst of feelings from those times. They also put the taste of brown sugar Pop Tarts in my mouth, which was usually breakfast while driving to school. And listening to old Okay Samurai stuff always reminds me of practicing in our basement or specific concerts. This personal attachment to songs is a strange subconscious phenomenon, but it's sorta cool. (I know Don says he has a different Goo Goo Dolls song for each girlfriend...)
Monday, July 4 at 12:34 PM
Death by Tripod Lasers
War of the Worlds (A) was incredibly well done and completely blew me away this afternoon. I love those movies where you leave the theater with your imagination spinning. Although I enjoy popcorn blockbusters like Independence Day, this one is in a different league. No iconic buildings are blown up and Tom Cruise doesn't single-handedly save the world. Instead, by focusing on just one family's point of view, a very different story is told. The tension is non-stop from the first strike of lightning, the cinematography is unparalleled (nobody does lights and reflections better), and there's just scene after scene of memorable imagery. The tripods and their lasers rock; the visuals and sound alone warrant a must-see on the big screen. One of Spielberg's very best and probably my favorite movie so far this year.
Friday, July 1 at 10:51 PM
Okay Samurai Multimedia is Dave Werner's personal site. I'm currently working at Minor Studios in San Francisco. Thanks for visiting! (more...)
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