Journal Entries
Finally, Some Privacy.
Posted Jul 18, 2002
Hey everyone. Last night Jason and I acted on something we have been talking about for a long while. We moved our large computer table and both of our computers into the bedroom. There were lots of things wrong with having our computers in the other room. First of all, we live with Jason’s family, and all of their computers were in the same room. This meant that during the day and pretty much all the way through into the late evening we had up to three other people in the room making noise. Most problematic was the young retarded child. He’s not really retarded, but he is definitely the stupidest twelve-year old I have ever encountered. Every day he would come home from school and get immediately on the computer, blast his music, blast the small television next to his computer, play games, and babble for the rest of the evening. This made it next to impossible to get anything done. And things only got worse when the child got out of school for the summer. We had to cope with this all day long.
My boyfriend is a web designer and he has like four freelance jobs that have stacked up over the months and he hasn’t been able to get anything productive done on them. As you know, I enjoy writing very much. In fact I have been trying to rebuild my portfolio on my computer and add to it over the last few months because I wish to refresh my writing skills before I go back to school. First of all it took me an entire day and a half to finish my last web journal post because the child kept coming in the room, and I dislike him so much right now that I cant have even the slightest creative thought while he is in the room.
The reason I dislike him so much is because all he wants to do is sit and be entertained by flashing lights. He refuses to read, he refuses to go outside and enjoy nature while he still can, he refuses to do anything even somewhat intelligent. He also babbles constantly. For instance, I will be sitting on the computer and chatting with someone online. Perhaps they will say something funny, and I will giggle out loud. The child will immediately begin demanding to know what’s so funny, and launch into some sort of story about the funniest thing he’s seen that day, which, most of the time, isn’t funny. Lets put it this way: the child likes Carrot Top movies. Need I say more?
I have tried several suttle things since I moved in here to culturalize the child such as recommending intelligent reading material, offering decent music selections, and even trying to show him how to paint. Nothing has worked. Everything is too much of a hassle and he would rather be sitting around in front of two flashing screens at once. His parents don’t encourage him to do otherwise at all, so I have resigned my efforts and decided that it would be best for everyone if I just avoided the child altogether to prevent myself from smashing his head repeatedly against the wall.
Also, I have sort of an…issue. I have found over the last several years that creative inspiration comes to me much more easily while I am in the nude. I thought this was just insane for a while, and then I found out that one of my favorite writers, Terry Jones, has the same problem. Turns out he downright CANT write at all without being naked. I have no doubt that the problem is still quite insane, but at least I am not alone.
So here I sit, in the nude, finally able to listen to my own music while I write. No gibbering monkey-child, no hovering stepfather, no home and garden channel tutorials on how to paint little roses on every wood surface in your house coming from the television while Jason’s mother works at home. All I can hear is my music, and all I want to do is write. So yes. I will be posting a lot more often now. In fact, you’ll probably get sick of hearing me rant within the next two weeks.
Coming Soon: Top Ten reasons why Atlanta F**KING SUCKS!
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Latest reply: Jul 18, 2002
Summer Films
Posted Jul 14, 2002
Hey guys. Sorry its been so long, Ive just been sitting around playing way too much Super Nintendo and watching way too many films. Havent been to the theater too many times this summer, but I have been having a great old time renting films. Here are some of my favorites that I have seen in the last few months:
#1; The Audition (1999, Horror/Suspense) [Subtitled]
Director: Miike Takashi
Starring: Ryô Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura
By far the creepiest film I have seen yet this summer. Although it started off almoast unbearably dull, my patience was rewarded around halfway through the film, and my senses satisfied all the way from there until the end. Its not often that I recomend a movie that was so dull to start with, but that should tell you how f*****g good it gets later on. The more I tell you about this one, the more it will ruin the fun. I will tell you this: If you have a weak stomach or a problem with blood, dont bother. If you thrive on gore, youre in for a treat. For maxximum effect, dont even read the back of the box. Just watch it.
#2; Wet Hot American Summer (2001, Comedy)
Director: David Wain
Writing Credits: David Wain, Michael Showalter
Starring: Michael Showalter, Joe Lo Truglio, Michael Ian Black, Ken Marino, Amy Poehler, Janeane Garofalo, Molly Shannon, David Hyde Pierce.
By far the funniest film I have seen all summer. In fact, Id wager to say its probably the funniest movie I have seen since Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy. As you may have noticed, it is writen by, directed by, and stars the partial cast of beloved long lost sketch comedy show, THE STATE. Also starring UCB member Amy Poehler, and a couple people who usually carry the comedy in the films they participate in, but are delightfully scarce in this film. For the most part, the state cast members carry the film, and the entire thing is f*****g hilarious from the second it begins. The film is set at a summer camp in Maine in 1981. It is a well done spoof of some of those old eighties camp films, but at the same time it takes on a life of its own as does everything the geniuses we call THE STATE seem to touch. It is set up like a series of state sketches that kind of all meet up in the end. Such glee. Such beautiful satire. I definately reccomend this film to anyone who liked the state. Even if you didnt, youll probably enjoy the film. Annother of my favorite things about this one is the fact that the dvd has lots of extras. Loads of hilarious deleted scenes and outtakes, as well as talent files that tell us what everyone in the state has been up to since we last heard from them. Overall, I think this film has made me happier than any film I have seen in a very long time.
#3; Waking Life (2001, Animation/Art)
Director: Richard Linklater
Writing Credits: Richard Linklater
Starring: I think everyone and their brother was in this film one way or annother. In fact I wouldnt be surprised to find out I was in it somewhere. If you want a compiled list, http://us.imdb.com/Details?0243017
The most surreal film I have seen this summer. I believe it was written and directed by the same guy who brought us Dazed and Confused. But (and im only saying this as an analogy, because I think its the best way I can really describe it, and I hope nobody gets offended.) if Dazed and Confused was designed for viewing while stoned, this film was probably designed to make the most sense while on acid. The content is fantastic, but its got a real short attention span. Mostly split up into short scenes featuring monologues and conversations between different people that almoast end up sounding like spoken word poetry. The dialouge is astounding, and features everyone from Ethan Hawke and William S Burroughs. It doesnt even begin to make sense until the end, and then it never really finishes. It leaves you thinking, and you get to decide what the hell it all meant. It also features the most unique style of animation I have seen in quite a long time. It looked to me like he shot the whole film in real life first then drew over the real film in flash for the final product. Kind of a really lush computerised rotoscope look. Its really cool cause you kind of recognize everyone, but you get to see them all as cartoons. There are also alot of beautiful layering effects in this film, but anyone who has vertigo symptoms and cant watch Dr Katz or Blair Witch should probably take caution. Finally, the film features the best soundtrack I have heard since Amelie. Performed by the Tosca Tango Orchestra, the sounds of stringed instruments and accordians make a perfect background for this particular film. Over all, really fantastic film and an overwhelming experience of sight, sound, and philosophy.
#4; Johnny Stecchino [Johnny toothpick](1991, Comedy)[Subtitled]
Director: Roberto Benigni
Writing Credits:Roberto Benigni, Vincenzo Cerami
Starring: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi
This film is in a class of its own. From the writer, director, and star of 1997's "Life is Beautiful", the stories are similar in that they both take dark subject matter and turn it into rip roaring comedy in a truly original way. However, this film is not nearly as depressing as "Life is Beautiful". It is sort of a love story, sort of a mafia story, and it is serious, dramatic, and hilarious all at the same time. The story takes place in two parts of Italy, and on top of being really really funny, it showcases some fantastic architecture, interior design, and landscapes from around Italy. This film made me want to sell everything I own and move to Italy.
#5; Battle Royale (2000, Horror/Action/Drama) [Subtitled]
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Writer: Kenta Fukasaku
Starring: Beat Takeshi, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Taro Yamamoto, Masanobu Ando
Kou Shibasaki, Chiaki Kuriyama
Its the dawn of a new millenium. Japan is in a state of unrest, being that employment is at less than fifteen percent, and school violence has escalated to uncontrolable proportions. The government responds with the BATTLE ROYALE act, which states that a random group of ninth graders is chosen every year to be sent to an isolated island for three days of fight to the death. Each person is issued a backpack stocked with a weapon (some more useful than others), some food, some water, and a map. They are also outfitted with exploding tracking devices around their necks which are detonated when the student is within the announced "danger zones" at a certain time. The game lasts three days, and only one may survive. If by the third day more than one person exists alive on the island, all neckbraces are detonated and nobody survives. Imagine what would happen if you were in that situation with YOUR ninth grade class. This film is really bloody, violent, disturbing, and overall insane. If youre into that kind of thing, I highly suggest you check it out. I thought it was brilliant.
#6; Shaolin Soccer (2001, Comedy/Action) [Subtitled]
Director: Stephen Chow, Lik-Chi Lee
Writer: Stephen Chow, Lik-Chi Lee
Starring: Stephen Chow, Vicki Zhao
Yes, annother foreign film, but you have to admit theres not much choice but to turn abroad for decent filmwork nowadays. It seems everything thats getting done in the states right now is either a sequel or some other sort of rehash. I still watch alot of it anyways, but when I really want to see something original I often have to turn to the east. My boyfriend found Shaolin Soccer on Divx quite awhile ago, but I only recently decided to sit down and watch it. Quite hilarious indeed. Its about a group of former Shaolin monks who reunite and form a soccer team using their Kung-fu skills. Not your average Kung-fu flick. Its a complete farce. I laughed my balls off. Make sure you try and see this one soon, cause before long it will be appearing in a theater near you, edited to hell and back, re-titled "Kung-Fu Soccer", and probably badly dubbed. So yeah. Try and catch the original Chinese version.
#7; Rejected (2000, Short Animation/Comedy)
Director: Don Hertzfeldt
Writer: Don Hertzfeldt
Starring: Robert May
This film was featured at Spike and Mikes as well as like a hundred other film festivals this year from what I hear. I caught it the other day when someone sent my boyfriend a link to download it in mpeg form. Its only about nine minutes long, but I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL LAUGH YOUR A$$ OFF. The animation isnt anything fancy, but the topic matter almoast made my eyeballs pop out of my head. Apperantly, its available on dvd. I doubt it can be found for rent, so I would suggest looking for it on Kazaa or something first. But youll probably want to buy it if you have any sense of humor at all.
Well folks, thats all I have for now. I hope this gets you talking. If not that, I hope it gets you watching some decent movies. Either way, let me know what you think.
thanks for listening,
Missy
*some info obtained from http://us.imdb.com
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Latest reply: Jul 14, 2002
Speeding Ticket (5/28/02)
Posted May 29, 2002
I woke reluctantly at ten fifteen this morning after a long night of dreamless sleep. I was expected at work by ten thirty. The problem was the night before I had forgotten to put all of the crap that I needed for work in one place so I could be out of the house within five minutes. I remembered where most everything was except for my cigarettes and my keys. Afer a few minutes of groggily wandering around with eyes half open trying to locate my things, i decided to just go without the smokes and use the spare car key. I got into the car and drove off at around twenty after ten.
I have this problem. It only happens when i am driving, but it frightens me because it has been described as a symptom of muliple personality disorder, and i do it an awful lot. Especially when i am on the road within ten minutes of rolling out of bed. I will just be driving along on my routine route to school, work, or my parents house when all of a sudden, I space out. I start thinking about something and the next thing I know, its ten minutes later and I dont remember anything that happened to me in this time. I am usually just fine when I come to, as though I have been running on auto-pilot for several minutes.
As you may have guessed, this happened to me this morning on the way to work. The difference this time was that I was brought round to conciousness not by my own free will, but by a policeman in a yellow shirt standing in the middle of the road and flagging me down. I panicked because I was very very startled by this and began to swirve around the road rather violently. I almoast hit the man. I was trying to figure out why he was flagging me down because I was only going ten miles above the speed limit. At first, I would probably have been able to get away with just slowing down a little and going on my merry way, but after the business with almoast hitting the cop, I had the strangest feeling I was expected to pull over. Before long I was sitting in my car by the side of the road with the policeman's friends (three cop cars and two motorcycles).
Before the policeman even got round to the car, I had my lisence and insurance papers ready to present to him. He said "Ma'am, are you trying to kill me?"
I answered "No, I am just very tired and late for work."
"Do you know what the speed limit is on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard?" he asked.
"45 miles per hour" I answered.
"Well then why do I have you clocked at 61?"
I noticed that his nunmbers differed invariably with mine, but I was in no mood to heckle.
"Because Im rather late for work," I finally answered.
He seemed as satisfied with this as he would be with any story I could have given him after almoast taking his life, so he walked round to the rear of my car to copy my tag number and other pertainant information onto the ticket. After several minutes, he came back round to the driver's side window and asked me to step round to the back of the vehicle. I did this, and found him pointing disaprovingly to a sticker on the back of my car that reads:
"F**K ART! this sticker is paid for by your local committee to stop all forms of creative expression." I looked at him sheepishly as he told me that this was considered public profanity and that I could receive annother ticket if I didnt dispatch of it immediately. I thought to myself about the irony of the situation as I obediantly removed the sticker. I went back to my seat in the car and a few minutes later the cop had finished with the ticket. "You drive safely now," he said. I promised him that i would do no less, and drove the remaining thirty five seconds drive to work.
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: May 29, 2002
Speeding Ticket
Posted May 29, 2002
I woke reluctantly at ten fifteen this morning after a long night of dreamless sleep. I was expected at work by ten thirty. The problem was the night before I had forgotten to put all of the crap that I needed for work in one place so I could be out of the house within five minutes. I remembered where most everything was except for my cigarettes and my keys. Afer a few minutes of groggily wandering around with eyes half open trying to locate my things, i decided to just go without the smokes and use the spare car key. I got into the car and drove off at around twenty after ten.
I have this problem. It only happens when i am driving, but it frightens me because it has been described as a symptom of muliple personality disorder, and i do it an awful lot. Especially when i am on the road within ten minutes of rolling out of bed. I will just be driving along on my routine route to school, work, or my parents house when all of a sudden, I space out. I start thinking about something and the next thing I know, its ten minutes later and I dont remember anything that happened to me in this time. I am usually just fine when I come to, as though I have been running on auto-pilot for several minutes.
As you may have guessed, this happened to me this morning on the way to work. The difference this time was that I was brought round to conciousness not by my own free will, but by a policeman in a yellow shirt standing in the middle of the road and flagging me down. I panicked because I was very very startled by this and began to swirve around the road rather violently. I almoast hit the man. I was trying to figure out why he was flagging me down because I was only going ten miles above the speed limit. At first, I would probably have been able to get away with just slowing down a little and going on my merry way, but after the business with almoast hitting the cop, I had the strangest feeling I was expected to pull over. Before long I was sitting in my car by the side of the road with the policeman's friends (three cop cars and two motorcycles).
Before the policeman even got round to the car, I had my lisence and insurance papers ready to present to him. He said "Ma'am, are you trying to kill me?"
I answered "No, I am just very tired and late for work."
"Do you know what the speed limit is on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard?" he asked.
"45 miles per hour" I answered.
"Well then why do I have you clocked at 61?"
I noticed that his nunmbers differed invariably with mine, but I was in no mood to heckle.
"Because Im rather late for work," I finally answered.
He seemed as satisfied with this as he would be with any story I could have given him after almoast taking his life, so he walked round to the rear of my car to copy my tag number and other pertainant information onto the ticket. After several minutes, he came back round to the driver's side window and asked me to step round to the back of the vehicle. I did this, and found him pointing disaprovingly to a sticker on the back of my car that reads:
"F**K ART! this sticker is paid for by your local committee to stop all forms of creative expression." I looked at him sheepishly as he told me that this was considered public profanity and that I could receive annother ticket if I didnt dispatch of it immediately. I thought to myself about the irony of the situation as I obediantly removed the sticker. I went back to my seat in the car and a few minutes later the cop had finished with the ticket. "You drive safely now," he said. I promised him that i would do no less, and drove the remaining thirty five seconds drive to work.
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: May 29, 2002
Pixivixen
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