I cannot believe I am already writing a new one of these. I was told I pretty much make the same explanations
and resolutions year-in & year-out. BUT isn't that what we all strive to do?? Make ourselves better and happier.
To grow and expand. I know I live a very charmed life and that I am so lucky you cannot imagine. That's what I
attempt to do and some years I actually can say "YES, I am a better man".
So to say I am "Thankful" doesn't really express how lucky I am, but these are some of the things that make
me smile, grateful, and able to have an excellent 2011.
• Being Creative Day-In and Day-Out
• Great Live Shows, including 3 Foo Fighters shows!
• New Friends, New Love, and Keeping the Old Relationships Strong
• Eliminating Negative Things and People from my Life
• Celebrated my 25th Anniversary attending Comic-Con
• Another great year of Music Shows
• Knowing that I have my Friend's Backs, and they have mine (no matter what)
What to expect in 2011 -
Be MORE Creative, Shoot MORE Photos, Draw, Listen better and not brushing things off so easily,
Exercise More - Eat better, Experience Life, Travel More, Pay off Bills, and Move up in my Position at Work.
#1 Wasting Light / Foo Fighters
Another great album by the Foo. Starting last December I got a sneak preview of what was to
come from the new CD at the Paladino's show I attended. Then having them play the complete album
at the Roxy was awesome!! Including the 3 times I got to see them in 2011, I call it a great year!
After hearing the songs fully mixed and on a CD, I was blown away!! Kicking you in the face with
"Bridge Burning", then the first single "Walk" and continuing to take you on a magical 43 minute
journey. Recording to tape made the album that much stronger and having Butch Vig producing and
mixing it, gave it very heavy sound. Something that has been lacking in music in a long time.
The FF have done it again. Here's to hoping they win big at the Grammys.
#2 El Camino / Black Keys
Over the years I have liked little pieces of the Black Keys and parts of their 7 previous albums.
BUT their latest album that hit at the beginning of December was phenomenal - from start to finish!!
It almost beat out the Foo for the top spot. I haven't found a weakness with this album.
I highly recommend it to everyone looking for something "New and GREAT".
#3 Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2 / Beastie Boys
Another one of my staples of great bands and great albums - the Beastie Boys. This CD and songs
have been floating around for almost 2 years. It is really an homage to everything they have
done up until this point . It is very funky, loud, happy, bouncy, with great beats and rhymes.
Looking forward to seeing them next year.
#4 Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes / Social Distortion
Listening to the latest from SD reminded me why I love that band so much!! Hard Rock, mixed with Punk,
Country & Blues. Some of the honky tonk and female back up singers were a turn off to some fans, but I
thought they were great! It has a Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Rolling Stones feel to it. This album
is true Americana at it's best.
#5 Bon Iver / Bon Iver
I never would have listened to Bon Iver if not for Tasia and Stephen Colbert. Justin Vernon is a beautiful
songwriter and composer, with a very clean sound and melodic feel. After seeing them live, it blew me
away and changed my opinion of their music (like Arcade Fire the year before).
Upcoming Albums of 2012 -
Queens of the Stone Age, Band of Skulls (February!, Soundgarden, The National, MGMT, Rancid,
Green Day (if it's any good), and the Stone Roses!!!
I was reading back through my old posts and I read this one from last year
and remembered how much I liked it. So I decided to re-post and update it.
50 Things that make me smile
01. Friends 02. Family 03. Laughing 04. Kissing 05. Mister Surly 06. Music & Live Shows 07. Art 08. Sex 09. Eating great food 10. Making others Smile 11. The way other people smell (in a good way) 12. Honesty 13. Flirting 14. Hugs 15. Accomplishing Goals 16. Great Design 17. A Stiff Drink 18. Great Company 19. YOU 20. Listening to Rain 21. My Career 22. Christmas 23. Sleep 24. Inside Jokes 25. Compliments 26. Travel 27. Talking 28. Hearing a Tree Fall in the Woods 29. Being in the Sun 30. Writing 31. Confidence 32. Cuddling 33. A Clean House 34. My Career 35. Having a Plan 36. Morning Texts 37. Football 38. Hot Showers 39. Appreciative People 40. Holding Hands 41. Handwritten Notes 42. A Clean Car 43. The way she smells 44. Photography 45. Movie Quotes 46. Looking into your eyes 47. Waking up from a Nap 48. Knowing someone cares 49. Knowing I am loved by my Family 50. Knowing my Friends are Happy
Start spending time with the right people
These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve
in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only
embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
Start facing your problems head on
It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them.
Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and
acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction,
inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
Start being honest with yourself about everything
Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you
want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always.
Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that
you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now
and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to
get there.
Start making your own happiness a priority
Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself,
you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while
simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be
far more capable of helping those who need you most.
Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly
Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual
inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself
to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put
your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
Start noticing and living in the present
Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life.
So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or
didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening.
Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you
Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time,
you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up
and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving.
Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures.
One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
Start being more polite to yourself
If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how
long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard
for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.
Start enjoying the things you already have
The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life –
a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who
owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when
you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life
working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a
quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you
already have.
Start creating your own happiness
If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can.
Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now,
and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and
where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will
eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find
that too.
Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance
In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure
it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just
have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.
Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
Start believing that you’re ready for the next step
You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic
step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges –
they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
Start entering new relationships for the right reasons
Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person
you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect –
people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because
a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
Start giving new people you meet a chance
It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change.
As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as
you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships,
knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge,
and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
Start competing against an earlier version of yourself
Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them
is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself.
You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.
Start cheering for other people’s victories
Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people
around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who
are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around
comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations
When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining –
the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times.
And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right.
Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
Start forgiving yourself and others
We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal,
sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness
is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re
letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on
with your life.
Start helping those around you
Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will
want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.
Start listening to your own inner voice
If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your
own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.
Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks
Slow down. Breath. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose.
When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity.
These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can
be sure they’re in line with your goals.
Start noticing the beauty of small moments
Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery –
find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee
in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing
something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small
pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
Start accepting things when they are less than perfect
Remember,‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve
themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to
accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything
and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn
to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
Start working toward your goals every single day
Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about,
start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something!!!
The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the
course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work
on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result.
Start being more open about how you feel
If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it.
Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple
act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
Start taking full accountability for your own life
Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them.
Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become
a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can
directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a
stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and
overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.
Start actively nurturing your most important relationships
Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how
much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be
everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty.
Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be
certain of.
Start concentrating on the things you can control
You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and
emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and
stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes
The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to
overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that
are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next
positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you
react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy
and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on.
Start noticing how wealthy you are right now
“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to
keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside.
You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t
spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care.
You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so
remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.
Last January I put together my list of TOP 10 Foo Fighters Song that ROCK. This year with the
release of WASTING LIGHT, I went back and listened to all the albums again and have re-compiled
and updated my list:
01. Bridge Burning
02. All My Life 03. Breakout
04. The Pretender 05. Stacked Actors
06. Everlong 07. This is a Call
08. Generator 09. Enough Space
10. Monkeywrench
Went to the Chargers vs the Bills on Sunday. FINALLY a game I could be proud of, in more than one way.
Not only did the Chargers look like themselves, they took it to the Buffalo Chips - 37-10, with a royal
ass-whooping!! It didn't hurt that I was at the game and pre-game tailgate with T-Dub and all of her
Bills friends. Great time at both!!!
Had our annual "Friends XMas Party" on Saturday. This year Shasta was kind enough to offer up her house
& co-host with me. Not all our friend s could make it but we had a lot of fun none-the-less. We played a
couple of games, ate a ton of food that Shasta cooked (a FULL Ham dinner) along with some drinking and
merriment. I am very thankful for my friends. Even with our different opinions and shortcomings, most of
us have been friends for more than 20 YEARS. I feel extremely lucky for all that I have in my life.
I cannot believe we are looking at Christmas (CHRISTMAS for F@#K sake!!!) in a
couple of weeks. Between shopping, being gluttonous in more ways than one, parties,
drinking, more shopping, dinners out, more parties…. I see why we as a country is
looked at in horror and disbelief. I know I am no better than most people.. Hell, I
know I am probably worse than most of my friends. We are out there shopping while
people starve, can't pay rent, freeze without a home, have waaaaaay worse lives than
I do. I have to kick and remind myself that my life is pretty great!! No worries as
far as "Real Life" problems or ones that change your life, and not in the good way.
So, I guess what I am saying is… Be happy with what you got. That most likely your
life isn't that bad. That you aren't at the end of the road. And if you aren't happy
with your life, job, relationship, friends, or whatever it is that holding you back
- CHANGE IT. Sure, Change is hard. VERY HARD. So I ask myself, what am I
willing to change...
In life and through your work you learn lessons of the business you are in, as well as life lessons,
these are some of what I know...
01. Sweat the Details
02. Play Nice
03. Don't Fear Type; Become it's Master
04. Define your Audience
05. Be Yourself
06. Learn to say "NO"
07. Collect and Share Everything
08. Research, Research & more Research
09. Observe Trends
10. Content is Still King
11. Become Indispensable
12. Build Relationships
13. Seek Criticism, Accept Praise
14. Never Compromise
15. Value your Work
16. Make Mistakes, Learn from Them
17. Some people are Toxic; Avoid them.
18. How you live changes your brain.
19. Doubt is better than certainty.
20. Age gracefully.
So after watching the Chargers completely self-destruct with six losses in a row, the last
being the Broncos, the Bolts showed a little life and actually kicked a team in the teeth 38 -14…
be it, it was the Jacksonville Jags. A team in waaaaaay worse shape than the Chargers.
The team looked pretty good. Got a lot of people back from IR. Matthews had a HUGE game.
I still don't think he's out premiere RB but between him, Tolbert and the platoon of runners, we
have the ability to run. We still had giant holes in the O-Line but by picking up some great veterans,
we were able to plug some holes.
The receivers looked good. Gates and Malcolm Floyd had a big game. VJ is still not being utilized.
And then there is Rivers. He looked better. Played better. BUT… I feel he's just not on his game.
Still not the guy we are used to seeing. Something is still wrong.
From the media frenzy, it sounds like Norv and AJ might be looking for new jobs after the season.
I can't say I would be sad to see them go. I don't think either of them have lived up to anything
we expected out of them.
With 4 games to go, Bills / Ravens / Lions / Raiders, we are not mathematically out of it, been if
it feels like we are. The heart left this team mid-season. Sure they are still fighting but fighting
for what? I feel we will be lucky to go 2 - 2 the final 4 games, finishing with a 7 - 9 record.
So sad. I like most had high-hopes for the Chargers this season, but I think the door has closed
on the current team. Time to look to the future and start rebuilding.
I will be attending the Bills game (another let down team), which looks like WIN for the Chargers
but we will see.
Had a great couple of days off for Thanksgiving. A lot of relaxing, eating, spending time with friends
and family and a LOT of drinking. Didn't do any traditional shopping on Black Friday, instead opting
for online and shopping at small businesses. Took care of a chunk of Xmas gifts. Barnes was in
town so there was some reveling and bad decisions made.
Found time to work on my long list of ongoing projects. I really wanna get back into some other
creative outlets. Writing and Gaming do some of it for me, but i really need to draw, sketch,
shoot more photos and be more creative. My soul has been crying out for it… like a voice in
the distance. And I am running towards it!
In this time of thanks, I cannot say I'm thankful for the way the Chargers have been playing the last few weeks.
After their losses to the Jets and KC, we continued our slide by losing to Green Pay, Da Raiders (best team in
the AFC West, except the penalties) and now Da Bears.
I cant pinpoint all the ways that the Bolts frustrate me, or how they lose games. It is a combination of sloppy play,
bad play calling, dropped passes, hurt players, bad passes or whatever is wrong with Rivers, and a plethora of
other things.
Part if the blame rest with Norv and AJ Smith. I think that if this season goes where I think it is (right in
the toilet bowl), changes will need to be made.
With only 6 games left, and 2 of them are divisional ones starting with the Donkeys this week, I feel the icy grip
of death around our necks.
Here's to the 2 year anniversary of my current SHOGUNATE campaign and I get
to celebrate an idea I had some 22 years ago to have a better game, with fast moving
combat and an obsession of mine - Feudal Japan. With many changes, additions,
revisions, re-revisions, I feel the game is still one of the funnest I can say I am
part of. I thoroughly enjoy the creative and storytelling part of it. It helps me
in my everyday work as well.
I'm happy to share these memories with great friends and people I respect and admire.
For many years of fun, fights and many more to come.
After many years of being a designer, working in many industries including Marketing, Advertising, I have seen
a lot of things, things I would swear civilized people would not do to their fellow man. But the world I work in is not
always Black & White. Really just a lot of shades of Gray.
I wish I could say "I will be at this company forever", or "I never want to leave", but like a lot of ups-and-downs
at companies I have worked for (Eight in 17 years), sometimes the stability or security isn't always where you
want it to be.
Currently, my job is good and safe - partially because I'm a hard worker, partially because I can do things that the
Art Director above me cannot do, and partially because of my creativity, forward thinking and design ability.
But lately (after an "incident") I have started to re-evaluate the whats and whys of my work there and in the
bigger picture - what is next for me, my future of design and my company visualHYPE.
Not that I share a lot into the deep recesses of my brain, heart & soul but here you go:
I've been kicking around the idea of taking my company out for a real drive… out on the open road. No safety net of
a daytime job, but just me, a partner and some support. Can it be done? Can I be successful at it? Will it last?
Is it my future? Many restless night ahead if I move forward with it. Let's say - I'm thinking about it but making it
a reality - not just yet. It is always about cycles and I can't say I'm feeling it.
But you never know what the future holds or what road we will be on.
Had a chance to finally watch the Pearl Jam 20th anniversary movie over the weekend. Cameron Crowe
(Singles, Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) did a stellar job, not that I thought he wouldn't, being a music guy
and close to Pearl Jam for almost their entire career.
The footage and interviews is awesome. The special memories with the band members, their friends, and moments
they have shared are great. A lot of it made me appreciate that special time I got to share in the early 90's with
them and the bands of that time. The shows that will be with me forever and the friends I share those memories with.
Check out the movie if you haven't yet. Great documentary and story of a great rock band.
F@&K ME!!! What a piece of shit game that the Chargers not only deserved to lose, but earned it.
We were down 13-3 and 20-12, but came back to tie it late in the game. All thy had to do was kick
a field goal to win the game. They decided to run another play to center the ball…
Then Philip fumbled the snap.
UUUUUUGH!!!!!
Game goes to overtime but just like the rest of the day (and season) the Bolts can't finish.
One of the only redeeming things to come from this game is Curtis Brinkley, coming in as our RB
and kicking ass and taking names. Unfortunately, he got hurt and will be out.
So now we play Green Bay (The BEST team in football) on a short week, and then 4 days later
another division game against Carson Palmer and Da' Raiders on the first Thursday night game
of the season.
If we aren't careful we will be 4 - 5 after all is said and done. Time to get back to basics, fundamentals,
whatever you call it… and play some Charger football. Lots of points. And Just Win.
4 - 3
Final Score - 27-21
Loss to Kansas City Chiefs
Halloween was a BLAST this year (like most). Both myself and Tasia dressed up - She was a 20's Flapper and I was Ad-Rock
from the Beastie Boys circa "Fight for Your Right". We met up with a bunch of her friends and proceeded to get our drink on.
The rest of the weekend was recovery from drinking more than someone my age should probably do.
Another EXCITING game for the Chargers, but as usual, they found a away to lose to the NY Jets.
After building a 21 - 10 halftime lead, they let the game slip away with bad play by Rivers (2 INT's)
and the Defense getting burned. Tack on 13 penalties and you have a big L.
Even in a game that brought back the return of Antonio Gates, the Bolts could keep the ship on course.
Adding insult to injury, we lost Mike Tolbert and Nick Hardwick.
The ONLY way the Chargers are gonna win games is for Rivers to get himself right. Either he is
hurt or something in his head is "off". He is off on his passes and the way he is running the Offense.
Also, NORV needs to stop being predictable… Run. Run. Pass. Punt does not win games.
I wish Rivers was able to run the game like Brady or Big Ben.
Oh well. Next week we can have redemption on KC and get a division win.
Like I always say, it doesn't feel like Rocktober without a Foo Fighters show. As most know, I feel that the holiday
season begins with October - Octoberfest, Foo Fighters, Birthday, Halloween… All leading into Thanksgiving,
Christmas and New Years.
I was lucky enough to see the Foo as a belated Christmas present last year, which also doubled as one of the
greatest (late) Birthday wishes. Small venue. HUGE show!!! Then escaping to LA in February to see them
at one of their small club dates. I knew though the arena-rock tour would be swinging through So-Cal sometime
this year.
I was lucky enough that it would be 2 SHOWS - one in LA and one San Diego one, that would book-end my birthday.
The Los Angeles show was HUGE in scale and sound. They blew it up! I met up with a bunch of friends there and
rocked out. The San Diego show sounded better and was more comfortable (no long drive and space on the floor).
They played an all-out kick -ass show, even if they didn't play my favorite song, it was still awesome!
I hope to see them in Vegas next year. One thing I will never do (again) is miss an opportunity to see the greatest
rock band around right now. No wasted chances. No wasting light.
Another year older. It seems like 40 was on the far end of my expectancy. Forty was a year and a lifetime ago.
Now I've started looking towards what is coming next in my life. What I wanna do with career, relationship,and life.
This year was great and quite a growing experience for me. Moving in with T-Dub. Hell, moving in general.
NO ONE thought I would EVER leave Grim. I was there 12 years. I went to Texas for my first time. I also completed
a HUGE Freelance project. Bought a new Computer and Phone. Saw the end of my first company as Wildstorm closed.
Re-designed visualHYPE collateral, business cards and almost finished with the website. I am actively pursuing
options on HUGE business news.
I am happy that I still be active, growing, learning and can feel creative at 41. I have lived this year without
regrets and pleased with all my choices. Another year wiser and happy. Another year of Foo shows and the
Soundtrack of my life. I am thankful for My Family. My Friends. My Love. My Career. Art. Music.
Time for Friends & Family. Life and Love.
Time for reflection. Time for resolve.
Time to create & appreciate the little things.
Time to remember why these things are important to me.
So the Bolts squeaked out a win against the Broncos, including a rare appearance
of the newest Head Donkey - Teeeeeeeebow. That Mother F-er almost made it a game.
We are thankful for his inexperience no matter how hard the Chargers want to loose.
So we get a BYE at Week 6 to heal everyone up and extra time to prepare for the Jets.
For some reason I still hate them, probably because the Chargers underestimated them
and got kicked in the teeth in the playoffs. They also have OUR greatest Running Back
(LT) and Dirty (Mark) Sanchez. Sure the Jets are only 3-3 while we are 4-1, but they
are a good team that let a couple games slip.
Throw in that they have Redis (Hate him), Crow (Cromartie - Feel sorry for him), and
FAT Rex (Ryan - Horrible coach), I cannot wait to make this a "Statement Game" and
blow them out.
I have been feeling so DAMN Creative lately, it's scary!! Working on so many things.
Work at Custom Logos, Freelance work, My business & the changes necessary update it.
The re-branded website is a work in progress. I also thought a re-skin of my Blog
was in order. New layout and colors. I'm happy, but never satisfied.
Steve changed the way I work & create, and I will always be eternally grateful. From learning on a
Mac in college, to the first one I bought for my business, and the other stupendous, groundbreaking ideas
he had come up with over the years - iTunes, iPod, iPhone and the iPad. His work with Computers,
Movies and Music made a true "Genius". He was a Visionary. Creator. Innovator. Even though I
didn't know him, I felt like I did. He will be missed.
You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is
to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what
you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the
heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better
and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."
- Steve Jobs.
And from my favorite commercial of all time (and a quote on my board at work):
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square
holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect
for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only
thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy
enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
So after 4 weeks the Chargers are 3-1. Pretty decent showing from the Boys in Blue. I can say
I'm pleased but there is definitely room for improvement. There is a handful of hurt guys including
Antonio Gates, Luis Castillo, Jacques Cesaire, Quentin Jammer, & Nate Kaeding and Bob Sanders
(out for the season). Vincent Jackson is banged up but should be okay.
One BIG surprise is the play of Ryan Mathews. He has stepped up this year, is healthy and
running like a maniac. It makes me smile… a lot!!! Is he a top-tier back? Probably not. Part
of a solid platoon? Sure.
One more game before our BYE against the Donkeys… um, Broncos. After that we can heal and
prepare for our big game afterwards against undefeated Green Bay.
For a second half successful run the key is - NO INJURIES, no stupid mistakes in game
and Consistency.
About 2 months ago I started working on where I wanted visualHYPE to go in the next year. The
first step was re-branding. I wanted an updated Logo, Corporate Identity, Marketing Materials,
and then a Website. I also am working on promotion, getting my company out there and bringing
in a LOT of business.
I have gotten through everything including the design of the updated website. Now I just need
to finish building it. Enjoy the new print presence of visualHYPE and await the website in all it's glory.
As we close in on the holidays, we think of friends, family, parties and good cheer. Not rape scenes,
mystery,murder and dragon tattoos. BUT I do.
The movie that has everyones attention - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (from the book by Stieg Larsson)
directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network), is coming out in December (near Christmas).
The early reviews are stellar.
I am soooo STOKED and Excited!!!
It is considered a remake since they have already done a film version of the book & I have heard the
Swedish version is really good and quite true to the novel. So many feel Fincher has his work cut out
for him. Of course, he is coming off The Social Network and hasn't done a thriller in quite some time.
He is using Academy Award winner Trent Reznor (umm… Hello, Nine Inch Nails), to score the soundtrack
which from the trailer / snippets I have heard are awesome! He and Karen O. (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) are covering
Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" (my fav Led Zep song ever!) and it is spectacular, haunting, creepy and fantastic.
So tell Santa you've been very BAD and want to go see TGWTDT.
So what to expect from this game? A victory? Not likely. So the outcome is what we expected?
Actually, the Chargers played ABOVE where I expectant and actually could have won. I blame
some miscues, FOUR turnovers, Horrible Red-Zone attempts, Tolbert running backwards (WHY????!!!!), and the Defense not getting to Tom Brady as much as we should have (even if
we sacked and hurried him)
They didn't utilize Gates either. Floyd got hurt. Between Rivers not being as accurate and
receiving core not looking stellar, there were time that could have made it a Chargers Win.
Sure Brady threw a 400 yard game, but Rivers threw for 370. We were 10-12 in 3rd downs,
and had less penalties overall… BUT those F@#&ing TURNOVERS killed us!!!
Next week we should redeem ourselves against Kansas City, with Miami and Denver waiting
in the wings.
This month is my 3 Year Anniversary at my job with Custom Logos. It has been a lot of fun
and a chance to be Creative and Organized, where they were so very lacking. I still have not
peaked or reached where I actually want to get to in the organization… Patience,
I tell myself. I have a job. I get paid (I need it to be more) regularly. I still have enough free time
to do freelance as well as other creative projects.
Sure, i've looked at the market since it's gotten better but I haven't found much that makes
me say - "F@#K YES. I wanna work THERE!!!"
3 years is the point I usually get to and it makes my skin itch… I'm usually ready for a change.
This time around, I'm sticking with it, UNLESS something really, really great comes along.
Time to look towards the future & down the road, not just over the wall to see if the grass
is greener.
Charger season has officially begun. They are 1-0. I decided I don't care how they do it, just WIN .
Their first game against the Minnesota Vikings was played in 2 phases - BAD and GOOD. The first half
was Horrible!!! Nate Kaeding and Luis Costillo were both hurt, and Minnesota ran a punt back for a TD
against us (DAMN YOU Special Teams!!!). The 2nd half was much better. Rivers got his rhythm back and
the receivers actually were productive. Mix in a decent game for Ryan Matthews and you have yourself
a victory. Next week - The Pats. YIKES!!!
The date September 8th will become synonymous with BLACKOUT here in San Diego, parts of Orange
County and Mexico. We had a MAJOR one here that kept us in the dark until around 10pm.
It was caused by an AZ power worker on the border of California and Arizona, that didn't follow procedure
on a routine maintenance service. It sounds like that the damage could have been reduced, but instead
was amplified to the point that we had.
Here at work, things went dark around 3:40pm. The computers shut off. We walked around the building
with just the safety lights and window light to guide us. By 4pm Clairemont Mesa Boulavard was becoming
a parking lot. It took what is regularly a two minute drive to the 163, 20 minutes to get there. Once on
the freeway tho, getting home was a breeze. Even maneuvering through North Park was simple.
I had an emergency kit set-up at home with a flashlight, candles and a portable radio. We have a gas stove
so dinner would be no problem either. I got home, got the house situated for the night and headed out
to see how others and business' were fairing. North Park was quiet. We stopped by the BlueFoot and had a
$3 beer that they were trying to get rid of (and we obliged). That was supposed to be the NFL kickoff night on
TV but not for San Diego. Oh well. It's not like it was a Charger game. The best was guy outside the bar
selling candles, and making a KILLING!
Once home, I cooked Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, we drank beer and watched a movie on T-Dub's laptop.
We didn't really have to rough it at all. Much more of an inconvenience than anything else.
Especially since it was warm and we rely on the ceiling fan. Had a little trouble sleeping but that
was really super minor in the big scheme of things.
Over Labour Day weekend, T-Dub and myself headed North to the City of Angels for a getaway weekend,
complete with sleeping in, drinking strong cocktails, and a even a concert (big surprise… not really).
We were going to the FYF (F@#K Your Face) Festival which included The Descendents, The Dead Milkmen,
Broken Social Scene, and The Cold War Kids. It was VERY Hipster… and more than I have ever scene before
at one place. The location was a a "Park", that was more dirt and hay, than grass. It was on the outskirts
of Downtown and Chinatown (an abandoned and shady area).
T-Dub had gotten us VIP passes which had some good things attached to it (more bathrooms, food vendors,
watching the show with a drink in our hands) but not worth the extra $$ by any means. We made the most of it.
Met up with some friends in LA while there and enjoyed the music.
The rest of the weekend was cool. We ate, shopped, went to the Griffith Observatory (a first for me),
slept, cool boutiques, and even saw them filming on the new BATMAN movie due out next year.
I love getting out of town but getting home is so sweet. I always miss my bed and Mister. T-Dub is
AWESOME and a blast to trip with. Here's to more great adventures!!!
So last night I was in my first accident in 10+ years. I wasn't hurt (thankfully),
but the Audi took some damage. I HATE when S#@T like this happens.
On top of this,it was my fault this time around (which NEVER happens).
I hate the feeling of helplessness and that out-of-body experience you have when
this is taking place. The WTF moment. Wondering if anyone is hurt, how much
damage happened to you and to the other guy.
The what-if-only's run through your head. The why didn't I do this plays over
and over. The dread. The Mental and Physical cost. Enough to make you ill.
I'm a 3rd Generation worrier. I normally have it all in check but on evenings
like last night I'm a mess. Thankfully for my awesome support team of friends,
family and T-Dub, they all talk me off the ledge... or in my case, a small
mental breakdown.
02. I love what I do for a living. It keeps me fulfilled even when other things
are not where I want them to be in life.
03. It makes me strive to do better / more creative work
04. It penetrates my subconscious sooooo much, I don't even realize it.
05. I love colors, shapes, forms, letters, numbers, the click of an aperture
shutting on a camera, the smell of printing, the sound of a keyboard and
mouse working, an xacto blade cutting and spray mount being applied.
06. Design is Art.
07. Music & Art influence Design. Design influences BOTH.
08. The Beauty of Design.
09. Like photography, Design captures a moment in time.
10. Life is too short to do something you HATE to do / tolerate for a living.
I remember in the late 90's the EXCITEMENT of hearing that they were making not only a
Lord of the Rings movie, but a TRILOGY. This year the the Blu-Ray extended versions were released
and the circle was complete.
EXCEPT now next year the first part of "The Hobbit" movies will come out and I couldn't be happier!!!
Really looking forward to it considering how AWESOME the LOTR movies were portrayed.
Peter Jackson is back the helm and is keeping the world updated on his BLOG.
They have released some Behind the Scenes footage as well as some great looking Character stills.
Keeping with my Artistic side, as well as the Design form & functionality, and my love of music.
I came across this article that talks about both - Art & Design in the making of band album art.
Really cool and iconic stuff!!!
I LOVE Type. Typefaces. Fonts. San Serif. Script. Especially old letterpress style. Wood block. Metal type. AMAZING!!!
I love working in an industry that is pretty much "ART" to a lot of people. Check out these sites to see some amazing work:
So my annual pilgrimage to the Convention Center has come and went. It was another great year with
many fond memories & new experiences, along with all the fun, frivolity and familiarity you come
to expect - like a pair of comfortable flip flops that you love to wear.
This year was no different.
Wednesday night, aka Preview night, has really become a full-fledged night (I think SDCC should just
add another full day on Wednesday to accommodate the HUGENESS of the Con). Jimmy and myself
got down there early to find the hordes surging. Got our passes and waited for the onslaught onto
the main floor.
Wednesday used to be fun and small. Now it's as much of a cluster-fuck as some of the other days.
It was packed inside by 7:30. We left by 8:45 because I knew the next couple of days were going
to a lot to handle.
Crash came over Thursday morning and we headed down early, which included breakfast a Mission Soma
in the East Village. We didn't do any panels that day and actually had a blast just hanging on the
main floor. Bought a couple things, including an awesome Captain America set by MONDO and artist Eric Tan.
I had parties lined up on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night but ended up being mellow (tired and
little lame) and stayed home.
Friday was an early morning with T-Dub in tow. Being her first Con was excited. Add it the fact we had
panels we wanted to get in at Room 20, I knew we needed to be there early. Lucky we got there by 7:15
because aster 2 1/2 hrs in line to get in, we were probably 200 people before the cut-off for the room
maximum. We sat through panels for Torchwood, The Walking Dead and The Big Bang Theory.
All of them were great, informative and FUN!!! When they showed The Walking Dead trailer is was as
giddy as a schoolgirl!!! Afterwards we wandering the floor a few hours until we were both beat to shit.
We stopped by The Field for bear and irish food. On our way back to the car to the car we ran into 3 "stars" -
Adrianne Curry (Ex Mrs. Peter Brady), Seth Green, and Paul Scheer ("Andre" from the League on FX).
I had arranged for Chuckles to go with me Saturday since it had been forever since he had went and I
like to have someone there with me. We got there as it opened and had a blast. The next day I gave
my passes to Zack and Billy to go wander around as we hit the Track.
Overall another great Con. Looking forward to next year (already), along with the expansion starting
and getting Comic-Con locked in for a long time to come. By the holidays I always start to miss the Con,
the aches and the misery that is the Comic-Con.
So, someone (let's call her Tee-Dub) decided she wanted to take me home to Texas. We booked it many
moons ago, even before her parents came to visit in May. Unknown to us, it was to be the 2nd hottest
summer in 113 years!!!
We took an afternoon flight to Dallas / Ft. Worth, landing around 9:30pm, Texas time. As we waited for
her parents to pick us up, we went outside where the temperature was cooled down to a 97˚. I said to her, "Let's move away from the cars along the curb in the waiting area, because I'm getting a LOT of heat"…
It became the joke of the trip because I didn't know HOW HOT It actually was gonna be.
Now granted, I knew it was to be hot in Texas. And it was unseasonably HOT when we were there…
but F@#K, it was unbearable!!!!
We drove 45 minutes to Weatherford, where T-Dub (her new nickname from the trip) grew up. We were
treated like royalty, with great hospitality, food & drink and lots or air conditioning. Her parents even lent
us a car while we were there. Slept in and actually got a lot of sleep on the vacation overall.
The next day we headed into Dallas and over to Arlington where we took in Jerry's House - aka -
Dallas Cowboys Stadium. It was AMAZING and interesting to see what 1 BILLION dollars buys you.
We took the VIP tour that took us through the whole stadium, including the average-joe seats,
the upgraded ones, the VIP boxes and Jerry's private box and elevator. We toured all the clubs, plazas,
sponsor areas, and ended up in the bowels of the beast. We got to see the training rooms, weight rooms
and both the Players and Cheerleaders locker rooms. The tour ended up with us going out the tunnel
the players take to the field. It is very cool to be standing on the Big D Star at mid field.
That night we were treated to steaks on the grill and good ol' Texas cooking.
The next day we left on our road trip to Austin. Made some stops along the way to do some sight seeing,
snacking and shopping. Things you notice while traversing the landscape of TX. Texas is really flat
and dry (very brown). Every freeway exit has pretty much the same thing - gas station and
4-8 food stops. They LOVE their McDonalds, Subway and Whattaburger. There are definitely
hidden treasures along the way.
Austin was a very, very hip place. Being the music capital of the world we expected to catch a show,
unfortunately the heat kept bands away over the summer. We did end up eating BBQ at Stubbs (famous for
awesome shows) but did not catch a show. We battled the heat every day (and night) any way we could.
Including some time at the hotel pool with a beer in hand. Got to do some shopping on South Congress
and had breakfast at Maria's Taco Xpress.
I got to meet a LOT of T-Dub's friends, including her Brother and Sister-in-Law. Ended up
getting bottle service and part of a room at the W in downtown Austin. Had a drunken BLAST!!!
Finished the night stumbling to the local handful of food trucks camped out after the bars closed
and then back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep.
The next day we headed south towards San Antonio, ending up in New Braunfels, where we floated the river.
Now I expected another hot day but it was blistering and we had almost a 2 hour wait just to get in to
the water. Girls were dropping in line from heat exhaustion, too much booze, and not enough water.
Once we were in and drinking beers, it was sooooo much fun! We had a big group of 9 people and a
beer tube for our coolers. It was along day in the sun and water, but we really wanted to
get back to Weatherford to sleep. Unfortunately it was a looooong drive and Tasia was feeling ill
so I had to drive the whole time (almost 4 hrs…. blah!)
The next day we did a little shopping and a great lunch before getting dropped off at the airport.
I really like Texas and wouldn't mind going back…. but only if it's a reasonable temperature!!!
K-Swiss decided to step it up in the Marketing and Advertising department, enlisting Kenny
Powers (played by Danny McBride) to represent the brand and their line called TUBES. But this
year he’s not just Kenny Fuckin’ Powers, he’s Kenny Powers the Mother Fuckin’ CEO. All I can
say is it is HILARIOUS!!!!. Props to K-Swiss and 72andSunny Ad Agency out of LA. GREAT JOB!!!
Some of the funnest lines in the AD:
"I'm Fucking In, you are Fucking out"
"What's up dog, I killed you"
"Who knew you could bottle the scent of boner"
With us going on a vacation to a "Foreign" place (well, foreign to me), I decided like any ROCKSTAR,
I need to have a Tour Rider to have the comforts of home no matter where I go. Please use this
whenever I come to stay at your house for longer than 3 days. Thank you.
2011 CHEESE Tour Rider: BREAKFAST:
Coffee - Either a Starbucks Grande White Chocolate Mocha OR a fresh pot of Dunkin' Donuts
Assorted Muffins and Pastries
Breakfast Sandwiches from either Einsteins Bagels or McD's
LUNCH:
Open to Sandwiches, Mexican, Salads, or Thai
ABSOLUTELY NO - Creamy dressings, Mayo, Ranch Dressing, Blue Cheese or the like!!!!
DINNER:
Open to Italian, Steak (Kobe beef preferred), Mexican (if not had for lunch),
Sushi (if on a Coast)
Assorted ripe bananas, apples, and fruit & veggies, along with seasonal fruit (grapes, strawberries, watermelon)
3 ripe limes
Case of Coke, Diet Coke and 7-Up
Case of Arrowhead Bottles (23.7 FL OZ)
Bottle of Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
Bottle of Olive Juice
Bottle of Vermouth
1 Bottle of Tito's Vodka (750 ML)
1 Bottle of Captain Morgans Rum (1.75 LTR)
1 Bottle of Captain Morgans Tatto Rum (750 ML)
6 Pack of Ginger Beer
6 Pack of Bud longnecks
10 LBS of Ice (flakes)
1 Bottle of Malbec, Chardonnay and Tempranillo
SweetTart - 4 Rolls (Rolls ONLY, no bags or any other types)
Spree - 4 Rolls (Rolls ONLY, no bags or any other types)
4 Lg Wine Glasses
4 Martini Glasses
4 Copper Mugs
4 Large Coffe Mug (Ceramic)
IN BEDROOM / BATHROOM:
i-Pod Charger (available)
Phone chargers for i-Phone, Blackberry, Android (available)
2 Plush Robes
4 Lg Terricloth Bath sheets (or Lg Towels)
Queen or King size Bed, with pillow top
1000 Thread count Sheets
Colgate Toothbrush (Medium Full head)
Colgate Toothpaste
Old Spice Deoderant
3 Bars of Irish Spring Soap & a Loofa
Face Scrub (Apricot preferred)
Yoga Mat
40+" HD 1080i TV
DVD player
Assorted Movies / TV Shows on DVD
The 4th of July ???!!!! Man, I cannot believe how time is flying. Especially how THIS month will!
July is jammed full of goodness... We leave for Texas mid month. Come back to Comic-Con
and the opening of Del Mar. My 1-year anniversary with the GF. Add in some work and FINALLY
getting resolve on the freelance web project that has been done for weeks! I'm gonna need a
vacation from my vacation. It truly will be a BUSY FUCKING MONTH.
Tasia and myself hit up the San Diego (Del Mar, whatever) Fair over the
4th of July closing weekend. Had a BLAST since she hasn't been since she
moved here. We ate like champs, had some drinks, petted some animals,
and had a great time.
BUT I'm definitely ready for the Track to start. Countdown to July 20th!!!
01. She always has my back
02. She love me unconditionally
03. She let's me hang with my Boys whenever I want
04. She is super fun and likes to laugh
05. She trusts me (enough said)
06. She can out drink you
07. She LOVES music
08. She gets along really great with my friends, wives, kids, animals, etc.
09. She loves SEX
10. She likes to stay in as much as going out
11. She appreciates art and design
12. She is a good sport, likes to laugh and can laugh at herself
13. She likes to do all sorts of random stuff on the weekends
14. She will pick me up a bottle of booze when I am out
15. She never pressures me to do anything
16. She treats me like a KING
17. She loves football and the NFL as much as I do
18. She likes TV and movies, and will watch a lot of the same stuff I do
19. She will tolerate all my shortcomings, forgetfulness and times that I'm not stellar
20. She loves me.
At the end of May, TV-ophiles like myself would either be A) Sad & Depressed the TV season was over, B) Happy to catch up on Movies and DVDs, C) Take a break from it all and READ, or D) Get STOKED for
the new Summer TV shows (and get geeked for the Fall too)!!!
The summer started off with The Game of Thrones on HBO, that hopefully you watched (because it was GREAT!!!).
Then comes the return of White Collar & Burn Notice on USA. Futurama on Comedy Central. Wilfred (staring Elijah Wood)
and the Series Finale of Rescue Me (sooooooo Sad!) on FX in July. And finally the return of Walter White (Bryan Cranston)
and the Emmy Winning show Breaking Bad!!!
Be on the look out this fall for Powers, Grimm, and the return of The Walking Dead...
I have been an AVID (to say the least) Star Wars fan since I was 7 years old. I remember vividly the great joy that
SW once brought to me. The smile that came to my face thinking about the SW Universe and where it would go next.
I saw Star Wars: A New Hope 40+ times in the theater (and probably over 100 counting watching on VHS & DVD).
I remember standing in line all day to see Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back. It was an event!!! Wrapping it all up
in a pretty bow known as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Then came the PREQUELS.
Myself like many others, stood in line a week before the movie came out just to get tickets for in Star Wars:
The Phantom Menace. THEN stood in line AGAIN a week later to see the movie, hoping to recapture the feeling we
got in our childhood. Then as we left the theater, we collectively scratched our heads in confusion and dismay.
Let me tell you - IT SUCKED.
I look back now and somewhat enjoy those movies - liking some of the concepts and cool scenes… But then there
is Jar-Jar. He still sends shivers through me. And how wooded Anakin (both Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen) was.
And don't get me started in Midichlorians… UBER-Lame explanations of the Force!!
Obviously, my SW movies are the original ones. I own the original VHS copy, the Limited Edition VHS, and the
special edition DVD box set. I never bought the Prequel versions nor any of the Re-released Uber-Special editions
on DVD. Instead I await the Blu-Ray version release in September, which I truly am stoked for.
The problem I have with you stems with you saying that the Original Trilogy movies "were never finished" or whatever.
You think by going in and altering the moving by dropping in CGI, that will make the movies better? The way CGI makes
a movie better, is if you can't tell it was done - NOT changing the story!!!!
Han shot first. It's true. It will ALWAYS be true. You cannot re-write history. Do yo think we will somehow FORGET we saw
him shoot first. Don't take that away from the story. It showed us that Han Solo was a bad-ass and did what it took to get
things done. Leave it alone.
And on top of all that, starting in 2012 you will be re-releasing the movies with the "special-ness" (special, like
the short yellow bus) of 3D. Now I ask, do we really NEED a 3D version of these movies? Can't you
concentrate on, I don't know, SOMETHING ELSE??!!! Stop the insanity of trying to make it better!
I am excited for the update Star Tours and being immersed into the SW Universe. It was promised 24 years ago,
but better late than never.
There is talk of a Live Action TV show coming within the next 5 years. I think to myself…. Bad Idea.
I look at what the Lucas Arts (The Old Republic) are doing to video games and think,
"THIS is the way moving forward that the Star Wars universe could and should grow". Even the Clone Wars
are better than the live action universe portrayed sine 1999. So how about letting someone else take control
for a while? I have to believe that no one wants to F@#K UP the SW Universe. So I ask you… No, Beg you.
Please stop. I want to believe again and with you at the helm, it is going to sink.
Sometimes I forget that I am a volatile, angry, fiery Sicilian man that sometimes
gets wound-up fed-up and blows-up at small (and sometimes BIG) crap that goes on
in his life.
Now for the most part I am the sweet, loving, caring, best-friend guy. BUT, on occasion
I let my emotions get the best of me. This used to be a problem with work and jobs,
that even leaked into my 'real life". That is until I had a phenomenal talk with Chazz
a couple of years ago that put it all into perspective and gave me a better way to
handle situations... Breathe Deeply. Talk Calmly. Don't Yell or Get Upset.
So if you ever find yourself at the end of one of my tirades, realize I may
have more on my mind than just what is bothering me on the surface.
This will be the first year WITHOUT a Cheese Memorial Day BBQ Extravaganza. I'm kind of sad but with
the move, Tasia's parents visiting, work & freelance being extremely busy, Gaming, and having a relationship,
I just don't have the time, energy, or money.
I miss the friends, yummy food, DRINKS, the Golden Mallet, and themes….Pirates, White party, Hawaiian,
Western… all super fun!!!
We have been in the new house for 2 months and it has flown by. We haven't really had people over,except for
a few here and there. We have talked about having a house warming party or BBQ but haven't figured out all
the logistics yet. There will be something in June (we think) so there is that to look forward to.
Tasia's parents came to visit (and stay with us) last week. They slept in the office on my old
bed that I drug in from the garage and put in the center of the room. I have never had a significant
others parents stay with me… EVER! So I was a little nervous and worried. I had never met them,
let alone they were 10 feet from where I slept! They have been to San Diego before to visit their
daughter, so they weren't doing the tourist stuff this time around. That being said, they still had a
very aggressive schedule over the couple of days there were in town (which meant I had to
"Be ON" for a couple of days).
They arrived Wednesday night and we scooped them up and headed over to Bluewater for some
fish (the BEST in SD). Great meal and some time to sit and talk. Back to the house to clean up, unpack,
and crash. We had a busy day that was a a few hours away…
Theo were up at 4am (6am Texas time) so I couldn't sleep. We were on the road for Universal studios
by 6:30, arriving by 10am. 6 hours of fun. Then a 3.5 hour drive home. Dinner out at my newest fav
Italian restaurant - Il Postino. Had a fabulous dinner - splitting a bunch of apps and a couple entrees.
Friday was back to work for me, while they went sky diving. It was Tasia's second time and a first
for her Dad. Sounds like they had a blast! Not something in my wheelhouse (those of you that
know me, know I HATE rollercoasters… (let me rephrase that. I hate most rollercoasters).
Friday night was dinner with my family and hers at Urban Solace. I still had not eaten there.
I had the Meatloaf and Sweat Potato Mash…. Extremely yummy! A couple of drinks and
good conversation. Happy everyone got along.
Saturday I spent with the boys, while Tasia and the Fam went to Doheny Beach for a music festival.
They got home late and left for the airport at 6:30am on Sunday. A quick trip, but a good one
none-the-less. I think they enjoyed themselves and I was glad to finally meet them. I will be
staying one night at their place when we head to Texas in July.
Glad to have my life back to normal, after a quick rush to the head.
The Foo Fighters have started their US Tour that will run through the rest of
the year (so it seems). Their first date was in Tulsa, OK and they played
28 songs, including 6 new ones, mixed in with their greatest hits. I cannot
wait for a West Coast announcement but as of now we wait… patiently.
I remember when Star Tours opened at Disneyland… A wet dream for boys that had visions of Star Wars
in their youth. They promised they were making a ride where you could take part in different parts
of the SW universe. Unfortunately (and technologically) it was never expanded past the original plot
and ride, making it boring and trite. Fast forward 20 years, 3 movies and a cartoon later, and George Lucas
has blessed us with the original idea for the Star Tours ride. Supposedly the newly revamped Star Tours
will have enough different scenarios that you would have to ride it up to 100 times to see everything!!!
I cannot wait…
I was out shopping and came across these gems… Stance Socks. So colorful and fun!!
They use the same colors on both socks, but they don't have the same pattern.
Fresh and Funky, as well as super comfy! Check them out here:
Great article about typefaces - published back in 2002, but still relevant.
“What font is used on the Absolut Vodka bottles”?
“Can you identify the font used in the new Star Wars movie”?
“Do you recognize the font in the attached PDF“?
They're NOT Fonts!
I get questions like these daily. I don’t mind them. Fact is, I enjoy the challenge. What I don’t like, however, is the nomenclature.
It seems that just about everyone is using the word “font” when they are referring to a typeface. “Fonts” and “typefaces”
are different things. Graphic designers choose typefaces for their projects but use fonts to create the finished art.
Typefaces are designs like Baskerville, Gill Sans or Papyrus. Type designers create typefaces. Today they use software programs
like Fontographer or Font Lab to create the individual letters. A few still draw the letters by hand and then scan them into a
type design application. Fonts are the things that enable the printing of typefaces. Type foundries produce fonts.
Sometimes designers and foundries are one and the same, but creating a typeface and
producing a font are two separate functions.
A little history may help. John Baskerville created the typeface design that bears his name. Creating the design was a
multi-stage process. First, he cut the letters (backwards) on the end of a steel rod. The completed letter is called a “punch.”
Next, Baskerville took the punch and hammered it into a flat piece of soft brass to make a mold of the letter. A combination of
molten lead, zinc and antimony was then poured into the mold and the result was a piece of type the face of which was an exact
copy of the punch. After Baskerville made punches for all the letters he would use and cast as many pieces of type as he thought
he would need, he put the type into a typecase. The resulting collection of letters was a font of Baskerville type.
Over the years, there have been hand-set fonts of Baskerville type, machine-set fonts, phototype fonts, and now digital fonts.
Currently, there are TrueType and PostScript Type1 fonts of the Baskerville typeface. There are Latin 1 fonts of Baskerville
used to set most of the languages in Western Europe and Greek and Cyrillic fonts that enable the setting of these languages.
All these fonts are of the Baskerville typeface design.
Maybe it's OK for the folks that set the neighborhood church's newsletter to call them fonts; but those of us who claim to be
typographers and graphic designers should refer to our tools by the correct name. So, what font is used on the Absolut
Vodka bottles? I don't know. But I can tell you that the name “Absolute” is set in the typeface Futura Extra Bold Condensed.
In the next few weeks Marvel and DC Comics drop 3 HUGE summer movies - THOR, Green Lantern,
and Captain America. Being a HUGE fan, I've kept up with the production of each movies, seen the
trailers, read the comics of each title for many years and have made my own conclusions:
THOR looks to be a fun movie that will stay close to the latest incarnation of the comic book.
The special fx look great and the cast looks awesome. I LOVE Natalie Portman, but I heard her character
brings very little to the movie. I really want this one to do well considering most do not know
the THOR storyline.
Most people know who Captain America is and the gist of his background. The movie is taking the right
approach - telling his origin story, WWII adventures, how he comes to modern day. The comic in
the mid-2000's was AWESOME and exciting again. Ed Brubaker wrote the character the way it should be.
When they released the first batch of pictures from the movie, I thought it looked cheesy but fun.
After they released their SuperBowl commercial, I was all in!
Green Lantern to me looks like the turd of the bunch. Both trailers, along with the acting seem forced.
I'm not sure if Ryan Reynolds isn' right, or the amount of CGI is bad. I have ALWAYS liked GL as a character
and it bums me out that making a movie about him might make him SUCK! One thing is for certain,
I'm not putting all my eggs in THAT basket.
I am a fan of Fantasy, some Horror, but my heart lays with Sci-Fi. Growing up in the age of Star Wars, Comic Books, Transformers,
and Land of the Lost, it was hard not to see the coolness of Science Fiction. Now I realize that it's all about great story and boy is
there some great work out there!!!
Here is my TOP 10 (all time) Sci-Fi TV shows:
#10 Star Trek (Original) - Cheesy 60's Sci-Fi still rocks!
#9 Battlestar Galactica (Original) - The TV show that opened my eyes to Sci-Fi as a series. Please disregard BSG 1980. The Horror!!!
TIE #7 Firefly - Short lived but a great fusion of Sci-Fi and the Old West, brought to you by Joss Wheadon (Buffy, Angel) #7 Millennium - Spin-off of the X Files with waaaaaay creepier and dark.
#6 The Walking Dead - Best show on TV. First season rocked, but short (only 6 episodes). Check it out if you aren't a fan. New season in October.
#5 Dr. Who (Current) - You aren't watching it… Well????!!!! Get on it. Great show. Just started up on BBC America for a new season.
#4 X-Files - The theme song and Misses Peacock still haunts my nightmares.
#3 Star Trek: The Next Generation - Great characters. Great stories. Great action. All after the first season that is. A classic.
#2 Torchwood - Awesome show. Get the past seasons and start from the beginning. You won't be disappointed.
#1 Battlestar Galactica - I was against the idea of this show, but it did seriously blow away all expectations. Super bummed when this one ended.
But looking forward to...
Looking forward to -Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome
Honorable Mention -Fringe, Alien Nation Alien Nation was a Monday Staple in the late 80's. The movie was better (it had James Caan) but the TV show was still good.
I have seen a few episodes of Fringe, but didn't have the dedication to it. Planning on starting it from the beginning.
The NFL & the Chargers announced their 2011-2012 schedule, even tho they might still be in a
lockout come September. Here's to hoping it alleges worked out because I NEED football and
I'm NOT watching scrubs play!!!
PRESEASON -
08/11/2011 Seahawks @ Chargers
08/20/2011 Chargers @ Cowboys
08/27/2011 Chargers @ Arizona
09/01/2011 49ers @ Chargers
Come June and Lord of the Rings fans will have much reason to celebrate, for in anticipation of the BluRay release
of the Extended Editions of the Lord of the Rings films (JUNE 28), AMC Theatres will be screening the very same
director’s cuts of the films over three weeks in June.
Begin the epic journey of The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition) on June 14th 2011, experience the union
of The Two Towers (Extended Edition) on June 21st 2011, and behold the end of all things with The Return of the King
(Extended Edition) on June 28th 2011.
Since late December, when I got to go to LA to see the Foo Fighters at Palladinos (a small club in Tarzana)
and I got to hear 3 new songs from the upcoming album, I have ben waiting for the whole album to drop.
Since then I have been lucky enough to see them at the ROXY, see them in a special theater-only concert
and have heard the whole album online via streaming on their website.
Now, I hold the actual CD WASTING LIGHT in my hand and I am ECSTATIC!!! The album is great and has
been getting awesome reviews. It is a hard-rocking album with a lot of heart and big sounds from the
re-addition of Pat Smear back into the band full time, giving them 3 guitars and a lot of depth.
TRACK LISTING -
Bridge Burning - 10 / 10 Rope - 9.5 / 10
Dear Rosemary - 10 / 10 White Limo - 9.5 / 10
Arlandria - 10 / 10 These Days - 10 / 10
Back & Forth - 8 / 10 A Matter Of Time - 7 / 10
Miss The Misery - 8 / 10 I Should Have Know - 8 / 10
Walk - 8.5 / 10
Overall Rating - 9 / 10
My favorite tracks are Bridge Burning, Alandria, and These Days, with Rope and Dear Rosemary
right there too. This album is a testament to a great band that really cares about the product they
put out. This album has moved into the #3 spot of my favorite FF albums - #1 Color and the Shape
and # 2 There is Nothing Left To Lose.
EXTRAS:
Rope (Deadmou5 mix) - 5 / 10 - I hate it!!! I want my Rock, to ROCK, not dance. Better Off - 8 / 10 - Sounds like it was written for the T.Hawk & the Coattail Riders album. I like it a lot.
White Limo video - Awesome and Fun. Great cameo by Lemmy & Jordan Grohl. Walk (Live@the Roxy) - Tasia and myself are featured throughout the video
(time code: 2:31-2:32, 2:36-2:27, 4:19-4:20) I'm easy to spot - Tall guy in a Kelly Green Tshirt.
One month in and the house is in pretty good shape, with only the office being the thorn in my side.
Even the garage is in great shape. Not done, but manageable. A few key purchases and some sacrifices
and I feel like I can show the place.
Mister is finally doing the inside / outside thing without any incidents. It's great to have a place
to park EVEYDAY, never needing to lug shit a block or more ever again!!! We have started to do a
lot more cooking and I've grilled a couple of times.
Smiling, Happy and back to Normal. Pictures of the new place HERE
Last night myself and Spork headed down to Chula Vista for the "One-Night Only" premiere of "Back & Forth" the new Foo Fighters documentary. After the movie, there was to be a concert LIVE from Studio 606 and beamed into the theaters.
Besides geeking out over the whole thing. Foo. Movie. Concert. Awesome!!! But actually the movie
was great. I learned a TON about the band, their history, and the music process of the new album.
The interviews with past members was eye-opening and hearing from each of their mouths was phenomenal!
The next 2 weeks, the world will be inundated with the FOO. Movie premiere. Appearances on SNL,
The Daily Show, Letterman and FUSE. As well as the album drop on Tuesday April 12th, they will having
a 2-Hour online concert. In FF heaven!!!
Putting the past away for good... It's harder said than done. We all keep memories of our past.
Moving brings a lot of those out, especially find old mementos from your history. During the move
and unpacking I have come across a lot of stuff, being a pack-rat, that I stashed away because I wasn't
ready to get rid of it. Now as I sort and organize everything (again), I have been cleaning and
cleansing my life of a lot of old souvenirs. Time for a clean start. A time to say goodbye to the the past,
knowing that I am extremely happy.
Actually it has been sooooooooo cluttered with boxes and crap strewn about it's been hard for
this "clean-freak" to function.
In the process of unpacking. Sometimes I feel like IT WILL NEVER END. UUUUUUGH!!!!!! But after
a whirlwind of moving, un-packing, having a yard sale (and making enough for a washer & dryer)
and still unpacking even 2 weeks later, I am exhausted.
I have a full plate right now. Between work, freelance (which is patiently waiting while my
computer is down), and unpacking, I have at least found time to keep working out and relieving
some stress.
My plan is to be unpacked in the house by the end of the month.
The garage is a whole 'nother story. Good times.
I'm very fortunate to have a great job again. One that allows me to have a decent lifestyle and
not be completely worried financially.
Considering my computer just died (during the move) and moving is a money eater, I have been
dropping cash to take care of "house stuff".
After moving, you want to fill space, buy new stuff and have nicer stuff. New Computer.
New Washer and Dryer. 2 Bakers Racks. Bookcase. I want a new desk and to get my
furniture re-upholstered.
My car also decided to be a little bitch during all this so I had to leave it at the shop for
almost a week while they fixed $1800 worth of Audi.
Just trying to smile and keep things in perspective. To enjoy my life, daily. To appreciate my
friends, family and confidants. Not to let life cost more than I can afford - monetarily as well
as my sanity.
So moving involvers many things... one of which is sorting through and getting rid of things you
no longer need, you have been storing for years (12 in some cases at my place), or old stuff
you just don't want anymore.
I don't think I'm a pack-rat by any means and NO I should not be on the TV show HOARDERS,
but F@#K I have a lot of crap!!!
Luckily, in the last few years I have really started to trim things down, starting with my comic books.
I only have 3-4 partially filled boxes. I have waaaaaay too many books in general which will be
my main issue. Tasia and myself will try to cull through stuff before the move but in some ways
seems unlikely.
We have both been slowly moving over a few boxes, which when we do the BIG MOVE on the 12th,
will lighten the load. But how much will it help???
We will also be having a yard sale at the Compound the weekend after the move, to get rid of the
rest of the stuff.
I'm REALLY looking forward to the new series Game of Thrones on HBO starting April 17th.
The series, based on author George RR Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels,
chronicles Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Political and
sexual intrigue abound.
The primary families are the Stark, Lannister, and Baratheon families. Robert Baratheon,
King of Westeros, asks his old friend Eddard Stark to serve as his chief advisor. Eddard,
suspecting that his predecessor had been murdered, accepts so that he can investigate
further. It turns out more than one family is plotting to take the throne.
The Queen's family, the Lannisters, may be hatching a plot to take control. Across the sea,
the last surviving members of the previously deposed ruling family, the Targaryens, are also
plotting a return to power. The conflict between these families and others, including the
Greyjoys, the Tullys, the Arryns, and the Tyrells, leads to war. Meanwhile, in the north,
an ancient evil awakens. Amidst war and the political confusion, a brotherhood of misfits,
The Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and the horrors beyond.
A mix of Drama, Fantasy and Intrigue. Count me... All in!
Check out some of the previews:
All kinds of cool content on the HBO site -
HBO preview
