Rekindled Celluloid Love

The Boss is in L.A. right now. We needed to refresh our supply of some gear, and trade in a leased dolly.

The Boss: "So I picked up the nice shiny new Fisher."

Me: "Did you get the one with the flames and racing stripes?"

The Boss: "No. Went for the skulls instead."

Me: "Good choice. Keeps the operators on point."

Last night went to catch a showing of The Roundup at the Castro. Was able to catch it now, before a theatrical release, through the SFJFF that's still going on. Ever since hitting Sundance this past year, I've rekindled an appreciation for film that I had lost for a while.

As a student in college studying film making, it became a labor of writing papers, renting equipment, vying for position over rivals in class - work. Entering into the industry as crew, film sets became battlegrounds where you just wanted to make it out alive; the wounds were not just physical, but moral and mental - work. I had lost that wonder and appreciation - the love.

It wasn't until Park City that I remembered what it was about films that initially got me on such a simple, basic level. Being surrounded by hundreds of people that were all gathered in genial appreciation for the event, looking forward to each film, socializing with strangers that had traveled to that town for the same reasons, it energized you; you felt alive. 

It wasn't until after the festival that I reflected on this, and came to realize that that feeling wasn't just accessible via Sundance, but in watching movies in general. If you let them, they can take you elsewhere, and that sort of displacement brings new breath to your own life; you gain perspective and a respite for those ninety minutes.

So I try to make at least one showing to the festivals that roll through - get a little and give a little back.

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Gym Class Heroes - Cupid's Chokehold

Ending Note: The Roundup was a very well done, good movie. You should check it out.

Binary Differences

Read the news online during my lunch break. It's something I inherited when I took the nine to five world on.

Went over the details of the stuff that happened in Norway, and had a talk with The Boss about it.

The Boss: "Do you feel better now that you've read that?"

Me: "No."

The Boss: "That's why I stopped reading the news. Nothing good ever happens in the news."

He's got a point, albeit a pessimistic one; corruption sells, death sells, humiliation sells. Need more proof, check your local listing for some choice programing. 

But I'd rather see things from another angle. 

I read the news to stay informed, to stay connected to the humanity that's in a constant swirl of chaos and change. If anything, the world needs all the help it can get, even from lil 'ol me. In the grand scheme of the game, I'm not making much of a dent in the the scales of hope and love and joy, but +1 is better than 0, and a hell of a lot better than -1. 

Need some perspective?

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Only Son - Call Them Brothers (feat. Regina Spektor)

Ending Note: Maybe you don't need to measure progress. Maybe you just need to know which direction its headed.

Because It Needs To Be Done

Today has been a day of things that need to be done. Clean the apartment. Buy groceries. Do laundry. The mundane chores that make life livable.

Leaving the market, I noticed the tire of the car next to mine had a nail in it. I wrote a little note that read:

Front Passenger Tire = Nail In It

This folks, is a classic example of Darrell.

No frills, simple and to the point. No date, no happy face, no introduction. I don't know the owner of the car, and probably will never see them in my life; if I do, we sure as hell won't know that I'm the stranger that left a note on his or her car. I had something to communicate, and I did. They've received the information, and have not further follow up questions.

These tiny acts of common courtesy should be, well, common. Look it up. Fine, lazy dolt...

common  (ˈkɒmən)
— adj
1.	belonging to or shared by two or more people: common property
2.	belonging to or shared by members of one or more nations or communities; public: a common culture
3.	of ordinary standard; average: common decency
4.	prevailing; widespread: common opinion
5.	widely known or frequently encountered; ordinary: a common brand of soap

So do your part without regard to acknowledgment or praise. True, by posting this, I've acknowledged my action, but hey, do as I say, not as I do. And clean your apartment. 

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Odessa Chen - Deer Perspectives

Ending Note: I'm no role model - I'm just right.

You're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat

The Chronicle of Wedges, Cont'd...

You know, if you're into that

At work, The Boss and I try to keep things a little loose and silly - helps to get through the day. Recently we had a production rent from us called "Animals On Parade". Here's the rental on the white board.

Last night, met up with some friends to catch a showing of Jaws at the Paramount.

(The main stage and organist.)

(The ceiling.)

 

(The Marquee.)

Sorry the photos are so blurry, but it's low light shooting in a movie theater, whadaya expect?

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Sigur Ros - Dial: Revenge

Ending Note: A girl was shot in front of Gaylord's on Piedmont. Oakland, you're despicable.

Cabinetry and A Movie

Yesterday, went over to Oakland to help DS and NY with a washing machine/cabinetry project that included moving an erector set, fractions, a lil smoke, and a bunch of tools.

We done good.

Later that evening, headed into the city...

The event was presented by Film Night In The Park, an organization helping to keep the privately run, movie theaters in the bay area up and running. The stone steps of Union Square weren't very comfortable, but the wind was kept out by the buildings, and it never got very cold; the Korean food in our bellies, and six pack of Fat Tire didn't hurt either.

(I've no idea who this guy was, but he kept talking about shaving his balls with the girl next to him.)

These two are tops.

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Feist - The Limit To Your Love

Ending Note: I miss the city.

Almost As Cute As The Sea Otter

This past weekend, poked around Solano Ave. with Red.

Got myself a beverage as we made our way around. It's not like you'd expect from the visual; I was hoping for refreshing and crisp, but was hit with bubbles and syrup. Should know better, I know.

Red bought me a pin:

In the seventh grade, I wrote a paper for my life science class about platypuses. I learned a number of things, such as, the males have spurs on their feet that are filled with poison, their offspring are born from eggs, and that they have a sense or electroreception. Observation and interaction without seeing a thing; pretty amazing I think.

We do this sort of thing all the time though, if you drag a magnifying glass over your everyday life.

Feeling like someone just entered the room. Waking up right before your alarm clock every morning. Changing the radio station in the car without even looking away from the road. Sure, it's all tied to muscle memory, circadian rhythm, and a plethora of other biological reasons, but it's still interesting.

Course, I'm the guy with a pin of a platypus on his Timbuk2.

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Death Cab For Cutie - Title Track

Ending Note: I made lasagna and ate a bunch. I'm a fatty.

It's Minnesota, Shovel Some Snow

You're peeved at your neighbors - it happens. Their baby won't stop crying, they toss their garbage in your cans, they always take the good spots in front of your place...

It's one thing to feel burdened by neighbors - it's domestic comfort; habit and territory make you feel safe, and outsiders infringe on that. I get it. But this, jesus, come on.

At some point it drops from plain 'ol stupid to sad. You really have nothing more pressing in your life, no hobbies or relationships, to fill your time with? Instead, you buy hacking software, break into your neighbor's WiFi, plant political threats, child pornography, and hijack emails. Really? At least watch some bad TV or something.

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The Crystal Method - Jaded

Ending Note: Computers & The Internet - there's always a trail.

Works Hard

Some old news that I've recently been reacquainted with.

Used to work fairly regularly with these guys, who made a video that was invited to some show down south a couple years ago.

I remember how seven years ago, we would make all kinds of crazy music video, working 19 hour days for free. Now, they're kind of a big deal, even getting an introduction at the Guggenheim. They've been kind to a number of us, and it's that affinity to loyalty that I find the most admirable.

Hell, even Abram likes 'em.

_______________

Donna Summer - She Works Hard For The Money

Ending Note: Terri Timely is Corey Creasy and Ian Kibbey, two of the most creative and honest folks I've met.

Current Work Projects That Have Nothing To Do With Work

I've just realized, I have yet to introduce my co-workers. Here are a few:

(Clyde, Skid, & Vicky)

I call them all Fluffy, but, The Boss, has given each their own moniker as stated in the parenthetical above. This will not turn into a cat blog filled with videos and images of cats doing silly things, but these guys'll make it in fairly often I think; I see em five days a week.

Another ongoing project of mine: The Chronicle of Wedges

 The Five Year Old

Love Is A Wood Wedge

Have a good weekend. I'm taking a nap.

Oh, and waddaya think about the layout now?

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Cat Power - Could We

Ending Note: My room is a mess. So is yours.

Living The Dream

Nearly gave myself a hernia today.

Had to load a truck at work, and there wasn’t enough room, so I decided to store a 12K fresnel on a shelf.

This, folks, is one of the main reasons I gave up the freelance electrician life – after eight years, I’ve acquired a bum wrist, bum knee, bum back, and bum shoulder.

Only bums I’m interested in nowadays are directly connected to cute brunettes. Zing.

Opposite of this, is something I found attached on the front of one of our trucks that’s been out on a low budget feature for the past three weeks.

This (as scary as it seems) is one of the things I miss most about the set life; the silly, moral boosting, crew bonding shenanigans that goes on to just get through the show. That, I do miss, and wish I hadn’t given up.

Me: "What'd you do today?"

Wonger: "Went to work. You know, living the dream."

Me: "Yeah?"

Wonger: "Yeah. Wasn't my dream, but you know..."

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The xx - Heart Skipped A Beat

Ending Note: You should go watch Beginners. Yeah, you should.

Thanks For Ruining My Lunch

I never really followed this case, but reading the summary, I found myself wondering how the system works. How our legal system finds justice in such a public, communication soaked world of voyeurs and gossips. This is one of the most disturbing parts of the whole thing:

Among the trial spectators was 51-year-old Robin Wilkie, who said she has spent $3,000 on hotels and food since arriving June 10 from Lake Minnetonka, Minn. She tallied more than 100 hours standing in line to wait for tickets and got into the courtroom 15 times to see Anthony.

Yes, this will be hypocritical, but what is wrong with you woman?

There are families going hungry in major cities accross this country, and you're treating the murder trial of a child like a day time soap, with the perks of a vacation at an amusement park. Repugnant.

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Natalie Merchant - San Andreas Fault

Ending Note: I need to drink more water.

You Can Learn A Lot From Dirty Movies

Been thinking about movies a bunch lately. Ones I’ve seen in the past, ones I want to see sometime soon, ideas for new ones that will never be made; theory and actual production swirling in my head. I think it’s my brain’s attempt to drive me to an air conditioned movie theater, and out of this infernal heat.

Unlike most everyone else that I’ve met in the film industry, my schooling was based solely on a theoretical background rather than hands-on. This has meant that I have no idea how to operate a film camera, or what exactly XLR is, but could pursue a job teaching film courses, or write a trashy review column in some local rag somewhere.

Used to think that the screenplay was the most important part of the whole bagel; set the backbone of the story, give direction to the whole project. Then came the underappreciated lighting world where I took on the role of the martyr, slaving away without a nod of appreciation to make the picture beautiful. Now, I’m a vendor. This is possibly the farthest I could have traveled from the origins of my studies while still being in the film industry.

It’s funny, the routes we travel.

You ever seen ‘Clerks’? A fantastical, absurd, lewd story about a convenience store in Jersey; I know, sounds wonderful, but it has it’s place in the study of film. One of the running themes, as well as lines, is, “I’m not even supposed to be here today.”

 And that’s the thing. None of us are supposed to be anywhere we currently are. In a warehouse filled with lamps and cats, on a hilltop with the mother of your child, in a trench with bullets flying overhead, in a hospital bed with over starched sheets – none of this was planned, but here we are, making choices and trying to live by some morals and a few beliefs.

As tough as it might be to believe, we’re not doing so bad. If you keep making choices, you’re always going in the right direction. "Write that down."

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Northern State - iluvitwhenya
Ending Note: I'm hungry. I want lasagna.

Do Stuff, Drink Stuff

The sounds coming from outside my bedroom window are reminiscent of anti-aircraft fire in the distance. It's been going steady for a good fifteen minutes, and I can only guess that it's multiple fireworks displays just lined up back to back. Feel I should really be out, well, anywhere, watching the colors and lights, but this heat that's been pounding away at the East Bay has my motivations in a muzzle.

Speaking of getting out more, I've two friends that recently broke it off with their girlfriends. One, it's been done for clear two months now, the other I just learned about yesterday, and the wound's still as fresh as The Fonz. I have advice for these post relationship woes that breaks down to two parts, and as an introduction, here's a bit of dialogue I wrote a while back for a screenplay concerning broken relationships:

"You don’t want to be friends with her. You don’t want anything to do with her – you want out of what you’re in now, and she has nothing to do with that. What you need is a busy schedule and a butt-load of booze, because at some point, when you’ve loaded yourself with enough alcohol, you’re not you, you’re Superman. There is no future with her, there is no past, and there sure as hell isn’t a present. Superman flies and stops bullets with his chest. He doesn’t make friends. Some people will say that this is hiding, that it’s running from things, and I say  to them, fuck you. They’re not you, they’re idiots speaking from a high than thou point of view. They don’t mean a thing on the matter – they’re a fucking giraffe talking about astro physics. You got to look at it this way my friend. You have carte blanche to do whatever you want at this time. And I’m not talking about screwing around or binge drinking – you’re free to do whatever you need to until your head and heart figure out a way to mend. Market’s open baby, grab a cart."

See, a broken heart paired with inebriation fuels a zest for socialization and activity. A person is wounded, in need of attention, and reassurance that things will be well again; this means they require personal interaction. In the fragile state a newly single person can be in, choosing to be social can be extremely daunting or just plain unappealing. A few drinks, hopefully with some friendly backup, in a social setting, and the positive feedback we are searching for comes naturally.

Second part, the staying busy. A mind weighed heavy with a long term problem, will continue to tackle said problem, if not ruminating about something else. So you have to stay active. Make plans with friends, stay longer at work, add days to your gym schedule, watch a movie (non-romance) on Netflix - the list is longer than you could ever come up with. The only times you should be by yourself, or not doing something, is when you're in your PJs or have some toilet paper nearby.

Granted, none of this advice should be taken to an extreme. I don't condone alcoholism, and some people take the busy schedule too serious, and actually turn into head cases about having nothing to do. I'm a huge advocate of doing nothing, but not when you've just left a relationship. During that time you got to be Superman or Superwoman. And yes, you're gonna be alright.

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Lisa Hannigan - Lillie

Ending Note: Yes, the design is still horrible. No, it won't be changing any time soon. Yes, I'm lazy.