Half-birthdays

Do we ever really celebrate half birthdays? I know there are sixth month land marks for relationships and such, but birthdays? I think the closest we come to that is as kids, referring to our age down to the fraction. We never really pinpoint what day is our half birthday, but we might generally know that we are not 4 but actually 'four and uh-haff'.

Well while it is no celebration, today marks the 6 month anniversary since I started my Breadcrumb project. I could be worded as an anniversary, it could also be considered a birthday as 6 months ago this project was born. Either works. Regardless, since its inception I have been challenged to find new things to take picture of on days I don't seemingly go anywhere new, and other days, travel somewhere new in order to get a new photo. Sometimes I'll take a walk, or go a different way back from class or from work to both get a new subject for the picture, but also to see something new for myself. So it has been an all around positive experience and once I am glad to have started.

Invitations have been sent out for Movie Night number 2. For the second week, I have decided to show The Brothers Bloom. I am already excited about the night. While I am nervous about everyone's reception of the film, I am also excited that already there are more people RSVP'd as coming than came last time, and we still have 2 more days before the screening.

If you can't be there and you have not seen the movie I do suggest checking it out. It is a really smoothly done con-man film with an emotional core to it that really sets it apart from most con movies while also having a quirkiness to it that makes all of the main characters stand out and feel fresh.

Thanks for reading.

Brooklyn

So tonight I visited the last the last real borough I hadnt been to yet (I am not counting Staten Island unless someone gives me good reason to). If I had a bucket list, I could check off going to Brooklyn. I passed through Brooklyn once on the way to Coney Island but I wouldn't consider it as if I'd been to Brooklyn.

Tonight I met up with friends at a bar/bowling alley aptly called Brooklyn Bowl. This place is across the street from the Brooklyn Brewery. It's a really cool spot to check out if you don't mind packed, loud places. I know that is to be expected at a bar but this place was much cooler than a bar. Where you come in - straight ahead is a small (maybe 20 tables) restaurant area. Making a left and heading down the hall you reach the main bar. If you turn around you are facing a stage. This isn't you typical small bar, small band stage. This is a pretty legit sized stage. And next to that is a 20-30 lane bowling alley where the seats are not that uncomfortable plastic in a horseshoe shape but leather couches. Here you can order from the restaurant menu, as I saw people drinking coffee and eating dessert. I know some bowling alleys have food but it's generally not anything special.

This is why this place is cool, it is a restaurant, bar, concert venue, and bowling alley all in one but not all combined as each exists apart from the other. I definitely want to go back at a time where there is not a band playing so people can actually talk, and when it is not so crowded so that we could actually get to bowl.

Also, you know you are in Brooklyn when the music playing is Interpol and Jeff Buckley and the 10 projector screens around the place are all showing Planet Earth. I wish this was the type of bar people around here went to instead of the choices we have locally.

Had an interesting conversation with a guy from Brazil studying abroad here while waiting for my train home, but that story is for another post.

Goodnight.

Times, They Change Meaning

It's weird to think about how the creepy house in your town or the scary old man who hangs around the convenient store were once friendly, loving, and loved. I've seen dilapidated homes or abandoned cars before and think about how this belonged to someone, was inhabited by them, a place they returned to, one they have memories of from their lives, now barely even resembling something that could have once had a function.

It's weird to think this was once 'home' for some. All I can see now is something empty, forgotten.

Off In The Light You Go

I finished reading Heads On and We Shoot tonight. I have never read another behind the scenes account on the making of a film, nor have a followed a film as closely as this one, but I have a hard time imagining any of them were like this one. Spike's closing letter was excellent and a humbling account of how incredibly challenging every aspect of this movie was; all the while being grateful for every second of it.

Movie Nights Kicked Off With A Bang

Not a bang the size of the one that started the universe and existence, but maybe like when you bang you knee on the corner of a table. It's enough.

To be perfectly honest, though, as long as someone or a few people show up every week then this is a success. I have a bunch of movies I own but have not seen, and a lot of them can be watched alone, and some of them I would prefer to watch alone. That being said, certain movies are meant to be experienced in a crowd. In addition, there are certain films that I have seen on my own that I would like others to see. For those reasons, movie nights exist.

Tonight we screened Star Trek. It was really an enjoyable film. Given the type of movie, I really wish I could have seen it in theatres - it just felt so big and so vast. I mean, it is a space movie after all - watching it on my 32 inch is not quite the same. Regardless, it looked great in Bluray and I was impressed at how enjoyable a Star Trek movie could be.

Some ideas are already being tossed around for the next one. I have a few movies in mind. In addition, Zombieland comes out next week on DVD. A few suggestions have also already been made, both in titles and how they're picked each week. One person suggested that everyone who comes that week get put in a hat and the person drawn picks the next film. I like the idea, and I am considering it. But, because there are certain films I know I want to show, I feel like this system would prevent me from doing so. We'll see.

Bed time - heading back to the school/day care tomorrow. Sometimes I refer to it as work, but then I realize that it is far from work. It is having fun with some amazing kids for 4 hours. How is that work?

Another Milestone: Double Centenarian

Congrats, well, to me I guess. I have written 200 blog entries. Most of them are meaningless, but blog entries nonetheless. I have officially written more blog entries here than I have ever written in any previous blog I tried to keep.

When I reach a point like this one I feel as though it automatically calls for reflection. As with my 100th blog post, and my 100th breadcrumb post, reaching this point somehow automatically leads to an internal look back at the span of the blog. In doing so I realize that the blog has become less interesting (maybe it never was). I have not been on my game as far as my blogging is concerned. Most entries are just a recap of the day which, unfortunately, is rarely interesting.

I want to change that. I am not sure how yet, but it is something I am thinking about. For days when something of merit occurs that I want to post, I think a recap is still worthwhile - or if it provides background on something I want to mention, it is beneficial. Otherwise, the day-to-day activities I engage in are not interesting enough to list out in their entirety. So, in light of that, I think if I have nothing interesting to say, I will just post a picture from now on.

Quickly, though - today was Senior Portraits. There are many phrases used to make a person smile when it is clear they're struggling to hold one for the picture. Things like 'cheese' have been used for a long time. One photographer even got a strong smile from me by saying 'Rocket Ship' and that wasn't too long ago. You know what doesn't work as well? 'Women'. I don't know why, but when the photographer, who was a nice guy, said in a really smug voice, we need a big smile from you - say 'women' I felt like it was even harder to smile. The smile word is supposed to be funny or create the same facial movement as a smile would, but women was neither of those thing, and as such, my later few pictures might look pretty forced.

Oh well.

It ain't over til it's over: My Registration Saga concludes.

That has definitely been true about my registration this semester. After some problems and difficulties getting into the graduate class I hoped to get in to I thought my struggles with course registration had ended. It is my last semester, after all, how could there be more problems?

Silly me. After talking about how nice it would be to only have to take 3 classes I finally sat down yesterday to figure out if that was possible. At this point in my college career I have more than enough credits, and needed 1 more school-required-non-major course as well as any 2 other electives to fulfill the core requirements as well as the mandatory 36 courses to graduate.

I was registered for 4 classes. The core class, the grad class, a communications elective, and 1 psych undergrad course which is also an elective. The course in question was the psych course. It is at our other campus on Monday and Thursday mornings at 10 am. This means that essentially I lose Monday/Thursday AM between class time and traveling. In addition, the course requires a 1 hour (minimum) per week spent working one on one with a mentally ill child or adolescent. In addition to my course load I already have, I am also working a research study this semester and trying to maintain my 8 hours a week at the day care. I decided I had to drop this course. It would open up my Monday/Thursday mornings which is when I could do the day care. It would also be a substantial decrease in work.

Unfortunately, dropping this class meant I would fall to 11 credits. The school minimum is 12 to be considered full-time. The biggest thing students think of when you are no longer full time is - no housing. So for me- no big deal. That, however, is not the biggest thing. You also lose your scholarship and in many (mine included) cases you lose your health insurance. Not an option.

I was faced with the annoying decision of - what class can I take that will be easy to do well in with out needing a lot of attention, as well as not being in a time slot that would interfere with either of my jobs? I had 1 time slot available - Tuesday/Friday at 11:30. The only class that would work - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology.

Now I will be adding 3 hours of class time as well as homework, readings, papers, tests, and a final to my semester work load all because of one lousy credit that changes everything. After leaving my first class today I realized something - I could convince the professor I am working with on the study to submit my position to be a credited internship position. In doing so I would then be able to keep my 3 course schedule and not be overwhelmed/forced to waste time on a pointless course.

The problem: today is the last day to drop a class without penalty and it is 4 pm and everyone is going home in 1 hour. I had to skip my 4 pm class in order to set things in motion. I contacted the professor right before he left to teach his 4 pm class and asked what he thought. He approved the idea and sent the request in to the department chair. Unfortunately I was no copied on the email and until he got out of class I would not know. 6 PM came and there was no email. I realized he must not have heard back from the Chair and went home for the day.

I took it upon myself to email her. After a few emails back and forth, and to the Senior Class dean I was given the green light. As long as I get the official paper work in by tomorrow I will be in the clear. As of right now I am technically a part-time student as I had to drop that Anthropology class before the drop period ended and I would be forced to Withdraw from it in order to get out.

This year alone the Senior dean has helped me get into the Senior Values class that I wanted to be in, get me in to the graduate psychology course that I wanted to be in, and now give me credit for the internship study I will be working on. I might be a big pain in the ass for him, but I am incredibly grateful.

Off to bed. And happily to - with the way things transpired tonight I only have to worry about one class tomorrow instead of two. How nice.

Sorry for the long blog - fitting for the exhausting situation this was.

Picture today: my suit hung out for tomorrow - Senior Portraits.

I Don't Think I Could Support Hockey

Luckily, I don't have to. Colts are heading to the big dance.

I had something I was gonna write about. Maybe tomorrow. This grad class is already handing it to me, and I am already behind.

Mixed Perceptions

Have you ever over thought something that, if roles were reversed, the things you had been concerned with, in your reversed position, would never cross your mind?

A movie example of this might be Andy Dufrane's shoes in Shawshank. Sure Andy wasn't fretting over his shoes - as we noted - he was able to wear dress shoes without anyone noticing inside the prison. Or maybe he was worried - but as Red points out - who looks at a man's shoes?

This all came to mind, most recently, as I was about to email my advisor. Brief back story: I am registered for 4 classes, and only wish to take 3, but must make sure I can drop the other class without putting myself in any sort of danger in regard to my graduating in May.

That being said - I was planning on emailing my adviser, who is also the department chair for my major - nice how things worked out there. As I opened up my email to being drafting my message to her, I noticed the time. It is 1:30 am. Not that I really care what my adviser thinks about my emailing her school related things at 1:30 in the morning, but it reminded me of past instances where I might email work, or a teacher, at 2 or 3 in the morning during the week. In these situations I always wonder what the professor might think seeing an email coming in at that time - especially an employer - especially hours before you are due into work.

But then I think - do I ever look at the sent time. Maybe if I, too, am on my computer at a late hour - I might make note of the time an email pops in. Otherwise the only thing I could tell you about when an email came is the date it was sent. I never bother to take note of the hour of the day when that email was drafted. In reflecting on this I realize how silly it is, that we sometimes scrutinize 10 or even 100 times more than we would if our role would be reversed.

Maybe no one else does this and it is just me. But I have a feeling, on some level, I am not alone in this.

Another one bites the dust

By that I mean - turns 22.

I need to do this earlier

I got into a habit, when I started this thing, of writing my blogs at the end of the day as a way to be able to write about anything that happened that day. In addition - the night blogging caters to my breadcrumb project. Unfortunately, many a time I have avoided blogging about something on my mind, something from the day, etc because of the time. Especially with work or an early class, getting on here and really getting into a blog is hard to do. So with that said, I am going to try to start doing one of two things - posting earlier, or writing my thoughts down when I have them to post before bed.

Hopefully I stick to this goal.

Goodnight.

I like them. I just do.

Risk.

There is no other game like it - it says so on the box. Then again the version we are playing is from 1960 - so that may no longer be true. What is true is that Risk is a game that will bring the competitive out of everyone and most likely end in hysteria or someone calling it quits - reaching an actual end to the game is unlikely. Maybe that is also because we had some rules backwards making it more of a defensive game than an offensive one. Anyway out, it is frozen in time, put in another room to be continued another day - we were all growing tired of it but too stubborn to give up and put it away.

A Fresh Start

Before getting into the semester tomorrow I wanted to do a little cleaning of some of the junk that has piled up over the last semester. In doing so I was able to really clear off my desk and start fresh and clean. (and now I am thinking of the Outkast song.) There is something oddly therapeutic about clearing all the junk out of your room or home.

Bed time - tomorrow begins my final semester. Can't believe I am saying that.

Sleeping In

Tomorrow is the last day of break. It felt like a really long break. That is rare. I think it was because it was actually a long break. It also felt long because of my schedule. When you are in a full time job routine - the week prior feels like a long time ago - days are longer and sleep becomes shorter - definitely affects perception on things.

Back to the grind in 36 hours. Still unsure if I will drop one of my classes or not. Want more time, but there's a chance I won't know which class to drop until I am too far into the semester to do anything about it.

So happy I have a working record player. I have listened to several records to far. I don't know why, but there is a different feeling to listening to music this way versus my ipod, even if they are the same songs. Going to sleep after this last one.

Hope everyone has a beautiful tomorrow.

Following Up

So every once in a while on this blog I will mention something that I might follow up on, continue later, get back to, etc. Typically in these situations I am in the middle of explaining something or want to elaborate/discuss something and for one reason or another I end up ending the blog instead. Last night is an example of this - it was late and while I had more that I wanted to say, I also wanted to get in bed like no other. Thus my blogs end up looking like Arrested Developments 'Next time on Arrested Development' segments without the humor or intelligence.

Anyway, yesterday thanks to my aunt I was able to sit in one 3 ECT procedures. If you do not know what ECT stands for then let me tell you. ECT stands for Electroconvulsive Therapy, better known as Electro-shock therapy. Most people are only familiar with the procedure from its pop-portrayals in films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or the more modern but no friendlier Requiem For A Dream. ECT is when your brain is shocked as a form of treatment.

After a conversation about my feelings on the procedure my aunt decided I needed to sit in on a procedure in order to better assess it. I was told that it is not the violents procedure we see and it is extremely effective. Coming out of the procedure I will say that my views partially changed - no it is not as violent (most of the time) as it appears to be in movies. The patient is knocked out for the procedure and most of them show now visible signs of seizure other than a twitching foot.

It is, however, still barbaric to me in what it is. While I will acknowledge that it is effective and that especially in major depressive patients who are basically catatonic from the depression no other treatment is as effective and with such little side effects (medicine cannot claim either of these), it still does not make it great. Its the arguments that just because its the best thing that exists does not mean its good, it only means we have nothing better - yet.

ECT is literally electrocuting an individuals brain in order to induce a seizure. I learned that the seizure, and not the electro-shock is what actually creates a treatment effect. Doctors discovered this when looking at epileptic patients who were depressed. These patients were found to be in much better states following a seizure. As with most discoveries, no one was looking or assumed this would have an effect.

Yesterday was also my only trip to the diner and luckily it was a really solid trip. Nothing like sitting down with people on your last night home, having a cup (or 5) of coffee and just shooting the breeze for a few hours about nothing. I wish I had gotten to go more - but this trip did not disappoint.

My last note I had said last night was 'more on where i am in life right now'. I am not sure what was on my mind at the time to elicit that but as of right now I have nothing to elaborate on in that area.

Moved back to NY today and settled in. Played a game called Wizard which is a bit complicated initially but is really a great card game. Record player works and I listened to two vinyls already.

2 more football games tomorrow. Colts are through to the next, though, so I can watch in a more relaxed manner.

Talk to you later.

The end of another chapter

And perhaps a section. Today was my last day of work over winter break. I worked for 17 days this winter break, which may be the longest working break I have had. Tomorrow I head back to New York city for my final semester as an undergrad.

Today marks just one more 'last day of work' for me as I have been working breaks, both summer and winter, at a full time position since mid-high school. This last day of work might represent something a little more substantial. Unless I find myself in New Castle, Delaware over spring break this year, which is unlikely, then today represents my final day of work as a student, an intern, a work day without being in the 'real world' or the 'working world'. The next time I take a position or go to work I will be a college grad. It's scary to think about.

I had some other things I wanted to talk about today - witnessed ECTs this morning, my one and only diner trip, and more reflections on where I am in life right now. Unfortunately it is 2 am and I am getting up in 7 hours to pack the car. It has been a little while since I slept 7 hours and so I am going to retire.

Thanks for reading.

Fail^2

Went out to lunch at Washington Street Alehouse today. We had to park at a meter because their lot is far too small. The meter we parked at was flashing and I assumed it said '0:00' as the meters do when the time runs out. Instead the meter said and was flashing, FAIL. I found it pretty funny and snapped a picture. Turns out I failed myself - the angle of the sun at the time made it too difficult to see my screen and we were late for lunch so I just hoped I got it. Turns out I too failed.

Oh well - you can see me and even more visibly - my sister instead of those other 2 letters.

waking up for my last day of work tomorrow. alarm set for 530 - due in at 645. ouch.

Chasing A Fire

Anyone who has ever worked a 9-5 day for a week or more knows the deadness you feel when you get home and sit down on the couch. I can now understand why my parents always made a big deal about wishing they knew we needed something, whether it be milk, or whatever, before they got home from work. It is quite impressive how difficult it becomes to run the smallest and quickest of errands once you walk in the door and sit down.

I got home tonight laid on the floor and was greeted by my dog to be told - 'Oh! why don't you run down the to the dry cleaners and pick up the dry cleaning. ill get the slip.' Now, I am only home a short time and in that time I am not asked to do very much to help my family out so in essence I have no room to complain or say no. In addition, all of the clothes that were ready at the dry cleaners were mine, paid for by my parents. Reluctantly I pulled myself from the floor which felt, in that split second, more comfortable than my own bed, and headed back out the door. And boy was I lucky. I had to pull over and put my flashers on to capture it but the people of my part of the world were treated to a special site if they were looking up around 5:20 pm.

I only wish I had my digital camera to capture it - hopefully my camera phone does it enough justice.

Without further ado, my top trailers of 2009:
**i suggest full screening these as embeding them in the blog cuts off part of the window/might be a bit small.

5.) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Teaser 1

4.) Moon, Theatrical 1

3.) 500 Days of Summer, Theatrical 1

2.) Watchmen, Theatrical 1

1.) Where The Wild Things Are, Theatrical 1

So Much Routine

I often have contradicting opinions, thoughts, feelings, outlooks, etc. Most of the time when I look at something I can see why it would work or be appealing or w/e and can do the same for it's alternative or its opposite and a list of negatives comes the same way. I don't know if this is normal but I do not assume it to be.

One of those things is routine. I like to think of myself as someone who is spontaneous, someone who looks forward to adventure and would like to just 'do'. At the same time I talk about how I need stability, need a constant in order to keep up with things. It is hard to go about life without a schedule of some sort. Think about sleep - 4 hours, then 10, then 5, then 8 is not a healthy series of hours. Routines can be healthy - eating and exercising - things like that help regulate and stay healthy.

This semester was odd because I had so many days off and such spread apart classes I felt as though I never got adjusted to my schedule. It was too irregular and often felt sporatic. In contrast - I have been home for a few weeks now and have worked a total of 14 days so far. With that 14 days has come a pretty steady routine of morning alarm, shower, drive in, 9 hour day, drive home, dinner, few hours of free time, and then bed. I bring this up because it has, as I said, only been 14 days and already I feel worn and tired and trapped in this cycle. I don't do anything outside of it and its monotony has already grown exhausting. I long for inconsistency and the balance to this routine - long nights, changing sleeping patterns, and so on.

Is it strange for this back and forth to occur? Maybe it in itself reflects my favoring of inconsistency more than consistency that even in desiring consistency what I desire more is a change. Maybe I am beginning to lose you, and even myself, as I ramble on. It is bed time.

Picture today: something I find to, in itself, reflect all that is routine, that is 'the working world' and its dullness:

Working on my top trailers of 09. Need one more. Will post tomorrow night.

15 to go

Last year on a whim I decided to call my dad one night about 1 hour before the premiere of lost season 5 and try to convince him to start watching the show. He had surprised me when he pushed me to stick with fringe, which was ultimately the absolute right call. I never thought he would have any interest in the slightly to highly bizarre. Until then his favorite thing to watch was 24 and he really didn't watch much else.

Here we are slightly less than a year later and not only did he watch, or maybe struggle fits better, the 5th season of lost texting and calling through every ep trying to keep up, but over the course of the summer and this winter break we have watched seasons 1-3.

Tonight began season 4. If we continue at our current pace, when I leave this weekend he will have about 5 episodes to watch on his own between then and February 2nd. Some of you might say that it is obsessive or sad or w/e. I am impressed. I have never known my dad to be this into a show ever. And again, while you might shake your head and say it is just a show - its nothing to be proud of, I am glad he stuck with it. This has been an awesome thing to do with him. Emails, texts, phone calls during the seasons of him thinking of new theories or having new questions, or now that I am home - making sure he has finished everything after dinner so he can sit on the couch and watch 2-3 episodes and the hang out and talk about them, theorize and get excited about everything has been a blast to share with him - so while to some its hours and hours wasted on a petty show - to me is been hours and hours of time spent hanging out with him during some of my final years home - and thats absolutely worth it.

Accidental Theft

About six months ago I put an application on my iPhone called 'FourSquare'. The program is a restaurant application that allows you to 'check in' at the restaurant you are at. Checking in rewards you points that award you badges. The program allows you to become 'the mayor' of places that participate by being a regular there. Mayor status affords you small perks like your first drink is on the house. The program also alerts you of nearby specials that might be honored by particpating restaurants or creating a 'to do list' of places you would like to visit.

If you find yourself at a place that is not registered you can add the place into the program. Doing so requires the address of the restaurant so that it can be located via GPS as thats how lists of nearby restaurants relative to you are generated.

The place I went to for breakfast this morning was called the Country Deli. On my way out, after realizing that it was not listed in the program, I grabbed a business card so that on my way home (I was not driving) I could add the place before I forgot to check in there. I do so, and am instantly awarded 11 points for this being my first check in and for adding the restaurant to the program. Later tonight I pick up a gas card which turns out to take 10 cents off every gallon up to 20 gallons per pump at Sunocos (side note - pretty cool card).

About 10 minutes later I see the card face down in another room. Pretty cool - we must have two. Picking it up, I realize that the back looks different and flip it over to find the Country Deli card from earlier. I am about to hand it to my dad thinking - this is a pretty cool business card - very study, like -- oh. I then read it a bit closer than the address line and realize it says, quite plainly, Gift Card. Woops.

Now I am pretty sure these cards are all empty and only have value/become activated when you purchase them. This being a small almost mom and pop breakfast store - who knows - maybe they come preloaded. Either way, apparently I swiped a gift card and had no clue.

I know, I know. I am as smooth as Neil Cafferty. Maybe even more so as I even fooled myself.

Ouch

Well I knew Dallas was the favorite going into tonight but I did not see it going the way it did. Turning point - the overturned interception early in the first half. Never really did anything after that.

In other news - pulling for the pack tomorrow!

Board games are ice breakers

Put a group of people together who know some but not everyone in the room and ask them to socialize. I guarantee you that same group of people will be bonded and having more fun 10x faster if you have them play a vocal board game. Take tonight for example - two groups of friends who through apples to apples - a few hours later would appear as if they had known each other and spent time together.

It definitely helps when it is a fun game. Apples to Apples in a large group is definitely just that.

Early morning for breakfast tomorrow. Early is relative though - Ill be getting almost 4 more hours of sleep versus if I would be getting up for work tomorrow.

Go Birds!

Bowling

Frazier lanes is home to some of the best Strike and Split graphics I have seen at bowling alleys. Definitely proud my fire breathing dragon simulation I got for one of my strikes. Makes it all the more worth it.

Mike is in town!

Sixers tomorrow night. Why? - #3. That's why.

The first of many, I suppose

Today it was announced that Netflix and Warner Brothers have signed a deal that will create a 28 day hold on all new Warner Brother releases before allowing them to appear for rent through netflix. The goal here is obvious - force people who really want to see the movie to buy it. You know what is easier and less costly - downloading. No, I do not download movies. However, decisions like this one that show a company unwilling to embrace or use the current digital age to their advantage are reasons why more and more people are getting fed up with hollywood corporations and as such - feel less guilty about taking what they want.

I think it is time that the movie studios stop pretending like they are short on cash. It was recently reported that ticket sales at the theater are on the rise over the past few years and 2009 was no different seeing the most ticket sales ever in a year. So while some people might try to spin the other statistic that box office sales finally out-performed DVD sales for the year as being a result of less DVD sales from downloading and that no more tickets are being sold - when combined with the previous year end statement you can see through this. The hollywood box office took in more money than ever this year, a year that we are supposedly in a recession - so stop giving us, the consumers, more reasons to want to find less than legal ways of viewing your films.

/end rant.

Early to bed...

So it is 10:10 pm and I am getting in bed. We are presenting our website that we have been building since before I started working for ASPA to the company tomorrow. The presentation comes in the middle of a period where users (employees) are being asked to use the site and complete a feedback survey in order for us to better shape the site before it goes before the board and potentially will be purchased and moved from a demo site to its own site and own URL. The point of the presentation is to show the employees the general navigation and organization of the site so that when, if they have not already, go on the site - they know where they can find everything they will need.

It is both exciting to be apart of this site which may become a major tool for this company and a drag because we have to be at the hospital for the presentation at 6:30 am which means I am currently setting my alarm for 4:50 am. Awful. Wish me luck.

Caught in a bad romance

I don't even want to classify Lady Gaga as a guilty pleasure. I do not, nor should I, feel guilt for enjoying her music. She is really intelligent when it comes to music and music theory and each one of her singles is more brilliant than the next. I will absolutely admit to being a blind hater at first. As with anything in the entertainment business - when something is hot - it is easy to become skeptical and sometimes it extends to strongly disliking something without having a clue about it.

Luckily, I did myself a favor and gave Gaga a chance and was an instant convert. I don't know The Fame Monster well enough to include it on my top 10 of 2009 but it has been enjoyable enough to land in the honorable mentions.

Without further ado - here is my top 10 albums of 2009

1.) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
2.) Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing
3.) Regina Spektor - Far
4.) Karen O And The Kids - Where The Wild Things Are OST
5.) Little Brazil - Son
6.) Thrice - Beggars
7.) The Takeover UK - Running With The Wasters
8.) Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
9.) The Used - Artwork
10.) The Decemberists - Hazards Of Love

Honorable Mentions:
The Almost - Monster Monster; 30 Seconds To Mars - This Is War; Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix; Coconut Records - Davy

Albums I Need to Hear:
Wale - Attention Deficit; Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon;

*My top 10 was compiled by sorting out all of the albums I have gotten that were released in 2009. I then narrowed it down to ones I had listened to, and from there - ones I could recall enough to know they made an impression. This gave me a list of 27 albums. From there I picked the ones that I enjoyed the most, found my self listening to the most, or was generally impressed by more than others. This is not a 'best of 09' as much as a 'favorites of 09'.

Picture today is of an altered nerf gun. I made/altered this nerf gun back in my early high school career as part of the 'nerf club'. This club lasted about 3 meetings, but it was enough to get 2 well altered nerf guns out of it. The club was headed by and attended by some people who I would later become really close with as we ended up on our schools frisbee team, but that is for another time. I found the guns while in my attic tonight, and in finding them still fully functional - they will be coming back to NY with me.

It might be time to start making to-do lists.

I had the intention of writing a full entry tonight. Had some stuff on my mind. Recently I have been thinking about how even when I have nothing obvious or immediate to do I still always feel busy. I don't know why that is but even the simplest of tasks seems to just be one more time consuming event that I can't seem to fit in. And it is not like I don't have down time because I do, and yet these things seem to pile up. I want to apply for a job, work on my resume, figure out dinner for this weekend, order a part for my record player, etc etc. I am not saying my life is just dreadful or anything - I am sure you have a running list of small tasks you need to get done as well that while you probably have the time for them, they just never seem to get done.

I'd continue but for both my internet troubles and for your sake I will not.

Pictured below is a piece of art I bought this past semester at a little art gallery on W4 street heading towards High Line park. One of my goals for this week is to get a frame for it so I can hang it up. Let's see if by Friday I can come on here and say that I have completed this task.

Baby steps.

Surprise!

Tonight we celebrated my Dad's 51st birthday with a surprise party. Want to know how to make sure the person wouldn't think a surprise party is in the works? Wait until the year after the landmark 50th and then wait another month after that, having still had a normal celebration of the birthday (dinner, cake, presents). There is very little chance, unless someone spills the beans, that anyone would expect a surprise party then.

If you are successful it will go something likes did tonight. Everyone, "Surprise!" *pauses/freezes in place* then - Angelo, "Oh shit."

To boot - my dad was into the whole disco thing, and thanks to one of the people invited a suggestion was made to have it disco themed. No only did we have cutouts of disco silhouettes on the walls, disco balls, but we also had my dad's white platform shoes on display. He also wanted to, maybe secretly maybe not, be Michael Jackson - or at least in the group. As such, he had quite the afro. He still will only comb his hair with a pick. A bunch of his friends and our relatives bought and wore afros. The picture below is how a lot of people looked tonight. If you were wondering which one my dad is - hes in the front, slightly right center and probably the only one who looks like it might be his actual hair.

Movie Week: Three for Three

I completed my movie goal. I will be honest, I really thought it was all just talk and I'd only end up seeing Avatar (which I had purchased tickets for in advance - sealing that one as a definite).

I still have a few films that I have recently purchased that I want to get to in the next few days before making my year end list(s). I feel as though there are movies I'd like to include that when compared with other genres/styles they might get bumped so I might do like a top 3 or 4 of a few major genres. This then gets complicated when you try to classify certain movies.

I also am going to do a top trailers. It's an amazing thing - the movie trailer. It can convince you of a film you were anticipating or reafirm your disinterest in a clunker. But what is really magical is when a trailer can cement your interest in a movie that you were anywhere from unsure or apprehensive to actively avoiding it. These trailers - the right cuts and shots mixed with the right music can sometimes outshine the final product of the movie, or in other cases totally underrepresent the film (State of Play). I got the idea from SlashFilm and will be posting 3-5 trailers for 2009 as well.

I think the best way to do these lists is to spread them out, so in the next day or two I am going to post my Best of 09 list for music.

I have some thoughts about the past year or decade as I have noticed some people are writing about. I have not decided if I will write one of these as it could get super long and be super tedious, but we shall see. For now let's say that the past decade was almost half my life and spanned the latter years of my grade school career to reaching adulthood and being on the verge of graduating college. A lot has happened both to me, around me, and in the world and it has been interesting. That said - on the whole 2009 was underwhelming as a year. Here is hoping the new decade kicks off with a great year. It will definitely be interesting.