Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Harry Potter and the Tia Loca
My intent tonight was to talk about an exciting visit with some of my relatives today, but as soon as I got online I remembered that today was the day the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released! Forget about my family, the first official trailer is up and it's fantastic!
Check it out at mugglenet.com, where I saw it.
Okay, well, while I'm on here blogging... I may as well talk about my family.
I watched the trailer five times, by the way. I couldn't stop! It was like, "replay," "replay," "replay." Sorry, I'm obsessing about it again. Ugh.. Back to my family.
You see, I have an uncle named Charlie (my dad's brother) who currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife Jodi and there six children Jessica, Christina, Andrea, Daniel, Julia, and Stephen (and if I got the names wrong, I apologize. In my defense, I rarely see them). They happened to be in Utah this past weekend for a family reunion on Jodi's side, and my Aunt Rachel (affectionately known as Tia Loca) decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. She could see her brother and his family, while also seeing me and getting to meet Brian for the first time. All in one trip! So she and her daughter Mariana drove out here too, and we all sort of met up today at Temple Square.
On a side note, I wonder how many people can actually kill two birds with one stone. Why birds? Why a stone? Hmm, anyway, if anyone could I bet Harry Potter could. Yes. Harry Potter or Hermione Granger. Heck, Hermione could probably kill three and not even need a stone. Ron couldn't though. He's too dumb.
Was I just rambling on about Harry Potter, again? I'm so sorry! Seriously, you need to see this trailer. November isn't coming soon enough! It's only June. Well, almost July. But still June. Today is June. Today I was with my extended family! Oh, I should really tell you about that!
So Brian and I went to Temple Square where we were greeted warmly by everyone. Interesting I should use the word warmly since today was a scorcher! We ducked into visitor's centers, the Tabernacle, the Conference Center, etc, just to stay out of the hot sun. Every five minutes seemed to be another potty break/fill up the ol' canteen break. Outside we would drag our feet in heat exhaustion, sweating profusely and collapsing in dusty heaps as tumbleweeds rolled on by. Those Mormon pioneers had it easy compared to the sight-seeing day we had!
After Temple Square, Brian had to run off to work, and I stayed with the rest of the gang. We spent some time back at our apartment, watching some of my animation and just talking. It was a relief to be sitting lazily in my air-conditioned home sweet home. We killed time (not birds) until about 6:30 when we headed to the Gateway Mall to have dinner at Applebee's with my mom's cousin Julie and her daughter Melissa. Apparently, Julie and my Uncle Charlie were friends growing up and even dated. In fact, he was such a smooth operator that he said to her, "You have nice thumbs," just to hold her hand. Wow. Her thumbs?
I bet Harry Potter wouldn't use such a lame pickup line. He'd say something much hotter like, "You must be a veela, because you make me horny." Speaking of horny, my uncle came across a box of condoms at a discount store that only sells expired items. A man saw them and asked my uncle, "would you use them?" to which my aunt piped in, "I have six children, thank you very much, and I'm not risking a seventh!"
Speaking of seventh, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh movie in the franchise. Well, it'll be the seventh and eighth since it's in two parts. I really wish the two parts would be released more closely together. I mean, we'll start it in November and have to wait until... Oh no. I'm doing it again, aren't I?
Maybe I should just give up. The visit was great. Lots of laughter. Lots of catching up. Smiles all around. The end.
By the way, I've watched the preview another eight times while writing this.
Actually, make that nine.
Check it out at mugglenet.com, where I saw it.
Okay, well, while I'm on here blogging... I may as well talk about my family.
I watched the trailer five times, by the way. I couldn't stop! It was like, "replay," "replay," "replay." Sorry, I'm obsessing about it again. Ugh.. Back to my family.
You see, I have an uncle named Charlie (my dad's brother) who currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife Jodi and there six children Jessica, Christina, Andrea, Daniel, Julia, and Stephen (and if I got the names wrong, I apologize. In my defense, I rarely see them). They happened to be in Utah this past weekend for a family reunion on Jodi's side, and my Aunt Rachel (affectionately known as Tia Loca) decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. She could see her brother and his family, while also seeing me and getting to meet Brian for the first time. All in one trip! So she and her daughter Mariana drove out here too, and we all sort of met up today at Temple Square.
On a side note, I wonder how many people can actually kill two birds with one stone. Why birds? Why a stone? Hmm, anyway, if anyone could I bet Harry Potter could. Yes. Harry Potter or Hermione Granger. Heck, Hermione could probably kill three and not even need a stone. Ron couldn't though. He's too dumb.
Was I just rambling on about Harry Potter, again? I'm so sorry! Seriously, you need to see this trailer. November isn't coming soon enough! It's only June. Well, almost July. But still June. Today is June. Today I was with my extended family! Oh, I should really tell you about that!
So Brian and I went to Temple Square where we were greeted warmly by everyone. Interesting I should use the word warmly since today was a scorcher! We ducked into visitor's centers, the Tabernacle, the Conference Center, etc, just to stay out of the hot sun. Every five minutes seemed to be another potty break/fill up the ol' canteen break. Outside we would drag our feet in heat exhaustion, sweating profusely and collapsing in dusty heaps as tumbleweeds rolled on by. Those Mormon pioneers had it easy compared to the sight-seeing day we had!
After Temple Square, Brian had to run off to work, and I stayed with the rest of the gang. We spent some time back at our apartment, watching some of my animation and just talking. It was a relief to be sitting lazily in my air-conditioned home sweet home. We killed time (not birds) until about 6:30 when we headed to the Gateway Mall to have dinner at Applebee's with my mom's cousin Julie and her daughter Melissa. Apparently, Julie and my Uncle Charlie were friends growing up and even dated. In fact, he was such a smooth operator that he said to her, "You have nice thumbs," just to hold her hand. Wow. Her thumbs?
I bet Harry Potter wouldn't use such a lame pickup line. He'd say something much hotter like, "You must be a veela, because you make me horny." Speaking of horny, my uncle came across a box of condoms at a discount store that only sells expired items. A man saw them and asked my uncle, "would you use them?" to which my aunt piped in, "I have six children, thank you very much, and I'm not risking a seventh!"
Speaking of seventh, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh movie in the franchise. Well, it'll be the seventh and eighth since it's in two parts. I really wish the two parts would be released more closely together. I mean, we'll start it in November and have to wait until... Oh no. I'm doing it again, aren't I?
Maybe I should just give up. The visit was great. Lots of laughter. Lots of catching up. Smiles all around. The end.
By the way, I've watched the preview another eight times while writing this.
Actually, make that nine.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Steve's Missed Wedding Reception
Sorry these blog posts have become so out of order and random. Chronological would be nice, but I guess my mind doesn’t process things chronologically. Or maybe if I actually wrote every day, I could simply say what happened that day and automatically it would be in order. But I don’t write every day. And sometimes I have to go back and fill in the holes.
My ex-stepfather Steve just got remarried on the 9th. I’ve written about him before. He’s a good guy. I had really wanted to go to his wedding reception, but unfortunately it didn’t work out for me.
Well, first I was torn between attending or not attending. It was here in Utah, and he really wanted me to come… so I figured “Why not?” But on the flip side, I knew his extended family would be there, and immediately I began to fear that it would be awkward seeing all of them. Sure, his parents write me letters regularly, but what about his brothers? Would they feel comfortable around me now that they know I’m gay?
In a phone call, Steve quickly shot that idea down. “You’ve gotta’ stop thinking that everyone hates you now that you’re gay. You need to quit making it a big deal.” He was absolutely right. I remember a long time ago my dad had told me why he never dated Hispanic women. Why every woman he had ever married had been white. “They always have a chip on their shoulder. They always think the world is out to get them because they are brown. If they get fired, or someone treats them poorly, or whatever might happen it’s always because of their skin color. It’s never because of them.”
I have become that person with a chip on their shoulder. In fact, just recently I met a coworker’s husband for the first time, and he barely nodded in my direction. No “nice to meet you” or a handshake or anything. I immediately thought,”It’s because I’m gay. He can’t handle it.” And I began to think negatively about him. I completely forgot a previous conversation where my coworker had lamented over her husband’s lack of social skills. How he was always so shy and quiet around people he didn’t know.
I decided to go. I had already requested the day off (just in case) and I let Steve know that Brian and I would be coming. Brian didn’t get the day off like I had, but on Wednesdays he usually just has a 6 o’clock meeting to go to. The reception was scheduled for 1:30. It should be perfect.
The morning of the big event, I looked up driving directions to Smithfield, Utah using Google maps. I had never been to Smithfield, just knew it was a little north of us, but I never realized just how north of us it was. It would take two hours just to get there.
“We’ll only be at the reception for two hours before we’ll have to head home for your meeting,” I said. Then Brian looked at his schedule a little more closely, “Actually, I don’t just have the meeting, I have an actual shift. I’m scheduled 5 to close.”
Five? That means we would get there at 1:30 and then have to leave by 2:30 to drive and get back to Salt Lake City around 4:30 so he could change and be at work by 5:00. One hour hardly justified the 4-hour round trip.
“Maybe I can take my car and go by myself. That way I can stay as long as I like, with no rush.”
“But Jack, your car doesn’t run very well, and you’re going somewhere you’ve never been before. Do you want to chance it?”
I was defiant. “Yeah, it’ll be okay. I’ll have my phone on me in case something happens.”
“But Jack, it’s really hot outside. Your car doesn’t even have AC.”
Ooh, he got me there. Driving around for four hours in an oven of a car that shakes and lurches as if it’s about to explode at any given moment did not sound like a very good idea.
“I guess I’m not going then.” And that was that. I sent a text to Steve’s bride’s phone saying that I couldn’t make it, but if they were in Salt Lake anytime they should let me know. I had remembered him saying something about spending a day in Salt Lake before heading home.
Days later he called and left a voicemail. He was sorry that I wasn’t there, and more sorry that they never got my message in time. They had already left Utah before they even looked at Amy’s phone.
I haven’t spoken to him since he left that voicemail, and I’ve yet to tell him the reasons behind my staying home that day. I've just been to busy to call, I guess. He probably assumes that I chickened out because of the whole gay thing…which would be pretty gay if that were the reason.
My ex-stepfather Steve just got remarried on the 9th. I’ve written about him before. He’s a good guy. I had really wanted to go to his wedding reception, but unfortunately it didn’t work out for me.
Well, first I was torn between attending or not attending. It was here in Utah, and he really wanted me to come… so I figured “Why not?” But on the flip side, I knew his extended family would be there, and immediately I began to fear that it would be awkward seeing all of them. Sure, his parents write me letters regularly, but what about his brothers? Would they feel comfortable around me now that they know I’m gay?
In a phone call, Steve quickly shot that idea down. “You’ve gotta’ stop thinking that everyone hates you now that you’re gay. You need to quit making it a big deal.” He was absolutely right. I remember a long time ago my dad had told me why he never dated Hispanic women. Why every woman he had ever married had been white. “They always have a chip on their shoulder. They always think the world is out to get them because they are brown. If they get fired, or someone treats them poorly, or whatever might happen it’s always because of their skin color. It’s never because of them.”
I have become that person with a chip on their shoulder. In fact, just recently I met a coworker’s husband for the first time, and he barely nodded in my direction. No “nice to meet you” or a handshake or anything. I immediately thought,”It’s because I’m gay. He can’t handle it.” And I began to think negatively about him. I completely forgot a previous conversation where my coworker had lamented over her husband’s lack of social skills. How he was always so shy and quiet around people he didn’t know.
I decided to go. I had already requested the day off (just in case) and I let Steve know that Brian and I would be coming. Brian didn’t get the day off like I had, but on Wednesdays he usually just has a 6 o’clock meeting to go to. The reception was scheduled for 1:30. It should be perfect.
The morning of the big event, I looked up driving directions to Smithfield, Utah using Google maps. I had never been to Smithfield, just knew it was a little north of us, but I never realized just how north of us it was. It would take two hours just to get there.
“We’ll only be at the reception for two hours before we’ll have to head home for your meeting,” I said. Then Brian looked at his schedule a little more closely, “Actually, I don’t just have the meeting, I have an actual shift. I’m scheduled 5 to close.”
Five? That means we would get there at 1:30 and then have to leave by 2:30 to drive and get back to Salt Lake City around 4:30 so he could change and be at work by 5:00. One hour hardly justified the 4-hour round trip.
“Maybe I can take my car and go by myself. That way I can stay as long as I like, with no rush.”
“But Jack, your car doesn’t run very well, and you’re going somewhere you’ve never been before. Do you want to chance it?”
I was defiant. “Yeah, it’ll be okay. I’ll have my phone on me in case something happens.”
“But Jack, it’s really hot outside. Your car doesn’t even have AC.”
Ooh, he got me there. Driving around for four hours in an oven of a car that shakes and lurches as if it’s about to explode at any given moment did not sound like a very good idea.
“I guess I’m not going then.” And that was that. I sent a text to Steve’s bride’s phone saying that I couldn’t make it, but if they were in Salt Lake anytime they should let me know. I had remembered him saying something about spending a day in Salt Lake before heading home.
Days later he called and left a voicemail. He was sorry that I wasn’t there, and more sorry that they never got my message in time. They had already left Utah before they even looked at Amy’s phone.
I haven’t spoken to him since he left that voicemail, and I’ve yet to tell him the reasons behind my staying home that day. I've just been to busy to call, I guess. He probably assumes that I chickened out because of the whole gay thing…which would be pretty gay if that were the reason.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Father's Day/ Movie Review: 'Toy Story 3'
Working in retail does not allow you to enjoy any holidays. Just like I worked on Mother's Day, I worked Sunday on Father's Day as well. I thought maybe we'd be able to do lunch with Brian's family or something, because I didn't need to go into work until 3... but Brian worked at noon, so a trip down to Orem just wasn't feasible.
I had texted a "Happy Father's Day" to my father that afternoon, and asked him if it would be okay to call at 9:00 PM when I got off from work. He said it would be fine. Well, like I said, the exciting world of retail ruins every holiday and I didn't get home until 11:30 that night... much too late to call my dad.
Basically Brian and I did not see or talk to any fathers on Father's Day.
I talked to my dad the next day and explained what had happened with work. Luckily I had mailed a Father's Day card a few days before, so he wasn't completely neglected. Brian had Monday off, and I worked in the early morning until 11:00 only, so we were able to drive to Orem yesterday. We got together with his whole family (except for Courtney who left for EFY) and saw Toy Story 3 in 3D as a family!
Toy Story 3 AWESOME!
Now, as I've mentioned before, I've seen the first part of this movie months ago at a special cliff-hanger screening, so I was very, very excited to finally see how it would end!! I had read a review on the MSN homepage that loved it, and its rating on rottentomatoes.com was currently at a 98%, so I figured the ending had to be just as good as the part we had watched. And boy was it! Not only did I find the whole first half funnier even than the first time, but the new-to-me part of the story--the conclusion--was epic and powerful and downright flawless!
Toy Story 3 is a brilliant beyond brilliant film. I don't know how Pixar manages to do it again and again and again... but they do. A film critic by the name of Eric D. Snider said it best, "Toy Story 3 is the greatest thing in the history of ever."
All I can say is, go see it! If you need more convincing, read Brian's review of it for Salt Lake City Examiner.
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
I had texted a "Happy Father's Day" to my father that afternoon, and asked him if it would be okay to call at 9:00 PM when I got off from work. He said it would be fine. Well, like I said, the exciting world of retail ruins every holiday and I didn't get home until 11:30 that night... much too late to call my dad.
Basically Brian and I did not see or talk to any fathers on Father's Day.
I talked to my dad the next day and explained what had happened with work. Luckily I had mailed a Father's Day card a few days before, so he wasn't completely neglected. Brian had Monday off, and I worked in the early morning until 11:00 only, so we were able to drive to Orem yesterday. We got together with his whole family (except for Courtney who left for EFY) and saw Toy Story 3 in 3D as a family!
Toy Story 3 movie poster, image property of Disney and Pixar. |
Toy Story 3 AWESOME!
Now, as I've mentioned before, I've seen the first part of this movie months ago at a special cliff-hanger screening, so I was very, very excited to finally see how it would end!! I had read a review on the MSN homepage that loved it, and its rating on rottentomatoes.com was currently at a 98%, so I figured the ending had to be just as good as the part we had watched. And boy was it! Not only did I find the whole first half funnier even than the first time, but the new-to-me part of the story--the conclusion--was epic and powerful and downright flawless!
Toy Story 3 is a brilliant beyond brilliant film. I don't know how Pixar manages to do it again and again and again... but they do. A film critic by the name of Eric D. Snider said it best, "Toy Story 3 is the greatest thing in the history of ever."
All I can say is, go see it! If you need more convincing, read Brian's review of it for Salt Lake City Examiner.
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
To Go or Not to Go, That is the Question
So Brian has been very up and down with his decision to go to AMDA next Spring. At first we were all ecstatic of course. Not everyone makes it in, and it would be an amazing experience for him, and we’re both excited to move to New York City, yadda yadda yadda…
We hit the first snag early on. We realized we had to come up with $500 sometime in April as a deposit, and as the due date drew nearer, Brian grew depressed. “I’m not going. We’re too poor.”
By some miracle he was able to talk his way into extending his due date until the 30th of June. We thought that would be plenty of time to save up $500.
On Mother’s Day I had to work, but he went to his family’s house where he mentioned New York and his parents told him that they wouldn’t help pay a dime of it. I wrote a whole post about it already. That was the day Courtney secretly slipped him $50. Although his sister’s contribution was very touching, knowing his parents weren’t willing to help him was a huge blow to his confidence and his resolve.
However, they had given him a false ray of hope in hinting that they might possibly maybe just maybe cosign a loan with him if we could pay back all the money we owe them and pay off all our credit cards. So he was happy again.
But now that happiness is fading. June 30th is just around the corner, and we only have $150 saved with the possibility of adding maybe another $100 before that due date arrives. It’s really hard to save when you barely make enough to cover bills… and we’ve yet to start getting paid for our second jobs.
He’s depressed all over again. I keep suggesting ways that we could get the money scraped together by then. If Jeff ever pays me we should be okay. Maybe we could skip on some bills this next paycheck. But still he says that it doesn’t matter if we can pay the deposit, because we’ll never be able to pay for his tuition. Brian spoke to his father recently, making sure that he’d gotten our first few checks working off our debt to him, and he mentioned the promise his dad had made. But his father acted like there was no such promise. “I only said ‘maybe’ Brian…”
So we’ve come to realize that we are all alone in this. And alone, we will never qualify for a loan big enough to cover even one semester. Our credit is just too horrible, and the school is just too expensive.
Now I don’t know what to do. Should I scrimp and save and make that deposit happen by the end of the month? Or should I not waste $500 if he has no more intention on going? If he really wanted it, wouldn’t he make it happen? If he’s willing to quit now, does that mean he never really wanted it in the first place? Was his heart never in it?
I just don’t know. I really don’t know what’s going to happen now.
We hit the first snag early on. We realized we had to come up with $500 sometime in April as a deposit, and as the due date drew nearer, Brian grew depressed. “I’m not going. We’re too poor.”
By some miracle he was able to talk his way into extending his due date until the 30th of June. We thought that would be plenty of time to save up $500.
On Mother’s Day I had to work, but he went to his family’s house where he mentioned New York and his parents told him that they wouldn’t help pay a dime of it. I wrote a whole post about it already. That was the day Courtney secretly slipped him $50. Although his sister’s contribution was very touching, knowing his parents weren’t willing to help him was a huge blow to his confidence and his resolve.
However, they had given him a false ray of hope in hinting that they might possibly maybe just maybe cosign a loan with him if we could pay back all the money we owe them and pay off all our credit cards. So he was happy again.
But now that happiness is fading. June 30th is just around the corner, and we only have $150 saved with the possibility of adding maybe another $100 before that due date arrives. It’s really hard to save when you barely make enough to cover bills… and we’ve yet to start getting paid for our second jobs.
He’s depressed all over again. I keep suggesting ways that we could get the money scraped together by then. If Jeff ever pays me we should be okay. Maybe we could skip on some bills this next paycheck. But still he says that it doesn’t matter if we can pay the deposit, because we’ll never be able to pay for his tuition. Brian spoke to his father recently, making sure that he’d gotten our first few checks working off our debt to him, and he mentioned the promise his dad had made. But his father acted like there was no such promise. “I only said ‘maybe’ Brian…”
So we’ve come to realize that we are all alone in this. And alone, we will never qualify for a loan big enough to cover even one semester. Our credit is just too horrible, and the school is just too expensive.
Now I don’t know what to do. Should I scrimp and save and make that deposit happen by the end of the month? Or should I not waste $500 if he has no more intention on going? If he really wanted it, wouldn’t he make it happen? If he’s willing to quit now, does that mean he never really wanted it in the first place? Was his heart never in it?
I just don’t know. I really don’t know what’s going to happen now.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Jeff Reads My Blog, Maybe?
Just a couple of hours after posting "Just Pay Me Already, Jeff!" I got a phone call from none other than Jeff Levin himself! I guess blogging about my little dilemma paid off. Well, I guess paid isn't the right word. I still haven't been paid!
But... I now know that I have yet to be paid because I have yet to complete the project. Although I thought it was done, and He Is We loved loved loved it (apparently Rachel asked to play it over and over), there is just one tiny little thing Jeff thinks I should tweak.
You see, I shot a good portion of the video using real actors. And by shot I don't mean I filmed them. No no. That's much too normal and I'm not normal at all. They would move little by little holding each pose so I could snap a picture using my Kodak Easyshare camera. Watching each photo back to back creates the illusion of movement of course (ahem, animation). The only complaint Jeff had -- and this came more from the big wigs at Universal than from him -- was that the quality of the photographs isn't good enough for television. He said that with my drawings it's okay, but with a photo of a person... not so much.
"Wait, television? I thought this was going to be viral. Spread throughout the internet like wildfire..."
"Well, yes, that's the general idea. But if the video gains popularity, we'll want to submit it to MTV and such, so we'll want the video to be TV-ready just in case."
"Oh, so what should we do?"
"Draw over the real people. Make them more cartoony."
"Um... okay. It will take me a while."
"You can have another two weeks or so. I'm going to try and get you more money than originally planned too."
Ka-ching. So I have to draw cartoon people over the real people and then I'll get paid finally. Oh, and more than I thought I would get paid in the first place. That sounds totally easy... right?
But... I now know that I have yet to be paid because I have yet to complete the project. Although I thought it was done, and He Is We loved loved loved it (apparently Rachel asked to play it over and over), there is just one tiny little thing Jeff thinks I should tweak.
You see, I shot a good portion of the video using real actors. And by shot I don't mean I filmed them. No no. That's much too normal and I'm not normal at all. They would move little by little holding each pose so I could snap a picture using my Kodak Easyshare camera. Watching each photo back to back creates the illusion of movement of course (ahem, animation). The only complaint Jeff had -- and this came more from the big wigs at Universal than from him -- was that the quality of the photographs isn't good enough for television. He said that with my drawings it's okay, but with a photo of a person... not so much.
"Wait, television? I thought this was going to be viral. Spread throughout the internet like wildfire..."
"Well, yes, that's the general idea. But if the video gains popularity, we'll want to submit it to MTV and such, so we'll want the video to be TV-ready just in case."
"Oh, so what should we do?"
"Draw over the real people. Make them more cartoony."
"Um... okay. It will take me a while."
"You can have another two weeks or so. I'm going to try and get you more money than originally planned too."
Ka-ching. So I have to draw cartoon people over the real people and then I'll get paid finally. Oh, and more than I thought I would get paid in the first place. That sounds totally easy... right?
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Just Pay Me Already, Jeff!
I completed the “Happily Ever After” video for the group He Is We and had it emailed to their manager Jeff Levin on the 6th of June. On the 7th I sent a text to Jeff, to verify the video’s arrival through cyberspace, and he replied that he had gotten it. He was on his way to the airport to pick up Rachel and Trevor of the group, and they planned on watching it together that very night.
I was nervous that they wouldn’t like it. Even more nervous the next evening when I still hadn’t heard anything back from them. Finally on the 9th I sent Jeff a text saying, “So?...” to which he replied, “They loved it. We’ll talk about the video tomorrow.”
Whew. At least they were pleased with it. After working for months on a different project called “White Tower” the singer Eva sent me an email saying “I wish I could say that I loved it…. but I can’t.” She hated it. She went on for paragraphs talking about how much she hated it. Detailing point by point each one of her grievances. It was excruciatingly painful to read! I loved the video. I put in hundreds and hundreds of hours into it. And it all seemed a waste of time.
So it was sigh of relief to know that the musicians were happy with my interpretation of their song. However, he did say he wanted to talk about it. Perhaps there were changes he wanted to be made…
Well, I still don’t know if that’s the case or not. Tomorrow never comes, as they say. And we’ve been back and forth through text messages, missed calls, voicemails, and emails ever since. All saying things like, “I’ve been busy in the studio… been waiting on your call, actually” or “I’ll be home all day tomorrow, give me a ring” or “Sorry I missed you. Let’s definitely chat sometime next week.”
I finally sent him an email saying, “Looks like we can’t get a hold of each other. Here’s my address though, so you can mail me a check.”
Still no word, and still no check.
I was nervous that they wouldn’t like it. Even more nervous the next evening when I still hadn’t heard anything back from them. Finally on the 9th I sent Jeff a text saying, “So?...” to which he replied, “They loved it. We’ll talk about the video tomorrow.”
Whew. At least they were pleased with it. After working for months on a different project called “White Tower” the singer Eva sent me an email saying “I wish I could say that I loved it…. but I can’t.” She hated it. She went on for paragraphs talking about how much she hated it. Detailing point by point each one of her grievances. It was excruciatingly painful to read! I loved the video. I put in hundreds and hundreds of hours into it. And it all seemed a waste of time.
So it was sigh of relief to know that the musicians were happy with my interpretation of their song. However, he did say he wanted to talk about it. Perhaps there were changes he wanted to be made…
Well, I still don’t know if that’s the case or not. Tomorrow never comes, as they say. And we’ve been back and forth through text messages, missed calls, voicemails, and emails ever since. All saying things like, “I’ve been busy in the studio… been waiting on your call, actually” or “I’ll be home all day tomorrow, give me a ring” or “Sorry I missed you. Let’s definitely chat sometime next week.”
I finally sent him an email saying, “Looks like we can’t get a hold of each other. Here’s my address though, so you can mail me a check.”
Still no word, and still no check.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Sofia/ Movie Review: 'Prince of Persia'
My brother’s girlfriend, Sofia is totally cute by the way. I definitely approve. She’s funny and loud and talks non-stop… just like our sister Renee. Just like my dad actually. Hmm… my family for the most part is that way. Gosh, we’re really quite annoying, actually.
Anyway, Sofia has a circulation problem, and I recently Facebooked her and said, “Wanna hear a joke? What do Sofia and Barney have in common? They both have purple toes!” To which she replied, “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Best joke ever! What do Jack and Barney have in common? They’re both fat! jk” And that’s just an example of how well we get along.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time AWFUL
Anyway, while Brian and I were in Colorado with them, we all decided to go to the movies. My brother Daniel kept saying it was a double date (but it was really more of a triple date because my sister invited a boy along too, although the two of them ended up sitting in a different row than us). We went to see Prince of Persia starring Jake Gyllenhaal and we soon found out that the only thing good about it was Jake Gyllenhaal. Well, let me be more specific. It wasn’t Jake’s acting performance—because it was probably the worst performance of his career—but it was just Jake’s hot body that made the movie even remotely bearable. And I mean remotely. For the most part, the movie was cheesy and over-the-top, but not in a fun and entertaining way like Pirates of the Caribbean, but in a stupid way, like a Disney Channel Original Movie. Mostly it looked like a video game, and the storyline pretty much changed as the writers saw fit. The princess was always explaining something about the magical time-changing knife, just to contradict herself later. “This is the only way we can destroy it.” “Okay, now there’s only one other option to destroy it.” “This is our last resort or else the gods will destroy us.” “Okay, actually the gods didn’t destroy us, and somehow we fixed everything.” “Just kidding, this whole movie never happened, because we went back in time just now.” “Who are you? We haven’t met.” AAH! Jake, why weren’t you at least shirtless more!!??
Daniel and Sofia both liked this movie by the way. Brian and I were the lone cynics who thought it was completely retarded. Later we rented Fantastic Mr. Fox through OnDemand because we were determined to show them what an entertaining and well-crafted movie looked like.
They learned.
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
Anyway, Sofia has a circulation problem, and I recently Facebooked her and said, “Wanna hear a joke? What do Sofia and Barney have in common? They both have purple toes!” To which she replied, “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Best joke ever! What do Jack and Barney have in common? They’re both fat! jk” And that’s just an example of how well we get along.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie poster, image property of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. |
Anyway, while Brian and I were in Colorado with them, we all decided to go to the movies. My brother Daniel kept saying it was a double date (but it was really more of a triple date because my sister invited a boy along too, although the two of them ended up sitting in a different row than us). We went to see Prince of Persia starring Jake Gyllenhaal and we soon found out that the only thing good about it was Jake Gyllenhaal. Well, let me be more specific. It wasn’t Jake’s acting performance—because it was probably the worst performance of his career—but it was just Jake’s hot body that made the movie even remotely bearable. And I mean remotely. For the most part, the movie was cheesy and over-the-top, but not in a fun and entertaining way like Pirates of the Caribbean, but in a stupid way, like a Disney Channel Original Movie. Mostly it looked like a video game, and the storyline pretty much changed as the writers saw fit. The princess was always explaining something about the magical time-changing knife, just to contradict herself later. “This is the only way we can destroy it.” “Okay, now there’s only one other option to destroy it.” “This is our last resort or else the gods will destroy us.” “Okay, actually the gods didn’t destroy us, and somehow we fixed everything.” “Just kidding, this whole movie never happened, because we went back in time just now.” “Who are you? We haven’t met.” AAH! Jake, why weren’t you at least shirtless more!!??
Daniel and Sofia both liked this movie by the way. Brian and I were the lone cynics who thought it was completely retarded. Later we rented Fantastic Mr. Fox through OnDemand because we were determined to show them what an entertaining and well-crafted movie looked like.
They learned.
Love movies? Check out my Movie Page!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Graduation Part II
We left Orem at about 9 that night, as the sun was setting behind us, and we drove all through the night. Well, correction, Brian drove all through the night and I kept him awake. You see, Brian drives a stick and I’m far too dumb for that, so I don’t ever drive anywhere! I could have slept, I suppose, but I was far too afraid that he would fall asleep too and kill us both. Either that or push my sleeping body out of the car and abandon me somewhere. So no, I stayed awake too. It only took some Coke, a coffee with added espresso shots, and some 5-Hour Energy to keep Brian wide-eyed and alert through the night.
We listened to musicals on the way (I know, how gay are we?) and sang along whenever we were feeling drowsy. Slowly the sun began to rise, and in the early morning light we found my dad’s house. I called and let him know we were outside. It was 6 in the morning, and everyone was still asleep. However, as we were bringing our stuff into the house, my brother Daniel ran out to greet us and almost knocked me over with the enthusiastic hug he gave. We slept on the floor in his room ‘til about 10.
There are a few similarities between Daniel’s graduation and Amy’s, except things were more extreme with Daniel’s. For as behind on time as we were getting to Amy’s, we were much later getting to Daniel’s. Brian and I were in a car with my sister Renee and my brother’s girlfriend, Sofia. We were following my dad’s wife Patricia and my grandfather to the World Arena where the ceremony would be held. Just as it came into view, we found ourselves turning around. “Where are you going?” Renee asked Patricia on the phone. “I forgot your father.”
So by the time we made it back to the World Arena, we were late. Here’s where we encounter another similarity. But instead of dragging Brian’s limping mother around, we were trying to get my old and feeble grandfather inside. He walked twice as slow, was twice as grumpy, and eventually needed a wheelchair brought out to him.
Anyway, once inside we realized how different the ceremony would be from Amy’s. Instead of that hushed, reverent feeling as if we should all be praying, we were shocked to find a huge line at the concessions stand and vendors selling graduation gifts, balloons, and flowers. “Are we going to a game?” Brian asked me. Apparently some people thought so, as they flooded into the arena with pretzels, Dippin’ Dots, pizza, and beer.
Grandpa with his wheelchair, was able to score some good seats, with room for my dad and his wife. The four of us were not so lucky however. An usher informed us that there were four seats below where we could sit, but when we tried to sit down, the people around those seats immediately blew up at us because the seats were saved. We headed back up, and my dad saw us and wondered what happened. I told him, he told the usher, and next thing we know we have the usher gesturing to us to come and sit there, while she’s arguing loudly with the people saving seats. Apparently saving seats is a no-no. “I don’t want to sit there now,” I said to my dad. “The people next to us might shank us.” So we ran off and found some other seats in the nosebleed section. The ceremony was well under way by this point.
It was just as dull as Amy’s, maybe a little duller, but it didn’t have that churchy feeling. Instead of bragging about the graduating seniors who had already received mission calls, speakers bragged up the number of students joining the armed forces. The rednecks would always cheer really loudly whenever stuff like that was mentioned. Go America, I guess…
After the graduation we somehow managed to lose everyone, and for a while, Brian and I thought we were going to be stranded there because we had no idea how to get to my dad’s work where the party was going to be held. We couldn’t find our way back to his house either. Just as my frustration seemed to be at its peak, my brother called and we were able to follow him to our next destination. (Another random note, Daniel and Sofia pretty much made out the entire time they were driving. It was kinda awkward following them...)
Daniel’s graduation party was much smaller than Amy’s. My mom and her husband Jim showed up. Patricia’s parents were there. My Grandpa Garcia, Brian and I, Sofia, Renee, my dad and his wife. That’s it. We sat around in the lobby of the Colorado Springs Rescue Mission where my dad works eating chicken strips and potato salad. Pretty boring, with way too much food. My mom was strangely distant with everybody (a new trait she’s gained now that she’s married to Jim it seems) and it was the only time we saw her that weekend. They stayed maybe an hour, went back to their hotel, and left for home the next morning.
Luckily Grandpa left right away too. I hate to say it, but he was decidedly more unpleasant than usual. Before he seemed like a funny, cranky old man, but that day he just came across as rude and demanding. He said I was fat right away and kept hinting in Spanish that we were going to have a long discussion about my homosexuality.
“Eh… everyone and their long discussions,” my dad later said. “Tell them all to shut up.”
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Graduation Part I
A few things have happened since last I spoke. On Friday, May 28th, Brian and I drove down to Orem to attend his sister Amy’s graduation from Mountain View High School. The graduation didn’t start until 4, and we made the mistake of arriving a couple of hours early. We were soon put to work collecting chairs and tables from various neighbors in the cul-de-sac. The family was throwing a barbecue after the ceremony, and preparations needed to be made.
Eventually Brian and I hopped into the car with his mother and his littlest sister Courtney. Their father had left earlier, taking Amy with him, and their oldest sister Jenny was to meet us there after she got off of work. (Just a random side note, but this is precisely the reason I found a Friday graduation to be absurd. Don’t people have jobs on week days? When I expressed this to Brian’s mother, she thought it was crazy that my brother’s graduation was scheduled on a Saturday. She almost fainted when she heard I had graduated on a Sunday. “Well, that would never fly in Utah,” she said.)
Of course we left the house a little later than we should have and we struggled to find parking outside of the BYU Marriott Center. Brian’s mother burned her foot recently when she dropped a pot of boiling water on it in the kitchen a few weeks back, and it has yet to heal properly. In fact, it seems to be getting worse. Just one more medical problem to add to her teetering list. So on top of the endless circles around the parking lot, we also found ourselves leading a limping and complaining woman slowly into the building.
We made it just in time, however, (Jenny was the late one) and the ceremony began. Now, if you are LDS or have ever been LDS you might know what I mean when I say that the ceremony seemed a lot like General Conference. If not, picture this: the camera is always dead center on the podium, where a speaker is looking straight at you while droning on in a mechanical sort of way. Talks (well, “speeches” or “sermons” to the rest of the world) by Church General Authorities usually follow the same formula. They begin with a story of some sort that eventually becomes a metaphor on which the entire speech is based.
This graduation ceremony positively reeked of LDS influence. It oozed Mormonism out of every pore. Every speech made that day was delivered as if it were in a church setting. I’m surprised they managed to bite their tongues and not end with, “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” To add to the religious atmosphere, their school’s choir sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and sounded just like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Of course it was long and dull, overall. All graduation ceremonies are. As much as everyone tries to be meaningful and heartfelt and memorable, they all end up talking for too long and sounding like a clichéd graduation card. Then of course, there’s the reading of the names, which takes forever. Thank the Lord Almighty that I went to a tiny little hick school, because it does not take that long to read 36 names aloud. However, with almost 500 kids, you literally feel your life wasting away before you as you sit in a sort of limbo where time stands still…
After the graduation was over, we took obligatory pictures and then sped back to the house to get the food ready for the party. It was actually a pretty big shindig. Lots of relatives were there, and the coolest thing about it was that I’m starting to know these people and they are starting to become more comfortable with me. The first few get-togethers with Brian’s extended family were awkward to say the least. However, this time I enjoyed talking with quite a few of them, and I felt like part of the family (although, several of them said I could never be one of them since I don’t like sauerkraut).
Thankfully, no sauerkraut was served at this barbecue. But Brian’s Aunt Deb does prepare a mean pasta salad!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
No Sleep
Sleep? What's sleep? It's been so long that I honestly can't remember what it even feels like. Not only do I have two jobs (yes, I got a second job on top of my first) but I've been working on animating a music video every minute outside of that... Literally every minute. I even took my laptop with me to Colorado on vacation. Oh... Colorado. Don't even get me started on that sleepless weekend. All night driving, from sunset to sunrise between a graduation in Orem, Utah Friday and a graduation in Colorado Springs Saturday.
I know my last post optimistically said I'd be done with the video soon. But I was clearly delusional at the time... maybe I was on a high from getting the gig. Reality had me working 60 hours a week on it on top of everything else. I finished it last night...well, this morning... at 4:00 AM. Fell asleep by 5:00 AM and awoke at 9:00 AM just to come down here to the coffeehouse and try to send the completed video file to Jeff. Well, an hour has passed and the video is 30% uploaded... I'm supposed to be at work in 5 minutes.
I guess I'll wake up Brian and tell him to come down here and wait with this computer while the video uploads so he can send it for me. I mean, if I don't get to sleep why should he?
I know my last post optimistically said I'd be done with the video soon. But I was clearly delusional at the time... maybe I was on a high from getting the gig. Reality had me working 60 hours a week on it on top of everything else. I finished it last night...well, this morning... at 4:00 AM. Fell asleep by 5:00 AM and awoke at 9:00 AM just to come down here to the coffeehouse and try to send the completed video file to Jeff. Well, an hour has passed and the video is 30% uploaded... I'm supposed to be at work in 5 minutes.
I guess I'll wake up Brian and tell him to come down here and wait with this computer while the video uploads so he can send it for me. I mean, if I don't get to sleep why should he?
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