The Village

I get home today and my wife immediately tells me we have to go out and see a flick tonight. I love it when she speaks my language, so I jumped at it and said "Let's go!" We're both fans of Shayamalan's films, so we went to see The Village. Honestly, not nearly as good as his past films, the dialogue is a bit much, but the story is purely original and the method is different from anything I've seen in a while. The acting by Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard's daughter) is a great career launcher, and Joaquin Phoenix is great playing an afflicted and reflective blacksmith. I can never talk too much about it, because there's too much I can't reveal. The cinematography is beautiful, thanks to Mr. Roger Deakins, a modern genius of a DP. You have to pay close attention to every detail, there are clues everywhere just as in Shayamalan's past films. Right when I walked out I said to my wife "Some people will find it stupid, and other people will understand what just happened and love it". Don't pay attention to Ebert's review, they're just rantings of an old angry man who is still frustrated because he could never master the craft himself.

Yesterday and Today...

After work yesterday I had to go the the main library and take back a few DVD's I'd checked out and never watched. So this time I went determined to get something I'd actually watch. I miraculously found a VHS copy of "Divorce Italian Style", I saw it in a film history class a couple years ago and loved it. Thought I'd get it again, I also checked out a book that was co-written by Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo. They're both funny respectively, but when they team together it's pure magic (ie the MTV Movie Awards they hosted, best hosting job ever!). In order to run this as well as other errands I had to take the bus. I took the #7 bus that runs down Market and Haight. At the Powell St. stop people began to board the bus through the back door. An Englishman who was already on the bus started yelling at the people "PAY A FARE! DON'T STEAL, PAY A FARE! IT'S DISHONEST!" And a girl snapped back at him, "I HAVE A MUNI PASS, A-HOLE!" That's when he shut up. Everytime I take the #7 or #71 there's always a middle-aged black man standing at the corner of Haight & Divisadero. This man is an endless fountain of vocal expression. He randomly shouts out nativist lyrics wanting to make sure that we non-San Francisco born folk feel unwelcome in "his" city. I don't get offended, he obviously doesn't represent the city, so it's even easier to have a chuckle at how other people react to his rants. One man got off the bus and the black gentleman immediately shouted "WHAT'S UP PUNK!" while he wasn't paying attention. Scared the crap out of him! I couldn't help but laugh out loud while everyone around me sat scared and petrified clutching their satchels and purses. I've noticed there's a lot of fear in the hearts of San Francisco's residents. They don't like to talk to other people on the bus, unless their soul purpose is to hook up or panhandle. I find a good ice breaker is to just glance in a person's eyes and smile before saying anything. If you just suddenly speak to somebody, they're going to head for the trenches. But with a subtle salutation such as a look and a smile you've already built up a little confidence in the potential relationship. A man on another bus ride I took saw a woman board and immediately expressed to her "You're very beautiful!" To which her quick reply was "Forget it!" The dude was all sweaty and dirty from work with bloodshot eyes and torn clothes, obviously not your idea of a worthy mate. His chances were blown from the get go. Well, enough about the bus. This morning I woke up to Beck's "Mutations" album. It's great to wake up to for the first week, but today the first song "Cold Brains" was on repeat and played over and over again until I finally got up to get ready. So now I'm in a bad mood since one of my biggest vexations is redundancy. I'm trying to smooth it out by listening to different tunes at work today. We'll see how I end up.

Different route...

Today I walked down Sutter St. to work, mainly because I'm too lazy to walk up the hill, Sutter's much flatter. But the thing is with Sutter St., the people who I suppose frequent that street are like a totally different breed. I counted maybe 5 men walking around in sweatpants and sweaters holding cups of coffee in their hands, carefully keeping their forearm and aftarm (as I call the funny-bone area of your arm) at a perfect right angle so as to not spill their precious hazelnut flavored Starbucks coffee. I have nothing against Starbucks, I don't even drink coffee, but I do object to their coffee cups being everywhere. Every shop or building I go into there just always happens to be at least one person holding their cups, and always with that cardboard ring around it so they don't burn their fingers. But shouldn't they be more concerned about burning their tastebuds? I don't get it. Also, why doesn't Starbucks build those rings into the cups, it would save quite a bit of time I'd imagine, considering how many cups they ring everyday. I noticed there's a new coffeeshop near my work that's stolen it's name from that shop from Friends. Only this one's called "Golden Gate Perk", but it's sad because within the city you almost couldn't be any further from the actual park than the Financial District. Well, I guess it's the novelty of the name that matters not that it's not close to the park. And yes, today I brought my sandwich to work.

I forgot my sandwich!

To save time and mulla I decided to make my own lunch while my wife ate up my morning time in the shower. I placed it next to my bitchin' JanSport backpack, I had a thought to actually put it inside my backpack, but it came and went. I showered, got dressed, grabbed my backpack, kissed my wife see ya later and out I went. It wasn't until I got to work that I realized, CRAP! I FORGOT MY HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH AND TOSTITOS "hint of jalapeno" CHIPS! Oh well, I guess I'll be getting a snack at one of the many restaurants that abound the financial district. I decided to take the California St. route to work today. As some may know, California St. is essentially a hill. At the top is the Grace Cathedral, Masonic Temple, Fairmont Hotel and the Mark Hopkins Hotel. I couldn't help but think of all the secret combinations possibly being realized inside all four buildings, then I got a little intimidated and slightly freaked myself out. But then I started going down the other side of the hill and found my self tranquil once again. Strolling through Chinatown there are always older Asian couples out for their morning walks. I happened upon one couple probably in their 70's. The man was in front of his wife doing some breathing exercises, smiling and waving his arms about. His wife walked about 10 feet behind him being quietly submissive to her beau. She had a look on her face as if she had spent a lifetime crying. I couldn't even imagine what things she'd seen in her past, possibly living through the Mao Tse Tung and possibly living in one of the smaller provinces of China that were most persecuted. I would like to think she's living a happy life now, I hope so

20's vs. 30's

I was watching this show on PBS the other day, these three kids who are aspiring writers are on a road trip across America meeting writers and publishers trying to find out what it takes to be a writer and be successful at it. One woman, an editor for SPIN magazine said "The 20's are for discovering who you are, save your 30's for your career. But right now just have fun, keep writing and try and discover who you are." She also encouraged them to start a blog or do anything to keep writing and practicing. That's why I started my blog, primarily. I really just need some form of therapy for my subcontious melodramatic self. I gotta say I agree with the first part of the quote. My parents are concerned about my education and how it's progressing, but I figure as long as I'm growing as a person and am having real experiences and learning from them I'm doing just fine. What good is an education if your mind isn't free to do what it wants. So, hey, give me until I'm 30 before I start making the big bucks. For now earning peanuts and scrimping and saving to get by will probably help me out in the future and make me more humble and thankful during times of prosperity.

Somethin' funny

A few days ago I was lookin' through random crap that's being given away on Craig's List and I found the funniest picture. It was a rock that had "YOU SMELL LIKE ROBOTS" stenciled on it. Ever since then I've been saying it to everybody

I am Spiderman...

On the 1st of this month my wife and I moved into our new apartment in San Francisco. My bros. and I were up until midnight moving crap in while she was at the old apartment in Concord cleaning every inch for inspection. At 1am I drove back to Concord to pick her up so we could finally start our new life in San Fran. But guess what, I had all the keys to the new apt. on my keyring at one point, and at another point I took off a pair so my keys wouldn't be so heavy. Turns out I left both of the keys to the security door inside the new apartment, so we had no way of even getting inside the building. My wife and I sat inside the car for about 10 minutes wondering what we had to do. Were we going to sleep in the car that night? Not a chance with our cat in there with us. So I had a bright idea to drive my '97 Jetta closer to the building and under our window. We were on the first floor, so a break-in was plausible. So I moved the car, jumped on top of it and lucky me! During the furniture moving I had opened the window to let some air in. I punched at the screen and knocked it off it's hinges, placed it gently inside, pulled my 160 lb body up the side of the building and climbed into the apartment. Thus began our new life in the city, hopefully it wasn't symbolic of things to come. But it was fun nonetheless. And I figured if I ever get bitten by a radioactive spider and develop spidey senses, I would grow accustomed to such traits pretty easily.

A Quote

After seeing "Iris", there was a quote from Dame Iris Murdoch that hit me, really as an eternal truth. "Every human soul has seen, perhaps even before their birth, pure thoughts such as justice, temperance, beauty and all the great moral qualities which we hold in honor. We are moved toward what is good by the faint memory of these forms. Simple and calm and blessed, which we saw once in a pure clear light, being pure ourselves." Let me know what you think about this quote

Low key day today...

Friday There was somebody at work (who shall remain nameless) who was getting all worked up and annoying everybody because he wanted to find out who accidentally threw away the steel mesh filter in the coffeemaker, so since I don't even drink coffee nor think to ever touch the industrial brewer I just kept my mouth shut, blocked him out of my mind, put my headphones on and listened to The Proclaimers. This Saturday was a very relaxing day after a stressful week at work. I like to cook but have no counterspace whatsoever. I went to the Salvation Army (REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR!) Thrift Store so see what they had. Sadly, no kitchen carts, but I did find a rad helmet for my wife for $2, so now she can ride her bike to work. I also found a cool SF Youth Baseball T-shirt and a vintage grey and burgundy Ralph Lauren POLO shirt. It's tight fitting, but in the emo way, ya know. I checked out a few flicks from the library, and I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the Main Library's DVD selection, but it's free so I can't complain. I watched "Iris" with Kate Winslet, Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent. It was a great semi-depressing film, but full of uplifting moments. And Roger Pratt's cinematography is stunning as usual. I recommend it, I just adore Winslet as an actress and that makes it the most enjoyable for me. (If you want to see Kate Winslet in 2 of her best roles thus far rent "Heavenly Creatures" and see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") Well, there you have it, exciting idnit?