| Movies and etc |
[Jan. 6th, 2010|01:41 am] |
Movies 2010
January
1. Observe & Report
2. UP
3. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
(I'm not really good at keeping up with this but it's ok...)
((I also have been using my tumblr http://photoblog.sarahheppell.com way more than this.. I still apologize... blush, pout, frown.))
Game night at my place tomorrow night, with pals! wooooo! |
|
|
| The challenges and opportunities of 2010. |
[Jan. 3rd, 2010|02:13 am] |
After spending the last two years eve's in New York, I rang in the new and decade in a familiar place, The Maddens residence in Pacifica. I wanted to stay in the Bay Area this year because, having a girlfriend, I wanted to spend it with her and get my first-ever new years kiss. This turned out not to be the case, however, as she and her friend Jen decided to pay $50 each to go to party downtown. I flew in 3 hours before midnight and I wasn't sure I was going to make it anywhere to meet her in time, so we made separate plans. My first-ever new years eve kiss still eludes me. Maybe next year... Still, I spent it with good, drunken friends, one of which I had a good heart-to-heart real talk conversation with....
....Anyway, I am looking forward to 2010, and thinking about how to approach it. My resolution is to continue to keep my life stable and continue to make good choices.... and to continue to have the healthy and unique attitude I have towards life. I want to read more books, learn more, experience more and take every advantage of what I have and who I am. Since Karina has my travel benefits now, I plan to get have her travel with me and get away for the weekends, which will definitely add something more to our relationship. Also, I hope to have at least one, great epic trip this year just like that one last year. If god wills me to visit the Egypt/and or The Holy Land this year, it will happen.... or perhaps it may not work out and I will end up in other parts of the world. I am excited about the challenges and opportunities before me... |
|
|
| A significant and unforgettable year comes to an end.... |
[Dec. 30th, 2009|07:11 pm] |
At some point during the past year, I found myself on the back of a motorbike racing and weaving in and out of traffic through the dusty streets of Cartagena, Colombia... one arm holding on to a stack of recently acquired vallenato and salsa vinyl records and the other hanging on to a stranger who kindly offered me a ride to the bus station so that I could buy a ticket to Medellin.... It's these moments that will make 2009 etch in my memory forever...
...like watching the tango in Argentina and walking down Iphanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil....
...Of course, my trip to South America will always define 2009 as it was a true adventure, but the real adventure was meeting my match....
....I met Karina at a sushi restaurant during a common friends birthday party (I had actually met her first about a a year earlier at a Christmas party wherein we definitely didn't hit it off) ... I was talking about attending the Inauguration of Barack Obama the day before and she captured my interest immediately because of her intellect..... She went on to become my girlfriend and the most serious one I have ever had.... and the rest of our year together was littered with memorable moments... from dramatic to passionate to frustrating to blissful... but it was always interesting and challenging and I am a smarter and better man having met her and going through this amazing year with her......
There was the moment I learned of Micheal Jackson's death while working on a plane and the moment I found out that my roommate would be moving out and "Club 77" was to close forever.....
Ultimately,... it was a year that will cherish the memory of.... a very interesting and life-changing year... and the perfect way to end a very interesting and life-changing decade....
The Paul Street Journal's sights and sounds of 2009...
|
|
|
| 2010 goals |
[Dec. 30th, 2009|07:10 am] |
So I dunno, 2009 kinda sucked, though it had some really sweet high points--graduating, getting into the Kevin Smith thing, hanging out with all my buds over con season, etc. But the lows of crappy economy, no real jobs, car needing to get fixed for a ridiculous amount of money, and between brion and me, having to print/reprint 3 sets of books at once, kinda blows (Well, good for reprinting, but bad because it was on the heels of needing to print another volume =\ ).
But yes, goals for 2010:
--Lose 10 lbs (hah)
--Get back to doing Pilates--holy crap were my muscles getting awesome when I was doing it everyday, but now I'm back to being squishy XD
--Have at least 10k in my checking account by the end of August
--Get 10k unique readers on update days by this time next year (I'm at around 5500 now =\ )
--Get more freelancey jobs for real places.
--Get into Columbia's masters program (and if in, pass the pre-requisite accounting class needed to stay in x.x )
--Get book 3 printed in a timely manner!
--Get some sweet comic jobs (I really, really wanna stay working in comics, and I think I'm good enough, I just need the connections...)
--Enter more contests! (its been working pretty good for me so far! XD )
--Network like hell!
--Produce more art:
--Add to concept art portfolio, including more character designs, a lot more environments, creature concepts, and weapon/vehicle designs
--Make more comics, in a variety of styles/genres, so I can show that I can do more styles/genres XD
--Do more fanart, because that's just for me =)
--Actually make and maintain a buffer for MR so the summer won't be so horrible XD
--Make some more storyboards
--Develop a digi painting style--must practice this every day!
--Get the hang of working in Painter
--Learn some 3D stuff? The more tools in my wheelhouse, the better!!
--Do more lifedrawing--I need to get better at realistic lighting
--go outside more XD
--Keep playing games--Its kind of awesome how much happier I am now that I take more me time to play games. Work isn't everything!! XD
--send out more promotional shit to everyone in the Illustrator's Market XD
--Make more finished illustrations to put on promotional shit to send out XD
I think that's about it for now, but I'll probably think of more later =X |
|
|
| 2009- The Year in Music... The Paul Street Journal Review. |
[Dec. 29th, 2009|04:14 pm] |
Another great year in music has gone by and the following is a my list of the top 20 songs of 2009... The top 20 in my point of view... songs that meant 2009 to me personally, so although there may be popular music here (Jay-Z, for example), don't expect anything like Lady Gaga and the like. I really, really loved the soundtrack to the last year of this incredible decade in music.... And now, without further adieu...
1. "We are the People"- Empire of the Sun.
This was the epic tune of 2009 and the song that will always remind me of this year. My girlfriend introduced me to this band from Australia and their album "Walking on a Dream" became a classic upon first listen..... As we continue to sing the hauntingly catchy chorus,... ("Are you gonna leave me now?"), we'll be hopeful that they will tour the states soon...
2. "Electric Feel"- MGMT
Even though their album "Oracular Spectacular" came out in October of 2008, this song surfaced in my life around the beginning of the year. This dreamy, hypnotic, and danceable track made the world feel good...
3. "Por un Segendo"- Aventura
A year after my trip to the Dominican Republic, my love for bachata music continues and also my love for the New York-based outfit, Aventura, whose hypnotically beautiful tune, that was tinged with an Arab feel, enchanted my soul...
4. "Two Weeks"- Grizzly Bear
A select choice cut from their remarkable album, The Veckatimest, which was melodically dreamy. They carry the mantle for good, spacial, atmospheric, hynpotic rock as we head into a new decade (and wait for the next Radiohead album).
5. "America"- K'naan (feat. Mos Def & Chali 2NA)
"I got my own sound, I don't sound like the rest", The Somali-American proclaims as he sings and raps effortlessly in English and Somali. The driving beat samples the music from the music of the worst and hardest place on earth and the track is hypnotically meaningful and challenging to the ear... I'll never forget seeing him preform this live while I was with Karina in Long Beach back in February.
6. "Raindrops"- Basement Jaxx
I'll never forget seeing them play in Argentina (of all places!). This was smooth, summer house tune for 2009.
7. "Empire State of Mind"- Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys
This was the hip-hop tune of the year.... and Jay-Z was the king of the world... proclaiming himself "The new Sinatra" and who were we to argue?... Epic tune and a great album....
8. "Standing on the Shore"- Empire of the Sun
Oh, the melody..... We love Australia!
9. "Premeditate"- Sizzla
It is notable that for a person who is a hugest reggae fan you know, the highest-ranking reggae song this year comes in at #9. But, that just shows you that maybe reggae maybe took a bit of a back seat this year, but it was still a strong influence. This song from Sizzla's Ghetto Youth-ology album has a throwback sound, but it pure fyah and totally eargasmic to rasta dancehall fans...
10. "Cheerleader"- Grizzly Bear
A dreamily melodic tune for one of years best albums.
11. "Seya"- Oumou Sangare
The title cut from the album of the same name...... The songstress of Africa and one of my favorite artists of all time makes another brilliant CD.
12. "Yo No Se Manana"- Luis Enrique
This was the epic salsa tune of the year... I do listen to a lot of Latin Radio....
13. "1901"- Phoenix
Even this may remind you of a car commercial, this was still a pretty good tune from a band that continues to put out good music...
14. "Pon Di Floor"- Major Lazer
I had to chose one from this eargasmic album, although the crazy daggering video is curiously missing from youtube (?) :(
15. "Ramping Shop"- Vybz Kartel feat. Spice
I love ya, Kartel! The Teacha! Kill me with the cocky!
16. "Sleepyhead"- Passion Pit
Another song that reminds me of Karina..... I love you pizza sauce!
17. "Panic Switch"- Silversun Pickups
Remnds me of Karina...... it was rock used to be in the 90's.... it made "alternative" sound good again.
18. "Life"- G Whizz
The soft-dancehall ode to loving life despite its struggles...
19. "Calle Ocho (I know you want me)"- Pitbull
Such an anthem.... and inescapable.... I want to visit Calle Ocho next year....
20. "I Remember"-Deadmua5 & Kaskade
An epic dance tune that makes you remember....... so remember 2009, kids.
|
|
|
| Christmas turned out exceptionally well.... |
[Dec. 26th, 2009|12:23 pm] |
A week in review:
Last Saturday, Me, Karina, Jen and Medderzz attended the "Link Up" reggae party at club Paradisio in Downtown Oakland....
...I had my first layover in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which I love already. And on the way back, I ran into an old Italian family-friend, Claudio....
On Christmas Eve, Karina's Mom and Brother came to our house and we had "Mexican Christmas", which includes Tamales, Rice and Beans. Karina's brother is an interesting guy and we got along great... Earlier that day, I bought Karina her Christmas gift's... a TV Stand and a vacuum cleaner. She bought me two pairs of new shoes....
On Christmas, We drove up to the family vineyard in Sebastopol, which was a historic moment for me because it was the first time I had taken a girl up there. Karina met part of the the extended family that was there and I took her on a mini-tour of the place.
..I am immensely happy with how the Christmas turned out and the year for that matter.... I am a very lucky guy...
More year in Review stuff coming soon...... |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
moxplay's Friends Page