what the stank?!

It's a little hard to make out but on the left is a mangled weird mutant popcorn next to 3 regular popcorns. I'm afraid to eat it... and its the 2nd one I found so far. How bizzare.

movie overload!

For the past weeks I've seen more movies than I can review. I'm trying to keep up. Really... But I'll get to it soon enough.

In the meantime, I had an adventurous day watching Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skulls and National Treasure: The Book of Secrets. I must say, it'd be interesting to have Ben Gates and Indy team up... had they lived in the same time. And for kicks and giggle, Lara Croft. And if we wanna stick to who plays who... well... Jon Voigt plays dad to both Lara Croft and Ben Gates (as well as real life dad to Jolie, if you didn't already know). Would that be something.

Well, I was going to go back and rewatch the first Indys just to remind myself of what what goin' on 20 years ago. I actually missed the first 20 minutes too... I asked 3 people--the first person really didn't like the movie, and fell asleep through pieces of it. I've realized she isn't always the best movie companion since she has fallen asleep a couple times at the theater. Okay, okay... I made her stay up to see the midnight showing of one of the Pirates movies, and we all know how long those are. Another time, the movie was plain crap boring. And another time... I can't remember, but I'm sure there was something.

My second watcher gave some pretty good detail as to what I missed. With that alone, I think I would've been able to hold out until it came out on DVD.

UNTIL my third watcher didn't even wanna tell me because according to her, I missed a lot. This coming from my cinematic soulmate, yeah, I'd take her word for it and now I feel I need to rewatch the movie. If I wanna do it right, I should watch the first 3, first. I don't have a lot of time. Indy might only be in theaters another week or so, if that.

Other movies I watched recently: Jumper, Marx Bros: Room Service, At The Circus, Go West, and The Big Store. I need to mail back the Netflix movies I've had for like... months. They are all Richard Pryor stand-ups, one of which I've seen already. But I've kinda lost interest in watching them. I think I'll just send them back, and if I change my mind, I'll put them back on the list. I really want to see Akira. I also want to turn my PC back on so I can play with Photoshop and make a picture of myself glowing a la Kanye West in the Stronger video.

Enough typing. I require sleep. I'm so tired, I can't even fini

mr. fix-up

It's definitely not part of my job title, well, maybe in the "romantic" part, but I'm not one to play Cupid, even though I've been writing several treatments involving Cupid...

Long story short, my friend is trying to hook up her sister with one of our mutual friends. She would've taken care of everything herself, but she doesn't have his number. I did, so it was up to me to do my part and give him her number. Fortunately, I'm friends with the soon to be hooked up, so I think I just took over the matchmaking part. Do I think they'll make a good couple? Who's to say? I know I just hope someone wouldn't ever do me wrong. And I don't think anyone would, nor do I think this pairing is a bad idea. The girl is already attracted to the guy, and I know the guy well enough to know he'll find her attractive as well. Personality-wise? I don't see a big problem there either. But again, who knows?

I DO know that I need a serious energy boost like, right now, or else I'll pass out on my desk in the next 20 minutes. I took a caffine pill. I didn't want to, but I needed it. I didn't get my morning coffee like I've done the past 2 mornings. I think they worked. Well, Monday was an off day. I should've listened to my mother and just went home for the day after I went to court. But no, I need them hours! But fortunately, 4:30 will be here sooner than I think and I can go home in no time. Except by that time, I won't be tired, and I'm supposed to be hanging out with a friend... So all will be well. It better be. Plus the caffine will have probably kicked in long before that time.

I can't believe I'm considering or entertaining the thought... but I don't think I'd mind being fixed up with someone. Wait, no... I forgot, I'm denoucning women this week. Social and writing experiement. A poem a day keeps the juices from drying away. I guess.

Back to office work.

court!

I went to court today. They said that my case would more than likely be dropped. Nope... Fortunately, they did drop my fine from $93 to $35. Out of my 2 experiences being in/near courtrooms, I think I have determined that I don't like them. Sort've like how people dread hospitals or dentists' offices. It's like you KNOW bad things happen in those places and you just don't want to be there. Maybe it's the blandness of the rooms. Well, the courtrooms. Dentists' offices usually have those very light-colored, nameless, paintings that would probably cost $4 without the glass frame all over the walls to try to soothe victims/patients reassuring them everything will be okay and we're not hear to hurt you... too much.

There's nothing like that at court. Even before you get in the door. The cop-guards actually had me take off my belt. I can understand why... Maybe I tucked something right at the buckle. But what I wasn't aware of is iPod not even being allowed in the BUILDING. So what did I do? Take all my effects and bring them out to the car and I came back with only my sunglasses and keys. They actually took my phone first, so I left that with them. It takes pictures. It does everything actually. I should've said that that was an MP3 player so they'd give it back to me. I'm not sure why iPods aren't allowed. It would've helped kill a few minutes while I waited.

And waiting wasn't that harsh. It still sucked because I had absolutely nothing to play with. My watch, iPod, phone, pens, belt (not that I play with that) all of it left in the car or with the authorities. I felt naked. And bored. But like I said, it wasn't a long wait. Long enough. Only to find out that my crime wasn't quite excusable because I didn't have the proof to back my claim... which was that the car I had been pulled over in is now registered. My dad made a good point... it's not my car. Why should I have proof? Oh well. I'm not one to pick fights, so I paid the fine.

At least I don't have to do jury duty for another 2 years I think.

I don't like courtrooms.

paris strikes again

I think I neglected to mention that I wrote not 1, but 2 scripts inspired by Paris, Je T'aime. Yeah, that movie really had an impact on me.

In slightly related news, I idly seeked acting schools for a friend when I happened upon the New York Film Acadamy, which I actually have heard of several times. Most of the time, from my beloved IMDb.com ads, but I never really looked into it. Well, only once.

Anyway, I'm definitely interested in going there some day. Looks like it'll be a new focus since I discovered The Second City is no longer in New York City. I'd educate you on what The Second City is if you don't already know, but I'd suggest you look up half of the SNL alumni and you'll find out what it is and why I want to go. But I can't let that get me down. There's still L.A. which I'm presently not interested in. Or I can goto the hometown itself, Chi-town. It's a thought. But NY is still my focus. It's really where I want to be.

In the meantime, I will continue my local schooling here in CT, and continue my writings, and perhaps I can get some decent school and work established before I make my move to the City. Sigh... dreams.

Some very important DVDs should be arriving within the next few days, or so I hope. From Paris to a super Marx Bros. collection. I'm so excited. I wish a buncho of my film buddies were here, I'd throw a Marx Brothers marathon. Sad to say, I don't think my circle of friends here know much about them nor would appreciate them. Well, ya know never know. But I have my doubts.

Kathy is telepathic... She texted me just as I typed "circle of friends" because she's one of those people. It's scary in a good way. She also is interested in this much raved about Paris movie. Well, I hope she will fall in love with it too.

rubber band ball part 1

Arica's IMPOSTER rubber band ball. Yes, work can be that boring.

Paris, je t'aime

I came across this awesomely wonderful movie last week after waiting months until I finally decided to rent it. Isn't that the weirdest thing? Waiting forever to see a movie that after watching it, you wish you watched it sooner? It's happened before with movies like Boondock Saints and Casablanca although I don't think it's fair to include that one because I didn't get interested in seeing it until a couple days before I actually saw it. Whereas Boondock Saints had been sitting on my college roomate's dresser for practically the entire year before I finally saw it and was amazed that such a fun movie had been siting there that long.

You live and learn I guess. And really that's just a generic phrase because it doesn't have a great of relevance to what I'm writing about today. After watching Paris, Je T'aime I had been inspired to write my own little short story that would've been included had I been given the oppurtunity to take part in such a cool event.

The movie is comprised of 20 smaller short films directed by 20 acclaimed directors and starring several actors from across the world, specifically French, English and American... Others I'm sure, but I don't remember. The title in English means "Paris, I love you" in case you don't know. Hey, I didn't know. All of the stories deal with the subject matter of love in the City of Love, if you didn't guess from the cover art. Again, I thought it was great. They were all about 5 minutes each, and I saw that as a challenge and achievement because as a storyteller, you want to keep your auidence captivated and you need to hook them fast. Well, 5 minutes is a big difference from 90-120 minutes. I'll be owning the movie within a week.

I thought about the story and after being woken up to get breakfast and coffee, I decided to write my own story that I hope would be worthy to be apart of this movie, or maybe a spinoff. I used an experience in my own life as inspiration, having the story take place in a parking lot where two people who are in affair have something very important to tell each other. The events in the actual story didn't happen to me, but I wouldn't be surprised if it actually has happened to someone before. I let one of my filmmaking friends take a read, and she wants to shoot it, which I'd completely allow her to do.

Later on that day, I wrote another one. This one is actually practically almost entirely based on a portion of my life of someone I know. A character tells a story about an unrequited love to an interviewer that he can't help but think about over the years he knew her. Aptly titled "The One That Got Away." This one scares me a little. Why? I'm afraid that out of some crazy circumstance, the person who is being talked about will realize it's her and then come find me. Not that that would be a bad thing... But I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has ever had such a feeling. Now that I think of it, I have another friend I'm looking for and could possibly use film to find them. In fact, it's inspiring me for yet another script. And similar to "Got Away" it would be another "one-sided" story, but it'd only consist of one side of a phone conversation since the person would be talking to someone 3,000 miles away.

The trick that I'm afraid will work is having my name attatched to these stories, and those lost friends will recognize it and reach out. I know friendships have a way of fizzling out, but I've wanted to reconnect with the ones I felt I had strong connections with that kept me grounded.

That will probably be another movie. Like Martin Scorsese once told me, "start with the short films first [kid] and work your way up to the bigger ones." I paraphrased...